#nintendo switch
#nintendo switch
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Contrary to its title, one of the first things Baba is You taught me that my adorable sheep avatar was not in fact always me. Sometimes I’m a rock, or a ghost, or every single wall in the room. Sometimes the goal is to get Baba to a flag to win, sometimes the goal is to get something else there, transform into it and then make yourself the win condition. If that sounds confusing or inconsistent that’s because Baba is You is fundamentally about changing its own rules.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
When I originally reviewed The Caligula Effect for the Vita I found it to be a dire RPG, with a half-baked story and combat that was held back by its abysmal technical performance. I questioned the merit of returning to it for a PS4 remake. Still, I was curious if any of the original game could be salvaged. So once again I found myself, like the game’s protagonists, stuck in an endless loop of high school life.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Ghoulboy doesn’t quite capture the retro feeling that it goes for. Ghoulboy fits comfortably along games like Poppyworks’ Super Skull Smash and Halloween Forever, which look the part in screenshots, but aren’t quite there when you get your hands on them. The movement is all slightly off, the feedback isn’t there, and some of the stage designs get finicky. Regardless, it ends up being decent fun in its own right, even if it mostly reminds me of games it can’t live up to.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Assault Android Cactus is just fucking fun. I have a natural tendency to slip into critic mode–whether playing a game for review or not. After engaging with games for so long it’s hard not to constantly be reading into the craft of everything I play. I’m always thinking about what a designer intended, how certain parts of the game intersect with narrative aims, how a level design guides you…you get the idea.
When I play Assault Android Cactus all I think is “this game is so fucking fun I want to keep playing it.” Not to say that it’s a mindless shooter that’s easy to zone out to. Rather, this is one of those games that’s so thoughtfully designed that I my thoughts can take time off and appreciate the sheer physical joy of manipulating it.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
From mechanics, aesthetics, down to the extra modes and gameplay options, Devil Engine is saturated with homage to arcade shooters, new and old. It’d be easy to catalog them, and breakdown every influence it takes from its arcade family. But in the heat of the action, Devil Engine gave me an almost racer like vibe. Momentum is deeply important, and losing it feels a lot like running yourself off the road. Knowing how to control my speed and where to attack the stage’s corners and enemy formations is key. Explaining exactly why is complicated, so let’s break it down.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
“Earthbound meets Zelda”. It’s really difficult to describe Reverie in any other way. You can dance around it, play up its New Zealand mythology, or use a phrase like “quirky top down action-adventure game” but the influences are worn very openly. Often imitated, but rarely replicated, invoking them means living up to a lot of people’s high expectations. So does Reverie clear the high bar it sets?
Maybe. Sorta?
by Amr (@siegarettes)
As someone who spends a lot of their limited time trying to keep up with games, the phrase “rogue-like” tends to get me to immediately back away. I enjoy what a lot of games bring to the style, but the threat of losing all progress each time tends to guarantee I won’t see more than the first or second stage on most runs and ironically shortens my interest in the game.
So knowing Tangledeep gives you the option to opt out of the harshest penalties single-handedly saved it from being ignored. A good thing too, because not only did I find a lot of what I enjoy about rogue-likes in Tangledeep, but it turns out it’s even more varied and customizable than I thought.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
I love Wargroove. At least, when it isn’t seriously pissing me off. When it’s in the groove, it sets up wonderful capsule strategy scenarios. Each of these make me consider the terrain, the set of units I’m restricted to and forces me to experiment and make hard choices to overcome the enemy. The wonderful animations and lovingly rendered maps enhance every victory and mistake, making me hold my breath as I hope that I’ve made the right move.
All of this helps Wargroove perfectly capture the appeal of the old Advance Wars style strategy games. It’s a refreshing return whose capsule battles generally feel more accessible to people who aren’t strategy mavens. And yet, it isn’t the rousing success it should be, thanks to some BIG problems that soured any high points.
