Suzuka
2016
As I sit here in the dead of winter, wrapped tightly in a duvet while clutching my Switch, a new season begins in-game and that sweet summer tune puts a smile on my face. The sitars perfectly embody that summer vibe. Time to plant some new seeds and catch some sturgeon. Simply put, this game is blissful escapism.
2018
I desperately wanted to love this game. I even came back to it after shelving it for more than a year. The art style and music are charming, and the shopkeeping element is actually quite fun. However, this game made me realise that I’m just not into roguelites. The load screens can also take a while which just made the whole experience feel even more tedious.
Edit: It’s on the Switch now! Gods be praised.
I adore this game. Probably the best take on solitaire I’ve seen in a long time. It’s perfect for mobile devices. However, as if I’m going to pay £6.99 a month for Apple Arcade just for one game. It’s because of this that I have to leave the game unfinished. I’ll emulate the 3DS version, but I wish Game Freak would bring this to the Switch.
I adore this game. Probably the best take on solitaire I’ve seen in a long time. It’s perfect for mobile devices. However, as if I’m going to pay £6.99 a month for Apple Arcade just for one game. It’s because of this that I have to leave the game unfinished. I’ll emulate the 3DS version, but I wish Game Freak would bring this to the Switch.
Sadly underappreciated within the Pokémon community. While I’m not the biggest fan of the mechanics taken from Go, this game is still a fantastic introduction to the franchise and one I would definitely recommend to newbies.
The visible Pokémon, the inclusion of Jesse and James, and the expanded experience share make it a sufficiently different experience to Red/Blue/Yellow and Leaf Green/Fire Red. And then there’s the graphics and art style. I have no idea why Sword/Shield didn’t adopt the charming visuals of Let’s Go. I also appreciated that I could complete the Pokédex all on my own without needing to trade because of the ability to transfer Pokémon from Go.
Leaf Green is still my go-to for whenever I want to revisit the Kanto region, but if I want a fast and easy playthrough (made possible through experience share), Let’s Go is the one to go for. My partner, who had previously been a Pokémon virgin, completed this game in just a few days and is now open to trying more in the series. I’d love a Johto version of Let’s Go, but that seems extremely unlikely given the success of Legends Arceus and the new mechanics it introduced.
The visible Pokémon, the inclusion of Jesse and James, and the expanded experience share make it a sufficiently different experience to Red/Blue/Yellow and Leaf Green/Fire Red. And then there’s the graphics and art style. I have no idea why Sword/Shield didn’t adopt the charming visuals of Let’s Go. I also appreciated that I could complete the Pokédex all on my own without needing to trade because of the ability to transfer Pokémon from Go.
Leaf Green is still my go-to for whenever I want to revisit the Kanto region, but if I want a fast and easy playthrough (made possible through experience share), Let’s Go is the one to go for. My partner, who had previously been a Pokémon virgin, completed this game in just a few days and is now open to trying more in the series. I’d love a Johto version of Let’s Go, but that seems extremely unlikely given the success of Legends Arceus and the new mechanics it introduced.
Tetris on drugs. Play it in a dark room with headphones on and you’re in for a seriously (yet wonderfully) trippy experience.
What a beautiful yet haunting game. I played this in one sitting as I was so captivated by it. The boss fights were good fun and I absolutely loved the use of Nordic folklore, no matter how creepy it was.
An underrated match-3 puzzle game which I’m glad is finally coming to the Switch. I honestly don’t know how many hours I’ve put into the ‘quick battles’, but it certainly rivals Tetris as a casual pick-up-and-go puzzle game. My only complaint is that the campaign is too long. The boss fights are varied but can feel tedious (you’re definitely going to need to max out each character to level 10). Overall, a very enjoyable game that deserves more recognition.
2006
Cutesy game many of us would probably have loved when we were younger. There doesn’t seem to be much variety between the different worlds and the controls are sluggish, but younger me would have finished this purely based on how friggin’ adorable the LocoRoco are.
2016
An inferior Tetris, yet with a greater variety of blocks. You will come to hate the ones shaped like plus signs.
2018
Completed as a single player campaign. Neither amazing nor terrible, this game is just good mindless fun. It’s definitely a guilty pleasure that I enjoy returning to. There’s a decent amount of enemy variety, though the level design at times is quite repetitive. The 1930s Egypt setting has a similar vibe to The Mummy (1999). And who doesn't love The Mummy?
2021
Instead of gushing over how amazing the storytelling and gameplay is in this game (others here have done so far better than I could), I'll just say that as someone who teaches Latin and Ancient History, this game was an absolute joy to play with regards to Roman culture. The amount of time I spent wandering around looking for all the bits of graffiti (and having a good laugh at some, especially the one in the public toilet), or smiling when I found the lararium in Sentius' house, or listening to the compelling but also believable backstories of the characters, including a Vestal Virgin. A must for other Roman culture enthusiasts.
2001
Twenty years later and this game still slaps. Still buggy and frustrating in parts, but overall a good ride. Word of advice - download the widescreen patch for this, it’s fantastic. Don’t know how I used to play this with so little of the map on screen.
So earlier this year I got summoned to jury service, but in the end couldn’t do it. The trial would be at least eight weeks long and that simply wasn’t going to work with my job. I’ll admit I was disappointed to be missing out on such a prominent case, and with all the media attention on the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial, I needed something to scratch my unfulfilled jury duty itch.
And that’s when I turned my attention to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. I can completely see the appeal of this game (and the rest of the series), but sadly it’s just not for me. Perhaps all visual novel style games aren’t my jam, or the backtracking to different locations annoyed me too much. I enjoyed the first two cases which served as a kind of tutorial, but the third case almost had me abandoning the game altogether. Definitely a return to form with cases four and five though. Tempted to give one of the later games in the series a go, but we’ll see.
And that’s when I turned my attention to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. I can completely see the appeal of this game (and the rest of the series), but sadly it’s just not for me. Perhaps all visual novel style games aren’t my jam, or the backtracking to different locations annoyed me too much. I enjoyed the first two cases which served as a kind of tutorial, but the third case almost had me abandoning the game altogether. Definitely a return to form with cases four and five though. Tempted to give one of the later games in the series a go, but we’ll see.
Perhaps I’m guilty of overhyping this game in my head, but good lord was I disappointed with the reality. The controls are just awful. Worst and jankiest horse riding I’ve encountered to date, and don’t get me started on how Agro actually gets in your way during fights sometimes. From everything I’ve seen and read about this game, I can tell there’s a wonderful story to be told here, but sadly I don’t think I’ll be returning to this.
If it weren’t for the compelling story and characters, I probably would have dropped this within the first third of the game. The gameplay, while probably great in 2013, seems pretty lacklustre by modern standards and seriously made me question how there is still so much hype around this game.
That being said, I finally understand the comparisons made with A Plague Tale: Innocence, which so unabashedly borrows elements from this game. However, I’d sooner replay A Plague Tale than TLOU purely because I enjoyed the gameplay in the former much more. But the emotional impact of TLOU is far greater, which is why I’m keen to see how the HBO series will adapt it. I might even play the sequel at some point if I can find the patience to deal with the gameplay again.
That being said, I finally understand the comparisons made with A Plague Tale: Innocence, which so unabashedly borrows elements from this game. However, I’d sooner replay A Plague Tale than TLOU purely because I enjoyed the gameplay in the former much more. But the emotional impact of TLOU is far greater, which is why I’m keen to see how the HBO series will adapt it. I might even play the sequel at some point if I can find the patience to deal with the gameplay again.