Topic: The Switch Recommendations Thread

I honestly feel that something like Maplestory, Albion online or Runescape is missing from the switch. I've been longing to scratch that (online) grind itch, but I can't seem to find a suitable game on switch to do that. The likes of disgea 5 or JRPGS are not really in my ballpark either (even though FF World Maxima gave me some entertainment). It doesn't even have to be an MMO, just a grindy game that makes me feel like the grind is worth it would be amazing (when I was younger Pokémon did this, as reaching level 100 was quite prestiges).

Any suggestions? Or opinions on a game like Albion online / Runescape / Maplestory coming to switch?

Edit: I own Diablo III, and though it is a great game, I'm looking for something new

@Cissero I loved old school and classic runescape. Every skill level was earned with hard grind. I think there may be a gap for this on switch if they allow a more appropriate communication. Me and a friend were talking about why Pokemon is not among a mmo setting by now. It would be surreal. Or am I missing something?

@Benjoo exactly, i just miss a game with such a rewarding level grind on Switch. I know these kinds of games are not for everyone, but personally I would find it highly relaxing. That's why I.m.o. a game like Maplestory would work so well. Kill a bunch of stuff, level up, compare yourself with others on the leaderboard, have a ton of abilities for each class from which you can map 4-5 to match your prefered playstyle, and have some (daily) dungeons to give the 'community feel'. I'd be all in for it, and I would happily drop 30-40~ euro's on a game like that.

A Pokémon mmo is a dream of many people, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for that a while longer tho.

Warframe

You could spend thousands of hours in that game and you'll have gotten nowhere.

@ReaderRagfish I've gotten this suggestion a lot, guess I'll dive into it and give it a fair shot Thanks!

So for a JRPG, what is one that is recommended at the moment? Or forthcoming in the next week or so? I have XENOBLADE 2 and Torna, so that one is in my library all ready, just fyi.

How is Feudal Alloy?

@HeroOfCybertron i heard that Feudal Alloy doesnt live up to the expectations. To me it looks very cool and I do want to try it out tho. I'm planning to read some more reviews before buying tho.

At $20, and with Pulstar/Blazing Star on your list, I insist you consider Ikaruga instead. There are several shmups available that are what I'd consider to be "swimming in 7s." The shmups from Psikyo and East Asia Soft. There are even a few 8s, such as Blazing Star (that slowdown though). But Ikaruga is a 9 in my book, a must-play in the genre.

Hey guys, I know this has probably been asked a hundred times already - I'm looking for a game to sink hours of exploration/progress into after finishing BotW. Preferably an RPG adventure, but I'm not sure if I'd like the deeper/more complex ones like Skyrim.

Right now it's likely between Monster Hunter, Dark Souls, Darksiders, My time at Portia, or Ittle Dew 2. Open to any other suggestions.

The main thing I'm looking for is exploration and item hunting, as well as puzzles. I hear Darksiders is great for this but the puzzles are very simple and the game is currently overpriced in my region ($50 in Australia).

Dark Souls looks very appealing but watching footage of it looks like it hasn't aged well (never played it before). The combat looks slow and repetitive, the visuals are dark and uninviting, and the animations unpolished. I could be wrong though.

To say thanks, I'll provide a mini verdict of some of the games I've played so far in case it helps anyone.

So here's my verdict on the games I've bought so far in case anyone is interested.

Blaster Master Zero - not a good buy unless you're a fan of the originals. The controls are terrible, the platforming not fun at all, directional shooting is near impossible, and the visuals/sound/UI are too old for their own good.

Celeste - a must-buy. Great example of retro style done right. Classic platforming with plenty of gameplay depth, tight controls, and an original story that any modern-day adult can relate to as opposed to the usual mythical stuff.

Enter the Gungeon - OK if you want something for pick-up-and-play, but don't expect too much. The level and item randomization is too inconsistent. Sometimes you get a gun/item that makes you unstoppable, other times you get junk. Enjoying the game and progressing seems to be a matter of luck.

RIVE - good but very unfairly challenging at times. Requires a lot of unavoidable deaths just to figure out what to do. The controls are very good but shooting just feels a little off at times, which is crucial for a game this fast-paced.

Mario Odyssey, BoTW & Smash - not without their flaws, but definitely must-plays. They're on sale now as well so picking them up for the current price is a great deal.

That's easy, I highly recommend Yonder. It's a collectathon/adventure/sim-lite game. There's zero combat, with gameplay being primarily busy work. The game has quite a large world to explore and the atmosphere is pretty chill.

Thanks, I'll definitely keep that one on my list. It looks amazing but it sounds a little too laid back and repetitive by the reviews - ie no risk of dying, no leveling up etc. Would be good to see how it compares to Portia or Stardew Valley in terms of the crafting and farming elements.

@scubydo
I would recommend Disgaea 5 complete if you are looking for a grindy turnbased jrpg
Tales of vesperia definitive edition, if you want an action based rpg
Atelier rorona, if you are looking for a more relaxed experience and like micromanaging your items. ( I suggest not buying the deluxe pack, rorona is really good, totori is average, and meruru has some bugs)
There is also Battle chasers nightwar, final fantasy IX, final fantasy VII and final fantasy X-X2 but I haven't finished/bought them so I can't personally recommend them.

Hello,

I have beaten Zelda and Octopath Traveler which both games I highly recommend. I bought Xenoblade 2 and put 5 hours into and really disliked it. I am just not a fan of the story and especially fighting. In my opinion the fighting was too dumb downed.

I really liked Octopath and other Final Fantasy games but never played 12. Was wondering FF 12 fighting is like Xenoblade or is it more intuitive.

I already beaten FF6, 7. 8, 9, 10. Any other RPGs on Switch that people recommend?

Thanks

That depends on the subgenre you're looking for. Turn based? Xenoblade Chronicles 2 would be my favorite. Open world? Skyrim. Action? Ys VIII. Tactical? Mario+Rabbids. Strategy? Valkyria Chronicles 4. Rogue-like? Darkest Dungeon. Dungeon? Labyrinth of Refrain. Character? Wasteland 2. Adventure? Ittle Dew 2+. Pocket Monster? World of Final Fantasy. Beat'em Up/Brawler? Code of Princess. Sandbox? Portal Knights.

The term RPG is very ubiquitous because so many games use RPG elements these days.

@DensoYamaha41

Xenoblade 2's fighting system gets better the farther you get into the game. Maybe not quite as good as the first two Xeno games, but elemental combos are pretty cool when you get them just right. Story stays about the same so if you didn't like it, that doesn't change much throughout the game.

Final Fantasy XII isn't really more intuitive than Xenoblade 2 (though not really less either). It's mostly about how you set up your "Gambits", which are set behaviors you you prioritize for your AI teammates. A typical gambit might look like:

1) Status=Negative: Cast Esuna
2) Any ally: HP<50: Cast Curaga
3) Attack enemy: nearest

It's pretty straight forward but you can really spend a lot of time changing up your gambits to meet the needs of different battles. There are no combos or timing like Xenoblade 2, but "Quickenings" (Limit Breaks of XII) are very similar to elemental combos in Xenoblade.

I haven't played too many RPG's on Switch yet (I own many of them on other systems already). But Tales of Vesperia is a solid game if you like the series, and Valkyria Chronicles 4 was a lot more fun than I'd thought it'd be (real-time/turn based). Skyrim is always a winner if you haven't played it yet (still one of the best open world games up their with Witcher 3 and Zelda). Dark Souls wasn't really my thing, I beat it, but didn't enjoy it much. Great atmosphere, but I always felt like I was slogging through the game and not enjoying it, but that could be different for you.

I keep going back and forth on buying Xenoblade 2. I saw it at a garage sale for $50 (Australian prices) which is a decent deal, but I keep hearing mixed reviews. It seems to be either love or hate so I might take the plunge and see. The open world exploration looks amazing.

Regarding Dark Souls, I bought it and was instantly dissatisfied, but the next thing I knew I had spent almost 10 hours trying to get better. It's kind of grown on me a little (with the help of YouTube walkthroughts). The realistic combat and physics are amazing - definitely something I feel was lacking in BoTW. The problem is that the games makes no effort to explain any of the endless mechanics and features that you can use, there's no map or explanation as to where you need to go, and you basically get punished for trying to explore by being insta-killed from sneak-attacks by big enemies.

Also - can someone clarify whether the Xenoblade Torna DLC can be purchased and played separately from the base game? I'm seeing physical copies on eBay being sold but not sure how it works.

I hear great reviews about it - apparently they fixed some of the glaring issues in the base game and made it more friendly for beginners with a shorter story. I'm thinking it might be a better place to start.

Whether you buy Torna the Golden Country physically or digitally, owning the base game isn't necessary to play Torna the Golden Country. However, TtGC comes with a DLC code for various content only usable by playing the base game, Xenoblade Chronicles 2.