As mentioned in the review, it's sadly not there, and @LadyCharlie I think we have sort of gotten used to the fact that Crossplay is usually cut out of the Switch version. It's so often the case.
@Vivianeat
It can be viewed as a reboot of sorts, but I'd say more of a retooling that simplifies things and slightly lowers the entry barrier.
Thank you @Glasso for that source. Yes, he’s legit and trustworthy, I’ve seen his STG coverage before. 1 frame isn’t enough to be perceptible tbh, but the fact it’s in addition at all surprises me. I ran the 360 version side by side to test this and could have sworn its response time was poorer. The Switch seems genuinely cursed with this particular affliction.
I’ll have to make an amendment to the coverage here and try to work that out with the editors. Appreciate the help, happy 2025 to you!
@Rentaro You are very welcome. Thanks for reading.
@Tron81
Do you have sources for this? The 360 port had lag so chronic as part of the programming (exacerbated by poor quality flatscreens) whereby if you strafed horizontally and paused the game, released the d-pad and unpaused, the ship would continue to move for the frames it was behind.
We ran these tests and others on the Switch port, and while (as the review states) lag can’t be eradicated entirely, it was certainly no carbon copy of the 360 version in that respect. As I’ve specified so many times in the past, for STGs the right setup is essential. If it’s not CRT, at least have a flat screen with a game mode that works to reduce lag to get the most from It.
“ The absence of wieldable weaponry, too, is always a missed trick where variety is concerned.”
@-wc-
The level of detail and variety is quite impressive. In a sense, it’s not dissimilar from the original Turtles arcade game - the rangers differ in things like speed, strength, and the moves have varying animations. It’s just the routines that are essentially the same.
But the game plays well and the super scaler stages are quite something, and that elevates it considerably. I’ve noticed several people here complain that the Zord (super scaler) stages are too tough, but I didn’t have a problem on them at all on defaults. There’s a functional jump/dodge for all of these sequences except maybe the rollercoaster, and careful reflex will get you through them well enough.
EDIT:
I should add that while I agree with comments saying the difficulty is a little uneven, I honestly didn’t see a game over screen until toward the end of the game. Chunky Chicken is a **** of a fight, but you just need to be dodging all the time until he stops the portal antics. Remember to use your super attacks when charged!
I felt for a default, normal, middle of the road, totally average difficulty setting that’s neither too easy nor too hard, it wasn’t badly pitched or frustrating. But I do agree having experience with the genre and various arcade archetypes is going to help a lot.
@Vyacheslav333 Yes, I didn't see any alternative to English voice overs.
@IceClimbersMain But fair.
@Mrkittyhead It's overwritten and boring, so I didn't care for it. If you like the idea of lengthy but not particularly interesting JRPG-style text exchanges between your matches then it might suit you.
It's a great question, although I can assure you we asked a ton of similarly great questions, and yours, like those, would have definitely come back blank.
@Truegamer79 They’re not complaints, they’re criticisms of features that could have been implemented/improved to enhance the overall. Not mentioning these things would be antithetical to the purpose of a review.
@AG_Awesome 4:3 adds bezels with artwork to the screen edges. The aesthetic isn't affected because the game is entirely redrawn from the ground up in an 8-bit style, but of course the landscape reduces (rather than squashes) to fit the new ratio.
4:3 introduces bezels on either side of the screen to fill the unused space. They're muted and don't overpower the central action. In a nice touch, when you ground pound in 4:3 format those bezels do a little shake.
@PurpulTyeDye It's not a real con, it's a joke. Pros and cons have no relationship whatsoever to scoring, they're simply a bullet point overview.
@DashKappei Thank you for your kind words, it's really nice to hear you liked it. Yes, you can consider the practice modes tutorials. Since these are arcade games the practice modes have been added for player convenience, and feature full move lists for all the characters. If you're looking for a step-by-step how-to-play guide, just Google Capcom's "magic sequence" or "magic series" and you can see how the combos function. They're pretty simple, and revolve around inputting either kicks or punches in a basic string. An easy one would be either punches or kicks in a Light > Medium > Hard sequence, and this can also be done in the air.
@Warioware Difficulty can be adjusted and special attacks mapped to single button presses. Ranked matches online also mean you can play people of similar skill levels.
@-wc- That's a really good question! I miss the days of console ports that had bells and whistles attached that made them desirable. But with the demise of the arcade it just isn't really possible in the same way. Getting an arcade port at home used to be a huge thing. But at least with collections like this it's still really full of bonuses in there, and we're at the point now where these kind of packages offer the very best in terms of features.
Edit: As an aside, the PS1 ports of Capcom's Marvel fighting games were famously bad owing to 2D hardware limitations, so we're definitely doing better on that front today.
@TrevorMcD Yep, I have my own rationale behind 10s. I think a 9 illustrates the absolute necessity of a game purchase well enough, but I feel like 10s are handed out far too freely overall. For me a 10 needs to not just be near perfection, but needs to change the course of gaming to a degree, or be the outright best of its genre, influencing developers going forward for years to come. I don't have many games I'd give that score to.
But for its time, the original Street Fighter II is a perfect example of a game that hits all those key points.
@SurprisedRobinChu There is no point deducted for Norimaro, which is why it says it's a joke. The pros and cons don't directly affect scoring, they're purely a quick look overview, which I'll assume is all you've seen.
@bobby_steurer I actually should have mentioned, but the review went over my intended word count already, that you can map specials to single button presses which is useful for beginners.
@Warioware It's only a 10 if I give it one good sir, and that is a hallowed score reserved for games that reinvent the wheel, and not to be banded about lightly (in my opinion!) For the intended audience, perhaps it is, but the review is written for a broader audience and the entry level for these games is far beyond your basic SFII or KOF, and some may find the initial complexity daunting.
@mikegamer Appreciate that Mike, I'll ask the editors to add a note for that.
@NinChocolate Perhaps I should have chosen a different word, this one obviously hasn't landed the way I intended. I think it deserved to reach the highs of Sonic, for example, which is exactly what Konami were intending for Sparkster, and the reason they ploughed so many resources into it, and created such a stellar piece of work. Konami were a huge force in gaming at the time and had pegged him as a future mascot in pre-production. He didn't last long in that position because the sales figures were below expectation.
@TotalHenshin If this were only Rocket Knight Adventures and neither of the sequels, I'd feel I'd have to castigate myself if I scored it lower than a 9, because that's the level of its standalone quality (versus other titles released in the era).
@-wc- I understand what you're saying, I suppose "overlooked" in my mind just means it didn't make it to the big leagues when it deserved to. It wasn't overlooked by you or I, but perhaps among the larger majority where the likes of NBA Jam and Desert Strike were king.
@NinChocolate I clarified it in comment #26
@Lofoten Oh, I really hate scoring to be honest, so you're putting me on the spot with this!
Rocket Knight is an easy 9, while RKA2 and Sparkster are sort of on a similar platform hovering around a 7, and some of it is down to taste. RKA2 is clunky and oddly formed, but the endless boosting is fun. Sparkster looks great and feels right, but it can be frustrating in places.
Only the first game is cut from real arcade cloth - with extraordinary control and pacing - whereas the sequels rely on classic console platform assemblies and different development teams.
@mikegamer I thought it was a little fuzzy to the point of actually firing up the original cart. Upon doing that it became difficult to distinguish. Hopefully a patch will resolve it.
@-wc- Never forget that Edge Magazine scored Gunstar a 5/10. “Overlooked” speaks more to their widespread success or lack thereof. What got me playing Gunstar and RKA as a kid was mostly sheer luck - neither were games volunteered amongst peers in the same breath as Sonic, Donkey Kong Country or Streets of Rage. They became cult fixtures later, at best, and didn’t reap a great deal of success for their publishers.
@ShinG67 @-wc- A rail shooter simply describes a game where the action moves on rails and is fixed and can not be altered from its path. Rez also qualifies for this. The player-character doesn't necessarily need to be fixed as well (and is rarely the case) as long as their journey is at the whim of the game itself.
Corridor shooter is a defunct term that was once used for the era of FPS characterised by DOOM and Wolfenstein.
I also noticed a lot of criticism in the comments thread aimed at the Story Mode. Honestly, I'm not sure what the worries are with this. Arcade Mode, as stated, is preferable, and exists as the pure option. There's no real incentive as far as I could tell to have to play through Story Mode, but it being there at the least is a welcome alternative. I don't think any resources were wasted due to its assembly.
The way I'd play it would be to master the game in Arcade and then take those skills to Story just to experience the narrative.
That's never happened to me. I've had consultations about scores before (one or twice, tops) based on criticism given in reviews, but not for this.
Please remember, scoring is a very arbitrary metric. One person's five is another person's seven, if that makes sense. The score for this particular game was based on several factors: an incredibly solid new Contra which is brilliantly concocted and captures the right feel, coupled with technical deficiencies that take work to look past.
It's a 6. It's unacceptable versus what the Switch is capable of, but it can still be played and enjoyed with some dedication. All of this is outlined in the body of the review.
The major issue is, if you're only planning to buy this once (and why would you buy any game twice), there are far superior options.
@Ferchokyzer I had to read your sentence a few times there! At first I thought you were suggesting I created an account to wax lyrical about the achievements of my prose!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really find motivation from comments like this. You'll find much of my historic work dotted on the internet, mostly between here and Eurogamer.
@jbrodack
Well, I do believe it's an accurate appraisal of the Ikaruga situation as it was, and how it came to be a mainstream darling, mostly heralded by reviewers who had barely touched the genre. That said, it's still a pretty masterful piece of work.
Just a quick thank you to all of you for your kind comments regarding the review. Several 1CCs were achieved in the process of its writing, so effort was most certainly applied. I greatly appreciate your reading of it!
@Warioware Start on Very Easy Mode, 1CC that easy. Then move onto Shotia Arrange (Type A) and then Leinyan Arrange (Type B) when you feel like you have it down. After that I'd then have a stab at the original Black Label arcade game and see how you get on. Stay away from EXY Arrange for a while. Incredible as it is, the loop 2 bullets might put you off.
@kuponick It was a great number of people's entry point into shmups, and that's part of the problem. Because Treasure had finally and deservedly built themselves up a name by the time it was being developed, the mainstream media hyped it, which was uncommon for the genre and something I appreciated at the time.
Was the hype deserved? Yes, but I wish it wasn't so brief. After Ikaruga came and went, focus on the genre in the mainstream media died off as quickly as it arrived. All the shmup releases thereafter got little to no attention in Western publications, including that of CAVE's emerging talent.
Ikaruga is really the only shmup that enjoyed that kind of limelight, and because of that it tends to be the standard reference point for everyone, whether they know anything about the genre or not. It's absolutely a superb game, but tends to dodge criticism a little too easily for my liking.
The Ikeda interview is here. The formatting is a little messed up for some reason:
@StrangerSun I'd respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree. Ikaruga is a brilliant but clinical exercise in hybrid game design. It's beautiful and unique, but inflexible, which is often a hallmark of Treasure's work. While you can work out your own scoring routes, I don't think it matches the highs of something like DaiOuJou when you're in the thick of it.
@kuponick Because, as mentioned, Ikeda was interviewed for a French magazine where he cited Ikaruga as a form of inspiration in the sense he was so awed by it, he didn't think he could create anything its equal. I'd argue all day long that he did! I'm certainly not that reviewer that thinks Ikaruga is the only shmup ever to exist because of the mainstream press it enjoyed on release.
Hope that helps!
@gcunit
No offence taken whatsoever. I don't expect most people to immediately understand these types of game or the scoreline, no matter how valid I know it is in this instance. I'm happy to read all the comments for different perspectives.
FOOTNOTE FAQ : 90% of the menus are in English and easily navigated. There are some second layer options for things like screen adjustments in Japanese, but they're easily deciphered by scrolling the options. It's no dealbreaker, and if you're desperate, nothing a translated phone photo won't quickly solve.
For those asking, it's Japan only for now.
M2 have the Switch version at 3 frames of lag, which is frankly imperceptible on a TV with a good game mode (or better yet, a CRT monitor).
I must say, I’m always very pleased, for obvious reasons, to know people read the review in full. It happens far less often than I’d like, so I appreciate that, and your kind words.
@Warioware If you're playing purely for survival, it's just as simplistic as Mushihimesama, but harder on its default arcade modes. If you're playing for score, well, it's a CAVE game, none are straightforward, and Mushi is no exception.
@FishyS @gcunit I assure you folks - and this as someone recognised for scoring harshly - the scoreline for this isn't handed out lightly, and comes from years of experience with this particular game and the genre as a whole. If it helps, I can't think of any other legacy shmup, CAVE or otherwise, I'd score equally. Like Dark Souls, as a more modern example, it's not easy to understand how remarkable it is until you really have a handle on it. But when you do, it makes absolute sense. I hope some new players will reach that point!
@Vyacheslav333 Not sure why it's important to mention the mobile version of the game. You'd need to enlighten me there.
@StarryCiel @Warioware M2 have considered everything here. It's really one of the most comprehensive packages they've ever released, with modes to get everyone started and help them move up.
@JohnnyMind
Perhaps that should be 'many'. I'll see if I can have an edit done. Thank you for reading!
@Smug43
How much time did you spend with it? It's a very competent Metroidvania, but you do need to get deep into it and start flexing the new armour's alternate properties. It does have an austere feel, but I think its 'haunting' vibe was intentional.
@LikelySatan
Thanks for reading, much appreciated.
@Kisrah As I said, it may well work for some. Not for me though. I just wanted to hear normal music after a while. There's only a few tracks too, and they keep repeating over and over.
@GOmar Didn't really have a problem with the enemy designs, I think you may have misunderstood that. I did think battling a giant grandfather clock was totally weird and at odds with a lot of the other elements, and I did feel like enemies and bosses had very few notable creative patterns to work around. Designs were mostly ok though.
@-wc- Hey, no worries at all! I think there may have been a misunderstanding anyway: I didn't think you were implying deception or anything of the sort. Those are smiley exclamation marks, if it helps.
Regarding the score, I honestly didn't (and don't ever) overthink it in terms of what people's expectations might be. I just went with what fit best. Air Twister is fine for dipping into for a quick blast now and then, it's just short-lived owing to its lack of depth and missed creative opportunities.
@-wc- I had no idea how it would be! I didn't write any of the previews, and if you follow my work here and the type of gaming I cover, you can believe I went in hoping for the best!
Keep in mind, a 6 isn't a tragedy, and like all scores it's also somewhat arbitrary. There's some appeal in this one for sure, it's just that the missed hits are a big shame.
@Precinct1313 Thank you, appreciate you reading and the kind comment! Don't be dissuaded by a 6 because scores are always arbitrary. Appeal here will vary depending on what the player is looking for.
@Selim Give it a shot, but don't have Panzer Dragoon expectations. It's rather underfed in comparison.
@Dysnomia Try refreshing the page. The screenshots submitted cycle randomly.
@N64-ROX Technically, I believe you're correct! I think the comment in the body of the review is more about moving from a phone resolution to a 50" monitor. The textures don't work as well as in handheld mode.
@GOmar Totally agree! But perhaps try before you buy, if possible.
@MH4 Not at all! I'm happy to hear feedback of any kind, so no problem whatsoever. Every author has their own style and goes with what they think fits. Sometimes you might find a bit of 'negligent overgeneralisation' occurring in mini-reviews, particularly. I think my main goal here would have been, does the line:
"but the Newgrounds art style, slack animation response, and aggravating rather than enjoyable difficulty curve just turned us off"
Illustrate succinctly and clearly enough to the majority of readers what it is that I didn't appreciate about the former game? I have to be satisfied with it and move on at some point, else I could tinker with it all day against a pressing deadline!
As a couple of you pointed out, it's a format of the site's style guide. You won't find anyone writing "I" on any of the site's articles because in the event one did (as I once did when starting out) it will be corrected to "we" by the editor. If it helps, whenever you see a "we", it will be the opinion of the author unless multiple authors exist on an article.
@MH4
It's an opinion thing really. You think it holds up well, visually, but I could never stand it and still find it ugly. I agree 'Newgrounds style' is a bit blanket, but in a mini-review limited to 500 words a lot of concessions are made (and a lot of post draft cuts) and sometimes a simplistic exaggeration helps to paint a picture or make a point more quickly.
That said, "Newgrounds art-style" is still exact, because it's referring to a game that originated there, and therefore touted a "Newgrounds art style"!
Comments 313
Re: Review: Guilty Gear -Strive- Nintendo Switch Edition (Switch) - A Fine Port & A Bold New Step
@Senjutsu77
As mentioned in the review, it's sadly not there, and @LadyCharlie I think we have sort of gotten used to the fact that Crossplay is usually cut out of the Switch version. It's so often the case.
@Vivianeat
It can be viewed as a reboot of sorts, but I'd say more of a retooling that simplifies things and slightly lowers the entry barrier.
Re: Mini Review: Taito Milestones 3 (Switch) - Third Time's A Charm
Warrior Blade is literally the coolest Conan movie that never was.
Re: Review: DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou (Switch) - Cave's Vicious Shooter Is Close To The Series' Best
Thank you @Glasso for that source. Yes, he’s legit and trustworthy, I’ve seen his STG coverage before. 1 frame isn’t enough to be perceptible tbh, but the fact it’s in addition at all surprises me. I ran the 360 version side by side to test this and could have sworn its response time was poorer. The Switch seems genuinely cursed with this particular affliction.
I’ll have to make an amendment to the coverage here and try to work that out with the editors. Appreciate the help, happy 2025 to you!
Re: Review: DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou (Switch) - Cave's Vicious Shooter Is Close To The Series' Best
@Edd-O You are most welcome, thanks so much for reading!
Re: Review: DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou (Switch) - Cave's Vicious Shooter Is Close To The Series' Best
@Rentaro You are very welcome. Thanks for reading.
@Tron81
Do you have sources for this? The 360 port had lag so chronic as part of the programming (exacerbated by poor quality flatscreens) whereby if you strafed horizontally and paused the game, released the d-pad and unpaused, the ship would continue to move for the frames it was behind.
We ran these tests and others on the Switch port, and while (as the review states) lag can’t be eradicated entirely, it was certainly no carbon copy of the 360 version in that respect. As I’ve specified so many times in the past, for STGs the right setup is essential. If it’s not CRT, at least have a flat screen with a game mode that works to reduce lag to get the most from
It.
Re: Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind (Switch) - The Mightiest Morphin Ever
@Expa0
Yes it’s in the review:
“ The absence of wieldable weaponry, too, is always a missed trick where variety is concerned.”
@-wc-
The level of detail and variety is quite impressive. In a sense, it’s not dissimilar from the original Turtles arcade game - the rangers differ in things like speed, strength, and the moves have varying animations. It’s just the routines that are essentially the same.
But the game plays well and the super scaler stages are quite something, and that elevates it considerably. I’ve noticed several people here complain that the Zord (super scaler) stages are too tough, but I didn’t have a problem on them at all on defaults. There’s a functional jump/dodge for all of these sequences except maybe the rollercoaster, and careful reflex will get you through them well enough.
EDIT:
I should add that while I agree with comments saying the difficulty is a little uneven, I honestly didn’t see a game over screen until toward the end of the game. Chunky Chicken is a **** of a fight, but you just need to be dodging all the time until he stops the portal antics. Remember to use your super attacks when charged!
I felt for a default, normal, middle of the road, totally average difficulty setting that’s neither too easy nor too hard, it wasn’t badly pitched or frustrating. But I do agree having experience with the genre and various arcade archetypes is going to help a lot.
Re: Review: Rage Of The Dragons NEO (Switch) - A Fabulous Version Of A Fantastic Fighter
@Vyacheslav333
"FGs reviews on NL usually not the ones worth believing, so, I'll take that con about AI with a grain of salt."
Can you elaborate?
Re: Review: Raiden Nova (Switch) - A Fun But Limited Twin-Stick Twist On A Shooter Favourite
@iamthesunset
I'm happy you appreciated my little anecdote.
@axelhander
I'm sorry you didn't appreciate my little anecdote.
Re: Review: Blazing Strike (Switch) - A Beautiful Love Letter To The Fighting Game Hardcore
@Vyacheslav333
Yes, I didn't see any alternative to English voice overs.
@IceClimbersMain
But fair.
@Mrkittyhead
It's overwritten and boring, so I didn't care for it. If you like the idea of lengthy but not particularly interesting JRPG-style text exchanges between your matches then it might suit you.
Re: Feature: "Venom, Dr. Doom, And Whoever I’m In The Mood For That Day" - Shuhei Matsumoto Talks Marvel vs. Capcom
@Serpenterror
It's a great question, although I can assure you we asked a ton of similarly great questions, and yours, like those, would have definitely come back blank.
Re: Review: Night Slashers: Remake (Switch) - Some Nice, Gory Ideas, But The Visuals Are The Real Horror Story
@Vyacheslav333 Oh damn, really? Well you educated me today on a piece of retro trivia I wasn't aware of. Much appreciated buddy!
@SilentBluntman I'm not allowed to do that. It would be the editor's call.
@Fallingshadow Took one for the team. Respect, and thanks for the corroboration.
Re: Review: The Karate Kid: Street Rumble (Switch) - A Great-Looking, Offline-Only, Co-op Brawler
@Truegamer79 They’re not complaints, they’re criticisms of features that could have been implemented/improved to enhance the overall. Not mentioning these things would be antithetical to the purpose of a review.
Re: Review: Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons (Switch) - Likeable, But Lacks Its Peers' Punch
@jbrodack Revisiting this, a 7 is a good score, above lukewarm, but this game certainly doesn't deserve higher than that.
Re: Review: Rugrats: Adventures In Gameland (Switch) - Captures The Show's Spirit With Affectionate 8-Bit Homage
@AG_Awesome 4:3 adds bezels with artwork to the screen edges. The aesthetic isn't affected because the game is entirely redrawn from the ground up in an 8-bit style, but of course the landscape reduces (rather than squashes) to fit the new ratio.
4:3 introduces bezels on either side of the screen to fill the unused space. They're muted and don't overpower the central action. In a nice touch, when you ground pound in 4:3 format those bezels do a little shake.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@MirrorFate2 I agree with you on this. I criticised the Capcom Fighting Collection for lack of a complete translation for Vampire Savior 1 & 2.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@PurpulTyeDye It's not a real con, it's a joke. Pros and cons have no relationship whatsoever to scoring, they're simply a bullet point overview.
@DashKappei Thank you for your kind words, it's really nice to hear you liked it. Yes, you can consider the practice modes tutorials. Since these are arcade games the practice modes have been added for player convenience, and feature full move lists for all the characters. If you're looking for a step-by-step how-to-play guide, just Google Capcom's "magic sequence" or "magic series" and you can see how the combos function. They're pretty simple, and revolve around inputting either kicks or punches in a basic string. An easy one would be either punches or kicks in a Light > Medium > Hard sequence, and this can also be done in the air.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@Warioware Difficulty can be adjusted and special attacks mapped to single button presses. Ranked matches online also mean you can play people of similar skill levels.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@-wc- That's a really good question! I miss the days of console ports that had bells and whistles attached that made them desirable. But with the demise of the arcade it just isn't really possible in the same way. Getting an arcade port at home used to be a huge thing. But at least with collections like this it's still really full of bonuses in there, and we're at the point now where these kind of packages offer the very best in terms of features.
Edit: As an aside, the PS1 ports of Capcom's Marvel fighting games were famously bad owing to 2D hardware limitations, so we're definitely doing better on that front today.
@TrevorMcD Yep, I have my own rationale behind 10s. I think a 9 illustrates the absolute necessity of a game purchase well enough, but I feel like 10s are handed out far too freely overall. For me a 10 needs to not just be near perfection, but needs to change the course of gaming to a degree, or be the outright best of its genre, influencing developers going forward for years to come. I don't have many games I'd give that score to.
But for its time, the original Street Fighter II is a perfect example of a game that hits all those key points.
@SurprisedRobinChu There is no point deducted for Norimaro, which is why it says it's a joke. The pros and cons don't directly affect scoring, they're purely a quick look overview, which I'll assume is all you've seen.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@-wc- It's mentioned they're arcade ports in the first line of paragraph 2. Rationale for the score is just above this message!
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@bobby_steurer I actually should have mentioned, but the review went over my intended word count already, that you can map specials to single button presses which is useful for beginners.
@Warioware It's only a 10 if I give it one good sir, and that is a hallowed score reserved for games that reinvent the wheel, and not to be banded about lightly (in my opinion!) For the intended audience, perhaps it is, but the review is written for a broader audience and the entry level for these games is far beyond your basic SFII or KOF, and some may find the initial complexity daunting.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
@anoyonmus Not that I could tell. Seemed smooth. If anything like that comes up expect Capcom to patch it quick.
@World Thanks for reading! The Punisher is indeed fantastic.
Re: Review: Fading Afternoon (Switch) - An Ambitious, Absorbing 'Yakuza' In Kunio-kun's Clothing
@Bizzyb @LXP8
This one is extremely polished.
Re: Review: Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked (Switch) - A Sparkling Return For One Of The 1990s' Best Platformers
@mikegamer
Appreciate that Mike, I'll ask the editors to add a note for that.
@NinChocolate Perhaps I should have chosen a different word, this one obviously hasn't landed the way I intended. I think it deserved to reach the highs of Sonic, for example, which is exactly what Konami were intending for Sparkster, and the reason they ploughed so many resources into it, and created such a stellar piece of work. Konami were a huge force in gaming at the time and had pegged him as a future mascot in pre-production. He didn't last long in that position because the sales figures were below expectation.
@TotalHenshin
If this were only Rocket Knight Adventures and neither of the sequels, I'd feel I'd have to castigate myself if I scored it lower than a 9, because that's the level of its standalone quality (versus other titles released in the era).
Re: Review: Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked (Switch) - A Sparkling Return For One Of The 1990s' Best Platformers
@-wc-
I understand what you're saying, I suppose "overlooked" in my mind just means it didn't make it to the big leagues when it deserved to. It wasn't overlooked by you or I, but perhaps among the larger majority where the likes of NBA Jam and Desert Strike were king.
@NinChocolate
I clarified it in comment #26
@Lofoten
Oh, I really hate scoring to be honest, so you're putting me on the spot with this!
Rocket Knight is an easy 9, while RKA2 and Sparkster are sort of on a similar platform hovering around a 7, and some of it is down to taste. RKA2 is clunky and oddly formed, but the endless boosting is fun. Sparkster looks great and feels right, but it can be frustrating in places.
Only the first game is cut from real arcade cloth - with extraordinary control and pacing - whereas the sequels rely on classic console platform assemblies and different development teams.
Re: Review: Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked (Switch) - A Sparkling Return For One Of The 1990s' Best Platformers
@LadyCharlie
That really is a hot take! 😂
@mikegamer
I thought it was a little fuzzy to the point of actually firing up the original cart. Upon doing that it became difficult to distinguish. Hopefully a patch will resolve it.
@-wc-
Never forget that Edge Magazine scored Gunstar a 5/10.
“Overlooked” speaks more to their widespread success or lack thereof. What got me playing Gunstar and RKA as a kid was mostly sheer luck - neither were games volunteered amongst peers in the same breath as Sonic, Donkey Kong Country or Streets of Rage. They became cult fixtures later, at best, and didn’t reap a great deal of success for their publishers.
Re: Review: Rainbow Cotton (Switch) - The Definitive Version Of This Dreamcast Shooter
@-wc- ha ha, I can live with that.
Re: Review: Rainbow Cotton (Switch) - The Definitive Version Of This Dreamcast Shooter
@Vyacheslav333
No word because english audio doesn't exist. You get subtitled cutscenes but no translation for the extensive in-game fairy chatter.
Re: Review: Rainbow Cotton (Switch) - The Definitive Version Of This Dreamcast Shooter
@ShinG67 @-wc- A rail shooter simply describes a game where the action moves on rails and is fixed and can not be altered from its path. Rez also qualifies for this. The player-character doesn't necessarily need to be fixed as well (and is rarely the case) as long as their journey is at the whim of the game itself.
Corridor shooter is a defunct term that was once used for the era of FPS characterised by DOOM and Wolfenstein.
Re: Review: Contra: Operation Galuga (Switch) - Does The Series Proud, But Best Played Elsewhere
I also noticed a lot of criticism in the comments thread aimed at the Story Mode. Honestly, I'm not sure what the worries are with this. Arcade Mode, as stated, is preferable, and exists as the pure option. There's no real incentive as far as I could tell to have to play through Story Mode, but it being there at the least is a welcome alternative. I don't think any resources were wasted due to its assembly.
The way I'd play it would be to master the game in Arcade and then take those skills to Story just to experience the narrative.
Re: Review: Contra: Operation Galuga (Switch) - Does The Series Proud, But Best Played Elsewhere
@jake1421
That's never happened to me. I've had consultations about scores before (one or twice, tops) based on criticism given in reviews, but not for this.
Please remember, scoring is a very arbitrary metric. One person's five is another person's seven, if that makes sense. The score for this particular game was based on several factors: an incredibly solid new Contra which is brilliantly concocted and captures the right feel, coupled with technical deficiencies that take work to look past.
Re: Review: Contra: Operation Galuga (Switch) - Does The Series Proud, But Best Played Elsewhere
@jake1421
It's a 6. It's unacceptable versus what the Switch is capable of, but it can still be played and enjoyed with some dedication. All of this is outlined in the body of the review.
The major issue is, if you're only planning to buy this once (and why would you buy any game twice), there are far superior options.
Re: Review: Contra: Operation Galuga (Switch) - Does The Series Proud, But Best Played Elsewhere
@Psycho-Werekitsune They're totally different. The PC version runs at a solid 60fps with no drops.
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@Ferchokyzer I had to read your sentence a few times there! At first I thought you were suggesting I created an account to wax lyrical about the achievements of my prose!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I really find motivation from comments like this. You'll find much of my historic work dotted on the internet, mostly between here and Eurogamer.
@jbrodack
Well, I do believe it's an accurate appraisal of the Ikaruga situation as it was, and how it came to be a mainstream darling, mostly heralded by reviewers who had barely touched the genre. That said, it's still a pretty masterful piece of work.
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@FishyS @Ishmokin @miwa @Satan
Just a quick thank you to all of you for your kind comments regarding the review. Several 1CCs were achieved in the process of its writing, so effort was most certainly applied. I greatly appreciate your reading of it!
@Warioware
Start on Very Easy Mode, 1CC that easy. Then move onto Shotia Arrange (Type A) and then Leinyan Arrange (Type B) when you feel like you have it down. After that I'd then have a stab at the original Black Label arcade game and see how you get on. Stay away from EXY Arrange for a while. Incredible as it is, the loop 2 bullets might put you off.
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@kuponick
It was a great number of people's entry point into shmups, and that's part of the problem. Because Treasure had finally and deservedly built themselves up a name by the time it was being developed, the mainstream media hyped it, which was uncommon for the genre and something I appreciated at the time.
Was the hype deserved? Yes, but I wish it wasn't so brief. After Ikaruga came and went, focus on the genre in the mainstream media died off as quickly as it arrived. All the shmup releases thereafter got little to no attention in Western publications, including that of CAVE's emerging talent.
Ikaruga is really the only shmup that enjoyed that kind of limelight, and because of that it tends to be the standard reference point for everyone, whether they know anything about the genre or not. It's absolutely a superb game, but tends to dodge criticism a little too easily for my liking.
The Ikeda interview is here. The formatting is a little messed up for some reason:
https://cave-stg.com/forum/index.php?topic=398.0
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@StrangerSun I'd respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree. Ikaruga is a brilliant but clinical exercise in hybrid game design. It's beautiful and unique, but inflexible, which is often a hallmark of Treasure's work. While you can work out your own scoring routes, I don't think it matches the highs of something like DaiOuJou when you're in the thick of it.
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@kuponick Because, as mentioned, Ikeda was interviewed for a French magazine where he cited Ikaruga as a form of inspiration in the sense he was so awed by it, he didn't think he could create anything its equal. I'd argue all day long that he did! I'm certainly not that reviewer that thinks Ikaruga is the only shmup ever to exist because of the mainstream press it enjoyed on release.
Hope that helps!
@gcunit
No offence taken whatsoever. I don't expect most people to immediately understand these types of game or the scoreline, no matter how valid I know it is in this instance. I'm happy to read all the comments for different perspectives.
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@Solomon_Rambling @Ryu_Niiyama @dmcc0
I must say, I’m always very pleased, for obvious reasons, to know people read the review in full. It happens far less often than I’d like, so I appreciate that, and your kind words.
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@Warioware If you're playing purely for survival, it's just as simplistic as Mushihimesama, but harder on its default arcade modes. If you're playing for score, well, it's a CAVE game, none are straightforward, and Mushi is no exception.
@FishyS @gcunit
I assure you folks - and this as someone recognised for scoring harshly - the scoreline for this isn't handed out lightly, and comes from years of experience with this particular game and the genre as a whole. If it helps, I can't think of any other legacy shmup, CAVE or otherwise, I'd score equally. Like Dark Souls, as a more modern example, it's not easy to understand how remarkable it is until you really have a handle on it. But when you do, it makes absolute sense. I hope some new players will reach that point!
Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection
@Vyacheslav333 Not sure why it's important to mention the mobile version of the game. You'd need to enlighten me there.
@StarryCiel @Warioware
M2 have considered everything here. It's really one of the most comprehensive packages they've ever released, with modes to get everyone started and help them move up.
Re: Review: Turok 3: Shadow Of Oblivion (Switch) - A Quality Restoration Missing Its Multiplayer
@ObamaCare We know it's late, apologies for that. Had some trouble getting the game organised for review.
@Hank_Scorpio Caught! Thanks for that.
Re: Review: 9 Years Of Shadows - Unique Ideas Elevate This Scrappy Metroidvania
@JohnnyMind
Perhaps that should be 'many'. I'll see if I can have an edit done. Thank you for reading!
@Smug43
How much time did you spend with it? It's a very competent Metroidvania, but you do need to get deep into it and start flexing the new armour's alternate properties. It does have an austere feel, but I think its 'haunting' vibe was intentional.
@LikelySatan
Thanks for reading, much appreciated.
Re: Review: Air Twister - An Arcade Blast From Yu Suzuki's Past, And A Missed Opportunity
@Kisrah
As I said, it may well work for some. Not for me though. I just wanted to hear normal music after a while. There's only a few tracks too, and they keep repeating over and over.
@GOmar
Didn't really have a problem with the enemy designs, I think you may have misunderstood that. I did think battling a giant grandfather clock was totally weird and at odds with a lot of the other elements, and I did feel like enemies and bosses had very few notable creative patterns to work around. Designs were mostly ok though.
Re: Review: Air Twister - An Arcade Blast From Yu Suzuki's Past, And A Missed Opportunity
@-wc-
For what it's worth, I'd rather play Air Twister than Mighty No.9.
Re: Review: Air Twister - An Arcade Blast From Yu Suzuki's Past, And A Missed Opportunity
@-wc-
Hey, no worries at all! I think there may have been a misunderstanding anyway: I didn't think you were implying deception or anything of the sort. Those are smiley exclamation marks, if it helps.
Regarding the score, I honestly didn't (and don't ever) overthink it in terms of what people's expectations might be. I just went with what fit best. Air Twister is fine for dipping into for a quick blast now and then, it's just short-lived owing to its lack of depth and missed creative opportunities.
Re: Review: Air Twister - An Arcade Blast From Yu Suzuki's Past, And A Missed Opportunity
@-wc- I had no idea how it would be! I didn't write any of the previews, and if you follow my work here and the type of gaming I cover, you can believe I went in hoping for the best!
Keep in mind, a 6 isn't a tragedy, and like all scores it's also somewhat arbitrary. There's some appeal in this one for sure, it's just that the missed hits are a big shame.
Re: Review: Air Twister - An Arcade Blast From Yu Suzuki's Past, And A Missed Opportunity
@Precinct1313
Thank you, appreciate you reading and the kind comment!
Don't be dissuaded by a 6 because scores are always arbitrary. Appeal here will vary depending on what the player is looking for.
@Selim
Give it a shot, but don't have Panzer Dragoon expectations. It's rather underfed in comparison.
@Dysnomia
Try refreshing the page. The screenshots submitted cycle randomly.
@N64-ROX
Technically, I believe you're correct! I think the comment in the body of the review is more about moving from a phone resolution to a 50" monitor. The textures don't work as well as in handheld mode.
@GOmar
Totally agree! But perhaps try before you buy, if possible.
Re: Mini Review: Alien Hominid Invasion - An Explosive, Superior Sequel
@MH4
Not at all! I'm happy to hear feedback of any kind, so no problem whatsoever. Every author has their own style and goes with what they think fits. Sometimes you might find a bit of 'negligent overgeneralisation' occurring in mini-reviews, particularly. I think my main goal here would have been, does the line:
"but the Newgrounds art style, slack animation response, and aggravating rather than enjoyable difficulty curve just turned us off"
Illustrate succinctly and clearly enough to the majority of readers what it is that I didn't appreciate about the former game? I have to be satisfied with it and move on at some point, else I could tinker with it all day against a pressing deadline!
Re: Mini Review: Alien Hominid Invasion - An Explosive, Superior Sequel
@PtM @Milton_Burle @ButterCashier @JackieCMarlow
As a couple of you pointed out, it's a format of the site's style guide. You won't find anyone writing "I" on any of the site's articles because in the event one did (as I once did when starting out) it will be corrected to "we" by the editor. If it helps, whenever you see a "we", it will be the opinion of the author unless multiple authors exist on an article.
@MH4
It's an opinion thing really. You think it holds up well, visually, but I could never stand it and still find it ugly. I agree 'Newgrounds style' is a bit blanket, but in a mini-review limited to 500 words a lot of concessions are made (and a lot of post draft cuts) and sometimes a simplistic exaggeration helps to paint a picture or make a point more quickly.
That said, "Newgrounds art-style" is still exact, because it's referring to a game that originated there, and therefore touted a "Newgrounds art style"!