REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes Chapter One on Xbox

Review by Jon Donnis

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is an open-world detective mystery with you playing a young Sherlock Holmes.

You find yourself returning to your childhood home of Cordona, a 19th century, British occupied Mediterranean island, that I assume is made up. You return there as you learn that they may be more to the death of your mother, than originally thought.

Since you are playing a young Sherlock, you have to accept that the game developers have to try something different, so Sherlock is a fresh faced, slightly brooding type character, and Sherlock even has an imaginary friend type deal, with a person called Jon, a pre-cursor to Watson I would assume. Seems strange that a man of logic would need an imaginary friend to throw ideas at, but like I said, this is a young Sherlock, so I suppose this could be akin to the older Sherlock having a mind palace.

The main idea of the game is to solve crimes, and if you want, get into slightly pointless fights, all of which can be skipped if you want. However, the fights, if poorly implemented, do help break up the gameplay. While fighting someone you can use your observation skills to help you win the fight, see vulnerabilities, use the surroundings to help you win. It is a nice change to the usual punch, punch, kick, kick style of fightings we sometimes get in open world games.

The graphics are amazing, and straight away you will be reminded of some of the Assassin's Creed games, sadly the freedom of those games is not available here, and although the game is "open world", you simply cant interact with as much as you might want to. You will however get the expected side quests, (30+), which are always a fun distraction from a main story of which there are 5 main parts.

There are lots of people to talk to, stories to learn, and locations to explore. And there is plenty of variety in these, that means that things are never too reptitive in nature.

We do need to talk about a few of the problems with the game, the investigations themselves, it almost seems like you cant really get anything very wrong, there is no real confirmation that you have made a right conclusion, in your case files, you have the documents and recaps, and a nudge in the right direction, but it does seem to be a strange way of doing things in what is a detective game, that you don't properly make wrong decisions.

And as already mentioned the fight scenes are poorly implemented, they feel like an afterthought, and although they do break up the action, the fact you can completely turn them off, and skip them, kinda makes them a bit pointless in the game.

The dialog is good, the story is also well written, the side quests are fun, and help give the game some longevity, as if you stick to the main story, the game can be completed pretty quickly. There are hidden coins to collect, which also add an extra element to the game.

The Good

The graphics and general presentation of the game is of an exceptional standard, really is glorious to see.

The Bad

The fights with bandits are terrible and pointless, and the game pales in comparison to similar open world games with investigative gameplay mechanics, think Batman or any Assassins Creed game.

Overall

A decent game in it's own right, but does have a few problems that game testers should have spotted early on.

The sheer beauty of the game, and the decent storyline carries it further than it should.

I score Sherlock Holmes Chapter One on Xbox a generous 7/10

Out now on Xbox

REVIEW: Forgotten Hill Disillusion on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

Forgotten Hill Disillusion is a point and click puzzle game in the Forgotten Hill franchise.

You do not need to have played any of the other games to get into this, and since I haven't played any of the other games, that's good.

The game mainly consists of single screen areas, you navigate around using arrows on the side of the screen, and certain areas will have puzzles and riddles you need to solve, to progress in the game.

When you first start playing, you might feel a little confused, and the puzzles can be quite hard, but just as you are about to give up, you may find as I did, that you are starting to get it, you are starting to understand how the game works, and the nature of how to complete the puzzles. This will probably happen when you first get stuck and realise there is an inbuilt hint system. The hint system usually comprises of about 3 stages, hint one gives you an idea of where to look, hint two tells you what you need to do, and hint three basically solves it for you. 

As I mentioned, the moment you start to properly understand the game, even if because of the hint system, that is the moment the game catches you in its hooks. And if you like a good puzzle game, then this is one you should add to your collection.

There are 60 puzzles and riddles to solve, some will be about moving objects to match a pattern you have seen elsewhere in the house, or you might need to help someone with something, read a recipe book, find or craft the parts, everything is there right in front of you when it comes to solving the puzzles, you just need to keep your eyes open and think logically, and you can do it.

If you get the hang of it, the game should last you between 2-3 hours to complete, the graphics are simple but well drawn, and help with the whole horror/grotesque atmosphere the game is portraying.

The Good

Well-crafted puzzles, nothing is too abstract or out of the box, meaning that everything is solvable if you are willing to spend the time.

The Bad

It may take you a bit of time to get into the game if you have not played any of the previous ones and already know how everything works, but stick with it and you will be fine.

Overall

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the game as a whole, much better than I expected, and it is easy for me to recommend.

I score Forgotten Hill Disillusion on Nintendo Switch a solid 8/10. A very good puzzle game.

Forgotten Hill Disillusion will be priced for 4.99$ / € for all platforms including mobile formats.

Out Now on Nintendo Switch and all major consoles

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Forgotten-Hill-Disillusion-2089740.html

REVIEW: Rawr-Off on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

Rawr-Off is a game which seems to be much better suited to the Switch Lite, than on the big screen.

A party style multiplayer game, you hold the Switch Lite long ways, with one person at each end of the console.

The aim of the game is to destroy your opponent by shooting "waves of power" at them.

You have limited amounts of shots, so need to also collect the correct coloured "ammo" from the sides of the screen, along with power-ups, this tests your speed, and accuracy, and the person who is fastest and most accurate, will win.

You can also take your opponent's ammo, and freeze them, giving you the ultimate advantage.

There are various characters to choose from, each one has their own special ability, characters include such names as Sushi-senpai, Cosmic Dog Unicorn, Spaghetti Monster, Baby Cthulhu, Schrodinger's Cat and Zombie Laika. Just those names alone suggest to me the game's makers are staunch atheists!

Rawr-Off is the kind of game you will sit down with a friend and have a quick bash at. You can practice in a solo mode, but this game really needs to be played face to face with a friend. And if you are of drinking age, why not set up a few shots and make it much more fun.

The Good

A simple to play, colourful game, that can only add to a night in with friends.

The Bad

After the initial excitement, there is not much more to the game.

Overall

Short bursts of fun, maybe even use the game to settle an argument, who knows, who cares, it is a fun little game that doesn't take up much space on your Switch

I score Rawr-Off a simple 7/10

Out Now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Rawr-Off-1662982.html

REVIEW: Powertris on Nintendo Switch

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk

Powertris is a puzzle game that seems simple, but is actually much more impressive than at first glance.

What do you get if you cross the classic game of Tetris with a game like Pipemania? You get Powertris.

Much like Tetris the idea of the game is to get a line of blocks that go from left to right, and once you do that the line disappears, but here is the twist in Powertris, they aren't blocks, they are pieces of a pipe. As the pieces drop, you can move and rotate them, better still you also have to notice the sides of the playing area, for these sockets are where the lines start, hence the Pipemania comparison. You can have a line that starts bottom left of the screen, but finishes top right.

Place too many pieces which do not connect, hit the top of the playing area, and you lose.

Throw in special pieces, like bombs, as well as obstacles, and you suddenly have a fast paced, quick thinking puzzle game that is as devious as it is simple.

Now let's talk about the problems, the biggest one being that this is a port of a mobile game, and although the Switch version has been graphically improved, the mobile version is free, and plays in portrait mode, which is a better way to play. I cannot understand why they didn't make the play area wider on the switch version, since the space is there.

The Good

Nice concept, if not original (look up Tube it), it does work, and plays well.

The Bad

The mobile version is better, and it is free.

Overall

If you like Tetris style games, and want a simple puzzle game for your switch, you can't go wrong with Powertris.

I score Powertris a realistic 6/10

Out now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Powertris-1847137.html

Strictly Limited presents Aaero - pre-order starts soon!

Strictly Limited Games, in partnership with two-man developer team Mad Fellows have announced that the indie-hit Aaero: Complete Edition will receive a much deserved, limited boxed release on the Nintendo Switch. This rhythm rail-shooter synergizes high-speed sci-fi shooting action with an incredible licensed EDM soundtrack, to deliver a uniquely exhilarating audio-visual experience that received much praise from press and players at launch.

Aaero: Complete Edition contains all DLC content in one package and will be available as a boxed Limited Edition and Special Limited Edition, with pre-orders kicking off on Sunday, December 19th, at 12 AM CET (midnight), only at Strictly Limited Games.

About the Game
Speed through stunning, futuristic environments in a stylish spacecraft, tracing ribbons of light that visualize the EDM songs while evading obstacles, eliminating approaching enemies and overcoming epic boss battles. The game controls like a twin-stick shooter with the left stick controlling the ship, which has to grind along the musical ribbon and the right stick for targeting enemies. If you play well, your score multiplier will build up and you can chase that high score on the leaderboard, for an extra dose of adrenaline.

Key Features
Pilot your spacecraft through dynamic environments, negotiating obstacles and battling enemies and monstrous boss creatures, all synced to a banging soundtrack.

Experience a unique sensation of speed and tunnel-vision as the levels warp and twist around you, perfectly combining music, gameplay and visuals.

Vibe with licensed music from superstars of the EDM genre, including Noisia, Flux Pavilion, Katy B, Neosignal, Astronaut, Barely Alive and many more.

Soar through 21 different levels, each painstakingly crafted to match the music.

Four game modes - Normal, Advanced, Master, and Chill-out (a relaxed, practice-focused mode).

Aaero: Complete Edition for Nintendo Switch includes all additional DLC content in one package: the 1000DaysWasted: Drum & Bass Pack, the Monstercat Pack as well as the Comet, Phaser, and Sol ship skins.

Giant spider mech awaits!

Strictly Limited Editions for musical speed-demons

Strictly Limited Games is giving Aaero the immortal, boxed legacy it deserves, with two unique limited editions, available for pre-order exclusively via the Strictly Limited Games online shop.

The Limited Edition includes the Nintendo Switch game and a colorful game manual for 29.99€, limited to 2,200 copies.

The Special Limited Edition is limited to 1,800 copies for Nintendo Switch at a price of 49.99€, including lots of cool EDM-festival themed collectibles:

Nintendo Switch game
Special Limited Edition Box
Colorful Game Manual
Stylish spaceship acrylic standee
EDM-festival-style wristband
EDM-festival-style ticket (replica, individually numbered)
EDM-concert-style poster (DIN A3)
Aaero logo fabric patch
Bottle opener

Aaero: Complete Edition contains all DLC content in one package and will be available as a boxed Limited Edition and Special Limited Edition, with pre-orders kicking off on Sunday, December 19th, at 12 AM CET (midnight), only at Strictly Limited Games.

REVIEW: Book of Travels on PC (Steam)

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk

Before I start, please note that Book of Travels if still in Early Access, so although this is a review, it is based on a game that by its very nature is not the end product, so please keep that in mind.

Book of Travels advertises itself as a "unique social roleplaying experience that doesn't hold your hand", and as such it is very unusual for a RPG as it has no missions, no real plotlines, and no life-or-death quests. So, taking away the very elements of what makes a RPG a RPG, it seems a strange approach to take for a game.

The first thing you notice when you start playing is the graphics, they are stunning, however they are also weird, it is hard to describe, but it's basically 2D graphics that have hundreds if not thousands of layers, so as you walk toward or away from the camera viewpoint, you pass through the 2D layers, this is really strange, and also incredibly annoying, as often the layers get in the way of what you are trying to see, and since you can't move the camera, often you find yourself moving the character back and forth until the correct layer focuses and you can see what you are doing. 

Now because there is no real plot, or quests, or side missions, or anything, you will at first just find yourself wondering around, not quite sure what to do, or where to go, and there are no instructions either. At best you have some small icons at the top of the screen that describe your condition, for example walk in water, you get wet, and icon says you are wet and advises finding a fire to dry off by. This is also where you will find the first clue for something to do, your character is tired and needs some care and attention, you know because an icon tells you, and advises you to find a tea shop. Finally, we have something to look for. Of course, no idea where it is, the map is pretty much useless, but it is better than nothing.

At this point frustration is going to set in, and many people will simply give up at this point. There also will be people who will stick with it, for clearly there has been a lot of effort in this game, and it is still early access after all. And you should keep going, as I did.

The more you explore, the more you will kind of figure things out, you will see things on the floor that you can pick up, you will learn skills as well as passive abilities, you will speak to NPCs who might offer you a trade, you will improve your clothes, your weapon. The more you play, the more you will realise that this is an experience, a way to pass the time, without ever really achieving anything, this game is a relaxing experience.

You will come across other players online, and you can choose to travel together, or leave on your own, sometimes you will need help to achieve things, maybe untangling some vines to see what is under neath, moving a heavy object, helping fix a hurt Ox. 

You can't really talk to other players in the traditional sense, instead you have a selection of symbols, and the more you play the more symbols you will unlock, you can talk to the NPCs in the game, and they will ask for things, but there is no in game journal, so you will literally need a pen and paper handy, to write things down, otherwise you will soon forget.

The Good

In general, the graphics are glorious, a new attempt at an old genre is always an interesting idea.

The Bad

The game can be incredibly boring, and you will find yourself endless wondering around, picking acorns, desperately trying to find something interesting to do, and as much as I love an alternative type of experience in a game, the game must still hold my attention.

Overall

One good thing to note is that this game is Early Access, so it can only get better, I think the developers need to leave some of their idealistic hopes behind, and go back to basics, otherwise I can't see how this game will succeed. The potential is there, but the average gamer needs instruction, they need something to do, and just hoping people can find enjoyment by making stuff up themselves to do, is relying way too much on the patience and interest of people. The graphics although beautiful need an overhaul, the 2D layers just do not work and are not user friendly. This needs to be a proper 3D game. I wonder if too much time, money and effort has already gone in, that the developers just won't admit the mistakes, and start fresh.

No score for now, but I look forward to future updates.

Out Now

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/

REVIEW: Graviter on Nintendo Switch

 

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

Graviter is the latest puzzle game to grace the Nintendo Switch, and it has a lot of competition if it wants to stand out.

The story is a bit ridiculous, but at least it has one, your cat has been taken, it is missing in the dark void of space, you have been left parts of a map to the galaxy, collect cat paw prints and find your cat. 

The game works on the idea of gravity, you control the size and position of planets, manipulate them so that you can fly around and collect the paw prints. On some levels the planets can be moved around, on others the planets sizes can be edited, sometimes you will be able to pause time after launching, and move planets etc, then restart time.

Over 100 levels to complete, and you can change the graphic style to monochrome or normal colours.

There are different ways to complete a level, so you are not stuck to just finding the one solution.

The problems however arise pretty much straight away, the game is not at all user friendly, the control system is poor, and the levels can get ridiculously hard very quick, and instead of using logic to solve them, you will end up using trial and error, which is never a good thing to need to do in a puzzle game, as it totally takes away the whole puzzle element.

The graphics and soundtrack are decent, the monochrome option is a nice choice to have, but doesn't really add anything to the game.

The Good

Everything looks decent and there is a challenge there for even the most hardened of puzzle gamers.

The Bad

Poor design, poor menu, and a learning curve that is off putting.

Overall

Fine idea, just poorly implemented.

I score Graviter on Nintendo Switch a poor 4/10

Out now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Graviter-1949440.html

REVIEW: Beyond A Steel Sky on Xbox

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk

Beyond A Steel Sky is the sequel to classic cyberpunk science fiction point-and-click adventure game Beneath a Steel Sky, released on the Amiga in 1994.

It has only taken 27 years to be made! So, it better be good.

You play as Robert Foster, you live in a community in the desert wastelands, a child had been taken after a brutal attack, and it is your job to tracking them down and bring them home. You find yourself travelling to Union City, one of the last mega cities on the planet, a planet that has been ravaged from war and political strife.

Union City is a seemingly perfect utopia, controlled by AI, everyone seems happy, everything seems wonderful, but with anything that seems so perfect, when you scratch beneath the surface, you find out that things are not at all what they seem.

Instead of a 2-dimensional world, that the previous game lived in, the modern point and click adventures takes on a much more 3-dimensional appearance, and a feeling of more freedom with that. Beyond a Steel Sky is very much a cyberpunk thriller, but within the point and click genre, whereby you will have to solve puzzles, speak to people, find out what is really going on, and try to solve the abduction of a child. And while that is a very serious subject, the game does have a humorous side within its Cyberpunk world. One of the achievements you will want to get is to make a robotic butler fall over, to do this you need to hack into the laundry machine, and change some settings so that the water over flows. You then return to the butler, and ask him to do the laundry, follow him downstairs, stand back and enjoy the hilarity. Many of the puzzles will need you to hack machines, but often you will need to engage in a lot of dialog with people, to find out the information you need, sadly this can sometimes feel a bit tedious, when you just want to get on with the game, and not just listen to seemingly endless dialog.

Early puzzles include helping people, who in turn reward you with things that will help you to solve the next puzzle. Similar in game mechanics to the Telltale games like Batman: The Enemy Within and Tales from the Borderlands, if you have played those games, you will instantly feel comfortable playing Beyond A Steel Sky. Although Beyond A Steel Sky does feel much grander in scale than those games.

The Good

The graphics are superb, everything looks and sounds great, and despite a few dodgy voice acting, overall, the acting and graphics are top quality. The game is easy to play, the puzzles are logical, and never too difficult. 

The Bad

A relatively short game, and as mentioned earlier, some of the dialog can be a bit tedious.

Overall

If you are a fan of point and click adventures, or the Telltale series of games, then you will instantly fall in love with Beyond A Steel Sky, and feel right at home as you play, it is far from perfect, and a little short, but even so, it is a game you should consider adding to your collection.

I score Beyond A Steel Sky a very strong 8/10

Out now on PC

Release date 07/12/2021 on Xbox

https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/Beyond-a-Steel-Sky/9PP6MFZBQ6VH

REVIEW: Intruder on the bridge on PC (Steam)

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk

Intruder on the bridge is an adult, visual novel, but it does go a bit further than the usual visual novel in that it actually has a few mini games, the main one of interest being a Galaga like minigame.

Let's start with the story.

"Intruder on the Bridge tells the story of Captain Dyce, a Galactic Union officer in command of the largest spaceship ever built: the Ventura. He will have to face a mysterious conspiracy that caused his brother's death. Unfortunately, all leaders of the Union seem to be involved in the conspiracy. "

As with all visual novels, there will be a lot of reading and watching, so the story often needs to be very good to keep your attention, the advantage that adult visual novels have, is that they are adult in nature, so you will have nudity and sex scenes, and that adds an element of interest, since you will want to unlock all the scenes you can.

Now the game is not just about sex, in fact that is not even the main interest of the main character. So if you think you will just start up the game and see "action" straight away, you will be disappointed, you need to play through the story to get to the good bits!

You play as Captain Dyce, his twin brother has been killed, and you take his place, to try and solve the murder, you will need to talk to all the crew of The Ventura as well as cover up the fact you have switched places with your deceased brother. Along the way you will be faced with choices to make, different questions to ask, each in themselves will affect the story moving forward, this instantly gives the game that all important replayability factor. Especially if you want to unlock all the animations and scenes.

The game as a whole is very "Star Trek" like, the look of the aliens, the characters, the machinery, the space ship's interior. You can tell that there is a lot of inspiration from Star Trek from almost the first moment you start playing. You could argue that Captain Dyce even looks a bit like William Riker! As well as having his interest in the ladies!

There are a few minigames, the previously mentioned Galaga like shoot-em-up, this comes into play when your ship encounters an enemy, the mini game loads up, and you control the ship with your mouse, while shooting at waves of enemies, and eventually a boss. There are various weapon upgrades to collect as well as special weapons that last for a short period of time, rockets, lasers etc. You can of course skip the mini game, but where is the fun in that. Complete the level and you go back to the main game and the story continues. There is also a mini game which is literally a first person shooter, run around an alien planet, kill the aliens, rescue some crew. 

There is also a very simple combat mini game, whereby you are face to face with someone, and have to choose basic moves to fight with, this mini game is not the best, and you will get through it very quickly.

The game boasts 3000 HD images, that really are incredibly rendered, full HD, and very impressive. There are also 50 separate animations, these are mainly part of the story, but also include various scenes that are adult in nature.

I did read some complaints about the dialog from people saying the translations were poor. And as far as I can figure out, the developers "Space Samurai Studio" are Italian, however I thought the dialog although far from perfect, was fine, and nothing seemed particularly off for me. If you are playing an adult visual novel, and you are moaning about the grammar used, then you really are taking life too seriously.

The Good

The rendered images and animations are of a very high quality, everything looks incredible. The story is decent, and the mini game is a lot of fun.

The Bad

There is no voice acting as such, other than a few groans, so everything needs to be read, the sounds in general across the game are quite poor, and although I understand the reasons for not having voice acting, (Keeps the costs down), it can make a big difference in a game of this nature.

Overall

If adult visual novels are your thing, then I honestly don't think you can go far wrong with this game, the story is decent, the graphics, animations etc all look great, perhaps a little expensive at just under £12, but I am sure there will be a sale at some point.

I score Intruder on the bridge a solid 7.5/10 with the total understanding of the context and genre that this game sits in.

Out now on Steam (Over 18s only please)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1700550

REVIEW: Kickerinho World on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

Kickerinho World is a freestyle-football simulator, well that is what the game makers claim.

In reality it is a "Keepie uppie" game.

Originally released on mobile devices about 5 years ago, and downloaded 5 million times, it is your classic freemium mobile game, whereby you play a bit, lose, watch an advertisement, and start again. On Nintendo Switch it is basically the same, but since you have had to pay for it, the ads are gone.

The aim of the game is simple, keep the ball in the air, do not let it touch the floor, the longer you do that, the more points you get.

Each trigger on the controller controls a different foot, press the correct trigger at the right time and the ball will get kicked and stay in the air, every so often the ball will go high enough for you to head it, and you do this by pressing both triggers at once. You can also use the touch screen as well if you prefer.

The game is pretty hard, despite sounding easy, the timing has to be almost perfect, miss by a fraction of a second and that's it, game over. And that is basically the game, a mobile port, that the main advantage is you won't need to watch ads, or pay microtransactions to purchase things.

There are three characters you can play with, Raul, Violet, or Sydney. And various locations you will travel to, including Paris, New York, Dubai, Shanghai, Moscow, Rio, and Sydney, but these are purely cosmetic, think a change of background and that is it. Various customisations to unlock, balls to collect, and so on. Typical mobile game stuff.

The Good

It looks ok, I guess. You don't need to pay anything else once you have purchased it.

The Bad

Everything, it is a terrible game.

Overall

This is a game that should have stayed on mobile. No idea why they would want to have this ported to the Switch.

If you really want to play this, go get it on the play store for free, and if you really love it, then and only then pay for it on Switch.

I score Kickerinho World on Nintendo Switch an abysmal 2/10

Out Now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Kickerinho-World-1995102.html

REVIEW: Make War on Nintendo Switch

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

There is an endless amount of strategy simulation type games out there at the moment, and "Make War" from No Gravity Games is another one to add to the pile.

The basic premise of the game is that you place your army and weapons, press play, and see if your strategy can beat the enemy as the AI then plays out.

You can play in various timelines, so from Viking Era to the 20th century and even cyberpunk and futuristic areas. When you start the game, you will be faced with a map, but since the game requires you to play one level at a time, it seems a bit pointless, and perhaps just a simple "Level 1, Level 2..." type map would be better suited.

Beating an enemy on a level is itself not enough to progress to the next level, you will have "quests" that you need to complete, unfortunately the game doesn't really explain things too well, and the tutorial is a bit useless. So, at first you might find yourself wondering why you keep playing the same level over and over. Once you figure out there are quests to complete, you can try to then adjust your strategy to accomplish these goals.

Before you press play on a level, you get to choose the layout of your army, you will have regular fighters, melee fighters, long and medium range fighters, mines, laser guns, portals and so on. The more you progress the more that is unlocked for you to use.

One big problem with this, is that it seems strategy has very little to do with you winning or losing. Placing your fighters in one area or another doesn't make a great deal of difference, as they will still just run towards the enemy, and they will run towards you, all the while you just sit back and watch. As you complete quests, that may unlock more of a weapon, fighter or mine, so you then can place more, you will end up beating the enemy more through grinding to unlock things, than any masterminded strategy.

There 160 missions to complete, 40+ weapons to unlock, 30+ fighting units to get, so plenty to do, but is the gameplay good enough to keep you coming back?

The Good

I liked the small pixel graphics, even on a Switch Lite i could see everything going on, but perhaps this game would prefer a larger screen.

The Bad

The lack of actual strategy needed, in a strategy simulation is a huge problem, and one that cannot be ignored.

Overall

There is potential here, but not enough for fans of strategy simulation games, who will get bored quick. For general gamers, Make War might find a place on your Switch as a game you can just play for ten minutes every so often.

I hate to give low scores, but I have to be honest, and sadly I can only award Make War on Nintendo Switch a poor 4/10

Out Now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Make-War-1763503.html

REVIEW: Star Horizon on Nintendo Switch

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

Star Horizon is a 3D, on rails, space shoot-em-up. You play as John, a pilot, or more accurately the person shooting stuff. Most of the real control is done by the Artificial Intelligence known as Ellie, who will talk to you as you play. Since my name is real life is John, I must say it all felt very personal!

There is a war between the Inter Galactic Corporation (The Federation), and the rebels. (This sounds familiar!). You are involved in an accident, whereby you are put into hibernation by the mothership, Ellie, the ships AI, wakes you up years later, and you have no idea where you are or what is going on.

As you play, you will quickly learn that this is an on rails shooter, meaning that you go where the AI takes you, and with the exception of some quick time events, whereby you need to choose an option of what to do next, all directional activities are controlled for you. Your job is to shoot stuff. You have a few different types of weapons, as well as a cool roll/dodge manoeuvre. The targeting mechanics aren't the best, but you soon get used to how it all works, and you will quickly find out that accuracy isn't that important.

As you destroy enemies, and complete sections, you will earn points, these points can be used in the hangar, between levels, to upgrade your ship. 

There are just 10 levels, and 3 main bosses to beat. You gain up to 3 stars for completing a level, and you will find that you will need to replay levels over and over to get points to upgrade your ship and weapons, so that you can get strong enough to progress, beat bosses and so on, this does bring some longevity to what would otherwise be a short game.

The quick time events which affect the storyline, are a good idea, and give the game some replay options, to see what differences there is, if you had chosen differently, examples of choices are to help friends or ignore them, help a space merchant or fight them.

The Good

As this is an on rails shooter, it means that the developers have had plenty of time to make the 3D graphics look fantastic, the soundtrack is good, and the AI voice is also quite entertaining.

The Bad

Only 10 levels, and many people do not like "On Rails" shooters since they do lack the freedom of a regular 3D shooter.

Overall

A cheap game, that does entertain, and despite its limitations, looks good and plays well.

I score Star Horizon on Nintendo Switch a fair 7/10

Out Now

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Star-Horizon-1782929.html