Almekind

It might be an unpopular opinion, but I’ve always found the Galaxy games a bit overrated. The music is beautiful and the concept of the planets is original. Especially in the first game, the worlds feel like little works of art. But both games lack challenge and, in my experience, are too linear. They don’t really encourage you to explore the little planets the way Odyssey does. For my taste, the games are just a bit too easy, and Mario controls a bit too sluggishly.

It’s outrageous that the richest game company in the world comes out with graphics like these. It would be perfectly fine if Pokémon went back to 2D graphics, because after eight years we can conclude that they just can’t get 3D graphics right. Lumiose City reminds me of the city in Sonic Adventure or Spider-Man 2 — and those are games that came out more than twenty years ago. And even though the game is wrapped in a terrible shell, I still had an old-fashioned good time playing it. As a Pokémon veteran who finds it hard to pick up an old Pokémon game because of its outdated slow pace, I really love the speed of this one. Within a few hours, I was filling up my Pokédex like in the old days. Maybe that also highlights the problem with this franchise — the formula is just too good and too addictive. In the end, it doesn’t matter what the packaging looks like.

The opening hours of Ghost of Tsushima are amazing — if only because of the visuals. It feels like what Assassin’s Creed should have been. The atmosphere is calming, the combat never gets boring, and the quests and collectibles actually make you stronger. But after thoroughly exploring the first area, the other two regions started to feel a bit monotonous. There’s less of that Japanese atmosphere, the difficulty doesn’t really increase, and the quests tend to follow the same pattern.

The best Metroidvania and one of the greatest indie games of all time. The atmosphere, the combat, the refinement of your skills until you finally take down that one boss. The secrets, the lore, the art style, and the endless content. The passion of the developers radiates from this game.

Country Returns is a classic Nintendo game and deserves a spot in the Switch library. It makes me long for a time when games still dared to be truly challenging, without immediately being labeled as “Souls-like.”The game, however, is too expensive for what it is. Nothing has been added in terms of content — it’s simply an HD refresh. The newer levels that were also in the 3DS version don’t match the same quality as the rest of the game.

The only reason I’m not starting up Persona 5 Royal again is because of the hundred-hour time investment. A game is never perfect, but an experience can be. If you're an RPG fan, this is a game you simply have to play. The cast of characters, the music, the worlds, the dialogues, and the gameplay — games like Persona 5 Royal remind me why I love gaming so much.

This is a game you need to play with a notebook, because any random object in one room could be a clue for a puzzle in another room. Every time you think you understand the game, it turns out there's yet another overarching puzzle, which makes you look at the rooms in a completely different way. This game is addictive, and solving a puzzle gives you an amazing feeling. The only downside is the randomness of rare rooms — especially toward the end of the game, this can get frustrating. You know what you need, but the game just doesn't give it to you.

Where is the line between an homage and a copy? Nidoderiko is a fun game, but perhaps that’s no surprise when you take all the top elements from Donkey Kong Country, Crash Bandicoot, and Rayman, and merge them into one package. Maybe I shouldn’t judge the game too harshly for that, as it doesn’t really try to hide its influences — but it’s still a thought that keeps popping into my head as I play. If you’re looking for a solid platformer to pass a quiet evening, Nidoderiko is an enjoyable pick. It doesn’t reach the platforming perfection of the games it draws inspiration from, but it gets the job done.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a fun game, but unfortunately not the Nintendo hit I had hoped for. The difficulty level is too easy, which slightly ruined the experience for me. Apart from some post-game challenges, it rarely feels rewarding to collect a banana. The gameplay is also a bit too repetitive compared to Mario Odyssey.Despite some disappointments, it’s still an enjoyable game.

Pipistrello is fun and addictive. A homage to 2D Zeldas. The yoyo mechanic is refreshing, there's plenty of content, and it invites you to explore the entire world.

They took the combat system from Persona and made it even more fun by adding parrying. If you're an RPG fan, this is a game you absolutely need to play. The story is fantastic and full of plot twists. The music is amazing, and the battles are addictive. What I really appreciated was that the story was easy to follow from beginning to end.Where games like Final Fantasy and Tales of sometimes go off the rails with vague, abstract ideas, Clair Obscur stays coherent within its own universe.There are a few minor annoyances, though: it's hard to navigate certain areas, and there's no way to track side quests. The system with Lumnia Points and Pictos is also poorly explained.

With Mario Kart World, you're guaranteed to bring fun into your home for years to come. Especially when playing with friends, you're in for a guaranteed good time. The game oozes Nintendo charm and serves as a tribute to the Super Mario franchise. Unfortunately, there are also some disappointing aspects. For a launch title priced at €80, it still feels a bit "vanilla." Nintendo has faithfully carried over all the best elements from previous games, but this entry doesn't really add much new. The open world isn't used to its full potential. I particularly miss a fun single-player adventure mode like the one in Crash Team Racing. It’s something they could have easily included. It feels like they've laid the groundwork and plan to expand and deepen the experience over the coming years through DLC—but that's not necessarily why I bought a Switch 2 at launch.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a charismatic 3D platformer reminiscent of those from the PS1 era. The game has a lot of potential, but unfortunately doesn't truly excel in any particular area, which makes the overall experience feel a bit mediocre. The 'swap mechanic' is original and could have been a fun addition, but sadly doesn’t go much further than some color-based puzzles and setting wood on fire. The dialogues are slightly too long, and at times there’s just a bit too much **** the end, I still had around 8 hours of fun with it.