Attack of the Fanboy

Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC is a solid port, just not a perfect one. Largely carried by the fantastic quality of the game itself, the port does at least provide prettier visuals, additional content, and a fantastic new Photo Mode. That all said, as solid as the port may be in most regards, it may be best to give Rockstar until the Steam launch in a month to iron out the last of the major issues. At that point, it’ll be easier to see and believe why I feel this is truly the best way to experience the end of the outlaw era for yourself.

Professor Layton has always targeted a very niche market and Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition also does just that. The lack of an overarching story and any drastic changes in the gameplay is a disappointment, but there’s just something charming about this series that will hopefully continue to grow from here after finally shedding the handheld only roots of the series moving forward.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 doesn’t get the series where it needs to be, but it certainly moves it closer to that goal. The game oozes charm in every way possible. And speaking of ooze, Gooigi is a great addition for single players and co-op fans alike. Combat is simplified though, and puzzles can become quite frustrating and tedious. The game also likes to rain on your parade a bit too often as well, tossing roadblocks in your way when a bit of celebration or relaxation is more in need. If this sounds passable to you though, you’re in for a truly spooky treat.

Moving above the mediocrity that has often plagued the series in the past, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is without question the best entry thus far, even if the mini-game and party structure is not for everybody.

If you can work through its frustrating parts and look past its plot failings, there’s something wonderful here, but many will come away disappointed if their expectations aren’t in check.

Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King is a delightful collection for two of the greats of their generation. These platformers were already fantastic and had aged particularly well. Still they were tough to enjoy for many, but this set fixes that in almost every way imaginable. The Interactive Game Viewer in particular will be lauded by fans for years to come. The only flaw is odd cuts here and there, such as versions without the Game Viewer, or the missing SNES version of Aladdin. Even with these omissions though, Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King is a great set for returning fans or potential new ones.

Don't buy this port until the performance issues are addressed. I can't recommend it as it currently exists to fans of the game, or those with only a Switch in the house: I can't recommend this port to anyone. Skip Vampyr for the Switch; there are better ways to play a bloodsucker out there.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboots the franchise with solid success throughout. The campaign takes a more serious tone and nails it in some truly admirable ways, though it could have used a few extra missions or story beats. It resets the plot for the MW series and offers a lot of potential for the future. The multiplayer doesn’t hold a lot of surprise, but it certainly expands players’ options. If you want straight-up action, hardcore tactics, or massive battles you’ll find it here. It may not be the best version of that type of game, but it’s there to play and all with classic COD gunplay at the core.

Even with plenty of superb 2D platformers releasing in recent years, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair easily belongs alongside the best the generation has to offer thanks to excellent level design and platforming that is evocative of past classics from the genre.

Ring Fit Adventure is a fun and wholly functional workout experience. Nintendo walks you through every step of the process to make sure you’re doing things correctly to avoid injury or over-exertion. Whether you’re playing adventure mode or just banging through your favorite mini-games or exercises, the Ring-Con delivers a workout that feels like it’s doing its job in getting your heart rate elevated to the point of burning calories and potentially fat.

The Outer Worlds might not be exactly what you think it’s going to be.  It’s a smaller game, one that focuses on replay value and role play fantasy to really get the most out of the experience.  It’s a dense game though, where there’s plenty of lore packed into smaller sandbox style areas.  It’s up to you to poke around in the corners of these areas to get the most out of it.

Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville is another entirely competent, family-friendly “shooter”, much like the Garden Warfare games. While it doesn’t have a three behind it, it might as well. Things don’t feel like they’ve changed all that much with time. The new sandbox single player offering is certainly welcome, but it’s the multiplayer offerings that are what players will get the most out of. While it might not be every shooter fan’s bag, Battle for Neighborville has certainly got the ability to entertain just about anyone… young or old, experience shooter player or first-timer.

While it may not add anything to make it worth double dipping outside of some previous additional content, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition gains the element of portability on the Nintendo Switch that makes the game more accessible than ever to play as you aim to collect the more than 300 available Digimon and save the real and digital worlds.

If you don’t care about portability and have Overwatch elsewhere then give the port a pass. Maybe once cross-save, cross-progression, and/or cross-play are added this port will be more compelling to existing fans, but for those that believe Overwatch isn’t Overwatch when the competitive side isn’t at its best then this port will only drive them mad. Overwatch is a great port for new fans and casual fans of the game, and no one else.

Destiny 2 has never been this accessible, and the foundations Bungie has laid for the future are largely solid. The core "new" content of the expansion may be a bust, but Bungie has proven that by going independent to better pursue their own creative vision they could make Destiny 2 a far better experience for everyone. Destiny 2: Shadowkeep stumbles over itself in spots, but the faults are not enough to put a damper on what is an impressive update to game as a whole.

The Witcher 3 has made its way to the Switch and like the other games that have not been developed with the technical specifications of this console in mind, there are some obvious downgrades to the visuals. The Witcher 3 is a game that still impresses though as it has many qualities that shine through and translate well to any platform. It’s definitely not the best way to play it, but if you’ve yet to experience The Witcher 3 and wonder what you’ve missed this will give you a decent representation of that.

While a straight port of Dragon Quest XI with the perk of playing portably on Switch would have been enticing enough, Square Enix went not just the extra mile, but many extra miles with the content rich Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition.

Ultimately, Codemasters plays it safe with GRID, for better and worse. There’s certainly a lack of features, less modes, and a lesser number of cars and tracks than other contemporary racers. This is a no-frills arcade racer, but a very good one. If solid racing action is the only thing you care about, GRID has it in spades. The new features which lean mostly on the AI improvements to better the racing experience are a mixed bag, but they improve the overall quality of the game on the track.

Frostpunk: Console Edition is a fantastic port: it overhauled its UI and controls intelligently, it runs well, and its priced fairly. At times it doesn’t even feel like a port, but like a version of the game that was developed alongside the PC version. Nothing about the brutal Frostpunk experience has been lost in the translation, and for those who heard all the praise last year but lacked the requisite PC they can now sit down and play 11 Bit’s masterpiece on the platform of their choice (well, barring the Switch it sounds like: sorry Nintendo fans).

John Wick Hex is a surprise in a number of ways, but the biggest is how much it hits the mark in terms of conveying what it’s like to be John Wick himself. While it falters in some key areas, the overall experience is a good one. More importantly though, it’s unique, offering something that’s both surprising and distinct from other licensed properties. While you may become frustrated at specific levels or how tough the challenge can become fans of the franchise will find a nice addition to it here.

Feeling like an attempt at a best of experience for recent Ubisoft games, Ghost Recon Breakpoint fails to capture what has made the series special in the past in all of the important areas.

Concrete Genie is certainly an impressive game when it comes presentation. It’s got a great score and impressive art direction, that leave you absolutely jaw-dropped at times. It’s a short game though, and that feels even more so when the game goes away from its core strengths and barrels towards the finish line with lackluster combat sequences.

In Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince they largely succeed, having crafted a fun platformer that is great to play either solo or with friends (assuming everyone can communicate). If you loved the first two games, yet loathed the third, give The Nightmare Prince a play: you’ll be charmed by it’s whimsical ways, warts and all.

The Legend of Zelda series is known for its quality across both consoles and handhelds, with the latter often standing out for their uniqueness within the franchise as a whole. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was a shining example of that on the Game Boy and once again proves why it deserves to be talked about among the best in the series with its remake on the Nintendo Switch.

Behaviour has done the bare minimum: a mostly functional port of the full game running well enough on Nintendo’s console. I like this game; I enjoyed this port, but at the price Behaviour is charging they need to go further if they truly want Dead by Daylight for the Switch to succeed, especially when there are better ports at similar or lower prices. Competence is fine, but it’s not always enough to survive the night.