Big name releases take a back seat this week, giving smaller titles a chance to shine. Red Faction Guerrilla: Re-Mars-tered on Switch is about as ‘big’ as it gets. That’s unless you count A.O.T.2 Final Battle, which like Guerrilla, isn’t brand spanking new – it’s an expansion for the base game.
Having said all this, Sea of Solitude has likely had a bigger budget than most games we’re about to mention, simply because it has EA’s backing. This is another EA Originals endeavour, following in the footsteps of Fe, Unravel, and A Way Out. Set in an evolving metaphorical world where nothing is quite what it seems, protagonist Kay battles with her inner demons while exploring a waterlogged city inspired by Berlin. Hopefully the 10-month delay has allowed the developers to achieve their vision.
That’s joined by Stranger Things 3: The Game, a retro throwback adventure featuring 12 playable characters each with their own abilities. There’s a focus on co-op play, with puzzle solving involved. It’s due out Thursday on all formats.
OVIVO is the latest release from indie publisher Sometimes You, meanwhile, being an ambient platformer in a beautiful black and white world. It’s one of the publisher’s best received games, with review scores being as high as 8/10. We chalked up our verdict yesterday.
Then there’s They Are Billions, a Steampunk strategy game set on a post-apocalyptic planet. It gained a glowing review from GameSpot, but Windows Central claims it “begs” to be played using a keyboard and mouse. Thankfully, the Xbox One version has this option.
As for Red Faction Guerrilla: Re-Mars-tered on Switch, word has it that even though isn’t the best way to experience this remaster on the big screen, it’s still recommended due to its excellent Wrecking Crew mode. The improved particle effects and enhanced visuals don’t go unnoted, either. Switch owners with no other means of experiencing this franchise highpoint may want to consider taking a trip to Mars.
New release showcase
Red Faction Guerrilla: Re-Mars-tered
7/10 – Nintendo Life: It’s crazy to think that the original Red Faction Guerrilla came out 10 years ago, especially when you consider no one has matched it for sheer destructive agency. As an open-world third-person shooter, Red Faction Guerrilla: Re-Mars-tered doesn’t do much to set itself apart from the pack, but its unscripted destruction physics help elevate even the most boring of missions into a riot as you smash walls to reach an objective or use a rocket launcher to crumble enemy vehicles. With extra DLC bundled in and some decent Switch exclusive motion controls, Red Faction Guerrilla is another forgotten shooter that deserves a second (or third) shot at stardom.
7/10 – GameSpew: Ultimately then, as ports go, Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered on Switch is a good one. But it’s a game that’s starting to show its age now, and while it’s great to be able to play it on the go, the Switch is not the best way to play it on a big screen.
3/5 – Daily Star: It’s a game that’s constantly reminding you that it is a game released in 2009, with its dated single-player mode and boring missions. The upgraded particle effects help the game show the destruction on the Switch very well here, but ‘Wrecking Crew’ is where the game shines, and proves it is very much worth your purchase here. Incredibly fun, great for party-passing, and being able to play this mode on the go only makes me recommend ‘Red Faction Guerrilla’ even more.
They Are Billions
8.5 – PSU: A supremely well constructed RTS that feels right at home on PS4, They Are Billions sets a new golden bar for other genre efforts to try and match.
8/10 – GameSpot: The knowledge that you’re always just one misstep away from disaster creates a gripping, tense atmosphere that’s unusual for the genre. And the cycle from defense to offense and back again as you progress from one wave to the next offers both well-paced urgency and the ability to set clear short-term goals. It’s a smartly designed game at its core, despite the distractions. Just like a lone zombie can bring about your demise, sometimes one strong idea is enough.
3.5/5 – Windows Central: They Are Billions is a wonderful game – on PC. This direct Xbox port is not only missing crucial features from its PC counterpart, like the campaign mode, but has horrendous controls that practically beg you to use a mouse and keyboard instead.
OVIVO
8/10 – Square XO: The gameplay may be too simple for some but I really enjoyed its no-nonsense style and its lack of any sort of tutorial or guidance. It was lovely just to be left alone to discover this beautiful game, what my objectives were and how I go about achieving them.
7/10 – Xbox Tavern: Ovivo, despite its technical drawbacks and its habit of frustrating its players, is one of those games that says a great deal without ever uttering a single word. The game’s artistic inkblot-like presentation not only serves its platforming structure remarkably well, but toys wonderfully with the senses. That said, the game’s aforementioned issues do pull it just shy of greatness in the long-run, but even so, it’s one platformer I can comfortably recommend.
New digital multi-format releases
- A.O.T.2 Final Battle
- They Are Billions
New on PSN
- Sairento VR
- Scraper: First Strike
- I’m Hungry
- Paradox Soul
- Dollhouse – Deluxe Edition
- Ugly Dolls: An Imperfect Adventure
New on Xbox One store
- Illusion of L’Phalcia
- Hero Express
New Nintendo retail releases
- A.O.T.2 Final Battle
- Fort Boyard
Next week: Dragon Quest Builders 2, God Eater 3 (Switch), Grass Cutter – Mutated Lawns, Doughlings: Invasion, Redeemer: Enhanced Edition, Aggelos (Xbox One), and Streets of Rogue.