This week’s biggest PS4 and Xbox One games have been overshadowed somewhat by the surprise release of the potentially colossal Call of Duty: Warzone. It’s business as usual for the Switch eShop, however, with the usual assortment of indie games, JRPGs, retro re-releases, and belated conversions.
The full price Langrisser I & II bundle brings together two cult tactical JRPGs, complete with improved visuals, orchestrated music and new quality-of-life features. Noisy Pixel dished out an 8.5 earlier this week. “Langrisser I & II is a faithful remaster that brings together two of the most important titles in the history of tactic RPGs. The updated visuals and illustrations of the collection make it accessible for new players, but the mechanics stay loyal to the originals for long time fans. Still, I would have enjoyed more differentiation between the two games because the similarities can be jarring at times,†they said.
RPG Site opted for a 7/10, meanwhile. “In the end, the remakes of the first two Langrisser games don’t quite add anything to make them automatically better than their original counterparts – it’s more just a different take on the original games. It’s not a really high effort remake, but since the first Langrisser games are already good, it would’ve taken a lot of effort to make the games really awful,†reads their verdict.
Another tactical turn-based adventure launching this week is Alder’s Blood, offering a darker take on the genre. It received a glowing 4/5 review from Slant: “Alder’s Blood shakes up the foundation of a long-standing genre, stretching the familiar into a realm of nightmarish wonder.â€
The Gamer enjoyed it too, resulting in a 4.5/5. “Sure, there’s no shortage of turn-based strategy games on any system, but games this well-designed are few and far between in the indie space, and it’ll be quite a while before something as well done as Alder’s Blood hits the eShop for a price point as low as twenty dollars,†they said. Nice to see the price point being kept in mind.
Then there’s Dead or School, an anime-style 2.5D hack and slash. Digitally Downloaded took the Japanese version for a spin last year, suggesting we’re in for a diamond in the rough. “Being a budget game it struggles to maintain a consistency in tone and experience, but a solid loot and upgrade system, some great boss fights, and a good sense of humour, all help to see it through,†was their verdict.
Others to consider this week include the isometric pixel-art adventure A Street Cat’s Tale, anime arena brawler MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2, first-person arcade shooter Super Destronaut: Land Wars – seemingly influenced by Battlezone – and the 2D cyberpunk thriller Neon City Riders. Rocky racer Overpass might be out too. We’ve given up trying to keep track of its forever changing release date.
New Switch releases
MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2 – £49.99
MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2, the over-the-top follow-up to the smash hit 3D arena fighter MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE, makes its heroic debut! Make full use of characters’ Quirks as you clash head-to-head in epic battles across huge arenas!
Langrisser I & II – £49.99
You are the arbiter of fate in a world ravaged by wars through generations of heroes who battle for peace, order, or chaos.
Command Ledin, Elwin, and their companions in their quest to obtain the Sacred Sword Langrisser and restore peace to a war-stricken land. Decide who your allegiance lies with in Langrisser I & II, remastered for modern consoles.
Mystic Vale – £16.99
Get ready for an all-new deck-building experience in Mystic Vale, as you use the the innovate Card Crafting System to improve your cards to create a diverse and effective deck.
In Mystic Vale, cards combine in a variety of different ways to create powerful combos. Each turn you can purchase upgrades to your existing cards, making them stronger as the game goes on. Push extra cards onto your field to gain more resources, at the risk of ending your turn early. The player who scores the most victory points wins!
Roundguard – £14.99
Castle Springbottom is under attack! It’s up to the Roundguard to save the king and — more importantly — recover his gold! Fling your hero into the face of danger and bounce off hordes of dangerously cute monsters to reach the bottom of the dungeon. With only one life, you’ll need to learn how to navigate hazards, make strategic choices, and master your hero’s skills if you hope to defeat the final boss. But don’t worry, the Roundguard always bounces back!
Video Poker @ Aces Casino – £7.99
Do you have what it takes to be a BIG winner?
The best video poker game for the Nintendo Switch! Las Vegas style video poker machines and gameplay! Play your way to big wins and video poker success! Classic 5 card draw video poker with different themes to choose from, real card shuffling and real pay tables. Become the top video poker player!
Jump, Step, Step – £4.49
Jump Step Step is a gorgeous and funny programming game with bonsai trees, a crazy robot and a broken rocket. Bob is short-circuited and goes mental. Please send him a series of moves to guide him back to his ship. Without your help Bob will probably tell himself to step on a spike and die.
A Street Cat’s Tale – £6.59
The tale of a kitten who has lost its mother is coming to Nintendo Switch!
It’s up to you to help this poor, lost kitten survive until it’s old enough to take care of itself.
Neon City Riders – £17.99
Looking for a a 2D action-adventure mixed with super-powered urban gangs in a post-cyberpunk neon scenario? Well, if you do, Neon City Riders is right for you!
Take on the role of Rick, a masked vigilante who needs to explore the decaying futuristic Neon City in search of items, superpowers and companions to free the turfs from the four super-powered gangs claws!
Half Past Fate – £17.99
Half Past Fate is a rom-com adventure with a charismatic 3D art-style. Follow the journey of 6 ordinary people who found each other in extraordinary ways.
From eight hours to eight years, this time-jumping saga will change the way you feel about fate forever.
Inbento – £4.49
Experience a calming, wordless story about cats and parenthood by solving adorable puzzles in inbento. Relax, tease your brain, and prepare tasty bento dishes. Arrange them in an elaborate lunchbox while sticking to the recipe shown on screen.
Complete over 100 fun puzzles, aesthetically served with traditional boiled rice. Immerse yourself in a silent tale about a cute family of felines and enjoy the tranquil soundtrack. Master the mechanics, follow the hand-crafted recipes, and beat all the bonus stages in this culinary logic game.
Hidden Through Time – £6.99
Hidden Through Time is a cute game of hide and seek with objects scattered throughout the wonderful history of our world. Use cryptic hints to discover every secret as you explore the colourful hand drawn levels.
Find enough objects to advance to the next stage, and make your way through all four great ages.
Brotherhood United
YOGA MASTER – £22.49
With a wide range of programs, lessons and more than 150 poses from classic to urban yoga, you’ll be mentored by a coach who will accurately show you exercises step by step, performing them with you.
Relax in breathtaking and completely customizable environments, choose your favorite programs or make your own and free your mind with yoga breathing exercises.
DEAD OR SCHOOL – £24.99
Join Hisako’s fight for survival against the zombie infestation overrunning Tokyo and defend her right to a normal school life in this fast-paced 2.5D adventure. Forced into isolation underground by the zombie apocalypse, Hisako has little understanding of the world above. After hearing stories about schools aboveground, Hisako dons her grandmother’s school uniform and takes up arms against the undead horde with one goal in mind: to become a school girl!
Brotherhood United – £7.49
When the time of crisis comes and one of your friends is captured, you gotta stand your ground and fight for your partners. When someone messes with the brotherhood, you make sure they pay for that, no matter what.
Pick your guns and blast your way through hordes of enemies on this run and gun game as a member of the Brotherhood who leaves no friend behind.
NinNinDays – £5.89
In this romantic adventure game set in Akihabara, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry over the entertaining lifetyle of a female ninja and the main character’s cohabitation!
Hidden in Plain Sight – £4.99
Hidden in Plain Sight is a set of local multiplayer (2-4 players) game modes that share a common theme: trying to accomplish goals without drawing attention to yourself.
In each game mode, players control characters in a sea of identical NPCs. Players are given a task, but also the means to eliminate each other from the game. The goal is to blend in with the NPCs, accomplish the task at hand, and take out other players before they get you.
Alder’s Blood – £17.99
Alder’s Blood is a dark, stealth, tactical game with the turn-based combat focused on avoiding enemy ambushes and setting up your own. Use stealth and tactics to overcome the never-ending onslaught of monsters, the manifestations of your god’s decay.
Manage your scarce resources, venture out with your fellow companions and explore the remnants of the world in search of the means for mankind’s survival.
Rack N Ruin – £11.49
Join Rack on an epic adventure across a world filled with magic and wonder. Then watch in astonishment as Rack befouls, corrupts, slaughters, and brings about a general air of misfortune to everything and everyone he confronts. Chaos reigns in this top-down action adventure rpg that’s infused with the intensity of a classic shoot ’em up.
Syder Reloaded – £10.79
Syder Reloaded is an overcharged and furious side-scrolling hybrid shoot ’em up. Jump back to the ’90s when bulky tech was cool and games were all about skills and high scores. Syder Reloaded is a remastered and enhanced edition of Syder Arcade (2012).
Super Destronaut: Land Wars – £4.99
It’s time for a new point of view to the classic arcade shooter experience! In Super Destronaut Land Wars, it’s up to you take shoot down enemies and collect points to move on to the next level!
Inspired by arcade classics, this new arcade experience mixes a first-person viewpoint with classic invader style shooting. Together, this unique mashup will test your skills across 30 different challenges!
Shadows – £7.19
In Shadows you take control of a person who just came to the hotel. As you leave your room, you quickly realize that something is really wrong. You need to conquer your fears and discover truth hidden within the shadows.
Talisman: Digital Edition – £17.99
Welcome to the world of Talisman. A land filled with perilous Quests, Enemies and challenges. But with it brings an adventure you’ll never forget. The officially licensed digital adaptation of the classic fantasy adventure board game.
Adventure around the Talisman board, encountering deadly monsters, mysterious strangers and magical items. Battle up to 5 friends locally or online, with a hot-seat mode if you want to pass and play. Level up and increase your skills as you make your way to the center of the board.
Next week: Animal Crossing: New Horizons, This Strange Realm Of Mine, Deep Diving Adventures, Super Bit Blaster XL, Knight Swap, Explosive Jake, Dezatopia, SeaBed, Beyond Enemy Lines: Essentials, Factotum 90, DOOM 64, Top Speed: Drag & Fast Racing, Pooplers, LA-MULANA, LA-MULANA 2, Mist Hunter, and Quell Memento.