Hello there, my dear Patron! Nice to see you here in our latest Newsletter looking back at all that happened on the site since then, starting July 5th until July 11th of 2021.
So if you haven’t had time to read in the past weeks, here’s all that was published, all wrapped in a nice package. So get yourself a cup of coffee (or tea of course), kick back and enjoy!
Reviews
Epistory – Typing Chronicles Review – Two Thumbs Up
Switch: Adventure Puzzle (US $11.99 | UK £13.49 | EU € 11,99)
Yvonne: Epistory: Typing Chronicles is a beautiful game with a good story, lovely puzzles, exploration and nice battles. You can play it to learn how to touch-type, but it’s not a necessity. I urge you to play it just for fun! Use a keyboard and broaden your vocabulary or use the Switch buttons: both work wonderfully.
The origami world of Epistory: Typing Chronicles is gorgeous, seeing new parts of the world literally unfold is magical. The soundtrack is a good match to the feeling of wonder and the storytelling is great.
Heart of the Woods Review – Two Thumbs Up
Switch: Visual Novel (US $19.99 | UK £15.29 | EU € 16,99)
CJ: Heart of the Woods is one of the better Yuri titles I’ve played so far. It carries the player into a world featuring the supernatural, romance, and friendship. The characters and their interactions are unusually satisfying and believable. I hope more games from these creators make it to the Switch!
Fantasian – Two Thumbs Up
Apple Arcade RPG (Monthly subscription US $4.99| € 4,99| UK £ 4.99 )
David: Fantasian is a wonderful JRPG that can appeal to fans of the genre and beyond. The aspect most holding it back is its exclusivity to the Apple Arcade service, requiring any would-be players to get their hands on an Apple device. Those without an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or an Apple TV are certainly missing out on one of the best JRPG experiences this year. Begging a friend or loved one to borrow their iPad for a month is well worth the effort to play this unique and beautiful Mistwalker creation.
Merrily Perilly Review – We Like It a Lot
Switch: Adventure Puzzle (US $4.99 | UK £4.49| EU € 4,99)
Mina: All that being said, Merrily Perilly is probably the most fun I’ve had playing (and watching a game being played) in a long time. It’s silly, funny, colorful, and a real puzzle game. With the exception of the one dialogue option, the whole game is an absolute joy to play.
Loopindex Review – We Like It a Lot
Switch: Puzzle Adventure (UK £3.59 | US $ 4.99 | EU € 4,10)
Mina: Overall, there just isn’t that much to complain about. LoopIndex is cheap fun that’s worth sitting down and playing solo and is even more fun with a friend. While it’s not going to break records or make history, the game is well thought out and put together.
Also, since LoopIndex is available for just about every single platform that anyone could want it on, players can sit down together and play regardless of what consoles they own. I would recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a fun puzzle experience to share with someone.
Arkan: The Dog Adventurer Review – We Like It
Switch: Adventure Puzzle (UK £4.49 | US $ 4.99 | EU € 4,99)
James:If you like your simple arcade-style games and fancy one that’s not going to break the bank, then Arkan: The Dog Adventurer is a nice distraction for a few gaming sessions. You know the drill with a coffee game. Grab a nice drink, relax and attempt to save the realm by flinging balls at enemies. Not a bad way to spend a night in.
Connect Bricks Review – We Like It
Switch: Puzzle (US $9.98 | UK £8.89 | EU € 9,98)
Paula: Connect Bricks is a simplistic puzzle game. There sure are plenty of puzzles to complete in it, enough to keep you busy for a while. Priced as it is on the eShop is very steep for a game that is free on mobile. I understand there are costs included in the porting of such games from mobile to Switch. But I do think that is a very high price for a game that is basically the same in all 2000 levels.
While I do like the gameplay for a quick pick up and play session I wouldn’t be rushing to download it at that price point, my advice would be to maybe wait for a sale to purchase the game on the Switch!
Hope’s Farm – We Like It
Switch: Puzzle Simulation (US $9.69 | UK £7.01 | EU € 8,16)
Mina: Overall, Hope’s Farm is a colorful, easy-to-learn game with a lot of replay value. This game does best in handheld mode, which is great for travel. Although it does not present anything groundbreaking or extremely exciting, the game is good cartoony fun for the whole family.
Onirike – We Like It
Switch: 3D Adventure Puzzle (UK £13.49 | US $ 14.99 | EU € 14,99)
James: In a previous job I had when I was younger one of the managers used to say I was weird as a description of my character. For a long time, I interpreted being called weird as a negative. As I grew older I did realise that we have that choice to interpret this ourselves as a positive or a negative.
Onirike is a weird game and for some, it won’t gel. The platforming is a bit awkward. The story is confusing and the invisibility and dash features feel more of a chore than enjoyable features. But despite my niggles I choose to see Onrike as the positive weird and for those gamers that give it a chance, I hope you do too.
Alchemist Adventure Review – We Like It
Switch: Action Adventure (UK £15.99 | US $19.99 | EU € 19,99)
James: I have to say with all my niggles I had fun with Alchemist Adventure. I generally liked what this game was going for. Hopefully, the developers will continue to polish up this game post-release because hidden within all of the difficulties I had is a true gem of a game. Just in its current state, right now you need to put up with some rough design choices.
My Maitê Review – We’re Not Sure
Switch: 2D Platformer (UK £4.49 | US $ 4.99 | EU € 4,99)
James: I get the impression My Maitê is a game the developer may have made for their child. There may be a cute story behind the game’s creation and I get the impression there are a lot of good intentions behind this project. If the developer was able to enjoy this with their child and gain some warm fuzzy feelings from it then I would consider that mission accomplished.
The trouble is, it’s unlikely the rest of the gaming audience is going to feel this way. With such a simple premise, lacking depth and variety to its gameplay, My Maitê is very unlikely to turn heads. With so many other platformers available at the same price point, My Maitê just feels like another retro platformer in a sea of many other competitors. It’s not terrible, it’s just OK and with so many games competing for players’ precious time, that might not be enough.
Mina & Michi – We’re Not Sure
Switch: Action Adventure (US $4.99 | UK £4.49 | EU € 4,99)
Mina: There are a lot of negatives in this list, but the positives shouldn’t be forgotten. Mina & Michi is cute, short, and a co-op two-player game that can even be played with younger kids. While it is frustrating at times, it did have some things going for it.
Overall, Mina & Michi was such a mixed bag of pluses and minuses, I’m not really sure how to feel about it.
