A hot month ahead here in the Netherlands, which is gonna be a challenge without the cool air at the office, as I’m still working from home. Typically a holiday month, so most likely without big game releases. But there’s bound to be some fun smaller titles coming! Let’s look at what games we can expect on the Nintendo Switch.
Mind you, not all games to be released are on here. Alternatively you will see games that the big gaming sites don’t mention. These are the games that we are taking notice of, and if given half a chance, you can expect reviews for many of them! It should be noted that unless I have some personal experience with the game mentioned, there’s a link to the descriptions on the Nintendo website.
Skully – August 4
On a mysterious remote island, a skull washes up on shore and is reawakened by an enigmatic deity. Dubbed Skully, the newly reanimated being has been summoned to intervene in a war between the deity’s three siblings, whose quarrel jeopardizes the island they call home.
Fate has bestowed Skully with a second chance at “life” and his adventure will take him across a strange paradise as he seeks an end to the conflict that plagues the isle.
Steam Tactics – August 5
Steam Tactics is an RPG about steampunk airships with tactical turn-based Fire Emblem-esque combat. Take on a role of a captain of a squad of airship pilots, acquire and upgrade new ships and weapons, level up your crew.
The king is gravely ill. The queen wishes to employ your services. You are one of the most renowned mercenary tacticians in the land. Will you answer the kingdom’s call? Well, James did, as you can read in his review here!
Crowdy Farm Rush – August 6
Animals of Crowdy Farm lost their way! Bring them back, rancher, but don’t allow for chaos! Be cautious, so your lazy cows and fast chickens won’t collide. Make dozen of ducks march in a row, gather flock of pigs in safe place and control stubborn donkey! Ensure that farm residents are washed out of mud before they enter the farm, but beware: the coyote is awake. Keep animals away from him!
With over 100 levels to complete, this seems like a nice puzzler for us!
The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines – August 13
The Ambassador is a twin-stick fantasy shooter centered around the ability to stop time. You’ll play as Gregor, a newly recruited member of the Eternal Fellowship, and an Ambassador of Time. Just as you are learning to use your newfound powers, the Fellowship’s capital city is mysteriously destroyed! As one of the only remaining fellows, you must find those responsible and return Tamaris to its former glory. Watch the newest trailer to get a feel for an interdimensional epic for the ages.
James played the game, here is his review!
Faeria – August 13
With its unique living board, Faeria will challenge you with truly strategic card battles. Craft your deck, shape the battlefield, and fight for victory!
A strategy game like no other. Build exciting decks and shape the battlefield as you fight epic battles. Raise mountains, build forests, fill lakes, or harness the sands of the deserts. You choose your own path to victory.
Enjoy 100+ hours of solo content, co-operative missions, and puzzles! Explore a vast array of challenges that reward you in return. Journey through the Oversky and defeat devious World Bosses – or even play enemy AI in draft mode!
Enter Pandora, Faeria’s unique draft mode where your deck-building skills are put to the ultimate test. Choose to play against the AI or put your deck to the ultimate test in PVP. Earn rewards based on how well you do. It’s the perfect way to increase your collection, or just have fun!
Collar X Malice – Unlimited – August 13
Return to the thrilling, deadly world of Collar X Malice with exclusive Interlude, After Story, and Adonis play modes. Revisit the characters and events of the original game, as you build new relationships while picking up the pieces in the aftermath of the first X-Day Incident.
Then buckle up for an entirely new investigatory experience as you search for traitors hidden deep within the shadowy Adonis organization. Embark on a desperate race against time before the next cataclysmic X-Day arrives!
Ash is reviewing this visual novel for us, expect her review here.
Big Dipper – August 13
A miracle beyond the polar circle. They say it’s hard to find a place to call your own, but what if such a place was not uniquely yours? What if both of you were not willing to give it up? Big Dipper is a kinetic visual novel, available in English, Simplified Chinese, and Russian, which tells a romantic story of the unusual circumstances that brought two lovers together one fateful New Year’s Eve.
Darkestville Castle – August 13
I gotta give this game credit for one of the funniest intros about, so here’s what this classic point & click game is about:
Dear Potential servant of chaos,
Being evil isn’t always easy… But boy it is so much more fun than being a good guy!
Having someone witty like you on my team could be useful during these not so dark times.
Everything in Darkestville was fine and dandy: I was tormenting the town people, the town people were being tormented… It was a fair deal! Who could complain? Not me, that’s for sure!
…until that moron, Dan Teapot, hired a group of professional demon hunters to banish me! I don’t even know why he has a grudge against me. Maybe I burnt his house a couple of times, but I only did it because it was hilarious!
Anyway.
Help me in this adventure to best my foes and let’s make evil reign Darkestville once more!
Also by purchasing this game you are helping a noble cause, part of your money will be used to enslave mankind… I mean… to clean the seas from pollution, create a sanctuary for the only Endangered Invisible Flamingo on this planet and other kind of noble sounding lies.
Sincerely Evil,
Cid
P.S. So you’re trembling with fear already, aren’t you? That’s the spirit! Because this game is not only TERRIBLY interesting but also TERRIBLY funny!
Sure I wouldn’t be Cid if I didn’t add a couple of dozens of the cunning puzzles so don’t you wait a cakewalk. They say it takes seven hours to complete this game… Well let’s see if you can do it! I trust you can though – my incredible charm and fascinating sense of style are more than enough to overcome any challenge!
P.P.S. While you were reading this, someone just rang the doorbell of my castle and left a box with an “INDIE PRIZE – Best Game Narrative” tag on it. Well… just another acknowledgment of my incomparable awesomeness!
Spiritfarer – August 18
Wow, now this looks like my kind of management game! Spiritfarer looks so sweet. Here’s the story:
You play Stella, ferrymaster to the deceased, a Spiritfarer. Build a boat to explore the world, then befriend and care for spirits before finally releasing them into the afterlife. Farm, mine, fish, harvest, cook, and craft your way across mystical seas. Join the adventure as Daffodil the cat, in two-player cooperative play. Spend relaxing quality time with your spirit passengers, create lasting memories, and, ultimately, learn how to say goodbye to your cherished friends.
Takeshi & Hiroshi – August 18
RPG Takeshi & Hiroshi looks sweet, it combines the two worlds of puppet animation and Role Playing Game. It tells the story of two brothers and their daily life. The 14-year-old Takeshi, a game designer to-be, is creating a game for his weak little brother Hiroshi who always wants to play the next chapter of the game as soon as possible.
As the game is still in the making, Takeshi has to improvise and secretly plays some of the monster roles himself. It is Takeshi’s goal to make Hiroshi really enjoy his game, let him meet big challenges, but preferably to prevent him from losing. He has to choose which monsters shall appear when and struggles more and more as the challenge for him as a game creator becomes increasingly difficult.
Raji: an Ancient Epic – August 18
Inspired by Indian mythologies such as Mahabharata and Ramayana and by the medieval architecture of Rajasthan, Raji: An Ancient Epic is said to bring a refreshing new style to the action-adventure scene.
In this story of two siblings Raji and Golu are sister and brother who have been separated by the attacking demonic hordes and now find themselves in the middle of the great war. Raji has taken it upon herself to find her brother and put an end to this reckless war. However, this can only happen if she manages to break down the might and stratagem devised by the great lord of demons, Mahabalasura.
Every corner of the game’s environment is drawn in the Pahari art style and combines hand-painted textures, rendered in 3D And I must say, it really looks very good!
A Short Hike – August 18
Launching later today as well: head out on A Short Hike on a mountain park. Follow the marked trails or explore the backcountry as you make your way to the summit. Along the way, meet other hikers, discover hidden treasures, and take in the world around you.
Explore the island any way you like. Choose your own path to follow and see where it leads you. You never know what you might stumble into! Hike at your own pace – there’s no need to rush to the summit! Take your time fishing along the river banks or swimming by the lakeshore.
Collect hidden treasures to reach new heights. Try taking a dive off the mountain peaks to soar above the forests. Chat with the other hikers you meet along your route. You might be able to help each other out!
All the while you can listen to the original soundtrack by Mark Sparling, made specifically for A Short Hike.
Manifold Garden – August 18
Yep, later today as well: Manifold Garden a game that reimagines the laws of physics.
Rediscover gravity and explore a beautiful Escher-esque world of impossible architecture. Geometry repeats infinitely in every direction, and falling down leads you back to where you started. Manipulate gravity to change your perspective and see the world in new ways. Master the rules of the universe and restore a barren world with vegetation and life.
Evergate – August 18
Wield your Soulflame, unleash extraordinary powers, and dive into the touching story of two kindred spirits. Guide the child-like soul Ki on a journey through the beautiful and haunting Afterlife in this unique 2D puzzle platformer.
Slow down time, take aim, and unleash the mysterious power hidden within every crystal you encounter with the unique Soulflame mechanic. Hit multiple crystals at once and experiment with how their energies combine. Move across time and space to uncover Ki’s mysterious connection to another soul. Rise to the challenge and collect essence by completing challenges on every level. Use them to unlock ancient artifacts and boost Ki’s abilities.
James made a review which you can find here.
Peaky Blinders Mastermind – August 20
This is a puzzle-adventure game based on the multi-award-winning TV show where players will pull the strings, as Tommy Shelby and his gang seek to take control of the streets of Birmingham in the early 20th century. Set right before the events of the first season, players will join the Shelby family’s criminal organisation as they discover a sinister plot to put Tommy out of business. The game taps directly into Tommy’s talent for planning complex scenarios in his head, with players forming strategies by taking control of key members of the Shelby family down on the ground.
Witness the rise of Tommy Shelby as the true leader of the Peaky Blinders in early 20th century Birmingham. Use Tommy’s prowess for planning to set up and execute complex scenarios. Take control of Tommy himself, Arthur, Polly and more as they pull off one dastardly mission after the other.
Personally I never watched the series, but Sean does! His review is here.
Aokana – Four Rhythms Across the Blue – August 21
Welcome to a world where people fly freely through the power of anti-gravity shoes. Become a coach in this visual novel for players who race in the sky and make the acquaintance of four charismatic girls. Follow their adventures as you all grow closer in this emotional story of hope, love and sportsmanship.
Develop a romantic relationship with Asuka, Mashiro, Rika and Misaki. Explore four different routes and endings reflected by your choices made during the story.
No Straight Roads – August 25
Start a rock band and end the EDM empire in NO STRAIGHT ROADS, a rockin’ action-adventure from the minds of Wan Hazmer (Final Fantasy XV) and Daim Dziauddin (Street Fighter V).
Explore Vinyl City & fight musical megastars on your journey to defeat oppressive EDM empire ‘NSR’, in an action-packed adventure that mashes together rhythm-infused third-person combat with a kick-ass soundtrack!
Heather has made her review, which you can find here.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles – August 27
The remastered Edition of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is here. An enchanting action RPG that follows a young group, known as the Crystal Caravans, as they embark on an epic journey to search for myrrh, a precious and rare liquid needed to cleanse and maintain a crystal protecting their world from the deadly gas, miasma.
Adventure and exploration await your caravan in brand-new lands teeming with wonder. Featuring new areas inside dungeons, even those who played the original version will have rewarding surprises in store. Plus, you can enlist your friends to join your crystal caravan in an online multiplayer mode with up to four players. Will it be an all new adventure for you, or like revisiting old friends?
Giraffe & Annika – August 21 (US) and 28 (EU)
Not long left for a game that we have been following for quite some time: Giraffe and Annika! The game includes rhythm-based combat with a colorful cast of bosses and a vivid and enchanting island to explore. Here is what the game is about:
“When a young girl named Annika awakens from a strange dream, she finds herself stranded on the mysterious “Spica Island” with no memory of how she got there. Upon exploring, she meets a boy named Giraffe, who seems to know her, and is tasked with finding three special star fragments on the island in order to unravel the mysteries of her forgotten memories. While searching for the fragments, Annika meets Lily, the Witch of the Mysterious Forest, who challenges her to a battle! Fortunately, Annika emerges victorious, and uncovers a star fragment. She absorbs the fragment and is suddenly granted remarkable visions. What secrets await this unlikely trio of adventurers on the island of Spica?”
Windbound – August 28
Windbound is a survival game set on The Forbidden Islands. Forbidden? What more invitation do you need to explore them!
As Kara, you are a warrior, caught at sea in a fierce storm, adrift from your tribe. Thrown from your boat, at the mercy of the turbulent waters, you are tossed on to the shores of the Forbidden Islands, a mysterious paradise. With no boat, no food or tools, just the will and skill to survive, uncover this beautiful island’s rich resources. Craft tools and weapons to hunt and defend yourself against nature itself with its wild and fantastical creatures.
While you are exploring further islands and the scattered ruins across their lands, secrets of the past and glimpses of the future are revealed. Unravel the mystery behind them all and you may find more than just your way home. Sounds good right?
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