The mid-2000s were a formative period for Ubisoft. New studios joined its repertoire and bolstered its stature as an international brand. Old studios came into their own with classic series that would define the generation. And series that would come to be classics in the next generation were slowly being cultivated for their future stardom.
Yet to many gamers, nothing defined this era of Ubisoft more than Beyond Good & Evil. The culmination of nearly four years of work at Ubisoft Montpellier to craft the ultimate action-adventure game, Beyond cast players as Jade, an investigative reporter tasked with uncovering a conspiracy that threatens her homeworld’s future, and repelling the machinations of a dastardly alien threat. While parts of its varied design evoked comparisons to Zelda and Ratchet & Clank, the whole of the experience was unlike anything else before it; an epic journey that balanced eccentricity and seriousness with considerable finesse, and proved emotionally affecting like few other games in its genre.
Yet when it came to sales, it was a considerable disappointment, with only a modicum of copies finding their way into people’s hands. And while this wouldn’t stop Ubisoft from producing a sequel, the company would nonetheless go on to spend more than a decade trying to get it off the ground – hardening the game’s fan base beyond all measure. This is the history of Beyond Good & Evil.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. An action-adventure game set within a fantastical post-apocalypse, Enslaved charmed many people with its exciting combat and heartfelt story, but sold well under what most games of its genre typically boast upon its release, resulting in it quickly slipping under the radar for most mainstream gamers. Yet its development – which saw several famous Hollywood figures team up with Ninja Theory – served as an invaluable learning experience for the studio, teaching its staff lifelong lessons on how to engage players using narrative and gameplay in tandem, as well as how to craft deep and emotionally fulfilling characters within the medium’s limitations. It helped its creators transition from being a good video game developer, to a great one, and set them up to eventually become even better with its subsequent endeavors.
Sometimes, the destination is the most important part of video game development – while other times, the journey is paramount. With Ninja Theory’s third project, the latter proved more true than anything else.
This is the history of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.
Games shown: Dawn of Discovery Monster 4×4: Stunt Racer The Munchables Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 Kid Adventures: Sky Captain Wicked Monsters Blast! Battleship Pitfall: The Big Adventure ** Thanks to Kacy for letting me borrow some of his Wii games for this video! **
With over 1,800 games released for the PS2, there are lots of Hidden Gems to discover and here are 10 more:
PS2 Games Shown:
Seek and Destroy
Extermination
Nitrobike
Dual Hearts
Space Chimps
Kill.Switch
Hypersonic.Xtreme
Asterix & Obelix: Kick Buttix
Project Snowblind
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION (ENGLISH)
– [Metal Jesus] Hey guys, Metal Jesus here. Now, over the years I’ve released four PS2 Hidden Gems videos and let’s be honest, with over 1,800 games released for the PS2, it’s no wonder I keep finding more. So with that in mind, here are 10 more PS2 hidden gems you might wanna add to your collection. All right guys, let’s go ahead and get started with a game called Seek and Destroy. So, this is part of the Choro-Q, Penny Racers, franchise. At least, Choro-Q is what it’s called in Japan, but we over here in the States know it as the Penny Racers franchise. And basically, instead of this being a RPG based around cars, as you can see by the footage here, this one is based around tanks. Yes, you heard that correctly. When I said a tank RPG, I really mean it. I mean, this game is like a lot of other RPGs where here you get to talk to NPCs, you’ll get missions from them, there’s a big world to explore as well as smaller towns to discover. You’ll cruise around those towns and you’ll shop for equipment, it’s a crazy game. As you win battles, you’ll also get new tanks with different stats and then you can customize pretty much every aspect of it. For instance, here you’ll see I’ve equipped missiles and a machine gun on my tank as well as I’ve customized the camouflage. And then once you’ve gathered up enough money you can upgrade the engine, you can add radar, and a lot more. What’s weird about the series is that it’s characters are not pilots on the inside of those tanks, but instead the tanks themselves are the characters. It kinda reminds me of the Pixar movie Cars. As you can see here, the graphics definitely don’t look that good, but the environments are pretty much destructible, which makes blowing up stuff really fun. This is definitely a really interesting game, I mean, it takes itself pretty seriously, but it’s also really fun. There’s also a decent challenge to be had here if you’re looking for it. I would say if you end up liking this game, definitely check out Road Trip, also on the Playstation 2. Same universe, same franchise, but just with cars.
Next up, we have Extermination. This is a survival-horror game that is exclusive to the Playstation 2. In this game, you play as a special forces soldier sent to a secret military base in the Antarctic, where you quickly learn that a virus outbreak has occurred and is wreaking all sorts of havoc. Right off the bat, I feel like this game is a mix of say, Siphon Filter with obviously Resident Evil and maybe even a little Half-Life with its Black Mesa-like environments. However, it has a fixed camera, which definitely feels a little dated and frustrating because you can’t really control it. But I guess that kinda plays into the tension of the whole survival-horror gameplay thing, just not my favorite. However, it compensates for that a little bit because it has a lock-on ability with your rifle. I mean, that definitely helps kill enemies, especially when so many of them are kinda wiggling around the level and the camera isn’t always showing you what you need to see. Thankfully, the game doesn’t overstay its welcome, as it’ll only take you about six or seven hours to complete. Now, I’ve seen this game for sale for as low as $10 for a complete copy, so if you’re a fan of survival-horror games and looking for something new, definitely check it out.
Next up is Nitro Bike, published by Ubisoft. So here is an arcade racing game that really flew under the radar of almost everybody like me, who loves these kind of games. This was developed by Left Field Productions, which also made Excitebike 64 for, obviously, the N64 and there also was a version that came out for the Wii. And as you can see by the footage, this is an arcade dirt bike racing game that controls and feels very similar to Excite Truck, also on the Wii. If you played that game, you know how much fun it is and this is definitely like that too. I mean, right off the bat you’re gonna notice there is just an insane sense of speed here, especially when boosting. I like how the perspective stretches, almost like you’re warping and bending time. It’s a cool effect, especially for long stretches of the track. There’s also a bit of a trick system and it feels very similar to SSX or Tony Hawk, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, although here it’s definitely less complex. Now as you guys know, I’m a big arcade racing fan and I like to find these lesser-known games that have their own look and feel. This is a surprisingly fun game, so if you like dirt bikes and over-the-top action, this is highly recommended.
Dual Hearts, this is an action RPG that is exclusive to the Playstation 2. This game came out around the same time as another popular action RPG. That is the original Kingdom Hearts and therefore I think it kinda unfairly got overlooked and I get it, it’s hard to compete with Disney and Squaresoft characters. In this RPG, you wander around Sonno Island in search of a legendary dream stone. What that means is that you enter people’s dreams to look for lost keys, treasures, and other items to move the plot along. And as you can see by this footage, gameplay is often compared to say, Super Mario 64 or the 3D Zelda games, but the dream concept really reminds me of Psychonauts. Like other action RPGs, in this game you have two main attacks and you can charge up those attacks by holding down the button a little bit longer. Now that’s used both in combat and also in puzzle-solving. You can also jump on that weird, pig-like companion there. That’ll give you the ability to jump even further or do different styles of attacks, again which is used in combat and also in puzzle-solving. Now, I’m not gonna lie, boss battles can be a bit on the challenging side, even a little frustrating, but there’s plenty of other gameplay to be found here, too. It’s gonna take you about 20-plus hours to get through the game and there’s a lot more to discover if you wish. Is it as good as Kingdom Hearts? Of course not, but fans of the action RPG genre should definitely give the game a chance.
Oh boy, here we go, this is Space Chimps. And I know some of you are looking at this going what the heck? Have I lost my mind? Well admittedly, this came out on a number of other consoles because at the time, this movie was expected to do better than it did, but it basically bombed. I mean, I barely remember this movie was a thing, so obviously it was pretty forgettable at the time, but this is a surprisingly well-made 3D platforming game. I mean, it’s way better than you would expect for a licensed movie game. 3D platforming games live and die by the controls and thankfully the controls in Space Chimp here are very intuitive and gamers that are used to playing Ratchet & Clank are gonna feel right at home. Now in my mind, it’s really the level design that really stands out. I mean, it’s full of really interesting things to find and discover. Now, I particularly like that some of the platforms tend to kinda move around, making timing your jumps all that more challenging. Now admittedly, on the Playstation 2, the graphics are a little choppy with some frame rates kind of dipping here and there, but honestly it’s nothing that should hinder your enjoyment. Now be warned, this is not a very challenging game overall and it’s got some pretty brain-dead enemy AI. Also, it’s a little bit on the short side. But it’s way better than the movie it’s based on and it’s definitely a hidden gem.
Here’s a game that I originally reviewed back when it was new and it blew me away then. So this is one of the first cover-based shooters that I certainly ever played, and like I said, I was very impressed with it. So it’s really exciting to go back and re-play it for this video. Now, I know what you’re gonna say. This looks really generic and I would have to say that the level design is somewhat on the generic side, but don’t let that fool you, ’cause this is all designed for big battles and lots of strategy. So again, the big selling point for Kill Switch was its cover-based shooting. And maybe other games came out that tried to do it before, but this was the game that really tried to perfect it, and I like how it just uses the L1 button to make you stick to walls. I kinda feel like this has been lost on newer cover-based shooters where they try and guess if you actually wanna hide or not, sometimes leading to kind of frustrations like in games like Uncharted. I mean, Uncharted’s great, but this one it’s very precise, it’s very clear, and it works very well. And again, despite fairly generic level design, it’s still really exciting to kinda work your way slowly through a level taking cover and just trying to survive. I mean, I have to say this game is still really fun to play even today. It’s a really cool game. If you haven’t checked it out, usually you can get it pretty cheap, so definitely pick up Kill Switch.
HyperSonic.Xtreme, oh yeah baby, you know it’s great when it’s got the Xtreme in the title. Maybe to no one’s surprise, HyperSonic.Xtreme was released as a budget title. This futuristic racing game is immediately going to be compared to say, the Wipeout or F-Zero series, and it definitely takes a lotta inspiration from both of those, but I feel like for the better. Like those classic games, you control a hovercar as you glide across these futuristic landscapes, and also like those games, you use the shoulder buttons to control your turn. It allows you to kind of glide around corners with a little bit more control and that’s definitely the key to winning races. Also, jumps are a big part of this game, so knowing when to boost off big jumps will determine whether you’re gonna come in first or last. There’s also a really track level editor that is very intuitive to use. You see me using it here and again, you don’t have to have any experience creating tracks to just have a lot of fun with this, create something really wacky. Now obviously, there are a ton of games that kind of tap into this F-Zero-like style, but I’ve seen this game sell for as little as $5 used, and for that price you can’t really go wrong, especially if you like these type of racing games.
Here is a game so man people told me about and I finally got a copy, that is Asterix & Obelix: Kick Buttix. And as you can see from this footage, it is a 3D action-platformer/beat-’em-up game based on popular comic characters. So the game takes place in about 50 BC, where two friends from a village are trying to push back a Roman occupation. Now, it may not look like it, but this is quite possibly the best game in this video and it’s certainly one of the most fun and polished. You primarily play as Asterix, but you do switch over to Obelix when a little more muscle is needed. And let’s not forget that you have a little dog that can be commanded to bite the butt of an enemy to help distract them. It’s hilarious and very handy if they have a shield and you need to like temporarily distract them when you open them up for an opportunity for attack. So like I mentioned, it’s a 3D platformer, which is to be expected but again, it’s very much a beat-’em-up, so you’ll be spending a lot of time taking out Romans of all different styles and different attack methods. Again, sometimes you have to switch between characters, you have to use your dog to distract them, it’s pretty cool. You’ll also spend some time puzzle solving, like say to get a door open so that you can move on to the next level. It’s really fast-paced gameplay, the controls are excellent. Like I said, it’s very enjoyable, it’s highly recommended.
Here’s something a little bit different. This is Project: Snowblind. So this is a first-person shooter game developed by Crystal Dynamics. They may sound kind of familiar because they are the makers of Gex, also Legacy of Kain, and the later Tomb Raider games. Originally, Project: Snowblind was conceived to be a multiplayer-focused version of the Deus Ex games, but then they turned it into its own game, but yet it still has many of the cybernetic super-soldier elements of that series. I think gameplay-wise, this reminds me of the first-person shooter Black, and that’s definitely a good thing. And like Black and Deus Ex, there are a lot of scripted elements here, a lotta scripted action, and thankfully it controls very well. Plus, because you are a cybernetic super-soldier, you have a bunch of different augmentations. Again, very similar to Deus Ex. For instance, one of your augmentations will allow you to look through walls and track the enemy, or perhaps you wanna slow down time and maybe move between bullets. Early on in the game, you get an energy shield that withstands physical damage and more as the game goes on. I’ll be honest, it’s not a super-polished game. I mean, I did run into some hilarious glitches and weirdness, plus it’s a little on the generic side, but I do think it’s a solid first-person shooter and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Oh yes, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. Another game I don’t think enough people are talking about. So while Hulk fans like me are waiting for a truly great Marvel movie based on the Hulk, in the meantime we got 2005’s excellent Hulk game by Radical Entertainment. By the way, if Radical Entertainment sounds familiar, well it’s because they went on to create the beloved Prototype games years later. Now, I do have to warn you that there were several Hulk games released at that time, but it’s The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction that you want, that’s the good game. What makes this game great is that it really let’s you feel like the Hulk and just smash everything in your path. I mean, they really nailed the power of what the Hulk is all about. And the combat is surprisingly deep and nuanced, allowing you to pick up almost any object that you see on a level and use it as either a weapon or projectile. Also, traversing the levels is a breeze as the Hulk because he can leap huge distances or even run up the side of a building. And as you play the game, you collect smash points that allow you to learn new abilities that essentially turn you into pretty much an unstoppable green smashing machine by the end of the game. For many years, this game was considered one of the best superhero games ever released, and for good reason. It’s also worth noting that this came out on the original Xbox as well as the Gamecube, so if you prefer those consoles definitely pick it up there, it should not be missed.
Alright guys, that’s another 10 PS2 Hidden Gems. I love coming back to this console. So many great games and of course I do realize that the term hidden gem is gonna be different for everybody depending on if you’re familiar with these games or not. Please let me know down in the comments below if there are other PS2 hidden gems that you would like to see in future videos. Alright guys, thank you so much for watching, thank you for subscribing, and take care.
GAMES SHOWN:
Remothered Tormented Fathers
Rabi-Ribi
Ziggurat
Shu
Everything
Redout
The Long Dark
Full Throttle Remastered
PREVIOUS PS4 HIDDEN GEMS:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1N1Gb3Rfyc
This War of Mine: the Little Ones
Caladrius Blaze
Deadlight: Director’s Cut
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams The Director’s Cut
Kholat
Republique
Assault Suit Leynos
Shadow Complex: Remastered
Anima: Gate of Memories
Dex
VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION:
– – Hey guys, Metal Jesus here. Today I have eight more hidden gems for the PlayStation 4. Now these are relatively unknown games but definitely worth playing, let’s take a look. We’re gonna start with a game that has a bit of an odd title, that is Remothered: Tormented Fathers. You play as Rosemary, a character that looks an awful lot like Jodie Foster don’t you think? But she’s investigating the disappearance of a young girl. Now that leads you to a spooky house where, everything is not quite what it seems. Now I mentioned this game plays a lot like Clock Tower. If you’re not familiar with that series, basically you don’t have any guns or really deadly weapons to use. Instead in this game you just have single use items that you can use to distract your enemy. In this game you need to be stealthy, you have to listen for clues in the environment to know when to move and when to hide. And sound really plays a big part of this game and it’s the key to surviving. This game is a little on the short side. It lasts about six to seven hours but I feel like it doesn’t really overstay its welcome and it’s part of a planned trilogy of games. And look at those graphics. This house is super creepy to explore. This is a really fun survival horror game so definitely check it out. – [Ghostly Voice] To reach my land for me and then a whole new world is calling us. –
[Metal Jesus] Speaking of games with weird titles here is Rabi-Ribi. Rabi-Ribi. I hope I’m saying that right. But basically it’s a 2D platforming/metroidvania style game. You play as Erina a rabbit that was turned into a human girl with bunny ears. Sure, why not? And along the way you meet a fairy who helps you as well. I mention this game is very super Metroid or Castlevania like and that’s because you’ll find areas that you can’t access until you upgrade your weapons or your abilities. I really like the boss battles in this because it feels unlike anything I’ve played in a 2D platformer. It switches almost to like a bullet hell shooter and that they have patterns that will fill the screen that you need to dodge. But really this game is all about fun and it has just enough challenge to keep you going. Don’t get me wrong, this is a surprisingly deep and fun 2D platforming game despite its silly premise.
Next up is Ziggurat, this is a first person dungeon crawling game. Although it’s considered to be inspired by two classic first person shooters, like Heretic and Hexen. Back in the 90’s, those two games really stood apart from the rest of the first person shooters released because, instead of primarily using guns you use magic to destroy your foes. In Ziggurat, the levels are procedurally generated meaning no two play throughs, are the same. And the game is somewhat rouge like in that you are meant to die a lot. But even in death you make progress upgrading your characters, unlocking new abilities, and growing stronger with each play through. This reminds me of another game I reviewed recently called Immortal Redneck, but honestly I like this one a bit more because of the focus on magic. Now I want to mention that this trend towards randomly generated levels is fine but, wouldn’t it be great to get a proper single player campaign with designed levels? I kinda miss that, but this is a game that you can basically play forever.
Next up is, Shu. This is a 2D platformer in a gorgeous 3D world so, I guess that technically is a 2.5D platformer? Sure. And like in so many other platforming games you run and jump across the landscape, but in this game you start off with the glide ability. For instance, in the beginning you can glide across large gaps or you can even ride the wind and then very quickly you’re able to use special abilities gained by saving villagers who follow you. An example early on is that you get a brute who can help you smash through things then you meet a villager who can get flowers to open and close their petals providing pads for you to land on and continue your journey. Later on you’ll get an animal to ride as well as villagers that allow you to walk on water and much more. There are a bunch of villagers to unlock and they all help you with ever changing levels and challenges. To me this game feels like a mix of the Rayman games as well as Owlboy. It has a great art style and fantastic gameplay, it should not be missed.
Oh boy, here we go. So this game is called Everything. Yeah, Everything and I gotta be honest with you this is a really weird game but stick with me here because it turns out that Everything is something very special. Alright so what exactly is this thing, you’re probably looking at this going, what the heck is this? Well, that’s because this game is not really a game it’s more of a simulation that attempts to do something that very few games do and that is explore everything in the universe and understand how all the pieces relate within it. And I’ll be hones with you, in the beginning when you first fire this up it kinda feels like a tech demo and kinda looks like it. But slowly the game reveals it’s purpose. See, you shift perspective from a very small animal like, in this instance here a pig, down to a single blade of grass or maybe you’ll shift that perspective up to a frog, or even a rock, or you can even go subatomic. But that’s not it, you can even shift your perspective to a tree, even a land mass, a planet, or a whole star system. But why would you do this? Well, the goal of the game is to unlock and document all the things within the galactic encyclopedia and then have conversations with them and understand their relationship between each other. As if that wasn’t enough then while you’re playing, the game also plays audio quotes from a philosopher named Alan Watts. He wrote some of the most respected books on Buddhism and the Zen lifestyle. – [Alan Watts] “If you think that you are only inside your skin, you define yourself as one very complicated little curly cue way out on the edge of that explosion. Way out in space, and way out in time. And when then we cut ourselves off and don’t feel that we’re still the Big Bang.” – [Metal Jesus] Listen, this is all very heady stuff and certainly unlike anything I’ve ever played before. You know at first this seems kinda dumb. I mean it really does you’re just kinda like, what the heck is this game but, after a couple of minutes you get into discovering all that you can find, both big and small throughout the universe. There is nothing quite like this game so if you’re looking for something a little unique, definitely check it out.
Next up is, Redout. Some of you might have seen this on store shelves but I get the feeling it hasn’t sold very well. Redout is a futuristic arcade racing game that is similar to classics like F-Zero or perhaps Wipeout. Basically you are a pilot in the far future taking control of an anti-gravity ship that hauls some serious butt. And yes this game is all about speed. It’s important to know that the console version is called The Lightspeed Edition. That’s because it includes all three DLC packs from the PC release, bringing the total number of tracks to 35 plus, you get 25 ships. The game also supports six players online and split screen multi-player. And like I mentioned there is a great sense of speed here and the frame rate never really slowed down on my PlayStation 4 Pro. I mean the graphics look pretty great. And like so many of these games you level up your pilot as you race, unlocking new weapons and enhancements to your ship. There is a lot of content here for arcade racing fans like me so definitely check out, Redout. – [Narrator] I think I’m gonna make it. –
[Metal Jesus] Moving on we’re gonna take a look at The Long Dark. This is a first person survival game that chooses to focus on realism, as opposed to just horror. You play as a pilot who crash lands in the frozen Canadian forest with your ex-wife after a somewhat mysterious global disaster. Now the developer actually advertises this game as the most realistic survival game ever made. And the way they do that is by having the player focus on things like body temperature, how many calories you burn while doing a particular task, your hunger, your thirst, your energy level, the outside temperature, the clothing you wear, all of that. Now I’ll be honest with you, it’s this attention to detail that makes every single decision you make that much more impactful. To make sure that your character just lives one more day. But how is the game? Well, you learn to gather supplies, heal wounds, make fires, sterilize water to make it drinkable, cook food, and much more. And other games have done that before but not to this level of detail. This really is unlike any other survival game I’ve played. It’s realistic, it’s tense, and it’s immensely satisfying when you’re smart enough to live just one more day. – [Narrator] Whatever’s in this case, Astrid was ready to die for it. I hope she hasn’t already died for it. –
[Metal Jesus] Yay, next up is Full Throttle Remastered, yes! Some of you are gonna be a little bit surprised to see this on this list because, well the original Full Throttle is considered a PC masterpiece back in the day. But I wanted to remind people that this excellent remastered version of the classic PC game actually exists on consoles. You play as Ben, the gruff leader of a biker gang called The Pole Cats, who gets wrapped up in a corporate conspiracy with Corley Motors. See, Corley Motors is the worlds last motorcycle manufacturer in this somewhat futuristic world and they’re switching production from bikes to well, okay I won’t spoil it for ya. – You know what might look better on your nose? – What? – The bar. – Now don’t mess around with me. – Alright, alright! – [Metal Jesus] The original game is known for great graphics, memorable characters, and excellent voice acting. Plus a really fun plot in classic game play to match. And I have to say this game in perfect on consoles because the interface by this time was refined to be more accessible to a wider audience. I mean no longer did you have to click on verbs or nouns to perform actions, like you did on the original Maniac Mansion. And this remastered version is basically the same game but with crisper HD graphics and cleaned up audio. – Who are you? – Maureen remember? If that’s too hard maybe you should just stick with Mo. – This an authorized Corely service center? – [Metal Jesus] Full throttle is one of my favorite adventure games of all time. It’s a classic for a reason, and if you like adventure games or you just miss the old LucasArts Days, definitely give this a try. You will not regret it. So that’s a quick look at some hidden gems for the PlayStation 4 and as you guys know there are literally hundreds and hundreds of games released for this system. I would love to know down in the comments what other games you consider to be hidden gems on this awesome system. Also if you missed the previous video that Reggie and I did of hidden gems for the PS4, I will link to it down in the video description below as well as in the corner. Alright guys, thanks so much for watching and have a great day.
GAMES SHOWN:
Split/Second
Lord of Arcana
Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception
Knights in the Nightmare
Flat-out Head On
Tenchu Shadow Assassins
Dante’s Inferno
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
Blade Dancer : Lineage of Light
Heatseeker
GAMES SHOWN:
Way of the Samurai
The Red Star
Lifeline
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
Van Helsing
Shox
Spy Fiction
GrimGrimoire
Seven Samurai 20XX
Castle Shikigami 2
Endgame
Metal Jesus: Hey guys, Metal Jesus here. Now, today I want to share with you some Nintendo Switch hidden gems that I found in the eShop. Now, there are a ton of games being released in the eShop and it’s easy to miss them, so let’s take a look.
All right, we’re going to start off with a nice little time waster called ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun. That is such a funny subtitle, because it perfectly fits this little game. This game is the epitome of a game that is just one more try, where basically you keep dying and dying, as you basically feel like it’s impossible to get through these tough levels, but then you just magically do it, and it feels awesome.
I also really dig it’s kind of cool, retro, pixel art style graphics. It just fits perfectly, plus this game is surprisingly funny. Between each level, there is a guy that will talk to you, and they just say the weirdest stuff. I mean, usually you skip by that stuff, but in this game, you actually want to read it, because it’ll make you laugh. And, as you can tell by this footage, I am dying all over the place, but the game is super fun, so definitely check it out.
This next game is called Earthlock, and it might look kind of familiar to some of you who have played this on other systems. That’s because this game originally came out as Earthlock: Festival of Magic on PC and also consoles, like the Xbox One and also the PlayStation 4. However, when the game originally came out, it got mediocre reviews, and the developer at the time was actually working on the sequel, but they stopped and took all that criticism to heart, and put the sequel on hold. And then they dedicated over a year of time to fix almost everything that people didn’t like about it.
And so that’s the version of the game that we get on the Switch, which probably should have been the original version all along, but again, they had an extra year of development to really polish it. For instance, they added more memorable characters, also wittier and kind of more personable dialogue for all the different characters in the game. They added side quests, also hidden bosses, and a bunch of other little tweaks that they list on their website.
But basically, this is a throwback to, say, the PlayStation 1 era of JRPGs, and what I mean by that is, you know, in addition to turn-based combat, this also has crafting, gardening, a bunch of stuff like that. Now, that said, I don’t think this game is perfect, or frankly that memorable, but it is a really solid and fun JRPG, so if you’re missing those classic role playing games from like, say, the N64 era, well, then definitely check this out.
Lately, I’ve been playing an awful lot of a game called Skies of Fury DX, and as you can see here, it is a World War I style arcade aerial dogfighting game, that’s really well made. Now, right off the bat, I want to mention that this used to be a mobile, free-to-play game that you would play on your smart phone, but thankfully, all of that stuff has been stripped out and what you get is a fully functional, frankly pretty large game.
For instance, you can play as either the Germans or the Allies, and there are over 100 campaign missions, to keep you busy for a while. There’s also four player split-screen multiplayer dogfights, which is pretty awesome. There’s tons of unlockables too, to keep you playing the game, including upgrades for your aircraft, both in performance but also in the way it looks.
Now, I spent most of my time playing the single player campaign, and what you do in that is kind of what you do in a lot of these games, where you do death match, aerial dogfighting, taking down waves and waves of enemies. There’s also escort missions, and also time trials through obstacle courses. All told, if you miss games like Red Baron or even Crimson Skies, well, definitely check this out.
I do love my racing games, so I had to include Mantis Burn Racing on the Switch. Now, originally this was released on Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, but the Switch version is the complete package, with all of the DLC included. But even more than that, I’ve read that some of the reviews of the Xbox One and PS4 versions, people were getting kind of inconsistent frame rates, and that is something I did not experience on the Switch. I mean, it feels like it’s pushing close to 60 frames a second, although it’s definitely dropping, depending on how many AI cars are on the screen, but it’s always playable. I mean, I didn’t notice hardly at all.
Now, as for the game itself, as you can see here, it is a top-down arcade racing game. Now, this is very simple to play but pretty tough to master, as races get faster and faster as you progress and upgrade your car. Also, I found that the computer AI is no slouch. They keep you on your toes through the entire game. Also, you’ll notice that drifting is a big part of this game, so knowing when to drift, and also when to boost, is key to your success.
I also think that the tracks and environments look pretty cool. I mean, it’s a nice-looking game. Although that said, it doesn’t seem like there are a ton of tracks in the game, and you end up going through them forward and reverse, which is a little bit disappointing. The game also supports classic couch-style split screen, up to four players, and you can go online to race up to eight players, and it supports cross-network play. Very cool.
Next up is a game called #Breakforcist Battle. Now, this is a mix of classic Breakout with a little bit of Arkanoid thrown in, and then obviously, a very Japanese aesthetic. And, just like those other games, you control the paddle at the bottom and try not to let the ball get past you. Although, as you can see, this one is based on food, or specifically breakfast, because why not? I think what kind of sets this game apart is that obviously, you don’t want the ball to get past you, but really it’s focusing on combos, and then keeping them going through the use of the power-ups.
Now, I have to say, this game gets incredibly hectic as it moves along, because often, I would lose track of that ball amidst all this flying debris. That said, this is a fun and enjoyable take on that classic Breakout-style gameplay. It’s not going to change your world or anything, but this is a fun little time waster when you’re on the go.
Next up is a game called Kona. Now, some people have called this a walking simulator, but I actually think it’s a bit more than that. Unlike other walking simulator games that I’ve played, this one has a bit more adventure-style gameplay than most. Played entirely in the first person, you are up in the coldest parts of Canada, trying to solve a murder mystery and how it relates to the strange people who live in the area.
Now, I would describe this game as a mix of, say, film noir, mixed in with a little bit of local Canadian folklore, and then also a tad bit of survival horror as well. In this game, you do a lot of reading of notes and messages left behind, primarily in creepy, empty sheds and also abandoned homes and businesses. I like playing these games every once in a while, because they’re a nice break from the typical action-heavy games I normally play, so if you’re looking for a game that has an intriguing story as well as a touch of detective work, well definitely check it out.
Oh, man, I am so excited to be talking about Sky Force Reloaded on the Switch. Now, I want to say right off the bat that this is one of my favorite, my favorite shmups of all time. It’s so awesome. Basically, the way that I think of this game is a mix of a traditional, top-down arcade shooter but with really strong RPG elements included. Now, what I mean by that is that in the beginning of this game, you are incredibly weak and underpowered. This game is meant to be played through multiple times, so you’re going to have to go through these levels several times to upgrade your weapons, to get enough stars, to basically get more powerful so that you can unlock some of the challenges and the goals that are within each level.
So, think of it this way. This is a shooter that you end up grinding a lot, almost like a traditional RPG, but I know what people are thinking, like, “Oh, man. I hate grinding in RPGs,” and I’m with you. However, in this game, because you feel like you’re getting more powerful, you feel like you’re progressing all the time. This game, you just want to try one more time, one more time. It’s so much fun. So if you’re a fan of shoot ’em ups, like me, but you’re looking for a game that has a little bit more depth than you normally see in the genre, oh man, definitely check this game out.
Toki Tori. Oh yes, a puzzle game with platforming elements. Now, this is going to be familiar to some of you, because sequels have come out recently in the last couple of years. However, this is the original version. You can call this kind of like a remaster or a reboot. It originally came out on the Game Boy Color, so yes, this is a remake of the original Game Boy Color version, with obviously a new coat of paint.
In this puzzle game, you play as a young chick trying to rescue your siblings that are still in eggs, hidden all around the level. And to help you do that, you have tools to get through the level, including the ability to build bridges, also warp to other levels, freeze enemies, and more. But the trick to this game is that you can only use those tools a set number of times. Now, if you use them incorrectly or at the wrong moment, well, the puzzle is unsolvable. But thankfully, you have the ability to rewind time and try and try again.
This game is a bit of a mind-bender, and honestly, I find it to be very tough, maybe because I’m not the smartest guy, but when I would solve it, it would feel awesome. So if you love puzzle games that are going to work your brain, definitely check it out.
Next up is Aqua Kitty UDX. This game is going to feel very similar to fans of Defender. Do you remember playing Defender back in the ’80s at the arcade? Oh man, I certainly do, and this is a really cool clone. And like Defender, this game is a shooter, where you move your ship side to side, using the left and right bumpers to change the direction you’re facing.
In the midst of all the shooting, you have to keep an eye on that mini-map up at the top there, because that is tracking where the enemies are, but more importantly, also where your cat friends are possibly being abducted. So, just like in Defender, every once in a while, you’ll hear a cat cry out, and that means they’re being abducted and taken to the surface. That means you’ve got to rush over there and try to save them as quickly as possible. New to the Switch version is a brand-new dreadnought boss mode as well. Aqua Kitty UDX is a really fun, classic-style shooter game. If you like Defender, definitely check it out.
So that’s some of the games I’ve been playing on my Switch, but I would love to know what you guys recommend I pick up next. Please post a comment down below. As always, I want to thank you for watching my channel. Thank you for subscribing, and take care.
Man, it is incredibly impressive and also a little overwhelming to see just how many new games are added to the Nintendo Switch eShop every single week. It seems like there’s 10 new games, at least, added every week. It’s crazy, so for fans like us, we love our Switch. It’s cool to have games on it, but it’s a little overwhelming because you just don’t know what you should spend your money on, so I hope you guys found this video useful. All right, thanks for watching.
Games Shown:
Urban Chaos
Airblade
Tokobot Plus
NEO GEO Battle Colosseum
Samurai Western
X-Files Resist or Serve
Firefighter F.D.18
Skygunner
Raw Danger
Ghosthunter
