Damien McFerran

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Feb 25, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

A confident and assured update of a classic fighting game series

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Jan 20, 2020

Critic80/100

Agreement—

A passionate love letter to a bygone age, 198X celebrates 2D, arcade-based gaming brilliantly and wraps it up in some of the best hand-drawn art we've seen in years.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Dec 20, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

With its single table, often obtuse mechanics and sometimes brutal difficulty, Demon's Tilt isn't going to be to everybody's tastes, but if you have even the slightest interest in pinball games then you really should check this out.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Sep 20, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Untitled Goose Game boasts more inventiveness, creativity and charm than the vast majority of titles on the Switch eShop, and offers a believable game world that's a real pleasure to explore, investigate and – of course – cause merry havoc in. Superb physics, excellent controls, surprisingly robust AI and unique presentation all combine to make this a real highlight in the Switch's library – it's only the brevity of the experience that lets it down, but this really is a case of quality over quantity.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Aug 26, 2019

Critic90/100

Agreement—

With its amazing visuals, fantastic presentation, varied gameplay and deep, rewarding combat, Astral Chain could well be PlatinumGames' most accomplished game yet.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Jul 1, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Despite the fact that this is unquestionably a very fine video game, there's no escaping the fact that the Switch version has some serious issues

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Jun 14, 2019

Critic90/100

Agreement—

When you consider how many titles Konami is packing into its Anniversary Collection packages – and that their retail price is almost half what Square Enix is demanding for the three games included here – it's impossible to not question the value of Collection of Mana.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Apr 5, 2019

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Even when played in the comfort of your home, Gain Ground has too many issues to be anything more than a retro curiosity.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Apr 4, 2019

Critic90/100

Agreement—

While it lacks the arcade pedigree that makes other Switch-based shmups so popular, AngerForce: Reloaded has clearly been put together by a team that understands what makes this long-established genre so appealing.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Feb 25, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

It seems almost customary to include the phrase 'Not for everyone' in any review of a niche genre game, and while that certainly applies to Devil Engine, it has at least been designed in a way that encourages even the weakest players to keep trying and learn from their mistakes. The drip-feed of content is an effective incentive to pick yourself up and have just one more go, and although it is at times brutally difficult – even when compared to other tricky 2D shooters – it has the depth and variety to maintain your interest, and when you're at a competent level it's a heck of a lot of fun. The lack of online leaderboards goes against it, but if you're a fan of this style of game – and you're crying out for a title in the Thunder Force vein – then Devil Engine is well worth a look.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Oct 1, 2018

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Familiarity does breed contempt, but Sonic's first game remains a classic despite the number of times we've played it. Sure, the sequel may be the better outing and both Sonic Mania and Sonic CD are arguably superior releases, but there's a pureness to this title that makes it worth a look, even in 2018. The only complaint that can be raised against the Switch version is that, like a great many of the upcoming Sega Ages Mega Drive titles, it could end up being surplus to requirements when the Sega Mega Drive Classics collection arrives; a slightly lower price might have made this easier to wholeheartedly recommend, but we know this very minor complaint will fall on deaf ears if you're a diehard Sega fan.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Sep 18, 2018

Critic90/100

Agreement—

If you're not a fan of the genre then you may well be wondering what all the fuss is about, but for everyone else, this is a must-have download.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·Jul 19, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Galak-Z: Variant S is a more focused and tighter experience than its forerunner, but one that offers surprising depth thanks to the often staggering upgrade opportunities on offer. By taking the freemium route developer 17-Bit Studios has been forced to introduce timers which can be overridden by spending actual cash, but these are thoughtfully deployed and even if you do decide to dig deep in your pocket, you'll still need considerable shooting skills to overcome the increasingly stern - if somewhat repetitive - challenge.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·May 29, 2018

Critic90/100

Agreement—

While some of the games included in this compendium are rendered somewhat superfluous by the fact that far superior sequels and updates exist alongside them, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection remains an utterly essential purchase for any self-respecting fighting game fan. Because of Street Fighter's importance to the genre, this is like a history lesson in how the one-on-one fighter has evolved over time; from its rather bumbled inception with the original Street Fighter to its break-out moment with the sequel and its slow and steady refinement with the Super, Alpha and Street Fighter III sub-series. Granted, you'll end up wanting more – it would have been nice to see some of the spin-off titles like X-Men Vs. Street Fighter make the cut, if only as bonus items – but it's not the fault of the game that we're inherently greedy by nature. The only other point to make is that the experience really benefits from using the right controller; while the Joy-Con are perfectly acceptable when you're hosting impromptu local multiplayer challenges and the Pro Controller's D-Pad is passable, we found the 8bitdo SN30 and SN30 Pro pads to be much better options, and if you have an arcade stick that's compatible with Switch, now is the ideal time to dig it out – this is fighting game nirvana, pure and simple.

Nintendo Life

Damien McFerran·May 10, 2018

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Raging Justice isn't going to win any awards for originality or narrative depth, but it succeeds in picking up the often neglected scrolling fighter, dusting it off and sending it out with a fresh pair of clothes and some new ideas. The extra buttons are put to good use, giving you a wide array of offensive options when you're in the thick of things, and the ability to arrest enemies adds a layer of strategy to the otherwise mindless action. When played solo the game is perhaps a little too unforgiving to recommend to everyone, but when you rope in a second player it becomes one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences on Switch; working together to clean up the streets is fun, but you won't be able to resist occasionally stabbing your ally in the back, just for old time's sake.