Mitch Vogel

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Dec 12, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion is everything that we hoped this remake would be. It takes a great game once shackled to handheld-only hardware and brings it forth to a new generation with a fresh coat of paint. Though some may be put off by its mission-based gameplay structure or the sometimes ridiculous writing, its excellent combat, gorgeous presentation, and heartfelt narrative combine to make this one that no RPG fan will want to miss out on, especially those who were fans of Final Fantasy VII. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a fantastic addition to the Switch's ever-growing library of great RPGs, we'd advise you to give this one a go.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Dec 2, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Warp Drive feels like it's a strong predecessor to what could be a great sequel someday. Its high-speed, strategic approach to racing is a joy to play when the FPS slowdown isn't getting out of hand, and its art style feels like something truly distinct in the 'kart' racing genre. If it weren't for a collection of some important misses-like the awkward item usage or the instability of multiplayer-this one could be a real winner. Even as is, it's still a game that we would recommend you pick up when there's a deep enough sale. There's enough single-player content to keep you busy for a while and even if it disappoints, Warp Drive can be quite fun once you get into it.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Nov 28, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The Knight Witch seems to occupy a unique niche on the Switch eShop - there's really nothing else quite like it. It's not the best shmup nor is it the best Metroidvania we've experienced, but its fusion of many core ideas in those genres is interesting and worthwhile. The adventure feels perfectly paced, the action is snappy, and though there are missteps here and there, they shouldn't disqualify The Knight Witch from your attention. If you're looking for a Metroidvania that mixes things up a bit - and you haven't been utterly burned out on the genre - we'd suggest giving this a look.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Nov 18, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

RWBY: Arrowfell is a fine enough game, but it also feels like the kind of thing you might've discovered on Newgrounds back when Flash games were popular. Elements like the shallow combat and tacked-on skill point system don't feel properly fleshed out, and repetitive environments and bland level design tend to get tiresome as the campaign wears on. We'd give this game a light recommendation if you're a big fan of Wayforward's other work in 2D action games and are looking for something in that vein, but even then, you may want to wait for a sale here. There are certainly much, much worse games than RWBY: Arrowfell to be found on the Switch eShop, but we think your time and money are better spent on, well, better games.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Nov 11, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a seminal and still-enjoyable SRPG that manages to respectfully hold its own against the many descendants it now exists alongside. Though some elements of its design feel a little archaic, its deeply political and branching narrative, orchestrated soundtrack, and solidly built strategic combat all come together to make for a worthwhile experience. Visually, this version is disappointing, and we wouldn't say Reborn is one to rush out and buy immediately, but if you're a sucker for strategy and want to experience an influential classic with some mod cons thrown in, we'd suggest you keep this on your watchlist.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Nov 7, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Harvestella could be described as one of the best 'good' games you'll play this year. Its performance issues and rather simplistic mechanics hold it back from being great, but its quest design, dungeon exploration, and successful fusion of very distinct gameplay mechanics make it quite compelling all the same. That launch day $60 price tag feels a little high for what's on offer here, but this is absolutely a title that we'd recommend farm sim fans buy when the inevitable sales start to crop up. Harvestella may not be a challenger to Stardew Valley's crown, but it does enough to distinguish itself as a worthwhile experience anyway.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Nov 3, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Prodeus is the kind of game that knows exactly what it wants to do and executes that vision flawlessly. It's not complicated and it's nothing you haven't seen before, but every inch of this experience was clearly crafted with passion and talent. The intense firefights, expansive arsenal, metal music, and sprawling level designs all come together to make Prodeus feel like a game that's just the right mix of retro and modern. If you have ever been a fan of Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein, or any of the indie boomer shooters of the last few years, you owe it to yourself to give Prodeus a shot. Even if you haven't much been into the genre before, we'd say this is an excellent place to jump in and see what it's about. Wherever you stand, we'd give Prodeus a strong recommendation; this is absolutely worth both your time and money.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 17, 2022

Critic100/100

Agreement—

Persona 5 Royal is the very definition of 'required reading' for JRPG fans. A deep and moving story, stylish presentation, amazing soundtrack, and decision-driven gameplay all combine to make for an unforgettable and exceptional experience that proves itself to be every bit deserving of the hype and praise it's already received. While those who have played this elsewhere may want to consider whether Switch's portability is enough of a selling point to justify paying full price to double dip, but it suits it perfectly. Persona 5 Royal remains a game that we absolutely recommend you pick up as soon as you can. This easily stands as one of the very best RPGs of the last decade and you'd be doing yourself a disservice to miss out.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 15, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Dorfromantik may not have a ton of staying power, but it offers up a satisfying and chill puzzle experience that we feel is worthwhile in the end. If you’re on the lookout for a game that doesn’t expect much of you and fits well for those late-night sessions just before bed, we’d recommend you give this one a look if it sounds interesting.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 11, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Lego Bricktales isn't perfect, but it offers up a refreshingly unique experience relative to the litany of action platformers based on licensed IP we've been getting for nearly two decades now. We sincerely appreciated the focus on low-stress building puzzles that encourage and reward creative solutions. It's the kind of game that you just take at your own pace and lose yourself for a bit to the relaxing tunes and simple act of building. It's a shame, then, that awkward controls hamper your creativity and hold it back from greatness. Couple that with performance issues on Switch, and we'd recommend playing on PC if you can. Still, Bricktales is the closest thing in years that a Lego video game has gotten to the actual feeling of playing with Lego, and those of you who appreciate the famous toy will find something to love here.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 2, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

If you’re looking for a few hundred more puzzles to add to the collection of what must be over a thousand by now, then Picross S8 is the game for you. If a good entry point is what you're after, Picross S8 is a decent spot, but we’d recommend you at least watch the first two seasons of the anime to get a somewhat decent grasp of the premise. Anyway, this game radiates so much power that it made the preceding seven games (or ten, if you count the spin-offs) better through updates that added universal touch support and four-player multiplayer. So go buy it. Now.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 30, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Various Daylife is the epitome of an experimental RPG. This is the kind of game that you'll have a much better time with if you limit yourself to only fifteen minutes or maybe half an hour a day. Stay within that time frame, and the daily stat management, quick quest runs, and the simple class system will just about hit the spot. Play for much longer, and you'll soon realize how relatively shallow the gameplay loop really is. We'd give this one a very light recommendation for anyone who's obsessed with the work of Team Asano or for those who want a simple and light RPG for their Switch-if neither of those describes you, you're not missing much by choosing to pass.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 24, 2022

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Airoheart is a passable game, but hardly one we would recommend you rush out to buy unless you simply cannot get enough of the 2D Zelda formula. It follows A Link to the Past's template so closely that it could never be classed as 'bad', but in a crowded market of homages, tributes, and variations on the theme, it does very little to stand out. We would suggest you pick this up only after you've played through A Link to the Past, the Link's Awakening remake, and both the Blossom Tales games, and you still don't feel you've gotten enough of that specific brand of top-down gameplay. Airoheart provides an adequate adventure, and for $40 at the time of writing, we simply expect more.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 22, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Shovel Knight Dig is another triumphant and enjoyable entry in the popular indie knight's growing legacy, offering up thrilling, challenging gameplay that will appeal to fans both old and new. Though it may be a little on the short side, every minute of Shovel Knight Dig positively oozes quality, whether that be the snappy action-platforming or the fresh 16-bit art style and animation. We'd give this one a high recommendation to anyone who enjoyed the original platformers or to anyone looking for a tough (but not offputtingly tough) new roguelite. Shovel Knight Dig has got it where it counts and can stand tall beside its noble predecessors.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 19, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden is an excellent entry in this quirky new franchise, pulling together a darker story, a new battle mechanic, and that ever-present cozy atmosphere to make for a hypnotizing and immersive experience. Though some may be miffed at this being yet another one of these games in a relatively short window, we feel that Yoko Taro and company have moved the series forward another (single) step with this new entry. If you enjoyed the last couple of games or are just looking for a new JRPG that doesn't require a ton of investment, we would certainly give this one a recommendation; it's easily worth both your time and money.