Mitch Vogel

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jun 24, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Sonic Origins is simply more of the same, which is both its greatest strength and weakness. On one hand, it's a near-definitive way to experience four stone-cold classics that represent some of the highest peaks of Sonic's career. On the other, most of these games are already readily available and there aren't many new features or additions to justify buying them yet again. If you don't already have a reliable or convenient way of playing these games now, or this is genuinely your first time playing through them, then we'd say that Sonic Origins is the go-to way to experience Sonic's 2D heyday. Otherwise, we'd encourage you to either wait for this to go on sale or just pass on it.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jun 16, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

The Hand of Merlin may not bring anything new to the table, but fans of tough strategy games like XCOM will still find plenty to love here. The unforgiving roguelite structure and decision-driven gameplay offer up a lot of engaging content, even if these elements are held back a bit by the boring graphics and an interface that's not very controller friendly. If you can overlook those faults and you're a strategy game enthusiast looking for your next fix, we'd suggest you grab hold of The Hand of Merlin.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jun 13, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Demon Slayer: -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles is a very solid action game, presenting a gripping story and thrilling action combat alongside an art style that almost perfectly matches the popular anime. Though combat can sometimes feel a bit shallow and the performance isn't always perfect, we'd still give this one a strong recommendation, even to those who don't have any background with the anime or manga.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jun 3, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Souldiers is one of those games that's disappointing simply because a small number of critical issues hold it back from the greatness it comes so close to achieving. A large world to explore, tough combat system, and an outstanding art style are weighed down by ridiculous load times and poor difficulty balancing. It's a real testament to the game's strengths that we'd still give it a recommendation, though perhaps with the caveat that you may want to try it on another platform than Switch, if possible - we really hope that further patches can iron out the issues. At any rate, we'd say Souldiers is certainly worth your time, but maybe this isn't one to rush out and buy right away.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Jun 1, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Card Shark is the kind of game that at first blush seems like it just won't work. Lots of dialogue bookended by brief, simplistic minigame sequences seems like it would make for an experience that would lose its luster quickly, yet we couldn't put it down. Witty writing, high-stakes gameplay, and a gorgeous art style all come together here to make for a game that's well-executed and unique in its appeal. If you're looking to try something awesome that notably bucks most modern gaming trends, Card Shark is absolutely something we'd recommend, well worth your time and money.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·May 27, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Kao the Kangaroo may have been on hiatus for a while, but we're glad to see that he's back in good form. Well-paced level design, an appealing art style, surprisingly satisfying combat, and lots of collectibles to snag all come together to make for a thrillingly retro 3D platforming experience.That said, elements like an occasionally misbehaving camera and performance issues hold this adventure back from being the really excellent revival it could have been. If you still find a lot to love about games like A Hat in Time, Demon Turf, or Banjo-Kazooie, then we're confident that you'll have a great time with Kao the Kangaroo despite its minor issues. If you're a bit tired of such games, however, this isn't going to do much to change your mind. Overall, we'd recommend investigating Kao the Kangaroo if you're the slightest bit interested; despite some rough edges, this is a charming platforming experience.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·May 16, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Soundfall is interesting and original, but stumbles in its execution. The marriage of rhythm gameplay with a twin-stick shooter is a rocky one, and it's hard not to think this would be a stronger game overall if it were focused solely on either the shooting or the rhythm elements. It can work harmoniously, but also causes frustration when its two halves pull you in different directions. Yet despite its clumsy moments, we'd still give Soundfall a solid recommendation, as its diverse and catchy soundtrack, RPG-esque character progression, and high replayability make this one easy to love. It maybe could've used more practice, but Soundfall overall delivers a strong performance.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·May 9, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

We’d give Citizen Sleeper a strong recommendation to anybody who liked Disco Elysium or any general role playing games with a heavy emphasis on the role. A synthwave soundtrack, strong writing, and high-pressure gameplay make this a game that’ll be tough to put down once you get into it.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 26, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Dungeons of Dreadrock is a well-designed puzzle game that cleverly builds on its formula throughout its brief run. Those of you looking for a good game to wind down with before bed may want to give this a look, though we would encourage investigating the smart device version if you're happy to play on mobile.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 23, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Similarly to the many doggos it stars, it’s tough to find much to dislike about The Last Friend. Fast-paced tower defense action, a gorgeous art style, satisfying progression, and a goofy story make this one an easy recommendation. Plus, you can pet all the dogs! What more could you want?

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 20, 2022

Critic50/100

Agreement—

Is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed worth picking up? Eh… potentially. What we have here is a shallow, short, and rather mediocre action game that's relying awfully hard on nostalgia and the popularity of the Star Wars IP to draw in players. Based solely on its own merits, there's little here that's really worth your time. Simplistic level designs, weak combat, frequent quick time events, and low replay value make this one hard to recommend. It's got a decent story and soundtrack, but neither of these things are good enough to outweigh the negatives. If you're just looking for another Star Wars game to add to your collection, this certainly fits the bill; if you're looking for a high-quality hack 'n' slash, it doesn't. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is simply a passable game; not one we'd actively avoid, but you're not missing much if you choose to skip it.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 14, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Nobody Saves the World is a thrillingly well-paced and enjoyable action adventure that Switch owners won't want to miss. An addictive quest system, surprisingly deep class system, attractive art style, and punchy combat all come together to make for a varied and engaging experience that oozes quality at every turn. If you're a fan of RPGs with a lot of customization, old-school Zelda games, or classic arcade beat 'em ups, Nobody Saves the World is absolutely a title you need to add to your library.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Apr 5, 2022

Critic90/100

Agreement—

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a wonderful achievement for dynamic storytelling, as it puts forth a compelling and multifaceted narrative that'll keep you guessing right up until the very end. This excellent story, combined with enjoyable combat portions, a striking art style, and some top-notch voice acting make for an experience that you won't want to miss out on. It's the kind of game that'll have you wishing that you could play it again for the first time, just so all its best elements could be new again. We'd give 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim a strong recommendation, then, to anyone who has even a passing interest in visual novels. Even if that doesn't describe you, we'd still say to give it a shot; you might just be surprised at how well it grabs you.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Mar 29, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

.hack//G.U. Last Recode isn't a bad game, it's just aggressively mediocre. These three games weren't fantastic when they were new and, surprise surprise, they still aren't great now. Repetitive dungeon design, extremely easy combat, and an often nonsensical narrative prove to be this release's greatest weaknesses, holding it back from fulfilling the interesting concept of its premise. Still, if you want the nostalgia trip or for some reason aren't satisfied with the near-bottomless list of more interesting RPGs on the Switch, it may be worth the punt. We'd give this one a light recommendation, then, but would say you're better off picking up the remasters of Final Fantasy XII or Shin Megami Tensei III if you're looking for a worthwhile sixth-generation RPG. If it's specifically the concept of a single player MMO that interests you, then either CrossCode or one of the Xenoblade releases will scratch that itch far better.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Mar 22, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Is Rune Factory 5 for you? Well, that depends. Do you like RPGs or farm sims? If you answered yes to either or both, then you're sure to find something you'll love in this release. Even so, it might be worth waiting for a modest sale before you take the plunge. The relaxing pace, RPG elements, and charming aesthetic make this a compelling experience, but issues with poor performance, disappointing visuals, and sometimes clunky gameplay hold Rune Factory 5 back from greatness. If 3D visuals aren't a dealbreaker for you, we'd recommend you pick up Rune Factory 4 Special first, as it's cheaper and oddly feels more modern in some respects. Despite flawed execution, we'd still give Rune Factory 5 a recommendation - if its precise and unique genre blend really clicks with you, you'll forgive many a flaw. Just know that it doesn't truly excel in any area.