Mitch Vogel

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 14, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Though many doubted how well Borderlands 3 would work on the Switch, we're pleased to report that this is a well-built port that effectively squeezes down almost the entirety of Borderlands 3 onto Nintendo's handheld. The deep loot system, stable performance, goofy tone, snappy gunplay, and enormous amount of content all come together to make this one an easy recommendation, though those who prefer multiplayer may be disappointed at the diminished options here. Gearbox rightly deserves praise for the work the team put in here to make this happen; Borderlands 3 on the Switch is well worth your time.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 7, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Performance issues aside, Fate/Samurai Remnant is a hugely enjoyable action RPG that showcases a strong evolution of the very familiar Musou formula. Dynamic combat, rewarding exploration, loads of content, and an appealing art style all work in this one's favor, though be warned that the story can get a bit too verbose at times. All the same, we'd give this one a recommendation both to anyone looking for a decent action RPG to add to their collection and to any fans of Warriors games. Fate/Samurai Remnant is well worth your time - if you can handle the performance dips on Switch.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Oct 3, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

We’ve got to hand it to Devm Games (Moving Out) for coming up with the concept. This is a joyous, eccentric platformer that’s not quite like anything you’ve played before. Though the controls can be frustrating, that’s also the point of this brief, uncannily gripping experience.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 26, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Disgaea 7 offers up yet another enjoyable entry in the long-running series, offering up a more refined take on the famously in-depth gameplay systems. New mechanics such as Jumbification add some interesting wrinkles to the SRPG battles, while new modes like competitive ranked online bring even more playability to a game that'll take you hundreds of hours to see to completion. Perhaps best of all, Disgaea 7 is very newcomer-friendly, though we will add that the very deliberate and measured approach to min-maxing isn't for everyone. Whether you're looking for an excellent new RPG to sink a lot of time into or you've been a fan of Disgaea since the PS2 days, Disgaea 7 is a worthwhile entry that we'd recommend you pick up when you can.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 22, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster is a worthwhile release, though it feels like a bit of a mixed bag. Despite some cool ideas here, both games epitomize the 'flawed masterpiece' while the changes and updates made for this remaster are minimal at best (though obviously welcome). This package is easy to recommend to any fans who want to venture further into Monolith's back catalog and are looking for something a little unconventional to scratch that RPG itch. Just recognize that this isn't something that you need to rush and play immediately and that both games are very much products of their time, with design elements that feel outdated in a modern context.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 16, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Launch instability issues aside, it may be a bit derivative, but Summum Aeterna ultimately ticks enough boxes to be worth your while. Smooth combat, tough difficulty, and an interesting seed system all come together to make this one worth investigating.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 12, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Super Bomberman R 2 is a triumphant and feature-rich return for the explosive icon. The new Castle mode brings some interesting twists to the classic formula (though the level editor feels like it could use a little more work) while all the chaotic arcade gameplay that's carried this series for 40 years proves to be just as compelling as it's always been. Pair that addictive gameplay with an extensive multiplayer suite and lots of unlockables, and you've got something that's easy to recommend to anyone looking for the next great multiplayer release to break out on game night. It's a little less easy to recommend if you intend on playing entirely solo-the single-player offering is a bit thin here-but the endless replayability of the online component makes it a great pick otherwise.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 11, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Although it can be a bit uneven, 30XX is ultimately an enjoyable take on action platforming with a roguelite twist. The high difficulty, extreme replayability, and gorgeous visuals all come together to make for an action platformer you won't want to miss out on. Beyond this, Mega Mode makes this one a solid recommendation even for those who don't usually like roguelites, as it strips out most of the randomness and presents a more old-school challenge. For any fans of Mega Man, retro action platformers, or roguelikes, 30XX covers all those bases and then some, and deserves a spot in your Switch library.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Sep 5, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

The real draw here is simply the ability to play Rune Factory 3 on a console that doesn't have 'DS' in its name-about 90% of the experience is exactly the same as the original, and that remaining 10% doesn't exactly cover a whole lot. Luckily, Rune Factory 3 is and always was a great farm sim/RPG hybrid, and it's something that we can still easily recommend to new and returning players alike. That said, if you fall into the latter group, we'd encourage you to consider carefully how much you want to shell out to replay this on modern hardware. It's a great game, but it's effectively the same thing as your DS copy. Still, it's good to see a return to form after the rather uneven Rune Factory 5. If you're looking for another very solid farm sim to add to your Switch library-and you haven't played it before-this is definitely one to consider.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 29, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Trine 5 hasn't changed all that much from its predecessors, which is more of a good thing than it is bad. At its heart, this is still a gorgeous, remarkably charming, and challenging puzzle platformer that features some of the best environment design in the business. On the other hand, combat still represents a notable low point of the experience despite efforts to tweak it, but this isn't enough of a drawback that it ruins the overall game. It goes without saying that if you liked any of the previous Trine games, you'll love what Trine 5 brings to the table-we'd argue that this offers the most polished and honed version of the series' traditional gameplay. Trine 5 is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a chill puzzle game of reasonable length, it's got a lot of heart and is definitely worth your time.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 28, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Sea of Stars is a sensational achievement for Sabotage. The studio is two for two in providing impressively designed and genuinely innovative takes on classic genres. Some pacing issues aside, the complex narrative, deep and strategic combat, thoughtful level design, and fantastic visuals and music all combine to make this one of the easiest recommendations we can make. If you consider yourself a fan of old-school RPGs, you must play Sea of Stars. And if not? The execution and polish here are so good that we'd suggest you give it a try anyway. There are few games that would be a better introduction and representation of what makes JRPGs great. Sea of Stars is an instant classic and a new high-water mark for modern retro-styled indies. You really shouldn't miss out.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 24, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Shotgun King does a wonderful job of setting itself apart from the veritable deluge of roguelikes available today. Its blending of classic chess principles with shooting elements and randomized gameplay makes for a fun and highly replayable experience that we'd suggest you give a shot. If you're looking for a relatively short, addictive game that requires a bit of thinking to get the most out of, Shotgun King is undoubtedly something you should look into.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 15, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Flutter Away is relaxing but uninspiring. It does an excellent job of setting up a peaceful atmosphere that just gives you the space to check out some butterflies, but it’s also over nearly as soon as it starts, and there’s not a ton else to do on a subsequent playthrough. If you're looking for a cozy one-and-done experience to disappear into for a bit, Flutter Away delivers before making good on its title.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 9, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara isn’t exactly a bold reinvention of the 3D platformer, but it repeatedly proves that it’s got it where it counts. Smooth controls, decent level variety, and lots of collectibles all make this one a fairly easy recommendation, even if it is a little simplistic looking. If you're after 7-10 hours of solid, colourful 3D platforming, we’d suggest giving this one a shot.

Nintendo Life

Mitch Vogel·Aug 7, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

It may be a little uneven, but Adore nonetheless stands out from the pack as an innovative new entry in the monster-catching RPG subgenre. The fast-paced combat, detailed team customization, and high level of replayability all make this one easy to recommend, though we say this with the qualifier that performance could be better and the gameplay loop can get pretty grindy. All the same, we'd give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for an interesting new monster catcher - it's a welcome addition to the genre and we hope to see its ideas further explored in future games.