Oliver Reynolds

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Aug 5, 2024

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Volgarr the Viking II is, quite simply, one of the best 2D action platformers on Switch, or any other platform for that matter. It improves upon the original in just about every conceivable way, introducing neat ways to ease newcomers into its relentless brutality, vastly improving the visuals, and adding a soundtrack that is destined to go down as one of the all-time greats. Minor quibbles with the UI aside, Volgarr the Viking II is an absolute must-play if you can stomach the intense difficulty.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Aug 1, 2024

Critic40/100

Agreement—

We commend Mars 2120 for what it does do well. It gets a few things right: the general aesthetic is on point, the ambient music is pleasant, and some of the upgrades you’ll pick up in your journey are pretty cool. But failing to nail the basic traits that make a Metroidvania means that we can't recommend this one.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Jul 18, 2024

Critic60/100

Agreement—

A mixed bag, then, but certainly not unenjoyable.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Jun 27, 2024

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Nintendo has been getting heat for the pricing of its recent Switch remasters, so to see Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil so lovingly restored for a reasonable price is a true joy. The 20th Anniversary Edition boasts some lovely visual and auditory upgrades, an excellent gallery feature, and a whole bunch of meaningful extras that make this journey back into Hillys well worth taking. Granted, the 30fps performance on Switch is a bit of a bummer compared to other platforms, and there's no denying that the experience has aged considerably in certain areas, but the gameplay is so varied, and the world so unique, that you'd be remiss not to at least give it a shot. Welcome back, 'Yade'.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Jun 24, 2024

Critic70/100

Agreement—

If all you're looking for in a new Super Monkey Ball game is a selection of new single-player levels to tackle, then you're in luck, because Banana Rumble boasts some of the best stages we've seen in recent memory. The additional 'Spin Dash' ability makes traversal a lot more fun, and the physics feel as close to 'classic' Monkey Ball as the franchise has got in quite some time. Unfortunately, if you're looking forward to the multiplayer modes, then temper your expectations. They're simply not very good for the most part and are significantly hampered by the drop in frame rate. We almost scored this a point lower, but the quality of the single-player just about pulls it up. As it stands, Banana Rumble is a mixed bag, but one worth delving into if you're itching for more single-player shenanigans.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·May 16, 2024

Critic70/100

Agreement—

PO'ed Definitive Edition is yet another fine example of Nightdive Studio's excellent work in preserving unique, oddball games of yore while adding some welcome mod cons. With this one, however, the core experience is a little bit too weird to recommend to just any FPS fan. The general premise is odd, the enemy design is unsettling, and the layout of the levels can prove frustrating, especially for newcomers unaccustomed to its old-school ways. Despite this, the jetpack is honestly one of the most fun mechanics we've sampled in gaming, and the bizarre audio design had us in fits of laughter at multiple points. If you've played the original or fancy checking out one of the most unique FPS games from the '90s, it's well worth a punt.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·May 9, 2024

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Little Kitty, Big City is an adorable adventure that will almost certainly turn you into a cat lover, if you're not one already. It oozes charm and the realistic cat animations are simply incredible, although for as fun as it is to wander about the city, the game leans heavily on fetch quests and gathering up collectibles, which can lead to repetition. If you're someone who thrives on that kind of gameplay, however, then you'll have an absolute blast with this one.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Apr 26, 2024

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a decent game, but it sits in the shadow of much better Metroidvanias on the Switch. We love the setting and storyline, but as Surgent Studios' first stab at what has proven to be a wildly popular genre over the years, it struggles to set itself apart with rather bland exploration and repetitive combat. Coupled with compromised visuals and performance on Switch, veterans of the genre may want to give this one a miss. For newcomers, however, the breezy gameplay might make for a nice introduction to Metroidvanias.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Apr 24, 2024

Critic40/100

Agreement—

Slave Zero X is an incredibly frustrating release, because it could have so easily been a slam dunk. It's a great game - it really is - with stylish combat mechanics, beautiful 2D sprites combined with 3D environments, and an awesome, cyberpunk-esque storyline. Unfortunately, though patches may eventually turn this lump of coal into a diamond, the game as it stands is a hot mess on Switch, with a wildly inconsistent frame rate that makes the complex, methodical gameplay feel like a chore to play.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Mar 28, 2024

Critic70/100

Agreement—

All in all, Oxto is a solid recommendation if you’re a fan of Hotline Miami and are after something to scratch a similar itch. Ultimately, its roguelike structure hinders the experience rather than enhances it, but if all you want to do is shoot a few bad guys, then you can’t really go wrong.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Mar 20, 2024

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Although certainly designed to be disorienting in terms of its visuals, Krimson’s levels can be a tad too difficult to parse at times, with safe platforms and deadly obstacles often blending into one another. This is exacerbated by the swirling, gooey textures on every surface, along with strobe effects that briefly come into play upon death. It’s a lot to take in and the game never lets up, so we often found ourselves wanting to put it down for a little while just so our senses could have a little break. We appreciate the artistic intent, but some accessibility features to perhaps tone down the effects or better highlight certain platforms would be most welcome.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Mar 13, 2024

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Like Atari 50 and The Making of Karateka before it, Digital Eclipse's latest interactive documentary is a wonderful glimpse into the mind of one of gaming's most fascinating figures. Even if you've got no prior knowledge of Minter or his games, the selection of videos, image galleries, quotes, and playable games included here will provide you with a newfound respect for this niche yet immensely important segment of gaming history. Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is another triumph for Digital Eclipse, and we can't wait to see what the studio tackles next with its Gold Master Series.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Mar 1, 2024

Critic100/100

Agreement—

Balatro is a roguelike for gamers who don't like roguelikes... and then everybody else on top of that. It utterly nails what it sets out to do, providing an instantly accessible, satisfying, and addictive gameplay loop that anybody can grasp. It's an immensely enjoyable experience from the start, but as you get deeper in, there's really nothing else quite like it. We suspect we'll be hearing a lot about Balatro when conversations steer towards Game of the Year, because this is a clear and obvious frontrunner. Utterly sublime.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Feb 28, 2024

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is another resounding success for Nightdive, bringing a curious, nostalgia-laced FPS into the modern age with bells and whistles to boot. With enhanced gameplay, revamped visuals, and a wealth of accessibility options, this is easily the best way to experience Dark Forces and revisit an oft-forgotten era of Star Wars. Minor frame rate hiccups aside, this is an absolute must-play for fans of far-away galactic conflict.

Nintendo Life

Oliver Reynolds·Feb 19, 2024

Critic90/100

Agreement—

qomp 2 is an excellent and worthy reimaging of Pong that honours the classic arcade game's legacy while providing a unique experience for folks with no nostalgia for Atari's seminal masterpiece. It offers a consistently interesting and engaging means of traversal with a great variety of obstacles and puzzles to overcome throughout the 30 stages. We would have liked a few more levels in the end, but this is really just an indication of the quality on display here. If you're into quirky action-focused puzzlers with a unique hook, then qomp 2 is definitely worth your attention.