We try to cover every Switch game we’re sent a code for here at Gamezebo. Sometimes we find ourselves with a bit of a backlog though – like right now for instance. So here are some shorter reviews of games …
We try to cover every Switch game we’re sent a code for here at Gamezebo. Sometimes we find ourselves with a bit of a backlog though – like right now for instance.
So here are some shorter reviews of games released or updated on the Switch over the last few months – that we might not have got round to covering otherwise.
SkateBird
SkateBird, as the name suggests, sees you going around a range of levels on a skateboard. As a bird. Sadly this concept doesn’t really work as well as we had hoped.
The avian gimmick doesn’t really alter the core gameplay, even though the presentation is undeniably charming with some amusing cutscenes between the action.
So you’re left with the skateboarding itself to elevate the experience, and sadly it just doesn’t work well enough. The levels are strangely designed most of the time and not much fun to traverse, despite the solid controls.
Then there’s the way you progress by completing objectives – and these aren’t much fun in themselves.
It makes progress a struggle, so despite good intentions SkateBird isn’t a game that ever really properly takes flight.
Score: 3 out of 5
Guts ‘N Goals
Arena based football games have been done several times before, and fairly well. So Guts ‘N Goals needs to do something special to stand out. And it doesn’t. Simple as that.
A combination of fighting game and football, there’s a range of levels with different rules – but few are actually much fun. You can score with an inflatable ball in the beach stages for instance, or a hockey puck on the ice pitch.
But it all feels too messy, and combat is too one-note. There’s no real flow to matches, and they often just devolve into an unclear muddle of small characters whaling on each other.
It’s a shame as there’s a range of modes and clearly effort has been put into the character designs – but Guts ‘N Goals just isn’t a particularly memorable or satisfying experience.
Score: 2.5 out of 5
Super Arcade Football
Developer Out of The Bit have basically created the sporting equivalent of Super Arcade Racing here. In that it’s serviceable, bordering on good – but never really feels like it’s ever going to threaten the heavyweights in the genre.
You takeover a team struggling to survive, and have to play various teams across a large number of challenge levels in overhead 2D footy matches.
There’s a plot and the writing is mildly enjoyable, but the football action itself isn’t massively impressive.
It all feels a little muted – despite a range of weather conditions – and we never felt that it ever went all out in terms of throwing oddball stuff your way, like the superlative Golf Story did.
Score: 3 out of 5
Clone Drone in the Danger Zone
Clone Drone in the Danger Zone is a simple idea done relatively well. It sees you fight through a seemingly endless stream of arena based levels as a low powered bot.
Once you die you get thrown back to the start, but the combat is enjoyable enough – with tight controls, a range of weapons, and a well implemented upgrade system.
There’s some very tongue in cheek presentation too, with comic relief commentators that somehow don’t get (too) annoying.
Sadly there’s not much more to Clone Drone in the Danger Zone than that, so it’s a struggle to say the content here justifies the high asking price.
Score: 3 out of 5
Dusk
It’s been a long wait for Dusk to land on Switch. It has been delayed numerous times and there’s been no sign on it on Nintendo Directs – Indie World ones or otherwise. Now it’s finally here, and to say it’s been worth the wait is an understatement.
A first person shooter, it’s inspired by classics such as Doom and Quake – but it’s no cheap throwaway tribute. It has its own ideas and somehow never quite runs out of steam across thirty levels.
Sporting pared down visuals it sees you entering the town of Dusk, a place filled with cultists and chainsaw wielding rednecks out for blood.
To say much more would be to ruin the many surprises in store, but needless to say as the chapters go on Dusk becomes a much darker and more complex experience than the opening levels might suggest.
The combat is massively satisfying, the visual storytelling and details are consistently delightful – Dusk is an almost perfect first person shooter and this is a perfect port.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
