Switch Console Archives - Page 5 of 9

August 13, 2020August 13, 2020 Richard Armitt 1534 Views Big Screen, Cinema Gaming, Destroy All Humans, DOOM Eternal, Event Cinemas, Ghost of Tsushima, Maneater, Orion Springfield, Snacks, Sound, TLOU2

Cinema Gaming, going large on the Silver Screen

As a young man I had two dreams, one was to own a nice little campsite and the other was to own a boutique cinema. The second was born of a love of movies and the plan for some cinema gaming on the big screen after hours. Neither of these dreams took off, until now.

We probably have to thank Covid and 2020 for the opportunity, as traditional business finds other ways to make its assets work.

I recently spied a Facebook ad by my local Event Cinema offering gaming sessions. How could I not take it up?

For prices and details read on.

Gaming Game Reviews PC / Mac PS4 Switch Console Xbox One

August 6, 2020August 6, 2020 Richard Armitt 1803 Views #Mechanicus40K, Games Workshop, Inquisitor, Mechanicus, turn based, turn-based strategy games, Warhammer 40k, XCOM

Warhammer 40,000 Mechanicus, PS4 Review

Warhammer 40,000 Mechanicus will be familiar to die-hard Games Workshop fans, the average gamer, perhaps not so much. Drawing on the very deep and very wide canon of Warhammer 40k, this game adds to a varied pedigree of stablemates.

Considering the complexity the Warhammer family its a shame that the digital versions of these tabletop adventures often fall flat.

It’s fair to say, that first couple of hours of doubt were soon demolished as I understood the systems on offer and gripped the gameplay.

Gaming Byte Size Review Indie Game Switch Console Xbox One

August 5, 2020August 5, 2020 Gerard Campbell 966 Views Carrion, Devolver Digital, monster, monster in the dark, Nintendo Switch gaming, Phobia Game Studio, reverse horror game

Carrion, Nintendo Switch reviewed

Carrion is a horror game with a twist: You are the monster in the dark, hunting the humans – not the other way around.

In a genre that the game’s makers have described as “reverse horror”, you control a red amorphous tentacled blob that escapes confinement in a secret research facility and must escape.

Carrion is Metroidvania in style, with the monster having to unlock doors to progress to the next location and that often involves backtracking to locations you’ve visited before and pulling levers that will unlock chambers in another area.

Gaming Hardware Hardware Reviews PC / Mac PS4 Switch Console Video Content Xbox One

June 27, 2020June 28, 2020 Guy 3567 Views Hardware Review, Headset, JBL, Quantum 400

JBL Quantum 400 Headset – Review

JBL have been a mainstay of the home audio fraternity since 1946. They have in recent years been brought under the Samsung Electronics umbrella, which may explain why after so many years, they have finally taken the leap into Gaming Headsets see what we think of the Quantum 400.

They have certainly jumped in boots and all too. The new ‘Quantum’ range boasts seven different models. Spanning entry level headsets through to models with head-tracking, noise cancellation and wireless surround sound.

The JBL Quantum 400s are a great headset. If the rest of the Quantum range have had this much thought put into them, then safe to say JBL are not here to muck about, Gamers!

Gaming Byte Size Review Nintendo Switch Console Video Content

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 Gerard Campbell 1098 Views 2k, Bioshock, Lighthouse, Nintendo Switch

The Bioshock Collection (Nintendo Switch)

This is not a review about the Bioshock Collection games in the sense that I will tread the now familiar narrative ground. Bioshock 1 and 2 and Infinite have graced numerous platforms since the first game appeared in 2007. So gamers don’t need to be schooled on what they’re about and what’s going on.

No, this review is purely to take in the technical spectacle that is The Bioshock Collection on Nintendo’s Switch handheld. Make no mistake: This is a port worth having on the Nintendo’s portable. Especially Bioshock Infinite, perhaps my favourite game in the series.

Gaming Game Reviews PC / Mac PS4 Switch Console Video Content Xbox One

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 Richard Armitt 1163 Views Couch, Dungeon Crawl, Local Multiplayer, Microsoft, Minecraft, Mojang, Steve, XBOX

Minecraft Dungeons, Review

Minecraft Dungeons is an exciting addition to the Minecraft family. We’ve been playing the Mojang block builder for over a decade on a multitude of platforms. Since the Microsoft acquisition in 2014 Minecraft Earth, Stories and Minecraft Dungeons have been the diverse additions, on top of regular world updates.

Personally I love a good Dungeon Crawl, because nothing beats the smell of loot in dank tunnel.

The ingredients were already there after ten years of creativity and the story probably wrote itself. Surely it was easy to put together the landscape and inhabitants. The Minecraft palette and world are so familiar now and the engine breathes life into well lit scenes. This isn’t an RTX shaded version of the game, it’s pure and simple and full of joy.

Thanks to Microsoft / Xbox ANZ for providing the review copy.

Gaming Game Reviews PC / Mac Switch Console Video Content

May 13, 2020 Gerard Campbell 1168 Views Cycles, indie, Lonely Mountains Downhill, Mountain Biking, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, XBOX

Lonely Mountains Downhill (Nintendo Switch)

Lonely Mountains Downhill began life as a Kickstarter project by German game makers Daniel Helbig and Jan Bubenik.

Full disclosure here: I backed the project and my name’s in the game’s credits. It also got a mention in my pick of 2019.

As an ageing mountain biker the game appealed to me as a way to enjoy one of my passions. When I’m stuck at home and the weather’s too horrific to don the rain jacket and hit the trails. I was also attracted by its low-poly graphical style, with a blocky, chunky biker and vibrant environments.

Thanks to Lonely Mountains Downhill on Switch, I can now “ride” my mountain bike any time I want. At the office, while I’m lying in bed, while I’m, ahem, in the bathroom. It’s also the perfect thing for when I just can’t bothered kitting up and hitting my local trails. Especially with winter looming and its inevitable wet & chilly weather.

Byte Size Review Indie Game iOS Switch Console Video Content

May 9, 2020May 9, 2020 Gerard Campbell 863 Views Birds, Nintendo Switch, Puzzle, side scroller, Subtle Boom

Fledgling Heroes (Nintendo Switch), Byte sized review

Side-scrolling game Fledgling Heroes is bright, colourful, easy to play – and I’m having a great time with it, despite not being the target demographic.

Most likely aimed at young children due to its bright and cheerful visuals, Australian developer Subtle Boom’s Fledgling Heroes first appeared on the Apple Arcade but now it’s on Nintendo’s platform.

It’s reminiscent of that Flappy Bird game that was all the rage a few years ago but it’s much better, with a charming visual style.

Gaming Game Reviews Indie Game PS4 Switch Console Xbox One

April 25, 2020April 25, 2020 Richard Armitt 1043 Views Classic Arcade, Co-Op, Couch, indie, Local Multiplayer, Moving Out, Team17, Unpacking

Moving Out, PS4 Review

How to start a Moving Out review?

Well, its probably best summed up with a classic like “Great things come in small packages”.

In short the game is a frantic race against the clock, part puzzle, part arcade craziness and a sprinkle of comedy charm. If you are looking for a couch co-op game to keep the family entertained or at least blaming each other.

Then look no further, its got lockdown shenanigans all over it.

Gaming Byte Size Review Nintendo Switch Console Video Content

April 12, 2020 Richard Armitt 1522 Views Rebellion, sniper elite, Zombie Army, Zombies

Zombie Army Trilogy, Switch Review

Zombie Army Trilogy on Switch, comes hot on the heels of last month’s spectacular Zombie Army 4. That’s a big pair of Jackboots to fill.

To be fair the Switch port does a good job and is a well rounded package, but really showing its age. The muted colours and old textures don’t do much to upgrade the experience. Although the sepia / grey-green landscape does a good job of highlighting collectibles.

As expected the game looks heaps better in portable mode. To be honest, that’s really why you want ZAT on Switch.

There are multiplayer options with Horde, on and offline, but being a stubbornly solo zombie killer I lack comrades.

Gaming Game Reviews Nintendo Switch Console

April 10, 2020April 10, 2020 Gerard Campbell 1218 Views

Saints Row IV Re-Elected (Nintendo Switch)

The Saints Row series has never pulled its punches and Saints Row IV Re-Elected is no different.

Any game that has an opening sequence featuring the future president of the United States climbing the exterior of an intercontinental ballistic missile as it soars into the stratosphere or has the aforementioned future president strutting through his suburban house as the star of his own sitcom called Leave it to the Saints, with a jaunty 1950s wholesome soundtrack in the background as he munches pancakes and fetches the paper is one that you know doesn’t take itself too seriously. All hail, Mr President.

And so it is with Saints Row IV Re-Elected (originally reviewed in 2015). A game you could rightfully call the anti-Grand Theft Auto thanks to its humour firmly tongue-in-cheek.