Tag: Switch

The 10 Best Games of 2023

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

This article is available in both written and video format. The video shows the games in action in full 4K and 60 frames per second while I read the article as a voiceover, so if you watch the video you won’t need to read the written article that follows since it’s the same ‘script’. The video can be viewed here:

Another year has passed, and it’s fair to say it’s been one of the best in terms of game releases (even if it’s been one of the worst for the business itself). Not that I necessarily got much exposure to a lot of this year’s AAA releases, mind you: mainly because of various plate-spinning antics at the start of the year, and the small matter of the Game Boy Encyclopedia proving much more complicated than expected, yer man missed out on a lot of 2023‘s best games.

What this does mean, at least, is that my Best Games of 2023 list should be a little more unusual than the others you’ll have seen to date, because the number of AAA games featured is relatively low. Hopefully, then, my downfall will have its benefits here, as you might stumble upon something you may be less familiar with.

Because of a household illness which started on Boxing Day and is only just beginning to let up now, this video comes a little later than usual. However, now that I can string a sentence together without sounding like John Hurt playing the Elephant Man, I finally present my 10 favourite games of 2023.

As with every year’s list, there are a few caveats to bear in mind before we get started:

• This is in alphabetical order, not best to worst. I can’t be arsed deciding whether a game was my 7th or 8th favourite of the year. They’re all great: get them all.

• Before you even think about writing a comment saying this, I didn’t “forget” anything. As I’ve already explained, the reason my list looks very different from most of the others you’ve seen so far isn’t an attempt to be quirky or pretentious, it’s just because I reviewed very few of this year’s AAA games, and because this is my personal list I can only pick from what I’ve played. So no, I didn’t forget Tears of the Kingdom, Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2 or Baldur’s Gate 3: they’re just all on my backlog and I haven’t gotten round to playing them yet.

That said, let’s get cracking! Continue reading “The 10 Best Games of 2023” →

Dodo Peak review

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

This review is available in both written and video format. Both versions have the same ‘script’, so if you’re able to watch the video I’d recommend doing that, since you can see the game in action without worrying about missing anything I’ve written. Here’s the video:

Screenwave Media / Moving Pieces Interactive
Switch, Apple Arcade (Switch version reviewed)

Dodo Peak was a launch title on Apple Arcade in September last year, back when we all still naively thought that for the foreseeable future we’d be outdoors with our phones a lot.

It’s finally broken free of its iOS shackles, though, and arrived on the Switch eShop this week. It’s a good job it did, too, because while it’s a fairly basic game in the grand scheme of things it’s also an entertaining one that’ll keep you busy for a while. Continue reading “Dodo Peak review” →

Preview – Avicii Invector: Encore Edition brings the DJ hero’s greatest hits to the Switch

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

Note: For reasons that will become clear below, the embargo for this preview stated that no screenshots or videos of the Switch version can currently be captured. The screens and video you see in this article are taken from the Xbox One version: adjust your expectations accordingly until the game’s ready for review.

Although I’d never really heard any of the late Avicii’s music when I was asked to review his game for VGC, I ended up enjoying it so much I had his whole discography on my Spotify account by the end of the week.

More importantly, I was so thoroughly entertained by Avicii Invector that the Xbox One version managed to jive its way into my list of my 10 favourite games of 2019, an award so rare that literally only nine other games were given it. Obviously.

Switch owners will finally be able to get their hands on the game on 8 September in a snazzy new ‘Encore Edition’, which comes with 10 bonus tracks (bringing the total count to 35). Yer man Scullion’s been getting stuck into a preview build of this Switch version, and the signs are good so far.

Continue reading “Preview – Avicii Invector: Encore Edition brings the DJ hero’s greatest hits to the Switch” →

First Play – Skelattack (Switch)

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

This week, a parcel turned up on my doorstep.

Inside it was a set of stickers and a t-shirt with a cartoon skeleton on it. I had no idea what it was supposed to be, but the t-shirt was size XXL so already I was furious.

The sticker sheet said Skelattack on it and featured the Konami logo at the bottom, so I gave Konami a call and asked what in the bloody hell was going on.

Turns out Skelattack is a brand new Metroidvania game developed by California-based studio Ukuza, and Konami has stealthily released it this week on all major formats.

I asked Konami for review code and they graciously sent one over for the Switch, so below you can check out my first 30 minutes with the game. Enjoy!

Skelattack is out now on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC as a digital-only release. I’ll be posting a review on the site once I’ve spent more time with it.

In order that I could make this video, I received a review code from a PR (and a t-shirt, which I wasn’t expecting). The content of my review and the opinions therein were in no way positively influenced by this: if anything, the t-shirt being two sizes too big made me angry.

If you enjoyed this and other content and want to help me make it more frequently, please consider donating to my Patreon account.

Don’t want to commit to a regular payment? I’ve now got a PayPal ‘tips’ jar: if you like what you read feel free to chuck yer man Scullion a couple of quid here or there and help stock up my Irn Bru fund so I can continue working away like a bastard.

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Alternatively, if you can’t afford to support me on Patreon, please do your normal Amazon UK shopping via this link, your Amazon US shopping via this link, or pre-order the product(s) reviewed via the links I provided above. Tired Old Hack is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

Streets of Rage 4 review

Published on by Chris Scullion4 Comments

This review is available in both written and video format. Both versions have the same ‘script’, so if you’re able to watch the video I’d recommend doing that, since you can see the game in action without worrying about missing anything I’ve written. Here’s the video:

Dotemu / Lizardcube
PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC (PS4 version reviewed)

Streets of Rage 2 is one of my top 5 favourite games of all time. To my mind, it’s a virtually flawless game: one that would feel just as immensely satisfying during my thousandth playthrough as it did during the first.

Because of this, you’d think I would have been thrilled when it was announced that Streets of Rage 4 was finally on the way. On the contrary: having watched some of the trailers, I was worried that this may not be the Streets of Rage I knew and loved, and that in the 26(!) years that have passed since the last game, it looked like something special may have been lost.

When I was offered review code for the game a fortnight ago I reluctantly accepted, ready to have my heart broken. Instead, for the past two weeks my heart has been singing from the rooftops. Although it’ll never replace my true love, there’s no denying that Streets of Rage 4 is glorious. Continue reading “Streets of Rage 4 review” →

20 Pokemon who can happily f*** off

Published on by Chris Scullion4 Comments
WARNING: As if it wasn’t already clear by the title, this article is a little swearier than usual. If you have Pokémon-loving kids, please don’t let them read this. Send them to Serebii instead, which is the ultimate Pokémon site.

Pokémon Sword & Shield are now a little more than a month away, and fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the series’ eighth generation.

Well, that is, except for one little issue: it’s been known for some time now that not every Pokémon will be included in the game. Some of the older ones are going to be axed, with developer Game Freak citing development time as the main reason.

This begs the question, then: which Pokémon will be in, and which ones will be out?

Yer man Scullion’s stepped in to solve the problem. Here’s my list of 20 Pokémon we could all happily do without.

To the best of my knowledge – not counting the ridiculous 24-hour stream that’s currently running at the time of writing – none of the Pokémon listed below have already been confirmed for the game (with one exception).

This means almost all of them could still potentially be missing when the game releases on 15 November.

Note: if Vanillite hadn’t already been confirmed it definitely would have been in here too, because it’s just a fucking ice cream cone.

Feel free to share your own most hated Pokémon in the comments. Before that, though, let’s begin the cull. In National Dex order… Continue reading “20 Pokemon who can happily f*** off” →

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch) review

Published on by Chris Scullion2 Comments
Nintendo / Grezzo
Nintendo Switch

links-awakening-switch-boxWhen it comes to the Legend of Zelda series, one game stands out in particular as something of a black horse: a game that defies the normal conventions of the series and introduces a bunch of new ideas.

That game, of course, is Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

What’s that? You were expecting it to be Link’s Awakening? Nah mate, Zelda II. It’s proper side-scrolling and everything. Give it a go, it’s good.

Anyway, I’m digressing. You’re here to read about the Switch version of Link’s Awakening, so let me cut to the chase: it’s bloody good. Not without its issues, but bloody good nonetheless. Continue reading “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch) review” →

Fire Emblem: Three Houses ‘review’ in progress

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment
Nintendo / Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo
Nintendo Switch

fire-emblem-three-houses-coverThere are two genres of console game that strike fear in the heart of reviewers: RPGs and turn-based strategy.

Both tend to take many tens of hours to beat, and given that this inevitably results in a need to ‘take our work home’ with us and commit a large chunk of time to them, the thought of reviewing one fills many with dread.

Yer man Scullion received review code for Fire Emblem: Three Houses about a week ago. Considering it’s not only the latest game in a much-loved turn-based strategy series but also has new features that make it more like an RPG than ever, it’s a lethal cocktail of free time devastation.

The reality, dear reader, is that this game can’t be beaten in a week. Not if you want to play it properly, and also have an adult life with a family and a job. As such, this isn’t a completed review.

After asking my lovely Twitter followers whether I should keep playing and turn in a review late, or just review what I’ve played so far, they showed their commitment to the cause by turning in a reliable 228/228 vote. So I’ve just decided to do the latter.

To make it categorically clear, then: this is not a full review. I have not completed this game. And from what I’ve been told by some peers, there’s a moment something like 40-50 hours in (that I have yet to reach) where shit goes down and everything properly kicks off, so this isn’t even a review of the meat of it.

What it should be, though, is enough to reassure you that Fire Emblem: Three Houses is bloody good, and well worth getting if you’re even slightly interested in the genre. Continue reading “Fire Emblem: Three Houses ‘review’ in progress” →

Hands-on with Nintendo’s E3 2019 demos

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

E3’s all well and good but yer man Scullion can’t be doing with all that hassle. The 13-hour flight to LA would be bad enough, but given my global celebrity status I’m sure I also wouldn’t be able to move for autograph requests, people asking for selfies and offers of marriage.

Thankfully, Nintendo recently invited me to its UK headquarters to spend time with some of its E3 demos, away from all the hustle and bustle of the main show.

Not only that, I was also allowed to record footage for some of the games, meaning below you can see the likes of Link’s Awakening and Luigi’s Mansion 3 in perfect quality as recorded by yours truly.

Here’s my impressions of what I played, along with my videos (including commentary on what you’re seeing) where applicable. Continue reading “Hands-on with Nintendo’s E3 2019 demos” →

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! (Switch) review

Published on by Chris Scullion1 Comment
HumaNature Studios
Switch, Xbox One, PS4, Steam (Switch version reviewed)

I’m not exaggerating when I say the original ToeJam & Earl is one of my favourite games ever (check my Mega Drive Classics video for proof).

Its funky music is among the greatest ever contributed to the medium. Its bizarre sense of humour remains hilarious to this day. And any game that calls you a ‘poindexter’ for levelling up is a classic in my book.

Over the years, this ToeJam & Earl fan has seen his beloved series go through an altogether different kind of funk. The sequel, Panic on Funkotron, was a strange 2D platformer that had an eccentric art style but came nowhere close to the original’s brilliant top-down free-roaming exploration.

A decade later, the third game – ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth – launched as an Xbox exclusive, and I actually blew my entire student loan on an Xbox and a copy of the game, living like a pauper for months so I could play what was an admittedly average threequel.

That Xbox game launched in 2002, but since then… nothing. In the nearly two decades since, I’ve played the original countless times – constantly reliving the days an 8-year-old me first discovered and fell in love with it – while endlessly praying for a comeback.

I’m now 35, and that comeback is finally here. And it’s good. Continue reading “ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! (Switch) review” →