A Year in Review: App Trigger’s video game reviews of 2017

March

• Nintendo Switch (Hardware review) – “As fascinated as I am about what’s here, the missing pieces of the Switch’s puzzle haven’t quite fallen into place for me yet, though I have hope Nintendo can put it all together by the end of 2017.”
• Sublevel Zero Redux  (PS4) – 8/10 – “A vibrant soundtrack, rogue-like gameplay hooks and an old-school sense of exploration elevate Sublevel Zero Redux to a high level of quality. A few tweaks to the crafting, controls, and goal markers will keep you coming back to this game even after you finish the first playthrough.”
• Just Dance 2017 (NS) – 8/10 – “Just Dance 2017 remains the best dancing video game on the market, and the Nintendo Switch takes over as the best platform to play it on simply by virtue of its unique hardware.”
• 1-2-Switch (NS) – 5.5/10 – “1-2-Switch will be relegated to gathering dust on your shelf and having its most innuendo-heavy screenshots be used for bad memes. If you can play a preview of this somewhere, you’ve already seen everything it has to offer.”
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NS) – 10/10 – “Mechanically sound, aesthetically pleasing (often breathtaking), challenging but rewarding, Breath of the Wild is a joyous journey you won’t want to put down, just so you can see what’s on the other side of each new hill.”
• Snipperclips: Cut it out, together! (NS) – 8/10 – “Snipperclips is what you make of it. It’s a non-stop puzzler joy that you can share with friends to demonstrate what the Nintendo Switch can actually do. There’s fairly little depth in terms of replayability, but at a budget price, it fits the niche that can serve seasoned players and newcomers, alike.”
• Fast RMX (NS) – 7.5/10 – “With few bells and whistles, Fast RMX delivers all it promises: it’s a simple, fun, and challenging gravity racer, full stop.”
• Disc Jam (PC) – 7.5/10 – “While not completely fleshed out just yet, Disc Jam provides enough fun and enjoyment with a simple concept for the asking price.”
• Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (NS) – 9/10 – “With more free DLC still to come in the form of a King Knight campaign, the only reason not to pick this up on the Switch is if you already own everything on another platform and are content waiting for the free update.”
• Sniper Elite 4 ‘Deathstorm Part 1: Inception’ (PS4) – “While it’s nice to see that Rebellion is making good on its commitment to free updates and content drops in Sniper Elite 4’s post-launch phase, Part One of Deathstorm doesn’t yet justify going all in the game’s Season Pass, or indeed even buying it separately.”
• Mario Sports Superstars (3DS) – 6/10 – “Should you get this game? If you like Mario Sports in general, well, sure. But if you’re only looking at a single sport or just looking for more 3DS fun before you cave and purchase a Switch, Mario Sports Superstars is a title you can skip without regret.”
• Danganronpa 1&2 Reload (PS4) – 8.5/10 – “Danganronpa 1 & 2 Reload provides a powerful and gripping experience that will keep players addicted from the opening sequence until the final credits begin to roll. If you enjoy disturbing visual novels, odd characters, and solving murders, then Danganronpa 1 & 2 Reload is well worth experiencing.”

• Mass Effect: Andromeda (PS4) – 6.5/10 – “You can almost hear BioWare repeatedly mashing the “Series Reset” button during a play-through of Mass Effect: Andromeda, but the game’s deviation from what we’ve come to expect from the franchise is largely characterized by a downgrade in quality almost across the entire board.”
• Troll and I (PC) – 3.5/10 – “Even Troll’s facial expressions resemble E.T. donning a Bob Marley wig.”
• Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (PS4) – 8/10 – “Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix is a great value for fans of the series looking to have most of the games in once collection on their most current console with several upgrades that even those who own the previous collections might want to consider upgrading for.”
• MLB The Show 17 (PS4) – 8/10 – “MLB The Show 17 takes smart, calculated approaches to improving its gameplay while expanding the Road to the Show Mode with its addition of an ongoing narrative.”
• Has-Been Heroes (NS) – 4.5/10 – “Has-Been Heroes is a brilliant idea that overreached itself in difficulty. A mix of incredibly complex strategy, RNG, weak tutorials, poor UI explanations, and a limp story drag a strong concept into the mud.”
• Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4) – 9.5/10 – “Horizon Zero Dawn at its worst is merely exemplary. At its best, it is a masterclass in engaging combat design.”
• Human Resource Machine (NS) – 7/10 – “Straddling a weird line between far too difficult and a touch too easy, Human Resource Machine has a very specific audience in mind and may not appeal to everyone with eyes on a low-cost Nintendo eShop title.”
• Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City (PC) – 9/10 – “Whereas most DLC works as a throw-in gameplay experience that complements the main game, Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City places itself in the role of an unforgettable farewell.”
• NieR: Automata (PS4) – 9/10 – “NieR: Automata gets so many aspects of what can be done in games right. Making use of multiple playthroughs, the player can experience something only video games can really do with the patience of their audience.”
• Rain World (PC) – 5/10 – “Rain World stuffs its environments with subtext, telling of a beautiful, destroyed world and the beings that lived there in a time before. If only my slugcat could have lived to see every corner of it.”

April

• The Disney Afternoon Collection (PS4) – 8/10 – “The Disney Afternoon Collection is nostalgia done right. While it could have been a little more fully featured, it contains several classics games absolutely worth revisiting, or even checking out for the very first time.”
• Yooka-Laylee (PS4) – 6/10 – “Yooka-Laylee is, for better or for worse, just what backers asked for.”
• Bye-Bye, Boxboy! (3DS) – 7.5/10 – “I found little fault with Bye-Bye Boxboy!, but I also found little to get truly excited about. It’s a peaceful, pleasant, laidback sort of game from start to finish, but there were no moments of brilliance or surprise.”
• Mr. Shifty (PC) – 6/10 – “It’s a serviceable top-down brawler for a fair price, but it’s nothing to shift your pants over.”
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS) – 9/10 – “It’s Mario Kart 8, but on the Nintendo Switch now. I think it’s worth the full-priced upgrade costs, but if you’re still getting use out of your Wii U version, perhaps it’s best to wait until it makes sense for you and your friends.”
• Telltale’s Guardians of the Galaxy Episode 1: Tangled Up in Blue (PC) – 8/10 – “Whether or not the story goes places will make or break this series, but “Tangled Up In Blue” sets up a dynamic cast that will be fun to follow on their journey.”
• Puyo Puyo Tetris (NS) – 7.5/10 – “I feel Puyo Puyo Tetris is a great and, arguably, essential pick up for those who like brain-teasing puzzle games that require lightning fast reflexes and thinking.”
• Sniper Elite 4 ‘Deathstorm Part 2: Infiltration” (PS4) – 6/10 – “Rebellion continues to stay within its comfort zone, which makes Infiltration another perfectly average piece of DLC that no one is compelled to play.”
• The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 4: Thicker Than Water (PC) – 6/10 – “The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is at a crossroads. In setting up an explosive finale, the player’s predictable busywork and inconsequential story as Javier fall into predictable, repeated tropes.”
• Dragon Quest Heroes II (PS4) – 5/10 – “I have never played a Dragon Quest game of any kind. After my experience with Dragon Quest Heroes II, I am not sure if I ever want to play a Dragon Quest game.”
• What Remains of Edith Finch (PS4) – 9/10 – “Yes, it’s a slow-paced, story-driven walking sim, but What Remains of Edith Finch is also one of the finest of its kind; an example of how the genre can tell stories in a way which no other form can achieve, and an enthralling journey from start to finish.”
• Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 (PS4) – 4/10 – “It’s another predictable Americentric military parade featuring a bloke named “John.””