The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (Switch) Review

Title: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nihon Falcom/Engine Software (Switch version)
Publisher: Nippon Ichi Software America
Release Date: June 30th, 2020 (NA)
File Size: 7.3GB

Review copy provided by NIS America

It’s that time again! Not only do I have yet another review of a game published by NISA, but it’s also a game that for quite a long time seemed like it was a pipe dream of ever coming to Switch. Right around two years after the release of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA (which I also reviewed), Falcom and NISA reunited to bring The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III to Switch. How does this game fare? Will it steel your time, or will it leave you cold? Let’s find out!

Physicality Games teases Rabi-Libi for Switch

Physicality Games (which works with Mastiff) has a new newsletter that people can freely sign-up for, and among the perks of doing so will give subscribers exclusive sneak peeks at announcements. Well the first one is a gif teasing Rabi-Libi for Switch (showing the opening cutscene)… which was actually leaked by the ESRB a bit ago. Below is the teaser for the game in full from the newsletter:

HQ images of prototype and cancelled GameCube and Game Boy Advance games

I’ve been hard at work at getting old press kits out to the world. Funny thing is, Atheerios at Resetera pointed out to me that Internet Archive already has a massive, well, archive of a huge bunch of them! So I did some digging on the site and I came across some HQ screens of some lost games you may remember.

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA MegaMix for Switch releases on May 15th in NA, digital-only

Sega have confirmed that Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA MegaMix on Switch will release on May 15th in NA exclusively on the Switch eShop as a digital-only release. Players that pre-load the game will also get theme song pack DLC for free on launch day.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – RtB on Switch now pre-loadable on the eShop in both NA and JP

The Switch version of CyberConnect2’s Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Road to Boruto is now up for pre-load in both North America and Japan at the very least. In Japan, the game will actually only take up 12GB of storage, while in the west it will be 13.1GB (likely due to the addition of the English dub). So it seems like the 40GB report was a mistake on Bandai Namco’s part somehow.

As a perk for pre-ordering the game, you gain the ability to obtain early the 11 new costumes announced for the game, as well as unlocking early 22 playable characters (don’t know who though), and early unlocks for Momoshiki and Kinshiki Otsutsuki who are also playable. As implied, these are 100% obtainable in the game without pre-ordering, but it’s just a perk for doing so! 🙂

The game will launch first in Japan on April 23rd, 2020, while the west will get the game on the following day on April 24th, 2020. The game will get a retail release in Japan (as the trilogy did), but there’s still no word on if the west will as well. Finally, the game in the US will cost $49.99, while in Canada it’s $64.99, compared to the trilogy costing $39.99 and $49.99 respectively. The extra cost, plus the 12/13.1GB size might imply an intention of a 16GB cart physical version in the west (though Bandai Namco does this most often in EU, leaving NA with a digital version).

Are you looking forward to the game? Did you buy any of the prior trilogy on Switch? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂

Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo (Switch) Review

Title: Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Psikyo (original games)/Zerodiv (Switch versions)
Publisher: NISA (NA and EU)/City Connection (JP and eShop WW)
Release Date: February 18th, 2020 (NA)
File Size: 1GB

Review copy provided by NIS America

And here’s the second Psikyo collection! I just reviewed the Alpha collection last month. Both collections have their own set of six classic Psikyo games. It’s worth noting that the vast majority of the 6 games here are shmups of various styles. In fact, they ALL are except for one game and that’s Gunbarich in this collection, which is actually a Block Breaker clone. Anyway, how’s the Bravo collection? Let’s find out!

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 – Road to Boruto on Switch requires 40GB of HDD space!?

Provided this isn’t a goof-up on Bandai Namco’s part, you may need a bigger boat Micro SD Card.

ESRB rates Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee HD for Switch

Earlier it was reported that retailer publisher Microids were teaming up with Oddworld Inhabitants (the creators of the Oddworld franchise) and would be bringing three Oddworld games that would be coming to Switch and would do so at retail by them. The first of which was right away revealed to be Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD, releasing at retail on Switch this spring, and the game was just recently released on the eShop back on January 23rd, 2020.

The reviews section now has a NISA-dedicated list!

It’s no secret that a big chunk of my reviews on here are by NISA. In fact, in 2018, I reviewed EVERY single game they released on Switch. So, I decided to make a list in the reviews section showing only NISA games. I actually left the main list untouched, so NISA’s games will be on that page twice, but it’s just to show the FULL list and how expansive it is.

Let me know if this makes things any easier, or if you have any suggestions, leave me a comment below! 🙂

Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha (Switch) Review

Title: Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Psikyo (original games)/Zerodiv (Switch versions)
Publisher: NISA (NA and EU)/City Connection (JP and eShop WW)
Release Date: January 21st, 2020 (NA)
File Size: 640MB

Review copy provided by NIS America

Time for my first NISA review of 2020! This game is actually a 6-game compilation of Psikyo games previously released on the eShop by Zerodiv. The games are Strikers 1945, Strikers 1945 II, Strikers 1945 III (the only one not on the eShop), Sol Divide, Dragon Blaze, and Zero Gunner 2. All of these came out during the 90’s and early 2000’s. How does this collection fare on Switch? Read on and find out. 🙂