Abram Buehner
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Writing For
GamingTrend 
CBR Latest Reviews
On the whole though, Pac-Man 99 is a spirited and competitive freebie that all Nintendo Switch Online members should try. While the battle royale gimmick is wearing thin across the industry, Pac-Man 99 refreshes the concept through its replayable reimagination of classic arcade gameplay. Even though the DLC is underwhelming, Pac-Man 99 stands alongside Monster Hunter Rise as one of Nintendo's early 2021 delights.
On the whole though, IO Interactive has set the tenor for AAA gaming in 2021. Hitman 3 is a thoughtfully constructed and masterfully designed title. While it could've used another round of polish before release, the PS5 build has the occasional (albeit easily patched) technical hiccup, though nothing that takes away from the overarching success here. In a word, Hitman 3 is elegant.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is the ultimate comic book power fantasy. From its empowering gameplay mechanics which evoke the heroism in the game’s iconic characters to its event comic-styled storyline and presentation, there is a lot for Marvel fans to enjoy here. While the moment to moment gameplay more than justifies the price of admission, when taking a step back, certain facets of the game’s inherent design knock it down a few pegs--but not enough to dissuade me from giving this game a solid recommendation for the comic fans in the room.
Yoshi’s Crafted World is a refreshing, modern 2D platformer from Nintendo that, for once, truly feels new. From its gorgeous aesthetic to its myriad creative level motifs and gameplay ideas, Crafted World embodies the spirit of fun. While the game’s soundtrack is decidedly lackluster and its co-op feels underbaked, this is undeniably the most ambitious and fun 2D platformer from Nintendo in a long, long time.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a game that would have benefited from being released in a vacuum. As it stands, this package is one that can neither live up to Nintendo’s own suite of contemporary 2D platformers or the Deluxe moniker it is tagged with. Even beyond this point, the game is little more than a window into a bygone era of Nintendo. Offering simple, polished platforming action, this title is suited only for those who have exhausted the genre’s other options on Nintendo’s hybrid system.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is outrageous. The game is uncompromisingly zany: full of smart design, fluid combat, and laugh out loud personality front to back. While some may be turned off by its low budget feel and disjointed design, those who can look past these rough edges will find a hack-and-slash so quirky that it’ll be tough not to fall in love. This title stands as a shining beacon of bold creativity and anyone who values risk-taking in games owes it to themself to give Travis Strikes Again a shot.
ABZÛ is nothing short of a work of art. Diving through its gorgeous cel-shaded ocean with the title’s sweeping orchestra in the background enraptured me from the first moment of the game. This is an experience that shouldn't be missed.
Pokémon Let’s Go is a curious game which bucks the established trends of mainline Pokémon titles. The series’ signature, turn-based combat takes a backseat to the experience of simply existing in the world of Pokémon, capturing Kanto’s ‘mons with brand-new, well-executed capturing mechanics. This game lacks many of the “hardcore” features that scores of fans, myself included, have come to expect from a new title. However, in the wake of these features is a Pokémon experience that engaged me in a manner unlike any title in the series’ past.
Super Mario Party is some of the most fun to be had with a local multiplayer game on the Switch. Unfortunately that is compromised by a deluge of limited modes and design decisions that pull the whole package down. Based the fun factor alone, Super Mario Party justifies its price tag for anyone looking for a new game to play with friends. However, Super Mario Party's fun factor well exceeds the title's fundamental design principles--so tempering one's expectations is a must.
At its heart, Megaton Rainfall is a solid superhero score-chaser that understands the freedom of flight, and empowers the player with a myriad of interesting abilities. Random difficulty spikes and a painfully generic design do hold this game back from being the best that the genre has to offer, though. On top of that, Megaton Rainfall, specifically on Switch, falls victim to a series of unacceptable technical issues which both mitigate Megaton Rainfall’s strengths, and aggravate its weaknesses. In its current state, it is impossible for me to recommend this game.