Missy's Game Shelf

Fantasy Life i The Girl Who Steals Time finally released and it is okay. There are things I like and things I hate. Moves are now unlocked in a skill tree and points are given out by what you are doing as opposed to learning them when you rank up. One thing I liked was when you rank up in the original characters dialogue would change depending on your current rank it was small, but it was charming. The map is confusing the original had simple short maps that focused on the challenges and a more fixed camera here the maps it takes some getting used to. The original also only had one level up for the game, in this game for some reason it splits your level among the Lives. I hate this change because it means that when facing a difficult challenge I can’t just do something else until I’m an appropriate level this introduces a grind that wasn’t there before. While I do think that some of these systems are carried from the mobile game they had it feels clunky for a full release. I plan to play the game a little more and provide a full review, but even with it’s flaws there are things I like and I hope the good can outweigh the bad, but at least for now I still prefer the original game over this.

We are going to do something different today and talk about games that aren’t part of their series. While some developers love these like Scott Cawthan others like Nintendo hate these. Oddly, I’ve only heard of Nintendo attacking straight ports or when people attempt to make money off these. For example, Pokemon Unbound and Mario Kaizo are likely known by Nintendo, but neither make money and are completely free. Whereas games on specific websites making money off advertising or people charging for their properties that gets banned quickly. There is a lot to love and hate about Fan Games for one a lot of the time talented people in these communities tend to be first time programmers and developers experimenting and some even go on to make their own games. Let’s not forget Earthbound Halloween Hack was technically Toby Fox’s first game available to the public and multiple developers of Sonic Fan Games now work for SEGA directly. Also, some of these add more as well as can be exactly what the fans are looking for something familiar yet sometimes completely it’s own. Now the things I hate Fan Games that add nothing but increased difficulty while this isn’t a large problem for Fan Games I think it is a problem depending on the game. While telling the same story is fine, but increased difficulty can break the balance and if I already played through that same story before I will get bored. Fortunately, just as many Roms exist telling their own stories and having their own mechanics. Further Fan games also can be a way of keeping a franchise alive if games get dull or boring and some can even surpass what the original games. It is a double edged sword you don’t know what you’re getting with these sometimes it’s amazing and feels like an actual project other times it just isn’t balanced, a bad game, or just boring grind fest. If you do have legitimate copies of these games I recommend giving a few fan games a chance and who knows you may be playing something that helps them create their own game in the future. I mean no one predicted a Rom Hack of Earthbound would one day help someone create Undertale or that a few fan games for Sonic would lead to the creation of Sonic Mania. So it is clear talented fans can create great things off of their passion and talent alone and I want to encourage more fan game devs to try and make their own products and see what they can really do without fear of being taken down by large companies.

Normally, I avoid reviewing a mobile game simply because most of the time they are just grind fests, riddled with Microtransactions, or some idle game. Evo Creo and its now sequel aren’t great still can’t tell if the $5 was worth it or not. Evo Creo is a creature capture RPG similar to Pokemon, Nexomon, and Coromon. That does not make this game good. For the first half of the game it is rather standard and doesn’t spike in difficulty too much, but the second half is a grind fest and not exactly fun. The game is pretty stingy on exp too level up is slow at that point. I would forgive this, but the original game made the same mistake and I’d argue that one did it worse simply due to having a level cap. Further, there are little to no new monsters in this sequel game. I’m not saying having a large amount of monsters returning is a bad thing, but it shows little effort if most of the monsters are repeats. Don’t misunderstand returning monsters happen all the time in these games, but Nexomon and Pokemon often have them only available in Post Game or just a small amount of them.

Combat is largely type based certain types do more or less damage depending on the move. The meter stamina is full at the start of each battle and every move has a slot number from 1-3 and the player has a maximum of 6 slots for moves. There are four types of moves, Elite, Special, Basic, and Recovery. Elite moves use the most Stamina and will mostly drain your stamina in exchange for a powerful move most of the time with a debuff, Recovery also drains your stamina, but you get a large amount of health, Special are less powerful than Elite, but also drain less energy, and Basic are the least powerful but don’t drain as much stamina and can be used if you are waiting for the meter to fill.

Level design isn’t fun either often rather confusing many areas have a labrynth with several dead ends. puzzles are pretty straightforward and not worth thinking about, and the amount of confusion just to get from one place to another is horrible.

Next side quests often force you to wait till you get to the next town or the end of the game this makes these pointless. Side quests often help the player get things to make upcoming fights easier but since you often have to wait before even completing one it is a horrible system if the immidiate targets and quests can’t be completed. Also, several quests have special abilities tied to them think of these abilities as this games HM system but worse. HM’s can at least be taught anywhere on the map in Evo Creo 2 you need to find specific tutors and only after completing their side quests do you get the abilities this means should you need an ability there is a good chance you need to make a trip to a house in some town halfway across the map. an early quest has someone who needs help finding his gloves only to reveal he lost them in a end game area that you are far too weak to get them and he teaches the abaility to destroy rocks.

I find this game pretty boring, from the lack of exp, to bosses that need to be grinded for or the use of tons of healing items. As well as a lack of new monsters makes this more of a struggle than it needs to be.

4/10 Lack of imagination, too grindy

If it wasn’t obvious by now I can’t afford $80 games and a nearly $600 system so this year will close any kind of disscussion on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. My last game for Switch will likely be the Switch version of Pokemon Legends ZA. After that I will be playing more XBOX and Steam games starting with Sea of Stars. By that time the latest Digimon Story game will likely have a release for most platforms. Now this won’t be an immediate change, I still plan on reviewing Fantasy Life i which finally had a price drop likely due to backlash, Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma, and the Switch version of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar remake game. So after this announcement I will be reviewing Evo Creo 2 later, but expect more variety and more games on different systems later this year.

Evo Creo was an okay creature capture game for mobile. Unlike Nexomon and Cronomon never went on to make port games to other platforms. Which is weird due to the fact the original is a fairly average game. I’d actually say this sequel is worse. Strange that both these games are $5 and the first one was better. First, the game trades straightforward level design for a more labryinth approach these areas are full of dead ends with at most a item in it and tend to drag on, second while there are new monsters this games dex is filled with monsters from the previous game meaning the monsters I fought in the first few hours I already knew how to fight from playing the first game as they share type, moveset, and stats. I get bringing in familiar monsters from a previous game Nexomon Extiction did it too, but that was a free update and they were exclusive to an island as well as new legendaries during the post game as a reward. Lastly, I really think the star system is just padding to get the best monsters can be hours of grinding other games do have their own system too Chronomons potential system comes to mind, but while that added buffs you really never rely on it through regular gameplay while in Evo Creo and its sequel you do. There are microtransations, but the game has no ads and the pay to win stuff is more treated as a few exp boosts so completely optional.

This isn’t a bad game just not one I was expecting I have only played for a few hours and the mechanics of the original are still there, but take getting used to. Maybe more time to tell. It hits the mark of overly grindy mobile game for $5.

I meant to do a review of this game sooner and even had a draft ready, but things got busy and I forgot about it. Since then that review has been outdated so here is a review of the game years late and with the latest patch.

Cassette Beasts is a Creature Capture RPG released on all platforms. I played the Switch version. It is a lot harder than other games in this genre. Type effectiveness is also different every monster has a type and as it gains experience points it earns stars. At 5 stars the creature can evolve into a new form. Each monster also has specific buffs and debuffs with its type. if a Monster has the type advantage then damage can still be done but the monster will often put a few debuffs and if the opposite monster attacks then the monster will get buffs. This can be used as certain buffs are more useful than others.

Fights can seem repetitive though and work differently than even most games. You don’t need to worry about level too much, rather than monsters leveling up traditionally the character levels up and the monster earns stars and can evolve or remaster after 5 stars. The game has an AP or stamina system you start with no stamina and can earn 1-3 per turn. This is due to a common status affect called energized which gives you three and drained which gives one. Also certain moves can steal AP. More powerful moves cost a lot of it so there is a risk. use your weakest moves and try and save up or use healing and status moves to help gain an advantage.

The game is mostly open world you can do tasks at your own pace keep in mind that one side of the map has easier monsters than the other the game loads one side at a time so you will only be surprised at the jump in levels the first time and even then you can run from battles and fast travel to the main town to heal or any previously defeated train station. Campsites cost wood but you’ll often have thousands regardless.

The games story revolves around the characters stuck on an island after mysterious circumstances and trying to get back to their own world while battling powerful creatures. It is overall a fun game that I would recommend to anyone.

Score: 9/10

This year I didn’t go into my thoughts for the recent directs too much simply because I don’t plan on getting a Switch 2. All Playstation and Xbox have to do this year is announce prices to win people over and they get a majority of gamers. The Switch 2 is releasing with a $500 price tag and the added price of $80 games. The Switch 2 is mostly just the Switch with a bigger screen and better frame rate. If that wasn’t enough the games are coming out for $80 far more than the industry standard. No one really knows why Nintendo is trying this especially after Xbox tried and failed this sort of thing a few years ago. Further, I don’t know anyone who could afford this with recent inflation and prices going up as well as a recession in the US it is by far the most tone deaf announcement people are struggling to buy anything and this price hike will cause even more people to avoid anything they release. Also the whole re-release of games already out as well as charging more and even charging to get the current version updated is also poor business. When games on Playstation and Xbox release on previous generations usually an update comes out for free to try and mimic the higher standards as best they can comes out and sometimes it looks on par or even better depending on the game. Most of the third party games will likely release on Steam and other Consoles and the other Nintendo games announced some are releasing on Switch and others are already out on Switch. A few interviews and Nintendo representatives have spoken saying the tariffs placed on Japan are the reason for this as the Switch 2 is easily $150 cheaper in other areas. This also may explain the games going up in price and the delay in pre order not that anyone is lining up for that price.. Consumers are paying for the tariff not the billionaires who make these things. All that will really happen is Nintendo will lose significant markets then when Playstation or Xbox say their prices people will go to what is more sustainable for their wallets. Nintendo will then panic and lower prices to be more appealing. How do I know this? It happened with the 3DS and Wii U they already tried this and it failed miserably. They have the nerve to claim that it is due to the experience they are charging so much I remember the “experiences” I had when Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and Pokemon Sword and Sheild, all experienced slow down and crashes I don’t think they are variable pricing or even worth the $60 let alone $80. Got some news for Nintendo Horizon Zero Dawn, Crash Team Racing, and Spyro Reignited Triliogy are all $60 and in my opinion better than Zelda, Mario Kart, or Odessey simply because they are worth the price nothing is worth $80 from Nintendo.

Sources:

Frushtick, Russ. “Why the Switch 2 is so expensive, according to Nintendo.” Polygon, Apr 7, 2025, https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/553517/price-interview-tariffs. Accessed April, 8 2025

The Switch 2 Direct announced last week is ready and it is time to look at upcoming and launch titles for the system.

Mario Kart World

Mario Kart is the first thing announced this makes me wonder if Link and the Animal Crossing Villagers will return or will more characters come from other games. We know planes and other vehicles are being added strangely making me think of Diddy Kong Racing for Nintendo 64. Really time to wait and see what this game turns out to be. This game is coming out when the Switch 2 releases and more information on its own Direct on the 17th of April.

Next was Gamechat which lets you talk with friends while playing a game. We already have that its called Discord, but seems more integrated in Switch 2. Also introducing game share where you can play together using multiple systems and only own one copy of a game.

Next Hardware for the Switch 2 a bigger screen and buttons are great but it compounds the drift glitch I am wondering if they will continue to ignore that or fix it with Switch 2. It also has better sound and the better storage means downloading and saved data easier. There seems to be some backwards compatibility though not every game is playable.

A tech demo game Nintendo Switch Welcome Tour announced and it seems to be a focus on the hardware of the Switch with minigames to test it and introduce the new features to players. Which most will likely discover on their own through regular gameplay anyway. It also looks like there will be a new Pro Controller. The new system will launch June 5th this year.

Next a few switch games will be reciving upgrades and rereleases on Switch 2. Mario Party Jamboree will get a new game mode that uses the camera, Kirby and the forgotten lands will have new story elements, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Pokemon Legends ZA and Metroid Prime 4 will have enhanced graphics and gameplay compared to switch as well.

Next a game focusing on the mouse control capabilities of the new Joy Con, Drag and Drive. you move by dragging the controller honestly it didn’t seem that interesting and just was a basketball game with a strange control scheme. It releases summer if that interests you.

Elden Ring is coming to Switch 2 as a new edition. The Souls gameplay and difficult yet oddly the most forgiving game in the series. Hades 2 is also coming to Switch 2. Capcom is bringing Street Fighter 6 to Switch 2 along with amiibo of the fighters. Deamon X Machina was announced and aside from flashy visuals nothing else is really known. Split Fiction a sci fi fantasy game similar to It Takes Two where you and a friend need to beat the game by working together. EA then announced its latest travesty coming to Switch a sports game not much else. Hogwarts Legacy is getting a rerelease on Switch 2 I already 100% completed it on Switch so I’d prefer a sequel or followup. A remake of Tony Hawk 3 and 4 is coming to Switch 2 I would care, but the absolute state Tony Hawk 5 released in makes me have doubts. Hitman World of Assassination is coming to Switch 2 the stealth game was announced by IO Interactive alongside a 007 James Bond game 007 games are usually shooters so it is nice to see a developer who specializes in stealth games take the reigns and with James Bonds gadgets it seems a good way to tackle the character in new ways. A remaster of the 3DS game Bravely Default is coming to Switch 2 with new features and minigames. Yakuza 0 is having another rerelease how many times is that now seems this game is rivalling Skyrim with the amount of ports. Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment is coming to Switch 2 in the winter by Koei Teckmo I assume a sequel to age of Calamity and takes place prior to Tears of the Kingdom. Deltarune chapters 1-4 are coming to Switch 2. Borderlands 4, Civ 7, and WWE 2K is also releasing from Take Two games. From Software announced Dusk Bloods another painful yet rewarding Souls game from the developer known for their unforgiving yet rewarding games. Also a lot of games from the previous direct will have Switch 2 enhanced versions. Finally Kirby Air Riders and Donkey Kong Bananza I’m more interested in Kirby since this spinoff was fun but never recieved the proper attention I’m glad they are bring it back. Donkey Kong seems to be a 3D platformer with all of Donkey Kongs exclusive abilities like punching, climbing and takling.