Nintendo Switch Sports Review – Par For The Course

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo

Wii Sports and its Resort follow-up were watershed moments for motion-control entertainment. Sports simulators usually underscore realism. And yet Nintendo’s family-centric approach to the genre imbued a selection of competitive activities with accessible interactions, lighthearted art direction, and catchy jingles. Switch Sports attempts to replicate that magic for a contemporary audience with sleek visuals, minigames that feel distinctive but familiar, and avatar customization coupled with ranked multiplayer. Switch Sports is a slam dunk choice for gatherings, but a lack of mechanical depth and repetitive content make the hand-swinging, leg-kicking thrills lamentably short-lived. 

Wii Sports’ infectiously cheery vibe returns as soon as Switch Sports is booted up. A bright color palette and glorious musical crescendos complement the inviting, enthusiastic atmosphere. Humanoid Sportsmates (selectable counterparts to Miis) with customizable cosmetics and the Spocco Square athletic facility parallel the game’s enhanced aesthetic. Each arena boasts futuristic architecture, from platforms above turquoise pools to slick courts with breathtaking views of the city skyline. Switch Sports is undoubtedly eye-catching, but these six mostly vacant zones lose their charm after a few matches. 

 

The same can be said, albeit to a lesser degree, for the events scattered throughout Spocco Square. The offerings are geared toward all age groups and proficiencies – some activities require simple wrist flicks or arm strokes, while others are appropriately complex, melding JoyCon movements with button presses. Tennis and Bowling remain impressively polished; powerful slams and obstacle courses add a welcome challenge to the mix. Volleyball is refreshingly team-oriented, emphasizing clear communication to block, receive, or score. Chambara (Wii Resort’s Swordplay) occasionally suffers from finicky inputs but is a sweaty romp, with most bouts amounting to chaotic, sword-clanging flurries. Badminton is my favorite; the floaty shuttlecock forced me to consider timing and shot combinations, leading to some fantastic comebacks and heartbreaking defeats. Conversely, Soccer’s expansive pitch and grueling stamina wheel meant I spent more time trying to catch up to the ball instead of directly interacting with it. Moreover, the leg strap-reliant “shoot out” mode – kick an incoming ball into the net – staled because it lacked the other sports' strategic intensity and exciting hyperactivity. 

Switch Sports shines brightest in local and global playlists. Competing against loved ones brings ferocity and hilarity in equal measure. Matchmaking with random players leads to exhilarating battles and gifts currency. Every 100 points, I opened gift boxes and received randomized gear, including multicolored tennis rackets, clothes, and emotes, among many other personalized items. Fortunately, these points come in bunches and are guaranteed regardless of the outcome, encouraging me not to lose hope or quit a match early even if a loss was all but decided. While several vanity pieces were unremarkable – monochrome baubles like silver earrings or black glasses – this simple progression system kept me engaged and eager to dive back into the action. Throw in the Pro League, a ranked mode that unlocks after finishing any sport ten times, and the online multiplayer becomes a proving ground for anyone looking to stand above the rest. I enjoyed testing my might against equally dedicated contestants and attempting to outsmart/outplay them in down-to-the-wire rallies.

With a Golf update planned for Fall 2022, it’s safe to assume Nintendo sees Switch Sports as a worthy successor to Wii Sports. And in some ways, it is. A seemingly endless supply of rotating collectible packs and skill-based intensity makes the game’s online multiplayer dynamic. Even classic sports like Bowling and Chambara are improved with elimination rulesets and charge/twin swords, respectively. However, after a few fun-filled hours, I experienced all of Switch Sports’ playable components and occasionally lost interest after long stints of game time. Switch Sports doesn’t step out of Wii Sports’ long shadow, but it’s still a solid runner-up.   

LITERALLY IN A LEAGUE OF YOUR OWN

Switch Sports’ singleplayer is bafflingly hollow. All six events are available, but the reward system is absent. Gratification might come from defeating the CPU on the inconsistent “Strong” or “Powerhouse” difficulties, but don’t expect to receive anything flashy in exchange. As of right now, there are no incentives in place to keep casual players invested in returning to their favorite sports, which is a disservice to a sizeable percentage of the fanbase. 

Score: 7.5

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Loot River Review – Pieces Sailing Into Place

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: straka.studio
Developer: straka.studio

Billed as a union between Soulslikes and Tetris, Loot River delivers this intriguing combination with style. Every moment swings between slick puzzle-solving and smooth action. Players should expect to continually die in Loot River’s darkly atmospheric levels, with each death setting you back to square one. However, the thrilling gameplay and rippling pixel art make it hard to resist one more run.

I begin on a raft; a pitiful mattress and discarded junk are scattered around me. I know I am in the Sunken Village, a miserable-looking place with rotting wood decks floating atop murky waters, but not much else. The tone and cryptic story scream Dark Souls, especially when I find a note: “This is no kingdom; it’s a tomb.”

Getting from place to place, no matter the level, requires me to shift around multi-shaped platforms with the right joystick while controlling my character with the left. Navigating through narrow corridors and platform-choked arenas makes me constantly swap from one shape to the next just to find my way through. I was worried this might be unwieldy, but after a few moments of getting adjusted to the controls, it feels instinctual and provides a sense of accomplishment outside of combat. The flowing pixelated waves following in my wake also give the world a wonderfully dynamic feel.

The procedurally generated, block-sliding labyrinths are never the same twice, and the designers also do a great job at ensuring that each level provides a unique challenge. Tiered platforms or traps that set fire to my raft add deeper, and sometimes urgent, layers to the traversal’s problem-solving design. I am often caught off-guard by enemies with unexpected abilities, like the insidious monsters that lock a platform in place until killed.

The unusual movement mechanic lends itself well to the combat. I often charge up an attack, pull up next to an enemy’s raft, and unleash a crushing blow before gliding away untouched or using a magic spell to go temporarily invisible. Besides this, parrying is my go-to strategy. Getting the timing right opens up my opponents to a devastating counterattack which makes me momentarily impervious. It’s incredible how powerful landing that perfect attack feels.

Loot River’s heart-pounding combat and traversal-by-puzzle design are built on a roguelike foundation. I fight my way through creative and distinctive areas until an adversary finally gets the better of me. Then the process starts all over at the first level, with most of my hard-won upgrades lost. Progression doesn’t work like a Souls game, and ditching that expectation early on helped me better enjoy the experience.

It is tempting to equate Knowledge, an in-game currency sometimes dropped by defeated opponents, to Souls from the game’s inspiration. But while I could spend the resource to permanently unlock better gear from specific vendors, I couldn’t use it to upgrade my stats. Leveling depends entirely on the number of enemies defeated in a run, and typically every stat drops back to starting levels upon death. Also, just because I unlocked a new weapon or armor option with my Knowledge didn’t mean I always had access to it. There are some ways to influence what kinds of gear I'd have at the beginning of a run, but getting hard-hitting weapons or stat-boosting accessories mostly came down to what loot monsters dropped or what I could find in chests. It can be a brutal and frustrating cycle, but it is also so satisfying to find a game-changing item early on or perfectly tailor my stats to that run’s needs. Even with this system’s hurdles, I always got sucked back into the fray.

It’s not all doom and struggle, however. Successfully clearing a level or succumbing to an inevitable death brought me back to a tranquil hub called the Sanctuary. The bright environment boasts chirping birds, a healing monument, helpful NPCs, and pettable chickens (which I visited between every mission for good luck). My quest, undying state, and ability to shift the world under my feet are all linked to the relic in this peaceful zone’s center. While a little ambiguous, the narrative is thought-provoking. The characters bound to this miraculous and ominous object ask me to consider the price of its power, even as I happily take advantage of it to continue the looping gameplay.  

It took me a little over six hours to get my first victory screen, but that wasn’t the end of the game. Unlocking everything, uncovering secrets, and piecing together the lore are all a part of the almost inexhaustible experience. It can be acutely irritating to fall victim to a first-level foe after nearly making it to the last boss in the previous run, but the game is hard to put down. Loot River reimagines some of its inspirations' best elements, offering players a chance to sail cleverly through each environment, grow powerful enough to slice up once-impossible threats, and unravel a story that smartly weaves into its gameplay.

Score: 8.5

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NBA 2K22 Review – Minor But Compelling Roster Additions

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Also on: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Visual Concepts
Rating: Everyone

Like every NBA team, Visual Concepts must get ready for another season and try to improve its roster and make the lineup stronger. Last year's entry was all about making the jump to new-gen hardware and truly taking advantage of the tech with impressive graphics and lightning-fast load times. You could say the developer found its core players when it made that move, but as with every roster, there's always room to grow into a title contender. Visual Concepts hasn't found its championship year, but it made some solid improvements and changes to get there eventually. NBA 2K22 may not feel significantly different from last year, but some bright spots make it more fun to play and set a promising foundation for the future.

The gameplay, which has always been top-notch, doesn't make any huge shifts from the formula. It took me a few games before I truly appreciated the enhancements. This year focuses on rewarding your basketball IQ and having more realistic features, like fatigue, factor into your performance. That doesn't mean your star players won't shine and easily be able to dominate the game, but you might miss a few more baskets or get blown past for being out of position more than in previous entries. It's a change I'm all for, as previously it felt like overpowered stars mattered more than playing good team basketball. 

The defensive game is where the tweaks are most noticeable, as positioning can make or break you. If you don't cut off your man appropriately or commit to the wrong play, you pay for it. Blocking and shot contests are reworked, so predictable plays are properly defended more realistically. I also really like the new shot meter, which takes into account shooting ability, distance, fatigue, and defensive coverage. Getting a basket is a good mix of skill and player talent that previous entries have struggled to perfect. You also can't take anything for granted and assume that since your player is elite, the shot will go in, and forcing a shot up often fails. Some new dribble moves provide more variety to ball handling, and this is another area where the differences in player skill are evident in how they look and feel when dribbling. 

As for modes, MyCareer probably saw the most significant changes, taking place entirely in The City. In this sprawling multiplayer hub, players can do everything from shopping for new clothing to playing in pick-up games and tournaments. That means you're no longer following a huge cinematic, authored storyline as in previous years; instead, you're living out your NBA career in this venue, visiting agents at their headquarters, meeting with reporters for exclusive interviews, and going to the practice facility for team practices. Visual Concepts has leaned into the RPG elements, with a huge quest system that ensures your player always have something to do, whether it's working on their NBA career, advancing their personal brand, or taking on online challenges for extra goodies.

MyCareer still has a story path, playing as "MP" an up-and-comer who turned heads with his YouTube channel and is carving out his own unique path in the NBA. This approach feels fresher than previous years, with Visual Concepts choosing to show the different ways players can make a name for themselves and how social media can play a huge role in a player's rise to fame. You can decide to focus solely on basketball or build your brand with ventures into music and fashion. During my time, I released a track with rapper The Game and started my own clothing line for comfortable but stylish athletic apparel. The story is silly at times, but I enjoyed it for that reason. This mode also adds some fun diversions from the NBA season, but be aware that if you do enter the fashion track, you're expected to use the virtual currency (VC), which you can earn in-game or buy using real-world money, on clothing to impress. That said, the mode is still a grind, and it doesn't help that most quests are repetitive, sometimes being a rehash of the same content (the music trivia is egregious) or require you to participate in boring fetch quests. The City is still a pain to get around until you open up better vehicles and additional fast travel options beyond your apartment. 

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You only enter The City as a male MyPlayer, which is disappointing. NBA 2K22 does bring back The W if you want to forge your own WNBA career. While this mode laid a great foundation last year, it's disheartening that Visual Concepts didn't build off it more for NBA 2K22. The only significant addition is the ability to practice with other WNBA stars to learn their skills alongside some gameplay improvements to better mirror the women's game, especially in the passing department. However, the mode feels vacant of meaningful interactions and rewarding content. I'd love to see scenes and press conferences to really showcase my player's personality and choices about her path in the league, as you see in MyCareer. 

MyGM is also very similar to last year, except with more staff members for various positions to hire, such as a sleep doctor or perimeter defense coach. This encourages you to think more about hires. Do they fit your coach's system? Do you put up with staff members who have a negative trait or two in favor of their other superior skills and perks? It's a small addition but gives you a bit to think about when assessing your team's needs. This mode is fun but is beginning to lose its allure due to not having any significant changes in recent years.

MyTeam, where you open card packs to create the roster of your dreams, got one of my favorite additions: drafting. Now you can build a roster by flipping over three cards in a pack of five to create your team at various positions. It adds some unpredictability and luck to the equation, but I enjoyed creating a team this way to play others online. Depending on your wins and losses, you get extra rewards and more attempts at drafting players to keep making your team better. 

For those who like getting goodies and seeing your work going toward something, seasons are now across all the game's main modes. Seasons run every six weeks and allow you to get free items like clothing, card packs, and more. All you need to do is complete objectives (mostly playing games) to reach certain reward tiers. Modes like MyTeam and MyCareer have daily rewards that give you small freebies just for logging in. This is a smart change; I always felt like I had something to look forward to, and it helped to have some rewards to chase as an incentive to keep playing. While this is an improvement, microtransactions still rear their ugly head in NBA 2K22; most players put down VC to up their player's stats faster or get lured by cosmetic items to improve their look. You earn VC by playing games, but it is a grind, which is why so many reach into their wallets. At the very least, clothing pricing seems more reasonable, but players only have slow-moving skateboards to navigate The City, which seems like a carrot to get them to upgrade. 

Instead of walking into the arena and making a grand statement, NBA 2K22 just plays decent basketball. You'll see a few highlight clips, but none that make you want to keep watching in awe. Still, NBA 2K22 is an improvement over last year, even if it's disappointing that it's not making more significant moves. Hopefully, next year we see more shakeups to the lineup to make the game a little more exciting and feel like Visual Concepts is gunning for that championship title. 
 

Score: 7.75

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Concept: Build on the innovations from last year's new-gen console debut while adding some new touches across all modes

Graphics: The ultra-realistic player models and their on-court moves wonderfully resemble the real world. The little details, from the crowd to sweat on the players, are a nice touch

Sound: Once again, the soundtrack provides energizing beats to get you in the zone, while the commentary still stands as some of the best in sports games

Playability: The new shot meter goes a long way in providing a smoother, more natural experience. Those with high basketball IQ on both sides of the court should often prevail

Entertainment: NBA 2K22 makes some smart and interesting changes and refinements. Unfortunately, they aren't a large enough leap to truly dazzle the audience

Replay: High

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