Darren Palma


131 games reviewed
75.6 average score
80 median score
90.1% of games recommended
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Nov 11, 2018

Either way, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection isn’t for everyone. Many of the games here really haven’t aged quite as well as others developed for the same generation. If rummaging through the nostalgia of gaming history does appeal to you though, then this mid-range priced time capsule could very well be worth your investment.

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5 / 10 - SkyScrappers
Oct 29, 2018

There’s not really much more to be said about SkyScrappers other than that having a vertical Tate Mode is always a nice feature if you happen to own a stand to support it. I suppose the benefit of such an addition along with multiple Joy-Con controllers at the ready does make this particular game somewhat suited for Nintendo Switch. It’s just a shame that there isn’t enough here to keep you coming back for more.

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Oct 26, 2018

I had a lot of fun with My Hero One’s Justice. There’s something about the game’s simplicity that felt refreshing in not needing to completely commit myself into learning the ropes. It’s a fun fighter to take on the go, too, allowing for players to split the Joy-Con for a quick, convenient throwdown. It may not have the most robust features in a fighting game, and there is a lot here that could be improved upon, but, despite this, the easy to learn gameplay system and over-the-top combat results in an entertaining score-settler regardless of whether you’re a fan of the series or not.

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Oct 23, 2018

On the bright side, Nickelodeon Kart Racers is the kind of game you can buy for a nephew that you can’t stand. Just think. On the surface, his parents will give you brownie points for such an appealing looking gift. The nephew, on the other hand, will know full well that you have completely screwed him over.

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Oct 22, 2018

Mark of the Ninja Remastered is a great stealth game that fits nicely as a portable time-killer. The gameplay takes every stealth trick from Metal Gear Solid’s book and translates them into two-dimensions wonderfully well.

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Oct 17, 2018

Dark Souls Remastered has built a reputation for its sadistic design. This can certainly be the case for anyone that dares to dive headfirst into danger without a second thought. What I took from the experience was a simulated life lesson in paying attention and thinking for yourself to work out how to smartly move forward to achieve small ambitious goals.

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If you have not yet had the chance to dive into Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, then there’s probably no better way to do so than on the Nintendo Switch. The £11.99 price tag won’t break the bank for what is a worthy melee-oriented Metroidvania complete with plenty of references to some of Nintendo’s finest IP’s.

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Sep 30, 2018

It’s fantastic to see that Dragon Ball FighterZ transitions as well as it does to the most versatile games console on the planet. The game looks and plays great on the portable home console and stands as one of the best and most faithful anime licensed titles on the market.

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9 / 10 - Mega Man 11
Sep 30, 2018

Whether you’re a fan of the franchise or not, I would highly recommend Mega Man 11. For those who are as diehard as they come, there’s no better way to upgrade your Nintendo Switch into a fully-fledged Mega Man machine than to top it off with this wonderfully formed little cherry bomb of a sequel.

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The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 2 – Suffer The Children was always going to be the more undermined episode in needing to lay down the groundwork for what’s to come. It’s the seasonal point of a series structure that shifts from the introduction of the cast members into the darker depth of what could potentially lie ahead.

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8 / 10 - Velocity 2X
Sep 19, 2018

Velocity 2X may be four-years-old at this point, but that doesn’t mean that the gameplay has passed its sell-by date. There’s a certain addictive quality to this ultra-fast reaction-based puzzle blaster that can risk making you feel useless at first until something in your brain finally clicks into beast mode. During the time that I spent with the game my fingers slipped, my brain momentarily lapsed, I swore a lot and blamed my age. However, once I did finally submit to the cockpit’s demands, it didn’t take long until I felt like a Jedi on a joyride.

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Sep 18, 2018

The games in the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle may be short, shallow and repetitive by nature, but these arcade classics are an important slice of gaming history and still make for a perfect high score wager between friends. In any case, for £17.99, it is an affordable catch up for those that are either interested in the history of the beat ’em up genre or fancy an interactive trip down memory lane.

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Sep 16, 2018

The Adventure Pals may not be the deepest or most challenging game in the platforming genre. Nonetheless, it still manages to stay fun thanks to its topsy-turvy plot, accessibility and the neat ideas that are sewn into the charm of its art style.

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Sep 10, 2018

Lifeless Planet: Premiere Edition may very well gain a few new fans based solely on its narrative. Unfortunately, the tedious ordeal of having to traipse around the planet for half a dozen hours like a clumsy jelly baby just doesn’t make the plot strong enough to be worth the hassle. While it may not sound like it, I do appreciate the hard work and effort it takes to independently craft an environment of such scale. However, it really doesn’t excuse the fact that this is an incredibly poorly made game, regardless of how interesting its premise may be.

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Sep 5, 2018

SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy takes the spirit of Neo Geo Pocket’s Gal Fighter and spices it up into something very different on the current market. While it’s not clear at the moment on what corner of the market it is actually aiming for, there’s still a good chance that this game will conjure up its own following.

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7 / 10 - Planet Alpha
Sep 3, 2018

While it never emotionally enticed me quite as much as games like Journey or Embers of Mirrim did, I still found Planet Alpha’s Pandora-inspired world a mesmerising and interesting place to explore.

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Aug 29, 2018

Now that the dust has settled from the successful trailblaze left by Sonic Mania, Freedom Planet gets to have another crack at filling the withdrawals left behind by the blue blur. In this regard, Freedom Planet does enough to serve that cause while presenting a decent amount of gameplay changes to stand on its own feet. It’s just more unfortunate that its core gameplay style is so inevitably comparable to the classic formula.

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Aug 28, 2018

Blade Strangers does a decent enough job at building the bridge between the simplicity of Pocket Rumble and the anime flair of BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. The lean towards concentrating on core fundamentals makes this all-star brawler an approachable but enjoyable throwdown for those that are keen to make their mark in the genre.

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10 / 10 - The Messenger
Aug 27, 2018

The Messenger is a prime example of how to study the fundamental rules of a genre that has been replicated a million times before. To then follow these rules, bend them and eventually break them into something of its own calibre of quality is something quite special indeed.

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The focus on a younger, much more adaptable generation of survivor seems a fitting plot to kick off The Walking Dead: The Final Season. With AJ learning the ropes of how to adapt with his peers and Clementine’s life experiences set up to be put to the test, it looks to be a promising farewell for the popular corner of the franchise.

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