Eliwood8

Auto-pick seems to just give you the advantageous Spirit type for the fight (attack, shield, or grab) and gives you a Spirit of approximately the same power level as the Spirit you're facing. That's why it can cycle through several options and doesn't necessarily give you the "best" Spirit for the battle, but more like the "recommended" Spirit for giving you an advantage but still keeping the match competitive.

Meet in the middle and be a documentarian filmmaker?

In the midst of a heated war between two countries, the death of a priestess heralds the resurrection of a world-destroying dark god, sealing the fates of both sides—but what if there was a way to stop it? Omensight: Definitive Edition, from developer Spearhead Games, takes players on a time-traveling murder mystery where you relive the last day before the destruction of the world from different perspectives, gathering clues to figure out what really happened, and how the calamity might be avoided. Although hampered by some technical issues, the process of unraveling the mystery will keep you captivated. You play as the Harbinger, a mythical warrior who only appears in times of crisis. With the power to relive the last day before the calamity, you're able to visit four key characters and, with their help, gather clues for what really happened to the Godless-Priestess and discover the cause of the spreading evil infecting the land. It's a great premise for a game and wonderfully told with interesting characters and the overarching mystery driving your every action. The characters you meet are on both sides of the war so you get to see things from every perspective and sometimes fight against both factions, which gives a satisfyingly well-rounded view of the game's world. And like any good mystery story, every clue you find only leads to more questions and pulls you into the narrative—Omensight is definitely a hard game to put down once you're invested in the overarching mystery and how these four characters relate to it. Additionally, this definitive edition includes the extra ending accessible in the post-game, which is a nice inclusion for anyone that might feel the normal ending is a touch bleak. Each time the day "resets," you choose whose day you want to follow, and from there the game plays out like an action-RPG: you fight enemies in real-time with a sword and engage in light 3D platforming as you explore and gather information. Sometimes you might reach the end of a day and find you're lacking a key piece of information to progress because that clue is actually found in a different character's day. You'll have no choice but to restart with another character, but one of the nice features in Omensight is that, once you do have the necessary clue, it's possible to jump straight to the important part of a character's day that you've already played, so you don't have to replay the whole thing. This can be a huge help because, even though there are little things different in each day for each character you visit, there's still a lot of repetition in Omensight and skipping over some of the tedious aspects reduces it a bit. Aside from gathering clues, the main focus of the gameplay is combat. The Harbinger is equipped with a sword and you can also rely upon the character you've selected to help in battle a bit. Combat in Omensight is a bit tricky to grasp, partially because of its slow, stylish nature. The Harbinger's attack combos tend to be flashy, with lots of jumping flourishes, which can make attacks feel choppy since there ends up being quite a delay between hitting the button and the actual action on screen. It takes some getting used to and can be extremely challenging in large group fights when you've got enemies on every side. Your attacks and combos are generally suited to one-on-one fights so anytime there are more than a few targets around you battles can get obnoxious as you try to bait out or focus on single targets. The game's fixed camera and auto-targeting system don't help here either—both can mean it's easy to attack a target you weren't intending to, oftentimes leaving yourself open to counterattacks. And finally there's the level up system which unlocks helpful new abilities, but actually using them can be a bit finnicky since some require holding down the attack button—sometimes you'll end up accidentally using one of these abilities, or it won't seem to trigger as you're pressing the button. The whole combat system in Omensight is serviceable but it would have been nice to see the same kind of unique thought put into it as is found in the story. Omensight also suffers from some persistent technical issues, generally surrounding loading screens. There's a major loading screen at the start of each day or while transitioning to a new location and the stuttering visuals on screen as the game loads are incredibly distracting. Furthermore, you'll also encounter short loading screens while moving between doors, which can also make the frame rate drop for a bit while the game struggles to load everything properly. Thankfully these issues never truly interfere with the game, as even when the frame rate stutters you're almost never in combat, but the clunkiness can still be hard on the eyes. And it's a shame since the game's gorgeous art style deserves a silky smooth frame rate. Bright, vivid colors make every environment pop—the outdoor locations are easily a highlight—while the character design makes these anthropomorphic animals feel stylish and unique. The aforementioned flashy combat system makes for some great animation as well—even if it feels like it interrupts the flow of battle, seeing the Harbinger flip around to stab an enemy on the ground is definitely cool. The downside to the graphics is, of course, simply the fact that there really aren't too many different locations since you're reliving the same day over and over, but the distinctive art style makes up for it. The music isn't half bad either, with grand, epic songs to accompany your time-traveling murder investigation, and there's plenty of great voice work to bring the characters to life. At about seven or eight hours, Omensight feels like just the right length. Given its cyclical structure any longer might have been overdoing it, but its current length is just enough to make the story intriguingly elaborate but also engaging from start to finish with no unnecessary fluff. Plus, if you do want a little more out of the game, you can try to collect all of the hidden lore that adds to each character's backstory. For a game so focused on narrative these are definitely worth pursuing. Omensight: Definitive Edition mashes together time travel storytelling with a murder mystery, and the result is a unique, engaging adventure that keeps you eager for each new revelatory clue in the investigation. Parts of the game unfortunately lack polish, from the choppy loading screens to the somewhat awkward combat system that isn't quite as fluid as it should be, but the overall package is one that feels stylish and compelling from start to finish, and is certainly a must-play for anyone that enjoys a good mystery story. Rating: 8 out of 10 Omens Review copy provided by the publisher Omensight: Definitive Edition is available now on the Switch eShop for $19.99.

Haha, well at least a download code isn't too awkward to open in front of others, but it's still probably for the best that I put down that "no."

Looks like I had a package waiting for me at my apartment building (sorry for not confirming earlier, I wasn't home for a couple of days!) Thanks so much @Tyranogre, this is great! Merry Christmas!

There's no shop for it, just go to the Manage Spirits menu (as if you were feeding them snacks) and select the Spirit, it should prompt you to enhance it. Also I assume you know but just for clarification, not all Spirits can be enhanced—only the ones specifically labeled as such can be enhanced.

I'm actually wondering how much World of Light might inadvertently be training me "wrong" by getting me used to special effects that won't be in place while playing normally, especially the skills menu that includes some pretty valuable stat boosts. To be fair I don't think it's actually had any effect on my experience with normal matches so far, it's just something I'm thinking about, and really I agree that WoL has been a great extended training system in these early days of the game.

Jeez World of Light is even bigger than I was expecting. Seeing the number of hours I've put into it so far after having only unlocked 18 fighters is kind of daunting. Also I love how often a new challenger appears and I think "oh man I forgot they were in the game!" It really does make it exciting every time a new one appears.

Play, die, repeat. Roguelikes have taken advantage of this simple gameplay loop since the original game that coined the term, Rogue, released in 1980. I'll be honest though, as a person that generally prefers narratives and a rewarding sense of progression, I don't often find a Roguelike that truly clicks with me. But Dead Cells, from developer Motion Twin, is one of those rare exceptions. By blending some Metroidvania mechanics into the extra challenging, procedurally generated game design of a Roguelike, Dead Cells is an experience unlike any other. Storytelling is not a priority in Dead Cells. You don't sit through long cutscenes, even when you first start up the game, and in fact your very reason for exploring the game's world isn't fully explained. In a way though, that kind of suits the game. Dead Cells is about exploring and trying new approaches, and the scant few details about the story and setting that you pick up while collecting loot and fighting monsters suits that approach perfectly. And even if you make it to the end of the game without fully understanding why you're there (or even what you are, exactly) the mysterious and derelict atmosphere of Dead Cells is undeniably compelling. As a Roguelike, every time you play the game the details are a little different. The stage layout, enemy placement, loot you can find—all of it is randomized. Roguelikes can be discouraging since, if you die, you have to start from the beginning without any of the awesome weapons and perks you've picked up along the way. Dead Cells is no exception to this and can be frustrating, but what keeps Dead Cells feeling fresh and engaging playthrough after playthrough is the fluid, satisfying combat system. The action in Dead Cells is fantastic and almost hypnotic when you get into a good groove, no matter what combination of weapons you're using. All of your attacks (and enemy attacks) are quick, and the potential for devastating combos makes every enemy encounter just plain fun. Even when you're discouraged by starting over there's a magnetic draw toward picking up your sword once more. Dead Cells also does a great job of balancing both breadth of content and easing the player into the core mechanics of the game. There are several different kinds of weapons you can use, shields, items, magic spells—enough that you can approach combat in a unique way in dozens of playthroughs. There's a lot of variability to enjoy as all of these weapons and items are useful, and the best part is that Dead Cells doesn't overwhelm you on your first few playthroughs. New weapons and items have to be unlocked as you play so your first runs will stick to more basic equipment while you learn best practices and suss out your own preferences. It makes the game inviting to new players but also include tons of depth for veterans. Additionally, although you have to chance upon specific weapons every time you play, you can earn permanent upgrades that help make the game a little easier—or at least give you more options as you try again. In a way, the game gets harder/more complex as you get better at playing it, which helps prevent the game from being too daunting at the start. Another unique aspect of Dead Cells is the way it incorporates elements of Metroidvania exploration into the game. In addition to randomly generating rooms and enemies, there are branching paths throughout the game that let you explore different environments—all with the possibility of different treasures to find. But again, Dead Cells eases players in by locking these branching routes off until you unlock certain permanent upgrades, so you won't just stumble into the harder regions of the game when you're just starting out. It's just another way that the game finds the right balance between randomized content and giving the player clear paths to follow that won't overwhelm. Dead Cells embodies careful and polished game design in every aspect. And that includes presentation, because the pixelated graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The background scenery is foreboding, the character/enemy designs are stylish, and most of all it's just impressive how well detailed everything looks while relying upon this pixely look. And all of that fast combat is displayed with gorgeous, fluid animation—including the occasional humorous touch for our mysterious protagonist. The art of Dead Cells never stops impressing, whether you're on your first playthrough or your hundredth. The music composition is sharp as well, even if the game more often relies upon a slightly muted background soundtrack. It would be hard to focus on the music anyway with all of the intense combat to enjoy. In perfect pick-up-and-play fashion, one run of Dead Cells only lasts an hour or so, which is just enough time to make the gameplay feel varied and engaging but not so long that it stings too much when you die and have to start over. That's an important balancing act for a Roguelike, where maintaining interest in trying again and again is vital, and Dead Cells handles it well. Dead Cells infuses enough Metroidvania exploration concepts into the Roguelike formula to make the gameplay feels fresh and engaging, even in a time where this genre swarms the indie landscape. More importantly though, the polished, satisfying combat, combined with the wealth of possibilities when it comes to weapons and items, makes every playthrough of Dead Cells wonderfully engaging and exciting. Roguelikes aren't for everyone, with their cyclical, ever-challenging gameplay, but this one might be enough to convince a few new players to give the genre a try. Rating: 8 out of 10 Cells

That was me man! My Switch name is the same as my name here. :/ But yeah good games everybody.

I love the way Classic Mode is personalized for each character. I've only done a few so far but Ryu's Street Fighter inspired battles are hilarious, and I was excited to see Rathalos is the final boss for Marth, because after playing so much of Monster Hunter the fight was super easy for me.

Played a couple of hours today and Marth was one of my first unlocks so I'm pretty happy about that, plus I've unlocked Inkling and I'm looking forward to practicing with her. So far I really need to remember to watch my ink—much easier to lose track of it in this game compared to Splatoon! Also I wanted to ask, is the first spirit you get in World of Light random? I got Spectre Knight and just thought that'd be a random place to start (although I love Shovel Knight). Curious to see what everyone else's first spirit was, if they're different.

Cat Quest from developer The Gentlebros captures the essential ingredients of an RPG adventure in a compact, adorable package. When the evil Drakoth kidnaps his sister, our feline fighter must unlock his potential as a Dragonblood cat and grow powerful enough to stop the mysterious figure. What follows is an enjoyable journey across a wide open continent rife with caves to explore and treasures to find—just don't expect too much depth from this lighthearted adventure. The developers have described Cat Quest as an effort to streamline the kind of open world experience found in games like The Legend of Zelda and Skyrim, and in that respect they've certainly succeeded. Cat Quest feels like every action-RPG you've ever played simplified down to its most basic roots: fighting monsters, exploring caves, and earning EXP. Your stats are kept to an easy to understand handful of numbers (HP, physical attack power, magical attack power), equipment management is streamlined so you aren't constantly juggling your inventory (for example, if you have a wizard's hat and pick up a second one it will simply improve the one you already have rather than giving you a duplicate), and the game world is large enough to encourage exploration but not so large that you're ever in danger of getting lost. Everything in Cat Quest has the feel of an epic RPG adventure but on a much smaller, more manageable scale, one that would be perfect for novice players. Of course, part of the appeal of open world games is their complexity, which allows two players to have significantly different experiences within the same game. By removing that depth, Cat Quest ends up feeling rather shallow. There is very little variety in the caves and dungeons you explore (all of them are short and simply require you to kill every enemy found within), your combat options are limited to choosing which spells you prefer to use which, despite some minor differences in their area of effect or status ailments, are all equally effective on any enemy, and equipping different weapons changes nothing about how you attack. There are also only a handful of enemy types in the whole game, and even then there's very little variety in their attack patterns or weaknesses. Occasionally you might see a jump in difficulty, but raising a few levels evens things out quickly. Cat Quest's gameplay formula is in no way bad but it'll likely leave some players wishing for more. If the game does click for you though you'll be treated to more cat puns than you can handle. Your main quest to rescue your sister leads you on numerous side quests as well, and it's clear the developers were having a blast thinking up every possible feline, fur, and purr related pun. It can make the dialogue feel incessantly goofy, but thankfully it's never obnoxious. Cat Quest stays squarely in charming, silly territory that will keep you smirking even if it doesn't make you laugh out loud. Perhaps it helps that the game isn't terribly long either. The main storyline only takes on a handful of quests, but you kind of have to spend time on side quests to level up enough to tackle the main challenges (oddly, side quests give you a recommended level but the main story never offers a similar helpful hint). But even working through the majority of side quests as well as the big baddie only takes six or seven hours, while the post-game side quests will extend the game's length a little further. One of the more valuable features in Cat Quest though is the Mew Game mode, available after completing the story once, which is essentially a challenge mode that lets you select difficulty mods like disabling EXP gains or limiting the number of times you can die/revive. More than most games these challenges add a decent incentive to replay the whole adventure, especially if you thought it was too easy the first time anyway. With bright, colorful, and cartoonish graphics Cat Quest only reinforces its appeal to the younger crowd. Anyone is likely to appreciate the overwhelmingly cute style of the game though—our hero's running animation is particularly adorable. As mentioned the game doesn't do much to make the different caves and environments feel unique but the game's look is undeniably fun. It shouldn't be any surprise that the music is much the same: not the most original score you'll hear in a video game, but it's bubbly and chipper and a nice aural backdrop for the experience. Cat Quest is a perfectly enjoyable little RPG adventure, whose only real fault is simply the fact that it doesn't try to be anything more than that. In an effort to streamline the open-world RPG formula, the developers might have gone a bit overboard, simplifying Cat Quest down to such a basic action-RPG that there's little depth to explore, outside of a repetitive cycle of taking on side quests and exploring identical caves. Still, even if the game lacks bite, the adorable feline world makes for a cute setting, purrfect for a young player's first action-RPG adventure or a relaxing, undemanding afternoon of gameplay. Rating: 7 out of 10 Cats

The character we've all been clamoring for is joining Smash…Cranky Kong!

I'm not doing a midnight release pick up but I'll be playing the game all weekend and I'll be around here and on Discord to pop into some online matches.