I'm gonna be honest, I didn't expect much from this one beyond the pretty boxart. I thought it'd be another Travis Strikes Again: incredible boxart, weak game. Wonder if I should make a list of best boxarts sometime, but I don't have the time for that now.

Thankfully the style of the art persists throughout and arguably looks even better in game. Probably one of the best looking titles on the Switch. The storybook feel of the entire game lends itself to a comfy experience, so much so that I didn't mind its simple puzzles and combat, because you kinda just get the feeling that an easygoing time in the Bayonetta world is exactly what I signed up for.

Bayonetta stories are chronological clusterfucks and don't get me wrong this one is no different, but it's an actually cute charming little tale. The real seller is the narrator making it sound so whimsical. The voice she puts on for Chersire's lines were a special nudge. Reminds me of the voices I put on for characters while reading a story to students. My only complaints about the story are that they go on for too long at the beginning and end, but it's nothing criminally too long. While we're on the subject of complaints, the only other one I can think of is the price tag, I would have sold this for $50 rather than the full $60, but I'm not going to pretend I know anything about the internal workings behind these games that ultimately decided that price tag.

The whole world is just a last to explore, a game to just take in its entire cutesy world that was simply a wonderful time. I figured this would be a new game to fill in as a new release but was instead a masterfully crafted experience. Even if you know little about Bayonetta but love relaxing games, I recommend adding this gem to your Switch library.

If I had a nickel for every time a friend gave me a Love Live fangame to play that I'd later have to add to the IGDB myself because I have an oddly high amount of things to say about it, I'd have three nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's crazy that it happened thrice.

This time, it's a simple RPG starring Nico Yazawa herself in a game about dreams and letting others help you achieve them. Although it's called an RPG it's really more of a gambling simulator with your stat gains in each dungeon helping you overcome the odds and Nico Nico Nii those fools. This is interesting with how each dungeon has a unique interpretation of the system (one needs a lot of hits to land a Nico Nico Nii, while another needs less hits but you have really low accuracy against them, some have elements of both). If you can't one-shot enemies you'll get hit for a set amount of damage. You can offset this by using some of your points on level up to buy a mirror that instead of boosting your stats (accuracy, action, power) it's an item you can use to heal health. So it's a simple balancing act. The game however is so simple that I found myself mashing X and seeing the outcome rather than actively strategizing.
Each dungeon ends in a bossfight (which has themed music that slaps), but because of how simple the combat is the outcome can feel predetermined before the fight even begins and if you're underleveled have fun doing the dungeon again. You also can't grind in these dungeons due to the Alpaca Timer, an essential element in this game that ensures Nico is progressing through the dream, but is incredibly punishing as once it starts it will go until you reach the boss, and you will be immediately booted out of the dungeon should the timer run out. So naturally this means that some dungeon runs you can just get unlucky with your encounters and have to do it again. You can edit the difficulty settings in the txt but honestly what is the point of that. It's a casino with a hint of strategy, but still a casino at the end of the day. I love and hate its simplicity both at the same time.

The story however is generally more positive. It's basically a retelling if Nico's backstory episode in Season 2 of the Love Live anime, with hints of the others throughout. There's some fun in the writing on the side like the interactions Nico has in the clubroom or with her partner in the active dungeon. The enemies, while mostly themed around Kotori birds despite her just being the first partner, also have flavor to them, like one just inexplicably quoting Yosuke Hanamura. It's good fun.

Its main inspiration is Undertale which is proudly wears on its sleeve, even if it doesn't earn it at times (I'd say the game closing out on you thing is something overplayed even at 2018 and it didn't particularly earn that moment) but it handles Nico's psyche during her early years at the high school excellently and why she'd be hesitant to open up. The song number in that episode is also here in that Undertale style presentation as well and it's all just a sweet moment.

All in all, the game is alright for what it is. If you've got 3 hours to kill and love Love Live (especially Nico herself) go check this out. It's the only RPG out there with a Nico Nico Nii button, so that's gotta be worth something right?