Schim review: plopping between shadows as a polterfrog makes for a very comforting puzzler

Lots of games use frogs as a means to appeal to those who believe they are cute, me being one of those people. The humble croaker dominates the wholesome category, where they take centre stage in farming sims or as detectives or as green lads who hop over platforms and hurt enemies by lashing them with their tongues.

Schim is different: you play as a frog of the shadows, not some green attention-seeker. And in a mundane world of vibrant colour, you’re to bounce between patches of shade in search of a human pal whose shadow you’ve been unwittingly severed from. What ensues is a charming puzzler of both freedom and flow, which genuinely has you view everyday environments through the googly eyes of a phantom amphibian. It’s a lovely thing, if perhaps not as emotionally charged as it implies early on.

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Daily Deals: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Final Fantasy XVI, HyperX CloudX, and More

Ahead of Prime Day on Tuesday, now is the time to cash in on some sweet discounts. In particular, some of the biggest games of 2024 are now available at a discount, which makes today a perfect time to pick up a new title you’ve been holding out on. The best deals for Sunday, July 14, include SMT V: Vengeance, Final Fantasy XVI, Tekken 8, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and more.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $39.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is now on sale for the first time since launch! SMT V: Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content. At $39.99, this is a steal for what will likely end up being one of the most popular RPGs of the year.

Final Fantasy XVI for $29.99

Final Fantasy XVI for PlayStation 5 has hit a new all time low at Amazon at $29.99. As one of the biggest titles of 2024, FFXVI brings a wide variety of new systems and elements to the world of Final Fantasy. You play as Clive Rosfield on a mission to track down the one who killed your brother as a child. You can expect larger-than-life setpieces, mesmerizing boss battles, and a memorable soundtrack from Masayoshi Soken.

HyperX CloudX Headset for $29.99

The CloudX is officially licensed for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, so you can play worry-free knowing you’re getting a reliable headset. HyperX prioritized sound with this headset, with enhanced bass reproduction and clear highs, lows, and mids for all-around immersion. It’s worth noting that the CloudX can be used on PC, but you’ll need a splitter to get both microphone input and audio output due to the design of this headset.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $54.99

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is on sale for $54.99. This sequel to 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake brings Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, and Red XIII outside of Midgar for the very first time, with Sephiroth looming and moving in on his goals. This experience offers well over 100 hours of content, with 36 sidequests and a main story over 40 hours long. If you haven’t played Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, now is the time to score one of the best 2024 titles out there at a discount.

Tekken 8 for $34.99

Walmart currently has Tekken 8 at $34.99, which matches the previous all-time low. Tekken 8 is the latest major fighting game to be released for the current generation of consoles. Over 32 characters are already playable, far surpassing titles like Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1. The online modes far surpass their predecessors, with good netcode and many different ways to play.

Sonic Superstars for $24.99

Sonic Superstars is available for just $24.99 this weekend at Amazon, making today a great time to pick up a copy. This title is the latest 2D Sonic entry, with new multiplayer features like never before. Now, you can play with up to three friends and traverse through the story mode together as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R for $29.99

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is an HD-2.5D remake from Square Enix. Taking the HD-2D sprite style found in titles like Octopath Traveler II, this game adds a 3D camera and 3D environments. There are a total of 99 different endings for you to discover, which makes this adventure one that can last for dozens of hours! Explore the world with fantastic quality-of-life updates, new battle mechanics, and more in this gorgeous remake of Star Ocean 2.

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu No Yaiba- Sweep the Board! for $29.99

Sweep the Board! is the latest game from Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba-, focusing on a fun, party-like title that is extremely similar to Mario Party. You play as Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and the rest of the Demon Slayer cast as they traverse through multiple party boards and complete minigames against each other.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Complete Blu-ray for $30.66

It’s no secret that Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most beloved anime of all time. The series has inspired countless creators across every industry imaginable, and it still holds strong today with its storytelling, themes, and messages. You can score this Blu-ray for just $30.66, which includes the complete 26 episode TV series, the Evangelion: Death (True)2 recap movie, and The End of Evangelion film.

What’s on your bookshelf?: Special super secret bonus edition

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Something magical has happened! And by magical, I mean that I’ve bollocksed it up. Through a web of devious plots and shocking coincidences too labyrinthine to list here, I’ve gone and messed up my schedule. As such, we don’t have a guest this week.

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Mailbox: eShop Closures, Comedy, The Physical Future – Nintendo Life Letters

Issue #14 – July 2024.

Welcome back to the Nintendo Life Mailbox. As football fever grips England with headlines such as National Team In Not-Crap Shocker top the tabloids (probably), it’s time to relax a little and sit back with our monthly letters page.

Got something you want to get off your chest? We’re ready and waiting to read about your game-related ponderings.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel – Kirby’s Pinball Land

Pinbrawl.

Welcome, one and all, to this week’s edition of Box Art Brawl! Wait, are we… poets??

Last time, we pitted two covers for the NES’ Urban Champion against each other and after a weekend of voting, it was North America that came up with the win. The classic pixel art cover took 59% of the vote, while Europe and Japan’s colourful alternative was left with the remaining 41%.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

A big Steam sale of IGF award winners and finalists is now underway

There are a lot of video game awards and most of them are simply popularity contests, and therefore also stinky borefests. The one that isn’t, in my eyes, is the yearly Independent Games Festival awards – the IGFs.

The IGF Celebration Days Steam sale provides plenty of examples as to why, with discounts from now until July 20th on winners and finalists from throughout the IGF awards’ history.

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Daily Deals: Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 3, Pikmin 4, and More

This weekend is kicking off with plenty of deals, especially for Nintendo Switch owners. The Target Circle promotion is still ongoing, with loads of discounts that you can still take advantage of. Ahead of Prime Day this week, now is the time to cash in on some sweet discounts. The best deals for Saturday, July 13, include Super Mario RPG, Splatoon 3, Pikmin 4, Super Mario Odyssey, and more.

Super Mario RPG for $39.75

The remake of Super Mario RPG is $39.75 at Amazon right now, which is the lowest we’ve seen this classic title. If you’ve yet to either play the original or check out the remake, this is the perfect time to do so. Composer Yoko Shimimura returned to compose the remake’s original soundtrack, and each boss and environment has been expertly recrafted for the Nintendo Switch. It’s the perfect Mario title to check out if you’re looking for a fun title while awaiting Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door next week!

Super Mario Odyssey for $34.99

Super Mario Odyssey is still one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. From the stunning Kingdoms to the numerous new gameplay elements, this is a title any Switch owner should have in their collection. Odyssey is best known for its Capture mechanic, which allows Mario to use Cappy and take over different enemies and objects in the environment. This title doesn’t go on sale too often, so pick up a physical copy at a discount this week!

Tekken 8 for $34.99

Walmart currently has Tekken 8 at $34.99, which matches the previous all-time low. Tekken 8 is the latest major fighting game to be released for the current generation of consoles. Over 32 characters are already playable, far surpassing titles like Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1. The online modes far surpass their predecessors, with good netcode and many different ways to play.

Pikmin 4 for $34.99

This week at Target, you can save on Pikmin 4, with copies available for just $34.99. As the latest title in the Pikmin series, Pikmin 4 brings loads of new features for fans, new and old alike, to discover. In our 9/10 review, we stated, “Pikmin 4 adds variety to the series’ traditional gameplay by offering options other than the grab-and-throw formula of the past, and brings an extra helping of top-tier levels after the credits roll.”

Splatoon 3 for $39.99

Splatoon 3 is available right now for just $34.99! If you have yet to pick up a Splatoon game, Splatoon 3 is a perfect starting point. As it is still the latest game in the series, content updates are still releasing alongside Splatfests. You can also play through the Side Order DLC, offering a fun new campaign!

HyperX CloudX Headset for $29.99

The CloudX is officially licensed for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, so you can play worry-free knowing you’re getting a reliable headset. HyperX prioritized sound with this headset, with enhanced bass reproduction and clear highs, lows, and mids for all-around immersion. It’s worth noting that the CloudX can be used on PC, but you’ll need a splitter to get both microphone input and audio output due to the design of this headset.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for $34.99

Arguably one of the best platformers available on Nintendo Switch, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a must play for the platform. Created by Retro Studios, there are six different worlds you can traverse through as you fight against Lord Fredrik and his army of Snowmads. You can play with a friend and choose between Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and even Funky Kong!

Sonic Superstars for $24.99

Sonic Superstars is available for just $24.99 this weekend at Amazon, making today a great time to pick up a copy. This title is the latest 2D Sonic entry, with new multiplayer features like never before. Now, you can play with up to three friends and traverse through the story mode together as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy.