Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024. Already Thursday? Time flies! Today we're diving deep into reviews, with in-depth looks at Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Our contributor, Mikhail, also shares his thoughts on Nour: Play With Your Food, Fate/stay night REMASTERED, and the TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. We'll then cover the day's top new releases and round things out with our usual sales lists. Let's get started!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)
Resurrecting dormant franchises is all the rage, it seems. Nintendo's surprise revival of Famicom Detective Club, following the relatively obscure Switch remake of the first two games, is a prime example. This new installment, Emio – The Smiling Man, marks the series' first new entry in this century.
The challenge in reviving an old IP lies in striking a balance between faithfulness to the original and modern appeal. Emio leans towards the style of the recent remakes, which themselves closely followed the originals. The result is a curious blend. While the visuals are on par with contemporary games, and the story pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have attempted, the gameplay remains distinctly old-school. This will likely be a key factor in determining your enjoyment.
The game centers on a student found dead with a smiling-face paper bag over his head, echoing unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. The legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, is resurrected. Is it a copycat, a returned killer, or merely a legend? The police are baffled, leaving the case to the Utsugi Detective Agency.
Gameplay involves classic detective work: searching for clues, interrogating suspects (often requiring multiple questions), and piecing together the narrative. Similar to the investigative sections of Ace Attorney, this style might feel tedious or frustrating to some. While generally enjoyable, specific logic chains could benefit from clearer guidance.
Despite some story criticisms, the narrative is largely engaging, twisty, and well-crafted. Certain plot points may resonate differently with various players, but detailing them would spoil the experience. This is a mystery best enjoyed fresh. The highs significantly outweigh the lows, resulting in a captivating adventure.
Emio – The Smiling Man is an atypical Nintendo release. While possibly too reliant on its predecessors' mechanics, and while the plot occasionally falters, it's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery adventure overall. Welcome back, Detective Club!
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)
The Switch is becoming a haven for TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder’s Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, there's a TMNT game for every taste. Splintered Fate offers a different flavor, blending beat 'em up action with roguelite elements reminiscent of Hades. Solo or multiplayer (local or online) options are available.
The gameplay is straightforward. Fight Foot Soldiers, utilize tactical dashes, collect power-ups, and upgrade your abilities. Death sends you back to the lair to try again. It's a familiar formula, but the TMNT theme elevates it. While not groundbreaking, it's competently executed.
Splintered Fate isn't essential, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a significant plus. While other roguelite titles on Switch might offer more depth, Splintered Fate holds its own in a highly competitive genre.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)
Nour: Play With Your Food's absence from Switch at launch was surprising, given its apparent suitability for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game. Fans of playful sandbox experiences and food-themed games will find much to love, but the Switch version has shortcomings.
Nour is an interactive food art experience, blending playful sandbox mechanics with visually appealing food and quirky music. The initial offerings are basic, but the expansive content allows for creative food manipulation. The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is a disappointment, and performance compromises are evident compared to other platforms.
The long load times, both docked and handheld, are particularly problematic.
Despite these flaws, Nour remains a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch port isn't ideal, its portability is a plus, and hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or even a physical release.
-Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)
Fate/stay night REMASTERED, released recently on Switch and Steam, is a remaster of the 2004 visual novel. It's arguably the best entry point into the Fate universe. The sheer volume of content justifies the low price point. Improvements include English language support and 16:9 aspect ratio support. The visuals are enhanced for modern displays, though not as polished as Tsukihime's recent remake.
The addition of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome feature, enhancing the experience on both handheld and docked modes. It also runs well on Steam Deck.
-Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 5/5
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)
This twin pack brings two VR titles to Switch. TOKYO CHRONOS features a story about high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, while ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos boasts superior production values and a more engaging narrative. The Switch version includes touchscreen support and haptic feedback, but camera movement can be problematic at times.
Despite some narrative shortcomings, the overall experience is enhanced by the Switch's features. The demo is recommended to assess the controls and gameplay.
-Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Select New Releases
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)
A Fitness Boxing game featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 songs from Miku and 30 tracks from the Fitness Boxing series.
Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)
A challenging but rewarding platformer.
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)
Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements.
EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)
Another version of Hydlide for dedicated fans.
Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)
A gallery shooter from 1988.
Sales
The sales lists are omitted for brevity, but the original text includes images of the sales lists.
That’s all for today! We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Check out Post Game Content for more gaming insights. Have a great Thursday!
