Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 5th, 2024. Already Thursday? Time flies! We're diving straight into reviews today, featuring Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. 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 off with the latest sales. Let's get started!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)
Sequels to long-dormant franchises are all the rage, it seems. Nintendo's surprise revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series largely known in the West for a fleeting remake, is a prime example. This new millennium marks the debut of a brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure!
The challenge of reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern updates. Emio – The Smiling Man opts for a style similar to the recent remakes, staying true to the source material. The result is a unique blend. The visuals are top-notch, and the story pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have dared, yet the gameplay retains an old-school feel, impacting enjoyment.
The game centers on a student's death, a smiling face on a paper bag, and a connection to unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. The legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, surfaces. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure myth? The police are baffled, so the Utsugi Detective Agency steps in! Through investigation and questioning, you'll uncover the truth.
Gameplay involves searching for clues, interrogating witnesses (often requiring multiple questions), and piecing together the case. Similar to Ace Attorney investigations, it might feel tedious or frustrating depending on your preferences. Certain logical connections could use clearer guidance. However, within the context of classic mystery games, Emio isn't exceptionally flawed.
Despite some story criticisms, I found it engaging, twisty, and well-written. While some plot points might not resonate with everyone, I won't spoil the surprises. The game truly shines at its most thrilling moments.
Emio – The Smiling Man is atypical of Nintendo, but shows no signs of developer rust. While perhaps overly faithful to the original in mechanics, its mostly excellent plot occasionally falters in pacing or resolution. Still, these are minor drawbacks in an enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)
The Switch is getting a great selection of TMNT games. We have the classics in Cowabunga Collection, the modern arcade beat 'em up Shredder's Revenge, Wrath of the Mutants, and now Splintered Fate, offering a console-style experience. More are on the way! So, how does this one fare?
Quite well, actually. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the basics. Imagine a TMNT beat 'em up fused with Hades. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. Online multiplayer worked flawlessly in my experience. The game is enjoyable solo, but multiplayer significantly enhances the fun.
Shredder's mischief involving a mysterious power puts Splinter in danger, and the Turtles must save him. Fight Foot Soldiers, use tactical dashes, collect perks and permanent upgrades, and repeat if you fall. A roguelite beat 'em up with Turtles – inherently better! It's not groundbreaking, but it's solid.
Splintered Fate isn't essential, but TMNT fans will appreciate this twist. The well-implemented multiplayer is a plus. Those unfamiliar with the Turtles might find better roguelites on Switch, but Splintered Fate holds its own in a competitive genre.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)
I was surprised Nour didn't launch on Switch and mobile initially. It felt perfect for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game. If you enjoy experimental sandbox experiences and food, you'll love Nour, but the Switch version has shortcomings.
Nour lets you playfully interact with food in various stages, featuring interesting music and playful absurdity. You start with basic tools, but the expansive options let you truly "play with your food." This highlights why touchscreen controls might have been preferable.
The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance compromises are also noticeable, resulting in long load times.
Despite these issues, Nour is worth experiencing if you appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While not ideal on Switch, its portability is a plus. I hope for future DLC or a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a refreshing contrast to more complex titles. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)
Fate/stay night REMASTERED launched recently on Switch and Steam. This remaster of the 2004 visual novel follows Emiya Shirou, the Holy Grail War, and more. It's an excellent entry point into the Fate universe.
The remaster adds English language support, 16:9 support, and improvements to the visuals. It's a 55+ hour experience, making the price incredibly reasonable. The improvements are substantial, making it a worthwhile upgrade for those who played the original Japanese versions.
Touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition. It also runs smoothly on Steam Deck. The lack of a physical Switch release is the only real drawback.
Fate/stay night REMASTERED is essential for visual novel fans. The low price makes it even more appealing. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, it's a must-play. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 5/5
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)
Having missed out on VR experiences, I was excited to play TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos on Switch.
TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and killers. The narrative is somewhat predictable, but the visuals are good. I'm curious to try the VR version.
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, boasting better production, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It expands beyond a typical visual novel.
Despite some narrative shortcomings, the Switch version has camera movement issues. Touchscreen support and rumble compensate for this.
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience, enhanced by touch controls and rumble. If you enjoy sci-fi stories, try the demo. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Select New Releases
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)
A Fitness Boxing game featuring Hatsune Miku. Includes 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 more from the series. Mechanically similar to other Fitness Boxing games.
Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)
A faithful sequel to the original, with improved visuals and challenging gameplay. Recommended for fans of clever platformers.
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)
Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements. Likely appealing to Touhou fans.
EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)
Another Hydlide version, falling between the PC-8801 and NES releases. For dedicated fans.
Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)
A 1988 gallery shooter. A decent example of the genre.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
No Man’s Sky is on sale. Other frequently discounted titles are also available.
Select New Sales
Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th
That's it for today! Join us tomorrow for more reviews, new releases, and sales. Check out my blog, Post Game Content, for more gaming thoughts. Have a great Thursday!
