Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024. Already Thursday? Time flies! We're diving straight into reviews today, 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 off with our usual sales lists. Let's get to it!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)
Sequels to long-dormant franchises seem to be all the rage these days. Nintendo's surprising revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series largely unfamiliar to Western audiences except for the fleeting remake of the first two games on Switch a few years ago, is a prime example. This marks the first brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years, a welcome addition.
The challenge in reviving an old IP lies in striking the right balance between faithfulness to the original and modernization. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely sticks to the style of the recent remakes, which themselves closely followed the originals. This creates a unique blend: visually impressive graphics comparable to modern titles, a story that pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have dared, yet gameplay that retains a distinctly old-school feel. This retro gameplay is key to whether or not you'll enjoy the game.
The narrative centers around a student found dead with a smiling-face paper bag over his head, echoing unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. This introduces the urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure myth? The police are baffled, making it a job for the Utsugi Detective Agency! By investigating locations and questioning suspects (often requiring persistent questioning), you'll uncover the truth.
The gameplay involves searching scenes for clues, interrogating characters, and piecing together the connections to solve the mystery. It's reminiscent of the investigative sections in Ace Attorney. While generally engaging, some aspects feel clunky or could benefit from clearer guidance. However, by the standards of similar mystery games, Emio doesn't fall drastically short.
While I have some minor story criticisms, I found the overall experience engaging, suspenseful, and well-written. Certain plot points might not resonate with everyone, but discussing them would spoil the surprise. This is a mystery best experienced firsthand. The game's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, and the pacing picks up considerably at key moments.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a departure from typical Nintendo fare. While perhaps too faithful to its predecessors mechanically, the plot is largely excellent, despite occasional pacing issues or less-than-satisfying resolutions. Despite these minor flaws, it's a highly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)
The Switch is accumulating a solid collection of TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection classics to the modern Shredder’s Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, now we have Splintered Fate, offering a different console-style experience. And more are on the horizon!
This one's surprisingly good. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you're familiar with the premise: a roguelite beat 'em up blended with elements of Hades. Solo play is fine, but the experience is significantly enhanced with up to four players via local or online multiplayer. Online multiplayer worked well in my experience.
The story involves Shredder and a mysterious power, leading to Splinter's predicament and the Turtles' quest to save him. Expect classic TMNT combat: slicing, dicing, and bludgeoning enemies, strategic dashing, power-up collection, and permanent upgrades. Death sends you back to the lair to try again. It's a familiar roguelite formula, but the TMNT theme elevates it. It's not groundbreaking, but it's well-executed.
Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a plus, showcasing a crucial TMNT element often absent in solo-focused roguelites. While better roguelites exist on Switch, 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 initial PC and PS5 release surprised me with its absence on Switch and mobile. It felt perfectly suited for touchscreens as an experimental food art experience. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game for everyone. Those who enjoy playful sandbox experiences and appreciate food will likely adore it, but the Switch version has shortcomings.
For newcomers, Nour lets you interact with various food types across different stages, accompanied by engaging music and playful absurdity. Initially, you have basic tools, but the developers have added extensive features that allow you to truly "play with your food." This is where the touchscreen limitations on Switch become apparent.
The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance is also affected, with noticeable load times in both docked and handheld modes.
Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing for fans of food, art, and interactive apps. Although the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability is a plus. Hopefully, it performs well enough to warrant DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper provide a welcome contrast to more complex RPGs and narrative-driven titles. -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. This is arguably the best entry point into the Fate universe, offering a chance to experience the series' origins as intended. The sheer volume of content makes the price incredibly reasonable.
For those familiar with the Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant improvements. Beyond the addition of English, the 16:9 support and visual enhancements are welcome. The remaster's effort is evident in its presentation on modern displays, though it doesn't match the visual polish of Tsukihime's recent remake.
The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a significant advantage. I played extensively on both Switch Lite and OLED, and it's perfectly suited to Nintendo's hybrid system. Hopefully, it will see releases on other platforms like iOS and PS5.
The game also performs flawlessly on Steam Deck. The only drawback is the lack of a physical Switch release. Hopefully, its success will lead to one.
Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a must-have for visual novel fans. Its availability in English on both Switch and Steam, coupled with its affordable price, makes it highly recommended. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, it's a worthwhile experience. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 5/5
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)
Having limited VR experience, I missed out on TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos. This twin pack on Switch finally allowed me to experience them.
TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, involving lost memories, killers, and more. The narrative, while predictable at times, is decent, with good visuals. Playing it in VR after experiencing the Switch version might be interesting.
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, with better production values, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It surpasses the typical visual novel format, enhancing the overall experience.
The Switch version has some camera movement performance issues, but they aren't game-breaking. Touchscreen support and rumble add to the immersion.
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience, thanks to touch controls and rumble. I'm glad to have finally experienced these stories without needing a VR headset. If you enjoy sci-fi, try the demo. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Select New Releases
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)
The title says it all: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 Miku songs and 30 more from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to other games in the series. A solid choice for Fitness Boxing and Hatsune Miku fans.
Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)
A faithful sequel to the original, with enhanced visuals and challenging platforming. Recommended for fans of clever platformers who enjoy a challenge.
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)
Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements. The Touhou theme connects the two modes. Likely appealing to fans of the franchise.
EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)
Another Hydlide version for completionists. Falls between the PC-8801 and NES versions.
Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)
A 1988 gallery shooter. A decent example of the genre.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Notable sales include No Man’s Sky. Many other games on sale are frequently discounted.
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 game-related thoughts. Have a great Thursday!
