Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 5th, 2024. It's Thursday already – where does the time go? We're diving headfirst 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)
Resurrecting dormant franchises is all the rage these days, and Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club is a prime example. Following the recent remakes of the first two games, we now have a brand-new entry for the first time in years. This presents a challenge: staying true to the original while updating for modern audiences.
Emio – The Smiling Man sticks closely to the style of the recent remakes, creating a unique blend. The visuals are top-notch, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what we saw in the 90s. However, the gameplay retains a classic feel, which will either be a draw or a drawback depending on your preferences.
The mystery centers around a student found dead with a distinctive calling card, echoing unsolved murders from years past. The legend of Emio, a killer who leaves victims with an "eternal smile," adds to the intrigue. The police are baffled, leaving the case to the Utsugi Detective Agency. Players investigate scenes, interrogate suspects, and piece together clues to uncover the truth. The gameplay is reminiscent of Ace Attorney investigations, but some aspects feel less streamlined than they could be. Specific logical connections might need clearer guidance.
Despite some minor criticisms of the plot, Emio is a captivating and well-written mystery. While some plot points may not resonate with all players, the experience is best enjoyed fresh. The narrative is engaging, building suspense and delivering twists effectively. Overall, the positive aspects outweigh the minor flaws.
Emio – The Smiling Man is a departure from typical Nintendo fare. The mechanics closely follow the originals, and while the story is mostly excellent, the pacing occasionally falters. However, these are minor issues in an otherwise enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)
The Switch is seeing a surge of TMNT games lately, and Splintered Fate adds another dimension to the lineup. It blends the beat 'em up gameplay with roguelite elements reminiscent of Hades. You can play solo or with up to four players locally or online. The online multiplayer works well, enhancing the experience.
Shredder's machinations and a mysterious power put Splinter in danger, prompting the Turtles to take action. The gameplay involves fighting enemies, using tactical dashes, collecting perks, and upgrading your abilities. Death sends you back to the lair to start again. While not groundbreaking, it's a solid execution of the roguelite beat 'em up formula, made even better by the TMNT theme.
Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take on the franchise. The well-implemented multiplayer is a plus. While other roguelite titles on Switch offer more innovative gameplay, Splintered Fate holds its own.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)
Nour: Play With Your Food is an experimental food art experience that feels perfectly suited for touchscreens. It's a playful sandbox experience ideal for those who appreciate food and art. The core gameplay involves interacting with food items across various stages, accompanied by engaging music and quirky elements. While initially offering basic interactions, the game expands significantly, allowing for extensive creative play. However, the Switch version lacks touchscreen support, which is a notable drawback. Performance is also affected by longer load times.
Nour: Play With Your Food is a unique and enjoyable experience, particularly for those who love food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version has its shortcomings, its portable nature remains appealing.
-Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)
Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a long-awaited remaster of the 2004 visual novel, now available in English on Switch and Steam. This serves as an excellent entry point into the Fate universe, offering a comprehensive experience for those unfamiliar with the series. The remaster includes several quality-of-life improvements, including 16:9 support, and impressive visual enhancements for modern displays. The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a significant plus.
For those who played previous versions, the remaster offers substantial improvements. The extensive length (55+ hours) is remarkable considering the affordable price. The game runs smoothly on both Switch and Steam Deck, making it a highly accessible and valuable experience.
-Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 5/5
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)
This twin pack brings two VR titles to Switch, offering a unique visual novel experience. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with memory loss and murder. ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is a more polished experience with a compelling story, enhanced visuals, and engaging gameplay beyond the standard visual novel format.
The Switch version suffers from some camera movement issues, but touchscreen support and rumble features compensate for these minor flaws.
-Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Select New Releases
(Brief descriptions of Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku, Gimmick! 2, Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost, EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX, and Arcade Archives Lead Angle are provided with images.)
Sales
(Lists of new and expiring sales are provided with images.)
That's all for today! We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Thanks for reading!
