Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 5th, 2024. It's Thursday already! Time flies, doesn't it? We're diving headfirst into reviews today. I've got two for you: 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 TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. After that, we'll cover the day's top new releases and round things out with the latest 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. The video game industry, ever the imitator of Hollywood. Surprisingly, Nintendo has revived Famicom Detective Club, a series mostly known in the West through a fleeting remake of the first two games on Switch a few years ago. I suspect there's a connection. Regardless, we finally have a brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure this millennium!
The challenge in reviving an old IP is balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Too faithful, and it risks feeling outdated; too much change, and you alienate fans. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely maintains the style of the recent remakes, which themselves closely resemble the originals. It's a curious mix. The visuals are on par with modern games of its type, and the story pushes boundaries further than 90s Nintendo would have dared, even in Japan. However, the gameplay feels very retro, significantly impacting enjoyment.
The game starts with a student found dead, a smiling face on a paper bag over his head. This unearths unsolved murders from eighteen years prior, featuring a similar calling card, raising many questions. There's also an urban legend about Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles. Has a past killer returned? Is it an imitator? Does Emio even exist? The police are baffled, so it's time for the Utsugi Detective Agency! You'll use the power of investigation – talking to people, exploring locations – to uncover the truth!
You'll search scenes for clues, question characters (often repeatedly), and connect the dots to solve the case. Think of the investigative sections in Ace Attorney, and you're close. Depending on your tolerance for this style, you might find parts tedious. Some aspects could have been smoother, and the logical connections could use clearer guidance. But this is a classic mystery game, and by those standards, Emio isn't particularly flawed.
I have some minor story criticisms, but overall, I enjoyed it. It's engaging, full of twists, and well-written. Some plot points didn't resonate with me as much as others, but I can't elaborate without spoilers. This is a story best experienced fresh. The positives outweighed the negatives, and when the plot picks up, it really picks up.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is atypical for Nintendo, but any potential team rust is invisible. Its mechanics might be too faithful to the originals, and while the plot is mostly excellent, the pacing sometimes lags or resolves unsatisfactorily in a few instances. Still, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club! Don't take so long next time.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)
The Switch is getting a nice collection of TMNT games, isn't it? We have the Konami classics in the Cowabunga Collection, the superb modern beat 'em up Shredder's Revenge, the modern arcade feel of Wrath of the Mutants, and now Splintered Fate, offering a more console-like experience. And more are on the way. We're swimming in Turtles! So, how's this one?
Pretty good, actually. If you've played it on Apple Arcade, you know the drill. But for those who haven't, here's the gist: it's a TMNT-style beat 'em up blended with Hades. You can play solo in typical roguelite fashion or with up to four players locally or online. Mikhail and I played online, and it worked well. It's fine solo, but multiplayer significantly enhances the experience. That's TMNT for you.
Shredder and a mysterious power cause trouble, putting Splinter in danger, and the Turtles must save him. When all you have is a katana, every problem looks like a Foot Soldier. Slice, dice, and bludgeon your way through enemies, use tactical dashes, pick up power-ups for your current run, and collect currency for permanent upgrades. Death means starting over. It's a roguelite beat 'em up, but with the Turtles, making it inherently better. It's not groundbreaking, but it's solid.
Splintered Fate isn't a must-have overall, but TMNT fans will likely appreciate this twist. The multiplayer is well-done, and it's great that this crucial TMNT element wasn't overlooked in a game typically played solo. Those unfamiliar with the Turtles can find better roguelites on Switch, but given the platform's intense competition in this genre, Splintered Fate holds its own admirably. Not bad at all.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)
When Nour: Play With Your Food launched on PC and PS5, I was surprised it wasn't also on Switch and mobile. It seemed perfect for touchscreens as an experimental food art experience. I played the PC version and enjoyed it, but it's not a traditional game for everyone. If you like playful sandbox experiences and food, you'll likely love Nour, but the Switch version has shortcomings.
For newcomers, Nour lets you play with various foods across different stages, with engaging music and over-the-top silliness. It's like an interactive app for food and art enthusiasts. You start with basics, but the developers added plenty of options to truly let you "play with your food." This is where I realized why touchscreen control might be problematic.
I'm disappointed by the Switch version's lack of touchscreen support. Also, it was quite demanding on Steam Deck, and the Switch version shows cutbacks to maintain decent performance. The biggest issue is the lengthy load times, both docked and handheld.
Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing if you enjoy food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, Nour still feels best on a portable device, and I hope it does well enough to warrant more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper are great complements to more involved RPGs and story-driven games. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)
Fate/stay night REMASTERED launched a month ago on Switch and Steam. I intended to review it sooner, but it's been a busy month, and Fate/stay night is quite lengthy. Before discussing the game, let me share a bit of my history. Years ago, a friend got me into Fate/Zero, one of my first completed anime. I wanted more from the universe, but few English-language games were available. I imported the PS Vita version of Fate/stay night Realta Nua, and since then, I've played many Fate titles and Type Moon properties, including Fate/EXTELLA, Fate/Samurai Remnant, and Fate/Grand Order.
This led me to be thrilled when Aniplex brought over Witch on the Holy Night and Tsukihime's remake, but one game remained elusive: Fate/stay night. Now, it's finally here in English on Switch. Is it worth it? Absolutely, with a few caveats.
Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a remaster of the 2004 visual novel, following Emiya Shirou, the Holy Grail War, and more. It's the best entry point into the Fate universe, perfect for those only familiar with the anime or other games. Even with quality-of-life improvements, it's a 55+ hour experience, making the low price astonishing. Yes, it's a remaster, but the sheer amount of content makes it one of the best value releases on the eShop this year.
For those who played the original Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant improvements. The English language is obvious, but the 16:9 support is welcome. More work went into this than I expected. Comparing it to the PS Vita version, the remaster does a great job making Fate/stay night look good on modern displays, though it doesn't reach the visual polish of Tsukihime's recent remake.
I appreciate the touchscreen support on Switch. I played most of it on my Switch Lite (now broken, sadly) and then synced it to my Switch OLED. It's perfect on Nintendo's hybrid system. Hopefully, it gets more platform releases (iOS, PS5) so more people can experience it.
I also played a significant portion on Steam Deck, and it works flawlessly. Play it wherever you prefer; it's that good.
The only drawback is the lack of a physical Switch release. I hope it sells well enough to warrant one.
Fate/stay night REMASTERED is essential for visual novel fans. I still can't believe it's in English on Switch and Steam. The low price makes it an even easier recommendation. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, Fate/stay night REMASTERED is worth your time. I'm glad I finally played it in English after years of owning the Japanese PS Vita version. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 5/5
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)
Having limited VR experience, I missed out on some great games. My VR-owning friends often mentioned TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, praised for their stories and immersive VR experiences. I hadn't experienced them until the TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK hit Switch.
Upon launching, you choose which game to play. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories, killers, and more. If you've played many visual novels, the narrative will feel predictable at times, but it's not bad. It has good visuals, and I'm curious to try the VR version for the novelty.
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior in production, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It also goes beyond being a pure visual novel, which I appreciate. ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is the standout, but the pack is worth it if you're okay with the demo's controls and movement.
Beyond some less impactful story elements, the Switch version has camera movement performance issues. They're not game-breaking, but distracting. The other Switch features compensate, though, with touchscreen support (my favorite in adventure games) and good rumble.
TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience, with touch controls and rumble enhancing immersion. I'm glad I finally experienced these stories without needing a VR headset, and I hope to see more from this team. If you enjoy sci-fi, download the demo to see how it feels on Switch. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Select New Releases
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)
The title perfectly describes the game's content. It's Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 more from the Fitness Boxing series. Plenty of music to work out to. Mechanically, it's similar to other games in the series. Get it if you want a Fitness Boxing game with Hatsune Miku.
Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)
I reviewed this yesterday, but in short: it's a faithful sequel to the original, building upon its foundations with improved visuals and retaining the challenging gameplay. If you enjoy clever platformers and a good challenge, check it out.
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)
Tired of switching between rhythm and bullet hell games? Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost combines both. The Touhou theme connects them, and fans will likely appreciate it. At least the music is good, right?
EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)
Another Hydlide version in EGGCONSOLE. It falls between the PC-8801 and NES versions. Hydlide superfans will want this, but others might find it redundant if they've played the PC-8801 version.
Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)
Hamster's offering something different this time. A 1988 Seibu Kaihatsu game, a sequel to Empire City 1931. It's a gallery shooter, and while not hugely popular back then, it's a decent example of the genre. If you enjoy these, give it a look.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Not much exciting today, but No Man's Sky is always a good deal. Other good games are frequently on sale. The same goes for the expiring sales. I'll leave the decisions to you.
Select New Sales
(List of new sales)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th
(List of expiring sales)
That's it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Oh, and I have a blog, Post Game Content, that's getting reactivated soon. Check it out if you enjoy my game thoughts. Have a great Thursday, and thanks for reading!
