SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Emio – The Smiling Man’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales

Home News SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring ‘Emio – The Smiling Man’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales

Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024. It's Thursday already! Time flies, doesn't it? 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 noteworthy new releases and wrap things up 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 seems to be the latest trend in gaming, mirroring Hollywood's practices. Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club, largely known in the West through a brief remake, is a prime example. This marks the first new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years, a welcome surprise.

The challenge with reviving older IPs lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely maintains the style of the recent remakes, staying true to its roots. The visuals are top-notch, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have dared. However, the gameplay retains a distinctly old-school feel, significantly impacting the overall experience.

The game centers on a student found dead, a case echoing unsolved murders from 18 years prior, all linked by a smiling-face calling card. The legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, looms large. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure myth? The police are baffled, necessitating the intervention of the Utsugi Detective Agency.

Gameplay involves exploring crime scenes for clues, interrogating suspects (often requiring repeated questioning), and piecing together the puzzle. It's reminiscent of the investigative segments in Ace Attorney. While engaging, the gameplay can feel tedious at times, lacking clear guidance in certain logical leaps. Despite this, the story is compelling, twisting and turning in unexpected ways.

While I have some minor criticisms of the narrative, the overall experience was highly enjoyable. The plot is gripping, well-written, and full of surprises. The pacing occasionally falters, and some resolutions felt less satisfying than hoped. However, these are minor drawbacks in an otherwise excellent mystery adventure.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a unique offering from Nintendo. While its mechanics adhere closely to the originals, the plot shines. Welcome back, Detective Club! Let's hope the wait for the next installment isn't as long.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is building a solid collection of TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder's Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, there's a title for every fan. Splintered Fate adds another dimension, blending beat 'em up action with roguelite elements.

This game is essentially a TMNT-themed Hades-like experience. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. The online multiplayer worked flawlessly in our testing. While enjoyable solo, the addition of friends significantly enhances the fun.

The story involves Shredder and a mysterious power, putting Splinter in danger. The Turtles must save him, battling Foot Soldiers along the way. Gameplay involves combat, tactical dodging, collecting perks for temporary boosts, and earning currency for permanent upgrades. Death sends you back to the lair to start again.

Splintered Fate isn't groundbreaking, but it's well-executed. TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take on the franchise. The well-implemented multiplayer is a significant plus. While not a must-have for everyone, it's a solid addition to the genre.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

Nour: Play With Your Food's initial absence from Switch and mobile was surprising, given its suitability for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game. Fans of playful sandbox experiences and food-related themes will appreciate it, but the Switch version has shortcomings.

Nour offers a playful food art experience across various stages, complemented by unique music and quirky elements. Starting with basic tools, the game gradually unlocks more options, allowing for extensive food manipulation. The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing, and performance is hampered by lengthy load times.

Despite these issues, Nour is a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy food, art, and interactive apps. While not ideal on Switch, its portable nature makes it appealing. Hopefully, it performs well enough to warrant DLC or a physical release.

Nour, along with games like Townscaper, provides a refreshing counterpoint 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. It serves as an excellent entry point into the Fate universe, offering a comprehensive experience for those unfamiliar with the series.

The remaster boasts several quality-of-life improvements, including English language support and 16:9 widescreen compatibility. The visual enhancements are impressive, making the game visually appealing on modern displays. The sheer volume of content, clocking in at over 55 hours, makes it an exceptional value for its price.

For those who played the original Japanese versions, the remaster provides a significantly improved experience. The addition of touchscreen support on Switch is particularly welcome, making it a joy to play on Nintendo's hybrid console. It also runs flawlessly on Steam Deck.

The narrative, while predictable at times, is engaging and well-written. The characters are well-developed, and the story is captivating. The inclusion of touchscreen support and good rumble features enhances the immersion.

The only downside is the lack of a physical Switch release. Hopefully, its success will warrant a physical edition in the future.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a must-have for visual novel enthusiasts. Its availability in English on both Switch and Steam, coupled with its affordable price, makes it highly recommended. -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 follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and murder. While the narrative is somewhat predictable, the visuals are strong.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior in terms of production value, music, writing, voice acting, and character development. It transcends the typical visual novel format, enhancing the overall experience.

The Switch version suffers from minor performance issues with camera movement, but touchscreen support and rumble compensate for this.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a solid offering on Switch, enhanced by touchscreen controls and rumble. The demo is highly recommended to gauge its suitability. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

This title clearly explains its content: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 Miku songs and 30 tracks from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to other games in the series.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, Gimmick! 2 boasts a polished presentation and challenging gameplay. Fans of clever platformers will find it rewarding.