Emio Smiles for Review, New Releases Unveiled

Hello, fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024! It's Thursday already – where does the time go? We're diving straight into reviews today. I've got two for you: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Mikhail's also contributing 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 up with the latest sales. 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, primarily known in the West through a brief remake on Switch, is a prime example. This marks the first brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years, a welcome surprise.

The challenge with reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club stays true to the recent remakes' style, closely adhering to the originals. This creates a unique blend. The visuals are on par with contemporary games, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have attempted. However, the gameplay feels distinctly retro, significantly impacting the overall enjoyment.

The game centers around a student found dead with a smiling-face paper bag over his head, echoing unsolved murders from 18 years prior. This introduces the urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles. The investigation unfolds, questioning whether a past killer has returned, if it's a copycat, or if Emio is even real. The police are baffled, prompting the Utsugi Detective Agency's intervention. Players will investigate scenes, interview suspects (often requiring repeated questioning), and uncover connections to solve the mystery. The gameplay resembles the investigative sections of Ace Attorney. Depending on your preference for this style, you might find it tedious or engaging. Certain aspects could have been streamlined, and clearer logical pathways would have been beneficial.

While I have some story-related criticisms, I overall enjoyed the engaging, twisting, and well-written narrative. Specific plot points might not resonate with everyone, but I won't spoil the experience. The game's pacing is uneven, with some sections dragging while others are captivating.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is atypical of Nintendo's output. The mechanics are perhaps too faithful to the originals, and while the plot is generally excellent, the pacing and resolution of certain elements could have been improved. Despite these minor flaws, it's a thoroughly 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. We have the Konami classics in Cowabunga Collection, the modern arcade beat 'em up Shredder's Revenge, Wrath of the Mutants, and now Splintered Fate, offering a more console-like experience. So, how does this one fare?

It's quite good. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the gist. It blends a TMNT-style beat 'em up with the roguelite elements of Hades. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. The online multiplayer worked well in my experience. The single-player mode is decent, but multiplayer enhances the experience.

Shredder's mischief involving a mysterious power puts Splinter in danger, forcing the Turtles to save him. Fight enemies, utilize tactical dashes, acquire perks, collect currency for permanent upgrades, and repeat the cycle if you die. It's a roguelite beat 'em up with a TMNT twist. While not groundbreaking, it's well-executed.

Splintered Fate isn't a must-have, but TMNT fans will likely appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a plus. Those unfamiliar with the Turtles might find better roguelites on the Switch, but Splintered Fate holds its own in a 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 by excluding Switch and mobile. It felt ideally suited for touchscreens as an experimental food art experience. I enjoyed the PC version, but it's not a traditional game for everyone. If you enjoy sandbox experiences and food, you'll likely love it. However, the Switch version has shortcomings.

For newcomers, Nour lets you interact with various food types across different stages, featuring interesting music and playful elements. You start with basic tools, but the game's depth expands as you progress. This is where the touchscreen limitation becomes apparent.

The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance compromises are also evident, resulting in long load times, both docked and handheld.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth checking out if you appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't optimal, its portability is a plus. I hope its success leads to more DLC or a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a refreshing change of pace. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)

Fate/stay night REMASTERED, released on Switch and Steam, is a remaster of the 2004 visual novel. This is arguably the best entry point into the Fate universe. For those only familiar with the anime and other games, this is a chance to experience the series' origins. The game's length (55+ hours) makes the price incredibly reasonable.

For those who played the original Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant improvements, including English language support and 16:9 widescreen. The visuals are enhanced for modern displays, though not as stunning as Tsukihime's recent remake.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition. I played extensively on both Switch Lite and OLED, finding it perfect on Nintendo's hybrid system. Hopefully, it will see releases on other platforms like iOS and PS5.

It also runs flawlessly on Steam Deck. The only drawback is the lack of a physical Switch release. Its success hopefully warrants a future physical release.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is essential for visual novel fans. The low price makes it an even easier recommendation. While not visually as impressive as Tsukihime, it's still worthwhile. I'm glad to finally play 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 TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos. Their stories and VR implementations were praised. The Switch version allows me to finally experience them.

The TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK lets you choose which game to play. 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 after playing the Switch version.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, boasting better production values, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format at times, making it more memorable. The pack is worth buying, considering the demo's controls and movement.

Despite some narrative shortcomings, the Switch version has camera movement issues. These are minor, though. Touchscreen support and rumble enhance the immersion.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience, thanks to touch controls and rumble. I'm glad I could finally experience 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 perfectly describes the game's content. It's Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku, with 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 more 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, with enhanced 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. The Touhou theme connects the two modes.

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 gallery shooter from 1988. A decent example of the genre.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

No Man's Sky is a highlight. Other noteworthy titles are frequently on sale.

Select New Sales

Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th

That's it for today! We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Check out my blog, Post Game Content, for more gaming insights. Have a great Thursday!