Emio, The Smiling Man, Shines in SwitchArcade Review Roundup

Hello discerning readers, 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. Following that, we'll highlight the day's noteworthy new releases and round up the latest sales, both new and expiring. Ah, Thursday. I'll miss you when Friday arrives. Let's begin!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)

Resurrecting dormant franchises seems to be the latest trend, mirroring Hollywood's practices. Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club, primarily known in the West through a brief remake, has yielded a brand-new adventure for the first time this century. A welcome surprise!

The challenge in reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Emio – The Smiling Man maintains the style of the recent remakes, which closely adhered to the originals. This creates a unique blend. The visuals are on par with modern titles, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have attempted. However, the gameplay remains old-school, significantly impacting enjoyment.

The game centers on a student found dead with a smiling-face paper bag over his head, triggering an investigation into similar unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. The urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, is central to the mystery. Is it a copycat, a returned killer, or pure fiction? The police are baffled, leading to the involvement of the Utsugi Detective Agency.

Gameplay involves exploring scenes for clues, interrogating characters (often requiring repeated questioning), and connecting evidence to solve the case. Similar to the investigative sections of Ace Attorney, this style might prove tedious for some. Certain logical connections could have benefited from clearer guidance. While adhering to the genre's conventions, Emio doesn't excel in streamlining this process.

Despite some narrative criticisms, the story is engaging, suspenseful, and well-crafted. Specific plot points may resonate differently with individuals, but detailing them would spoil the experience. The game's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, particularly during its most compelling moments.

Emio – The Smiling Man is atypical of Nintendo's output. The mechanics closely follow the originals, and while the plot is largely excellent, the pacing occasionally falters. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable mystery adventure. 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 accumulating a solid collection of TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder's Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, Splintered Fate offers a different home console experience. Several more titles are on the horizon. So, how does this one fare?

It's quite decent. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the premise. Essentially, it blends a TMNT-style beat 'em up with Hades. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. Online multiplayer functioned well in our testing. While enjoyable solo, adding more players enhances the experience.

Shredder's schemes and a mysterious power endanger Splinter, prompting the Turtles to intervene. Combat involves slicing, dicing, and bludgeoning enemies, using tactical dashes to evade attacks, collecting perks for the current run, and accumulating currency for permanent upgrades. Death means returning to the lair and starting anew. It's a roguelite beat 'em up, but with the Turtles, making it inherently superior. While not groundbreaking, it executes its concept effectively.

Splintered Fate isn't a must-have, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a commendable inclusion, considering the genre's usual solo focus. Those without a fondness for the Turtles might find better roguelites on the Switch, but its ability to compete in this saturated market is noteworthy.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

The initial absence of Switch and mobile versions of Nour: Play With Your Food was surprising, given its suitability for touchscreens. The PC version was enjoyable, but it's not a traditional game. Fans of playful sandbox experiences and food will find much to appreciate, although the Switch version has shortcomings.

Nour is an experimental food art experience, blending interactive app elements with food and art themes. Initially, only basic tools are available, but the developers have added extensive features allowing for extensive food manipulation. This highlights why touchscreen controls might be less intuitive.

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

Despite these drawbacks, Nour is worth experiencing for those who appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability is a plus, and hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a refreshing contrast to more complex 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 for those familiar with the anime and other games to experience the series' origins. The extensive playtime (55+ hours) makes the price remarkably affordable.

For those who played the original Japanese versions, the remaster offers significant improvements. English language support is a major addition, along with 16:9 support. The visual enhancements are impressive, though not as polished as Tsukihime's recent remake.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome feature. It's well-suited to the Switch Lite and OLED models, both handheld and docked. Hopefully, future releases on iOS and PS5 will broaden its accessibility.

The Steam Deck compatibility is excellent, offering a seamless experience. The only notable omission is a physical Switch release, which would be a welcome addition.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is highly recommended for visual novel fans. Its English language availability and affordability on Switch and Steam make it an easy recommendation. While not visually as stunning as Tsukihime, 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. Their reputations preceded them, praised for their narratives and immersive VR experience. The Switch release of the TWIN PACK finally allowed me to experience these stories.

The TWIN PACK allows players to choose between the two games. 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, and the VR experience is intriguing.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, boasting better production values, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format, enhancing the overall experience.

Despite some narrative shortcomings, the Switch version suffers from camera movement issues, although not game-breaking. The touchscreen support and rumble features compensate for these flaws.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK offers a great Switch experience, enhanced by touch controls and rumble. It's a worthwhile experience for sci-fi fans, and the demo is recommended to assess the Switch adaptation. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

The title perfectly encapsulates the game's content. It's Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku, with 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's consistent with the series. Consider it if you enjoy Fitness Boxing and Hatsune Miku.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, offering enhanced visuals and challenging gameplay. 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 ties them together. Music quality is a highlight.

EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)

Another Hydlide version for dedicated fans. Its position between previous releases might limit appeal for those who've played other versions.

Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)

A gallery shooter from 1988, offering a decent example of the genre. Appeals to fans of classic shooters.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

No Man's Sky is a notable sale. Other titles are frequently discounted.

Select New Sales

Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th

That concludes today's update. We'll return tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Check out my blog, Post Game Content, for additional gaming insights. Have a fantastic Thursday, and thanks for reading!