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

Hello discerning readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 5th, 2024. Already Thursday? Time flies! We're diving deep 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 weighs in on Nour: Play With Your Food, Fate/stay night REMASTERED, and TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. After that, we'll explore today'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 fleeting remake, is intriguing. This marks the first new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years, a welcome development.

The challenge in reviving old IPs lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely retains the style of the recent remakes, staying true to the originals. This creates a unique blend. The visuals are top-notch, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have attempted. However, the gameplay remains old-school, significantly impacting the overall enjoyment.

The game centers on a student found dead, triggering a re-examination of similar unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. The urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, adds to the mystery. Is it a copycat, a resurfaced killer, or pure fiction? The police are baffled, leaving the Utsugi Detective Agency to uncover the truth!

Gameplay involves searching for clues, interrogating suspects (often requiring multiple attempts), and connecting the pieces to solve the case. Similar to the investigative sections in Ace Attorney, this style may prove tedious for some. While engaging, certain aspects could have been streamlined, and clearer guidance on logical connections would have been beneficial. However, considering the genre's conventions, Emio doesn't stray too far from the norm.

While I have some minor story criticisms, I found the game captivating, suspenseful, and well-written. Specific plot points may not resonate with everyone, but discussing them would spoil the experience. The narrative's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, and the pacing picks up considerably at certain points.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is atypical of Nintendo's output, but any potential team rust is undetectable. The mechanics' adherence to the originals might be excessive, and while the plot is largely excellent, the pacing occasionally falters. Despite these minor flaws, it's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club! Don't stay away so long next time.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is accumulating a solid collection of TMNT games. From the classic Konami titles in Cowabunga Collection to the modern arcade-style beat 'em up Shredder's Revenge, and now Splintered Fate, offering a home console experience, there's something for every fan. How does this one fare?

Quite well, actually. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the premise. It blends a TMNT-style beat 'em up with the roguelite elements of Hades. Solo play is viable, but local or online multiplayer (up to four players) significantly enhances the experience. Mikhail and I tested online multiplayer, and it functioned flawlessly. While enjoyable solo, adding players improves the fun.

Shredder's shenanigans and a mysterious power put Splinter in danger, forcing the Turtles into action. Combat involves slicing, dicing, and bludgeoning enemies, tactical dashing, utilizing power-ups, and collecting currency for permanent upgrades. Death means returning to the lair and starting again. It's a roguelite beat 'em up, but with the Turtles, automatically making it superior. While not groundbreaking, it executes its concept effectively.

Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a highlight, showcasing the importance of cooperative gameplay within the TMNT universe. Those less familiar with the Turtles might find better roguelite options on Switch, but Splintered Fate holds its own in a highly competitive genre. Not bad at all.

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 seemed perfectly 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 appreciate playful sandbox experiences and love food, you'll likely adore Nour, but the Switch version has some shortcomings.

For newcomers, Nour lets you interact with various food types across different stages, accompanied by engaging music and playful elements. It blends an interactive app with food and art. Initially, only basic tools are available, but the developers have added extensive features, allowing you to truly "play with your food." This reveals why touchscreen control might be less intuitive.

The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Furthermore, performance compromises are evident on Switch to maintain acceptable frame rates, resulting in lengthy load times, both docked and handheld.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing if you appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability remains a plus. Hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a welcome contrast 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, released a month ago on Switch and Steam, is a long-awaited title. Before reviewing the game, let me share my personal journey. Years ago, I was introduced to the Fate universe through Fate/Zero. While eager to explore more, English-language options were limited. I imported the PS Vita version of Fate/stay night Realta Nua, leading to a continued exploration of Fate games and Type Moon properties.

This brings me to Aniplex's release of Fate/stay night REMASTERED. Is it worth your time and money? 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 serves as an excellent entry point into the Fate universe, offering a chance to experience the series' origin as intended. Even with quality-of-life improvements, it's a 55+ hour experience, making the price incredibly reasonable. The remaster's enhancements justify the cost.

For those familiar with the Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant improvements, including English language support and 16:9 aspect ratio. The visual enhancements are impressive, although not as stunning as Tsukihime's recent remake. Comparisons with the PS Vita version highlight the considerable effort invested in this remaster.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition. I played extensively on both Switch Lite and OLED, finding it perfectly suited to Nintendo's hybrid system. Further platform releases on iOS and PS5 would expand its accessibility.

The Steam Deck compatibility is also noteworthy. It runs flawlessly, offering players flexibility in their choice of platform.

The lack of a physical Switch release is the only significant drawback. Hopefully, its success will warrant a physical release.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is essential for visual novel fans. Its English availability on Switch and Steam is remarkable. The low price further strengthens its recommendation. While not visually comparable to Tsukihime's remake, it's a worthwhile experience. I'm thrilled 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. My VR-owning friends praised them for their immersive storytelling. The Switch release of TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK finally allowed me to experience these titles.

Upon launching, you choose which game to play. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and killers. While the narrative might feel predictable at times, the visuals are strong. I'm curious to try the VR version after playing the Switch port.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos surpasses TOKYO CHRONOS in production value, music, writing, voice acting, and character development. It transcends the visual novel format, enhancing its memorability. While both are included, ALTDEUS is the standout. The demo is recommended to assess the controls and movement before purchasing.

Despite some narrative shortcomings, the Switch version suffers from camera movement issues, which, while distracting, don't ruin the experience. Touchscreen support and haptic feedback compensate for these flaws.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK offers a great Switch experience with touch controls and haptic feedback. I'm glad to have finally experienced these stories without needing a VR headset. The demo is highly recommended, especially for sci-fi enthusiasts. -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: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to other games in the series. Consider it if you want a Fitness Boxing game with Hatsune Miku.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, Gimmick! 2 builds upon its predecessor with improved visuals and maintains its challenging gameplay. Fans of clever platformers should check it out.

Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)

Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements. The Touhou theme connects the two modes, which may feel disparate. Touhou fans will likely appreciate it.

EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)

Another Hydlide version for EGGCONSOLE, falling between the PC-8801 and NES versions. Hydlide enthusiasts will want to collect it.

Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)

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

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

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

Select New Sales

Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th

That concludes today's roundup. Join us tomorrow for more reviews, new releases, and sales. I also have a blog, Post Game Content, which will be reactivated soon. Have a great Thursday, and thanks for reading!