Emio Unveiled in SwitchArcade Review Bonanza

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 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 top new releases and round things off with our usual sales lists. Let's get started!

Reviews & Mini-Views

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

Sequels to long-dormant franchises are all the rage, it seems. Nintendo's surprise revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series largely known in the West through a brief remake on Switch a few years ago, is a prime example. This marks the first brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years, a welcome development.

The challenge with reviving an old IP 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 further than its 90s counterpart. However, the gameplay retains a distinctly old-school feel, a key factor in determining enjoyment.

The game centers around a student found dead, a case echoing unsolved murders from 18 years prior. The legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, adds intrigue. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure myth? The police are baffled, leaving the Utsugi Detective Agency to unravel the truth.

Gameplay involves searching for clues, interrogating suspects (often requiring repeated questioning), and piecing together the puzzle. It's reminiscent of the investigation sections in Ace Attorney. While engaging, some aspects feel clunky or could benefit from clearer guidance. However, within the confines of its genre, Emio doesn't significantly falter.

Despite minor narrative criticisms, the story is captivating, twisting, and well-crafted. While some plot points may not resonate universally, the experience is best enjoyed fresh. The game's pacing fluctuates, but when it picks up, it truly captivates.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is atypical of Nintendo, but shows no signs of rust. While its mechanics adhere closely to the originals, and the plot has some minor pacing issues, it's a highly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is seeing a surge of TMNT titles. Following the Cowabunga Collection, Shredder's Revenge, and Wrath of the Mutants, Splintered Fate offers a console-style experience. And more are on the horizon!

This one is quite solid. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you'll be familiar with the premise. Imagine a TMNT beat 'em up infused with Hades elements. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. The online multiplayer functioned flawlessly in our testing. While enjoyable solo, adding players enhances the experience.

Shredder's machinations and a mysterious power threaten Splinter, forcing the Turtles into action. Fight enemies, utilize tactical dashes, collect power-ups, and earn upgrades. Death sends you back to the lair to retry. It's a roguelite beat 'em up with a TMNT twist. It's not groundbreaking, but it executes its core concept well.

Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a highlight. While other superior roguelites exist on Switch, Splintered Fate holds its own in a highly competitive genre.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

Nour: Play With Your Food's absence from Switch and mobile upon its initial PC and PS5 release was surprising. It seemed perfectly suited for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game for all. Those who appreciate playful sandbox experiences and food will find much to love, but the Switch version has shortcomings.

For newcomers, Nour lets you interact with food in various stages, accompanied by engaging music and playful elements. Starting with basic tools, the game gradually expands, allowing for creative food play. However, this is where the touchscreen limitation becomes apparent.

The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance optimizations for Switch resulted in noticeable compromises, particularly lengthy load times, both docked and handheld.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing for fans of food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability is a plus. Hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a refreshing counterpoint 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 serves as an excellent entry point into the Fate universe. The sheer volume of content justifies the low price point.

For those familiar with the original Japanese versions, this remaster offers significant improvements, including English language support and 16:9 widescreen compatibility. The visuals are enhanced for modern displays, though not as polished as Tsukihime's recent remake.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition. It plays seamlessly on both Switch Lite and OLED models, both handheld and docked. 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. This is a must-have for visual novel fans. The low price makes it an even easier recommendation. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime, Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a worthwhile experience. -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, boasting better production values, writing, voice acting, and characters. It also transcends the visual novel format.

The Switch version suffers from occasional camera movement issues, but touchscreen support and rumble features enhance immersion.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK offers a solid experience on Switch. The demo is recommended to assess the controls. Sci-fi fans should definitely check it out. -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 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to previous entries.