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 deep 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 out with a look at new and expiring 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 – video games mirroring Hollywood's playbook. Nintendo's surprise revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series mostly known in the West through a fleeting remake of the first two games on Switch, is a prime example. This new millennium marks the first brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years!

The challenge in reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern appeal. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club opts for a style similar to the recent remakes, staying true to the originals. This creates a unique blend: modern visuals meet a slightly updated storyline, yet the gameplay retains an old-school feel. This retro gameplay will be a deciding factor in whether or not you enjoy the game.

The game centers around a student found dead, a smiling face on a paper bag his only calling card. This triggers a re-examination of eighteen-year-old unsolved murders with similar hallmarks, raising many questions. The urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles, adds to the mystery. Is it a copycat, a resurrected killer, or pure fiction? The police are baffled, making it time for the Utsugi Detective Agency to step in! Through investigation and interrogation, you'll uncover the truth!

The gameplay involves searching for clues, questioning individuals (often requiring persistence), and connecting evidence to solve the case. It's reminiscent of the investigative sections in Ace Attorney. While engaging, the pacing can feel uneven at times, and the game's logic could benefit from clearer signposting. However, this is a classic mystery style, and Emio doesn't stray too far from the genre's conventions.

Overall, despite some minor story criticisms, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a captivating mystery. The plot is engaging and well-written, even if certain plot points might not resonate with everyone. The game is best experienced without spoilers. The positives outweigh the negatives, and the story's momentum is undeniable.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is an unexpected offering from Nintendo, but the developers' skill is evident. While the mechanics are somewhat faithful to the originals, and the plot has a few minor pacing issues, it's an enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club!

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is getting a great collection of TMNT games! From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder's Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, now we have Splintered Fate, offering a different kind of TMNT experience. And more are on the way!

This one is quite good. If you've played it on Apple Arcade, you'll know what to expect. It blends the beat 'em up style of TMNT with the roguelite mechanics of Hades. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. Online multiplayer worked well in our testing. The game is enjoyable solo, but multiplayer significantly enhances the experience.

The story involves Shredder and a mysterious power, putting Splinter in danger. The Turtles must save him! Fight enemies, use tactical dashes, collect perks for your run, and earn currency for permanent upgrades. Death means starting over. It's a roguelite beat 'em up with the Turtles – inherently better than a non-Turtle version! It's not groundbreaking, but it's well-executed.

Splintered Fate isn't a must-have for everyone, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The multiplayer is well-done, a welcome addition to a genre often played solo. While other excellent roguelites exist on Switch, Splintered Fate holds its own.

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, as it seemed perfect for touchscreens. I enjoyed the PC version, but it's not a traditional game. If you enjoy sandbox experiences and food, you'll love Nour, but the Switch version has some shortcomings.

Nour lets you playfully interact with food in various stages, set to interesting music. It feels like an interactive app for food and art lovers. You start with basic tools, but the game's depth is surprising. However, the lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing, and performance is noticeably affected compared to other platforms. Load times are long, both docked and handheld.

Despite its flaws, Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing if you appreciate food, art, and interactive apps. While not ideal on Switch, its portability remains a plus. Hopefully, it will perform well enough to warrant DLC or a physical release. Games like Nour offer a refreshing change of pace. -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 remaster of the 2004 visual novel. This is arguably the best entry point to the Fate universe, offering a chance to experience the series' origins. The sheer volume of content makes the price incredibly reasonable.

The remaster adds English language support, 16:9 support, and other improvements. The visuals are enhanced for modern displays, though not as polished as Tsukihime's remake. Touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition. It also performs well on Steam Deck.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a must-have for visual novel fans. The low price makes it even more appealing. While not visually stunning, it's a worthwhile experience. Hopefully, it will receive physical release on Switch and ports to other platforms. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)

Having missed out on VR gaming, I was curious about TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, praised for their VR experiences. The Switch version offers both games.

TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and killers. While the narrative is predictable at times, the visuals are good. ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, with better production, writing, voice acting, and characters. It expands beyond a typical visual novel.

The Switch version has some camera movement issues, but touchscreen support and rumble make up for it.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience. I recommend trying the demo. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

A Fitness Boxing game featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 more from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically similar to other Fitness Boxing games.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, with enhanced visuals and challenging gameplay.

Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)

Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements.

EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)

Another version of Hydlide for fans of the series.

Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)

A gallery shooter from 1988.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

No Man’s Sky is on sale, along with other titles. Check the lists for details.

Select New Sales and Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th (Images included as in the original)

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!