Arcade Gems: Reviews of 'Emio' and Daily Updates

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. 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 hottest 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)

Sequels to long-dormant franchises are all the rage, mirroring Hollywood's trends. Nintendo's unexpected revival of Famicom Detective Club, primarily known in the West through a brief remake, is a prime example. This marks the first new Famicom Detective Club game in years, a welcome addition.

The challenge with reviving old IPs lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern updates. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club largely maintains the style of the recent remakes, staying true to the originals. It's a unique blend: modern visuals meet a story that pushes boundaries beyond its 90s counterpart. However, the gameplay retains an old-school feel, influencing overall enjoyment.

The game centers on a student found dead, a smiling face on a paper bag his only calling card. This triggers a re-investigation of similar unsolved murders from eighteen years prior, introducing the Emio urban legend—a killer promising eternal smiles. The mystery unfolds as players investigate, questioning suspects and piecing together the truth.

Gameplay involves searching for clues, interrogating characters (often requiring multiple attempts), and connecting evidence. Similar to Ace Attorney's investigation sections, the process can be tedious for some. Specific logical connections could use clearer guidance. However, this aligns with the genre's conventions.

Despite some story criticisms, the narrative is engaging, twisty, and well-written. While some plot points may not resonate with all players, the experience is best enjoyed fresh. The game's pacing occasionally falters, and some resolutions may feel unsatisfying, but these are minor flaws in an otherwise enjoyable mystery. Welcome back, Detective Club!

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is seeing a surge of TMNT games. Following the Cowabunga Collection, Shredder's Revenge, and Wrath of the Mutants, Splintered Fate offers a different home console experience. And it's a good one!

Imagine a TMNT beat 'em up infused with Hades-style roguelite mechanics. Play solo or with up to four players locally or online. Online multiplayer worked well in our testing. While enjoyable solo, the experience is significantly enhanced with friends. It's classic TMNT fun.

Shredder's shenanigans and a mysterious power put Splinter in danger. Players must battle Foot Soldiers, utilizing tactical dashes, collecting perks, and upgrading permanently between runs. Death sends players back to the lair to try again. It's a familiar roguelite beat 'em up formula, but with the Turtles, making it instantly more appealing.

While not a must-have for everyone, TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The well-implemented multiplayer is a highlight. Those seeking the best roguelite experience might find better alternatives, 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 absence from Switch and mobile at launch was surprising, given its suitability for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, it's not a traditional game. Those who appreciate playful sandbox experiences and food-related themes will likely adore it. The Switch version, however, has some shortcomings.

Nour lets players interact with various food types across different stages, accompanied by engaging music and playful elements. Starting with basic tools, players unlock more options as they progress, allowing for creative food manipulation. This is where the touchscreen limitation becomes apparent.

The lack of touchscreen support is disappointing. Performance compromises are also evident, with noticeable load times.

Despite these issues, Nour is worth experiencing for fans of food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability is a plus. Hopefully, it will perform well enough to warrant DLC or a physical release.

-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 origin story. The extensive content justifies the low price point.

For those familiar with the original Japanese versions, this remaster offers significant improvements. English language support is a major addition, along with 16:9 support and enhanced visuals for modern displays. The remaster surpasses expectations in terms of visual upgrades, though it doesn't reach the level of Tsukihime's recent remake.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition, making it ideal for handheld play. Steam Deck compatibility is also noteworthy.

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

-Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

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

This twin pack brings two VR titles to the Switch. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and murder. While the narrative might feel predictable at times, the visuals are good, and it's intriguing to consider the VR experience.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior in terms of production, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format, enhancing the overall experience.

The Switch version has some camera movement performance issues, but these are minor compared to the touchscreen support and rumble features.

-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, it's similar to other games in the series.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, featuring enhanced visuals and challenging platforming 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 EGGCONSOLE.

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 frequently discounted titles.

Select New Sales

Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th

That's all for today! We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews, new releases, and sales. Thanks for reading!