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

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 our 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. After that, we'll highlight the day's noteworthy new releases and round things off with our usual sales lists. Let's get to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

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

Sequels to long-dormant franchises seem to be all the rage these days. Nintendo's surprise revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series largely unfamiliar to Western audiences except for the fleeting remake of the first two games on Switch a few years ago, is a prime example. This marks the first brand-new Famicom Detective Club adventure in years – quite exciting!

The challenge with reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club opts for a style similar to the recent remakes, staying relatively true to the originals. The result is a curious blend. The visuals are top-notch, on par with contemporary titles, and the narrative pushes boundaries beyond what 90s Nintendo would have dared, even in Japan. However, the gameplay retains a distinctly old-school feel, which will significantly impact your enjoyment.

The game centers around a student found dead with a smiling-face paper bag over his head. This reopens a series of unsolved murders from eighteen years prior, each bearing a similar calling card. The urban legend of Emio, a killer promising eternal smiles to his victims, is brought into question. Is it a copycat? A resurrected killer? Or pure myth? The police are baffled, so it’s time for the Utsugi Detective Agency to step in! Using the tried-and-true methods of investigation – questioning suspects and searching for clues – you'll uncover the truth.

The gameplay involves exploring scenes for clues, interrogating characters (often requiring repeated questioning), and piecing together the connections to solve the case. It's reminiscent of the investigative sections in Ace Attorney. The pacing and clarity of the logic could be improved in certain areas, but it's still within the established conventions of the genre.

Overall, despite some minor criticisms of the plot, I found Emio – The Smiling Man engaging and well-written. While some plot points may not resonate with everyone, I'd rather avoid spoilers. The story is best experienced fresh. The highs significantly outweigh the lows, making for a captivating mystery adventure.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is an atypical Nintendo release, but the team's skill shines through. While the mechanics adhere closely to the originals, and the plot has a few minor pacing issues, it's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Welcome back, Detective Club! Let's hope the next installment doesn't take so long.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is getting a fantastic lineup of TMNT games. We have the Konami classics in the Cowabunga Collection, the superb modern beat 'em up Shredder's Revenge, the arcade-style Wrath of the Mutants, and now Splintered Fate, offering a more console-like experience. And more are on the way! So, how does this one fare?

Quite well, actually. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the drill. It's essentially a TMNT-style beat 'em up infused with Hades-like roguelite elements. Play solo or team up with up to four players locally or online. The online multiplayer worked flawlessly in my experience. While enjoyable solo, the game shines with multiple players.

The story involves Shredder and a mysterious power, leaving Splinter in peril. The Turtles must save him. It's classic TMNT action: slice, dice, and bludgeon your way through enemies, using tactical dashes and power-ups to survive. Death means starting over, but you retain permanent upgrades. It's a familiar roguelite beat 'em up formula, but with the Turtles – always a plus! 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 on the franchise. The well-implemented multiplayer is a highlight. Those less familiar with the Turtles might find better roguelites on Switch, but given the platform's competitive roguelite scene, Splintered Fate holds its own admirably.

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

For those unfamiliar, Nour lets you interact with various food items across different stages, set to engaging music. It's a blend of interactive app and artistic food experience. You start with basic tools, but the developers have added a wealth of options, allowing you to truly "play with your food." This is where the touchscreen limitations on Switch become apparent.

The lack of touchscreen support is disappointing. Performance is also impacted, with noticeable load times, both docked and handheld.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth checking out if you enjoy food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn't ideal, its portability is a plus. Hopefully, it performs well enough to warrant DLC or a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a refreshing contrast to more involved titles. -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 into the Fate universe, perfect for those familiar only with the anime or other games. The sheer volume of content makes the price incredibly reasonable. Even with quality-of-life improvements, it's a 55+ hour experience.

For those who played the original Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant enhancements. Beyond the addition of English, the 16:9 support and visual improvements are welcome additions. The developers have done an excellent job making it visually appealing on modern displays, though it doesn't reach the visual polish of Tsukihime's recent remake.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a fantastic addition. It plays beautifully on both the Switch Lite and OLED models. Hopefully, it will see releases on other platforms like iOS and PS5. It also runs flawlessly on Steam Deck.

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

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a must-have for visual novel fans. The low price makes it an even easier recommendation. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, it's a worthwhile experience. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

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

Having missed out on VR gaming until recently, I was excited to finally experience TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, both praised for their VR implementations. The Switch version allows you to choose which game to play. 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 good, and I'm curious to try the VR version.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior, boasting better production values, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format in certain sections.

Beyond some minor narrative issues, the Switch version suffers from camera movement problems, though not game-breaking. The touchscreen support and rumble features are welcome additions.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience, enhanced by touch controls and rumble. I'm glad I could experience these stories without needing a VR headset. If you enjoy sci-fi, try the demo. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

The title says it all: 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. Pick it up if you're a fan of both Fitness Boxing and Hatsune Miku.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

A faithful sequel to the original, with improved visuals and challenging platforming.

Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)

Combines rhythm game and bullet hell shooter elements.

EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)

Another Hydlide version for completionists.

Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)

A gallery shooter from 1988.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

No Man's Sky is a highlight among the sales. Many other games are frequently discounted.

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. Check out my blog, Post Game Content, for more gaming insights. Have a great Thursday!