Emio: Smiling Man Review & New Game Releases %v

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024. Thursday already? Time flies! We're diving straight into reviews today, with two covering Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Mikhail also contributes mini-views of Nour: Play With Your Food, Fate/stay night REMASTERED, and TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. After that, we'll cover the day's new releases and round things off with sales lists. Let's get to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

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

Resurrecting dormant franchises is the latest trend, it seems. Nintendo's surprising revival of Famicom Detective Club, mostly known in the West through a fleeting remake, yields a brand-new adventure—a welcome development. The challenge in reviving old brands lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern appeal. Emio – The Smiling Man leans towards the style of the recent remakes, creating a curious blend. The visuals are modern, the story pushes boundaries beyond the 90s Nintendo norm, but the gameplay retains a distinctly old-school feel. This will likely determine your enjoyment.

The game centers on a student's death, echoing unsolved murders from eighteen years prior. The "Emio" urban legend, a killer promising eternal smiles, adds intrigue. Is it a copycat, a resurfaced killer, or pure myth? The police are stumped, making it a job for the Utsugi Detective Agency. You'll investigate, interview (often repeatedly), and connect clues to unravel the truth. Think Ace Attorney without the courtroom sections. While engaging, the gameplay can feel tedious at times, lacking in signposting.

Despite some story criticisms, I found Emio engaging, twisty, and well-written. Certain plot points might not resonate with everyone, but details are best left unspoiled. The game's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, especially during its more captivating moments.

Emio – The Smiling Man isn't typical Nintendo fare, but it's polished. Its adherence to original mechanics might feel dated, and the pacing falters occasionally. However, it's a highly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club! Don't disappear again for so long.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is getting a nice selection of TMNT games. We have the classics, modern beat 'em ups, and now Splintered Fate, offering a console-style experience. This one's a solid entry. If you've played the Apple Arcade version, you know the drill. It blends beat 'em up action with Hades-style roguelite elements. Solo play is fine, but the local/online multiplayer (which worked well in our test) significantly enhances the experience.

Shredder's schemes and a mysterious power put Splinter in danger, prompting the Turtles to act. Fight enemies, use tactical dashes, collect perks and permanent upgrades, and repeat if you die. It's a familiar formula, but the TMNT theme elevates it. While not groundbreaking, it's well-executed.

Splintered Fate isn't essential, but TMNT fans will appreciate this unique take. The multiplayer is a plus, and it's great to see that element included. Others might find better roguelites, but in a crowded genre, Splintered Fate holds its own.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

Nour: Play With Your Food's initial absence from Switch surprised me, given its suitability for touchscreens. I enjoyed the PC version, but it's not for everyone. Those who enjoy playful sandbox experiences and food will appreciate it, but the Switch version has shortcomings.

Nour is an experimental food art experience, blending interactive app elements with artistic food play. The core gameplay expands significantly as you progress. However, the Switch version lacks touchscreen support, a significant drawback. Performance is also compromised, with noticeable load times.

Despite the Switch version's flaws, Nour is worth experiencing for food and art enthusiasts. While not ideal on Switch, its portable nature is a plus, and hopefully, it will see more DLC or a physical release. It's a welcome change of pace compared to typical RPGs and story-driven games. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)

Fate/stay night REMASTERED launched recently on Switch and Steam. This remaster of the 2004 visual novel is the ideal entry point into the Fate universe. It's a long game (55+ hours), making the price point incredibly reasonable. Improvements include English language support, 16:9 support, and enhanced visuals for modern displays.

For those familiar with the original Japanese versions, this remaster offers significant quality-of-life improvements. The visuals are good, though not as stunning as Tsukihime's recent remake. The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition, making it a great fit for the system. It also runs well on Steam Deck.

The only real drawback is the lack of a physical Switch release. This is an essential visual novel, especially given its low price. It's a fantastic adaptation, well worth the time investment. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

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

Having missed the VR releases, I was excited to experience TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos on Switch. TOKYO CHRONOS, while predictable at times, features good visuals and makes me curious about the VR experience. ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos, however, is superior, boasting better production, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It transcends the visual novel format, enhancing the story's impact.

The Switch version has some camera movement issues, but the touchscreen support and rumble features compensate.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great Switch experience. 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)

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