Good day light readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for April sixteenth, 2024. In right this moment’s article, we’ve bought a handful of opinions so that you can dig into. I’ve my ideas prepared on Freedom Planet 2, Terra Memoria, Moonglow Bay, and Tengoku Battle, and it’s an actual assortment to make certain. After that, we have now some new releases to take a look at together with a brand new sport that includes Inugami Korone, my very favourite Vtuber. After that, it’s gross sales time! Lists of latest and expiring gross sales, as you prefer it. Let’s get this week going!
Opinions & Mini-Views
Freedom Planet 2 ($24.99)
I preferred the primary Freedom Planet greater than I like most Sonic video games. Simply mentioning that now in order that the place I’m coming from. I felt just like the story bits have been somewhat an excessive amount of, however the precise gameplay mechanics and degree designs have been excellent. I additionally actually loved the boss battles, although a few of them have been somewhat lengthy for my liking. It wasn’t laborious to identify its origins as a Sonic fan sport, nevertheless it was an extremely well-made one. My hopes for the sequel have been that it may discover a higher story-to-gameplay stability, and that it may correctly break away from its supply of inspiration and totally develop into its personal factor.
Nicely, I didn’t get all the things I wished, however Freedom Planet 2 is a strong enchancment on the unique. The cutscenes are loads simpler to tolerate, as they’re shorter and higher paced. The sport nonetheless seems like Sonic at occasions, however I feel it’s transferring in a great path in that regard. Maybe a very powerful factor is that the sport itself reveals a variety of enhancements throughout the board. The presentation is healthier, the extent designs are extra fascinating, the varied characters really feel extra pure inside these phases, and the mechanics have been tightened up. It’s a terrific 2D motion sport, and followers of 2D Sonic ought to have a good time with it.
I received’t belabor the purpose right here. Freedom Planet 2 takes all the things Freedom Planet did proper and does it higher, whereas additionally ensuring to enhance on the issues it didn’t do nicely. It’s nonetheless not an ideal sport by any means, and it will possibly’t fairly escape the orbit of Sonic the Hedgehog. However perhaps it doesn’t need to? Perhaps it isn’t meant to? Maybe it’s simply high-quality if it’s a extremely nice riff on Sonic‘s gameplay. It is aware of what it desires to be and executes on that amazingly nicely. In case you like 2D platformers, you’ll wish to put this sport in your buying record.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4.5/5
Terra Memoria ($19.99)
One factor I’ll give Terra Memoria: it has a variety of allure. I can actually really feel the eagerness that went into its creation, and early on it had me enchanted. The world design is intriguing, the characters who make up your get together are distinctive, and the fight system takes a variety of cues from Grandia. That’s a great place to attract inspiration from. However the extra the sport went on, the extra it misplaced me. The characters don’t get a lot growth or fleshing out, the sub-systems typically really feel like an afterthought, and the battle system rapidly turns into repetitive. By the top, I felt like I had performed by way of a KEMCO RPG. A KEMCO RPG with an impressive presentation, thoughts you.
The sport is ready in Terra, a fantasy world the place magic makes all the things go ’spherical. All is okay till some historic robots awaken and begin attacking. Six characters come collectively in these circumstances and should discover each the previous and current to determine what’s gone improper and why. The turn-based battle system sees you exploiting weaknesses to attempt to delay the enemies’ turns, and it’s enjoyable however by no means actually challenges you to attempt new techniques. Nothing within the sport calls for greater than merely selecting on the enemies’ weaknesses with the perfect magic you’ve bought.
There’s additionally a crafting system in right here that you just’ll primarily be utilizing to construct up your city/base, which is an gratifying mechanic even when it isn’t very important. There are different facet quests past the town-building to finish, so the sport definitely checks off the required bins. However regardless of the sport operating a good twenty-ish hours, it by no means fairly takes off the best way you’d hope. It seems like there’s half a sport lacking right here. Not a lot a lacking second half, however somewhat bits and items reduce from the sport because it stands.
There’s loads to love in Terra Memoria, particularly within the sport’s excellent presentation. It’s clear its creators are followers of the RPG style, and the muse is right here for one thing actually nice. Sadly, after a strong begin the sport doesn’t actually construct on issues very nicely. Characters are paper-thin, the fight system rapidly stagnates, and all of it begins to really feel such as you’re simply going by way of the motions. There’s sufficient fuel within the tank right here for me to suggest it to followers of the style, although.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
Tengoku Battle -Strayside- ($49.99)
The newest visible novel launch from Concept Manufacturing facility and Aksys comes from lots of the similar folks that labored on Olympia Soiree, a sport that our pal Mikhail reviewed and actually loved. I’ll say this for Tengoku Battle: you may inform it’s from the identical author as that sport. There are a variety of heavy grownup themes on this sport, together with sexual assault and necrophilia. Many of the guys on this sport don’t hesitate to threaten the heroine in very forceful methods. Perhaps that’s your factor, perhaps it’s not. However contemplate your self suggested, if nothing else.
Rin Enma is the adopted daughter of the King of Hell, and he or she’s simply handed her remaining exams and brought a place as a Hell Guardian. She has no reminiscences of her life earlier than she died, and is just devoted to serving to her father as finest as she will. When some sinners use a loophole to flee Hell, Rin’s father duties her with going to the human realm to trace them down. To assist her out, Papa sends 4 of his finest “canine” – a few of Hell’s worst sinners. They’ll all need to reside collectively in a home in Asakusa, a activity made all of the extra arduous by the truth that Rin has a powerful dislike of males. Their investigation will reveal a variety of secrets and techniques, and Rin would possibly simply discover love alongside the best way.
You’ve bought 5 routes to play right here, every with a great and dangerous ending. Some are loads higher than others, and that is a kind of video games the place it feels prefer it’s strongly pushing you in direction of one explicit pairing. Every little thing is written nicely sufficient, dialogue-wise, and a number of the routes have fascinating tales to inform. The reality behind Rin’s existence isn’t too laborious to determine earlier than it’s correctly revealed, however there are a couple of stunning twists up the author’s sleeve. I solely ended up actually having fun with two of the routes, and one in every of them did completely nothing for me in any respect. It generally felt like the author was going somewhat too excessive with out good purpose to. I’ll say that I completely liked Papa Enma, whose voice actor fully sells the weird character he’s portrayed as right here.
Whereas Tengoku Battle reveals the same old excessive manufacturing values and polish seen in Concept Manufacturing facility’s different visible novels, I discovered the story right here simply wasn’t fairly as much as the same old output we see from the developer. There’s some good in it, and the perfect route is definitely value experiencing if the premise has intrigued you. The author’s tendency to attempt to shock the reader in low cost methods will get somewhat out of hand right here, and a number of the romances actually aren’t bought nicely. An honest effort, however given the widely high-quality output of Concept Manufacturing facility on this style, Tengoku Battle has some issue making its mark.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
Moonglow Bay ($24.99)
A story as previous as time, by this level. An honest sport that’s closely dragged down by its horrible technical efficiency. To be clear, even when the sport ran nicely, Moonglow Bay has its justifiable share of design points. It’s a life sim of kinds the place you’re fishing, cooking, interacting with townspeople, and operating a enterprise. These features aren’t balanced in addition to they could possibly be, with the essential duties turning into extremely tiresome in a short time and the enterprise facet undercooked and simply exploitable. The story has hassle discovering a constant tone, and the interface can typically really feel unintuitive.
None of that is as massive of an issue because the technical facet of the sport, although. The sport completely chugs as you stroll round by way of the voxel-style world, to the purpose that I used to be nearly feeling nauseous at occasions. A sport that appears like this actually shouldn’t run this poorly, so I’m hoping it’s an optimization difficulty that the developer can repair with some patches. Moonglow Bay can be extraordinarily buggy. I bumped into full-stop crashes again to the Change’s residence menu extra typically than I’d like, and generally cut-scenes would play a number of occasions in a row. I managed to get caught in objects a couple of occasions, too.
It’s irritating as a result of regardless of the failings within the sport’s design, I discovered myself having fun with the essential loop nicely sufficient. It’s no Stardew Valley or something, nevertheless it’s high-quality. I used to be actually cheering for the protagonist as they tried to carry themselves and their city again to life. It is a sport I wish to take pleasure in, nevertheless it’s very troublesome to take action in its present state. Had I not been taking part in the sport for evaluate, I might have bailed out very early as a result of how queasy it made me really feel.
Moonglow Bay has a variety of good features to it that sadly are balanced in opposition to some balancing and pacing points. All of that is overshadowed by the sport’s buggy, unpolished state right here on the Change. Between framerate points, crashes, collision mess-ups, and different weird bugs, it’s laborious to correctly get into the world the sport is attempting to construct. I’m hoping the sport can enhance with some updates, as a result of there’s something right here that compelled me when the issues weren’t pushing me away.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3/5
New Releases
Evil God Korone ($3.95)
Yubi-yubi! One of the best Vtuber doggo involves the Change on this Korone-themed twist on Tsugunohi. Identical to within the common sport, you’re strolling to the left repeatedly as scary issues occur. Korone is thought for her occasional yandere tendencies, and he or she leans into it right here as she goes full-blown evil god on us. Water within the fireplace, why?! Okay, this has a really explicit viewers. They know who they’re, and they’re going to most likely decide it up even when they’re base cowards who hate horror. No confidence.
Dream Ways ($17.99)
A promising trying technique RPG that blends deck-building parts with a reasonably conventional tackle the style. The Dream World is in hassle, and also you’re the one one that may put it aside. You’ll need to assemble a crew and collect an assortment of playing cards as you battle your means by way of the evil Pillow Legions. The builders cite the Sport Boy Advance period as their supply of inspiration, and at the very least from what I’ve seen that tracks nicely sufficient. I’ll need to spend a while with this one to see if it’s nearly as good because it appears.
The Bin Bunch
ZooKeeper ($10.99)
Overdelivery – Supply Simulator ($7.99)
Good Knife ($0.99)
Gross sales
(North American eShop, US Costs)
A tiny record of latest gross sales, however I positive can’t argue with Gimmick or Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf at these costs. Over within the outbox… not a lot in any respect. Not a lot in any respect. Nicely, I’ll go away it to you. It received’t take too lengthy so that you can scan each lists; I think you have already got as you’ve learn this.
Choose New Gross sales
Gimmick! Particular Version ($7.49 from $14.99 till 4/22)
Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf ($2.49 from $9.99 till 4/24)
Flexible & the Ink Machine ($3.99 from $19.99 till 4/25)
Hexapoda ($4.99 from $12.99 till 4/29)
Kittengumi: The Sakabato’s Thief ($4.99 from $9.99 till 4/29)
Outer Terror ($7.99 from $9.99 till 5/3)
Virus Rush ($1.99 from $7.99 till 5/3)
Evil Nun: The Damaged Masks ($13.99 from $19.99 till 5/3)
She Sees Purple: Interactive Film ($2.49 from $9.99 till 5/4)
Gross sales Ending Tomorrow, April sixteenth
Blazblue Centralfiction SE ($12.49 from $49.99 till 4/16)
Blazblue Cross Tag Battle ($4.99 from $19.99 till 4/16)
On the spot Tennis ($1.99 from $9.95 till 4/16)
Pinball M: The Factor Pinball DLC ($4.66 from $5.49 till 4/16)
Railgrade ($19.49 from $29.99 till 4/16)
Sheepo ($3.84 from $10.99 till 4/16)
Keep Cool, Kobayashi-San! ($1.99 from $13.99 till 4/16)
Torn Away ($12.75 from $15.00 till 4/16)
Xiaomei & the Flame Dragon’s Fist ($8.99 from $14.99 till 4/16)
That’s all for right this moment, associates. We’ll be again tomorrow with extra opinions, extra gross sales, extra new releases, and maybe some information. I had a pleasant weekend regardless of a variety of points bearing down on me. I credit score the high-quality climate and a uncommon probability to sleep in on a Sunday. I like to recommend each issues. I hope you all have a powerful Monday, and as all the time, thanks for studying!
