Hey mild readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for April sixteenth, 2024. In as we speak’s article, we’ve received 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 Wrestle, and it’s an actual assortment to make sure. After that, we’ve some new releases to have 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 recent and expiring gross sales, as you prefer it. Let’s get this week going!
Opinions & Mini-Views
Freedom Planet 2 ($24.99)
I appreciated the primary Freedom Planet greater than I like most Sonic video games. Simply mentioning that now in order that you realize the place I’m coming from. I felt just like the story bits had been a little bit an excessive amount of, however the precise gameplay mechanics and stage designs had been excellent. I additionally actually loved the boss battles, although a few of them had been a little bit lengthy for my liking. It wasn’t laborious to identify its origins as a Sonic fan sport, however it was an extremely well-made one. My hopes for the sequel had been that it might discover a higher story-to-gameplay stability, and that it might correctly break away from its supply of inspiration and totally develop into its personal factor.
Nicely, I didn’t get every thing I needed, however Freedom Planet 2 is a stable enchancment on the unique. The cutscenes are loads simpler to tolerate, as they’re shorter and higher paced. The sport nonetheless appears like Sonic at instances, however I believe it’s shifting in route in that regard. Maybe crucial factor is that the sport itself exhibits loads 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 gained’t belabor the purpose right here. Freedom Planet 2 takes every thing Freedom Planet did proper and does it higher, whereas additionally ensuring to enhance on the issues it didn’t do properly. It’s nonetheless not an ideal sport by any means, and it might’t fairly escape the orbit of Sonic the Hedgehog. However perhaps it doesn’t must? Possibly 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 needs to be and executes on that amazingly properly. If you happen to like 2D platformers, you’ll need to put this sport in your procuring record.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4.5/5
Terra Memoria ($19.99)
One factor I’ll give Terra Memoria: it has loads of allure. I can actually really feel the fervour that went into its creation, and early on it had me enchanted. The world design is intriguing, the characters who make up your social gathering are distinctive, and the fight system takes loads of cues from Grandia. That’s 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 tip, I felt like I had performed by means of a KEMCO RPG. A KEMCO RPG with an excellent presentation, thoughts you.
The sport is about in Terra, a fantasy world the place magic makes every thing go ’spherical. All is ok till some historical 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 incorrect 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 ways. Nothing within the sport calls for greater than merely selecting on the enemies’ weaknesses with one of the best magic you’ve received.
There’s additionally a crafting system in right here that you simply’ll primarily be utilizing to construct up your city/base, which is an satisfying mechanic even when it isn’t very important. There are different aspect quests past the town-building to finish, so the sport actually checks off the required packing containers. However regardless of the sport operating a decent twenty-ish hours, it by no means fairly takes off the way in which you’d hope. It appears like there’s half a sport lacking right here. Not a lot a lacking second half, however fairly 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 inspiration is right here for one thing actually nice. Sadly, after a stable begin the sport doesn’t actually construct on issues very properly. Characters are paper-thin, the fight system rapidly stagnates, and all of it begins to really feel such as you’re simply going by means of the motions. There’s sufficient fuel within the tank right here for me to advocate it to followers of the style, although.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
Tengoku Wrestle -Strayside- ($49.99)
The most recent visible novel launch from Thought Manufacturing unit and Aksys comes from most of the similar people who labored on Olympia Soiree, a sport that our pal Mikhail reviewed and actually loved. I’ll say this for Tengoku Wrestle: you may inform it’s from the identical author as that sport. There are loads 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. Possibly 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 she or he’s simply handed her ultimate checks and brought a place as a Hell Guardian. She has no recollections of her life earlier than she died, and is solely devoted to serving to her father as greatest 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 greatest “canine” – a few of Hell’s worst sinners. They’ll all must reside collectively in a home in Asakusa, a job made all of the extra arduous by the truth that Rin has a powerful dislike of males. Their investigation will reveal loads of secrets and techniques, and Rin would possibly simply discover love alongside the way in which.
You’ve received 5 routes to play right here, every with 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 specific pairing. The whole lot is written properly sufficient, dialogue-wise, and among 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 just a few stunning twists up the author’s sleeve. I solely ended up actually having fun with two of the routes, and one among them did completely nothing for me in any respect. It generally felt like the author was going a little bit too excessive with out good purpose to. I’ll say that I completely beloved Papa Enma, whose voice actor utterly sells the weird character he’s portrayed as right here.
Whereas Tengoku Wrestle exhibits the standard excessive manufacturing values and polish seen in Thought Manufacturing unit’s different visible novels, I discovered the story right here simply wasn’t fairly as much as the standard output we see from the developer. There’s some good in it, and one of the best route is actually value experiencing if the premise has intrigued you. The author’s tendency to attempt to shock the reader in low-cost methods will get a little bit out of hand right here, and among the romances actually aren’t offered properly. A good effort, however given the widely high-quality output of Thought Manufacturing unit on this style, Tengoku Wrestle has some problem making its mark.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
Moonglow Bay ($24.99)
A story as outdated as time, by this level. A good sport that’s closely dragged down by its horrible technical efficiency. To be clear, even when the sport ran properly, Moonglow Bay has its fair proportion 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 might be, with the essential duties changing into extremely tiresome in a short time and the enterprise side undercooked and simply exploitable. The story has bother discovering a constant tone, and the interface can typically really feel unintuitive.
None of that is as massive of an issue because the technical aspect of the sport, although. The sport completely chugs as you stroll round by means of the voxel-style world, to the purpose that I used to be virtually feeling nauseous at instances. 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 also be extraordinarily buggy. I bumped into full-stop crashes again to the Swap’s dwelling menu extra typically than I’d like, and generally cut-scenes would play a number of instances in a row. I managed to get caught in objects just a few instances, too.
It’s irritating as a result of regardless of the issues within the sport’s design, I discovered myself having fun with the essential loop properly sufficient. It’s no Stardew Valley or something, however it’s high-quality. I used to be actually cheering for the protagonist as they tried to convey themselves and their city again to life. This can be a sport I need to get pleasure from, however it’s very tough to take action in its present state. Had I not been enjoying 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 loads of good features to it that sadly are balanced towards some balancing and pacing points. All of that is overshadowed by the sport’s buggy, unpolished state right here on the Swap. Between framerate points, crashes, collision mess-ups, and different weird bugs, it’s laborious to correctly get into the world the sport is making an attempt 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! The perfect Vtuber doggo involves the Swap 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 she or he leans into it right here as she goes full-blown evil god on us. Water within the fireplace, why?! Okay, this has a really specific viewers. They know who they’re, and they’ll in all probability decide it up even when they’re base cowards who hate horror. No confidence.
Dream Techniques ($17.99)
A promising wanting technique RPG that blends deck-building components with a reasonably conventional tackle the style. The Dream World is in bother, and also you’re the one one that may put it aside. You’ll must assemble a workforce and collect an assortment of playing cards as you battle your means by means of the evil Pillow Legions. The builders cite the Sport Boy Advance period as their supply of inspiration, and a minimum of from what I’ve seen that tracks properly sufficient. I’ll must spend a while with this one to see if it’s pretty much as good because it appears.
The Bin Bunch
ZooKeeper ($10.99)
Overdelivery – Supply Simulator ($7.99)
Excellent Knife ($0.99)
Gross sales
(North American eShop, US Costs)
A tiny record of recent gross sales, however I certain 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 depart it to you. It gained’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 Pink: 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 as we speak, buddies. 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 loads 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 at all times, thanks for studying!