Hear that? That’s the sound of the calvary. The Switch hasn’t seen a great deal of action of late, with big-name releases sporadic at best, but this week is looking like a corker with something to cater for all tastes. We even have two first-party releases, in the form of Fitness Boxing 2 and an English localisation of the first Famicom Fire Emblem.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (to use its full name) will only set you back £5.39, making it one of this winter’s best budget buys. New features like Quick Save, Quick Load and Rewind should make for a smooth experience, at least in terms of progression.
Ubisoft brings their third and final open-world adventure of the year to Switch, and it seems it’s a perfect fit – Immortals: Fenyx Rising takes inspiration from both Kid Icarus and Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It doesn’t quite reach the same highs, but it’s close – the Metacritic stands at 76% with review scores being a mixture of 7s and 8s.
“Overall, Immortals: Fenyx Rising is a good game. It’s a shameless clone, but it’s fun, and it’s clear that Ubisoft’s take on the formula was done with enthusiasm. If you were disappointed that this year’s Breath of the Wild game was a Dynasty Warriors title, then Immortals might scratch that itch,†said Worth Playing.
THQ Nordic are back with a moderately anticipated release too – Chronos: Before the Ashes is a prequel to the multi-million seller Remnant of Ashes. It’s an action RPG with a unique ageing feature – every time you die, the protagonist ages by one year. Over time, you’ll go from being young and nimble to wise and skilled with magic.
Empire of Sin, meanwhile, is a strategic affair set in 1920s prohibition-era Chicago as envisioned by John Romero and his wife Brenda. Scores are mixed so far, being a mixture of 6s, 7s and 8s. Many reviewers noted that it’s rife with bugs, so perhaps bare that in mind before opening your wallet.
“Empire of Sin delivers a clever, genre-melding experience that perfectly marries the world of 1920s organized crime with strategy gameplay. Bugs and a lack of combat speed or automation options can grind its pace to a halt, but it does a stellar job of putting the player in the mindset of a mob mastermind (or a gun-toting buffoon) with streamlined speakeasy management,†was Digital Trend’s verdict.
Sticking with strategy, there’s John Wick Hex. This movie tie-in gained good, although not quite glowing, reviews on PS4 earlier this year. You don’t have to look far to find a 7/10. Why, here’s one now: “John Wick Hex is an unexpected take on an action franchise but it mostly works. With a bigger budget you can imagine the possiblities, but what we have got really does put you in the headspace of Baba Yaga,†said PlayStation Country.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate shows us where the roguelike genre started, being part of a long-running RPG series. It’s one of the most highly rated games of the week, gaining a steady string of 8/10s. At a relatively inexpensive £17.99, this PS Vita conversion is worth considering.
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is an all-together different RPG, filled with Lovecraftian horrors and aimed at fans of Dark Souls et al. This top-down pixel art affair is available at retail and on the eShop.
Puzzle adventure Sam & Max Save the World has come out of (almost) nowhere, being announced just a couple of weeks ago. This remaster of an early Telltale adventure has the original developers onboard, created with the blessing of Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell. You may recall it from the Wii days.
The Switch also gets Commandos 2 HD – a re-release of a PC classic – a belated release of the well-received Absolute Drift, eccentric puzzle adventure PHOGS!, and the toasty 2D stealth romp Wildfire. Toasty, because its standout feature is the ability to create fires to smoke out the opposition.
Next week is looking busy too, with DOOM Eternal, Space Invaders Forever, Ghostrunner, and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 due. Until then, check out this week’s new release list below.
New Switch eShop releases
IMMORTALS FENYX RISING – £49.99
Take on mythological beasts, master the legendary powers of the gods, and defeat Typhon, the deadliest Titan in Greek mythology, in an epic fight for the ages.
Face off against legendary beasts like Cyclops, Medusa, or Minotaur, and confront them in fast-paced aerial and melee combat, combining your god-given abilities and weapons.
The gods of Olympus have blessed you with gifts. Use them to fight mythical monsters, solve ancient puzzles, and explore the vast open world.
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes – £19.99
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is a Horrorpunk Action RPG filled with Lovecraftian horrors and Cronenbergian gore, making it the most gruesome take on the isometric Souls-like genre yet!
Sam & Max Save the World – £15.29
Together, they’re the Freelance Police. And they’re about to save the world.
In 2006, the comic book crime-fighting duo Sam & Max starred in the first full-fledged episodic game from Telltale, the studio that went on to make The Walking Dead and Batman: The Enemy Within.
Now everyone’s favorite dog and rabbity-thing are back in Sam & Max Save the World Remastered, a new version of their first season of episodic games that has been lovingly updated by a small group of the original developers with the blessing of Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell.
Chronos: Before the Ashes – £26.64
Chronos: Before the Ashes is an atmospheric RPG that chronicles a hero’s lifelong quest to save their homeland from a great evil. Grow wiser, stronger and more powerful as you explore the depths of the mysterious labyrinth. But beware, the labyrinth takes a heavy toll – each time your hero dies, they lose a year of their life!
Adventure RPG – Refreshing combination of Adventure Game elements and RPG mechanics.
Grindstone – £15.09
Smash creeps to get huge combos and earn precious Grindstones in CAPY’s hit puzzle-battler. Cash in your grindstones to craft new gear and overcome devious enemies, obstacles, and boss encounters as you conquer Grindstone Mountain’s 200+ levels, and prove your prowess on the daily mode’s leaderboards.
GUNPIG: Firepower For Hire – £4.49
Join alien pest control specialist (and possibly shortest mercenary in the galaxy) Bax Torpini, as he fights to rid Stalwart Academy, a school space station, of a rogue horde of out-of-control robot space monsters!
Baila Latino – £8.99
Latin American music is suitable for all ages, and makes children and adults dance, creating an atmosphere of great amusement in front of the TV.
There are 20 hit songs (5 tracks with free DLC) to choose from, and the game’s choreography has been created by professional dancers, Carlo Romano and Vera Sokolova from the “Carolyn Smith Dance Academyâ€.
You can play alone or with friends, up to four players at the same time.
The lyrics of the song will appear on the screen so while you are dancing, others can sing!
Baila Latino will bring lots of family fun!
Oniria Crimes – £17.99
Join the Rounders to solve the mysteries that happen in the Land of Dreams
Oniria Crimes is an adventure game that takes place in Oniria, the Land of Dreams. Help Detective Santos and Inspector Torres to investigate crime scenes as part of the Rounders, a secret society that pursues crime in dreams.
Oniria Crimes is a combination of visual-novel-like story with point&click mechanics similar to graphic adventures, where the objects will help you to figure out what happened in the crime scene.
Oniria Crimes features a 6-chapter story with a mystery plot, oniric objects with their testimony, puzzles that hide key clues, dark voxel theme and appealing progressive music.
fault – milestone two side: above – £13.49
“fault” is a cinematic adventure series developed by ALICE IN DISSONANCE.
It is a human drama with a cinematic tempo and direction, in which the main characters meet people.
The realistic portrayal of characters in a sci-fi fantasy world, the cinematic camera work, and the easy-to-understand yet profound worldview have been highly acclaimed, and the series has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide.
Following the success of “fault – milestone one”, the second game in the series is finally coming to Nintendo Switch.
The BGM and visuals have been completely redesigned, and the game’s performance is even more powerful than the PC version.
Biz Builder Delux – £11.69
Ah, there’s nothing like the rhythmic bustle of a burgeoning business burg… especially when you’re the one building it! That’s right, from a video game store to the corner fast food joint, run what YOU want as the town’s entrepreneur extraordinaire!
Once your coffers are comfortably padded, you’ll be ready to set sights on other ripe markets. Don’t be shy and branch out, erecting a diverse variety of establishments to inspire both pep in the town plaza and plenitude in your pockets!
Remember, you’ll need to strategize if you want shoppers to show. Innovate to stock stores with quality products while devising battle plans to rout pesky rivals. Only then will your spot as the town’s top transactor be secure!
It’s not easy to rake in those bucks with the free market in flux… but if you conquer that crux–you’ll be Biz Builder Delux!
Wildfire – £13.49
Use your elemental powers to start fires, freeze water, and move earth as you outsmart superstitious enemies in this mischievous 2D stealth game. Take back your home and rescue captive villagers along the way; manipulating the environment to help you and harm your foes.
In a world where magic has all but died out, you’ve been branded a witch by villainous forces who fear your elemental power. Outsmart the superstitious armies of the Arch Duchess as they hunt you through lush forests, deep caverns, and over frozen mountaintops. Find and free your fellow villagers from captivity, then lead them to safety to reclaim your home.
Absolute Drift – £8.99
This is a driving experience like no other. Journey from apprentice to master drifter as you hone your skill in a gorgeous minimalist world crafted by the developers of art of rally.
Push yourself to the limit on drifting tracks and wild mountain roads while you work to unlock trophies and elite events. Compete against ghosts of the top players in the world, or refine your skills by out-scoring your own ghost.
Chill out to over 3 hours of original electronic music by C41 and NYTE as you challenge your driving skills at every turn until you finally master the art of drifting.
PHOGS! – £22.49
In PHOGS! you play as a duo of dogs on a captivating, puzzle-filled adventure. Linked by a stretchy belly, you’ll need to bark, bite and bounce your way through obstacles set across the themed worlds of Food, Sleep and Play, in co-op or single-player.
Forage through Food World, teeming with tasty treats. From hot buttered toast to chopped celery… even a river of chocolate!
Pretty Princess Party – £35.99
Become a princess of a magical castle!
Pretty Princess Party on Nintendo Switch transports you to a magical land to explore a long-abandoned enchanted castle. Learn to be a princess and decorate the castle any way you wish.
Begin by creating a princess character with endless choices of dresses, shoes, accessories, and hairstyles. Then train to be a princess by playing six different fun mini-games, including cake decorating, horse racing, and dancing. Restore the castle to its former glory and win the prize!
Successfully completing the games will unlock new outfit choices and allow you to access hundreds of unique items to decorate your castle’s 20 rooms – over 1,300 items total!
Outbreak: The New Nightmare – £11.69
Enter an unforgiving co-op survival horror experience as you fight for your life against oppressive odds. The horrors of Arzt Memorial Hospital were just the beginning of the outbreak. As the infection spread across the city, local law enforcement fell quickly. You now find yourself trapped in a hellscape with only a few remaining survivors. Scavenge the environment for supplies, face off against the undead and do anything it takes to survive. Play the entire game either alone or in local splitscreen co-op. You only have one life. Make it count!
Quiplash 2 InterLASHional: The Say Anything Party Game! – £7.50
The “say anything” party game is going international! All the hilarious content from Quiplash 2, now in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish! Plus…
100 EXTRA French prompts!
100 EXTRA Italian prompts!
100 EXTRA German prompts!
100 EXTRA Spanish prompts!
The same BORING OLD English prompts!
All in one QUINTILINGUAL Quiplash!
Pick up Quiplash 2 InterLASHional today and take your next party global, because absurdity is the universal language.
Death Tales – £7.99
Embark on an adventure as a new Reaper who has gone rogue! Collect equipment and spells, learn powerful attacks against hordes of enemies, complete quests for a cast of quirky characters, and make difficult choices in this grim yet richly illustrated 2D world. Play alone or with a friend in local co-op and serve Death together!
Over 40 pieces of Equipment for you to acquire to customize your Reaper and aid you in battle! Find equipment in a variety of well hidden chests, or use the souls you collect as currency to buy items from the local vender, Fiona. Be sure to check back every day, as her inventory changes! Mix and match armor and harness the power of the unique skills such as fireballs, the ability to freeze enemies, angel wings allowing you to glide to safety, summon meteors from the sky and even stampeding unicorns!
Cybxus Hearts – £4.49
Classic danmaku-like bullet hell
4 stages packed with enemies and bullets
Control 3 characters with different powers and weaknesses
Epic boss battles with different bullet patterns
Multiple modes of difficulty that caters to players of all skill ranges
Renzo Racer – £17.99
Are you ready for some throttle mashing, missile blasting, kart smashing fun?
Renzo Racer is a fast-paced cartoon style racing game challenging your maneuverability and driving skills to cross the finish line first!
Choose your driver from a selection of 16 comical personalities and race down 20 exciting tracks full of twists and turns, hazardous obstacles and unexpected surprises. Plow through destructible objects, jump off ramps and watch out for scattered rocks, fallen trees, black ice and oil slicks!
Hit the road, put the pedal to the metal, and enjoy the intense action worthy of a true racing champion. Play individual tracks or tournaments against the AI cars or also against a friend in local 2 player mode.
Liberated: Enhanced Edition – £17.99
Dive into a playable, hand-drawn comic book. Unravel a dramatic story paying homage to iconic dystopian novels and movies. Jump, sneak, solve puzzles and shoot. Every “BLAM!†you take, and every “AARGH!†you make, fuel the fires of a cyberpunk revolution. Just watch out not to papercut your fingers!
John Wick Hex – £15.99
John Wick Hex is a fast-paced, action-oriented strategy game that makes you think and strike like John Wick, the professional hitman of the critically acclaimed film franchise. Created in close cooperation with the creative teams behind the films, John Wick Hex is fight-choreographed chess brought to life as a video game, capturing the series’ signature gun fu style while expanding its story universe. Players must make quick decisions and choose every action and attack they make, all the while considering their immediate cost and consequences.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light – £5.39
Meet Marth and recruit some of the most beloved Fire Emblem characters in their 8-bit glory in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light for Nintendo Switch! Play through all 25 chapters of this classic Famicom tactical role-playing game that started the Fire Emblem legacy, localised** and released for the first time in Europe.
Nine Witches: Family Disruption – £15.99
October 1944, something strange is happening in Sundäe, a rustic Norwegian town where a mysterious dark moon hangs over the sky, generating uncertainty among its inhabitants.
As World War II continues, the Okkulte-55, a secret division of the Third Reich, arrives in Sundäe to unleash an ancient curse, in a desperate act to twist the course of the war.
Alexei Krakovitz, a quadriplegic professor of occult science and Akiro Kagasawa, his faithful assistant, are sent to Norway on a secret mission to unravel the mystery and save the world from the Okkulte-55 clutches.
An original story with absurd dark humor, riddled with eccentric characters, diabolical inventions, puzzles, occultism, talking dead, witches, worms, a mysterious party, and an ancient curse that threatens the human race.
An adventure so delusional that it will make you delirious to the delirium itself!
Steampunk Tower 2 – £8.99
Steampunk Tower 2 is a unique tower defense game set in the alternative Steampunk universe.
There is a dragged-out world war with the enemy never seen before. Lord Bingham is coming back to the world arena and he needs a skilled commander.
There is a secret base hidden in the mountains of Spain, with ginormous aircraft Carrier transporting the Battle Tower under your authority and also a team of specialists who execute special assignments.
Commandos 2 – HD Remaster – £26.99
Relive the real-time tactics masterpiece that defined the genre like no other for the first time on Nintendo Switch: Originally developed by the legendary Pyro Studios, Commandos 2 – HD Remaster is a true homage to one of gaming’s most celebrated masterpieces. Experience Commandos 2 Men of Courage like never before in high definition with reworked controls, UI and tutorial. Take control of an elite group of commandos who must venture deep into enemy territory and utilize their combined expertise to complete a series of notoriously demanding missions set in World War II. Go covert into various environments based on authentic World War II locations and lead your team of commandos against overwhelming odds, operate covertly and turn the tide of war.
Futoshiki Math – £6.29
Futoshiki Math is played on a square grid. The objective is to place the numbers such that each row and column contains only one of each digit. Some digits may be given at the start. Inequality constraints are initially specified between some of the squares, such that one must be higher or lower than its neighbor. These constraints must be honored in order to complete the puzzle.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise – £39.99
Grab your Joy-Con controllers and bob, weave and jab to the rhythm in Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise, featuring a flurry of songs, workouts and modes to enjoy solo or with a training partner!
Played the original? Continue with your fitness goals in Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise by importing your stats from Fitness Boxing!
Paw Paw Paw – £9.99
Paw Paw Paw was a peaceful and prosperous kingdom until one fateful day, when the King had decided to enforce everyone to wear pants.
You play as part of the resistance group ANTIPANTS, in their effort to bring down the King. Hack and slash your way to victory, and beat all your enemies into pulps!
Super Space Serpent Secondary Edition – £8.99
Super Space Serpent Secondary Edition is a Twin Stick shooter in the style that fits your favourite era. Let the retro neon effects and futuristic soundtrack put you in a zone like only the arcade games of the 80’s could. Try to beat the handcrafted levels with ever changing enemies from distant worlds while using an arsenal of weapons and upgrades.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate – £17.99
Legend has it that Reeva, god of Destiny, holds sway over the past, present, and future. Said to dwell in the mysterious Tower of Fortune, Reeva decides the fates of all mankind with a trio of magic dice…
Lead Shiren The Wanderer and his sidekick Koppa in their quest to conquer the Tower of Fortune!
Empire of Sin – £35.99
Empire of Sin, the strategy game from Romero Games and Paradox Interactive, puts you at the heart of the ruthless criminal underworld of 1920s Prohibition-era Chicago. It’s up to you to hustle, charm and intimidate your way to the top of the pile and do whatever it takes to stay there. This character-driven, noir-inspired game puts players smack dab in the glitz and glamor of the roaring 20s, all while working behind the scenes in the gritty underbelly of organized crime.
Hed the Pig – £3.59
Pigs don’t fly? Well, actually they do! Hed is an adorable pig that requires a lot of your sympathy. Help Hed in reaching the destination by avoiding all obstacles and skilfully maneuvering his body. This game is a tribute to all the pigs that were consumed since the beginning of mankind.
Next week: DOOM Eternal, Ghostrunner, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, Space Invaders Forever, Monster Sanctuary, Lofi Ping Pong, Heroes of Loot, Shakes on a Plane, I, AI, PixelJunk Eden 2, Alt-Frequencies, Accidental Queens Collection, OctaFight, Evolution Board Game, Autumn’s Journey, Warplanes: WW1 Sky Aces, and Jigsaw Fun: Piece It Together!