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Emio the Smiling Man Impresses in SwitchArcade Review

Author：Kristen Update：Jan 20,2025

Hello, fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for September 5th, 2024! It's Thursday already – where does the time go? We're diving headfirst into 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 best new releases and round up the latest sales, both new and expiring. 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 surprise revival of Famicom Detective Club, a series largely unfamiliar to Western audiences outside of a brief Switch remake, is a testament to this. This new entry, the first in years, is a fascinating experiment.

The challenge with reviving an old IP lies in balancing faithfulness to the original with modern sensibilities. Emio – The Smiling Man sticks closely to the style of the recent remakes, which themselves were quite faithful to the originals. This creates a curious mix. The visuals are top-notch, and the storyline pushes boundaries further than a 90s Nintendo game would have dared. However, the gameplay retains a very retro feel, which will be a defining factor in whether or not you enjoy it.

The game centers on a student found dead, a smiling face on a paper bag his only calling card. This reopens a series of unsolved murders from 18 years prior, leading to questions about Emio, a legendary killer. The police are baffled, leaving it to the Utsugi Detective Agency to unravel the truth.

Gameplay involves exploring scenes for clues, questioning characters (often repeatedly), and connecting the dots to solve the mystery. Fans of Ace Attorney's investigation sections will find familiar territory. However, some might find the pacing slow or the logic a bit opaque. While not egregious by the standards of the genre, some streamlining could have improved the experience.

Despite some minor narrative criticisms, Emio is largely engaging and well-written. While certain plot points might not resonate with everyone, the story is best experienced unspoiled. The game's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, and the narrative really shines when it picks up momentum.

Emio – The Smiling Man is atypical for Nintendo, but shows no signs of developer rust. Its adherence to the original's mechanics might be a drawback for some, and certain plot resolutions may not satisfy everyone. Despite these minor quibbles, it's a highly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club – don't stay away so long next time!

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

The Switch is getting a solid collection of TMNT games. From the Cowabunga Collection to Shredder's Revenge and Wrath of the Mutants, there's something for everyone. Now, Splintered Fate offers a more console-focused experience.

This one's quite good. If you've played it on Apple Arcade, you know the drill. It blends the beat 'em up style of TMNT with the roguelite mechanics of Hades. Solo or up to four-player local/online multiplayer is supported; online multiplayer worked well in our testing. The game is enjoyable solo, but multiplayer enhances the experience.

Shredder's antics and a mysterious power put Splinter in jeopardy, forcing the Turtles into action. Slice, dice, and bludgeon your way through enemies, using dashes to evade attacks, collecting perks, and earning currency for permanent upgrades. Death sends you back to the lair to start again. It's a roguelite beat 'em up, but with the Turtles – which automatically makes it better. It's not groundbreaking, but it's well-executed.

Splintered Fate isn't essential, but TMNT fans will appreciate this twist. The multiplayer is well-done, and it's great to see that element preserved. Those without a fondness for the Turtles might find better roguelites on Switch, but in a saturated market, 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 and mobile was surprising, given its suitability for touchscreens. While enjoyable on PC, 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.

Nour is an experimental food art experience where you play with various food items across different stages, accompanied by interesting music and playful elements. You start with basic tools, but the amount of content that allows you to "play with your food" is impressive. However, this also highlights why touchscreen control might not be ideal.

The lack of touchscreen support on Switch is disappointing. Performance compromises are also evident compared to other platforms, resulting in noticeable load times.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth checking out for fans of food, art, and interactive apps. While not optimal on Switch, its portability remains a plus. Hopefully, its success will lead to more DLC or even a physical release. Games like Nour and Townscaper offer a nice counterpoint to more complex games. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)

Fate/stay night REMASTERED, released recently on Switch and Steam, is a remaster of the 2004 visual novel. It's arguably the best entry point into the Fate universe, offering a chance to experience the series' origins as intended. The sheer volume of content makes it a remarkable value.

For those familiar with the original Japanese versions, Fate/stay night REMASTERED offers significant improvements. Beyond the addition of English, it includes 16:9 support and a visual upgrade. While not as visually stunning as Tsukihime's remake, it's a significant improvement.

The inclusion of touchscreen support on Switch is a welcome addition, making it ideal for the Switch Lite and OLED models. It also performs well 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 essential for visual novel fans. Its low price and availability on Switch and Steam make it an easy recommendation. While not as visually polished as Tsukihime's remake, it's a worthwhile experience. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

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

For those unfamiliar with VR, TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos were lauded VR titles. This Switch release allows those without VR headsets to experience them.

The TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK offers a choice between two games. TOKYO CHRONOS follows high school friends in an alternate Shibuya, dealing with lost memories and murder. While the narrative might be predictable at times, the visuals are good, and the VR version is worth considering.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is superior, with better production values, music, writing, voice acting, and characters. It also goes beyond a pure visual novel format.

Despite some narrative shortcomings and minor camera control issues on Switch, the touchscreen support and rumble features enhance the experience.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a strong Switch offering. The demo is recommended to gauge the controls. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

This title clearly explains its content: Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku. It includes 24 Miku songs and 30 more from the Fitness Boxing series. Mechanically, it's similar to other entries in the series.