Volontes - Nintendo Switch Review

Volontes by developer and publisher LocaGames—Nintendo Switch review written by Natasha with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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Long long ago, high in the clouds, there existed a kingdom where no one ever seemed to get sick. The sun always shined and people lived surrounded by magic. They had the freedom to create and explore the many facets that this kingdom had to offer, without fear.

However... there was one thing they could never do...

They could never save their progress---!!!!!!

*Wakes up in a cool sweat, clutching my Switch* 

“Oh, thank heavens! It was all a dream.” I tell myself as I gently cradle my console. “I thought I was reliving my 3DS days. I'll never forgot the time where you couldn't save before a decision. So many handsome lives could've been saved with such a simple solution. So so many...”

~

From Farmer to Mage

Have you ever grown up feeling like you don't belong? For our Heroine, that's the feeling she lives with everyday in her small farming village. But it's not her only secret: she can see the dead, or silhouettes of those who once walked the earth. She has kept this secret even from her family, but her brothers and sisters adore her and the village people have shown her great kindness. Why scare anyone with something as silly as seeing the dead? Everything seems to be going great, until the knights of the kingdom run through your home, bringing the Shadowblight (a plague) with them. Killing everyone in the village, they continue to scream one thing “Find her!” Not wanting to get caught our heroine runs into the forest.

After nearly escaping death, our heroine finds herself being rescued by a mysterious man who came from a floating kingdom in the sky. Dazed and confused, she finds herself being healed by sorcerers who have started to claim her as the legendary Moon Witch. How does one wake up with magic running through their veins, without ever knowing...until now.

Now sporting her new life and status, it's up to her to prophesize the future of everyone around her. Will she be able to educate herself quickly or fall victim to a possible scheme?

A Magical Distillery of Men

A Mysterious Kingdom in the clouds must have some breathtaking bachelors in this newfound land. What's that? The Moon Witch is not allowed to love? Even with these tall glasses of MMmmmMmm? Superstitious traditions will not stop me! Bring on the LIs (Love Interests):

Oliver Paquet (VA: Kazuyuki Okitsu {Olympia Soiree, Piofiore, Jack Jeanne})

• Fate Handler

• Conniving Bastard

The mage who saved you from death. This long dark haired magician may seem like a hero, but he also seems to be hiding a lot of secrets. Perhaps he'll soften up with your daring personality? Besides, what could be more daring than spending time with someone you are forbidden to love?

Ismail (VA: Souma Yamato {First Otome Roll})

• Doctor, Please! Kiss it Better?

• Chick Magne

The practitioner to the royal family itself, this soft-spoken dark skinned dreamboat may just take you out for a lovely stroll around the kingdom. Since you are an outsider with the ability to see into the possible future, nothing screams “You can look, but don't touch” more than you. As a healer he has many patients, but it's not everyday he gets to study a Witch up close. You might be TOO tempting.

Emmanuel de Beaumont (VA: Yuichiro Umehara {Birushana, Jack Jeanne, Radiant Tale})

• Alpha Vibes Galore

• Loyal to a Fault

A noble man, with no magical properties, he makes up for his lack of magic by dedicating his time to domestic affairs within the kingdom. However he does not believe you are who people say you are. Trust is earned, not given and he wastes no time in making sure you know he's all business. A soft approach may not be the best tactic. Maybe he likes someone who can give him a challenge? Don't be afraid to stand your ground!

Melodie (VA: Tatsuhisa Suzuki {Uta no Prince, Diabolok Lovers, Lover Pretend})

• Plays with your Heart Strings

• a 'Sharp' Tongue... get it?

The palace bard, this minstrel also doubles as a knight. Hard to get along with he keeps everyone at a distance, yet his music alone draws you in. If he plays such beautiful pieces, maybe there is something beautiful inside? Considering you are the inspiration for the kingdoms current tale, you are the centre of most of his musical numbers. If that doesn't scream ROMANCE then what does?

Feels Like a Classic

Funny enough, the feeling I get when I play Volontes reminds me of my days playing Hakuoki and Even if Tempest. The deep story telling, the simple backgrounds and soundtrack, and very little notification on whether or not you're romancing your LI. This makes the game more challenging for those who don't like to feel like the game is holding your hands and saying “Go this way, it's much more rewarding!”

Speaking of similarities to other games, the soundtrack strangely reminded me of a Fire Emblem game. Not sure if it's just me, but I get strong medieval kingdom vibes. Volontes also puts the pressure on since one wrong move will give you a game over. Being a very squishy heroine means you get killed easily, so saving multiple times is highly recommended.

In a Kingdom Far Far Away in the Sky

To conclude, Volontes is an Otome game that sticks to old play styles and gives the player a rich and vibrant story about kingdoms, magic, witches and forbidden romance. Volontes makes sure to keep you on your toes in choosing the right decision or else you may be greeted by death's sweet embrace. Preferably I'd like a man, but to each their own. The headmistress of the college of magic would like to grade you on your performance. A solid 7.5 out of 10. Study harder and you may reach top scores one day. Maybe being a Witch isn't so bad after all.

~

“Alright, seems like the story is about to take a turn for the worse. Better make sure I save---”

[Error] Cartridge is not sitting properly in the system. Please, reconnect.

[Error] Progress lost.

“No...”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Score: 7.5 / 10

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Otome Daoshi: Fighting for Love - Nintendo Switch Review

Otome Daoshi: Fighting for Love by developer Idea Factory and publisher Aksys Games—Nintendo Switch review written by Natasha with a copy provided by the publisher. 

 
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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*Someone barges into the room* 

“Nyx, we have a situation!” 

*I turn wearily towards my boss as my hands stop clacking against the keys of my keyboard*

“Are they releasing another wave of angsty Otomes again? I don't think I can take another moment of Carol mumbling about ''bittersweet endings'' for another year. The memory alone has my migraine itching to return."

“Negative, it's actually a Rom-Com!” 

That news alone had me jumping from my chair. It's been ages since I last wrote about a Romantic Comedy. My body buzzed with excitement.

“Don't worry boss, I'm on the case!” With a pep in my step, I hurried to grab my Switch, and I flew out the door in a hurry.

~

Duty Before Beauty

This paranormal adventure will have you play as Shunlin, a Daoshi-in-training, spitfire of a gal. For those who don't know, Daoshi are skilled fighters that practice the art of taming and passing-on of the spirits of the departed, who have been manipulated by the dark arts into reanimation. With her grandfather as her trainer, Shunlin dreams of being as good as him one day. However, during an annual fighting competition set up by the royal family, many Jiangshi (reanimated dead bodies) storm the event. It's up to her family and newfound, drop-dead gorgeous competitors to track down who is commanding the undead and killing off other fighters.

Only The Best Candidates

During your playthrough the story starts at the beginning of a festival. There are many vendors selling food and trinkets for the local people of the Kingdom, but that's not what everyone is in a buzz about. It's also the annual Fighting Festival and the game does a great job at introducing our competitors and future bachelors. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce today's line-up:

Haoran {VA: Sakata Shougo}

• Non Sibling Onii-Chan

• Overly Protective

First up is our (not related) Big Brother. If you're looking for someone who's been training by your side, a full-fledged Daoshi, and a constant worry-wart you may just find yourself falling in love with your short blue haired and tall long-time friend. Sure, you may have seen him as a relative for some time, but maybe it's time to push past that and see him for what he truly is: a man.

Longli {VA: Shimazaki Nobonaga (Olympia Soiree)}

• Otherworldly Beauty

• Break His Points (It's Worth It)

Second is not really a fighter, but don't let his frail looks deceive you. Working as an advisor to the king, this golden-haired, beautiful official is organized and prepared to fight for his kingdom. Anyone deemed a threat will be cut down by his hands. Maybe it's necessary to get his hands dirty? He might be hiding more than just good looks under that uniform.

Yuhuang {Ura Kazuki (Cupid Parasite, Olympia Soiree)}

• Genki Got It Bad

• Childhood Friend

Third in our line-up is someone from the heroine's past. A boy, with brown hair and eyes, who SHE used to protect, moved away, and has now returned to prove his worth. No longer the crybaby he used to be, he's there to show off just how hard he's been training to finally get the girl he used to crush on realize just how strong he is. But first, maybe he should brush up on how to talk to her, instead of screaming.

Shaowu {VA: Matsuoka Yushitsugu (Charade Maniac, Olympia Soiree)

• Food First, Talk Later

• Big Heart, Dark Past

Our final contestant is this broad shouldered, violet eyed, short red haired, hunk of a man who screams, "stay away". Not much for small talk, he prefers to communicate with his fists and ask questions later. Strangely enough, he's very polite and is willing to slow his pace to make sure you two are on equal grounds. If you're looking to dig deeper into this one's past, it may not be all sunshine and rainbows.

????? {Kobayashi Chiaki (Cupid Parasite, Olympia Soiree)

• Man of Mystery

• Hidden Past

What's that? A secret entry? Not much is known about our mystery man, but maybe with a bit of sleuthing we might discover an even BIGGER secret.

Forever Compelling and Light

Otome Daoshi to me was a breath of fresh air. It's been some time since I played a fast pace and shortened visual novel. Most are usually very lengthy with heavy plot and dialogue, but Fighting for Love guides you through the main story line quickly AND even gives you the opportunity to choose your LI (Love Interest). It's attractive in a quick and easy way.

Other things that I loved during my playthrough was how the main character was pretty girly, in the sense that if she saw a hot character she'd straight out call him out on it. My girl knows what she wants.

And to round off intense or important moments, the game would flip over to manga panels to really flesh out the scenes, which brought a smile to my fujoshi heart.

Leaving is such Sweet Sorrow

Overall, Otome Daoshi: Fighting for Love was a real good time. If you're looking for a quick and quirky romantic fix, this is the game I recommend playing. Comedic banter for days and silly scenarios to keep those cravings at bay. Don't worry, there is still enough angst to keep you on the edge of your seat. I'm happy to give this game a fighting score of 8.5 out of 10.

~

*Dark clouds can be seen from a distance*

“Seems those dark romance storms can't stay away forever, better get back to the office and gear myself up for the next wave of plot heavy story telling” I say as I pack my Switch up, sip the rest of my tea, and get ready to brave the storm.

Score: 8.5 / 10

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Take the Scenic Route! Outbound Cruises to Nintendo Switch 2 & Collector's Editions!

Outbound’s cozy survival on wheels will be ready to play anywhere: on the road, or at home!

Macclesfield, UK – 2025. Pack your bags, and follow the horizon. Developer Square Glade Games and publisher Silver Lining Interactive are thrilled to announce that Outbound, the cozy survival (“cozyvival”) camper van adventure, is coming to both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in Q2, 2026, releasing simultaneously on Xbox Series X|S,  PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. 

In Outbound, freedom is your only destination. Now, as it comes to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, the beloved home of cozy, creative games, Outbound is ready to stake its claim among the greats. Whether you’re curled up on the couch or setting out on your own real-world adventure, the versatility of the Nintendo Switch lets you take your van, your world, and your story anywhere.
 

Freedom, Friendship, and the Open Road

Outbound invites players to drop off-grid, disconnect from the noise, and reconnect with what matters most: creativity, community, and the quiet joy of exploration. Whether you’re crafting a cozy hideaway in the woods or chasing sunsets across the desert, every road tells your story.

A Cozyvival Adventure Like No Other: Live the life you’ve always imagined - slow, simple, and sustainable.

Build Your Dream Van: Design, expand, and decorate your home on wheels with modular systems and creative customisation tools.

Harvest Nature’s Power: Harness solar, wind, and water energy to stay self-sufficient wherever you roam.

Live Sustainably: Grow crops, forage ingredients, and cook wholesome meals to thrive in the wild.

Explore Together: Embark on a relaxing open-world journey with up to four players in online co-op, or wander solo at your own pace.

Craft and Innovate: Research, refine, and build advanced workstations to create tools, tech, and comforts for life off-grid.

Outbound launches digitally on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S,  PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store in Q2, 2026. Players can wishlist the game now!

Outbound Gets Physical Editions!

Buckle up for 2026 with Outbound Collector’s Edition. Taking players on their coziest road trip yet!

Macclesfield, UK – 15 December 2025. Pack your bags, top up the thermos and dust off your hiking boots - Outbound is getting packed into a box! Developer Square Glade Games and publisher Silver Lining Interactive are thrilled to share that Outbound is getting a physical retail release plus a fully packed Collector’s Edition for PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 in Q2 2026. Pre-orders are open now for travellers eager to secure their copy!


To add to this exciting news, Silver Lining are delighted to confirm that the Nintendo Switch 2 edition will be a full cartridge release, letting players enjoy the adventure in a true collector's way. For those who like to bring a piece of the journey home, the Outbound Collector’s Edition is a road-trip in a box, perfect for collectors, cozy gamers, and anyone who loves to keep a piece of the adventure as a keepsake! 

 

Pre-order Outbound physical edition now!

 

###

About Silver Lining Interactive 

Silver Lining Interactive is a brand new independent game publisher based in the North of England. Founded by a team of seasoned professionals for two decades, this studio has been a cornerstone of the indie game scene. With a passion for fostering creative talent and great games, Silver Lining Interactive is committed to bringing innovative, high-quality games to players worldwide, physically and digitally.

About Square Glade Games 

Square Glade Games is an independent game studio based in the Netherlands, founded by developers Tobi and Marc. Known for their debut title Above Snakes, which sold over 60,000 copies in its first six months, the studio combines technical expertise with a passion for immersive, stylised worlds. Their upcoming title, Outbound, became one of Steam’s top 50 most-wishlisted games following a successful Kickstarter campaign. Square Glade Games is committed to crafting unique experiences that blend creativity, technology, and community-driven development.

 

Article by: Valerie

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Mistonia's Hope: The Lost Delight - Nintendo Switch Review

Mystonia's Hope: The Lost Delight by developer Idea Factory and publisher Aksys Games—Nintendo Switch review written by Natasha with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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Ladies and Gentlemen

 

We welcome you tonight to the Fairy Queen's debutante ball. Dress to impress, you may just catch the eyes of one of our top bachelors. Not only do they carry the tittle of “Heir” to their family name, you might just snag yourself a demi-fae. Wealth, good-looks and magic? What more could you ask for?

Yours Truly, Miss Nyx

~~~

A Fairytale Come True

Mistonia's Hope: The Lost Delight is a fantasy based Otome visual novel that dives you into a world of Humans, Fairies and Revenge! This story follows our beautiful protagonist Rose, a young blue-eyed, brown haired maiden who has infiltrated one of the top 5 families of the Queen's Guard. As a maid, she has her work cut out for her; it's not easy to approach the Queen of Fairies. But why would one so young and vibrant be secretly hiding herself amongst the common staff? Why to kill the person responsible for killing her entire family and destroying her home town of course. The Queen may have ordered the attack, but someone inside the Queen's 5 loyal families gave the killing blow. Carefully she goes about her chores while gathering information secretly about the 5 heirs who frequent the manor. Will she sink her knife into her enemies or will love sweep her off her feet?

A Magical Gathering of Gentle-fae

Can't enjoy an Otome without a couple of heartthrobs and these men are many and magically inclined to make you swoon over them. Allow me to introduce our bachelors...

Alfred Creswell {VA: Umehara Yuuichirou} {Played in: Birushana, Radiant Tale, SympathyKiss}

• Silent but Lovely

• Cuddle Bug

• Prioritize Your Safety

Alfred is the kind of gentleman that was born with a hard face; his every interaction comes off as intimidating. However, under that hard exterior is an even softer heart. He makes it his goal to help those in need, but must hide his status so people don't think he is doing everything as a charity case. But if you gain his trust, you may just gain his heart.

Ascot Lindel {VA: Fukuyama Jun} {Played in: Bustafellows, Dairoku, Birushana}

• Can't Shake Bad Habits

• Beautiful but Deadly

• Hot Trash

Ascot is your typical play boy. Flirts with anything that wears a skirt and tends to seduce you with sweet saccharine words coated with poison. He's a one and done kind of guy. Playing hard to get seems to draw his attention towards you and if you can keep pace with his strong advance, maybe you can tame this wild stallion of affection.

Edward Bernstein {VA: Tamaru Atsushi} {Played In: Varriable Barracade, Dairoku}

• Princely Type

• Daddy Issues

• Moment Maker

Edward is part of the main house you start in. He makes sure to take the time to know his staff and their likes and dislikes. He is a strong believer in equality, but still maintains a strong front in times of need. When his father isn't belittling him, you might discover a more playful side to him. Will you risk Papa Bernstein's stern dislike for a little more time with Prince Charming?

Linus Ward {VA: Umeda Shuuichirou} {Played In: 9R.I.P}

• Queen's Guard Dog

• Two Faced

• Mister Handsy

Linus comes off as the smallest and cutest boy of the bunch, but that's all a front. His secret may get you in trouble and he tends to punish people without mercy. So if you're looking for a puppy dog personality, you may bite off more then you can chew. However, if you can convince him you're not the enemy his loyalty is yours forevermore.

Lucas Sullivan {VA: Suzuki Ryouta} {Played In: Jack Jeanne, Tengoku Struggle, 9R.I.P}

• Best Boy

• Shadow Daddy

• His Precious Maid

Lucas tends to do very little when it comes to the Queen's Demands. He prefers to spend his time alone and research Purefea's. He lives with only one servant and likes to keep people out. Maybe if you could wiggle your way past his defenses you might find a broken, yet sweet individual that treats beautiful things with extra love and care. Hope you like moonlit strolls in a cemetery!

John {VA: Shirai Yuusuke} {Played In: Steam Prison, Bustafellows, 9R.I.P}

• Childhood Friend

• Forget-Me-Not

• Puppet

Johnny boy is the only other survivor of your village and has been a big supporter of your revenge. As you gather internal information, he walks the streets of the kingdom and digs up external evidence. Together you two fight through your traumatic past, but why is it he can't seem to remember crucial points from your past?

One Cannot Just Say “Revenge”

Like most Otome Games the formula is usually the same. Start off with the common route to get the basis of the story started and be introduced to the main love interests. However, Mistonia goes a little bit deeper in the lore of its story by giving you a moment during the common route to explore the manor and possibly come across memory fragments. You see, Rose has a special ability that allows her to connect to peoples memories by either coming into contact with the recipient or finding these shards that are created and left behind during strong impactful moments that may have occurred during another time in a specific area. Only Rose can see these shards and once she collects enough of them she can piece back together a moment in time, giving her a glimpse of a private memory. A nifty trick for a spy indeed. These shards can only be obtained during the common route only.

Forever Young

To Conclude, Mistonia's Hope: The Lost Delight was in fact, a delight. It has a nice selection of men with traits from all aspects of interest. The story and world really immerses you into the shoes of the protagonist, and the art style is both to die for and admire by the talented Karin Suzushiro, who also worked on other otome games, such as Norn9 and Charade Maniac. I am pleased to bestow this wonderful title a solid 8.5 out of 10. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go spy at that handsome devil over yonder until he does something nefarious. 

Score: 8.5 / 10

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Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile - Nintendo Switch Review

Agatha Christie - Death on the Nile by developer Microids and publisher Microids Studio Lyon—Nintendo Switch review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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Well folks, are you up for a classic adventure with a bit of a modern twist? A murder mystery both famous and foul? Then look no further than to Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile! A sort of remastering of the classic tale.

Death on the Nile is a bit of an interesting title to talk about nowadays, because those who will be playing this game have either read or seen one of the media adaptations, like the 2022 movie, or they know nothing about it whatsoever. The original book released I believe in the late 1930’s, so the source material has been around for a while. I’ve also read the book, although that was twenty years ago so my memory is a bit spotty. What I’m getting at here is that if you are familiar with the works, don’t expect a solution that is too surprising, although there are some modernized twists thrown in.

For those unfamiliar with the works, Death on the Nile stars the famous detective Hercule Poirot, who during a cruise along the Nile river is involved in a terrible crime, and must endeavor to find a solution. As for the modern twist, a private detective named Jane Royce is trying to track down a killer, and perhaps more. As you progress through the game you will be visiting and revisiting a few locales as you proceed through the investigation, most of which is set in Egypt. There will be puzzles to solve, witnesses to question, and even some collectibles to find.

Death on the Nile is mostly a puzzle solving detective story. Usually you will be investigating a crime scene, putting together clues and linking them together, recreating crime events, or solving puzzles. I must confess I was a huge fan of the old-school detective games back in the day, and Death on the Nile is quite similar in intent. There have been a few…minigames and additions that are available now that we run on systems that can handle more than point and click, which I found rather detracted from the experience. Since we have the option for 3D gameplay, gone is the old way of point and click, and instead you must wander around and personally find people and points of interest to talk to or investigate.

During your investigation you will discover clues and record them to your “mind map”, where you can draw connections, start mini-puzzles to solve answerable questions, or to recreate events to get a better handle on the case. If you’re looking for your next goal, there are also little bubbles here that you can reveal if you don’t have them revealed by default. This will give you an idea of what to investigate or who to talk to.

During your investigation you will come across the occasional fancifully locked luggage, requiring you to solve puzzles and locks so convoluted that they would only appear in detective based games. Well, that’s what you should be here for at least. There will also be confronting witnesses on testimonies that do not match with events, and you need to present discovered evidence to prove your point. Other times you will be drawing logical conclusions between different clues in your “mind map”.

Stumped on a puzzle or need a little break from mystery solving? Well then, you can search for the collectibles in the area: Golden Moustaches and Golden Records, which will unlock museum entries. Alternatively, there is a character profile page that populates with primary and secondary characters. While secondary characters have all their information filled in, it’s up to you to fill in the primary character information. Don’t worry if you can’t, it is optional, but I found it a fun little distraction while playing through the game.

In terms of puzzle difficulty and reasonable solutions, I’m glad to say that the only real rough go I had was during the epilogue with some of the new content, where the game requires some connections that I didn’t make because I thought they were either too obvious or redundant. On the plus side, if you do need help there are hints available, or completely solving some parts if you’re extra stuck, so you don’t need to go looking up a guide every three minutes if you’re struggling a little.

The graphics in this new Agatha Christie title are decent enough but not exactly high quality. Honestly, if it’s what improves performance I don’t mind at all though. There were a few hiccups in that regard here and there. I believe it was a late game chapter where I crashed four or five times, and there were some moments where there were some very noticeable load times either while talking to someone or while entering a room, but overall the experience was fairly smooth. Camera angles and interacting with points of interest can get a little annoying however, as the camera will zoom in and out depending on where you are and what you’re looking at. It can be difficult to target the right point of interest some times. The soundtrack on the other hand is pretty solid, having some 70s disco jams, jazz, and a number of other cool beats. Interspersed are the soundtrack from the Poirot show remixed to a modern take. It was a really nice mix of tunes. 

Honestly, delivering a final verdict on Death on the Nile is a little difficult because your enjoyment is going to be skewed around how you feel about the original work. I can definitely see some people getting upset over “altering” the original work to add in Jane and her overarching plotline, but I felt it added a nice touch of fresh novelty to a title that has been rereleased numerous times. On the other hand, those who have never experienced the original work will probably get great enjoyment out of the twists and turns they probably will not see coming. While I did really enjoy most of the game, some of the Jane segments where you need to follow someone I found to be rather annoying. Using her as an excuse for lockpicking was an interesting choice I felt added some colour to her chapters though.

Overall, I believe that this version of Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile is a great rendition of the classic tale. The puzzles and characters are interesting, the solutions are reasonable and don’t appear from unknown knowledge you haven’t found, and even the optional collectibles and character profiles give a nice change of pace. The Switch version does have the light performance issue here and there, but with frequent autosaving it isn't too big an issue. While your enjoyment may sway heavily depending on knowledge of the original work, I believe that this game installment does the great detective justice.

Score: 8 / 10

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Shuten Order - Nintendo Switch Review

Shuten Order by developer DMM Games and publisher Spike Chunsoft—Nintendo Switch review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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Do you believe in God? Or do you pray for the end of humanity? Are you part of the Shuten Order, or one of those violent heretics? Well, those aren’t important right now. What is important is finding the murderer of the Founder of the Order and saving humanity!

Shuten Order is an interesting game that slaps five different genres together and actually does it pretty decently. The main premise of Shuten Order is that you awaken in a strange hotel room and are told by two self professed angels you must investigate the death of the founder of the local cult: Shuten. Well, more of a sort of city-state really, and as far as cults go they aren’t that bad. The religious doctrines include no violence and no murder, so crime is surprisingly low. Unfortunately, the founder of Shuten has been brutally dismembered. It is up to you to discover who the murderer is!

Shuten Order is a bit of a quirky game, but not necessarily in a bad way. You get told at the beginning of the game by two characters calling themselves angels that you, despite your recent memory loss, are in fact the dismembered founder. Not only that, but God has issued you a trial to find your own murderer. Luckily for you, you can use the power of God to help. Despite Shuten being an anti-religious religious cult. Hmmm, well, hopefully you can figure out what’s up with that as things progress. You will be given a directive to use the power of God to determine who the murderer is, and then investigate them and force them to confess to their crimes.

It is at this point that the genre of Shuten Order is tossed in a salad spinner. Whoever you select as the culprit will determine what the gameplay style is like. So, when investigating the five ministers who are the most likely culprits behind your death, you must also think of what kind of gameplay you prefer. You do go through all five routes for the full experience, so don’t worry about restarting to choose another route. They do all interrelate to varying degrees as well.

The different gameplay types, from left to right in the options, are: murder mystery/investigation, “extreme escape game”, multi-perspective, romantic (?), and survival escape. Let’s break each of these down a little so you have an idea what’s what with each genre type. In the murder mystery option you will be following the Minister of Justice to a rich family’s private island in order to read a will. Once there, you discover a murder has taken place. You are tasked with investigating the murder. Gameplay is a lot of interacting with objects and asking people questions. You can do a fancy finger snap to try and draw connections to important topics, but too much snapping makes you look dumb and you’ll lose trust. There are also debate segments where you must prove your suspicions. Kind of similar to Phoenix Wright in style, just less courthouse.

Next up we have the “extreme escape game”. Notice the quotation marks. While this is generally marketed as an escape game style route while investigating the Minister of Health, it’s largely walking around an empty area doing the occasional puzzle minigame until the end when you get an actual escape room. Just wanted to let you know so you aren’t as disappointed as I was in the gameplay. The story and world building reveals were outstanding, but the gameplay was a bit of a slog.

Multi-perspective is pretty much traditional visual novel fare. You make choices which will change outcomes, which will then open up new paths for different characters. The game doesn’t really tell you this, but after your first dead end you can open the flowchart for the routes yourself instead of at the end of a route to go back and make other choices. Honestly I thought this was going to be the most boring route when I started, but I was pleasantly mistaken.

For the investigation into the ministry of Education you have a romantic (?) adventure. Basically think traditional dating sim, where you need to raise affection with different characters to unlock their ending route. Yes that question mark is there for a reason, no I won’t say why, yes it’s actually in the game itself too. Once again I thought this route would be sort of boring, and if you rush through it it kind of is, but there is SO MUCH in this route that isn’t laid out for you that makes it really great. Over the course of this route, you can learn a bunch of interesting facts about the other routes and characters as they’re progressing. There are allusions to a lot of other interesting details that were really neat to learn. A plus for the subtle world building.

The final entry is survival escape with the Minister of Security. Short story is it’s very much like Corpse Party. Long story, you have to escape from a serial killer by dropping shutters to slow them down, hiding in safety lockers, and solving puzzles while you’re getting chased in a 3D isometric perspective. It isn’t super complicated, but it was a lot more active than any of the other routes.

At the end you can put your knowledge of all the routes together for one final shot at salvation. All routes feature a checkpoint system where you can retry if you get a game over from the nearest “checkpoint”, so you don’t really need to worry about making twenty seven different save files, unless you want to see the differences between different options. Each route has it’s own focus for delving into the world. One route may explain what the power of God actually is, another gives insight into the relationship between God, the heretics, and Shuten, and another sets up some important background about the murder of the Founder as well as how Shuten functions as a whole. Also, at least three of the routes will drop a tactical nuke equivalent of a reveal on you by the end that may have you sitting there gaping for at least five minutes if you haven’t played other routes that hint towards it.

As a whole I’d say Shuten Order is a pretty artistic game in a lot of ways. It divests from the standard genre typing, has a weird introspective on society and religion while lamp-shading a lot of common tropes, and flips a few overused concepts. The art style used is a bit of a mash-up as well, with both 3D and 2D segments, standard visual novel style talking and scenes, but with interactable characters showing as sort of paper cut-outs to interact with before dialogue starts. The music is also kind of all over the place, from tense tones in the extreme escape game and survival segments, to more laidback in the multi-perspective and romantic (?) routes. Really, Shuten Order is a wonky stained-glass style of everything that it does. Gotta give them props for sticking to an overarching theme.

Shuten Order certainly isn’t without it’s faults. There are some text wrapping issues, one soft-lock I found in the Minister of Justice route, and some misplaced text options, but nothing wildly egregious, most of which I’m sure will be patched out on release. Shuten Order also suffers from the same thing most multi-genre style games do: the gameplay isn’t really fully fleshed out. It feels like Shuten Order tried to do too many things at once and couldn’t adequately make all of them feel “full”, for lack of a better word. Does the gameplay work fine? Well, yeah, but it doesn’t feel complete either. Like it could be better but it wasn’t fully fleshed out, or the route ended before it could really take off. Nothing is “incomplete”, but it does all mostly feel like if there was the leeway to afford more effort in certain gameplay areas it would be appreciated.

Shuten Order is a really interesting title. It blends a variety of different genres with some really interesting world building in a high stakes murder mystery. While the individual genre routes may have benefitted from a more single genre focused approach, it is a very unique way of bridging together the overarching storyline. Shuten Order is definitely a title I’d suggest taking an interest in, although it is a very niche title. 

Score: 8 / 10 

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Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar - Switch Review

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar by developer Marvelous Games and publisher Marvelous USA—Nintendo Switch review written by Izzy with commentary by Pierre-Yves on a copy provided by the publisher. 

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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No Sleep for Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - Nintendo Switch Review

No Sleep for Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES by developer and publisher Spike Chunsoft—Nintendo Switch review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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It’s time to get your detective boots on, because we’re about to take a delve into a world of mystery, kidnapping, and goofy shenanigans! Kaname Date and the gang are back in the latest Somnium Files game. Forced to play an escape room game for their very lives, will they perish, or will they use their third eye to open a path forward! Time to find out in No Sleep for Kaname Date!

I should preface this by letting you know that if you haven’t played either of the first two games, there are both spoilers and probably some confusing moments you’ll come across in No Sleep for Kaname Date. A sort of “Somnium Files 1.5”, this game takes place between the original Somnium Files and Nirvana Initiative. Seriously though, you should probably at least play the first game before coming to this one. Adding some escape room style challenges in the style of the Zero Escape series, a series also produced by Spike Chunsoft, No Sleep for Kaname Date will see the cast of characters alternating between trips into the Somniums (mental subconciousness) of various characters and doing room escape puzzles.

No Sleep for Kaname Date starts out rolling with Iris, a local internet celebrity/streamer, being kidnapped by aliens (maybe)! She is challenged to escape the spaceship using only her wits and the tools around her by a mysterious being who claims to be an alien. Thankfully she can call on someone for help, and who better than Kaname Date! Ok, maybe there are a lot of better options, but at least he’ll try his best. So the game begins as Iris and other kidnappees must escape, while Kaname Date must figure out who has kidnapped them. As mysteries and egos collide, can you figure out the mastermind behind the kidnapping and help Iris escape?

Largely speaking, No Sleep for Kaname Date is pretty much what Nirvana Initiative was like just with added room escape sequences and less investigations. While you will be traveling to different locations as Kaname Date and interacting with people and environments, you will also be delving into people’s subconscious through psyncing with them. That is a process where a person will enter someone else’s subconscious mind to try and find out the hidden secrets they have. The psyncing has remained the same as Nirvana Initiative, where you have a set amount of time to explore the subjects mind. You must interact with objects, perform actions, and break the mental locks on the subjects secrets so they might be revealed to you. Each interaction will cost time, and some interactions will give you a Timie, which acts as a modifier to the time cost as a one-off usage. Your goal in these segments is to get some sort of indication or information to help you solve the case.

On the other hand, the escape room games are, for the most part, not timed and you will be investigating items around the room you’re trapped in and solve puzzles to help you escape. I’m glad to say that the escape game puzzles are, predominantly, very reasonable. One of my biggest issues in escape game style puzzles is when a puzzle is given with a solution that requires some sort of external knowledge or has some subtle solution that is counterintuitive or doesn’t match with what is available for your understanding. Spike Chunsoft has done really well with this in the past, and I’m happy to say that there aren’t any puzzles that require solutions so out of left field they are only solvable if you happen upon the answer by chance. There were only two puzzles that stumped me for a bit, one was a poor wording choice, but not incorrect, and the other was something I was just solving in a different manner that wasn’t the intended solution. Both are at least reasonable, so no worries there!

If you are having issues, whether in the Somniums or escape room puzzles, there are different difficulty settings you can choose. For the Somniums, you can select a difficulty before starting, and after completing one you can choose an “unlimited time” mode to see all the interactions and get all the collectibles. Although you can’t use this for the “finish with more than 0 seconds remaining” challenge, easier difficulties reduce the time penalties from choices, meaning these goals are a little easier. For the escape room sequences, easier difficulties mean you can scan the room for interactable points, get more hints, and increase the time limit for any portions where you are on a timer. Honestly, the variety of different difficulties is really great for players who struggle with one mode or the other while still maintaining the gameplay you want.

The soundtrack and graphics for the Somnium Files games have always been pretty decent, and thankfully the game runs well on the Switch, even in handheld mode. While some of the character models may be a little…chunky, let’s say, in handheld mode, the performance was still really good and I never had any crashes, stuttering, or other performance issues. The soundtrack is a lot of reused pieces from the other games, but it still works here, and why change something that works well? There are new and old environments to explore, and the escape rooms are some interesting designs to check out.

While No Sleep for Kaname Date is definitely on the shorter side, requiring a lot less time than either of the previous games in the series, probably about half the time to complete, it is a lot more exciting and a lot more player involvement and has a lot less exposition. While I could figure out the plotline pretty easily from the beginning, there are still some twists and turns, and it isn’t a boring direction. Additionally, there are a lot of alternate ending routes you can find, which are usually pretty funny and can range from serious shootouts to Date deciding to go on extended vacation instead of solving the case. 

Overall, No Sleep for Kaname Date is a really enjoyable addition the Somnium Files series. The addition of the escape room style sequences is a nice addition and were well put together, and the Somniums were interesting with just as many gag interactions as I’ve come to expect and love from the series. While this entry is definitely shorter than the rest, that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun. If you’ve played either of the other two games, I highly recommend you check out No Sleep for Kaname Date!

Score: 8.5 / 10 

 

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