Reviews Featuring ‘Pepper Grinder’ & ‘Not Tonight 2’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales – TouchArcade Leave a comment

Hi there mild readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for April 1st, 2024. It’s Easter Monday! It’s April Fools! However right here at TouchArcade Towers, it’s simply one other day. We’ve acquired a bunch of evaluations for you in the present day, mates. Our pal Mikhail takes a cautious have a look at Not Tonight 2, whereas I’ve acquired my takes on Pepper Grinder, Felix the Cat, and One Final Breath for you. After that, we check out the brand new releases of the day. Not probably the most bumper of crops, I’m positive you possibly can guess. We end issues up with the standard lists of latest and expiring gross sales. Let’s get going!

Opinions & Mini-Views

Not Tonight 2 ($19.99)

No Extra Robots is again with one other Swap port of certainly one of its PC video games in Not Tonight 2. I assume this implies we’re one step nearer to Slayers X hitting Swap however solely time will inform. Earlier than digressing additional, Not Tonight 2 is a follow-up to the unique Not Tonight: Take Again Management Version on Swap, and is an attention-grabbing tackle that method with three tales, mini-games, and a few Papers Please thrown into the fray. As a sequel, I like what it does, however some points may not hit as laborious relying on what you’re in search of.

It had been some time since I performed the unique sport, and attempting out Not Tonight 2 on PC jogged my memory of how good it was. I didn’t end the sport on PC although. I made a decision to attend for a console launch. When No Extra Robots introduced the Swap launch, I knew it will be price ready for, and it has been for probably the most half having now performed it.

Should you’ve not performed Not Tonight earlier than, I like to recommend getting it first, or grabbing the bundle of each in case you’re interested in these video games. As No Extra Robots‘ first sequel launch so far as I’m conscious, Not Tonight 2 is kind of a bit extra formidable, and I believe it’s going to be a like it or hate it sort of sport for followers of the unique. I ended up extra optimistic on it by means of the completely different tales being instructed. Some is perhaps turned off by the humor inside the extra severe tales, however I at all times love that in a story.

In Not Tonight 2, you’ll discover, make decisions, undergo loads of dialogue, and play minigames. As I mentioned earlier than, it has additionally been impressed by the superb Papers Please. The builders describe Not Tonight 2 as an “American document-checking street journey, fusing a time-pressure RPG with a politically charged, darkish comedy the place each choice issues”. That’s fairly lengthy however an correct abstract of the sport. That is accompanied by an awesome visible model as effectively.

Not Tonight 2 has a couple of efficiency hiccups on Swap that aren’t large points in comparison with it working completely on Steam Deck, but it surely wins in controller help. I couldn’t get the PC model on Steam Deck to work with out the digital cursor no matter utilizing the Deck itself or an exterior controller. The Swap model performs effectively throughout the board, however I would love touchscreen help as a result of journey video games like this profit from the choice of tapping to maneuver round or deciding on issues. Mainly the perfect management scheme for Not Tonight 2 could be a mixture of controller and contact/digital mouse help.

For some followers of the unique, Not Tonight 2 would possibly really feel erratic in some methods, however I loved it nearly as a lot as the unique on Swap. I like to recommend it to followers of the unique and those that take pleasure in Papers Please. It simply wants some efficiency enhancements in sure areas. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5

Pepper Grinder ($14.99)

I like Pepper Grinder. It is aware of what it needs to do, and it does that factor with out fussing round, then has the courtesy to finish earlier than it runs out of concepts. To honor it, I’ll attempt to make my overview equally environment friendly. First, the issues I like. The drill-based mechanics are intelligent and end in some fast-paced, thrilling platforming. The visuals are interesting. I loved discovering the secrets and techniques in every stage. The issue curve felt fairly good exterior of some hiccups. It’s even enjoyable to replay the levels.

Second, the issues I didn’t like. The boss battles aren’t superb. I discovered them tedious and irritating, and I used to be by no means pleased to see one. And whereas I appreciated that the sport didn’t drag itself out too lengthy, I really feel like the sport ended a bit of faster than I’d have ideally most popular. There was undoubtedly room to maintain going a bit of longer right here and discover some ideas extra.

Pepper Grinder is an fulfilling, distinctive platformer with a zippy tempo, attention-grabbing mechanics, and a few cool stage designs. The boss battles are a bit clunky and solely subtract from what’s in any other case a really tight expertise. It’s additionally price noting that the sport is kind of brisk in its run-time, so do take that into consideration earlier than shopping for. I personally suppose it ends a bit of too quickly, however that’s not a horrible downside for a sport to have.

SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5

Felix the Cat ($24.99)

Actually a curious pull, however not one I’m fully against. In some unspecified time in the future Konami purchased Hudson, including its catalogue of titles to its assortment. Konami has sufficient to cope with in its personal library, not to mention throwing a big one like Hudson’s to the combo. So anytime I see a Hudson sport get a rerelease, I’m pleased. That it’s a licensed one this time makes it much more welcome. More often than not video games with a license get handed over, particularly when it’s a license that doesn’t precisely put butts in seats anymore. With all that taken into consideration, I’m glad to be taking a look at Felix the Cat on my Swap.

The title doesn’t have the phrase ‘assortment’ in it, and whoever made that decision was most likely proper. There are three video games in right here, technically talking, however once you get proper all the way down to it you’re actually simply getting one. Again in 1992, Hudson launched Felix the Cat for the NES. It was sort of a tie-in to the 1989 film and a part of an tried revival for the older-than-Mickey kitty. Then, in 1993, Hudson ported the sport to the Recreation Boy. We get each of these video games right here, together with the beforehand unreleased Japanese Famicom model. The Famicom model doesn’t appear to have any variations from the NES one aside from having Japanese language as a substitute of English. The Recreation Boy model cuts out some levels and stage items however in any other case carefully resembles the NES sport. So sure, actually only one sport.

How is that sport? Not too shabby, actually. It’s very a lot a Hudson platformer, all the way in which all the way down to a life meter/timer that ticks down and needs to be periodically restored by selecting up meals objects (milk, right here). On the identical time, it’s additionally post-Tremendous Mario Bros. 3 and has clearly picked up some classes from that sport. The controls are tighter, and the sport is significantly extra honest than earlier Hudson video games. Maybe too honest, because it’s a somewhat straightforward sport even by fashionable requirements. I suppose the vital factor is that it’s enjoyable, and it’s. Felix’s Magic Bag of Methods is put to full use right here, and also you’ll get to utilize quite a lot of talents as the sport goes on. It by no means actually flies as excessive because it most likely may have, but it surely’s an fulfilling sport to run by means of a couple of occasions. The Recreation Boy port can be price a spin or two.

It’s all powered by Restricted Run Video games’ Carbon Engine, and it’s very a lot in step with its different releases utilizing that wrapper. The emulation will get the job finished, and you can also make use of a rewind characteristic and a save state on every sport. That’s about all you get, so don’t go in search of cool extras to contextualize these video games. It’s about as fast and soiled because it will get, and I believe that brings us to the proverbial elephant within the room right here: the value. Not one thing I like to think about when doing evaluations, as costs can and do fluctuate, however I’ll say that at this preliminary worth level, I’d anticipate a bit of extra meat on the bone. There are as many video games right here as we may have, so maybe that extra meat may have taken the type of some historic goodies? I don’t know, however the bundle feels a bit too skinny right here general.

Should you’re in search of an official option to play the NES Felix the Cat, that is actually probably the most reasonably priced approach to take action. It’s a pricy cart within the aftermarket, so having it broadly out there once more together with its Recreation Boy counterpart is welcome. The sport itself is a lovely romp, albeit not rather more than that. Nonetheless, I can’t assist however want there have been some extras right here. Each sport has a narrative behind its creation, and telling this one would have helped make the bundle extra particular. Alas, we simply get the sport and a pair variants of it in a plain brown bag. Not unhealthy, but it surely may have been so a lot better.

SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5

One Final Breath ($17.99)

There have been occasions the place I felt that One Final Breath would possibly actually take off and attain the potential it was scratching at throughout its comparatively temporary run time. There’s a sure magnificence to the sport’s desolate environments, with nature reclaiming deserted buildings. The sound design is kind of good, too. A couple of puzzles, significantly those that contain the principle character Gaia utilizing her nature powers, had been fulfilling. However these had been brilliant spots in an journey that far too typically feels rote and too opaque for its personal good.

You’re left to your individual units to determine how all the pieces works on this sport, however there thankfully isn’t an excessive amount of to it. You may run, crouch, and have a context-sensitive “use” command. It’s as much as you to determine what you possibly can and might’t work together with, easy methods to cope with risks you run into alongside the way in which, what it is advisable do to proceed, and so forth. A number of the time it includes slowly dragging crates round. You’ll most likely die so much whilst you attempt to type issues out. The graphics, whereas trying good on their very own, can typically be laborious to visually parse. I fell to my demise so much that approach. You’ll simply reappear on the final checkpoint although, so determine what you probably did incorrect and hold transferring.

One Final Breath has some good qualities, however they’re counter-balanced by pacing points, uninteresting puzzle designs, and an general extra of vagueness. There may be some non-obligatory content material to assist prolong issues, but it surely finally ends up feeling like a chore to finish. Among the sights and sounds are price experiencing, however I discovered myself tired of this sport at the least as typically as I discovered myself entertained.

SwitchArcade Rating: 3/5

New Releases

What They Don’t Sea ($4.99)

A cute little platformer about exploring the ocean to search out algae samples for some sort of new power mission. Make mates with the pleasant creatures, keep away from the unfriendly ones as a lot as doable, and regulate your air provide. One cool factor is that the developer, Workforce Atlantis, consisted of a gaggle of center faculty ladies. They first got here up with the sport on the Women Make Video games summer time camp, although this was again in 2019. They labored with some skilled builders to shine up their authentic idea, and the results of that’s what we’ve right here.

The Bin Bunch

Drift Pressure Xtreme: Final Automotive Simulator 2024 ($9.99)

Bungee Run ($0.99)

Labyrinthia Nightmares: The Journey of Little Fluffypuff ($11.99)

Bubble Bunny ($2.99)

Plenty of Issues Collector’s Version ($9.99)

Alien Invasion ($9.99)

Gross sales

(North American eShop, US Costs)

Look, I didn’t write a overview of Berserk Boy, however in case you like difficult 2D motion video games like Mega Man X then you definitely’ll undoubtedly have a very good time with it. Now you can seize it at a strong low cost. The Trine video games are at their lowest costs but, and if you wish to get your Castlevania on in Lifeless Cells there’s a reduction for that. The outbox is somewhat small, so give {that a} look whilst you go on by too.

Choose New Gross sales

Berserk Boy ($16.00 from $20.00 till 4/9)
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope ($19.79 from $59.99 till 4/11)
Trine Enchanted Version ($3.44 from $14.99 till 4/12)
Trine 2: Full Story ($3.90 from $16.99 till 4/12)
Trine 3: TAoP ($4.59 from $19.99 till 4/12)
9 Parchments ($4.59 from $19.99 till 4/12)
My Pretty Daughter ($2.99 from $14.99 till 4/15)
My Pretty Spouse ($5.99 from $14.99 till 4/15)
Pan’orama ($9.99 from $19.99 till 4/18)
Teppo & the Secret Historic Metropolis ($3.99 from $7.99 till 4/19)
Get together Associates ($1.99 from $7.99 till 4/19)
Toodee and Topdee ($4.99 from $19.99 till 4/19)
Forrader Hero ($3.99 from $4.99 till 4/19)
TT Isle of Man RotE 2 ($5.99 from $59.99 till 4/20)
Fashionable Fight Blackout ($1.99 from $7.99 till 4/20)
Lifeless Cells ($12.49 from $24.99 till 4/21)
Lifeless Cells: Return to Castlevania ($7.99 from $9.99 till 4/21)
DREDGE ($17.49 from $24.99 till 4/21)
Shifting Out 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 till 4/21)

Gross sales Ending Tomorrow, April 2nd

Amongst Us ($3.25 from $5.00 till 4/2)
Clue ($3.99 from $19.99 till 4/2)
Golfinite ($1.99 from $12.99 till 4/2)
Monument ($1.99 from $7.00 till 4/2)
Proper and Down ($2.99 from $9.99 till 4/2)
SUPERHOT ($12.49 from $24.99 till 4/2)
The Cub ($8.99 from $14.99 till 4/2)
Untitled Goose Recreation ($9.99 from $19.99 till 4/2)
Warhammer 40k: Dakka Squadron ($9.99 from $19.99 till 4/2)

That’s all for in the present day, mates. We’ll be again tomorrow with extra evaluations, some new releases, extra gross sales, and possibly even some information. I had a pleasant Easter weekend, even when we will’t actually do a full-on celebration right here in Japan as a result of lack of supplies and substances. There was chocolate, there have been eggs, what extra do you want? I hope you all have a powerful Monday, and as at all times, thanks for studying!