Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for January 29th, 2024. Itās another rough Monday as far as new games are concerned, but weāve got a couple of reviews to save the day. I take a look at Nintendoās Another Code: Recollection and Idea Factoryās Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters and offer up my thoughts on the games. After that, we wade into the bins to see whatās new on the eShop today. We finish things up in the usual manner, with the lists of the newest discounts and expiring sales. Letās get this week going!
Iāll be upfront about this: Iāve never gotten into developer CINGās adventure games the way some others have. I owned and played through Trace Memory (the North American version of Another Code) back in the day on my Nintendo DS, and found it merely okay. A few inspired puzzles, a reasonably engaging story, but a lot of elements that I felt didnāt click right. Many of the puzzles were dull, relying a little too much on genre standards, and I had trouble getting into Ashleyās side of the story in particular. Another Code R didnāt come out in North America, so I havenāt played it in its original form. I did play CINGās Hotel Dusk and felt a bit bored with it despite its stylish presentation.
So with that out there, it probably wonāt surprise many of you that I didnāt find Another Code: Recollection particularly compelling. Itās a gorgeous remake, to be sure. Trace Memory was a rather humble game on the Nintendo DS in terms of production values, and itās been fully remade into modern 3D here. You also get plenty of voice acting that helps add to the atmosphere. As mentioned, Iām not familiar with the original version of the second game, but it carries forward the excellent presentation of the first in this remake. Overall, the settings of both games feel a lot more immersive and the stories come alive a bit better.
The puzzles are also quite different here, but that is of course out of necessity as much as anything else. The puzzles in the original games leaned heavily on the respective gimmicks available to the Nintendo DS and Wii, after all. Donāt worry, the new ones are plenty gimmicky too. Donāt even think of playing this without a controller that has the full capabilities of the official first-party ones. Youāre going to be using motion control and a few other things to solve the problems that block your way. If itās too difficult to figure out, you can make use of another new addition for this remake. You can turn on a hint feature that will give you some advice at the press of a button. You can also make use of a feature that will point you to where you need to go next, allowing people who are just here for the story to chew on it with as little friction as possible.
As adventure games go, Another Code: Recollection is a good one even if I donāt think it quite reaches the level of great. Fans of the originals will likely be thrilled with this, as I donāt think anyone expected any of CINGās works to get this kind of treatment. Newcomers looking for a decent adventure game will find one here, complete with some clever puzzles that occasionally get a bit too clever. It didnāt change my mind on Another Code, but I donāt think it was really supposed to do that anyway.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Gameindustri is in trouble again, and this time it falls to Nepgear and the other CPU candidates to save the day. This is an action-RPG, and Iām going to be frank and say this game feels like par for the course for a series that hasnāt really made much meaningful progress since the PlayStation Vita was new. This isnāt the first time the series has done an action-RPG spin-off, but you would certainly think it is by how it plays. The combat system is incredibly bland and just not a whole lot of fun even as your characters progress. The exploration is about as enjoyable as ever, which is to say that itās not all that interesting but not terrible either. You get a light puzzle thrown in here and there, though that is a generous description. Lots of side quests! Not very interesting ones, but they are certainly there.
But hey, Iāve been on this ride long enough to know that people arenāt really playing Neptunia games for the gameplay. No, theyāre here for the characters and story. Thatās where Sisters VS Sisters manages to come through, provided you like the goofy-yet-sometimes-dead-serious vibes of the series. It once again attempts to present an allegory for some aspect of the game industry, though the analogy is starting to get stretched so thin I fear it will soon break. This time, it has some scathing thoughts onā¦ the rise of mobile free-to-play gaming? What year is this? Well, thatās about the size of it. Probably best just to ignore the ham-fisted attempts at commentary and enjoy it as a silly story. Fans of the series should have fun, while newcomers might be a little lost without all the pre-existing info about character relationships and such.
I feel like the Neptunia series is mostly about preaching to the choir at this point, and in that capacity Sisters VS Sisters is a decent enough spin-off. The thing is, Iām not sure where to send people who want to get into the series at this point, and Sisters VS Sisters presents an equally awkward entry for such people. It assumes you already have some familiarity with the cast, and the emotional beats and twists heavily depend on that. The battle system is really bland, and I feel that the cut corners which are practically a staple of the franchise at this point are getting harder to ignore as the years pass. I had some fun with Sisters VS Sisters, but I was bored a lot more often than Iād prefer to be.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
10 in 1 Games Bundle ($9.99)
Zombie Football Simulator ($9.99)
Tail.io ($0.99)
Counter Shooter Strike Zone ($11.99)
(North American eShop, US Prices)
The list of new sales ended up being pretty big, even if it does largely consist of the usual suspects. Some goodies to be found in there to be sure, though little of it is super high priority since it will likely be back around again before long anyway. In the outbox, WayForward is finishing up its latest sale and itās your last chance to get the Batman: Arkham Trilogy at its lowest price so far. I wouldnāt buy it for Knight, but the other two games included are quite nice.
Select New Sales
Venice 2089 ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/3)
Duck Race ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/3)
A Painterās Tale: Curon 1950 ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/3)
Pew Paw ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/6)
Colorful Colore ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/6)
Grood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/6)
Girabox ($1.99 from $2.49 until 2/6)
Hokko Life ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/7)
Killer Frequency ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/7)
Yooka-Laylee & the Impossible Lair ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/7)
Ageless ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Crown Trick ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/7)
Attack on Beetle ($2.39 from $5.99 until 2/7)
Magicianās Chase: Missing Curry Recipe ($3.59 from $8.99 until 2/7)
Raging Justice ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Worms W.M.D ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/7)
The Escapists: Complete Edition ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Automachef ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Time on Frog Island ($7.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
Fresh Start ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
No Place Like Home ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Spells & Secrets ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Necrosmith ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/9)
The Lightbringer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Aragami 2 ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/9)
Ponpu ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Sparklite ($4.99 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Hayfever ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Bramble: The Mountain King ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Whateverland ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/12)
Spirit Roots ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/12)
Broken Lines ($3.74 from $24.99 until 2/12)
Retro Machina ($2.99 from $19.99 until 2/12)
Alchemist Adventure ($2.99 from $19.99 until 2/12)
Genetic Disaster ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/12)
Bridge Strike ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/12)
Pumpkin Jack ($7.49 from $29.99 until 2/12)
Fall of Porcupine ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Orbital Bullet ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Lacuna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Pizza Tycoon ($2.09 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Far: Lone Sails ($2.09 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Itorah ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Dr. Fetusā Mean Meat Machine ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Letās Build a Zoo ($10.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
The Inner World ($1.99 from $11.99 until 2/16)
Rigid Force Redux ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Truberbrook ($1.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Runbow ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Hell Pie ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Growth ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Three Minutes to Eight ($9.74 from $14.99 until 2/16)
BPM: Bullets Per Minute ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/17)
Lil Gator Game ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/17)
Yooka-Laylee ($3.99 from $39.99 until 2/17)
Blossom Tales II: Minotaur Prince ($8.99 from $14.99 until 2/17)
Swordbreaker: Origins ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Music Racer ($2.79 from $6.99 until 2/17)
Normanās Great Illusion ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/17)
Need a Packet? ($2.79 from $6.99 until 2/17)
My Aunt is a Witch ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Steam Tactics ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Aircraft Evolution ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Mask of Mists ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/17)
Blood Waves ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Overcooked: All You Can Eat ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/18)
My Time at Portia ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/18)
Moving Out ($6.24 from $24.99 until 2/18)
The Survivalists ($2.49 from $24.99 until 2/18)
Headbangers: Rhythm Royale ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/18)
Blasphemous 2 ($20.09 from $29.99 until 2/18)
Worms Rumble ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Golf With Your Friends ($6.59 from $19.99 until 2/18)
Taimumari: Complete Edition ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/18)
Mystery Lover ($7.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, January 30th
Batman: Arkham Trilogy ($35.99 from $59.99 until 1/30)
Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/30)
Dragon Wings ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/30)
Legrand Legacy: TotF ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
Lunark ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
MADiSON ($23.32 from $34.99 until 1/30)
Mystic Academy: Escape Room ($6.99 from $10.99 until 1/30)
RWBY: Arrowfell ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/30)
Shantae and the Pirateās Curse ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/30)
Shantae: Riskyās Revenge ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/30)
Touken Ranbu Warriors ($32.99 from $59.99 until 1/30)
Thatās all for today, friends. Weāll be back tomorrow with more reviews, more new games, more sales, and perhaps some news. It was a nice weekend, all told. Spent some time with Mrs. Musgrave and relaxed a bit. Highly recommend that ārelax a bit" business. Itās probably good for a person now and then. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Another Code: Recollection ($59.99)
Iāll be upfront about this: Iāve never gotten into developer CINGās adventure games the way some others have. I owned and played through Trace Memory (the North American version of Another Code) back in the day on my Nintendo DS, and found it merely okay. A few inspired puzzles, a reasonably engaging story, but a lot of elements that I felt didnāt click right. Many of the puzzles were dull, relying a little too much on genre standards, and I had trouble getting into Ashleyās side of the story in particular. Another Code R didnāt come out in North America, so I havenāt played it in its original form. I did play CINGās Hotel Dusk and felt a bit bored with it despite its stylish presentation.
So with that out there, it probably wonāt surprise many of you that I didnāt find Another Code: Recollection particularly compelling. Itās a gorgeous remake, to be sure. Trace Memory was a rather humble game on the Nintendo DS in terms of production values, and itās been fully remade into modern 3D here. You also get plenty of voice acting that helps add to the atmosphere. As mentioned, Iām not familiar with the original version of the second game, but it carries forward the excellent presentation of the first in this remake. Overall, the settings of both games feel a lot more immersive and the stories come alive a bit better.
The puzzles are also quite different here, but that is of course out of necessity as much as anything else. The puzzles in the original games leaned heavily on the respective gimmicks available to the Nintendo DS and Wii, after all. Donāt worry, the new ones are plenty gimmicky too. Donāt even think of playing this without a controller that has the full capabilities of the official first-party ones. Youāre going to be using motion control and a few other things to solve the problems that block your way. If itās too difficult to figure out, you can make use of another new addition for this remake. You can turn on a hint feature that will give you some advice at the press of a button. You can also make use of a feature that will point you to where you need to go next, allowing people who are just here for the story to chew on it with as little friction as possible.
As adventure games go, Another Code: Recollection is a good one even if I donāt think it quite reaches the level of great. Fans of the originals will likely be thrilled with this, as I donāt think anyone expected any of CINGās works to get this kind of treatment. Newcomers looking for a decent adventure game will find one here, complete with some clever puzzles that occasionally get a bit too clever. It didnāt change my mind on Another Code, but I donāt think it was really supposed to do that anyway.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters ($49.99)
Gameindustri is in trouble again, and this time it falls to Nepgear and the other CPU candidates to save the day. This is an action-RPG, and Iām going to be frank and say this game feels like par for the course for a series that hasnāt really made much meaningful progress since the PlayStation Vita was new. This isnāt the first time the series has done an action-RPG spin-off, but you would certainly think it is by how it plays. The combat system is incredibly bland and just not a whole lot of fun even as your characters progress. The exploration is about as enjoyable as ever, which is to say that itās not all that interesting but not terrible either. You get a light puzzle thrown in here and there, though that is a generous description. Lots of side quests! Not very interesting ones, but they are certainly there.
But hey, Iāve been on this ride long enough to know that people arenāt really playing Neptunia games for the gameplay. No, theyāre here for the characters and story. Thatās where Sisters VS Sisters manages to come through, provided you like the goofy-yet-sometimes-dead-serious vibes of the series. It once again attempts to present an allegory for some aspect of the game industry, though the analogy is starting to get stretched so thin I fear it will soon break. This time, it has some scathing thoughts onā¦ the rise of mobile free-to-play gaming? What year is this? Well, thatās about the size of it. Probably best just to ignore the ham-fisted attempts at commentary and enjoy it as a silly story. Fans of the series should have fun, while newcomers might be a little lost without all the pre-existing info about character relationships and such.
I feel like the Neptunia series is mostly about preaching to the choir at this point, and in that capacity Sisters VS Sisters is a decent enough spin-off. The thing is, Iām not sure where to send people who want to get into the series at this point, and Sisters VS Sisters presents an equally awkward entry for such people. It assumes you already have some familiarity with the cast, and the emotional beats and twists heavily depend on that. The battle system is really bland, and I feel that the cut corners which are practically a staple of the franchise at this point are getting harder to ignore as the years pass. I had some fun with Sisters VS Sisters, but I was bored a lot more often than Iād prefer to be.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
The Bin Bunch
10 in 1 Games Bundle ($9.99)
Zombie Football Simulator ($9.99)
Tail.io ($0.99)
Counter Shooter Strike Zone ($11.99)
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
The list of new sales ended up being pretty big, even if it does largely consist of the usual suspects. Some goodies to be found in there to be sure, though little of it is super high priority since it will likely be back around again before long anyway. In the outbox, WayForward is finishing up its latest sale and itās your last chance to get the Batman: Arkham Trilogy at its lowest price so far. I wouldnāt buy it for Knight, but the other two games included are quite nice.
Select New Sales
Venice 2089 ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/3)
Duck Race ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/3)
A Painterās Tale: Curon 1950 ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/3)
Pew Paw ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/6)
Colorful Colore ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/6)
Grood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/6)
Girabox ($1.99 from $2.49 until 2/6)
Hokko Life ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/7)
Killer Frequency ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/7)
Yooka-Laylee & the Impossible Lair ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/7)
Ageless ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Crown Trick ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/7)
Attack on Beetle ($2.39 from $5.99 until 2/7)
Magicianās Chase: Missing Curry Recipe ($3.59 from $8.99 until 2/7)
Raging Justice ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Worms W.M.D ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/7)
The Escapists: Complete Edition ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Automachef ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/7)
Time on Frog Island ($7.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
Fresh Start ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
No Place Like Home ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Spells & Secrets ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Necrosmith ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/9)
The Lightbringer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Aragami 2 ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/9)
Ponpu ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Sparklite ($4.99 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Hayfever ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Bramble: The Mountain King ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Whateverland ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/12)
Spirit Roots ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/12)
Broken Lines ($3.74 from $24.99 until 2/12)
Retro Machina ($2.99 from $19.99 until 2/12)
Alchemist Adventure ($2.99 from $19.99 until 2/12)
Genetic Disaster ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/12)
Bridge Strike ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/12)
Pumpkin Jack ($7.49 from $29.99 until 2/12)
Fall of Porcupine ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Orbital Bullet ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Lacuna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Pizza Tycoon ($2.09 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Far: Lone Sails ($2.09 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Itorah ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Dr. Fetusā Mean Meat Machine ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Letās Build a Zoo ($10.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
The Inner World ($1.99 from $11.99 until 2/16)
Rigid Force Redux ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Truberbrook ($1.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Runbow ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Hell Pie ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Growth ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Three Minutes to Eight ($9.74 from $14.99 until 2/16)
BPM: Bullets Per Minute ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/17)
Lil Gator Game ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/17)
Yooka-Laylee ($3.99 from $39.99 until 2/17)
Blossom Tales II: Minotaur Prince ($8.99 from $14.99 until 2/17)
Swordbreaker: Origins ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Music Racer ($2.79 from $6.99 until 2/17)
Normanās Great Illusion ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/17)
Need a Packet? ($2.79 from $6.99 until 2/17)
My Aunt is a Witch ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Steam Tactics ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Aircraft Evolution ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Mask of Mists ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/17)
Blood Waves ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Overcooked: All You Can Eat ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/18)
My Time at Portia ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/18)
Moving Out ($6.24 from $24.99 until 2/18)
The Survivalists ($2.49 from $24.99 until 2/18)
Headbangers: Rhythm Royale ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/18)
Blasphemous 2 ($20.09 from $29.99 until 2/18)
Worms Rumble ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Golf With Your Friends ($6.59 from $19.99 until 2/18)
Taimumari: Complete Edition ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/18)
Mystery Lover ($7.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, January 30th
Batman: Arkham Trilogy ($35.99 from $59.99 until 1/30)
Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/30)
Dragon Wings ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/30)
Legrand Legacy: TotF ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
Lunark ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
MADiSON ($23.32 from $34.99 until 1/30)
Mystic Academy: Escape Room ($6.99 from $10.99 until 1/30)
RWBY: Arrowfell ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/30)
Shantae and the Pirateās Curse ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/30)
Shantae: Riskyās Revenge ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/30)
Touken Ranbu Warriors ($32.99 from $59.99 until 1/30)
Thatās all for today, friends. Weāll be back tomorrow with more reviews, more new games, more sales, and perhaps some news. It was a nice weekend, all told. Spent some time with Mrs. Musgrave and relaxed a bit. Highly recommend that ārelax a bit" business. Itās probably good for a person now and then. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
![[DK]](/data/avatars/s/57/57999.jpg?1720990206){kind=avatar}
