Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 15th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got a couple of Mini-Views of recent releases. They’re both story-heavy games, and they’re both pretty great. We’ve also got summaries of a couple of new releases that hit the eShop today, and the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales. Let’s get this party started!
Haven is comfy. That’s the best way I can describe it. The story has ups and downs and it’s not always happy (especially in the bad ending, never do the bad ending), but the overall experience of playing this game is really comfortable. The relationship between the two main characters is the heart and soul of this game, and it never forgets that. A lot of the tasks that you’ll perform throughout the course of the story tend to get repetitive, but knowing there’s some interesting dialogue waiting for you makes it easy to just tune out and enjoy the rhythm of it all. The writing and atmosphere are top-notch, and as long as you come into it knowing those things are the focus I think you’ll get on well with Haven.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
There are some common points tying all three of the Choices That Matter games together, like the overall presentation and the high quality of the writing. But it’s truly impressive how each of the games builds its own atmosphere and feeling, with none feeling quite like the others. And Their Heroes Were Lost probably packs the best twists of the bunch, and as a result it really keeps you hooked into its narrative. The protagonist of this adventure has a lot of mystery about them and when everything starts to unfurl it will keep you glued to the story until you reach an end. Then you’ll want to start over again to see where other choices will lead you. It’s a bit of a shame that there ended up being only three adventures in this project, as they genuinely are some of the best of their kind.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
I suspect we’re going to be seeing more games that incorporate the pandemic into their stories or gameplay, but I wonder how well that’s going to go in the long run? Obviously playing a normal dating game during these conditions can feel a bit jarring, what with the characters hanging out in groups, having fun in external locations and all that. So here’s a new Half Past Fate mini-story that instead focuses on romance during a lockdown. The excellent pixel art style from the first game returns here, and I imagine the writing and overall gameplay keeps the standard as well. Personally, once we’re more or less out of the woods on this awful virus I never, ever want to be reminded of it again. Will that affect the shelf life of games like this one? Your guess is as good as mine.
This is a stealth game with a minimalistic presentation. There are 100 levels in total, and making your way through them will involve a mix of timing, making distractions, rescuing hostages, and hiding. Metal Gear Solid probably doesn’t have much to worry about, but if you enjoy the basic process of sneaking around in games, you may want to take a closer look at this in spite of its spartan appearance. I don’t really have too much to add here. Simplicity cuts many ways, I suppose.
(North American eShop, US Prices)
In spite of that huge dump of new sales we got on Friday of last week, there still ended up being a whole bunch more over the weekend. The Deponia games are super-cheap right now, and well-worth it for adventure fans. The 2D action game Huntdown is enjoying its largest discount since it launched, and the cute kitty RPG Cattails is a steal at only two bucks. There’s a fair bit in the outbox, including the big WB Games sale, so make sure you look through there as well while you’re at it.
Select New Games on Sale
Tumblestone ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Florence ($2.99 from $5.99 until 2/19)
Best Friend Forever ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/20)
Hyper Sentinel ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/20)
Eternum Ex ($3.99 from $7.99 until 2/21)
Bleep Bloop ($1.99 from $3.99 until 2/21)
Mystery of Woolley Mountain ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/21)
House Flipper ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/21)
Awakening of Cthulhu ($2.39 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Micro Pico Racers ($2.24 from $4.49 until 2/21)
Defentron ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/21)
Hexxagon Board Game ($7.91 from $9.89 until 2/21)
#1 Crosswords ($2.99 from $3.99 until 2/22)
ChromaGun ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/22)
Goosebumps Dead of Night ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/25)
Ramp Car Jumping ($1.99 from $10.49 until 2/26)
Caveblazers ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/26)
Dungeons & Bombs ($3.99 from $4.99 until 2/26)
Run the Fan ($1.99 from $3.99 until 2/26)
Retro Arcade Shooter: AfP ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/28)
Yuppie Psycho: Executive ($10.82 from $16.66 until 2/28)
Huntdown ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/28)
Unrailed! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
AER Memories of Old ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
The Long Journey Home ($2.99 from $29.99 until 3/3)
Felix the Reaper ($2.49 from $24.99 until 3/3)
State of Mind ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Shift Happens ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/3)
Silence ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Deponia ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Chaos on Deponia ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Goodbye Deponia ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Deponia Doomsday ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
The Dark Eye: Memoria ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Cattails ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Dead Z Meat ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/4)
Speedway Bundle: Stock & Truck ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
UltraGoodness 2 ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/5)
Renzo Racer ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Syder Reloaded ($8.39 from $11.99 until 3/5)
LASTFIGHT ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Moai VI: Unexpected Guests ($9.49 from $18.99 until 3/5)
Secrets of Magic: Book of Spells ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Secrets of Magic 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
3D Billiards: Pool & Snooker ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Forgotten Tales: DotD ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Tales of the Orient: Rising Sun ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Season Match ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Season Match 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Season Match 3: CotWC ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Summer Sports Games ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/5)
Winter Sports Games ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/5)
Dracula’s Legacy ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Tales of the Tiny Planet ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Island Flight Simulator ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
3D MiniGolf ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Mahjong Deluxe 3 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Grave Danger ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Agent A: Puzzle in Disguise ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/6)
Suguru Nature ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/6)
Hitori Logic ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)
Solitaire Klondike Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/6)
Solitaire Spider Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/6)
Monster Prom: XXL ($6.39 from $15.99 until 3/6)
#NoLimitFantasy, Puzzles Dream ($1.99 from $6.19 until 3/7)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16th
Archaica: Path of Light ($3.97 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Ary & the Secret of Seasons ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Axiom Verge ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia ($19.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Banana Treasures Island ($4.95 from $9.90 until 2/16)
Bear With Me: Lost Robots ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Beast Quest ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Buried Stars ($39.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Cars 3 Driven to Win ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Charterstone Digital ($18.74 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Cyber Protocol ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Debtor ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/16)
Deer Drive Legends ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Degrees of Separation ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Eight-Minute Empire: Complete ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Fall Gummies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/16)
Fantasy Tower Defense ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Flying Hero X ($7.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
House of Golf ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Infinite: Beyond the Mind ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Infliction: Extended Cut ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Istanbul Digital ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
JCB Pioneer: Mars ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Knights & Bikes ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/16)
LEGO City Undercover ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO DC Super-Villains ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Jurassic World ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO NinjaGo Movie Game ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
LEGO The Incredibles ($17.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Worlds ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Override 2: Super Mech League ($23.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Override: Mech City Brawl ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Overwatch: Legendary ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Pine ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Remothered Broken Porcelain ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Showdown ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Shakes on a Plane ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Skully ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Spirit Roots ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/16)
Starcrossed ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Swordbreaker the Game ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
The Deer God ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/16)
The Great Perhaps ($4.49 from $9.99 until 2/16)
The Legend of Ninja ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/16)
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Trine 4: Nightmare Prince ($7.49 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Trine: Ultimate Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Troll and I ($2.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
We should talk. ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/16)
World of Solitaire ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
That’s all for today, friends. I’m having some minor surgery tomorrow morning, but provided it goes as expected I should be able to put together an article of some kind for you all. If not, I’ll surely be back on Wednesday. Whatever happens, we’ll properly catch up as soon as we can. I hope you all have a great Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Mini-Views
Haven ($24.99)
Haven is comfy. That’s the best way I can describe it. The story has ups and downs and it’s not always happy (especially in the bad ending, never do the bad ending), but the overall experience of playing this game is really comfortable. The relationship between the two main characters is the heart and soul of this game, and it never forgets that. A lot of the tasks that you’ll perform throughout the course of the story tend to get repetitive, but knowing there’s some interesting dialogue waiting for you makes it easy to just tune out and enjoy the rhythm of it all. The writing and atmosphere are top-notch, and as long as you come into it knowing those things are the focus I think you’ll get on well with Haven.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Choices That Matter: And Their Heroes Were Lost ($5.99)
There are some common points tying all three of the Choices That Matter games together, like the overall presentation and the high quality of the writing. But it’s truly impressive how each of the games builds its own atmosphere and feeling, with none feeling quite like the others. And Their Heroes Were Lost probably packs the best twists of the bunch, and as a result it really keeps you hooked into its narrative. The protagonist of this adventure has a lot of mystery about them and when everything starts to unfurl it will keep you glued to the story until you reach an end. Then you’ll want to start over again to see where other choices will lead you. It’s a bit of a shame that there ended up being only three adventures in this project, as they genuinely are some of the best of their kind.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
New Releases
Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing ($5.99)
I suspect we’re going to be seeing more games that incorporate the pandemic into their stories or gameplay, but I wonder how well that’s going to go in the long run? Obviously playing a normal dating game during these conditions can feel a bit jarring, what with the characters hanging out in groups, having fun in external locations and all that. So here’s a new Half Past Fate mini-story that instead focuses on romance during a lockdown. The excellent pixel art style from the first game returns here, and I imagine the writing and overall gameplay keeps the standard as well. Personally, once we’re more or less out of the woods on this awful virus I never, ever want to be reminded of it again. Will that affect the shelf life of games like this one? Your guess is as good as mine.
Stealth ($7.13)
This is a stealth game with a minimalistic presentation. There are 100 levels in total, and making your way through them will involve a mix of timing, making distractions, rescuing hostages, and hiding. Metal Gear Solid probably doesn’t have much to worry about, but if you enjoy the basic process of sneaking around in games, you may want to take a closer look at this in spite of its spartan appearance. I don’t really have too much to add here. Simplicity cuts many ways, I suppose.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
In spite of that huge dump of new sales we got on Friday of last week, there still ended up being a whole bunch more over the weekend. The Deponia games are super-cheap right now, and well-worth it for adventure fans. The 2D action game Huntdown is enjoying its largest discount since it launched, and the cute kitty RPG Cattails is a steal at only two bucks. There’s a fair bit in the outbox, including the big WB Games sale, so make sure you look through there as well while you’re at it.
Select New Games on Sale
Tumblestone ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Florence ($2.99 from $5.99 until 2/19)
Best Friend Forever ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/20)
Hyper Sentinel ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/20)
Eternum Ex ($3.99 from $7.99 until 2/21)
Bleep Bloop ($1.99 from $3.99 until 2/21)
Mystery of Woolley Mountain ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/21)
House Flipper ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/21)
Awakening of Cthulhu ($2.39 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Micro Pico Racers ($2.24 from $4.49 until 2/21)
Defentron ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/21)
Hexxagon Board Game ($7.91 from $9.89 until 2/21)
#1 Crosswords ($2.99 from $3.99 until 2/22)
ChromaGun ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/22)
Goosebumps Dead of Night ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/25)
Ramp Car Jumping ($1.99 from $10.49 until 2/26)
Caveblazers ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/26)
Dungeons & Bombs ($3.99 from $4.99 until 2/26)
Run the Fan ($1.99 from $3.99 until 2/26)
Retro Arcade Shooter: AfP ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/28)
Yuppie Psycho: Executive ($10.82 from $16.66 until 2/28)
Huntdown ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/28)
Unrailed! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
AER Memories of Old ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
The Long Journey Home ($2.99 from $29.99 until 3/3)
Felix the Reaper ($2.49 from $24.99 until 3/3)
State of Mind ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Shift Happens ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/3)
Silence ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Deponia ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Chaos on Deponia ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Goodbye Deponia ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Deponia Doomsday ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
The Dark Eye: Memoria ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/3)
Cattails ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Dead Z Meat ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/4)
Speedway Bundle: Stock & Truck ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
UltraGoodness 2 ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/5)
Renzo Racer ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Syder Reloaded ($8.39 from $11.99 until 3/5)
LASTFIGHT ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Moai VI: Unexpected Guests ($9.49 from $18.99 until 3/5)
Secrets of Magic: Book of Spells ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Secrets of Magic 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
3D Billiards: Pool & Snooker ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Forgotten Tales: DotD ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Tales of the Orient: Rising Sun ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Season Match ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Season Match 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Season Match 3: CotWC ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/5)
Summer Sports Games ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/5)
Winter Sports Games ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/5)
Dracula’s Legacy ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Tales of the Tiny Planet ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Island Flight Simulator ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
3D MiniGolf ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Mahjong Deluxe 3 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Grave Danger ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Agent A: Puzzle in Disguise ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/6)
Suguru Nature ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/6)
Hitori Logic ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)
Solitaire Klondike Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/6)
Solitaire Spider Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/6)
Monster Prom: XXL ($6.39 from $15.99 until 3/6)
#NoLimitFantasy, Puzzles Dream ($1.99 from $6.19 until 3/7)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16th
Archaica: Path of Light ($3.97 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Ary & the Secret of Seasons ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Axiom Verge ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia ($19.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Banana Treasures Island ($4.95 from $9.90 until 2/16)
Bear With Me: Lost Robots ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Beast Quest ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Buried Stars ($39.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Cars 3 Driven to Win ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Charterstone Digital ($18.74 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Cyber Protocol ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Debtor ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/16)
Deer Drive Legends ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Degrees of Separation ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Eight-Minute Empire: Complete ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Fall Gummies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/16)
Fantasy Tower Defense ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Flying Hero X ($7.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
House of Golf ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Infinite: Beyond the Mind ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Infliction: Extended Cut ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Istanbul Digital ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
JCB Pioneer: Mars ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Knights & Bikes ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/16)
LEGO City Undercover ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO DC Super-Villains ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Jurassic World ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO NinjaGo Movie Game ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
LEGO The Incredibles ($17.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Worlds ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Override 2: Super Mech League ($23.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Override: Mech City Brawl ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Overwatch: Legendary ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Pine ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Remothered Broken Porcelain ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Showdown ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Shakes on a Plane ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Skully ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Spirit Roots ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/16)
Starcrossed ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Swordbreaker the Game ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
The Deer God ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/16)
The Great Perhaps ($4.49 from $9.99 until 2/16)
The Legend of Ninja ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/16)
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Trine 4: Nightmare Prince ($7.49 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Trine: Ultimate Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Troll and I ($2.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
We should talk. ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/16)
World of Solitaire ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
That’s all for today, friends. I’m having some minor surgery tomorrow morning, but provided it goes as expected I should be able to put together an article of some kind for you all. If not, I’ll surely be back on Wednesday. Whatever happens, we’ll properly catch up as soon as we can. I hope you all have a great Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!