Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 9th, 2021. We’re starting the week off properly in today’s article, with a full-sized review of Last Stop from our pal Mikhail and a Mini-View of Xenogunner from yours truly. We’ve also got a look at a handful of new releases, but I’ll warn you ahead of time that they are quite dubious. We finish things up as we always do, with the lists of new and expiring eShop sales for you to comb through. Let’s go!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Last Stop ($24.99)
Over the years publishers like Devolver Digital and more recently Annapurna Interactive have consistently released so many games I’ve enjoyed, that I’m more than willing to blindly try out anything they put out. When Annapurna Interactive revealed Last Stop by Variable State, I was pretty excited because I loved Variable State’s Virginia when I played it on PS4 a while ago for its narrative. Last Stop is a single player third person adventure game told across three separate character stories initially. It is set in a modern day London and features supernatural elements and themes.
Last Stop is very much an interactive story-driven experience like Virginia. The gameplay portions are light exploration, some QTEs, and a few choices. You also take turns between playing through as the three main characters and see their stories play out slowly in chapter sets. After a short prologue, you get to pick between Donna, John, and Meena. While the opening chapters aren’t the best, the quality kept improving through the later moments leading up to the finale. It also has excellent voice acting and a lovely soundtrack that I’ve been listening to quite a bit since finishing the game.
I love the setting, stories, and the voice acting here but the movement felt off in many situations. The fixed camera perspective and it changing as you move through different locations resulted in quite a few moments where I ended up walking the wrong way initially. Overall, it was worth powering through some of these moments for the narrative, but hopefully these can be addressed in future patches because this is very close to being another fantastic experience.
On Nintendo Switch, there isn’t any touchscreen support but the game has nice reactive rumble feedback in many situations. The drop in image quality compared to other platforms is very noticeable though. This is worsened because many of the less important NPCs are mostly faceless anyway so the whole game can look very blurry both docked and handheld in parts.
If you have access to another platform and are interested in checking out Last Stop, I’d recommend playing it there. For an experience like this, the big production values and the atmosphere are definitely let down by the drop in image quality making it hard to recommend on Nintendo Switch without that caveat. I’ve played through Last Stop on both Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch and while the story and voice acting is all intact on both systems, it was much better overall on Xbox with better visuals for the world and characters. As a game, Last Stop could’ve used a bit more polish in controls and clarity. Despite that, I enjoyed my time with it and can’t wait to see what Variable State does next. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Xenogunner ($14.99)
Xenogunner is an action game that will appeal to a very particular type of player. While it is technically a run-and-gun platformer, it’s really more of an ultra-challenging boss rush game. Think Treasure’s Alien Soldier and you won’t be far from the general concept. It’s a difficult game, but not unfairly so. Once you learn the mechanics and get your timing down, you can pull off some truly impressive wins against enemies that seemed impossible before. There are two different characters with very different playstyles, and each has a handful of weapons that you’ll need to make clever use of. The twin-stick style shooting gives the game its own flavor to an extent, though it is a bit clumsy with the melee-focused character. All in all, it’s a tough game that will speak well to a certain subset of players who are willing to give it the necessary time.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
New Releases
3D ADVANTIME ($9.99)
I can’t find much about this game through all of my searching, but it seems to be somewhat inspired by the first-person puzzle-solving of games like Portal. The idea here is that you have a gun that can control time, and you need to use it to solve puzzles. It doesn’t look particularly fancy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t deliver some interesting puzzles. I don’t know, I could go either way on this one. Could be junk, or it could be a hidden gem. If you choose to bite on it, let me know how it turns out.
Axe Champ ($0.99)
Hmm, I think the problems are multiplying. Here’s a new challenger for the junk game battle we’ve got going in the eShop’s basement. Like many of these, it’s only playable undocked. Most likely it’s a hasty Android port, but I can’t say for sure. Anyway, use touch controls to throw axes at targets. Avoid hitting the skulls and see how high of a score you can get on each stage. Not much more to it than that, but I suppose for a buck it doesn’t really have to give you a suitcase full of features or anything.
Pop Blocks ($3.99)
Well, we can’t start off our week without at least one game from this lot, eh? Pix Arts has a nice shiny knock-off of that style of matching puzzle that the Blast games use, most likely procured as a template from the trusty Unity Asset Store. It requires touch controls, so you have to play it undocked. There are 100 levels and the usual assortment of power-ups and so forth. Just download one of the million free games like this on your mobile device and play until you get your fill. You’ll be four bucks richer.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Even with all of the sales that kicked off late last week, a ton of games found their way onto today’s list. My picks: Tiny Metal, This War of Mine, Hoggy2, Clash Force, and Toki Tori 2+. But there are lots of decent games in the list, especially from Ratalaika Games, so do have a good look through. The outbox doesn’t have too much in it, unless you’re really into puzzle games. If so, you may want to pick up Touhou Spell Bubble. It’s a bit expensive, but its sale price is quite fair I think.
Select New Games On Sale
Get-A-Grip Chip ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/10)
Castle of Pixel Skulls ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/13)
Coast Guard: Beach Rescue Team ($4.79 from $11.99 until 8/13)
Gas Station: Highway Services ($4.79 from $11.99 until 8/13)
Detective Driver: Miami Files ($4.79 from $11.99 until 8/13)
City Bus Driving Simulator ($4.79 from $11.99 until 8/13)
Drink More Glurp ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/14)
UnderMine ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/14)
Tcheco in the Castle of Lucio ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Rainbows Toilets & Unicorns ($4.19 from $6.99 until 8/15)
The House of Da Vinci 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/16)
Grood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/16)
Colorful Colore ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/16)
Pew Paw ($1.99 from $6.99 until 8/16)
Debtor ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/16)
Farabel ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/16)
Mushroom Quest ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/16)
Skull Rogue ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/16)
Event Horizon ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/16)
Tactical Mind ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/16)
Gordian Rooms: A Curious Heritage ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/16)
Shadow Gangs ($17.99 from $23.99 until 8/16)
FunBox Party ($1.99 from $2.49 until 8/16)
Elli ($7.19 from $7.99 until 8/16)
Dark Burial ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/17)
Swordbreaker The Game ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/17)
Dead Dungeon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/17)
Atomic Heist ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/17)
One Person Story ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/17)
Breathing Fear ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/17)
Mad Carnage ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/17)
Tiny Metal ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/19)
Tokyo Dark: Remembrance ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/19)
Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/19)
The Midnight Sanctuary ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/19)
Necrosphere Deluxe ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/19)
BATTLLOON ($3.49 from $6.99 until 8/19)
The Last Survey ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/20)
Zengeon ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/21)
Reventure ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/22)
WeakWood Throne ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/23)
Red Square Escape ($2.39 from $2.99 until 8/23)
Twister Road ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/23)
Tower Inferno ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/23)
Unknown Fate ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/23)
This War of Mine: Complete ($3.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)
Pooplers ($4.49 from $8.99 until 8/26)
The Bullet: Time of Revenge ($2.24 from $4.49 until 8/26)
Never Stop ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/26)
Tales of the Tiny Planet ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/26)
Invirium ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/26)
O—O ($2.09 from $3.49 until 8/26)
Isolation Story ($6.49 from $9.99 until 8/26)
Negative: The Way of Shinobi ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/26)
Toolboy ($3.49 from $6.99 until 8/26)
Battle Axe ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/27)
FullBlast ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Jack N’ Jill DX ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Race Track Driver ($8.99 from $11.99 until 8/27)
Fort Triumph ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
I Am The Hero ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Cybarian ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Heal: Console Edition ($4.89 from $6.99 until 8/27)
Angels with Scaly Wings ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Infestor ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
C14 Dating ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Gutwhale ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
A Little Lily Princess ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Donuts’n’Justice ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Cross the Moon ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Crash Drive 3 ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Easy Flight Simulator ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Badland: GotY Edition ($4.79 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Attack of the Toy Tanks ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Bouncy Bullets ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Hoggy2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Balancelot ($5.19 from $7.99 until 8/27)
How to Take Off Your Mask ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Dreaming Sarah ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Gravity Duck ($2.24 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Legend of the Skyfish ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/27)
Himno ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Distraint: Deluxe ($2.39 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Distraint 2 ($4.49 from $8.99 until 8/27)
Jisei: The First Case HD ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Even the Ocean ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
A Hero and a Garden ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Golf Zero ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Jet Set Knights ($5.99 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Birthday of Midnight ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/27)
CrossKrush ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Autumn’s Journey ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Just Ignore Them ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Deep Space Rush ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Delta Squad ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Football Game ($2.24 from $4.99 until 8/27)
FoxyLand ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
FoxyLand 2 ($2.39 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Knightin’+ ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Ganbare! Super Strikers ($5.49 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Duck Souls+ ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Battle Princess Madelyn ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Battle Princess Madelyn Royal ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Blind Men ($2.74 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Guard Duty ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Gun Crazy ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Concept Destruction ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Castle Pals ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
A Summer with the Shiba Inu ($5.49 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Clash Force ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Heroes Trials ($2.39 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Access Denied ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Daggerhood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Iron Snout ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Bird Game+ ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/27)
SuperEpic: The Entertainment War ($2.15 from $17.99 until 8/27)
InkSplosion ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Devious Dungeon ($3.19 from $7.99 until 8/27)
Devious Dungeon 2 ($3.19 from $7.99 until 8/27)
36 Fragments of Midnight ($2.00 from $2.99 until 8/27)
Street Racing: Tokyo Rush ($5.99 from $11.99 until 8/27)
I and Me ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Sudoku Classic ($2.49 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Bone Marrow ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Shmubedi Boo ($3.30 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Robots Under Attack! ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Strike! Ten Pin Bowling ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/27)
Swords & Soldiers ($1.99 from $7.49 until 8/27)
Viviette ($5.99 from $9.99 until 8/27)
RIVE: Ultimate Edition ($1.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Toki Tori ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/27)
Toki Tori 2+ ($1.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Liberated: Enhanced Edition ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Werewolf: TA – Heart of the Forest ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28)
Old School Racer 2 ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/28)
Top Speed: Drag & Fast Racing ($2.39 from $7.99 until 8/28)
#womenUp, Puzzles Dream ($2.06 from $6.19 until 8/28)
#NoLimitFantasy, Puzzles Dream ($2.06 from $6.19 until 8/28)
Tank Battle Heroes ($2.39 from $7.99 until 8/28)
Best Sniper Legacy ($2.09 from $6.99 until 8/28)
Moto Rider GO: Highway Traffic ($2.69 from $8.99 until 8/28)
Racing Xtreme 2 ($2.09 from $6.99 until 8/28)
3D ADVANTIME ($5.99 from $9.99 until 8/28)
Qube Qross ($3.99 from $6.99 until 8/29)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 10th
America Wild Hunting ($2.99 from $3.99 until 8/10)
ATV Drift & Tricks ($1.99 from $34.99 until 8/10)
Beast Quest ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
BFF or Die ($4.79 from $7.99 until 8/10)
BringIt to MOM ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/10)
Darkest Dungeon ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Deer Drive Legends ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Degrees of Separation ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Deployment ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/10)
Fishing Star World Tour ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Flip Over Frog ($1.99 from $7.50 until 8/10)
Get-A-Grip Chip ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/10)
Goonya Fighter ($11.59 from $14.49 until 8/10)
KORG Gadget ($33.60 from $48.00 until 8/10)
My Friend Pedro ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Override 2: Super Mech League ($9.89 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Pets No More ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/10)
Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Sentinels of Freedom ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Sky Ride ($1.99 from $7.00 until 8/10)
Solitaire Card Games ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/10)
SteamWorld Dig ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/10)
SteamWorld Dig 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
SteamWorld Quest: HoG ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Super Dungeon Tactics ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/10)
The Bluecoats North & South ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Top Gun Air Combat ($4.94 from $8.99 until 8/10)
Touhou Spell Bubble ($38.49 from $54.99 until 8/10)
Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince ($5.99 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Troll and I ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/10)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more reviews, more new release summaries, more sales, and maybe even a bit of news if anything exciting happens. My Sunday was quite non-productive, I must admit. I fired up The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages to check something really quickly and ended up playing it for almost four hours. Whoops, that’s not time I can monetize! Well, sometimes you have to treat yourself. I hope you all have a great Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
