Outer Wilds, Hammerwatch II and Enclave all found additional homes on new systems recently – we’re checking them out here in our latest port roundup.
Outer Wilds – Archeologist Edition review (Switch)
Outer Wilds: Archeologist Edition, developed by Mobius Digital and published by Annapurna Interactive, brings its open-world mystery to the Nintendo Switch, bringing its engaging and highly successful “solar system stuck in an endless time loop” formula to a new platform. As the newest recruit of the Outer Wilds Ventures organisation, players unravel the mysteries of the cosmos, uncovering the secrets behind the ominous Dark Bramble and the alien ruins on the Moon in the process. The game’s dynamic environments, with hidden locations that evolve over time, encourage players to go an intergalactic journey of exploration and discovery – and you can carry it around with you this time as well!
The core premise of Outer Wilds very much revolves around said discovery and exploration, challenging players to venture into space without a safety net, embracing the freedom to uncover the narrative at their own pace. The absence of mission markers and the reliance on players’ curiosity contribute to the game’s charm, providing a unique, non-linear storytelling experience. The time loop mechanic adds urgency and makes you push forward though, pushing you to solve puzzles and piece together the story within a 22-minute window or face restarting.
If you look past the engaging core concept, navigating your ship in Outer Wilds can be challenging, dealing with different degrees of gravitational pull as you operate your engines and thrusters. If you ever played the arcade classic Thrust, you’ll understand that there’s a balance of frustration and accomplishment here. And while it’s impressive to see this port, the Nintendo Switch version introduces graphical pullbacks, with noticeable drops in visual quality and occasional frame rate issues as well, affecting the overall wonder of space exploration by briefly hurting the immersion. Despite these setbacks, however, the game remains playable on the go, retaining its engaging story and challenging puzzles despite some need for optimization.
Outer Wilds on the Nintendo Switch, despite graphical limitations and control challenges, maintains its essence as a masterpiece of exploration and discovery. The game’s seamless transition to the handheld mode is impressive despite the occasional frame rate drops that may detract from the visual experience. The excellent art direction and a captivating soundtrack hold up great though, offering a unique and fulfilling journey that makes Outer Wilds on the Switch a very viable and enchanting option and a brilliant game that everyone should check out.
Hammerwatch II review (PS5)
Hammerwatch II, the long-awaited sequel to the hit indie from Crackshell and Modus Games, is a pixelated dungeon-crawling adventure that attempts to capture the magic of classic RPGs – and it made the jump to PlayStation 5 recently. But while it successfully builds upon the foundation laid by its very successful predecessor, it struggles to bring substantial innovation to the genre – even though it’ll still appeal to fans of the original.
Set in the aftermath of the first game, the narrative centers on your quest to defeat the Blight and restore King Roland to power. However, the storytelling falters due to an excess of mundane details, which hurts the pacing and hinders the overall engagement with the plot – which we never felt fully immersed in.
Looking past the narrative, one of the game’s strengths lies in its still robust RPG system, allowing players to customize their characters and delve into a variety of quests in expansive, dynamically changing environments. The inclusion of a dynamic day/night cycle adds a layer of authenticity, complemented by an engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall atmospheric experience. The cooperative multiplayer mode encourages teamwork and exploration, providing a social dimension to the dungeon-crawling experience for those who like to play together.
Despite these positive aspects, the game is not without flaws, it can be challenging for newcomers while not offering enough new features for returning players. However, it does manage to deliver another classic RPGs with its nostalgic pixelated aesthetic and the cooperative gameplay option adds appeal as well – fans of the original Hammerwatch who want more won’t have much to complain about.
Enclave HD review (PS5)
We reviewed Enclave HD, the remastered 2002 PC classic, when it launched earlier on the PlayStation 4. Now, it returns with a native version for the PlayStation 5, bringing the battle between light and dark in the fantasy world Celenheim to yet another platform. Developed by Sickhead Games and Starbreeze Studios and published by Ziggurat Interactive, this action-adventure RPG invites players to embark on two distinct campaigns, offering diverse characters and unique experiences in a dual approach that was quite groundbreaking when Enclave first launched.
We previously covered the PlayStation 4 version, and the PS5 version is mostly the same but introduces exclusive haptic trigger effects for DualSense controllers, enhancing immersion during combat, as well as faster load times for an even more seamless gaming experience. However, despite the fact that the nostalgic charm and dual campaign structure is still there, Enclave HD on the PS5 still feels like it has some dated mechanics and visuals. This is the best version of the game you’ll find, but don’t expect the jump up on console generations to boost this one to “remake” quality.
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