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Nier: Automata

Quick Impressions: We've played Dragon Quest Treasures and NieR: Automata on the Nintendo Switch

We've played both games as part of a recent Square Enix event in London.

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I've already shared a few different opinions on the games that I got to see as part of the recent Square Enix London event, including Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion, Harvestella, and Valkyrie Elysium, but I have a couple of extra experiences that while fleeting deserve some time in the sun. And so, I've pulled my opinions on the Switch version of Nier: Automata and Dragon Quest Treasures together into one place, for a quick set of impressions following a fleeting preview opportunity.

NieR: Automata - The End of YoRHa Edition

Despite coming out originally in 2017, NieR: Automata hasn't yet launched on the Nintendo Switch, which was all the more curious since developer Platinum Games has a good relationship with Nintendo, as can be seen in the Bayonetta series. But fortunately, that period of waiting will soon be coming to an end, as NieR will be debuting on the hybrid platform on October 6, and ahead of that date, as part of a Square Enix event in London, I had the chance to go hands-on with the Switch edition to see how it stacked up in a performance sense.

And right off the bat it's clear that this game works very well on Nintendo's system, even though you would assume that the fast-paced combat would suffer from the technological limitations of the platform. But it doesn't, or at least, it barely does. There are elements that aren't exactly fluidly offered up, especially the aiming system, which requires you to fight with the Joy-Cons' joysticks a little bit to get the perfect shot, and likewise, as NieR likes to use various different camera angles, many of which are quite zoomed out, this often produces some challenging visuals and scenes on the Switch's smaller handheld display.

Still, even though this is the case, the actual gameplay is very fluid and works super well. The combat maintains its fast-paced nature, and the graphics themselves (while not on the same level as the console or PC editions of the game) are more than good enough for a portable gaming system. Platinum Games has done a good job at bringing this already fantastic video game to a new medium, and if you haven't had the chance yet to experience this title, the Switch version wouldn't be a bad place to start when it debuts in a couple of weeks.

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Dragon Quest Treasures

I wasn't a huge fan of the Dragon Quest series before playing Dragon Quest Builders 2, but that game brought my attention to the series and made me appreciate it. So, when I saw that the upcoming Dragon Quest Treasures would be playable at the London event, I was excited to jump in and see what the opening portions of the game had to offer. For those wondering, this title revolves around siblings Erik and Mia, who after spending their lives aboard a Viking longship, decide that it's time to head off on their own in search of treasure, with the help of two unusual, supernatural creatures. This bizarre animalistic duo - which essentially are a pink cat with wings, and a green pig with wings - leads Erik and Mia to a portal to the land of Draconia, where the search for treasure begins.

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The game plays similarly to other Dragon Quest titles, in that you develop a team of monsters that aid you in exploration and in combat. Monsters will attack opposing foes to protect you, while you can also use them to locate treasure or even reach new areas that would otherwise be inaccessible to Erik and Mia on foot. And you'll want to do this, because finding the best loot possible is crucial to the progression system of the game, which revolves around digging up treasure, taking it back to your base, and using the money that it is worth to expand your base.

I'm going to keep my thoughts brief on this game right now, as the demo I got to play was only short in and of itself, but I will add that the graphics and the art style both make for a very captivating experience, and the title as a whole played very well on the Nintendo Switch and really suited the platform. Add to this the signature charisma and charm of the Dragon Quest series, which is found in every character, and it's pretty clear that Dragon Quest Treasures is shaping up to be one of December's top titles.

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REVIEW. Written by Kim Orremark

"We can't help but marvel at the madness that Yoko Taro has dreamt up."



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