Yes, this last point would occur on any touchscreen system, but here it feels even more ludicrous because the Switch is a system that has sticks and buttons. The developer could have experimented with implementing these controls into the game, rather than just shoehorning the Red Game Without A Great Name onto the system. It’s a real shame as the premise itself is appealing and the art style is sumptuous and brooding. But, beauty is only skin deep, after all.
On all points, Batman: The Telltale Series is a must have for fans of Telltale, Batman and narrative-driven games. But, it needs to be more accessible. I can’t help but feel that Telltale is pricing themselves out of the market by charging so much for a game that is much cheaper elsewhere. Yes, it’s a great game and it shows what can be done with the Switch in terms of showing off narrative in a portable experience, but the naïve pricing is a sore point.
Did I mention that as a cat you have to fight an army of dragons controlled by an evil mage? I’m not kidding, it’s a purrfect combination of crazy and fun. It’s pawsome. The cat’s pajamas. It’s refreshing to find a game that doesn’t take itself seriously, but can also deliver interesting takes on tried and tested video game tropes that stay entertaining.
At one point I assumed that it’s likely I’m not the target audience, so I gave the game to my daughters – aged eight and ten – to play. They love Cartoon Network, so I thought that Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers would give them something new to experience. While both of them enjoyed the visual spectacle and the set pieces of special moves, they each gave up citing that it simply wasn’t fun, ironically choosing to watch The Regular Show instead. So, if my thoughts don’t nail what I want to say, I’ll leave it to my eight-year-old daughter – “This is boring, can we play Mario Kart instead?”
Moon Hunters is easily summed up by saying it's akin to a Dungeons and Dragons-style "choose your own adventure". Some choices you make can play out very differently with your third, sixth, or twentieth playthrough. Every tale has the same start and end, but the middle can be incredibly varied. It's a sumptuous title in both story and presentation; with visuals that could stand up next to Hyper Light Drifter and sound design that sweeps through orchestral themes and folk songs. It's a shame that the fighting mechanics feel a little too similar because the story itself is a real treat.