While the upcoming list of Nintendo Switch releases is a little lean, one publisher that’s more than pulling its weight in terms of upcoming titles is XSeed (subsidiary of Marvelous). The company had a sizable presence at PAX West 2023, demoing a handful of hot upcoming games – and was gracious enough to give me some hands-on time with their upcoming Switch titles. Here’s how their upcoming catalogue’s stacking up:
Silent Hope – Releases October 3
An isometric action RPG set in the Rune Factory universe, I was endeared to Silent Hope from the get-go thanks to its adorable character art. In the demo I got a slice of the dungeon crawling action and what the game’s basic progression looks like. I tried out three different characters – Farmer, Warrior, and Fighter – each of whom felt and played quite differently. The Warrior was slow but hefty, the Fighter was a quick-striking monk-like character (my favorite to use), and the Farmer was most interesting – utilizing buffs and debuffs and having a control feel similar to playing an actual Rune Factory game.
Combat is pretty simple. You have a basic combo attack alongside three skills on cooldown and a couple items you can use at your discretion. Clearing enemies to open the way is pretty simple and intuitive, and you can get little goodies for exploring. The most interesting thing about the experience is that the design encourages mid-dungeon character swapping at crystals you can find on each level – doing so grants your new character a buff, which is handy for progression. While the exhibitor affirmed that you can certainly go through the game with only one character if you want, it’s nice to know that you’re incentivized to switch things up (especially since it looked like you share character EXP between your party too).
There were a couple aspects to the game (primarily at the home base) that I didn’t get to dive into, the three floors of dungeoneering were rock solid, culminating in a simple but fun boss fight against a giant enemy crab. The exhibitor mentioned quite a few details about the game’s storytelling (taking place in part through narrated flashback and memory) that has me really intrigued to see what comes of it. With less than a month til release, I’m not silent in my anticipation for this one.
Fashion Dreamer – Releases November 2
Far too many games these days are concerned with things like conflict and combos. It takes a real genius to understand what all video games are really about – playing dressup. Fashion Dreamer comes from the illustrious developers of Style Savvy, and it really is that simple. You go around. You find outfits you like. You put them together. You give suggestions for other people. Only something this straightforward could be so engrossing.
It took a bit to figure out how to navigate the menus and UI, but once I did I was strolling along, picking out new fashion items for myself and coordinating looks with the best of them. The denizens and locales of the world were all quite striking (understandably so for a game all about aesthetic) and it was nice just walking along and chatting to folks (whether NPCs or representations of other players). It’s a very relaxed game, but it seems like there are some manners of progression, which will hopefully prevent the experience from feeling aimless.
I had a wonderful time chatting with the exhibitor about outfits and in-game cosplay, as well as the game’s reception on the show floor (while a “girly” game, it attracted quite a few male players as well, it seems). There are features like showroom customization and the ability to make your own outfits that I didn’t get to touch, but leave me all the more excited to see what the game’s full outfit will look like.
Rune Factory 3 Special – Out now
Our last stop was for the imminent Rune Factory 3 Special, a rerelease of the DS classic. While 3 is a Rune Factory I’m specifically unfamiliar with, the basic ideas are the same as usual – farm, fight, and start a family with one of several eligible bachelorettes. My demo was brief, but consisted of a couple events for townspeople – one mundane, one a little bit more… special (heh).
The unique pull about 3 is the ability to shift into Wooly Form and pulverize opponents with your little sheep fists, which was great not only conceptually but in execution. Swapping forms is quick as can be and extremely effective, with a clear limitation in monster mode (you can’t use tools or weapons as a sheep, after all). It complements the basic Rune Factory formula really well, and I’d love to see it in the full product.
Plus you don’t have to wait – Rune Factory 3 Special is out now. Pick it up if you’d like!
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
