- 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - 22/Jun 03:43

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening (Switch 2) – Review

One feature of the Switch 2 that’s included but not advertised is a sense of déjà vu: The vast majority of launch titles on the platform aren’t exactly new games. One of those titles is Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, a game we’re very familiar with. We reviewed the PC version nearly two years ago, and since then, we’ve returned to feudal Japan several times. Now, we can take feudal Japan with us wherever we go. Okay, technically, we already could, as Awakening was also ported to the Switch 1, but that port apparently wasn’t up to snuff. Can the Switch 2 port make up for this? Story As we’ve mentioned when we previously looked at Awakening, there is no real set story arc here. Instead, you’re carving your own story path, albeit one that is signposted by the historical context of the game’s setting. Set in Japan’s Sengoku period, Awakening puts you at the head of one of many warring clans, with the aim of becoming the dominant warlord of the region. While the Oda clan is the star of the show, as it is where the titular character hails from, you can freely pick from other contemporary historical figures and their clans to try and claim your rightful position at the top of feudal Japan’s food chain. Graphics The graphics of Awakening’s Switch 2 port are on par with those of the PC version of the game. The static art used for the game’s story scenes still looks spectacular, and the in-game visuals look great too, with bright, saturated colors. In handheld mode, the game’s frame rate does take a slight hit, being locked at 30 FPS, but it is a very steady 30 FPS, with no noticeable stuttering or frame drops. Sound When we originally reviewed Awakening, we were unhappy about the lack of Japanese voice acting. Since then, the game received a Japanese dub, and naturally, this is included here too. Apart from this major change, there’s not a whole lot to say about Awakening’s audio that we haven’t said in our previous review. The music is still as epic as it was two years ago. Gameplay Full disclosure: for the purposes of this review, we’ll specifically be looking at what makes the Switch 2 version tick in terms of gameplay, rather than going over the basics again. This is, by and large, the very same game that we first played on PC after all. That does mean that Awakening still suffers from the same shortcomings of that previous release, mainly that its learning curve is the biggest obstacle for newcomers. The tutorial covers the basics well enough, but mastering all three of the main systems that make up Awakening’s core, namely War Tactics, Dominion, and Battle, requires serious dedication and time. Unfortunately, there is no cross-platform save compatibility between the Switch 2 version of Awakening and other platforms. If you’ve already put dozens of hours into subjugating feudal Japan into the game, you’ll have to do it all over again here. Given that games like The Witcher 3 and Hades do offer that cross-save functionality, this seems like a missed opportunity. This naturally raises the question of whether or not it’s worth double-dipping if you already have Awakening, or if the Switch 2 should be your platform of choice if you don’t own the game yet. We’d say that it is at least worth considering, thanks to the Switch 2’s newest and most innovative feature. If Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour was the game that introduced us to the possibilities of the console’s mouse mode, then Awakening was the game to convince us of that same feature’s potential. Being the kind of strategy game that Awakening is, navigating its plethora of menus with a classic controller setup is fiddly at best. For comparison’s sake, we gave Awakening a try both in handheld mode and in mouse mode, and the difference is massive. The only downside is that there is no on-the-fly switching between the two modes. You’ll have to go into the game’s options to change modes manually. Since the hardware is capable of instantly switching modes, this is something that hopefully is addressed in a future patch. Much has been said about the pricing of Switch 2 games, and the €69.99 price tag of Awakening does seem a bit excessive at first glance, given that its PC counterpart has an RRP of €59.99 and fairly regularly goes on sale. However, the Switch 2 port does have the ‘Complete Edition’ moniker, and so most of the DLC is included here, making it look a fair bit more attractive. Regrettably, if you ponied up for the original Switch version of Awakening, there is no upgrade pack available. There is a Collector’s Edition of the Complete Edition, but the included additional content mostly comprises the soundtrack and a digital art collection, so we’d say it’s not worth the additional €40. The base game, however, is one of the more attractive offerings in the Switch 2’s current lineup. Being a niche game in and by itself, Awakening may lack widespread appeal, but if you’re in the target niche, then being able to play the game on the go and with mouse controls definitely makes this one a worthy purchase. Conclusion Strictly speaking, the Switch 2 port of Awakening isn’t so much of an upgrade as it is a sidegrade compared to the PC version. Being able to play the game on the go with mouse controls is the main selling point here. Whether or not that is worth double dipping is up to your own discretion. Even so, this is an excellent port of a good game. Unlike the Switch 1 version, we feel like no compromises had to be made here, with the minor exception of the game’s handheld frame rate. Awakening is by no means a perfect game, but any faults were there two years ago already. Cross-platform saves and on-the-fly mouse mode switching would’ve been welcome additions, but in the grand scheme of things, the game is worth a look even without these.