Aeon Drive Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

Aeon Drive Switch NSP Free Download Speedrunning has been an integral part of the gaming community for decades. People might lean on glitches or exploits to ‘break’ a game, but often it’s simply a case of learning the mechanics, inside and out, to nail down the most efficient route from A to B. Aeon Drive is all about speedrunning; that’s its hook, and it’s a good one. Taking place within the cyberpunk setting of ‘Neo Barcelona’, the game stars Jackelyne. ROMSLAB.COM BEST SWITCH GAMES

Aeon Drive Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

A space ranger who is on a desperate race through the city to find the drive cores to fix her ship. Armed with a sword and teleportation dagger, you must guide Jackelyne through a vast variety of levels, all of which sport differing routes with their own advantages and disadvantages. Racing through the levels is quite enough as it is, but the game immediately encourages you to move as quickly as possible by implementing a 30-second timer in each level.

Racing Against the Clock

The most significant change in Aeon Drive is how it plays. Long gone are dimension-hopping antics, which makes sense since Jack’s Manticore is out of commission. Luckily, somehow in the wreckage, Jack finds a sword worthy of Sephiroth himself. Along with V.E.R.A., which you can literally throw at objects and then warp to, Jack has a lot at her disposal. You can slash through any robotic sentry with the sword, and V.E.R.A. has a lot of flexibility, hitting distant switches as well as her warp functionality. OPUS: Rocket of Whispers Switch NSP

Aeon Drive Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

Additionally, Jack can run, jump and slide through narrow apertures. Now, there’s another key mechanic that the tutorial somehow failed to mention. Jack can call V.E.R.A. back to her at any time with a press of the L button. The reason that’s relevant is that if you don’t recall the AI first, Jack will instead instantly teleport to where it is. Even if that place is one Jack can’t fit in, which results in her instant death. I only discovered this recall technique by watching a playthrough online and doing some trial and error.

A Lively Stroll Through Cyberpunk Barcelona

Those complaints aside, I really did enjoy my time with Aeon Drive. The gameplay is very tight and balanced. While Jack dies after sustaining one hit, I never felt the game was unfair. Part of that is because each of the 100 stages has alternate paths you can take through them. Generally, there’s an ‘easy’ and a ‘hard’ path, and usually, it’s well worth your time to pick the latter. The reason is that risk breeds reward, and the more challenging paths often are stocked with collectible items. They also usually wind up letting you get to the stage exit faster. OPUS: The Day We Found Earth Switch NSP

Aeon Drive Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

I felt the flow of the stages was really well-tuned, and I honestly didn’t start running into issues until the last 2 Sectors. That’s where they introduced a mechanic where you have switches you can only trigger with V.E.R.A. from a distance. Furthermore, you have to keep your AI in place until you’re past the barrier, and can then safely retrieve her. But as I said earlier, the tutorial neglected to explain this mechanic. Once I knew about it, these levels were easier, but far from easy. As you proceed through each Sector, they introduce new tricks and hazards—these range from laser lattices to buzz saws, drones, and turrets. There’s a good variety, and it does a good job of keeping you engaged as you run and jump along.

Pixel-Art Perfection

Visually, Aeon Drive isn’t just gorgeous, but it’s so pretty it puts Dimension Drive to shame. Which isn’t to say the original was an ugly game. Rather, the focus on lush and detailed pixel-art here is top-notch, and really a big part of the reason I wanted to play it. The only possible downside is that, on occasion you’ll miss a slow-moving foe when distracted by all the colors and details. Musically, the game has a good soundtrack, but nothing amazing. What’s far better is the voice acting when Jack and V.E.R.A. talk between Sectors. Overall, I really enjoyed the presentation of the game. Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition Switch

Aeon Drive Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

Most of Aeon Drive is a platformer fan’s delight, but a few small issues held it back. One time I paused the game and came back later. Oddly, it wouldn’t let me return to the action, and I had to quit to the Home screen to get it working again. A more egregious issue that I hesitate to call a glitch is that sometimes the leaderboards don’t load your score. Not sure if this was due to my internet connection or what, but as a primary driver of the action, it needs to be fixed. Lastly, as a fan of the story of Dimension Drive, I wish the plot here was more fleshed out.

Add-ons (DLC): Aeon Drive Switch NSP