Earth Wars (Nintendo Switch) Review

By Gabriel Jones 18.05.2018

Review for Earth Wars on Nintendo Switch

In just a few days, the invading E.B.E. forces have all but wiped out humanity. In response, the remnants of the planet established United Earth. Every surviving nation settled their differences and pooled their resources. After over a decade of research and experiments, the first A.N.T.I. unit was deployed. Wearing a suit powered by E.B.E. lifeforms and wielding highly-advanced weapons, these Super Soldiers are mankind's last hope in the Earth Wars, out now for Nintendo Switch.

Somewhere, hidden beneath the mass of files and code that makes up a videogame, there lays a glimpse at the human condition. To this day, arguments still rage as to whether or not games should be considered art. Whatever their intended purpose, the fact remains that they were crafted by human hands, so traces of some deeper meaning could be uncovered. At any other moment in time, Earth Wars would have been lost in the shuffle. A side-scrolling action RPG, there now are hundreds of its ilk. In the next couple decades, there are liable to be hundreds more, yet, for now at least, there is something worth exploring here.

War, war never changes, nor does it ever end. It's possible that long after mankind's extinction war will still be around, humming along in perpetuity like a machine. After all, it is man's legacy. In this videogame, humanity is threatened by an extra-terrestrial threat known as E.B.E. By adapting their technology and making it their own, man is able to destroy these fiends. However, this newfound power comes at a great cost. When just one A.N.T.I. soldier is capable of destroying an entire otherworldly army, what's next?

Screenshot for Earth Wars on Nintendo Switch

It happens all of the time in RPGs. Not only do the heroes get strong enough to defeat the villains, they also go on to beat the optional and far more powerful "super bosses." None can stand against the might of these once-ordinary people. When all quests are completed and all ultimate weapons are crafted, there's nothing left to do. The idea of returning to the farm, marrying that childhood friend, and then tilling fields for fifty or so years sounds so unappealing, especially to the one who just slayed a god. Their idle hands are no longer fit for holding a shovel or a rake, yet what can they do? It's not like another more powerful god of supreme evil will materialise out of thin air.

The demise of the E.B.E. is just a foregone conclusion, but that doesn't mean there's merit in ignoring the experience. Utilising a variety of weapons, including swords, guns, and shuriken, soldiers trek through the ruins of North America, while slashing through beasts of all shapes and sizes. The action is fast and frenetic, although definitely crafted to fit within a small budget. There is little in the way of animation; the player-character's limbs move much like a marionette's; and sprites are stretched and distorted to give off the impression of flapping wings or a guttural roar. Visual cues, such as exclamation marks appear when enemies are about to attack, which alleviates the potential issue of not knowing what they are going to do next. Still, the visuals are sometimes indiscernible, particularly when several explosions are occurring at once.

Screenshot for Earth Wars on Nintendo Switch

While there are over a hundred missions, many of them take place in the same handful of locations, and typically involve slaying a certain number of enemies, or reaching a specific room. The level layouts are Spartan in appearance and design. Some areas go as far as having geysers of hot lava, or platforms to jump on, but that's about the extent of it. The bulk of the game is spent killing, which is something that it does well enough. At first, the protagonist isn't particularly skilled, but their ability to boost in any direction allows them to go from the offensive to the defensive and back again in seconds. Mobility is the one constant, and numerous unlockable skills help to improve upon it. In time, the soldier will learn to fight with greater ferocity. They can also link attack-boosters to every swing of their sword for extra effectiveness.

Of course, in order to continue gaining power, the player must participate in and complete missions. Achieving S-ranks guarantees new skills, which thankfully aren't all that difficult to achieve. Points are awarded for satisfying numerous conditions, such as not taking any damage or limiting oneself to a single weapon. The bulk of the final score tends to come from exceptional ability in battle, so try to perform combos and finish everything off with style. A handful of unique moves, such as air-throws and finishers, keep fights from getting too repetitive. Again, the bulk of the game revolves around killing. The lack of diversity in missions has its pluses. There aren't any mindless escorts to protect or fragile vehicles to awkwardly ride around in.

In most cases, Earth Wars is designed to be relatively free from frustration. Missions are divided into three difficulties, so anyone having trouble can make things a little bit easier on themselves. Even in the event of a failed mission, soldiers still retain any experience and materials they have collected. Gear upgrades are timely and substantial, and the grind for better equipment isn't too bad. However, it's worth taking a moment to consider the elemental effects of weapons. Enemies have strengths and weaknesses, so exploit them whenever possible. Also, be wary of status effects, such as poison or confusion, as they can happen quite often.

Screenshot for Earth Wars on Nintendo Switch

As it has been stated an incalculable number of times, the constant influx of new videogame releases means several will arrive and disappear without so much as a fleeting notice. Only gamers who spend too much time on message boards even know of their existence. Earth Wars is not particularly creative or brilliant, but it works entirely within its limited means to deliver a comfortable, enjoyable experience. Every minute is spent engaged in fast-paced combat, and there's just enough to keep players occupied until something else catches their interest.

Screenshot for Earth Wars on Nintendo Switch

Cubed3 Rating

7/10
Rated 7 out of 10

Very Good - Bronze Award

Rated 7 out of 10

As it has been stated an incalculable number of times, the constant influx of new videogame releases means several will arrive and disappear without so much as a fleeting notice. Only gamers who spend too much time on message boards even know of their existence. Earth Wars is not particularly creative or brilliant, but it works entirely within its limited means to deliver a comfortable, enjoyable experience. Every minute is spent engaged in fast-paced combat, and there's just enough to keep players occupied until something else catches their interest.

Developer

One or Eight

Publisher

One or Eight

Genre

Action

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  7/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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