Littlewood (Nintendo Switch) Review

By Nayu 26.08.2021

Review for Littlewood on Nintendo Switch

Set in a realm where the amnesiac heroine (or hero) has defeated the Big Bad and must help rebuild the world, remarkably developed by just one person, Sean Young, and published by SmashGames, Littlewood had a staggered Nintendo Switch release, first in February on the North American eShop, then in March for the European and Australian market. The bright and cheery graphics, match the upbeat, diverse cast of characters, who want to help the protagonist, so long as they are helped in return. It is down to players to please said cast, gather materials required for rebuilding the world, and discover what really happened to bring about the current world peace, something residents are eager to spill the beans on.

One of the primary attractions of Littlewood is that there is no fighting. Later on there is a way to fight using special cards, but overall this is a gathering game. Rebuilding the world does not happen in one day, and it requires a vast range and number of materials to be collected. Completed quests are rewarded with valuable items, yet for the most part it is down to the player to do the hard work. Being famous does not result in an easy life, tough - residents are immensely demanding.

Screenshot for Littlewood on Nintendo Switch

Their predominantly cheerful personalities and gratitude for living in a peaceful world are a slight illusion, once their more specific requirements are related. Each resident gets a house of their own, but it is not a case of positioning it anywhere in the town. Some want to be close to specific people, including the protagonist, others want to be close to various shops, which all need to be built before they can be used. Factoring in the specific materials that require expeditions to be found and extracted, there is absolutely no rest and relaxation for the hero! There is, however, endless praise for saving the world. The term hero-worship is highly applicable in here. The chattier residents are superfluous with praise of the protagonist's deeds that brought peace to the world.

This is beneficial in piecing together what actually happened before Littlewood began, as is the step-by-step explanation on how to do everything. There are a lot of processes introduced that need to be mastered, nonetheless even at the very start being overwhelmed is thankfully a limited situation. The initial introduction gradually shows how to construct buildings, where to place them, and what materials are needed. Players familiar with life simulation titles will find familiarity in fishing, mining, and construction. Somehow this makes these aspects feel brand new and original through the superb dialogue, which has humour abound, and is a pure joy to read. Original style elements include inviting residents to follow the hero, to see what they do, which helps form and strengthen friendships, improves relations, and eventually leads to tangible in-game benefits.

Screenshot for Littlewood on Nintendo Switch

Initially building of the town was not the easiest, because the cursor seemed impossible to control accurately. Lowering and raising the level of the land, or forming water features and paths, took far too long until advice from fellow players led to changing the whether the sprint function is held or toggled in the options menu. After that accurate placement occurred every time, and reconstruction returned to being the joy it should be in this genre. Should this not be played for a while it is easy to figure out the controls. Objects can't be walked through, which is realistic, but other characters will swap places with the protagonist if they are bumped into on the map.

Screenshot for Littlewood on Nintendo Switch

It's possible to see a scenic view of the area, a useful option when focusing on building a town. Having animals to provide resources is a standard feature in such games, but is done in a fun way: for example, a fishing rod is needed to fish, but if it is placed in an incorrect position - directly on the fish - the fish will disappear, a realistic action, because who wants to be hit on the head with a hook?

The amount and variety of humour must not be underestimated. Almost every single interaction with any character results in a smile - either at their personality, or a revealed nugget of wisdom. There are truly all types of characters to meet. Some have extremely high opinions of themselves, and an equally high or low view on the protagonist's actions. The variety in species, especially the non-humans, is skilfully written, with a firm idea of game stereotypes that are both played upon and re-invented. The noticeably different and identifiable backgrounds to each area are a pleasure to look at. Travelling anywhere is undertaken by balloon, and within an area there are several dungeons to explore, which touching an enemy merely once leads to eviction from that area.

Screenshot for Littlewood on Nintendo Switch

Cubed3 Rating

8/10
Rated 8 out of 10

Great - Silver Award

Rated 8 out of 10

Littlewood defies tradition with its unique premise, proving that Happy Ever Afters really can happen. Having control over how world reconstruction occurs is a huge bonus, enabling everyone to have an individual style with endless scope for personalisation, even with resident demands. Gameplay will stretch into dozens of hours, with you having the freedom to focus on whatever aspect of rebuilding you want, subject to certain quests being carried out.

Developer

Sean Young

Publisher

SmashGames

Genre

Simulation

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  8/10

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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