By: L. Sahara McGirt (DarthSagaSwag)
Developer: Drinkbox Studios
Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X|S
If you haven't played Nobody Saves the World, you've probably heard about how good it is. If you haven't heard that, we're here to add to the cacophony of voices praising this game. Nobody Saves the World was released earlier this year on the Xbox, and if you have Game Pass, you can download it and get to playing. It's now also available on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles as of yesterday.
While I've played the game on Xbox, I wanted to get a feel for it on the Nintendo Switch Lite and see whether or not I should add it as one of my travel games. While I love the transportability of my Switch Lite, it isn't always the greatest for playing multiplatform games due to those games not translating well to the smallest of the game systems.
However, I am happy to note that Nobody Saves the World plays just as well on the Switch Lite as it does on console. There are moments when the performance does not quite live up to that of the Xbox Series X, but what can we expect between very different consoles? I didn't finish the game on the Switch as I have on the Xbox yet, but I'm saving that for my trip to PAX East as I'm going to need something to entertain me on those flights to and from Boston. One gripe I will note is that the smaller screen meant the menus were much smaller on the Switch Lite. Again, that's to be expected, and the game does not lose playability from this alone.
I also wanted to check out the couch co-op mode with my elementary school-aged brother and nephew, and I have included their input as part of this review. My nephew, little brother, and I have been taking turns with online co-op via both Switch and Xbox to test out the performance of these modes and to see whether or not they're as much fun together as they are solo.
Co-op mode for Nobody Saves the World is perfect for carrying less experienced gamers through the plot but still requires enough challenge that both players have to carry their weight. While playing with my brother and nephew, I noticed that the fights went better when we employed strategies during boss fights, such as providing a distraction and splitting enemies. I recommend when playing with less experienced gamers to employ the strategy of having a player run away when the other player dies to run the clock out and respawn the other player before continuing the fight.
Another thing to note about co-op mode is that either player can pause, and it interrupts the whole game for both players. This can become irritating if playing with someone who tends to hit the pause button a lot because of inexperience with a controller. However, this is also advantageous as both players are sharing resources, and what each player does in the game counts towards quest goals as a whole rather than separately. This means upgrades are shared between players. While experienced players may not enjoy playing with someone else, Nobody Saves the World shines as a game to be enjoyed amongst family members, especially if looking for a game that isn't too difficult for a less experienced gamer to enjoy.
Co-op mode saves progress that can also be played single-player and back and forth, which is great for throwing another player into the game later on as the bosses get more difficult or for hopping in when another player needs backup against a boss. One of the great things about couch co-op is that local 2-player mode is not dependent on the internet connection of either player. Despite having rather great internet, servers still managed to drop at least once while playing online with my nephew. Obviously, that problem does not exist for couch co-op.
With all of that said and done, Nobody Save the World has been a surprise of a fantastic game. The potential for thousands of combinations created through leveling up and unlocking different forms is literally doubled in co-op mode, and it's well worth dragging a friend or family member into. I highly recommend checking this game out across any console. It's worth the playtime.
I have also included my nephew and baby brother's input as part of this review. My baby brother says, "it's really fun, and the fighting is good." My nephew rates it "1000 out of 1000."
Thanks to Popagenda for providing the review code for the Nintendo Switch.