This is an example of a game that, on paper, really seems to be set for success but somewhere along the way in execution it got stuck in the weeds. Mixing together elements of tower defense with either action or shooting doesn’t always work, but I’ve seen enough examples (though usually on PC) to know that when it’s done well it can be quite a bit of fun. Slaycation really tries to work the humor which, since it’s a bit offbeat and gross at times, works for me on the whole but it’s not sufficient to distract from some of the game’s fundamental issues. Worst among these is the frequent problems I had with visual clarity in what was going on. Whether it’s the somewhat pulled-out distance, the somewhat blurry overall resolution (not sure whether this may be a Switch-exclusive problem, but I’d guess it’s not ideal elsewhere as well), or just the general ambiguity in the colors of items versus enemy fire, too often I found myself wondering why specifically I was taking damage (and then often dying). The problem is, when you have an issue that’s this central and critical it then really goes on to cripple the experience a bit. That isn’t to say it’s as big a problem on all stages, thankfully, and on those less encumbered stages the play makes a bit more sense but overall it still never really jumped out as a great experience. I have no doubt people who are determined to stick with it will have some fun, but for the average gamer looking for some varied shooting fun there are more reliable options out there on the Switch eShop.