Squids Odyssey Logo
Squids Odyssey Icon
Squids Odyssey

Developer: The Game Bakers

Publisher: The Game Bakers

Strategy
Role-Playing
Adventure
Action
  • Price: $14.99
  • Release Date: Jul 5, 2018
  • Number of Players: 1
  • Last on Sale: Mar 26, 2024 [$3.74]
  • Lowest Historic Price: $2.24
  • ESRB Rating: E [Everyone]
Videos
Reviews:
  • Through the game’s 8 chapters and more than 90 stages you’ll be in charge of a growing roster of squids looking to fight back ooze-infected sea creatures who threaten them. For almost every mission you’ll need to choose which squids you’ll want to work with and they break down into 4 different classes: Scouts who are quite mobile and have additional boosts they can use to redirect or extend their range, Healers who can be crucial to keeping your squad alive, Shooters who are able to get into range and then take aim at enemies, and Troopers who are able to deliver a powerful ground stomp to damage and scatter multiple enemies. As you progress you’ll meet new characters you can add to your roster and though they don’t vary in their abilities this will allow you to change the composition of your squad, an ability that can be handy in specific missions. While everything can feel quite straightforward in terms of play, as you get into tougher missions you’ll need to strategize and execute very carefully if you want to get bonuses for performance and keeping everyone alive. It’s not just taking too much damage than can kill you, falling off the edge into the depths is something that’s handy for taking out enemies but if you’re not careful you can easily join them. Controlling momentum is the key to success and often the path to failure if you’re not careful. You’ll pull back on your squid’s tentacles to build up a certain amount of force and then release to slingshot them forward. Small variations in force and angles can make a big difference, as will additional movements if you ricochet off of enemies or walls. Always be on the lookout for fast-flowing water denoted by bubbles as well, using them to your advantage can be crucial at times but they’ll very often pull you to your doom as well if you’re not careful. Perhaps my biggest gripe with the game is the way you level characters up manually using your rewards or by equipping new hats you’ll find and be able to purchase. I appreciate that this allows you to exhibit some control over where enhancements go to help you customize your roster but needing to periodically break up the action between levels to go through the interfaces to purchase things can sap momentum and excitement at times. There were times where it felt like the edges you need to be so critically aware of to avoid plunging into the depths were poorly defined but for the most part this wasn’t a problem. Overall, if you’re looking for a pretty enjoyable mix of action, strategy, and team-building Squids Odyssey offers not only a firm challenge but also a boatload of content considering its humble asking price. While the action can be repetitive to a degree you’ll often be forced to carefully plot out your plan of attack and even with a plan it isn’t unusual to find yourself needing to improvise when things go awry. There simply isn’t anything else quite like it on the eShop, making it a welcome addition to the Switch roster.


    Justin Nation, Score:
    Nindie Choice! [8.0]
2024

Nindie Spotlight

. All rights reserved