Battle Hunters Review (NSW)

Written by Anthony L. Cuaycong

Title: Battle Hunters
Developer: Phase Two Games
Publisher: Phase Two Games
Genre: Adventure, Strategy, RPG
Price: $16.99

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Released by independent developer Phase Two Games on mobile in 2019, Battle Hunters proved to be a surprisingly polished title that transcended the limitations of its platform through its unabashed display of the passion of those behind it. No doubt, the pedigree of creative director Dan Tonkin and technical director Tony Charlton helped; the co-founders of IronMonkey Studios and EA Melbourne drew from their experience and wealth of knowledge in providing gamers with guilty pleasures dating back to the industry’s eight-bit days. The result: an engrossing role-playing game well worth the 15 or so hours required to see it through.

Considering the success of Battle Hunters on the go, porting it over to the Nintendo Switch was but a matter of time. True enough, it found itself on the hybrid console in November. And, as with the source material, it’s worth its salt. It’s essentially the same immersive title, but enhanced to take advantage of current-generation specs. While it does manifest its mobile origins in its soft graphics and relatively shallow audio, gamers who play through it will appreciate its far better feel. Whether through the Joy-Cons or the Pro Controller, navigation is a breeze; in this regard, the integrated tutorial providing on-screen directions is a boon.

Story-wise, Battle Hunters on the Switch stays true to its roots. Gamers initially take control of three from a roster of up to 28 heroes. Devon Highcastle, a soldier, Galador Stormwarden, a wizard, and Martin Swiftbow, an archer, have banded together in an effort to help keep evil from overrunning the kingdom. They go on a journey to meet the Old One, still able to hold the enemy at bay but slowly weakening over time, and, en route, they aim to overcome danger with their unique skill sets and special abilities. And even as the challenges presented before them become more and more difficult to overcome, they manage to recruit others to their cause.

With greater processing power comes greater promise, so gamers — even those who did not experience it on mobile — not surprisingly expect more from the Switch version of Battle Hunters. The good news is that it delivers for the most part. The interface is smooth, and the additional screen real estate of Nintendo’s tablet does help in reading text and selecting command options faster. Loading times are quick, but there remains no fast-forward option to skip animations and cutscenes in favor of decision points.

That said, Battle Hunters features excellent turn-based combat mechanics; after the issuance of instructions to each member of the party of three through simple clicks, the action unfolds in real time. Victories provide experience points with which to upgrade character skills. Meanwhile, the exploration of the fantasy role-playing game is propped up by variety; five regions are on tap, with non-playable characters serving as starting points for quests that yield objects deemed crucial to progress. En route, more heroes are recruited, thus increasing the range of options available to gamers.

Significantly, Battle Hunters likewise retains its engaging, if occasionally overwhelming, soundtrack. For the more sensitive gamers, a tweak of the settings to control its volume is all that needs to be done. Indeed, the option is one example of the receptive nature of Phase Two Games to user feedback; it wasn’t initially isolated from sound effects in the mobile version. Which is why it’s an easy recommend, its humble origins notwithstanding. Developer support is continually guaranteed a rarity for indie titles, and a decided plus for a release that’s already among the better ones on the Switch.

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THE GOOD

• Immersive
• Integrated tutorial enables even neophyte gamers to pick it up with ease
• Smooth interface
• Excellent combat and exploration mechanics

THE BAD

• No fast-forward option to skip animations and cutscene
• Soft graphics and relatively shallow audio
• Does not provide for equipment and weaponry upgrades

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Rating: 8.5/10

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