ANNO: Mutationem

Anno: Mutationem is a gorgeous-looking sendup of classic cyberpunk anime, with a narrative, characters, and combat that easily backs up its stunning aesthetic and visuals.

Anno: Mutationem features a fantastic cyberpunk world that’s a joy to explore, as not only does the main narrative offer a certain intrigue, but the side quests you can discover on your travels offer more depth to the bustling cities. Better still, the combat is fluent, fun, and action-fuelled.

ANNO: Mutationem is a good port of a great game. The flaws from the original are still present here, but the gameplay perfectly suits the Switch’s hybrid nature. It also can look absolutely stunning on the OLED display in handheld mode. If you aren’t sure about the performance or how it looks when played docked, I’d recommend downloading the free ANNO: Mutationem demo on the eShop. I’m glad ANNO: Mutationem finally arrived on Switch and hope it gets a physical release in the future.

ANNO: Muatationem tells a strong tale with its core mystery, strengthened by beautiful visuals and satisfying combat. While its inspirations are a little on-the-nose, developer ThinkingStars manages to carve out its own space in the Cyberpunk genre. Some long loads and minor balancing issues take the shine off a little, but it's still an incredibly impressive effort from a small indie team who has created a world that feels as immersive as any £60 AAA RPG.

I was intrigued by ANNO: Mutationem when it came to other platforms earlier this year, and the Switch version seems to largely offer the same experience but with added portability. Its interesting story and decent challenge, in addition to some compelling world building make a strong case for adding the game to your digital library; a free eShop demo is also available for those who want to dip their toes in first. If you can stomach the miniscule text size and a somewhat flat middle portion of the story, ANNO: Mutationem offers an enjoyable and brisk cyberpunk-flavored adventure.