- Publisher: Merge Games
- Release Date: Oct 15, 2020
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Buy Now
| Buy on |
|
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
Mar 7, 2022Cloudpunk is the kind of game that places importance on narrative over gameplay and one that will feel considerably better on different platforms. It offers a memorable narrative with some great characters to meet along the way, and it’s admirable just how invested one can get in them considering their existence starts and stops (in most cases) with an on-screen character portrait and a voice-over. The city is vast and beautifully designed using voxel art, though players on Switch won’t bask in as much of its visual splendor. However, it’s also a game in which the narrative trumps all, even gameplay, with the only player interaction coming in the form of somewhat superficial vehicle sections and the odd on-foot segment. It’s a relatively short ride and well worth taking, as long as one’s expectations are dialed in correctly from the outset.
-
Nov 16, 2020You'll likely be able to finish Cloudpunk without running into any game-breaking bugs, but the question is whether you'll want to. Fans of the cyberpunk genre may enjoy running and flying about for a while, but you'd be forgiven for abandoning ship before long.
-
Nov 5, 2020Since I have picked up this title and I have found it extremely hard to put down. I have even found myself removing my switch from its comfy home on the dock and taking the adventure with me to work. If you are looking for a mid-tier priced game at $24.99 that has a great atmosphere and offers several hours of gameplay, look no further.
-
Oct 23, 2020Cloudpunk is an original and fascinating game, on PC. This Nintendo Switch port, on the other hand, is a bit of a technical mess.
-
Oct 23, 2020In the end, Cloudpunk is no Cyberpunk 2077. That should come as a shock to absolutely no one. As an Indie game, I can forgive Cloudpunk for being smaller, simpler than a AAA blockbuster, and it would be unfair to judge it by the same standard. This Switch version has also undoubtedly lost some of its polish in the port from PC. But there still must be gameplay, and what is attempted must be followed through on. Cloudpunk looks gorgeous, especially in first hour of playtime. The ability to just visit and fly over that huge, neon-soaked city of Nivalis is quite an accomplishment and for some, that will be enough to make it worth playing. It’s just a shame that there couldn’t be more to actually do among those beautiful, sparkling towers above the clouds.
-
Oct 19, 2020I’m pretty sure that underneath these performance issues there is an interesting world ready to be explored. But the game’s problems run deeper than it’s graphical shortcomings. The pacing feels slow and doesn’t give the player many options to fully explore the world that is being presented. If Cloudpunk looks interesting to you, I’d highly recommend you look into other possible versions you might be able to play, because the Switch simply isn’t the place to explore the city of Nivalis.
-
Oct 19, 2020Cloudpunk on Switch is a hugely disappointing port that struggles technically and ultimately fails to deliver the game in a satisfactory manner on Nintendo's hybrid platform. Merge Games have made drastic cuts all over, with a massively reduced draw-distance sucking much of the life out of Nivalis, volumetric effects missing entirely, pixellation rampant and a framerate that still chugs along in the face of all of these concessions. If you've got a PC capable of playing this one we'd highly recommend you play on that platform as this is an adventure that's well worth experiencing in its original form. This particular version, however, should probably be avoided.
-
Oct 17, 2020Cloudpunk has a great concept, but it never quite lives up to its potential. It has a fantastic atmosphere and world, but there isn't enough substance to back it up. A strong story could have held everything together, but the endless droning dialogue kills any enthusiasm we have for the setting. The technical issues with the game could be fixed in the future, but it's sorely lacking in key areas that aren't as simple to fix. Nivalis is a fun city to visit, but it was easy for the inhabitants to drive us away, and there's no reason the Nintendo Switch version should even be considered the best platform to experience it on.
-
Oct 17, 2020CloudPunk remains a unique game by its proposal to offer us a primarily narrative trip in a universe which incorporates all the great codes of Cyberpunk. But this Switch port is handicapped by technical defects which largely spoil the pleasure of discovering the city of Nivalis. Long loading times, ridiculous viewing distance, fluidity that is not always there ... Arriving on the Nintendo console, the title of Ion Lands greatly loses its splendor. A version to be avoided, quite simply.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 2 out of 14
-
Mixed: 5 out of 14
-
Negative: 7 out of 14
-
Jan 12, 2022
-
Nov 22, 2020This version is unplayable. The draw distance is too close and the frame rate is unacceptable.
-
Oct 24, 2020