Cloudpunk

 Switch
Cloudpunk Image
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 14 Ratings

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  • Summary: Your name is Rania. This is your first night working for Cloudpunk, the semi-legal delivery company based in the sprawling city of Nivalis. You go everywhere, from the Marrow below to the spires that pierce the grey clouds high above before scraping the edge of the troposphere. No deliveryYour name is Rania. This is your first night working for Cloudpunk, the semi-legal delivery company based in the sprawling city of Nivalis. You go everywhere, from the Marrow below to the spires that pierce the grey clouds high above before scraping the edge of the troposphere. No delivery job is too dangerous, and no one is faster than a Cloudpunk driver.

    In this story-based exploration game, you will meet a diverse range of characters including androids, AI and unscrupulous humans at every level of society. Everyone has a story, and in the course of one night in Nivalis, everything will change.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
  1. GameSpace
    Nov 5, 2020
    80
    Since 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.
  2. RPGamer
    Mar 7, 2022
    60
    Cloudpunk 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.
  3. New Game Network
    Nov 16, 2020
    58
    You'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.
  4. The Games Machine
    Oct 23, 2020
    52
    Cloudpunk is an original and fascinating game, on PC. This Nintendo Switch port, on the other hand, is a bit of a technical mess.
  5. COGconnected
    Oct 23, 2020
    50
    In 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.
  6. Screen Rant
    Oct 17, 2020
    50
    Cloudpunk 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.
  7. Nintendo Life
    Oct 19, 2020
    40
    Cloudpunk 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.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 13
  3. Negative: 7 out of 13
  1. molby404
    Apr 5, 2021
    10
    fantastic game! Great characters, good landscape and the driving is addictive. Loved it.
  2. realmoosesoup
    Dec 10, 2022
    8
    I'm amazed people hate this. guess everybody really looks for different things in games, although to be fair, I've never played it on otherI'm amazed people hate this. guess everybody really looks for different things in games, although to be fair, I've never played it on other platforms. I'm also not a huge modern platform gamer, so I'm not upset about those comparisons. I have the OLED, and I actually got old-guy reading glasses because so many ports are way too small to see on the base screen.
    On the game, I mostly play at night winding down. Maybe with a bit of legal-state recreational assistance, if you know what I mean. Flying a space car, decent background music, dog, linear-ish story, not getting killed and needing to learn difficult mechanics, etc. I'm just bummed because I know the story isn't super long, and with the reviews, I'm assuming the City of Ghosts won't make it over, much less future stories. Anyway...    … Expand
  4. TomMonday
    Apr 25, 2022
    7
    This game deserves more love. Like playing voxelated Blade Runner. Moody and atmospheric; little action. Some writing issues, but overall aThis game deserves more love. Like playing voxelated Blade Runner. Moody and atmospheric; little action. Some writing issues, but overall a solid title.… Expand
  5. sixlink
    Oct 24, 2020
    3
    Can't see far enough to fly/drive!
    Whst i could play was fun, tho i had to use my imagination. Cool music. Dreadful frame rate locks up snd    Can't see far enough to fly/drive!
    Whst i could play was fun, tho i had to use my imagination. Cool music. Dreadful frame rate locks up snd crashes you into stuff. Poorly ported to switch, looks amazing on pc, no reason for it to perform so poorly, when compared to other open world games on switch.
    It's like going back in time to N64 so much fog    … Expand
  6. WasEther
    Oct 18, 2020
    2
    Barely playable because of the insanely low framerate. Really boggles the mind that the developers thought this was acceptable as port. Do notBarely playable because of the insanely low framerate. Really boggles the mind that the developers thought this was acceptable as port. Do not buy unless there's a patch that optimizes the game, in which case I'll edit the review.… Expand
  7. QuellX
    Oct 19, 2020
    1
    Trash port. That's all I wanted to write but Metacritic requires seventy-five characters post.
  8. samu_g05tz
    Dec 15, 2020
    0
    I really like the Game! Its one of my favourite Games. The Story is nice, I like the Style, big and wunderful Open World and a fantasticI really like the Game! Its one of my favourite Games. The Story is nice, I like the Style, big and wunderful Open World and a fantastic Soundtrack. Buy it!… Expand

See all 13 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020