Narcos: Rise of the Cartels

 Switch
Metascore
41

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 2 out of 5
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Pure Nintendo
    Dec 13, 2019
    65
    Overall, Narcos: Rise of the Cartels offers some unique strategy mechanics to help distract you from the game’s slow nature.
  2. Critical Hit
    Nov 25, 2019
    50
    Narcos: Rise of the Cartels was shaping up to be a fascinating advert for Netflix’s hit series, but the overall quid pro quo bend of strategy ultimately makes it the shallowest of tie-ins. This is one Search Bloc party that you can count me out for.
  3. Nintendo Life
    Nov 22, 2019
    50
    Considering how integral the back-and-forth tussle between El Patron and DEA is to the show, recreating such a violent game of chess in 'tactics' form seems like a match made in heaven. But even with some welcome gameplay twists – namely those real-time Kill Shots and Counteractions – the slow nature of its single-unit turn mechanic and the totally unremarkable AI makes this generous offering of missions far less exciting than it should be. As a genre, a turn-based tactics setup really suits the cat and mouse nature of this real-life-inspired cartel war; it's just a shame certain elements let it down.
  5. TheGamer
    Dec 14, 2019
    20
    The only silver lining of Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is that the game itself is such a disappointment in what it sets out to do that few people will play it in the first place.
  6. Digitally Downloaded
    Nov 27, 2019
    20
    There's simply no reason to play something so utterly bereft of thought as Narcos.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
3.3

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 16
  3. Negative: 11 out of 16
  1. Nevermber
    Nov 21, 2019
    4
    After playing for several hours, I want to ask a couple of questions. Serious questions.

    For example, why when my commando shoots    After playing for several hours, I want to ask a couple of questions. Serious questions.

    For example, why when my commando shoots point-blank from an automat at an unprotected enemy (he only has trousers and a Hawaiian on him) he receives the maximum available damage 3-4, rather than instantly dying (6 dammage)?

    Why do soldiers sometimes run through walls?

    Why is there such a strange balance in the game? For example, a shot from a grenade launcher directly at the enemy does as much damage as a shot from a automat. Once again, a grenade crashes into an adversary in a Hawaiian shirt, immediately explodes, and he does not care - he continues the battle, losing about 2/3 of his health. But a shot from a shotgun point-blank - deals damage more than a direct hit by a grenade. Why am I firing form grenade launcher at opponents hiding behind a car, and the car doesn't explosion?

    Or a wonderful decision in mechanics that one soldier from my squad walks, and then one enemy soldier. Sometimes it turns out that the same soldiers move 5-6 in a row.

    And there are a lot of such trifles in the game. Problems with balance and elaboration of details, problems with mechanics and so on.

    I cannot say that the game is bad, but it cannot be called good either. She is nothing    … Full Review »
  2. JAG7
    Aug 29, 2022
    4
    This game starts out good. But the turn based designed (one by one) starts wearing out on you. It becomes extremely slow and boring. TakingThis game starts out good. But the turn based designed (one by one) starts wearing out on you. It becomes extremely slow and boring. Taking almost three turns to shoot , move and reload. If you take too many turns the game even auto-fails.
    The shooting design is very unfair. The enemies can run long distances and can shoot accurately from far away, while on the contrary your characters miss from even shorter distances. Sometimes you are overpowered by the enemies. It’s pretty unfair. Even throwing with grenades the enemies still stand. The loading times are way too long. The maps or areas are extremely repetitive. The Latino voicings (specially Primo ) are awful. Is overacted and way exaggerated. Being from the Latino community I felt a little offended. The game becomes boring, tedious , long and unfair (specially on the Sicario campaigns). I’ve watch the Netflix series and this game could have been much better but the devs decided to go in this route (one turn-one turn) which makes it really a huge shore. Really disappointed!! Play at you own risk of boredom!!    … Full Review »
  3. J0S3K
    Sep 14, 2021
    4
    I've been playing for a day and I've already found fails in it.

    First the AI of the enemies attack without logic, they sacrifice themselves    I've been playing for a day and I've already found fails in it.

    First the AI of the enemies attack without logic, they sacrifice themselves for killing a unit knowing that the unit will cost a lot and there you lose money unnecessarily, in addition, the overexploited aim of the AI, if they shoot one of your units if or if they take as much life as possible which makes it difficult to keep all your units alive


    Second, there are times that they go through walls, cars, posters, among other things.

    The voices, I really don't like these very over-acted, I don't like them.

    The story seems to be fine, it seems complete also the selection of missions in my opinion is fine.

    The characters or their variants are very minimal which makes it repetitive and boring, changing sides is boring having to exit the game to load the game and select side, it would be better than they had put it without having to go to the main screen.

    I wish I had read reviews of this game earlier before buying it.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »