After a first landing on PC two years ago now, we now also have a (relatively) new one for Nintendo Switch adventure exploratory with different puzzle game traits. Developed by Fluxscopic Ltd., with the support of tinyBuild, we have the portable console version of the big N of Mayhem in Single Valley, now also available for lovers of the dear little Switch. A title that lends itself well to this type of platform, but unfortunately this is only one of the few advantages it has shown us. Let’s see together how our test went, which we are going to tell you about in this review!
Mayhem in Single Valley, an unpretentious story
Mayhem in Single Valley presenta una very simple and linear plot. We impersonate Jack, a boy who lives in a small town and who decides to go to study in the city, to realize his future. His family isn’t doing very well financially, with his mother running the house and his father with alcohol problems. Upon leaving, Jack sees a dark figure who poison the river water nearby, thus able to transform animals and people into zombies.
Try also Amazon Prime: immediately 30 days free!
Jack, having witnessed the fact, comes wrongly accused of being the culprit, and so he can do nothing but fix this misunderstanding and set off on his adventure. Given the incipit of this story, we could expect gameplay that is certainly not full-bodied, but still long enough to thoroughly dissect the narrative. This was not the case: in the sun about five hours we have completed the story, during which we travel to Jack’s hometown, where the various plot points have not been too clear to us.
A valley full of uncertainties and devoid of meaning
Lack of clarity not only due to the nonsense that permeates the whole story, and which sometimes exceeds its manifestations, but also due to some plot twists that don’t quite make sense and having a logical connection with the event in progress. Between ostriches, magical astronauts and vagabonds, we have before us a set of meaningless events with a soft rhythm.
Another missing item is the consequent player’s connection to the story. There isn’t too much hold on us due to a game that seems to believe little in its realization, with a rather loose and inconclusive story. Perhaps also due to the different characters that appear out of nowhere, with no connection to what has been seen up to that moment.
Nor should we expect an adventurous and fearless protagonist, just as the moves available are quite small and fall within the spectrum of classic settings. Jumping, moving furniture and throwing small objects, as well as a fairly low defense and stamina capabilities are the main characteristics of Jack. Not easy.
Enemies instead await us for make exploration more complex, forcing us to jump and dodge entire environments, not very appealing looking at the level design. Not even time to peep and we’ll have to hurry to the next area. The throw system and combination of items it’s not particularly creative, and the power-ups have no particular relevance to the adventure.
Mayhem in Single Valley review in pills
An interesting idea is missing, in Mayhem in Single Valley. There is not the slightest spark of creativity necessary, or the exploitation of our manual skills or ingenuity. If it graphic style it’s nice, the development team could have aimed entirely at the absurdity at that point, giving us a series of more original passages. Try it on Nintendo Switch satisfies in terms of game engine responsecertainly not on the other aspects, making this title barely fanciful and with its own intrinsic sense.