Topic: VOEZ (Switch) Review

[Penguin_Of_Thyme]

The first touchscreen-only entry on the Nintendo Switch is a rhythm game worth experiencing.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/44314/voez-switch-review

Sans Joy-Con and Pro Controllers, the vast majority of Nintendo Switch games are impossible to play. One Switch game, Voez from Taiwan’s Rayark Games, falls on the other end of spectrum, and can only be played using the system’s capacitive touchscreen. One should not be deterred by the rhythm game’s mobile roots, though. The addictive gameplay, slick visual style, and plethora of songs help make Voez a great early addition to the Switch library.

At its core, Voez’s gameplay is reminiscent of Guitar Hero, featuring a stream of diamonds flying down a note highway. Using the touch input, one must tap, swipe, and hold the diamonds to the beat of the music. The Switch touchscreen does not appear to feature any input lag during gameplay, but players are welcome to adjust the calibration using an in-game tool. It’s worth noting, that the game is best played without JoyCon attached because it’s much easier to reach the screen without them in the way. 16 variances of difficulty allow players of different skill to easily find a song that fits their challenge preference. One can also switch the difficulty of a song from hard to easy or vice versa when a lesser or greater challenger is desired.

Voez first debuted last year on iOS and Android, but the Nintendo Switch version has some major differences. The requirement to always be connected to the internet is thankfully completely absent. In addition, unlike the mobile version, which was free to play with an ever rotating list of accessible songs, players are given access almost immediately to the game’s library of over 100 songs (click here for a list of them). One exclusive Switch song (“Ascension” by Xi) is in the game now and the developer has promised to add more music to the game via free updates. The vast music library mainly consists of songs originating from Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, all spread across a multitude of genres such as pop, techno, trance, and electronic. The in-game library is impressive for both it’s diversity and quality. However, one may want to listen to some of the game’s songs on YouTube before purchasing because if you don’t enjoy the music you’re likely to not feel the beat.

Visually, Voez is very pleasing to the eye. While it’s far from pushing the Switch hardware, the light show of multi-colored note lanes that change color during each song is mesmerizing. The note diamonds explode with a halo of light as they reach the bottom of the note highway. The game also features of story of sorts, which unfolds via the in-game diary. Players unlock new diary entries by completing tasks such as achieving a B ranking on a certain difficulty of song. The diary entries feature some lovely watercolor artwork, even if the cast of teenage band members is largely uninteresting.

Between bouts of Zelda, Voez has become a welcome musical break from Hyrule. The music charts in the game are very well designed leading to frantic, musical fun. Voez is a wonderful option for those desiring some rhythm action on the Switch.

[Kairon]

Really pleased with this game. Playing a couple songs of Voez really does make for a really great counterpoint to the epic adventuring of Zelda I find.

[pololmejor]

What happens if you dock?

[ForgottenPearl]

It looks kind of tough in the video... Are you expected to be using both hands on the touch screen or multiple fingers like a piano?

[Penguin_Of_Thyme]

What happens if you dock?

When docking the game will show on the big screen, but a message also appears saying you can only control the game with the touchscreen.

It looks kind of tough in the video... Are you expected to be using both hands on the touch screen or multiple fingers like a piano?

If I'm on the subway, I play by holding the device with both hands and then use my thumbs to hit the diamonds. At home, I'll usually lay the Switch down and use my index fingers. You certainly could play piano style and use all your fingers. You can pretty much figure out your own preferred way of tackling the game, but using a single finger from each hand seemed pretty comfortable to me.

[ForgottenPearl]

It looks kind of tough in the video... Are you expected to be using both hands on the touch screen or multiple fingers like a piano?

If I'm on the subway, I play by holding the device with both hands and then use my thumbs to hit the diamonds. At home, I'll usually lay the Switch down and use my index fingers. You certainly could play piano style and use all your fingers. You can pretty much figure out your own preferred way of tackling the game, but using a single finger from each hand seemed pretty comfortable to me.

Okay, I can manage two fingers.  I'll keep an eye out for when this game is on sale: $25 is a little steep in my opinion.