Nobody Saves the World Review

Game: Nobody Saves the World
Genre: Adventure, Action, RPG
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows & macOS), PS4 and Xbox)
Developer|Publisher: Drinkbox Studios
Age Rating: EU 12+ | US Teen
Price: US $24.99 | UK £22.49 | EU € 24,99
Release Date: April 14th, 2022

Review code provided with many thanks to Popagenda PR.

Trying Different Genres

Nobody Saves the World is a top down action RPG from Drinkbox Studios. This studio is responsible for the excellent Guacamelee games. Two games that really, really are some of the best metroidvania games I’ve ever played. They also made Mutant Blobs Attack, a title I really enjoyed back on the PS Vita where you play an alien blob absorbing everything in its path. Drinkbox have really made a name for themselves by creating addictive and entertaining titles which are hard to put down. Nobody Saves the World includes all these ingredients and so much more, it’ a title not to be missed if you’re looking for a fun action game to play alone or with a friend. 

Just Another Nobody 

You play as Nobody. A plain bland protagonist that has a touch of the video game amnesia. After waking up in a shed you head out to learn the world is in a little peril and needs the wizard Nostromagmus to sort it all out. But it seems like he is missing, leaving behind a wand which you soon acquire. You then meet the grand wizard’s apprentice who takes an instant dislike to you and throws you in the dungeon. But with the wand you’re able to transform into a rat, make your escape and begin a quest to save the world. The story is presented in text boxes and is filled with humour which Drinkbox studios is well known for in their previous work. Expect plenty of wonderful but weird NPCS like a mad scientist with her mummy assistant and even a disgruntled hammer on a quest of his own. The dialogue is filled with amusing references which pokes fun at itself as well as the game industry. It’s hard not to find something to laugh about. 

Change Form

Nobody Saves the World is instant pick up and play. The games stand out feature is the ability to change into different forms. As mentioned, you start as a rat which is small, able to fit into small spaces, move faster and use unique attacks. As you level each character up you unlock many more forms. All of which have a unique play style. Something you really don’t see a lot of in video games. As well as the rat you have a ranger who focuses on ranged attacks and a knight that focuses on melee. But soon you’ll unlock more unusual characters like a horse, a zombie, a ghost and a creepy looking mermaid.

You can change between these characters instantly with a hold of the shoulder button. Each character has there own unique moves and abilities, some of which include a special status effect which is used to break specific barrier of certain enemies. So switching regularly, particularly later in the game, is required keeping you on your toes or hooves I guess if you play as the horse. Each form can be leveled up and eventually you will even be able to equip abilities from other characters. So you can have the knight use the rat bite. The game provides a lot of flexibility to its active and passive ability customization so you can tailor the characters the way you like. There wasn’t any character that I didn’t enjoy playing as.

Consistent Progress

The general flow of the game is that you search out these dungeons scattered around the open world to acquire gem shards. However, to get inside you require a set number of wands. To obtain these you complete a wide variety of mini bite-sized missions. You can perform various side quests for NPCs, raid smaller dungeons or complete individual missions for your characters. Completing these levels up your overall character level which ups your stats.

Quests and items of interest are clearly marked on the game’s open map allowing you to keep track of things, although the game still encourages plenty of exploration to uncover all its secrets. You can also collect money from defeating enemies to spend at a vendor to acquire more skills, perks and even missions. There is always something making the game incredibly hard to put down with its ‘just one more side quest,’ approach to gameplay. 

You’ll spend most of the time raiding dungeons. Making the game feel more like a dungeon crawler than a Zelda game since the focus is mostly on combat. There is a massive variety of enemies. Sometimes even filling the screen with enemies. I guess my own minor niggle of this game was that sometimes things got so busy on screen it was hard to see where I was. Each dungeon also comes with a modifier such as increased enemy health or damage. You have to make it through the dungeons killing all the enemies up to the boss room without dying which can be really challenging. But since the game was so fun to play I really didn’t mind attempting another run whilst checking my character loadouts.  Dungeons are also randomly generated each time you make an attempt giving the game a satisfying rogue-lite feel to it. But if you’re not a huge fan of this genre don’t panic, any gold and experience you acquire get carried over with each attempt. 

Dead Eyes 

The art style feels unique and comic book-like. I have to say when I started the game I didn’t warm to it as much as Drinkboxs previous works. The comic design initially just felt a bit crude to me which is more personal taste and yet, I will admit, I really warmed to it over time. I started to dig the dead eyes stare of the main character. I was also quite impressed with the attention to detail of the environment. You will explore more unique environments from traditional fantasy like fruit and veg filled dungeons and even mechanical space ships. Praise also has to be given to how well this game runs in handheld and TV modes with animations running super smooth with no slow down even when the screen is filled with enemies.

Great Alone or With a Friend

The game takes around twenty hours. I have to say this is a title that makes you wonder where the time goes. You pick it up and before you know it two hours just zips by. With simple controls, it’s an easy one to dip in and out of. Just like Guacamelee and I can easily see myself heading back through to play this again and again. To top it all off you can play this game co-op locally or online, you’re even able to play the game with single joy-cons meaning you can set your Switch up on the train, grab that random stranger on your commute and raid some dungeons. 

Conclusion – A Fine Drinkbox Flavour

Nobody Saves the World is an excellent title from Drinkbox Studios. The studio has pretty much proved that they are capable of tackling any genre and turning it into an experience that is challenging, addictive and entertaining. Nobody Saves the World should not be compared to Diablo or Zelda because in my opinion, it’s in a league of its own. One of the best games I’ve played this year. I highly recommend picking it up on Nintendo Switch.

Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up