- Chad Myers
Game Review #421: Morphies Law: Remorphed (Nintendo Switch)
Reviewer: Chad M.
Developer: Cosmoscope GmbH
Publisher: Cosmoscope
Category: Action
Release Date: 8.20.2018
Price: $19.99
Buy Morphies Law: Remorphed from the Nintendo Switch eShop here.
We Morph to Overcome the Mediocrity
Third-person shooters have started to gain traction in the gaming world—one of the most popular games at the moment is Fortnite, and the fan favorite on Nintendo Switch is Splatoon 2—so I’m always looking out for when a new game throws its hat in the ring. We have games like Realm Royale, which does enough to make it worth a look, but Fortnite and Realm Royale are both free-to-play games that make you either grind like crazy or pay up your hard-earned cash.
The game we’re looking at today is Morphies Law, which was released around the time the Switch’s online service began. Now it’s being given a new coat of paint in the way of a huge update. So, let’s pop the hood and see if this one is worth a purchase.
Who Knew Mass Can Murder
Like most shooters, Morphies Law has a theme. Fortnite throws in everything but the kitchen sink, with pirates, ninjas, and now, giant robots. Splatoon is squid-like kids shooting paint guns. Morphies Law is themed with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), the beautiful Mexican holiday that is steeped in Hispanic culture. It plays up to that in almost every instance, from the skull-themed robots of which each team (red or blue team) consists, to the piñatas that act like loot boxes. Luckily, everything is purchased with in-game currency, so there’s no pay-to-play or pay-to-win here.
As each match begins, you play a bevy of different modes with funny names, but most are versions of classic, like Team Death Match and Capture the Flag, and some are new to this update. In the matches you blast each other with your weapons, but as you shoot your enemies, whichever part of their body you’re shooting will shrink as that same part on you increases in mass. An example of this would be if you shoot their legs, they’ll look like someone sawed them in half, but you come out with a huge pair of legs that can jump higher and further—this can also be used with the arms to help you shoot better. This works vice-versa, so if you get shot and worked over, you could come out looking like Peter Dinklage as you scurry across the map trying to regain the lead. The aiming during these fire fights is smooth as butter, as the motion controls have been implemented perfectly.
When booting up a match, you wait in the lobby, and your character can break out an instrument and play a tune, tying more into the theme. The characters are highly customizable, though some items can have you grinding a while for a highly coveted piece.
In this version, Morphies Law: Remorphed, not only do we get new maps and modes, we also get dedicated servers and cross-play—and this is huge! When the game launched, it didn’t stick the landing, and as such, the developers went back and have really poured a lot of love into this “Remorphed” version.
The music, both in the lobby and in the matches, all fits perfectly with the game’s ongoing theme. I was very impressed with how the game played and looked, as I didn’t have any hiccups in framerate that I noticed. Seeing these crazy characters that form from the crazy gunfights are hysterical at times, and monstrous in others. I can tell the level design and overall feel of the game has been stepped up from the original offering, and the product now deserves to not only be noticed, but to be played.
It’s A Wrap!
When the game first dropped on the Switch, some were questioning the $20 price tag, and also seeing the gaps where improvement was needed. Now, the game has been highly improved, but adding cross-play with PC gamers breathes new life into the community, and it really allows the game to be enjoyed, as every game I played, I got in rather quickly and didn’t lag. Of course, there are modes to play alone, but life’s short, so play with a friend, as that is truly where this game shines. The game deserves every bit of the full price tag, but has been on sale for a few days this month. I had a lot of fun, and enjoyed the overall theme, which reminded me of games like Guacamelee! 1 & 2 that wear their pride for Hispanic culture like a badge of honor. I can easily recommend this fun shooter for your collection. This is one that has niche gameplay that I really think will draw more gamers in now that it has been given the proper care through this update.
Score: 8.5/10
Buy Morphies Law: Remorphed from the Nintendo Switch eShop here.
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*Review code provided for review purposes.