Iconoclasts Review (Nintendo Switch)

A game nearly eight years in the making, Iconoclasts is well-worth the wait. Joakim Sandberg’s one-man development team has created an interesting game with plenty to explore. With a compelling narrative and varied level design, gamers will want to see this through to the end. 

Compelling and Rich Narrative

Players take control of Robin, an unregistered mechanic that helps out with any problems that may arise in her community. Her government is ruled by a religious group called, The One Concern, which is run by its leader, “Mother.” Eventually, Robin finds herself intertwined in helping to sustain the planet’s survival along with its political and religious turmoil.

Iconoclasts’ story is its definite highlight. By tackling heavy topics, such as totalitarianism, there are plenty of emotionally packed moments that will leave gamers speechless. Characters here are extremely well written with complex backgrounds and motives. They’re all fully fleshed out throughout the course of the campaign and help to amplify events and make this title feel more involved.

At roughly 12 hours long, there is much to be explored. The lore of this title is rich and jampacked with information that will keep players invested and looking for more. It’s an immersive experience that is bound to satisfy any who complete a playthrough.

Varied Gameplay

Gameplay isn’t as tight as it could be. An example of this is with its platforming. Most games tend to have a fair detection area when attempting to land a perfectly executed move, however, Iconoclasts lacks this at times. For instance, jumping onto bolts for traversal meant that landing on the exact pixel was needed for execution. Certain sequences were made slower and prevented fast-paced action due to this.

Boss battles felt more tedious than challenging as well. The biggest challenge was figuring out what to do rather than surviving. Once this was discovered, fights eventually became complex and epic, it just took a while to get to that point.

Enemies that appear are all unique and varied. Their placement feels fair and offers a challenge. Dying doesn’t feel cheap and can leave a sense of reward after earning a victory. These help to make combat more fluid while also making battles a bit strategic.

However, other mechanics felt a bit cumbersome at times. Throwing items seemed as if they were going at varying lengths with little control. Picking up objects was also an issue. Pressing up on the analog stick or D-pad allowed for pickup, yet, if a jump had to be made from that point, pressing up can result in lifting the item rather than executing a well-timed move. It would have made more sense to map this to a different button.

Intricate Level Design

Visuals here are definitely stunning. Sandberg’s latest is definitely a sight to behold. Worlds feel alive with its colors and depth. NPCs also feel meaningful as each one has something to say to the titular mechanic.

Exploration is key while also being one of the most intriguing aspects of this title. Players will have to traverse through different areas of a map while encountering multiple objectives. Backtracking never becomes a major issue. Heading back to various sections feels fine due to different areas being newly accessible. Plenty of puzzles also appear which can vary in difficulty. Certain ones felt more challenging and intricate than others, but overall they were a pleasure.

Level design is fantastic in that every section is something different to offer depending on when players enter them. Even as users approach the end game, new abilities can be learned which bring different obstacles players can overcome.

A feature which is greatly appreciated are its game modes. A relaxed mode, normal mode, and hard mode help to appeal towards various types of gamers. Those seeking out a challenge or simply a good story could find it very easily with this. Gamers can easily stay invested in Robin’s world for a bit longer thanks to these inclusions.

Sandberg has created an extremely intriguing title with Iconoclasts. This is a fantastic title for quick pick-up-and-play sessions on the Nintendo Switch thanks to its easily accessible save points. Playing through this will make any gamer astonished at how one person was able to construct such a fun and well thought out entry.