As the season moves on, kids that are now re-discovering the Goosebumps novels, or the show, can now play the Goosebumps game. WayForward, that developed Goosebumps The Game, have now updated this version to be on the Nintendo Switch. Kids ages 10 and older are sure to have a good time with this game. The adults that have grown up with the stories however, may not.
Just like the original game release from 2015 or earlier, the story follows your character that is walking home form school. You must fight your way through the gnomes, werewolves and more like adventuring around the famous Dead House. Puzzling through the different monsters will be almost the only way to survive.
Armed with a small inventory section on the right of the Switch screen, players will add what they find and use their items when necessary. Although this game is titled under the puzzle and action genre, the game is most like an interactive novel. So there will be a lot of reading and a lot of clicking. Basically, a long point and click adventure game.
More advanced players will find the constant reading and clicking to be boring, unless they really fancy the novels and the monsters. Other than working your way through 22 monsters in order to “get home,” there just isn’t a lot of meat to the story that hasn’t already been covered everywhere else. Visually, the backgrounds are nice and interactive. From mirrors that burst after finding a ghostly figure, to watching monitors in an empty mall, there is enough to look at that will draw you further in to the shallow plot.
No weapons seem to be available since there is no combat. The combat comes straight from your mind! By solving the puzzles, this is your defense against even the creepiest of monsters, Slappy. Paying attention to detail will be necessary and in this game, younger audiences will build some critical skills.
Overall, the game seemed lacking. Although Goosebumps The Game looks nice and still plays out like older versions, there just wasn’t anything new to draw from. For the price of $29.99 USD, the game could have had more. Kids should still find some enjoyment from the puzzles and reading, but adult fans will only be disappointed.
4/10
Available on Switch
