Once upon a time, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim was supposed to appear on the PlayStation Vita. Except it didn’t. Atlus and Vanillaware canceled it in 2018. But now, it feels like a wrong is righted. Everything about 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim makes it seem like a fantastic fit on a handheld, and the Switch version essentially makes that dream come true. The result is a pretty much perfect port.
The first thing someone might worry about is how 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim would look on the Switch. After all, Vanillaware games are known for their intricacies. These are always lavish titles. Backgrounds are exact and lifelike. You can see folds and minor accents on characters’ outfits. Food looks more appetizing in real life. I wish my hair could be as pretty as Momohime’s. The PS4 is capable of higher resolutions. Plus, you are playing on a bigger screen at all time. But the adventure is just as gorgeous on a Switch.
Specifically, I went through 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on a Switch OLED model and played exclusively undocked. I’d say I appreciated the artwork and character designs more. Things are crisp. Colors are vivid. I do still have access to my standard launch Switch model and, as one might expect, it looks as exceptional there. The fidelity remains in, say, handheld or tabletop mode. However, I would recommend the former over the latter. This is a game that begs someone to hold it close and take in every element. When I tried out tabletop mode, it didn’t feel as inviting. Pretend this is the Vita version we never got. Hold it in your hands.
Speaking of how the Switch OLED helped while playing, I really appreciated the way it assisted 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim’s audio. This model uses a closed speaker, which means that it can still sound even with the small amount of space it occupies. Cranking the volume up and messing with the settings means the voice acting can really pop. Given the depth of the story, it really helped. I didn’t feel like I needed to use headphones to appreciate it all. In the past, I’d often use them with visual novels on the standard Switch or Vita. Yes, some people might want that extra security to make things perfect. But I think most people will be fine without it. Especially if they also are playing on a Switch OLED.
I will say that once you really get going in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on the Switch, you might notice something that also came up in the PS4 version. Certain RTS missions with a lot of enemies and projectiles will slow things down. For example, if you have Natsuno Minami use Missile Rain, you’re going to feel every one of those bullets for a minute. Which is to be expected. After all, when there are so many missiles and everything happening, it will take some time.
But really, with the Switch port of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim it does feel like the game is where it meant to be. This is a 10/10 game on the PS4, and now it is a perfect game on Nintendo’s latest console. We were always supposed to get a handheld version of the title. Just a need to prioritize development and ensure Vanillaware did what it does best means we had to wait a bit longer for it. And believe me, it is worth the wait.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will come to the Nintendo Switch on April 12, 2022 in North America and Europe. It will appear in Japan on April 14, 2022.
