Flynn: Son of Crimson (Nintendo Switch) Review

The very… Legend of Zelda introductory chapter has the crimson-haired protagonist awakened at the sound of a voice that asks for help. The hero rises, walks his dog/island guardian, while swinging his wooden sword at whatever gets aggressive. Soon enough he will confront an "unbeatable" foe, in a scene where he will be granted new powers, including a blood-red sword. He is now tougher to kill, has a stronger attack, and can spit magic projectiles.

The story? What of it? It's just the generic tale of EEEVIIIL, with you playing as the hero who will 'Save the World.' Again, very Zelda-esque, but told in a way that won't stick with you very long. Sadly, nothing will in Flynn: Son of Crimson. Take the gorgeous pixel art, for example. The lush, autumn-y woods, the dark caves, the ancient temples, and, of course, the protagonist himself, have all been crafted from a very skilled set of hands, however nothing really stands out. It's a beautifully designed assortment of vistas that have no character whatsoever.

Unfortunately, the problems continue with the actual game itself. Is there anything bad to talk about? Not really. The controls are great (and can be remapped), combat, platforming, exploration, and puzzle-solving mechanics are super-easy to grasp, and, generally, everything works as it's supposed to. Yes, there's nothing bad to talk about… but nothing that good either. This is the definition of mediocre.

The combat is extremely easy, and enemies a bit bullet-spongy; the platforming constantly feels as if you are playing the tutorial chapter, even after three hours in, and the same pretty much goes on with the minor puzzle-solving involved, which simply requires pushing boxes into slots, or figuring out how to shoot a switch from afar, with a few new mechanics thrown in every now and then, which, to be honest, don't change the game that much.

Completionists can search for a bunch of collectibles, and many stages have alternative exits, which in turn will unlock new levels, but there's not really much in the way of challenge or thought process involved, so most will spend their time going through the motions, and doing the very obvious thing that needs to be done simply in order to progress. Buy only if you are looking for a cheap game for a primary school-age kid.