PowerSlave Exhumed (Nintendo Switch) Review

Bad things are happening in Karnak, as monstrous… err, monsters have appeared over there. Worry not! A sole elite jarhead is sent to fill them all with hot lead, as well as sweet Ancient Egyptian sorcery. There is a pretty neat assortment of pretty neat weaponry here. From pistols, grenades, and flamethrowers, to staffs that spit snakes, fireballs, or thunderbolts, PowerSlave has it all. The first couple of areas are quite disappointing, as you mostly have to rely on the pistol and a simple machete, and the enemies are usually small pesky critters like scorpions and spiders, but as the game goes on things begin to get far more interesting.

Now, while combat never really gets as enjoyable as in the big names of the genre, this definitely leans more towards the fun side of things. It's important to note, however, that this takes its cue from the Saturn and PlayStation versions, which weren't as linear as in the PC one. More specifically, this plays a lot like a metroidvania, with abilities that can be used in previously explored levels, only to then find more abilities, that will then enable the hero to open new paths, and then repeat the process all over again. Particularly fun are those abilities that provide super-high jumps, in essence making you feel like a flying Egyptian god. One that carries a semi-automatic, that is.

Checkpoints are offered a bit sparingly, which wouldn't be a problem if the many platforming sessions weren't so darn hard. The secrets are especially tough, requiring a level of precision that is more annoying than challenging. Or this critic just sucks when it comes to console first-person shooters, due to the absence of a mouse. Speaking of controls, this includes gyro aiming… as well as all the expected Nightdive enhancements, with many settings that let players customise inputs, gameplay options, and visuals.

Generally, the value of PowerSlave Exhumed lies not on how good of a game it is, because at the end of the day it can't really hold a candle to the classics. No, the beauty of this remaster is that it's an excellent remaster that makes it the definite edition. Apart from the expected enhancements, this took the Saturn and PlayStation versions which had plenty of differences when it comes to level design and has combined the best of both worlds. And that's why Nightdive remains one of the few Kings of remasters.