Review by Jon Donnis
MEGALAN 11 is an exploration-puzzle game.
For the video review of Megalan 11 check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS1MyBOQ_-0
For the video review of Megalan 11 check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS1MyBOQ_-0
After responding to a SOS signal, you and your scientific expedition crew find yourself crash landed on a weird planet, as you explore this strange red planet, you find an old abandoned base, now you have shelter, you have to try to fix up the base so you can save yourselves, but you only have 11 days to do it.
There are 5 people in your crew, but you can only rely on yourself, explore the base, fix the equipment by collecting metal, and save yourselves.
Thats the general story and aim of the game. In reality the game revolves mainly around you exploring the base, and eventually defending it too.
You can walk up to boxes, containers etc, and after hitting them a few times, you will collect them as scrap metal. Soon you will find a backpack to help you store the metal, as well as a large container to store larger amounts in. Once you have enough metal you can use it to fix broken doors to gain access to new areas, you can fix the water pumping machine, fix the electrical generator, and so on. You will also be able to pick items up, move them to different locations, depending on the task you need to fulfil.
Find the large lift in the centre, and you will quickly realise that there are multiple levels to the base, each with its own puzzles to solve and things that need fixing. The game itself has a very minimalist feel, both in graphics and also instructions, you will need to figure out pretty much everything I have just said for yourself, there is no hand holding in this game, other than a basic on screen "to do" list. You will get frustrated at first at the slow pace of it all, but eventually you will upgrade your stamina, allowing you to move faster.
Don't forget to "cheer up" your crew mates as well, since that also acts as a way to save your progress.
As the days pass the perils will grow, and the base will be attacked, items stolen and so on, so you will probably need a few playthroughs to really get to grips with everything and be better prepared.
The Good
I liked the minimalist graphics, and after that initial feeling of "what the hell am I supposed to do", you will quickly settle down and start enjoying the game.
The Bad
Terrible name for a game, considering that a game called Mega Man exists, and has decades of brand placement everywhere, so just search for Megalan and you will end up with links to Mega Man.
The game is very simple, and as such the challenge is limited, and at the start the frustration of not really knowing what you are supposed to do will put players off.
This is a port from PC, and as such the controls don't work great on a Switch Lite. For example you need to press and hold multiple buttons to complete tasks, and as such you can't do this with one thumb, unless you have a fat thumb, so kids with small hands will have to press multiple buttons with more than one finger, so holding the Switch while also doing this is a pain, and not at all natural. I am not sure what the controls were on PC, but this does not work very well on the Switch.
Overall
Get past the initial frustration, settle down into the gameplay, and this is a pretty decent game, very relaxing, wont tax your mind too much, and good to just play while listening to some chilled music.
An interesting little game, not ground breaking by any means, but there is enough here to keep you interested, if you can get used to the weird controls and button presses that are needed.
I score MEGALAN 11 on Nintendo Switch a safe 7/10
Released on 30th November 2022 on Nintendo Switch
Video review below, includes looping trailer.
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