Nintendo Switch console exclusive NAIRI: Tower of Shirin is finally here! Learn more about this charming visual novel in our NAIRI: Tower of Shirin review!
Indie developer HomeBearStudio and publishers Hound Picked Games and Another Indie have brought us the studio’s debut game NAIRI: Tower of Shirin to the Nintendo Switch and Steam! After a successful Kickstarter campaign in which the game managed to reach its funding goal, and promised us a lovely and fun visual novel/point and click adventure that would charm your heart and fill you with joy, I’m happy to report that the team has definitely delivered!
The game is a visual novel with point and click adventure elements in which we get to experience the world through the eyes of Nairi, a once upper-class girl that, due to a series of unfortunate events, ends up running away from her life in the rich district for reasons you will discover as you play the game. As she was trying to get to safety, she forms an unlikely friendship and kinship with a group of bandits that offer their help. Nairi later decides to leave the group behind to find out what is really going on, a decision that takes her to go back to Shirin, the city where she grew up in. Nairi will meet up with Rex, a former-gangster-turned-scholar who will aid her in her quest to uncover the truth… and she will find more than she bargained for inside the Tower of Shirin.
The story is rich and enjoyable, with charming character and some very funny moments, while not shying away from the mysterious vibe that surrounds the tower, as well as Nairi herself. There are many unique and amusing character through the game, so you are bound to find a favorite within the huge repertoire. The story is nicely weaved through the puzzles too, which makes for creative solutions in this fantastical world!
The gameplay is very streamlined since, as per the genres the game touches upon, you point, and you click to interact with the background, puzzles, characters, and items. The game progresses through clever puzzles that will require finding plenty of items, some of which you can even combine, triggering some funny and interesting combinations. Don’t be deceived by its charming and fable-like style though, as the puzzles will increase in difficulty over time to challenge your abilities and your capacity to think out of the box.
It’s important to mention that the controls may take some time for you to get used to them, as they most closely resemble a hidden object game rather than a classic visual novel, so it’s important to keep that in mind. The art style and music is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the strong points of the game. It’s cute, charming, endearing, warm and everything nice! The style is just a big welcoming hug for the player, but don’t worry, this doesn’t make it an overly sweet spoonful of honey at all, the game’s cute style doesn’t take away from its clever jokes, deep moments and heartfelt situations.
NAIRI: Tower of Shirin is a great game overall and a fun experience for both casual players who want something to pick up and play in short bursts, as well as for veterans of the genres it encompasses who want something to binge play it all in one evening. This is a good indie addition to any library of a visual novel or point and click adventure fan – and bonus points go to the game for being so charming, cute and adorable
Disclaimer
This NAIRI: Tower of Shirin review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Hound Picked Games.
