Back in 2015, IronFall: Invasion made its debut on the Nintendo 3DS, and it left quite the impression, especially on the technical front. My review for the now-closed eShop site, 8-Worlds News, couldn’t help but praise how it brought the Gears of War vibe to the 3DS, all while maintaining some of the most impressive visuals on the platform. Fast forward nearly a decade, and we’ve got a remastered version now available on the Switch. While there are moments that remind you of its original hardware limitations, IronFall: Invasion manages to entertain, even with its share of flaws.
The gameplay unfolds as a third-person cover shooter and undeniably draws parallels with Xbox’s Gears of War series. Whenever you approach a piece of cover and hit B, your character will seamlessly snap to it. You can then slide along and hold ZL to lean out for a shot. The shooting mechanics, while lacking originality, work pretty well. IronFall: Invasion didn’t exactly innovate much when it launched on the 3DS, and that remains unchanged with the Switch version. However, switching from the circle pad pro or New 3DS C-nub to a proper dual analogue setup makes a world of difference. The traversal and firefights feel noticeably improved on the Switch. That said, the touch screen puzzle segments are a bit of a mixed bag. Originally designed with the 3DS touch screen in mind, they now translate awkwardly to button-only controls if you’re playing docked. Strangely, touch controls aren’t available in handheld mode, which is quite the oversight.
As in the original version, you have both campaign and multiplayer modes to explore. The campaign puts you in the shoes of two characters: Jim Woper, a towering marine clad in battle armor fresh out of the early 2000s, and Sam Finch, your trusty tech support carrying just a pistol. The story revolves around an alien invasion and some questionable scientific endeavors, but don’t expect it to be particularly gripping. Most of the time, you’ll be playing as Jim, navigating through well-structured yet somewhat repetitive corridor shooter levels. Switching to Sam feels like stepping into stages that should have been stealth-oriented, but without the requisite stealth mechanics, you’re left with similar corridors, less armor, and a lone pistol. Occasionally, the game mixes it up with turret shooter segments or sniper-focused moments, providing a refreshing change of pace.
Currently, the multiplayer seems pretty deserted. I struggled to find any active games or players. You can, however, jump into survival mode, where you’re tasked with taking down waves of enemies within a set time limit. Back in its 3DS days, a limited multiplayer demo helped fill the servers, and it would be interesting to see if a similar strategy could boost activity here.
Visually, IronFall: Invasion was quite a spectacle on the 3DS, and it’s received a nice update for the Switch. Developer VD-Dev has a reputation for squeezing out incredible visual performance from any platform they work with, and it’s clear here, as the game reaches 1080p when docked, 720p in handheld mode, and a smooth 60fps on the Switch. There’s even an option to toggle between 90% and 100% resolution. I opted for 100% most of the time and only noticed minor frame rate drops. The 90% option should provide a rock-solid experience. The environments look surprisingly detailed on a bigger screen, courtesy of VD-Dev’s meticulous texture upgrades to modern HD standards. While the visuals don’t quite pack the same punch on the Switch as they did on 3DS, they’re still impressive, except for some stiff character animations.
On the 3DS, IronFall: Invasion was a solid third-person shooter encased within a technically groundbreaking package. It stood alongside titles like Resident Evil Revelations, Star Fox 64 3D, and Nano Assault as one of the most technically advanced games on the 3DS. Without the context of its original platform, the Switch version presents itself as a respectable third-person shooter. Although it retains its technical excellence, it doesn’t stand out as much as it did back in 2015. Nonetheless, for those craving a Gears of War-style experience from a skilled indie team, IronFall: Invasion is certainly worth a look.
