Introduction

Welcome to Cloudpunk, a cyberpunk adventure set in the vertical city of Nivalis, where the sky is just a glorified highway. Step into the shoes of Rania, your friendly neighborhood delivery driver, as she navigates this neon-soaked dystopia. Not only are we taking deliveries, but we’re also engaging in a plot that involves corporations running the show, a robot dog in little need of an upgrade, and moral choices that matter – and by 'matter', I mean they either make you feel like a hero or a slightly less horrible person. Let's dive into this pixelated dystopia and see what awaits in the clouds.

Gameplay

Cloudpunk places you in control of Rania, the newest (and perhaps least qualified) employee of a delivery service operating in a morally grey area. You'll pilot your HOVA (that's hover car for the uninitiated) through a stunningly designed cityscape teeming with life, all while interacting with a colorful cast of characters. Your job? Deliver packages, pick up passengers, and occasionally make moral decisions that might lead you down a path of consequence – or at least some interesting dialogues visible only on your screen. The game is filled with side quests scattered throughout Nivalis that add depth to the world, though be prepared for some of them to feel like fetch quests—'fetch me a sandwich' becomes 'fetch me a microchip' in this world.

Graphics

The graphics are reminiscent of a pixel art dream mixed with a Blade Runner-inspired neon aesthetic. Nivalis is beautifully crafted, and you’ll find yourself staring in awe more times than you could count (definitely more than you should while driving). The environment is expansive, depicted in a voxel art style that enhances the feeling of depth getting lost in this cyber city brings. However, performance issues rear their ugly heads on the Switch, with frame drops that sometimes interfere with the otherwise smooth experience. It seems like a larger delivery vehicle would be better suited to handle the raw graphics power needed here – just don’t ask me how to upgrade the Switch.

Conclusion

In the end, Cloudpunk is a visually striking experience set in a captivating world, but the gameplay leaves something to be desired. It's a mix of stunning visuals, engaging narratives, and occasionally clunky mechanics that fails to reach the dizzying heights it aims for, even if it frequently brings delight to the table. As you pilot through Nivalis, you'll definitely be reminded that often, the journey is what matters—and in this delivery job, expect to get sidetracked more than a few times. Suitable for fans of storytelling, but action lovers may find their HOVA permanently parked after a while. A solid 6 out of 10—because even in a world where everything floats, sometimes you still crash.

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