IronFall: Invasion, a gem from the Nintendo 3DS era, originally hit the scene in 2015. I had the pleasure of reviewing it back then on the now-closed eShop-focused site, 8-Worlds News, and was genuinely impressed by how it pushed the boundaries of the 3DS’s technical capabilities. The game, inspired by the Gears of War franchise, offered visuals that were so meticulously crafted that they still stand out among the platform’s best. Fast-forward nearly a decade, and we find this remastered version making its debut on the Nintendo Switch. Even though some reminders of its original platform’s limits remain, there’s still a sense of fun and nostalgia, flaws and all.
Gameplay-wise, IronFall: Invasion slots perfectly into the third-person shooter genre, heavily borrowing from the Xbox Gears of War mechanics. It’s straightforward: walk up to a barrier, tap B, and watch your character snap into cover. From there, you can slide along the edge or peek out to take shots with ZL. The familiar reload mechanic – timing your reload to a prompt to gain a bonus – makes a comeback, further cementing its Gears-like nature. It doesn’t break any new ground, but the game generally plays well. While innovation wasn’t its strongest suit on the 3DS, the Switch’s dual analogue controls significantly enhance the overall experience compared to the prior reliance on the circle pad pro or New 3DS C-nub. In stark contrast, the touch screen-based puzzles from the 3DS days have lost their intuitive edge. These were tailored for touch interaction, and their transition to standard controller inputs in handheld mode feels awkward and forced.
IronFall: Invasion retains its split between campaign and multiplayer modes. The campaign lets you step into the shoes of Jim Woper, a quintessential early-2000s marine, and Sam Finch, the tech-savvy support with a penchant for pistols. The story isn’t groundbreaking—centering around an alien invasion and dubious science experiments—but it serves its purpose. Jim’s journey is mostly about battling through repetitive corridors, albeit well-designed ones. Sam’s sections seem like they want to be stealth missions, yet lack any stealth mechanics, leaving you meandering through similar hallways with just a pistol. On occasion, the game throws in unique set pieces, like turret or sniper encounters, which spice up the gameplay with some variety.
Multiplayer, on the other hand, seems to lack player activity at the moment. I had no luck finding other players or active games. Thankfully, there’s a survival mode where you battle waves of enemies under time constraints. Back on the 3DS, a free multiplayer demo likely boosted player numbers, and a similar approach could revitalize Switch multiplayer.
Graphically, IronFall: Invasion wowed us on the 3DS, and it looks even sharper on the Switch. Developer VD-Dev, known for pushing hardware to its limits, did wonders with the update. The game runs at 1080p when docked and 720p handheld, maintaining a smooth 60fps. You can adjust the resolution between 90% and 100%, though the game consistently held up well at full resolution. VD-Dev painstakingly improved every texture for HD, ensuring environments look great on big screens. Despite the occasional stiff character animation, the game visually aligns with VD-Dev’s other Switch project, Rise: Race the Future.
Back in its 3DS days, IronFall: Invasion stood out as an impressive technical marvel, comparable to titles like Resident Evil Revelations and Star Fox 64 3D. On the Switch, stripped of the 3DS context, it remains a competent third-person shooter, but not quite as groundbreaking. However, for fans of Gears of War-inspired gameplay and those appreciative of indie efforts, IronFall: Invasion remains a worthy experience.
