[Review of Skies Above] for Nintendo Switch

Flynn’s Arcade and HungryDingo bring you “Skies Above,” a whirlwind of a 2D pixelated roguelite action game on the Nintendo Switch. Let’s dive into what makes this game a must-play in our detailed review of “Skies Above”!

In “Skies Above,” your mission is straightforward: defend the magnificent Leviathan as it travels through the skies. A defeat means seeing this majestic creature crash down to earth. As a roguelite, collecting resources to upgrade various stats is key, helping you to extend your future runs. But why is the Leviathan under attack? Long ago, numerous Leviathans graced our world, imbuing it with powerful magical energy manifested as giant glowing crystals. Exhausted, the Leviathans fell into a deep sleep. Humans, upon discovering these magical crystals, harnessed their power to rapidly advance society. Yet, when they found the dormant Leviathans, rather than showing gratitude, they saw them as resources to exploit. Thus, they created robotic spheres with the sole purpose of hunting and capturing every Leviathan.

As you embark on your mission, you’ll navigate your character atop the flying Leviathan using the left joystick, with the ability to slide with the L button and jump with B. To target and latch onto the relentless robotic orbs, press R, and use the B button for dashing into them, aiming for maximum destruction. Combo your actions to strike from orb to orb effectively. While airborne, pressing L and R together lets you swiftly return to the Leviathan.

Collecting upgrades is crucial and is done via crafting runes with the shards you gather. These upgrades can increase the Leviathan’s max health to withstand more hits, boost Air for more dashes, enhance Force to extend your slash distance, or amplify Agility to widen your attack range. Other upgrades, like Combo, grant extra Shards through combos, while Nature boosts shard power further.

In the game, you can also use shards at your base’s central tree for upgrades, opening up additional base elements like challenges. For instance, one challenge includes dashing through 5 orbs in under 1.5 seconds, or destroying 70 orbs in one run. Completing these challenges introduces even more to tackle, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging. If you wish to switch things up, shards can be spent to reroll challenges too.

“Skies Above” includes an in-game achievements system to satisfy those completionists out there. From being defeated once, breaching through cloud layers, to achieving massive combo goals, and even unique tasks like petting the dog or scratching the Leviathan’s back, there’s a lot to aim for.

“Skies Above” offers an exhilarating 2D roguelite action experience on the Nintendo Switch, priced at just $7.99. Protecting the Leviathan as it soars and battling those relentless robotic spheres makes for a thrilling adventure. With its rich lore and engaging gameplay, it’s a worthwhile addition to every gaming library.

For clarity, this review of “Skies Above” is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Flynn’s Arcade. Enjoy the skies and guard that Leviathan well!