The journey for the Switch has been challenging for Deliver Us the Moon. The Switch version was canceled back in 2020. At the time, publisher Wired Productions largely attributed this to the pandemic. However, four years later, with one sequel, and a planned third installment, Nintendo lovers can finally play Deliver Us the Moon on the Switch. Gameplaywise, it is almost identical to its fellow console cousins. However, they got the name-brand graphics, while the Switch bought the off-brand, overseas. It’s a port that leaves much to be desired with many issues that may persuade you to spend your money elsewhere.
A narrative-focused adventure game, Deliver Us the Moon centers on puzzle-solving and exploration. As the surface’s power plants go down, you take on the role of an astronaut dispatched to the moon to conduct research. On the moon, a novel type of energy has been found that is being sent to Earth. Earth will run out of energy if the base is not in operation. In addition to trying to fix the moon’s link with Earth, the plot has you trying to figure out what went wrong. While exploring the moon and restoring operation, you complete several tasks in puzzle form. A few examples include finding door codes, guiding your robot into vents, and aligning towers to connect them.
Deliver Us The Moon however does come with its problems. Across all platforms, sometimes you’re going to find the controls sluggish when quick responses are needed. The camera angles can become a little awkward in tight spaces. Plus, there are moments when your trusty robot companion might find himself stuck behind a door. Fortunately, the game can quickly reset their location, saving you from any unnecessary reloads, but it is noticeable. Another issue you will need to plan around is the visuals. As stated above, these are not issues exclusive to the Switch version, but it is concerning that no effort was made to fix these issues four years after releasing on Xbox One and PS4. These do not take away from the experience but add to a more glaring issue, the visuals.
The Switch isn’t known for its top-of-the-line hardware, and various examples of AAA games show the hideous side of porting over to it. Given the hardware limitations, you’re getting a game aiming for 30 FPS, but it’s often struggling to maintain it. Players will occasionally see performance dip into the mid-20s even the low 20s on occasion. The performance issues become more apparent in larger areas, particularly during scenes with numerous items or vast backgrounds. Now I understand that the Switch does have its limitations, but I also want to remind everyone that Mortal Kombat 11 ran 60FPS with even terrible visuals compared to the other consoles.
Speaking of…the visuals on the Switch are a huge downgrade compared to even the previous-gen consoles. The loss of detail, for anyone like me who played it before, is immediately noticeable. One huge example that comes to mind, is when you are in a large room, the background can start as a cut-out until you get closer to it. The background then transforms into the real playable area.
A great narrative adventure, Deliver Us the Moon arrives on Switch unharmed for the most part. All things considered, the docked experience is quite seamless, and the compromises made here are not too great for a Switch port. When traveling through cramped space station interiors, the handheld experience is great; unfortunately, as soon as you venture outside the moon and into more complicated environments, it becomes incredibly fuzzy. I was surprised by the difference, but it’s still playable in these situations. I would recommend picking up a copy on Steam, grabbing a portable gaming PC like the Steam Deck, and playing that over the Switch version just on visuals and FPS alone. However, if you need a new game for your Switch and want a narrative-driven puzzle game, but don’t mind the visuals or a few stutters, then deliver yourself a copy of Deliver Us The Moon today.
