Wireframe – Issue 20, 2019

64 / wfmag.cc

Review

Rated

GENRE

Arcade

FORMAT

Switch (tested)

PC / Android

/ iOS

DEVELOPER

Muse Games

PUBLISHER

Muse Games

PRICE

£7.99

RELEASE

Out now

Info

Review

Crouching vermin, hidden hammy

lenty of games get by on the virtue

of how they feel to play, especially

when the unique manner of

engagement evades gimmick-

territory. Hamsterdam’s haptic

motion-controlled combat is special in this sense

• it reminds me of Samba de Amigo’s magnificent
  maraca-shaking or some of the more physically
  involved games on the Nintendo Wii.
  You play as a hard-as-nails hammy called
  Pimm in this wonderfully weird homage to The
  Wire, which follows the plucky nibbler through
  the mean streets of Hamsterdam as they unravel
  a vermin-led criminal organisation with a flurry
  of chaotic kung-fu. It’s hard not to root for the
  smirking little guy as he wallops bruiser bunnies
  twice his size. It’s a vermin management puzzle
  at best, and an RSI speedrun at its worst.
  Jolting your hands to punch, with perfect
  rhythmic timing necessary, causes you to land
  combos on the legions of pests surrounding
  our protagonist. Facing off against The Rodent
  Squad, meanwhile, requires counters straight
  out of the page of the Arkham playbook, another
  horizontal gesture that’s also fun to pull off. It’s all
  aided by some fluid animations which make the
  combat feel like a dreamy dance of death. And, as
  you progress through the missions, you’re given
  seeds that you can trade-in for oven mitts, hipster
  glasses, and other cute cosmetics that offer
  upgrades and protections against enemies.
  Bonus objectives provide some much-needed
  replay value, but the criteria is brutal. It’s hard to

tell when some vermin are bracing to attack as

the telltale glint blends into the fur. It draws a thin

line between being unfair and exciting if you’re

trying to tick every box, but you’re never actually in

danger of failing missions as long as you’re OK with

flailing around like a fool in public. Given the Switch

is yet to take advantage of its motion controls,

Hamsterdam is a breath of fresh air in that respect.

The story is told by wordless slide show

storyboards; a waste, given that the chibi-HBO

premise is so unique. Even just a smattering of

vocal talent would have elevated Hamsterdam’s

messaging – an exciting narrative to explain, but

not a fun one to actually play.

The main thing that drags Hamsterdam down

is the mobile game architecture surrounding it.

It feels overbearing, tacky, and out of place on

Switch – menus are sluggish and unintuitive, load

times are slow, and missions are short and only

just give enough of a taste to keep you going.

There’s a Candy Crush-style map and star rating

at the end of each scrap too, with boring endless

runner minigames breaking up the repetition.

It’s unnecessary, especially when Muse Games

doesn’t seem to be peddling any in-game currency.

Still, at such a low price point this is a

worthwhile pick-up for your indie collection.

The game oozes passion, and while it might

have worked better if it sidestepped some of the

trappings of modern mobile games, it shines as

one of the best examples of the capabilities of the

Switch’s motion controls, which have so far been

sorely under-used.

Hamsterdam

P

VERDICT

Hamsterdam’s fun

factor makes it a steal,

considering the low

price tag – and despite

the mobile architecture

undermining it.

74%

 You can activate rush attacks by

pulling on both triggers and dragging

the icon to dispatch difficult vermin.

 Hamsterdam’s map

screen is detailed but

evokes a mobile style that

sticks out on the Switch.

REVIEWED BY
Jordan Oloman

Review

Rated

HIGHLIGHT
Hamsterdam’s boss battles break up the
repetition of combat with WarioWare-style
scraps that change on every occasion.
They feel well-paced throughout and use
different control schemes, ensuring you
get a much-needed breather from the
usual frenetic flailing.