2.D fast-paced action platformer Exception is now ready for you on Nintendo Switch? Is it worth your time and money? Find out in our Exception review!

 

 

 
The setup for Exception is pretty out there: an old woman’s computer (username: Alice34) has been infected with a virus named Titan, which is up to no good. The virus entered her system after she clicked on a pop-up that was offering free softwares – plural. Even after being warned about how the file is not a trusted file, and that she should stop and not continue since the file was probably a very bad virus, good old Alice34 clicks on the bad button that downloaded Titan into her system. You play as the hero tasked with defeating the evil invader as you complete over 120 bite-sized levels that will twist and turn as you activate special devices that will allow you to reach the end of a stage. Can you save the system before it is too late?

 
Controls are simple and to the point. You’ll run around with the left analog stick or the D-Pad, jump (or wall jump) with the B button, boost with the ZR button, and attack with the Y button. If you want to, there is also the option of sliding by pressing down and the B button at the same time. This minimalist setup will allow you to focus on the action as levels rotate and reconfigure around you. If you want to get a spot on the game’s online leaderboard, you’ll need to replay levels over and over again as you find new ways to shave some valuable seconds from your overall time, aiming to get a four-star rating on the level for beating the par time. You can be penalized, increasing your completion time, or rewarded with bonuses that will lower your time, so pay attention to what you can do in each stage.
 

 

 
The better you do in a stage, completing it as fast as possible while also getting some bonuses for not using your boost, for slashing away at everything and for defeating all enemies, to name some examples, the more experience you will get. Level up, and you’ll be able to get an upgrade for your character, which can then be used to replay previous levels to try and cut away some extra seconds from your time. You might find a better route or a faster way to deal with all enemies in one area, boosting your momentum as you run, jump and slash your way through the system.

 
Along with aiming to get a four-star rating and winning a spot on the online leaderboard, you should also keep your eyes open for the hidden byte in each stage. You will need to search high and low for the byte. Sometimes the byte will be out in the open, calling you to go out of your way to collect it. Sometimes it will be hidden inside of a destructive object, begging you to slash all containers until the byte can be free for you to collect it. Bytes are important since they can be spent to upgrade the abilities you unlock as you level up. For example, the down-dash you unlock – which allows you to dash down quickly by pressing down and the B button while in the air, can be improved to boost its dash speed.
 

 

 

 
I had a lot of fun playing Exception on Nintendo Switch. Finding new ways to cut down on my total time for a stage to climb up through the leaderboards, searching for how to collect the byte in each level, seeing how new enemies and hazards are introduced at a steady pace, it’s all a solid experience that is perfectly complemented with its synthwave soundtrack. While the game Is indeed aimed at the speedrunning community, there’s nothing keeping players from taking their time with every level, making progress at a steady pace as they learn from their mistakes to find a way to complete a stage, even if it’s going to take some minutes to do so instead of rushing through a “golden route” in 30 seconds or less. The game is available for $14.99 on Nintendo Switch, and it’s one you should check out.

 
Disclaimer
This Exception review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Traxmaster Software.