DYING: Reborn Review – A Stagnant Escape Room Experience on Nintendo Switch
With the surge of atmospheric puzzle games on the Nintendo Switch, DYING: Reborn seeks to stand out with its first-person, horror-themed escape room gameplay.
Developed by NEKCOM Entertainment and published by Coconut Island Games, DYING: Reborn made its debut on the Nintendo eShop after earlier releases on other platforms, aiming to bring a chilling yet cerebral experience to handheld and TV players alike. The game places players in the role of Matthew, who awakens in a locked, unfamiliar room with no clear escape route.
His motivation: to rescue his sister Shirley, taken captive by a sinister figure known as ‘The Guide.’ This antagonist communicates cryptically through television screens within the game’s environments, controlling Matthew’s journey with dire warnings and instructions reminiscent of the psychological manipulation seen in the Saw film series. At first, DYING: Reborn successfully generates an eerie atmosphere, buoyed by moments of effective sound design that heighten the early sense of unease.
However, the initial suspense fades as players realize there is no actual threat of dying within the game—an ironic twist given the title itself.
Without the danger of failing or being pursued by enemies, the tension dissipates quickly, leaving only occasional jump scares which tend to feel unearned rather than frightening. Gameplay largely revolves around thoroughly investigating each confined environment, picking up and combining objects to solve puzzles and progress.
While item discovery and usage are standard for the genre, DYING: Reborn’s translation suffers from sluggish pacing due to slow character movement, cumbersome camera controls, and dialogue sequences that cannot be advanced at the player’s discretion.
This disrupts the flow and challenges player patience, especially when the writing—marred in places by translation errors—becomes unintentionally humorous. The game’s puzzle sections offer a glimpse of its true potential.
Certain challenges are engaging and cleverly constructed, providing moments of satisfaction—such as an early piano-based conundrum.
Unfortunately, these highlights are rare, buried among more routine or frustrating puzzles.
The linearity of solutions also limits replay value, a common issue for escape room games, but one that could be mitigated with randomized elements or alternative answers. On the technical side, DYING: Reborn runs reliably in both handheld and docked modes on the Nintendo Switch.
There is partial touch screen support, though its inconsistent application—requiring players to switch between touch and button controls—can be awkward.
While hardly a dealbreaker, this design oversight reflects a broader lack of refinement. Despite its premise and a few inspired puzzle moments, DYING: Reborn is held back by its absence of real horror elements, translation problems, and a shortage of innovative or memorable puzzles.
In today’s competitive Nintendo eShop marketplace, where exceptional puzzle and horror experiences abound, DYING: Reborn does little to set itself apart.
For players seeking a gripping or replayable escape room title on Nintendo Switch, stronger alternatives are readily available. Version tested: Nintendo Switch.
Review copy provided by Coconut Island Games.
Developed by NEKCOM Entertainment and published by Coconut Island Games, DYING: Reborn made its debut on the Nintendo eShop after earlier releases on other platforms, aiming to bring a chilling yet cerebral experience to handheld and TV players alike. The game places players in the role of Matthew, who awakens in a locked, unfamiliar room with no clear escape route.
His motivation: to rescue his sister Shirley, taken captive by a sinister figure known as ‘The Guide.’ This antagonist communicates cryptically through television screens within the game’s environments, controlling Matthew’s journey with dire warnings and instructions reminiscent of the psychological manipulation seen in the Saw film series. At first, DYING: Reborn successfully generates an eerie atmosphere, buoyed by moments of effective sound design that heighten the early sense of unease.
However, the initial suspense fades as players realize there is no actual threat of dying within the game—an ironic twist given the title itself.
Without the danger of failing or being pursued by enemies, the tension dissipates quickly, leaving only occasional jump scares which tend to feel unearned rather than frightening. Gameplay largely revolves around thoroughly investigating each confined environment, picking up and combining objects to solve puzzles and progress.
While item discovery and usage are standard for the genre, DYING: Reborn’s translation suffers from sluggish pacing due to slow character movement, cumbersome camera controls, and dialogue sequences that cannot be advanced at the player’s discretion.
This disrupts the flow and challenges player patience, especially when the writing—marred in places by translation errors—becomes unintentionally humorous. The game’s puzzle sections offer a glimpse of its true potential.
Certain challenges are engaging and cleverly constructed, providing moments of satisfaction—such as an early piano-based conundrum.
Unfortunately, these highlights are rare, buried among more routine or frustrating puzzles.
The linearity of solutions also limits replay value, a common issue for escape room games, but one that could be mitigated with randomized elements or alternative answers. On the technical side, DYING: Reborn runs reliably in both handheld and docked modes on the Nintendo Switch.
There is partial touch screen support, though its inconsistent application—requiring players to switch between touch and button controls—can be awkward.
While hardly a dealbreaker, this design oversight reflects a broader lack of refinement. Despite its premise and a few inspired puzzle moments, DYING: Reborn is held back by its absence of real horror elements, translation problems, and a shortage of innovative or memorable puzzles.
In today’s competitive Nintendo eShop marketplace, where exceptional puzzle and horror experiences abound, DYING: Reborn does little to set itself apart.
For players seeking a gripping or replayable escape room title on Nintendo Switch, stronger alternatives are readily available. Version tested: Nintendo Switch.
Review copy provided by Coconut Island Games.
