Say No! More [Switch]
Studio Fizbin’s Say No! More starts off in a strange, fantasy style world, filled with imps in and around a castle. The Devil King has kidnapped your best friend, and so you, as the Wizard, must find them to rescue your friend. Only, you will quickly discover that the Devil King and your best friend are one and the same. Then GAME OVER. Oh - you were actually just playing a video game on your phone, whilst waiting outside the office on your first day! Once you get into the office, you’ll learn that everyone is expected to be a team player and say ‘Yes’ to absolutely everything. Including giving your lunchbox to your boss, and making coffee for your colleagues.
Once you head to your desk, you’ll come across a secret tape that teaches you how to stand up for yourself and say ‘NO!’. Say No! More plays more like an interactive movie, with a singular button prompt to say “No” as well as the ability to laugh by holding up on the thumb stick. Movement is automated, which would normally be seen as a negative for us, but in the context of the game, and how it plays, it works here - and continues to be entertaining throughout.
Everything is very wacky and brightly coloured, with very angular designs. Characters have insanely expressive faces, and will respond to your rejections. Some characters you come across will have coloured text boxes, instead of the standard white, and these are typically people who are being friendly to you. One girl you’ll come across simply wants you to try out her new game she’s been working on: ‘Fight my ‘Mons’, a Pokémon style game you’ll briefly test - which was a cool thing to come across, particularly since you could just shout ‘NO!’ and miss it entirely. Movement is hilariously snappy, which just further emphasises the urgency of every “No!” you say. You can charge up to give your ‘NO!’ more power, and you can also laugh to add more salt to the wound. Saying no often causes things, and people, to be blasted away - adding further to the comedic vibe.
When you first start the game, you can choose one from the preset characters, or customise one of your very own. You can also decide upon which voice you want your character to have, giving the option of saying ‘No!’ in any of the available languages. The soundtrack is what can only be described as ‘happy corporate’, with cheerful, relaxing tunes. Voice acting is very over the top, which works really well, and you’ll hear all manner of random things as you walk through the office - including colleagues that are sick and want you to bin their nasty used tissues, and even someone shouting about how they can’t wait to play Minute of Islands - Studio Fizbin’s latest title.
As you progress through the story, you’ll make friends with some colleagues, giving them the confidence to say no, too. It’s actually a very positive message that the game has, showing you that it’s okay to say no sometimes. It’s very easy, particularly in work and social settings filled with your peers, to become a ‘yes man’ and agree to things all the time, even when it’s not good for you. It’s something I’m guilty of myself, in real life, taking on too many tasks at once and it’s super easy to get burnt out like that, so learning to use your voice is super important - not just in the game.
You can complete the full game in around 90 minutes to an hour, so it’s best if you can get it all done in a single run. There’s a few optional tasks that can be done through certain interactions, and it’s enjoyable finding and completing these. You’ve also got different styles of response that can be utilised for impact, including a ‘lazy No!’, a ‘wacky No!’, responding sarcastically and slow clapping that will all gain different reactions. Priced at £13.49 on the Switch eShop, it’s a little bit expensive for how quick you’ll get through it (and there’s not a great deal to bring you back for more). I’d recommend picking it up while on sale, and conveniently enough, it currently has 33% off until the 17th August! Say No! More is a lot of fun, and being that it doesn’t have a lot to learn controls-wise, and the positive message behind it all, it’s a fantastic title for the kids too - and they sure do appreciate the comedy.
In the end, we decided to give Say No! More the Collecting Asylum rating of 8/10.
Have you played Say No! More yet? What did you think of it?
Let us know in the comments below!
- V x
Thank you to Thunderful Publishing for the Say No! More Switch review code!
