Review: OFF (Nintendo Switch) – Pure Nintendo

There are many ways to describe video games. The genre. The graphics. The story and characters. OFF is one of those games that somehow defies a simple definition. Sure, it’s an RPG with turn-based battles. It’s also a top-down adventure full of tricky puzzles. But despite those descriptions, OFF is not easy to categorize. 

I’m not even sure why it’s called OFF. It’s off-kilter, that’s for sure. To say this game is a little out there is an understatement. It’s weird. It’s very weird. Thankfully, it’s also fun. Let’s step back a second to explain what’s going on here to see if you can make sense of things.

OFF is actually a 2008 Windows game that’s been remade for the Nintendo Switch and Steam. It’s hailed as a bit of a cult classic, one of the indie darlings that inspired countless devs to create other classics like Deltarune. Somehow, I hadn’t even heard of this before picking it up for the purposes of this review. When I saw it described as a turn-based RPG, I assumed I understood it. I’m here to tell you it’s much more than that.

The premise is relatively simple. You play the role of The Batter, a baseball player who’s been tasked with cleansing the land of demons. A standout feature is the fourth wall references throughout the story, whereby The Batter seems to know he’s being controlled by you. You provide your name up front, but this is not the character’s name (that’s The Batter, remember); this is your name, and several characters will speak directly to you. It’s unnerving, and sets the scene for an outing that’s a little off.

The game consists of five zones to work through. Everything feels odd, like you’re trapped in another dimension. The characters look and act like NPCs, but they seem hypnotized or self-aware. It’s hard to describe, but OFF somehow creates a feeling of making you, both as the player and The Batter, feel like a stranger in this world. You don’t belong here.

Neither do the evil spirits infiltrating each zone. You’ll face off against all sorts of odd creatures via randomized battles. I’m not a huge fan of being forced to fight this way, but that’s a personal preference. This is a relatively short game, so the fights don’t become too annoying. On the plus side, you will unlock several allies and upgrade your skills along the way, helping to keep the battles interesting as you progress.

OFF also features some of the most interesting puzzles I’ve even come across in a game. They’re tricky, relying on environmental clues to help you decipher them. There’s a strong emphasis on numbers, so pay attention to your surroundings. I needed help more than a few times, but there’s nothing that can’t be solved with a bit of patience. A pen and a piece of paper (if you’re feeling old school) or snapping pics of relevant sections (if you’re more digitally inclined) is highly recommended to keep track of everything.

The graphics accentuate the feeling of the game’s strangeness by using bright tones coupled with a washed-out pastel look. It’s jarring at times, soothing at others, but never conventional. It does its best to stand out in this area, too. It’s a game I won’t soon forget, from the creepy sound the NPCs make to the distorted and often gross-looking enemies in battles. It won’t be for everyone, but if you’re after something different, you will find it here.