Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

Underneath the extreme simplicity of WRITHE's "shoot worms until dead" concept, lies a very good, and surprisingly addicting horde/survival/endurance-centric FPS that has a neat retro vibe, and which can make you want to play it again and again, just to improve your time by a second or two, and reach a higher place on the leaderboards. There's no denying that it could be infinitely better with a couple of additional mechanics or modes, but it would be a shame to miss out on this tiny, yet still very shiny gem from Mission Ctrl Studios.

Writhe is a challenging survival FPS. Games are fast enough that it is great to play on breaks from work.

Those looking for an arcade-like score chaser will certainly find what they’re looking for with WRITHE, but the lack of balance will be a deal-breaker for some. Hardened FPS vets looking to fight against the odds should take up arms, while the more green among us should approach with caution.

My first impression of the Writhe wasn’t the greatest; after playing several rounds on each level, I started to enjoy it more. While it certainly lacks content, what is there is solid. However, the asking price of $9.99 is a little steep for the content available as of now.

Within its limited scope — its very, very, very limited scope — Writhe does alright for itself. There’s clearly something here to build on, and even if that doesn’t mean you should pick this game up now (wait for a very deep discount from its current $10 price), it does mean that eventually it might turn into something worthwhile.

WRITHE is a tiny little budget blaster that nails its old-school aesthetic, is refreshingly straightforward in what it attempts to achieve and has a genuinely fun sci-fi setup. However, scrappy enemy AI that feels badly judged and, more often than not, just straight-up unfair holds the whole thing back, resulting in a shooter that lacks balance and never manages to find itself in the addictive groove it needs to in order to encourage players to stick with its fiendishly difficult combat.

If you’re looking for a retro-style FPS that will kick you in the teeth, Writhe certainly fits the bill. It’s just unfortunate that it doesn’t offer much else apart from its considerable challenge. With only a small smattering of stages to choose from and enemy types to exterminate, it’s tough to recommend adding Writhe to your Switch library, even at its budget-friendly price.