One Piece Unlimited World Red – Deluxe Edition (Switch) Review

One Piece as a series has had a longstanding legacy of video games over the years, recounting the adventures of the quirky and excitable protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, as he journeys to become the king of the pirates. Unlimited World Red is technically the latest installment in this franchise. Since originally debuting on the 3DS in 2013, the game has set sail from system to system, and has finally arrived on the shores of the Nintendo Switch.

Unlimited World Red combines the action from your typical hack-and-slash, and pairs it with a questing system that you’d usually find in a lot of Monster Hunter-style games. Unfortunately, by trying to merge both genres, the complexity and depth of both styles are lost – resulting in an experience than can feel rather bland to players who may seeking a real treasure of a game. From unleashing combos on foes to fishing for side quests, every mechanic feels like it’s missing a little something. It never quite feels intense or challenging, leaving non-One Piece fans better off spending time playing something else.

The main campaign comprises of an original story, featuring brand new characters who have been designed by the creator of the comics himself – Eiichiro Oda. While these characters are potentially interesting in their own right, they’re let down by a weak plot which only serves to give the player a contrived reason to revisit areas previously seen in the canon story. Any emotional highs are evoked by cheap nostalgia, rather than any material that the game has invented for itself. Even the once iconic locations you visit throughout the game are a let down. Bustling cities and lively areas have been turned into barren wastelands, populated by nobody except generic hordes of enemies designed to slow you down.

It’s possible to play the game co-operatively with a friend, however, I’m sad to say that it does little to enhance the experience for either player. The way your party works in the single player campaign is that only the character you control takes damage. Other members are immortal, simply serving as extra lives for when you run out of health. This has been unchanged for the co-op mode. Player 2 doesn’t take any damage and can’t use any of the items that Player 1 can. What this does is removes the need to communicate, discuss strategies or support each other throughout your time playing together while also leaving the second player with a less than optimal experience without any stakes. This is perfect if you’ve got a younger sibling who might want to join in, but otherwise it feels like a bit of an afterthought.

Strangely enough, despite all my complaints, I really enjoyed my time with this game. My experience never went past shallow waters, but at the same time, it didn’t really need to. This is a game that was developed to satisfy One Piece fans, and boy, was I satisfied!

Characters are wonderfully animated, both during the gameplay and the story cutscenes. Pairing that with the superb voice cast from the show, plus a gorgeous, sweeping soundtrack performed by a live orchestra and it all comes together to bring together a really warm, jolly vibe. While the overall plot was a let down, every character interaction felt authentic and true to their established personalities. It was really hard not to laugh and have a good time being in the company of the crew.

The combat is simple, and while it was never tough to get through the game, it sure was addicting. It’s easy to get caught in the waves of side quests the game throws your way, and working towards building the hub town by constructing new buildings and facilities can feel rewarding. There’s something really satisfying about exploring the town, knowing that every store, museum or pharmacy around was done by your hands.

Also included in the game is the Coliseum, which is a mode that’s loosely inspired by one of the more recent story arcs in the main series. I really like this mode has a story. In a lot of other games, battle or tournament focused modes similar to this one usually lack any context, just leaving the player to do their own thing. Having the Dressrosa story saga as a backdrop really motivated and pushed me to keep at it, investing more time in something I would’ve otherwise ignored. The main goal is to climb to the top of the ranks, from C to A. To achieve this, there’s a variety of different matches you can choose to compete in, such as dueling against enemies 1v1, fighting off enemy hordes, and even a boss rush option. On top of all that, you can unlock characters that are otherwise inaccessible in the main campaign, which really does add to the incentive to progress!

One Piece: Unlimited World Red was built purely for fans. If you were hoping it would be a good entryway into the series, I’d recommend looking elsewhere. The gameplay it offers is far from mind blowing, but overall, the game has a certain charm to it that kept me playing for hours and hours. For all the Straw Hat diehards out there, there’s a pretty good chance you won’t regret giving this game a go.

Rating: 3/5