Double Switch

The Good
Hot on the heels of Night Trap, the folks at Digital Pictures game us; Double Switch; better production values, new storyline, lots and lots of new traps.

As the game progresses you find yourself involved with several different storylines as well as a constant battle with Mafia thugs and an ancient Egyptian cult. Look out for starring roles from Corey Haim and Debbie Harry!

The Bad
Double Switch is much harder then Night Trap, with less room for error and many more traps to master. As a result, you rarely have the time to enjoy the unfolding stories and will likely find yourself starting from scratch over and over again. Even if you manage to find the time, it may be hard to fully enjoy the sets or storyline with full motion video that is not full screen and looks a bit grainy.


The Bottom Line
Double Switch features the same basic game play elements as Night Trap. Success or failure is dependent on your ability to quickly move between various locations in an apartment complex in order to trap someone, save someone or get a secret code. If you enjoy Night Trap and want something much more challenging then this game may be for you.

The Good
Double Switch builds upon the Full Motion Video game play mechanics of Night Trap. The player must switch between a series of hidden cameras in order to trap villains, protect people, solve puzzles and, if you are especially skilled, crack a mystery.

The Windows edition of Double Switch features much better Full Motion Video, in comparison to the Sega CD edition, and the B-production values look and feel more ambitious than what was featured in Night Trap.

The Bad
My complaints with Double Switch are similar to the problems with other "interactive movie" games.

Success in Double Switch requires the player to memorize which cameras and which traps are needed at a specific time. There is little room for error. This means re-watching the same Full Motion Video clips again and again, until you are victorious or, as may be the case, too frustrated to continue playing.

While Double Switch clearly had a bigger budget than Night Trap, it is still offers up a steady diet of B- acting, cheesy dialogue and an assortment of standard villains.

The Bottom Line
Double Switch offers fans of the interactive movie genre an enjoyable Full Motion Video experience.