Radiation Island Nintendo Switch Review: Surviving on a Budget

Radiation Island is a survival game on Nintendo Switch (listing here) that is going to end up being a pretty divisive title. On one hand, the game is cheap at $9.99, and it offers quite a bit of content for the price. On the other hand, Radiation Island's mobile roots shine through too often, and performance issues arise when and where they shouldn't, considering the headroom we're dealing with on the Switch.

As a result of a Navy experiment gone wrong, you end up stranded on a mysterious island inhabited by dangerous animals and undead. You'll find plenty of resources scattered about, which you can combine to craft simple tools and weapons. The survival loop that we all know and love is thoroughly intact, here. Find things to craft stuff; craft stuff to access higher quality things, in order craft higher quality stuff.

And there is a pretty competent mystery to be solved here. Without spoiling anything, I'll say that you'll notice huge landmarks in the distance on the island that draw your attention early on. They provide natural waypoints toward which you'll venture, and along that path you'll uncover clues, notes, and progressively competent enemies. Everything unfolds at a decent pace, and if you're down to hang out for a few hours of mindless gaming, it can be quite enjoyable.

Issues do start cropping up in the end-game. When the action heats up, performance takes a pretty serious hit. Performance and presentation is inconsistent across the board, which is disappointing considering this game's origins. Details and geometry pop in at extremely noticeable distances. Textures are at times razer sharp, and at times murky. Frame rate ranges from "fine" to "wtf is happening right now."

Radiation Island still has a lot of potential. A performance patch would go a long way in making this an easy recommendation. There are some great concepts here, and Radiation Island is an ambitious survival concept with a fairly unique twist. My primary hangup is that the game can, at times, be so grating to play. Performance frustrations and a repetitive soundtrack make it hard to settle in for prolonged play sessions, and that's a shame, because I do find myself wanting to start a fresh run in my down time.

For the time being, Radiation Island remains a serviceable title on Nintendo Switch for anyone looking for a budget survival experience. Performance can be a literal drag, and combat is pretty uninspired, but the crafting system and narrative mystery do keep things interesting. If you're okay with budget-level performance, we think it's worth your ten bucks.

WWG's Score: 2.5 / 5