Double Switch is a paid adventure experience from Screaming Villains. This interactive video originally from 1993 combines action and suspense, brought back for modern audiences in this 25th-anniversary re-release. As the player, return to the Edward Arms apartment complex, where you monitor the tenants and set traps for the intruders.

Gameplay-wise, Double Switch can be likened to Five Nights at Freddy’s or Sam Barlow’s IMMORTALITY. You control cameras and assign traps, but all clips of the apartment and the characters feature live-action footage. Furthermore, you can expect this game to put your deductive reasoning skills to the test.

Protect the tenants from afar

As a modern re-release, the video footage in Double Switch has been remastered. Other than that, it’s a faithful recreation of the 1993 title originally released for the Sega CD and Sega Saturn consoles, as well as the early 90s Windows. Essentially, the game revolves around you switching between monitors to see what’s happening. It gets immersive thanks to the full production effort across all parts of the game.

To add a layer of strategy to the experience, a mini-map is available. It shows you where the characters are in every room in the apartment. However, you’ll need to micromanage as events unfold in every room—switching up appliances, activating sensors, and setting up traps. It can get tedious at this point since you’ll need to view the same clips over and over again.

Aside from the potentially repetitive gameplay, it’s important to note that you can’t skip or fast-forward videos since they supposedly happen in real-time. There are also certain restrictions in terms of player choices and gameplay progression, although it generally maintains a steady, slightly nonlinear direction. The game is divided into three “Acts,” each having a self-contained set of objectives that move the story forward.

A well-aged FMV

Fans of the full-motion video (FMV) games would find a welcome nostalgic trip with Double Switch. Aside from the updated controls and remastered footage, it retains almost everything from the original, for better or worse. For new players, you get to experience its well-crafted set designs and how in-game choices affect the live-action characters. However, you also have to learn how to play the game, which involves watching clips repeatedly.