Sogna Digital Museum Forum

Non-Sogna/VIPER Discussion => Non-Hentai Video Games => Topic started by: Hyperguy on July 31, 2011, 07:39:46 am

Title: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Hyperguy on July 31, 2011, 07:39:46 am

(This topic was originally in the Introductions thread, and was split into this thread.)

I'm...

Eh, kinda forgot.  I mean, I had it written down here who I was, but I kinda lost the index card.  I think it was in my back pocket, but on impulse I wore another pair of jeans, and may have accidently put the other pair in the wash causing the index card to become fluffy scraps only resembling what it was.

It's almost been 2 years since I've posted here.  I think.  I don't remember.

I have access to the admin panel for some reason.

Eh.

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Moge on August 03, 2011, 08:49:38 pm

You can't be the HG, right?

Is it true you slew an army of bakunyuu bakas with the Hyper Fist?

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Hyperguy on August 05, 2011, 06:26:20 am

NO. :(

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: JG on August 07, 2011, 04:26:03 pm

Quote from: Moquin on August 03, 2011, 08:49:38 pm

Is it true you slew an army of bakunyuu bakas with the Hyper Fist?

If its an army of Loli Ruri, then you'd be right.


HG is a bad, bad man.  :bigtran

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Moge on August 28, 2011, 12:58:27 pm

Hypergai doesn't like roris? What's the story behind that one?

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: JG on August 29, 2011, 08:13:52 pm

Quote from: Moquin on August 28, 2011, 12:58:27 pm

Hypergai doesn't like roris? What's the story behind that one?

(http://hyperguy.net/images/banners/top_banners/ro_taekwon_master.jpg)

From the good old Ragnarok Online days.

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Hyperguy on August 31, 2011, 01:34:03 am

Which were eclipsed into World of Warcraft days, flavor of the month f2p MMO days, and so on ad infinitim.

Loli Ruri hit so hard that you couldn't really take them out without a healer.  We'd get a full party going and I'd max agi to go through those Ruri like a taekwon buzz saw.

Kim Kaphwan would be proud.

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Moge on September 01, 2011, 01:16:30 am

Is there an MMO that's tickling your fancy at the moment, Hyperdude?

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Hyperguy on September 02, 2011, 03:30:04 pm

Not really.  I tried to get into Dynasty Warriors Online, but the community's so small and the gameplay's so redundant that I stopped midway through.

I really wanted to get into Final Fantasy XIV, but it was not meant to be.  I could go on for hours about that one.

For the sake of brevity though, at the moment I've been sticking to SSF4:AC for PC and Recettear, which reminds me, I probably should install support for Steam tags...

That and Deus Ex: Human Revolution.  It's single player unfortunately.  D:

I really want to get back into MMOs, but I haven't seen any good ones lately.  I played the hell out of WoW(October 2010-June 2011) and went on to quit since although I couldn't fathom it at the time, Cataclysm really is the worst WoW expansion ever.

I'm holding out for Guild Wars 2.  I'm like this close to getting the original Guild Wars and Eye of the North, if not for the promised extras Guild War 2 players will get from completing Eye of the North content.

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: JG on September 02, 2011, 05:35:20 pm

Quote from: HG on September 02, 2011, 03:30:04 pm

I really wanted to get into Final Fantasy XIV, but it was not meant to be.  I could go on for hours about that one.

The Final Fantasy series has completed derailed.  I haven't played the last few but its generally accepted that Square has completed squandered whatever market share this series used to have.  At the end of the 90s there was perhaps no more valuable video game franchise (maybe only Mario, Zelda, and Sonic could compete) and now I could name you probably 20 or 30.



You know, since RO satisfied several of our appetites a few years back I could probably set up a private RO server for a few of us regulars.   I mean, I have the bandwidth to spare.

(http://www.jonathandgriffith.com/images/forum/speedtest_20110902.jpg)

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: Moge on September 03, 2011, 03:35:11 pm

Did you ever play FF XII, JGOO?  I enjoyed that one quite a bit, although if you don't like western-style RPG combat then you'd best stay far away.

Are single-player games just not that interesting to you anymore, Hipster Guy?

Title: It's a thread!
Post by: JG on September 03, 2011, 08:10:59 pm

Last one for me was X or Tactics A2, depending whether you want to include the escort titles with the main line or not.

Title: Re: It's a thread!
Post by: Hyperguy on September 04, 2011, 03:23:24 am

Quote from: JG00 on September 02, 2011, 05:35:20 pm

The Final Fantasy series has completed derailed.  I haven't played the last few but its generally accepted that Square has completed squandered whatever market share this series used to have.

Exactly.  What with the FF team's fallout during FF12's production it's pretty much been downhill from there.  It's as the immense amount of confidence they garned among gamers for releases in the 90s has pretty much been used up, especially after FFXIV's release.

Quote from: JG00 on September 02, 2011, 05:35:20 pm

You know, since RO satisfied several of our appetites a few years back I could probably set up a private RO server for a few of us regulars.   I mean, I have the bandwidth to spare.

All of our characters should still be on Legend RO, and while the idea of having an RO private server up sounds great, in practice I think the place might be a bit of a ghost town.  Like, max three people logged on at once.  A Terrania, Team Fortress 2, or Minecraft server would probably fare a little better.  Each of those games only supports a handful of people logged in at once.

Quote from: Moquin on September 03, 2011, 03:35:11 pm

Are single-player games just not that interesting to you anymore, Hipster Guy?

I've just always enjoyed multiplayer games ever since I first played Phantasy Star Online on Dreamcast so many years ago.

The ability to chat really adds to a game's immersion for me.  I usually find myself making observations about the game and its environment as I'm playing and relaying that information to my teammates.

Speaking of, Phantasy Star Online 2 (http://pso2.jp/)(not as in version 2), a surefire sequel is in alpha testing at the moment.  As much as I'd welcome the prospect of playing PSO again, I really wonder if it could keep my interest, seeing as how by now it's a 10 year old game that doesn't appear to have much new coming in this installment.

What I mean, is, the three races and classes from the original PSO will be present, but alongside nothing new.  No new race or new class.  It really is starting to look like an update through and through(and less like a true sequel).


But on the topic of single player games, I think part of the reason why I've been playing less and less of them is because in this generation it feels like it's harder and harder to find one that lasts the right amount of time.  I'm a little more cautious about which single player games I pick because I know many of them take around 70 hours to complete, and that's just time I'd rather invest into something else.  I'm more likely to get in burst sessions of Street Fighter or an FPS over the commitment necessary to enjoy a single player game.

I'll make exceptions for games that I know I'm going to like, like Deus Ex or Recettear, but other than that, I'm not too keen on single player games, especially the ones from gaming's current generation.

Title: Re: It's a thread!
Post by: JG on September 04, 2011, 08:21:59 am

Quote from: HG on September 04, 2011, 03:23:24 am

I'll make exceptions for games that I know I'm going to like, like Deus Ex or Recettear, but other than that, I'm not too keen on single player games, especially the ones from gaming's current generation.

You're right.  Too many games today are either unneccesarily drawn out (ToS: DotNW that I'm playing right now which has about 30 hours of main story and 60 hours of sidequests), are very good but just too dang long (Dragon Quest IX, 120+ hours), or disappointingly short (Halo 3, 12 hours)

The older games I grew up with (late 80s and early 90s) had only short sidequests and kept the game length to 70 hours or less and usually well under 40.  And alot of them were harder and didn't have saves so they were meant to be played through end to end (SMB 1-3) or with maybe with one or two breaks via password (MegaMan 1-6.)  I think thats why the classics still sell and why relatively short, simple games like Plants vs Zombies sell so well on iPhones and Androids.




By the way,

(http://www.jonathandgriffith.com/images/forum/admiral_akbar.jpg)
It's a thread!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 05, 2011, 05:35:10 pm

Despite all the flack XII has gotten, XII remains the most progressive rpg Squareenix has released in so many years.  It might not be up to the original director's specification, but i enjoyed it for what it was.

Once i get a new laptop i might challenge you to a few rounds of Street Fighter, HG. Plz upload some videos of you not getting your arse kicked.

Bailing out on DQX, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Hyperguy on September 05, 2011, 08:44:46 pm

Quote from: Moquin on September 05, 2011, 05:35:10 pm

Once i get a new laptop i might challenge you to a few rounds of Street Fighter, HG. Plz upload some videos of you not getting your arse kicked.

Why?  It's not like I have anything to prove.  I mean, it's a video game.  For me, losing or winning in it's no different from the same in chess or Monopoly.

To be fair, I play a fairly decent Cody, but I know that without FADC mastered I'm just slightly above scrub tier.  I mean, I do have some matches recorded that I'm proud of, but they're nothing to write home about really.

Now that I think about it, all of my wins/near losses would probably make for a good montague video at least...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 05, 2011, 10:11:38 pm

It's far more fun to watch a person play competitively and try to make an effort.

If i wanted to see you spaz around then it'd be for laughs, unless that was your intention. 

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 06, 2011, 08:54:32 pm

Quote from: Moquin on September 05, 2011, 05:35:10 pm

Bailing out on DQX, JGOO?

Nope.  I was referring only to the Final Fantasy series.  Remember that Square, after buying Enix, was content to let their longtime rival series just die off and focus on their own properties, namely FF and Kingdom Hearts.

It was only becuase Enix was well into DQ8 that Square allowed it to get completed. And they nearly didn't bring it to America (it took nearly a year) and only did as a vehicle to package with the FF12 demo and even went so far as to make that the selling point, not the game itself (which is wonderful by the way.)  Of course, having it vastly outsell all other SquareEnix titles produced since FF10 did alot to encourage them to sign on for DQX.

Now if only they drop such a heavy requirement on the local wireless play in DQX.  That was the one thing that was a massive fail for DQ9 outside of the Japanese market.  I would encourage a true internet multiplayer option, but it drifts into the realm of MMORPG it'll be a big disappointment.

My own guess?  SquareEnix halfasses it and brings the single player campaign to us in the expected DQ brillance, but strips down the multiplayer component to be non-subscription but limited to local wireless play and large static downloads to flash memory: basically a repeat of how DQ9 worked.  I expect the Japanese version to support quite a bit of MMORPG functionality, but they'll rework it for the American and European releases.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 10, 2011, 08:45:56 pm

How many MMOs have you played, JGOO?

I take it you didn't enjoy the FF XII demo that came with DQ8?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 10, 2011, 10:30:48 pm

Quote from: Moquin on September 10, 2011, 08:45:56 pm

How many MMOs have you played, JGOO?

I take it you didn't enjoy the FF XII demo that came with DQ8?

Just one, Ragnarok Online - and only becuase other CoA members were on it.  I prefer single player games.

And I don't recall ever playing the FF12 demo.  That's not why I bought DQ8.  Beleive it not, I actually bought the game before buying a PS2 to play it on - that ought to tell you how badly I was looking forward to it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 18, 2011, 08:27:02 pm

What was the last game console you seriously invested time into, HG?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Hyperguy on September 23, 2011, 10:13:57 pm

Nintendo DS. :S

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 24, 2011, 04:48:03 am

But that's a handheld

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Hyperguy on September 25, 2011, 09:10:09 am

Yeah. :(

Last game console I owned was a Playstation 2.  I've never owned an X-box, X-box 360, or Playstation 3.  At the same time, I build computers occassionally, and for the most just play games on PC or via emulator.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: MMX on September 26, 2011, 09:14:37 pm

http://dungeonfighter.nexon.net/
http://www.terraria.org/

Also White Knight Chronicles, bitches.

And for offline: http://www.humblebundle.com/

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 21, 2011, 06:41:52 pm

Have you preordered your copy of Skyward Sword yet, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 26, 2011, 11:48:34 pm

Nope.  I don't generally preorder unless someone offers a deal and I havent seen one for Skyward Sword yet.  If you locate a worthy deal, please let me know about it.

But given its the biggest Wii game hitting just before the Thanksgiving weekend, Best Buy will likely offer bonus Reward Zone points for buying the game from them anytime Sunday to Wednesday that week.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 29, 2011, 12:13:33 am

No deals i know of. Getting it at Best Buy doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I'm contemplating making a reservation for the collector's edition since it sold out on Amazon.

Final Fantasy VII holding up for you? I haven't given the game a replay in over a decade, but if nostalgia serves me correct, should still be very much enjoyable.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 30, 2011, 04:43:48 pm

Not really.  I havent played any FF7 in over a week.  Of course, I was out of town last week and been so busy this week I havent had a chance for any console or PC games, including GOW3.  Since I was gone I started a few games on my cellhpone and that's what I've been playing in my spare time some.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 20, 2011, 12:05:14 pm

Ok, I got Zelda Limited Edition, but let me tell you - they are exceptionally rare.

This is not "Limited" as in a Call of Duty, Gears of War, or Halo game, where you can find them months after the games are released.  When Nintendo says limited they obviously mean it, as I got the one and only non-preordered copy my Best Buy had, and they dont know if they're getting more.  It's possible they could all be gone nationwide by Christmas.

If you're wanting it, I strongly recommend trying to buy it online for pickup in store, rather than getting to the store and be disappointed.  Best Buy's also offering a $10 gift card with purchase of either regular or limited editions.



Also, I meant to say it before, but upon beating Gears of War 3 I have to say I'm very disappointed.  The game is good and the story is very engaging, but my goodness is it buggy as hell.  I've never seen a major first or second-party release have so many bugs. (This is a second-party game as MS put thier money behind Epic to make it.)  My save file got corrupted once and I had to restart from the beginning; it locked up at least 10 times through the campaign; it doesn't consistently remember which awards you've seen; and once, the trigger for accessing another area didn't fire, so I had to reboot and play the previous level all over again to proceed.  Serious lack of playtesting in this game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 20, 2011, 03:39:56 pm

All the stores around are sold out of The Skyward Sword LE ;_;

Are there no patch updates? The games console industry has picked up some bad habits from the PC side.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 21, 2011, 07:30:24 am

Quote from: Moquin on November 20, 2011, 03:39:56 pm

All the stores around are sold out of The Skyward Sword LE ;_;

I know.   I'm considering myself quite lucky now.  Will remember to preorder an limited edition Nintendo titles in the future.

Quote from: Moquin on November 20, 2011, 03:39:56 pm

Are there no patch updates? The games console industry has picked up some bad habits from the PC side.

There are, but they haven't yet fixed the crashing or retaining of which awards you've looked at on your collection screens.  The awards screens thing is entirely unexplainable.

And yes, Xbox and PS3 games generally ship with a few bugs now, becuase of the assumption that players can download updates to fix them.  It seems that the days of thorough playtesting of games are gone.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 24, 2011, 02:26:34 pm

Have any impressions yet on Skyward Sword?

Best 3D Zeruda?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 24, 2011, 06:58:25 pm

Its arguably the most difficult so far.  You start with six hearts instead of the normal three, but just about everything does a full heart of damage.  I've had to scavenge for hearts a little too often.  Fortunately, they put chairs and tree stumps around that if you sit on you'll recover health pretty quickly.

Difficulty isn't helped by the first (wooden) shield being a total piece of crap.  If you don't block correctly, it breaks in just three hits.  You can pay to repair it or use a potion on it to fix it, but you're better off saving your rupees and just running from the Octoroks until you buy the second (iron) shield.

No voice acting, which with all the text is disappointing. We're well past the days of skimping on features like this.  Other major games this season (Uncharted, Gears of War, Halo) are all entirely voiced, so it looks poor that Nintendo games continue to not be so when its clearly evident to be an advantage in adventure and other story-driven games.

But my biggest complaint so far is that it should have had a clock like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess.  Its always daylight, and the only way to get to night is to rest on a bed.  But at night you can't fly between islands so too many sidequests so far involve flying to another island, sleeping, doing a part of the side quest, sleeping, and then flying back.  Would have been nice to be able to fly at night or have the system treat one minute of real time as one hour of game time like so many of the earlier games did.  The time element was used so well in those games, and especially in Majora's Mask.

Best thing so far is the sword control.  Twilight Princess basically just swung back and forth when you moved the controller.  This one takes into account the angle that you swing or thrust with.  Enemies will usually block in one direction (ie, horizontally) but if you slash in the other direction (ie, vertically) you'll hit them.  Even the Blokoblins (those gremlin looking guys who first appeared in Wind Waker) are somewhat challenging now becuase they're relatively effective blockers.  Sometimes you have to slash diagonally, and not always top-to-bottom (sometimes you have to slice from ground-up)

Plus you get some new control of other things, like bombs.  Instead of just tossing or dropping at your feet, you can now roll them like a bowling ball, including into holes that monster's are hiding in to kill them.

Some of the old enemies (Keese, Octoroks, Blokoblins, Skulltulas) are back, but there's plenty of new ones like the one that hides in holes and need to have a bomb rolled their way.  Also appears to be a whole new top bad guy this time around - seems to be more sadistic and less power-hungry than Ganondorf was.  Most of the friendly races are all new, but I have run into a Goron so far.  There's also some new items (a parachute type device, a flying remote controlled beetle), some underutilized tools from previous games (like the digging mitts from Minish Cap and bug net from Link to the Past), and old favorites like the slingslot, bombs, and bottles for holding things.  For collectors, there's both forging items and bug collecting (like Twilight Princess) to be performed in this game, which help you upgrade your equipment or infuse your potions to make them more effective.

As far as best 3D, it's still behind Ocarina of Time for me.  Still behind Majora's Mask and Wind Waker (which alot of people don't like but I do), too, but I think it might catch up to them depending how the story progresses, what happens in side quests, and whether there are new, interesting items to be found.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on November 25, 2011, 08:42:48 am

I always figured the lack of fully voiced dialogue was deliberate -- a device to keep up the illusion the characters were actually speaking Hylian language rather than English or Japanese or whatever. Either way, I doubt voice dialogue would be an actual improvement to me. That sort of thing always just invites criticism over the quality of the voice acting.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 25, 2011, 03:36:30 pm

I'd welcome voiced dialogue as long as Link remains as he is.

Glad to hear the combat isn't completely a cakewalk. It's the only thing about the 3D Zeldas that never sat well with me.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 25, 2011, 09:16:04 pm

Quote from: Rai on November 25, 2011, 08:42:48 am

I always figured the lack of fully voiced dialogue was deliberate -- a device to keep up the illusion the characters were actually speaking Hylian language rather than English or Japanese or whatever.

Well some of the characters make an "Oh!" surprised sound or "Aww" depressed sound when you talk to them, similar to previous Zelda games.  Your "spirit guide" of sorts does "talk" in a flute instrument sounding voice, but no one's got actual English or Japanese voice.

Quote from: Moquin on November 25, 2011, 03:36:30 pm

I'd welcome voiced dialogue as long as Link remains as he is.

You'll be glad to hear then that Link still pantomimes when he's asked to describe something to another person.  I think this has pretty much become expected of him.

There are alot of places where you can choose two or more responses ot questions though, so I presume he is speaking to other characters, we just don't see it.

Quote from: Moquin on November 25, 2011, 03:36:30 pm

Glad to hear the combat isn't completely a cakewalk. It's the only thing about the 3D Zeldas that never sat well with me.

I can say with complete certainty now that its the most challenging Zelda game since Zelda II on the NES (a claim previously held by Majora's Mask in my opinion).  Barring what other people tell you and the famous bombable cracks in the walls, it otherwise doesn't give you hardly any clues (ie, fairy flying off to some peculiar spot) and expects you to look around yourself and do all the searching to figure things out.  (It does give you a radar type of ability, but its kinda lousy and keeps leading me in the wrong direction when I use it.)  Long story short, this is definately a Zelda for experienced gamers.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: MMX on December 11, 2011, 01:29:01 am

Quote from: JG00 on November 20, 2011, 12:05:14 pm

Ok, I got Zelda Limited Edition

i h8 u =(

Did you get the 3DS one too?  Have you seen that?  Oh my god, so shmexy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 13, 2011, 09:30:55 pm

No I don't have a 3DS.  And I'm unlikely to buy one until they release an XL version.  I would have much preferred a DSi XL but bought a regular DSi shortly before they announced the forthcoming XL.  Not going to have that happen again.

Mainly its becuase the ergonomics of the DS Lite / DSi / 3DS are worse than the original DS, not becuase of the screen size.  It's more rectangular than the slightly hexagonal shape of the original DS and has to be held more forcibly at the corners so it doesn't slip out of alignment with your thumbs.  It therefore puts more pressure than you really want in the center of your palm (similar to Playstation or original NES controllers) and it hurts my hands to play the DSi more than about 2 hours at a time.


That being said I would love to play Ocarina of Time again, as its been several years since I last played it on the GC.  I'll probably settle for the GC version again though, so I can play it and Master Quest back-to-back (and it wouldn't cost me $200+ either)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 17, 2011, 12:12:14 am

So I finished Skyward Sword yesterday.

Its is a very, very close second to Ocarina of Time, which just about every publication puts in their Top 10 all-time best video games lists.  Skyward Sword arguably gives the Zelda series two games in the Top 10.  (It does on my list!)  And given the recent run of shooters winning Game of Year accolades recently, Skyward Sword should get serious consideration this year.


The only compaints I've got are...
1 - Epona is much more interesting than your Loftwing.  Jumping fences and shooting things from horseback is fun while your bird, until very late in the game, doesn't do much except move you between sky islands.
2 - While the motion control is more fun than I expected to be, its also merciless.  Any angle at all and you may end up doing a diagonal slash instead of horizontal or vertical and too many bosses and harp tunes require you to move the controller unnaturally far in one direction then move all the way back across your body to the extreme on the other side of your body. I still like to sit while playing and when the game called for extrmeme movements it irritated me that it couldn't be happy with my desired wrist flicks.
3 - You don't get the bow until very late (which is also good becuase it doesn't replace your slingshot so early like it usually does).  As a consequence there's no special arrows and the old trick of shooting a regular arrow through fire to melt a block of ice isn't utilized at all.


But the game is still awesome.  It's almost like the Wii controller and nunchuk was designed for Skyward Sword, not the other way around.  The wand is obvious for the sword control, item activation, and tossing bombs, but the use of the nunchuk for shield control is much improved over TP.  And not just the sword and shield but your secondary items too: you can roll bombs at an angle, use your whip to grab items and pull switches, and swing your bug net above your head for flying bugs or across the ground for crawling critters.

And when you beat the game...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

... it explains the entire Legend of Zelda mythos, why a hero and a maiden will reappear throughout time whenever evil rises.  In other words, why there can be different Links and different Zeldas throughout all the different ages of Hyrule.  Nintendo has essentially retconned the entire series into a beleivable chronological structure instead of each game being off in its own little universe.  They're now all in the same universe, and all in the same Hyrule, just thousands of years apart.

Plus, there's finally a bonus challenge after the game is over!  Not quite the Master Quest of old, but Skyward Sword's "Hero Mode" is still a hefty challenge.  The game starts over from the beginning and is essentially the same, but damage inflicted to you is doubled AND there are NO hearts anywhere in the game.  One or the other would be sufficiently difficult, but now you really pay for your mistakes as most hits do two hearts of damage and the only way to recover them is to rest, sleep, find a fairy (which are much rarer in Skyward Sword than previous games), drink a potion, or acquire a piece of heart or heart container. I had to use all three doses of potion I had against the first boss and still only survived with a single heart remaining.  I fully expect to need Guardian Potion+ for some of the tougher bosses later in the game - if I can make it that far under such circumstances.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 08, 2012, 05:08:55 pm

And now I've completed Hero Mode as well!

Phew. That's on par with original Legend of Zelda Master Quest and Zelda II: Adventure of Link in terms of difficulty.  Only reason its behind those two is thanks to Guardian Potion+ use during the final two battles (I used two GP+s and a dose of HP++ to clear the ending battles, starting from the Temple).  Oh and you do get some hearts available about mid-way through the game but you have to use one of your eight pouches to hold a Heart Medal (instead of somehting more useful, like a bottle), and even then they only show up with about a half the frequency of regular mode and do you no good in boss fights.

I still think its the best game I've played since the original BioShock, too.  Shame its getting the upturned nose from all the video game awards fools.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 16, 2012, 02:54:31 pm

Not since the 16-bit days have i felt any sort of challenge in the combat of Zelda; Skyward Sword is just the fix i've been looking for.

I have a copy sitting around, but i sold my Wii recently to help pay for my hypothetical Wii U.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 16, 2012, 08:33:03 pm

Quote from: Moquin on January 16, 2012, 02:54:31 pm

Not since the 16-bit days have i felt any sort of challenge in the combat of Zelda

That's funny, becuase the only 16-bit game in the series, A Link to the Past, is generally considered the easiest.

And I agree.  I'd say its slighter harder than the rediculously easy Wind Waker in main game difficulty, but WW has many more sidequests is rather hard to finish with all treasures and heart pieces found. 


How I'd rank them in difficulty (easiest to toughest, assuming 100% completion and both regular and Master/Hero Mode quests if available)
A Link to the Past
Four Swords Adventures
Link's Awakening
Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time: Master Quest (treating this a seperate game since it comes on it's own disc)
Minish Cap
Oracle of Ages (assuming back to back playthrough with OoS to unlock the final battle)
Oracle of Seasons (assuming back to back playthrough with OoA to unlock the final battle)
Spirit Tracks
The Wind Waker (easiest if not going for 100%)
Twilight Princess
Phantom Hourglass
Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda
Skyward Sword (easier than LoZ's Master Quest if you leave out the Thunder Dragon's challenge and thereby skip getting the Hylian Shield, but not LoZ's regular quest)
Adventure of Link

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 18, 2012, 03:41:11 am

You're right when you say ALttP being easy peasy. Haven't replayed the game not since the late 90's, so my memory's a bit fuzzy. 

If you ever get a chance i would highly recommend playing through BS Zelda, my personal favorite. Strange choice, but i feel the game holds up very well today despite being the most simplistic Zelda (essentially the first game with a 16-bit facelift).

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LvWHhlnoW0g/TLoiCS2pO9I/AAAAAAAAAO0/w1wMxE0oFaw/s256/tri.png)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 18, 2012, 07:30:40 am

Quote from: Moquin on January 18, 2012, 03:41:11 am

You're right when you say ALttP being easy peasy. Haven't replayed the game not since the late 90's, so my memory's a bit fuzzy.

I just played through it again last week in two evenings and without dying I beleive I used just two fairies and one red potion, completing the game with a triple zero on the ending screen.  It's both very short (under 10 hours) and very easy.  Don't get me wrong, its still fun; it just goes by so quickly.

Quote from: Moquin on January 18, 2012, 03:41:11 am

If you ever get a chance i would highly recommend playing through BS Zelda

I've got the ROM but its either corrupt or I need to update my ZSNES. :/
I could use some help combining a ROM and emulator that work.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 18, 2012, 02:31:26 pm

Quote from: JG00 on January 18, 2012, 07:30:40 am

I've got the ROM but its either corrupt or I need to update my ZSNES. :/
I could use some help combining a ROM and emulator that work.

Everything you'll need is right here -- http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/bs1files.shtml (http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/bs1files.shtml)

The one i played was The Legend of Zelda - Third Quest. In my opinion it's not a Zelda game if you're not playing as Link (Zelda is also playable in this one).

You'll need either BSNES or SNES9x to play BS Zelda.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 05, 2012, 03:17:52 pm

What's your take on Other M, JGOO?

Are you as repulsed as every other Metroid fan who's played the game?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 06, 2012, 12:39:52 am

Well, we saw what happened when Nintendo gave up creative control of the Star Fox franchise and watched it nosedive into the ground.  Nintendo's passed off control over the Metroid franchise to Tecmo, and it's not quite what we'd like to see.

The good:
* Great story, if it is a little reminscient of Metroid Fusion (trapped on a space station, have to navigate between "sectors", experiments to revive enemies/creatures you thought were dead, etc.)
* Gives a lot of background on how Samus's military career went, but doesn't say much about her early history (ie, how Ripley killed her parents, how she came to acquire the powersuit, etc.)
* Fills the hole in the story between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion.  The entire Prime series was placed between the original Metroid and Super Metroid chronologically, so it's nice to see a true sequel.  It literally picks up right after the destruction of Zebes, Mother Brain, and the baby Metroid at the end of Super Metroid.
* The graphics really are spectacular, especially the Lava Lake in Sector 3. Like the Prime series, the designers spent a long time working on how the environment looks and it shows. Alot of people think you need HD graphics these days and this game proves you don't.
* Samus has some pretty slick acrobatic moves.  When your charge beam is fully charged, she can dodge attacks or pull off executions on downed or wounded enemies.  This is why Samus would kick the Master Chief's ass in a firefight.
* It's 3D but you hold the control sideways like an NES controller.  It gives the game a very classic feel, until... (see Ugly)

The bad:
* Some of the dialogue and personal thoughts of Samus are rather poorly written. (Oh, there's a bad guy running around killing the other soliders. I'll just call him the Deleter for the fun of it, rather than something normal, like "traitor", "spy", or "saboteur".)
* Killing creatures doesn't gain you health or missile recharges like EVERY OTHER Metroid game.  I feel this is a major failure of the gameplay mechanics.  There is a reward for killing creatures in some rooms though, which highlight the location of hidden items in the room.  However, becuase of the lack of health recharges, there's a save station every 5 or 6 rooms, meaning they're just too damn common.
* It also means you die too easily.  The game is based on the concept of non-stop action, so every 5 or 6 rooms (what a surprise) you have a boss or mini-boss fight of sorts, which you're pretty likely to die fighting the first time or two you take them on.
* At least when you die, you don't always have to start over at the last save point (sometimes right at the beginning of the boss fight), so you pick up pretty much right where you left off.  This begs the question though, why so many save stations around, solely to recharge your health, when saving isn't really required that often?
* I seem to be nearing the end of the game (based on how many upgrades I've acquired) and I still don't know exactly what the other "M" is yet.  There's some possibilities, but the story hasn't made it clear yet.  This might end up being in the good category though if its revealed in the end as I expect it will be.

The ugly:
* You have to flip the controller forward to face the screen in order to fire missiles.  And you have to press and hold A to lock on before firing them.  And you can't move in this mode.  There are numerous problems with this mode: enemies move way too fast so you get hit trying to shoot missiles almost all the time (meaning you get mauled by the enemy); press A too quick and you enter morph ball mode instead of firing off a missile (meaning you get mauled by the enemy); and standing still doesn't improve your chances to dodge enemy attacks (meaning you get mauled by the enemy)

If they'd just come up with a way to shoot missiles on the run, maybe by pressing 1 to switch between blaster and missile mode, ala original Metroid, it would be a pretty good game.  As it is, you're doing your damndest not to ever get hit and to avoid using missile mode in the boss fights as much as possible, and that takes away from the fun a bit.  If you can tolerate dying every so often against a mini-boss and three or four times against each major boss before beating them, then you might like it.  If dying in games frustrates you, maybe you oughta pass.


Maybe a 6 out of 10.  Metroid series fans will like the history and the story, but not the gameplay so much.  Non-Metroid fans will probably just hate it, period.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 08, 2012, 06:13:35 pm

Isn't Sakamoto to blame for Other M? He's the director after all, and was also in charge of Super and Fusion.

Abhor having to play the Wii remote sideways, namely because the dpad is absolute horrendous.

Plz let the gimmicks end next gen, Nintendy!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 09, 2012, 07:47:50 am

Quote from: Moquin on March 08, 2012, 06:13:35 pm

Abhor having to play the Wii remote sideways, namely because the dpad is absolute horrendous.

The newer RemotePlus controllers seem to be a little better in dpad control.  Do wish you could use GameCube controllers for these games instead though.  The dpad works okay in Other M though because there's rarely a need to use diagonals (Point Samus in one of the four cardinal directions and she'll shoot directly at any enemies in that quadrant, whether they're exactly in front of her or not.)

My big compaint about holding sideways (and regularly) is the shape of the controller.  Nintendo's always been big about ergonomics since the Super Famicom days and then made a complete fail with the boxy Wii Remote, which they had to post-fix with the plastic sleeves.  The sleeves fixed regular play control ergonomics, but made sideways play even worse.  Then they made the Remote Plus addon, but since it attaches tot he bottom of the wand, it moves the 1 & 2 buttons out of reach for most people when held sideways, so they had to post-fix that with a regular sized controller containing the Plus features built in.  Its a comedy of errors.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 11, 2012, 11:32:58 pm

I can understand why people hate the Gamecube controller (wasn't a game changer, confused noobs and devs alike), but really that thing could have been the perfect controller for the Wii (need the A-button to be the focal point? no problem).

Extending your thumb to reach the 1/2/+/- buttons was always cumbersome. At least on the cube pad the b/x/y buttons were within a reasonable pressing distance.

Why Nintendo :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 18, 2012, 03:16:51 am

Have you made a reservation for Xenoblade, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 18, 2012, 09:58:57 am

Haven't seen anybody offer any pre-order deals for it yet.  :undecided

Plus I'm on the fence about it.  I don't have a lot of time these days for massive 100+ hour RPGs, so I have to evaulate these games closely before committing.  It's been getting remarkable reviews and rankings by critic sites/magazines though, so if it passes the muster of a YouTube gameplay video review, I'll be considering it.

Kid Icarus: Uprising comes out in a few days though, and that's pulling at my heartstrings pretty strongly (even though I don't yet have a 3DS). Xenoblade may take a back seat to that one.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 21, 2012, 10:23:14 pm

My experience with Kid Icarus only goes as far as the Captain N cartoons, which upon rewatching last year, aren't very good.

Can't imagine Xenoblade as the kind of game that'll go down in price, and the stock will most likely be limited.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 22, 2012, 08:04:10 pm

Another advantage Xenoblade has: There's little on the horizon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Upcoming_video_games_scheduled_for_2012) to interest me short of Paper Mario 4 sometime in the summer.  All the others are late in the year (Bioshock 3, Halo 4) or a release date hasn't been set, which I interpret as iffy for Christmas and more likely next year (Dragon Quest X, Luigi's Mansion 2).  MechWarrior Online is also scheduled for summer, but I seriously doubt its ready before much later in the year.



Kid Icarus is one of those old-school games that are innovative and simple to play but incredibly unforgiving.  It's a weird mix of Metroid and Zelda: three stages of linear play followed by a free-movement dungeon stage. When you defeat enemies you collect hearts as your currency (:rupee) to buy items.  The more enemies you kill the higher your score gets and you get upgrades to your health once your score reaches certain levels (one of the earliest implementations of an experience system.)

Of course it's also got those old school-oddities.  For example, Pit has wings, but falling off the bottom of the screen kills him.


I'm getting the urge to play it again now....

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 27, 2012, 07:53:52 pm

Now that you have a 3DS, we should exchange friend codes, JGOO.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 27, 2012, 08:32:08 pm

Quote from: Moquin on March 27, 2012, 07:53:52 pm

Now that you have a 3DS, we should exchange friend codes, JGOO.

I never said I had one, but as chance has it Target's offering them at $15 off so I got one Sunday. I also took advantage of their buy two get one free deal and got Ocarina of Time, StarFox 64, and Super Mario Land 3D.  I got Kid Icarus at Best Buy becuase they had it $10 off and on top of that I had a $10 Rewards Zone certificate that was going to run out in early April.


My 3DS friend code is 1075-1638-3037.  So far I'd probably only be willing to compete in a StarFox firefight.

My Xbox Live username is lilisaur.  If you have FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage then I will immediately drop what I'm doing and make the time to blow you off the road. ;D  Otherwise you might be able to convince me to play one of the more common shooting games series (Halo, BioShock, or Gears) but I generally suck at shooters so don't expect much.

I'm sure I have a Wii friend code, too, but the inernet play on Wii is lackluster at best and I can't think of any multiplayer games I own for it off the top of my head.

I don't own a PS3, so don't ask for PSN credentials.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 28, 2012, 08:08:02 pm

Sent you a friend request on both systems.

My 3DS friend code -- 1547 5206 8571

Don't own a 360, but i do play on a friend's system every weekend.

Just padding out my friends list.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 03, 2012, 12:22:36 pm

So I completed Kid Icarus: Uprising yesterday.  Yes I know it took me a long time but I thoroughly enjoyed it on the days I had time to play a level or two.  At just 25 levels it sounds like you should clear it in no time, but you end up playing each level at least 3 or 4 times to unlock all the treasure chests and bonuses, so it has exceptional replay value.  And with a 91-point difficulty slider (between 0.0 and 9.0) you can make each stage just a little harder than the last time you cleared it, so you can replay for a long, looooong time before you've fully cleared a stage.  I give this game a 9.5 out of 10.  If you've got a 3DS, get Kid Icarus becuase its going to be remembered as one of the staple games of the platform.

Pros:
* Lighthearted voiced commentary from the pantheons of gods and goddesses while you're fighting.  Really ingenious way of providing hints and such.  Fully voiced so there's got to be 3 hours or so of vocal tracks.
* Adjustable challenge slider (as opposed to the basic Easy, Medium, Hard, Really Hard type of static choices)
* Wide array of weapons, so each player can use what they like best (I like the Beam Claws)
* Weapon forge, including inheriting attributes of the weapons used
* Decent multiplayer experience (free-for-all and team battles), which can net you weapons for use in the solo campaign
* Decent story, though it gets off track a few times (ie, alien invasion that has almost nothing to do with the rest of the plot)
* A ton of challenges, such as complete level in under X minutes, defeat a specific enemy with a certain weapon or certain attack, etc.

Cons:
* High learning curve needed before you get use the unique play controls - a classic control stick and buttons method would have made more sense (you get the impression that Nintendo demanded that the stylus be used in some fashion).  Once you got used to it its fantastic for giving a full range of control but becuase you have to use the funny little stand it comes with, you lean over the 3DS while playing, so my back would wear out long before my mind or fingers.
* Doesn't make good use of the 3D system - its actually easier to play the game at a very low 3D setting or turned completely off.
* Sometimes the commentary says something while you're really busy avoiding enemy fire and you miss what was said.
* Really good weapons are exceptionally expensive; acquiring them by forging or via online methods is far easier
* You get hardly anything for selling a weapon (between 5 and 10% the value you'd pay for the same)
* Would be nice to be able to change weapons in the middle of a stage
* Too much emphasis on the Defense attribute of a weapon, to the near complete devaluation of every other attribute.  A defense +4 weapon with no other attributes is immensely more useful than a defense +2 weapon that has several other attributes, becuase you can take so much more damage.  By comparison, a defense +8 weapon is so underpowered offensively that its nigh unusable except for a decoy target in multiplayer: sure you can take damage but you can't deal it back out at that much investment in defense. (My beam claws are +3)
* Can't use your "spells" when flying, specifically the healing power, so its easier to die while flying due to infrequency of recovery items
* Too much emphasis on putting the healing power in your solo campaign repetoire.  You only have a certain number of spaces for powers, and since healing is so useful you just about always would rather have it than some attack or special effect power.  It also takes up 11 of your 36 slots, so it limits how many other powers you can take with you into battle, to the point that you never take some of them into battle, which reduces the complexity that the game could have provided if you were instead forced to take a few powers with you on certain stages.
* The higher challenge levels are absurdly difficult.  I managed to beat the first level of 9.0, but barely.  One challenge is to beat all 25 levels at 9.0 and that's got to be rediculously hard.  Doable I'm sure, but you'd need an immensely powerful weapon and be the king of dodging. (especially levels 4, 7, 9, 10, and 18, which I find to be the most difficult)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 03, 2012, 04:22:03 pm

While i have yet to play Kid Icarus, it's nice to see a fresh IP from Nintendo that isn't one of their usual suspects. Probably will pick it up sometime this year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 04, 2012, 07:56:18 am

Agreed.  They've completely revived this series in the same fashion they did with Metroid Prime a little over 10 years ago.  Shame the same can't be said for Punch Out or Donkey Kong.

In fact, I'd be astonished if a Kid Icarus game didn't come out for Wii U sometime next year or early 2014.  With a much improved multiplayer experience its got the basis to properly utilize online gaming in ways other Nintendo series can not, or have to be subverted to do so.  Nintendo needs to come out swiging hard to catch up to Xbox Live and PSN, and I'm not sure New Super Mario Bros U and Super Smash Bros U are going to be enough.  They need a game that can deliver both co-op and multiple competitve modes, and neither of those have got it. (Maybe they can with the Metroid series, but Kid Icarus is the hot commodity right now while I think Metroid has run its course for a while and needs to take a couple of years off or be relegated to secondary status on the 3DS for a game or two before coming back on the home system. I love Metroid but its gone three titles in a row on the home system and needs a break.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 04, 2012, 02:30:35 pm

You're making all the wrong assumptions, JGOO. Punch Out and Donkey Kong's worldwide sales far exceeded Kid Icarus (not to say KI didn't sell well; it did great for a portable release). Nintendo doesn't usually milk IP unless its got Mario on it, so i don't expect another KI anytime soon.

Wii U's code name implies its going to be thematically a true social-networking game console. I say we'll all be pleasantly surprised come Tuesday.

It's been six years since Retro's last Metroid. I would like to see the company do something fresh with the IP that isn't another Prime game. I'll also settle for a Star Fox game from Retro :purplerupee

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 05, 2012, 08:22:17 am

Quote from: Moquin on June 04, 2012, 02:30:35 pm

You're making all the wrong assumptions, JGOO. Punch Out and Donkey Kong's worldwide sales far exceeded Kid Icarus (not to say KI didn't sell well; it did great for a portable release). Nintendo doesn't usually milk IP unless its got Mario on it, so i don't expect another KI anytime soon.

To my knowledge there wasn't a single nationwide commercial campaign for either Punch-Out or DKC Returns.  There was for KI: Uprising.  I think this shows Nintendo thought those two were average games at best while Kid Icarus was something that could be a hit.

At least,  it would be if the 3DS had been priced more reasonably over the Christmas holiday (when most kids get theirs).  There just aren't enough 3DS's out there to push Kid Icarus over the top.  All my cousin's kids and all my coworker's kids seem to have DSs, but they're usually the older models: Usually originals with a few DSi or DSi XLs.  I don't think any of them have a 3DS.  I get the impression that parents just don't think its worth it to upgrade to the newest platform, especially at a $250 price tag.  Might improve when its sub-$150 this Christmas, but by then Kid Icarus will be old hat. (On the other hand, KI is clearly targetted toward older players so maybe this is a moot point.)

Quote from: Moquin on June 04, 2012, 02:30:35 pm

It's been six years since Retro's last Metroid. I would like to see the company do something fresh with the IP that isn't another Prime game. I'll also settle for a Star Fox game from Retro :purplerupee

Five actually (Metroid Prime 3 was 2007), but they did do Donkey Kong Country Returns since then, so they've shown a pregressive slide in quality (Metroid Prime > Metroid Prime 2 > Metroid Prime 3 > DKC Returns)

They also did Mario Kart 7, which looks reasonable and plays better than I expected when I tried in Target for a minute or two, but like Kid Icarus it's market is small so it won't gather attention or acclaim (and also, no nationwide commercial campign.)  Plus, Mario Kart has pretty much worn out its welcome after the difficult to play MK DS (5) and the rediculously unforgiving MK Wii (6).

And according to Wikipedia, Retro's Wii U title that they're working on is Star Fox Revolution.  I don't know what to think of this.  I want a good game but with the track record I'm worried they'll screw it up somehow.  On the other hand, surely they can't be as bad as Namco and Q-Games were at stewardship of the franchise.  Between Assault and Command the two of them damn near wrecked it and was only saved by how well Star Fox 64 transitioned to 3D.  (Actually Command wasn't that bad, but the tactical style gameplay wasn't what anyone expected, and in my mind didn't do enough to erase the absolute stink of Assault.)  Revolution better come out swinging and do some fantastic (and new) things, becuase Kid Icarus Uprising's sky battles are a far superior tunnel based shooter to anything we've ever seen from Star Fox, and may have stolen all its thunder.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 08, 2012, 06:14:09 pm

I'm still very much excited about the Wii U hardware, but Nintendo being coy with any actual news of future game development is hurting them.

Certainly didn't hamper the 3DS to hype up Kid Icarus, Mario 3D Land, yadda yadda well before the system's release.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 10, 2012, 08:36:54 am

Wait, whut?

What are you talking about? They announced a crapton of games for launch (http://www.slashgear.com/nintendo-announces-wii-u-launch-titles-05232202/) - more than I recall for any other system being announced.  I'll concede that some of these may arrive a few months after launch, but is that really a problem?  Did you buy a Wii, Xbox360, or PS3 in the first 2 or 3 months of launch?  (PS3 maybe, but 360s were generally hard to find until after Christmas, and Wiis were exceptionally scarce for many months.)

Pikmin 3
New Super Mario Bros. U
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Darksiders 2
Mass Effect 3
TANK! TANK! TANK!
Tekken Tag Tournment 2
Trine 2: Director’s Cut
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
Aliens Colonial Marines
Wii Fit U
Sing!
LEGO City: Undercover
Just Dance 4
ZombiU
The Avengers: Battle for Earth
Assassin’s Creed III
Rayman Legends
Rabbids Land
YourShape: Fitness Evolved 2013

If Nintendo is serious that Wii U won't suffer the supply problems that Wii had, then they've learned a lesson from the DSi and 3DS launchs of the past couple of years, where hardware was plentiful but games were few and weak and sales started off very slow as a consequence (and remain so for 3DS)



Now "coy" is pumping up titles that we won't see until 2013. I wish they'd move E3 to about February so everything on the table games-wise comes out by holiday season, instead of all this BS that Microsoft and Sony partners were showing slated for release next year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 22, 2012, 01:48:40 am

Welp. Guess i'll be putting up my 3DS for sale. You gonna do the same, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 22, 2012, 07:07:12 am

Why?  And no, I'm still enjoying it.  Still playing Kid Icarus about once a week, trying to complete some of the easier remaining challenges.  And only up to world 6 in Super Mario 3D Land (didn't play for a long time while going through Kid Icarus but resumed it last weekend when I was out of town.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on June 22, 2012, 10:15:51 am

I'm assuming he says this because of the announcement of the 3DS XL.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 23, 2012, 07:14:35 am

Yeah I figured that out later in the day.  Weird that I saw the story on my local paper website and not on usatoday.com or cnn.com though.

Just like with the DSi, I'd prefer an XL version as it better fits the size of my hands, but I'm not dropping an additional $200 for it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 23, 2012, 01:16:00 pm

You could sell the old one to fund the purchase of the new one. I always do that when there's a better model.

Quite furious the white XL ain't coming to North America :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 25, 2012, 11:21:02 am

When was the last time you played a non-Dragon Warrior RPG, JGOO, besides your current one?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 26, 2012, 07:04:46 am

I was replaying Skies of Arcadia Legends for about the 5th or 6th time late last year.  It remains to this day the finest RPG I've ever played.  (Xenoblade is very good but there's *too much* and it takes away from the overall experience.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 26, 2012, 01:56:41 pm

I played Skies Legends for about 10 hours and remembered not being too thrilled by it, namely the high enemy encounter rate and the primitive graphics.

Lunar and Grandia are some of my favorite RPGs, so i feel a bit alienated for not completing what is essentially a sequel to those games in spirit.

 

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: g0f3r on August 04, 2012, 01:44:04 am

Grandia really is an amazing game. Ties with Legend of Legia for me.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 04, 2012, 11:28:56 pm

I thought Legaia was moderately entertaining, but very mediocre (Legend of Dragoon as well if you've played that studio's other RPG).

Grandia is absolutely brilliant. It's only marred by Sony America's localization (i can't believe Working Designs didn't snatch it up).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 04, 2012, 08:03:39 pm

New Super Mario Bros 2:

9.2 out of 10

Pros: Better than the first. Maybe the most purely fun Mario game I've played since Super Mario World.  No stage is so incredibly hard to absolutely piss you off (though the warp cannon stages can be quite challenging.)  Good use of all of Mario's skills, including some Raccoon-tail flying, butt stomp, kicking shells into things, and bounce jumping off of enemies to reach higher ledges.  Not impossible to collect all the Star/Moon Coins - decent replayability of stages trying to collect them all.  Warps are not a given (hard enough to find them, then have to complete a very difficult running and jumping stage) and go to truly special worlds (like SMW) instead of just advancing a few regular worlds.  The minishroom isn't needed quite as much as NSMB1, and is easier to obtain for when you do need it.

Cons: Short, and maybe too easy to collect all the Star Coins and Moon Coins and complete all levels.  Some enemies underutilized (ie, Fire Bros. only appear in one level.)  The always fun Megashroom only makes three appearances.   Another pretty weak story, doesn't even explain why you should or need to collect one million coins.  Maybe if you were to finance the Toad Orphanage or something, I could get behind that, but they don't explain it all.  And the ad campaign makes such a big deal about coin collecting, although it doesn't matter one bit.

And a MILLION coins??  I've cleared every stage in every world (normal and special), finding all alternate exits, and collecting every Star Coin and Moon Coin in the game, and I finished with a paltry 45,000-something coins. Ain't no way I'm playing the game through 22 times over to get to a million.  When I started, I thought it would be easy to maybe finish with 400,000 - 700,000, putting a million in reach with a little extra effort. Nintendo may have well said ten million and it would have accomplished the same amount of dissatisfaction.  I'm just glad one million isn't needed to access some kind of final boss or special ending because then I'd be pissed.

As it stands, it's worth the real coins you have to put down for the game just for the fun factor, but don't get your hopes up that you'll be swimming in a bath of coins.




Also, Kid Icarus: Uprising only $15 at Best Buy today (Sept 4)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 05, 2012, 12:38:57 am

I liked Mario games back when they were a special occasion, but now they're churning out the fella yearly.

If i have to choose a NSMB game (i have yet to touch one), i'll probably try the upcoming Wii U game. The coin gimmick didn't really grab me from the trailers of NSMB2.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on September 20, 2012, 06:16:43 am

I'm playing Bullet Witch again.

Please stop me.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 22, 2012, 01:45:14 pm

I love playing obscure Japanese games.

Never gets old.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 15, 2012, 09:53:39 am

Just in case any of you have been witnessing how Resident Evil 6 alienates friends and family all across the internet, and are wondering who to listen to, and you've decided to listen to me because you know I'm the real deal honey baby: RE6 is legit, get it. Or play the demo. Then get it. Because it's good.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 15, 2012, 01:33:55 pm

I liked the demo, but I'll wait for the inevitable Wii U port :smalltran

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 19, 2012, 11:34:01 pm

Halo 4:

8 out of 10

Pros: Visually stunning. Finally the Halo series has gotten enough attention to detail in the environment.  I really like how the grass blows in the wind.  The alien tech appears as imaginative as the first Halo, and more impressive than Halo 3, but still shy of the Metroid Prime series for sheer alien quality.  Cortana, the Chief, and enemies are much more detailed, too.  Thankfully the main campaign is a little longer than the embarassingly short Halo 3, but not by much, and still noticibly shorter than the first two Halos.  The cutscenes are gorgeous though and give it a much better "movie game" feel than earlier Halos. The game continues with the Spartan Ops weekly episodes of five missions.  It's not the Master Chief, but I'm enjoying it more than the campaign.

Cons: Dumber AI - grunts easily just walk right toward you and allow themselves to get shot in the face while elites stand still too often while getting shot at long range.  At the same time though, it's harder: you have to do more sniping and taking cover - you can't just run in and blast everything like you used to.  There's too many enemies mounting sniper rifles and rocket launchers (even on Normal), and though you might have fought 2 or 3 elites at once in earlier Halos, they routinely through 6-8 of them at you at once in Halo 4.  They took away the ability to carry a weapon in each hand, and with it a few of the weapons like SMGs.  Ammo is rather scarce in a few parts of the game. More Master Chief solo, which means less marines accompanying you, so they took away a lot of the vehicle combat: only one Scorpion, two Banshees, a single Warthog, and just a few Ghosts and Wraiths along the way. You do get a Pelican and a Broadsword fighter for the first time, but they don't quite make up for the difference.  The new Mantis exoskeleton is fun, too (in a MechAssault way), but again, there's only one so it doesn't last.  The physics engine isn't any better, as enemies (or yourself) still go flying with too little force and objects can float in midair for no reason at all.  4 years since Halo 3 isn't enough time to explain how Humanity suddenly went from near extinction to having this massive armada of starships - at the start of Halo 2 and into Halo 3, the Earth defenses are completely overwhelmed by a handful of Covenant cruisers, but now we have (as evidenced by one scene) a good 30+ Pillar of Autumn-class cruisers and a battleship 50 times the size of Pillar of Autumn in Earth orbit alone.

Summary: Microsoft/343 certainly didn't ruin it, and its a worthy continuation of the series, but there's just not enough newness to this edition.  After seeing how beautiful the environments are, I wish it was more interactive.  I was hoping, now that we've had a pair of new episodes of Gears of War since the last time we saw the Chief, that he'd be able to use cover and have it destructible, too.  Halo is supposed to be a good shooter made great by a gratuitous amount of vehicles.  Well, they took away almost all of the vehicles, and left us with a shooter that just isn't as good as GoW3, nor anywhere near as long or in-depth.  The Spartan Ops episodic campaign is it's redeeming feature.


If you want to play some, I'll share my Xbox Live id by PM.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 21, 2012, 01:02:27 am

I've seen screenshots of the new Cortana. Yowza.

Bungie was pretty lousy at modeling human face, as were other western devs like Bethesda for the longest time.

Less vehicular combat? Not cool. It was my favorite aspect of the series, wonky physics and all.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 11, 2012, 03:43:53 pm

Now that the Wii is dead what is your top ten for the system, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 11, 2012, 10:55:12 pm

Ten is pretty tough for me - I only have 20 Wii games that I've played (and a few I haven't got to like Punch Out!! and the new Epic Mickey 2).  Picking the top 5 or 6 was easy but after that it sort of ran together into a collection of games of which I could easily juggle the order if you asked me tomorrow.

Keep in mind, my tastes in genre are not the same as yours.  Yes, I have Super Smash Bros Brawl, and no, it doesn't make my top ten.


Top #1: Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (A+, truly excellent. #2 in the series, right behind Ocarina of Time, and #3 is much farther behind)

Top #2: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (A, really good, without being as grinding as the first)

Top #3: Xenoblade Chronicles (A, thanks for the recommendations everyone; this was a fantastic epic and almost my personal game of the year for 2012 [which instead goes to Kid Icarus: Uprising])

Top #4: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (B+, good solo, but better when multi-player [but also too easy])

Top #5: Metroid: Other M (B+, other than the absurd first-person missile mode that makes a few boss battles harder than they should be, this is on par with Fusion as a great classic Metroid game and gives wonderful background to the series)

Top #6: Super Mario Galaxy (B+, good, but they got it better second time around)

Top #7: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (B, much better than 2, but not not as good as the first)

Top #8: Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (B, not as good as the awesome "flagship" first chapter, but a suitable "escort" followup to show what happened to the heroes after saving the world the first time [Flagship and escort are NAMCO terms, indicating whether a game is a major release with a huge investment of time and money, or a smaller scale release, often reusing an engine from flagship games])

Top #9: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (B, great gameplay, but baring the excellent use of Epona, almost everything else they did right in Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker they didn't quite get right with this one. The story is dull and there's just no humor or fun.)

Top #10: Super Paper Mario (B, its a shame they dropped the audience with this game: its what made the first Paper Mario and Thousand Year Door really fly; having just completed Sticker Star, I still think TYD is the best of the series)

Honorable Mentions: Epic Mickey (should have been voiced and easier; intended for kids but designed for advanced players only), Wii Sports (who doesn't love Boxing and Bowling?), and Red Steel (which used the sword slashes nicely, but not as well as the much later Skyward Sword which nails it)




Bottom #5: Metroid Prime: Trilogy (D+. Expected all 3 games to use the same controls as #3, and nope, it uses some odd button configuration for the first two games, and then leaves part 3 virtually untouched.  It's arguably better to get original GameCube discs and a GC controller for the first two, than it is to play them in the Trilogy mode.  Plus there's nothing new about any of three, as if Nintendo really didn't care about the product they were putting out. Just slap a few games onto one disc and call it a day. Add in the fact it came out mere months after #3 debuted, it displaced a good third game on store shelves, which was still too new to make interest in this one worthwhile, and ended up hurting Other M later becuase people were tired by then of being saturated by three Metroid games in two years.)

Bottom #4: Sonic and the Secret Rings (D+. Not as bad as the disasterous Sonic the Hedgehog reboot a few years back, but it grows old fast. Every stage feels like some odd crossover between Sonic and Prince of Persia. And not enough speed!)

Bottom #3: Wii Play (D. Cute games to keep kids budy for a while, but little else. Good thing it came with a controller!)

Bottom #2: Mario Kart Wii (D-. Here's an idea: Lets take all the fun of having two characters on a single kart, with well balanced courses that we saw in the last console game [Double Dash], and trash it by making the race winner the one who has gone the longest without crashing. It no longer matters if you dominated the entire match and someone blue shells you right at the finish. You might still win that scenario in DD, in Wii that nets you last place, garaunteed. So does running off course.  So does bumping another car or some scenery. So does hitting a banana.  Really, three laps is just too much if it all depends on the last quarter of the final lap anyway. Ugh. After the DS and Wii debacles, the Mario Kart series is completely off my interest radar. Haven't played 7 and probably won't becuase I'm really not expecting it to be any good.)

Bottom #1: Donkey Kong Country Returns (F. Utter crap. You die way too easily, even on early levels in world 1 and 2. And rediculous game controls requiring constant up and down motion of the controller and nunchuk to make DK slap the ground to stun EVERY enemy that comes along.  My word of advice: AVOID.  Now, I'm sure DK and Diddy will show up in the Smash Bros series again, but they shouldn't ever get another title in their series if this is the garbage we're going to get, especially after that dumb bongo drums set a few years back.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 18, 2012, 09:45:10 pm

I was going to ask which games you didn't like, but i see you went ahead and did my work.

Is Other: M really that good? Most of the feedback i've heard from that game sounds like its a huge slap in the face. Epic Mickey as well.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 19, 2012, 07:37:03 am

I found Other M quite enjoyable for 98 or 99 percent of the time, because during that time it plays like a classic side scrolling Metroid game, but it's still 3D so you you can fire in 8 directions around you (jumping to fire higher than your level.)  Plus they give a good reason (military orders) for why you can't use certain weapons/skills early in the game, as opposed to the overused "suit destruction/malfunction" ploy.  The problem is when you need to use missiles.  By pointing the Wii Remote at the screen you can change to first person mode instead of the normal third person perspective. You have to use this method to fire missiles and you can't move when you do it.  Too many boss fights require swapping between the two modes to fire missiles, then move to a new location to fire more missiles, rinse and repeat, which requires rapidly swapping between modes which is terribly disorienting.  This is what blew it in an otherwise very well done game.  Despite this, I still enjoyed it more than MP2 or MP3 becuase it has a more detailed, engaging story.  If you're a Super Metroid fan and looking for a cheap 20-25 hour thrill for $20 or so, this isn't a bad pick.

Epic Mickey just completely misses its target audience.  It's Mickey F-ing Mouse folks, so you expect it to be a game for kids.  Instead its filled with dark themes, is very hard (though you do get unlimited lives), and contains a lot of dialog, almost none of which is voiced (only the prologue and epilogue are).  You need a good middle school reading comprehension to follow it, so it's not for little kids at all.  Except for some insanely difficult jumping parts and boss fights, it's a decent game for grown-ups, but then you may as well have used some other character or put it some other imaginary land than a trashed DisneyWorld.  If it was cute, funny, easier, and voiced, it would have nailed Game of the Year.  Instead we got dark, serious, and difficult, and it became one of the most returned games ever (EBGames has tons of these in the used bins from parents who bought it for kids who just couldn't play it.)  I would have ranked it in the top 10 if the game didn't feel like such a chore in areas where I'd die repeatedly.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 20, 2012, 02:12:47 pm

Now i'm suddenly a bit more interested in Other M. The Epic Mickey franchise sounds like a complete disaster. I haven't heard any positive reception from the sequel and the 3DS spin-off this year, nor of any touted commercial success.

Without further ado, my top 10 on the Wii. I missed out on a lot of games late in the system's life, so my list isn't truly comprehensive.

#10 Resident Evil 4
#9 Disaster: Day of Crisis

#8 Little King's Story
#7 Wii Sports Resort

#6 Pikmin
#5 Twilight Princess
#4 DK Jungle Beat

#3 Another Code R -- Around 2004/05 i was introduced to point-n-click adventures, and since then Cing's titles became my absolute favorite in the genre. Of course the company is dead now :(

#2 No More Heroes -- While Grasshopper's games are kinda mediocre, they're very ballsy, which was why i'm a huge fan of their big titles.

#1 Super Mario Galaxy -- Perfection. Never seen a 3D title with such tightly designed gameplay, while introducing new concepts in just about every stage. All 120 of them :O

Honorable mentions -- Trauma Center, Meteoroid Prime 3, Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth, Wii Sports, RE: Umbrella Chronicles

Disappointatons -- Mario Kart Wii, FF4: The After Years, Super Paper Mario

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 20, 2012, 07:49:32 pm

As you can see, I ranked SMG2 and Skyward Sword higher than thier predecessors, so you should check them out some time.


I, too, feel a piece of my soul has died when one of my favorite companies goes out of business.  Overworks produced perhaps the finest RPG ever in Skies of Arcadia, and then prompty broke apart upon being merged with WOW (which was already invested in the Phantasy Star series.)  Bugbear makes the best racing/demolition derby combo game series in FlatOut and then goes bankrupt.  Of course, Bugbear's come back to life (in name, but not in spirit) and was better off dead, as FlatOut 3 got the razzie for worst game of 2011, which totally ruined my expectations.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Asukachan on December 21, 2012, 01:57:10 am

#1 Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
#2 Super Smash Bros. Brawl
#3 Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
#4 Metroid: Other M
#5 Resident Evil 4
#6 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 21, 2012, 02:16:16 am

What happened to the last four, Asukachan?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Asukachan on December 21, 2012, 06:16:19 pm

hmmm, maybe

#7 New Super Mario Bros. Wii
#8 Back to the Future: The Game
#9 Wii Sports
#10 Wii Play

I still dont think any game system had as much good games as Super Nintendo, yet....

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 23, 2012, 02:17:04 am

With the whole Japanese game industry in disarray it's a guarantee there won't ever be another game system as awesome as the SNES.

I'm surprised Galaxy isn't on your list. Not a fan of Mario's 3D escapades? High five for Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition. Capcom, being the numbskulls they are, didn't even bother to produce another RE IR shooting adventure (and RE4 Wii sold extremely well), and instead shoveled its audience two lightgun shooters.

We lost so much gaming talent this gen that i want to just cry in a corner, JGOO.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 23, 2012, 08:23:03 am

Capcom is the poster child for this generation's mismanagement.

Street Fighter is popular, but you can only do so many "Street Fighter VS _____" games.  They let all their other franchises rot away though.  RE6 is getting blasted for poor reviews and may be the last in that series (along with the movie franchise that's gone on too long already.) The last two DLC Mega Man games have been lackluster and unimaginitive.  Ghosts n' Goblins is long overdue for a modern recreation.  Breath of Fire also MIA.  Ace Attorney has also gone years without a new game (not counting a Professor Layton crossover.)

Capcom used to be THE most impressive third party publisher on NES and SNES.  Now I probably wouldn't consider them in the top 10 on any system.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Asukachan on December 25, 2012, 02:28:51 am

Quote from: Moquin on December 23, 2012, 02:17:04 am

I'm surprised Galaxy isn't on your list. Not a fan of Mario's 3D escapades?

I never bought galaxy and have only ever played it at demo kiosks. Im really looking for a 3d Mario game that gives off the feel of SM64. You know, the castle and all that classic stuff only in 3rd person and explorable areas to find the levels. Super Mario 3D Land almost nails this and gives the bonus of power ups which I always felt where missing in 64. Im also waiting for another real 3D Donkey Kong game as the series has been dead to me since after the last good game, DK64. I doubt itll ever happen....

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 25, 2012, 08:35:22 am

Not sure they'll be another 3D Super Mario Bros game.  It seems Nintendo's committed to take the series back to its 2D roots and let the other series handle 3D.  And I think this is a good idea, too, just as the handheld Zelda games (sans remakes like OoT) should be overhead view.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 25, 2012, 04:46:39 pm

I think Capcom has done a lot of good this generation, it's just that their efforts might have been in vein when they chose the platform for these games, namely the PSP. Maverick Hunter X, MM Powered Up, Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins, and their last attempt at an RPG, Last Ranker...

The traditional 3D platformer had worn out its welcome as soon as it became about collecting, lots and lots of collecting. DK64's the worst of the bunch, having to replay each level 5 times for 5 different colored bananas. That game was pretty much a slightly reskinned Banjo Kazooie, but Rare, sniff... they were kings back in the day, and now their relegated to making stupid Avatar items.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 26, 2012, 07:51:49 am

Collecting in adventure and RPG games: Good.  Collecting in action games: Not so Good.

Case in point: No one minds collecting the insects in Zelda games or finding all the mini medals in a Dragon Quest game. Everyone hates playing the same stage over and over in DK64 for those damn bananas.

This is something hardly any company gets right.  Even Nintendo messes it up sometimes.  Mario Bros series has recently introduced the three golden Star coins in each level, but its not so bad given that they generally aren't that difficult to acquire on the first or second pass.  3D Land pushes the limits of this, as you have to beat every level once with Mario and then again with Luigi and find all 300 star coins to unlock the final challenge level.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 28, 2012, 04:59:26 pm

Collecting in Zelda has gotten a bit lame in the newer 3D games. Getting a heartpiece or an extra bottle... yeah, that franchise needs more worthwhile collectibles. Figurine collecting was purdy cool in Wind Waker, but the effort required to catch 'em all was very, very infuriating :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 31, 2012, 03:34:14 am

Ready to post your top 10 games of 2012? Feel free to include games you never touched in previous years.

#10 Nier
#9 Rayman 2

#8 Energy Breaker
#7 Mighty Switchforce HD

#6 Lollipop Chainsaw
#5 Shadowrun (SNES)

#4 Ghost Trick
#3 Rolling Thunder 2

#2 Zombi U
#1 Demon's Souls

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2012, 09:49:38 am

Tough to do, since it appears I only played 11 games this year (but played 10 of them to completion, which is a very high rate for me.)  Sorry Star Fox 64 3D, you get the Old Maid for not having any new content in your remake.

There just wasn't much this year -- I can't recall a year in which there were so few video games worth buying/playing.  Nintendo was busy prepping for the Wii U so they have something of an excuse, but Microsoft and Sony just folded their hands for this year and punted everything of value (minus Halo 4) to next year, so my list is very Nintendo-heavy, with the 3DS ruling the day.  Summer and Fall were especially bare times and nearly completely devoid of any release of merit: NSMB2 is the only one that came out during this timeframe.  I haven't yet purchased a Wii U, so any of those games are absent from my list (but I expect at least Super Mario Bros U to be on my 2013 list.)


10 - Duke Nukem Forever.  The only one I didn't beat.  The much overdue sequel to a really good Duke Nuke 3D game.  Servicable, but clearly lacking in today's 3D FPS category.  More crude humor than those other 3D games, but not as much as I remember from DN3D.  The most redeeming features are a pretty cool opening sequence and being able to drive remote control toy cars when you get shrunk.

9 - Epic Mickey.  Not a bad game, but designed for an older audience than Mickey Mouse should have be designed.  Too dark and too difficult to make for a really enjoyable game.

8 - Legend of Zelda, The: Ocarina of Time 3D. The controls are a little odd compared to the N64 original, but it includes the Master Quest, so that makes it all worthwhile.

7 - Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Having the world, buildings, and people all made out of paper and origami was a nice touch, but otherwise there's little paper involved except the stickers which are used for attacks. Not as inventive as the earlier games when Mario could turn aside and slip into cracks, roll up into a tube, or turn into a paper airplane to fly across gaps.  Easy, except for the bosses which often require a specific sticker to beat. Plus I'm not fond of Paper Mario coming to  the handheld system, which was home to the better Mario & Luigi series.

6 - New Super Mario Bros 2.  A decent sequel, but not alot of new stuff and much easier than the first.  And the focus on collecting coins totally ruins an an otherwise good action game.  Too many times it stops to give you a chance at a big payday, when it would have been a better game if it just went on with the action.  And a million coins is practically unreachable anyway -- you'd have to go through the entire game a dozen times or more to reach that amount.  Not worth it for a new game intro screen.

5 - Halo 4.  Finally, after 5 years we gt to see the Master Chief back in action.  A good campaign to reintroduce him and bring him back into the fold, but on the short end: 8 to 10 hours. (Disappointing, since the Gears of War 3 campaign was very long.)  Also, new vehicles like the Pelican and Broadsword are available, but you only get them once, and you don't get the old staple of vehicles like Warthogs and Scorpions but just once or twice.  The Spartan Ops multiplayer online campaign was off to a great start (and would have ranked Halo 4 higher on my list), until Microsoft usurped it at the end of chapter 5 so they could have some online contest.  Now half the players join the ops to earn points toward the prizes, but don't do anything but stand around, leaving those of us trying to enjoy the game doing all the work, while having to wait until late-January for chapter 6.

4 - Metroid: Other M. The direct sequel to Super Metroid, it focuses on how Samus deals with losing the Metroid baby that saved her from Mother Brain and her previous conflicts with the Marine corps and her commanding officer. Sort of a 3D mix between Super Metroid and Metroid Prime.  Other than a goofy first-person missile firing view, this 3rd person adventure is a decent Metroid side story. I don't recommend it to someone who hasn't played the other Metroids first though.

3 - Super Mario 3D Land.  This is what a sequel to Super Mario 64 should be. Challenging, but not impossible (I managed to acquire every star coin and beat every level with Mario and Luigi, thereby unlocking the final challenge level.)  Nintendo always seems to highlight the features of a new platform with a Mario game, and 3D Land perfectly shows off the features of the 3DS.  A must have if you've got one.

2 - Xenoblade Chronicles.  Truly one of the finest RPGs I've ever played.  They do just about everything right in this game, except for foreshadowing as they drop too many clues on upcoming plot twists to make it not such a surprise when it happens.  Also, too  much "loot" after battles makes forging new items too easy but its a small price to pay for an otherwise very well done, very engaging, and very lengthy game.

1 - Kid Icarus: Uprising. I can't imagine a better way to reintroduce the Kid Icarus franchise.  A fast paced, 3D adventure split into Star Fox-style air battles and Zelda-style land-based fighting. Lots of weapons to choose from, giving players options between long and short range, special effects, effect radius, etc.-- whatever best fits thier fighting style.  A long, but challenging campaign, with a 91-point difficultly slider to make it just as challenging as you want it to be (vs the 3 or 4 point slider most games have).  Excellent computer AI.  Fully voiced with very funny side banter between Pit, Palutena, and the enemy bosses.  And an online multiplayer competitive mode that doesn't involve the same old 21st or 26th century warfare mechanics that every other FPS features.  As much praise as I give to Super Mario 3D Land, THIS is the killer app for the 3DS.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 14, 2013, 09:22:23 pm

Duke Nukem? How is that not on your thumbs-down catagory?

I've got a sealed copy of Kid Icarus sitting on my shelf. Now all i need is a solid white 3DS XL...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 15, 2013, 09:05:24 pm

Rating 10th out of 11 isn't exactly a strong endorsement.

I'm not sure the 3DS stand works with XL models.  It's rather small and really only ideal for the standard size systems.  And the stand a must have to play the game -- no way you're playing the game "in the air", at least not effectively with its odd control mechanisms.


On later reflection, could arguably swap #5 Halo 4 and #4 Metroid: Other M in my list.  Having gone back to play through the Halo 3 and Reach campaigns again, I can at least say the gameplay is better and more precise.  Can't move into the top 3 though based on all the bugs though.  I mean, it is a really poorly playtested game and the more you play it the more you notice it.  The physics engine does really weird things like blow you half way across a stage if you're caught in a grenade blast or hit by a Hunter's armblade just right. If shot in mid air, your body and weapons drop at radically different rates and sometimes in unexplainable directions. Bodies will roll downhill all the way, as if friction doesn't exist.  The spatial engine is a joke as I've been shot through walls before and seen in third person one enemy ressurrect another through the solid floor it was on to the floor before, with its ressurection beam clearly bisected by the floor.  And of course Halo continues to violate the cardinal rule of FPS head trauma - that a serious enough blow to the head should always kill. Sunday I shot an enemy in the face twice with the most powerful gun in the game and didn't go down (and in fact, it killed me in one return shot, which really got me hot.)  I've even shot grunts 5 times in the head before they finally go down on the 6th (which is the maximum number they can take anywhere on their body before dying.)  And since Spartan Ops is on holiday for another week while this damned contest wraps up, I've been persuing commendations and discovering that the ops stages are wildly imbalanced toward certain types of enemies.  I cleared the "hardest" Crawler Prime killer commendation way back in November, and I'm not even out of the 2nd (of 5) ranks for Crawler Sniper, which is supposed to be the intermediate level of Crawler. But no, the jackasses at 323 decided that 70% of Crawlers should be Primes, and 28% of the remaining 30% regular crawlers.  Thus, completing the commendation for killing about 500 Primes is easy, and the "easier" Sniper commendation is damned near impossible, because you'd have to kill over 2000 of them and no stage has more than 12 (meanign you're playing the same stage over and over dozens, if not hundreds, of times to chase this commendation, while killing over 50,000 Primes in the process).  Similar problem with regular Jackals, who are badly outnumbered by stronger Jackal Majors and Jackal Rangers, but not as badly as the Crawler group.

</rant>




I play as lilisaur if anyone wants to hook up for a co-op game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 17, 2013, 03:06:35 am

Can't be any worse than ODST. Well, that game did have fun vehicular combat scenarios in campaign.

Halo's physics have always been bad. Can't drive the Warthog without getting flipped over.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 17, 2013, 05:31:08 pm

And still can't.

Plus "flipping" a vehicle still sends it tumbling everwhere, half the time still wrong side up or against some structure so you have to flip it again (or even a third time.) By then you're dead.

Managed to flip a warthog right on top of a mongoose the other day.  Climbed in warthog and it couldn't drive off becuase none of the four wheels touched the ground.  If I was smart I could have tried blowing up the mongoose to free it but I didn't think of it and just kept going on two legs instead.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 06, 2013, 06:22:36 pm

Now that i've spent a lil' over 20 hours in Xenoblade, i must say the visuals are quite amazing.

The huge scale of the environments are quite an eyesore. Reminds me of Xenogears, which is not a bad thing at all.

Best RPG i've played since Mother 3. You played that game yet, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 07, 2013, 08:46:51 pm

Quote from: Moquin on February 06, 2013, 06:22:36 pm

Best RPG i've played since Mother 3. You played that game yet, JGOO?

Nopers. I haven't played any of the Mother/EarthBound series.  I recall reading about EarthBound in NP shortly before I cancelled my subscription and didn't think it fit my fancy.  Final Fantasy III (or VI, if using new-style numbering) set the bar pretty high at the time.

Only RPG I'm looking forward to is DQ7 on 3DS right now, which by coincidence came out in Japan today.  Hope it gets translated for American audiences (shouldn't be hard becuase they did it for PS1 already) as it doesn't look like DQ10 will ever see the light of day for non-Japanese audiences.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 08, 2013, 07:30:40 am

For those interested, Halo 4 only $40 Friday and Saturday at Best Buy. Probably won't hit that low again until Black Friday.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 27, 2013, 05:34:53 pm

The Wii U front sure is depressing these days, especially in the wake of PS4.

Were there not backwards compatibility, i'd be really miffed right now, at least for the first six months.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 03, 2013, 05:59:35 pm

Yeah it's pretty bare. But Nintendo typically doesn't have much in the first half of the year.  It'll pick up a little with Pikmin 3 and Super Luigi later.

Too many questions about PS4 to get excited yet.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 06, 2013, 01:01:03 am

Picking up Gears: Judgment?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 06, 2013, 07:25:30 am

Yup.  And Bioshock Infinite.  Then I dunno what I'll do for rest of the year. :smalltran

Sucks too that my two most anticipated games of the year are seperated by just a week or two.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 09, 2013, 02:40:59 am

Are you implying Pikmin 3 isn't your most anticipated game of the year?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 09, 2013, 07:24:23 am

Correctamundo.

I'd rank them as Bioshock Infinite first, Gears of War: Judgment second, and Pikmin 3 third.  I'm sure Pikmin 3 will be fun and cute, but it just won't have a gripping story like the other two will.  I think the GamePad with stylus is the perfect way to cntrol the game though, and rather surprised Nintendo hasn't already released a Pikmin game for 3DS.

That's not to say that something unannounced (ala Dragon Quest VII or X or a new Zelda game for 3DS) might not jump to the front of the list by end of year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 14, 2013, 08:27:54 pm

You ever get an itch to play retro games, JGOO?

Haven't heard your experience with BS Zelda yet.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 17, 2013, 09:50:45 am

All the time. Last year I played original Kid Icarus (emulator), Dragon Quest VI (3DS version), Link to the Past (GameCube version), Star Fox 64 (3DS version), and Skies of Arcadia (GameCube version, and for something like the 5th time :smalltran).  First Halo, too, if you consider that Retro (it is over 10 years old)


I could never BS Zelda get it to work. Probably need a different emu (only one I have on my C: drive now is ZSNESW)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 10, 2013, 12:10:12 am

Not playing Bioshock Infinite? How does the new Luigi's Mansion stack up against the old one?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 10, 2013, 08:23:14 am

I havent had a chance to start Bioshock Infinite yet. I'm weighing whether to play it or New Super Bros U next. Gears of War: Judgment and Epic Mickey 2 have been kicked down the road.  After playing the first few levels of GoW:J, I don't mind punting it for a while.  Since EM2 got such poor reviews, I may not ever get to it if I don't by the time Pikmin 3 and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team come along.

Dark Moon is certainly a lot longer than I remember the original being.  A lot more slapstick comedy, too (i.e. water spraying in Luigi's face after inspecting a fountain.)  Wish it used the blow mode instead of suck mode more often like the original though (ie, blow out the candles to make ghosts appear)  Do enjoy the special speed mode stages though.  Lots of nice little touches, too, like Luigi occasionally humming along to the background music when he's walking through a room that's cleared, or putting his hand over his heart and exhaling after clearing a room in which he got spooked.  Highly recommend it, but it demands alot of tough finger actions on the regular-sized 3DS so I can only play for about an hour before my thumb hurts.  It's also even more battery intensive than Kid Icarus: Uprising was - you get about 2 to 2.5 hours of gameplay before your battery needs recharging.  (Bonus: If you bought a 3DS XL recently and buy Luigi's Mansion [or the new Pokemon game], you can get a free game download from Nintendo.  Super Mario 3D Land is one of those free games.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 03, 2013, 10:12:14 pm

Bioshock Infinite is quite good. Like most shoot-em ups, its not terribly long, so I managed to clear it in 20 hours or so since Saturday.


THE GOOD:

This game has arguably the best story I've ever seen in a video game. It is a complete mindbender and the pieces don't come together until the very end.  Usually you can anticipate what's going to happen at the end of a video game, which is satisfying but no surprise. But Bioshock Infinite is so well executed, on the order of The Usual Suspects (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114814/) or The Prestige (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/), that the ending even shocked me and I had no idea that it would unfold that way.  I suspected one of the plot twists but was stunned by others, including one that you spent half the game thinking you had disproved!

Elizabeth is a partner you truly come to care about. Not only is she the focus of the story and the ultimate goal is to save her, but she's handy in a pinch, too. She ducks out of the way during a firefight, but will toss you ammo and supplies, which saves your ass plenty of times.

Very neat how they worked in more modern songs to a 1912 setting.  Songs like Fortunate Son, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and R.E.M's Everybody Hurts show up, often sung by quartet or folksy, like songs from that era usually sound. It's a wonderful touch to give you that feeling that something's just not quite right about Columbia.

Riding the rails of the skyline is fun. It certainly gives a different angle to attacking enemies (or avoiding gunfire) than the typical ground-based firefight we've seen a thousand times already.  And you can perform a Death from Above (http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Death_from_Above) melee attack by swinging off the skyline rails onto where an enemy is standing.

Plenty of weapons. 13 of them to choose from, plus your melee attacks. Some games have more, but I think thats about the right number.

Enemy AI is smarter than most other games. Enemies are smart enough to use cover most of the time, use a range advantage if they have it, and try to run away if weak on health.



THE BAD:

Far fewer enemies than the first two Bioshocks, and other shooters.  It's very story-oriented, so there's firefights only every so often, usually between segments of scavenging while moving to your new target location. Few occurances of a single enemy at a time, except for the first few mini-boss fights.  I miss turning a corner in Rapture and finding some plasmid junkie waiting to club me. They're all out in the open now and come running from a distance (or staying at a distance if they've got a carbine or sniper rifle)

The vigor abilities in Infinite aren't as good as the plasmids from the two games set in Rapture. And they're not even used well.  In original Bioshock, there was a block of ice you had to melt with your fire plasmid to get into an area; nothing like that in Infinite.

I rather liked the hacking of doors, safes, and machines in the first Bioshock. Since there's so many lockpicks in Infnite, its hard to come across anything you can't open freely, which takes away an element of gameplay.

Not impressed at all by the Unreal engine.  Lots of graphics clipping bugs in the game. They don't ruin the experience, but in this day and age finding a clipping bug in a game should be rather rare, not a walk in the clouds (pun intended)

Some of the bigger enemies block the entire screen if you get caught up in a melee fight with them. You get easily disoriented this way.



THE UGLY:

Another game that suffers from way too much loot.  And worse becuase alot of the loot isn't just on the corpses, but in trashcans, vents, safes, walls, desks, and every where else you can think of.  You spent 3/4 of the game just searching for loot, which unfortunately slows down the development of the wonderful story.  Would have been better if enemies only dropped their weapon (and not a lockbox or purse as well) and that the only places you could find loot are certain marked crates and safes, instead of *everywhere*

There is a crapton of racism and anti-American stuff going on. I'm sure the racism stuff is a fairly accurate depiction of early elitist 1900s, but its still easy to get a little embarressed by it.  And the fact that a Red Revolution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolution) breaks out in the city and plummets it into anarchy doesn't help things.




Overall: 9 out of 10.  Very good, but all the time spent looting sets it back a little. Less gameplay than the earlier two Bioshocks but more to see and and an even better story than the first.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 04, 2013, 10:02:01 pm

The most vocal criticisms i've heard against Infinite want less combat.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 10, 2013, 12:48:55 am

Played Skyward Sword for about an hour and got the practice sword.

The motion-controlled sword swinging feels especially good. All i wanted out of Twilight Princess back in 2006.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 10, 2013, 12:56:50 am

TP was lazy sword control. Any swing of the Wii remote caused a slash. Red Steel did it better, and Skyward Sword took its cues from that.

I still kind of miss the combos from Wind Waker though.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 04, 2013, 06:31:02 pm

What are your thoughts on the Wii U, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 05, 2013, 08:41:01 am

1. Still waiting on some good games.  New SMB U isn't different enough from New SMB Wii to really be all that exciting, and nothing else in the selection excites me.  Nintendo Land is nice if you like Mario Party games, but I don't.  Wii U badly needs some other first party franchises.  Pikmin 3 is coming, but that's really not enough.  I still think a sequel to Kid Icarus Uprising would be nice.  A Zelda is at least three to four years off (3DS title is needed first), DK is hitting 3DS right now so its not coming to U anytime soon, and Metroid is back in the vault for a few years.  Maybe its time to give Star Fox another go, especially with U's improved netplay and split screening so multiple players can play at once instead of it being a one-player-only game.  Or a *good* Mario Kart (more like Double Dash, and much less like Wii); F-Zero might fit the bill for a racing game if done properly (more like F-Zero 64 and less like F-Zero GX)

2. Same slow network card and/or poor reception antenna as the Wii.  It takes over an hour for system updates to occur. But the Xbox sitting right beside the U can download updates in just a minute or two.

3. Doesn't allow alteration of screen aspect.  I have to pipe the HDMI through a selector that appears to trim a little off the sides and bottom.  Ths I can see more of the edges on the gamepad that I can see on the screen.  Being able to adjust this either in the system settings or in games would be nice.

4. Power-off isn't power off.  Just like the Wii it goes into a hibernation state instead of turning completely off.  The big problem is that this mode will still send a signal though the HDMI about 10 seconds after powering down, which throws my HDMI autoselector back to the Wii U input (which is black screen) and then I have to manually change it back to TV input.  Happens about 50% of the time.  This likely wouldn't be a problem if Wii U had an HDMI input for the TV line, like the Xbox One is going to have.

5. Becuase of above problem, Wii U TV Mode only works if your TV has more than one HDMI input, or your TV line uses something other than HDMI.  My TV only has one HDMI port, and both the cablebox and Wii U want it, hence why I need an autoselector and why Wii U TV Mode doesn't work for me.  Again, HDMI input like Xbox One will have solved this problem.


So unless there's a game you really want for it, my current recommendation for Wii U is to wait. Alot of retailers are starting to give $25 gift cards with purchase; before long it'll become $50 or they'll start packing in another game with it (likely SMB U or Arkham City.)  When that happens, that's when you should get it.  Probably get a great deal on a Wii U at Black Friday (since PS4 and Xbox One will be out by then) and the game situation should be much improved.*


*Note that this is a problem suffered by almost all new systems. Nintendo usually always has a Mario game ready, and Microsoft lucked out with the original Halo, but GameCube suffered for a while, as did PS3 until enough games came along to offset what the competition could offer. I actually think Xbox One will suffer early next year with lack of a Halo or Gears of War game.  They've apparently gone all-in on Call of Duty: Ghosts, but PS4 gets it too.  PS4 looks to have the more solid launch lineup, which is high praise from me since I don't own a PS3 (God of War, Drake Trilogy, and umpteen Metal Gear sequels haven't been enough to convince me to ever buy one.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 05, 2013, 06:28:36 pm

I'm quite sick of the NSMB games, and i haven't even played one! I eagerly anticipate the next console Mario at E3 however.

Zombi U is flippin' amazing if you're into survival horror (not action horror). Pretty much the best game on the system for me thus far.

Kinda pissed i'm hearing about a Premium White coming. I feel like a sucker for buying the soon-to-be obselete standard.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 06, 2013, 09:31:53 pm

Quote from: Moquin on June 05, 2013, 06:28:36 pm

I'm quite sick of the NSMB games, and i haven't even played one!

Best: New SMB Wii (very good solo or multiplayer)
Next Best: New SMB (good but some stages too frustrating to top Wii version)
Next Best: New SMB U (probably best multiplayer though but solo is rather bland)
Worst: New SMB 2 (the whole coin collecting focus ruins it)

Don't know if Super Luigi U will fit above or below New SMB U.  Apparently its the same game, but with Luigi as the lead and changes to each stage to be somehow "different" or more challenging.

Personally liked Super Mario 3D Land more than any of the New SMB games.

Quote from: Moquin on June 05, 2013, 06:28:36 pm

Zombi U is flippin' amazing if you're into survival horror (not action horror).

I'm not.  I have heard its good though, so if it shows up as one of those $10 Black Friday specials I'll jump on it.

Quote from: Moquin on June 05, 2013, 06:28:36 pm

Kinda pissed i'm hearing about a Premium White coming. I feel like a sucker for buying the soon-to-be obselete standard.

I thought that was Japan only.  I'm not sure how much more they'd throw in for a Premium model - 64GB flash memory perhaps?  Frankly I see that as diminishing returns, becuase you can just use USB sticks if you want more storage (ie, 4GB Xbox 360 much better value than the 250GB model unless you download a huge amount of content, since its limited to 32GB via USB.)  I think the 32GB of flash in the Wii U Deluxe is more than adequate, plus all the extra goodies they throw in like the powered docking stand.  Unless they added another game or a Wii RemotePlus I wouldn't justify the extra cost of Premium over Deluxe.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 11, 2013, 02:11:08 am

Pretty much only interested in the 3D Marios, including 3D Mario Land if i ever get an XL. Here's hoping for some new 3DSXL colors at E3.

Woops. By Premium White, i meant a Deluxe White SKU to replace the Standard.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 12, 2013, 08:22:22 am

I'm sure we'll see new 3DS colors this year. Its long been rumored that Super Mario 3D Land will become a pack-in game, likely with a Flame Red model.  Might also see some special editions for Pokemon X and Y.


As far as other Nintendo E3 news goes:

YES! = Super Mario 3D World. Cat Mario that climbs walls and always lands on its feet = Winner.

Doubly YES! = Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Love this series.  Better if it weren't overshadowed by all the other Mario games that have come out recently (New SMB U, Super Luigi U, Mario Kart 8, etc.)

YES! (but want to see more) = Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Two Worlds. Paper Mario meets Link to the Past?

Meh = Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze. That's two DKC games in the same year. Only Mario ever gets such nice treatment from Nintendo.

Second Meh = Wind Waker HD arrives with a Master Quest option or fail.

Bummer: Smash Bros U and Mario Kart 8 delayed to 2014. On bright side, Mega Man as playable character in Smash Bros is very intriguing - could mean Capcom & Nintendo team up to make Smash Bros vs Street Fighter some day.

MIA = No Kid Icarus, Metroid, Star Fox, F-Zero, or Kirby properties announced.  Not counting the long-overdue Pikmin 3, all the eggs seem to be going into Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, and Donkey Kong baskets these days.

Dammit = Don't know why my local Best Buy doesn't get a preview kiosk.  Bigger town than most of those on the list.


And for non-Nintendo news:

1-upped: PS4 looks to have the choke hold on Xbox One.  Cheaper machine, appeared to show off better graphics capabilities by having multiple different games to preview, and not tripping over its own feet with the resell or daily verification plans.  MS needs to change or clarify positions or risk running third place well into 2014 (or fourth if Ooya does well)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 12, 2013, 09:06:25 pm

The whole Nintendo lineup (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/), including the preview of Monolithsoft's new Xeno series entry.  (Flying + transforming) x mecha + RPG = exciting.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 13, 2013, 04:35:32 am

Microsoft: Crimson Dragon, KI3, D4... Oh man, these three games alone make me want a Xbone. Well, almost; Microsoft's blatant greed (flooding the 360 dashboard with ads, paid avatar jank, zero free games with Gold membership, paywall to use Netflix, etc.) over the course of this generation is about to become even more suffocating.

Nintendo: Did absolutely the bare minimum. All your old favorites but now in HD! Admittedly not bad when you consider Nintendo's ho-hum press conferences from previous years (that largely pandered to non-core gamers). Retro's secret game being another DKC follow up was hugely disappointing.

Sony: Made all the right moves by emulating Microsoft's old battle strategy: creating a consumer and developer-friendly environment while slapping together the most uber spec console possible. A definite buy for me in the near future.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 14, 2013, 06:32:43 pm

Quote from: Moquin on June 13, 2013, 04:35:32 am

Microsoft's blatant greed (flooding the 360 dashboard with ads, paid avatar jank, zero free games with Gold membership, paywall to use Netflix, etc.) over the course of this generation is about to become even more suffocating.

Sadly, yes. Microsoft is focusing so much on the non-game aspect that the game aspect is being seriously threathened.

Quote from: Moquin on June 13, 2013, 04:35:32 am

Nintendo: Retro's secret game being another DKC follow up was hugely disappointing.

Sadly, yes.  And a 2D side scroller no less.  Had enough of those with the other DKCs and New SMB games lately.  A true 3D DK might have worked, but this just looks like more of the same.

Quote from: Moquin on June 13, 2013, 04:35:32 am

Sony: Made all the right moves by emulating Microsoft's old battle strategy: creating a consumer and developer-friendly environment while slapping together the most uber spec console possible.

Sadly, yes.  Not being especially innovative, but playing it safe seems to make them happy.  At least they learned their lesson about initial price points. (Should have taken cue from Sega Saturn that a $600 PS3 would be a problem. Also lucked out that BluRay won the format war over the technically superior, and cheaper, HD-DVD.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 25, 2013, 01:29:31 am

Still in the XB1 bandwagon JGOO or will you be making the switch to PS4?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 25, 2013, 08:09:39 am

Neither excites me at this point.  They're going to have to have a better launch title selection for me to even consider buying one at or near launch.  If Halo 5 was a launch title for Xbox One, I'd jump on it.  Since PS exclusive games are far less innovative than Nintendo or MS first party titles, I doubt there's any game that could get me to buy a PS4 at launch.

The only systems I've ever bought at or near launch were SNES (way back in the day) and first Wii (if you consider February to be near launch after it came out in November, but it was the first one I'd seen for sale in stores.)  I usually wait at least 9-12 months after release to pick up new systems, and not until there's a "killer app" game.  The exceptions were primarily due to the exceptional launch titles of Super Mario World and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Of the systems I bought new (not second hand) and weren't gifted to me as new (NES), these were the games to finally convince me to get one:
SNES: Super Mario World, packaged with system
GameGear: Sonic the Hedgehog (GG version) - my folks wouldn't let me get a Genesis, but let me get a GG
GameCube: Super Mario Sunshine, packaged with system
Game Boy Advance: Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Playstation 2: Dragon Quest VIII (by this time, the PS2 had been out for many years and was already on the slim model!)
Nintendo DS: Mario Kart DS (disappointing!), packaged with system
Xbox 360: no particular game, the only system I bought new on a whim on a huge $100 off Black Friday sale from Dell (but quickly discovered Halo 2, which in turn led to Halo 1)
Wii: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Nintendo 3DS: Kid Icarus: Uprising
Xbox 360(S): no game, first one broke down in the middle of my Gears of War 3 campaign
Wii U: Super Mario Bros U (yes this game was a launch title, but I didn't get the system until an offer came along to reduce price)

Every other system (GameBoy Color, N64, Genesis/SegaCD/32x, Saturn, Dreamcast, TG16, NEO*GEO, and 3DO) I bought secondhand, either because I was cash-strapped in college or early career or never had an opportunity to buy them new in thier heyday.

FUN FACT: I am one of a terribly small number of long-time gamers that never owned a first model Xbox or first model Playstation (though I did buy a broken one for $5 and tried to repair it without success.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on July 25, 2013, 08:17:00 am

Does your 3DO still work?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 25, 2013, 09:01:30 pm

Probably.  I probably havent had it out in 8 or 9 years.

I got it for the only reason anyone should get a 3DO: Star Control II (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Control_II), one of the very finest games ever, and even after 20 years, still in my top ten games of all time for all systems.  It's that good.  It originally came on PC in the early 90s, but the original PC version only worked in true DOS, it stopped working right in Windows.  Plus the 3DO version had animated cutscenes, upgraded graphics and sound, and full voice.

Of course, one can now get the open source port (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/) and play it again on PC (or other devices), complete with all the 3DO upgrades and more stuff to take advntage of new PC thingies (like high screen resolutions.)  I usually play through it every other year or so.  Since its completely free, I can not recommend this game highly enough.  In fact, I'm surprised I've only ever mentioned this game once (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=929.msg12321#msg12321), and haven't yet dedicated an entire thread to it (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=3506.0).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 31, 2013, 06:03:02 pm

I remembered i tried to put Star Control II (port) on my Xbox1 years ago, but it had so many files that i always got an error when trying to transfer via USB 1.1 (painfully slow). Now that i have a laptop i can easily play the game on my TV without any hitches... one of these days :bigtran

Are you saying you never owned a PS1, JGOO? I can imagine just owning an N64 exclusively back then would of been very painful, unless you had a lot friends over for multi.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 31, 2013, 07:00:23 pm

Not if you had one of these (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD64_(Nintendo)).

I received one in late 1998 or early 1999 in exchange for taking the cd64comm.exe source code, fixing the egregious timeout bug in it, and wrapping it in a DOS based SVGA+mouse GUI for an arcade company in Brazil who was looking to make arcade cabinets based on the device.  I don't know if they ever got that far along with the idea, but the software I wrote for them worked just fine.


Also, at that point in my life I was in college, so I had enough other activities to keep me busy, and found enough games to play on the first generation or two of emulators (I remember the days before MAME came along).  I really did not miss not having a PS1.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 22, 2013, 06:06:34 pm

Watching the emulation scene grow back in the late 90s was truly a thing of beauty. Not until the mid new millenia did i start to enjoy playing the classics through a modded Xbox; i'm hesitant to play any game without the big screen experience, even point-n-click adventures.

I see you caved into the Pikmin hype, JGOO :karindance

Not surprising considering how barren the Wii U library is. I'm waiting until the eventual holiday price-drop to pick it up and getting Wonderful 101 instead.

Is the challenge mode in Pikmin 3 confined to cave exploration? I hated how there wasn't enough diversity in scenery in 2's challenge mode.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 23, 2013, 07:39:26 am

Agreed.  Would much rather play on TV than on PC.

It's not an experience thing - I have a decent monitor and video card, and have one of the Xbox 360 controllers for Windows. I just find games made with a PC version as the priority as lackluster. Games designed specifically for a console are almost always of superior quality.


Caved in?  I've been a fan of Pikmin since 2001. :rattydance

Wii U library is improving by leaps and bounds over next 6 months.  I've got Super Luigi U, Wind Waker HD, Mario 3D World, and Smash Bros 4 on my watch list.  I don't have nuthin for Xbox.  (Not a GTA fan.)  And lets not forget Link Between Worlds for 3DS either.

I haven't tried Challenge mode yet.  I don't think its all cave exploration based on the pictures I've seen though.  Seems to use the same terrain as the normal levels (of which, sadly, there are only four.)  On the other hand the scenery is gorgeous - especially how well the water and snow look.  The good thing about challenge is its a Bingo mode, where you have to collect the right fruit to make a Bingo or fill your entire card, with enough tricks to swap pieces with an opponent or screw them over.  It's quite similar to the Gokuraku VIPER Paradice game mode.  Soon as I finish off the story mode this weekend I'll try out challenge mode and give you a better report.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 26, 2013, 07:37:28 am

Beat Pikmin 3.  Final boss wasn't the hardest but at least it requires 4 of the 5 Pikmin types to defeat.

Like the previous Pikmin games, its not particuarly hard and there's plenty of time to 100% clear it.  The new enemies are fantastic and there's great variety in them, most showing up less than 5 times.  The detail in scenery is spectacular, but sadly there's only 5 areas, one of which is dedicated to the final boss so there's only 4 truly explorable levels (tropical forest, backyard garden, snowy tundra, rainforest river.)  There's enough fun here for a week ro so, but the story mode replay value is nil since there's so much time available.  At least int he first Pikmin, hardly anyone beats the game fnding all the spaceship parts, so you could replay it to see how quickly you can collect them all.  There's a worldwide stats page shown at completion of the game, and 60% or so of the players are finishing it at 100% on first play, so... not very hard.

I couldn't try the Bingo battle mode.  Requires two active players and my Wiimote's batteries need recharging.  I was hoping for an AI second player.  I did try the single player Mission mode though, where you're given a fixed amount of time to clear simple stages (similar to but not the same as the four story mode levels.)  This is actually a pretty decent challenge, but as it doesn't advance the story in any way,  its a ho-hum add-on.  Would have been better if they mixed these levels in with the story mode as optional side-quests in some way.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 27, 2013, 03:32:04 am

Mission mode is single player only?!

It was co-op in 2 :(

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 27, 2013, 07:51:16 pm

It may be co-op (likely is), but since I didn't have a Wiimote active at the time, it started a single player mode game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 02, 2013, 09:11:09 am

I tried the Bingo mode yesterday, but leaving second player uncontroled.  I can see how this would be a nice little competitive game.
Only played first stage,b ut its clear there are some items that are unique in the stage, so you can mess up your oppoonent by collecting them and denying them any chance to making the bingo they were working on.  It was an incredily small stage though, so you end up running through each other's areas of control to collect your trophies.  Both fruit and enemy carcasses count toward your bingo card.

Also, Pikmin 3 just won Best Buy's @GAMER magazine game of the month.  That's a tall order for Nintendo games, as they almost always give it to some PS3 or 360 shoot'em-up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 04, 2013, 12:31:08 am

There wasn't much competition in August; Splinter Cell being the only other notable AAA release, unless you live in Europe.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 04, 2013, 07:23:43 am

I'm enjoying Mario & Luigi: Dream Team more and that came out in August.  But other than rendering everything in 3D instead of using sprites, its not terribly different than Bowser's Inside Story, and still not as good of an overall game as Partner's in Time was.  Plus most of the special attacks (which should be the differentiating point within battles between games in this series) are damned near impossible to pull off, and if you don't do them right they do less damage than a regular attack, so you end up just not using them.  It also suffers from excessive loot, as about 1 in 5 enemies drops an item, so you never have to go buy mushrooms or nuts in shops as the enemies give you plenty.

So I can understand, for technical prowess alone, why Pikmin 3 won.


Also, I give a big thumbs down on Super Luigi U.  Nintendo really missed the mark here by taking a kids game (Mario series), lowering the price point to kid-friendly range, but ramping up the difficulty to a higher level than I expected.  Now, I knew it was going to ramp up to be eventually be harder than the original SMB U, but I didn't know it would start off at Star Road difficulty.  The first fortress (third level overall) killed me about 7 or 8 times before I beat it.  There's going to be a lot of parents who buy this for their kids instead of the easier (but twice as expensive) SMB U, only to find out that kids can't enjoy it.  The game packaging really needs to be labeled Experts Only, becuase right now, uninformed parents are going to look at two nearly identical packages in the store and pick the one that's half-price.  I'll return to it after I finish off Dream Team, but the preview play I gave it doesn't give me much hope.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 10, 2013, 05:32:39 pm

Kids these days are a bit spoiled when it comes to difficulty, especially when you consider how notoriously difficult games were in the 80s (Ninja Turtles i'm looking at you).

All the PS4 and XBone news lately makes me feel a bit down as a Nintendo faithful. If the Wii U doesn't pull a miracle this holiday season, then there''s little hope the system will ever make a splash.

In the future i hope to see Nintendo combine their console and portable into one thanks to the accelerating advancement of mobile GPUs. Splitting the base between two systems isn't wise in an era where game development costs rival a Hollywood production.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 11, 2013, 08:53:30 am

Quote from: Moquin on September 10, 2013, 05:32:39 pm

.. consider how notoriously difficult games were in the 80s (Ninja Turtles i'm looking at you).

Technically speaking, only the map with all the potholes on it is hard.  As I recall, that's the choke point, get past the few hard sewer levels in that area and you can get to Shredder without undue effort.  Agreed that it belongs in the pantheon of toughness though, since its relatively easy to get to that area, and then exceedingly hard to get past it.  I'd still rank Kid Icarus as much harder though - almost nobody could beat the first fortress, but if you could it gets progressively easier from that point forward.

Quote from: Moquin on September 10, 2013, 05:32:39 pm

All the PS4 and XBone news lately makes me feel a bit down as a Nintendo faithful. If the Wii U doesn't pull a miracle this holiday season, then there''s little hope the system will ever make a splash.

In the future i hope to see Nintendo combine their console and portable into one thanks to the accelerating advancement of mobile GPUs. Splitting the base between two systems isn't wise in an era where game development costs rival a Hollywood production.

I'm not terribly impressed by any of them this winter.  PS4 and XB1 will still be in such short supply to not really make a big dent in the market until 2014, and the game selection doesn't excite me me at all (call back when Halo 5 comes along.)  Nintendo's at least got Super Mario 3D World, a new Zelda, and Pokemon X/Y, so they should have a much better Christmas than last year.  Not sure how the new 2DS is going to fly though. Nintendo's naming scheme for consoles is causing confusion - non-gamers can't figure out the difference between Wii and Wii U, and there's likely to be same confusion between DS, 3DS, and 2DS (especially since no games will be labeled as 2DS, they'll all still be labeled DS or 3DS)

I'd like Nintendo to do more second screen gaming, which we're starting to see in parts on Wii U GamePad.  Unfortunately the GamePad is too bulky to really be considered 'portable', but they're on the right track and marching ahead of Sony and MS.  PS3-PSP/Vita integration never went anywhere (in part because of continued poor sells of PSP/Vita), and MS can't operate in this manner without first increasing market share of Surfaces or Windows Phones to supply the portable or second screen experience.  If Nintendo's 3DS successor can double the Wii U GamePads functionality, then you'll be where you want.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 23, 2013, 05:32:35 pm

I really like the first Ninja Turtles. It's far more original than the gazillion fist-punchers the Arcade game spawn, but it's a great shame the difficulty holds it back from being a classic. I believe the choke point for most folks is the dam; i got decimated by the technodrome last time i played.

It's true the PS4 and XB1 don't have such a great launch line-up at least as far as exclusives go. The Vita is getting a second chance thanks to PS4 connectivity and a wealth of upcoming indies. On the weekends i go to my buddy's house to play games, and it's usually split-screen. One of my anticipations with the Wii U was off-screen multi, but only a scant few games actually use that feature.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 23, 2013, 05:52:42 pm

Quote from: Moquin on September 23, 2013, 05:32:35 pm

One of my anticipations with the Wii U was off-screen multi, but only a scant few games actually use that feature.

I'll be shocked if the new Smash Bros doesn't.  3DS version has to in order to be multiplayer, so it stands to reason that the Wii U version should be multi-console as well.  If Nintendo blows the online multiplayer with Smash Bros then they have no hope fo ever catching MS and Sony in netplay.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 26, 2013, 04:12:04 am

Playing against randoms online in Brawl was really, really awful; the netcode in that game doesn't even compare with SF4, which set the bar for decent netcode in fighters this gen.

Really enjoying playing through Galaxy 2 after a half a decade break (can't believe it's been since 2007 since the first one). Oh man, playing through what is the pinnacle of Mario makes me crave a Zelda game in this style (distanced perspective, mobility, SD characters, interactive environments).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 02, 2013, 01:09:35 am

Hey Hyperguy, what have you been playing since... what was the last game you mentioned? Deus Ex?

That League of Legends is steamrolling every other online game now; surely this is the game you're playing.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 08, 2013, 02:15:21 pm

Anybody interested in doing their top 10 games this gen?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 09, 2013, 09:31:20 am

What do you consider "this gen"?  Do you put Wii or Wii U in it, or both?

Assuming you count Wii as "this gen", I think I'll go this way (and the main reason why).  Obviously Xbox, Wii, and 3DS heavy.  Subject to change.


Best:

10. Gears of War 3
Solid shooter with a very long campaign.

9. New Super Mario Bros Wii
The best of the 5 "new" series games.

8. BioShock
Engaging story and exceptional care to produce a consistent, art deco environment to pull you in.  Its proved that shooters don't have to be an arms race just to kill bigger baddies with bigger guns.

7. Halo 4
100% free online DLC multiplayer campaign that is better than the in-the-box campaign - everyone else charges you $30 for a DLC campaign half as good.

6. Xenoblade Chronicles
Really solid RPG, but unfortunately too much loot makes the game too easy.  Looking forward to the Wii U project by the game team.

5. FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage
Still the most fun racer I've ever played, becuase destruction always beats speed and pretty graphics when it comes to fun.

4. Super Mario 3D Land
The best of the recent Mario 3D games (better than either Galaxy). Also, a simple, but really well done replayability system, in which you get a second set of worlds (for a total of 16) and get to replay all the stages again with Luigi after beating the game with Mario.

3. Kid Icarus: Uprising
Excellent replayability, unfortunately some of the challenges are way too hard or perhaps it would be higher. The fully voiced banter between Pit, Palutena, and enemies is great.

2. BioShock Infinite
Awesome story, and quite a good shooter too.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The best play control ever with Wii remote and nunchuk perfect as sword and shield, and not a bad story or challenge either.



Honorable Mention:

Epic Mickey
Use of familiar Disney characters in an upside down world is just enough weirdness to make things interesting.  Unfortunately, much too difficult to make the top 10 (especially for a game really intended for kids)



Stinkers (games that I had high hopes for that were terribly disappointing):

5. Duke Nukem Forever
As Duke says in the game, "I waited 15 years for this crap?"  Wouldn't have been a bad game if it came out 10 years ago, but today it feels old and gimmicky, not polished like the Halo, Gears of War, and Bioshock games are.  I actually expected the game to be half-bad, so thats why its only at #5 and not worse.

4. Donkey Kong Country Returns
Rotten play control. All the ground pounds required to stun enemies gets old by the end of of the first area.  Certainly wasn't going 6 or 7 more areas doing that garbage every other second.

3. Super Luigi U
Way too hard, especially at bargain price.  Nintendo is going to turn off fans who buy this instead of the visually similar, much better, but twice as expensive Super Mario Bros U

2. Mario Kart Wii
The entire point of the game is to be the one who is not hit by a shell or fall off the edge near the end of lap 3. Almost all other matters of skill are rendered moot. And the wheel controller is junk.  Series has rapidly descended downhill since the excellent Double Dash.

1. Sonic the Hedgehog
So full of bugs, it dropped from $60 to $10 retail in about 3 months. Not playtested well and clearly not ready for release. Sega should have known better having lived through the physics bugs of Sonic Adventure and rushed it just to cash in on the holiday season.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 09, 2013, 12:27:41 pm

10. Lost Planet 2
  9. Lost Planet 2
  8. Lost Planet 2
  7. Lost Planet 2
  6. Lost Planet 2
  5. Lost Planet 2
  4. Lost Planet 2
  3. Lost Planet 2
  2. Lost Planet 2
  1. Bionic Commando

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 09, 2013, 06:30:03 pm

Quote from: JG on October 09, 2013, 09:31:20 am

What do you consider "this gen"?  Do you put Wii or Wii U in it, or both?

My original idea was DS/Wii/360/PS3, but it's probably better to go for a time frame: 2004-2013 (04 being the DS release year). No system restrictions.

JGOO: All that praise you're heaping on Mario 3D Land and Kid Icarus really makes me want to get a 3DS (still holding out for a White XL). Considering DNF was on your top 10 list for 2012, i'm surprised to see that as one of your stinkers. Oh, and no DS games (not even one Dragon Quest)?!

Arizona: You spent a lot of time in multi in LP2, didn't you? I hope that's the Rearmed version of Bionic Commando you're repping :P

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 10, 2013, 07:55:14 am

Quote from: Moquin on October 09, 2013, 06:30:03 pm

My original idea was DS/Wii/360/PS3, but it's probably better to go for a time frame: 2004-2013 (04 being the DS release year). No system restrictions.

JGOO: All that praise you're heaping on Mario 3D Land and Kid Icarus really makes me want to get a 3DS (still holding out for a White XL). Considering DNF was on your top 10 list for 2012, i'm surprised to see that as one of your stinkers. Oh, and no DS games (not even one Dragon Quest)?!

I didn't include DS, only 3DS.  Otherwise, of course DQ9 makes the top ten.  It probably should anyway since I had BioShock in the top, and that's older than DQ9.  If you want DS in, I'd probably put DQ9 at #3, Phantom Hourglass at #10, and knock Gears of War 3 and New Super Mario Bros Wii out of the top ten.

DNF is somewhat good becuase of quirky, rediculous fun (like riding around in an RC car when miniturized), but its a stinker becuase of the lazy shoot'em up parts.  And as you recall, it was in my top 10 for a single year, becuase I had only bought 10 or 11 games.

Super Mario 3D Land and Kid Icarus: Uprising are must-haves for 3DS.  I'll also include Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.  The new Zelda will almost certainly go into that elite group as well.

I don't think there will be new 3DS colors.  Nintendo has dropped the 3D function and the clamshell design in the new 2DS model.  From what I read, 3DS is now a discontinued product.  They'll still make 3DS compatible games of course, becuase that's what the 2DS will play, but the new games won't take advantage of 3D mode.  Apparently the risk of lawsuits over childhood vision problems has dictated this transition.  So I doubt you'll ever find a White 3DS XL.  You could get another color cheap once the 2DS appears though.  (My 3DS is Cosmic Black.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 10, 2013, 09:17:32 am

I'm only being somewhat serious of course, but yes, I do know Lost Planet 2 like the back of my hand. I originally only played it solo (more than once on multiple difficulties) and it's plenty good that way too.

I actually am referring to that Bionic Commando. It is a true tragedy, because there really is a good game in there.

Quote from: JG on October 10, 2013, 07:55:14 am

From what I read, 3DS is now a discontinued product.

This is the first place I've heard anything like that. They just came out with a pair of special edition blue/red Pokemon X/Y 3DS XLs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 10, 2013, 03:47:51 pm

Not sure where you get your news JGOO, but the 3DS XL continues to be a top seller (with the Monster Hunter XL selling out fairly quickly in Japan recently). Plenty of smartphones now have 3D capability, so i doubt the risk of a lawsuit is Nintendo's biggest concern. The 2DS exists as a cheaper alternative for parents that happens to be conveniently timed with the release of the next Pokemon.

@Arizona  I do have a faint interest in trying Bionic Commando. The Rastafarian look turned me off to trying the game originally since it was a drastic change his iconic design.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 10, 2013, 05:09:23 pm

Don't usually see the word "hazardous" used with video game hardware.  If 3D is dropped from 2DS, that tells me that new games will not rely on 3D as much, which eventually means the 3DS will be retired.  I may be speculating here, but I don't think I'm that far off the mark.  I really think the X/Y versions are the last.

And as far as your other arguments, smartphones aren't marketted to kids, and class action lawsuits aren't nearly as common in other countries as USA.  I think by moving entirely to the 2DS, Nintendo is covering their ass in case of lawsuit.  Giving up 3D in their games to avoid a multi-million dollar lawsuit is disappointing, but the right business decision.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 11, 2013, 01:47:03 am

Quote from: Moquin on October 10, 2013, 03:47:51 pm

@Arizona  I do have a faint interest in trying Bionic Commando. The Rastafarian look turned me off to trying the game originally since it was a drastic change his iconic design.

It's worth the five dollars (or less) you'll pay for it. Hell, if you're a Steam person, it's on sale right now in a pack with Rearmed 1 for $2.49.

The aesthetics really do have a lot to do with its rejection. It looks fine graphically, great even, but the choices in certain places where it counts...hmmm. I remember when the early first image of Spencer came out when it was announced, I thought, "Oh, okay, so this is the new Bionic Commando", assuming he was a new guy and Nathan was his commander (lol) or something. But nope! Just weird, lame, undercooked ideas like that throughout, especially with the game's two big plot twists, which I suppose were there to make what little was there interesting, but go a long way in souring one's impression by the end.

Were it not for those things, I think more people would've been more willing to learn its mechanics (which are so fun, but take time to get used to) and it would at least be a cult classic. If only it had Rearmed 2's inspired art direction...

...speaking of which, it's too bad that suffered in the aftermath of BC's failure. It's fantastic.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 11, 2013, 04:12:07 am

@JGOO  Nintendo needs to realize its the software and not the gimmicks that is selling its portables. Outside of the silver screen 3D hasn't had much of an impact. Can't say i'll miss it if it is removed in the future.

@AZ  Whenever i get a souped up PC (probably next year) i'll be sure to play Bionic Commando. I tried out a Rearmed 2 demo a while back. Didn't seem too bad, although having the ability to jump was surprising. Sorely miss the Shinkiro artwork from the first one though.

Without further ado my top ten -->

10. Bionic Commando Rearmed
As far as remakes (rarely) go this one totally blows the original in every possible way.

9. Valkyria Chronicles
I'd kill for a Gears of War-like game set in Valkyria's fictional Europe, but as a SRPG its still decent. Very charming cast of characters.

8. Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Became absolutely bored of videogames briefly in 2005. After two weeks the magic of a genre i never gave a flip about, point-n-click adventures/visual novels (the non-porn kind), reignited the flame. I really miss Cing :(

7. Demento
During my period of boredom i became entrenched in Clock Tower, a point-n-click horror on Super Fami. Not too soon did i became obsessed with stealth horror (more hiding and less fighting). Demento pretty much perfected the formula and is widely considered the fourth (and last) sequel in the CT series.

6. Phantom Dust
Most fun i've ever had in a RPG combat system. So good that it's a legend as a multi-player game. Port it to XBLA now Micro$soft! (or make a sequel)

5. Street Fighter 4
Waited sooooooooo looooooong for this game. Capcom delivered for the most part and single-handedly revived the fighting game genre.

4. Deadly Premonition
My first open-world game. It's not very good but the story... wow. Even Micro$oft realizes Swery65 is an exceptional writer by paying for the development of his next game.

3. Super Mario Galaxy
Perfection. Having played through most of the second game i much prefer the first game based on a better presentation and a hub world. Oh, and Rosalina.

2. Resident Evil 4
Outstanding mix of horror, action, and cheesy B-movie lines. This game remains without peer even today (sorry Gears, Dead Space, etc).

1. Mother 3
What's so special about the Mother franchise? It has a heart, and it's also very unorthodox. Beneath the cutesy, retro exterior is a satirical re-imagining on the follies of contemporary society, as experienced through a boy, a dog, a school girl, and a cripple; best RPG party ever!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 11, 2013, 08:39:58 pm

Quote from: Moquin on October 11, 2013, 04:12:07 am

10. Bionic Commando Rearmed
As far as remakes (rarely) go this one totally blows the original in every possible way.

That's a pretty damned tall order, because the original is hands down one of the top 10 NES games.  I may have to check this out.

Quote from: Moquin on October 11, 2013, 04:12:07 am

5. Street Fighter 4
Waited sooooooooo looooooong for this game. Capcom delivered for the most part and single-handedly revived the fighting game genre.

Revived? I never thought it died - it just translated into newer species.  After Street Fighter was Mortal Kombat.  After MK was KOF.  After KOF was DOA.  After DOA was Capcom/SNK/Vs.  Now the cycle is just starting anew with Street Fighter and remakes of games like Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 12, 2013, 04:51:06 am

I wouldn't hesitate to put Bionic Commando in the top 5 NES games having replayed it a couple years ago. With that said Rearmed really is a stupendous remake that fixes what few complaints i had about the original (fleshing out the story, adding an actual final level, improving the swinging mechanics).

Quote from: JGOO

Revived? I never thought it died - it just translated into newer species.

The fighting scene never died per se but due to the ever-evolving complexity of fighters coupled with the death of arcades, it sorta lost its mass appeal over time. I can tell you as someone who regularly plays fighting games that the scene before SF4 was just lingering despite new fighters coming out; the people wanted SF and nothing else. Thanks to the retro renaissance this generation that finally happened, and it gave an unprecedented boost to arcade stick sales. If you regularly watch fighting game tournaments its always SF4 that has the highest viewership and the highest amount of participants internationally (MK viewership is comparatively quite low despite amazing sales. My theory is that the majority of that game's audience doesn't care enough to play it competitively).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 13, 2013, 04:49:37 am

Any interest in the Steam Box around here?

Valve definitely has the resources and momentum to compete against the three dynasties, and the fact they're offering their own OS as an alternative to Windows is a really sound plan to nab both the disgruntled PC and console audiences. It also helps the Steam Box controller is an epiphany for comfy couch gamers long perplexed by PC gaming.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 15, 2013, 06:16:14 pm

If SteamBox offers the same games at comparable quality but cheaper price than the Xbox One or PS4 varieties, then sure.  Otherwise its an uphill battle.

I'd bet my money on Ouya instead though.  Ouya is following the phone model, with an updated product practically every year.  Technology-wise, it may be behind the first few years, but by the time Ouya 3 or 4 comes out, it'll start passing by the big three in some features (and already beating them on price of hardware and games).  I don't like that the Xbox One and PS4 are repeats of the same 7-8 year model lifecycle.  I was hoping to see hardware that showed promise of more frequent updates (like say, removable/updatable graphics card and hard drive modules)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 16, 2013, 04:25:41 am

It's true Valve has an uphill battle not only in the console space but the PC space as well. Moving the Windows game audience to the Linux platform... that'll be interesting to watch in the next few years.

Oh man. I hate to break it to you, JGOO, but the Ouya is a massive flop. No way there'll be another upgrade if the first one isn't successful (unless they've still got some Kickstarter money lying around). Relying on indies to sell the system wasn't the brightest idea in hindsight, and its much touted open-source capability isn't really all that impressive in this day and age when folks can just connect a PC to a television to get a similar experience.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 21, 2013, 07:07:30 pm

Quote from: JG on October 10, 2013, 07:55:14 am

I don't think there will be new 3DS colors.

I stand corrected.  There will be a gold color XL in the Christmas 2013 bundle that includes a Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds download card. ($219.99)

Still no white model.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 22, 2013, 05:58:14 pm

While i'm not entirely a fan of the garish gold color, i do have a bit of an appetite to get one knowing any Zelda-themed system will always be highly valued by collectors.

No doubt it'll sell out fairly quickly, but of all days to be released, it's on Black Friday. Chances of Amazon getting a batch are zero.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 22, 2013, 06:25:57 pm

Quote from: Moquin on October 22, 2013, 05:58:14 pm

.. but of all days to be released, it's on Black Friday.

Nope.

Release Date = November 22
Black Friday = November 29

Amazon should have plenty on Launch Day, but you ought to be able to just walk into your local retailer and pick one up without dealing the crowds, too.  I know I'll be enjoying my Thanksgiving weekend and being well into A Link Between Worlds and Super Mario 3D World. (Lousy that they launch on the same day though. I'd rather have one now or in December than get both at once.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 23, 2013, 12:54:12 am

That's the European release date. So far the only indication of a release in the U.S. is a leaked Black Friday Gamestop flyer circulating around the interwebs.

The North American Amazon branch (the U.S. branch to be more specific) no longer sells Nintendo hardware itself due to a dispute (that neither side is willing to detail); it's been that way since Nintendo snubbed Amazon out of a Wii U release.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 23, 2013, 08:36:13 pm

A Black Friday ad saying the game will be out by then, doesn't disprove that it could be out before then.

The official NOA Zelda site (http://zelda.com/link-between-worlds/) still contends its set for a November 22 release, as do the websites for GameStop, BestBuy, Walmart, Target, Toys'R'Us, and Amazon.  And Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_A_Link_Between_Worlds) also has it as November 22, providing zero evidence of a delay.


Nintendo has partnered with Best Buy as their premium retail supplier.  Obviously Best Buy and Amazon are not on the best of terms, hence the decision to no longer carry Amazon as a launch hardware provider.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 29, 2013, 05:16:49 pm

Welp. Looks like your hunch was right JGOO about the Gold XL's release being the 22nd in North America.

I *might* pick one up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 12, 2013, 07:57:53 pm

Did you ever get ALL the stars in Mario Galaxy 2, JGOO?

Not sure if i'm up for going through every single level again. Is there really any substantial new content after the initial 120?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 14, 2013, 06:24:46 pm

No.  I think I got around 110, and the last few were real toughies.  I recall not being able to unlock the final star on star road (which requires something like 115 stars?)

Speaking of which, hoping 3D World is non-linear, like SM64 and the two Galaxies.  I'm tired of the level-by-level, world-by-world progression in the last several games in the "New" series.  Although 3D Land was also linear and that concerns me that this one will be, too. Here's hoping Big N is going to mix it up a bit this time.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 19, 2013, 02:19:00 pm

Kinda strange to give up when you were so close to the end, but having just played through the Rainbow Road level, it was hands down the hardest in the entire game.

Good riddance to motion-controls in Wii U Mario, although i will sorely miss the manta ray surfing from the first Galaxy.

Which Nintendo title are you picking up first on Friday, JGOO? :bigtran

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 19, 2013, 06:33:27 pm

I'll get both, but will actually play Zelda first.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 03, 2013, 09:24:31 pm

So is ALBW as every bit as good as the game it takes inspiration from? Would you prefer it to the console Zeldas?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on December 03, 2013, 11:28:48 pm

I found Link Between Worlds brilliant, myself. It gets the distinction of being the most open, free-roaming Zelda game since the first one, and since exploration and adventure are exactly the things I go to this series for, it was everything I wanted. It's all because of the item rental system, which sounded like a terrible idea when I first heard about it, but then it turned out to mean I get almost all the progression items before the second dungeon. The usual Zelda system is to mete those items out dungeon-by-dungeon to control sequencing, but LBW has little sequence. By the time you get to Lorule you can take on 6 of the 7 dungeons there in whatever order you want and I love it.

I wasn't a fan of Skyward Sword, and this game answers all my gripes with it. Fast text scrolling, open world, no overbearing helper, no hand-holding. The primary hint system in this game consumes Play Coins so it's like it actively discourages me from getting advice -- a welcome change of pace from the console Zeldas that increasingly insist on giving advice whether I want it or not.

The only downside was that it was over too quickly. It's pretty quick and easy. Most of the difficulty comes from certain enemies doing tons of damage with one hit -- a side-effect of balancing damage values based on armor upgrades that give you up to 4X defense. But if you're thorough you get all those upgrades in due time and the game becomes a breeze. In just a week I had completed both Normal and Hero mode, and now there's nothing to do but wait for Streetpass hits to give me new opponents to fight.

I'm fine with it going by quickly considering the alternative would have been padding it out with stricter sequencing. I'd say this was a good trade-off. The openness means it's ripe for replay value too. I'll probably start a fresh game every now and then and go through the Lorule dungeons in different orders, try it with fewer upgrades, use different weapons more frequently, etc. I've played it two different ways of many so far, and I'm still wondering how it would go if I picked different routes.

Link to the Past is my favourite because childhood, but this one gets a lot right in recapturing the feeling of it. It's more than just re-using the map, the character designs, and the rough scenario. It's about making a game that feels as tight and definitive as LttP, and it surprised me that they pulled it off this well.

There is one aspect I love about LttP that they can never recapture though, and that's the self-contained nature of it. LttP wasn't a sequel or a prequel at the time, it was a remake/re-imagining of the first game, and it was only later that they made the big overarching timeline that retcons it into being just another 'link' in the chain. You can tell LttP's story was meant to be self-contained from beginning to end, but every Zelda from Ocarina onward has had to make reference to the struggle between Link, Ganon, and Zelda as a never-ending cycle. It detracts from the sense of mystery of the backstory as well as the sense of victory at the climax. I actually like the timeline as a whole and all the possibilities it represents...but I selfishly want LttP exempt from it. Its story just works better taken on its own than as part of the series.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 04, 2013, 09:11:59 am

Agree almost entirely with Rai's aseessment. It is very open, very good, and the item rental idea isn't the bad idea it sounded like (with exception that the prices are much too low, as you should have collected enough rupees to be able to rent almost every item by the time you've finished the Eastern Palace and certainly by the time you finish your second palace.)

Like LttP it is too short though.  The dungeons and bosses are easier as well, so there isn't as much challenge.  I've needed no potions or milk in regular mode and only needed to be saved by a fairy once.  With five bottles full of fairies I don't think I'll need any before end of game - Hero Mode likely flips difficulty on its head though.

There's a nice item improvement method in the game involving finding 100 missing octopi children. You can't always see them but you can hear them, so if you explore a bit you can find them all without difficulty.  Every 10 you find nets you a weapon upgrade.  For example, short range boomerang becomes longer ranged like in earlier games, but items like Flame Rod can now produce a larger pillar of flame once upgraded.  This encourages you to go back to areas you explored earlier, which wasn't done enough in LttP (who goes back to the Sanctuary after escaping Hyrule Castle in LttP?)

I do have a couple of gripes. The item change method is the classical pause-mode selection screen.  I'd rather pause to see the map and be able to choosemy weapons on the fly than vice versa.  The recent Wind Waker HD did it right, and ALBW doesn't.  There is a quick change method for selecting items but its clunky.  Secondly, there are misleading clues in the game about where to find the miner on Death Mountain.  Finding his ore mine is easy, but he's not there - he's actually on a ledge above it, which means you have to take a different route through the mountain - which isn't immediately apparent becuase the platform to access it appears later than the platform to the ore mine.  I had to GameFaqs to find out where he was and how to get to him. (Note that while the overworld looks similar to LttP, the caves are entirely new.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 11, 2013, 04:29:08 am

ALttP served as the blueprint for every Zelda that came afterwards. I agree with Rai when he says that particular entry in the series should be left alone. No need to retcon in Gorons or beautify the Zoras (which i'm wondering if they did) and all that.

VERY disappointed to hear ALBW isn't the least bit challenging. Although ALttP wasn't balls-hard like The Adventure of Link, it wasn't exactly a cakewalk either. As far as difficulty goes, Skyward Sword was a step in the right direction, but it stinks to hear they're falling back on contemporary Zelda difficulty (to appease the casual handheld audience perhaps :chicken).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 11, 2013, 08:17:00 am

To appease younger players (and their parents), who are far more likely to buy handheld versions than console versions.

Take note of other series where handheld versions are generally easier: Super Mario Bros (especially NSMB2), Metroid (Fusion is arguably the easiest), F-Zero (laughable), Star Fox, Luigi's Mansion, just to name a few.  I fully expect the new Smash Bros to be easier than its console counterpart as well, even though they'll be released at the same time.  Nintendo understands the market and generally doesn't try to fight it -- they give you Hero Mode instead.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on December 13, 2013, 11:01:47 pm

Well, I wouldn't say it wasn't the least bit challenging. Yeah, it was quick and easy for me, but I'm also an adult that has been playing these games most of my life and particularly the one game that was used as a template for this one. It's not so easy that I think a newer player would be able to ace it quite as seamlessly. There were actually several puzzles that had to make me stop and think. The game does a good job of teaching you how its tricks work in a subtle "show, don't tell" way, and eventually leads to part where the only way forward is to look carefully for the clues and remember everything you've learned. It's not like other modern Zelda games where you get to those points and Navi or Fi or whoever jumps out to tell you those clues and remind you of the relevant past lessons, you actually have to figure it out on your own.

Unless, maybe, you put on the Hint Glasses and fork over a coin to the Hint Ghost, if there's even one nearby. I rarely equipped the Hint Glasses so I don't even know how many "I give up" options there even are, which is a design I'm grateful for. It gives the more casual players an out without overtly insulting the intelligence of the more experienced players.

If Skyward Sword was a step up in difficulty, it was really only in action-oriented skills. For exploration and puzzle-solving, any potential it had was crushed by its inescapable hand-holding. LBW is the opposite. Skill isn't as much of a requirement because combat is back to the oldschool overhead B-swings-sword simplicity, but exploration and puzzles are there to make you work for them again.

At any rate, don't worry about the Zoras. They're consistent with their LttP depiction: Creatures from the Black Lagoon that will normally just pop out of the water to spit fire at you, but can also be reasoned with enough that their leader can give you the all-important Flippers.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 14, 2013, 08:21:14 am

I'm happy for B-button sword attacks and other buttons for items.  I disliked the stylus actions used in Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (except for the rare occasions when you needed to throw a boomerang in weird patterns to hit switches, then it was ok)

Yes the puzzles are harder in this one than the last several (I'd rate Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask as tougher, perhaps only those two), but most of the boss battles are rediculously easy, at least on normal mode.  Most you can just stand and slash away and you'll never lose enough hearts by taking direct shots from the baddie before you put it down.  It's really hard to die in this game compared to most Zeldas (though the same could be said for Skyward Sword, minus the first battle against Ghirahim [becuase you have so few hearts and no access to invulnerability potion yet] and the final battle against Demise [assuming you don't have invulnerability potion, which makes him much easier])

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Mirai Doft on December 15, 2013, 07:12:38 pm

I'll definitely pick LBW latter, but right now I'm busy with the new Phoenix Wright and Fire Emblem: Awakening, which is awesome btw. There's so much to this game that I want to see how they plan on topping it with the next one. And although I disliked the idea at first, the DLC missions for the game are really good.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 17, 2013, 09:28:32 pm

My Brown Thursday 3DS XL should be coming in a couple days.

REALLY want to try out the new Phoenix Wright, but really the reason i bought the system is to play Bravely Default; been waiting ages for a new entry in Final Fantasy that's good.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 30, 2013, 02:35:19 pm

Anybody care to share their top 10 for this year? As always the only rule is that your list doesn't have to be exclusive to this year, as long as it is something new you played.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on December 30, 2013, 10:01:01 pm

Aside from Zelda, the only other new game I played this year was Project X Zone, and I don't think I'd put it on a top-anything list.

I got Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, not having played the Wii version. I did play No More Heroes for the first time a few months ago and that was great. I downloaded the GB Color Shantae game after getting interested in the new Shantae Kickstarter and that was pretty good. Even older than that were Zork II and III. I played through the original trilogy for the first time last January, though I had already played Zork I as a kid. I'd say I even had more fun with that than PXZ.

Everything else I played this year were old games I played several times before -- classic Megamans, Gradius, Metroid, Zelda, and Doki Doki Panic which I'm counting as a replay of SMB2.

Don't want to make a resolution out of it or anything, but I kinda hope I get more time to play new titles next year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 30, 2013, 10:20:20 pm

All of these are genuine 2013 games.


Game not played but most wish(ed) to play: The Last of Us
I think I've seen enough previews to see that the story in this game looks excellent.  Too bad its a PS3 exclusive.  I'm hoping Sony follows Microsoft's footsteps and starts dropping the PS3 price so I can enjoy this one sometime in early-to-mid-2014.


10: New Super Luigi U
As I said before, its not a bad game per se, just originally marketted wrong, being far too challenging.  I don't mind hard if you work up to it, but don't start me off at hard, Nintendo: that gets old very fast.  Could have been a really great game had Nintendo not crippled it by being undisputedly the most difficult game they've produced in the last 10-20 years (with only F-Zero GX coming to mind, and this one still feels harder.)  Having it distributed with the more well-balanced New Super Mario Bros U fixes the problems somewhat though, as it would have been appreciated more if I could have gone back and forth between the casual NSMBU and challenging NSLU a few levels at a time. 2 of 10.

9: Gears of War: Judgment
I really like the Gears series, as it tells a much more engaging story than Halo does.  This ones just odd though, as if it tries to make a mystery/crime thriller out of a shoot'em up.  Which wouldn't be so bad if the clock weren't always against you.  So instead of safely taking cover and shooting the baddies from safe perches, you're too often reduced to running the gauntlet like so many other shooters, and missing the critical dialogue, which unfortunately makes it the worst of the Gears games for breaking the formula that made it unique.  I still liked it, just not nearly as much as any of the previous three. (And its primary competition this year absolutely smoked it.) 4 of 10.

8: Halo 4: Spartan Ops Episodes 6 - 10
The conclusion to the Spartan Ops campaigns that really make Halo 4 a great game, as the original campaign is somewhat disappointing.  Unfortunately, the second half isn't as good as the first half, with less interesting levels, and Microsoft failed to add the requisite number of crawlers to offset the number of grunts, elites, and other baddies they had. So while its easy to complete the challenges for other enemies, you end up at only about 10% completion rate on the crawlers, meanign you'd have to play through the few Ops levels with a decent number of crawlers hundreds of times to complete this task.  Better story and ending than the main campaign though.  Plus free: something other game producers should take note of when designing DLC content. 5 of 10.

7: Pikmin 3
Now were into games that I thoroughly enjoyed this year and find it tougher to fault.
Pikimin 3 is really spectacular in so many regards: visually its the most gorgeous video game I've ever seen; the Control Pad is perfectly suited to the game controls, and the abilty to command three different teams not only sets the game apart from the previous two entries in the franchise, but the beauty of the game is finding out how best to manage three crews concurrently. Unfortunately the game is far too short, there are not enough different environments to enjoy, and the boss battles, while not terribly difficult, just take too long (often more than 1 game day.)  It is also much too easy to 100% the game on the first try, so replayability sucks compared to Pikmin 1 and 2, which usually took a couple of playthroughs to master.  7 of 10.

6: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
The Mario & Luigi series continues to be a great action RPG series, but this ones missing some of the magic of the previous two.  Entering Luigi's dreams is a nice 'alternate world' to the 'real world' the bros normally travel in, but it seems shallow and less free-roaming adventure than Bowser's Inside Story was (nor as funny.)  The Luiginary attacks, beyond the Luigi Ball, are also very difficult to control, to the point that the 25-50% increase in attack damage really isn't worth the risk of failing. And some of the challenges are just too damned hard (Perfect attacks/dodges 10 times in a row against the dragon? Are you kidding me!?) Plus Bowser and his new Dracula-like enemy friend just don't work.  Good game, but still not hitting the high notes that came with the best of the series, Brothers in Time. 7 of 10.

5: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Unlike Mario & Luigi, this one is better than it's predecesor. Can't beleive it took Nintendo so long to bring out a new Luigi's Mansion game, as this one is very good.  Much longer and more involved than the previous installment.  I do miss some of the neat things you could do to bring the ghosts out of hiding in the original, like blowing out the candles.  You can still blow out the candles in this one, but it doesn't do anything but make the room darker.  The different types of ghosts and numerous bosses add to the adventure while  the boos form the originalwere more or less all the same.  The drawbacks are that it is not terribly difficult to 100% it on first playthrough, and if you're not rushing through the levels, you can collect enough cash to afford the max upgrades for your vacuum a little earlier in the game than should have been allowed if it were more balanced. 8 of 10.

4: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The Good: classic controls instead of the funny stylus controls we saw in Phantom Hourlgass and Spirit Tracks. The Bad: Too reminiscient of the classic Link to the Past, to the point that hidden caves and even dungeons are in the exact same place.  If you haven't played Link to the Past, this would be a great adventure. If you have, its diminished by having some of the fun, adventure, and secrets spoiled in terrain you've already seen, with minor changes.  The overhead view makes excellent use of the 3D perspective though, the dungeons are completely different than before, and a few new weapons like the Sand Rod add a new gameplay element so its not a bad game.  But I would have been happier if it had not reused the Hyrule from Link to the Past and given us something new instead - I beleive it would have made for a better game. 8 of 10.

3: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD
This is what Wind Waker should have been 10 years ago.  While the graphics are not greatly improved, the increased resolution improves on Link's facial expressions as he runs around and adds subtle touches here and there (like grass waving in the wind.)  The new lighting engine makes a big difference though, as the shadows are far more realistic. Bad gameplay elements from the original are rectified in the form of a faster, easier to operate sail upgrade (that also eliminates the need to keep changing the wind direction all the time), an improved PictoBox, and the Tingle Bottle function that allows exchanging pictures over Miiverse so its far, far easier to complete the Nintendo Gallery than it was.  Unfortunately its also easier than the original, with enemies (particularly Darknuts) less agressive and enemies dropping more rupees than you need (further hurt by requiring Tingle to translate only three maps instead of eight.)  They added Hero Mode though to re-up the difficulty if desired. (Now that Hero Mode has appeared in Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, and Wind Waker HD, it's safe to assume it's here to stay.)  I wish they did more with Knuckle, who had a minor part to play in the original but is practually absent from this edition. All his goodies are in the same places in the dungeons, but there are no in-game clues that they're there: just one of those things that Nintendo assumes people know about from previous play.  Still a much improved game over the original and the one I'd still rather see packaged with the Wii U consoles instead of the NSMBU+NSLU combo. 9 of 10.

2: Super Mario 3D World
Hands down the best SMB game since Super Mario 64, and arguably the best ever (which is saying alot).  They took all the elements of the four player NSMB Wii and NSMBU, gave each of the four characters unique attributes ala Super Mario Bros 2, and gave it fun 3D worlds ala Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 3D Land, without being disorienting like the Galaxy stages could be.  There are no overly difficult stages and few dull ones, and the new cat suit is an absolute ball of fun. They bring back so many other fun suits too, including Tanooki and Boomerang Bros.  Even Kuribo's Shoe makes an appearance in the form of a ice skate. There's lots to do in each stage (3 stars, a stamp, and capping the top of the goal pole) that demands replaying enough of them to 100% it, without putting these items in such hard to find places that every stage would require it. Nintendo's really found the perfect mix of everything that worked in previous installments, threw in the cat suit for pure fun, and delivered a truly exceptional must-have game. Tough to believe this is not the best of the year.  10 of 10.

1: Bioshock Infinite
This is the most well written, most carefully constructed game there has ever been. And the original Bioshock set the bar so high it's amazing how far this one surpasses it.  The graphics are lovely for a shooter, with realisitic physics (shoot a guy in the head and he flops backwards while his feet keep moving forward, enemies swing out as they ride the rails, etc.) and the environments are superb - every bit as detailed as the first two Bioshocks but less drab than the cold, underwater city of Rapture. With civilians about, you can see Columbia as a living city.  And Elizabeth adds real dimenion to the game by not just being a sidekick, but someone you come to feel like you need to defend, albiet one who doesn't aimlessly get herself shot and cause you to lose the game.  They wisely gave her AI to have her hide behind boxes but still toss you ammo or health packs when you need it.  Plus, if you're patient and let her walk around, she'll discover things in Columbia and provide an extra minute or two of enjoyment as she tries to play on the beach or explore the jars on a desk in some abandoned house.  It's a subtle touch that adds so much realism to her character and by extension, the coldhearted bastard you're supposed to be playing.  But as the mystery unravels in what is a fairly lengthy campaign for a shooter, it draws you in to such a degree that its really tough to let go. You keep wanting to play 5 more minutes to find out what plot twist will happen next. And just when you think its finally over, it drops the mother of all plot twists on you in the Best. Video. Game. Ending. Ever.  An ending that truly explains the entire Bioshock franchise, blurs the distinction between destiny and choice, and suddenly ties up all the loose ends of the story that you thought would go unanswered. Undoubtedly the Game of the Year to me. Play it if you haven't already. 10 of 10.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 31, 2013, 04:09:00 pm

Quote from: Rai on December 30, 2013, 10:01:01 pm

Aside from Zelda, the only other new game I played this year was Project X Zone, and I don't think I'd put it on a top-anything list.

Wow. We've got similar tastes in games. If you like Shantae then you should try out the game it unknowningly draws inspiration from: Monster World IV (cuter heroine and better gameplay).

Even though Grasshopper games aren't particularly good, they always deliver in the zany department, which is why i luv 'em. Coincidentally I also played Doki Doki Panic for the first time this year. Kinda surprised the modern Luigi was based off a female character.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on January 01, 2014, 08:12:57 pm

I'm trying to remember why I went and found a rom of Doki Doki Panic last January. It seems kind of random. I know I also saw an episode of Game Center CX featuring it at that time, but I think it was after. I guess it would make sence if I saw the episode first and decided it was about time I found out first-hand just how much SMB2 evolved from that game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 02, 2014, 02:27:12 pm

Quote from: JG on December 30, 2013, 10:20:20 pm

All of these are genuine 2013 games.

Luigi U a 2/10?! That seems to go against all principals of what a Nintendo game should be, but i'll take your word for it.

No surprises on that list of yours (however your bottom 5 scores were lower than expected). I've heard so much fan outcry over Infinite, but despite the protest i'm a bit more interested in playing that game over the first Bioshock due to the interesting art style.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 04, 2014, 02:33:49 am

Forgot to post my top 10 ;D

10. Donkey Kong 94
9. Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth
The game feels a bit unfinished, but it does so many original things that it gets a big thumbs up from me.
(http://i.somethingawful.com/u/raptorred/wurm/ass.png)

8. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
7. Tron Bonne

6. Vagrant Story
5. Xenoblade

4. Skyward Sword
3. Silent Hill

2. Virtual Boy Wario Land
Holy Mario meatballs! This game is amazingly fun (hands down the best in the series), gorgeous (graphical detail rivals arcade hardware), and very underrated. Shame Nintendo is never going to fund an emulator just for one game, but it really is that amazing.
(http://www.bermuda.ch/balduin/blog/wlvb2.gif)


1. Gunpoint
I love stealth games. That feeling of isolation and sneaking around brings chills down my spine (the noir-esque future oozes with atmosphere). I must commend the developer for writing not only a fairly compelling story but also some of the humorous dialogue i've read in a long time. Good stuff.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-28SqXM8Kua4/UfffKt7-KYI/AAAAAAAAAvc/tXWQUFu5byM/s1600/gunpoint-fall.jpg)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 07, 2014, 11:53:14 am

Hey JGOO, you picking up Bravely Default? Got my copy already, although i'm too deep into the Wonderful 101. You should try that game out btw (the game is a lot better than the demo makes it out to be). It's wonderfully inventive, the combat is hella fun, and the character dialogue and personalities are surprisingly a lot like a good Pixar movie. I'm going to say that game is already going to up there in my top 3 three this year (and had i played it last year, would be my goty).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 07, 2014, 05:41:27 pm

Yes, I've heard Wonderful 101 is alot of fun.  I might get it when it hits the bargain bin later this year.

And yes, I just got home with the last Bravely Default my Best Buy had on the floor.  Will give more input over the weekend once I've absorbed it a bit.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 28, 2014, 05:48:18 pm

It's a bit peculiar to see you play an old game, JGOO. Every time i look at whatever you're currently playing it's almost always something new. Anyway, didn't play the first Arkham, but i did get to mess around with the second game for about an hour. Gorgeous graphics and presentation, but very dull and repetitive combat from my brief playthrough of the introductory area. I'll pick up the game again in the future.

Just finished building myself a decently powered PC (have yet to purchase a videocard). Feels like i've got so many doors opened to me now that were not available when i gamed on my laptop. Right now i'm testing the waters playing a DS game on my HDTV (even though i own a DS and 3DS, i much prefer to get the full theater experience only available on a television) and it's quite amazing.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 01, 2014, 04:13:15 pm

I don't have enough time to play every game I want, so I'm usually only playing the ones that grabbed me at some moment and won't let go.  There's been at least a half dozen games the last few years I've bought, and never even got around to even starting (Epic Mickey 2, Wii Punch Out come to mind)

Any game that dares me to finish it has to have enough interest to keep me going (something Arkham Asylum is starting to fade on), and also enjoy the benefits of not having another spectacular game come out right on its heels (Gears of War: Judgment was completely overrun by Bioshock Infinite last year.)

The reason you see me listing mostly new games is that when I finish one, and don't have an older game I want to start, I might do something else instead of playing video games, like reading books, or yard work.


By the way, I said I was going to write some thoughts on Bravely Default, and haven't yet.  I think I'll hold off on that until I've finished it, to see how it pans out.  The narrative's gotten all weird now that I've made it to chapter 5 and I don't know yet whether that's good or bad for the overall game.  I'm about 73 hours in (kindly ignore what I said about not enough time to play games ;D), around level 59, have 22 of 24 jobs, and all but maybe two of my buildings in Norrende are up to level 10 or 11.  One thing I can say, is that this game is not of the modern kind like Xenoblade Chronicles or a Tales series game, where just playing through it and not running from enemies will keep you sufficiently leveled up to beat the non-optional baddies without losing often: this is an old school game where you have to grind all the time. Easily spent half those 73 hours just leveling up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 04, 2014, 06:08:04 pm

I should add you to my Bravely Default friend list. Still on Chapter 1.

What's wrong with Arkham Asylum? After playing the W101 i don't think i'll ever play a superhero game as good as that one ever again. It's a very meaty action game... i've heard some folks compare it to Kid Icarus in terms of expansive content (still have a sealed copy sitting on shelf waiting to be played, perhaps after i'm done with Bravely).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 05, 2014, 06:08:55 am

Sure, if you need an extra builder for your town or a powerful attack for boss battles.

Chapter 1 or the Prologue?  Becuase that Prologue was six or seven hours itself.


Nothing's wrong with Arkham Asylum all that much.  Its just the fighting scenes have become repetitive.  And I spend too much time trying to figure out Riddler's clues which I can often only get "Partially Solved" without further reasoning for why its not solved outright.


Kid Icarus has a massive amount of content and variety.  And it pushes the 3D features to the max - it's THE killer app for 3DS.  You definately need to play it someday.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 04, 2014, 12:48:51 am

So who's picking up Mario Kart U day 1?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 04, 2014, 07:28:25 am

Could care less. Double Dash (#4) was so excellent, while DS (#5) and Wii (#6) were so terrible that I didn't even bother to get 7 despite the good reviews.  Will need a playable demo before I go back to the series.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 05, 2014, 04:13:03 am

Last Mario Kart i played thoroughly was Double Dash, and it was fantastic (kart designs were ugly though).

What's wrong with the DS game? I've heard nothing but positive things about it. Having played it for about 30 minutes, i honestly don't have much of an opinion about it, but i will say snaking totally ruined the online play. MK Wii... it was really damn bloated, and not in a good way. The series was perfectly balanced with 8 racers, but 12? Utter chaos.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 05, 2014, 07:04:17 am

DS requires you do that left-right-left-right-left-right-left-right-left-right boost on partically every turn to stay in the lead.  Its hard enough to pull off reliably, and to make it a near requirement was beyond dumb.  It's bad mechanics as fingers don't naturally move that way, and bad for the unit as it rapidly wears out the control pad (I had to replace my DS much too soon becuase the control pad was too worn out, for which I blame MK DS)

Double Dash has 16 racers, albeit they pair up.  That's what made it great: both riders can carry an item. The other games only let you carry one so you have to choose offense or defense, and not be prepared for both.  A red koopa shell to throw forwards for offense, and a Bowser shell to toss backwards for defense (or forwards in a pinch) was a great combo in DD. (Making Baby Bowser and one of the Koopas my ideal team.)

MK Wii's problems wasn't the number of racers or course size or anything like that - it was unbalanced speed and a long delay between crashing/running off course and getting restarted.  Becuase everyone's moving so fast and there's such a delay in restarts, if you wreck or get hit by a blue shroom in the last 1/3 or so of the final lap, you're doomed, no matter how well you did in the race up to that point.  I've been perfect in races, leading the entire time and get hit but a blue shroom at the end and then finished in the bottom half.  I understand it costing you a few places if you've got some folks right on your tail, but it consistently ruins your chances to win the cup as you cant afford to finish lower than 4th or so in any single race. The only effective strategy in this game is to run second or third and blow all your boosts at the end to pass the leader right before the finish line (or get lucky that blue shroom takes them out for you.)  That kind of strategy does not a good racing game make.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 06, 2014, 03:20:30 pm

When i mentioned 8 racers i meant 8 cars on the track per race; adding 4 more made the races a bit more chaotic than i would of liked.

I didn't play that much of the Wii version either. Gave it a rental to play with friends, and they were taken back by some of the changes (such as not being able to race in multi without the CPU).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 09, 2014, 10:24:32 pm

Who's hype for Smash Bros?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 21, 2014, 12:52:52 pm

Have you beaten Bravery Default yet, JGOO? What's your final verdict on the game?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 21, 2014, 08:40:43 pm

No, I'm on chapter 7.  I haven't been able to play regularly, and when I have, I'd been leveling up experience levels to 99 (which I finished earlier last week), and to level 14 in all jobs (which I finished yesterday.)  I did this to make the rest of the game easier and to topple some of the less-nasty Norende bosses.  (For example, I was able to knock out Lv80 Leviathan but all the 99ers still best me because they're all cheesy.)

Top floor of the Earth temple is a great place to do this as the black puddings are rich in EXP and JP, and you can auto through it in a few hours investment by setting vampirism on all four characters and doing double Energy Bursts.  Unless you're at high levels, make one of your four characters a strong physical attacker, like a Monk, Ranger with bow, or Ninja with dual wield so you can take out the Megascolides - they're the only dangerous enemy up there and if you get in a BP hole against them you may get a few Rock Storms in return.  Star Pendants or Poison Immunity help against the Kaiser Cobra's Toxic Whirl.  Otherwise, you only need to cure every so often between battles and sometimes cast Blinda.  Once you have enough speed and attack power, you can blow though all three enemy sets you encounter on that floor unscathed in a single turn, earning the EXP and JP bonuses.  Only enemy first strike will upset your bonus streaks.  Of course, a Growth Egg helps alot, too.


Not a final verdict, but I can say its your typical Square RPG game.  50-some hours too damn long, but good story if you can put up with it for the 120-something hours it'll take.  Too many scenes from chapters 1-4 repeat in 5-7 (-8?) though, and that ruins the experience a bit by making it appear Square cut corners on the voice acting.  Combining chapters 5 and 6 into one would have helped immensely.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 24, 2014, 09:55:23 am

How many hours have you put into the game? I'm 7 hours in and still in chapter 1 :undecided

Thoroughly enjoying it, although from what i gather from your playtime, i probably won't be playing Kid Icarus anytime soon at my pace :cry

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 24, 2014, 10:00:58 pm

About 140.  But that was alot of time spent leveling up that probably isn't needed.

The chapters are exceptionally long since there's only 8 of them (10 if you count the prologue and the finale.)  As I recall, the prologue was about 8 hours long, chapter 1 about 13 hours.  2 is 20, 3 is 35 (really long), 4 is 20, and 5 is 20.  6 is only about 10 hours, and 7 is the shortest chapter I've seen so far - it may be in the 5 hour range unless something unexpected happens near the end of it.  My chapter 1 was closer to 20, 5 closer to 30, and 6 closer to 20 becuase of the times I spent leveling up.  I rather wish the chapters were split into smaller pieces but the breakdown will make sense to you about the time you get to chapter 6.  (I've read some things that hint that you can jump from late chapter 6 to either chapter 8 or the finale by taking a certain action, which would cut down on the hours count, but would damage the story, especially since chapter 7 is full of humor.)

Obviously you should fight the bosses as early as they appear in chapters 1-4 so you can steal their skills.  And I highly recommend the dragon quest in chapter 4 rather than delaying to 5 or later, becuase you can miss out on a lot of enemy skills that are only available in chapter 4.  Unless you're not trying, you end chapter 4 with 22 of the 24 job classes (with the Red Mage in chapter 2 being the only one that's tricky to unlock), and you really should have 23 (following the dragon quest).  The last job you can't get until chapter 6.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 16, 2014, 01:32:28 pm

Still not buying Mario Kart 8, JGOO? Lots of krazy deals going for that game, and lots of highly favorable reviews :purplerupee

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 19, 2014, 07:38:01 am

I might. I have a prepaid VISA card that expires in June and might use it on MK8.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on May 19, 2014, 09:50:10 am

I forget if anyone here played any Souls game.

Finished Demon's Souls. Game is for babies.

...of course I had the experience of beating Dark Souls and some five years worth of player messages to rely on, BUT STILL

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 19, 2014, 01:03:12 pm

Beat Demon's Souls two years ago. Great game but very difficult (especially the last boss) unless you're playing in co-op (i did for one boss, and it became ridiculously easy). Been meaning to continue to Dark Souls.

Most annoying aspect was the PvP. No way to turn off that functionality or leave whenever there's an invasion. Of course you could just play offline, but where's the fun in that?

 

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 22, 2014, 02:17:22 am

Quote from: JG on May 19, 2014, 07:38:01 am

I might. I have a prepaid VISA card that expires in June and might use it on MK8.

I'm definitely getting MK8 next week (well, probably the week after since i preordered it online). Would be nice to play a game with you for once, JGOO.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 01, 2014, 02:45:37 pm

Anybody here get Mario Kart yet? Still waiting for my online copy to arrive.

I've decided i'm going to sell my 3DS. For some perculiar reason, i just can't muster the enthusiasm to play game portables. I regret i can't finish Bravely Default despite putting in some good time, but if and when a 3DS emulator happens, i'll be sure to pick it up again. Oh, and Kid Icarus. Really want to play that too.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 02, 2014, 09:05:52 pm

Kid Icarus seems like it would be exceptionally difficult to play on an emulator. One hand on d-pad, one hand operating touchscreen, and pinpoint control of where on the touchscreen is touched would be needed.

Then again, you could always buy back your 3DS in a few years after the next generation comes along and get it cheap.


I've got my Mario Kart 8 but havent had a chance to play it yet. Work has sucked greatly of late.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 03, 2014, 12:28:19 am

MK8 is the real deal, and it's gooooooood; feels like Mario Galaxy on wheels: beautiful graphics (the environments, wow, so many little details when you zip by), amazing music, and 60 fps?! Haven't legitimately enjoyed an MK since Double Dash, so it's been a good while.

On the DS emulator i'm currently playing on, you can use a mouse to handle touchscreen control. Not that i would do that since i primarily game on a television from a distance, so i'll probably use a Wii remote to handle touchscreen control.

Perhaps Nintendy will implement 3DS backwards compatibility/emulation in its next platform. Iwata's been vocal that Apple's strategy (game parity between devices) is the right one in avoiding dry spells. Nintendo sure as heck can't rely on third-parties anymore to do that.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 03, 2014, 08:12:11 am

Quote from: Moquin on June 03, 2014, 12:28:19 am

MK8 is the real deal, and it's gooooooood; feels like Mario Galaxy on wheels: beautiful graphics (the environments, wow, so many little details when you zip by), amazing music, and 60 fps?! Haven't legitimately enjoyed an MK since Double Dash, so it's been a good while.

On the DS emulator i'm currently playing on, you can use a mouse to handle touchscreen control. Not that i would do that since i primarily game on a television from a distance, so i'll probably use a Wii remote to handle touchscreen control.

Perhaps Nintendy will implement 3DS backwards compatibility/emulation in its next platform. Iwata's been vocal that Apple's strategy (game parity between devices) is the right one in avoiding dry spells. Nintendo sure as heck can't rely on third-parties anymore to do that.

I'm rather suprised they haven't one a 3DS emulator for Wii U yet, now that the controller could do it (somewhat)  Wouldn't work for all games, especailly ones that require picture integration between top and bottom, but would for the ones that don't.


Third party software sucks of late.  Just about every developer has devolved to use one of two strategies:
1. Combo of sneak-and-hide and shoot-em-up/beat-em-up.  See Assassin's Creed and the Batman Arkham series.
2. Screw the sneak-and-hide and just shoot the hell out of everybody, and make it multiplayer while you're at it.  See any military game.

Nintendo doesn't make games in either genre, which is why they're still the best game maker.  Microsoft's first party titles dominate thier system, but their two biggest properties are of the same shoot-em-up type. Sony doesn't really compete at the same level and relies entirely on third-parties for success.

You have a few ouliers like RPGs, sports games (which is so dominated by EA now that no other developer tries), fighting games (so dominated by the Capcom/SNK combo that no other developer seriously bothers), and racing games (which all try to be so realistic that you can't tell them apart.)  Nintendo does make these games, but they make them unrealistic so its more fun.  Now you've got third-partiers copying Nintendo's strategy with games like Crash Bandicoot Racing (an obvious knock-off of Mario Kart)

Hardly anything is exciting me anymore about third-party games.  Maybe the future Monolithsoft game, or a Bioshock 4.  Back in the days of NES and SNES third-party used be just as good as first.  Then major producers like Capcom and Konami stopped trying.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 05, 2014, 08:36:37 pm

I doubt Nintendo would want to jeopardize 3DS sales now. In the future it's likely we'll see backwards compatibility (or software emulation, homebrew or official) built into the next system. Here's hoping for a console/handheld hybrid!

You sound like you one of them jaded gamers who can't stand modern gaming, despite being a big fan of Halo and Gears. I agree with your sentiment to a certain extent, and that's only because we've lost so much talent in the big budget game space in the last two generations (Japanese game devs  :cry). It's not all bad; we've got an endless sea of indie talent ready to wax our nostalgia thanks in part to the digital download revolution.

Monolith is technically first-party now. How excited would you be for a Bioshock sequel without Ken Levine at the helm? Despite all the flak Cap gets these days, they still deliver the best fighting games.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 06, 2014, 09:09:54 pm

Quote from: Moquin on June 05, 2014, 08:36:37 pm

I doubt Nintendo would want to jeopardize 3DS sales now.

And yet, 2DS.

Quote from: Moquin on June 05, 2014, 08:36:37 pm

How excited would you be for a Bioshock sequel without Ken Levine at the helm?

I thought Bioshock 2 was a fair story. Not as good as 1 and certainly nowhere near Infinite of course, but good enough. I could accept a fourth game without him pretty easily.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 07, 2014, 04:33:11 am

Eh, the 2DS is still technically a 3DS, just stripped down.

You playing MK yet, JGOO (or anybody else around here for that matter)? I could send you the tournament code in the lobby i frequent.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 10, 2014, 11:25:43 pm

Quote from: Moquin on June 07, 2014, 04:33:11 am

You playing MK yet, JGOO ?

Maybe someday I'll get some time to play it.  I haven't had time to play games lately. Still havent proceeded past chapter 7 in BD.



But, E3 news.

* Disappointed in Microsoft. Needed Halo 5 (https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-5-guardians) by Christmas.  I think everybody knows this to ensure Xbox One would win holiday season, yet its a 2015 release and now MS doesn't look so hot going into second straight holiday season without a headliner series game. One, (count 'em, one) game that supports Kinect.  If its no longer bundled with the hardware and isn't getting games made to take advantage of it, it's not going to survive.  Directionless.

* Sony appears to have put on a good show. Nothing I'm terribly interested in along the lines of last year's 'Last of Us' though.  Of course, Sony has the weakest first party, and depends on keeping third parties in the exclusive category.  Naughty Dog alone ain't going to do it with Uncharted, so I expect most of the things we saw from Sony will be on Xbox One as well, if not Wii U, too. (Some, like Destiny (http://www.destinythegame.com) that Sony pushed hard are already confirmed to be coming to other platforms.)

* Nintendo dropped a ton of new Wii U games (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu) today, covering a wide range of genres.  Though personally unhappy that Smash Bros (http://www.smashbros.com/us/) is delayed to Christmas and the Xenoblade sequel (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu/xenoblade-chronicles-x) won't hit shelves until next year.  Will have to do with the Dynasty Warriors/Zelda spinoff Hyrule Warriors (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu/hyrule-warriors/) instead I guess.  And I need more info on the new Legend of Zelda game (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu/the-legend-of-zelda) (4 screenshots isn't enough! Although +1 that Epona is back.)  Think Nintendo just one-uped Activision and Disney with Amiibo figurines (http://e3.nintendo.com/amiibo/) - same concept as Skylanders and Infinity, but works with more than one game series and doesn't require an expensive base unit.  I'm much less impressed by the 3DS lineup (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/3ds) and think Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/wiiu/captain-toad-treasure-tracker/) would be better placed on 3DS than Wii U. And won't buy it myself, but think 'Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright (http://e3.nintendo.com/games/3ds/professor-layton-vs-phoenix-wright/)' is great combo - has worked for Law and Order series on TV for years (plus the logo with both silouhettes doing the Ace Attorney "Objection!!" giant index finger point is awesome.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 15, 2014, 08:07:54 pm

I got to play some Mario Kart 8 this weekend.  Only playing at the 50cc level so far, but its not bad.  Glad that they added barrier to keep you on course instead of so many places where you can run off course, and Lakitu brings you back quickly instead of 5 seconds later (these two problems wrecked MK Wii).  Levels seem a little uninspiring though - they are much too wide so there's too few bottlenecks to use things like banana peels to good effect, and most are too flat or have long, constant inclines and declines.  The only really hilly levels are remakes like Moo Moo Meadows.  Fewer powerup boxes too.  Seems like you can drive a long time between pickups.  Maybe I'm still hoping MK will get back to Double Dash mode, where twice as many powerups and two riders to carry them made for more mayhem and more fun.  MK had a disasterous period of mediocrity after Double Dash (4) with subpar entries DS (5) and Wii (6).  Seems to be recovering with 7 and 8 but I really wish Double Dash was a playable mode in the new games (I wouldn't mind reverse direction mode either, another reason DD was awesome, but I guess the newer stages just aren't designed with both directions in mind.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 17, 2014, 03:46:28 pm

- The designers probably designed the courses to be wider so you wouldn't be knocked off course as much when bumping. Having 12 racers, it makes sense to make them a bit wider. It also adds options for diverging paths.

- I find it's usually best to place banana peels on ramps, speed boosters, or tights turns.
- Double Dash mode would destroy the balance in the game. The lightning and red shell spam would be off the charts with 12 racers each carrying two items.
- One thing i really love about MK8 is the level verticality. It's something you don't really see in too many other racers if any these days.
- Not sure what wizardry Nintendo is doing, but the online racing is super fluid and lag free. The last Nintendo game i touched online was Brawl, and that was a lag-fest if you weren't playing with friends.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on August 30, 2014, 05:34:50 pm

Viper fans may get a kick out of Azure Striker Gunvolt (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Os5LFW-C8). Seems someone at IntiCreates also likes naming characters after car models.

I was watching the trailer just before downloading it, and for a minute I thought they were actually referencing Sogna with the boss names: Merak...Jota...Viper...Carerra...then it started to fall apart with "Elise" and "Stratos" and I remembered that Sogna didn't actually invent those names. In my defense, I didn't know about the Merak or Jota cars before looking them up just now.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 02, 2014, 11:38:29 pm

I saw that trailer. Thought it was just wrong to name a male Carrera.

Anybody excited for the New 3DS? Think i'll wait for the next hardware leap.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 03, 2014, 08:09:29 am

Pros:
+ Better 3D angles
+ Analog stick on right hand side (this is what Kid Icarus: Uprising really needed; hoping this addition leads to a sequel)
+ ZL/ZR buttons existance (along with right hand analog stick, 3DS now has enough controls to allow ports of any worthy N64 or GameCube games [Super Mario Sunshine? Pikmin? Metroid Prime?])
+ SNES button coloring for 3DS (kewl)
+ XL version relased same time as regular (finally! stop duping me into buying the small l one before XL comes out; they probably bungle this for NA market though)
+ Slightly better battery life
+ Obviously improved performance if its capable of porting a game like Xenoblade Chronicles

Cons:
+ New ZL/ZR buttons position (you have to reach around the L/R buttons without hitting them; top would need to be angled to prevent pressing both; over under is better configuration but admittedly difficult to do with current form factor)
+ Placement of the new right hand analog stick is too close to hinge, and seems awfully small
+ No SNES button coloring for 3DS XL (boo!)
+ Faceplates (they tend to make hardware clunkier than it should be and is purpely a marketting gimmick)
+ Full internet access requires a fee (though I suspect this restriction to be dropped for non-Japanese markets; they may run into laws preventing this in other countries and don't have the infrastructure to support it outside of Japan.)

Push:
+ MicroSD cards instead fo regular SD
+ Built-in near-field communication.  I don't know what Nintendo's plans for this are outside of Amiibo.  If they use it like Spotpass has been then it'll turn into a huge disappointment outside of Japan.


* Took me a while to find a site that showed off the new ZR/ZL button arrangement: http://kotaku.com/what-we-know-about-the-new-3ds-so-far-1628593550 (http://kotaku.com/what-we-know-about-the-new-3ds-so-far-1628593550)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 03, 2014, 03:55:38 pm

Not sure if the shoulder button placement is going to be a problem or not. Design seems to be based off the Wii's Classic Controller, and i didn't hear any complaints about the shoulder buttons there --

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lrha9dExJgg/UUuQO334pkI/AAAAAAAACOg/jRSmk5D0-KA/s1600/IMG_20130321_225252.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lrha9dExJgg/UUuQO334pkI/AAAAAAAACOg/jRSmk5D0-KA/s1600/IMG_20130321_225252.jpg)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 07, 2014, 09:39:39 pm

And yet, they redesigned it for over-under configuration for the Wii U Pro Controller.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 08, 2014, 01:57:25 pm

I think Nintendo just wanted to appease 3rd-parties by going with the most popular controller design :chicken

I'm not too keen though on the right analog stick's placement.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 15, 2014, 02:18:45 am

You tried Destiny out yet, JGOO? (seeing as how you're the biggest Bungie fan here)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 15, 2014, 08:27:01 am

Quote from: Moquin on September 15, 2014, 02:18:45 am

You tried Destiny out yet, JGOO? (seeing as how you're the biggest Bungie fan here)

No, and when did that appelation suddenly apply to me?


To be honest I did not like Bungie's Halo 2 and Halo 3 as much as I should have. The whole Gravemind story was confusing until it's cleared up mid-way through part 3 and the campaigns are too short when compared to peer series like Bioshock and Gears of War.  And Halo Reach was even worse than Halo 3, trying to change weapon functionality already well established by the previous games, goofier physics engine, very difficult Elites, and too many battles that turn into "take a few shots in wide open space, take cover recharge your shields, take a few more shots, repeat for 5-10 minutes until baddie finally dies".

MS Studios redeemed alot of goodwill with Halo 4 though, especially in the form of the free DLC add-on campaign.


That being said, I will undoubtedly try Destiny some day, but have no desire to buy a PS4 or Xbox One just to play it.  We'll see what deals are available around Black Friday.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 16, 2014, 01:34:50 am

I really like Halo 3 in spite of the extremely short campaign. Didn't like Halo 2 cause of the change in feel of the weaponry.

Destiny is also available on 360/PS3.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 25, 2014, 01:24:12 pm

These next, er, current gen install sizes are absolutely ridiculous for AAA games.

50 GB for The Evil Within :cry

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 01, 2014, 11:53:04 pm

So just how much are you enjoying Zelda Musou, JGOO?

I've played only one Musou game in my life (which was this year), and that was Metal Wolf Chaos. That game had such stupidly hilarious dialogue and cinematics that i didn't mind that i was playing what was essentially a Musou game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 03, 2014, 06:15:52 pm

It's ... not bad.  Not great either though.

Pros:
* Really well designed story that combines the OOT, TP, and SS stories into one.
* Updated character designs for some characters.  Link's new scarf is neat, and Impa's entirely new design is awesome (sort of a cross between OOT and SS Impas), and Ruto looks more aquatic than she did in OOT.  Other characters haven't changed at all, which can be good if expected (Midna, Fi, Ganondorf) and not so good if they needed an update for this story (Zelda, Darunia)
* Adventure mode non-campaign series.  It uses the original Legend of Zelda map, and you play a battle for each map square.  It ignores friends, foes, and general canon. But its a great, fun diversion form the campaign.
* Almost all the enemies are regular Zelda baddies.  Grunts are wimps like Bokoblins and Stalchildren.  Captains are mid-level baddies like Darknut, Stalfos, Lizafos, and Big Poes.  Bosses are King Dodongo, Manhanda, and Gohma.  Wizzrobe makes an appearance as a boss named Wizzro.
* Very little non-Zelda canon introduced.  Shame it had to be  major characters like Lana and Cia. And they could have replaced Volga the Dragon Knight with a more appropriate character.
* Badge creation system to improve stats. (Could be better though.)
* Smithy to upgrade weapons and transfer abilities from one weapon to another.
* Co-op available in any game mode.
* Good replayability, especially in Adventure mode.

Cons:
* Main campaign is short.  14 levels I think?  Adventure Mode is the savior for a short series.
* Rather easy on Normal difficulty.  Only if you fail to rescue a critical partner or let something bad happen (like a bomb or boulder attack destorying your base.)  Most enemies go down without much of a fight.  The stages generally devolve into a 20 minute running battle between saving your friends and capturing enemy keeps, and then a 2 or 3 minute showdown with the boss, who is typically the only really dangerous enemy.  Adventure mode mixes it up some by making campign bosses or playable warriors as mini-bosses.  Sometimes have to defeat 3 or 4 of them in a level, and that can be tough.
* Some stages clearly designed with co-op in mind.  Too often running back and forth across the battlefield to save whoever is in trouble instead of being able to focus on the task you want to do.  I've heard that some of the more difficult Adventure mode stages actually require Co-op to get the A grade, as there isn't enough time for one person to acomplish the mission goals and kill enough baddies.
* Good loot is too hard to come by.  I've managed to acquire two gold level materials so far, but thousands and thousands of bronze level junk.   You generally end up holding 99 (the max #) of the bronze level items before too long. (Fortunately they can be turned into potions to give small stat or chance boosts.)
* Good loot is too often held by your compatriots.  I don't want to play the adventure mode battles where I fight Link or Impa (and especially not Shiek and she's a bonafide killer) just to get thier items, of which I need DOZENS to complete my badges.
* Rather wish there were more Zelda games they drew characters and stages from than the three named.  Would have liked to have seen Jabu-jabu, Nabooru, Hilda, or Tetra and her pirates make  an appearance. Maybe even a cameo by Tingle.
* The cutscenes and in-stage banter need to be voiced. Major fail by Tecmo Koei.  In game banter is too hard to follow becuase you're usually in the middle of dozens of baddies, and the cutscenes seem dull with slowly appearing text rather than voice acting.  Tolerable that characters make sounds like they do in earlier games. (The fairy this time around, Proxi, makes the same sounds Navi did in OOT; Impa will 'Hrmph' in disappointment or grudging respect; the girls giggle; and Midna yelps as she did in TP.)  Only Midna and Fi make alot of noise when they talk, and they sound exactly as they did in TP and SS, respectively, which is admittedly a little disappointing.

That's what comes ot mind right now.  I can answer other questions you may have in better detail.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 06, 2014, 09:24:43 pm

Hyrule Warriors seems to be an exceptional Musou game. I'll try it out when it hits the bargain bin. Shame those fantastic character designs are wasted on a Musou. If those character models were recycled into a fighting game i'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Picked up Smash for 3DS, JGOO? I'll just wait for Wii U game, which is supposedly releasing this fourth quarter.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 08, 2014, 11:12:12 pm

As previously stated, I don't particularly like fighting games.  Even worse a fighting game for 3DS, which isn't really designed for that genre.  I don't like having to memorize and then execute crazy joystick and key combinations to win.  Happy that Hyrule Warriors has kept it pretty simple in the form of consequtive Bs following by consecutive Ys (such as BBBY, or BBYYY)

But I'll probably end up getting the Wii U version since there's so much hype and I don't think there's much else on horizon for Christmas season (see also: Halo 5 delay)

The character designs absolutely should be used in fighting games.  Link should have that scarf from now on.  I think the character designs in this version are rather plain, and too many characters that just don't belong (Wii U Trainer for example), just aren't as well known enough (Meta Knight), or should be retired from the roster since their series have apparently been discontinued (Captain Falcon and Fox.)  Kudos for bringing in non-Nintendo characters in Sonic, Rockman, and Pac-Man though.

Tell you what though, if Sheik could move and attack in Smash as she does in Hyrule Warriors, she'd be tough to beat.  She's not my favorite to play but her moves are so fast that she leaves herself open to attack for such a short period of time its tough to get hit using her except against bosses where you really can't avoid damage (The Imprisoned being the worst offender.)  Can do the same with Impa and Link, but not with their main weapons; Impa with her Naginata and Link with the Fire Rod.  All things being equal, I'd take Link and a Fire Rod in a life or death match becuase of its ranged attacks.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 10, 2014, 10:55:05 pm

C'mon, JGOO. Surely you've played a Smash before in the past. It has never been a series about lengthy combos or memorizing move lists.

A weapon-based Zelda fighter would be rad. Doubt Nintendo would want to cannibalize Smash sales though.

I kinda like the Wii Fit Trainer. Sad to say but she's probably a one-off character just judging from the poor sales of Wii Fit U. Personally, i'm not a fan of the Fire Emblem series getting so much representation in each game. My fave Nintendy strategy series Advance Wars has yet to get even one character representation in Smash :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 11, 2014, 07:30:23 am

Yes, I played the N64 version quite a bit back in the day.  Some of the GC version.

Move list?  Ness. Baseball bat move. Game Over.
Once my brother mastered that move, it didn't matter what else I did.


Agreed too much Fire Emblem (never played a game in the series myself.)  Too much Pokemon, too.  I get Pikachu, but the others I could do without.  Just make a trainer character and let him summon a few different Pokemon each new Smash game.

Some I'd like to see:
* Bowser Jr (the most humorous of the Bowser family)
* Cat Suit Mario/Luigi/Peach/Toad (fun!)
* Paper Mario (instead of same ol', same ol')
* Vacuum pack Luigi (ala Mansion series, also instead of same ol', same ol')
* Tennis Peach (again, to be different)
* Phantom Zelda (ditto)
* Midna (the hair!)
* Ghirahim (Transforms into a sword. Plus diva. Plus tongue! Lots to work with here, much more so than boring old Fi.)
* Ganondorf/Ganon (special move to transform into pigform)
* Great Fairy (she's been in enough Zelda games to possibly warrant a cameo) [see below]
* Professor Layton and/or Phoenix Wright (other Nintendo brand exclusive series)
* Elite Space Pirate (to add another from the Metroid series)
* Hilda (instead of Zelda)
* Cranky Kong (odd twist on the DK staple)



Speaking of the Great Fairy, I unlocked her last night on Hyrule Warriors.  She's a "weapon" for Link, although you actually fight as her instead of Link and she's gigantic, towering over the enemies. (As tall or taller than many of the big boss monsters, too.)  Awesome point of detail: she keeps Link in a bottle instead of the other way around!  He's trapped in a bottle floating beside her head and every so often she'll dump him out so he can attack for a bit before she scoops him up again. How cool is that!?  The more I play the more I love all the little things the designers included to make it as Zelda as possible.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 12, 2014, 05:48:53 am

Ness is in the lower tier for all Smash games excluding the latest game --http://supersmashbros.wikia.com/wiki/Tier_list

Gotta step up your mental games, JGOO. Don't end up being one of these :chicken

Personally, i have no problems with clones as long as we're getting new character models.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 20, 2014, 05:43:39 pm

You ever played Beyond Good & Evil JGOO, or any other game resembling Zelda?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 21, 2014, 07:53:32 am

Yep.  Beyond Good and Evil was very good.

StarFox Adventures is of similar mold, but not all that good.

Assassin's Creed somewhat fits in that style, but is more attack/escape/stealth oriented and much less puzzle-solving.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 24, 2014, 01:53:20 am

BG&E was the most fun i had in a Zelda game since Ocarina. Shame it was kinda short and bombed spectacularly.

I've thought about playing SFA, but then i remember how much i hate DK64 and Rare's late obsession with collectathons. Did you ever beat that game, JGOO? That game and FF8 made me swore off 100% completion for every game i played. Now i just go for the ones i really enjoy.

I have yet to touch an AC. With so many sequels, i don't really feel the urge to play them.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 24, 2014, 08:14:07 am

I didn't think BG&E was short.  I recall it being as long or longer than Ocarina of Time.

I don't recall SFA having much in the way of collectibles, but its been about 10 years since last played.  I did beat it; it's not very hard.  It's mostly just annoying babysitting the kid dinosaur while you roam the world and fight baddies.  He's like a more annoying Navi.

AC4 (the one with the pirates) really is spectacular.  I wasn't all that enthused by what I saw from the first two games set in medieval Levant.  My interest peaked a little bit with AC3 set in the Revolutionary War.  I jumped on AC4 when Best Buy put it on their daily deal at $15 several months ago, especailly since the market for games has sucked this year.  Loved it.  I hope AC3 will show up on Gamestop or someone else's cheapo games list this Black Friday. (AC4 might as well.)  Last I saw, AC3 for Wii U is in Best Buy's bargain bin at $12.99 but not the Xbox360 version (which I'd prefer)

I dont go for 100% completion unless its a reasonably attainable goal (such as the journal in Bravely Default, or the badge sets in Hyrule Warriors)

Agreed that Ubisoft pushes out AC titles too quickly.  But they've settled on an 18 month release schedule between titles, so part 6 is undoubtedly well underway now that #5 (French Revolution) is on the horizon.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 07, 2014, 02:03:29 am

Granted it's been many years since i touched BG&E, but the game is much shorter than Ocarina. Played through the game twice.

Which Wii U title are you most looking forward to playing in 2015? That last direct had me salivating in the mouth. My vote's for Splatoon.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 07, 2014, 08:16:25 am

Quote from: Moquin on November 07, 2014, 02:03:29 am

Which Wii U title are you most looking forward to playing in 2015?

The new Legend of Zelda of course.

Unless it's delayed to 2016, in which case it'll probably fall to Xenoblade Chronicles X.

Regarding other big 2015 releases, I am less enthused about Halo 5, since it seems to be going to a multiplayer, team-based campaign game (ala Call of Duty) rather than the single player Master Chief-focused campaigns from the first four.

Quote from: Moquin on November 07, 2014, 02:03:29 am

Granted it's been many years since i touched BG&E, but the game is much shorter than Ocarina.

Is BG&E beatable in one sitting?  My brother once bet me I couldn't go end to end in OoT in one day without dying or turning the game off and I proved him wrong.  Probably my greatest video game feat.  (But he still has the ultimate one-up by once beating Contra solo without dying a single time, which is extremely impressive.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 09, 2014, 03:18:35 am

Did your brother play the XBLA Contra? I know that game had the don't die achievement.

Off course BG&E is beatable in a day, not that i've ever tried. Technically it is possible to beat Ocarina in under 30 mins thanks to a newly discovered glitch.

What's your opinion on Majora's Mask? Seems to be the darling of the series for a lot of fans, but i remember being quite underwhelmed at the time.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 10, 2014, 07:21:56 am

Quote from: Moquin on November 09, 2014, 03:18:35 am

Did your brother play the XBLA Contra? I know that game had the don't die achievement.

What's your opinion on Majora's Mask? Seems to be the darling of the series for a lot of fans, but i remember being quite underwhelmed at the time.

NES Contra.  XBLA is the arcade version.  I have no idea which is the more difficult to complete without dying (probably NES, if there's even the existance of a don't die achievement in Xbox)


Majora's Mask has its moments, but I dot think anybody would really consider it the drarling of the series.  Maybe most underrated, but nowhere near best overall (should be clearly behind LttP, OoT, WW, and SS).  The N64 version required that extra memory pack, so alot of people passed on it, especially as things like Playstation appeared and started to dominate.  And it is much more difficult than OoT, becuase you have only 50 minutes or so to complete a task before the world resets.  Link keeps whatever he's got (masks, songs, etc.) but the rest of the world reverts, which means you sometimes have to beat the area boss again to complete the tasks in an area, so it can become a little tedious if you're trying to get heart pieces from difficult tasks like the Goron Race or Milk Delivery.  So it's less of the linear adventure than most Zelda games are.  And Termina seems very small compared to OoT's Hyrule.  But you get to wear different suits and act as Deku Link, Zora link, or Goron Link - something I wish they would bring back in one form or another in the future.

It's coming to 3DS in a few months.  Zelda fans ought to get it if they passed on the N64 version (or failed to acquire a GameCube Collector's Edition disc).  Unless you hate Tingle, becuase this is the game that introduced him.



By the way, I now own an Xbox One.  Was too tough to pass up Best Buy's one day deal on Saturday.  Prices just dropped $50, came with AC5 download code, Best Buy was throwing in a full year of Live for free (which I needed to buy this month anyway), and I had $10 in rewards zone certificates and a 10% off single item coupon about to expire.  Plus I wanted a 3D-capable BluRay player as I intend to buy a new TV in the next few weeks to replace my 11 year old 1080i/720p model.  Going to get a top-of-the-line or near-top-of-the-line 4K 3D-capable model to take me through the next 10 years of gaming advances.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 20, 2014, 08:43:41 pm

Are there any games you're dying to play now on the XB1? I'm really interested in playing D4, and i guess Halo, but that game's riddled with bugs i hear.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 22, 2014, 08:23:13 am

Unity is only one now.  And Halo 5 whenever it comes along.

Might be interested in Titanfall, Shadows or Mordor, or Halo Collection, when they drop to bargain prices, but don't consider them must-haves.


Disappointed at how slow Unity is progressing.  Black Flag got going right away and really grabs hold of you and won't let go.  Unity is so dull and slow in comparison.  Too many people on the streets so you can't free run there, and buildings are not consistent in height so you can't run across rooftops either.  Too much climbing up and down makes the story go even slower.  Buildings placed so closed together and so tall that you become disoriented and have to look at the map too often to figure out which direction you need to go.  Everything feels cramped.  Highly detailed, yes, but too restrictive.  Only played about 4-5 hours so far, and while the side quests are neat, I have yet to consider this "a fun game" yet.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 27, 2014, 02:04:21 am

I'm surprised you didn't pick up Sunset Overdrive. That's probably the most Nintendo-like game on the system. Got decent reviews too.

Smash Wii U is sooooo good. The game feels really balanced from a casual perspective; no duds like Melee Bowser anymore. Only wish there were group lobbies like in Mario Kart 8, but supposedly that's coming in a future update.

Captain Toad's out next week. No interest in that, JGOO? I'll probably get it sometime next month.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 27, 2014, 05:42:33 pm

Haven't seen Sunset Overrdrive for sale anywhere for Black Friday or might have got it.

I still maintain that Captain Toad should have been a 3DS game.  Not sure its right for the TV-based platform.  Probably will pass until it hits the bargain bin (which I expect to be faster than most first party games)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 28, 2014, 01:21:43 pm

Captain Toad is already discounted at $40.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 09, 2014, 05:16:26 pm

Anybody hyped by any of the games shown last weekend?

It's nice to see Street Fighter return to form with graphics that don't burn my eyes.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 09, 2014, 05:21:25 pm

You finished Bravely Default JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 11, 2014, 07:09:43 am

I have not.  My gaming time has been seriously curtailed the last few months.

I really want to finish it though.  I got up to chapter 7 in spring, then got waylaid at work for several months, started the game over from scratch and got up to chapter 8 by October, and now I've been stuck again.  Not going to start over this time though.


When I have got time to play lately, it's usually to be Hyrule Warriors.  Adventure Mode is oodles of fun and ties in so well with the original NES Zelda map. I even purchased the DLC pack to start playing through the Master Quest adventure mode map (and later on, the Twilight and Majora's Mask maps)


AC Unity is just about dead to me.  It's extremely boring, just task after task of going to some location and stealing some item or killing somebody and hoping the game doesn't crash along the way and make you start over. No sense of adventure, humor, or fun like there was with Black Flag.  (I've heard AC Rogue is getting the better player reviews becuase its based on an engine that works [Black Flag engine] and has the high seas adventure more fitting of a direct sequel to Black Flag.)  Also, Shadow of Mordor arrived last week following Black Friday sales and is likely to supplant Unity during Xbox time.  Don't think I've been so disappointed in a game that came with such high fanfare since the Sonic the Hedgehog relaunch in 2006.  That is bad company for AC Unity to be associated with.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 18, 2014, 03:53:04 pm

Ubisoft seems to be stumbling over its own feet lately, and it seems it has had an affect on both their sales and stock. They'll return to form soon enough though.

You ever finished Batman?

Gave up Smash U after a week. Game needs a community lobby like Mario Kart 8. Having to enter friend codes again... yeah, i'm not going to do that. Great game otherwise. When it gets cheap i'll consider picking it up again.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 19, 2014, 07:25:49 am

No I stopped playing Batman when Bravely Default came out.  Plus I was getting frustrated by the Bane fight, it had proven to be very repetitive for a few days before then, and too many of the Riddler's riddles are absurdly vague or even when you know the answer they require just the right standing position and camera angle to clear.  Not worthy of any game of the year accolades in my opinion.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 21, 2014, 07:07:28 pm

I've only touched the first hour of Arkham City, but from what i can tell, that series has the most brain-dead combat i''ve experienced in a modern beat 'em up. Great production values though.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 25, 2014, 09:51:21 pm

Yeah Batman is kinda dull fighting.  Attack, parry, and occasionally throw in a batarang or cape whip stun.  Shadow of Mordor is made by the same group, so its extremely similar gameplay.  Somewhat better though since the combos are easier to pull off and it gives a few bonus moves to pull off executions and kill the orcs easier.  (Shadow of Mordor is a hybrid of Batman: Arkham games and Assassin's Creed. Basically Batman's gang fighting mixed with AC's freerunning and assassination moves, with a bow to replace the batarang/firearms for long range.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 31, 2014, 02:05:31 am

Any interest in trying Watch Doges, JGOO? Seems like that game might fit your tastes.

As usual it's time for the annual top 5 games of the year (and top disappointment). Doesn't have to be from this year, but it has to be something new you've played.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2014, 10:40:24 pm

Quote from: Moge on December 31, 2014, 02:05:31 am

Any interest in trying Watch Doges, JGOO? Seems like that game might fit your tastes.

Not really, no. To be honest, when reading previews for it I got the game would have worked better on Wii U, with the gamepad as your "cell phone/tablet" hacking device.

Quote from: Moge on December 31, 2014, 02:05:31 am

As usual it's time for the annual top 5 games of the year (and top disappointment). Doesn't have to be from this year, but it has to be something new you've played.

I was actually thinging the same thing over the last day or two and settled on this list:

GAME OF THE YEAR: Hyrule Warriors (Wii U): 9 out of 10
A musou doesn't seem all that fun on the surface and seems like it would get old quick, but this one completely turns the genre upside down, to the point that SquareEnix has contracted KoeiTecmo to use the same concept in the upcoming Dragon Quest Heroes (late 2015, early 2016 release.)  All your favorite Hyrule characters are back, both good and evil, many character's sporting more than one weapon type (like Link dropping the sword and shield for a Fire Rod, Power Gauntlets, or even Epona), plus all the bonus weapons you'd want to see (bombs, boomerang, bow and arrows, hookshot) along with familiar enemies like King Dodongo and Gohma.  It has a nice, solid main campaign that is long enough and requires use of other characters than just Link, but the Adventure Mode is where the game shines. Playing out on an original NES Zelda map of Hyrule, with special item cards such as Bombs or the Raft to unlock secrets (most usually in the exact same place on the screen as in the NES original), each map screen represents one battle or challenge, giving 128 in this mode alone.  With the main campaign, thats over 150 different battles, along with four randomly generated battles per day (network required), so the game has high replay value for a beat-em-up.  Fork over an extra $20 for the Hero of Hyrule DLC pack and you get another 128 battles on the Master Quest map (yes, just like the NES version), 100+ more battles in an all new Twilight map, plus the yet-to-be-released Termina map. I rarely recommend DLC but this one is well worth it if you enjoyed the regular Adventure Mode map.  The only real flaws are the random network battles are too often the same scenario and some of the battles are as much dependant on luck as on skill (particuarly timed challenges where you get a Dodongo or Gohma that won't cooperate and reveal their weak spot.)

#2: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (any console system and PC): 9 out of 10
I narrowly gave the edge to Hyrule Warriors due to the high replayability, but AC4 has an outstanding campaign. Unfortunately, its not terribly difficult to 100% the game on collectibles, so there isn't as much replay value, but until you do it's great fun to work your way up the ranks from mere thug to Pirate King while running across famous pirates from history like Blackbeard. Taking the game off land and onto the high seas opens up a massive world with a ton of sidequests, such as shark hunting and diving for sunken treasure.  With Unity being a boring, buggy disaster, Black Flag is the one future stealth/assassin type games will be measured against (and with the newly titled chapter 6, Victory, being set in Victorian London, there is grave concern it'll be another boring inter-city affair, repeating the mistakes of Unity and missing out on the fun stuff from Black Flag.)

#3: Bravely Default (3DS): 8 out of 10
Rather surprised that Nintendo Club's own fans didn't vote it in the top ten of 3DS games of the year.  The Brave/Default method of storing or expending stored points to perform multiple moves gives a nice change of pace to the classic turn based RPG game. I wish it featured more of an active turn based system than a strict 'every hero and enemy gets one action per turn' though.  Really, really good for along time, with the first four chapters being exceptional.  The fifth adds new elements to what seems like familiar story, but by the time you get to the sixth and then seventh chapter has gotten old and the repeating battles start to feel like a chore.  Easy to get all the characters to level 99 and skills up to maximum level by end of chapter 6, so the game rather sputters to the finish line instead of ending as strongly as it was during the first half.  Still, it has alot going for it in a year that was devoid of just about anything else worthwhile in the 3DS realm, and hopefully it'll be the start of a new 3DS-specific series for SquareEnix, now that they'd run out of Dragon Quests and Final Fantasies to remake.

#4: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One, and PS4 and PC in 2015): 7 out of 10
A wonderful combination of Assassin's Creeds freerunning and stealthy maraudering, with Batman: Arkham series' combat and countering, set in a world we're somewhat familiar with: Middle-earth's Mordor in the years between the Hobbit and Fellowship of the Ring. Fight as the ranger Talion, known to the orcs as the Gravewalker. Cursed to never die until your family is avenged, you take out Sauron's army from inside thier stronghold, hunting down and assassinating orc captains and warchiefs during a two-arc campaign that alternates between helping the humans fight back against their orc slavemasters and rediscovering your Elvish Wraith partner's forgotten past, with a cameo by Gollum.  Shy of perfection becuase the game gives you complete access to anywhere you're willing to walk to, whether you're strong enough to venture there yet or not, so you die early and often.  Being a litte more restrictive would have made for a better game. Plus, the random orc assassin sidequests popup too often, drawing you away from the main quests.  It hurts when the sidequests are so numerous that they take away from the main goal (see also, AC: Unity.)  While the game itself is fine at 30fps, it has very noticible framerate problems (10-15 fps) when playing out some of the story mode sections, when character details are ramped up.

#5: Plants vs Zombies 2: It's About Time (Android and iPad tablets): 7 out of 10
A solid followup to the original PvZ game, with different time periods giving different zombies, such as Egyptian pharoah zombies or wild west zombie cowboys. Drops some of the more annoying features of the first game (like nighttime) but sadly drops some of good ones, too, like the pool.  Adds some new features like train tracks in the old west and a much improved zen garden.  Unfortunately, it's gone the pay-to-play route, so some of the best plants like Snowpea and Starfruit are for-purchase only.  But it's been out a year now and Popcap is still making new episodes for the main campaign, which is healthy. But at some point we gotta see Dr. Zomboss go down once and for all.

Honorable Mention: Mario Kart 8 (Wii U): 7 out of 10
Thank you Nintendo for fixing everything that was wrong with Mario Kart Wii. The new tracks are quite good and the reworked tracks feature much better variety than any previous MK game.  Online multiplayer is welcome escape.  I still want to see a Double Dash mode though.  And replacing one of the rehash cups with a randomized rehash cup, using four of the maps from any previous MK game, so you get to play the ones that never make it into a game (since they presently only pull 16 of them but have over 100 in the bank now.) Maybe make this cup rerandomize every day so there's something new for players everytime they pop on.  Until then, Mario Kart games get old once you've pretty much mastered the 32 courses available in the game.


Biggest Disappointment: Assassin's Creed: Unity (Xbox One, PS4 and PC): 2 out of 10
Ugh. Maybe its better to say what went right.  Looks pretty.  Handles alot of people walking around the streets of Paris quite well. The multiplayer campaign missions seem okay.
Otherwise, pretty much a pile of crap compared to the excellence of Black Flag.  There's too many people in Paris, the buildings are too tall and buildings too different in height to faciliate the freerunning the series is known for and if you knock someone over, sure enough some soldier is going to chase you.  Everyone speaks in British accents instead of French (in Black Flag, the Spanierds spoke in Spanish.)  A fortuneteller character the game says is 19 sounds like an old lady.  And quite simply, trying to be a gentleman is not as fun as being a ruthless pirate.  You feel like you're stuck in the city, trying to be something you're not and everyone around you feels out of place.
And the bugs. Lots of clipping errors. Lots of freerunning jumps that don't go in the intended direction. The camera gets locked in weird angles during climbing that you can't fix until you're on the ground or roof.   Ultimately I quit the game after I spent over and hour sneaking through Notre Dame to steal a pair of chalices only to have a counter weight pulley deposit me half way between the second story floor and first floor ceiling, killing me outright when the game determined I had been "falling" for over 30 seconds.
Superhyped for this game after playing Black Flag, and now I'm very skeptical of how Victory will pan out.


So the biggest thing to take way from gaming in 2014?  Do something different, but familiar.  Hyrule and Middle-earth?  We know these places.  Midna, Darunia, Crazy Dave?  We know these people.  Blackbeard? Yeah, we know he's a badass pirate.  (By comparison, Robespierre?  Anyone know or even care if he's a good guy or bad guy?)  Reinvent and improve on what has worked before, as in the gameplay of Bravely Default and Plants vs Zombies 2.  Grounding your game in the history or gameplay we're familiar with pays huge dividends.


And the five games I'm most looking forward to in 2015?
1. The Legend of Zelda (Wii U)
2. Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS)
4. Star Fox (Wii U)
5. Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One) [would be higher, but dropping Master Chief has me concerned that it's going the Titanfall multiplayer-only route, though I give 343 credit for doing this rather well in Halo 4's DLC compaign.]

* Dragon Quest Heroes may land in late 2015 and would garner a spot here, but as there's no release date and its a rather newly announced game, it's more probable to hit early 2016.  It's supposed to be a PS4 exclusive.
* Speaking of PS4 exclusives, Final Fantasy VII would also be worthy of the above list, if it were a 3DS remake instead.  I like my remakes with something new thrown in, like touch screen capability.  Don't give me the same TV and controller experience it was 20 years ago, with improved graphics being the only draw.  Graphics are nice, but the experience is better, which is why I've always been a Nintendo fan over Xbox and Playstation.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 03, 2015, 03:00:30 am

5. Double Dragon Neon --  :chicken :chicken :chicken

Old school beat 'em up designed really well with a dash of American humor. Fantastic stuff. Wish there were playable characters though outside of Bimmy and Jammy though.

4. Silent Hill 2 --  :chicken :chicken :chicken :chicken

I finally understand why many have heralded this game as the greatest in the survival horror genre. Not only is it legit scary, but it also manages to tell a story with a real human element to it, which is quite frankly what most big budget horror games lack (including the original SH).

3. Marvelous Ms. Take --  :chicken :chicken :chicken :chicken

A fast paced stealth game in the vein of Metal Gear Solid 1's stealth (without the guns). Addictive, snazzy visuals, and cool characters.

2. Mario Kart 8 --  :chicken :chicken :chicken :chicken :chicken

This game is INCREDIBLY fun if you're playing with a group of folks who are actually good (the community lobby is pure genius). Some of the best productions values i've witnessed in a Nintendo title.

1.  Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth 2 --  :chicken :chicken :chicken :chicken :chicken

YOWZA! This is THE best game in the series (sorry Phoenix Trite). Great writing, gnarly animated sprites courtesy of Arc System Works, and a fantastic (fan) localization kept me at the edge of my seat. Capcom really did a great disservice to its fans by not bringing this game out overseas.

Biggest disappointment: No community lobbies in Smash U

Having to enter what's akin to friend codes again killed my enjoyment to play this game competitively.

Best surprise: A new Clock Tower sequel

Well, a spiritual sequel, straight from the original creator working in conjunction with Silent Hill's infamous creature designer. That's my dream team right there.

Looking forward to in 2015: Everything on Wii U, and Metal Gear Solid 5 (hopefully).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 16, 2015, 02:10:02 am

It's going to be a while before the next big Wii U game. Splatoon in May i think? That game on your radar, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 16, 2015, 07:29:55 am

Nah, don't much care for Splatoon.  I'm a solo player so I don't much care for the party games.

Agreed that Wii U calendar is rather bare for first half of 2015, aside from yet another Kirby game [sure are alot of them.]  But seems like PS4 and especially Xbox One have been in similar funks for the last few months; just isn't that many good third party games lately.  Sure would be helpful to get Star Fox out by end of May or June though to give something big for the summer months.  I'm worried it'll arrive too late in the year and be completely ignored in the shadow of the Legend of Zelda behemoth.

But at least Big N has the New 3DS launch and Majora's Mask (finally announced for a Feb 13 release)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 16, 2015, 07:34:52 am

And of course, now that I look it up I see that Star Fox is slated to be a playable preview at E3 in June.  Which means it won't released to public before fall.  Boo.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 04, 2015, 02:18:45 am

Great Matsuno's ghost is Tactics Ogre long. My game time so far is 90 hrs, and i'm loving every second of it.

Has your opinion changed JGOO with this sparkly edition of Majora's Mask?

I recalled you thought the original was kinda "meh" if memory serves me right. That was certainly my opinion back then.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 05, 2015, 07:02:11 am

Quote from: Moge on March 04, 2015, 02:18:45 am

Has your opinion changed JGOO with this sparkly edition of Majora's Mask?

I recalled you thought the original was kinda "meh" if memory serves me right. That was certainly my opinion back then.

I don't think I said it was bad, just not quite the epic most of the Zelda games are.  It's constructed too differently to allow for it, with the reset occuring after 3 game days.

It's basically the same game with some minor changes.  There's a couple of pieces that get shuffled around or changed.  Nintendo said they wouldn't make the game any easier, but I think they did by giving you access to the second bottle before you go to Woodfall, which means you can carry another fairy into the temple, thus making it easier since you only have 3 or 4 hearts at that time.  Not a huge deal though.  Other changes do make it harder: One of the heart pieces is damned near impossible to get now at the Swamp Target Range - you have to hit every target with at least 6 seconds remaining on the clock; N64 edition allowed for one miss during the full 60 seconds.  They moved the invisible soldier who carries the Stone Mask from Ikana Canyon Road to the Pirate Fortress, which means you can't get it before infiltrating the fortress and eliminates the "cheat" from N64 by doing the areas in reverse order than expected.  They totally changed the fight against the Ocean template boss, requiring entirely new tactics to beat him.  And the Giant's Mask comes later in the Stone Tower temple so you can't use it to mash up the temple boss as much.  They also added another fishing site at Zora Cape, but since fishing gets you nothing in the game except a challenge of patience against yourself, this is minor fluff.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Nitorin on March 11, 2015, 03:50:50 pm

Having only the xbox1, gotta admit I'm jealous of some titles that are on other consoles.But I'm quite having fun tho.Been playing Titanfall(about time I do), Destiny, Assassin Creed Unity etcs. Waiting for Borderlands collection to come out.Gf and I love it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 17, 2015, 09:21:25 pm

 :rattydance Nintendo has official sold its soul to the devil! The end is nigh :chicken

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Nitorin on March 17, 2015, 11:18:49 pm

Why is that?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 20, 2015, 07:06:09 am

I presume its becuase they announced they're going to start making games (or porting existing ones) to phones and tablets.

This has been rumored ever since developers in the Sony camp (like SquareEnix) found it was more profitable to develop Android and iOS versions than develop for the all-but-dead-now PSP.  I would not at all be surprised if the New 3DS is the last of the Nintendo handhelds. A year ago, I wouldn't have even thought the New 3DS model likely becuase of this trend.


That being said, I disapprove of porting action games.  Sonic CD is very hard to play on my tablet becuase there's no control stick.  Games on a tablet require different modes of interaction, namely touching and dragging and certain genres need more than that.  Porting Dr. Mario would be fine.  Porting Super Mario Bros., not so much.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Nitorin on March 28, 2015, 04:13:42 am

I aggree.Some type of games are simply not made for a tablet or phone.Last handheld I owned was a 2DS.Was fun but not a huge fan of those anymore.Gotta admit, they have very intersting titles sometimes tho.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 28, 2015, 02:59:28 pm

Nintendo's cash cow is still the 3DS, not the Wii U (despite the small boost in sales last year).

Somehow they'll have to solve the drought in games between both console and handheld now that 3rd-parties have completely abandoned them.

Sony and Microsoft ain't doing so hot either. Even if both of these competitors combined their libraries, there still wouldn't be enough games.

It's been an awful generation all around, although the Wii U has built a nice library despite catering exclusively to its dedicated fans.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Nitorin on March 30, 2015, 10:01:10 pm

Sony and Microsoft mostly port last generation games to new generation consoles...As for how good they are doing...I guess it really depends in wich country. Pretty sure Sony and Nintendo aren't much in trouble sales-wise in Japan.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 01, 2015, 02:57:09 am

Microsoft's been dipping a bit more into PC gaming recently. Not sure if that's a telltale sign of the Xbox brand's future.

Sony's doing okay by good word of mouth, but they need a lot more games like Bloodborne and not sloppy AAAs like Drive Club and The Order.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Nitorin on April 01, 2015, 03:04:47 am

yeah its true Microsoft been into pc.But well, new gen console are still young

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 03, 2015, 08:24:51 am

Quote from: Moge on March 28, 2015, 02:59:28 pm

It's been an awful generation all around

The problem is that console games cost alot more to make now than they used to.  Thus both the first and third parties create fewer games and take less risks.  This means capitalizing on successful series as opposed to introducing new franchises. The cost for tablet games is less, so risk is less, and thats why all the new neat stuff or small-cute-games popup there.  Tablet games are the replacement for PC shareware.

Games that drop on multiple consoles aside, I'll give the Sony camp credit for, at least in the last year or so, being the one that's pushing new potential franchises (like The Order) the most. But they have to as some of their old franchises have pretty much run out of steam (Drake and God of War, for example.)  With the exception of Halo 5, Microsoft seems to be totally adrift, relying on singletons like Sunset Overdrive.  Nintendo has gone heavy into franchises of late, but they can becuase they have so many to draw upon.

Quote from: Moge on April 01, 2015, 02:57:09 am

Microsoft's been dipping a bit more into PC gaming recently.

Becuase the Xbox is designed to be far more PC-like than Playstations or Wiis.  Similar hardware powered by .NET and DirectX.  Microsoft will be porting just about all of thier stuff over to Windows 8 and 10 in the future.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 18, 2015, 03:08:11 pm

The PS4 making the switch to x86 should make that console closer to PC architecture as well. Of course Sony HQ being located in Japan, they'll probably just continue on the console side of things.

You ever played Luigi's Mansion, JGOO? Game is great! Can't believe it took me this long to finally play it after shrugging it off like a lot of other folks did at the GCN's launch.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 20, 2015, 11:46:36 pm

Quote from: Moge on April 18, 2015, 03:08:11 pm

You ever played Luigi's Mansion, JGOO? Game is great! Can't believe it took me this long to finally play it after shrugging it off like a lot of other folks did at the GCN's launch.

Yes, but I played it back when it was relatively stuffs.  I got it in an EBGames bundle (remember those?), where I got a discount on the combo of the Super Mario Sunshine GameCube set, memory card, and two games (the other being Pikmin), sometime around October 2002.

Dark Moon was a better game overall, but too linear and missed some of the neat and innovative tricks that the original featured (like blowing out all of the candles in a room can cause new things to happen in the dark.)  I never toppled King Boo though - he's a mighty step up in difficulty from all the other Boos.

I dont think it was shrugged off at all though.  Per Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games#Nintendo_GameCube) it sold 2.64 million units, which is more than Metroid Prime, probably the best overall game for the system^*.  2.64 million isn't much by today's standards but was pretty good during the early 2000s lull in sales for console games, and especially good for Nintendo during that time.  I"m rather glad to see Luigi back as the lone hero again in the 3DS remake and the NintendoLand minigame (though its one of the ones that demands more than one player.)


^* Start a new thread if you want to start discussing your top 5 or 10 favorite games of previous systems. This thread is long enough already.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 23, 2015, 02:21:00 am

As great as Luigi's Mansion is, the game is a tad unpolished compared to the Nintendo games from the Wii era (the King Boo battle especially is kinda BS once you figure it out), but the fact it tries so many new things and executes the ideas well enough makes me give the game a pass.

Not that those are bad sales numbers, but it was clearly not at the level of a Mario launch title.

I'm surprised to see you've picked up Xenoblade again considering it's a huge time sink. I guess that also means you've picked up that rad New 3DS. Like the new hardware so far?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 30, 2015, 07:15:39 am

Quote from: Moge on April 23, 2015, 02:21:00 am

a Mario launch title.

And its been, what, 19 years since we've had one of those? GameCube, Wii, and Wii U, GBA, DS, and 3DS all launched without a new, core Mario title. (Not counting Super Mario 64 remake for the 3DS launch.)  They've been launching with side titles like Luigi's Mansion, Mario Kart 7, or not at all.  And I dont mind so much becuase that gives Mario Team more time to polish it and get it right.  (This is the plan Zelda team has followed forever and it works.)


Yeah Xenoblade is a huge time sink but there is an absolute void in quality games right now so I'm able to tackle it.  But there's absolutely nothing new about the New 3DS version - no new story elements or unique features.  The 3D is poor compared to most 3DS games designed for it, and it even had some of the same bugs and typos as the Wii version (and of course, far far far too much loot from defeated monsters).  It's almost an exact port, with all the voice acting intact.  Its only big difference is making use of the bottom screen for the team health meters, minimap, and inventory.  Little harder in this version to monitor your teams health duiring battle since its not on the same screen as the fight.

New 3DS is nice, since they finally launched it in XL format (and I dont think they intend to make regular size) - usually XL comes along 4-6 months after I've already bought regular.  I'm not a fan of the new right thumb knob - it works well, but it barely moves so its tough to tell whether you're pressing it or not until you see visual cues that camera angle is turning or not.  As feared the L2 and R2 buttons are hard to reach as you have to curl you're fingers over the L1 and R1 buttons. On the bright side, these additions give the 3DS the exact same control scheme as the 3DS gamepad so we ought to see more sister titles like Super Smash Bros.  It also supports Amiibo's short range communication system, but I haven't tried it yet.  It has a new feature using the stereoscopic front facing cameras to track your eye placement and if your head turns the system reorients the 3D layers to that angle.  Very neat and gives it a wider view angle, but the screen flickers if you scratch your eye or nose or brow or do something else to disturb it so it has its drawbacks.  Unclear if this works better or worse with glasses (I dont wear any.)  But as New 3DS XL only costs $25 more than old 3DS XL its well worth the cost if an upgrade or replacement is needed.  (I had $35 in Best Buy points that was going to expire in February so I jumped on it.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 03, 2015, 01:54:01 am

The Gamecube bucked the trend with no Mario launch title. Of course getting Mario Sunshine earlier wouldn't of made that game better anyway.

If you're playing Xenoblade then does that mean you've beaten Bravely Default?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 05, 2015, 08:29:09 am

No, I put BD aside.  It gets really monotonous by the time Chapter 7 rolls around.  Plus work was killing me in the fall last year so I wasn't playing much (and when I was, it was Hyrule Warriors).  I really do want to finish it but the monotony needs to wear off for a few months so that when I revisit and continue it'll be fresh again.  Probably would have already been back on it were it not for Majora's Mask and Xenoblade popping up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 12, 2015, 09:32:07 pm

You've already played both those games before though :bigtran

Did you get to try out the Splatoon demo? Been a long while since i had a blast with a 3rd-person shooter (Gears 1). Day 1 purchase for me :rattydance

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 16, 2015, 09:18:40 pm

Quote from: Moge on May 12, 2015, 09:32:07 pm

You've already played both those games before though :bigtran

Did you get to try out the Splatoon demo? Been a long while since i had a blast with a 3rd-person shooter (Gears 1). Day 1 purchase for me :rattydance

Thanks for reminding me.  I was going to do that this weekend.  Comparing it to Gears is high praise so the demo must be really good.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 17, 2015, 03:04:43 am

It's more like a beta for the online multi than a single-player demo. I just find the game totally refreshing. It only took Nintendo ten years to make a shooter they can be proud of.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 19, 2015, 09:59:27 pm

Quote from: Moge on May 17, 2015, 03:04:43 am

It only took Nintendo ten years to make a shooter they can be proud of.

Actually, I'd say Kid Icarus: Uprising had a very good multiplayer, though it could be abused with weapons that can fire through walls.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 21, 2015, 02:20:55 am

How often do you play online multi, JGOO?

Haven't played Uprising, despite buying a copy from Best Buy when they were clearing them out. Completely forgot Nintendo's output during the N64 era: Goldeneye and Star Fox 64 were also notable. Been a longggggg while, but then who does associate shooters with Nintendo?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 21, 2015, 07:30:17 am

Quote from: Moge on May 21, 2015, 02:20:55 am

How often do you play online multi, JGOO?

Rarely.

Quote from: Moge on May 21, 2015, 02:20:55 am

Haven't played Uprising, despite buying a copy from Best Buy when they were clearing them out.

I *still* rank it as the best game for the 3DS.  Its a good story, quite lengthy for an action shooter, a high level of replayability, a great collectible/forge system to improve your weapons, good multiplayer, fully voiced with funny banter, and really pushes the hardware to the limit. Its only drawbacks are the difficultly involved in getting used to the control scheme, and that too often the characters are speaking when you're too involved with fighting enemies to really listen to what they say without playing through the same level a few times.  Its one of those games that I think was really spectacular, but the rest of humanity just sort of ignored (see also, Skies of Arcadia, Mario Kart: Double Dash, et al)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on May 21, 2015, 09:24:25 am

I got my copy through Club Nintendo (getting a Wii U and games right before it shut down worked out well for me :B) - and yeah, it really is something. There is no shortage of personality on it, head to toe. But it was new when more people were skeptical about the 3DS, so I suppose that probably didn't help matters.

Quote from: JG on May 19, 2015, 09:59:27 pm

Actually, I'd say Kid Icarus: Uprising had a very good multiplayer, though it could be abused with weapons that can fire through walls.

Well, that explains a certain random match or two!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 22, 2015, 11:29:52 pm

It's nice i can get get full priced retail games through Club Nintendo, and even nicer i can get them through trading :purplerupee

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 03, 2015, 09:20:00 pm

Anybody check out Splatoon yet?

Game is really addicting! Even the single-player content is awesome; it's very reminiscent of Mario Galaxy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 05, 2015, 07:37:56 am

Tell me more about the single player mode.  All the things I've seen or read focus entirely on the multiplayer.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 06, 2015, 03:07:20 pm

I'm bad at describing games. Just imagine if Nintendo EAD made a shooter and this is what you get. Great platforming (although its light and not comparable to Galaxy's highs like the Ray surfing), oozing with style, original gameplay mechanics unseen in ANY shooter, and a difficulty that's not stupidly difficult (no bullet sponges). Oh and it's got a charming and quirky story.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 11, 2015, 04:18:20 pm

The beauty of Splatoon's multi is that you don't have to kill to win. I had a 1 kill to 8 death ratio once and came out on top with the highest score on my team to take home the bacon.

I have seen a lot of folks who aren't normally into shooters get into this game. There's a huge contingent of Japanese players online for example, which is kinda strange given the unpopularity of western style games there. Since you like these types of games JGOO (probably even moreso than me) it's a no-brainer to try it out. You can easily sell it back if you don't like it, given the game's somewhat surging popularity now (for a short while on Amazon it was sold out).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 22, 2015, 05:04:07 pm

E3 was not surprisingly unhype if you were a Nintendo fan. Hope the NX is OMG AWESOME ZAUCE next E3 if that's what Nintendy is holding out on.

The highlights of E3 for me (in no particular order)

- Star Fox Zero being developed by Platinum
- FF7 Remake
- Nier 2
- Rare Replay
- Uncharted 4's destructible environments
- puppets

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Nitorin on June 29, 2015, 12:09:33 am

all I have i a xbox one, pretty happy about playing my 360 games on One

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 29, 2015, 08:51:24 pm

Quote from: Moge on June 22, 2015, 05:04:07 pm

Hope the NX is OMG AWESOME ZAUCE next E3 if that's what Nintendy is holding out on.

Rumored to incorporate facial recognition in some way.  The Face Raiders game on 3DS is a clear technology demonstration but it was so-so.  The improved cameras for New 3DS should bring this technology closer.  Big niche to fill with Microsoft's exit from the Kinect market and Sony's half-assed non-attempt with the Eye.

Quote from: Moge on June 22, 2015, 05:04:07 pm

- Star Fox Zero being developed by Platinum

And nearly given to Monolithsoft instead.  Wouldn't that be an impressive holiday with both Star Fox and Xenoblade Chronicles X under their belt!
The arwings look very impressive but I'm not sold on the rest. They say its not a remake, but a relaunch.  Looks a lot like original StarFox and StarFox 64 though (especially the ubiquitous initial Corneria stage, which sadly doesn't look anymore like a city than it did in the earlier games.)
Plus it drops shortly after Xenoblade Chronicles X.  Potential calendar casualty for me.

Quote from: Moge on June 22, 2015, 05:04:07 pm

- FF7 Remake

And sadly, a PS4 exclusive.  I've been wanting this for 3DS every since they showed off a few demo movies in FF6.  I thought for certain it was due after Bravely Default, which shares many of the same game design elements.

Quote from: Moge on June 22, 2015, 05:04:07 pm

- Rare Replay

I'm curious how they got ESRB to give it an E-M rating. Usually compilations like this have to carry the highest rating of any single game in the set, which would mark this clearly into M territory with Conker's Bad Fur Day.  I'm worried this may be hard to find in stores becuase of the mixed rating.  Also wish it had Killer Instinct Arcade instead of Gold but maybe there's a legal complication here.

Quote from: Moge on June 22, 2015, 05:04:07 pm

- Uncharted 4's destructible environments

Everyone's freaking out about this and I'm nonplussed.  This has been a stable of the racing genre for years.  Even in first person games there's a been a limited amount of destructibly for quite some time, going back as far as exploding oil drums in Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. I think everyone's let it get to their head that somehow game environments are less dynamic than they actually are.

Quote from: Djaidy on June 29, 2015, 12:09:33 am

all I have i a xbox one, pretty happy about playing my 360 games on One

Should have been Day One technology like it was with 360-Xbox.  This decision seems totally based on lackluster sales of the One, which was probably also the reasoning behind not including it in the first place.  This and the 'all-in on Kinect'/'no more Kinect' flip-flop proves to me that Microsoft is now without any gameplan at all to differentiate their system from Sony's.  I'm pretty sold on the idea that the Xbox One is the last console they'll make, and in the next generation they'll give way to superior competition the way Sega did. (Perhaps opening the door for a new entrant like Samsung.)  Microsoft will still have Surface, Windows 10 phones, and PCs and be content publishing on those devices, as the real money in video games comes from software sales, not hardware.


My biggests ups from E3:
* Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam - the 3D Bowser vs Paper Bowser preview has sold me (as if the previous games in both series hadn't already)
* Rare Replay (for Battletoads alone)
* Mario Maker - Now that I've seen some videos from E3, I'm more comfortable giving this a thumbs up. Amiibos to drop in other Nintendo characters like Link are an unexpected bonus, even more so when their "victory" music plays when you reach the flagpole. Begs the question of whether the Princess Peach amiibo can be used to save herself.
* Legend of Zelda: TriForce Heroes (it'll do for now)
* Hyrule Warrors Legends (at least, the capability to transfer Tetra and KORL to the Wii U version if you own it)
* Xenoblade Chronicles X - This has some really high quality graphics in the videos where you see the character running around and fighting a monster. Combine with a Xeno-series storyline and this has high potential for RPG greatness, assuming they fixed the time consuming inventory management parts from Xenoblade Chronicles.
* Gears of War 4  (don't know enough yet but intrigued)
* Yoshi's Woolly World - I'm not big on Yoshi games but this looks so adorable I might crack if Mario Maker misses the mark and ends up focusing too much on evil-level difficulty levels instead of fun.

My biggest downs:
* No Zelda for Wii U update. Nintendo typically doesn't show any software unless its coming in the next 14 months, which gives serious concern that the new Zelda has slipped to at least second half of 2016. It'll be the star of E3 next June but that sucks for those of us waiting.  And it risks overshadowing by NX which Nintendo has all but promised will preview at E3.
* Metroid Prime Federation Force. I can't see what this has to do with Metroid yet.  It seems to be a game that has been force-fitted into the Metroid universe.  And it looks too cartoony to carry the high-quality Metroid brand for me.
* Halo 5. I'm increasingly worried that its devolved into a Halo-themed Titanfall and will have practically no story or single player campaign.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 06, 2015, 10:46:26 pm

Booyah. Finally brought down Avalanche Abaasy (http://xenoblade.wikia.com/wiki/Avalanche_Abaasy) in Xenoblade.  This is like beating a Weapon in FF7, but harder to gimmick.

It's the toughest of the optional superbosses in Xenoblade, at level 120, has an Instant Death counter (which isn't all that hard to prevent if you prepare), has the highest evade rate in the game at 60-70%, the highest single target attack (doing about 21000 damage, when your characters max out at 9999), and the only enemy to sport an 7,000+ damage all-screen attack so it can wipe out your party in a single attack if it uses it at an unfortunate moment (but can be survived by buffs or help from Unbeatable gems)

Used Shulk and Sharla (which are just about required for any of the superboss battles) with Melia as the third. All of them sported max Agility, Debuff Resist, Unbeatable, and HP Up gems. Shulk spammed physical arts as much as possble to try to attract Abaasy's aggro so it'll stay off Sharla (but usually misses attacks; Night Vision gem would be helpful for him), uses his puny heal on Sharla if needed, and waits for special attack visions so he can use Monado Armor or Monodo Shield so he and/or Sharla survives them.  Sharla had both Heat Sink III gems so she can spam healing spells as fast as possible an not need to cool down as often: that's all you want her to do but her Ether Rifle has such a high hit rate that her auto-attacks between heals attract too much aggro (Aggro Down gem might have helped).  Melia is useful for providing buffs (particularly agility) and applying negative HP draining effects to Abaasy like poison, burn, and freeze.  Her status effects probably knocked out 80-90% of Abassy's health, since their effect strength isn't reduced by his huge defense. Riki could serve the same role as Melia but his ether attacks are much weaker so he'll miss much more often and don't drain HP nearly as much (his much higher HP would be helpful for survival.)  Since he can't be dazed, I didn't bother with chain attacks, and instead used the party gauge for Warns during special attacks, particuarly to get Sharla to provide a free Heal Round.  The battle still took a day and a half in game time, and 35 minutes real-time becuase his HP whittles away so slowly.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 09, 2015, 03:07:41 am

I really want to go back and play Xenoblade, but man is it a longggggggg game; PS1 rpg length. I didn't bother with most of the side quests and i still ended up spending 80 hours. Someday i'll get back to it (probably with the Dolphin HD rexture mod).

The last thing Nintendo should do is go balls out on hardware innovation. Sometimes it works (DS, Wii) and sometimes it's a catastrophic financial disaster (Virtual Boy, Wii U).

FF7 Remake is not PS4 exclusive (just timed exclusivity). It'll likely get a PC release much like Sony's other funded third-party game: Street Fighter V.

Played a lot of Call of Duty last gen and wow were the environments stale and non-interactive. Racing games can get away with heavy physics due to not having to animate humans.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 10, 2015, 10:23:55 pm

Quote from: Moge on July 09, 2015, 03:07:41 am

i still ended up spending 80 hours.

Actually thats well on the short end for Xenoblade.  It's 200 hours plus to complete all the quests.  The big problem is that 40 of it is inventory management.

Quote from: Moge on July 09, 2015, 03:07:41 am

The last thing Nintendo should do is go balls out on hardware innovation. Sometimes it works (DS, Wii) and sometimes it's a catastrophic financial disaster (Virtual Boy, Wii U).

And yet, Microsoft and Sony don't innovate at all (at least, not much since Kinect first came out), and are stocked with mostly boring games.  Uniqueness demands innovation.

Quote from: Moge on July 09, 2015, 03:07:41 am

Racing games can get away with heavy physics due to not having to animate humans.

I was actually thinking of FlatOut (http://www.gamestop.com/xbox-360/games/flatout-ultimate-carnage/65921) when I wrote my response, as its terrain and vehicles are highly destructive plus the developers spent alot of time animating human ragdolls that fly out of the windscreen in a powerful enough crash (part of the game is competitive minigames based solely on this premise.)  Granted the physics arent all that real becuase the cars can jump way too high and far and the ragdolls can fly hundreds of feet, but it satisfies my original statement that destructibility is nothing new.  The PS2 version of this game came out NINE years ago and this one (Xbox 360) eight.

Watch this and see how much of the environment (and car parts, re: rear bumber around 1:24) gets spread across the racetrack and then tell me how Uncharted 4 is somehow breaking new ground.  Beyond the hilarity of destruction derby type racing, this level of thoughtfulness put into how destructible the environment plays is one of the reasons why its one of my all time favorite games.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 04, 2015, 01:30:49 am

The thing about Uncharted is that it's a 3rd-person action game, which makes it all the more impressive. I have seen similar physics in Battlefield 3, but that's a fps so they can get away with elaborate animations by cutting out the player animation.

I hate to say it, but Nintendo should not lean too far on innovation. Whatever they make should push core gaming forward, and not sidestep it. The Steam controller is a good example of hardware innovation that will push core gaming forward.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 04, 2015, 10:03:02 pm

Quote from: Moge on August 04, 2015, 01:30:49 am

I hate to say it, but Nintendo should not lean too far on innovation. Whatever they make should push core gaming forward, and not sidestep it.

I can't disagree more.  Whatever Nintendo, or Microsoft, or Sony, or Steam do, they have to fill a niche and provide distinguishing characteristics.  If they truly wanted to push core gaming forward, they'd have to create consoles that outpaced PCs, like we had in the 80s and 90s.  Now PCs are far more powerful than consoles.  The so-called "core gaming" type of games are now PC-exclusive, or Xbox/Playstation/PC ported, and the PC version usually looks best, plus is patched and expanded upon more often.  Thus the consoles must do things the PCs can't, whether by having better controllers, voice and motion control, more integration with the online environment (achievements/trophies), or different gameplay experiences.  And now they're being challenged by phones and tablets which are filling their own niches (I call it "single-finger" gaming).  Everything unique in gaming, is now happening on a Wii U, a 3DS, or a phone/tablet, becuase they are different, not in spite of it.  I want something different that I can't get elsewhere.  I can't get dual screen from my PC, or from my tablet, or from my Xbox, or from a Playstation. Give me more of that Nintendo.  Give me the funky wand controller if you can make games where it seems natural to use it (Red Steel, Skyward Sword, Mario Tennis.)  Innovation might not always work (Virtual Boy) but I absolutely do not want to see them stop trying.

Go nuts, Nintendo. Impress me with all the things you have that the other guys don't.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 05, 2015, 02:32:21 am

I'm not opposed to vertical innovations. It's just that the ones that tend to stick around for another generation are almost always the secondary functions of the systems (the DS' touchscreen, the Wii's IR aiming, the Wii U's gyro control) as opposed to the main features which are likely to be dumped in the near future (motion control waggling, dual screens for sure will be dumped on the console side of NX).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 12, 2015, 11:37:43 am

Which version of DQ XI will you be getting, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 12, 2015, 11:34:10 pm

Well, let's put it this way:
1. I didn't have a PS2 until DQ8 came along. Then I bought a PS2. (In fact, I bought the game before I bought the console - something I've never done before or since)
2. There was no DQ game for PS3. I never bought a PS3.
3. DQ11 is coming on PS4.

This doesn't mean I will buy a PS4 but its one of the few games for which I would buy a PS4. So far Last of Us Remastered is the only one that's caused an itch.  Moot point if they release for NX as well as I'd more likely get that version over PS4's.

I especially like the level of detail present in the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiPNJ_NXQJk).  Note the running waterfall and cloud shadows that slowly creep across the surface and hwo the brightness changes when the user goes under or emerges from out under a cloud. And like true Dragon Quest games, it has pleasantly overly bright colors: breaking with realism and going with the tried-and-true cartoon look, in environment, characters, and monsters.  I wish the hero character was more animated though.  I didnt see any "Sonic the Hedgehog" idling (character gets impatient or moves a little when you stand still for too long) and the hair looks too much like a helmet because it's shaped just like one and doesn't rustle when running or jumping.

The retro-3DS style looks neat though.  I sure hope that mode is available in the PS4/NX version as an option. (Perhaps as New Game+ mode)




By the way, preorder two select Wii U or 3DS games at Best Buy to get your pin set in December (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/gaming-collections/nintendo-access/pcmcat385600050001.c?id=pcmcat385600050001). This should be a no-brainer. At least three of these games (Mario Maker, TriForce Heroes, and Xenoblade X) are required reading for the fall, and no one beats BB's 20% off Gamers Club discount.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 20, 2015, 12:47:57 pm

It's madness that they're developing three entirely different versions (2 of them on the 3DS). I fully expect the NX version to be a downport of the PS4 version.

How's that Rare Replay? I honestly didn't think you would buy it seeing as how you rarely play retro games. If i had an XB1 i would buy it just to play Perfect Dark again. Still my favorite FPS alongside Goldeneye.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 21, 2015, 07:08:49 am

I've only been able to play it for one session this week, and went with Battletoads. I remember it being hard, but its much harder that I recall.  Thankfully they threw in some cheats in the form of infinite lives and rewind.  The lives are very helpful against the bosses that wipe you out in one hit.  Rewind for all the race scenes where hitting a wall or enemy wipes you out.  Also has saves which original game didn't.

I think some of the Rare Replay games are released for Xbox Live download in 360 version. You might be able to get just Perfect Dark or PD Zero that way.  The disc comes with standalone 360 versions that can be installed if you don't want to install the full suite - not every game but the bigger ones like the Banjo games, Kameo, and PDs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 21, 2015, 11:57:15 pm

It has been about 8 years since i last played Battletoads. The game gets stupidly difficult beginning with stage 3, and then it gets worse and worse. I don't recommend playing the game all the way through unless you want to lose your sanity ;D

What happened to playing Sunset Overdrive? I think it's more of your type of game.

Still a bit sour on Nintendo not allowing Microsoft to remake Goldeneye. The leaked screenshots online look so damn good :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 22, 2015, 07:51:44 am

Quote from: Moge on August 21, 2015, 11:57:15 pm

It has been about 8 years since i last played Battletoads. The game gets stupidly difficult beginning with stage 3, and then it gets worse and worse. I don't recommend playing the game all the way through unless you want to lose your sanity ;D

Well the infinite lives and rewind are making it bearable.  Its still a pain in the ass to rewind 20 times or so to get around some obstacles.  The racing stages (including stage 3) require so much exact precision and memory that they are near impossible.  I can't fathom how this game was beatable with 3 lives.  I daresay this game is in the same pantheon as Kid Icarus and Ghouls n' Ghosts as my hardest known NES games, definately a 10 of 10 on the difficulty meter.  Quite likely the hardest of them as the other games move slower and give you at least some chance to dodge.  I agree with your assessment of "stupidly difficult"

Quote from: Moge on August 21, 2015, 11:57:15 pm

What happened to playing Sunset Overdrive? I think it's more of your type of game.

Seems like it.  Not as fun as it looks though.  It can get too disorienting - its tough to turn the way you want to ride a specific rail and turn some other way to aim at a baddy.  And when you beat the baddy, you find you've moved farther away from the goal than before the fight started, so now you have more baddies blocking your way.  Sunset Overdrive just has more coordination than I care to put into a game as a casual player.  It seems good, just not what I'm in the mood for now.


Work friend has given me Dragon Age Inquisition so the above two have to sit on the sidelines while I play through this one.  Not quite what I was in the mood for (I'd prefer to play Rare Replay) but its a borrow so I need to do what I can and return it at earliest opportunity.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 29, 2015, 02:55:15 pm

There's actually an even higher difficulty in Battletoads: co-op. There's this misconception that Battletoads is a belt-scroller, but i would catagorize the game as a platformer. Not only is co-op mode entirely pointless after stage 2, but all the 2nd player does is just delay how the screen moves for all those intense platforming sections.

I dabbled a bit in WRPGs. After Fallout: New Vegas i don't really want to play another one, at least the one in the style of The Elder Scrolls. I like RPGs to be compact. Loved playing through SNES and Genesis Shadowrun and the first two Diablos.

Not interested in The Witcher or Metal Gear, JGOO? Probably up there in the top three for GOTY contenders by the press.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 30, 2015, 08:57:58 pm

Quote from: Moge on August 29, 2015, 02:55:15 pm

Not interested in The Witcher or Metal Gear, JGOO? Probably up there in the top three for GOTY contenders by the press.

Witcher 3: From what I've seen, too much like Batman and Shadows of Mordor on the gameplay side and too much like Dragon Age on the adventure side.  It's a possibility but its low down on my list.  Potential buy for a Black Friday deal though.

Metal Gear: Pass. I don't enjoy this series or stealth games in general. And I don't like the must-use-stealth stages of more action-oriented games (Batman, Assassin's Creed, etc.)  I'm too simple: I want to go in there and knock heads, not sneak around.


I don't entirely trust the press to choose GOTY anymore.  They choose pretty over fun too often.  Plus its too predicated on the wow factor of a few hours of gameplay, not the whole experience, which is sometimes greatly flawed later on or shows extreme signs of lack of thorough gameplay and testing.

Take for example two GOTYs for 2014: Shadow of Mordor and Dragon Age: Inquisition. I'm not the only one to run into the unbeatable orc scenario in Shadow of Mordor. The orc attributes are randomly set and you're screwed if you get an unlucky combination or a weakness you can't exploit (like "Can only be harmed by assassin moves", but it patrols in the middle of nowhere from which you can leap down on him.)  Inquisition has shown some oddities like suddenly despawning enemies, characters flying rediculously high into the air when attacking an enemy on a ledge, or suddenly dropping a few feet upon warping to a campsite; but it really pissed me off today in that I got hit by the Servis glitch, where a critical enemy character doesn't spawn (or despawned?) when you attack his fort, thus leaving the final task in a long series of tasks permanently uncompletable (the only workaround is reloading an earlier save game, which isn't done often due to built-in auto-quicksave).  This is a bug known since the first week after release last year and apparently is still out there, unfixed by Bioware.  Any game that exposes a flaw to many players that outright prevents 100% completion of the game disqualifies it for game of the year in my book.

I get much more info reading reviews from actual players not getting paid to do it, like what we do here every end of the year choosing our own game of the years.  I'm very much looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on this fall's crop of super-games. First half of the year has been totally devoid of worthwhile entries but the second half is stocked.  If year ended today I'd have a hard time giving my game of the year honors to a remake (either Majora's Mask or Xenoblade, as they're the two best I've played so far.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 14, 2015, 03:12:47 pm

You perfectly can play MGS going all rambo, although it's nowhere near as fun as a real shooter of course.

How much experience do you have with Western RPGs?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 14, 2015, 07:39:26 pm

Still not interested in the MGS franchise. I was loaned an earlier game in the series many years back and just simply didn't enjoy it.

I'm not sure what qualifies as "Western" RPG anymore.  Seems like the ones made in the west are all tablet-based now, and the consoles only have eastern (Japanese/Korean) games.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 16, 2015, 03:45:17 pm

Western RPG: made by a Western dev.

You ever play any indie games?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 17, 2015, 06:38:37 pm

Quote from: Moge on September 16, 2015, 03:45:17 pm

Western RPG: made by a Western dev.

You ever play any indie games?

I often don't know where the gams are made anymore.  I'm going to guess and answer of no to your question though.  The ones I can think of off the top of my head would be eastern.

Not often for indie games.  Plants vs Zombies perhaps qualifies, before Popcap was bought out.  And about every year or two I'll play through the opensource port of Star Control II.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 18, 2015, 09:33:39 pm

How long is a playthough of Star Control 2? Always wanted to play it, but it seems fairly massive i hear :chicken

Man, can't believe how many great games there are to play these days (and how lengthy these games can be). Want to get around to playing Mario 3D World and Captain Toad at some point.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 19, 2015, 11:50:07 am

Star Control II, rebranded as The Ur-Quan Masters (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/) in its open source port (due to copyrights on the Star Control name), is in the 30-60 hour timeframe. Its very open so you can go where you want and do things generally in the order you want, though there are natural event prerequisites.  The main factor in how long it takes is how quickly you can harvest materials and biologics to improve your flagship up to full exploration readiness (such as large enough full tanks and a max number of thrusters to be able to get far enough away to contact some of the alien races.)  Knowing where to find high value worlds or where ancient artifacts are located speeds things up immensely.  Knowing where not to go also helps a bit but you can save often enough to undo a mistake.  I bet its great fun for a first timer, but I've played through it so many times there's no great surprise unless I do something totally bizarre and outside the expected role (like becoming a slave trader) or purposely letting the bad guys kill everybody else (which they do after 4 or 5 years of game time.)   Make sure you get the add-on packs, particuarly for the full voice option.


Super Mario 3D world is the best Mario game since Mario 64.  Catsuit Mario is super fun and getting your choice of all four hero characters with their SMB2 bonuses (like Luigi high jump and Princess floating) is a nice touch. Its on the easy side though, certainly much easier than the New SMB games or Mario 3D Land but then again 3D World is geared toward a slightly younger age.  There are also some Captain Toad stages in 3D World.  Captain Toad's own game is just an extension of these stages so play Mario first to see if you like them (I didn't care much for them)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 08, 2015, 03:54:16 pm

Made any levels yet, JGOO?

Did you gave up on Dragonage?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 08, 2015, 08:11:37 pm

Mario Maker: Only made the demo level so far.  I've been playing other peoples levels and the 10 Mario Challenge of Nintendo-made idea-inspiring levels.  I was going to start the second level designer last time I played (Sunday) and thats when battery on controller started to go out.

Dragon Age: Still going, just slowed down alot.  Only been weekends the last few.  I'm nearly done with it though (practically all collections and quests completed.)  I suspect there's only two story chapters left: one to kill the bad guy's dragon (which works like a horcrux), and then one to kill the bad guy himself.  I really do want to finish it this weekend if I can becuase I'll be out of town next weekend and then TriForce Heroes drops the following Friday.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 25, 2015, 12:45:44 am

Haven't seen you play the Wii U much this year, JGOO. Plan on picking up Xenoblade X?

So do you like the new Halo? Heard a lot of fans were disappointed by the Call of Dutification of the latest entry.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 25, 2015, 11:37:46 am

Quote from: Moge on November 25, 2015, 12:45:44 am

Haven't seen you play the Wii U much this year, JGOO. Plan on picking up Xenoblade X?

So do you like the new Halo? Heard a lot of fans were disappointed by the Call of Dutification of the latest entry.

Well, there hasn't been much worth playing on Wii U, or any other system for that matter.  2015 has been a terrible year for video games in my opinion.  Yes, Xenoblade X is a launch day pickup.

Halo 5 is doing all the bad things we didn't like from Halo 1-4. Disjointed storytelling where its hard to know whats going on, too much detail provided during intense fighting scenes so you miss important facts, too much reliance on using the search radar instead of natural search, too many holes in the ground causing instant death, and flipping back and forth between Locke and Master Chief's teams (with Locke having about 3/4 of the game, instead of the near 50-50 split we saw in Halo 2)  I dont mind the team aspect as much, since you can still play it solo and your teammates end up taking the focus from things like Hunters, allowing you to get a shot into their back.  In the earlier games, they did the same thing but with more easily killed unarmored UNSC marines.  Hopefully I can finish off the story mode over the holiday weekend.

Don't think Halo 5 is going to be anywhere near the top of my 2015 list though.  Which is a disaster for MS becuase the competition has been so bad this year and MS has been banking on a successful Halo 5 to keep the Xbox One from being a failed system.  It has too few other exclusives to go head to head with the more powerful PS4 hardware.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 28, 2015, 01:19:18 am

Not sure how you can miss out on what's quite possibly the best game on Wii U this year: Splatoon.

It takes advantage of all of the Wii U's strengths in a non-gimmicky way. You profess a love for shooters and hardware innovation so the game should be a no-brainer (even if the game is multi focused the single-player component is still worthwhile).

It's amazing how far the Halo series has fallen. The reportedly so-so sales of the latest entry reflect the discontent with the fanbase. I don't even think the Bungie today can make a proper Halo after reading Destiny's tumultuous development online (with a lot of Bungie vets bailing out).

Was on the fence with getting Xeno X but i decided i'm gonna go pick it up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 28, 2015, 07:26:10 am

Quote from: Moge on November 28, 2015, 01:19:18 am

Not sure how you can miss out on what's quite possibly the best game on Wii U this year: Splatoon.

It is on its way thanks to Black Friday price!

Quote from: Moge on November 28, 2015, 01:19:18 am

It's amazing how far the Halo series has fallen. The reportedly so-so sales of the latest entry reflect the discontent with the fanbase. I don't even think the Bungie today can make a proper Halo after reading Destiny's tumultuous development online (with a lot of Bungie vets bailing out).

Halo 4 was great, so it proved Microsoft Studios/343 Industries could pull it off.  The problem is that its coming onto market a year later than originally expected, and when things get delayed people expect more of them.  Also, games that launch in November typically have poorer initial sales as they compete with Black Friday deals.  Game companies always try to outthink the room and assume "but everyone will want our game!" and then people don't buy it becuase they could get two or three different games for the same amount of money.

So now that I've finished it, it seems like the firefights are fewer in number overall and farther between than they were in Halo 4. Alot of long running between firefight zones. Campaign is sufficiently long at about 8 hours recorded time (maybe 9-10 with deaths included), tells a good story, but the last fight is rather weak: there's no new boss to fight at the end, just three of a boss enemy you've fought already, both individually and in a pair. Overall the story follows the Final Fantasy VII "Chase down Sephitroth" theme, which is a terrible gimmic: I expect more than just continuously following someone else until you finally catch up to them at the end. Character development of the seven new spartans is rather weak: most are single-aspect characters. The background music doesn't seem as dramatic as earlier entries.  I like the larger firefight zones, but vehicles show up less often. Weapons are almost entirely restricted to Covenant and Forerunner tech (hardly any UNSC weapon pods or dead marines; you might start a stage with a UNSC weapon but usually no way to get more ammo for it; some UNSC weapons like the SMG and Answer only showed up once for me.)

Ultimately, its what you expect of a middle part in a trilogy: bridging the gap between first and third parts, and turning upside-down what we thought we learned from the first chapter. The major plot twist in this one is quite good but its revealed before the end, instead of at the end when it would have mind-blowing impact.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 02, 2015, 09:16:54 pm

If you had to choose one then which would be your favorite in the Halo series? I'm going to go with the original. Best weapon balance and best multi maps.

Any gaming regrets for the year? Games you know you should of played but couldn't find the time. Few of mine: Mario 3D World, Undertale, Trails in the Sky. Picked up Mario 3D World last week, but it isn't likely i'll put any serious amount of time into it with Xeno X around the corner.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 03, 2015, 08:18:27 am

Halo 3.

My problem with original is that in the later stages the Elites have a stronger shield than Chief. If you don't have grenade or a better weapon than he does, it has a good chance of defeating you if you have to bum rush him or you're caught without cover.  In later games they fixed this (although in Reach their shields are still weaker but recharge to full faster than your own.)  Hunters are also a problem in original Halo: invulnerable from the front, but later games do allow some damage from front (10% effectiveness better than zero)


The biggest regret under my control is buying the PS4 bundle early November.  I paid $350 plus tax for PS4+Destiny. The PS4 was $300 practically everywhere Black Friday week, and Destiny was $40 several places. I only finally hooked it up Tuesday.  It's only $10 or so difference so I'm not that upset.  More betrayed than anything that the Best Buy special event sale wasn't as good as the real Black Friday sale.

The biggest grief is that 2015 was a desert of gaming this year. After 3DS's Majora's Mask and Xenoblade in February/March, I didn't buy another new (launched within week of purchase) game for myself until Mario Maker in late August. I did buy some older titles like Sunset Overdrive in there, but disappointed by it; and a friend loaned me Dragon Age Inquisition, which was surprisingly good, if buggy.  Overall there was very little to play this year until the last two months of the year when everything hits me at once (Halo 5, Nathan Drake collection, Dragon Quest Heroes, Splatoon, Xenoblade X, Star Fox Zero)

My biggest complaint is Nintendo passing Zelda to next year. I'm less upset about this now than everything else has come to the rescue here at the end of the year, but had Zelda arrived in, say, June 2015, it would have saved the year.  Second biggest is how pitifully slow PlayStation Store is and Sony's complete ignorance of the real-world.  What the hell was Sony thinking making Nathan Drake collection a 46GB download instead of providing a physical disc in the box? Even at my lightning internet speed that would take many, many hours, and its only crawling along at about 12 megabytes per minute. Most people can't do that speed, and while I can, I should actually be doing a lot better (50-80MB.)  It's been going for 36 hours and only at 64% as of this post.  If days elapse between opening the box and being able to use your company's product, you've failed.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 10, 2015, 01:39:05 am

Played a couple hours of Xeno X and now i'm shipping out my copy to a eBay buyer. Guess i'm a wee bit RPG fatigue after finishing Earthbound the day before. Doesn't help the story doesn't even have the same hook on me as the first Xenoblade. I'll probably pick it up again in the future once it hits the bargain bin or it gets a substantial price reduction.

Put a few hours into Mario 3D World. It's flipping fantastic! Everything in the game feels very polished. From the UI to the ultra clean graphics and solid framerate. It's exactly how i imagined Galaxy would be on the Wii U.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 10, 2015, 05:30:23 pm

Quote from: Moge on December 10, 2015, 01:39:05 am

Played a couple hours of Xeno X and now i'm shipping out my copy to a eBay buyer. Guess i'm a wee bit RPG fatigue after finishing Earthbound the day before. Doesn't help the story doesn't even have the same hook on me as the first Xenoblade. I'll probably pick it up again in the future once it hits the bargain bin or it gets a substantial price reduction.

Yikes. I haven't been able to start it yet. I was out of town over the weekend and the last few days (I became an uncle on Sunday!)

Quote from: Moge on December 10, 2015, 01:39:05 am

Put a few hours into Mario 3D World. It's flipping fantastic! Everything in the game feels very polished. From the UI to the ultra clean graphics and solid framerate. It's exactly how i imagined Galaxy would be on the Wii U.

I told you it's awesome. It combines just about all of the best elements from every previous Mario main series game.



In other misadventures in videogaming, my PS4+Destiny bundle I paid $349.99 plus tax for at Best Buy on Nov 7 became the Deal of the Day on Dec 6 for only $299.99.  Called customer support to price match but they said I couldn't do anything without the receipt (even though its in their purchase system.)  Being out of town I had no access to my receipt so only recourse was to order another bundle and then take it (less than an hour after it arrived) to the Best Buy store with my first bundle's original receipt as a return.  So ultimately Best Buy footed the bill to ship me a new set and then handle the return process as well.  Makes you wonder why brick-and-mortor stores struggle to compete. So much cheaper had they just handled it over the phone Sunday.  In any case I got my $50+ back and only had to put my credit card in the hole for $300-something bucks for a few days.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 13, 2015, 07:47:10 pm

I hardly read any books or watch movies, which is why story and character depth are essential to my enjoyment out of RPGs. Xeno X is fairly bog standard as far as plots written for Japanese games go.

I'm really interested in picking up a PS4 just to play Until Dawn after hearing so much clamor about it. During that period when i couldn't muster interest to play videogames back in 2005, narrative driven games like Snatcher and Clock Tower picked me right back up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2015, 07:21:39 pm

It's that time again.  Yep, my top 10 played games of the year list for 2015.  As always, the game only needs to be played for the first time this year, not required to have been released this year.


10. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (2015), C-
A nice entry to the Zelda series, introducing a new game mechanic, but hardly one that will be remembered in the annals of great Zelda games. Some of the challenges are too difficult even for experienced gamers, and the level of coordination needed for internet play practically makes it impossible unless you're sitting next to them. A must for Zelda fans, but not so much for everyone else.


9. Halo 5: Guardians (2015), C-
A year overdue and much anticipated, but only a so-so entry in the series. It's tough for middle games of a trilogy to pull off success and this one trips over the same hurdles, trying to expand on the previous's story without giving away too much of the next. The lack of a free add-on campaign as they did in Halo 4 hurts in comparison, but there's one core reason why this game isn't ranked higher: Too much Locke, not enough Master Chief. Don't put your hero in a secondary role again, 343.


8. Rare Replay (2015), C
The best mid-cost entry of the year, chock full of alot of Rare's best. I like the rewind feature, allowing unbeatable games like Battletoads to be marginally passable, but frown upon the lack of any graphical enhancements.


7. Splatoon (2015), B-
2015's top shooter, which is a disaster to Halo. Easy to play, simplifying FPS staples like running and reloading without over-complicating things with extra features like crouching. Undeniably cute and a decent (so far) single-player campaign. (And yes, Moge was right it's the best game on Wii U this year, but very likely only because of the delay of Zelda.)


6. Dragon Quest Heroes (2015), B-
I was stoked for this given the excellence of Koei Tecmo/Omega Team's runaway Game of the Year (according to yours truly) for 2014, Hyrule Warriors. Sadly it looks like SquareEnix has had too much influence, and tried to turn a musou into an RPG with too much reliance on grinding for experience and monster collecting. While the characters look much better than their Wii U counterparts thanks to the PS4's increased graphics, the gameplay is ruined by stages that are much too short and much smaller groups of enemies. It reflects poorly on the PS4 that the Wii U musou routinely throws 200+ enemies at you at once, with multiple objectives to complete simultaneously, and the PS4 can't seem to top 100 baddies and very simple, single goal objectives. The comparatively weak AI doesn't help. But kudos to SquareSoft for giving Koei Tecmo creative license to improve some of the character's outfits, as Nintendo allowed with theirs. Jessica's dress in particular is much improved and better reflects her upper-class backstory.


5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (2015), B+
Another practically perfect port of a N64 classic, with minor tweaks here and there to improve the story and gameplay. It certainly plays much better than I recall of the original, though I'm not sure it was necessary to rework some of the boss’s tactics. Still, this game belongs in the "great" category, while the ones above merely fall into the "good" bucket.


4. Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014), B+
An excellent, wide-ranging adventure, allowing a lot of customization and different story paths. However, undone by a main campaign story that derails too much into sidequests for too much of the game, then limps to the end when you've no more sidequests to solve. For a game that prided itself on "perfection" and "game of the year" accolades, I found it rather disturbing to encounter so many gravity and orientation bugs, and a still-unfixed major bug that prevents advancement of a particular story arc. That said, it was still much better than expected and Dragon Age 4 will be on my wishlist for the future.


3. King's Quest, Chapter 1: A Knight to Remember (2015), A-
Ah, the good old days. A perfect blend of 90s point and click problem solving and more modern gaming trends. Great for all ages, excellent cel-shading of the characters, well designed with multiple methods for completing most tasks, hilariously written, and exceptional voice acting by Christopher Lloyd (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Lloyd) and Wallace Shawn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Shawn). I'm definitely buying the season pass to play the other four chapters, once I've gotten though some of my other ongoing games. I highly recommend downloading the first chapter for free to PS4 if you have PlayStation Plus (unsure why it’s not free for Xbox One.) Its has two drawbacks though. First, its built on the Unreal engine, which limits it to PC, Xbox, and Playstation, when its ideally suited for tablets. Second, the first chapter is quite short, at under 5 hours for first playthrough, and perhaps 2-3 for subsequent playthroughs.


2. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride [3DS] (2009), A-
The only old game of the bunch, and one I'd been wanting to play for years as everyone says it’s the best in the series. I'm not certain it is, but it’s definitely in the company of IV and VIII, which I've long considered the two best. Required reading for Dragon Quest fans. (And who isn't?)


1. Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (2015), A
A port as game of the year? So long as you don't mess with success, why not? Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is a near perfect copy of the original, which is exceptionally impressive given the vast computing power differences between the Wii and 3DS. To carry over the graphics nearly flawlessly and retain every quest, every feature, and every voice track is a damned impressive technological feat and undeniably the most flashy tech achievement of the year (far more than Microsoft's so-called elite controller.)  It does require the "New" 3DS version to pull it off but it gives serious consideration to the possibility of other Wii ports. (Super Mario Galaxy for 3DS would threaten to destroy the space time continuum.) Plus it’s a fantastic game, even if it’s still ridiculously loot-heavy. The only flaw is, despite the name, a lack of 3D effects (perhaps a little too faithful of a port.)



Those that didn't make the cut:

Sunset Overdrive (2014), D
Sliding on rails and shooting things got old after about half an hour. Based too much on a gimmick I'd already experienced.  Sonic the Hedgehog did rail sliding already; blindfold yourself in the gaming section of a store and randomly pick a game and it probably involves shooting. Combining the two didn't make it better.

Super Mario Maker (2015), D
Sadly it just takes too long to build anything fun. It's better to play other people's stages, but they're typically so short (under 15 seconds) and so often based on the timing of a single jump or bounce that the game aged very fast. Mario Team would have been better served actually producing a new Mario game.

Xenoblade Chronicles X (2015), D
Very slow to develop and quite confusing at first. Some of the explanations for how to battle effectively are simply incorrect or badly misrepresented. Original Xenoblade Chronicles gets you excited within 30 minutes. X is still stumbling out of the gate five hours in (but slowly improving.) Slow loading times hurt. A real disappointment so far compared to the brilliance of the first Xenoblade.



Unplayed:
Destiny: The Taken King
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection


Most Looking forward to in 2016:
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (January for North America, already released elsewhere)
Star Fox Zero (March)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (March)
The Legend of Zelda for Wii U (unannounced, assumed 3Q or 4Q)
Dragon Quest XI (unannounced, assumed 4Q)



And now, something new for this year's list:

The feature in gaming I saw in 2015 that I wish everyone else would copy. Make it Happen!
PlayStation Store's acceptance of PayPal as a form of payment. I'm much more likely to use my excess PayPal credit on a low-cost (sub-$10) purchased game than foot the bill out of my credit card, or worse, go buy redemption cards with funny codes to redeem for cash-equivalent points. This goes double for Microsoft, who's going in the wrong direction by introducing a requirement of credit card registration to download free Games with Gold.

The feature I saw in gaming in 2015 that I want stopped right now. Kill It! Kill it with Fire!
Nintendo (and then Microsoft's) discontinuation of including manuals with games. Oh, you're still going to supply me a health and safety pamphlet, but not a manual to introduce me to the game, provide a cheat sheet of controls (would have been helpful for XCX), or give me a few pieces of concept or character art? Boo. There's a certain level of expectation when buying a physical game, and I don't like that some companies aren't living up to it in order to save a few pennies per sale.  Really, a $40 or $60 game and you're not going to fork over a dime's worth of paper, ink, and (optionally) staples?  Boo, I say again. Boo! :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 09, 2016, 12:36:48 am

Top 10? Thought it was yearly top 5 (scrolled back to last year's to check). Well whatever. Here's my awesome list:

10. Gauntlet: Slayer Edition
9. D4

8. Luigi's Mansion
7. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light

6. MGSV: The Phantom Pain
5. Trails in the Sky

4. Mario 3D World
Hands down the most gorgeous Wii U game. Got a chance to play this game with friends briefly over the holidays, and boy is the multi wonderful. What's also great is that i don't have to stick to playing Mario ad nauseum.

3. Dark Half
Very refreshing to play a JRPG from the side of both hero and villain. Quite frankly playing as the villain was a lot more fun (gameplay and storywise).

2. OutRun
Captures everything i love about the 80s and 90s with very solid racing. Blue skies ahoy!

1. Splatoon
Nintendo finally did it; they made a shooter to call their own, and boy is it absolutely delightful. Game was so addictive i even bought my first amiibo (well, amiibos).



Honorable Mentions:
Bomberman 93
El Viento
Mighty Switch Force 2
Kid Dracula

Biggest Disappointment:
Xenoblade Chronicles X -- very disappointing story. i expect a lot more from a Takahashi directed RPG!

Wanted to Play:
The Witcher 3
Dark Souls

Most Anticipated 2016:
Nintendo NX

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 08, 2016, 07:44:09 am

Things you don't see in gaming any more: three and half hour marathon between last chance to save, march through the very long final dungeon, defeat the final bosses, ending, and credits roll before the game-completion save.  Holy cow.  Planned to get through Mt Zugzwang in Dragon Quest V before the Super Bowl started and first quarter was nearly over by the time I closed the 3DS.

Also: Mario amiibos and Super Mario 3D World, apparently. At Best Buy yesterday to get a new amiibo (as it takes two compatible characters to unlock certain cards in Paper Jam, and my Link isn't compatible with it.)  None of the SIX variations of Mario were present so settled on Luigi as he ought to have just as wide of compatibility as his bro.  A dad and his eight or nine year old son there at same time to upgrade their Wii to Wii U; kid wanted Super Mario Maker and I had to talk them down from the ledge as its too much for that age. Would have recommended SM3DW if it was there - they went with Lego Marvel Avengers instead. (Wii U came with Mario Kart 8.)

And in case you didn't know, you can now pre-order Twilight Princess HD with the Wolf Link and Midna amiibo (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess-hd-amiibo-figure-nintendo-wii-u/8476002.p). Sweet.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 09, 2016, 02:52:04 am

Quote from: JG on February 08, 2016, 07:44:09 am

Things you don't see in gaming any more: three and half hour marathon between last chance to save, march through the very long final dungeon, defeat the final bosses, ending, and credits roll before the game-completion save.  Holy cow.  Planned to get through Mt Zugzwang in Dragon Quest V before the Super Bowl started and first quarter was nearly over by the time I closed the 3DS.

Also: Mario amiibos and Super Mario 3D World, apparently. At Best Buy yesterday to get a new amiibo (as it takes two compatible characters to unlock certain cards in Paper Jam, and my Link isn't compatible with it.)  None of the SIX variations of Mario were present so settled on Luigi as he ought to have just as wide of compatibility as his bro.  A dad and his eight or nine year old son there at same time to upgrade their Wii to Wii U; kid wanted Super Mario Maker and I had to talk them down from the ledge as its too much for that age. Would have recommended SM3DW if it was there - they went with Lego Marvel Avengers instead. (Wii U came with Mario Kart 8.)

And in case you didn't know, you can now pre-order Twilight Princess HD with the Wolf Link and Midna amiibo (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess-hd-amiibo-figure-nintendo-wii-u/8476002.p). Sweet.

I hear DQ5 is the best in the series and is probably the closest to a Final Fantasy. Really want to play that at some point. Can't decide between the PS2 game with fan translation or the DS release.

I'm quite perplexed as to why you would talk down a parent and a kid from getting Mario Maker considering the most popular game in that age group is Minecraft. It's not like they have to build levels to have fun in that game.

Speaking of Minecraft, what's your interest level in Dragon Quest Builders?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 13, 2016, 02:16:56 pm

Quote from: Moge on February 09, 2016, 02:52:04 am

I hear DQ5 is the best in the series and is probably the closest to a Final Fantasy. Really want to play that at some point. Can't decide between the PS2 game with fan translation or the DS release.

It's my understanding that the 3DS had better graphics than the PS2 version, which more of less ported the SNES graphics.
3DS version also implements the Dragon Quest series version 2 naming scheme, which for Dragon Quest V is chess-themed (Mt Zugzwang instead of Mt Evil, Bishop Ladja, Rook, Knight, etc.), plus you get the option of Debora as a bride.
Of course, you can now get it for Android with the latest (version 3) naming scheme. I'm not sure what it changes other than Saber renamed to Purrcy.

I'm not sure its any more Final Fantasy like than others in the series though.  DQ IV Chapters of the Chosen seems like the most FF like to me (it even has an airship, a clear FF staple)

Having now completed DQV, I'd rank it behind 4 and 8 overall.  It has a very rich story for a DQ game, but some of the features are a little off.  Too gimmicky/experimental than the no-nonsense DQ4.  The whole monster collecting thing in particular really disrupts the natural balance.  They did the monster collecting thing much better in DQ8, where they could only be used in the monster arena.  Another major fault is that one character (Tuppence) is essentially worthless by the time he can be recruited, because you have monsters (or other humans) that are simply better. (This same fault robs Gogo of much usefulness in FF6, but at least you can teach him magic and make him somewhat useful, whereas Tuppence is dead weight.)  I give kudos to the ability to talk to team members and have them comment on your current situation or the conversation you just had with an NPC though.  Hundreds if not thousands of these party comments exist.  Potentially the most text-rich game I've ever played.

Quote from: Moge on February 09, 2016, 02:52:04 am

I'm quite perplexed as to why you would talk down a parent and a kid from getting Mario Maker considering the most popular game in that age group is Minecraft. It's not like they have to build levels to have fun in that game.

I'm not sure that translates as well.  Minecraft is easy to create levels (from what I've seen).  Mario Maker is a beast - quite technical.  I daresay that Mario Maker is more aligned to SimCity lovers than normal Mario fans.

I didn't have much fun playing most other peoples levels.  They were either gimmicky (exact timing of a number of jumps in a row) and/or ridiculously difficult. Hurt that over 90% of the ones posted had average clear times under 15 seconds.

Overall, I don't recommend Mario Maker.  Plenty of better games.  I was more bothered that SM3DW wasn't there (and still wasn't when I was there again Thursday to renew my Gamers Club which I'd gotten an email about on Tuesday and decided to take advantage of the $20 off Xbox Live subscription with renewal as a better deal is unlikely to show in next 30 days.)  Except for new releases, my local Best Buy sucks for variety.

Quote from: Moge on February 09, 2016, 02:52:04 am

Speaking of Minecraft, what's your interest level in Dragon Quest Builders?

First I'm hearing of it.  Appears to be too much like Minecraft from quick image search.  Definitely seems to be in the Monsters camp of more childish DQ games than the one the main series and Heroes resides. (I.e., probably no mention of puff-puff)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 11, 2016, 04:12:28 pm

What's it like revisiting Twilight Princess after all these years? Where do you place it in the hierarchy of Zelda greatness?

Did you ever finish the first Bravely Default?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 11, 2016, 10:01:17 pm

Twilight Princess's story is quite good (arguably the best), but although its gameplay isn't bad, it just simply wasn't as good as its predecessor Wind Waker, so I've never ranked it as high.  I really liked little Toon Link's moves like jumping over Darknut's head to knock his helmet off or undo his armor from behind in Wind Waker.  Toon Link in Wind Waker is just a bad ass swordsman - like Yoda fighting Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith.  Those sweet moves were missing from Twilight Princess so it seemed duller or something.  Wolf Link is ok for the scent search parts but being a much weaker fighter you end up using normal Link most of the time anyway.  Plus Twilight Princess had a Wii port but didn't leverage the Wii Remote as a sword like I hoped they would, and eventually did for Skyward Sword.  Original Twilight Princess was also undone by the difficulty in changing your item set and back and forth between human and wolf - the HD remake fixes a lot of this with the game pad though.  So while Twilight Princess tells a great story, it just simply isn't as fun to play, and that's the most important feature to me.

For me, Skyward Sword > Ocarina of Time > Link to the Past > Wind Waker > Hyrule Warriors > Minish Cap > Twilight Princess > Link Between Worlds > Legend of Zelda > Majora's Mask > Spirit Tracks > Oracle of Seasons > Oracle of Ages > Phantom Hourglass > Link's Awakening > TriForce Heroes > Link's Adventure > Four Swords Adventures

Some of these are interchangeable with the one before or after it, so if I were asked again in a month I might end up ranking them somewhat differently (example, Minish Cap/Twilight Princess is a bit of a push for me and could easily swap orders)

I don't think this order is far from most people's opinions. I think Skyward Sword is darn near perfect while most people think OoT is the tops.  Maybe if OoT shipped with its Master Quest it might have stayed on top for me, but alas, when completed there is basically no more challenge while Skyward Sword gets the nod for its Hero Mode.  Plus OoT is really rather short - I've run it end-to-end in a single day once, something you can't do for most of these.  The unusual one might be Minish Cap - I really liked it.  I think it gets a low rating from most people because it might be the least played, but I found it highly enjoyable being essentially Ant-Man Link and wearing a talking hat.  Since its been so long I might need to dig it up and play it again to see if it deserves remaining near the top.


As mentioned, some of the problems with control have been fixed in Twilight Princess HD.  It certainly looks a lot better.  Original was GameCube era graphics, even for the Wii version, so you couldn't see detail intended.  For example, I always thought the girl monkey was wearing a pink hat - turns out its actually a rose.  Characters and enemies are much more detailed, and the environments are more colorful.  There's still some hard angles that I wish were smoothed out or altered to be more realistic though - particularly with some of the environments like Kakariko Gorge.  The details of Midna and Agitha have been updated to reflect some of their Hyrule Warriors features, such as the intricate designs on Midna's Fused Shadow helm and butterfly designs along the hem of Agitha's dress. I'm not sure if Ganondorf or Epona have been updated or not.  Link hasn't (i.e., no scarf)



No I didn't finish Bravely Default.  But I never put the case away into the closet - it's still sitting on my coffee table waiting to be completed whenever I get around to having no other games on my "would rather play" list.  But now that a direct sequel is coming I really want to finish it off.  If it had a different universe I wouldn't feel as compelled, but its got some of the same characters, 3 years after the events of the first game so I guess I should see how it pans out before starting the second.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 13, 2016, 09:11:51 pm

You getting Star Fox? :carreraface

I'm not 100% sure how to rank my fave Zeldas since i haven't played some of them in over a decade, but i'll just go ahead anyway :chicken

Ocarina > Adventure of Link > Link to the Past > Twilight Princess > BS Zelda > Wind Waker > Link's Awakening > Skyward Sword > Majora's Mask > Minish Cap > Zeruda 1 > Link's Crossbow Training

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 14, 2016, 08:55:30 am

Quote from: Moge on April 13, 2016, 09:11:51 pm

You getting Star Fox?

Of course, but even though Nintendo has been adamant its not a remake or relaunch of the series, everything I see of it says it is.

I can deal with that when its stuff like Zelda or Mario, because those games always were or have grown over time into the 50+ hour experience with the capability of side quests.  If Star Fox Zero turns out to be a souped up StarFox/StarFox64 running at 10-15 hours and is basically a non-stop linear shootout from launch to Andross then I'll be disappointed.  Because it can't effectively do item finding quests and its side story capability is very limited (apart from a Star Wolf encounter), it's going to needs a TON of stages to be a winner in my book. I'm afraid it'll be in the usual 10-12 stage size with each taking 10 minutes or so to clear.  I.e., if you beat it once you can beat it again from end to end in under 2 hours.

So I don't have particularly high hopes for it.  Having to add a second game (Star Fox Guard) to the retail package late in the process worries me that the real game just isn't good enough or long enough to stand on its own.



Adventure of Link fan, huh?  I thought it was a fine game back in the day but it hasn't held up as well over the years as the others.  I really liked how they used the town names in Adventure of Link as the sage names in Ocarina of Time though - when I first played OoT I thought that was such a cool nod to the earlier game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 16, 2016, 02:52:09 pm

Don't get your hopes up. According to GiantBomb, SFZ follows the traditional SF formula of stage-by-stage play, and it's 60 :rupee

I really love the combat in AoL. There's an intensity to it that no future Zelda title has been able to reproduce. Unfortunately the game is highly imbalanced, but hey, there was a fan balance patch (http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1084/ (http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1084/)) released for it this year, so it's possible to have fun with it if you ever want to go back.

Did you ever finish Xenoblade Chronicles X?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 19, 2016, 08:26:19 am

Quote from: Moge on April 16, 2016, 02:52:09 pm

Did you ever finish Xenoblade Chronicles X?

No.  And when the hell am I supposed to with Paper Jam, Twilight Princess HD, Hyrule Warriors Legends, Bravely Second, and SFZ all hitting about this time?  And that's just the Nintendo stuff (Dragon Quest Heroes, Uncharted, and King's Quest have been played since XCX came out.)

This is what I meant by wishing Nintendo would space things out a bit. Way too many big name games in 1Q and early 2Q.  Only thing known for 3Q or 4Q is Legend of Zelda, so the summer is likely to be vary bare (like the last few years).  I don't think North American release dates have been set for DQ 7, 8 or 11 on 3DS or Paper Mario Color Splash on the U.  All announced for this year but Wikipedia doesn't have firm dates for any of them, meaning some will undoubtedly bump to 2017 (almost a certainty for DQ11 at this point)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 22, 2016, 04:35:44 am

Without 3rd-party support Nintendy can't afford to sit back on their laurels like the SNES days. I'm fairly certain they're going full hog right now in developing NX titles.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 23, 2016, 05:28:51 pm

Quote from: Moge on April 22, 2016, 04:35:44 am

Without 3rd-party support Nintendy can't afford to sit back on their laurels like the SNES days. I'm fairly certain they're going full hog right now in developing NX titles.

I sure hope so. Its a few years since the last Mario series main title, since Mario Team got roped into helping both develop and test Zelda Wii U.  If they hadn't I'm sure we'd have seen a New Super Mario Bros 3 this year or last.  Sure would be nice to see a new Mario title as a launch title for the NX.

It's my understanding that over half the Nintendo developers and QA are on the Zelda Wii U project, which is why Nintendo's turned over so much of their IP to their second party companies (particularly for remakes) and the occasional third party company (Donkey Kong in Activision's Skylanders series)


Actually, I don't think 3rd party support matters as much anymore to the success of a video game system.  I think that's a legacy opinion: true in the 80s and 90s, not so very much now.  Sure, third parties rule the sports games (EA) and a few other niches, but because the hardware (at least between Microsoft and Sony) is so much more alike now than earlier generations, the same third party titles usually show up on both (if not all three) and they are practically indistinguishable except for a few minor features. What matters now is first and second party titles. Those are your unique games and what should distinguish success from failure (but doesn't always.)  I mean, think about it.  You don't look at the systems and decide which is best based on how well they play Madden, Arkham Knight, or Assassin's Creed. You look at what each has got that the others don't, be it Mario/Zelda, Halo/Gears of War, or GTA/Metal Gear/Uncharted.

(This is why I think Microsoft's in a world of hurt.  They have the weakest second party support of the three, and now that they've outright cancelled the Kinect their hardware is basically an underpowered PS4. Over time they'll lose third party licensees to Sony's more capable hardware, and the only way to make it up is with stellar first party titles. Halo 5 didn't get it done last year.)

And Nintendo didn't sit back on their laurels in the 90s. They were pushed HARD by Sega. If anything, Nintendo is more relaxed now, in the last ten years than their first twenty of video game making, because they entirely dominate the handheld video game sector.  The Wii U has not been the success they hoped for after the Wii, but they're still making money hand over fist with the 3DS. And with Amiibo raking it in, I get the impression that Nintendo is willing to be more risky with the NX than they would have been ten years ago (when the Wii itself was rather risky.)  If NX fails, they can still fall back to 3DS and survive. (I don't think this is the position they should take, but appears to be the position they're putting themselves in.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 27, 2016, 03:22:39 am

Zeruda U delayed to 2017 noooOOOOOOOoooo :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 27, 2016, 07:47:54 pm

Pissed.  :rage :rage :rage :rage :rage :rage :rage

Neither Zelda nor NX make it until March.  Only so they can rework Zelda as an NX launch title, which they said they weren't going to do and that Zelda would come out well in advance of NX.

Granted, Nintendo has new Pokemons this year so they won't be a total disaster at Christmas time, but those were supposed to be summer and Zelda in the fall.  These delays from Nintendo are getting to be discouraging.

 :rage

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 01, 2016, 02:28:07 pm

Nintendo's press site updated Zelda's U release date from "March 2017" to "2017" :rolleyes

The NX launch line-up better be awesome. You getting one day 1, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 01, 2016, 05:22:54 pm

Nah its impossible to get these things day 1. I only had to wait about 3 weeks for the U though, since there were far many more ready for distribution than the disaster of a rollout regarding Wii (took about 3 months for that one.)  Nintendo learned lesson with Wii.

Given that its still 10 months off; I'm not all that worried that the time supposedly changed from March 2017 to just 2017.  This isn't the first time the website has changed a game's release date when it wasn't yet firm.  Plus being vague provides wiggle room (though they shouldn't need it) and allows for a bigger statement at E3 when they announce the firm date.    (I'm wagering Friday, March 24, 2017.)

Of course, the disappointment in delay of NX and Zelda carries down to other IPs, too. In other words, we probably won't see a new Mario main stream title in 2017 if Mario Team is still roped into Zelda through the end of 2016.  This would put over 4 years between console releases (3D World landed November 2013.)  Four years and five years for your top two properties isn't solid strategy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 02, 2016, 03:41:10 pm

The Wii U certainly sold well initially but it's not like it was flying off the shelves.

At the bare minimum i expect to see another New Super Mario Bros game at launch. Honestly i'd rather play another 3D World but 2D Mario games in general sell better.

Nintendo having absolutely nothing to show besides Zelda at E3 is very worrying. I hope they've got an awesome Direct lined up to blow all of our expectations out of the water.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 02, 2016, 10:49:32 pm

Well they'll be bringing Paper Mario Color Splash to E3 as well, but the early previews are not promising as its clearly more like the much-disliked Sticker Star than the earlier N64 and GameCube games. (Thousand Year Door still being the measuring stick and the clear best of the four so far.)

They'll also show up with Metroid Federation Force though it didn't look anything like a Metroid game last year - as if they attached the Metroid name merely to draw sales.  I'm anticipating universal hatred for this title.

I don't think its been announced, but they'll probably show off Pokemon Sun and Moon, too, since its now their primary Christmas offering.  Might be the Japanese version they show off though.

Might see a handful of new games added to the "Nintendo Selects" series, which have been solid sellers.  New Super Mario Bros U and Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon oughta make it in this bunch but I'm not sure what else.  It would do them some good to include Xenoblade Chronicles, as it remains the only New 3DS-required game so there isn't that much to showcase the newer hardware, but I don't think they will.

I'd suspect an announcement on some new Amiibos too.  I'm thinking it'll be a Zelda series this time, because its got enough characters to support a series*, it'll cover for the Zelda Wii U snafu, and it'll support the all-but-announced rerelease of Link's Awakening. The Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC for Link's Awakening drops right about that time and the rumor mill is churning about why Nintendo would devote a DLC pack to a game well out of circulation unless there was a rerelease on the horizon. I'm quite sure it won't be the emulated version but a total remake with new graphics and such. I'm thinking this might be the first big push by Nintendo for a digital-only release, too. Seems like the perfect opportunity to experiment with a digital-only sales model - obviously they have digital versions of cartridge games for years now, and the smaller eShop only games are naturally digital-only, but I'm not sure they've ever tried it with one of their big name properties that they would otherwise ship in cartridge-form.

Those are my opinions anyway. We'll see how much of it comes true.



* Plus, if you look at the Wolf Link Amiibo base, it has a distinctly Zelda themed logo unlike any of the other Amiibo series. I think this is a sign we're in for more.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 09, 2016, 12:36:49 am

Which camp are you in for SFZ? :carreraface

Love it or hate it?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 09, 2016, 08:05:05 am

Given the two, I'd have to say hate it. I don't terribly do, but its a clear disappointment in my book.

Its really hard to get good at the controls, difficult to do barrel rolls and loop-di-loops, lock-on targeting keeps targeting friendlies instead of foes, its a bother to keep switching between TV screen and gamepad to see where I'm flying or shooting and the slightest movement of the gamepad causes your shots to go way off target. I couldn't even complete the first stage without using a continue its so difficult to control correctly. Add in a much more fragile arwing (only capable of about three hits or two collisions) and you're spending all your time just trying to avoid stuff rather than saving the galaxy.

I appreciate that they've taken a more 3D approach to battles (you have to fly high then dive bomb the enemies at the end of stage 1), but otherwise its no better than Star Fox 64, aside from fancier graphics, two new arwing modes, and a few extra stages between Corneria and Venom.

If you get it, be prepared to spend a lot of time in practice mode.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 25, 2016, 12:08:49 pm

What other games beside BoW wetted your willy at E3? RE7 and Horizon were the other two most interesting games i saw.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 27, 2016, 08:13:03 am

Quote from: Moge on June 25, 2016, 12:08:49 pm

What other games beside BoW wetted your willy at E3? RE7 and Horizon were the other two most interesting games i saw.

Outside of BotW, Ever Oasis for 3DS was the most exciting for me. Reminds me very much of a Tales game (RPG basis, real-time battles.) I like the whole Egyptian/Berber character design, too - its different. It's still early but I think this may have leapfrogged Dragon Quest XI as my second most anticipated game of 2017.

I liked what I saw of Dragon Quest VII as well, getting the same 3D treatment as IV, V, and VI. But its coming along too damned late. It's been out in Japan for over 3 years, and VIII has been out for 10 months. Square Enix is taking too long to do translations and trampling their own release schedule - can't have VII, VIII, and XI all come out late 2016. They haven't said so, but everyone else (especially Nintendo) is acknowledging that only VII will hit this year, with XI next year, and possibly VIII late 2017 but just as likely early 2018. (!)

I saw no other software that excites me, though I appreciate the fact that every time a new Pokémon game comes along Nintendo is fully funded for the next couple of years to do stupid stuff like Donkey Kong and Wario games.  I don't recall any games of importance to me from the Sony or Microsoft camps - they seemed too focused on hardware, trying to take advantage of the fact that Nintendo wasn't. That's not to say games like RE7 won't be interesting to others (particularly the VR version) - I just don't care. Like I don't care about yet another Batman Arkham series game.

Of course, very disappointed in what was shown about Paper Mario: Color Splash as most fans of the series are. Backgrounds are too realistic instead of papercraft like in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (which looked great because of the papercraft terrain.) Its got another stupid card-based battle system like the much-despised Sticker Star. And its another one where Mario appears to go solo instead of with a companion like the earlier games, assuming you discount the Navi-like Huey. Would not at all be surprised if this is the last we see of Paper Mario outside of cameos (i.e., next Smash Bros)

I did think it rather surprising that Nintendo has said nothing and showed nothing of Metroid Prime: Federation Force. After getting panned at E3 2015 (and for 12 months since) I think even Nintendo has realized this is a game fans of the series don't want while it has little attraction to gamers who aren't Metroid series fans, and have greatly lowered expectations on its sales target (probably much fewer than 200,000 carts.) On the bright side, Nintendo has come to realize that a true Metroid game featuring Samus Aran is a must on the NX to recover the series.

Hooray for Wario and Waluigi amiibos though. Please allow some outright dirty, underhanded cheats when these are used, Nintendo.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 13, 2016, 04:41:15 am

Nintendo making so much bank off of filthy Pokemon GO money. I can only hope all this :redrupee will go toward an even better specced Nintendo NX.

The Paper Mario series lost me after The Thousand Year Door. I tried the Wii game for a few hours but it didn't click with me.

You still play your XB1 or PS4, JGOO? Haven't heard of peep from you regarding these systems.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 15, 2016, 07:26:07 am

Quote from: Moge on July 13, 2016, 04:41:15 am

Nintendo making so much bank off of filthy Pokemon GO money. I can only hope all this :redrupee will go toward an even better specced Nintendo NX.

Doubtful. Hardware specs are almost entirely tied to how close you are to hardware suppliers. Sony has their own massive hardware unit and Microsoft has a very close relationship with Intel.  Nintendo doesn't stand up to either of those so their hardware will always be weaker. To make NX as powerful as one of these new Xbox Scorpio or PS4 Neo systems or whatever they hell they end up being called would mean a $500+ price tag, and that's not good for sales.  Good news for them is that console graphics are approaching technical limits; new Xbox and PS4 won't look that much better than existing models, and so I expect NX to look more like Scorpio and Neo than Wii U does to XB1 and PS4 today.

Quote from: Moge on July 13, 2016, 04:41:15 am

The Paper Mario series lost me after The Thousand Year Door. I tried the Wii game for a few hours but it didn't click with me.

Yeah Nintendo has totally mismanaged the Paper Mario series. Original and especially Thousand Year Door were amazing and every fan wants another one like those.  Yet they drop the RPG style battles and partner in Super Paper Mario, then go with some goofy sticker-based attack system in Sticker Star.  I get the feeling they want to experiment with Paper Mario series, and leave the more classical RPG styles to Mario & Luigi, Fire Emblem, etc. which is dumb because the market is flooded on the 3DS and bare on the Wii U.  That said, Paper Mario was a delight in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. As I've said before, I totally expect Color Splash to be the last in the series with Paper Mario thereafter relegated to cameo appearances in things like Smash Bros series.

Quote from: Moge on July 13, 2016, 04:41:15 am

You still play your XB1 or PS4, JGOO? Haven't heard of peep from you regarding these systems.

Ain't been nothin' worth playin' on 'em lately.  And uber-busy at work from April to end of June so I've only had an hour or so an evening to march through a few Hyrule Warriors Legends stages (I've cleared the Adventure, Great Sea, and Master Quest maps and about half done with Termina.)

My workload has been lightened up a little in the last two weeks though so I've been thinking more about King's Quest, and would probably be started it anew were all the chapters out already (they aren't).  Might resume the Nathan Drake series while I wait.  And if Microsoft stops the snoozefest on its 2016 release schedule and Games with Gold selection it might get me to turn the XB1 on again, but likely won't until Gears of War 4 lands.  I haven't played the Wii U either since StarFox (which I never finished) and probably won't until Color Splash.  Hyrule Warriors gives me enough for now, and when that's done I'd like to look into Bravely Second.  There just isn't much to play right now that hasn't already been released or is still several months away. :(

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on July 24, 2016, 06:55:58 am

Marie beat Callie in Splatfest so I'll be throwing the game in the garbage now

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 26, 2016, 10:16:19 pm

Quote from: Arizona on July 24, 2016, 06:55:58 am

Marie beat Callie in Splatfest so I'll be throwing the game in the garbage now

That's a good idea. I'm considering selling off my Wii U what with all the juicy new NX deets leaked today.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 28, 2016, 08:49:01 am

Quote from: Moge on July 26, 2016, 10:16:19 pm

I'm considering selling off my Wii U ...

I'm usually a Nintendo defender but I really can't blame you.  There's nothing else worthwhile coming to Wii U besides BotW which will likely be better on NX.  I'm still going to get Color Splash but I expect to be disappointed by it and expect it to be what its undoubtedly not going to be.

Might get more value trading it in on Thanksgiving week though. That's usually when GameStop gives an extra 20 or 30% on trade-ins.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 04, 2016, 09:04:14 pm

I think i might catch Splatoon Withdrawal symptoms if i sell my system, but NX rumors point to a September reveal. At that point everyone will flood to sell off their system, thus less :rupee

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 18, 2016, 11:34:27 pm

Quote from: JG on July 15, 2016, 07:26:07 am

And if Microsoft stops the snoozefest on its 2016 release schedule and Games with Gold selection it might get me to turn the XB1 on again, but likely won't until Gears of War 4 lands.

Well played, Microsoft.  Beyond Good and Evil HD as free 360 Game with Gold for second half of August is something finally worthy of attention.

If you missed it first time around on ye olde cubic gaming system, its of the same vein as Zelda's Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask or StarFox Adventures.  Probably in the teens if I were to put together a list of best games I've ever played (which means quite good.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 19, 2016, 11:51:02 pm

There was a rumor that circulated earlier this year that Nintendo secured the rights to BG&E2. Not sure how much weight to put into that rumor with Ancel currently busy with a PS4 exclusive.

Finally decided to put up my Wii U for sale on Amazon and the two physical games in my library. Surprising the 8GB Basic SKU is worth slightly more than the 32GB Deluxe.

What would convince you to pick an NX on day 1, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 20, 2016, 11:38:18 am

Quote from: Moge on August 19, 2016, 11:51:02 pm

There was a rumor that circulated earlier this year that Nintendo secured the rights to BG&E2.

That BG&E2 rumor is many years old, probably not long after the first BG&E.  In fact, the only reason I've ever played it is because a buddy of mine lent me his copy saying I had to play it before the sequel came out.  But Ubisoft changed course with hits like Rayman and Assassin's Creed, and left the wonderful BG&E world to rot without a sequel.

Quote from: Moge on August 19, 2016, 11:51:02 pm

What would convince you to pick an NX on day 1, JGOO?

Well the killer app is already there.  So all I need now is a Best Buy preorder offer to ensure I get one without having to wait in line or fight a crowd.  The price won't change until holiday 2017, so cost is not a factor.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 15, 2016, 04:46:20 pm

Picked up your copy of Dairy Queen VII yet, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 15, 2016, 09:08:45 pm

Quote from: Moge on September 15, 2016, 04:46:20 pm

Picked up your copy of Dairy Queen VII yet, JGOO?

Not in stores until tomorrow.

And I actually totally forgot. So busy at work :(

It'll be good to get a new cartridge into my N3DSXL though. I'm totally addicted to Hyrule Warriors Legends, just like I was with the original a couple years back. Never played a game with so much replayability and length (would take well over 300 hours to complete every map)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 27, 2016, 10:31:29 pm

How's that Dragon Quest Builders demo, JGOO?

OMG OMG BG&2 IS REAL OMG OMG

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 03, 2016, 07:44:57 am

Not interested in builders.

Finally got to start DQ7 over weekend though, and I can see why its not one of the popular ones. Took at least three hours before I finally got to fight some baddies.  Too much running around, back-and-forth searching in the opening segments, and too many enemy-free areas to explore (two towns, a castle, a shrine, two cabins, a temple, and two graveyards.)  Don't fight a baddie of any consequence until at least hour six.  Getting better as it moves along, but its really slow at the opening.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 04, 2016, 01:20:51 pm

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you would of probably had more fun with the DQ Builders demo than the first six hours you spent with DQ7 :carreraface

Just shelled out 100 :redrupee to get a new Wave Bird controller to use for PC gaming. Never had a wireless GC controller and i sorely miss using that weird button layout. Last Nintendo controller that i thought was top-class.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2016, 07:27:54 am

End of the year again? That means top newly played games of the year, doesn't it. As always, the game only needs to be played for the first time this year, not required to have been released this year.

Oh, and since those bozos at work kept me so busy throughout the year, I can only safely report nine games this year instead of the normal ten.  And compared to last year (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2697.msg33160#msg33160), which was generally full of good games, this year mostly sucked. Delays to the new Zelda and Dragon Quests VIII and XI hurt, but may make 2017 spectacular.


9. Star Fox Zero (Wii U, 2016), D-
Maddeningly difficult to control; and we've seen this same game a few times already. This version looks prettier, but stick with Star Fox 64 for 3DS.


8. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (Xbox One, 2015), D+
A suitable remake but nothing really new other than improved graphics. Would have helped to had the whole trilogy remastered ala Metroid Prime and Uncharted trilogies. This is the second time Microsoft has pulled this single game remake trick on us, after Halo, when a trilogy would have been better. I fortunately paid very little for it with preorder of Gears of War 4.


7. Gears of War: Judgment (Xbox 360, 2013), D+
After replaying the original GoW trilogy to prep for GoW4, and then GoW4 itself, I went back to this nearly forgotten prequel. This game had the terrible misfortune of being released just one week before the amazing Bioshock Infinite, and quickly found itself unplayed.  It's "stage" format doesn't seem as natural as the running gunfight normal to the series, which lends itself to really hard but short shootouts without as much focus on getting to the goal. This gun jammed.


6. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (Remastered) (PS4, 2015), D+
Too short, and too linear compared to similar Assassin's Creed games. Like many PlayStation-only games, it has great animated cut scenes, but comes up a little short on gameplay.


5. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past (3DS, 2016), C
Not one of the better games in the series. Its easily 3+ hours before your first monster fight, developing very slowly and takes a good 15 or 20 hours before it gets moving at a decent pace.  The hero is uninteresting, Maribel is a bitch, Kiefer leaves too early, Ruff has a nice intro but then becomes nothing the rest of the game, leaving it devoid of much character development that is so prevalent in the good games of the series (4, 5, and 8). I'm 60 hours into a game supposed to take 80-90 hours and I have yet to get to the fifth or sixth characters yet.  Been way too long adventuring with just three characters since Kiefer left (around hour 25.)


4. Twilight Princess HD (Wii U, 2016), B
A good reproduction, better controls, but still some unnaturally hard angles; I'm not certain the game was truly old enough to warrant re-release though; with backwards compatibility, the original Wii version disc is still playable.


3. Gears of War 4 (Xbox One, 2016), B+
Took a few years but they finally got this story rolling again.  Kudos for using a new cast, but paying homage to the old one.  Perhaps a bit too much as the story ultimately revolves around Marcus. Despite the gray hairs he's still a badass. Del tries to be funny but isn't - he just can't compete with Baird from the original trilogy. Best shooter of the year, but light competition.


2. Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS, 2016), B+
Good reproduction game-wise but noticeably color reduced so it looks much more artificial than the Wii U original. New features and characters though; ability to switch controlled character and direct NPCs to specific locations, attack specific enemy, or defend specific NPC means you don't have to bail out dumb AI as often so it is the more enjoyable/less frustrating of the two versions to play.


1. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS, 2016), A
Unbalanced difficulty with two very difficult boss fights in an overall easy game, but otherwise flawless. I thought it would be tough to top Partners In Time, but this one does it. Overlooked by most, but hands down my favorite game of the year.



Unplayed/backlog:
Beyond Good & Evil HD (Xbox 360/Xbox One) - played first section only
The Last of Us Remastered (PS4) - played first section only
Destiny: The Taken King (PS4)
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (PS4)
Final Fantasy IX (Android)
Bravely Second: End Layer (3DS)
Star Fox Guard (Wii U)
Uncharted 2: Honor Among Thieves (PS4)
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS4)
Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U) - haven't even bought it yet
King's Quest, chapters 2-5 (Any) - they are releasing chapters much too slowly


Most looking forward to in 2017:
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS), January 20
Dragon Quest Heroes II (PS4), April 25
Super Mario Run (Android), 1Q?
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U/Switch), March?/June?/July?
Ever Oasis (3DS)
Dragon Quest XI (PS4, 3DS, and possibly Switch)
Untitled Pikmin Game (3DS)



Something that got better:
AI. GoW4 gave us smarter enemies, who use cover more efficiently and don't randomly stand up to get their heads blown off. Hyrule Warriors Legends got heroes who help each other out instead of needing you to do the job.  Of course, in both cases these games are getting a second chance to do it right (or more than second chance)


Somethings that got worse:
1. Quality of paid subscriptions. The free games with Xbox Live (or PS Plus) have been generally terrible, with exception to Beyond Good & Evil.
2. Delays. Delays. Delays. Its taking longer and longer to make quality software these days. Breath of the Wild in particular has me worried that its being overthought, with too much micromanagement and too many neat, but ultimately worthless, features.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 13, 2017, 05:13:25 pm

you played a lot of middling games last year JGOO, or maybe your standards have gotten too high :bigtran

i'll post my top 10 soon. Nintendo Switch games reveal was a total bust. i can't imagine anyone besides scalpers and Nintendo diehards to pick up the system on day 1. hearing the paid online service deets was like a punch to the gut. one NES or SNES rom a month... seriously? if this service isn't like a buck a month then i can't imagine anyone being happy at all considering what's available on competing services

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 13, 2017, 06:57:32 pm

My standards haven't gotten too high - my time to play has crashed so fewer games and less experimentation with new series.  And its indefensible to claim 2016 was a good year for video games.  It was one of the worst.  Very few games of quality and rememberance 10 or 20 years from now came out in 2016.  Super Mario Run or Pokémon Go perhaps, but because they are major IPs breaking into mobile market, not because they are great games.

I did mention the scaleback of subscription service quality in 2016 as a bad thing.  I suspect the quality of game included with Nintendo service to be quite good, at least for first few months, but price to be no better.  I haven't watched all the videos and details yet to know if a price was announced but $50/year wouldn't be a surprise to me.  1 or 2 NES/SNES games of quality beats 4 recent and generally forgettable XBox360 games of poor quality in my opinion though.  Whatever they choose is going to be something people remember fondly, because people don't remember the junk. In other words, it ain't going to be no Rush'n Attack.  Probably not Nintendo-hard like Kid Icarus either.  Not having unlimited access to the game hurts though, since it'll discourage lengthy RPGs and adventures from inclusion. At least Xbox Live gets this right even if the quality has for the most part been rotten.  I bet first free SNES game in the rotation will be Super Mario World or All-Stars, but I wouldn't count out a two-player simultaneous NES game either (Ice Hockey, Mario Bros, Tetris, Dr Mario, etc.)

As far as Day 1 is concerned, Zelda pretty much locks it up as a sell-out. If it hadn't launched with Zelda or Mario I could see it being die-hards only, but the Zelda game has too much hype. It'll fly off the shelves and be hard to get for several weeks.

Games... I'm rather surprised Mario Kart Deluxe isn't a launch title. I mean, what do they have to add that takes an extra two months of development?  Worries me that the online network may not be ready by launch.  Surprised Splatoon 2 is so early. I would have expected new Mario before new Splatoon.  Though makes sense because I have doubts Super Mario Odyssey is really ready by Q4 given how much effort Mario Team developers had to put into helping get Zelda ready (and the real world looks like something out of Sonic Adventures, which didn't go over so well.)  Bowser looks badass in his groom tux and top hat though.  Jury's out on Xenoblade Chronicles 2 until more is revealed.

Fortunately, Dragon Quest VIII for 3DS is just a week away and should keep me happily occupied until a Switch and Zelda can be acquired.  (DQ VIII being arguably best in the franchise: in my opinion certainly the most balanced and funniest, and in running with IV and V for best story.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 29, 2017, 05:38:18 am

2016 Top Ten:

10. Blades of Vengeance
9. Actraiser 2
8. Life is Strange
7. Metal Slug: 2nd Mission
6. NightCry

5. Street Fighter V
4. Apollo Justice
3. Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
2. Another Metroid 2 Remake
1. Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors


AM2R is a bloody brilliant fan game. It's been too long since i've felt played a Metroid game that captured the essence of the series, and AM2R is that game where so many official releases have failed. 999's a great visual novel wrapped up in cool art with not overly difficult puzzles. Since i don't read books i count these kinda games as my literature. Quite eager to play the sequels, although the Switch release is too close for me to jump on the games.

(http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/ninehourspersonsdoors/images/a/a2/999_cover.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20151023065117)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 02, 2017, 08:40:14 pm

So which SKU of the Switch did you preorder? I got the Neon version along with preordering a Pro Controller. Still need to get Zelda.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 03, 2017, 07:39:00 am

From where? To my knowledge most sites have not taken preorders yet. I think GameStop did for a very limited number of units (10K-20K?), and perhaps Walmart. Nobody wants to repeat the NES Classic Edition supply problem.  Most sites seem to only be taking a waitlist to communicate availability to preorder, once they know how many they'll have in March.

I am positive Best Buy has not taken preorders on the consoles yet.  And because the special editions of BotW are only going to be available in certain large cities and not available by shipping, there's really no reason or me to try to preorder it yet either unless and until this policy changes. (All I really want beyond the game is the music CD; I'll find someone to send me MP3s for it and Nintendo/Best Buy will lose $30 on this ridiculous policy. If anyone reading this gets special or master edition and can help me out here, I'll trade you a small piece of VIPER swag for the assist)





Speaking of GameStop...

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/raika_phone.jpg)
Hello, GameStop? I need to order a new copy of Gunyarock... uh, as a gift for a friend, of course. Not for me.

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/gamestop.jpg)
We're sorry ,miss. We have that in new condition for twenty yenbux but our Circle of Life policy prevents us from selling you that version when we have used copies for sale at fifty.

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/raika_angry.jpg)
What!?!

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/raika_underwear_phone.jpg)
What kind of ridiculous policy is that!?

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/gamestop.jpg)
We're sorry, miss. This is a corporate policy designed to ensure we go bankrupt in the next 18 months because we buy too much used garbage and don't put our focus into new games like our competitors. We're repeating all the mistakes of Funcoland, without the successes of EBGames! Sorry we can't help you with Gunyarock, but would you instead be interested in buying any used PlayStation 3 games that you can't play on the modern hardware?

/click/

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/raika_serious.jpg)
Despicable.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 03, 2017, 02:25:03 pm

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YS3CTEET74o/WJTVExX6VLI/AAAAAAAADZM/9uGjn9dvDio1eilzNY0Xp4rVKi9qxbvtQCLcB/s1600/bb.png)

Usually when the price of a product is announced, the preorders follow soon after; so preorders basically went up minutes after the Switch unveiling last month. If you're not seeing any stock at retail its because they have long since been sold out. Do not fret though as the new Ninty prez has mentioned they will increase production in light of the system selling like hotcakes -- https://twitter.com/mochi_wsj/status/826331259580198913 (https://twitter.com/mochi_wsj/status/826331259580198913)

Compared to the big retailers Gamestop won't be getting nearly as many units :bigtran

Best Buy online had a restock today and it was all gone within 20 minutes. Thirst is real, so best of luck securing one. If you need help securing a unit feel free to send a PM.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 04, 2017, 01:00:50 pm

I saw that. And their stock that ran out Friday were apparently all the neon type.  I prefer the gray and it seems it will be the rarer of the two.  I thought an email for one type would notify on both, but apparently not as I never got any email from BB so now I've signed up for neon color notification as well.  I'm okay if I can't get one March 3, but I would like one by the time end of March rolls around as I expect to be off much in April.

Assuming Nintendo even delivers them to stores in smaller cities. Apparently Zelda special editions are not sold anywhere near me - neither Nashville nor Atlanta will get any either (I probably would not drive so far to get it anyhow, and sure as hell won't fly somewhere just to get one.)  Of course, many years ago I got the tenth of ten Skyward Sword limited editions with the gold Wiimote sent to Chattanooga which was a bizarrely small number then, too (and BB associate told me the other nine were all preordered so I got the one and only copy sold in stores here.)  Thus my recent rants over extremely low special editioning coming out of Nintendo of late.


Nice of them to let you pick it up your Switch January 13th though ;D
Or is that 2018? :P

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 04, 2017, 04:11:22 pm

https://www.nowinstock.net/ (https://www.nowinstock.net/)

Try this site out and have them text you for notifications :chicken

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 05, 2017, 03:00:00 pm

Thanks. Hopefully helps all of us.

No help needed to get the Art & Artifacts book (https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Art-Artifacts/dp/1506703356/) of course. Given the awesomeness of Hyrule Historia, an order for this is a no-brainer.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 15, 2017, 04:23:59 am

Best Buy is currently running a $25 off $100 thru Visa Checkout promotion. Works on preorders and it stacks with Gamers Club Unlocked.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/misc/visa-checkout/pcmcat748300659335.c?id=pcmcat748300659335&ref=199&loc=FKSJxY2VJAk&acampID=1&siteID=FKSJxY2VJAk-cnoGQb_7Z8jmNGM_i3AYJA&ref=199&loc=je6NUbpObpQ&acampID=1&siteID=je6NUbpObpQ-juNteL.SjNw.T4LNj.jLVQ (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/misc/visa-checkout/pcmcat748300659335.c?id=pcmcat748300659335&ref=199&loc=FKSJxY2VJAk&acampID=1&siteID=FKSJxY2VJAk-cnoGQb_7Z8jmNGM_i3AYJA&ref=199&loc=je6NUbpObpQ&acampID=1&siteID=je6NUbpObpQ-juNteL.SjNw.T4LNj.jLVQ)

Time to get some game preorders in  :redrupee :chicken

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 24, 2017, 01:04:49 pm

You getting the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 24, 2017, 08:48:41 pm

No I want Switch version.  I'm willing to wait (did for Twilight Princess when Wii was hard to find)

Switch seems to be repeating mistake of Xbox 360, but maybe not quite to such a horrendous scale.  Way too many controllers out there; not enough core units.  Local Best Buy has already taken down the Wii U test stand and moved things around on the shelves to make room for Switch stuff and I can see how many hangers for each product they have - 1 hanger for each side (L or R) and each color (red/blue or gray) and another 2 for the paired sets (which might be color only, as I didn't see any label for paired gray). This puts my guess at about 20-25 or so controllers for each hand in my store.  Only after things cool will they scale back to stocking 3 to 4 of each type, which is more typical for them (they rarely stock any more addons than that, even for Xbox and PS.)  Also a Nintendo-branded carrying bag, screen protectors and third-party bumper cases, but I question the bumper cases on how easily they might work with the whole removable controllers and docking mechanisms.  No open slots on their Amiibo rack for new stuff yet but maybe that's forthcoming (Mine has always had a wimpy Amiibo selection; as previously stated Marios are surprisely rare but Falco and Marth are plentiful.)

Of course, back to Xbox 360, both my Best Buy and especially Circuit City were swamped with controllers at launch and for many, many months thereafter. CC easily had 150-200 controllers on hand: a full standalone display rack, both front and back loaded with plain white controllers that they couldn't sell to anybody, because nobody needed them yet.  Microsoft misfire.  (This is also one of the reasons why it took forever before we saw non-white controllers show up.  Too many whites still flooding the marketplace 2 or 3 years after launch.)



Pass on the Art and Artifacts book.  Complete letdown.  Tell me why Ganondorf has a jewel on his forehead. Tell me what these scenes on the tapestry artwork at beginning of Wind Waker represent.  Tell me why the Hyrule crest looks like a bird. Explain why Impa is old and weak, then not so old, then young and muscular, then fat, then bean pole skinny. Explain how tektites evolved through the series because they too look different every other game.  Provide more detail on how the amazing diversity of the characters in games like Majora's Mask or Wind Waker were developed (besides common Dekus, Gorons, and Zoras, there's barely any character in those two games that look like any other, which obviously required a lot of extra design.)  Show me pictures of stuff that didn't make it in the final game.  Teach me something, anything.  Just pictures of the characters and enemies, with occasional promotional artwork. Not even drafts of how the towns or dungeons and stuff should look. And I do not need to see pictures of all the mundane in-game items like boots and bottles. Barring some rare early drafts, most of the art has been seen many times before. Its only redeeming qualities are those early drafts, and the few comparisons of original artwork vs redesigned artwork, such as original 2D 'pastel crayon' Wind Waker art for GameCube vs the 3D-modeled recreations of the same art for the HD version. I was really looking forward to sitting down with it and reading over all the juicy behind-the-scenes details over the course of a few weeks, as I had with the amazing Hyrule Historia, but instead its a flip-through-the-book-once-and-never-open-it-again bore. If you want to see it, check it out in your local big box bookstore when you've got an hour to kill, but don't buy it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 26, 2017, 05:11:51 am

The Gamecube version was supposedly the superior version of TP.

The differences aren't monumental from everything i've seen in BotW comparison screenshots.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on February 26, 2017, 04:28:46 pm

I'm still keeping my Zelda Wii U pre-order juuuust in case it ends up becoming a collector's item sometime down the line.

It'll be right at home next to my unopened copy of Rodea the Sky Soldier! :D

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 28, 2017, 10:07:33 pm

Quote from: Moge on February 26, 2017, 05:11:51 am

The Gamecube version was supposedly the superior version of TP.

I don't know about superior, but the authoritative version. Nintendo chose the GC version's alignment vs the reversed alignment of the Wii version for the HD remake.  Personally I preferred the reversed Wii version because Twilight Princess is already too much like Ocarina of Time, and having forest/starting area on the right side of the world map and desert on the left draws yet one more parallel.

Quote from: Moge on February 26, 2017, 05:11:51 am

The differences aren't monumental from everything i've seen in BotW comparison screenshots.

From what I read both will run 900p/1080p (black bars top and bottom like most other 3D Zeldas), but Switch will have fluid 60fps while Wii U will struggle to keep up at 60fps when there are a lot of enemies or rain/snow. One of the review sites said fighting a crowd in the rain on the Wii U slowed to a choppy 12-15fps.  We'll probably know more this time next week.


That Wii U version might indeed be collector's item some day.  My Best Buy put out dozens upon dozens (maybe 70-80) preorder cards for Switch version, in two different locations in the gaming section, but I didn't see any for Wii U version. (Also maybe 20-30 for 1-2-Switch.)  With that many preorder cards available, the Switch version should be ridiculously common and easy to find.  By comparison, games for which I've seen other preorder cards, like Halo 4 or Halo 5, have also only had 20-30 cards on shelf.  So Best Buy is apparently expecting a LOT of Switch Zeldas to be on hand at launch.




Also, I bet Switch to be uber popular, and ultimately squash Scorpio and PS4 Pro. Not because I'm a Nintendo fanboy, but history is on my side. Just thought of this today. All it really takes for a Nintendo home console to be a success is a Zelda at launch, or pretty close thereafter. In fact, the earlier a non-remake Zelda game comes along, the better, while dragging it out a few years spells disaster.  Discounting the NES (which won its generation despite no Zelda until mid-life)...

SNES: Link to the Past not a launch title, but only a few months out. SNES now generally accepted to have won the generation war over Genesis. (It's top games have certainly aged better with time.)

Virtual Boy: No Zelda game. Total flop.

N64: Ocarina of Time was about 2 years after launch. Lost generation war to PlayStation.

GameCube: Wind Waker was about a year and a half after launch. Lost generation war to Playstation 2 and Xbox.

Wii: Twilight Princess at launch. Won generation war over PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (at least by sales)

Wii U: No 'new' Zelda game until very end-of-life. Badly, badly lost generation war to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. (And yet, still not as badly as the Vita has fared against the 3DS/2DS series.)

Switch: Breath of the Wild at launch. Good omens.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: HellotoYouSir on February 28, 2017, 10:52:38 pm

Even if Virtual Boy have Zelda, as console it inherently suck.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 03, 2017, 07:11:22 pm

Now eagerly awaiting Moge's review of the Switch.


Meanwhile, a gold rupee sticker :goldrupee for him for the nowinstock.net tip. No luck on the console yet but I come close twice.  In stock when I get to the webpage but they fly away before I can check out. :chicken

A smaller victory obtained though.  (I just hope it doesn't get cancelled or retracted over the weekend.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on March 03, 2017, 07:36:32 pm

Switch came in from Best Buy, but my Zelda and Hori screen protector were delayed. Honestly, I'm more annoyed by the latter, since I prefer to apply those things ASAP.

But, yeah, at this rate, I am doomed to playing Waku Waku 7 tonight and obsessively cleaning my expensive toy's screen before applying a transparent sticker to it tomorrow. Life is so hard!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 05, 2017, 01:01:13 am

Went to Best Buy to pick up my Switch and saw a person asked if Breath of the Wild was in stock. Rep told him they only had the Wii U version in stock and then he walked out. Crazy that there are Switch owners who couldn't get Zelda due to scarcity and cancellations.   

I have almost nothing but positive things to say about the Switch :o

It's an incredibly sleek system on par with the best from Sony and Apple. You don't know how much i absolutely loathed the glossy plastic Nintendo has been using for a decade; makes their products look like Fisherprice kids toys. All the buttons feel great, however i'm no fan of the Z shoulder buttons; they're nowhere near as easy to press as the Gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller's. The + and - buttons also don't feel great. They're small and the plastic they used for the buttons are uncomfortable.

I highly recommend anyone who buys the system to absolutely NOT attach the wrist straps to the Joy-Cons. For some reason they're incredibly hard to remove off the rails, unlike the rails on the Dock or the Grip.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 08, 2017, 07:06:01 am

Quote from: JG on March 03, 2017, 07:11:22 pm

(I just hope it doesn't get cancelled or retracted over the weekend.)

Apparently I've lucked out and managed to get one of these rare beauties.  Got a tracking number now. ;D

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 08, 2017, 09:04:23 pm

#winner  #itsreal  #hoorayforme  #nowjustneedtheconsole  #holyshitthatsabigbox

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 09, 2017, 09:11:53 pm

That's a really sweet case for the Switch. I decided to settle with just using a Club Nintendo Pouch.

I see you finally caved into the hype, JGOO :bigtran

BotW is soooooooo good. Not since Wind Waker have i been floored by the graphics of a Zelda title.

(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QRcCqGPGqVY/WMILCLVC3II/AAAAAAAADec/_ow8AXhUjTk9Hodiv-nGFPHxUsxEJ5QqACLcB/s1600/switch.jpg)

Here's mah Switch

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 10, 2017, 07:19:06 am

What's really 'wild' (pardon the pun), is that my game case insert doesn't have the rating on the front or any details on the back. Its a photo of a guardian firing its laser.

Earlier games, whether special editions or just a packaged in a larger box with bonuses, have always included the standard game case inserts. Ones I can think of off the top of my head include Twilight Princess HD , Star Fox Zero, Super Mario Maker, and Kid Icarus: Uprising.

I wonder if this would make it harder for resellers like GameStop to handle selling this version without the rating info. (Not that I'll try to find out.)  Of course, they could try to sell it in the original special edition box, but they'd need to open another store first because holy shit that's a big box.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Asukachan on March 11, 2017, 05:39:41 pm

Breath of the Wild just might be the best game I've ever played. Been hooked on it since the Switch launch day. :goldrupee :chicken

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 22, 2017, 07:05:56 am

Quote from: Moge on August 04, 2016, 09:04:14 pm

I think i might catch Splatoon Withdrawal symptoms if i sell my system

Quote from: Moge on August 19, 2016, 11:51:02 pm

Finally decided to put up my Wii U for sale on Amazon and the two physical games in my library.

No doubt Switchmas was exciting for you, Moge. But how about the upcoming Splatoon 2 Global Testfire this weekend? Finally excited to get a chance to ink stuff again?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 23, 2017, 05:42:39 am

I can't believe how good Breath of the Wild is. Last time i was truly blown away by a game in this series was Ocarina in 98 :o

I'm absolutely dying to play some Splatoon again. Sure as hell will play every testfire this weekend :carreraface

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 29, 2017, 07:26:59 am

Now that you've had a day or two to recover from weekend festivities, how was the testfire?  I saw one review popup on my Google+ feed on my phone that someone said they preferred the control scheme of the Wii U to the Switch.  The button placement on Switch does seem to be a little counterproductive to games requiring fast reaction times, but obviously haven't been able to try it myself.  Local Best Buy doesn't even have a Switch for display/trial - just a big video screen.  It's nearing end of March when I wanted to get one and hardly any have come up for sale since launch.  And distribution of the new Zelda amiibos seems quite weak too - only seen the Bokoblin at my store.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 30, 2017, 10:21:59 pm

It's more Splatoon. I wouldn't call it 1.5, but so far it looks like a Mega Man X to X2 sort of sequel. Net play was buttery smooth and amazingly i didn't see any laggy on-screen characters. The Switch's upgrade to 5 Ghz wifi is much appreciated from someone who occasionally had problems with the Wii U's 2.4 Ghz wifi

Even though i haven't played Splatoon in nearly a year i was winning most of my matches. Demo could of used more weapons for us vets, but otherwise it was a very fun demo/beta/whatever.

Here's the thing about the Switch: the Pro Controller is absolutely a must buy for anyone who plays the system at home. The Joycons are decent in their own right (especially when attached to the system), but the position of the left analog stick being slightly higher and the strange shoulder button shape makes them feel a bit unnatural.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 30, 2017, 11:28:28 pm

Quote from: Moge on March 30, 2017, 10:21:59 pm

The Switch's upgrade to 5 Ghz wifi is much appreciated from someone who occasionally had problems with the Wii U's 2.4 Ghz wifi

That is encouraging. Since the Wii U doesn't automatically channel shift and I don't believe you can configure channel yourself, it results in exceptionally poor download speed. A game update on Xbox 360, One, or PS4 is anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.  When I put a new game into the Wii U I expect a good 45 minutes to hour before its downloaded the update to let me play it for the first time. (I do rather wish companies would let you download the updates before putting game in unit for the first time to speed up the turnaround time.)

Quote from: Moge on March 30, 2017, 10:21:59 pm

Here's the thing about the Switch: the Pro Controller is absolutely a must buy for anyone who plays the system at home. The Joycons are decent in their own right (especially when attached to the system), but the position of the left analog stick being slightly higher and the strange shoulder button shape makes them feel a bit unnatural.

I'm expecting to have to buy one.  I'll give the regular setup a go but looking at it worries me.  I was hoping my local Best Buy would have one for demo to give the regular setup a try.

Nintendo usually does quite well with controller comfort on the consoles too, at least once they offered the rubber grips for the Wiimote. (Handhelds leave a little to be desired yet but being smaller its harder to do right.)  Microsoft currently the king even though the triggers on the One aren't as good as the 360.  PlayStation still lagging far behind for having really poor trigger placement and those ridiculous rounded grips. (Dear Sony, my palm is not shaped like a 2inch wide inverse hemisphere. No one's is. 20+ years and still blowing it.)

Why we can't get really great, proper ergonomic controllers like the N64, model 2 Genesis 6-button, or Xbox 360 anymore astonishes me. Nintendo dumbs down 3DS to 2D to protect kids' eyes, but still willing to ruin their hands with rectangle controllers on the NES Classic instead of the better dogbone style (not to mention a stupid 3 foot long cord)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on March 31, 2017, 11:38:33 am

I haven't had any problems with the normal controller myself. Placement hasn't bothered me.

Not having a map screen you can just glance down at takes getting used to if you played a lot of Splatoon 1. Getting a quick, general idea of your team's ink progress and placement that way was ultra convenient. Pulling up a map quickly and dismissing it with a button is probably fine and a matter of getting used to, but I'll miss it. It was also disorienting that the map button is what the jump button used to be in the first game, buuut that's another thing that just takes getting used to...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 01, 2017, 09:04:46 pm

Got my Switch today and agree that the placement is tolerable on the regular controllers.  I would need to hold a pro controller in my hands to know if I like it better (and undoubtedly it will be sold in a box to prevent exactly that.)

My biggest problem is exactly the issue I have with a lot of games since the introduction of double shoulder buttons became a thing: hitting the wrong one. Maybe not a problem in shooters if I mistakenly reload when I don't need to or fire off a round by accident. But I must have thrown my sword or axe twenty times today when I meant to ready my bow. That got annoying.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 22, 2017, 05:01:10 am

Hands down the biggest surprise for myself was Dragon Ball FighterZ :o

Been too long since i was super pumped for a fighting game. Well okay, i was pumped for Street Fighter V, but it turned out to be a burning heap of garbage (much like the state of Capcom these days).

The direction 3D Mario has taken is also very surprising, and it all looks amazing. They somehow brought back the GOAT Mario girl (hint: it's not Peach).

5. Beyond Good & Evil 2
4. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
3. Yoshi Switch
2. Super Mario Odyssey
1. Dragon Ball FighterZ

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 22, 2017, 07:49:33 am

Capcom and Konami both. 20-30 years ago they were the envy of every third party producer, pumping out a must-have game every few months. (Mega Man series, early Mega Man Xs, Bionic Commando, 1942, Duck Tales, Final Fight, Street Fighter II, Ghosts & Goblins/Ghouls & Ghosts, Strider for Capcom; Contra, Super C, Castlevania 1-4, Gradius, original Metal Gear for Konami)

Now they've scaled back so much to just a few key franchises, some of which are shells of their former self (Castlevania especially). They have the occasional Resident Evil or Metal Gear surprise, but its easy to go years between buying one of their games unless you're a fan of their series. They no longer attract the casual gamer, because who wants to pick up a series at the fifth or sixth game in the series? Badly in need of fresh blood, but they keep pumping out the sequels and have thus dropped back to the pack.

Remember also that Capcom was given the keys to the Zelda series for a few years on Game Boy Color/Advance - producing the excellent Oracle games and Minish Cap. That's how trusted and important they were back then. Not a chance in hell now that Nintendo gives one of their core franchises to a company that is actively making games for other systems to compete against the big N. It would be the modern day equivalent of Microsoft giving the Gears franchise to a company like Naughty Dog.

My E3 Top Five:
5. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle  - I'm not into the Rabbids series and think its a little goofy Mario has a gun, but this looks like a funny game. The Rabbids dressed as Peach and Luigi in the trailer have sold me. Take note Capcom: crossover series need to be endearing, not just a mashup of two casts.
4. Metroid: Samus Returns  - I've always wanted to play Metroid 2, but its so hard to want to play a plain four color Game Boy game anymore. This game was needed 5-10 years ago.
3. Metroid Prime 4  - Haven't seen anything but concept art, but its got hype. If we'd seen some gameplay it likely would have been higher but I suspect it'll be Nintendo's highlight next year with SR388 or some new Metroid planet to be their floor theme for E3 2018. (Like empty Hyrule was in 2016 or New Donk City this year.)
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2  - The voice acting sounded a little suspect, but it appears to follow the footsteps of the good XC, not the bad XCX.
1. Super Mario Odyssey - Not sure about the possession of enemies trick, but Mario games are usually solid gold. I don't think I saw anywhere a return of the cat suit we so loved in 3D World though.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 doesn't even make my list. The rated M language distracted me so much during the trailer. I still can't get it through my head what Ubisoft is thinking turning a beloved game into that. It's like if the next Star Wars has the F word every few seconds of dialogue. And without seeing gameplay I'm worried it will be a tremendous disappointment. We're being sold on nostalgia and a flashy chase scene, but no substance.

Quote from: Moge on June 22, 2017, 05:01:10 am

They somehow brought back the GOAT Mario girl (hint: it's not Peach).

Goombella is back? (https://www.mariowiki.com/Goombella)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on June 22, 2017, 04:03:52 pm

Well, let's be fair here, when it comes to Capcom: the landscape is a lot different from the NES era, and so many of their fellow Japanese competitors from the time either split in favor of mobile games or pachinko, or are dead. It's not that I don't agree they've bungled plenty of stuff, but I don't know that anyone short of Nintendo pumps out evergreen super titles that regularly anymore.

Konami is actually legitimately evil, though. Fuck them.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 20, 2017, 09:19:27 pm

I'm in the middle of Bravely Default and Splatoon 2 comes out tomorrow. Good grief.

Which version of Dragon Quest 11 tickles your willy, JGOO? :carreraface

Quote from: Arizona on June 22, 2017, 04:03:52 pm

Konami is actually legitimately evil, though. Fuck them.

The Castlevanya anime is worth watching tho. If they can't do big budget games then i'd like to see them move back into the 2D space. They've had success with Super Bomberman R so it might not be out of the question.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 22, 2017, 04:25:50 pm

Quote from: Moge on July 20, 2017, 09:19:27 pm

Which version of Dragon Quest 11 tickles your willy, JGOO? :carreraface

I'll probably get the PS4 version.  VIII has some important facial expressions that were lost a bit in the 3DS conversion.


I haven't even finished Bravely Default myself or started Bravely Second.  Excellent up to a point, but BD derails at chapter 6 and becomes repetitive slog. Too many bosses and minibosses relying on gimmicks and special tactics to defeat.


On another train of thought, if Breath of the Wild is the hands down game of the year, Ever Oasis is a solid #2.  It checks all the boxes. It has cute, endearing characters, great graphics and sound track (for 3DS), lots of sidequests, relatively open-ended with always something to do or explore, and most of all fun.  Its been compared to Zelda games given Grezzo's work on the 3DS conversions of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, but it actually plays more like Secret of Mana, with a bit of a Sims/SimCity factor going on in your oasis.  Its one drawback is that the simulation engine driving background actions of your oasis residents, explorers, and gardeners requires a tremendous amount of battery power and the game only lasts 64 minutes on my New 3DS XL before the battery warning indicators come on (and on this game, it'll run out that warning supply in about a minute and a half.)  About 10 hours in, it would be right up there with BotW with an A+ rating at end of the year were it not for the battery woes. It's a little tough to fully enjoy it in one hour sprints.  Right now I'd give it an A (no plus)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 06, 2017, 08:49:06 pm

I'm on chapter 3 or 4. You're not kidding when you say every boss battle is a slog because they each require a specific strategy. I'm finding it hard to go back to the game now that my GOTY is here  ;D

Call me a loon but i vasty prefer Secret of Mana over Link to the Past as the premiere action-RPG on the SNES. Ever since Seiken Densetsu 3 got fan translated eons ago i've been meaning to revisit the series. Last game i played was Secret of Evermore. Not strictly in the series but i loved the melding of Western art and Japanese game design.

No interest in the gnarly 16-bit graphics of DQ11 on 3DS?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 07, 2017, 08:59:47 am

Quote from: Moge on August 06, 2017, 08:49:06 pm

I'm on chapter 3 or 4. You're not kidding when you say every boss battle is a slog because they each require a specific strategy.

Most do starting with chapter 4 anyway.  Crystal bosses, the samurai, and the vampire certainly do by my recollection.  Almost all of the demons that come to your sidequest town do as well, but they're likely too hard to beat at chapters 3 or 4.

Also, so long as you haven't finished chapter 4 yet, make sure you seek out and defeat the dragons and make your way to the vampire's castle. Not only does it net you his spectacular job class, there is a huge part of the plot in chapters 5 and 6 that can be missed if this is not done. It was a pain in the ass to find this out and have to restart.  The dragons especially are total strategy goons - they can ONLY be beat by employing a pair of certain job classes and actions (and a few require certain accessories to avoid a strategy-wrecking negative status condition, like confuse.) You'll either beat them taking very little damage (possibly none) or get one-shot killed by dragon breath. There's very little middle ground with them.

Quote from: Moge on August 06, 2017, 08:49:06 pm

Call me a loon but i vasty prefer Secret of Mana over Link to the Past as the premiere action-RPG on the SNES.

SoM is awesome except it requires two long periods of grinding.
1. Upgrading your weapons from levels 1 to 3 to levels 4 or 5 before battling the witch and her tiger about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way into the game. (We've all spent hours in Gaia's Navel battling the bees to do this.)
2. Upgrading your magic once you get Shade and Lumina late in the game (Because you really want dispel magic and lucid barrier for the end game.)
The really great games more evenly space out grinding, or make it a natural progression of the story.  LttP only asks you to seek out some heart pieces with much less investment of time or repetition, and is my choice of the two based on more even pacing.

Quote from: Moge on August 06, 2017, 08:49:06 pm

No interest in the gnarly 16-bit graphics of DQ11 on 3DS?

Possibly. After hearing DQ11 will not be voiced, it makes the 3DS version more attractive.
After having DQ8 voiced for western release, and then re-voiced for 3DS for both Japan and western releases, along with DQ Heroes I and II, I was a little shocked SquareEnix said they wouldn't voice DQ11 for the Japan release (because the story was still be refined late in development), and aren't currently planning to for international release.  I still think they'll want to for western audiences though, even if it means the game doesn't arrive until second half of next year. My worry is they'll want DQ11 out the door as soon as possible so it doesn't interfere with DQ Builders 2 - they won't want them releasing too close to each other.

On a related note, I think the total Hulk-smash sales stomp that DQ11 just put on last week is what SquareEnix needed to realize the Dragon Quest series is their premiere IP.  Final Fantasy just doesn't capture the hearts and minds (or playtime) of fans any longer.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 14, 2017, 01:24:45 pm

Here's an offer for Xbox Live 12 month subscription for only $43.99 today, which is pretty tough to beat. Digital download and accepting Paypal, so no need to provide excess personal or banking information.  If you've got extra Paypal balance you can cash it in on something worthwhile (especially since Live is the only thing Xbox brand has going for it now with the shameful Sahara Desert of games on its 2017 schedule)

https://www.cdkeys.com/xbox-live/memberships/12-month-xbox-live-gold-membership-xbox-one-360 (https://www.cdkeys.com/xbox-live/memberships/12-month-xbox-live-gold-membership-xbox-one-360)


Side note: Funny how the description always lists Kinect as the very first feature, since its now been officially discontinued by Microsoft (neither the S nor X have any means to support it)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 23, 2017, 04:57:41 pm

The Super NES Edition New 3DS XL (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076KRDRQG) looks badass. If I didn't already have one, I'd strongly consider this one for cool factor alone.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 26, 2017, 04:39:59 am

$200 3DS?!  :o

I feel sorry for any parent who buys that over a Switch for their kid this holiday. The difference in power is worth plunking down that extra 100 :silverrupee

You still playing your non-Ninty consoles, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 26, 2017, 06:48:21 pm

$200 is the going price for a New 3DS XL. Nintendo is trying to position it between the much cheaper New 2DS and the Switch. Its worth the extra $100 for a Switch, but also worth $40 more for the New 3DS than the New 2DS. (3D mode plus exclusive games in Xenoblade Chronicles and the new Fire Emblem Warriors.)

I'd still prefer my 3DS for trips due its smaller size and clamshell design to prevent screen scratching. Also, its given us the best set of games over the last few years. Switch is still new and the 3DS lineup has outpaced PS4 in my opinion (and utterly smashed Xbox's to pieces)

I haven't played the PS4 in a while, since Dragon Quest Heroes II (not as good as the first) a few months back.  I've used it for some BluRay movies though as my primary player.

I can't recall the last time the Xbox One was started. Not since at least March.  Its had a completely empty slate of games for a very long time now. Microsoft went into 2017 without a software plan, has executed 2017 thus far without a software plan, and continues to operate without an upcoming software plan. They've banked the entire product on 4K video and nothing else. No exclusives, and no new IPs - just sequels to existing series.  If Sony was smart enough to have included a 4K player in the PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro, Xbox One would be well on its way to retirement as a failed system. Anyone saying Wii U was a failure has to agree the Xbox One is thus far.  Sold better yes, but hasn't had a lineup anywhere close to what original Xbox or 360 had and has totally abandoned its most differentiating feature in the Kinect.  If I had to be stuck on a remote island with a Wii U and 10 games of my choice or an Xbox One X and 10 games of my choice, its not even a close contest - the Wii U is the choice based on superior game quality and variety.

Since the last Xbox One game I bought (Gears of War 4), I have purchased 3 Switch games (Zelda, Kingdom Battle, and Odyssey ), 1 PS4 game (DQ Heroes 2), a tablet game (Super Mario Run), and 4 3DS games (DQ8, Ever Oasis, Samus Returns, and Superstar Saga). that's how bad its been for Xbox One. That's 12 months and growing, and nine games for other platforms between the last Xbox One purchase and now. Yikes. About the only thing to keep it out of the gooseegg column for the year is a super deal on Shadow of War at Black Friday, but being so new I highly doubt it (that, and I thought Shadow of Mordor was only ok)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 28, 2017, 04:15:29 pm

Ok I'll say it.  Princess Peach needs to go on a diet.

No, I'm not trying to poke fun at her figure or upset women's lib groups. I ordered the three special Odyssey Amiibos (Mario, Peach, and Bowser) with wedding suits and dress, and the first thing I notice when taking Peach out of the case is how heavy she feels.  So I took a measurement of all 12 of my unboxed Amiibo to see if I was crazy or not.

In the order I got them:

Name	Series	Weight (oz)
Link	Super Smash Bros	1.2
Yoshi	Super Smash Bros	1.5
Luigi	Super Mario Bros	1.4
Wolf Link	Twilight Princess	2.9
Zelda	Super Smash Bros	1.2
Ganondorf	Super Smash Bros	2.1
Falco	Super Smash Bros	1.4
Pikmin	Pikmin	2.1
Toad	Super Mario Bros	1.5
Mario	Super Mario Odyssey	1.6
Peach	Super Mario Odyssey	2.9
Bowser	Super Mario Odyssey	4.7

Yowsa. She's a good deal more the taller, buffer Ganondorf and as much as the massive Wolf Link figure (which is really two full sized characters in one.)  Its that wedding dress - instead of being hollow, it must be solid resin and adds a lot of weight. Given the figures are glued to the bases and you can't see up her dress, I don't know why it couldn't have been made hollow. It would have been cheaper to produce and less heavy.

Now I could say Bowser is overweight too at an even more outstanding three times typical weight, but you kind of expect him to be a big, heavy baddie. He even comes in a larger case than the rest (like Wolf Link did.) Midna's helmet still gives the Wolf Link the crown for tallest Amiibo by about half a centimeter, but Bowser's outstretched arm and tail has unseated it as longest, end-to-end, with about a 1/5 cm edge over Wolf Link from nose to tail. So it's heavy weight isn't so much of a surprise and unlike Peach, the bulk of his mass is a good deal above the base where it wouldn't have been practical to shave weight.



Odyssey is pretty damn awesome by the way.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 12, 2017, 04:34:14 am

The amount of fanservice and content in Mario Odyssey is absolutely staggering :greentoad

also where's my Pauline amiibo?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 13, 2017, 09:02:29 pm

Quote from: Moge on November 12, 2017, 04:34:14 am

The amount of fanservice and content in Mario Odyssey is absolutely staggering :greentoad

No Luigi though. Scanning a Luigi amiibo gets you his clothes though. (The three wedding amiibo also give you clothes but none of my other Amiibo did.)

Also there wasn't that many classic enemies. Goombas and hammer/fire bros and a few others, but the Koopa Troopas and Lakitus aren't enemies this time and many others like spinies, buzzy beetles, boos, etc. just aren't around except for limited circumstances in 2D sections.  Actually, not many enemies period: most goals achieved through exploration or jumping/navigating obstacles rather than through an enemy gauntlet, unlike every prior Mario game.

Quote from: Moge on November 12, 2017, 04:34:14 am

also where's my Pauline amiibo?

Good point. Though I guess Nintendo doesn't really know how to work her amiibo into any other games yet.  No DK game yet of course.  Not sure what power she'd grant either.  I can imagine her being used once a day for 100 coins though: that should certainly have helped getting all the costumes and purchased moons. Unless you spend alot of time harvesting coins, you'll never have enough to buy out the shops in the post-game.

Fascinating that it recognized all my amiibos by name except for Pikmin though.  Uncle Amiibo just calls it "that lovely Amiibo"

I think a 10x Goomba Stack would make for a fun looking amiibo though.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 28, 2017, 05:41:10 pm

Xenoblade 2 out in a couple days :o

Honestly thought it was going to be mid December. Feeling a bit fatigued from the RPG genre after many, many months of Bravely and BotW.

If and when i do pick up another RPG it'll probably be Nier Automata.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 28, 2017, 07:58:06 pm

I don't think BotW and Xenoblade 2 fill the same "RPG" buckets. BotW is an (absurdly) open-ended game with single hero and no experience system (hallmarks of the classical "adventure" genre) while Xenoblade will have a more linear story, multiple heroes and experience leveling like classical RPGs (those these are often now branded as "Action-RPGs")

Though I totally understand. I'm not as hyped for Xenoblade 2 as I thought I'd be at this point in the year, because we've had Ever Oasis and Mario & Luigi: Super Star Saga since summer time. Add in Dragon Quest VIII early in the year and I've had my fill of RPGs for the year.



On the bright side, if success is measured by floor space stores dedicate to your product, then the Switch must be an unmitigated success. Went into my local Best Buy for first time since Odyssey release day (October 27) and the Nintendo selection had been greatly expanded since then.  They used to have just two aisle sections (five in a row) for games and hardware (all shared by 3DS, Wii U, and Switch), one section for accessories, one section for Amiibo but rarely carrying more than 4 or 5 different figures, and one playable Wii U end-cap. Now they've expanded to three sections for games, retaining the one Amiibo section but with greater selection (they had lots of Wolf Links, plus a few BotW Zeldas, Link Archer, Link Rider, plus a Daruk and a Mipha), retaining the accessories section, a section split between more accessories and Switch hardware, a new playable Switch section, the end cap is now dedicated to 3DS/2DS hardware and recently released games, and also adding an island for even more Switch games and Nintendo Shop and DLC cards (moving them out of the accessories section). So they've gone from 4 sections and an end cap to 6 sections, the end cap, and an island which is worth about 2-3 sections of space by itself.  The amount of space given to Nintendo has more than doubled in my store in the last month.  Losers of course being PlayStation and especially Xbox which had to surrender some of their floor space (Particularly Xbox's formerly premier spot at the front corner of the games area. Not encouraging on the heels of the X release.)  Clearly BB thinks Switch will be the big money raker for at least the next year or two.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 14, 2017, 07:49:23 pm

Microsoft's biggest game for the holidays is reportedly a broken mess. If i didn't know any better it almost seems like Microsoft is perfectly content with being third banana in the game biz.

Xeno 2 getting a lot of positive buzz, even from jaded Xeno fans who had their fill of Chronicles X. Can't decide between Xeno 2 or Nier for my next RPG playthough :huh

Then there's the BotW dlc... it's truly been a banner year for vidya games.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 16, 2017, 12:25:15 am

And 2018 doesn't look much better for Xbox. No Halo or Gears game planned. Not much of anything else.  PlayStation has some very heavy hitters coming, such as Last of Us 2 and Dragon Quest XI.  And Switch is supposed to be getting a Yoshi game (which is a solid seller) and a Pokémon game (which is definitely a heavy hitter.)  If Nintendo announces a new Smash Bros game, and they've got to be working on one already, then that's three huge games.


I just don't understand Microsoft's plan at all.  They've built the biggest gun but don't really have any ammo for it. All their sales are predicated on one of four consumer models:
1. The buyer who doesn't have a Xbox One already, and wants to jump to the premier level instead of starting with the S.
2. The buyer who has all three consoles already, and wants to upgrade their Xbox One to the X level.
3. The buyer who has a worn out or broken Xbox One, seeking replacement.
4. The buyer who wants to add a 4K Blu Ray player to their 4K TV, that does some other neat things at the same time.

The problem with the first is the confusing naming scheme doomed the less-informed to buying cheaper models when it came to Wii U and New 3DS recently. Maybe not this year because its so new, but if both the S and X are on shelves at same time late next year, the buyers, which are often parents, will go for the cheaper model. To justify a $200 bump in price, you have to have exclusives - and make it more clear than Nintendo did why you need hardware X to play game Y. And if you don't have exclusives, or very few of them, you sort of have what the New 3DS is, where just about everything is playable on the older model, but maybe not quite as good on a few 'enhanced' games, and the few games that are exclusives (still only two of them by my last count, Xenoblade Chronicles and Fire Emblem Warriors) are such niche games that it doesn't help sales of the newer hardware.

The second doesn't take into account that when saturated, people would rather spend their money on more games, than new hardware to play games.  This same rule hasn't done folks like Ouya or Nvidia any favors. And the outlook is not great for Atari, even if its trying to emulate the NES Classic and SNES Classic more so than being a fourth home console.

The third just isn't smart for home consoles. It either demonstrates known poor build quality ala original white Xbox 360s, or a misplaced sense of where people want to spend their money. This idea has worked decently for Nintendo's GameBoy, DS, and 3DS lines only because handhelds tend to take more abuse and wear out faster, requiring replacement every few years. Home consoles wearing out should not be part of your sales plan.

The fourth is actually not a bad idea to own one. Microsoft is damn fortunate Sony opted not to include such a feature in the PS4 Pro (a surprising move from them, as the original PS2 boosted sales of Sony movie DVDs.)  This group represents me moreso than #2. A 4K movie player would, at present, do me more good than a few average games with enhanced graphics. Not enough to justify a $500 price tag though (or the presently much higher cost of 4K movie media.) My 1K Blu Rays and very good, not outstanding, game graphics are just fine. (And I should note I prefer my PS4 for playing movies. It does everything the Xbox One does, such as 3D, but its player interface seems better, particularly by not turning off the controller every few minutes, meaning I don't have to wait for the controller to boot up and connect so I can pause a movie when the phone rings.)

The obvious omission is #5: games worth buying to justify an Xbox One X's extra cost. This is what every console should plan to base their sales around, and yet Microsoft refuses to do exactly this. They've said, to hell with games; if we build it, they will come, and that's a stupid premise. They're planning it like Windows on PC, which operates as a near monopoly, rather than Windows Phones, which suffered badly due to lack of quality software (and finally cancelled outright). Microsoft curiously has decided its better to allowrequire most games to be non-exclusive on PC as well, which makes games more expensive to produce, and its Xbox One + PC 'Play Anywhere" exclusives are getting trounced sales-wise by the other console's exclusives in similar genres.  After all, why would anyone drop $500+ on hardware and a game like Super Lucky's Tale, when they get a Switch and Super Mario Odyssey and keep $160 bucks in their pocket (or invest some of that in beauties like BOTW and Kingdom Battle)? That's not even a contest. A Switch and Odyssey (plus extras) ten times out of ten.

(Speaking of Super Lucky's Tale, look at how Microsoft is touting it as its non-rated-M champion for the X, and assigning it a very gracious score of 4.5 out of 5, equaling the score for GOW4 and better than Halo 5, two of its rated-M champions. Compare that to less-biased critics like IGN where it gets a paltry 5.0 out of 10, which they characterize as Mediocre, and just barely above Bad. Yikes! There's some fishy business going on here. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWyCCJ6B2WE))


The only way I see an out for Microsoft is to figure out a way to get the Xbox One X down to $300 fast (and get the S off the shelves) to compete directly with Switch, or come up with some ground-breaking game IP. They had fingers crossed for PUBG, but as you said, that is getting horrid reviews compared to the PC version. If they had something else on the horizon we could look forward to, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much. But they don't.  The undoubted solution is to bundle the X with several 'enhanced' games, like Gears of War 4 and Super Lucky's Tale, and maybe a few cheap indies as a leg-up on the competition but this is often perceived as panic-mode. After all, this is what Sega did with the Saturn and Atari with Jaguar many years back.  Adding a few free games bolsters hardware sales for a time, but it doesn't solve the problem. And if its competing with that Switch-Odyssey bundle at the same time, its going to be even harder.

I think this time two years from now (if not next) we'll be able to say the Xbox One X was a tremendous flop and belongs in the rare group of "upgraded" game consoles like Sega CD-X and Nintendo New 3DS that, while cool, just simply aren't worth the extra cost. I'm not certain yet if PS4 Pro joins them, and while it might be headed that way, too, it has much more quality games to fall back on, and infinitely better overseas interest, and it might survive long enough that 4K becomes the expectation, instead of an merely an enhancement. I don't think Xbox will be able to whether the storm that long.


As an aside, I'm rather upset I paid for two years of Xbox Live a while back because I'm not getting any use out of it. Haven't turned on the machine since spring. With BOTW DLC now, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 waiting for me, it might be a while before it gets any worthy playtime.  I'll try out Shadow of War before end of year just to give it a grade in my Games of Year summary, but I don't plan to get too deep into it. It almost feels like its a chore to do, rather than the potentially fun game it might actually be.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on December 17, 2017, 07:58:42 am

After the massive, Mattrick-shaped hole they started in this generation, I'd say Microsoft's strategy is "YEEEEAAARRRGGHHHH!!!!"

I think the X is possibly the most sensible thing they could be doing at this point, inadequate as it is - they don't have exclusives and I think they know it (good on them for not frantically pushing out Crackdown 3 too early). So the proposition there is, "Alright, well, here's the console where you can play the best versions of the non-exclusive games you were getting anyway". It's only so compelling and I doubt they're catching up to anyone here, but it's at least a 360-Kinect-like shot in the arm for a little while.

The worst thing about it is DEFINITELY the name.

(https://i.imgur.com/ApTE31h.png)

"What? You DO have a copy of Animahjong X in stock?? I'll be right there!!!"

(https://i.imgur.com/cdwTrUk.jpg)

"You garbage heap! What do you MEAN you don't have Animahjong X?? You TOLD me you DID on the phone!!"

"...I was saying...Animahjong S..."

"What???"

"...S and...X...sound exactly the same...on the phone..."

"That's not MY fault!! ...alright, okay, do you AT LEAST have Animahjong Amazon, then??"

"...I think...that's an Amazon exclusive...?"

(https://i.imgur.com/1NnOXEs.png)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 17, 2017, 05:34:17 pm

Thumbs up for the Thumbnail Theater (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/) homage.



(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/kirara_winner.jpg)
"One of these days, I'll be a 4K star!"

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/kate+yuria_break-in.jpg)
"Until then, we'll just take your money and leave you to suffer."

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2017, 05:39:40 pm

That time of year again.  2017 was one of the best years for videos games in many years, but I agree with most folks that it was heavily one-sided.


11. Super Mario Run (iPhone/Android), D+
Well... not as bad as the grade suggests, but its really just a Mario game in name only.  The always moving forward mechanics are more reminiscent of Excitebike than Super Mario Bros. It gets old really fast and all the minigames and timer runs to try to get more Toads to your kingdom just isn't worth the effort. I appreciate Nintendo trying its hand at mobile games, even if this one was a bust.  (Actually, Excitebike would make a really good mobile game now that I think about it...)

10. Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS), C-
A nice retread of the original Metroid II that should have been redone years ago.  This one is undoubtedly pretty for a 3DS game, but the difficulty level is a firm 10 out of 10: surpassing even the original Metroid and much harder than the Super Metroid that it was intended to emulate.

9. Beyond Good & Evil HD (Xbox360/XboxOne), C-
Still a really good game, but nothing new than the enhanced graphics, which actually aren't good. Your best buddy Peyj actually looks scary in the higher definition. Sometimes less is more. (And Ubisoft has been mysteriously quiet about BG&E2 since E3.)

8. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (3DS), C-
Another remake, but truer to form. Sadly, not enough new things in this one (like 3D). The Bowser's Minions side-story is interesting, but requires too much replay of previous stages over and over and over before acquiring enough experience to move forward or obtain rare minions for your troop. I'm going to expect more if Nintendo decides to remake the second, and best, game in the M&L series, Partners in Time.

7. Dragon Quest Heroes II (PS4), C+
A fine followup, but not as good as the first. Its main story is shorter, there's fewer quests, and too many of the characters we got to see the first time around. Some randomly generated dungeons make the adventure more interesting, but it shows some lack of playtesting in both AI and experience progression.  The characters will do stupid things too often, requiring you to shift to the healer to cast a heal or revive spell, and prepare to get waxed a few times upon first reaching the canyon, where you've done fine beating up the baddies so far but your level 20-something characters get smoked here (to the point you need to grind for hours to get them up to the 40s to have a chance at clearing the canyon battles.)  Of minor annoyance is that this game wasn't given a clever subtitle like every other Dragon Quest game, including the first Heroes game (The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below)

6. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch), B
I'm really getting into this. Like the first, it takes a couple of hours before it gets rolling.  So far the story is developing well and the characters are interesting, though I don't like the randomness of the Blade creation mechanism, as you get way too much useless junk. The battle mechanics aren't as fun as the first game, but not bad: just different. The auto-attacks are both too slow and too weak, and the battles take too long because of the unneededly high enemy HP. At too many points, you'd rather just run past all the enemies to keep the story moving, rather than stopping at each one for a 3 or 4 minute fight. On the bright side, you don't get a gajillion enemy spoils like the first game that require constant inventory cleanup. It is a worth successor to the original, and let's just forget Xenoblade Chronicles X ever existed. Though I can't figure out why some characters (Rex, Pyra, Nia) are anime-style while others (Vandham, townsfolk, the bad guys) are rendered naturally. The other Xenoblade games were entirely natural, so it gives the impression the anime characters were lifted from another, cancelled project. I could have also done without the designers parking Level 81 Territorial Rotbart (a very powerful unique monster) between the first open plains segment and first town though. He killed me 4 times before I snuck past him to get to the town, which is a total slap in the face should a novice player run into him and not realize what killed you so suddenly. (Far worse than those one-shot killing blue bokoblins you might encounter on the Great Plateau early in BoTW. At least you can run away from them. If Rotbart sees you, you're done.)

5. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS), B+
Arguably still the best in the whole series (and that's saying a lot), this is a really good remake.  They had to drop the orchestral music, and the lower resolution doesn't look as sharp, but they kept the voice acting (albeit with some new actors and actresses) and the ability to see the enemies on the world map makes for a smoother gaming experience than purely random battles, particularly if you're hunting a certain monster class for their drops. The extra side quests and rare monster hunts adds some welcome new elements, as does the alternate ending.

4. Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Switch), B+
Surprisingly good, even if it doesn't fit the Mario mold by giving him (and Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi) some guns to play with. Easily the best puzzle/strategy game of the year with a decent story even if the situation created in the prologue isn't ever completely resolved by the ending. Its replayability is somewhat limited given the lack of stage randomization, but the characters steal the show, particularly Rabbid Peach and Rabbid Mario.  All the wonderful things about this game, and its surprising robust sales (even without a Japanese release its the best selling non-Nintendo game for Switch), have set it up nicely for a sequel in a few years time. Can't wait.

3. Ever Oasis (3DS), A
In the summer time I thought this would be #2, but we had three very strong contenders this year. Ever Oasis is cute, deep, well organized, and there's a lot to do. It's RPG mode is most like Chrono Trigger, with a team of three tackling single enemies or small groups of enemies at a time, while its city-building mode is like SimCity. You can't just forge ahead with the battles and neglect your town, nor can you develop a thriving town without scavenging for materials and enemy drops. Definitely a different type of game than anything before it and I hope to see an Ever Oasis 2 in the future. So what keeps it from an A+? Its very battery-intensive and to loose power before saving can easily cost you half an hour of effort, plus as the game progresses toward the end, your spending all your time managing the town at the neglect of finishing off the last dungeon or two. A little better a balance at the end and an active autosave would have made the difference.

2. Super Mario Odyssey (Switch), A
Where did this come from!? We knew Odyssey was arriving since E3, but I don't think anyone outside of Nintendo expected it to be this good, especially after Mario Team had been drafted to help get BotW finished. Mario Team clearly works miracles in a very short period of time. The game is quite long, there's oodles of things to do, a whopping 999 stars to be found, and a host of outfits to try on. Its a fantastic single player Mario game, better than Sunshine or either Galaxy were, though I had hoped for a continued run of multiplayer-capable Mario gales a la Super Mario 3D World. Some more variety in enemies would have been nice as well.  There's enough enemies, just few too types. So what keeps it from an A+? Some stars are just too aggravatingly difficult to acquire, especially the ones that must be purchased post-game. To have to grind for coins to afford them all after beating the game defeats the purpose. (If you must grind, grind before the biggest challenge, not after.) Additionally, any amiibo, but particularly the purple coin revealing Wedding Bowser and unlimited health Wedding Peach, greatly simplify the game. More clues without showing you exactly where to go would have been better. I wanted to butt-stomp the damn cockatoo for being too vague, but disliked having to use amiibo to reveal the exact location.

1. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U/Switch), A
As expected, just about everyone's game of the year (except those few publications that have made up some excuse to give their award to Nier: Automata instead, in the interest of being different.) For a time, I actually considered placing Odyssey higher but its means of reducing difficulty to childish levels and post-game nonsense knocked it back to second place, especially in light of the DLC Breath of the Wild brings to the table. What more can I say about BotW that hasn't already been said? It's fantastic. So what keeps such a great game from getting my elusive A+ rating? Inventory management of course. Having to open inventory to drop a weapon to exchange for what's on the ground or in the treasure chest is a needless exercise and could have been greatly simplified with a simple dialog asking to replace an existing inventory spot with this item (at least for the treasure chests.) Making it harder than necessary to get rid of a weapon I don't want to acquire one I do knocks it back a step. So close though!




The Grades:

Nintendo, A+
Nintendo completely, totally, utterly dominated 2017 on the strength of Switch games. For the second time in 10 years they've proven that having the best graphics really doesn't matter. Make it cheap and fun and people will come.  The 3DS line also had a fine year, with games like Metroid II (which I didn't like), a "Best of" Mario Party game, and of course, new Pokemons to fuel the fire, on top of some decent remakes. And just to indicate how good their year was, Nintendo -still- gets an A+ despite bungling the sudden NES Classic cancellation and delaying the virtual console and online environment for the Switch to 2018. They nailed it on so many other fronts its easy to look past those missteps. Expected outlook: Trending upward.

Sony, B-
Well, at least they're trying. Outside of Nier: Automata that just about everyone seems to love they didn't have much worth talking about. The PS4 Pro is a questionable upgrade, and although they're much further ahead on the VR front than Microsoft,  they have yet to throw any compelling games behind it or bring it to a worthy price point for widespread adoption, much like the Eye camera or PS Home devices, and arguably the Vita. 2018 should be bright for them though, especially with juggernaut Last of Us 2 expected to roll in as an easy multi-million seller. Expected outlook: Healthy.

Microsoft, F-
No longer trying. What a year to forget. Undoubtedly the worst, led off by the mysterious cancellation of 2017's most anticipated game for the Xbox One in Scalebound. From that point on they focused entirely on the hardware. Nice machine, but not at all worth the extra investment for some prettier graphics, at least not yet and not for the foreseeable future. Shadow of War helped late, but non-exclusive. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is getting such horrid reviews compared to the PC version that Microsoft is now giving it away to help propel sales of the X: an act taken much, much sooner than expected. And with an equally bleak outlook for 2018, Microsoft is in complete panic-mode. They need some must-have games and need them fast. Expected outlook: Scary. (And not "boo!" scary, but "trapped in a desert without any water" scary. True horror.)

Atari, incomplete
Delayed to 2018. Trying to replicate the success of NES Classic and SNES Classic is questionable at best. At least they have a better sense of where they fit in the market than Microsoft does so they at least have potential for success in 2018, though I personally doubt it. Expected outlook: Cloudy.





Most Memorable Gaming Experience of 2017:
Super Mario Odyssey, New Donk City Festival. The 2D Donkey Kong themed level with the musical score playing in the background, leading up to the final segment modeled after original DK game with rolling barrels and all brought a big smile to my face. It wasn't the only nod to 2D Mario games in there, but was the best.



Gaming Experience I'd Most Like to Forget from 2017:
Dying way too easily. Whether its getting one-shotted in Zelda or Xenoblade, falling off some platform in Odyssey, or just getting frustrated to no end at Samus Returns, I've had enough of my characters too easily dying in 2017.  The goofy Switch left joy-con issues contributed to this problem as well, by leading my characters to run in the wrong direction (or not move at all when I need them to.)



Games I thought I'd play in 2017 and Didn't:
* Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U) - This never went on sale, even at Black Friday. What Gives Nintendo? Why still full price for games on a system most of the way off the shelves?
* Hey! Pikmin (3DS) - This got such terrible reviews I passed on it in light of other, quality games worth playing. I do like my Pikmin amiibo though.



Most Looking Forward to in 2018:
* Dragon Quest XI (PS4 version) - Wasn't this on my list last year? Yes, yes it was.
There really isn't anything else, though I do have a backlog of games purchased and not yet played. Maybe 2018 is the year to do that if the offerings are lighter. Shadow of War is on that list but its not generating a lot of interest for me. Star Fox 2 should be there at some point, whenever I finish off Zelda DLC and Xenoblade 2. (SNES Classics should be easier to get now that we're past Christmas.) The fact that some publications are naming Nier: Automata as game of the year has added it to the mix of 2018 possibilities. Octopath Traveller might also a capture my attention, but I need to see more of it first.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 03, 2018, 09:55:19 am

Quote from: JG on December 31, 2017, 05:39:40 pm

Though I can't figure out why some characters (Rex, Pyra, Nia) are anime-style while others (Vandham, townsfolk, the bad guys) are rendered naturally.

Found out Monolithsoft contracted various artists to supply character designs, so they'd have a wider variety of character designs.

Including everyone's favorite VIPER-related artist, Takahiro Kimura of V16 Rise, F40, and GTB fame.  Yesterday I acquired Perun, one of the blade characters he designed. How neat that all this stuff comes full circle.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 06, 2018, 08:52:18 pm

Been a bit busy, but i finally had time to finish my 2017 GOTY list. What a great year it was! Can't remember the last time i bought so many new games on day 1.

10. Aim for the Ace! -- B
9. Rayman Origins -- B
8. Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap -- B+
7. Dead Connection -- B+
6. Bravely Default -- B

5. Zero Team -- B+
4. E.V.O. - The Theory of Evolution -- C+
3. Breath of the Wild -- A
2. Splatoon 2 -- B+
1. Mario Odyssesy -- A+

Can't find much fault with Mario Odyssey. From top to bottom its incredibly polished, which isn't a word i usually associate with open world games. Exploring every nook and cranny felt compelling and the countless nods to Mario's history left a big smile on my face. Definitely a game i will return to.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 09, 2018, 08:14:22 pm

Latest Nintendo Direct (https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/03-08-2018/) pros & cons.

I'm not much for the series but Super Smash Bros should excite some folks. I think we kind of knew this was coming though.  Switch was going to need one, its due for a new edition, and Nintendo needed something for the November-Christmas timeframe anyway, so.. yeah. Curious if it'll have a new 3DS port though like the last game.  Inkling Boy and Girl would make excellent additions to the cast, as would some new heroes/villians introduced since the last games like Lana & Cia from Hyrule Warriors, Rabbid Mario & Peach (forget Luigi & Yoshi), Rex from Xenoblade 2, and maybe even Captain Toad.

Boos, confusion and disgust that Nintendo is skipping the best in the series, Partners in Time, to move ahead to the third game in the Mario and Luigi series for the next remake. Bowsers Inside Story in my opinion was also the worst of the five, so I'm much less enthused about this game. A new sixth entry would be more welcome.

Better Boos (and of a different type) for the Luigi's Mansion remake.  When they made Dark Moon I kind of wondered if a remake was on horizon because its what, 15 years old now?  This one has me interested, though as I recall its not a very long game, 10 hours or so at most, so that has me a bit concerned. (I'd really like to see Super Mario Sunshine remade on 3DS though.)

Good to finally know when Octopath Traveller arrives.  Maybe I'll finally be done with Xenoblade Chronicles 2 by then. (XC2 is far and a way the looooongest game I've ever played. I'm closing in on 300 hours and still haven't finished it.  Good but too damn long and way too much micromanaging in the menus.)  The all black case with off white lettering is eerily reminiscent of the Bravely Default games though.

I hope Captain Toad for 3DS is effectively same as the Wii U/Switch games are.  Had eye on Wii U version for a while but never dropped in price so I kind of moved on and quit caring.  It seems like the kind of game that would be better on 3DS than on TV console anyway.  Not encouraging that it comes out the same day as Octopath Traveller though (July 13)

I don't want a second remake of Hyrule Warriors. Ok if you missed it first time around on Wii U or second time around on 3DS, but would prefer a sequel to another port. I get what Nintendo's doing (or rather KoeiTecmo), porting underappreciated Wii U stuff to Switch, but as a standalone game it seems a little dry at this point.  Generally not so good to upward port without something new to offer either.  Maybe if it were packaged free with a sequel though, like the similar Dragon Quest Heroes 1 & 2 were (both games in that series being released since Hyrule Warriors was, as well)

Still no word on Dragon Quest XI for either Switch or 3DS. :cry

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 22, 2018, 05:13:30 am

Incredibly happy with the Octo expansion announcement as a diehard Splatoon fan ;D

The second game had a paper thin story compared to the first, so i'm quite eager to dive in and hopefully get more answers about the Splatoon universe (which takes place after the fall of mankind much like Pikmin).

As for Smash, well, the series lost me after Melee. Weird as it may sound but i much prefer to play my fighters on a dpad, and Smash doesn't have a good dpad control scheme (its very gimped compared to using the standard analog control).

Missed on a lot of great games in the twilight years of the Wii U as well as the 3DS. Captain Toad and the Bayonettas are absolutely on my play list.

I played thru Luigi's Mansion for the first time a couple years ago. Doesn't look like there are any significant graphically upgrades, so i'll pass. Very delightful game that i regret passing on cause it wasn't the Mario launch game i wanted.

Absolutely salivating to play Octopath, but before that i feel compelled to play Bravely Second before jumping on that game. They're not connected but there's a lineage there after playing thru the Octopath demo.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 23, 2018, 05:00:47 pm

Quote from: Moge on March 22, 2018, 05:13:30 am

(which takes place after the fall of mankind much like Pikmin).

Really? I interpreted it as humans were around, but where Olimar landed humans just didn't pay much attention and don't know pikmin or one inch tall aliens were around. (Kind of like Nintendo between Pikmin 2 and 3 - way too long a series hiatus between those two.)

If human's were gone, they sure weren't gone for very long because I seem to remember batteries, paper objects and other elements that would decay very rapidly (<15 years) after humans left them.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 02, 2018, 01:14:45 pm

Looks like i was wrong. The newest Pikmin game on 3DS states that humans have moved to a different planet. Prior to that Miyamoto was quoted with saying humans have gone extinct.

I completely forgot about 3DS Pikmin game. Need to play that sometime.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 04, 2018, 05:50:08 pm

:ojiichan

Mario Tennis Aces testfire was great! Wasn't planning to get the game, but i'm convinced after thoroughly testing the demo. It fulfills that fighting game itch i've had for a while that DBFZ didn't quite satisfy for me.

Some folks say the game has too much depth with all the new mechanics, but i always found the series to be quite lacking due to the nature of tennis as a sport. There's only so much you can do compared to Golf.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 12, 2018, 10:37:21 pm

E3 thoughts so far.

Good to see Microsoft finally coming out of the cold. Its been a rough two years with very little to get excited about, but dropping both Halo (due for its three year checkup) and Gears (a year early) certainly helps.  Halo 6 needs to be better than 5 though.  Bringing the Halo artifacts back into it is a good start.  I sure hope they don't screw up either or make them exclusive to the X models.

I haven't really checked in on Sony yet.  I presume this is the year we'll finally see the Final Fantasy 7 remake? Maybe? Everybody thought so last year, too though.  It's been touted for over 2 and a half years now so its time to deliver or risk becoming a Vaporware title.  September release of Dragon Quest 11 makes me happy though.  I'm not so upset by loss of 3DS version but think Square should have brought the Switch version to Japan by now to make up for the cut.

Is Nintendo keeping all the 3DS stuff for tomorrow? Only game they've noted as 3DS is Captain Toad, even though they've already said Luigi's Mansion and Bowser's Inside Story remakes are on the way. No Metroid Prime 4 preview yet either, which we all expect is coming.

I'm less enthused about Super Smash Bros Ultimate than I thought I'd be. I'm not that into fighting games but curious to see what Nintendo does with each SSB release.  This one seems a little.. meh. Having every former character return (including the ones I didn't think we'd see again, like Snake) is pretty cool, but only two new character forms (Inkling and Ridley) makes it by far the lightest upgrade over previous edition, character-wise.  Adding Daisy makes three if you want to count her, even though she's a copy of Peach.  Seems like either a missed opportunity to add a lot of new characters, or a very clever plot to add a bunch as paid DLC. Some of the characters I was expecting this time around still show up as assists, but deserve playable treatment. For example, Waluigi, Bomberman, and Midna. I also noticed Riki (from Xenoblade Chronicles) in there as well, who would make an interesting second character from the Xenoblade series, but not as interesting as Fiora from XBC1, or a Tora/Poppi combo from XBC2. Also rather telling, license-wise, that they couldn't bring in Lana and/or Cia from Hyrule Legends as they'd make great characters (particularly Lana.)  In similar fashion, Rabbid Peach would make a hilarious addition.  Still no Animal Crossing characters except Villager? (I don't really care for Animal Crossing series, but its got a huge number of characters from which to draw.)  And not a single character from ARMS? (Someone from ARMS has almost certainly got to be DLC though. I also expect to see Rex from XBC2 as DLC.) I also would like to see Luigi distinguished from Mario by pairing him with the Poltergust vacuum as his attack weapon, making him an odd cross between Mario and Kirby.  And eight colors of Inklings but only green Yoshis?
:greenyoshi :redyoshi :blueyoshi :greenyoshi :purpleyoshi :brownyoshi

Octopath Traveler still looks neat but I maintain it seems like it would have been better for the 3DS.  I'm still concerned its eight stories of 100+ hours each, which is too damn long. Each story needs to be 50 hours or less, which may be limiting these days.  Will need to try out the demo for greater clarity.

I'm not sure I'm up for another 300+ Xenoblade story so soon.  I thought it was going to be a side chapter or DLC worth 20-50 hours, but they're releasing it as a whole separate game.  The idea as a prequel featuring the Torna War with Addam and Lora as the heroes is the perfect setting though and has me more interested than I thought.

A new Mario Party is not very surprising.  Rebooting the series instead of another version increment is though, and a welcome change. It was getting to the point that each new version didn't really distinguish itself enough from the previous one. (Beware of following suit, Mario Kart.)

I want more Mario+Rabbids, but I'll have to see how they price the DLC. $10 maybe. $20 or more, I think I'll pass.

Not sure the "Lets Go" titles for the new Pokémon games are all that exciting. Are they mainline games or one-offs? If mainline, why aren't they named something like Pokémon Adjective-Color-Letter-Gemstone like all the previous ones?

No Animal Crossing sequels on the horizon. I don't care, but I read an article a few weeks back that pointed out the last one was 2013. The series seems to have gone the way of F-Zero and Kid Icarus.

Really hoping for some 3DS surprises tomorrow. Super Mario Sunshine is my longshot hope. We haven't had a true Mario series title on the 3DS since.. New SMB 2 in 2012 believe it or not. I don't count Mario Maker as its a totally different style. To be honest, a New SMB 3 game that was bundled with New 3DS systems would certainly help keep the sales going a bit longer.  If the 3DS slate turns out to be just Luigi's Mansion, Bowser's Inside Story, and Captain Toad (all remakes) then I think we can nail the coffin shut on the 3DS.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 18, 2018, 04:16:30 am

Nintendo's E3 this year was a disappointment, but i'm over it. My biggest concern still remains unanswered, and that has to do with the soon-to-launch online service for the Switch; I honestly can't tell how serious Ninty plans to go in on this. Giving us some old roms is nice, but as a Splatoon 2 player who has poured over 800 hours into the game, what i want the most are dedicated servers and a hacker detection system. Not too much to ask for given the wild success of the series (especially in Japan).

Sony's Press Conference was okay. Was very kooky at first but it eventually panned out. The animation from The Last of Us segment was absolutely insane for how natural and lifelike the movement was.

Microsoft delivered the goods and then some. Not too many exclusives, but its gnarly they're releasing a Halo and Gears sequel in the same year. There was a lot of buzz around Cyberpunk in the media. Been quite a long time since i played a good game with a cyberpunk, so i'm really pumped up for it. Biggest surprise for me at that conference was lil indie game called Tunic. Such wonderful music and a cool graphical style wrapped up in (classic) Zelda-like gameplay.

Here were my top 5 games at that E3 in no particular order:

- Resident Evil Remake 2
- Tunic
- Soul Calibur 6
- Smash Ultimate
- Beyond Good & Evil 2

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 18, 2018, 05:54:45 pm

Big N had a lot to show for Switch, but the only video they ever showed for 3DS was Captain Toad, and only because it has a Switch version, too. Even several days after E3, there were no videos or even screenshots of Luigi's Mansion of Bowsers Inside Story, as if they didn't even exist.  Clear indication to me that N is ready to move on from 3DS series and focus solely on Switch. I'd love to see a new Toon Zelda or Mario game on the 3DS sometime in the next year or so, but no longer think it likely.

I'd forgotten the Nintendo online service bits.  You're right that they didn't give much details, though it bothers me less than most gamers as I much prefer solo play to team or online.

Also, no details about that Nintendo 64 classic that is almost certainly on the horizon but I'll give them credit for being tight lipped about that and keep focus on the new stuff.


Microsoft may have a big year in 2019, but might be back to idling again in 2020.  The problem is a new Halo game should have come along already, with Gears the following year, as has been the schedule so far.

Sony has a real blockbuster on their hands with Last of Us 2. The first so exceeded expectations its sort of become *the* poster child for the PS4. But beside that and upcoming Dragon Quest, I'm a little meh on its upcoming selection right now.


Outside of consoles, Prime Day earlier this week kicked me into gear to build a new workstation PC. I don't play much on my PC, but trying the new BattleTech game on Steam in April showed me how far behind the times my hardware is.  I was lucky to get a puny five or six FPS out of it, even with lowest graphics settings available. Effectively unplayable so time for upgrades.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 15, 2018, 02:22:16 am

Not playing DQ 11, JGOO?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 15, 2018, 09:21:27 am

Very soon. I've been meaning to tackle the BotW DLC first, for which I'm about half done, and finish BATTLETECH, for which I'm at the final planet.  I'll probably start DQ11 this weekend to get a taste but don't want to get hooked until Zelda and BT are out of the picture. (I'd also like to get back to StarFox2 since getting that SNES Classic but that's been on hold, too.)

And of course, Star Control drops in a few days, complicating matters further. :undecided

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 19, 2018, 11:54:11 pm

Wowzers :purpletoad Can't believe you got 600 hours between BotW and Xeno 2

I'm surprised you're not exausted from playing all these massive games :larry

I'll probably get Smash. Honestly i'm not too big on the gameplay of the series, but it doesn't hurt to try again i guess.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 23, 2018, 03:55:57 pm

Well I kept getting bogged down in the Zelda late game with non-game junk and started over a few times, most recently again to see if doing certain tasks, particularly freeing the beasts in a different order, had any outcome on story.

And Xenoblade is just too damned long. I stopped somewhere in the 300-350 hour range and still didn't finish it.  Nintendo sent me some bonus items lately to promote replaying for the Torna prequel/add-on/DLC/something-or-other (I'm not really sure how to classify it.) Maybe if those 15 legendary crystals finally get me the rare blade I'm missing I could finish it off this winter. I'm maybe 90, or 95% there, but the game mechanics screw you over for trying to 100% certain things like a full rare blade collection and the subsequent extra quests and storyline development. Everyone wants to full blade set and to play all the quests, and it used to be reasonable to do so but they patched the game to make it extraordinarily difficult (making the last rare blade need from like a 1% chance to obtain down to a 0.02% chance.)


But DQ11 is on my plate first. I've got 15-20 or so hours into it this week and without divulging any spoilers, I've reached the port city in the south after passing through the desert area. I have to say though that I'm not all that impressed story-wise. Compared to the excellent DQ8, the story is flat, straightforward, not all that funny, and the characters are relatively uninteresting and underdeveloped, with exception to why the mage/sage character is so young. The thief and jester haven't revealed much about their pasts that wasn't already obvious, and the healer/cleric hasn't provided any substance yet.  At this point in DQ8, you've heard all the character's backstories, helped them resolve some issues, and moved on to the goal at hand (and a bit of fan service from Jessica to boot.)  Been several years since DQ9, but I'm certain it moved along much faster, too. The environment really looks pretty though and as always I appreciate the naming puns and cultural oddities present in each town you visit.  My favorite so far is a village where every local resident speaks in haikus. Right now I give it a D+ but there's plenty of time for it to improve.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on December 18, 2018, 09:18:50 pm

Aha! Here I am, again, a year and a day after my last post! How exciting! My illustrious return after December 17th, 2017 surely means good tidings for the internet on the same day, being...

...December 17th, 2018...the day all porn is removed forever from Tumblr...

... ._. ...

...well...um...I guess I'm...playing Dark Souls II...and stuff...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 20, 2018, 04:08:15 am

Demon's Souls was my game of the year once. I should find some time to play another game in the series.

Did the new Star Control sequel lived up to your expectations, JGOO?

Thought i would enjoy the new Smash more but i still can't stand the controls; i absolutely prefer using a dpad for fighters, and unfortunately Smash doesn't have any good options for digital controls.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2018, 01:26:37 pm

Sorry I'd been away for holidays and no chance to respond.  I didn't play too many games this year, but here is my yearly countdown and thoughts:


8. NES Classic, D-
I anticipated this being more fun, but its not.  The hotsave/reload feature is clunky, so those hard bits of Battletoads are still practically impossible. I wish it came with a cheat panel, from which you can select a few cheats to make a game easier, perhaps by advancing to certain levels or accomplishing tasks in games to earn tokens to buy cheats. (I.e, complete SMB1 to earn 100 coins to spend on driving invincibility mode in Battletoads.) High quality emulators beat the NES Classic every time, unless you really want to play with the rectangle controller. Design issues like too short of a cord exist as well, increasing cost by demanding an extension cord.

7. SNES Classic, C-
Certainly better. Longer cords and two controllers in the box help, as do a higher quality selection of games. The presence of a hook, Star Fox 2, that is practically unemulatable, gives it a selling point that the NES version doesn't have. Emulators still better for the RPG games included, but for the action games like Super Metroid, the SNES controller is a nostalgic joy. If only it didn't have that funny fold down panel in the front for controller jacks that ruin the visual appeal.

6. Star Control Origins (PC), C+
Good and bad at same time.  The game itself seems quite solid, and on its own it would be really good game. But its built in a universe that had established so many facts in prior games, that retconning them all seems wasteful. As far as I could tell, only humans (obviously) and the Arilou carryover from old game to new.  I appreciate the new aliens, and thoughts about how alien species behave (like colonies of "space fish"), but Star Control 2 is still the gold standard for these types of games some 25 years and change later. Good call trying to reinvent the game, but reinventing the history and universe was a cheap shot. I'll give it credit for being equally as hard - I had several points where I didn't know what to do and just had to fly off in one direction endlessly until I discovered something of note. If you want to buy and play it fine, but you'd still be better off downloading the free Ur-Quan Masters remake of SC2. It was game of the year in 1992 for many damn good reasons.

5. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch), C+
I had reviewed this last year when it first came out, but most of the playtime was the first few months of this year. This is either great, or terrible, and I can't decide which. I lean a little bit towards great becuase it's a gigantic world, lots to do, hundreds of side quests, and an engaging story, but if you're going for 100% (or something close to it) then it can be a most evil game. Pray to the RNG gods becuase some of the Blade character spawn rates are as low as 1-in-500 (though you can improve the odds to about 1-in-120 though various means.) That means hours upon hours of grinding for that last one or two Blades needed to unlock a few final sidequests. Thus, the game is monsterously long, in excess of 350 hours. That really is just too long. Fine if you want to devote a couple of months to it, but if you don't have that kind of time, pass it over for something else. (They released a Torna prequel/sequel this year, but its just too soon to devote yet another couple of months to that one.)

4. Burnout: Paradice City: Rebooted (XBox One, also available for PS4), B
In my continuing quest to find a spiritual successor to BugBear's hilariously enjoyable FlatOut series, I gave this a try when it dropped to just $8.99 on XBox Marketplace. It nails the competitive, blow-your-enemies-off-the-road, racing, and throws in ample amounts of both stunts and "landscape remodeling", but doesn't quite have the demolition derby feel I was looking for. It's the closest I've come since BugBear went bankrupt, though. Rebooted contains all the DLC, including the second island of race tracks and all cars - including the DeLorean Time Machine, letting you play out the race from Ready Player One (minus King Kong.) This wins my Cheap Thrill award of the year, as I paid less than $10 for it, and you can get a new physical copy for $20 or less for either XBox One or PS4.

3. BATTLETECH (PC), A-
A very good translation of the 31st century tabletop warfare game to PC, much more inline with the canon universe than the silly MechWarrior series. It takes some liberties, and the rarity of certain 'mechs isn't realistic (nor is the absence of certain very common 'mechs that resemble Robotech designs) but its not bad. I wish it allowed your team to be larger than 4 'mech's though - I'd love to play out company-sized (12 'mechs) battles. Despite a good story, set in a mostly canon-wise version of the universe, the game itself tends to devolve into "how can I beat this group of 'mechs without losing any of mine" types of skirmishes. When pressured for time, this can be frustrating as losing one 'mech out of four can be catastrophic for your chances of success (as well as expensive to repair), but when given a chance, the fights end up being long range missle exchanges. So the battles aren't as replayable as they should be or as balanced as the tabletop game, but it was a welcome relief for Battletech fans like me that have waited along time for a proper game treatment like this.

2. Dragon Quest XI (PS4), A-
The Enix side of SquareEnix continues to show why they still make good RPGs, while the Square side generally puts out uninspiring titles. It had been along time since DQ9 arrived so DQ11 had a lot to live up to, and delivers on it. It starts rather slowly, but once it gets going its quite enjoyable, with a great story. Arguable whether its better than games 4, 5, or 8 in the series, but is one of the better ones and worth the 150 hour or so investment for RPG fans. I may have graded it higher had the story progressed to an interesting level earlier, and some of the characters were more useful than they are. (Serena being the obvious dud of the bunch.)

1. Dragon Quest Builders (PS4, also available for Switch), A-
While I don't know if its any "better" than my other two A- graded games, this has hooked me more than the other two. Its just plain fun. While Minecraft is for kids and focused so much on just mining and building things, DQB has quests and objectives to advance the storyline, too. Breaking it into chapters and requiring you to start over from scratch in each chapter makes it four smaller games in one. In fact, I rather wish there was DLC for additional chapters, becuase once its over you wish for more. Using the world of Alefgard, the setting for the original Dragon Quest (and parts of DQ2 and DQ3) was a very nice touch, and brought back memories of things like the golem guarding the town of Cantlin or named objects like Galen's Harp, Sunstone, and the Staff of Rain. I am very interested to see what they do with the upcoming Dragon Quest Builders 2 later this year.




The Grades:

Nintendo, B
While not the utter domination they displayed in 2017, they continue to roll along. Smash Bros of course is the big game but I'm not into fighters. They get a high grade for finally solving some availability issues: NES Classic, SNES Classic, and Switches are everywhere now, so if you want one, you can get one no problemo. I am concerned over the recent trend of remakes though, as opposed to new games. Mario and Luigi have got the remake treatment twice, as have several Wii U games. The saving grace for 2019 may be promise of a new Zelda game though. That's higher priority for me than any Metroid Prime 4 or Pikmin 4 that have been rumored for way too long with little to show for it. Despite some uncertainly over the 3DS platform, at least Nintendo knows where they've been and where they're going in 2019 and beyond.

Sony, B-
A fair year, but its obvious they're now playing second banana to Nintendo in both general popularity and sales. The God of War reboot doesn't seem to have been the hit they were hoping for but I've heard they nailed it with the Spider-Man exclusive. Sony's biggest worry is whether they've got too many variants right now between the normal PS4, PS4 Pro, and the PS VR. The VR seems to be struggling to catch on and may be dragging down the other two a bit. A very poorly received PS Classic didn't help matters. Maybe we'll hear more about the PS5 next year.

Microsoft, F-
Two years in a row I've given MS the worst grade possible. They are totally lost in the desert and have gone yet another year without any exclusive games of note. They may finally be emerging from self-inflicted hibernation with both Gears 5 and Halo 6 on slate for 2019, but its probably too late to save the Xbox One. Neither is expected in first half, and if Sony is announcing PS5 then Microsoft needs to be ready as well. Announcing two big games and a new platform at same time is a recipe for disaster, as we saw the Breath of the Wild effectively kill any remaining interest in the Wii U. Microsoft really needs to get these games out the door (at least one of them by E3) so they aren't overshadowed by the next generation hardware. Or screw the hardware and let Sony win the year, and come back in 2020 with an even better idea. At this point though I'm ready for Microsoft to leave the market, and release their second-party game developers to produce stuff unique to PC or for the PS4 and Switch. Xbox has practically no presence in Japan anymore, and trying to compete worldwide with Nintendo and Sony without the help of Japanese game companies just won't work.




Most Memorable Gaming Experience of 2018:
When the characters started talking about the golem in the first chapter for Dragon Quest Builders, and it was becoming obvious it would be the big baddie of the chapter, I got that happy nostalgic feeling inside. I just wish you had a flute to put it to sleep.



Gaming Experience I'd Most Like to Forget from 2018:
Grinding for 100+ hours trying to unlock the final Blade in XC2. I never did get her and that was alot of wasted game time.  Maybe I'll revisit someday, but it just pissed me off after two or three weeks of trying. I was to the point where I'd have actually paid for DLC to unlock her rather than continue grinding, were it an option.



Games I thought I'd play in 2018 and didn't:
* Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U) - Not only did it never go on sale, its not in stores anymore (very little Wii U stuff still is.) I can get it online, but its moment has passed. Maybe it will be another Switch remake though.
* God of War (PS4) - Dragon Quest Builders hasn't left the PS4 drive since going in. Sorry Kratos. You can escape Tartarus all you like, but you can't get out of the BluRay case without my help.
* Octopath Traveller (Switch) - The more I saw of this, the more I realized I could just replay Final Fantasy 6 or Chrono Trigger for a similar visual experience, and less investment of time or money.



Most Looking Forward to in 2019:
* Dragon Quest Builders II. Yes, yes, and more yes.
* The new Zelda game. Assuming it even comes out 2019 or is just teased at E3 for 2020 launch.
* Metroid Prime 4. Need to see more first though.
* Pikmin 4. Switch seems like an ideal device for Pikmin games (just as Wii U was.)
* The Last of Us 2. I'm sure we'll see more at or by E3.

I'd love to hear an announcement of Mario+Rabbids 2 some time in 2019. That was a surprise hit from 2017 and isn't so technically demanding that a sequel would be difficult to develop. On the other hand, I've stopped caring about Beyond Good and Evil 2 - I don't care if what we saw in 2017 was real or not. The fact that it hasn't appeared yet tells me it was all staged and that the game isn't really under development, or just doesn't have any real future.



As an aside, my brother got me the book Console Wars for Christmas. It details the history of Nintendo and Sega's rivalry in the 90s. I'm only a fifth of the way through it but its a very enjoyable read so far. I recommend it for those times when your controller's batteries need recharging.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 13, 2019, 01:33:04 am

I'm surprised you decided to play DQ Builders after snubbing the PS4 demo some years ago. Been a few years since i played a building simulator (Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King), so this might be right up alley since its got an IP attached that i'm somewhat familiar with (still have yet to finish a DQ ;D).

Gonna type up my top 10 soon. Stay tuned.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 15, 2019, 11:17:32 pm

Quote from: Moge on January 13, 2019, 01:33:04 am

I'm surprised you decided to play DQ Builders after snubbing the PS4 demo some years ago. Been a few years since i played a building simulator (Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King), so this might be right up alley since its got an IP attached that i'm somewhat familiar with (still have yet to finish a DQ ;D).

I didn't snub it - I just never got around to it.  I think I was wrapped up in other games like DQ7 for 3DS or Star Fox Zero at the time. Then the Switch came along and Breath of the Wild took over for a while. I just kind of forgot about it until DQ XI came along and rekindled my interest in all things DQ, including Builders.

That said, I followed some hints I found online today to set up a second PSN account to access the Japanese PS Store and download the DQB2 demo. I'm looking forward to trying it.

If you're still looking for a DQ to try, go with 8. It's still my favorite, it hooks you quickly, moves along at a good pace, and has two of the best characters in the entire series in Yangus and Jessica. XI is also good but starts very slowly and it can sidetrack you on quests a bit too much. 4 and 5 are also great, but they're older games and might not be your cup of tea these days (particularly the need to level grind several times in 4.)

DQB makes no requirement to know the characters beforehand (unlike the two Heroes games which somewhat hinge on your familiarity with them.)  DQ1 only has a few characters of note anyway: the legendary hero Erdrick, the player hero, the princess, the king, and the Dragonlord. Its actually of more benefit to know the map of Alefgard and the general order you visit the towns in DQ1 moreso than the characters (becuase its the same towns in DQB, except they're provided in the reverse order, as in Cantlin first and Tantegel last.) Of course, DQ1 is so ancient and poorly balanced (way too much grinding) to advise playing it just for the benefit of DQB. Maybe the one thing to really know about DQ1 before playing DQB is that when you finally reach the Dragonlord in DQ1, he gives you a Yes/No choice to join him and split the world between you. (It's a trap: 'Yes' ends the game and sends you back to the start screen.) - DQB follows the "alternate history" path in which the player hero had chosen Yes and the Dragonlord goes on to seal away the power of creation from humankind. It borrows the idea from Zelda Historia about some of the games belonging to a path in which Link failed to defeat Ganon.

DQ2 takes place 100 years later in the same world as DQ1, but I'm not sure if DQB2 will follow the DQB world or not. Evidence is leaning towards a different take on the story than alternate history though, since the big baddie in DQ2 is named Shidow in Japan (Malroth in USA/Europe), and you conveniently get a partner in DQB2 named Shidow who has hair that is pointed like horns. Its kind of obvious there's a connection. Whatever the reason for this, I don't really want to find out until I play the game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 08, 2019, 09:51:53 am

Microsoft is continuing to astound me by bad business decisions regarding Xbox.  If you'd not heard, the latest is that a driveless, download-only version of Xbox One S (rediculously named "Xbox One S All-Digital Edition") will be coming in May.  It will undoubtedly be cheaper and help fight for the bottom rung of gaming below the Switch's and PS4's price point, and push more players toward their Game Pass subscription, but driveless systems have historically sold very poorly. Only tablets and cell phones have bucked the trend, and that's because they can do a lot more than just being hooked up to a TV all day. (Something Nintendo realized.)

The major problem regarding Microsoft's lack of interesting, unique game titles is a failure to engage Japanese studios. Did you know the Xbox One isn't even sold as a gaming system there? Its sold as a Blu-Ray player, capable of playing imported games. They don't sell hundreds or thousands of systems a week like Nintendo and Sony do, they sell mere dozens a week. They're not going to gain interest from Japanese producers selling only a half crate of units per week, and lose whatever little interest there is if they change the system design to ensure they sell none. I'm not sure what Microsoft can do to fix their image problem in Japan, but I'm quite sure taking out the one piece of the hardware they do like isn't it. They started with this grand idea of making the Xbox One the ultimate set top box, and every decision since release has peeled off a layer of that vision. They dropped the Kinect, dropped the microphone, and now are going to drop the drive. Systems like the Wii U and Vita didn't pan out, but at least the original vision stayed intact. (Anyone else old enough to remember the public outrage when Sega dropped the headphone jack from the Genesis redesign?)

Halo Infinite and Gears 5 better both be blow-your-socks-off game-of-the-year quality stuff or Microsoft is in deep trouble and will end up finishing a very distant third behind Switch and PS4 in this generation (and may yet still.) They've already announced the late 2020 consoles will be yet another performance improvement stepup of the Xbox One console hardware, as the Xbox One X was in 2017, which delays any next generation architecture until at least 2022 or 2023. I don't think they make it that long relying only on digital stuff you could get for either of the other two systems or on moderately powerful Windows machines.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 09, 2019, 03:42:32 am

My top 10 for 2018: wanted to do a long write up for each but unfortunately my laziness got the best of me :carreraflying
----------------------

10. Bravely Second (3DS) -- B
9. Wonder Project J2  (N64) -- B
8. Denjin Makai 2 (Arcade) -- B
7. Rusty (PC98) -- B+

6. The Missing (PC) -- B
5. Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion (Switch) -- B+
4. Nier Automata (PC) -- A-
3. Darkstalkers (Arcade) -- B+

2. Alien vs Predator (Arcade) -- A -- (https://i.imgur.com/6y9ijKS.png)

Very balanced and very deep beat 'em up. I don't particularly care for licensed games but Capcom did an admirable job at conveying how cool the Alien and Predator franchises are.

1. G.O.D. (Growth or Devolution): Heed the Call to Awaken (SNES) -- A -- (https://i.redd.it/0f8s49elm5p11.png)

My very unexpected favorite of the year. Never did i imagine i'd play another game that would give me the same fuzzy feelings that the Mother/Earthbound series have.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 11, 2019, 06:12:12 pm

Surprised to see Splatoon 2 so far down your list. Not as good as first game or the other things just that much better?

And no Smash Bros Ultimate at all?

I may have to investigate that G.O.D. game. RPGs are one of the few areas where our gaming tastes overlap. (Though as they get longer and longer without getting all that much better, I'm not as in to them as I was when younger. SNES RPGs were often the perfect length, though DQ8, DQ11, and first Xenoblade Chronicles have justified their longer lengths.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 14, 2019, 12:30:30 am

The Octo Expansion is mostly a single player affair expansion to S2. Not mind blowing, but it's really good and kinda makes up for the breezy campaign in 2.

I bought Smash Ultimate and quickly sold it. Call me a snob but i prefer to play my fighters on a dpad; having to use an analog stick just feels imprecise when it comes to 2D movement.

Last time i placed an RPG as my all-time fave was Mother 3. That was probably a decade ago. If you like moderns settings like the Mother series and like traditional turn-based combat then for sure give G.O.D. a try.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on March 22, 2019, 09:13:26 am

Screw all these video games coming out so close together. How come this never happens when I have a ton of free time and am bored? I thought Sekiro wasn't due for like another year!!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 24, 2019, 05:27:04 pm

Quote from: Arizona on March 22, 2019, 09:13:26 am

Screw all these video games coming out so close together. How come this never happens when I have a ton of free time and am bored? I thought Sekiro wasn't due for like another year!!

What other games exactly?  I've experienced much worse clustering in the past, but I've got nothing on my radar until July's DQB2. I'm a pass on Kirby Epic Yarn and Yoshi Crafted World. Never even heard of Sekiro, let alone a sequel. Only other big ones I can think of coming out now are Devil May Cry 5, Division 2, and Mortal Kombat 11 - meh.

In fact, finally broke down and bought Color Splash on Ebay because the current landscape is kind of lousy for all three systems right now in my opinion. Mario Kart Tour is still slated for summer but the lack of any info on it worries me it slips again to fall, and then its interfering with Gears 5 (Unknown) and MechWarrior 5 (September 10). Those three would make for a much more cluttered part of the year than right now if they're all in the Septemberish timeframe. (And even moreso if Nintendo tosses in Link's Awakening for that same time.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 17, 2019, 08:53:06 pm

Should I be worried that we're now eight weeks out for Dragon Quest Builders 2 release and still don't have box art?  Given all the bugs in the Japanese version at launch, I'm greatly concerned this is going to get delayed, but they're waiting until E3 to announce it.


In other news, this weekend is when Nintendo sends out the invites for Mario Kart World Tour beta testing to My Nintendo users that get selected. I could sure use a new gaming distraction given the absence of interesting-to-me games right now. (Color Splash and God of War were both so terrible I gave up on them.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 20, 2019, 02:54:16 pm

Quote from: JG on May 17, 2019, 08:53:06 pm

In other news, this weekend is when Nintendo sends out the invites for Mario Kart World Tour beta testing to My Nintendo users that get selected. I could sure use a new gaming distraction given the absence of interesting-to-me games right now. (Color Splash and God of War were both so terrible I gave up on them.)

Neats.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 22, 2019, 05:41:54 am

Speaking of games that don't have a strong hook... Octopath Traveler; that game isn't grabbing me the same way Bravely Default and Bravely Second did (despite being from the same team). Sold off the game and will pick it back up again when there's a Steam sale.

I'm very interested in trying out DQ Builders after your glowing impressions. I have yet to finish a DQ game, but since Builders is an action-rpg i'm a bit more interested.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 22, 2019, 07:30:23 pm

DQB is a building game, so you need to enjoy things of that genre, like Minecraft or SimCity. There's more action in DQB and certainly more story, but your base building is critical at all times - it is fairly leisurely though so you don't have to babysit things like you do with most real-time strategy games (Command & Conquer, Warcraft, etc.). You go out into the world to complete a quest or two, stopping to mine for materials or to kill a few monsters along to way for their drops, then return to your base to rest and upgrade your equipment or town, occasionally having to fend off an enemy attack on your town, which you have to repair after the battle. (Which reminds me of the old arcade game, Rampart.)  The mix of action and town building is also reminiscent of the SNES game, Actraiser.  If you didn't like these games for various reasons, don't jump on DQB just because I said so. I rather enjoyed the town building and maintenance aspects of Actraiser, Warcraft, C&C, Rampart, etc, so DQB fell right into my wheelhouse, especially since I'm also a big Dragon Quest series fan.


Go get DQB1 before starting with DQB2 - I'm fairly certain DQB2 will be more enjoyable for those that have played the first. Familiarity with the corresponding Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior game is helpful. Not needed, but you'll enjoy the story more. I'm not advocating playing them though - as they are old RPGs and don't hold up well to today's games. Just find a detailed plot summary or a few Let's Play videos and a map of the world. I mostly remembered the details of Dragon Warrior, but after 25+ years there were some details I'd forgotten that reading a plot summary after I'd beaten the game revealed some nice intertwining of the stories.  I'm going to have to review Dragon Quest II's full story before July 12. :P

The PS4 version new is $20 or less just about everywhere now and looks better than the Switch version, though the Switch reworked the five challenges in each chapter to be easier so the Switch can be 100-percented easier. Completing challenges earns you stronger weapons, armor, or building equipment (like roof tiles) for the freeplay mode, so there's a benefit to doing so if you want to build our own town outside the game chapters, unbounded by size, chapter equipment limitations, or monster attacks.

100 percenting on PS4 is certainly possible as I did it, but it was not easy and absolutely required a walkthrough to accomplish all the "beat chapter in under X game days" challenges. Best approach is to play through the chapters at your own pace to cover as many of the untimed challenges you happen to come across, reload from a save to finish the remaining untimed challenges after beating the chapter boss, then finally starting a new game for speedrunning the final timed challenge. I'm serious about needing a walkthrough to complete the speedruns - trying to wing it yourself will probably require several attempts (each one being 7 or 8 hours). Chapter 2 is notoriously difficult, as it gives you 30 game days and the fastest it can be possibly be done is something like 25 or 26, due to your town's NPCs requiring sleep overnight to be cured of their ailments. Not having a particular item in your inventory by the time you need it can spell disaster in the speed runs. With only a 3 or 4 day margin for error, you can't be wasting a half day running off to go fetch something when you could have gotten it on an earlier trip.  Defeating the final boss without wearing armor is also a difficult challenge, but just requires some practice and mindfulness of his attack pattern. (Took me about 4 or 5 attempts. The first time I used the magic-proof Auroral Armor, and thought doing so without would have been nearly impossible, but if you can nail his attack pattern, he becomes easy enough to dodge to survive the battle if you're lucky against the minions he summons.)


Surprised you've beaten something like Bravely Default (which I haven't) or other Square RPGs, but not a Dragon Quest game from the ENIX side. The older games, I guess you could get a ROM for but they generally didn't age well compared to the later games. DQ4 (NES) and DQ5 (SNES translation) are excellent, but better if you can find the DS carts for them. DQ8 of course might very well be the best RPG ever made and tops my list (above Final Fantasy 4.)  I'll give Bravely Default credit that its up there with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasys 4 and 6 at the top of the Square side's banner, but any of those three Dragon Quests or the new XI are at least as good, if not better RPGs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 22, 2019, 09:33:33 pm

Mario Kart Tour Beta Test first impressions:

* Very polished. The graphics are clear and crisp, despite it being explicitly for phones, not tablets. (Though I'm going to download it on my tablet later to test it.)
* Like Super Mario Run, its meant to be held phone up, not on side - this gives you a nice long view down the course. (SMR should have been on side for same reason.) Additionally, its designed to be played one handed. You use your finger (thumb if playing one handed) left or right to steer, lifting thumb off phone will cause kart to steer toward centerline. Flick towards bottom to toss items backwards, towards top to throw them forwards. I found myself holding the phone in my left hand and steering with my right forefinger instead though.
* It derives from the MK7/MK8 lineage that includes a parasail for short glides.
* Different driver, kart, and parasail combinations have different effects on different courses. For example, Toad and Toadette are better at the Toad Circuit (they can hold 3 items at once, while other characters can only hold one or two.)  The game is a lot clearer on the benefits each character, kart, and parasail offer.  MK8 has some benefits, but doesn't say what they are and you just kind of figure it out as you go.
* Like most recent Mario Kart games, the stages are rehashses of earlier entries.  The initial cup I played through had Choco Island 2 from SNES, Toad Circuit from 3DS, and Dino Dino Jungle from GameCube. There have been some cosmetic changes I think (I don't remember the dinosaurs looking that cute.)
* Lots of loot - coins you find on the courses buy stuff, stars you get for winning unlock additional cups, emeralds for winning cups give you a randomized chance at the "pipe cannon" to obtain a new character, kart, or parasail. The game starts with one of these randomized pipe cannon shots to determine your initial character: I got Toadette which it labeled as Rare.  Later cannon shots got me Peach (also Rare) and the B Driver kart (labeled Ultra Rare)
* I think I saw just about all the Mario series characters either in race or grayed out on the selection screen (including the Koopalings and Dry Bones) but I didn't see any non-Mario series characters like Link.
* I only saw karts - not bikes. It said I was at 50cc level - I assume there's a 100cc and 150cc level like every other MK game but requires more experience racing to unlock them.
* Pretty easy. I won all three races in the cup in first place on first attempt. Only Dino Dino Jungle was a close call.
* I'm quite sure you're not playing against live opponents, as the race ends immediately upon crossing the finish line no matter how far back the other guys are.  I think the opponents are derived from other people's actual drives. Its recording metrics such as how many turbo bursts you do, how many items you used and how many items hit you to determine a "score", and better drivers are pitted against CPU drivers using the names of actual players and assigned that player's character, kart, and parasail combination and driver score for the course. I could see no way to pick an opponent, such as playing against the person sitting next to you, but maybe that's something coming in the full release.
* The options screen allows you to use a phone's gyro (if it has one) to tilt screen to steer but this is disabled to start and no mention of it made during the game setup and instructional race.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on May 23, 2019, 11:24:12 am

Quote from: JG on May 17, 2019, 08:53:06 pm

(Color Splash and God of War were both so terrible I gave up on them.)

I'm not into God of War anyway, but I'd like to know why you didn't like it so I can feel snootily justified in my disinterest.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 23, 2019, 10:35:35 pm

Quote from: Arizona on May 23, 2019, 11:24:12 am

Quote from: JG on May 17, 2019, 08:53:06 pm

(Color Splash and God of War were both so terrible I gave up on them.)

I'm not into God of War anyway, but I'd like to know why you didn't like it so I can feel snootily justified in my disinterest.

This was the first God of War I played. I thought the series was just a hack and slash adventure, just bashing 10+ enemies all the same time (like Dynasty Warriors, Hyrule Warriors, etc.) but its more single enemy oriented.

My real problem is an assumption that you know how to play God of War games already an that you know exactly what happened in them - as I did not, I couldn't figure out what Kratos was doing in Scandanavia, who the ghost lady was, or why his axe freezes objects - none of this is explained at all which is a major problem as it was marketed as a relaunch, not a sequel.  It also requires particular timing with your axe and knowing where giant sized enemy weak points are or else your axe just bounces off. The attack reticle is also very tiny (maybe 5 pixels wide at 1080p resolution) so its hard to see exactly where your aiming against a light background, especially with everything moving - Breath of the Wild did a much better job of this by going into slow motion during ranged attacks. As I was playing, it became immediately obvious the best bang-for-buck with your upgrade points is to upgrade Kratos's armor and Atreus's bow only. Kratos's attacks are so hard to aim and pull off, Atreus is more useful in battle after a few upgrades and all you need to do is not die while he picks off enemies with his bow and arrows - this is backwards from the way it should be.  The AI is smart enough to move Atreus around to avoid attacks and get into shooting positions, but it doesn't let him shoot until you press a button, which is a shame because he should have been independent, for better or worse.  I was also seeking a rather short adventure, in the 40-50 hour timeframe, but after about 15-20 I reached an island that has portals to other areas and there's 7 or 8 of them. I'd uncovered maybe 15% of the main map, and saw this new map was just as big, so I could tell it was easily a 100+ hour investment. I even changed it to easy mode just to enjoy the story but it was taking too long to get through the areas and defeat monster groups to keep holding my interest. I grew tired of clumsy 30 second battles followed by 60 seconds of running/crawling/climbing to next area, followed by 2 or 3 minutes of trying to solve some puzzle while not aiming my axe perfectly to do it correctly, only to get another 20 or 30 seconds of conversation out of Kratos and Atreus before having to repeat.

On the plus side, the story was really nice for what I saw of it, taking place in Norse mythology rather than Greco-Roman, and the voice acting was excellent. Christopher Judge was perfect for an old, cranky Kratos and if you ever watched Stargate SG-1 his voice is instantly recognizable. The actors for Atreus and the funny dwarven smithy twins are pretty good too.  The graphics are pretty, but too much of it is lost in shadows or areas you're just running through.  I appreciate all the cinematics use the same models as the game, so transitioning between the two is seamless - instead of breaking into an obviously oversampled recorded video segment like many games do. The interactions of Kratos and Atreus are the best part though: Atreus always curious and chatty while Kratos is always scolding and curt, but genuinely concerned for his son's safety.

So while a lot of the peripherals are nice, its just not that great of a game. I rank it a D or D+ on my scale (below average, but not garbage.)  I really can't see how or why any of the magazines gave it their game of the year award except for weak competition (Red Dead Redemption 2 seems to have been its closet competition, with Smash Bros Ultimate third) - I said it before, 2018 was the worst year ever for video games. How it got perfect scores in the magazines escapes me, except that the people doing the reviews had probably played the other games first and had a better grasp of the story and gameplay. It didn't live up to my expectations though.



Regarding Color Splash, it has many of the good things from earlier Paper Mario games, but also many of the bad. All the attacks are based on cards, which work just like the stickers from the ill-received Sticker Star. But what really did it in was the need to use the touchscreen to drag your card into place, then flick upwards to commit.  This requires constantly looking down at the touchscreen during attack planning, then back up at the TV to do the timing part of the attack, over and over, and holding that heavy controller one handed grows tiresome after a while. It really needed a way to use the control stick and buttons to commit an attack - it would have been much faster and less tiresome for wrists. (And I suspect that this bizarre control scheme is why there's no plans for a Switch port.) I've gotten maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through, but it took about 50 hours of gametime and I haven't played it in about 3 weeks now. I might be tempted to resume it over the upcoming long weekend. I'd much rather finish it than God of War, only because I've completed each of the other Paper Mario games but even I have to agree that if Sticker Star was bad, Color Splash is even worse. At this point I think its time for Nintendo to retire the Paper Mario series because the stickers and card junk doesn't work. The first two in the series (original and Thousand Year Door) were excellent, but the last three have really been stinkers compared to the similar but far better Mario & Luigi series.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 26, 2019, 08:29:34 pm

Happy days are here again. Box art for DQB2 has arrived and Square-Enix, Nintendo, and Sony have all confirmed launch dates of July 12. Plus, the DLC will come along quickly - the first pack two weeks after release (July 26), the next pack a week after that (August 2) and the final pack one week after that (August 9.)  No waiting half a year for this stuff like the Japanese did.

(https://dragonquest.square-enix-games.com/builders2/img/buy/dq-builders-2-physical-standard-packshot-us.jpg) (https://dragonquest.square-enix-games.com/builders2/en-us/home/)


You can play as either the blonde boy or blonde girl in DQB2. (DQB1 only let you play as a boy.) In the Japanese demo I played as the girl, just to be different from DQB1 - will probably do same in full game. I don't know if there's any difference in the game or not (armor?) but the twin pigtails are way more kawaii than Saiyan hair. The dark haired boy with the club is Malroth, he's your partner controlled by AI or a second controller.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 03, 2019, 07:45:44 pm

Late to the party?
So Pokémon Go has been out just shy of three years, and on back to back days Square-Enix announces Dragon Walk and Microsoft announces Minecraft Earth, both altered reality games set within established video game mythologies. If you don't think Nintendo and its partners are ahead of the curve, you're not paying attention.


And that said, Mario Kart Tour is excellent.  It translated to mobile far better than Super Mario Run. It does, like all Mario Kart games, get extremely annoying at high speeds and later cups, with the winner based as much on luck within the last 5 to 10 seconds of the race as driving skill, but its certainly comparable in quality to Mario Kart 8. With all these stars to collect and coins to buy stuff in the shop and randomness built in, and with a promise from Nintendo to reset the cups every two weeks there's a lot more to keep coming back to than the console versions had. I want to see more courses though, and maybe the occasional special driver (like Link and Kirby) or kart (and cycles!), but for a beta test it was solid. It sold me on buying the full version when it comes out, if there's a price involved.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 08, 2019, 05:07:30 am

I should try the new Mario Kart but i'm just not that interested in mobile gaming. Really now its been 5 years since MK8, so we're due for a sequel. Unfortunately MK8 Deluxe is selling like hot cakes, so that probably won't be happening anytime soon.

I like builder games despite rarely playing them. ActRaiser, Final Fantasy: My Life as a King, and Project Zomboid to name a few i've played. Disappointed the first DQB is not available on PC but the Switch version should suffice.

E3 starting very soon! The last Nintendo E3 Direct was massively disappointing if you were not a Smash fan, but i doubt they'll try that again this year. Can't wait for some Luigi's Mangion 3 footage.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 08, 2019, 09:49:10 am

Yeah I was hoping for a Mario Kart 9 myself rather than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. But Mario Kart Tour will expand the presence to mobile phones and bring in new fans (much as Pokémon Go did - I had some coworkers who had never played a Pokémon game before that one.)  For all intensive purposes, Mario Kart Tour will be treated as Mario Kart 9, and we'll need to wait for Mario Kart X on Switch circa 2021.

I don't think DQB's control scheme would translate well to mouse and keyboard. The control pad is needed for proper enjoyment, and not everyone on PC uses one.



:purpletoad  E3 week!!!  :yellowtoad

Electronic Arts is today. Star Wars: Fallen Order is the one to watch for, unless you're looking for Battlefield and Madden sequels.

The Xbox presentation is Sunday. For the first time in many years they've actually got a powerhouse lineup, with Gears 5 and Halo 6 topping the list (as well as a Battletoads reboot.)  They've said they've got 14 games to show off, and two of them aren't known - one might be We Happy Few 2, but the last is supposed to be super secret and there's a rumor floating around that its a MechAssault reboot, which has those of us in the BattleTech sphere excited. Though knowing Microsoft this isn't going to happen, and if so, there's a better than twenty percent it'll get cancelled midway through development anyway. Supposedly they've hit a bump in the road already as details and gameplay video of Bleeding Edge leaked earlier this week and underwhelmed (apparently, no single player campaign which is what doomed the Titanfall series.)

Apparently yet another DOOM from Bethesda later Sunday afternoon.

Monday brings the PC showcase. Paradox Interactive is on the list and I hope this means videos of BattleTech's Urban Warfare expansion. I don't know if Piranha Games will be or not, but they should be with the long-anticipated MechWarrior 5 on tap for September release. (Its a good time to be a BattleTech video game fan. We got 16 years with nothing, then two games within a year and maybe a third on the way.)

Ubisoft is expected to give details of Beyond Good and Evil 2 Monday afternoon. But it better be more like the first (E10+ rating) and less like that garbage video (M rating) they showed off two years ago or its a lost cause in my eyes. It's been in development a long time, and they really can't afford to blow it. I'd certainly welcome news of a Mario+Rabbids 2 game though. Its still the best selling third party published game for the Switch two years after release and to pass on a sequel is ludicrous for both sides (Ubisoft needs younger players and more Switch visibility, Nintendo needs more third party hits as they're dominating their own platform too heavily.)

Square-Enix is finally going to announce the Final Fantasy VII remake Monday night. This game has been in development 6 or 7 years now and is long overdue. If they don't peg a release date in Japan before Christmas then they've completely mishandled it. Apparently Square's also got an Avengers game, but action titles aren't in their wheelhouse so I'm somewhat hesitant to see exactly what they came up with.  I hope they release the DQB2 English language demo onto the PlayStation store this week. The Japanese got it five months ahead of their release and we're nearly down to just one month before ours.

Nintendo's going to show off Pokémon Sword & Shield, Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 as their top lineup on Tuesday, but everyone expects them to cover Super Mario Maker 2 as well and all of them are supposed to be playable on the floor. It may be more Luigi, Link, and Maker than expected though since they dropped a lot of Pokémon details in their Direct feed earlier this week. (I'd rather see more of those three than Pokémon myself anyway.)  Rumors are they will announce the Animal Crossing they teased las year but that it might not make it by Christmas. Probably a new Labo kit or two as well and maybe a cheaper Switch. Nintendo's also known for a few surprises so maybe they drop a Metroid Prime early gameplay video or something else unexpected. I personally want to see what new things exist in Link's Awakening moreso than Luigi's Mansion gameplay. I'd also anticipate they announce the Mario Kart Tour release date and have it playable on the floor following what I'd consider a very successful beta (I only encountered one error message and few things I'd want changed.)

Sony of course has opted to skip E3, but maybe we'll see details of Last of Us 2 sometime during the week.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 10, 2019, 10:40:07 am

And of course, Microsoft utterly drops the ball again by leaving their Christmas schedule empty. Subtracting the yearly EASports entries, State of Decay 2 is out now, Gears 5 arrives in September, Call of Duty Modern Warfare in October, and Age of Empires 2 sometime this fall, but then nothing else they showcased appears until February. (Including Halo Infinite, which is November next year. Not 2019 as everyone expected.)  I'm convinced Phil Spencer is no longer the right man to lead Xbox because he's letting it get trounced in holiday sales again and is too focused on a year or two down the road than the dumpster fire immediately in front of him. He's got excess hardware on store shelves and no games to hook buyers this season (again.) Now he's facing a significant price drop between now and then, or else he's going to have four different Xbox models on shelves (S, X, Digital, and the new Scarlett) next Christmas and I don't think retailers want to devote that much shelf space. (My Best Buy has already had to cut the game selection down to make room for all the different hardware, both consoles and varying models of controllers.)  Next year they might have a big year, but it looks like in 2019 they'll be finishing a distant third behind Nintendo and Sony again.

I was underwhelmed and turned off by all the 2020 release dates.  Half in 2020 is okay, but when its 75 or 80 percent and most of the bigger names (like Halo), then its more teasing than excitement-building. It was a better, wider selection that what they've brought the last few years, especially with cartoony Battletoads and the not-gunplay in Ori, Flight Simulator, AOE2, and Minecraft Dungeons, but I've got some concerns about how controllable such a tiny Ori looked on screen and the Minecraft game is an obvious attempt to copy what DQB did right the first time. DQB still looks a lot better, and DQB2 is beating them to market with four player online coop, so Minecraft Dungeons isn't exactly breaking new ground (pun intended.)

On the bright side, the Wasteland 3 trailer (https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/wasteland-3) was rather hilarious.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 11, 2019, 10:35:30 am

Please save us Nintendo. This E3 is disappointing so far.

Ubisoft entirely passed on any news about Beyond Good and Evil 2 - that spells trouble.  The Gods and Monsters game looks pretty neat though - colorful and expressive with a lot of visual comparisons to Breath of the Wild, but I'll need more than a few seconds of non-gameplay video first.

And then Square fumbled in the evening with news that the long overdue Final Fantasy VII remake wasn't arriving until spring (why is everyone looking for spring 2020 dates this year?) On the other hand, its coming to Switch, too, but later than the PS4 release.

I'm not so into PC games, but I reviewed the list anyway. One item caught my eye though. Its been 30+ years since the tabletop PRG was introduced, but it looks like Paranoia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_(role-playing_game)) is finally getting a video game (https://store.steampowered.com/app/858030/Paranoia_Happiness_is_Mandatory/).  That was one weird RPG that rewards silliness, not questioning authority, and good hygiene more than fighting baddies for experience. The video game itself may not be all that good, but it should be one of the funniest all year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 11, 2019, 01:51:43 pm

Quote from: JG on June 11, 2019, 10:35:30 am

Please save us Nintendo.

Challenge met. That very well may have topped the E3 presentation from two years ago when they showed off the Ballad of the Champions DLC, Mario Odyssey, and Metroid Prime teaser. That was quite an impressive showcase and the majority of it was 2019 stuff, too.


The Dragon Quest Hero (maybe all 11 of them!?) are being added to Smash Bros Ultimate. The Luminary from DQ11 is the one they premiered, but the one from DQ6 was playable as the game paused for a second to have him cast a spell. The others may be special attacks though. (I want to see Eight in super-high tension Dragovian mode as the ultimate finisher.)

Luigi's Mansion 3: The video wasn't all that impressive as the narration was lousy, but the Gooigi feature looked neat. Its coming this fall.

The Dark Crystal Tactics: I was immediately stoked when the old elf appeared and for a split second thought it was too good to be true until the crystal appeared. I'm an old fogey now but I used to watch The Dark Crystal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Crystal) all the time with my brother when we were kids. I had no idea they were making a Netflix series, but the game looks incredible - it looks like a Jim Henson stop motion film, and its got the same gameplay as the Final Fantasy Tactics games, so this has immediately jumped to near the top of my wishlist. And until the last 2 minutes of the presentation, this one was my most welcome surprise. It didn't say when, other than 2019.

Link's Awakening: The ability to create your own dungeons out of parts you've played through to get bonuses like a fairy bottle is a neat trick to add some depth to another wise out-of-date game. Seeing Link smile when he caught the fish makes me think this game may be very expressive like Wind Waker, which I'd much appreciate. September 20.

Trials of Mana: The sequel to Secret of Mana, which was originally only released in Japan arrives early 2020.

Witcher 3: Meh, seems no better than the other platforms it was already released on. Sometime before end of year.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses: I'm not really into the Fire Emblem series, but this looks astonishingly so much like an anime its hard to tell its not. July 26.

Resident Evil 5 and 6: I was sorely unimpressed by both the gameplay on screen and the two scared teenagers in the video. At this point, I can't keep track of which RE games are available for which system, because there's too damn many and they get remade every few years. Knock it off Capcom. Fall 2019 for both of these.

No More Heroes 3: Also not all that impressed by the jerk of a hero, and very little gameplay in the video. Sometime 2020.

Contra: Rogue Corps: Seems like a neat game for a party. 4 player local and online coop. I'm not sure I can accept a Contra game as viewed from behind the player rather than from side though. Sept 24.

Daemon X Machina: OK, but didn't interest me much. Sept 13.

Panzer Dragoon: Sega is apparently rebooting the series.  I hope its more Panzer Dragoon Saga, and not just flying around like 1/2/Orta because Nintendo's had Star Fox fill that role (PD was in fact a reactionary clone of Star Fox.) Since the Star Fox series has sucked for the last decade, I've actually been kind of hoping Sega would bring Panzer Dragoon back to life on the Wii U/Switch and glad to see its finally happening. I'm a little worried at pace of pay though, because the gameplay and dragon flight seemed achingly slow compared to the faster paced Star Fox Zero. Winter 2019/2020

Pokemon Sword & Shield: We saw this already, and doesn't interest me, but I thought it was a nice touch to introduce some data exchange between these two and Pokémon Go using that Pokéball Plus device. Closer interaction between the Switch and phone/tablet games is a desirable outcome.

Astral Chain: I was turned off by the lack of character animation. Also anime-ish, but the mouths hardly moved when talking. Couldn't quite figure out what this game was supposed to be. It and Daemon X Machina seemed a little too much alike. August 30.

Empire of Sin: I'm not sure about his one, but I'll grant that 1930s gangsters makes for a more interesting shoot 'em up than all the modern or futuristic warfare. Really haven't seen Tommy guns much outside of the Bioshock games. Spring 2020.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order: I don't see how this is too much different than earlier Marvel coop fighting adventure games but fresh off of Avengers Endgame and X-Men Dark Phoenix in theaters it has promise of being a decent seller. July 19.

Cadence of Hyrule: A rhythmic battle RPG based in the Zelda universe. Can play as either Link or Zelda, so should attract some young girls to a mostly male-dominated series. I don't think I saw a release date on this video.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020: I think this one was obviously on the way.  Looks sharper than the Wii/Wii U games, and I liked how they switched the sprint from 3D mode to a classic Sonic-style 2D side scroller mode.   I didn't see a release date, but I'd imagine it arrives before Christmas, rather than next year. (The other Mario & Sonic Olympics games have always preceded the Olympic games by half a year or more.)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: As expected, delayed to March 20. I'm not into the series, but I can see it being a sleeper hit thanks to Switch's mobile mode. A lot of people could be playing this on subways and buses next year.

Banjo-Kazooie also being added to the Smash Bros roster as DLC. Couldn't be sure or not, but seemed to offer a new side campaign set in the Donkey Kong universe with King. K. Rool as the villain.


And then Nintendo dropped an absolute bombshell to close the presentation. Watch the video (https://e3.nintendo.com/) if you want the full surprise (About 45 minutes after video begins.)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Breath of the Wild 2 is far along in development.  Rumors that it was underway and using the same engine as BOTW have been around since last year, but I wasn't expecting them to show off anything until at least next year. What really wowed me was that its a direct sequel, not a new Link in a different era. Zelda may be playable as she and Link are pictured together and she has short hair which would aid in carrying weapons and shields on her back. Apparently they're deep in the caverns under Hyrule castle, releasing some kind of zombie apocalypse upon Hyrule, with Wind-Waker style dark fog spreading around and corrupting things. Could that be Vaati returning as the big baddie?

Curiously, no mention at all of either Metroid Prime 4 or Mario Kart Tour. MP4 got restarted in January so its still a long ways off, but Mario Kart should be hitting phones within a month or two.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 12, 2019, 08:18:34 pm

Nintendo showed off more of Trials of Mana today than Square did Monday. Of course, neither showed anything new of DQB2 which has me a little miffed. (And news that the demo wasn't arriving until June 27th didn't help.) I don't think we needed two full sessions of Super Mario Maker 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, and Astral Chain though - the Tuesday session was enough and would have liked to have seen different games this afternoon.

But a nice touch from Nintendo when the power went out in the convention hall this afternoon during the Treehouse Live feed. If you've played Adventure of Link, you'll agree.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 13, 2019, 05:36:22 am

E3 Top 5
----------

5. Panzer Dragoon -- Having only played Orta and Saga, i'm glad Sega is willing to give this series another shot, because there's nothing else quite like it. A sweeping fantasy aesthethic combined with on-rails shooting action? Count me in.

4. Link's Awakening -- Eager to dive back to basics after playing so many 3D entries. Love that the visual style is reminiscent of Yoshi's Story.

3. Luigi's Mansion 3 -- Very happy to see this franchise return to form on a big boy system. The lighting sold me on it.

2. Final Fantasy VII -- The production values for this game are absolutely insane. I can't believe how different that first boss battle was compared to the original. If Squeenix can maintain that quality throughout... then wow.

1. Trials of Mana -- One of my dream games from my childhood was to see Secret of Mana in 3D. Well that came out last year and hardly anyone was impressed with the low budget graphics. So to my surprise they announce not only an official localization to 1995's Seiken Densetsu 3 after many gave up hope, but they also announce a 3D remake that gasp, doesn't look low budget at all! :bluetoad

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 13, 2019, 04:52:48 pm

Mine:

Dishonorable Mention: Battletoads (Xbox One) -- This should probably go to Halo Infinite, but I'll give it a pass until next year despite the concerns over delay and the likely requirement of an X or Scarlett to play it. Final Fantasy VII almost belongs here for missing yet another calendar year, despite being in development twice as long as Halo 6, but it looked solid so its spared. Ultimately, its the gameplay in Battletoads that has me most worried as ruining something I was previously very interested in. I liked the cartoony look and feel of Battletoads, but on some of the gameplay scenes (and there weren't enough of them) just too much stuff was happening on screen at the same time to figure out what was going on. And the racing sequences look to be just as hard as the originals, but now viewed from behind the player instead of side, making it even harder to see and dodge the obstacles. So while its visual appeal is an A+, the rest is kind of a mess and I'm not so sure I want spend my money on it anymore. FF7 and Halo have better chances at my wallet. This doesn't mean Battletoads is the least likely E3 game I'd buy (Daemon X Machina fits that bill), but the one that suffered the most loss of interest for me (whereas games like Daemon X Machina and Cadence of Hyrule had little to start with.)

Honorable Mention: Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory (PC/Steam) -- I don't expect this to be particularly good, but it'll bring back some fond memories and a few laughs so I might give it a chance if its priced right and a void opens up in my gaming schedule.

5. Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch) -- LM is a great series and surprised its been a franchise for 18 years and only on the third game. The first two have very poor replay value though so the Scarescraper mode helps a lot. Still, as a mostly solo player I can't expect much replay once completed so I can't mark it very high. The new slam technique to weaken the ghosts seemed very overused to me during the gameplay videos.

4. Gears 5 (Xbox One, and PC) -- Returning to the Locust's mountain fortress the guys raided in an earlier game (#2 I think) makes for an interesting storyline connection. I really would have liked to have seen gameplay in the video, particularly any new weapons or grenades. If you get to shoot at and dodge baddies during that wind-sailing sequence though...

3. Link's Awakening (Switch) -- This looks even better than I expected, but I'm not sure if I'm sold on the blurriness at the screen edges (hope that is an option in menu.) The Treehouse: Live video pointed out a lot of things like how the insides of each house sport different things on the walls so they all feel a little different. And replacing the Camera Shop with Dampe's build-your-own-dungeon segment gives a bit of Mario Maker feel to it too. Funny bit of the Treehouse video where creator had built a dungeon and then challenged Aonuma-san to play it (which would be like asking George R. R. Martin or J.K. Rowling to proofread your novel.) Yet Aonuma took up the challenge, and then proceeded to crush the creators own playthrough time by nearly half. The master at work.

2. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics (Switch, and others) -- I've been waiting a long time for a Final Fantasy Tactics-style game that doesn't require super-micromanagement of forces (see Fire Emblem) and sad Square hasn't revisited this, as Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift was great. I have a soft heart for the The Dark Crystal, and seeing the TreeHouse: Live video this afternoon showed me the gameplay is indeed of the classic Tactics style without overcomplicating it, so it has me quite excited. I wish they showed some non-battle mission gameplay, but the developers said it does have sidequests and a world map, so it seems to be lining up well as a modern incarnation of a FFT series game.

1. Trials of Mana (Switch) -- Moge and I are in (rare) agreement that this is the sleeper hit of E3. While the graphics don't look cheap, I don't think they were all that special either: the trees were quite basic spheroid shape and everything still looks to be aligned to a grid pattern but if I can accept that for Link's Awakening then I can for Trials as well. I'd expect the story and enemy fights to be the real strength, as Secret of Mana was awesome in these regards. I loved how they kept things like the ring-shaped command menu, too. They said it would be fully voiced, like the Secret of Mana remake, but the Treehouse playthough of the first 20 minutes was subtitled only. Unlike the SOM remake, they gave more expression to characters during cutscenes - the opening bridge scene of the SOM remake was an absolute fail because of the unchanging facial expressions. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujF9CZJyshQ) The battles are also viewed from behind player instead of overhead, which looks better for a 3D game. So while the Secret of Mana remake looked like original game with 3D graphics and bad cutscenes - this looks much more polished and as a new story to most (including me) it will be more enjoyable. The only bummer is that we have to wait until to next year to play it.


I really wasn't expecting much this year beyond Gears 5, Halo 6 (which didn't even show up), and Battletoads (which underwhlemed) for Xbox, Sony's near complete absence outside of FF7, and Nintendo bringing what I thought was weak sauce in the form of Luigi's Mansion and Pokémon, but was pleased with the overall outcome thanks to NOA being much better at marketing and promotion than the other guys. Next year could be outstanding though, with Halo 6 back and Nintendo bringing perhaps both their new project (https://e3.nintendo.com/news/a-legendary-sequel-is-revealed/) and Metroid Prime to the party, plus several things we don't know about yet. (Doesn't it feel like about time for a new Donkey Kong Country or Mario RPG game? And where's Grezzo been since 2017's Ever Oasis?)
:luigi

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 19, 2019, 09:54:52 am

Quote from: JG on June 13, 2019, 04:52:48 pm

And where's Grezzo been since 2017's Ever Oasis?

Read an article this morning that had a translation from an interview Aonuma-san gave during E3 last week.  Nintendo handed off Link's Awakening to Grezzo mid-way so his team could focus on Breath of the Wild 2. Makes sense; after all Grezzo did the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask remakes, so Nintendo trusts them with Zelda IP.  Still seems like Grezzo should have more than just this game on the way though. They should have had most of 2017 and maybe early 2018 to be working on their own project(s)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 28, 2019, 01:13:48 pm

Unknown how long it will last, but Amazon is offering preorders of Final Fantasy VII Remake for an impressive 30% off. (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZS80PC2) Check the checkbox, and then when you go to checkout its $18 off the regular edition, or $24 off the deluxe.  Can't beat those prices even with the Best Buy Gamers Club discount (which will have expired for most by then anyway.) Still get the Chocobo Chick Materia as preorder DLC, too.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 02, 2019, 05:38:12 am

Playing Trials of Mana currently has gotten me interested in Grezzo's output. Ever Oasis in particular interests me given your favorable review and the hearsay that it's a spiritual sequel to the series.

I have a far wider variety of games i want to play at the moment than in the past 5 years. Surprisingly i haven't touch Splatoon 2 competitive in the past few weeks. That's a new record since the game's launch.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 22, 2019, 01:49:21 pm

Finished the Dragon Quest Builders 2 main story yesterday. Some good and some bad in comparison to DQB1. Total main game time averages maybe 50-60 hours, after which you're free to continue building for as long as you want.

Good:

• A more consistent storyline start-to-finish. DQB1 is broken up into four chapters, and they don't rejoin until very late in the last chapter. Unless you're committed to it, I suspect many casual players give up on DQB1 early in the very hard second chapter, after investing so much in the first and then basically having to start over in a new town.
• There's a lot more materials with which to build, with many more colors available. Some things like roofing only had one option in DQB1, but DQB2 offers a several different types and colors. There's also more doors sizes, so you aren't stuck with only 2x2 doors. And fencing, so you can make parks, paddocks and fields.
• Bigger rooms and a taller building space, increasing from 100 tiles to 143 and a high of 24 (16 in shared areas) to now 48.
• Better integration with your main island. DQB1 has it distinct and it doesn't impact the main story chapters in any way.
• Rewards for building different types of rooms, other than just the ones required by the storyline.
• Your townsfolk will build the mega structures for you, though sometimes it requires you doing the first 5-10%. This saves a lot of effort and lets you focus on smaller, more manageable items (like housing or adventuring outside the town.)
• Townsfolk have professions and building rooms they want (like a cookroom for a cook or fields for a farmers) makes them happy and increases the amount of gratitude hearts they periodically produce.
• Late in the game, building rooms to exactly fit townsfolk preferences becomes a matter, encouraging creation of different rooms with different sizes, decorations, colors, and styles instead of everything looking the same.
• There's a snapshot mode to take photos, but it isn't apparently useful until you get the photo framing decoration, which lets you make wall art or a gallery of the photos you (or others) have taken on your adventures.
• Puns are still a part of the game, keeping it line with the excellent naming features of the later DQ games. (SquareEnix has hands-down the best English localization department.) Unfortunately, a lot of these are lost on enemy attacks or death phrases, like a skeleton saying "I broke a rib!" or a cyclops saying "I blinked..."
• Likewise, the residents of the three major areas all speak with different accents and mannerisms. The farmers have a country side drawl (slurring vowels), the miners are Australian (dropped Hs), and the castle guards speak high English (no dropped letters and exclamations like "By Jove!")  The later DQ games always make you feel the world is vast and filled with different people, unlike other games where everyone mostly speaks the same. A few characters have additional accents of their own, like a hilarious soldier girl who speaks Californian Valley.
• So far, no one's mentioned a room count limit on their home island. If there is one, its sufficiently high to continue encouraging building. DQB1 had a limit of 100 rooms, after which no new rooms would be counted unless some existing ones were destroyed - forcing you to either scour the island for "useless" rooms like hallways for which you could remove the lighting fixtures to regain a spot in your room limit count, demolish buildings you spent time making, or start a new island to build something entirely new. I went through four islands of designing in DQB1 thanks to this limit, and probably didn't use more than 20% of the island's territory to make any of the four. In other words, the island in DQB1 is much too large to fully utilize (especially outside that southern harbor area) while DQB2 seems to make better use of more of your island (the mountains seem to limit you to about 60% though)

Bad:

• The story only loosely follows the DQ2 events. DQB1 was highly integrated with the towns, events, and histories of the first DQ game, but this one only slightly. There's Malroth, and the big baddie Hargon, and a few tie-ins (such as Castle Moonbrooke) but for the most part its independent. I was hoping for something as integrated as the first game. (Part of it might be due to SquareEnix entirely developing the first game, while Koei-Tecmo's Omega-Force team - the same group that did the DQ Heroes games - took the engine and updated it for the sequel, with less input from SquareEnix.)
• The button layout is worse than DQB1. Its hard to get used to after playing DQB1 so much, and some of the buttons, particularly switching tools and talking to people, collide if someone's nearby.  Too often you have to leave the room and get Malroth behind you instead of in front or to the side to enable tool selection.
• I wish the room size was bigger still. 143 doesn't even let you get a 15x10 room, so rooms you want to be big (like a throne room or castle foyer) still feel cramped. (Why 143? It's twelve times twelve minus one. The maximum tile count for different room sizes follows this n-squared-minus-one pattern, for the numbers 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12.)
• In the first three areas, at one point some of the townsfolk will run off and immediately come back with practically all of the materials needed for your megastructures. Only the fourth area makes the scavenger hunts your responsibility. I don't think they needed to gift the player quite so much, or at least, not all at once. (Maybe if they'd given you 5% per game day, and you could speed up the process by supplying your own material.)
• Your base upgraded by making the rooms fancier with decorations in the first game. This one upgrades by collecting enough gratitude hearts. Maybe a little more realistic, but the first game required some scavenging to find those items, while in the sequel you can just sit in the town and eventually the populace will create enough to enable the upgrade.
• Enemies are too tough and there's too many of them. I don't expect every enemy, especially later in the game to go down with one swing, but even your basic enemies late in the game are taking 30-50 hits to kill. Its wearing out the Triangle button on my controller hitting it a hundred times or more consecutively for a 45 to 60 seconds trying to kill a mob of monsters.  Too often you just need to run away to get away from the mob and regroup so you can face one or two monsters instead of a half dozen or more. Which coincides with...
• There's too many "Get off my ass!" moments. Not just the mob of monsters spawning as quickly as you can kill them off, but enemies will also attack you on your home island right in the middle of trying to do something important when you just wish they'd leave you alone for a minute and let you do your designing. (Post-game gives you a way to turn off enemy spawning, but its a little late by then.) Malroth is around to help do your fighting, but he usually doesn't do anything until you've taken the first hit. If he was more proactive in keeping you safe when occupied with building tasks, it wouldn't be as frustrating getting knocked off a ledge or having to stop what you're doing to tackle a monster. (Particularly ghosts at night.)
• After returning to your home island following completion of the first major game area, you need to a build a little village with some farms and a cookhouse near a river you create.  All of which seems like a fun idea, but the area is hilly and full of rocks you won't be able to bust until after the third major area. It really needed to be flatter and less rocky to encourage better development for farmland. (The second and third areas are much flatter and would have made better areas to get a player's feet wet in designing their own town.)
• Too many Animal Houses needed (and lights around them) to safely secure your livestock from ghost attacks at night. This is not explained in any way until you suddenly discover all your cows and sheep are dead and need replacing from another island because they aren't fast enough to escape the ghost attacks or strong enough to take a beating all night.
• Nothing was done to fix the "window facing problem" of the first game. When you place a window, the outside always faces you. This requires you to build high ledges on the outside of buildings to put windows above ground floors, when all the designers had to do was turn it around so you could set the window in place from the inside or give some option to change orientation/rotate the tile. Getting windows and a few other tiles like them into proper facing was a headache in the first game, and downright mean in the second with enemy attacks added.
• Little need to revisit the major islands after you've completed them. You can mine a few items and maybe learn a recipe or two from the townsfolk, but I would have preferred an in-story reason to return.
• Lights still shine through solid tiles at corners. Ay nighttime, this can cause strange highlights along exterior walls or floors from a light placed on the other side and should have been a fix from the first's game engine.

So while DQB2 will certainly offer a lot more in the post-game than DQB1 did, I'm doubtful that its a better game. Its good, just not as good as the first (assuming you can overcome the difficulty hurdle early in DQB1's second chapter.) I gave DQB1 my game-of-the-year award last year, but DQB2 isn't going to make it two in a row - its just left too much to be desired to put it heads and shoulders above the first game. (And DQB2 has tougher competition this year. Leader in the clubhouse right now is the excellent Spider-Man.)


On a side note, Best Buy still hasn't sent out the pre-order redemption codes and is starting to take public heat for it. Amazon and Gamestop both did it release day or by the day after, but BB is on day 10 without any full response on their forum (only a "We're looking into it" message a week ago.) For many years Best Buy has been my preferred and recommended place to get video games, but since dropping their Gamers Club Unlocked discount program and now fouling up two order bonuses its becoming questionable that they're the best place to go now except for the few games with a $10 rewards bonus. (I never got my Ring of Power collectible for Shadow of War and was simply told they ran out by the time my order was fulfilled without ever offering any substitute to make up for it.) I've already ordered the FF7 remake from Amazon thanks to their limited time pre-order deal during E3 week since my Gamers Club discount will have expired by then and if Best Buy drops the ball on the DQB2 preorder (which is digital and costs them nothing but happy customers) than I'll be changing my preference away from Best Buy. Except for Black Friday deals and the rare pre-owned thing I stopped buying from Gamestop for similar bait-and-switch concerns (receiving opened and possibly preplayed games instead of sealed copies when buying "New") and I won't hesitate to move off of Best Buy for similar reasons if the bottomline price is going to be the same.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 13, 2019, 05:54:41 pm

Need to get around to trying the DQB2 demo. I played about 30 mins of the DQXI S demo and i really liked what i played. Before that though i want to finish DQ4 - the first and only DQ game i've sunk a lot of time into. I was about 10 hrs in i think and dropped it for another game.

Link's Awakening is out next week. Looks damn good but i'll hold off for a holiday sale since it's not too far. Think i put Link's Awakening in my top 3 Zeldas awhile back. Need to dig thru this thread and find where i placed it.

River City Girls is really darn good. I'm already liking it much more than Scott Pilgrim (the last big budget RCR style game). One big change: food items to not raise stats and instead just restore health; you beat enemies to gain levels like a normal RPG, which isn't too different from Wayforward's last beat em up, Double Dragon Neon. Highly recommend playing that game too if anyone hasn't yet.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 20, 2019, 08:52:22 pm

DQ4 so badly needs a modernization remake. I still think its the finest in the series (and only bested by Skies of Arcadia and maybe Xenoblade Chronicles on my all time list.)  DQ8 comes close, but I think DQ4 is a deeper, more solid game. Modernized with improved character graphics like we see in the DQ Heroes games and voice acting to match would put it over the top. DQ11 is pretty good though and comes in third place in the series for me.  I liked these three more than DQ5 which a lot of people name as their favorite. (DQ5 does offer the best replay based on marriage choice - I'll give it that.)

I actually think Link's Awakening is one of the worst in the Zelda series.  Not Tri-Force Heroes silly-bad, but its surprisingly short and I don't think its aged well. I would have much rather seen an Oracle of Ages+Seasons or Minish Cap remake, as these are much longer. It's been about 19 or 20 years since I last played Link's Awakening DX, and remembering little about it, I still finished the first two dungeons in the hour and a half I played earlier tonight - that's too much progress in too little time these days. Its also got that damned blurry haze on the overworld screen, and that's given me a headache.

The DQB2 demo is.. well it sucks. I found it very boring, filled with tedious tasks and not enough building, which is what the game is really about. It got good once you leave the island at the end of the demo, but I fear the demo probably turns people off more than it turns people on.  Play both the DQB1 demo and DQB2 demo. I've been told there's more building tasks in the DQB1 demo.
If you want to see what's possible, you can view the photos I've taken in-game at https://en.dragonquest-builders.com/detail/?c=nsANdr6AWK (https://en.dragonquest-builders.com/detail/?c=nsANdr6AWK) Most are the buildings and scenery I've made, but a few are visits to other peoples islands or just funny photos or things I liked.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 05, 2019, 05:48:54 pm

Those with a mild interest in Dragon Quest Builders 2 (or want a grown-up version of Minecraft) and haven't been bit by the bug yet can now really enjoy what the game is fully about in the new "Jumbo" demo.  The first demo covered about an hour to hour and a half of the game, didn't give you much to do other than introductory tasks a single time, and overall is quite boring and made for a poor demo in my opinion. Well, apparently SquareEnix finally caught on and released a new demo today that provides the entire(?) first main story island as well, upping it to about the first 12-15 hours of gameplay. The Furrowfield island has some real tasks, exploration, and building activities to perform as you rebuild a ruined farm town and bring green life back to a swampy, soiled land. Save files carryover from demo to full game, too, so recommend giving it a shot before Black Friday when its likely to be on discount.

EDIT: Target's Black Friday ad has PS4 version going at $29.99 (https://www.bfads.net/stores/target/ads/black-friday/page-14), and likely Switch version at same price (along with Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, if you haven't found a way to buy these yet.)  Likely to see Gamestop and Best Buy match or better.

EDIT #2: Best Buy (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/black-friday/video-game-ad/pcmcat1568908730654.c) will have same at just $24.99.  (Target mysteriously still beats them on some of the other video games like Super Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Aces Tennis, despite Best Buy having 24 hours heads-up on what their competitor was doing.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 11, 2019, 04:24:45 am

Beat the new Link's Awakening a couple weeks ago. Still a wonderful game after all these years that's made even better. Short, sweet, and best of all has challenging puzzles that aren't too hand holdy.

Another game i beat recently was Dragon Quest 1 (the SNES version). Kinda was taken back at how short the game was. Happy to have finally beaten my first DQ game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 13, 2019, 11:54:09 am

Quote from: Moge on November 11, 2019, 04:24:45 am

Beat the new Link's Awakening a couple weeks ago. Still a wonderful game after all these years that's made even better. Short, sweet, and best of all has challenging puzzles that aren't too hand holdy.

Another game i beat recently was Dragon Quest 1 (the SNES version). Kinda was taken back at how short the game was. Happy to have finally beaten my first DQ game.

I found Link's Awakening to be a let down because it was so short.  Even with all of Dampe's challenges, it came in at a mere 13 hours of gameplay for me. I didn't mind the original being that brief, but these days that's pitiful. It's ranked right up there with Mega Man 3 and Star Fox Assault as the most disappointingly short games I've ever bought. I'm still of the opinion a port of Oracle of Seasons + Oracle of Ages would have made for not just a better overall game, but a longer, more enjoyable experience more worth the money. Frankly I'd rather see original games instead - the new Breath of the Wild sequel of course, but a new Toon Link game would be nice too as its nearly 10 years since Spirit Tracks and over four since the much less impressive TriForce Heroes.

That said, I did like the new make-your-own dungeon bits Dampe provided, but they were just too easy to solve. The only challenge came in the very large ones like the original LOZ Level 8 / Skull shape that made you plan out how to use your limited connecting pieces to completely fill out the entire area.


Speaking of short, Luigi's Mansion 3 isn't quite as long as I'd hoped for either. Its only in the 20 hour range for the solo campaign (including finding all gems and Boos) and doesn't offer much replay value. Probably better value with multiplayer added, but I don't judge games on that aspect. The controls are pretty weak, as well. Too often I felt like I needed an extra thumb to control the right trigger, a right hand side button, and right hand side joystick all the same time.


You'll have to forgive how simplistic Dragon Quest 1 was compared to more modern RPGs. Its 33 years old after all. But outside of Super Mario Bros, and possibly Legend of Zelda, its arguably the most important game made for the NES. Its one of those games that sets the standard by which others in its genre are measured.

Now you've got a choice. You can either move forward to tackle Dragon Quest II, which is longer and certainly harder (hardest of all of them) but has a deeper story, or you can try your hand at Dragon Quest Builders and see how wonderfully it integrates to the DQ1 story.  If DQ1 is too basic of a story, then you could also jump forward to DQ4. The first three form a trilogy but have little character development, while DQ4 really hit the character aspect hard and makes you want to see how their stories unfold - its one of my favorites of the series.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on November 14, 2019, 01:58:38 am

Quote from: JG on November 13, 2019, 11:54:09 am

Speaking of short, Luigi's Mansion 3 isn't quite as long as I'd hoped for either. Its only in the 20 hour range for the solo campaign (including finding all gems and Boos) and doesn't offer much replay value. Probably better value with multiplayer added, but I don't judge games on that aspect. The controls are pretty weak, as well. Too often I felt like I needed an extra thumb to control the right trigger, a right hand side button, and right hand side joystick all the same time

Fun fact there: You can use the shoulder bumpers to do all the important face button actions. L for plunger, R for flashlight, L + R for dark light.

Yeah, I don't know why they don't just tell you that at some point either.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 20, 2019, 04:57:30 am

Can't say i'm a fan of unnecessary padding in games. With so much to play these days i rarely clamor for lengthier games.

20 hrs sounds like the ideal game length for the kind of game Luigi's Mansion 3 is. Haven't gotten around to trying 2 (and probably never will), but i've heard so many complaints that the game overstays its welcome.

I've decided i'll play the DQ games in order alghough i'm playing Octopath currently so it'll be a while before i play the next game. I was really taken back by how good the writing is for such a simple game. Puts Final Fantasy to shame actually.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 20, 2019, 05:16:26 pm

I still like the original Luigi's Mansion's mechanics. It was simplier to control and better used both vacuum and blow to uncover the hidden location of ghosts, some of which were quite well hidden. Dark Moon and 3 are basically just walk around, ghost appears without much effort needed to find them, vacuum it up and continue. 3 is certainly better than Dark Moon but I feel it could be so much better than it is. It could certainly offer better single player replay value, of which is has very little since its pretty easy to 100% the solo stuff. Neither Link's Awakening or Luigi's Mansion have really made much of a dent in my DQB2 playtime - they both hung around 5 or 6 days and then got out of the way. At $50+ I need Nintendo to give more fairly deep games like BOTW and Mario Odyssey. I don't think Link's Awakening or Luigi's Mansion 3 are really worth full price as short as they are. Don't get me wrong, I don't want 200+ hour Xenoblade 2s. I just don't want these little 10-15 hour adventures.

Dragon Quest has always bested Final Fantasy for story.  FF4 and FF5 are quite good, and FF6 isn't as good but passable. But the writing gets lame again by FF7 - and FF8 is well.. rediculous. Even the less well written DQs (3, 6, and 9 in my opinion) stand up well to FF4 or 5.

Let me know if Octopath Traveler is worth it or not. I'm still on the fence but if its cheap at Black Friday I might jump for it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 27, 2019, 05:03:30 am

Not sure if i'll continue playing Octopath. I'm put 16 hrs into the game, but i'm finding the lack of any party interaction and the constant character introductory stories to be killing my motivation for playing more. The character stories and the overarching story about the world and big baddie aren't terribly interesting. It's a very pretty game no doubt and the soundtrack is wonderful, but i don't think that's enough to carry the game for me.

For exceptional stories in the Final Fantasy series i would look to the Matsuno directed titles: FF Tactics, FF XII (half of if anyway before Matsuno left), and Vagrant Story (secretly an FF game with ties to XII).

I'm quite eager to see DQ4 mobile ported to Switch someday. I've heard the 1-3 DQ ports on Switch have sold quite well in Japan, so 4-6 are bound to arrive at some point.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 27, 2019, 07:46:50 pm

Something new this year. As we close out the 2010s I'll count down my Top 25 Games of the Decade. Today I start with the Honorable Mention, and places 25-21. This is my own personal preference and does not necessarily reflect my year-end assessments of years past. Perhaps I replayed a game later or gave more thought to it after the fact to deserve a higher or lower grade than I gave it at the time. Perhaps a sequel appeared to diminish the first in some way. But ultimately, games that have either been replayed or warrant a replay became the deciding factor in how I'd order this list.  I'll still give a Top 10 Games of the Year on the 31st, as I always do, along with my Most Anticipated Titles of 2020 and a Top Consoles of the Decade list as well.


Honorable Mention: Plants vs Zombies 2
2013 - Android, IOS
This was a fun little game for a while. It tended to go on and on though and didn't move the needle as much as the wonderful first title which you could sense you were coming to the end and provided some closure. I really wanted to add this to the top 25 though but just couldn't justify dropping any of them out.  I don't know what #27 might have been but nothing comes to mind as belonging in the same class as the top 26.

25: Halo 4
2012 - Xbox 360
While not big on FPSs, I though this one was solid, and the graphics (especially Cortana) were a major step up from Halo 3. It barely makes the list though on the strengths of cooperative multiplayer scenarios. I don't want to compete and lose to other players all the time, but I don't mind joining a squad and playing a part. The fact it was a totally free DLC add-on, with no "Season Pass" cost, and only the basic Xbox Live required to play made it one of the very few multiplayer games I played (and enjoyed) of the last decade. It did have problems with the Forerunners being a little too tough (their shields would recharge faster than yours) and the awards thresholds for the dog-like enemies being far extremely too high (you'd need to play about 20,000 matches to complete the target.)  I was sorely disappointed they stripped all this fun(ctionality) out of Halo 5 in favor of more competitive modes, and tying multiplayer only into the campaign mode which was always designed for single player, not multiplayer.

24: Star Control: Origins
2018 - PC
I was rather hyped for this, as it had been 22 years since the previous Star Control (3), and Star Control 2 (or now its more modernized, open-source port, Ur-Quan Masters) still sits with arguably the highest honors in my All-Time Hall of Fame (with FlatOut II/Ultimate Carnage being its only real competition for the top spot.)  The game was kind of a disappointment though.  It followed a little too closely to Star Control II's story, including reusing some of the same jokes and events. And despite being billed as a prequel, trademark restrictions prevented them from reusing any of the alien races from the "true" Star Control history, which made it less of a prequel than an alternate universe, for which the application of the "Star Control" name in the title seems forced and only meant to generate sales from people like me who were fond of the original series. But those of us that are fond it, would have disliked how overtly similar the story is to SC2.  (It's a similar complaint people have with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, being much too similar to A New Hope.)  It's a decent game on its own though. Wonderful, fully voiced dialogue like Ur-Quan Masters, with each alien race having some quirk and difficulty that it seems only humans can solve for them. And the 3D rendered planetary exploration was fantastic, but only for a while. You spend too much of the game in this mode though and the game slows to a crawl too much as you grind for materials to upgrade your fleet or satisfy some objective. And I never got the sense that humans would be exterminated if I failed, like you do in UQM. So for all the grand aspirations Origins has, Ur-Quan Masters still stands as the best space opera game ever developed.

23: Gears of War 3
2011 - Xbox 360
Probably the best game of the Gears series thus far.  The story is engaging, with humor (Baird), loss (Dom), and that unspoken love interest between Marcus and Anya that's been building for three games.  It has well-paced battles and the vehicle sequences are great. Unlike Halo, in which you always seem to be on offense, breaking further and further into enemy lines, Gears  of War 3 had a very early "defend the base" stage which really sets the mood and gives you that feeling of desperation that humanity is on the verge of losing the war. But then a candle in the dark and an assault on the Locust stronghold to end the game, with an exhausted Marcus finally removing his do-rag at the end. An appropriate end to the original trilogy. Bravo. If I was bigger into FPSs I'd have probably ranked this higher but I'm not so it gets a (perhaps undeservingly) low placement on the list.

22: Xenoblade Chronicles 2
2017 - Switch
I was a little worried this would follow the disastrous, MMO-style path taken by Xenoblade Chronicles X but thankfully it returned to a story-driven format closer to the first. Its a really great RPG, except for the fact that you wish you could upgrade peoples' skills earlier (especially Poppi's) and the randomness of the mechanics to unlock rare Blades rather ruins the fun.  Some of the Blades are so incredibly rare that you can literally spend dozens of hours just trying to grind for that one Blade rather than moving the story along.  It thus takes a long game that should fit in the 100-120 hour timeframe and extends it well past the 200 hour mark, into "too long" territory. Some way to fix this by trading your unwanted materials for higher chances to get the Blades you need to complete the set was needed and not present, which sours the overall impression of the game.

21: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
2017 - Switch
This is a truly fun little strategy game.  Its a little odd seeing Mario and crew run around toting guns, but its handled well, applying Mario-series Toadstool Kingdom themes to the weapons. The Rabbids really steal the show though, especially Rabbid Peach and Rabbid Mario, which are hilarious throughout the story. If you like games that require a little bit of thought and planning, but want something lighthearted, this is it. We really need a sequel. (For a game that got such good reviews and remains one of the best selling third-party titles for the Switch, its amazing we haven't heard of a sequel yet.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 28, 2019, 06:01:09 pm

20: Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
2015 - 3DS
Sadly, the last of the Mario & Luigi series is perhaps best or second best (I personally think Partners in Time was the best.) Its a pretty good mini-RPG, and bridges the gap well between the M&L series and the Paper Mario series, with Paper Mario able to do his "flat" things in the otherwise normal Mario & Luigi world.  This was a little worrisome prospect after how awful the previous Paper Mario entry, Sticker Star, was in 2012, but Alphadream really did it better than Nintendo themselves. Of course, Alphadream made some serious errors afterwards and went with remaking not-so-old games rather than advancing to a Mario & Luigi 6, and found their way into bankruptcy, carrying much too large of a develop staff for only producing a new game every several years.  Now if only Nintendo would get Paper Mario back to how it used to be, closer to what Mario & Luigi was than the Sticker Star type of nonsense its become. It's a shame the wrong series of the two is the one to end.

19: BATTLETECH
2018 - PC
Since Microsoft has utterly ignored its ownership of the BattleTech/MechWarrior IP it bought about two decades ago, we'd gone a very long time with a new video game in the BattleTech universe.  Thankfully the creators of the original board game and the late-90s Microsoft-developed MechCommander series got together, started a new company, and gave us this wonderful gem under license.  It's "close enough" to the board game, without getting bogged down in some of the rule minutia, albeit there's some tactics that work in the video game that don't in the board game and vice versa, and due to copyrights some of the "facts" about the universe had to be changed to fit the license, but its good enough. MechWarrior 5 just launched this month, making it two years in a row with a non-Microsoft-developed BattleTech title, after going 16 without under Microsoft's careless watch. Even if you don't know anything about the BattleTech universe, but like big mecha and turn-based strategy, BATTLETECH can give you want you want.

18: Mario Kart Tour
2019 - Android, iOS
As you'll later read in my 2019 review, this had real potential to be a big star, but Nintendo nerfed it too much to force people to spend real money to make the game winnable at a consistent rate.  Even as a free-to-play its not bad. Not Mario Kart 8 quality, but for less powerful phones and at zero investment cost, we can tolerate it. And "tolerating" it is sadly the best you can hope for. Its just very frustrating to be sliding all over the tracks and getting hit by objects while watching yours go right through the AI-controlled karts. You can outdrive the computer, but the poor controls will get you facing somewhere you don't want to go, take a corner way too wide, or screw you over with enemy attacks. Mario Kart 8 was much more balanced (though still very prone to "screw you right before the finish line" moments.) The Multiplayer mode has been very slow to come along (only in beta now) and we also haven't seen characters from outside the Mario and Donkey Kong series yet, which may indicate the roster will remain small but with lots of "outfits" for each character (Peach already has 4 or 5).  If you want something close to Mario Kart 8 but want it to on the go (without taking your Switch), MKT might fit the bill. But it could have, and should have, been a lot better.

17: Ever Oasis
2017 - 3DS
Grezzo had made a business of remaking Zelda games from earlier consoles for the 3DS series (though they co-developed TriForce Heroes.)  Embarking on their first unique title, they gave us this wonderful little game that reminds us a lot of Zelda and Square's Mana series, among other things. Being a tiny bug-size creature has nods to Pikmin, and the ancient Egypt art style is enticing. It's cute, its fun, it's unique. If you've played out the Zelda series, consider Ever Oasis as a next-best thing. And now that Grezzo is past the Link's Awakening remake, I hope they're given a chance to show us what they can do with a full fledged Switch game, whether its an Ever Oasis 2 or something new.

16: Super Mario 3D World
2013 - Wii U
I really like playing Mario games in this third person view. It's not quite side-view ala original NES/GB/SNES games, but also not the odd camera angles of the 3D games (64,Galaxy,etc.) And it's significantly less difficult than the "New" Mario series, which kind of drummed all the fun out of it by demanding too many hard challenges to open up all the pathways. This game is more lighthearted and has a lot of really fun bits. The new catsuit is a riot. It's not going to wow you with replay value, but its comparable to Super Mario World. Given the lackluster sales of the Wii U, this is probably the mainline Mario game the fewest people have played (excepting GameBoy games), which is a shame. I'm kind of surprised this hasn't made it to a Switch remake yet. Its certainly good enough to deserve one.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 29, 2019, 04:20:56 pm

15: Super Mario Odyssey
2017 - Switch
Moving on to another Super Mario mainline title, this one narrow edges the previous entry in the series. The good is that it feels like Super Mario 64 did - with a lot of hidden Power Moons and none of the wonky gravity effects in Galaxy games, which I felt were too unfamiliar to the classic Mario gameplay. The bad is that there's too many of the dang moons (880) and many of them are simply unfeasible to get without becoming a video gaming ninja master. I don't like games that can't be 100-percented by regular players though a reasonable amount of playtime, and that's what knocks an otherwise fantastic game down several notches on this list. It also suffers from poor replay value (though many Mario games do) and some really ridiculous minibosses in the form of rabbit-like Broodals (when the Koopalings would have made better choices.) But the absolute worst feature is Amiibo breaking - many of the Amiibo reveal too many of the secrets, spoiling the game quite a bit. Its a very good Mario game, but we've seen better, both in previous decades, and this one...  On the bright side, Super Mario Odyssey carried my Moment of the Decade: The 2D tour-de-force that is the New Donk City Festival, a highly enjoyable oil-can jumping stage leading to an arcade-style Donkey Kong level map at the end while "Jump Up, Super Star!" plays in the background. Definitely the single best level in the game. Maybe the best in any game. (Discussion for another time.)

14: BioShock Infinite
2013 - Xbox 360, PS3, Windows
As I said, FPSs aren't my forte, but you wrap a good story around it, I can get on board. An hoo boy does this one deliver on story. As a game its nothing special, but the story works out like a mystery, with the pieces only coming together at the very end in one of the greatest twists even seen in a video game. As good as the stories for the first two BioShocks were, this one even exceeds them. For me, it was easily the most well written video game story of the decade (better than any RPG or Last of Us, which I only though was 'meh'.)  If only the gameplay was more like the first BioShock it would have been truly stellar.

13: Dragon Age: Inquisition
2014 - Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Windows
I didn't know what to think of this at first. A buddy had gotten two through some kind of Groupon deal and offered me one for free. Though I eventually settled on a "I'll try it and if I like it I'll pay for it" deal with him. He ended up getting $20 for it because it was so wonderful I thought free was too much of a ripoff.  I'd sort of known about the first two games, which were nothing particularly special, but this one had a whole new style of gameplay, mixing a tactical battle system with hack-and-slash surprisingly well.  Its story wasn't too bad either, though some of it might have been better with a recap of the earlier two Dragon Age games for those of us that had not played them. The world was incredibly large and its story had multiple branches, so it had high replay value. It's really quite good and garnered a lot of GOTY attention in 2014, then basically disappeared from store shelves by the end of 2015. Its shocking that BioWare still hasn't brought a fourth chapter of the Dragon Age series to market after 5 years. GOTYs usually don't wait 5 years for a sequel unless something horrible has gone wrong in development. I hope not.

12: Spider-Man
2018 - PS4
Superhero video games usually aren't up to snuff (Superman 64 being notoriously bad) but this one is excellent, easily superior to Batman's very-average Arkham series. It's a lot of fun swinging around a recreated Manhattan Island and Queens, seeing the sights of a lot of famous structures like Central Park and Grand Central Station, but also some Marvel-infused locations like Avenger's Tower or the Sanctum Sanctorum of Doctor Strange. The story is entirely unique, but reuses all the things we expect from Peter Parker/Spider-Mans life: a job working for Dr Otto Octavius, who goes mad, helping out Aunt May at her homeless shelter, sharing his grief with a teenage Miles Morales, a devious mayor Norman Osborn, and crime all over the city that only Spider-Man can stop. The bad guys are all onboard too, from the little known ones like Hammerhead and Silver Sable up to the more familiar Doc Oc, Vulture, and Electro. You really get the sense that you have to play both parts - Peter Parker's seemingly uninteresting domestic life and the vigilante superhero of Spider-Man. You don't even really need to know much about Spider-Man's backstory other than the obvious stuff gleaned from the movies to enjoy it. Its so good I'd recently bough the GOTY edition just for the added DLC (cheaper than buying the DLC alone.)  Without Spider-Man, the upcoming Iron Man and Avengers games probably wouldn't be generating as much noise as they are.

11: Bravely Default
2012 - 3DS
Best classic turn-based RPG of the decade - that I've played (maybe Octopath Traveller is better, but haven't played it yet.) It feels like Final Fantasy V did, with job classes for each character, but they did it right and didn't allow skills learned in one class to carryover such that you end up with super characters capable of doing anything. A nice story that seems rather basic for the first half of the game, but gets deeper as the mystery unravels in the second half. They also kept the team to the same four characters thoughout the game, instead of expanding the cast to include too many extras (which most RPGs stumble on and ruin by trying to either balance averaging experience for all members or concentrating only on the powerhouses.)  It is a little on the long side, but has really good graphics for a 3DS game and has just the right difficulty and intrique. If you like the classic RPGs, especially of the mid-Final Fantasies (4-9) this one should appeal to you as an alternative.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 30, 2019, 12:34:38 pm

10: Hyrule Warriors
2014 - Wii U, 3DS, Switch
There was something very pleasant about this game. Like a Zelda game that doesn't behave like a Zelda game, but a hack-and-slasher. It worked in all the favorite characters from Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess pretty well, too, giving something of an explanation for how and why there's so many Hyrules that all look different but have common elements between them. But the gameplay is solid and rather challenging, with good replay value to retry levels with a different hero (or different weapon for the same heroes) to earn different rewards. And the Adventure Mode gave hundreds of hours of extra content, reminiscent of classic Zelda 1 Hyrule maps letting you navigate your way to the hidden items and final battle on each map though more than one path. Of the Dynasty Warriors crossovers, it wasn't just the first, but clearly the best as neither Dragon Quest Heroes or Fire Emblem Warriors match up well against it. And that blue scarf of Link's was an epic design choice - I so wanted an outfit in Breath of the Wild to give me a Blue Scarfed Link.

9: Dragon Quest Builders
2016 - PS4, Switch
"Minecraft, but better" is how most sum up this game. Its got a similar open world and building block quests, but give it better graphics and wrap an alternate history Dragon Quest story around it, paying homage to a 30 year old fan favorite and you've got a hit. I could not put this game down for months. The PS4 version is also rather hard to complete all five challenges in each of the four chapters (though the later Switch version softened it up significantly, so its not as good.)  If you enjoyed the first Dragon Quest, this is a must to have seen how things may have gone differently had the hero had not been as virtuous as the normal DQ1 ending presented him to be. This certainly would have been considered for the top 5 had Dragon Quest Builders 2 not one-upped many of its features this year. Of the two, DQB1 pays greater homage to its namesake title than DQB2 does though, and is sufficiently difficult to better please veteran gamers (of whom most DQ1 players are)

8: Dragon Quest XI
2018 - PS4, PC, Switch
While I said Bravely Default was best classic turn-based style RPG of the decade, its beaten out the wonderfully deep DQ11, being a more modern tennis-style RPG (where each character responds at a different rate rather than all at once.) Since IX was for a handheld it didn't feel like a mainstream Dragon Quest, and since X was never localized, fans like me had been waiting for 13 years for a "proper" mainline Dragon Quest game. And it delivers in a big way. A bit slow to start, but after 5 or 6 hours it gets moving at a good pace and keeps the interest up. And just when you think its over it starts a whole new adventure. And just when you think that's over, it does it again! (At least you could see it coming the second time around in Bravely Default.) The cast of characters is wonderful, the story is well written, and its adopted the same humor, localized speech, and naming puns that proper Dragon Quest games should always have. It feels like a proper sequel to 2005's excellent Dragon Quest VIII. Truly an epic game, that belongs right up there with numbers 4, 5, and 8 in the series as the best of the bunch.  If looking to play, get the S version for Switch which incorporates the classic overhead 2D mode (of the 3DS version in Japan) and a lot of new features that aren't present on the PS4 and PC versions.

7: Kid Icarus: Uprising
2012 - 3DS
Best tunnel shooter Nintendo's ever made? Its not Star Fox. Nor Star Fox 64. It's this masterpiece. Its got everything Star Fox has, but many more monsters per level, more intriguing bosses, a wide array of weapons to choose from, and a much deeper story. Plus an 89-point sliding difficulty scale (from 1.0 to 9.0) for high replayability. As well as true internet competitive multiplayer, beating games like Mario Kart 8 by over two years. Perhaps it just came out too early in the 3DS lifetime to gain the attention and accolades it deserves as one of the best games on the system. And while Pit, Dark Pit, and Palutena continue to appear in Smash Bros games, I keep holding out hope every year for an announcement of a sequel at E3.  Given the excellence of Uprising versus the rather mundane Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (or Other M), I'd honestly rather see a new Kid Icarus than Metroid Prime 4, especially with the Star Fox series taking a nose dive into Corneria's oceans over the last several outings. We need a proper tunnel shooter on the Switch and its time to give the Pit Crew another chance to shine.

6: Super Mario 3D Land
2011 - 3DS
Another early 3DS title, this is the Mario game that holds the crown of best in series for the decade, far superior to the two "New" Super Mario games that preceded and followed it. It has the right amount of difficulty, in line with the original SMB or SMB3, slightly tougher than Super Mario World, but not as fargone as NSMB, or as weakly easy as New 2 or New Wii. Being able to reserve a powerup item made for good use of backup items for the tough areas, return of the Tanooki Suit, and new powerups like the Boomerang Flower (which is now a staple in Mario Kart) made this a wonderful entry in the series.  And when you finally do complete all the stages with Mario, you unlock Luigi, who handles a little differently, and you must replay all the stages again with him to fully complete the game. It also makes good use of the 3D mode of the 3DS, making it appear more realistic than Super Mario 64, or the Galaxy games, despite the stages being more linearly designed like the classic NES levels. It perfectly matches the best of both worlds (despite being a Land title and not a World title)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 01, 2020, 12:41:52 am

Before counting down the final five of the decade, these are my top 10 of 2019.  Some of these games came out in prior years but first played this year. I also indicate my platform played, but some are available on other platforms.

10: God of War (PS4)
D-. God of something alright. What a mess. I really can't understand how it was garnering game of the year honors last year. Maybe if you'd played the original trilogy and knew the full backstory and how to use Kratos's attacks, it would be better, but the game practically throws you right into combat, with no recap of earlier events or decent tutorial on how to use your axe.  The targeting reticle is tiny and doesn't home in on enemies well. Too many of the puzzles and even the very first mini-boss require near perfect control to succeed. There's no cue of where to go next if you get stuck - I'd spend several minutes looking around for hidden switches or just the right position to stand at to the trigger the next sequence. And just when I thought we'd finally start ascending the mountain instead of just talking about it as we got closer, we end up at some lake and portals to different worlds that it wants me to clear before going up the mountain.  It has very pretty terrain graphics, the voice acting is good, and the developing story between father and son seems very intriguing, but the game itself is a hard pass.

9: Wreckfest (PC)
D. Finally, FINALLY after 11 years Bugbear returns with what was billed as proper sequel to FlatOut 2, aka FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage (my obvious choice for game of the decade for 2000s), since FlatOut 3 and 4 produced by other developers didn't live up to the hype. Balloon busted. Bugbear spent so much effort on making the most realistic game they could, focusing on gravity, acceleration, and vehicle damage that they completely sucked the fun out it. What's worse, despite the name, wrecking is very, very bad in Wreckfest - almost certainly costing you a chance to win the race.  This is contrary to FlatOut games, which would reward you for crashing if you happened to take someone out with you. The end result is basically just another racing game, with a little bit of goofiness in the form of things like lawnmower destruction derbies and rocket couch races. But its not laugh out loud off the wall bonkers like FlatOut 2/UC was. Even Burnout Paradise comes closer to a proper FlatOut 2 sequel than BugBear could do.

8: Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U)
C-. I'd been wanting to play this for a few years and finally broke down to buy a copy. Its not all that great. Not nearly as bad as Sticker Star, but the battles are with a similar enough mechanic, often requiring your powerful stickerscards for bosses and refraining from using them for the normal weenies, which demands too much inventory management for a game that should just get on with it.  The Rock-Paper-Scissors games also kill the flow, by requiring you to wait a day before you can try them again.

7. Hey! Pikmin (3DS)
C. This got some bad reviews for breaking the mechanics of the first three games, but I kind of rather like it. You can't just build up a huge Pikmin army in the early stages and use them to coast to the end anymore and no need to manage them or split them into groups anymore thanks to some touchscreen buttons to select the right color. And frankly, the 2D gameplay is just easier - you're not throwing Pikmin where you don't mean to so much. On the flip side, its incredibly easy and so far the puzzles haven't been all that hard. But for a simple, lighthearted game to play for a half hour, its pretty good.  I'm not so fond of the control scheme through, having to hold my 3DS in left hand and use stylus with right.  I was able to do that with for the Zelda games on my old DS/3DS, but the much heavier New 3DS XL makes this a stamina challenge. And the game would have greatly benefited from using the 3D features of the system, instead of a strict 2D-only mode.

6. Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)
B-. Not bad but not all that great.  The different floors kept things interesting but there's only so much you can do in the game and once you've done it, there's no more reason to play except multiplayer competitive modes. I'm not sure it gives $60 worth of gameplay content compared to its peers.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch)
B-. A faithful remake, but perhaps a little too faithful. They did good things like simplify the Shield (instead of having to swap it into and out of inventory all the time), and of course prettier graphics, but the game itself isn't much changed, meaning it fits into a very short 10-15 hour timeframe.  The new feature to build your own dungeon with Dampe adds some fun, but only a few hours worth. (And a far superior building game available for play at the same time.)  it most certainly doesn't give $60 worth of gameplay, but I can recommend it when it comes down a good bit in price, especially if you haven't played this Zelda entry before. if you have mild interest, consider looking for it Black Friday next year. The blurry effect on the overworld still gives me headaches thinking about it though.

4. Mario Kart Tour (Android)
B-. A reasonable facsimile of Mario Kart 8, but fraught with problems that aren't easily solved except by paying for upgrade packs. The demo early in the year showed a lot of promise as potential game of the year, but the finished product lacked the same level of control and basically cheats to ensure you don't win in certain races regardless of how proficient you are. And over the last two months Nintendo's realized a significant problem: they've made some stages too easy for those that have bought the right packs for that level (right driver/kart combo), but much too hard for those that haven't and they can't seem to find a balance to please either crowd. At least this one was free so I can't feel ripped off by it.

3. Gears 5 (Xbox One)
B+. Now to the three good games. I haven't finished this yet, but its a pretty good Gears game so far.  Better than 4 anyway. I do wish there was some combat where you're riding a vehicle - so far I haven't encountered any - just vehicles to roam around the level maps (which are quite large by the way and help make the game feel bigger than it is.) It's also nice to see the Xbox One be able to brush some of its dust off after hardly any use the last three years.

2. Spider-Man (PS4)
A. As I'd said before, this is a really wonderful game. Its fun, not overly hard (but some bits are certainly a fair challenge), it handles "Spidey Sense" well by going into a slow motion mode, Spider-Man's attacks and acrobatics seem natural, and its got a very good story worthy of a Spider-Man movie. I've bought the DLC to give it a go, but after the main game, I sort of put it aside and haven't touched it since, which is why such a good game really didn't make it to my the top spot.  Definitely worth the money and as much a must-play for the PS4 as Last of Us.

1. Dragon Quest Builders 2 (PS4) - GAME OF THE YEAR
I know. I was hard on it in my post-game review and said Spider-Man was better. And at first blush, it was. But after replaying it a second time (and then a third, and then a fourth, which is almost unheard of since I was a teenager) I kept noticing little things that paid subtle homage to events in earlier Dragon Quest games (usually DQ2, but sometimes others.)  DQ1 was very obvious in how it paid homage, and maybe why I feel in love with it and subsequently gave DQB2 a tough review. But DQB2 has some true-fan jokes about cursed headgear, being afraid of being turned into a dog, and extremely obscure connections such as the location of Ra's Mirror appearing in exactly the same map square in both games, despite absolutely no need for it to be so except to pay homage to the earlier game. All the little tie-ins add up to a wonderful experience for a big DQ fan like myself. That and excellent post-game freebuild content that took a major step fromward from DQB1 in the form of online sharing, photo posting, and photo contests run by Square for special trophy prizes. (If curious, these are pictures I've posted from within the game (https://en.dragonquest-builders.com/detail/?c=nsANdr6AWK), either on my island or visiting others' - some are photos of my buildings while others are for the photo contests.) After five and half months I'm still playing this 10 hours a week. Few games can claim that kind of hold on a player. Given I spent at least 10 times as many hours playing this as any other game this year (except maybe DQB1 early in the year), it's just too hard to keep it out of the #1 spot, despite Spider-Man's overall excellence. My biggest complaint is the artificial locations they added when they could have reused actual DQ2 locations like DQB1 did.



And before the games, let's talk consoles and gaming platforms, too. These are the systems we saw come out in the 2010s and how they stack up to each other. I'm not counting the also-rans Ouya, Nvidia Shield, or Google Stadia. Nor am I considering mini-consoles like the "<insert name here> Classic".  Remodels (slim versions) don't count differently that original model.

7: Sony Playstation TV
Well it was a nice idea. A dirt cheap home console to play Vita games, that allowed remote play for PS4. But that's about it. Even Sony didn't think much of it, selling as more of an add-on like the Eye camera or Move controllers than a dedicated console. They didn't even include a controller with it. And naturally, it didn't appeal to hardly anyone and Sony pulled the plug after only a few months on market.  But they got very cheap, very fast, and I picked up mine, brand new, for just $19.99. I've hardly used it, but its nice to have a PS4 downstairs and a second device upstairs capable of playing it if I so desired (but the need to re-pair controllers between the two consoles all the time rather stopped me from doing it much.)

6: Microsoft Xbox One
What a complete disaster.  Xbox 360 was probably right up there with Wii for tops in the 2000s but so much has gone wrong with the Xbox One. It was priced too high to start, Microsoft made a very unwise decision to first drop the inclusion of Kinect (despite planning the entire experience around it) and then entirely removed functionality for it from the S series, relegating voice and motion play to Nintendo and Sony, and giving up any chance of competing with Sony for VR gaming. Removing the optical drive for the All Digital Edition had me very worried this was the path they'd take with the Series X, but so far this doesn't seem to be the case. (But watch out - if the Series X doesn't sell they'll drop the drive.) A lousy game library has hurt it too. Most of its "popular" games are also on PS4, and the few uniques its had are often regarded as significantly worse than earlier games in the same series (Exhibit A, Halo 5.)  With the (confusingly named) Series X on the horizon and Halo 6 almost being bumped off Xbox One in favor of the Series X, there's really nothing left to look forward to for the Xbox One. It's been a $500 paperweight most of its life.

5: Phones/Tablets (of more modern variety)
Mobile gaming continues to grow. Its not there yet but making big progress. It rather hurts that the games developed for Windows (or Mac) don't translate well to phones/tablets though or else they'd be moving along faster (and something like the Switch would have a more serious time competing.)  That Windows Phone way back seemed like the possible answer, but it flopped. I anticipated seeing some answer to the barrier between PCs/Macs at home and Android/iOS on phones, but so far nothing of note. So we're still seeing small, cutesy games on phones and tablets, or remakes of things 20+ years old, and all the new stuff still to consoles and PC. And until new stuff consistently launches to phones/tablets same day as consoles, they're still second class gaming devices. Unsure if the 2020s will bring that day or not. (Or if we'll even be carrying phones and tablets around anymore.)

4: Nintendo Wii U
I rather liked the Wii U. I thought it was a solid gaming platform. Just poorly named. (Exhibit B, Xbox 360 One One S One X Series X) The gamepad felt like it bridged the gap between 3DS and home console better than anything since the GameCube/GameBoy Player device years earlier, though I'm sad to see there weren't more games that did a GamePad + TV combo to simulate dual screens like the 3DS had.  It had some solid first-party titles too (like the aforementioned Super Mario 3D World) and being backwards compatible with most Wii games helped keep it played every so often, relegating the Wii itself to the closet.

3: Nintendo 3DS
Quite a long run the 3DS had. It came out in early 2011 and I'm still playing one (my New model XL, with Hey! Pikmin) this last week of the decade. Its had its swan song and has officially turned over the reigns to the Switch now, but its a been a wonderful little system. Of my top 25, eight of the games are available on the 3DS, a testament to its solid performance and longevity.

2: Nintendo Switch
If this came out earlier in the decade it might have been #1. It had quite a launch year though, with both a Mario game (Odyssey) and Zelda game (Breath of the Wild) blowing the competition out the water. All you need to know is how my local best Buy was organized in 2016 versus today. In late 2016, Nintendo occupied three racks in a five rack row, split almost evenly between Wii U, 3DS, and Amiibo. PlayStation and XBox One each had 6 or 7 racks. By early 2018, The Switch was running 5 racks to Xbox's 4. Now its 6 to 4 in favor of the Switch, with about half of the Xbox's rack space devoted to all the extra controller garbage and superfluous need to explain 3 different hardware models. (PlayStation has mostly stayed about the same, at 5 or 6 racks depending on season.) Things have kind of cooled off of late, as fewer blockbuster games have come along. (Pokémon being the biggest in a while.) Solid second tier games like Luigi's Mansion 3, Link's Awakening and the upcoming Trials of Mana for sure, but Switch could use that Metroid Prime 4 or Breath of the Wild sequel soon to really set themselves up as solid competition for the very powerful Series X and Playstation 5.

1. Sony Playstation 4
This was Sony's decade (again) - a lot of it has to do with timing, as they've had over twice as long at market than the Switch. And where the Xbox One looks like yesterday's news, the PS4 is still going strong with anticipated titles like Last of Us 2 on the way. And while many of my favorite games have since been ported to Switch, PS4 got things like Dragon Quest XI and Dragon Quest Builders first. PS4 may not have had the number of megahits that Switch and 3DS had, but its lineup was solid for me, producing a lot of good-not-great games (and baring God of War, no disappointments that I can think of.)  It's Blu-Ray player software is also more intuitive than the Xbox One and it won't turn the controllers off after 5 minutes like Microsoft does, so it plays all the movies now.  The run on the pair of DQB games over the last 13 months of the decade really settled this as the system I not only played the most, but enjoyed playing the most.



My most anticipated titles of 2020:

1. Trials of Mana (Switch, PS4, PC) - April 20 Yes.

2. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) - March 3 I really don't like the FF7 story much, but this looks so good and has so much hype I really can't help myself. I just hope its not glorified graphics on top of the same weak story the second time around. More side quests and subplots needed than just chasing Sephiroth around the globe while the Turks watch.

3. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC) - February 4 A proper FF Tactics style game has been long needed. I want to see a demo first to be sure its got it right. It seems unlikely I'll be able to see the TV show before the game comes out though which may hurt it a bit.

4. Halo Infinite (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC) - November-December? - If only to see how it ends. If it ends. I'm less interested to know what happens to Master Chief than I am Cortana and the crew of the UNSCS Infinity.

5. Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory (PC) - unknown I'm worried a release date still hasn't been set, or any more significant news since E3, but I'm keeping an eye on it, if only for the sake of humor.

6. Bravely Default 2 (Switch) - unknown I do not like the look of the graphics from the trailer. That would pass muster on the 3DS, but not on Switch. Also, count to three please (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bravely_Second:_End_Layer).

Metroid Prime 4 or Breath of the Wild sequel if they make it to 2020 (unlikely) Either would jump to top of list. But also no chance we hear about them until E3 or shortly prior.




And with no further things to discuss, the final five. Truly the best games of the decade in the opinion of yours truly.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2017 - Switch
I'm sure some people would consider this their Game of the Decade. It's good, its fun. And I really like how they put so much focus into the bow to reinvent the game from just a sword hacking adventure that so many other games have now copied. I sorely missed Kojo Kondo's musical score though. And too many of the dang Koroks. 900 is too much - they sidetrack you from the quest at hand. I did appreciate being able to tackle the Divine Beasts in a different order on a replay though.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2011 - Wii
The better Zelda game of the two actually. The Wii Motionplus sword fighting is okay, but far from great, but it really shines when controlling the Beetle. Its got an actual recurring villain in the form of Ghirahim instead of just an undefined evil swirl surrounding the castle, a deeper story, and a wonderful fully orchestrated musical score which makes the too quiet Breath of the Wild seem absent. I consider Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, and Ocarina of Time my favorites of the series. Breath of the Wild slots in after those three.  It doesn't offer quite as much replay as BOTW, but the New Game+ feature eliminates hearts from appearing anywhere in the game, requiring healing potions and the like to replenish health, making it a very difficult "master quest" of sorts - on par with the two NES games for difficulty.

3. Xenoblade Chronicles
2010 - Wii, 3DS
Wonderful from start to finish. Its really raised the bar for what a Chrono Trigger style of game should be, with more emphasis on teamwork than many other similar games. Fully voiced and epic background music. Romance and intrigue. Frustrations and elations. Its got it all. And the fact they took a gigantic Wii game and squeezed it down to fit into to 3DS cart, without losing anything but some graphics quality was very impressive (especially retaining all the voice tracks.) It's lone drawback is that its way too heavy on loot from monster drops. Too many times you have to stop and spend an hour or two refining crystals, because you've got too many and its inefficient to just discard them.  It's being republished for Switch with a release planned for the second half of 2020 - if you missed it early in the decade, consider it if it comes with any new content and/or a simplification to the loot/refining problem.

2. Dragon Quest Builders 2
2019 - PS4, Switch, PC
See above. It knocked the original DQB several spots down because its overall just a lot better for the free build stuff and contests that keep things fresh every few weeks. I wish it was a little more overt in its tie-ins to Dragon Quest 2 and didn't create things we haven't seen in Dragon Quest before, but it fits at #2 simply because I've poured a good 400-500 hours into it in a half a year. It's got me hooked. And I don't think I'll be able to free myself until a DQB3 comes along circa 2021.

1. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - GAME OF THE DECADE
2013 - Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Wii U, PC, Switch
Surprised? I was too when I started putting this list together and giving serious thought to what was the best game I'd played in ten years. And when it came down to it, every other game on this list had something I sorely disliked about it, while AC4 simply rose to the top by being the closest to perfection and satisfying a near requirement of the top ten to be played through at least twice (DQ11 being the only one that has not.) Sure, I don't care much for the present day Abstergo Industries subplot, but the quests for that plot are all pretty easy and don't consume a lot of time, letting you get back to the Golden Age of Piracy and return to being a rotten scallywag. Maybe it has to do with playing the role of a bad guy. I tried Assassin's Creed Unity (the 5th game in the series) and found it to be quite boring (and some sections too unforgiving after setting up them up for half an hour - feeling like a waste of time when you fail.) But being a pirate is fun. You can break the rules and sink boats and kill discriminately if you want, and not have any serious consequences for it. I think that's why the first two Assassin Creed games (which I've not played) were popular, and why AC4 is so much fun. When you play a hero, whether its an American Revolutionary War spy, or a French Revolution patriot, or Spartan soldier, you're expected to perform a certain way, with honor and dignity. Screw that and embrace being the badass for a change. The combat by either sword or flintlock was pleasant, and the parkour/freerunning bits were exciting, with just the right amount of pedestrians and not so many to be annoying as in Unity. The shipping contract fulfillment subquests are also satisfying as a bit of a resource management strategy game-within-a-game. But of course the high seas ship-to-ship combat and boarding actions steal the show. And it all melds with a nice story mixing both fictional and real pirates into a mystery. Of all the games on this list, I came to the conclusion that this was the one I'd be most likely to pick up and play again in 2029, as several are likely to be superceded by sequels to come, while this one has already proven to be the peak of its series. If you haven't tried it, give a shot. Except for the brand new Switch port, you should be able to find it relatively cheap.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 02, 2020, 10:19:37 pm

My top 10 for 2019 --

10. Umihara Kawase Fresh!
9. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
8. Link's Awakening

7. Nier Automata
6. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
5. Silent Hill 3

4. Ninja Warriors Once Again
3. Cuphead

2. Resident Evil 7 -- The franchise has been floundering a bit since Resident Evil 4. While the sequels that followed after were commercial successes, they incorporated less and less horror elements each time. While i enjoyed action RE, it was not why i became a fan of the series. To my surprise Capcom went back to the drawing board with 7 and gave hope to those of us who prefer horror RE, and boy did they deliver. The horror was tense, the action was superb, and the plotwas surprisingly very engaging. Not quite up to Silent Hill but it's a leap for the series.

1. Into the Breach -- This game flashed me back to those halcyon days when i was wholly addicted to Advance Wars. While not exactly the same type of strategy, it incorporated enough elements from AW while at the same time improving the formula in ways i didn't think about. Replayed this game so many times throughout the year thanks in part to the crazy amount of team configurations you can make.


Biggest Disappointment 2019 -- Octopath Traveler
Runner-Up -- Travis Strikes Again

Most Wanted 2020 -- Deadly Premonition 2
Panzer Dragoon
The Good Life
Moon Remix RPG Adventure
Streets of Rage 4
Resident Evil 3
Trials of Mana
Xenoblade Chronicles Remaster
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Bravely Default 2
No More Heroes 3
Final Fantasy VII
Breath of the Wild 2
Cotton Reboot
Ganbare Goemon 2 fan translation

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 08, 2020, 08:50:25 am

A couple of other games from last decade that are due some review:

Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
2013: 3DS
I liked that it was a direct sequel to Link to the Past, and a lot of Hyrule/Lorule was identical to LTTP's Hyrule so that it felt like a nice homage to the earlier classic.  The 3D effects helped, especially when falling down holes. But I wasn't too fond of the tool rental experience. I realize it gave some more open-ended gameplay by letting you explore where you want but with only one of the items, not a pair that were usually required to get to more advanced places. I think I prefer the more classical approach of earning tools as you go along, despite being more linear. The 2D merging into walls was a little weird, and I only found it used well for doing things we'd already seen in Paper Mario games, like squeezing through cracks in the wall. Overall, the switch-to-2D thing was done much better by Super Mario Odyssey. But I probably should have given this an honorable mention though as its probably the number 27. It's good, just not good enough.

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
2009: DS (Android and IOS in 2015)
I had to disqualify this because I'd played an hour or two of fan-translated SNES version on emulator back around 2000 or 2001. But it certainly would have made it into the 5-10 range otherwise. This is my second favorite Dragon Quest game, behind only the excellent DQ IV: Chapters of the Chosen. The monster recruitment is a little goofy, but its mostly optional so I skipped it where I could and stayed with a mostly human party. With three brides to choose from each with different characteristics (warrior, magician, balanced) and different dialogue for each, it gives some nice replay value for those interested. In my opinion DQ5 also has the best standard battle music of the series (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETRpiz734Sw) [others have better boss music though.] In most RPGs I get tired of battle music before halfway through the game (some, much earlier) but this one has the right amount of pep and variety to keep the juices flowing. Unfortunately real cartridges of the game in English are unicorn rare - a mere 60,000 in North America and 70,000 in Europe were ever made (despite selling over a million cartridges in Japan and over 6 million plus that the game as now sold across all systems and digitally.) It took me over six years to find a copy (without box or manual though), finally playing it for real in late 2015. If you come across a cartridge at reasonable price, consider buying it as an investment just because of its extreme rarity and series popularity, which outside of Japan is on an upswing of late thanks to remakes of 7 and 8, the new 11, and the recent Heroes and Builders spinoffs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 23, 2020, 03:16:41 am

My top ten for the '10s --

10. Resident Evil 7
9. Wii Sports Resort
8. The Last Window

7. Into the Breach
6. Mario Kart 8
5. Nier

4. Gunpoint
3. OutRun
2. Deadly Premonition

1. Splatoon -- Between the first and second Splatoon i've racked up over 2000 hours. You could say i developed an addiction, and only just recently (a few months ago) did i finally break from it. The visuals and rockin' jpop-like themes are fantastic, and the motion-controlled aiming combined with traditional 3rd-person movement offers a level of precision that's been almost exclusive to mouse and keyboard after all these years.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 16, 2020, 12:00:45 pm

Grrr. The Series X controllers are going to feature the same moulded shoulder trigger shape that the One controllers have. This has led to a lot of mistriggers in the past, where I mean to press LT/RT and hit LB/RB or both by mistake. Sony and Nintendo still (appropriately) put some space between the shoulder triggers so much less likely to hit both in error.  Almost always need two fingers to activate both triggers on PS4 and Switch, but Microsoft's design makes it possible with one. I appreciate the added texturing, but c'mon guys - stop making me reload in games when I mean to fire. Given the announcement that the new controllers are going to be about 10 percent smaller, this is only going to make the problem worse for my giant hands.

(https://compass-ssl.xbox.com/assets/f5/31/f5312190-8a62-4f06-8fb6-680a5c27fcbc.jpg?n=882009_Content-Placement-0_Controller-Trigger_788x444.jpg)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 17, 2020, 03:14:20 am

Can't say the shoulder button distance has ever bothered me. While i don't own a XBO, i do however own a XBO S controller that i use for fighting games. Modified mine to use Elite parts --

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZyCBkFuqiM/W3fWccPGG1I/AAAAAAAAEHw/ZNH9Sl9H_wY_rhT1O5zA3aopwfApavD4QCLcBGAs/s1600/sexbox2.jpg)

Definitely like what i'm seeing with the upcoming Series X controller. Lower latency and lower power usage are very much welcome features. Now if it had a gyro it would be perfect, but i guess i'll have to stick with the Procon and Dualshock for that. Been having a blast lately playing Resident Evil 2 with gyro aiming; i'd rather not go back to analog stick aiming if gyro's available (technically RE2 doesn't have it, but Steam has a feature to hack it in).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 19, 2020, 03:36:47 am

Well that PS5 tech reveal was really something. Definitely was not for the laymen, but i appreciate Sony had the nads to stream an extremely technical conference.

Seems the Series X has an edge in raw graphical performance over the PS5, while the PS5's advantage is that it can read data a bit faster off of the harddrive.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 19, 2020, 04:25:31 pm

Quote from: Moge on March 19, 2020, 03:36:47 am

while the PS5's advantage is

Games.

Games. Games. Games. Games. Games. And more games.

Xbox One had the edge over PS4 as well, and it still got thoroughly trounced because of the wide disparity in exclusive quality games. I have seen Microsoft make no plans to change this situation for the Series X, and it's in clear position to finish behind PS5 and Switch. I don't care about the technical specs - it just looks like more of the same Xbox One disaster to me. They need major exclusives on the 2-4 month timeframe the Switch and PS4 get, not one every 12-18 months they've given during the One's sorry lifetime. And they aren't ramping up to that speed when they get no help from the Japanese.

If I was Microsoft, I'd be sitting across the table from SquareEnix's board of directors, asking them how much money they need to get Dragon Quest XII finished in just 18 months, in exchange for console exclusivity. It's going to take a game of that magnitude in Japan to reverse Microsoft's terrible image there: so bad that the Xbox One is sold as a Blu Ray player, not a game machine. In the March 8 - March 14 week, Nintendo sold 57,726 Switches and 1,393 3DSs/2DSs in Japan, Sony sold 14,499 PS4s, while Microsoft sold just 53 Xbox Ones. That can't be repeated with the Series X, and yet, what makes anyone think it won't?

Also, Switch, and Wii before it, proved that graphical performance is not at all related to sales.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 26, 2020, 11:22:34 am

Today's pseudo-E3 replacement Nintendo Direct was a pretty big let down.  https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/03-26-2020/ (https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/03-26-2020/) if you haven't seen it.


Today's video was hyped to show off what Nintendo was planning to bring to the November-December timeframe to compete with the Series X and PS5 launches - assuming they both still meet their launch timeframes as well.  Namely, all the rumors had pointed to the Breath of the Wild sequel (and its subtitle) to be spotlighted with a November or early December release date. Plus news about Metroid Prime 4, Pikmin 4, and either a late 2020 port of either Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario 3D World or a 2021 preview of a new Mario-centric game, with a Paper Mario game being named a few places. I saw one site hint Mario Kart 9, but I find this extremely unlikely with MK Tour recently adding multiplayer support. And as I last reported, its time to put a stop to the Paper Mario games as bad as they have been the last several outings.

It was mostly remakes and ports of older games, a few indie eshop releases, and DLC updates for Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Pokémon, and news of a delay in the next Smash Bros character release (to June) but did identify the character as being one of the fighters from ARMS (but  didn't say which one.)

Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition set for May 29 is going to come with an epilogue chapter, which at least makes it somewhat intriguing, having already bought it twice already. But its a strong must-buy if you never played the Wii or 3DS versions. It's one of the best RPGs I've ever played. Loot heavy but otherwise absolutely fantastic.

Its going to have competition with Bioshock, Borderlands, and Xcom2 collections all arriving same day.  Bioshock is getting a little long in the tooth but all three games in the series are great. If it comes in at $40 or less I'd recommend it for those that missed them the first time around. The other two collections don't move me as much.

Bravely Default 2 is one of the few games covered that's farther out in the future than June. Looks a helluva lot better than it did at E3, which looked like it was running on 3DS hardware.  Can now see sharper graphics, smooth animations, and even some voice-acting. I like the idea of having both a main job and subjob - the whole single job class system has been overdone. Didn't put a release date so still sometime late 2020, but did say demo was available today.

One minor thing that caught my attention and probably overlooked by most others: News of impending Star Wars Episode I Pod Racer into eshop to join the new Jedi Academy game is a strong hint that the N64 Classic isn't coming anytime soon. That's one of the premiere games that certainly would have been included and makes little sense to put it in eshop if a N64 Classic as indeed in the works.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 01, 2020, 02:54:11 pm

I was pleased with the Direct overall. If you were expecting AAA game announcements in a "mini" Direct then lower those expectations :chicken

Glad i held off on replaying Xenoblade. Had a strong itch to replay it with the fan made HD texture mod, but now i can play a version with a bit more content and a shiny new graphical style. One thing that does concern me is that Melia's English VO likely won't be returning; apparently she's hit the big time on British television.

I never got to play Bioshock, although i had a strong desire to play it back in the day when it was making waves. If i ever do play it i'll just nab the PC version on the cheap.

Played a bit of the Bravely Default demo, and can confirm it'll probably be a day 1 purchase for me. The soundtrack is pure bliss to my ears with the composition team from the first game back on board. Don't think the demo is especially friendly to noobs with the amount of information it doesn't bother explaining, but as a series vet i can appreciate it not hand-holding me too much.

Most impressive game for me in the Direct is Ninjala, the Splatoon rip-off. Looks very promising, and i'm looking for something to fill that hole of a fun multi-player game ever since Splatoon 2 became stale to me. Being free-to-play does concern me, but i'll hold off judgment when it's finally playable.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 01, 2020, 03:41:33 pm

Quote from: Moge on April 01, 2020, 02:54:11 pm

I was pleased with the Direct overall. If you were expecting AAA game announcements in a "mini" Direct then lower those expectations :chicken

Glad i held off on replaying Xenoblade. Had a strong itch to replay it with the fan made HD texture mod, but now i can play a version with a bit more content and a shiny new graphical style. One thing that does concern me is that Melia's English VO likely won't be returning; apparently she's hit the big time on British television.

I never got to play Bioshock, although i had a strong desire to play it back in the day when it was making waves. If i ever do play it i'll just nab the PC version on the cheap.

Played a bit of the Bravely Default demo, and can confirm it'll probably be a day 1 purchase for me. The soundtrack is pure bliss to my ears with the composition team from the first game back on board. Don't think the demo is especially friendly to noobs with the amount of information it doesn't bother explaining, but as a series vet i can appreciate it not hand-holding me too much.

Most impressive game for me in the Direct is Ninjala, the Splatoon rip-off. Looks very promising, and i'm looking for something to fill that hole of a fun multi-player game ever since Splatoon 2 became stale to me. Being free-to-play does concern me, but i'll hold off judgment when it's finally playable.

Well it wasn't supposed to be a mini until the day of launch.  Since they hadn't done one in many months, the assumption was full-sized. It was nearly full-sized length, just weak on content.

All the Xenoblade voice staff is British.  Frankly I found the voice of Shulk (the main character) most annoying British sounding. I thought Melia's high-Victorian style of British kind of appropriate for her character. Can't really explain it without spoilers. XBC2 is better voiced, but its so god annoyingly long (250+ hours).  XBC1 is more appropriately sized in the 100-120 hour range and doesn't really have a dull spot.

Yeah if you can get Bioshock cheap for any platform, its worth it. Any of the three really. 2 is actually a pretty good game, but the story isn't as strong as 1 and Infinite, which are mind-blowing quality stories.

I still need to play the Bravely Default Demo 2.  I figured I've got plenty of time with FF7 and Trials of Mana on the near horizon.  The web reviews say it looks good but is very difficult for a demo.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 05, 2020, 10:51:00 pm

I realize its got new graphics and sound, an expanded story and whatnot, but if the original FF7 weighed in at 1.5 GB, and the Remake covers only the first sixth of the story (Midgar events) and tops 100 GB, its hard to say there isn't a fair bit of bloatware going on here. I greatly question whether making games this large is in the best interest of gamers - most PS4s spout a 500GB drive and the PS5 doesn't do much better with 825GB. 100GB is just too big for these drives.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 09, 2020, 04:52:33 am

The Bravely 2 demo will probably be difficult for anyone who hasn't played a previous entry (or even Octopath). There's so much in there that they don't bother explaining. The difficulty is otherwise pretty fair.

The production values for Remake are off the charts. Not surprised it's over a 100 GB.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 09, 2020, 05:57:45 pm

Were it not for COVID-19 shutting everything down, this is what today may have been like at E3 2020:

* Actual photographs of the PS5 system. We'll see it Thursday, but those would have been out no later than today. Actual pricing might have been saved for the keynote speech this week though.

* First hand experience from players for Xbox Series X and PS5 on the floor. We'd know how things look and felt from independent reviewers, rather than what MS and Sony are willing to tell us or show us.  These would likely be Xbox One and PS4 games (like Cyberpunk or Last of Us 2) souped up for the X/PS5 specs to show off the difference, with a smattering of X/PS5-exclusive demos.  I would expect the fast loading times of the PS5 over PS4 to be more impressive to reviewers than the graphics upgrades of either console. Halo 6 would be playable, but likely only on the Series X to put it in the best light possible.

* Paper Mario Origami King and the Pokémon DLC would be playable on Nintendo's floor. And possibly a few more games, such as Bravely Default 2. Whatever they've got planned for holiday season would probably be the focus and floor theme, not Origami King or the Pokémon DLC, neither of which seem strong enough to me as the floor theme. I don't know if this would be the so-called "Legend of Zelda: Dark Tombs" game (though I maintain Catacombs of Darkness is a far superior title translation) or the rumored Super Mario Odyssey sequel (which I'd like to see named "Super Mario Galactic Odyssey".)  Or maybe something else like a Donkey Kong game or Mario compilation to celebrate the 35th anniversary. I don't think we'd see Metroid Prime 4 Tuesday or Wednesday. Nintendo would save its big surprises for Thursday anyhow. I'd expect the next Smash Bros player (from ARMS) to have been announced today though.

* Sega would probably announce when and where to find their Game Gear Micro for the holidays. I don't think the announcement would go over so well. I think it needs to be reworked for western audiences (i.e., one unit with 16 games)

* All the major third parties would be announcing their big ticket games for the next year today, with the indie groups taking over Wednesday.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 10, 2020, 02:43:29 pm

I know Sony said they were skipping E3 before the virus wiped out everyone else, but imagine if E3 had taken place this week and right in the middle of day two, Sony announces they WON'T be showing the PS5 this week at all. Instead, only a few videos of games we already know to be on Series X and naming some future exclusive titles (which may or may not have videos)

This would utterly undermine the PS5 versus the Series X. And yet this is exactly the gameplan Sony is executing.

These continued delays continue to reinforce the rumor that Sony is having a very difficult time either controlling the cost, or ensuring enough component supply (or both) to ensure a worldwide holiday season launch. If it comes $50 or $100 higher than Series X AND misses the holiday launch window, that's a disaster. Its getting to the point where they may have to settle for at least one to keep a bad situation from getting worse and they need to start telling retailers which its going to be so they can get marketing underway. Sony has handed Microsoft a huge lead in the marketing race; everyone knows what it looks like, how it functions, and what its launch hook game is (Halo) - all that's missing is price. At some point, Sony's got to realize you can't spring all this on retailers at the last minute. Sega did this with the Saturn, and being both badly overpriced and severely underavailable (as PS5 may be), the announcement backfired dramatically with numerous retailers refusing to even sell the thing. I don't think retailers are going to jump ship on PS5, but if they aren't going to get as many as they want, or it isn't arriving by early December, they're not going to heavily market it for holiday season while the Series X is.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 11, 2020, 05:55:01 pm

Sony did show the PS5 console late in their reveal event.  Said they wouldn't, but maybe had their hand forced by retailers and reviewers who'd had enough of this dance.

No price (obviously), but fired a shot across Microsoft's bow with the Digital version, which probably comes in lower than Series X price while normal version comes in higher (as rumored). Xbox One S Digital Edition didn't do so hot in stores though, so maybe this is merely a means to deliver a sub-$500 unit for Christmas. It certainly looks better than the normal version with its bulbous BluRay drive sticking out the side. Sony's in a lot of trouble if the Digital version isn't at least priced to match Series X though. Don't want to see a $500 Series X, $550 PS5 Digital, and $650 PS5 Standard.

Of the 25 games shown, most gave no release date or specified 2021.  I counted just four announcing 2020 date: Spiderman: Miles Morales, JETT: The Far Shore, Godfall, and Bugsnax, though Hitman III pegged itself to January while no other 2021 gave a clearer idea. (Pragmata even declared itself for 2022.)  A Spiderman sequel is a strong launch title. The Master Chief has some competition this Christmas.

Turned off a bit by two games following the "Groundhog Day" / "die and reborn next morning" mechanic though - both Returnal and Deathloop incorporate this element. Too many games with the "decayed future, need to bring back green life" (aka WALL-E) storyline as well. I think Sony should have shown fewer games, with more focus on each so these similar ones don't get confused with each other.

This is it if you missed the video or don't want to bother watching it all. They look big to me.  At least as big, if not bigger than the original Xbox One, and much larger than the original PS4 (or even PS3). No pictures of it being set on side, but it looks more able to do so than Series X. It should still fit into television console tables on its side while Series X will be waiting on a Slim redesign to do same.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 12, 2020, 05:48:01 pm

Decent game line-up, weird system design. Being a stream it was hard to tell how much the games improved over last gen. Out of all the games shown, Rachet might have been the most obvious - lots of crazy particle effects, shiny raytraced surfaces, and a steady framerate.

Breathed a sigh of relief when they confirmed the DualSense has a gyro inside of it. The Dualshock 4 has served me very well over the past few years as my go-to pad on PC. I don't normally play shooters, but using gyro aim in games like Resident Evil 2 and 7 has made playing those games exponentially more fun than using plain old analog. The touchpad too has been a game changer when navigating the desktop or in a point and click adventure.

Most interesting games of the PS5 reveal --

8. Kena: Bridge of Spirits
7. Miles Morales
6. Stray
5. Project Athia
4. Demon's Souls
3. Resident Evil 8
2. Little Devil
1. Ghostwire

Don't think i like the system design. I see some prefer it over the XboxSX. Not me. I like the simplicity of the SX, although it's still too damn big (not that i would prefer to sacrifice power for size).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 13, 2020, 07:27:58 am

Quote from: Moge on June 12, 2020, 05:48:01 pm

The touchpad too

Best feature of the Dualshock 4.  Wii U and Switch obvious didn't need such a pad, but I was shocked to see the Series X controller not introduce some kind of feature for quick on-screen pointing. Especially given Microsoft's well-known obsession with mouse pointing in Windows. Missed opportunity.

I think the Ratchet & Clank game was most impressive as well.  I've never payed one in the series, but this preview was neat.  I liked the Halo-borrow of having NPCs ooh and awe when the heroes pass by them.  And real gameplay, too.  Not so fond of previews that only show captured motion video.  Fine when you're doing a surprise or first look (Breath of the Wild sequel), and it may sound silly, but if you're showing off the power of new hardware, you need to show off the power of the new hardware. FMV is old hat, and may not even be rendered on the same hardware (a major complaint of earlier PlayStation games whose commercials looked a lot better than actual games.)

If you get to do those massive jumps to move through the terrain, that Project Athia might be a winner, too.

Spiderman: Miles Morales looks to be the biggest seller for first few months, based on the masterpiece that was the first game. At least until RE8 and Horizon come along.

I liked the edgy plot of Deathloop. Might have some fun dialogue if its voiced as much as the demo seemed to be.

Somewhat surprising that in 25 games, not one of them was FF7 Remake Act 2. This tells me the game is much further downstream than expected (2022.)  I just can't imagine why one of your strongest future exclusives wouldn't be shown, if it were running same engine as Act 1 and therefore should have *something* to show.

The console design is getting mocked. Clearly not so popular.  I've seen it compared to a duck's bill, a Linksys wireless router, a floor standing air conditioner, a white ring binder, and even the Barclays Center (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barclays_Center).  Perhaps the most damning though, an original Xbox 360, given the offset hourglass shape and white exterior. If your design reminds people of your competitors product, that's not good. I've also seen someone remark that the inset fan design at the corner, with white tabs protruding beyond it will be prone to dust collection and that this is a sign that Sony chose aesthetics over proper cooling design (something Microsoft went all-in on.)  I think the digital looks striking but the normal looks goofy with its drive bulge (as if the designers didn't really want to put a drive in the expected location.)  I've seen a few photos sitting on its side now though which gives me some relief - at least I now know where I can put it while the Series X still confounds me as to how I'll be able to connect it near my TV without another table.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 17, 2020, 04:56:49 am

Word on the vine was that Final Fantasy XVI was originally going to debut but it got cut out at the last minute. Whether that's true or not, Square has a notorious reputation with announcing games too early. Perhaps they've wised up and will wait to announce their games at a more appropriate time.

An odd omission in the PS5 reveal was the lack of any fighting games. Combined that with the fact there's only one USB and USB-C port, i get the feeling Sony isn't taking the fighting scene seriously this time around. Of course there could be some USB ports on the back we don't know about.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 17, 2020, 10:45:47 am

Quote from: Moge on June 17, 2020, 04:56:49 am

Word on the vine was that Final Fantasy XVI was originally going to debut but it got cut out at the last minute. Whether that's true or not, Square has a notorious reputation with announcing games too early. Perhaps they've wised up and will wait to announce their games at a more appropriate time.

An odd omission in the PS5 reveal was the lack of any fighting games. Combined that with the fact there's only one USB and USB-C port, i get the feeling Sony isn't taking the fighting scene seriously this time around. Of course there could be some USB ports on the back we don't know about.

Some SquareEnix teams anyway.  Final Fantasies get announced way too early. (FF7 Remake announcement was about 5 years before they had anything to even show.)  This Avengers game seems to be have been too early, too and has gotten mixed up with Spider-Man (from Insomniac Games.)  Meanwhile the Dragon Quest games usually never announce anything until they have Toriyama's character designs to show off and maybe some screenshots. DQ12 already announcing by writer, but not officially by SquareEnix that I'm aware of.

Original PS4 has no USB ports on back - and badly needed them given the need to recharge controllers via unattractive USB cable sticking out the front. I don't know about Slim or Pro. So no certainty that PS5 has them either, though the case is so humongous that there's certainly room for them.  If not, one USB-A and one USB-C should be enough. Can use adapters to change one type to another or splitters to create one port into multiple - controllers wouldn't use full USB bandwidth anyway. Nor flash drives. The expansion drive is supposed to have a dedicated port on the back of the unit, rather than being USB-based. (It's probably an eSATA-derived port that Sony has modified to be proprietary so they can make extra money selling expansion drives.)

Now that you mention it, you're right there was no Tekken game or anything like that in the preview. But I really haven't seen too many fighting games of late since Super Smash Bros Ultimate arrived. Maybe Mortal Kombat 11 and Dragon Ball FighterZ are the only ones with any advertising I've seen. I know they're still making Street Fighters, DOAs, Soul Calibers and Capcom/SNK/Marvel games, too, but they're all second bananas selling in the 3-5 million range (compared to Smash Bros 19+ million.) Frankly I don't think 3-4 million is all that impressive for 20+ year old fighting franchises if newcomer ARMS can make it over the 2 million threshold.

Time for Microsoft to show off for Series X games beyond Halo 6 and Forza. Don't need 25 like Sony's presentation, but need to know what 2021 holds as far as exclusives. I have a feeling Series X will do very well between release and Christmas Eve, but then its sales will level off while PS5 sales continue to climb, unless the price difference between the two is much greater than expected (i.e., $150 difference or larger.)

I'd really like a new Nintendo Direct (even a Mini) to tell us what they've get in store this winter as well.  Xenoblade Chronicles and the collections for Borderlands, XCOM and Bioshock all just launched which I think were the furthest out titles from the March Mini with definitive release dates. Paper Mario: Origami King is just over the horizon (July 17) and they haven't dropped a Direct for it yet, which they do for almost all their first party games. Nor have they told us what is remaining on the 2020 calendar besides Bravely Default II (which isn't anywhere strong enough to compete with the PS5 and Series X launches.)  Where's that Super Mario 3D World Deluxe or Super Mario 3D compilation that was rumored for the 35th anniversary?  What's the Christmas season hook? BOTW2, Prime 4, something else? Some advertising for the Lego Mario series and Super Nintendo World at Universal Japan would help flush it out to a full-sized Direct, too. I'm hoping the wait for the Direct is because of the pending Super Nintendo World reveal, but they can't delay it too much longer with the Origami King release in a month. The Directs are usually a couple of weeks in advance of a game's release so if ones coming its got to be in the next two to three weeks.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 24, 2020, 08:34:05 am

Moge: That Splatoon-style Ninjala game from the last Nintendo Direct is supposed to be out today. Let us know your thoughts if you're giving it a go.

Also, now we really are to the point where Bravely Default II is the last thing on the horizon from last Direct Mini. I really expected a new Direct or Direct Mini by the time the Pokémon DLC launched, and now that's a week in the past, along with the Fighter Pass addition (Min-Min) that's been announced in the last few days, too. Backdoor announcing the fighter spells bad news that we might not get a Direct before Origami King launches - to my knowledge every other fighter was first revealed in a Direct. Still got a few weeks before Origami King, but two of things that could have been brought up in a Direct are no longer surprises.  Curious missteps from the Nintendo marketing department that's usually pretty good about promoting their stuff.

And Microsoft really hasn't replied to Sony's announcements of better looking games, new user interface, a larger launch set, and cheaper digital model. Xbox unit is dragging their feet, too.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 01, 2020, 05:45:17 am

Haven't played much of Ninjala outside of the training dojo in the demo. Game isn't as deep as Splatoon, but it has a fantastic presentation that makes me want to revisit the game. Well, i should since the main game is free.

Nintendo's been far too quiet when it comes to first party announcements, but the company is trucking along nicely with news sprinkled here and there. The next Paper Mario looks interesting the usual Paper Mario. I haven't been honestly interested in that series since the Thousand Year Door. At the moment i'm salivating to play Deadly Premoniton 2. It's very bizarre a cult classic like DP is getting a sequel, and from Nintendo of all companies. That's usually Sony's wheelhouse in reviving obscure IP.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 01, 2020, 09:40:54 am

Thousand Year Door is almost universally regarded as the best of the series.  First one isn't bad either.  But they lost a lot of luster with Super Paper Mario - just not very fun though the second half of the game.

But the wheels really came off with Sticker Star.  The whole sticker based fighting mechanic is awful. If you're smart, you're going to save your powerful stickers for bosses and late game, making these much easier than developers intended, and if you aren't smart about their use, you end up with bosses and late game that are really hard. Terrible game balance but I guess story was fair.  Color Splash repeated this mechanic (against the advice of reviews for Sticker Star) and that's why you haven't heard of it since or any rumors of a Deluxe port of it for the Switch. But Color Splash is also way to long. I put maybe 50-60 hours into it and only got to about the halfway point. The Ghost House is the last area I remember. (mariowiki confirms this is just shy of midway.)  Its the only one I've not finished because its too much Sticker Star but 3 to 4 times as lengthy.

I'm happy to see them drop the stickers and go with a new battle mechanic for Origami King, but can't say if its better or worse than the early games until its played. I cant imagine it being worse than the sticker gimmick.

Paper Mario shows up Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam where he acts more like the early games.  RPG battles, occasional 2D mode super attacks, and ability to use 2D tricks to solve story puzzles.

My autumn concern is that nobody's announced much of anything.  After Origami King, I don't think there's any game on my desire list until Halo 6 in November/December. (Yes I know Last of Us 2 is imminent as well, but not interested in it right now. Maybe Black Friday.)

I've picked up Witcher III Complete Edition when it was on ridiculous Deal of the Day sale at Best Buy a couple weeks back ($11.99 I think it was.)  It's gotten good word for last few years, but I didn't really take it seriously until it finished second to Breath of the Wild in Gamefaqs Game of the Decade (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/features/gotd_20) poll, and several of the games it knocked off on its way to #2 were very impressive: Mass Effect 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the new God of War (which I felt horribly overrated), Persona 5, and Skyrim. I haven't played all these games but thought each of them likely to beat Witcher III. Witcher III defeating them tells me it really is something special.

Oh, and the Cinderella of that Gamefaqs poll?  Xenoblade Chronicles.  Seven of the eight 1 seeds won their division, while Xenoblade Chronicles was a lowly 3 seed. (XC beat 2 seed Fire Emblem Three Houses before 4 seed Persona 4 Golden, which itself had just upset 1 seed Grand Theft Auto V. Super Smash Bros Ultimate knocked it off in the quarterfinal round.)  You guys really should get the Definitive Edition for Switch if you've never played it before.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 06, 2020, 08:27:48 am

Looks like a new Nintendo Direct is not forthcoming.  Nintendo's released a Closer Look video for Origami King instead. Its the same 5-6 minute video you'd have in a Direct, or what we probably would have seen during E3 presentation, but not baked into a bigger package to cover other upcoming news (like Minmin for Smash Bros, or what's coming in the fall/winter)

Origami King looks solid - appears to be bringing back buddies, including bad guys like Kamek and Bowser Jr. A wider array of game modes and puzzles should keep interest up. I'm a little concerned about pace of battles though. 30 seconds to do the line up at start of battle worries me that progress is slow if there's as many battles as previous games. Battles are already too long in the series due to Mario attacking slowly, and enemies having to give off their 'tell' before making their move and Mario having to dodge at least once before next attack. (Only the very early battles, or when you use a super item, do they end in the first attack turn.) I don't know if there's a term for it, but "turn turnaround" is very long in the Paper Mario and M&L series compared to RPGs from folks like SquareEnix.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 17, 2020, 04:50:17 am

DLSS might just be the single most significant advancement in graphics in the last few years. Basically AI is used to reconstruct whatever you're playing in low res and blows it up to a much higher resolution while consuming far less processing power than normal means. Seeing as how this is an Nvidia exclusive tech at the moment, i foresee the Switch 2 being built around this technology if and when it does happen (i predict in two more years). Sony and Microsoft launching their next system without this technology is a pretty huge loss, considering it would help reduce the overhead with raytracing.

Playing Deadly Premonition 2 at the moment. When you're not indoor and are outdoors, the framerate of the game is very, very rough; it dips below 10 fps quite often. Thankfully i can overclock the system and get a nice boost in fps on my hacked Switch, but i feel sorry for all the DP fans who absolutely aren't getting the ideal DP experience that i'm getting.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 21, 2020, 12:04:15 am

Today's long-overdue Nintendo Direct Mini was quite underwhelming.  Why wait until the first business day after Origami King launched?  Could have made a larger one a week ago with a Paper Mario segment.

Instead we see a remake, physical edition and DLC for an existing e-game, and three new games that aren't exactly going to win the holiday season for Nintendo. If Cadence of Hyrule is Nintendo's biggest game to end of year then that's worrisome.

On the other hand, Origami King is soooo much better than Sticker Star and Color Splash.  Some time back I said Paper Mario series should die Mario & Luigi live on, but Origami King is rescuing it.  Its still not Thousand Year Door quality, but the ring battle system adds some more thinking elements to the game and does away with the ridiculous "battle economy" system. Love the classic Mario themes that keep cropping up, like the trees with eyes or a cafe with hedges shaped like the hills and bushes in the background of NES Super Mario Bros.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 23, 2020, 07:03:02 pm

Thoughts on today's Xbox Game Showcase?

Only Psychonauts 2 wowed me. That game looks funky and bizarre. Not sure I'd buy it, but its the only preview that moved me from "indifference" to "interested."  Everything else was kind of what I expected, or merely meh. The Outer Worlds add-on looked interesting but if I want odd humor, I'll stick with pinning my hopes on Paranoia.

Somewhat surprised by what wasn't shown though. Battletoads in particular. For a game announced June 2019 at E3 for launch in Fall 2019, to not even be on the radar for 2020 indicates something is very wrong at Rare. Combined with the very rocky start Sea of Thieves got off to, I'd be very reluctant to go all-in on Everwild just yet. Especially since they didn't show a single second of gameplay.

Elden Ring and Spiritfarer as Xbox/PC exclusives from E3 2019 also missing in action, but I don't think they were as near completion as Battletoads was touted to be.

I don't like that apparently there's more Halo history happening between the games that isn't be described in games again. This was major complaint between 3 and 4 and again between 4 and 5, and plot elements only made sense to people that had read the novels and backstory shorts. The Halo Infinite preview seemed to just throw Master Chief and his rescuer into a Covenant stronghold with no explanation of why.  But I appreciate the more open-world design - it seems to be taking cues on how Gears 5 handled the gigantic desert and tundra areas with several well distanced hot spots, requiring vehicle travel between them. Some of the Bungie-era Halos touched on it, with smaller distances due to hardware limitations, but 4 and 5 were much too linear as I recall.

Missed opportunity to show off something family members can play together.  Surely some of the games are multiplayer (PSO2) or have multiplayer components (Halo, Forza) but not one of the games showcased looked like something two family members could sit on the coach and play together on the same console and same TV.  Even their video of gamers sitting down to play an Xbox game were all singletons.  Maybe that's their market focus, but when you don't compete against the likes of Mario Party, then you certainly don't win against the likes of Mario Party either. Maybe Forza has splitscreen mode, but wasn't shown in video. Didn't even have a fighting game (Killer Instinct?) which are always at least two player head-to-head. Battletoads would have fit in nicely here - not just for multiplayer, but a sidescreen scroller, sort-of fighting, and another non-drama or non-shooter, genres which dominated the showcase (as they've dominated Xbox for years)

No word on the rumored Perfect Dark reboot either.

The "One More Thing" closer came as a surprise to no one. Microsoft didn't keep the lid on the Fable reboot as well as Nintendo did with Zelda last year.

No price details or launch date provided. But given the repeated promise that most of these games would be on PC and all of them on Game Pass, I think Sony needs to just move forward and announce whatever price they have planned for PS5, even if it is $599. Even if Series X comes in at $499, Microsoft has given zero reason that its a 'must have' (and actually, some good reasons why its a merely 'nice to have'.) Sure the games will look better, but do I want to spend $500-plus for slightly better graphics or framerates? That kind of money warrants true exclusives and Microsoft didn't supply any.

On the other hand, most people can still play Halo Infinite on Xbox One without needing to upgrade to Series X right away, which is almost certainly what I'll be doing. This echoes an article I read yesterday that the console wars are over and all three companies won. Sony wins with their powerful must-have device and exclusive games for it. Microsoft wins for providing their community a range of engagement tiers ranging from low-end Xbox One to mid-tier PC (and rumored Series S) to high-end Series X. And Nintendo wins the mobile frontier, strong first party games, and IP spreading to other market segments (like cell phones and Lego toys).  Nintendo stopped competing for the same turf as the other two years ago, but it'll be nice to see Microsoft and Sony approach things differently now, too.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 26, 2020, 10:30:20 pm

Microsoft's repeated claims about how games will look so much better on Series X seems to have backfired with the underwhelming Halo Infinite gameplay video. People are comparing the graphics of the weapons and Covenant troops and finding them to be higher quality in the prior-prior system's Halo: Reach than in Infinite. Environment looks better, but the moving objects don't.  I thought the enemies looked kind of basic myself but thought maybe that was just me - and I didn't notice the guns being lower quality in the video, but I'm not an avid Halo player like a lot of folks.

This could be a real problem for Microsoft. There's the potential they launch their flagship game of 2020 with inferior graphics to previous titles, or they delay the game to 2021, launching Series X without Halo Infinite as a launch title. This is shaping up to be a lose-lose scenario.

The world will need to know in the next 2-3 weeks which its going to be. Xbox One preorders started June 2013, but that was obviously way too early because Sony killed them with a mid-August 2013 announcement of a much cheaper unit. Presumably mid-August is when they both need to settle a date and price for retailers. They can't play chicken forever.

Also saw a rumor that this week or next we'll get an announcement from Nintendo about Super Mario Sunshine Deluxe for an early December release. There's been rumors of Galaxy and maybe 3D World getting remake treatment, too, but with the year past half over I'm doubting they'll push out too many more Mario games by end of year. You just cant flood the market with too many at once. Had they put one of them out back in the spring, Origami King a week ago, and another one or two to come, maybe, but not not three or four games in a four to five month span, regardless of their desire to push big on Mario's 35th anniversary year. Unless they're rebranding it as an July 2020 to June 2021 timeframe.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 27, 2020, 04:58:52 am

The Xbox Showcase was so-so. Out of all the games shown, The Medium impressed me the most. Really love the visual style and the adventure style gameplay. Halo Infinite looks like more Halo for better or worse. The story premise just doesn't pack the same punch as the Bungie Halos.

Disappointed the they didn't show off more of the hardware.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 04, 2020, 10:03:41 am

Rumor that the Dualshock 5's battery life is only 4-5 hours better than DualShock 4 is not encouraging.  Jumping from 7 to 11-12 hours of battery life doesn't impress me much when Xbox One and Switch Pro Controller are both in the 30 hour range. Sony isn't even competing in the same league here. Very nice to see they are finally addressing the bad-since-1994 ergonomics, but the battery life still seems like the Achilles' heel.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 08, 2020, 05:10:54 pm

That's Wii U gamepad battery life bad if true. Seems plausible given the amount of fancy tech being crammed into that controller. It's disappointing battery tech hasn't improved for who knows how many decades.

 

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 11, 2020, 06:15:54 pm

And now the other shoe drops. :rage

Halo Infinite will not launch with the Series X, bringing an already worrisome launch head to head with the PS5 into a surrender before shots are even fired. Analysts were already predicting PS5 to outsell Series X 2-to-1 this holiday season, and now the gap will widen considerably. And with Series S on the horizon (and PC play), more casual gamers will ask why buy the X at all? This is a complete disaster. And sadly, it seems like there's a disaster for Xbox once or twice a year - whether delays, cancellations, or highly publicized games falling short of expectations. Its time to #FirePhilSpencer. Except for GamePass, his tenure has been one misstep after another. Sony and Nintendo are both benefiting by his horrific management of the Xbox brand. Xbox entered this generation in first place thanks to the strength of the 360 (and weakness/price of PS3), but has fallen into a way distant third with the Xbox One, and appears that it will be stuck there with the Series X.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 20, 2020, 05:52:16 pm

At this point they're just asking for Sony to steamroll them this holiday season. I do feel the system will be worthwhile in the end thanks to game pass, backwards compatibility, and game streaming to non-Xbox devices, but having too few exclusives to drum up hype is not a good look.

With E3 gone, it's surprising Nintendo hasn't done a first-party Direct in a very long while, especially in the wake of Sony and Microsoft's Directs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 26, 2020, 05:29:06 pm

Quote from: Moge on August 20, 2020, 05:52:16 pm

With E3 gone, it's surprising Nintendo hasn't done a first-party Direct in a very long while, especially in the wake of Sony and Microsoft's Directs.

Not a first-party, but another Partner Showcase mini-Direct today. Three music-and-rhythm games (a genre I care nothing about) to start it off, none of which are exclusives, and one is from SquareEnix, taking the slot originally expected for Bravely Default 2 in November. A World of Tanks port, a boxing game with some Rocky series tie-ins that has nice cameos but looks very unpolished, the Final Fantasy Legend Gameboy games (but not remastered), the next Just Dance (that's four music-and-rhythm games now), a new Puyo Puyo Tetris, the Minecraft Dungeons Creeping Winter DLC, and the JumpForce anime fighter game. The Captain Tsubasa soccer game actually doesn't look bad, but I'm not sure if its soccer or anime, or some kind of weird action-story-sport mix. Final Fantasy Chrystal Chronicles, which is remastered, arrives in August also displaces Bravely Default 2 but it arguably looks better and the only one presented that piques any interest in me.

Overall, not much of interest to me, and two more Square-Enix games given release dates while Bravely Default 2 is still MIA. Its almost certainly been knocked to 2021 now and leaves the Switch with zero new games of consequence arriving in the holiday period. Sony might as well price PS5 at $600 because there doesn't seem to be anything else worth buying. Microsoft and Nintendo not stepping forward to claim a $60 piece of the pie in December is extra money for PS5 piggybanks.

https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/08-26-2020/ (https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/08-26-2020/)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 03, 2020, 08:14:17 pm

Good news is that the rumored Super Mario 3D All-Stars has not been significantly delayed by COVID-19.

The bad news.. why the hell couldn't Nintendo have told us this a month or two ago?


New Nintendo first-party Direct today finally revealed some of the things leaked over last few months @ mario.nintendo.com (https://mario.nintendo.com/)

Super Mario 3D All-Stars with Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy arrives end of next week - Friday, September 18. I'm disappointed it doesn't have a port of Super Mario 3D Land though. Some people reported it would have Galaxy 2 included as well but it doesn't. It is a little hard to call it a complete set with only 3 of the 5 games. And Super Mario 64 doesn't look as refined as I anticipated. It's higher resolution but still looks too blocky. Honestly, I'd think it would have been a better idea to put the superior looking 3D Land in the set, and push Mario 64 to the e-shop. Unless SM64 gives us some new things like that Luigi model people found in the code leak a few months back.

Super Mario 3D World is coming with a new side-story titled Bowser's Fury. They didn't show much, but I really like the cat-ear shaped trees and portals in the video. Sadly it doesn't arrive until February 12. Will need to see more before buying. Surely we get another direct before then right?

Mario Kart Live Home Circuit may be the neatest video game toy to come along in many years. It one-ups (pun intended) the Nintendo Labo stuff by a wide margin. Using the Mario Kart 8 game code, and combining it with toy karts with a camera that senses gates and remembers a predriven course is the modern day RC car phenomenon. This is going to be a hot toy at Christmas, and finally Nintendo has something to blunt the impact of the PS5's arrival.

With all the Mario 35th anniversary announcements, I am disappointed a Mario vs Rabbids 2 wasn't announced. Perfect timing for what's been a surprise game for Ubisoft and the Switch. It's STILL the highest selling game for the Switch not fully published by Nintendo or The Pokemon Company. That alone warrants a sequel.

And though they didn't announce it, since last week's Direct they've pegged a date for Pikmin 3 Deluxe as well: October 30. (Though I personally find it to be the worst of the four games.)

So they've actually got (at least) two games for the holiday lineup: 3D All-Stars and Pikmin 3, plus a sort-of game in the Home Circuit set. Still no word on Bravely Default 2.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 07, 2020, 04:32:35 pm

All my hype for 3D All-Star Collection has been deflated. When i think of All-Stars, i think of Nintendo going above and beyond in remastering, but here they're doing the absolute bare minimum. Obviously the games in 3D All-Stars are an order of magnitude much larger than anything in og All-Stars, but recent remasters like the Crash and Spyro collections gave me faint hope Nintendo would pursue something similar. Disappointingly, that's not the case. Not having a fourth game is equally disappointing, but i guess that's supposed to be 3D World. It's nice to see 3D World receive some substantial updates, like faster running speed, new content, and online play. I'll probably end up purchasing that game at the very least.

I'm pretty positive on the other upcoming Mario games. The Mario 1 Game & Watch, AR Mario Kart, and the Mario 1 battle royale are all very cool and surprisingly. Really dig the very high poly Mario in AR Mario Kart. A glimpse into not too distant future of what Nintendo will do with more powerful hardware (potentially next year if rumors are right).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 07, 2020, 11:05:37 pm

Yeah the Mario Battle Royale thing is kind of neat. Its applying the same thing they did with Tetris 99 to Mario.

One thing I don't fully understand from a financial standpoint is Nintendo's reasoning (backed up by gaming site news) that they will only allow sales of the All-Stars for 6 months, then they are reclaiming any unsold stock from retailers in March. Seems like an artificial method to create demand and ensure they can charge full price for them individually after March.  Seems like a repeat of the NES and SNES Classic - make less than demand calls for so it ramps up the price and ensures your e-shop gets purchases by people who can't find the physical version.

One of the articles I read today on my tablet said that a true All-Stars shouldn't have been three platformer games, but games of different genres.  They proposed one platformer (New Super Mario Bros U), one of the older Mario Karts as a racing game (they proposed Double Dash for which I am 100% in agreement), Dr Mario for a puzzle game, Mario Paint for sandbox, an older Mario Party for family fun, Thousand Year Door as RPG, and either Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, or Super Mario Strikers for sports, and maybe throwing in some other Mario-related games like Donkey Kong or Wario World. It certainly would make for a more wide-ranging collection akin to Rare Replay and most likely present at least one game most buyers haven't already played before. Even the original All-Stars gave us Lost Levels - this one gives no new content unless there's something they aren't telling us like extra worlds. After reading the article I really wish Nintendo had gone this route as well because there's a lot of the side-games I've not played.

I guess DLC or a version 1.1 could add some extra content (like Luigi for Mario 64) but I'm not expecting entirely new games to be added in any updates.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Munemune on September 08, 2020, 03:01:32 pm

I was hoping for a Hyrule Warriors 2 but I guess I'll take a prequel to Breath of the Wild musou game instead.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 08, 2020, 04:20:56 pm

I'm stoked. Loved Hyrule Warriors - much better than Dragon Quest Heroes which followed it though I suspect Age of Calamity will be more like DQH than the first Hyrule Warriors.

Link, Zelda, and the four champions doesn't seem like a large enough roster though. They're going to need some more characters. Please tell me Robbie is one of them. I can picture him toting Cherry around, making her transform into weird weapons and then doing his electric guitar strum pose. That's got to be worth $59.99.

Also, we now know the big holiday season game from Nintendo. 6 days ago we didn't know if they'd have anything for Christmas, now they've got both a Mario game AND a Zelda game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 16, 2020, 09:21:20 pm

In case you missed it, PS5 launches November 12 and is now available for preorder at a lot of retailers (including Best Buy). $499 for disc, $399 for digital.

(So now the Series X arrives 2 weeks later, for the same price, and without its key game. Another banner year for Microsoft gaming where Sony has completely outmaneuvered them on all aspects of the new console releases.)

Tempted to pre-order myself, but I think I'll wait until it gets a game packaged with it or an exclusive like Miles Morales drops to half price. Or some game I just can't live without comes along, which is usually what makes me buy a console.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 18, 2020, 05:13:21 pm

So that's three Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase directs with now two SquareEnix games that aren't named Bravely Default 2, and a third game in the PS5 preview. Yet Bravely Default 2 is still on schedule for a 2020 release? Dubious.

On the other hand I'm liking this Nintendo Direct Mini thing every 3-4 weeks. I don't need a big Direct if they keep popping these little ones out. In fact, I prefer it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 18, 2020, 05:47:19 pm

I prefer big Directs, only cuz i keep forgetting to tune in to these smalls ones.

Good showcase by Sony. Miles and Demon's Souls are clearly the banner titles in the launch line up. Given the situation the world is in, it's fine, and is leagues ahead of Microsoft's offerings (which is.... hm, not sure what their launch line up is). Although the XB Series having a phenomenal backwards compatible library is nothing to scoff at, especially during the launch period.

Not sure what to make of Final Fantasy XVI's unorthodox art direction. It's very plain-looking, but i can't say i hate it after so many years of Nomura FFs since '97. It very much looks like FF 11 or 14.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 20, 2020, 05:26:36 pm

Quote from: Moge on September 18, 2020, 05:47:19 pm

Not sure what to make of Final Fantasy XVI...

When I was writing my post I very nearly said something to the effect that Square Enix needs to stop scattershotting so many projects and get existing projects across the finish line before starting the next one.
a) Their development timeline is much longer than other companies - DQ11 and FF7 Remake both took 5+ years.
b) They've had way too many titles of insignificance in the last 10 years (theatrythm games for example)
c) They've had very obvious flaws discovered by users that should have been caught in playtesting in some recent games. (DQB2 and FF7 Remake)
d) Support for existing games currently on the shelf is exceptionally poor. (DQB2 for example which didn't even get a full month of support following its PC release, and is still being sold despite not working for 10-20% of buyers. Also, lots of Japan-specific content.)

Now, I'll concede that a mainline Final Fantasy is a key project for them, but if its coming in 2021, then they need to get their 2020 act together. Offhand I would anticipate it no earlier than November 2021, and if I had to put money on it, I'd say Spring 2022 is more likely. It just feels like they've made too many announcements of late to have confidence in meeting release dates. Even before Covid-19 they had games like FF7 Remake and Trials of Mana slip.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 25, 2020, 05:22:46 am

You're not wrong when you say their support for existing games has been disappointing. The Steam release of Nier Automata for example never got a patch to fix its most glaring issues despite being a financial success on the platform. Thankfully, those issues have been more or less been fixed by the fan community. I don't mind they're pushing out so many "titles of insignificance"; that's a sign the company is in a healthy state to take risks. Some of those risks end up paying big time, as in the case of Nier and Octopath. DQB could probably be lumped in there too. Very disappointing however they flubbed up the Crystal Chronicles remaster.

Aquiring Bethesda is a very huge and unexpected catch for Microsoft. Considering so much of Bethesda's IPs propelled to stardom on the various Xboxes, it makes sense for them to be aligned with Microsoft.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 25, 2020, 11:03:53 am

Bethesda brings some heavy hitters to potentially exclusive Xbox and PC platforms.  That's a big deal.

But Microsoft's history of buying up gaming companies has generally backfired. Too many of them get bought up and then stop releasing anything, or slow to one release every several years as opposed to every other year before being bought. See Fasa Interactive, who by my count published 8 games between 1997 and 2003, then got bought and published one more game 4 years later, and no Microsoft-produced games from that IP (Battletech, Mechwarrior, and Shadowrun) in the last 13 years since. That's horrible mismanagement of the investment. And they've done it to several other companies in the last few years, who have yet to release anything since being bought.  I don't expect Bethesda to suddenly stop releasing games but I wouldn't be surprised if Fallouts and Elder Scrolls and Wolvensteins/Dooms stop coming out every other year and slow to every 3 to 4 years.

So I put it as great move for Microsoft, maybe not so great for Bethesda fans.


Speaking of remasters... some Super Mario 3d All-Stars thoughts:

Super Mario 64: Ugh. This was fine for its day, and good on the small 3DS screen, but its looks awful in HD.  They've rounded the corners so things like Mario's pants and gloves look lumpy rather than sharp, and improved some textures so the Toads have discernible faces and the trees look a little more natural, but overall this game badly needed some graphics remastering, not just curvature and texture enhancements. And the camera, while great for 1996 is terrible for 2020. Inclusion of this game sours me greatly that the better looking Super Mario 3D Land isn't part of the set. It looks and plays bad compared to its other 1990s counterparts getting remasters (Crash Bandicoot for example)

Super Mario Sunshine: This does look better. The sunrays and shadows seem more natural, as does water and the goopy oil you have to clean up. Suprisingly its not as difficult to play as I feared, as the original controls were custom designed around the Gamecube's unique button layout. But I do still wish for the option to invert spray direction. Only pilots press down to aim up and pull back to aim down. Even shooting games don't do this nonsense anymore by default but apparently Nintendo demands that it remain the hardest Mario game by a wide margin. And the camera still ends up on the other side of walls too often without the ability to see where Mario or obstacles are, nearly ensuring death or reset. (It even got me on the very first Bianca Hills level with the red coin near the waterwheel - took me over two minutes to guess my way into the correct triple jump to get out of the spot.)

Super Mario Galaxy: Being the newest they didn't need to tweak the graphics as much but what they did though looks great. Very easy to play though two controller differences make the original Wii game more natural to control. In the original you had to point the Wiimote at screen to capture star bits and shake the Wiimote to shoot though star catapults. You can still aim with the Switch controllers or Pro Controller but its harder, or touch them on screen in tablet mode though this removes your hand from buttons. Y button can also be used to shoot through the catapults though, which is a helpful change to those of us that don't want to be shaking things all the time. Of the three I'm enjoying this one the most despite the unconnected nature involved in picking up star bits. Galaxy 2 is coming as DLC. (Which gives me real hope for 3D Land as DLC as well. Don't know if I'd pay for Galaxy 2 DLC but would for 3D Land.)

Rumor is next Nintendo Direct comes October 8, covering the Mario and Pokemon DLC, and will feature some more details on the Breath of the Wild sequel.  Someone has leaked name as "Breath of Evil' but c'mon, that's worse than 'Dark Tombs' that was proffered months ago. Given the confusion between Wii and Wii U (and now Xbox One X and Xbox Series X) I can't imagine Nintendo repeating the same mistake again and naming two things so similarly, or using such simple terms like "evil" when there are far better ones available (malice, wickedness, corruption, etc.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 08, 2020, 10:37:24 am

Quote from: JG on September 25, 2020, 11:03:53 am

Rumor is next Nintendo Direct comes October 8, covering the Mario and Pokemon DLC, and will feature some more details on the Breath of the Wild sequel.

Actually came a day early, and as Treehouse Live video drops for Pikmin 3 Deluxe (who cares) and Age of Calamity (joy!)  Unless they're doing a Direct today after all.

See live.nintendo.com (https://live.nintendo.com/), and these Youtube videos: Champions Unite! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkYzYWsRLks) and Untold Chronicles from 100 Years Past (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rga6woeDzUw)

It looks amazing. These two in particular have me very excited:

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on October 08, 2020, 11:10:02 pm

I wasn't expecting to see Purah. BotW made it seem like it would be a thing that her past appearance would be left to the audience imagination (the secret photo item that's only described from the inventory screen, the way her voice comes from off camera in the Champion's Ballad ending). With the previous set of teasers, I was so sure that the tiny Guardian drone traveling with the party would be Purah's proxy. I guessed that they would keep the gimmick going by having Purah only interact with the other characters remotely through that thing, teasing having her on camera sometimes, but she would always be covered up by something the foreground, making a real running gag out of it.

So much for that. Glad to see her, but I guess that means the only reason she wouldn't be shown in BotW was because they didn't feel like designing her back then. They went to the trouble of adding a young Sidon model for the Champion's Ballad flashbacks, so it seems like they certainly could have shown young/old Purah as well.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 09, 2020, 04:20:40 pm

Well I suppose you can still fascinate about what old Purah looked like before her experiment went wrong and she reverted to child form.

And I guess the developers had to do a little bit of designing. They're locked into how Link, the Princess, the King, and the Champions all look, so the only freedom they had was with the Sheikah.  Impa needed to (and does) look a lot like Paya, and except for being taller and with a fuller head of hair Robbie looks pretty much the same - Purah offered the most flexibility, and except for the three pointed glasses and hairpins she looks least like her BOTW version.  Compare to first Hyrule Warriors where many of the characters got some rather unique design elements (Link's blue scarf, Impa's breastplate and cumberbund, Ruto's bracelets, etc.) or even the Dragon Quest Heroes series where the characters didn't change as much but had finer details (Jessica's dress for example)

But I wonder why she's not wearing the glasses on her eyes in any of the three scenes. Why does child Purah need them but young adult Purah does not? Did her eyes not revert to younger form in her experiment? (I.e. 6 year old body but 120 year old eyes?)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on October 11, 2020, 01:36:40 am

I'd bet there are some younger elder Zora designs that are likely to pop up as part of this game too. There's also bound to be a Yiga commander that may just be a younger Koga, or else a predecessor that references his appearance. There's also some room in the cast for a few all-new characters that would have been "forgotten" by the history we know. Either way, I'm sure we haven't seen all the new designs just yet.

I never thought much about what aged Purah would have looked like, since if Impa and Robbie are any indication, it would just be the same proportions as her child form but more wrinkly.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Munemune on October 11, 2020, 10:44:10 pm

The latest livestream did show the mission objective of the Urbosa mission they played had a win condition of "defeat Master Kohga", and the one art book said that the Kohga we face in BotW inherited the name.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 12, 2020, 12:21:39 am

Gonna have to echo the rest of the internet's sentiment that Young Impa's design is pretty disappointing given her legacy. Young Purah and Robbie's designs are absolutely fantastic. Didn't even noticed Young Purah should be wearing some lenses.

Anyone planning on getting nextgen hardware next month? I'm not too interested personally, but i absolutely will nab an Xbox Series controller. Everything i've read and heard about the dpad on that controller makes it sound it could potentially be the greatest dpad ever. As someone who's playing an awful lot of King of Fighters and retro games at the moment, a good dpad is absolutely priceless to me.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on October 13, 2020, 12:52:41 pm

So, Kohga confirmed. I'm not a fan of him looking/acting exactly like his successor 100 years apart, but then again that kind of cross-generational parallelism is par for the course in the Zelda series, so I guess they get away with it. It's just a bit underwhelming that the answer to "What were the Yiga like in the Age of Calamity?" would just be "exactly like they are in BotW".

The mysterious Ganon herald at the end of the trailer is probably going to be a new character. Nonetheless I want to shotgun guess that it could be Agahnim, because he's due.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 14, 2020, 12:17:22 am

Mipha's father and the elder of the Rito should certainly return. They were both around during the calamity.  The Goron elder might have been young then, but I don't recall him saying he witnessed the calamity.  There's an old grandpa at the farm east of Hateno village halfway up the path to the Tech Lab who could be old enough but I'm not sure if there's away to casually link the two characters without dropping massive hints that they are one and the same. Hestu the giant Korok could be around and fight with his maracas ("Expand-a-band-band... Weapon SMASH!")

Zelda's white stallion should certainly make an appearance. Its long dead by BOTW but the pure white horse is described as its descendent. Epona is one of Link's "weapons" in Hyrule Warriors, so giving the horse to Zelda as an alternate weapon in Age of Calamity would be a nice change from the first game.

I'd like to see Kass's mentor in the game (which Champions Ballad establishes as a Shiekah, not a Rito.) Another musician would be interesting, especially if he plays a different instrument than the accordion (or several - a one-man band ensemble would be fascinating.) He'd also make an excellent playable character using music-based attacks like Zelda's Wind Waker/baton weapons from Hyrule Warriors.

The Great Fairies might return, but its got to be worked in such a way that they get sealed before the end. Whether the dragons do or not is questionable. They could be worked as alternate weapons in similar fashion to Link's Great Fairies from Hyrule Warriors.

Not sure what people were expecting of Impa. She'd look like Paya and does. And she's got that straw hat hanging on her back. If people were expecting her to be short and squat then they aren't only ignoring the change we see in Robbie, but the Impa of Skyward Sword as well. Shiekah apparently change quite a bit as they age.  (And I rather like her cloning attack - that's a nice nod to the Sheikah elder fight at the end of the DLC bonus temple.)

I like the fact that the Yiga dropped Bananas as crafting materials.  I don't mind one bit that this detail is the same in both eras.

Given the loading screen shows only the seven main characters (Zelda, Link, Impa, and the four champions), plus the Mystery Guardian, I have doubts there will be more playable characters than that.  Maybe it only shows the characters you have unlocked, but it seemed to me to be the standard loading graphic.  Still seven is s small number for one of these games. Hyrule Warriors came with 16 in the base game and 13 more in DLC for a full roster of 27.  Dragon Quest Heroes had 12+1 DLC and its sequel had 15. Fire Emblem heroes has 25 base and another 9 via DLC.  So a cast of seven is remarkably small. It looks like at least Link will have multiple weapons (one-handed and two-handed) but remains to be seen if the others have more than one weapon, which would help mix things up a bit. DQH had it about right at 15 choices between Warriors/Weapons (with each character having a single weapon type) while Hyrule Warriors has way too many (about 40 total choices, with Link having a whopping seven)

A few characters I thought would make excellent DLC are the Castle Chef, who throws pies and cakes at enemies, and Kilton Senior, who uses a Fang in one hand and Bone in the other, giving inspiration to his future son's monster shop (named "Fang & Bone" if you don't remember.) Both would have fairly remarkable outfits/designs. Some Hyrulean characters/roles form earlier games could return as well, like the Mailman and Bombchu shop operator, who become playable characters or provide alternate weapon choices.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 24, 2020, 05:30:27 am

I'm flabbergasted NOA is publishing the first two Fire Emblems.

It's not every day you see the Big N localize their Japan exclusive retro games. Sure, there was Earthbound Zero, but that was already finished many decades ago, and then there's Sin & Punishment. A good chunk of that game was already in English anyway.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 24, 2020, 05:15:32 pm

But wasn't the first Fire Emblem translated for DS back in 2008/2009? So its not exactly groundbreaking.

And I'd forgotten how buggy, unbalanced, and poorly playtested the later maps (Twilight and Termina) of Hyrule Warriors can be. Ugh. The main campaign and both the Adventure and Master Quest maps are pretty well balanced, but beyond that the stages are either far too easy, or ridiculously too hard, without enough of them in the middle. Nothing worse than rolling along in a game at normal progression (by this point, between level 60 and 80 for most characters, and approaching 100 for Link) and suddenly reaching a steep cliff where a single hit ruins your chance of further advancement. If one hit does 8-10 hearts of damage and I need to remain under 4 to advance, then I need to roughly double my level, and jumping from level 60-80 to 140-150ish is easily a 15-20 hour investment. And that's for one character - it has to be repeated for a good 15 more characters at minimum to ensure it doesn't happen a few stages later. Maybe this flaw is fixed in Definitive Edition for Switch, but both the Wii U and 3DS versions are spoiled by it.

As a result I'm suddenly less enthused about Age of Calamity. Seems like all the Omega Force games I own have some serious flaw in them that are evident in playtesting. Either they're rushing development, not doing thorough enough testing (or testing only at max levels and making poor guesses on how to scale enemy strength), or abandoning the software without ever fixing fatal bugs (Hyrule Warriors can and does crash a Wii U, DQB2 can and does crash a PS4, and DQB2 for PC has a critical flaw in its save state routine that causes it to be nonfunctional for way too many players.) On the bright side Wikipedia says the Zelda Team from Nintendo worked a lot more closely with Omega Force this time than with Hyrule Warriors. Hopefully this means a Nintendo level of quality and playtesting.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 01, 2020, 11:54:39 am

The Age of Calamity demo is out and answers a few questions about how they're going to make the story work when the outcome is known. Seems to be a time-travel alternate-history avoid-fate scenario. Someone data-mined the demo code though to reveal the four BotW era champion-adjacents (Prince Sidon, Yunobo, Teba, and Riju) are playable characters though so there seems to be some back-and-forth time travel involved. If the data-mine is right it indicates Master Kohga and Ganon are both playable, too, which means you either get to play as bad guys in some chapters (like original Hyrule Warriors) or the alternate history is even worse than the Calamity and the bad guys help out to prevent their own destruction, too. King Rhoam and a Sheikah Monk are also apparently playable, but not Robbie or Purah. You may also get to pilot the Champion vehicles, too, but not in the demo.

Demo is a little short in my opinion. Two field battles and two short target battles, with about a half dozen supply-the-items quests. About an hour tops, about 8-10 minutes of which are video. It shows the gameplay, but there doesn't seem to be a strong hook in the demo other than the see how the story pans out. Very easy - allies won't even die against strong monsters like Moblins (though they won't defeat them alone either) and it adopts the ability to direct your allies to certain locations on the field from Hyrule Warriors Legends than the original left out (and made some scenarios exceedingly hard for the need to constantly rescue your allies instead of moving them to safer locations.)  Its got some problems though. It has the typical "important dialogue while you're busy" problem most games of this genre don't solve very well but at least it updates your quest markers so you aren't stuck or confused by later dialogue. And sometimes the loot bounces out of the play area and becomes uncollectible if monster is defeated on the edge. Its also got some crates, gates, and arches that look like they're destructible or can be walked though but aren't, so its sometimes hard to tell what is fixed terrain and what is destructible or allows mobility. The outposts aren't square like in the original though and are more naturally shaped (sometimes being a Bokoblin tree fort.)

Nice touch: The little companion guardian speaks in toots and beeps remeniscient of R2-D2.

Second nice touch: Robbie's description is "Genius Eccentric." Purah's is "Eccentric Genius"

Not so nice touch: Impa wears too much blush. Her cheeks are extreme pink to the point of being distracting in the videos.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 18, 2020, 04:32:57 pm

My grades for the Black Friday* game sale offerings, now that the major game retailer's ads are out.

For foreigners, Black Friday is typically the last Friday in November, falling a day after national Thanksgiving holiday, and the somewhat-official start to Christmas shopping season. As such, retailers seek to put out their very best deals of the year to snap up as much money from consumers as they can. As the season goes on, consumers usually have less and less money to spend (having spent it already) so maximizing deals on the opening weekend is the goal to achieving maximum profit. The end result is an effort to one-up each other, with some retailers getting burned by advertising sale prices that aren't very impressive when compared to their competitors. Why is it called Black? Because of the somewhat false impression that retailers operate "in the red" (losing money) for most of the year, and then finally start operating "in the black" (making profit) during the Christmas shopping season. Red and black are the colors of ink used in the past for ledgers to indicate expenses and income - i.e., loss and profit.


Best Buy: A-. Not as stellar as years past but leading the pack with the most deals this year. Trials of Mana for Switch at $19.99 is my #1 game item deal of the season.

Walmart: B. The prices for what we see is fine, especially some fantastic Switch game deals. But unlike most years where they show us the side panels of all the stuff they'll have for sale, all we see is front covers and notes that more will be available online. So its hard to tell exactly what deals can be found until next next week.

Target: D+. Good prices for the PS4 and Xbox, but its a small selection. Since Toys R Us went out of business, Target's ad last year and again this year has gone heavier into other toys to try to grab that share of the market, with less focus on video games. This means what they do show needs to be great. And unfortunately they've blown it. They've been badly burnt on the Switch deals, where they priced things for $39.99 that Best Buy and Gamestop offer for $34.99 and Walmart for $30.

Gamestop: F. Hoo boy. There's really not much to salvage here, as their prices across all three widely available platforms are consistently being bested by the other three by $5 (and some by $10), except Switch where they are even with Target or in a few cases better. They do beat Walmart and Best Buy by $3 on the new Avengers game (at $26.99), but its an in-store only discount. This year, its probably worth $3 to avoid a crowd and order it online with free shipping, unless you're taking stuff to trade. But unfortunately, this is not the year to trade: most years they offer an extra 10 or 15% in trade value, but that's not stated in the ad this year. There may be another deal or two in their ad that bests the other three, but none of them caught my eye.


Besides the Trials of Mana that I'll be getting, other attractive deals (to me) are Death Stranding PS4 for $20, Ghost of Tsushima for $40, and Bioshock Collection for $20, but these three are available multiple places. And if you're a Switch fan, those Walmart $30 deals are quite juicy, with some decent games like Luigi's Mansion 3, Link's Awakening, Mario Maker 2, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses amongst the selection.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 23, 2020, 11:34:59 am

Sounds like Sony may have dropped the ball on the PS5 and built it with an inferior heating design such that it can never achieve its maximum rated performance. The lack of sufficient fan vents on the sides or rear, a centrally placed fan as opposed against an edge, and apparent heat-trapping ability of the plastic panels was noted months ago, but now that people have taken them apart they are surprised to see no heatsink over or even near the memory chips and a big steel plate covering the motherboard rather than aluminum. The poor design of cooling for the memory may be the Achilles's heel and cause a lot of games to run short of 120fps (that otherwise go 120 on Xbox Series X)  It has an excellent fan, but its on the opposite end of chassis from the memory. I'm sure Sony isn't planning to release a PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim anytime soon, but they may need a small hardware revision to fix some novice issues. This is shaping up to be on par with the disastrous decision Microsoft made with early Xbox 360s to bend (bend!) a riser board under the CD tray because designers didn't measure component sizes appropriately, resulting in the well-known Red Ring of Death once thermal expansion eventually caused the riser board's PCB to wear out (my first 360 died for the same problem.)  There will probably be some aftermarket kits appear soon to modify PS5s to run cooler with some kind of heatsink over the memory that is cooled through the expansion bay port, but hardcore gamers may need to choose between hard drive expansion and cooling.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 24, 2020, 04:38:30 pm

Not sure about the PS4, but back in the PS3 days, Sony continuously improved the internals of their hardware without telling anyone. I fully expect them to do the same thing with the PS5.

Can't believe Age of Calamity has sold 3 million already, which is very astounding for a Musou title :o

Probably gonna pick up the Steam version of Trials of Mana down the line. Can't pass up the mod support.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 24, 2020, 05:21:03 pm

Quote from: Moge on November 24, 2020, 04:38:30 pm

Can't believe Age of Calamity has sold 3 million already, which is very astounding for a Musou title :o

I think people want to see the story more than the game.  On the story front, its very good. As far as a game, even a musou, its rather disappointing. Worse than Hyrule Warriors and either Dragon Quest Heroes games. Most enemies are way too easy and the goals are either defeat some boss monster or navigate to certain location, without the variety the original Hyrule Warriors gave you. Second story battle against the Guardian (in the demo) was pretty hard, but since then its been rather smooth sailing. I'm about level 26 or 27 now, 5 or 6 levels below "Recommended Level" for each stage and easily passing them, except one for which I got careless exploring and simply ran out of time rather than being bested by an enemy. Some of the enemies (like the extremely predictable Molduga) should have been much harder. There is a difficulty setting (Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard), but Normal is proving to be too easy. And frankly I haven't seen much to indicate Hard would be more difficult except enemies having higher HP and doing more damage, or maybe some more of them, but unless they coordinate better I can't see how they'd be any more difficult to dodge and attack. The only challenge I'm getting so far is when I get two or three Moblins attacking at the same time and no super attack to thin them out. Two simultaneous Hinoxes or two Lynels I could foresee being a serious problem though.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on November 25, 2020, 01:40:35 pm

I haven't had a lot of time with AoC yet and I'm taking it a little slow. I did try the first stage with each of the difficulties to get a feel for which is right, and the only difference seems to be relative damage values. I think Normal is fine for getting through the story, and I'll think about replaying at the higher difficulties afterwards. I wasn't really expecting the gameplay to be all that engaging, and the promotional stuff mostly focusing on the story and characters backs that up.

Korok hunting feels like a bad fit for this game. In BotW, it was a reward for exploring at your own pace, but in a game that's all about urgently pushing you from one objective to the next, breaking off to comb every obscure corner of the map feels uncomfortable.

On a more positive note, I appreciate the way sidequests were implemented. It's basically the same menu-based character management, but presented in a way that helps flesh out the world nicely. The world-building is really what I'm here for. Enough so that it does bug me when they're a little careless with the details, like depicting pre-ruined map areas as the same flooded swampland, and presenting stables as if they were the same thing in both eras.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 25, 2020, 02:48:30 pm

Yeah the original melded replay at higher difficulty quite well. If you played at a harder level or with a certain character you could get a reward (heart piece for that character or another Gold Skulltula)  There seems to be absolutely no reward for playing a different difficulty level in AoC, and your choice of characters only matters for increasing the weapon drops for the character played when the chests appear.

I guess the Korok hunt is one reason to replay, but you are right that its antithetic to the game mechanics. Some treasure chests hidden off to the sides as well.  These distract from the goal of the game, and while the chests are fairly easy to spot at distance and there's no serious penalty for missing them, there does seem to be a strong preference developing for locating all the Korok seeds. (Last night I got a map upgrade that shows me how many seeds found and still missing in each story battle, indicating completeness.) Some of the Koroks just seem too well hidden. I spent over a half an hour last night and only found two of the four missing Koroks in the first stage and I literally searched everywhere. Those last two are either exceptionally well hidden such that you have to be in exactly the right location to trigger the ??? prompt, or they are in areas of absolutely no interest that most players simply won't visit (like the middle of the grassy fields.) I don't like playing a half hour, solely to find four Koroks and only able to come up with two of them, gaining hardly any worthwhile experience or weapon drops as reward. Mundane tasks of dubious completability are a sign of very poor game design.

I don't mind the battle sidequests - these remind me of original Hyrule Warriors. But the collect items and give to recipient are a too basic in my opinion. They add some richness to the story, but that's about it. They don't even provide a photo of the requestor. Other than the story text and exchanging your current items for others, there's no point in having them.  The ideal solution would have been to embed the requestor characters in the maps for story battles you had completed.  This would solve the replay boredom and give something more to do in order to complete the sidequests.

And regarding sidequests, I'm getting tired of Little Knight beeping all the time prompting me to visit the Blacksmith Guild or Military Camp after every dang sidequest. It's cute in the story videos, but a terrible annoyance on the quest screen.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 03, 2020, 11:55:26 pm

The filesize of Mario 3D World on Switch is apparently over 5 GB, and the Wii U original clocks in at 1.7 GB.  Just how much new content are they packing?!

Short review of the Xbox Series Controller -- Phenomenal dpad. Absolutely perfect for fighters. It's clicky and very loud though, so it'll probably annoy you if you can't stand that stuff. Everything else about the controller has been improved, from the ergonomics to better shoulder buttons. The grip on the back handles is uncomfortable.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 05, 2020, 08:48:54 am

The Bowser's Fury addon might have a lot of video cutscenes. Only explanation I can give.

Quote from: Moge on December 03, 2020, 11:55:26 pm

Everything else about the controller has been improved, from the ergonomics ... The grip on the back handles is uncomfortable.

This seems contradictive.  The 360/One controller handles are just fine. Not as good as a Switch Pro Controller in my huge hands, but far superior to the Playstation 1-4 series. The preview videos did say they were making the Series X controllers 10% smaller than One's which I said before was a terrible idea given the huge majority of their playerbase is late teenagers and adults so Microsoft needed a corresponding larger size controller than their competitors. If the placement of buttons, triggers and dpads is the same but the handles shrunk by 10%, then the ergonomics clearly can't be better for larger hands.

Frankly, instead of game companies selling different colors, I'd rather they sold different sizes. Take gloves for example, not counting stretchy cotton or latex, they come in different sizes because glove making companies realized ages ago that people have different sized hands.  Why game companies (or even third party accessory makers) haven't caught on is a mystery. Fine if the pack-in model was medium sized, but the individual on-shelf models need size variety.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 08, 2020, 12:12:05 am

Quote from: JG on December 05, 2020, 08:48:54 am

This seems contradictive.  The 360/One controller handles are just fine. Not as good as a Switch Pro Controller in my huge hands, but far superior to the Playstation 1-4 series.

I should clarify i meant the texture of the back grips being uncomfortable and prickly on my skin. Probably will end up buying something to cover 'em up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 24, 2020, 01:09:30 pm

That BioShock Collection for Switch is just $16.99 at Best Buy today. That's $3 cheaper than Black Friday. And you still get free shipping.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/bioshock-the-collection-standard-edition-nintendo-switch-nintendo-switch-lite/6408084.p?skuId=6408084 (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/bioshock-the-collection-standard-edition-nintendo-switch-nintendo-switch-lite/6408084.p?skuId=6408084)

If you never played the trilogy trust me on this and get it now. They aren't just solid shooters (which is high praise from me since I'm not that big of a fan of FPSs) but are regarded as some of the best written video games ever with exceptionally intriguing stories and shocking conclusions. (I still think BioShock Infinite has the most mind-bending ending of all time.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2020, 05:15:31 pm

Last day of the year, so of course its time for the Gaming Year in Review.

I don't have ten games to share this year simply because I didn't play that many games. I focused more on one game from 2019 (Dragon Quest Builders 2) and replayed a few older games (like the first Hyrule Warriors.) I undoubtedly put more hours into DQB2 than any of these five this year, but having ranked it last year I'll leave it off the list this year.

5. Trials of Mana, Switch (available most platforms)
C-. I've only been playing a few days but I'm rather disappointed. The character designs seem overly extracted from 1990s video game sprites and manual artwork (for example, Reisz's shoulderpads don't attach to anything, they just float in air over her shoulders.) The voice acting is generally pretty bad; for the main characters its okay but the side characters is awful, as if they read from a script with no idea of context. Moving around in combat doesn't seem as fluid as I think it should be. And too much nitpicky configuration to customize your characters, the item wheel, and so on. I'm not sure yet whether its a bad game or not, but a handful of hours into it I'm yet to be impressed enough to put it into good game category.

4. Final Fantasy VII Remake, Playstation 4
C-. I'm not so fond of it. Its graphics are really amazing, and the extra side stories really build up the 5-6 hour segment of Midgard in the original to a full-length RPG, but I don't care for the new battle system at all. Too much of the newer, worse Final Fantasies and not enough of the old, better turn-based strategies. Its biggest drawback is that its isn't a remake of Final Fantasy VII at all. Its just a remake of the first fifth or sixth of it. The best part of FF7 yes, but what happens next? FF7 Remake Part 2 can't possibly be as good. And when would it come out, 2025 or so based on how long it took to get part 1 out the door?

3. Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Switch
C. Super Mario 64 is a cheap emulation with some ok-in-1996 camera work but bad-for-2020. Super Mario Sunshine is uninspiring and still really way too difficult for a Mario game. Only Super Mario Galaxy shines. Its the only one of the three that still looks good and plays well in 2020. The lack of a Galaxy 2 DLC pack or inclusion of the better Super Mario 3D Land game kept this title from being excellent. It is merely good on the basis that Super Mario Galaxy is amazing, and that the other two games are simply included in the same cart.

2. Paper Mario: The Origami King, Switch
B. Nintendo did what I wasn't sure was possible, rescue the Paper Mario franchise from back-to-back stinkers. I still think the Mario+Luigi series is the Mario RPG series that should have continued, but Origami King is quite interesting in its own right. It makes a little bit more use of paper mechanics, though still not nearly as much as the first two games. The ring battle system is certainly something new we've not seen in an RPG.  The story is pretty good, though too linear. Not as good as the original (which was also too linear) nor as much as the excellent Thousand Year Door (which badly deserves a remake), but not bad. Unfortunately, your travelling companions don't do very much to help in fights in this game and you can't do combo moves with them like in the first two games or the Mario+Luigi series. Boss ring battles could have been better if you had to plan not one but two paths.

1. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Switch
A-. It's debatable whether original Hyrule Warriors or Age of Calamity is the better game. The original is longer, with a larger cast, and much more to do, but also suffers from some really rediculous farming requirements and experience grinding. Age of Calamity has an amazing story, well tied to the Breath of the Wild events, it has the same graphics style of BotW so it pretty much looks like a prequel should, and doesn't invent as much artificial stuff that wasn't present in BotW as the original Hyrule Warriors did from its source games (Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Skyword Sword.) However it is for the most part quite easy and you can 100% the game in about 90 hours, which is about the tenth the time it would take on Hyrule Warriors: Definitive edition. It also has some bad framerate issues, the camera gets stuck behind objects obstructing the view, and has noticeable graphics pop-in which are things games produced in 2020 should not have (see also, Cyberpunk 2077.) The game has been out six weeks and these issues haven't been addressed, which knocks it from A grade to A-. But if you've played Breath of the Wild and want to know more about the events of 100 years prior, Age of Calamity delivers in a huge way. The main campaign is satisfyingly long and its full of cutscenes similar to the flashbacks of Breath of the Wild. Sure its got bugs but overall its a winner.


Missing in Action:
* Halo Infinite. In light of the Cyberpunk 2077 backlash, it was probably the right thing to delay it if it simply wasn't ready yet. It crippled their hardware launch but at least they aren't under class action lawsuit.
* Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory. This never came out in 2020 and I'm still mildly interested, but as time goes on it becomes worrisome that it'll be less game than just silly skits stitched together.
* Beyond Good and Evil 2. I'm no longer interested in this at all, but I find it interesting that sometime in June or July it will officially pass Duke Nukem Forever as having the longest confirmed development timeframe of any AAA video game ever at 14 years, 2 months, and change since first announcement to eventual release. Unacceptable that a major studio like Ubisoft has let this happen.


Things I wanted to play but didn't for various reasons:
* Assassin's Creed III - got it last Black Friday but just never have found the time to start it
* The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics - I was interested in this very early in the year, but it got some lousy reviews and reviewers said it depended too much on knowing the plot of the TV show, which is on a steaming platform I don't have, so I've passed on it.
* Yoshi's Crafted World - was gifted this (you know you are, thanks) but also didn't find time for this
* Witcher III: Complete Edition - I got this just days before Origami King so it kind of sat on the shelf. About the time I finished Origami King, Age of Calamity was announced and I wanted to revisit Hyrule Warriors.
* Donut County - Saw this on Player Select and it looks like my kind of game, but I haven't jumped on it.
* Untitled Goose Game - Also seen on Player Select, and just looks funny. As I said last year about Assassin's Creed IV, sometimes its fun to play the role of the bad guy and ruin things for everyone else.


Most Anticipated Titles of 2021:
* Super Mario 3D World + Bowsers Fury, Switch (February 12) - I'm not sure I'll get it or not, but 3D World is every bit as good as Galaxy and the Bowsers Fury subplot has me mildly interested. The expectation is a Direct Mini in January to shed some more light on it.
* Bravely Default II, Switch (February 26) - Clubhouse leader of interest going into the new year that has a date set
* Halo Infinite, Xbox (unknown) - Unknown when in the year but presumably first half. Fair chance I stick with the Xbox One version because I haven't seen anything else come up to warrant a Series X purchase.
* Spider-Man: Miles Morales, PS5 (out now) - On the other hand, Playstation 5 does have such a title and I'll probably buy one at some point next year, with this game in tow.
* Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, all platforms (Q1) - This tugs at my childhood heartstrings. This and Ghostbusters on the Sega Master System were the first two home video games I ever played (at a friends house because we had a PC, not video game consoles), and of the two I liked this one more. It was the Super Mario platforming, Metroidvania sidescrolling adventure that I fell in love with years before experiencing the more well-known NES counterparts.
* Breath of the Wild 2 - I anticipate a fall release. And if its not ready for 2021 then they better be bringing a Skyward Sword or Minish Cap remake during the Zelda 35th Anniversary.

And while I have zero interest in playing it myself, Romancelvania: BATchelor's Curse, is maybe the best named game of 2021. A Castlevania/dating sim crossover is a wild concept.


Something I won't miss from 2021 (non-virus edition):
The tremendously poor response to Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 and Xbox One has hopefully scared developers into not jerking around gamers (or capital investors) or releasing crap that hasn't been fully playtested with the expectation that players won't care and will just simply upgrade hardware to play it. Game studios have got to stop gigabyte-sized Day One and post-release updates as the way to make the game right after the fact and focus more on getting it right before launch. Its ok if they launch with some minor bugs, but huge, glaring holes that just aren't fixable have landed CD Projekt SA in court, in a case they are likely to lose. They also made some fools out of a few reviewing organizations and supposedly neutral gaming awards, such as Gamescom which awarded it Best Sony Playstation Game despite never playing the Playstation version.


Moments of the Year:
1. Winning the non-Asian zone's photo contest for my Factory photo submission in Dragon Quest Builders 2. (https://en.dragonquest-builders.com/contest/detail/?e=post-18) Less than 100 people worldwide have won a Gold Trophy (https://en.dragonquest-builders.com/detail/?c=nsANdr6AWK&e=446583432764465152) and I'm one of the few that has. Unquestionably my greatest personal accomplishment in gaming.
2. From a non-personal achievement standpoint, my favorite video game moment occurs in Age of Calamity, during the scene in which the Zora princess Mipha is fighting against Waterblight Ganon inside Divine Beast Vah Ruta. I've tagged this with spoiler so those of you playing the game can enjoy it themselves.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Suddenly a new time portal opens and Prince Sidon comes rushing in, deflecting Waterblight's spear. Sidon turns, crosses fist over chest and gives his customary sharp-toothed smile. He has saved his dear sister from her fate.

It's the "Oh hell yes!" moment of the year (since no BOTW2 release announcement was made.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 06, 2021, 08:06:04 am

So I'll put Trials of Mana into the good category based on 19 hours and some odd minutes into it. The voice acting is still suspect in a lot of parts, while great in others, the character designs have unexplainable problems, and flying enemies are a real pain. It's biggest problem is that its got too many scenes where the heroes run up to a bad guy and say "who are you!?' or 'what are you doing!?" when you were just told 10 minutes earlier who they were or what they're planning. Either something is being lost is translation or, like most of the rest of the game, its sticking way too close to the source SNES material. But looking past its storytelling and design problems its a pretty good game if you've got mages to help take out flying monsters easier. The story advances pretty quickly since the fields and dungeons are pretty short - just like Secret of Mana was. Though like Secret of Mana the weenies aren't meant to be hard, and then you run into a boss that might whip you up.  The wall monster boss (every Square game seems to have one) was especially brutal and cost me nearly all of my healing items.  Pretty short game though, I'm just shy of 20 hours and feel like I'm well past the halfway point. (As a measurement stick, I've found 35 of the 50 Lil Cactus hiding spots.)

Also, after my last post I got a notice that some Google Play credit was about to expire so I spent it on Donut County for my tablet. I didn't even know it had a tablet touch mode rather than PC mouse or console d-pad. Its a really short game at under 10 hours, but fun if you like simple stuff: perfect for tablets. I wish the writing was better: real people don't use terms like LOL in regular speech. Maybe its just meant to be a joke though, as basically the (w)hole game is. I enjoyed it and at only $5 I thought it was priced well for an indie game, but it doesn't have much replay value.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 06, 2021, 12:27:30 pm

In case you've not seen the newest leak, which is either a really great hoax with a lot of detail or a stunning preview, there's going to be a full sized Nintendo Direct coming Monday, January 11. And it's a whopper if the leak information is to be believed.

First Party coverage:
Nintendo Switch Pro - April 23
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of the Past - April 23
Mario Kart 9 - spring
Fire Emblem Echoes: Path of Radiance - May
Splatoon 3 - summer (almost certainly post-E3, which is mid-June)
Metroid Resurgence - fall
Super Mario Odyssey 2 - holidays

3rd Party coverage:
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla - April 23 (Switch Pro required)
Grand Theft Auto V Premium Edition (Switch Pro likely required, but does not specify)
Resident Evil 2 Remake - April 23 (Switch Pro required)
Resident Evil 3 Remake - April 23 (Switch Pro required)
Watch Dogs: Legion - April 23 (Switch Pro required)
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War - May 7 (Switch Pro required)
Bayonetta 3 - summer
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition - summer (Switch Pro required)
Final Fantasy VII Remake - fall (Switch Pro required)
Shin Megami Tensei V - fall
Far Cry 6 - unknown (Switch Pro required)
Kingdom Hearts: Destiny's Embrace - unknown

Other games to be mentioned (unknown which are Switch and which are Switch Pro):
Apex Legends
Bravely Default 2
Control: Ultimate Edition
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Dead or Alive 6
Dirt 5
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Fallout 3: New Vegas
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
NieR Replicant
No More Heroes 3
Persona 5 Strikers
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (probably to be covered in a mini in February)
The Witness
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Yakuza 6


All games that require Switch Pro will also run on regular Switches in cloud mode for Switch Online players, in a fashion similar to Google Stadia.

Switch Pro will be first thing covered in the Direct, Echoes of the Past will be the last as the typical "one more thing" moment.

There will be demos for Super Mario Odyssey 2, Metroid Resurgence, Bayonetta 3, and Kingdom Hearts: Destiny's Embrace prior to their releases. (The lack of a demo for Zelda tells me it may be Switch Pro-only title.)



Thoughts:

Holy crap. If this is all true its a monster year for Nintendo and they'll completely crush Sony and Microsoft. A Super Mario, a Zelda, a Metroid, and a Mario Kart all the same year? That's not even fair. Sprinkle in some more exclusives like Splatoon, Fire Emblem, Bayonetta, and Bravely Default and you might well close the book on who's going to win the Ninth Generation Console War before its barely gotten started.

The third party games indicates the Switch Pro will be quite a bit more powerful than anticipated to be able to run higher end games for the PS4 and Xbox One and be able to compete with the PS5 and Series X. Cloud mode is an excellent concept for an on-the-go system like Switch. If the Cloud Mode works well you'll stop seeing games being only for PS5 and Series X on the basis on technical requirements. The gaming world will return to being all about exclusives, for which Nintendo and Sony have a gigantic lead over Microsoft.

I'm going to take a guess and suggest that package labelling and marketing material for Switch Pro will not follow the white on red pattern of the Switch, and be more visually distinguishable. Microsoft stumbled on this with Xbox One and Xbox Series X packaging being way too similar, often with just an X on the front cover corner. Sony did better with a distinct color scheme for PS5 (black on white headings rather than the PS4's typical white on blue.) Nintendo should follow what Sony did right and Microsoft got wrong.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes were rumored in leaks a few days ago but aren't on the Direct. Doesn't mean its not happening, but maybe doesn't have anything ready to show next week. (There's enough wow factor already.)

I am very down on "Echoes of the Past" as the title for the next Zelda game. First, it's unwise to release two games with Echoes in the title within a month of each other. Second, its way too close to the better "Echoes of an Elusive Age" subtitle already carried by Dragon Quest XI. Exceptionally poor choice of title if true.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Rai on January 07, 2021, 07:44:02 pm

I saw the list earlier but didn't give it many seconds of credence. It tics off too many of the boxes of fake leak for brief amount of attention.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 11, 2021, 06:17:31 pm

Yeah, it suffered from 'too much too soon'. Too good to be true I think. Everyone seems to agree a Switch Pro is coming, but a Switch Pro and massive online service at same time, in three months seemed unlikely.

On the other hand it had the support of the recent OS update for which investigators have identified two new hardware versions: one that has neither a game cartridge slot or battery (i.e., a new model of dev kit) and another with some strange new dock that has its own GPU chip. It gave credence that the Switch Pro could conceivably be right around the corner. I found the game announcements to be the really questionable part: the rumors are Metroid Prime 4 is in no way going to be ready in 2021 and nobody anywhere had dropped a previous rumor about a Mario Kart 9. With so much effort recently put toward Mario Kart Tour and Home Circuit a new major Mario Kart seemed ill-timed. It would also put three Nintendo EPD releases within the first few months of the year, since we already knew about Super Mario 3D World and the Mario, Zelda, and Mario Kart series are all developed by that group. Splatoon as well, bringing into question four games within a six or seven month timeframe. They did all of it in 2017, but that was with a good two years of planning and no pandemic to interrupt development.

I do love the idea of a Switch Pro cloud service for regular Switch though. It bridges the technology gap and provides another buy-in to the Switch Online service. Its not something you can hide though: you need a vast array of servers around the world, something Nintendo does not have. Google and Microsoft do and are already utilizing it for gaming. But if Nintendo can work out a deal with Amazon, it just might happen. Seems like a total win for both sides if they could make it work.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 12, 2021, 05:22:39 am

Biggest Dissapointment in 2020 -- Deadly premonition 2, Switch
The sequel cuts back so on many elements that made the original a bonafide cult hit, and the game's fps is absolutely abysmal, reaching into the single digits at times. Despite its very big flaws, the story manages to be endearing and wraps up York's story nicely.

Most Anticipated
------------------------
Cotton Reboot
Perfect Dark
Breath of the Wild 2
Nier Replicant
KiKi KaiKai
Mario 3D World Deluxe
Clockwork Aquario
Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World
Resident Evil 8

Top 10 for 2020
--------------------

10. Crackdown, Mega Drive
9. Tuned Heart , PC98
8. Ganbare Goemon 2, SNES
7. Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, Switch

6. King of Fighters 2002 Ultimate Match, PC
5. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, NDS
4. Guardian Heroes HD, Xbox 360
3. House of Velez, PC

2. Jet Set Radio, Dreamcast
Very janky platformer, and yet i was deeply engrossed in the game's absolutely bangin' soundtrack and fresh visual style.

1. Resident Evil 2 Remake, PC
An unbelievably well-done remake that's both faithful and reverent to its source material but also contemporary in modernizing the clunky original into a slick 3rd-person shooter.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 23, 2021, 08:05:07 am

So Microsoft doubles the price of Xbox Live, gets tremendous negative feedback over the move, and then walks it back under the realization that its currently the only thing keeping the Series X at least marginally competitive with PS5 and Switch. (Though exactly how competitive you are being outsold 2-to-1 by Sony and 8-to-1 by Nintendo is debatable.)

If Microsoft senior leadership hasn't yet realized that the gaming division is floating in the breeze with no coherent direction, this should open some eyes.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 25, 2021, 05:15:12 pm

Xbox Series systems are selling out, so i can't imagine they're doing badly. Saw a survey from MS asking if ppl would like to have the same controller features as the Dualsense. Kinda late to be asking considering the other two implemented gyro into their controllers decades ago, but i would absolutely be down with it.

It's becoming increasingly worrisome that so many notable game publishers and developers are getting swallowed up. I don't mind some of them, but any developer getting devoured by EA or Amazon isn't good in my book.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 26, 2021, 08:51:05 am

Its a way for them to sell a Series X Elite controller, since they rolled all the features of the Xbox One Elite into the basic Series X controller.  Microsoft has always been big on earning extra cash from the advanced controller market since compared to Sony and Nintendo they make ridiculously far less on first and second party software sales. All three do it but Microsoft spends more of their advertising on hardware, since they have fewer exclusive games to promote. I've never quite understood this pattern of advertising though, as accessories account for only about 6% of the physical gaming spend ($546 million out of $9.6 billion in December) while main hardware is 14% and games are the remaining 80%.

The system is selling out, but we're still in the period of early adopters. I suspect limited inventory will go on until at least March, meaning Switch will still outsell PS5 and Series X until then. Once shelves are full then it will be interesting to see how quickly they can be moved.  If it gets to summer or fall and Switch is still outpacing them then they'll need to rethink their price point or add value such as a pack-in game, which gives Sony a huge advantage as they'll have Miles Morales ready to suit up for round two while Microsoft will still be waiting for Master Chief to even fire his first shot. If its a PS5 with Miles Morales or a Series X with Minecraft at Christmas, its clear which one is going to outsell the other. A Switch Pro that undercuts the price point of them will likely doom them both to another second and third place finish at Christmas.

In short, I've no doubt the Series X will sell 20 to 30 million. Maybe 40. It's whether it can approach the 100 million the PS5 is aiming for or the 90+ million the Switch is targeting. Microsoft isn't going to reach these numbers unless they can drastically cut hardware costs, or start churning out high quality exclusive games, or prove better value through things like Xbox Live and Game Pass. Announcing the value of Xbox Live is being cut in half directly undermines this plan.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 13, 2021, 07:53:50 pm

Either the funniest or most disturbing thing you'll see all day:

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 17, 2021, 08:06:27 pm

If you need to watch the Direct again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVHbzcr1-D8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVHbzcr1-D8)

Or, the summary version:

Pyra/Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 joins Smash Bros Ultimate as next character (March) - She/they should be a competent fighter.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (summer) - Behind every else who already has it.

Outer Wilds (summer) - Another reset the clock to try again game. I liked it the first time when it was called Majora's Mask. Or that shooter game from last year.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir (May 14)
Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind (May 14) - These two are old Famicom mystery games that were never ported to English, but are being remade (and ported) for Switch - low interest

Samurai Warriors 5 (summer) - Another Warriors musou.

Legend of Mana (June 24) - I'm rather disappointed that this is 16-bit style, not 3d. I thought they were redoing all the Mana series in 3d.

Monster Hunter Rise (March 26) - If it floats your boat. A huge amount of water/mud/liquid ground effects in the preview. I don't know how you defeat these things while drowning.

Monster Hunter Rise edition Switch and Pro Controller (March 26) - I'm surprised they didn't mention a thing on the new Super Mario red and blue themed set.

Mario Golf: Super Rush - June 25 - Multiplayer speed mode and Mii compatibility added to the series. Still, its Mario Golf so its a bit of a bore.  The Speed mode looks like it would be good for multiplayer, but as a primarily solo gamer I can't say the game appeals much to me.

Tales from the Borderlands (March 24) - Another game that's been on other platforms for a while now.

Capcom Arcade Stadium (today) - I'm confused by the way this is behind sold. Did I get it right that you think you're buying 32 games but only get 1 (1943), and have to pay more to get the game(s) you want out of it? If so, that's a pretty underhanded move unless 1943 is a free offering to entice you to buy the others.

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel without a Pulse (March 16) - Well, its a bit of an different take on 3d shooters. Shoot other zombies to collect their parts to keep going. Got to give them credit for trying something new.

No More Heroes 3 (August 27) - I feel like this one is way overdue, like iy was previewed two years ago at E3 or something (Maybe it was and I've forgotten.)  Still, it won't arrive until after this year's E3?

Neon White (winter) - The clear dud of the Direct. Don't waste time on this garbage Nintendo. You play an assassin in heaven (of all places) hunting other assassins, and you use magic cards to perform all your abilities like jumping, dashing, and attacking? Its like a 3d shooter based on Paper Mario Sticker Star mechanics with a really bizarre backdrop.

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power (June 4) - A game for pre-teen girls. I suppose DC can have this market since Marvel's taken everything else.

Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville: Complete Edition (March 19) - Yet another that's been on other platforms for several years, and since it wasn't any good there (compared to the excellent first two games in the PvZ series) there's no reason to give this a look either.

Miitopia (May 21) - This... has promise. I heard really good things about the 3DS version. Though I think it depends on a lot of social contact in games, setting up a lot of Miis of friends and family or exchanging friend codes (meaning heavy use of Switch Online which the 3DS didn't need.) Since the pandemic seems to be hanging around until at least summer time, this possibly fills the social gaming niche Animal Crossing took last year.

Super Mario themed items coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons (February 25 form some, March 1 and later for others) - Looked like a lot of new costumes, brick and question blocks, gold coins, and a pair of warp pipes.

Project Triangle Strategy (2022, demo today) - Looks like the spiritual successor to the Final Fantasy Tactics series. However its operating under another goofy working title from SquareEnix that probably sticks around (as Octopath Traveler did) SquareEnix has got to get someone to name these things before they make preview trailers and put out demos. (I'll take the job if someone from SquareEnix is reading this.) Like Bravely Default II, its getting a demo way in advance of its eventual release.

Star Wars: Hunters (sometime in 2021) - The only trailer to not show anything, except a vague Stormtrooper shooting a gun and Chewy raising his arms and howling. Apparently its a cross-platform MMO of some kind set in the Star Wars universe, with a lot of in-game real money purchases to boost your success rate.

Knockout City (May 21) - Look like a neat, cartoony team combat game like Splatoon or Ninjala.

World's End Club (May 28) - Some kind of adventure game where you have 12 characters and have to experience the story from each of their points of views and split them into teams ot accomplish tasks as they try to get back home to Tokyo. I got the feel that this was a game not intended to be published outside of Japan, and now is, so its going to come off as odd to the western world.

Hades (March 19) - Physical version with a soundtrack and artbook. Given the high marks it got as a digital game last year, this is something I may have to consider.

Ninja Gaiden Master Collection (June 10) - Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge. Yawn. A great game from the late 80s that really never translated well to 3d.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity: Expansion Pass (May 28, $19.99) - Its pissed a lot of people off that this isn't coming until May as part 1, June as the first wave, and then November for the remainder in wave 2. The game is already 3 months old and now its a four month wait for the DLC to even start? Had this been announced earlier and released by now they probably would have sold twice as much as they will come May and June when the game is over half a year old and most people have long stopped playing it.  The only explanation to extend this out to November is that wave 2 must tie into the Breath of the Wild sequel in some way. So without actually saying so, Nintendo has pretty much hinted that the sequel isn't arriving before November.

Bravely Default II (February 26) - Yep. The next big thing on Nintendo's horizon now that Super Mario 3D World is behind us. (I'd have liked to seen something about that Bowser's Fury mode. Only seen a few videos and I'm still not sure what warrants me rebuying the game.) My preorder at Best Buy has been in place for a few weeks now.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection (February 25) - Given how absurdly difficult and unforgiving the original NES games are, I'm not too keen on this. For you younguns, when you hear people use the term "Nintendo hard" - Ghosts and Goblins is exhibit A.

SaGa Frontier Remastered (April 15) - Yet another Square RPG getting the refresh treatment. This one seems to be completely drowned out in the noise of Bravely Default II, Legend of Mana, and Project Triangle Strategy news.

Apex Legends (March 9) - And another battle royale game coming to the Switch much later than everyone else.

Aonuma appears spiking interest. But then he bums everyone out by saying there's nothing new to show for Breath of the Wild sequel, and news will come later this year. Given the previous AoC DLC news, its pretty clear the sequel isn't arriving before November, if it even arrives in 2021 at all. (An early 2022 release is not out of the question.)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (July 16) - Uses Joycons to copy the Wiimote and Nunchuk motion control, but also playable with buttons and the right joystick. I think some people were expecting a three game anniversary set of some sort, but Skyward Sword alone isn't bad as its one of the best in the series.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Edition Joycons (July 16) - Left has a shield design and right has a sword design. (Note that Skyward Sword is one of the few that has a right-handed Link.)

Splatoon 3 (2022) - The "one last thing" preview of this Direct. A nice ending, even if I don't care for Splatoon. I couldn't tell if the gameplay was showing off Splatoon 3, or just a souped up Splatoon 2 though so I'm not sure what to make of it. I saw an article a few weeks back that said Nintendo needed a Splatoon 3 for Christmas 2021 though. I'm rather surprised they'd tease something that's both a year off and doesn't help them with 2021's outlook. They've been tight lipped about not showing things off until a few months before release of late, so this seemed completely out of character for Nintendo. They could have easily just said "coming soon" and not put a 2022 label on it. Instead, its another a leak that the Zelda game almost has to be the Christmas marquee title. Otherwise entering the holiday season with your two most hyped games coming the following year doesn't make for a strong finish to the year (especially with Sony and Microsoft itching to get back into the fight.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 21, 2021, 04:39:37 am

Was not expecting the Direct to cater so much to my interests: JRPGs and a Splatoon sequel :bluetoad

Even though i'm not big into Smash, the Pyra announcement renewed my interest in Xenoblade 2. Would like to play the game some time, but man, JRPGs are a massive time sink, especially the current one i'm playing. Absolutely loving it though.

The branching narrative concept of the new Octopath is very intriguing. That was a pretty huge selling point of Tactics Ogre, which this game takes a lot of its inspiration from (and FFT of course).

Past GnG games are downright evil in difficulty. The newest sequel looks a lot more manageable thanks to difficulty options and additional weapons (and companions apparently). A modernized GnG is exactly what i've been waiting for. Tried the PSP GnG not too long ago, and i couldn't stand the fully polygonal graphics. There's a sense of precision you get with 2D sprites over 3D on a side view.

New Mario Golf looks great. I'm not normally into sports games, but Wii Sports convinced back in the day that the genre is an absolute blast with the right people around.

Saga Frontier - I dismissed this game back in the day based on the account it was far too radically different from the rpgs i was used to. I'm a lot more open now to experimental games however, so i think i will give Frontier another shot.

Skyward Sword - The Zelda fanbase at large considers SS to be the worst of the big boy console Zeldas. The game certainly does have a lot obnoxious elements that really slow down the experience. I would like to see the Zelda team smooth out the experience like Wind Waker HD.

Splatoon 3 - What can i say? I was absolutely giddy once this game popped up in the Direct. Having spent over a 1000 hrs in Splatoon 2, i'm absolutely ready for a new one. The open desert landscape in the beginning of the trailer suggests the campaign could be open world, but that's a pie in the sky desire at the moment. I'm incredibly happy they're adding a bow to the arsenal. That was my one most wanted weapon concept i wanted out of Splatoon 2, so it's nice too see the idea from my head become fully realzied. Very surreal.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 21, 2021, 09:42:22 pm

Quote from: Moge on February 21, 2021, 04:39:37 am

Was not expecting the Direct to cater so much to my interests: JRPGs and a Splatoon sequel :bluetoad

Definitely a Moge-Direct^TM. I on the other hand did not like it very much at all. The Age of Calamity DLC is too far out. If it came out already I'd have bought it. By June I doubt I'll care. Legend of Mana was a disappointment after the 3D work done on Secret and Trials. Don't care about Mario Sports games. They didn't show off anything that isn't already known about Bravely Default II. The only bright spot of the Direct for me was Skyward Sword HD - but they didn't mention any new features and I really hope it has some.

Quote from: Moge on February 21, 2021, 04:39:37 am

Even though i'm not big into Smash, the Pyra announcement renewed my interest in Xenoblade 2. Would like to play the game some time, but man, JRPGs are a massive time sink, especially the current one i'm playing. Absolutely loving it though.

Unfortunately Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a gigantic sink.  Its easily 250+ hours and the length varies greatly by the gacha mechanism for randomly giving out the unique Blade characters. It definitely belongs in the "way too long" category. It was enjoyable but at the same time 'ugh'. It was so long that it turned me off from trying the Torna: The Golden Country side story/prequel game.

Quote from: Moge on February 21, 2021, 04:39:37 am

The branching narrative concept of the new Octopath is very intriguing. That was a pretty huge selling point of Tactics Ogre, which this game takes a lot of its inspiration from (and FFT of course).

And the above length problem is probably why I've not been so keen to try out Octopath Traveler and why this new Project Triangle Strategy has me nonplussed. I like a good RPG story but don't need to play the same game multiple times to see all the different story branches. A good book has a story that develops linearly over the course of a defined chapter sequence.  These new games feel like they're taking eight different books, jumbling all the chapters together into one large book, and calling that a good story. I'm doubtful. You don't need 200+ hours of content and a thousand branches to tell a good story and make a good JPRG. The JPRG heyday on the SNES got by with games that fit into the 24-40 timeframe. Short by today's standards but often better because they didn't bog down in sidequests that accomplish little but to burn time off the clock.

Quote from: Moge on February 21, 2021, 04:39:37 am

Past GnG games are downright evil in difficulty. The newest sequel looks a lot more manageable thanks to difficulty options and additional weapons (and companions apparently). A modernized GnG is exactly what i've been waiting for. Tried the PSP GnG not too long ago, and i couldn't stand the fully polygonal graphics. There's a sense of precision you get with 2D sprites over 3D on a side view.

I'm ok with rebooting the GnG series, too.  There's a lot of good 80s games that could use a renaissance, especially in Capcom's portfolio. They had a treasure trove of hits on the NES and over the last 20 years or so have either let some of them (like GnG) go to waste or, worse, made so many bad games that they led the series down the path of irrelevance (Mega Man)

Quote from: Moge on February 21, 2021, 04:39:37 am

Skyward Sword - The Zelda fanbase at large considers SS to be the worst of the big boy console Zeldas. The game certainly does have a lot obnoxious elements that really slow down the experience. I would like to see the Zelda team smooth out the experience like Wind Waker HD.

I'd rather say its most polarizing. Either people rank it very high or very low. It doesn't sit in the mid-range on people's rankings very often. I don't understand why people don't like it though. It must be those obnoxious things but most Zelda's have something annoying about them (feeding the map fish in Wind Waker, super-annoying heart pieces in Ocarina of Time, several hundred too many Koroks in BotW, etc.) Skyword Sword had motion controls, some clever sword fighting techniques, new uses for old items (like the double grappling hooks), a challenging new game+ mode that had been missing since the first game, and arguably the best, most complete end-to-end story in the bunch with a recurring villain instead of a boss that only appears in the last five minutes. I think people that rank it low are out of their mind. I've even gone so far as to say on this very board that Skyward Sword is better than Breath of the Wild. (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2697.msg33929#msg33929) I would still, 10 years after release, rank it as the best Zelda game, above Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 24, 2021, 04:51:25 am

I've tried the Trials of Mana demo. I much prefer the old 2D game. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't live up to the production values of the original, which that version might as well be considered AAA for its time. The new 3D Trials is about mid-tier production values-wise. It's okay, but i wanted something more grandiose, like on the scale of DQ 11 or the FF7 Remake. That is of course an absolutely impossible request with current Square.

I'm quite happy to see Legend not be turned into a 3D game, cause it game's 2D graphics are wholly unique and still hold up. Cleaning it up and repackaging it for modern times is the best way to go. According to the Steam listing, the port is being handled by M2, so i know the port is in very capable hands. I only hope they improve the game in other ways besides remastering the backgrounds.

From my experience with strategy-RPGs, they're more longer than traditional RPGs cause the battles require so much more input, both in combat and inventory management.

The GnG reboot was Maximo on the PS2. Never did get to play it, but would like to one day.

Breath of the Wild pretty much fizzles out once you familiarize yourself with its world. Those first 10 hours or so where you're exploring the unknown really are quite fantastic.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 05, 2021, 04:32:54 am

More details of the next Switch are leaking out, and it's looking the next upgrade will be a lot more substantial than many were predicting. 4k resolution and the switch (ahem) to an OLED display seem to be the biggest selling points. More importantly to me however is DLSS tech built into the hardware. This will allow the Switch to pump out high fidelity visuals even with low horsepower. Side rant, but it was a huge mistake by Microsoft and Sony to launch their latest systems without DLSS. Considering that both consoles are touting raytracing as a selling point, it would have been hugely beneficial and would have made the difference in getting a 30 fps raytraced game to run at 60 fps instead (looking at you Control).

Not mentioned but other upgrades i'm expecting for the next Switch are the switch to Bluetooth 5.0 peripherals and better build quality for said peripherals. Nintendo has gotten a massive amount of flak for the subpar Joycon sticks (to the point where they're offering free repair), so i'm expecting that to be significantly improved.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 05, 2021, 07:39:27 am

I think Sony and Microsoft were more focused on native 4k for PS5/Series X games than upscaling PS4/One games to 4k at 60fps. They are counting on two or three years down the road that nobody will care that the previous generation of games play at lower framerates, only that they do play. I've been burned in the past by MechAssault (despite being one of the original Xbox's best sellers) not being playable on the 60, by FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage not being playable on the Xbox One (due to bankrupcty of the publisher and inability of Microsoft to acquire a license for the new system), and the age old problem of the PS2 requiring PS1 memory cards. I had to find a memory card at a thrift shop because even Gamestop had stopped selling them. I can take lower framerate if it means 99%+ of games will play with no additional costs.

I've never quite understood the whole 30 vs 60 fps debate anyway. Theater movies only run at 24 fps and you don't hear people screaming about it like they do video games. 30 fps is perfectly fine. More is welcome but I see it as optional, not the requirement that some people do. Even if you can visually tell the difference between 30 and 60, what does one earlier frame give you in game terms? The human body isn't capable of reacting fast enough to pull your joystick or press a button quickly enough to make a significant difference to gameplay. if you care more about gameplay than visuals (as I do) then 60fps matters little. If only matters a lot to people who put the visuals ahead of gameplay.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 05, 2021, 05:00:43 pm

30 fps is absolutely fine for most contemporary games, the sweeping single-player adventure variety. I tend to prefer 60 fps however for anything frenetic or has few animation frames, like 2D games or fighting games. 2D games especially feel very strange when running at 30 fps, considering most retro games back in the day ran at 60 fps.

The power increase for the next Switch will be hugely beneficial to 3rd party studios that don't have Nintendo's technical wizardry with the hardware. I can't think of a better example than Deadly Premonition 2, which sank to single digit framerates in the overworld. Basically, Nintendo needs to maintain some parity with the nextgen so developers aren't left with having to make huge concessions on getting their games running. Think back to the Wii. Publishers saw little return in investment having to cook up a unique version of their multiplatform games for the system.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 06, 2021, 12:35:36 am

Quote from: Moge on March 05, 2021, 05:00:43 pm

most retro games back in the day ran at 60 fps.

Retro was not running 60fps. NTSC is 29.97 fps and PAL 25 fps regardless of using coaxial cable, s-video, av or component cables. You couldn't get 60fps on consoles until they provided HDMI ports. Only PC got 60fps and perhaps some arcade games provided a faster refresh with custom monitors but home stuff was limited to the regional standard (NTSC for most of the world and PAL for Europe, and a few other countries)

Quote from: Moge on March 05, 2021, 05:00:43 pm

The power increase for the next Switch will be hugely beneficial to 3rd party studios that don't have Nintendo's technical wizardry with the hardware. I can't think of a better example than Deadly Premonition 2, which sank to single digit framerates in the overworld. Basically, Nintendo needs to maintain some parity with the nextgen so developers aren't left with having to make huge concessions on getting their games running. Think back to the Wii. Publishers saw little return in investment having to cook up a unique version of their multiplatform games for the system.

On this I agree. Switch is only recently getting PS4/One games. And if a developer wants to make a game for all three systems it has to develop for the lowest common denominator, which is Switch. That means for games that require powerful graphics (Doom, Crysis) or those that demand a lot of memory (Dragon Quest Builders 2), the next iteration in those series may not be possible on the standard Switch without a serious cutback in capability. I love DQB2 and want DQB3 to be as good as it can, which means that even if I'd buy the PS5 version I'd want a powerful Switch Pro/Super Switch on the market by the time its announced so I know DQB3 is not stuck with the same limitations DQB2 has.

I think Nintendo was going to announce the Pro/Super at E3 with Breath of the Wild sequel as its primary launch title, but now that it's been cancelled its unclear. They'll probably have a Treehouse event that week like they did last year but its going to be a bummer they can't have models on the floor with which to wow the visitors. Sony encountered this problem last year and it surprised people by how huge the PS5 was once it started shipping to reviewers.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 07, 2021, 04:47:44 am

29.97 fps is the fps of North American television shows (and 23.976 fps being the standard for films). Don't get that mixed with the fps of video games, which generally run at higher fps in the best-case scenario. Here's an old post on a retro game forum explaining it better than i can.

Quote from: forum.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?170706-Retro-Games-are-they-30-FPS-60-FPS-Help!

Framerate for old 2d/pixel/sprite based games did matter, but wasn't something we really thought about in America. For instance look at what people in Europe with PAL SNES systems had to deal with. PAL ran at 50 fps which appeared "slower". Once they got a taste of a US/JPN NTSC SNES/SFC running at a nice 60 fps, you saw a lot of Europeans importing consoles to play the games the way they were intended.

Here's a site that tests if your eyes can differentiate 60 and 30 fps. See a difference in the first and second row? -- https://www.testufo.com/ (https://www.testufo.com/)

It would be very advantageous to Nintendo to push for much higher specs on the Switch. Not true nextgen but if they could get the system to reach PS4 and XB1 level, then i think that would be enough to convince the remaining Japanese publishers who put exclusive content on the Playstation to start putting them on the Switch Pro. Really, i just wanna see 13 Sentinels and Guilty Gear on the system :P

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 07, 2021, 10:13:31 am

You're right that the retro video game stuff usually was running 60 fps. I got mixed up with broadcast TV.

Quote from: Moge on March 07, 2021, 04:47:44 am

Here's a site that tests if your eyes can differentiate 60 and 30 fps. See a difference in the first and second row? -- https://www.testufo.com/ (https://www.testufo.com/)

In all fairness that's running the UFOs at 960 pixels per second. NES and SNES for example only displayed 256 horizontal pixels and rarely had anything moving across screen in an equivalent .26 second. Maybe background stars in a few space shooters but I seriously doubt too many main character sprites. I checked the Mega Man II robot intro screens and the fastest stars cross in maybe 1.75 to 2 seconds, meaning a rate of about 125 pixels per second. You change the scrolling speed of that animation from 960 down to 120 and you're not going to see as big of a difference between the 30 and 60 fps rows. So again, it really doesn't matter than much for retro stuff.


In other news, Sony's got to do something about PS Store speed. While I appreciate them offering a quality game like Ratchet & Clank for free, the download time was utterly abysmal.

Speedtest gives me a download speed between 50 and 60 Mbps about just about every time I check (once or twice a year). That's a download speed of about 6.5 megabytes per second. The game is 25.539 GB in size. At full throttle, this should have taken me around 3,929 seconds to download, or about an hour and 6 minutes. I'd have been content if it was even up in the 4 or 5 hour range. Being free I'd have even settled for overnight in the 12 hour timeframe since I'd not started it until Thursday evening anyway and was content to let the machine run overnight. Yet it was 50 hours, 24 minutes, self-suspending twice due to loss of connection (meaning total download time may have been closer to 48 hours.) That's 181,440 seconds, a throughput of about .14 megabytes per second or 1.12 Mbps - low end DSL speed. If the PS Store can only supply 1/46th of the bandwidth I can soak up, that's intolerable. (For the record, the game became playable at the 9 hour, 44 minute mark, but total data took the remaining 40 hours and 40 minutes.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 19, 2021, 05:38:10 am

Apparently, The Evil Within and Nier Automata for GamePass for PC are entirely new ports. All the bugs from the shoddy Steam releases have been fixed and include plenty of other additional enhancements.

Microsoft certainly didn't have to do this, but it can't be understated the amount of work Microsoft is putting into making GamePass such an incredible service at a bargain. For once, Steam might actually have some competition (sorry Epic).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 09, 2021, 12:33:58 am

Any thoughts and opinions on the Gamecube Controller, JGOO? It's been so long since i used one that i miss it. Did some digging a few days ago and found Hori is releasing a new model of their GC controller in July, but this time with added back buttons, gyro, and wireless functionality. PDP and PowerA also have their own officially licensed GC controller alternative, but Hori's generally considered to be the best (aside from of course the real thing).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 10, 2021, 07:52:34 am

I never liked it was much as the N64 controller. The Nintendo model doesn't have very comfortable grips and the right hand button layout is rather radical compared to the standard 4 button cardinal direction layout we have today. I know where they were going with it - one primary button surrounded by three smaller ones - and it worked well for Nintendo-specific games like Super Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker, and Metroid Prime, but I imagine it did not work so well for games on multiple consoles. I could imagine a Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat type game being very unusual on a GameCube controller. Clearly it was problematic because Nintendo went back to the standard 4 button layout with same sized buttons for the DS and continued with it for 3DS and Switch. On the other hand I thought it had a fine thumbstick and shoulder buttons, and a more appropriate weight thanks to the built-in rumbler. The N64 controller had that Rumble Pak slot and despite being gigantic it was so lightweight it felt very fragile (even though it had better build quality than the truly fragile SNES controllers.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 11, 2021, 05:30:41 am

Worse than the N64 controller? Ouch. I don't see too many who really like the N64 controller, other than N64 diehards. I thought it was an okay controller. The A and B buttons on that thing still have the most satisfying button presses i've felt on any controller.

t's true the GC's button layout doesn't well suited for all genres, but the genres it is suited for, ones that are more reliant on fewer buttons, it absolutely excels in. I sorely miss pressing that overly sized A button.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 11, 2021, 04:38:44 pm

I have large hands so the N64 controller was a good fit for me, except for feeling a lot lighter than you'd expect. The SNES and GameCube controllers were both more dense (as are most controllers, especailly nowadays with built in batteries and rumblers) And a lot of people don't like the N4's "three-handed" approach, but I thought that gave it variety. More modern controllers move the analog stick to the right thumb area (with added d-pad on the left), but if the controller handles aren't shaped right, that area can interfere with grip.

GameCube controller has smooth rubber handles and its lower analog sticks get in the way of fingers wrapped around those handles. And the button arrangement did not lend itself to ported games all that well. The one thing that layout really had going for it was a standard main button (the big A) - too many games on the standard four button layout controller systems use different primaries and every game you need to relearn which button fires, which button brakes, which button changes weapons, etc. So I agree that the ideal controller would have an oversized button of the four to designate as primary.

At some point we need to do some top 10 controller posts. I'd stick to first-party hardware myself but I know you invest in Hori stuff.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 13, 2021, 06:51:47 pm

I am stoked. SquareEnix is making a worldwide presentation in a few weeks to announce all the new Dragon Quest titles for the 35th anniversary (with simultaneous English translation!) They're doing right what Nintendo's now gotten wrong twice with Mario and Zelda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmOWgfYVjY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmOWgfYVjY)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 14, 2021, 04:17:16 am

The N64 controller's pretty sturdy and very solidly designed. If it had 2 more big face buttons i would like it a lot more. I'm compiling my top 10 list of game controllers. I do have one third-party controller on the list.

I'm half expecting a DQ collection with 4-6 to be announced. Although that might be too good of a deal and they'll probably break them up into separate releases.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 16, 2021, 09:30:08 pm

Nah, all the older DQs (1-8) are on Android and iOS now. Maybe some of them are for sale in Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft e-shops as well. Bringing a collection to modern systems doesn't do much. Unless they go full remake with cutscenes and such. Maybe not to the level of FF7 Remake, but something significantly more substantial than the originals.

DQ9 though would be a treat. It still only exists on Nintendo DS, which is effectively obsolete, and has portions of it that are inaccessible the last few years after Nintendo shut down Streetpass. It is way overdue for a port, if not a refresh.

They'll probably formally announce DQ12 here and show off the first bits of concept art. Someone on another board said they'd read a leak that the first half of the presentation will be talking about the recent year, covering things like the Adventure of Dai anime and its game, Dragon Quest Tact mobile game, moving DQ11 and Builders 2 onto the Xbox/Gamepass platform, and stuff like that, and then the second half will talk about things coming in the next year. DQ12 has best odds, though it might not port to North America and Europe until later in 2022. I'd rank a DQ9 port as next best bet. And Builders 3 as third best bet (even though its the one that would have me most excited.) They might give us a new Monsters title, or even a third Heroes game instead, but I don't think them to be as likely. A DQ10 port to North America and Europe is very unlikely in my opinion - I don't think this game will ever leave Japan, and if does it'll be 2 years to either side of the release of a new mainline game like DQ12.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 20, 2021, 05:10:09 am

Retro gamers don't particularly view mobile gaming favorably, which is why a rerelease of the DS games on console would be a huge deal.

I've seen some people say a DQ X that's retinkered to be offline would be a way to get the game to western audiences.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 20, 2021, 05:45:48 pm

Quote from: Moge on May 20, 2021, 05:10:09 am

Retro gamers don't particularly view mobile gaming favorably, which is why a rerelease of the DS games on console would be a huge deal.

Well obviously action games just don't translate well. But turn-based RPGs like the Dragon Quest games are acceptable because there's no real time component involved.

DQ10 would be a nice-to-have, but at this late stage I'm not sure its worth them bringing it west. Unless SquareEnix is trying to port it to PS5 and Series X, giving them a new opportunity to localize it. But its not coming anytime soon if DQ12 is on the table. Also, a new Monsters title was confirmed as one of the games to be announced, being worked a prequel to DQ11 featuring the thief Erik. So at minimum it sounds like DQ12, new Monsters, and Infinity Strash will be covered - but I really hope they fit DQB3 in there too.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 27, 2021, 08:18:47 am

Totally not what I expected last night. Almost not worth staying up past midnight it was so light on details and gameplay video.

Here's the recap:

ANNOUNCEMENT	WORLDWIDE?	WHEN?	FOR WHAT?
Metal Slime wristwatch, Metal Slime t-shirt, Slime-print polkadot button up shirt	Japan-only	Unknown
Dragon Quest Eraser A Puyo-puyo like mobile game	Unknown	2021	Phones & tablets
Dragon Quest X Online 5.5	Japan-only	Summer 2021	PC, Consoles?
Dragon Quest X Online 6	Japan-only	Late 2021	PC, Consoles?
Dragon Quest X Offline Simplified graphics and potentially stripped down story	Unknown	Japan - 2022	Unknown
Dragon Quest III HD-2D DQ3 remade in Octopath Traveller's engine	Yes, simultaneous	Late 2021	Consoles
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Horii let it slip they would likely remake these next, indicating they are probably already working on it	Unknown	Unknown
Dragon Quest Treasures Like Monsters but focusing on Treasure hunting rather than collecting/breeding monsters. Uses the Erik and Mia childhood assets previously expected for the next Monsters game.	Yes, simultaneous	Unknown	Consoles
Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate Only showed off the title, no concept art, photos or gameplay.	Planned simultaneous, but not certain	Unknown	Unknown

Hope Moge is right about the offline DQX port. And hope its sooner rather than later. At present the only game confirmed for the West during the 35th anniversary year is a so-so remake of an earlier game in the series. (Remind you of Mario 3D All Stars last year?)

None of the games got a firm release date. They didn't discuss Infinity Strash at all indicating it was likely covered in the Japan-only hour that preceeded the worldwide hour (and thus not coming to the west.) Horii said there will be another Monsters game someday, but didn't say when and hoped Treasures attracts the same type of players. No news on a DQ9 port. No news on a Builders 3. DQX Offline was the only one that showed off more than maybe 20 seconds of actual game play - with most videos showing non-game content or prerendered video cutscenes from the games. Overall a failure based on how little they actually said and showed off. Its nice to know DQX Offline and Treasures are coming, but without a date the whole announcement show felt like it could have done with a press release. And the DQ12 announcement didn't give us any thing we didn't already know, except the subtitle. All hype, very little substance last night.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 03, 2021, 06:01:24 pm

In case you missed the news yesterday, Nintendo will be having a full sized, 40 minute long Nintendo Direct to air the morning of June 15. Its going to be simulcast for the Japanese audience as well (1 am at night there), so some big news is likely coming. At least for English speaking audiences, it'll continue with Treehouse gameplay videos the rest of the day, as is typical for their E3 telecasts.

https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/2021/nintendo-announces-its-activities-for-this-years-all-virtual-e3/

It'll focus primarily on games releasing in second half of 2021, rather than future stuff. Some of the games certain to be covered extensively are Mario Golf Super Rush, Skyward Sword HD, and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl. Probably going to see Ace Attorney Collection, Legend of Mana, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Lego Stars Wars Skywalker Saga, Hyrule Warriors DLC, and ten to twelve others (some of which already exist on other platforms like Fall Guys), plus a few addons like the Skyward Sword series Amiibo and themed Joycons. I think we'll see the Christmas season game formally announced too, which is most likely the Zelda sequel, as Metroid Prime 4 is probably still too far off and Splatoon 3 is still planned for 2022. I suspect the Hyrule Warriors DLC wave 1 will be made available upon conclusion of the presentation, with the rumor that November's wave 2 ties into the BOTW sequel confirmed during the video.

They say the presentation will focus entirely on games, but I'll be astonished if they don't mention the new hardware and when its available. Everyone knows the existing chipset is no longer being made and the ability to construct Switch consoles with the current motherboard and chipset format will end very soon. Furthermore, Nintendo is obligated to provide availability notice to retailers no later than mid-July or else they will no longer be assured of receiving any new Switch console hardware after its expected to run out in August or September. If you aren't announcing it at E3, with a worldwide audience, why bother trying to keep a secret these last 10-12 months?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 05, 2021, 04:21:20 am

Going a year without E3 and not having one centralized event made me realized how much i missed the spectacle. Two things i want out of the whole event: Splatoon 3 and for the Switch upgrade to be revealed. I'm certain i'll see the former, but the latter? Who knows. There's some rumor going around it's supposed to be shown before the event, but i'm not counting on it. Other games i'm hyped to see: Bayonetta 3, Metroid Prime 4, BotW 2, Perfect Dark, and hopefully some fighting game news out of Capcom. Here's the current E3 schedule for those interested -- https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2-hQDNXwAMvoa3?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2-hQDNXwAMvoa3?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 06, 2021, 03:35:56 pm

Well all the announcements that normally happen at an E3 still happen, only virtually or at a separate press conference. The thing that is really missed is input from industry experts on gameplay and other details.

For example, the Cyberpunk debacle from last year would have never happened if it were playable on the show floor and independent playtesters saw how buggy it was. It would have been indication to developer that they'd need to fix it before release or push back release for more time, and most importantly, to not try to sneak the PC version pass reviewers as 'identical' to the Playstation and Xbox version's sorry performance. Instead, CD Projekt Red was able to pass off the PC version as definitive for all, and it fooled some reviewers into giving it superb ratings for the consoles on blind trust, or worse, tricked a few awards programs to give it awards it clearly did not deserve. Gamescom gave it the best Playstation Game and Best in Show award last year despite not having played either the PS4 or PS5 version prior to making the award. Given this disaster from 2020 it is impossible to trust any 'Game of the Year' designation for 2021 without it being played by multiple independent reviewers first. CD Projekt Red poisoned the well. (Even investors are suing them for false claims which inflated stock price in 2020 before crashing after the game's release.)


I see Ubisoft's presentation is Saturday. Any takers on Beyond Good and Evil 2 finally making an appearance? We're only 3-4 weeks before it overtakes Duke Nukem Forever's 14 year, 2 month plus development hell. Either Ubisoft makes good on it and it finally shows up this year, or its effectively an admission that its complete vaporware and what they showed a few years back was a hoax.
They've also (finally) got another Rabbids game, and its coming to Switch, but its not a sequel to the Mario + Rabbids tactical game that (for a long while) was the best selling third-party title on Switch which pretty much demands a sequel. It's one of 14 third party games to surpass 1 million unit sales, and is still fourth in total third party sales - why wouldn't Ubisoft cash in on a sequel if you've only been beaten by the impressive Monster Hunter Rise, the cross-platform phenomenon of Minecraft, and the Japanese only Momotaro Densetsu? Ubisoft is literally leaving money on the table by choosing to develop a Mario Party competitor rather than the Mario + Rabbids sequel. I just don't see Rabbids Adventure Party reaching that two million sales benchmark when Mario Party completely dominates that genre.

Microsoft really needs to say when Halo Infinite will drop during their Sunday presentation. They've already been given an extra seven months to work on it and badly, badly, badly need it. PS5 is utterly destroying them in sales by over 2 to 1 (and the Switch is beating them too), and Microsoft's already missed the option to release the game in time for summer, when kids (teenagers ideally) are at home more, without school work, and able to play video games more often. GamePass has been a savior but its nearly saturated the market and Microsoft is now almost having to give away short-term GamePass subscriptions to keep their gaming division afloat and needs powerhouse titles for the X to keep waning interest. Dropping the price on the Series S by $100 and introducing a Series SX that adds in the optical drive would be welcome announcement. The current prices just don't justify the game selection. (That Perfect Dark reboot would help, not not as much as Halo Infinite.)

SquareEnix already covered the Dragon Quest items, so I guess they'll show off FF7 Intergrade and next FF7 Remake title. Probably some more on that Project Athia / Forspoken game that looked very impressive last year. I'd appreciate it if they put some dates on the DQ items but I'd bet they don't. (If they didn't know 10 days ago, its unlikely they'll know 7 days from now.)

I am a little interested in Take-Two's presentation. They gave us the BioShock and XCOM collections last year at E3, so I wonder if they'd got sequels in the works. If I had to guess, I'd say its time for a Red Dead Redemption 3. And a Grand Theft Auto 6 if they ever got around to it (they've been living off GTA5 for 8 years now.) Not that either game particularly interests me. Civilization VI has been on sale repeatedly over the last year or so, and a VII is due.

I know Capcom will show off the Ace Attorney collection (and maybe a new game in the series?) but no idea on a fighting game. It would be an ideal time to introduce Street Fighter VI since V is now five years old, Mortal Kombat 11 is two years old and obviously between releases, and no sign of the next Smash Bros yet. If SF6 isn't announced this year, going into next year could get all three announced, which in my opinion would be a disaster for the Street Fighter series.

Bandai Namco probably brings a new Tekken this year or next, as well. I know they'll at least mention the new Dragonball Kakarot DLC but no idea what else.

Warner Bros is supposed to have two Justice League games but the one that interests me the most, and disappoints the most, is Hogwart's Legacy. I see it as a whiff on not providing a Switch version that allows the player to control the wand with a Switch Joycon, or flicking spells on the touchscreen. That would have been a fun - and different - gaming experience.

I hope Paranoia finally gets a release date set during Steam Fest week. It was announced E3 2019, said in 2020 it was going to release "soon", and it now been a year with practically no news. Either stuck in development hell finishing up the polish on what looked like a nearly complete game - or something has gone horribly wrong.

I also heard the rumor that Nintendo might drop the news on the Switch upgrade this week (I read the 10th). I still find the timing unlikely, but if they do it comes off as damage control, to try to get the news out of the way before one of the third party presenters spills the beans. Say, if Ubisoft comes along on the 12th and says Rabbids Adventure Party is being designed for Switch and Switch Pro to release on November 12 or so, what left does Nintendo have to say about it on the 15th (except maybe price)? Only way Nintendo controls the release news is to do it themselves. Should have already and they may have realized that its now panic time. If the announcement comes this week, after hyping the E3/Treehouse event 15th as their next presentation, then its because they painted themselves into a corner and have to preempt Ubisoft or one of the other presenters.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 07, 2021, 01:58:49 pm

Speaking of Capcom, they just had a copyright infringement lawsuit dropped on them Friday. Looking at the source material, its hard to argue they aren't very guilty.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Juracek+vs+Capcom (https://www.google.com/search?q=Juracek+vs+Capcom)

This may (likely will) cost them millions of dollars in damages, might delay future games as they review for any new infringements (Resident Evil Village almost certainly to be delayed further), and might even lead to some of their games being pulled off of shelves or out of e-shops (particularly Resident Evil 4 since one of the copyrighted photos is used in the numeral "4" of the title artwork.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 10, 2021, 05:17:18 am

These days, most AAA releases are sent to store shelves as incomplete products requiring a day one patch. I doubt journalists playtesting the game would have made any meaningful difference. What's shows up on the show floor are curated experiences, so they're never gonna get the complete picture until review time.

I have a hard time mustering up hype for BG&E2 when it's an online multiplayer experience. Ubisoft last year published their own take on Breath of the Wild (Immortals Fenyx Rising). Wasn't this supposed to be Beyond Good & Evil's role originally?

It's amazing that Microsoft has been able to coast on by without a single defining game on the Series platform, but that just highlights how strong GamePass and the Xbox's expansive back catalog truly are.

Street Fighter V is on its final season of DLC content. I'm not expecting a reveal for VI until Capcom Cup in December or possibly next year. Besides SF VI, i would very much like to see Capcom iterate on either Marvel vs Capcom or Darkstalkers. It would be nice if they could go back to having more than 1 fighter in the spotlight.

Rumors of Valve possibly releasing a direct competitor to the Nintendo Switch deeply intrigues me. Nintendo has a firm grasp on the marketshare of indies on console, so what happens when Valve enters the ring, considering they dominate that space on PC? They certainly have the resources to pull it off.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 10, 2021, 08:30:16 am

But those hands-on experiences do help identify weaknesses for day-one patches. Not expecting perfection at E3, but it can't be a total smoke and mirrors show like Cyberpunk was last year. At the very least it would have given people a chance to see the differences between PC, Xbox One, and PS4 versions. They would have seen the PC look better and certainly perform better, and maybe not been so hasty to award it PS4 awards it didn't deserve.

Immortals Fenyx Rising looks like the Kid Icarus Uprising sequel I'd been wanting Nintendo to make. I haven't played it but it really does look like Kid Icarus in a BotW-like world. I'd always thought Kid Icarus would translate well to a Star-fox style 3D (and it did), and then thought it would translate to open-world just as well if Nintendo had got that far (and Ubisoft effectively proved it would have.)

Unfortunately Microsoft's back catalog isn't as strong as Sony's or Nintendo's. If they ever got their act together and effectively copied what Gamepass does instead of these half-assed attempts they could bury Microsoft. The one thing Microsoft has they don't is crossplay with PC and seamless switching between the two (assuming a powerful enough PC), but the larger game libraries could probably overcome this.

Next year likely brings the next Mortal Kombat and Smash Bros announcements (Smash Bros is nearing the end of its DLC run, too). If Capcom wants to get in before them, then I guess that Capcom Cup is the place. They could really use a Versus type game between now and then though. A wider array of games would help, too. They've been running on sequels for many years now - almost everything is an Ace Attorney, Mega Man, Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, or one of their fighting game franchises. The Ghosts 'n' Goblins "remake" is an oks tart, but its  looks more like a repackaging then a total refresh. Back in the late 80s early 90s they had some major hits like DuckTales, Bionic Commando, Strider, and Code Name: Viper. Excepting the Disney games, they have a decent catalog of original material they can pull from and reinvent. (There's a rumor they will reboot MegaMan again this year or next though. I think Bionic Commando or Strider would make better choices.)

I'm not certain Valve has retailer magnitude. I've seen some Steam redemption cards on "a" shelf, but its not like they have full shelves to themselves like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft (who basically took Sega's shelves.) And a heavy focus on indie games didn't at all help things like the Ouya or Shield break into the gaming market. You need several exclusive releases each year (or in the case of Microsoft, deep pockets and half a lifetime)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 10, 2021, 11:29:35 am

Also, the controller countdown, best to worst. I haven't played a lot of things enough to give an opinion (original Xbox and PS3 for example), but I almost exclusively use first-party hardware rather than third-party stuff. Also not counting cameras (Kinect) or Keyboard and Mice (something that Saturn and Dreamcast felt were needed add-ons) since they are too similar to standard PC hardware, even though some games are playable with these. I am only considering proper controller devices.


Xbox 360 Controller - My personal choice for best. Its perfectly sized, with an appropriate weight, ergonomic contours on the grips and thumbsticks, solid buttons, responsive shoulder triggers in the right place, and built-in rumble. It even clearly shows which player you are with the light up ring. Its only drawbacks are that the d-pad is a little wobbly and corded models tangle up easy thanks to poor coatings.

Xbox One Controller - A step backwards. A little smaller and smoother and the battery pack sticks out so much to be annoyingly in the way of my fingers as they curl around the backside.

N64 Controller - Effectively two controllers in one, with its normal or pistol grip middle controller. The first first-party controller that gave us a proper trigger, which have since all moved to shoulders though shoulder placement is less gun-like (one of the features that made Goldeneye so amazing.) It feels a little too lightweight for its size though. If they'd invented internal rumblers by this time, putting them inside the case would have made for the ideal controller. Instead it had the rumble pack addition, which was still superior to what Sege and Sony offered. Putting the memory card into the same controller slot was a solid idea, too though if rumble was built into the controller it would have been better to plug in the memory card to the base unit. N64 also invented the concept of a different color controller for each player.

GameCube Controller - I miss the pistol trigger but otherwise a very good controller. It's large central button and three smaller around it were innovative and well-used for Nintendo's own games, but the third party games that had ports to Xbox or Playstation had trouble with it so I can see what it never caught on.

NEO*GEO Arcade Stick - The closest we've ever got to an arcade stick in home gaming. Its drawbacks were it's huge size and the fact the control sticks constantly clicked and made springy sounds when moved. Fine in a noisy arcade, not so great in a quieter home environment. But still pretty cool to play with an arcade stick at home. (Yes, Nintendo had made the Advantage years earlier, but it didn't quite look arcade-ish.)

Playstation DualShock 4 - The best of Sony's so far. Its still got lousy ergonomics that dig into the palms, but its better than previous generations thanks to contouring the palm areas. Its touchpad is the best controller innovation since shoulder triggers were added. It effectively gives you a built-in mouse and extra button - I'm sad to see so few games make good use of it. Its big light bar is rather annoying too, though its understandable why it was done this way (so the PS Eye camera could identify each controller.) It has a good rumbler inside too, but too weighted to right hand side. I'm not a fan of the hard to press Options and Share buttons, or the glued on serial number label on the back which comes loose after a few hundred hours of gameplay.

Zapper Gun - The first and only gun attachment worth its salt. Duck Hunt became an instant class thanks to the Zapper. It didn't seem terribly accurate but it was a blast to play. Not a fan of the springy sound it made when trigger was released though.

Jaguar Controller - Well sized and decently ergonomic. Atari really hit on a good idea by providing a host of new buttons between the wrists, with slots so each game could provide a little card that fit into the slot to provide descriptions of what each button could do. Not as many buttons as keys on a keyboard, but enough that game controls nearly impossible to pull off on the other systems were possible on Jaguar. I really haven't seen anything like it except for a funny Xbox add-on that provided a tiny keyboard for texting during games (quickly replaced by voice exchange)

Dreamcast VMU - Tiny, Simple, Cute. These plug ins to the base controller took the N64 idea for memory cards, and added a screen, dpad and pair of buttons so it was effectively a mini-Gameboy. it was small enough it put in your pocket and take with you (unlike GameBoys which were too large for pockets.) It was such an innovate idea that Nintendo came back around to it with the Tingle adventure in Wind Waker using a GameBoy Color as the controller though the Game Boy Adapter device. Sadly, it was one of the last good ideas Sega had.

3DS XL, New 3DS XL, 3DS - All three of these are similar. I prefer the XL's larger size so my hands are placed a little further apart though. Original XL was better than the New version. The New is surprisingly heavy, too smooth on the reverse side, and the New's 3D stick is basically a tiny eraser head that is difficult to move, especially give its placement right against the hinge.

Virtual Boy Controller - I remember the hand grips being nice and curvy and with a d-pad and buttons on each side it allowed lefty-righty parity and some new game concepts. You can really see how the GameCube controller is derived from the Virtual Boy's with similar slim but curvy grips and a second thumbstick for right hand. Its drawback was the heavy battery case (something Xbox still struggles with.)

SNES Control Pad - Perfect for its time, its since lost some luster thanks to newer technologies. It introduced shoulder buttons and the common 4-button diamond format right hand button placement, which practically all controllers now have. Its drawback was the shoulder buttons could be fragile - enough gameplay and they would wear out. We had one where a shoulder button snapped off near the hinge and had to open it up to superglue it back together..

Wiimote & Nunchuk - Innovative for finally bringing proper motion control. Quite the learning curve to get used to if playing with standard controllers, but easy for novices to pick up. Aside from my brother and I begging our mom to try out Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt not long after our parents had bought us the NES, I never saw her play another video game until trying Wii Sports Tennis. All she had to do was wave the stick, making it about a simple as Duck Hunt. (I don't think she cleared 1-1 in Super Mario Bros. My dad on the other hand was exceptionally good at Tetris.) Its a shame they had to make an add-on and a deluxe model of the Wiimote to get fine enough gyroscopic control for some games though.

Switch Pro Controller - A solid controller, which appears inspired by the Xbox series. Its well sized and weighted and its sticks, buttons and triggers are all responsive, with a decent rumbler inside (not as strong as Xbox's though.) The one thing I really don't like about its that its translucent charcoal black. You can't make out which button is which. I get minus and plus backwards all the time. I wish the buttons were colored in such a way to stand out more.

Genesis 6-button Control Pad - Sega really found a winner here with a control scheme that perfectly matched Street Fighter II, which was the hottest game at the time. And it felt really good in the hands - way better than anything else until the N64 came along. But its shoulder buttons were rather weak with hardly any response to whether being pressed or not.

Wii U Gamepad - A bit of good and bad here. Control-wise its not bad, on par with others from the 2010s. And the full sized touch screen is really neat stuff. It had better gyroscopics than the Wii so you could finally use it like a steering wheel without that silly Mario Kart wheel add-on that didn't really work. But its rather heavy, and the sound that comes out of it wasn't always synced to the TV. Clearly the predecessor to the Switch though. Many games also had the problem of requiring you to look down at the controller screen too often for "pause screen inventory management" instead of keeping eyes on screen as most games do - in this respect the screen could be detrimental.

Saturn Controller - An update to the Genesis 6-button controller. Size and shape wise it was nearly perfect. Sadly it wasn't made well, with a resistant d-pad that was harder to press than other controllers (like Nintendo's) and shoulder buttons that rattled around.

NES Max - More comfortable than the normal NES controller. The thumbpad was something to get used to though as it felt like it slid around all over the place with the lightest of pressure. It sort of became the "expert's controller" - after you could beat a game with the normal one, switch to the Max to see if you can tackle it there with its harder to control thumbpad.

Playstation 2 DualShock - A little better than the first thanks to the addition of the thumbsticks, but still badly designed in the palm grips with big fat nubs that press hard into the palms, and smooth so it slides around in them too easily.

GameBoy Color - I wouldn't say badly designed (like Playstation), just small. They didn't get it right until changing the form factor from screen top to screen middle with the DS, giving more size for hands. I liked my GBC, but couldn't play for long before my hands would cramp.

NES Control Pad - Not really impressive. The d-pad and buttons were amazingly responsive for its time, but those 90 degree corners were terrible. We all got used to it, but looking back on it, WTF was Nintendo thinking? Sharp corners in kids hands? When Nintendo released the NES Classic, I think they made a big mistake by not providing the dumbbell shaped controllers, and instead gave the rectangular models that clearly weren't up to 2016 ergonomic standards.

Dreamcast Controller -  Pretty much everything wrong with the Saturn 3D Control Pad, particularly the inward curving shape. The Start button though is totally unreachable by either thumb without releasing the hand. But it looked better and had that open spot for the VMU's screen to show though. In fact, it even gave two slots for VMUs or memory cards after learning from Nintendo's mistake of making games that could use either a memory card or rumble pak, but not both at once.

Genesis 3-button Controller - The original model Genesis controller was nothing special. It only added one button to the NES/Master System layout. And while it did angle them, it didn't angle them properly so that A, B, and C were in a line that your thumb would draw when holding the controller. So you kind of had to play with right hand holding the controller a little loosely. On the plus side, it was massive compared to the NES and SNES controllers, and more curvy, so for big-handed folks like me it felt more appropriate.

Saturn 3D Control Pad - What a step back. While the normal dream cast controller was just fine. Adding a thumb stick seemed to mess around with the design too much. Its no longer a comfortable feel with the thumbstick too high and the new rounded shape being inwards at the button for an odd palm position. it also had a lot of bare space on its face that could have been used for something: more buttons, turbo mode switch, something.

GameBoy - The original game boy was heavy and, like its Color followup, the form factor demanded hands that overlap behind it. On the plus side it introduced the angled button format later adopted by everyone else (except NEC, see below)

Switch Joycons - While I understand the purpose behind them to be removable from the Switch screen these things are horribly tiny. And as a result, they don't have full sized buttons or shoulder triggers. They have lights to indicate which player you are, but its not as clearly indicated as the Xbox 360 controllers were. Outside of a few games (1-2-Switch, Arms, and upcoming Skyword Sword) the Joycons haven't really been utilized well at all. The built-in function of the Switch Lite kind of crippled their use. I almost always use the controllers that come with the set, but the Joycons are so bad that the Switch is the only one where I've had to invest in the Pro Controller to get a comfortable enough feel.

Power Pad - The grandfather of later dance pads, the original pretty much sucked. It felt like the games would randomly decide if you'd pressed the button or not. And ultimately, most games that used it (like Track and Field) were more easily beaten by rapidly smashing your fists into the Power Pad than running in place with your feet.

Playstation Controller - Ugh. Sony's 20+ year ergonomic nightmare in its earliest form. Totally uncomfortable palm grips (not fixed until PS5), smooth palm areas (not fixed until PS4), shoulder buttons that are placed on nubs that extend too high (progressively better each version), and missing the thumbsticks that were by this time common (fixed in PS2)

Turbo-Grafx 16 Gamepad - Like everything else about the TG16/PC Engine, its basically an update to the NES. Similar rectangular controller, though it corners are softened a bit. While it added built-in turbo buttons, its actually worse than the original NES controller because the placement of the d-pad and normal buttons are so low on the controller that your thumbs had to twist backwards to reach. Very difficult to both hold and control effectively. The worse of the standard controllers.

Super Scope - While the Zapper was fun, this was absolute garbage. Its was way too big and its bazooka style meant you weren't looking over the barrel to aim anymore, so your accuracy was terrible. It gave sights, but only useful for aiming if your head was the size of a baby's. Just bad design all over.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 15, 2021, 06:41:46 pm

My E3 2021 Thoughts:


Best in Show:

Rocksmith+. I don't play a musical instrument, and probably won't start, but this finally gets it right using cell phone microphones after the error made 10 years ago requiring custom instruments and amps. And as a subscription service, they can keep providing content (and new songs) for years to come. Of everything shown at E3 this year, this is the thing most likely to stick around for 5-10 years.



Other things I liked (in decreasing order):

Verizon's "The Reset" commercial. A close second to Rocksmith+ for scope, the commercial perfectly captures what's wrong with network gaming right now and why fast, less laggy networks are desired. Chances are you missed it Monday morning, but its truly awesome and worth two minutes of your time to watch. (Consider blowing it up the video to full screen to see all the detail.)

Harold Halibut - Sort of a mystery game, but what really caught my eye is that every element in the game was created for real, using dolls and built sets like a stop-motion movie, but captured with a 3D camera. A rather novel (but expensive and time consuming) development process, but it gives it a very unique style.

Sea of Thieves: A Pirate's Life. The Pirates of the Caribbean crossover with Captains Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones is a strong hook. The game is a few years old now, but exactly the thing it needed to reinvigorate interest. Even I'm mildly interested in the game despite having zero interest in it before. And its releasing soon, June 22, so there's not a months-long wait for it.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn't really care much for the Avengers or Ironman VR game when they came out, but I liked the banter going back and forth between the characters during the preview. All the bickering seems to perfectly capture what we know about this eclectic mix of superheroes. Also due this year, October 26.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. This game is badly overdue. The first is so good, both in quality and blowing way past sales estimates, that it demanded a sequel, and its a shame it took this long. Also a shame it's not arriving until 2022.

Tinykin. PC Gaming Show gave us this little gem that looks very much like a 3D Pikmin game with a mix of cartoon animation. Its the only PC game that I wishlisted in Steam. Sadly, it too doesn't arrive until 2022.

Rider's Republic. I'm not really into this game but that's a lot of variety for outdoor sports racing (bikes, snowboards, skis, squirrel suits, parachutes, jet packs - I even saw a hot dog cart!), and massively multiplayer (64+ riders at once) all running the same map regardless of what they're riding/using to get down the mountain. It looks really sharp and made Microsoft's outdoor sports game look terribly uninteresting by comparison.



Honorable mentions:

Shredders: Maybe the best graphics shown for how powdery and lifelike the snow appeared. Sadly it looked slow, empty, and dull compared to Ubisoft's Rider's Republic and is released later.

Forza Horizon 5. Another graphics showcase for Microsoft. Other than the player vs player online games, I can't figure out what the goal is. It seemed overly focused on recreating the artistic representation of Mexican towns and locations, but I just can't see much game behind all the visuals.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. This looks remarkably like the movie. Probably not a great game but its got the right visuals.

The Outer Worlds 2. Though they didn't show any preview or gameplay, just a title, their presentation perfectly mocked all the others in good humor.



What I didn't like (a lot, in no particular order):

The Intellivision Amico's price. Watching the presentation, I was mildly intrigued and thought, "this could be a nice first console for kids, like my nephew, and young families if its priced right". They never said so in the presentation (probably a good idea) so I went to the webpage and got blown away. I was thinking somewhere in the $50-$100 range would work, like the NES, SNES, and Genesis classics released not too long ago. It's $250! That's more than a Switch Lite. More than PS4s. More than Xbox Ones. So the others can all do pretty much what the Amico aims to do, but at even lower cost, better support, and a much larger library of cheap indie games to give the same experience Amico wants to do. I appreciate that its got a sensitive d-pad, personal touchpad screens with haptic feedback, and connects to mobile phones for use as extra controllers, but its priced well outside competition range.

Microsoft's presentation. Too many games in too little of time, having to rush through many of them. And Halo Infinite appears to still be in dire straits. Microsoft strongly hinted that while Halo Infinite Multiplayer (even repeatedly using that title) would come in December, it seems the campaign will not be ready by then, and we saw nothing of it besides some cinematic video. No Fable or Elder Scrolls VI either that have been rumored. If it weren't for some pretty graphics, in Shredders, Flight Simulator, and Forza Horizon 5, and the fun-looking Sea of Thieves crossover, this would have been a disaster. Didn't help to spend two minutes advertising the Xbox Mini Fridge at end of presentation when that time could have been used on games.

SquareEnix's presentation showed only a mere six seconds of Forspoken, none of it new. And only a few seconds of Final Fantasy XVI as well (no gameplay.) No release dates for the DQ stuff announced in late May. Marvel really bailed them out with The Guardians of the Galaxy IP and bringing Black Panther into Avenger's DLC. I wanted to see more of Legend of Mana but they spent so long covering Guardians, Avengers, and Life is Strange that they didn't save any time to cover it.

Capcom's presentation gave absolutely nothing unexpected. Yes they had a data leak a while back, but they still could have come up with something, anything different to say Monday. With Resident Evil Village, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Monster Hunter Rise DLC, and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles all out by end of July, they didn't say anything about what they're doing between August and E3 next year.

Nintendo's weak presentation that only announced two new exclusive titles that weren't remakes (and a third exclusive, Shin Megami Tensei V was announced some time back). I guess WarioWare: Get It Together is fine, but its overshadowed by Mario Party Superstars (a remake/recollection of earlier game stages and minigames). The other is Metroid Dread, which isn't the Prime 4 people wanted. Ending with some more gameplay video of the BotW sequel was good, but no title, and "hoping" to release in 2022 is very unencouraging. It was anticipated for this year's Christmas season, and "hoping" makes it sound like next year's fall/Christmas at best. Yikes.

Blizzard Entertainment. They presented Diablo II Remastered instead of Diablo IV which everyone wants. Probably pissed off a lot of fans when the news leaked they were showing a new Diablo game at E3.

Rainbow Six Extraction. Liquid monsters shouldn't be killed by bullets. Totally ruined the experience early on day 1 (and questionable if it ever recovered)

Far Cry 6. Not because of the game, but E3 demands a preempt for language and they didn't give one (F-word used four times, and S-word once more in the roundup.)

Starfield. No gameplay for Xbox's monster 2022 title. And it's STILL 17 months away. Why lead the show with something not coming until after next year's E3? Save that for the "One Last Thing" if you want, but don't lead with it.

Party Animals. Looks like a complete ripoff of Gang Beasts.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl and Chernobylite... two games set in Chernobyl. And once again the Xbox game is the second to release.

Lemnis Gate. Everyone had been hyping what a turn-based strategy first person shooter would be like, and while the game was tagged with an August 8 release date and showed some of the FPS aspects, it didn't answer how the two modes blend. Even the aftershow presenters were still confused by how its going to work and were disappointed the video didn't answer it.

Contraband. It's preview video gave absolutely no idea what type of game it is. Presumably something to do with thievery/heists but couldn't tell much else.

Gigabash. As a King of the Monsters fan, this looked like it had the right spirit to start, but the camera panned so far away its hard to get a sense that destroying the city as the kaiju's fight is of any concern (or helps earn you more points toward victory)

Phil Spencer. Still cocky despite running a distant third. And a poorly timed presentation where he said "showed 30 titles today" while an onscreen graphic simultaneously showed only 19 titles, and only 12 of those titles were actually shown, with another 7 releasing in 2021 but not at all covered. Exactly what I've come to expect from the Microsoft gaming division: total disorganization.



Best Named Game (for something I obviously won't buy):

Definitely Not Fried Chicken. Apparently you're making narcotics in your restaurant's kitchen but have to keep the secret from your customers, who unknowingly consume some of it and wreck the city while high. Ahh.. indie games.

Close runner up to Moo Lander, where mutant Martian cows attack space travelers.



Company Grades:

3D Realms. A+. They didn't even have to show up to win! Since Ubisoft did not give any news on Beyond Good or Evil 2, it means they and Duke Nukem Forever are now officially off the hook for longest game development hell. Not having that hanging over them anymore is celebration-worthy for Duke fans. Never thought the day would come. And never expected Ubisoft to let it happen, but here we are.

Ubisoft. B. Rocksmith+ gets music instrument learning right. Mario + Rabbids is much needed. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is getting another year or support, instead of the normal Ubisoft procedure of trying to make a new Assassin's Creed every year. Sadly, still too much focus on Tom Clancy team soldier games (three of them.) Of course, they now have the Beyond Good & Evil 2 anchor weighing them down, too, so a mixed bag. But compared to the others, they had a better showing. Some years it might be a C grade, but this year they were the clear best at what they set out to do.

Sony. C. A total no-show again, but maybe the best decision to let others (like Ubisoft and SquareEnix) speak for them, and let their competition fail on their own. But they should still be there to promote their hardware, developers for games on their hardware, and the fans that support them. A pass for Covid-19 concerns, but next year they better have a presentation.

Square Enix. C. Guardians of the Galaxy looks genuinely fun for a super hero game. Too much time spent on it, the Black Panther DLC, and especially Life is Strange: True Colors, giving only seconds on games like Final Fantasy Series Pixel Remaster, Legend of Mana, and Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier. For how much they had to show their presentation needed to be longer or less time spent on Guardians and True Colors.

Microsoft & Bethesda. D+. A lot to show, but too little of it got more than a cursory review. Once again, heavy focus on the graphics rather than entertaining gameplay. Party Animals has the stink of a blatant knockoff. And while the Shredders snowboarding game had excellent snow effects, it looked pretty dull compared to the absolutely wild Rider's Republic that comes several months earlier. Wasted time at the end showing off a Mini Fridge. I'd have rather seen an extra minute a piece of Somerville and Eiyuden Chronicle. They need a Treehouse equivalent to show off some of these games in more detail because with 23 studios and 30 games, and hour and a half just isn't enough time. The real kick is having both the presenters and Phil Spencer repeatedly calling it "Halo Infinite Multiplayer" (and giving a graphic showing it as such), casting serious doubt on the story campaign's readiness this year. Master Chief just can't sit out yet another Christmas season.

Nintendo. D. They rehashed a lot of things they covered already (like Mario Golf Super Rush) or had others cover for them (Monster Hunter Stories 2, Life is Strange, and Two Point Campus). And a lot of remakes and ports of stuff already out: Life is Strange, Monkey Ball, Worms Rumble, Mario Party Superstars, Cruis'n Blast, Dragonball Z Kakarot, Danganrompa, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Strange Brigade, Advance Wars, Skyward Sword, and the Zelda Game & Watch. Very little of it was new, and of the four games everyone wanted to see, Breath of the Wild sequel, Splatoon 3, Metroid Prime 4, and Bayonetta 3, only the BotW sequel made an appearance but pegged so far out as to probably not see much more of it until next year's E3, which likely puts Splatoon 3 and Metroid Prime 4 even further off (and Bayonetta is just entirely MIA and already well overdue). And no idea what they've got in store for Christmas. (It can NOT be Metroid Dread, Too scary for kids, and I don't think Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot is strong enough to carry the system.) And no hardware new either. Usually they ace the E3 presentation and blow us off our feet, but this year is one to forget. The one redeeming note was that there would be more news, at least about Smash Bros' new character, Kazuya, on June 28, so we'll probably see the next Mini Direct then.

PC Gaming Show. D-. Not much quality here. Didn't really describe Lemnis Gate's gameplay to anyone. Tinykin got my attention though. Too much focus on the presenters and the silly PC rig building vote: in 80 minutes they managed to show only about 45 minutes worth of games.

Future Games Show. D- Even less quality than the PC Gaming Show, with two more presenters more interested in their own banter than the games. On the bright side, they gave a couple of minutes to properly cover that enchanting Harold Halibut game.

Capcom: F. Nothing unexpected, nothing for the future, and annoying kept switching camera views on the presenter.

Indie Games. Ungraded. I didn't see but more than a few minutes of it. I just saw a recap of the games.

WB and Bandai Namco. Ungraded. I have no interest in WB's Back 4 Blood or Bandai Namco's House of Ashes games, let alone 30 minutes coverage of them. That's a lot when some games are getting mere seconds.



Overall, E3 was a D-minus this year, with very dull presentations overall and a lot of stuff that should have been shown were simply absent. I realize 2020 was a hard year for developers, but some of these games (Halo, BotW2, Bayonetta) have been in the oven for several years now and its time to show off more than a few teasers, if anything. As a result, the vast majority of games covered that I'd want to play are all coming in a very crowded 2022, with little of interest in 2021.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 24, 2021, 05:43:51 am

This year's E3 was more or less what i expected out of the big publisher space, meaning very few surprises and lots of big titles being noticeably absent. Despite being lukewarm in the big publisher space, i have to say i came away very impressed with a lot of the indie titles surrounding E3/Summer Game Fest; pretty much carried the show for me.

My E3 Top 10 --

10. Cruise 'n' Blast
9. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster
8. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

7. WarioWare: Get It Together!
6. Breath of the Wild 2
5. Unbeatable

4. Walk (from KazumiStudios)
3. Metroid Dread

2. Varvarion -- From what i gathered from the trailers for Varvarion, it is both a 3D beat 'em up and an arena style fighting game. The animation in the game is truly impressive; reminds me a lot of Street Fighter, where there's an emphasis on hit impact.

 1. Metal Slug Tactics -- I never expected to see a new 2D Metal Slug, one that doesn't heavily recycle sprites from previous entries. Despite not being developed internally, the game is quite the looker and has all the charm of the original in spades. While i don't play too many tactics games, the last one i played, Into the Breach, was so addicting that i beat the game multiple times. I'm hopeful the new Metal Slug will turn out good as well.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 24, 2021, 08:40:04 am

Quote from: Moge on June 24, 2021, 05:43:51 am

3. Metroid Dread

I got to say, this is going to be the first mainline Metroid game I don't buy since the original 2 (because I had no GameBoy at the time and it was given no DX color port like Tetris and Link's Awakening.) Maybe later when its discounted, but not in 2021.

I really disliked Return of Samus changing the gameplay from a tactical distance shooter to requiring the melee attack mode to defeat some enemies. Its not only returned in Dread, but is now Samus' primary attack, something the Treehouse gang repeatedly harped on. Sure she still has a blaster and missiles, but the Treehouse players were mainly using them to open doors and meleeing all the enemies they came across, on the basis that its faster to do so than shooting them. And the sense of having to rush all the time to avoid the EMIIs is also not a gameplay style I desire - I like to take my time, at least on first playthroughs. I feel like they've taken the Metroid formula and replaced it with Sonic the Hedgehog's.

Much as I'd like to see how the story "ends", it just doesn't look like its of the same ilk as the Metroid/Metroid 2/Super Metroid/Fusion style.


Also, how are you faring with Dragon Quest II Reprise? DQ2 is the hardest in series, especially at the end game so hopefully you've been leveling up (or if playing on an emulator, cheating a bit to increase EXP gains)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 27, 2021, 04:11:19 pm

Mercury Steam games have been middling at best in the previous two generations. If Nintendo has enough confidence to designate Dread as Metroid 5, then i'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I will agree it is weird to see Samus doing melee attacks, but i figured i'll grow accustomed to it eventually much like when they removed her floaty jumps (which oddly are still in Smash Bros).I really love horror games where there's a stalker in pursuit, so the game is right up my alley.

I finished DQ2 a month ago. The game is incredibly mediocre, and now i can see why no DQ fan ever talks about the game. I had a double XP booster the entire time, so the grinding wasn't too bad. Since DQ III HD remaster won't be out for another year, i'll probably either play DQ Builders or IV as my next DQ game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 28, 2021, 10:47:15 pm

Quote from: Moge on June 27, 2021, 04:11:19 pm

i'll probably either play DQ Builders or IV as my next DQ game.

Both get high marks for me.

DQ4 is probably the best story of the series. If you can get the DS version, it more properly translates from the Japanese original, adds an extra chapter following the main story, and uses the 'modern' element of assigning a different dialect to different regions. The extra chapter may be in mobile versions too but I'm not sure. I don't think you're missing anything by only playing the five original chapters, but the proper translation, dialects, and other QOL changes would make DS or mobile superior to any NES or SNES ROM.

DQB1 on PS4 is both cheaper and the more challenging version. They scaled down the difficulty for the chapter challenges for the Switch version.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 06, 2021, 04:58:47 am

The one thing that was holding me back from playing DQ4 is the lack of party chat in the DS version. Thankfully, it seems a generous hacker in the past few weeks was able to insert the party chat text from the mobile version into the DS game.

I noticed the first DQ Builders isn't on Steam. Gonna have to play the Switch version then.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 07, 2021, 01:43:46 pm

Quote from: Moge on July 06, 2021, 04:58:47 am

I noticed the first DQ Builders isn't on Steam. Gonna have to play the Switch version then.

It is not. SquareEnix developed the first on their own, but turned it over to KoeiTecmo to develop the second (with story written by SquareEnix). KoeiTecmo wants to port games all over the place so they invested the time to port to Steam (and later Xbox which is practically a PC)  So very unlikely DQB1 ever gets a Steam or Xbox port.

Same base game for Switch and PS4, but the chapter challenges are a little different. PS4/Vita version required you to complete the chapters in a specific number of game days, which is hard even if you're good at it. For example, complete chapter 2 in 30 days or less, though the minimum possible is something like 26 so you have very little time to explore or mess around. Switch version has a much tamer 'collect X different items' with no time crunch so its considerably easier, though it retains the most difficult challenge: defeating the final boss without wearing armor or a shield. The challenges give you items to use in the free build area, such as equipment to let you double jump or never go hungry.

You'll probably want to go with the Steam version for DQB2 though, since it includes all the DLC. Watch for it to go on sale - it does periodically so paying full price isn't advised. (Right now its pretty cheap at 35% off with the summer sale. $32.49 is the cheapest its ever been per https://www.exophase.com/game/dragon-quest-builders-2-steam/prices/ )

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 10, 2021, 07:52:59 pm

:rattydance That feeling when you finally do something in a video game that you tried to do in the past and gave up on.

Replaying Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and managed to finally draw the KOS-MOS blade character (the rarest in the game). Four years ago I spent about 100 hours farming the cores that give a chance to randomly get this character, and instead only drew the common stuff and it just bothered me so much I gave up and didn't even finish the game. But managed it this time, thanks to the bettrer preparation (not wasting important stuff during earlier gameplay) and the Save Cloud function of a 7-day Switch Online trial, which I signed up for specifically to retry until I got her. The exact odds I had were 0.326% per attempt, or 1 in about 307, but I'd only have five chances at this rate, before it dropped off significantly to .192, or 1 in 521. The game doesn't give you this many through natural play, so you either have to farm them and keep trying, or simply cheat and reload from save data cloud. The game is obnoxious and forces a save before each attempt, and Nintendo's continued refusal to allow backup to SD card meant that before save cloud became an option, only about 25-30% of players who completed the game would do so with a randomly acquired KOS-MOS, with another 5% or so farming madly in an effort to get her (like I was) due to her very low probability, which could easily push the game past 300 hours (its already in the low 200s range, as I'm at 197 now, so its plenty long enough without farming.) Of course I had to reload from cloud several dozen times, but finally got her after only a few hours of work and can now see the story elements that were locked out by not having her, as the game has story segments and quests specific to each rare blade character.

If you play Xenoblade Chronicles 2, be prepared to have Switch Online handy around chapter 8 or 9, even if its the 7-day trial. Trying to get all the rare blades through normal play could easily cost 100 hours or more of real time like it did for me a few years back.  The first Xenoblade Chronicles didn't have such an annoying gacha feature, and is better for it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 13, 2021, 05:03:00 pm

That sounds absolutely insane to me that XB2 has gacha mechanics to unlock story bits. I've had my fill of RNG with Splatoon gear abilities and grinding for Monster Hunter armor in Metal Gear: Peace Walker. With the first Splatoon specifically i had to revert my save to get another chance to roll the dice for gear abilities.

If and when i ever do play XB2 i'm just gonna use cheats to get all the blades.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 13, 2021, 05:51:04 pm

Maybe by then they'll have a XC2 Definitive Edition that fixes some of the problems, most notably being the Gacha system. Even being able to trade Common Cores for Rares, or Rares for LEgendaries, maybe at 5:1 or 10:1 ratio each would be a huge help. Game gives you some 800-1000s Commons, and about 120 Rares, but perhaps 20 Legendaries. Mathematically, Rares are 6 times as good as Commons, and Legendaries are 12 times as good as Commons, and you can't open every Common Core anyway because of a roster size limit so you end up selling the vast majority of them. Swapping them up to get a better chance at the rare blades would still make the Gacha system annoying, but much less so by giving the players better chances. Odds for an individual chance doesn't change, but having more high probability chances, and reducing all the low probability and nearly worthless Commons is a good place to start.

But its bigger problem overall is the insane amount of time you have to spend in the menu to constantly be switching out Blades, putting items in your pouches to help boost Trust levels, having to open a blade's Trust screen just to get the rewards of a new unlocked ability or trust level, and the never ending Merc Mission screens. The game runs 200+ hours, but its not a stretch to say its 100-120 hours of content, and another 100+ hours spent inside the menu (which includes the gacha system.) XC1 forced you to stop gaming every 15-20 hours or so and spend  an hour or two refining items into better versions or for more profitable sales (something I've heard maybe fixed or lessened in Definitive Edition) but XC2 is just always stopping you. By chapter 6 or so, its just after about every battle or two that you have to open the menu for something because you're managing so many blades at once and have Merc Missions completing in minutes, rather than half hour to hour plus that it took earlier in the game. If it would just handle most of the minutia by itself, and not require you to open the menu but every 20 minutes or so, rather than every 2 or 3 minutes, it would be a much better game. XC2 might have the better story and more fun battle system, but the heavy need of menu management tasks weighs it down so much that XC1 is the far better game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 16, 2021, 02:20:32 pm

For the first time in many years, Xbox actually outsold Playstations in the US last month. The E3 presentation is of course to thank for the healthy bump in sales, since the Sea of Thieves / Pirates of the Caribbean crossover on the 22nd and The Ascent on the 29th were the only two uniquely Xbox offerings for the month that I could see. Xbox basically banked a lot of sales for upcoming games or what already exists.

This is why Sony needs to come to E3 2022 - or at least provide a recorded video presentation. They need to show off what PS5 can do, support their hardware, and (more importantly) support their developers. Otherwise they should get used to this odd feeling of being in third place - somewhere they really haven't ever spent much time. E3 is pretty much free advertising and Sony will likely now have to pay out of pocket to provide the same volume of attention.

Personally I'd still buy a PS5 before a Series X due to more exclusives, but I totally understand people being wowed by the E3 marketing and having a clear idea of what's coming down the pipeline for Switch and Xbox while the Playstation forecast remains much less known. Those Playstation exclusives may not be as commonplace as they were in the PS4 days if folks like SquareEnix are moving toward offering their games across multiple platforms with same launch date.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 22, 2021, 09:31:15 am

So apparently Ubisoft's CFO says Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still under development, and "progressing well", but won't be ready until at least the company's fiscal year 2024 (May 2023) or later.

So Ubisoft, that puts it at sixteen years of development, four years past anticipated release date (last shown at E3 2018, which would have made it expected by end of 2019), you've lost the creator and lead writer who finally gave up on the company's sluggishness, and now its going to be several more years before its even ready? This is not what any sane person would consider "progressing well".

The only reason the CFO is being asked about it (and not CEO or development leads) is because its become a huge money sink - Ubisoft has thrown millions upon millions of dollars into BG&E2 and still hasn't got anything to show for it except for one (disliked) E3 video, and basically said they're going to throw many more millions into it over the next two-plus years. This is likely making it one of the most expensive video games ever produced. Assuming it has a development cost per annum similar to Ubisoft's Watch Dogs (around $70 million over about 4 and half years), that's averaging $15.5 million per year. So the expectation is that Ubisoft will be spending at least $30 million between now and whenever it eventually launches, and may ultimately spend upwards of $250 million total in development, which would well exceed the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Star Wars: Old Republic. It almost has to be game of the year to recoup those kinds of costs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 02, 2021, 03:50:43 am

I have to wonder if there are any BG&E fans that care about the sequel.

It's so far removed from the original's vision, which was a single-player romp with a cast of whimsical characters.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 02, 2021, 06:19:07 pm

Well, that's what happens when you spend 16 years and multiple different development staffs go through it. It gets so far off track its basically only sharing the name and not the spirit of the original.


Thoughts on the recently completed Skyward Sword HD:

Some control is better, some worse. The left joycon certainly has a better gyro than the nunchuck, allowing it to properly recognize the upward movement to raise Link's shield. You can properly guard in this game and use the shield bash technique, which was maybe a 50% chance of working correctly with the original. Right joycon is effectively no better than the Wii Motion Plus, but better than original Wiimotes. In other words, you still don't know if your sword strikes are going to go in the diagonal direction you want, or go horizontal in error and let the enemy counterattack you - meaning the first boss is STILL by far the hardest and longest fight in the game. Joycons also don't feel anywhere near as comfortable as the Nunchuck and Wiimote, introducing handcramps after an hour or so of playing, which is why it took me over 2 weeks despite the game only lasting 37 hours. And it still doesn't recognize "up" as lifting the Master Sword high enough to charge for a Skyward Strike, which was a bug in the original not fixed this time around (it still demands about 10 degrees off vertical, though this doesn't match the on-screen orientation.) Also, selecting a tool on the right hand side of the tool circle pushes the joycon to sense hard right position, such that as soon as you release R to choose that tool, you start spinning right at about 30 degrees a second. Given the Beatle is one of those tools on the right, and the one that must be selected the most in the game, you're constantly having to reorient the gyro's centerpoint after a selecting the Beatle. Surely this over-sensitivity or lack or automatic recentering after selection was experienced in playtesting, and Nintendo apparently decided not to do anything about it, leaving players to constantly adjust for something that was fine in the original. So its a push: left joycon is considerably better than nunchuck, but right joycon is considerably worse than Wii Motion Plus remotes.

I guess the graphics are a little better, given that its upscaled to 1080p from 480p, but its not jumping off the screen. Its actually rather disappointing that a lot of the sharp-edges on objects weren't rounded off or higher quality textures used (especially in the dungeons). It looks like a game that's 10 years old because that's exactly what it is - a direct port rather than a remake or remaster. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess look like they had at least a little bit of effort put into improving some graphics - Skyward Sword looks like its had none.

About the only things that have been done is change the control scheme to joycons and add Switch Pro controller mode, use joycon/Pro controller button labels for on screen prompts, improve haptic feedback when dowsing, and enable the Sheikah Stones to speak in English instead of Hylian on normal mode (you previously could only understand them in the New Game+/Hero Mode), though this last bit is a good thing as they give hints that help new players more than advanced players. A Sheikah Stone between the school and training dojo has disappeared from the HD version though - maybe others but I distinctly remember the location of that one.

Overall, I'm very disappointed in how little Nintendo put into this. Between this and the very lackluster Mario 3D Collection, it appears Nintendo has gone minimalist, doing little more than porting old games to new hardware rather than remastering them, and in both cases it looks like stopgap measures to put something out during the anniversary year, given new games weren't ready in time. Link's Awakening at least had whole new graphics and added Dampe's dungeon building stuff. But Skyward Sword just doesn't have anything new to warrant paying for it if you have the Wii original. I was hoping for an extra dungeon or new collectibles to find on your journey - nothing. It is effectively the exact same experience. So just bust it out of the closet or pick up a used copy if you feel the need to play it. Its rare for me to give a Nintendo game a "Don't Buy" recommendation, but it deserves one if you have the original or can get it cheaper. Either version is still well worth the play if you haven't tackled it though: I find it to be one of the better Zelda games overall, despite all the flawed controls, and its story really establishes the mythos created by earlier games like Link to the Past (a Golden/Shadow Realm), Ocarina of Time (time travel, the Three Goddesses, why the full power of the Triforce can't be used by the unbalanced), why the Master Sword (and only it) smites evil, and and why Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf keep being revived in multiple ages. Breath of the Wild, while being an excellent game, is really light when it comes to connecting to the mythology of the other games.


On the other hand, Super Princess Peach is just lovely. Well worth the replay. Easy enough to not get frustrated by it (except the Guardian Thwomp in some of Bowser's Villa's stages) but enough to do that its hard to put it down. So badly needs a sequel. It occurred to me that if they make one, they should include all four of the series' ladies in it: Peach returning with a parasol, Daisy with a giant flower (which turns Piranha Plant in Rage mode), Rosalina with her story book and Luma retinue, and Pauline with a microphone stand. Super Princess Peach & Co. would be a smash hit.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 06, 2021, 04:12:39 pm

Just learned Jade's voice actress passed away in 2018  :(

I quite like Skyward Sword overall despite its rough edges. The first battle with Ghirahim in particular is the biggest hurdle for any newcomer. From what i've heard it doesn't sound like they didn't do anything to smooth out the huge difficulty spike there.

I didn't play the Twilight Princess remaster but i don't recall there being any drastic changes graphically to that version.
 I'm
Super Princess Peach has been very enjoyable. I love all the animation flourishes to the character, like when she runs she holds up her dress. I'm putting off the game temporarily to wax some nostalgia with the Final Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 10, 2021, 05:57:19 pm

Another Nintendo Indie World Showcase coming Wednesday. I'd rather hear what the hell they've got planed for November and December because right now its completely bare outside of the decided non-kid-friendly Metroid Dread and Shin Megami Tensei V and a metric ton of kid-friendly remakes (Pokemon, WarioWare, Mario Party, Sonic Colors, Advance Wars, Monkey Ball, and Lego Star Wars)

Of course, same position last year and got Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, so not counting them out yet, but a Christmas line-up missing new Pokemon, Zelda, Mario (main-line), Splatoon, or Metroid Prime isn't putting the scare into Sony or Microsoft. (Of course, five of those series are all due new games next year, but that doesn't help this year's bottom line.) Excellent time to whip up something we've not seen in a long time (Kid Icarus, Princess Peach, F-Zero, Pikmin, etc.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 11, 2021, 05:32:49 pm

Quote from: Moge on June 24, 2021, 05:43:51 am

1. Metal Slug Tactics -- I never expected to see a new 2D Metal Slug, one that doesn't heavily recycle sprites from previous entries. Despite not being developed internally, the game is quite the looker and has all the charm of the original in spades. While i don't play too many tactics games, the last one i played, Into the Breach, was so addicting that i beat the game multiple times. I'm hopeful the new Metal Slug will turn out good as well.

Looks like you're going to have to wait a while on this one. Its in the new Nintendo Indie World video, but not arriving until 2022. Steam and the game's website both have had it as just "TBA", but now we know its not a 2021 date.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 13, 2021, 12:42:05 am

I watched a few trailers from the Nindies Direct. I'm still salivating at the mouth to play Metal Slug Tactics. That games does a much better job at capturing the spirit of its property than Advance Wars (which i'm also looking forward to). Having just got into Jet Set Radio last year (was almost my GOTY), Bomb Rush Cyberfunk interests me since Sega has no intention of making a sequel. Bomb Rush is also a 2022 release.

This year is looking pretty barren in terms of major first-party releases. Halo, Horizon, and Metroid will have to carry this year. Feels nostalgic to see a Metroid sequel and a Halo sequel releasing in the same year again. It happened with Prime 2 and Halo 2 (2004), and again with Prime 3 and Halo 3 (2007).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 13, 2021, 06:09:15 pm

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk also reminded me a lot of Sunset Overdrive - at least all the rail skating to move around. I didn't think of Jet Set Radio on Wednesday but you're totally right.

Given that this year has been so light on first party releases (and will continue to be so until for a while), its another good year for some indie games to make a big impact (like last year's Hades). Bomb Rush Cyberfunk and Metal Gear Tactics were the only two I saw that had potential to do so, but they're coming too late. By the time they launch we'll be seeing the first party titles coming back into play. Cyberfunk doesn't really appeal to me much but MGT might have, had it arrived this year during the desert we're currently mired in. By the time it comes, Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope may already be out and probably be the better of the two tactics-style shooters.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 16, 2021, 08:57:39 am

A little pissed at SquareEnix the last few days.

They've had their fingers in their ears the last few years in regards to their western fan base, ignoring major problems like the DQB2 PC version's fatal saving bug, and refusing to acknowledge that PS4 and Switch players haven't gotten access to DLC that Steam, Xbox, and Japanese players all have. They finally came out of their shell with the 35th Anniversary presentation in May, inviting western audiences ot find out about upcoming DQ games at the same time as the Japanese.

And now, they've offered an English-language survey to get input from English-speaking audience. https://www.facebook.com/DragonQuest/posts/4403461769711398 (https://www.facebook.com/DragonQuest/posts/4403461769711398)
Unfortunately, it's mostly a questionnaire to see which previous DQ games are most popular, based on which ones have been played, which were played first, which ones are favorites etc.

The real kicker comes on question 29 (of 30) where they ask what upcoming DQ games shown during the 25th Anniversary presentation are you most excited about, and list DQ12, Eraser, Treasures, and the DQ3 HD-2D Remake. Notably absent is Dragon Quest X Offline. SquareEnix just tipped its hand that it has no intention to localize this game to English, despite doing the hard work of removing the MMO element of an MMORPG, which was the main hurdle preventing localization of the Online version. Barring DQ12, which is likely another year or two off, this is clearly the game western audiences want the most. I'm sure Eraser and Treasures have a small niche of fans, and the DQ3 remake will reengage some players or bring in some new ones but we've had that story for a while. DQX is a new story, badly needed in the west to make sense of the greater mythos. But it seems fingers have gone back into ears.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 27, 2021, 04:18:38 pm

As much as i like Square, they make a whole lot of head scratching decisions. The remaster of Crystal Chronicles was incredibly underwhelming and didn't address its biggest issues, Balan Wonder World was full of jank, the awful font in the FF Pixel Remasters that fortunately can be easily fan fixed, Nier Automata on Steam FINALLY getting a patch to address its launch issues, etc..

I would very much like to see DQ 10 get an official localization. I've heard so many good things about the numerous stories in the game. Hope it doesn't have to come to fans having to make an unofficial translation, but i will say Square has been good about localizing its obscure games as of late, like the Saga games.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 29, 2021, 10:25:41 pm

Well I get why it didn't happen before. SquareEnix always intended for the story to be episodic, which meant if they were going to support localization they'd be committing to it for many years without a strong sense for whether it would succeed or not outside of Japan. If chapter 1.0 launched in the west and flopped, they'd have to keep paying for remote servers and translating the dialogue for later chapters to keep up with the Japanese version.

This isn't an issue with the Offline version. All it's going to take is the one time translation, and maybe followup if they add additional chapters to it later. And there's no server cost. So the reasons why it couldn't be done with Online version are now mooted with Offline. The only reason to not do it now is a fear that it won't succeed outside of Japan, which is hard to believe given sales for 8, 9, and 11 all exceeded expectations (which are typically low for JRPGs.)

The online nature pretty much prevented an unofficial translation, but if SquareEnix doesn't do it themselves then they're pretty much inviting fans of the series to apply an unofficial translation patch to pirated copies. That's not good for SquareEnix, or the industry, but it will happen. They only need to look to Mother 3 as an example.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 02, 2021, 05:07:46 am

I don't know how much text is in DQ X, but i'd wager it'd be a massive undertaking to localize a game that came out during the Wii era and is still getting updates to this day.

Mother 3 getting a fan translation has never stopped fans from bombarding Nintendo with demand for an official localization. Despite having never gotten an official release, Mother 3 has become a pop culture icon, and it certainly wouldn't have earned its place without the fan translation. Nintendo might not be making game sales off of people pirating the game, but they're certainly making money in other avenues with fans willing to spend on official merch. Not any different from you trying to get merch for a certain adult franchise :bigtran

Seeing as how the DQ3 remaster is a far ways off, i've been hankering to start DQ4, but i feel they might release either a DS collection or a remaster of 4 in the near future.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 02, 2021, 07:40:48 am

Its probably around the same amount as DQ8, DQ11, and DQB2, which as I've seen are all in the same ballpark. DQ11 maybe as much as 25% bigger, but I'd be surprised if DQ10 is far away bigger than those three.

But they also have the benefit that some of the text it is as much as 10 years old, and even the most recent chapter to be included (5) is almost 2 years old. Its not like they have to wait for the game to be developed in Japanese, and THEN translate it like most games. They should be translating it while the game is redeveloped for its new graphics. If they're talking about releasing new games like Treasures and DQ12 simultaneously worldwide, then there's absolutely no reason they couldn't with DQ10. They should already be translating it before DQ12 comes along and takes up all their time for a good long while.

The translators are a limited resource, but they haven't been in much use since DQB2 over 2 years ago so if they knew DQ10 was going to be remade 2 years ago (and they certainly did) they should have already been working on translating it. Stars, Tact, and the DQ3 HD-2D Remake will not have required much over the last 2 years and the upcoming Treasures and Keshi-keshi are probably light on text. My worry is that if they fumbled and failed to start DQ10 translation a year or so ago, then they're going to sit on it until they can't translate it because DQ12 is then the priority. That would simply be careless project management. Shame on SquareEnix if it comes to that.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 09, 2021, 11:11:36 pm

Today's Sony Playstation Showcase recap. Since Sony skipped E3, this is their big presentation for their year (with much less fanfare than E3 presentations got)

I don't understand why it took 2 minutes and 58 seconds into the presentation to see the first game footage. The whole chess match with real humans thing didn't seem to be at all connected.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Remake: Trailer shows "Not Actual Gameplay"subtitle and not one second of gameplay footage shown. So far not a great start at all. Five minutes in by the end of this trailer and there's been perhaps 20 seconds of gameplay footage.

Project EVE: Much better in this trailer, which says actual PS5 captured footage. It looks nice, but was hard to follow what's happening on screen and reading the Japanese subtitles at same time. Second half when the characters weren't taking so much was more interesting to watch.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands: This one looks fun. A first person shooter that isn't taking itself seriously at all. Kind of doing some oddball things that a few other games like Borderlands and Fortnite have done. But extra weirdness like the river being poured out of a soda can, a giant 20 sided dice next to the path, or giant flying sharks. Charming isn't a word normally associated with FPS games, but it applies here. I haven't really been interested in the Borderlands series (of which this game is a spin-off), but perhaps this one gets a shot.

Forspoken: This is SquareEnix's big super-jumping fireball-slinging title that everyone's been wanting to see more of (including myself) and was absent from SquareEnix's E3 presentation. They teased it as E3 last year, but haven't seen much of it since and it looks really impressive.

Rainbow Six Extraction. Yeah, we saw this in Ubisoft's E3 presentation. I'm sure there's some new things to see for people who are interested, but I'm not.

Alan Wake Remastered: I'm not terribly familiar with the original. Remastered looks merely "ok". The car driving sequence looked rather unpolished with a car that appears much too blocky and unrealistically lit. Not my forte so I don't care if this port is low quality.

Grand Theft Auto V. This game is over eight years old. Either make a VI or stop feeding us new remakes of V every year. I mean, the game dates to PS3 era, and here we are watching PS5 previews like its something new. I get it its a popular game - but at some point you just grow tired of seeing the same thing. I'm sure they'll charge $70 for it, too, despite being able to find a PS3 or PS4 copy for next to nothing.

Ghostwire Tokyo: Looks similar to Forspoken (or maybe more like the plasmid abilities of Bioshock). I can't figure out if its all the main characters head (ie, comatose) or is supposed to be actually happening. Too confusing.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Saw this one during SquareEnix's E3 presentation, too. Some new things like a very brief look at the StarFox-style space tunnel shooter segment in the Milano. I still think this might be solidly on the good side of superhero games, which are typically quite bad.

Vampire Blood Hunt: Another Vampire first person shooter. Or one of the two from E3? I'm losing track. Given the enemies fired more shots than an Star Wars stormtrooper and landed just as many hits (zero), it looks to be incredibly easy, focused on NPC interaction and harvesting enemies than actual FPS content.

Deathloop: Ok, now I see a game that reminds me a lot of BioShock. So many FPS games now that to differentiate, they need to come up with magical powers for the shooter to hurl enemies around, or blast them with magic, or perform other tricks. But that's not new either. However, I like the idea that you have to accomplish your targets (kill the 8 bosses) within 24 game hours or it resets on you, ala Majora's Mask, and a rival assassin who seems like she might take out one of the eight if you don't do things correctly adds a bit of intrigue.

Kid A Mnesia Exhibition: No idea what the game is about. I'm not even sure it is a game. Maybe just a music light show, or graphics to accompany the music. (For the record, Kid A and Amnesiac are Radiohead albums from 2000 and 2001 which are getting a 20th anniversary rerelease, though Pablo Honey, The Bends, OK Computer, and A Moon Shaped Pool are all better albums in my opinion.) As a fan, I'm probably going to look into it more once additional info comes to light.

Tchia: Pleased to see a game (a real one this time) that isn't a first person shooter. An open world adventure type game where apparently you can warp into animals to cross the land or swim under the waves to find whatever (or whomever) it is you're supposed to be searching for. Colorful, cute.

Uncharted: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Remastered. They're making it for PC as well.

Marvel's Wolverine: The first of the PS5 exclusive titles. Not much other than a teaser. I really want a Wolverine game to be motion controlled though. There's only so many superhero properties that work with motion control, and a short-range brawler type like Wolverine is perfect for it. So I'm really hoping it'll be a "PS5 VR" launch title and not just another "press X to attack" game.

Gran Turismo 7: Some of the reflections look ridiculously authentic. I don't really care for racing games that don't have some aspect of aggression/destruction but boy does it look pretty. Microsoft might have captured all these realistic Mexican landscapes in their game, but GT7 looks better overall to me.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Wait, I thought Spider-Man: Miles Morales was effectively Spider-Man 2... And he's here in this game (along with Peter Parker). So why isn't this 3? Only guess I can figure is that Miles Morales, being a launch title, won't be played by enough players before PS5 reaches saturation and they didn't want to make players feel like they missed a chapter (though apparently many will have.) Undoubtedly one of the big PS5 titles for 2023. I really hope Metroid Prime 4 isn't also 2023 now, because the two share a lot of similarities. I don't want to be web swinging with Spidey in the same year I'm grapple beam swinging with Samus and have to choose between the two, but its looking likely.

God of War: Ragnarok: Looks amazing, but I worry its too much like the last God of War: too much focus on graphics, with too poor gameplay, and a story that drags on. It looks fascinating, but its a direct sequel so anyone interested will really need to have played the first to completion.

And then the video just ends without any closing remarks. And no news on the highly desired black model PS5 (something Sony desperately needs going into Christmas season.) A little disappointed. While a few of them like Tiny Tina's and Forspoken are something I'd consider buying, nothing's jumped out at me yet to make me go out and buy a PS5. Microsoft has Halo coming and its starting to get a Series X hook into me stronger than anything Sony is offering.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 22, 2021, 02:33:17 pm

Full-sized Nintendo Direct : Thursday, September 23, 6pm Eastern / 3pm Pacific

https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/09-23-2021/ (https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/09-23-2021/)

Hopefully will see more than what we already know is on the horizon from E3 (because half of it are remakes/ports):

• Dragonball Z Kakarot + A New Power Awakens DLC, September 24
• Astria Ascending, September 30
• Life is Strange Remastered Collection, September 30
• Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, October 5
• Metroid Dread, October 8
• Samus and E.M.M.I. Amiibo, October 8
• Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, October 26
• Mario Party Superstars, October 29
• Just Dance 2022, November 4
• Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda, November 12
• Shin Megami Tensei V, November 12
• Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp, December 3
• Danganrompa: Decadeance, December 3

Last year's fall Direct gave us Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity which wasn't mentioned during E3 so there's a good chance there will be a surprise or two.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 23, 2021, 07:17:21 pm

Not bad. A lot of games covered, maybe more than what they had in the E3 direct. And thankfully not a lot of repeats from the E3, besides Mario Party Superstars and Metroid Dread.

Biggest news:
* Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak DLC, massive expansion coming Summer 2022
* Final Super Smash Bros Ultimate character to be announced on 10/5
* Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Spring 2022
* Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games will be added to a new (higher paid) tier of Nintendo Switch Online in October. Wireless controllers for each are also going to be sold for $49.99 (I must have the N64 controller!), but sadly only 3 button Genesis which seems to limit which games will make it onto NSO
* Triangle Strategy (Square Enix's mashup of the Tactics and Octopath Traveller games): March 4, 2022
* Super Mario movie release date set for December 21, 2022, with an all-star cast (Chris Pratt voicing Mario, Anya-Taylor Joy as Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong) but no trailer
* Splatoon 3 shown in more detail, including new special moves, and some of the story campaign, "Return of the Mammalians". No update to release date of "2022"
* Bayonetta 3 trailer, with a another vague release date of merely "2022"

Sadly, no real updates to anything coming in November of December besides some stuff already out on other platforms or already known (like Shin Megami Tensei V and Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp). Pretty weak holiday lineup for Switch. I was hoping to hear a major IP drop for late November or earl December, be it Splatoon, Bayonetta, or even Zelda. Instead, a very weak year looks like its going to end weak. (But 2022 looks to be as monstrous as 2017 was.)

Perosnally, Actraiser: Renaissance has me interested, but not at $29.99. Other than the NSO upgrades I didn't see anything else I'd buy for myself, though the Kirby game is maybe closest to the mark. (Looked like the Super Mario Odyssey engine.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 24, 2021, 09:55:36 am

Star Control 3 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Control_3) is today's Wikipedia featured article, celebrating its 25th anniversary date.

Can hardly believe its been that long. A nice read though. Reminded me of a few things, seeing as I've not played it in maybe 20 or 21 years. (While I replay the incomparably awesome Star Control II open-source port, The Ur-Quan Masters (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/), every 3 or 4 years.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 26, 2021, 08:19:01 am

Quote from: JG on September 23, 2021, 07:17:21 pm

but sadly only 3 button Genesis which seems to limit which games will make it onto NSO

And yet, the Japanese version of the controller WILL have six buttons. This is looking like a catch-grab by Nintendo. Sell three button controllers for first year, then start offering six button games to force everyone to upgrade. Or stuck only offering three button games for non-Japanese NSO while Japanese NSO gets a fuller slate. Nintendon't.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/09/japans_switch_online_service_gets_the_six-button_sega_mega_drive_controller (https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/09/japans_switch_online_service_gets_the_six-button_sega_mega_drive_controller)

Now there really is no reason not to buy the 8bitdo controller (https://www.amazon.com/8Bitdo-Bluetooth-Gamepad-Nintendo-Android-Genesis/dp/B07MSN1NPC/) over the "official" model. It has the proper number of buttons at a cheaper price.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on September 26, 2021, 04:18:50 pm

I'd rag on it more, but I do know people who genuinely prefer the 3 button model.

That said, if they're making a 6 for Japan anyway, I'd rather they give us the choice up front.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 27, 2021, 08:31:35 am

As someone with large hands, I prefer the size of the three button more as the six button is a little smaller. But I'd still rather have the six button because of the wider gaming options. I'm sure these are going to be a popular export for Japanese players.

I'm rather surprised they haven't added shoulder buttons. If L+R activates the suspend menu in both NES and SNES games (and presumably N64 as well), exactly how is it going to work in the Genesis games if they don't have such buttons? They have added small (and generally worthless) buttons for Photo and Home on the top, but L and R are still absent. I'm convinced it'll be some weird combination (A+C or A+B+C) that is not easy or quick to press, which reduces the usefulness of creating Suspend Points in a split second between getting attacked by an enemy. So there's not just one thing wrong with this controller, but TWO.

Other than accuracy to the Genesis Mark I model, I really don't see how this controller is comparable to the superior Pro Controller, which has more than 3 buttons, shoulder buttons, is more comfortable to hold, and works with almost all Switch games, rather than Genesis-only (possibly NES as well.) If you're going to pay $50 for the Genesis (plus tax and shipping), why not pay $80 (plus tax but free shipping) for the Pro?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on September 27, 2021, 05:00:06 pm

I can only figure they're zoning in on the nostalgia more than anything.

By the way, have you used that 8bitdo M30 you linked earlier? Some people seem to think it is legit the greatest D-pad ever made, comparing it at or above the Saturn. I know they make good Bluetooth connectors, but my 8bitdo experiences aren't as favorable with their own controllers (the d-pad on the SNES GP thing I had was abominable, accidental or missed diagonals before and after the "tape fix").

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 27, 2021, 06:40:35 pm

No. I generally stick to official hardware. The 8bitDo Genesis 6-button controller is what I'd rather have than any three button controller though. But I'd also rather have the Japanese official version than the 8bitDo controller. The price to import it just isn't worth the higher cost.
What I'd want: NSO Japanese ($50+), 8bitdo ($25), NSO USA ($30)
What I'd actually buy: 8BitDo M30 ($25), NSO Japanese ($50+), NSO USA ($30)

Saturn controller had almost perfect size and feel, but I remember its shoulder buttons being atrociously loose. Like two flimsy plastic panels over a shallow trigger. Certainly worse than SNES and N64 as I recall, but I sold all my Saturn stuff several years back and can't compare it now.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 29, 2021, 05:54:05 pm

Nintendo's built quality is leagues ahead of third-party alternatives. I've used 8bitdo's famed Pro Plus controller. While it is decent, it just doesn't compare to the quality of a first-party pad. With that said, i was very impressed with the features on that controller. Being able to swap button inputs and record macros are very useful features.

I've heard speculation that Retrobit owning the license to the 6-button Genesis pad in the west might be why we're not see the 6-button variant over here. Disappointing if true, but i find it neat otherwise that there are two different versions of the Genesis pad available for the Switch. That 50 quid price tag is really killer though :undecided

I'm completely on-board for the N64 controller. It's one of my favorite pads actually for 2D games, strange as that may sound as the N64 was more heavily 3D focused than the PS1 and Saturn. The 6-button layout and the 2 extra shoulders make it absolutely perfect for fighting games (well, there's actually an extra ZR button at the top, so 3 shoulder buttons).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on September 30, 2021, 01:28:31 am

Retrobit showed off a bunch of weird hybrid prototypes a while ago and it looks like they got a good opportunity to officially introduce their "3 button pad but with 6 buttons" Genesis controller.

https://twitter.com/RetroBitGaming/status/1441432324063727628

Soooo that's interesting.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 30, 2021, 02:49:01 pm

That too would be a better option to the NSO offering. With exception that its missing the Snapshot and Home buttons along the top. Though I can certainly do without either, if you're making new product to compete with NSO offerings, you should add the two buttons at the top to account for this feature.

Quote from: Moge on September 29, 2021, 05:54:05 pm

I've heard speculation that Retrobit owning the license to the 6-button Genesis pad in the west

I'd say this is partly right.
I'd be fairly sure Sega still owns the copyrights for all their hardware. Retrobit does possess a license to that copyright though. But this wouldn't stop Sega from licensing to others unless there were a non-compete clause in the licensing agreement. This is what may be the holdup. Its not Retrobit's license itself, but the fact Sega can't offer new licenses until Retrobit's expires (or bought out, if that's an option)

If I were Nintendo, I'd have just skipped including Genesis until I could get that license back and do it properly. Supplying GameBoy in its place could accomplished the same thing of offering two new systems to justify the higher subscription tier, and allow for a "GameBoy style" controller to be offered without strings attached (as well as all the money going into Nintendo's pockets, instead of being split with Sega.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 19, 2021, 09:59:36 am

The other shoe drops. Or two shoes from two pairs I suppose.

SquareEnix has now said that Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi (presumably to be called Dragon Quest Eraser in the west) is still on track for a 2021 release in Japan, but will now no longer meet a simultaneous worldwide release. Not that it matters much because it was probably the least exciting game shown in the Anniversary video, depending on your take on the need for a DQ3 remake. But its yet more bad news for a series that isn't having a good year outside of Japan. The anniversary calendar year of 2021 is now going to close with only the "meh" Dragon Quest Tact of January as the one and only appearance of the series in the west. No DLC, no remakes, no ports, no anime, no merchandise. Might save some face in the practical year that runs through May 2022 but 2021 has been a complete disaster. If you don't count the ports of earlier games, the 'S' upgrade to the DQ11 storyline, or mobile mini-games like Dragon Quest Walk, Dragon Quest of the Stars, and Dragon Quest Tact, then Dragon Quest Builders 2 remains the last significant installment of the franchise in the west at nearly two and half years old (July 12, 2019). That's a very long time for a series that has no less than SIX games lined up for release in Japan just in the next four months alone (DQX Online Chapter 6, Dragon Quest X Offline, Infinity Strash, Hero's Bonds, Keshi Keshi, and DQ3 2D-HD Remake), with another (Treasures) likely on the heels of those.

And Nintendo continues to flub the NSO Expansion Pack launch. Just a few days after bumming everyone out with their too-late announcement that controllers were available for purchase (despite being sold out by the time of the press release) they announce the pricing - and its sticker shock. Currently is $19.99 a year for a single member. I know I, and several sites I visited, were expecting it to jump to $29.99. After all, its just adding some games. Its not providing cloud saves, online multiplayer, special offers and other stuff that comes with an NSO membership. I always thought the NES and SNES libraries were sort of free add-ons, primarily to round up support to buy the controllers. I was onboard to pay a bit more for N64 and Genesis games, but only a bit more, knowing I'd have to invest in a N64 controller to play them correctly. Yet the price is going to jump all the way to $49.99 a year. Yikes! $30 a year for N64 games that have mostly been remade in one way or another (ie, to DS like StarFox and Ocarina of Time or repackaged for Switch already like Mario 64) or have been easily emulated since the 90s (Genesis), plus the $50 investment in hardware no longer excites me. Now I'm sure I won't upgrade my NSO until (and if) I can get an N64 controller for it, and if Sony or a retailer slips in a juicy Black Friday deal on a PS5, that might get my money and game time instead. If you like Metroid Dread or Pokemon remakes then I suppose Nintendo's given you a good holiday season, but for me this is another miss and barring a change in NSO pricing or some great Black Friday game deal I might well go through the season without buying anything for their hardware.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 19, 2021, 04:59:12 pm

The NSO expansion isn't so bad if you're on a family plan with all the slots filled, which is how I'm going to get access to it...but obviously you can't expect everyone to be able to do that, or even understand how that works.

I almost feel like this is some kind of test on Nintendo's part to force you to make friends, like Pokemon Red and Blue.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 21, 2021, 05:50:14 pm

The combined price of NSO + the expansion pak is just too much given how infrequent Nintendo updates their library (which is quarterly i think). The price will be easier to swallow once the library grows, but until then, hard pass. Looking forward to getting my hands on a NSO N64 Controller. Nintendo rereleasing updated retro hardware is undeniably awesome. I see so many in the retro scene salivate in getting one. Super pumped to see what Ninty would do with a possible updated Gamecube controller in the distant future.

I'm surprised Metroid Dread has gotten an overwhelmingly reception. After Other M flubbing hard, i was nervous, but i'm glad to see the series become relevant again after so long. Will definitely have to pick it up sometime.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 21, 2021, 08:56:09 pm

I nearly didn't get it because I thought Samus Returns 3DS was an abomination, but the hype got to me. I'm glad it did - they fixed the problems with SR (mostly) and it's a pretty good Super Metroid-esque game. That probably sounds weird to say, but it's the closest an official Metroid has been to feeling like Super since back then. Although that said, I do hope for any sequel they change things up and don't just try to repeat themselves.

Its two biggest problems are lack of D-pad controls (less of a problem for me since I like the short throw joycons, but it really should've been an option)...and lack of control options in general. They make you do a lot with the shoulder buttons in ways that can get confusing sometimes.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 22, 2021, 10:51:42 am

Super Metroid was great and the first Metroid Prime was great. Since then the series has slid downhill. Prime 2 was a little less impressive than the first, and Prime 3 much worse than either. Fusion was okay I suppose but not quite Super Metroid and the small screen size didn't help. Zero Mission and Samus Returns were just remakes with new paint and extra content - in fact too much in the case of Samus Returns because the game bogs down so much trying to get from point A to distant point B without dying. Add in the "hunted" aspect of Dread and the need to run past all the pretty landscapes just to get to safety and I'm just not sold on it. If its surprisingly cheap on Black Friday I might get it, and by next year's Black Friday it might well be, but I just don't see it as a marquee game like Super Metroid and Metroid Prime were. It's going to win Nintendo Game of the Year awards - but its competition this year has been very lacking.

I thought Other M wasn't half bad. I didn't think the controls were all that good and it didn't feel as sharp as Super Metroid and Metroid Prime, but it was a good deal better than Prime 3 and Zero Mission. It got negative reviews because people wanted it to be Metroid Prime 4, and it wasn't. It wanted to do much more storytelling, something the first several Metroids almost totally avoided and the Prime series only partially covered through the use of artifacts and computer terminals. I liked the fact we got backstory for Samus and she wasn't just a faceless, spiritless, solo Bounty Hunter as she is in just about every other game. I'm sad not everyone else appreciated the game for what it was - and mostly disliked it for what it was not. Behind the first Metroid, Super Metroid, and Metroid Prime it is easily the fourth most important game to play in the series in my opinion. Not fourth best, but fourth most worthy of playing to know the story.

Agreed that Nintendo needs to go to monthly updates. Microsoft and Sony give two or three games every month (and much newer ones at that) - Nintendo going three months between updates is not as attractive, and only three or four games each time (averaging barely over one month.) Plus, higher frequency would help smooth over "unimpressive" updates. Last quarter's update was Bombuzal, Claymates, and Jelly Boy for SNES - none of which are particularly memorable titles for the system. (I hadn't even heard of Bombuzal, or at least didn't remember it, and I was a Nintendo Power subscriber at the time it would have come out.) I worry that the addition of many N64 and Genesis titles next week will leave the NES and SNES with nothing new.

Nintendo could also do more with the free trials for NSO members. At least once a month they should offer up some game of their own that is aging a bit and not just rely on third parties. I tried the third party Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town a few weeks back. Didn't like it, but I'd heard it was similar in some ways to the DQB series (only partially) so I welcomed the chance to see for myself. I think Animal Crossing or New Pokemon Snap would be a great choice for a trial in the next few weeks, as these games (especially Animal Crossing) are likely to be Black Friday deals and if you can interest people now, you might make more sales at end of November than you would otherwise. If the trials are a week long then Nintendo should have a trial a week, to always keep something in the loop. A trial and then two or three weeks without one is missing out on valuable advertising space.

Speaking of Black Friday we'll be seeing the big ads come out in the next two weeks.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 26, 2021, 01:23:25 am

Pictures of the NSO N64 Controller. Quite different in numerous ways.

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/77823400734633984/902389977491599420/n64controller-rear.png)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/77823400734633984/902389859220590632/n64controllerbottom.png)

Unlike Nintendo's other NSO controllers, this one has rumble.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 26, 2021, 10:21:14 am

I like that tiny orphan ZR button.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 26, 2021, 11:31:56 am

A little worried about hitting the Home button with trying to reach ZR but otherwise looks solid. I'll let you know next week when mine arrives - they are back in stock today :)

Not sure I'd upgrade to NSO deluxe yet, but I hope I can try it out on last year's Super Mario 3D All Stars' Mario 64 to see how well it compares.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 05, 2021, 04:59:45 pm

Thoughts on the N64 controller now that I've got one (yes, it did arrive by ninth business day). I have not yet had a chance to play a game with it yet - it needs to charge up.

It looks and reacts absolutely perfectly. If you were to cut off the cable and avoid picturing the top or underside, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference to an original except that originals have a pinhole in the middle of the joystick and the Switch version does not. Joystick, d-pad, and buttons all seem to give the same resistance and feel, too.

ZR button isn't as hard to reach as I thought for someone with hands as big as mine, though smaller hands (children) will have a hard time reaching it in the middle of a game. The bigger problem I see is that if your finger lays right across the top of the R shoulder button, moving it along the same direction onto the top plate takes you right to the Home button, not ZR. Not that Home shouldn't be easy to reach either, but ZR should certainly be the easier of the two. Bad design in my opinion - ZR should be where Home is and the Home and Snapshot buttons moved further towards the bottom.

Significantly more unbalanced than I expected. The N64 controller is notoriously light for its huge size, only 6.5 ounces (on my scale.) With a memory pak its 7.5 and with a rumble pak its 10. The Switch version weighs in at 8.3. But all its batteries (and presumably rumbler as well) are all the way up front where the memory or rumble pak would go, making it forward heavy. It feels about as badly balanced as the original with a rumble pak. I think Nintendo could have done better to balance the weight more evenly. With better balance and avoiding touching the top, it would be almost indistinguishable in the hands thanks to what I said above about joystick, d-pad, and button resistance. Instead I worry its going to be a bit carpal-tunnel inducing on the wrists.

Comes with a USB-C cable. If you've already got one (say, from a wireless Switch Pro Controller) you won't need it to charge.

Would be nice if it came in more colors than just gray. I have an original gray and a blue. If I wanted more than one N64 controller, I'd like them to be distinct colors. The whole multi-color thing started with N64, before they did it for Gameboy Colors, most of the DS/3DS models, and now Switch and Joycons. Maybe thats the plan but given the newness and limited supply they're only producing them in the most common (and probably most desirable) color. Maybe sometime next year they'll expand the options.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 06, 2021, 04:08:07 pm

These early Black Friday deals Walmart and Best Buy keep throwing out are worrisome. If they're going to hold their ground on pricing guarantees, that means the following games will not be getting anticipated discounts if Best Buy's offers are typical:
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is full price. Not a big surprise given its a 2021 title, but as a remake I thought it would get some kind of discount.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be $43.99. That's very underwhelming for a 4 year old game (and basically a port of a 7 year old game.)
Animal Crossing New Horizons at $50.99. This a real surprise. With several top-tier Nintendo published games going as low as $30 last year I was certain Animal Crossing would be amongst that group this year. Particularly with the DLC bonus being offered for NSO.

I'm sure we'll see typical junk like Just Dance, Family Feud, and Carnival Games be cheap again, but so far the outlook is not nearly as bright as it was last year when all the stores had several pretty good titles under $40. Best Buy and Gamestop both had Luigi's Mansion 3, Mario Maker 2, and Link's Awakening for just $39.99. Target had the same three plus New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe and Splatoon 2 at that price. Walmart had all five at just $30 plus Fire Emblem: Five Houses, Mario Tennis Aces, Mario & Sonic Olympic Games, and Yoshi's Crafted World. I'm really surprised to not see Mario Kart and Animal Crossing join those groups. Unless one of them does Animal Crossing to spite Best Buy into making major refunds.

Best guess is the Switch specials will unfortunately revolve around the same ones from last year, but add Bravely Default 2 and Balan Wonderworld to the rotation since they are SquareEnix games and SE always cuts the prices at Black Friday. PS4 will feature FF7 Remake, Balan Wonderworld, and Kingdom Hearts stuff for same reason, though I'd like to see a deal on Ghost of Tsushima myself. Xbox will have.. not much of anything that isn't available on the other platforms since they don't squat for exclusives (yet.) Some of the PS5 and Series X/S games will come down $10 to $20 though (Its already known Spider-Man Miles Morales will be $50.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 09, 2021, 04:31:53 am

You're playing FF VI rather early. Not gonna wait for the Pixel Remaster?

The Black Friday deals look rather ho-hum. Might not actually buy anything this year. Last year i bought an Xbox Series controller for $40, but they're priced consistently higher now even when going on sale.

Man, i can't wait to get an NSO N64 controller. Every impression i've seen so far has been positive. Since i couldn't get one those things, i decided to buy a new Pro Controller. Might be on my 6th or 7th Pro Controller? Each time i get a new one i sell off my old one. The reason i do that is because Nintendo updates the controller every year, but in rather subtle ways that the general gaming populace will not notice. The latest Pro Controller i got has a much nicer plastic shell than previous iterations (especially the first).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 09, 2021, 07:44:05 pm

After playing some of the SNES and NES games on NSO I got the urge to replay FF4. I really only wanted to play FF4 to finally get around to playing FF4: The After Years which I've had on my tablet for several years now and never touched. Instead, I moved on to FF6. Playing on PC via emulator. Not really challenging myself - just visiting old friends. I've done a lot of that this year, between the first Bravely Default, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Skyward Sword, Super Mario Galaxy, Duke Nukem 3D, and many of the NSO games, as there really hasn't been many new games of interest this year. (Bravely Default 2 and the surprisingly welcome Fire N Ice have been just about the only new experiences this year.)

I did manage to finally conquer Zelda 2 a few weeks back as well. I'd tried that one on emulator a few times as well but its such a grindfest, even with save states and the like. The NSO's SP version that starts you off at level 8 health, level 8 magic, and level 8 attack really speeds things along and lets you focus entirely on conquering the temples, caves, and other dungeon-like elements, without ever having to bother to level up (i.e., more like all the other Zelda games.) It turns a 100 hour grinding slog into a more enjoyable 10-15 hour game. I got to Shadow Link a few times, but couldn't ever beat him, on original hardware, so I don't think using the SP springboard or making use of save states was all too much a cheat. Its also the very first game I got for myself so it holds a special place in my heart. My brother and I got an NES Power Set (with its trio of Super Mario, Duck Hunt, and Track & Field) late summer 1989 after moving to a new city and our dad rewarded us for putting up with a difficult move in mid-childhood. A few months later, near my brother's birthday we each got to choose an additional game at the Toys R Us (they had some special to get a second game half off or something, which would never happen these days.) I choose Zelda 2, which was a poor choice in retrospect; the first would have been better. (I can't recall which game my brother got for his birthday but it was likely either Contra or Dragon Warrior. I just remember being shocked it wasn't RC Pro Am, which he played at our neighbors all the time before the move.)

Speaking of old games that tug on the heart strings, Alex Kidd in Miracle World got a remake this year but I'd like to see a sale on it as I'd rather play the original in an emulator than fork over $30-$35 for the new one. Its the very first home video game I ever played. Our best friend when young got a Master System for Christmas in 1987 (the neighbor with the NES got it sometime in 1988 as I recall) and his games were Ghostbusters and Alex Kidd in Miracle World (along with the obligatory pack-in games Hang-on and Safari Hunt). We'd usually just watch him play, but on occasion he'd give us a chance and I wanted to play Alex Kidd the most.  I'd played a Ms Pac-Man arcade machine at the roller skating rink at some birthday parties held there for classmates and such (the only arcade machine they owned), and maybe another arcade game here and there, but Alex Kidd was the first time I remember having a choice of what to play, sitting down doing it, and not having to pay to do it.


Controllers (especially Microsoft's) are always cheap that first Black Friday. They flood the market with them but don't have enough consoles so stores are stuck with a lot of controllers that they just can't get rid of until the console sales catch up.

Somewhat related, I bought a new 360-style controller for my PC just last week: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CN7DJ1J/ (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CN7DJ1J/)
While playing I was, once again, aggravated by my 10-year old or so Microsoft corded model's cord that has a horrible tendency to tangle up. A few times it kept pulling my hand down and to the left (where the PC sits) while playing and I'd have to pause and try to stretch out the cord only for it to do it again after a short while. I finally decided I was done with this and decided to buy a cordless model. I'd have bought a Microsoft original but those are so long out of stock that they are easily $100 or more. This knockoff feels perfect though the buttons have a loud spring under them - which I hope goes away after a bit more use. For just $20 and tax I guess I'll settle for it being a bit noisy rather than having a cord actively trying to yank it out of my hands. I wish it had a manual on/off button to save battery lifetime though. It finally turned off on its own but I don't know how long it took. (10 minutes would be my guess.)

Regarding my experience with the NSO N64 Controller, it played Mario 64 in the All-Stars flawlessly. Except for screen prompts saying to press + instead of Start (which is maybe something Nintendo should patch), the help screen showing joycons (rather than the N64 controller itself or even the Pro Controller as it does when that's used) and likely some other places where it'll give Switch button labels instead of N64 it was solid while in game. However it has a fatal flaw at the system menu: you can't ever close a running game using it. To do so requires pressing X, and the N64 doesn't have an X button (or Y). It has the 4 arrow buttons instead, and the system menu interprets these as left, right, up, and down so no button is ever mapped to X. After pressing Home to return to menu the only real choice you have is to reenter the game with A or checking options with Start (which maps to +). Unfortunately, Options menu doesn't give a choice to close software like it probably should, so you really need another controller standing by. The N64 controller alone just isn't capable of fully controlling the Switch OS. I suspect a future OS update will allow you to close games with Z, but as of today its a serious oversight and I'm shocked no one at Nintendo's done anything about it.

I didn't even know Nintendo updated their Pro Controllers yearly. They certainly don't advertise new versions like Microsoft does about every other year. Mine is perhaps 3 years old. I went a good year using the joycons attached to the grip, but it would hurt my hands after a few hours and had to cave in and get the Pro Controller. Its a very good controller, certainly better than the joycon grip, and obviously better than the Sony monstrosity, but not as good as the Xbox 360 or Xbox One controllers, particularly in the shoulder buttons. Unless that's something greatly improved upon in the last few years. Not that it would be enough for me to buy a new one.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 10, 2021, 08:43:57 pm

Quote from: JG on November 06, 2021, 04:08:07 pm

These early Black Friday deals Walmart and Best Buy keep throwing out are worrisome.

Couple more Nintendo first/second party titles not as cheap as expected, per today's Walmart sale:
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze @ $43.99
Kirby: Star Allies @ $44.99
Given these are about the same price as the Mario Kart 8 price at Best Buy, this may be a target price Nintendo has set this year. Disappointing if last year's games were $30 or $35.

Equally concerning is Spider-Man: GOTY edition. I got this for $14.99 at Best Buy's Black Friday in 2019 and Walmart has priced it $29.49 this year. That's going the wrong direction. I hope this is not an indication of a trend this year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 11, 2021, 07:54:40 am

Can get Mario+Rabbids for $9.99 today though. So some hope yet. Although this is one of the oldest Switch third party games and a sequel coming out next year, so I figured it would be cheaper than the normal $19.99. I was thinking a more modest $14.99 or $12.99 though.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/mario-rabbids-kingdom-battle-nintendo-switch/5909500.p?skuId=5909500

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 13, 2021, 03:59:52 am

Bravely Default 1 is a real slog, but i still love it despite it's massive flaw of too much repeated content. You should seek out Bravely Second since it's a direct continuation of the first game's story.

I don't remember which came first, but either Zelda 1 or Mario 2 became the first game my parents bought me. We had a Mario/Duck Hunt NES bundle. This is the first time i've ever noticed you going back to playing so many retro games at once. In my case, my obsession with retro games in modern times began when i hacked my original Xbox and loaded it up with emulators.

I'm surprised you went out of your way to get a dedicated PC controller. You already have controllers that'll work fantastically on PC: the XBone, Dualshock 4, and the Pro Controller. If you value a decent dpad then i high recommend picking up a new Pro Controller, but if that's not a problem to you then there's not much reason to upgrade.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 14, 2021, 11:28:34 am

I've got Bravely Second but never played it. Reviews indicated it wasn't nearly as good as the first.

Zelda 1 was a few years before SMB2.  SMB2 was the first video game to suffer launch rarity - which isn't so much a problem for games anymore but consoles it remains a serious issue. I remember we were looking for SMB2 well into spring 1990. It was always sold out at Toys R Us,  Kay-bee, Babbages, and Electronics Boutique. It was the game I wanted most for Christmas and then again for my birthday, and came up empty both times (though Mega Man II for one of the two was a great substitute.) We eventually found a copy (sans instruction booklet) at an independent video/game rental store, whose worker that day foolishly let us buy it at face value (i.e., $50) I later ordered an instruction booklet from Nintendo to complete the set. So unless you got a NES set in 1990 or later, I'd wager your first additional game was Zelda.


I don't know if $20 is going out of my way. I already had the wired Xbox 360 controller (and I still think Xbox 360 has the most comfortable feel ever, with the Xbox One a small step back.) I just got tired of the cord twisting up.

Now I'm dealing with a new problem - Steam insists its a PS3 controller and has now rotated all the buttons 90 degrees. I can't figure out how to make Steam treat an Xbox360-type controller as if it were an Xbox 360 controller, instead of something unrelated. I've seen tricks such as going into Steam Big Picture and choosing a config there, but it seems not every game respects that choice. I need Steam core to treat it as Xbox 360, not just Big Picture. I just don't know why Big Picture gives you choices that Steam core does not, when Steam core is where the config needs to be applied. I worry I might need to reconnect the wired controller just to play some of the Steam-based games correctly.

My PC doesn't have a bluetooth adapter which is needed for XBox One, PS4, and Switch Pro Controllers. I considered getting an adapter but reasoned I'd pay a bit more for the comfort of an Xbox 360 style. I might yet resort to that option though if I can't solve this Steam config issue. I'll probably use a PS4 controller as my PS4 has been struggling over the last few months with random shutdowns and I've got two of them. I'd like to wait until there's a game I've got to have on PS5 first (and increased likelihood of a black model), but I may have to jump into the pool before I'm totally prepared. (I could use the more comfortable Xbox One controller but probably not until after I've completed Halo 6. And since I only have the one Xbox One controller it'll have to be sold with the Xbox One console whenever that happens whereas having two PS4 controllers gives me some leeway.)

I was huge in the emulator scene back in the late 90s. I even contributed code to some of the developers, particularly for Game Boy as I cracked a lot of the ROM header information revealing developer/producer codes. That was sort of the golden age of emulation, as we had some older computers and older Arcade games, and simpler consoles like Game Boy and Master System, while NES was maybe half-way there (some games worked and some did not.) Basically it was 8-bit only with a few 16-bit arcade games. I saw the first emulations of Genesis and SNES, the refinement of NES to near perfection, and then leaps to things like Capcom System 1 and NEO-GEO (despite being 16-bit its ROMs were comparatively huge.) By the time I sort of fell out of it, some 32-bit systems were coming along like the original Playstation. I even discovered the VIPER series, via VIPER-BTR, though PC-9801 emulation circa 2000.

The NSO games have kind of rekindled an interest a bit. I especially like the fact of how easy it is to create and reload save states by pressing L+R together. PC emulators make you press the keyboard: tolerable but not as easy. I also bought the NES and SNES Classics a few years back, but the original controllers aren't as comfortable as my Pro Controller so I never really used them to their fullest. I also bought Rare Replay, which has a similar savestate system. The big problem I have with these, and I know its due to licensing issues, is that they all have a fixed library: I'd love to see an NSO that gave the option of adding additional games for 50 cents or $1. I know the original Contra and Bionic Commando are two I'd have to have for NES.

Part of the renewed interest in older games is because there have been very few worthwhile new games this year. I was playing Hyrule Warriors; Age of Calamity into the first week of January, followed by the surspringly short Trials of Mana, then I went through Bravely Default again to prepare for BD2 in February-March. By summer I was investing time in things like DQ11 S, Skyward Sword, and most importantly Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which because of the known difficulty in acquiring the last few Blades via gacha I tried the Switch Online trial to use cloud saves as a means to cheat the system. Its at this point I discovered the NES and SNES game library, played a few old games I'd not played in 25-30 years (like Double Dragon and Blaster Master) or discovering games I'd never played before, both good (Fire N Ice) and bad (Rygar.) Sure I could play those games on PC, but I felt the combination of cloud saves, easy save states, and its cheap price was worth a yearly investment. (If the Switch had capability to back up saves to USB like PS4 and Xbox, I'd have likely never gotten NSO.) Besides, I've spent nearly nothing on video games this year: BD2 ($60+tax), the Skyward Sword remake ($60+tax), and picking up DQ11 S when it was dirt cheap (just $9.82 after the $15 Prime Day and 40% Discover Card payments discounts stacked.) I'm sure its the least I've spent on video games since that first year in 1989.

Probably right that I've not played so many retro games all in a short period of time though. If 2021 had the quality of games 2022 is going to have, I probably wouldn't have. On the other hand, the lull did give me time to rework Xenoblade Chronicles 2 after giving up on it years earlier, and fit in the DQ11 S edition's extra story (I'd beaten the original DQ11.) I'm still tinkering with my DQB2 island here and there as well. I'd still like to work in Witcher III sometime before the 2022 games start rolling in. I've probably got the time as none of the ones I really want (like Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, BotW2, Tinykin, Forspoken) have a release date yet, meaning they aren't coming until at least April.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 15, 2021, 01:04:32 pm

Oof. The Walmart and Target ads came out overnight (about 2 weeks later than previous years) and they are rather uninspiring.

"Interesting" Wal-Mart options (they go live Monday 11/22 at 7PM EST, though the Walmart+ members will get it earlier)
   $15: Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle
   $20: Last of Us Part II, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania
   $25: Monster Hunter Rise, Deathloop (PS5), Back 4 Blood
   $35: Far Cry 6, Guardians of the Galaxy, Kirby Star Allies, Paper Mario: The Origami King, Splatoon 2*, Breath of the Wild, New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe*
   $39: Zelda: Link's Awakening*, Super Mario Maker 2*, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5), Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)
   $40: Playstation Plus 12-month membership card
   $49: Xbox X/S Wireless Controllers

And Target's (they apparently go live sometime Sunday 11/21):
   $10: 24 games: Cyberpunk 2077, God of War
   $15: Over 70 games: Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Marvel Avengers, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
   $20: Over 75 games: Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania
   $30: Over 50 games: Deathloop (PS5), Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)
   $40: Over 22 (?) games: Far Cry 6, Playstation Plus 12-month membership card
   $40: 10 Switch games (which may or may not be in the "over 22" set): Link's Awakening*, Super Mario Maker 2*, Breath of the Wild, New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe*
   $50: Xbox X/S Wireless Controllers, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5), Ghost of Tsushima (PS5), Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

So let's talk about the good stuff first. Cyberpunk 2077 is supposedly alot better than it was at lunch, and $10 sounds like a possible steal. $15 for Avengers, $20 for Last of Us Part II, and $25 for Monster Hunter Rise look attractive, too. If you've got a PS5 (or getting one) your choices of of $25 Deathloop, $30 Miles Morales, and $40 Ratchet & Clank all look juicy. If you're a fan of Super Monkey Ball, you can get the brand new Banana-Mania collection which just came out in October for $20 either place. Very unusual to see a "new" game for any platform reach $20 and/or half price less than two months from release. Also a good time to get an extra Xbox controller if you need one.

Now the not so good: All those Switch games with an asterisk at the end (Link's Awakening, Super Mario Maker 2, New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, and Splatoon 2, plus maybe some more that aren't listed) were all in the $30 set Walmart had last year, and each of them is $5 or $9 more expensive this year. Boo!

Might see some more attractive games once the sales go live, but typically the extra games are low quality fare (Carnival Games, Just Dance, 2021 sports games where 2022 is already out, etc.) Naturally they'll advertise the best stuff. Personally I hope the PS4 version of Ghost of Tsushima isn't also $50 or only discounted to $40. I want it cheaper than that.

Between the two its clear Walmart one-upped Target, with Target's only known wins on Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. They've got some $10 games that might better Walmart though, like Cyberpunk 2077 but now that Walmart knows they can adjust and match. Don't really know how large Walmart's selection is while Target was very forthcoming (though "over 22" sounds very suspicious, as being at least 23 but less than 25.)

Of the games known from ads, I give "most impressive deal" so far to the $25 Monster Hunter Rise at Walmart. That's a likely 2021 GOTY winner for Switch, that just came out in late March, with a major DLC addition on the way in 2022, and we hardly ever see really good Switch games go less than $30 except for Mario+Rabbids (which is now in its fifth Black Friday.) I know MHR has dropped a lot, down to about $40 now, so I wasn't expecting it to get too much additional discount (if any) for Black Friday. But apparently its getting a healthy cut. Deathloop is a close second as its still at practically full price $60 on the PS Store today, though its PS5 only and much less in the realm of GOTY considerations. Last of Us Part II is good price, but honestly the first one dropped to about same price in its second year, so it doesn't terribly surprise me like MHR and Deathloop do. Still need to see what Best Buy and Gamestop offer though. And Square Enix RPGs like Bravely Default II, Octopath Traveller, Final Fantasy VII Remake (except the Intergrade version), and Kingdom Hearts are curiously absent from both ads.

Personally I'm disappointed. The PS4 deals aren't overly impressive with Last of Us II and Avengers being good price but out a while and already reasonably cheap so that the Black Friday discount doesn't blow anyone's socks off. And the Switch deals are yuck outside of Monster Hunter Rise. Switch prices going up from last year is a bad trend. And the lack of Xbox exclusives has pretty much forced their hand to offer controllers cheaper just to get *something* unique into the ads. Only the PS5 stuff (Miles Morales and Ratchet & Clank) looks like a strong group to me, but with PS5s still being scarce its hard to call it a strong win.

Expecting some unattractive deals (which is mostly true) I'd been toying with the idea of maybe picking up something like Mario Maker 2 if it were $25 or less to fill the holiday gap. But $10 more than last year and $15 over my desirable price point has shut it out. On the bright side, I can now swap it with the much more attractive Monster Hunter Rise. I'm on the fence regarding Avengers. If I don't see anything better its a likely buy; but if something more attractive comes along its a likely pass. I really want Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) to unseat Avengers for that second game. Its rare for me to buy more than two at Black Friday now, because I just don't even feel like I get to the time to play them all. (For example, Witcher III from last year is still on my to-do list, so I really need to hold to two so I can give that one some time.)


Another surprise is that Walmart has completely foregone listing DVD and BluRay movies in their ad. For the last several years this has been 3 or 4 pages and not even part of one page this year. Target still advertised them over several pages, but didn't put them into any price groups and just list them all as Buy Two, Get (Cheapest) One Free so we might not see deals of recent movies for $4 or $6 or anything like that like we have in the past. I don't know if its because people have jumped strongly into stream platforms since the pandemic started or what, but I suspect that's the core reason. It wouldn't be a bad idea for big box stores to get out of the BluRay/DVD business though. New releases I can imagine make a tidy profit, but the stuff that hangs around long enough to be free on streaming platforms just can't be money makers for them anymore. They all went that way with music years ago, when things like Pandora and Spotify wiped out the attractiveness of selling older albums (and things like iTunes had been around long enough to sell single songs from older albums for those who wanted them.) So its really not that much of a surprise if they've flipped the switch on movies now, too, though the complete absence of any in the ad caught me off guard. I usually buy 5-6 BluRays/DVDs at Black Friday each year for the digital cards and watch the movies on trips (not that I've had any trips since the pandemic started.) Likely will still have them online but now I won't know until that week.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 16, 2021, 08:39:50 am

Newegg.com published their ad this morning. I don't ever really mention them for games because they're such a minor player. They've mostly retreated from physical games and hardware to providing digital codes over the last few years. On occasion they have something enlightening - I got a Steam code for the Duke Nukem 3D 20th Anniversary World Tour for $1.74 when they had a huge sale back in April. (Not quite the game it was in 1996, but for under two bucks it was a steal.)

They have a few e-shop cards that might be of interest to those looking to save some money now for redemption later (ie, when good games start coming along next year.) Their sale will start Monday the 22nd.
   $44.50: $50 Xbox Gift card (code delivered by e-mail) - $5.50 off $50 price with promo code BFFRDY34
   $45: $50 Nintendo e-shop Card (code delivered by e-mail) - $5 off $50 price with promo code BFFRDY33
Of course they have the Playstation 12-month card for $40 like everyone else, too.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 19, 2021, 08:36:20 am

BestBuy (https://www.bestbuy.com/) has apparently decided to just completely forego a print ad and go digital only this year, with their sale starting today. Digital only really is the best idea, because you can swiftly pull back a product if a competitor undermined your price and not be beholden to a print ad and price matching guarantees. Some deals that look better than others:
   $15: Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Marvel's Avengers (including the PS5 edition), Immortals: Fenyx Rising (including PS5 edition, but not Switch), Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition
   $20: Crash Bandicoot 4: Its About Time (Switch), Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy (Switch), Kingdom Hearts All-in-One, Ghost of Tsushima (PS4), Last of Us Part II, Hades (including PS5), Immortals: Fenyx Rising (Switch), Death Stranding (PS4), Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania (including PS5), Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster (PS4)
   $25: Final Fantasy VII Remake, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster (Switch)
   $28: Mass Effect Legendary Edition
   $30: Guardians of the Galaxy (including PS5), Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS5), Monster Hunter Rise ($30), Deathloop with steelbook case (PC and PS5), Rider's Republic (including PS5), Dragon Ball Z Kakarot + A New Power Awakens (Switch), NieR Replicant
   $40: Tales of Arise, Death Stranding Director's Cut (PS5), 12-month PS Plus card (physical or digital)
   $45: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (PS5)
   $50: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)
They had Ghost of Tsushima Launch Edition for $20 too but already sold out. I'll have to settle for standard.

Gamestop has started a pre-Friday sale today. While the base prices don't seem any different than Wal-Mart or Targets offerings (and maybe less than Best Buy's), they're adding a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal on top of it. Seems like a good place to check if you're looking to stock upon PS5 games. https://www.gamestop.com/search/?pmid=ebf-vg-1&sv=new (https://www.gamestop.com/search/?pmid=ebf-vg-1&sv=new)
   $20: Last of Us Part II, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania
   $35: Deathloop (PS5)
   $30: Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)
   $40: Death Stranding Director's Cut (PS5)
   $50: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5), Ghost of Tsushima (PS5)
Note that Gamestop's main ad is still outstanding. They may be following Best Buy's lead and going digital only this year, too.

Newegg has also started their games sale early. Almost exclusively Xbox and Steam digital codes but a few potentially nice deals here like a $5.99 Assassin's Creed 4 code for Xbox or the BioShock Collection at $9.99 for Xbox and $10.79 for Steam.
https://www.newegg.com/Digital-Games-Sale/EventSaleStore/ID-10402?N=100161678&Order=2&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=IGNEFL111921&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL111921-_-EMC-111921-Index-_-LEB5A-_-DigitalGame (https://www.newegg.com/Digital-Games-Sale/EventSaleStore/ID-10402?N=100161678&Order=2&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=IGNEFL111921&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL111921-_-EMC-111921-Index-_-LEB5A-_-DigitalGame)

And if you don't want to wait until next week for 10% off the $50 Nintendo e-shop code, they're giving 10% off a $35 code today only.
https://www.newegg.com/nintendo-35-00/p/32-074-003 (https://www.newegg.com/nintendo-35-00/p/32-074-003)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 24, 2021, 03:47:48 pm

Nintendo has started their sale, and for a change it has a few deals. Usually Nintendo's own sales aren't on par with stores, and for a lot of titles they still aren't, but I see a few listed there that I've not seen on sale before, like Bravely Default 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (both $41.99). The Castlevania Advance collection that just came out a few months back is also $5 off ($14.99 now)

Same page lists some third party games as well, including Ubisoft, Capcom (several Resident Evil games), EA, Sega, and Konami, though in some cases the stores still have better deals on physical games.

https://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals/ (https://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals/)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 25, 2021, 09:35:07 am

Amazon has their sale up now, too. (https://www.amazon.com/blackfriday?deals-widget=%257B%2522version%2522%253A1%252C%2522viewIndex%2522%253A0%252C%2522presetId%2522%253A%2522deals-collection-COMP%2522%252C%2522departments%2522%253A%255B%2522979455011%2522%252C%2522468642%2522%255D%252C%2522sorting%2522%253A%2522BY_CUSTOM_CRITERION%2522%257D&ref_=US_BF21_GW_Desk_Bubbler_Order1_COMP&pf_rd_r=JR8YX9MATXPW89KQC577&pf_rd_p=578083bd-4ea6-4801-91d1-abee9bfcddd4&pd_rd_r=3a9bd596-4e43-4595-8bc9-3e79ac9c8286&pd_rd_w=sfyqa&pd_rd_wg=9xRKf) Alot of their stuff is the same things the other stores have, but I did see one spectacular deal on the physical edition of Bravely Default 2 for just $26.99 (https://www.amazon.com/BRAVELY-DEFAULT-II-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B086G788Y2).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 26, 2021, 08:59:46 pm

I don't know when Gamestop finally started their sale or not. They might have gotten my $25 for Monster Hunter Rise if they'd advertised it before Wal-Mart actually made it available to buy. I mean, there's an advantage to keeping your deals secret form competitors that might undermine you, but waiting until after the deals are available elsewhere can backfire.

Certainly would have used GameStop instead of Wal-Mart at same price because every year Wal-Mart finds new ways to embarrass themselves on how bad they can make Black Friday compared to everyone else. Store pickup isn't anything new these days - most stores do it since the pandemic started, and Walmart's had it for several years now. Yet, in a new twist, they decided to hold it outside in the cold this year rather than in-store or at the normal store pickup location, with only 6 parking spaces (over 20 people were lined up when I got there), a dead-end parking area (requiring cars to reverse into the main thoroughfare to exit - which is a wreck waiting to happen), and 90% of their items shipped from warehouses in plain white bags with tiny little tags. The staff couldn't find anything because it all looked the same and was apparently entirely unordered (either by order number or alphabetical by last name) - they had to inspect each and every tag manually, except for the really large items too big for such a bag, or really small ones (like my game) that just had the label affixed: these they could see what the items were are pick them out more clearly. Took me 28 minutes (wearing short sleeves with ice cream I'd just bought in the store in my trunk.) Its astonishingly how bad the biggest retailer in America continues to be every Black Friday. Everyone else has figured out how to do it in under 5 minutes (remaining in vehicle no less) and most of them give free shipping during the holiday season, but Wal-mart insists on wasting everyone's time: not just buyers but their own staff. I just don't understand having two different staffs to pickup, using opaque bags instead of clear, organizing by name or order number for quicker handling, having sufficient parking and/or a one-way through driving area. All obvious things that others do that Wal-mart just doesn't get.

Gamestop did get me to break my plan to stick to two games though. I'd already gotten Ghost of Tsushima at Best Buy and Monster Hunter Rise at Wal-Mart, but I saw today they had Avengers for just $9.99 and I couldn't pass on that price as I'm fairly confident it won't be that low again until Black Friday next year. They're website is still garbage though. It knew it was too late for pickup this evening so it told me pickup would have to be tomorrow and 9 copies were available. Fine with me, tomorrow is what I'd prefer. But if I tried to pay with PayPal it kept switching it back to pickup today, saying it was invalid, and requesting to change stores or switch to delivery (at $5.99 extra charge.) I ultimately had to pay by credit card because three different ways around trying to pay with PayPal balance all failed, rejecting me back to the first checkout page. I hope I get a survey to do because I was worried I'd have to call them to place the order (and we know how that pans out.)

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/raika_underwear_phone.jpg)
Out of stock!? AGAIN!!?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on December 16, 2021, 04:06:25 am

Those are some big, meaty pick ups. Nice. Sorry to hear about your Avengers situation. As for myself, i got Resident Evil Village on Steam for $20 and a new Red Dualsense controller on eBay for nearly full price.

I've been eager to purchase a Dualsense at a discount for awhile, but they rarely ever go on sale compared to Nintendo's and Microsoft's controllers. I must say the controller blows away the Dualshock 4 in build quality, however the controller is a tad large for my hands, but i've grown accustomed to it. The main reason i got the controller was i heard the gyro inside is better than the DS4 and Pro Controller's. After some testing on RE Village, i can confirm it is an upgrade from the DS4, but not substantially. Like i said, the biggest improvements are in the build quality, meaning the controller shell, buttons, and dpad all feel more premium. I really like the new dpad especially. It's better made for fighting games than any previous Playstation controller.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 16, 2021, 03:22:28 pm

I got a bluetooth adapter earlier in the month to try out the XBox One and PS4 controllers. Curiously, Windows would not recognize my Xbox One Controller and told me I probably need to update its software via the Xbox One (partially defeating the usefulness of using it for Windows), and did not know beforehand that Sony purposefully nerfs their controllers to not work with Windows over Bluetooth. So I've still only got that Xbox 360-style controller unless I desire to go USB for the PS4 controllers. I suppose I could try the Switch Pro Controller, but I wanted to try the Xbox One (since I don't use it) and a PS4 (since I have two) first. In any case I've got the Black Friday games and haven't resumed playing on my PC of late.

I liked where Avengers was going story-wise. It had too much dull exploration between fights though. Just walking around and searching for stuff or making your way to the next area. Similar games (Assassin's Creed, God of War, Last of Us, Halo) all have a lot of dialogue-heavy segments between fights where you're just slowly moving between areas, but Avengers kind of over does it with 10 minute or longer stretches without fighting. Were it not for the terrible quality of the game's code that would be my only real negative. Sadly, the stability issue so overwhelms everything else that no amount of storytelling can overcome it. It feels like a good book printed on paper that dissolves as soon as I start reading it.

Monster Hunter Rise throws way too much at a player at once. I guess if you've played previous games in the series or have already finished Rise and know how best to spend your time, its more enjoyable. But it basically drops you into town with a dozen different things to do of which most (like what the purpose of buddy skills are) go entirely unexplained, 16 or so different weapons to choose from without a clue as to which is best for a certain situation, all the crafting options (sans those that require rarer materials) though no explanation about what most of them do (though a few like Potion and Antidote are rather obvious), and at the first castle defense segment I had to play last night, they threw a half dozen different defense devices at me without even explaining what some of them do or how they compare to others. The game just doesn't explain anything, so after 15 hours or so I still feel like I'm going into each hunt with weaker weapons or armor than I feel like I should have, or without the knowledge of which items and tricks I can use to really make a hunt go quicker or smoother. Graphics are great for Switch and it seems like a nice game if you're into it, but goodness Capcom. This isn't the age of Mega Man and Ghosts 'n Goblins where you can just start a game with zero explanation and expect the player to figure out what do to in 30 seconds. Game could be a lot better by just taking the time to properly explain what to do to be a more efficient hunter.

Ghost of Tsushima has done a better job than either. I feel like getting hit by a spear does way too damage (about 80% of my health bar) compared to a sword (about 30%) but otherwise no significant complaints after 5 or so hours. Its been likened to Breath of the Wild and so far its living up to expectations. The combat is not as sharp and I don't yet have a bow, but the island seems large enough with plenty of spots of interest or conflict to warrant the comparison. And it instructs me on what to do whenever a new skill is put into play.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2021, 10:10:00 pm

It's that time of year again.

TEN GAMES OF THE YEAR:

10. Marvel's Avengers (PS4), F-
Failure to execute, literally and figuratively. The game simply does not run stably on my original PS4, and SquareEnix in typical SquareEnix form is doing absolutely nothing about it, adding to a string of games published by SquareEnix that are terribly flawed in some way, vastly under-tested, and displaying no willingness to correct them. If a game still isn't working months after release, and you pull this stunt two years in a row (see Dragon Quest Builders 2 for PC, 2020) your company deserves the first ever F- awarded.

9. Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Tour (PC), D
Oh, this really hasn't aged well at all. (And its technically 25 years old now, not 20.) Played this all the time circa 1997 but in 2021 it looks dated and the controls are far from sharp, making the game a good deal harder than I remember it. The commentary is ok at some points, annoying at others. On the plus side I paid less than $3 for it when it was on sale so it was an okay trip down memory lane for the price, if not quite the grand experience I'd hoped for. If I want to relive great PC titles from the 90s, best to stick with the all-time number one video game, Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/).

8. Monster Hunter Rise (Switch), C-
This is a surprisingly average game given all the hype earlier in the year over it. I guess if you're fan of the Monster Hunter series it appeals to you, or if you like the Warcraft-mindset of having to assemble an online multiplayer war party to tackle a particularly strong enemy. As a single player, the hunted monster fights take way too long (probably 500-1000 hits with a weapon and a good 15-20 minutes), and the game throws way too much at you right out of the gate with very little explanation. Visually it's the best-looking game I've seen on Switch so far but the gameplay is a disappointing mess. I don't know if I'm going to finish it because it's turned into such a slog. It's not hard, just boring.

7. Donut County (Mobile), C+
One of the games I had interest in at the 2020 review (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2697.msg34115#msg34115). It's really short with basically no replay value, and the story is bonkers, but its lighthearted and easy fun (can't lose) - an ideal game when you've got some minutes to spare and only have a phone or tablet handy. Doesn't cost much, but worth a "hole" lot more.

6. Untitled Goose Game (PC), B-
Another of those 2020 games. This one's got a little more substance to it, even if you're an annoying bird stealing everyone's stuff and ruining their day. You're the villain, which as I've pointed out before can be a refreshing experience. Also lighthearted fun and unlosable, so you can enjoy it as time allows, but you'll need something more than a phone.

5. Trials of Mana (Switch), B-
I prematurely included this in the 2020 review and said it was lackluster, but I played most of it in 2021 and it turned out to be pretty decent. Still very short, in the 30-hour timeframe, which is typical of 1990s games. Each of the six characters having an interesting backstory and the fact you can only include three of them in the game means the game must be finished at least twice end to end to see it all, as well as 4 branches on every character's job tree, so it has high replayability. The vocal actress for Charlotte does a great job exchanging the "L"s and "R"s for "W"s in everything she says, and it's worth including her in the party if only for comedic purposes and the "Aww, isn't that cute!" factor.

4. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Switch), B-
One of the best Zelda games but disappointingly there was absolutely nothing new about the Switch port. The Switch Joycons were certainly more precise then the Wiimote and especially the Nunchuk, but they were also overly sensitive: accessing menu caused Link to look down and to right all the time so I'd come out of menu in a spin, requiring me to reset when I was looking if I was going to target something at a distance. It was nice to go through the story once again (since its one of the best in the Zelda series) but the lack of anything new is a bit of a bummer as I could have dug out my Wii disc and put it in the Wii U hooked up in my office and gotten pretty much the same experience.

3. Fire 'N Ice (NES), B
Also known as Solomon's Key 2 in some regions. Of the games in the NES and SNES libraries on Nintendo Switch Online, they generally fall into two categories: games I played back in the 1980s and 1990s and enjoyed, or games I played for the first time on NSO and weren't very impressed by. Fire 'N Ice belongs to a third category: a game I'd not played in the past and really enjoyed. Its a puzzle game where you have to create blocks of ice and move them to climb to higher levels or pushed from aside to crush fire monsters, there's no time limit and you can only die by falling from a decent height or by touching fire, but it's got some decent depth with 150 stages. If you've got Nintendo Switch Online and want to challenge your mind a bit, give it a go as its far superior to the first Solomon's Key, Adventures of Lolo, or Clu Clu Land that are the other puzzle-type games available on the service.

2. Bravely Default 2 (Switch), B
Very difficult and takes the worst thing about the first Bravely Default - gimmicks required to defeat certain bosses - to the extreme, requiring setup gimmicks for nearly every boss in BD2. But if you can put up with that nonsense it's a very good RPG, rather lengthy with a lot of variety, side quests, and challenges (both exploratory/collecting and battle types). Its real problem is that some of the boss fights, especially early, are absolutely brutal and unforgiving if you don't tailor your team properly (i.e., gimmick) which apparently turned a lot of potential fans off. It could have been game of the year contender for Switch with more polish, but it's probably sitting out any awards and watching them go to Monster Hunter Rise or Metroid Dread instead. Its maybe the most polar game of the year: either you like it or you hate it.

1. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4), A-
Fantasic graphics, a huge open-world island, great combat and a ton of things to do, and based on a historical event (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasions_of_Japan#Invasion_of_Tsushima) (though the game's plot and outcome are entirely fictional). Only serious complaints I have are lack of an on-screen compass (requiring pausing to bring up map to know which direction you're headed; and need to constantly swap between outfits when exploring (Traveller's Attire) or for battle (Samurai Armor) as each has such overwhelming benefits when worn for these purposes. Breath of the Wild made you swap outfits for certain tasks as a well but far less often. And according to Wikipedia, the Chinese were using compasses for navigational purposes during the 11th century, and they'd spread to Europe by 1190, meaning the Japanese most certainly had them by 1274 so putting on on-screen compass wouldn't be inappropriate. Probably too many sidequests - can often go days or weeks game-time between events that rationally would be expected to occur in a relatively short amount of time (like having someone starve or be held captive.) But its very enjoyable, looks fantastic, is telling a great story, and lives up a claim as the Playstation's Breath of the Wild.



Things I wanted to play but didn't for various reasons:
* Assassin's Creed III - two years sitting on the TV console table and still hasn't gotten played. I want to, eventually, but it just hasn't ever bubbled up to the surface.
* Witcher III: Complete Edition - also sitting on the TV table (though "only" a year and half). Likely to get played prior to Assassin's Creed III, but also so far getting passed by more interesting titles.
* Yoshi's Crafted World - ditto as above
* Metroid Dread Demo - I like that there's a demo for it and it might change my mind on the game, but I haven't had the chance to playtest it yet.
* Halo Infinite - subject to the curse of a December launch: if I've already got games lined up from Black Friday purchases, December games tend to get left behind. I want to see how the Halo story ends (is it ending?!) but also feel like its been so long I may need to see Halo 5 again first to refresh my memory. So I've not bought it yet.
* Spider-Man: Miles Morales - This was designed to be a PS5 game, but the lack of PS5s has forced them to port to PS4, which worries me too much that the quality will suffer greatly. I intend to wait until a PS5 is in hands, and since that's proven difficult in 2021, this game appears here two years in a row.
* Chicory: A Colorful Tale - this cute, simple game caught my eye mid-year and I tagged it for a Steam sale but then got wrapped up in NES and SNES games on NSO not long after and haven't gotten back to looking at this highly-rated game.
* Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX - I really want to play this, being a childhood favorite of mine before I ever even played Super Mario Bros, but I'd been waiting for it to come down in price first, as $36 for a game from the 1980s is steep. It's finally got there though - I'm debating whether to jump on it now at $9.99 during Steam's Winter Sale (until the 5th) or catch it on the next sale.


Most Anticipated Titles of 2022:
* The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel (expected November-December) - of course
* Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (expected Summer) - another must-have based on the first game's excellence
* Tinykin (expected Summer) - this still looks awesome to me; but at E3 it really looked further along than 12 months out
* Forspoken (expected May 25) - though with SquareEnix's recent trend, I may have to take a wait-and-see approach on this one; also assumes PP5s finally become more generally available by May, which is looking doubtful
* Kirby and the Forgotten Land (expected Spring) - this is a maybe, as I've never been big on Kirby titles, but if its the only thing interesting me in the spring then Kirby might finally get the chance to win me over


Moment of the Year (in-game edition):
The Mongol invasion of Komoda beach in the opening scenes of Ghost of Tsushima. Holy shit. Talk about drawing a player in right away. This looked both amazing and frightening at the same time, watching wave after wave of samurai soldiers rush headlong into Mongolian rocketry and artillery with sand being blasted up all over the place. Most games don't have that "sitting on the edge of your seat" moment, but this one gives it to you right up front.


Moment of the Year (out-of-game edition):
Announcement of Dragon Quest X Offline during the Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Show. Nope, not the Dragon Quest XII announcement - fans like me knew that was likely coming at the end of the show (And did.) But a single player, non-MMO version of Dragon Quest X opened up the strong possibility that SquareEnix would finally be bringing the missing chapter of the franchise to western audiences, without the high capital requirement of maintaining servers which limited the game to far east audiences only. (Of course, this turned out to a bittersweet announcement, as SquareEnix later acknowledged no translation effort is underway.)


So what will video gaming in 2021 be most remembered for?
Misreading the room.
The biggest problem video game companies had this year was completely misunderstanding fan desires. I don't know if its because they aren't getting enough feedback under COVID-19 or if it's something else, but several companies fell flat this year. (Some multiple times.) And not because they didn't release many games - its because the y missed the mark some other way. These were the worst offenders of the year, in decreasing order of ignorance:
1. Intellivision: Presenting the Amico. Not that it couldn't fill a niche now that sub $100 video game units (like 3DS series or NES/SNES/Genesis Classics) are out of production, but at $249 its way overpriced for that niche. The original 2018 investor claim was for a $150-$180 unit so it has clearly spiraled out of control. At some point management (or investors) needed to step in and realize that if it reached (or passed!) the price of a Switch Lite and a number of third party games of similar quality, they wouldn't be selling many Amicos. And they didn't. The sales outlook is so poor they've only manufactured some 50,000 units, delayed release to 2022, and have started supplementing their "100% original" game library with simple ports from the Android store to help make it look more attractive. I don't think there's any fixing this.
2. Square Enix: The Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Show. It was a great idea to include the entire world its in DQ12 announcement, but the rest of the show turned out to be a major bummer outside of Japan, and even a strong disappointment within. In Japan, only the Keshi Keshi mobile game has made it to release, with Dragon Quest X offline delayed to summer 2022, while Dragon Quest III 2-D HD and Treasures haven't been assigned release dates yet. And of course the west has gotten nothing in the franchise, and hasn't since Dragon Quest Tact in January. Nintendo took a lot of heat for only bringing Skyward Sword and Game & Watch to its Zelda celebration year, but Square Enix is in serious jeopardy of coming up entirely empty in the west and virtually empty in Japan. Add in disappointments that Dragon Builders 3 and a much-needed Dragon Quest IX remake were absent, two games that the July survey comments revealed are far more desirable in the west than Treasures or a DQ3 remake, and the Anniversary show backfired badly and has only looked worse as the months ticked by. 2022 marks the 35th anniversary for Final Fantasy (on December 18) and Square Enix would be wise to avoid making the same mistake twice.
3. Nintendo: The Nintendo Switch Online Genesis Controller. Not even comparably functional to the Japanese version. If the Japanese only got a three-button controller there would still be questions about why there isn't a six-button controller. But the fact the Japanese get the superior controller out of the gate means they'll be able to get better game choices, making the Japanese NSO offering comparatively better than the North American or European offerings. There are of course minor differences in the NES and SNES libraries too, but deciding that 6 button games are off the table for the western version based entirely on lack of first-party hardware is both unfair and entirely avoidable. Nintendo rarely makes a mistake when it comes to hardware, but this is comparable to decisions made in Virtual Boy development. It's been proposed that licensing agreements may have factored in - but Nintendo has deep enough pockets that they could have (and should have) done it properly, and chose not to do so. And the fact its overpriced at $50, compared to the more functional SNES controller being offered for $30, further illustrates some manner of carelessness. (And the high $30 per year price to even add Genesis games to your Switch certifies this a boondoggle. Nine of the 14 games available are even available at a one time $30 (or less) price for the three year old Sega Genesis Classics cartridge, with 41 more games included and only Ecco the Dolphin as a serious absence from that set.)
4. Square Enix: Square Enix Presents at E3. Doubling up on their errors, SquareEnix spent about 12 minutes on Life is Strange, but showed only five seconds of video on Forspoken, despite Forspoken being the game SquareEnix knew most everyone tuning in wanted to hear more about and see more of. Their show wasn't bad overall, just very unbalanced, with 9-12 minutes of coverage apiece for three games (Guardians of the Galaxy, Life is Strange, and Avengers) while mere seconds for others that together will probably account for greater sales (Forspoken, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, Neir Replicant, and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.)
5. Nintendo: Nintendo Direct-ionless. In other words, the three Directs of the year. Remakes, remakes, and more remakes. As bad as it is to see Square Enix twice, Nintendo getting the one-two punch shows just how bad a year its been, unquestionably its worst since 2016 (the last year before the Switch arrived with new Zelda and Mario games.)  The majority of their presentations for the year focused on ports of games released years ago on other platforms (Outer Wilds, Dying Light, PvZ: Battle for Neighborville), full remakes of games (Skyward Sword, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Miitopia, Super Monkey Ball, Castlevania Advance, Advance Wars), or collections of segments lifted from earlier games (Mario Party, WarioWare.) Surprisingly little new content from Nintendo first-party outside of Mario Golf: Super Rush and Metroid Dread, and not enough help from second and third parties. They needed more truly new games in 2021, but none of them made it by Christmas season, resulting in a bare 2021 and densely packed 2022. Nintendo is fortunate that Sony and Microsoft can't get production problems under control or else they could have caught up with the Switch with strong holiday seasons (especially Microsoft with a new flagship Halo game.)
6. Nintendo: The Switch Pro that isn't. Rumored for years, Nintendo passed on a proper Switch Pro despite including a new CPU, video chipset and memory to make it possible, opting for a less impressive OLED version that isn't even same size as existing cases, screen protectors, and other add-ons. This continues to limit the games they can exist on all three major systems (four if PC is included.) Nintendo has known for a long while what Sony and Microsoft are doing and have not made a proper countermove - a mistake that may come back to bite them in the second half of the Switch's lifetime, much as it did in the second half of the Wii's, when games for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S vastly outimpress what an aging Switch has to offer. Nintendo continues to bet that its games will be all it needs to carry them to success - and while 2022 looks solid I'm less sure of 2023 and beyond. (Though a new Smash Bros or Mario Odyssey sequel would fit nicely.)
7. Blizzard: Diablo II Resurrected. Maybe more misleading the room than misreading it, but openly acknowledged they would showcase a new Diablo game at E3, and everyone was expecting them to show up with Diablo IV instead to fans' disappointment. And with the very public Activision/Blizzard fallout (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Department_of_Fair_Employment_and_Housing_v._Activision_Blizzard) occurring shortly after E3, Diablo IV is suddenly on the list of highly-endangered games, with Blizzard informing retailers that it would not even release in 2022 due to the high staff turnover.


Winners:
* Microsoft: More a win by default than dominance. But they got their marquee products (Halo and Forza) out in time for the holiday season, something Nintendo, Intellivision, and Valve couldn't do (and something Sony didn't ever seem to think was all that important.)
* Japanese players: They got a lot of goodies tailored to their tastes more than western audiences. While the Japanese often get things that fit their tastes, this year seemed uncommonly heavily weighted.
 -- Mario Golf, Shin Megami Tensei, Ace Attorney, and Danganrompa all got games in series much more popular in Japan than the west.
 -- The Famicom Detective Club games were remade for Switch, despite having very little appeal to non-Japanese players. While the text was translated, the sales projections were so low that no effort was made to record localized voice tracks, resulting in Japanese voices with localized subtitles.
 -- Popular Japanese characters Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, then Takuya from Tekken and Sora from Kingdom Hearts joined the Smash Bros. cast. Erik from DQ11 is also getting his own game, despite being much less popular in the west than in Japan.
 -- They're getting Dragon Quest X Offline despite already having the more complete online game already, and eventually getting the Dragon Quest III 2D-HD Remake (one of the favorites of the series in Japan, though the west's least favorite except perhaps the first.)
 -- The Super Mario World theme park also opened in Japan earlier this year while the American version was pushed back two more years to 2025.


Losers:
* Intellivision: Literally no contest.
* Dragon Quest fans: The Japanese are going to get a worse game than they've already got, while western fans got practically nothing all year long (with Dragon Quest Tact in January the sole addition.) Famed series composer Koichi Sugiyama passed away at age 90 this year, too.
* Zelda fans: No 3D collection as expected (though some are going to NSO) and no Breath of the Wild sequel for the 35th anniversary. Skyward Sword was merely "ok" with no new content over its Wii version.
* Smash Bros Fans: The last several character additions were rather underwhelming, no more characters are forthcoming, and no announcement of the next Smash Bros game has yet been made.
* Campaignless Online Multiplayer First Person Shooters: As expected, without a campaign these games age very quickly. Titanfall was one of the first to attempt this model and now Respawn Entertainment and EA have now decided to pull the plug on it, effectively rendering the game unplayable after a mere seven and a half years.
* Nintendo Switch Online players: There haven't been any new NES or SNES games added to NSO since summer. The $30 cost per year to add N64 and Genesis games is perceived by many as exorbitant. The N64 controllers were not produced in enough numbers before launch. The Genesis controller for western markets is the lesser 3-button version. Game trials, discounts, and giveaways have been few and far between. It continues to look quite pale compared to Xbox Game Pass and Playstation Plus.
* Black Friday Deal-hunters: With prices on same games (Marvel's Spider-Man and many first-party Switch titles) going up in 2021 over their 2020 price, it was a generally lousy year for deals. There were some, but you really don't ever expect prices to increase.
* Valve: Couldn't get their Steam Deck to market by Christmas season, even at $400+. (On the other hand, it did give time for Steam developers to shrink the bloated operating system from 24 GB to just 10 GB, which is a big deal for those that ordered a 64GB model.)


Fortunately, 2022 looks to be one of the most amazing years in video gaming, potentially rivaling years like 1991 or 2017 in terms of overall quality and quantity.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 27, 2022, 02:46:42 pm

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/raika+roid_computer.jpg)
You mean GameStop actually listened to our complaint!?

(http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/thumbnails/ogawa_ko.jpg)
(JG bewildered)


So I don't buy from GameStop very often anymore. Maybe once every two or three years now on Black Friday if they've got a deal. But when I do buy a game and they give me an opportunity to provide a review, I often do, and I generally do the same for Best Buy and Amazon as well. As you know I picked up Marvel's Avengers form them two months back, and after a week of frustration gave up on it. It's clearly a game designed for PS5 (or at least PS4 Pro) that had to be scaled back to "sort of" work with more basic PS4 hardware. It crashed on me so frequently though I checked in on GameFAQs and other sites to see if this was a common problem (it is) so I made effort to point it out in my review: warning other standard PS4 sellers to avoid, and only buy if you have a PS4 Pro or PS5.

You can see it yourself at https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/playstation-4/products/marvels-avengers---playstation-4/11094732.html (https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/playstation-4/products/marvels-avengers---playstation-4/11094732.html) though you'll need to click the Show All Reviews label and scroll down a bit more.

And you know what? GameStop responded to it! They apologized a product they sold did not work properly and refunded the purchase price and tax, even though I didn't ask for it, since it was only $10.91 and I'd still like to play it again whenever I get a hold of a PS5. Its kind of astonishing though that we've poked fun at GameStop, even back to its EBGames days, for being a little tone deaf to gamers and yet here they are showing otherwise. Kudos to them. I still don't like that they open game packages and put their sales stickers onto things that shouldn't be stickered (as it ruins boxes and such) but this improves my perception of them a good bit. Raika might need to start calling and bugging other folks...

To be honest I feel bad because GameStop shouldn't be refunding me - SquareEnix should. This is SquareEnix's problem, and I feel like they just cost a sale for GameStop, which only worsens my opinion of SquareEnix as the most backward game company there is right now. (Bad software, bad decisions, a pro-Japanese/anti-West posture for some divisions [DQ team for example], lack of interest in supporting their own sales and preorders, no care that partner companies [KoeiTecmo] are dragging them down, interest in introducing NFTs to their games, etc.) SquareEnix costing their retailers money is not an ideal business model.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 09, 2022, 04:09:15 am

Since the next Nintendo Direct is upon us, i decided to stop procrastinating and put up GOTY list for 2021 --

10. Super Princess Peach (NDS)
9. Beyond a Steel Sky (PC)
8. Mizzurna Falls (Playstation 1)
7. Resident Evil Village (PC)

6. Resident Evil 1 (Playstation 1)
5. No More Heroes 3 (Switch)
4. Metal Max (Nintendo Entertainment System)
3. Warioware Twisted! (Game Boy Advance)

2. Cave Story+ (Switch) -- If i hadn't played Cave Story before (the vanilla version), it would definitely be my GOTY. Still, it's top spot on my list is well-deserved. Absolutely brilliant run 'n' gun metroidvania with a rather endearing story, but now with upgraded graphics and some new content.

1. Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology (3DS) -- Out of all the RPGs i've played in my life, this one was closest to capturing the spirit of Chrono Trigger. It's got a battle system reminiscent of Grandia (which i consider to have the greatest RPG battle system), a cool plot that involves time travel with multiple endings, and a fantastic art direction


Disappointments of the Year --

- NFTs
- Activision Blizzard's controversies
- Dragon Quest II

Highlights of the Year --

- Every SNES Goemon game getting a fan translation all on the same year
- Mizzurna Falls fan translation
- Dragon Quest 3 Remake announcement
- Steam Deck announcement
- Splatoon 3 announcement

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 09, 2022, 06:23:48 pm

As if the Zelda and Splatoon games weren't enough ammunition for Nintendo's 2023 conquest of the console battlefield, MonolithSoft is dropping Xenoblade Chronicles 3 way ahead of expected schedule in September. This was a mid-late 2023 possibility last I heard about it. And the fact it apparently joins the stories of the first two together has me excited. I want to see less humans and more Nopon though.

On the otherhand I am very disappointed Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope didn't get any coverage. This was supposed to be an early Spring 2022 game, then slipped to late Spring/early Summer, and apparently not going to make it by end of June now or it would have been covered.


Here's the notes I took to recap today's Direct:


Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, June 24

Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp is fully voiced and animated, April 8

No Man's Sky, Summer

Mario Strikers: Battle League, more items and gear (including armor) and a hyper strike attack, 8 players on one Switch, but 5 players on a side means one team player still AI; online multiplayer and ranking system, June 10

Splatoon 3: preview of the Salmon Run: Next Wave co-op mode fighting a wave of Salmonids and a boss fight during the wave, Summer (no date)

Front Mission 1st: Remake, Summer
Front Mission 2: Remake, future release

Disney Speedstorm, a Disney-style kart game, free to play, cross-platform multiplayer, Summer

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, remake of Wii game with enhanced motion controls, April 20

Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, February 17

SD Gundam Battle Alliance, later this year

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, ability to turn off random encounters and remastered soundtrack, plus the Radical Dreamers text-based game originally for Satellaview, new April 7

Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Kirby can now inhale cars, vending machines, parking cones, scissor lifts, light bulbs, water baloons, etc and upgrade his inhale copy abilities to stronger forms. March 25. I am pretty much hooked into buying this even though I've never bought a Kirby game before. It looks pretty good and nothing else on the schedule for a while with Mario+Rabbids MIA.

MLB The Show 22. First time MLB The Show has come to the Switch, with cross-platform play. April 5

Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece, the first three Kingdom Hearts games with DLC on cloud service, February 10

KLONOA Phantasy Reverie Series, both platformer games, July 8

Portal: Companion Collection, both games, later this year

Live A Live, 2D-HD release of an 16-bit Japanese RPG, July 22

Nintendo Switch Sports: followup to Wii Sports. New leg strap to give motion control to kicks in the soccer game. Golf to be added in the fall. Online Play Test February 18-20 for NSO members.

Taiko no Tatujin: Rhythm Festival, drumming to specific beats, later this year

Triangle Strategy, new demo through chapter 3 available today. Will give it a try if I have time.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course DLC, June 30

Metroid Dread, free update today adds Dread Mode, limiting player to death at first hit, and Rookie Mode which is far easier, second update in April adds Boss Rush

EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings (a.k.a. Mother) coming to Nintendo Switch Online today. Mother has been a white whale in the west for decades and is finally coming west. These will likely bump the Triangle Strategy demo.

Quick Looks:
Zombie Army 4: Dead War, April 26
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, Today
Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles, June 10
LEGO Brawls, a LEGO-themed Smash Bros clone, June (no specific day)
Two Point Campus, May 17

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass paid DLC. 48 additional remastered courses, including some courses from Mario Kart Tour, released in six waves of eight courses each. First wave March 18, continuing through end of 2023. $24.99 price but free with NSO Expansion Pack membership, which helps make that package a bit more attractive for its relatively high price point.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3, ties together the stories of the first two Xenoblades, September

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 17, 2022, 02:38:24 am

That was a phenomenal Direct, but was especially odd since it focused so much on the past. So many remakes, remasters, and ports, but i can't say i dislike them given they're from franchises that are right up my alley.

Biggest thing that caught my interest was Live x Live. I don't think anyone expected that. From what i've heard of the game, it really sounds like a more digestible Octopath or Romancing Saga game where there are multiple character arcs that eventually weave into one. Absolutely can't wait for this one.

The Splatoon segment was disappointing, but only because the Salmon Run mode they showed off was almost identical to 2's. Perhaps if they had shown off a difference locale, i might have been more impressed, but no biggie. I know i'll sink 200 hrs into that mode regardless. Horde modes are fun.

Boy, i was majorly disappointed with Chrono Cross not getting a full-on remake. The remaster is fine i guess and the visual novel it comes with, Radical Dreamers, is a nice bonus. I have to wonder though why Chrono Trigger isn't included in this collection. Are they planning something bigger for CT?

Even though i likely won't get Switch Sports, i'm happy it's finally coming out. Wii Sports was the first sports game i ever seriously got into, and it was only because i had casual game playing friends at the time to play with. I remember my first impression of Wii Sports being very lukewarm when i got the system.

Mentioned in the Japanese Direct: 13 Sentinels and its demo on Japan's eshop. From i've heard, the port from PS4 to Switch is incredibly impressive in that the Switch game looks exactly like the PS4 game for the most part. Since i don't own a PS4, i've been absolutely thirsting to play this game, but i couldn't justify buying a console for one game (unless it's Splatoon).

There's lots more great stuff i haven't mentioned from the North American Direct (like the Front Mission games), but overall i'm happy with the roadmap Nintendo is taking with the Switch despite being sorely ancient against its closest competitors.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 17, 2022, 08:38:11 am

If it weren't for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and the Mother announcement I'd have called it a bust. Much of the coverage was for things we already knew were coming (Advance Wars, Kirby, Splatoon 3, Assassin's Creed Ezio Collection) and the most of the rest doesn't really excite me. I don't care about Mario Sports games or Wii Sports (except boxing which was pretty fun one on one). Fire Emblem Warriors 2 looks much better than the first but I'm not invested in Fire Emblem lore and because its from Omega Force, it means this is what they've been working on instead of the much more desirable Dragon Quest Builders 3. And I've no interest to fork over yet more money for a Mario Kart game to cheat me in the last 5 seconds of a race. Unless and until they bring back a Double Dash mode or something similar I've no real interest in Mario Kart anymore: the series is no longer evolving; its merely the same type of race on different circuits and prettier graphics each time. The DLC pack does not change this.


Interesting that a Star Control article is today's Wikipedia's featured article. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur-Quan) This is only the ninth time video game characters or alien race has been featured (three of which are from Halo.) The 30th anniversary of Star Control II comes along in mid-November so probably won't be the only time we see SC2 on Wikipedia's front page this year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 10, 2022, 09:21:29 am

If you missed the news yesterday, Advance Wars 1+2: Reboot Camp has been indefinitely delayed and moved off its planned April 8th release. The game is effectively done and ready for launch, but Intelligent Systems and Nintendo have decided it is in poor taste to release it during the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, as the first game's plot involves aggression by a neighboring country against the protagonists' country.

As an odd parallel, the original Advance Wars was also delayed in some regions (and outright cancelled in Japan) due to the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 25, 2022, 09:44:32 am

PS4 OS version 7.0 introduced random power downs, requiring about a three minute restart of hardware, then restart of game and reload of last save. Problem persists into the 9.x versions.
PS4 OS version 8.0 introduced random aborts of games, requiring restart of game and reload of last save. Problem persists into the 9.x versions.
PS4 OS version 9.0 introduced controller queue jamming. No loss of game state but you hate to see your character continue to walk in one direction for 6-7 seconds despite your desire and inability to turn them with controller - for single player or co-op its merely an annoyance but competitive multiplayer its potentially disastrous. Problem persists into the 9.5 version.
Now PS4 OS version 9.5. has introduced occasional "data corruption messages" with sudden ejection of disc. Data isn't actually corrupted, as proven by restart of game and reload of last save.

Dammit Sony. This has got to stop. They badly need to either fix the existing problems or stop adding new ones. PS4 has gone from arguably the best console operating system (superior to what its peers Xbox One and Switch offer) to by far the worst over the last two years. The "Features" added to try to make PS4s better cooperate with PS5 has totally ruined its stability.

I'm to the point where I want a PS5 less for the new games than for a less annoying gaming experience.

Of course, Sony can't get PS5 production or distribution under control either... All their talk about a "PS5 Pro" to launch next year are deeply concerning to me. Why worry about a Pro when you can't make existing hardware in the numbers needed? If you've only been able to produce approximately 1.6 million units since September, expecting to produce 10-15 million over a 3 to 4 month period in 2023 is quite  the gamble on the semiconductor market turning around (and without the required neon or argon gasses required for manufacture since a little over half of the global supply of those were produced in Ukraine, with additional significant amounts of palladium produced in Russia.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 25, 2022, 04:37:33 pm

Should also say I finally finished Ghost of Tsushima last night. Its really good, but it suffers from the overwhelming problem too many open-world games currently have: too many sidequests. Developers seem intent on throwing in hundreds of sidequests and collectibles into games these days, making the game more about sidequests and collecting junk and less about the main story. I've always thought the best ones figure out a way to bring you back to the main story at least once every hour or two hours, and if you're allowed to spend 5-10 hours without ever advancing the main story then its a clear failure of design. Really food sidequests, which most of Ghost of Tsushima's are helps, but its still makes the story feel unbalanced and artificially staggered.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 25, 2022, 05:54:09 pm

Switch OS has been smooth sailing for me since day one. My biggest knock against it is the lack music that would play in the background of previous Nintendo systems. Not a deal breaker however. I do appreciate the system's clean interface, having seen the ad ridden mess that's plagued Microsoft systems.

This chip shortage stinks. The two things i want most, a Steam Deck and the NSO N64 controller, are gonna take a while to restock.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 26, 2022, 08:52:04 am

Quote from: Moge on March 25, 2022, 05:54:09 pm

Switch OS has been smooth sailing for me since day one. My biggest knock against it is the lack music that would play in the background of previous Nintendo systems. Not a deal breaker however. I do appreciate the system's clean interface, having seen the ad ridden mess that's plagued Microsoft systems.

The one strike (and its a huge one) against Switch OS is no way to backup to or restore saves from SD card. It only allows a single backup state to cloud (which you have to pay for), or transfer over to another Switch.
Lesser issue is inability to record short segments of gameplay video like you can with PS and Xbox.

Agree that Xbox menu screens have too much going on, both ads and unrelated junk. Of course my Xbox One Has been a $500 paperweight most of its life due to lack of quality exclusive games. I bet I haven't turned it on in over a year.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 31, 2022, 08:16:59 am

So is 2023 now a Nintendo super year (akin to 2017)?


Break of the Wild sequel has now been moved into 2023. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_vgseuw_o8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_vgseuw_o8))

Metroid Prime 4 is still highly anticipated for second half 2023.

A mainline Super Mario game is overdue. Nintendo has only once gone six years between mainline releases (1996 Super Mario 64 and 2002 Super Mario Sunshine), and we'll be coming up on that in 2023. The Bowser's Fury addition to Super Mario 3D World doesn't count.

Fire Emblem likewise has never gone more than three years between its mainline releases, and with no 2022 game, it will make 4 years in 2023 since 2019's Three Houses.

A new Smash Bros game will soon be needed as well, since the Ultimate DLC has now run its course.

Some talk of Mario Kart 9 (or 10, if Mario Kart Tour is counted as a ninth edition) has been made but I personally think the MK8 Deluxe Booster Pass DLC will put off any new game until at least 2024.

Given Mario Strikers: Battle League is about to get out of the way, Next Level Games could be bringing a Luigi's Mansion 4 in late 2023 or 2024.

If Monolith Soft is as aggressive about Xenoblade Chronicles 3 as they were about XC2, that would mean a side story/prequel/sequel would be introduced in 2023, much as Torna: The Golden Country was released a mere 9 months after XC2 (which was way too close in my opinion.)

There's still hope Dragon Quest X Offline will be ported to European languages in the 2023 timeframe. DQ12 is also a possibility, but I think its more likely to be 2024 (and not a Switch exclusive)

And I've said it before, but if characters like Pit and Captain Falcon are going to continue to be characters in the Smash Bros series, then we need a new Kid Icarus or F-Zero game to justify their inclusion. F-Zero X on the Switch Online service may buy Captain Falcon a few more years, but Pit is now a virtual unknown with 10 full years since his last adventure and no way to port it to current hardware.

(Pokemon is about the only series we shouldn't see much of in 2023, as the market has been flooded the last few years and the quick turnarounds of Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl in November and Arceus in late January has too many games at the forefront already, with the upcoming Scarlet and Violet later this year. Though if Scarlet/Violet gets bumped to 2023 as well, that only makes 2023 more powerful.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 11, 2022, 04:10:43 pm

So the Switch OLED is only 6 months old and is now easily available. On a trip to my local Best Buy today, I saw five boxes on the shelf and six more at the store front behind cashiers, with quite possibly at least a dozen more behind those six visible. Yet PS5 is a nearly a year and a half old and still virtually nonexistent in the wild. No wonder Switch OLED is outselling PS5 - its the only one you can get. It is telling that Nintendo, which has only a modest hardware production capacity, has effectively put all supply chain shortages behind them while tech supergiant Sony still can't figure it out. Nintendo is proving their method of being careful in hardware design with a focus on cost effectiveness and availability is the proper way to operate. If you go cutting edge and take losses on each unit sold, you trap yourself like Sony has, and publishers start taking drastic action when their software sales are sluggish. For example, Forspoken has been delayed again, in part to accommodate PS5 unavailability and avoid the price crashes of games like Deathloop and Demon's Souls, which got good reviews but suffered terribly for lack of demand (running about a quarter of what was expected of them.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 20, 2022, 10:20:56 am

I can't figure out if Halo Infinite is the best Halo game of the seven, or the worst.

On the plus side...
* The open-world environment is a pleasant change of pace from the generally linear approach of the previous games.
* The graphics look incredible, even on my Xbox One.
* The controls seem sharper - when I toss a grenade or coil I have a better natural feel for how far its going to go so I don't undertoss or overthrow my target as often.
* Hidden collectibles like the audio track messages make a beeping sound to be more easily located.
* Enemy troops march along roads and can reoccupy their bases that you'd conquered earlier, which is a realistic pattern of warfare.
* The enemy chatter is excellent. It even reacts to your actions. If you kill a brute, other brutes may call out that the demon is killing their kind. Shoot an enemy in the head and a nearby grunt may call out that "he took one in the brains", etc. When you attack an enemy base the base commander's voice over the loudspeakers warns the others they are under attack or that the humans have sabotaged some component of the base. And there are radio towers around spiling enemy voices (often a grunt "morale officer") that say both funny and poignant things about how the war is proceeding. Of course, if any enemy kills Master Chief they call out that they got the kill shot, that they are a hero, or that they're sure for a quick promotion before the game reloads the previous checkpoint. Even if you're just sneaking around and the enemies haven't spotted you yet, you hear them talking to each other. As good as the game looks, it might be even better aurally.

However...
* Too many blast, plasma, and shock coils laying around to be thrown like poor-man's grenades. Its a neat feature but there's just so many of them its already kind of worn off its intrigue and made true grenades a secondary solution to the coils.
* Way too many one hit kills from enemies. I'm ok with some enemies having this capability, but its out of hand. The boss fights especially have turned into hammer or sword dodge fests.
* The gunners on enemy dropships are certainly more powerful than they used to be. When the loud hum of an incoming dropship is heard - its time to stop whatever the hell you're doing and take cover or you're likely to get killed. Not a true one-hit-kill, but three or four blasts will do it and the rapid fire of the plasma cannon means it only takes about half a second.
* The marine AI is much stupider. They suddenly stop following Master Chief, leaving him to fight most battles on his own. They drive off with vehicles into unknown parts to simply disappear (distance despawn.) They won't always mount vehicles MC is piloting, leaving the gunner spot empty and useless. They tend to stand directly in front of vehicles and get run over, even if you're very slowing creeping up on them to try to get them to hop out of the way. They stand next to radio towers you can only destroy with grenades, then don't jump out of the way when a grenade is tossed, then a teammate complains that it was a friendly fire kill.
* The combination of OHK enemies and stupid marines means the expected life expectancy for one of them in an enemy base is under 30 seconds. With exception to marines mounting good long range weaponry like sniper rifles or RPGs and not in a base fight, the marines are generally useless.
* The game has twice stalled unexpectedly for about 6-7 seconds.
* Most vehicle control has worsened. Its very difficult to keep a Warthog going in a straight line. (Ghosts are ok though.)
* The surface, especially on roads, should be smoother. In addition to the Warthog's unreliable steering, just about any rock knocks it over. And just walking along the XBox One controller makes its hum sound where it wants to rattle, but isn't powerful enough to actually shake the controller and instead just makes a noisy whirr. Walking shouldn't feel like the ground is shaking all the time and certainly shouldn't be so noisy as to distract from the wonderful enemy chatter.
* Objectives are too distantly spaced. On average 1000-1200 meters or so apart. Which doesn't sound like much but Chief can only move about 5 meters per second (which for a genetic superhuman wearing strength-enhancing power armor is a bit disappointing) and the marines can only move at a snail's pace of about 2 or 3 m/s. So its a good 3-4 minutes of running to get from point A to B with little to do in between, or if you want your marines to tag along without getting lost, its about a 10 minute hike between objectives. Real world that's perfectly acceptable, but in a video game that's way too much downtime between pulling the trigger. And if you have to climb over any kind of hill requiring the use of Chief's grappling hook, it takes even longer and the marines will be lost. I feel like at least a third of the game time spent so far has been just mindless travel time.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 23, 2022, 09:56:45 pm

Revelation I've had in last few days, since the topic of another Nintendo first-party game delay became apparent:

Fact 1: Some third-party games designed for more powerful hardware (PC, Playstation, Xbox) are now coming to Switch as cloud streaming games. The graphics are rendered remotely and delivered to Switch online.

Fact 2: Breath of the Wild has been repeatedly delayed, including missing its shareholder announced window of 2022. (Something that shouldn't happen without a very good reason.)

Fact 3: The most recent delay was explained as a need to ensure the experience is the best it could be.

Supposition: Breath of the Wild's sequel will be cloud-streaming.


Think about it. If Nintendo went this route they could make the world of BOTW2 many, many times larger than BOTW already was, drop in new content (as DLC) as they please, and show off a marquee game comparable to the best PS5 and X/S offer, all without overwhelming the Switch's memory or graphics limitations. It would also greatly explain the delays in that Nintendo would need to ramp up server farms across the globe to support it. If the game were based on the same engine as BOTW1 (and the preview videos seem to strongly indicate it is), then exactly how much new "experience" testing and refinement is needed? Five years and change seems rather long to me. Same hardware and same engine shouldn't really demand continuing delays from a company as capable as Nintendo. I think its because there is something entirely new about the engine and that new part is the cloud streaming. In the update a few weeks ago, there was no definitive mention of further development or testing of the game - only that the experience needed to be improved. I think the game is effectively done now - and that the development team met the goal of a 2022 release window, but testing it around the world has revealed the cloud streaming was not as smooth as it needs to be, or smooth in Japan but lousy elsewhere. Nintendo realized this only recently (between October and February), and came to conclusion they can't launch in 2022 because they won't have enough cloud streaming servers ready as it takes time and capital to bring these online. Had they known this a couple of years back the game would have launched this year, but it was an unknown unknown, and since this is the first first-party title that would be cloud-streaming, Nintendo absolutely can't get it wrong. Thus the punt to 2023.

Maybe I'm wrong, but all the puzzle pieces fit. The establishment of Nintendo-owned cloud streaming server farms also presents the opportunity for future games to leverage streaming. (I could certainly see this utilized in the next Smash Bros game.) It seems like Nintendo has to go this way eventually, so why not do it now with BOTW2? Certainly seems most likely they'd do it first with a Mario or Zelda mainline title, as they tend to go big on these. (Let's face it, they aren't spending big money on cloud streaming servers for something from the Mario Sports, Yoshi, or WarioWare lines.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 27, 2022, 03:40:49 am

Even though Ninty absolutely could use cloud streaming to enhance the BotW 2 experience, they won't because it would be a huge knock against the Switch's most important feature: being able to play anywhere, even in locations with spotty internet connection.

Obviously, this feature is moot when so many multiplayer games require a persistent internet connection, but at least when it comes to Nintendo's own games, they have single-player content you can mess around with when you're not online.

The intentions I see with the Switch using cloud streaming have been more of an afterthought, or rather a quick cash grab. Developers won't have to pour so many resources into an expensive port, especially one catered specifically to the Switch's lesser power.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 29, 2022, 12:33:37 pm

While no formal E3 this year, we at least now know that the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will take place Sunday, June 12 at 1pm EST, 10am CST. This follows the Future Games Showcase (which is PC-oriented) on Saturday, June 11 at a time yet to be determined.

First, this is an extremely curious time for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft to select. Major media doesn't typically plan events for Sunday mornings. (Christian church functions being a notable historical factor.) And they could have done it hours later and still appeased European viewers as this time is still only early evening. (Unless they plan it to be significantly longer than the two-three hours expected.) Or simply move it to another day of the week at this time. Starfield will obviously be the headliner game.

Second, Nintendo tends to pick a date after everyone else, so I think its fair to now expect the summer Nintendo Direct to drop sometime between June 13th and 17th, probably 15th to 17th. If not already explained before then I presume we'll find out why Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Splatoon 3 swapped, when the delayed Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp will arrive (I've seen projections for December), when Bayonetta 3 arrives (if ever?), when Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope launches (it was supposed to be a June release and still has no firm date with only 6 or 7 weeks to go before its anticipated launch), plus the usual suite of previews and announcements. I don't expect a launch date for BOTW2 to be made, nor revelation of the title until autumn. I saw a rumor that Twilight Princess and Wind Waker will be ported to Switch though, possibly digitally only, but am much less sure that makes sense for Nintendo with BOTW2 around the bend. The Metroid Prime 1 Remaster rumor makes more sense to me. If any of the three are true, I'd bet on the Metroid Prime remaster for November window which is currently unfilled (unless Bayonetta 3 finally slots in there.)

With no E3, I fully expect Sony to abstain again. And to my knowledge, neither Ubisoft Forward nor SquareEnix Presents have yet been scheduled either. (SquareEnix could really use a presentation to improve their lot after the letdowns of the Avengers DLC, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Life is Strange 2, the delay of Forspoken to second half, and the still outstanding 35th anniversary Dragon Quest games. They have not had as good a year as expected of them.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 03, 2022, 10:04:20 am

And now the other shoe drops.

As I just said, SquareEnix has not had a good year. Its worse than I thought. They've just announced the sale of Eidos Interactive, Crystal Dynamics, and SquareEnix Montreal to another group, so they can "cut down on costs" and move "forward with investments in fields including blockchain". They've been trying to offload these for a while, but had no takers because the price was apparently too high for investment by other pandemic-paralyzed groups. As a result, SquareEnix has sold them under-value to (apparently) the only taker, Embracer Group of Sweden (who have the Borderlands games under their umbrella)

Don't be swayed by the positive spin: this is a panic move. SquareEnix has tied their financial future to NFTs (despite customer backlash), and are now jettisoning a money-maker in the Tomb Raider franchise to get there because they've badly overextended themselves in the last few years. FF7 Remake went way over budget due to its prolonged development schedule; they can't finance their own Switch cartridges, letting Nintendo take half the profit for each game they sell for Switch; they are outsourcing more and more of their development to others (especially KoeiTecmo); they're mired in a pool of half-finished projects (like the aforementioned DQ games); and still have commitments to deliver a FF7 Remake Part 2 and Dragon Quest XII down the line, with the unease that Forspoken is starting to shape up to be another sales disaster due to lack of a sufficient number of PS5 consoles.

Cutting costs is fine - they should be doing that. Investing in new stuff, not so much until they get their current house in order. They should refocus on their core business and their core franchises, of which Tomb Raider was one.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 21, 2022, 11:38:40 am

Don't be fooled by reports that the Xbox Series S/X is suddenly outselling PS5 in Japan, and that its some kind of hostile change in Japanese player preference. It isn't. It's merely Sony not putting out as many consoles into Japan last week.

Case in point, here's the numbers from week ending May 7 (per vgchartz.com)
Switch: 53,011
PS5: 22,422
Xbox Series S/X: 6,271

And the week for May 9 to 15 (per TechRadar):
Switch: 65,322
PS5: 2,693
Xbox Series S/X: 6,225 (of which 6120 are S and 105 are X)

As you can see, there is no significant difference in the Xbox numbers, but a swift drop in PS5 stock. You can go back previous weeks and see the Xbox typically runs a few thousand, and usually between 6 and 7 thousand for the last month or two, while the PS5 has been jumping around from anywhere from 11,000 to 27,000 since early April until the past week.

Is it a sore point that Sony just watched those Microsoft gaijins outsell them over two to one in the past week in Japan? Probably, but it doesn't mean much other than bragging rights.

But Sony better get their supply chain issues under control quick or else this trend could continue. Nintendo had some problems at the launch of the OLED, and some smaller scale problems with those N64 controllers but they are mostly resolved and you can certainly find the OLED Switch everywhere now. Microsoft has now gotten theirs under control and Xbox Series S is available everywhere, and the X is starting to finally crop up for general purchase in most places. (Best Buy for example says I can pick one up from my local store today, though not available for shipping like the S is.) The Xbox X/S has been, for most weeks, outselling the PS5 worldwide for a few months now, and if its come to the point of shoppers being able to walk into a store and get one but not the other, it'll only widen the gap further. The potential is there for Microsoft to flood the Japanese market with extra consoles at a cut rate price to pry some PS5 players away.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 27, 2022, 12:25:22 pm

Following up on the Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary presentation a year ago today (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2697.msg34195#msg34195).

Many promises were made last year that the 35th Anniversary year would be full of new games. SquareEnix came up rather short. The Japanese got Dragon Quest X Online version 5.5 and 6 and also Keshi Keshi (the Puyo-Puyo like Eraser game) but the two games promised for the west, Dragon Quest III HD-2D and Dragon Quest Treasures went MIA and there was no news. Until the 365th and final day of the year, when they finally drop some news on Treasures, and a nice surprise no one saw coming. :slime

The bigger news:

And a new teaser for Treasures:

The end of the Treasures video says more news coming in June, which seems to imply that there may well be a SquareEnix Presents this year during E3 week. (Or whatever it'll be called this year since there is no E3.) SquareEnix has not yet officially committed to putting on a show though.

SquareEnix also published a a Yujii Horii video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptn6J8nNDDg) where he visited the Dragon Quest Island mini-amusement park, and said DQ X Offline, Builders and Treasures games were all coming soon, but did NOT mention any other games such as DQ3 HD-2D. Maybe we found out more at SquareEnix Presents or whatever they do in June.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 30, 2022, 04:05:06 am

At the last SquareEnix Presents, they showed too much Guardians of the Galaxy and were rightfully clowned on by the internet. Now that they've sold off their entire western development branch (for way undervalue I might add), I don't think we'll have to worry about them focusing on western games. I'm still bitter how little they showed of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters in their last presentation.

I never imagined Sony would ever be in third place again in the console wars, but here we are. Game Pass is really eating into the mindshare of value between both the PS5 and Xbox Series, so much so that Sony revamped their subscription services into some rather confusing tiers. Seems to be quite a huge mess at the moment in what's available for the PS5. The fact they're using the gimped PAL versions of some of these games tells me they don't know what they're doing.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 31, 2022, 09:58:52 am

Well, Guardians of the Galaxy and Life is Strange: True Colors. They got about equal billing and completely overshadowed anything else in the show. And Life is Strange isn't exactly a marquee series. Its ok but its far cry from SquareEnix's other IPs, namely Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Tomb Raider (which has since been sold), Kingdom Hearts, and Marvel, to name a few. Advertising it for 12 minutes and maybe a minute or two total for all three Final Fantasy products (Pixel Remasters, Stranger in Paradise, and Final Fantasy XV) was a bad decision. Advertising a Marvel game for that long was a good decision - it just flopped on release because of quality (the same specter that haunts Avengers)

I'm not terribly surprised Sony is slipping back to #3. After all, PS3 was pretty hot garbage compared to PS2. Sony isn't advertising its product and letting other companies like SquareEnix do the talking for them. And when companies like SquareEnix give a bad impression of Sony hardware and software while Microsoft is practically giving stuff away for free, of course Sony will look bad in comparison. Game Pass was the only thing keeping Xbox One alive, and now that they have better hardware (or at least much more widely available) they are closing the gap. Sony really should get back into periodic telecasts, at least a yearly E3 show to show off their exclusive stuff. The last sure hit Sony and Playstation had was Ghost of Tsushima and its nearing two years old. With some self-advertisement they could have possibly put Miles Morales or Ratchet & Clank 2 into that category. Instead, they've gone with this madness of three different PS Plus tiers when they could have just fixed the one they had to better align to Game Pass.


Also, thoughts on Sega's big announcement coming Friday morning? The leading rumor is a Sega CD Mini / Mega CD Mini. Which would be "okay" but I'd rather it be Sega CD games coming to NSO's Expansion Pak Tier. Expansion Pak needs more quality stuff to justify the much higher cost. A bunch of Sega CD games would certainly help.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 31, 2022, 10:35:40 pm

Quote from: JG on May 31, 2022, 09:58:52 am

Sony really should get back into periodic telecasts, at least a yearly E3 show to show off their exclusive stuff.

It's been brought to my attention that they are having a mini-show this year, just not during what was going to be E3 week. (Which is rather poor timing in my opinion.)

The Summer State of Play show is Thursday, June 2 from 6:00 to 6:30 PM EST (3:00 - 3:30 PST). Based on information gleamed from a few different websites, this appears to be a general line up:

From Sony:
* Confirmed: The Playstation VR 2 device, including release date
* Confirmed: Horizon Call of the Mountain PSVR2 game
* Confirmed: Identification and brief previews of at least 3 more PSVR2 launch game titles
* Unlikely: God of War Ragnarök - Some sites say its near certain while another says it's likely to be the main subject of the Fall State of Play instead of getting second billing to the PSVR2 stuff. I agree it'll get shown in detail later and skip the Summer show.
* Highly Unlikely: Bloodborne remake (this rumor was debunked)

From Annapurna Interactive:
* Highly Likely: Stray

From SquareEnix:
* Highly Likely: Forspoken
* Possibly: Final Fantasy XVI
* Highly Unlikely: teaser for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2

From Insomniac Games:
* Possibly: Marvel's Wolverine
* Unlikely: Marvel's Spider-Man 2

From Capcom:
* Unlikely: Pragmata
* Unlikely: Resident Evil 4 Remake

From Ubisoft:
* Unlikely: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - If Ubisoft does their own show, they'll keep this for themselves. And its not a Playstation exclusive anyway.

From Warner Bros:
* Likely: release date for Hogwart's Legacy - The Spring State of Play was 20 minutes of this game alone so they won't really show much new this time around.

Possibly some more games from other developers. But with only 30 minutes the more games they show, the less of each they show.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 02, 2022, 12:31:44 am

Quote from: JG on May 31, 2022, 09:58:52 am

Well, Guardians of the Galaxy and Life is Strange: True Colors. They got about equal billing and completely overshadowed anything else in the show. And Life is Strange isn't exactly a marquee series. Its ok but its far cry from SquareEnix's other IPs, namely Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Tomb Raider (which has since been sold), Kingdom Hearts, and Marvel, to name a few. Advertising it for 12 minutes and maybe a minute or two total for all three Final Fantasy products (Pixel Remasters, Stranger in Paradise, and Final Fantasy XV) was a bad decision. Advertising a Marvel game for that long was a good decision - it just flopped on release because of quality (the same specter that haunts Avengers)

I'm not terribly surprised Sony is slipping back to #3. After all, PS3 was pretty hot garbage compared to PS2. Sony isn't advertising its product and letting other companies like SquareEnix do the talking for them. And when companies like SquareEnix give a bad impression of Sony hardware and software while Microsoft is practically giving stuff away for free, of course Sony will look bad in comparison. Game Pass was the only thing keeping Xbox One alive, and now that they have better hardware (or at least much more widely available) they are closing the gap. Sony really should get back into periodic telecasts, at least a yearly E3 show to show off their exclusive stuff. The last sure hit Sony and Playstation had was Ghost of Tsushima and its nearing two years old. With some self-advertisement they could have possibly put Miles Morales or Ratchet & Clank 2 into that category. Instead, they've gone with this madness of three different PS Plus tiers when they could have just fixed the one they had to better align to Game Pass.


Also, thoughts on Sega's big announcement coming Friday morning? The leading rumor is a Sega CD Mini / Mega CD Mini. Which would be "okay" but I'd rather it be Sega CD games coming to NSO's Expansion Pak Tier. Expansion Pak needs more quality stuff to justify the much higher cost. A bunch of Sega CD games would certainly help.

If both PS5 SKUs weren't in short supply, Sony would be maintaining its position over MS.

After Sonic and Virtua Fighter news this past week, I'm not expecting any monumental announcements out of Sega soon. It is exciting to hear they plan to ramp the revitalization of their old IPs. They've been steadily doing so over the past few years with Streets of Rage, Classic Sonic, and Wonder Boy getting new games.

I really wanna hear news on Street Fighter 6. Last gen, it was a Playstation exclusive, so I wonder if they're gonna strike another deal again. Can't imagine Sony will pursue exclusivity again after 5 had such a disastrous launch. The game's in a good state now but boy, it's failure really transformed the fighting landscape (i'd say for the better, 'cause the fighting scene back then heavily favored Capcom fighters a bit too much).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 02, 2022, 10:18:18 am

Don't forget the Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX remake. Alex Kidd was Sega's mascot and answer to Mario from 1986 until replaced by Sonic in 1991. Its kind of embarrassing that Sega let 20 years go by without any remakes or ports to keep him fresh.

Whatever the Friday news is, its most likely something to do with 16-bit era because the Twitter post included a photo of a cake or pastry shaped like a Genesis/Mega Drive three button controller. Since the Genesis/Mega Drive games have been all over the place for years (including NSO most recently), speculation has been that the announcement pertains to the CD platform. Thats much more likely than 32X, since CD games were basically same hardware (68000 cpu) and have only been limited to wide distribution due to media size, while 32X hardware is more complex despite cartridge-sized media footprints. A low cost 16GB flash memory chip loaded with 20-30 CD games is feasible these days when it wasn't a few years back.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 02, 2022, 06:52:02 pm

Not quite what I expected. And holy crap was the closed captioning awful. Not only poorly timed but often didn't even repeat what was actually said. Sony needs to up their telecast production quality because that was unacceptable to anyone hard of hearing or unable to play audio.


Very little about the PSVR2 device. Didn't even show the hardware, just some game play, and no release date. Though one of the PSVR2 exclusive games said 2022 so we must presume its coming holiday season. Here's what they covered:

Resident Evil 4 Remake - March 24, 2023. PS5 with bonus PSVR2 content. Most sites suggested it was too far off to bother covering, but the PSVR2 content (which wasn't shown) apparently justified its inclusion.

Resident Evil Village - Unknown release date. PSVR2.

The Walking Dead Retribution Chapter 2 - Sometime in 2022. PSVR2 exclusive.

No Man's Sky - Unknown release date. PS5 and PSVR2.

Horizon: Call of the Mountain - Unknown release date but widely assumed to be a launch title. PSVR2 exclusive.

Horizon Forbidden West updates added today

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered - August 12. PC port from PS4/PS5 and looks like it'll have all the DLC baked in.

Stray - July 19. PS4 & PS5. Will be free to Premium and Deluxe tiers of PS Plus on launch day.

The Callisto Protocol - December 2. PS4 & PS5. This game reminded me way too much of DOOM, even down to taking place on the moon of another planet. C'mon guys, get original. I don't see this game being successful with so many similar games on the market with catchier names.

Rollerdrome - August 16. PS4 & PS5. This looks to me like Playstation's response to Splatoon. Except not as cute, not for kids, and not as multiplayer friendly. I call it a bust.

Eternights - Early 2023. PS4 & PS5. Some anime-inspired teen superhero game. Looks like a surefire bust in the west to me.

Street Fighter VI - 2023. PS4 & PS5. Looks like it has a campaign mode that borrows heavily from Final Fight.

Tunic - September 27. PS4 & PS5. This Zelda-inspired indie title looks rather attractive to me but I'll need to see more.

Season: A Letter to the Future - Autumn 2022. PS4 & PS5. Cel-shaded adventure game focused on taking photos and recording sounds to move the story forward. Probably not a big seller but its an indie title so maybe does ok on smaller scale, especially if it picks up a few nominations or awards for story telling.

Final Fantasy XVI - Summer 2023. Presumably PS5 exclusive.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 03, 2022, 08:11:45 am

Sega's announcement was for the Mega Drive Mini 2. Basically a refresh of the Mega Drive Mini they released in 2019, with a different game selection and including some Sega CD games (Sonic CD, Silpheed, Shining Force CD, Popful Mail, and Mansion of Hidden Souls)

It's not a Mega CD Mini-only.  Which perfectly explains why Sega isn't one of the big three any longer: they just don't get how to make money. Why replace a model on the shelf when you can make a second that sits beside it rather than replace it? Why make a new $80 model when you can sell both old and new $80 models to prospective buyers? Sure, it might be the better model (and the old one has been out of production for a while and is hard to find), but it seems unnecessary and undercuts their profit margin. A proper Mega CD Mini would have been the wiser, more profitable choice. Could have sold two things for $160. Instead they'll sell one for $80.

Coming to Japan on October 27; no word on whether it comes west yet. But the original Mega Drive Mini / Genesis Mini launched worldwide same-day and no way Sega doesn't get into stores for the Christmas season so I'd expect it no later than mid-November, unless Sega wants to leave even more money sitting on the table.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 06, 2022, 02:52:33 pm

Microsoft appears to be going for the kill. With SquareEnix, Ubisoft, and Nintendo apparently bowing out of the Summer Games Fest schedule, MS is doubling down and putting on a second show on the 14th. They had already planned a show, the 'Xbox+Besthesda Games Showcase', for Sunday, June 12 at 1pm EST / 10am PST (still a weird time), and will now show a second, titled 'Xbox Games Showcase Extended', on Tuesday, June 14 at 1pm EST / 10am PST, promising more trailers and covering in more depth some of the games shown on Sunday. They'll probably show off Starfield heavily to try to explain why it was recently bumped out of the Christmas season and into next Spring and try to make the Q4 slate more attractive, because S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 isn't enough as the sole scheduled Xbox/PC exclusive for the quarter.

So now its time for the other guys to put together something. It doesn't have to be heavily organized, just throw some trailers and gameplay and announce a few release dates and it'll be enough. SquareEnix is in sore need of image repair. Ubisoft needs to explain what they've been doing with no Assassin's Creed game in two years and finally put a release date on the already overdue Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope game. And Nintendo needs to make clearer the Q4 schedule, particularly the delayed Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp. Some of the smaller studios could use some free advertisement in the form that a Nintendo Direct might provide them as well. Capcom might be the lone company that can safely claim they needn't do anymore this month.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 15, 2022, 06:28:19 pm

Obligatory E3-week recap. Of course, not much to talk about since hardly anyone showed up for the party this year.


Best-in-show: Starfield. They weren't kidding when they said this game was overly ambitious a year or so back. Its got FPS ground battles, TPS space battles, resource management, exploration, customization, crafting, diplomacy, multiple story branching - just about every modern feature imaginable. Looks like something for everyone. The real challenge is if it all melds together and creates a sum greater than the parts.

Worst-in-show: Xbox's Calendar. Starfield, Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Ara, Flintlock, and Minecraft Legends are all going to miss 2022, leaving Xbox with another desert of mediocrity since Halo Infinite's launch last year. Even S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 got bumped off its November date. This leaves Grounded and Naraka: Bladepoint as the only significant exclusives for 2022, and one was released in parts in 2020 and the other for PC in 2021 (and may even have a competing PS5 port by Christmas.) Another incredibly unimpressive slate put forth by Microsoft.

Things I liked:
* Tinykin finally getting a release date - and a demo! (Which I've yet to try but will soon.)
* Starfield looks very intriging and may finally be the killer app to get people to go out and buy Xbox Series Xs (myself included, becuase I haven't seen a game worthy of doing so yet.) But I'm not sold on the promise it arrives by mid-June of next year.
* Minecraft Legends looks like its a better attempt to match the Dragon Quest Builders series, since Minecraft Dungeons was so off the mark. Graphics-wise it still looks bad but at least they are trying to compete in the Block-Make RPG genre and not fold to the younger, superior entry.

Thing I didn't like:
* Absences from Nintendo, SquareEnix, and Ubisoft. Nintendo might yet give us a Direct soon (and certainly will before the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 launch on July 29), so they get a pass. SquareEnix needed damage control, didn't do much of it, and now looks like half the company they were this time last year (both literally and figuratively.) And Ubisoft is simply MIA: nobody knows what they're doing, but we know they aren't releasing software anytime soon as both Rocksmith+ and Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope still don't have release dates.
* Street Fighter character designs are getting even more comical. There's a point when you pass from muscular to laughable and SF6 has clearly passed it (if SF5 hadn't already.) Two or three fingers are not bigger than someone's entire face. I'm already seeing memes crop up about how Chun-li's bust has shrunk but all the arms, hands, and chests of the men have gotten ridiculously large. Ryu, Ken, and Guile all look like Zangeif now.
* Mojang's obstinance that Minecraft games have to look like they run on 20 year old hardware, despite requirements for Minecraft Legends that puts it firmly into the last 10 for workstations and last 5 for laptops. (It's requirements are even greater than that of the noticeably superior graphics of Dragon Quest Builders 2!)
* Still no word on Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory, indicating the game is irreparably stuck in development hell. Sadly, I'm forced to treat it with Beyond Good & Evil 2 as vaporware until they show something new.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 20, 2022, 02:07:10 pm

https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/06-22-2022/ (https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/06-22-2022/)

I don't know if these one-game Directs really count as a Direct or not. I certainly don't consider them comparable to E3 presentations.

But at least its something about one game. The bad news of course is that this one game is still over a month out, which begs the question if we'll see a Splatoon 3 or generic Direct in late summer. I don't know why they can't tack on another 10 minutes of non-Xenoblade Chronicles stuff this week such as a minute or two of MHR Sunbreak DLC, word on Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Advance Wars 1+2: ReBoot Camp release date, etc. Or better yet, delay this Direct a week or two when there's more to add and its closer to the XC3 release date.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 20, 2022, 11:47:51 pm

What a massive disappointment it is that Nintendo decided to go with a game-focused Direct during E3 month.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 23, 2022, 09:07:32 am

I don't know if that Direct really showed much of anything we didn't already know about from earlier preview videos (or the numerous extra videos presented only in Japanese.) Except maybe the DLC schedule at the end of video.

I was really questioning the value of showing a game-specific Direct this week, and not delaying it to later to either include it as part a fuller Direct or to present it closer to the July 29 release date, but after seeing the video and noticing that it was fully recorded ahead of time with no lead in by a human Nintendo representative, I think I now know why. I think Nintendo had a contractual agreement with Monolithsoft to air that video during E3. But since there was no presentation, Nintendo was still on the hook to air it this month. Nintendo could do whatever they want with their own stuff (Splatoon 3, Advance Wars, Pokemon Scarlet/Violet) and may not have had any agreements with other companies (such as Ubisoft for Mario+Rabbids), but the agreement with Monolithsoft forced their hand.

Of course, they could have just gone through with a real E3-week presentation and made all parties happy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 28, 2022, 10:21:31 am

Today's Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase recap.

Didn't know about it? Not surprised. Nintendo sprung it on the world with only a 23 hour heads up, and didn't even list it on their own webpage or send out email communications. Failure in marketing/communication. But it was a juicy direct with lots of good stuff. And release dates! The joyous certainty of release dates! Thank you Nintendo - SquareEnix and Ubisoft would not but you will!

* Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak DLC - June 30; this has been well known for a long while
* Monster Hunter Rise Free Title Updates: Beginning June 29
* NieR: Automata - October 6; this was leaked as coming, but I don't recall it being identified as soon as October
* Lorelei and the Laser Eyes - 2023; apparently a Switch console timed exclusive
* Super Bomberman R 2 - 2023
* Mega Man Battle Network Collection - 2023; physical will be one set, but digital broken into two volumes
* Pac-Man World Re Pac - August 26
* Blanc - February 2023; another Switch console timed exclusive
* Return to Monkey Island - late 2022
* Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope - October 20; Hooray! Many months late, but at least now we know when its finally coming. Ubisoft will air a Youtube video June 30 at noon EST (9am PDT)
* Little Noah: Scion of Paradise - Today
* Railgrade - fall 2022
* RPG Time: The Legend of Wright - August 18
* Sonic Frontiers - holiday season 2022; its been a long while since I played a Sonic game but I have to admit this looks good
* Disney Dreamlight Valley - September 6
* Live A Live - July 22
* Imperial China - Today; one of three 2D RPG remakes being re-released today
* Twilight of Edo Japan - Today
* The Distant Future - Today
* Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom - 2022; having a more recognizable character/series tie-in is probably just what Story of Seasons needed, since so many similar games exist and are just simply better (like Stardew Valley)
* Minecraft Legends - 2023
* Dragon Quest Treasures - December 9; More Hooray! SquareEnix had been tightlipped on whether this would or would not arrive in 2022.
* Fire Emblem: Three Hopes - Out Now
* No Man's Sky - October 7
* A Plague Tale: Requiem: Cloud Version - October 18
* Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions - July 28; I don't know much about this game but "Captain Velvet Meteor" is a kickass porn star name
* Portal: Companion Collection - Today
* Harvestella - November 4; another SquareEnix game that has appeared out of nowhere since they opted not to do a presentation this year; another farming life sim (ala Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley) but with a season that destroys everything and apparently makes you start over Groundhog Day style until you figure out a way to overcome it. That's an interesting twist on what has become an all too familiar formula.
* Persona 5 Royal - October 21
* Persona 4 Golden - "soon"
* Persona 3 Portable - "soon"

Odd that they said up front all games previewed would be for this year and four of the first six new games previewed were 2023.

And Bayonetta 3 is obviously missing. Either Platinum Games is not going to be delivering this by end of year, or else Nintendo is treating this title as their own property now for inclusion in a later Nintendo-focused Direct covering things like Splatoon 3 and Pokemon Scarlet/Violet. But its made by same studio as NieR: Automata so unclear why it wasn't on today's video if it's coming anytime soon. Best guess is its been delayed and won't arrive until summer next year.

Also, not expected at all, but with Dragon Quest X Offline getting a revised release date in Japan of September 15 a few days ago, I had a small wish that an announcement of localization for 2023 release would be made. But apparently SquareEnix is sticking to their guns and going about it in a dumb manner, relying entirely on Japanese sales of a downgraded, 10 year old game to determine what the sales may be like in territories which never had the upgraded version. We're still dependent on one or two million Japanese players being duped into buying Offline rather than Online just so we can get it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 30, 2022, 03:47:58 am

I watched the entire Direct. Wasn't too shabby. Harvestella and that Bravely Default lookin' platformer caught my most attention. Happy to see Square continuing their fine tradition of meaty RPG demos. They're all Switch exclusive if I'm not mistaken. Makes me wonder if Nintendo is paying for these.

Can't imagine DQX Offline will have trouble selling. So many just don't give a single flip about playing online.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 30, 2022, 11:16:34 am

But DQX Online looks better and has more episodes. It isn't clear to me if Offline is just episode 1, episodes 1 and 2, or episodes 1-5, but certainly doesn't include episode 6, though DLC may add the additional episodes. I've been waiting for a demo to show up in Japanese Playstation e-store (which I have access to) but I checked yesterday and still nothing.

Harvestella does look like a nice farming life sim, but its not exactly my forte having tried a few like Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley. The character artwork is clearly by the same guy who did Bravely Default though. Though if marketed right, I think it could pick up some Animal Crossing fans into moving into more serious resource management type games with meatier plots.

Nintendo has long been known to publish SquareEnix titles outside of Japan, going all the way back to the very first Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest/Warrior games. Nintendo may be footing the bill for localization (even if SquareEnix employees do the work) and are certainly paying for the cartridges and distribution, in exchange for a healthy cut of the sales price. This is why the SquareEnix-published games for PS4 are dirt cheap, but Switch versions are practically full priced (see DQB series or DQ XI S.) SquareEnix has also realized that the DS series and now the Switch are uber popular and will make games for whatever platforms they can make a buck on: they aren't stuck to the very high end Playstation, Xbox, and PC platforms that many publishers have painted themselves into (Electronic Arts comes to mind.) A few years back Square even explained they'd make some games mostly specific to Switch, Playstation, or Xbox or timed exclusives for each, with Playstation getting preference for Final Fantasy, Xbox getting Tomb Raider, and Switch getting Bravely Default and non-graphics-heavy experimental titles like Octopath Traveller and Triangle Strategy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 05, 2022, 03:36:09 pm

The Intellivision Amico is now functionally dead. Intellivision failed to submit an extension to their Statement of Use to the Trademark Office by the July 4 date stipulated in their most recent (and fourth) extension dating from last November.

As I understand it, this means other companies are no longer restricted from using the Amico name without permission from Intellivision. While the Amico could still be manufactured and sold, it effectively destroys any software licensing model Intellivision had hoped to obtain from third parties (and how Nintendo and the gaming divisions of Sony and Microsoft make a lot of their money.) Intellivision's only sources of income would be the hardware itself and the games it produces. Its already known the hardware is way too expensive and the games likely too low of quality (even at a "budget" price of $20-$30 each) so this really hurts.

Excuses of production problems relating to either hardware or software development are one thing, but this is just dumb laziness. Its simply a form submitted to the Trademark Office that should cost next to nothing and should have been among the most important things the company could have actually done in the last few months. If you can't spend an hour in 8 months to submit a form to renew your IP, you probably don't deserve to own it anyway. Complete mismanagement at Intellivision.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 08, 2022, 03:14:41 pm

It's disappointing to see Tommy Tallarico transform into a grifter.

He did so much to promote videogame music as a medium to take seriously, and his old televised game reviews were always hilarious.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 08, 2022, 05:39:57 pm

Yeah a real fall from grace.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 12, 2022, 09:21:23 am

So where exactly are all the PS5s?

In the last 5 weeks only one major North American retailer, GameStop, has had a PS5 restock event - on June 24, selling a few thousand, maybe ten to twenty thousand tops.
Today, Best Buy will sell a few more thousand through their Total Tech program (an additional $200 added to cost)
Yet, Sony claims to have shipped nearly 300,000 units to North America in that time.

The general assumption was that retailers were building up stock to unload them to compete with Amazon's Prime Day, yet none except Best Buy have forward to indicate they will. And Best Buy's is only offered to a very limited subscriber base.

This means there are nearly a quarter million units that
a) never truly existed, undermining Sony's credibility
b) have magically vanished in transit, also undermining Sony's credibility
c) are being hoarded by retailers for future sales, namely Black Friday, harming software developers and customers

I have hard time believing (c) is true. Its bad business to turn down a sale now for a sale later as you don't know what your competition is doing and by late November they could potentially offer a better deal than you or have sold a unit to someone who would have otherwise bought from you. Any retailer with stock really should unload as soon as they have appreciable numbers to make it worthwhile, and especially during one of the busiest sales weeks of the year. Trying to build up stock for the next big sale many months away seems very foolish. And it hurts the software publishers who need PS5 consoles in the wild to sell their games, and the customers who wish to buy those games.

So this has led me to believe Sony is not being truthful in some regard. I personally think (a) to be true, that they aren't shipping as many as claimed or we'd see restocks more often and much more availability than what is actually the case. Assuming Microsoft's numbers are accurate, and the fact Series S has been widely available for months and the Series X is now available many places (Best Buy for example), then Sony's claim of having built five million more units isn't holding up to what is actually witnessed in the marketplace. Sony's PS5 claims are also vastly outpacing all earlier consoles, including the Nintendo Switch, which wasn't hard to find after 19 or 20 months either despite similar hype and a 20-millionish sales number. In all previous examples, once a console reaches about 13-14 million units sold, it is beginning to saturate enough to become generally available. PS5 is a full 50% past that point and yet restocks are still too rare and too small to justify Sony's alleged numbers. Its been drifting out of scale for many weeks now and the belief was that retailers were simply building up in preparation of Prime Day, but this no longer seems to be the case. If Sony is to believed, then over a quarter million PS5s have simply disappeared off the North American market in the last few weeks. Thats just a bit hard for me to swallow. The other retailers either need to come forward and release their supposedly large backlogs of inventory, or else Sony needs to answer for why their claims don't add up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 25, 2022, 05:14:09 pm

It's normal for retailers to hold off inventory during the holiday season, but anytime before then sounds a bit silly to me.

The Splatoon 3 Switch OLED model and Pro Controller are up for preorder in other regions, but not North America. I've seen speculation there won't be preorders and you'll have to buy on release day. Considering the consistent trouble Nintendo has run into with preorders (Xenoblade 3 SE crashing their online store, and N64 Controllers being nabbed as soon as they're available), i can see why they might go this route.

SquareEnix's release schedule for this year is really stacked. It's cool they're propping up so middle-tier budget games, which are seemingly in short supply these days.

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/813523188855603223/1000999480767811714/unknown.png)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 26, 2022, 11:33:47 am

Busy year yes, but could have been even bigger. Of course, they've had a lot of projects run well over and be delayed a few times due to Covid-19 and overpromising. Some of those things from 2020 and 2021 are finally catching up.

Don't forget things that released earlier in the year like Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster, Triangle Strategy, and Dragon Quest Builders for Mobile.

And Forspoken has been delayed again (to January) though its rumored to be near ready. The delay seems solely to get more PS5s into players hands before its launch. Neither Sony nor SquareEnix want a repeat of Rachet & Clank: Rift Apart - an apparently fantastic game but with too small of a market (though it did get good saturation of PS5 owners.) SquareEnix can't afford the financial hit and Sony doesn't want to lose months of exclusivity while the market size remains pitifully small compared to forecast.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D is also still officially on tap for 2022, but no release date set. Which is odd because its a remake and the May 2021 Dragon Quest show seemed to indicate the graphics rework was completed so no one knows why its being held up - it could drop very suddenly without much lead time. One rumor I've heard is that SquareEnix realized (too late) that there wasn't much market for it, especially outside of Japan, since players who want to experience the story get the current SNES-based remake version for mobile or consoles, and that instead of releasing it with poor prospects, they may be sitting on it until they have a larger DQ series announcement to make (DQ12 release date, DQB3, a DQ9 remake, etc.), and release the game digitally same day or shorter thereafter when interest would at a peak.


Speaking of controllers, when are we going to be blessed with that controller countdown of yours?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 03, 2022, 03:52:22 am

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1g87ShyPYUlZcjUmgsICXI8WFJByIp5tLkk_lfpXswqNTKlnvoznsf3dYquTOkD7Tw16BcS53XygQYGP2rrw1u-GSlcBAdJ7P1__1NV2xfcCdeXI79610UKhC-lYVLJX9ZtW4xsz7-A_3vcZy3_CCgWLy8pzROn-wfe4M3BlODX8Qw1shUy7b-AGk/s1600/my-image.png)

I'm too lazy to make a fully detailed list of my fave controllers, so i did the next best thing and made a tier list. I didn't come up with the category names btw. Just grabbed the best template i could find on the tier list maker site and went from there.

The three controllers at the top each serve a valuable function for me. The N64 Controller, or rather the NSO N64 Controller, has left a very strong impression on me the past couple months since i bought it. Hands down, it has the best dpad i've ever used on any controller, and thus has been a game changer for me when it comes to fighting games. I'm not usually big on 6-button pads like the Saturn, but the N64 controller's 6-button  button layout has made me a believer in that style. The Pro Controller is the most well-rounded controller and the most comfortable to hold. You can find a better gyro though on the Duashock 4 and Dualsense, and the the NSO N64 dpad is leagues ahead of the one on the Procon. Last but not least, the Dualshock 4 (specifically the version 1 model) is another great all purpose controller.  It has made PC gaming so much more enjoyable when using its touchpad to navigate the desktop and navigating point-n-click adventures.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 03, 2022, 09:30:18 am

I'm confused by the Playstation ordering. You find PS1 controller comfortable but not the second and third models? I found PS controllers to be horrific until they remolded the curves at the bottom of each palm-busting handle with the PS4 model.

I will concur that PS4 controller's touchpad is the best addition to a controller since the SNES gave us a diamond-shaped button arrangement and shoulder buttons (something every controller has now copied.) Steam Deck copied the touchpad idea and its been a savior to the device to allow it to play some of the games.

I did not like the Sega shoulder buttons. Genesis 6-button shoulders has too little resistance and movement so it was hard to tell if you were actually pressing anything or not (almost like loose pieces of plastic on the top of the controller.) Saturn's controller shoulder buttons were poorly shaped. They got it right with the Saturn 3D controller that came with NiGHTs into Dreams but too late to help. And then the Dreamcast finally had good shoulder triggers but moved everything else way too far to the sides to be any good solely to implement that silly VMU idea.

I rather like the Xbox360 controller. Though if it got "Standard" based on the large, hefty size of the battery back on the bottom side, I can understand. It was always in the way of my fingers - Xbox One did it better with a battery case more naturally shaped into the controller.

The only ones I've not tried on your list are the two original Xbox controllers (passed me by) and PS5. My local Best Buy was without a PS5 display model for an aisle endcap for a long time; its got one again but still no controllers hooked up to it: its just running a demo movie disc. Technically I've not used a Series S/X controller either, but they don't look terribly different than Xbox One. (My Best Buy wisely decided not to use up floorspace for a S/X display after dedicating too much for the Xbox One early in its lifetime.)

Of the ones I'm familiar with that aren't on your list:
Sega Saturn 3D: Nice
Virtual Boy: Standard
Atari Jaguar: Could do without (not comfortable, but the idea for a large number of extra buttons in the middle with an insert card-specific to each game wasn't all that bad of an idea; would have allowed more keyboard-based games to be ported from PC without redesigning the user interfaces into clunky menu options)
Google Stadia: Could do without (underwhelming; feels like a slightly larger PS4 controller, which is good, but everything "clicks" when pressed)
NEO*GEO (the large arcade-style pad): Could do without (very clicky joystick and poor responsiveness)
NES Max: Could do without (the floating d-pad replacement was unusual, but it made for a good challenge to use in games I'd beat with the normal controller)
Turbo-Grafx 16 / PC Engine: Unusable (basically a copy of the NES controller but with the d-pad and buttons even lower on the device, when higher was the preference and more properly executed by SNES)

I noticed no handhelds or mobile devices on your list (excepting Switch and Wii U) but they are all generally terrible, in the range of Could Do Without to Unusuable due to tiny size. I'd give Game Gear a Standard though, since it was large enough and had its d-pad and buttons on either side of the screen (something it took Nintendon't way too long to figure out)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on August 03, 2022, 10:21:07 am

The analog stick Playstation controllers are heavier, so I can understand that. They feel different.

I thought the Playstation 2 controller was the best for the longest time, but in more recent years I kinda fell out of love with the D-pad. It may simply be that mine is finally worn down after all the years or that I've since experienced more options. These days, I use a Nintendo Switch controller (through a Brook adapter) for PS1/PS2 games and usually the Neo Geo Pad 2 for strictly 2D gameplay. I chose the Switch controller over, say, an Xbox one since it has button-y, low throw triggers rather than full-on gun triggers - more appropriate for PS1/PS2.

The original Wii classic controller is an abomination, with the practically unusable tiny secondary shoulder buttons and analog sticks with no grip - it made me understand just how necessary grips are for using analog sticks. The D-pad and buttons are great, but with all that extra faff that is essentially useless, it's a dumb controller. The Pro version fixes all the problems, though, with the added grips and proper shoulder button setup, and I'd rank it among the best controllers. Although I'd say it's best for games of a certain era, and anything more modern you might as well go Xbox or Switch. Maybe games that use analog sticks but are more D-pad dependent.

I actually really like the Joycons, the low throw sticks are nice to have for a lot of games. The D-pad buttons don't bother me as much, although I can understand the frustration with them (they're either good enough or the analog sticks work for a lot of modern 2D fare, but you really do need a proper D-pad for other games). The one really bad part is the Minus button being practically unreachable and potentially physically painful to use.

I seem to dislike the Dual Shock 4 more than most people. The spongy triggers are awful to me and I hate the "liar" D-pad (it appears good for fighters or whatever else, but it seems to drop diagonals). I also don't find the sticks as comfortable as Xbox controllers. The one thing I do kind of like is how the Touchpad serves as a giant ACTION button for some games, although this awkwardly gets mapped to View (Select) button on Xbox for some multi-platform games. I would be curious about DS4's revisional differences, although I don't envision myself grabbing another model.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on August 25, 2022, 03:50:30 am

I like the Digital Playstation pad a lot cause it's been boiled down to the essentials. It has almost all the buttons of a modern controller without all the fluff weighting it down, like the 2 analog sticks, rumble motors, etc. It's the apex of 2D controller design, although I'm still not a fan of the segmented dpad after all these years.

The Dualshock 4, while the build quality is underwhelming, has an impressive feature set to make up for its deficiency. The touchpad, the gyro (that's actually more advance than whatever Nintendo's using in their controllers.), the highly sensitive analog sticks, the touchpad having multiple clickable buttons, the optional back buttons... it's the ultimate couch controller for PC use.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 12, 2022, 02:38:50 pm

I do wish Nintendo gave more than 24 hours notice on these, but surprises are certainly their thing now.

Certainly covered: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Bayonetta 3, Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Harvestella, Dragon Quest Treasures, Sonic Frontiers
Likely covered: Splatoon 3 DLC (if its going to have any), Mario Kart 8 booster pack (upcoming waves), Neir: Automata, Persona 5 (with at least mentions of 3 and 4 coming next year), New Tales from the Borderlands, Return to Monkey Island, Dorfromantik, No Man's Sky, Blanc
Possibly: Advance Wars Re-boot Camp (rescheduled date), Disney Dreamlight Valley and upcoming DLC, Minecraft Legends
Unlikely: Dragon Quest Heroes 1+2, Yokai Watch 4, Midnight Suns

Rumors of the surprise drop(s) at end of presentation: Metroid Prime Remaster, Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Don't hold your 'breath' for Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel name or release date though

I personally put stock in the Metroid Prime Remaster being likely, with the Zelda games as much less likely. Wise marketing would suggest a Zelda-specific direct in November or December with a lot more acclaim and heads-up to properly announce the new game's title and release date. When they are ready to announce it they'll probably give more than 24 hours notice. Included in such a Direct could be the unveiling of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance sections of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pak, allowing the two Oracle games and Minish Cap to finally be brought forward to newer hardware (leaving only the three DS games - Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and A Link Between Worlds - as not playable on Switch)


EDIT:
+ Likely covered: Super Mario Bros movie. Too much coincidence. September 13th is the 37th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.' release in Japan. They are about 6-7 months from release, which is when trailers for most movies drop. They revealed the cast in an earlier Direct so the trailer would be nothing new. And they have a worldwide audience. While its possible they combine the Mario+Rabbids, Mario Kart DLC, and movie bits into a Mario-centric mini-segment, I believe the movie trailer will be the closing segment of the Direct instead to avoid breaking up the game coverage in the middle of the presentation.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 13, 2022, 11:16:03 am

As usual, rumors and speculation more wrong than right.

No mention of Pokemon (outside the Stadum games coming to NSO expansion pak), no mention of Dragon Quest Treasures, Sonic Frontiers, Neir: Automata, Persona games, Borderlands, Monkey Island, Dorfromantik, No Man's Sky, or Blanc, despite all these games coming out in proper winter. About half the stuff covered was well into 2023.  Maybe winter releases in Japan, but that's not how Nintendo of America advertised it.

No details on the Super Mario Movie either. The Metroid Prime remaster apparently a hoax or at least deep into 2023. Apparently no more Zelda remakes either.



Here's the breakdown:

Fire Emblem Engage
- a new proper Fire Emblem series entry, allowing new characters to equip rings to call upon the powers of previous characters like Marth
- January 20, also available in Divine Edition

It Takes Two
- allows single system co-op or two Switches either local or online
- November 4

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
- Early 2023, port of a game already available in Japan

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 DLC Wave 2
- Ino, a new hero who appears Mechonis-like, similar to Fiora from XC1
- swimsuit outfits
- October 13

Spongebob Squarepants: The Comsic Shake
- TBD 2023

Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star
- boxing fitness game
- March 2023

OddBallers
- another crazy Fall Guys-style knock-out style party game
- Early 2023

Tunic
- puzzle adventure
- September 27

Front Mission 1st: Remake
- November (but did not specify day)

Front Mission 2: Remake
- 2023

Front Mission 3: Remake
"Future"

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
- characters will grow older and appearance changes with age
- Summer 2023

Splatoon 3: First Splatfest
- September 23-25, with more free updates to come

Octopath Traveller II
- Same concept as first with 8 characters with intertwined stories, but paths change depending whether actions taken during day or night
- February 24

Fae Farm
- another farm simulation RPG like Story of Seasons/Rune Factory except characters are faeries
- Spring 2023

Final Fantasy Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line
- February 16
- Paid DLC will add songs from SaGa, Neir, Octopath, and Live A Live series

Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
- October 20

Rune Factory 3 Special
- yep, another one of these farming sims
- TBD 2023

NSO: N64 additions
- Pilotwings 64, Mario Party, Mario Party 2, Mario party 3, Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Statium 2, 1080 Snowboarding, Excitebike 64, Goldeneye will be coming up soon
- Goldeneye adds online multiplayer

Various Daylife
- appears to be the Bravely Default series replacement
- Today

Factorio
- management simulation game to make a large factory city in which to make a rocket to escape the planet you are stranded on
- October 28

Ib
- Spring 2023

Mario Strikers: Battle League 2nd Free Update
- Pauline and Diddy Kong added, as well as new gear and a new stadium

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
- February 24

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Wave 3
- Merry Mountain (Tour) and Peach Gardens (DS) courses to be added
- Holiday 2022

Nintendo Switch Sports
- golf added in next free update, up to eight players
- moved from Fall to Holiday 2022

Super Mario Bros movie
- coming spring, but no trailer

Super Nintendo World at Hollywood Studios
- opening 2023

Pikmin Bloom
- recap of the game released about a year ago

Pikmin 4
- short teaser video (no gameplay) but new mode to allow the camera to see from a Pikmin's point of view
- 2023

Just Dance 2023
- November 22

Harvestella
- Demo available today; save data can be transferred to full game
- November 4

Bayonetta 3
- new trailer showing more gameplay on Nintendo's Youtube channel later today
- October 28

Master Detective Archives: Raincode
- Spring 2023

Resident Evil Village Cloud
- Demo available today
- October 28
- Winter's Expansion DLC available December 2

Resident Evil Cloud, Resident Evil 2 Cloud, and Resident Evil 3 Cloud
- all by end of year

Sifu
- kung-fu action brawler
- November 8

Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII Reunion
- December 13

Radiant Silvergun
- Today

Endless Dungeon
- TBD 2023

Tales of Symphonia Remastered
If you guys missed this back in the GameCube/PS2 days, check it out as its considered one of the finest RPGs ever made and unquestionably the high point of the long-running Tales series - EDIT: though its also available on Steam for much less than it will ever be on Switch
- Early 2023

Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection
- September 27

Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song: Remastered
- December 1

LEGO Bricktales
- Fall 2022 (but no specific date)

Disney Speedstorm
- 2022 (no specific date)

Fall Guys: Season 2
- September 15

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
- Four player multiplayer, including numerous mini-games
- February 24

And of course, the news we've all been waiting for:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- May 12

---------------------------------------------------

Sony's State of Play is tonight (6pm EDT) but no way does it have as big of a surprise in store. It will likely cover the PS4/PS5 versions of many of the same games (like Octopath Traveller II) and be otherwise totally forgotten by the press for a few days. Sony really would have been better off waiting a few days because they can't follow this up.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 13, 2022, 06:49:30 pm

And here's the Sony response, which is.. much less impressive. Too much of it too far out (including at least one 2024 game) and the almost two minutes of watching a car being driven around in some kind of radioactive storm in Pacific Drive sucked all the energy out of the show.

Tekken 8
- PS5 exclusive
- no release date

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge: Enhanced Edition
- PSVR2
- 2023

Demeo
- PSVR2
- no release date

Like a Dragon: Ishin
- remake seems to take lot of cues from Ghost of Tsushima
- PS4/PS5
- February 2023

Hogwarts' Legacy
- multi-console
- Haunted Hogsmeade's Shop DLC is PS exclusive
- February 10

Pacific Drive
- PS5
- 2023

Playstation Stars program preview

Synduality
- looked a bit too much like Titanfall to me (and that is not a good thing)
- 2023

Stellar Blade
- formerly Project EVE
- Sony's Bayonetta response
- PS5 exclusive
- 2023

Rise of the Ronin
- looks to be a more modern (Meiji-era) Ghost of Tsushima, but the mid-air double jump attack really ruined the realism
- PS5 exclusive
- 2024 (wtf!?)

God of War: Ragnarok DualSense Controller
- November 9

God of War: Ragnarok
- November 9

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 22, 2022, 05:45:02 pm

Squeenix has an unbelievable amount of games coming out. The company is definitely flushed with cash after FF14's wild success over the years. Not gonna downplay though that all their HD2D games have been selling well. It's rad to see so many revivals and experimental projects.

I feel so behind in the Xenoblade series. Haven't played since XC1. I've played every previous Xeno game before that, so I would like to catch up on the series someday.

My fave announcement of TGS were the Suikoden 1 & 2 remasters. I'm very impressed with the remastered graphics, and I'm even more impressed that Konami is shelling out for a new localization for each (the old ones were questionable). It's interesting to hear Konami wants to continue the series, but i can't imagine any future sequel would be good without the original creator, who's making their own Suikoden, Eiyuden Chronicles.

Happy to hear Pikmin 4 will be a reality. While it's definitely not one of Nintendo's bigger cashcow series, it's got so much charm that I'm glad Nintendo is still giving it it's due.

I appreciate all the new SF6 footage and news out of TGS. I've been salivating at the mouth to return to this series with rollback netcode. Those are the keywords: rollback netcode. SF4 and 5 were trash in that regard and netplay was always suboptimal. Thankfully, Japan has seen the light after the pandemic forced their fighting games to be played online exclusively, and they pretty much got bombarded with anger over how bad delay netcode is for fighting games. The biggest victim was Grandblue Fantasy Versus, which came out around when the pandemic started. The community for that game has never recovered, unfortunately.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 23, 2022, 12:31:33 pm

Quote from: Moge on September 22, 2022, 05:45:02 pm

Squeenix has an unbelievable amount of games coming out. The company is definitely flushed with cash after FF14's wild success over the years. Not gonna downplay though that all their HD2D games have been selling well. It's rad to see so many revivals and experimental projects.

And yet, the series that literally invented a new game genre ("Block-build RPG" as SE calls it) is still awaiting announcement on a third game. Octopath/Triangle series is younger than DQB, but now has its third game coming (and fourth HD-2D game if you count Dragon Quest III which is already known to be in development but no release date yet)

On the plus side, Infinity Strash is now getting a worldwide simultaneous release, though the date is still unknown. It was previously not pinned for localization because SquareEnix didn't think the west even knew about Adventure of Dai. High hopes that this leads to the Dragon Quest X Offline localization.

Quote from: Moge on September 22, 2022, 05:45:02 pm

I feel so behind in the Xenoblade series. Haven't played since XC1. I've played every previous Xeno game before that, so I would like to catch up on the series someday.

You're going to have to set aside a good chunk of time. These are loooong games. XC1 is around 150 hours I think. My Switch says it took me 202 hours to 100% XC2 last year (and that's using NSO to help cheat the Blade gacha system), and it was 230 hours for XC3 to credits and I still have three superbosses to finish as I'm nearing 250 now. But XC3 is so rewarding in the final chapter and post-game if you've played the first two - at least to the 2/3 point of first game and almost to the end of XC2. The last chapter wonderfully explains why you see features from the other games like the Mechonis' sword or Urayan titan's head, to name the two most obvious ones (there's a few dozen other locations that players may recognize, too.) It is truly epic, and if the series ends here as a trilogy, it would be a fitting conclusion.

Quote from: Moge on September 22, 2022, 05:45:02 pm

Eiyuden Chronicles.

I really would have liked to have seen more of this. I even said so after the Microsoft/Bethesda 2021 show (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2697.msg34232#msg34232), for which they barely showed anything. They came back in 2022 and showed even less. (Just a title card as a free GamePass game as I recall.) It never got any detailed look in a Nintendo Direct, a State of Play, or whatever Microsoft is doing, which tells me the game really isn't as good as it looked for the brief bit we saw in 2021. The Metacritic and magazine reviews seem to indicate that it really is quite average.

Quote from: Moge on September 22, 2022, 05:45:02 pm

Happy to hear Pikmin 4 will be a reality. While it's definitely not one of Nintendo's bigger cashcow series, it's got so much charm that I'm glad Nintendo is still giving it it's due.

Well they did make that 3DS game, which is technically the fourth game already. I thought the game was fine, but a bit of a disappointment being entirely 2D on a device capable of 3D. It didn't have the same feel as the earlier Pikmin games. And it looks basic compared to 3D games like Ever Oasis, which features a similar group of tiny-beings exploring a land with human-like objects of much larger scale than themselves (such as a water pitcher)

One rumor I've readabout Pikmin 4 is that it may be an attempt to keep Amiibo in production. With Smash Bros soon to end its run of Amiibo, and only a sputtering of non-Smash Bros amiibo like Samus and EMII, Zelda with Loftwing, and some Kirby characters (Kirby, Metaknight, Dedede), they need some games from which they haven't already yet fished dry of Amiibo. There was a Pikmin amiibo a few years back (I have it) with all five types climbing a stone, but a Pikmin 4 could give them the possibility of five individual Pikmin, a bulb monster, and whatever new hero is introduced. I don't buy it as THE reason for making the game, but its a solid plus-factor.


Nice to see you come out of the Splatoon 3 cave for a bit. See you again in a few weeks? ;D

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 30, 2022, 08:01:59 am

Google announced yesterday the shutdown of the Stadia gaming service will go forward on January 23.

Of course this means all the games available on this service will go dark then, and that's the peril of streaming game services. On the bright (and unexpected side) Google is entirely refunding all hardware and software purchases, but for players who made progress in these games, that progress will be lost when they have to move to other platforms to continue playing the same game.

Amazon and Apple are no doubt paying close attention as they may have to follow suit with Luna and Arcade.

Of course, I still don't understand why Google didn't just make a small Android system emulator to plug into the TV and play (and download) Google Play Store games. Thats what I'd rather have: a way to play the games only available on my tablet or phone on a TV. Take Dragon Quest VIII for example: right now its only available for Android and iOS - it hasn't been ported to modern consoles and only recently as a 3DS game (which is no better really than a tablet, only its been discontinued and its digital storefront closes in March)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Arizona on October 01, 2022, 11:20:23 am

Completely unsurprising nobody went for the service run by a company known to drop support for projects thrown together after a cocaine binge.

It is surprising they're refunding everything up to the hardware, though. I've heard apparently you can access the save files and at least some of them to work on Steam, so I guess it worked out for early adopters.

If I'd known it'd be refunded later, I would've picked a system up for the controller. I'm curious to know how those are...but, you know, not that curious...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 01, 2022, 06:49:49 pm

I got a Stadia Premiere for $20 or $25 (forget which) on Black Friday last year, primarily for the controller. Premiere set at this price was basically the same cost as a Chromecast, but adds the controller.

The controller is below average - basically all the bad things about older Playstation ctrollers (too wide and bulbous in the palms, too slick to grip well) and no outstanding features to make it attractive. I like the RT and LT triggers, but the L and R shoulder buttons and dpad are very "clicky" sounding. Its "fine", but the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Switch Pro controllers are way better - and the PS4 controller is similar in comfort but more refined (i.e., quieter)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 02, 2022, 11:31:31 am

It's getting to be about that time of the year when Black Friday sales deals start appearing and offering good games at cheap prices that players may have passed on when new and full price.

Sony effectively confirmed rumors of retailers hoarding the PS5 over the last few months with their sales announcement earlier this week, claiming they'd manufactured 6.5 million PS5s in 2nd quarter but have only sold 3.3 million in 3rd quarter (and only 5.5 million all year.) This indicates that several million units have not been sold to consumers, and logic concludes that retailers will finally be unloading them during Black Friday. Sony needs them to if they expect to reach 18 million unit sales from April 1, 2021 to March 30, 2023. Assuming an even split for the first two quarters, this means 1.65M sold in 2nd quarter. Assuming 3.3M for 1st quarter 2023, that leaves 9.75M to be sold in 4th quarter 2022. Retailers would probably need at least 11 million in stock to be sure of reaching the 18 million target by March, since Q1 hardware sales are usually depressed. Thats a lot of units so its going to be everywhere. (And if we don't see it everywhere then no way Sony gets close to 18 million and we're going to continue to see more lousy down-ports of PS5 software to PS4 throughout 2023.)

Early indications are that the Xbox Series S will be heavily marketed. Microsoft has bundled a free copy of the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II with it to help get it off retailer's shelves, as people don't seem to be as interested in the Series S as the X.

No idea if Series X will be widely available anywhere, but suspected (and needed) to be on par with PS5. With Starfield finally providing a unique first party game to the Microsoft platform in first half 2023, the holiday season is the time to get new Xboxes into people's homes. Whether Microsoft actually has 6-8 million Series X units to complement the Series S this season is the big question. Its going to be a bit of a missed opportunity if PS5 floods the market and Series X is absent. Microsoft's had all year to capitalize on Sony's missteps (along with Nintendo's delay of Tears of the Kingdom) and hasn't taken advantage though some bad decisions of their own (namely, a lot of underwhelming games and no exclusives)

Looks like Nintendo may be authorizing $30 first party games again this year. It was a major bummer to see a lot of games priced $30 in 2020 be a higher price during Black Friday last year. Target has already fired the first shot, announcing Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a $30 title during their Black Friday sale. No other games announced, but seems probable some games like Link's Awakening, Animal Crossing, Astral Chain, and some older games like Super Mario Odyssey would as well. I suspect Breath of the Wild would be in this group too, to give holiday buyers one last chance before Tears of the Kingdom takes over in May.

I am personally seeking a second PS5 controller. These are often discounted at holiday season but no ads have hinted at a discount yet. Most places specializing in electronics and video games haven't released their full ads yet though. I'm not really seeking any games since Dragon Quest Treasures arrives December 9 but I'll keep an eye out for a good deal on something interesting. I am a bit gun shy after last year's Avengers and Monster Hunter Rise proved to be disappointments to me (though Ghost of Tsushima was certainly worth it.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on November 09, 2022, 12:53:16 pm

Not interested in the Dualsense Edge? I'm looking to get an SSD for my new Surface Pro over the holiday season. Running into a lot of out-of-memory errors with these Adobe programs and having to constantly clean the fridge of my 128 GB SSD.

Even though my Surface Pro 8 isn't a graphical powerhouse, i've been thoroughly enjoying playing indies and emulated games on it. I was ready to pull the trigger on getting on a Steam Deck, but in the end i figured the Surface Pro would have more utility for all my digital art needs.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 10, 2022, 03:15:28 pm

No, a regular Dual Sense at a third of the price will do me just fine.

I haven't seen any worthy video games deals yet. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy's pre-Black Friday sales haven't really touched on them, focusing on either brand new stuff like God of War Ragnarok or junk games. Only the $30 Skyward Sword offer has been interesting but I already own it. We won't see the final ads for these players until next week, and may not see GameStop's until just before (over the last few years they have been the very last)

I have a Surface Pro 4. Its the basic model though, but even with the M3 processor and Intel 515 graphics it does well enough for some games. (The DQB2 demo worked just fine on it.) I can't add memory or SSD space to it though. Not that I need to, as I use it mostly for routine web browsing and for streaming TV or movie playback from Amazon Prime or Vudu when I'm away from home.

I also have a Surface Book 2 from work, but do not like it was much. Its certainly a more powerful device, but its a heavier unit and no kickstand for the detachable tablet part.

SSDs should be easily available and cheap everywhere this holiday season. I've been using Samsung EVO series SSDs in my computers since 2015 and recommended them, unless you want to pay more for the premium Pro series.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 17, 2022, 09:47:27 am

Still no ads from the big video game sellers. Aside from the Skyward Sword offer a few weeks ago I haven't seen any game discounts of note. They haven't even advertised the new Pokemon games coming out Friday - not that I expect them to be on discount, but if I were one of them I'd at least put it in the ad to catch people's eyes.

Microsoft is indeed pushing the Xbox Series S hard, releasing a new Holiday version at a reduced price of $250. They were recently selling them at the normal $300 price with free redemption cards for Modern Warfare 2 but I don't know if they're still available. However, $50 off hardware is generally better than a free game you may not be interested in. And Target has pushed it a step further, including a $50 gift card with online purchase today through Saturday the 19th (https://www.target.com/p/xbox-series-s-8211-holiday-console/-/A-86908930) - that basically makes it a $100 difference to what it was just a few days ago - quite a deal.

No sign of Xbox Series S or PS5 discounts yet.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 17, 2022, 04:57:25 pm

Walmart's sales are finally known. They go live Monday 7PM EST with the typical seven hour head start for Walmart+ members (Noon EST)

They really put some great stuff in their ad this year - not a lot of junk filler like most years:
* Switch games: Sonic Frontiers $29, Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes $35, Mario Party Superstars $29, Link's Awakening $29, Breath of the Wild $29
* PS4 games: Elden Ring $35, Horizon Forbidden West Launch Edition $35, Death Stranding $20, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands $29, Nioh 2 $20
* PS5 games: Gotham Knights $35, Returnal $35, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart $35, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (unknown price), Guardians of the Galaxy $15, Resident Evil Village $20
* Xbox games: Halo Infinite $20, Assassin's Creed Valhalla $29
* Hardware: PS5 DualSense Controller $49 (my #1 wishlist item!), Xbox Series S/X controller (unknown price); no discount on PS5 or Xbox Series X (and unknown price but expecting the standard $249 for the Series S)
Likely some of the games shown for one system are available for others at same price.

Target has stated in press conference "Top Nintendo Switch games at $29.99" but we don't know what they are besides perhaps Skyward Sword. The Xbox Series S deal listed above is still impressive.

Hope nobody here threw the full $60 at Sonic Frontiers last week...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 18, 2022, 08:05:13 am

Best Buy's Deals. They typically have the most deals of the big vendors:

Switch games: Monster Hunter Rise $25, Assassin's Creed Ezio Collection $15, Assassin's Creed Rebel Collection $15, Among Us Imposter Edition Box Set $30, Tony Hawk 1+2 $25, Atari 50 $30, Immortals Fenyx Rising $10, Rabbids Party of Legends $15, Capcom Fighting Collection $25, Rune Factory 5 $30, New Tales from the Borderlands $30, Persona 5 Royal Launch Edition with Steelbook $30, Among Us Ejected Edition box set $50

PS4 games: Death Stranding $10, Last of Us Part II $10, God of War $10, Watchdogs Legion $13, Sonic Colors $15, Spider-Man Miles Morales $20, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut $20, Nioh 2 $20, Rainbox Six Extraction $12, Horizon Forbidden West Launch Edition $30, Resident Evil Village $20, Rider's Republic $12, Atari 50 $30, Capcom Fighting Collection $20, The Quarry $20, Rabbids Party of Legends $15, Assassin's Creed Valhalla $15, New Tales from the Borderlands $30, Saints Row Day 1 Edition $35, Among Us Ejected Edition box set $50, Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ragnarok Edition $30

PS5 games: Death Stranding Director's Cut $20, Destruction All-Stars $10, Rainbox Six Extraction $12, Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection $20, Spider-Man Miles Morales $20, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut $30, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart $30, Returnal $30, Back 4 Blood with Steelbook $15, Nioh Collection $30, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands $30, Resident Evil Village $20, FarCry 6 $10, Horizon Forbidden West Launch Edition $40, Gran Turismo 7 $40, Spider-Man Miles Morales $40, Battlefield 2042 $15, Stray $30, Rainbox Six Siege $10, Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed $30, Evil Dead $20, King of Figthers XV $20, Last of Us Part I $50, The Quarry $30, FarCry 6 $10, Among Us Imposter Edition Box Set $30, New Tales from the Borderlands $30, Tony Hawk 1+2 $30, Assassin's Creed Valhalla $15, Deathloop $20, Saints Row Day 1 Edition $35, Ghostwire $25, Plague Tale Requiem $40, Persona 5 Royal $30, Rider's Republic $12, Gotham Knights $40, Among Us Ejected Edition box set $50

Xbox games: Halo Infinite with Steelbook $20, Watchdogs Legion $12, Rainbox Six Extraction $12, Back 4 Blood $10, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands $30, Tony Hawk 1+2 $30, FarCry 6 $10, Resident Evil Village $20, King of Fighters XV $20, Atari 50 $30, The Quarry $20, Rainbox Six Siege $10, Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed $30, Tony Hawk 1+2 $25, Capcom Fighting Collection $20, Rabbids Party of Legends $15, Evil Dead $20, The Chant $20, The Quarry $30, Among Us Imposter Edition Box Set $30, New Tales from the Borderlands $30, Assassin's Creed Valhalla $15, Saints Row Day 1 Edition $35, Rider's Republic $12, No More Heroes 3 Day 1 Edition $30, Deathloop $20, Plague Tale Requiem $40, Persona 5 Royal $30, Gotham Knights $40, Among Us Ejected Edition box set $50, Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ragnarok Edition $30

Hardware: Sony DualSense $50, Xbox S/X controller (black, white, or red) $40, Xbox S/X consoller with wireless adapter for Windows $50, Amiibo Inkling Boy $8, Amiibo Callie & Marie $20, Amiibo Samus & EMMI $20, lots of other Amiibo $8-$15, Xbox Series X Mini Cooler $100

Lots of PS5 deals. I expected a bit more on the Switch side though. And absolutely nothing from SquareEnix (Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm, Life is Strange, Avengers, etc.), who usually discounts heavily on Black Friday.

Best Buy has Walmart beat on the Death Stranding and Horizon: Forbidden West PS4 games, and Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and Returnal for PS5a, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Walmart has them beat on Gotham Knights though, which is a bit embarassing since Best Buy should have already known Walmart's price.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 18, 2022, 11:17:06 am

Small deal from minor player Staples, who sells video game hardware in some stores (and apparently a few select games, too though I'd never seen them advertise them before) - My Staples never did and in a somewhat bizarre move closed a few months ago, so its never been a place I think about when considering video games. According to ad this offer is only valid in stores (and presumably not until Sunday)

Switch games: Animal Crossing New Horizons $40, Mario Party Superstars $40
Hardware: Xbox controllers $45-$55

The hardware and Mario Party Superstars aren't anything special because we already know they're cheaper elsewhere. Though if you have any Staples Rewards money from recycling ink cartridges and stuff burning a hole in your pocket, maybe these become good deals to you.

But this is the first time Animal Crossing New Horizons has been on a 25%+ sale anywhere to my knowledge. It was not present in any ads last year and Amazon has been offering it at $51 but that's not a huge discount. (Its also possible ACNH is one of Target's $30 Switch games, too.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 18, 2022, 01:46:08 pm

Target:

Switch games: Mario Party Superstars $30, Breath of the Wild $30, Just Dance 2023 $40, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope with $10 gift card $60, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection $20, Personal 5 Royal $30, Rabbids Party of Legends $15
PS4 games: Jedi Fallen Order $10
PS5 games: Sackboy $20, Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart $30
Xbox games: Halo Infinite $20, Forza Horizon 5 $35, Assassin's Creed Valhalla $15, Battlefield 2042 $15
Hardware: Sony DualSense $50
Other: BOGO 15% off gaming cards (Nintendo eShop, PS Store, Xbox Marketplace, etc.)

Not as impressive on the "biggest discounts on top Nintendo games" claim as I expected. They're also beating Walmart on Ratchet & Clank, but getting beat in several games in their ad. For yet another year, they're coming in a distant third to Walmart and Best Buy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 18, 2022, 02:05:18 pm

Gamestop right on the heels:

Switch games: Animal Crossing New Horizon $35
PS4 games: Spyro Ignited Trilogy $17, Gran Turismo 7 $29
PS5 games: Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart $29, Plague Tale Requiem $39
Xbox games: Elden Ring $35, Saints Row Day 1 Edition $35, Witcher III Wild Hunt Complete Edition $17, The Quarry $17, Personal 5 Royal $29, Tony Hawk 1+2 $29
Hardware: Sony DualSense $50
Other: Buy Two Get One Free Pre-owned PS4 and Xbox One games

Actually, that's now the best price on Animal Crossing. But they advertised three other Switch games though at $39 and got nailed on all of them (Mario Party Superstars, Link's Awakening, and Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes.) A pretty barebones ad this year - they usually list alot more stuff (and helps cover their bases in event of undercutting, which is lesson to be relearned this year)

Final ruling is Best Buy wins by a landslide, Walmart a decent second (especially on Sonic Frontiers), Gamestop third (a few unique deals at $17 or a dollar cheaper than others), and Target in last place.


Should also point out that PS5s, at least the God of War Ragnarok disc set for $560 looks to be available lots of places. I went to Best Buy at lunch to pick up a DualSense controller and they had 36 of them on the shelf behind checkout. I did not however see any Series Xs (just a half dozen or so Series S, and another two dozen or so Switch OLEDs and Lites) If you want a PS5, its not going to be discounted anywhere, so if you want one, get it before the rush starts next week. If Best Buy is any indication though, you may have to pay for God of War whether you want it or not.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 22, 2022, 07:18:20 am

Newegg deals:

Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 Controller - $130
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3 Month Membership - $35
Xbox $60 Gift Card - $53.50
Nintendo e-Shop $50 Card - $45
Death Stranding Director's Cut Steam Code - $19

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 24, 2022, 09:58:05 am

Amazon:

Switch games: Harvestella $50, Neir Automata $29, Personal 5 Royal $29, Diofield Chronicle $40, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope with $10 Amazon gift card $60, Bravely Default II $35
PS5 games: Tales of Arise $30, Guardians of the Galaxy $15, Avengers $10, FF7 Remake Intergrade $28, Stranger of Paradise $29, Battlefield 2042 $10
Xbox One (Digital): Star Wars Squadrons $8, Jedi Fallen Order $6, Battlefront II $5, Mirrors Edge Catalyst $5

Some deals maybe only available to Prime members. Could be other deals but locked behind add-to-cart walls.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 02, 2022, 08:38:37 am

Keep an eye on Best Buy's 12 Days of Gaming (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/video-games/video-games-on-sale/pcmcat1649105798442.c?id=pcmcat1649105798442) event as well. They did this last year and some of the deals weren't half bad.

Its up to day 4 and today Deathloop for PS5 is offered at only $10. (WOW!)
Previous days were Skyward Sword at $30 (Target already did that), Playstation Store cards 10% off (not really impressive) and A10 headsets for $20 (also bleh)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 18, 2022, 09:05:43 pm

Ever hear the saying that its better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're dumb, than to open your mouth and prove it?

Well, SquareEnix, in arguably their last action of the year, opened their mouth at Jump Festa and disappointed everyone. After touting "new" Dragon Quest trailers to be displayed at Jump Festa, the interwebs got excited. And rightly so, as they showed the first videos of Dragon Quest XI at Jump Festa several years back and have used it as a platform to introduce a few DQ games over the last decade or so. While the first look at Dragon Quest XII was possible, it was expected they'd announce a new game for the series, since the only outstanding games right now are Infinity Strash (which is rumored to have been complete since spring or summer and in localization now), Dragon Quest III 2D-HD (which Yuji Horii said was effectively complete already, and looked like it in the preview May 2021), and Dragon Quest XII (which is probably about two years off.) Folks like me were hoping for a Builders 3 announcement, though if I had to bet I'd have put money on another mobile game. Instead they brought "new" trailers for Dragon Quest Treasures and a wrap up of the Dragon Quest: Adventure of Dai anime (but apparently not the Infinity Strash game), plus FF7 Crisis Core Reunion and Forspoken. The "new" was just footage not shown in earlier trailers, but since all but Forspoken are available now, trailers don't exactly excite anyone. Its the equivalent of Nintendo saying they'll show new Mario series trailers, and then show stuff for Bowser's Fury instead of an upcoming game, and clips from the Saturday morning cartoon show rather than the new movie.

It would have been better for SquareEnix to not so blatently advertise what was sure to be a disappointment. No real issue showing these trailers in their booth at Jump Festa - just don't tell the world its worth watching when it isn't. For a company that has made both financial and public relations mistake after mistake this year, its a hell of a way to finish.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2022, 06:48:19 pm

Last day of the year. Time again to review 2022 in gaming (though my eyes)

I actually played a fair number of new games this year, and never even got to either Forbidden West game, Deathloop, Fenyx Rising, Guardians of the Galaxy, or Castlevania Anniversary Collection. Of the ones I played, worst to best:

12. Contra Anniversary Collection (PC, also available on consoles): D-
I expected to be able to use the Konami Code to get 30 lives and enjoy a childhood favorite end-to-end, but it doesn't work here. Since its basically just an emulator shell, I could just as easily use an emulator of my choice and play it how I want, with the cheats I want. At least it was cheap at only $3.99 during Black Friday sale.

11. Astro's Playroom (PS5): D
No real reward system makes it feel more like a demo than a game. Which I guess it is, to show off some PS5 features. Sony could really do better for a pack-in demo game though.

10. Marvel's Avengers (PS5, also available on Xbox X/S, Xbox One, and PC, and 'technically' on PS4 but to be strongly avoided): D+
Retest from last year. Wouldn't play reliably without crashing on PS4, but the first two areas interested me enough to try it again once I got a PS5. But ugh. It has very plain gameplay, still buggy on PS5 with graphics clipping and events that don't register correctly, too much and too frequent micromanagement of equipment and skills, and way too much critical chatter happening while busy focusing on other things (like fighting for your life.) It feels like a game made by committee. Someone decided it needs a complicated skill tree. Someone decided it needed a forging system to make better armor. Sometime decided it needed in-game voice chatter. Someone decided it needed an overly large cast of heroes. Throwing all this together just made for a complicated mess. If SquareEnix wants to spend $100 million on a video game, it better come out more polished. Or save that money and make 10 smaller games. (Note that I generally don't list a game more than once, but Avengers was so broken last year I gave it the first ever F- score, and deemed it worthy of at least some redemption.)

9. Katamari Damacy Reroll (PC, also available on consoles) C+
I knew this was an odd game, but it embraces its own bizarreness in a fun but wacky way. I wish the controls were better than some early 2000s semi-indie game though.

8. Halo Infinite (Xbox One, also available on Xbox X/S and PC): B
A decent game, with more open world approach than earlier Halo games which actually works well. Unfortunately, it has some odd physics, some broken boss fights that require coming into the fight with exactly the right weapon or you'll fail (with no opportunity to get a different weapon beforehand), and the occasional poorly timed autosave, that will cause a respawn that instantly kills you. And I was playing it some five or six months after release. Another massive failure by Microsoft. Now both the Gears and Halo franchises have flopped in their last release, with Microsoft not really showing much care. Avengers may have simply been bad design - Halo Infinite is bad follow-through. Still a lot of fun though.

7. Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX (PC, also available on consoles): B
Even with fixes it has broken collision detection making it too faithful to the very difficult original, but very fun even if not a lot of replay value compared to its contemporary, the original Super Mario Bros. But with the help of infinite lives setting I was finally able to beat a game I started 34 or 35 years ago. If you want a cute, simple class platformer game for cheap, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is a fine fit. And some decent replayability in achievements that require a few plays (so avoid a Switch purchase for maximum enjoyment)

6. River City Girls (PC, also available on consoles): B+
Great modern rendition of the River City Ransom game. This is what RCR DX should have been, with voiceovers, more story, and much more sprite animation. Kickin' background audio tracks as well. Its really quite fun, with some hidden items to discover along the way.

5. Halo: The Master Chief Collection (PC, also available on Xbox One and X/S): B+
Bought this after finishing Halo Infinite and itching to play earlier games again, only to find out my discs don't work in an Xbox One. Fantastic, but its a shame they didn't redo cinematic sequences for first, third, or fourth Halo in the high quality they did for the second. They play well and faithfully, but Microsoft (again) missed an opportunity for a home run by only doing part of the full effort.

4. Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (Switch): B+
Lots of fun but buggy as hell. I feel like the funny of the Rabbids was a bit more lost in this one compared to Kingdom Battle, and some of the characters (Rabbid Peach and Luigi especially) get overused. I checked the other day for a patch to the one quest that doesn't clear (despite meeting requirements) and Ubisoft still hasn't fixed it, indicated the game probably won't be. That's a real shame that you can play the game perfectly and not be able to 100% it because of a programming bug that developer apparently doesn't want to fix. It would earn an A were it plugged.

3. Dragon Quest Treasures (Switch): A-
Excellent and fun game, but requires too many trips back to base to unload treasure, making the game overly repetitive, with an average of four trips back and forth just to advance the story progression from one event to the next. Had you been allowed to carry much more treasure (at least twice as much) it would have placed second. They did open-world right here, following the lead of games like breath of the Wild that scale the monster up to meet the player, rather than setting up too-strong monsters in some areas to discourage exploration (except to areas that really need to be saved to later of course.)

2. The Ur-Quan Masters HD (PC): A-
This had been out for a few years but I was still hooked on the original "non-HD" port. This one has better graphics and sound and should appeal more to new players. Though I feel its lost a bit of the charm of the original with some of the animation simplified and with less interesting alien dialogue fonts.

1. Game of the Year: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch): A
Though the game derails with sidequest-explosion during chapters 5 and 6, its absolutely amazing from start to finish. Pokemon may get the sales, but Xenoblade gets all the critical acclaim as the best game on Switch this year. Not only does its graphics rival Playstation and Xbox games, with wonderous vistas, it has one of the most enchanting soundtracks ever developed (many players agree it should have won the audio awards at Game Awards over God of War.) And on top of that it wonderfully melds the worlds of the first two games, giving a lot of easter eggs to fans of the series who recognize familiar features. And I had doubts they could carry a cast of six with equal billing throughout the story, but MonolithSoft pulled it off wonderfully - each character just naturally gets about 1/6th of the playtime whether you have favorites or not. With a bit more polish to spread the sidequests out, eliminate some of the mundane travelling around the sea, and not making us wait until late 2023 for all the DLC it would have deserved the A+ rating.



Thing regrettably missed: Elden Ring (PC, Xbox and Playstation)
This game must be something really special if it won GOTY and best RPG over Xenoblade Chronicles 3, which was easily Nintendo's best attempt at major awards since Breath of the Wild. Metacritic gives it a score of 96, so apparently it is that good. So why wasn't there any talk about it when it came out? No commercials, no Twitter discussion, etc. while XC3 was all over Twitter and even deep into meme-space - and even more memes about it not winning anything at the Game Awards while Elden Ring and God of War basically ran the table. But God of War also got a lot of press. So Elden Ring, to best them both on pretty much word of mouth only must mean its something not to be missed. I'm going to keep an eye on it to go on discount (Best Buy Deal of the Day for example)



Looking forward to in 2023:

• Forspoken: January 24 (PS5/PC) - For a game twice delayed to allow for more PS5 availability, this better be as awesome as SquareEnix claims. My worry is that SquareEnix has made some hefty claims about new IPs of late, but haven't delivered in quality or expectations. (Avengers and Gaurdians of the Galaxy being two prominent examples.) If this game doesn't shine and compete for GOTY honors in 2023, then SquareEnix will have spent alot of money on three non-RPGs int he last two years with massive losses. If it fails, I hope they reevaluate their business model and return to what they always did best: JPRGs and spinoffs of their core series.
• Tales of Symphonia Remastered: February 17 (Switch/PS4/Xbox One) - I'm not actually going to buy this at launch, but maybe after it drops in price to under $20. The graphics don't actually look all that better, just scaled up to 1080p with less pixelation. I guess this makes it look sharper, but I'd rather the characters' 3D designs more closely match their anime selves in the cutscenes. It really looks more like a port than a remaster, and for that reason its simply cheaper to get the PS4 port on Steam.
• Starfield (TBA - expected March) - Pretty much the game that will save the Xbox, if it can be saved. Microsoft needs it to be perfect at launch, and hopefully skipped the holiday season to ensure it is. Of the big three, Xbox has now run dead last in sales for six years in a row, and if Starfield can't reverse that trend, nothing will.
• Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: May 12 (Switch) - The only real question here is whether it will live up to Breath of the Wild's brilliance. It could come back as a bit of a let down, if its only "nearly as good", despite likely being better than just about every other game we'll see in 2023.
• Pikmin 4 (TBA - expected Q3 or Q4) - Hesitant on this. Incredible when the first came out as a GameCube launch title, but each game in the series has been a little less impressive than the previous one. The series would be ideal to move to tablets, if it were more like Hey, Pikmin! than Pikmin Bloom.
• Dragon Age: Dreadwolf (TBA - expected Q3 or Q4) - Inquisition was a surprisingly good sleeper hit in 2014. With over eight years to prepare a sequel, Bioware should be bringing something spectacular. Like Tears of the Kingdom, it has a high hurdle to meet in a Game of the Year winner as the previous game in the series.
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (TBA - expected Q3 or Q4) - I must admit to some Spider-Man fatigue here. The first was excellent, but the Mile Morales game was a launch title for PS5, but due to PS5 availability many people skipped it. They made a PS4 port, but downports are rarely as impressive as they should be, and many people, myself included, decided to wait until they had a PS5 to try it. I still want to, but its one of the very few games for PS5 that was not radically discounted at Black Friday, which should have happened to spread awareness before the sequel drops. Now they're going into 2023 with a lot of people only now getting to play Miles Morales (many on PC now with added content), with number Two on the way later in the year. Too much Spider-Man in too little a time for me. I'd personally rather see it in 2024, or have been given the chance to buy the PS5 version cheap at the previous Black Friday. I'm quite likely to skip this game if Pikmin 4 or Dreadwolf come out anywhere near the same time, as currently expected.
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (TBA - expected December to early 2024) - I really haven't played much of the first, but may get back to it as Rebirth nears. There's a fair chance I sit on buying it until well into 2024 though. I just can't get too excited about a game I may not play for nearly two years.

Rumors/Things I want to see come true:

• Super Mario - 2023 will be six years (SIX!) since the last new Super Mario mainline game. (We've had three remakes though.) Its only ever gone six years once, between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.
• Metroid Prime 4 - Tired of rumors about progress. Its time for Nintendo to show us something.
• Dragon Quest Builders 3 - 4 years between DQ series releases on consoles (DQB2 and Dragon Quest Treasures) is way too long given how many spin-off titles it has. With DQ12 not expected until 2024, something to fill the gap would be nice. High demand for a sequel to a critically acclaimed game that vastly out-sold its projections and doesn't require a mountain of cash to develop new graphical or audio assets would be a smart move for a company like SquareEnix who is struggling to afford ever more expensive games.
• Dragon Quest X Offline - This would do nicely as well, but its looking grim. As expected, the game did not sell well in Japan because the Online version is simply better, with three times as much story. And SquareEnix management is too thick-headed and Japanese-centric to realize the offline version should sell better in markets where online doesn't already exist. And with SquareEnix's financial woes they don't seem willing to take the chance, making renowned developer Yuji Horii a two-time liar about plans to bring Dragon Quest X west.
• Kid Icarus: Uprising Remake - Creator Masahiro Sakurai hinted this may be in the works. Recent job postings from developer Bandai-Namco referencing a Nintendo-contracted remake of an 3D action game adds fuel to the fire of this rumor.

Something I don't ever want to see come true again:
Mid-lifetime hardware price increases. Sony's decision to increase the price of PS5s is still confusing, as it betrays the point they were trying to make about parts shortage. As soon as the price goes up, the PS5s start to become imminently available across the globe. It's well known now that a large number of units had been manufactured and waiting to be sold with a God of War Ragnarok redemption card upon its release, in order to flood the markets for the holiday season. There was no need to increase the price to make this happen. It was pure greed on the part of Sony, to seek and extra $50 for a product in high demand because of their tactics to purposely restrict the supply. Its still way too expensive for hardware that is two years old, and raising the price doesn't help. (And with PS VR2 on the horizon, Sony has overlooked the fact that the PS VR2 doesn't need to compete with a Meta Quest Pro to be successful - its needs to compete with the base PS5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch. If it's priced as niche product, it will only ever be a niche product. Finding people willing to spend $1150 plus taxes for PS VR2 games will not be easy.)



Payoff of the Year:
For the wrong reasons, Sony's decision above. For right reasons, finally announcing (or leaking) that there will be no Switch Pro. The will or won't question has been hanging around for nearly two years. While I think most people would have liked to see a Switch Pro, if only to give 4K graphics or more equal performance to the handheld system and avoid loss to Steamdeck or other mobile players, the important thing is that the issue is settled. Its rumored to have heled up Tears of the Kingdom not once but twice as a possible launch title, it may have held up a Super Mario title, and other games that would expect to appear on all three platforms but be limited be to what a Switch could or couldn't do can now finally move forward with some clarity. In the long run, Nintendo won't be putting their best-selling product out on a limb with the fear people turn away to Playstation or Xbox, as happened when Wii U displaced the Wii. They can keep manufacturing Switches at a fraction of the cost, sell them far cheaper than the competition, and rely on a strong game library to carry them to 2025 or 2026 when their next new console should arrive. I even suspect we'll see a price reduction in Switch costs in 2023. Everyone wins except the grumbling people who wanted their Switch games to look like PS5 and Xbox games, but who were likely going to buy the PS5 and Xbox versions anyway because they still look better.



Backfire of the Year:
Could ultimately be a payoff, but Microsoft's decision to bump Starfield out of the holiday season and into 2023 certainly hurt sales of the Xbox Series X when they could ill-afford it. For a time they had a narrow advantage over PS5, becuase you could actually buy the X in some places, and the S just about everywhere. But with no marquee game for the holiday season, the appeal was lost. Now that PS5 is available everywhere, Microsoft's advantage is lost and they're unlikely to ever get it back. Welcome to the back row again Xbox.



Confusion of the Year:
Delay of Advance Wars ReBoot Camp. Good to delay in February as the war in Ukraine was erupting. But it still has no release date and doesn't make alot of sense for Nintendo to just sit on a completely finished (and apparently physically produced) game for over a year. Of course now there's a major Pokemon to contend with, and Tears of the Kingdom in May. If Nintendo doesn't slot this into the February-March timeframe very soon, we may not see it until late summer.



Moment of the Year:
The tearjerking conclusion to Chapter 5 of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. If you played it, you know. The whole scene lasts nearly half an hour, the longest no-break portion of the game, but is highly emotionally charged, with a gorgeous voiced song "A Step Away" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sia_qMLrl6k) softly playing in the background. The excellence of this scene (and the game in whole) has propelled MonolithSoft above SquareEnix as the masters of JPRG story telling. (And to make matters worse for SquareEnix, they have to try to follow up that when Aeris meets her end in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Good luck!) If the voters of The Game Awards had bothered to pay attention, they'd have recognized this as storytelling and audio brilliance and awarded MonolithSoft for their efforts, instead of giving God or War its umpteenth award in the last decade.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 26, 2023, 01:34:55 pm

Moge's Game of the Year 2022 :greentoad (switched to a 1-5 rating system)
-----------------------------------------------

16. Virtua Cop (Sega Saturn) -- 2
15. Galaxy Fraulein Yuna (PC-Engine) -- 3
14. Shock Troopers 2 (NeoGeo) -- 3
13. Langrisser (Mega Drive) -- 3

12. Langrisser 2 (Mega Drive) -- 3
11. Metal Combat (SNES) -- 3.5
10. Ganbare Goemon 4 - Boku ga Dancer ni Natta Riyuu - Kirakira Douchuu (SNES) -- 3.5
9. Witch's House MV (PC) -- 3.5

8. Aconcagua (PS1) -- 3.5
7. Beyond Oasis (Mega Drive) -- 4
6. King of Fighters XV (PC) -- 4
5. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 (PC) -- 4/5

4. Rayman Redemption (PC) -- 4.5
Incredible fan recreation of the original Rayman that balances the absurd difficulty of the original and brings with it a whole bunch of new and original content that doesn't look out of place.

3. Splatoon 3 (Switch) -- 4
Doesn't really bring a whole lot new to the table on the multiplayer side and instead focuses on quality of life fixes from long standing series issues. Despite me being down on the lack of new features, it's still Splatoon and i can't resist playing more.

2. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PS1)  -- 4.5
The combat, stealth mechanics, and cool atmosphere really impressed me. Despite being from an era where 3D gaming was undercooked, this game holds up surprisingly well.

1. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (Switch) -- 5
Breathtaking visuals, a gripping narrative that jumps around the 13(!) character cast, phenomental strategy gameplay... i can't sing enough praise to this game. I'm happy this was my first Vanillaware title and i'm quite eager to play their other games.


Biggest Disappointment -- The deluge of company mergers/aquisitions
Runner-up -- Advance Wars Re-Boot Camp's delay

Fave purchase -- Surface Pro 8 -- Opened a lot of doors for me on the art side and the game side
Runner-up -- NSO N64 Controller

Most Anticipated: Street Fighter 6
Runner-up: New Perfect Dark

2022 was definitely a between year, but the deluge of great new indie games (and fan translations) made up for a year that was lacking in AAA releases.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 14, 2023, 08:20:21 pm

Quote from: JG on December 31, 2022, 06:48:19 pm

Super Mario - 2023 will be six years (SIX!) since the last new Super Mario mainline game. (We've had three remakes though.) Its only ever gone six years once, between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.

The TK passing news kind of derailed thoughts on this for a few days, but I'm sorely disappointed that Nintendo didn't announce a new Mario game on Friday. I guess we're going on seven years now, the longest ever break between Mario main series games.

Only one guy is happy about this.
 :bowser


Yes they have the movie, and I can see how that takes Shigeru Miyamoto and maybe some Nintendo bigwigs off the table for past few years, but all these developers could have been working on a game. Seems like Tears of the Kingdom is sucking up all the top talent (akin to how FF7 Remake sucked up alot of SquareEnix's for a couple of years a while back.)


Unrelated: I kind of feel bad that I've never heard of half the games Moge plays anymore.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 19, 2023, 04:46:53 am

I'm more concerned there hasn't been a new console Mario Kart in nearly a decade. I get that the game continues to sell crazy well, but i'm so tired of 8 that even the new dlc doesn't excite me :carreraflying

Looked at my list and i counted 11 pre-PS2 era games on there. Seems i have a tendency to favor playing old stuff ;D

I'll be sure to post screenshots next year with each title.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on March 19, 2023, 02:21:35 pm

They count Mario Kart Tour on mobile devices as the 9th Mario Kart game now. So that fills the gap for Mario Kart games. Both 8 and Tour are fine, but neither are as good (or fair) as Double Dash was back on Gamecube. I've yet to see an MK as good.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on March 31, 2023, 05:45:36 pm

Double Dash was the last MK i enjoyed before touching 8 (didn't get a chance to thoroughly play DS, and Wii was very blah). The kart designs were ugly, but the track design and 2-in-1 kart multiplayer were good stuff.

There's such an avalanche of great titles coming out this year. I wonder if i should even bother picking up Advance Wars when it's so close to the release of BotW 2.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 01, 2023, 09:00:52 am

The problem with MK8 (unless fixed in MK8 Deluxe) is they took the worst feature of the previous several Mario Karts, and made it worse. Over time, the prevalance of the Blue Shell has greatly increased. In Double Dash it was maybe a 20% chance it would show up if you were in the lead a third or halfway through final lap. In DS and Wii it was maybe 60%. In MK8 it is a 100% chance. In other words, the only way to win is to NOT be leading halfway through the final lap, and be far enough behind the leader to avoid the blue shell explosion and then skip ahead to win the race in the final 10 seconds. It punishes good play, so you have to play less than your best and gimmick the system just to win. That concept got old very quickly and why I stopped playing it.

MK Tour isn't as bad about the Blue Shell, but the bots do crazy things like cut across the terrain, drive straight through your kart, or your shells go straight through them - all to cheat you out of a win. I stopped playing it not because it punished good play, but becuase good play wasn't even good enough to win - the game simply decided beforehand that you could not win, so as to prevent you from getting free gacha and making you pay for it instead.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 05, 2023, 07:04:59 am

Serious admissions from Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's Xbox Division this week:

• Failure to properly advertise or set expectations for Redfall prior to its release resulted in critical disapproval and poor preorder sales.
• Xbox One had poor direction and a weak exclusives library, causing it to lose gamers to PS4 and Switch.
• Ownership (not giveaway or rental) of digital games established PS4 and Switch as leaders of the digital game market, putting Xbox X/S in too weak of a position to recover against PS5. Players loved GamePass, but it gave away too many games and Xbox players had little incentive to purchase more.
• Regardless of how good Starfield is, Xbox X/S will never catch PS5.

Phil Spencer remains employed as head of Microsoft's Xbox Division...

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 12, 2023, 05:41:18 pm

MS is getting clowned on hard these days. You know it's dire when chart shattering games like Halo aren't lighting up the charts anymore.

I like Phil as a person, but his incessant push for Game Pass has really driven MS into a hole i'm not sure they can get out of easily. The company seems hellbent on trying to make Game Pass a thing, but your typical consumer doesn't buy that many games a year to justify the somewhat low subscription price of Game Pass.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 12, 2023, 09:25:01 pm

Its not that Xbox is missing chart shattering games (which is true), its that all of them are Nintendo or Playstation exclusives, especially in the last year or so.

PS5 is now outselling Xbox X/S by more than a 2-to-1 margin, and its been rapidly accelerating since God of War Ragnorok launched and Sony stopped sitting on its own inventory (approximately month 24 on below chart)
(https://www.vgchartz.com/articles_media/images/march-2023-sales-16-2.png)
Courtesy VGChartz.com, data through March 2023 (month 29)

Things are so bad that some of the studios are bucking the trend and making previously Series X/S-only games Xbox One compatible just to try to salvage sales with a larger existing market. Turn10 is doing it with Forza Motorsport. And even Microsoft themselves are doing it with Hellblade II. They know, two and half years after launch, there just aren't enough Series X/S units out there to be profitable, and maybe won't ever be. They need a Killer App to get back in the race - GamePass saved their bacon a few years ago but I don't know what other tricks they have up their sleeves short of just giving away the hardware.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 23, 2023, 09:41:14 am

Rumors are starting to swirl that Xbox division is hemorrhaging money and may start selling ad space within their e-store, on the main page, or even within their first and second party exclusive games in order to recoup costs.

Not only is the console not selling as well as they'd hoped, they aren't selling enough games to offset the hardware cost. Though its not uncommon for a new console to run "in the red" for a year or two, the Series X/S is two and half now and doesn't appear to be turning anymore of a profit than the Xbox One did - and maybe less because the base hardware is more expensive. It is typical that 10-15% of video game sales price goes the hardware manufacturer, so Microsoft is counting on a specific number of $8-$10 per new game sales to break even, and apparently aren't reaching that number. Playstation 5 is equally expensive but its selling more than enough games now to start making Sony some serious money. This is a major reason why the failure of Redfall to meet sales expectations was met with some disdain in Redmond.

The real bother is that you have to have an account to play games on newer consoles and almost all of them are connected to internet. So ads on consoles can take advantage of built-in user tracking and ad customization. Unlike a PC's browser, where you can go into privacy mode, or block cookies and stuff, a console likely wouldn't give these choices.

My best guess is its going to come down to a decision to either add the ads or increase the cost of GamePass (or both) because it doesn't sound like Xbox is profitable enough to keep going another 4-5 years at current pace before the next generation.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 24, 2023, 06:35:28 pm

Since Sony isn't attending E3 or Summer Game Fest in a few weeks, today was their big broadcast of the year.

You can watch the video here. Skip to 50 minutes to begin the content.

A solid meh. They did the Nintendo/Apple one-last-thing right with a long preview of the first several minutes of gameplay of Spider-Man 2, but otherwise not so impressive. In fact, Sony advertised it as a wealth of new IP, and except for some of their hardware, there wasn't much new, as more than half the games presented were sequels (most to games I'd never heard of the first time around)


Games to maybe pay attention to:

Phantom Blade 0 - It looks to capitalizing on Ghost of Tsushima's success - maybe a bit too similar though. Potential dark horse GOTY nominee if the pieces fall into place.

FoamStars - This is SquareEnix's crack at trying to solve the Splatoon formula, with a team shooter that doesn't take itself too seriously and a surfing mechanic to quickly cross terrain. The main differences are human characters and colored soap bubble shooters instead of squid kids shooting colored ink. Some of the stages seem similarly humorous though, like a giant roulette table.

The Plucky Squire - Not PS exclusive (on all platforms) but has a nice Super Mario Odyssey effect of transitioning crayon-like cartoon characters from flat surfaces into the real 3D world. Its designed by the art director for Pokemon Sword & Shield so it has some pedigree and a possible nominee for indie game of the year.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater - Remake of MGS3 for PS5. It'll certainly look good enough and the series has a strong following so its almost a sure thing. (Doesn't interest me though)

Final Fantasy XVI - SquareEnix's biggest release of the year. Though I have to agree with the tagline that "the crystals have shaped their destiny long enough". Its time for the Final Fantasy series (and Creative Business Unit 3) to stop giving us stories that focus on restoring crystals to save a dying world.

Assassin's Creed: Mirage - Ubisoft wisely decided to reverse the decision to pump out a new AC game every year, as quality badly suffered in the last several. This one looks better and maybe puts the series back on track. If not, maybe its time for Ubisoft to walk away from the series and spend their money elsewhere. Might see more at Summer Game Fest.

Street Fighter 6 - Another series with a big following. And story mode actually looks intriguing. (Not going to buy myself, but I can see how it's got SF fans excited.)

Marathon - Bungie's newest FPS game, or rather, a complete remake of one of their first games. Bungie's track record is best in the business (even better than Nintendo or Rare's), so a lot has to go wrong for this to not be a hit. Savvy movie by Sony Interactive to buy them up last year. The game will release for Xbox, too, but any future addons or sequels are probably PS5/PC exclusives. Microsoft might get future Call of Duties, but Sony will get future Marathons.

Spider-Man 2 - The first was GOTY. This one is a likely nominee. The graphics of New York City look spectacular. I worry there is too much going on in the screen though with too much focus on the button timing mechanic. Great visuals don't matter so much when player has to focus on one area of the screen for a prompt of which button to press. It's giving me the vibes that it might be a better game to watch someone else play the game than to play the game yourself, which would certainly hurt its GOTY potential.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 09, 2023, 07:03:21 am

Summer Game Fest day 1 recap:

Mortal Kombat 1
Wait, one again? Continuing the trend of video game producers to not know how to count properly, we're now rebooting the series back to one for the second time (following 2011's first reboot.) I gotta admit, it looks pretty bad ass, especially as cameo players jump in for some punches, but some of the fatalities are way over the top. Turning a half second event into this grand ten to fifteen second spectacle hasn't worked since FF7 made a similar 'upgrade' over FF6's for summonings. Looks neat the first time or two, but so damn long most players will just want to get on with the game.

Street Fighter 6 DLC
An Exoprimal crossover is not what anyone had in mind, and looks very dumb next to Mortal Kombat. In what reality is it smart to make cyborgs out of Ryu and Guile and have them fight dinosaurs? That's right: DINOSAURS in Street Fighter! No wonder Capcom wouldn't release details to people who ordered the season pass, I think they knew there would be a lot of very angry players.

Sonic Superstars
I think its a great idea for Sonic to go back to its 2D roots. The latest games have not been anything special. Its just never been as appealing in 3D as 2D. Its still 3D rendered so he can do neat stuff and do some 3D loops and stuff but plays like a 2D platformer. Of course Mario did this first, but Ill give credit to Sonic Team for finally adjusting. I do hope there is ability to change graphics from modern 2023 to classic 1990s style on pause screen like in Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. They teased it at start and end of the trailer but seemed doubtful that it is a real feature.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Are they really changing a major event - maybe THE most major event - in the storyline? That is quite the bold move if true and sets up the final act in the trilogy to play out differently than the original. As the final third of original is quite dull compared to the first two, that may be exactly what they have in mind - to mix things up and generate interest. It would set up the final act as a must-play game of 2027 just to see how things turn out. Of course, the bad news in the trailer was the release date slipping out of the holiday season and into early 2024. PS5 is now without its marquee Christmas release, which is a major win for Nintendo.


I didn't really care about other games covered day 1 (like Alan Wake II.) I was watching a bit later than live so kept skipping through games that didn't register with me. If you saw something exciting, talk about it and maybe I'll go back to watch that bit.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 22, 2023, 03:44:20 am

What an odd Direct. Buncha indies and some stellar Mario games. Very happy to see Mario RPG is back from the grave. The original remains my favorite across all the Mario RPG franchises (that includes Paper and M&L), so this is definitely a day 1 purchase for me. I've never touched a NSMB game since i find them visually bland, but for the first time i find myself intrigued in a modern 2D Mario with Mario Wonder. The graphics really pop out, and the characters are very expressive.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 24, 2023, 07:14:59 am

First NSMB is pretty good, but really on the hard side which is atypical for a Mario game (SMB1 or SMB3 level of unforgiving difficulty in some areas, not the easy stuff that came after.) They introduced a lot of stages with alternate exists that could only be reached if you stayed Tiny Mario almost the entire way through the level without any powerups.

NSMB Wii was really good, but broken in multiplayer. A fair challenge with one player and stage design that reminded me of SMW, but the fact you get turned into a balloon when KO'd that can be saved by the other players in multiplayer so nearly infinite lives. An advanced player can help novices along though, so fun if playing with a child. (I played some stages with my cousin's kids to get them past a fortress they'd been stuck on.)

NSMB2 is probably the worst SMB game. Its whole gimmick was collecting coins so the worldwide tally could be posted to Nintendo's website, so coins are all over the place and distract from good gameplay. Some stages are entirely coins with no enemies at all. It also wanted each player to collect a million coins to acquire all unlockables, but a full playthrough was maybe 30-40,000 coins, so the game was basically asking for over 25 playthroughs to 100% it, which is complete nonsense.

I don't remember NSMBU as anything memorable. I'm sure I beat it, but haven't ever replayed it. I think it was too easy. (And Super Mario 3D World came out the next year and completely overshadowed it.)

Super Luigi U is the complete opposite. It takes the NSMBU game and stages but makes them incredibly hard. Like a callback to SMB hacks or precursor to Mario Maker stages people have made with sinister intent. They sold this game for everyone but really should have labeled it better for expert players only. In today's world, it would have been DLC because as a standalone game it was terrible and probably had a high trade-in rate because of its over the top difficulty.

I am appreciating that the background elements change in Wonder - pipes squeezing and giving Mario a lift, or the trees stretching and shrinking with Mario's body to match gives some great new gameplay mechanics. Looks like high potential for fun. I'd have dropped the Bros part from the name though and just gone Super Mario Wonder, like Sunshine and Odyssey did.

I'm not sure the dog does enough to make Pikmin 4 much different from the previous four games. The nighttime exploration and Glow Pikmin might but they really didn't show off enough of this in the Direct. They're giving out a demo though, which is definitely the right thing to do because I don't think many people under 25 really know or appreciate Pikmin. If you had a Gamecube, you probably love Pikmin. If you didn't, its just another Nintendo IP.

I'm not into Warioware, but the motion control stuff looks like it would be more fun than just button presses like all the DS/3DS games were. I never thought this series was worth much advertisment until now.

Super Mario RPG excites me. I started the SNES game but never finished it. Everyone says its great though and I'd love to see it with all the new graphics and cut scenes.

The new Super Princess Peach game has me intrigued if its a proper (and long-overdue) sequel to Super Princess Peach, but I don't think it is. I think they're going for something different. I'd have a better feel for it being a sequel if they had DS games on Nintendo Switch Online or some kind of digital remake like they were doing with Pikmin 1+2.

I've already said that Sonic Superstars going back to 2D roots was exactly what the series needed after a half dozen ho-hum games.

I'm a big Dragon Quest fan, but not so much on the Monster series because they mostly either used unique characters and settings unrelated to other games, or characters people in the west didn't know or care about (like Terry from DQ6, before DQ6 was localized.) The Dark Prince gives a major backstory element to Psaro, a tragic antagonist of DQ4 that every Dragon Quest fan knows about. Its even got the DQ4 hero showing up so the stories overlap. Plus its coming December 1, which is great since just a month ago the DQ twitter teased a new Monsters game for 2024, meaning its coming earlier than expected and fills in the gap at Christmas.

Shocked Everybody 1-2 Switch! was entirely absent from the Direct. Not interested in it myself, but Nitnendo rarely misses a chance to advertise a game about to release. They not only did, but the WarioWare: Move It! game looks like it stole all its thunder for quick minigame gimmicks.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 29, 2023, 12:18:54 am

Made a top 30 list since it seems to be the rage right now on social media (actually top 25, but i added another row ;D)

You can use this site to make a list -- https://topsters.org (https://topsters.org)

There's no specific order to my list btw. Structured it by genre mostly.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 29, 2023, 06:09:30 pm

Bionic Commando making the list...

(applause)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 01, 2023, 05:34:29 pm

So when are we gonna see your list ;D

Quote from: JG on September 29, 2023, 06:09:30 pm

Bionic Commando making the list...

(applause)

There are other great platformer run-n-guns i could name, but the grappling mechanic of BC puts it above the rest. The remake, ReArmed, is also great, but the pixel art graphics of the NES original makes it an easier choice for me to go back to.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 06, 2023, 03:13:50 pm

We're about two weeks out form the big Black Friday sales, so time again to start talking gaming deals.

So far, the only notable deal is Amazon selling Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope for a cool $20.

Target is doing their typically Buy Two Get One Free deal though, which is nice if there's three relatively new and full-priced games on your list, but otherwise nothing special.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 10, 2023, 07:58:44 am

Apparently you'll be able to get a PS5 with Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty Modern Warfare III thrown in for free, or Xbox X with Modern Warfare III as well this season. At least this is what Best Buy is offering this weekend so others likely to match if its not a Sony and Microsoft combo deal meant to be available everywhere.

Best Buy is also offering PS5 DualSense controllers for only $50 this weekend and through the Black Friday week.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 12, 2023, 08:03:27 am

Target is now running the same PS5 with Spider-Man 2 or Madern Warfare III deal for $500 and DualSense controllers for $50, so as expected, its likely the same deal everywhere.

Also offering a $15 Playstation card if you buy $100, but that's not such a great deal unless you need a PS Plus refresh and a digital game.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 13, 2023, 11:04:20 am

Costco will be selling Backbone One Playstation Edition for iPhones for $75 (that's 25% off) with an additional $25 Playstation Store emailed redemption code. That basically makes it half price to stream PS4 and PS5 games to your phone with accurate button labels.

No idea if they'll sell Android models as well, but I suspect not. Most likely these are iPhone 14 and older Lightning connector models, since Apple was finally forced to adapt to supranational standards (ie, USB-C) with the new iPhone 15 (and no one wanted to spend extra money for an Apple-proprietary connector that doesn't charge anything else anyway.) Since USB-C models have a future and Lightning models don't, this could be Costco's way to unload the Lightning models.

Deal good November 20-27 but you have to be a Costco member. Potentially Walmart/Sams or Amazon will match.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 14, 2023, 11:26:02 am

GameStop is now or will soon be offering some pre-Black Friday game discounts, in addition to the PS5 and DualSense discounts that seem to be ubiquitious. Some games seem to be on sale now, while others are in the ad but not discounted (yet.)

• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD [Switch] - $29.99
• Pokemon Shining Pearl [Switch] - $29.99
• Octopath Traveler II [Switch] - $29.99
• Forspoken [PS5] - $17.50
• Elden Ring [PS4] - $19.99
• Saints Row: Criminal Custom Edition [Xbox] - $5
• Tales of Arise [PS4] - $5

Shipping from GameStop is always obscene ($79 minimum order), but ordering online and picking up in store is currently carrying an additional $5 discount. I'm going to be picking up Forspoken for only $12.50 plus tax today.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 17, 2023, 01:49:21 pm

Most of the big ads are out now. We're still waiting on GameStop's normal Black Friday ad though. Amazon is opting not to tip their hand on gaming deals but being entirely digital they can throw something up next week and will likely match many of these.

Best Buy

• Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope Cosmic Edition [Switch] - $15
• God of War Ragnarok [PS5] - $35
• God of War Ragnarok [PS4] - $30
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor [PS5 or Xbox X] - $35
• Final Fantasy XVI [PS5] - $40
• Diablo IV [PS5] - $50

Wal-Mart is clearly hedging their gaming bets for early in the week, and delaying their big sales to start Wednesday. It's unclear from their ad if the discounts are only good Wednesday, or only start then and are available through the weekend. (Probably continues through the weekend or until out of stock.) In any case, surrendering Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to competitors is not such a great idea unless you've got a better price.

• Backbone One (all models, including USB-C) - $69, November 22
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom [Switch] - $52, all week
• Luigi's Mansion 3 [Switch] - $40, all week
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor [PS5] - $35, all week
• Kirby's Return to Dreamland [Switch] - $30, November 22
• Hogwart's Legacy [PS5] - $40, November 22
• God of War Ragnarok [PS4] - $30, November 22
• Mortal Kombat 1 [PS5] - $40, November 22
• Super Mario Odyssey [Switch] - $30, November 22
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Switch] - $30, November 22
• Street Fighter 6 [PS5] - $30, November 22

Target is pushing the Xbox consoles hard. But the ad is confusing about what is the better deal.

• Xbox Series X - $450, plus $75 Target gift card
• Xbox Series X with Diablo IV - $450, plus $75 Target gift card (which seems like the better deal, but why priced the same? Maybe this is the lesser hard drive model?)
• Kirby's Return to Dreamland [Switch] - $30
• Luigi's Mansion 3 [Switch] - $40
• Sonic Superstars [Switch] - $35
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor [PS5] - $35
• Mortal Kombat 1 [PS5] - $40
• Final Fantasy XVI [PS5] - $40
• Hogwart's Legacy [PS5] - $40

Target just got egg on face for using page area to specifically highlight prices for Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey at $40, when Walmart has them beat by $10 on each. They do beat Wal-Mart on Sonic Superstars price by $5, and being a newer game is a slight win for Target's ad. Both of them fall flat on Sparks of Hope though, offering the basic game at $20 when Best Buy's Cosmic Edition with extra weapon skins is cheaper by $5. Best Buy also beats them by $5 on PS5 God of War Ragnarok as well. Wal-Mart's lone win is Street Fighter 6 PS5 at $10 cheaper than Best Buy.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on November 27, 2023, 01:35:12 pm

SquareEnix games are usually discounted heavily at Black Friday - but not so much this year, with recent games like FF7 Remake and Kingdom Hearts 3 not discounted at all after seeing deep discounts last year.

But they're discounting some games today, and the deals are available several places (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.) Maybe some more than these.

• Final Fantasy XVI [PS5] - $35
• Dragon Quest Treasures [Switch] - $29
• Dragon Quest XI S [Switch Digital] - $35
• Dragon Quest Builders [Switch Digital] - $35
• Dragon Quest Builders 2 [Switch Digital] - $35

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2023, 12:18:01 pm

Last day of the year, so it is, once again, time for the 2023 Year in Gaming recap.

Because of one singular game, my relocation to a new city, and major Dragon Builders 2 project, I only made time for a few new games this year. Hope to do better next year now that these three things are behind me.

6. Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer (Switch): D-
This looked fun, but it is actually very hard and unforgiving, even with the beat turned off. I couldn't tolerate more than an hour or so before I got too frustrated with easy death. As much as I love Zelda games, the free Nintendo Switch Online Game Trial told me all I need to know that this game is not for me.

5. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince (Switch): D+
I only played the demo, but its sufficient long that I think it qualifies as a fair test of the game. I was incredibly psyched for this game when the trailer premiered in the June Nintendo Direct: a Psaro backstory! But boy does it disappoint. The graphics for both characters and environments are a huge step back from other Dragon Quest titles: worse than DQ11, Treasures, and the Heroes games and comparable to the Builders or other spin-off series. The battles are also slow to develop and there's too many of them, making navigating the wilds between one area and another more of a chore than an adventure. The demo didn't advance the story in the 5 or 6 hours I played as much as I'd hoped and ends before introducing either of the two big baddies that are mentioned but never seen, or the third character in the party: the humorously named, Toilen Trubble. Speaking to other DQ fans, the demo seems to have done more damage than good, as I wasn't the only one who was turned from "probable preorder" into "wait and see". Given its self-published by SquareEnix and not co-published with Nintendo, there's a very good chance it comes down in price rapidly through 2024, so I'll probably be able to pick it up again later and not pay full price for a so-so game.
 
4. Franken RPG (PC): C
Easy and very short (less than one hour) with some funny inside jokes. It has a sappy ending though that is way too long (about a quarter of the game's length is the ending sequence.) If you've got an hour and just want something free and stupid to play, this will do.

3. Super Mario RPG (Switch): B-
An overdue remake of the original. Some nice new features to make combat more tolerable, but aside from updated graphics that's it. Its still very short and really could have benefited from a bit of the FF7 Remake style with added side quests or challenges. I'm not certain it provides a long enough adventure to really dictate a $60 (USD) price in today's market. If I wanted to play an RPG, $60 is much better spent on something like the Xenoblade series, which are ten times as long.

2. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch): B
A fine Super Mario Bros 2D entry, somewhere between the brutal single-player New SMB game and the easy NSMB2 and multiplayer Wii and U games. Every stage having something whimsical is a nice way to prevent the stages from becoming repetitive and the use of both bubbling and undamageable characters gives novices a chance to play with more skilled players. Unfortunately, I found the stages either far too easy, far too short, or just aggravatingly hard - which is indicative of poor playtesting and balance.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch): A
Nearly perfect but a few really "Ugh" moments. Some of the puzzles should have been harder, or developers blocking cheating them with smaller doors, corners in hallways, or other restrictive means to avoid bringing items with you from one area to the next to make things easier. The difficulty seems to generally scale downwards as well as you acquire more companions when it should go the other way. There should have been a better homing device for finding wells and caves, as only guides and maps can truly help a player find them all. Hyrule felt big enough without adding both sky and the Depths - you can really get sidetracked dozens of hours between tasks. The long loading pause (over a second) that occurs when falling from overworld to Depths is rather disturbing - BotW didn't have this happen and was designed for the lesser Wii U hardware, so seeing it happen on Switch is a sign that engine improvements were not made to account for more capable hardware. Overall, longer and more interesting battles than Breath of the Wild offered, but not as solid of a story or adventure as BotW. BotW shares top billing in the series with games like Ocarina of Time, but TotK is going to have to settle for second tier because of the rough edges that weren't fully smoothed out to make for a more compact and enjoyable experience.


Most Looking Forward to in 2024:

• The Plucky Squire (TBD) - This is my most anticipated title of 2024: it looks cute, looks like it plays well, and expands upon the Link Between Worlds idea of jumping out of bounds of the normal environment. I keep hoping for some news on release date to better plan the year.
• Princess Peach: Showtime! (March 22) - I'm hoping this has some fun gameplay like the excellent Super Princess Peach. SPP has been long overdue for a sequel and if this doesn't measure up it will be a huge-missed opportunity and let down on behalf of Nintendo, who only seems interesting in letting the guys do all the hero work. If it ends up being a very basic game with cosplay dress-up as the hallmark feature then Nintendo should expect a lot of hate mail. It's almost certain we'll see more in a Nintendo Direct between now and mid-March to get a better idea but so far it's on my potential pre-order list.
• Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (TBD) - If it has new features. If it's merely a port like Super Mario RPG then I'll be greatly disappointed. It's a great game - to the point that almost everyone who has played all the Mario RPG games are in near-universal agreement that Thousand Year Door is the best of the bunch. People who missed it on GameCube should get it for Switch, but don't expect me to buy it without additional features: I still have the original.
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (February 29) - still on the list from last year, since it didn't make it into 2023; very strong chance I don't buy until later in the year though, perhaps Black Friday or something depending on timing of other releases
• Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory (out now) - surprise unannounced release just before Christmas, I had thought this game all but cancelled. But it does exist and I remember the Paranoia RPG tabletop game being slapstick comedy at its highest so I'll probably give it a shot when it runs a big discount after a few months.
• Tinykin (out now) - I just bought this a few days ago in Steam's winter sale so haven't had a chance to try it yet but it's been on my agenda for about two years.
• Pikmin 4 (out now) - I'm kind of waiting for this one to come down in price a bit, or my calendar to clear up to warrant full price. I enjoyed the previous Pikmin games, I just haven't had the time to squeeze in this one yet. (And Tinykin is so similar I may have to sit on Pikmin 4 a while longer.)

Rumors/Things we did see come true in 2023:

• Super Mario Bros. Wonder - I had mentioned in last year's review that 2023 would mark six years between mainline Mario series games, and we'd never gone to seven before. Sure enough, we got one in 2023.

Rumors/Things I want to see come true in 2024:

• New Nintendo Hardware - All signs pointing to 2024 finally being the year. If not then they might well allow Sony back into competition for first place.
• Metroid Prime 4 - This has been on the list for a while, but with new hardware on the horizon and both Mario and Zelda out of the picture as a launch title, a Metroid game might well be the perfect solution (barring a new Smash Bros title.) If hardware launches without either Metroid Prime 4 or a Super Smash Bros entry then I don't have any idea what Nintendo is expecting.
• Dragon Quest Builders 3 - Hopes are getting faint. The five year anniversary passed not long ago and still no word from SquareEnix on a sequel to arguably the best spin-off game they've ever made (at the very least, the one with the longest standing appeal) But as time goes by and we get closer to Dragon Quest XII, hopes diminish. Given how horrible the reviews for Infinity Strash were, and good sales but generally unimpressive reviews for The Dark Prince, SquareEnix's DQ team really should get back to doing a game that is a near certainty to out-sell and out-review them both.
• Dragon Quest XII News - Speaking of which... Its now been two a an half years with no screenshots, concept art, or anything. For the previous several mainline Dragon Quests, this process started well over two years in advance of release. Either SquareEnix is keeping a much tighter lid on things this time, or is expecting us to wait until 2026, which is disaster. At this point, a 2024 release seems unlikely, but we gotta get some news to calm fears as the DQ line is not looking very strong of late.
• Dragon Quest X Offline English/European Localization - This would certainly solve the above problem. And it seems more possible now than this time last year, thanks to the Korean Playstation store leaking Korean and Chinese ports were coming some months ago. Since it would be an atrocious backstab to translate to Korean and Chinese but not English as twice promised already, if that leak was true then North America and Europe should finally see DQX in 2024, correcting a multi-year title gap and solving the confusing parts of DQ11 and Treasures that make callbacks to DQ10 that western players don't understand.
• Kid Icarus: Uprising Remake or Sequel - More of a personal wish than practical expectation. But as time goes by it seems Kid Icarus, along with F-Zero, have just been retired by Nintendo. (And so Pit and Captain Falcon should also be dropped from the next Smash Bros game roster if they will have no new games, or at minimum moved to paid DLC if inclusion is absolutely required.)

The Annual "Let's Not Do This Again" Award:
Bogus year-end-reviews from the game companies. What started as a neat reminder a few years back has become something of an annual tradition. And that's great, when its accurate. Nintendo seems to have done a good job with it this year - accurate for my playtimes and I only knew one friend who complained a gametime reported as 50 hours should have been 60, which seems close enough to simply be misremembering. But my oh my, the other guys. Playstation, for the second year in a row, was off by hundreds of hours, which totally obliterates any measures shown in the charts. And Steam, despite getting the hours played correct, butchered their own charts by not ranking games equally. You can't tell me that the six factors I enjoyed the most, with the top three that so overwhelm the bottom three and come from one game that was played for only 12% of the time, while those bottom three factors were from another game comprising 88% of game time. Thats proof positive that game A's factors are valued at 15-20 times as much as game B. Shouldn't an hour of Game A equal an hour of game B? If you're recording hours to base your charts on, it certainly should. And yet doesn't. And the fact that someone at Steam had to purposely set these factors for each game indicates full knowledge that games aren't valued equally, which is purposely misleading your customers. And if any of that valuation is being used to promote sales or provide discounts to certain game companies making certain games, that's called fraud and could lead to serious legal trouble. So next year, lets knock it off with this stupid non-useful information. Playstation needs to get their hours recorded correct and Steam needs to treat all games equally. If you can't do it right, don't do it at all.


Payoff of the Year:
Nintendo taking the time to get the physics engine of Tears of the Kingdom right. Besides the free falling being far superior to Skyward Sword and good use in a few very clever and fun Shrines, the ability to glue lots of pieces together to make gigantic vehicles and weapons of doom was just fantastic. Tell me you didn't watch at least one video this year of the crazy contraptions people were building in TotK. This got more buzz for the game than any amount of positive reviews. (And yet, God of War series wins GotY again with a rather meager physics engine and nothing that really separates it from the previous entry.)


Backfire of the Year:
Sure enough, the decision to delay Starfield to late 2023 doomed the Xbox Series S/X to last place in the console races. While Switch continued to crush and PS5 moved merrily along with its discounted God of War Ragnarok bundle though the second half, Xbox kept struggling despite a marquee game. Things got so bad that now Microsoft has significantly cut the price of the X, just to get some sales and stay relevant. No one is buying Xbox hardware, and thus no one is buying Xbox software and so Microsoft is losing out on license fees. There are now about twice as many PS5s and Xbox S and Xs, which is an insurmountable lead. Face it Microsoft: it's time to get off the dance floor and follow Sega's lead into the software-only gaming business.


Moment of the Year:
Personally it was completing my project island for DQB2, a project that lasted nearly two years. But beyond that probably hearing the news my nephew was going to get a Switch for Christmas. Despite me not being much of a multiplayer gamer, it will give me the chance to play some games with him remotely and become his gaming tutor of sorts. We're still working on the specifics of which games (Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart seem most likely) but this will give us a chance to play together since we don't see each other as often as I'd like.


What will 2023 most be remembered for? (Besides key games):
The end of E3. The organizers of E3 acknowledged that it won't be coming back in 2024, or ever again. The cancellations due to COVID and poor organization in the few years since to put together a suitable streaming solution caused all the big players to move over to Summer Game Fest, which has already basically replaced E3. What was once the year's biggest show-and-tell in gaming is now done. I only hope that Sony and Nintendo can now reengage and make SGF what E3 used to be when all the big players were present. Nintendo and Sony never missed an E3 until COVID. Nintendo had a great show every year, laying out its holiday plans and sharing the majority of its secrets in the pre-Direct days. And its where Sony had the infamous "Two-ninety-nine" mic drop that all but ruined Sega. E3 will be missed.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 01, 2024, 10:32:50 am

Once again, the Playstation State of Play was a total dud. Neat to see a few sequels, and more content of few sort-of-neat games like Rise of Ronin, but nothing to really get excited about. Very bleh and a far cry from the excellence Nintendo usually brings.

And Nintendo got the last laugh anyway, with Sakurai-san's video requesting game companies get on with showing real gameplay and knock it off with these off-system generated movies and attempts to replicate movie trailers, something Sony's been (wrongly) doing for nearly 30 years. If someone goes to a movie theater, they want to see pretty pictures and be wowed, and almost everything they see will be in the promoted movie. It is passive participation. But when people want to play a game, they wish they could hold the controller in their hands and see what that looks like. They are still passive, but game companies need to include them to feel as active as possible in the trailers. And potential buyers absolutely do not need to see video clips that aren't even in the game. It doesn't help market the game at all: all it does is market how good the CG is for the trailers. Don't sell the CG, sell the game. Sakurai-san just held out his arm, and Sony waked face first into his fist.

Death Stranding 2 had way too little gameplay to see what was different from the first game. Dave the Diver only had 11 seconds of it, all from PC, in its 69 second trailer. Judas, despite being from the creator of the excellent BioShock series went over a minute into its trailer before gameplay was shown. I don't know if any gameplay was actually shown for Zenless Zone Zero in its minite-long trailer.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 07, 2024, 04:48:29 pm

I thought the State of Play was fine for what it is. I'm happy to finally see Until Dawn leave the PS4 platform with a remaster on PC and PS5. Been hearing so many horror fans rave about that game over the years that's it made me very curious. I'm kinda meh on the Silent Hill 2 remake. The original still looks good today, and everything i've seen from the remake looks like a very questionable reinterpretation.

I've watched a few of Sakurai's videos. They're incredibly informative as someone who's trying to get into game development.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 21, 2024, 11:36:31 am

Another dud Direct. I don't know what Nintendo is doing here. Missed Everybody 1+2 Switch last year, now skipping highlights of Mario vs Donkey King and Princess Peach: Showtime in Directs. Do they even want to sell their own games?

And the lineup for today's Switch entries was not all that exciting. I guess the Monster Hunters Stories game may be okay but graphics not improved all that much over 3DS and doesn't look anything close to more modern Monster Hunter games. Epic Mickey had potential to nail it but the phrasing "faithful remake" tells me its going to be as absurdly hard as the original, so it's again going to overshoot its target audience (children) who find the game just too damn difficult as it was on Wii. And Fantasy Life i was way too far off (October 10) to be in a spring Direct (and yes, its the same 10/10 release in Japan, so its not a matter of being in western Direct to coincide with an earlier date in the Japanese direct.) Fantasy Life i was showcased already last year, so it indicates something has gone wrong in development to introduce such a delay - and now we're likely to see it show up in a third direct later this year. I'm also miffed that Plucky Squire never showed up indicating its also run into some kind of development delay to push it until second half, too. Some other games like Penny's Big Breakaway and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble, and South Park may be moderate successes, but Directs are usually anchored by a major hit, and this one came up empty. I don't know what the expectation for Endless Ocean: Luminous is, but it sure doesn't look like an anchor hit to me. Princess Peach Showtime and Thousand Year Door look like they're much higher sellers. If Pokemon Direct on the 27th offers the rumored Gen 5 remakes, or Let's Go sequels, they'll also far outsell Endless Ocean.

And the anger at the Japanese developers is increasing. Japanese Direct did indeed get a preview of Dragon Quest X Online: The Door to the Future and the Sleeping Girl while we still have no word on Dragon Quest X Offline localizations. And Nintendo shot themselves in the foot by announcing Mother 3 was coming to the Japanese Nintendo Switch Online set, a game highly desired for translation in the west for even longer than DQ X, and Nintendo supposed promised years ago they wouldn't touch the series again or port the game without a formal translation.

Grounded led off the show and Pentiment showed up later, and these are Xbox Game Studios games. R.C. Pro Am, Snake Rattle n Roll, Battletoads, Killer Instinct, and Blast Corps are all Rare games and Rare is now a subsidiary of Xbox Game Studios. So it seems all but certain Xbox Game Studios is going to start porting over many games to Switch and Switch successor hardware (like the recent Battletoads reboot), and maybe even make new unique games specific to Switch. I'm going out on a limb, but I suspect a Killer Instinct game for the successor hardware is under development. Microsoft may not find much success challenging series like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and King of Fighters on their own hardware, but Nintendo hardware is much more viable territory for a lesser known fighting game series, especially with Smash Bros Ultimate aging out and no apparent sequel on the way. Killer Instinct as a new hardware launch title has some potential. Its a genre Nintendo probably doesn't have in their launch lineup and a good opportunity for Rare/Xbox to reboot the franchise.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on February 26, 2024, 05:50:55 pm

Pretty meh Direct overall. Unicorn Overlord was the highlight for me, with the demo being shadowdropped was a nice surprise. Ending the Direct with Endless Ocean was an interesting choice. I remember that series being a cult hit, but it's been well over a decade since the previous entry. I'm not the audience for that game, but i do appreciate the sentiment of Nintendo continually giving these somewhat obscure franchises new life.

It's strange that Nintendo has made profile pics for Earthbound Beginnings available on NSO. Cool game, but it feels rather random when their new games like Princess Peach Showtime or Another Code aren't getting any pics.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on February 27, 2024, 02:54:44 pm

They don't provide avatar picture choices until the game is out. Princess Peach will almost assuredly have some once it releases. I can't explain Another Code as well, but maybe it just doesn't have enough variety people would recognize, to make for a good avatar picture set. The main character girl is about the only one most people could recognize.

Should point out the avatars sets are, I think, shared between Japan and the west. So with the Japanese getting Mother 3 dropped onto their NSO selection, an avatar set for Mother 1 makes a lot of sense.

I'm not against Nintendo giving obscure franchises new life. I am against them thinking its a magic bullet to solve the calendar void that's rapidly approaching. It sure doesn't look like a million seller to me. After Princess Peach Showtime and the games from the direct are out, we're left with Fantasy Life i in October and Thousand Year Door somewhere in second half, and not a lot else because the plan was always for them to close out the current hardware slate. With the news that the successor hardware is being delayed from October/November to March(-ish) and most likely taking the launch game slate with it, and the Pokemon Presents this morning indicating no Switch games for 2024 (no Let's Go sequels or Gen 5 remakes), with Pokemon Legends Z-A a likely successor hardware launch or near-launch title, then Nintendo's really got a mess on their hands trying to figure out the holiday season this year. Nintendo needs something a lot better than Endless Ocean to carry the system through the last six months. The rumored Zelda 3D collection or an updated Wind Waker and/or Twilight Princess port may be on tap just to give something heading into the holiday season, unless they delay Thousand Year Door beyond its late summer expectation (which only opens up a similar hole in the fall schedule)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 11, 2024, 05:26:18 pm

My very late GOTY 2023 list. Sorry, meant to post this way, way earlier :embarrassed

10. Metal Max 3 (DS) -- B

9. Blaster Master Zero (PC) -- B
8. King's Field with mouse control hack (PS1) -- B

7. Gimmick! (NES) -- C
6. Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64) -- B

5. Private eye dol  (PC-Engine Super CD-ROM²) -- A
4. Jet Set Radio Future (X-Box) -- A

3. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch) -- A
A pure delight to play from start to finish. Every level having some sort of new gimmick meant I never grew bored. Now, the problem with this is that it scales the game to not be difficult at all, with each level serving as a mini tutorial. Personally, I didn't have a problem with this design and was fine with it being a game i can blast through (final bonus level notwithstanding; it's brutal, although it felt great once i conquered it). That aside, the graphics and animation deserve special mention. I'm happy to see the polygonal Mario universe evolve to be more expressive with its visuals.

2. Street Fighter 6 (PC) -- A
Fighting games usually feel like a beta for at least the first or second year, but SF6 feels like a complete package from top to bottom, and more importantly, has been relatively controversy free when it comes to its game mechanics, the character balance, and the network code. You can't really say that for just for any other new fighter in 2023 and 2024. Capcom has reclaimed its crown as the king of the fighting genre.

1. Wild Guns with mouse control hack (SNES) -- A
A controversial pick for my first choice 'cause it's a game i already played in previous years, but a recent rom hack to add in mouse control completely transformed how i enjoyed the game. No longer being restricted to a dpad for aiming feels incredibly liberating. Despite the huge control upgrade, the game is still very difficult, so it strangely all balances out.


Honorable Mentions:

Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge -- F
Kaizou Choujin Schbibinman Zero -- D
Armored Core -- D
The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes -- D

Michigan: Report from Hell -- C
Jumping Flash! -- C
Kick Master -- C

Gaiapolis -- B
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 27: Panzer Dragoon -- B
Treasure Conflix -- B
Streets of Rage Remake -- B

Anticipated Games:
Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn
Stray Children
Victory Heat Rally
Dragon Quest III remake
Perfect Dark

Biggest Worry:
Game industry layoffs

Favorite New Gadget:
Logitech Lift Vertical Mouse

Best Anime:
Onimai - Onii-chan wa Oshimai!

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 13, 2024, 04:02:19 pm

Was Tears of the Kingdom not played in 2023?

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on April 14, 2024, 12:04:35 am

Decided to pass on Tears due to being so close to SF6's release. Still plan to play it, perhaps when it's enhanced on Switch 2.

Forgot to mention that the games on my list that have a mouse hack, i was able to play with gyro controls. That's the secret sauce that makes me come back to them again and again.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on April 17, 2024, 09:31:07 am

I have to agree with you on the SF6 bit as well. I don't really follow fighting games, but typically, a month or two after release, there's a bajillion posts online about tiers, or which character is busted, or how the recent patch nerfed some overpowered character so they aren't fun anymore, and what not. I didn't see any of this for SF6 so the character roster appears to be very well balanced.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 08, 2024, 09:39:04 am

Microsoft and SquareEnix are taking opposite directions to arrive at the same non-relevance goal.

A short time back, SquareEnix sold off all their western studios, in part to pay for debt incurred by major flops in Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Balan Wonderworld. This has robbed SquareEnix of any insight into western player's likes and dislikes, and as a result their games have generally gotten worse. They are now so Japan-centric they are making bad management decisions based on a Japan-only sales plan, instead of the actuality of a worldwide sales plan. Dragon Quest X Offline being the prime example: a game designed with intent to sell outside of Japan to complement the Online version only available in Japan but yet hasn't left Japan because they don't want to localize it, even though they'd supposedly had it in the original development budget. As a mainline DQ game, its sales are expected to greatly exceed the localization and distribution costs, so no one really knows what the holdup is, except SquareEnix's own admission that it didn't sell as well in Japan as hoped (and expected by everyone else) and hesitant to pull the trigger on the action that would make them money, on the fear of losing more money because they no longer understand (or listen to) their fans in the west.

Microsoft just shuttered a number of their smaller studios, including their lone Japanese studio, TangoGames. So Microsoft Gaming division now has no presence in Japan. They've always had trouble selling Xboxes there, in part because their games are typically for western audiences and don't always get localized to Japanese, but to pull out entirely seems unwise in the wake of SquareEnix's similar troubles in the reverse direction. Microsoft, if they have any intention of continuing to compete in the hardware space, absolutely has to get their Japan sales problem solved. They can't be running at just 1-2% of market share and expect to get the Japanese third party studios to continue to buy-in to making Xbox ports (and recent trends are showing that they indeed aren't.) This worked in the prior two generations because they had a healthy 30-40% of the worldwide market, but now they're dragging at about 10% and I don't think many studios (Japanese or western) think its a worthwhile investment anymore. The real kicker is that one of the highest rated exclusive games for Xbox in the last year and change, Hi-Fi Rush, came from TangoGames, and it was widely assumed it would be one of the previous-Xbox exclusives coming to Switch this year (having just ported to PS5 in March) and was, until this announcement, a favorite to appear in the upcoming June Nintendo Direct. Why Microsoft would close a studio immediately after it's made a hit game that can potentially port to the most popular console is absolutely bizarre thinking.

It seems SquareEnix doesn't want to care about anything but Japan, and Microsoft Gaming doesn't want to care about anything but the west, to the detriment of fans and shareholders. Maybe, just maybe, if SquareEnix continues to flounder and finally goes into bankruptcy, Microsoft can buy them and together they can figure out a solution to each other's woes. (I personally don't want to see Microsoft buy SquareEnix, but can't deny they would make curious bedfellows.)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on May 13, 2024, 02:47:24 pm

SquareEnix released so many games with little to no marketing or poor quality control. Now that there's news that further layoffs are planned (this time at the internal NA & EU branch of Square), it's looking pretty grim, especially the prospects of DQX Offline ever getting localized. It's madness there'll forever be 1 mainline DQ going unlocalized. All that money being thrown around and they couldn't at least localize the game with an installed fanbase in the west.

What even is the point of Xbox anymore? With every exclusive going third-party and Game Pass becoming less of a value with each passing internal studio closure, there's little reason for anyone to have faith in the Xbox brand anymore. Microsoft's only concern lately is seeing their numbers go up, and the only reliable way to do that is to just buy an already hugely successful publisher. It's crazy they couldn't accomplish that with their own ip.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 13, 2024, 06:40:26 pm

Quote from: Moge on May 13, 2024, 02:47:24 pm

SquareEnix released so many games with little to no marketing or poor quality control. Now that there's news that further layoffs are planned (this time at the internal NA & EU branch of Square), it's looking pretty grim, especially the prospects of DQX Offline ever getting localized. It's madness there'll forever be 1 mainline DQ going unlocalized. All that money being thrown around and they couldn't at least localize the game with an installed fanbase in the west.

The decision not to localize DQX Offline immediately confuses the hell out of everybody paying attention to SquareEnix's actions in the west. The game was the answer to bring DQX to the west without the heavy investment of servers required for DQX Online. I'd still love to have DQX Online and all of its additional story chapters, but understand why SquareEnix can't do it. There isn't enough of people like me in North America or in Europe to justify the cost. But Offline affords the opportunity to bring it west - and with expected sales in the 2 to 3 million range it should be a no brainer to localize. We're talking between $50 and $80 million in net profit, at a localization cost under $10 million (closer to $5M is my guess.) Why is SquareEnix not going after this money? Its really dumb to say they'll lose $120 million when localizing DQX Offline for the west solves half that problem. (Though maybe they are localizing and have been very tight-lipped about it.) The only excuse that works is that they've got the localization teams at 100% translating DQ12, but that game still isn't expected until at least second half next year and doesn't explain why they couldn't have hired part time help to get DQX translated in the interim. So where has SquareEnix been on this for the last three years? Its inexcusable. When companies willingly turn down the ability to make money, and everyone can see it, that's a sign bad management.

Take my money SquareEnix, and stop tripping over your feet trying to grab it out of my hand.
:10bux

Quote from: Moge on May 13, 2024, 02:47:24 pm

What even is the point of Xbox anymore? With every exclusive going third-party and Game Pass becoming less of a value with each passing internal studio closure, there's little reason for anyone to have faith in the Xbox brand anymore. Microsoft's only concern lately is seeing their numbers go up, and the only reliable way to do that is to just buy an already hugely successful publisher. It's crazy they couldn't accomplish that with their own ip.

I've always thought the decision to have all Xbox games on Windows as well was a short-sighted idea. Why pay $300-$500 for hardware to play games I can already play on my PC? I guess it works for people who don't own gaming PCs (an ever-decreasing size of the market), but it slices into your hardware sales. And if your hardware sales are lacking, third-party companies jump ship. And frankly, if you're going to go PC, Steam is the preferred method over GamePass - Microsoft never could overcome this hurdle. Phil Spencer is still running the Microsoft Gaming division into the ground and frankly I don't know why he hasn't been shown the door already. I guess he's able to keep his job because they make a lot of money, but they've also spent many fortunes buying up all the studios under their umbrella, so their profit margin over operating expenses is terrible compared to their competitors in the gaming industry.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on May 14, 2024, 05:33:38 pm

In other really dumb gaming news, Sony Interactive Entertainment has really dropped the ball on their own PC ports of late. The Steam versions of Helldivers 2 and Ghost of Tsushima both require a PSN account to play all features. But Sony themselves apparently didn't realize that PSN is not a worldwide system like Steam is (minus a few purposely blocked regions), which means the games are being sold in regions where PSN doesn't operate. Sony will, curiously, neither offer a fee PSN account to players in more than 100 countries and numerous additional territorires of countries they do nominally support; nor will they transmit PSN data to those regions (under assumption that the latency for such regions will result in poor multiplayer prformance.) Thus, these games are not actually fully playable in those regions but are being priced as if they are. Players are buying these games under the assumption they can do multiplayer over Steam network and earn Steam achievements, which they couldn't do with the native Playstation versions, but becuase the Steam games actually tied to PSN's multiplayer and achievement system, it doesn't close the gap for them all. Sales have cratered in the unsupported regions with Steam having to offer no-questions-asked refunds (which they aren't fond of doing)

So Sony either needs to disassociate their popular PSN service from the PC platform (thus breaking cross-platform support) or get off their ass and make it a worldwide system (and figure out how to deal with latency from slow regions, and pair them up with other slow players.) The current lazy approach to just support regions where internet access is fast is not acceptable if you want to grow your brand. This is the same problem Microsoft and SquareEnix are having: not thinking worldwide but instead trying to solve your problems by doubling down on the region(s) you know best, even though it doesn't expand your brand recognition to new prospective clients.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 18, 2024, 08:30:13 am

It's Nintendo Direct day!

Hopefully see more than the multiple levels of blah that Sony State of Play, Steam Next Fest, and Xbox Showcase delivered. The Xbox show was particularly bad with 25 of the 30 games shown featuring first or third person combat involving guns or swords, including the first seventeen straight. Overkill. (Literally.) No platformers, puzzle games, or co-op/competition games at all. They've pretty much retreated from everything but the action genre. Nintendo will certainly show a lot more variety.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on June 18, 2024, 05:06:24 pm

Nintendo has won this year's not E3 :rage

A new Mario & Luigi with a big budget, Zelda: Echoes with playable Zelda, Metroid Prime 4, and the Dragon Quest trilogy HD got me very pumped.

Tangentially related, but it's been fun watching the fighting game scene lose their minds over the Marvel vs Capcom franchise being resurrected quietly through this Direct.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on June 20, 2024, 09:28:30 am

Quote from: Moge on June 18, 2024, 05:06:24 pm

Nintendo has won this year's not E3 :rage

Mostly yes. I'll get to that.

Sony's presentation was quite tame except for Astro Bot, which really doesn't look like it would push PS5 graphics that much further than PS4 so not a big win there, and still too much focus on VR2 games despite VR2 not being even remotely priced well enough to compete with Quest 3.

And Microsoft continues to not have any idea what the market wants, opening their show with 17 straight games featuring guns or swords, almost all of action genre, and finishing the show with 25 of their 30 games with this formula, without a single platformer, fighting, puzzle, or co-op competition game. There is no way they catch Sony if they continue to focus almost entirely on the action genre alone. It was nice to see Fable and that Winter Burrow crafting-survival game but most of the show was blah. The Indiana Jones game looks like it could be fun if its more game than cutscene. And I like seeing Dom return in the God of War: E-Day prequel.

The Summer Game Fest shows had maybe the best presentation of trailers, with something like 50-60 as I recall. Alot of these are indie level games with only a small chance of having a big following, but that was a lot of variety. The Dragon Age game really underwhelmed me.

Steam Next Fest just decided to show demos, and when I tuned in I couldn't figure out what was being shown because they had no on-screen labelling and they spent more time interviewing the players than actually showing the demo. So I quit after a couple of hours. An hour or two on each demo is way too long, and with only live feed and no way to rewind or watch previously recorded segments, it really hurt them here. They needed to package this better so demos shown in the wee hours of the morning don't get missed by the people interested in seeing more of some game.

Nintendo won by having the biggest heavy hitters. They've brought back Mario+Luigi which most people thought was dead after AlphaDream's bankruptcy - though I very much dislike the art style, where they've taken the blue highlights from earlier games and concept art and badly overdone them to the point that Mario's hat has more purple than red now, and the bros' wrists have a blue aura for no good reason. They had a new 2D Zelda that focuses on puzzling solving which BotW and TotK mostly neglect in favor of combat and adventure. They had the Dragon Quest HD-2D remake, though splitting into two releases and asking $120 for the trilogy as opposed to the current prices of $17 for mobile and $24 for current Switch seems to potentially be outpricing themselves. They had the only fighting game in the Marvel vs Capcom collection. They had a new Mario Party game, though I'm not sure why they didn't sit on this for new hardware release. And lastly the Metroid Prime 4 trailer.

What really hurt Nintendo, especially for the western direct, was how many games they didn't show. We know from release dates, Twitter news, and trailers previously shown online or at Summer Game Fest that they left about 25 minutes worth of trailers out of the show. SCHiM for example was in both SGF and State of Play as I recall, but only made the Japanese direct. Other games on the near horizon like Ace Combat 7 and Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus made the Japanese Direct, but may now entirely miss Western directs because their release date falls before the September Direct (unless the release date is changing.) The Japanese had three quick-look sections to briefly cover the shorter trailers while the west had none - and I don't recall them ever not having one before. So now Nintendo is in a bit of a bind, with twelve games, some of them unique to Switch, scheduled to release before the next Direct that haven't yet been advertised in any Direct to this point. A mini-Direct or Partner Showcase in July is almost needed to cover all the things they neglected to cover this week. And if they were waiting to show off the new hardware in a September Direct so they could then have it on floor for players to test at Tokyo Game Show (September 26-29), that's going to take a healthy chunk of the September show, which means now all the Q3 and Q4 games that weren't covered this week are now at risk for being bumped off, too unless they have two Directs in September, one for games and one for hardware. So it seems like a bad time to be releasing Switch exclusive games because Nintendo isn't going to help you sell them. (But is willing to help sell the non-exclusive stuff that's going to be cheaper on other platforms, like Dragon Quest HD-2D.) Ultimately, if Nintendo has enough material to make 4 or 5 Directs in a year, why the hell aren't they?

I was also let down they did Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, which I thought to be the worst of the DKC games. Its been 10 years since a new DK game, and another port is not what fans want. And with the sequel movie arriving April 2026, they still need a new Donkey Kong to improve his image. (Of the five main characters, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and DK, guess which one is the least well known to children?) So now its two Donkey Kongs in 2025 to early 2026 or else they go into the movie failing to prop up DK back to hero status, or else the movie should just totally drop him (which probably wouldn't be popular with fans either.) With a 10 year hiatus since the last new game, DK seems to have joined the likes of Kid Icarus (12 years) and F-Zero (20 years!) as forgotten series.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 05, 2024, 03:36:10 pm

The umpteenth reason why Nintendo will add GameCube and maybe DS/3DS functionality to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pak on new hardware: Running out of NES games!

With the addition of Urban Champion and Donkey Kong Jr Math, North America is down to only two first-party games that don't require extra hardware (Zapper light gun, R.O.B., Power Pad) or have peculiar licensing issues (Popeye.) Those games are NES Play Action Football and StarTropics 2: Zoda's Revenge. Notably, they are a pair of the very few Nintendo games that never had a Japanese release.

Europe now has all its NES first-party games covered thanks to the addition of Donkey Kong Jr Math, though its unique version of Mario Bros is still a possibility. I'm less sure of the Japanese state, but they're probably also close to running out.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 10, 2024, 02:37:47 pm

I'm absolutely dying for Gamecube NSO, not for the games specifically, but to get a modern GC controller. All the exclusive NSO controllers have been absolute bangers which improve upon the originals. Recently imported an NSO 6-button Mega Drive Controller. The build quality on that thing surpasses every 3rd-party Sega controller knock off i've ever used, even the official ones. Never thought i'd ever say this, but Nintendo makes better Sega controllers than Sega.

The NES library is so massive that i find it hard to believe they'll run out. If the tap ever runs dry, then I would like to see other platforms explored, like the PC98 or the PC-Engine. The former is likely to never happen, but the ladder is a strong possibility someday.

Picture of my NSO Sega Controller. I'd post the image here but it's way too large as-is.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/678802826914168843/1250184400746844180/20240608_174548.jpg?ex=668f9734&is=668e45b4&hm=8dd90ccda2290d61a5ea8cdd9b3c269ec464bfb13080fa7987e3a039ccf606d7& (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/678802826914168843/1250184400746844180/20240608_174548.jpg?ex=668f9734&is=668e45b4&hm=8dd90ccda2290d61a5ea8cdd9b3c269ec464bfb13080fa7987e3a039ccf606d7&)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 11, 2024, 01:07:22 pm

The problem with TurboGrafx16 is that if they added it, the Japanese fans would push for all the PC88 and PC98 stuff, for which there isn't a good North American or European analog.
To be honest, I'm surprised they haven't pushed for Sega Master System/Game Gear games yet. (Or if they are it doesn't seem to be very vocal.)

Controller image link doesn't work - says no longer available. If you can't resize to be able to attach it to the post, then I'd recommend posting it to imgbb instead.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 12, 2024, 11:39:37 pm

Sorry, there's the correct image.

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZp_3dFdJ26fplYkjO2BVBI4IYkh3BYmms7thm1D97TrOFDWUoq9buk3HINwf3QSoq_jV8mlNodGoLzcoTU-bd8rPHqgQRe_yVd4VZTVGKjjwj8CSIGpa7dPNYBUzSLvPCelQXSqn91KbTspm4M5IFHMUg3TG3T0-sssmormJdfgFhw0NFeyXiqWk0ak/s1600/sega.jpg)

Been using a Google Blogger for over a decade to host my images. Not many people know that it's free, has unlimited image hosting, and allows hotlinking.

Master System would be an interesting pick, since a good chunk of its library are Brazil exclusives.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 13, 2024, 10:48:57 am

Master system is also very easy. The Z80 cpu is no great secret and emulators for Z80-based arcade games, Master System, Game Gear, and other consoles were among the very first video game emulators.
But the real reason I brought up Master System/Game Gear is because they already have Genesis games, so it doesn't seem like a big contractual leap to get some 8-bit Sega content.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on July 18, 2024, 08:11:24 pm

Not sure if NSO subscribers would care for Master System. I'd like to be proven wrong, but I don't think there's enough nostalgia for the system.

With the recent double whammy announcements of the cancellation of the HALO tv series and the massive layoffs at 343, i'm just dumbfounded at how far the series has fallen. HALO was the game that gave Xbox relevance in the console space.

Saw a recent sentiment that Phil's reign has been much more damaging to MS than Don Mattrick. If you asked me this question a few years ago, i'd laugh at the mere suggestion, but now? Yeah, I'd prob agree that Phil has done much more damage at this point, especially with everything pertaining to Game Pass. It has only weaned their audience into waiting for games to drop on the service, effectively killing interest in purchasing games traditionally.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on July 19, 2024, 10:26:17 am

I think there's enough good games there to work. Some late Sega 8-bit games also got Genesis/Mega Drive 16-bit versions so I'm going to try to leave them off and list only games for SMS and Game Gear (which was same basic hardware). But if they opted not to choose the Genesis version the SMS versions would then be viable. Phantasy Star in particular would be great to show off what the SMS was capable of.

Master System:
Afterburner
Alex Kidd series (4 games, though the best in Miracle World had a recent remake)
Fantasy Zone I and II
Ghostbusters (if licensing could be worked out)
Hang-on
Penguin Land
Shinobi
Space Harrier
Wonder Boy series

Game Gear:
Defenders of Oasis
Phantasy Star Gaiden
Shining Force Gaiden
Sonic the Hedgehog I and II (which play quite differently from Genesis/Mega Drive versions)
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble
Tempo Jr (not many music-oriented games in the current NSO selection)

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 27, 2024, 05:29:25 pm

Very unimpressed by today's Directs, following the wow factor of June's.

From a fan standpoint, there wasn't anything new to get exciting about. The Plucky Squire is still on my radar but had seen trailers for it a few times already. The truly new announcements were devoid of anything that gets money out of my pocket.

We still don't know what's beyond Brothership from tentpole title standpoint. There's Donkey Kong Country Returns in January, but a remake (and apparently lousy one at that) of a very old game that already had a 3DS remake might not fit that two million plus sales mark that Nintendo considers as a marketable monthly title. I was expecting to see a Kirby game announced for February or March to sort of close out the major Switch 1 lineup. If the new hardware isn't arriving until May, pulling the plug after Brothership in early November is introducing a six-month gap that you're counting on smaller developers to fill. Risky. If its not Kirby in February or March, those Zelda Wind Waker or Twilight Princess rumors will likely get hot again. (Or something else from the Wii U stable like Star Fox Zero or Xenoblade X.)

With no Pokemon game this year, I was expecting there to be a couple of extra kids games advertised. We only got one, the Patrick Star Game, which is as much physics simulator as true kids game. This is not the formula Nintendo has used in the past to win the holiday season. They were bullish on selling 13.5 million units in the fiscal year April 2024-March 2025, and were only to about 2 million by end of June, meaning they needed a BIG holiday season to make up for down sales the other three quarters. But a holiday season with a dearth of kid-oriented games? Nintendo is not reaching their goal without a major price cut to hardware. And I mean $100, not $50-ish.

The Sonic 3 movie trailer dropped overnight (introducing Shadow as the main villain) yet Sega failed to capitalize on the synergy of having Sonic x Shadow in the Direct. Yet earlier this year they paid to have Monkeyball show up in two Directs. So they just watched tens of millions of dollars in likely cross-media sales evaporate. Lack of coordination has always been Sega's Achilles' heel - its why they aren't a big player in the video game industry anymore.

Japan Direct settled Hundred Line's release date as all the way out to April 24. That is terrible news for a successor hardware launch in April. Late April doesn't seem like the kind of date for an action game to land on if new hardware just hit the shelves or is just about to do so. New hardware probably not arriving until mid-to-late May or June now.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Saika on August 28, 2024, 06:07:50 am

Quote from: JG on August 27, 2024, 05:29:25 pm

Very unimpressed by today's Directs, following the wow factor of June's.

From a fan standpoint, there wasn't anything new to get exciting about. The Plucky Squire is still on my radar but had seen trailers for it a few times already. The truly new announcements were devoid of anything that gets money out of my pocket.

We still don't know what's beyond Brothership from tentpole title standpoint. There's Donkey Kong Country Returns in January, but a remake (and apparently lousy one at that) of a very old game that already had a 3DS remake might not fit that two million plus sales mark that Nintendo considers as a marketable monthly title. I was expecting to see a Kirby game announced for February or March to sort of close out the major Switch 1 lineup. If the new hardware isn't arriving until May, pulling the plug after Brothership in early November is introducing a six-month gap that you're counting on smaller developers to fill. Risky. If its not Kirby in February or March, those Zelda Wind Waker or Twilight Princess rumors will likely get hot again. (Or something else from the Wii U stable like Star Fox Zero or Xenoblade X.)

With no Pokemon game this year, I was expecting there to be a couple of extra kids games advertised. We only got one, the Patrick Star Game, which is as much physics simulator as true kids game. This is not the formula Nintendo has used in the past to win the holiday season. They were bullish on selling 13.5 million units in the fiscal year April 2024-March 2025, and were only to about 2 million by end of June, meaning they needed a BIG holiday season to make up for down sales the other three quarters. But a holiday season with a dearth of kid-oriented games? Nintendo is not reaching their goal without a major price cut to hardware. And I mean $100, not $50-ish.

The Sonic 3 movie trailer dropped overnight (introducing Shadow as the main villain) yet Sega failed to capitalize on the synergy of having Sonic x Shadow in the Direct. Yet earlier this year they paid to have Monkeyball show up in two Directs. So they just watched tens of millions of dollars in likely cross-media sales evaporate. Lack of coordination has always been Sega's Achilles' heel - its why they aren't a big player in the video game industry anymore.

Japan Direct settled Hundred Line's release date as all the way out to April 24. That is terrible news for a successor hardware launch in April. Late April doesn't seem like the kind of date for an action game to land on if new hardware just hit the shelves or is just about to do so. New hardware probably not arriving until mid-to-late May or June now.

No Atelier Ryza.....  ._.

I LOVE Reisalin Stout....... and NOT seeing her as the main character breakes my heart so much.......Yumia DOSENT look bad but... Reisalin Stout had the SPUNK, energy, and so much of a growth (Also GIGA HOT) that I saw as the FACE of the games.

WILL give Yumia a chance but dont think she would match Reisalin at all.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on August 28, 2024, 10:58:25 am

Also, SquareEnix is getting a flareup they didn't predict after yesterday's Direct. We all knew gender type was a choice in the old DQ3 game, and I was pleased to see they had four different poses or clothing types for the NPC so you wouldn't end up with two of the same gender and vocation looking like twins.

But then they went on to show hair color and voice changes, which are also great additions. However, they didn't think globally enough to realize that showing choices for body type, voice, and hair color without skin color is not racially sensitive to many western fans, and now they've got a PR problem on their hands. This is not something they can just overlook or claim to have forgotten, because they've had skin color choices before in games like DQ9 and Builders 2. They need to show a screenshot of skin color changes this week or drop everything else and get developers and graphic artists fixing it before the demo launches. They just can't launch this game in the west with several customization choices except skin color without significant backlash - something they can't afford with this 7 million unit sales moonshot they're aiming for.


But weren't they creating a new Atelier leading lady every year or two for a long time before doing the Ryza sequels? It just seems like developers have gone back to doing what they were before rather than suddenly changing directions without reason.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 02, 2024, 04:40:36 pm

There hasn't been any controversy from what i've seen from the customization aspect. Would be nice to alter skin color, but i would think most DQ fans are already happy that this remake is above and beyond what they showed initially. If the game were fully 3D, then perhaps people would start raising their pitchforks and torches over the low customizability.

Awesome Direct. The Haunted Castle remake and Capcom Fighting Collection 2 announcements took me by surprise. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is really the one i've been waiting for as someone who has put a crazy amount of hours into Capcom vs SNK 2 in my youth. Also i'm very happy to see Capcom dropping most of their Dreamcast arcade library into the collection. Crazy amount of value in this collection of games that haven't revisited since the turn of the millenia.

Side note, it blows me away that we're getting not one but two retro remakes this week: Shadow of the Ninja and of course Haunted Castle.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 03, 2024, 06:26:52 pm

Quote from: Saika on August 28, 2024, 06:07:50 am

No Atelier Ryza.....  ._.

I LOVE Reisalin Stout....... and NOT seeing her as the main character breakes my heart so much.......Yumia DOSENT look bad but... Reisalin Stout had the SPUNK, energy, and so much of a growth (Also GIGA HOT) that I saw as the FACE of the games.

WILL give Yumia a chance but dont think she would match Reisalin at all.

By the way, Direct said "Early 2025", but earlier today Nintendo of Japan pegged it to March 21 (https://www.nintendo.com/jp/topics/article/c7a50b31-7e27-4318-8b11-267cf4cb0874).

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 10, 2024, 02:52:21 pm

Comparison of PS5 Pro prices, including disc drive add-on, at today's exchange rates. In Europe, its over twice the cost of regular American disc model.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 10, 2024, 05:03:43 pm

That price is bonkers :o

Well, with that outta the way, i get more confused with each passing month at the direction Sony is taking its console business. These half-step consoles aren't what the majority of gamers want.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 10, 2024, 09:24:25 pm

Quote from: Moge on September 10, 2024, 05:03:43 pm

Well, with that outta the way, i get more confused with each passing month at the direction Sony is taking its console business. These half-step consoles aren't what the majority of gamers want.

Especially when said half step is to do the things the console touted it would do in 2020 and failed to deliver on. For example, in the upper right corner of all PS5 boxes until recently, there are labels for "8K" and "4K 120". I think a handful of games do 4K 120, but most running 4K only get 30 or 60fps and those running 120fps are usually 1080p or 1440p. Even the brand new Astro Bot, touted as the most advanced game for PS5 yet doesn't do 4K 120: its dynamic resolution jumps between between 1440p and 4K at 60fps. And video I saw earlier said not a single 8K game exists yet though the boxes said 8K on the front until recently.

A lot of people are calling out Sony as frauds for misrepresenting original PS5 capabilities, then asking an additional $780 (USD) to get the performance promised four years ago.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 26, 2024, 08:27:22 am

Japan Game Awards 2024 Results:

Minister of Trade and Industry Award
Playstation

Breathrough Award
Exit Eight

Movement Award
Tsuika Game

Awards of Excellence (up to 12 can be awarded, 11 this year)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Street Fighter 6
Final Fantasy XIV
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Super Mario Bros Wonder
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
Like a Dragon 8
Persona 3: Reload
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Unicorn Overlord
Dragon's Dogma 2

Best Sales Award
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
(3.75M copies in Japan)

Special Award
Street Fighter 6

Game Designers Award
Viewfinder

Grand Award (Game of the Year)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom


Future Division awards (ie, most anticipated) get announced Sunday.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on September 27, 2024, 05:10:52 pm

2023 games for a 2024 award? I can understand if the games were released in December, but TotK came out in the first half.

Very pleased to see Lunar getting remasters. Seems like they'll be using the Working Designs translations, which are love it or hate it for so many. I don't mind them for the most part, although a lot of that NPC dialogue is really out there, but i heard they'll be going over the old translations and making some adjustments, so i'm pleased.

We really have reached the point where graphics aren't the be-all-end-all of selling game consoles. Seeing those side by side comparison shots of vanilla PS5 and PS5 Pro games, yeah, they're not gonna convince the vast majority of gamers. Sony is clearly in desperate need of more games. Not indie games, but games that will demonstrate the system's power.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on September 28, 2024, 10:08:31 am

This confused me at first two but it makes sense if you consider that the eligibility period probably isn't a twelve month period, as this would greatly penalize games released right toward end of period. Most likely 15-month rolling period.
And most likely April of last year to July of current year period, as Japanese fiscal year for most companies is April-March. Thus a game released April, May, or June of a given year isn't eligible for current year award, but is for next year, thus they can better gauge how many sales its made.

What you said about the graphics is exactly why Sony is foolish to make a PS5 Pro. Cerny apparently believes that developers want to tap as much power as possible, which is only a half-truth. What they really want to do is sell games, which means the PS5 Pro is a red herring. Now developers have to do exactly what Cerny doesn't want them to do, and develop the game in such a way to do a fidelity thing for PS5 Pro players and a performance thing for PS5 players. So not only does PS5 Pro not solve the problem, it makes it worse. (As did PS4 Pro before it.) And to make matters worse, if developers are STILL going to be making PS4 games into 2026, then now you have at least three layers of graphics modes for some games (and maybe four if they do PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5, and PS5 Pro), and that's not even considering 2026 is probably when we'll hear about the PS6. Potentially five concurrent platforms?? This is why Sony's messed it all up.

Astro Bot and Ghost of Yotei certainly add to a weak lineup of games that improve a lukewarm reaction to the PS5 and maybe finally get people to move off PS4 and only PS5 like Sony wants, but Sony's got to their part too and not jump overboard on PS5 Pro and not continue to tinker or support the PS4 platform with new operating system updates every month or two and new software still two years away.

Between the Concord abandonment (and apparently nearly half billion dollar loss), PS5 Pro PR flop, and bizarre commitment to support PS4 for a few more years, Sony gaming has unquestionably had the worst month they've ever had - even worse when they shot for the moon with that $599 PS3 launch price.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on October 24, 2024, 04:59:35 pm

Valve recently made a statement that they have no intention of releasing a Steam Deck 2 until there's a large enough leap in tech. I appreciate that they're in no rush to devalue the original Steam Deck. Having bought one this year, i'm satisfied for the most part with its power.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on October 25, 2024, 08:04:34 am

Yeah, that's smart of Valve.

They don't want to have to make 'compatibility levels' where games could be playable on SteamDeck 2 but not on Steam Deck 1. Or weird things happen in one but not the other. Plus they still have a ton of existing games to go through to try to improve for SD1 or encourage developers to improve. (For example, Dragon Quest Builders 1 cuts off background audio when suspended and resumed from sleep mode, though normal PC doesn't.)

They probably also don't want to get into the habit of phone manufacturers or Meta Quest, where new versions release so often prospective buyers just shrug their shoulders and decide to wait for the next iteration, leaving lots of older versions to be sold below cost after new ones arrive, requiring latest versions to be sold at premium to make up for it.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on December 31, 2024, 04:22:22 pm

It's that time of year again - my Video Games Recap.

Though I expected to play more games in 2024, since I never finished Tears of the Kingdom in 2023 I had to sink a healthy portion of my 2024 game time into it and didn't play as many as I expected. I did do a bit better than last year (http://www.sognadigitalmuseum.com/forum/index.php?topic=2697.msg34730#msg34730), since I had no move or Builders 2 project to handle, but I only had nine games played for the first time, three of which were new editions of games I'd played before.


9. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Switch): D-
This game has not aged well at all. Though a 2021 remaster of a 2003 game, it still looks like 2003 graphics and has poor and overly complicated gameplay. The word "remaster" is used very loosely here. Fights don't even look like people are shooting or sword-slicing at each other - just kind of walking up to each other and making minor arm movements with one of the two combatants eventually following down dead - probably from exhaustion more than injury. It's laughably bad. And why is a port of a 2003 game 12.1 gigabytes in size and require a 60 megabyte save file? That is extreme bloat over 2003 game sizes. Probably has a decent story but it was barely tolerable through the hour and a half of gameplay I gave it during NSO trial in May. I've only ever given one F before, for Marvel's Avengers simply because it kept crashing on PS4 to the point of being unplayable (though later proved tolerable on PS5), but this game is likely the worst pile of garbage I've tried to play in the last 10 years.

8. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (Steam): D
This spinoff game derailed me from the Integrum Masterpiece Collection that I had intended to play all the way through when I bought it. It also has not aged well. I can actually imagine the original DS version not being so bad for its day, but the card deck gameplay just doesn't work for a modernized version.

7. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (Steam): D+
I had actually never played a Kingdom Hearts game before this year. The poor naming of repacked collections over the years had always confused me over to exactly what I could be getting (and what was missing), until they finally got it right with this Steam set. So, I naturally started from the beginning. But oh boy, this game is a mess. It looks like it was very rushed in development, with poor controls, glitches, and horribly unbalanced gameplay with the hardest bosses early in the game and mostly jokes towards the end. There is zero clue as to where to go next in many stages, so the game pretty much demands the use of a guide. The story also doesn't feel like it was written by an adult, with what seems like every other word being "heart" or "darkness". And SquareEnix has had over twenty years and multiple rereleases to fix all these problems - and apparently haven't bothered. People remember it fondly out of nostalgia, but it doesn't change the fact it's actually a really bad game.

6. Princess Peach: Showtime! (Switch): C+
Nothing terribly wrong with this game, but also nothing all that great either. I found too many of the stages hard to 100% and the no-hit challenges hampered by some lousy controls. I'd have rather had Super Princess Peach 2.

5. FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage Collector's Edition (Steam): B
A new recompilation of the FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage engine. The big change is finally dropping the Games for Windows service which required finding a copy of xlive.dll from the internet to get the game to play, which of course prevented it from being playable on SteamDeck. Not that I have a SteamDeck, but it kept this game, and thus the entire FlatOut Collection, in 'Unsupported' status, which the current IP owner publisher found unacceptable. However, removing Games for Windows had some side effects, namely removing multiplayer (not that this worked in Steam earlier anyway) which would have been really nice to restore in some fashion. They did add mod support, but it doesn't really seem to be popular enough to really demand it. They also did some unnecessary tweaking to the physics engine I don't like, causing cars to ducktail much more often or just crash in the middle of the race from hitting debris that shouldn't cause a car to just suddenly stop. If you could install the xlive.dll, the earlier edition was probably better for the more solid physics engine, but being playable on SteamDeck and future Windows versions is a good thing, too. And it's still a ton of a fun. When it's on sale for just $3.99 USD, it's well worth it just for the laughs.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Switch): B
Very good but surprisingly shows too much lack of playtesting - which is almost unheard of for a Zelda title. There are just too many echoes that are extraneous and go unused, and no way to easily reorder them or categorize them: too much time is wasted scrolling through the echoes list to find the one you want or need for a particular puzzle or battle. And too many puzzles can be cheesed with water blocks, to the point its faster to just cheese it than solve it the way the designers probably intended. Better graphics than Link's Awakening, particularly toning down the headache inducing blur along screen edges, but it feels like it's on the shorter side. I enjoyed this game a lot, and was the only one I played through twice, but it's got too many rough edges to give it a better score.

3. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door HD (Switch): B+
The graphics updates are great, the improved background audio is great, and it has a few new features that are great, but it lost some of its charm in some absent sound effects like the crowd cheering or screaming in terror. Great pickup if you never played the GameCube version, but it left me wanting more additions than what it got.

2. Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch): A-
This is a really solid update. It's right up there with Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in showing off that the Switch can produce high-quality graphics that rival other platforms if developers put the time and effort into it to do it right. Its only problem, and it's a whopper, is the difficulty scale. One mode is just too easy and not challenging enough, while the other is too hard, doubling enemy HP and the damage they do. I'd have enjoyed it more if there were a medium difficulty mode where HP and damage were scaled up by only 50%, not doubled, or one of the two doublings was applied but not the other. But if you never played the original Metroid Prime, or want a visual showcase for the Switch, this is worth the discounted $40 price. This might have been the best game I played all year, but my problem with the difficulty gap and the lack of being brand new gives the edge to another game.

1. Mario & Luigi: Brothership (Switch): A-
Probably the best Mario & Luigi yet. Some textual humor replaced by slapstick visual humor which may have soured some people, but I think it's just fine: moving from 2D to 3D just allows for more visual humor. Good story and gameplay. Good enemy balance. Just a really good adventure. The loading screens are maybe the biggest problem I have with the game, though I'm still not so fond of all the purple accents on the backs of Mario and Luigi's hats and around their wrists.



Most looking forward to in 2025:

• The Switch 2 Line-up: Switch 2 may not launch with a new 3D Mario game, but we'll probably see it before end of year. So even without knowing the name its likely my most anticipated title of the coming year. I suspect they'll also bring a second powerhouse game before end of year, be it Mario Kart, Splatoon, Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, or something unexpected - though I'm crossing fingers for the unexpected choice as I'm not a big fan of those four series.
• Ghost of Yotei: Ghost of Tsushima was incredible, and its tough to bet against the sequel being just as good.
• Astro Bot: All good things said after release and then it won Game of the Year at the Game Awards (though against weak competition, as each of the other candidates had major flaws.) I'll look to pick this up sometime in 2025 when it's on sale and they've slowed down adding content. I'm not a big fan of playing a game, then having developer add more content that I'd either miss or have to revisit.
• Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition: I couldn't get into this back on Wii U, because we only had one Xenoblade game under our belts at that point and XCX was so different from XC1 that it didn't feel connected in any way. With a few more games the universe is now better explained and I'm much more psyched for another chance at it.
• Metroid Prime 4: Metroid Prime Remastered got me reinterested in Prime 4. I'd like to see Metroid Prime 2, but it seems Nintendo's going to do that same dumb thing they did with Pikmin where they're release 2, 3, and 4 all in the course of about a month or two and not expect people to be burnt out form too much Metroid in too short of a period. I really hope we get Metroid Prime 2 and 3 early enough that I have time to consume them before Metroid Prime 4 arrives.
• The Plucky Squire: Back from last year's list. I think Devolver made a very poor choice in release date selection, scheduling it a week before Echoes of Wisdom which offered a similar creative adventure game and Plucky Squire just got pushed to the side. A month or two earlier and I've have likely bought it day one. Now I'm kind of waiting on it to drop in price and find an opening to play it in 2025. It still looks really fun.
• Pikmin 4: I picked this up at Black Friday sale but haven't had a chance to start it yet.
• Sand Land: Ditto Black Friday pickup not yet started. I played the demo on PC and I don't have terribly high hopes for the game but love the Akira Toriyama art style.
• Dragon Quest III HD-2D & I+II HD-2D: I sort of hope there's a discount on both games from Steam once I+II arrives. I never really liked III's story from earlier NES and Game Boy editions, but the full trilogy at a discount might interest me.

Dropped off the interest list:
(I may get back to these someday, but no real interest in them now)

• Forspoken
• Tinykin
• Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory

Rumors/Things we did (not) see come true in 2024:
Well, I struck out on all the guesses from last year so I'll just recap all my disappointments.

• Not only did Nintendo not release the new hardware, they haven't even officially revealed it yet. They did have a much stronger release schedule in the fall than expected, but Sony did brought new hardware in the same quarter and has had a couple of months of higher sales dollars than Switch. Nintendo had ruled the roost for several years, but 2024 was Sony's year.
• No Metroid Prime 4 yet but I might still be right about it being a Switch 2 launch title.
• No Dragon Quest Builders 3. In fact, no brand new Dragon Quest game at all in 2024, the first time in the west since 2014, and the first time worldwide since 1997. A whole different millenia! Really would not have expected that streak to break.
• No Dragon Quest XII news. While I expected some for DQ Day, all SquareEnix gave us was a DQ III HD-2D teaser.
• No Dragon Quest X Offline English/European Localization. Yep. SquareEnix basically did double extended middle fingers all year to my desires.
• Kid Icarus: Uprising Remake or Sequel. Also nada, but with so many Wii, Wii U, and 3DS games getting remakes or trademark refreshes in the last year, it still feels like it could happen. And yet, Nintendo finds a way to do things like give us two Donkey Kong remakes instead: Mario vs Donkey Kong and the upcoming Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Rumors/Things I want to see come true in 2025:

• New 3D Mario. I think its a incredibly safe bet Switch 2 launches in 2025 (and shipping info seems to indicate first half), and 3D Mario and Mario Kart are the two powerhouse first-party game series that have been on the bench awaiting a new entry the longest. I'm not such a fan of Mario Kart (because of cheating CPU racers) but 3D Mario has both eyes and both ears once announced.
• Metroid Prime 4 is Switch 2-enhanced. I really don't want this to be Switch 1 only. Switch 2 needs an early graphical showcase, and maybe Xenoblade Chronicles X does it, but being the newer game (and not a remastered port), Metroid Prime 4 really ought to be Nintendo's flagship title for how good the Switch 2 graphics can be.
• Dragon Quest Builders 3 is announced - and launches before the end of 2025. We haven't seen a Dragon Quest spinoff game since 2023, and with Dragon Quest III HD-2D recently released and reengaging players with the backstory, now the time to do Builders 3. There will never be a better year to do it than 2025 - if they'd released it before DQ3 HD-2D, or wait until 2026 or later, the sales potential is probably cut in half. Hopefully SquareEnix doesn't drop the ball on this. Continuing to chase the ten million or so strong JRPG community and not going after the 300 million plus strong Minecraft/sandbox community would be very shortsighted.
• Dragon Quest XII is revealed - and its an MMORPG. It's gotta be revealed on DQ Day (May 26) or else I think there's serious doubts the game will make a 2026 release in time for the series' 40th anniversary. I also think the reason we haven't seen much is that they're going to the MMORPG route, so they can finally scale down the twelve year old and Japan-only Dragon Quest X and reinvest that money and development team into a worldwide game. Final Fantasy XIV is making more money that FF15 or FF16 made, so I think it works out than DQ12 may follow suit. (As a consequence, the west just simply won't get DQ X in any form.)
• Nintendo's new IP previewed in the NSO Playtest Program is a social phenomenon and its either a Most Anticipated or Game of the Year Award nominee, depending on its release date.
• Kid Icarus Uprising remaster finally gets announced. Though I think it might be an early 2026 release.
• Bravely Default gets remastered for least Switch 1, if not all modern consoles. Asano mentioned there would be new Bravely series information by end of year, which didn't happen, but its either held up by the Switch 2 embargo (Bravely Default 3?), the project is running behind, or it's a reveal that missed out on the presumed October-ish Nintendo Direct. Given Bravely Default series sales haven't been great, I'd lean more toward the BD1 remaster than a new game. The first Bravely Default is brilliant and its well due for a remaster and spread to newer platforms.
• A redesign of the Nintendo News and E-shop apps. News is just cluttered with too many channels and e-shop has become a haven for shovelware and rip-off titles because it prioritizes listing new releases over quality/highly-rated/most purchased releases. Both badly need a rework and it's hard to see Nintendo launching Switch 2 with the same software problems that have plagued the Switch 1. (In fact, they should have fixed both for Switch 1 well before now.)

The Annual "Let's Not Do This Again" Award:
Every game being called "roguelike". Almost every game in the late May State of Play, at least half in Summer Game Fest, and several in the Xbox Showcase got this appellation, whether deserved or not. As the saying goes, if everything is special, nothing is.
Honorable mention to the explosion of "New to <insert game name here>. Any tips?" posts across the internet in 2024. Do people just not even try to play the games themselves before asking for help anymore? Players complain of how much handholding and explicit hints there are in games these days (which is true), but so long as people keep asking for even more handholding, developers are going to keep doing it.


Payoff of the Year:
Sony's novel approach to preorders for PS5 Pro and PS5 30th Anniversary. Scalpers were salivating at another chance to tie up all the Sony hardware and flip it at a tidy profit before Sony completely wrecked them by requiring preorders to be tied to PSN accounts with a sufficient number of hours played in the last twelve months. Preordering is not hard for real people or scalper bots. Setting up a PSN account is free and not hard for real people or scalper bots. Getting the minimum number of hours for those PSN accounts isn't all that hard for real people, but not something bots can't do on their own, and the scalpers were not willing to invest the time to set up each of their bots with the required number of hours. As a result, scalping went from way too much with the original PS5 launch to virtually vanishing with the fall 2024 hardware. Nintendo should really pay attention and do something similar for the Switch 2 launch.


Backfire of the Year:
Nintendo's disastrous decision to not announce the new hardware when manufacturing began in September or October. First of all, it was a decision based in fantasy that they could navigate all the way to the end of January without any significant leaks, which hardly anyone outside of Nintendo felt was possible. (And we were all proven correct about it, too.) Secondly, it left a lot of Direct-worthy October news unused, so we got tidbits every other day or so that would have been better combined into a single, longer Direct video, whether the Switch 2 reveal was there or not. (Though it feels like the reveal would have anchored it as the ultimate 'one last thing' moment.) Third, by moving up the September Direct to August to compensate, it left a hole in their announcement schedule that Nintendo's major competitor in Sony was more than happy to fill, having not one, not two, but three different hardware presentations in September leading into Tokyo Game Show. Lastly, Nintendo threw all the third-parties completely under the bus by extending Switch 2 game announcement embargoes for several more months. Nobody knows when they're going to release games, because no one's brave enough to pick a date that Nintendo might also pick and risk having their game steamrolled by the new system launch. Most studios have not set their schedule beyond January or February, and they're losing precious time promoting games prior to release. Nintendo may have shortened the hype cycle to their own benefit, but it's hurting the companies who are ready to start hype cycles for their games. And by all indications, the only reason they did this was to not have the big Donkey Kong advertising campaign in November, December, and January be overshadowed by Switch 2 news, because the Donkey Kong theme park area was so important to their wider non-gaming growth. However, 85% of Nintendo's income comes from outside of Japan and prioritizing a Japan theme park over something with true worldwide appeal was a gigantic mistake. If Nintendo could turn back the clock and do it again, they'd have made fans happy, third-parties happy, and given up a little bit of theme park focus to maintain control of the messaging over their new hardware and blunt the advance of their closest competitor.


Moment of the Year:
The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom. That was pretty epic and a big step up from the disappointment of Breath of the Wild's final battle.


Besides key releases, what will gaming in 2024 most be remembered for?:
The sheer number really dumbass decisions made by gaming companies. Everybody got dumb at the same time.

• Pretty much anything Sony did except the hardware preorder plan and Astro-Bot.
  • The PS5 Pro reveal sure went over well didn't it? $700 to buy a unit that promises to do all the things the PS5 already promised to do. I know because my PS5 box says so right there on the front. It rarely did 4K/60fps in games. It never did 8K video. Then PS5 Pro rolls out and lot of older games look worse because the PSSR isn't as refined as DLSS.
  • Designing the PS5 Pro to use the exact same size plates as the PS5 Slim model, but not putting the mounting pins in the same place. This looked like a total cash grab to force owners to buy all new plates, and has trouble at retail because of two visually identical products that have to be clearly labeled to avoid consumer confusion.
  • Concord. Probably could be considered backfire of the year, though I'm not really sure there was time to realize it was such a trainwreck in the making. The game took eight years to develop, Firewalk had gone $100 million in debt to develop it before Sony paid $200 million to buy it outright and absorb its debts, then spent another hundred million to finish making it, bringing its total cost to around $400 million - the most expensive video game ever developed if advertising isn't considered (for which its only second behind Red Dead Redemption II.) And then it gets critically panned in open beta, which leads to a less than 30,000 total sales at launch, making back less than $1 million of its investment - not even enough to pay to keep the servers running. Even selling the game was a problem, as it was actually sold, and not simply given away. The hero team shooter live service genre is rife with free-to-play titles but Sony wanted $40 for it. Sony even put themselves in a position where they couldn't even give it away as a PS Plus freebie after launch because they'd already made an exclusive deal with SquareEnix to do this for Foamstars earlier in the year: they simply had to eat the cost. Sony was so excited by how much money Concord would make if it became a media powerhouse that they were blind to the huge amount of money they'd lose if it didn't.
  • And after Concord's failure, Sony quickly cancelled six of the twelve live service team shooter games in development. Why did they have twelve of them? Who at Sony thought it was a good idea to have that many in the works at once? Even six is seen as too many still and Sony's likely going to lose money on most if not all of them. And right at the end of the year Herman Holst announced how they were still confident making live service games is the way to go, based on Helldivers II success while ignoring the failure of most live service titles, such as Concord.
  • Speaking of Helldivers II, it had a great start on PC preorders, but then Sony suddenly said it would require PSN access to play PC version. The Steam version store page's view rate collapsed and preorders were cancelled en masse. Sony reversed this decision, but damage was done. Overreach likely cost Sony untold millions in revenue. (They still made a ton of money on the game, but likely could have made more.)
  • The late year "Like a Child" advertisement. A bunch of younger people, parkouring around buildings that are constantly changing shape. At no point in the advertisement is a Playstation 5 seen or anyone playing one. In fact, the ad tells us that it's more fun to go run around outside than to stay indoors, sitting in front a TV playing PS5. Exhibit A in how not to do video game advertising.
• Microsoft's "This is Xbox" ad campaign. Not as bad as Sony's but it got a lot more ridicule. Microsoft was already devaluing their console gaming business by taking all their games to PC and offering them at huge discount via GamePass, and now some of them are moving over to PS5 and Switch 2 as well. There is very little reason to buy an Xbox Series X or S anymore. But actually advertising that's the truth is a whole new level of bizarre. I get that the ad is reworking Xbox as a brand rather than a hardware platform, but it seems much less monetizable. It really looks like the white flag moment for Microsoft - they know they're beat and this is the first step in following Sega's footsteps into software-development only (though maybe retaining some space in third-party controller hardware.)
• Microsoft closing Tango Gameworks immediately after Hi-Fi Rush's launch, only to see it become the most critically-acclaimed exclusive game on the Xbox Series X|S to date, proving even Xbox Game Studios upper management can't identify good games from bad. They'll give you two dozen games a year where you kill bad guys with guns or swords, but a game that doesn't just isn't of interest to them, no matter how good or creative it actually is.
• Nintendo trying to out-think the room by withholding the Switch 2 reveal until after the holidays, as described above.
• Nintendo also thinking Endless Ocean Luminous was not only a tentpole title to carry the month of May (especially after no April release), but thinking it was strong enough title with which to end the February Direct. And with Metroid Prime 2 on the bench awaiting a turn it still hasn't got.
• SquareEnix not giving skin tone options in Dragon Quest III HD-2D. SquareEnix keeps telling us how they wish to expand the Dragon Quest brand in the west, and gave us a dozen or so hair color options and four different stances and clothing options for each character class. But everybody is pale skinned and that's not really a great thing for the west, especially after giving skin tone options in prior games like Dragon Quest Builders 2. This did not go over well in some countries, especially Brazil whose gamers were really upset to see SquareEnix create a Portuguese preorder website for the first time, but then announce that the game wasn't actually localized for the Portuguese language.
• IGN being exposed for still running single person reviews for games published by major industry players. While probably acceptable for the small indie releases, major review outlets (both gaming and non-gaming) tend to do group reviews to eliminate scoring outliers. Astonishingly, IGN wasn't doing this. The very low score given for Mario & Luigi: Brothership, not backed up by other outlets, really shone a light on the practice and the IGN brand suffered some humiliation as a consequence. And IGN may have panicked to prevent some other games that would have been given low scores from facing the same scrutiny, as some other November titles, notably Dragon Quest III HD-2D, didn't get scored until several weeks after their release. IGN was already struggling to remain significant on the same scale as compilation metrics like Metacritic and Opencritic, but with this misstep they nailed their own coffin shut.
• The Game Awards nomination panel accepting a DLC package for Game of the Year nomination. If it can't be purchased as a standalone game, that kind of speaks to the criteria doesn't it? If I want to go buy the Motortrend's Car of the Year at an auto dealership, they're not going to try to make me buy the truck it was delivered on are they? But the Game Awards panel apparently thinks that is completely acceptable. They really dodged a bullet when it didn't win because that would have set a very bad precedent.
• PEGI not backing down from the 18 rating for Balatro on the basis that it teaches gambling mechanics. Super Mario Bros 3 teaches slots and Super Mario Party has dice. Does that mean PEGI will give the next Mario Party an 18 as well? PEGI has planted their flag in the ground that this is exactly what will happen, and it's going to have some repercussions throughout the industry. Developers are going to double down on micro-transactions and lootbox gambling that players tend ot hate because PEGI clearly doesn't care about that, but if your game has slots, or dice, or playing cards, or any kind of wheel that picks a random number in a roulette-fashion - you may need to rethink that or risk PEGI's wrath.

So overall 2024 was really not a good year for gaming. Nintendo gave us some solid titles, though nothing that really blew the doors off like they have in prior years, and Sony finally arrived with a game that appeals to all players, but that's about it. Expecting 2025 to be better with Switch 2 launch and some heavy hitters out of Nintendo and Ghost of Yotei.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 04, 2025, 06:54:45 pm

I realized I left one of the 'dumb' things off the list:

* Nintendo scheduling Mario & Luigi Brothership just a week before Dragon Quest III HD-2D. When these got release dates only one week apart I had grave concerns about Mario & Luigi's sales potential, and sure enough Nintendo pretty much marched it out to die. It a fine game, but clearly very few people wanted to invest in a big RPG game right before another big RPG came out. Nintendo would have been better off swapping schedules with another game. Fitness Boxing 3 looks like it was always planned to be the December title to capitalize on peoples' New Year's resolutions so that leaves swapping with Mario Party in October or Donkey Kong in January, and I think either would have protected its sales. I think Nintendo regrets not swapping Donkey Kong and Brothership now, as it seems hype for the DK game could get sidelined by Switch 2 news and having a new Mario & Luigi game to kick off Mario's 40th Anniversary year would have been a great story.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 16, 2025, 07:02:30 pm

So... that trailer.

Yeah. I'm very disappointed. I expected a showcase similar to Switch 1 reveal, show off the magnetic joycons and new kickstand, the larger screen, the mouse controls, several games, and some people playing together in different ways. We got part of the cosmetics covered, but the rest was severely lacking.

I don't know who in Nintendo could have thought this was better than the Switch 1 reveal, or even close to it. It failed to hit four marks I felt it needed to hit (which I'm reposting from elsewhere):

1. Improvements in both handheld and TV play. If you play handheld, the larger screen and joycons, an extra USB port, and sturdier stand were very enticing. But if you play on TV there wasn't anything new here. Nintendo failed to explain why the Switch 2 is an upgrade over Switch 1 for TV players any more than Switch OLED was over original Switch. Some mention of increased hardware processing capabilities or even showing off a Pro Controller would have been useful.

2. New gimmicks. Technically they showed the joycons move around as if they were mice, but we didn't see them actually used AS mice - there was no indication that moving the joycons around would move an indicator on screen. Perhaps a tease toward it, but not confirmation. Again, the casual viewer may just think this is a bigger Switch. Perhaps the two joycons racing around on a flat surface could have made for a stronger connection to computer mice if there weren't an actual racing game taking over the video a short while later. Did no one at Nintendo realize that racing joycons put next to racing karts buries the connection on mice pointer functionality? Not only did they not show the gimmick clearly, they even misused how it was presented.

3. Games exclusive to new hardware. Keen eyes can identify a new Mario Kart game, but does the casual viewer recognize it as new? I think many people could simply mistake it for Mario Kart 8 - I wasn't sure until I saw more than 12 racers because I'm not a big Mario Kart fan and thought we might just be seeing one of those Booster Pass courses. They needed a game (or several) that was unmistakably obviously made for the new console, and this wasn't it. The Mario Kart we saw in the trailer does not stand apart enough for non-Mario Kart players. And this was the only game!? Granted Mario Kart is the best seller, but its still only in the area of being owned by 45% of Switch owners. What about the majority of Switch owners who don't own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Why didn't Nintendo show them something else? We didn't need to see 20 straight seconds of one game - we didn't see that long of a stretch for any one game in the Switch 1 trailer, which got the point across of having multiple different types of games much more clearly, and many of them we could more easily spot were not like the ones we had on Wii U. (For example, Mario Odyssey looks radically different from 3D World. Splatoon 2 being the only obviously confusing one.)

4. The leakers controlling the messaging. The 3D render through first half of the video pretty much confirmed everything the leakers said and offered no surprises, like an explanation of the mysterious C button. Most likely Nintendo is not ready to tackle that feature yet, but if they want to take back control and assure investors that the leakers don't actually know everything that would have been a good place to start. Including just a single game that everyone assumed would be coming soon anyway, also didn't really surprise. It seems President Furukawa will be grilled hard about the leaks and Nintendo's weak response to them in the upcoming February investors meeting unless they reveal more between now and then to take back initiative. April 2 is two months too late to regain control over the messaging. By then leakers probably explain the C button in detail, give us a full launch game list, and who knows what else. Its already out of hand, and Nintendo not only didn't takeback control by showing something novel, they basically conceded the leakers have them by the throat.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 21, 2025, 12:40:30 am

Yes, the trailer was disappointing in that it didn't show much, but I'm gonna withhold judgement until the actual reveal in April. Anyone following any of the leaks in the past few weeks, there's nothing surprising about the hardware design. It really is just a iteration on the Switch, which is completely fine (for me at least). Nintendo's been stuck on 360 console power for an eternity, so i'm eager to see what they can do with more juice.

There's a lot of fervor that Nintendo's playing it too safe, which might actually be true, but the company has never been shy to experiment. Just look at their NSO exclusives. Some really good stuff there like Tetris and F-Zero 99.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: JG on January 21, 2025, 08:59:00 am

I'm actually more disappointed in the April Direct bit than anything else. I was psyched to see the big blowout in February, and a launch in April or May. Now everything is pushed back two more months. That means at least two more months of low-interest* Switch 1 fillers, and at least one if not two or more fewer months of very exciting Switch 2 games.

* I'll give them credit that Xenoblade X is a great game to renew from Wii U/3DS era though. Far superior to Donkey Kong Country Returns Returns Again or the rumored Kirby Planet Robobot. When XCX first came out, all they had was one Xenoblade game behind them and the sharp contrast between XC1 and XCX was jarring. Now that they have many games in the universe, the wider concept is easier to understand. XCX never should have been released before XC2 and can be much more appreciated now than in 2015. The concept was just too much of an overreach for its time.


The investors don't seem to be very impressed either, with three days of stock price drops since the reveal. They've been led on about Switch 2 launching in 2024, then told to expect it early in FY2025, and now they're seeing an April date to even show it off for the first time, and still no solid release window. They want to see big profits from the new system and I think some of them are starting to get tired of this "not soon but someday" approach. Keep in mind that were this not the holiday quarter that just passed, this would have been Nintendo's worse three month stretch in a long time. They had no Pokemon game at holiday, and the three games they did have November, December, and January, are all very low selling. (October better, but one ten million seller in the year is several ten million sellers too short.) The holiday console sales helped rescue it, but they don't get that benefit in the coming quarter. The February-April timeframe is looking very grim. Xenoblade X is not going to be that big of a big seller, it doesn't even look like they'll have a February game short of a digital-only shadow drop, and we don't know what they've got for April. Investors want certainties. With so little to offer, short-term investors are pulling out, and the longer-term investors need some reassurance they aren't waiting until October or November to start seeing profits. It really won't help when they go into this February investors meeting, and see Nintendo revise downward the fiscal year units sold estimate again, closer to 10.5 million units, when they just revised it downward from 13.5 to 12.5 million in November.

Title: Re: It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)
Post by: Moge on January 31, 2025, 05:40:09 pm

I played KotOR back in the day on the og xbox. Never finished it, but i enjoyed what i played of it. Bloated save sizes are a thing for all the big western RPGs. Looking at you, Bethesda.

I've had a mild curiosity to check out Kingdom Hearts since it seemed like the spiritual successor to Mana/Seiken Densetsu.

Metroid Prime 1 was such a revelatory experience for me back in the day. The music, the gameplay, the exploration... fps games never gave me that sense of wonder, but MP1 made me see the genre in a new light.

Brothership makes me happy that the M&L franchise is alive and well. Paper Mario never gelled with me, but M&L was closer to what i wanted, which was basically more SMRPG. Crossing my fingers for a real SMRPG sequel someday.