It's a thread! (Games discussion, etc.)

[JG]

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 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 that Sony pushed hard are already confirmed to be coming to other platforms.)

* Nintendo dropped a ton of new Wii U games today, covering a wide range of genres.  Though personally unhappy that Smash Bros is delayed to Christmas and the Xenoblade sequel won't hit shelves until next year.  Will have to do with the Dynasty Warriors/Zelda spinoff Hyrule Warriors instead I guess.  And I need more info on the new Legend of Zelda game (4 screenshots isn't enough! Although +1 that Epona is back.)  Think Nintendo just one-uped Activision and Disney with Amiibo figurines - 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 and think 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' 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.)

[JG]

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.)

[Moge]

- 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.

[Rai]

Viper fans may get a kick out of Azure Striker Gunvolt. 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.

[Moge]

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.

[JG]

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

[Moge]

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

[JG]

And yet, they redesigned it for over-under configuration for the Wii U Pro Controller.

[Moge]

I think Nintendo just wanted to appease 3rd-parties by going with the most popular controller design

I'm not too keen though on the right analog stick's placement.

[Moge]

You tried Destiny out yet, JGOO? (seeing as how you're the biggest Bungie fan here)

[JG]

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.

[Moge]

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.

[Moge]

These next, er, current gen install sizes are absolutely ridiculous for AAA games.

50 GB for The Evil Within

[Moge]

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.

[JG]

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.

[Moge]

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.

[JG]

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.

[Moge]

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

[JG]

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.

[Moge]

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

Personally, i have no problems with clones as long as we're getting new character models.