Topic: Unpopular Gaming Opinions

@Sculptor Oh god, I've never read a description of a game so spot on. I loved XC2 but it took me like a year to compete after ditching it several times in desperation. That's the reason I'm hesitant to get the Torna expansion (though I heard people say it's better than the normal game) and I'm completely not sold on the remake. So scared it's gonna be the same grind. lol

@Sculptor, @Dusk, Torna is very sidequest oriented (you have to complete most of them in order to advance the main story even), however unlike the main game you have a set party, so you'll obtain the field skills you'll need just by playing.

@RR529 But how's the entire experience compared to the normal game? are the objectives clearer? How do you customize without binding blades? O:

@Dusk, I'd say most of the sidequests are pretty clear cut & nearby, but it does have it's fair share of more involved ones (the biggest I can think of revolves around smashing green barrels scattered around the game world, which activates near the beginning of the game, but you won't be completing until near the end if you decide to persue it). There's only two Titans in the game though (Gormott, which you should be familiar with if you've already cleared the main game, and is a bit smaller here I believe, and Torna, which is segmented up into smaller, more easily explored regions), so I wouldn't worry too much about getting lost or overwhelmed.

Also, what kind of customization are you talking about?

@Dusk @RR529 Honestly, in terms of both quality and ease of completion, the side-quests in Torna blow the quests from both mainline Xenoblade entries out of the water. They're almost all fun (setting aside the green barrels quest and maybe one or two others), and a lot of them have fun narrative content.

The combat system is so nicely streamlined as well.

I liked Xenoblade 2 a lot in spite of its many flaws, but it's hard to really find much to fault Torna with. Some people don't like how you have to do almost all of the side-quests to beat the game, but if you just think of those "side-quests" as part of the main story content (because, in a way, they kind of are), then it's pretty amazing from beginning to end.

I'm really, really hoping Monolith took a hard look at the quests in the original game when creating the Definitive Edition so as to improve on them.

@status-204 Although I do agree that Cloud's harem is a bit ridiculous (I can overlook it) - I don't really understand your complaints with the battle system. I think the blend of action and ATB is amazing - giving you most of the benefits of FF7's ATB (through direct, menu-based commands for all of your party members), but the hack-and-slash is incredibly fluid and fun. Plus the materia and upgrade systems add a lot of versatility - not to mention that each character has their own distinct play-style. This is a much better battle system than FF15 or 12 IMO. I do think the part AI is pretty terrible though - you pretty much have to do everything yourself in this game.

I also think the dialogue is pretty solid. Characterisation was definitely the game's strength - all of the main cast were brought to life in a way that exceeded my expectations.

I'd like to add that the English voice acting was utterly pathetic in BOTW. It's such a half-***ed dub for ZELDA. You think they would try more for ZELDA.

Granted, voice acting added nothing to the game in Japanese anyway. And while I like me some Japanese voice acting, and its way better than the English voice acting, I would be fine if they never had voice acting in Zelda again. Even if its great, it always takes me out of the experience when a game is only sometimes voice acted, even for major cutscenes. No voice acting at that point is actually more immersive, just for the consistency.

@kkslider5552000 Would it be more accurate to say just voice acting in general instead of just English?

I don't know what you're referring to with this question.

If you mean because I keep specifying, that's because the difference in quality from Japanese to English is notable here, and honestly more notable a difference than most dubs nowadays. This is a below standard English dubbing effort, for one of Nintendo's most important and biggest releases ever.

If you mean inconsistent use of voice acting is a problem regardless of language...yes.

Here's one I don't think I've voiced here before.

I don't have a problem with forced motion controls when achieving the developer's vision for gameplay requires them. For example, Super Mario Odyssey has mandatory motion controls, because you can actually direct Cappy's movement in 4 different directions. This requires a 3rd simultaneous directional input in addition to the left and right analog sticks, and the only reasonable way to do that is motion controls. Skyward Sword is another example.

I also find it hypocritical that some of the same people who complain that motion controls are a barrier to accessibility are nowhere to be found when first person games don't offer 3rd person gameplay modes. Honestly, I don't mind either situation. While accessibility is great to have, if a developer makes a game the includes mechanics that require an ability, they shouldn't be criticized for not catering to people with disability (using the term broadly) any more than a painter shouldn't be criticized for not making something that could be enjoyed by the blind.

I say this as someone who will probably never be able to play Cyberpunk 2077 or the Outer Worlds because I can't play in first person without getting a headache and nausea.

The backlash to motion controls were always really stupid. I'm reminded of this video:

@status-204 Haven’t played FFVII R, so can’t comment on your complaints - and you’re entitled to dislike the game anyway - but you made me laugh when you called it a rushed cash grab!

If this is a Square Enix rush job, how long would game development take if they took their time?! 😱

I don't really understand why people get excited for remasters of games they already own, for example the hype surrounding the rumoured 3D Mario remasters. If you haven't played the games before, or if you want to replay them but don't have the old consoles any more, then I get why it would be great, but I would have thought most people on this site would have played most or all of the main Mario games and still have their old consoles plugged in, in which case I'm not sure why people would want to buy the same games again on the Switch. Sure, they'd look nice in HD, and 64 and Sunshine could do with some adjustments to modernise them and improve the controls, but personally I'm happy to just stick with the original games.
I only consider buying remasters of games I already own if they have substantial new features and improvements (which, to be fair, the 3D Mario remasters might still have, assuming they actually exist). I miiiight get Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition some day even though I didn't love the original game. The graphics and new content in that game look great and the improved menus etc might encourage me to actually finish the game. But even then, I'd find it hard to justify paying full price for the same game again.

@Dogorilla Yeah, I've been amazed at the excitement surrounding the Xenoblade remake. Granted, I didn't like it quite as much as most people seem to, but if I want to play it again I have it on Wii. I don't care about upgraded graphics and a new epilogue is not worth $60. I understand if you've never played it before, but most of the super excited people clearly have. As for the Mario ones, I actually don't have a way to play most of them so I'm a little more excited for them (other than 3D World which I do still have and don't need to buy again).

I think its mostly because people just don''t want to pull their old systems out to replay a game. I'm not exactly one of those people, but when I brought out the Wii U to play the final Shovel Knight campaign, it was kind of annoying to plug everything in again. And for some people, it would maybe be significantly more difficult. There are many examples of people being willing to pay for something being more convenient.

I think if I found certain remakes for cheap I'd get them, but that's about it. Though I am very tempted at buying Xenoblade again. And I'm certain I will get Link's Awakening when its cheaper (or if its cheaper, lol Nintendo). But yeah, for me, it would mostly be a waste to spend my money on something I've already played and already own when I could play something new instead.

@kkslider5552000 Yeah that's understandable. I'd also get Link's Awakening if it was cheaper. I'm hoping there'll be a Nintendo Selects range on Switch at some point, and maybe Link's Awakening will be part of it.

@status-204 It very much sounds like we're playing different games, as I had absolutely none of those issues in my 40 hour play-through.

My unpopular gaming opinion:
I really dislike Hollow Knight.

After playing Ori and the Blind Forest (which I loved loved loved!), I wanted to play another 2D-Metroidvania-style game. Obviously if you look for such games on Switch, Hollow Knight is on the top of every list. So I was pretty excited. But from the moment I started the game I really disliked every aspect of it: Art style, music, sound effects, story of bugs in creepy underground world, combat, enemies, deaths etc. I played the game for roughly 1 hour. I had to quit in the middle of it, because I disliked it so much. I came back a few hours later to give it another chance, but the game just didn't do anything for me. I wandered off in different directions, got stuck or lost, and I fought 2-3 bosses, which I always lost and got frustrated. 😕

@dionysos283

Well, if you disliked the art, music, sound effects, and so on — all of which I think are absolutely stellar --, I'm not sure what to say.

It's one of my top 10 games ever. But yeah, it's dark, it's difficult, it's moody and depressing, it's creepy. You'll get lost and frustrated. Just the way Hollow Knight is. We love it because, once you understand how to get around, and once it becomes easier to move through the world, there's deep lore, intense combat, a great sense of mystery and immersion. It's a long, meaty 30 to 40 hour adventure I'll never forget.

On a similar note, people need to chill out about games some times. I'm never going to play Hollow Knight, because I'm not particularly good at games, and more specifically I'm terrible at 2D platformers (I find the NSMB series incredibly challenging).

If you liked Hollow Knight, more power too you. That doesn't mean everyone needs to play it.