Topic: Your Latest Switch Purchase

@JoeDiddley I'm slowly and gradually easing into ENTER THE GUNGEON. Up until now, I haven't really been won over by the whole 'rogue-like', keeping playing from the beginning, no continues etc style of game.

For console games I've gotten too used to the - beginning / middle / end template. You play the game for a certain period of time and you complete the story or whatever and that's pretty much it.

But I did like HAS-BEEN HEROES, another rogue-like, despite its mixed reviews and I do love me some shoot-em-ups, GUNGEON came highly recommended by a bunch of chaps on here who's opinion I highly value so I gave it a shot.

STEREDENN, like GUNGEON, is rock-hard and again, a game you play, you die, you play again. Luckily it is also one of the most impressive horizontal shooters I have played in the modern era. I'm much more of an arcade shoot-em-up fan - R-TYPE, PULSTAR, BLAZING STAR etc. - and this game nails that arcade feel. Well of the latter title I mention especially. I'd recommend it if you can get onboard with those 'rogue-like' elements.

I've never played ISAAC. Despite once having it for 'free' on PSPLUS. Again, that's one of the games that is highly praised as a 'rogue-like' but even the term is one I don't feel comfortable using. I think it's possibly just a sign of my gaming age and heritage.

Procedurally generated, start over from scratch, unlock stuff you don't then always keep and play til you die, start again, seemingly without end, is a very popular form of modern gaming. I've just been very much on the outside of that and often found the term and the style of games associated with it quite confusing, unappealing and sometimes unwelcoming.

However, happy to be dipping my toe-in at least with likes of HAS-BEEN HEROES, ENTER THE GUNGEON and STEREDENN so far on Switch.

@gcunit @retrogamerandrew Everyone's tastes differ of course but speaking as someone who owns both DANMAKU 3 and SKYFORCE RELOADED - both modern spins on arcade shoot-em-up ideas, perhaps the latter would have suited you better?

I'm not saying one game is superior to the other. They are very different. But have a hunch you may like SKYFORCE RELOADED. I was skeptical at first but now I'm really enjoying its level up mechanic and target goal based design. You do replay levels but for varying objectives and at scaling difficultly. Anyway, worth considering if you do want a modern Shmup on the eShop.

@Lroy Yeah, Gungeon can take a while to click.
It really depends on the person.
I had a very tough time to get Isaac to finally click for me. Got it for free on PS4, played it a bit and didn't see what the fuss was about. Got it for Vita and again, it didn't grip me at all.
The when Switch launched, I imported it from Canada since it was an updated version and so many people were crazy about it. Decided to give it a good amount of time and the first couple of hours, I didn't really enjoy it much at all.
But slowly, I started seeing how certain drops worked and how they influenced other things. I started playing it a little smarter and before I knew it I was hooked.
Since it's a very close setup to how Gungeon works, despite Gungeons actual gameplay being quite a bit deeper, It's easy to see this happen to others as well with this game.
Stick with it, it's not the easiest game to get into, but once you do, it's just so much fun.

@Lroy yeah, I hadn’t tried this procedurally generated thing at all (perhaps also showing my age). This is why I’m now tempted to try the other games I mentioned. Level design is still very important to me, but the versatility of Switch is shaking me out of my old habits / comfort zone and it’s really rewarding.

I die all to early, but at least I get a different version each try. Unlike with some arcade shooters where I’m attempting the same thing again and again.

My Switch games (Updated)

@Lroy @gcunit yeah SF: Reloaded is a totally different beast. I like it very much and the progression/parts unlock system has much to do with it. And it's truly stunning graphics-wise.

@meppi64 Isaac to me is all about slowly, VERY SLOWLY (too much at times) unlocking the hundreds of items/trinkets/weapons available just to discover potentially godlike combos and synergies that let you breeze thru the game content. Period. I reckon art style/setting may not suits everybody's taste... I personally love it! Double dipped on Switch after hundreds of hours on PC (retail version comes with a sweet NES-like instruction booklet). I agree gameplay-wise EtG is superior to Isaac, while the latter boasts MUCH more items/combo/synergies.

Speaking of EtG, I've been waiting forever for Andvanced Gungeons & Draguns major patch to land... whichunfortunately doesn't seem to have an ETA.

@Anti-Matter LOVE the joycon color scheme. Nicely done!

@RetroGamerAndrew Yep, fully agree with all of that.
I was under the impression that Gungeon & Dragons would be released around this time, but I haven't heard anything about the update as of late.
Which is a bit of a shame since most people running sites for this hobby don't seem to be doing much inquiry or research anymore. With only few notable exceptions.
For instance, everyone put out a copy&paste PR statement that Lumines would be coming to Switch, but one of the biggest questions people had, which is if all the original music tracks would be included as well since some of them might be problematic due to licensing, we completely ignored by every site out there.
And ended up being answered when a random person tweeted the publisher and they replied that indeed all the original tracks would be included in the remaster.
In some ways, nowadays with all the instant news and access to the internet, we're not better off then back in the 90's when we got our news from magazine. In a lot of ways, we're even worse of. :-/

Got Enter the Gungeon on sale and played for 4 - 5 hours on the first day.

I gotta say, I don't see the point in the destructible environments if you never get any currency from them. I mean, the tables and other stuff that can be used as cover I get, but... what about the random books and stacks of stuff you knock over by running into?

Yeah, I kept smashing everything up in each room as I assumed it was how you found items. Is that totally unnecessary then?

Not to turn this into the ENTER THE GUNGEON thread but I'm only a couple of hrs into it - the control scheme has just auto-switched as it does - and I've yet to defeat a boss. Any tips?

@Lroy If you haven't turned on the trigger switch control scheme (I'm not sure what you mean by auto-switched) do that. It feels much more natural pressing ZR to shoot and ZL to dodge roll. Also, don't be afraid to spend money, and the pilot is really good for if you find a chest, but don't have any keys.

@Lroy

@Scrummer Yeah, I've re-mapped the buttons to my liking.

By auto-switch, I mean the aiming has now gone to traditional twin stick. The game actually starts you off for a set period of time as auto-aim using the left stick.

I've mapped my buttons buddy. You helped me before 👍

Just bought butcher on sale, been undecided on this one . Any opinions on this one?

@Jbs-Dad I think that's one @oorwullie picked up a little while back? I know next to nothing about it.

@Jbs-Dad @Lroy I really like it. It's a bit rough looking and on any difficulty other than casual it's bloody difficult but if you bought it because you thought it is the kind of game you'd like, chances are you'll enjoy it.

Going to play it now actually.

I'm playing on hard difficulty which is the 2nd one, it's really satisfying to play. The casual one is too easy and you'll sail through the levels, which there aren't too much of. Hard seems perfect for my skills though,challenging but doable.

@OorWullie sounds good thanks, now to tear myself away from rocket league haaha.

@Lroy Ah, thought you might have missed it the first time around.