After a successful Kickstarter, The Wonderful 101: Remastered has now been made available to backers.
So how does the remastered version hold up? According to the experts at Digital Foundry, performance on console disappoints. The original Wii U release ran at a native 720p and apparently "had issues" targeting 60fps at times, and this is still apparently a problem for the Switch and base PS4 version of the remaster.
Here's how Digital Foundry's Thomas Morgan explains it:
There's no getting away from it: performance is disappointing even in this remaster. 60fps remains the target on every console, but in 2013 this game just couldn't do it on Nintendo's last-gen spec. 30fps to 60fps was the general range, and so often through those first few missions frame-rates languish at 40fps for long stretches, with cutscenes dipping to the 30 mark. Much later on in the game, performance drops lower still. Remarkably, the Switch version shows little actual improvement while docked, and in cutscenes, performance is actually lower than the original Wii U game by 10fps to 12fps. There's the indication that 1080p is too high a target for Switch, and that complex areas with lots of draw calls are CPU-limited.
The gap between Wii U and Switch closes in gameplay at least, but the fact that performance is still an issue at all is disappointing. Meanwhile, the results in portable play at least improve on docked play by a margin of up to 5fps. The native output is a less demanding 720p, which helps boost the frame-rate in action with lots of transparencies - despite the huge drop in GPU core clock and memory bandwidth. It's telling that the game still hits the same 23fps low point as docked play during the top-down view of the city, which suggests that processing so much geometry triggers a CPU bottleneck - rather than GPU. Portable play is broadly in the same space performance-wise then, but expect moments to run a touch faster.
The key takeaway for Switch players is that the Nintendo iteration of the remaster shows "little actual improvement while docked" and in cutscenes, performance is lower than the original Wii U game by 10-12fps. It's all tied to the higher resolution (1080p), which matches the display of the PS4 and PS4 Pro. There's a slight performance improvement in portable mode (720p) as well.
On a more positive note, the visuals translate "wonderfully" to the Switch, and higher resolution in docked mode provides additional clarity. For the full analysis, check out Digital Foundry's video above.
Have you had the chance to play Switch version of the remaster yet? What do you think of the game's performance so far? Leave a comment down below.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 126
Ouch, that doesn't look good at all.
They should just have a 30fps option and maybe a 720p docked performance option too, overall it seems a pretty sloppy port
I honestly haven’t seen many if any huge complaints for this version of the game save for this DF analysis. I’m sure it’ll be a terrific release with some minor performance hiccups here and there and to be honest, I’m not the least bit bothered. I look forward to playing this at length in handheld mode once it’s available.
Have it on my Wii U so not sure if it's worth me double dipping if performance hasn't improved. Still an amazing game though.
That doesn't sound great but from what I played of the Wii U game, I didn't notice any significant performance problems. My biggest complaint about the game is that, well, it's just not very fun.
I’ll stick with my wii U version running off my external HD for now✌️
Ouch that is disappointing too hear. I came close too backing it myself and it would have been for the switch. At this stage I will get it for PC unless patches can make it a stable 60fps.
They should had options for either 60fps at 720p or 1080p unlock/30fps
I have little doubt this game will be getting a patch. The patch may take a little longer than usual due to the pandemic (platinum have an office environment, so actually have to alter how they work to some degree).
It is surprising that even PS4s brute force cannot get it to stable 60 without the mid gen refresh boost.
Personally I never got to the end of this game, may give it another try at some point, but it never captured me.
I'd have preferred Viewtiful Joe or something along those lines, his powers were even a "good fit" for the gamepad.
I’m looking forward to getting this on the Switch. I still have it on the WiiU and it’s great that more people will get to play this by releasing it on different platforms. Hopefully PlatinumGames release a patch to resolve the frame rate issue.
And people will still think the switch is plenty powerful, doesn’t need an upgrade, is perfect as is, and blame every developer for any shortcomings on frame rates/graphics. Hopefully they can do some improvements over time. I wanted to get this on switch
Will just keep with my Wii U version as it stands... Still it's great the game is coming to more platforms and no doubt a patch will arrive after release to fix this....
Well, thanks for the info. This is disappointing. I planned to get this game on Switch, but reading this, I will get the Steam version. Switch hardware most of the times disappoints.
@NoNoseNosferatu This time, mesome713 didn't do anything wrong. They simply stated what they thought. Please be more considerate next time.
@Judgedean think about what you're asking for in 2020. 720p 60fps or 1080p 30fps in a cartoon game. And this is halfway through the systems apparent life cycle. Either we need a pro model or we need to be three quarters the way to a switch 2 launch.
Love the game, but no excuse for this. Hope a performance patch comes but come on Platinum.
That's a shame, I wish Platinum was more consistent with their ports.
I know they probably have time/budget restrictions like everyone else but come on! You can't be one of the best action game developers of all time but have shoddy ports.
I'm hoping it's like the Wii U Bayonetta games where it's still playable, but we'll see. A patch would be great.
Serious? That sucks.
@HardcoreDaBoss It's not super powerful, but definitely powerful enough to run games just fine. The Wonderful 101 seems like a case of unoptimized game, but I hope they can improve it through patches.
Drop the 1080p resolution to 720p/900p and it should already run better. The game runs better on handheld mode (720p), even though in handheld mode the system is underclocked compared to docked mode. So 720p docked should work just fine.
Kickstarter strikes again! A growing list of games that Switch people back only to get the worst version of the batch of games released. I'm glad I finally learned my lesson and stayed away from this. I hope Kamiya supports this game after launch for all the fans who supported him.
Whelp, I'm glad they gave me a free Steam copy on top of the Switch physical preorder. I'll keep that one unopened.
@PretendWorking If they started attacking other users then probably, yeah. You could always just use the ignore button.
Like half you people cant tell a difference.lol I've been playing games since 1985.only difference I can see when playing games is playing handheld to the tv.1080p difference on games I play
@HardcoreDaBoss for an affordable portable gaming tablet, yeah I'd say the switch is fine lol
It’s just Platinum, guys! They don’t play by your RULES.
@Nintendofan83 well the switch is the weakest system so it shouldn't expect the best port no matter how many Nintendo fans supported it.
@ryurei my systems stay docked. I don't get the benefits of portable so I'd rather the system play better. As for affordable... you can buy a ps4 for the same price as a switch. Awww you said affordable portable. If they sold me a cheaper docked only switch I would be far less critical.
@KoopaTheGamer I think we should just play our switches docked on CRT TVS. Then the tvs can hide the lack of switch power.
@sixrings Some of the high-end CRTs are actually quite good in terms of image quality, so maybe that's exactly what we should do. 😉
In other news, grass is green, water is wet, and dinosaurs are still extinct.
@sixrings then buy a ps4? The switch is not a traditional console regardless of whether or not that's how you choose to use it, if that's what you're looking for they already exist so why bother with the switch?
I never really notice slowdown in games, so maybe I am lucky. I’ve played this for a little bit so far and I can’t say I really notice / get bothered by slowdown. It’s such a busy game — you’re flooded by so much on the screen that is happening — that I never really observe too much. Maybe it’s just me not being that good at the game, but I’m so perplexed by what the heck is going on that I see everything through my periphery vision so am not noticing the slowdown.
I’d def love for all games to be polished when they land — the era of patches has really ushered in a trend of games hitting the market earlier than they would, with companies knowing they can patch in the performance issue fixes later.
Didn’t realise it was out. I’m not gonna bother with it. Especially after reading this
I still enjoyed the game on Wii U. I think that won't change even if I finally get to play it on Switch.
@ryurei because like most Nintendo fans I would like to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid. But Mario didn't run at 1080p neither did BOTW and links awakening was less than 30fps. I have limited time in life as I'm older but would much prefer to play Nintendo games. That said I hate all the compromises I have to make to play them. I'm not asking for 4k. Just 1080p 60fps.
@KoopaTheGamer I got rid of my CRT TVs and at plus forty I don't think my back can handle moving one again yet alone the effort it would take to find one on kijiji.
No worries guys, Platinum will fix this in half an hour.
Finished the game multiple times already and this is barely an issue.
So much hype for this...
Of course the visuals translate wonderfully to Switch... Why wouldn't they?
I hope they patch it...
@sixrings
In this case its more the promise of the Switch being included by the developer to hit those targets than just accepting the switch as the weaker entity of the three major console groups. I don't think anybody really argues the Switch being powerful, just that it can be enough with the right developers working with what they have.
@sixrings well considering a lot of games struggle to do that on even the base ps4 & xbone, I think your expectations may be slightly north of reality. I was way too busy enjoying the hell out of those games to care about dynamic res or frame rate dips but that's just me
How can it go worse in a more powerful hardware....?? Insane.
Well, I was going to wait for a sale anyway, so let's hope it got fixed by the time I play it.
@HardcoreDaBoss
Yep. N should be iterating every 2-3 years. Maybe not as fast as phones but faster than the home consoles. I still think they hitched to a wrong horse with Nvidia. They're basically at the mercy of those guys which is not a good place to be as MS found out with the original Xbox.
I kinda wanted this one but if it has performance issues then nope.
Maybe these guys are just really bad at coding.
I'm no techy in this regard. But I would assume the makers know this and have made a decision to release it as it is.
Is this as financial decision, they can't afford to work on it any longer, a technical issue, the Switch is just not up to the job. Or the game belongs on a more powerful console.
Is 101 anymore demanding than Hyrule Warriors Definitive, which looks ok.
Nintendo need to stop always putting price first and put performance first, on at least one of its console variants. Surely we should have a Pro by now, and those that want it will be willing to pay extra.
Or if games don't run as they should on the Switch then their price should reflect this.
So my original WiiU version with second screen play is still the best way to play it? Cool!
@carlos82 and remember they said they had money already for the switch version? I knew something was fishy about this from the start
@ryurei if we compare identical games on the three systems then we will see that the switch constantly is below par. Fortnite, rocket league, crash trilogy all run worse on the switch. No one's asking for the new God of War to be available at 1080p 60fps but when Mario, Zelda, tennis, are all 900p and Luigi, Kirby, links awakening are 30fps or below something isn't right. People keep using the "poorly optimized" quote but if we were consistent then only Mario Kart and Smash Brothers was well optimized. It isn't just third parties, Nintendo struggles with the hardware as well. I thought the solution should be obvious, just make better hardware or a newer model.
@PretendWorking If I or any other moderator see them writing anything that is clearly against the site's rules or that could provoke an argument, then yes we will censor them and let them know this.
Also, as @BenAV said, please consider using the 'Ignore' button if you don't want to see a specific user's posts.
@zool Nintendo didn't make this game, and nobody should ever support such an anti-consumer practice as mid-gen upgrades. Seeing people talk about the lack of power in Switch because of one poorly optimized game is beyond ridiculous, especially when it's long been proven otherwise.
If you're playing games because of the specs, you're doing it wrong. At that point you're not a gamer, you're a hobbyist. Get a PC and modify it with all the top of the line parts you couldn't string together in a single breath and watch how your enjoyment won't increase at all when playing the same games as actual gamers.
@sixrings uh huh, because they're completely different systems with different goals lol you said you're getting older so you should probably realize by now that not everything is going to be exactly how you want it to be all of the time. nobody put a gun to your head & forced you to buy the glorified gaming tablet, why are you trying to pretend now that you didn't know what you were getting 🤷♂️ don't like playing games that aren't pitch perfect? Don't by handheld system. It's pretty simple
@sword_9mm you are 100% correct. The Nvidia move was a very bad decision overall. Nvidia’s mobile socs are very limited in choice, low end, expensive. The higher up chips would be way too expensive for Nintendo to consider using anytime in the near future.
@zool It has similar problems on PS4 as well so it's definitely not a Switch issue. This is just PlatinumGames releasing the game early using backers as beta testers cause they don't have some themselves then when backers pointed out those issues they would fix em with a patch later.
That does explain the mixed reviews for the Switch Version of the game.....
@ryurei well Nintendo only makes handhelds or should I be generous and say hybrids. Listen I spent a minor fortune supporting Nintendo over the last 35 years. I am allowed to express my frustration.
Their hardware is going to be even further behind by the end of this year. Their recode is terrible which makes their online lag. They refused to acknowledge joy con drift until their was a lawsuit I've had 6 joy cons drift out of the 10 I own. Their remakes and remasters are sold individually and at full price. Then there is the switch tax.
I love Nintendo but it's a love hate relationship.
@zool in the old days when you bought portable games you knew you were taking a tech cut but you paid less for the games. Somehow that disappeared with the switch.
@sixrings I feel like the switch has been running on BOTW, a few Wii U ports and the promise of something new for way too long. I need them to make good on my investment in this console before buying another one.
Remember guys this is not a 1st party game like the Wii U version, this is a port that they rush out to release after ebegging for money on Kickstarter. This is a game that was rush out the door without no care about quality and just want to take your money and run. Had they care about quality they would had use those funding and took their time developing and beta testing for the game as best as they could but they didn't. This shows PlatinumGames is no different from Keiji Inafune and Koji Igarashi. They took your money and make a subpar game, the only differences is that while Inafune and Igarashi had issues making a good game, at least theirs were new original title, this game however is just a port and shouldn't have had this problem as there already exist the original they could had easily improve on but choose not to.
Disgraceful.
Glad I just stuck with my Wii U version.
@Moistnado
"I feel like the switch has been running on BOTW, a few Wii U ports and the promise of something new for way too long."
So you've been in a coma since mid-2017? That's rough!
@sixrings Most of the PS4's exclusives don't run at 1080p 60fps, either. If you're really stuck on that performance metric, you're best off sticking to third-party games on a PC optimized to hit those marks.
Paid $60 for the Kickstarter Switch physical version, sold the Steam code for $30.
So I paid $30 for the game basically, which now seems like a good price since it doesn't seem to have had a lot of work put into it.
Hopefully by the time I get mine in the mail in a couple months there will have been a patch or two that improves things
@Moistnado I bought multiple switches so that my family can local lan play on games like Mario Kart 8, Tennis, Splatoon 2. Funny enough when writing that I realize basically two of those games I could have done on Wii u if it let me. But salmon run is great. In general I like my switch more and am happy the gamepad gimmick is gone.
@Moistnado So where were you when hit games like Doom 2016, Octopath Traveler, Luigi's Mansion 3, Astral Chains, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Dark Souls Remastered, Super Mario Odyssey, Cuphead, Ori and the Blind Forest, Untitled Goose Game, Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest XI S, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Sonic Mania Plus, Dragon Ball FighterZ, etc? There's more to the Switch than just Wii U ports, you got a variety of titles from all across different genre, there's no reason to complain about the Switch being a Wii U port machine when it got games from other platforms as well in addition to it own exclusive titles.
@retro_player_77 if you manly bought the switch for first party games that list you wrote isn't that impressive. I did like Luigi's mansion though.
Debated what version to claim for months. Glad I went with PC now. Was not even about performance, just did not want to loose it again
I’m still waiting on 1 of my 2 digital copies of the game, 8 days later. No comment at all from Platinum, or their partner The Yetee. Given that the general release is looming now, they’ve got quite a few ratty backers currently. They’ve had more than performance issues with this project: failures at every possible stage really.
The game will still be fun to play.
@Matthew010 “... this time?” So you’re aware of the troll’s antics and lunacy and you still haven’t deleted them from the site? What are your priorities, mate? Lol. Good to know you’re keeping tabs on him, though. Hope you lot give him the boot eventually.
@NoNoseNosferatu I don't have the ability to ban users. The user hasn't specifically broken any site rules, so there are no grounds to ban them on.
@HardcoreDaBoss This isn't an issue with the Switch, W101 ran about the same on Wii U, and the Switch has better specs, so there's no reason there shouldn't be a considerable improvement in performance. This is on Platinum's head-no idea why there haven't been any improvements for the Switch version though, that audience probably makes up most of the backers.
@Matthew010 look at their posting history and get back to me on that. Get your team mates to ban the sod once and for all.
@NoNoseNosferatu I've taken a quick look and can't find anything in particular. However, if you find a post you believe goes against the site rules, please report it so that we can look into the issue further.
@sixrings Why would you buy the Switch for just 1st party titles anyways, there's so much you can do on Switch that a modern day console like PS4, Xbox One, Dreamcast, and GameCube couldn't do. Also to be able to play your home console on the go without the restriction of the TV is a bonus. Sure we got Wii U ports like Wonderful 101, Bayonetta 2, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but to be able to also take them on the go without the restriction of having to link them to just one TV/PC is fantastic. There's games like Ni no Kuni, Grandia 1 & 2, Resident Evil 4, 5, and 6, Dark Souls, Disgaea 1, 4 & 5, and Skyrim that had they were not on Switch, I would had never beat those games in my spare time. I got some of them on my other consoles but with no time to play through them all, most of those were just archive and nothing more especially long games like Dark Souls.
@Matthew010 will do, thanks Matt.
@HardcoreDaBoss
Is your argument that the Switch is less powerful than a Wii U? Because that's factually incorrect.
@Moistnado
"I need them to make good on my investment in this console before buying another one"
Yep. Last game I played on my Switch was LM3 next one won't be till Paper Mario.
Everyone who does not play Animal Crossing has been looking at tons of old ports or 2nd tier games for months now.
After paying $300 in 2017 for a Switch. I am also now pay $12 a month for SHADOW to play 3rd party games on the GO while I wait 🙄
@retro_player_77 some people have limited time. So first party games are basically what I bought my switch for. I do own street fighter and NBA playgrounds. But those are my exceptions. It's ok. The system is fine. I just wish I never owned a Wii u so that the switch would feel more fresh.
@Agramonte I've been playing my Switch essentially every day since it launched, and I haven't had to settle for a second-tier game once. You must be really bad at quality evaluation.
Guessing Platinum must have slacked a bit on the optimization end of things. Heres hoping they can improve it in a patch
If the performance only dips in cutscenes then that's fine. Though yeah, I'd have taken 720p60 over the whole game if it was an option.
They are still working on the extra content for this game, Im sure all of this will be patched out in the future
Sorry, but I find this hilarious! I have the original Wii u version and don't have any problems obviously!
I have this on the WiiU somewhere. Maybe if there is a big enough sale I'll pick it up to play on the PS4 Pro. Maybe.
Where did all that Kickstarter money go to? It's sure as hell didn't go to optimizing this game.
Looks to me that the slow downs on the Df video are mainly happening during non gameplay sections.
And I’ve said it many times, if you don’t notice it yourself while actually playing.. and need someone with tools to tell you something isn’t good.. then Er.. well, fill in the rest.
Eh, sounds like more trivial issues for people to make sound worst than it actually is.
Still picking up the Switch version after not picking up the original Wii U release.
Ouch. I'll stick with the WiiU version until the dlc comes out.
@HardcoreDaBoss except that it IS plenty capable and shouldn't struggle with Wii U games when it is definitely a more capable system than Wii U. So yeah, it is the developers fault if they cannot improve a 7 year old game on a system than is far more capable.
Your claim is wholly incorrect if you spent the time to research.
@retro_player_77 I was right here thinking- Doom 2016, Octopath Traveler, Luigi's Mansion 3, Astral Chains, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Dark Souls Remastered, Super Mario Odyssey, Cuphead, Ori and the Blind Forest, Untitled Goose Game, Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest XI S, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Sonic Mania Plus, Dragon Ball FighterZ are a bunch of old games, small indies, 2nd-3rd tier Nintendo games, mostly overpriced compared to ps4 and xbox and and not much reason to own a Switch. I have Sonic Mania and the goose game, MH4GU and they are two good little multiplatform games plus an old one but hardly system sellers. I would only probably recommend the goose game and it would be better on an ipad or your phone. They need to dust off some big exclusive franchises. After over 3 years BOTW still looks like their most advanced game and even that was made for Wii U.
@retro_player_77 right. So wait six months before you buy.
Ouch. Not what I was expecting at all, that’s pretty disappointing.
Given the physical version comes in late June/early July, I'd guess the physical version has a patch on the cart.
@JimmySpades
Seeing how my Steam/PSN/closet are full of all the old ports people gush about when they finally end up on Switch - I doubt that is the reason.
More like my "quality evaluation" is not limited by what is available on Switch. If not on Switch, it gets benched and I figure out a way to play it elsewhere.
Same way I wont be playing a random 2nd tier game or 5 year old port on my PC when a NEW Paper Mario is out on Switch.
@Moistnado
Mario Odyssey, Octopath Traveler and Astral Chain are not old, indie, or 2nd-3rd tier games.
It looks fine to me. Not a big deal. Will get it to play on the go.
They are incompetent it seems...
@Agramonte I like the not-so-subtle implication that people with only a Switch evaluate games more leniently than people like yourself who have multiple options. Of course, that has nothing to do with your original statement:
"Everyone who does not play Animal Crossing has been looking at tons of old ports or 2nd tier games for months now."
Since this is demonstrably false, your evaluation skills are demonstrably flawed. Despite having multiple systems available.
Like me. As I own a PS4 and also play it regularly, by your logic I'm not subject to the sort of Switch-related opinion inflation you clearly wish to use to dismiss me.
If this was made by another developer and not Platinum there would be a lot more criticism of their handling of this port. I'll wait until these issues are fixed before considering a purchase (or maybe just hunt down the Wii U version if it's cheap).
@MoonKnight7 You are right, those three are 'not much reason to own a switch'. Octopath looks like a small indie, I do not like RPGs, Mario wearing a magic hat is not my thing either. Astral chain looks quite good but very overpriced, especially considering it is a year old, I'll get it on a heavy sale for around $10/20. I think, I'll be waiting a long time for that sale with Nintendo. I have a $50 voucher that will expire soon, and as there are so few good games that justify that price, I might be forced to get Astral Chain or nothing for the voucher. Probably why I am so negative about bigger games on the switch. Fingers crossed that a good game gets a release soon. For me, none of these games are a reason to own a switch. My apathy lead me to buying a PS4, and the significant difference in prices of games (like Doom 2016 which was given for 'free' on PSPlus) meant it paid for itself. Witcher 3 is often sold for 11.99 on ps4. I think my words were reasonable.
In addition to the 720p TV output, the Wii U was driving the gamepad display. I wonder how it would have handled 1080p without the gamepad screen.
Glad I got a Steam key for the physical versions being delayed. I prefer playing on consoles, but my PC is capable of running smoothly! I'll just plug my Pro controller into it and pretend I'm playing on Switch.
@JimmySpades yes, it’s has been months of rehash and 2nd tier games. Tokyo Mirage, Metro 1 (not even Exodus), DMC3, Saint Row, WarFace, ... Microsoft dumped Street or Rage 4, moving out, two point hospital and indivisible into $5 a month PC Game Pass. Shows How little the publishers cared About that stuff. And now time to pretend rehash BioShock Collection (that Sony just gave away for FREE), Borderland 1 and Xcom (that new XCOM Chimera Squad is out) are the next Switch games “worth playing”. Again, there has been Animal Crossing and now Paper Mario. Rest are rehash and filler.
@Moistnado
Octopath Traveler is one of my favorite games on Switch. Some thought it was too long/repetitive, but for me it was just right. It has some of the best video game music I’ve heard since Xenoblade. “Looks like a small indie”. Lmao, no, it clocks in at about 80-100 hours of content, but hey, not your cup of tea, no shame in that. I am just correcting your assessment — old, indie, 2nd-3rd tier it is not — You just don’t want it.
Yes, Mario’s hat is magical. Why that alone would stop you from trying it is about as sensible as calling Octopath Traveler a small indie game. But hey, magic hats are a no-go, and not your cup of tea either. Fine, I guess. I am just correcting your assessment — old, indie, 2nd-3rd tier it is not — You just don’t want it.
Astral Chain is very good, but you’ll never find it for $10. Not until the Switch lifecycle is over anyway. Maybe, maybe, you’ll find it half price somewhere. So my best advice is to use the voucher, hopefully enjoy Astral Chain, then go buy a PS4. If game deals are what you want (no shame in it, who doesn’t like deals), Nintendo consoles are not the right platform. This isn’t anything new.
PS4 will soon be “last gen”, so you’re gonna find great deals come the autumn, so long as PS5 isn’t delayed.
@Agramonte If they're filler or rehash, why do you keep bringing up how they cost less elsewhere? After all, they're either not worth playing or you've played them before; in either case what they cost couldn't possibly matter to you, and it certainly doesn't matter to your attempted argument. No, you're just doing whatever you can to criticize the Switch. Whatever pops into your head is the drivel that you write. You're making no effort at consistency apart from "Switch bad" diatribes. Which is utterly absurd--if buying the Switch was such a poor decision on your part, instead of taking the ridiculous path of constantly trying to prove how much Nintendo is screwing you over, just take advantage of the used market in the midst of the pandemic, sell the damned thing, at a profit, no less, and be done with it. You won't even feel the need to come here and rant; and trust me, everybody will understand, and nobody will mind, or lament your absence.
@MoonKnight7 If you are going to correct my assessment, please quote me correctly. These games fall under the category of "not much reason to own a Switch'' which I repeated for you in the last message, but you failed to notice for a second time. And yes Octopath with it's 2D pixel art, I will certainly stand by the words that it "Looks like a small indie" even if it isn't one. If you read my previous message in response to you, you would know that I already own a PS4. As for my $50 voucher, I would have got Bioshock collection, but I just got it for free on PSPlus, so I guess I'll go with Outer Wilds... no I got that for $30 on ps4 back in Feb. Perhaps the Handsome collection, no I got that for $11.99 in April on Ps4. So I guess I'll go for Astral chain or Mario's magic hat- and in case you have forgotten, these two games I do not particularly want are "not much reason to own a Switch".
@Moistnado
In regards to PS4, my mistake, I misread it. I read it as “lead”, as in present, not past tense. So my bad, I’ll own that mistake.
As for Octopath. “ Octopath with it's 2D pixel art, I will certainly stand by the words that it "Looks like a small indie" even if it isn't one.”
Even calling it 2D pixel art, doesn’t characterize it correctly. It’s 2D pixel art, in fully fleshed 3D environments. You’re severely discounting what they actually did, and was a lot more work than you’re giving credit for, whether it’s your style of game or not.
In regards to Astral Chain, you even said “it looks quite good”. So you clearly want it in some capacity, but for some reason you think it’s only worth $10-20. Who doesn’t love deals, but that’s a low bar to hit. Are you one of those that purely counts a 12-20 hour campaign as not worth a full price investment? Is a good 90 minute movie too expensive or would you rather watch a 3 hour movie cause you get double the content? From personal experience, Titanic went on way, way too long — Toy Story was better.
So it’s either a solidly good magic hat game, or a solidly good 12 hour action game. You’re in quite a pickle, I’d hate to be in your shoes.
@JimmySpades Those are the games that launched in the time you contradicting me. They Old games and $5 PC rental fills everywhere else... befalling is your argument that skipping them on Switch is based on bad quality evaluation.
Same insanity as someone arguing with me that Metro 2033 Redux barely has 300 people playing it on Steam because of "bad quality evaluation" 🤦♂️... No, it is called an old irrelevant game most do not care to turn on their PC and play in 2020. Trying to elevate them on Switch just shows how titles there has been the last few months.
So Why are you replying to a comment I made to another member?. It had nothing to do with you. If you do not care, ignore it.
@MoonKnight7 So you understand that something looking an indie doesn't make it the same as an indie? I think the original doom had 2D sprites in a 3D environment, I don't really see what you are trying to argue here? You like a game, OK. I didn't mention the duration of Astral Chain, you're debating with yourself there. Lot's of things can be good and only worth 10-20 dollars. As for your comment on "full price investment"- 59.99 is quite a lot of money for any download of software. The original discussion thread was about how there is a lack of choice on the console. While you think a choice between these two games is fine, it isn't much choice. I think you are arguing for the sake of it now.
What's up with NintenDoomed fandom here trying to use a WiiU saying it's better but fail to comprehend you can't even take it outside and play with it. For all the gestures take it on the road trip and play it in your vehicle and you can see where that misinformation starts. The Game hasn't been released it and people are saying as though it's out. When the Physical does make it out then the test will be there. But anything before that is just speculations they can still fix fps before launch or patch at launched to resolve fps problems. If that is all people are latching on to then they are in a sorry state. Other consoles can you take those one the road trip and play it NO that doesn't work. So trying to use that for fandom makes absolutely worthless argument. As to price this is also a worthless child like debate wanting some for nothing tells alot of once personality that they think they deserve something for nothing. I like to see those do work/programming for nothing and tell me they want it for cheaper-I bet they won't say YES to that but makes some ridicules rants instead.
@Moistnado
I’m saying you should give Octopath more credit than you’re giving it. If I worked on the game, I’d just be — slightly insulted at that kind of description, that’s all. It was a major third party effort. Whatever Doom has to do with this, I am sure, I don’t know.
So, if it’s not the duration of Astral Chain, why is it overpriced exactly? You mentioned the age — of which is 8 months old — hardly old, so you gotta do better than that. Can’t hide behind, well $60 is a lot of money. Yeah, but that’s pretty typical isn’t it? Especially for a Nintendo console. I’m sure you didn’t have sticker shock when you found out Switch games were $60. What if I told you that most Wii U games way back in 2012, we’re also $60? No, I think I’m right on the money, but if you don’t want to admit it, that’s fine. We’ll just say the 8 month old game is super old. I can’t believe Nintendo hasn’t dropped an 8 month old exclusive game to the price of $20 or given it away for free. Sounds very unlike them.
You’ve had a year to figure out what to spend the vouchers on, so sorry, my sympathy only goes so far. Apparently 35+ games wasn’t enough.
@MoonKnight7 -An 8 month old game is certainly not a new game. I have seen games halve in price or more in that time. I'm not hiding behind the fact that 59.99 is a lot of money. The average allowance, in the UK for a teenager, including bus and lunch money is £50 a month. The game would have to be very good to make them save for several months to buy one download. You sound very privileged when you belittle such a large sum of money. As for my voucher, don't worry, maybe I'll try to buy friend a present or something (if the vouchers allow it). I do think that it is callous to buy overpriced and cheaply developed games, just because you can afford more than most people. This affects the market, hiking up the price for everyone else. You know, data on an SD card you already own doesn't cost the same as a retail game and neither cost $60 to make? There is a marketing technique called price anchoring, where items are priced at significantly more than they expect to sell things, so that they can hold the illusion of value and alter price perception. Profit is still made then a AAA game is sold for $10, especially as a download. It isn't as much of a bargain as you claim. Before you mention the years of development time, I know. BOTW took years to make but we are talking about pixel art and recycled Mario assets, Splatoon 2 was just fluffed up DLC for the first game and 1-2 switch wasn't even a game. Not many of the games on the shop are actually worth the original asking price, you can't disagree with that- it is a standard business practice to overprice things then make 'offers'.
@Moistnado "I was right here thinking- Doom 2016, Octopath Traveler, Luigi's Mansion 3, Astral Chains, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Dark Souls Remastered, Super Mario Odyssey, Cuphead, Ori and the Blind Forest, Untitled Goose Game, Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest XI S, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Sonic Mania Plus, Dragon Ball FighterZ are a bunch of old games, small indies, 2nd-3rd tier Nintendo games, mostly overpriced compared to ps4 and xbox and and not much reason to own a Switch."
I think you've answered your own question there. If it's not doing anything for you, get rid of it. People are clamouring for them right now.
@WiltonRoots - bought a ps4. My switch is hibernating until there is a reason to come back. If sell it, they'll release something amazing lol. I I thought, after a year or two of ports they would find their stride, but now I'm not sure. I do think/hope good games will come out in the future... eventually. I think Nintendo are saving some heavy hitters to pull back a little attention when the next gen consoles are released by Sony and microsoft. I'l dust it off then.
@Moistnado Yeah maybe wait a few weeks as I get a feeling they may do some more surprise drops as I don't think they've got the ability to do Directs at the mo. I would imagine the logistics involved in putting one together make it very difficult for them, for example shooting presenters in a studio, getting the rushes into post production for grading and editing, voice overs etc as I don't imagine they use home level equipment when they put them together.
This game isn't that good at all.
Not sure why it got remastered.
@Moistnado an 8 month game is not old, don't be stupid.
That's one of the most ridiculous things I've heard all week on this website.
By this analogy, every single game that gets ported to PC is ancient. Some games take over a year to get ported to PC after they come on console.
Are they old games?
@Razer Rude. 8 months old is old; old by 8 months. Do the math.
@Moistnado
“You sound very privileged when you belittle such a large sum of money.”
Lmao, I have a job. Bringing teenagers into this is... well, odd. Um, everything is expensive to them — they’re teenagers. Compared to a teenager, sure, I guess I am privileged. They’re a small sliver of the market, especially as millennials and Gen X get older, and games find ways to reach older markets (like the Wii did).
The prices have been $60 for a long time. When you account for inflation, we’re getting a steal at $60, especially for games that take so long to develop for. NES games were about $50 in the 90s, which is almost $100 in today’s money. Anchoring, or not, we’re lucky they’ve stayed at $60 for so long.
Are there bad ones? Sure there are. 1-2 Switch — bad (the first thing we can agree on, definitely not telling you to use your voucher on that). Mario Odyssey and Astral Chain — good, whether it’s your style of game or not. Astral Chain was even a brand new IP, so not much cutting corners there. Yeah some games are just about cashing in, for a while Assassins Creed was just spinning their wheels retooling old assets, and it was obvious. But there’s plenty of cases of game studios going under as well. Games are a tough business, it’s not as simple as you’re making it seem.
If you spend 3-4 years making a game and it tanks, you’re screwed. Bowsers Inside Story for 3DS, where certainly some reuse of assets was used, carts were probably dirt cheap, and it completely sunk AlphaDream. Some see great profits, but some don’t. And if they reuse old assets from somewhere, who cares? Work smarter, not harder. You find that in almost any business. Games still can take years, whether they’re reusing assets or building from scratch. It usually involves both. Who cares?
I’m sorry, I just don’t agree, an 8 month old game is not old. By that logic, everything’s old then. Why you expect a drop on an exclusive game in price is ridiculous. Sony does it sure, but they rely on third parties and those games are on more platforms to begin with. They can sell games for 10-20 bucks cause they made back everything they put out, cause the game is everywhere. The more places you have it available, the better your profit margins. It’s more about spreading the brand at that point.
Astral Chain is on Switch, and only Switch. Now could Nintendo do better? Sure, I don’t disagree that they hide behind the “quality banner” to keep prices higher. But you’re not gonna see Astral Chain drop for a while, it’s the only console you can get it. I have no idea what the profit margins are for Astral Chain, but I know it was a new IP, and that alone, is an expensive risk. Saying Astral Chain is only worth 10-20 bucks, cause if it’s age of 8 months is absurd. It’s not on PS4, it’s not on Xbox, it’s not on PC. It’ll drop eventually, but not for a while.
I think giving your voucher away is a great idea, it might be tied to your account, but hey, doesn’t hurt to check. Best of luck.
@MoonKnight7 "a steal at $60" - yes you sound pretty wealthy. Either you are very rich or, you have a cash allergy or perhaps your parents cry themselves to sleep each night wondering how to make ends meet. The minimum wage in the UK is £6.45 an hour minus 12% National insurance and 20% tax so that's £4.38 an hour. 13.7 hours flipping burgers to get Astral Chain... This does not take into account the price of your lunch or bus fare home or the cost of living, food, rent etc. It is the entirety of a day and a half of salary. Not worth the money, especially when on other consoles, games don't cost this. The audience for Mario's magic hat don't even have jobs. It is hard to explain what expensive means if you've not experienced what most people in the world have, but money comes from labor for most people(I know you have job). I got Resident Evil 2 (arguably a more advanced game but let's not argue about that too)on ps4 for 19.79 in November last year. 8 months earlier, in March, it was 59.99, which is expensive, three times as expensive. This is pretty normal. While Astral Chain costs 59.99, it isn't worth 59.99 in my opinion. I have stated the reasons above.
@Moistnado
Certainly not wealthy, I just manage my money correctly, and pay my bills on time. Look, I know some have it harder than others, but if money is an issue, you shouldn’t be spending it on video games in the first place. They are a luxury item. They are purely for entertainment. If you’re broke, save for a house, not a game console.
I didn’t have jack when I moved out. Fought and scrapped like anyone else. Had 3 minimum wage jobs. We get taxed too — like most developed nations — not even sure why you went there. Only difference is insurance is paid outright, it’s not a government program. Therefore, I Didn’t buy new games for a long time, so sorry if the fact that I can buy Astral Chain at full price now, somehow offends you. Nintendo said its $60, and I said that’s fair, it’s the same price as any other Switch game. The game is great, btw. Probably Platinums best effort yet.
Funny you mentioned resident evil 2. I got it for that exact deal too (just obviously in dollars) so no I don’t just piss my money away to make it harder for everyone else. I just know how a Nintendo published game works. They won’t drop the price, so don’t expect it. If you only want deals, don’t buy a Nintendo console expecting it.
However, games used to be really expensive. Games if anything, have gotten much more complex since the sprite days, but also cheaper. 60 bucks is an investment sure, but they are not nearly as expensive as they used to be in the 80s and 90s. But yeah, if you’re broke, don’t spend the money on video games. Buy food instead.
So you can back off the privilege angle. Yes, now I like collecting games. I like Nintendo, with the understanding that their prices are higher. I like the PS4. Hey, I even have a happy cat and Netflix. But you won’t find a sports car in my garage — you won’t even find a garage. I drive a 2004 Pontiac cause it’s good enough and reliable. But you will also find that my bills are paid, even with a new cart of Astral Chain.
@Moistnado haha very smart.
Only way to cover up a stupid comment like that will be an attempt at witty humour.
No 8 months isn't old. You can try to pretend it is to fit your narrative in your debate here.
But others might decide to call you out on your rampant BS.
So I'll say it again.
8 months isn't old.
@MoonKnight7 OK, I concede, expensive and overpriced are subjective terms. You accept that Nintendo games are made to hold their price for longer and cost more money. There isnt much do disagree on then. I spent $60 for BOTW and I was happy with hat investment. Disney DVDs used to do the same thing, De Beers do it with diamonds; If you refuse to reduce the price, a portion of the public accept that price as normal. So it is subjective but to me, very few videogames are actually worth $60. Nintendo has a lack of content, compared to other platforms. My original comment "old games, small indies, 2nd-3rd tier Nintendo games, mostly overpriced compared to ps4 and xbox and and not much reason to own a Switch". There are reasons for these things, and sure there is probably a small number (maybe only 2) of games that do not fit the description but I would rather play an action game on PS4 for $20 and let my Switch gather dust until an essential exclusive pops up. I personally think that, if Nintendo want to be competitive in the future, they need to offer better value for money. Apple do well enough offering very little choice, inferior product and inflated price, so I might be wrong there too. These are anti-consumer business models though.
@Razer No, just facts. You are still rude. Get some manners. I have no interest in communicating with you.
@Moistnado
Fair enough.
Good luck to you, hopefully you can find a home for that voucher.
I wonder if this is somehow related to Bayonetta 3 development and why we haven’t heard anything about the game. If this game of all things is having performance issues, what are the chances Bayonetta 3 is suffering from the same problem?
I feel a little ripped off. Not because I can’t stand to play the occasional low frame rate game, but because I didn’t see this coming, and I doubt I can cancel/return my order.
I don’t want this game. At least give me a detailed excuse Platinum... hoping for a major patch, but doubt it will come.
@sixrings I would if the aspect matched... at least for retro games. 😛
(But even the NES/SNES come with baked in borders right?) Actually, I bet if you select the stretched 16:9 option, and play it on a 4:3 TV, the image would get re-squished to about the right shape! Genius! Ha
Now I just need an HDMI to composite adapter.
Did everyone just decide to forget about the horrible performance issues? There doesn't seem to be a single mention of this game anywhere online in the last month or more.
Is there any hint of a chance Platinum feels at all responsible... enough to push out at least a small performance improvement patch? I don't care if it dips at times, but if it targets 60fps, I'd like at least a "consistent" 40-50. At LEAST match the WiiU and keep the 1080p.
(I'm not one of these "lock it at 30" types, I'm happy for every bit of smoothness I can get, even inconsistently.) Assuming 1080p/60fps is out of the question, I would think 900p/60fps should be doable.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...