AJWolfTill

Anyone reading this list in 2026 onwards.
If you have played Virtue's Last Reward and rated it lower than an 8 please help me understand why.
I don't care if you are reading this in 2031 I'll probably still be curious.

Looking through this, I think I underestimated just how much Xbox was struggling in the UK.
I would have bought the Generations pack of Resin this week but already owned 7 on pc so have finally got round to playing that.

@Olliemar28
Which games would I benefit the most from playing before this?
I've played Resi 2 and 4 and watched playthroughs of 1 and 3.
Was thinking about picking up 7+8 in the bundle but good to get an idea on how important those games are to this.

These are normally pretty unappealing for me but the anniversary and early announcements does suggest this will be a somewhat more significant affair.
I'm sure gen 10 will be there, even if it is just a pre-rendered starter reveal cinematic and I imagine we hear more about the NSO GameCube games. Given what we already know I suspect the rest is merch and mobile.

Don't imagine we learn much we didn't from the previews that happened weeks ago. This is likely a controlled way to get footage on their official channels trying to demonstrate these games in their best light.

I love the idea of the treehouse streams in general but did find most of the ones around the Switch 2 launch felt very samey and repetitive.

@Henners Bravo! This is likely a big part of it.
Game Freak/ The Pokémon Company seems to be really adverse to any chance of fans using save states to exploit things like trading in any game that connects to Pokémon Home.
You can't even back up your save files via Switch Online for some time of their titles right?

@LiamDoolan "before 17th March 2025"
Either this is a typo or they have very unrealistic expectations!

@Novuscourvous
Whilst I agree that that is the biggest misstep,
I was referring to the whole Miles Mackenzie doom mongering that came out of the previews though. The controversies were different but both stemmed from voice acting.

Well I bought the first one on sale after reading your review so I'll see how I go with that. Always happy to get more spooky VN/Adventure games.

YOU may want to do this Kodaka but does your co-creator Uchikishi!?
I really rate this game but I'm not sure I want Uchikoshi stuck on this for another 10 years or can handle much more than what's already there XD

Was always planning on skipping this one but appreciate the review so I know what the games strengths and weaknesses are.

@Ultimapunch
While I agree with your wider point calling Samus Returns mid is unfair. I am intensely nostalgic for Metroid 2 but Mercury Steam were largely beholden to the structure and designs of this older game.
Whilst Dread is better the redesigned and additional boss fights are incredible and the parry system was good here too.
I think this game just gets dismissed because it was a 3ds release when everyone wanted Switch games.

Expectations:
Bloober said they had a Switch 2 exclusive to reveal imminently.
Pragmata trailer with demo launching tomorrow.
Something from Falcom
Elden Ring release date (April?)

Playing devil's advocate and saying this is for a Xenoblade Warriors game where she is a playable character.

I for one am happy with these!
I used to have a love/hate relationship with Yoshi as a kid but it's probably the block puzzle game I'm best at and the music lives rent free in my head.
Balloon Trip intrigues me as I've heard good things and Balloon Fight is one of the few NES games I think holds up outside the S-Tiers

From a 1st party perspective, I'm super excited for Fire Emblem but nothing else. That's ok though because the
3rd party lineup even before this rumoured direct is stacked!

January: Dispatch
February: Resident Evil
March: Indiana Jones(?)
April: Pragmata
May: 007 First Light

Realistically, we get a Pokémon announcement for November and if we are lucky a Zelda Anniversary direct that includes a remake.
Other than that we wait till the Summer Showcase to see how the rest of their lineup looks.

Not really surprised, despite being sad about it.
Nintendo's weird marketing around Metroid combined with the concerned responses from previews unsold a lot of people on the game.
The game is great, but unquestionably has a bunch of issues and isn't served well by the expectations from almost 2 decades of waiting.

Regarding Imprisonment, I'm definitely the target audience for this game but ultimately feel a bit oversaturated on the Musou Nintendo games.

I know it's fallen into disrepute and been mismanaged but it's still sad when the high street shrinks further. I used to love looking in there growing up and still do sometimes for spur of the moment bargains.

A third of the comments are people complaining that one of these games is already available for purchase as a remaster. Another third are that they wanted to be able to purchase a remaster of the other one.
The majority of the rest are complaining about wanting something else instead.

This is good news folks. Surely the ideal is that these Nintendo Classics apps feature all the major 1st party games from that console? More ways to play these games is good for everyone.

Seems likely we will get one imminently. Got a bunch of imminent games from Nintendo themselves they haven't shown much of.
Combine that with Bloober team reporting they had a Switch 2 exclusive game announcement imminent and the HiFi Rush rating and there is enough to suggest a Direct should be on the cards.

Final Fantasy VII Retcon (joke)

Final Fantasy VII Re-alised

Final Fantasy VII Rememberance

This has no bearing on whether or not there will be a general direct soon people, chill.

I know we got a fully voiced DK in the last one but I really hope we are not getting a celebrity voice role for Yoshi. That is for sure a character they could keep the Game Voice Actor for.

That said if they went surreal with it with someone like Werner Herzog I would find that pretty funny.

Looks very pretty but if you want favourable comparisons to Kiki's delivery service you better be bringing your A game with cat companions. I'm not sure Orio quite hits that bar. On a related note, hello Drippy from Ni no kuni?

Played the non Integrade version on PS4 and loved it. Since I don't own the game I could be tempted to replay on Switch 2 but I'm really more excited about Rebirth!

Amazing, this now means Dixie is playable in more DKC games than Donkey Kong once again (right?)

Might take advantage of this. World of Assassination is my most played Switch 2 game but I put a fair amount of time into Hitman 2 on PS4 years ago so I'm sure there are a lot of challenges I had already completed.

@Galaxy2IsTheGOAT
If I recall correctly Spirit Tracks takes place in 'New Hyrule', a new land that the Hylians discover long after the old kingdom flooded. It's the only game to have this setting.
I agree that it would have been cool to have train tracks in the Hero of the Wild games but it thankfully doesn't contradict Spirit Tracks.

Yes absolutely keen.
Even if this game didn't feature boss battles tethered to my favourite band I would still be keen due to the stellar reviews and style.
It's in my top 5 switch 2 port hopefuls along with Clair Obscura, Blue Prince, Metaphor and FFVII rebirth.

Fingers crossed for an announcement in the first Direct of the year!

I love Eternal Darkness but I'm not putting any faith in Dyack after all the controversies and failures he's had in his previous companies. He needs to create something small within his scope to demonstrate that he is even capable of successfully completing games before he can earn back any trust.

Makes sense somewhat. The first 30 or so hours felt like a complete package in their own right and oh my god the stuff after that is a lot.
I'm still working my way through the 'included sequel'. Hopefully I can finish it in time for the anniversary.
This is definitely bigger than it needs to be but it is remarkable and the QOL improvements have helped a lot. I hope the PR campaign gets it some more love and attention.

I don't have a high opinion of EA but Fares is outspoken about industry BS but has been consistent on this front.

EA clearly have trusted in him and his team to bankroll his creative endeavours without exerting repressive creative mandates.
Even if you were cynical and see their Indie publishing strategy as brand washing they've still genuinely helped to produce some good Indies and he has a genuinely positive relationship with them.

Besides what he is saying is categorically true. EA got voted worst company in America several times which is insane when you compare them with all the companies profiteering off of people's hardship and suffering. Mismanaging dev studios and IP is not the same level of terrible.

Sounds like a really cool historical artifact even if I'm largely unbothered about football. Glad it's on Switch

I can confirm they have added more stables to the Switch 2 editions of BoTW and ToTK. Amazingly one of them is in the desert and let's you board and name Sand Seals! Thank you Nintendo!

Persona strikers 2?
I was assuming 6 would be years away because of Metaphor but I'd overlooked that they formed a new internal team for that game so maybe it's closed ser than we think.

@Davestator
This is the way I play these games so I expect you've saved me from a terrible fate.
@MjekuMati
This is my favourite comment here. I've not played yet but I will be scrutinising them closely now XD Reminds me of the lack of feet in Awakening.

It's finally here! This may have been the announcement from the Switch 2 Direct that got me most pumped.
With the exception of Wind Waker the current lineup is full of all the games I always wanted to try but never did or borrowed and wanted to revisit.

Any good will raised for the Mario sports titles I've gained from playing them on NSO is severely hampered by the seeming focus on Baby characters.
I (irrationally?) despise them. Their inclusion in the spinoff games cheapens the Mario series in my eyes because they all seem so uninspired design wise and make no sense.
I know it's stupid that I can accept dolphins driving motorbikes but get frustrated by the addition of Baby Rosalina out of nowhere but that's a hill I'll die on apparently.
So no, not excited XD

@AmplifyMJ
Well it sounds like you deserve it for your selfless deeds and generosity!

Hope all of you have a wonderful day, you get to make more happy memories with people you love and you have new and exciting escapes for when your social batteries run low.

@SoIDecidedTo
The bike is honestly fun to control but pretty superfluous as the game doesn't feel designed around it (probably a good thing).
Honestly the bigger issue is that the desert region is an underbaked part of the game and the fact that each region only connects to it in one place feels out of step with previous level design of the series.
Ultimately though I had a great time with it and it feels mechanically like a natural follow up to Prime 3.

@DsheroX
I thought this when it was announced but Sakurai did say in one of those mammoth Kirby directs that Nintendo actually approached him about it and requested he make it. He was apparently confused why they wanted this alongside Mario Kart.

Ok these contrasting and (hopefully) complimentary experiences have got me much more excited! It already looked pretty ace but I've only properly played 2 and 4 so seems like a logical place for me to get back onboard.
Wild that they held out this long to reveal half the game!

Surprised I never heard of Tonic Trouble given I used to pour over N64 magazines as a child.

I have never played Rayman 2 and have a lot of nostalgia for 90s 3D platformers so hopefully I'll have a great time.

Cool to see more 3rd parties letting their classics arrive on the service. Thanks Ubi!

Having a great time with Metroid Prime 4.
Miles is a mansplainer but ultimately the internet just continues to be reactionary. Got the fire chip so will probably be heading off to the Ice Area next.

I'm actually welling up. I've been waiting for this for so long and to get a review that generally read like a 10 has been so cathartic given all the doom mongering about this 🥲

@romando
This may be a fairly cookie cutter Ubisoft/AAA game in terms of design but I don't think this is 'average' in terms of graphics and lighting.
I haven't played it myself but I heard multiple podcasters were really taken aback by how realistic and gorgeous a lot of things like the snow and wind effects were.

@dskatter
As an early adopter of the Wii U this actually doesn't suprise me. I feel Ubi actually put a lot of effort into that system out the gate what with Zombi U as an underrated launch game, lots of good quality ports and Rayman Legends originally being intended as a Wii U exclusive.

Switch gen was maybe less apparent although the Mario +Rabbids games are genuinely great and the Star Fox X Starlink stuff made the Switch the definitive version) but that might be more due to the fact that everyone else wanted to put their games on it.

God, that was a whole can of worms wasn't it!
Hellena seemed to be pretty misguided and somewhat dishonest about the whole situation but the moment she started throwing shade at Jennifer Hale it became pretty hard to get behind her.

Who would have thought the two longest awaited and teased Switch games would both go through controversies about voice acting.

This is the first I've heard that Sylux will be voice acted! So strange that they've only shown him standing or hovering silently so far.

Having a soundtrack radio while driving the motorbike sounds cool but I'm not paying for a new Amiibo just for that.

I thought for sure this was dead.
Whatever the work put into this game ends up being released in, I find it hard to believe it will still bare the name of Beyond Good and Evil.

I guess Skull and Bones did eventually release even though I don't think anyone was ever excited about it.

Be cool if we got some concerts out of this, I missed the last one!