@Metazoxan "Sounds more like just a one time "Hey just so you know, this is where you'll want to head when you're ready"."
And every Prime game has had this. It was silent in MP1 and MP2, but still forced you to open up your map and direct you to each new objective. In MP3 you had a talking AI to tell you what every new objective was.
I do think you could turn it off in those games though.
@Altaria_97 This was my worry with releasing in December. If your game isn't a game that is likely to be gifted (such as Pokemon or Mario, but not Metroid I would assume), you are putting it out to compete against the rest of people's cash-strapping holiday spending.
I'm ecstatic to have the game this week, but I think it might have been better for the series to release in January. Hopefully those people who might have bought it but can't afford it now still buy it as soon as they can.
@JaxonH I'm willing to bet that in 5 years all those other writers will be referring to the game as an underappreciated gem.
I've seen this cycle before. The example that first comes to mind is Dragon's Dogma. That game was bashed before it was even released by the circle-jerking "games journalists" as the narrative going was that Capcom and Japanese games in general were on the decline. The reviews of the game reflected a narrative about the game that the reviewers had already written before even playing it. Now the game is a "cult classic" and widely loved.
@Brady1138 I'm going to assume you didn't read the article and are confusing Jennifer Hale with the original Bayonetta voice actress who caused all the trouble, because if you aren't, it's completely absurd to say that Hale threw herself under the bus by simply taking a job.
@B3RTAY I said it's not for me and that disappoints me, not that it shouldn't exist. I also said nothing about the quality of the game.
Their are some games that are clearly high-quality that I have absolutely no interest in playing. That isn't a knock on those games, and I'm not knocking Duskbloods. It may end up being a great game, and I hope it is, for the people that it appeals to, but it doesn't appeal to me.
Someone might not like horror films or games because they don't like jump scares. A horror film may come along that is regarded as an amazing film. That film is STILL not going to appeal to the person who doesn't like horror.
For me, that is how I feel about multiplayer focused games. I'm an introvert. Interacting with people is exhausting to me. Their are specific reasons I am not interested in the genre. Duskbloods, even if it is extremely well-crafted, isn't going to overcome those obstacles for me.
So once again, that is NOT negativity. Their are REASONS that many people don't want to play multiplayer. Those reasons are more varied than my particular reasons. But prejudging a game for being multiplayer focused has nothing to do with the quality of the games, because the quality of the game does not matter. The whole genre is not an enjoyable experience for me, and I'm not alone in that.
So why is it not understandable why I would be disappointed? This is one of my favorite developers FINALLY making a game specifically for my preferred gaming platform and...I have no interest in it.
I don't need to wait and try it to know it's not for me. It's like offering a person who doesn't like pickles, a different type of relish that has pickles in it and then thinking their is something wrong with them because they won't try it. No matter what else is in the relish, it still has pickles in it.
(I love pickles by the way. It was just the first food that many people don't like that came to mind).
@B3RTAY The gist of the article doesn't change the fact that those, like me, who don't like multiplayer focused games aren't going to be very interested in this game.
I love From games, but I'm the type that has played all their games in offline mode. I have no interest in playing with other people. I just want to explore a dark and daunting world ON MY OWN (like I have done in King's Field, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring). Nothing in these quotes changes the fact that this won't be that type of game.
That's not negativity. That just means this game won't be for me, which is disappointing.
It might not be for a good portion of the rest of the From fanbase as well.
I really think that the source of the constant negativity of, not just this game, but so much else recently are factors outside of the control of devs. Life is overwhelming for so many people these days, and there is this underlying level of DREAD (not the awesome Metroid kind) that permeates everything we do. People surround themselves with that negativity like its some sort of shield, but it only makes the things you experience as unsatisfying as you expect them to be.
I know I feel it, at least. I replayed Breath of the Wild and found myself irritated and frustrated with a game I absolutely ADORED 8 years ago.
I'm not sure the last time I actually enthusiastically LOVED a game. I've liked many games I've played, but I just don't feel the same unbridled enthusiasm for them that I used to.
My guess is their are many others who have had similar experiences over the past few years because of LIFE getting in the way of our enjoyment of things.
@Friendly Indiana Jones being snubbed isn't surprising. That ALWAYS happens to December releases. Expect the same thing to happen next year with Metroid Prime 4 (if it is as good as I hope).
@PikaPhantom I loved Clair Obscur. It is a beautiful game, but I think it's funny how it's a game that is inspired by JRPGs and uses the mechanics of JRPGs, but if it actually was a Japanese game it would never sniff the awards and accolades it has gotten.
Other than Zelda's blue tunic, what are you guys seeing that makes you think Breath of the Wild? If that's Impa (and I believe it is) she looks more like a warrior than the scholarly-type figure she was in BOTW. That looks more like Ocarina's Impa than BOTW's Impa (IF that's Impa). So at the very least, to me, this looks like it might be a mix of different versions of the characters.
Also, I doubt that they would base it off of BOTW, due to the 100 year time jump and most of the important characters only appearing in flashbacks. Link and Zelda are never even together in the present in BOTW.
What is there to worry about with the script? It's Inazuma Eleven. It has ALWAYS been ridiculous and corny. I doubt there are many people who are fans of the games for their writing and plot.
What is worrying is the $70 price tag for a Switch 1 game with an extra $2.50 Switch 2 upgrade fee. Charging a premium price for a series that hasn't been around for 10 years and still needs to establish an audience (at least here in the US where none of the games except a digital-only 3DS port of the first game have been released) seems like setting a game up for failure.
@WiltonRoots It says something when YouTube (YouTube!) has a more positive comment section. The comments on the trailer are actually very positive over on that place where you usually find comment sections that will make you lose your faith in humanity.
@Metazoxan I see 5-6 different biomes OTHER than the desert in that trailer alone. People acting like this must be an open world game just because they've shown snippets of bike traversal sections just doesn't make sense to me.
I'm with you. I think it's going to be a glorified elevator or something like the gummi ship sections in Kingdom Hearts (I wasn't a fan of those sections in the original Kingdom Hearts, but it didn't affect the overall game just like I'm guessing the bike won't in this game).
@Bolt_Strike Like I just said, negative people feed on each other's negativity, so "look at this comment section and you don't really see positive comments" doesn't really mean much to me. Sure the bike thing MIGHT be bad. But I'm going to be open-minded about it and judge it when I PERSONALLY play it. That's not "copium" that's being RATIONAL.
Personally, I didn't like that MP3 took place over different planets, I like having a small interconnected world to explore, but, overall, that was a small problem that was overshadowed by the good parts of the game (some of the same things that looked like positives in the demo of MP4: the combat, boss fights, and my love of scanning enemies). The bike might similarly be a negative, but I won't know until I TRY IT.
It will suck if this game turns out not to be great. Metroid, especially the Prime series, is my second favorite game series, and it "cannot afford a failure" like you said earlier. But going in with ANY expectations of the game (that it will suck OR that it will be amazing) would only hurt my enjoyment. If you expect something to suck, you will find reasons that your expectations were correct. If you expect something to be amazing, it will never live up to your hopes. So just WAIT AND SEE!
@Bolt_Strike You're talking like you already know what the quality of the game is. You don't know it will be "a dud like this", and anticipating that it will be a dud will only hurt your own enjoyment of the game, if you even bother to give it a chance.
People who played the demo of the game earlier this year came away very positive. Nintendo isn't doing anything to "make the core fans hesitate to want this", people's negativity is doing that (this isn't just about Metroid Prime 4, a vocal number of people are negative about EVERYTHING these last few years, and they only feed off each other).
Will all of you that are complaining about the bike (or anything else about the game) just flipping wait until the game is released or reviews are in before forming an opinion! If this is a game that you even remotely might WANT to play (as opposed to the ever-present number of people who just want to hate on anything other people like), you're doing yourself and the rest of us no favors by prejudging something you haven't experienced for yourself. If you go into anything expecting the worse, you WILL find the worst. And the constant negativity can affect the sales of a game that can ill afford it. If the game is bad, we'll know it in a month. No need to decide now.
@stungun He already did elaborate in the comments, but it's pretty clear "if it gets remade" implies it hasn't been remade YET. The point is that there were rumors that the entire trilogy was remastered when the first game was remastered, the word "if" would definitely imply that wasn't the case.
@BrokenCiv Huh? You call @Arawn93 biased and then basically agree with their assessment that these devices (Steam Deck/ROG Ally) are not competitors of the Switch.
As for WHO is saying they are competitors, watch basically any YouTube reviews of the Steam Deck from the last few years and you'll find myriads of internet commentators depicting them as direct competitors.
I agree they aren't competitors and I have a Steam Deck myself, but it's obvious Arawn93 is referring to an oft-repeated, tired, stupid narrative about how the Steam Deck or any number of other handheld devices are going to replace or "kill' the Switch.
The review I read didn't even mention that this new "Windows Gaming Experience" still can't suspend games on sleep and let you instantly restart them when you wake the device. That's an essential feature for a handheld device, if you ask me.
It's something Nintendo did with the DS 20 YEARS AGO and Microsoft still can't get there OS to do it?!
That makes that $1000 device worthless, especially in comparison to the Switch and Steam OS devices that you can purchase for hundreds of dollars cheaper and actually use them for PORTABLE gaming.
@jojobar
Yeah, I understand concern. I get anxious before the release of any game in a series I love, worrying that it might not be as good as I hope. Quite a few people hear are taking it far farther than that though: declaring the game a bust based on wild assumptions from very limited information.
@JimmyFleck
I don't get that sense. Metroid just isn't a big series for Nintendo and they have never treated it as such in their marketing and reveals. That hasn't stopped the teams who work on them from pouring their love of the series into the games when they actually GET the opportunity to make them. The hands-ons with the game I've seen have all been positive and I loved the little clips of the game that were shown on Nintendo Today, so Retro is at least getting important parts of the game right.
I worry about the exploration aspect of the game (whether we will have an interconnected world to explore), but Retro had already diminished that with Prime 3 with its travel between worlds and that was still a good game (although my least favorite of the trilogy).
The only things I wanted from this direct going in was a Metroid Prime release date and some sort of Fire Emblem announcement. As the direct went along and got closer to the hour mark, I kept thinking, "we're not going to get a Fire Emblem, are we?" I didn't think they would use Fire Emblem as a "one more thing." It so awesome that they did!
I can't believe how far this series has come: from worrying whether Awakening would even get a western release (unlike New Mystery of the Emblem) after it was announced to the series being the closing feature of the direct. So glad to see so many people excited for my favorite game series!
Man, reading this comment section is sure bringing back Wind Waker memories. So many people rush to judgment. You know, you don't need to make up your mind about a game BEFORE it is released. You can actually wait for the game and/or reviews.
For me: All-time Fire Emblem soundtracks ranking: 1. Awakening 2. Path of Radiance 3. Three Houses
I've been really hoping for the Awakening soundtrack to be added. "Don't Speak Her Name!" gives me chills. That chapter with the events that preceded it... Emmeryn
@Darthmoogle A port would be awesome, but the icons weren't for Awakening. They were for The Blazing Blade and you have to play Fire Emblem on NSO to unlock them. Still gives me hope that we will see SOMETHING Fire Emblem related announced this month.
I think the best thing for the game itself would be for it to release in January. It doesn't have the mass appeal to be a big holiday seller, so it wouldn't be smart to release it at a time when people have less disposable income and some of the funds they do have will likely go towards Pokemon.
September would have been ideal, but I don't think they've left themselves enough time to properly market the game.
That said, we know the game is basically done since it's been rated. I just want to play it now!
@KidSparta It also continued the trend of removing past features, in this case the Battle Tower, following after the removal of GTS in Sword/Shield and the National Dex in Sun/Moon. Ultimately the Battle Tower wasn't removed to be included as DLC as I originally suspected, but the previous decisions were made to try to convince people to pay for Pokemon Home. So those series of decisions along with the poor state of the game added to the "cash grab" narrative.
I never said they were permanent. I, personally, buy everything digitally, but I respect that other people prefer not to do that.
My issue was your claim that the same people who have a problem with key cards are buying other games on digital stores when, if you've ever read any gaming message board ever you'd know, there are a whole host of people who prefer to buy physical media, for many different reasons. Why shouldn't they have the right to be upset when a company's decisions directly effect their hobby?
How do you not realize that people who are complaining about key cards DON'T buy their games digitally elsewhere. Gamers are not a monolith. Many buy games digitally but many want all their games to be physical copies. A key card is NOT a physical copy. It's just a different way to buy a digital copy. Thus, those that only buy physically are upset.
@Ryu_Niiyama I just don't think of what you are describing as necessarily a "male power fantasy". Showing perseverance and wielding power are two very different things. If it takes me 20 tries to do something and I love that feeling of accomplishment that I feel after succeeding on that 21st try, is that about power? It doesn't make me feel powerful to be repeatedly frustrated over and over again until I finally get something right. It makes me feel relief more than anything.
I don't know why that appeals to me. I don't know if has anything to do with me being a guy. I definitely don't know enough about everyone else to say. Nevertheless, I don't think it has any of the wish fulfillment/glorification of the playable character's dominance aspect that is central to my understanding of what constitutes a male power fantasy. Without that wish fulfillment/dominance aspect, ANYTHING where you or your character triumphs/succeeds could be considered a "male power fantasy".
I actually don't even think that challenge aspect is why I like the Souls games. I think it's more the exploratory aspect of them that I enjoy. Like I said, those games definitely don't make me feel powerful. They make me feel small, scared, overwhelmed, and overly cautious. I feel dread...and yet I love them.
My tastes tend towards games and genres that have a lot of female representation in their fan base (Zelda, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Persona, Elder Scrolls), and, personally, when a game lets you create a character (Like the Souls games) I create female characters (even though I'm a guy). It's not about projecting myself onto the character for me. It's about creating a character and making THEM powerful. That is definitely a power fantasy, but I don't think it is what the term "male power fantasy" is intended to capture.
@Ryu_Niiyama Sorry for nitpicking on a single aspect of your well written, well-reasoned post, but how do the Souls games represent a male power fantasy? You are weaker than most of what you fight in those games and fail over and over again. the RPG elements never allow you to become an overpowered beast (and enemies become more powerful on each newgame+). The only thing that allows you to succeed is timing and being patient and methodical. I hardly think that represents a power fantasy (unlike God of War).
@PlatinumSeraph I'd bet that Splatoon, Pokemon, and Mario have a much higher female ratio in the west. A higher ratio of males in the west see Nintendo as "for kids" and won't touch Nintendo games.
@Jhena Nobody in Japan plays Metroid.
j/k
...kinda.
It seems a bit premature to report this as fact. I mean, the only source is the rival shop owner and it isn't clear to me that he is saying the other shop owner is the alleged robber or an accused accomplice. And even if the owner is correct that the other shop owner was arrested, an arrest is not proof of guilt.
I still have one and am waiting on MP4 to see if its included (I bought the pair when XBX came out betting that MP4 would be added to the service too), and then buy the likely $10 upgrade to Switch 2.
If somehow MP4 isn't included, I'll just use it in the same way on Pokemon Legends Z-A, which is already confirmed to be included since you can preorder it now.
As for getting another set before they go off sale, I would use one for Pokemon, but afterwards...I can't see what I would get. I would hope that Rhythm Heaven and Tomadochi Life would already be $50, so that would be a waste of a voucher.
I never understood why $50 games were added to the list of available games. Using a voucher on a $50 game defeats the whole purpose of a voucher and saves no money.
A voucher can only be used for Bayonetta 2, not the digital bundle that includes the first Bayonetta, right? If so, that's a shame since Bayonetta 2 is already $50 and never goes on sale on the eShop.
I'm pretty sure his post is in response to a post that is set not to be displayed on external sites. Andrew Carl's message isn't set not to display, the quoted post is. Bluesky automatically disables the post being viewed externally when that option is set.
@WolfyTn I don't think you're crazy, but I don' think you looked at the video much either. Look at the edges of any object. On the Switch 1 they are jagged, on the Switch 2 they are smooth. Check out the Quaxly in the pool at 1:07 in the video for an obvious example.
As for framerate, you can see the DRASTIC difference at 6:57 for the Switch 1 vs 7:11 for Switch 2. The kids in the classroom were moving in slow motion before. It was a moment I vividly remember when I played the game at release for how bad it was, and now they finally fixed it.
The guy comes across as something of a tool. Instead of considering that maybe HE is responsible for what he types out on Discord, he acts like its ridiculous that what he ACTUALLY wrote is ACCURATELY reported on!
Although, it's pretty clear that he knew what he was doing by clearly stating the company was in danger of closing because of poor reviews. Looking at the number of positive reviews since his post (many with minimal play time), this blatant review manipulation worked as intended.
Ugh! I'm just learning about this for the first time. This was the BEST THING in the Direct for me, and now I find out it is something I have absolutely NO interest in. All Miyazaki reassurances did is assure me that this is something I want no part of. I'm the type of gamer that has never played Demon's Souls or Dark Souls online because I want to avoid this stuff. It not just about not liking PvP. I just want to play an RPG and explore a well-crafted world ALONE! I've been a fan of From since the King's Field days. This is SO disappointing!
@Ralizah Sorry for stalking you between articles, but I just needed to say that your dumpster analogy on the tariff article was one of the best analogies I've ever read! Couldn't tell you there, since the comments got closed, but that was awesome!
@JaxonH Tariffs are not A TAX on the other country. They are a tax on the people that are BUYING the product.
So even if a tariff is retaliatory, you are still only passing higher costs on to your own people.
[EDIT: Also, I just was reading about how the US is determining what "tariffs" other countries are placing on US goods, and they are using the amount of the countries "trade deficit" and saying this represents tariffs which has NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. Take for example, small poor countries. Trump is saying they have insanely high tariffs on American goods, but his numbers are based on the trade deficit between the two countries: i.e. the fact that a poor country exports to other countries more goods than it buys from other countries. But OF COURSE they do! The citizen of poor countries can't AFFORD US goods and we are importing large number of goods from them, because we use poor countries to manufacture our goods. That's NOT a TARIFF, that's CAPITALISM!]
@Pat_trick Yep. Corporations will keep pushing to see what they can get away with, and the consumers have made it clear that they are willing to put up with A LOT of anti-consumer choices by these companies.
[EDIT: I thought I had read that the digital price of MKW was going to be lower than $80, but have since been disillusioned of this notion. Suffice to say that I actually care now and am just as outraged as everyone else!]
I just find it funny that 10 years ago, their attempt at this type of anti-physical games move was what damaged Microsoft so badly. People, myself included, were so outraged by their attempts to kill the physical games resale market, that Microsoft had to backtrack and try to damage control, but they never recovered.
Here, if people see that digital games are still in the $60-$70 range (which is what I expect to happen), I don't think this panic about $80 games will last. They might even accept $70 as reasonable (which i still don't think it is).
I just find it funny that 10-years-ago me was SO upset about Microsoft and their attempts to kill the resale games market, and now 10-years-later me doesn't care about high physical game prices, because I buy everything digital now. I think it really has been Steam that caused that change for me. I got use to not owning physical copies of my games.
@Rykdrew That's exactly why I said in my post that you'll be paying less on Steam, because those games go on sale regularly, but the base price still is the same: $59.99.
But this has been true throughout the Switch generation. Multi-platform games are way cheaper on PC because of sales. People still bought plenty of copies on Switch however.
Comments 109
Re: Review: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) - Samus Returns In Prime Form
@Metazoxan "Sounds more like just a one time "Hey just so you know, this is where you'll want to head when you're ready"."
And every Prime game has had this. It was silent in MP1 and MP2, but still forced you to open up your map and direct you to each new objective. In MP3 you had a talking AI to tell you what every new objective was.
I do think you could turn it off in those games though.
Re: Review: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) - Samus Returns In Prime Form
@Altaria_97 This was my worry with releasing in December. If your game isn't a game that is likely to be gifted (such as Pokemon or Mario, but not Metroid I would assume), you are putting it out to compete against the rest of people's cash-strapping holiday spending.
I'm ecstatic to have the game this week, but I think it might have been better for the series to release in January. Hopefully those people who might have bought it but can't afford it now still buy it as soon as they can.
Re: Review: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) - Samus Returns In Prime Form
@JaxonH I'm willing to bet that in 5 years all those other writers will be referring to the game as an underappreciated gem.
I've seen this cycle before. The example that first comes to mind is Dragon's Dogma. That game was bashed before it was even released by the circle-jerking "games journalists" as the narrative going was that Capcom and Japanese games in general were on the decline. The reviews of the game reflected a narrative about the game that the reviewers had already written before even playing it. Now the game is a "cult classic" and widely loved.
Re: Jennifer Hale Says She Was "Thrown Under The Bus" Amid Bayonetta 3 Casting Controversy
@Brady1138 I'm going to assume you didn't read the article and are confusing Jennifer Hale with the original Bayonetta voice actress who caused all the trouble, because if you aren't, it's completely absurd to say that Hale threw herself under the bus by simply taking a job.
Re: 'The Duskbloods' Could Be FromSoftware's Most Ambitious Game Yet, According To Leak
@B3RTAY I said it's not for me and that disappoints me, not that it shouldn't exist. I also said nothing about the quality of the game.
Their are some games that are clearly high-quality that I have absolutely no interest in playing. That isn't a knock on those games, and I'm not knocking Duskbloods. It may end up being a great game, and I hope it is, for the people that it appeals to, but it doesn't appeal to me.
Someone might not like horror films or games because they don't like jump scares. A horror film may come along that is regarded as an amazing film. That film is STILL not going to appeal to the person who doesn't like horror.
For me, that is how I feel about multiplayer focused games. I'm an introvert. Interacting with people is exhausting to me. Their are specific reasons I am not interested in the genre. Duskbloods, even if it is extremely well-crafted, isn't going to overcome those obstacles for me.
So once again, that is NOT negativity. Their are REASONS that many people don't want to play multiplayer. Those reasons are more varied than my particular reasons. But prejudging a game for being multiplayer focused has nothing to do with the quality of the games, because the quality of the game does not matter. The whole genre is not an enjoyable experience for me, and I'm not alone in that.
So why is it not understandable why I would be disappointed? This is one of my favorite developers FINALLY making a game specifically for my preferred gaming platform and...I have no interest in it.
I don't need to wait and try it to know it's not for me. It's like offering a person who doesn't like pickles, a different type of relish that has pickles in it and then thinking their is something wrong with them because they won't try it. No matter what else is in the relish, it still has pickles in it.
(I love pickles by the way. It was just the first food that many people don't like that came to mind).
Re: 'The Duskbloods' Could Be FromSoftware's Most Ambitious Game Yet, According To Leak
@B3RTAY The gist of the article doesn't change the fact that those, like me, who don't like multiplayer focused games aren't going to be very interested in this game.
I love From games, but I'm the type that has played all their games in offline mode. I have no interest in playing with other people. I just want to explore a dark and daunting world ON MY OWN (like I have done in King's Field, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring). Nothing in these quotes changes the fact that this won't be that type of game.
That's not negativity. That just means this game won't be for me, which is disappointing.
It might not be for a good portion of the rest of the From fanbase as well.
Re: Nintendo Debuts Two Metroid Prime 4 Ads As Eight-Year Wait Nears Its End
I really think that the source of the constant negativity of, not just this game, but so much else recently are factors outside of the control of devs. Life is overwhelming for so many people these days, and there is this underlying level of DREAD (not the awesome Metroid kind) that permeates everything we do. People surround themselves with that negativity like its some sort of shield, but it only makes the things you experience as unsatisfying as you expect them to be.
I know I feel it, at least. I replayed Breath of the Wild and found myself irritated and frustrated with a game I absolutely ADORED 8 years ago.
I'm not sure the last time I actually enthusiastically LOVED a game. I've liked many games I've played, but I just don't feel the same unbridled enthusiasm for them that I used to.
My guess is their are many others who have had similar experiences over the past few years because of LIFE getting in the way of our enjoyment of things.
Re: The Game Awards Nominees Announced, Donkey Kong Bananza Up For GOTY
I don't get why DK wasn't nominated for Best Action Game. It's the only GOTY nominee not to be also nominated in it's genre.
"Family Game" is not a genre.
Re: The Game Awards Nominees Announced, Donkey Kong Bananza Up For GOTY
@Friendly Indiana Jones being snubbed isn't surprising. That ALWAYS happens to December releases. Expect the same thing to happen next year with Metroid Prime 4 (if it is as good as I hope).
Re: The Game Awards Nominees Announced, Donkey Kong Bananza Up For GOTY
@PikaPhantom I loved Clair Obscur. It is a beautiful game, but I think it's funny how it's a game that is inspired by JRPGs and uses the mechanics of JRPGs, but if it actually was a Japanese game it would never sniff the awards and accolades it has gotten.
Re: Rumour: Zelda Movie Production Set Footage Has Supposedly Leaked Online
@Waluigi451 @PinderSchloss
Other than Zelda's blue tunic, what are you guys seeing that makes you think Breath of the Wild? If that's Impa (and I believe it is) she looks more like a warrior than the scholarly-type figure she was in BOTW. That looks more like Ocarina's Impa than BOTW's Impa (IF that's Impa). So at the very least, to me, this looks like it might be a mix of different versions of the characters.
Also, I doubt that they would base it off of BOTW, due to the 100 year time jump and most of the important characters only appearing in flashbacks. Link and Zelda are never even together in the present in BOTW.
Re: After Years Of Delays, Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Finally Has A 'Final' Trailer
What is there to worry about with the script? It's Inazuma Eleven. It has ALWAYS been ridiculous and corny. I doubt there are many people who are fans of the games for their writing and plot.
What is worrying is the $70 price tag for a Switch 1 game with an extra $2.50 Switch 2 upgrade fee. Charging a premium price for a series that hasn't been around for 10 years and still needs to establish an audience (at least here in the US where none of the games except a digital-only 3DS port of the first game have been released) seems like setting a game up for failure.
Re: Talking Point: What's The Best Firework Sequence In A Video Game?
Persona 4: Golden. Nanako is just too cute.
Re: Metroid Prime 4's Sweet New Trailer Builds The Hype For Next Month's Launch
@WiltonRoots It says something when YouTube (YouTube!) has a more positive comment section. The comments on the trailer are actually very positive over on that place where you usually find comment sections that will make you lose your faith in humanity.
Re: Metroid Prime 4's Sweet New Trailer Builds The Hype For Next Month's Launch
@Metazoxan I see 5-6 different biomes OTHER than the desert in that trailer alone. People acting like this must be an open world game just because they've shown snippets of bike traversal sections just doesn't make sense to me.
I'm with you. I think it's going to be a glorified elevator or something like the gummi ship sections in Kingdom Hearts (I wasn't a fan of those sections in the original Kingdom Hearts, but it didn't affect the overall game just like I'm guessing the bike won't in this game).
Re: Metroid Prime 4's Sweet New Trailer Builds The Hype For Next Month's Launch
@Bolt_Strike Like I just said, negative people feed on each other's negativity, so "look at this comment section and you don't really see positive comments" doesn't really mean much to me. Sure the bike thing MIGHT be bad. But I'm going to be open-minded about it and judge it when I PERSONALLY play it. That's not "copium" that's being RATIONAL.
Personally, I didn't like that MP3 took place over different planets, I like having a small interconnected world to explore, but, overall, that was a small problem that was overshadowed by the good parts of the game (some of the same things that looked like positives in the demo of MP4: the combat, boss fights, and my love of scanning enemies). The bike might similarly be a negative, but I won't know until I TRY IT.
It will suck if this game turns out not to be great. Metroid, especially the Prime series, is my second favorite game series, and it "cannot afford a failure" like you said earlier. But going in with ANY expectations of the game (that it will suck OR that it will be amazing) would only hurt my enjoyment. If you expect something to suck, you will find reasons that your expectations were correct. If you expect something to be amazing, it will never live up to your hopes. So just WAIT AND SEE!
Re: Metroid Prime 4's Sweet New Trailer Builds The Hype For Next Month's Launch
@Bolt_Strike You're talking like you already know what the quality of the game is. You don't know it will be "a dud like this", and anticipating that it will be a dud will only hurt your own enjoyment of the game, if you even bother to give it a chance.
People who played the demo of the game earlier this year came away very positive. Nintendo isn't doing anything to "make the core fans hesitate to want this", people's negativity is doing that (this isn't just about Metroid Prime 4, a vocal number of people are negative about EVERYTHING these last few years, and they only feed off each other).
Re: Metroid Prime 4's Sweet New Trailer Builds The Hype For Next Month's Launch
Will all of you that are complaining about the bike (or anything else about the game) just flipping wait until the game is released or reviews are in before forming an opinion! If this is a game that you even remotely might WANT to play (as opposed to the ever-present number of people who just want to hate on anything other people like), you're doing yourself and the rest of us no favors by prejudging something you haven't experienced for yourself. If you go into anything expecting the worse, you WILL find the worst. And the constant negativity can affect the sales of a game that can ill afford it. If the game is bad, we'll know it in a month. No need to decide now.
Re: Metroid Prime 1-3 Art Book Somehow Teases And Debunks An Echoes Remake
@stungun He already did elaborate in the comments, but it's pretty clear "if it gets remade" implies it hasn't been remade YET. The point is that there were rumors that the entire trilogy was remastered when the first game was remastered, the word "if" would definitely imply that wasn't the case.
Re: The ROG Xbox Ally X Receives Glowing Reviews, But It's Still Pretty Pricey
@BrokenCiv Huh? You call @Arawn93 biased and then basically agree with their assessment that these devices (Steam Deck/ROG Ally) are not competitors of the Switch.
As for WHO is saying they are competitors, watch basically any YouTube reviews of the Steam Deck from the last few years and you'll find myriads of internet commentators depicting them as direct competitors.
I agree they aren't competitors and I have a Steam Deck myself, but it's obvious Arawn93 is referring to an oft-repeated, tired, stupid narrative about how the Steam Deck or any number of other handheld devices are going to replace or "kill' the Switch.
Re: The ROG Xbox Ally X Receives Glowing Reviews, But It's Still Pretty Pricey
The review I read didn't even mention that this new "Windows Gaming Experience" still can't suspend games on sleep and let you instantly restart them when you wake the device. That's an essential feature for a handheld device, if you ask me.
It's something Nintendo did with the DS 20 YEARS AGO and Microsoft still can't get there OS to do it?!
That makes that $1000 device worthless, especially in comparison to the Switch and Steam OS devices that you can purchase for hundreds of dollars cheaper and actually use them for PORTABLE gaming.
Re: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Finally Gets A Release Date, Open World Confirmed
@jojobar
Yeah, I understand concern. I get anxious before the release of any game in a series I love, worrying that it might not be as good as I hope. Quite a few people hear are taking it far farther than that though: declaring the game a bust based on wild assumptions from very limited information.
@JimmyFleck
I don't get that sense. Metroid just isn't a big series for Nintendo and they have never treated it as such in their marketing and reveals. That hasn't stopped the teams who work on them from pouring their love of the series into the games when they actually GET the opportunity to make them. The hands-ons with the game I've seen have all been positive and I loved the little clips of the game that were shown on Nintendo Today, so Retro is at least getting important parts of the game right.
I worry about the exploration aspect of the game (whether we will have an interconnected world to explore), but Retro had already diminished that with Prime 3 with its travel between worlds and that was still a good game (although my least favorite of the trilogy).
We'll see in December!
Re: Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Charges Onto Switch 2 In 2026
The only things I wanted from this direct going in was a Metroid Prime release date and some sort of Fire Emblem announcement. As the direct went along and got closer to the hour mark, I kept thinking, "we're not going to get a Fire Emblem, are we?" I didn't think they would use Fire Emblem as a "one more thing." It so awesome that they did!
I can't believe how far this series has come: from worrying whether Awakening would even get a western release (unlike New Mystery of the Emblem) after it was announced to the series being the closing feature of the direct. So glad to see so many people excited for my favorite game series!
Re: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Finally Gets A Release Date, Open World Confirmed
Man, reading this comment section is sure bringing back Wind Waker memories. So many people rush to judgment. You know, you don't need to make up your mind about a game BEFORE it is released. You can actually wait for the game and/or reviews.
Re: Nintendo Direct Announced For Friday, 12th September 2025
I'll be happy with a Metroid Prime 4 release date and an announced Fire Emblem...which is exactly what I've thought before each direct this year.
If we get an announcement of what Monolith is making on top of that, I'll be over the moon.
Re: Nintendo Music Adds Fire Emblem: Awakening Soundtrack In New Update
For me: All-time Fire Emblem soundtracks ranking:
1. Awakening
2. Path of Radiance
3. Three Houses
I've been really hoping for the Awakening soundtrack to be added. "Don't Speak Her Name!" gives me chills. That chapter with the events that preceded it... Emmeryn
And Divine Decree (Ablaze) too! So Good!
Re: Nintendo Music Adds Fire Emblem: Awakening Soundtrack In New Update
@Darthmoogle A port would be awesome, but the icons weren't for Awakening. They were for The Blazing Blade and you have to play Fire Emblem on NSO to unlock them. Still gives me hope that we will see SOMETHING Fire Emblem related announced this month.
Re: Poll: When The Heck Is Metroid Prime 4 Actually Launching?
I think the best thing for the game itself would be for it to release in January. It doesn't have the mass appeal to be a big holiday seller, so it wouldn't be smart to release it at a time when people have less disposable income and some of the funds they do have will likely go towards Pokemon.
September would have been ideal, but I don't think they've left themselves enough time to properly market the game.
That said, we know the game is basically done since it's been rated. I just want to play it now!
Re: Random: Honda's Pokémon Koraidon Motorbike Looks Laughable In Practice
@KidSparta It also continued the trend of removing past features, in this case the Battle Tower, following after the removal of GTS in Sword/Shield and the National Dex in Sun/Moon. Ultimately the Battle Tower wasn't removed to be included as DLC as I originally suspected, but the previous decisions were made to try to convince people to pay for Pokemon Home. So those series of decisions along with the poor state of the game added to the "cash grab" narrative.
Re: Rumour: Three Games Were Pulled From Nintendo's Direct Partner Showcase, According To Veteran Games Journalist
@Flitzpiepe
Yeah, Littlefinger is probably pissed. He really wanted that "Sonic & Amy" dating sim that Nintendo told him was real.
Re: Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase Announced For Tomorrow, 31st July 2025
@Willo567
I never said they were permanent. I, personally, buy everything digitally, but I respect that other people prefer not to do that.
My issue was your claim that the same people who have a problem with key cards are buying other games on digital stores when, if you've ever read any gaming message board ever you'd know, there are a whole host of people who prefer to buy physical media, for many different reasons. Why shouldn't they have the right to be upset when a company's decisions directly effect their hobby?
Re: Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase Announced For Tomorrow, 31st July 2025
@Willo567
How do you not realize that people who are complaining about key cards DON'T buy their games digitally elsewhere. Gamers are not a monolith. Many buy games digitally but many want all their games to be physical copies. A key card is NOT a physical copy. It's just a different way to buy a digital copy. Thus, those that only buy physically are upset.
Re: Gender Split & Average Ages Of Japanese Nintendo Players Revealed Via New Survey
@Ryu_Niiyama I just don't think of what you are describing as necessarily a "male power fantasy". Showing perseverance and wielding power are two very different things. If it takes me 20 tries to do something and I love that feeling of accomplishment that I feel after succeeding on that 21st try, is that about power? It doesn't make me feel powerful to be repeatedly frustrated over and over again until I finally get something right. It makes me feel relief more than anything.
I don't know why that appeals to me. I don't know if has anything to do with me being a guy. I definitely don't know enough about everyone else to say. Nevertheless, I don't think it has any of the wish fulfillment/glorification of the playable character's dominance aspect that is central to my understanding of what constitutes a male power fantasy. Without that wish fulfillment/dominance aspect, ANYTHING where you or your character triumphs/succeeds could be considered a "male power fantasy".
I actually don't even think that challenge aspect is why I like the Souls games. I think it's more the exploratory aspect of them that I enjoy. Like I said, those games definitely don't make me feel powerful. They make me feel small, scared, overwhelmed, and overly cautious. I feel dread...and yet I love them.
My tastes tend towards games and genres that have a lot of female representation in their fan base (Zelda, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Persona, Elder Scrolls), and, personally, when a game lets you create a character (Like the Souls games) I create female characters (even though I'm a guy). It's not about projecting myself onto the character for me. It's about creating a character and making THEM powerful. That is definitely a power fantasy, but I don't think it is what the term "male power fantasy" is intended to capture.
Re: Gender Split & Average Ages Of Japanese Nintendo Players Revealed Via New Survey
@Ryu_Niiyama Sorry for nitpicking on a single aspect of your well written, well-reasoned post, but how do the Souls games represent a male power fantasy? You are weaker than most of what you fight in those games and fail over and over again. the RPG elements never allow you to become an overpowered beast (and enemies become more powerful on each newgame+). The only thing that allows you to succeed is timing and being patient and methodical. I hardly think that represents a power fantasy (unlike God of War).
Re: Gender Split & Average Ages Of Japanese Nintendo Players Revealed Via New Survey
@PlatinumSeraph I'd bet that Splatoon, Pokemon, and Mario have a much higher female ratio in the west. A higher ratio of males in the west see Nintendo as "for kids" and won't touch Nintendo games.
@Jhena Nobody in Japan plays Metroid.
j/k
...kinda.
Re: Random: It's Civil War As One Pokémon Trading Card Store Robs Another
It seems a bit premature to report this as fact. I mean, the only source is the rival shop owner and it isn't clear to me that he is saying the other shop owner is the alleged robber or an accused accomplice. And even if the owner is correct that the other shop owner was arrested, an arrest is not proof of guilt.
Re: Feature: "It Was Hell" - Spike Chunsoft Devs Discuss 'No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES'
@Questionable_Duck
I think everyone has collectively decided that addressing those dreams might be better left to mental health professionals.
But, seriously, reading both those were the highlight of the article.
Just ... poor Yamada.
And ... I don't even know what to say about Uchikoshi's dream. Hope he really does use it in a game. That should be interesting. Haha!
Re: Nintendo Will Discontinue Switch Game Vouchers Entirely In 2026
I still have one and am waiting on MP4 to see if its included (I bought the pair when XBX came out betting that MP4 would be added to the service too), and then buy the likely $10 upgrade to Switch 2.
If somehow MP4 isn't included, I'll just use it in the same way on Pokemon Legends Z-A, which is already confirmed to be included since you can preorder it now.
As for getting another set before they go off sale, I would use one for Pokemon, but afterwards...I can't see what I would get. I would hope that Rhythm Heaven and Tomadochi Life would already be $50, so that would be a waste of a voucher.
I never understood why $50 games were added to the list of available games. Using a voucher on a $50 game defeats the whole purpose of a voucher and saves no money.
A voucher can only be used for Bayonetta 2, not the digital bundle that includes the first Bayonetta, right? If so, that's a shame since Bayonetta 2 is already $50 and never goes on sale on the eShop.
Re: "It's Heartbreaking" - The Pokémon Company Tech VP Joins Industry In Criticising Microsoft Layoffs
@turmeric16 @Ryu_Niiyama
I'm pretty sure his post is in response to a post that is set not to be displayed on external sites. Andrew Carl's message isn't set not to display, the quoted post is. Bluesky automatically disables the post being viewed externally when that option is set.
Re: Video: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Side-By-Side Gameplay Comparison (Switch & Switch 2)
@WolfyTn I don't think you're crazy, but I don' think you looked at the video much either. Look at the edges of any object. On the Switch 1 they are jagged, on the Switch 2 they are smooth. Check out the Quaxly in the pool at 1:07 in the video for an obvious example.
As for framerate, you can see the DRASTIC difference at 6:57 for the Switch 1 vs 7:11 for Switch 2. The kids in the classroom were moving in slow motion before. It was a moment I vividly remember when I played the game at release for how bad it was, and now they finally fixed it.
Re: Don't Worry, 'Ori And The Blind Forest' Dev Probably Isn't Shutting Down
The guy comes across as something of a tool. Instead of considering that maybe HE is responsible for what he types out on Discord, he acts like its ridiculous that what he ACTUALLY wrote is ACCURATELY reported on!
Although, it's pretty clear that he knew what he was doing by clearly stating the company was in danger of closing because of poor reviews. Looking at the number of positive reviews since his post (many with minimal play time), this blatant review manipulation worked as intended.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
@J_C Just want to say thanks for mentioning the Best Buy app. You scored me a pre-order (hopefully it doesn't get cancelled). Much appreciation.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Took @J_C advice and downloaded the Best Buy app. It went through for me! I waited for over an hour on PC but the app went through in under 15 minutes
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Yep. Same here. Almost an hour of waiting and Best Buy sent me to an empty cart. And it STILL is letting you queue up.
Re: Don't Worry, Duskbloods Will Be "Satisfying" For People Who Dislike PvP, Says Hidetaka Miyazaki
Ugh! I'm just learning about this for the first time. This was the BEST THING in the Direct for me, and now I find out it is something I have absolutely NO interest in. All Miyazaki reassurances did is assure me that this is something I want no part of. I'm the type of gamer that has never played Demon's Souls or Dark Souls online because I want to avoid this stuff. It not just about not liking PvP. I just want to play an RPG and explore a well-crafted world ALONE! I've been a fan of From since the King's Field days. This is SO disappointing!
Re: Digital Foundry Says Switch 2 Running Switch Games At 4K Is "Quite The Thing" In Performance Breakdown
@Ralizah Sorry for stalking you between articles, but I just needed to say that your dumpster analogy on the tariff article was one of the best analogies I've ever read! Couldn't tell you there, since the comments got closed, but that was awesome!
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@JaxonH Tariffs are not A TAX on the other country. They are a tax on the people that are BUYING the product.
So even if a tariff is retaliatory, you are still only passing higher costs on to your own people.
[EDIT: Also, I just was reading about how the US is determining what "tariffs" other countries are placing on US goods, and they are using the amount of the countries "trade deficit" and saying this represents tariffs which has NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. Take for example, small poor countries. Trump is saying they have insanely high tariffs on American goods, but his numbers are based on the trade deficit between the two countries: i.e. the fact that a poor country exports to other countries more goods than it buys from other countries. But OF COURSE they do! The citizen of poor countries can't AFFORD US goods and we are importing large number of goods from them, because we use poor countries to manufacture our goods. That's NOT a TARIFF, that's CAPITALISM!]
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Pat_trick Yep. Corporations will keep pushing to see what they can get away with, and the consumers have made it clear that they are willing to put up with A LOT of anti-consumer choices by these companies.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
[EDIT: I thought I had read that the digital price of MKW was going to be lower than $80, but have since been disillusioned of this notion. Suffice to say that I actually care now and am just as outraged as everyone else!]
I just find it funny that 10 years ago, their attempt at this type of anti-physical games move was what damaged Microsoft so badly. People, myself included, were so outraged by their attempts to kill the physical games resale market, that Microsoft had to backtrack and try to damage control, but they never recovered.
Here, if people see that digital games are still in the $60-$70 range (which is what I expect to happen), I don't think this panic about $80 games will last. They might even accept $70 as reasonable (which i still don't think it is).
I just find it funny that 10-years-ago me was SO upset about Microsoft and their attempts to kill the resale games market, and now 10-years-later me doesn't care about high physical game prices, because I buy everything digital now. I think it really has been Steam that caused that change for me. I got use to not owning physical copies of my games.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Rykdrew That's exactly why I said in my post that you'll be paying less on Steam, because those games go on sale regularly, but the base price still is the same: $59.99.
But this has been true throughout the Switch generation. Multi-platform games are way cheaper on PC because of sales. People still bought plenty of copies on Switch however.