Astral-Grain

@SwitchVogel I appreciate you engaging with your critics rather than just delete all my comments. Opinions are expected, you're only human after all.

The issue I have is NL as a whole playing "favorites" and "not favorites". What I mean here is two games having the same issues/concerns on paper, but one being described as much worse than the other simply because the company/franchise is already popular, especially Nintendo exclusives. I'll give an example (I mentioned this one previously, but I'll be more specific).

Pokemon Scarlet/Violet: On release and today, frames drop down to 16-20 in multiple areas. This is described here as "Wildly inconsistent performance and visuals" and given a 7/10 with the main reason being performance. These issues were never patched fully.

My Time at Sandrock: Has minor stutters and pop in (not my words, from other reviewers). This is described here as "Terrible performance" and given a 5/10 with the main reason being performance.

Personally, I can ignore number scores, I realize those aren't great indicators of how good a game is, but you specifically called out this franchise multiple times for being exactly the same as other farm sims and, unless you specifically don't like farm sims, you would know this game is very different from the others.

It's no secret farm sims are a whole genre, and as such, entries in the genre will take bits and pieces from other games and use them as their own, so why did you need to call out this game for being unoriginal two times in a row in your cons list?

Why doesn't your review for Harvestella also include numerous criticisms that the game borrows too much from other farm/life sim games and isn't that unique?

I'm sure you like consistency in your morning coffee or whatever you enjoy, so I'm just voicing a need for consistency here in the things I normally enjoy. I enjoy Nintendo Life and I want to continue enjoying what you and other do.

@Azura Ah, so I'm not the only one who noticed.

I don't mind complaints of performance if they're valid (and they are), but exaggerating issues and additionally making cheap jabs by saying the game "looks dull" and is 100% ripped off from other games followed by a 5/10 is taking it too far and it's just not true since this franchise is super unique in both the steampunk/western setting and gameplay.

Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons will put out the same formulaic entry that plays exactly the same as every other farming sim previously, and it won't be held against it because they're an established company.

I noticed a lot of indie games (unless already popular) don't get as positive of reviews compared to larger companies like Natsume games or Gamefreak and I really wish it wasn't so obvious. It seems Indie games are either criticized for being too similar to other popular games or are criticized for doing things too differently from popular games that they're not used to.

Just a PSA: If you have any interest in this game or Life/Farm Sims in general, I welcome you to take this review with a large grain of salt, as other reviewers are not aligning with the harsh impressions here.

My Time at Portia (The first game of the franchise) also released with performance/graphical issues, but it was given a 7/10 by Nintendo Life, and those issues were patched pretty quickly after. Giving this new entry a 5/10 and stating performance issues are the main reason would indicate to me that this game is unplayable, but according to other reviewers, performance is being described as "minor stutters and pop in".

Compare that to favored franchise game Pokemon Scarlet/Violet got a 7/10 for launching with notoriously abysmal performance/graphics, and those issues are still present today because they didn't patch it properly. To clarify, Sca/Vio is still today dropping down to 16-20 frames in many areas. That sounds pretty unplayable to me, but it's a 7/10 game here.

The reviewer also made it a point to create a large list of cons, but they look padded to me.

-Dull graphics - They're the same as they were in Portia, and this wasn't a complaint when that game was reviewed.
-Terrible performance, at least at launch - Portia also had poor performance, but it was worse than this because it used to take 60 seconds or more to load an interior, again, this was not held against the game in the review too badly, even though Pathea games fixed all those issues with patches later.
-Doesn't do much you haven't seen before - This one really got me. It's a steampunk/post apocalyptic farming game where you don't just farm, but you mine parts and resources and build loads of vehicles, furniture, and all sorts of other things I've never seen in other farming games. If there are any other games just like this one, I'd love for someone to list them all.
-So many other, better options - This is just a repeat of "Doesn't do much you haven't already seen", which is why it looks padded to me.

I'm not writing all this out because I have a strong love for Pathea games or even this franchise. I'm doing it because it makes stop taking this outlet seriously and I thought you should know what your readers think when we see such inconsistencies.

Watch Konami release the Metal Gear Solid Collection Vol. 2 next year and it only includes Metal Gear Ac!d, Metal Gear Ac!d 2, Peace Walker, Portable Ops, and maybe Twin Snakes if we're lucky.

I considered that MGS4, Peace Walker, and Phantom Pain all include a lot of Sony and non-Sony product placement, (especially MGS4). Microsoft/Xbox doesn't seem to care about this type of thing for Peace Walker HD and Phantom Pain, but I wonder if Nintendo would allow Sony products being advertised on their console.

Besides MGS4 (RIP PS3), I already have access to every other MGS game, so I wouldn't be that disappointed if Vol. 2 doesn't even come to Switch.

1.5TB sounds like an ridiculous amount of space, but once you consider all the game collections available (GTA, Bioshock, Wolfenstein, Assassins Creed, etc.), it's very possible to use up all the space.

I'm happy they're continuing to expand capacity, but I think my 1TB is plenty for now. I might bite if they release a 2TB.

For anyone considering an upgrade, I highly recommend it. Upgrading from a 400GB to a 1TB was an incredible investment.

@Kekshook That video looks like the audio/music is borked on Switch, is that true?

Maybe if this review actually covered audio and sound, we would have known about this ...

@Spider-Kev Thanks for confirming!

I can't say I'm not disappointed control details like these were missed in the review. All they did was complain about needing to press multiple buttons to achieve a single action.

With all the bonus content they included, they really should have added in "The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2" as well.

It's not a game, it's more like a museum that allowed you to view and inspect all the models/levels/assets/cutscenes/music within MGS2. Sadly, they didn't continue making bonus content discs like this for MGS3 and all other future titles but they clearly put a lot of work into it so it's a bit of a shame.

MGS3 is notorious for utilizing the PS2's pressure sensitive buttons.

If you lightly pressed O, you can choke a guard and even interrogate them.

If you accidentally press O too hard, you will kill the enemy, often accidentally.

I'm not sure if Switch has pressure-sensitive buttons, or other consoles for that matter, but I'm curious if they use the same controls as a PS2 controller or if they had to get creative and change the controls slightly.

The sad part is whenever physical Switch games are released, especially in such a small supply, you can expect about 90% of the buyers to people who just want to flip it for a stupid profit in a few months.

$199 retail means these will be selling for like $999+ from private sellers by 2024.

@Frogspree Didn't you read the article? Obviously, his pecs.

@DAHstroy While it could be a mistake, I think 'Agency' fits just fine.

The sense of agency, or sense of control, is the subjective awareness of initiating, executing, and controlling one's own volitional actions in the world.

To want to get a sense of Ganondorf's agency could mean wanting to understand what actions he is doing in the present or even, what motivates him in the present.

4/10 is pretty harsh, especially with the only reasons being unengaging storytelling and basic combat.

I can't help but notice Dragon Quest Treasures was reviewed by the same person, it had similar criticisms, and it got a 8/10.

Similarly, DQ Treasures also had a very weak story, all the spin-offs do, but it wasn't even mentioned as a negative like it was here.

I also don't see a mention mention graphics, performance, or even the musical score.

In these cases, I must look to other reviews for the complete picture.

I have fond memories of these games on the PS2.

After years of playing around with the maps and various ways to assassinate people, I would eventually stop killing people and started pretending I was on vacation or something.

In the mission where I was supposed to sneak into an executive level rehab center to rescue a secret agent, I just ended up chilling with the other tenants to see what they were up to.

In the mission where I was supposed to kill some people at a hotel, I just checked into my room like normal and casually explored various levels of the hotel.

I still play the original Blood Money now and again on Steam, and I'm excited to see how the new version looks on Switch.

@Sputnik_Corner Big Playstation fan, are we?

Starfield is still very interesting to me as I've only put in like 30-ish hours and 1/2 of that was just spent messing with ship building configuration. I intend to spend a lot more time with it as it is very much Skyrim in space.

If they would just allow us to place doors and ladders wherever we want, the game will be nearly perfect.

@Fulgor_Astral There is no reason to be sad, if anything it's a sign that the quality of games is better than it ever has been and we're lucky to live in an age where so many great games are available.

Just like anything else, we have to take it in moderation.

@Ramen756 Backlogs aren't a "concept", they're more like an affliction or a disorder. I speak from experience.

Perhaps it's constant game sales or that I grew up in a time where there were only maybe 1-2 really good games released every year and I got into the habit of buying them right away rather than waiting until I had no other games to play. That habit has become a problem in today's gaming age, and many of us now need to be more selective and picky to avoid drowning in a pile of games.

I appreciate games like any piece of art, and when I see a really good concept or attractive visual style or even just a satisfying game loop, I feel the need to own that game for later consumption because I think I will enjoy it, and that simple pattern is how a backlog is formed.

It feels good to complete a game, but these days a lot of games require you to sink in 50-80 hours before they're considered "complete" so it feels daunting at times. It's definitely a first-world problem but a legitimate and unfortunately common issue nonetheless. I often contemplate not buying games for a year or so just to give myself a chance to catch up.

I envy you that you don't have this issue.

Starfield and No Man's Sky are such complimentary games to one another - they each do what the other game doesn't.

No Man's Sky feels a bit more like a Minecraft kind of game while Starfield is a full blown RPG in an explorable universe, similar to Mass Effect bit way more complex. They're very different games with very different goals, but I assume the reason people are comparing them is because Starfield doesn't handle travel the way No Man's Sky does. Everyone assumed it would have seamless travel from space to planet but it actually requires a lot of fast travelling via complicated menus.

Starfield is deep and serious while No Man's Sky is a little more shallow and playful.

They're the perfect combination for the sci-fi gamer in my opinion.

@nocdaes Careful, other franchises may steal this idea.

A Sonic game where Sonic is absent.

A Mario game that is void of Mario.

A Metal Gear game without any Metal Gears.

This is the future.

@Migoshuro I'm pretty sure you get that back by talking to the lady who used to be a little girl in BOTW. In the settlement south of hyrule castle.

(Please forgive me, I forgot her name)

The BOTW DLC wasn't super game-changing, it just kind of added more of the same with a handful of new assets and challenges, and a new vehicle.

I'd say the most impactful DLC they could release would just include more parts for building structures and vehicles and challenges to go along with those parts.

It's a big ol' sky up there and there's plenty of potential for faster flying vehicle challenges.

Edit: A ride-able guardian from BOTW would be very cool. Even if you couldn't attach parts to it, it would be awesome to roam the lands on a mechanical spider and shoot kamehameha beams at enemies.

Is the performance still awful?

I would hope they would improve the framerate before trying to cash in on DLC.

@Everythingnotsaved Well, if it will make you happy.

Shame on you Nintendo for tempting me to make your game challenging again.

If I want to numb that special feeling I used to get when picking up star fragments, then by george, I'm gonna do it and you can't stop me!

Nah, but really though, just like god mode or any other cheat, it takes away all feeling of accomplishment and I low-key regret using the dupe exploit as much as I did.

I purchased some "mario red" joycons from Japan like 3-4 years ago, and they look just like this.

Couldn't they at least print a white "M" or something to make it look unique?

For those who think this list is a little light, you can view a list of almost all mech suit games here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MechaGame

Unfortunately, the list includes games for all consoles, but many games listed are on Switch.

Here's another list if you still crave the mech suit goodness: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/HumongousMecha/VideoGames

@Kilroy It is a little intimidating, yeah.

Others are making massive airships, giant creatures that are also vehicles, mech suits, yachts, 18-wheelers, luxury motorhomes, and all sorts of fantastical structural and engineering feats.

And here I am spending 20 minutes carefully gluing two fans to a steering wheel and feeling accomplished.

@Kilroy Thank you!

I haven't had much luck using stabilizers on flying vehicles, they always seem to make controlling the vehicle a nightmare.

It seems I still have a lot to learn.

How did they get it to wiggle like a snake?

@ancientlii I'm sure there are plenty more, though some just happen to feature pilotable mechs and may not revolve the whole game around them.

Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Marstered allows the player to pilot 3 different types of mechs in the late game, and since the game features completely destructible environments, it's one of my favorite mech experiences on Switch. You can use the mounted weapons if you want, but you can also just walk through buildings like they're made of tissue paper.

Saints Row IV also has a late game Mech Suit, but since you accumulate god-like powers and since the mech suit is only available for a a few minutes at a time, it's nothing special, but still technically a mech suit experience I guess.

Fingers crossed Xenoblade Chronicles: X will one day grace us with its delightful presence on Switch.

I'm just glad all mechs don't require you to get nekkid first.

-stares at 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim-

Good call. The game doesn't run well on PC, so hopefully they have some tricks up their sleeve.

@theModestMouse Is a shitzo a type of dog?

@IceEarthGuard Steam has an offline mode, though it's definitely not perfect.

For Steam, I think most games require you to "check in" while connected to the internet now and again, but I avoid any with Denuvo because I have a Steam Deck and I'm not always connected to WiFi. A lot of Steam games these days only require Denuvo for a year or so after launch to stave off the launch sales being impacted by high piracy. I'm actually watching a few now in the hopes that they drop Denuvo soon so I can buy them and play them unrestricted.

Switch definitely has that advantage over PC and other consoles, among others of course.

I just wish Denuvo could come up with a solution that doesn't hinder the player experience.

Red Dead Redemption's soundtrack is so similar to Ennio Morricone's work, and it's a big reason I love this game.

I'm only maybe 25% into Red Dead Redemption's story, but the time I've spent so far has already prompted me to re-watch classic westerns like Once Upon a Time in The West and Tombstone.

Seeing "Denuvo" on a Steam game page is like a kiss of death because it means you're required to stay connected to the internet the entire time you play a game, even for singleplayer games.

I'm not sure how many Switch developers would actually advertise using Denuvo, but I won't touch any game that requires a constant internet connection.

@russell-marlow I see our mutual respect has gone out the window so I'll be opting out of this conversation.

Good luck with whatever it is you're trying to argue.

@russell-marlow Interestingly enough, there was a long time rumor that Red Dead Redemption's source code was either missing or it was just incomprehensible to be worked with.

Some speculate the source code issue is why they still haven't released the game on PC and likely never will.

I can't claim to know enough about it to speculate further, but source code is a very interesting aspect regarding game preservation and the ability to port/remaster in the future.

Hopefully devs have become better at preserving these files in recent years.

Disappointed the Red Dead Redemption port was actually good?

Not to worry, we've got another developer in our sights.

The "Lazy Ports" brigade lives on!

@Serpenterror If the game is currently capped at 30 FPS and still dips into the high 20s, don't you think a 60 FPS cap would be a poor experience overall?

I'm just saying there seem to be a lot of people saying 60 FPS for an open world game is easy, yet I don't know of any open world games that can run at a solid 60 FPS on Switch.

For all the mechanics, NPC AI, and physics constantly running in this game, it runs very very well on Switch.

For those that don't know, ever since GTA IV, most Rockstar games run on the Endorphin physics engine, which means the people and creatures don't just "ragdoll" or go limp, they actually try to keep their balance when pushed or shot.

This makes gunfights and other mechanics like the lasso very entertaining and often unpredictable.

I know the game is pretty old now, but I'm glad these mechanics are just as fun today as they were back in 2010 and that they don't impact performance on Switch.

@Dm9982 It was a pleasant surprise to see the golden guns because I pre-ordered the PS3 version way back in the day and it came with a little code to unlock them. I just expected them to remove small content like that, but they didn't.

It's not really documented anywhere that I could find, so I will share the golden guns toggle just impacts the starter pistol and rifle (cattleman revolver and repeater carbine), and all other guns still look normal with normal stats.

Edit: Upon further tinkering with cheats, it looks like the golden guns toggle DOES impact all other guns too, not just the starter guns! I don't think it used to work this way, but this is definitely better than just impacting the 2 weakest guns.

@lukejhall Maybe RE4 isn't a good example, it released in 2019, lowest price was $20, then in 2020, it dropped as low as $15, then, finally, in 2022, it dropped to the lowest sale price of $9.99.

I think we all hope Rockstar doesn't take 3 years to drop down to 1/2 price.

I didn't see it mentioned, so I'll point out the game has a lot of new options to tailor your experience.

You can individually scale the text for subtitles, objectives, and help text, which is obviously much appreciated on the handheld screen. I maxed them all out and think people will be pretty happy with how large you can make the text.

I also noticed other "options" such as the ability to toggle on golden guns, which not only looks cool but give more fame per kill than standard guns. This was originally only available by pre-order bonus or buying the golden gun DLC.

Audio options include headphones only mode, and the display options let you tinker with brightness, contrast, saturation, and you can toggle HUD elements off like maps and waypoints if you want more of a "Pro HUD" mode.

Additionally, it looks like most of the cheats are already unlocked for you, and you can toggle them on pretty much from the start of the game, which include cheats for notoriety, weather, dead-eye, and some others I haven't played with yet. I believe you still need to manually enter some of the more powerful cheats, such as invincibility and unlocking all areas, but it's still nice a lot are unlocked already.

Lastly, and this may only be important to a select few, you get the "Gentlemen's Attire" outfit (white suit with white gloves) after completing the first few missions automatically. I mention this because originally, you would be required to link your Rockstar account in order to unlock the outfit so it's nice not to have to jump through hoops to get the suit because it looks very dapper.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with my purchase and am pleasantly surprised the digital version is only 11.4 GB.

@johnedwin Elden Ring seems lovely, but I haven't picked it up yet. I play Dark Souls on Switch now and again and enjoy it. I never thought I'd say this but I think the open world format seems a bit daunting for a game like that, and I prefer the more linear level design, but that's just me.

That's a little sad to hear many people didn't even finish the game, but GOTY is more or less just a popularity contest, for better or for worse.

@GrailUK I'm trying subconsciously forget about Starfield until it comes out and I think that's the best way for me to have a good experience. I'm basically going in blind, all I know is it takes place in space.

If it were a Fallout or Elder Scrolls game, I could pour on all the hype I want and likely still not be disappointed, but Bethesda has historically created several other one-off franchises (Rage and Brink come to mind) that just weren't anywhere near as interesting as the two I mentioned and have already been forgotten.

Still, ToTK is one of those games that is so good, you can't really appreciate all it has to offer the first time around, and it takes time to really soak it all in. Games like Hogwarts Legacy were genuinely fun to play, but I don't keep going back to that game like I do with ToTK because I don't feel like there's much else left to discover, while ToTK still has lots of replayability with the buildable machines and whatnot.

That's what makes a GOTY for me, a game I feel like I could play forever and not get bored. The good news is we have a lot of games this year that match that description.

@vicviper001 Excitement and optimism for a game release while still waiting for reviews before buying does not mean "blind support" or "lacking self respect."

When you tell people to "vote with your wallet" you have to remember you're talking about their money, not yours.

When was the last time you let someone else control how you spend your own money?

@RobynAlecksys I understand where you're coming from because Rockstar is most certainly greedy, but saying they've never made a game worth playing just sounds silly when you look at their sales and reviews scores.

Red Dead Redemption is a classic good game from an older generation. I'm sorry they didn't deliver a remaster as you and others had hoped, but many of us find the original game perfectly enjoyable. It's not "sad" people want to play this game, the game is a 95 on Metacritic and it's going to be portable for the first time ever.

I hope those that don't want this game don't buy it, and those that do want this game buy it and enjoy it free from judgement.

@vicviper001 Perhaps you don't want to buy the game but there's no reason to insult those that are looking forward to it by calling them "Nintendo Sheep"

Just let people enjoy what they enjoy.

@Gavintendo But that RDR thumbnail is welcoming people to be outraged all over again, can't pass up the opportunity for more angry clicks.