Comments 951

Re: Video: Here's Eight Minutes Of Brand New Rune Factory 3 Special Gameplay

Astral-Grain

@nhSnork Ah, that's a good bit of info, thank you!

See, I felt that RF5 brought the mechanics of 3/4 to the 3D world pretty well. It felt pretty much like a 3D version of RF4 in my opinion, but people were still pretty upset about it. Maybe it had to do with performance, but that never bothered me on Switch or PC.

I'm not sure what they would need to do for RF6 to make both the old school and new school fans happy.

What would be included in your ideal Rune Factory 6? Also, was there anything about RF5 that was lacking compared to previous titles?

Re: Take-Two CEO On Backward Compatibility: "Give Consumers What They Want"

Astral-Grain

@KayFiOS I won't speak for everyone, just the 3.91 million people that bought the "overpriced port" of a game.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1385992/zelda-skyward-sword-hd-unit-sales/

It's amazing someone would get so worked up just because a product they don't like is on sale next week and others are happy and excited about it.

Let people enjoy the things they enjoy.

If you don't enjoy it, all you have to do is not buy the game.

Re: Take-Two CEO On Backward Compatibility: "Give Consumers What They Want"

Astral-Grain

@KayFiOS Would you actually want those things you're asking for, even it if made the game a worse experience on Switch?

I played RDR online back in 2010 and I can tell you it's boring and I imagine it would only be worsened by Nintendo's multiplayer network. I've also never heard anyone tell me they enjoyed or miss that experience.

It's also a bit counter-productive to be disappointed there are no additional visual enhancements and HD textures when it still looks great on Switch and the hardware wouldn't be able to handle any additional visual enhancements.

On a related note, can you name me one open world Switch game that runs at 60 FPS?

Re: Take-Two CEO On Backward Compatibility: "Give Consumers What They Want"

Astral-Grain

@Kestrel I mean, I don't know what to tell you. Other than, you know, to point out the obvious: that you clearly haven't been paying attention if you never noticed full priced ports like Skyward Sword HD sell incredibly well, despite many people's complaints saying they are overpriced.

People will vote with their wallets just as they always do.

Just let people enjoy the things they like.

Re: Take-Two CEO On Backward Compatibility: "Give Consumers What They Want"

Astral-Grain

Switch Owners: Rockstar hates us, they refuse to put in the effort to port their fun open world games like GTA V even though it would run just fine on the console.

Also Switch Owners: How dare Rockstar release a port of a highly acclaimed open world game for $50!

I can't help but feel a sense of hypocrisy that most of us are happy to pay $59.99 for Skyward Sword HD from Nintendo, which is just as "upscaled" and "HD" as running it on an emulator, but many of us appear to be big mad that any other company would dare to do the exact same thing and sell their game for $10 less.

Re: Talking Point: Will You Pay $50 For Red Dead Redemption On Switch?

Astral-Grain

@Anachronism John Marston (main character of RDR) is a pretty likable character I think. He has flaws but he is "one of the good ones" and is one of the most human character's I've ever played. I'll try not to spoil too much, but playing as him can get pretty emotional up until the end of the story and many have said they grew attached to his personality compared to other Rockstar characters.

He's definitely not like Trevor or Michael from GTA V.

Re: Talking Point: Will You Pay $50 For Red Dead Redemption On Switch?

Astral-Grain

Does anyone here know the supposed history about Red Dead Redemption's source code?

For years, I would hear rumors that they never released a PC version because the original source code was either missing or it was so complicated it made porting the game to PC nearly impossible.

Now here we are, and it's being ported to Switch but there are still no plans to release on PC. Does anyone know more about this?

Here are some old sources for reference: https://kotaku.com/dont-expect-red-dead-redemption-to-ever-come-out-on-pc-5847192

https://www.engadget.com/2010-01-12-sources-red-dead-redemption-development-in-trouble.html

Re: Talking Point: Will You Pay $50 For Red Dead Redemption On Switch?

Astral-Grain

@Deviant-Dork I have to agree with @Wexter here, RDR 1 isn't officially available for PC or Steam Deck, and all attempts to emulate it have been a failure.

If it was already available on Steam/Steam Deck, it wouldn't be nearly as appealing. The entire appeal (for me at least) is that this is the only portable console version available.

Re: Talking Point: Will You Pay $50 For Red Dead Redemption On Switch?

Astral-Grain

@Paraka L.A. Noire is a tragic case that may indicate you won't get what you want from the physical version.

The entire digital download for L.A. Noire is a whopping 27.5 GB, which is surprisingly larger than the PC version, and the Physical Switch version still requires a 13.1 GB download before you can actually play it.

RDR 1 may also be a rather large file size, which could also factor in to Switch sales. I wouldn't expect anything special for a physical release, Rockstar will likely try to save money by using the standard carts rather than shell out money for the high capacity carts like the ones we saw for the Witcher 3 physical release.

Re: Talking Point: Will You Pay $50 For Red Dead Redemption On Switch?

Astral-Grain

For $50, I get to play the only version of the game that can be played on a portable console. I can't play this game handheld anywhere else, not even on Steam Deck.

For the same reasons I re-purchased Skyrim on Switch for full price and many other game I already owned previously - it's worth the $50 to take one of my favorite gaming experiences with me wherever I go, assuming it runs well of course.

Rockstar has only had 2 other releases on Switch, one that performed poorly (GTA Trilogy) and one that performed quite well (L.A. Noire), so it really could go either way.

Re: Surprise! Red Dead Redemption Blasts Onto Switch Next Week

Astral-Grain

I don't care what the rest of you say, if it actually runs well, $50 is a steal for all the fun things you can do in this game with the mechanics and physics, and the zombie DLC is just icing on the cake.

I understand the "frustration" that this game has been listed for $20 on Xbox for almost a decade, but the difference is it's been built specifically for a portable console, which has never happened before.

Even the powerful Steam Deck can't run this game because it's not officially available on Steam. Even if one tries to emulate the PS3 version, it will run at a staggering 4-5 FPS.

With all that in mind, I will happily pay $50 for an official portable version that actually runs well.

Re: Surprise! Red Dead Redemption Blasts Onto Switch Next Week

Astral-Grain

A very unexpected and pleasant surprise.

I have faith Rockstar wouldn't let their Red Dead name get sullied by a poor port like they did with the GTA trilogy, but all the same, I'm going to wait for some stable gameplay footage before actually putting money down.

I look forward to dragging baddies across the desert with my lasso.

Re: Talking Point: How Do You Store Your Games Collection?

Astral-Grain

I used to have stacks of gaming magazines and whole walls of game boxes but I Marie Kondo'd that stuff a few years back and feel much better for it.

I currently have a 1TB SD card that hold 165 fully digital game titles, and I only have 15 actual physical cartridges, which are mostly Nintendo titles. The boxes for these games are randomly scattered across closets and various drawers. That's not even mentioning that I still have 174 digital-only titles that I don't have installed currently.

Part of me is a little disgusted I purchased over 300 games over a period of like 6 years, but at least I never paid for 1-2 Switch, so I got that going for me.

Re: Rumour: Nintendo Is Targeting A 2024 Release For The Switch Successor

Astral-Grain

@ozwally You may already know this, but there is a Decky plugin (for Steam Deck) called Vibrantdeck and it allows you to increase the saturation of colors in handheld mode.

I use it for almost every game, especially JRPGs that are packed with color.

It may not be 1:1 the experience of an actual OLED screen, but it's far less risk and trouble than installing your own OLED.

Re: Rumour: Metal Gear Solid 4, 5, and Peace Walker May Be Included In Vol. 2 Collection

Astral-Grain

@russell-marlow I'm sorry to hear that, that sounds awful.

I use mine pretty frequently but haven't had any issues that I've noticed. It's common enough that a game may not launch properly or it may even hard crash after playing multiple games for long periods of time, but a quick restart fixes most issues 99% of the time.

Can you tell me the symptoms? Are games not working or is it not booting up?

Re: Review: The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie - A Refreshing Entry In The Kiseki Series

Astral-Grain

I keep playing these Trails of Cold Steel games, pour about 30-40+ hours into them, feel like I'm barely even into the heart of the main story and then reach a point where I fall off completely because the story is moving too slowly for the amount of time I've put in.

It happened with the first game on the PS Vita and now again with ToCS 3 on Switch. I truly enjoy the visuals and lore of these games, truly I do, but I just can't even consider buying another one until I finally beat the two I already own on Switch.

I realize this is a first world problem, but I wish I could spend 100 hours on a JRPG like I used to when I was a kid so I could play the next one when it comes out.

Re: Activision CEO Made 'A Bad Judgement' In Not Supporting The Nintendo Switch More

Astral-Grain

I had a really good time with CoD 4 way back on the PS3, but I feel I got all I needed out of that franchise and Switch has dozens of FPS games these days.

I'm not saying "too little too late" I'm just surprised they're interested this many years after Switch proved a big success, but I'm sure they'll make a killing if they launch a few titles on Switch.

It's not really my cup of tea anymore, but all the same, the more the merrier!

Re: Rumour: Metal Gear Solid 4, 5, and Peace Walker May Be Included In Vol. 2 Collection

Astral-Grain

@russell-marlow Sorry, I made a few comments and I'm not sure which one you're replying to.

MGSV is a pretty well optimized game, I was surprised how well it ran and how good it looked on my potato computer back when it released, so I think it's possible. However, I don't think it's likely Konami would put forth the effort to port MGSV to Switch.

I personally never touched the online aspects of MGSV, so I think they could easily remove them if they wanted and it wouldn't hinder the singleplay experience much. Still, I don't personally have hope it will come to Switch, and since I already have it on Steam Deck and Xbox, I don't care either way.

Edit: I didn't really address your whole comment so let me do that now.

The PC version of MGSV is only 28 GB, and with texture compression, I'm positive they could fit the game on one cart, assuming they were motivated to do so. Again, I don't think they are, but in the file size aspect, it's technically very possible.

Similarly, the PC version of The Witcher 3 is a whopping 50 GB, but CDPR was able to compress the files and fit the entire game and DLC on to a Switch cartridge. This is a rare case since it costs the company more to opt for the higher capacity cartridges, hence why so many physical games still require a big download, but it can be done if the company is committed enough.

Re: Rumour: Metal Gear Solid 4, 5, and Peace Walker May Be Included In Vol. 2 Collection

Astral-Grain

@Wexter I think Twin Snakes re-release or remake is still a possibility. Far more possible than MGS4 coming to Switch, at least.

If I recall correctly, the Nintendo references in Twin Snakes are just a few 3D assets like Mario figures and a gamecube controller right? It wouldn't be the first time Konami replaced some assets for a re-release, they did it with MGS3DS, but in reverse (they replaced the Kerotan frogs with Yoshi figures). Heck, if Twin Snakes did get re-released, they could just keep it a Nintendo exclusive.

Nothing has came of it that we know of, but a few years ago, Denis Dyack (founder of Silicon Knights) confirmed it's possible Twin Snakes could come to the Switch, which is kind of interesting he would even say that.

I would normally say it would be silly for a company to re-release the original version of a game and then release a remake shortly after, but look what happened with the re-release of P3P and the leak about the Persona 3 remake in the works, so it's certainly possible.

Re: Rumour: Metal Gear Solid 4, 5, and Peace Walker May Be Included In Vol. 2 Collection

Astral-Grain

@Angelic_Lapras_King It's not impossible for MGSV to come to Switch in some form, it's just highly unlikely in this case.

Great ports do come to the Switch, but that's because of the great devs behind them that put forth a lot of effort to make it happen (Witcher 3 and Alien Isolation are great example of this). Given their track record, I just don't think Konami cares that much.

Similar to how Rockstar games released L.A. Noire on Switch a long time ago and then we never got another game from them besides the poorly received PS2 collection that was handled by another company, I just don't see Konami hustling to make Switch owners happy.

Re: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom: Walkthrough - Collectibles, Tips, And Tricks

Astral-Grain

@Hordak Did you want to revert back because the duplication glitch was patched?

I'm too scared to try myself yet, I'm still on 1.1.1, but if you have the game cartridge, you may be able to delete the update data and then play the game cartridge version without updating.

I'm not sure if the game saves would still be compatible, and there's always the chance the game just wont run without an update first, but it's worth a shot.

If you don't have a physical copy, there's no legal way to downgrade the firmware. Though if you're looking to duplicate items, I hear it's still possible in 1.1.2, but I also hear it's much more tedious and you can't duplicate nearly as quickly.

Good luck!

Re: Soapbox: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW

Astral-Grain

@Kang81 I'd classify myself as a BOTW/TOTK fan and I'd have to agree with all you said.

Similar to Ubisoft games, Nintendo created a repeatable "formula" that can either be seen as repetitive and boring or as addictive and engaging, it just depends on your tastes and preferences. It would be nice if there were more randomized loot in these games so I could look forward to treasure hunts, but that's just another mechanic from other games, and not really innovative either I suppose.

The innovations/physics/mechanics you mentioned are a big part of why I think BOTW/TOTK stands out, but you're correct that almost all else are built upon what other open worlds games did first. Small innovations go a long way I guess.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW

Astral-Grain

@Jhena I hear you, but life is full of risks, is it not?

If you didn't like BOTW, I don't recommend you picking up TOTK because it's much of the same, though also completely different. I realize that description is confusing but I can't think of another way to describe it.

It's a strange kind of feeling really, because of my experience playing BOTW, I won't play TOTK for more than 2-3 days at a time to avoid getting burned out. I remedy this by playing another game for a few days in between (I just got into Nier Automata) and going back and forth really helps me keep both games fresh and new. I played BOTW to death, so it's not interesting to me anymore, but TOTK is a fresh new take and I haven't drained the fruit of its juices yet like I did with BOTW, so it keeps me coming back, and probably will for at least another few months. That's not to mention there will likely be DLC, but that may be a bit down the road.

If you played BOTW before, you have the luxury of knowing what to expect. Basically, if you could go back in time and experience BOTW all over again, would you still choose to play it or not?

If you wish to re-experience the feeling of playing BOTW through a very different lens, I'd say it's a game for you. If not, I'd say you should skip it and that is perfectly fine.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW

Astral-Grain

@OldManHermit I think what you described is the best way to navigate these Skyim-like worlds where there's billions of things to do, we just have to get better at having cone vision and only doing the things we want to do rather than get distracted by all the things that are possible to do.

I remember not long ago when almost every game felt like a Skyrim clone with tons to do and endless mechanics, it was very overwhelming when you think you need to do it all. In my first play through of the Witcher 3, I didn't even touch Gwent. It was just too much at once. I'm glad I skipped it though because I came back to it later and it kept me playing longer.

I think the ability to say "I'll pass on that for now" and just do the things you really want to do in the moment, despite there being endless possibilities, is the ultimate strength for gamers these days.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW

Astral-Grain

@Jhena I think one could argue the desolation and suffering that existed in BOTW's world is just as sad, if not more sad than TOTK because at least in TOTK, there is a feeling of hope to rebuild and overcome the evil in the world. I thought BOTW was a lonely game, personally.

One could also argue that a big wide open world with climbing mechanics and super powers is also "nuts" compared to previous entries. This new game just built upon the foundation that was already there. There were already crazy physics and mechanics and people were already making flying machines using these properties, this new game just made it much easier to do those things without using glitches.

I'm certainly not going to sway you as you've already made up your mind about TOTK, I just think you have some deep seated opinions for a game you've never actually played yourself, that's all.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW

Astral-Grain

@Jhena If I may ask, what do you mean by TOTK being "Salty" and "Nuts" based on some Youtube videos you watched?

I'd recommend playing the game for yourself before writing it off and declaring you're leaving the Zelda franchise because of this new title, but that's just my opinion as someone who has actually played it for many hours. I feel the tone and story is almost identical to BOTW.

It's all very new in story, mechanics, and exploration, but at the same time very very similar to BOTW. I also understand longtime fans of the series didn't like the direction BOTW was headed, so if you didn't like BOTW, I would understand not wanting to return for this game.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Busier Hyrule Is Making Me Miss BOTW

Astral-Grain

I remember not long ago, a lot of people were talking about their dream DLC that would add questlines to BOTW focused on helping citizens rebuild and restore parts of Hyrule, similar to the Tarry Town questline, but on a much larger scale.

It was a little sad to see several abandoned and decrepit towns and cities scattered all around BOTW with not much lore or even secrets to be found. They were nice for immersion, and definitely better than just endless open space, but they didn't seem to have much purpose otherwise. Same goes for the NPCs, they were few and far between and while many of them had schedules to follow, a lot of them just felt a bit too generic.

I'm about 1/2 way through the main story and completed maybe a quarter of the sidequests, but even within the first 4-5 hours of playing, it seems they really listened to that sort of feedback.

The tranquility and simplicity of BOTW was lovely, but TOTK feels closer to the bustling Hyrule I remember from older games like Ocarina of time, and I definitely prefer the complexity and variety of this version.

Re: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Dataminers Uncover Hidden Paraglider Fabric

Astral-Grain

@JackieCMarlow with respect,

Paragliders existed in Breath of the Wild, which released back in 2017, and the existence of "paraglider fabric" in the title of this article is hardly classified as a spoiler because you wouldn't even know what that phrasing meant unless you opened the article, which you clearly decided to do by commenting here.

Nintendo Life and many others are going cover this game for quite some time, and I don't believe they've spoiled story elements in any of their articles, just game mechanics that are all over the internet and even in trailers. So in your case, maybe it's best if you just avoid the internet for a while if you still haven't picked it up and played it.

The game has been out 3 weeks or so and from what I can tell, almost all dimensions of the internet contain what you would call "spoilers" for simple game mechanics like these. This isn't a Nintendo Life problem, this happens every time a wildly popular game is released.

Re: Talking Point: From The Sublime To The Ridiculous - Is Anybody Excited For Everybody 1-2-Switch!?

Astral-Grain

This probably would have done better as a new Warioware entry or spin-off. The branding and subsequent failure of the "1-2 Switch" name almost ensures it to be dead on arrive.

We have a completely new "horse head mask with a shiny suit" character that may have been popular 10 years ago when it was trending, but it's kind of a dead meme now. Which makes it seem like the game is aimed at grandparents who just want their grandchildren to play games with them when they come over.

The original 1-2 Switch is still being sold in the eShop for $49.99 and goes on sale once a year at the most. It's just really hard to be positive this new entry will be anything other than a regretful purchase.

Alright, I'm finished beating a dead horse.