That's a hot take, Mr. Walker. I enjoyed the piece. I think it is hard to understate the pre Super Metroid entries as the absolute game design marvels they are working within the extreme limitations of their systems.
I think necessity forced the "you are alone on this planet and if you die here no one will remember" vibe just by the sparseness required to fit it in on an 8-bit cartridge. While the other half of the Metroidvania (Simon's Quest) had some missteps trying to work too much narrative in with very poor clues among townspeople, Samus is alone and no one is here to give you pointers and you work accordingly with that understanding. I honestly think the greater tone of the series flows out of the choices that had to be made here.
Various entries have their stans and I will not wade into that debate here, but I think Metroid still is at it's strongest when it's just Samus against the planet and everything on it. Start shooting blocks till you get off this rock alive, because the cavalry isn't coming.
Ready to tie a bow on Xenoblade Chronicles X. I've spent more time in Mira than I'd care to admit, and after murdering every life form on it save for Void and Telethia the Endbringer, there's not a lot left to do aside from then wrapping around and one-shotting them. I haven't 100% finished a game like this in a long time. It's been fun.
I'll probably need a lighter game to follow it up instead of XC3 😅. I'm thinking now's a good time to play Throes of the Watchmaker. I had a grand time with Sea of Stars and a quick return to that universe (or an adjacent plot related on) might be fun.
Shhhhh. We don't want to startle the S*******g, lest it retreat to its dwelling for another year. They'll have to replace the exhibit with something easier to find, like a unicorn.
It caught my attention, but it really stood out to one of my older daughters as a cross section of her interests in farming sims, action RPGs, and unholy armies of the damned.
The graphics also really remind me of the vibes of playing Link's Awakening on the Super Game Boy with the inserted four colors that you could set to your liking. What a time to be alive.
Of course I have wildly different expectations for an Indie Direct, but I'm way more satisfied with this presentation. Some games I was following that i was excited for, some really interesting ones not on my radar but they are now, and some that aren't for me. And that's great! This seemed to have games for a really diverse set of gamers, and it seems like if you have a niche someone is making a game for it.
I could nitpick, but I think this was a very good swaths of what's available, and Mina the Hollower is more or less the title you'd be seeing unless you haven't been hurt enough and really believed this was going to be the S******g announcement.
I really hope they get the performance issues sorted out, I have a skeptical eye for that, but I love good game design and Ninja Gaiden has a special place in my heart. I do want to see if this replaces The Messenger as the best Ninja Gaiden game in recent memory*.
I know its an entirely different franchise, but felt so much like the joy of 1989 gaming that I think it still counts
Went ahead and dropped my opinion, for the good it will actually do. I prefer physical but I'm comfortable with digital, and I still can not for the life of me figure out who is actually asking for this. Physical gives you (sorta) persistent ownership, digital is convenient and frequently gets discounts, and the other options provide neither.
I think one thing that never gets rebutted is the "resale" point, which is already possible with physical releases and has been since the 80s. I probably wouldn't even care beyond not purchasing if not for the fact that we are being given a worse experience and being told it is a good thing. Ens***tification claimed the rest of the internet, does it have to come for my single player experience too?
To echo the sentiment, you'd think the directs coming out would be planned out to at the very least trickle some reasons to be excited about getting the console they just released. The marquee title here was maybe Monster Hunter Stories and a port of a remake of arguably the least interesting Persona game. I see games I'd love to play on my existing S1, but I was honestly more excited about the release slate of a couple routine months of 2025.
I still am bullish on the S2, but a great DK game, a modestly disappointing MK game, and better performance on some existing titles is not an ideal way to launch. Maybe they' are counting on a strong winter slate to reel in the folks who weren't day 1 buys, but this just seems like a misfire.
A very fair-to-middlin' collection to be honest. There are some new announcements I have interest in, a bunch we already knew were coming. With no real "exclamation point" title the whole show just seemed like this could have been an email.
I suspect they'll ramp up come October/November for the real movement, but this doesn't inspire me to run out and get a Switch 2.
Looking forward to a spin on the game concept. I do hope for another step toward a cohesive plot and characters that act like the others are actually there, but they get a lot of grace after the improvements made on the second game.
Casual observers will mistake this for an Octopath spinoff, the game will be delightful but underperformed S-E's expectations, and they publicly resolve to start no project budgeted less than a billion dollars with the NFT features their fans have been clamoring for.
Seriously tho, I'm pretty excited, but I do expect uneven scripting and more uneven voice acting.
Really hoping for Clair Obscur but that will probably lag a bit. I was thinking we might actually hear of S******* because Microsoft announced it, but that's my wild prediction. I really don't expect much beyond what's already been dropped at the S2 direct, to be honest.
Honestly, you could claim the first "bullet time" feature was back with Mega Man, when we could factor in the "float" on those disappearing platform sections. You'd just have to make sure you were ready for the "snap" back to regular pacing once an enemy dropped off the screen. We had so many cheap deaths from that, and we were happy to have it! 😉
Seriously tho, I'll go to my grave believing Mega Man II was the high water mark for gaming overall
@ChromaticDracula the wisdom of the ancestors. We put up with games that went single digit with three enemies on screen way back when, stable 30 isn't terrible. If they can't keep it stable with a retro styled game, I'd question the development practices.
I'm stoked to give my kids a little tour of maybe the coolest thing available when I was young and all the things you can do with such limited resources given extreme amounts of time. I'm curious if the streaming community can do anything wild with it.
I went in blind with guns blazing and killed the Greater Dog and heard talk in the monster village about him supposed to be getting married and I was crushed with guilt. Also, I don't think I've laughed harder at a game than getting a treasure and the message that there are too many dogs in my inventory before finding the Annoying Dog. I thought it played things so differently than games I'd seen up to that point that it reminded me how much they could pull you in with even modest production if done right.
I'm all for more wacky timelines that dont really line up... in that sense the Legend of Zelda series is basically fanfic of itself so this seems pretty natural plotwise, and bonus points for just going over the top with it.
I'm as big of a defender of the S1 as you'll find, but musou games definitely needed more horsepower than it had to offer. I'm pretty excited.
As much as people poke fun, any sensing device with connectivity and a power source has surveillance potential. I know the EU is at least trying to curtail this, but in most terms of service basically allow free reign for collection in AI training and... "other uses." In the past the processing technology wasn't really suitable to make this useful at scale and now... there are lot of data centers going up everywhere.
Not saying you can't participate or even that people are fools if they do, but those privacy concerns have been pretty emphatically validated and should be considered in your personal risk assessment.
NIS frequently retails $10 more for their physical copies on the Switch 1 as it is (at least where I am). And this is fine! I think most physical zealots I've seen wouldn't balk at a reasonable surcharge. So the fact that they're insisting this is desired by anyone doesn't check out.
Not sure if this is part of a bigger pressure campaign to give us a product everyone hates because of something buried in the terms of service that is easier to revoke with a keycard than normal digital (embedded ID or something).
It is disquieting to have the "you did your job excwptionally well, we've never been doing better, and also we've had to make some 'hard choices'" in my liesure space beyond the reality of it everywhere else. I do wonder about the long term stagnation moving forward if AAA studios are a meat grinder, AA games are being phased out as not profitable enough, and the indie space is vibrant but tough to break into. People with skills tend to not put up with that for long and move on.
I hope this era isn't just marked as when we ate the golden goose and were done with it.
I was skeptical on "open world" given how some of the other companies do it, but I think this is how culturally ingrained the "I wonder if I can..." attitude that a ridiculous number of players have. I remember this getting rewarded in SMB3, and even more as technology allowed them to start really working that in.
I can see how certain players might not like this, but not every game is for everyone... and that's great! I'm pleased to know there has never been a time in my life that quality games have come out in this density, and the indie space is definitely pushing the bounds of the older genres, if not with the most recognizable IP.
@Rainz agreed, Hollow Knight definitely tells you what it is early. I think the husk knight near the beginning really gives a rough welcome, although I came back and got the hold of the "kickback" you get in combat. Once I made it to the City of Tears, I was beyond hooked. But I can definitely see why many won't make it that far.
Deepnest I also the place of nightmares once you think youre comfortable comfortable enough 😅
I am just starting the (original) final chapter in earnest for Xenoblade Chronicles X. After doing nearly every side quest available and every nook and cranny of Mira (still searching for stuffed lobsters 🦞), my team is stronger on the ground than in skells, so I'm probably going to steamroll my way into the extra chapter.
Just surviving a week until a much needed holiday. If it weren't for the ability to just do nothing in particular on this alien planet, I'd have gone crazy over the past couple of months.
I think I'm in the camp of people who are almost certainly getting a Switch 2 but haven't reached that mental threshold of games to make the jump now. Elden Ring, FF7R, and others are definitely building excitement, and there are others like Baldur's Gate 3 that I can't believe wouldn't be coming to Switch 2 even with no announcement so far.
I'm sure this pacing to keep demand steady as production ramps up is not accidental, and not letting first party games get lost in the noise of a mass drop is probably wise if you've got the power to do it.
I'm glad he's finally talking about how they are backed away from the precipice. I'm interested but have too much of a backlog and other obligations to justify a full price purchase unless absolutely have to play it now.
After a week out on business back to the life I'm actually working for - everything but the main quest in Xenoblade Chronicles X! Actually time with the family (with Boomerang Fu), rehoming a rehabilitated(!) turtle with a broken shell we found upside down on the road like a koopaling a month ago, and other bits of grass to touch. And chapter 11 of Xenoblade Chronicles X 😅.
Also got AI: The Somnium Files - Nirvana Initiative on sale, which will likely be my wind-down activity. The first was a wild ride, so I'm looking forward to that as well. Also considering grabbing Dreamscaper, because my backlog just isn't long enough.
At the very least, he fully understood that you can make money while still keeping a legacy. People will not remember the money he made for shareholders, but we obviously do remember him for the decisions he made even in the face of a much less certain time for Nintendo. It's a lot harder to take that kind of stand when the Wii U went belly up and the outlook is bleak, and that's worthy of the respect.
Continuing on with Xenoblade Chronicles X, meandering my way through at endgame strength but I haven't started chapter 11 yet. Not really through any intentional leveling (beyond synthesizing EXP boosts early), just ridiculous amounts of wandering. Xenoblade games are wonderful in how much you can just go do more fun things while the world needs saving, and X stepped it up a notch. I've got enough goals and deadlines in real life without having to worry about the moon falling if I'm not able to stay on task. Not that Majora's Mask isn't a great game.
@Wisps hard agree. I think what gets lost a lot in the review community is the understanding that "this game is probably perfect for some specific type, but everyone else should understand it for what it is."
My self insert character has now become destroyer of worlds in Xenoblade Chronicles X as we follow that scamp Mia in her misadventures between rounds of picking fights with ultrafaunae. I'm not sure if I'm super inclined to run to the endgame and face that thing or just wrap it up. It's a Xenoblade game, I don't need a plan!
Other than that, I might dabble with a few rounds of Dorfromantik or increasingly wild Ultimate Chicken Horse with my daughter.
@BenAV I thought it had a neat plot twist with the stretch that bears the games namesake, but agree that characters never really click. I also really enjoyed ground combat, but the forced mech battles got a little tedious as the game went on.
It wasn't life changing but it it was an indie game punching above its weight class for sure.
It's such a shame when you can tell there were great ideas but the execution leaves facets that ensure they can never be realized in a meaningful way. I've always had a soft spot for TRON, but you could reasonably say that about anything in the franchise.
But srly, I got to try him out the other day (i dont have a Switch 2 yet) and it always seems like his weight/drift/being a ghost always fits me regardless of the MK generation.
Almost exclusively playing Xenoblade Chronicles X still and hitting nearly every sidequest along the way. I'm not sure why y1oud play Xenoblade games if you weren't so inclined. Still having fun, although I probably should go find that Lifehold sometime. I'm actually somewhat underwhelmed by mech combat, as I've built my party strong enough that it's less cumbersome to just park and fight on the ground for nearly all encounters.
Eyeballing the Switch 2 lineup. I haven't really had that one game that's driving me to upgrade, although I am interested in a number of titles. I realized that for all your acclaimed releases, the one announcement that would get me to jump immediately would be Stranger of Paradise. I really do want to get around to Elden Ring and such, but I'd rather play a game about going to kill Chaos that fully leans into camp. Not Deadly Premonition level goofiness, but I do like things that understand how silly they are.
I just got my skell in Xenoblade Chronicles X which is surprisingly a non event beyond some improved exploration with Hreslveg. The first thing I did was go punch a millesaur and then realized I was enjoying ground combat more. Maybe I'll feel differently with a flight module.
I was (very) briefly playing the most popular game on Nintendolife. But it seems Xenoblade Chronicles X is last week's news. I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it anymore.
But srsly, happy so many people got flooded with a new console generation and the games coming with it. It's a good day for Nintendo fans.
Not going to lie, I'm so full up on backlog that I'm not going to be a day 1 adopter (still swimming thru Xenoblade X with Xenoblade 3, Nier Automata, Suikoden remaster, Unicorn Overlord, and a Trails giving me the evil eye). I'm reasonably likely to get it this year tho.
I'm actually super excited about Guardians of Azuma, more for my daughter. I'm getting Harvestella vibes, which probably got an a skewed reception - it has its flaws and not for everyone, but the people it's for, it's really for. If it's a 7/10 in that regard but a 10/10 for the right person, I'm pretty sold.
More Xenoblade Chronicles X, in which I haven't felt compelled to touch the main story for 20+ hours of gameplay (I steamrolled chapter 4 then got SO.MANY.SIDEQUESTS.). I am of the belief that at some point I may get a cat. This excites me more than the promise of a skell.
Also a couple of rounds of Vampire Survivors, which has been every bit as brilliant as I was told. Currently making my way thru the Castlevania portion when I need some mindless fun.
And it's my third anniversary with my wife, although next month marks the 20th anniversary of us meeting. With respect to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, I got her some pinned bugs for her collection, to include a flower mantis that she's been after but had no way to go find 😁. Life works out in strange ways and time gets by you before you realize it, so make sure you stop to catch some cool bugs.
Continuing my methodical prodding of the entire map in Xenoblade Chronicles X, trying to figure out every nook and cranny that I can use as a foothold to get to areas I shouldn't be at yet. I most recently laughed merrily when I was attacked by an entire island in Noctilum that turned out to be a tyrant that one shotted my entire party. I just finished chapter 4, so I'm hilariously overleveled for the main quest, but everything else in Mira is still out to murder my party.
My daughter is hosting an end-of-year sleepover, so I'd expect some Mario Kart 8 plus a one shot D&D session in which they're finding a lost cat. Little do they suspect that it's not lost, and definitely not a cat, and they should not have ventured this far into the woods.
To fully understand why Mario Paint mattered then, you have to realize that in 1992 many households did not own a computer. Those that did were not using sophisticated software, with higher end home systems running on either on a 386 or 486 that topped out ~60 Mhz at a price of $2000+ USD (which was a lot more back then). It was a very different world at the consumer level.
Not sure if all this means Mario Paint, but a lot of creative games channel Mario Paint's intent: we give you a palette, go forth. Mario Maker is an obvious candidate, and it is one thing the Wii U was undisputably superior for with the interface. I'd also look at RPG Maker, or a number of games that customize experience, like rhythm games.
I've got a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles X ahead of me, having put a lot of time exploring but not a lot of plot. I just hit the narrative gut punch of finding out... THERE ARE NOPON ON MIRA. Meanwhile I'm finding exciting new locations with enemies who can one-shot my party.
Also some 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim in bits and pieces. It's really interesting but I think I'm getting less patient with some of the "what am I supposed to see this time or am I just not able to get to that path because of..." mechanics.
Plus some cooking and bare metal programming I managed to convince my employer was worth paying me to do 🤣.
Every time I hear someone speak a sentence like those above, I usually choose violence and ask the obvious question "such as...?"
I think they are correct in diagnosing the problem as mismanagement, I just don't know that the people who did the mismanagement know how to do anything about that in context of the inconvenient fact that their company makes S-E video games. If they feel that the people buying their offerings are looking for Activision-style perennials, that's definitely a choice, but that's never seemed like it's a successful model for them, especially if they're just now shifting into omniplatform releases as a core approach.
I'm poking through the early parts of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim after finally figuring out how the Rememberance sections are supposed to be played. I'm still dabbling with I Am Setsuna, which became more enjoyable when I realized the battle system is really not sophisticated and there's not much point in fiddling with anything. That may end up being relegated to a background process, as I failed to put my copy of Xenoblade Chronicles X in a location I couldn't see it every time I swapped carts and am going to get lost in that in all likelihood.
Trying to lean into a weekend of being unproductive. Glad for the rest.
EDIT: There is only XCX now. Free will is an illusion.
He's just now realizing interest in a remake? Not that I'm not ride-or-die on DQ and bringing those games forward, but this just seems like a masterful troll.
I'm still flored this is coming. I pretty much committed to playing this as a "prequel trilogy" at some point after I'd concluded Reverie, and to see it due to release about when I'll probably be done is wonderful. Looking forward to over a hundred hours of Estelle threatening people with a stick.
Comments 361
Re: Opinion: Metroid II Doesn't Care If Samus Lives Or Dies
That's a hot take, Mr. Walker. I enjoyed the piece. I think it is hard to understate the pre Super Metroid entries as the absolute game design marvels they are working within the extreme limitations of their systems.
I think necessity forced the "you are alone on this planet and if you die here no one will remember" vibe just by the sparseness required to fit it in on an 8-bit cartridge. While the other half of the Metroidvania (Simon's Quest) had some missteps trying to work too much narrative in with very poor clues among townspeople, Samus is alone and no one is here to give you pointers and you work accordingly with that understanding. I honestly think the greater tone of the series flows out of the choices that had to be made here.
Various entries have their stans and I will not wade into that debate here, but I think Metroid still is at it's strongest when it's just Samus against the planet and everything on it. Start shooting blocks till you get off this rock alive, because the cavalry isn't coming.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (9th August)
Ready to tie a bow on Xenoblade Chronicles X. I've spent more time in Mira than I'd care to admit, and after murdering every life form on it save for Void and Telethia the Endbringer, there's not a lot left to do aside from then wrapping around and one-shotting them. I haven't 100% finished a game like this in a long time. It's been fun.
I'll probably need a lighter game to follow it up instead of XC3 😅. I'm thinking now's a good time to play Throes of the Watchmaker. I had a grand time with Sea of Stars and a quick return to that universe (or an adjacent plot related on) might be fun.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Metroid Prime 4, Elden Ring, Silksong All Playable At Nintendo's Gamescom Booth
Shhhhh. We don't want to startle the S*******g, lest it retreat to its dwelling for another year. They'll have to replace the exhibit with something easier to find, like a unicorn.
Re: Neverway Is A "Nightmarish" Farming RPG From The Pixel Artist Of Celeste
It caught my attention, but it really stood out to one of my older daughters as a cross section of her interests in farming sims, action RPGs, and unholy armies of the damned.
The graphics also really remind me of the vibes of playing Link's Awakening on the Super Game Boy with the inserted four colors that you could set to your liking. What a time to be alive.
Re: Nintendo Indie World Showcase August 2025 - Every Announcement, Game Reveal & Trailer
Of course I have wildly different expectations for an Indie Direct, but I'm way more satisfied with this presentation. Some games I was following that i was excited for, some really interesting ones not on my radar but they are now, and some that aren't for me. And that's great! This seemed to have games for a really diverse set of gamers, and it seems like if you have a niche someone is making a game for it.
I could nitpick, but I think this was a very good swaths of what's available, and Mina the Hollower is more or less the title you'd be seeing unless you haven't been hurt enough and really believed this was going to be the S******g announcement.
Re: Review: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (Switch) - A Gorgeous & Gory Return To The Series' 2D Roots
I really hope they get the performance issues sorted out, I have a skeptical eye for that, but I love good game design and Ninja Gaiden has a special place in my heart. I do want to see if this replaces The Messenger as the best Ninja Gaiden game in recent memory*.
Re: Nintendo Sends Out Second Game-Key Card & Physical Game Survey
Went ahead and dropped my opinion, for the good it will actually do. I prefer physical but I'm comfortable with digital, and I still can not for the life of me figure out who is actually asking for this. Physical gives you (sorta) persistent ownership, digital is convenient and frequently gets discounts, and the other options provide neither.
I think one thing that never gets rebutted is the "resale" point, which is already possible with physical releases and has been since the 80s. I probably wouldn't even care beyond not purchasing if not for the fact that we are being given a worse experience and being told it is a good thing. Ens***tification claimed the rest of the internet, does it have to come for my single player experience too?
Re: Reaction: Switch 2 Needed A Partner Showcase With Pep; This Wasn't It
To echo the sentiment, you'd think the directs coming out would be planned out to at the very least trickle some reasons to be excited about getting the console they just released. The marquee title here was maybe Monster Hunter Stories and a port of a remake of arguably the least interesting Persona game. I see games I'd love to play on my existing S1, but I was honestly more excited about the release slate of a couple routine months of 2025.
I still am bullish on the S2, but a great DK game, a modestly disappointing MK game, and better performance on some existing titles is not an ideal way to launch. Maybe they' are counting on a strong winter slate to reel in the folks who weren't day 1 buys, but this just seems like a misfire.
Re: Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase July 2025: Every Announcement, Game Reveal, Trailer
A very fair-to-middlin' collection to be honest. There are some new announcements I have interest in, a bunch we already knew were coming. With no real "exclamation point" title the whole show just seemed like this could have been an email.
I suspect they'll ramp up come October/November for the real movement, but this doesn't inspire me to run out and get a Switch 2.
Re: Octopath Traveler 0 Will Bring More Adventures To Switch 1 & 2 This Year
Looking forward to a spin on the game concept. I do hope for another step toward a cohesive plot and characters that act like the others are actually there, but they get a lot of grace after the improvements made on the second game.
Re: Square Enix Is Bringing A Brand New HD-2D RPG To Switch 2 Next Year
Casual observers will mistake this for an Octopath spinoff, the game will be delightful but underperformed S-E's expectations, and they publicly resolve to start no project budgeted less than a billion dollars with the NFT features their fans have been clamoring for.
Seriously tho, I'm pretty excited, but I do expect uneven scripting and more uneven voice acting.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Partner Direct Predictions - What Do You Expect To See?
Really hoping for Clair Obscur but that will probably lag a bit. I was thinking we might actually hear of S******* because Microsoft announced it, but that's my wild prediction. I really don't expect much beyond what's already been dropped at the S2 direct, to be honest.
Re: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Will "Average" 30fps On Switch
@smoreon 🤣
Honestly, you could claim the first "bullet time" feature was back with Mega Man, when we could factor in the "float" on those disappearing platform sections. You'd just have to make sure you were ready for the "snap" back to regular pacing once an enemy dropped off the screen. We had so many cheap deaths from that, and we were happy to have it! 😉
Seriously tho, I'll go to my grave believing Mega Man II was the high water mark for gaming overall
Re: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Will "Average" 30fps On Switch
@ChromaticDracula the wisdom of the ancestors. We put up with games that went single digit with three enemies on screen way back when, stable 30 isn't terrible. If they can't keep it stable with a retro styled game, I'd question the development practices.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's SNES Library With A Mouse Game
I'm stoked to give my kids a little tour of maybe the coolest thing available when I was young and all the things you can do with such limited resources given extreme amounts of time. I'm curious if the streaming community can do anything wild with it.
Re: Toby Fox Wants To Celebrate 10 Years Of Undertale With Your Memories
I went in blind with guns blazing and killed the Greater Dog and heard talk in the monster village about him supposed to be getting married and I was crushed with guilt. Also, I don't think I've laughed harder at a game than getting a treasure and the message that there are too many dogs in my inventory before finding the Annoying Dog. I thought it played things so differently than games I'd seen up to that point that it reminded me how much they could pull you in with even modest production if done right.
Re: Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment Has Been Rated For Switch 2
I'm all for more wacky timelines that dont really line up... in that sense the Legend of Zelda series is basically fanfic of itself so this seems pretty natural plotwise, and bonus points for just going over the top with it.
I'm as big of a defender of the S1 as you'll find, but musou games definitely needed more horsepower than it had to offer. I'm pretty excited.
Re: Nintendo's Official Camera "Attach Rate" With Switch 2 Revealed For US
As much as people poke fun, any sensing device with connectivity and a power source has surveillance potential. I know the EU is at least trying to curtail this, but in most terms of service basically allow free reign for collection in AI training and... "other uses." In the past the processing technology wasn't really suitable to make this useful at scale and now... there are lot of data centers going up everywhere.
Not saying you can't participate or even that people are fools if they do, but those privacy concerns have been pretty emphatically validated and should be considered in your personal risk assessment.
Re: NIS America: Trails Beyond The Horizon Switch 2 Game-Key Card Release Is "Most Beneficial Option" For Fans
I'll pile on!
NIS frequently retails $10 more for their physical copies on the Switch 1 as it is (at least where I am). And this is fine! I think most physical zealots I've seen wouldn't balk at a reasonable surcharge. So the fact that they're insisting this is desired by anyone doesn't check out.
Not sure if this is part of a bigger pressure campaign to give us a product everyone hates because of something buried in the terms of service that is easier to revoke with a keycard than normal digital (embedded ID or something).
Re: Trails Beyond The Horizon Lifts Off With New Switch 1 & 2 Release Date
I'm excited to only be... four games behind. I swear I'll get to Reverie this year. Still Zemuria marches on!
A little bummed ar the keycard, but physical runs tend to be limited with them anyway.
Re: Switch Port Specialist Virtuos Confirms 270 Layoffs
It is disquieting to have the "you did your job excwptionally well, we've never been doing better, and also we've had to make some 'hard choices'" in my liesure space beyond the reality of it everywhere else. I do wonder about the long term stagnation moving forward if AAA studios are a meat grinder, AA games are being phased out as not profitable enough, and the indie space is vibrant but tough to break into. People with skills tend to not put up with that for long and move on.
I hope this era isn't just marked as when we ate the golden goose and were done with it.
Re: Random: Shigeru Miyamoto Did Exactly What We Did When Playtesting Donkey Kong Bananza
I was skeptical on "open world" given how some of the other companies do it, but I think this is how culturally ingrained the "I wonder if I can..." attitude that a ridiculous number of players have. I remember this getting rewarded in SMB3, and even more as technology allowed them to start really working that in.
I can see how certain players might not like this, but not every game is for everyone... and that's great! I'm pleased to know there has never been a time in my life that quality games have come out in this density, and the indie space is definitely pushing the bounds of the older genres, if not with the most recognizable IP.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (19th July)
@Rainz agreed, Hollow Knight definitely tells you what it is early. I think the husk knight near the beginning really gives a rough welcome, although I came back and got the hold of the "kickback" you get in combat. Once I made it to the City of Tears, I was beyond hooked. But I can definitely see why many won't make it that far.
Deepnest I also the place of nightmares once you think youre comfortable comfortable enough 😅
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (19th July)
I am just starting the (original) final chapter in earnest for Xenoblade Chronicles X. After doing nearly every side quest available and every nook and cranny of Mira (still searching for stuffed lobsters 🦞), my team is stronger on the ground than in skells, so I'm probably going to steamroll my way into the extra chapter.
Just surviving a week until a much needed holiday. If it weren't for the ability to just do nothing in particular on this alien planet, I'd have gone crazy over the past couple of months.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Rumour: Major Third-Party Devs Reportedly Sitting On Multiple Switch 2 Announcements
I think I'm in the camp of people who are almost certainly getting a Switch 2 but haven't reached that mental threshold of games to make the jump now. Elden Ring, FF7R, and others are definitely building excitement, and there are others like Baldur's Gate 3 that I can't believe wouldn't be coming to Switch 2 even with no announcement so far.
I'm sure this pacing to keep demand steady as production ramps up is not accidental, and not letting first party games get lost in the noise of a mass drop is probably wise if you've got the power to do it.
Re: 'The Hundred Line' Dev No Longer Sees "Bankruptcy As A Serious Future"
I'm glad he's finally talking about how they are backed away from the precipice. I'm interested but have too much of a backlog and other obligations to justify a full price purchase unless absolutely have to play it now.
I'll happily take any good news story these days.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (12th July)
After a week out on business back to the life I'm actually working for - everything but the main quest in Xenoblade Chronicles X! Actually time with the family (with Boomerang Fu), rehoming a rehabilitated(!) turtle with a broken shell we found upside down on the road like a koopaling a month ago, and other bits of grass to touch. And chapter 11 of Xenoblade Chronicles X 😅.
Also got AI: The Somnium Files - Nirvana Initiative on sale, which will likely be my wind-down activity. The first was a wild ride, so I'm looking forward to that as well. Also considering grabbing Dreamscaper, because my backlog just isn't long enough.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Anniversary: 10 Years After His Passing, Satoru Iwata's Thoughts Are More Relevant Than Ever
At the very least, he fully understood that you can make money while still keeping a legacy. People will not remember the money he made for shareholders, but we obviously do remember him for the decisions he made even in the face of a much less certain time for Nintendo. It's a lot harder to take that kind of stand when the Wii U went belly up and the outlook is bleak, and that's worthy of the respect.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
Continuing on with Xenoblade Chronicles X, meandering my way through at endgame strength but I haven't started chapter 11 yet. Not really through any intentional leveling (beyond synthesizing EXP boosts early), just ridiculous amounts of wandering. Xenoblade games are wonderful in how much you can just go do more fun things while the world needs saving, and X stepped it up a notch. I've got enough goals and deadlines in real life without having to worry about the moon falling if I'm not able to stay on task. Not that Majora's Mask isn't a great game.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Review: Chronicles Of The Wolf (Switch) - A Spot-On Castlevania Tribute That May Test Your Patience
@Wisps hard agree. I think what gets lost a lot in the review community is the understanding that "this game is probably perfect for some specific type, but everyone else should understand it for what it is."
Re: Bandai Namco's Summer Showcase Promises Plenty Of Switch News Later This Week
Curious if they have Tales of Arise coming to the S2... we're due to start having those announcements come in, even if projected out, yeah?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (28th June)
My self insert character has now become destroyer of worlds in Xenoblade Chronicles X as we follow that scamp Mia in her misadventures between rounds of picking fights with ultrafaunae. I'm not sure if I'm super inclined to run to the endgame and face that thing or just wrap it up. It's a Xenoblade game, I don't need a plan!
Other than that, I might dabble with a few rounds of Dorfromantik or increasingly wild Ultimate Chicken Horse with my daughter.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Chained Echoes 'Ashes Of Elrant' DLC Arrives On Switch In August
@BenAV I thought it had a neat plot twist with the stretch that bears the games namesake, but agree that characters never really click. I also really enjoyed ground combat, but the forced mech battles got a little tedious as the game went on.
It wasn't life changing but it it was an indie game punching above its weight class for sure.
Re: Review: Tron: Catalyst (Switch) - A Repetitive & Forgettable Time On The Grid
It's such a shame when you can tell there were great ideas but the execution leaves facets that ensure they can never be realized in a meaningful way. I've always had a soft spot for TRON, but you could reasonably say that about anything in the franchise.
Re: Talking Point: Do You Have A New Go-To Racer In Mario Kart World?
KING BOO 4 LIFE
But srly, I got to try him out the other day (i dont have a Switch 2 yet) and it always seems like his weight/drift/being a ghost always fits me regardless of the MK generation.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (21st June)
Almost exclusively playing Xenoblade Chronicles X still and hitting nearly every sidequest along the way. I'm not sure why y1oud play Xenoblade games if you weren't so inclined. Still having fun, although I probably should go find that Lifehold sometime. I'm actually somewhat underwhelmed by mech combat, as I've built my party strong enough that it's less cumbersome to just park and fight on the ground for nearly all encounters.
Eyeballing the Switch 2 lineup. I haven't really had that one game that's driving me to upgrade, although I am interested in a number of titles. I realized that for all your acclaimed releases, the one announcement that would get me to jump immediately would be Stranger of Paradise. I really do want to get around to Elden Ring and such, but I'd rather play a game about going to kill Chaos that fully leans into camp. Not Deadly Premonition level goofiness, but I do like things that understand how silly they are.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (14th June)
I just got my skell in Xenoblade Chronicles X which is surprisingly a non event beyond some improved exploration with Hreslveg. The first thing I did was go punch a millesaur and then realized I was enjoying ground combat more. Maybe I'll feel differently with a flight module.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (7th June)
I was (very) briefly playing the most popular game on Nintendolife. But it seems Xenoblade Chronicles X is last week's news. I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it anymore.
But srsly, happy so many people got flooded with a new console generation and the games coming with it. It's a good day for Nintendo fans.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Final Fantasy Tactics Is Getting An Enhanced Revival On Switch And Switch 2
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!1
Woo.
I am very excited.
Re: Upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 Games & Accessories For June & July 2025
Not going to lie, I'm so full up on backlog that I'm not going to be a day 1 adopter (still swimming thru Xenoblade X with Xenoblade 3, Nier Automata, Suikoden remaster, Unicorn Overlord, and a Trails giving me the evil eye). I'm reasonably likely to get it this year tho.
I'm actually super excited about Guardians of Azuma, more for my daughter. I'm getting Harvestella vibes, which probably got an a skewed reception - it has its flaws and not for everyone, but the people it's for, it's really for. If it's a 7/10 in that regard but a 10/10 for the right person, I'm pretty sold.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (31st May)
More Xenoblade Chronicles X, in which I haven't felt compelled to touch the main story for 20+ hours of gameplay (I steamrolled chapter 4 then got SO.MANY.SIDEQUESTS.). I am of the belief that at some point I may get a cat. This excites me more than the promise of a skell.
Also a couple of rounds of Vampire Survivors, which has been every bit as brilliant as I was told. Currently making my way thru the Castlevania portion when I need some mindless fun.
And it's my third anniversary with my wife, although next month marks the 20th anniversary of us meeting. With respect to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, I got her some pinned bugs for her collection, to include a flower mantis that she's been after but had no way to go find 😁. Life works out in strange ways and time gets by you before you realize it, so make sure you stop to catch some cool bugs.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (24th May)
Continuing my methodical prodding of the entire map in Xenoblade Chronicles X, trying to figure out every nook and cranny that I can use as a foothold to get to areas I shouldn't be at yet. I most recently laughed merrily when I was attacked by an entire island in Noctilum that turned out to be a tyrant that one shotted my entire party. I just finished chapter 4, so I'm hilariously overleveled for the main quest, but everything else in Mira is still out to murder my party.
My daughter is hosting an end-of-year sleepover, so I'd expect some Mario Kart 8 plus a one shot D&D session in which they're finding a lost cat. Little do they suspect that it's not lost, and definitely not a cat, and they should not have ventured this far into the woods.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Embracer Group Renames Its Lord Of The Rings-Themed Gaming Division
But They Were, All of Them, Deceived for Another Studio Was Made
Re: Random: Some Switch Fans Are Convinced Mario Paint Is Returning
To fully understand why Mario Paint mattered then, you have to realize that in 1992 many households did not own a computer. Those that did were not using sophisticated software, with higher end home systems running on either on a 386 or 486 that topped out ~60 Mhz at a price of $2000+ USD (which was a lot more back then). It was a very different world at the consumer level.
Not sure if all this means Mario Paint, but a lot of creative games channel Mario Paint's intent: we give you a palette, go forth. Mario Maker is an obvious candidate, and it is one thing the Wii U was undisputably superior for with the interface. I'd also look at RPG Maker, or a number of games that customize experience, like rhythm games.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th May)
I've got a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles X ahead of me, having put a lot of time exploring but not a lot of plot. I just hit the narrative gut punch of finding out... THERE ARE NOPON ON MIRA. Meanwhile I'm finding exciting new locations with enemies who can one-shot my party.
Also some 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim in bits and pieces. It's really interesting but I think I'm getting less patient with some of the "what am I supposed to see this time or am I just not able to get to that path because of..." mechanics.
Plus some cooking and bare metal programming I managed to convince my employer was worth paying me to do 🤣.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Square Enix Details Plan To 'Reboot And Awaken' Its Business
Every time I hear someone speak a sentence like those above, I usually choose violence and ask the obvious question "such as...?"
I think they are correct in diagnosing the problem as mismanagement, I just don't know that the people who did the mismanagement know how to do anything about that in context of the inconvenient fact that their company makes S-E video games. If they feel that the people buying their offerings are looking for Activision-style perennials, that's definitely a choice, but that's never seemed like it's a successful model for them, especially if they're just now shifting into omniplatform releases as a core approach.
But I don't run a business so 🤷🏾
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th May)
I'm poking through the early parts of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim after finally figuring out how the Rememberance sections are supposed to be played. I'm still dabbling with I Am Setsuna, which became more enjoyable when I realized the battle system is really not sophisticated and there's not much point in fiddling with anything. That may end up being relegated to a background process, as I failed to put my copy of Xenoblade Chronicles X in a location I couldn't see it every time I swapped carts and am going to get lost in that in all likelihood.
Trying to lean into a weekend of being unproductive. Glad for the rest.
EDIT: There is only XCX now. Free will is an illusion.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Yuji Horii Acknowledges Chrono Trigger Remake Requests, Says He's Starting To Contemplate It
He's just now realizing interest in a remake? Not that I'm not ride-or-die on DQ and bringing those games forward, but this just seems like a masterful troll.
Re: Gorgeous 'Trails In The Sky' Remake Gets September Release Date
I'm still flored this is coming. I pretty much committed to playing this as a "prequel trilogy" at some point after I'd concluded Reverie, and to see it due to release about when I'll probably be done is wonderful. Looking forward to over a hundred hours of Estelle threatening people with a stick.
Re: Ecco The Dolphin Is Making A Comeback With Remasters & New Game
@Mana_Knight if you're not dreading running out of oxygen at all times, you aren't truly living life to the fullest my friend.