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.
I remember the games much more fondly than a current playthrough might bear out. They did have a very unique sense of motion and momentum that would be really cool if fully realized on modern platforms. Having a distinctly non human mechanic would be absolutely wild if they could nail it.
I'm absolutely swamped so my playing lately has been limited to trying to decompress enough to go to sleep at the end of the day, so I'm limited to very brief sessions in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, which is about all I can manage to wrap up while my newly-arrived copy of Xenoblade Chronicles X waits patiently to take over my headspace. Life isn't going to be much quieter after the semester wraps up, but I can still hold out hope.
I see a lot of complaints about politics here and that does seem a little disengenous - anger is engagement and engagement is a quantifiable metric. I am skeptical of the take, to say the least, especially given the tendency to turn off comments on most overtly political posts at NL.
I am more worried about AI taking jobs, not because slop is better but it costs next to nothing and there's a perception people will still come in. Which is not inaccurate, but it's not clear how things are supposed to get less bad if we don't look at events and say "well this clearly sucks."
I'm excited having another round of the game. The last update came out right after I finished and wasn't ready for more. I did the all up 100% run with all four hammers, which I normally don't but it was very strangely worth it for the ultimate prize of a deeply satisfying dad joke.
Sabotage seems like they just get the joyful parts of games.
I make it a point not to do business with GameStop at all at this point. Between the delivery of advertised "new" games as old and bait-and-switch valuations, I would expect this to be just a tactic to get you in the store to upsell a product/service you never wanted after offering half of what was stated.
After closing the book on Jack Move, I just started up 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and I Am Setsuna, two games that have been sitting in my backlog for a very long time. I will also likely try out Cities: Skylines after picking it up at a 90% discount.
All this to say I'm having difficulty getting past Silva in Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. I can get through her first form without taking damage now, but once the music shifts more Gothic I die almost immediately. I love the game but my cats and my pro controller need me to give it a break.
Echoing excitement for this - having played the first AI, my biggest gripe with it is that the controls border on unusable, especially for timing-critical segments. I prefer to game on my Switch, but for "search" type games, fps, menu heavy, etc. there's a reason the mouse is still so heavily used on PC even with game pads available.
Honestly, the more I think it over, the more Mouse Mode sounds like a game changer on the S2 experience.
I don't see it as immersive as much as just a way to enforce the rules on a game to a certain extent. Metroidvanias have the proud tradition of the double jump to limit access, however briefly, to implicitly make you play within those constraints. Whether that makes sense for the game can be debated, but whether consciously or not, the designer is saying that this was the intended experience.
Which makes it more entertaining, as in new generation Zelda games, when someone manages to break it to hilarious effect that no one ever planned for.
A rainy weekend of study and game ahead. I've been absolutely ensnared by Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, which is delightfully moody in the platforming, and the boss battles are a joy to crack open. Which is good, because you will end up stuck at one for a good while.
Also playing Jack Move in bits and pieces, which is a fun little jaunt. I'm using Dorfromantik as a calming activity, which has been the perfect wind down from an otherwise stressful week.
Not sure how much to make of those numbers - not every game is for everyone, but if 15% of current switch owners are interested in a game and even a third of them buy it, that's still 7.5 million copies sold. Granted that assumes the S2 is a popular as the switch and these numbers are reflective, but the diversity of offerings for gaming still gives a lot of opportunity for even niche games to do well. It's a good time to enjoy video games.
...working in the industry maybe not so much.
And MK will dominate this Gen to of course, that goes without saying.
I just rolled credits Fire Emblem Engage completely punking the Dark Dragon in a single turn after barely surviving all the tower trials at max difficulty. It is exactly as consensus reviews say, good gameplay but you'll not be compelled to live the story again with the characters you didn't see through the first time.
Could now be the time I finally get beyond a quick pass of YS VIII: Lachrymosa of Dana and really get hooked after finding out who this woman with the blue hair is??? No! I started playing Jack Move instead, and it's fantastic.
Also playing Dorfromantik with my youngest after picking it up on sale. It reminds me of the board game Kingdomino and we're really having a good time with that. I can't compete with those scores she's putting up tho 😅
I feel pretty positive. I don't have enough time to justify getting a PS5, but a continuation but better is good. Mario Kart looks rad, and a couple of the only titles I'd consider a PS for are already coming to S2. And I am REALLY excited about mouse mode, there are some games that just don't feel right on a controller.
Not going to try to pre-order but probably will pull the trigger this year. For... the kids.. yeah...
Even when the weapon chains wrap around, someone has gotta be the first you take with your lowly P-Gun (back in my day we didn't have this fancy Mega Buster). It's more a personality test.
...also, Needle Man 😅
Mega Man 2 was the first that really felt like Mega Man, the OG didn't have the mechanics really ironed out yet. It's wild that it was a side project to a fairly forgettable Willow game.
Still playing Fire Emblem Engage on chapter 17, I've managed to break the game on hard with evasion tanks (I can clear a map with just Alear, Chloe, and my thieves-turned-wolf-knights). Which is good because I've got a handful of other characters that I'm struggling to make useful outside a support capacity. Most if the early cast is pretty well forgotten by now.
Also starting Jack Move which I picked up on sale. I'm traveling this week so given it's length I might get through that just in flight.
I feel the healthy view of not going for 100%... When I was a kid without a lot of money and an abundance of time, you better believe I saw every square inch of Hyrule and turned the grass over. As an adult, I had to give in to the fact that I enjoy large games and I'll be playing my "main" game for a while, and need to enjoy it on that schedule, otherwise it becomes another job. I think that sweet spot is about 80-90% and rolling credits.
I'll be chipping away at Fire Emblem Engage, for which I am appreciating the wider variety of maps and improved gameplay, as well as the decision to get away from the durability system of Three Houses. I'd go mad if I had to spend any more time at Somniel. I've yet to come across a character that I really like story wise so it's easy to mix and match. If I was Alear I would head to bed any time I wasn't in battle and ask everyone to stop coming into my room.
I also picked up Cozy Grove at a healthy discount for my youngest, so I'll see if she's into that. Maybe some Mario Kart 8?
Mostly work/study this weekend... I've been playing Fire Emblem: Engage and it's been fun episodically but the dialogue is not great. Which isn't anything I didn't know going in, but the least grating personalities are the spirits from other Fire Emblem games 😅
I'm also playing a bit of Ys VIII: Lachrymosa of Dana which I swear I'll get around to finishing one day, plus a bit of Super Mario Wonder with the kids.
I've never been a huge survival horror fan, but I might keep an eye on it. It looks bizarre and I'm always willing to take a flyer on an oddball game if it hits a sale.
Comments 337
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.
Re: Ecco The Dolphin Is Making A Comeback With Remasters & New Game
I remember the games much more fondly than a current playthrough might bear out. They did have a very unique sense of motion and momentum that would be really cool if fully realized on modern platforms. Having a distinctly non human mechanic would be absolutely wild if they could nail it.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (3rd May)
I'm absolutely swamped so my playing lately has been limited to trying to decompress enough to go to sleep at the end of the day, so I'm limited to very brief sessions in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, which is about all I can manage to wrap up while my newly-arrived copy of Xenoblade Chronicles X waits patiently to take over my headspace. Life isn't going to be much quieter after the semester wraps up, but I can still hold out hope.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Editorial: Gamers, Support The People And Sites You Love, Before It's Too Late
I see a lot of complaints about politics here and that does seem a little disengenous - anger is engagement and engagement is a quantifiable metric. I am skeptical of the take, to say the least, especially given the tendency to turn off comments on most overtly political posts at NL.
I am more worried about AI taking jobs, not because slop is better but it costs next to nothing and there's a perception people will still come in. Which is not inaccurate, but it's not clear how things are supposed to get less bad if we don't look at events and say "well this clearly sucks."
Re: Sea Of Stars 'Throes Of The Watchmaker' DLC Finally Scores A Release Date
I'm excited having another round of the game. The last update came out right after I finished and wasn't ready for more. I did the all up 100% run with all four hammers, which I normally don't but it was very strangely worth it for the ultimate prize of a deeply satisfying dad joke.
Sabotage seems like they just get the joyful parts of games.
Re: Poll: GameStop Offers A Tempting Switch 2 Trade-In Deal, But Is It Really Worth It?
I make it a point not to do business with GameStop at all at this point. Between the delivery of advertised "new" games as old and bait-and-switch valuations, I would expect this to be just a tactic to get you in the store to upsell a product/service you never wanted after offering half of what was stated.
Also, if delivered at advertised value, still no.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (26th April)
After closing the book on Jack Move, I just started up 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and I Am Setsuna, two games that have been sitting in my backlog for a very long time. I will also likely try out Cities: Skylines after picking it up at a 90% discount.
All this to say I'm having difficulty getting past Silva in Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. I can get through her first form without taking damage now, but once the music shifts more Gothic I die almost immediately. I love the game but my cats and my pro controller need me to give it a break.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: New 'AI: The Somnium Files' Is Latest Switch 2 Game To Include Mouse Mode Support
Echoing excitement for this - having played the first AI, my biggest gripe with it is that the controls border on unusable, especially for timing-critical segments. I prefer to game on my Switch, but for "search" type games, fps, menu heavy, etc. there's a reason the mouse is still so heavily used on PC even with game pads available.
Honestly, the more I think it over, the more Mouse Mode sounds like a game changer on the S2 experience.
Re: Opinion: It's Time To Get Rid Of Fall Damage
I don't see it as immersive as much as just a way to enforce the rules on a game to a certain extent. Metroidvanias have the proud tradition of the double jump to limit access, however briefly, to implicitly make you play within those constraints. Whether that makes sense for the game can be debated, but whether consciously or not, the designer is saying that this was the intended experience.
Which makes it more entertaining, as in new generation Zelda games, when someone manages to break it to hilarious effect that no one ever planned for.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (19th April)
A rainy weekend of study and game ahead. I've been absolutely ensnared by Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, which is delightfully moody in the platforming, and the boss battles are a joy to crack open. Which is good, because you will end up stuck at one for a good while.
Also playing Jack Move in bits and pieces, which is a fun little jaunt. I'm using Dorfromantik as a calming activity, which has been the perfect wind down from an otherwise stressful week.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Nintendo Direct: Mario Kart World: Every Announcement - How Would You Rate It?
@Uncle_Franklin that's only if they're from the Moo Moo Meadows region of France. Otherwise it's just a sparkling cow.
Re: Nintendo Direct: Mario Kart World: Every Announcement - How Would You Rate It?
You had me sold at Cow.
YOU CAN PLAY AS COW!!!
Re: Community: The Results Are In - These Are Your Most (And Least) Wanted Switch 2 Games
Not sure how much to make of those numbers - not every game is for everyone, but if 15% of current switch owners are interested in a game and even a third of them buy it, that's still 7.5 million copies sold. Granted that assumes the S2 is a popular as the switch and these numbers are reflective, but the diversity of offerings for gaming still gives a lot of opportunity for even niche games to do well. It's a good time to enjoy video games.
...working in the industry maybe not so much.
And MK will dominate this Gen to of course, that goes without saying.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (12th April)
I just rolled credits Fire Emblem Engage completely punking the Dark Dragon in a single turn after barely surviving all the tower trials at max difficulty. It is exactly as consensus reviews say, good gameplay but you'll not be compelled to live the story again with the characters you didn't see through the first time.
Could now be the time I finally get beyond a quick pass of YS VIII: Lachrymosa of Dana and really get hooked after finding out who this woman with the blue hair is??? No! I started playing Jack Move instead, and it's fantastic.
Also playing Dorfromantik with my youngest after picking it up on sale. It reminds me of the board game Kingdomino and we're really having a good time with that. I can't compete with those scores she's putting up tho 😅
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Direct April 2025 - Every Announcement, Game Reveal & Trailer
I feel pretty positive. I don't have enough time to justify getting a PS5, but a continuation but better is good. Mario Kart looks rad, and a couple of the only titles I'd consider a PS for are already coming to S2.
And I am REALLY excited about mouse mode, there are some games that just don't feel right on a controller.
Not going to try to pre-order but probably will pull the trigger this year. For... the kids.. yeah...
Re: Tony Hawk Has Reportedly Demanded Bam Margera Be Included In New Game
I hear he was also insistent that they include a playable character who looks just like Tony Hawk
Re: Mega Man 2 Director Explains Why The Game Was Developed So Quickly
Even when the weapon chains wrap around, someone has gotta be the first you take with your lowly P-Gun (back in my day we didn't have this fancy Mega Buster). It's more a personality test.
...also, Needle Man 😅
Mega Man 2 was the first that really felt like Mega Man, the OG didn't have the mechanics really ironed out yet. It's wild that it was a side project to a fairly forgettable Willow game.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (22nd March)
Still playing Fire Emblem Engage on chapter 17, I've managed to break the game on hard with evasion tanks (I can clear a map with just Alear, Chloe, and my thieves-turned-wolf-knights). Which is good because I've got a handful of other characters that I'm struggling to make useful outside a support capacity. Most if the early cast is pretty well forgotten by now.
Also starting Jack Move which I picked up on sale. I'm traveling this week so given it's length I might get through that just in flight.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Mailbox: Switch 2 FOMO, Spark Games, Pancakes & BOTW - Nintendo Life Letters
I feel the healthy view of not going for 100%... When I was a kid without a lot of money and an abundance of time, you better believe I saw every square inch of Hyrule and turned the grass over. As an adult, I had to give in to the fact that I enjoy large games and I'll be playing my "main" game for a while, and need to enjoy it on that schedule, otherwise it becomes another job. I think that sweet spot is about 80-90% and rolling credits.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (15th March)
I'll be chipping away at Fire Emblem Engage, for which I am appreciating the wider variety of maps and improved gameplay, as well as the decision to get away from the durability system of Three Houses. I'd go mad if I had to spend any more time at Somniel. I've yet to come across a character that I really like story wise so it's easy to mix and match. If I was Alear I would head to bed any time I wasn't in battle and ask everyone to stop coming into my room.
I also picked up Cozy Grove at a healthy discount for my youngest, so I'll see if she's into that. Maybe some Mario Kart 8?
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Chrono Trigger To Celebrate 30th Anniversary With "Various Projects"
The 30th anniversary???
I think my bones just turned to dust.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (8th March)
Mostly work/study this weekend... I've been playing Fire Emblem: Engage and it's been fun episodically but the dialogue is not great. Which isn't anything I didn't know going in, but the least grating personalities are the spirits from other Fire Emblem games 😅
I'm also playing a bit of Ys VIII: Lachrymosa of Dana which I swear I'll get around to finishing one day, plus a bit of Super Mario Wonder with the kids.
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Review: Sorry We're Closed (Switch) - An Ethereal, Colourful Survival Horror Like No Other
I've never been a huge survival horror fan, but I might keep an eye on it. It looks bizarre and I'm always willing to take a flyer on an oddball game if it hits a sale.
Re: Random: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Depths Hide A Mysterious, Unused Big Hole
@wanderwonder I really think we should call it a freedom hole. It's like a regular chasm but with more liberty.
Re: Round Up: Everything Announced At Konami's Suikoden "Special Program" Broadcast
Not a Suikoden pachinko?