Comments 12

Re: Bullet-Hell Shmup Refused Classification In The West Over 'Expression Restrictions'

Marurun

To the best of my knowledge, the US ratings group doesn't outright reject games, except in the most extreme cases. Hell, even the Postal games got ratings and weren't denied them. It just sounds like this publisher didn't get the rating they wanted. It's problematic that they're making such a big fuss over not getting their desired rating, especially for such a mid title. The US and Japan have a lot of differences in ratings. The US is more allowing of violence and Japan is more allowing of sexualizing minors. When you make your game in one cultural context you can't just arbitrarily raise a fuss that it won't be received the same way in a different cultural context.

Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution

Marurun

X-Men: Children of the Atom has 10 playable characters (before secrets and bosses), not six, and is a straight-up one-on-one fighter, not a brawler. Brawler implies it's a beat 'em up or a pile-on or free-for-all rather than a fighter (IMO). It also made the still relatively new Magic Series combo system much more understandable to me (more so than when it was introduced in Darkstalkers).

Re: Gabe Newell: Pricing Valve's Switch-Like Steam Deck Was "Painful"

Marurun

@SwitchForce
I don't understand. I never stated the Switch OLED was an upgrade (it's not save the larger screen and internal memory bump, and I guess the Mariko chipset tweak for those running first-gen units).

I'm not convinced the Switch Pro is coming. I'm sure Nintendo has a plan for it, but I think they also have a plan for a Switch successor, and if the market sustains the current switch perfectly well the next Switch may actually be a whole new generation and skip right over a Pro release. I don't think Nintendo wants to re-live the New 3DS debacle.

Re: Gabe Newell: Pricing Valve's Switch-Like Steam Deck Was "Painful"

Marurun

There are an awful lot of folks commenting in here who do not understand the console or handheld markets, do not understand Nintendo's market appeal and market strategy, and who seriously over-estimate Valve's ability to sell hardware.

Valve does not have a successful history capturing market interest and I think this Steam unit will be something of a boutique item. It's cool, don't get me wrong, but it's not a hot commodity. I would love for this to be a breakout item, but rationally speaking it's not going to be. I think the best we can hope for is that it sells well enough Valve doesn't feel they have to discontinue it in a couple years. This feels very much like an Nvidia Shield situation.

As for statements that this endangers the Switch market in some way, please. There's no way this steals any of Nintendo's Switch sales. And for those vociferously demanding a Switch Pro and calling the Switch OLED a mistake, nope! Nintendo's Switch is selling too well to step up to a Pro model. Why would Nintendo want to fragment their own super-successful market base? The OLED model is a way to attract folks who have somehow remained on the fence, and also as an option for folks with first-run Switch units (like me) who are nearing needing to replace the unit. Microsoft and Sony are demonstrating clearly why launching new hardware right now is a pain in the butt. Semiconductor shortages are even impacting automobile sales. Why would Nintendo want to try to launch a new design in this market at this time? Valve is taking a major risk announcing their unit now. Hopefully when release time comes there will be chips aplenty, unless they've found a parts supplier making lots of stuff nobody else wants.

Re: Review: Freedom Finger - The World's Most Offensive Shmup Is A Complete Blast

Marurun

I think what's going to be important for me is whether this offensive humor is punching up or punching down. Punching up against power and influence in offensive and irreverent ways makes me happy. Punching down on people who are already struggling is inappropriate, even if it may be funny. Can anyone speak to the humor in the game in reference to that?