Ooyah

Impressive to see Balatro in the top 20, considering how long it has been available digitally. Deserves all the success, that game!

Is this AI in action again? In the thumbnail, it's plain to see that the Dratini isn't real. Looks like a computer generated image. Very disappointing.

EDIT: @SillyG @Bluelink45 @RupeeClock Guys, this was supposed to be a joke about how they should have used a real Dratini, rather than artwork. And, yes, I was riffing on how people are seeing AI everywhere. Looks like the joke fell flat!!! 😆

I've never been a fan of modding. Until now.

I so hope it includes Activision games!!! That would be amazing.

@Daggot That kind of reminds me of the Spartans. Their whole society was geared towards total war, and I don't think that they had much time for culture. I read about it once, so am hardly an expert, though! 😆

Hmmmm. There seems to be some disagreement on the breast issue. I don't like mysteries such as this. Only one thing for it... I will have to investigate more. For science!

And I am still amazed to see "What am I, chopped liver?" 😆

@Yalloo @JohnnyMind It's the "certain sweets" which are getting to me. I just cannot imagine what was meant, or what this should have said... it's made even worse by the "but" right before!

@calbeau I don't think that I dare to ask where the "certain sweets" come into that? 😆

"What am I, chopped liver?"

Sold. 😆

@Yalloo
"You can get a clear file of your but certain sweets."

That is driving me mad, too! 😆 I guess that a "clear file" is stationary, like a "pocket". The article itself mentions "a variety of clear files featuring the characters from the new game", which makes more sense. I guess that "certain sweets" is some kind of crazy typo, but I can't imagine what it should be! Argh!!! 😆

@TotalHenshin Bullet trails? That's how I interpreted them, anyway.

Wow, the NA cover is gorgeous. No competition for me this week!

I'm surprised they didn't give a bit more info than that. Does it hit a solid 30, at least? That is an amazingly casual response from Devolver.

@Samalik Prunes and Kefir work quite well, although Kefir is an... acquired taste. I hope that things pass for you soon! (Sorry.)

Am on my holibobs now, so lots of gaming and reading going down. I started and completed Emio. I think I liked it more than I disliked it! 😆 The pacing of it is a bit all over the place, and some sections take the biscuit (that flipping bus stop!!!). The menu interface can strain the patience, but the story and characters are good, and the Epilogue, in particular, is amazing. Strange game, but it just about felt worthwhile, I think. Am now playing Bakeru, which is ridiculously charming and fun. Very laid back and relaxing. I really love the way that the enemies are just messing around and engaging in activities before being interrupted! It's just a joyous kind of game, and the sort of thing that we don't seem to see very often these days. Have a great weekend, guys, and take great care of yourselves out there.

It's funny how steel gets dented so easily. Would a switch to tungsten or titanium help? Carbyne? Or maybe we need stone books? Or... marble books. Onyx books! No, wait, I got it... DIAMOND BOOKS! There... I solved it, guys!

THPS3 is simply amazing, in my opinion... the cruise ship level, in particular, is sensational. I loved the airport too. I would rather have a remaster of number 3 than a brand new entry in the series, so maybe that project will be resurrected? I must admit that I wasn't a fan of 4... it just felt too open, and lacked the tight focus of 3.

@DripDropCop146 It's not often I laugh out loud at a comment, but that was wonderful. 😆

Well, I was hoping to be playing the Thalamus Collection on the Evercade, which supposedly released yesterday, but something strange seems to be going on with it. Nowhere in the UK has it in stock and, curiously, Amazon aren't even listing it. It was supposed to come out last month, so maybe the difficulties are continuing. Shame. On Switch, I will continue with Dynasty Warriors 8 and Samurai Maiden, but several other games are calling me... things could get messy next week! 😆 Have a great weekend, guys, and take great care of yourselves out there.

@rainbowtick Well, of course, I was glad to be wrong!

Honest, guv! 😆

Oh my goodness... I hurriedly scanned the headline, and misread photography for something else! 😅 Blimey. All good now, though. 😆

It's good to see the Treasure logo on the Japan box. That's the most important piece of info, as far as I'm concerned! The problem for me with that cover, though, is that Astro Boy just looks like a weedy kid! So I voted for the EU/NA one.

@ScalenePowers Forgive me if you already knows this, but... you know how there's a gap of a few months in the main story? Somebody at Square Enix said that the missions are what Zack did during those months. I love that explanation, although it's pretty cheeky of SE, really! 😆

@ScalenePowers I ended up completing all of the missions. Getting stronger and stronger like that is insanely compelling, and the combat is mesmerising, somehow. And even though, as you say, the missions are all the same, I never got bored, somehow. I loved the game.

I have been a bit all over the place recently, in all ways, including gaming, so I haven't posted in this thread for a few weeks. Let's see here. Seeing as I loved it on the 360, I went for DarkStar One, and it is still a great game. The space combat is really nice, and you can take things at your own pace, ignoring the story for a while if you want to (and you may want to!). I think I am about half way through now. But I also suddenly felt like some Musou action, so downloaded Dynasty Warriors 8, and that is good fun. On a complete impulse, I also opted for Samurai Maiden at half price. I also started Evil Wizard, which seems fun, but I had a few crashes. I think that Bakeru will call to me next week! Have a great weekend, guys, and take great care of yourselves out there.

@gcunit I was just halding a little joke. Don't be angry... hald mercy!

@gcunit How can you not know what a hald is? Have you never heard the famous expression "Football is a game of two halds?". Honestly.

Everybody else is commenting about AAA batteries, so why can't I?

AAA batteries are hella cute.

It always looks like a rooster to me... 😆

It always makes me smile when even the staid and serious ESRB use the word "jiggle". 😆

I am horrified and captivated at the same time.

Great news! Hopefully this gets confirmed for Europe soon. I adored the first Mystical Ninja game on the N64 (sadly, I missed out on the second one). I don't mind if it's on the easier side, as it just sounds like a really fun experience.

The problem with the BotW version is that it looks like the branches are actually going through his eyes. Makes me wince every time that I see it!

@Doctor-Moo
"My name is Adol Christin. Pleased to meet you."

"My name is Boats. Just Boats."

EDIT: Also, just imagine a really dramatic scene, where they are desperately calling out to each other:

"ADOL!"

"BOOOOOAAAAAAATTTTTSSSSSSS!!!"

Oh man... the game will be a let down for me now! 😆

Ys VIII (Lacrimosa Of Dana) would be in my all time top 10 (which otherwise is mostly games from the 80s and 90s). I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed by IX, but I have very high hopes for this one.

I loved the last Shin Chan game, so am strongly tempted by this. Doesn't look quite as charming or goofy, but it still looks quite captivating.

...and, yeah... that was the day I stopped believing in Gavin. 😆

Blimey! This looks simply marvellous! Wow. Definitely count me in for this one.

Maybe it's just because I miss the games so much, but... I am getting Jack The Nipper vibes from this. I do like games where you can just mess about and cause chaos (like Untitled Goose Game), so I will most likely check this out.

I think that the Europe cover is moodier, and more atmospheric, so I went for that one. The NA / Japan cover is rather nice, but I prefer the sombre tone of isolation for Castlevania games.

I hate to say it, but I always found the character tedious, obnoxious, creepy, vain, delusional, and stupid. I like goofy characters, but he was just... stupid. Gosh, actually... I dislike him more than I realised! 😮

@Synecdoche I'm not sure if the objections are because there is no score... it's just that the review is unfinished. I guess it's a bit like a movie review where the critic only saw half of the film! Also.. there's no real clue here as to why the review is still in progress. It just breeds the feeling, for me, that the review is incomplete and, therefore, something is missing... but what exactly?

Gosh, I'm a bit confused by this! Why was this published without a score? Is it to give the devs time to patch it? If the review is in progress, then I guess that nothing should be taken from it for the moment, and it should be "ignored", so to speak? What I mean by that is no conclusions should be drawn just yet? Maybe a little note to say why it is still in progress would help?

@Thisdamian Am feeling you on all of that. Particularly what you say about adding more games feeling like an addiction. Maybe that's just the universal "thrill" of buying something new. I'm often scanning the eShop for something new to buy, even though I have untouched games. Talking about it like this gives me a feeling which I can't quite name, and I am not sure if I like it. It's a curious thing!

I have an absurd backlog. Some unstarted games, which I picked up on impulse or because of sales... and many more just unfinished. I remember, when I was a kid, getting a new game and playing it for weeks, or even months. And I would think to myself "When I grow up and get a job, I will buy all of the games!!!". But, now that I can, I wonder if this is actually better. Sigh.

I'm not sure what to think concerning Monb's missive!

Anyway, I have to go... another stupid came all over the place trying to steal my Weetabix!

@Ace-Lucario Well, the article uses the word "fidget", so one would hope so. They certainly look like they can be interacted with. They all look amazing!

I never know what to do with the Tales games. I absolutely loved Tales Of Hearts R, but I really disliked Symphonia and Zestiria. I have Vesperia, but haven't started it. The games seem to vary quite a bit in "tone". I loved the goofiness of Hearts. So I have no idea if Xillia will be for me or not.

I think that the EU/NA one looks a bit garish / sickly, to be honest. I really like the Japan one, it has a nice feel to it.

@acbarebear Brilliant point regarding the ghost replays. That would help massively. And I cannot really fault your concluding paragraph either, I think you're right. Speed running does lose something integral if one cannot compare their time to others. I can feel that.