@Darknyht I know most people are happy with the classic editions, and I agree with most people when considering the "game" aspect alone, but to me, and to many others I'm sure, those games were much more than that.
I remember driving to the mall, buying a game with a wonderful art on the box, with some marketing description on the back about what the game was about with bad screenshots. I remember stopping at a burger joint on the way home, and opening the box and looking at the manual, which was, sometimes, very nicely done with great art.
I'm the type of guy who has many books at home about videogame history, and my favorite one is one about the artists who worked on those illustrations on game boxes. I was always passionate about games, but also about everything that revolved around them.
I always think these compilations or services offering old games should be more like virtual museums. Sure, provide the game without any frills to those who want this, but adding some information, historical background, concept art, interactive manuals and box scans for each game, would make the whole package a much more interesting one IMO.
Considering many games from this era ended up influencing what came after, I consider them as much a piece of gaming history as they are simple games to play. Those games on the Nintendo online service feel to me like a job that was done by a team with no real love for the material...
Unrelated to how any of us feel about old NES games, most of these games from the 8-bit era should be celebrated as pieces of gaming history at the very least, and treated with some form of digital respect.
I'm personnaly dreaming of a day when companies as big as Nintendo actually start treating their historical back catalog with the honors these pieces deserve. 3D models of the game boxes and cartridges (so you can manipulate them like we did in the past), included digital versions of instruction manuals in digital flipbook format, page about historical facts regarding game development, interviews with some people that were involved in the creation of those games....
I recall SEGA having done something similar on the PSP back in the days, with video interviews, box art, fun facts, in-game achievements that unlocks supplemental bonus games, etc... To me, that's still, to this day, one of the slickest retro compilation package I've seen. It was a sign of a company treating its back catalog with respect (ironic that SEGA then just didn't care that much after that - although the recent compilation is pretty good, if not as filled with details as the PSP one was).
With as much resources as Nintendo may have, if I was part of the team responsible for this, I would be slightly ashamed of the "no-frills" treatment of these games. It's as basic as it can get. Smells like no effort was put into this, aside from the online play available on some of them (didn't try it though).
@Cloudstrife768 That would make it around 50-55$ in Canada... and I think the original game released at $60 back in the days.... That being considered, that would make it totally zero appealing to me.
@earthinheritor Well, they didn't add microtransactions in the Vita version if I remember it correctly. Did they? hmm... I admit it's been a while so my memory of it may be flawed. lol!
Thing is, the Vita version was still fun, even with its horrible framerate (and I usually never complain about that but in this case it was very bad in some areas of the game). But I can't imagine, with the Switch being much more powerful than the Vita, that this port would run worse than on the Vita.
I played again (and finished) Borderlands 1 on a portable console some months ago (love having long commute times - allows me to game!), would gladly take the opportunity to play the second one again.
I don't care if this game is old, it's still one of the best in the genre. And a game I'd be willing to pick up again, if the price is right.
Given that this has already been made available on the Shield platform, which shares the same innards (more or less) than the Switch, porting this over should've been a very easy business decision to take. And a relatively inexpensive port.
But regarding price, I'm not setting myself up with high hopes right now. This is the Nintendo Switch we're talking about. A platform on which old games are often re-released with a price tag quite higher than everywhere else those games are sold. So yeah, if that rumor is true, even if I love the series, it'll depend on the price.
@Dilated,
I'm 43, and remember gaming with home versions of Pong machines... My first real console was an Atari 2600 (VCS). Never stopped gaming since. Practically owned every console under the sun (almost), plus always had a PC to game on since games on a PC happenned.
I too don't understand all this obsession about FPS unless it breaks a game or render it unplayable. And when I mean unplayable, I mean really unplayable to the point of making you miss jumps or other actions in games, which doesn't happen that much, TBH.
As with many, I completely understand that it's much more pleasant playing a game at 60fps or above, but what interests me more is whether the framerate is constant or not. I personnaly favor anything with a stable framerate, be it 30 or 60, or anything in between and beyond. Lower than 30, I don't mind either but that depends on the game. Don't care for strategy games like XCOM, but it's far from ideal in a racing or fighting game...
I played the Assassin's Creed game on the Vita, which wasn't as bad as others make it out to be. Not great though. But I still had some fun with it, so there's that. Framerate wasn't ideal, but what bugged me the most was the camera, which was often getting in the way and made things more difficult than what they should've been.
But yeah, this obsession about framerate some have... I don't really share this. What matters to me most is... ... the FUN! Can you believe that?
@Highlar Yeah, we don't have Hulu in Canada. Canada's digital streaming offering is actually piss-poor IMO compared to what's available in the US.
And regarding Youtube's implementation on the Switch, I installed it, tried it, and uninstalled it right away. I mean, the best use of YouTube on the Switch, for me, is to look at tips for the games I'm playing when I'm stuck, but then again, starting YouTube requires you to shut down the game you're playing, so it makes the app useless for me. The e-shop doesn't require you to shut down the game you're playing. Why wouldn't this be possible with YouTube? So even if YouTube is on the Switch, I have to use my tablet or phone alongside my Switch to access YouTube while I'm playing a game....
But the idea, to me, is that by putting Netflix on the Switch (with offline downloads capabilities - like on most phones and tablets), it would make it possible for me to only bring my Switch with me everyday for the commute ride to/from work, instead of both my Switch AND my tablet.
While I see my Switch as my current console of choice, there are things that could definitely be improved upon.
1- I'm a bit fed up of seeing most games on the e-shop being constantly priced higher there than on most, if not all, competing systems. Even if the difference is not that much, it's often enough for me to not buy the game out of frustration. The feeling I'd be throwin my money out the window by buying the Switch version of a game is very present all the time I log into the eshop. Simetimes, even games on sale on the eshop are pricier than their REGULAR price elsewhere. Note that it's not about the amount of money, I don't have a problem paying $80 if the game is worth it. This situation makes the Switch the platform where it is the most expensive to play on this generation. At least where I live.
2- A proper left joycon with a proper d-pad would be a godsend.
3- I get it that Nintendo wants NES games to be a bonus for online subscriptions. Fine. But either make it a full Netflix-like retro game service covering other systems as well, or create a second one that will act as a real virtual console like you had on Wii / WiiU / 3DS. However shape this may take, we need a legit solution here for retro titles we want to play.
4- Bring on additionnal services/apps like Netflix (with download support) to the platform, as well as a web browser. Plex too, while we're at it. I'm tired of having to lug around BOTH my tablet and my Switch, in case I want to either play a game or watch some series or movies on the go.
That pretty much sums it up for me about what I'd want improved on the Switch.
I agree Horizon Chase Turbo look great if you're into that sort of retro-inspired racer, but even if I like that kind of game, at almost $30 over here, there's always the question of what you get for the money... You know, I don't have a problem paying $80 for a game like Forza Horizon, that I know I'll enjoy and that has a sh!t-ton of content to offer that will have me playing for hundreds of hours....
I still don't understand why EA haven't released the Burnout Paradise remaster they did on XB1 and PS4. I would've bought that in an instant. I wish the folks behind the Gear.Club series (which are mostly, if I'm not mistaken, the people from Eden games who were responsible for the Test Drive unlimited series) would put out another open-world racer like TDU (even if the car handling was not the best in those games).
I need a racing game with some substance in it.
GRID is one I'm eager to play on my Switch. But aside from that, I have Mario Kart... which is fun... but it's random and luck element makes it more like a party game than a racing game IMO...
@Bondi_Surfer Was about to say the same thing. To me, aside from Mario Kart, this list is filled mostly with "competent" racers, but nothing that actually stands out as truly great. If this is a list of the best racers the Switch has to offer, it's a pretty poor list IMO.
Like I said, not saying these games are crap, I'm just saying most of these aren't really stellar. There is no Burnout in there, no Need for Speed (although this franchise is hit or miss), no Riiiiiiiiiidge Racer, no exploration open-world racers like Forza Horizon or the likes to get lost in...
As a product clearly intended for kids, I see this as nothing more than a simple google-cardboard-like experience, although with a very low resolution, providing "experiences" that will be more like what that new Viewmaster tried to do.
Remember that kids aren't going to WEAR this. They'll have to hold it to their faces, which makes it more like an interactive viewmaster than a VR headset. It'll be more like a 3D viewer (although with a video signal instead of static pictures) but with interactive elements. Seeing this as a VR headset, or a VR platform is erroneous, IMO. This is as much VR as the decades-old Viewmaster was "VR".
Got LEGO City and Harry Potter some time ago for about $20 each, which is a pretty fair price IMO.
There's not a lot of affordable AAA productions from big studios at that price on the Switch (most are at around $80 and stay there for a pretty long time). While indie games can get quite good and some can almost be seen as true classics, they often lack the production values big games from big studios come with. They are often smaller in scope too (which isn't a bad thing, just a characteristic most of them share).
If you love collect-a-thon games and obsess over completing games to 100%, the LEGO games will usually provide you with many hours of fun.
Although I agree some of them are sometimes a bit "meh". The first Lego Marvel Superheroes was awesome. The second one, not so much. Still fun, but I found it was easy to lose interest in it.
The Harry Potter collection is very cool though. I only wish they'd put out the LEGO Star Wars ones. Or a LEGO Batman Trilogy. I tend to like the earlier LEGO games better. When they didn't try to put too much stuff in those games, I think it made them more "focused", whatever that means. lol!
For me, I think the Switch is the first one to actually succeed (from a commercial standpoint) to bridge to gap between home-console and portable console.
While there were other options available out there before it that had relative success in some ways, none offered everything in a package that "just work".
The closest I got (and that I think is still superior in terms of available games for it) is the GPD Win and its successor, the GPD Win 2. With its HDMI out, you could easily have this windows console hooked to a TV and use XB1 S gamepads (over bluetooth). You could get thousands of games working on these consoles, and benefit from tons of special and free games the PC platform has to offer. But while the GPD Win 1 was priced in the same range as the Switch, the Win 2 cost quite a lot of money. But then again, these being PCs mean you'll have to deal with Windows and its horrible "sleep" mode that never work when playing games. So yeah, better in some aspects, but still not as elegant and functionnal as the Switch.
Late comment, but if it can help anyone making a purchase decision, I got this initially on my PS Vita. Bought it again for PC. And bought it again for my Switch. I don't remember how many times I finished this game already, and I'm running through it again on the Switch and still have a blast doing it. It's the type of game I always go back to from time to time. There are few games out there I can say I'd go back to again and again and replay them to the end.
This game, to me, has that "just one more time" addictiveness to it. When you die, you know it's not because the game is "cheap" but because you simply aren't good enough. And next time, you know you'll be better. Your first runs will maybe last a couple of minutes... But later on, you'll be able to venture in the castle for over 30 mins per run...
I personnaly never found the grinding so bad, either that, or I'm better at it than most and don't require so much of it to beat bosses and harder ennemies??? I admit that sometimes, there are so many ennemies and projectiles on screen at once in some rooms, that it almost requires reflexes that a classic shooter fan would know about, but I don't have a problem with that.
I'd take games like these any day over many of the bland AAA productions out there that can often bore me to tears, even with all that professionnal voice-acting and high resolution models and textures. These don't make a game fun. Fun makes a game fun.
And this game, for me, deliver fun by the truckload.
I can get these Hori gamepads for around $22-$25 in Canada. A set of dual joy cons is $100. Don't know where you can get a pair of joy cons for about $40 USD...
That being said, I might get one as I primarily game in portable mode, and it might be better for Mega Man games and the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive compilation... and most retro inspired games too...
@Dilated I don't think that it's about the amount of money in itself, but rather the value you get for that money. I work full time, with what some would say a decent salary, but with a house, kids, a car, and many bills to pay, $40 for such a game is much too high for what it is. I definitely have the money for it, but I wouldn't buy it because there are far better uses of my $40 I can think of.
Also, again, even if I have the money, the fact that I can buy these games for half the price elsewhere makes these look like the worst deal ever. Spending my money on these would makes me feel like throwing money out the window. I have money, but not to the point of not caring about getting my money's worth. I didn't have a problem paying $80 for Zelda BoTW. But I do have a problem paying $40 for this. It's not about having enough money. It's about what you get for the money.
@daveh30 Yep. $40. For a game that sells for $20 everywhere else. But we all know too well that tons of Switch owners won't care, and will still buy it at that price, continuing the fine tradition of showing companies that Switch owners don't care about paying more for their games, which will continue to encourage companies like Capcom to charge a higher price for their games.
But hey, according to some people here, the "Switch Tax" doesn't exists. lol!
@CupidStunt
Problem is Capcom is releasing them at that price, maybe because the numbers are showing Switch owners usually don't have problems with paying more for their games, and they're only capitalizing on this trend. Nothing more.
I think Switch owners are to blame as well for constantly not minding games that are released at a price higher than on any other platform. Even defending the practice with stupid arguments! (It's a NEW game on that platform, you're getting both a portable and home console version of the game, etc, etc...)
Sure, Capcom is bad for exploiting that trend, but what do you expect, really, when a company sees an opportunity to make more money?
As always, I'll put this in my wishlist and wait for a "sale" to actually pay the same "regular" price others pay.
It will probably be about $40 in Canada then.... maybe more. which is completely ridiculous. Especially considering those games are available elsewhere for much less ($20 on Steam - which is what I consider a fair price for what these games are).
Wasn't the "Switch Tax" supposed to be something that doesn't exist (anymore) according to some? lol!!! Yeah right.
@Heavyarms55 "It is tied to the stupid belief of the "Nintendo Fanboy will buy or play anything on a Nintendo"."
I'm curious about the point where something becomes a "belief". There is usually always a sprinkle of truth (however small it may be) under such beliefs. I'd say the reason Epic might not bother fixing this may be tied to the same reason why so many big publishers don't bother making or porting AAA productions over to the Switch (even old ones). We have to put ourselves in the shoes of business people, who have to rely on what the sales charts are telling them : What sells ont the Switch are Nintendo games, and smaller-indie (often bite-sized) productions often overpriced compared to other platform, overpriced (again) mobile ports, and the occasionnal ports of older games Switch owners gladly buy at full price again. And pretty much nothing else.
Granted, there are exceptions, but they are exactly that. Exceptions. What sells on the Switch right now may be what's preventing companies to work on bigger releases. The numbers they have just don't see a market/demand for these bigger releases.
And so it's possible the numbers Epic have for the Switch, compared to all other platforms out there, may not warrant any sort of dedicated effort on their part. How big of a % does the Switch represents in the whole Fortnite pie? It may be quite insignificant. Maybe not. But maybe it is.
I'm not sure I'd be enclined to talk about "lazy developpers" on this, as others mentionned, because if Epic themselves don't want to spent time and resources on fixing this, it is not the development team's fault.
I'm pretty sure this is more a business decision than anything else. Again, driven solely by numbers.
One of the problem I see with this... is how game streaming of titles otherwise available for purchase on the Switch e-shop will be received by the studios actually making those games, or even Nintendo themselves who usually get royalties through sales of those titles...
I mean, unless Microsoft only stream games from their own studios, or games not available on Switch otherwise, I don't see how Nintendo would give this a go...
Now, maybe I'd be interested in Microsoft's service (still have an unused code for a month of Gamepass for my XB1) which seems pretty solid actually (because it isn't streaming), but I can't see their streaming platform working on another platform that makes money on royalties from game sales.... as that would cannibalize said sales...
@Agramonte $20? That wouldn't be so bad, although still pricey for what it is. But they're asking near $30 for it in Canada.
For a mobile port that is, I think, free on mobiles, this is completely baffling. But it is also, at the same time, a proof that companies think Switch owners don't have a problem paying more, so they simply charge more. I mean, this is a platform on which people gladly pay $80 for a game that's available for $25 pretty much everywhere else (Doom, Skyrim...). So really, releasing F2P games for $20 or more, and having these SELL on the Switch kind of speak for itself... Companies take note of these things, an usually, act accordingly... if it's proven that people are willing to pay more, well, why not profit from this?
I only recently switched to a 128gb card, from a 64gb that wasn't even full to begin with, but just wanted a bit of headroom just in case. Most big games I try to buy physical anyway, leaving mostly indie games and some games I feel would be nice to have around all the time (like that SEGA compilation) on the microSD. Maybe also, when some titles get on sale on the e-shop for a price much better than physical.
I can't see myself buying a 400GB, let alone a 1TB microSD. While I wouldn't have a problem filling those up with Steam games on a GPD Win, I'd have a hard time finding stuff to fill this up on the Switch, given that I buy physical when I can, and that most games on the e-shop are almost always pricier there (in Canada at least they are), making the act of buying them not very attractive IMO.
Glad that some feel they need more space for their games. 1TB (even 400GB) is a lot in such a small format. Technology never cease to amaze me.
Glad it turned out "ok", but I still feel the game has been poorly optimized for the Switch, given what we've been shown with other games. Granted, other games may not have to calculate as much physics as this one does, and while I wasn't expecting the graphical fidelity of the PS4 or XB1, it still feel like it could've been handled better as far as graphics are concerned.
Now, considering I play my Switch mainly in portable mode, I can see this the same way I'd be seeing a "portable" port of a home console franchise like I was used to in the old days., that is, an "adaptation" of the home console game. Seeing it like this makes the pill a lot easier to swallow, to be honest. It's just a shame that it doesn't follow the same vision when taking price into consideration, when those "portable adaptations" were always priced less than their home console counterparts.
Will put it in my wishlist, but will wait for a sale before buying it. I love the Trials franchise, but this looks a bit too much of a compromise to me to ask the same price for the Switch version. I was also used to the Trial games costing around $30 or less in the past. At $50, this is a bit of a stretch IMO. I wouldn't mind a Trials compilation for $50 with tons of content, but a single game? A bit much for my tastes.
So... in the wishlist it goes... until a good sale happens.
If you downgrade textures, models and resolution, it's usually to be able to keep the framerate high. If you're doing all of this (and at an extreme level) and STILL have to drop the framerate by HALF, then maybe you aimed too high, or maybe, just maybe, your development team is incompetent.
I'm usually the one who will defend developpers in face of all the stupid "lazy devs" comments, but in this case, I just can't....
@NinjaWaddleDee Because companies like Activision "know" that Switch owners don't want these type of games. All they want are cute platformers, kart racers and smaller indie-like productions.
In Canada, it's going to be $80. Add sales taxes, you're bordering on $100. I sincerly hope this is not the case. I can't imagine a remake of a GB game, and a relatively short one at that, being priced as much.
But then again, this is Nintendo, so we never know...
I have an Occulus Go at home, which have the highest resolution screen of all the "mainstream" VR units out there (PSVR, Rift, Vive). And even with that great resolution, it's still not enough (for my tastes) to qualify for something truly convincing. It makes for a fun toy, don't get me wrong, and it can be immersive at times, but we're still, right now, a long way to get VR to a point where it's more than a "cool experience" and nothing else.
Occulus Quest will be better, but still the same screen resolution. The Go is right now at what I consider the "magic price point" where it's not too expensive for what it provides, and is relatively affordable for the masses. It works well because you don't need any setup, no need to hook it to anything, you just put it on and you play. This is a product the masses could go into easily.
But the masses aren't buying "en masse". The word I see all around is that VR "is very cool, but I don't need it".
Things could change, but while I like what VR can offer, most people out there just don't care that much.
So... aside from potentially bricking your system, it doesn't seem to have neutral grey side panels, so as a bonus, your speaker/dock will alwyas end up looking like a toy! NEAT!
I want nothing more in my entertainment center than components with flashy colours. This is a dream come true.
@Kal_el_0724 Thanks, but I'm not really willing to encourage all those people jacking up prices to try to make a buck on people like me who missed their chance initially. And while at $300 it might be tempting, shipping might be killing it if not free.
And yes, while I had a huge library of RB songs (most separate song packs, imported songs from previous gamees, plus some downloads), I'm no hurry to play them. I'll probably wait until I get a good bundle at a good price in the future. Or maybe getting some instruments through garage sales or something (provided they're all in working order - even if it's always a risk buying used). Most people trying to sell it new today are just completely insane with the prices. I've seen complete kits going over 2,000$ on Amazon Canada.
@gortsi That's why I mentionned "not being an order from a publisher or being funded by one". DmC wasn't an indie game from Ninja theory because it was commissionned by Capcom. So they were paid by Capcom to do it. So that game wasn't an indie game, of course. Heavenly Sword was funded by Sony so not an indie game either, but after that, Enslaved was developped by Ninja Theory, themselves, only published by Bandai Namco. It was a Ninja Theory game, not a Namco game.
Being published by a big studio doesn't negate the nature of an indie game. The "indie" term refers to game development, not distribution. The same way many independant movies end up being distributed by Sony, for instance.
When a company like Capcom, or Sony, or any other, pay a studio to develop a game for them, the game is done according to some defined specifications, needs to be approved, etc... It is thus not independently produced as the developper can't do what they want. When a company develop its own game, they do it like they want it to be done. Then, a publisher may want to pick it up for distruibution, but the game was still done independantly in the first place.
Indie doesn't relate to how big a game is. Or how much it cost to be done. It only means the game was done without influence or requests from an external (paying) source. It means the game wasn't done on commission for someone else. The game could've cost $10,000 to make or $1,000,000, or more, it doesn't matter.
As far as I know, before being acquired by Microsoft (after this game was done), Ninja Theory was an independant studio. The term "indie" doesn't have anything to do with how big or how close to a AAA production a game is. Indie means "independantly developped". Meaning not developped initially as an order from a publisher, or funded by one. An indie game can be created by the studio on their own, but then distributed by a big publisher who bought the distruibution rights. That would still make that game an indie game. Many big publishers are putting out indie productions.
If I'm not mistaken, Hellblade was created by Ninja Theory on their own. It is their product, published by themselves. Sony may have paid them for some timed exclusivity on the game, but this was their own game. So the term "independantly developped" still applies here. This is an indie game.
$21 is still high, but not as bad as $28 over here. And in Canada, it is $24 on Steam, but $28 on the Switch.
I would have less of a problem with the game being $21. Even if more or less the same in exchange rate, no one is getting their wages adjusted because our money is worth less, so to us Canadians, games are indeed pricier than what they used to be. Or we all earn less money now than we used to. However you look at it, games in Canada are costing a bigger chunk of our available money than they used to.
Not so long ago, games were priced practically the same here as in the US. And while games stayed more or less in that range in the US, now, a new release in Canada costs $80. And most other games are much pricier than before. But no one earns more to compensate. So to us, games are pricier than they used to, even if they are priced the "same" in terms of currency value.
So... $30 for a game made during the PS1 years, without much additions to it... no thanks. There are much better uses of my money than this.
Game looks fun, but still, I can't help but feel this continues to tell us that most big 3rd party publishers think Switch owners only want "cute" and/or "bite-sized" indie-like productions.
I understand the Switch may not be as powerful as the PS4 and XB1, but it's not so far behind in terms of performance to say it can't handle anything. Sometimes, some compromises have to be made (models, textures, framerate, etc...) but the Switch isn't an obscure and impossible platform to code for that would disrupt a chain of production in an extreme way. Especially when remasters of older games are considered. Games like the Burnout Paradise remaster would've been a great fit for the Switch library, given that it has almost zero high-profile racing game aside from Mario Kart 8. But no. EA probably think the game wouldn't sell because "Switch owners don't want these kind of games".
Will put in wishlist, will wait for a decent sale (not setting my hopes high though). I mean, it's $30 in Canada. For a PS1-era game. $30. Hahaha. No.
People like me aren't criticizing Switch game prices in themselves. It's not about the price. It's about the value of what you get for that price. Now, if this was a remake or a remaster that you feel lots of work actually went into, I don't think it would be a problem (as long as it's priced in the same price bracket as other versions of the same product available elsewhere - which is often not the case on Switch, but that's another subject).
An original game require tons of work to be done, with writters, artists, modelers, music composers, along with the teams responsible for most of the technical aspects (engine, programming, etc...). A port usually only require a couple of people adapting the code to work on another system, which costs almost nothing in comparison to developping a game from scratch.
At almost $30, a PS1 game with only slight improvements doesn't convey to me the feeling I'm getting my money's worth. It's not about the price, it's about value. A game like Zelda BotW is worth all of the $80 I paid for it. Same with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The $20 I paid for Lego City Undercover was nice. The $30 I paid for the Lego Harry Potter collection was bordering too much, but still, somewhat ok.
But there are games like Doom, which is still $80. vs about $25 everywhere else. Same for Skyrim. And countless other games on the Switch that are priced more (sometimes MUCH more) than on competing systems.
So it's not about the price. It's about the value you get for that price, on the Switch. And currently, the Switch is the platform where games are the priciest of all the current systems out there, on average. And when you constantly see the same games being sold for less everywhere else, it's hard to feel you're getting your money's worth. That's what most people complaining about prices are saying.
The problem is that gaming has become mainstream. Hear me out for a second...
Gaming is now considered a normal form of entertainment, just like music, movies and others. And like those, games simply started becoming "products" like any others. To the people running Activision, games don't matter. They could be selling vaccum cleaners, investors wouldn't care. To them. it's a product like any other. "Games" is simply a label to descibe the products they are making.
Truth is, most big companies out there are run like this. Shareholders don't care about what the company is producing. They care about their return on investment, about their shares going up, and not much else. They pay people like little Bobby here to make as much money as the company can, and if Bobby think they can make even more money than they did in their record year by laying off more people, then that's what going to happen.
Activision aren't making games anymore. They make commercial products like any other, that just happen to be games.
Exactly like most top 40 radio music is engineered and all sound the same. Exactly like most Hollywood movies out there that are made to mostly drive people to the theatre with spectacular CG and focus-group-voted happy endings.
You want real music that feels like music? You want a movie made with passion? You want games that were made by talented people who want to make the best game, not the best "commercial product"? You simply need to step out of the mainstream and look elsewhere.
It's just sad (and ironic) to see an icon like Activision, that was founded by disgruntled Atari programmers who wanted to be respected by their employer, turning out exactly like what the original founders were protesting against.
@Kal_el_0724 Yeah, but I dont have my instruments anymore. I still have my music tracks backed up on USB keys somewhere (did that before selling my 360, just in case), but tracking down a set of instruments + the game has proven difficult. The all in one bundle with the game and instruments would've interested me, but last time I checked, people were asking north of $600 for it. Which is ridiculous.
And tracking down old instruments from garage sales or online sites... don't know. I'm picky about the condition they'd be in, and if there's no way to test them before buying... it may be risky...
God, I miss Rock Band so much... I was a fool to actually sell all my RB stuff years ago... But then again, I moved from XB360 to PS4 (as back then the XB1 platform was a total joke), so all my RB stuff became useless, never thinking I would one day get an XB1.... and now that I have one (mainly as a multimedia playing machine), I miss that so much...
I still have Rocksmith though, on PC, but it isn't the same thing....
Still puzzled that a n official "trilogy" of some sort isn't on the map. While the first game was "ok" (but still interesting), the second one was very good IMO. A bundle offering the first tree games would make sense and I would buy that for the Switch.
But then again, why release such a bundle when you can probably charge almost as much as a brand new release on the Switch (maybe a slight less), for that single game, right?
Got this game as a gift on my XB1. Quite awesome game. I like it very much. Would love to play it on the Switch for when I'm away, but I'm waiting for a decent sale as the price for a roguelike like this, on the Switch, is a bit much over here ($35) for my tastes.
If not XCOM 2, I'd settle for the complete XCOM 1. That's the only game I already bought 3 times on different platforms and would gladly buy it on another.
Already played X/X2 on the go through my old GPD Win, so not going to double dip for this one, especially with the second game being downloadable and the ridiculous price of $60 in Canada (bought the collection for less than $20 for my GPD Win).
As for Aragami, well... 50$ for a game I paid about $5 for on Steam.... even with DLC.... No thanks.
Monster Energy Supercross... that trainwreck of a title and design job for the cover art is at least good for a laugh, and does a good job of NOT making me want to buy this. Never played the first though so maybe it's good? Anyway, what a horrible cover art and logo.
Now, even if overpriced, Trial Rising might interest me, as is Shovel Knight and Mortal Kombat.
Dragon's Dogma and Lego Movie 2 may end up in my collection sooner, as their prices seems to be quite fair for what they are.
@judaspete Sorry I forgot about that one. But then, even if that's a great one, it is, like you mentionned, slightly niche. I'm talking more in terms of quality, truly great racing games with a more general appeal. Fast RMX could in theory fit the bill somewhat, but I don't see it as having the appeal of Mario Kart, or other franchises on other platforms, like Gran Turismo, Forza, or multiplatform ones like Need for Speed or Burnout.
I really feel like the Switch is truly lacking in that category. There are many "me-too" kart racers and the likes, and some "merely ok" attempts at offering something like Gear Club, and some niche ones that may be cool, but I see nothing that can truly rival the franchises mentionned. Apart from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In a way.
I had fun with Riptide GP renegade, but while fun, it's not stellar, and kind of shows its mobile game roots.
I'm dying for a more serious racing game on the Switch. I've been playing Forza Horizon 4 lately, and THAT is a stellar racing game I can spend dozens of hours in. If not hundreds. Even if a similar game would have inferior graphics on the Switch, it's the gameplay that counts. THAT would be one game I would be paying full price day one of release, if similar in tone and gameplay.
Well, as far as polished, balanced and fun racing games, I don't feel I have a lot of options on the Switch, to be honest.
There are some decent offerings, but truly great ones? Well, there's Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and..... well.... hum.... let's see... nope. That's pretty much it.
Well, it's actually cool to see a company selling remastered games or remakes on the Switch for less than full retail price ($80). At $40 (Canada), it is still steep for what the game is (you can get it for far less pretty much everywhere else, as with most 3rd party and indie games on the Switch), but it isn't too bad. If it was really $30 in Canada too, I would've probably bought it without hesitation.
But still, I'm glad some companies are raiding their back catalogue for titles to release on the Switch. Not everyone played those games when they were original released.
I can't dispute how important Smash Bros. seems to be for the Switch, even if it's one of those "hugely popular game that I just don't get", even as a fan of fighting games. I must be the only one out there. Or part of a select club of "fighting game fans that don't like Smash Bros." lol!.
Only Animal Crossing will probably see me pay its full $80 price at release because that's a game I know all members of my family will enjoy playing for a long time, so even if pricey, will be somewhat worth it, I'm sure.
Very interested in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 and Luigi's Mansion 3, although I'll wait for them to go on sale (even if I know Nintendo rarely put their own games on sale, especially when it's their own IP)
The problem I have with this is that most of these developpers aren't going to produce experiences that have a ton of production value. I don't hate indies, in fact, I've been replaying some of them way too many times already (hey, Rogue Legacy!) because they're really really good, but I can't live on indies alone. And even AAA publishers like Ubisoft and EA seeems to think that all Switch owner want is indies and smaller productions.
And this kind of leads me, somewhat, to have a much higher appreciation of rereleases of old games from past generations than I should have. I mean, right now, I find myself having more interests in older games that had good production values at the time, than modern ones feeling like experiences I could have on my mobile phone. Not saying the latter aren't fun, but I can't see myself having paid for a Switch to play smaller time wasters, as fun as they can be.
At least, Nintendo (and some third parties) are providing more substantial offerings, but these aren't coming fast enough for my tastes.
As much as I usually like this type of art style, this one has me torn between "nice" and "lacks finesse". Like, it has the "style", but seems to lack some form of general art direction to it.
I can't tell if this art style was done on purpose, or done because they weren't able to do any better. Feels a bit like graphics you'd find in a cheap tablet-based RPG from a small developper trying to convince people it's Skyrim or Zelda for tablets. Not saying that's the case, but from what I've seen of this trailer, it doesn't really make a good job of making me want to buy it. I don't sense any distinct "personality" to this game from the trailer. Maybe that's just me.
I'm curious about it, but not much than that. Definitely will wait for reviews. If it gets good ones, maybe I'll try it, if the price is decent (not a usual trend on the Switch - at least in Canada).
Comments 466
Re: Nintendo Forgot That You Can't Complete StarTropics Without The Original NES Manual
@Darknyht
I know most people are happy with the classic editions, and I agree with most people when considering the "game" aspect alone, but to me, and to many others I'm sure, those games were much more than that.
I remember driving to the mall, buying a game with a wonderful art on the box, with some marketing description on the back about what the game was about with bad screenshots. I remember stopping at a burger joint on the way home, and opening the box and looking at the manual, which was, sometimes, very nicely done with great art.
I'm the type of guy who has many books at home about videogame history, and my favorite one is one about the artists who worked on those illustrations on game boxes. I was always passionate about games, but also about everything that revolved around them.
I always think these compilations or services offering old games should be more like virtual museums. Sure, provide the game without any frills to those who want this, but adding some information, historical background, concept art, interactive manuals and box scans for each game, would make the whole package a much more interesting one IMO.
Considering many games from this era ended up influencing what came after, I consider them as much a piece of gaming history as they are simple games to play. Those games on the Nintendo online service feel to me like a job that was done by a team with no real love for the material...
Re: Nintendo Forgot That You Can't Complete StarTropics Without The Original NES Manual
Unrelated to how any of us feel about old NES games, most of these games from the 8-bit era should be celebrated as pieces of gaming history at the very least, and treated with some form of digital respect.
I'm personnaly dreaming of a day when companies as big as Nintendo actually start treating their historical back catalog with the honors these pieces deserve. 3D models of the game boxes and cartridges (so you can manipulate them like we did in the past), included digital versions of instruction manuals in digital flipbook format, page about historical facts regarding game development, interviews with some people that were involved in the creation of those games....
I recall SEGA having done something similar on the PSP back in the days, with video interviews, box art, fun facts, in-game achievements that unlocks supplemental bonus games, etc... To me, that's still, to this day, one of the slickest retro compilation package I've seen. It was a sign of a company treating its back catalog with respect (ironic that SEGA then just didn't care that much after that - although the recent compilation is pretty good, if not as filled with details as the PSP one was).
With as much resources as Nintendo may have, if I was part of the team responsible for this, I would be slightly ashamed of the "no-frills" treatment of these games. It's as basic as it can get. Smells like no effort was put into this, aside from the online play available on some of them (didn't try it though).
Re: Did Gearbox Software Just Share An Image Of Borderlands 2 For Nintendo Switch?
@Cloudstrife768
That would make it around 50-55$ in Canada... and I think the original game released at $60 back in the days.... That being considered, that would make it totally zero appealing to me.
Re: Did Gearbox Software Just Share An Image Of Borderlands 2 For Nintendo Switch?
@earthinheritor
Well, they didn't add microtransactions in the Vita version if I remember it correctly. Did they? hmm... I admit it's been a while so my memory of it may be flawed. lol!
Thing is, the Vita version was still fun, even with its horrible framerate (and I usually never complain about that but in this case it was very bad in some areas of the game). But I can't imagine, with the Switch being much more powerful than the Vita, that this port would run worse than on the Vita.
I played again (and finished) Borderlands 1 on a portable console some months ago (love having long commute times - allows me to game!), would gladly take the opportunity to play the second one again.
Re: Did Gearbox Software Just Share An Image Of Borderlands 2 For Nintendo Switch?
I don't care if this game is old, it's still one of the best in the genre. And a game I'd be willing to pick up again, if the price is right.
Given that this has already been made available on the Shield platform, which shares the same innards (more or less) than the Switch, porting this over should've been a very easy business decision to take. And a relatively inexpensive port.
But regarding price, I'm not setting myself up with high hopes right now. This is the Nintendo Switch we're talking about. A platform on which old games are often re-released with a price tag quite higher than everywhere else those games are sold. So yeah, if that rumor is true, even if I love the series, it'll depend on the price.
Re: Ubisoft Provides More Detail On Assassin's Creed III Remastered's Switch-Exclusive Features
@Dilated,
I'm 43, and remember gaming with home versions of Pong machines... My first real console was an Atari 2600 (VCS). Never stopped gaming since. Practically owned every console under the sun (almost), plus always had a PC to game on since games on a PC happenned.
I too don't understand all this obsession about FPS unless it breaks a game or render it unplayable. And when I mean unplayable, I mean really unplayable to the point of making you miss jumps or other actions in games, which doesn't happen that much, TBH.
As with many, I completely understand that it's much more pleasant playing a game at 60fps or above, but what interests me more is whether the framerate is constant or not. I personnaly favor anything with a stable framerate, be it 30 or 60, or anything in between and beyond. Lower than 30, I don't mind either but that depends on the game. Don't care for strategy games like XCOM, but it's far from ideal in a racing or fighting game...
I played the Assassin's Creed game on the Vita, which wasn't as bad as others make it out to be. Not great though. But I still had some fun with it, so there's that. Framerate wasn't ideal, but what bugged me the most was the camera, which was often getting in the way and made things more difficult than what they should've been.
But yeah, this obsession about framerate some have... I don't really share this. What matters to me most is... ... the FUN! Can you believe that?
Re: Video: The State Of Nintendo Switch Two Years After Its Release
@Highlar
Yeah, we don't have Hulu in Canada. Canada's digital streaming offering is actually piss-poor IMO compared to what's available in the US.
And regarding Youtube's implementation on the Switch, I installed it, tried it, and uninstalled it right away. I mean, the best use of YouTube on the Switch, for me, is to look at tips for the games I'm playing when I'm stuck, but then again, starting YouTube requires you to shut down the game you're playing, so it makes the app useless for me. The e-shop doesn't require you to shut down the game you're playing. Why wouldn't this be possible with YouTube? So even if YouTube is on the Switch, I have to use my tablet or phone alongside my Switch to access YouTube while I'm playing a game....
But the idea, to me, is that by putting Netflix on the Switch (with offline downloads capabilities - like on most phones and tablets), it would make it possible for me to only bring my Switch with me everyday for the commute ride to/from work, instead of both my Switch AND my tablet.
Re: Video: The State Of Nintendo Switch Two Years After Its Release
While I see my Switch as my current console of choice, there are things that could definitely be improved upon.
1- I'm a bit fed up of seeing most games on the e-shop being constantly priced higher there than on most, if not all, competing systems. Even if the difference is not that much, it's often enough for me to not buy the game out of frustration. The feeling I'd be throwin my money out the window by buying the Switch version of a game is very present all the time I log into the eshop. Simetimes, even games on sale on the eshop are pricier than their REGULAR price elsewhere. Note that it's not about the amount of money, I don't have a problem paying $80 if the game is worth it. This situation makes the Switch the platform where it is the most expensive to play on this generation. At least where I live.
2- A proper left joycon with a proper d-pad would be a godsend.
3- I get it that Nintendo wants NES games to be a bonus for online subscriptions. Fine. But either make it a full Netflix-like retro game service covering other systems as well, or create a second one that will act as a real virtual console like you had on Wii / WiiU / 3DS. However shape this may take, we need a legit solution here for retro titles we want to play.
4- Bring on additionnal services/apps like Netflix (with download support) to the platform, as well as a web browser. Plex too, while we're at it. I'm tired of having to lug around BOTH my tablet and my Switch, in case I want to either play a game or watch some series or movies on the go.
That pretty much sums it up for me about what I'd want improved on the Switch.
Re: Feature: The Best Racing Games On Nintendo Switch
@JasmineDragon,
I agree Horizon Chase Turbo look great if you're into that sort of retro-inspired racer, but even if I like that kind of game, at almost $30 over here, there's always the question of what you get for the money... You know, I don't have a problem paying $80 for a game like Forza Horizon, that I know I'll enjoy and that has a sh!t-ton of content to offer that will have me playing for hundreds of hours....
I still don't understand why EA haven't released the Burnout Paradise remaster they did on XB1 and PS4. I would've bought that in an instant. I wish the folks behind the Gear.Club series (which are mostly, if I'm not mistaken, the people from Eden games who were responsible for the Test Drive unlimited series) would put out another open-world racer like TDU (even if the car handling was not the best in those games).
I need a racing game with some substance in it.
GRID is one I'm eager to play on my Switch. But aside from that, I have Mario Kart... which is fun... but it's random and luck element makes it more like a party game than a racing game IMO...
Re: Feature: The Best Racing Games On Nintendo Switch
@Bondi_Surfer
Was about to say the same thing. To me, aside from Mario Kart, this list is filled mostly with "competent" racers, but nothing that actually stands out as truly great. If this is a list of the best racers the Switch has to offer, it's a pretty poor list IMO.
Like I said, not saying these games are crap, I'm just saying most of these aren't really stellar. There is no Burnout in there, no Need for Speed (although this franchise is hit or miss), no Riiiiiiiiiidge Racer, no exploration open-world racers like Forza Horizon or the likes to get lost in...
Re: VR Developer Defends Labo VR, Predicts This Might Only Be The Start For Nintendo
As a product clearly intended for kids, I see this as nothing more than a simple google-cardboard-like experience, although with a very low resolution, providing "experiences" that will be more like what that new Viewmaster tried to do.
Remember that kids aren't going to WEAR this. They'll have to hold it to their faces, which makes it more like an interactive viewmaster than a VR headset. It'll be more like a 3D viewer (although with a video signal instead of static pictures) but with interactive elements. Seeing this as a VR headset, or a VR platform is erroneous, IMO. This is as much VR as the decades-old Viewmaster was "VR".
Re: Save 50% On Top Nintendo Switch LEGO Games For A Limited Time (North America)
Got LEGO City and Harry Potter some time ago for about $20 each, which is a pretty fair price IMO.
There's not a lot of affordable AAA productions from big studios at that price on the Switch (most are at around $80 and stay there for a pretty long time). While indie games can get quite good and some can almost be seen as true classics, they often lack the production values big games from big studios come with. They are often smaller in scope too (which isn't a bad thing, just a characteristic most of them share).
If you love collect-a-thon games and obsess over completing games to 100%, the LEGO games will usually provide you with many hours of fun.
Although I agree some of them are sometimes a bit "meh". The first Lego Marvel Superheroes was awesome. The second one, not so much. Still fun, but I found it was easy to lose interest in it.
The Harry Potter collection is very cool though. I only wish they'd put out the LEGO Star Wars ones. Or a LEGO Batman Trilogy. I tend to like the earlier LEGO games better. When they didn't try to put too much stuff in those games, I think it made them more "focused", whatever that means. lol!
Re: Feature: Remembering The Wikipad, Stan Lee's Favourite Nintendo Switch Forerunner
For me, I think the Switch is the first one to actually succeed (from a commercial standpoint) to bridge to gap between home-console and portable console.
While there were other options available out there before it that had relative success in some ways, none offered everything in a package that "just work".
The closest I got (and that I think is still superior in terms of available games for it) is the GPD Win and its successor, the GPD Win 2. With its HDMI out, you could easily have this windows console hooked to a TV and use XB1 S gamepads (over bluetooth). You could get thousands of games working on these consoles, and benefit from tons of special and free games the PC platform has to offer. But while the GPD Win 1 was priced in the same range as the Switch, the Win 2 cost quite a lot of money. But then again, these being PCs mean you'll have to deal with Windows and its horrible "sleep" mode that never work when playing games. So yeah, better in some aspects, but still not as elegant and functionnal as the Switch.
Re: Review: Rogue Legacy - Generations Of Challenge Packaged Up In An Irresistible Roguelike
Late comment, but if it can help anyone making a purchase decision, I got this initially on my PS Vita. Bought it again for PC. And bought it again for my Switch. I don't remember how many times I finished this game already, and I'm running through it again on the Switch and still have a blast doing it. It's the type of game I always go back to from time to time. There are few games out there I can say I'd go back to again and again and replay them to the end.
This game, to me, has that "just one more time" addictiveness to it. When you die, you know it's not because the game is "cheap" but because you simply aren't good enough. And next time, you know you'll be better. Your first runs will maybe last a couple of minutes... But later on, you'll be able to venture in the castle for over 30 mins per run...
I personnaly never found the grinding so bad, either that, or I'm better at it than most and don't require so much of it to beat bosses and harder ennemies??? I admit that sometimes, there are so many ennemies and projectiles on screen at once in some rooms, that it almost requires reflexes that a classic shooter fan would know about, but I don't have a problem with that.
I'd take games like these any day over many of the bland AAA productions out there that can often bore me to tears, even with all that professionnal voice-acting and high resolution models and textures. These don't make a game fun. Fun makes a game fun.
And this game, for me, deliver fun by the truckload.
Re: Hori USA Drops The Price Of Its D-Pad Joy-Con Controller
@Regpuppy
I can get these Hori gamepads for around $22-$25 in Canada. A set of dual joy cons is $100. Don't know where you can get a pair of joy cons for about $40 USD...
That being said, I might get one as I primarily game in portable mode, and it might be better for Mega Man games and the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive compilation... and most retro inspired games too...
Re: Fans Start Petition For Capcom To Release Resident Evil 4 Physically On Switch
@Dilated
I don't think that it's about the amount of money in itself, but rather the value you get for that money. I work full time, with what some would say a decent salary, but with a house, kids, a car, and many bills to pay, $40 for such a game is much too high for what it is. I definitely have the money for it, but I wouldn't buy it because there are far better uses of my $40 I can think of.
Also, again, even if I have the money, the fact that I can buy these games for half the price elsewhere makes these look like the worst deal ever. Spending my money on these would makes me feel like throwing money out the window. I have money, but not to the point of not caring about getting my money's worth. I didn't have a problem paying $80 for Zelda BoTW. But I do have a problem paying $40 for this. It's not about having enough money. It's about what you get for the money.
Re: Want Resident Evil On Your Switch? You'd Better Have Deep Pockets
@daveh30
Yep. $40. For a game that sells for $20 everywhere else.
But we all know too well that tons of Switch owners won't care, and will still buy it at that price, continuing the fine tradition of showing companies that Switch owners don't care about paying more for their games, which will continue to encourage companies like Capcom to charge a higher price for their games.
But hey, according to some people here, the "Switch Tax" doesn't exists. lol!
Re: Fans Start Petition For Capcom To Release Resident Evil 4 Physically On Switch
@CupidStunt
Problem is Capcom is releasing them at that price, maybe because the numbers are showing Switch owners usually don't have problems with paying more for their games, and they're only capitalizing on this trend. Nothing more.
I think Switch owners are to blame as well for constantly not minding games that are released at a price higher than on any other platform. Even defending the practice with stupid arguments! (It's a NEW game on that platform, you're getting both a portable and home console version of the game, etc, etc...)
Sure, Capcom is bad for exploiting that trend, but what do you expect, really, when a company sees an opportunity to make more money?
As always, I'll put this in my wishlist and wait for a "sale" to actually pay the same "regular" price others pay.
Re: Fans Start Petition For Capcom To Release Resident Evil 4 Physically On Switch
It will probably be about $40 in Canada then.... maybe more. which is completely ridiculous. Especially considering those games are available elsewhere for much less ($20 on Steam - which is what I consider a fair price for what these games are).
Wasn't the "Switch Tax" supposed to be something that doesn't exist (anymore) according to some? lol!!! Yeah right.
Re: Epic Doesn't Plan To Improve The Frame Rate In The Switch Version Of Fortnite
@Heavyarms55
"It is tied to the stupid belief of the "Nintendo Fanboy will buy or play anything on a Nintendo"."
I'm curious about the point where something becomes a "belief". There is usually always a sprinkle of truth (however small it may be) under such beliefs. I'd say the reason Epic might not bother fixing this may be tied to the same reason why so many big publishers don't bother making or porting AAA productions over to the Switch (even old ones). We have to put ourselves in the shoes of business people, who have to rely on what the sales charts are telling them : What sells ont the Switch are Nintendo games, and smaller-indie (often bite-sized) productions often overpriced compared to other platform, overpriced (again) mobile ports, and the occasionnal ports of older games Switch owners gladly buy at full price again. And pretty much nothing else.
Granted, there are exceptions, but they are exactly that. Exceptions. What sells on the Switch right now may be what's preventing companies to work on bigger releases. The numbers they have just don't see a market/demand for these bigger releases.
And so it's possible the numbers Epic have for the Switch, compared to all other platforms out there, may not warrant any sort of dedicated effort on their part. How big of a % does the Switch represents in the whole Fortnite pie? It may be quite insignificant. Maybe not. But maybe it is.
I'm not sure I'd be enclined to talk about "lazy developpers" on this,
as others mentionned, because if Epic themselves don't want to spent time and resources on fixing this, it is not the development team's fault.
I'm pretty sure this is more a business decision than anything else. Again, driven solely by numbers.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo And Microsoft Working Together Isn't As Crazy As You Think
One of the problem I see with this... is how game streaming of titles otherwise available for purchase on the Switch e-shop will be received by the studios actually making those games, or even Nintendo themselves who usually get royalties through sales of those titles...
I mean, unless Microsoft only stream games from their own studios, or games not available on Switch otherwise, I don't see how Nintendo would give this a go...
Now, maybe I'd be interested in Microsoft's service (still have an unused code for a month of Gamepass for my XB1) which seems pretty solid actually (because it isn't streaming), but I can't see their streaming platform working on another platform that makes money on royalties from game sales.... as that would cannibalize said sales...
Re: Review: Modern Combat Blackout - Call Of Duty Has Little To Worry About
@Agramonte
$20? That wouldn't be so bad, although still pricey for what it is.
But they're asking near $30 for it in Canada.
For a mobile port that is, I think, free on mobiles, this is completely baffling. But it is also, at the same time, a proof that companies think Switch owners don't have a problem paying more, so they simply charge more. I mean, this is a platform on which people gladly pay $80 for a game that's available for $25 pretty much everywhere else (Doom, Skyrim...). So really, releasing F2P games for $20 or more, and having these SELL on the Switch kind of speak for itself... Companies take note of these things, an usually, act accordingly... if it's proven that people are willing to pay more, well, why not profit from this?
Re: Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package Secures May Release Date On Switch
Very interested, but again, for me, as with most Switch releases, it will depend on price.
Re: 1TB Micro SD Cards Are About To Hit Stores, Perfect For Your Switch Storage Woes
I only recently switched to a 128gb card, from a 64gb that wasn't even full to begin with, but just wanted a bit of headroom just in case. Most big games I try to buy physical anyway, leaving mostly indie games and some games I feel would be nice to have around all the time (like that SEGA compilation) on the microSD. Maybe also, when some titles get on sale on the e-shop for a price much better than physical.
I can't see myself buying a 400GB, let alone a 1TB microSD. While I wouldn't have a problem filling those up with Steam games on a GPD Win, I'd have a hard time finding stuff to fill this up on the Switch, given that I buy physical when I can, and that most games on the e-shop are almost always pricier there (in Canada at least they are), making the act of buying them not very attractive IMO.
Glad that some feel they need more space for their games. 1TB (even 400GB) is a lot in such a small format. Technology never cease to amaze me.
Re: Review: Trials Rising - Death-Defying Stunts On The Move
Glad it turned out "ok", but I still feel the game has been poorly optimized for the Switch, given what we've been shown with other games. Granted, other games may not have to calculate as much physics as this one does, and while I wasn't expecting the graphical fidelity of the PS4 or XB1, it still feel like it could've been handled better as far as graphics are concerned.
Now, considering I play my Switch mainly in portable mode, I can see this the same way I'd be seeing a "portable" port of a home console franchise like I was used to in the old days., that is, an "adaptation" of the home console game. Seeing it like this makes the pill a lot easier to swallow, to be honest. It's just a shame that it doesn't follow the same vision when taking price into consideration, when those "portable adaptations" were always priced less than their home console counterparts.
Will put it in my wishlist, but will wait for a sale before buying it. I love the Trials franchise, but this looks a bit too much of a compromise to me to ask the same price for the Switch version. I was also used to the Trial games costing around $30 or less in the past. At $50, this is a bit of a stretch IMO. I wouldn't mind a Trials compilation for $50 with tons of content, but a single game? A bit much for my tastes.
So... in the wishlist it goes... until a good sale happens.
Re: Trials Rising On Switch Doesn't Rise Up To The Challenge Of Its Rivals
If you downgrade textures, models and resolution, it's usually to be able to keep the framerate high. If you're doing all of this (and at an extreme level) and STILL have to drop the framerate by HALF, then maybe you aimed too high, or maybe, just maybe, your development team is incompetent.
I'm usually the one who will defend developpers in face of all the stupid "lazy devs" comments, but in this case, I just can't....
Re: Beyond Enemy Lines Looks To Capture The Feel Of Classic Call Of Duty
@NinjaWaddleDee
Because companies like Activision "know" that Switch owners don't want these type of games. All they want are cute platformers, kart racers and smaller indie-like productions.
Right???
Re: Talking Point: Is The Remake Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Worth $60?
In Canada, it's going to be $80. Add sales taxes, you're bordering on $100. I sincerly hope this is not the case. I can't imagine a remake of a GB game, and a relatively short one at that, being priced as much.
But then again, this is Nintendo, so we never know...
Re: Rumour: Nintendo Could Make Its First VR Announcement For Switch This Year
I have an Occulus Go at home, which have the highest resolution screen of all the "mainstream" VR units out there (PSVR, Rift, Vive). And even with that great resolution, it's still not enough (for my tastes) to qualify for something truly convincing. It makes for a fun toy, don't get me wrong, and it can be immersive at times, but we're still, right now, a long way to get VR to a point where it's more than a "cool experience" and nothing else.
Occulus Quest will be better, but still the same screen resolution. The Go is right now at what I consider the "magic price point" where it's not too expensive for what it provides, and is relatively affordable for the masses. It works well because you don't need any setup, no need to hook it to anything, you just put it on and you play. This is a product the masses could go into easily.
But the masses aren't buying "en masse". The word I see all around is that VR "is very cool, but I don't need it".
Things could change, but while I like what VR can offer, most people out there just don't care that much.
Re: This Portable Nintendo Switch Speaker Is Now Funding On Kickstarter
So... aside from potentially bricking your system, it doesn't seem to have neutral grey side panels, so as a bonus, your speaker/dock will alwyas end up looking like a toy! NEAT!
I want nothing more in my entertainment center than components with flashy colours. This is a dream come true.
</sarcasm>
Re: Activision Is Offering Full Refunds To Guitar Hero Live Buyers In The US
@Kal_el_0724
Thanks, but I'm not really willing to encourage all those people jacking up prices to try to make a buck on people like me who missed their chance initially. And while at $300 it might be tempting, shipping might be killing it if not free.
And yes, while I had a huge library of RB songs (most separate song packs, imported songs from previous gamees, plus some downloads), I'm no hurry to play them. I'll probably wait until I get a good bundle at a good price in the future. Or maybe getting some instruments through garage sales or something (provided they're all in working order - even if it's always a risk buying used). Most people trying to sell it new today are just completely insane with the prices. I've seen complete kits going over 2,000$ on Amazon Canada.
Thanks for the tips though. Cheers.
Re: Porting of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Being Handled By QLOC
@gortsi
That's why I mentionned "not being an order from a publisher or being funded by one". DmC wasn't an indie game from Ninja theory because it was commissionned by Capcom. So they were paid by Capcom to do it. So that game wasn't an indie game, of course. Heavenly Sword was funded by Sony so not an indie game either, but after that, Enslaved was developped by Ninja Theory, themselves, only published by Bandai Namco. It was a Ninja Theory game, not a Namco game.
Being published by a big studio doesn't negate the nature of an indie game. The "indie" term refers to game development, not distribution. The same way many independant movies end up being distributed by Sony, for instance.
When a company like Capcom, or Sony, or any other, pay a studio to develop a game for them, the game is done according to some defined specifications, needs to be approved, etc... It is thus not independently produced as the developper can't do what they want. When a company develop its own game, they do it like they want it to be done. Then, a publisher may want to pick it up for distruibution, but the game was still done independantly in the first place.
Indie doesn't relate to how big a game is. Or how much it cost to be done. It only means the game was done without influence or requests from an external (paying) source. It means the game wasn't done on commission for someone else. The game could've cost $10,000 to make or $1,000,000, or more, it doesn't matter.
Re: Porting of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Being Handled By QLOC
@MagnaRoader
As far as I know, before being acquired by Microsoft (after this game was done), Ninja Theory was an independant studio. The term "indie" doesn't have anything to do with how big or how close to a AAA production a game is. Indie means "independantly developped". Meaning not developped initially as an order from a publisher, or funded by one. An indie game can be created by the studio on their own, but then distributed by a big publisher who bought the distruibution rights. That would still make that game an indie game. Many big publishers are putting out indie productions.
If I'm not mistaken, Hellblade was created by Ninja Theory on their own. It is their product, published by themselves. Sony may have paid them for some timed exclusivity on the game, but this was their own game. So the term "independantly developped" still applies here. This is an indie game.
Re: Final Fantasy IX Is Out On Switch Right Now, Final Fantasy VII Launches 26th March
@Borngis
$21 is still high, but not as bad as $28 over here. And in Canada, it is $24 on Steam, but $28 on the Switch.
I would have less of a problem with the game being $21. Even if more or less the same in exchange rate, no one is getting their wages adjusted because our money is worth less, so to us Canadians, games are indeed pricier than what they used to be. Or we all earn less money now than we used to. However you look at it, games in Canada are costing a bigger chunk of our available money than they used to.
Not so long ago, games were priced practically the same here as in the US. And while games stayed more or less in that range in the US, now, a new release in Canada costs $80. And most other games are much pricier than before. But no one earns more to compensate. So to us, games are pricier than they used to, even if they are priced the "same" in terms of currency value.
So... $30 for a game made during the PS1 years, without much additions to it... no thanks. There are much better uses of my money than this.
Re: EA's Puzzle-Platformer Unravel Two Releases On The Switch eShop This March
Game looks fun, but still, I can't help but feel this continues to tell us that most big 3rd party publishers think Switch owners only want "cute" and/or "bite-sized" indie-like productions.
I understand the Switch may not be as powerful as the PS4 and XB1, but it's not so far behind in terms of performance to say it can't handle anything. Sometimes, some compromises have to be made (models, textures, framerate, etc...) but the Switch isn't an obscure and impossible platform to code for that would disrupt a chain of production in an extreme way. Especially when remasters of older games are considered. Games like the Burnout Paradise remaster would've been a great fit for the Switch library, given that it has almost zero high-profile racing game aside from Mario Kart 8. But no. EA probably think the game wouldn't sell because "Switch owners don't want these kind of games".
Re: Final Fantasy IX Is Out On Switch Right Now, Final Fantasy VII Launches 26th March
Will put in wishlist, will wait for a decent sale (not setting my hopes high though). I mean, it's $30 in Canada. For a PS1-era game. $30. Hahaha. No.
People like me aren't criticizing Switch game prices in themselves. It's not about the price. It's about the value of what you get for that price. Now, if this was a remake or a remaster that you feel lots of work actually went into, I don't think it would be a problem (as long as it's priced in the same price bracket as other versions of the same product available elsewhere - which is often not the case on Switch, but that's another subject).
An original game require tons of work to be done, with writters, artists, modelers, music composers, along with the teams responsible for most of the technical aspects (engine, programming, etc...). A port usually only require a couple of people adapting the code to work on another system, which costs almost nothing in comparison to developping a game from scratch.
At almost $30, a PS1 game with only slight improvements doesn't convey to me the feeling I'm getting my money's worth. It's not about the price, it's about value. A game like Zelda BotW is worth all of the $80 I paid for it. Same with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The $20 I paid for Lego City Undercover was nice. The $30 I paid for the Lego Harry Potter collection was bordering too much, but still, somewhat ok.
But there are games like Doom, which is still $80. vs about $25 everywhere else. Same for Skyrim. And countless other games on the Switch that are priced more (sometimes MUCH more) than on competing systems.
So it's not about the price. It's about the value you get for that price, on the Switch. And currently, the Switch is the platform where games are the priciest of all the current systems out there, on average. And when you constantly see the same games being sold for less everywhere else, it's hard to feel you're getting your money's worth. That's what most people complaining about prices are saying.
Re: Activision Blizzard Lays Off Hundreds Despite "Record Year", A Far Cry From Nintendo's Caring Approach
The problem is that gaming has become mainstream. Hear me out for a second...
Gaming is now considered a normal form of entertainment, just like music, movies and others. And like those, games simply started becoming "products" like any others. To the people running Activision, games don't matter. They could be selling vaccum cleaners, investors wouldn't care. To them. it's a product like any other. "Games" is simply a label to descibe the products they are making.
Truth is, most big companies out there are run like this. Shareholders don't care about what the company is producing. They care about their return on investment, about their shares going up, and not much else. They pay people like little Bobby here to make as much money as the company can, and if Bobby think they can make even more money than they did in their record year by laying off more people, then that's what going to happen.
Activision aren't making games anymore. They make commercial products like any other, that just happen to be games.
Exactly like most top 40 radio music is engineered and all sound the same. Exactly like most Hollywood movies out there that are made to mostly drive people to the theatre with spectacular CG and focus-group-voted happy endings.
You want real music that feels like music? You want a movie made with passion? You want games that were made by talented people who want to make the best game, not the best "commercial product"? You simply need to step out of the mainstream and look elsewhere.
It's just sad (and ironic) to see an icon like Activision, that was founded by disgruntled Atari programmers who wanted to be respected by their employer, turning out exactly like what the original founders were protesting against.
Re: Activision Is Offering Full Refunds To Guitar Hero Live Buyers In The US
@Kal_el_0724
Yeah, but I dont have my instruments anymore. I still have my music tracks backed up on USB keys somewhere (did that before selling my 360, just in case), but tracking down a set of instruments + the game has proven difficult. The all in one bundle with the game and instruments would've interested me, but last time I checked, people were asking north of $600 for it. Which is ridiculous.
And tracking down old instruments from garage sales or online sites... don't know. I'm picky about the condition they'd be in, and if there's no way to test them before buying... it may be risky...
I just regret having sold my old instruments.
Re: Activision Is Offering Full Refunds To Guitar Hero Live Buyers In The US
God, I miss Rock Band so much... I was a fool to actually sell all my RB stuff years ago... But then again, I moved from XB360 to PS4 (as back then the XB1 platform was a total joke), so all my RB stuff became useless, never thinking I would one day get an XB1.... and now that I have one (mainly as a multimedia playing machine), I miss that so much...
I still have Rocksmith though, on PC, but it isn't the same thing....
Re: Looks Like Assassin's Creed III Remastered Is Coming To Switch After All, According To Ubisoft's Website
Still puzzled that a n official "trilogy" of some sort isn't on the map. While the first game was "ok" (but still interesting), the second one was very good IMO. A bundle offering the first tree games would make sense and I would buy that for the Switch.
But then again, why release such a bundle when you can probably charge almost as much as a brand new release on the Switch (maybe a slight less), for that single game, right?
Re: Video: Dead Cells Developer Talks Future DLC, 60fps Target And More For Switch
Got this game as a gift on my XB1. Quite awesome game. I like it very much. Would love to play it on the Switch for when I'm away, but I'm waiting for a decent sale as the price for a roguelike like this, on the Switch, is a bit much over here ($35) for my tastes.
Re: Take-Two Says Civilization VI Sales "Significantly Exceeded Expectations", Excited To Support Switch In Future
XCOM 2 please.
If not XCOM 2, I'd settle for the complete XCOM 1. That's the only game I already bought 3 times on different platforms and would gladly buy it on another.
Re: Guide: Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games And Accessories For February And March
Already played X/X2 on the go through my old GPD Win, so not going to double dip for this one, especially with the second game being downloadable and the ridiculous price of $60 in Canada (bought the collection for less than $20 for my GPD Win).
As for Aragami, well... 50$ for a game I paid about $5 for on Steam.... even with DLC.... No thanks.
Monster Energy Supercross... that trainwreck of a title and design job for the cover art is at least good for a laugh, and does a good job of NOT making me want to buy this. Never played the first though so maybe it's good? Anyway, what a horrible cover art and logo.
Now, even if overpriced, Trial Rising might interest me, as is Shovel Knight and Mortal Kombat.
Dragon's Dogma and Lego Movie 2 may end up in my collection sooner, as their prices seems to be quite fair for what they are.
Re: Nearly Half Of All Switch Owners Have A Copy Of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@judaspete
Sorry I forgot about that one. But then, even if that's a great one, it is, like you mentionned, slightly niche. I'm talking more in terms of quality, truly great racing games with a more general appeal. Fast RMX could in theory fit the bill somewhat, but I don't see it as having the appeal of Mario Kart, or other franchises on other platforms, like Gran Turismo, Forza, or multiplatform ones like Need for Speed or Burnout.
I really feel like the Switch is truly lacking in that category. There are many "me-too" kart racers and the likes, and some "merely ok" attempts at offering something like Gear Club, and some niche ones that may be cool, but I see nothing that can truly rival the franchises mentionned. Apart from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In a way.
I had fun with Riptide GP renegade, but while fun, it's not stellar, and kind of shows its mobile game roots.
I'm dying for a more serious racing game on the Switch. I've been playing Forza Horizon 4 lately, and THAT is a stellar racing game I can spend dozens of hours in. If not hundreds. Even if a similar game would have inferior graphics on the Switch, it's the gameplay that counts. THAT would be one game I would be paying full price day one of release, if similar in tone and gameplay.
Re: Nearly Half Of All Switch Owners Have A Copy Of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Well, as far as polished, balanced and fun racing games, I don't feel I have a lot of options on the Switch, to be honest.
There are some decent offerings, but truly great ones? Well, there's Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and..... well.... hum.... let's see... nope. That's pretty much it.
Re: Darksiders: Warmastered Edition Launches Physically On Switch In April, Will Retail For $30
Well, it's actually cool to see a company selling remastered games or remakes on the Switch for less than full retail price ($80). At $40 (Canada), it is still steep for what the game is (you can get it for far less pretty much everywhere else, as with most 3rd party and indie games on the Switch), but it isn't too bad. If it was really $30 in Canada too, I would've probably bought it without hesitation.
But still, I'm glad some companies are raiding their back catalogue for titles to release on the Switch. Not everyone played those games when they were original released.
Re: Smash Ultimate Exceeds 12 Million Worldwide Sales, Top Ten Best-Selling Switch Games Revealed
I can't dispute how important Smash Bros. seems to be for the Switch, even if it's one of those "hugely popular game that I just don't get", even as a fan of fighting games. I must be the only one out there. Or part of a select club of "fighting game fans that don't like Smash Bros." lol!.
Re: Nintendo Reconfirms Switch Release Windows For Metroid, Pokémon, Animal Crossing And More
Only Animal Crossing will probably see me pay its full $80 price at release because that's a game I know all members of my family will enjoy playing for a long time, so even if pricey, will be somewhat worth it, I'm sure.
Very interested in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 and Luigi's Mansion 3, although I'll wait for them to go on sale (even if I know Nintendo rarely put their own games on sale, especially when it's their own IP)
Re: Game Developer Survey Shows That Nearly Half Of Devs Are Most Interested In The Switch
The problem I have with this is that most of these developpers aren't going to produce experiences that have a ton of production value. I don't hate indies, in fact, I've been replaying some of them way too many times already (hey, Rogue Legacy!) because they're really really good, but I can't live on indies alone. And even AAA publishers like Ubisoft and EA seeems to think that all Switch owner want is indies and smaller productions.
And this kind of leads me, somewhat, to have a much higher appreciation of rereleases of old games from past generations than I should have. I mean, right now, I find myself having more interests in older games that had good production values at the time, than modern ones feeling like experiences I could have on my mobile phone. Not saying the latter aren't fun, but I can't see myself having paid for a Switch to play smaller time wasters, as fun as they can be.
At least, Nintendo (and some third parties) are providing more substantial offerings, but these aren't coming fast enough for my tastes.
Re: Open-World Adventure Windscape Is An Homage To Zelda, And It Arrives On Switch This March
As much as I usually like this type of art style, this one has me torn between "nice" and "lacks finesse". Like, it has the "style", but seems to lack some form of general art direction to it.
I can't tell if this art style was done on purpose, or done because they weren't able to do any better. Feels a bit like graphics you'd find in a cheap tablet-based RPG from a small developper trying to convince people it's Skyrim or Zelda for tablets. Not saying that's the case, but from what I've seen of this trailer, it doesn't really make a good job of making me want to buy it. I don't sense any distinct "personality" to this game from the trailer. Maybe that's just me.
I'm curious about it, but not much than that.
Definitely will wait for reviews. If it gets good ones, maybe I'll try it, if the price is decent (not a usual trend on the Switch - at least in Canada).