Smithicus

Smithicus

The clan tell tales of him...

Comments 544

Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom?

Smithicus

giving it 1 is a troll. I gave it 5 for being essentiall a BotW reskin. Shocked at how cut and paste it is with the BotW formula (opening section basically plateau, shrines to upgrade hearts/stamina wheel, Temples basically slightly easier Divine Beasts, memories, towers to open up map, the whole BotW survival/upgrade mechanics, etc, etc). Personally disappointed (massively), but glad others are enjoying.

Re: Sega Looks Set To Raise Its Game Prices Up To $70

Smithicus

@Pigeon well, its a tough situation. companies need to make cash but overall there is less cash to go around and people are poorer and more careful with their spendings. but for sure lol, SEGA are not making the best games in the world, but they still have enough of a fanboy sonic base to risk the increase.

Re: Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series Was Developed For Switch First

Smithicus

Remaster is solid, and fun games to play. Great way to play the OG, although i would say Klonoa 2 is more fun to play in terms of gameplay. Klonoa 1 has the better story though, which is surprisingly moving.

@EarthboundBenjy I have played a lot of Klonoa and Kirby, i wouldn't say it is massively like Kirby. The similarity is that yes, you use the enemies as a means of progression, but with Klonoa this just means grabbing them with the windring using them to leap off. It is a simple mechanic that can become surprisingly challenging (like in the bonus level that unlocks in the original). A colorful world like Kirby as well. but quite a different vibe overall.

Re: Feature: Nintendo eShop Selects - February 2023

Smithicus

Ten Dates, Fashion Police Squad, Power Wash Simulator.....

Maybe i am just an old fashioned traditionalist, but i feel like trash shovelware being the top choices in any list indicates something is not quite right with the gaming scene. I personally wish Nintendo would cultivate what they allow to release on their system, because there is such a barrage of trash comes through the eshop on a weekly basis, that 'Ten Dates' is considered a good title.

Re: Review: Elderand - Great, Gory Spritework, But A Merely Solid Metroidvania (Emphasis On The 'Vania)

Smithicus

@Ralizah Yeah, so SotN is a MetroidZelda, or a Metroid inspired game. Kind of weird that SotN used a Metroid based system and then got to have a million games use 'vania' in terms of a genre. Its like, 'well SotN done the Metroid system so well and merged it with the Castlevania system, that it gets equal standing in terms of a genre inspired game type'. Its really not even close to equal, it just utilised the Metroid model to great effect.

Re: Review: Elderand - Great, Gory Spritework, But A Merely Solid Metroidvania (Emphasis On The 'Vania)

Smithicus

the point stands that the term VANIA in all 'metroidvanias' is absurd in the extreme. the progress based on backtraking and getting items you couldnt previously get to progress in 2D format was popularised most by Super Metroid (not where it started though), and the Zelda franchise in general. With the GBA era Castlevania adopted the 'Metroid' mechanic for progress. There is really no need to have the term vania, unless it is supposed to convey 2-d side scrolling gothic theme action gameplay. The Metorid mechanic never, ever belonged to or originated with any Castlevania title.

Re: Feature: Best Nintendo Switch Ports Of 2022

Smithicus

absolute scandal you dont have Shadow Man Remastered in here Nintendo Life. That is one heck of a remaster. another Capcom fighting collection over the sheer effort that went into the Shadow Man master as a massive labor of love, restoring lost content and everything? You just went for the easy and lazy option here

Re: Review: Sonic Frontiers - A Bold But Ultimately Failed Attempt At Something New

Smithicus

I always feel with Sonic games (especially the 3D titles), it is more a fact that people desire to like these games from a kind of good-will toward the Sonic franchise, then they are actually good. Something about flying at hyper fast speeds is inherently incompatible with a 3D platforming world in an engaging and meaningful way. Even 2D Sonic titles are over-rated, and although had a great vibe, were never on the level of Mario titles. Sad to see this is another mis-direction of the franchise.

Re: Nintendo Direct Mini To Air Tomorrow, June 28

Smithicus

well, if they are doing a mini now, that means the major direct has so much content for Nintendo IP's they have to do that seperate. BotW2, Mario Odyssey 2, Metroid Prime 4 and Metroid Prime Trilogy Switch Edition here we come......

Re: AM2R Developers Reunite For Okami-Inspired Metroidvania 'Bo: Path Of The Teal Lotus'

Smithicus

it is trite and tedious by now, but i am recently getting bothered by the term Metroidvania. This has been gone over plenty, but it is really absurd that the 'vania' part is in there. Castlevanias didnt start doing the whole metroid backtracking item finding thing until the GBA castlevanias, where it basically implemented the Metroid model. it is just that the name works. Really it should be a Metroid-Zelda combo - but 'Zeldatroid', or 'Metelda' doesnt work too well....

Re: Feature: Inclusivity, Frogs, And Petting Dogs - Wholesome Games On What It Means To Be "Wholesome"

Smithicus

so i read through this, and the takeaway is that 'wholesome' is a purely subjective term without any objective, fixed or absolute basis. So wholesome, as a result, doesnt really mean anything at all. Well, it does, but what it means to one person, is just 'that persons opinion', and the next person can have an entirely different understanding of wholesome. So there is no shared ground or common/shared meaning the term denotes. That is all well and good, but then that means that the term is kinda meaningless (has no absolute and shared reference), which from what i read they might be happy with anyway.