@peeks I have the 3DS version and I'd go back to the N64 version for one reason - Zora swimming. Two main issues with it in the 3DS, one is speed. I understand why they changed and slowed it down but it just does not feel as graceful and powerful as in the original and you don't get that feeling of being an awesome Zora. And the second main reason is that there is no option whatsoever to invert the Y-axis controls. In the original the Y-axis was inverted with swimming, in the 3DS it is not and there's no option to change it and as much as I try it just doesn't feel right and I can't get used to it and it's very uncomfortable. Actually stopped playing the 3DS remake after a couple of hours as a Zora. Was really enjoying it up until that point.
Really excited for this! Harvest Moon: A New Beginning was my return to the series since the last one I played before then was 64, and man was ANB so much fun! Then the first Story of Seasons came along, and I've put in almost 80 hours, even while getting into Stardew Valley (which is quite lovely). Really, really, REALLY looking forward to Trio of Towns!
@CharlieSmile It's not just about showing skin for sake of virtual titillation. It's about the idea that Western audiences shouldn't be allowed to see any hints of skin. It's about accepting a Japanese cultural product and recognizing how Japanese culture differs from ours. And it's about showing Nintendo that we don't want them messing with their games out of a misguided view of what Western audiences want and can or can't handle.
They didn't only alter costumes to hide skin, they also completely changed an entire dungeon where the entire theme of it in the Japanese version is completely lost in the Western release, to the point where it's a waste of space and a confusing and poorly implemented storyline. Conversations are changed in poor ways, etc. It's not just about skin. It's about changing dialogue, ages, entire story content, because they think a Western audience can't handle certain themes (beyond sexual ones). That's not okay.
This is awesome for all of you who were going to not buy this solely due to the censorship... DON'T IGNORE IT. Buy the game! And make it known you used the patch. Better chances of a great game getting a better sequel (just look at Atlus and their sequels, they consistently improve on what came before). If you wanted the game but wouldn't get it due to censorship, here's the perfect counterargument. Support the devs!
Why is everybody all "Paper Mario is the only Wii U game to carry us until the NX and Zelda"? There will certainly be at least a few more games for the Wii U before Nintendo stops supporting it, not to mention there's a ton of new indie games coming out for the system seemingly every month, and a nice lineup for the second half of 2016. Don't forget the Virtual Console either, and have you really played every Wii U game there is and there isn't even one that you can pick up and play again? Games like Smash Bros. are pretty much evergreen, you can play that for forever and it's a blast. Hyrule Warriors is getting BRAND NEW CONTENT in the form of DLC throughout the rest of this year. Splatoon is still going so strong. Mario Kart 8 has a robust online community. If single-player is your thing, there are tons of platformers - have you played them all? Have you unlocked everything in them? What about RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles? speaking of RPGs, Toko Mirage Sessions comes out in one week and that could carry plenty of people for a long time.
This is the perfect time to catch up on games you missed out on earlier in the game's life, to browse the eshop and discover awesome indie titles (there are SO MANY GREAT ONES on the Wii U), and finally get to play an old classic you never could through the Virtual Console. If you really have absolutely NOTHING worth playing on the wii U right now, then no number of new games will keep you satisfied, really. And you may have lost the fun of gaming in general.
@Kohaku Bringing Pokemon games to console is not up to Nintendo, it's up to Gamefreak ultimately and they have repeatedly stated that they don't want to. The main reasons likely being Pokemon is about socializing and engaging in it with your friends more than the competitive side of things, and especially in Japan that comes through much stronger with handhelds. Plus, development budgets for HD projects have got to be much bigger, so I'm sure they're worried about spending much more money on a project that may or may not succeed.
As for JRPGs, there's Xenoblade Chronicle X which released recently (though that has a Western feel to it, it's kind of a blend of the two styles) and Tokyo Mirage Sessions comes out in a week, which is very Persona-like in its style and gameplay. Beyond that, there are a few decent indie JRPGs and the Virtual Console has a lot of great classics.
What people are missing with comparisons to the Wii is that the Wii wasn't just successful due to accessibility and affordability - it was successful because it brought people together. VR can't do that, not without multiple headsets, and that adds up. VR, because of its focus on immersion, during the game experience, pushes people apart. I don't see VR being a Wii-level seller, even if Nintendo does it and knocks it out of the park in terms of quality and affordability.
I wish people would spend less time making fan games, and take those ideas and coding/programming/art/level design abilities to make their own original games. There's no benefit from making a fan game - you cannot profit off of your hard work in any way, and it has a big chance of being shut down completely. Why risk that when you can make something original?
As far as bringing swearing and horror and mature themes into Pokemon, no. Just don't. There are games and worlds where that works. Pokemon is not one. They have some neat ideas for gameplay balance and the formula, but again - better to use that stuff in your own game, rather than a fan game. Fan games can be neat, but they are ultimately a completely waste of time and talent, and it's always disappointing to see potential game designers wasting away on them (especially when they almost never turn out even sniffing at the quality of the games they're based on)
INCREDIBLE game. I remember when they showed it off on Treehouse Live at E3 20...14? Or was it 2015? My gut tells me 2014. Anyway. I LOVED it then and couldn't wait for it to come out! It's been a total blast, incredibly unique game but in the best ways where everything is tremendously well implemented and executed. The controls are fantastic, the visuals are lovely, the music is great, it's just a tremendous experience
The dream of "objectivity" in reviews is nonsensical and silly. Everyone experiences different things in video games and other forms of entertainment and art. You can try and distill elements like visuals, sound design, art direction, gameplay, controls, content, etc. into standardized, objective measuring systems, but you'll never be correct. You'll always be jaded by your own desires and opinions, and no one single system for grading visuals or controls can ever fit all audiences.
This, I think, is the reason why reviews are starting to abandon a scoring system. Delve in-depth into what the game is, analyze its systems, show off footage and gameplay, and give your own recommendation while being honest about what the game is and let viewers/readers decide for themselves. Different people see different things in games in a different light. We have to recognize that entertainment and art are not objective mediums no matter how much we want them to be. The truth is that, to paraphrase The Little Prince, we cannot see everything correctly with our eyes alone - we need to see things with the heart, too. And everyone's heart will be spoken to differently by different experiences.
I was going to say Final Fantasy Explorers - and then I saw the PopoloCrois game. Never heard of it... then I saw Story of Seasons in the title. WHAT? I love that game!!! So I looked into it, read about it, and OH MY STARS I'M IN LOVE
Return to Popolocrois is my most hyped game, 3DS or anything else, of the year now
Comments 61
Re: Review: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Wii U / N64)
@peeks I have the 3DS version and I'd go back to the N64 version for one reason - Zora swimming. Two main issues with it in the 3DS, one is speed. I understand why they changed and slowed it down but it just does not feel as graceful and powerful as in the original and you don't get that feeling of being an awesome Zora. And the second main reason is that there is no option whatsoever to invert the Y-axis controls. In the original the Y-axis was inverted with swimming, in the 3DS it is not and there's no option to change it and as much as I try it just doesn't feel right and I can't get used to it and it's very uncomfortable. Actually stopped playing the 3DS remake after a couple of hours as a Zora. Was really enjoying it up until that point.
Re: Interview: Yoshifumi Hashimoto talks us through Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns
Really excited for this! Harvest Moon: A New Beginning was my return to the series since the last one I played before then was 64, and man was ANB so much fun! Then the first Story of Seasons came along, and I've put in almost 80 hours, even while getting into Stardew Valley (which is quite lovely). Really, really, REALLY looking forward to Trio of Towns!
Re: Fans Create Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Patch Which Uncensors Western Censorship
@CharlieSmile It's not just about showing skin for sake of virtual titillation. It's about the idea that Western audiences shouldn't be allowed to see any hints of skin. It's about accepting a Japanese cultural product and recognizing how Japanese culture differs from ours. And it's about showing Nintendo that we don't want them messing with their games out of a misguided view of what Western audiences want and can or can't handle.
They didn't only alter costumes to hide skin, they also completely changed an entire dungeon where the entire theme of it in the Japanese version is completely lost in the Western release, to the point where it's a waste of space and a confusing and poorly implemented storyline. Conversations are changed in poor ways, etc. It's not just about skin. It's about changing dialogue, ages, entire story content, because they think a Western audience can't handle certain themes (beyond sexual ones). That's not okay.
Re: Fans Create Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Patch Which Uncensors Western Censorship
This is awesome for all of you who were going to not buy this solely due to the censorship... DON'T IGNORE IT. Buy the game! And make it known you used the patch. Better chances of a great game getting a better sequel (just look at Atlus and their sequels, they consistently improve on what came before). If you wanted the game but wouldn't get it due to censorship, here's the perfect counterargument. Support the devs!
Re: Editorial: Nintendo Did A Solid Job at E3 2016, But That Didn't Ease Long-Term Concerns
Why is everybody all "Paper Mario is the only Wii U game to carry us until the NX and Zelda"? There will certainly be at least a few more games for the Wii U before Nintendo stops supporting it, not to mention there's a ton of new indie games coming out for the system seemingly every month, and a nice lineup for the second half of 2016. Don't forget the Virtual Console either, and have you really played every Wii U game there is and there isn't even one that you can pick up and play again? Games like Smash Bros. are pretty much evergreen, you can play that for forever and it's a blast. Hyrule Warriors is getting BRAND NEW CONTENT in the form of DLC throughout the rest of this year. Splatoon is still going so strong. Mario Kart 8 has a robust online community. If single-player is your thing, there are tons of platformers - have you played them all? Have you unlocked everything in them? What about RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles? speaking of RPGs, Toko Mirage Sessions comes out in one week and that could carry plenty of people for a long time.
This is the perfect time to catch up on games you missed out on earlier in the game's life, to browse the eshop and discover awesome indie titles (there are SO MANY GREAT ONES on the Wii U), and finally get to play an old classic you never could through the Virtual Console. If you really have absolutely NOTHING worth playing on the wii U right now, then no number of new games will keep you satisfied, really. And you may have lost the fun of gaming in general.
Re: Editorial: Nintendo Did A Solid Job at E3 2016, But That Didn't Ease Long-Term Concerns
@Kohaku Bringing Pokemon games to console is not up to Nintendo, it's up to Gamefreak ultimately and they have repeatedly stated that they don't want to. The main reasons likely being Pokemon is about socializing and engaging in it with your friends more than the competitive side of things, and especially in Japan that comes through much stronger with handhelds. Plus, development budgets for HD projects have got to be much bigger, so I'm sure they're worried about spending much more money on a project that may or may not succeed.
As for JRPGs, there's Xenoblade Chronicle X which released recently (though that has a Western feel to it, it's kind of a blend of the two styles) and Tokyo Mirage Sessions comes out in a week, which is very Persona-like in its style and gameplay. Beyond that, there are a few decent indie JRPGs and the Virtual Console has a lot of great classics.
Re: Talking Point: Considering the Possibility of the Nintendo NX Having Virtual Reality Features
What people are missing with comparisons to the Wii is that the Wii wasn't just successful due to accessibility and affordability - it was successful because it brought people together. VR can't do that, not without multiple headsets, and that adds up. VR, because of its focus on immersion, during the game experience, pushes people apart. I don't see VR being a Wii-level seller, even if Nintendo does it and knocks it out of the park in terms of quality and affordability.
Re: Meet The Edgy And Mature Fan-Made Pokémon Game That Aims To "Fix" The Series
I wish people would spend less time making fan games, and take those ideas and coding/programming/art/level design abilities to make their own original games. There's no benefit from making a fan game - you cannot profit off of your hard work in any way, and it has a big chance of being shut down completely. Why risk that when you can make something original?
As far as bringing swearing and horror and mature themes into Pokemon, no. Just don't. There are games and worlds where that works. Pokemon is not one. They have some neat ideas for gameplay balance and the formula, but again - better to use that stuff in your own game, rather than a fan game. Fan games can be neat, but they are ultimately a completely waste of time and talent, and it's always disappointing to see potential game designers wasting away on them (especially when they almost never turn out even sniffing at the quality of the games they're based on)
Re: Exclusive: Learn More About the Affordable Space Adventures Soundtrack, Now Available for Free
INCREDIBLE game. I remember when they showed it off on Treehouse Live at E3 20...14? Or was it 2015? My gut tells me 2014. Anyway. I LOVED it then and couldn't wait for it to come out! It's been a total blast, incredibly unique game but in the best ways where everything is tremendously well implemented and executed. The controls are fantastic, the visuals are lovely, the music is great, it's just a tremendous experience
Re: Soapbox: Game Reviews Always Need a Final Score
The dream of "objectivity" in reviews is nonsensical and silly. Everyone experiences different things in video games and other forms of entertainment and art. You can try and distill elements like visuals, sound design, art direction, gameplay, controls, content, etc. into standardized, objective measuring systems, but you'll never be correct. You'll always be jaded by your own desires and opinions, and no one single system for grading visuals or controls can ever fit all audiences.
This, I think, is the reason why reviews are starting to abandon a scoring system. Delve in-depth into what the game is, analyze its systems, show off footage and gameplay, and give your own recommendation while being honest about what the game is and let viewers/readers decide for themselves. Different people see different things in games in a different light. We have to recognize that entertainment and art are not objective mediums no matter how much we want them to be. The truth is that, to paraphrase The Little Prince, we cannot see everything correctly with our eyes alone - we need to see things with the heart, too. And everyone's heart will be spoken to differently by different experiences.
Re: Feature: The Biggest 3DS Games of 2016
I was going to say Final Fantasy Explorers - and then I saw the PopoloCrois game. Never heard of it... then I saw Story of Seasons in the title. WHAT? I love that game!!! So I looked into it, read about it, and OH MY STARS I'M IN LOVE
Return to Popolocrois is my most hyped game, 3DS or anything else, of the year now