Comments 45

Re: Soapbox: Why Websites Don’t Need to Give a Game a Review Score (and Probably Shouldn’t)

acegibbo

Brilliant article, especially as I want to get into games journalism myself! I feel that it is the content of the review that is most critical (naturally), and that it is mostly the consumer's fault if they do not read the whole article and go straight to the score, because they need to see if they themselves will enjoy it.

Take Star Fox Zero. It has mixed scores and reviews, because it is a decisive game. If you read a review of the game, you should be able to notice that the controls are the big glaring problem. Some impact a reviewer's score more than others, but if you notice that there is potential for a really fun shoot-'em-up, and don't give much of a toss for the controls (or at least you feel you can adapt to them), then the game may be on your 'radar', so to speak, of games the get.

At the end of the day, if I do end up writing a proper games site in the future, I don't mind if we do score games or not. I feel that a score does allow for an overall feel for the game. But then again sometimes I have had a hard time giving a game a certain score (Splatoon being my prime example). Either way I feel that it is within the consumer to dig a little deeper to make sure they want to get it. Even if the game has got 95+ scores across the board, you are doing yourself a disservice for not ensuring you want to get this game, in addition to the reviewer themselves, who spent a good while just so they can inform people of what the game is and if it is worth playing.

Re: Editorial: Nintendo Should Shamelessly Exploit Its IPs to the Full

acegibbo

Great article, and I certainly agree with what you're saying! If Nintendo were to make more anime adaptations (like The Battle Begins) like Kimishima promised, I feel it could spark a lot more conversation in the gaming community as a whole. Personally, I'd over to see them become more involved with outside projects too, like Wreck-It Ralph 2 (especially as I loved the first one!). And maybe get more recognition for newer or lesser known IPs too, like Splatoon and Fire Emblem.

Re: Talking Point: The Time is Right for a Nintendo Direct

acegibbo

I would love Arino from GameCenter CX to come on. I have always found him to be a charming guy that's passionate about games, and has appeared on the official Nintendo Japan YouTube channel a good amount of times. We certainly need one right now, as buzz and excitement is dropping. Only slightly, however. But still, Nintendo needs to bring up more hype in preparation for E3.

Re: Soapbox: Bayonetta Deserves to be in Super Smash Bros.

acegibbo

I have found Bayonetta to be a truly distinct character in Smash Bros., both in terms of a fighter and her combo game, as well as her character and 'sexyness' that comes with it. Plus, she was apprently the most voted in the Smash Ballot, and is actually a reasonable candidate, so why shouldn't she be in?

Re: Tatsumi Kimishima Places the Emphasis on Young Staff and Targeting Consumers Beyond Games

acegibbo

@zool I wouldn't say that they're failing, per se. Look at how well Splatoon is doing. For what has been called a kid's version of Call of Duty, which is true to some extent, it has managed to sell over 4 million units, almost as much as Smash Bros., which would have been a fair mix of both children and adults. They just need to recapture the casual audience that loved the Wii, and show the core gamers that there's more to the company than just Mario and Pokémon.
As for the Kimishima quote, I wouldn't say that it is insulting. It shouldn't be surprising that the majority that play games regularly are male, and I would say there are more grown-up players than children nowadays, as children now use smart phones and tablets to play games. By reaching out to both demographics, Nintendo will be able to bring in more gamers, which will, in turn, result in more units being sold. Animal Crossing is a great example in my opinion.

Re: Tatsumi Kimishima Places the Emphasis on Young Staff and Targeting Consumers Beyond Games

acegibbo

A younger generation of Nintendo creators and employees is key to Nintendo, as they would be the successors to great game designers like Shigeru Miyamoto and Masahiro Sakurai when they go. As for reaching out to a younger audience, it is again a key goal. I was introduced to Nintendo, or started to become more well known with it as a company when I was eight, and even with modern and mature gaming, I still stick to Nintendo primarily, despite all of my friends opting for PlayStation. Being introduced to the world of Nintendo early on, possibly beyond just Mario and Pokémon, can really have that impact. However, if they focus too much on this specific demographic, they're at risk at losing a much older audience, which they are unfortunately facing right now.

Re: Rumour: Details of amiibo Features in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Emerge

acegibbo

I personally find the use of the Wolf Link amiibo quite cool, and I think this is one of the better examples of how amiibo should be used. As for the other Zelda amiibo, I've kind of come to expect that in all honestly. Good help for those who want or need it, but is near-meaningless for those who want to play the game in its original form. Plus, isn't the Ganondorf figure basically just Hero Mode, in one way or another?

Re: Poll: Are You Optimistic About Nintendo's 2016?

acegibbo

I think they've got this year in the bag! If 2015 was decent, it is because Nintendo was just keeping a lot of stuff for this year (so to speak)! And as they've learned the mistakes with the Wii U, NX is gonna be a beast! Three Zeldas, Fire Emblem, last batch of Smash DLC, Star Fox, possibly a new console and Mario, in addition to various ventures in different markets! This year's going to be both one of interest and fun!

Re: Oculus Founder Palmer Luckey Believes Virtual Boy "Hurt" the VR Industry, But It's Not All Bad

acegibbo

I don't think VR will take off greatly, and I really hope this will be the case. Whilst the tech is very impressive and even innovative, its price point at $600, and the fact that only a small 1% of PCs can handle the power of the Oculus, will not make it a mainstream gaming platform like consoles or PC. Other consoles have been able to do well because they're accessible to anyone that has a TV in their house, and that's it. The set-up for this seems to be a bit more complicated for the audience that casually plays games (which does make up a part of the industry, obviously).
Other than that, whenever I see videos of people playing with VR in a typical setting (i.e: sitting room, games room, whatever), I actually cringe. It just looks so abnormal and weird and at times goofy. Sure I'd be having a blast playing with the thing if I had the opportunity, but I would much rather the traditional set-up of a controller in my hands, sitting comfortably in my couch, and the action on the screen, which can be just as immersive as having my entire eyes practically glued to a screen.

Re: Talking Point: Nintendo Can Exploit Its Rich History With More Remasters

acegibbo

It's a matter of the correct game and the correct time. The Metroid Prime Trilogy HD would be a great idea to build interest for Nintendo fans to get the NX, and introduce new fans to the franchise before a possible installment in the series. But at the same time, it needs to be something that takes full advantage of what the new console can do other than enhanced graphics. Wind Waker HD is the best example as it integrated the new visual power of the Wii U as well as the GamePad.
But the trouble with possibly leaving it to be developed by outside companies worries me. Twilight Princess HD does not look very HD in my opinion. Sure it seems sharpened up from what I've seen of the original, but it didn't get that overhaul Wind Waker's remake got. Nevertheless, I think it still has the potential to be an improvement, which will be welcoming for newcomers to that game like myself.
I would love more remasters and stuff, but only in the right hands, and when it's most suitable (sorry for the long comment).

Re: Review: LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (3DS)

acegibbo

Well, I love the Inazuma Eleven franchise, and have heard about franchise in the anime (mainly the movie and some ads), so I'm very interested in what it has to offer. It will make a good 3DS game for my birthday, hopefully!

Re: Splatoon eSports Tournament Series To Be Launched In Japan

acegibbo

@DarthNocturnal Not at all! I just feel Ranked Battles are more eSports worthy than Turf Wars due to their more competitive nature. If it is Turf War, I'm completely fine, and I'm ecstatic to see Splatoon in the eSports scene. Please don't mistake this for 'Stop having fun'.

Re: Splatoon eSports Tournament Series To Be Launched In Japan

acegibbo

I really hope it will be ranked rather than turf wars. Turf Wars are too much fun and casual to be competitive. Ranked modes are much more competitive and teamwork based. But all in all, it's good to see a high level competitive game much like Smash Bros. from Nintendo.

Re: Feature: Five Key Moments from Nintendo's E3

acegibbo

I still relatively enjoyed E3 this year, but I wasn't excited. Only a handful of games actually have me pumped up a lot (Mario and Luigi, Fire Emblem, and honestly SMT X FE), and some look good (Star Fox and Tri Force Heroes), but then the rest were like 'meh titles. Though amiibo Festival was the worst.
But yeah, they kicked off strongly with Smash and the NWC, so if they do the same format, albeit with an actual conference for NX's unveiling, I'm already super excited for E3 2016!

Re: Nintendo Is A Slave To Its Past Success, Says Gearbox President Randy Pitchford

acegibbo

@OneBagTravel I agree with you. Nintendo manages to make games from existing IPs and still make them look fresh, at least most of the times, and we need companies like this in the industry.
It can be really hard for Nintendo to bring out new franchises when they have a hefty catalogue of IPs under their belt. In order to get new customers, they need to up their marketing. That's why Splatoon has been able to do great, and quite frankly, it is the reason the PS4 and Xbox One are doing well.

Re: Review: Splatoon (Wii U)

acegibbo

@TreesenHauser from what I've seen there seems to be a lot on offer from launch. New stuff will be added over time, and I'm thinking about every week, if not every two weeks. I don't think waiting until August for just two match-making options with friends is the best way to go, but by this point there will be TONS more on offer.

Re: Nintendo Classics in the Running for Inaugural World Video Game Hall of Fame Honour  

acegibbo

I find it annoying that just because games are popular means it should make it into the Hall of Fame. Mario Bros. should win, not because I'm a Nintendo fanboy, but because it SAVED the industry. Without it, the industry may not still be around, or at least to the scale it has become.
I literally have no idea how Minecraft could be on here. Angry Birds is just the tiniest amount plausible as that launched the mobile phone game industry, but just because Minecraft has become popular in recent years doesn't mean it should be in the hall of fame.

Re: Poll: Is Splatoon a Blockbuster That'll Help Revive the Wii U?

acegibbo

I'm really looking forward, and in terms of critics, it will do quite well. And if Nintendo market it right, it can sell, possibly more hardware as well. I mean, if they can do it for Mario Party 10, they should be able to do it here. And whilst I don't care about lack of voice chat, I think it is important. To myself, it is no game-breaker or anything, as I will just use Skype to talk to friends. But without voice chat, I fear that the typical customer will go away, just because it is a feature in every other game.
Say if I had a friend who plays shooters regularly. And I tell him about Splatoon. He says that it seems quite interesting to him. He then asks 'will this have voice chat?' and I reply 'No'. Near immediately, this draws him away, and despite this ONE little feature, he is no longer interested. I'm afraid this will happen with everybody as they don't look deeper into what makes this game great.