brakeman90

@Dimjimmer So I booted it up on PS3 and it looks like I was wrong! Exploration occurs at 60fps in the original, though it looks like battle scenes (which feature polygonal geometry) animate at 30fps in the original. Which makes it quite lame that the Switch version is 30. Whyyyy can't studios get games to run on Switch as well as they did 25+ years ago

(I'll be buying the remaster on Steam Deck)

@GravyThief My recollection from playing some Suikoden 2 a few years ago - supported by a browse on YouTube - is that the original ran at 30fps, which was standard for the PSX (albeit a step down from most SNES games' performance). With that in mind, I'm not disappointed in the remaster framerate like I was in the performance of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door or the MGS Collection.

@GameOtaku I go back and forth, tbh. My initial opinion when the service launched was that I'd prefer to buy and own individual games (a la Virtual Console). As time has gone on, though, I've found value in being able to play weird, surprising titles that I'd never have individually paid money for! I think a model like Xbox Game Pass or the PlayStation retro offerings would be better: a flat monthly rate to play the entire catalog, with access cut off when you unsubscribe, as well as an opportunity to purchase and download permanently any games that you end up really loving. It can be done, so I don't think it's too much to ask for.

@John_Deacon Exactly - I wouldn't be a subscriber without the retro catalog, as I never play games online. Nintendo tied the two services together, so we should regard them as coequal elements of NSO.

Well this sounds perfect for me! I'll be buying ASAP.

That's great to hear! This was my favorite Xenoblade game, so I was already glad to see it getting a new lease on life - the improved art direction, combat mechanics, and UI are the cherry on top. I'll definitely be buying this Day One (barring some silly issue like an incomplete build on cart).

@John_Deacon My preliminary review is very positive! The slider is actually very customizable, allowing you to make the screen transitions slower and more natural or revert to the PSX-style instant transition from one shot to the next. I found that the latter entirely alleviates my motion sickness, but some folks may find the former just as good. HOORAY!!!

That's wonderful news! My wife got this for me for Xmas, but the camera transitions gave me terrible motion sickness so I had to hold off on playing any more. I'll report back to confirm if this fix cures that issue, as I'm sure I'm not the only person affected.

@the_beaver Yes - you should be able to download it during this period if you've already purchased it.

The fact that small font size and poor framerate exist in a 2.5D tactics game is emblematic of why I rarely buy multiplatform releases on Switch at this point; should've been a slam dunk, but I assume studios target Switch as an afterthought.

It's very impressive (and runs like a gem on Steam Deck), but I've been struck by how much motion sickness I get from it. I'd have thought the lower frame rate of the original would produce that effect, but the higher frame rate of the PC version actually causes much more trouble. As for why, I have no idea.

@Orpheus79V Agreed - I'm sad there's not more of the old PS3-era catalog, but I have been impressed by the recent emulation on the PS5 (and the Switch for that matter). We may finally be exiting the legacy content dark ages of the late 2010s and early 2020s, in favor of something more akin to the late 2000s. I certainly hope Nintendo follows Sony's lead and starts offering standalone, connection-free ways to access their older titles.

@LavenderShroud Starting with the first one, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, isn't a bad idea, as it's the simplest and still has engaging world design. My favorite is 2, but the battle system is pretty complex (sometimes unnecessarily so), so you might consider XC3 as one of the more accessible entries. All are good, though!

I'm confident that we'll be getting these remasters in 2025. Whether it's February, I feel less certain about, but that seems plausible.

This sounds entirely up my alley - thanks for the review!

@RupeeClock An "official statement" that starts with a lowercase letter certainly doesn't inspire confidence.

As a backer of this game, I'm disappointed in the publisher and satisfied with the devs' transparency. Hopefully they can find a better manufacturer soon.

Cool, another game with ridiculously small text size, ugh. I was really looking forward to this, but I'll be skipping it as a primarily handheld player. I don't understand why we could produce games with good text sizes on the GB, GBA, and DS, but now we can't.

@Zeebor15 That's fascinating!

Hey, keep 'em coming as long as the performance is good on Switch - I do get bummed when games don't run as well as their original outings (looking at you, Metal Gear Solid 2). As for hopes on those first-party Gamecube and 3DS remasters... I guess I'll keep my fingers crossed for Metroid Prime 2 and Kid Icarus Uprising!

Aw, that's a really nice ad - I'll have to check out Raye too. I'm an aging millennial who's pretty out of touch with modern music, but her work sounds right up my alley!

Whoa, that's awesome! Hadn't heard about this game, but I'll definitely be picking it up after work. A Genesis-style platformer made by one of the best 2D studios set in one of my favorite shows? Be still my heart.

How is the text size in this game for portable mode? It was almost impossible to read some of the text in the original game on Switch.

Great review, as it highlights how the game will be received by folks with very different interests; I'd be bummed if I was in it for the multiplayer, but I'll pick it up since I strictly play these games single-player. Thanks as well for confirming framerate, since I really prefer fast action games and platformers at 60fps!

Love this article! Sounds like Fran is doing a great job making Playtonic a good place to work.

Too cool! I'll pick it up this weekend.

Rad as heck - I'm seeing echoes of Radiata Stories and Bravely Default, though it looks entirely unique.

Excellent! I think The Sphere Hunter (Suzi) also contributed her voice to this game, which is a cool detail. I'll be buying this Day One.

Just a quick note that may be worth adding to the updated text for this news - Yggdra Union did get an English localization on Switch late last year. Hopefully the same will be true for Riviera!

Very lame - I'd have loved to get a cartridge with all the content included, but will be skipping this. Download-required physical media is a joke.

@samuelvictor Thanks for posting this - I'd like a physical copy for posterity, but I wasn't sure if it was too rough before the patch. I'll be picking it up now thanks to you!

@Axecon Agreed - I've been a subscriber for years and love that magazine!

I would pay any price for a Paper Mario: Color Splash vinyl set - that may be my single favorite Nintendo soundtrack! So many good ones though.

Liking the look of this update - the Final Fantasy remasters have all been pretty rough so I'm glad to see SE giving the option to turn off the updated fonts and graphics. Like the N64, I don't tend to think PSX stuff looks great when upscaled to 1080p, especially when their original SD prerendered backgrounds are the only extant art available.

All of that said, I saw folks here in the comments indicating that this game runs at 60fps. That certainly wasn't the case in the original release and the trailer footage for the remaster is similarly running at 30fps. Most of SE's original source code from this era is lost, so upgrading past the original game's framerate is generally impossible since all animations are locked to that in the only still-existing ROMs. Is there any other information that suggests the remaster is running at 60fps?

Definitely hoping for a new/remade Fire Emblem. Anything else is a bonus!

I've loved these journal entries! I bounced off the Vita version of the game last year, so it's been really great to live it vicariously through you and, frankly, get more out of your interpretation/analysis than I likely would have from my own observations. Thanks!

Just backed it! I'm really pumped to get that GBA cart to play on my Gamecube

This looks amazing! I'll pick it up on Switch since I don't have original GBA hardware anymore, but I might grab a physical cart just in case I grab a GBA in the future.

This has made my day. Good-Feel is solid all around and I don't think there's any other studio I'd trust more with a spiritual successor to Goemon. Not least because of their president's career background! Can't wait for 2021.

Glad to see more attention coming to this tangled series. I had a heck of a time finding good sources in it when writing a article on its history last year (https://the-avocado.org/2019/05/03/franchise-festival-53-crazy-castle/) so I know how hard this piece was to write. Jeremy Parish's video is a great piece of work!

This is AMAZING. Effectively every last thing I really wanted from Mario Maker after they added slopes in the SMM2. So grateful for this.

His statement on updates doesn't seem unreasonable to me. This is the nature of Kickstarter. There's no reason to believe that the project is dead.

Holy crap, this actually sounds very cool. Looking forward to reviews.

As a person who sometimes struggles with small text on the Switch, I found Panic Button's work on Torchlight perfect. To be honest I think the UI is a little stronger here than that in Diablo III (which is itself an admirable translation to the small screen). Weird that Nintendo themselves messed this up with the first party Fire Emblem 3 Houses - the only thing marring that otherwise extraordinary game - while Panic Button stuck the landing.

@Kalmaro I recall it being reported that - at least on Switch - it runs at 30fps. Which, given that BotW and Dark Souls both run at that framerate, feels reasonable. (and I say this as a guy who prefers 60, don't get me wrong)

I remain excited for this one, as the Reddit AMA that Amplify did last week was very promising. The comparisons are attractive too, though Dark Souls comparisons (and a Git Gud sticker in this video) do make me nervous about gatekeepy punishing difficulty that lacks the carefully honed fairness of that in/famous franchise. The clips all look great, so I'm eagerly awaiting early reviews.

Bought Doom and Doom II last night based on the update. The login thing was ridiculous but I'm glad it's been (mostly) resolved.

I am glad to hear that the login will be optional and will be buying once the requirement is removed. All I want is portable Doom, not membership in some account program.

Glad I didn't buy these yet. Not planning to pick them up until this weird issue is resolved. My $5 should be enough to get me access to the game - not some weird account that I'm not interested in.

@leo13 Good call.