@Fake-E-Lee I’m looking forward to Assault Android Cactus+ as well (as we’ve discussed). Maybe Hard West also.
OT: this week, I learned that the developers of NeuroVoider are co-developing a game called ScourgeBringer. Not out yet, but it has a Steam page and a Youtube video. I believe it is coming to consoles, but they haven’t yet said which ones. It has completely different mechanics than NeuroVoider, but looks appealing to me: a 2D side-on platformers with very rapid combat. Pacing and aesthetics reminiscent of Hyper Light Drifter, IMO.
I enjoyed this on PS4. As with many rogue-lites, I repeatedly hit a skills plateau, but enjoyed the challenge nonetheless.
When the developer previously released the mobile-adapted, freemium version (Variant S) on the Switch, I was very disappointed. Really not a similar experience at all. My guess (not based on any hard data) is that the developer and/or publisher didn’t get much traction from that release on the Switch, and so is now trying again with a port of the original.
I am very tempted to pick this up, as I like the game & rarely use the PS4 now. The portable form factor of the Switch fits my life these days.
@SwitchVogel That was an excellent review you wrote for Ape Out. I haven’t played it yet, but your text conveys the experience with great clarity. Extra points for use of the term “improvisational” — it’s a great term to describe both the gameplay and the music.
Really seems like my kind of game; I’ll likely pick it up shortly.
@Jokerwolf I also preferred TJ&E2 to the first game. Seemed to have more structure to it, while also having lots of zaniness, color, and variety. For some odd reason, the “judging fungus” of TJ&E2 remains in my memory after all these years.
Still intrigued about the new TJ&E, though, as I’ve developed a fondness for rogue-lites during the last few generations. For me, Spelunky and Shiren (DS) were influential in that regard.
@Fake-E-Lee Given our similar preferences, I think you just convinced me to buy this... at some point. My backlog is unconscionable.
I’m not even focused on other new games. Given the recent Dead Cells update, I’m now plowing more time into that one (think I’m around 150 hrs by now). Not much new content, but the re-balancing seems legit. Maybe I’ll finally get the 3rd and 4th boss cells... or at least enjoy trying!
@Fake-E-Lee Our taste in games is very similar! I’m also looking forward to playing all three games you mentioned in your first post (X-Morph, RemiLore, Assault Android Cactus), the last of which I’ve already enjoyed on PS4. And I also like NeuroVoider which I know is one of your favorites.
Beyond that, I picked up Front Line as a nostalgia trip. I recall playing it in arcades in the early 80s. Always liked it, but never was very good at the game. I can’t say it holds up perfectly — but after tweaking the controls, I was able to beat the first boss, which is something of a triumph in this game, at least for me!
For what it’s worth, ACG (a very through and articulate reviewer) gave this a favorable review a few years ago. And 77% of the Steam reviews are positive (n=2206).
@rjejr “Can't go wrong with cows.” Words to live by.
I like your characterization of Yoshi being on the easy side, DK more difficult, and Mario in the middle.
FWIW, Jim Sterling often makes the point that Kirby games generally appear easy for basic completion, but are more challenging if you go for 100%. I think this applies to many Yoshi games as well. I attained 100% on the SNES Yoshi’s World, which was not a simple task!
Elevator Action Returns is indeed a total blast to play. That said, it has a very different feel than the original Elevator Action. EA Returns was released for the Sega Saturn (I think it was a Japan-only release), but also is in one of the Taito Classics volumes for PS2, I believe.
In the Saturn version of EA Returns, there is a cheat code to unlock the original EA. What a great bonus. I don’t recall whether that’s also in the PS2 compilation.
There was another follow-up to a Elevator Action on the PS3, IIRC. It had 3D visuals but still 2D gameplay. Tried it briefly, seemed too slow-moving for my taste, much slower than the original. I’m not opposed to 3D graphics per se, but in this case they really added nothing & seemed to completely drag the pacing.
@MeloMan Strikey Sisters is also on Steam; I played it briefly, seems like a fun time. That developer (DYA Games) has a few other games out, one of which I think is outstanding: Bot Vice.
I believe Bot Vice is only on Steam currently. It would be a fantastic fit for the Switch. Hard to describe accurately, but think of a single-screen, top-town version of Sin & Punishment. Or just look up some photos. Like S&P, move and aim (somewhat) independently, flip through weapons, and dodge like there’s no tomorrow. One of those games that require constant attention, but is so gratifying in terms of challenge, variety, audiovisual aesthetics, and cheesy humor.
“Hidden gem” is easy to say and perhaps overused, but I think it’s exactly the right term for Bot Vice. Hope that the release of Strikey Sisters means that this & other DYA titles are coming later to the Switch!
(Edit) I just checked Steam, and the dev left an update stating he is indeed porting Bot Vice to Switch! Also, he is the dev for Viviette, which released on Switch a couple of months ago.
@Shiryu Speaking of Irem games, I would love to see In The Hunt come over to the Switch as well. In any case, it’s encouraging t see Hamster get into the Irem catalog.
OT: lately I have been playing Super Hydorah - I am curious what you think of that one. Personally, I’m very impressed with what Locomalito created there. Very cohesive, IMO.
Played the first level of the demo. Nice for a first level; super easy, but I expect (hope) later levels will ramp up the challenge somewhat. I do like the targeting of background/foreground objects.
Moving into the screen at right angles, on a predefined path, reminds me of “Bug!” for Sega Saturn. I liked that game.
@CaPPa I really enjoyed Tokyo Jungle as well. Gets the award for best in-game use of a Pomeranian. Kidding aside, very compelling game; challenging & lots of fun.
This game seems entirely different to me, though, despite the similar setting. Will have to see what they reveal later.
@rjejr I personally enjoyed Tumbleseed a lot, but yes it is extremely difficult. I got very close to the end a few times, but never quite got there. Still, I enjoyed the challenge.
The update made it a wee bit simpler to access some upgrades, and added a few stage-specific play modes — but really did not change the core difficulty IMO. I believe it is a unique game with its control scheme and procedural layouts — but if you are not up for many failures and re-retries, this might not be the game for you.
Marble It Up, while it might not have the motion controls you’d like to see, is far more accessible. Some levels are more challenging than others, but overall the difficulty curve is quite reasonable. Fundamentally, a very different type of game than Tumbleseed; Marble It Up is more conventional in its approach, although it does show cleverness and creativity in its level designs.
@BenAV @Leuke FYI, Tangledeep released a year ago on Steam. Of the 383 user reviews on Steam, 89% are positive. If NL or other sites don’t review the Switch version, you might want to peruse that resource.
@BenAV I respect that you might skip the demo. Similarly, I usually avoid watching extensive gameplay before purchasing a game.
FWIW, I found the “feel” of Octahedron very unusual, based on the demo. The mechanics of the jump felt different than what I’m played in most platformers — and of course the platform creation has its own unique feel. Not necessarily a bad thing, but personally I found it took a bit of getting used to. Again, I can see the game being responsive and fluid after this learning curve — YMMV, of course.
@BenAV There is a free demo of Octahedron on the Switch eShop. Pretty substantial demo, at that.
I tried it & it seems to be quite a well-designed, engaging game. I’m personally a bit saturated of puzzle platformers, so I probably won’t get this anytime soon — but thatks more a comment about my particular preferences than the game itself. I can see a certain kind of gamer really enjoying this (including my former self, I suppose).
Also, judging from the demo, the music really adds to the experience, in a way seldom seen in platformers.
I respect everyone else’s views - but I still enjoy rogue-lites like Caveblazers, and was happily surprised to see it appear on the Switch eShop.
Played this game quite a bit on PC & like it a lot. It is very challenging indeed, particularly the boss fights. Maybe a bit unbalanced in that respect, even taking the standards of the genre into consideration - or maybe it’s my usual lack of skill. Also, the game doesn’t run well on some PCs - a bit surprising considering its nature. Hope it runs well on Switch.
Still a very enjoyable game IMO. It feels like a blend of Spelunky and dual-stick shooters, with melee and a fair amount of (temporary) loot as well. If that sounds appealing, and if you don’t mind the procedural generation & rogue-life approach, you’ll probably like this game.
@frogopus - Great points. I don’t often participate in crowdfunding campaigns, but when I do, I consider whether the product creators have a track record of producing similar items. I’ll consider taking the additional risk when there isn’t such a record, but I’m aware of the risk.
For example, I was confident that WayForward would deliver a Shantae game if funded, given their substantial history as game developers. Granted, the final game (IMO) wasn’t their best ever, nor the best in that series — but they did compete the task, namely the first HD installment of Shantae.
Backing Hyper Light Drifter was a greater risk initially. IIRC, the team did not have much of a history of delivering final games. But I went in knowing the risk, hoping for the best. IMO, the final product is a real standout, so it worked out well.
More recently, the Flip Grip turned out quite well. I am slightly familiar with Jeremy Parish from gaming websites, but don’t know whether he had done this sort of project previously. That said, $12 was small enough to risk without much worry.
Of course, many other crowdfunded projects have failed to materialize, or fell far short of promises. There is always some degree of risk, I suppose, even when dealing with established teams.
Most people on the site probably realize this, but three of Treasure’s earlier games are coming to the Switch this Friday via the Sega Genesis Classics: Alien Solider, Dynamite Headdy, and Gunstar Heroes.
As much as I’d like to play Radiant Silvergun on the Switch, I’d also like to play some of their other titles on the platform (e.g., Silhouette Mirage) — and would love to have them start making new games again!
I do think the GPD WIN 2 is a great device, and a real improvement over their previous model. But I find myself favoring the Switch, even on the go — despite it not being easily “pocketable” — mainly because of its larger screen size.
I might have felt differently a decade ago. But as I age, I find it progressively less comfortable to use (relatively) smaller screens. To be fair, GPD WIN 2’s screen is almost as large as it could be, given its form factor, and probably is adequate for many users.
@Realnoize - I also appreciated reading your thoughts on minimalist design. One game that gets it right (at least for me) is Just Shapes & Beats. The visuals are low-res with only a few colors, but the overall aesthetic works. And the game itself is quite engaging, with considerable variety in the levels, enjoyable synchronization with the music, and some silly humor thrown in the mix.
To your point about the need to get each detail right when designing minimally - I noticed some subtle aspects of visual design in JS&B, such as the slight wobble of certain bullets, and the fading-in of lighter shades of pink to telegraph incoming bullet streams. At first glance, the visuals of that game might look simple, but after hours of playing I see they are carefully thought-out.
I thought that Two Tribes said they are exiting the game development business after Rive - did that change? Or are they still sticking around for ports of older games?
@ThanosReXXX “Copyright battle” would be a fun theme for a 2D fighting game... perhaps featuring (tributes to) Phoenix Wright, She-Hulk, Howard Lincoln, and Lars Ulrich. SLAPP (suit)!
I greatly enjoyed The Swindle on Vita and PS4, despite its idiosyncrasies. The handling is certainly “unique”, to put it charitably — and the difficulty spike at the very end feels cheap — but the constant risk/reward decisions (and the randomized layouts) made the experience compelling, for me.
I’m surprised that it’s being ported, since the developer seems to have decided to not update or tweak the game further. On balance, I suppose it was an easy decision to generate additional sales on another platform.
Should be a very good fit for the Switch. Hope it runs well enough.
@hatch As much as I love Dead Cells - if you felt there was insufficient progression to hold your interest in Rogue Legacy and Enter the Gungeon, I’m afraid you might have similar feeling about the loop in Dead Cells. The progression in a Dead Cells, after the first several hours, is vaguely comparable to that of EtG, in my experience. Progress largely hinges on earning and investing Cells, which occasionally pop from enemies. X amount of Cells unlocks a new weapon or ability (it varies). There are some other kinds f unlocks as well (weapon/ability blueprints, and a few runes for permanent abilities), but most progress is tied to cells. For some items, dozens of Cells and multiple runs are required - it varies.
@hatch Which roguelikes/roguelites have you tried and disliked? Maybe that would give us a better idea of whether you’d like Dead Cells
Personally, I enjoy roguelites, and Dead Cells has been a favorite of mine since early access. With that said, I respect that lots of gamers are not into the rogue-X thing. No judgmemt at all. In my case, I think I’m conditioned to accept short games & frequent failure because I grew up on early arcade games, Atari 2600, and Colecovision.
My best guess is, if you enjoyed something like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow on DS, you’d probably enjoy Dead Cells. Very fluid action & lots of weapons/combinations to collect and experiment with. Granted, you will have to re-start often, but there is some sense of progress in the form of a larger pool of available weapons, and a few permanent skill upgrades.
Hard to say whether the frequent re-starts would outweigh the attraction of the core gameplay in your case. FWIW, there are some (unlockable) level choices in the early stages that add some variety, beyond the procedural level generation and weapon variety, which keep the action a bit fresher than you might expect.
@hatch I have not tried this, but took a quick peek at the Steam user reviews, which are very positive. The consensus seems to be that HackyZack is an orginal concept well-executed, but quite challenging & a real test of twitch gaming skills.
Sounds like a nice game, but might be a bit much for my aging reflexes & intermittent patience.
@Ralizah Agreed. IMO, Steam reviews (in the aggregate) are a good example of “grade inflation.” Might be a function of (a) self-selection bias, and (b) their coarse rating scale (thumbs up/down).
With that said, I still find value in skimming the text of the more thoughtful reviews, picking out common themes across reviewers for the same title, etc. It’s not a bad resource if used with a critical eye.
@Ralizah I think the game mechanics are solid, with a number of clever elements in the upgrades, level designs, and (numerous) boss fights. It plays and controls well, and the action is fluid. And as you can see, it looks great.
With all of that said, I didn’t quite gel with this game quite as much as I expected. I’m really not sure why. On paper, all the ingredients are there. It really is a detailed, dedicated work from the developer. It could be that I picked it up at a time when I’m a little saturated with this style of game. Also, there was a sequence near the very end that greatly annoyed me, which I won’t spoil here. (Others might not have the same reaction; might be only me & my subpar skills.)
Another thought. Given the degree of detail in the visuals, I might have enjoyed it more on a larger screen (even a modestly larger screen, like the Switch in undocked mode). As much as I’ve enjoyed many games on the Vita - and as stunning as its screen is - as I age, I find smaller displays less comfortable. Seems this really has accelerated within the past year, maybe two. The good news is that Switch is in a nice sweet spot for me as a portable — the screen is large enough that I don’t consciously feel eye strain or fatigue.
@justin233 I feel similarly. Reminds me of Fez. The secrets/lore were intriguing, but I never was really inclined to invest the effort to decipher/decode everything. Still enjoyed the game, though.
@Ralizah. There’s quite a bit a dialogue for this type of game. If you like having story elements in a game like this, you’ll enjoy that aspect of the game. (I played it on the Vita)
@Bones00 While I’m not (yet) sold on Pool Panic, I’m intrigued, as I’m sometimes drawn to games that appear unique or unconventional. Of course, there is a pitfall of being different only for the sake of difference itself, which is why the jury’s still out.
Beyond that, I like absurdist humor, which seems to be present in Pool Panic.
With that said, I admit that my gaming choices tend to fall into established patterns, favoring genres that I typically enjoy (e.g., shmups, dual-stick shooters, platformer, racing). But I’m open to something else, if it seems like something I might like.
Interesting that the Japanese players voted for so many Western-developed games, given the old saw about Western games struggling to flourish in that market.
I think Ikaruga, the Bloodstained spin-off, and the Mega Man collection are the only Eastern-developed games on the list.
(Obviously, Stardew Valley is heavily influenced by the Harvest Moon series.)
@Obito_Sigma Thanks for reminding me of the Game Boy version. I didn’t have it on Game Boy itself, but purchased it on 3DS years later. I actually prefer the GB version to the arcade original.
I did purchase and pre-load Super Burgertime to the Switch, but have not tried it yet, since it unlocked this morning.
I remember that the PS3 had another Burgertime offshoot. Maybe in a rotating tower format? I think I tried the demo, but it didn’t click with me.
@BenAV - your comment reminds me of Iconoclasts. Well-designed game, but the story elements are much more frequent & time-consuming than I initially expected. To be fair, the narrative in Iconoclasts is fairly fresh and interesting, but it’s not what drew me to the game.
Owlboy had a much softer, subtler touch in integrating platforming and story. The narrative elements were relatively brief, but still evocative and effective.
Like some others in this thread, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Early Access version of Dead Cells. In addition to the compelling (for me) roguelite challenge — and the attractive aesthetics — t really plays well at its core, as a fluid action game.
Very much looking forward to the Switch version, since it doesn’t run so well on the GPD Win, at least in its current state. The PC build doesn’t play well with integrated graphics, apparently - not sure if this will be improved later.
I played through a demo level of this on PS4 or Xbox One quite a while ago. I thought the main character’s movement was quite sluggish and stiff. Even though it was cheap, I passed.
Comments 285
Re: Nintendo Download: 7th March (North America)
@Fake-E-Lee I’m looking forward to Assault Android Cactus+ as well (as we’ve discussed). Maybe Hard West also.
OT: this week, I learned that the developers of NeuroVoider are co-developing a game called ScourgeBringer. Not out yet, but it has a Steam page and a Youtube video. I believe it is coming to consoles, but they haven’t yet said which ones. It has completely different mechanics than NeuroVoider, but looks appealing to me: a 2D side-on platformers with very rapid combat. Pacing and aesthetics reminiscent of Hyper Light Drifter, IMO.
Re: GALAK-Z: The Void: Deluxe Edition Is Firing Onto Switch On 26th March
I enjoyed this on PS4. As with many rogue-lites, I repeatedly hit a skills plateau, but enjoyed the challenge nonetheless.
When the developer previously released the mobile-adapted, freemium version (Variant S) on the Switch, I was very disappointed. Really not a similar experience at all. My guess (not based on any hard data) is that the developer and/or publisher didn’t get much traction from that release on the Switch, and so is now trying again with a port of the original.
I am very tempted to pick this up, as I like the game & rarely use the PS4 now. The portable form factor of the Switch fits my life these days.
Re: Review: Ape Out - A Short But Oh-So-Sweet Action Title That Every Switch Owner Should Play
@SwitchVogel That was an excellent review you wrote for Ape Out. I haven’t played it yet, but your text conveys the experience with great clarity. Extra points for use of the term “improvisational” — it’s a great term to describe both the gameplay and the music.
Really seems like my kind of game; I’ll likely pick it up shortly.
Re: Review: ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove - A '90s Throwback That Might Be Too Random For Some
@Jokerwolf I also preferred TJ&E2 to the first game. Seemed to have more structure to it, while also having lots of zaniness, color, and variety. For some odd reason, the “judging fungus” of TJ&E2 remains in my memory after all these years.
Still intrigued about the new TJ&E, though, as I’ve developed a fondness for rogue-lites during the last few generations. For me, Spelunky and Shiren (DS) were influential in that regard.
Re: Review: RemiLore - An Endearingly Sweet RPG Experience That Might Leave You Wanting More
@Fake-E-Lee Given our similar preferences, I think you just convinced me to buy this... at some point. My backlog is unconscionable.
I’m not even focused on other new games. Given the recent Dead Cells update, I’m now plowing more time into that one (think I’m around 150 hrs by now). Not much new content, but the re-balancing seems legit. Maybe I’ll finally get the 3rd and 4th boss cells... or at least enjoy trying!
Re: Nintendo Download: 21st February (North America)
@Fake-E-Lee Our taste in games is very similar! I’m also looking forward to playing all three games you mentioned in your first post (X-Morph, RemiLore, Assault Android Cactus), the last of which I’ve already enjoyed on PS4. And I also like NeuroVoider which I know is one of your favorites.
Beyond that, I picked up Front Line as a nostalgia trip. I recall playing it in arcades in the early 80s. Always liked it, but never was very good at the game. I can’t say it holds up perfectly — but after tweaking the controls, I was able to beat the first boss, which is something of a triumph in this game, at least for me!
Also looking forward to Devil Engine.
Re: Hard West, A Gunspinning XCOM-Alike Is Coming To Switch Very Soon
For what it’s worth, ACG (a very through and articulate reviewer) gave this a favorable review a few years ago. And 77% of the Steam reviews are positive (n=2206).
So, some people liked it!
Re: Hands On: Getting Arty In Yoshi's Crafted World On Nintendo Switch
@rjejr “Can't go wrong with cows.” Words to live by.
I like your characterization of Yoshi being on the easy side, DK more difficult, and Mario in the middle.
FWIW, Jim Sterling often makes the point that Kirby games generally appear easy for basic completion, but are more challenging if you go for 100%. I think this applies to many Yoshi games as well. I attained 100% on the SNES Yoshi’s World, which was not a simple task!
Re: Turned-Based Mulitplayer Racer Fromto Is Coming To Switch This Year
“And now for something completely different”
Re: Hamster's Next Batch Of Switch Arcade Releases Includes None Other Than Ice Climber
@BanjoPickles @CaptnDave
Elevator Action Returns is indeed a total blast to play. That said, it has a very different feel than the original Elevator Action. EA Returns was released for the Sega Saturn (I think it was a Japan-only release), but also is in one of the Taito Classics volumes for PS2, I believe.
In the Saturn version of EA Returns, there is a cheat code to unlock the original EA. What a great bonus. I don’t recall whether that’s also in the PS2 compilation.
There was another follow-up to a Elevator Action on the PS3, IIRC. It had 3D visuals but still 2D gameplay. Tried it briefly, seemed too slow-moving for my taste, much slower than the original. I’m not opposed to 3D graphics per se, but in this case they really added nothing & seemed to completely drag the pacing.
Re: Nintendo Download: 14th February (North America)
@MeloMan Strikey Sisters is also on Steam; I played it briefly, seems like a fun time. That developer (DYA Games) has a few other games out, one of which I think is outstanding: Bot Vice.
I believe Bot Vice is only on Steam currently. It would be a fantastic fit for the Switch. Hard to describe accurately, but think of a single-screen, top-town version of Sin & Punishment. Or just look up some photos. Like S&P, move and aim (somewhat) independently, flip through weapons, and dodge like there’s no tomorrow. One of those games that require constant attention, but is so gratifying in terms of challenge, variety, audiovisual aesthetics, and cheesy humor.
“Hidden gem” is easy to say and perhaps overused, but I think it’s exactly the right term for Bot Vice. Hope that the release of Strikey Sisters means that this & other DYA titles are coming later to the Switch!
(Edit) I just checked Steam, and the dev left an update stating he is indeed porting Bot Vice to Switch! Also, he is the dev for Viviette, which released on Switch a couple of months ago.
Re: Hamster's Next Batch Of Switch Arcade Releases Includes None Other Than Ice Climber
@Shiryu Speaking of Irem games, I would love to see In The Hunt come over to the Switch as well. In any case, it’s encouraging t see Hamster get into the Irem catalog.
OT: lately I have been playing Super Hydorah - I am curious what you think of that one. Personally, I’m very impressed with what Locomalito created there. Very cohesive, IMO.
Re: A Demo For Yoshi's Crafted World Is Now Live On The Switch eShop
Played the first level of the demo. Nice for a first level; super easy, but I expect (hope) later levels will ramp up the challenge somewhat. I do like the targeting of background/foreground objects.
Moving into the screen at right angles, on a predefined path, reminds me of “Bug!” for Sega Saturn. I liked that game.
Re: To All Mankind, A New Adventure Game From NIS, Is Coming To Switch
@CaPPa I really enjoyed Tokyo Jungle as well. Gets the award for best in-game use of a Pomeranian. Kidding aside, very compelling game; challenging & lots of fun.
This game seems entirely different to me, though, despite the similar setting. Will have to see what they reveal later.
Re: Solve Physics-Based Puzzles And Make Your Own Moldable Worlds In Claybook, On Switch Next Month
@rjejr I personally enjoyed Tumbleseed a lot, but yes it is extremely difficult. I got very close to the end a few times, but never quite got there. Still, I enjoyed the challenge.
The update made it a wee bit simpler to access some upgrades, and added a few stage-specific play modes — but really did not change the core difficulty IMO. I believe it is a unique game with its control scheme and procedural layouts — but if you are not up for many failures and re-retries, this might not be the game for you.
Marble It Up, while it might not have the motion controls you’d like to see, is far more accessible. Some levels are more challenging than others, but overall the difficulty curve is quite reasonable. Fundamentally, a very different type of game than Tumbleseed; Marble It Up is more conventional in its approach, although it does show cleverness and creativity in its level designs.
Re: Solve Physics-Based Puzzles And Make Your Own Moldable Worlds In Claybook, On Switch Next Month
@rjejr - you might want to check out “Marble It Up”
Re: Nintendo Download: 31st January (North America)
@BenAV @Leuke FYI, Tangledeep released a year ago on Steam. Of the 383 user reviews on Steam, 89% are positive. If NL or other sites don’t review the Switch version, you might want to peruse that resource.
Re: Review: Octahedron: Transfixed Edition - Twitch Platforming In Yet Another Definitive Switch Port
@BenAV I respect that you might skip the demo. Similarly, I usually avoid watching extensive gameplay before purchasing a game.
FWIW, I found the “feel” of Octahedron very unusual, based on the demo. The mechanics of the jump felt different than what I’m played in most platformers — and of course the platform creation has its own unique feel. Not necessarily a bad thing, but personally I found it took a bit of getting used to. Again, I can see the game being responsive and fluid after this learning curve — YMMV, of course.
Re: Review: Octahedron: Transfixed Edition - Twitch Platforming In Yet Another Definitive Switch Port
@BenAV There is a free demo of Octahedron on the Switch eShop. Pretty substantial demo, at that.
I tried it & it seems to be quite a well-designed, engaging game. I’m personally a bit saturated of puzzle platformers, so I probably won’t get this anytime soon — but thatks more a comment about my particular preferences than the game itself. I can see a certain kind of gamer really enjoying this (including my former self, I suppose).
Also, judging from the demo, the music really adds to the experience, in a way seldom seen in platformers.
Re: Review: HoPiKo - Brutal Platforming Fun That Provides A Stern But Fair Challenge
Tried HoPiKo on PS4 some years ago. Certainly has a lot of thought and cleverness in its design, but too manic for my tastes and aging reflexes.
That said, more power to anyone sufficiently skilled & determined to play through this. Not a bad game at all — but not for everyone, I think.
Re: Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen Is Slashing Its Way To Nintendo Switch This April
I wonder whether Nintendo Switch Online will be required for the “pawns” to be imported/exported to other players’ games.
Trailer doesn’t mention this, but I suspect NSO might be required. Some recent Switch games require NSO just for leaderboards.
In any case, nice to see this game coming to Switch.
Re: Reminder: Brutal Roguelike Caveblazers Is Coming To Switch eShop On 10th January
I respect everyone else’s views - but I still enjoy rogue-lites like Caveblazers, and was happily surprised to see it appear on the Switch eShop.
Played this game quite a bit on PC & like it a lot. It is very challenging indeed, particularly the boss fights. Maybe a bit unbalanced in that respect, even taking the standards of the genre into consideration - or maybe it’s my usual lack of skill. Also, the game doesn’t run well on some PCs - a bit surprising considering its nature. Hope it runs well on Switch.
Still a very enjoyable game IMO. It feels like a blend of Spelunky and dual-stick shooters, with melee and a fair amount of (temporary) loot as well. If that sounds appealing, and if you don’t mind the procedural generation & rogue-life approach, you’ll probably like this game.
Re: Video: Get A Closer Look At The Contra And Metal Slug-Inspired Blazing Chrome
Nice. Reminds me specifically of Contra: Hard Corps (aka Probotector) on Genesis / Mega Drive.
Re: Feature: Whatever Happened To The Sega-Style Racer '90s Super GP?
@frogopus - Great points. I don’t often participate in crowdfunding campaigns, but when I do, I consider whether the product creators have a track record of producing similar items. I’ll consider taking the additional risk when there isn’t such a record, but I’m aware of the risk.
For example, I was confident that WayForward would deliver a Shantae game if funded, given their substantial history as game developers. Granted, the final game (IMO) wasn’t their best ever, nor the best in that series — but they did compete the task, namely the first HD installment of Shantae.
Backing Hyper Light Drifter was a greater risk initially. IIRC, the team did not have much of a history of delivering final games. But I went in knowing the risk, hoping for the best. IMO, the final product is a real standout, so it worked out well.
More recently, the Flip Grip turned out quite well. I am slightly familiar with Jeremy Parish from gaming websites, but don’t know whether he had done this sort of project previously. That said, $12 was small enough to risk without much worry.
Of course, many other crowdfunded projects have failed to materialize, or fell far short of promises. There is always some degree of risk, I suppose, even when dealing with established teams.
Re: Treasure Considering Arcade Shmup Radiant Silvergun For Switch
Most people on the site probably realize this, but three of Treasure’s earlier games are coming to the Switch this Friday via the Sega Genesis Classics: Alien Solider, Dynamite Headdy, and Gunstar Heroes.
As much as I’d like to play Radiant Silvergun on the Switch, I’d also like to play some of their other titles on the platform (e.g., Silhouette Mirage) — and would love to have them start making new games again!
Re: Campo Santo Releases Firewatch On Switch eShop Later This Month
@yuwarite GPD WIN FTW!
I do think the GPD WIN 2 is a great device, and a real improvement over their previous model. But I find myself favoring the Switch, even on the go — despite it not being easily “pocketable” — mainly because of its larger screen size.
I might have felt differently a decade ago. But as I age, I find it progressively less comfortable to use (relatively) smaller screens. To be fair, GPD WIN 2’s screen is almost as large as it could be, given its form factor, and probably is adequate for many users.
Re: Explore The Dungeons And Horrors Of Crimson Keep, A New Action RPG Hitting Switch Next Week
Conceptually, this reminds me a bit of “Slayer” on the 3DO. Wonder if anyone here remembers that one.
The term “procedural generation” was not commonly used back then (mid-90s?), but I believe Slayer’s dungeons indeed were procedural.
Also reminds me a bit of Arx Fatalis, although that one had a fixed layout, and a much darker tone overall.
Re: The Switch Is About To Get Its Next "Hardcore" Platformer In Dexteritrip
@Realnoize - I also appreciated reading your thoughts on minimalist design. One game that gets it right (at least for me) is Just Shapes & Beats. The visuals are low-res with only a few colors, but the overall aesthetic works. And the game itself is quite engaging, with considerable variety in the levels, enjoyable synchronization with the music, and some silly humor thrown in the mix.
To your point about the need to get each detail right when designing minimally - I noticed some subtle aspects of visual design in JS&B, such as the slight wobble of certain bullets, and the fading-in of lighter shades of pink to telegraph incoming bullet streams. At first glance, the visuals of that game might look simple, but after hours of playing I see they are carefully thought-out.
Re: Hard West - Complete Edition Will Bring Its Supernatural Wild West Action To Switch
If I recall correctly, ACG (one of my favorite YouTube game reviewers) gave this a favorable review on PC
Re: Toki Tori Developer Two Tribes Teases Mobile Game Swap Out! For Switch eShop
I thought that Two Tribes said they are exiting the game development business after Rive - did that change? Or are they still sticking around for ports of older games?
Re: Fan Persistence Pays Off As Block-Stacking Puzzler Tricky Towers Arrives On Switch
@ThanosReXXX “Copyright battle” would be a fun theme for a 2D fighting game... perhaps featuring (tributes to) Phoenix Wright, She-Hulk, Howard Lincoln, and Lars Ulrich. SLAPP (suit)!
Re: The Swindle Is Sneaking Its Way Towards A Brand New Heist On Switch Next Month
I greatly enjoyed The Swindle on Vita and PS4, despite its idiosyncrasies. The handling is certainly “unique”, to put it charitably — and the difficulty spike at the very end feels cheap — but the constant risk/reward decisions (and the randomized layouts) made the experience compelling, for me.
I’m surprised that it’s being ported, since the developer seems to have decided to not update or tweak the game further. On balance, I suppose it was an easy decision to generate additional sales on another platform.
Should be a very good fit for the Switch. Hope it runs well enough.
Re: Treat Yourself To The Dead Cells Signature Edition With A Second Chance To Pre-Order
@hatch As much as I love Dead Cells - if you felt there was insufficient progression to hold your interest in Rogue Legacy and Enter the Gungeon, I’m afraid you might have similar feeling about the loop in Dead Cells. The progression in a Dead Cells, after the first several hours, is vaguely comparable to that of EtG, in my experience. Progress largely hinges on earning and investing Cells, which occasionally pop from enemies. X amount of Cells unlocks a new weapon or ability (it varies). There are some other kinds f unlocks as well (weapon/ability blueprints, and a few runes for permanent abilities), but most progress is tied to cells. For some items, dozens of Cells and multiple runs are required - it varies.
Re: Treat Yourself To The Dead Cells Signature Edition With A Second Chance To Pre-Order
@hatch Which roguelikes/roguelites have you tried and disliked? Maybe that would give us a better idea of whether you’d like Dead Cells
Personally, I enjoy roguelites, and Dead Cells has been a favorite of mine since early access. With that said, I respect that lots of gamers are not into the rogue-X thing. No judgmemt at all. In my case, I think I’m conditioned to accept short games & frequent failure because I grew up on early arcade games, Atari 2600, and Colecovision.
My best guess is, if you enjoyed something like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow on DS, you’d probably enjoy Dead Cells. Very fluid action & lots of weapons/combinations to collect and experiment with. Granted, you will have to re-start often, but there is some sense of progress in the form of a larger pool of available weapons, and a few permanent skill upgrades.
Hard to say whether the frequent re-starts would outweigh the attraction of the core gameplay in your case. FWIW, there are some (unlockable) level choices in the early stages that add some variety, beyond the procedural level generation and weapon variety, which keep the action a bit fresher than you might expect.
Re: Ball-Juggling Platformer HackyZack Bounces Onto Switch Next Week
@hatch I have not tried this, but took a quick peek at the Steam user reviews, which are very positive. The consensus seems to be that HackyZack is an orginal concept well-executed, but quite challenging & a real test of twitch gaming skills.
Sounds like a nice game, but might be a bit much for my aging reflexes & intermittent patience.
Re: Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle Brings Real-Time Dungeon Crawling To Switch This Month
@Ralizah Agreed. IMO, Steam reviews (in the aggregate) are a good example of “grade inflation.” Might be a function of (a) self-selection bias, and (b) their coarse rating scale (thumbs up/down).
With that said, I still find value in skimming the text of the more thoughtful reviews, picking out common themes across reviewers for the same title, etc. It’s not a bad resource if used with a critical eye.
Re: Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle Brings Real-Time Dungeon Crawling To Switch This Month
@Ralizah IIRC, this got an unenthusiastic reception on Steam. Several reviewers said the split-party system was not enjoyable.
Re: Bubble Bobble-Inspired Retro Platformer Robbotto Arrives On Switch Next Week
Domo arigato, let’s play Robbotto.
Re: Action-Platformer Iconoclasts Arrives At Start Of August On Japanese eShop
@Ralizah I think the game mechanics are solid, with a number of clever elements in the upgrades, level designs, and (numerous) boss fights. It plays and controls well, and the action is fluid. And as you can see, it looks great.
With all of that said, I didn’t quite gel with this game quite as much as I expected. I’m really not sure why. On paper, all the ingredients are there. It really is a detailed, dedicated work from the developer. It could be that I picked it up at a time when I’m a little saturated with this style of game. Also, there was a sequence near the very end that greatly annoyed me, which I won’t spoil here. (Others might not have the same reaction; might be only me & my subpar skills.)
Another thought. Given the degree of detail in the visuals, I might have enjoyed it more on a larger screen (even a modestly larger screen, like the Switch in undocked mode). As much as I’ve enjoyed many games on the Vita - and as stunning as its screen is - as I age, I find smaller displays less comfortable. Seems this really has accelerated within the past year, maybe two. The good news is that Switch is in a nice sweet spot for me as a portable — the screen is large enough that I don’t consciously feel eye strain or fatigue.
Re: Solve The Mystery Of Cycle 28 And You'll Get The Developer's Entire Game Catalogue For Free
@justin233 I feel similarly. Reminds me of Fez. The secrets/lore were intriguing, but I never was really inclined to invest the effort to decipher/decode everything. Still enjoyed the game, though.
Re: Action-Platformer Iconoclasts Arrives At Start Of August On Japanese eShop
@Ralizah. There’s quite a bit a dialogue for this type of game. If you like having story elements in a game like this, you’ll enjoy that aspect of the game. (I played it on the Vita)
Re: Circle Is Publishing Dreamy Action-Adventure 'Incredible Mandy' On Switch
Oh Mandy. You came, and you gave without taking.
Re: Nintendo Download: 19th July (North America)
@Bones00 While I’m not (yet) sold on Pool Panic, I’m intrigued, as I’m sometimes drawn to games that appear unique or unconventional. Of course, there is a pitfall of being different only for the sake of difference itself, which is why the jury’s still out.
Beyond that, I like absurdist humor, which seems to be present in Pool Panic.
With that said, I admit that my gaming choices tend to fall into established patterns, favoring genres that I typically enjoy (e.g., shmups, dual-stick shooters, platformer, racing). But I’m open to something else, if it seems like something I might like.
Re: Japanese Players Vote Hollow Knight As The Most Recommended Digital Switch Game This Month
Interesting that the Japanese players voted for so many Western-developed games, given the old saw about Western games struggling to flourish in that market.
I think Ikaruga, the Bloodstained spin-off, and the Mega Man collection are the only Eastern-developed games on the list.
(Obviously, Stardew Valley is heavily influenced by the Harvest Moon series.)
Re: Top-Down Puzzle Game Waking Violet Is Putting A Spell On Nintendo Switch This Week
I heard this is coming to Vita as well.
Re: Events: Attending The MCM London Comic Con? So Are We...
Spotted a typo:
“Confirmed stars include **Alex Olney (Nintendo Life),** David Harewood (Supergirl), Rosario Dawson...”
You are our superstar, and always first in our hearts. Except for our actual family members. But still pretty high up there.
Re: Johnny Turbo Heads For The Kitchen With Super Burger Time
@Obito_Sigma Thanks for reminding me of the Game Boy version. I didn’t have it on Game Boy itself, but purchased it on 3DS years later. I actually prefer the GB version to the arcade original.
I did purchase and pre-load Super Burgertime to the Switch, but have not tried it yet, since it unlocked this morning.
I remember that the PS3 had another Burgertime offshoot. Maybe in a rotating tower format? I think I tried the demo, but it didn’t click with me.
Re: Review: Light Fall (Switch eShop)
@BenAV - your comment reminds me of Iconoclasts. Well-designed game, but the story elements are much more frequent & time-consuming than I initially expected. To be fair, the narrative in Iconoclasts is fairly fresh and interesting, but it’s not what drew me to the game.
Owlboy had a much softer, subtler touch in integrating platforming and story. The narrative elements were relatively brief, but still evocative and effective.
Re: Feature: Reanimating The Roguelike With Dead Cells Developer, MotionTwin
Like some others in this thread, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Early Access version of Dead Cells. In addition to the compelling (for me) roguelite challenge — and the attractive aesthetics — t really plays well at its core, as a fluid action game.
Very much looking forward to the Switch version, since it doesn’t run so well on the GPD Win, at least in its current state. The PC build doesn’t play well with integrated graphics, apparently - not sure if this will be improved later.
Re: Cast of the Seven Godsends Will Bring 2D Run 'N Gun Arcade Action To Switch This Week
I played through a demo level of this on PS4 or Xbox One quite a while ago. I thought the main character’s movement was quite sluggish and stiff. Even though it was cheap, I passed.