I'm definitely going to pick up Mario vs Donkey Kong at some point. It seems to be an almost 1-for-1 remake of the GB classic which I've never played... I think?
I've also never played Tomb Raider. I'm thinking of picking that up too, but... Remaster/remake quality has been pretty hit-or-miss lately so I'll wait to see how it reviews first.
I've also never played Tomb Raider. I'm thinking of picking that up too, but... Remaster/remake quality has been pretty hit-or-miss lately so I'll wait to see how it reviews first.
Hell yeah, they look fantastic! I've never played the original Tomb Raider games but watching this video has really got me in the mood to try them out.
Hah! The Switch list is always good for an insane game title or two, if nothing else.
There's unfortunately just so many games dropped onto the platform every week that it's impossible to try and sort out what's shovelware and what's something worth playing. To say nothing of whether they have solid release information or not since they're typically all super tiny indies.
When my brother came to visit me many years ago (we live on opposite sides of the country and only see each other like once a decade) we sat down and played Broforce together all night.
We didn't intend to play all night, but we just kept going.
The game is decent chaotic fun but what kept us going was the laughter each time we unlocked a new Bro and cheered for each action movie character they shamelessly plugged into their game.
oh shit thanks for reminding me that comes out this week, the demo's already out and it's really good. it is a deckbuilding roguelite extremely in the vein of slay the spire, only there's anime girls in it. i happen to already be attached to these particular anime girls so i will be picking it up (whenever it goes on sale) (for the record if you'v eever heard of Love Live! this is technically the same franchise)
also missing on this list is splatoon 3 side order!!! have i touched splatoon 3 in the last, like, year? no. but will i be playing the new campaign obsessively? absolutely.
Stuff like this is genuinely what gaming's about, if you ask me. I immensely miss the days of couch co-oping with my younger brother in the corner of the living room, getting stupidly overhyped for the most random stuff.
Broforce got a big update, Broforce Forever if memory serves, a couple weeks back - it's been in the list before. This week it's finally getting a physical release, ostensibly with all of the stuff pressed onto disc/cart. Definitely looked like good fun, though!
That's... so random. I'm passingly familiar with the property from time on the interwebs, but I never would've pieced that together. Gaming needs to step up their branding game!
also missing on this list is splatoon 3 side order!!! have i touched splatoon 3 in the last, like, year? no. but will i be playing the new campaign obsessively? absolutely.
Stuff like this is genuinely what gaming's about, if you ask me. I immensely miss the days of couch co-oping with my younger brother in the corner of the living room, getting stupidly overhyped for the most random stuff.
Howdy, folks! We're somehow moving into the month of March already, which... I'm not sure how that happened. But time apparently doesn't wait so here we are.
Naturally the end of February can only mean one thing: Popcorn. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, the second (of three-with-an-asterisk) game in the Remake Project, launches this Thursday exclusively on PS5. A demo is already out to get a feel for the gameplay. As usual for Square Enix, it's impossible to actually watch any of the pre-release media stuff without getting an absolute ton of spoilers - up to and including otherwise innocuous stuff like the announcement video for the game's theme song. And, as is usual for the internet, press and street broken copies of the game have been out in circulation for at least two weeks - so spoilers are rampant and plentiful.
I took the liberty of changing our demo thread into a Leak/Spoiler talk thread, please respect everyone's enthusiasm and keep all spoilers marked whether you post in that thread or make a new one. Also, because everything has spoilers in it, I can't post any actually relevant videos.
If that's not quite your speed, a new Roguelike drops on Switch this Tuesday in the form of Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island. If you're at all familiar with the Shiren series, then you already know what you're getting here. This one in particular is being touted as the first new game in the series sitting the west in a good while, and going "back to basics" for good measure. Nintendo's announcement trailer from last year does a sufficiently good job laying it for those who aren't as familiar, though I'm confident the game will remind you of something all the game; the wheel isn't being reinvented here.
Finally, for lack of anything particularly remarkable at first blush to highlight, let's roll with Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered. This one drops on all of the platforms on Thursday, and is a remastered/remade version of the 1995 FPS game; essentially a Wolfenstein/Doom clone with Star Wars wrapping. Looks suitably nostalgic and janky if that's your jam, otherwise I'm sure your backlog has a selection waiting for you!
That was my thought exactly. The game's already on XBO/PS4 (and the original X360 game is BC I think? lol), so readily available and playable on the current gen.
Wondering if this was more of a tech demo exercise for their team to get used to a new engine or something, and they just went ahead and released it commercially to recoup some of that expense.
That was my thought exactly. The game's already on XBO/PS4 (and the original X360 game is BC I think? lol), so readily available and playable on the current gen.
Wondering if this was more of a tech demo exercise for their team to get used to a new engine or something, and they just went ahead and released it commercially to recoup some of that expense.
If I ever finish with Persona 3 Reload (I don't wanna leave ) my plan is to finally force myself to finish FF7Remake so I can eventually force myself to play Rebirth.
I have bounced off that game on 3 separate occasions. Just so much horribly tedious filler in between the good stuff.
I had a theory early on in playing it that lead several friends to say OMG YOU HAVE TO FINISH IT and then I got spoiled on a thing that made me very interested in what the fuck that game really is.
JRPGs in general need to get better at trimming the fat. I legitimately can't remember the last jRPG I played where I was like "Wow! What great pacing!"
Probably Super Mario RPG or Chrono Trigger, I guess.
I can't really agree with painting the entire genre by that same brush.
When they do it right, the slower parts are there to immerse you more in the world and story. They're like epic novels, not action-packed page turners. You learn more about the world and they continue to lay a general vibe.
FF7R (and also the recent FF16) tend to be more like "HAY CAN YOU TAKE THIS CUP TO THAT GUY OVER THERE??? also plz kill that rat that has my cup"
Fuckin horrible.
In both cases it feels much more like padding out the game to justify a $70 price tag.
When they do it right, the slower parts are there to immerse you more in the world and story. They're like epic novels, not action-packed page turners. You learn more about the world and they continue to lay a general vibe.
The Persona series is usually my go-to because typically even though it may seem like there's nothing happening in the overall story right now, typically you know there's going to be a Big Event roughly once per in-game month, so even when you're spending each day just hanging out with friends or studying for tests, you have that feeling that there's Never Enough Time to do what you need to do.
It makes a game about deciding how to kill time feel urgent.
I played Remake when it came to the Plus catalog because there was nothing I was itching to play. I have not played Integrade (and Yuffie was one of my favs), nor will I play Rebirth.
Especially as I've gone back and played the older FFs again, I'm reminded that this new FF model is simply not for me.
The Octopath Traveler games are a good shout too, because you're basically just jumping from shortstory to shortstory that makes up each of the characters' overarching plot.
i recommend the xenoblade duology (2 might as well not exist to me) if you're experiencing rpg filler overexposure. especially in 3, even side content feels important and tells you so much about the world and the characters who inhabit it. that said they're both like 80-hour investments but take it from me and every other sick freak out there: it's worth it
EDIT: 3 specifically was a game where almost every sidequest i finished was so good that i kept saying "this is OPTIONAL content???"
i recommend the xenoblade duology (2 might as well not exist to me) if you're experiencing rpg filler overexposure. especially in 3, even side content feels important and tells you so much about the world and the characters who inhabit it. that said they're both like 80-hour investments but take it from me and every other sick freak out there: it's worth it
EDIT: 3 specifically was a game where almost every sidequest i finished was so good that i kept saying "this is OPTIONAL content???"
The Octopath Traveler games are a good shout too, because you're basically just jumping from shortstory to shortstory that makes up each of the characters' overarching plot.
Octopath games were specifically some of the games I was thinking about when I made that comment. IMO many of the story lines are boring and undercooked. The characters are not well-developed, the dialogue is vapid and cliche, and there are plenty of plot holes or character interactions/choices that make me go "wtf". I like the combat system though. It's really fun and engaging; one of the best classic jRPG combat systems IMO.
i recommend the xenoblade duology (2 might as well not exist to me) if you're experiencing rpg filler overexposure. especially in 3, even side content feels important and tells you so much about the world and the characters who inhabit it. that said they're both like 80-hour investments but take it from me and every other sick freak out there: it's worth it
I remember really enjoying Xenoblade 1, but it's been a whilem XCX was fun too but eventually the dialogue started to bore me and I started to skip through it. XC2 was... yeah.... I've yet to play XC3 but I'll get around to it.
Interesting! Some of the side quests in XCX were pretty great but a lot of them were checklists or fetch quests. I'm looking forward to starting XC3... I think it will be my Ramadan game
yeah the sidequests in xc1 don't start getting juice until way late in the game, xc3 is good at making even early sidequests feel like more than kill this, collect that, bring it to this person
JRPGs in general need to get better at trimming the fat. I legitimately can't remember the last jRPG I played where I was like "Wow! What great pacing!"
Naturally an inherent problem is that, given enough choice, players may dally - and that ruins the feel of the pacing too. Like I spent ~40 hours on Path A in NieR: Automata, doing every sidequest (and checking for sidequest updates) available... only for quick travel to become available maybe two-thirds through that because I got distracted from the main story too soon. And by contrast, the other Paths took a fraction of the time despite the ostensibly true "opening credits" sequence not actually being in Path A.
So on the one hand, whoops! But on the other hand, I quite enjoyed a lot of the sidequests and didn't feel like the pacing was off.
Tales of Vesperia generally moves at a good pace. Like all games in that series it's functionally split into three arcs, each with their own build-up and climax, and while the third arc is invariably the weakest - that's more a narrative consequence than the game lollygagging or padding.
Still haven't played too many games from 2010 onwards, but Star Ocean (6): The Divine Force wasn't awfully paced either. Not the most amazing game by any stretch, and the post-game basically doesn't exist which was disappointing, but easily the third best game in that series - and infinitely better than the other two HD-era entries.
Square/mainline Final Fantasy hasn't done actual side quests in nearly two decades, nobody left at that company has any idea what the fuck they're doing. XIII had no relevant side content and little in the way of optional stuff period, XIV is baby's first MMO cribbing heavily from WoW and has the worst quest structure and design I have ever personally encountered, XV is one part XIII and one part XIV, XVI is literally developed by a branch team of the XIV crew.
No idea what Remake's problem is/was specifically, I just know nobody liked the side stuff it offered and the general consensus ended up being that everything was too bloated because they turned a couple hour section of the original game into its own thing without going all-in on breathing life into it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was heavily inspired by XV, which again was inspired by XIV which is "Talk to A, teleport to 2, talk to B, teleport back to 1, talk to A, teleport to 3, talk to C, teleport to 1, talk to A" on permanent repeat. Very, very rarely broken up by actually attacking a monster that in no way, shape, or form could be remotely considered a threat.
Good evening, folks! If you're looking for comfort food, this week ain't got much for you - though WWE 2k24 is on the list if you're adventurous and that's your jam. If not, well... things are going to get a little weird.
Unicorn Overlord was announced just a couple of months ago, and it's now ready for business; you can already download a demo for it, and the progress made will carry over to the full release on Friday. This is the newest game from Vanillaware, makers of games such as Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and looks to be taking cues from something like long-time partner Atlus's Growlanser series, blending elements of turn-based SRPG and RTS into one package. You have all the time you want to select actions, but once those actions are set everyone - allies and enemies alike - begin to move and encounters happen. Early impressions from the demo have been fairly positive, so if SRPGs and/or RTS-lites are your thing you could probably find worse ways to waste time.
While I've never actually heard of Mediterranea Inferno before tonight, and don't want to look too much into it, I am immediately sold on the concept. It has a high Metacritic rating already from being released on PC last summer, where it also has a Very Positive rating with 51 reviews, and is enjoying good word of mouth. If I look something up and I find comments like "Queer Disturbing Horror Game" I'm just going to take that as a positive sign, y'know? Basically what you need to know is this: It's a Point & Click/Visual Novel adventure game doing some exploration of some sensitive, and potentially brutal, subject matter over a 5~6 hour runtime. If that intrigues you, maybe check it out - but apparently only if you're in a good headspace!
Explore the inner demons of three childhood friends on a summer retreat. Unearth secrets, fears and obsessions as you help them reconnect and rediscover themselves. A mature and treacherous visual novel from the creator of Milky Way Prince – The Vampire Star.
If heavier themes aren't what's on order, Shadows Over Loathing might be something to try out instead. Another game I didn't know about before tonight, this one's also got lots of positive word of mouth behind it - insofar that it's completely absurd and funny. Functionally it's a just a silly, mostly standard turn-based RPG and is a follow-up to a game from 2017 called West of Loathing; I have no idea if playing that one is strictly necessary for enjoyment, but it's supposed to also be quite good so more things to check out if it strikes your fancy.
Shadows over Loathing — a slapstick-figure comedy adventure-RPG full of mobsters, monsters, and mysteries.
Vanillaware's last game was 13 Sentinels, which some of my closest friends absolutely adore, and perpetually sits on my backlog. I think Unicorn Overlord will fit perfectly right next to it on said backlog.
I used to play Kingdom of Loathing a lot during the old GW days so I'm somewhat curious about Shadows...
yoooo what? me too, I used to play the hell out of that game.
So Unicorn Overlord is absolutely going to be a pick-up for me because I'll pretty much eat up anything Vanillaware shits out. That said, I haven't tried 13 Sentinels because the gameplay didn't look appealing to me.
I wasn't interested in the Kingdom of Loathing-esque games, but I recently read a few reviews for Shadows Over Loathing, and... damn. It sounds great. It's making me a bit nostalgic as well.
I'll skip the highlights in favor of, uh, maybe catching up on other things. Have I mentioned that I want my hour back yet? 'Cause I want my hour back!
Very weird, and disappointing, for Aspyr to launch the remastered Tomb Raider games and these Battlefront games in such close proximity and them having completely opposite reactions.
Especially since, as far as I can tell, Aspyr is supposed to actually be pretty good at what they do! Wonder if this was down to licensing requiring a set date, or if Embracer Group imploding and jettisoning things left, right and center plays a role?
Good evening, folks! Halfway through March already, and I don't know where the time has gone. Except for that hour they stole from some us last week, those jerks!
Top billing for the week, undoubtedly, is Dragon's Dogma 2. Dropping this Friday for PS5 and XSX, DD2 is a follow-up to the cult classic PS3/X360 Action-RPG from 2012. Do you enjoy Monster Hunter? Just mounting large monsters and stabbing them to death? Then this might be right up your alley! However, I have been informed that if I spoil anything I will be bound and gagged for a week, only being permitted to survive off of maple syrup and pineapples. So... in lieu of all that, you can just watch this video! Y-You know, if you want.
For those without one of the current gen consoles, Nintendo is bringing Princess Peach: Showtime! to Switch on the same day. Nearly 20 years after her last solo outing in Super Princess Peach on NDS, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom is returning with an arsenal of new tricks and gadgets - each accompanied by a change of clothing, of course - in what should be a fun little romp of an action-based platformer. Nintendo's got a full look available for us, as well as a demo being available if you just want to jump straight in!
But if you're just looking for some comfort food, Sony has you covered - on all platforms - this Tuesday with MLB The Show 24. Now, look, I barely know my baseballs from my tennis balls so you're just going to have to accept that you know more about this than I do! But I did pull up a video showing some of the changes/additions from the last annual iteration of the game.
Also, just as an FYI, The Legend of Legacy (and The Alliance Alive) got some pretty decent word of mouth back when it launched on 3DS. So that might be worth looking at if you're super deep in the woods with JRPGs, or like the experimental SaGa games from Square, otherwise you're probably good to take a pass.
Hi-Fi Rush is another thing to look at, for PS5 owners. It's of course been available on Game Pass since Day 1 early last year when it had its shadow drop.
However, I have been informed that if I spoil anything I will be bound and gagged for a week, only being permitted to survive off of maple syrup and pineapples.
A shame that chances are, I'll never have the chance to play Rise of the Ronin. The only way I can see it happening is if I get lucky in acquiring a PS5 like I did with my PS4.
But yes, I feel like there is a "Hentai" game on that list at least every other week. But it's a Nintendo platform, so also, I could not imagine that whatever is contained within is even risque much less lewd!
) my plan is to finally force myself to finish FF7Remake so I can eventually force myself to play Rebirth.
