Off Topic Nintendo

[Rob]

38 minutes ago, Ashez said:

I'm so hyped for it :D. I may have got Friday off work for it :p, my post better be here early haha. 

The reviews are so positive, ahh I'm hyped. 

Legit just come in here after watching reviews. Looks great. Let us know your thoughts when you’ve played some.

[Ashez]

3 hours ago, Rob said:

Legit just come in here after watching reviews. Looks great. Let us know your thoughts when you’ve played some.

I may be frantically refreshing my emails for the dispatched notice. Didn't get it off Amazon though but the last preorder I got from TheGameCollection arrived release day so this better.

[Ashez]

Oh baby baby!  

[Ashez]

My copy of Metroid hasn't turned up today, got the day off work and everything 😭. 

However my spirits are lifted by this announcement!! 

https://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/3933o7ko43o839/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-and-more-coming-so?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=o_social&utm_campaign=trilogy_announcement_comingsoon-20211008

The GTA Trilogy remakes have been announced and coming to Switch!! That's hype!! 

[Rob]

Any chance it may come tonight?

[Ashez]

20 minutes ago, Rob said:

Any chance it may come tonight?

Doubt it, it'll be tomorrow now I think and I'm busy all day then working Sunday 😭. I'll have to try squeeze some time in with it though for sure. 

[Ashez]

Finally!! 

Aahhhhhh I'm so excited!! Should be able to play it tonight! 

[Rob]

10 minutes ago, Ashez said:

Finally!! 

Aahhhhhh I'm so excited!! Should be able to play it tonight! 

Brilliant news

[Ashez]

Metroid Dread is incredible. That is all. 

[Ashez]

What I've Been Playing 

September 2021

Switch

The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword HD - I played the original version (Wii) of this title back on the WiiU and it took me three attempts to get through it, the game just never gelled with me and I found it a grind every time I tried to finish it. I eventually did beat the game and I ended up having very mixed feelings on this origin tale of the Zelda series, so much so I had no interest in buying this remaster. However to my surprise the prerelease trailers had a bizarre impact on me as they hit my nostalgia hard on an emotional level which surprised me as I always thought I leaned more towards not really liking Skyward Sword. The review coverage followed with lots of praise for the remaster which had me intrigued enough to pick it up and boy am I glad I did. In short I absolutely loved this playthrough as I devoured it in next to no time including some how playing 9 hours in one day across 3 or 4 play sessions (I was off work, home alone and up at 4.30am 😂). The remaster does so much to increase the speed of the game as they've managed to trim hours off the games run time, on HowLongToBeat the remaster is around 8 hours shorter which is alot of fat to cut, especially as I beat the remaster in under the 30 hour play time that the site suggest. Unfortunately however I still have issues with Skyward Sword as it is very much one fetch quest after another and alot of stuff feels like filler to pad out the run time but on this playthrough it didn't bother me anywhere near as much. I really wonder what Skyward Sword would have originally looked like if it didn't come out on the gimmicky Wii and during a period of time where game run time was a hot topic. Speaking of gimmicks one thing the Switch port of the game does is add optional button controls which are a complete game changer, I'm not a fan of motion controls at all and they were a big part of my misgivings about the original title, and I'm delighted to say the button controls work excellently. The sword is now controlled with the right thumb stick which works well, occasionally it can be a little awkward but as compromises go I think it more than does the job. The remaster also added a controllerable camera which is awkward to use on the button controls, as you have to press a shoulder trigger then use the right thumb stick but just being able to move the camera to find collectables improves many of the fetch quests and padding segments and it does eventually feel somewhat natural. The only area of controls I really didn't like was how items worked as it kept tripping me up throughout the adventure, with everything else I got used to it but item useage annoyed me throughout. Thankfully it's only a small issue but the game wants you to tap the item trigger to get out the item while holding the trigger brings up the item selector, I don't know why but this just drove me crazy as I was always holding it to use the bow or whatever like you would do in previous games, just one of those cases where muscle memory messes with you I think. However when I think about Skyward Sword two things come to mind being the story and the dungeons, as both of these elements are up there as the series's best in my opinion. Skyward Sword really focuses on the relationship between Zelda and Link which gives the game a more personal feel which really adds to the stakes, yes the game is basically one big chase as you try to rescue a kidnapped Zelda but the character interactions make it more meaningful than previous games. The rest of your journey will see you interact with plenty of other memorable characters as you quest to forge the Master Sword, rescue Zelda and put an end to evil. The main aspect of Skyward Sword really worth championing however has to be the dungeons as they do really stand out from the crowd, every dungeon builds from the last and following franchise tradion uses newly required items in more and more advanced ways until you've beaten the boss and claimed the prize. The biggest knock I have against Skyward Sword is the sky sections as the flying around isn't fun, it's time consuming and is mostly an empty experience, visually it looks cool but it's easily one part of the game I despise, thankfully though the button controls do make it alot less involved and frustrating as the motion controls of the Wii version but I still don't like these segments. I've came away from this remaster having a whole new respect for Skward Sword, it might actually be one of my favourite Zelda's now as the artwork, music, story and dungeons are top quality while this remaster improves the controls and eliminates most of the issue I had with the original, I'm so glad I decided to pick this up. 

Game Of The Year

Spoiler

New Releases

1. Pokémon Unite 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

First Time Played This Year

1. Xenoblade Chronicles DX

2. Assassin's Creed Black Flag

3. Bioshock

4. BioShock 2

5. Yokus Island Express

Recent Pick Ups 

Physical

New Super Lucky's Tale - Switch - £10 - I played the demo along time ago so I've been keeping my eye out for a cheap copy since then, to my surprise Amazon dropped the price to £10 and at that price it was a no brainer. Lucky's Tale is a 3D platformer which originally released on Xbox but a revamped version was released for Switch which seemed to iron out some of the issues and led to a better received game. I remember really liking the art style and controls of the demo so I'll be playing this in the near future that's for sure! Beware however there are two physical versions, one with a cartridge and one with a download code in a box. 

Astral Chain - Switch - £24 - Another game I've wanted for ages but the more I put off buying it the more reluctant I was to pay full price for it and as it was Nintendo published it never went on sale. However during the hype of its one year anniversary I decided it was time to bite so I went on eBay and got lucky winning a copy at a price I was happy to pay! This makes it the first second hand game in my Switch collection which is a nice milestone I'm surprised took this long to come haha. As for the game itself it's made by Platinum and you play as a police officer with access to demon partners or something, to be honest I'm iffy on the details but the title has always looked incredible cool so I'm hyped to play it. 

Digital

Undertale - Switch - Free/£8 - I actually turned 30 during the month of September and to my surprise the brother in law gifted me a copy of Undertale by giving me the cash and demanding I buy it for said birthday haha. He's a massive fan of the game and he's talked about my need to play it for a while so he decided to force my hand. I've always had a slight interest in the title but I never felt the desire to play it, now it's on the system though I have no excuse so I'll see what all the fuss is about after Metroid Dread. 

Downwell - Mobile - 89p - Downwell is a game I've always wanted to try out, so much so I own it on Switch but I've yet to play it. However I do think it's more suited to mobile gaming so when I saw it was on sale for a stupidly low price I decided to double dip hoping I'd actually get around to trying it out at some point. Anyway the game is a rogue like shooter where you're falling down a well with gun boots, by shooting enemies you need to make your way to the bottom of the well, it was very well received a few years ago and been on my play list for ages. 

[Ashez]

Hype! 

Oh I hope the switch port is good and physical 🙏

 

[Ashez]

Looks like today is the day of hype trailers! Darkest Dungeon 2 baby! 

I was worried how the transition to 3D would work but bloody hell it looks stunning :D. The chunkier characters will take some getting used to but damn does this work! My second most anticipated game after the BOTW sequel :D. 

Did you ever go back to the first @FuddledFox? 

[Mikey]

I would of loved GTA 5 on the Switch but I'm happy with San Andreas. I would prefer to buy it separately though. 

As for what I'm currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I bought this game early 2020 and it has took a whole year and a half for me to finally enjoy playing it. I played it for about 5 minutes when I first bought the game and never touched it again until recently. I even managed to catch a Scorpion which was nice.

Mario Kart 8 - The only game I've kept from the year the Switch came out. I've gone through spells where I'll play it loads and then spells where I go months and even a year without playing. Currently me and the missus are aiming to get 3 stars on every cup. She wanted to start at 50cc and work our way up, which is fine, but if we started at 150cc we would of got 150, 100 and 50 cc all in one. Just means lots of redos! I've also done 5 races online on our new joint account and came second twice and third three times. 100% podium finishes.

Pokémon Shield - Completed this game over a year ago and was close to selling it at one point. I 100% the game. Completed the game, the Pokédex and everything possible. Started watching Pokémon Journeys and got the feel for the game again. Haven't got far, but have got three of our team members already. Scorbunny, Wooloo and Nickit.

What have you been playing recently @Ashez@Rob?

[Ashez]

2 hours ago, Mikey said:

I would of loved GTA 5 on the Switch but I'm happy with San Andreas. I would prefer to buy it separately though. 

As for what I'm currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I bought this game early 2020 and it has took a whole year and a half for me to finally enjoy playing it. I played it for about 5 minutes when I first bought the game and never touched it again until recently. I even managed to catch a Scorpion which was nice.

Mario Kart 8 - The only game I've kept from the year the Switch came out. I've gone through spells where I'll play it loads and then spells where I go months and even a year without playing. Currently me and the missus are aiming to get 3 stars on every cup. She wanted to start at 50cc and work our way up, which is fine, but if we started at 150cc we would of got 150, 100 and 50 cc all in one. Just means lots of redos! I've also done 5 races online on our new joint account and came second twice and third three times. 100% podium finishes.

Pokémon Shield - Completed this game over a year ago and was close to selling it at one point. I 100% the game. Completed the game, the Pokédex and everything possible. Started watching Pokémon Journeys and got the feel for the game again. Haven't got far, but have got three of our team members already. Scorbunny, Wooloo and Nickit.

What have you been playing recently @Ashez@Rob?

My "What I've been playing" for October is written, I'm just dwelling on it abit but it will be posted in the coming days. It's an action packed update though as I finished 3 games in October 

Yeah I'm excited about the GTA collection, I'm gutted the physical version is download required though. I'm waiting for footage of the Switch port before I think about getting it though. Nintendo Life had some screenshots before and they look okay. 

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/11/gallery-rockstar-shares-first-screenshots-of-the-gta-trilogy-for-nintendo-switch

ACNH - I loved my month with Animal Crossing, it surprised me how much I liked it but I have no interest in going back, I also don't think I'd get a sequel. The free and paid DLC looks cool but I've too much to play to return. 

MK8D  -  I've not played that in ages, mainly due to current times as I've not had people round but also because as a single player game I'm stuck lol. Like you I went the star route and I've done them all but 200cc and I'm just stuck on it haha. 

Pokemon S/S - It's not a perfect game and I get the complaints but I do still like it alot, it is one I'll have to replay at some point though but it won't be for a while with the remakes and Legends approaching. 

[Mikey]

My missus is angry because the free update looks amazing but you have to have an island star rating of 3 and ours is only 2. She spent pretty much all day doing jobs that get your rating higher and it just won't go to 3 😂Once it does I can see this free update being fun and I'll most likely buy the DLC. I've only just started playing myself but she loves the game. Before we made this joint account that has 30 hours on she had over 600 on her own account.

200cc on Mario Kart is so hard isn't it? I actually had to use help by turning on the option that stops you going of track but then I forget so when I get a mushroom and go to cut the track I can't haha.

I didn't think Shield had much replay value at all and it's only because we started watching Journeys I fancied playing again. What I will say though is my first playthrough I enjoyed the game up until just past mid part of the game. The beginning is so detailed with so much to do and then it's like they either ran out of time or gave up. One area literally only had a gym and that's it. 

 

[Ashez]

I was going to respond with my Shield views @Mikeythen I remembered that's why I do my "what I've been playing" series so I've already done it

https://fmmvibe.com/forums/topic/30503-nintendo/?do=findComment&comment=400020

That comment sums up how I feel and how I still feel, I do like the game alot but it has so many issues. 

[Ashez]

What I've Been Playing 

October 2021

Switch

Metroid Dread - Every now and then a game releases that's a system defining piece of software and Metroid Dread in my opinion is right up there with Breath Of The Wild and Mario Odyseey as games that the Switch will be remembered for. Metroid 5 has been wanted for nearly two decades so when Dread was revealed the hype was unreal and Nintendo marketed the game superbly showing their confidence in a series that typically doesn't sell well. The fear in such a circumstance is the game becomes stupidly over hyped so it can't live up to the expectations created for it but I'm happy to say Metroid Dread not only delivers but it might be the best game in the series. That's not to say the game is a perfect 10/10 as I don't feel it is as I do have some small issues with the game but it was still an incredible experience which most people should play. You may wonder why I say most and not all? Well that's mainly due to the fact Dread pulls no punches as it's incredible hard at first, but once you learn enemy patterns and how to deal with situations it can become somewhat easy, it all depends on your ability to learn patterns and your willingness to grind the knowledge required. For example one boss took me well over a hour to beat, it was like being back in my childhood and having a game kick my ass, but I kept going learning and getting better with each attempt, by the time I finally beat my foe I did it basically not getting hit and the cheer I let out likely could only be compared to a last minute winner in football, I grinded it out and finally got the result I deserved. One aspect that I think makes this more for filling but less accessable has to be the controls as while they're excellent and Samus is a dream to control the game does use every single button on the controller, at times it does feel like a fighting game where you're scrambling to remember what's what, especially in the heat of boss battles where you're basically linking abilities together to get the upper hand, thankfully each upgrade is given to you slowly so you do learn how to use them but by the end you'll struggle to remember every buttons function, I understand why some people will not like this but to me it did add to the dread as every button press mattered. Speaking of dread I suppose it's time I speak about the games main marketed selling point being the new robot enemies the EMMI. Oh my god these little bastards are terrifying at the begining but unfortunately I do think they over stay their welcome and get in the way by the mid game, basically each map area has EMMI zones where these undefeatable robots lurk and you have to sneak by them, as if they catch you it's an instant kill. There is a very small and random each time counter opportunity to stun them so you have time to escape but this window is extremely small and I only achieved it a handful of times. At the begining of the game I loved these sections but by the water one I was tired of them, mainly because they got in the way of exploration but also because that water section is a slog until you get the upgrades to make progression easier. Thankfully the developers were extremely smart as the game has a very generous check point system so you never lose too much progress, it does make bosses and the EMMI sections especially alot more palatable as it encourages you to jump right back in and try again, once again you're learning with every attempt. It's not only the bosses and the EMMI which bring the dread though as the atmosphere is top notch as exploration is intense with every detail making the world feel alive, be it the more medical centre locations or the more natural environments you never know what's around the corner to be your next obstacle. Which brings me to the exploration which I really enjoyed as the game is very clever in pushing you in the right direction, I only got lost once which was my own fault as I went off the beaten path in search of upgrades and forgot where I was, but the best thing about Dread is it can be somewhat linear or you can find your own way (some of the sequence breaks are wild), it never felt like I was being guided while playing until I really thought about it though which just shows what an incredible job the developers did, it made me feel clever without wasting my time which I appreciate. Like all 2D Metroid games the point is exploring the area finding upgrades as you go be them small missile packs, energy tanks or abilities to help you on your adventure and Dread has a nice mix of new and old abilities to use, the new dash ability is easily my favourite though as it's fun to use and has so many different uses, I have to say I used missiles and the Shinespark ability alot more in this game than any previous Metroid title as they're easier to use and so much fun. You may be wondering why I haven't mentioned the story yet and that's due to two reasons, typically Metroid games have limited stories even if there is an overall plot linking the games, but Dread only has three or four plot dumps throughout the game and while they're all awesome they're also all major developments so I can't really discuss them but the final sections of the game are simply incredible! I've played all the other games in the series (Zero Mission, Smaus Returns, Super Metroid, Fusion) so I knew the plot going in but Dread is somewhat approachable to new players as it does give a run down at the start, if the ending is as impactful if you've only played Dread though I don't know but I was freaking out in my seat watching it play out. In short Metroid Dread is absolutely awesome as the exploration is fantastic, the action is griping, the bosses are old school pattern learning, the story is ace, the EMMIs are terrifying until they're annoying and yeah I love this game and I look forward to playing it again as I know I will. While I think of it alot has been made about the games length but the in game counter isn't exact as it reverts to previous saves after death, so my save says I beat the game in around 9 hours but I actually put in over 15 which I felt was the perfect length for a game like Metroid, people forget the earlier titles are short so I'm glad Dread is paced well and a decent length that doesn't over stay it's welcome like I think Samus Returns on the 3DS did (mainly due to the source material being repetitive). I'm so excited about the future of 2D Metroid as MercurySteam have proved they're up to the challenge and with this story being finished now who knows where the series could go!! Nintendo recently released a demo for Dread on the Eshop so go check it out, you won't be disappointed. 

Sayonara Wild Hearts - What an experience this little game is! Sayonara Wild Hearts is described as a music album game and I understand why as it's more about the journey than the destination. The game can be beat in 1-2 hours (unless you go for highscores/medals etc) and it's just an experience for your senses. I've kept it in the backlog until I had the perfect environment of pitch darkness to really allow the visuals to pop and boy do they, and while the music isn't my usual cup of tea it just goes together so well. I actually tried to use the newly added Bluetooth support of the switch to get the full experience with my headphones but unfortunately they kept disconnecting so I might have to play it again in the future in handheld mode with wired headphones. This game is just bat shit crazy and for a rhythm game it's extremely forgiving as you face little penalty for failing, it's not that challenging (it even offers you the chance to skip challenging sections if you die too often but I turned this feature off) and it encourages just jumping in and trying again. I'm terrible at rhythm games but I've always enjoyed them so I loved the fact Sayonara Wild Hearts didn't make me feel bad at the game, while I didn't gold rank any stages I did mostly finish on silver's. Unlike most rail focused rhythm games Sayonara is more free as you can move anywhere on the track, while I found the controls somewhat floaty this also suited the style of the game and allowed them to be creative with the point multiplier collectables, there are also a few button press sections which again a very forgiving which I appreciated. As it's short I don't really want to spoil anything but each level was fun, the bosses were creative and the story was sweet so all in all it was well worth a playthrough. I got a physical copy for £8 and have had around 2 hours of entertainment from it so far and I expect I'll play it again due to its length, which is something I can live with, if you're more high score chasing inclined I'm sure this game has loads of content to keep you busy. This is why I love indies and why I love the fact I actually want to play the Switch as I've had so many new experiences, what a time to be a fan of video games. 

Undertale - Where do you start with a game as popular and well loved as Undertale? Well I'll start controversially and say it's massively overrated, however before anyone grabs their pitchforks I can actually understand why it's so well loved. The game has a wonderful amount of charm thanks to a fantastic cast of characters and it made me laugh throughout, the game is always telling jokes or throwing things you'd never expect at you which just makes it a fun experience, I can certainly say Undertale is unique and it does stand out from the crowd. The visuals aren't the best but I don't think they're intended to be, they are rough around the edges which in itself brings a certain amount of charm and the art does fit the game completely, as does the music which was my biggest highlight of the game. However it is the games story and main gimmick which really saw the title hit the mainstream and unfortunately I went in knowing the games main surprise, but I'll try and skirt around it to not ruin it for anyone here. Basically the story sees a young child fall into the Underground which is filled with monsters with the humans living above, the adventure sees you attempting to leave the underworld to return home and along the way you'll learn about the history of both the humans and the monsters, the story is touching in places but I do think the pace is lacking, especially in the second half as I did think the game started to drag after really enjoying the first half, considering it's only 4-5 hours long I don't think that's a good thing but it's hardly a deal breaker and I'll admit the "final boss" was bat shit crazy enough to be worth pushing through, but even that kind of took the joke too far by completion in my opinion. The main thing I didn't like about Undertale though has to be the battle system as it attempted to build a hybrid shooter em up/bullet hell type mini game into the system, where the AI will attack and you're in a little box and have to dodge the attacks, it's unique with loads of variations but it never really clicked with me. While in combat you can pick to attack the enemies or chat with them to try and make them surrender or exit the combat without death, this I did find a cool mechanic but even that soon became a little formulaic but thankfully random battles aren't that common. If you decide to kill or show mercy will have repercussions on the story with each having their own ending, I ended up with the neutral ending and I doubt I'll return to see if either of the other options are worth discovering. All in all I liked Undertale enough to finish it and I'm glad I've finally played it but I don't think it's all that. I went in knowing the main gimmick and I don't like the game enough to play it again for the full effect so maybe I am missing something but yeah it's just not for me unfortunately but as I said at the start I can see why people love it. 

Game Of The Year

Spoiler

New Releases

1. Metroid Dread

2. Pokémon Unite

3. 

4. 

5. 

Metroid Dread won't be moving and tbh I'm not sure I'll be buying anything else that qualifies for this list this year. 

First Time Played This Year

1. Xenoblade Chronicles DX

2. Assassin's Creed Black Flag

3. Bioshock

4. BioShock 2

5. Yokus Island Express

Recent Pick Ups

Physical

Metroid Dread - Switch - £40 - I think I've spoken about this game enough this update!  

[Mikey]

My friend has Undertale and it does look like a fun little game, I just haven't got round to buying it. Not sure about Metroid Dread. I want to play a Metroid game just unsure whether I'll enjoy that sort of gameplay.

You only just played Assassin's Creed Black Flag this year @Ashez? I got the platinum trophy on it years ago when playing it on the PS4. What are your thoughts on it? I found it a fun game.

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Mikey

[Ashez]

Like I said above I understand why people love Undertale but it just wasn't for me, I loved aspects but disliked a decent amount. I've always been fussy with RPGs though so it's not uncommon for one to just not click with me. 

As for Metroid Dread I'd say you have two options @Mikey, either try the Dread demo or if you have the basic Nintendo online give Super Metroid a playthrough. Super is a little clunky but it holds up incredibly well, Super was my introduction into the Metroid series 6-7 years ago and I've never looked back. The genre is now one of my go tos as I'm always looking for the next great Metroidvania type game. 

Yeah my first playthrough of Black Flag was this year, I got it for Xmas last year. I was interested in the WiiU port but it was apparently garbage so the Switch port was my first opportunity to play it and I had a blast. Anyway my Black Flag write up can be found here 

https://fmmvibe.com/forums/topic/30503-nintendo/?do=findComment&comment=452590

 

I do these write ups for myself, I share them here as why not since they're written but it's fantastic to be able to look back at games to see what I thought of them at the time. 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Ashez

[Mikey]

I've been tempted for a while to buy an Assassin's Creed game on the Switch. How much was Black Flag? @Ashez

I'm out atm otherwise I would of looked myself. Might buy a couple if they run well on the Switch.

[Ashez]

3 hours ago, Mikey said:

I've been tempted for a while to buy an Assassin's Creed game on the Switch. How much was Black Flag? @Ashez

I'm out atm otherwise I would of looked myself. Might buy a couple if they run well on the Switch.

The third released iffy but I think  they patched it up. The third never looked that appealing though to me.

Trying to buy them is awkward though as there is a digital version, a code in box version and an actual physical version. Ubisoft shit usually goes on offer for Black Friday though so I'd keep an eye out then since it's coming up, think I bought the physical one for around £20. It seems to be £17-25 though depend on what format you go for. Black Flag is the Rogue collection that comes with the DLC campaign and the PSP game Rogue which I've not played. 

[Ashez]

What I've Been Playing 

November 2021

November was a wild month as we had Black Friday, I went to a comic con and I spent too much increasing the ever growing backlog! I also got some quality gaming in though so let's jump into the update!

Switch

Bioshock Infinite - I decided it was time to return to Bioshock and finish the trilogy which I started back in May by playing the first two titles. I went into Infinite with low expectations as it was the title that looked the least appealing out of the three when I looked into the series before purchase, however I think it might actually be my favourite in the series! From what I can gather from online discourse this is an unpopular opinion as Infinite makes some big departures from the first two games as it mostly abandons the horror/survival aspects of the first two games, as Infinite functions more like a main stream traditional shooter which just so happens to be my preference. The atmosphere of Infinite is also completely different to Rapture as we are now in a new city of Columbia which is found among the clouds, this makes the game alot more colourful and alot less creepy than Bioshock or Bioshock 2. However that's not to say Infinite doesn't have an atmosphere of its own as the world is well built and interesting to explore, I'll admit it's not as thrilling as Rapture but it still felt alive which was helped by Infinite having a more linear nature, which while disappointing I didn't mind too much as the story kept me interested throughout. The story of Bioshock Infinite sees you play as Booker Dewitt as he travels to Columbia to "find the girl, repay the debt" which leads him to Elizabeth and a story that's very touching and driven by the emotional attachment you grow to have over the characters, by the end I really liked Elizabeth and the journey her story took me on. Once you meet up with Elizabeth she's a constant companion as she's by your side until the end but thankfully she's not treated like a typical escort mission as she's more than capable of holding her own in a fight, in fact if anything she's too helpful as she can produce useful items which is the main reason the survival aspect of the game is gone. One area the game tries to limit the over powered nature of this feature is you can now only carry two guns at a time, unfortunately this does limit the freedom you have compared to the first two games where you had every weapon at your finger tips but I can't say it's a change I minded too much. One thing I was delighted to see return however was the ability to duel wield guns and plasmids/vigours as that feature has continued from Bioshock 2 with a few new abilities thrown into the mix with my favourite being a murder of crows which destroy enemies with ease. The story ends with a big twist that is handled okay, at the time I thought it was really cool even if it's a trope I'm not usually fond of, however there are plenty of plot holes and questions can be asked if you think about it too much, however the twist itself about the debt was pretty incredible and up there with the twist of the first game in my opinion.  

Bioshock Infinite Burial At Sea DLC Part 1 - It's extremely hard to talk about this DLC as it continues on from the twist of the main game, but in brief terms Burial at Sea sees Elizabeth approach Booker to help find a missing child, with an awesome twist early on as within minutes it's revealed we've returned to Rapture, the location of the first two games. As this is almost a prequel it's our first real look at what Rapture was intended to be and it is pretty cool. You see a couple of characters from the previous games and the enemies we've fought previously as you battle to and through a department store in search of the child. In Bioshock fashion the 2 hourish story ends with yet another awesome twist to get the hooks into you for the larger second part. In truth I didn't think much of this DLC as it was pretty short and fetch quest heavy, returning to Rapture was cool but it also returned to the more survival gameplay of BioShock 1 compared to the FPS gameplay of Infinite, originally after playing Bioshock I was satisfied with its gameplay but after playing Infinite that is much more to my tastes. Regardless the DLC did its job as I'm eager to jump into part two  

Bioshock Infinite Burial At Sea DLC Part 2 - The game starts and you discover you're now playing as Elizabeth, Booker is still involved but playing as someone else was a nice way to freshen up the experience, especially as a new gameplay style was implemented. Since you're now playing as Elizabeth the game has shifted to more of a stealth game as you must sneak around the department store taking enemies out with tranquilliser darts or melee attacks if you can approach them undetected, which is helped by a new plasmid called Peeping Tom which allows you to see through walls so you can plan your approach. While it's a fresh way to see the world of Bioshock I do prefer the guns blazing approach but I have to admit this was fun and nerve-wracking at times, however this dlc is more about the story than the gameplay. This DLC functions as the final bit of Bioshock media to date and it's safe to say it ties a nice bow on the entire series as it heavily links back to Bioshock 1 and explains a lot, especially around the Big Daddy's and Little Sisters. Having all these questions answered and seeing how things have changed was the highlight of the experience and I think playing as Elizabeth made everything more impactful as I really grew to like her throughout this journey. Each revelation was handled well and the ending was satisfying so what more can you ask for. 

Pokémon Shining Pearl - I'll save this for the December update as I'm only two badges in so far. 

Game Of The Year

Spoiler

New Releases

1. Metroid Dread

2. Pokémon Unite

3. 

4. 

5. 

First Time Played This Year

1. Xenoblade Chronicles DX

2. Assassin's Creed Black Flag

3. Bioshock Infinite

4. Bioshock 

5. BioShock 2

Infinite really surprised me as it slots into my top 5 above Bioshock 1, unfortunately though Yokus Island Express does exit the top 5 at this point.

Recent Pick Ups 

Physical 

Pokémon Shining Pearl - Switch - £36 - I fell off of Pokémon during generation two as I didn't play G/S/C until the DS remakes, I got back into the series randomly by picking up a second hand copy of Ruby, that chance purchase basically led to brother, my cousin and myself getting back into the series and Diamond and Pearl was the first launch Pokémon experience we had together since the originals so D/P are extremely nostalgic for me. I've fond memories of us all trying to beat the game and working together to complete the Pokédex, I also had a more personal journey with Pokémon Platinum as I really got into the battle tower, getting into the battle tower taught me alot about the hidden systems of Pokémon like EVs, IVs and breeding, it also led to my first forum experiences which I guess in turn led me to Vibe. I remember little of the game but I played the post game to death so I'm super excited to jump into these remakes. 

Super Metroid - SNES - £45* - During comic con I really hoped there would be a video game vendor and my hope was to find a copy of Super Metroid, thankfully I got to the vendor early as it was the only copy they had! £45 is about the going rate so I was happy to take it home with me as it was one of the items I hoped to find. While I could have bought it on eBay with older SNES and Gameboy games I'd rather find them in person as it really adds to traveling having items you're hoping to find, any time we leave town I look up what game shops are about at the destination haha. They also had multiple copies of A Link To The Past for £35 which did tempt me but I decided to wait until the end of the weekend to see what else I spent, it was still in my thoughts at home time but I decided to hold off until the next adventure as ALTTP isn't that uncommon so I know I'll come across it again. 

Starwing aka Starfox - SNES - £5* - The original Starfox for £5? Why wouldn't you pick it up. I've never really dabbled with the Starfox series but what's a fiver at the end of the day. 

Grey's Anatomy - DS - £10*- This is an odd pickup I agree, however I know it's one of the rarer DS titles so when I saw it dirt cheap I was always taking it home with me. The game looks absolutely garbage but I got a deal on it (explained below) and considering it's currently selling on eBay for £35-55 buying it for under £10 just had to be done, even the vendor was impressed I knew it's rarity! I assumed I caught him slipping on the price but I guess it was priced to sell as if you didn't know it was uncommon who'd buy it lol. I only know it's a rarer title as the missus started watching the show during lockdown, so I found it amusing the show had a game, so I looked into it. 

*Those were the listed price but I was at a convention so he gave me a deal as I paid £50 for the three games. 

Balan Wonderworld - Switch - £8.99 - Balan Wonderworld from the creator of Sonic and published by Square Enix released to universal criticism with the game getting 4/10 across the gaming media. It's a 3D platformer where half the time you can't jump?! Let that sink in! It released at £60 and soon plummeted in value as it's been hovering around the £15 mark for a few weeks, however when Game dropped it to £9 for black Friday I thought screw it lets see how bad the game actually is! When I took it to the counter the lad working tried to talk me out of buying it! He asked if I knew about it and how bad its meant to be, once I said that's exactly why I'm buying it he said as long as I'm sure and continued with the purchase, well that's a first for me and I've bought plenty of bad games over the years! Colour me excited to see how had this game is, if I get a hour or two out of it I'll be satisfied enough at that price. Who knows with how bad it crashed maybe it'll climb in value in the future and become worth something again. 

Digital 

FMM22 - Mobile - 7.99 - I held off a week or two but when Pokémon didn't hit it's delivery date I was home alone and weak so I jumped into FMM22. For once it's a decision I've not regretted as I'm enjoying the game alot ATM, hopefully that turns into content I can produce for the actual site instead of this side stuff noone cares about lol. 

 

[Ashez]

What I've Been Playing 

December 2021

Well December turned out to be a crazy month! Not only did we have Christmas, the New Year, two big family events and work being manic I also went and caught Covid. Unfortunately isolation wasn't as gaming filled as you'd hope for 10 days due to the horrendous headache but I did managed to clear a decent sized RPG, a retro beat em up and an old school platformer so I made the most of a shit situation. Anyway this is a big update with 3 games played and plenty of pick ups so let's crack on!

Switch

Pokémon Shining Pearl - I said I was really excited about these remakes in the last update and unfortunately they've fallen incredibly flat with me! I ended up finding Shining Pearl a complete chore to get through as it bored me throughout as I played most of the game while watching YouTube just to get through it. I'm not entirely sure why but these games just felt completely souless and I'm questioning why they exist outside of being more accessible? The prelaunch drama was mostly focused on the chibi graphic style which I have to admit grew on me while I played, however this style was used bizarrely as the characters had little to no emotion yet the camera constantly zoomed in on characters for dramatic effect yet they were lifeless, it's basically the Zelda Links Awakening style but without the charm. As I said the style grew on me over the hours but my biggest complaint about these titles is the controls are horrendous as the chibi character is too big for most environments and you get caught on everything! Originally I thought it might be due to the game still using a grid system alongside an analogue stick but I tried using the D-Pad and the issues persisted, the character model was just too big for the game and don't get me started on the bike as it's not useable, this is the first Pokémon game where I didn't want to use the bike as it was just painful. Odd graphically decisions, horrendous controls and it gets worse as the performance of the game also leaves alot to be desired as it stutters and lags in and out of battle throughout! The game just doesn't feel polished at all and personally I'd say it was rushed out the door due to Pokémon Legends releasing next month, I'm actually amazed I haven't seen much hate around about this game as it massively disappointed me. Admittedly I've found myself iffy with remakes in the past as I wasn't a fan of ORAS either but that was more due to the big changes they made (megas etc) while this remake was basically a tile for tile glow up but it missed the mark for me, maybe I've just moved passed remakes at this point. The lifeless characters did make me struggle to get invested in the story but what's there is okay as it's your typical Pokémon game with the evil team and their plot, while you head out to collect eight badges and beat the elite four. It's all by the numbers and what you've come to expect, one thing I did like about the game is throughout it did unlock little things to add to the experience like one town you'd get the experience share, the next the bike, the next the following Pokemon and so on which did make the game constantly feel fresh. Talking about the experience share it's now a fixed item in the game which can't be turned off, which in theory I don't mind but I don't think the game was balanced for it as I was constantly over levelled and by the mid game it was basically a press A simulator as i steamrolled it without issue (even on set mode without items). Thankfully however the elite 4 did live up to the games it was based on as this is by far the hardest Elite 4 I've ever gone up against, especially the champion as I actually wiped to her twice! It's a brutal fight against a balanced EV trained team with items that makes all the difference, the Elite Four really made me sit up and take notice which was easily the most enjoyable part of the game. Thankfully due to having fond memories of the original games I did build a team I enjoyed using as Inferanpe, Floatzel, Mamoswine, Raichu, Staraptor and Roserade were fun to return too and I did complete the "seen" dex of 151 to unlock the post game. With regards to the post game I just quickly caught most the extra legendaries but by the time it got to grinding for Cresselia and the Regi's I'd completely lost interest and decided to move on. I can't hide the fact I'm incredibly down on this game as it basically disappointed across the board, however I wouldn't say it's a bad game as it's still Pokémon a the end of the day, it just didn't hit the heights I hoped it would. It's funny how everyone hated Sun/Moon and Sword/Shield yet I loved them while many seem to love ORAS and BDSP which I've issues with. I do intended to give ORAS another chance some day but I don't see me having a reason to return to BDSP unfortunately. This was a remake I was hyped for and it left me disappointed, yet the Skyward Sword remake I didn't intend to get blew me away, that's the beauty of games I guess. 

Legend Of Kay Anniversary - Legend Of Kay is a PS2 era combat focused 3D platformer that's somewhat been lost to time, it's not a game you'll hear mentioned alongside the greats of the era like Mario Sunshine or Crash Bandicoot but surprisingly I had a blast playing it. I picked up this remaster dirt cheap years ago now and I wasn't sure I'd ever play it but due to isolation I thought I'd try to get through at least one game I wasn't overly excited to play as it's not like I had anything better to do. The story sees you play as a feline ninja called Kay in a world that doesn't feel too dissimilar to a children's film like Kung Fu Panda as all the characters are voice acted and animated in a child friendly manor, however some of the language and especially the stereotypical racism isn't exactly kid friendly as you do have things like Asian rats and Jamaican frogs. The plotline sees these rats invade Kay's village with the help of Gorilla's as they've big plans so it's up to Kay to save the day, basically your typical 3D platformer fair with the story told via normal cut scenes and some comic book style panels, it all works but the game is alittle chatty. Being chatty isn't necessarily a bad thing but the voice acting is extremely bad, the stereotypical stuff doesn't help but the voice performances in general are awful and of the era while the game also seems to really go out its way to make Kay unlikeable, he's a complete moron for most of the game. However when it comes to gameplay Kay does shine somewhat brightly as the game is level structured but each level is big and varied with plenty of combat, puzzles and platforming to be done. There are collectables but this isn't a collectathon style platformer as the combat is the focus as you'll be thrown into combat challenges often, maybe too often but thankfully the combat is actually pretty solid and enjoyable. The game uses a combo system with some decent depth to the way you can chain attacks together with three weapons at Kay's disposal by the end game, once you've started to build a combo you press X to zip to other enemies or use the roll to get behind them to produce heavy damage. Enemy wise you'll face off against rats, crocodiles, bears, gorillas and a couple others with each enemy having various levels of armour and damage output so there is a mild degree of tactical gameplay to the combat as prioritizing dangerous foes early can make or break certain fights. The combat is over used and at times some of the combat rooms left me rolling my eyes with how often the game utilised them but I did find the combat fun throughout, I do wish it had a targeting system though as at times it could get a tad hectic. The only big knock I have against the game is the camera is awful and I really wish this remaster fixed it up, I think if this anniversary version had a much better camera this game could have been pretty highly regarded instead of a hidden gem from the PS2 era. As well as combat, platforming and level exploration the game also has a handful of decent boss fights and a couple of animal riding levels similar to those in Crash Bandicoot, in these levels you'll ride something like a boar and have to hit check points to reach the end within the time limit, these are slightly frustrating later on but drifting on a boar is funnier than it has any right to be and it does add some variation to the gameplay, especially one later level that's more like a Star Fox styled shooter. All in all Legend Of Kay is a pretty decent game, it has plenty of flaws but I did enjoy it alot. It's one of those games that I almost had to force myself to play each session but once I was actually playing it I'd play it for a couple hours and not want to turn it off. The run time of roughly 10 hours was also the perfect length as just as I thought it was starting to out stay it's welcome I was into the end game. Kay isn't up to the levels of modern 3D platformers or games in general but for anyone with a fondness to old school games I'd say this remaster is well worth looking into, especially if you see it cheap as it is a decent time. 

Gameboy Colour

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - I think this might be the first Gameboy Colour game to feature on these write ups which is pretty neat! Anyway I was looking at my Gameboy games during isolation and I realised this Buffy game was one of my childhood games that I never beat. I'm not sure if that was because I found it difficult or boring but I decided to throw it in the old Gameboy SP and give it a whirl, around a hour or so later the credits were rolling and another game was out of the backlog. Buffy on the GBC is a very straight forward side scrolling beat em up where you have a punch, a kick, leg sweep and a limited special attack while you can also stake vampires once they're grounded. To ground an enemy the game uses a stamina system where you need to wear down the vampire, and once grounded their stamina will replenish so they can get back into action unless you stake them which is done by standing near them while they're on the floor. Buffy also has the same stamina meter as well as a health/blood meter which enemies can attack once you're grounded by sucking your blood, once your blood meter is empty it's game over. You only have one life but the game uses the old school password system (so much better now we have camera phones!) for each level so it's easy to keep your progress if you do game over, however I only did once during the playthough as the game is very short and very easy to cheese. It's incredibly easy to force a vampire into the corner of the screen and continue to leg sweep them while getting into a staking position, the game does have a few variations in enemies but they all fall the same way. One thing I did really like about the game is it has a small comic book style story based around the fourth series of the show and the small amount of writing felt at home in the universe, as did the brief story about Ethan trying to open the hellmouth. There isn't much you can say in truth, Buffy The Vampire Slayer on the Gameboy Colour is a mediocre yet short beat em up that was a decent enough distraction for a hour or so but nothing more. 

Game Of The Year

Spoiler

New Releases

1. Metroid Dread

2. Pokémon Unite

3. 

4. 

5. 

First Time Played This Year

1. Xenoblade Chronicles DX

2. Assassin's Creed Black Flag

3. Bioshock Infinite

4. Bioshock 

5. BioShock 2

I've a list of every game I've beaten this year so hopefully I'll get around to some sort of end of year write up. 

Recent Pick Ups

Physical

No Straight Roads - Switch - £4.99 - No Straight Roads released to very mixed reviews but it was on my radar due to its unique art style and gimmick. The game looks like a Saturday morning cartoon with a music base which also goes into the gameplay as it's based around a rhythm based combat system. Like I said the reviews were mixed with praise for the story and characters but the gameplay, bugs and potentially the difficulty seemed to hold it back but for £5 I'll at least try it. Obviously I love a good 8-9/10 game but I think there are plenty of 6-7/10 games that are worth playing, sometimes a game that just misses the mark is more interesting in my opinion.

Super Smash Bro Ultimate - Switch - £30 - Work randomly had Smash Bros (among other Switch games) reduced to clear so I decided to treat myself to a game I've always wanted, just not at the usual £52, but for £30 after discounts etc I'll roll the dice. I've a strange history with Smash as I do really like it as I played Brawl to death on the Wii, however it's a game I've not played much of since as none of my friends or family are into it and as I've said before I'm not into online gaming. I had Smash 4 on the WiiU and I played it an okay amount but nothing that made me want to get Ultimate but at such a discount I'm happy to pick it up. The £52 price tag was just too steep for me, especially with the £40 worth of DLC which both character packs which I don't see myself picking up, unless I surprise myself and really get into the game. 

Xmas 

The missus was an absolute beaut picking me up two games I've wanted for ages! She asked for a list of games I'd like (so there would be a some surprise I guess) and somehow she picked the two I wanted the most. I wasn't expecting two games tbf but she's a star. 

Ori The Collection - Switch - As a big fan of Metroidvania's I've had my eye on the Ori games for a while, especially as I loved the demo of the first game I played months ago. I intended to pick up the seperate stand alone releases of these games but the timing was never right so I didn't get around to it, then the collection was announced so I held off for that. Interestingly I almost bought it myself the other month but it was too close to Metroid Dread's release so I decided against it which worked out well as the missus hooked me up. 

Witcher 3 Wild Hunt - Switch - Witcher 3 is one of those games I've wanted to try but i was always intimidated by it as I'm not 100% sure I'll like it and by the amount of content the game offers. Games in the 50-100+ hour range always make me hesitate as they tend to rot in the backlog for a while but especially with the Switch I've been alot better at getting through them. It was a game I always intended to pick up once i had an opening to play it but in recent years I've gone for Xenoblade and DQXIs as my big time investment games but I think 2022 will belong to the Witcher. When I get to this will largely depend on how Pokémon Legends turns out I think, I won't be starting this until after that at least but if that is a large "open world" game like it seems I'm not sure when I'll fancy this. At least it's in the collection now though so when the time comes I can jump into it. 

Digital

Saints Row IV Re-elected - Switch - £2.44/Gold Coins - I've always wanted to try the Saints Row series and the 4th is on my physical to buy list however when it dropped to pennies on the Eshop for the Xmas sale I decided to just buy it now since it was free with gold coins. Hopefully I'll get around to trying this out but I know how I treat digital games, knowing me I'll likely not play it yet buy physically down the line haha  

Oxenfree - Switch - £0.89/Gold Coins - An indie title I've heard about for years so I may as well get it while it's cheap with my coins before they expire. I know little about it but it looks like a story driven walking simulator type game but it's highly regarded so we'll see. 

[geordiekrispy]

I don't have a Switch but now I am very tempted to get one after seeing this news:
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-01-12-the-neo-geo-pockets-best-game-just-landed-on-switch

I loved my neo-geo pocket colour in the early 2000s and this was the BEST game on it. I'd love to play it again, I know I can get an emulator and play it, but it's not the same.

[Ashez]

Microsoft buying Activision 😮

[Rob]

@Woody what games you ended up owning for the Switch?

[Woody]

2 hours ago, Rob said:

@Woody what games you ended up owning for the Switch?

Oh mate pls don't judge 🤣

Physical copies - PGA Tour Golf,Fifa 22, Breath of the Wild and Metroid Dread.

I also I have Fortnite and Rocket League installed.

 

 

[Rob]

1 hour ago, Woody said:

Oh mate pls don't judge 🤣

Physical copies - PGA Tour Golf,Fifa 22, Breath of the Wild and Metroid Dread.

I also I have Fortnite and Rocket League installed.

 

 

Just as well I am not judging 😘

[Ashez]

Nintendo have announced the Switch has out sold the Wii! What an achievement! 103.54m units sold! It's now Nintendo's best ever selling home console, but the Gameboy (118m) and DS (154m) are still ahead of it. 

The next achievement would be to catch the PS4 sitting at 116m which isn't that unlikely.

After the dreadful WiiU I'm just so happy Nintendo bounced back, it's hard to remember the WiiU only sold 14m units world wide. 

[Ashez]

What a banger of a Nintendo Direct last night!! So many awesome looking games announced! Unfortunately the highly rumoured Arkham Collection wasn't announced which is a sour note but I can't be disappointed after everything else they showed. 

I can't believe we're finally getting a new Mario Strikers! I played the Wii title to death and it's a series I hoped would return and it looks freaking awesome! 

That's not all the Mario content either as Mario Kart 8D is getting more DLC, it's taken 5 years but between now and 2023 we're getting 48 new courses! That's insane! It's reasonably priced or free with the expansion pass too which is awesome. I'd much rather they do this than do a MK9 if they don't have a gimmick to liven up the series. 

Xenoblade 3 also looks ace but I've yet to play or own the second in the series since I only beat the first last year, I'm interested but I dunno if I'll jump in on this one or not, it depends if I ever get tempted to buy Xenonlade 2 but this has peaked my interest. The fact this releases in September is what worries me as does that mean BOTW2 misses this year? I just don't see Xenoblade in September and BOTW2 at Xmas but who knows, I also didn't expect Pokémon games two months apart. 

Advance Wars also actually looks really good now after the delay but 2022 looks to be such a stacked year I'm not sure I'll get to it or not

One of my hopes was for a new Fire Emblem which kinda happened as we're getting another title in the Warriors spin off set in the Three Houses universe. At first I wasn't that excited as I was disappointed it wasn't a mainline game but after thinking about it I'm more intrigued now. I wasn't that fussed on the first Fire Emblem Warriors but if this is a more story driven title like Age Of Calamity which it looks to be I might have to pick it up. 

Another big surprise was a sequel to Wii Sports! Who saw that coming? It's an exciting announcement for sure, I'm not sure if I'll get it but if the price is right I might very well be tempted as who doesn't love Wii bowling. Unfortunately the new modes of football and volleyball don't look that appealing to me though. 

Then you have all the remakes and heavily requested games returning like Front Mission, Chrono Cross, Live A Live, Earthbound and Klonoa which while not all for me I can see how exciting these games returning is for people! 

Oh shit yeah Kirby! That actually looks really good too! It might suffer from the year being so packed for me personally but it's on my radar for sure. I love a good 3D platformer but I've never been a fan of the Kirby games. I'm excited to see what the reviews and public opinion are on this once it releases next month. 

The Disney/Pixar racing game also had me excited until they announced it was free to play, I might try it since it's free but tbf the Mario Kart news basically kneecapped that announcement. 

All this and more with most of this coming this half the year, bloody hell 2022 looks be awesome!