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Post by Nester the Lark on Jan 16, 2022 13:32:11 GMT -5
I did run away. I was thinking I didn't have to face it at all, and was rather surprised to learn that I still had to take it down. I don't remember it well now, but I think I had to lure it to a specific location to attack it. I did that, but it kept its original HP. Can that attack miss? I'd rather not risk Link getting defeated at that point. Everyone at that point couldn't take that many hits. In retrospect, restarting the whole mission may have been faster. The scripted attacks shouldn't miss. There are three of them, and together should reduce the Guardian's HP by more than half. You can dodge the Guardian's laser at the last second. Guardians aren't good at hitting moving targets. You can't Perfect Dodge the laser, but you can with other attacks to take advantage of Flurry Rush to reduce its Weak Point gauge. Also, strategic use of the Stasis ability to freeze it for a few seconds might help. You can also destroy its legs to keep it from moving around. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jan 16, 2022 11:07:43 GMT -5
I've probably tried more demos than these, but these are the ones I remember off the top of my head. In general, I don't spend a lot of time on demos and free trials if I don't intend to actually buy the full game. No reason to sink too much time into them, you know? Ocean HornI tried a few random demos when I first got my Switch due to not having many games yet. Ocean Horn is a Zelda-style indie game. It was pleasant, but I'd rather just play a real Zelda game. Spelunker PartyI've never played a Spelunker game before. It was an entertaining distraction, but I don't really have anything more to say about it. Mighty Gunvolt BurstA Mega Man-style game that crosses over IntiCreates' Gunvolt series with Mighty No. 9 (plus guests from other IntiCreates games). I'm not the biggest Mega Man fan, and I found the game to be aggravating. Puyo Puyo TetrisI enjoyed this more for the Tetris than the Puyo Puyo. I've mentioned before that I'm not very good at Puyo Puyo. Maybe I'd get better if I put the time into it, but I don't really feel compelled to. Can't remember if I demoed the sequel or not. Mega Man 11An interesting take on the Mega Man series. I liked it better than Mighty Gunvolt Burst, but otherwise, not really my thing. Disgaea 5Interesting take on a turn-based strategy game, but I didn't have the patience to get familiar with the mechanics. Fun sense of humor, though. Splatoon 2This free trial reminded me why I enjoyed the original Splatoon so much, but I didn't spend too much time on it since I still didn't plan to buy the full game. But because of this experience, I am considering Splatoon 3. Also, I was happy to see that the online community was still as warm and friendly as it was on Wii U, with a lot of messages in the lobby welcoming new players. Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega MixThis was a fun rhythm game, but I don't think I'd ultimately spend that much time on it. Blossom TalesAnother Zelda-style indie game. Cute, but again, I'd rather just play an actual Zelda game. Hyrule Warriors: Age of CalamitySpent a good few hours on this because I did actually intend to buy the full game (which, of course, I did). It wasn't so much about seeing if I liked it as much as just getting to start it a little bit early. Monster Hunter RiseI was really interested in trying this game, but I got through the tutorial in the demo and then never bothered with it again. The controls really felt unintuitive. I've heard that these games take a good few hours to really get into and get oriented to how they work, but ultimately, I didn't feel like putting the effort in. Capcom Arcade StadiumThe initial download comes with 1943 Kai for free, and you have to buy any additional games. I was disappointed with the screen options in handheld mode (the screen for the game was tiny and I couldn't find any option to enlarge it), so I didn't bother with it much. Ori and the Blind ForestTried this on a whim. I was impressed with the atmosphere and the storytelling, but didn't think it was for me. After winning the sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, in a contest last year, and playing through a good bit of it, I'm considering giving the original another chance. R-Type Final 2Again, this was more of a taste for a game I was planning to buy anyway. The demo includes one stage and a few unlockable ships, but in retrospect, it doesn't really do justice to the full game. WarioWare: Get it TogetherThis was my first real experience with the WarioWare series. Having only a few seconds to learn how to play a game, figure out what the goal is, and then actually do it was a bit too stressful for me. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive TownThis game trial was my first experience with a Story of Seasons game. Knowing that Rune Factory is a spin-off of this, I considered this as a bit of a demo for that, as well. I found it to be a bit too slow (which I know is the point), but oddly, once in a while, I find myself thinking about it and wanting to try it again. Rune Factory's addition of combat and dungeon crawling would probably make that game a lot more appealing to me... Captain Toad: Treasure TrackerThe current game trial. I've played through the first four stages, and it's fun, but having to rotate the camera to see everything is actually a little annoying. Plus, playing through every stage three times to do everything is a little tedious. Hyrule Warriors: Age of CalamityIt stared off easy, and then I realised that there's no way to heal using infinite resources like the fortresses in Fire Emblem Warriors do. And then I hit a mission that involves a live Guardian, and I kept getting hit. I had to rely on the fact that characters who aren't actively player-controlled can't be defeated and used hit-and-run tactics to finally take down the Guardian in 40 minutes. This game is difficult. Did you run away from the Guardian the first time as the game tells you to? It's easier later on, and definitely shouldn't take that long. Also, you can deflect the Guardian's laser back with Link's shield like you can in Breath of the Wild. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jan 5, 2022 13:22:23 GMT -5
It's good to see them keep adding more contents. I think there are more than 100 ships now and they've already surpassed whatever stretch goals they said they'd consider in the crowdfunding stage? I believe there are currently 82 ships available as of the latest update, and they'll probably add the remaining R-Type Final 1 ships in the next update, totaling 101. From what I understand, Granzella plans to add about 30 more ships on top of that, citing that R-Type Final 2 needs to surpass Final 1. But yeah, they've already surpassed what stretch goals they met in the crowdfunding campaign. They never met their goals for all 101 ships or even all of the homage stages in the stage pack, but we're already on the second season of homage stages, and there will probably be a third. (A 'Z' stage pass to follow the 'X' and 'Y' stage passes.) Other updates such as the online leaderboards, and whatever "R-Type Final 3" is, keep getting delayed, but I pretty much expect that from Granzella at this point. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jan 4, 2022 11:19:28 GMT -5
We haven't done one of these threads lately, but let's look back on the games we played in 2021. Just briefly talk about what you played and how you felt about it.
For me, these are obviously not all games released in 2021, just games I played for the first time this past year (with a couple of exceptions). This is also not a comprehensive list of every game I played, but a curated list of the more notable ones.
Overall, I feel that 2021 was not the most exciting year in games for me. Looking back, it was the year that I probably payed too much for individual games, usually paying far more for a physical copy than I would have if I bought a digital version on sale. (Actually, this goes back to 2020 when I bought a physical copy of Ys Origin.) There were also instances where I felt a game didn't quite live up to the cost.
I'll start with an alphabetical list, and then do a Top 5.
Arcade Archives: Orius/Xexex
I was hoping this game would come to the Arcade Archives lineup. At heart, it's a Konami shooter, but it borrows elements from Irem shooters like R-Type and X Multiply. However, it feels distinctly different from either of those games. Glad I got the chance to try it.
A Short Hike
Technically, I bought this at the very end of 2020, but playing it stretched into the beginning of 2021. I had my eye on it because it had a mini-Breath of the Wild vibe to it. Despite being extremely short, it did satisfy my appetite for that relaxing exploration that I enjoyed in Breath of the Wild. It also had a surprisingly sweet and emotional story. Loved this one.
Cruis'n Blast
I waited a long time for this to finally come to Switch, and I was not disappointed. While it's a short experience, it's never, ever boring. Raw Thrills still says that they plan to patch in online multiplayer at some point.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
I really enjoyed the “what if” scenario this game provided in terms of it getting an English NES release back in the day. Not sure I would have enjoyed it back then, but I definitely got a nostalgic vibe out of it now. It still had that NES charm.
Fire 'n Ice
This might, perhaps, be my biggest surprise of the year. I had heard of this game from Nintendo Power magazine back in the day, and I had enjoyed playing Solomon's Key on the Switch Online app, so I was thrilled when Fire 'n Ice was unexpectedly added to the library, especially considering how rare it is. I ended up getting completely hooked on it, and I managed to beat all 100 of the main stages, plus 48/50 of the bonus stages entirely on my own.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Expansion Pass
Again, technically, this is a 2020 game, but the DLC came out in 2021. While Age of Calamity is no match for the original Hyrule Warriors, I still enjoyed it enough to want an excuse to play it even more. The DLC isn't quite as substantial as I would've liked, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I'll take any excuse to revisit the world of Breath of the Wild.
Metroid Dread
I realize I'm in the vast minority, but Metroid Dread just didn't live up to the hype for me. It's not as inspired or polished as Super Metroid, nor as fresh and intense as Fusion, nor even as experimental and willing to take risks as Other M. The EMMI segments feel like shallow gimmicks that don't add any real depth to the gameplay, and the boss fights were tedious. It ends up being a dreadfully (haha) average, paint-by-numbers Metroid game.
I'm a little sore that Nintendo waited until a few weeks after release before providing a demo. I might have saved my money. That'll teach me, I guess.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
I won this game as part of an Indie World prize package from earlier in the year. I only started playing it late in the year, and I've only been playing it off and on, but I've actually quite enjoyed it! I'm not generally attracted to this style of platforming (ie. Celeste), but in the context of a metroidvania, I think it appeals to me more. In fact, I like it better than Metroid Dread. If I manage to finish it, I may consider getting the original Ori and the Blind Forest.
It is a little weird seeing the Xbox Games Studios logo in a Switch game, though.
River City Girls
After more than two years, I finally got around to trying this game. It can be little repetitive (as can be expected from a beat-em-up), but the character progression and short length keep it interesting. It also includes a New Game+, unlockable characters, and other collectables that add replay value. I like the graphics and music a lot, too. I've enjoyed it enough that I'm looking forward to the sequel.
R-Type Final 2
What more can I say about R-Type Final 2? I was cautiously hyped for this game, but boy did it surpass my expectations. Granzella keeps adding more content to it, and just like one of the Bydo, it feels like a living, mutating thing. Definitely one of my favorite shmups of all time.
Streets of Rage 4
This game was the reason I entered that Indie World contest. Not that I expected to win, but hey, it ended up being one of the few games I didn't overpay for.
The game, itself, is good, but I didn't find myself replaying it as much as I thought I might.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World
This is a pleasant remake of Monster World IV, made by some of the original devs. It's good, but despite being the first game in the series to have voice acting and 3D graphics, it doesn't quite “pop” the way other recent Monster World games have (ie. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, The Dragon's Trap remake).
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
As I've said before, I enjoyed Ys IX more or less on the same level as Ys VIII. Neither one is my favorite Ys game, but I still quite enjoyed them.
My Top 5:
5. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Expansion Pass
4. Fire 'n Ice
3. Cruis'n Blast
2. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
1. R-Type Final 2
Honorable Mentions:
A Short Hike
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
River City Girls
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 25, 2021 20:17:27 GMT -5
Thanks, YL!
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 25, 2021 10:14:32 GMT -5
Thank you, Da Robot! Merry Christmas!  I haven't really kept a close eye on the birthdays this year, but that's mainly because there aren't many regular visitors anymore. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 16, 2021 10:12:56 GMT -5
Falcom has had its annual shareholder briefing, but they haven't revealed anything we didn't already know about. The Switch port of Legend of Nayuta is due out in Japan in Spring 2022, and will be enhanced over the original release, including running at 60 FPS. This could be a good sign that Falcom will do higher-quality ports than the devs they've been outsourcing to. And their next major release is Kuro no Kiseki II: Crimson Sin. Due out for PS4 and PS5 in Japan in Fall 2022. EDIT: Also, in response to a question at the briefing, Falcom wants to speed up the English localization of their titles, but they lay the blame for the delay entirely on NISA's shoulders. EDIT 2: Here's a bit more info from the briefing on the percentage of Falcom's sales outside Japan. 27 percent is actually a little higher than I might've thought for Western regions. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 15, 2021 16:57:09 GMT -5
New Indie World:
Only thing that I was really interested in was River City Girls 2. And I still haven't played the first one yet. I oughta fix that.
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 9, 2021 9:51:45 GMT -5
It's been reported that former Nintendo engineer Masayuki Uemura has passed away at the age of 78. Uemura-san helped create Nintendo's early arcade lightgun games, the Color TV-Games systems, and most notably the Famicom and Super Famicom systems. He retired from Nintendo in 2004. Nintendo, and indeed, video games as a whole, wouldn't be where they are today without Uemura-san, and it's probably fair to say that that extends to a lot of us as Nintendo fans, as well. He's a legend. May he rest in peace. EDIT: Nintendo Life put together a feature on Uematsu-san. It's a good read. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 8, 2021 15:10:37 GMT -5
Of these, Fatal Frame 5 deserves special mention in that it's actually not something I wanted to get at first. It's waaaay outside of my comfort zone; I bought it to avoid missing out the Ryza costume early purchase bonus in case I change mind, because without that, there's no reason to prefer it on Switch over Wii U. I noticed that the Ryza costume DLC was free to download even if you didn't buy the game. Not sure if that's an eShop loophole, though, where you could still use it even if you buy the game later. I still have the Rune Factory 4 DLC sitting on my Switch, but still have not purchased the game. (Although, it is on sale right now, digitally, for the cheapest price I've seen so far. Hmm...) |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 8, 2021 10:28:32 GMT -5
Here's an interesting interview with Yoichi Erikawa, the founder of Koei. I didn't know they originally started out making business software. Random musings: So, Dynasty Warriors is basically the action-game version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Samurai Warriors is the action-game version of Nobunaga's Ambition. In the mid '90s, Koei also made a simulation based on the American Revolutionary War called Liberty or Death. It didn't turn into a series, but if there were a Warriors game based on it, what would it be called? Revolution Warriors? Colonial Warriors? Liberty Warriors? Come to think of it, it wouldn't be a hack-and-slash game because the war was fought with firearms. So maybe it would be a shooter more like WinBack (also by Omega Force)? But then it wouldn't be a Warriors game... I'm putting too much thought into this.  |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 8, 2021 10:14:12 GMT -5
I think it can be easy to get used to hearing voice acting in games, so it's conspicuous when it's absent. Hearing characters actually speak adds a lot to their personalities, as well as the tone of the game.
I've had similar experiences as you when I play a game that only has partial voice acting. I think it might also be the case that even if a character isn't voiced, you kind of create a voice for them in your head, and then forget that you only imagined it.
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 8, 2021 10:05:59 GMT -5
I went back to read your take on Ys IX, and you mentioned that there was an early-game sidestory that felt off. What was that about? Basically, it was White Cat's entire side story about stealing money from Pendleton and giving it to the impoverished people in Shantytown. I get that the message is supposed to be that people should learn to help themselves (I think...), but the whole thing felt really tone deaf every step of the way. The review at Hardcore Gaming 101 complained about this, also. So, her alternative was to open up a flower shop in Shantytown? What would people who can barely afford food want with a flower shop? At first, I thought, "Oh, she's going to hire the people to work for her so they can earn the money themselves." But no. She only hires one person, and that person is from Pendleton, of all places. Later, we learn that one of the freeloaders got a job, but says he still isn't earning enough to live off of. He's basically shrugged off and told that the hard work is its own reward. Seriously? He still can't afford to live. Nothing improved. I don't understand what the point of all this was. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 6, 2021 17:35:36 GMT -5
It sounds like you've warmed up to the Ys series. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I like the sound of Adol's voice, too, albeit the English one. That particular scene really left an impression on me. ( Spoilers.) I hope Falcom continues to play around with incorporating it more in the future. I said before I liked all of the Monstrums except Credo, but maybe I'm being a little harsh. Credo essentially fills the role that Geis did in Ys VI and Seven, that of a rival for Adol. One reference you probably didn't catch is that Geis appears in the background of Credo's artwork during the credits. I like the thought that the two of them eventually met each other. (The artwork can be found on this wiki page.) As for the supporting cast, I also liked Chante. He was flamboyant and flirtatious, but also extremely reliable. I also liked Silhouette. She was cute both with and without her mask, I liked her story, and she was super helpful by basically being every store combined into one. I also really liked Xavier, with his playful personality and fancy dialog, and it was nice to see a Roo in an Ys game again. Group him with Silvia from Ys VIII as characters I wish were playable party members. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Nov 12, 2021 9:33:42 GMT -5
This was surprising news for me to wake up to. According to their latest financial results briefing (via Nintendo Life), Falcom will be bringing Switch development in-house, starting in 2022 with the port of The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. After all this time of Falcom saying they were too small of a company to handle Switch ports themselves, I wonder what caused this change of heart. Maybe Switch sales have been increasing more than expected? Could this also mean higher quality ports? Also, it's interesting (and disappointing) that they plan to release another Trails game next year instead of a new Ys game, despite it being the series' 35th anniversary. |
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