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NWR Interactive => Podcast Discussion => Topic started by: Pandareus on March 10, 2013, 03:19:40 PM

Title: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Pandareus on March 10, 2013, 03:19:40 PM

Get ready for more new games, new systems, new emails, and the new New Business.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/33528

We're sticking with the "round robin" New Business format, and James kicks it off this week with his thoughts on Mass Effect 3, now on Wii U (if you dare). Guillaume follows with the criminally overlooked Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on DS. Jonny caved to his lust for a PS Vita but actually managed to get the system, a fat memory card, and dozens of games for a very reasonable price. Jon checks out Vanquish from Platinum Games, and we ask if it could be the spiritual successor to Mikami's P.N. 03 on GameCube. Coming back around, Gui raves about Crashmo on 3DS, and Jonny quickly recommends a few demos.

We asked for more Listener Mail, and you stepped up! This week's emails cover Virtual Boy on 3DS, NBA 2K13 errata, new control options in Wind Waker HD, and the prospects for Wii U this holiday season. Send your own questions today -- we'll get back to the pile soon!

With a certain convention coming up soon, we've decided to do RetroActive in two parts. We'll first tackle the Book I portion of Ys Book I&II on the next episode (it's actually less than half the game's total length). The next week will be PAX East, so you'll hear a recording of our live panel instead of a normal show. Then, we'll come back and finish RetroActive by playing as far into Ys as we can. If you're playing along, be sure to drop your thoughts on the game into the official forum thread -- we'll pick out some of the best comments to be read on the show!

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: broodwars on March 10, 2013, 10:36:19 PM

Alright, on the Mass Effect 3 "do you have to play multiplayer to get the 'best' ending" issue: no, you don't.  If you have imported a Shepard from the last two Mass Effects and you have made the right decisions, it is perfectly possible to unlock the "Green" ending without ever touching multiplayer.  When I played the game on my 360, that was certainly the case.  In fact, this is even easier to do if you download the Director's Cut Extended Ending DLC, as along with the ending changes it also lowers the War Assets threshold you have to cross to get the "Green" ending to a much more manageable number.  You certainly don't have to play the multiplayer if you don't want to.

And, incidentally, you probably don't want the "Green" ending anyway, since despite it feeling like the only ending where you aren't massively betraying everyone, nothing about it felt right to me.

As for Mass Effect 3 in general, this was the game that really just poisoned the franchise well for me, and for reasons beyond "the ending".  I just found it a very cold and calculating game where choices made very little difference and almost none of your rewards are reflected in the big battle at the end.  For instance, where are my Krogans riding Dinosaurs and Elcor marching into battle with canons strapped to their backs?  :P: : : :   I know, that sounds like a totally nitpicky complaint, but those are war assets I won by completing side quests. I want to see them in the final battle, especially ones like that that sound so ****ing awesome.  But that's Mass Effect 3 in general: promises never really fulfilled and story threads that end in a less-than-satisfactory way, culminating in a final sequence that makes absolutely no sense (especially if you managed to bring about peace between the Quarians & Geth not three hours prior!).  It's also worth noting that the entire Mass Effect series is about how sentient beings aren't mere numbers, & that when they stand together they can make a difference.  So what's your reward for doing anything in Mass Effect 3? People are turned into mere numbers thrown in a very visible pile.  That this game beat Xenoblade for general Best RPG of 2012 is absurd.

Yeah, I mean to replay the trilogy someday and experience the Leviathan and Citadel DLC packs they put out to once again try to perform damage control on Mass Effect 3.  However, as of this writing I feel very unlikely to want to jump into a future Mass Effect game again.  That series just feels irreparably damaged.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Ceric on March 11, 2013, 10:09:26 AM

I lost my saves when my computer went weird.
I played all of these back to back with all their current DLC.
I enjoyed the Multi in Mass Effect 3.
Beyond that Mass Effect 3 was completing the series.
Mass Effect 1 with 3's weapon system be great.
Will I ever go back this game series.  No.
Has this with some other games, Dragon Age, SWTOR, etc.  Tainted Bioware and made a developer that I should Theoritcally enjoy onto my "This sounds great but I can't count on them to follow through" pile yes yes it does.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: torgo on March 11, 2013, 12:19:37 PM

Yes, some of your listeners are older than Jon. As of today, I'm about a week shy of 39 years old. Not a lot older than Jon, but technically older!  ;)

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Fjurbanski on March 11, 2013, 07:00:56 PM

Nah, WW doesn't need to change much. But there's plenty they could do with the UI, just like they did with OoT 3D. Just to make things a little more fluid. For instance, when using treasure maps in the old game, you would open the map and compare the treasure map to the overworld map to see which island it fits to. That would be cool to do on the gamepad. Then after you find the right spot and you see the light, when you get to a certain distance the light goes away. Then you have to switch between looking at the map and controlling the boat. Then when you are right over the x you use the grapple hook. It would be really nice to not have to open the map, close the map, open the map, close the map, etc., etc., etc. It would be great to just have the map on the gamepad, and you can see yourself moving towards the x on the map without having to pause to open the map.


Or, you remember how the fish-men give you little hints, but you can't hear their hints again without finding them again and feeding them again? Well that's pointless and obnoxious, so whenever you feed the fish-man the first time on one square, there could be an icon of the fish-man on that square. So whenever you enlarge a square to get more detail, you could just tap the icon and read the hints.


Little things like that would be great.


Also, Gui was right. Only the last two dungeons have you partnered with someone. The dungeon before that does have you controlling statues, though.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Pandareus on March 11, 2013, 08:57:26 PM

Thank you.

Once again, James is wrong. Wrong. WRONG.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: KDR_11k on March 12, 2013, 04:59:21 PM

I find it strange how discussions about the flaws of GTA never mention Saints Row. In SR1 the driving distances to the missions sucked but SR2 and 3 added checkpoints and dialed down the distances you had to drive. Also while GTA got more and more serious Saints Row became more and more ludicrous. Especially SR3 is very willing to hand out the fun stuff, you get a combat helicopter (as a permanent addition to your selectable vehicle pool at your hideout) fairly early and soon upgrade to a VTOL fighter with a microwave beam. Also being able to jump into cars from a good 10 meters away definitely helps with the pacing.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: broodwars on March 12, 2013, 05:07:04 PM

Just to chime in on Jonny's wish that Open World games had a way to "turn off your ability to accidentally break the law" (or some such thing), Mafia 2 has something along those lines. In that game, you can attract police attention by speeding, but every car has a speed limiter you can enable that will cap the car's speed at the current speed limit so you can't "break the law" by speeding.  Unfortunately, there is still no way to avoid police attention when a car from off-screen cuts in front of you, clips you, & the police come after you for a Hit & Run.  :-\

At least LA Noire allows you to skip driving altogether, although the police never come after you in that game given that you're a detective.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Leo13 on March 12, 2013, 05:37:14 PM

Speaking of NBA 2K13, Best Buy has it on sale this week for $39

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Pandareus on March 12, 2013, 07:22:33 PM

Quote from: KDR_11k on March 12, 2013, 04:59:21 PM

I find it strange how discussions about the flaws of GTA never mention Saints Row.

We briefly mentioned Saint's Row in the context of GTAIV taking itself too seriously. I don't recall editing it out, but I guess I must have.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: TJ Spyke on March 14, 2013, 02:55:00 PM

Bitching about traveling in GTA? Wow, it was not that bad in GTA IV, especially as it let you take taxis back to the mission.

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Thunderbird Starkiller on March 18, 2013, 03:24:57 AM

First of all thanks for replying to my mail about the Wii U this Christmas, I feel so acknowledged :P:

Anyways one of the features I wouldn't mind seeing in WWHD would be the note taking from the DS games. Being able to draw on your map to remind yourself of what's on what island would be awesome. I'd also like to see an inventory system that allows me to switch on the fly. Even in OoT3D it still paused the game before I could switch items around, I'd love to have the option to do that in real time on the gamepad. And finally I'm hoping for re-orchestrated music like we got with Star Fox 64 3D but NOT OoT3D :( cuz you can never get enough Zelda Music! 

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Sundoulos on March 19, 2013, 11:03:24 PM

Quote from: torgo on March 11, 2013, 12:19:37 PM

Yes, some of your listeners are older than Jon. As of today, I'm about a week shy of 39 years old. Not a lot older than Jon, but technically older!  ;)

I'm 36, so, I'm kind of up there too.  After reading this, it occurred to me that I'm getting to the point where my oldest child will be closer than I am in age to the NWR's youngest contributors.  I then proceeded to cry myself to sleep.  :P

Title: Re: Episode 329: Monumentous Decision
Post by: Fatty The Hutt on March 20, 2013, 12:33:15 PM

Dear RFN,
I listen every week; have for a long time. I am a listener.
I am older than Jon Lindemann. Considerably so.
So, yes, there are listeners older than Jon.
Love the show, good luck a PAX.
-Fatty