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[No sign of the GS Ball though.]

26

TalkBack / Celebi Quest Hits Pokemon Go Next Week

« on: August 16, 2018, 08:30:24 AM »

No sign of the GS Ball though.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/48031/celebi-quest-hits-pokemon-go-next-week

Pokemon Go players can catch Celebi starting August 20, Niantic announced today.

To catch Celebi, players must complete a series of special quests similar to spring's Mew quests. Celebi's quest line unlocks after completing the third of the seven Mew quests.

In celebration, Johto Pokemon will appear more frequently and HeartGold and SoulSilver clothing will be added to the store. A free Celebi t-shirt is available to all players.

Players who completed the Celebi quests during the Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago will get extra Celebi candy instead of a second Celebi. Smeargle is the only Gen 2 Pokemon not yet in the game.

[BlobCat adds some neat twists to classic cat-and-mouse puzzle gameplay.]

27

TalkBack / BlobCat (Switch) Review

« on: August 11, 2018, 12:35:43 PM »

BlobCat adds some neat twists to classic cat-and-mouse puzzle gameplay.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47991/blobcat-switch-review

I bought the GBA version of Dreamcast cult-hit Chu Chu Rocket on a whim. In it, players place arrows on a grid to guide mice into mouse holes and away from pursuing cats. I was obsessed. When the Android version mysteriously disappeared from my library, I went searching. It was then I first met BlobCat on mobile.

BlobCat balances unique and homage by adding a new mechanic to each of its six worlds. The desert has minecarts on rails, the forest has swinging signposts, and space has buttons locking doors. The dice mice even get themed costumes. These mechanics help set BlobCat apart from its inspiration. In each level, players can drop a limited number of arrows before watching the level play out. Beat the level with two arrows to spare and you unlock a sticker.

Stickers highlight the best part of BlobCat: the art. Every hand-drawn sticker puts a blob cat or dice mouse in a new situation, like dressed as pirates or businessmen. The characters are cute enough to pillar a cartoon or at least a merchandise empire. On other platforms, players could put stickers on pictures taken with the device, but the Switch is cameraless, so the stickers are just kind of here.

The music is bouncy, Kirhopian, and infinitely relistenable. However, songs are muffled and quiet during the planning part of each level, only blasting in their full-throated glory as the level plays out. Some levels are really short, and other runs are quickly ended by a cat eating a mouse, so the music never gets its time in the spotlight.

I only had trouble hitting three stars on a few levels in the first four worlds, but the fifth Snow world and sixth Halloween world have me stumped. I plowed through levels much more quickly on a big screen in my comfy chair than I did on my phone in a moving train. The upgraded graphics and lighting definitely deserve a full console experience, but the puzzles seemed somehow more fulfilling when played in short bursts on the go.

Cross-play multiplayer is here for some reason. I was hoping for user-created puzzles to pad out my playtime, but instead found a party game in which mice and cats are shot out rapid-fire. The goal is to guide mice into your own hole and cats into your opponents, but everything was a bit too busy for me or my player 2 to get a solid grasp on. I couldn't find an online opponent, even on launch day.

While BlobCat on Switch does capture the essence of Chu Chu Rocket’s cat-and-mouse gameplay, it doesn't do quite enough to replace the original in my heart. It’s worth grabbing for on the go, but I’ll be here hoping the original pops up again.

[Captain Toad’s first big adventure comes to Switch.]

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TalkBack / Second Opinion: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Switch) Review

« on: July 19, 2018, 01:00:00 AM »

Captain Toad’s first big adventure comes to Switch.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47778/second-opinion-captain-toad-treasure-tracker-switch-review

I was immediately enamored with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker when I brought the Wii U puzzle-box collection home in 2014. Its soft, cuddly art and well-hidden collectibles spoke directly to my heart. I had to show the first level to my sister.

“This is a baby game,” she said as the non-confrontational Captain Toad waddled his way through the level. “You bought a game for babies.”

Captain Toad probably could be beaten by a baby, or at least a very small child, I thought to myself as I worked my way through the 18 dioramas separating Toad from his traveling companion, Toadette. Each level showcased an entirely unique locale and puzzle-set -- one moment Toad was turning massive sections of a haunted house, the next scaling the inside of a volcano while being chased by a dragon. Gold coins shimmered in the light while Toad slipped through the jungle and behind Shy Guys. The world was beautiful and alive, each level a handcrafted work of art I'd gladly display on my shelf.

An hour in, the credits rolled. Then Toad got captured by a giant bird, leaving Toadette to save him.

“This is a baby game,” I remembered as Toadette fell off cliffs and shared tight quarters with watchful enemies. She traversed similar levels to Toad’s -- a train barreling through the night, ruins beneath a lake -- but each still unique. My lives counter plummeted. Toad's chapter was a baby game hiding a brutal montage of Toadette's skull zooming on screen. I was being tortured for completing the tutorial. The three diamonds hidden in each level grew ever harder to collect, and the bonus challenge revealed after beating each stage required real thought.

Toad and Toadette reunited for a moment, but the giant bird split them up again. While charming, Captain Toad’s repeating plot points made me ponder the futility of trying to maintain any sort of relationship in such a tumultuous world.

“What is life,” I thought as Toad made a stupid noise and chased after Toadette. “Why are we all here?”

We're here for puzzles. Captain Toad's puzzles (of which there are secretly over 70) are guided by such a beautiful combination of logic and detail that solutions seem placed in the player's head by magic. Everything continuously clicks organically with the perfect splash of reflex-testing action. Somehow, level themes and designs continue to surprise up until the end. Very few levels are duds, but some suffered from the move to Switch.

The rail-shooter minecart levels feel out of place without the Wii U Gamepad. They offer no motion controls docked, forcing me to pick up my Switch and swing it around to aim. A few levels had slowdown docked. Little things kept adding up to make the experience feel wrong on a TV.

The Switch version places an obnoxious blue reticle right in the center of the screen while docked. Tilting the controller moves the reticle, and a press of ZR replaces tapping on the screen. In later levels, I found myself using my right thumb to control the camera, my right index finger to hold the run button and tap the grab button, my right middle finger to press ZR, and my left thumb to move Toad all while aiming with motion controls. Why so many controls had to be mapped to the right side of the controller in a game so reliant on camera movement is beyond me.

And yes, Captain Toad on Switch replaces four boring bonus levels ripped straight from Super Mario 3D World with Super Mario Odyssey-themed levels. The Odyssey levels are some of the best in the game. I don’t miss the 3D World levels. With Pixel Toad hide-and-seek no longer tied to an amiibo, the Switch version more than makes up for its shortcomings.

Captain Toad is a cute little dude, but he is no baby. His quest full of danger and discovery can be enjoyed by anyone in search of a few dozen great puzzles. Not much has changed here, but that includes Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker being a must-play.

[Heroki is a breeze — in a good way.]

29

TalkBack / Heroki (Switch) Review

« on: July 18, 2018, 01:24:19 PM »

Heroki is a breeze — in a good way.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47760/heroki-switch-review

Helicopter-headed Heroki sees his floating village’s magic Emerix stolen by Dr. N. Forchin’s henchman, Vapor. The young hero volunteers to recover the Emerix, but the king first sends him to learn secret moves from three wise friends living on the islands below.

At first, I was turned off by Heroki’s floaty flying controls; he takes time to accelerate or change directions. A press of the B button drops him like a sack of rocks, a seemingly useless mechanic. His only attack sees him grabbing one of the many crates strewn throughout each level, aiming, and chucking it at an enemy. Miss, and the crate breaks.

Each level hides five emblems, a treasure chest, and the letters H-E-R-O-K-I (whatever that spells). I learned to swing Heroki’s momentum around to keep his pace. Dropping Heroki, it turns out, lets him slide quickly and satisfyingly along the ground. Collectibles were often hidden in invisible alcoves only keen-eyed players could see. Zipping back through levels looking for that last letter or emblem tickled the spacial awareness part of my brain usually reserved for Zelda dungeons. I began to like Heroki. Then came the water levels.

World two threw out all the fun physics of the air for slow, plodding water mechanics. Heroki swims slowly and can’t drop or slide while submerged. A level or two of this would have been fine, but an entire third of the levels make use of water. Ugh. An X-ray upgrade from the shop turned those well-hidden alcoves semi-transparent, killing a lot of challenge. I began to get tired of Heroki. I hoped exploring the village would break up the monotony.

Heroki’s home village seems to tease tons of quests and hidden items, but I found it pretty empty. I couldn’t even enter most of the buildings. The most tantalizing quest asked me to find three crashed ships hidden in levels. The art and music throughout the adventure are stellar, and the village is nice to fly around, but I wish Heroki had a few more quests linking the village and levels to spice up the otherwise straightforward path.

The desert island let me zip and slide around again, this time in challenging levels. Collectibles here were almost impossible to find without the X-ray specs, and enemy attacks barely left room to aim my own. Heroki was definitely designed for players of all skill levels, so I was surprised by the jump in difficulty. I still completed the game with every collectible and over 70 lives without having to replay anything, though. At least the Emerix is back where it belongs.

Looking at the colorful art, smooth animations, and strong level design, someone clearly loves Heroki. It isn’t me, but Heroki can be a great fit for younger players or those looking to unwind. Heroki is a light breeze perfect for between naps on a long summer road trip, just don’t expect to remember it when something else blows by.

[“Focus your soul and you shall achieve feats of which others can only dream.”]

30

TalkBack / Hollow Knight (Switch) Review

« on: June 22, 2018, 07:48:17 AM »

“Focus your soul and you shall achieve feats of which others can only dream.”

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47609/hollow-knight-switch-review

Hollow Knight falls from a cliff. The only bug left in the village at the base warns against entering the well and the sprawling caverns below.

“Creatures turn mad and are robbed of their memories,” he says.

Hollow Knight still descends.

The world of Hollownest below first felt like a whimsical handful of rooms but seemingly never stopped expanding, with each area increasingly unsettling and late ones downright disturbing. I got lost immediately. Hollow Knight’s slow walking speed and basic jump begged me to find movement upgrades. After about an hour, I had a partial map and found a boss. The boss was so incredibly difficult that I was immediately filled with regret over having asked to review this game. I died so many times I thought he was a gate requiring a new item to pass, but I kept trying. When I finally beat him, I didn’t find a way forward. No, he was guarding a collectible. I’d see him again soon as a normal enemy. Oh boy.

Finding anything easy or friendly in Hollow Knight’s world proved difficult. Most of the adorable hand-drawn bugs shone an orange gleam from their eyes, a telltale sign of the infection spreading throughout the Hollownest. The heart-pounding tension between checkpoints kept me on my toes. Even basic enemies posed a threat while platforming, and repeating large sections between checkpoints and bosses demanded mastery. Falling in battle breaks the Hollow Knight in two, leaving its money and part of its magic meter behind. Dying on the repeat trip forfeits your hard-earned cash, an unthinkable option.

While at first the grueling distance between checkpoints and the painful punishment for perishing seemed unfair, it eventually clicked. I lived for the tension. I became hardcore. Hollow Knight is not about exploration, I discovered, but about persevering. With enough persistence, I uncovered equippable charms to compliment my playstyle; new moves and health upgrades to get me just a bit farther; and enough practice to overcome (almost) anything in my way.

Hollow Knight starts its journey with a jump, a basic swing of a nail sword, and a slow healing spell. Dashes, double jumps, nail maneuvers and attack spells hide everywhere, usually behind one of the almost three dozen unique bosses. Charms offer a huge variety of upgrades, but extra slots are hard to come by, so I often switched between an exploration build and a boss battle build. Some charms, like the ones that show your location on the map and gather money dropped by enemies, were so essential that removing them felt like trading a part of myself for a better chance at an upcoming battle.

Bosses require focus at that point between frustration and fun: The Zone. Getting into the zone after a few (dozen) failed boss fights may be the hardest part of Hollow Knight, but nothing can match the sense of accomplishment after clearing a particularly devastating battle. Each boss has its tells, and each move can be outmaneuvered. I declared small victories if I survived a bit longer than the try before or attacked twice in an opening in which I had previously landed just one. Some bosses did get to me, though: I have “so frustratingly hard that I cannot recommend this game” angrily scrawled in my notes, and the quest for the true ending remains locked behind a stupid, cheap, BS fight with a giant mantis whom I hate so, so much.

Fortunately, stepping away to fill in gaps in your map is the perfect way to unwind from difficult bosses. Hollownest is huge, and a stag-beetle subway system can zip Hollow Knight across the map in seconds. Tight platforming and an ever-expanding arsenal of abilities kept me finding new areas hidden behind tall walls or long gaps. Platforming challenges reminiscent of Mario’s red-coin sections acted as stand-out therapeutic sessions. The beautiful diversity of Hollownest’s areas kept things from getting as bland as the underground setting may imply.

Hollow Knight’s cryptic lore doled out in pieces leads me to believe I saved Hollownest in my ending, but an after-credits screen shows a 73% completion in 27 hours of play. I may have finished, but I’m far from done. I still have tons of upgrades, optional bosses, a true ending and a mantis to overcome. And I’m itching to jump back in.

[Shoot me your Trainer Code.]

31

TalkBack / Pokémon Go to Get Trading, Friends this Week

« on: June 18, 2018, 05:20:14 AM »

Shoot me your Trainer Code.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/47567/pokemon-go-to-get-trading-friends-this-week

Pokemon Go’s new Friends feature, which enables the trading of Pokemon and items, will start rolling out this week, Niantic announced today.

Trainers over level 10 can trade with friends within 100 meters. Trades require stardust and may produce extra candy based on the distance between where the Pokemon were caught. Trading and battling in gyms or raids together will contribute to a Friendship Level that grants bonuses.

Adding friends utilizes a “Trainer Code” reminiscent of Nintendo’s friend codes. Friends can also trade items, including new gift boxes that can’t be opened by the trainer that originally received it from a Pokestop. Gifts can include eggs containing Alolan forms of Kanto Pokemon.

[AaaaaahhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHH!]

32

TalkBack / Dragon Ball FighterZ Coming to Switch

« on: June 12, 2018, 05:42:00 AM »

AaaaaahhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/47482/dragon-ball-fighterz-coming-to-switch

Dragon Ball 2D fighting game Dragon Ball FighterZ is coming to Switch in 2018, Nintendo announced today.

The popular Bandai Namco fighting game spans the Dragon Ball universe and pulls its art style straight from the anime. Dragon Ball FighterZ originally launched in January 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

[Octopath still looks beautiful.]

33

TalkBack / Octopath Traveler Second Demo Incoming

« on: June 12, 2018, 05:26:00 AM »

Octopath still looks beautiful.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/47480/octopath-traveler-second-demo-incoming

Octopath Traveler's second demo is coming June 14, Nintendo announced today. The highly anticipated SquareEnix RPG features a branching story with eight playable characters.

The developers previously detailed changes implemented after getting feedback from the first demo. Octopath Traveler launches July 13.

Edit: Save data from the demo will transfer to the full game.

[Torna~The Golden Country]

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TalkBack / Xenoblade 2 Prequel DLC Announced

« on: June 12, 2018, 05:16:00 AM »

Torna~The Golden Country

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/47475/xenoblade-2-prequel-dlc-announced

Nintendo revealed Xenoblade 2's next DLC, Torna: The Golden Country, during its E3 event. The prequel story covers a struggle for Torna against the Aegis, featuring new playable characters and returning story characters.

Torna: The Golden Country is set for September. The Expansion Pass which included the Golden Country will be sold as a code-in-a-box on September 21.

[These people are insane. I think they all did it.]

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TalkBack / The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker (Switch) Review

« on: June 04, 2018, 09:00:00 PM »

These people are insane. I think they all did it.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47363/the-infectious-madness-of-doctor-dekker-switch-review

Enigmatic psychiatrist Doctor Dekker is dead. Murdered in his office, Dekker left behind a bloody chair, a long history of prescribing sleeping pills, and a handful of insane patients imagining supernatural abilities. “Was Doctor Dekker’s madness truly infectious,” the choose-your-own-adventure film seems to beg, “or does the world have more mysteries to solve than just that of Dekker’s murder?”

Both. The answer is both. Over one blur of a week, the player continues therapy sessions for a surprising number of live-action patients: Nathan (Dom Lister) struggles with depression and repeating days; toxically magnetic Marianna (Aislinn De’ath) suffers from what she thinks are anxiety-induced blackouts always ending by the sea; grief-stricken Dekker assistant Jaya (Bianca Beckles-Rose) holds more sway over the practice, and your position, than it first seems.

The UI suggests enough questions to make it through the week, but the real hook is the ability to type in questions. Thankfully, the Switch offers USB keyboard support while docked, but both the finicky on-screen keyboard and slow dual-analog keyboard are gatekeepers to players without a physical keyboard on hand. Questions demand strict phrasing and don’t deal with synonyms well. In the player’s notes, questions are marked for follow-up with one or two asterisks. Two-asterisk questions are suggested, while one-asterisk questions are hidden behind a slowly refilling hint meter. I had a lot of trouble with some of the bigger stretches in a line of questions, like ones that required me to call out contradictions to statements made on previous days.

I eventually gave up on trying to find every response for every patient and started following plot points I found interesting. This is how the game is meant to be played. I began to suspect a smaller number of people pretty quickly and focused on them. By the end, the killer seemed obvious. I was correct. Of course it was that person! How could anyone not know it was him or her? Then, I found out the game had multiple endings. Each forum I scoured was full of posts as sure as I was, only with very different conclusions. Patient Professor Warwick (John Guilor) warned me of the power of quantum gambling, or the ability to shift to a more desirable dimension if the stakes were high enough. Jaya questioned my own sanity as I encouraged my patients to develop their abilities. Had I gone crazy? Did my own confirmation bias shift us to the timeline in which my prime suspect was, in fact, the killer?

I conducted sessions in my office. Each patient took their turn on a sickly green couch. Shots were uneasy, sometimes cut close on a knee, hands, or the very face of insanity. I kept my back to a wall as Bryce the gravedigger (Millin Thomas) detailed his seemingly imagined pursuer. I felt it watching me as I peeked around corners during bathroom breaks. The creepy atmosphere built by these people teetering between the imagined and mundane seeped into the real world. I, too, went a bit mad.

Listing actor names in a game review may seem odd, but The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker is more performance than gameplay. Of course, anyone looking for a fast-paced shmup should pass, but fans of narrative-driven interactives should schedule a session with Dekker. Just remember to bring a USB keyboard or you might go a bit mad yourself.

[This basic, technical mess hides a really fun game.]

36

TalkBack / Dungeon Rushers (Switch) Review

« on: May 25, 2018, 05:50:08 AM »

This basic, technical mess hides a really fun game.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47292/dungeon-rushers-switch-review

Dungeon Rushers barely runs on Switch. Menus take seconds to open, button presses take ages to register and enemy encounters can crash the game. Yet, Dungeon Rushers is a still a blast to play, if a bit mindless.

Young Elian longs for something more. He sets out to be an adventurer (a legitimate profession in this world), exploring dungeons and recruiting party members. His party soon uncovers the dirty deeds committed by the company running the dungeons and slowly works its way through the intricate system of mazes running through the world. Emphasis on “slowly.”

Each dungeon is a top-down maze full of monsters, traps, and treasures. Every step forward is almost painfully deliberate. Uncovering enemies or a trap triggers that event immediately, but party members can use field abilities to sing a lullaby before battle or dismantle a trap. Inspecting chests and statues throughout dungeons give buffs or debuffs seemingly at random, making them a gamble.

Battles are standard turn-based fare, but max HP is low for the surprisingly high attack damage. A single mistake can take out a party member or force the use of rare and expensive potions. The turn order at the top of the screen is your best friend, though it doesn’t make clear which of any same enemies are which. Each side has a front row and a back row. Enemies in the back row are often ranged attackers that can leave your party with status effects that last multiple battles. Strategically taking out the biggest threats before they can attack feels great. A few moves hit a row of enemies, but they are quite weak with unguaranteed secondary effects. Enemies are too often left with just a sliver of HP, urging players to go back and grind.

Grinding does have other benefits, though. Each dungeon has three optional achievements, like killing all the monsters or not using abilities. Completing all three unlocks that level’s “Heroic Mode,” which limits items and has stronger enemies and greater rewards. I found myself completing most quests along my journey, using Heroic Mode to level up as I got to tougher areas.

While the core gameplay is solid, the rest of the experience feels like an afterthought. The story is the same in each area: Elian kills everyone in every dungeon, then meets a new party member who is sad the company took over their dungeon. At first, I was put off by the cheeky writing, but dialogue is sparse and unimportant enough to keep from getting old. I do take offense at the constant abuse directed toward the bard (Full disclosure: I play a bard) and his personality deserving of the abuse.

The map, menus and store are underexplained and buggy. Tapping on a boat on the map brings up an expensive roulette wheel, but the game never pointed out the boat. I can’t figure out how to access it with the controller, either. Paging through menus takes seconds to load each page. The store presents a handful of items at a time with no way to compare items to what’s currently equipped. Buying an item often purchases the item next to it accidentally. Characters on the bench can’t have equipment swapped or traits upgraded until swapped into the party. Some quests, like having no characters KO’ed, can be cheesed by swapping out KO’ed characters even though the character select screen says swapping characters is unavailable in dungeons. Are we working on the honor system here?

Despite Dungeon Rushers’ many, many technical flaws, the core experience is solid. I can’t recommend this game to everyone, but hardcore RPG fans looking for a simple, no-pressure RPG to play while watching TV should consider Dungeon Rushers.

[Oodles of style make these short and simple puzzle games stand out.]

37

TalkBack / Framed Collection (Switch) Review

« on: May 18, 2018, 05:55:00 AM »

Oodles of style make these short and simple puzzle games stand out.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47244/framed-collection-switch-review

The Framed Collection, containing mobile games Framed and Framed 2, stars a handful of silhouettes caught in a cat-and-mouse heist chase. Each level is a page of a comic book, and dragging around panels rearranges the order of events, letting the thief escape capture.

While the concept is neat, the art direction is the real star. Every page bleeds a stylized noir, casting long shadows on a colorful comic background. Ever-changing set pieces keep scenery fresh. Characters leap between buildings, dart in and out of a moving train, outrun a dog on a boardwalk and more. Gameplay keeps up with the settings; puzzles often use every detail in each panel.

Most of the puzzles are simple and satisfying to watch unfold. A few are real headscratchers that I think I solved by guessing. Just as I had gotten a solid grasp on sliding panels around, Framed introduced rotating pieces and, later, the ability to move panels while other panels were playing out. The real-time puzzles were a bit overwhelming, mostly because I panicked and forgot how to pause without restarting the level. Reusable panels added too much depth to puzzles.

Mechanically, Framed 2 picks up right where the first one leaves off. It doesn't add anything big, instead opting to lean into established mechanics by adding a third vertical path or a maze of rotating panels. Both games do an excellent job of sprinkling the hardest puzzles throughout instead of gradually upping the frustration level. Even cutscenes use simple, two-panel puzzles to advance instead of just pressing the “A” button.

Both stories are short. In fact, I accidentally captured my entire playthrough while testing my recording setup. Levels flow into each other without loading or ever kicking back to a menu, adding to the sense of urgency the characters give off by constantly running through panels. The pressing adventure took me about three hours to complete.

Some animations are way too long (like watching a woman climbing a ladder, being grabbed, then kicking her pursuer’s hand away) and have to be rewatched on every attempt at that puzzle. There is a fast forward button, but it's both too slow for repetitive scenes and too fast for puzzles requiring timing.

Everything is told visually. From quick tutorials to intense cutscenes, Framed doesn't use any text or voices. Even sound effects are sparse. I was very surprised to find myself invested in the super simple story by the end, but dammit, I'm a fan of these shadowy characters. They show a lot of personality just by helping each other climb or sneaking behind enemies.

The Framed Collection is a beautiful experiment in interactivity. The heist-comic book premise permeates every inch of these games from puzzles to story to art. A few puzzles didn't quite land for me, but the tight pacing and variety in complexity kept me engaged until the end that came too soon.

[I already forgot everything I was going to say.]

38

TalkBack / Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story (Switch) Review

« on: May 02, 2018, 06:50:37 AM »

I already forgot everything I was going to say.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47146/another-lost-phone-lauras-story-switch-review

In what I suppose is now the Lost Phone series, players find a phone on the ground and dig through text messages, emails, and social media accounts to figure out just where the owner has gone. The first game crafted realistic characters and an interesting narrative through the past interactions of the phone’s owner and his family and friends. Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story also has characters and a narrative.

The plot is cleverly hidden throughout an attractive phone interface. Apps load quickly and scroll smoothly. The magenta accents on every page feel like a real theme a professional woman would choose, not too flashy but still feminine. A few of Laura’s contacts have photos, but not enough; even Laura’s boyfriend Ben doesn’t get a photo. A recent apps button helps jump between apps when searching for answers to puzzles.

These “puzzles,” the only gameplay here, amount to guessing passwords based on information available in other apps. Progress went almost too smoothly after having played the first Lost Phone game. I didn’t find any surprises here, knowing almost instinctually how to break into every app this time. The only frustrating one was a math problem.

Through her texts, we see Laura quickly move in with her new boyfriend, find a job after a relatably long job search and either get too busy to spend time with friends or decide she doesn’t like them. I have no idea what Laura’s social life was like before meeting Ben. Relationships changing as life gets in the way is the driving force between interactions, but I just couldn’t find myself caring. Laura’s few chats aren’t long enough for any characters to develop, and I can’t tell who was a friend and who was an acquaintance. Even Laura’s sister and best friend is a dry sheet of cardboard.

The “you don’t know what other people are going through” dramatic reveal reads like a Wikipedia article. In A Normal Lost Phone, the main character belongs to a message board that is almost too supportive, but this phone dumps exposition like it’s a homework assignment. I didn’t see any playful interactions between friends. Laura comes to her own realizations between texts without looking for help, a big letdown.

I’m not thinking about Laura. I don’t care about her job or what her friends are doing. While Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story has noble intentions, it doesn’t have a heart. The first game was about leaning on others and drawing strength from a community; this one is just about reading someone’s texts.

[This game was supposed to be relaxing.]

39

TalkBack / Animated Jigsaws: Beautiful Japanese Scenery (Switch) Review

« on: April 17, 2018, 02:31:09 AM »

This game was supposed to be relaxing.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47024/animated-jigsaws-beautiful-japanese-scenery-switch-review

Animated Jigsaws: Beautiful Japanese Scenery is at least well named. It features ten animated jigsaw puzzles with ten-second Shutterstock video clips of Japan. While it runs fine, the bare-bones features and an annoying glitch make these puzzles more difficult than they’d be in real life.

The single-speed cursor is too slow for moving across the screen and too fast to be precise. Trying to fit pieces together is made extra difficult with the big, white cursor covering half the piece it’s holding. Touch support is one solution, but big fingers on the small Switch screen cover even more.

The cursor often glitches out and decides you’ve held a piece for long enough, dropping it somewhere along its path. This wasn’t a huge issue on the colorful 60-piece puzzles, but losing a piece of street somewhere in the famously crowded Shibuya crosswalk made for a rage-inducing final level.

Once a piece connects to another, it cannot be moved off to the side. This leaves sometimes giant shapes floating around your workspace. A piece will also snap into place if it’s dropped where it belongs, even if there’s nothing to connect to. I felt cheated out of gameplay when pieces found their home while I was just trying to move them aside.

Puzzles can be solved by up to four players sharing a screen. Split-Joy-Con multiplayer works fine, but the game only uses the A button and the joystick. I feel a more casual player, like my mom, might get frustrated by repeatedly pressing the wrong button without results. I’d have also appreciated trigger support for single Joy-Con play instead of having to use two hands.

The images and music are decidedly Japanese. Puzzles alternate between futuristic cityscapes and the tranquility of nature. The three tracks are zen and boring, but not out of place. I don’t know how many puzzles I would have gotten through without outside background noise.

Puzzles come in 60, 120 and 240-piece sizes. Completing all ten unlocks all three sizes for every puzzle. A scoreboard tracks times for sizes and number of players, adding a bit of replay. My fastest times were under five minutes while some more complicated puzzles took over an hour and a half.

Animated Jigsaws: Beautiful Japanese Scenery is fine for jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts on the go, but its few puzzles and thoughtless controls detract more than this game has to offer.

40

TalkBack / Re: Capcom Confirms Version of X3 in Mega Man X Legacy Collection

« on: April 13, 2018, 06:14:46 PM »

Resident Evil Revelaitons was a big deal because it came on a 4GB chip and cost $50.

[So sweet, you guys.]

41

TalkBack / South Park: The Fractured But Whole Coming to Switch April 24

« on: March 08, 2018, 09:52:18 AM »

So sweet, you guys.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46658/south-park-the-fractured-but-whole-coming-to-switch-april-24

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is launching on Switch April 24, today’s Nintendo Direct revealed.

DLC packs 1 and 2 will be available at launch for individual purchase or through a season pass. DLC pack 3 promises a new story and launches later this year.

[This is literally my nightmare.]

42

TalkBack / A Normal Lost Phone (Switch) Review

« on: February 28, 2018, 04:33:01 PM »

This is literally my nightmare.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46575/a-normal-lost-phone-switch-review

“Normal.”

I can’t think of anything less normal than using someone else’s phone. In today’s world, few things are as intimate or personal as a person’s phone, acting almost as an open diary incapable of telling lies. Our entire self is mirrored in the texts we send and the sites we visit. I certainly wouldn’t want a stranger to go through my phone. In A Normal Lost Phone, developer Accidental Queens asks players to do exactly that.

Sam, an 18-year-old boy living in his small hometown, dropped his phone. The player finds Sam’s phone with four missed texts and no service. His parents want to call the police. He slowly lost contact with a few friends. He and his girlfriend, who his parents insist is perfect for him, recently broke up. Suffice to say, Sam seems to be a bit of a mess. By digging through his apps and messages, the player slowly uncovers Sam’s motivations, secrets, and very being.

The entire story takes place within an impressive phone interface with each app containing a rich and realistic amount of content. Even smaller ones, like the working calculator and music player, have an obvious level of care put into them. A soft, chalky art style informs the design of every menu and the photos in the gallery. Sam’s playlist is super chill with a drop of teen angst. The phone’s settings has a factory reset button that kicked me out to the title screen. Touché.

Gameplay is mostly just reading messages, and holding the Switch like a phone felt natural. Little puzzles test comprehension and tease out new functionality, like a Wi-Fi connection, allowing players to dig a bit deeper into Sam’s life. The story does an excellent job at raising questions in one app, then hiding the answer deeper in the phone. The in-game calendar app keeps gaining meaning as you gain insight. The puzzle-box storytelling is really well put together.

However, the story itself is a bit cliché. The title screen warns that some characters are homophobic, spoiling the entire game. While following Sam’s journey of self-discovery is still interesting, any LGBT person (or friend of an LGBT person or friend of a friend of an LGBT person) has seen this story. Late in the game, the players unlock conversations that were just a tad too “LGBT self-acceptance brochure” for me. Sure, this section might be helpful for those curious about their own or a loved one’s questions, but it was too long and broad to be a resource. The game might as well have plastered “You Are Normal” over the home screen.

A Normal Lost Phone does a lot of things right: unlocking story bits is interesting, the phone premise pays off, and the atmosphere sells Sam’s character. Seeing such delicate subject matter in a game is nice, but the end game felt a bit preachy without offering anything too helpful. I would definitely play another phone-snooping game with more surprises in the story as I wasn’t blown away by any revelations here.

[What we need are some heroes.]

43

TalkBack / SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition (Switch eShop) Review

« on: December 28, 2017, 01:56:00 AM »

What we need are some heroes.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46121/steamworld-heist-ultimate-edition-switch-eshop-review

SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition for Switch follows the turn-based cover-shooting adventures of Piper Faraday and her crew of space-faring cowbots. A mysterious someone has been Frankenstein-ing together pieces of fallen steambots to create an army. Faraday and her outlaws look into the matter for a friend at the local outpost.

Each level is a randomly generated spaceship Piper’s crew must plunder and escape. Most missions have another objective, like reaching a specific point or taking out an important enemy. Clearing every objective and nabbing the “epic swag” will net full stars for that level. Stars represent Piper’s reputation, allowing her to intimidate blockades on the map, buy rare items and recruit new crewmates. It’s a pretty brilliant progression system that drove me to replay levels if I lost a character or missed a chest.

Characters move throughout each ship by taking a limited number of steps, highlighted in orange, before shooting or by “sprinting” to a further tile outlined in blue and giving up their shot for that turn. Players aim manually, and most weapons don’t have a laser sight, so long shots miss often. It doesn’t help that the robots breath and move slightly while aiming. I did feel badass when I landed impossible shots or ricocheted behind cover. I often felt my characters were just a step shy of the cover or shot I’d like to take, adding ripples to my strategy. Nothing felt unfair.

Crew members have unique movement and health stats, but they don’t vary wildly. The true differences are between equipable weapons and skills learned by leveling up: one character gains the ability to shoot twice and another can move again after finishing an enemy, for example. I never really grasped who could equip what, and the limited inventory space forces you to sell old items after almost every mission. In shops, I found myself switching between the item description, my inventory and my character screens before giving up on learning. I was fine brute-forcing my way through standard difficulty relying on post-level rewards, but a more determined player might find the depth here.

Perhaps SteamWorld Heist’s most impressive feat is how perfectly crafted that steam world is. From the steam-powered space piracy to the calculated, turn-based combat, everything fits the “cowbot” theme almost mechanically. Each crew member’s backstory and dialogue hints at a deep and varied universe all relating back to a robotic Wild West. Even the soundtrack sounds like it was played on the pipes in a music factory, with the exception of each bar’s unique song (with vocals). The bar songs nail the whistlesness I assume only a cowboy band from the future can pull off.

With five difficulty levels and randomly generated ships, I can honestly recommend SteamWorld Heist to anyone. The world is rich, the combat is engaging and the portability of the Switch pairs perfectly with the short missions (even if the game is beautiful on a big TV). Plug in your headphones and play this game.

[With that Switch cart premium.]

44

TalkBack / Rocket League Heading to Stores Jan. 16

« on: December 13, 2017, 03:58:11 AM »

With that Switch cart premium.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46015/rocket-league-heading-to-stores-jan-16

Rocket League Collector's Edition for Switch comes to North American stores Jan. 16 for $39.99.

The cart includes seven DLC packs, car parts based on The Flash, an art print and the base game.

In this announcement, Psionix cited Switch manufacturing costs as the reason for the $10 increase over other physical versions of Rocket League.

[Ruining characters from your adulthood.]

45

TalkBack / Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers (Switch)

« on: November 19, 2017, 08:55:17 AM »

Ruining characters from your adulthood.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45864/cartoon-network-battle-crashers-switch

Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers hurts. Sure, I've played some terrible licensed games in my life, but I also grew up on some wonderful licensed beat-'em-ups. Battle Crashers just seems to be missing any spark of creativity.

The six characters (Clarence, Finn, Gumball, Mordecai, Steven Universe and an Uncle Grandpa) travel through stale backgrounds from each show fighting a small handful of different enemies. Each character has a unique attack, charged attack and themed call-for-help mega powerup. Combat has no combo system and attacks are slow and weak.

Characters do level up by collecting little gems dropped by enemies and breakables, but I had trouble leveling everyone evenly when weaker characters could barely walk into a stage. Most of my enjoyment came from strategically taking out enemies with stronger characters before swapping in a weaker character to grab the XP. It wasn't a ton of enjoyment.

Each show gets three levels. Backgrounds are beautiful and seem to fit each show's art style, but I didn't recognize any locations. I often got caught on pieces of the environment. These pieces do add variety to combat screens and offer (some) strategical advantages when jumped upon, but even landing on them was inconsistent. Some levels have something occasionally crash from left to right (a wave of ice, for example) and jumps are just shy of making it over.

The plot forces you to revisit levels to find an item needed to advance in a way that feels like shameless padding. Replaying in the auto-healing “Fantasy Mode” or auto-hurting “Infernal Mode” did add some variety, but I would rather they be optional. A late-game slog of a maze level finally ended by asking me to replay four levels in order to find magic crystals to break down a wall blocking the level's exit. After finding the crystals, I had to replay the maze.

Combat is grueling. Attacks are slow to connect and enemies often fly out of range. Landing an attack isn't satisfying. Four elemental status effects try to keep things interesting but are relied on way too heavily later in the game.

I didn't get any sort of feel for the characters. I'm most familiar with Steven Universe, but none of his charm is here. Dialogue is short, one-sided quest-giving. The characters all look spot-on but feel hollow. The game’s two cutscenes could have been made in PowerPoint.

Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers is fine for younger players. I still feel they're being robbed of a solid experience or even meaningful engagement with their favorite brands. I did fall into the groove a few times and found myself enjoying it, but the overall experience was a punishing chore.

[A new trailer, too.]

46

TalkBack / Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology Gets Launch Edition and Date

« on: November 13, 2017, 05:30:53 AM »

A new trailer, too.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45830/radiant-historia-perfect-chronology-gets-launch-edition-and-date

Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology for 3DS will launch in North America on Feb. 13 and Europe on Feb. 16, Atlus announced today.

Launch copies will come with an art book and decals in North America and an in-case art book in Europe.

The remake includes new art, voice acting and an optional third branch to the time-travelling plot. The new story elements can be saved for New Game+ by playing "Append mode" or folded into the original story by choosing "Perfect mode."

[Including a fancy "Multiverse Edition."]

47

TalkBack / Axiom Verge Switch Physical Editions Launch November 21

« on: November 13, 2017, 02:10:49 AM »

Including a fancy "Multiverse Edition."

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45829/axiom-verge-switch-physical-editions-launch-november-21

Axiom Verge for Switch is getting two physical editions in North America on November 21.

The Multiverse Edition goes for US$39.99/C$54.99 and includes a 5-hour documentary Blu-ray, an art book, a poster and a soundtrack CD.

The standard edition goes for US$29.99. Information for the Wii U edition is coming later.

Pre-orders are up now.

[Breath of the Wild needs more outfits for Link as much as a Xenoblade game needs more content.]

48

TalkBack / Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Expansion Pass, Zelda Tie-In Announced

« on: November 07, 2017, 01:44:34 AM »

Breath of the Wild needs more outfits for Link as much as a Xenoblade game needs more content.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45794/xenoblade-chronicles-2-expansion-pass-zelda-tie-in-announced

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and its newly announced Expansion Pass are available for pre-purchase on the eShop today, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gets a new sidequest Thursday to unlock Rex's outfit.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2's Expansion pass is $29.99 and includes:

• Support items For Your Journey in December 2017
• New Quests for the Main Game in January 2018
• New Rare Blade in Spring 2018
• New Challenge Battle Mode in Summer 2018
• A Brand-New Story and Adventure in Autumn 2018

The trailer's small prints indicates "DLC packs cannot be purchased individually."

The special edition will not include the Expansion Pass.

[Options are always nice.]

49

TalkBack / Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Day-One Japanese Voice Pack Announced

« on: November 07, 2017, 01:11:00 AM »

Options are always nice.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45793/xenoblade-chronicles-2-day-one-japanese-voice-pack-announced

Today's Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Direct revealed that a free launch day DLC pack will include the Japanese Voice track.

A new story trailer featured the Japanese cast with English subtitles.

[Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a real treat for a lapsed Dragon Ball fan.]

50

TalkBack / Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (Switch) Review

« on: October 31, 2017, 03:09:19 AM »

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a real treat for a lapsed Dragon Ball fan.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45746/dragon-ball-xenoverse-2-switch-review

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 follows a custom character preserving history by fighting in altered versions of the biggest fights from Dragon Ball Z. The story sounds stupid, but it’s so awesome.

My custom character was modeled after my roommate/best friend/Dragon Ball Z sherpa Austin, a real life anime character. Our other roommates giggled at the resemblance. The character creator is robust, featuring five alien races each with unique abilities.

The player works as a time patroller alongside Vegeta’s son, Trunks. The two try to stop mysterious demons who keep throwing movie villains into pivotal fights. The main quests stretch from Raditz’s landing at the beginning of Dragon Ball Z to Frieza’s return in the new Dragon Ball Super. I never saw the second half of the original series (let alone the movies), but Austin seemed to recognize everyone on the roster. The story is almost interesting at times but leans heavily on the established arcs.

Combat gets pretty complicated. Weak and strong attacks build up a special meter. A stamina meter builds while not attacking and depletes with quick movement and dodges. Combos send enemies barreling across the stage. Also, you’re flying. I had trouble going in blind, but a deep series of training missions taught me how to juggle opponents and dodge attacks. The 3D movement hid enemies offscreen at times, and AI allies would occasionally knock enemies out of my combos, but the hectic nature of it all is a huge step up from the plodding battles of the anime.

I had a lot of trouble landing special attacks; my Kamehamehas missed unless fired at a very specific point in a very specific combo. I had a good feel for it by the end of the campaign, but seeing so many cool moves wasted throughout my playtime was a bummer. Most of my specials came from training sessions where main characters taught you how to execute their signature moves. A shop also sells moves but doesn’t have a test room. I’d been disappointed by so many specials that I didn’t want to gamble on moves from the shop.

Conton City houses shops and links online battles, sidequest mini-worlds and raid battles. Online players run through the city and famous NPC’s stand around waiting to train you. The city’s pretty big, but nothing’s really there. Players can’t fly until they progress through the story, making learning the layout a bit of a slog. A giant dragon hangs out in the skybox, though, and that’s pretty cool. The theme music changes throughout the story and I only disliked one song.

I had a great time playing offline, but online is a huge part of Xenoverse. I had some long waits in lobbies to find quest and battle partners, but things went smoothly once started. Players can unlock and complete 100 “Parallel Missions” (some directly from the story mode), take on ultra-powered villains in raids or just battle each other. Fortunately, every mode can be completed with AI allies and over the Switch’s local wireless. I got absolutely destroyed in PvP by a Super Saiyan God and had trouble filling slots for six-fighter raids, so I might need to keep an eye out for friends who own the game. Single-Switch multiplayer is limited to PvP battles.

Quest rewards feature a staggering number of costumes, items and special attacks from the series’ long history. I even found a few Dragon Balls. Costumes alter stats, but an unlockable mixing option lets you pair an outfit you like with the stats of another. I kept Goku’s damaged outfit from the first battle the whole time. Quests also level up characters.

The five sidequest mini-worlds add variety by theming battles around each race, like hunting for Dragon Balls on Planet Namek or pitting members of Frieza’s army against each other. While fine, they seem a bit unnecessary, and seeing a notification that “Guru’s house is under attack” after every mission got me to stop caring. The entrances to these worlds are too far from each other, and missions requests don’t stack, so there’s a lot of back and forth involved. However, they do a great job of shoehorning in minor characters.

But mostly, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 looks, sounds and feels like Dragon Ball Z. Voices are spot-on, cinematic are true to the original and the battles are epic. A few characters are way too wordy, but so is the source material, so I’ll give it a pass. This is a love letter to Dragon Ball Z, and anyone who ever enjoyed the show will find something fun here. Just make sure to bring some friends.