Messages

51

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 89: RECVMake Neighbor Day 1

« on: April 24, 2022, 09:48:05 AM »

Going to vote insanolord so we can avoid an unsavory tie effect

52

General Gaming / Re: 2nd Annual NWR Four on Four

« on: April 21, 2022, 03:06:34 PM »

I'll play this game. 

1. Fallow (PC)
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Switch)

I'll probably need to pick a gamepass indie and a PS4 game to hit the 4.  Maybe the Wii U or 3DS...

53

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia LXXXIX: Resident Evil Neighborizer Remake Sign up thread

« on: April 20, 2022, 06:40:44 PM »

In!

[Some things are better left undead.]

54

TalkBack / Bloodrayne Revamped (Switch) Review

« on: March 06, 2022, 07:31:03 AM »

Some things are better left undead.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/59286/bloodrayne-revamped-switch-review

Nintendo has been a dropbox for a slate of not quite classic, but vintage games from the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube era, filling a space somewhere between the tidal wave of indies and the high profile releases on Switch.  The latest in this cavalcade is Bloodrayne, the 2002 action game from Terminal Reality that features a femme fatale vampire and a sea of bloodshed.  With so many games and so little time, the crucial question is this: does Bloodrayne do anything to warrant playing it?

Bloodrayne is a 3D action game with a focus on visceral, bloody violence.  Rayne is equipped with two long blades attached to her arms, and guns picked-up off of enemies and in buildings.  Each encounter is a mix of hack-and-slash along with dual-wielding gunplay, with powered up combos earned after getting past certain boss battles.  The enemies she encounters range from monsters and zombies to humans and Nazis.  As her health is whittled down, the only way to revive is to cling onto humans and slowly suck their blood, accompanied by a sickening sound of slurping and almost sexual moaning.  

Gameplay is both the high point and a stark reminder of Bloodrayne’s age.  When walking, Rayne has a brisk gait, and the basic camera controls are quick, if not almost unwieldy.  In normal mode, enemies are painfully easy.  Using blades takes no skill, with combat being reduced to button mashing and occasionally switching to guns for the cool factor.  It can be fun at times in that “mindlessly hacking and slashing monsters” kind of way, but doesn’t take long to grow stale.  Sections exploring buildings feel cramped in a non-deliberate way, almost like Rayne as a character and enemies themselves are larger than they should be.  Jumping is really stiff, and with several sections that require oddly precise landing, it can become a real pain.  Also, Rayne is damaged by water—when did vampires become harmed by water that wasn’t holy?

Rayne’s story is painfully simple, to the point where introduction to the action is basically just an acolyte of the Brimstone Society (a secret society of defenders from supernatural threats) hardly acknowledging her then indicating a direction to go.  This is actually a blessing since the plot itself is a thread-bare excuse to tie together different locales.  The dialogue is cheesy, and not in the fun and self-aware way, but instead the B-tier action movie type where each conversation begins and ends with a lame attempt to sound cool.  Some of it can be forgiven, since it’s in-line with a lot of the game writing quality of its time.  Visually, everything is dark, with a muddied appearance that looks sloppy rather than an intentional artistic choice.  Rayne is dressed in a skin-tight red and black leather outfit, like Milla Jovovich in some of the earlier Resident Evil movies.  

Video games as a medium have come a long way since the early aughts, and that’s the lens you have to view Bloodrayne through to enjoy yourself with it.  The presentation is grimey and dark, which feels befitting of its tone, but it rarely looks good or interesting.  Rayne as a character is a cardboard cut-out of female action stars of the time, and the story would be laughably bad if it weren't there already.  As well, the action has aged poorly with its unrefined hack and slash nature, even if you can wring a few drops of fun out of it.  It’s hard to recommend Bloodrayne to anyone other than people who've played it and have a fond nostalgia for it.

55

General Gaming / Re: Digital games and you

« on: March 04, 2022, 02:02:20 PM »

How do you feel about digital games?

I've come to appreciate digital games for how they spare me the space to store them.  I've realized just how little space there is for gaming stuff before it spills over everywhere, and I'd like my home to be clean & organized. 

That said, I'll usually buy Nintendo games physically, either because I'll want to keep it or trade-in since they tend to hold value a little longer.  Not only that, but I'm extra mindful about how I can be locked-out of my digital library without an internet connection.  That last one makes it tough to buy a full retail game digitally unless it's something I'd want to pop on at a moments notice.

Do you own any digital games?

Lots and lots.

Do you still buy physical games?

Absolutely.

What factors into your decision?


Availability of a physical copy vs something i'd want on the system.  Most indie games I like to play are digital only.

Is streaming an option for you?


100% No.  I tried Stadia and Luma in beta.  At best they were consistent but compromised graphics.  More often than not framerate hits or stuttering made most games unplayable.

56

General Gaming / Re: What is your most recent gaming purchase?

« on: March 04, 2022, 12:24:55 PM »

Pokemon Legends: Arceus a few weeks back, think I'll play through it but don't find it to be the pinnacle of anything (as someone who only has a casual interest in Pokemon).

Kirby is next, and that demo made me puuumped.

[A good brickbreaker that doesn't break the mold can still be fun]

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TalkBack / Breakout Recharged (Switch) Review

« on: March 04, 2022, 07:21:20 AM »

A good brickbreaker that doesn't break the mold can still be fun

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/59765/breakout-recharged-switch-review

Sometimes people within the gaming sphere use shorthand to describe a game, something which is understandable for those attuned to the industry, but could leave those without that knowledge in the lurch.  Metroidvania, Souls-like, and Zelda-like to a lesser extent are exclusionary shorthand that even when evoked, are such a wide net with blurry lines that over time have become almost meaningless.  With that in mind, one genre of game I’ve loved since being a kid were brick-breakers.  Now there’s a shorthand that makes sense, one where an internet search will give you exactly what it is.  Breakout Recharged is a brick-breaker game, and a pretty good one at that.

What’s a brick-breaker game?  In brick-breakers, you play as a pong paddle at the bottom of the screen.  A ball will appear and drop toward you, which once hits your paddle will ricochet up toward the top of the screen.  There it’ll be met by a series of bricks, the goal being to break all of them before moving onto the next level and seeking the highest score possible.  Game over happens when the ball slips by your paddle.  Breakout Recharged has those fundamentals down pat.  The paddle is slow but not plodding.  Hitting the ball itself is on its face straightforward, but how you position yourself to intercept it can affect the trajectory.  Moving the paddle in the same direction the ball is hurtling toward can send it flying back.  Going the opposite direction sends it the other way.  It’s an imprecise tool, but good enough to give some feel of control in the situation.

Thankfully, Breakout Recharged has been fleshed out beyond this core gameplay.  Three single-player modes exist - Recharged, Classic, and Classic Recharged.  Classic is your vanilla flavor, uncomplicated brick breaking with three lives.  Recharged is a one-hit kill, but superpowers will drop like extending the length of the paddle, splitting the ball into three, missiles, and having trajectory lines to see where the ball will hit.  Recharged Classic splits the difference, getting all those cool power-ups with the buffer of three lives.  There are also more targeted challenges, starting with hitting a target high score and escalating into things like filling the screen completely with blocks and being tasked with breaking all of them.  It’s a nice addition that gives the game a bit of longevity when the basic modes start getting stale.  Beyond this, a co-op mode is there that can be fun if a bit hectic.

It’s a simple aesthetic that wraps around Breakout Recharged.  Easy on the eyes with hues of blue, white, red, yellow, purple, and orange blocks against a deep blue backdrop gives a nice contrast between them, making it easy to see the board.  Power-ups add to the visual punch, filling the screen with particles and beams or white that pop.  The music is mostly understated techno/synth sounds, that isn’t noteworthy, but keeps itself from becoming offensive.

It’s hard to have an in-depth breakdown of Breakout Recharged because the core structure is so simple.  But that uncomplicated nature is an asset.  The developer knew to keep the focus on the fundamentals - multiple game modes to keep things fresh, a way to play with friends, leaderboards, and a clean look.  If you’re not a fan of brick breakers, then this won’t convert you.  But if the last one you played was Arkanoid, then you’re in for a fun revisit.

58

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 88: Hey Pikmin, Four..m A Mafia! Day 5.

« on: February 11, 2022, 02:11:19 PM »

I probably don't deserve to be among the living after being so inactive, but here we are.  Without any more details, I'll refrain from voting and hope that I come across enough time to go through the prior days and make an informed decision.

59

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 88: Hey Pikmin, Four..m A Mafia! Day 3.

« on: February 05, 2022, 12:26:37 PM »

What a plot twist, BeautifulShy struck me as a townie with the PMs they were sending, it was all a ruse.

If the mafia are taking themselves out one by one that's fine by me

Same, though unfortunately I didn't catch it until last day ended. 

Anyone have a tally of whose left? 

60

NWR Forums Discord / Re: Not to be that guy...

« on: February 04, 2022, 02:39:54 PM »

Life has been pretty jam packed for me the past few years.  Tbh the discord while lively tends to drive into conversations I don't have interest in, so it doesn't scratch the same itch convos here had been.

I'll try to make myself more present here, I like the community here and want to see it continue.

61

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 88: Hey Pikmin, FOUR...m A Mafia! Day 1.

« on: February 01, 2022, 01:25:08 PM »

 I haven’t played a Pikmin, is 3 a good starting point?  Nintendo gave me a free copy for being a Wii U owner.

62

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia LXXXVIII: Pikmin Mafia. Sign-up Thread.

« on: January 17, 2022, 11:21:09 PM »

In it to win it

[A Kung-Fu homage that packs more than a punch.]

63

TalkBack / Okinawa Rush (Switch) Review

« on: December 29, 2021, 10:05:30 AM »

A Kung-Fu homage that packs more than a punch.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/59284/okinawa-rush-switch-review

Okinawa Rush caught my eye pre-release with an impressive beta demo.  Since beat-em-ups make my knees weak, the seemingly fast and frenetic style caught my attention immediately.  It’s not a pace I have seen in this genre too often, at least to this degree.  The premise is that the protagonist comes across a murdered loved one, and a journey of revenge ensues.

Put bluntly, Okinawa Rush is a dark game. Your hero’s journey is a marathon of levels with a trail of blood left in your wake.  Basic actions include a jump, an attack, a strong attack, and a super move that’ll obliterate anything on screen.  Enemies range from basic ninjas, bugs, beasts, and oppressive bosses that are incredibly durable.  At times, enemies can fill the screen to a suffocating degree.  Then you have to account for traps and hazards such as falling debris, endless pits, and spikes that can skewer your corpse and leave a bloody mess.

In action, there’s something exhilarating about being in the thick of it.  Despite the limited button set, there are a wide set of attacks available through combo button inputs akin to a 2D fighter.  For example, the typical street fighter inputs will emulate a hadouken or shoryuken.  Moves have a contextual effect—if you’re surrounded on all sides, you might grab the heads of the two enemies next to you and bash them together.  Weapons like bo staffs, nunchucks, and swords can be procured on site, and each changes the tempo of battle considerably until they break.

What Okinawa Rush nails is making you feel like a bonafide badass.  Your character is heavy, but can speed run as well as vault to great heights.  Each punch and kick has that kind of old karate movie “thwack,” a sound design trick that is executed perfectly.  More densely populated skirmishes can get messy and unfairly punishing, but learning how to crowd control comes easily enough.  Where the game really shines is its boss battles, especially against human-like figures.  The back and forth is downright cinematic, with dodging, parrying, and powerful beating back and forth that’s breathtaking.  

That said, I do have some nagging (if minor) issues.  The default difficulty is punishingly hard.  Not because of the enemies becoming more powerful, but due to a countdown timer that enacts an immediate life lost when it hits zero.  It’s a punitive addition that keeps you from reveling in crushing your opponents.  The music left something to be desired, bordering on forgettable.  Finally, the writing is cheesy as all get out.  I can’t tell whether it’s intentional, but I had to restrain myself from audible groans at some moments.  If you’re not too prideful about difficulty setting, soundtrack, or cheese, then it’s small potatoes.

Okinawa Rush attracted me the moment I played it and dragged me in with its visceral, fast paced powerful battles.  You won’t find a developed story or a stellar soundtrack, but sound design in combat is top tier, with each hit feeling like it’s forceful enough to crush skulls.  If a dark, gruesome brawler that empowers you to be a badass is what you’re itching for, then Okinawa Rush is just the right scratch for you.

64

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 87: Harvest Moon - Seasons of Mafia Town. Year 6.

« on: December 02, 2021, 01:59:27 PM »

The last version I sent Khushrenada was a giant uncompressed image, which might be why its shrunken down.



I tested on my computer and phone, and it didn't fit the frame.

Incredible work.

65

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 87: Harvest Moon - Seasons of Mafia Town. Year 3.

« on: November 23, 2021, 09:04:05 AM »

My father was a wise man.  He always told me "you reap what you sow".  He also used to say "one good turn deserves another".  Which is why I'll Vote MKBundle.

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NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 87: Harvest Moon - Seasons of Mafia Town. Year 2.

« on: November 20, 2021, 04:59:26 PM »

I'll take the Gray Horse.

We don't take kindly to people who spell that color that way.  Vote Crimm

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NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 87: Harvest Moon - Seasons of Mafia Town. Year 2.

« on: November 20, 2021, 04:55:54 PM »

Well, what the hey, three whole choices?  Let's get flowery & Fishy.

I'd like the Pink Cosmos, Mackerel, and the Yellowtail.

68

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 87: Harvest Moon - Seasons of Mafia Town. Day 1.

« on: November 17, 2021, 12:17:53 PM »

Gimme that wheat & sugarcane.  Have no idea what they do, but those are the crop most familiar to me.

69

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia 87: Harvest Moon - Seasons of Mafia Town. Day 1.

« on: November 17, 2021, 09:33:05 AM »

Howdy, folks.  My name is farmer John (first name Farmer, last name John), and I moved to a 300 acre farm about 10 miles out from Hidden Valley.  Out here we rotate crop between corn & soybean, and have a small assortment of cows & hogs.

This year despite the early cold snap, we got a pretty bountiful corn harvest.  Lots of it will go toward ethanol production, which lucky for us remains lucrative with the corn subsidies Hidden Valley offers. 

When's the county fair here?  My wife's makes a mean apple pie, and we'd love to find the local orchard to start pickin.

[A competent strategy card battler marred by an ill fit on Switch.]

70

TalkBack / Thea 2: The Shattering (Switch) Review

« on: October 25, 2021, 06:35:19 AM »

A competent strategy card battler marred by an ill fit on Switch.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/58792/thea-2-the-shattering-switch-review

I’m a sucker for a good turn-based strategy game.  I’ve spent countless hours over the past two decades on the Civilization series alone, all the way from Civ II to Civ VI.  So when given the opportunity to play Thea 2: The Shattering, I jumped at the chance to explore something different in a genre I adore.  Thea 2’s fantasy setting with a card battling system (which is all the rage right now) seemed like a match made in heaven, so why did it sink like a stone for me?

Thea 2 is a turn-based strategy game that’s part city building, part exploration focused, and part card battler.  At the start, similar to choosing a leader in Civilization, you select a deity from a list with varying perks/attributes to aid you based on your preferred playstyle.  In addition, you choose a “chosen one” that acts as the leader of your troupe.  These heroes are selected from a variety of classes such as blacksmith, miner, or even child prodigies.  

The overworld map is cut into hexagonal slices, and your scrappy band of heroes can move along on each turn provided you have movement spaces left.  You can set up camp at any point on your turn, where options to forage for food, gather raw materials like wood or iron, and craft items become available.  To do so, you have to assign party members to specific tasks, which over time will accumulate points until a full bar is filled.  That triggers the receipt of materials.  It works decently, but be mindful that if you don’t have the right pieces to craft something, it will let you set it up as a task and assign characters still.

Combat itself is a tabletop card system, which is very en Vogue lately.  You and your opponent each get two lines of four tiles to play cards on—attackers in the front, ranged party in the back.  The cards are your comrades, each of which has attributes like life and attack power, as well as special abilities.  There is a turn phase and an attack phase that takes place afterward.  In the turn phase, you and the opponent take turns placing cards down until all your points are spent, then the game takes over and assigns hit damage accordingly.  It’s a perfectly adequate, if perfunctory, gameplay segment that on its face fits the bill.

Here’s where things break apart: the Switch port is painfully slow.  Not “this has a tad too much loading time, '' or “the AI takes longer than I’d like to make their moves”  long, but “this completely breaks my interest” long.  The initial load times before you’ll hit the main menu are obscene.  Eleven separate load bars have to be filled before you hit that menu, and it takes several minutes.  The same goes for when you load your previous save.  For the sake of this review, I started my play on Switch and moved to a PC copy just to get better acquainted with the gameplay without having to watch paint dry every 3-5 minutes.

It’s actually pretty disappointing that Thea 2: The Shattering shoots itself in the foot on Switch.  The world is unique and mysterious to me.  There’s a ton of things to tinker with in the overworld sections, and the combat is engaging enough to mix things up.  But this game proved to me what I didn’t want to hear — to me the inherent sluggishness of Thea 2 was enough to sink it.

71

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia LXXXVI: Luigi's Mafia Mansion. Day 4 - The Gazebo

« on: October 13, 2021, 10:12:57 PM »

Friendship ended with Vote Pokepal, now Vote Crimm is my best friend.

72

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia LXXXVI: Luigi's Mafia Mansion. Day 4 - The Gazebo

« on: October 13, 2021, 04:15:49 PM »

Sorry for inactivity, went on a brief family road trip this weekend and completely zonked out yesterday.  I know I know, no excuses.

No real reason other than them being the first to vote against me yesterday, but Vote Pokepal. 

73

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia LXXXVI: Luigi's Mafia Mansion. Day 1 - The Foyer

« on: October 06, 2021, 10:29:55 AM »

What I've learned from playing a lot of Apex Legends is that games are more fun if you jump into spicy locations.  In that spirit, Vote Shyguy.

74

NWR Mafia Games / Re: Mafia LXXXVI: Sign-up Thread

« on: October 03, 2021, 06:50:42 PM »

Sure, count me in.  It’s been a bit. Should be fun.

[The pink puffball finds himself in an abandoned world.]

75

TalkBack / Kirby and the Forgotten Land Launching Spring 2022

« on: September 23, 2021, 02:18:00 PM »

The pink puffball finds himself in an abandoned world.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/58428/kirby-and-the-forgotten-land-launching-spring-2022

Kirby and the Forgotten Land was announced in today’s Nintendo Direct.  Kirby’s new adventure is a fully 3D game with familiar powers and a world that appears abandoned and overgrown from a past civilization.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is scheduled to release Spring 2022.