Farming Simulator is a franchise I have a love/hate relationship with. As a lad who grew up on a farm, the whole concept behind it intrigues me. You sit on a variety of farm vehicles and instruments, work on the land, and build your own empire. That being said, the times I dabbled with it weren't too fun. I've played multiple versions on the Nintendo 3DS, which were honestly a bit underwhelming. That being said, I’ve always been willing to give the true experience a chance. This day finally arrived in the form of Farming Simulator - Nintendo Switch Edition. Depending on what you are looking for, you might have a gigantic timesink in your hands.
The positive thing about Farming Simulator 17, which this version is based on, is that it leaves the end goal up to you. Farming, as a term, is a rather broad one and the gameplay does a remarkable job of letting you explore all of the possibilities. You can work on the lands, take care of animals, or chop down some trees for cash. To the exclusion of other elements, you can just focus on whatever you want. Eventually I found myself trying everything, just because this game becomes an investment once you get going. I wanted my own little company to succeed and took every page out of the book to get there.
Every piece of busy work has well thought-out systems, which can be understood within minutes. You get a tool, learn how to use it and get ready for a new step in the process. In-depth tutorials are available if you lack the confidence in farming tools, giving the whys and wherefores for each tasks. Veterans can easily ignore it, but it soon became necessary even with my previous experience with the series because the button choices here are a little weird. It’s a very busy game, and the minutia was hard to properly get a grasp on, so I wound up relying on the help function, which adds on-screen prompts and overlays for button presses.
As you get accustomed to the daily routine, the reality that farming is constant and regularly unchanging sets in. The work side of it doesn't change much. You are basically doing the same tasks over and over until new gameplay options come along. The majority of the experience relies on repeating the same task, often for more than 30 minutes at a clip. Some tasks are better than others, with hour-long tractor rides being the biggest slog. In these, you are just carrying something to a different location and it drags on forever. Sure, I think that there is something relaxing about these tasks, but it is for a niche audience that appreciates the realism.
Where I got the most bang out of my journey was building up my farming empire. Once I had funds, I would let workers do all the tasks that bothered me. My job was getting the materials they needed to do theirs. Once you get in that mindset, the more engaging elements start to shine. Do you want to buy gear on the cheap and let work drag on for more loan, or is it better to be efficient? You can potentially get more done right away, but you risk more if you do that right away. The micro-managing aspects started to become a fun, core element.
Farming Simulator is focused on letting you make strategically sound decisions and choosing your way to the top. With the time you put aside, you can help other farmers for even more cash. Once that cash starts rolling, you can decide on purchasing new pieces of land and put workers on those. Slowly but steadily, the entire map becomes your farming playground, with you running the whole show. Management becomes tough as your empire expands, particularly with employees having a will of their own, but that is the challenge in it. If you rather prefer zero challenge however, you can lower the difficulty and just continue printing money to no end.
Visually, Farming Simulator looks fine. The details on the machinery and materials is great and you can see that this is where the effort went. The environments, on the other hand, don't look that hot. It is quite rich on greens, but it lacks something grander and comes off as plain. The fields are boring to look at. The rest of the presentation is fine, and the sound design helps add a pleasant realistic feel.
Farming Simulator - Nintendo Switch Edition does exactly what it sets out to do: The franchise makes a solid splash on the system with the benefits of last year's release. The vast amount of tasks and pure variety in how you can farm is staggering. The tasks rely on realism, which makes them a little slower-paced and decidedly not for everyone. Personally, I found managing my farm the most engaging. It sees you buying materials, employing workers, and constantly expanding your empire. You won't get there on the short term, but it makes the journey worth it in the end.
One of the first games I played was Super Mario Bros. 2, which set the course for two major parts of my gaming life: a love for Mario and the wackiness that video games can provide. With hindsight, my affinity for the obscure and zany can be traced back to those early days with Mario. That same feeling came to me while playing Super Mario Odyssey. While it's being called the next big 3D Mario game, this globetrotting adventure is fresher than that moniker insinuates and stands on its own when it comes to its sheer amount of genuinely surprising moments.
The fun kicks off with the narrative. Even with the same basic blueprint as every Mario game, this journey is still incredibly charming. Bowser decides to make Peach his bride, so as the hero, Mario chases after the baddie and his new group of henchmen named the Broodals. The villainous group is trying to prep for the wedding by gathering different pieces throughout various kingdoms. Each piece they collect brings them closer to being ready for the big day. Our pal Mario must defeat enemies and bosses, collect Power Moons, and put a stop to Bowser's shenanigans. While most of the story is told through simple text boxes, a number of cut scenes add something special to the experience.
Aside from the story bits, Super Mario Odyssey gets so much of its character from the different kingdoms and their inhabitants. One of my favorite places is Shiveria, located in the Snow Kingdom. While it’s a more compact area, this land offers up everything I value in winter levels. The inhabitants, the Shiverians, are a fun looking bunch, living in area complete with penguins and even a fun racing event. The best part of it all is how most of the enemies are all wearing Santa Claus hats.
Even outside of the unique and delightful regions, regular old gameplay progression in Odyssey is intriguing. Upon entering a new location, two main story objectives are necessary for completion. The Metro Kingdom is a good example, as you first destroy a boss before opening things up for you to explore. The second main objective is the one seen at this year's E3, where you are tasked with finding band members for a performance. By the time you're done with these objectives, odds are you uncovered the requisite amount of Power Moons needed to travel to a new place. Of course, lingering around past those objectives is filled with tons of fun secrets and content. Previously inaccessible areas are now open with brand new Moons to collect. When you’re ready for the next area, just hop in your ship, the hat-shaped Odyssey, and roll out. Returning to previous locations is a snap, as the Odyssey lets you easily go back and forth between the places you visited.
My best advice for Super Mario Odyssey is to take your time. While it might sound cliche, so much can be missed on your first time in a kingdom. I went through levels multiple times without noticing the finer details. This is particularly true of the Kingdom Coins, which are scattered everywhere across the map. These tokens, with sets exclusive to each kingdom, can be used to add stickers or furniture to the Odyssey as well as give Mario special costumes to wear. The placement of these coins and the Power Moons showcase the care Nintendo put into creating these worlds. If you see a landmark off in the distance or an area that looks ripe for exploration, you can almost guarantee something will be there for you to collect.
Super Mario Odyssey has a Breath of the Wild flavor mixed with a Delfino Plaza vibe. The Power Moons are littered everywhere, and you can pick some up for doing the most random tasks. There are objects to break, specific characters to find, and one-off tasks that play off a kingdom's specific themes. For example, in the Metro Kingdom, some challenges task you with participating in a jump rope challenge or jumping from skyscrapers with a scooter. My favorite moment had to be dressing as a clown for a New Donker who was having a bad day. The worlds are packed with many other fantastic instances, but I don't want to spoil the magic.
On top of all that, each Power Moon’s objective is varied. Some will have you taking on specific challenges in the overworld, while others require you to conquer dedicated levels that test various skills. A good chunk of those challenge levels come down to your platforming pedigree. Thankfully Mario has never controlled better. The focus here isn't on speed, as in some previous 3D Mario games, but instead it is all about momentum and how to capitalize on it. The game has you rolling, back-flipping, ground-pound jumping, throwing/holding, long jumping, and diving across the various environments. From a moveset standpoint, Mario can do so much by the time you just nail down the basics. Mastery of these abilities are required in capless Sunshine-esque challenges, Koopa Troopa races, and different overworld segments.
Past the movement and moves, the next big aspect comes from Mario’s new hat friend Cappy himself. This friendly citizen of the Cap Kingdom aids Mario in his quest of hunting down Bowser. Cappy adds additional platforming mechanics like cap hopping, which makes crossing massive gaps a lot easier. Of course, Cappy lets Mario capture allies, enemies, and objects, letting the hero inhabit these targets. Each captured character or item grants you powers and possibilities that are different from one to the next. A personal favorite of mine are the Gushen enemies from the Seaside Kingdom. With their powerful water spray, you can jet forward and upward to explore new heights. I was also surprised with how versatile the Uproots from the Wooded Kingdom were. Their stretchy legs help you to reach nuts that contain the Power Moons inside their shells.
All of these aspects together make Super Mario Odyssey quite a different beast. This installment in the franchise doesn't rely on familiar power-ups, and instead lets you find Mario's strength in new areas. The moves at your disposal and ways that you can interact with the environment make it one of the more brilliant first-party games I've played this year. The challenges of the various kingdoms embrace this mentality, leading to many awesome ideas. From flying as a Paragoomba through a thick mist to playing in a classic 2D 8-bit-styled landscape, every ability is created to give you something unique. In the grand scheme of things, very few of the level-based challenges are repeats, which only helps to add to the fun.
At this point, I’ve collected every Power Moon and Kingdom Coin in Odyssey. This entire process took me roughly 65 hours and I enjoyed every single second of it. Nary a slow moment pops up, especially since you can take a peek on the map anytime and decide on your destination. While I won't say the total number here, the claim of the amount being similar to that of Korok Seeds in Breath of the Wild is accurate, but the key difference is Power Moons are quite a bit more exciting to get a hold of than Korok Seeds. It's easy enough to find Power Moons at first, but as you progress, they get very hard to seek out.
While on my adventure, I constantly felt the need to utilize Snapshot mode. Super Mario Odyssey has plenty of moments worthy of capturing for your Switch’s Photo Album. Snapshot mode has numerous options, as you can twist the camera the full 360 degrees as well as position it in any way you like. The variety of filters and options for creating a PC or phone wallpaper are absolutely wonderful. With the right costumes and circumstances, incredible and dear images can be crafted. I look forward to seeing what people can do with these tools.
Graphically, Super Mario Odyssey is one heck of a game. It's a fantastic mix of traditional Super Mario elements scattered about brand-new worlds. The usual trappings of Koopa Troopas and Cheep Cheeps are present, but they get combined with entirely new creatures. The local inhabitants make the worlds feel more alive, adding to the atmosphere in a big way. The worlds themselves are great looking as well with a highlight being the Lake Kingdom, which happens to be one of the smaller locations. It is focused on underwater segments, which are filled with beautifully colored walls everywhere.
As far as the soundtrack goes, Super Mario Odyssey has one of my favorite Super Mario soundtracks ever. The soundtracks from the last couple Mario games felt a bit safe, even if I did appreciate their jazzy approach. Super Mario Odyssey has an incredible variety of tunes, ranging from the adventurous Fossil Falls to the incredibly upbeat New Donk City Daytime theme. The Shiveria's Town tune is a personal highlight, as it instanlty puts me into a good mood. That track is filled with bells, flutes, and violins, making for quite the classy arrangement. Once you complete the game's story, you can listen to any song you'd like while exploring the Kingdoms for more Power Moons, which is certainly a nice touch.
As someone who enjoys level-based Super Mario games more, I have to say that Odyssey blew me away. With the next Power Moon constantly within reach, the push forward is constant. Using Mario's expanded moveset, unique challenges are abound while trying to collect your next Power Moon. Even the lack of traditional power-ups doesn’t hurt the experience at all, as the team of Mario and Cappy offers all sorts of wonderful new abilities. The journey of this odyssey took me to all sorts of amazing worlds that I already find myself missing. Now that I've seen every bit of it, I look back on my adventure with a great smile. It is an incredible experience that I felt extremely compelled to complete, simply because I didn't want it all to end. Only the best games pull that feeling out of me, and this one did just that. Super Mario Odyssey is my favorite game on Switch by a long shot.
Shoot 'em ups are an ever growing genre on the Nintendo Switch. Titles like Graceful Explosion Machine have brought back a retro feel that goes unmatched. Looking to make its own mark on the genre is Earth Atlantis, a title developed by Pixel Perfex. It tells the horrific tale of our planet being completely flooded, where the only chance of survival is to explore concise underwater areas while destroying every single thing in your path. It’s a fun game, even if its appeal does lessen over time.
In Earth Atlantis, you control a submarine as you explore the depths of a post-apocalyptic Earth. After choosing one of many underwater vehicles, you will be utilizing your map in order to find your next objective and fight a variety of gigantic bosses along the way. From the moment I started, I got sucked in by its gameplay loop. Basically, you are hopping from encounter to encounter, while defeating smaller enemies in between. Quest Mode sees you constantly going to new smaller areas and clear the objectives at hand. Gameplay was easy to understand and played perfect in short bursts when you have time to kill.
Progression through Quest Mode really gets your blood pumping. Many challenging encounters await as you try to defeat 38 different bosses. Many of the battles require absolute concentration, but they tend to prove to be the most enjoyable. Sadly, a few battles are going to test your patience. In those instances, you find yourself almost instantly killed. Considering that you will need to start your current area over, it becomes incredibly frustrating. Naturally, it’s not easy to balance a game, but a few difficulty spikes feel like an incredible oversight. This will prove even more disastrous in the Hunter Mode. It’s here that you fight the bosses one after one another and that goes as well as you would think.
Despite some shortcomings in the bosses battles, the tight control your ship is spot on. Your submarine has some solid weight to it, which makes gameplay very enjoyable. The levels have this rather open structure with small hallways. Without any problem, I got from point A to B in no time flat. The shooting mechanics adapt to the various power-ups well. You will shoot in various directions with a singular button and experience various types of weapons. While the presentation looks quite nice, it’s only fully appreciated when you play it. The various details in the background are incredible and dipped in this sepia color. Sadly, the soundtrack feels rather lacking with only a single song playing in the overworld. The boss tracks, however, are quite solid.
Earth Atlantis does a lot of things right. The weight of controls are great and the play-by-play experience is good fun. While I wish they had evened out the bosses somewhat, they are still thrilling encounters that prove enjoyable. A couple of the bosses certainly need to be patched and this is why I can't recommend playing through Hunter Mode right now. With all due respect, dealing with a couple of those bosses is just a little too much. If you’re prepared for a few difficulty spikes and still want to go on a grand adventure, Earth Atlantis will provide a fun experience.
Robonauts, the debut game of QubicGames on the Nintendo Switch eShop, tries to be a lot more than it can chew. It sees you controlling a tiny robot as you explore various hostile planets around you. Robo, as the specimen is called, tries to be the hero by hopping into a bigger suit and making the best of his surroundings. You do this by tackling some light platforming segments and shooting every enemy you come across. This all sounds pretty much straightforward, because it honestly sort of is.
The single-player, which is 12 levels long, follows a pretty predictable roadmap. You start off on one planet, shoot everything, hop to the next planet, shoot more, do a couple of refreshing objectives and get to the end of the stage. Even at those refreshing moments, you do mostly (guess what) more shooting. There is nothing wrong with that per se, as it is simple yet engaging action, but someone searching for something deeper won't find that here. There are various weapon pickups to grasp and toy around with, but those moments don't last that long. Not because they lose their charm, but due to a limited amount of ammunition.
The controls feel absolutely fine and I enjoyed playing around with its mechanics. Controlling Robo is simple as he moves smoothly over the battlefield with such ease. You will come across finicky situations, like a couple of bosses, but our new friend helps you to pull it off. The bullets or obstacles fired at you can be really precise, but I found acting accordingly was nothing too difficult. It made me want to finish the game as the mechanics really pushed me towards the end. The missions became harder, but that strengthened the appeal here.
The most fun to be had is in the multiplayer options. It is here that you can play the campaign fully in co-op and work together as a team. Particularly on the go, the simple controls are a perfect fit for the separated Joy-Con and that makes it a very handy travel game to have. What helps is that the amount of enemies is changed accordingly and it fits the way you play. The Hunting Grounds is quite entertaining as it solely focuses on clearing objectives first. This can be destroying a specific enemy amount or getting to a certain score first. There are modifiers that change up every mode as well, which is a solid amount of fun.
Robonauts was a fun game with some glaring faults. As a single-player game, it really isn't that strong. The mechanics shine but it lacks a meaty experience to enjoy. Where it makes up for this deficiency is in its multiplayer offerings, which provide a lot of excitement. It changes up the campaign maps in a significant matter as well as offering a fun time anywhere you are. If you are up for that, then Robonauts could be the experience you’re looking for.
There are plenty of co-op puzzlers on Nintendo Switch, and why wouldn't there be? The fact that you can quickly pick up a Joy-Con, hand it to a friend and start playing is incredible. The next title to to be added to this genre is Deru. Made by INK KIT Studios, Deru is a game that came out of nowhere for me. While I was walking through the Indie Arena, I just noticed a Nintendo Switch pod standing there. Without hesitation I walked up and found out what true cooperation is all about.
You might think that the last sentence there is rather obvious, but the gameplay is heavily built on those fundamentals. Each player takes control of a shape, moves it across the stage and tries to make it to the end safely. In the short demo that I got to play, one player was tasked to block streams from the opposite color. This allowed for a safe passage to the other side and you were constantly switching turns to make it through together.
In the later levels, this proves a lot trickier than you might think. The player will be required to block multiple streams and quickly switch to another set of streams to ensure an opening. Deru is a game in which talking to one another really beneficial. There is a small window between your moves, so making your intentions clear is critical. Together, you will bring color to the world of Deru in a true abstract spectacle.
As I walked away from the pod, I caught glimpses of the PC version. It seems to become quite a crazy affair over time. The shapes of both players will change and there is a lot more introduced that you’ll need to keep in mind. In one instance, one player needs to be the other's shield to make it across safely. As the streams went up fast so you needed to keep moving. There were also cubes that shallowed up streams and filled up the stage. This and more examples can be seen in the video above.
So yes, Deru left me very surprised. For a game that I didn't hear about before, it showed a ton of promise. With both players actively working together, the game is an excellent fit for the Nintendo Switch. With it being available to play anywhere you want, you can shout at each other where ever you go. INK KIT Studios will release Deru by the end of 2017.
A week and a half ago, I wrote about Layton's Mystery Journey and how I felt about it. Sadly, and quite frankly, my tone on the game hasn't really changed. Naturally, there are various reasons for this, but the big one is clear. The new entry in a beloved series feels like a serious step down, even though there are plenty of things to like. Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy does its best to pull off an impressive feat, but it leaves some corner stones to accomplish just that.
In the Millionaires' Conspiracy, you play as Katrielle, the daughter of the famous Professor Layton, who follows her in her father’s footsteps and starts her own detective agency. She wants to solve some grand mysteries and hopes to find engaging investigative work. Sadly, the reality of the situation is that you tackle much simpler cases with various levels of intrigue. This sees you finding an arm of Big Ben as well as tackling a mysterious murder at the Thames. Nothing was honestly bad, but that is mostly due to the entertaining characters that you meet.
The larger story here, however, was underwhelming. At the outset, you get dropped into a mystery from previous entries. An over-arching plot is sorely lacking in Mystery Journey and cheapens the drive to see it through. As you inch closer to the end, there are elements that become interesting, but then it decides to just throw its hands up into the air. Sure, you want to leave room for a future, but the conclusion came out of left field.
Gameplay wise, it feels a lot like the original games. In each of the cases you will travel to interesting locations and interact with your magnifying glass on the bottom screen. You will search for clues, examine certain objects and hop into conversations with the characters on screen. By using these methods, you collect all of the available information and hopefully a solution. Information is tracked in your bag, so you can keep yourself in check. Once you receive a certain number of important clues, Katrielle will put everything together for the reveal. It is quite satisfying to investigate clues and find solutions to some unexpected problems. The other side of Layton games are the puzzles, which have been a staple since day one. While they certainly offer a challenge here, I do think that they are less difficult overall. A solution wasn't all that hard to accomplish, particularly if you know how the Layton titles operate. Some of the answers were plainly obvious, which I didn't expect. The puzzles that required you to fill in a number were really the easiest to overcome. Other puzzles grow more difficult as you progress, so there is still a decent difficulty curve.
Outside of following the story, there is a lot to uncover by going back to cases you’ve already completed. There is a good chance that you missed a puzzle, not interacted with certain characters or simply didn't find every collectible. This option offers more than the previous games with fresh content being added. It gives you a reason to return to a world that you slowly and steadily will start to love. For the completionist, these quality of life improvements make the world feel a lot more alive and that makes me happy. As you reach certain points in a game, three fun mini-games will open up. These will see you making meals, selling goods and help Sherl (the dog) escape from a maze.
As far as the presentation of Layton's Mystery Journey is concerned, it’s as colorful as I remember the previous games being. The 2D environmental work remains impressive and fun to explore. That being said, there are less engaging elements than in the previous games, which is a slight bummer. The last couple of entries added layer upon layer of scenery, ensuring that there was plenty to uncover. The feeling you are left with here is one-dimensional. That feeling is enhanced by the game only running in 2D. But it does run well on the 3DS, and the music is just as fantastic as ever with the opening tune really setting the tone for a lighter journey.
Overall though, I enjoyed my time with Layton's Mystery Journey. The puzzles and investigative work are enjoyable as usual, but that special sauce from previous Layton titles has been left out. The stage for a grander mystery is nowhere to be seen and the game stumbles to find its identity. That being said, the scenes found here are highly replayable and offer additional content if you decide to return. All of this results in a game that can be picked by anyone, but Layton's fans will need time to adapt.
When it came to upcoming releases I was interested in, Fire Emblem Warriors was high on my list. You will notice that I didn't say ''excited'' as you might expect. The road to its release has been a rollercoaster of emotions as I wasn't really sure what to think anymore. I started off initially excited, then to disappointment about character reveals, and then finally I ended up somewhat hopeful. Now that have I played through both the Nintendo Switch and New 3DS versions, only one question remains: where do I stand on it? Well, it is good, but not without its fair share of faults.
The story takes place in the land of Aytolis, where a darkness has fallen upon the land. Monsters hop out of gates and quickly overtake the royal castle in a matter of minutes. With only seconds to spare, the children of the late king manage to escape its destruction. These two, Rowan and Lianna, are tasked to bring back the light and ensure that the curse doesn't spread further. Their mother hands them the Fire Emblem in the hope of reclaiming the power it needs. The journey sees them meeting characters from three different games: Awakening, Fates, and Shadow Dragon.
While I can't speak for the English voices, the Japanese voice acting is really good. Many of the original voice actors make their return and help to make the journey feel alive. This is mostly done in text conversations with art of the characters there to give it flavor. The good thing is that they are completely voiced, which makes it more enjoyable. Besides that, there are animated cutscenes as well. There are slightly more than thirty, with one third being character introductions during key battles. They are mostly moments that help to sell the struggle. That being said, I didn't think that the story as a whole was all that special. While I understood what the developers tried to do, it felt limited in more areas than one.
This is the key thing that you can say about Fire Emblem Warriors as a whole. The 21 scenarios that you play through in the Story Mode are, in all honesty, less exciting than I hoped. Does that mean I think that they were the worst thing ever? Far from it. If you are expecting the level of mission variety in Hyrule Warriors however, you will be underwhelmed. It follows much more a standard format with you taking over keeps, destroying key opponents and working your way to a final showdown. There is the usual Warriors gameplay you need to deal with. The Y and X-buttons are your main methods of attacking, while the R-button puts you in a special Musou/Awakening state that makes you stronger. It feels grindy at moments, but overall, this is stuff I can still get behind.
What helps are the Fire Emblem quirks that the developers have put into it. A good example is how the Weapon Triangle impacts how you approach opponents. Enemies with a white exclamation mark are extremely weak against your selected character, while a red one will force you to stay away. You will find yourself switching characters and tweaking a team to fit the task at hand. In the beginning that might prove rather tricky, considering your options, but the game does a good job of making it approachable. This is also noticeable with the fact that you can freely switch between the members in your team. Before and during the fight, you can guide them to certain spots on the map and quickly take over if necessary. There is never a dull moment, which is very much appreciated.
Another thing that I very much like is the implementation of the pair-up system. The system, introduced in Fire Emblem Awakening, allows you to approach another character on the battlefield and work together as a singular unit. Naturally, this means one less character (AI or controlled) during the grand encounters, but that could also be blessing in disguise. It is one less character that you have to protect and it nets you all sorts of benefits. The controlled character will have a bigger amount of HP and the paired up unit will have to defend or attack alongside of you. This isn't just during the regular attacks, the Special Attacks, performed with the A-button, could see both units performing a massive offensive. This is a spectacle to behold and some of the best moments when it actually occurs.
A rather interesting inclusion is the well known Classic Mode. Unlike other games in the series, your characters won't die, but they will be severely hurt. This means that they can no longer be used to complete the main campaign and become inaccessible as a result. By enabling this, you are forced to think more before you send characters off on their own. The journey will be rougher if you lose a unit that can be strong on certain maps. It’s a strong commitment to keep the spirit of Fire Emblem alive in this Warriors game. Players can bail out of Classic Mode if they want to and put everybody back on the board. However, there is no return from Casual Mode, forcing you to make a new file for your Classic run.
As far as the characters are concerned, there are two sides to the story. For starters, I don't have major issues with any of the characters chosen. While I wish that other games were represented, they chose plenty that make a lot of sense. That being said, I do take issue with removing some uniqueness from them. My key issue would be with Takumi/Sakura and Elise/Leo. Their moves are extremely similar, which I found disappointing. With some simple retooling or unique takes, their separated spots would be a lot more deserved in my book.
That being said, there are also plenty of characters I'm quite happy with. The female protagonist Lianna is a heck of a fighter with fantastic slice moves that rival the established FE characters. Robin is another I had a lot of fun with as his magic is very distinct and varied. A lot of his magic isn’t overly strong, but it is great for crowd managing and getting quickly to the more important tasks. One of the more sillier inclusions is a young Tiki, which does mostly magic involving gigantic Dragonstones and making opponents fly with the wind from her wings. Her Awakening attack sees her transforming in a Dragon, which is totally rad. I haven't seen all the characters yet, mostly because of the extra ones are found in the History Mode.
History Mode is a secondary mode that delivers an equally meaty experience to the player. There are five maps for you to go through, each with a variety of missions for you to tackle. Missions start rather early in the quest with more unlocking as you carry on with the story. There will be also more missions as you wrap up the game, so it rewards you for exploring everything available. What kind of missions can you expect? You will have to defeat a certain amount of enemies, defeat onslaught of harsh opponents or complete a certain task in a level. It is quite similar to the Adventure Maps in Hyrule Warriors, but way more straightforward. You simply go from mission to mission here, which I prefer. The missions kept me very engaged as they pass by quicker than a scenario map. A few missions come close to the main scenario maps in the sense of scope, but it doesn't take away from the core experience. In general, I would say that the missions are quite an endeavour to get S-ranks on.
As you S-rank the missions (or complete scenarios), you are rewarded with new elements for your arsenal. This can be a powerful weapon, a Master Seal to upgrade your character or an ultra rare material to unlock a specific ability. Just like the previous Warriors games, there are a ton of options to unlock for your character. With the right materials, you will easily unlock additional combos or build a better defense against certain opponents. Levelling up is also more critical than ever with statistics that grow similarly like in a Fire Emblem entry. Using a Master Seal takes all of this to the next level as you unlock more strength and more abilities to eventually uncover. This keeps the characters and their options engaging for a very long time. Next to all of this, it offers key missions and scenario Memory scrolls that you need to pick up from Anna. This unlocks a new piece of a puzzle that showcases key moments from the franchise.
With the Nintendo Switch version, players can enjoy high quality visuals during gameplay. When docked the game can be run at either 720p and 1080p, depending on the frame rate you prefer. The latter option only allows for 30 frames per second to be displayed, which might be distracting for some. In the options, there is a toggle with which you can decide if you put priority on resolution or processing power. By dropping it to 720p, the game will run at a smooth 60fps and you will be able to enjoy silky smooth gameplay. In return, the character models and other elements don't look as sharp. In 1080p, everything looks nicer and this is the default way of playing the game. That being said, they are a few noticeable (but not game breaking) frame drops.
On both systems, New 3DS or Switch, the game can be enjoyed on the go. The advantage to playing on the Switch are once again the visuals, which look sharp on that handheld screen. You have to be aware that it is cluttered with information all around you, like the map and stats of your characters. I find it a fair trade-off for having the console experience everywhere. With the New Nintendo 3DS version of the game, you have it on a system that’s a little more portable. All of the content is available and, to my shock, Fire Emblem Warriors runs quite well. The frame rate seems well optimized and it is nice to see most of information on the touchscreen. As a handheld gamer first, I do have to say that I preferred the Switch. This is mostly down to the controls. For example, you have to press ZR to lock in on an opponent on New 3DS, which I didn't think was too handy. For those wondering, there is no 3D effects in this version. A rather good move considering the compromises made in Hyrule Warriors Legends.
Overall though, I have to say that I am enjoying my time with Fire Emblem Warriors. Sure, there are things that I sincerely dislike, but it does a lot to win you over. Where the game succeeds is applying the Fire Emblem filter over the Warriors gameplay and making it their own. The added strategic elements keep it entertaining throughout and ensures that there are new twists hours later. There are moments where it feels less grand than Hyrule Warriors, but the game wins by being accessible and instantly gratifying. This is sometimes enough for me to put a reasonable amount of time into it and that rings true here.
These are weird times. We have on our hands a new Layton game that isn't exactly new and comes to a Nintendo system second. Because yes, Layton's Mystery Journey released this past July on mobile platforms to moderate praise. While I don't exactly have much to add on that specific front, I've spent some time with the Nintendo 3DS version. The entry, which is a gigantic departure for the series, goes for a completely new tone that mostly pays off, but not entirely.
Instead of the beloved Professor Layton, you'll be playing as his daughter Katrielle. The game opens as she starts her detective agency and her career as a mystery solver. You will soon run into the assistant Ernest Greeves and sarcastic talking canine Sherl.They are an enjoyable set of characters that really play off each other well. Sadly, outside of key moments and animated scenes, you will have to read what they have to say. This is a bit underwhelming, given the series's history with voice acting.
The same can be said about the story. The previous Layton games all had a clear premise. Layton would encounter a grave mystery, find out matters in pieces and slowly work towards a grander goal. In Layton's Mystery Journey, however, an over-arching plot is really hard to find. It isn't until way later that it becomes something deep. Until that point, the plot is driven by cases, of which I've played three. Rest assured that the supporting characters are entertaining. The game becomes a little too talky at moments, but never goes in the realm of being annoying.
As far as gameplay is concerned, it feels a lot like the original trilogies. In each of the cases, you will travel to the various locales and interact with your magnifying glass on the touchscreen. You will search for clues, examine certain objects and hop into conversations with the characters on screen. It is the most effective way to find out what you need to know and get closer to a solution. All of the information is tracked in your bag, so you can remind yourself as needed. Once you receive a certain number of important clues, Katrielle will put everything together for a grand finale.
The other side here are the puzzles, which have been a staple since day one and in my opinion are as strong as ever. The brain teasing conundrums test your logic in various ways and remain entertaining throughout. That being said, they do start off easier than in previous Layton entries, where some of the answers are quite obvious to a trained eye. It's mostly the puzzles that required you to fill in a number that skewed simpler. The others grow more difficult as you progress, so there is still a solid difficulty curve.
While I did play some of the mobile version, I didn't really get on with it. When I play the puzzles, I like to write down memos and have the real estate free of my big fingers. This is why playing it on the 3DS suits me a whole lot more. I can put the stylus in my hand and interact with the touchscreen, while I look at the information on the top. For what it's worth, the mobile version tried to recreate this faithfully, but it falls short in how I approach the Layton games.
As far as the presentation of Layton's Mystery Journey is concerned, it is as colorful as I remember the previous games being. The 2D environmental work remains impressive and fun to explore. That being said, there are less engaging elements than in the previous games, which is a slight bummer. The last couple of entry added layer upon layer of scenery, ensuring that there was plenty to uncover. The feeling you are left with here is one-dimensional. That feeling is enhanced by the game only running in 2D. The game runs well on the system, and the music is just as fantastic as ever with the opening tune really setting the tone for a lighter journey.
Layton's Mystery Journey seems like a serviceable follow-up to the original series. The new tone delights me, even if the story leaves things to be desired. The case structure makes the game less impactful and that is the real big bummer here. Next to that, it is a bit too talky and story beats take too long to get things underway. Overall though, its highs still outlive its lows and Level-5 have a great starting point for a new series. Mystery Journey is slightly more underwhelming than I would have hoped, but Level-5 shows that they can still pull it off.
SteamWorld Dig remains one of my favorite Nintendo 3DS eShop games to date. The sheer amount of times I've played that title is staggering and every run I would find something new. While the pacing is slow at first, its gameplay quirks kept me hooked every single time. Their follow-up, SteamWorld Heist, saw similar success and partaking in a new genre. While the desire for upgrade systems was strong, it couldn't de denied that it was a quality product once more. What would happen if the problems from their previous games, helped to shape their greatest game yet? This is SteamWorld Dig 2.
From the outset, the differences between the original and Dig 2 are clear. The larger focus on narrative sees you stepping into the shoes of Dorothy. She left her humble home of Tumbleton for a trip to El Machino. Rusty, Dig's protagonist, disappeared after the events of the first game and Dot is really unsure why. He was considered a hero, so why would he have a reason to leave? The search for answers sees her delving deep into the earth below and is rather stacked with twists. The story beats are woven with a great set of characters. Dot and her pixelated Fen have a great dynamic, but the true quirkiness comes from El Machino. It is much more lively than Tumbleton, which sparks confidence.
An actual team of level designers crafted SteamWorld Dig 2, where the first game was procedurally generated. You will absolutely feel this once you start progressing. There is a wide map with various locals to uncover, which even includes above ground sections for good measure. Next to this, there is not a chance that you will get stuck. I went out of my way to do this with a collectible, but the game was one step ahead of me. There were blocks that could be dropped from above to ensure reaching said collectible was possible.
Next to exploring the Overworld, the amount of caves that you will enter has been dramatically increased. Each of them has unique challenges that you put your skills to the test. You might have to position mine carts on switches, hang on walls with the hookshot or blow up your surroundings a certain way. If that isn't enough, each hole you enter has a set of collectibles that can help on your quest. This forces you to return to the caves now and again as not every single thing can be found on your first attempt.
Speaking of those collectibles, there are quite significant as well. Similarly to the last game, you will unlock new functions for Dorothy. They are, however, more impactful in how the game is played. The Pressure Bomb allows you to shoot projectiles at walls or object, so that you can create a path every given way. Even bigger is the inclusion of the Jet Engine, with which you can fly high for a limited time. This becomes a pretty significant tool in the latter half of the game, but the same can be said about many things in arsenal. The whole dynamic of the game is changed and it is pretty spectacular to see it unfold.
Better yet is how your abilities won't stay at a base level. Veterans of the original will be quick to point out that you could purchase better equipment previously. While that is part of the charm, it goes a lot further than this. SteamWorld Dig 2 comes with a pretty expansive skill tree that unlocks as you level up (defeating enemies) and complete other tasks. These skills require you to find Gears. There are 100 of these spread across the world and some can be quite tricky to find. Is it worth that hassle? Absolutely. You will be able to evade better, reduce fall speed with a jet pack, or get an instant portal back to El Machino.
To grasp that last point by the horns, SteamWorld Dig 2's progression is fast and fun. The wider landscapes are filled with steam pipes that can transport you from point A to B. This minimizes the need and frustration of backtracking to the surface world. In the 11 hours (53% of secrets found) that I managed to get in, there was no dull moment to be found. Players that are less confident in their skills should be happy with the fact that the game saves frequently. In death, you only lose a little of your minerals, but aren't bumped all the way back. They are super friendly with caves in particular as you start back at the beginning of them.
The visual presentation of SteamWorld Dig 2 is on point too. It takes lessons from Heist's book and gives us a ton of variety. The fair amount of detail in the backgrounds and foregrounds is beautiful to look at, regardless of whether you’re planning to play it on the television or on the go. Every steambot and character is also lovingly designed in a way that outclasses the original in every given way. The soundtrack is the best of the SteamWorld series. While I enjoyed tunes in Dig and Heist, Dig 2 introduces the artist known as El Huervo. Best known for his work on the Hotline Miami games, he brings a new flair that I just adore. The town theme for El Machino is one word, powerful.
Dig 2 isn't just another SteamWorld game, but the best one in the series so far. It blows the original out of the water with such ease that it seems almost simple. The biggest improvement isn't that its more Metroidvania-esque, but that Image & Form succeeded in building a world. After four SteamWorld games, everything seems to hit its stride and falls into place on a grander scale. That future excites me, like a lot. A structured and bigger Dig isn't something I knew I needed, but I'm already ready for my second run. I am left that speechless
As a big fan of Stick It To The Man, Zoink Games are one of the few companies that can do no wrong. Their sense of adventure and style is present in all their games, which is rather impressive. When I got the chance to play their new game Flipping Death, I was seriously overjoyed. As a spiritual successor to their Wii U hit, it has all the trappings of one of my most anticipated games.
If you ever played Stick It To The Man, you will sort of know to expect. You walk around in 2D sidescrolling environments and try to solve puzzles. In the previous game, puzzles would be solved by a mysterious hand, but the concept goes a lot deeper here. You will play as Penny. After a bizarre accident, she ended up dead and became a new helper of death. Now she has to solve the problems of the undead and explore the mysterious Flatwood Peaks.
How does she do this exactly? Well, she possesses the living in the direct area and use their special abilities to push forward. In one of the puzzles you will help a ghost captain renovate its ship. You will to need to find paint and bring it to the boat, but how? The physics of the characters seem weird, so full on direct control looks impossible. Well, try to find a guy licking on a lollipop and drag him over to the bucket. He will now forcefully lick all the goo and paint the boat with his almighty tongue.
In my twenty five minute demo, the usual mix of platforming and exploring was present. Where Zoink Games has improved this new game is purely its writing. Never have I had more fun trying out the different characters and seeing what they brought to the table. In my early moments, I decided to possess a dentist and throw my drill at anyone I would come across. Every character would run away in fear, which is all pretty hilarious in motion.
Flipping Death is quite beautiful to look at. With every game they make in this style the team seems to raise the bar. You will notice it in the character animations and backgrounds with the lush usage of color. Zoink Games knows what they are doing and they have perfected this way of design to a point.
So yes, I am pretty pumped for Flipping Death in my life. While I don't want to spoil many of the puzzles I played, I have to say that I was never frustrated. Better yet, it put a grand smile on my face all the way through. The style and gameplay have me gushing a plenty and I know that this team is more than capable. Honestly, it just comes down to when we can expect this. May I hope for early 2018?
Brawlout is one of those games I didn't really follow. Sure, I heard its name being dropped, but I wasn't sure what to expect. The focus during Gamescom 2017 was on the upcoming Nintendo Switch version, which has a lot of potential. The thought of a Smash Bros. styled game on the go is interesting, even if it is a little shameless.
From the get go, it is clear that they are going for the party brawler audience. You will see that with how the gameplay operates. Instead of balanced options, Brawlout is content by being on the offensive side. There are little ways to block and only a limited amount of attacks buttons. It doesn't take long to understand what you are dealing with. This is a really good thing as it allows anyone to hop in, despite their skill level and knowledge.
Another great part is how varied every character feels. Every participant has their own skills, which is good for players who like to tinker around. One character I have an immediate fondness for was Paco. He is a frog like creature with four arms and a sticky tongue that can prevent certain defeat. Next to that, he had some great hard hitting moves that were welcome additions. Recently introduced was The Drifter from Hyper Light Drifter. He uses his sword to create distance between him and his opponents, which I got really into. His downward spike was particularly impressive!
I guess where I'm bummed about Brawlout is in the character designs. It is not like I hated them, but they didn't stand out to me. Characters like Chief Feathers and King Apu were truly fine to play as, but I stopped remembering them after I was done playing. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh here, which is totally fair, but their uniqueness solely comes from their attributes. From trailer or gameplay footage, you can't really make any sort of assessment I feel.
After playing Brawlout, I'm pretty sure that I want to toy around more. Its gameplay ideas and concepts are well put together to keep me intrigued. That being said, I hope that more interesting looking characters are joining the roster soon. The Drifter and Paco are a great start, but it needs a little more to keep me on board. Hopefully, in time, I will begin to appreciate what this party brawler is bringing to the table.
Back in July, I got my first glimpse of FIFA 18 for Nintendo Switch and I was quite hopeful after seeing the game running on the hardware. Sure, it wasn't impressive on the television, but nothing beats the feeling of a true portable FIFA. Electronic Arts kindly invited me to their business area at Gamescom, where I got a full look at the game. The results are, no joke, even more impressive than I realized.
The first standout element that stood out to me was the controls, though histroically it is one of the things FIFA thrives on. Good physics and controls go hand in hand with great football video games. The team at EA Bucharest took the blueprint of FIFA on other systems and faithfully translated it to an engine suitable for Nintendo Switch. The advanced control scheme, which gives you access to fake passes among other moves, is fully intact on Switch. Even nicer is the fact that these controls have been adapted to the Switch's multiple control schemes.
This can be felt when you play with the Joy-Con on their side. While you lose some functionality in the process, every button is used to perform an action and make the game competitive. You move yourself around with stick and the six buttons allow you to tackle the most important moves. This way of play is perfectly suited for an introduction to FIFA. The game is set up to make grasping the controls quick and easy. It is also possible to switch to a two button mode, allowing you to start a game that is instantly pick up and play. Of course, more hardcore players can use the Joy-Con Grip or Pro Controller for more competitive and in-depth options.
The demo also had most of the shipping game's modes available. I spent an hour in the Career Mode and went through it as a player, bringing him up from the youth leagues to the starting eleven. Next to this, I went for Seasons, where I could play against the various club and national teams on offer. Finally, I did some tests in the Kick Off Mode and compared the various options on display. The Switch experience is just as you would see anywhere else, with all of the essentials included except the cinematic story mode.
Naturally, the key feature and a selling factor is FIFA Ultimate Team. Sadly, due to the way the test units were set up, a final verdict wasn't available. I've seen the ways you can play with FUT teams and they seem functional, though we'll need to see how grindy it will be in the end. I can't wait to FIFA anywhere I go. The pure joy of playing it in the handheld mode makes me a believer and actually root for this version's success. Some will dismiss it and recommend the games on the bigger systems, but none has this kind of potential.
FIFA 18 on Nintendo Switch has so much going for it. After spending time and tinkering around with its options, it seems clear that they want to give Switch owners as much of the experience as possible. The ability to play the sport everywhere is powerful and helps to digest a daily dose of football. We are only weeks away from its release and I couldn't be more excited. Bring it on!
There is no easy way to introduce the world of Monster Hunter to a new audience. Sure, there are plenty of games that tried to make the series more accessible, but the systems remained mostly intact. Exploring small landscapes, finding your targets and nailing down enemies is enjoyable but not without its share of complications. In a way, it is why I find Monster Hunter Stories such an incredible idea. By giving a different vibe to the proceedings, Capcom created a game that can be enjoyed by a wider public. In the process, they changed what Monster Hunter was and cashed it all in for a colorful role playing game. In the end it certainly was a great choice, even if there are faults to be found.
From the first moment, it is clear that Monster Hunter Stories is a lot more story focused. You are a young Rider from Hakum Village, who is ready to start exploring the world. Riders are people who can jump on the back of monsters and create bonds to save them when needed. These monsters, known as Monsties, are great allies that add a unique quirkiness to the world. Quirky is the best way to describe the game in general. While the NPCs you meet aren't voiced, they have a lot of personality and are a joy to talk to. With multiple towns to visit, Monster Hunter Stories is a treat that never stops giving.
What helps is that the plot of the Monster Hunter Stories is intriguing. A dark power, known as the Black Blight, is taking over the land. While the nuisance was thought to be long gone, it has resurfaced in a major way. The power transformes monsters and makes them attack anyone in their path. You, as the young Rider, will need to find out where the problem originates and how to stop it. To help out, you will meet quite a slew of colorful characters that gladly help you out. The most important one is Navirou, a friendly Felyne who guides your character through the process of becoming the next top Rider. It is all quite enjoyable to witness.
The gameplay is similar to the previous games as you are handed quests to fulfill. This can be finding monster eggs, defeating monsters or collecting certain materials. While the important ones are part of the main story, there are also boards that can be found in the towns. These will give you additional quests to toy around with, extends the fun you'll have with Monster Hunter Stories. Where quests in other games feel like busy work, I was having enough fun in the side quests that I would sometimes put off the main quest.
The side quests are appealing because they encourage exploration of the world.The mainline games have walled off areas and you would jump between them to complete the task at hand. With Stories, there are wide open fields for you to uncover and the feeling is incredible. Once you hop onto your Monstie and start seeing the grassy lands in the opening moments, it instantly feels magical. Riding your ally isn't just for looks though. They have specific skills like crossing gaps, which can be easily activated with the A button. Certain monsters allow you to explore lava, water or even the air which opens up new parts of the map to explore.
With over 60 monsters to find in the world, there are plenty of fun interactions to uncover. You will need to find those monster eggs first, which isn't a simple task. You will need to travel to a Monster Den and escape with the egg intact. That might sound simple, but you will move slower than usual which leaves you wide open for an attack by monsters that are trying to get it. Luckily, you can protect the egg by winning a battle. Once out of the Den, you will hatch the egg at a stable and add new options to your arsenal. There is a cute minigame where you tap the egg and influence its stats. Another neat thing is that you can mix genes of various monsters together, simply to make them better.
The battle system is the weakest part of Stories. This is not because of its complexity, since it's actually too simple. Battling is pretty much rock-paper-scissors with no fancy way of hiding that fact. You choose either Power, Tech and Speed attacks and just hope that the Rider and Monstie get the job done. Initially, there is something cool about not knowing how your opponent reacts, but I grew indifferent as time went on. The game tries to make it entertaining by throwing super moves and power clashes into the mix, but it adds more fluff than anything. Battles are fun to look at, but more variables would have gone a long way. The rider can find and create new weapons and armor, so there is something to strive for.
Next to the meaty single-player content, there are local and online multiplayer modes for you to tackle. The Rider Arena allows you to complete in matches to showcase your teams. The most important one is the Tournament Mode, which sees you besting others in a knockout format. The rewards that you can get are pretty good, but it all depends on your performance against friends. If your friends aren't with you, you can still fight them in Network Battles. By participating in these, you will net yourself Egg Fragments that you can net you a new egg to hatch. If that isn't enough, the game also supports StreetPass. The function lets you receive party data for you to fight and level up your group of characters.
Monster Hunter Stories has fantastic presentation. The environments are a delight to look at with the colors just popping on the screen. The 3D effects are, in particular, are very impressive and make it stand out even more. There were some frame drops now and then, but I never found them too annoying. The music is pretty much what you expect from a Monster Hunter game. That isn't a bad thing as the atmospheric music adds to the experience. The sharp melodies and orchestral spots are truly Capcom's strong suit.
Monster Hunter Stories was a very enjoyable adventure, but the battle system let it down. With all the improvements made to make the game pop, the battles feel shallow during the campaign. You are asked to make a boring leap of faith in the hopes of finding rewards. Everything else about the game works. Exploring the world hasn't been better than this and the style just pops on the Nintendo 3DS. Newcomers and veterans alike will find a lot to love, but also need to go in with lowered expectations about the combat.
I've been a big Fire Emblem fan since the first Western release, enough that I went back and played the Japan-exclusive entries. On the flipside, I also enjoy the Warriors game quite a bit. Hyrule Warriors was one of the best gameplay experiences I had on Wii U and I was thrilled to see Fire Emblem getting the treatment. That being said, my optimism has been on a true rollercoaster ride with this entry. It didn't help that they are only pulling from three different FE entries. Sometimes though, you will need to keep your head up and hope for the very best.
Luckily, the gameplay is as solid as it has ever been. You have your weak and strong attacks, which you activate with the Y and X buttons respectively. With these in hand, you make combos that can nail loads of opponents in quick succession. As I just wanted to keep playing, I learned the combos for each character as I went on. I say for each character, because you can freely switch between your allies with the D-Pad. This is critically important for a couple of reasons. With FE Warriors, there are more troop pushes from other sectors on the map and keeping your characters alive is critical. Next to this, the famous weapon triangle is in play here, allowing you to shut down opponents more actively.
Naturally, the player will still take on large masses of soldiers and wipe them out without too much hassle. As in Hyrule you will need to be active during the main and side quests on every map. One of the missions represented was destroying a few Pegasus Riders. It is here that I had to rely on one of the newly announced characters Takumi and his bow and arrows. Takumi had a great selection of attack patterns, with one having him shooting arrows into the sky as they coming crashing down on his opponents. Next to that, he has this speed move that allows him to maintain rapid fire throughout.
That being said, speed only does so much against major enemies. During the new demo, we had to fight the likes of Corrin and Leo. Their huge health and stamina bars made certain moves riskier. Leo in particular was quite hard hitting, using magic to just demolish hit points in seconds. During those moments, you would clearly need the help of Cordelia and Camilla. Their beasts could fly over the battleground with ease, and dodging with them was an absolute joy. With enough skill and patience, you will pull off the special attacks and Awakening mode. These deal a lot of damage and can drain the boss's stamina meter, which will make them completely defenseless to any attack.
After defeating Corrin, the demo was over and I got the time to reflect on all of this. You see, for all the negative points I've given it, I do really enjoy the gameplay a lot. This Warriors game is more focused on hard hitting moves and quickly shifting focus. That alone made Fire Emblem Warriors one of the more action packed demos I've played during Gamescom. I can't deny that they only seem to focus on a handful of character types. If you compare that to Hyrule Warriors, it seems like that game is more of a series celebration. Still, we will have to see how it will play out.
Conventions always have a wide variety of games, from the easily ignorable to the immediate hits. The games that grab me immediately are rare, but I love it when they do. Yoku's Island Express from Vanilla Gorilla was one of those hits. One of the people behind it is Jens Andersson who was responsible for the fantastic Colors 3D on Nintendo 3DS. He is back with something that I already sorely miss.
The game is about Yoku, a dung beetle who happens to be a postman. He pushes a ball, attached to a string, forward to discover the world and see its sights. In Yoku's quest, he will talk to a variety of animal NPCs to figure out what is happening on the island. From what I played, there is certainly more than meets the eye.
The way that the gameplay handled is quite unique. It has an interesting blend of Metroidvania and pinball mechanics that instantly intrigued me. You explore this lush open world, go to various places and interact with the environment. One of the examples shown in the demo was a party whistle. Once collected, you are free to blow as much as you like, which is the most adorable thing ever. It also has a serious use, as it is used to distract a particularly vicious opponent.
Yoku's Island Express has a true sense of an open world that feels connected by smaller sections. It is here that you play around with the pinball mechanicsas represented by different color flippers and bumpers. The bumpers are meant to more easily guide Yoku to a new path, but the flipper section represent the true challenge of the game. The flippers are needed to get yourself through tunnels, solve puzzles or snag all the fruit that you can. It was a blast to send Yoku flying.
Great graphics also enhance the experience. The lush environments are incredibly well put together with well detailed level elements. Add to that the backgrounds add atmosphere to Yoku's Island Express. The music has a jungle feel too, which is to be expected with a title like this. Also, the party whistle has a noise. ...and I loved hearing it.
All in all, Yoku's Island Express left me smiling. After I was done and handed the demo back to Jens, there was a genuine ''aww'' coming out of my mouth. Not because I was disappointed by the demo, but I wanted to see even more than shown there. It was so incredibly engrossing that I didn't want it to end, which are the best type of experiences. Yoku's Island Express is coming in 2018, which is not soon enough.
This past Tuesday, Nintendo surprised me with a rather sizable package in my mailbox. Inside was the brand new Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which features 20 all-time classic games that I will gladly replay. (Well, 21 if you include the hot new Star Fox 2.) While the answers for the questions here might be obvious, it's still amazing to experience playing on a small European Super Nintendo.
Let's start with the hardware itself. If you have ever seen a PAL SNES or Super Famicom, you know exactly what it will look like. It is a smooth grey box that starts with a big top and slowly shrinks in size as you go further to the front. At the top, there is the trademark logo on the upper right of the system. Beneath are the buttons, which are Power and Reset. The impressive thing is that they replicated the feel of them very well. The Power Button requires a rather hard push upward, ensuring that you can't accidentally touch it. The Reset button however? The easiest thing in the world to press, so you can still be a jerk to friends in 2017. Also replicated is the sharp power light near the front of the console. It is bright red and helps to give that sense of nostalgia.
The only major change in terms of hardware are the controller ports. Unlike the NES Classic Mini, they are located behind a faux controller port flap. It is pretty much a lever that you need to pull and keep down to plug the various controllers in. The space between the ports have been improved, meaning you could plug in two Wii Classic Controllers with ease now. Another improvement is that the flap is lowered enough so that the plastic bit on those controllers don't become an annoyance.
Although the choice is there, why use other controllers anyway? The system comes with two European SNES controllers right out of the box, colorful buttons and all. The only benefit of using theWii Pro Controller is thatthe main menu can be accessed via the Home button. While that is nice, I feel that I stayed longer on a single game with the SNES Classic Mini. Besides that, the feeling of a truly classic controller can't be beaten. It feels just as good as I remember it and I wouldn't have it any other way.
There's some oddities that are probably exclusive to the European version of the system, however. The upper and lower bars represent the system perfectly with all the correct logos and attributes. That being said, the backgrounds are the neon logos of the Super Famicom. Not that I mind them, but the games were marketed quite differently in Europe. Most of the boxes, including the one this system comes in, have this silver wipe that goes down to the bottom. The situation of the boxes on the main menu is even more interesting. They are using the American boxes to represent the games, likely to tell us straight up that these are the NTSC versions. While it makes sense, I did expect Nintendo to maybe go the extra mile and keep the European boxes.
The menus do have some neat touches, however. There are three filter options: CRT Filter, 4:3 and Pixel Perfect. While the filters had counterparts in NES Mini, the SNES version goes a step beyond that. You can surround your gameplay with eleven frames and most of them are quite neat. One truly gives off that television vibe with big audio systems placed at the borders, while another gives a cinema theater feel. Sure, this is all fluff, but it's enjoyable fluff.
The way that saves and restore points work have also seen a crazy upgrade. For starters, you can now make four Suspend Points per game, which is frankly insane. You can lock, unlock, move and delete those saves in the ways you see fit. It is easy hop into any of those saves and start right where you left off. During gameplay, however, mistakes can easily be made. You chose the wrong attack in a RPG, make a wrong jump in a platformer or miss that one hidden treasure in Super Mario RPG. The SNES Mini allows you to rewind time up to 45 seconds and fix the grave error that you made. You find a spot, pause with the Y-button and jump back in with START. It is also possible to make quick jumps in the time frame by pressing the L- and R-buttons. This will be a lifesaver for younger players or anyone not too confident with their skills in certain genres.
Naturally, I haven't had time to check every game in the library. That is why I went for the ones I really wanted to replay. The first game I booted up was Yoshi's Island, which I was truly curious about. The SNES version was never brought to any of the Virtual Console services, so I was wondering what was done to make this work now. The result is a wonderful looking version that I'll gladly replay. It is unlike the GBA game where everything feels zoomed out, and the controls feel easierpick up and play. That last factor was also true with Super Mario Kart. I felt rusty as I am more up to snuff with newer versions, but it was enjoyable despite all of that. Moving around with that thin view is a challenge, but the tracks are straightforward and fun.
That being said, I am far from done. There is, for example, Star Fox 2 waiting for me. While unlocking it was a piece of cake (finish the first level in the original), the true challenge is seeing what this new game brings to the table. Next to that, I will be replaying Final Fantasy III/VI on the system as well. That entry is my favorite in the franchise and I can't wait to see that impressive opening once more. I want to give these games the love that they truly deserve. Not only because I love the era, but the game are just so replayable.
It shouldn't be a surprise that I'm enjoying the Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Its offerings are quite solid so far, even if playing the 60hz versions is slightly weird. That being said, it allowed for the inclusion of North American gems like Earthbound and Super Mario RPG. I might write another article that talks about replaying these classic games, but for now, I still have a lot to partake in.
During Gamescom 2017, I had the chance to see SteamWorld Dig 2 running on the Switch. This wasn't the demo shown previously at shows like PAX East, as I actually got to see a portion of the full game. Brjann from Image & Form hwas guiding me through the game in handheld mode. The result was a lush variety of options that I was completely unprepared for.
The gameplay has the perks of the original, but there is much more going on. Where Dig 1 felt more like a brisk digging adventure, this game feels more like a Metroidvania. The world is no longer randomly generated, but caringly developed by a bunch of level designers. There is a structure to the proceedings that feels nice to play. That being said, you are still free to explore the game and that is where SteamWorld Dig 2 shines. With plenty of environments to unravel, it'll take a while to see everything.
In my time the game, the changes were immediately noticeable. While there is one gigantic world to explore, everything is built into sections. You will find places where the remaining humans live, where dominating robots have destroyed the landscape or where ancient tech has taken hold. In each of these places, you will find caves that can be explored for treasures or cogs. According to Brjann, there are reasons to revisit a cave multiple times. In some of these caves or areas, bosses are waiting for you to overtake them, which is a thrilling thought. The treasure allows for new techniques, while the cogs upgrades your gear.
A lot of skills are unlocked through finding new gear. In the original, this was reserved for your pickaxe, but Dig 2 lets every ability get powered up. Two examples of abilites are a grappling hook which can speed up your returns to the surface, and a rocket pack (as seen in the release date trailer) that allows for exploration of larger rooms. Both of these items are necessary to check every nook and cranny of the worlds.
With such a wide open 2D world, it can be difficult to replenish supplies and recover. Luckily, SteamWorld Dig 2 introduces steam-filled save points that can bring you immediately to the surface. Similar to transporting pods in Metroid games, you can go between them on the fly and revisit previous areas as needed. I can see this being a gigantic help at the end of the game as you try to see every last thing. For the purpose of the demo, I got to explore the world that way and it felt powerful.
SteamWorld Dig 2 had a lasting impact on me. As someone who loved the original, the sequel seemed to do everything better. The more wider and open areas make for diversity, which I can get fully behind. Add the glorious amount of collectibles and options and it should make for an adventure that has a longer running time with a whole lot more to do. Bring it on, Image & Form!
When I heard that Super Mario and the Rabbids would team up for a video game, I wasn't really sure how to feel. There were moments where I enjoyed the outings of these white critters, but it was really down to content and context. Rabbids Go Home was their finest offering while the minigame collections were all over the place. In 2017, I didn't think about them much until E3. It is here that Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was officially revealed and I got intrigued by the idea. Strategy games are always a genre I enjoyed, so I was hopeful that Ubisoft Milan and Paris could deliver something fun. And they most definitely succeeded.
The experience starts with the story. A girl has made a revolutionary device that can mix together two objects. Together with her virtual assistant Beep-0, she is still trying to finalize these SupaMerge glasses. The glasses seem to have an overheating problem, which in turn made her call it quits early. This is where the Rabbids fly in and start messing with the room. The girl is a big Super Mario fan, which results in the glasses ultimately transporting the Rabbids to the Mushroom Kingdom. Beep-0 becomes a character who can roam around and quickly comes across Mario (and two themed Rabbids) for one of his wackiest adventures yet.
And yes, the Mushroom Kingdom created by Rabbids' mayhem can only be described as twisted. The new world retains the color, but includes situations that can only come from the warped minds of Rabbids. From gigantic toilets to pinballs rolling through the desert, there is always something fun to look at. Most of the unspoken dialogue throughout comes from the NPCs and Beep-0, but they add to the proceedings. The level names are filled with clever puns, while the writing makes good banter possible. Beep-0 seems to always blame the Rabbids, add layers to silly Mario lore or just furthers the plot. You can't ask for a better sidekick than that.
That being said, a game's foundation is build on its gameplay principles. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle has four worlds with nine levels each to get through. Every level contains exploration bits and various strategy battles to win. During the exploration portions, you take control of Beep-0 with the other characters following behind him. It is here that you start looking for hidden treasure, new passageways, interactions with the environment and much more. There are some simple puzzles to complete, which are mostly required to progress. I found them quite fun, even if they aren't hard to wrap your head around. They provide moments to relax, unwind and smile a lot before your next set of encounters. I found it personally fun to stop for a bit and look for smaller details in the world around me.
While those moments give you breathing room, the strategy gameplay is no joke. In fact, this is some of the most profound gameplay found in the genre. It starts with the movement controls, which sees you moving Beep-0 around to determine a location. The character will follow Beep-0’s path and park behind cover when needed. There are lot of variables to think about when deciding a route. All the characters are able to do a slide move that does damage to their opponent. Next to that, their position will influence the ability to use certain special moves, which can be needed to get out of nasty situations. It is these little nuances that matter to overcome an opponent.
Your available attacks are equally as important. The characters wield fantastical weapons that can aid them in the heat of the battle. Mario's main weapon isn't just powerful, but it is also capable of firing honey shots. This sticky goo will stop enemies in their tracks and make them incapable of moving. Mario + Rabbids also have defensive moves at hand to make the road ahead tolerable. The Rabbid characters will have shields early on, while Mario has the ability to shoot at an opponent that moves in his line of sight. Rabbid Peach can restore the health of anybody who is close, which is something you need as soon as possible. As you move along your adventure, new options will open up for you. New weapons and characters are introduced on a regular basis, which means no two battles are the same. Every character also has a skill tree, which adds the secondary weapons and abilities to each of the party members. There is a lot to tinker around with for every character.
The variety of opponents that you will be facing is staggering. It is mostly Rabbids that are corrupted by SupaMerge, but that doesn't mean that they are dull to look at. Each new area comes with unique specimens that have a different way of moving about, attacking and making usage of secondary abilities. Early on, they will be straightforward baddies that are easy to avoid. From the second world onward, they stop pulling punches. Their focus on unexpected maneuvers will keep you on your toes. The bosses, however, are the real stars of the show. Unlike the usual Mario fare, they are epic encounters of skill and wit. The first boss sees you fighting a Donkey Kong themed Rabbid. You will have to make bananas disappear so that you can attack him. It is riskier than it sounds, but spoiling the steps would ruin the enjoyment.
The battle system may look intimidating, but it’s easy to grasp. I feel that the game is always fair and there is always a clear solution to a problem. The difficulty can be adjusted on the fly if the battles are tough. This doesn't change the opponents a lot, but you will get more health to finish the job. If you still happen to fail on a battle, Mario + Rabbids has a quick restart option to start over fresh with no penalty. The quick restart allows for a lot of experimentation before committing to the battle.
Mario + Rabbids does reward those that can solve the battles quickly, though. If you can complete a battle within a set number of turns and keep your characters intact, there will be a gold level statue waiting for you. You will be rewarded with more coins, which can be used on various weapons to enhance your team. Mario + Rabbids encourages you go to back to old levels and worlds to find new trinkets to explore. With the Washing Machine, you can go back in time and try to better your final score. This might not be the easiest thing to do, but at least you will get to see the funniest moments again as well.
Within the world itself, you will find various challenges after completing it. These challenges will give you more difficult battles with harsher requirements. The first one involves trying to defeat fourteen opponents in just three turns. Another one sees you escorting a Toad to a specific point on the map, which becomes insanity towards the end of the skirmish. Every world has also a secret chapter, which will present meatier challenges than the ones found in the main levels. It is here that the game will push you to the limit in true tests of skill and gives you hours of additional fun. The extra maps really make Mario + Rabbids one of the meatier experiences on the Switch.
Next to all of this single-player content, Kingdom Battle also offers a truly great multiplayer mode. You and a friend will be split into teams that each control two characters. The goal is to complete various challenges that are specifically built for multiplayer. The maps are larger, but the core goals are similar to single player. While it is more meant as a co-op experience, I found myself getting rather competitive. We tried to defeat the most enemies possible or only make usage of certain abilities to get the job done. Either way, it adds even more value to an already grand package.
As far as the presentation for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is concerned, you shouldn't be surprised by how incredible it looks. The colorful world of the Mushroom Kingdom is beautiful to look at and feels made for the Nintendo Switch. It doesn't matter if you are playing in handheld or television mode, because this game looks great no matter what. I do have to mention that the Switch became a bit hot in handheld mode, and that the performance slowed down somewhat. Considering the nature of the game, the drops certainly weren't terrible, but they are still very much present. Back on the positive side, the soundtrack is fantastic. The music gives off the right amount of energy and brings that adventurous vibe that I adore. The tune around Peach's Castle made me especially happy as the arrangement was really well thought through.
Despite hiccups in handheld mode, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was more than I hoped it would be. It’s one of those rare instances where the positive pre-release reception was totally justified and made the ultimate pay-off even better. The developers at Ubisoft Milan and Paris took their time to figure what works about strategy games and elevated it to a form that can be enjoyed by many. Add to that the pure cleverness of the adventure, and what results in an absolute must play for Nintendo Switch owners. This is the best game the Rabbids have starred in and they only needed Mario to achieve it.
During Gamescom 2017, the next ARMS character was revealed to the world. The character, named Lola Pop, has one of the most adorable designs I've seen in a while between her colorful suit, facial expressions and interactions. She is a female clown and has all the mobility that goes along with it. She is fast, furious and has the best defensive move sets in all of ARMS. Everything about the choices they made is making me happy.
Her basic techniques are pretty easy to wrap your head around. With her dash, Lola Pop is capable of moving around the field at a quick pace. The dash has a glide to it that I really appreciate and can be handy to get out of tricky situations. Her jump is quite bouncy, but it doesn't have an amazing reach. That being said, Lola can stay in the air longer, which is great for dishing out one more punch. While shielding, Lola Pop takes on a balloon form. It allows her to become a defensive heavyweight, which is especially handy during double battles.
Where Lola Pop really comes together is with her set of available ARMS. The Biffer is the least surprising out of the three. Similar to the Hydra and Triblaster ARMS, it shoots out three missiles, which is fantastic for reaching characters at long range. Where things become interesting is with the Funchuk, which is basically a nunchuck grabbed in a fist. This weapon can be spun around to defend yourself or to attack nearby foes. The range isn't fantastic, but it is a solid counter weapon.
The star of Lola’s show is the Clapback arms. They act as a protective barrier that matches the opponent’s movements. It is great against opponents that are ultra-aggressive from the opening seconds. If an ARM touches the shield, it will be flung back and forces the opponent to take damage. When a characters gets close to it, you can strike again. This will result in a shield bash, which sends the opponent flying. The best usage is during the Rush Attack as the shield does an impressive 320 damage.
Lola Pop and her colorful set of weapons are coming to ARMS in September. I honestly can't wait to play nonstop with her and explore everything she has to offer. Her movement patterns are really intriguing and every time I time I discover new bits and pieces.
I love Splatoon 2, perhaps way too much. So far, I've spent 270 hours with my copy of the game and I don’t regret a single minute of it. My Level 47 character is looking pretty good and the variety of gear and weapons still impresses me. There’s also excitement whenever something new is added to the game, which is why the announcements for Gamescom 2017 left me quite happy. A brand new map and weapon? What is not to like?
Let's start with the map, which is called Manta Maria. The stage is small, with not a lot of ground to cover which places a premium on outsmarting the other team. Weapons with kick like the Splat Dualies and the Splattershot worked well here. You work your way through the various layers of environment, ensure that the middle part stays in your color and push the opposition further back into their base.
The way that Manta Maria handles these elements is quite unique. You start at the outer sides of the ship, take a wider area into the middle area and head into the opponent's wider area. Every part of it is designed in a way to make you overtake the opponent rather quickly. It is an action packed three minutes, which I certainly appreciate. After playing a couple of matches, I want to go back for more!
The other new toy is the new weapon, the Forge Splattershot Pro. It is basically a Splattershot with a solid, slightly longer range. It feels very easy to grasp and immediately felt right for the role I was playing in the match. Sure, you could make the argument that it shouldn't be that difficult, but honestly I see the potential with this gun. It would be handy to have with a mode like Splat Zones, which is focused on overtaking a specific spot on the map.
While the Sub Weapon (Sticky Bombs) isn't anything remarkable, the new Special Weapon steals the show. The Bubble Blower allows you to shoot three bubbles in various directions. If you pop it enough with your own ink, it will explode. This can be handy to destroy an opponent or cover up harder to reach places. Naturally, it is possibly for the opposite team to splat them as well, which results in simply nothing happening. I found it to be a very handy defensive weapon, and it brings freshness to the metagame of Splatoon 2.
Both the map and weapon are releasing pretty soon. It seems pretty likely that the Forge Splattershot Pro will end being one of my go-to weapons. The weight is just right, and all of its little elements feel lovingly designed. Manta Maria can be a lot of fun as well, but we will still need to see the Ranked Mode version to make that final judgement call. If the rest of the new content is of this quality however, I’ll sink another 270 hours into Splatoon 2.
I love some solid hack and slash fun on the go. While the gameplay can be intense, I don't need to put much thought into it. This is where Phantom Trigger, made by Bread Team, comes in. Phantom Trigger’s strengh is in its melding of beautiful pixel art with sharp gameplay. However, it does leave a few things left to be desired.
For starters, I think that the story is mediocre at best. Phantom Trigger tries its best to tell a hard hitting narrative about a guy named Stan. Stan suffers from a terminal illness and isn't in the best place of mind. You see his illness play out in flashbacks. Most of the gameplay takes place in an alternate reality known as the Neon World where you play as the Outsider. This mysterious figure is ignorant of Stan’s past, though it unfolds as you progress. The story feels scatterbrained and without proper build up. It ends rather suddenly on one of the game’s multiple endings.
Things start to look up with the gameplay. In the Neon World’s hub you interact with dwellers who send you on various missions. You hop into a portal, go to that specific area, and complete the task at hand. These tasks don't go much further than collecting items and defeating enemies. The various attacks are enjoyable to perform and the action is fluid enough. There is a solid challenge and weight to everything you do. You won’t have to rely on the game’s collectibles to feel accomplished.
While the progression of the levels feel good, I wasn't happy with certain decisions made. Many of the smaller enemies that you find are too similar: they’re mostly elemental variations. After a while, you start to wonder if they’re going throw you something new. That never happens with the grunts, but the bosses are an exception. They’re the absolute highlight of Phantom Trigger with each having unique patterns and weaknesses. They are a true showcase of your skills and make for intriguing showdowns.
The best way to enjoy Phantom Trigger is with a friend. If you play it together in co-op, the problems are alleviated a little as you work through the enemies at a steadier pace. This is also perfect for less experienced players as the combat has a lot to take in. No matter if you play it in tabletop or television mode, it’s perfectly playable with a singular Joy-Con. The visuals and performance are sharp with only small stutters present in the Nintendo Switch release. It didn't really impact my gameplay experience, and I felt that it did the trick nicely.
Phantom Trigger is one of those games that you play through once. You won't play it for the story, but the rewarding combat and flashy environments are here to entertain. These will keep you glued to your screen until the credits roll. The enemies and objectives don't really change for the most part, but at least they give you a reasonable challenge. The game is perfectly fine with those looking for something quick and flashy, but don't expect something you will remember months from now. With 6 hours on the counter, it’s over before you know it.
When I was a young lad, the Game Boy was my way to play video games. I would play any game I could find and experience them with absolute glee. One game I certainly had some issues with was Metroid II: Return of Samus. While it was neat to play an exploration game with this set-up, the reality was that I didn't always feel in control. I ended up liking it back then, but I always found it hard to truly return to. Nintendo has addressed my concerns and delivers the goods with a fancy Nintendo 3DS remake. Developed by MercurySteam, this game shows that it can still learn some new tricks.
If you’ve ever played the original game, or know the lore inside and out, you will know the story. Samus is sent off to the planet SR388, which happens to be the home planet of the Metroid species. Your goal is to destroy all forty Metroids and earn the respect of the Galactic Federation. In this 2D adventure, you move Samus from screen to screen and deal with what crosses your path. From shooting various enemies to solving environmental puzzles, a good amount of wit will be useful to make it through. With trusty tools like your Ice Beam and Morph Ball, you will explore an ever growing world and explore every nook and cranny possible.
The remake's new tricks can be immediately felt at the start. Unlike the original game, Samus doesn't start with the Morph Ball ability. The beginning of the original felt freeform where you would randomly drop down shafts, but with the remake everything gets time to build. Like the games that came before and after, you will earn the Morph Ball from a Chozo Statue. After that, you’re immediately given a situation to use it and learn what your newly obtained function can do. Metroid: Samus Returns gives you time to learn alongside it, even if that is at a brisk pace.
The transformation between the original and the newly created game is staggering. The original was held back by the limitations of the hardware, which you can clearly see if you try to play it now. Where the remake succeeds is changing the way you approach it and try to overcome its challenges. It takes the fundamentals of what makes 2D Metroid great and offers it in a package that stands on its own. There is a fluidness to it that was built for the Nintendo 3DS. While the plot points of the original are absolutely present, it is actually unfair to compare these games anymore. The world itself has dramatically changed and can be seen as essentially a new game.
This is particularly true when it comes to the gameplay. While Metroid: Samus Returns is a 2D game at heart, the added Free Aim (activated with L-button) makes a whole world of difference. In the two hours I had to play the game, I never felt more in control of a video game character. The ability to aim beam shots and missiles with precision makes beating down enemies an enjoyable affair. There is a solid weight while controlling Samus and it benefits the overall flow in a major way. My favorite usage so far is when using the Ice Beam to create platforms. By freezing enemies, you would reach higher spots and open new passageways. To the dismay of some, the Arm Cannon also has a laser sight to make that 360 degree precision aiming even snappier. Personally it helped me to think more about my next destination, but more the experienced might want to leave the R-button be.
Another interesting change comes in the form of the Melee Counter. When you are in the sights of the baddies, they might rush towards Samus for a devastating blow. Luckily, you will be able to defend yourself with a timed press on the X-button. The game goes actively out of its way to ensure that you use this. No enemy skips a beat and they expect you to act on that last possible moment. Most of the enemies will be stunned, allowing you a quick kill. With Metroids however, it is essential that you nail down the timing. A successful counter leaves them wide open for a barrage of missiles. It took a while before I understood the timing, but the payoff makes the struggle worth it. Once you pair the Melee Counter with ledge grabbing and the added agility, you will be able to overcome any odds.
As you explore the 2D environments, various points of interest open up to you. Naturally, you have the Chozo Statues where new possibilities can be obtained such as the Charge Beam. The ability was never in the original to begin with, so that is certainly a nice touch. Considering how relenting the enemies have become, it is a great alternative than using all of your missiles. Another ability that you receive pretty early on are the bombs for the Morph Ball. There are used to a crazy degree for finding secrets and finding new opportunities for passageways.
Those passageways bring us to the Aeion abilities, which start you off with the Scan Pulse. With it, you can scan your direct surroundings for secrets and upcoming rooms. If you find the classic trial and error ways more endearing, you are free to ignore it as the classic Metroid fan you are. For me though, the ability was quite beneficial. I skim over areas extremely quickly, only to regret it later down the line. Scan Pulse helped me to manage my surroundings and observe the map on the touchscreen closely. It made finding Missile and Energy upgrade a snap, which minimized my frustration in the long run.
In many ways, that sentiment feels like the remake's main goal. Energy, Ammo and Save Stations are now more clearly marked on your map and look visually more recognizable. You see them at a glance, walk up to them and carry on. Even if you stray away from a save point too long, the remake offers more frequent checkpoints. You will notice this with the later Metroid fights as you lose your life. It doesn't throw you the long way back, but re-spawns to the door that grants you a quick rematch. This was incredibly helpful as the fight in question gave me a hard time. There were deadly plants beneath me and an incredibly fast Metroid above me. Not the best situation in any case!
The biggest change, however, is how the progression of the game feels. Naturally, the ultimate goal of destroying the Metroids is still in tact, but the visual representation stands on its own. With the original Game Boy release, this wasn't always made very clear. You would defeat the threshold needed, the screen would shake and you could move further down the hole. On the Nintendo 3DS, they approach it very differently. Starting from the other area, you will need to collect strings of DNA and bring it back to a dedicated pedestal. After that, it will show you in the next step of the process. If you think that this set-up will result in more backtracking, I wouldn't worry too much. Metroid: Samus Returns adds Transport Stations, which will easily bring you to important locations on the map.
When it comes to the visual presentation, I am very impressed with this particular title. It’s quite pleasing on the eyes and this will be particularly shown in 3D. With the slider cranked all the way up, you will see multi-layered backgrounds that make for the best stereoscopic usage this year. The music was pleasing throughout. The bleeps and bloops have been replaced with music similar to the recent outings and I couldn't be happier.
So far, Metroid: Samus Returns is a winner in my book. Most of the changes made are absolutely for the better and change it into something completely new. The gameplay strikes the right balance between modern and classic, while the flow minimizes potential frustration. The stunning visual presentation and chilling sound effects add even more to the picture for something incredibly fun. There are things that Metroid fans might not be completely on board with, but all of those trinkets are optional. After finishing off five Metroids, I really want to destroy them all now!
Just like with the previous games on Nintendo 3DS, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia offers paid downloadable content. While it is much less than the usual slew, the focus is put on items that make a successful adventure possible. These options can be purchased on their own, in packs or through a dedicated Season Pass. The big question is if it’s worth purchasing the entire package, or pick out the trinkets you need. I will give my thoughts on each of the packs, so that you can (hopefully) make an informed decision!
Fledgling Warriors (€/$7.99)
With the Fledgling Warriors pack, you will be able to start strongly in Fire Emblem Echoes. It will give you access to weapons, useful items, experience points and much more. While it can be fine to explore three dungeons here, the content presented isn't anything new. You will see dungeons that are already in the game, which is a bit lazy all things considered. Next to that, the gear that you obtain is only useful in the first number of hours. Outside of a novice, it is really hard to recommend this pack to anyone.
Score: 2/5
Undaunted Heroes (€/$9.99)
Undaunted Heroes is a package for people who don't enjoy grinding. While you still do a little within its content, the process is ten times better due to the dungeons present. You will be able to get weaponry and experience points just like the previous pack, but the results are way more efficient. The Inner Sanctum, the place where useful items can be found, give you excellent treasures for your characters. Lords of the Grave and Wealth Before Health give you access to experience points and loads of money, which allow you to get through the game in record time. While the content can be immediately used, it is more logical to use this closer to the end of the journey.
Score: 4/5
Lost Altars (€/$14.99)
The idea behind the Lost Altars pack is interesting. You will receive ten special ''overclasses'', with which you can grow a character one additional time. If you have a Hero character for example, it will be possible to upgrade him to the Conqueror class. Some of these classes contain attacks that normally only can be used by enemies. While it sounds to be worthy of your cash, players will not quickly reach the essentials for the overclasses. It simply takes a lot of time to upgrade a character to level 20. Only the true fans will get mileage out of this one.
Score: 3/5
Rise of the Deliverance (€/$12.99)
While previous Fire Emblem games got a lot of new DLC stories, Shadows of Valentia features just one. Rise of the Deliverance brings a package of four missions that will tell you this brand new story. The missions will tell you about how the Deliverance got started and how it became the group that Alm eventually joins. You will get to see what happens, how the characters came together and why they tried to save Zofia. The maps offer unique objectives and give you some fantastic rewards that I won't spoil. That being said, the package only takes an hour to complete. You do get new dialogue and interactions, but it could have continued a tad bit longer for my liking.
Score: 3/5
Cipher Companions (€/$4.99)
In my humble opinion, this is the pack that offers the most value. It offers four new characters that can be used in Fire Emblem Echoes. The characters originate from the Fire Emblem Cipher card game, where they help FE legends into battle. You will get to know these characters across two missions, complete with the dialogue to introduce them. During the journey, you will notice that they have the same support conversations as other characters, which gives them a new dimension. The characters that you will encounter in this pack are Emma (Falcon Knight), Randal (Paladin), Shade (Saint) and Yuzu (Priestress). Their classes are different from those on the cards, mostly because they had a Fire Emblem Fates background originally. That being said, they are incredibly useful characters to increase your options and secure the victory!
The Nintendo Switch Online application is out. As the official way to interact during Splatoon 2 sessions, Nintendo had a lot riding on it. Would it be anything of note? After testing it for a while, I think that SplatNet 2 adds certain benefits but the same can't be said for its online voice chat functionality.
With SplatNet 2, a wealth of information is available. You can: see your current rank, review your gear, and compare your lifetime Inkage to real-life locations.
Even better is the SplatNet Gear Shop. It allows you to order clothing directly from the app. You can order only one item at a time, but once you pick it up from Murch, you're free to buy another. Interestingly, the same gear can have different abilities depending on if it was bought in the game or the application. Even if you own a certain item, you can overwrite it if the app gives a better loadout.
Another thing I quite like is the in-app forecast of when certain stages and modes will pop-up. It allows me to plan sessions in advance, which I certainly appreciate. Since Ranked and League Battle stages are different, it also helps me decide if I want to play with a friend or not.
The My Stats page provides an in-depth look at your playing habits. You can see your best mission times in the single-player, how often you win on certain stages, and what kinds of weapons you favor.
The most useful element of SplatNet 2 is the ability to see the last 50 matches you played, and review the details of your performance. You can look at the weapons, gear, and statistics. It is honestly a great resource to find ways to improve your play. All of these statistics can be shared on social media via a fun, shareable, image.
The positive experiences, however, don't transfer to the Nintendo Switch Online Lounge. Invitations are neat: you get an instant notification on your smartphone when invited to join a room. Once you join a room, you can move to the Online Lounge in the Lobby, to view the specific game session. It is quick, snappy, and usually works.
It is also easy to set up a room; just like joining one, you get a notification on your phone that the room is ready. However, it starts failing when you invite others. While inviting Nintendo Switch Friends and Users You've Played With is straightforward, inviting people via social media can be less rewarding. Invitations on public Twitter or Facebook accounts are basically blank invitations into the world. Anyone can join the room by simply clicking a link on their phone. This can quickly fill the room's 8 slots, especially if you have a large social media following. A more effective way to invite specific friends via social media might be to send yourself the link over email and then DM it to every person you want to invite.
The biggest question about the app is how does the voice chat work. The audio quality is fine, although it depends on your own connection as well as the quality of your microphone. Another thing that is cool that you do split up in teams during Private Battles. I do wish that there was just an option that let us all stay in the same room; sometimes you just want to fool around, do something dumb, and taunt the person you splatted.
The voice chat suffers because the app fails at providing basic features expected of a smartphone app in 2017. For starters, you can't keep this application running in the background. In a world where Discord and Skype exist, Nintendo has made it so you can only use their application if it is in the foreground. If you decide to do anything else on your phone, you are cut out and have to reconnect, a process that take a few seconds. Even checking the notification tray, which the app itself uses, disconnects you from the app. That is crazy. You can still see your incoming messages, but if you want to respond, you are out of luck.
Although you can’t switch to other apps, you can still check things within the app itself.
I'm also bummed that the screen stays on the entire time, even though you’re just talking. Naturally, you can lower your smartphone's brightness setting, but the screen is still wasting the battery.
I’m worried about this as feature of a paid service. The game-specific features are really cool, and can provide meaningful benefits to their respective games. The lobby, however, makes me question the entire proposition. The ideas are sound, but execution is not in line with today's standards. Asking someone to rely a bare-bones application, exclusively on their smartphone, is crazy. There are so many better services out there that allow me to chat with my friends. Whatever Nintendo's plans are, selling this will be an uphill battle.
Almost two months back, I got my first look at Hey! Pikmin. I had the chance to experience three levels and see what this 2D exploration game was all about. Honestly, I was just cautiously optimistic and hopeful that Arzest could finally nail a game and keep me entertained all the way through. I have now played seven worlds from the complete game and it surprised me by how solid it was put together. Not only does the charm of the Pikmin translate well, but it is also a relaxing title to boot.
In Hey! Pikmin, we see Captain Olimar traveling through the galaxy once more but before he gets the chance to make his way home, asteroids cause him to make an abrupt landing on a nearby planet. Sparklium, the fuel for his Dolphin III ship, has suddenly been depleted and Olimar is stuck until he can find more. It is up to you to bring Captain Olimar home by completing 2D action stages and collecting everything that can make him fuel. This ranges from seeds to large scale treasures, which has always been a staple of the Pikmin series.
While you need 30,000 Sparklium to make your way home, it isn't as harsh of a goal as you might think. Sparklium is earned everywhere and any player playing attention will find ways to rank up points fast. Younger players will have plenty of time to get the goal together, while more wintered players will make it before reaching the end of the line. Even then, you are required to find a lost ship part at the end of the game, so there is no real rush. That is also the best way to describe the game. Unlike the regular Pikmin games, levels are more linear and puzzle based. They give you specific goals and goodies to shoot for, which is good for unwinding on your Nintendo 3DS.
Speaking of unwinding, let's talk about the controls. You move Captain Olimar with the Circle Pad, while all other interaction uses the touchscreen. This can be blowing your whistle, throwing Pikmin or even touching certain objects. All in all, it is pretty straightforward while walking on land or in the air. You move about, all while cleverly picking up all that you can find. It doesn't take long to get the hang of what you're doing and I found it quite fun to toy around with. It never becomes too challenging or head smashingly frustrating, which is one of the great things I like about it. You play a couple of levels, have a good time and go do something else.
The worlds are named Sectors and I only got to experience the first seven of them. You will have to get through six areas (levels), find all the treasure and look for new passageways to complete a sector 100%. These passageways can grant you access to secret spots or additional levels highlighted with the letter X. Depending on an area, it might take place across multiple screens in caves or one seamless experience across a field. In either case, it is filled with action that makes solid usage of both screens. The game makes use of the full Nintendo 3DS real estate, which makes for grand viewing angles during gameplay. In the first world, Brilliant Garden, this is highlighted with lush forest environments that are quite nice to look at. While the background are a little more stilted than I would like, they are at least a major step up from Arzest's previous work.
The real estate benefits the gameplay to the fullest. It gives you a grand perspective, allowing you to throw Pikmin at higher locations. This is in particularly useful with the Yellow and Winged Pikmin variations. The Yellow Pikmin can easily reach the upper screen, which is beneficial for goodies or pulling down vines. The critters are also resistant against electricity. This ability is also used in a grand number of ways. There is, for example, a level where you use these Pikmin as a source to connect two wires. It will give life to new platforms or locate enemies that like to live in the shadows. The Winged Pikmin, introduced in Pikmin 3, can be flung at high speeds. It will make destroying incoming enemies an absolute snap. Next to this, the cute fellows will pick up Olimar and help descent down into new areas. There are a couple of levels where you need to fully rely on Winged Pikmin for survival and it is a lot of fun.
There are more Pikmin types that come into play here. With the Red Pikmin, you get friends that are resistive to fire and enemies of that ilk. In one of the later worlds, the Reds will need to stomp out fire and clear the way for you. Other than that, they are fast and have furious attacks. Similar things can be said about the Rock Pikmin, which are basically known for two things. They are the strongest ones of the bunch and can break crystals all across the stages. When you meet them for the first time, the game asks you kindly to learn how to operate them. This requires a little bit of time, when compared to the others, but it is totally worth it in the end.
The Pikmin type that are showcased the least are the Blue Pikmin. The Blues are the best known for surviving water and being able to swim. While they are great fighters beneath the sea, their moving patterns don't really benefit these stages. In short sections, this is something you can tolerate. Once you move 20 (maximum amount of Pikmin during a stage) Blues all at the same time, you need to spam your whistle to constantly keep them together. Luckily, there are only handful of stages that make use of the Blue Pikmin, so your mind never fully goes into insanity territory.
As you can move along the bushes and blow your whistle, you are always given the correct Pikmin for the task. Hey! Pikmin gives you puzzle pieces to work with and it is your task to be careful with them. One misstep and an ally will say its dear life farewell. Where the loss of one Pikmin in previous games wasn't all that heart wrenching, here it can mean the difference of clearing a puzzle. In one of the stages I encountered, I got four Yellow Pikmin right from the start. Mere moments into the stage, I sadly lost one of them, which I didn't think was a big deal. Less than a minute later, I got access to a treasure that (you guessed it) needed four Yellow Pikmin to grab.
It are moments like these that made me learn to play considerate. Once again, the game doesn't force you take everything hasty and you should take this approach to heart. The Pikmin carry everything to Captain Olimar directly this time around, which can cause for alarming situations. Your Pikmin are always a target when you are letting them do your dirty work, so keeping a close eye is the best thing you can do. You need to be careful yourself as well. If you overshoot a Pikmin and it touches an opponent, the Pikmin will be defeated on the spot. As a result, I found myself replaying stages until I got them down and collected all the treasure. Considering the paths that you need to find, it becomes a chill way to see the game through to the end.
Before we head into the final bits, I do want to highlight some of my favorite stages in the game so far. For starters, there is a level in the fourth world named Ravaged Rustworks. It offers a unique industrial environment, where you climb on pipes and other harsh materials. The first stage, The Loney Tower, sees you climbing to the top without any help of Pikmin. You need to rely on steampipes, walking and Olimar's jetpack. On your way down, you start to get a band together as you slowly search the end. It was a really refreshing take on the formula and something that I couldn't get enough of.
Next up is the level Valley of the Breeze, which can be found in the Leafswirl Lagoon sector. In this stage, you solely rely on the Winged Pikmin to get you down to the end goal safely. This is easier said than done as enemies lurk around ever corner. I found myself constantly holding the Circle Pad up, so that I had a little more time before my next step. It is thrilling to head down the shaft and try to snag anything I could get my hands on. Finally, there is Barriers of Flame in a world named Sweltering Parchlands. Instead of using Red Pikmin to clear the fire, you will be forced to improvise with Yellow and Rock Pikmin. It makes for some neat moments throughout!
In addition to the regular stages, every world ends with a boss stage. It is here that you fight against gigantic enemies from the Pikmin universe. Just like the stages, these bosses rely on the gimmicks of the Pikmin. The boss of one sector sees you fighting against a Fiery Blowhog and trying to dodge his attacks. You will need Red Pikmin to pick up bombs and ensure that the Blowhog swallows them. This causes a knockout, giving you the chance to deal some massive damage. By defeating the bosses, you are granted treasures that are 1,000 Sparklium each, so it is certainly worth your while.
Hey! Pikmin supports amiibo in the Splatoon, Super Mario and Animal Crossing lines. These amiibo can be scanned in to grant you access to secret spots. They can best be described as one room puzzle challenges that you need to overcome. The task is to find the optimal route to the statue and snag them with the help of your Pikmin. Completing a challenge grants you 200 Sparklium every time, so it is great for younger players who aren't as confident in their skills. Do be aware that you are limited by how many amiibo you can summon to each secret spot. Not anything too major, but certainly something to keep in check.
As far as the presentation of Hey! Pikmin is concerned, I am honestly impressed. The backgrounds are nice to look at, but I do wish there were more going on. That being said, everything happening on the foreground perfectly fits the Nintendo 3DS. The characters and set pieces look sharp on the system and bring a lot of color to the side scrolling stages. If you are looking for 3D effects however, you are out of luck, Hey! Pikmin doesn't support them. The music is equally good. There is a lot of atmosphere that goes along with it, which the composer has absolutely nailed. It breathes Pikmin and offers additional character to the worlds.
Another part of the presentation is the pure charm present in the game. If you want the game to instantly put a smile on your face, you owe it yourself to read the logs. From enemy entries to treasure, Captain Olimar gives insight on what kind of purpose they serve. What helps is that the names for everything are hilarious. One of the treasures you will find is an NES cartridge for Ice Climbers, which carries the name ''Revenge Fantasy''. Even the amiibo statues that you capture get their Olimar takes as well. Another way that Hey! Pikmin brings the charm are with little scenes in the levels. As you go along, the Pikmin will play around or pop up in unique ways. I don't want to spoil too many of those, but there are a lot of them to see.
Hey! Pikmin is, so far, a way better game than I was anticipating. The flow of the levels is solid and it simply relaxes me while I play. While there are some annoyances like the underwater levels, there is nothing here that speaks to me as being game breaking. I flew through the first seven worlds, mainly due to their variety and unique level gimmicks. It is so fun to just pick up the game, play a few stages and move on to something else. Naturally, I have to see where the end game takes me, but I have honestly a hard time seeing how this one could go wrong. With plenty of charm and intriguing goals to shoot for, Hey! Pikmin delivers a package perfectly suitable for a handheld.
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