Topic: Episode 262: Where Pride Goes

[Yoshidious]

Games are coming out this fall, or so I hear.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/28032

This week's episode begins with an unusually topical New Business, as all four regular podcasters show up with a new release for one of Nintendo's platforms (plus a few other goodies as well). James kicks it off by sharing his slight disappointment with Solatorobo, the furry-filled 2DS mascot platformer. He also caps off an 80-hour journey through Xenoblade even as Jonny's copy finally arrives. Lindy has been active this past week, putting considerable time into the remade Zelda Four Swords while also checking out Demon's Souls and the Uncharted 3 beta. Jonny heaps praise upon the recent 3DS Virtual Console release of Super Mario Land 2 and checks out a very cool PSN exclusive called Rochard. After sharing impressions of several previously mentioned games, Greg takes the stage for himself to wrap up his thoughts on Aliens: Infestation, just in time for the game's American launch.

Part 2 is our inconsistently annual Fall Games Preview, as we take turns highlighting various bright spots in the ultimately questionable release lineup for Nintendo's platforms through the end of this year. Rather than list all the games mentioned here, I'll direct your attention to the right sidebar, which has links to NWR's complete coverage of every game discussed on the show. Give it a try! Also, be sure to vote now for your pick in the latest RetroActive election -- the deadline is this Thursday, Oct. 13 so don't delay! You can also email us your thoughts or questions right here.

[happyastoria]

I'm assuming Greg has never played Demon's Souls? Strange, doesn't he like difficult games? Anyway, the first boss can be killed in 20 seconds, all you have to use is fire - that's it.

I'm playing Dark Souls and  it may be the greatest game ever made - yup, that's how much I love the game. Greg, give it a shot if you haven't played it. I would love to hear your thoughts! The game is very similar to Zelda.

On the topic of Skyward Sword: No one has said a word about the music! The music in the "romance" trailer is simply beautiful! And I can't wait to get the soundtrack.

Dr. Metts, is there any chance for a Majora's Mask retro-active? I'm dying for one! It would make my day! I know I'm not alone in this! 

[Jonnyboy117]

Majora's Mask is probably the single most requested RetroActive game. Maybe we'll do it sometime when we feel like just picking a game -- I don't think it would be fair to put it in a poll.

[broodwars]

Majora's Mask is probably the single most requested RetroActive game. Maybe we'll do it sometime when we feel like just picking a game -- I don't think it would be fair to put it in a poll.

Yeah, Majora's Mask is a game that's better suited to another RFN Special like Ocarina had.  RetroActive should be for games that were possibly overlooked back in their day and deserve another look.  For the most part, I think it's served that purpose despite some big Nintendo franchises popping up during its run.

[Kytim89]

I am going to make a prediction here and say that Skyward Sword will earn a perfect score from Famitsu magazine. Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker have already done this and it is over due for a console Zelda game to earn the award.

[NeoStar9X]

I do wonder if there is a real possibility for Skyward Sword to seriously under sell. Not because it isn't a great game but because of the consumer base that Nintendo itself has created and at the same time alienated since the Wii has been out. It can be argued that Nintendo, do to it's own actions, drove certain types of gamers away from the system. Other systems were putting out games that were appealing. Not in terms of HD but just in terms of genres and quality. Third parties certainly weren't doing that on the Wii outside some very rare cases.  It's not like those gamers don't have options now as well either come this holiday season. Skyrim being the biggest threat in the RPG/Action adventure space. Modern Warfare 3 being a huge attention grabber and being the first thing many gamers will spend money on before anything else. Then you have games like Uncharted 3. I think there could be a LOT of crossover there and many gamers will feel, do to past Wii experiences, that Zelda isn't worth their time. Not because they hate the series or anything but simply because the PS3 or 360 has treated them as gamers a significantly better this generation. They could feel their attention and money is better spent on those system then going back to the Wii.

I think this is more of a possibility if Nintendo doesn't go crazy with advertising for the game to convince gamers it's worth their time and effort to buy the game. You can bet other companies will for their game and will do so in prime time. Nintendo of America is horrible at this.

What I wonder is if Zelda fails to gain the success they want will they fully understand why? Will they understand it isn't the game's fault but their own and how they've built the Wii audience and maintained or didn't maintain it until it was to late? The quality of the game simply won't be a factor I feel in the end. 

[KDR_11k]

I'm not too sure about skyward sword but I haven't been following the footage at all. We'll see how it pans out.

No idea if Greg is into playing random bullet hell games but recently I've been playing the games of the Gundemonium Collection. They scale from fairly doable to insanely hard depending on the difficulty you choose (and how you handle the "phase level" system that determines the actual difficulty in the game and moves based on specific actions in the game).

Do those 80 hours of Xenoblade include additional sidequesting since the last time or did you really manage to stave that off until you beat the game? There's quite a lot of depth to those sidequest locations.

[lolmonade]

I'm torn between getting Skyward Sword and importing a copy of Xenoblade.  A part of me has really wanted to dive into a meaty RPG experience, since my last non-MMO RPG that I’ve invested heavily into was Final Fantasy XII, and NWR has pushed the needle from mild interest to potentially taking the plunge on my first import purchase. 
 
The other half of me wants to have a new Zelda experience, as the last Zelda game I completed was Ocarina of Time 3D (Wind Waker is a WIP, and I don’t own Majora’s Mask), and the little info I’ve read on the game has really whet my appetite. 
 
Add another tally to the people who are surprised Greg hasn’t delved into Demon’s Souls.  It really is a game that has a steep learning curve, but not to the point where you think the game is unfair, or that you can blame the game for cheapness.  It’s a game that I should really pick back up, because I only got to the 3^rd world, and only stopped because of not having much free time.
 

[Dropkik]

I'm surprised James wasn't seemingly aware the new Ace Combat comes out tomorrow (Tuesday, October 11)

[NWR_Lindy]

Why do you think James hasn't posted in this thread today?  It's because he's camped out at Gamestop for a midnight release, wearing a full flightsuit.

As for Demon's Souls, the first boss is extremely easy when using firebombs or the Silver Catalyst (that's what I used).  The Tower Knight, on the other hand...

The thing that sucks you into Demon's Souls is the fact that at no point do you feel like you shouldn't be able to beat any particular area.  Because the enemies are always in the same place and the same things generally always happen the same way, you get into "Oh man, I would totally destroy this area if I just did THAT in THIS way" territory.  At that point the game has you, it's over.

[lolmonade]

As for Demon's Souls, the first boss is extremely easy when using firebombs or the Silver Catalyst (that's what I used).  The Tower Knight, on the other hand...

The thing that sucks you into Demon's Souls is the fact that at no point do you feel like you shouldn't be able to beat any particular area.  Because the enemies are always in the same place and the same things generally always happen the same way, you get into "Oh man, I would totally destroy this area if I just did THAT in THIS way" territory.  At that point the game has you, it's over.

I beat the Phalanx with my sword alone because I wanted to conserve all my items, but all I ended up doing was grinding souls to upgrade my weapon/armor until I was able to grind out a victory.  I got better at recognizing patterns against the 2nd (Tower Knight) and 3rd boss (Armor Spider).  Strategies in this game often employ MMO-style combat, as in trying to pull aggro from one skeleton at a time from a horde so you don't get overwhelmed, because once you have to manage several enemies, you're most likely in big trouble.

I love how the game sort of piques your curiosity, but most of the time it's at your peril.  when I first encountered the red eye knight in the first level, I couldn't help but try to kill him.  I died miserably, but I didn't go forward until I killed him.  And he wasn't even a boss.  That game is good for those who have persistence, because every little victory is so rewarding after putting in so much effort.

[Enner]

I will be interested to hear what Jon and perhaps Jonathan think of Star Wars: The Old Republic and Bioware's Star Wars games. I played some of the game in a recent beta invitation. The game plays very similarly to World of Warcraft in its controls, levels, quests, abilities, and other major systems. The one unique thing that sticks out to me is a companion NPC that follows and helps you. You can customize your companion's equipment and crafting skills. For what I've played of the beta, SW:TOR is good if you want a Star-Wars-themed WoW where all the quest dialog is voice acted.

[Crimm]

I'm surprised James wasn't seemingly aware the new Ace Combat comes out tomorrow (Tuesday, October 11)

I mentioned it off the air, as it were, but I'm not greatly excited for that game. I mean, I'm going to play it, but it isn't a proper Ace Combat game. It's a spin-off, and I'm not going to pay $60 for it (or any game, really).

[Ceric]

I will be interested to hear what Jon and perhaps Jonathan think of Star Wars: The Old Republic and Bioware's Star Wars games. I played some of the game in a recent beta invitation. The game plays very similarly to World of Warcraft in its controls, levels, quests, abilities, and other major systems. The one unique thing that sticks out to me is a companion NPC that follows and helps you. You can customize your companion's equipment and crafting skills. For what I've played of the beta, SW:TOR is good if you want a Star-Wars-themed WoW where all the quest dialog is voice acted.

That doesn't sound to great.  I mean Rift is a good take on what WoW setup but I couldn't get a max level character simply because the game was way to depressing.  WoW I like the Lore, Universe, and they like to take shots at themselves and joke around.  Though even that isn't holding my attention because of content drought.

SW:TOR what is the tone like?  Does it take itself to series?  From what I've read from Bioware it really sounds like a single player game till you get to the end.

[shinyray01]

I'm surprised James wasn't seemingly aware the new Ace Combat comes out tomorrow (Tuesday, October 11)

I mentioned it off the air, as it were, but I'm not greatly excited for that game. I mean, I'm going to play it, but it isn't a proper Ace Combat game. It's a spin-off, and I'm not going to pay $60 for it (or any game, really).

Wow i thought you would be into that franchise as much as the layton series as said in this podcast. which I'm curious to know is which of the Ace Combat game is your favorite one?

[Enner]

I mentioned it off the air, as it were, but I'm not greatly excited for that game. I mean, I'm going to play it, but it isn't a proper Ace Combat game. It's a spin-off, and I'm not going to pay $60 for it (or any game, really).

I hope it's a spin off even though I enjoyed the demo. However, the director of the series has made comments of Assault Horizon being a rebirth or reboot of the series. I'm curious how the new game will be received and what it will entail for the future of Ace Combat.

SW:TOR what is the tone like?  Does it take itself to series?  From what I've read from Bioware it really sounds like a single player game till you get to the end.

From the three beginner planets I've played, it takes itself as serious as the Knights of the Old Republic game. So it's fairly serious but not too depressing, mean, or rough like Mass Effect can be. The set up for the game consists of an uneasy peace after the return of the Sith empire invades Republic space, sacks Coruscant, and kill most of the Jedi in the Jedi temple. It's a sad and uneasy beginning for the player character to play hero in his/her class story. I haven't played deep in to any particular character class (I only left the beginner planet of one class after two sessions of 3-5 hours each). So far, it seems that you will be able to solo the class story quests. For general/shared quests and content, there are low-level quests and instances that need a party.

[broodwars]

I read and listen to all the hype for The Old Republic, and honestly I really don't understand it.  Despite all the CG Trailers and whatnot that try to pretend the game is going to be otherwise, the actual gameplay looks like it's going to look and play just like WoW with a Star Wars skin.  And watching footage of WoW, that gameplay looks spectacularly boring.  But hey, I've never really been into MMOs, where apparently everyone mainly cares about the number of characters in a room rather than making what they're doing look interesting.

I'd really much rather have Knights of the Old Republic 3 than this MMO.  *sigh* It's a pity that apparently my stories from KoToRs 1 and 2 are going to be wasted by being resolved in a frickin' MMO I will never play.

[Crimm]

I don't compare things like Layton to Ace Combat. A big part of the charm of Ace Combat is how utterly over the top it is. Go back and rewatch the first video of 6. It's HILARIOUS. It's only topped by "Gentlemen, I don't think there is a woman on Earth who could resist us now. It's just a very base form of fun.


Enner, the word that I heard used was "spin-off" and the comment I heard was "this isn't Ace Combat 7."

[Plugabugz]

If the opening 30 seconds does not spawn a deluge of GREG LEA-HEE-HOOO parodies in both the funhouse and the RFN inbox i'm going to be disappointed.

[Enner]

I don't compare things like Layton to Ace Combat. A big part of the charm of Ace Combat is how utterly over the top it is. Go back and rewatch the first video of 6. It's HILARIOUS. It's only topped by "Gentlemen, I don't think there is a woman on Earth who could resist us now." It's just a very base form of fun.

Enner, the word that I heard used was "spin-off" and the comment I heard was "this isn't Ace Combat 7."

The latter is what I heard as well. In the same developer interview video (the first one, if I recall correctly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0T3adBRw70 ), the producer and director calls Assault Horizon the rebirth of the series. Hmm, I'm wondering if the new systems like Dogfight Mode and regenerating health will stick.

The trailers for Ace Combat games always make me giddy. Enough that I have watched them several times. Recently I was able to thoroughly play Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. The many utterances of the phrase "dance with the angels" didn't bother me as much as it did other people. In fact, I got kinda in to it. Oh dear, I don't know if it's a good thing to build a tolerance to English-localized versions of Japanese stories. As for the game itself, Ace Combat 6 doesn't top Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War of being the overall best of the series.

[ejamer]

I'm torn between getting Skyward Sword and importing a copy of Xenoblade.  ...

Nice! I've been kicking around buying Skyward Sword, but don't really care that much about it since I never bothered to finish Twilight Princess (or Phantom Hourglass). But when you put the argument this way, it makes importing a game that I actually want so much easier to jusitfy.

[Crimm]

Both!

[lolmonade]

Both!

Not everyone is sitting on a pile of the NWR war chest funded by all these banner ads.

[ejamer]

Both!

Not everyone is sitting on a pile of the NWR war chest funded by all these banner ads.

So true.


I'm struggling to choose one game - not necessarily a new release - from a handful that look great for the upcoming holiday season. Xenoblade, Zelda Skyward Sword, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 lead the way on Wii. But I'm also tempted to grab Radiant Historia or Star Fox 64 3D for my 3DS. Picking one (two as an absolute max) from that list isn't easy.


I'm also wary about importing since that's virgin gaming territory for me. But nobody else seems to be having issues, so how hard can it be?

[broodwars]

Both!

Not everyone is sitting on a pile of the NWR war chest funded by all these banner ads.

So true.


I'm struggling to choose one game - not necessarily a new release - from a handful that look great for the upcoming holiday season. Xenoblade, Zelda Skyward Sword, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 lead the way on Wii. But I'm also tempted to grab Radiant Historia or Star Fox 64 3D for my 3DS. Picking one (two as an absolute max) from that list isn't easy.


I'm also wary about importing since that's virgin gaming territory for me. But nobody else seems to be having issues, so how hard can it be?

Actually, I was setting my Wii up to play Xenoblade last night, and I had a lot of trouble getting the software to install until I used a fresh SD card with nothing on it.  So while the installation is easy, it can be tricky.

But seriously, if you want to buy 2 Wii games, get Mario Galaxy 2 (you should be able to find it for pretty cheap these days) and Xenoblade.  If you want to mix-and-match console/handheld games, I would swap out Mario Galaxy 2 for Radiant Historia.  Nintendo of America has not earned our money this year, so I don't recommend Skyward Sword until you can either find it discounted or used.