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My 2018 in Games

ARMS (Switch)

When Nintendo first broke their silence on Project NX and showed the Switch to the world for the first time, there were certain expectations of what the new console would offer. One thing people weren’t expecting was a brand new beat ‘em up IP in the form of ARMS. Though it certainly did turn a few heads, nobody really knew what to make of it at first – including Nintendo, who, despite promoting it heavily on social media and even giving it its own direct, thought it was a wizard idea to schedule its release a month before Splatoon 2 dropped. This wasn’t a one-time mistake either, as consistently since then ARMS has been thoroughly in Splatoon’s shadow – unable to catch a break. This is a colossal shame, because ARMS is such a brilliant game. Even though I picked it up a week after release, I didn’t really get into it until this year. This could have been down to vanilla ARMS having no customisable controls and trying to coerce players into using the motion controls, or it could have been that fighting games have always had a hard time keeping my attention span. One way or another, I am happy to say that none of that seems to matter anymore. The best thing about ARMS is probably its simplicity and nuance. This is not a typical fighting game, or at least it’s not one that adheres to the traditional beat ‘em up formula. For starters, there’s no combo or move list to memorise, and whilst there’s certainly a range of colourful fighters to choose from, chances are you won’t have a main. You see, every character realistically controls the same. This may seem very unorthodox at first, but it’s a genius move when you get down to it. Now there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting and playing as everyone, they have the same move sets after all. What sets the characters apart however is their individual abilities – some characters can double jump, some can heal by blocking, some can deflect incoming attacks, and some can buff themselves up. The abilities aren’t limited to those however, and as you play as each character you begin to understand their special quirks; no two characters are ever truly alike. It’s such a great thing then that all the characters are incredibly well balanced. Sure one guy may be pretty tough and can pack a mean punch, but he might also be incredibly slow. It might be difficult to hit specific people because they’re so agile, but if you can land a blow, watch them go flying. Every character can be beaten no matter who you’re playing as, all you have to do is understand your strengths and their weaknesses. Another level of the diversity comes in the form of the ARMS themselves. Every character starts out with their own distinct gloves – some are big, some are small, some are weak but have a wide spread, others are broad and can curve. There’re a lot of ARMS in the game, each with their own elemental factor – fire, ice, electricity etc. – and whilst at first they seem to be another reason to differentiate characters from one another, thanks to the handy “ARMS getter” mode, you can win other ARMS to set on your preferred fighter. Don’t like Helix’s default ARMS? No worries, play ARMS getter enough times and you can switch out for something else in no time. This opens up the game to an intense amount of customisation, something which really starts to shine when playing online. Speaking of which, ARMS deserves extra credit for its excellent online lobby format. By selecting Party Mode you’re essentially put in a room with random players from around the world. Here, rather than having the game hunting down individual players, it has you constantly fighting with those you’re sharing a room with. The rate at which you go from fight to fight is incredibly quick, leading to very little down time. What’s more, ARMS isn’t just about fighting, there are a variety of modes that help break up the constant fisticuffs. Volley ball with exploding bombs, anyone? How about Hoops where you can slam dunk your opponent? The variety is quite interesting and can keep you playing for hours – especially in the game’s “splatfest-esque” Party Crash events, where bonus rounds and special settings become addictive. If you’re looking for something a little more traditional though, ranked matches will pit you against someone at your skill in order to level up. ARMS is a simplistic game when all is said and done, but its simplicity is mined completely to create impressive depth. It truly is a gem of a game, and one that deserves better than what it’s gotten so far. That said, I do have some grievances. For starters, this game really wants you to play with motion controls, but frankly, given how intense some matches can go, playing with a controller is just a better fit. Speaking of intensity, the difficulty curve here is pretty steep; it’ll require some time investment to get good enough and I can understand if that difficulty can put some players off (it certainly did that with me back in 2017). Another issue is the rate of rewards. A lot of things in the game, such as ARMS getter, require cash which you earn by playing the game’s various modes, but the cash you earn is often pitiful. At first when playing the game’s main arcade mode, Grand Prix, I assumed that I would earn more money on the higher difficulties, but this wasn’t the case. Level’s 2 and 3 have the exact same cash prize, with Level 4 only offering an extra boon for beating it’s special extra boss fight. I imagine Level 7 (being the hardest difficulty) offers you a great reward, but understand that this game is already challenging in the early stages; I’m not brave enough to check and find out. In spite of these issues however, ARMS is still a superb game. Its style and look is full of Nintendo’s charm, and its soundtrack will burrow deep into your ears and make a nest in your brain. Its gameplay offers a unique spin on its genre whilst losing none of the skill required, and ultimately it’s just such a blast to play. I only regret not starting it sooner. 9/10

Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (Switch)

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If true, The Legend of Zelda franchise should be feeling pretty flattered right about now. Blossom Tales is a top-down, action adventure game lovingly built on the look, feel, and style of the old top-down Zelda games. This is no accident either; in the game’s opening it actually references its inspiration. It’s the heart and soul of the game, but where some may call it a homage, others may see it as a knock-off. First let me preface my thoughts with this: I think this is a good game. There’s a lot to like and I’m sure a lot of people would probably love what the developers were trying to do. With that said I can’t help feeling somewhat dejected by this game. This is a Zelda clone in every sense, from the mechanics, to the layout, to the story structure, to the items. It is a beat for beat emulation, and whilst this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, its lack of nuance is. In other words, it’s okay to borrow elements from other games and build your own game around that, but if you’re not adding anything to it, you’re essentially making the same game as someone else. What’s worse because none of your own creative input in in there, the end product doesn’t have the chops to stand toe to toe with other passion projects – it’s not your passion, it’s an imitation of someone else’s. Truth be told, not every game needs to be original to be good – and as I said before, I do like this game – but if done poorly, it can lead to your game being bland. It’s very clear that the boys at Castle Pixel are big Zelda fans, but there’s a difference in playing and designing. Blossom Tales does a decent job in recreating Zelda qualities, but there are also some grave missteps along the way. For starters, Dungeon design is tedious in its mundanity. In Zelda games, whilst dungeons would always have a clear order in which you had to do things to progress, they would incorporate exploration and encourage the player to work things out for themselves. Blossom Tales dungeons however are a series of rooms put one right after the other with either combat challenges, room challenges, or puzzle challenges to slow you down. These aren’t dungeons as much as they are corridors, and they are bothersome in length. Realistically, they may actually be about the same size as any other Zelda dungeon, but their vapid structure and lack of true player involvement can make them feel drawn out and boring. What’s more, there’s never any clever use of items. When gifted with the Bow and Arrow in one dungeon, you’d think the following dungeon would include Arrow based obstacles, but this isn’t the case. The items themselves, whilst cut and pasted from Zelda, are woefully mishandled and unbalanced. Bombs can insta-kill any enemy outside of bosses, Arrows are often unresponsive for what’s required, and the Boomerang is stupidly OP, being the most versatile and also the most deadly - and none of these have any worthwhile function outside of the dungeon they’re acquired in. The player has to feel a sense of progression when they get an item - now they can get to areas they couldn’t reach before, or solve a once unsolvable puzzle – but Blossom Tales’ design seems to only have item-based obstacles laid out in the immediate aftermath of getting it. This makes the items feel ultimately trivial and so they’re treated as such. Then there are the rewards, which vary all over the map. Finding a random sealed room in a dungeon gifts you with a clover to up your magic metre, while protecting a guy from zombies as he digs around rewards you with money (which becomes irrelevant after a while); what’s that? You entered some guy’s house in a village and opened his out-in-the-open treasure chest? Well done, here’s a heart piece. Did you solve all those puzzles and fight all those monsters in a gauntlet of wit and strength? Here’s some cash. It just seems so meaningless and downplays the value of seeking out side-quests or exploring. Why bother doing task X or mission Y when chances are it’ll just be money instead of something actually useful at the end. With all of that said however, there is one aspect of this game that makes it unique – or at the very least interesting. The narrative of this game is one of a bedtime story, as a grandpa tells his two grandchildren of the adventure you’re playing. Occasionally the grandpa’s text box will appear to detail some story, but in rare instances the children interject and offer the player a choice. In these moments the player can decide how the next part of the game is going to pan out. This is such an interesting idea, and it honestly kills me that the Devs didn’t see its potential. While yes, you get to decide every so often whether you fight bowmen or rock monsters, the idea is otherwise squandered. This simple idea should have been the very heart of the game; they should have built it all from this and had they done that it would have overshadowed the Zelda comparisons easily. I mean, think about it. Why not have the players decide whether the dungeon they enter will be an underwater cavern or a swamp? And why stop there? Why not have the players decide what item they get out of each dungeon? Think of how intricate and profound you could make the game then! Your dungeons can now have two means of being overcome, where puzzles and traps have a solution for either item, regardless of what the player chose. Let’s say the player chose the Bow and Arrow over the Boomerang, the next room can be beaten with either, but it would be easier had they chosen one item instead of the other. Down the line, the reverse happens. And this can expand itself to future dungeons, and can entice replay value to players who want to see what happens if they chose something different. This single idea opens up a whole host of new doors and opportunities for excellent game design, and it’s such a waste that it’s relegated to just dictating whether the next combat challenge is with a ninja or a pirate. In spite of these grievances I feel I should repeat myself: I don’t think this is a bad game. What it does right, it does well, and uninspired and bland as it can be, there’s still a clear amount of effort on display. The graphical style is nice to look at, and the music is pretty excellent to boot. Would I recommend it? Of course. Would I recommend it to Zelda fans? Yes, actually, I would. Would I recommend it over a Zelda game? Absolutely not. Good game this may be, but make no mistake, there’s no substitute for the real thing. 7/10

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA – Wii U Virtual Console)

Honestly, when the Switch launched, I thought my Wii U days were over. This sucked because I had so many games on its hard-drive that I hadn’t even touched – one of them being Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance. Luckily though, I’m not ready to give up on the system just yet, and so I decided to give this game a go. I hesitate to say I’m a seasoned Castlevania player, but the truth probably isn’t far off. I’ve played a lot of Castlevania titles over the years, both classic and modern. So how does this one hold up? Well, straight away (being the second Castlevania title on the GBA) it certainly improves on a lot regarding its predecessor (Circle of the Moon). Movement is super slick – no more double tapping directions to run – and the shoulder buttons add increased movement both forward and backwards. You can storm through this game at incredible speed at times. The sprites here are also a lot bigger, allowing less room to fit things in the screen, but also allowing for combat to be a lot more focused. Speaking of combat, the game limits you to a whip again, but it does offer a fair amount of experimentation and diversity regarding the secondary weapons. So all things considered, it seems to be on par with most of the other Castlevania titles. However, it does seem to lack an identity. There are a lot of games in the Castlevania series that stand out from those around them. Hell, pretty much every DS title is unique and distinct from the others. Harmony of Dissonance though, whilst definitely improving on Circle of the Moon, lacks any real soul. Circle was the first GBA title, so that’s got that going for it, and Aria of Sorrow (Harmony’s successor) changed up the formula a lot, as well as bringing in fresh lore and plot to the stagnant universe. Harmony sits in the middle, and sadly it’s kind of forgettable. The music didn’t really stick out, and there were no real moments or mechanics that made me say that this was a unique Castlevania experience. Not to say that every game in a franchise has to be different; Harmony is still a very good game – it’s just that a lot of the things on show here come from other Castlevania titles, leading this to be more of a compilation of tried and tested ideas rather than anything fresh and new. Outside of this hokey drawback though, there are genuine issues that I have. For starters this game has a hell of a lot of backtracking. Warp rooms are way too spread out, and so a great deal of this game will be spent manually traversing the map from pillar to post. When you finally get all the warp rooms connected too, you’re right around the corner from the final boss, making their whole function worthless. It can certainly be a slog, but at least I didn’t have to grind to beat it this time. No joke, this is probably the easiest Castlevania title I’ve ever played. I died maybe 10 times in total – and half of them were for just by being careless. It certainly has its challenges, the odd boss here that’ll test you, or just running into unexplored territory with no idea how close you are to a save room, but outside of these scarce moments, you can breeze through the campaign. Even the final boss (and yes, I’m talking about the TRUE final boss) was a cakewalk – which is surprising to say the least. Altogether though, I don’t regret playing it in the slightest. Gameplay is thick and fast enough to be engaging – though the backtracking really can bring that down – and there’s at least 15 hours of playtime to be enjoyed. There’s a collectible feature as well, but that doesn’t really give you all that much outside of a slightly different end cutscene. Still I had a lot of fun, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to get into the Castlevania series – its low difficulty makes it a perfect place to start. 7/10

Destiny 2 (XBO)

Destiny is a weird series. It sort of exists in gaming limbo – with some players appreciating what it has to offer, whilst others sneer at its supposed mundanity. Admittedly, the first game was very bland in the beginning as it took several expansions to actually get going, but I nevertheless liked it; it certainly had its charms anyway. If there’s one thing that can be said about Bungie however, it’s that they generally always try to learn from their mistakes, and as a result, Destiny 2’s quality is strong right from the get go; no expansions required. For starters it has a story and an antagonist (something which the first game sorely lacked in its early state) and on top of that, its main campaign is actually pretty lengthy by First Person Shooter standards. I think this is the hidden strength of Destiny. Most FPS games these days focus more on multiplayer than single player as their audience tends to invest more time into that than anything else – but Destiny combines the two options so that multiplayer and single player are one and the same. You can play with friends and strangers, or not; you aren’t beholden to a specific line for most of the game’s campaign. There’s also a great deal to do outside of just the game’s main storyline. There are side missions labelled as adventures, Strikes and Raids that require Co-Op play to conquer, public events that demand you and strangers work briefly together to overcome a challenge, and just general hides and hovels to explore and uncover. The more you do, the more rewards you get and the stronger you become, allowing you to complete the game’s more difficult stages with ease. It can be quite a time sink, especially when playing with friends. Visually the game looks great with a variety of locations set across the entire solar system, and the music is surprisingly good; it’s actually outstandingly good, easily one of the best soundtracks of the genre. The writing is also great, giving impressive depths to a lot of the characters you come across on your adventure. This added with the excellent voice performances can lead to some great exchanges – be they dramatic or comical. Whilst Destiny 2’s main campaign is relatively beefy on its own, there are a couple of expansions that have been added since release – a few of which I received automatically when I got the game. These additional mini-campaigns follow the precedent set before them as they deliver pretty good storylines to add more to the game’s length. What I especially liked about them is that each campaign has a different alien race as the antagonist, which, on top of allowing these species to spend more time in the spotlight, also gives you the feeling that this really is an open and expansive universe you’re playing in. As enjoyable as it all is though, it’s by no means perfect. Aiming can often feel stiff, even after readjusting the settings, and half the time the game is remarkably easy – the main game’s final boss is a complete pushover. What’s more, it feels like not much has grown since the last game. Whilst it has been a while since I played Destiny 1, and whilst I stand by what I said earlier about Bungie learning from their mistakes, Destiny 2 generally doesn’t feel like a set forwards. In fact, sometimes it feels like its following the same beats. Take for example the enemies; outside of a few notable exceptions, there aren’t any new foes to encounter. Every race has its range of the same archetypes: every race has a grunt, a heavy, a shield, a sniper – there’s no true variation between the alien races. That and the fact that you encounter them all in the exact same order as Destiny 1. Why not introduce a new alien race, or how about adding some variants to each race’s battle strategies? There are also one or two BTS decisions that bug me; like how you don’t get a sparrow to help travel and explore until AFTER the main campaign and how the currency caps at a certain point - not only do you hit the max in no time, but there’s also very little to spend it on. Finally, the game’s loading times are nothing short of criminal. The good news is, once it’s loaded it rarely has to do it again until you leave the planet, but when you’re not running and gunning, it takes so long to get anywhere. Even on some of the most up to date hardware it still takes a painful amount of time. Even so, in spite of its flaws and drawbacks, Destiny 2 is a very strong and enjoyable First Person Shooter. It may not be pushing the genre’s envelope, nor its own series’ envelope for that matter, but it’s certainly fun enough and it’s sure to give its main audience plenty to do for weeks on end. 8/10

DOOM 2016 (Switch)

Doom was one of my favourite games of 2016. I’d probably even put it as my game of that year; so imagine how stoked I was to hear that it was coming to the Switch just in time for Christmas. Admittedly, I had no real intention to play it again, though the idea of playing it on the go was certainly a draw. I thought it’d be a game I got eventually, down the line when there would be a dry patch of games. I wasn’t going to argue when I got it for Christmas though. Now, yes, I am breaking my own rules by putting this game here – I have already played it, so why am I talking about it? Thing is, I do actually think there’s stuff to bring up here. Right away I have to say that Panic Button – the ladies and gents responsible for downsizing the game to work on Switch – did an outstanding job. It runs pretty slick most of the time, only really dropping in quality and frame-rate when things get pretty busy on screen. Graphically the game also looks pretty close to its PS4 and Xbox One counterparts. Okay, sure, if you look close you can point out the discrepancies, but when the game is flowing, and you’re running and gunning, the differences are so slight you can’t even see them. Playing in handheld is incredibly welcome too, and is without a doubt the number one selling point of this game. However, with all of that in mind, I wouldn’t actually recommend this version over the others. In spite of the excellent compression work, there’s no shaking the fact that the game was not initially designed to be on switch, and as a result sometimes there are a few cracks in the design. For one, graphical slowdown, whilst not too frequent, is significant and noticeable when it happens. What’s more, the game occasionally suffered from “audio glitches” during my playthrough. More than once during a fire-fight, the audio seemed to buckle and a loud buzz would sound off. I played the game almost 100% in headphones, so you can imagine how that going off seemingly at random every once in a while can be jarring. Once the audio broke so much that it just straight up vanished. The music stopped playing and the sound effects went dead too. The menu music continued fine when I hit pause, but returning to the action just led to silence. I had to reboot the checkpoint to bring the audio back. Finally the biggest and most noticeable difference is the Switch itself, or rather the controller. The right analogue stick on the Switch Pro controller and Joy-Con is just too stiff, making accurate aiming almost impossible. Truth be told, this didn’t affect the main gameplay as, if you’ve played Doom, you know that accuracy isn’t all that important. It did however effect the game’s Rune challenges which often times I beat through just dumb luck more than anything else. All in all though, the Switch port of Doom 2016 is actually excellent – I just don’t think it’s the best version of the game. I think the game is made for someone like me though; someone who beat the original on one of the other consoles before, and is just looking for an excuse to pick it up and play it again. If that sounds like you then pick it up and dive into Hell one more time, but if this is your first time with the game I’d recommend picking it up elsewhere for the optimal experience. 8/10

Fe (Switch)

Fe is the latest game in the trend of uniquely stylised indie titles to enter the digital storefront. Right off the bat the gorgeous surroundings and use of colour are enough to win you over, and its gameplay keeps it as simple as possible from that point on. One element I found particularly interesting is its entire use of visual storytelling. There is no dialogue or any clear aim or goal, but by playing you find yourself acting out of instinct based on what you’re seeing. You see a creature caught in a trap and you endeavour to help it. You see something ominous skulking through the area; you naturally keep your distance. The game flow uses your natural reactions to give you direction and purpose. I especially liked the singing mechanic, a means to which your playable critter can communicate with the wildlife. It’s pretty much the only thing you can do as you have no real weapons or defences on hand at all times, and not only is it used to explore the terrain or bypass a danger; it’s also used for puzzle solving. There are stealth mechanics in use here too, and they are brilliant in their simplicity. Essentially, tall grass hides you from any enemy you might come across and that’s it. It is basic, yes, but it’s proof that you don’t need to have a hyper detailed stealth system to be both effective and fun. All that said however, there’s no escaping the game’s clunkiness. Fe may move like a modern game, but it plays like a PlayStation One title. Button commands never really feel one to one, and general feedback is weak. Pressing a button lightly is the same as slamming it with a sledgehammer, and what you wanted to be a short jump turns into a grand leap. Tree jumping makes up a huge part of this game and whilst climbing the trees is incredibly simple, leaping off of them is so mismatched and hard to navigate. Even at the game’s end I still hadn’t cracked it. Then there are the environments themselves, which whilst visually pleasing and colourful at first, never really vary. It is very easy to get lost and lose your sense of direction, and the map doesn’t help as its topographical layout does not specify how high or low you have to be to find the tunnel to progress. You have the option to turn the waypoints off which frankly would triple the playtime as you’ll be wandering around aimlessly without some form of guide. One final note is that this game has collectibles, but with the clunky game feel constantly putting a dampener on my experience, I never felt driven to find them all. Some are needed for optional power-ups whist the other two further the general story and lore. Problem is however, because the story is told entirely through visuals and not all collectibles are found in the right order, it can lead the lore to be a little confusing by the end, and most plot elements don’t add that much. Altogether, Fe is fun enough. Sure it feels a little out of this decade, but it’s got the right amount of charm to make you play past the flaws. 7/10

Fire Emblem: Fates ~ Birthright (3DS)

Fire Emblem Fates is possibly the most ambitious Fire Emblem title ever. Intelligent systems essentially made 3 Fire Emblem games in 1, with each version being distinct from one another. In relation to the plot, Birthright sees the protagonist side with the light kingdom of Hoshido, whilst Conquest sees them side with the dark kingdom of Nohr; Revelation sees the hero choose neither side, but the differences of each path aren’t exclusive to the story. How the game plays and how it is structured is also affected. As a result, I thought it best to play each game in turn and review them all individually, starting with Birthright. Birthright is structured very similarly to Fire Emblem Awakening, and a lot of the mechanics from there are transferred over. Awakening was quite a turning point for the series as it made this cult, turn-based strategy franchise more accessible without losing any of its initial draw – so fans of that game will feel right at home with Birthright. Sadly that does mean that the opening of the game is riddled with tutorial after tutorial, but once you get through the first few maps you’ll be right on your way. The general gameplay is still classic Fire Emblem: you move your units around a map, fighting enemies as you go, until you complete the objective. Much like Awakening there are three types of missions: Chapters (that progress the game and advance the story), Paralogues (optional side-quests that usually reward you with an extra unit for your party), and Challenges (previously cleared maps with randomly generated enemies to help farm experience). I love this structure; dividing the gameplay in this way encourages you to use less experienced units, as well as elongating the overall time spent on the game. Because the Challenge maps appear seemingly every time you turn the game off, you could go weeks without advancing the plot at all and still feel fulfilled with the time you invested. Birthright also boasts that its resources are limitless and near infinite. You will always be able to gain experience via Challenge maps, and you will always have the opportunity to gain money to buy items and weapons. A lot of this won’t seem new to people who played Awakening of course, as this was the norm for that game. There are some elements that Birthright adds however. Firstly, weapons have no breaking point. This is definitely an odd choice as it takes away some of the strategy that was present in the previous games. The only things that can break are the healing staves, but even so, because the weapons don’t break, armouries become pointless and money becomes meaningless. Another thing Birthright brings to the table is a hub in the form of a castle. In this hub, it’s possible to invite units to your quarters and develop support relationships outside of battle, which is definitely a plus. One strange addition however comes when your avatar marries another unit. Essentially a dating-sim mini-game is triggered. It’s generally used to just make the support relationship even stronger, but once in a while it’ll ask you to wake your partner up using the touch screen or (yes, really) blow on them after they’ve had a bath. To be honest, it all feels very out of place in the game. One final addition the hub brings is a tower-defence type map. Because you can build and develop your hub as you see fit, you can decide what defences go where along with unit starting placements. Occasionally your hub will be attacked and you have to defend it in a traditional Fire Emblem way. It’s rather intriguing but ultimately a bit too much of a distraction from the main game. This is ultimately one of my main flaws with Birthright: it’s ambitious as heck, but that ambition goes too far. We don’t need dating-sims or tower-defence hybrid maps; we don’t need monotonous, Animal Crossing-esque interactions with units in the hub as they ask for new accessories; we don’t need any of it. It fluffs up the game in a way that isn’t necessary. On top of this, Fates Birthright is easily one of the most unbalanced Fire Emblem titles I’ve ever played. Because resources are so infinite, difficulty is all over the place. Challenge maps weren’t challenging at all and they allowed even my benched units to get buff. Because I played every challenge map that came my way, the game’s main chapters became a cake walk. At no point during the campaign did I feel truly tested; the Paralogues however, well they’re a different story. For some reason these optional missions were stupendously difficult; I only ever managed to clear a handful, and I always try to do everything the game offers me. The only explanation I have is that the Paralogues only become available when you marry off certain units and, again, because the game gave me every opportunity to build relationships on and off the battlefield, I was able to unlock Paralogues pretty early on. As such, the Paralogues were designed to be played much later on in the game and I just stumbled upon them before I was ready. Even with this in mind though, my time with the game was spent mostly in a state of difficulty limbo – the main chapters and challenge maps were easy to the point where they were hard to enjoy, but the Paralogues were so gruelling and relentless I lost all incentive to play them. Because there are no limits and constant opportunity, the game is either too easy or too difficult depending on how you play – which is disappointing because all the Fire Emblem games of the past (including Awakening) managed to hit the nail just right with this. One final bug bear with the game is that the additional Paralogue characters don’t really make sense. In Awakening, the Paralogue characters were the children of the units you married off. This made sense given Awakening’s time-travel plot. Here, it’s the same: Paralogue characters are offspring of married units, but even though it tries to explain how it all works, it just comes off as a bit of a mess. Ultimately, Birthright tries to do everything at once but what it adds beyond the main game experience just comes crumbling down. The heart and soul of the game is still there however, and Fire Emblem fans will have plenty to sink their teeth into. Its quality gameplay, killer soundtrack, and time tested mechanics shine through despite its problems. It’s still a very solid Fire Emblem title; I would be lying though if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed with my time with it. 8/10

Hollow Knight (Switch)

Hollow Knight is an excellent of example of what indie developers are capable of. I admit it; I grossly underestimated this game. On the surface Hollow Knight looks like a quaint little 2D platformer likely to be a short but sweet side-scrolling experience, but what it is instead is a tough-as-nails, Metroidvania adventure with not only outstanding gameplay and design but also a plethora of depth and content. Graphically the game looks stunning with a macabre filter draped all over its otherwise cartoon aesthetics, and, whilst at first its locations and backgrounds may seem drab and colourless, the game soon opens up to new vibrant and varied environments to explore. In spite of the change in scenery however, the game never loses sight of its grim tone, which looms over the entire world to brilliant effect, painting it with layers of mystique and melancholy. The atmosphere is incredible – most Metroidvania games excel at this, after all – but here, as you explore the downtrodden and decrepit ruins of Hallownest, you feel yourself compelled to uncover all of its history and secrets. Another great element is that the game never gives you a story or a motivation for the player at the outset; all it hands you is an enormous world, steeped in mystery. The ambiguity of Hallownest drives your curiosity to go deeper into the rich depths of this incredible universe, and over time the objectives for the adventure become clear. There is so much lore to uncover, and because you are never told exactly what happened in Hallownest, you’re left to piece it all together yourself which adds an extra layer of complexity to the game’s design. This is almost a masterclass in world building, not just because of how deep everything goes, but also with its spread of compelling characters. Throughout your journey, you’ll encounter plenty of enemies to battle with, but also plenty of friendly faces to get to know as well. Often as you explore you’ll come across the same adventurers multiple times but in different locations. It really gives you the impression that they are having their own adventures whilst you’re having yours. What’s more, sometimes these characters grow and develop over the game’s length – where once one character was cowardly, they now wish to be stronger because you protected them from enemies. It’s not just the adventurers though, as almost every character you interact with is both unique and weird in their own way, and you find yourself getting attached to the residents of this bizarre, insect world. It’s hard to believe I’ve gone all this way into this review without mentioning the gameplay, which is not only super slick and fun, but is also incredibly challenging. This game’s difficulty is no joke as enemies will body you at every opportunity. Every enemy will hurt you indiscriminately, meaning they will all do the same damage (one unit of life) but some of the more heavy villains and bosses may end up dishing out a lot more pain. Despite its unforgiving nature however, it remains balanced and no death every feels cheap or undeserved. By collecting and filling up your soul meter by striking enemies, you can heal yourself any time you want. This does leave you vulnerable and exposed however, so it’s advised to only heal when you’re in a safe spot. The game also has equippable charms which grant special privileges to the player. Some may make you attack faster, increase your range, allow you to recover from attacks quicker, speed heal – the list goes on, and with 40 charms in the game the number of possible combos is staggering. Like all Metroidvania titles the game relies on a progression system in order to advance: you go somewhere, get a power-up, progress to the next area that was previously out of bounds, etc. The level of freedom given here, however, is one I’ve not felt for a long time in a game like this. More than once I found myself at an insurmountable challenge – a boss fight or a tricky platforming section – but the game never locked me into them; I could choose where to go and what to do, and because there is SO much to do in Hallownest, I never felt that my journey had hit a roadblock or that I was wandering around aimlessly. In fact, by going away and coming back to difficult areas, I was allowed to get better at the game and upgrade my equipment. With so many options, so much to see and do, and so much content to explore I was floored to realise that this game is just over £10 on the Nintendo eShop. The production quality is through the roof for that price tag. This game is also incredibly deep on its themes. Just because there’s no concrete story outside of what it expects you to piece together yourself, doesn’t mean this game isn’t trying to say something. There are themes of death, grief, rebirth, forgiveness, and regret all crammed into this package, and each one is beautifully exemplified in the game’s soundtrack. The song’s that play during your adventure not only suit the aesthetic atmosphere of the areas in question, but also serve to back up the morose aura that permeates the world you’re in. It is so incredibly captivating and can lead to some very deep and emotional moments – especially as the game nears its climax. The only drawbacks I have with Hollow Knight are that its challenging difficulty can lead to some moments of tedium as you travel from the save point to where you died over and over again until you finally succeed, and on rare occasions the game would get so hectic that it would crash, but outside of these tiny setbacks I couldn’t be happier. To summarise: Hollow Knight is nothing short of sublime. It’s a remarkably deep and complex game with excellent visuals, a gorgeous soundtrack, hours upon hours of content, and gameplay that places it shoulder to shoulder with the genre’s best. 10/10

The Last of Us: Remastered (PS4)

Great games have a certain pattern. They release to both critical and commercial success; everyone plays them and loves them; but then – in some cases – the game gets so much praise that it becomes overrated. Yes, it’s a dreaded word with negative implications, but it doesn’t mean the game isn’t good. If anything it means the game is so good it becomes a victim of its own success. People love it so much that they create this fantastical perspective – a perspective no game could ever live up to. Enter The Last of Us, one of Sony’s most critically acclaimed games. For years I’ve heard nothing but good things about this game, but upon playing it, the preconceived notion that it was a masterpiece only led to disappointment. Again, this isn’t to say the game is bad. On the contrary it’s actually really great, but I won’t lie and say the overrated quality of the title didn’t impact my initial enjoyment of the game. The elements everyone always champions is the game’s story, writing, characterisation, and performances – and I have to agree 100%. This is without a doubt the most I’ve ever been invested in a game’s story. It’s really showing how video games as a medium can be used as a means of storytelling. Segments of this game, while playable, are practically cinematic. I also have to recognise the voice talent here. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson deliver their lines with such elegant sincerity it’s stunning. What lets this game down however is the gameplay. 80% of the time the gameplay is good; it works and it’s enjoyable to play, but that other 20% had me yelling furiously at the TV. For starters, like a lot of other Naughty Dog projects of the PS3 era, the gameplay is arguably clunky. Mobility feels jagged, and characters often get stuck on environments and scenery. Furthermore the controls are occasionally unresponsive, with button prompts not being recognised, or just not being given at all. By far the biggest sin this game has however has to be the unreliable mechanics. The Last of Us is an action game that depends heavily on stealth as well. It is in these stealth elements I found myself getting the most frustrated. Everything felt so inconsistent. Sometimes enemies would see me approaching from the side, other times they wouldn’t. Sometimes an enemy would hear my strategically thrown distraction, other times, nothing. It all felt so 50-50 in the beginning. I admit, later level design and enemy placements became a lot more manageable and my frustration levelled out, but something that got intolerable was how the game’s “listen mode” – granting you the ability to see enemies through walls – started to be less and less reliable as time went on. It stopped showing me people. Now you could argue this was intentional, that in a fire-fight it’s to make it harder for you to take these guys out; but it was happening in stealth segments too and with people who were just a few feet away from me. How am I supposed to be sneaky when the key mechanic for being sneaky is faulty? Is it a glitch? Is it intentional? I don’t know, but if the player is ever asking those questions about your in-game mechanics, maybe there’s a problem. With all of that considered, I have to say The Last of Us is still somewhat worthy of its praise. Yes, the “hype” (for lack of a better word) did ruin my experience at the beginning, and the mechanics did drag the game down from its impressive highs, but I got used to the clunkiness over time, and I found myself being rather forgiving. It should definitely be on your “Must Play” lists if you haven’t already picked it up, but just take some of that “masterpiece” status with a pinch of salt before diving in. 8/10

Mario Tennis Aces (Switch)

Mario’s sporting spin-offs have had a tumultuous run to say the least. Whilst Camelot have delivered some outstanding, engaging, and fun games over the years, so too have they released sub-par and undercooked experiences. It is with a heavy heart then that I have to put the latest sport outing – Mario Tennis Aces – into the sub-par line up. Understand that Mario Tennis on the Nintendo 64 was my first outing with these titles, and I love that game to pieces. Mario Tennis games since then have always been high on my interest meter, despite how few have actually panned out as I’d have hoped. I thought Aces was going to be a blast - it had adventure mode, something not seen since the Game Boy Advance days, and it all looked so stylish and polished – but the final product is not only lacking in a number of areas, but is also riddled with questionable design choices. I’ll start with the good, which fundamentally when you look at it is actually a big chunk of the game itself – the gameplay. The mechanics and gameplay of Aces are slick and very enjoyable. Controls are straightforward enough, and hitting the ball in just the right way is ever so satisfying. I admit, having never really been a fan of Mario Power Tennis on the Nintendo Gamecube, the sight of the new mechanics did have me worried, but they’re ultimately fine – to an extent. The adventure mode is interesting certainly, and it does offer a variation to the standard tournament options. It’s got some pretty fun challenges in there, and some really cool and creative boss fights as well. It also does a very good job of teaching you the controls – including the more intricate mechanics this game introduces – and it’ll have you playing like a pro in no time. Unfortunately that’s where the good stuff ends. Whilst yes, it does count for a lot of the overall game makeup, it’s still got a lot left to be desired. For starters, outside adventure and tournament mode, there is nothing else to play. Oh sure, there’s standard exhibition matches in Free Mode, and there’s always the online stuff (which this game feels very heavily steered towards), but that’s your lot. If I may draw attention to the N64 version for a moment, that game had those features (minus the online) plus more. Ring shot – a series staple – is missing, and there are no other bonus modes either. Now it may seem a little unfair to compare this game to another in the series – especially to one I love even to this day – but you have to realise something: I consider Mario Tennis N64 to be the standard! The only way is up from there, guys, but it feels like Aces goes a little backwards; stripping more and more content away until all you have is a bare bones tennis sim. It goes further than just a lack of modes though; a general lack of options plague this game. Again, on the N64 game, options were 100% versatile: you could pick your rules, your court, everything – it was 100% customisable and malleable to the players’ whim. Here the options of a standard exhibition are needlessly restricted. You cannot pick your court, instead it’s randomly generated. You cannot change the number of games per set beyond 2, and you can’t change the number of sets beyond 3 either. Doubles can only play with tiebreaker rules, and all other settings are generalised too much. Why so constricting? It makes no sense for the local play options to be so fixed. It’s such a stupid decision. The same can somewhat be said for the new mechanics. Whilst I passively enjoy them on the whole, it doesn’t mean they aren’t problematic. Zone-shots and zone-speed are all well and good, and the power meter is balanced in how quickly it charges up, but the trick shots are finicky as all hell. Not only do they not work until the ball is on your side of the court (making them often feel unresponsive and thus unreliable) but they also only function in four directions. This can lead to instances where your character will either go the wrong way, or just outright fly straight past the ball. What’s more, there are two ways to activate a trick shot: the right thumbstick, or double tapping the X button. It’s too bad though that lob and drop shots are assigned to X also, and that accidentally pressing a lob twice will cause the character to vault right over the ball for no reason. Oh, and this cannot be turned off. What the hell were you thinking, Camelot?! If there is one mechanic though that causes the most grief, it is the racket break. This feature isn’t inherently bad, but its implementation is deeply flawed for the game in question. By preforming zone-shots or super shots the players have the opportunity to break their opponent’s racket; doing so enough times will KO the other player. I can see the appeal of this in many respects, as it offers a new line of strategy to the game and can make some matches intense and exciting, but the fact that you can be winning a match only to lose by having your racket broken, is just farcical. Online is an absolute mess with this. If the other player is losing, they just keep trying to break your racket. It takes the standard tennis sim and breaks it. Many have compared this element to a fighting game, but I didn’t buy a fighting game, I bought a tennis game. Luckily this KO feature can be turned off for local matches, but no such luck with Online or COM tournament modes. Speaking of COM tournaments, this game is embarrassingly easy. Mushroom cup is a cakewalk, which is no surprise, but Flower cup is more of the same. To bring up the N64 version again, the Mushroom cup was designed to allow players to get to grips with the game. After that though, the Flower cup would up the ante substantially, and the Star cup would be a hellishly hard challenge. Here, Star cup is very much the same as what came before it, with only the final being a true test of tennis skill. This annoys me all the more because the game does nothing to prepare you for the sudden shift in difficulty. To make matters worse, there’s so much fluff that doesn’t need to be there. Overly drawn out pre-match cutscenes; Toads commentating during the match; so much waiting around in between tournament matches – it all just gets rather tiring. The worst offender of this added fluff though has to go to the adventure mode. As well as being a little on the short and repetitive side, the adventure mode takes its story far too seriously, with dialogue boxes being incredibly chatty. It’s a dumb story mode in a tennis game, you don’t have to bring logic and reason into why I have to play Donkey Kong at tennis! And to cap it all off, should you fail an objective in the story mode, you are kicked back to the map. No retry option; there’s not even a restart option on the pause screen should you feel like the match isn’t going your way and you want a do-over. Nope, you have to go back to the map screen and listen to the losing dialogue over and over again until you eventually win. It’s amazing just how quickly this simple lack of a retry option killed my desire to play the game. Failure wasn’t the problem, it was the time wasting that got me down. There’s also an RPG element to the adventure, as Mario will level up as you play – regardless of whether you win or lose – but honestly, I didn’t feel better or faster so it all felt rather empty and pointless. The lack of retry options; the lack of versatility in local play settings; the lack of modes in general; the fact that every character is unlocked from the get-go without using the adventure mode to unlock them; the overly chatty story mode - all these small decisions make a big difference when piled next to each other, and for both Nintendo and Camelot to ignore them is foolish – all of them damage the incentive to play. Altogether, Mario Tennis Aces is fun enough when just playing tennis, but the needless guff and short-sighted behind-the-scenes decisions make it feel taxing, dull, and soulless. Perfect for a quick half-hour session, but nothing more. 6/10

Mega Man Zero Collection ~ Mega Man Zero 3 (DS)

I first got the Mega Man Zero collection way back in 2014, and after I played through Zeros 1 and 2 I decided to take a break. For the longest time the latter games on the collection sat on my backlog, but I never got around to booting them up. Until now, of course. I love the Mega Man games, and (from memory) I really enjoyed the first two entries in this series. Upon playing through Mega Man Zero 3 however, I found myself in a circle of frustration. At its heart Zero 3 is an excellent game; maintaining the spirit of other Mega Man titles as it brings tight and fun gameplay. Visually it looks great, with some impressive sprite-work on show, and the music is pretty good too. I can’t deny any of that, but here’s the thing: the game has not aged well. For starters, there are archaic design choices here. Levels have an over-reliance on insta-kill mechanics to present the illusion of difficulty, and failure is not so much endured as it is outright punished. A handful of lives and a meagre amount of health is all you get, and if you lose them all, it’s back to the very beginning of the stage for you. What’s more, after every stage you get a performance review. Your efforts are tallied up and you’re given a score. The higher the score, the better the bonuses you get. You can unlock special moves, or obtain new equipment to play around with. Trouble is the scoring system is brutal, meaning you’ve got to be a downright god at the game to earn that S rank. Even more infuriating is the very design of the game makes this, A: unfair, and B: pointless. You cannot go back and get better scores once the level is beaten. You can replay levels to farm for currency or to explore for collectibles, but that’s it. You legitimately have to be amazing at the level on the first run; if not, no special items for you. Another problem this game has is its poor conveyance. Considering there’s an awful lot of hokie dialogue it certainly doesn’t do a good job of explaining what tools the player has at their disposal. One of the mechanics the game uses is the Cyber-Elf system - equipable or throwaway power ups that can help your gaming experience. Satellite elves will follow you through the level and always stay active, whilst fusion elves are a one-time deal – use them and they’re gone forever. What they give you will run until the level’s over. These are things I had to figure out by myself. The game did very little to explain how is best to use them, and when it did it wasn’t very clear. I know I could have looked in the manual, but still. All this amounted to my time with the game being nothing short of miserable. It made me not want to play it. I rage-quit over the insta-death mechanics so cheaply arranged in every level. I got frustrated at how the game punished my efforts at every turn, demanding I go back to the start of the stage over and over again. And just when I was having fun, more annoying mechanics would appear to dash my enjoyment. I couldn’t believe that I had played Zeros 1 and 2 and not had similar issues. Could it be that this game was completely different? Or is it me? Has my patience for video game nonsense been eroded over the years? Turns out it may be none of the above. You see, this DS collection has two ways of playing: either select a title and play it as it was on the original GBA cartridge, or play every title back to back via something called “Easy Scenario”. I had forgotten that ES had been the mode I had chosen all those years ago, and that I had a save file ready and waiting to start Zero 3 on it. As a result, Zeros 1 and 2 were completely different from the experience I was playing. It sucked however that I only realised this when I was half way through the game. Nevertheless, after levelling up elves to double my health and nullify insta-death traps, I was able to persevere and beat the game as the developers intended. I was still curious though at how much was different between the original and the “Easy Scenario” version, so I decided to play the game a second time on the latter setting. After seeing the credits roll in both I can now say that, despite the grief it gave me, the original was more worth my time. I came to appreciate what it offered me. Sure its design was irritating to the point of rage-quitting, but ES was downright insulting by comparison. The original tested my gaming fortitude, the ES setting treated me like a child. On ES you have: four times as much health, maximum lives, all elves unlocked from the get go, most power-ups ready right away, an easy shot at topping score cards, all collectibles found, and nullified insta-death mechanics original, and when all is said and done, I’m glad I forgot about the ES. Mega Man Zero 3 is certainly tough, and by today’s standards its design might be rather decadent or cheap, but overcoming the challenges it presents can give you a rewarding sensation like no other. I may not 100% love the game, but I nevertheless respect it. 7/10

The Mummy Demastered (Switch)

This game confused me when I first saw it. The title font made it seem like it was a tie-in game to the 2017 mediocre monster epic, The Mummy, but that can’t be right. Video game movie tie-ins are realistically a thing of the past, so it can’t be connected to the movie, can it? High review scores on both the eShop and online made me pick it up out of curiosity, and, wouldn’t you know it, it IS a movie tie-in game. That fact alone in the current gaming space is shocking enough, but the fact that it’s actually great to boot just about floored me. What I really love about this game is its chosen ascetical direction. As the name implies, developers Wayforward decided to pull away from polygonal polished graphics to a more simplified sprite affair. They took the tie-in and went back in time. The whole game is reminiscent of a bygone era. The look and the sounds all harken back to the SNES or Megadrive days. In fact, this game would be right at home on either of those systems. Much like the tie-in games of yesteryear though, The Mummy Demastered understands that it must be a video game first. Movie tie-in games of the 90′s were only very loosely connected to the movie, often doing its own thing with the movie license and assets. The same applies here. The general plot of The Mummy plays out, but it is just a string to keep you moving forward. Sure, some of the backgrounds occasionally mimic the film and the occasional pixelated Russell Crowe appears on the intercom, but besides these the game barely has any real connection to the movie. There’s not a Tom Cruise in sight. Instead, the game opts for a more classic, Metroidvania style platformer that sees you running and gunning your way through rooms of enemies. I’ve never seen a game fit so snuggly into the “Metroidvania” category. It balances the namesake remarkably well, borrowing from each franchise respectively. The level layout and enemy design seem to be right out of a Castlevania title, whilst the progression system and character control plays out like a Metroid game. Sadly, that does mean that there aren’t any real new mechanics, but that’s still fine as the overall gameplay is excellent. The soundtrack is killer as well. It’s got notes of both 16-bit and 8-bit styles, and every song somehow makes me nostalgic. It’s brilliant – and again, it’s from a movie tie-in game. It’s really a fantastic gaming package. It’s worth noting though that this game is HARD! There are no difficulty settings. This is one size fits all gaming. Enemies deal a hell of a lot of damage to you, and the health drops are infrequent and inadequate.  Honestly though, the difficulty made playing this game enjoyably intense. It was a genuine challenge, and I had to play at my very best to not die. I learned early on that playing conservative wasn’t going to cut it. Using the weakest gun because it has infinite ammo may seem like the best approach, but I soon learned to switch out for the heavy weapons often – ammo limits be damned. Miraculously, I only ever died once, but believe me I came so close to pushing daisies far too many times. Interestingly, the death system here is quite unique, at least in this genre. Y’see, you play as a nameless, faceless soldier, and when you die, you become a zombie just like the ones you’ve been trying to kill. The next thing you know, a replacement soldier is spawning at your last save point with absolutely no upgrades or power-ups. Now it’s up to you, nameless soldier #2, to track down nameless soldier #1, and take back all your stuff. This extra degree of challenge right after you’ve already failed makes the fight to stay alive all the more meaningful. You know that if you die, your stats go back to square one until you find and kill your old self – who, by the way, has all your gear and weapons and will use them against you. One thing I will say though is, whilst the difficulty in all its forms is welcome, it can lead the game to being unbalanced. The damage you take versus the health you gain just doesn’t work out, and most of the time you’re losing health faster than you can replenish it. And, with no “restore rooms” to refill your life meter, I had to hide out in a safe corner of the map and farm to regain my life way too often. It was tedious, frustrating, and made me question the design of the game. Outside of this however, The Mummy Demastered was a blast. It’s a little gem of a game that I implore any 90′s kid to pick up and play. Be warned though, this game does not pull punches as it tests your gaming skill. 8/10

Octopath Traveler (Switch)

Octopath Traveler is one of those rare games that’s beautifully able to merge elements from the past with more modern ideas to create something entirely new and unique. Everything, from the game’s graphics, to its structure, to its versatility, to even its name, makes it stand out from other RPGs. Just looking at this game’s visual art style tells you there is nothing else like it as it takes old-school 2D pixel sprites and puts them in a vibrant, 3D model-esque world. The whole thing looks like a gorgeous pop-up book, and thanks to the unreal engine, the game has a depth of field that blurs both the background and foreground, adding to the game’s immersive scope. The music too is absolutely superb, with perfect songs across the board and wonderful, tone-setting melodies you’ll be humming long after you’ve put the game down. There’s more to Octopath Traveler than the visuals and sounds though. The game focuses on 8 protagonists, each with their own storylines, motivations, and goals. Over the course of the game these characters join up to “assist” one another on their own individual paths. What I really liked here is that no two characters are the same; each has their own personality, as well as their own objective. For example: Ophillia the Cleric is on the path to bring a sacred flame to the churches around the world, whilst Olberic the Warrior is on a path of self-reflection as he searches for a purpose now that his home and kingdom are gone; Primrose the Dancer seeks revenge on the men who murdered her father, whilst Cyrus the Scholar merely pursues the mystery of a missing tome. This really makes each protagonist stand out from the others. An unfortunate downside to this otherwise excellent move is that the 8 characters never interact with each other within their individual stories. This is down to the level of amazing freedom and choice that the game gives the player. The characters’ storylines never cross paths unless you decide to make it happen. You could technically go from start to finish with one character and never once add people to your party; the choice is yours. As a result every story is designed to act as though you are lone wolfing your way through the game, with the characters standing alone as they face their individual dilemmas – which does kind of suck. There are plenty of moments where characters do interact with one another, but these have to be initiated by the player at certain times and are entirely optional. Plus, despite how these characters never really have a “meet up moment”, when they later talk to one another about their predicaments, they sound like life-long friends. It’s jarring at times, but better than nothing, and a worthy sacrifice considering what we get in return. This game is entirely the player’s oyster. Each character has 4 chapters, but you can decide whose chapter you do next; you might decide to do Alfyn’s third chapter before doing Therion’s second for instance. Everything is down to the player, and what’s more the game doubles down on this structure. The world map is divided up into 8 segments, each a respective homeland for each character. On top of these 8 “wedges” the map is further divided into what I called “Tiers”. Tier 1 is where your character’s journey begins, Tier 2 is where things start getting a little dicier, and Tier 3 is typically where each journey concludes. Naturally, the higher the Tier, the harder the enemies and battles will be. That being said, this game offers an incremental structure that allows these Tiers to grow as the player grows. For example, Tier 1 areas at the start of the adventure will have a level warning of around 1 or 5, but as you get stronger and recruit the other protagonists, that level warning increases and battles get a little more intense. Each Tier’s level warning does have a cap however, so it doesn’t just grow forever, but because of this versatile design it means that grinding is essentially moot (provided you use all 8 characters often and wisely). It also makes the game startlingly well balanced – one of the most balanced RPGs I’ve ever played, in fact. On the subject of battling though, this is the game’s true golden centre. The battle system in Octopath Traveler is simple but remarkably deep and intuitive. Everything is turn based and the order of who goes when is shown at the top of the screen – both for the current turn and the next, allowing you to effectively strategize your attacks. The complexity of these battles comes down to the enemies’ shields and vulnerabilities. Every enemy you face will have something they are weak to (fire attacks, swords, daggers etc.) and they will each have a “breaking point” marked by a number in a blue shield. Hitting these enemies with their weaknesses the number of required times, will break their shield and render them temporarily immobile; all attacks on their stunned state will then deal more damage. Who you bring to the fight will have an impact on how it goes as some characters will be better equipped to deal with certain enemies than others. Of course to save you constantly swapping out characters at the nearby town’s tavern (which is incredibly inconvenient, by the way) the game gives you its job system. Every character has a job and each job comes with its own set of abilities. Over the course of the adventure you can discover shrines that allow you to assign a secondary job to each character. These can be swapped out at any time and can only be equipped by one person. Fighting battles rewards you with Job Points (JP) which in turn allow you to unlock new abilities for both primary and secondary jobs. ON TOP OF THAT, unlocking abilities rewards you “Passive skills”. These are equippable bonuses that impact your character during battle – and they don’t need to be assigned a specific job. These passive skills can really turn the tide of battle in a pinch and can really be a boon as you go against tougher enemies. As you can imagine, with all of that going on, battle tactics can be extraordinarily customisable. Finally, each character has a special ability that they can use outside of battle - these are mostly used for the game’s optional side-quests. Speaking to people with an orange speech bubble above them will add their quest to your journal and then it’s up to you to figure out what you need to do. Whilst all 8 characters have a special ability, in truth there are only 4: Fight, Lead, Purchase, Investigate – the latter of which will be the most integral to doing any side quest. These 4 abilities are shared but they are they are not the same. For example, choosing to fight a bystander as Olberic will be easier than choosing to fight as H’aanit the Huntress, but as a result, some people cannot be fought until Olberic has reached a certain level; H’aanit has no such restriction. Likewise, Tressa the Merchant can buy things off of anyone without issue, but Therion the Thief runs the risk of being caught for trying to take the goods for free. Playing around with these differing options can be a joyful change of pace as you play detective to figure out how to accomplish the tasks at hand, some of which have more than one solution. Speaking of the game’s pace, not only is everything structured around the player’s choice, but it’s also designed to stop and start at the player’s discretion. Save points are incredibly plentiful and chapters all follow similar beats to the point where the game almost feels episodic. This game can be played for any length of time and still be thoroughly enjoyed (I think this is down to the portability factor that the Switch brings to the table). Again however, due to many of the chapters following the same story beats over and over again (go here, use ability, go there, dungeon, boss) it can lead to a lot of the gameplay feeling a little repetitive and arguably stagnant. Thankfully, the episodic nature of the game helped to alleviate some of that monotony. Realistically, the lack of narrative character interaction, the inconvenience of swapping out your party, and the uniformity of the chapters are my only problems with the game – although there is one more issue I have. After the credits have rolled, and after you’ve completed the right side-quests, you’re able to go against the “post-game final boss”. This is the true finale to the game, and it fills me with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I love how it is able to connect the 8 characters’ individual stories together to create a very satisfying and chilling culmination. On the other hand however, the game’s final moments are needlessly archaic. It is reminiscent of the old NES Final Fantasy’s, complete with points-of-no-return, no saves, and a cheap final battle. It is bizarrely the anti-thesis of the very game it’s in as it goes against its own structure and design, not to mention it doesn’t really work in today’s gaming world. In spite of this frustrating conclusion however, Octopath Traveler is still an absolute marvel. It is a triumph as far as I’m concerned as it not only does what it sets out to do but it also sets a new standard in the process. One of the best RPGs I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing, if marred by one or two disappointments. 9/10

Picross S (Switch)

What can I say about Picross that hasn’t already been said? Every game follows the same idea and there is 100% nothing wrong with that. Whilst this edition does exclude Micross puzzles, there are nevertheless still 150 puzzles to play through, plus the same 150 remixed with Mega Picross settings. Playing with hints is now literally a button press away as hitting the shoulder buttons toggles the assist navigation off and on, or if you’re a purist, you can turn them off completely and fly solo instead. It’s basically a really streamlined version of the Picross formula we all know and love. There’s no real reward for beating everything, outside of a medal on that particular mode, but that’s still fine. This is a game that’s all about the journey. It’s addictive as ever as well, and whilst it can go stale after a while, it can reach the point where you see boxes and squares every time you close your eyes. That’s what happened to me at least. I also love just how accessible the game is. You don’t need to make time in the day to play, or sit there for hours at a time. If all you’ve got is 10 minutes you can turn it on and enjoy every second. Speaking personally though, Picross to me is the perfect downtime game. Everyone has a certain thing they do to relax, and for me that thing is Picross. I switch it on, turn the volume down, slap on some music, and just sit there perfectly at ease as I play. It doesn’t matter which Picross I play either, it’s the same feeling every time. To that end I recommend Picross forever and always, and whilst Picross S doesn’t really further the formula (bizarrely stepping back with the omission of Micross) the fact that it still gave me chance to unwind means it’s just as recommended as its brethren. It is strange playing on the tele though. 8/10

Shantae: Half Genie Hero ~ Pirate Queen’s Quest (Switch)

It’s no secret that Shantae is one of my favourite gaming franchises and I feel it’s a shame there aren’t more games in the series. Thankfully, while Wayforward may not be making a new Shantae game right now (at least to my knowledge), they are nevertheless delivering DLC for their latest outing. Pirate Queen’s Quest sees the titular hero swapped out for her long-time nemesis Risky Boots as she makes her way across Sequin Land. This isn’t just a skin swap either as the whole game gets a little restructured. For starters the DLC package features mechanics and gameplay elements from the Shantae instalment prior to this one, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse. So goodbye, magic transformations; hello, pirate gear and weapons. It’s an interesting gameplay shift as Risky is way more limited in what she can do compared to Shantae, and yet the devs have stepped in and tweaked some of the levels to make them more accessible without losing the challenge. There are new enemies to fight, as well as new platforming layouts to traverse with the skills at your disposal. All 5 main stages are available to play from the get-go, letting you play them in any order, and at the end of each you get a power up to help you explore the later stages easier. Exploring is downplayed a lot here though. While there are things to track down, such as the mandatory Genie Crystals and the Dark Magic Upgrade tokens, that’s your lot. There are no special items or treasures to find like in the Main Quest, and even the subject of money is removed. Upgrading equipment and health is easy-peasy now that you don’t have to farm for gems, and there’s no Scuttle Town hub either, so there’s no added fluff to bulk up the longevity. It’s literally, pick a level and go there. As a result the time spent with this game will be a fraction of that of the Main Quest. Add to this the fact that, even though the stages are edited to compliment Risky’s mechanics, they are by and large the same levels. This isn’t a problem really, but when a lot of the hidden collectables are located in more or less the same places, it makes tracking them down less about exploring, and more about waiting to get the required power-up. I would argue that 99% of people playing the DLC will have beaten the Main Quest first before jumping into this (so they’ll know these levels well) and a majority of that percentage will also have beaten it 100%, so the hiding spots ain’t so hidden anymore. It all means that outside of the new play style and the redesigned stage sections the game offers very little else. It took me a little over 3 hours to complete, which is less than half the time I spent on the Main Quest. I wouldn’t say it’s a waste of time and money though; revisiting the old gameplay of Pirate’s Curse was fun and required me to rethink my approach to playing, it offers an “area select” menu on a completed stage, meaning you can bypass earlier stage segments if you don’t need to play them, and the redesigned final level is no joke as it demands that you be an expert with every mechanic and power-up it has given you along the way – but I’m just concerned that there’s not enough new on show to truly make the £10 price tag truly worth it. Still, its gameplay and platforming is excellent. Everything great about Half Genie Hero is here on full display, and if nothing else this DLC gives you a reason to pick that game up again and play it once more – which is never a bad thing. Perhaps it’s entitled of me to have wanted more from this, but regardless I still had fun. 7/10

Steamworld Dig 2 (Switch)

I really liked the original Steamworld Dig. It caught me by surprise with its quality, and when the sequel was announced I was really looking forward to it. Steamworld Dig 2 follows most of the trends of its predecessor. You dig. You dig your way through the mines and caves, finding treasure, artefacts, and ore as you progress through the story. At first, this somewhat disappointed me. It’s strange. The gameplay was great, the style was excellent, the wit and writing were on point, and the music this time around is a lot more noteworthy – tapping into my brain with its earworms and reminding me of a classic early 2000s gaming genre. So why was I disappointed? I think it was because there wasn’t much progression from what we’d already seen the first time around. Nothing really grabbed me and kept me playing. Thankfully after playing more I started to see that this wasn’t just a re-tread of the old. First of all, this game is huge by comparison. I’ll admit it’s been a while since I played the original Steamworld Dig, and perhaps it was because I was playing this one on more of a home system as opposed to the 3DS, but it definitely felt bigger. In the first game you just dug and dug and dug until you reached the end, but this game will see you going in all directions – branching off into neighbouring caverns, and sometimes travelling to a whole new mine shafts to explore. By the endgame I was amazed at the size of the map when I zoomed out. Secondly, the game introduces new equipment to help you traverse the depths of the earth. These range from a jackhammer to help you smash through brick walls, to a grappling hook, to a jetpack. Those last two of which lead to some of the most fun and excellent platforming mechanics I’ve played in a while. Zipping this way and that is just a blast, and by the time you purchase all the upgrades you’re an unstoppable machine. Speaking of, the usual means of upgrades are herewith you mining ore, selling it for cash, and using the cash to upgrade equipment; but now there’s a lot more to be done. On your journey you’ll collect cogs, which can be used to add additional fluff to your gear. This fluff isn’t permanent either if you don’t want it to be, so you can pick and choose what extra advantages you want. In the early stages of the game, with cogs being thin on the ground, you might not be willing to use them so frivolously, but as you play more, not only do you find more cogs, but you unlock skills that are invaluable. How about a light that never runs out? Now you can stay in the caves as long as you want. What about armour that hurts enemies if they touch you? Done. Half the time you feel like you’re playing with cheat codes, but regardless it’s a great thing that the game rewards you for tracking down and finding the cogs that are scattered all over the map. What’s more, mining ore feels good – just as it did in the first game. You don’t need to get all the ore in the game to beat it - hell you can leave a good 50% down in the mines, really, especially when dying makes you permanently lose all your collected ore - but it’s satisfying to break apart the deposits and gather as much as you can. There are one or two slight drawbacks however. For one, there are a handful of frustrating moments in the game. Obstacles and objects in your path start to be a little poorly placed, and it can lead to a lot of unfair error. These are few and far between but boy did they suck my enjoyment right out when I came to them. The other downside is, whilst the game is a satisfying length (taking me just under 10 hours) and whilst mining and collecting feels good, there’s no real incentive to find everything in the game. You get a scorecard at the end, detailing out how well you did in each field (time, deaths, ore collected, etc.) but that’s about it. I don’t know, it’s not that big of a deal, but I just felt like there wasn’t a strong enough reason to keep playing this game after I’d seen the credits. Ah well. Steamworld Dig 2 is definitely an exceptional game though. If you loved the first one, you’ll love this one possibly more. It builds on the idea and really sets itself apart from its predecessor. I implore you to check it out. 8/10

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is exactly that: the ultimate edition of the Smash Bros. franchise. Fulfilling the promises that “everyone is here” in its initial trailer reveal by having every character from previous Smash entries as well as new ones is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a LOT to this game, both in what you can do and in what exactly went in to make it all happen. The technical specs are through the roof here as Sakurai and his team have put every ounce of their passion and effort into this game and the result is a programming marvel. There is so much attention to detail, so much craft, and so much variety its practically witchcraft. To do this game justice though I’m going to have to discuss all its elements one by one, using the game’s main menu as a guideline for structure. Starting off in the top left of the menu we have “SMASH”. This is the core of the series, when all other modes and add-ons are gone, this is where the true soul and essence of the game lies. Set your rules, pick your stage, pick your characters, and go! Fight and brawl to your hearts content, either alone or with friends in the room. It’s really refreshing to be able to make your own rule sets and set them as default (something that was missing from past Smash games), and it’s incredibly useful to have them so in depth. In the “SMASH” window however, you’ll find more than just the standard battles; you’ll also find additional modes. As well as old classics like special smash, which allow you to customise battles in a variety of crazy ways (i.e. make all the players metal, have them move super-fast, have them breath fire, and so forth) you’ll also find the tournament mode – for if you wanted to play battle after battle without returning to stage select every time – and also the game’s two newest additions: Smashdown and Squad Strike. Squad Strike in particular has been on my wish list for a while now, ever since they did a very poor job of it in the Smash Tour mode on the Wii U. Pick a team of 3 or 5, pick their order, and fight until there’s a winner. It’s such a fun way to shake up the standard battles and allows you to show off your skills as multiple fighters. But if you really want to diversify your play sessions, especially with friends, Smashdown is the mode for you. Set how many rounds you’re going for and then select your character - but choose wisely, once they’ve been used, they’re gone, and you can’t pick them again until a winner has been crowned. This goes for the other players too, meaning the more rounds you play, the smaller and smaller that roster gets. This forces you to mix up your mains and explore other fighters. These two modes are an excellent way to keep the battles fresh and can last for hours. If you want more structure to your play sessions however, then “Games and More” in the top right of the main menu is the place for you. Here is where you’ll find most of your single player needs – though granted it is possible for a friend to join in on these in co-op. The main attraction of this window is the Classic Mode. Here you’ll play a short, arcade style campaign where you go from battle to battle on your way to your goal, just like in previous Smash iterations. But this isn’t the same as Smash games past. For Ultimate, every fighter has their own specific path. They’ll fight specific battles in a specific order, usually based around a specific theme (Fight against “dark” characters, only Pokémon battles, fight with a partner, etc.). Sometimes some characters will even get to fight a boss at the end of their journey as opposed to the traditional Master Hand battle. With the game having over 70 fighters in the roster, it pays to have variety like this. Plus, with the high-risk-high-reward difficulty slide, it’s got plenty of versatility and challenge. This is probably my favourite version of the Classic Mode formula to date because it keeps the game from stagnating and allows you to enjoy every fighter comfortably. If Classic Mode starts to wear thin though, “Games and More” also offers Mob Smash. Here you’ll find three extra modes: Century Smash (take on 100 lightweight enemies); All-Star (take on the fighters you’ve unlocked in a constant stream until you’re the last man standing); and Cruel Smash (similar to Century Smash but now YOU are the lightweight and the CPU is cranked up). These modes offer a nice little break from the other single player modes, as well as giving you and a friend more variety in multiplayer. I can’t help being disheartened at these modes, however. Whilst Century Smash is a tough but fun challenge, All-Star and Cruel Smash are just broken. Cruel Smash particularly is designed purely for the absolute hardcore, setting a huge bar of entry right out the gate, and All-Star is nigh-on impossible once all 73 fighters are unlocked. It’s disappointing as All-star has been a series staple since Melee and here it’s just not enjoyable given how much more capable the fighters are when put up against the usual Mii combatants. What’s more, series fans may notice that there were more “Mob Smash” options in prior games. “Timed” and “Endless” Smash are no-shows, sadly, as are some of the old-school stadium games like Home Run Contest and Target Smash. Its unfortunate that they’ve been omitted, but their absence is more than understandable given everything else that this game to offer. We lose a few modes here and there, but we get more fighters, more stages, and more content overall. That’s the trade off, and it’s ultimately forgivable; especially since these modes may yet make an appearance down the line in the form of DLC or perhaps even free updates. Besides Classic and Mob Smash, there’s the detailed Training mode to help you understand character traits, strengths, and weaknesses to better yourself as each fighter, and then there’s the Mii Fighter menu. Wii U and 3DS players may remember those games had customisable move sets and buffs for every character. This aspect doesn’t make a return here; which I personally am grateful for given how clumsy and convoluted it made the previous Smash games. Instead, the custom move sets are reserved specifically for the Mii Fighters, which of course makes perfect sense. Amiibo options are also available but given that they seem more than ever to be a relic of the Wii U days, it’s uncertain how many people will use them. Moving on clockwise from “Games and More” we have the “Vault” and “Online” sections. Vault is where you’ll find all the extended cosmetics to the game. As well as the in-depth Records window, which has every in-game statistic you could hope for ready to view whenever you want, there’s also the Shop - where you’ll be able to buy things from stage music to Mii costumes with in-game currency - and the Replay section - where you can save and edit replays from regular Smash battles. This is a sticking point for me though, as the Replay options here are abysmal. Problem number one: at present Smash Ultimate does not allow video capture using the “Capture” button on the controller, so replays are the only way to save the fun and cool things you do in game (only in regular smash battles though – classic and mob smash are no go’s). But, problem number two, you cannot share replays, nor the videos you can create using them – so the replays are effectively pointless. Problem number three: the editing tools in the replay sections to help convert them to videos are shambolic. You cannot fast forward or rewind replay footage, so when you want to make a quick ten second video of that one amazing combo you pulled off, you have to wait for the replay to play to that point, hit record at the right moment, and hit stop when you’re done. If you miss your mark, tough. This is atrocious and is ultimately a defunct option in the game that will gather dust fast in its current state. Although the Replays mode is awful, there’s luckily the “Music” mode. Buckle up, guys, there’s a lot of music packed into this game. On top of tracks and arrangements from the Wii U and 3DS versions making the jump over, there’s also a great deal of Smash history packed in here as well, as songs from the original N64 game, Melee, and Brawl all make an appearance. That’s not to say that there isn’t any new music to enjoy though as there’s plenty of new remixes to treat your ears to. There’s a lot of choice to be had, and what’s more, through this mode you can make playlists of your favourites, and even set which tracks appear on which stage and how often. It is series specific of course, you can’t just have a Donkey Kong song playing on the Castlevania stage, but there’s still a lot to choose from regardless. It’s honestly dizzying to behold sometimes. Next up after the Vault we have the Online stuff, and I have to say if you’re reading this hoping for an in-depth analysis of Online features I’m going to have to disappoint. Whilst it’s true that this version of Smash does a better job at Online than previous versions, with a more curated set of modes to help bridge the gap between beginner and expert players, I myself am not a big Smash Online player. The gulf between casual and hardcore players is too vast these days, and for me, Online is just not enjoyable. Personally, Smash has always been a couch multiplayer game, and it always will be. Finally then, we come full circle to the bottom left icon on the main menu: “Spirits” mode. Spirits are essentially equippable buffs that you can assign to yourself to help you in battle and are pretty much replacing the trophies that used to appear in previous Smash games. These Spirits can also be equipped in regular Smash should you so choose and can be given as rewards in Classic mode or bought in the shop. Where you earn them however is in Spirits mode itself. There are two types of Sprits: Primary and Support. Your Primary spirit is essentially your main guy; this fella is the one who will give you your main attack and defence stats. These stats are helpfully conglomerated into a simple “Power” box – the bigger the number in the box, the more powerful you are. Support spirits are more tailored for specific scenarios. Some make you more resistant to fire-based attacks, others increase your firepower. Some make you hard to launch, whilst others make you a nightmare for Metal fighters. The Primary Spirit you equip determines how many supports you can tag along and all of them contribute to the Power box. In short, the more spirits you equip, the stronger you get. There are a lot of both Primary and Support Spirits (1167 in total to be exact) and as such there are a lot of combinations to experiment with. You can even save specific teams, so if you have a favourite set of spirits you can log them in the game and have them ready to go straight away. What’s more these spirits can be levelled up by using them, which in turn makes them stronger, and some Spirits can even “evolve”, as it were, into better spirits once they max out. But what exactly are these spirits? Well, they’re video game characters from all over the gaming space. No series too obscure, no character too forgotten. If these people appeared on a Nintendo system, they’re in this game, and the way to get them is through the two modes in the “Spirits” window. The first mode is the “Spirit Board”. Here, spirits will appear for a brief period and be switched out if you take too long to pick them up. Select a spirit you want, organise your spirit team, and then get ready for battle. What? You thought you could just take, take, take? Like I said, you must earn these spirits if you want them for your team and collection. Win the fight and the Spirit will be up for grabs. It won’t be easy though as every spirit is inhabiting the body of a fighter, and there are conditions to each battle. Some battles have you start with max damage, others will have the floor on fire. Some battles have reinforcements drop in, others are timed stamina matches. Bringing the right spirit team to these fights is crucial to success. I don’t care if you’re an absolute beast as Bowser, if your Spirit squad isn’t up to scratch, you’re going to have a rough time of it, and if you lose, the spirit leaves the Spirit Board – no immediate rematch. Oh, don’t worry, they’ll be back but you’ll have to wallow in your defeat for a bit first. Furthermore, there are four levels of difficulty which are depicted via stars. Naturally, a four-star fight will demand nothing but your best, but in return you will be rewarded with an incredibly strong spirit that may prove invaluable in certain battles down the line. It’s not enough to win though as success sees you having to shoot the spirit through rotating shield. Miss your chance, and you’ll have to fight that spirit one more time at some point to try again. Luckily any damage done to the shield will carry over, and if it’s difficult, you can use items to slow the shield down or make its gaps wider. Yes, it does sound a little frustrating, and it can be, but as you get stronger and better at the game it won’t bother you so much. What’s more, Spirit Board has so many Spirits on display, and it has such a huge in-and-out quality to it, that you won’t have time to get truly worked up by it all. It’s very addictive, actually. I lost count of all the times I said “just one more”. Spirit Board isn’t the only way to earn spirits though, as you can also earn them by playing Spirits’ second mode: World of Light. That’s right, Ultimate has an adventure mode, and it’s a doozy. In this single-player campaign, all 73 fighters have been wiped out and duplicated to house Spirits by the Lord of Light, Galeem. Only one fighter survives, Kirby, and its up to him to work his way through the massive overworld, battle spirits, and rescue his defeated comrades from Galeem’s clutches. The more fighters you save, the bigger your adventure-specific roster becomes. The Spirit battles here are the same as they are on the Spirit Board, but this time you don’t have to shoot through a shield should you win – beat the spirit and it’s yours, no strings attached. This is definitely the preferred route to get Spirits, and it’s probably best that you beat World of Light first before moving on to the Spirit Board to reduce the chance of duplicates. This campaign is no little distraction either; if “SMASH” mode is the soul and essence of the game, World of Light is the meat. It will take you some time to see the credits. There’s so much to explore and the general world is just so huge! There’s also no true path to go as so many roads wind this way and that around the entire map. So much so that 2 different players may not have the same experience as one another. There are even sub-worlds with even more spirits hiding away in them. In short, there’s a hell of a lot to do, and I love it. What’s more, the map itself looks to be made up of areas specifically referencing certain franchises, and this makes it all the more engaging as you draw connections from the fighters to the world. There’s more to the campaign than just go here, fight that, move on though; there are also Gyms, Dojos, Shops, and Explorers to encounter. Dojos allow spirits to buff certain qualities whilst trading off others; Shops give you the chance to buy consumables for levelling up in game; and Explorers set out for a period of time to find treasure to help on your quest. By far the most useful of all these however is the Gym, which allows up to four spirits at once to “train” themselves and level up over time. That’s real time by the way, so you can literally leave a spirit in the gym, turn the game off for a full day, and when you go back on it there’s a chance that spirit will be maxed out (depending on star rank). You don’t even have to be in World of Light to access the Gyms and such either, as they’re all accessible from the Spirits menu. So, to quickly recap Smash Ultimate has: a hell of a lot of versatile options for regular battles; a decent array of single-player content; a crazy number of fighters (73), stages (103, not including variants), and songs (no idea); and an entirely new Spirits system that can be used in both regular battles and the main campaign. In case it wasn’t obvious, this game is enormous! Before I wrap this review up though, let’s quickly discuss the gameplay. First and foremost, Sakurai and his team have done their best work yet with these move sets, as now every fighter feels unique and – most importantly – balanced. Even the fighters who, once upon a time, had identical move sets have been diversified enough to have their own identity. What’s more, the way this game controls is honestly inspired. Every character has the same inputs but there is so much being mapped to the controller that it’s a technical wonder. Finally, giving the players so much choice in menu, match, and stage customisation is welcome and allows people the chance to make the game their own. As truly outstanding as this game is, however, I do have a handful of drawbacks that did put a dampener on my experience from time to time. First, whilst not a deal breaker, the roster and stage lists aren’t laid out that well. The characters are all arranged in the order they arrived in the series, but when all 73 fighters are laid out in front of you, finding the character you want is a pain. Some Pokémon are together, others aren’t; some Fire Emblem characters are here, others are there. Even people who are in the same series that debuted in Smash at the same time are separate. Why? Arrangement by series was a much more effective way of finding the fighters we want to play as, this just looks disorganised. As for the stages, having all 103 of them boxed in side by side in order of their debut may not have been the best approach. Finding that specific stage you want may take a while to track down. The icons are so small and some look so similar that you’ll be getting very frustrated before long. What’s worse is that some of the returning stages are just bad, and they’ve always been bad. Thankfully there’s not that many and they can be nullified with the Battlefield and Omega options, but there’s enough to make certain battles – especially in World of Light – utterly infuriating. Another aspect that kind of bugs me is the unlockable fighters. You start this game with the original 8 fighters from the first Smash Bros. back on the N64, but by playing the game, more and more are unlocked via challenge matches that happen randomly during play. These fights are tough and challenging, but I can appreciate that. What I can’t appreciate though is having to wait for a rematch should I lose to them. I can challenge the new characters again via the “Games and More” section, but I must wait for them to become available. It’s irritating. What’s also somewhat bothersome is the rate at which these challengers appear. They are so frequent and regular that its strange that they’re even unlockable to begin with. I can understand that the Devs didn’t want peoples’ favourite fighters to be locked away for ages, and I can understand that they still wanted to have unlockables despite this, which led to this compromise, but it can make the unlockables underappreciated. Maybe that’s just me. Finally, whilst the controls are so intuitive and complex, there are some moments where the game gets…confused (for lack of a better term). Because there is so much mapped to the controller, sometimes the character doesn’t do what you ask them to do, and sometimes there’s a delayed response to the inputs if you’re being attacked whilst you press them. You ask a character to turn around before attacking and instead you attack the wrong way. You ask your character to drop through the floor of a semi-platform to get a better shot at your opponent, but you end up just crouching over and over again. You ask your character to run, but they walk and get hit. You ask your character to pick up that item but they’re either just not close enough or they attack it. These are a handful of examples where my efficiency at the game was held back by the inputs getting confused. It is relieving however to say that as infuriating as this all can get, the overall experience is not too hindered. This is still an absolute blast to play and is full of some of the most joyful gaming moments you can ever have – especially in multiplayer. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is without a doubt the ultimate package. It offers a flurry of content for everyone to enjoy in their own way and delivers the kind of tight and crisp experience that only Smash Bros. can. On top of being an absolute must for any Switch owner, it may go down as the best Smash game yet; if not, of all time. 9/10

Toki Tori (3DS – eShop)

Y’know those games that are just never available? Like, they were on that one console that one time but now you can never get hold of them? Well Toki Tori is nothing like that. This game is on every system currently on market and even on some from last gen. It’s easy to understand why, it’s super basic and super versatile meaning it can be mapped to any controller or screen resolution. With it being so widespread I was bound to pick it up sometime and give it a whirl. Toki Tori is about as standard a puzzle-platformer as you can get. Each stage is an enjoyable brain teaser and, whilst they may start off pretty straightforward, towards the end things really start getting challenging. There are only 4 worlds to play through, but each one has 12 stages, plus additional harder stages that are unlocked upon completion. These special levels can be especially taxing, something that caught me off guard given the game’s child friendly, arguably babyish aesthetic, but they’re enjoyable nonetheless. Every level gives you a set number of items or abilities that you’ll need to use efficiently to succeed; it’s kind of got a resource management edge to it. There’s a lot of forward thinking and planning required, which is where your camera options can come in handy. Though the gameplay doesn’t pause (meaning enemies won’t freeze) you can survey the stage in its entirety at any time, allowing you to structure exactly how you’re going to tackle it in advance. The real godsend to the gameplay here though is the rewind feature. Toki Tori can’t jump and there may be some obstacles and pitfalls that will effectively trap you; there’s also the fact that you might use one too many items and abilities causing you to run out. In these moments, you can rewind the game to a point before everything went wrong – hell, you can even rewind right back to the beginning if you so choose. It’s such a big help, especially in a puzzle platformer, to be able to just undo mistakes like this whenever you want as opposed to restarting the whole level. Though there’s certainly a lot to enjoy with this game it struggles to hold your attention for very long, especially in the later levels. When stages start taking nearly 20 minutes to figure out, you may find yourself little exhausted and drained by the end of it all. Beating a stage is pretty rewarding, but when immediately faced with the next, equally challenging level, it can be hard to motivate yourself to press on. That and the archaic control scheme can often deter you from playing. Toki Tori essentially runs on a grid, which is to say he will move either a full square or half a square in the direction you choose, and whilst this isn’t necessarily bad, it can make the game feel clunky at times. For instance, when Toki Tori refuses to mount or dismount a ladder you’re just not quite near enough yet, or when you want to deploy a box to stand on only for you to not be close enough to the edge of the platform for you to drop it. With all that in mind, Toki Tori is still a decent game. Its style is a little basic – with both its visuals and music being very unremarkable – but there’s still some fun to be had. It’s nice for a few hours of gaming at least, and best of all there’s no excuse not to pick it up. 7/10

WarioWare Gold (3DS)

The WarioWare series has had a lot of ups and downs over the years. Whilst its core design hasn’t changed, it’s been utilised as more of a demonstration tool for the newest of Nintendo’s devices and gimmicks to varying degrees of success. I became a fan as soon as the first one dropped back on the GBA, and since then I’ve done my best to keep up with the series in the hopes that the latest in the line-up will live up to the quality of the original. WarioWare Gold is the most recent series entry, but this isn’t so much a brand new game as it is a greatest hits, taking microgames from previous instalments and upgrading them for the 3DS. Pretty much every game in Wario’s back catalogue is referenced – including the likes of WarioWare Twisted which never actually saw a western release. In short WarioWare Gold is a celebration of the WarioWare series. It’s a shame therefore that it doesn’t quite feel like the best game it could be. Don’t get me wrong this game has a lot of good elements. For starters, this is the first WarioWare title to have full voice acting. This is actually pretty huge. Nintendo rarely fully voices a game, so for every line of dialogue to be fully voiced by professional voice actors is impressive to say the least. On top of that, the updated games look mostly pretty good, with only one or two somehow looking worse than their original counterparts. The music also has some of the classic WarioWare songs amongst its tracklist, which is welcome for people like me who loved the catchy and instantly recognisable songs of the past games. It is very clear that a degree of effort went into this game, and I am in no way calling the Devs lazy. That being said however, there are three main issues and it’s a shame they’re pretty big. First of all, WarioWare is not the first game on 3DS to do a compilation piece of its history – Rhythm Paradise did it two years ago. Unlike Rhythm Paradise Megamix however, this game feels like it’s missing a great deal of content. Given just how many WarioWare games there have been and just how many microgames were included in each, this line up is actually pretty underwhelming. I don’t mean to sound entitled, but it’s just how I felt when I beat the game. Speaking of, that is my second point. Given that price is always variable and that to complain about a high price now doesn’t mean it will be justified in years to come, this game asking for £35 for what it offers is a little steep. The game’s main campaign can be beaten in a single sitting (it took me less than 4 hours) and beyond that there isn’t actually that much to do. I suppose you can play the extra modes, which are pretty fun and do have some excellent returning modes (like the infamous Gamer from Game and Wario), but outside of that all you have is the gumball machine which takes way too much in-game currency to get anything out of it. Just be thankful this game doesn’t have micro transactions. The third and final problem with this game is its use of both Gyro and Touch options. Since WarioWare once had motion controls and touch screen based microgames, it makes sense to see these among the rest of the crowd. It’s a shame that they are so unresponsive at times. An example of the Gyro controls being poor is when you turn the 3DS one way *thinking* the object on screen will follow your motion, only for it to go the other way which causes you to fail the game. As for the touch controls, problems start arising the moment you have to trace something or write something specific only for it to not be good enough and in fact to be nowhere close to what’s required. No joke, one time all I had to write was the number one - a straight, vertical line - and the game had no clue what I had drawn. It’s so frustrating because with these control methods backfiring in the way that they do you can’t help but feel as though you’re being punished for something out of your control. Whilst it’s true that not every game in these categories is bad, and every basket has its bad apples, all it takes is one bad game to ruin your experience. Overall, WarioWare Gold is a good, if a little lacklustre compilation title that is enjoyable some of the time and frustrating the rest of the time. Whilst I can recognise its quality, it’s still not reaching the series’ best heights, and at the end of the day it left me wanting a proper WarioWare title more than ever. 7/10

Yooka-Laylee (Switch)

One of my absolute favourite games of all time is the N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie. I love that game, and even today, after all these years, I’ll still boot it up and complete it just for kicks. I know for a fact that I’m not alone in this, and I know that I wasn’t alone when it was announced that former Banjo devs were reuniting under a new banner (Playtonic Games) to bring about a spiritual successor to the 3D platforming masterpiece. That title was Yooka-Laylee. Now it’s no secret that this game has received a lot of criticism since its launch, and it made me a little nervous. Nevertheless, after waiting the best part of a year, the game finally arrived on Switch and I got to play it and see the “damage” for myself. The reality? Yooka-Laylee is fine. Hell, it’s actually quite good, but it is far from perfect and there are a lot of disappointing flaws. What is excellent here though is the spirit and the soul. Despite this being a beat for beat clone of the Banjo-Kazooie formula, Yooka-Laylee still has enough charisma to feel like its own game. There’s still plenty from the past to love though, from the style and ascetic, to the character design and dialogue – the latter being arguably my favourite aspect of the game. The humour on display is some of the best I’ve read, and it’s full of the old familiar and cheeky wit. It truly does feel like I’m seeing the ghost of Rare every time Capital B pops up and makes me chuckle. The music needs a mention too, as Grant Kirkhope returns to deliver a Banjo-kazooie-esque OST that will make every Banjo fan nostalgic in all the right ways. Grant isn’t alone in the soundtrack, with composing wizard David Wise also contributing; but it’s pretty much 75% Kirkhope – and I’m completely fine with that. Sadly however, the game has one too many drawbacks. The internet consensus says that its flaws stem from its archaic roots – that it’s too much like the “poor” quality of the Banjo-Kazooie and the camera is too outdated. I agree to an extent on that last one. Whilst the camera is a lot better than the olden days, it’s still problematic at times. Saying that, it only truly became a burden once or twice. I strongly disagree with the idea that this game’s flaws are the same flaws as Banjo however, because Banjo-Kazooie was tighter than this. The feel of this game is somewhat slippery by comparison. Controls are occasionally unresponsive – with mini game controls being a joke at times – and general character feedback is weak. I never really felt that Yooka had any weight as he moved and struck enemies or environments. Speaking of environments, these have to be my biggest downer. Yooka-Laylee takes too much out of Banjo-Tooie’s book and sticks to the belief that bigger equals better. But this is not the case – especially here in a collect-a-thon game. The stages are too big. Sure there’s a lot to do in them - what with 25 pagies to gather, 200 quills to collect and so on and so forth – but these worlds are so large that they make these collectable quests quite tedious. The quills for a start are way too small and way too spread out. Truth be told you could actually fit close to 500 of these in one level – that’s if they were laid out like Banjo-Kazooie. See, that’s what made Banjo so great. The levels were smaller, more compact, and thus more focused. Finding everything in a level wasn’t a chore, it was exciting because it could be done. The greatness of Banjo was its simplicity – something Tooie later trampled. Another aspect of Banjo that was a masterstroke was the illusion of choice. A level was more or less 100% beatable - with all collectibles found - from the moment you stepped into it, but the choice remained with you, the player. Do you stay and get everything, or get a few things and leave? The best part was that the game rewarded you for sticking it out. You progressed through the game easier and no door was ever locked for you. Here, no such reward exists, because the levels cannot be beaten in a single run. You have to leave and come back multiple times when you’ve acquired the right abilities. This frustrated the hell out of me, because the game was making the decision for me. It conflicted with my chosen method of play, and I resented it for that. Playing these levels was just so disheartening because I couldn’t help feeling as though Playtonic had missed the mark so much. If they had made the levels smaller and put fewer collectables in them, not only would it have made the worlds all the more enjoyable, it would’ve also allowed the devs to add more levels, expanding the heart of the game. Overall though, even considering all of that, Yooka-Laylee is decent. Sure it’s got flaws, but it does have its joyful moments. I just feel (now more than ever) that Banjo-Kazooie really was lightning in a bottle; because no one, not even the devs that made it, seem to be able to emulate it perfectly. 7/10

[gamerspasm]

My 2017 in Games

I suck at intros. Here are all the games I played in 2017. Rules are usually that I will only talk about games that I have beaten - as well as games I’ve never played before - and for the most part that stays true, but one or two games on here break those limitations. I’ll explain later.

Batman: Return to Arkham (PS4)

I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m a Batman fan; and as a fan I’ve loved Rocksteady’s video game adaptation of the universe. The style, the design, the gameplay, and the voices; all of it combines into a brilliant trilogy of gaming. So when it was announced that they were re-releasing the trilogy’s first two games on the current gen, I was looking forward to dropping right back into the bat-suit. Since I’ve played these games before, why are they here? Because I do actually think there’s still some things worth talking about. Playing these games again but back to back made me realise how different they really are. Asylum is very limited, even though at the time it felt so open and free, and City is just a remarkable sequel; such a momentous game. There is so much content involved, and that’s without even touching on the DLC. Speaking of, even though the game boasts to include the DLC from the original games (DLC I never owned I should add) I have to say it does leave a lot to be desired. Very entitled of me, I know, but Harley Quinn’s revenge doesn’t really add that much, and even though you get Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing Riddler challenges, when they’re literally the exact same ones as Batman, doing them can be quite tedious. We’re talking over two hundred medals to earn for each character. Who has the patience for that?! As for Asylum, there isn’t much DLC to speak of. Just some challenge maps and that’s about it. One final bizarre point I feel I have to mention: in spite of this game being old gen on a new gen system, I found it glitched, froze, and lagged way more than when I played it on the original systems. I found it odd is all; shouldn’t the power of the new consoles be able to handle something that played fine on the old? Who knows, maybe I just got lucky, or unlucky. One way or another, it was a lot of fun to play these games again, and if you’ve never had the pleasure, change that as soon as you can 8/10

Box Box Boy (3DS - eShop) 

Of all the games I expected Nintendo to award a sequel, Box Boy wasn’t one of them. Not that I’m complaining. I really enjoyed the first game in the series. With its simple design proving to be a great companion for depth funnily enough, and this one seems to continue the trend. There’s a big difference this time though: now our hero, Qbby, can create 2 sets of boxes. Outside of that, there really isn’t anything new. Puzzles are great little brain teasers and the sense of satisfaction you get for beating them is genuine - especially towards the game’s end. What I do like about this game though is that it has rewards for players of the first game; mainly costumes. Any costumes unlocked in the first game are carried over and can be worn from the get-go. Since I 100% completed the original, I was able to wear the emperor outfit straight away. Sure, it’s cosmetic, but it’s a nice completion bonus for those who beat the first game. There’s also a challenge world, where you have to beat puzzles under tight conditions. They’re not truly challenging, but they are fun. Speaking of not truly challenging, I found this game to be easier than the first; or at the very least not as taxing. I think this was due to the “2 sets of boxes” rule they brought in, as it can make solutions very doable - even though it does deliver some genuinely clever puzzles along the lines. Much like the first game however, the bonus worlds unlocked after beating the initial game are some of the most tricky brain teasers in the game. This is good and bad as, whilst giving the player a real sense of difficulty, some of them are just too damn monotonous and frustrating. What’s more, whilst the game does have the “2 sets” rule, it doesn’t expand on that. It’s always 2 sets, never 3, or back to 1; nope, always 2. it’s not really a drawback, but by the end of the game it makes you think about the potential that may have been missed. Altogether, I recommend picking up Box Box Boy if you’re looking for some good geometric puzzles, as well as a good time killer. 7/10

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past (3DS)

When I was a kid, beating a game was always on the back-burner. I played a game to kill time and to have fun. Now that I’ve grown up a lot, I generally do whatever I can to play a game right to the end. Even bad ones that I generally don’t enjoy. In short: I really do not want to give up on a game. Sadly, in the case of Dragon Quest VII, I had to. To be clear, this isn’t a bad game. I’ve played way, way worse than this, and I’m not shelving it because it’s poor or difficult. I’m shelving it because it’s boring. If this was any other genre, I’d grit my teeth and play through it - like I did with Yoshi’s New Island or Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush - but because this is a JRPG, being boring becomes a cardinal sin. Let’s break it down. First there is no story, or at least there wasn’t a story in the 15 hours I played. RPGs by design are repetitive. You battle, you grind, you progress over and over again. That’s why RPGs are the most story driven games out there. You need an incentive to push through the monotony. Here, no such incentive exists. The game centres around you discovering and exploring islands, each with its own characters, dialect, and dilemma. For the duration of your adventure on the island, there is somewhat of a story - big bad is doing this, needs to be stopped, you stop it, everyone lives happily ever after, move on to the next island, and so on. In that respect this is less like a novel and more like a collection of short stories; but because there’s no real story, there’s no adventure, there’s no investment in the characters. It’s vapid. Soulless is a more apt word, as a lot of the game’s mechanics lack any real oomph. The battle system is about as standard as you can get and, from what I played, I rarely had to select anything other than “attack”. This is another nail in the coffin as it sucks all real player involvement out of the game. More over, the camera on the overworld is just too damn close to your characters. You can’t observe the perils ahead or see what’s truly around you until you’re right on top of it. All of this would be bad enough but the game’s absolute worst quality is the pointless wandering. For a game that lacks a story, it certainly wants to paint an authentic storyline. More than once you, the player, will be asked to go somewhere, get something, speak to someone, or sometimes all three. It doesn’t sound so bad, right? Well it is when you’re doing it for hours. No exaggeration, the first 2 hours of this game is you wandering and essentially running errands for NPCs. 2 hours without a battle in sight or a story to drive you on. I wish I could say this was just a one time thing, but it happens regularly. Clear an island? Cutscene plays telling you to go home and get some rest. Why? Am I going to have to do something different when I wake up? No, you carry on the adventure as if nothing happened with the same party members. So why tell me to go home. It’s like reading a book where you see the main character do everything, from sleeping to going to the toilet. We don’t need to see these things much less take part in them.  And this is what ultimately killed my desire to play. By and large, no matter what, a game’s primary objective is to be fun. When it can no longer achieve this goal, and the fun quickly descends into a chore, it cannot be regarded as anything special. It even got to the point of parody where my next destination was clearly visible on my map, I could realistically go to it and beat it there and then, but the game insisted I do more wandering for another hour first. I hate when a game wastes my time accidentally, but DQ7 seems to do it intentionally. This review may seem quite scathing, and I know I’m breaking the rules by reviewing a game I haven’t completed, but I feel I have to address the flaws presented here. Even so, despite how a lot of this stuff annoys me, I feel harsh saying its bad. I feel if I played it for longer I could make some head way, break through the last wall of the mine shaft and stumble right into the goldmine heart of the game, but the fact is this game made me want to play it out of obligation - as if I had to play, not because I wanted to - and when I start feeling like that, I think it’s a clear sign you should probably put it down for good. 6/10

Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch)

Last year I got into Hyrule Warriors - the Legend of Zelda, dynasty warriors mash up - and I loved it. It was a hell of a lot of fun, so naturally when Nintendo announced they were doing a Fire Emblem game in the same style I couldn’t wait to play it. First things first, if you didn’t like Hyrule Warriors or anything Dynasty Warriors, this is not going to be the game for you. However, if you didn’t play Hyrule Warriors and you’re a Fire Emblem fan, I’d definitely consider picking it up. As a massive Fire Emblem fan I can testify that this - whilst being an entirely different genre and gameplay direction - will be worth your time. Yes, it’s hack and slash, and button mashing may spring to mind, but I like how Team Ninja really tried to channel what makes the Fire Emblem series great into this game. Granted it’s only a few details, but they influence the gameplay a lot. First, you can order units around the field - attack a specific enemy, guard a particular unit, or even just tell them to stay in a base and heal up. Not only that but the game allows you to control up to four characters during a mission. You can switch between these with the D-Pad or you can bring up the map and select the character you wish to control. Another detail from the Fire Emblem franchise is the weapons triangle, which is instrumental in how effective you and your team are during battle. These three elements change up the game significantly because it means that you cannot just hack and slash your way through it. Button mashing won’t win the day here, you’ll need to think tactically about which units to bring into battle, what they should do, and what should be your priority at specific moments in time. You are a genuine tactician. In many ways, think of this as Fire Emblem if the battles took place in real time as opposed to turn based combat. Another thing you’ll have to pay attention to is a unit’s strengths and weaknesses, and I’m not just talking about the weapons triangle. Fire Emblem fans will know that winged units are very weak to archers, and that transitions into here too, but sometimes a units stats will often determine if they’re the right person for the job. A unit with low RES will get slaughtered by mage units, for instance. These play a hefty role in the choices you make as a player. That said, it is still a hack and slash game and as such it does have to balance the two styles. Whilst yes, you will have to think about which characters to bring into play, generally so long as you’ve got a sword, a lance, an axe, and an archer you’ll generally pull through. Furthermore, the support system, which is prevalent in the Fire Emblem series, is kinda underwhelming. It’s mostly used to unlock gallery elements in the game, and whilst it does allow two units to team up on the field (allowing the player to switch between them intermittently at will among granting other advantages) I found it was more useful to have all four of my team active on the field; rendering the system mostly unnecessary. Nevertheless it is optional so its not so much a downside. Those who played Hyrule Warriors will know that that game had a hell of lot of content. You’ll be glad to hear then that Fire Emblem Warriors carries on that trend. Not only have you got a story mode with multiple difficulties, you’ve also got added collectables to hunt out, and a mission mode. The mission mode - named history mode in the game - gives you an array of maps each with its own objective. Some are as simple as “defeat as many enemies as you can in the time limit” whilst others may be a little more tricky. They vary in difficulty and can be very tough. What’s more, there’s loads of them. Then there’s also the grinding and farming for materials you’ll be doing to level up your units, so it’s safe to say that this game is quite the time sink - in the best possible way. I do have some slight complaints. First, when changing between characters on the field I found myself getting turned around and lost almost every time - which didn’t help when I was changing out of urgency. The map doesn’t help as, unless you’re playing in handheld mode, you can’t really make out which direction you’re facing. I thought I’d get used to it over time, but I’m 30 hours in at the time of writing and it’s still happening. Another issue I have is the lack of true Fire Emblem representation. Whilst I love the characters from Awakening and Fates, the fact that they make up most of the roster may be disappointing to long time Fire Emblem fans. Yes, Marth is in there, but even his game - Shadow Dragon - gets very little representation. What about the Radiance series? How about the characters from the Sacred Stones and the other GBA titles? For a game that’s supposed to be a celebration of a series, I feel it’s missing some integral players. All in all though, I do not regret picking this game up at all. It’s a blast to play and, whilst I can’t see myself 100 percenting it, I know I’ll be at it for some time. 8/10

Kirby Planet Robobot (3DS)

Kirby Planet Robobot is a little disappointing. Not to say in any way that it’s a bad game. Actually, it’s not; it’s arguably good and better than its predecessor, Triple Deluxe - and yet it’s still disappointing. I don’t hate the game at all. As with pretty much all Kirby games, Robobot’s visuals and sound are excellent. The animation and colour all look phenomenal, and the music is full of catchy new tunes as well as some returning, remixed fan favourites. It’s always the gameplay of Kirby titles that either makes or breaks the game, and fortunately I can say that the gameplay here is fine. It’s inventive enough with the new robot armour segments, and there are one or two really great highlights sprinkled about - most notably the game’s brilliant final boss - but what specifically bothers me about this game is its sheer lack of nuance. This is Triple Deluxe DLC - or rather, it feels like it is (at least in structure). Level layout and design is the same. Overall feel is the same. Scenario and direction, the same. This is just another Kirby game. A drop in the ocean. Sure, it seems harsh to take all of this out out on what is by and large a really good game, but there’s no getting away from the fact that playing this game just had no real value. When I first booted it up and completed the first world, my genuine reaction was “well, I guess that happened”. I was uninvested; indifferent to the game; and if your player is walking away from your game with that reaction you know something might not be right. The charm is there, but the soul is just a duplicate. There’s a robot suit and a handful of standout moments, but there’s very little that gives this game an actual identity - like I said, drop in the ocean. Where’s the genuine creativity? Where’s the nuance? Where’s the difficulty, the challenge? It’s not here. Personally I would have loved it if the game was entirely in the robot suit, with clever puzzles that sometimes required both the suit and Kirby to work in tandem; and even go as far as to completely redesign the whole game structure to separate it from what’s come before. As it is you’ll stumble across the occasional moment where you need a robot suit, and everything thereafter will be built around that. There are collectables too, but they’re not hard to get, and for the most part I had no real drive to play the game. I have to recognise that the game is actually well done, with good design and game play, but I further have to acknowledge that my time with it felt empty and hollow. If you love Kirby games, you’ll love this. If you’ve never played a Kirby game and can’t decide between this and triple deluxe, go with this. If you HAVE played Kirby games, enjoy them, but aren’t that big of a fan, you won’t really be missing much if you skip Robobot. A good game that ticks a lot of boxes, but one that ultimately left me a little uninterested. 7/10

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)

The term “masterpiece” is thrown around a lot, and it generally means “flawless”. Breath of the Wild isn’t flawless by any means but it’s still an absolute triumph - perhaps even a masterpiece in its own right. Breath of the Wild is so detached from the series proper and yet at the same time it combines all the strengths of the previous Zelda games into one package. The unguided adventure of the original NES game; the risks of its sequel; the storytelling of a Link to the Past; the emotion of Ocarina of Time; the themes and tones of Majora’s Mask; the exploration of Windwaker; the cinematics of Twilight Princess; and the look of Skyward Sword. It’s like a Legend of Zelda greatest hits. It’s so odd then that it doesn’t truly feel like a Zelda game at first. This can catch a few players by surprise, but the more you play, the more you come to appreciate what the game was going for. Plus, there is just enough there to class it as part of the same franchise. The focus here is exploration. It’s all about going off the beaten path and discovering everything Hyrule has to offer. Exploring unearths small rewards that have a remarkable way of making everything worth it (most of the time). The design here is practically pitch perfect too - everything is done for a reason and laid out with a purpose. Even old series traits are made more relevant. For example; in past Zelda games, players would often come across chests with rupees inside. This was redundant most of the time as rupees were generally everywhere - dropped by enemies, hidden in long grass and so forth - but here money is tight. Getting funds isn’t anywhere near as easy, as only a handful of enemies drop them, and they’re only out in the wild under rocks. So finding rupee chests now has more meaning. Plus, rupees in general have incredible value to the player, leading them to be less frivolous and more careful with where they put their cash. The game is built so well that even some criticisms don’t quite pull it down. Many complain that there’s too much empty space. In some ways, I agree, but again I can’t help feeling it was intentional. For instance, at the beginning of the game I was able to find a house with useful information and items inside simply because it was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing. The empty space draws attention to the things that fill it. Whether it be something big or small. Another complaint is the weapon system, and how the weapons break. Again, I too was annoyed at first, but I couldn’t help thinking how dumb and easy the whole game would be without it. The gameplay is structured around it. If your weapons didn’t break you wouldn’t be encouraged to try new strategies or to be careful in combat. It applies tactics to what would otherwise be a button mashing mess. There are legitimate points however. For example, though the empty space is used well, there are far too many areas that have no reward for exploring them - or worse, a throwaway reward. This stings all the more because this world is huge, and whilst exploring it was fun, rummaging around for hours and finding nothing can leave players a little irked. Secondly controls can feel a little clustered at times. With so many commands being mapped to the same button it can lead to a couple of infuriating combat moments. Of all the game’s shortcomings though, the worst has to be the rain. If you’ve played Breath of the Wild, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Y’see when it rains in the game, Link can’t climb anything. Add to this the fact that it is way too frequent and you have a recipe for frustration. If you’re half way through exploring mountainous regions and the heavens open, tough, you can’t do anything until it stops. The number of times I had to abandon certain routes because of a light drizzle hit triple figures - no exaggeration. I understand why it’s there, and if there was some armour in the game that nullified it I’d be a little more forgiving, but as it stands it’s just way too regular to ignore. These small issues can lead to the game losing some of its fun, but the quality around it is still some of the best you’ll play. The story, the charm, the style, the emotion, the music, everything oozes with so much love it’s hard to say its anything short of amazing. It may be too early to call Breath of the Wild the series best, but it’s easily one of the top 5 Zelda games ever made. 9/10

P.s. I initially gave this game a 10 but the rain aspect brought it down. Which is a shame.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch)

In my opinion Mario Kart 8 was the best game on the Wii U. Hands down, and that’s not to say the competition was bad. Mario Kart 8 was just incredible. So incredible in fact that even when the game re-launched on the Switch with added extras, I paid up again without a second thought. Deluxe is, as the name would suggest, the definitive edition version of the original Wii U title. It’s got everything the original game had, plus both the free and paid DLC, as well as additional features and characters. Let me just be clear: This is the closest the series had come (and one could argue it’s closest it’ll ever get) to perfection. Every flaw from the original is practically worked out and fixed - the biggest being the game’s battle mode. This was the one real downside to the Wii U version, as the battle mode there felt tacky and ultimately rushed. Here though, alongside new modes and items in the battle zone itself, the game delivers a classic Mario Kart battle mode that should please fans and newcomers alike. There are even brand new battle arenas to play in. Other additions include, but aren’t limited to, a third drift boost - allowing you get more speed on the long corners; new characters - some recurring fan favourites as well as a few more surprises; and a dual item system that changes up the game more than you’d think. Online is also incredibly versatile, with the game balancing out your ability with others just like you. It even now comes with varying difficulties - meaning at first you won’t necessarily be playing at the top speeds or mirror mode. I will say though that, even though this game is practically flawless there are a few minor issues. For one, there’s the single player’s fluctuating difficulty. Thanks to the new dual item system its easier than ever to defend 1st place against the CPU. So much so, that experienced players will find themselves leaving the other racers in the dust - and even sometimes lapping them. But the game isn’t that easy all the time however, as 200cc exists. While this game adds a drift brake system (allowing you to brake during drifts to maintain the boost)  to compensate, 200cc nevertheless feels off. At first it’s fun and even funny how fast everything is, but when it comes to competing, it’s not very enjoyable. It feels like a mod or a hack. It doesn’t feel like it was intended to be in the game. Granted the “DLC” tracks handle it better, but it’s important to note they were being made when 200cc was already a thing. Original tracks can be a royal pain or sometimes even downright unplayable. You may think I’m over exaggerating, but even the CPU struggles with it. Of all the most difficult challenges in the game however, the time trials take the crown. In 150cc mode, the staff ghosts you have to beat are a cakewalk for experienced players, but 200cc is where true heroes are born. You have to not only be perfect for every lap of the race, but you’ve sometimes got to perform miracles in order to conquer the other racer’s time. A handful of tracks aren’t so bad, but the rest you’ll be playing over and over and over again just to shave a few milliseconds off. This isn’t too bad as the gameplay is great fun regardless, but constantly hitting restart because you botched a corner gets monotonous pretty fast. These are all small gripes, really. In the grand scheme of things they don’t even dent the quality of gameplay. Sure, you’ll get annoyed and curse, but it’s Mario Kart. You’re always going to get hit by that blue shell, you’re always going to have to try over and over again to get it 100%, but let’s face it, when it really comes down to it, has that ever stopped you from having the time of your life? Didn’t think so. 10/10

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch)

If you’d have told me last year that 2017 would see Nintendo give their Mario licence to a third party to develop an exclusive, and that that third party would be Ubisoft, and that it would feature the arguably defunct Rabbids, and that it would be a cover based-turn based strategy game; I have no clue what I would have done because the idea seems so stupendously ridiculous that no one in their right mind would think it as anything more than the ravings of a madman. Nevertheless, here we are: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom battle. I have to say, I really like this game. I for one have never truly enjoyed the Rabbids. Oh I’ve found them funny, but more often than not they outstay their welcome. Whether or not it’s the Mushroom Kingdom characters that help balance it out, I don’t know, but I found the Rabbids to be hilarious as well as endearing. The gameplay focuses around a series of arena-like maps that see you and your team of Mario and co. take on various Rabbid enemies. What I really like about the gameplay though is how it uses its simplicity to create depth. Every character you have can do a total of 3 actions: Attack, Move,and special abilities. That’s it, but from these simple things there’s actually a lot you can do. For example, in one single turn, I could send Mario out to slide tackle an enemy, team-jump to a cover I couldn’t reach on foot (or land on an enemy to do more damage), hide behind cover, shoot an exposed enemy, and activate Mario’s ‘hero sight’ ability, allowing him to attack any enemy that moves within his range during the enemy turn once. These mechanics click immediately with the player, and the way you can stack them to pile up the damage can make you feel like a pro in no time. What’s better is the game is chock full of varying enemies. Some are just standard cannon fodder, but then you face enemies that charge you when they’re attacked, enemies that can team jump like you, enemies that can teleport around the map and lure you out of cover, and more. By the game’s end, you’ll be expected to bring everything you’ve learned to the battlefield. Plus, even when the game is beaten, there’s a lot more to do. There are collectables to find, secret chapters to play, and even special challenges that aren’t available until you beat a world. In short, there’s a lot to do in Mario + Rabbids. The music is excellent too. Composed by one of my favourite Video Game musicians, Grant Kirkhope, it feels entirely unique to the Mario series yet bringing with it an eerie vibe of the likes of Banjo-Kazooie. Despite how enjoyable the game is though, there are a handful of drawbacks - some big, some small. Small issues come down to things like the fixed Camera axis can sometimes be a pain, and the fact that the game lacks the overall polish of a true Mario title. The bigger issues however are what let the side down here. For starters the lack of an undo function, even just a small one, can literally make or break a map, and mistakes happen way too often for it to be an OK omission. Furthermore as you progress, cracks in the game start to stand out. I encountered my fair share of glitches (it wouldn’t be a Ubisoft game without those now would it) and some of those even led me to be trapped. What’s more, on a more personal point, I never really found the game all that challenging. Granted there are a fair amount of extra maps that will test a player’s mettle, but outside of pretty much the very last maps of the game, the main quest isn’t all that hard. Also, despite having a roster of 8 playable characters, I never found myself straying from my regulars - a side effect of all strategy games, really. The game does encourage you to experiment, but when the pressure is on to get a “perfect score” (complete the map in a certain number of turns with no team-losses) you really don’t want to branch out into uncharted waters. I’m sure if you truly mastered every character, you would have no problem with this, but for me, I just never felt the true need to fix what wasn’t broken; Mario, Rabbid Peach, and Rabbid Luigi were getting me perfect scores across the board so what was the big problem. Altogether, Mario + Rabbids is a fantastic game. If you can look past the frustrating moments and the glitches, there’s really a lot to love here. The gameplay is simple yet deep, and it’s just a hell of a lot of fun. It’s another string in the Switch’s bow and I encourage anyone to check it out. 8/10

Megaman X  (SNES - 3DS Virtual Console)

I’ve been a Megaman fan since playing the original NES games on the Wii virtual console, and I’ve had Megaman X for about 6 years now, but only this year did I finally get around to beating it. Honestly, is there a more perfect side-scrolling action game out there? As far as the series goes, X is frankly the pinnacle. The way this game looks and sounds is immaculate, dripping with SNES greatness, and the gameplay is some of the best and most fun of any retro title - fun but always challenging, and bundled with a surprising amount of depth that rewards players the deeper they go. As a fan of Video Game music too, I couldn’t very well skip over the soundtrack which is not only one of the best soundtracks of the SNES era, but is up there as one of the best video game soundtracks of all time. I know I really am late to this party but Megaman X is probably my favourite in the series, by a mile; and that’s not even suggesting the others are bad. 9/10

Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

It’s hard to believe that we first found out about this game three months before its release. No news, trailers, or hints before then, and then it just drops right onto store shelves. I love the Metroid series and I always think it’s a shame that Nintendo don’t make enough of them. It’s been something like 8 years since the last true, mainline Metroid release; but, frankly, I can’t imagine a more fitting return. It’s been said pretty much by everyone, but Samus Returns is exactly that. So right away it’s a remake of the original Metroid 2 for the GameBoy, but wow, this may as well be a brand new game. Outside of scenario, plot, and power-ups, this game is completely original, with new controls, new environments to explore, and even some new abilities. Mercury Steam are the wizards behind this game and I have to say they absolutely nailed it. I’ve played their games in the past, namely the Castlevania reboot titles, and I loved the criminally underrated Mirror of Fate on 3DS, but here they hit nothing but home-runs. It’s like all the greatest elements from Metroid’s DNA along with some interesting additions. I have never played a Metroid game that runs so thick and fast. It’s staggering how quickly you can manoeuvre around the enormous maps, and it’s excellently animated. Controls at first feel a bit clustered, but on my second sitting I was playing like a pro. The new melee attack is a stroke of genius, allowing you to stun lesser enemies, whilst also exposing weaknesses on boss-type monsters. There are also special power-ups that can make your play-through easier, but they don’t feel OP as the meter they adhere to can be drained quite quickly, encouraging you to use them sparingly. The graphics don’t look too stunning though they’re still decent for the 3DS, and the backgrounds look amazing. This is a game that truly utilises the strength of the 3D. Backgrounds seem to run on for miles, and they’re all animated too, no static images here. I also love the cutscenes, which use visual storytelling tactics brilliantly. Outside of the game’s plot set up at the start, there is no dialogue or text, and yet Samus has never had so much on-screen character - yes, I’m looking at you, Other M. We know when Samus is alarmed, is angry, is concerned simply by the way she acts. Furthermore, even the bonus lore segments you unlock by playing allow the player to interpret them as they are - no text explanations, just artwork. Metroid fans will love it. The soundtrack is also remarkable, pulling some of the series’ most iconic tracks out of the past and giving them a much more modern feel. If I had any drawbacks I’d probably say that after a certain point the melee attack becomes obsolete outside of boss battles, and the difficulty is a little up and down - enemies do a hell of a lot of damage, then by the end your ploughing through suckers left and right. Mostly though that’s about it. It’s genuinely an outstanding game that I had such a blast playing, and I’m not even exaggerating when I say that it’s one of the best 3DS games out there. Samus is back, baby! 9/10

Mighty Switch Force (3DS - eShop)

I like Mighty Switch Force...kinda. I’ve liked Wayforward’s stuff. Shantae is a favourite for a start, but as decent as MSF might be, it’s a little ways off from that standard. MSF is a puzzle-platformer that gives you an objective (find 5 escaped prisoners) and an arena to do it in (be it an enclosed space, or a traditional A to B track). The catch is you, the player, control certain platforms, instructing the game as to whether they are in the foreground or the background. You can “switch” these platforms whenever you want, and you’re going to need to think fast with the challenge these puzzles throw at you. First thing worth mentioning is this game is very much a side project. It feels more like a Beta or a demo than an actual full fledged game - even if it is a low budget indie game. There are only 16 main stages to play, with a handful more being unlocked after beating the game, but altogether, this game will not keep you very long. It took me just short of two hours give or take to beat the main campaign, and after that the only things left for me to do were time trials and bonus levels. Now I know what some people may say: “it’s not the length of a game that makes it good” or “what do you expect for such a budget price”, and these are valid points, however, to be honest, if this had four times as many stages I probably would have disliked it more. At first the controls are very finicky; with so many puzzles and actions requiring you to both jump and switch platforms at the same time. I should add that switching platforms causes the game to stop for a second. This can ruin your rhythm while playing and lead to too many mistakes - namely mistiming a switch and inadvertently being hit by the platform as it travels into the foreground. This not only takes health off you (health that is pretty low to begin with) but also sends you back to last checkpoint. This is the most common error players will make and its punishment is a little extreme. It’s a difficult game to say the least, but one that feels more cheap than challenging - which in turn leads to more frustration than anything else. My memories walking away from this title are ones of irritation. Visually it looks nice, and the music and sounds are generally pretty okay, but at the same time it feels rather tacky. The switching platforms for example are just beige boxes. They look like pre-rendered assets. There are some clever puzzle ideas in here too, and one very interesting level at the endgame, but they are few and far between. There’s a decent amount of potential and it feels a little wasted. For what it is, MSF is an okay game. It has it’s fun moments but they are quickly overshadowed by the frustrating game design and difficulty. 6/10 

Overcooked (Switch)

It has been many a year since I was brought to tears of laughter by a video game, but Overcooked managed to do it. This game is ridiculous and fun, pretty much exactly what a video game should be. It’s a challenging test of teamwork, as well as time management and the results are some of the best multiplayer moments you’ll have in a long time. I played it on the Nintendo Switch and with it’s joy-cons built in, it has instant access to two player mode - arguably the mandatory method of playing, so to speak. playing this game alone is just not enjoyable; it is meant to be played with friends. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and the challenges it provides can actually be rather difficult - what may start as you and your friends holding your sides, will quickly turn into a methodical plan and structure where each is given a role. What does suck though is that, whilst the game does lower the threshold targets in order to pass a level with fewer players, it’s clear that some maps are just designed for more players. I played this with my brother, and whenever we’d encounter a map built for 4 players we found that things got less fun as the game seemed unbalanced. Nevertheless, the game’s charm and simplicity shone through, and difficult as it got it was still a blast to play even with just 2 players. I’m looking forward to grabbing two more friends in the near future and seeing just how chaotic - or organised - things can get. 7/10

The Picross-e Series (3DS - eShop)

How the hell did these bad boys get under my radar? You mean to tell me that a whole collection of Picross titles have just been sitting on the 3DS eShop and have been there for past 5 or so years? Welp, it didn’t take long for one of them to end up on my system, let me tell ya. What can I say; it’s picross, you should know by now what it’s all about. Its a fun, logic puzzle game, with a “just one more” factor that can melt steel beams. I will say however, that these games are far better at explaining how to play than other, strangely more recent entries. I finally understand Mega Picross now, even though I still prefer regular Picross, and the new “Micross” mode in the later games is a fun, campaign-esque twist on the classic formula. The mode sees you solve puzzles in a sequence to build pieces of a larger picture. It’s actually rather a no brainer when you think about it. One issue I was finding in the later stages was that - because the games have come a long way since their humble beginnings - a lot of the images the game asks you to solve are a little overly complex for their typical 10x10 or 15x15 grids. This leads to many puzzles being a nightmare to solve and can be very un-fun. I mean, I’m all for challenge but half of them don’t give you an inch. When all is said and done, yes, it’s Picross; yes, its as fun and addictive as ever; and if that’s enough for you then go right ahead - really, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Of course, that’s yer lot, and so it’s hardly anything to get excited over. Still, for £5 each they’re good little pocket puzzlers to have on hand if ever you’ve got a few minutes to kill. 7/10

Pokemon Gold/Silver (GBC - 3DS Virtual Console)

Fun story: every mainline Pokemon game that I’ve played I have beaten. I have always gotten to the Pokemon league and I have always seen the credits. Except once. Right as the Pokemon phenomenon entered the millennium, versions Gold and Silver dropped. I was so hyped and I couldn’t wait to play them, but my playthrough was doomed from the start. Two reasons: one, I was something like 10 going on 11 and my experience with RPGs was a little impatient, and two, I was burnt out. I had played Pokemon Blue to death; getting my Charizard (i.e. my only good Pokemon) up to level 100, and the cartridge practically never left my GameBoy. So I didn’t have the stamina or the patience to see Pokemon Gold through to the end. That all changed when Nintendo brought it to the 3DS virtual Console this year. Breaking my own rules by putting a game I’ve already played on this list, but I have a lot to talk about. For starters, how about how I really appreciate the design. Having played Pokemon Blue again recently, and having my rose-tinted glasses somewhat cracked, I can see just what Gold brought to the table. Blue and Red were the staple Pokemon games, they started it all, but I didn’t realise many of the series tropes and traits started with Gold and Silver. With the exception of the Night and Day function - which allows for more complex catching strats - I was surprised by these games’ changes. For example, it introduced the berries; these would grow to become more complex in later Pokemon games, but here it’s kept pretty straightforward. The games also brought in the stat. specific poke-balls. Its a little tedious to get them but they’re there nonetheless. Then there’s the addition of the EXP meter beneath the Pokemon’s HP gauge - this makes grinding less monotonous as you can physically see just how well you’re progressing - as well as having your pack full of different pockets, removing the problem of having everything all clustered together. The Pokemon have even been redesigned to look like their anime counterparts a lot more, seeing as how the TV show was where a lot of fans started. The games’ plot also has some bearing on the series in general. Whilst the franchise has spawned many games, Gold and Silver were genuine sequels to the originals. They weren’t just the next generation; they continued the story-line and kept a lot of familiar things from the first game. Hell, the entire Kanto region from the first game is unlocked when you beat the Pokemon league, doubling the game’s longevity. When all is said and done, Pokemon Gold and Silver’s best quality to me is that it advances the series whilst still keeping things simple. This is probably due to the hardware limitations more than anything, but I think it works in its favour. More recent Pokemon releases really are a lot more complicated, and that’s not a bad thing, but it ultimately feels tacked on and unnecessary to the true Pokemon experience - as opposed to progressing it. Here however, along with the fact that I didn’t finish it and also that I have almost no memory of it at all, it’s like playing a brand new Pokemon game with all the extra guff taken out. It’s more of a personal preference than anything else, but in a way that’s what makes it even more special. This game initially came out at a time in my life when my childhood was coming to an end. I was starting high-school not long after and Pokemon in general (the anime, movies, toys), was something I was somewhat beginning to outgrow. I would still love the series, I’d play almost every game at launch for a good few years after this, but my obsession was dissipating. Playing Gold again - or more specifically, getting the chance to play Gold again (in its original state) - was like I was rediscovering a lost piece of my childhood, completing it and finally putting it to rest. That is an experience you can’t buy. 8/10

Shantae: Half Genie Hero (Switch)

The Shantae series may not have the quantity, but boy does it make up for it with the quality. I am a massive fan of this franchise. Every game just seems to be an excellent example of the genre, and Half Genie Hero continues this trend. Straight away, this game looks gorgeous. It’s so colourful and wonderfully animated it feels as though you’re playing a cartoon. Shantae and her supporting cast are all 2D, practically hand drawn characters inhabiting a 3D world, and the two conflicting styles really work well together. There’s so much subtlety and so much to love. The music is just as fantastic; jam packed with great ear worms both old and new, and the gameplay is phenomenal. Half Genie Hero is a little more of a departure from what the series is used to. Whereas the GBC original and Pirates curse were both Metroid-Vania style, with a map screen and various routes to explore, here the game delivers more A to B type levels. At first this may feel like a downgrade, but those guys at Wayforward still keep things interesting. Every world is designed to be replayed again and again. It’s divided up into three acts, most of which run like a typical platformer (left to right), but they’re chock full of secrets. Secrets you can only get by progressing further into the game. So, whilst the Metroid-Vania approach has been dropped, a lot of its core elements remain. The only drawbacks I can think of are that pitfalls get frustrating as they send you right back to the entrance of the room - and some of the rooms get really big. That’s about it though. With all the great stuff and charm this series has, it’s a shame half the time Wayforward have to crowd-fund in order to see their project come to life. Shantae as a series is easily one of the best platformers out there. Half Genie Hero is truly a brilliant game. I highly recommend picking it up on whatever system you own. 9/10

Sonic Mania (Switch)

Let’s not waste time: Sonic the Hedgehog hasn’t had a truly exceptional game in about 10 years. Sure there are probably one or two good games here and there sprinkled about, but I can remember the days when Sonic was unstoppable. A powerhouse of the industry. Every game with Sonic in the title meant something. It meant fun. It meant fast. It meant quality. Now, it usually means bland ideas and a low amount of effort or care. Sonic hasn’t had passion in his games for some time. Thankfully, Sonic Mania puts a stop to that. This game takes Sonic right back to his roots, focusing on what made those games so exceptional, and delivering it all in droves. The stage design, the speed, the music, it all hearkens back to a bygone era where Sonic the Hedgehog had a soul. And I love it. Put simply Sonia Mania makes me want to play it. I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it is. Usually I’ll want to play a game and see it through, and then I’ll move onto the next, but Sonic Mania makes me yearn to pick it up and play. Moments after coming off the game, I’ll feel the urge to go back on it. Why? Because it’s fun. Repeat that. It - is - fun. Crikey you wouldn’t think it would be that hard but apparently it is. Not only is Mania focused on finding Sonic’s essence again, but it also tries to throw as much nostalgic bliss in there as it can get away with. Levels and ascetics from the megadrive classics, modes and challenges from yesteryear, and even one or two brilliant easter eggs. Hardcore Sonic fans - especially those who grew up with him in the 90s - will find a lot to love here. There are flaws of course. Level design could be a little tighter as the speed often leads the player to an insta-death they had no way of avoiding. Often the game can get frustrating, and the levels themselves are quite long - longer than a traditional sonic side-scroller at least. On a few levels too there’s a lot on screen, making it all look a little clustered. This isn’t so bad after a few playthroughs, but initially it’s difficult to navigate.The finale is a little lacking too; it’s not as epic as Sonic can be or has been.  And realistically that’s it - although there is one personal area that bothers me. Whilst I love this game, and I think it’s excellent, I can’t help feeling as though it doesn’t have an identity. This is a hybrid of Sonic’s best moments, it’s not focused on being the “next” big moment. I guess what I’m saying is I’m disappointed in the result somewhat. I was expecting a brand new sonic game with the flare and soul of the old games - not an old sonic game with a few extra bells and whistles added to keep it fresh. I’m worried that it will just be a flash in the pan and, whilst I’ll still like it and play it in years to come, I fear it could be overlooked from being it’s own thing. To say this is the best Sonic game in years - or even ever - is like saying Queen’s greatest hits is their best album. Altogether, Sonic Mania is a great game and a much needed ray of sunshine on an otherwise dull and spent series. I just worry that it will fade into obscurity and be forgotten in the grand scheme of things. 8/10

Splatoon 2 (Switch)

A few years back I did a review for the original Splatoon on Wii U, and whilst opinions can change over time I pretty much stick 100% with what I said back then. It was a great game, a lot of fun, and a good starting point for the series going forward. I’ll emphasise it again: a good “starting point”. This is pretty much my big issue with Splatoon 2. Gameplay-wise it’s still just as fun. Hell, I’d argue it’s even more of a blast. Subtle changes have been made here and there to the overall structure of the game that it just adds up and improves things immeasurably. For example, the way you levelled up in the original was great from levels 1 through 20, because it rewarded you even if you lost. This made it all about fun, not winning. However from levels 20 onwards the game introduced a point system that flipped the approach. I feel this was an intentional move to slow progression for the more dedicated players and adding length to the overall game experience. Here, they’ve sort of merged the two systems. You get rewarded for the turf you ink, plus any bonuses that you may have earned. It also introduces a freshness scale. The more battles you win the better your freshness. This fluctuates with every win and loss, and it’s applied to specific weapons. Ranked matches are also divided up, meaning its not just one rank fits all. Now you can be specifically graded depending on the mode. Another great addition is Salmon Run. Essentially this game’s horde mode, Salmon run puts you in a team and has you collecting eggs for a certain time limit. It’s certainly a lot of fun, especially with friends. Speaking of, Nintendo definitely fixed the multiplayer here, as now I can play with friends a lot more seamlessly than before. It certainly makes everything a lot more enjoyable. The game’s single player campaign is also pretty good too, as it grants you all the varied weaponry and gives you the challenge of trying to beat every level with every weapon. I’ll be playing that for a while, I’m sure. With all that in mind, Splatoon 2 should be a great game; after all, its a blast to play with friends, and a lot of the kinks of the old game have been ironed out. But my big problem is that it just doesn’t do enough. This is not truly a sequel. It doesn’t dive into the series’ potential. It just does the same thing again but better and adds a few new things. The single player mode is the same in terms of structure, to the point where I actually thought they had just ported over the campaign when I hit go on the first level. Online is just as it was. No new modes, or play styles. No exploration into what the franchise can achieve. How about a party mode where you and a friend can team up and have a 2 vs 2 vs 2 vs 2 match? How about bots that allow you to practise and play on the go? How about a single player campaign that’s a lot more open world, that gives weapons specific attributes and allows for puzzles and other quirky gimmicks? No, nothing. All that potential gone up in smoke. This is more Splatoon 1.5 than it is 2. What’s worse is, whilst Nintendo certainly does a lot right, it also does a lot wrong. Splatfests, for instance, which were botched in the original because the game would not allow you to play with friends during Splatfest, carry much of the same issues. Now Splatfests are divided up into solo and team. Solo speaks for itself, but team literally means you and 3 friends. It’s either alone or with 3 others, so you can imagine how annoying it is if you don’t have those numbers. The reward system is also grossly unbalanced. In a team-based game, it should not punish you if you are unlucky enough to be on a bad team. But nope, it doesn’t matter if you’re the best or the worst, you lose freshness. The same goes for Salmon Run - which has a lot of questionable problems as it is. First of all, no matter how well you do in the first 2 rounds, if you fail the 3rd round, you fail outright. It literally all comes down to that round, and if you botch it up, you lose points and even rank. It’s also a little too RNG to be truly enjoyed. Another problem salmon run has is the timed windows it’s available to play. I don’t get Nintendo’s logic here. Maybe it’s to distribute players evenly so both salmon run and turf war aren’t overcrowded/empty. I don’t know. But it sucks because I can’t play when I want to play. It’s out of my hands. Finally, salmon run, like a lot of the game, has no customise options. Meaning it has to be 3, 100 second rounds every time. No options to have an endless mode. Nothing. This is what I mean when I say the game has potential that goes unexplored. Probably the worst case of this is the lack of bots. Splatoon 2 is an online game and as a result you’re grounded to play it at home - yet the switch encourages players to take it outside. So the game literally goes against the DNA of the hardware it’s on. Put Bots in there however and the problem is solved if you ask me. Now I don’t need to be online to play and practise. Why is this so difficult? All in all to me, Splatoon 2 is a “rush job”. Nintendo saw its popularity and knew it needed to be on their next system ASAP. It’s not really rushed, but when it’s essentially the same game with only minor additions, I can’t exactly say it’s pushing the envelope. Much like the first, it’s fun. I’d argue it’s actually more enjoyable, but great as it is, I can’t shake the feeling that it could have been so much better. If you give me essentially the same game, Nintendo, it gets essentially the same score. 8/10

Super Mario Maker for 3DS (3DS)

When Nintendo up and deleted one of my Super Mario Maker levels seemingly at random to save server space on the Wii U, I pretty much vowed to never play the game again. I mean, GG, Nintendo; you just straight up killed my drive to play your game. But, even so, I received the 3DS port from my brother as a gift and gave it a go. Straight away, it’s hard to really call this a port, but it’s also not truly its own game either. The base game - the level creator, the 100 mario challenge - has been transferred over, but there’s a lot of changes (some good, some not so much) and a lot of improvements thrown in. First of all there are 100 Nintendo made Mario Maker levels to play through, so that’s nice. If that wasn’t enough they come with optional challenges too, adding even more longevity to the game. Furthermore, this mode is how you unlock materials in the level creator. This is an improvement on the Wii U version, which saw players having to wait hours or days to get the opportunity to build with more stuff. This is also a pain however, as you literally have to play through all 100 levels in order to unlock everything. This can be monotonous, despite the very clever and inspired level design, as it feels as though your creativity is on hold whilst you play a full Mario game first - ironically, leaving the level creator aspect playing second fiddle. Not that that’s truly a bad thing, but it’s still a bother if you just want to create. Speaking of, the tools here are as great as ever, allowing some brilliant depth to come out of the smallest things. There’s a lot to use from the get-go too - unlike in the Wii U version where players had literally the bare minimum - so it’s not all bad. Not being able to share your levels online is a misfire though. What’s the point in making levels then? Well, you can share them with friends or strangers via streetpass, but if Nintendo is good at anything, it’s missing the bleeding obvious. You can only share levels with other “Super Mario Maker for 3DS” owners. There’s nothing wrong with this on the surface, but why didn’t you allow me to share my levels via download play, Nintendo. That would have been a master stroke. Just my level, via download play, and that’s it. Now, literally anyone with a 3DS can play my level. It could have been a great marketing platform too, being used to showcase the game to people who may not know whether they want it or not; but I digress. These are the only changes made but by and large it’s the same game as the Wii U, or perhaps a Super Mario Maker 2.0. The NSMBU design doesn’t look very appealing on the smaller system, and the lack of share-ability can leave players burning out quick, mind. Once I had everything unlocked I was building levels left and right, but I peaked early, and after maybe a week I was pretty much done with it. Still a good game, just like its Wii U twin really, but nothing to keep players hooked for very long - not even with the 100 or so levels. 8/10

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)

I have been wanting to get my hands on this game ever since the first trailer dropped back in January. Finally, after a decade, Mario was getting another wide open, sandbox, 3D game. Now that I’ve played it, I can say that it is glorious. Without a doubt, Odyssey is one of the best Mario titles ever made. What it does is so simple, yet it changes everything around it drastically. Power ups are dropped to make way for the capture ability and this in itself is a game changer. In the past, when devising Mario titles, everything has been built around Mario’s limitations - how high can Mario jump? how far? what abilities and power-ups does he have? etc. - but now, everything has to be built around the limitations of anything Mario can throw his hat to. As a result, we not only get deep, open, and expertly crafted playgrounds, but we also get clever challenges and innovative design. If I had to highlight anything specific though, it would be the game’s sheer genius creativity. With such a simple control set (A and B is Jump, X and Y throw Cappy, and the Z buttons crouch) Nintendo are able to build a plethora of available options, especially when tied to just what you can capture. This game wants you to explore its depths and discover its treasure. It wants you to experiment with whatever your hat can grab and smile at how utterly joyous it is to play. With every new enemy I took control over I found myself grinning from ear to ear as I saw just what new abilities were available to me. There is a lot of Mario DNA in this game too, but there is no Mario title out there like this one. It completely reinvents the formula and pushes everything to 11. 120 power stars to collect in Mario 64? Pffft, Odyssey has over 700 (I have no idea exactly as I am still playing it at time of writing) and they are EVERYWHERE. Luckily the game has Talkatoo the parrot to help you track them down, and if that doesn’t help, you can always exchange some coins to a Toad to have him reveal their locations. Plus there’s the kingdom specific purple coins, which can be traded in for decorations for your ship, as well as costumes to wear around the level. Yes, Mario can play dress up now, and for Mario historians, you may see some familiar outfits reappearing in the game. Also say goodbye to one-ups, now when you die you only lose coins, which adds actual value to collecting the things outside of just buying unnecessary stuff, and it also means that realistically you’ll never see the Game Over screen. You have got to be down-right tragic at video games to ever see that here. This means you never really break rhythm. Sure, you’ll fail a couple of times and die, but you lose 10 coins and you’re right back at it. This game is just 100% fun, 100% of the time. Flaws are barely noticeable. Once or twice you may find yourself getting frustrated at a particularly taxing puzzle, or you’ll be running around in circles trying to track down that one illusive Power Moon, but when all is said and done it’s not even a blip on the radar when up against how much you’ll be enjoying yourself. The visuals are gorgeous, some enemy designs are nothing short of inspired, and the music is some of the best I’ve heard in a Mario title. It’s certainly not perfect, but it is DAMN close. 10/10

Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers (Switch)

This game has gotten a degree of flack since it came out. I really don’t see what the issue is. It’s Street Fighter, and not just that but it’s the best one: Street Fighter 2. The controls are great with no lag or poor feedback whatsoever; the music and sound quality is great; and the visuals can vary between retro and HD - both of which look amazing and slick. It’s essentially the complete Street Fighter 2 experience with a few more extras thrown in for good measure. There’s online for the competitive folk; a hadouken motion control mini game for the people refusing to let that fad die; and for the first time ever a co-op mode allowing local players to tackle arcade together rather than 1 on 1. By far this game’s best strength though is the system it is on. Being able to play this on the go means that it has the potential to be a rewarding game over time. Need to kill some time? Got a spare half hour? Taking the long train to and from work? Boot this baby up and blast through arcade mode. It’s seriously a great feature to have. So why all the fuss? Well some people aren’t too happy about the price. It was over £30 on launch day, and I agree that’s a bit steep, but all the same when the price drops this will be a mute-point. Secondly, many complain that the game is a little bare bones. I can see this. Even with all the bells and whistles added to it, there is actually not a lot to do. Everything is unlocked from the get go so there’s no real progression system in place, and one play of arcade mode is all you’ll want to do per play session. All the same, the gameplay is fine and it’s a decent little package. So long as your standards are reasonable, and the game isn’t too expensive, it’s definitely worth having on your system - especially when you can play it anywhere you want. 7/10 

Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

It’s no surprise that some games just aren’t for everyone; Xenoblade Chronicles X is one such game. I’m a little ambivalent about this game. On the one hand I did enjoy certain moments; it’s epic scope and scale is something to behold; and it’s by far one of the most in depth gaming experiences out there. But on the other, poor design and lack of approach-ability are enough to make it un-fun. So un-fun, that it can make you give up on trying to beat it. Yes, I admit it, I never actually saw the end to XCX, and sadly, I know I’m not the only one. XCX’s problems are all conglomerate - individually they are forgivable, but stacked side by side they become startlingly frustrating. Let’s start with the over complicated...everything. This game throws so much information at you it’s nauseating. So you have ground gear, arts, skills, classes, level, blade level, affinity, and more. All of these need to be understood if you’re to get anywhere in the game. Ground gear is the simplest, it’s basic equipment, but the equipment you can or can’t equip is dependant on your class. Your class has a level cap of 20 and levels up as you do. Once it hits 20 you’re advised to change your class to make sure you don’t just stagnate. So frequently you will have to get used to new arts and skills. Arts are special attacks that can be used during battles, and skills are constant power ups that stay with you at all times - i.e. raise health, raise accuracy etc. Both of these change with every class. Then there’s the level and blade level. Blade level takes a lot longer to grow than the normal level but by levelling it up you can improve skills outside in the field. These skills are used to plant probes to increase exploration, or to scavenge certain treasures. Some of these instances require a higher skill level however, which you can only get when your blade level increases. Since the blade level takes so long to grow, this can be more of a limitation than anything else. Finally affinity is basically team relations; how you get on with your team. Seems almost irrelevant but the game forces you to do it as some missions are locked behind affinity. Great stuff. Did that sound complicated? Because it is, and the game does such a poor way of explaining it. Then there’s the battle system. FYI, I had to look up how it works online - that should give you an idea of how needlessly complicated it is. So your character and team attack in real time automatically. All you can do is move about, select arts, change weapon, and command teammates. There’s a cool-off period between attacks too so more often than not, you’re sat around waiting the battle out. Oh but don’t think you can use your arts all at once, no, you have to use them when your characters ask you. Using them at the right time will give you a boost in health and TP. TP is required for some arts and also for reviving fallen teammates. It grows as you attack, but no where near as much as you want. What really kills this battle system though is the unbalanced enemy system. Any enemy more than 5 levels higher than your team is out of your league as far as I could tell. Doesn’t sound so bad until you realise that the battles take place in real time, so other nearby enemies can just come in and end you. The number of times I failed because I became grossly outnumbered, or because some humongous level 90 demigod just happened to be strolling past, slowly started to kill my spirit. All this and I haven’t even touched on the useless teammate system; the poor sound design (having the music play louder than the dialogue isn’t great, guys); the shortsighted main quest structure; the frustrating side-quests; the unbearable fetch-quests; the uninspired story; the farming this, that and the other; and just the crappy way the game needlessly blocks you from advancing from time to time. In spite of it all though, I was willing to see it through to the end. That was until I lost my skell three times to just nonsensical circumstances, each time forcing me to return to base just to get it fixed, and then, upon losing it a fourth time, I realised that I had to grind again through a system built to make grinding depressing. Overall, I cannot recommend this game to the average player. It has its moments, and I don’t want to call it bad, but man, it has the power to just drain your soul. Play it only if you read mathematics books for a living. 6/10

[gamerspasm]

My Breath of the Wild Adventure

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

My first Screenshot. Let’s go on an Adventure!

My first horse. I named him Yang.

Finding my first Great Fairy was a legitimate moment of excitement.

Vah Ruta was the first Divine Beast I conquered. Couldn’t resist grabbing a screenshot to celebrate.

Lynel staredown...

Guardian watch.

This guy’s seen some serious stuff.

Blood Moon rising.

Nothing beats killing Stal-moblins by kicking their skulls off a cliff.

I took down all of this guy’s pals while he stood there in a T-pose.

God, this game looks beautiful.

Again, beautiful.

Absolutely gorgeous.

Maybe we should come up with our plan to take down Rudania somewhere else? Somewhere a little more...out of earshot perhaps.

Blood Moon rising over Death Mountain.

The lengths one goes to to avoid a Lynel.

Did I mention how good this game looks.

Blood Moon rising on the horizon.

A stunning sunrise.

Link’s PTSD kicked in shortly after reading the mission title.

3 down, 1 to go.

Taking Yang out for a stroll.

A big horse needs a big name.

Link looking a little non-plussed at having to climb all the way up a tree to find a Korok.

Just look at how good this game looks!

All 4 Divine Beasts conquered; all Champion weapons collected...

...but the adventure’s not over yet!

As empty as it is, the Gerudo desert is one of my favourite landscapes in the game to just take in.

Befriending dogs, featuring Kass.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present: the amazing balancing chest.

Finding my fourth and final Great Fairy was less exciting, especially for my wallet.

Bird watching.

Again, love the Gerudo landscape...

...I mean, look at it. It’s so good!

The adventures of Link and his pet icicle didn’t end well.

Blood Moon rising over the hills.

To be clear, this game is staggeringly gorgeous.

Such a feast for the eyes.

Blood Moon rising over Hyrule Castle...But I don’t think I’ll take on Ganon just yet; there’s still important things to do first...

...like sneaking around and spying on old ladies (it’s for a side quest, honest)

Playing with shadows.

Hello again, old friend.

And about time too.

At this point, we’re over 130 hours in, and I’m pleasantly surprised to see the game has rainbows.

At last, I am complete again...

If one must save Hyrule, one must look the part.

I should really be putting an end to Ganon, but I just discovered a way to screw around with guardians in water and I won’t be denied my fun.

I’m flipping the damn thing over and it still hasn’t seen me!

All right, enough fooling around. Let’s do this!

Deep in enemy territory; surrounded by guardians and god knows what; over 140 hours of play time; AND STILL I can’t help snapping a pic of the game’s beauty.

Face to face. Bring it!

And so, our journey comes to an end.

Calamity Ganon has been vanquished, and Hyrule is saved at last.

The End.

#Nintendo #nintendo switch #The Legend of Zelda #breath of the wild

[gamerspasm]

Launch Day Love

There’s something uniquely special about getting a new Nintendo system. I don’t know what it is; other consoles, whilst great, just don’t get me excited like Nintendo does. I know I’m not the only one. Even some non-specific console fans agree. The Nintendo Switch has just launched and whilst (at the time of writing) I’ve yet to get my own, I’m sure today is going to be full of memories to sear onto my mind. Having such a love of the company and its systems over the years, and to celebrate the launch of Nintendo’s 7th home system, I thought I’d delve into my nostalgia and reminisce about all the Nintendo home console launches that I can remember.

SNES

The first console I ever owned was the Super Nintendo. More specifically it belonged to my father. I was too young to remember launch day, but I do remember playing it. The SNES we had was a special bundle pack. It came with Starwing (the European version of StarFox) and it was all over the box art. Starwing was the first game I ever played. The theme of Cornaria will forever be in my heart as that is the level I would always play over and over and over again. Later I would go on to own plenty of SNES games - including my absolute favourite of them all, Donkey Kong Country 2 - but the SNES and Starwing was where it all began.

Nintendo 64

I cannot for the life of me remember getting the N64. I don’t know why. It’s like a corrupted data file; I can remember fragments of it, but it’s difficult to make out what it was. I think it was a treat from my father. My brother and I came home from school and it was there -I think - and it had Pilotwings 64. OK, now that I can remember. I can remember playing Pilotwings and getting totally freaked out by the analogue stick. “Up is down and down is up?” we spent a good half hour thinking the game was broken when the gyro-copter wouldn’t leave the airstrip. Pilotwings 64 was a great game to get with the system. It showcased exactly what the console could do, and it prepared us for what was arguably going to be our best system. Like I say, I can’t remember setting up the original grey version, but as a footnote, I do remember getting my Pokemon one. I was mad about Pokemon at the time and as a treat from my parents I was given my own Pokemon themed N64 (the grey one was my brother’s and it was in his bedroom). I was so shocked when I got it. I had literally no reason to suspect I would get my own console, let alone a Pokemon one. Truly spectacular.

Gamecube

I was in high school when the Gamecube launched, and I remember my dad was going to pick it up on the way home from work. We got three games with it: Luigi’s Mansion (which was mine), Star Wars Rogue Leader (my brother’s), and Super Monkey Ball (for both of us). All game consoles at this point were upstairs in the bedrooms, but because it was a special day my dad let us set it up downstairs in the living room (on the big TV). There was only one problem: we didn’t have any memory cards yet, and the system didn’t come with one (kind of an oversight on Nintendo’s part in hindsight). Nevertheless, we spent the evening taking turns playing our respective games. I think my brother let me play Luigi’s Mansion first, but then when it came time to let him have a go on Star Wars, I found it difficult to stop. I knew it was only fair, but I just wanted to keep playing, I was having so much fun. Of course I came off and we booted up Rogue Leader and we were absolutely blown away. That game looked amazing. It was like we were playing the movie and it was awesome. The Gamecube has a lot of memories attached to it, but its first is one of the best.

Wii

When the Wii launched, I was in college. I remember being so hyped for it. After the reveal of the Wii remote, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. For whatever reason my dad wasn’t working that day, and neither was my brother, so they said they’d go into town and get the console from my local GAME (where I’d pre-ordered it). I had to go to college sadly. I remember one of my gamer friends (who wasn’t specifically a Nintendo fan) saying “you got yours yet?” I replied “no, but it’ll be there when I get home”. He then told me how he and his brother had got it at midnight and had since played not only Wii Sports, but also Twilight Princess. You’d think I’d be jealous, but surprisingly I wasn’t; I was even more excited. Of course I got home and there it was. We got Twilight Princess with it, but because it was so close to Christmas, my brother said he’d save the experience until then. Our only games for the system after that were just Wii Sports and Red Steel. Whilst Red Steel was a little hit and miss, with plenty of frustrating issues, playing Wii Sports was immaculate. It was the first game I played on the system. The best part was of course that even my parents got involved. They got up and started playing and having fun. It was such a good night, and even now if we’re all together (like at Christmas or New Years) we’ll boot up the old Wii and play a few rounds of tennis. Simply put, the Wii was magical.

Wii U

The Wii U was a console of firsts. It was the first console I ever ordered online for a start (all other consoles before hand had been pre-ordered in store - even the 3DS), but also the Wii U was the first console where I’d played it before launch. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the system at an event earlier that year, so I already knew what was coming my way. Even so, I was excited to get it delivered. I remember opening up the box with my brother and setting it up as quickly as we could. I do remember several issues though. Like the updates, and the freezing - oh lord, the freezing (do you remember when the Wii U used to do that all the goddamn time). Never the less it was all booted up before long and we jumped straight away onto Nintendo Land. I’d had the chance to play the game before hand, but only the smallest titbit of the mini-games. Getting to play the full version was just outstanding. One of the best things about it was the discoveries we made. Some games we ignored because we thought they wouldn’t be any fun, but it turns out we enjoyed them more than any other mode on the game. It led to some great multiplayer moments too, and much like the Wii, we even managed to get our family involved in it. I can’t pretend the Wii U was just as special as those that came before it, and I may be able to recount this memory so vividly because it was so recent not because it was amazing, but the excitement leading up to the launch was genuine. I was excited to get the next Nintendo system, because it would deliver on the most important things: the games. Granted it would take a while to do so, but nevertheless, it delivered the goods. I’ve always stood by it and I stand by it now: The Wii U, whilst not Nintendo’s best by any means, was still a genuine Nintendo console. That makes it special.

[gamerspasm]

Top 15 Wii U Games - Honourable Mentions

People may laugh and joke and say “of course there were only 15 good games on the system” but they’d be wrong. There were others that I was considering, but there either wasn’t enough to truly push it to 20 or I had to disqualify them because they didn’t fit the criteria. Here are my honourable mentions in no specific order:

New Super Mario Bros. U

Yes, the series is stagnant, and yes, it wasn’t exactly the system’s best game ever, but regardless, NSMBU is a fun title; if a little tired and thin on ideas. It looks great, really showing off the graphical strength of the hardware, and it plays just as you’d expect. It was arguably one of the first Nintendo games to ever have DLC made for it as well, and even that turned out to be a fun little add-on. Whilst it’s not going to be winning any awards for anything really, I feel bad just straight up ignoring what is still a fun time. Just, not as fun as it could have (or should have) been.

Zombi U

Ubisoft’s obligatory launch title for the system actually turned quite a few heads when it came out. What many were expecting to be a flop right from the off, turned out to deliver one of the freshest survival horror games in recent years. The perma-death idea, whilst not ultimately well used, is still a good idea, and the set ups to some of the situations are wonderfully well put together. Furthermore there were plenty of memorable moments coming away from this title; from the house party where no zombie can hear you because the music’s too loud, to the haunting nursery where you have no radar. So why didn’t it make my list? Because there were just too many games that kept pushing it further and further back. Plus, even though I still regard it as a Wii U exclusive, there’s no hiding the fact that it was ported to other consoles down the line. It was pretty much disqualified anyhow . A shame really.

LEGO City Undercover

On the one hand the most refined LEGO game experience, on the other, another LEGO game experience. LEGO City Undercover is both great and uninspired at the same time. My policy with LEGO games is this: once you’ve played one, you’ve played them all. This mostly remains true, as pretty much every LEGO game I’ve played is identical to the last. Cosmetic and aesthetic things change, but mechanically it’s the same. With that said, if you told me you’d never played a LEGO game before, LEGO City Undercover is the game I would throw your way. The humour and writing is brilliant, the overall design is surprisingly in depth, and it’s probably the most ambitious game the studio has ever made. It’s hard to recommend when it’s arguably the same as those that came before it (not to mention the atrocious loading times) but like I said, if you’re looking for the best LEGO game on market, this is it. It’s coming out on Switch soon anyway, so  you don’t even need a Wii U to play it anymore.

Pokken Tournament

An enjoyable game to be sure, Pokken Tournament missed out on the top 15 for only one reason: outside of the fighting there is nothing else. This game has so little to offer players that it’s not even a very efficient fighting game. Sure it’s got modes to play, but in reality it’s not going to be enough to hold you for very long. Tag on the awful voice “talent” and the overdone menus, and you’ve got a game that gets irritating fast. But even with all of that against it, I cannot deny that the fighting aspect is incredibly fun. It’s tedious and a hell of a lot more bother than it should be, but it’s satisfying. Put simply, the game’s strength is in its fighting, and in its fighting alone; which is good because if that was bad, this game would be downright unplayable. Don’t misunderstand: it’s not a bad game, it’s just not what I would call the console’s best.

The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker HD; Twilight Princess HD; Breath of the Wild

Well, couldn’t avoid this elephant in the room any longer, could I? What the hell am I playing at; making a top 15 of a Nintendo system and not putting a single one of the available 3 main Zelda games on it. Well, you see, long story short, they’re all disqualified. Much as it pains me. Windwaker HD is magnificent, and Twilight Princess HD is equally so. At the time of writing Breath of the Wild hasn’t been released but you know that’s going to be goddamn glorious. Even so, I have to disqualify it antemortem as it were. Why? because they’re not Wii U games. Sure the former games may add new things and generally up their quality by a fraction, but when you really get down to it, these are not original Wii U titles. Windwaker is a Gamecube title, always has been, always will be; no lick of paint will change that. As for Twilight Princess, that’s both a Gamecube and a Wii title, no way that’s allowed on here. “But Breath of the Wild too?” Whilst it may have started life as a Wii U game, there’s no changing the fact that it’s also on Switch. It looks better on Switch; it plays better on Switch; and though I don’t like making predictions, I’m willing to bet it will sell better on Switch as well. By all accounts, it may as well be a Switch title exclusively. That and the fact that I can’t rank it if I haven’t played it (that’s why Paper Mario Colour Splash and Tokyo Mirage Sessions are absent too), and that only gets worse because I never will play it - on Wii U anyway. As a long time Zelda fan it hurts to leave the series off the list (unless you count Hyrule Warriors as a main title, which no one does) but unfortunately the Wii U just didn’t have it’s own original mainline Zelda. Sorry. If I was to ignore my ruling however, and pick one to go on the list, I would go with the Windwaker, as it’s just such a perfect game experience. There. Happy now?

[gamerspasm]

Top 15 Wii U Games

Well, here we are. We all knew this day was coming; it was always inevitable, but it’s still sad that it came around so soon. The Wii U’s life has drawn to a close. Commercially the console could be called a failure. It was unequivocally Nintendo’s “mistake” system, being hit by bad decision after bad decision and undergoing trouble from the very moment the game pad appeared in Satoru Iwata’s hands. It lost support from third parties, mainstream media regarded it as a joke, and no matter how hard it tried it just couldn’t get off the ground. But I’m not here to talk about the obvious and blatant flaws; many other people have been doing that for some 4 years now. No, I want to talk about the successes; more specifically the games. Even though the Wii U had a rocky life, I still defended it for one reason: the games. Honestly, the Wii may be Nintendo’s best selling system, but the Wii U’s library is vastly superior in quality. So, if we are to say goodbye to the Wii U, let’s do it right by honouring the amazing experiences it gave us. And, just to prove a point, I am only going to be including exclusives. Starting with:

15. Xenoblade Chronicles X

Don’t let anyone tell you the Wii U only caters to the young or the casual. Why? Because Xenoblade Chronicles X exists. Simply put, this is, without a doubt, the most complex and hardcore gaming experience I’ve ever played. This is both a good thing and bad thing. Good, because for those who enjoy statistics for days, there’s a lot to love; bad, because for those that don’t, prepare for a rocky ride. There is a gigantic barrier of entry here. Information is thrown at you left and right, and some parts are a little convoluted. It can make your head spin sometimes. So, no, this game isn’t for everyone, but if you’re willing to stick it through and entrench yourself, you’ll be rewarded with an engaging and enjoyable experience. The sheer scale and scope of this game defies description. It is huge. Absolutely enormous; and the best thing about that is the level of immersion it delivers as a result. The genuine feeling of vertigo as you leap off a cliff to the ocean below; the real sense of distance as you make your way toward a mountain on the horizon, and best of all (if you install the game data onto the system) it’s all incredibly seamless. No loading times between areas or lag. It’s all rather astonishing, and when there’s so much to do in this massive world, you’ll be at it for months. Long story short, Xenoblade Chronicles X is a niche time sink and a half, but in terms of adventure, you’re not going to find a greater supply on this system.

14. Nintendo Land

One of the best gaming memories I’ve ever had was getting my Wii and playing Wii sports for the first time. It was a great way to show off the strengths of the console, while still being a fairly decent game in its own right. Even though the Wii U didn’t quite capture the same experience, I have to say the bundled in showcase-game is arguably the better of the two. Not only does this game show off the strengths of the Wii U’s Gamepad, it also has a surprising amount of depth. Even more surprising is that depth has variety. Whether want a quick little mini-game to kill some time, or something a little more adventurous, it’s all here. The game also doubles up as a party game too, offering a lot of laughs as well as some great experiences. Even though the Wii U’s launch was arguably weak, and the first 6 months of its life weren’t much better, Nintendo Land still made me excited for what was still to come. 

13. Captain Toad Treasure Tracker   

It’s true what they say about big things and small packages. One glance at Captain Toad Treasure Tracker and you’d think Nintendo just weren’t trying anymore, and yet, this experience is so utterly delightful, so effortlessly charming, that I dare you not to enjoy yourself. The premise is simple; the design, layered; and the gameplay instinctively fun. There’s also a surprising amount of things to do. There are mission challenges, time trials, and bonus extra mini-games. Not only that but everything looks amazing. Treasure Tracker may not be a full Mario title, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s perfectly good at being what it is, and what it is is wonderful fun.

12. Bayonetta 2

It was clear before the console launch that Nintendo was serious about delivering games. Naming Bayonetta’s sequel as a Wii U exclusive was a huge move. It infuriated a lot of fans needlessly (I mean c’mon, the game wouldn’t be happening at all if it wasn’t for Nintendo footing the bill) but it quickly got on to a lot of people’s “best of Wii U” lists. It’s a shame the game didn’t have the pull to get more people to jump on Nintendo’s side, but regardless it’s still a blast. Platinum keeps its form strong as it echoes the previous cult-classic, whilst also slipping in some new things along the way. It does feel a little too close to its predecessor at times and it can lack the scale, scope, and initial wow factor too, but taken as it is, it’s still a phenomenal title to get stuck in with. Looking for action? This is the game for you. Of course, there’s also...

11. The Wonderful 101

One name: Hideki Kamiya. Bayonetta 2 was missing its size and scope because this man was no longer directing. Put simply, Kamiya likes things to be big. He’s the Rita Repulsa of the video game industry. If he can have a monster the size of a planet, it’s going in his game. If he can fill a screen with so much mayhem and carnage and yet maintain a cohesive experience, it’s going to happen. This is the case for the Wonderful 101. A game I didn’t even know I wanted until I booted it up. An inspired and chaotic game that is completely unique. Its writing is on comic point; its imagery is beautifully creative; its unabashed self-awareness is a breath of fresh air; and it is a wild ride from start to finish. A common complaint from players was that its control style was fiddly and unresponsive inputs tainted the experience, but I very rarely had these issues. It’s a shame this game came out right when Wii U opinion was at its lowest. This game deserves more love. It’s wonderful.

10. Star Fox Zero

Go ahead, call me a fanboy, I’m at the point where I don’t care anymore. I don’t care what you think of me, Star Fox Zero is a good game. I stand by that, 100%. The fact that I am a Nintendo fan makes it harder to convey this authentically. “Oh but the controls are garbage” They’re fine. Seriously, if you think they’re unplayable its because you’re either an impatient gamer or a cynic, or both. I played through the whole first level without using the “awkward” controls at all (granted you have to use them during the final scene but the point still stands), and the more I played, the more adept I became. Also, did I mention that this is the best Star Fox game since the N64? Because it is. Yes, it is more or less a reboot of Star Fox 64 (and I hope they don’t just keep doing this as the series moves on) but if like me you’ve been waiting patiently for another genuine Star Fox outing for some 20 years or so, a reboot is more than welcome. Every now and again I’ll keep thinking about it and I just get the urge to jump back in and have a blast. No other game on the Wii U has that much draw for me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and the internet has handed down its verdict, but as far as I’m concerned Star Fox Zero is excellent. 

9. Super Mario Maker

When it comes to celebrating the 30th anniversary of their mascot, Nintendo doesn’t mess around. Getting the chance to make your own Mario levels has been the dream of a lot of fans since the franchise first started, and the Wii U seemed like the perfect system to let it happen. With a near limitless amount of fun to be had, Super Mario Maker offers a simplistic design to an arguably complex task. Making levels is highly enjoyable, and seeing what other talented designers can come up with can lead to some of the best Mario experiences ever. Realistically, it could do no wrong, but it’s such a shame Nintendo let the side down by failing to curate the content it was pushing. Genuinely brilliant levels were trampled by a stampede of half-baked, terrible ones, and sometimes creating levels has no value when they can just be deleted at random (thanks again for that, Nintendo, I’m not going to get that hour back). However, even with this in mind, I maintain that this is still a strong game. I don’t regret the hours I poured into it, and it was a fantastic way to flex some creative muscles. It also acted as a basic guide to game design. Sure, it’s now on 3DS as well, but I will still class this game as a Wii U title first and foremost; and it’s one of the best too.

8. Hyrule Warriors

Super Mario Maker may seem like a time sink, but that sink is only as deep as the creativity of those playing. If you really want a time sink on Wii U, look no further than Hyrule Warriors. This game has such an inordinate amount of content it can drive people to madness, and all you do is mash, slam, and maul your way through endless enemy forces. And I love it. Being a Zelda fan helps with the world and characters on display here, but realistically you don’t need to be a fan of that franchise. You just need to be a fan of carnage and all its cathartic wonders. Furthermore it suits all gamers - those looking for a half-hour session or those looking for something bigger. Put simply, Hyrule Warriors is fun. Its design is fun. Its stages are fun. It - is - fun. Yes, like Super Mario Maker, it’s also found its way onto the 3DS, but if you’re asking which is the definitive version, it’s the Wii U, hands down.

7. Super Smash Bros. For Wii U   

Super Mario Maker was a little bit of a show-stealer at E3 2015, but it has nothing on the year prior. Super Smash Bros. dominated that stage with its invitational tournament and promise. It was the first of the franchise to go portable on the 3DS, and whilst I personally think the portability makes that the better of the two, when it comes to content and general quality, it has to be the Wii U version. This game just has so much to offer, perhaps not on the scale of say Hyrule Warriors, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in variety. You’ve got 8 player smash; multiplayer in single player modes; events; more courses to choose from; amiibo functionality (for non new 3DS or puck owners) and that’s all on top of everything the series is used to bringing. In terms of direction, this game doesn’t have it, but that’s the best part. What you have here is a playground where you can do whatever you want, however you want, with whomever you want. If I had any drawbacks it would be the DLC. Not that DLC is a problem in general here, but rather the way Nintendo decided to handle it. Having to pay more to get the same DLC on both Wii U and 3DS is not cool, guys, since that actually punishes the loyal fans who bought both copies. It’s stupid. Luckily, you don’t need the DLC to still have an absolute blast with this game. It’s easily one of the best multiplayer experiences on the Wii U. 

6. Splatoon 

Speaking of multiplayer, I couldn’t really make a best of Wii U list without putting Splatoon in there, now could I. This game caught everyone off guard. By all accounts this should have been a massive failure. Not because it’s bad, but rather because the climate around the Wii U at the time was temperamental at best. Not only was the console getting no real support from the media, but also, Nintendo had decided to release a brand new IP for their most unpopular system. With no built-in fanbase, to say this game was a risk is an understatement. Yet, despite it all, it paid off. Almost overnight Splatoon became the Wii U’s most celebrated game. Not only was it a great game, but it also reinvigorated an arguably tired genre, offering a new twist on an already established experience as well as rewarding consumers with weekly updates, keeping the game...well...fresh. Now I will say that multiplayer focused online games aren’t my forte, but even with that said, every time I played Splatoon, whether it was just for a quick few games, or whether I was getting involved in the Splatfests, I had an incredible amount of fun. It’s not hard to see why this game is so beloved and why it’s sequel is already getting a lot of attention on the Switch.

5. Yoshi’s Woolly World

I really loved Yoshi’s Island on the SNES. It’s without a doubt one of my favourite games of all time; but it seems that Nintendo just couldn’t bottle lightning twice. Until Woolly World came out. Finally, we have a worthy successor. Woolly World gets the balance perfect. There’s all the familiar that the fans know and love, but the elements that always felt shoe-horned in before have been dropped. The wool motif isn’t just an ascetic choice either, it’s actually creatively put into the design, leading to some inventive puzzles, as well as ingenious stages. Furthermore, the design here is so tight. This game teaches you about itself as you play. By the last world you’ll be able to see all the hidden areas with ease; and that’s not even going into how each level is completely original. I had so much fun playing I was genuinely saddened when it all came to an end. It’s safe to say that I love this game.

4. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze

The fate of Tropical Freeze is quite a sad one. Y’see, at the start of 2014 when this game came out, the Wii U was circling the drain as far as public opinion was concerned. Sure, it had one or two good games in 2013, but let’s face it the Wii U was dead in the water - many people thought. As a result, this game received no love from critics. Criticised for its design being too similar to its predecessor, among other petty things, Tropical Freeze just never really saw much of the light of day. Ask anyone now though, and they’ll all tell you the same thing: Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is probably the best 2D platformer in years. I will admit some critiques stick, but they do nothing to tarnish the strength of this game. Every level is well designed and unique; the introduction of more kongs varies and shakes up the play style; the look and feel is absolutely fantastic; and the music...oh the music. Quite possibly the best soundtrack of 2014, and if you know what soundtracks came out in that year, you’ll know that is saying something. Honestly, I was considering this game for a higher position on my list, but you have to understand, even though this game is amazing (and it IS amazing) there are still 3 games I consider as better. Such as...

3. Pikmin 3

After somewhat of a hiatus on the Wii, Pikmin returned on the Wii U in what can only be described as the series best. I say that in disbelief. The first Pikmin was such a momentous time-management game, and a staple of the Gamecube era; it’s sequel was also a wonderful game, how does the third instalment match up to them? First it truly utilises the Gamepad’s functionality, allowing for insane multitasking feats, and second it reinvents part of its key formula. Pikmin 1 gave you 30 days to succeed; whereas Pikmin 2 didn’t give you any deadline at all. Pikmin 3 however, gives you as much time as you need, provided you can get it. No longer are you searching for salvage in order to escape the planet, you’re looking for food - to survive long enough to escape the planet. Literally, if you are not careful with your time, the game will just end on you. Same pressure, different style. In addition, the game looks gorgeous; has so much love, charm, and character; and has such a draw of replay-ability, my brother actually played it twice in quick succession to try and do things better on the second go. Thinking back, I’m actually struggling to pinpoint anything bad about it. It’s a true marvel.

2. Super Mario 3D World

A lot of people said when the Wii U launched back in November 2012 that it came out a year early. This was because, as I said before, the launch line up wasn’t too impressive, and the wait for some big new games took practically 6 months. Though it pains me to say it, I have to agree. If the Wii U launched in November 2013, we’d have Pikmin 3 and The Wonderful 101 both at launch for a start, But we’d also have Super Mario 3D World on top of that. Whilst the Wii U did launch with a Mario game, there’s no doubt which title is superior. Super Mario 3D World, as many people have said, is the game the console should have launched with. That’s not to say New Super Mario Bros. U is a bad game by any means, but it pales in comparison to this stellar achievement of entertainment and design. Continuing the style of the incredible Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS, 3D World takes everything up to 11. Level design is some of the series best; power ups are new and are actually interesting; a mixture of play styles and characters to choose from to keep things unique; outstanding graphics and music; and a whole boat load of things to do. Just when you think you’ve beaten the game, another world opens up; then another one after that, and then more after that. It’s truly a gift that keeps on giving and it’s all remarkably fun to boot. Not only that but 3D World delivers what I would say is the hardest level ever made by official Nintendo devs: the infamous Champion’s Road. It is as the name implies: only masters of Mario should attempt, and even then they should be wary. All in all, Super Mario 3D World is easily one of the finest Mario games ever made, let alone on Wii U. It’s absolutely fantastic; but it is still not the best game the Wii U has to offer. It is a majestic game to be sure, but if there’s one title that deserves the crown for best Wii U game, it has to be...

1. Mario Kart 8

Without a doubt. What other game could it be? When compiling this list, as difficult as it was to rank all the other games here, I knew this game was number 1. It is the most refined Mario Kart experience yet. Everything looks gorgeous; environments old and new are beautifully presented; the tracks are some of the best in the franchise; the music is extraordinarily brilliant; and the gameplay is not only seamless and enjoyable, its also addictive. Oh but the fun doesn’t stop there, as online functionality gives this game a near limitless amount of play time. “Oh but what if other players just stop playing?” Ha, what? I wager I could boot the game up right now and find people from all over the world playing it. The only way those servers are going to get empty before April 28th 2017 is if Nintendo closes them down. It’s the best selling and most popular game on the system, and with good reason. But, Mario Kart 8 isn’t just an outstanding game, it’s also served as the flagship of the Wii U. Do you remember before when I mentioned how low the opinion of the console was back in early 2014? This game, when it launched in May that year, was so great, it changed the Wii U perception dramatically, and it gave rise to one of the console’s strongest years. Furthermore it was one of the first Nintendo games to do DLC, and it even hit it out of the park there. For a reasonable fee, players were given extra characters as well as four new grand prixs; essentially, players were getting a bonus Mario Kart game on top of the one they already owned. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Nintendo just added a 200cc mode for free. The sheer level of content given to us was astounding. Only a short-sighted battle mode brought this game down from perfection, but as far as I’m concerned that’s barely a dent. Mario Kart 8 is the Wii U’s best game, plain and simple, and if you disagree I will fight you.

#Wii U #Top 15 #List #Mario #Zelda #Star Fox #Pikmin #Donkey Kong #super smash bros wii u #Yoshi #Splatoon

[gamerspasm]

My 2016 in Games

It’s that time of year again. Time for me to look back on all the games I’ve played in the last 12 months and review them for no other reason than it’s the end of the year. Honestly, last year took a while to write up, but I’ve been looking forward to this since January. Obviously, like 2015, this is a mishmash of different games, both old and new, and ONLY games I haven’t played before. What’s more, these are games I have at the very least beaten. So let’s get right to it:

Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice (3DS)

I’m a massive fan of the Ace Attorney series, and it feels like it’s been ages since the last one. Realistically it’s only been 3 years. Like most of the games before it, Spirit of Justice does what it can to balance the classic gameplay everyone loves with new elements that help to keep the series fresh. Here, it’s the divination seance, adding literally the last moments of the victim’s life to the testimony. It’s a nice addition, offering a lot to consider, but given how previous additions make a return also, it does feel a little clustered when they try and cram them all in. Still the cases are a lot of fun. Typical Ace Attorney, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. One thing I did find irksome though was I felt some cases could have been expanded upon more in order to make the shocking reveals all the more impressive. There were a few “plot twists” that fell rather flat, basically. Plus, despite the inclusion of colourful characters, most of the time defendants are people we already know, which can lead to the stories feeling stagnant. The music is great as always and the overall look does the job. All in all it’s great, but, personally speaking, not the strongest entry in the franchise. The finales are always big in these games, but this one just doesn’t seem to have the same gravitas. That said, it does have one of the most emotional and heart-wrenching moments in the series’ history, but I dare not spoil it here. You’ll have to play the game yourself. 8/10

Another World 20th anniversary  (Wii U - eShop)

This game has been sitting on my Wii U for a while now, but I finally got around to playing it this year. I never played the original, but even so I do have a soft spot for these types of puzzle/action platformers; especially those that came out during the SNES era. Graphically the game isn’t brilliant, even when updated, but it’s kind of cool that you can switch back and forth between the old and new on the fly. Sound-wise there’s absolutely nothing memorable here, which is a shame, but there’s a surprising amount of humour. I don’t know why, but all the death animations and cutscenes just made me laugh. I think it was the abruptness of them. Speaking of, the near instantaneous respawn makes failure less painful to endure, but dying can still be frustrating. For example, the game is programmed to only save progress if the player has accomplished the tasks before it in the right order. However, because the solutions to some of the puzzles aren’t very clear, it can lead to massive set backs, where the player is catapulted seemingly half the game backwards. It can be quite annoying. That, teamed with the terrible controller response time - something that seemingly feels neglected during the update - makes failure almost inevitable in some instances; and with a lot of reaction based combat being sprinkled in, it can drain the fun. Overall, the game is average. Nothing I’d write home about and it is a little short, but it’s fine. 6/10

Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)

I really enjoy Platinum Games’ stuff. No matter what they make their content is almost always unanimously fun. Bayonetta was no exception, and it’s sequel continues the trend. Going in, this game had a lot of praise. There was a lot of love for it, with many holding it up as one of the best on the system. Would I agree? Yes and no. Graphically the game is bright, colourful and lush, and the soundtrack is brilliant once more, but I couldn’t help feeling, especially in the early stages, that Bayo 2 was just a retread of the original. Story structure and level layout is very similar and there was very little new. Not that that’s a bad thing, but I guess I expected more. The plot at first is also a little sporadic and difficult to keep up with, so that didn’t help. By the end though, not only is the story proven to be really well done and thought out, but the game finally has a lot more to offer than what was previously there. Aesthetics are a little disjointed however. Whilst enemy design is magnificent and always interesting to look at, location design is often bland and boring. Even Hell, which is usually a goldmine of imagery, looks standard and uninteresting. Then of course there’s Bayonetta herself, who again seems to be mostly eye-candy for the male gaze. That does die down again, like it did in the first game, but somewhat much further along. It’s a shame really as I do think Bayonetta is actually a good character. She’s a badass who takes charge and doesn’t give a crap about what anyone else thinks. Plus she has a sensitive side beneath the bravado. I’d like to see more of this, not just the sex appeal. Ah well, I still had a blast with it, despite my own personal drawbacks. 8/10

Box Boy (3DS)

To be clear I started playing this last year, when it came out, but I only got around to beating it this year. Box Boy is a delightful and cute puzzle platformer that has all the charm and love you’d expect to find in a Nintendo game. The design is brilliantly simple but its surprising just how complex these puzzles can get from it. Each world has its own theme, with gimmicks and traps getting steadily harder as you progress, and there’s a challenge element there too. You can beat the stage using as many boxes as you want, but if you’re ruthlessly efficient you can earn the crowns. These don’t really do much outside of earn you more cash at the end of a stage, but some are really devilish to get so bragging rights are to be had too. Music, much like its appearance, is rather underplayed and standard, which is a shame, but I guess it’s forgivable. The reason why this game took me until this year to beat however, comes down to the secret stages after you clear the story. These worlds are no joke, compiling everything in the game up to that point into one gauntlet of puzzles; many of which make you feel like you’ve cheated when you beat them. It’s really interesting to see how complicated these simple mechanics can become, but the difficulty serge may put a lot of players off for a time. That includes me. 8/10

Castlevania (Circle of the Moon) (GBA - Wii U Virtual Console) 

Fun story. When I was first getting a Game Boy Advance, I couldn’t decide which launch game to get with it. F-Zero Maximum Velocity or this. This was before I had ever played a Castlevania game, and so I ended up going with F-Zero; but looking back, I think this would have been a better fit for me at the time. As Castlevania games go though, and having played plenty now, it’s a little rough. This was very clearly the starting point for some of the later GBA and DS titles. Never the less, it’s a lot of fun. Graphics are gorgeous for its time, gameplay is mostly intuitive, and the soundtrack has its moments. Difficulty’s a bit cruel, mind, and there were some bizarre decisions made regarding design. Why is walking even an option? Why do I have to get a power-up in order to run, and even then, why do I have to double tap a direction to use it? These set backs make the game needlessly finicky at times, and the alternative isn’t so great when the game has an excruciatingly slow walk speed. For what is supposed to be a fast paced action game, you can see why this can be an issue. Then of course there’s the endgame structure. No real spoilers, but having a final boss that can kill you in one hit isn’t hard, it’s cheap; and having to grind for a stupidly long time in order to beat said boss is also poor design. Even so, I had a good time with the rest of it. 7/10

Chibi Robo Zip Lash (3DS)

Being a Nintendo fan is sometimes less fun than expected. With a company that has so many beloved franchises you’d think they’d use them properly. Well turns out, no, actually. Instead Nintendo has been taking some of its IPs and experimenting. Nintendo have been doing this so much recently, I’ve decided to coin a term for it: Genre-flipping. Chibi Robo Zip Lash is one example of this. Chibi Robo is a time management series, with fun visuals and an adorable character. Chibi Robo Zip Lash is not a time management game and nor are the visuals that fun. At least they got the character right. I’m not truly sure where to start. Visually, it’s bland, with environments being seemingly made out of lego bricks, and the soundtrack is absolutely forgettable. From a design standpoint, taking Chibi’s mechanics into consideration, it’s a little fun, but ultimately nothing special. It’s all rather by-the-numbers. There are a few collectables here and there, along with some bonus medals that do absolutely nothing. Of everything though, the most bizarre thing about this game is its wheel-of-fortune way of progressing. At the end of each stage you spin a wheel that tells you how many stages you advance through. Essentially it runs like a board game, with one path doing a circular from numbers 1 through 6 and then again. My question is: why? Beyond being pointless, it’s also annoying. You, the player, don’t get free movement of a world until you beat every level, and because you have to essentially roll a dice to decide which level you go to, you could end up doing laps of the world just to get to the level you need to play. Oh and FYI you need to clear the level again in order to roll again. Fun. Eventually, I learned a trick that guaranteed that I would play each level consecutively after the other, but again, that just hits home how pointless the gimmick is. The only explanation I have is that very early on this game was going to be a free to play game, only they changed their minds at some point and went to retail. The final boss is also dumb, asking the player to essentially buy the final level (if this WAS free to play, you know it would have been locked behind a pay wall). Still, it comes with a Chibi Robo Amiibo. So that’s nice. 5/10

Dante's Inferno (X360)

What’s that? A game that was no where near my back log and practically forgotten? Sure, why not, chuck it on. This year I’ve kinda had a thing for all things Hell related. I just find interpretations of it fascinating. That’s what led to me playing this. Graphically it’s a little dated now, but not hard to look at, and the music is actually quite impressive. Mostly its just choir and eerie instruments, but it’s Hell, what did you expect it to sound like. Mechanically it doesn’t really do anything special though. It’s about as standard a hack-n-slash as you can get - borrowing elements from games like God of War and such. That’s not really a bad thing, as the game plays fine, it just gets a little repetitive as you go. Furthermore, the difference in difficulty is too vast. On easy, enemies die in seconds, but in normal, you’re hacking away for ages. I never even bothered wasting my time on hard. Personally however, the thing I loved the most about this game was the design from an aesthetic standpoint. Each circle of hell is given a different theme that is faithful to its source material, and I often found myself just stopping to take in my environment. I wish the levels were longer to be honest, but at least everything keeps moving, unlike Castlevania: LoS last year with the intrusive results screen at the end of each “stage”. What I also like is how the game ties the levels of hell into the story of our hero. It’s not exactly an original plot, but it was interesting how Dante had committed sins worthy of each circle, and that every descent brought him closer to redemption. It’s certainly a nice adaptation, and the game ends on a never to be realised “to be continued” but it doesn’t need a sequel. it’s fine as it is. 7/10

Destiny (PS4)

There are certain genres I have no interest in getting involved with for whatever reason. MMO is one of them. Multiplayer games just don’t grab me as much as single players do, so generally, I don’t bother with them. So, when Destiny was released, I couldn’t care less. That coupled with the infamous lack of content didn’t really spur me into buying it, but when the taken king DLC pack came out I decided to give it a go. As stated, I’m not really an MMO gamer (shooter or otherwise), so I’m very aware there are probably much better games in this field, but I have to admit I kind of like it. It looks stunning, if a little too spacious, and there’s always something to do, even playing in single player. By far the most fun I had was playing with others though, time that led to some genuinely memorable moments. Enemy design is interesting, albeit unoriginal (the Fallen are essentially the Covenant from halo - like for like). Bizarrely, it’s the small stuff that makes this game good to me. All the big stuff where the budget clearly went (i.e. voice talent) doesn’t add all that much. What did shock me though, was when the Taken King story began. Not only was it a better campaign to play through than what had come before it, but it also highlighted just how bare bones the original title was at launch. This also goes into another matter of constantly re-releasing the game with brand new bells and whistles every 6 months - something I have no time for - but I digress. If you haven’t played it yet and you have a couple of buddies online too, give it a whirl. Nothing ground breaking, but enjoyable enough. 8/10

Doom (XBO)

Last year I wrote about Halo 4, and I talked about how it was the game that pretty much ended my affair with First Person Shooters. Realistically that hasn’t changed; I’m still not a massive fan of FPS games, but Doom got my attention. There was a lot concerning me about this game. No pre-release reviews (which is never really a good sign) and a lot of the gameplay footage resembled every other FPS game out there, so I was a little split on picking it up. Still, I gave it a whirl and I have to say this game is an absolute breath of fresh air. Action is thick and fast; locales are always different; and set pieces are easily distinguishable. Even the story, which you’d expect to be quite weak, is engaging. The ultimate word I would use though is fun. This game is a blast play. The character of the Doom Guy is so enjoyable to play as you can’t help grinning from ear to ear as you mow down the hordes of hell’s army. Which reminds me, enemy design is not only unique but also faithful. I’ve never played a Doom game before this one, but looking at the older games and seeing how the designers remained true to the originals I can see how much this game is a labour of love. The soundtrack is brutal and raw; not exactly something I would stick on my MP3 player, but enough to get the blood pumping, and there is a surprising amount of content. I think what makes Doom so enjoyable though is that it knows what it is. It’s a video game. It’s not focused on keeping things realistic. It’s all about carrying an arsenal on your back, destroying demons in endlessly satisfying ways, and finding little mini figurines, secrets and references. A surprise hit for more than just me, Doom may be one of the best 2016 had to offer. 9/10

FAST Racing Neo (Wii U - eShop)  

FAST Racing Neo is a game that got a lot of hype, both before and after launch. It was easy to see why. Not only did the game look truly outstanding, but to many, it was the worthy successor to F-Zero that they were craving. Unfortunately it’s anything but. This is not F-Zero. It may look like F-Zero. It may sound like F-Zero. Hell, it may even want to be F-Zero, but it’s not. So what’s wrong with it? Simple: mechanics and design. There are some good ideas here, but an hour of testing should have told them they were going the wrong way about them. Changing colours to suit the boost pads is nice, but said boost pads are few and far between. Not to mention how truly difficult it can be to drive at such speeds. Turning or adjusting course is just straight up stressful when it’s this unreliable. This leads me on to the next problem, the difficulty itself. It’s way too hard for the earlier difficulties. It just throws you in the deep end. Refreshing as it may be, it’s certainly not welcome. It can lead to genuine frustration, and can make the player feel as though the game is unfair. This tied in with easily the biggest issue of them all: the boost pellets. Scattered about each course are small pellets that fill up your boost meter which can ultimately turn the tide. Again, nice idea, and on paper there’s nothing wrong; but when these pellets are incredibly tiny and laid out in tricky positions you can see where the issues come from. Not to mention the speed your travelling. Yes, I know it’s *FAST* Racing Neo, what did I expect, but the game has to accompany that speed. Fast is great, feeling like everything is based on luck with a near vertical learning curve, isn’t. 5/10

Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)

Fire Emblem is without a doubt one of my top 5 favourite gaming franchises, so you’d think it strange that I’ve not really played it in about three years. Maybe even longer. Thing is, Fire Emblem is a series that deserves respect. No distractions and no commitments. Just you and the game. So, earlier this year, when all my distractions and prior commitments were dealt with, I decided to finally play what many consider to be one of the best. It’s hard to disagree. As a Fire Emblem veteran, Awakening is probably the most refined of the series thus far (I haven’t played Fates yet). It’s simplified for newcomers, whilst maintaining the difficulty, and it introduces a lot of value to the support system, leading to some great battles. It also introduces the quick reset function for the purists. The characters are brilliantly likeable, and with the ability to play previous maps again and again, it allows you to get the most of the team mates you don’t typically use. The inclusion of an Avatar is a welcome change too, as is the chance to get specific special characters as a reward for gaining S rank support. The music is also wonderful. If I had any downsides it would be that it is overall quite easy by comparison to other Fire Emblem games, with only a handful of levels proving any challenge; allied AI is almost intentionally crap, with CPU villagers running headlong into enemy fire; and the story is a little disjointed - it feels more like three different stories, with one thread running weakly through them. These problems don’t really effect the overall experience however, and as always I walked away absolutely satisfied. An absolute gem. 9/10

Hyrule Warriors (Wii U)

There are hack-n-slash games and there are hack-n-slash games. Some play out a narrative or story that requires you to take out a number of enemies to progress, whilst others set an objective and ask you to mow down hundreds of thousands of foes to see it through. Hyrule Warriors falls in the latter category. Coming from the same studio behind the cult-hit Dynasty Warriors series, the game is a collection of levels and maps with a set task and just hordes of enemies between you and it. I’ve never played the Dynasty series, nor have I had any inclination towards this vein of hack-n-slash, but I have to say the experience was extremely enjoyable. In many ways, tackling army after army is cathartic and in the simplest of ways plays into a person’s deep desire for destruction. Want to feel godly? Play one of these games. Surprisingly though, there is a hell of a lot more on offer than you’d think. There are challenges and bonus tasks to each main stage, plus rewards for playing the stages in unorthadox ways, and that’s just the main game quest. There is an absolute boat load of content outside of that, with practically over a hundred levels and challenges, all of which encourage you to play the game to the fullest. Play as various characters, upgrade in various ways, grind, farm, there’s so much to do in fact that any attempt to 100% would be enough to drive you out of your mind. You’re looking at 200 hours, easy. As a result, there’ll come a point when you just stop. Not that the game gets bad, or gets stagnant, but that the way forward just gets too trying. I might jump back into it one day to relive the same joys, especially since they’re releasing DLC, but until then, I think a breather wouldn’t go amiss. Oh and the soundtrack is flawless. 8/10 

Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush (Wii U)

If there’s one thing I hate, it’s gimmick games. No, not games with gimmicks in them, but rather games built around gimmicks. The DS suffered from an influx of these at the start of its life, with every title shoehorning needless touch screen elements into their games, but thankfully they started to die out. Nothing stays dead for long, it seems. Enter Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush, a follow up of sorts to the DS’ Kirby’s Canvas Curse. Let’s get the good out of the way first. Straight off the bat, this game looks gorgeous. The clay motif is wonderful to look at, and the lighting really makes the colours pop. Soundtrack-wise it’s nothing exceptional, but there are some good songs in there, along with some classics from the previous Kirby games. And that’s it. There is nothing else this game has to offer. Look at screen shots and listen to the soundtrack online; you do not need to play this game. Why? How about the game being 100% touch screen controlled. Buttons do nothing, and so you the player must scribble the life out of the Gamepad in order to do anything. I’ll try and convey how atrocious the controls are. For a start, once Kirby starts moving, he doesn’t stop. So he will just keep rolling about until you direct him otherwise. This leads the player into a wrestling match to keep the little bugger from wandering off. Then, in order to turn Kirby around, you “simply” draw a wall in his path. Except if your wall is drawn upwards and not perfectly vertical, Kirby will mount it and roll up it instead. Then there’s the limit to the rainbow rope. I get it, I know why there’s a limit, but once you draw a line, there’s no way to make it go away without using MORE rainbow rope! This can lead to the groundless levels being painfully frustrating, and even the standard levels aren’t much better. You can’t truly relax, you’re just always in a constant state of rage. You can forget collecting everything too. Not only is Kirby a pest to control in order to get all collectable items anyway, but many collectables are hidden in mini game rooms. These rooms are not fun. They give you 15 seconds to figure out what you need to do AND get Kirby to play along for a change. The number of times I came so close, only to be thrown out. It’s a joke. So yeah, bad, BAD, game with only a few - and I mean a few - moments of enjoyment. It’s only marginally more playable in multiplayer, but even then its just a game of babysitting that nonce, Kirby. 4/10

Kirby Triple Deluxe (3DS) 

I actually don’t hate Kirby games. I mean, they’re not masterpieces, not by a long way, but they seem to get the right things down. Most of the time. By and large Kirby games are fun, if a little easy, but fun all the same. Triple Deluxe is just that, fun. I kinda don’t know what else to say about it really. Graphically it looks good - with some great character animations - and the music is, again, okay but nothing truly spectacular. It was good to play Kirby as he was meant to be played. Even if it wasn’t that hard, there was still a lot of enjoyment to be had. It’s classic Kirby gameplay with a slight 3 dimensional twist. If I had any negatives it’d probably be the ending, which I do feel goes on overly long with boss fight after boss fight after boss fight. Some would say it makes the finale all the more impressive and epic, but, to me, there’s only so epic a Kirby game can get before it outstays its welcome. It’s more of a personal reason, I know. Overall a quaint and charming game, which is certainly more relaxing than a certain other Kirby game I played this year. 7/10

Legend of Zelda: Picross (3DS - eShop)

After my frankly unhealthy addiction to picross at the end of last year, I’ll take any excuse to get back into it. So when Nintendo went ahead and released a Zelda version (essentially for free to My Nintendo users) you better believe I snapped it up. What can I say, it’s picross. It’s the same simple, enjoyable, and addictive puzzling its always been, only now you’re drawing Zelda things. For what is a cheap pick-up-n-play title, there’s actually a fair amount to get through, along with a new mode if you succeed at beating the main challenges. That being said, this “new mode”, otherwise known as Mega Picross, isn’t actually that great. Besides being needlessly complex and confusingly explained, you’re solving the same puzzles as before, only everything is convoluted and frustrating. All in all though, it gave me the perfect picross fix. Just don’t expect it to hold you for longer than a weekend. 7/10

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U)

Nostalgia can be a difficult thing to get past. Case in point, Twilight Princess; a game I felt was truly a flawless game the last time I played it on the Wii. Playing the HD update however, I’m not sure I can say that anymore. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a fantastic game, with great structure, dungeon layout, mechanics, graphics and soundtrack. Furthermore, it isn’t *worse* because it’s a HD remaster, its more or less the same - with slight improvements and detriments. It’s more that, playing over it again and doing everything I could to 100% it, I found a lot of the game more frustrating than the last time I played it. Certain side quests that were ultimately poorly designed. For example - having to manually trek back to the beginning of a quest if you fail it rather than just being transported, is a pain. I even rage quit at one time because it was so infuriating. There were even parts of the main quest that I felt were needlessly elongated. I know they were for story purposes, but when you’re having to travel back and forth to the same points over and over again, it can be a bother. In terms of what’s new in this version, much like the Windwaker HD, it’s mostly small items that don’t shake the foundations, but they certainly can be a big help. I also felt some of the collect quests were made a little easier, but I can’t be too sure about that. Of all my problems with this game though, my biggest comes down to the controller mapping. It’s not unplayable, but, just rather bizarre. The way certain buttons are mapped is a little backwards in my opinion, with some buttons literally not being used at all. It just feels odd that in the process of making the game slick and smooth on all fronts (gameplay included) they would seemingly botch this area up. Ah well, the game is still great, and one of the best in the series; even if my eyes have been opened to   its shortcomings somewhat. 8/10

Liberation Maiden (3DS - eShop)

Japan is an odd place. There are some games that struggle to get a western release despite a built in audience abroad, whilst there are others that get released without any real problem. In the latter zone we have liberation maiden, one of a compilation that was released digitally outside of Japan by Level-5. Why do I emphasise Japan so much here? Well, because if I had to describe this game in one word I would say: Japan. It’s everything you would expect from a Japanese title. You are the princess of a space colony that is tasked with stopping the evil metal aliens from polluting the planet by using a giant, meta-morphing battlebot. See what I mean. If you take out the (questionable) english voice acting, this game practically screams “Japan”. But lets move off that shall we. Graphically, this game doesn’t look all that good, and the soundtrack is...well...it’s hard to say. Most of the time the music is really quiet and you can’t hear it over the sounds of explosions. As for the gameplay itself, it’s a little stiff, and it’s all rather confusing. I spent a little too long waiting for the game to grab me, and even then it never did. I found the combat to be rather bland, and the levels to be quite repetitive. That’s not too bad though, considering realistically you can beat the game in a single sitting. Generally, it was a decent way to kill an afternoon, but ultimately, its about as standard as it gets. 6/10

Limbo (PS3)

Limbo has been one of those games that I’ve watched from the sidelines. A lot of people praise it, it’s earned a lot of respect in the indie community, but it’s never really shot to the top of my to-play list. That was until the developer released “Inside” earlier this year to the same critical acclaim. Right off the bat, Limbo makes you feel like it’s a game with more style than substance, but as you play you get given more in-depth challenges with more dangerous obstacles. By and large its a puzzle game, but each brain teaser keeps you on your toes and forces you to think differently using the game’s design and logic to win the day. Visually its impressive. The dark tones create a brilliant atmosphere, as does the eerie soundtrack. It’s also a game with little to no frustration. If you fail a puzzle, you die; but you respawn so quickly, that the whole trial and error prospect doesn’t seem too bad. Honestly I wish more games did this. It’s a little on the short side, pretty much beatable in two sittings, but it’s just about the right amount of enjoyment. Like a French Fancy cake. 9/10

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam Bros (3DS)

In spite of the fanbase, I actually like the recent run Mario and Luigi games. I mean, of course the original DS trilogy is better, but these are hardily trash. Hell, I actually think Paper Jam Bros gets the series staples bang on. It has refined and purified all prior game problems to create an experience that is efficient in its execution, and one that never asks too much from the player involved. With that said, it is strange then that this game is not the series best. I can’t really describe it, but it just feels as though this game is missing somewhat of a soul. Don’t get me wrong, the music is great again; it’s visually interesting; the battles are really clever and can be quite strategic; the writing and humour is some of the series’ best; and the overall gameplay is fun. But it’s something beneath it all. There’s no grandness to the adventure. No point or reason to having it. It just feels like an idea that, whilst done well, didn’t really have the weight to go anywhere. Structurally it’s not terrific either, with the game bouncing back and forth between the main adventure and mini-games. The mini-games do offer a nice distraction, but they aren’t really paced properly, which can make them feel completely out of place more than once. And if they aren’t thrown in at random occasions, they’re predictable. It all feels by the numbers really. The game is great, and in no way do I regret playing it; but it just doesn’t have the same quality and heart as previous entries. 8/10

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4) 

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: Shadow of Mordor doesn’t have an original bone in its body. Realistically, this isn’t a bad thing. It has the free roaming and wall climbing mechanics of Assassin’s creed, whilst also bringing in the combat and stealth segments of the Arkham games. In many ways, it delivers on the best of both worlds - albeit in a little clunky fashion. I did like the “power system” though, a near limitless roster of ranked orcs that you can take out, sometimes more than once, and the overall interface was quite intuitive. Graphically it looked great too, and the background music was atmospheric and cinematic right when it needed to be. The story too is quite interesting, offering not just an adaption of the events preceding the Lord of the Rings, but also an enormous amount of lore to get stuck into. Not to mention the side quests and bonus content available if you’re willing to put in the time. Sadly, in spite of all it’s good qualities, and there are a lot, the fact that there isn’t really anything that makes this game stand out from the crowd can lead people to just shrug it off. The final boss is also incredibly anti-climactic - unless of course you pay for the DLC which gives you a “better” send off. Typical WB; what are games for if you can’t make money off of them, amiright? 8/10

Overwatch (XBO)

I’m repeating myself. Multiplayer focused games just aren’t my thing. I can appreciate the design, and I can love the overall experience, but the games just do not have the power to hold me for longer than a week. With that in mind, Overwatch is incredibly enjoyable, with a few minor drawbacks. The cartoony style looks lush and interesting, and the characters are all beautifully realised and unique. The maps are quick and frantic, leading to some genuine fun and epic moments. It’s not all smiles and celebrations though. Naturally there are some pros out there who can play this game blindfolded, which in turn can make some matches incredibly one sided, and when there’s a heavy emphasis on teamwork, having that one teammate that does nothing, or even having a smaller team than the opposition, can make things un-fun very quickly. Fortunately, there is an option to play against CPUs, but these matches do not give out the same rewards to playing against real people. The rewards themselves are also meagre. They’re random, can be duplicated, and half the time they’re locked behind micro-transactions. You’re essentially gambling to get worthwhile skins and other cosmetics. Beyond all of this, there isn’t much the game offers, but I will say that when you’re playing with friends, it is a lot of fun. Definitely for its competitive audience, but that doesn’t necessarily include me. 8/10

Pokken Tournament (Wii U)

I feel I should point this out now. This game’s score is attributed exclusively to the gameplay. By that I mean the fighting. Whether its between you and a friend or the computer, it’s fun. Combat is surprisingly in depth, offering a lot to fighting fans, and the graphics are spectacular. Plus there are plenty of characters to choose from, so you can tell this had some effort and thought put into it. As for everything else though, it’s a little bare bones, and frankly tedious. For starters, all you can do is fight; and you fight a lot. There is literally nothing else this game has to offer. There is a story that pans out as you play through the game’s “league mode” (essentially a ranked arcade mode) but beyond that all you can do is fight. Over and over again. The way the league matches are organised is incredibly repetitive and asks for a lot of patience out of the player. As a comparison, imagine being asked to play street fighter’s arcade mode upwards of 8 times just to advance to the next bit. Sounds like a slog doesn’t it? Furthermore, the menus are intrusive and, as a result, make the player less inclined to change their fighter during the main modes - given that you have to pick a default fighter from the start that can only be changed by going to the main menu itself. Finally, the voice acting; oh god the voice acting. Not only is it obnoxious coming from your “guide” character - who will not shut up unless you switch her off - but it is also woefully bad. Delivery is a farce with lines and emphasis not matching up, and the general dialogue sounds like it was written by a 5 year old with no idea what pronouns are. Still, the gameplay is good. 7/10

Rhythm Paradise Megamix (3DS)

I’ve never played a Rhythm Paradise game before, and really, I didn’t exactly want to. They looked like fun, but when they were being packaged and retailed at the same price as other, far more in-depth games, I couldn’t bring myself to get into them. When Nintendo announced they were going to be releasing what is essentially a collection of the entire series up to now though, well that was a different story. Honestly, I’m kinda glad I skipped the series before now, as I can experience the greatness of the franchise in all its glory all at once. I’ve got to say, RPM is an absolute blast. Brimming with life, colour, and most importantly, rhythm, the game is almost impossible to put down. It’s highly addictive and more fun than you might think. Plus there’s actually a lot of content to get through, with challenges, highscores, and unlockables. The best thing going though is the soundtrack. Every stage has a completely original song made just for it, and each one is wonderful to listen to. I often found myself playing through the same levels over and over again just for the hell of it. If I had any draw backs, I’d have to say its more what they could have done, or should have done, but didn’t. For example, the perfect campaign, the ability to earn rewards by clearing a level without missing a single note, shouldn’t even exist; Three goes and then it kicks you out? Why? Why not instead just have it always on the level and then if you fail it doesn’t stop the song and boot you? Also sometimes the margin for error varies too much and occasionally button presses aren’t recognised on some of the faster games. Finally, why is there no randomizer option, or playlist function? These seem like no brainers to me, as the game is already the perfect down-time game. Ah well, the game is still a lot of fun, and I think I’ll be humming its beats until the day I die. BA BOM BOM BOM! 8/10

Rise of the Tomb Raider (XBO)

Tomb Raider’s latest reboot was a brilliant surprise last year, so I couldn’t wait to dig into this one. Right away, it certainly ups the ante. The game plays a lot smoother and the newer mechanics give depth and strategy to the overall experience. Lara’s character is irresistibly good, and still retains a lot of her strengths from the last game, but the good news is, they’re actually taken further here. The developers could have easily carted out the same old Lara, but it’s good to see they really care about her as a character. Now, Lara’s much more tenacious without being over-confident. She’s vulnerable, but resourceful; and she’s formidable but not impervious. The way she develops as she goes ties into the game’s title really well; this is Lara truly becoming the Tomb Raider we want her to be. Stealth elements are beyond intuitive. Everything flows without coming to a standstill and it’s all incredibly simple. Crafting items like bombs and Molotov cocktails in the midst of battle can also shake things up, and the layout and design compliment these elements perfectly. Everything is laid out so well that, if you play your cards right, you can take down an entire platoon of enemies without them even seeing you in a matter of seconds. In terms of content, there’s a lot to do and find, and the interface is so useful that the path to 100% is rather straightforward. Negatives? It does feel a little shorter than its predecessor, although I don’t know if that’s because the individual areas are a lot bigger or not. I don’t know. Honestly, I really struggle to find fault with this game. It was a lot of fun to play, and on top of that, it’s incredibly well made. 9/10

Shantae (GBC - 3DS Virtual Console)

After playing and loving Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse last year, I thought I’d go right back to the beginning with the Gameboy Colour original. And how was it? Well...let’s just say it’s certainly come a long way. Oh the game is good. It’s a lot of fun, with a startling amount of content for a Gameboy Colour title, but it is a little rough around the edges. Not only is a lot of the game not really laid out for you (forcing you to question whether or not you’re going the right way) but it’s also unspeakably difficult. Like, immediately this game pulls no punches at all. From the get-go it’s hard, with enemies doing a hell of a lot of damage, and Shantae herself being unable to hit them without getting really close. Not only that but there are insta-death zones everywhere, and also there’s a day and night feature which rotates every 5 minutes. How is that bad? Well enemies take twice as long to kill and do twice as much damage at night. This can make a lot of areas unplayable in the dark in the earlier stages, and as the game is designed in a metroid-type way, there’s a lot of back tracking involved, so you’ll be passing through the same areas a lot. Finding the warp squids makes travel less cumbersome, mind, but even so it doesn’t make exploring the wilderness any easier; a lot of the game’s secrets frankly require a strategy guide. By the end though, despite the unforgiving difficulty, I was somewhat sad to leave it all behind. I did have a lot of fun when all was said and done, and even though I’ll probably never play it again, I would recommend it to those looking for some retro adventure gaming. 8/10

Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

Here we are: arguably the most divisive game of 2016. One half claiming it’s great, with a lot of value and charm; whilst the other half calls it a broken piece of trash that doesn’t work. Frankly, I have no idea what the latter group is on about. Star Fox Zero is a fantastic game that’s a hell of a lot of fun to play. It looks brilliant, with a style that seems to be both realistic and retro at the same time, and the music is really engaging and great to listen to. The opening level has one of the best tracks to get the blood pumping. Honestly, going in I had reservations. I was worried about the controls. I feared they would get in the way of the gameplay, but I was surprised. In fact, I played the entire first level without even using them. Plus, they’re customisable to a degree, so you can mix and match to suit your style. Granted there are some learning curves later on, specifically with the walker, but as far as I’m concerned, if you’re willing to put in the time, you’ll be rewarded in spades. If I did have any problems I would say that the branching paths don’t really feel like proper levels, as they’re more like bonus levels; I wish the game wasn’t just a reboot of the series; and the final boss almost doesn’t feel like the final boss; but realistically that’s it. The controls are fine unless you have literally zero patience or tolerance for trying something new, and half the time you can play without them. And on top of all of this, it has the best tribute to Mr Iwata. I’m just glad to have Star Fox back. I’ve missed you, buddy. 8/10

Steamworld Dig: A Fistful of Dirt (3DS - eShop)

Steamworld Dig is an odd game to talk about. I don’t really know where to begin. On the one hand I could call it a dungeon crawler - although that’s not entirely accurate - and on the other I could say its an exploration adventure game. Tell you what, I’ll go with the title. Dig. Because that’s what you do. You dig. Downwards and sideways and sometimes even upwards. That’s practically 90% of the game. And it’s awesome. Who would have thought a game that asks you to do the same menial task again and again within seconds of each other would not only be fun but also incredibly addictive. Forging your own way through the underworlds below, finding treasure and mining ore as you go, as well as uncovering more of the plot, all come together into a highly enjoyable package. There’s just something incredibly soothing and cathartic about smashing a rock until it breaks. I rarely got tired of it. Even when I did, I was back to playing it after a few hours. It’s just a blast, surprisingly. There are a few downsides of course. It’s a little on the short side, even with the different worlds to uncover and the music is rather standard outside of the main theme, but these are just minor details when all is said and done. Pick it up if you can, it’s certainly good for a weekend. 8/10

Super Luigi U (Wii U)

Can DLC really count as its own standalone game on this list? When it’s released as its own retail copy it does. And what a strange one it is. It’s not Super Luigi U, it’s New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U. That’s the name of the game. Meaning when I put it in my Wii U, the console had no idea about my NSMBU save file. But I digress. Super Luigi U is all right. Well it wasn’t really going to be anything special when it’s essentially built on top of a pre-existing game, but I do like what it’s trying to do. All stages are practically speed runs, with only 100 seconds on the clock, and a number of challenges between you and the goal. This is probably the game’s best feature. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I was trudging my way through another Mario title, but rather breezing through it at an alarming pace. It’s also pretty straightforward to 100%, even if Luigi plays like he’s on roller-skates and some of the levels are a little on the difficult side. At the end of the day though there was no shaking that this title didn’t really feel like its own game. I mean, I know it isn’t and that it’s DLC, but still. It’s more of a pleasant distraction than anything else. I would like to see Nintendo do more with Luigi, but until they start giving him his own proper space, instead of having him just run around in Mario’s, he’s always going to be second rate. 7/10

Tengami (Wii U - eShop) 

Tengami to me is a classic style over substance game. There is some substance admittedly, but this game is clearly built on its look; which is paper. More specifically, origami. I do have a soft spot for it though. Having everything being treated like a literal story book, turning over pages and such, it did bring a certain charm to the game. Then again, it was developed by ex-rare staff, so we’re clearly dealing with some talent. It’s essentially a point-and-click puzzle game, but when I think about it there actually weren’t that many puzzles. The puzzles it did have were great, with some intriguing and inspired brain teasers, but it would have been good to see some more. Easily the game’s biggest strength though is it’s soundtrack, which honestly floored me with how good it was. This game came out in 2014, along with Shovel Knight, Bravely Default, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, and Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze. It got me thinking: 2014 was a bloody good year for Video Game music. Speaking of Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, the soundtrack is done by the same guy; the irrefutably gifted David Wise. He captures such mysterious nuances to everything he puts his hand to here, and it’s truly remarkable. Even if you’ve never played the game, I implore you to look up the soundtrack. I’m going a little off topic here, so let’s talk about Tengami’s problems. For starters, it’s short. Alarmingly so in fact. I beat it in a single sitting and with very few moments of pause; which is even more damning when you take into account the other major flaw. The game’s nameless hero moves so - bloody - slow. It’s painful sometimes, and god forbid you forget to do something before you move on because back tracking is an absolute chore. Overall, I don’t regret playing it, and if you’re looking for a decent game to unwind to, look no further;  just be prepared to wait a while for your character to get his arse in gear. 7/10

Theatrhythum Final Fantasy Curtain Call (3DS)

Hey, big shock, I like Video Game music. You wouldn’t know it, would you? All joking aside, Video Game music is some of the best music out there in my opinion, and it’s a shame it doesn’t get more attention. So when a title comes along that takes video game music and makes an entire game around it, you know I’m down - especially when the music in question belongs to Final Fantasy. Theatrhythum Final Fantasy Curtain Call is a sequel of sorts. I played and enjoyed the first game, and found myself getting addicted to it, so it was only natural I played the follow up. Funny thing is, it’s not really a follow up, or a sequel, it’s more of an ultimate edition. This game is the first game again, only with a bazillion more things in it. It’s a rhythm game with some of the best songs in the Final Fantasy library; only now there are over 200 songs to play through, on multiple difficulties. Yikes! No joke, the way the game works, I hadn’t even played all the songs once by the time I reached the credits. Plus, you keep unlocking new songs as you go, which just adds to the playtime, and, whilst the first game just featured the main canonical Final Fantasy games with a few bonus extras thrown in, this game features music from any game with Final Fantasy in the title. It’s insane. Plus it doesn’t just stop there. There’s also a cool adventure-type mode, that sees you playing song after song, sometimes on the hardest difficulty to reach the end. You have to play through these if you want to get even close to unlocking everything. Oh did I mention the unlockables. As well as extra songs, the game also has extra characters, collectable cards, and Sound Test items to unlock. AND THEN, even though it has SO MANY SONGS to begin with, there are DLC songs too, just in case you were thinking of giving up on the real world altogether. This game has so much in it, in the end I just had to cut the cord whilst I was still plugged in. For the sake of my health I just had to put it down for good and walk away. Definitely a great time, but be careful you don’t lose yourself to it. 8/10

Thomas Was Alone (PS3) 

One of the more random games I decided to pick up this year, Thomas Was Alone is a fun, quirky, and most of all funny puzzle game. I got plenty of Portal vibes off this game while I was playing. The dialogue is so witty and humorous. Add that to Danny Wallace’s excellent comedic delivery and you’ve got a game that has you laughing on every stage. Graphically the game is lacking, although this is intentional, and the same goes for it’s soundtrack. But the design and narration easily make up for the absences. It’s a little short, but it’s charming. No other game has given faceless, coloured shapes personalities before. That’s got to count for something. 8/10

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)

The Uncharted series has been on my back log for a long time, but this year - with the release of Uncharted 4 - I decided to finally get stuck in. And it’s ok. That’s it. Sorry, Sony-boys, the original Uncharted is only just above average in my opinion. Maybe for its time it was a much better example, but right now it’s a little dated. Graphically it’s not too bad, though environments are rather stagnant, and the music is very cinematic, but the gameplay is rather bland. Combat is tiresome, with firefights being overly long and boring. Seriously, you take on something like thirty guys every time; what other word is there but tedious. Then there’s the puzzle segments of which there aren’t that many. Most of the time you’re climbing which is equally as overplayed as the combat, and when that’s your lot it doesn’t take long for the game to get a little exhaustive. The structure here is also questionable. When Nathan Drake steps foot in a secret chamber no one has been in for centuries, why are there suddenly armed guards to take out in there? Basically, it seems combat is used as a device to add variety to the exploration, but there are surely more and better ways to do this. The best qualities this game has however are the plot, which is highly engaging, and the characters who are irresistibly likeable at all times. The overall gameplay is fine - although very clunky and rough around the edges - and for the most part it is enjoyable enough. A decent first effort from Naughty Dog but nothing truly spectacular. 7/10

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

Coming off the back of Uncharted 1, I didn’t really have a lot of enthusiasm for the sequel. But, a lot of people had said that it was ultimately a better game and so I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Thankfully, it paid off. Among Thieves is a much tighter experience than its predecessor. The story is just as good as the first, and of course the characters and writing remain brilliantly entertaining; but on top of this Naughty Dog have worked on the faults of the first game. Combat is much more balanced, with firefights now making a lot more sense, and there are a lot more environments to explore. There are also a lot more puzzles, although 90% of the solutions require climbing. Fortunately, that too has been improved, with Nathan moving a lot quicker and seamlessly from foothold to foothold. General variety is up too, with combat not just being the only thing to do. Generally the whole game is a mark up from the last one, but there are still a few problems. It does still feel clunky moving about - more than once Nathan swan dove off a ledge I didn’t want him to go near - and some of the newer elements, more specifically the stealth aspect, don’t exactly work. All it needs is a button prompt when you’re close enough to do a stealth takedown, but because it’s not there, Nathan just swings his fists like a maniac and draws all the attention to himself instead. Luckily, no parts of the game require stealth, but it’s frustrating none the less when you want to be stealthy but the game messes you up. In the end I gave up on sneaking and just went in guns blazing. All in all Uncharted 2 is a much better game and seems to be going in the right direction. A few weak areas here and there hold it back and I’m still waiting to be absolutely blown away but it’s definitely a great game. 8/10

Undertale (PC)

I am a firm believer that video games are art. Art - to me - is a means of expression that can be interpreted in different ways by different people on top of connecting emotionally with the viewer. So basically, so long as the user is connected and is invested in someone else’s creation, it is art. Now, not all video games should be considered art, but there are nevertheless plenty out there that could. Undertale is one of those games. Quite frankly, this game is a masterpiece. Part RPG, part bullet hell, not only does it do new things and break the mould of its genres but it also exemplifies the video game experience. Now I’m sure I’m not the first person you’ve heard say these things about this game, but I’m in earnest. This game is a triumph. In many ways, Undertale is the true Citizen Kane of gaming. Like Orson Welles, Toby Fox is pretty much a one man army with this project. Designer, Director, Writer, and Musician, among many other things I’m sure. Speaking of musician, can I take a moment to bring up how immaculate the soundtrack is. It’s easily the one of the best video game soundtracks of the decade. Every track is perfection and immediately recognisable, not to mention incredibly well made. Gameplay is excellent and intuitive, and it’s one of the games where the player’s actions directly impact the game as a whole. This is a game that rewards you for not killing, and vice versa. Beating the game on a pacifist run (do not kill a single enemy) will give you arguably the true ending to the game, whilst beating it on a genocide run (kill literally every living thing in the game - yes, that’s a genuine possibility) will result in the game being broken forever. I never had the guts to attempt a genocide run. For starters the characters are too endearing and full of life, but also because, if you constantly kill, the game openly does what it can to make you feel like a horrible person as you play. Music becomes distorted, your inner monologue becomes much more hateful and aggressive, and characters and NPCs regard you with fear. It’s seriously messed up. Honestly, the pacifist run alone is what made this game truly exceptional. I can’t say too much without spoiling it, but I’ll just say during the perfect pacifist run something happens that changes the way you see this game. All previous assumptions get turned on their heads. That sudden change in perception is what cemented this game as a work of art. I thought it was just a brilliant and fun game, but it’s something a lot more special. Undertale is the real deal; the genuine article, and you owe it to yourself to play it if you haven’t already. 10/10

Yoshi's New Island (3DS)

Ah, Yoshi’s New Island; or as I like to call it: Yoshi’s DO IT ALL AGAIN. This game is just disappointing, and I’m saying that after going in with low expectations. It’s hard to believe this game came out in the same year as Yoshi’s Woolly World (i.e. a vastly superior game). Presentation is lazy, soundtrack is obnoxious, and level design is bland and generic. I also find it ironic that the game calls itself Yoshi’s *NEW* island, and yet it seems hellbent on re-enacting the original SNES game. Every world is themed and structured identically to it, but whereas then it made sense given the structure of the island, here it doesn’t work. Why is world 5 a snow world? In the original it was because you were climbing the mountains, but here it’s just snowy. The game as a whole adds a little bit here and there, but nothing ultimately earth-shattering, and it’s not exactly hard. The overall design is just unfair for completionists though. The way collectables are placed can lead to some genuine fury, and if you end up missing that one red coin, that’s right, you have to do the whole level again! Not surprised I gave up on 100%-ing this after a while. Oh, and as if to throw in some form of self awareness, the final boss repeats itself. Nothing changes, it just asks you to, literally, do it - all - again! Fine as a “Babies First Yoshi” game, but for fans, stay away. 5/10

#2016 #ace attorney #ace attorney spirit of justice #another world 20th anniversary #Bayonetta 2 #box boy #castlevania #castlevania circle of the moon #chibi robo #chibi robo zip lash #dante's inferno #destiny #doom #fast neo racing #Fire Emblem #fire embem awakening #hyrule warriors #kirby and the rainbow paintbrush #kirby triple deluxe #picross #the legend of zelda #the legend of zelda twilight princess hd #liberation maiden #limbo #mario and luigi #mario and luigi paper jam bros. #middle earth shadow of mordor #overwatch #pokken tournament #Rhythm paradise megamix

[gamerspasm]

StarFox’s Zero Tolerance - An Unstructured Rant

After almost a decade hiatus, Star Fox has finally returned to Nintendo systems with Star Fox Zero. Being on the Wii U, Nintendo have done their best to incorporate Wii U specific controls into the game’s design; something not a lot of people are too happy about. From the outset, this game was hit with nervous reactions from crowds, and fears that the game would be “gimmicky” were rife.

Well, I’ve played it and, in my honest opinion, it’s fine. Not exactly perfect, but a good piece of fun to be sure.

Too bad the internet doesn’t see things that way.

From the moment it dropped, Star Fox Zero has been hit with a swathe of negative to mixed reviews. Some people, like me, enjoy the game and take the control “issues” we may have in our stride. Others, sadly, don’t see it that way, and view it with the perspective of “if it’s not perfect, its broken, unplayable, and outright awful. Everything wrong with Nintendo and the Wii U”.

It’s safe to say that Wii U bashers are revelling in all this, and of course, yet again if you try to defend it, you’re seen as a fanboy and your argument is never taken seriously.

Well, I’ll try not to be a “fanboy” when I talk about this

Let’s state the obvious: the Wii U is not popular. Not even close. 12 million sales worldwide and the highest attach rate of any home console on market, but that doesn't matter, because public opinion is so low, it’s practically being dug up as fossil fuels at this point. As a result, nothing - NOTHING - Nintendo does with it will satisfy. Since this is the playing field we’re on, reviewers and players alike are going into this game “wanting” to be disappointed. They want this game to be bad, and so as a result, the control “issues”, that can be a little shaky, are blown out of proportion.

Polygon’s writer - who was given a REVIEW copy of the game for him to REVIEW it - outright abandoned the game half way through because it was “just that bad”. This would be fine, if he didn’t go on a tirade about how SFZ is the perfect summation of everything wrong with the Wii U instead of doing a review. This would be fine, if he didn’t essentially use SFZ as some form of justification for his dislike of the console it was on - this idea that an opinion needs to be “proven” somehow. This here is what I’m talking about. The reviewer in question had reservations (putting it lightly) about the Wii U so his opinion of it and its games are very one-sided. 

Now am I saying you can’t have a negative opinion of Nintendo/the Wii U/StarFox Zero? No, that’s not what I’m trying to say. What I’m saying is, do you really think that? or are you thinking that because it’s popular to think that? Because it’s “cool” to hate the Wii U?

Here’s my 2 cents on the game. It’s fun. I enjoy it. For the most part it’s classic StarFox back to his original formula given his almost 20 year experimental phase, and the controls are generally fine. At first they can feel cumbersome and you may find yourself asking “was this necessary?” or “why can’t I customise my controls?” but over time and with enough practice you really do get used to them. Plus, despite it’s lack of customisation, Nintendo does do it’s best to make the motion controls as tolerable as possible - with recalibration being literally a button press away, and training missions to really help you get to grips. Ultimately, the new controls aren't necessary, but I don’t feel like they hold the game back, or worse, make it unplayable either. In fact, I think what the Wii U is doing with SFZ is actually remarkable, technologically speaking. Two viewpoints running simultaneously at all times, in an action game. That’s actually pretty staggering when you realise what’s going on.

At the end of the day, SFZ is good (IMO). Nothing truly outstanding. It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not perfection. It’s not the best game on the system by any stretch. And yet, the way people are reacting to this game makes it seem like it’s the worst thing to happen to gaming this generation. The over reaction and hyperbolic negativity is actually rather alarming. 

Jim Sterling (big fan) recently did a video about the game, and whilst his points regarding Nintendo are valid, and his overall critique of SFZ’s design was fair, the absolutely brutal dressing down the game got outside of this was completely undeserved (IMO). He made it sound as if the game was utterly unplayable because Nintendo added gamepad centric controls. Now you could argue, that’s just his shtick so don’t get your pants in a twist over it, but still I’m left asking, would his opinion be just as harsh if the Wii U was doing better?

And yet, I wonder. If Nintendo had not included any gamepad function at all, if it was simple buttons and thumbsticks, would the viewpoints like the examples above change? In some cases, I think they would, but I think in sadly a lot more cases, they would remain the same. Nintendo would be criticised for not doing something with the gamepad, or the game would be deemed “too similar” to prior series entries. As I said before, nothing Nintendo does with the Wii U will satisfy.

In the end, all opinions are based in some form of bias. I know this, I’m not an idiot, but the level of animosity felt for this game is incredibly exaggerated and can often mislead people and onlookers. I’ve yet to see one review that summarised the game’s strengths and weaknesses alongside each other equally, instead of saying “it’s an absolute blast” or “it’s the worst video game ever made”. We’re, for some reason, dealing with a lot of extremes here. I guess my advice to anyone considering this game is, play it and decide for yourself.

#Wii U #Nintendo #StarFox #starfox zero #Rant #negativity

[gamerspasm]

10 Memories ~ Pokemon

2016 marks Pokemon’s 20th anniversary, and I’m proud to say I was there when it all started. Whilst I’m not so much of a fanatic nowadays, when this series hit phenomenon levels, you better believe I got swept up in it all. I was, like so many other kids my age, Poke-mad. Everything had to be Pokemon. I had videos of the TV show; books; toys - including a pokedex - trading cards; and even pieces of (small) furniture - I never got as far as having Pikachu bed sheets, but still. Yes, it’s safe to say Pokemon was the be all and end all of my mid-to-late childhood, and I don’t regret any of it.

In fact, I love the memories of those days. I love reminiscing on better times, and revelling in just how amazing life was back then. The number of memories surrounding Pokemon are beyond count, but I thought, with it being Pokemon’s 20th birthday - on top of the original GameBoy games being re-released on the 3DS virtual console - I thought I’d share a few of my favourites. 

10 - The In Jokes and Traditions

My brother and I were there when Pokemon started, and we’ve done our best to follow the series (despite how our interests may have strayed from time to time). In 17 years, you can bet that the two of us have developed a few in jokes. Whether it be something like “DJ Muk and MC Grimer” (a joke my brother based around the original Grimer and Muk sprites) or “your skills need VENONAT! I’m Lieutenant JOLT!” (references to the voice clips played in Pokemon Puzzle League) they still come out even today. Either that or we just start singing the last verse of the Poke rap for no reason.

Then there are the traditions. Things that, no matter how far down the line we go, never change. For instance, My brother and I always name our rivals after each other, always alternate versions with each gen, and we always opt for the same starter type*: Fire and Water. Sorry, Bulbasaur :(

*at least up until Pokemon X and Y when he decided to go for Chespin...

9 - Getting Addicted to Pokemon Puzzle League

It wasn't just the main canonical games we played. If there was a spin-off game, chances are we had it. I remember getting a Pikachu tamagotchi one year for Christmas with a cool higher-or-lower mini-game built in; but this isn’t the memory I’m trying to share. The memory I want to talk about is just how hooked we (my brother and I) became to Pokemon Puzzle League. Such a simple tile-swap puzzle game ended up dominating our lives. We’d come home from school and play it almost none-stop. Bizarrely, despite it having a 2 player mode, we rarely played together. Usually, we just used to watch the other try to wrestle for a high score. Now, the game has dropped into a distinct Nostalgia zone; playing it today just won’t be the same. Even so, I’ll never forget the days of “I am VENONAT!”

8 -  Watching the TV Show Before School Every Morning

Despite how devout I was to the games for a large chunk of childhood, it was actually the anime that initially got me (and pretty much the rest of my generation) into Pokemon. Strangely enough though, only one channel aired it at the time, and they used to only air it in the mornings, two episodes between 8am and 9am. So every morning my brother and I used to have our breakfasts in the adjacent dining room before moving over to the living room to watch the latest episodes as we got ready for school. The annoying thing was, we had to be out the door for 8:45, so we always, without fail, missed the ending to the second episode. Some days, I'd sit in school wondering what happened next in the show. It was only a few years later, just before secondary school, when I started recording the episodes to watch when I got home. This was a bad idea, however, as I would often watch the recorded episodes over and over again for no other reason than “it was pokemon”. I also never liked taping over episodes I’d seen, so eventually, we ran out of available tapes.

7 - The Drawing Contest

As I say, Pokemon was huge, not just for me, but for every other kid in my generation. I was by no means the only Pokemaniac in the playground, and my passions were felt equally with my friends and fellow students. One such student also happened to be a prominent drawer, and after seeing my arguably decent efforts to draw pokemon and characters from the show, a rivalry between us soon kicked off. Almost every day for a solid 2 weeks we’d turn up to school with a fresh drawing to show each other, and neither of us (we were children) were willing to admit the other was a better artist. So a contest was held in the classroom to see who could draw the best, with the final products being judged by...HIS friends? Yeah, I said it wasn’t fair when they said he was the winner, but they just called me a sore loser. Thinking back, I do think his were the better sketches. I probably still have those drawings...somewhere...

6 - Renting Pokemon Snap

Pokemon Puzzle League wasn’t the only spin-off game I loved; Pokemon snap has a firm place in my heart also. Trouble is, with Pokemon being everywhere, and with games not being the cheapest things on the shelves, my parents didn’t like the idea of getting me ANOTHER Pokemon game. Especially one that looked the way it did (like a cheap cash in on a franchise)

Nevertheless, they allowed me to rent it from the local Blockbuster (yes, I’m THAT prehistoric) and after deleting the previous save file, my brother and I had a blast. We laughed at putting funny captions on photos and we played levels over and over to find all the secrets. For that whole weekend it was wall to wall Pokemon Snap, but then it came time to return it to Blockbuster. I was in tears. I wanted to buy it off the store and keep playing it. Why? Not because it was a lot of fun, not because it held a special place in my heart, but because I was so close to finishing it. I was almost at the rainbow cloud, and we had to get rid of it. Sad times.

Fortunately, a few years later, I bought a cheap copy of Pokemon Snap and set that record straight.

5 - The Purple Book

Oh, the Purple Book. I don’t even know where this came from. It wasn’t a strategy guide as such, as it didn't have any brands or seemingly any affiliation to notable guides; and yet this book had everything - EVERYTHING - you needed to know about Gen 1 inside it. Which type was effective against which; which Pokemon were in which area; what levels each Pokemon evolved and learned new moves at. This was our Pokemon bible. whilst I don’t think we ever used it for strategies or clues on what to do, we most certainly used it to try and “catch-em-all” along with planning out a Pokemon’s certain growth (i.e. what moves should be learned; should I let them evolve here or there etc.) I’m sure we still have it somewhere, but hey it’s been 17 years. Either way, it’s all but useless now that more generations have come out since.

Speaking of...

4 - The Reveal of Gen 2

You have to understand; Pokemon Red and Blue versions were huge. Everyone had something to say about it in school (barring the teachers). Then Pokemon Yellow released, and people talked about that. “It’s just like the show. You have a pikachu that follows you and everything”

We thought that was the peak, like, you can BE the TV show.

Then Miltank appeared in a magazine and things. Got. CRAZY!

At first people doubted its legitimacy, but then when they realised what it meant we all went nuts. We thought it was just Pokemon Blue, Red, and Yellow, but now there was MORE?! The prospect of more Pokemon was like going to Disney world to the kids of my primary school, and to say we were pumped for Gold and Silver is an understatement. Of course, now, with 6 generations and counting, this seems rather insignificant, but back then, we weren't drowning in extra Pokemon, we were jumping in puddles whilst it rained.

3 - Getting My Pokemon N64 With Pokemon Stadium

Now we’re getting into the good stuff. All memories up to now have been happy and fun, but these next few are the most treasured of them all. Starting out with my Pokemon N64. There was a tradition when I was a kid, that every Easter we would get an “Easter treat”. These started out small, a VHS here, a bag for my GameBoy there, but they gradually became bigger. One thing I wasn’t expecting for an Easter treat was a Nintendo 64. We already had one, it was my brother’s and it was in his room, but now I was getting my own...AND IT WAS POKEMON!

This blew my mind! I was bouncing. Off what? Off everything! I was over the moon. This alone was spectacular, but then it turns out it came with a pokemon N64 game I’d never seen or heard of before. Pokemon Stadium. This game practically lived in the console for next to a year. The multiplayer! The modes! The challenges! And of course the GameBoy player with Dodrio mode that allowed you to play the GameBoy games at 3 times the speed! Yes Please!

This gift was so dear to me, that even now, as I write, the Pokemon N64 is sitting on my shelf, plugged in and ready to go.

2 -  Level 100

I’m going to admit it. A Pokefan, I most certainly was. A good Pokemon player, I most certainly wasn’t. Pokemon Blue was essentially my first real RPG, and as a result, I had no idea how to play it properly. Oh I understood the mechanics of the game, but I felt little incentive to raise a strong and coherent team. There was just one Pokemon I cared about. Charizard. 

Charizard was my boi. Ask anyone who knew me and my copy of Pokemon and they’ll tell you. My team was Charizard...and that’s about it. If you could take out my Charizard, you essentially had me beat. He even had both cut and strength assigned to him because I had him with me at all times (it made sense to my child mind). It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that Charizard was the first (and only) Pokemon to reach the maximum level. 100.

This level 100 Charizard is a legend of my life. No other Pokemon can take his place; not even later Charizards! It didn’t matter if I lost every match against friends; OG Charizard was the man. 

1 - Beating the Pokemon League for the First Time

I ask myself: could it really be anything else? Of all the Poke-memories I have, this is without a doubt the number one.

Here’s the scene: I’m at the pokemon league. My Charizard isn’t level 100 yet, but he’s pretty high, and he’s pretty much my entire team as I say. But no matter what, I cannot win. I use my revives, my potions, but nothing can help. Modern day me would know to grind and retry, but not childhood me. Childhood me would hit that wall a thousand times without changing anything until it dropped. At this point, my brother had beaten the league, so I was pretty determined to do the same.

Then the fateful day arrived.

I was in my room. Sitting on the very end of my bed. The windows were facing me, curtains were open and it was sunset. Orange light was moving over my walls and wardrobes, and in my hands, my turquoise GameBoy colour. I had started at the top of the bed, but during the intense play session I managed to move to the very edge. My heart was racing; body sweating as my Charizard took on all of my rival’s Pokemon single handedly. And then came the inevitable. The Blastoise. Hydro pump would be the end of me yet again, it seemed. But no. Somehow, some way, I did it. I pulled through. I crushed that Blastoise, defeated my rival, and finally watched as my name went into the hall of fame.

This moment, this glorious moment, is the Pokemon memory I will take to my grave. The uncertainty of reality followed by the overjoyed celebration are as vivid to me today as they were back then. No moment can even compare.

These 10 are some of the best and fondest memories I have, but the total number, as I’ve said, is innumerable. As such, I can’t say Pokemon was just a phase I went through; a fad I grew out of, because it’s still running alongside me. I still play the games whenever I get chance (being an adult now means less time for games sadly) I’m just not as insane as I used to be about it all. Hell, I downloaded Pokemon Blue on the Virtual Console and am playing it right now! 

I may not be a kid anymore, and those days of sitting on my bed playing for hours on end (or at least until the batteries ran out) are far behind me, but there’s still a connection to all of it. I work with children now, and I see so many of them buying or playing their first Pokemon game; but even though they weren’t there when it all began like I was, I still know their experience will be just as special. Because it’s Pokemon. It’s a bridge into childhood at any and all ages, and I hope it never goes away.

Happy Birthday, Pokemon

Many Happy Returns 

#10 memories #Pokemon #Pokemon Blue and Red #pokemon 20th anniversary #Childhood #pokemon anime #Charizard #Pikachu #Nintendo #Nintendo 64 #GameBoy

[gamerspasm]

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. ~ Thoughts

So I’ve just finished playing the latest Mario and Luigi game and whilst I won’t say it’s the best in the series, it certainly deserves recognition. Yes, the game has some short comings, and it’s by no means perfect, but as I’ve been playing, and especially now that it’s done, I feel I need to point out just why Paper Jam Bros. might just be the most refined version of the Mario and Luigi formula. If I had to compare it to the previous instalment, I feel Dream Team Bros. is the better game, but Paper Jam does so well to improve on the series’ past mistakes, that I can’t help giving it an A for effort. So just what does it do so right?

1 - The Tutorial is All But Removed

One thing I hate about JRPGs, RPGs, or any strategic game of any kind are the tutorials you are forced to endure at the start of the game. Don’t get me wrong, they’re necessary in a lot of games, but when your core mechanic is focused on simplicity, as the Mario and Luigi series is, having layers upon layers of tutorials can really drag. This problem is further compounded when veterans of the M&L series pick up the latest addition to the franchise only to be told - again - stuff they already know.

Paper Jam finally recognises this and sidelines the whole tutorial process. Need to know how to play the game? Press the guide on the pause screen whenever you want. Not only that but the game gives you the choice when it comes to learning new elements. The whole process is streamlined, it’s incredibly refreshing. I booted up this game with the dread of tutorials, but imagine my surprise when the game jumps right in without a second wasted. Nice one!

2 - Accessability

As I say, the series is based around simplicity (Mario is A, Luigi is B etc.) so it’s already pretty accessible, but Paper Jam goes just the little bit further. On top of the optional tutorials, the game offers you the choice upon Game Over to simply jump right back in with a retry; retry at an easier difficulty; or revert back to the last save. This certainly helps during repetitive moments of failure, and again just makes everything work more smoothly. Furthermore, the game offers to give you hints and prompts in battle if you’re new or struggling. Series experts won’t need this, of course, but it wasn't put there for those people, now was it. 

3 - The Mini-Games

Over the course of the game, the player is prompted to play short side missions. A few of these are optional, but a large majority are mandatory. This is not an all-round good thing, I admit, as a few times they feel forced, shoe-horned in, out of place, or clumped together; but on the whole they offer diversity during gameplay. RPGs are repetitive by design, and these mini-games - as out-of-nowhere as they may seem sometimes - can be a welcome change of pace. I just wish so many of them didn't feel like toll booths.

4 - The Logbook 

Mario and Luigi games aren't typically collect-a-thons, but they do have a lot of things in them. Paper Jam, however, offers you a logbook filled with percentages and totals. This isn’t a compulsory check list, but it does help those seeking to 100% the game, and it’s definitely worth going around and getting as much as you can before the end of the game.

5 - General Efficiency

Generally, the game just uses a lot of common sense and does things purposefully to benefit the player. For example, with 3 characters to control, each one assigned to the A, B, and Y buttons, it would be quite tedious to press them one after the other in order to, let’s say, jump, so the game gives you the mass jump ability assigned to the otherwise unused X button. A, B, and Y are still used for the high jumps, but for the most part the game is designed around the lower platforms. It’s certainly welcome.

Not only that but the game incorporates a dash function. By holding X briefly as you land, the Mario Bros. build up a charge and when you release they set off running. This run is a little slippery at times, but you’ll soon get the hang of it and it definitely speeds up any back tracking you may have to do. As a final example of efficient design, there are the drill spots. These things have been in the series since day one, but as far as I’m aware, Paper Jam is the first game to make drilling through them less tedious. Before, if you wanted the treasure underneath the drill spot, you had to come out of the ground beneath them. You have to understand, these things are everywhere, and picking them up one at a time is not my idea of fun. So, to simply pick them up as you go by moving beneath them without coming up is most certainly a brilliant part of Paper Jam. It seems so arbitrary, but you wouldn’t believe how much better this makes things.

6 - The New Stuff

One of the best things about the Mario and Luigi series is that it changes and adds new elements whilst ultimately retaining the same format. Partners in Time brought in the babies, offering new ways to battle as well as changing up in game puzzles; Bowser’s Inside Story allowed players to play as Bowser and also brought in cross battling (Mario, Luigi, and Bowser fight together) and giant battles. And then Dream Team Bros. offered a variant battle system, as well as naturally elongating the game with the real and the dream realms.

So what does Paper Jam bring? Most obviously Paper Mario, who truly is unique, with different attack patterns, defences, and in-game ability segments. Then there’s the battle card system which allows status effects to be played during battles. I rarely used this feature if I’m honest, but it certainly came in handy when I needed it. There’s the Papercraft battles which take the place of the Giant battles from the previous two instalments, and finally there's the aforementioned mini-games which shake up gameplay every once in a while. The point is, Paper Jam feels just like the other Mario and luigi games, whilst ultimately standing out as it’s own entry in the series. It carries over and offers a new take on what worked in the old games, whilst also adding some new things to keep things moving. 

As I said before, on the whole, I feel Dream Team Bros is the better of the two if we were comparing them, but when you consider just what Paper Jam does right over its older siblings, you have to acknowledge it as something remarkable. 

(God, I want a new Paper Mario game now!)

#My Thoughts #Mario and Luigi #Paper Jam Bros #3DS #Nintendo #Paper Mario

[gamerspasm]

Behaviour Goes Where Attention Flows

So Street Fighter 5 recently came out, and whilst critics and reviewers the world over have given it moderate praise, customer satisfaction is at an abysmal level. And who can blame them. Servers are frequently having issues; there are no repercussions for “quitters” online; half of the game’s content has been locked behind DLC; and the single player mode is beyond bare bones (Seriously, no arcade mode? You’re a fighting game without an arcade mode?!). It’s safe to say Street Fighter 5 is a travesty.

Yet people are still surprised somehow

Oh, to be clear, I’m not saying “Boo, Street Fighter games have always been bad, lol”. No (I like Street Fighter) what I’m saying is, in this current gaming climate, you’re surprised that a corporate game dev has charged full price for an unfinished product with ambitions to sell you the rest down the line? This isn’t a new thing, guys. Far from it, alarmingly. This is a very old and well worn thing that’s been happening for almost a decade.

This is what gaming has become. A game can launch unfinished; it’s fine, they’ll patch it later. A game can be riddled with glitches and bugs; it doesn't matter, so long as it sells. A game can lock all its content behind pay walls and charge whatever it wants because that’s what everyone is used to now, right? Getting more later on?

This culture we find ourselves in is, in a word, abusive, and the more it happens, the more insulted the gamers feel. But why does it happen? Why hasn’t it stopped?

Simple. Because it works.

Why should Capcom change their ways when the results don’t change for the worse? Why should EA add more features to their next sporting game, when you just snatch it off the shelves regardless? Why should any developer do things different? There’s no incentive or reason to. And this is the crux of the issue: behaviour goes where attention flows. 

If we as the consumers don’t put our feet down, collectively, and protest against this type of thing then nothing will change. If we keep buying up those half finished games at launch; keep slapping our money down in advance for that season pass; keep reviewing these games highly to appease the developers, then NOTHING. WILL. CHANGE.

So rather than complaining, let’s commit to it, shall we? Don’t like Street Fighter 5? Take it back to the store, demand a full refund and then say “never again”. Super Street Fighter 5 comes out down the line? That’s nice, not interested; damage has been done. Fifa 17 hits store shelves? Don’t buy it if you know its no different from the last one. “Oh but EA will close the online servers for the previous game”; exactly, they’re trying to force you and manipulate you, but have some god-damn self-respect and deny them the satisfaction. 

The common term for what I’m describing is “voting with your wallet” but to me it’s a little more complicated than that. This is an epidemic. You, the consumer, voting with your wallet won’t change a bloody thing. We need as many people as possible to do the same. 

The devs need to hear us loud and clear on this and the only way that’s going to happen is if their profits hit the pits. We can’t just continue to be mindless husks, dancing to the tune THEY play. If you bought a guitar and it had no strings, you wouldn’t sit there strumming nothing because “oh well the last guitar didn't have strings either”. If you bought a trolley worth of food from the local super market, you wouldn’t expect the manager to take out half the stuff and then attempt to resell them to you, despite you having paid what the stuff is worth upfront. You wouldn’t settle for this in any other situation, so how is this different?

This isn’t so much a call for revolution (despite its tone) it’s more of a plea for sanity. Gamers! Stop being so easily fooled and toyed with and do something about it. If you’re frustrated that the games industry has become this corporate monster, then act against it, don’t just comply. It’s like Hollywood and 3D. They ram it into everything because they want to make money, but audiences are getting wise to it now and are ignoring it. 3D is fast on its way out, but Hollywood will still push it out of desperation. Eventually, they’ll give up, and all it will take is for the audience to be united against it. 

The same has already started to happen here. Due to poor game sales in recent years, Ubisoft have opted to stop making Assassin’s Creed an annual release, in the hopes of improving future games. This doesn't guarantee greatness, but it’s a damn fine start, and enough for me to give Ubisoft the benefit of the doubt in future. If we did this to more of the disappointing current gen titles, we might actually be able to pull ourselves out of this muck. The AAA games industry isn’t slowly becoming a shill, it’s already there, and it’s been like that for 2 gaming generations. 

I say enough is enough, don’t you?

#Gaming #Street Fighter 5 #Capcom #EA #AAA industry #AAA games

[gamerspasm]

My 2015 in Games

I have quite the backlog. A lot of games still left on my shelf, wrapped in cellophane and I just struggle to get through them all. Worse still, more games come out every year and add to the seemingly never-ending to-do list. Even so I have done my level best to attack this beast over the course of 2015 and whilst I haven’t quite cleared it (not even close) I’m at least getting somewhere. So I thought, why not. Why not list every game I’ve played this year and briefly go over them. Maybe even give the a score. plus, I don’t have to limit myself to 100 words. That’d be a nice thing to do.

There are a few points first: 1. The list isn’t exclusive to games released in 2015 but it is limited to games I have never played before this year; and 2. I’m only including games that I have beaten/completed (so games I tried but didn't like are gone) and games that are designed to be played continuously, drop in and drop out type games, will not be included (so no Smash, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, or any free to play games). Also, I can’t remember the exact order I played them in so they’re all alphabetised. Here goes...

Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4)

I’m a massive fan of Rocksteady’s gritty take on the Batman universe so of course I think this game is great. The story is engaging, the combat is a blast, the soundtrack in very atmospheric and appropriate, and the mechanics work just as good as they always have. There are even a few new elements, most notably the Batmobile, which are included to define it against its predecessors and keep things fresh. If I had any criticisms it would be that the said Batmobile is a little overused. Whilst its design and mechanics are well made - and the game is well made around it - it is somewhat forced upon the player too often - particularly in the early stages. Even so, Arkham Knight is a great addition to the series and a really epic finale to an already epic series. 8/10

Bayonetta (Wii U)

Bayonetta has received a lot of flack over the years for its arguably misogynistic portrayal of the titular character, but in spite of the controversy there is a solid action game to be had. Combat is tight and fun, everything is big and theatrical, and the controls are kept both simple enough for beginners but complex enough for pros. The soundtrack isn't half bad either and ultimately the whole game is very tongue in cheek with its style and humour. My issues lie in how unforgiving it can be sometimes for high scorers and also its unabashed flaunting of Bayonetta’s body. Thankfully, despite the over-gratuitous showcasing - which tended to die down the further on I went - Bayonetta’s character is actually well rounded and there’s more to her than what the camera decides to focus on. 8/10

Bioshock (PS3)

I’ve already covered my thoughts on this in one of my 100 word reviews, so I’ll keep this one brief. Bioshock is a shooter with a difference with a wonderful environment to explore and an interesting story to keep you playing. Its style looks more like something from a noire graphic novel at times, and there’s a lot more depth than you might think. Sadly, areas become boring after a third of the way and the player isn’t rewarded enough for exploring the nooks and crannies to the otherwise wondrous setting. 7/10

Bioshock 2 (PS3)

Again, I covered this in 100 words already, so I’ll sum up. What Bioshock did good, Bioshock 2 did great. It kept what worked in the original and improved on the rest, adding new elements alongside an interesting story. It’s a true sequel, not a retread of the first game, nor a cash in on a series. Highly recommended. 9/10

Bravely Default (3DS)

A return to form for JRPG heavyweights, Square Enix, Bravely Default goes back to the roots of the genre with turn based battles, a typical Light versus Darkness storyline, and a variety of colourful, mopy characters. The design of this game is phenomenal, with a fun take on the archaic battle system, and the soundtrack can rival the likes of any Final Fantasy game it’s that good. I only have two real complaints, one personal and one objective. My personal issue is the abhorrent portrayal of women, with sexist behaviour being the norm and costumes being overly revealing at times - there’s even a bikini you can unlock that does nothing to your stats or chances in battle, it just shows skin. As for my objective critique, it’s the same as half the internet. Towards the end of the game, it expects the player to replay the same five events, five times, back to back just to unlock the game’s true ending. This is tiresome, an otherwise lazy way to prolong the game, and ultimately cruel to the dedicated players seeking the real finale. It can ruin the game for some and leave a bad taste in the mouth for others. At it’s core it’s an exceptional game, but buckle up, it doesn't half get bumpy towards the end. 8/10

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)

Yet another game I covered this year in 100 words, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is actually a game I can summarise in one word: Delightful. This game has so much charm and is so adorable I find it impossible to dislike - not that I would dislike it otherwise. It offers a lot of fun, decent challenges, and whilst it may not be sweeping up any ‘Game of the Year’ awards this year, it’s by no means a bad game. 9/10

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (X360)

To some, a God of War rip off; to me (someone who never really took to the God of War series) a decent little adventure game. A departure from the Castlevania games I’ve played before, Lords of Shadow does its level best to take the otherwise 2D platformer franchise and bring it faithfully to a 3D environment. Does it succeed? Yes and no. I give them credit for trying but the levels, whilst lush and full of detail, are too linear. This wouldn't be a problem, but the thing is they don’t look linear. Pathways that appear traversable are blocked by invisible walls and the branching passages on offer do little to hide the illusion of choice. Combat can also be button bashing, but I can’t say that’s truly a bad thing as the way it flows is actually very intuitive and satisfying. I wish it wasn’t level based and just allowed the player to go from location to location without a results screen in between, and the very frequent quicktime events can be a bother, but those are only minor issues. Those and the fact that  the game’s key story point is locked behind DLC. Thanks, Konami. 6/10

Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse (PS3)

Talk about an impulse play, given my back log this shouldn't have even been on my radar, but I don’t regret playing it. Firstly, it looks stunning. I mean look at it. The animation is full of so much life and charm that I wouldn't be surprised if Disney caused a polish shortage. The music too, whilst simply being remixed renditions of the original Megadrive game, has a lot of love poured into it too, and the design is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. The platforming can be a little rough sometimes and the collectables can be a little frustrating for the completionists out there, but generally, its a wonderful game. 8/10

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. (3DS)

Every once in a while, a developer gets a new idea that breaks away from the familiar to explore new territory. This year, that developer was Intelligent Systems and the game was Code Name S.T.E.A.M. Whilst not abandoning the Turn-Based strategy genre altogether, CNS does however apply a fresh new take on the matter, with over the shoulder perspectives and risk/reward design. I have to be clear - I love this game. It’s fun, humorous, has a jaw-droppingly good soundtrack, and has a lot of potential, but it is very rough, most likely a result of the new approach. The game’s difficulty is sporadic and almost random, and even some of the easier levels are relentlessly unforgiving to the player if they dare to make a mistake. Not only that but the opening chapters can put players off outright with some of the hardest scenarios in the game. I actually shelved this after the second chapter because it was so brutal, I only reattempted it because my brother completed it. The final issue I have is just how utterly against you the game is built, ranging from endless reinforcements to sheer misinformation. In spite of all of this however, at its heart, CNS is actually incredibly good fun. Once you wade through the hardships and have finally amassed the maximum number of 4 team mates, the whole thing levels out and becomes a lot more enjoyable; at least until the game’s final boss which is practically broken. So yeah, whilst the beginning is brutal, and the ending is barely possible, the bit in the middle is a goldmine of fun, clever gameplay. 7/10

Dead Space (X360)

I’m not exactly a connoisseur of survival horror games (mainly because they’re scary) but I dabble every now and again and Dead Space, at the time it hit stores, was regarded as one of the scariest ever made. It’s not. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen a fair few of this game’s tropes before, but overall the game isn’t truly frightening. It builds one hell of an atmosphere though, and it does give you a sense of unease, but barring the opening section, most if not all of the game is rather predictable. Gameplay wise it’s fun, but its structure is very much ‘go-here-do-that’ orientated and constant back and forth can be tiresome after a while, especially when the monster layout is predetermined and not random. If it was random, it would lead to me feeling nervous as I play, which would in-turn increase my fear. But because I have a gun, a steady amount of ammo, a shop, a modest number of save points, and generally a good aim, I walked through this game with barely a hitch. Fun enough and interesting, but don’t believe the hype. 7/10

Fantasy Life (3DS)

Part action-RPG, part life sim, Level 5′s Fantasy Life was probably the biggest time sink of my year. The main campaign is nothing difficult, in fact there’s very little to it when I think about it. The meat of the game comes in the Job mechanic which, let’s face it, is what the game was built around. You could probably beat this game in six hours if you focused solely on the story, but if, like me, you get drawn into signing up for all twelve jobs and doing your best to beat each employment’s challenges, you’re looking at fifty hours, easy. Soundtrack, whilst done by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu, is rather standard, no stand out tracks, and a majority of the game can be a grind. I ended up mastering all jobs, but when I learned there were two additional ranks to earn for each job I had to shelf it for my own sanity. The game overall is a lot of fun though and it’s surprisingly better than you might think. After one hundred and seven hours spent with it, I should know. 7/10 

Five Nights at Freddy’s (PC)

Internet fad or indie game of a generation, no matter what you think of Five Night’s at Freddy’s there’s no denying that this game knows what to do to get your heart racing. Whilst not a survival horror game, this knows how to be scary. How? By making you the player feel nervous, paranoid, but most importantly helpless. You cannot move, you cannot dodge out of the way of death nor stop it, you can only do your best to keep death away. In essence its somewhat similar to a tower defence game. This is how you be scary. Yes, there’s jump scares, but the fear of failure is much more potent and that fear grips you until that clock ticks over to 6am. But what about the game, what do I think of it? It’s great. A brilliantly simple idea executed with astute precision and with barely a word spoken the player knows the stakes exactly. Jump scares lose their edge after a while, and the AI can be a little on the unfair side, but I certainly enjoyed it. Give it a whirl if you’re feeling brave. 7/10

Halo 4 (X360)

Halo 4 is the game that made me realise how shooters really aren't for me anymore. I’ve known it for a while, with me dropping in and out of shooters with very little interest, but Halo 4 just hammered the point home. It’s not bad, most shooters aren’t bad, but they’re very much in a rut as far as I’m concerned. Regarding Halo 4, environments look stunning but there’s no variety to them - forest, rock, or spaceship, that’s your lot. Levels too are overly expansive with giant plains being filled with clusters of enemies here and there, not to mention the sparse amount of ammo, unfair insta-kills (sticky grenades and swords), and the very infrequent waypoints. Then there’s the story which, even by Halo standards, is pretty weak, especially in its delivery which seems very slapdash at times. Finally the campaign is one of the shortest in the series, with only eight missions total. Good points? The soundtrack is excellent, though not as stellar as previous entries, and for shooter fans it has its moments. If I could summarise it though, I would say that it’s very similar to the first Halo in almost every way - and that statement is something that will upset every Halo fan out there. 6/10

Kirby’s Adventure (NES - Wii U Virtual Console)

I’ve had this game sitting on my Wii U pretty much since console launch, and whilst I initially tried to play it, I found it never really got me. This year, however, on one hell of a whim, I decided to give it another whirl. And it’s good...just, good. What more is there to say about it, it’s Kirby. It’s loveable and charming, and it’s ultimately nothing too difficult. I don’t like to say it hasn’t aged well, but the limitations of the NES are very much felt during play, and that was the main reason why I didn’t stick with it the first time. Generally it’s OK. Music is catchy, design is well done, and there’s even a little for the completionists out there. Not bad, but nothing spectacular. 6/10

Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3DS)

This is technically cheating. Yes, I have played Majora’s Mask on the N64 so isn’t it breaking my own rules to cover it here? Kind of, but it’s a remake so it gets through a loophole. Even so, I’m going to keep this brief and link to my 100 word review again. Outstanding game, just like the original, with polished mechanics and an all around smoother experience. Sadly no Master Quest option like the Ocarina of Time remake, and also some of the alterations to the game irk me a little. I think that’s just the purist in me, though. 9/10

Mass Effect 3 (PS3)

Though I can’t include them here, I actually replayed both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 this year before moving onto this one, mainly because the Xbox 360 version I had on disc wouldn’t work. So after redoing the whole backstory on the PS3, I finally got chance to see the series to the end. And what an end it is. Fans of the series are in for a treat as everything is ramped up and there’s barely a dull moment. Combat is intuitive as ever, though maybe not as slick as Mass Effect 2, and the storyline doesn’t just tug, it full on ravages those heart strings. I left this game feeling empty and sorrowful, sad that it was all over and that it had ended in such a perfect way. The Soundtrack is probably the best in the series, and it’s just an outstanding game to get through. Complaints are minor but still bothersome. The journal system, used to organise all side and main missions, has been absolutely destroyed, cramming all missions into one big mess, and general NPC interactions have been severely downgraded to passing conversations. In short, the game gives you little to no incentive to complete side missions. Regardless of this though, Mass Effect 3 is a stalwart game among its peers and one I look forward to playing again in the future when the time is right. 9/10

Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath HD (PS3)

This has been a mainstay on my backlog since the original graced the Xbox, but this year I finally got around to it. Oddworld know their strengths. Whilst the talent behind the game know how to make an enjoyable experience and are more than capable of designing video games in general, it is the look, feel, and tone that wins out here. This game is a western with mythical beasts, frog men, and mayor chickens. Yes, this is a real game, and yes, Oddworld makes it work. Dancing on a very intricate line between third person adventure game and first person shooter, Stranger’s Wrath offers a gaming experience I haven’t really seen or felt before or since. The Humour is on top form, too, with the game not afraid to swear and curse to get a smile out of you, and the general world is so imaginative it’s like stepping into a warped Narnia. Story sort of does a backflip half way through, mind, and essentially makes you feel like you’re playing an utterly different game, but even so Stranger’s Wrath is great fun to play. 7/10

Paper Mario (N64 - Wii U Virtual Console)

One of the biggest regrets of my childhood was never playing enough of the legendary games out at the time. Games such as the Legend of Zelda: a link to the past, Super Metroid, and F-Zero X never appeared on my radar. One such game was the N64′s swan song, Paper Mario, which is something I’ve wanted to play now since I played Thousand Year Door on the Gamecube. So how is it? Utterly fantastic. Paper Mario is such an outstanding game I’m knocked almost speechless. I can’t find the words to describe it without going into hyperbole, but I can say it isn’t perfect. Overall look, design, humour, story, and soundtrack are all great but again console limitations can be a downer. For instance, I had to slow down my own reaction time in battles as I would often press buttons too quickly and it took some getting used to. That, and the close similarity to Thousand Year Door, which, whilst not really undermining this game, seems to take some of the shine away from the Gamecube sequel. Nevertheless, despite playing it late, Paper Mario has shot into my top 5 N64 games with ease. 9/10

Picross (GB - 3DS Virtual Console)

How random. How odd. How strange, to see such a game here. Why? Because Picross wasn’t even on my backlog. I wasn’t even all that bothered until my brother convinced me to try Pokemon Picross, now I can’t put the bugger down. All I see when I close my eyes now are squares and numbers. It’s such an addictive blast that even after toiling away at a puzzle for over twenty minutes I still start the next one without a second thought. It’s such a great puzzle game, that once you get the hang of it’s logic based design you’ll be speeding along with it in no time. Again, problems stem from the console limitations, with the game often not recognising button presses as I move too quickly for it, and whilst it does exactly what it promises, it’s by no means the crowning jewel of the GameBoy’s catalogue. Mind you, those chiptune sounds are awfully nostalgic. 8/10

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Wii U eShop)

The first Shantae game I’ve played but by no means the last, Shantae and the Pirate’s curse is an excellent platformer with amazing artwork and a gorgeous soundtrack. The overall design is very impressive, with well put together levels and a Metroidvania style progression system. Despite it’s look, too, the game is notoriously difficult and unforgiving, with the final level being by far the most frustrating, but if you’re up for the challenge there’s a lot of greatness to be played. Yet again, though, despite how Shantae is a loveable and fun protagonist, and how most of the game’s cast is female, the game’s portrayal of women is a little brazen. It’s not unforgivable however, as the game does seem self-aware - with Shantae at one point even stating how outrageous her costume is. Even so, barring that one hitch, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse comes in highly recommended in my book. 9/10

Splatoon (Wii U)

For many, this game is the game of 2015 and on principal you can’t blame them. It’s a brand new IP; it’s a fresh take on an arguably tired genre; and its standpoint on how it distributes additional content (with new things coming to the game, for free, every week) could shake up the industry for the better. It’s certainly a game of a generation. As for my personal thoughts I have to say it’s not my typical kind of game. Oh don’t get me wrong, its a blast to play, with customisable controls and avatars, great music, and a variety of stages, modes and weapons. Single player and Amiibo challenges, too, are fun but feel ultimately tacked on, which is fine because the game’s heart and soul is the multiplayer. Generally this game is also quite simple and I feel its a great starting point for future games in the series, but whilst others have never stopped playing since it came out in May, Splatoon never really grabbed me in that way. Love it all the same. 8/10

Stanley Parable (PC)

The Stanley Parable is certainly a game you play for the experience. It is beatable in four minutes after all, but what the game lacks in longevity it makes up for in both style and substance. Being essentially one big comment on gamer culture in general, the Stanley Parable had me rolling on the floor with laughter as the game’s narrator guided, praised, and mocked me as I played. There are dozens of different paths to take, each one leading to a different ending in the game, and for what little time I spent with it, it certainly left a lasting impression. The downside is its length tied in with its current steam price tag. It’s£10 on the Steam store, and after playing its admittedly fun but overall short offerings, it did make me question whether it was worth such a price. Even so, as an experience, I don’t regret playing it. 8/10

Super Mario Maker (Wii U)

Admittedly, since I wrote my 100 word review of this game, my opinion of it has come down - just goes to show what the hype can do. That’s not to say the game is bad, far from it. As a creative tool its simplistic and brilliant and I have poured days worth of hours into it already. Its main issues are how it handles the “play” side of things, with good, well designed levels being practically impossible to find, and 100 Mario Challenge being rife with minimal effort piles of junk. Not only that, but the stars concept (whilst obvious and perfect on paper) is completely misused, leading to the unknown people being ignored and the likes of Youtubers and other internet personalities being at the top of the pile due to their popularity elsewhere - and most if not all of their levels are garbage. Matter of opinion, I know, but it just goes to show some people are more suited to playing instead of making. 8/10

Tomb Raider (PS4)

I never really got into the original Tomb Raider games. They just never appealed to me, but when I saw the 2013 reboot, it managed to slip on to my to-play list. The game plays great with stealth and exploration being the two main themes, and the environments are just about the right size, not too big to get lost in but not too small to be linear. Not only that but Lara’s character is incredibly well formed. Whilst her roots lie in being little more than a thing for the male gaze, the new Lara is an interesting, smart, human character. Her flaws aren't viewed as weaknesses, but rather elements of future strengths, and the whole cast that surrounds her feel equally as real. It’s well written on top of well made, though it can be a very troublesome for the completionists out there given there’s a lot to dig up and find. 8/10

Yoshi’s Woolly World (Wii U)

Yoshi has had a bit of a rough and tumble run through his franchise. Some of his games hit their mark, but too many fall short. Yoshi’s Island on the SNES is one of my favourite games ever, but since then, most if not all attempts to try and recreate it have just been missing some of that magic. Yoshi’s Woolly World however is the true successor to the SNES original as far as I’m concerned. Its style is second to none, its soundtrack is full of childish nostalgia, and its structure is straightforward and simple. Amiibo functionality seems rather thrown in, but it’s interesting nonetheless, and there’s just enough challenge to be truly enjoyable. There’s even a little for the completionists out there. Downsides? Its formula can be a little archaic at times, and the final boss is pretty weak, but we’re really splitting hairs here. Though it’s not being considered for any GOTY awards, it really should be. 9/10

#2015 #Video Games #batman arkham knight #Bayonetta #Bioshock #Bioshock 2 #Bravely Default #captain toad treasure tracker #Castlevania Lords of Shadow #Castle of illusion #Code Name S.T.E.A.M. #Dead Space #Fantasy Life #Five Nights at Freddy's #Halo 4 #Kirby's Adventure #Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask 3D #Mass Effect 3 #Oddworld Stranger's Wrath HD #Paper Mario #Picross #Shantae and the Pirate's Curse #Splatoon #The Stanley Parable #Super Mario Maker #Tomb Raider #Yoshi's Woolly World #NES #GameBoy #PS4

[gamerspasm]

100 Word Review: Super Mario Maker

Super Mario Maker is not only a perfect anniversary celebration, but it’s also a quintessential Wii U title. Whilst its heart rests in the creation aspect, the play side is not overlooked, and both halves of the game’s core complement each other really well. Creation is also practically limitless, and offers a lot of depth given how basic it may first appear, and there’s hours of fun to be had. One drawback however is that earning stars to increase your upload cap is troublesome as levels are not effectively circulated but this does little to impact an otherwise immaculate experience.

Verdict: 9.5/10

(I had to add a 0.5 to the score, it’s that close!)

#100 Word Review #wii u #super mario maker #nintendo #super mario

[gamerspasm]

Sony, Bloody Sony

Unscripted rant inbound.

Sony and I have a difficult relationship as of late. Many years ago I had a PlayStation and loved it. It had loads of great games and was a different platform I wasn’t used to. Then the PlayStation 2 came out. Everyone loved it (because it was so easy to hack, chip, and pirate) but I never saw it as anything too special. A few years after it’s initial launch I got a PS3 and have enjoyed the games on offer there; and now we’re at the PS4.

Do I have one yet? no. Will I get one? Probably. Any time soon? Absolutely not.

Why?

Because to me Sony just aren’t trying. Nintendo isn’t much competition now that the media has labelled their home console as a failure, and Microsoft can’t even hope to match Sony’s success, so for the most part the PS4 has it smooth sailing. The worst part is, Sony know this too.

So why bother stressing about their poor line up of exclusives, it doesn’t matter when everyone will just buy us anyway. Who cares if customer satisfaction is lower than desired, I doubt they’ll be jumping ship to the XBone any time soon. This is the mind set I see whenever Sony talk about anything, and as a result I refuse to give them any of my money for their product. I will not buy because you’re the default option, Sony, that won’t work with me.

To me this attitude is rampant amongst the company when it comes to video games, and it’s so obvious that I can’t help but get frustrated when the media doesn’t call them out on this bullshit. Nintendo’s console isn’t doing so well? Well let’s crucify it’s chances by slandering it, lying about it, and convincing everyone to steer clear of it because it might give you cancer*. Sony are lying about their product? Their games are getting poor write ups? Customers aren’t happy? Oh who cares. 20 million units sold worldwide so let’s write an article about how Sony have already won this one horse race!

*slight exaggeration 

And people have the nerve sometimes to say Nintendo gets off with a free pass sometimes when this shit gets pulled. At the start of the Wii U’s shelf-life, Nintendo were approached by advertising agencies and told to remove their “Off TV play” USP from their advertisements as one game didn’t include the feature. But don’t worry, Sony can say that you can join a friend’s game online without owning the game yourself, despite the fact that such a feature is only available in one game (FarCry 4).

Yep, they can just say “on PS4, Nick’ll join your game” implying that this feature is widespread throughout the console’s catalogue. Was the ad taken down? Removed? Were Sony reprimanded and told to change their campaign? Nope, it was on all through the Christmas 2014 period and probably helped to sell a lot of consoles.

On the subject of advertisements, lets go further. Seen any third party games being advertised recently? What console have they been advertised for? PS4? No surprise. Sony have bought up all the marketing rights to most third party games. Granted they aren't alone in this, it’s actually the third party devs offering up the rights themselves, Sony just bought the lion’s share. But these tactics, whilst not wholly Sony’s, are sleazy at best. To those in the know, those games are multi-platform, but to the uneducated gamer, that game is only available on that console. It’s like mock exclusivity.

Companies doing this are essentially paying people to buy their console over the others because its a manipulation tactic. What’s worse is, other companies don’t even get a say. When Watch Dogs was about to come out on Wii U after 6 months of being on the other consoles, Nintendo could barely talk about it. (Not that they’d want to mind, but that’s beside the point). Even 6 months after its release, Nintendo couldn’t say a word, because Sony had bought the rights and that was that. I use this as an example, and I know I sound like a Nintendo Fanboy, but it happens to other companies too. 

And when Sony aren't tricking their consumers their outright lying to them. There’s the FarCry 4 example I previously mentioned, but what about subtly changing the name of a game trailer to make people believe it’s for one game but its really for another. Ad for the Uncharted collection renamed to Uncharted 4 on youtube to increase traffic. Minor really, but again it’s damn manipulation. Oh and let’s not forget about how Sony were sued (class-action) for lying about the PlayStation Vita during its marketing campaign. Sony lie. They do.

Let’s take their latest E3 coverage for instance. Think their manipulative ways are behind them? Think again. They announce The Last Guardian and a Final Fantasy VII Remake among other games. Straight away the gaming world is alive with chatter. Last Guardian, a game that’s been constantly delayed for 10 years (no really) is finally coming out, and we’re getting a FF7 remake. What a time to go and get a PlayStation 4. Oh but wait, FF7 is only coming to PS4 FIRST, it’s coming to other platforms eventually. K, well at least we’re getting the Last Guardian, right? Oh but it turns out we might not even be getting that, as Sony “aren’t sure” whether the game will come out in 2016.

Quick side story. Upon seeing The Last Guardian for the first time almost a decade ago, my dad got a PS3. The game wasn’t even out yet, but he got the console, ready. Then it got delayed. And then delayed again. And again. Until soon we thought the game had been cancelled. It never came to the PS3 and now Sony have just announced that its coming (Maybe) to the PS4. I’m sorry, but maybe doesn’t cut it here. Why did you announce a game if you don’t know when it’s coming out? I know why, because manipulating people is what you do. Give the crowd what they want and then just sit back and let the money roll in; it doesn’t matter if you weren’t entirely forthcoming in your initial announcement because its only a technicality. 

No, I’m sorry. You don’t just get to announce it and that’s that. If the game hasn’t got a concrete date by now (again 10 years), I’m not counting on it, and I am in no way going to be convinced into getting a PS4 because of it. Them’s the rules, Sony. Fool me once...

Look, I don’t hate Sony per se, but these tactics and actions irk me when no one calls them up on it; and it frustrates me when a console’s quality is measured by its success. I probably will get a PS4 eventually because Microsoft aren’t exactly great, but I’ll be damned if I’m getting one because of that reason. Earn my cash, Sony, don’t just expect it. That’s just arrogant.

#Sony #PlayStation 4 #The Last Guardian

[gamerspasm]

Event Horizon - Nintendo’s Digital Event Review

If I haven’t made it clear before, I’m a Nintendo fan. This is in part due to my childhood, where the only games I played were on Nintendo systems (for the most part) and it also comes down to their quality. As a result, you can bet your bottom dollar I was stoked for their E3 Digital Event yesterday. I mean we already had the Smash Direct, and the Nintendo World Championships, both of which had huge reveals and announcements, so how could Nintendo go wrong? Everything was on the up and up. When it comes to games, Nintendo deliver, but for some reason this year it felt as though Nintendo were pulling their punches

That’s not to say the show was “bad”, but bad by Nintendo’s standards. Given the context of the company, they've wowed and amazed for so many years that can you really blame me for expecting a little more. I have a lot of thoughts on the show as a whole, but I think it’s best if I just went through everything as it happened, step by step.

Part 1 - The Muppets

A lot of people were mixed about last year’s Robot Chicken interludes, but I liked them. Robot Chicken’s cast and crew are aware of gaming culture, and at their core they grew up with Nintendo just like most kids in the 80s and 90s. This year, we got Muppets. Was this a bad idea? Hell No! Muppet Iwata, Miyamoto and Reggie were all amusing to watch and gave the show exactly what the competitors sorely lack. Personality and character. There’s a charm to Nintendo, its company and its games; why should their digital event be any different?

Part 2 - StarFox Zero

HO HO yes! This game! This is the game I've been eagerly awaiting since last E3; hell even longer than that. The next new StarFox game, and it didn't disappoint. It’s good seeing Fox back in the Arwing and not running around on foot. It’s good to see large open terrains and dogfights; and it’s good to see that the franchise is still trying new things such as the transformations between vehicles. Everything is looking great.

I guess my only concern is the fact that its all too reminiscent of StarFox 64. Similar dialogue, villains and I think even the voices are the same as those they recast for the 3DS remake. All this in mind, Mr Miyamoto has gone ahead and said that this is NOT a reboot or a remake of StarFox 64, but rather a follow up to the game’s core mechanics. I can buy into this, but I think an expansion on the world and story would have been great too, not just another battle with Andross. Zelda and Mario get away with their repeating storylines, but StarFox and Metroid for example, have always had a flowing story that progresses from game to game.

Another aspect that has me a little dubious is the gamepad “gimmick” of using the screen as a cockpit view with gyro controls. I never liked the gyro controls of the 3DS StarFox 64 and I’m worried that such a thing may impede the game here if I’m forced to use it. I’m also worried that such rapid movements in a StarFox game may be exhausting given the formula of previous iterations. It’s too early to say though, and I’m not saying this a bad thing yet. If it doesn’t turn out for the best however, I only hope there’s some way you can turn it off. One way or another, I’m excited for StarFox Zero and it’s a great way to start the show. What’s next, Nintendo?

Part 3 - Developer Stories

Yes, these were a good addition last year and their a great addition now. This isn’t some glammed up sales pitch on a stage like Nintendo’s competitors would make, this is passion, heart and soul. You hear how ideas are created and you hear about what the developer is trying to achieve with their game. To have the first developer be Mr Miyamoto is a big hitter, too. 30 years and the man is still as passionate and creative as ever. It’s great that these make a return. Minor complaint? some, not all, tend to run on a little longer than necessary. But that’s just a small thing really. Next!

Part 4 - Skylanders Superchargers

OK so, it’s too much of me to expect something big right after StarFox, so this game is a nice cool down after the big reveal. I don’t really care for the Skylanders games, but I know a lot of people like the idea, so I’m not going to start tearing chunks out of this segment. I will say however that I think it could have been shorter and given how there were only 2 amiibos announced for the game, this shouldn’t really have been in the Digital Event. Maybe announced prior to E3 or revealed later after the show. Just feels small considering everything. NEXT!

Part 5 - Tri Force Heroes

Right off the back of a cool down game comes another one of Nintendo’s franchises: Zelda. Sadly, no Zelda U at this show, but a new Zelda game is nothing to shake a stick at. Once again we’re venturing into the Link Between Worlds’ design and seeing what looks to be a spiritual successor to the Four Swords lineage. This is bound to get a lot of people excited but...not me. I like the idea and the design is good, especially the idea of online co-op, but it just felt as though it was a little small for a Zelda game. Which is odd because right after this...

Part 6 - Hyrule Warriors goes 3D

We get given what is essentially a port of Hyrule Warriors on the 3DS. Considering we have just been shown a brand new Zelda game for the first time, this game (one that we knew about before the event, whoops) seemed to be the bigger announcement of the two. At least that’s how it felt to me. I haven’t even gotten around to playing the Wii U version yet, but it nevertheless looks cool and I’m sure it’s got Dynasty Warriors fans very hyped. One more thing I will say here though is, going from the look of HWL I felt it was going to be for the NEW 3DS, but no its for all models. Strange considering how its a Wii U port (essentially) but what can you do. Support for the NEW 3DS however was absent throughout the show.

Part 7 - Federation Force and Blast Ball

This is where things started to get ugly. Nintendo had already unveiled Blast Ball at the NWC and it was met with a mediocre response. Now we find out the game’s full title as well as its parent game - Metroid Prime: Federation Force. On a completely unrelated note, let me just go and board up my windows.

Never have I seen a game be hit with such a backlash before, and all because of one detail. You've called it Metroid, guys. Look, I can see why you’ve tagged the name Metroid Prime to it. It’s a FPS that looks to have a similar engine to MP:Hunters on the original DS, but when your fans have been baying and screaming for a new Metroid for the last 5 years, this is not what you go for. On paper the idea of branding it Metroid Prime makes sense, but in practise, you better pull out those riot shields - FAST!

Thoughts on the game itself? Looks interesting, if a little cartoony, which ultimately makes the Metroid name issue even worse. I don’t have a problem with the game and hell it could be great, but right now a lot of people (myself included) are trying to see past that branding problem. 5 years. 5 YEARS! and this is what we get. Not that I’m not grateful, but it’s like asking for a Nintendo 64 for Christmas and getting a Sega Megadrive. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just not what I asked for. Some people have even gone as far as to form a petition to have the game cancelled. It’s a ridiculous notion and one I don’t support, but if anything can be taken away from it, it’s that the Metroid fanbase is PISSED!

Metroid, to me, is the third contender when it comes to Nintendo’s IPs. Mario is first, Zelda is second, Metroid third, that’s how I’ve always seen it. But in the last 5 years both Mario and Zelda have had 5 games each. Metroid barely gets 1 in that time, and it’s not the Metroid game the fans have been asking for. Swing and a miss, Nintendo; or rather, you hit the ball, but not a home-run. Anyway, moving on...preferably quickly.

Part 8 - Fire Emblem Fates

Some people like Fire Emblem, others are indifferent. Me? I LOVE IT! Fire Emblem IF has had me stoked for a while now, and now we not only get an English trailer but also its western title: Fire Emblem Fates. Bring it on I say...but wait, all we’re getting is the Japanese trailer with English dialogue. Nothing else.

Here’s where a lot of my negative issues with this digital event start to come out. We already know about Fire Emblem Fates, it’s been shown off in quite a few Nintendo Directs over the last few months. Realistically, why is it in the Digital Event? Seems rather superfluous, right now. I mean, I’m happy to see it, I’m just left questioning is it the right time and place? Either way, I guess it’s good to see it. Next.

Part 9 - Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem

Attached to the back of the Fire Emblem Fates trailer we get Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem, and I’m just going to say it. GUTTER BALL. So we got new footage, so the game is set to be big in Japan, but this in the Digital Event was an absolute travesty. First of all its in Japanese. Not a problem with that, except that there were little to no subtitles either. This is being mostly presented to American audiences, what with E3 being an American show. Who thought it was a good idea to barely translate it. This trailer just hurt my brain. Lots of things happening on screen and I’m just left with no idea about what exactly I’m looking at. I have no context and thus no interest. Bye. NEXT!

Part 10 - Xenoblade Chronicles X

Well I think we all knew this was going to make an appearance, but yet again, why should it? We’ve known about this game for two years now and in that time we’ve been given steady glimpse after steady glimpse into this game’s design and world. Why is it in the Digital Event if, realistically, you’re not giving away anything new? The only new thing we have is the release date, which I think got a resounding “FINALLY!” from everyone who was watching. I’m looking forward to this game, but given how long its been in public knowledge, I think its omission from the Digital Event wouldn’t have gone amiss. Still, it was a brief trailer, so not much time was lost. NEXT!

Part 11 - Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer & Amiibo Festival

Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer looks interesting, but not interesting enough to make me want to go and get it. A nice little game for fans of the characters and its quaint new direction reinvigorates the series a little though. My main focus now is on Amiibo Festival.

This trailer opens with an Animal Crossing Amiibo being placed on a Wii U Gamepad. I can see all the AC fans beaming already. This is it. Animal Crossing is coming to Wii U. Nintendo have listened to everyone and made it happen. 5 seconds later however, and those beaming smiles turn to somewhat salty tears. Again, it’s like Federation Force. It’s not that we’re ungrateful, the game is probably going to be great, but it’s not what we were expecting. It’s basically Animal Crossing meets Mario Party, and for the most part I like the idea. I’m happy with New Leaf on the 3DS anyway so I wasn’t exactly demanding a Wii U Animal Crossing, and this seems to be a nice mix for the franchise. Some people will be annoyed, but I’m not seeing any petitions yet, so I think we’re good. One more thing: K.K. slider looks weird standing up. NEXT!

Part 12 - Yoshi’s Woolly World

OK this is at least the third game in the show that we already knew about prior. Let me be clear. I want this game. Yoshi’s Woolly World looks great and I can’t wait to play it. But 2 things. 1, its already made an appearance this E3 with the Treehouse guys before the NWC; and 2, it’s out next week in Europe. Why is this in the Digital Event? OK, we’re talking to one of the developers behind the plushie Amiibos as well as getting new footage and that’s great, but why is this in the Digital Event? It doesn’t need to be here. The game is out in some places next week for god’s sake, why are we showing it here? Again, much like Fire Emblem Fates, is it really the time and place? Next.

Part 13 - Yo-kai Watch

It’s big in Japan and sure to find a home with JRPG fans in the west, but not much else to say. Kind of indifferent to it myself, but I don’t think it’s a bad addition to the Digital Event. Moving on.

Part 14 - Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam Bros.

Well, this came out of left field. I know a lot of people who were hoping for Paper Mario on the Wii U, but this is certainly a great substitute. Paper Mario and the Mario and Luigi series’ collide in what looks to be another fantastic and imaginative Mario RPG experience. Deep down I think I would have preferred it if these franchise branches remained separate, but nevertheless I’m excited and happy to see this game. Certainly makes up a little for all the old games on show. Bring on the new!

Part 15 - Mario Tennis Ultra Slam

I’ve got to be honest. When I had gotten to the end of the show, I had completely forgotten about this game, and I think a lot of people had too. Everything else - the new and the old, the positive and the negative - all seemed to overshadow it. Well I’m going to rectify that right now. This game looks sleek and fun, with a new power up gimmick being thrown into play. I only hope we don’t get a Mario Power Tennis 2 but I think this game will be a lot of fun nonetheless, especially when playing online.

Part 16 - Super Mario Maker & Finale

These two - Mr Miyamoto and Mr Tezuka - are just adorable. The way they reminisce about 30 years of working together and how they talk to each other is so heart-warming. Sorry, I had to say it before moving on. All right, so Super Mario Maker. Well it is Mario’s 30th Anniversary so of course, you’re going to see it.

BUT.

Guys, I don’t if you saw it, but there was this big event the other day called the NINTENDO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. There, you showcased Super Mario Maker and it blew everyone’s minds. Why - is this - in the Digital Event? The developer story was a nice touch and as I said above, it was great to see these two talk about their work together, but there is such a thing as overselling it. I want Mario Maker. Possibly more than oxygen right about now. Stop teasing and taunting me with this footage about what I can do. My imagination is already sparking out, just give me the game already.

I thought this was why Super Mario Maker was in the NWC. It totally stole the show, and I thought that was your intent, but putting it in the Digital Event seems to destroy my assumptions. Again, seeing it isn’t bad. I am in no way put off about getting this game; but ultimately it can make the show look lacklustre as a whole if we keep talking about games and info we already know about.

Then we close on a big Mario montage to give the plumber the respect he deserves. A nice note to finish on, without any arguments from me.

****************************************************************************************************

So there you have it. That was Nintendo’s Digital Event and overall it was fine. There were a few new games and details as well as plenty to look forward to this year. The main drawbacks?

1 - Too much time and space talking about games we’ve already discussed.

Fire Emblem Fates. Xenoblade Chronicles X. Mario Maker. Yoshi’s Woolly World. Yo-kai Watch. Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem. All good to see (maybe not that last one) but all games we don’t necessarily need to see. The Digital Event should be reserved for the new and whilst this was the case in places, the old stuff left me feeling as if I had seen half of it before.

2 - Not enough focus on 2016 Wii U games

Most, if not all, Wii U games on show were set to come out in 2015. This is great. No, really, I’m overjoyed about this. But looking ahead, 2016 seems very barren for the Wii U. Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem and Zelda U are all we know about for now. Surely that can’t be it? My only thought is that they have games lined up that aren’t ready to show yet. This is fine, but just a heads up about it would be nice. With such a void in 2016 being set up, it only serves to further rumours that the NX is the Wii U’s replacement and that the Wii U isn’t worth buying. Maybe we’ll find out more as E3 goes on, and maybe we’ll get more announcements through Nintendo Directs in the coming months. Time will tell.

Overall, I can’t help feeling dejected by the show. It was good, but as I said before a little soft given how powerful Nintendo can hit. Last year was a constant stream of new, this year felt more like a sequel to it - more of the same with some new things here and there. Realistically it comes down to the show’s context. If this had been another Nintendo Direct, I wouldn’t have had a problem; but this was E3 guys, the biggest gaming show on earth. If you've got big guns, now’s the time to use them.

I’m still happy, but I guess I was just expecting something with a little more kick.

#Nintendo #Digital Event #e3 2015 #Super Mario Maker #Fire Emblem Fates #Mario and Luigi #Metroid Prime Federation Force #nintendo world championships #Trifoce Heroes #Hyrule Warriors Legends #Yoshi's Wooly World #StarFox Zero #StarFox

[gamerspasm]

Triple Threat Trouble - The Problem with the AAA Games Industry

Anyone who knows even a little bit about video games knows what the AAA market is. The long and short of it is, AAA basically just means big budget - the direct opposite of Indie. Since the video game industry became mainstream and gaming culture became socially acceptable, AAA games have existed and delivered some truly outstanding works of gaming art. Without it, the industry wouldn’t be as profitable as it is and though games as an art form wouldn’t change necessarily, in terms of the business side of things, companies would be in serious trouble.

Over the years however, the AAA industry has gone from being a means of delivering refined gaming experiences to a more repulsive device for companies to get more money. It has warped credible developers into cash grabbing husks, and created a monster of passionless game makers all itching to make a quick buck. In short, the AAA game industry is slowly destroying itself.

AS I’ve already said, AAA essentially means big budget and any game with a sizeable amount of funding (we’re talking high millions here by the way) can be considered a AAA game. That being said however, that definition has changed over time and now AAA games are more associated with the Annual releases that are churned out every year to keep the companies afloat, and with bug ridden, glitch infested, DLC haemorrhaged games that are released before they’re even finished. Realistically, AAA is more a stamp of trash than a seal of quality.

But some people insist it still means big budget, and they present stellar games such as Bayonetta 2, Batman’s Arkham series and Mass Effect to bolster their argument. This, while true, also doesn't count for me, because I do not count those games as AAA. How can I when the remainder of the AAA industry is made up of minimal effort cash and grab games such as the Call of Duty series and the Assassin’s Creed games? I would call them exceptions to the rule, but even that’s not wholly accurate, because the parent companies involved with most if not all AAA titles nowadays can’t help putting their filthy, money grabbing fingers all over their products.

It’s impossible to list all the companies that pull this anti-consumerist, money hungry behaviour, but it seems with every year, more and more do it. Arkham Knight, the last in the amazing Batman Arkham series, has revealed its line of DLC that will be available upon the game’s launch. That’s right, the game isn’t even out yet and WB games are already trying to sell you more of the product. Then there’s Mortal Kombat X with its DLC characters and retailer exclusive content, and let’s not forget the shameless DLC “advertisements” that pop up during loading screens in games such as Shadow of Mordor.

DLC abuse is just the tip of the iceberg with these companies, as more and more games are being made with unfinished features and glitches. They promise to fix these problems and even release patches down the line, but even the mere suggestion of a patch should be insulting. If you have put that game on the shelf, it should be finished, its creases ironed out; but no, now it’s actually acceptable for game companies to release half a game for full price, promise to make up the rest eventually, and flog you DLC in the meantime. It’s an utterly tragic state of affairs.

It seems the industry as a whole cannot have a new idea without it somehow being corrupted. 

DLC - “let’s make additional content and give it to the consumers as a thank you for buying our work”. 

“How about we do that but sell it all to them for the same price as the game, and then release a special edition 6 months from now with all the content preloaded on to it”.

Free to play - “let’s create a small gaming experience for free, and offer a small opportunity for them to pay to play more”

“I like it, but how about we make the game really small, and shamelessly bombard the player with reasons they should use real money to advance in the game”

It’s actually madness.

The AAA industry has been like this for several years now, and they’re getting worse, but the good news is, everyone is now starting to catch on. The anti-consumerist actions these companies have taken have not gone unnoticed, and now more and more buyers are more cautious of the product they’re buying. When WB games announced all that Arkham DLC, the response was overwhelmingly negative. The same thing happened with Mortal Kombat X. People are starting to take notice of this scamming behaviour, and the best part is the companies don’t seem to be doing anything about it.

The AAA industry has become an Ouroboros - it’s a snake eating its own tail and even though this symbol typically means eternal and infinite, the snake is so ravenous that it will go ahead and completely devour itself. Consumers complain about the DLC, companies don’t care and continue to flog their handiwork. Customers point out the problems with a game’s quality due to bad glitches and unfinished design, companies make promises they never keep before going on to announce the next in the series. This cycle is going to continue, and unless the companies change their ways (which, let’s face it, they won’t) we’re looking at a potential crash, where AAA games make no where near the money it cost to make, and company reputations are in tatters. 

Apocalyptic? maybe, but as unlikely as it sounds, its possible. Think about how the AAA companies treat their clientèle and tell me if you think such unethical and devious behaviour will ultimately win the day. It won’t. Not when other companies - indie and otherwise - are offering consistent quality and passion. So bottom line, whilst the AAA industry started out great, the thing it has become is ultimately doing more bad than good. It’s turning the industry into a business and, whilst I understand that to a lot of people this is the case - the industry is a business - it does not excuse their behaviour when it comes to manipulating their customers

#AAA industry #Video Games #DLC

[gamerspasm]

Sound Test Mode #5 - “Menu” by Koji Kondo and Hajime Wakai

Oh where do I even start with this one? 

To me this song exemplifies childhood. Not just because it was a massive part of my childhood - the many hours poured into Starfox 64 (or for us Europeans, Lylat Wars) will testify to that - but because this song just oozes with an aura that would make even first time listeners feel nostalgic for it. Its soft harmonies are sheer 64 bit perfection whilst its gentle rhythm feels like a lullaby soothing you to sleep.

Strangely, outside of the opening cut-scene and the title screen, this music is one of the first songs heard in the game. The cinematic and action packed intro gets you ready to roll and the title screen just makes you say “I'm ready” but then you hear this. This easy-going and sweet melody that doesn't say action as much as it says goodnight. So why is this song so good? Surely it’s out of place in an on-the-rails, arcade style shooter, filled to the brim with action, right? Well, not quite.

You see this music has another role. It’s called menu yes, but this is also the theme the player hears when they have beaten the game and they’re looking at their highscores. Suddenly this soft melody rings a touch  melancholic, doesn't it? As if the game is saying “congratulations you beat the game, but unfortunately this is goodbye”. You’re filled with the bitter-sweet feeling of ambivalence. You’re sad that the experience is over, but you’re ultimately satisfied. This music perfectly captures these emotions, almost to the point beyond explanation. It’s a song designed to be a send off, a farewell to the player after shaking their hand, and so solemn is the feeling that it almost brings me to tears just listening to it all these years later.

“But hold on, this song is the menu music,” I hear you cry, “and you've just explained how much better it is in another role?” Very astute of you to point that out, but this is why I like the music as the menu theme as well. It is literally a full circle. It is the song you hear before setting out on your adventure and it is the song you hear after it. Despite the immersion of the game, how much effort you put in, and the time you gave up just to save the Lylat system one more time, this song reminds you that it is only a game. That, no matter what, you will always end up back where you started, because that’s how games work. That, when all is said and done, it realistically means nothing.

Does that sound depressing? Well in a way yes, but at the same time no. Because regardless, one thing about it does matter: the emotions. The satisfaction, the joy, the relief, all of this remains and it hides within the song. Whenever this song is heard you remember how it felt to conquer area 6 for the first time, to beat the real Andross, to - against all the odds - escape Venom with no wings and on your last life, to get the absolute perfect highscore; you remember it all. This song is a time capsule.

And now, have I myself not come full circle? Nostalgia. I said this song can make even first time listeners nostalgic and I truly believe that. For me, this theme carries so many memories, both of the game and my youth, but for others, their nostalgia can come from the song’s age. It doesn't feel modern and the digital instruments sound dated. Is that not a time capsule, locking you into an era of the past? 

The menu theme for Starfox 64 (Lylat Wars) is simple but effective. It suits the game down to a T and it carries so much weight emotionally that it’s hard not to get lost in it. Whenever I hear this song now, not only do I smile, but I find myself completely unable to skip past it. I just sit there and listen to it as if I can’t move. It’s hypnotic, amazing and truly one of the best songs in Video Game history.

#Sound Test Mode #Starfox64 #Lylat Wars #Menu Theme #Koji Kondo #Hajime Wakai #N64 #64 bit