crispy4000

Just the 2nd.

Same developer as Metroid Dread! I need to get around to LoS someday. Is 2 as bad as the reviewers say?

That would be more consistent, or at the very least avoid the oddity of describing Metroid games as Metroidvanias. Impressive, considering Samus was a poster child in two Smash Bros games by then. Also given Super Metroid’s notoriety.

Yup, I know. It’s still odd to think that SOTN popularized the genre when it actually didn’t sell that great. The original NES Metroid outsold it roughly m 2:1. And inspired a bunch of other 8-bit games too like Blaster Master, Rygar, Monster Boy III, etc.

Needed an answer to Uncharted I suppose. At least now they’re funding an Indians Jones something themselves.

Yes. Technically, the Metroid games shouldn't be included in it IMO. But popular use determines it. Then the -vania implies nothing. It didn’t popularize that design. Metroid did.

Guess I was wrong. I'm done! I'll do a write up later in 2021 games thread. It's good, nearly as good as Super, and not redundant to Metroid 1 at all really.

I remember that board game hex grid level being pretty huge.

It really sounds like they screwed the pooch on the motion controls on Switch. Super sad since the technology has supposedly advanced.

You inspired me to give this game a go. Don't think I'll beat it before the end of the month though. I'll probably beat Samus Returns as well in prep for Dread.

Forgot to respond to this, but better late than never. These are my settings. It's convoluted, but does a nice job preserving the art & avoiding the pixelated look, without going too far with the smearing.

What a fun little game. You control up to 4 squads on a tile grid in real time, moving them into position to fend of viking hordes invading your islands. Progression plays out in rogue-like fashion, with you jumping from island to island. There's an option to redo an island, which I recommend to take the pressure off. There's only 3 unit types: archers, pike men and shielded units. Archers are definitely the best since you can move and shoot simultaneously. Pikemen are good at holding ground but will run around like headless chicken if their ranks break. Shielded units protect you from enemy archers. Enemy types get a bit more diverse, thankfully. You can also heal a squad by moving it into a building, but they typically won't make it in time to defend the next wave. Once you know how to properly position your squads, playing this game is so satisfying. The dynamism of the way units move makes it more freeform than the movement grid implies. I wish more RTSs or even turn based strategy games could take a cue from this. It also makes the game perfectly suitable for a controller. Even preferable on it. I highly recommend giving this one a shot. Especially if you already own it (Epic Games Store giveaway). It's a bit one-note, and I wish there was more music, but there's not much else to complain about here. 8/10 2021 games Hades - 10 FFIX - 9 (8 without speed boosters) Captain Toad - 8.5 Minit - 7.5 Yoku's Island Express - 8 Prince of Persia 2008 - 7.5 Oxenfree - 8 Shadow of the Colossus (remake) - 9 Hat in Time Seal the Deal DLC - 7.5 Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap - 7.5 Bad North - 8

It's the control discrepancies between games that led people to think some entries screw up the fundamentals. In some cases there are things objectively worse, such as the input lag. I dropped Ultimate after a week because of it. I really would want modders to get in there and fix it. Even if it means I'd have to emulate it to play the game I bought. There's also the issue of the netcode. Someday I expect Ultimate will get its own hacky rollback solution like Slippi. Just not from Nintendo themselves.

Sounds like you already have strong opinions on the game being something it's not.

Good balance has never hurt game design though. You can't really blame people for wanting balance changes in a game they play a shit ton. Regardless, it was part of the aim of Project M/+. Which also happens to be a better Smash game than any official Nintendo release, arguably. It certainly feels the best to play.

Still has its quirks apparently. Dissapearing foliage on AMD cards, microstutters with UI updates, etc. I'd probably prefer playing it on PS5.

Does the PC version still have issues?

I'm a fan of SS and can agree to most of this. Just not combat and weapon degradation. I don't think BoTW is very well balanced by the end of the game. The harder enemies become straight up damage sponges. You can try to get creative in how you take them down, but the vast majority of players won't discover exploits on their own. For most, it's becomes a game of coaxing out perfect dodges, using up your better inventory items if you can't take the tedium. And the bosses? They're all forgettable. They went from the best bosses in the 3D series to the worst. I don't know about Switch, but the final form of the last boss on Wii U was also riddled with slowdown.

Most Metroidvanias today heavily draw on RPG mechanics, skill trees and/or currency. Avoiding that stuff already puts in a smaller crowd, IMO. Being chased by some invincible thing narrows it down even further. Only Metroid Fusion and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within fit that bill. I am a little concerned it will retread Fusion too much. Though Fusion-but-better could still be a good thing, especially 20 years later.

They’re okay with attaching their name to a community fraught with child abuse, but those dirty modders are a step too far.

3D platformer direct

Beat Bad North. 8/10 solid little RTS puzzle-game rogue-like. Gets a little repetitive, but it’s 4 hours long and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What fun stuff?

I’m more interested in this:

I got it with a gift PS+ subscription, so I’ll definitely be getting around to it this year.