Nintendo eShop (Software Chatter)

[Wiper]

6 hours ago, Protocol Penguin said:

So, Rune Factory 4 or Stardew Valley? (FWIW, I haven’t played a Harvest Moon game properly since the GBC one.)

 

Basically reiterating the previous post, but Rune Factory is effectively an action-RPG with Harvest Moon bolted on, whereas Stardew Valley is effectively Harvest Moon with an action-RPG bolted on. So, really it all depends on which aspect you'd rather be the focus! 

[Gotters]

I found Voxelgram so irritating that I just dug out my old 3DS XL for the first time in years, wow 3D Picross is just perfect, its almost sculptural tapping away at the puzzle.

 

Had forgotten what a lovely solid little console to hold the 3DS is, Nintendo do make lovely hardware. 

[CovisGod]

10 hours ago, Wiper said:

 

Basically reiterating the previous post, but Rune Factory is effectively an action-RPG with Harvest Moon bolted on, whereas Stardew Valley is effectively Harvest Moon with an action-RPG bolted on. So, really it all depends on which aspect you'd rather be the focus! 

As an RPG / Harvest Moon fan, why have I never bothered with Rune Factory? It’s always something I’ve seen but never really knew what it was. Is the combat turn based?

[Yasawas]

14 hours ago, Darren said:

Yep the menus are awful. Right from the very first screen where you’re presented with the classic two options, no way of working out which colour border means it’s selected routine. And the camera is a nightmare. But the puzzles are so so good.

 

Yes, exactly this. I tried to select Tutorial, chose wrong and just got flung into a dreadful UI/camera nightmare but I was came around a bit after a few minutes of trial and eror. It's probably good but it makes a shit first impression.

[mdn2]

On 27/02/2020 at 09:49, mdn2 said:

And Jupiter seem to be having a reveal tomorrow as well. 

 

You can never have too much Picross. 

So Jupiter have announced their new game!

 

It's not Picross. 

 

https://japanesenintendo.com/2020/02/27/working-zombies-announced-for-switch/

 

Quote

Jupiter’s secret game is Working Zombies which is confirmed for Nintendo Switch. Working Zombies is a slapstick action game where zombies must work together. Four-player local multiplayer is included with the game set for Summer release.

 

 

 

Looks a bit Overcooked inspired. 

[Isaac]

19 hours ago, friedgold said:

Nobody seems to be talking about for some reason, but Two point Hospital is great. Controls really well too.

 

Might be better off posting in the thread for it. I loved this on PC, but I was a huge fan of theme hospital back in the day too.

 

To anybody who doesn't have it, if you were a fan of Theme Hospital I would strongly recommend picking this up.

[bradigor]

2 minutes ago, Isaac said:

 

Might be better off posting in the thread for it. I loved this on PC, but I was a huge fan of theme hospital back in the day too.

 

To anybody who doesn't have it, if you were a fan of Theme Hospital I would strongly recommend picking this up.

 

Brilliant on the Switch. I am sure there will be performance issue later. But so far it has been a joy, quick goes building things up whilst I get a few moments is very relaxing.

 

Having so much fun with it. Shame there is no cross save, as would be great to play on PC / Xbox / PS4 then take it on the go via the Switch

[Chooch]

I've finished Ori, Hollow Knight and Steamworld Dig 1&2 - where next for my metroidvania kick?

[mdn2]

Timespinner

Axiom Verge

Super Metroid

Guacamelee 1&2

The Messenger

 

Would be my picks. 

[Chooch]

1 minute ago, mdn2 said:

Timespinner

Axiom Verge

Super Metroid

Guacamelee 1&2

The Messenger

 

Would be my picks. 

I've played all those scored out.  Timespinner it is then.

[Mitchell]

5 hours ago, CovisGod said:

As an RPG / Harvest Moon fan, why have I never bothered with Rune Factory? It’s always something I’ve seen but never really knew what it was. Is the combat turn based?

 

Nope, real time, like Ys.  Think of it like a Fantasy Harvest Moon with dungeon exploring.  Always something to do, but completely doable before a certain March 20th...

[Lovelyman]

26 minutes ago, Chooch said:

I've played all those scored out.  Timespinner it is then.

The first 8 or so hours of the Messenger are fucking amazing. It's not a true metroidvania, more well crafted levels, but it has fantastic music, bosses and controls. 

 

[Popo]

Definitely outstays it’s welcome though. 

[mdn2]

Afterparty is getting a Switch release on March 6th. Don't bother with it - it's a disappointing follow up from Oxenfree. 

[ryodi]

Anyone thinking of buying Rune Factory 4 should download the free DLC which will be paid for after the 20th.
 

 

[Yasawas]

11 hours ago, Chooch said:

I've played all those scored out.  Timespinner it is then.

 

I adored Timespinner. Utterly shameless Igavania rip-off but then I adore those too so I can hardly hold it against them.

[Gotters]

what my failed purchase with Voxelgram has done is drive me back to my 3DS and the Nintendo original 3D Picross, it's just a perfect marriage of software and machine, also managed to get the official sequel for only £12 on Amazon, which is now on its way.

 

it's funny with Picross games but the interface is vital, and not always done right. A couple of the Switch games have a lousy feel it's hard to describe (not the good ones, that adventure RPG one springs to mind) - I guess the concept and puzzles are so pure anything that gets in the way of the logic is jarring.

[Yasawas]

I loved the 3DS in general and put a lot of time into any number of games but 3D Picross Round 2 is proudly at the summit of the activity log. Take that, Animal Crossing, Bravely Default and Fire Emblem.

 

Do any of the Devil May Cry games on Switch hold up for a newcomer these days?

[Jolly]

20 hours ago, Yasawas said:

Do any of the Devil May Cry games on Switch hold up for a newcomer these days?

 

I'm playing DMC3 at the moment and it's still completely brilliant. They've added some nice bits and pieces to the Switch version too (most notably a 'Freestyle' mode that let's you switch between the different styles on the fly). 

 

It does have a few jarring remnants of the PS2 era - it's easy to forget just how wank cameras were in the majority of games - but I'm having a throughly excellent time with it, probably more so than I did with DMC5 last year. 

 

Also, the cutscenes are all nicely nostalgic for that period of time just after The Matrix when absolutely everything had people bending backwards in slow motion while the camera spins and makes a 'WOOOM' noise. 

[Gotters]

On 29/02/2020 at 11:22, Yasawas said:

I loved the 3DS in general and put a lot of time into any number of games but 3D Picross Round 2 is proudly at the summit of the activity log. Take that, Animal Crossing, Bravely Default and Fire Emblem.

 

I can see why, even early on the addition of colours to the mix really ramps up the puzzles, can't imagine how complicated its going to get with big block puzzles with the multi sections of rows/columns to handle with the numbers in squares.

 

The slick addition of 'marking cubes' in this 3ds sequel too really highlights my Voxelgram gripes that the interface is paramount on these picross games

[moosegrinder]

If there weren't so many picross games backing up I'd be tempted to go back to Round 2 and start over. I keep meaning to pick the first one up, but I remember the physical version being a ball ache to find, or it was only released in Germany or something.

[cohen205]

On 01/03/2020 at 08:27, Jolly said:

 

I'm playing DMC3 at the moment and it's still completely brilliant. They've added some nice bits and pieces to the Switch version too (most notably a 'Freestyle' mode that let's you switch between the different styles on the fly). 

 

It does have a few jarring remnants of the PS2 era - it's easy to forget just how wank cameras were in the majority of games - but I'm having a throughly excellent time with it, probably more so than I did with DMC5 last year. 

 

Also, the cutscenes are all nicely nostalgic for that period of time just after The Matrix when absolutely everything had people bending backwards in slow motion while the camera spins and makes a 'WOOOM' noise. 

 

Yeah, if you go for any of the 3 DMC games on switch, go for DMC 3. Its definitely the best out of the 3 (and possibly the best in the whole series)

 

I completed it last night, and enjoyed every minute. The joy cons can be a little bit uncomfortable for some of the trickier fights, but its a terrific game.

[bradigor]

Here is my review for Voxelgram. I know some have issues with it, but I really enjoyed it and didn't feel the controls got in the way once it clicked. 

 

http://bit.ly/39h2pPc

[Darren]

That's a great review - I agree completely, especially this bit:

 

Quote

It does takes a short while to get used to the additional dimension in Voxelgram, but this isn’t an issue with the game itself. This is purely down to your brain adjusting. When it does you can navigate with ease.

 

My brain finally adjusted yesterday, suddenly it all clicked and now I'm whizzing around those 3D shapes like a boss.

 

One thing I didn't realise for ages is that, when rotating the shape, it will always "cut" to the layer your cursor is on. So far from being the baffling, apparently random internal view it seems to be at first, it's actually a really slick and efficient way of opening up the inner layers of the shapes.

[grounded_dreams]

1 hour ago, bradigor said:

Here is my review for Voxelgram. I know some have issues with it, but I really enjoyed it and didn't feel the controls got in the way once it clicked. 

 

http://bit.ly/39h2pPc

 

That was a great read. Do you know if you will be reviewing Murder by Numbers?

[bradigor]

1 hour ago, grounded_dreams said:

 

That was a great read. Do you know if you will be reviewing Murder by Numbers?

 

I am. But embargoed until 6th. 

[Darren]

Blimey. The difficulty has just ramped up quite spectacularly on Voxelgram. Just done

 

Spoiler

the fridge at the end of the kitchen diorama.

 

It "only" took me three restarts and the final successful attempt took 23 minutes, so I probably spent an hour on that one puzzle in total. Cracked it in the end though.

[mdn2]

I struggled with that one a bit as well. Strange given the following set were all really easy. 

[Garwoofoo]

On 26/02/2020 at 13:12, ann coulter said:

Rune Factory 4 is brilliant, good lord. I'd only played RF1 on the DS, which was fun but fairly basic, and a decent spinoff on the Wii (Frontier?), but 4 is leaps and bounds ahead of both of those in so many respects. The wonderful Stardew Valley is, I now see, a total rip of this 2012 3DS game.

 

Obviously there's the main Harvest Moon farming hook, but RF4 also has a town full of NPCs wandering about all over the place, going into shops, doing jobs, visiting each other, almost all of them with new dialogue every in-game day so far. And monsters to kill or tame, in order to then farm for wool, eggs etc, or put to work in your farm, or fight alongside you, or for you to ride about on Pokemon-style. And instead of a basic Stardew Valley mine with 100 floors to fight through, you're going out into a top-down overworld to explore and fight.

 

There's full touchscreen compatibility when navigating menus, sorting your inventory, advancing dialogue, and even some bizarre and seemingly pointless gyro implementation for spinning your character model about in the equip screen. A great port so far, in other words.

 

The farming plot looks absolutely hideous at first, but once you've cleared it up and got a bunch of stuff planted it looks much better. And although only opposite-sex lechery is permitted, you're apparently given an option later in the game to switch the sex of your character's sprite, voice and dialogue portrait, giving the illusion of gay interactions. Why it's not available right from the start I don't know. Japanese publishers being weird, maybe.

 

Just popped in here to echo all of this. This game is digital crack, I'm actually quite taken aback at how quickly it's pulled me in.

 

Now I like Harvest Moon type games and I've bought a fair few of them over the years but there's no getting away from the fact that a lot of them are, well, a bit shit. There's a really fine balance to be struck with these games and far too many of them descend into mindless drudgery or a sense that you don't really know where to go or what to do. Even Stardew Valley was 75% trudging around and mindless repetition.

 

Rune Factory 4's nothing like that. Your character races around at top speed, the plot kicks off almost immediately, and right from the start it seems like you're juggling farming, crafting, adventuring, monster taming, shopping, fishing and about a hundred other things.

 

It looks pretty terrible, it is just an upscaled 3DS game, but very quickly you won't even notice - especially if you're playing in portable mode. Honestly this is really great.

[Garwoofoo]

edit - double post