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RedShell

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Posts posted by RedShell

  1. Posted

    So I just did my first double monster arena quest in Rise. Used the fence at one point so that I could carve the first monster in peace, and then came a Yakuza style revelation! :idea: No... surely you can’t do that with the Wirebug too... can you?

    Yes. Yes you can! :D 

    Although this also means the end of comically getting trapped on the wrong side of the fence. :heh: 

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  2. Posted · Edited by RedShell

    I spent way too much time on character/buddy creation yesterday :hehe: but making some good progress on the village quests now.

    Just did my first rampage.

    Not sure what to make of those yet. I mean it’s pretty cool but also a bit slow and not really as exciting as regular hunts. :hmm: The first one is blatantly just a tutorial though, so I shall reserve final judgment until taking on some more challenging rampages.

    One thing I’m definitely not keen on though is how the monsters can just fade out of existence. A couple of times during that rampage I was shooting at a monster only for it to suddenly vanish, which is not only disappointing from a gameplay perspective, but it also looks ridiculous. :heh: 

    Pretty sure it’s a performance saving measure rather than an artistic choice, but I guess we’ll have to wait for the arrival of the PC version to know for sure. Either way it’s unfortunate and incredibly jarring. :blank: 

    Other than that though (and a few other visual cutbacks, like reduced animation frames at a distance) the game looks amazing. It really is impressive that they got it to this level at all on the Switch! Excellent work by Capcom. :cool: 

    I absolutely love the monster intros in this version as well. They’ve clearly gone all out (and then some :D) with the Japanese influence this time, but it really works and I reckon it fits Monster Hunter like a glove. 

    So yeah, overall I’m very much enjoying Rise. I do get the feeling this could be the easiest game in the series though, mainly because the wirebug is just such an overpowering tool! :o It’s crazy effective defensively and offensively!
    Not fought Magnamalo yet though, so I should probably wait and see how that goes before commenting on difficulty. :grin: 

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  3. Posted

    2 hours ago, Glen-i said:

    Man, the menus in this game are so much more informative!

    If you hunt a monster enough. It's page on Hunters Notes will start telling you the chance of it dropping the different materials. It even tells you which materials are easier to get via capturing.

    No more having to browse Kiranico to figure it out!

    This was in MH World too. But yeah, very handy. :cool: Glad to hear it's also in Rise.

    • Thanks 1

  5. Posted

    Palicoes are better than Palamutes confirmed! :heh:

    Seriously though, I'm glad I checked that vid out. Was nice to get a refresher on familiar mechanics from previous games, as well as some useful info on the stuff that's new in Rise. :)

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  7. Posted

    Oh wow, so the broken Joy-Con rail buttons thing is also a common issue then? :hmm: 

    If there are several of us here at N-E affected by it, then it’s likely to be a pretty widespread problem in general.
    I guess you just don’t hear about it as much as Joy-Con drift due to it being a less noticeable defect. ::shrug:
    Well, it’s obviously going to be very noticeable if you want to use the Joy-Con as individual controllers :heh: but I assume there are many people that never do that, whereas everyone and their dog will notice Joy-Con drift should that problem occur.

    • Like 2

  8. Posted

    7 hours ago, Kav said:

    My SR button on the JoyCon has stopped working... no idea why as I don’t remove them from the Switch and it’s not been banged or anything.

    I must say, with this and the drift I’ve got to say it’s the worst built Nintendo system I’ve ever owned.

     

    6 hours ago, Glen-i said:

    Yep, this happened to my JoyCon as well. Thing is unusable.

    Thankfully, I've got a Pro Controller, so it's not too bad, but games like Super Mario Party might as well not exist.

    Same here, on my Right Joy-Con. The SR & SL buttons, plus the SYNC button and the LED lights are all dead on it. I opened it up once and discovered that the ribbon cable responsible for all of those things was insanely creased! :o Moving it around slightly I was able to get everything working again, but just couldn't get it to stay functional when closing up the Joy-Con, and in the end gave up trying to fix it.

    I never use the Joy-Cons as separate controllers anyway so it's no big deal for me, but along with the drifting issue it's yet another blemish on Nintendo's otherwise fantastic history of robust hardware design. They really messed up with the Switch Joy-Cons. :nono:

    • Like 1

  9. Posted

    2 hours ago, Nicktendo said:

    Thanks for the great mini-review!
    I really need to get around to playing this. Had it on my PC since it launched and just haven't put the time into it. 

    From what I understand the game is massively different and improved compared to how it was at launch, and they keep on adding to it all the time. I only started playing it last year in August, and even in that time have seen loads of improvements and new content arrive. Definitely give it another go if you only ever played it at launch. :)

    • Like 1

  10. Posted

    Time to update my list. Also going to add stuff that I've played for a short amount of time (or in some cases quite a lot) but didn't complete, plus previously completed games that are still getting played. :)

    Levelhead:

    I initially dismissed this as a Super Mario Maker knock-off, but it's actually amazing and in some ways superior! :eek: While I've not spent much time with the editor, even after a quick look it's clear just how much more flexible and powerful it is compared to Mario Maker. There are options for creating all sorts of complex events, camera controls, even true secret areas (something I would've loved in SMM for hiding Baby Face MPface.gif) and items which reveal themselves based on player proximity or other customisable actions.

    The included tutorial/story levels are also a blast to play and feature a huge variety of game mechanics, pretty much every level introduces a new concept or power-up, or even just creative and super challenging ways to use existing ones. The gameplay is incredibly fine-tuned too, it plays really, really well. I had loads of fun going through all of the included levels anyway and would definitely recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest in the 2D platform genre.

     

    Superhot: Mind Control Delete:

    Not much to say about this one really, went into it completely blind (and never played the first game either) so wasn't aware of its unique movement system/gameplay, thought my controller wasn't working properly at first! :hehe: But yeah, very cool mechanics in this game with time only flowing while you move around yourself. :cool:

     

    Sea of Thieves:

    While this game doesn't really have an end on the PvP side of things, I finally reached the conclusion of the main PvE content in the form of the Tall Tales! Man, I just love Sea of Thieves! :love: And even though it's clearly designed around multiplayer I actually found it to be a fantastic single player experience. In a way it felt kind of similar to BotW whereby you're thrown into a giant adventure with little to no instruction whatsoever and free to explore the world however you like.

    Don't think I've ever played a game that could be so relaxing (almost meditative) yet also so unbelievably stressful, but this is exactly what you get (and especially as a solo player) in SoT. One moment you're sailing the seas enjoying the beautiful scenery and sounds, the next you're under attack by a giant shark, or ghost ship, or worst of all a group of player controlled pirates! :hehe:

    Yeah, this is probably the biggest complaint the game receives from most people that choose to play it solo, the fact that at any time you could potentially be attacked by other players. While there's no doubt it's a frustrating aspect, it's also one that I actually grew to enjoy. The penalty for losing an encounter can be severe, with large amounts of treasure or progress in a Tall Tale being lost, but this also teaches you to play the game smarter and become a better pirate! ;)

    Definitely have to mention the presentation of the game, it's an absolute stunner! It merges a cartoony look with super realistic materials and lighting effects and the results are fantastic. The star of the show is definitely the water, which looks so good and moves so convincingly you'd swear it was real! :o Not only that, but the wave simulation of this gigantic sea is perfectly synchronised online for all players, making it a phenomenal technical achievement too.

    Sound effects and music are spot-on as well, the music in particular (while kind of sparse) really has that Rare signature style to it, and it made the game feel very much like a Nintendo era Rare title to me, which is something I wasn't expecting but obviously really enjoyed. Have since learnt that Robin Beanland was composer on the project though, so that explains that one. And Gregg Mayles (who's been at Rare since forever) was director, so yeah, although Rare may have lost some key staff during the transition to Microsoft, several veterans remain and the teams are undoubtedly still able to produce games with that unique Rare vibe. Ok, I'll stop saying Rare now. :heh:

    Anyway, superb game. And definitely one that I'll return to occasionally, as it just keeps on evolving. :cool:

     

    Doom:

    uxkmJHJ.jpg

    I've played the first level of this game so many times over the years, but somehow never much more than that. With the majority of the Doom franchise suddenly available on Game Pass I decided to finally play through all of the this classic game. I have to say that I enjoyed it a lot more than Doom Eternal! Probably because I could actually keep up with what was going on in this. :grin: Imagine it was seen as crazy fast when played back in 1993 (like Eternal is now) but it's got just the right level of speed/action for me and my ageing reflexes today. :laughing:

     

    Quick mention on Wreckfest, which I spent a substantial amount of time playing but didn't finish. Was a lot of fun initially, in fact I couldn't stop laughing when I first started it. The game rewards driving like a total idiot and causing as much chaos and destruction as possible, and the way the cars spectacularly crash and fall to bits over the course of a race is really impressive! The problem was that it suffers from what I like to call, Project X Zone-itis :p i.e. it's simply waaaaaaay too long for the amount of content included. So yeah, the career mode eventually became unbearably repetitive.  :zzz: Cool game though.


    Completed:

    1.     Tetris Effect: Connected (PC)
    2.     Doom Eternal (PC)
    3.     Dragon Quest XI (PC)
    4.     The Medium (PC)
    5.     Yakuza 3 Remastered (PC)
    6.     UnderMine (PC)
    7.     Ring Fit Adventure (Switch)
    8.     Levelhead (PC)
    9.     Superhot: Mind Control Delete (PC)
    10.     Sea of Thieves (PC)
    11.     Doom (PC)

    Played for a while:

    •     Cyber Shadow (PC)
    •     Control (PC)
    •     Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (PC)
    •     Yakuza 4 Remastered (PC)
    •     Wreckfest (PC)

    Older games that I'm still playing regularly:

    •     Mario Kart Tour (Mobile)
    •     Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)
    •     Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)
    •     Rocket League (Switch/PC)
    •     Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)
    •     Tetris 99 (Switch)
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  12. Posted

    Definitely looking forward to checking out Yakuza 6 on PC, performance on the standard PS4 (where I played it) was pretty nasty.

    Man, Game Pass continues to be awesome. :cool: My current sub is over at the end of the month (when I'll be turning my attention to MH Rise ;)) but needless to say... I'll be back! :hehe:

  17. Posted

    2 minutes ago, Mokong said:

    Ack, beaten by the timer in that last one :(

    I gotta go now Red, thanks for the hunts.

    I reckon of we could get a group of 4 we could do this

    Yeah, you really need a full team for that monster in the demo, 15 mins is a super tight time limit! :o 

    We were doing pretty great on that last one though, can’t have been too far off killing it. Looking forward to properly destroying Magnamalo in the full game! :cool: 

    Anyway, cheers for the hunts. :) 

    :peace:

    • Like 1

  20. Posted

    10 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

    @RedShell, you can tell your pets to wait with the Action Bar (D-Pad left and Right), they won't fight if you do that.

    More importantly, you can pet them when they're in that state.

    Oh cool! Thanks for the tip. :)

    10 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

    The Hunting Horn has always been a solid weapon in decent hands, those buffs go a long way. I find it too slow for my liking though, so I definitely appreciate stumbling across someone who's good with it.

    Yeah, it is great how it helps everyone else out as well. I remember an online hunt in MHW when a really good Hunting Horn player responded to my SOS, suddenly my character was on steroids and seemingly invincible too! :cool: Maybe I'll make more of an effort to learn it in Rise. :hehe: I definitely get the feeling this version of MH could be the one where I end up using lots of different weapon types, rather than sticking to just 1 or 2 like I normally do.
    The Wirebug has made many of them so much more fun to use! :bouncy:

     

  21. Posted

    So I did a bit more experimenting with all of the different weapon types. I hunted Great Izuchi with every single weapon and each time tried to follow the exact same path to the monster (yeah... it obviously didn't always work out :heh:) then I took note of the time it took to clear the quest, here are the results: Oh- and I didn't use any of the additional supplies (bombs, traps, etc.) or environmental buffs for any of these hunts, they were all done using only the main weapon. Well, dog and cat assistance too I guess, but that was out of my control. :D

    1. Hunting Horn - 02:58 (WTF!? :o)
    2. Light Bowgun - 03:30
    3. Dual Blades - 04:31
    4. Hammer - 04:35
    5. Switch Axe - 04:47
    6. Sword & Shield - 04:56
    7. Charge Blade - 05:06
    8. Long Sword - 05:14
    9. Heavy Bowgun - 05:22
    10. Bow - 05:34
    11. Gunlance - 05:39
    12. Insect Glaive - 05:50
    13. Lance - 06:19
    14. Great Sword - 06:40 (seriously, how do you use this thing!? :p)

    OK so first things first, either the Hunting Horn in this demo is a way better quality/rank weapon than all of the other types, or I'm somehow a Hunting Horn natural. :laughing: Either way, that was a big surprise to see it make the very best time as I have minimal experience with it. Hammer in 4th is also quite surprising but the truth is that was just a terrible run where literally everything went wrong. :hehe:

    It's a shame there isn't an arena style quest in the demo, as that would've made this process slightly more scientific :geek: but it's still a pretty good indicator as to what weapon types might be best suited for me in this particular version of MH. Might have to do another few hunts with the top performers, especially Hunting Horn, to see if that was just a fluke. :grin: Luckily I have several profiles on my Switch, so lots of attempts left with the demo.

     

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  22. Posted

    1 hour ago, Glen-i said:

    Gyro capabilities alone has me considering using the Light Bowgun. Would be an amazing buff if the gyro is decent.

    I don’t get on with gyro controls unfortunately, but gave them a quick go in the demo anyway. They’re certainly responsive on the default setting, too responsive even! :o Feels very similar to Splatoon 2, so I imagine that if you liked gyro aiming in that game you’ll probably be right at home with it in Rise too.

  23. Posted

    So I was planning to switch from Hammer to Insect Glaive in MH Rise, but it looks like I might be switching again... to Light Bowgun! :hehe:

    Yeah, have spent most of my time in the v.2 demo using that, and it’s been great. :D It’s probably the closest you can get (in terms of gameplay at least) to ranged Prowler, so it actually feels pretty familiar to me as well.
    And it’s the weapon type that I’ve done the best with against Magnamalo so far (i.e. survived the longest against it :heh:) which is also a good sign. :cool:

    Only annoying thing about it is having to use the R button for Wirebug moves in combat, which is a bit confusing/clumsy compared to the other weapon types, but should be able to get used to that with enough practice.

    Anyway, whichever weapon type I finally decide on using, I’m looking forward to some online N-E hunts once the game releases! :) 

    :peace:

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  25. Posted

    29 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    Get some big exclusive Japanese games on the service and then they'll have my attention.

    To be fair, they have quite a few of those too (Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Yakuza etc.) you've just played 'em all already. :grin:

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