Jump to content
NEurope

Julius

Members
  • Content count

    8,081
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    174

Everything posted by Julius

  1. Nintendo Switch paid online coming 2018

    I’ve mentioned this before, but, personally, this is probably the sole reason that I’ve been able to hold out on purchasing a Switch for so long. As enticing as Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, etc., are, I have an obscenely long back log of hundreds of games, about half of which I’d reckon are Nintendo games. I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll never be able to get through all of them, but the portability of the Switch is an aspect which can’t be overappreciated when it comes to playing such widely adored legacy titles. I’ve had to stave off the temptations of heavily investing in the Wii/Wii U/3DS Virtual Consoles, because Virtual Console has to come to Switch eventually. Right?! All I can think of is that they’re saving it for E3 as one of their trump cards. As great as Nintendo have been doing, they seriously need to fill out the second half of the year with some excellent titles, and I think Virtual Console being launched would help ease the mounting pressure that’s on them to deliver at this E3.
  2. Nintendo Switch paid online coming 2018

    The more and more we talk about it, the more I’m convinced that Pokémon Switch will be exempt. @Hero-of-Time‘s and @Glen-i‘s point about how cloud saves could lead to cloning is something I hadn’t even thought about, and is an excellent point. There’s also the issue of multiple user accounts on the Switch, and saves currently being tied to the system, which means that multiple save files for a Pokémon game would be allowed, which I just don’t see happening. Having multiple people in a household have the same game is one of the biggest ways that I imagine they cash in. The only solution to these problems I can see them realistically using is the one that they’ve used since the first games, and that’s having the game save locally to the cartridge. That would almost certainly mean that it wouldn’t be tied to the online subscription service, in my mind?
  3. Nintendo Switch paid online coming 2018

    Going back to how they’re handling the NES games tied to the service, though, I’m reading around and there’s a lot of confusion going on with regards to titles from other legacy platforms. “Will SNES, GC, etc., titles be coming to this service? It says that there’s more coming later...”; “It only makes mention of NES titles, so Virtual Console is still an option”; “no, I think this means Virtual Console is dead”, etc., etc. Nintendo need to have whatever they’re planning for other legacy titles worked out by, and announced at, E3. The Switch is already vulnerable, and all that’s left to do for emulators to run perfectly well on Switch now is optimisation to an fps count relative to the game. Oh, I totally agree. From a PR standpoint, I think such a move is incredibly risky when taking fans of other franchises into account. I don’t think that it’s something that they should pursue, to be clear. However, I do think it’s one of the few AAA titles that, from a business perspective, makes sense to make exempt. For one, the online services seen in Pokémon games is incredibly basic and pared down when compared to other games. It also is, by no means, the game’s main draw; I’d argue that it belongs in a conversation alongside Odyssey’s freerunning leaderboards as opposed to the likes of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. For many children, Pokémon will be a gateway experience into the Nintendo library of gaming, as it has been for the last 22 years, and I think it’s one of their franchises best positioned to do that. I don’t think that confusing parents with young children with the online capabilities of the Pokémon games and a subscription price being attached to them is the way to go. Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon were easily on course to cruise past the 20 million units sold mark, which would have been the first time this happened in the franchise since Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver. Nintendo’s radio silence on numbers since January 2017 means it’s unlikely that this mark was crossed, and the release of the divisive Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon likely borough Sun and Moon’s figures to a standstill. Just imagine how well a Pokémon Switch game will sell compared to this, what with a relatively older average consumer than the 3DS playing into the hands of a franchise that depends arguably a bit too much on nostalgia. However, my lukewarm take aside... I don’t think this can be understated. If Bank is turned into a free app, or one that’s bundled with a purchase of a Pokémon game, then maybe Pokémon Switch will be one of the games tied to the online service. But, if not, it seems unfair to ask Pokémon players to shell out for a subsidiary service on top of the core online subscription service when players of other games don’t have to. An important point that I forgot about up until now, though, is the actual price of the game: there is no way that Pokémon Switch doesn’t have an RRP of £59.99. The 3DS games has an RRP of £39.99, so what’s going to be so different about these games that their RRP is on the same level as games such as Super Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, etc.? As much faith as I have in Gamefreak when it comes to giving me an experience that makes me feel like a child again, I just don’t see them making this the fully fledged game that everyone optimistically wants to see at an RRP of £59.99. I think the addition of a free online for what is essentially only side content and not the main feature of the game, as well as access to a Pokémon Bank which doesn’t require any further cost, could go some ways towards justifying that kind of price tag.
  4. Nintendo Switch paid online coming 2018

    ~$4.40 if you split the $35 cost with the maximum seven other Nintendo Account holders seems like something that many will want to take advantage of. I’m curious if this is by design or if Nintendo have been a bit too innocent in assuming that users will use the Family membership as it was designed (i.e. for a family)? My bad forgot that PS Plus only expands storage for users, but it’s offered regardless; in which case, I’m not a fan of how it’s behind a paywall either. And yeah, I’m definitely getting the sense that Pokémon will be one of the titles exempt from the online subscription cost. It’s a system seller which always manages to play on nostalgia to the right degree for most (though notably a bit too much for some) much like Zelda and Mario. I don’t think I’m too concerned about a potential backlash which might arise from Bank returning as a paid service in addition to the cost of the online subscription, because every generation of Pokémon is keen to include every single species across their respective games (something I’m personally not a fan of, but alas) due to how competitive play is handled (i.e. a Pokémon must be native to the current generation of games to be used in tournaments, etc.). Then again, I could definitely see a small minority of hardcore competitive players being irked by that, seeing as they would feel obliged to pay for Bank to transfer their perfect Pokémon for breeding to the new games.
  5. Nintendo Switch paid online coming 2018

    This actually sounds quite promising, at least to me. The way that they’re handling cloud saves, as far as I can tell, is the same as PlayStation and Xbox, so I don’t think anyone can complain too much about that if that is the case. I own a number of those NES games, but have only played a select few, and personally wouldn’t mind playing through them, especially with added online functionality. My only concern would be that the vast majority of Switch owners have more than likely already played some/all of those games and aren’t enticed by added online functionality. I’m hoping that this means that previous titles from all of their legacy platforms won’t be tied to such a service if and when they do come to Switch, and that we see the return of a Virtual Console-style set-up that is hopefully a bit more fleshed out and streamlined as a result; personally, I really do not like the idea of a Netflix-style service and would rather pay for and own the games myself as opposed to having them tied to an online service, so hopefully their silence on such a topic (NES games aside) is an indicator that that isn’t part of their plan. The family subscription, at least at first glance, sounds like a very smart idea too, and the online subscription prices currently being quoted seem more than fair given the current state of other online services. All in all, I think the newly announced items are interesting, and a good way to go. I’m still a bit worried about how well the online service will actually perform, and from everything that I’ve read, the smartphone app needs a complete overhaul, but it was smart of them to get this information out ahead of E3. There are still a few areas which aren’t fully explored in this newest release of information, so I hope that they leave this to the side during E3 to focus purely on the games and return to it in a dedicated Direct in July or August. I’m definitely inclined to pick up a subscription when I get a Switch later this year, if only for the special offers With this out of the way and no news on their plans for legacy titles beyond the NES, I wonder if they’re saving Virtual Console/whatever it will be called for E3? Dare I even suggest a shadow launch, on the day following their video presentation? (If you can’t tell, I really want Virtual Console on Switch...)
  6. Nintendo Labo

    Man, I do love myself some Dunkey Side note: Labo arcade cabinet design coming when? Bundle it with Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros. and I think you have a monster of a collector’s item.
  7. Football Season 2017-18

    Great result for us today, but there’s still a lot for us to do if we’re to secure Champions League football for next season; even if Tottenham draw mid-week and we win our next two games, we’ll more than likely still be at a disadvantage because of relatively inferior goal difference (-9 in comparison). So yeah, still a big uphill battle for us. Not quite sure why we decide to always do everything the hard way, but we took a mid-season siesta which has come back to bite us in the behind. It’s nice to see the lads have a bit of grit between their teeth now. @Hero-of-Time, I wouldn’t be too worried if I were you. I think it’s much more likely that Tottenham drop points in their remaining two games than you in your final one.
  8. Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 2018)

    After seeing the trailer before Infinity War a few times now, I have to admit: I’m really starting to warm up to it. Pretty cool 360 video for the film:
  9. Dragon Quest XI

    Yeah, this has me a bit confused, actually. Granted, I’ve got a whole lot of Dragon Quest that I want to play through before playing this game, but, as someone who loves JRPGs conceptually (a focus on story, character, and simple to get to grips with but hard to master techniques) and is going to dive head first into the genre this summer, I find myself drawn to much more classically designed JRPGs, because they seem like an excellent gateway into the genre. Maybe I’m wrong, but I can’t imagine starting with a modernised, action-oriented take on the JRPG formula - such as Final Fantasy XV - and finding it easy to revert back to older, more classically designed games, such as the pre-X Final Fantasy games, the majority of the Dragon Quest games, or Chrono Trigger, based on what I’ve read/seen/played of those games. It’s probably the same people who want Pokémon to change its battle mechanics, but the simplicity of the age-old mechanics for new fans - and a thoroughly ingrained understanding of it for longtime fans - is part of what makes it so easy for the franchise to come across as so charming.
  10. E3 2018

    In a stream yesterday, it was revealed that Beyond Good & Evil 2 will be making an appearance at this year’s E3. Some new gameplay was shown off during the stream, but the current focus of the development team is E3, and they supposedly have a lot of surprises in store for us. I thought they’d be going quiet for a few years, honestly I wonder if they’re further along with this game than we realise? The gameplay that they revealed yesterday looked like it was coming together well.
  11. Beyond Good and Evil 2

    Staff combat and ship manoeuvres gameplay: Information revealed during the stream:
  12. General Gaming Sales/Charts Discussion

    God of War reportedly sold 3.1 million in only its first 3 days, making it the fastest selling PS4 exclusive to date. For comparison, Uncharted 4 sold 2.7 million units in its first week, and Horizon Zero Dawn sold 2.6 million units in its first two weeks.
  13. Dragon Quest XI

    New gameplay of the Western version:
  14. Football Season 2017-18

    I’ve just had a quick look around, and it doesn’t look like they’ve announced if/how it’ll be available to those who aren’t BT Sport subscribers. Seems a bit odd, given that they’ve had it - and the UEL final - up on BT Showcase, their own website/app, and on their YouTube channel for free to watch/stream in recent years. Just have to wait and see what they say about it, I guess if they’re going to do anything like they have in recent years again, maybe they’ll announce it tonight, once the UEL finalists are confirmed?
  15. Marvel's Phase Three

    In case you’re still a little lost after @londragon‘s hint: Hope that helps
  16. Luigi's Mansion ( 3DS 2018 )

    According to this Australian classification, the game is being worked on by Grezzo (Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora’s Mask 3D, Ever Oasis, Tri Force Heroes). Makes one wonder what Next Level have been working on since Metroid Prime: Federation Force...
  17. Football Season 2017-18

    I do wonder if UEFA will revisit their stance on VAR after how the knockout stage has gone. We talked before about how it doesn’t work too well in its current format, even to the detriment of some games which it has been utilised in, but, for calls such as handballs and offside calls (which should, in my opinion, be objective calls to make, at least compared to the subjectivity of bookings), I really think more official bodies need to act. It’s a similar objectivity that the introduction of goal-line technology and shaving foam have achieved in the game, so I definitely think it’s worth taking another look at it not to take anything away from Liverpool, though. As much as it pains me to say it, they’ve played some brilliant attacking football this season, and I’ve enjoyed watching their highlights.
  18. Football Season 2017-18

    Yeah, it’s been atrocious. I expect to see some very heavy spending on defenders after the World Cup this summer from each of the five major leagues’ top teams. Barça in 12/13 has to be up there for worst/most underwhelming semi-finalist, I think. They lost to Bayern 7-0 over two legs in the semi-finals, being man-marked out of the game all over the pitch; went through on away goals against PSG in the quarter finals (3-3) and only won 4-2 on aggregate against a young and inexperienced Milan side, even losing 2-0 away at the San Siro.
  19. UPDATE: And we have box art:
  20. Football Season 2017-18

    Oh, for sure, they’ve been riding their own luck for a while at this point (the second leg vs. Juve in particular comes to mind), and did so for large parts of the game last night. Their performances in Europe so far this season have reminded me of them in 2015/16; they’re just getting the job done. When I was talking about their winning mentality, I was talking more about their performances as a whole in Europe this season. They have a number of leaders on the pitch who are vastly more experienced than other players in the competition based purely on how far they’ve gone in recent seasons. With regards to last night, Bayern definitely should have been more clinical, but I think it’s worth mentioning that Navas pulled off a number of fine saves, so I’d say that Madrid were deserving of some of that luck. On the other hand, Bayern were lucky to get such a straightforward route to the semi-finals; their only loss prior to meeting Real was against PSG in the group stage, and if they had won that game, then they would have been the ones facing Real in the last 16, and Real were playing much better then than they are currently. So I think them being lucky is balanced out if you think about the luck that Bayern had in drawing favourable opposition en route to the semi-finals Bet you’re just nervous Ronaldo and their defence will actually turn up in the final
  21. Football Season 2017-18

    Eh, I think this is a team designed almost solely (and to their detriment) to get the job done in Europe, so I’m not surprised. They don’t have the squad depth to compete in La Liga right now, and, I’d imagine, don’t really care for the Copa del Rey, at least by comparison. Almost the entire squad has that winning mentality, probably as a result of having a coach with that same mentality (win above all else), and thus manage to win very tough games against the best of teams, even if they play as poorly as they did last night. I do worry somewhat for whichever team gets through tonight. Real Madrid have won every UCL final that they’ve been in since the competition was rebranded from the European Cup, and despite them playing poorly (by their own standards) for much of the tournament, you just know that they’re going to turn up for an occasion like this. I think (and hope) that it will be a much more interesting match than many think it will be
  22. Marvel's Phase Three

    And The Incredibles II. And Jurassic World: The Lost Kingdom. If that’s really the reason, then it’s such an odd one, because, while I’m sure that there’s some overlap between the World Cup and Hollywood blockbuster audiences, there are obviously going to be those (read: at best, a large minority) who don’t care for the World Cup whatsoever, so it seems an odd move for that reason. However, Ant-Man and The Wasp would have been due for release on June 28th for us (based on previous MCU release dates in the U.K.; we typically get them a week earlier on the Thursday), and the England vs. Belgium game on that evening is at 19:00. Not only is there the rest of the day before that, but it’s not expected to be doing Infinity War numbers anyway, so it would have the weekend to recover from a potential “low figure”. But yeah, I understand why they’re doing it (even though I think it’s odd). I personally don’t mind a delay for these films (though I’m sure many will) - if we were talking about Avengers 4, Toy Story 4 or Captain Marvel, it would be a different story altogether - but it will be difficult to avoid spoilers for those wanting to go into the film without knowing anything.
  23. Marvel's Phase Three

    Also, poster:
  24. Marvel's Phase Three

    An update on the weekend actuals and where that leaves Infinity War so far, from The Hollywood Reporter: It’s absolutely nuts how well it’s performed considering the time of year that it released, and also because virtually no-one was predicting it to break TFA’s record by what is now such a clear margin. As has been the norm since the dawn of the blockbuster, Lucasfilm has congratulated Marvel Studios on their record-breaking accomplishments. With Avengers 4 and Episode IX releasing next year, it’s being widely touted that this record won’t stand for long, but we’ll just have to wait and see. It would definitely be awkward for Marvel to congratulate themselves next year in the event that Avengers 4 breaks the new record, though
  25. Marvel's Phase Three

    Just got back from seeing the film for a second time (in IMAX - if you haven’t seen it in IMAX already, I can’t recommend that you do so enough; you’re quite literally missing out on 26% of the film otherwise!), and I can’t say much else from what I said before. I might try to go again a third time this week, if I can make the time for it. I don’t know what else I’d honestly want to discuss, with or without spoiling the film, but I am curious about how you guys think Avengers 4 might go down next year? I think I’ve got a rough idea or two. I mentioned it before, but it’s worth saying again: this film completely recaptured the sense of awe and majesty that I had when I first saw Star Wars; it’s so well paced and executed, and the score is marvellous (no pun intended). Somewhat tragically, Silvestri is getting next-to-no recognition for his score elsewhere, so I’ll continue to sing his praises here. Also, if anyone’s a box office trivia/follower like I am, weekend estimates (actuals expected tomorrow afternoon) are really worth taking a mental note of. Infinity War has already broken numerous records - and has yet to release in China: • ~ $250 million opening weekend domestically (i.e. in North America) is expected to just about beat the previous opening weekend record of $247 million, set by The Force Awakens in 2015. • ~ $630 million opening weekend worldwide blasts away the previous record of $541 million, set by The Fate of the Furious last year. • ~ $380 million opening weekend internationally is second only to The Fates of the Furious’ $443 million, but again, this was achieved without the film opening in China. Oh, yeah: and it made more at the box office in its opening weekend than Justice League did in its entire run last year domestically, and is only $30 million shy (probably less, considering that Disney always undercuts with their weekend estimates) of beating its entire worldwide run.
×