Julius

You never saw it coming..? As previously announced, these are also coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Steam and Windows.

Nice to know I'm not the only one with commitment issues Honestly, I completely forgot this was today until I saw the thread bumped. I just hope I come away with interest in picking up at least one game!

Ah yes, the Pom Poko approach

Let's freaking go! From Kaz Ayabe and his studio Millennium Kitchen, behind the Attack of the Friday Monsters and the My Summer Vacation games, Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation – The Endless Seven-Day Journey is finally releasing worldwide in August on both Nintendo Switch and PS4, and will support English, Japanese, German, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitle options. The game was officially announced last year during the Japanese February 2021 Direct, and after feedback, Kaz Ayabe had shown interest in bringing the game outside of Japan. To remind you all of how cosy this game looks: An overview of the game from its official site: Summer Vibes: The Video Game. I'm so in

Finally got around to watching Pokémon Evolutions a few weeks ago, all great stuff. Unova, unsurprisingly, gets one of the stronger episodes, but my absolute favourite is Johto's episode, Episode 7: The Show, which focuses on the Kimono Girls retelling the legends of Johto. Genuinely think that might be my personal favourite piece of animated anything from Pokémon. Music is the Kimono Girls theme so, shocker, it's great, but just seeing the reactions of the audience, especially the Pokémon and how they help with the show/watch on/react, and the presentation of the episode is spectacular. Totodile has always held a special place in my heart, as I played through Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team as one the first time I played it, but 3:57 of the above is a close second reason for that now Highly recommend checking the series out if you haven't seen it yet, there's some cracking stuff on the Pokémon YouTube channel which deserves more attention (Hisuian Snow has also been good so far, done a really good job of reminding you that these Pokémon are actually wild, and of course there's also PokéToons, which I've mentioned before). Personally, I think Evolutions is a lot stronger than Generations (which I honestly thought was pretty enjoyable) which we got for the 20th anniversary back in 2016. In any case, I can't wait to see what we end up with for the 30th anniversary!

Stumbled across Video Games Live's great Pokémon medley: Seriously has zero right being that good. Tangentially, kind of counts because it's music from a game which has been reorchestrated, but over the last few years I've kept coming back to the anime version of the Ecruteak/Cianwood theme: It taking off at 1:20 gives me chills every single time. It's made even better because it reminds me a whole lot of one of my favourite tracks from Hunter x Hunter, Overture (compare 1:20 of the above to 1:15 of this and you'll see what I mean). Video game music man. Good stuff

Oh yeah, definitely. Just a bit of whiplash I guess to already get back to the pre-COVID standard, even if it's over here! And nice! I think I've managed to talk it up enough to some friends enough that they'll want to go too, so that would be neat, but them coming probably means I won't be going for a VIP pass. It's probably too expensive for all of us to get one, plus, while I'm confident I might be able to snag one, getting multiple I imagine will be nigh-on impossible would also just be awkward to dip in and out of the group too as panels come and go

Yeah, saw this and I'm surprised they're going up so early! I know it was like this pre-COVID, but we're still kind of in COVID! Definitely caught me off guard as I've been telling my friends when trying to sell them on this that tickets would likely be up towards the end of the year We'll see how it goes. You going for the Jedi Master VIP ticket or just a 4-day?

Haven't we seen other first-party published titles at previous Partner Showcases before? I think Bravely Default 2 and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity have both shown up before, and wasn't there also Fitness Boxing 2? At the risk of getting into semantics a bit here, I'd generally still consider a game developed by a third-party but published by a first-party to be a third-party game, like Mario+Rabbids for example. Probably some exceptions to that though, such as when you get third parties working games from the start which are commissioned by a first-party. I guess we'll see, I'd just like the game to get a final push before launch, even if it is being sent out to die against Xenoblade

Worth noting that this won't be a livestream and will be available in full once it's up. Got to imagine Live-A-Live gets a final push here too. On the one hand, it would be weird that Xbox would give Nintendo such an announcement and not include it in their own showcase a couple of weeks back. On the other hand, I think for obvious reasons, a lot of the attention for a Goldeneye release would be tied to Nintendo, especially if it comes with something like support for the N64 Online controllers. And, maybe even more importantly, Nintendo Directs dwarfs everything else in the industry in terms of presentations when it comes to getting attention and discussion going, so it would probably be a smart move for that reason too. So...hopefully? Yeah, I think a Splatoon 3 Direct in August would be right in line with what they've done for Xenoblade Chronicles 3, would make perfect sense. I think they could have easily done a proper E3-styled Direct and still had smaller Directs for XC3 and Splatoon 3, but they've just decided to go another direction, I have to imagine with Breath of the Wild's sequel in mind with it targeting Spring of next year. If we do get a Direct in September, I'd expect that to be front and centre and then also potentially get a Treehouse/Direct of its own/etc., probably even in the weeks after some impressions from the gaming press too. I also get why some are disappointed by this. Not enough to start throwing a childish tantrum, but besides a new shot or two when we got the delay update, we haven't seen Breath of the Wild's sequel in a year. Who knows how it'll go, though, they're an unpredictable bunch them Nintendo folk I think you're right on that, and wasn't Monster Hunter Stories 2 also during that same Partner Showcase? Ori and the Will of the Wisps shadow dropped too if I'm remembering right, it was a solid turnout. I have to imagine a lot of the pessimism, for lack of a better word springing to mind right now, stems back to that first Partner Showcase in July 2020 being very poor besides SMT V finally stepping back into the limelight - it was only 10 minutes long, and you've got to add on that everyone was probably a bit miffed at us not getting an E3 Direct only to get this. I think it really just shows the importance of clear messaging and first impressions, because I think the Partner Showcase in September (with Monster Hunter Rise), while still short of a Direct proper for obvious reasons, was much better. They got it "wrong" the second time around too (they had one in August which I just had to look up and it is nothing), but then had another stronger Partner Showcase in October that same year. It's anyone's guess how this one goes, but I want to be optimistic just because of the time it's releasing, it's clearly with Japan in mind. Fingers crossed that means something and I don't find out for the first time tomorrow that it's actually just because Japan is stir crazy about Goldeneye

14:00 BST for us Brits is pretty early for a Nintendo Direct, even if a Mini! Might be a hint at the presence of some games the Japanese audience would be interested in? As that would be 22:00 JST (which still isn't a friendly time I guess, but much better than their typical E3 slot at 17:00 BST/01:00 JST). Either way, keeping expectations firmly in check. Mario + Rabbids 2, probably Persona with all the talk there has been, probably a couple of other ports too? Enter, Stage Right, you damn Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters

Well, somehow we're already at the tail end of June, and officially a few days into summer. The recent heatwave across Europe has been a firm reminder that this is the time of year for most to don the sunscreen and hats before hitting the beach, but for those of us playing games, it's also a time to draw those blinds and curtains, find a way to cool your room by any means necessary, and dig into some more gaming escapades, new or old. This year I've found myself saving my first playthroughs of Super Mario Sunshine and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the summer, because these games undeniably have some of the qualities of a quintessential summer game: sweeping sandy beaches, tall tropical trees, and rolling azure waves. And it got me thinking: what are those quintessential summer games? While I definitely think there's a temptation to lean towards tropical islands, a sandy beach and rolling waves alone a summer game does not make. There's a certain vibe, jolly and frivolous, that I think can capture a summer game, but I also find that more casual adventure games can also hit the spot. And I'm sure we all have that one game we associate with summer which probably has no business being associated with summer, beyond our own personal experiences with the game, whether it be because of an E3 trailer, or even just digging into a horror game for the first time in the dead heat of summer, but I want to hear about those too. For me, one of the first things to come to mind is the Uncharted series. They're the video game definition of a summer blockbuster - a modern recapturing of films like Indiana Jones - sending us off on globetrotting adventures to track down treasures lost to time, all the while firing from the hip, ducking for cover, and lunging for that next ledge. Another type of game I strongly associate with summer is a kart racer. We can jump into specific games - I've made no secret over the years for my fond summer memories of drifting around Shibuya Downtown as Opa-Opa or Billy Hatcher in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing! - but the pick-up-and-play nature of a good kart racer makes them a perfect type of game to play in the summer for me. Races aren't particularly long, meaning that when you're not having chaotic fun screaming obscenities after going from 1st to 6th at the finish line, you can sneak in an ice lolly (or two) and have a fan blasting cool but recycled air at your face the whole time. N-E, I turn it over to you: what are your quintessential games of summer? And better yet, are there also any gaming memories which immediately jump to mind when you think of playing games in the summer?

Looks like we've got the games for July: Pretty solid looking month!

More rumours have been going around about this upcoming week having a Direct, and apparently it will be more akin to the Direct Mini: Partners Showcases we saw back in 2020, with a focus on third party titles. And from the VGC article: Man, I would love to see the potential mess that is Red Dead Redemption 2 on Switch How would you all feel about it if we do get a third party focused Direct rather than a more traditional E3/June styled Direct? It would make sense to me that the claims of a Direct happening started so early if it's a third party showcase rather than one with Nintendo front and centre (because third parties leak like crazy, but Nintendo is pretty airtight), and though I'd be a bit gutted, it sounds like it might bring the goods on the third party front, at least more so than the 2020 Partners Showcases did. Do I dare starting hoping for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters to finally come to Switch/console? Probably not

I wouldn't say it's so much a case of it being scary (well, apart from one particular moment in a hotel basement; screw that hotel basement), but it's very tense and suspenseful throughout. Even going through this second time I would say I was still on edge a bit. Occasionally having to shake your controller as your torch feigns a sudden death certainly contributes to that. What I would say though is that on Normal I was tripping over myself with supplies and the game itself isn't particularly hard, so a lot of the tension comes from the atmosphere and its inhabitants (or lack thereof) a lot of the time, so in that sense I suppose it is creepy. I think if you wanted to turn the difficulty down, turn the brightness up a bit, took it slowly and picked up every last supply you could get your hands on to always be chocked up on ammo/melee weapons, the tension would certainly ease up a bit with the knowledge that you're more than ready for whatever comes, especially if you made sure to keep on top of item crafting and keeping weapons fully loaded. I always end up clutching a shotgun and toeing through areas with it drawn when I'm not sure what to expect, but am expecting something, though that didn't really happen this time around as I knew the general lay of the land already. Another thing I'd mention is that, as I think half of the problem for some is not knowing exactly what's up ahead, you can circumvent this a bit by relying on Listening Mode (R1) to see where enemies are that are making noise in most instances. You can also normally tell something is coming up by supplies suddenly becoming more plentiful. I was also a big fan of clearing out every area before moving on my first time around, but found this second time going through that there are a load of opportunities to just dash through an area. It's just a really good story too, and because it's so gripping I think it can be a good motivator to see the game through. Would love to hear your thoughts if you do get around to trying it out

Seems like we'll be hearing something very soon: I wonder if The Snitch has a Farfetch'd in real life. You know, because of all of the leeks.

John Williams has officially announced his retirement from scoring films. It seems like his final film score could potentially be Indy 5: My question is what the hell this God amongst men eats to still be composing at 90.

Going to give this thread one final bump before Part I probably buries it for all eternity in September, as I've just finished returning to the game for the first time with my Normal+ run. I've been thinking about going back to The Last of Us for a while now, but with Part I on the horizon, I got given the push I needed to go back to Remastered to enjoy it in this form again, as I doubt I'll go back after Part I releases. I'm normally a bit nervous about returning to things I loved the first time through, because it's rare that I enjoy something as much the first time around as I enjoyed The Last of Us on my first playthrough, and returning to things normally has me glancing over things with more of a critical eye. Yeah, to cut to the chase, my thoughts haven't really changed. This game is a freaking masterpiece. I've read through a bit of what I wrote here during my first playthrough and read back through my in-depth thoughts over in the 2020 Gaming Diary thread when I first played it two years ago (did someone throw a clock or something?), and honestly, I just feel like doubling down and then some on pretty much all of my previous thoughts. Opening: perfect. Pacing: perfect. Music: perfect. Survival horror mechanics: perfect. Art design and direction: perfect. Colour palette: perfect. Length: perfect. Infected designs: perfect. Characters: perfect. Writing: perfect. Ending: perfect. Returning to it this evening, I think Silver Lake might be in my top three levels in a video game, maybe even number one. People throw around that Naughty Dog just develop "movies and make them games" and that they are "too linear", and you know what, I can kind of understand feeling that way about Uncharted. But The Last of Us? Not even for a second. I think it's truly in a league of its own compared to the rest of Naughty Dog's offerings, which is saying something considering the quality and ambition of some of their other games. There were also some super subtle lines throughout which experiencing again after Part II felt like either a punch in the gut or a hint of what was to come, and intentional or not, it strengthened the connection between the games for me. Playing through this again knowing that Part I is coming up in September, it was hard to not have the question at the back of my mind of whether or not I really a remake is needed. And you know, I still firmly stand by my previous thoughts and the thoughts of many others on this: it doesn't need it. I mean, just look at some of the images above, Naughty Dog art directed the ever living crap out of this game, and it still shows nearly a decade on! There is the most subtle hint of stylisation to characters which means that, unlike some of its contemporaries, it still remains visually very striking and crisp, and though I'm playing the PS4 remaster of a PS3 game, the other thing striking about it is how little, if any, of the muddyness of most PS3 games translated over to The Last of Us. However, what I will say is that I'm honestly excited to see some of these moments play out again with the visuals of The Last of Us Part II. I'm genuinely a little nervous about how some scenes might not play the exact same way; so much of the story in this game's cutscenes are told through the slightest of changes in expression on a character's face, and while Part I will be closer to the original performances, that doesn't necessarily mean it will translate those expressions better. I will also say that while the game holds up perfectly well, it does feel a little clunky at times, just in terms of general character movement, some animations being triggered having your character sliding from one spot to another, one or two times where characters awkwardly fly about after getting shot, things like that. It's absolutely nothing to really complain about - certainly not something worth remaking the entire game over - but seeing as it exists, it's something I'd like to see Part I address. I'm also really excited to see how it will handle it's AI and potentially things like the dodge mechanic (it was a bit funny when once or twice in this playthrough I found myself tapping circle to try to dodge, and Joel ducking normally meant he did end up dodging ), just smaller things which will bring the game into the discussion of what a AAA game should aspire to be in 2022. This all being said, I do have one nitpick I didn't really get to ponder during my first playthrough, and I think that where this game is at its weakest is when it feels like it's reminding you that it's a video game: in its "boss fights", which are kind of glorified gameplay setpieces. There were only one or two of these in the entire game, but when they happen, it's honestly just a little jarring to go from a game which feels so distinct from the majority of games to "well, you have to use the stealth mechanic now because we've taken your equipment away and don't step on the plates". It's not a real knock against the overall quality of the game, but it's also something I found to be the case in Part II - though, in fairness, that was far, far, far worse than I think it was here, considering the timing of it, it's place in the game, etc. - so maybe I just don't like Naughty Dog's more traditional "boss fight" moments. Some might point at the QTE's for somewhat similar reasons, but honestly, after the first few QTE's are out of the way, you find yourself jamming Square to force a door open or Triangle to lift a garage door or pull a chain without really thinking about it. Oh and also, screw that hotel basement. Again. Lastly, I just want to talk about the game's ending, because I had a bit of a Eureka moment a while back when it comes to the final scene in the game. I was listening to a film podcast a few months ago now where these three or four people in the film industry were, for a change on their podcast, talking about games, and The Last of Us in particular; heck, one of these guys got to interview Neil Druckmann in the build-up to Part II's release. And what I didn't put together before - and can't unsee now - is that apparently one of Neil's favourite films is one of my favourite films, and it shows in The Last of Us. I don't really want to spoil the film for those who haven't seen it, so some spoilerception incoming: the name of the film, and then an explanation on how it's connected. This game is one of my favourites, and to me it is undeniably one of the best, more traditionally cinematic narratives in video games.

Man, the curation of the new PS Plus kind of blows. Don't feel like there's much visibility on the huge number of games available, and the filters suck too (who the hell is only going to want to filter by genre for most of these groups of games, Jim Ryan? Who?!), so hopefully that improves sooner rather than later. I'm shocked that there's no 'The Best of PlayStation' section to house all of the first party titles, I feel like the majority that's the selling point? Being subscribed is already coming in handy, though. I normally jump on with my friends on Fridays after work, but as one of us has been jumping on GT7 during these sessions (when none of the rest of us are in the mood and kind of have to do our own thing because of that), Fridays have become my "chill or just try something" day for games while I talk to my mates in the background. I'd been thinking about picking up Tetris Effect - Connected for a while, and with me now needing a game to chill out to, it seems like a game that would tick all the boxes for me. I didn't see it in the sale, so thought I'd check it's price and potentially just give in, but it's in the new PS Plus games catalogue, so that's a win I've also downloaded Toy Story to give it a spin when I'm in the mood and make my younger self proud, excited to revisit it but a little nervous about how clunky it'll probably feel!

Yes, as far as I'm aware it is. I've had a little look around to see if anyone's mentioned anything about it no longer coming pre-installed, but can't see anything of the like Man, you've just reminded me of how much I hope we get a successor/sequel sooner rather than later...

Don't get me wrong, I love some of those too! The Hall of Greats in particular was a highlight (well, other than the times Isla would get salty, and then there was that whole Final Fantasy VII ordeal...) and Box Peek was great too, but as you go onto say, I just don't think it's what they should be centred around. The Gen That Was also deserves a mention, and personally, I was a big fan of Tabletop Escapades, a lot of dumb stupid fun moments listening to that! I still feel sorry for Kyle when it comes to Box Peek - the show absolutely deserved more attention - but it's a bit of a catch-22 in that he wouldn't have the opportunity if not for the stability Easy Allies supporters afforded him, but at the same time, it was doomed to fail from the start in terms of viewership because 1) the Allies have talked at length before about how the algorithm hates them, and 2) good luck getting the algorithm to now promote a show about paper cutouts for a gaming channel. In fact, I think a big part of the algorithm "hating them" might be exactly to do with them not having any real focus. New projects require energy and passion, but I think confidence in knowing that you have stability can be a huge part of it when living in a place like LA. It's difficult because you do need to offer Patrons exclusives, but at the same time, when you're a personality based gaming news company, locking things behind paywalls such as Trash Babies and a few other shows almost makes it feel like there are weird levels of exclusivity to the community, and it doesn't really grab you when some of their publicly shared stuff can be hit and miss. I guess for me it's that they stream, because..? Oh, because it was successful for the group at GameTrailers in helping them found Easy Allies and getting that core group on a platform and building this community from that. It's honestly been really weird to watch from the sidelines as they promise more streams and so much of the feedback I've seen (so might not be totally representative) is that they don't want them. I want to be clear here, there have absolutely been some streams I've loved and a few highlights channels are well worth checking out for the Allies, but for a company where all of them - with no exception - state that it's frustrating sometimes that their reaction videos do so well considering they have so little effort put into them compared to some of their other work, that's exactly what you're trying to capitalise on with a stream! There's no problem with that, but I think it's things like failing to reconcile and recognise that which just shows this lack of direction. I think they could have got by on one or two group streams a week, Easy Livin' and anniversary events once a year, the occasional fundraiser if required, and ad-hoc streams elsewhere depending on workload. Yep, for me Kyle's that one creative but quirky guy that has consistently great ideas which stand out enough to be great hooks for them as a business and for us as fans. I know his bits aren't for everyone, but things like Hall of Greats just simply wouldn't exist if not for him, and no offence to Blood or Jones, but I think Kyle was by far and away the best at starting a conversation on the podcast: he would set up the conversation, step back, watch where the conversation went, when it petered out he'd know to move on, he'd pay attention to who was contributing and knew the right buttons to press to get anyone on the quiet side to speak up, and so on, and I think his passion for gaming news shone through (he's said it before but he'd be checking on this stuff anyways, so research wasn't really research). And his back and forth with Jones was just top tier, it's why I think he's best as a secondary moderator because he'll say it himself, sometimes he can't shut himself up, and that helps to keep the energy levels up and is a good way to draw other panelists into the conversation. On the other hand, while Jones definitely improved as a host of the podcast as time went on during his stint, there were times where he would be on the verge of asking a question, give his thoughts, and then open it up to the panel, which I found just didn't work as well. Honestly, I think they needed a Community Manager when they made the move to the studio. That was the point at which they sized up, that was the time to strike, and I'm sure they regret not having done so at the time, but hindsight is 20/20 and all that jazz. They made it clear that Gabby isn't going to be a personality in the same way the others are, even if she will be present for the occasional stream. I just think it was a case of terrible timing with her coming in just as Ben's leaving, though in fairness it was a pretty snap decision from Ben by the sound of things (I think his wife got her new job offer on Friday? Though maybe it's been in the works in the background for a little while now). Yeah, definitely. Like you say, the lack of focus is what's got them into this position, and I think for me the telling sign was that I wasn't really ever clear on what they wanted beyond getting their own studio. Did they want Easy Allies to be the next GameTrailers/IGN/what have you? It's different for everyone I guess, but I think most people need goals to aim for just to keep them in check, and then scale up or down accordingly. It's felt like they've been in a weird limbo state since moving to the studio, but then again, that feeling could just be down to the dreadful timing. Still a shame in my eyes that Kyle didn't go onto create a Final Bosman successor until he left the Allies. That was something a lot of the audience had been begging for ever since Easy Allies started, and could have been a great hook for them in the same way Final Bosman was for GT. Yeah, that's one hell of an unfortunate truth which just seems to permeate everything gaming from top to bottom: whether you're a developer or a reviewer, there's always going to be someone with more hunger who is younger on their way up. I think, tangentially, it relates to momentum. Twitch streamers don't rise to the top overnight, but there's a snowball effect whereby most start streaming for a few hours a day, and as their popularity soars and they earn more, they can quit their day jobs and go full-time with streaming, and I think it also has a psychological effect for followers and subscribers -- who doesn't want to be involved in whatever the new hotness is? I'm not suggesting the Allies lacked hunger when they started, but they started from a great place that not many successful streamers get to: they had a built-in audience and a successful Patreon which already meant they were full-time on what they wanted to do. Problem with a built-in audience is simply that it can be tough to attract new audiences, because it's almost like they're already walled off - it's not that it can't be overcome, but it takes a lot of work. I remember it definitely took me a while to get up to speed on the Allies when I first started watching them, and I've since gone back and listened to GT Time, and let me tell you, it was like my Third Eye opened just connecting all the dots from their past to the present. Absolutely agree on the potential for a job in gaming to be draining, I mean with the Allies it's reviews (high pressure), streaming (high pressure), it just creates a messy work-life balance which can be difficult to maneuver. Hell, I get drained from games sometimes and I only play them, keep up with the news, and talk to you rowdy lot on here, but I know my eyes would be burning into the back of my skull if I had to stare at a screen as long as some of the Allies must do. I think it's been a trend we've seen over the last few years that traditional gaming journalism has been dying a pretty sudden death, but it's not like it hasn't been building towards this. I think you're right, as well as the age of those involved, there's also definitely a generational gap where most people my age and younger are tuning into streams much more (the best way I've heard it phrased recently is that Twitch is the new YouTube and YouTube is the new cable). I don't even necessarily think it's so much a time thing anymore (for streaming viewers and creators), so much as what greater distraction can there than to form a parasocial relationship with a person/people you can instantly access through your phone, and likewise the reverse for that person/those people and the feedback loop they get from chat? It can be dangerous, and it can be scary, but I look around and I can't say I'm surprised Getting back to the Allies though, one last thing I want to bring up (or back up) was the discussion Ben had with Kyle and Damiani on Episode 100 of Frame Trap, when during the Hottake they talked about how they felt about EZA and what they could improve (below is linked to the Hottake). I've gone back to this every time an Ally has left or big changes have been made, but I think it was clear even when this episode of Frame Trap went up that there was a creative tension over the direction they were taking. I think Damiani nailed it square on the head here, he pretty much says what we have been by talking about regrouping, nuking their content from orbit and going forward with the main podcast and Frame Trap at the core. Also interesting and pretty telling I think, just with us talking about lacking direction, to hear Ben say they didn't have any expectations going into launching EZA and that they all sort of fell back into their old roles.

Wasn't expecting it to go live at midnight, but here we are! What's everyone looking to download and play first?

There was precisely a metric butt ton of news today as Yoshi-P's interviews for the game have been published: Square Enix, PlayStation Blog, IGN, and Game Informer, amongst others. For a handy thread which summaries the key points: AI-driven party members kind of sucks, but it wasn't totally unexpected. Larger zones over an open world and a trailer in the Fall though? Sign me the hell up