Julius

A tease of the settled systems:

God of War coming to PC on 14th January 2022. Steam page here. The tech side of things: It's yet another title from September's Nvidia GeForce Now leaks.

Same! Though in Cloudy White (I never could pull off gold ) Always loved the look of the panda Pixel 2, so very happy with the look of the Cloudy White! A bit nervous leaping from a 5.5 inch screen to a 6.7 inch screen, I'd probably say I have medium-to-large hands but normally prefer something a bit more compact, so the specs and the colour choices for the Pro got me this time around. My Pixel 3 was up for an upgrade at the start of the year, but I decided to wait for the Pixel 6 before getting a new phone as it wasn't faring too badly back then. The last few months, though, the battery has really started struggling, so I'm glad this has finally come when it has -- been an excruciating wait since the reveal in August as I've seen my battery get drained faster day on day Is anyone interested in any of the accessories? I'm not a huge fan of the frosted plastic look of the official cases to be honest, seems like a bit of a step down from the old fabric cases (at least visually), so will probably be waiting to see how the phone feels in-hand before committing to a case. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for a 2nd Gen Pixel Stand though, I've been thinking recently about buying a second stand to have one in my living room and the other on my desk, so hopefully we won't be waiting too long for that. It's really nice to see Google going hard with the Pixel, the prices seem aggressively competitive, and the pre-order promotion for the Bose headphones is great, even if it will probably end up with me trying to sell them on, as I got myself some nice on-ears that I'm still happy with last year.

Pokémon: "Welcome to Hisui, the ancient predecessor to the Sinnoh Region" Also Pokémon: "And here's some found-footage 90's horror set in the ancient Hisui region" In all seriousness though, fair play to them, probably the best tease we've had of a Pokémon in a long time, and a great way to separate the marketing of this from the Sinnoh remakes. I kind of want a Pokémon horror game now... Pretty sure everyone who has played the Mystery Dungeon: Explorers games was worried for this guy when Snorunt turned up and the possibility of a Froslass being around came to mind. The last time that I can really remember being teased like this was Zorua/Zoroark, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if this was for a Hisuian Zorua or Zoroark styled after a Kitsune Mask. The hint of it being small, like a Vulpix or Growlithe, feels like the biggest hint of it being something like this.

PlayStation in Canada and Japan testing out the ability to share screenshots and clips in the PlayStation app. Must be nice. Hope we don't have to wait too long to see it over here!

Oh yeah, I totally agree with you when it comes to 2D making the game more accessible (I've seen how hard it is for a lot of people new to games to dive into modern 3D games firsthand, and it's always the second stick controlling the camera). To be clear, I was more throwing a suggestion out there of one of the ways they could pivot hard from Ultimate, and I do think jumping to 3D is the most obvious way to clearly delineate from earlier entries, even if it wouldn't be the most accessible. That being said, there are obviously many other ways to make it different. Lean really heavily into a story mode more like Subspace Emissary with a small roster, as well as introducing other new modes; updating or even redoing character movesets across the board; and changing palette swaps so that not only can you change costume colours, you can also change appearance based on the many looks each character has had. Or they could totally just port Ultimate with a Deluxe version to whatever their next console is, backwards compatibility or not It's funny because Smash could easily start with a stupidly small roster and be a GaaS title, but Nintendo won't want that, and honestly, I wouldn't want it to see it go that way either. Imagine paying piecemeal for skins, such as an Ocarina of Time skin for Link...

A lovely - but lengthy - thank you letter from Good Vibes Gaming and friends to Sakurai: Always nice to see things like this. I know that there were countless others who worked on the game alongside Sakurai, but still, it's incredible to see what he's achieved across all of the Smash games, but Ultimate in particular. Recognition at The Game Awards and GDC in some form for what he's achieved with Smash would just feel right. Ultimate sets such a stupidly high bar that I honestly think that now his time is potentially done with Smash (at least as the main man), whoever takes the reins next might need to pivot pretty hard. They could take it back to a fairly barebones roster similar to Smash 64 / what we started with in Ultimate, but then maybe shift towards a 3D fighter akin to something like Virtua Fighter. Would not want to be the person potentially taking over Smash from Sakurai, that's for sure!

Delayed by a month from 21st January to 25th February 2022. Closed network test coming next month, you can try to sign up here. Shame about the delay, but considering marketing was limited only to the E3 2019 and SGF 2021 trailers up to this point - only three months from its January release date - I don't think it really comes as a huge surprise. November for the beta test, probably a trailer at The Game Awards, and a crazy amount of marketing come January should set it up nicely. Early next year is stacked everywhere, with open worlds in particular, as they've moved the release from one week before Pokémon Legends: Arceus to the week following Horizon Forbidden West and the day of Saints Row. If I were Guerrilla I'd seriously consider pushing Horizon back a few weeks. The first game being overshadowed by Zelda's first foray into (a modern, 3D) open world with Breath of the Wild, and potentially now the second being overshadowed by From's first foray into (a more traditional) open world, yikes.

Really liked this story trailer, game definitely captures that creepy Arkham-esque vibe, and seeing more of the Court of Owls is always good. The BTS stuff was pretty great too, team sounds really excited: The lack of exterior shots and gameplay is a little concerning, but hey, if it needs to cook, then it needs to cook. This felt like it did a much better job at setting the tone then what we got last year at least. It not being 4 player (based on no update here, what they've said before, and the Steam page) is still an absolute bummer. The group of friends I play games with every week is 4 people, all of us into stuff like this, and so it being only 2 player means I'll probably end up having to play it solo, which just kind of sucks. Part of me wants to say maybe it's down to difficulty scaling for more players, but let's be honest, if you've got 4 players you're there first and foremost for a good time, even if it means you fly through the game. So that's a real shame, and still a suuuuuper weird decision to take I think.

Man, I'm very hyped for this, both trailers so far have been stellar. Going for a similar feel feel to Year One? Sign me the hell up! Even the marketing feels very distinct from the rest of the DC film trailers put out today, which I'm happy about, because I think some of their other stuff simply isn't up to snuff when you think of the quality of what's come before from DC. In a way I think the unfortunate mess with Affleck's Batman (not just his fault, of course) and the DC stuff in general over the last decade has lowered expectations to where just a decent take on Batman would be great. I mean, they're doing Flashpoint with Keaton's Batman instead of a dedicated Flash movie after that movie reportedly had numerous script issues, but mainly because of the mess the earlier DC films have cornered them into. It's risky, because it's basically In Case of Emergency Hit This Big Red Button: The Movie in a pretty desperate attempt to course correct. Them jumping to that point in the marketing has to be done because it's going to be a huge part of the film and their marketing strategy: bringing Keaton back to get fans onside, and to some extent soft resetting with Flashpoint to potentially explain a new Superman (if not just a different take on Superman from the one Cavill has had to portray so far) and some other changes in their cinematic universe. I'm much more nervous that this is a year out and that's all they had to show for The Flash. Whole production has been a mess, but yikes, likely reshoots and a very short tease doesn't exactly instill confidence!

Caught up on the Direct this morning. Admittedly, I wanted to see the reactions to the pricing of the Expansion Pack, but ended up sitting through the entirety of it. Honestly, I think it might be one of Nintendo's best Directs with a single game as the focus that I've watched. It didn't drag on for too long, which is crazy considering just how much new content is on the way, so hats off to them for that! Will it get me back to playing New Horizons? Probably not. To be honest, I think the act of trying to organise my island more and starting that by completely flattening it just turned it into a chore, which is my own fault, but I did still really enjoy my time with it, I think a game I check in on daily just doesn't suit me. Very happy for - and envious of! - those who have stuck around and have been waiting for an update like this, because there's a whole lot in there that I wish was around at launch for me to experience. Crazy that it's been a year and a half since then, and crazier still that this will be the last free update? I guess Nintendo knows what we don't, but they did a similar thing for Splatoon 2 by being very vocal about a final update, and with Splatoon 3 on the way - and New Horizons' success - I've got to wonder if they're planning ahead and want the next Animal Crossing out earlier in the next console's life? But yeah, how jolly! Monkey looks cute as all heck, permanent ladders are awesome, and the more extensive interior design looks rad! Not to mention the new camera perspective, that looks like it'll be fun

No worries I saw it had gone up on the US store, saw the null placeholders on the UK store... ...and before I could post that here as a heads-up, they'd gone live Pretty crazy that it's 4 per customer as the limit (then again, 4 player modes I guess). Am I misremembering for the NES and SNES controllers, because I could've sworn there was a lower limit in place when they first launched?

N64 Controller pre-orders live on My Nintendo Store! Link

The fact that Nintendo have the balls to double the price with this Expansion Pack on what is a rough online experience, but then also be able to apply a pro-rated discount based on the days left when upgrading from a current subscription, is actually kind of hilarious

Oof. Effectively doubling the price? Very telling that they didn't share that an update on the Expansion Pack would be included the Animal Crossing Direct. Will absolutely be picking up the controller, but think I'll be waiting a while before getting the Expansion Pack.

Why is this misspelling - of all things! - the thing that makes me figure out that Ridley is clearly named after Ridley Scott?!

Huh, might be down to me just not really using one and not seeing it from this angle. Don't think I've actually had a Chimchar since we've transitioned to 3D now that I think about it... ...but anyways, this further cements it as the worst designed of the three Sinnoh starters for me I think it might be the first starter Pokémon I didn't fancy the look of, but then again, Chikorita is also a little plain!

To piggyback off of @Sheikah's question, for those who have played the game, is this a good jumping in point for someone new to Metroid? Or would you recommend checking out the other 2D Metroid games first, then getting to this? I'm in no rush, and plan to get those games anyways, but with this being touted by many as a GOTY contender, it's very hard to ignore! I ask as I know Nintendo generally isn't heavy on story in their games, but this is the fifth entry, and they've been screaming from the top of their lungs since it was revealed at E3 that it's the end of the story being told. I think I remember reading that this has a recap at the start of the game, but not sure how much that covers, and have to imagine it might outright spoil some things from those earlier games?

Big in Japan! I think the hope would be that Nintendo reacts somewhat to the sales of Dread and how it's also revived purchases on the Wii U. Get those GBA games on the Switch so I don't have to go buy a Wii U, and maybe bring Samus Returns over to the Switch too. But this is Nintendo, so... anniversary pin set when?

Promotional Video for Part 2 of Attack on Titan's Final Season, starting 9th January 2022: Time to go find me a bunker to hide in!

Some previews have gone up today: What is up with Chimchar's neck?!

Cowboy Bebop is coming back to Netflix next week to get everyone ready for the live-action adaptation: I just finished watching it back in August on YouTube in a playlist with an episode missing, go figure! Something similar happened with Hunter x Hunter finally landing on our shores after I watched it too... ...maybe this is how I get Dragon Ball to come to UK streaming services?

A rising tide raises all ships: Metroid is crushing it on the Wii U Virtual Console!

To each their own I guess, but for me it's just about having the option to play the way you want to play. Some might breeze through a biome, others might want to hop in and out, and others might want to stick around and smell the roses; maybe I'm wrong, but from what I remember from reading a review or two at launch is that if you really want to take your time in a biome, you could be there a while. I'm not saying to change the game's structure or add multiple saves, but something like the option to quick-save mid-run which deletes when you load back in or die can only be a net positive in my eyes. I know people got around this with suspending the game or rest mode to an extent, but if your console updates/crashes/there's anything that might turn your console off during that time, you've lost progress on that run for no real good reason. Some might say "it's just a game" or "well I did it without", but not everyone has the opportunity to just sit down and play a game without being interrupted for hours at a time. I can see that being an issue for others, especially those not familiar with the genre or more challenging games in general (both of which I'd say are more applicable to me). I'm not saying it's something they have to do for me to pick the game up - because I still plan to - but I'd like to see it. At the very least, it would inspire confidence that they've listened to community feedback, which in cases like this is always a cool thing to see a studio act on.

An update on this from VGC: Some odd choices going on with remakes these days, first Aspyr getting the KOTOR Remake and now Virtuos reportedly getting Snake Eater. Then there was also CyberConnect getting Final Fantasy VII Remake, obviously before S-E brought it under their own roof. I wonder if we'll see a minor rebranding if they are going with a Snake Eater remake to kick things off? Wouldn't make sense calling it "MGS3 Remake" in my mind if most haven't actually played MGS3 and don't have easy access to the original or earlier games, as is the case on the current platforms besides Xbox through backwards compatibility. While I know Metal Gear is obviously Kojima's child, I think Metal Gear Solid in particular is what comes to mind as really being his own thing, so I could see Konami calling this game "Metal Gear: Operation Snake Eater" or something along those lines. Could be a smart move starting with this game anyways, as it is as the start of the timeline. I can't see them remaking or wanting to adapt Peace Walker, there's no way they're going to touch MGS V, so after a Snake Eater remake, maybe we'd then be moving onto adapting Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2? I haven't played either, but I don't think they're particularly long, so depending on how they're adapted I could see them being treated as one game, if it makes sense to do so in terms of the story? Assuming those sell well, it could all build massive hype to the main event: a remake of Metal Gear Solid (assuming these are all multi-platform I would hope it wouldn't be an exclusive, even on PlayStation, and not being remade by Bluepoint...which would be unfortunate!). Tweak some things to make it a new Metal Gear universe and keep it a bit fresh, and you could have a great trilogy on your hands there (I mean, conceptually at least) which kind of comes full circle. I do really like 4 as a great way to bring it all together, but I feel like that game would be better off with a remaster (plus the Apple licensing makes it a weird one), and 2 is very much a Kojima thing, and probably being considered the black sheep in the series by most, I don't know if they'd want to remake it. Especially if they have the opportunity to end on Metal Gear Solid Remake. Or this could just be Konami being Konami and they start by remaking 3 before making 6 or expanding on Peace Walker to focus on Big Boss and give him his own saga instead, or or or, they just want to lead into Survive more smoothly