S.C.G

You're welcome... ...Dick :p But seriously, I'm really happy to hear that so many other members are enjoying this fantastic title which really is worthy of all the praise it's receiving. Some may have criticised it for taking more than inspiration from the Souls series but I would argue that it's from the same stable that brought us the Ninja Gaiden titles, which in turn mean that the Souls series wouldn't exist in the same way if it wasn't for the inspiration they have taken in part from NG so I say that it's just one big circle of love & respect between developers who both make awesome games. : peace: Also as an aside, Nioh has got me contemplating finally starting Bloodborne at some point which might lead to me playing Dark Souls III one day as well so that's another postitive. Anyway, I don't want to derail the positive discussion or to divulge into debate about scores but suffice to say at this point even early on in the game, I would rate Nioh alongside the Ninja Gaiden titles in terms of how much I appreciate it right now. Last night after 1am yet again I got right back into it, not actually progressing a huge amount from where I left off last time, although I did manage to get all the way around the shore to the door which was next to the shrine and previously locked before which gave me easy access to the Ship... even though I did have to work for it to get to that point and yes @Daft I did exactly the same as you with the Yokai on the roof as ain't nobody got time for that! Though now I am actually considering going back to take it on because I feel underpowered for the boss, in fact so much so that I decided to take on the Yokai in the small hut with a hole in the roof which took me the best part of an hour to best but I learned a lot more about the subtle changes you can make to the battle mechanics, how to make the most of items and more so it was worthwhile despite the struggle. If anyone has any tips for the boss that they maybe want to share - possibly in spoiler tags as I'm trying to not ruin too much but I'm not sure what's spoiler and what isn't at this point - then please do as I'm happy to accept any help via subtle hints, or just someone telling me "nah brah, you just gotta' git good!" it's all appreciated. Still loving every minute.

n-europe Presents VC Weekly #395 Metroid Prime: Hunters Is that a Metroid in your pocket? Or... Audio ...arrrrrrrgh! :p This one was a labour of love, written on my week off. Check inside for the verdict. Enjoy! : peace:

I'm just more than happy that they're focusing on what the need to, which is the games. If they decide to release extra media software months down the line, then so be it, I'd be happy with that as an optional extra. Giving people the choice is obviously good, so long as it doesn't impact on Nintendo too much then by all means, they should put all the media apps on there, equally if there really is that much of a backlash about there being none available then they will likely choose to do so as it would be a good business move. Just keep the games coming at all costs though as that will always be the main priority and so it should be, especially as we've had gaming droughts with previous consoles. You can't please everyone but if Nintendo can end up pleasing say an extra fifteen percent of their potential market (random percentage for arguments sake) by chucking on a few media players and a web-browser at minimal cost then so be it. : peace: Just don't put too much focus on it, keep it a low-key secondary or even tertiary selling-point and all will be well.

While I can't comment on the final game being easier than the demo stage releases, I do feel that the game is mostly fair in its level of difficulty, aside from when the Yokai show up... that first one was a learning curve (the one in the hut) which you need to kill in order to progress it seems. Are you referring to that second one though? Just through the gate, down the slope after the shrine, in an enclosed space with multiple dwellings surrounding you... if so then I'd be inclined to agree as that's where I left the game last night after playing for another couple of hours between 1am and 3am. (I feel like playing this game is going to become a night-time ritual for me) :p I'm still loving it very much though as well, just the wealth of items alone is keeping me busy between shrines, killing enemies plus spirits of other players for their gear, checking out the stats and seeing what they look like on your character... it's all strangely compelling. While in the beginning I started with a Sword plus an Axe, I've been trying to master the Dual Katana alongside the Katana to see how they differ between combat situations, it seems to be working out rather well because you have the Bow as well which is handy; but I'm very curious to see what that Kusarigama is like as I'm imagining it being just as fun - if not moreso - than it was in the Ninja Gaiden games. The different types of Ninjitsu - that's the spirit form, right? - seem cool as I went for the one that grants you with increased agility which I believe is the Green Phoenix(?) which I tend to use for tougher encounters as it allows me to get a fair few hits in, which is nice. Also, there's magic in addition to Ninjitsu? That's cool, I don't feel like I've even tried that... unless they are the same thing rather than separate entities if that's what you meant? I don't know, I'm just finding my feet myself so I want to avoid searching for anything too much as I'm just enjoying finding stuff out about the game; either way though the Magic and/or Ninjitsu adds another layer to an already satisfying combat system. : peace: Regarding the stats, I just went by the descriptions next to them in brackets which state which weapons they seem to be alligned to, so currently I've just been putting everything into the one which gives Dual Katana's a boost, so I would say that if the Kusarigama is your weapon of choice then go all out on that for a bit and see how it works out for you, I'm guessing we're both around the same level (I compared trophies last night) as I saw that you have the Level 10 trophy and set that as my benchmark seeing as we seemed to start the game at around the same time. Anyway, I'm looking forward to playing and discussing this excellent title further as each day passes, so I'm hoping everyone who is playing now will maintain their current level of discipline as I intend to keep playing this each night from now until completion... or March, whichever comes first. :awesome:

Because it's Puyo Puyo Tetris! It's two of the greatest puzzle games in one plus so much more. You could even say that it's a Puzzle-Fusion game in the way it combines the best elements from both series from the looks of it. In any case, I haven't really, properly played a new title in the series since Puyo Pop Fever on the GameCube so this is a more than welcome addition.

All of my Yes! My copy arrived yesterday as well, after spending most of the day sorting stuff out, I decided to settle down at 1am just to play the opening level to get a feel for it all... ...over two hours later and it's 3am! This doesn't happen to me much any more with many games but everything about it just clicked with me and I was still wanting to carry on playing but I decided that sleep was the wisest option at that time. I seriously enjoyed every moment though, I've only played the first stage and the training level - please don't skip the training level as it's contextually brilliant - and am onto the second stage which is already drawing me in with its intense atmosphere. The combat system is simply glorious, just the right amount of Ninja-Gaiden spliced with Souls and Bloodborne yet it seems fairer in many ways but not a pushover on difficulty as I've died many times over already. Plenty of customisation in the different pieces of gear you pick up too, then there's the story which helps to set the tone, all of the periodical elements just add to it, I don't even care if it's accurate but it all works within the context of this beautiful new universe. I can't wait to go back to it later this evening, though before I do there's something I feel that I'd like to say to those who played the Alpha, Beta and Final demo's... Thank You. For as I understand it, from these experiences the game has been shaped and moulded from feedback into the excellent, well-balanced final version that it is now. : peace: Of course I did download the Alpha with the intention of getting in on this but... as with many other demos, it just never happened though I always kepy my pre-order from day 1 and I knew that I would be playing the final game plus I suppose I've been a bit wary about spoiling anything about it too so there's that but it's mostly just me being useless with managing my time along with the whole demo aversion thing but I'm all aboard the hype train now for what is essentially Team Ninja's newest, boldest and hopefully greatest franchise in a long time.

Nope, that's exactly the impression I was under as well. Either way, it's good that it's finally being more properly opened up I guess but I still wouldn't get to go to it as I'm resigned to the fact that it's too far to travel and too much money. Still love E3 though, yes it does make it a busy week for us - or at least it did when Nintendo were attending on stage - but you've got to love the hype! Also, I've just been reminded why I've booked my next, next week off as the 12th of June about a year ago... the same reason I try to book it off every year, E3! For some reason I've been looking at the dates thinking "why did I book so early in June?" it's nice to remember these things at a later date.

Available for pre-order on the Nintendo Store. Free gym bag... Out a week after the Switch... ...yes I pre-ordered it. :p and three packs of amiibo cards, really don't know how that happened.

Yep, I'm really happy about this! In fact, I was so happy to see the pre-order options for physical versions on Switch and PS4 on ShopTo today that I pre-ordered BOTH in the end. But then I would have bought this at £50 nevermind debating buying it at just over £30 so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. So if anyone wants to challenge me online on either version when the time comes then just say the word. :awesome:

I'm still not sold on it and I don't think I ever will be. I can see the creativity in it of course and I have respect for the developers but I just can't see myself playing it. So I'll just wait for the next Wario Ware... if we get one because I would not like this to become the new "replacement" for it, on any level. Though I understand why Nintendo need this at launch but it still feels more like a collection of tech demos. "I would do anything for Switch... but I won't do that!"

Ah fair play, that wasn't aimed at anyone in particular but I was just stating that I can understand people being annoyed at what the machine may or may not lack in the multimedia department. It quite likely is a bare-bones scenario, particularly at launch but I think there is still a lot we don't know about the machine even now so it's possible these things might miraculously appear later on. There's still a fair amount packed into the Switch though, which is really exciting from a gaming perspective. Plus at least Nintendo are being on-message about having a reasonable amount of games coming out in the first year, there was one year at E3 where all I can remember Microsoft going on about with the Xbox One was "TV, TV, TV, Kinect, Cloud..." Zzzzzzzz... they are in a stronger position now though with the games as I bought one just over two years ago. Also it's interesting to think that due to a very good deal, I ended up getting the console, two top games and some marketplace credit for £282.71... that's only just going to get me the Switch before you add on all the extras this time around, which is... sobering but I reckon it'll still be worth it. Give it time though, as much as I don't like putting too much faith in Reggie maybe we'll all be looking back pretty fondly on the first year of the Switch, I really hope so.

Happy Birthday Ashley! I hope you're having a fantastic Thirtieth.

I'm there for the games on day 1 and the hype, nothing else. While I can understand annoyance at the Switch having no other multimedia capabilities, it's personally not a deal-breaker for me. But it does show that if there's a market for it then these are things Nintendo can add if people really want them that badly. : peace: Already owning multiple platforms though, I must say that I'm glad that they have such features even if I don't use them that much. May the hype keep rolling with the Switch, I'm spending a lot of my week off work sorting out my setup/gaming room so I've got space for the machine, games and enough room to enjoy some single and multiplayer games. I'll post a pic of the Switch Shelf™ when I'm done. :wink:

Happy Birthday Eenuh! I hope yours and Jim's new house is a hive of celebrations today. [/beejoke] :p Have a fantastic day!

I would buy Wario Ware Switch! 1-2 Switch? Not a hope in hell! :p For me, I wouldn't get much mileage out of it at all. Plus I despise the boxart. It's OK if you've got family/friends who are going to want to play it a lot but I personally don't see it as anything more than a throwaway title which could have been packaged in but I'm kind of glad that Nintendo didn't because I wouldn't want the game taking up valuable shelf space or digital storage. Anyway, this game isn't aimed at me so that's fine, I'm all in for the Switch on day 1 for Zelda, Bomberman and as many Virtual Console titles as I can possibly download. :awesome:

I had to send a request to Backerkit to change my digital Wii U version to an upgraded physical PS4 version because mine was still locked for technical reasons, so I've asked them to do this for me as instructed also mentioning that's the only part of my pledge I wish to change as I don't want to lose my 64-bit edition after having paid for it in advance. Hopefully all will be well, as for the Switch version... I'll buy a physical copy if it ever happens in the future but I'm not going to be forced into going digital on it for the console versions when that boxart is so lovely.

I keep them mostly... ...but lately I've been trying to sort out my living space as there are a fair few I will definitely part with so I'm in the process of sorting all this out as I have an excess of PS2, PS1 and Xbox games. Plus I'm running low on space and I need to make room for the Switch. Oh which ones? If they are any titles I don't have then I might be interested in them, I'll even give you a few quid or postage costs for them, no worries if you've already given them away or have people in mind though, just thought I'd put it up there as I have a DS and 3DS game collection which I'm looking to expand with a few cart only games possibly. : peace: Likewise if there are any games you're after, let me know... I realise that this might be counter-productive in you getting rid of games only to inherit more of them but the offer is there. I can see this potentially turning into a swaps thread.

Well that was fun, figured I'd join for one last run round the tracks for a while. Thanks to everyone who turned up and to @BowserBasher for hosting, I hope you enjoy your time away. Perhaps we'll have a proper farewell GP before the Switch version comes out, then if there's enough of us early on buying the Switch and Mario Kart 8 DX then there's no reason why we can't carry on racing on the new format, we could even have some proper Battle Mode matches. : peace:

£25 or so sounds about the right yearly price for the online. Let's just hope that there are a few surprises when it comes to being properly revealed nearer the time which will make playing online simpler and easier or at the very least a more open policy when it comes to third-parties implementing features within their games assuming you've already paid Nintendo for the privilege to play online. A system similar to how MH3U worked on the Wii U will be fine for the next Monster Hunter game Capcom. I'm more intrigued about these monthly Virtual Console offerings which will have more features added such as online though, also I hope they get released at the same time as the other games, say week 1 of the paid service you get a set of say four or five games for that week (because it includes the monthly one) then for subsequent weeks we get two or three titles spread across a variety of formats, the same for weeks three to four and then rinse & repeat every month. : peace: Please at least let us have a few new unreleased gems though Nintendo alonngside the re-released titles which regardless of them having new features or not such as online multiplayer, we will have seen up to four times over at that point.

Show me a physcial version of Puyo Puyo Tetris for the Switch and I will willingly put down £35 for it on release. If it's digital only though then... I'll probably still buy it but with some reluctance knowing the price difference. I still want to play it though. : peace:

It's true though... :p Why wouldn't you want to play the best possible version of the Zelda game we've been waiting years for on the day it comes out? Of course if people don't see enough value in the Switch right now, then I can understand it but if you can get the cash and/or trade in value to buy it on launch plus you already know that you're going to be buying a lot of games for it regardless of any unannounced features then it surely makes sense. I can see about thirty announced Switch games which I know are a definite purchase for me, so I'd say that justifies its purchase. : peace:

Go for it! Get a Switch on day 1, play Zelda as it launches and regret nothing! :awesome:

It most certainly does. This is how I was planning on playing the game before news of the Switch version came about, I now intend to play it with the Switch Pro Controller. When the game comes out on both platforms it will be interesting to see just how much difference there is in the control methods.

So, this thread could do with a timely "bump!" it would seem... A really insightful preview with just enough information, gameplay and no real story spoilers. I've had this pre-ordered and paid for since ages ago so I'll be getting it. Of course I'll be playing it on my launch model PS4 but I don't expect it to be detrimental to my enjoyment of the game despite its apparent Pro enhancements. However I have just realised something, it's coming out two days before the Switch launches so I just hope I get my copy early from Tesco, it has happened before so we shall see. : peace:

No physical version for the Switch means I'll be going for a physical PS4 version. If it comes out on the Switch at a later date as a physical release then I'll buy it again! I want to play the game on its original planned release date, it doesn't sound like the non-physical Switch download code will even be for release but much later so it's a no-brainer. I'm still looking forward to the game and this hasn't killed my hype for it one little bit.