Category Archives: Video Game
I Finally Decided to Play Final Fantasy 7 (Original) on Game Pass! My early thoughts.
I won’t lie. Growing up an N64 fan, it felt like it was a debate, a war even. Which was better? Ocarina of Time vs Final Fantasy 7. I knew where my loyalty lied. I still think being indoctrinated into Zelda instead of Final Fantasy is a big reason why I am more into action adventure games over RPGs.
In my adult life, the FF7 remake was hyped up to no end. As a PS3 owner I thought maybe we would get a version of the remake, but it just snuck onto the PS4’s library. While I plan to get around to the remake, now that I own a PS4 as well, I decided to start with the original on the Xbox Gamepass. Here are some of my thoughts.
For the record, spoilers will be minor. I have put almost 7 hours into the game and finally made it to the world map on my way to the town of Kalm.
For starters, the graphics do not look horrible for a PS1 game. Admittedly, I am not a techno wizard. Maybe this is due to the fact I am playing it on the Xbox One on my nice TV. Either way, graphics are not a turn off here.
Combat is still not great, but I have yet to find a turn based battle system I enjoy outside of Pokemon. The timing system is less than great and having to maneuver those arrows has led to many accidental wrong attacks and spells. Such as using a phoenix down on a living player, curing the wrong member, or not being able to target a back row character.
So, far that is really my only complaint. The game is well written and different from most RPGS and Final Fantasy games I have seen. It is over the top weird, vulgar and very funny. I would be surprised if they did not have to clean up and adjust a lot of the humor for the hyper sensitive modern day crowd. I like how anybody can learn any spell. This almost reduced roles and classes found in former entries, but makes it where you can build each character to be anything you want. I like to put my head in the mindset of the late 90’s when I play. As a result, the cutscenes blow me away. They are so visually striking. They remind me of Resident Evil 2 cutscenes from when I was younger and of course there is nostalgia tied to that.
The game has opened up now with the world map. I wouldn’t say the game has been strictly linear like FF13, but it has been close. Still, I have liked the balance of a very focused approach to story telling while also being able to explore towns and talk to NPCs. I don’t think it is perfect, but it still feels good.
So far Sephiroth has really only shown up by name, but his reputation is starting to proceed him. Having never played Final Fantasy 7 prior to this week, I would say just from what I know about him, he stands up there with video games’ greatest evil forces and I am excited to see more of him.
Which brings me to the story. The story is compelling without giving too much away. If Sephiroth is an ancient and he is still alive, I wonder how many more ancients are still alive as well? I cannot wait to explore more of the world, the lore and the characters.
So far, I give the game an 8 out of 10. I plan to keep playing further and we will totally revisit as I go.
Games at E3 2021 I’m most excited for!
E3 has come and went. While the presentation did not quite live up to the hype, there was still plenty to be excited about. Now, full disclaimer. This list is based solely off my taste, my anticipation of the game, and how close it is to coming out. So while the new Zelda game is probably the game I’m most hyped about, it doesn’t have a release date and will get docked points accordingly.
Starting the list off is Monster Hunter Stories 2. Admittedly, I missed the first entry in this game series. I also wasnt a huge fan of the Monster Hunter on Wii U. Still, the trailer for this game looked pretty solid and interesting. I’m not fully convinced I’ll pick this game up short of a sale, but I can say it looks fun nonetheless.
Next up is Final Fantasy Origin: Strangers in Paradise. Part of me is excited for this game due to my renewed interest in the series, namely FFI and FFVII. But that’s what’s so cool about it. I beat Garland again in FFI the night before Square’s presentation . The game supposedly plays like the Soul’s franchise. Again, another franchise I’ve never really played. In fact, it is a bit of a turn off. However, I do enjoy the lore of Final Fantasy so I’m willing to dive into this game. Especially if it pops up on Gamepass.
Halo Infinite is Xbox Series X’s flagship title. With a purchasable campaign complimented perfectly with a free to download multiplayer experience, Halo Infinite will attempt to kickstart Microsoft’s foray into the next generation of gaming. I believe this will be made available immediately on Gamepass, so I’ll probably visit this soon after it drops on Gamepass. I did not own an original Xbox, so I missed out on Halo 1 and 2. However, as a proud 360 owner, my brother and I beat the campaign of Halo 3. I fell out of the series after that installment marked the end of the Bungie run on Halo. I am hopeful this iteration of Halo will capitate me again like Halo 3 did nearly 15 years ago!
Now, Metroid Dread. I think Metroid 1 is very outdated and Super Metroid is a joy to explore. I’ve never played the GBA entries but Dread looks a great return to form for 2D Metroidvania games. This is most likely not a day one purchase but a game I’d love to grab eventually. Bonus points for the extended gameplay shown off.
Next is Elden Ring. Elden Ring is what I always imagined the Zelda franchise turning into. Skyrim feels almost like what Zelda BOTW would be if it was developed by not Nintendo. Elden Ring feels like what Twilight Princess or Zelda 2 would be if it was developed by not Nintendo. Truthfully, I cannot really tell you what’s going on, but this game looks epic. That is enough to get me excited. If this comes to Gamepass, it is a day one download. I am still a physical collector at heart, even with the new generation of consoles out. With that said, I need to see more in-game footage before I commit this to the day one purchases.
Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 (for the record, not the official name as of the writing of this post), Starfield and Stalker 2 all seem too far out to judge now. However, I think it is safe to say, they will be some of the best in show at E3 2022 and be in competition for game of the year next year. We did not see a lot, but what we did see, gives me plenty of hope in these titles.
Far Cry 6 seems to be one of, if not the biggest multiplat coming out this year. Ubisoft can be hit or miss in their business practices and games they release. However, there is no denying their juggernaut status in the world of 3rd party developers. Owning titles like Rayman, Assassin’s Creed and the Tom Clancy games to name a few, Far Cry is another long running franchise under their belt. Far Cry 6 stars Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad and The Mandolorian!) as its villain. That alone is plenty enough reason to be hyped for this game. The setting looks good, the weapons look fun and the last few Far Cry games have been instant hits. Far Cry 6 is sitting pretty close to the front on the hype train this year.
Guardians of the Galaxy has become one of my favorite MCU movies and teams. While that has not translated into me reading their comic series more, I am beyond stoked to suit up as Peter Quill, Star Lord. This was one of the few games that received extensive screen time. I would say do not listen to the haters of this game. Everybody is judging it off the fact no one liked Marvel’s Avengers the game. This game seems, for now anyway, completely different. We could be wrong and it could suck. However, nothing about the in-depth breakdown gave me any concern. For the most part, if I had to name anything to be worried about, it is repetitive gameplay. I am not always into brawlers. Hopefully there is more than mindless action to keep me engaged. If not, the decision making dialogue and the way Peter can call on his members individually to take advantage of their power’s will potentially keep things interesting throughout the play through. This probably won’t be a day one purchase. It comes out pretty close to Black Friday and the holidays in general. I am hoping it will go sale as there’s about 3 or 4 other games I will be picking up around this time.
Such as Mario Party SuperStars for example. Another game that got plenty of screen time. I am sold already. Featuring 5 boards and 100 minigames from the golden age of Mario Party, this game is set to be a blast this holiday season. I cannot remember if they revealed any additional modes other than the traditional party mode. Regardless, this game should serve as a great stop gap until the next mainline Mario Party game comes out. I am truthfully ecstatic to play this game.
I should note, there are plenty of games that look good that just don’t interest me. Instead of naming them all, I will just highlight Shin Megami Tensei V. I don’t see the appeal of this game, but Jessica adores Persona 5 and wants to hop into the SMT series. This will probably be her jumping in point. Maybe it will grow on me? Either way, this is one of those games that cemented Nintendo won E3. This, Metroid and Mario Party SuperStars was enough to win it even without throwing in the BOTW 2 trailer and the other goodies they sprinkled in along the way.
However, the game I am most excited for is Psychonauts 2. I really want Psychonauts 1 to come to Gamepass. I played through some of it on Steam, but if they released it on Gamepass with achivements and the ability to play it on the big screen than I would be over the moon. Either way, Psychonauts 1 was great from what I played of it. Psychoanuts 2 looks like a beautiful, vibrant 3D platformer. I haven’t watched much of it past last years reveal trailer. However, I heard it is coming Day 1 to Gamepass and that is huge. I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
Man, this E3 got crapped on. And at times, it was horrible. However, I think enough good games got revealed or showed off that it was at least salvageable. There’s a lot of things to look forward to this year and next.
Thank you guys for reading and have a great day!
PS3 Game Prices are going crazy! My thoughts.
I plan to do a more in-depth video later when I have more time. I’m sure most of you have heard about how the PS3 has gone crazy. A lot of my favorite Youtubers from Pete Dorr to SicCooper, from Radical Reggie to Metal Jesus have covered the topic. I did a little searching around eBay and some local game stores. I will continue to monitor my local game stores and update my thoughts.
In a not shell, 3 things happened. (Really 4, but mostly 3.). The first was Covid. This cannot be fully blamed even if some want to. People are at home still, but PS3 didnt spike last year. Nor did it spike during the unemployment checks of last year or the stimulus checks of this year. It may be playing a role now, but it is not to blame.
Secondly, and I think the biggest offender is Sony mentioning closing the PSN for the PS3. Check the dates, I think this was the biggest catalyst. Prices were probably trending up before, because, well that’s it goes in this hobby. But that is what throw the spotlight on the PS3. Pete tries to discount this because why would physical collectors care about digital sales. I think this grossly discounts 2 strong points. 1. It highlighted a lot of “must have” PS3 games. And what was different now about those videos than before, was people were actually looking (because of the Sony news). And 2. The threat of not being able to get patches for those games. Jessica and myself love the PS3 and we owned a lot of what we wanted (Ratchet and Clank, Red Dead, Fallout, Persona, etc), but with the PS3 thrusted into the limelight, we started looking for more out there games.
The third cause for all this is because the day has come where they arent easy to find at Gamestop. We checked our local Gamestop, they had maybe 10 PS3 games left. Sure, they are going to be everywhere if you know where to look. But they are no longer convenient. Theres a funny theory about Earthbound not being rare. It was never rare. It’s just one of those games collectors and the internet decided to turn into a myth. The same could be said for a lot of PS3 games right now. As very few are truly rare. However, when you go out, you arent going to see them anymore. At least, not nearly as much. Dont be surprised if games you were tripping over 2 years ago are considered rare now.
The 4th reason is one weve already talked about. Youtubers and bloggers rushing to tell you not to miss out. FOMO is one of the biggest influencers for people buying useless junk. I believe that is happening. Just 2 weeks ago it wasnt cool to collect for PS3, now I’m about to film a video highlighting my PS3 collection. Its just how things go.
So, that’s how we got here. Is it true PS3 games prices are crazy? Relatively speaking, possibly. But this is nothing compared to Gamecube collecting. I use Gamecube because that’s what I currently collecting for. When Covid hit, that changed everything. 10 dollar games I was putting off suddenly became 60 dollar games. From my personal experience Paper Mario and Chibi Robo are prime examples of how crazy it got. I refused to spend 60 on them just a year and half ago. Both of those games peaked out around 200 bucks. And you were lucky for retro game store to even have sports title. Everything was overpriced even if they were common. PS3 is no where near that. Retro game stores still have healthy sections that havent been raided or jacked up in prices. Maybe things are different here in the South? Ebay is certainly a lawless land. Games are doubling in price. May 3rd Sly 4 could be bought for about 30-40. Yesterday it sold for about 75-80. So avoid ebay at all cost until things quiet down.
So my thoughts are, things are mostly crazy online because theres always a fool online. Not necessarily in stores. If more fools come out easily parted with their cash, prices in person may go up as well. Until than, I dont really feel threatened down here where I am. Hopefully you guys have good hunting spots as well.
This is a topic I am interested in covering more down the road, so be on the look out. Let me know your thoughts down below. Thanks for reading and have a great day.
Ranking A Hat in Time Worlds! (A Top Five Friday)
A Hat in Time is broken into 7 Worlds and an over world. Here’s my ranking!
#8 Time’s End.
Honestly, there’s nothing really to this. It’s a final stage and it is great at that. Lots of enemies, fire, and using most if not all of the hats. All the characters make a reappearance and the boss fight is epic. It’ s checks a lot of boxes that a final stage need. However, I enjoy more laid back levels, beach levels, wood levels. I’m just not a big fan of what this level is doing, but I do appreciate it.
#7 Alpine Skyline.
This ranking kills me. It truly does. It is not as ambitious or unique as the other levels. The atmosphere isn’t quite as beautiful as Mafia Town or Artic Cruise. However, the platforming time pieces are some of, if not, the best time pieces in the game (looking at you Windmill.) I think there is a lot to love in this level. It just does not feel as unique as the other stages.
#6 The Spaceship (Over World).
As far as over worlds go, this is one of the weaker ones, admittedly. Compare this to the over world of Super Mario 64 or Sunshine. It is not as interesting to traverse or explore as many of its competitions. However, there are plenty of 3D platformers without an over world (Spyro, Ape Escape, Super Mario Odyssey), so I will never take an overworld for granted. Still, there is plenty to do such as playing the text based adventure computer, the bird band, unlocking space rifts and much more. This alone prevents this from being just a bland generic over world.
#5 Artic Cruise
This level might have the best atmosphere in the whole game. It introduces some fan favorite characters such as the seals, Walrus the Captain, and of course, the fish dude. The time pieces are surprisingly diverse for a level that takes place on a boat. Artic Cruise was the first DLC for A Hat in Time and it ushered in a few new mechanics such as the shattered time pieces and the errand running missions. However, there is no denying that if you played the 2nd mission Ship Shape, you rage quitted. I did not beat this mission before they applied the first update which I believed slowed down how fast the captain got mad. I’ve talked to a few of my viewers who actually didnt find the levels hard and enjoyed it. I’m convinced they did not play it prior to the update. Either way, there’s a lot to love here, but pre-update, this level was beyond frustrating.
#4 Battle Of The Birds
Personally, #3-#4 could be interchanged here. I elected to put Battle of the Birds here at #4 because I find it to be less of a platforming world. However, there is no denying their creative juices were flowing the most aggressively on this world. No levels are the same. As the first mission has you playing a stealth based level where you sneak around Dead Bird Studios. The second level has you trying to solve a murder on a train. The third level seems like a throw away level that has Hat Kid running around gaining diva points. The fourth mission is one of the best in the games, Train Rush. While the following mission, The Big Parade is one of the worst missions in the game. Battle of the Birds also brings to the small screen 2 of the most iconic characters in the whole game: DJ. Grooves and the Conductor.
![A Hat in Time - Ch. 2 Battle of the Birds - Act 1: Dead Bird Studio [PC] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NaIG80W_eGc/hqdefault.jpg)
#3 Subcon Forest
Neither Battle of the Birds or Subcon Forest really blew me away when I first played the game. As time has gone on I’ve learned to appreciate these stages. Subcon Well felt like a Wind Waker level. Queen Vanessa’s Manor is a fan favorite stage. What other game is going to have you fight an evil possessed toilet!? And of of course, Snatcher. Nuff Said.
![A Hat in Time - Ch. 3 Subcon Forest - Act 1: Contractual Obligations [PC] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1Htmc0RP4DA/maxresdefault.jpg)
#2 Mafia Town
This is the perfect introduction stage to a 3D platformer. The first level is a tad scripted but speed runner found out early you dont have to follow the main path. Its very reminiscent of Bomb-OMB Battlefields on Super Mario 64. A nice open world to explore, a variety to Enemies to defeat, and more collectibles than you can shake an umbrella at. The acts are nice and diverse while never straying too far from what makes 3D platformers so good. The stage is bright for the most part which I think is always a plus. Al in all, I think this is the best stage in the base game.
#1 Nyakuza Metro
The latest, and last planned DLC for now. This stage is awesome. I do Let’s Plays for A Hat in Time and this stage just felt special while playing through it. Past the first stage, this level becomes free flowing. Meaning you dont select an act. Instead, you are just dropped into the hub space of the metro where you are left to your own devices. The metro itself is broken down into several colored sections. Each section has a few time pieces and most of the sections are a blast to explore. The cats aren’t quite as cute as the seals, but I wont hold that against them. The biggest knock I would have against the level is that it feels a little more tight than Mafia Town. That doesn’t really detract from the platforming to get to the time pieces, but it hinders just messing around the stage in your free time. The metro is darker but that almost compliments the atmosphere nicely so I cannot complain. Still, these hardly are point lowering grumbles. I’m just saying Mafia Town or Nyakuza Metro could easily flip flop as the #1
So there you have it. I’ve been trying to do these more consistently even as I work more. As a result that hurts proof reading and adding pictures. I pretty much write Stream of Consciousness so bare with me guys!
Have a great day and thanks for reading!
Highlighting Humble Bundle Video Games! (Ultimate Chicken Horse, Summer in Mara, ABZU and a ton of Lego Games!)
Hey guys, Humble Bundle has 4 pretty solid video game bundles going on right now.
For those of you who don’t know, Humble Bundle is a pretty awesome website that sells mostly software bundles. These softwares can range from video games to editing software. Through Humble Bundle alone, I have got Sony Vegas 15, RPG Maker VX, and plenty of awesome games. So it is certainly worth looking at. My brother, who introduced me to Humble Bundle, says he stopped using once they started offering more then just games. He said they never featured game bundles anymore. Well, this week highlights why it is important to pop in every once in a while. That said, each bundle will have a priced tier. It is pay what you want to pay but there are incentives in the form of (video games in this instance) to motivate you to buy the highest tier. You determine how your money is spent, as it can be divided among the publisher, charity, and Humble Bundle themselves.
We will get started with the Spring into VR Bundle. I personally have no way of playing VR, but I might buy a tier to stash the games for later. This bundle is one of the more expensive ones. The $1 tier only has one game, Detached. The tiers then jump up $14.82. The games are as follows Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Surgeon Simulator: Experience Reality, Swords of Gurrah, and Espire 1: VR Operative. Some solid titles, but nothing that really blows me away. This isn’t a good deal though because for just 18 cents more, you can get the next tier. At the $15 tier you can get Job Simulator, Sairento VR, and Borderlands 2 VR. Job Simulator looks interesting but I’m not sold on it. Sairento looks neat and Borderlands 2 is Bonderlands 2, which is to say its pretty darn good.
Verdict: If you are going to shop this Bundle, either grab the $1 or the $15 bundle. There’s no sense in just getting the $14.82 bundle.
Link: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/spring-into-vr-bundle?hmb_source=&hmb_medium=product_tile&hmb_campaign=mosaic_section_1_layout_index_1_layout_type_threes_tile_index_1_c_springintovrbundle_bundle
Approximate Time Remaining to Claim Bundle: 1 Day 23 Hours
Next up, let’s look at the New Couch Classics Bundle. Door Kickers: Action Squad starts off this bundle as the lone representative in the $1 dollar tier. For one dollar, this game looks solid enough, bragging about
- High detail retro graphics
- 6 playable characters, each with unique gameplay and level up options
- Unique in-game Strategic Abilities system
- 84 non linear levels to complete
- 60 weapons and gear items
- 20+ enemy types and 4 mission objectives
- Zombie invasion mode allowing you to play the game again in a new way
- Couch and Online Cooperative Multiplayer
Pulled Straight From the Humble Bundle Page
Moving up to the $8.07 tier, this bundle really picks up the heat. Ultimate Chicken Horse, Nine Parchments and 20XX is probably the best single tier so far. Nine Parchments doesn’t have a description so based off the video it looks like a top down co-op RPG. Ultimate Chicken Horse is probably the game I’m most interested in all of today’s bundles. It plays like a Super Mario Maker game. Someone designs over-the-top 2D platforming stages and then parties of players can attempt to navigate the thought provoking and death defying courses. 20XX looks like a recreation of the Megaman franchise with modern rogue influence game philosophy. The highest tier here is $10. Not bad. Wargroove, Lethal League and Biped come included in this tier. Wargroove looks like a solid tactical RPG but I don’t really have much experience in the genre. Lethal League Blaze is a unique looking fighting game where you try to defeat each other using an anti-gravity ball. Certainly looks worth checking out if you want a different style fighting game. Lastly is Biped. Biped is a potential sleeper hit. The game is a physics based 3D Co-Op adventure game. This has a Wes & Jess stream written all over it. I will probably be picking this one up.
Verdict: Personally, I’m looking at the 8 dollar tier but Bipeds alone could easily sway me into the $10 tier. Either are a great value here.
Link: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/new-couch-classics?hmb_source=&hmb_medium=product_tile&hmb_campaign=mosaic_section_1_layout_index_1_layout_type_threes_tile_index_2_c_newcouchclassics_bundle
Approximate Time Remaining to Claim Bundle: 8 Days 23 Hours
![Amazon.com: Ultimate Chicken Horse - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]: Video Games](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71KOgQQus0L._SL1500_.jpg)
Next up is the Lego Built to Bundle. In the $1 tier we have The Lego NINJAGO Movie Video Game. In the $9.50 tier we have Lego Worlds, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers and LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Lastly, in the $10 tier we have LEGO DC Super Villains Deluxe Edition and LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Premium Edition. Honestly, I have not played a single one of these LEGO games but I have played LEGO games in the past such as Lego City Undercover and the Lego Star Wars Games on PS2. This bundle is an amazing value if you like: the Lego games, any of the licensed properties such as Ninjago or Batman, or want some fun couch co-op or family fun games. I honestly don’t think you can go wrong.
Verdict: If you fall into any of the “likes” above, go ahead and get the $10 bundle. The value is insane and you know what you’re getting because these games are going to be the same quality throughout.
Link: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/lego-built-to-bundle?hmb_source=&hmb_medium=product_tile&hmb_campaign=mosaic_section_1_layout_index_1_layout_type_threes_tile_index_3_c_legobuilttobundle_bundle
Approximate Time Remaining to Claim Bundle: 10 Days 23 Hours
The last bundle for us to look at today is the Down to Earth Bundle. This is the bundle I was originally going to do a write up on before I noticed all 4 bundles were pretty great on their on. Like most of the previous bundles, this bundle starts off with a strong $1 tier. Figment is super interesting action adventure game set in the depths of the mind giving the game a unique level design. Yono and the Celestial Elephants is a fun looking action puzzle game. I’ve had my eye on it for a while now. Up next, the $11.88 tier. Personally, this tier looks a little weak to me. Abzu is probably the headliner here. It looks gorgeous. ARIDA: Backland’s Awakening looks kinda budgety. Never Alone looks like it plays like Limbo. Moving up to the $14 tier.
This is such a hard tier to gauge. Beyond Blue looks great graphically but I don’t know if the gameplay excites me enough. Lost Ember is a game that allows you to explore Earth by playing as any creature you come across. Sounds amazing. The last game is Summer in Mara. I remember following this game on Kickstarter. You play as a young girl exploring an island. The game will look amazing to Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon fans. As the core gameplay is tending to your island. You will have to grow crops, explore the sea, and traverse the land. Summer in Mara is the game that is tempting me the most.
Verdict: The high end games here are very genre dependent. Even though a lot of the games (ABZU, Lost Ember, and Summer in Mara) all look good, they may not be up your alley. You’ll just have to check them out for you.
Link: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/earth-day-bundle?hmb_source=&hmb_medium=product_tile&hmb_campaign=mosaic_section_1_layout_index_2_layout_type_threes_tile_index_1_c_earthday_bundle
Approximate Time Remaining to Claim Bundle: 3 Days 23 Hours
So those are the games. Let me know if any of these look interesting to you and what bundles you’ll be checking out.
Best Bundle for the value: Lego’s $10 tier. Couch Co-Op’s $10 tier. Down to Earth $1 tier.
Games to check out: Summer in Mara, Ultimate Chicken Horse, Biped, Yono and the Celestial Elephants, any of the Lego games and ABZU.
So there’s just a few of my thoughts. Thank you guys for reading! Have a great day!
![Reacting to the Pokemon Legends: Arceus Trailer[Pokemon Week]](https://dahubbz.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pokemonlegendsarceus_feb_en_us.jpg?w=90&h=70&crop=1 "Reacting to the Pokemon Legends: Arceus Trailer[Pokemon Week]")
Reacting to the Pokemon Legends: Arceus Trailer[Pokemon Week]
Pokemon Week, and the 25th Anniversary of Pokemon, continues!
I watched this trailer last weekend and was really enthralled with it at first. My brother asked me if I watched the two reveals for Pokemon yet. My first question was, “Wait, two reveals?”. I knew about the Gen 4 remakes but what was this second reveal? He pulled out his phone and I heard the opening that talks about the early days of Sinnoh and thought this was the Gen 4 Remakes. I was blown away!
I was a big advocate that Gen 8 was not going to be groundbreaking. I started saying that following GameFreak announcing they were done with the 3DS and moving on to the Switch. Not to use that as an excuse, I just knew Gamefreak would play it relatively safe. So I wasn’t surprised SwSh felt like DLC to Sun and Moon. But seeing this open world, BOTW inspired level design had me hyped for the remakes. Obviously, I found out this was a spin off or something. I’m not even sure, honestly.
I’ve watched the trailer about 2 or 3 times since Sunday and I’ve been gradually getting less and less impressed. Now, that is not to say I am not hyped (is this a double negative? Either way, I am still hyped). Gamefreak is trying to reinvent the wheel and do something pretty unique for the Pokemon franchise. Though, still, the flaws are glaring.
The frame rate is horrible for the wild Pokemons, the battles look like they will take some getting use to (as no battle interface was shown.), and graphics still aren’t knocking anyone dead.
Some of this can be fixed, of course. But the release date is relatively close for how unfinished this looked. Now, I’m not a game developer, but there is a worry, with Gamefreak’s recent reputation, that the quality isn’t going to improve between now and the release. I think that is a bit overblown but probably not wildly inaccurate.
I think Gamefreak could have something special on their hands. The hype for this Pokemon format is there. They need to not mess this up. So, at the end of the day, this is the same as the Gen 4 remakes. The hype machine is ringing off the hook. Now the ball is in GameFreak’s court to really blow us away.
Here’s to hoping!
Thanks for reading and have a great day.
![Reacting to the Pokemon Gen 4 Remakes (Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl ) [Pokemon Week]](https://dahubbz.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/return-to-the-sinnoh-region-in-pokemon-brilliant-diamond-and-pokemon-shining-pearlmp400004319still002-1614353238385.jpg?w=90&h=70&crop=1 "Reacting to the Pokemon Gen 4 Remakes (Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl ) [Pokemon Week]")
Reacting to the Pokemon Gen 4 Remakes (Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl ) [Pokemon Week]
Pokemon week rolls on with a double header. This morning we will be reacting to the Pokemon Gen 4 remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Link to the trailer on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pDI8Scph44
Pokemon Generation 4 is arguably my favorite generation, with Platinum as possibly the best Pokemon game of all time. This remake has been a storm brewing in the background. Pokemon set a new growing standard in 2004 with the Generation 1 remakes, Fire Read and Leaf Green. This series of remakes continued with HeartGold and Soul Silver. Finally, Generation 3 got its day in the sun with OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire. That was in 2014. That gets us to now, Generation 4. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Needless to say, the wait has been long.
I think this game is receiving harsh criticism already. The hate is mostly directed at the art style. They went with a more Pokemon Go (Some would say even worse) art style than Pokemon Sword and Shield. Which is drawing comparison to other remakes. With that, a few things need to be broken down first.
A. Nintendo Games Will Never Be Sony Games. At least not in the immediate future. What were people expecting anyway? I actually saw someone say this is bad because it does not look like the Final Fantasy 7 remakes… I’m not justifying Pokemon games still looking like DS games or how they are lagging behind the industry standard games of today. But comparing these remakes to Final Fantasy 7 is just a mistake. I think the Pokemon models look fine. I even think the characters in the battle scenes look fine. What loses me a bit is the character’s faces during the overworld. It is not perfect but than again there’s always the fact that…
B. Generation 4 Wasn’t Amazing Because of Graphics. Generation 4 was amazing because the Pokemons were great, the villains were cool, the legendaries of the game were peak, the post game story added plenty of content, the region was fun to explore, Pokemon Wifi Battles were all the rage, the writing was solid enough for a kids RPG, they advanced the series in cool ways such as the moves being physical or special instead of just the typing. The starters were all great. Yes, even you Turtwig. So many Let’s Players got their start playing these games. You could probably go on and on. Yet, as you can see, I didn’t mention graphics. I think the graphics were fine but were quickly outdated by the design and sleekness or HeartGold and SoulSilver.
C. If They Capture the Feels, All is Forgiven. Pokemon cast a wide net these days- grown mean in their 30’s down to kids experiencing the franchise for the first time. I think Pokemon players are jaded and complain about way too much. Like we didn’t survive the Wii and the Wii U era. Eras I personally am fond of, but still. Nintendo’s imagine was terrible during these times. You couldn’t admit you liked Nintendo or Pokemon during these days because they were not shiny like the 360 and PS3. Of course I continued to enjoy the series, but fans started to disconnect from the series at this point. Pokemon Go and Pokemon Let’s Go brought a lot of old fans and new fans and people who do not even care about Pokemon together. But they set some new trends people were afraid of. The art style, the no wild battles and the ease of the games. Gen 8 did a lot to remedy this. It changed the art style some, gave us wild battles but did not help much in the difficulty department. As a result, I’ve heard a lot of people question their belief in GameFreak. While the trailer did not leave a good taste in many fans mouth, if they capture the old school feels of being on a Pokemon adventure, I think all is well again. I just do not know if this will climb that insurmountable wall.
However, I’ve watched the Pokemon community continously fell to realize Pokemon is not Final Fantasy 7 or any other RPG. But following the harsh reviews Pokemon Sword and Shield got, combined with the long awaited expectations of Pokemon Gen 4 remakes, they cannot afford to mess this up. This was their perfect chance to get back in Player’s graces. I think they will ultimately fall short to the general audience. Personally, I think it looks fine and I cannot wait to revisit one of my favorite regions. The remake does have me hyped and I am looking forward to it. It is worth noting these games are being developed by ILCA and not Gamefreak. Gamefreak is busy overseeing tonight’s blog post, Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
That will do it for now. Here’s to hoping the games turn out okay. I work until 9pm tonight but I am planning to blog again tonight!
Thanks for reading and have a great day.
We Will Be Streaming Mario Party 9 Tonight! (Wes vs Jess)!
Hey guys, Wes Vs Jess returns tonight. Live! On Youtube! As we continue through Mario Party 9 on the Wii! Make sure you are subscribed with notifications turned on so you never miss a live stream!
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Watch Part #1 To Our Stream Here!
For those of you unaware. Wes vs Jess is a video series where Jessica and myself go head to head in a variety of games. This time around, we are competing in Mario Party 9 on Wii. The Stream will probably start around 10 or 11. Make sure you are subscribed so you know.
A Christmas Memory!
Today, I just want to reminisce about a memory of my mom. My mom is kind of notorious at this point for just deciding what she is going to buy you instead of listening to what you ask (She will still ask you what you want though). At first this kind of got on my nerves. Then I realized it made Christmas exciting. One year, I just asked for a bunch of cool designed T’s centering around video games. She managed to buy just one of the correct shirts. The rest she just completely guessed on. For the most part she was in the ball park. However, some how one shirt she bought twice. And another of the shirts was a size too small, so Jessica just got that one. This year, she asked what underwear I use. I gave her the brand, size, and style. Well, she got the size and style right but bought a completely different brand. I definitely no longer hold this against her because, again, it adds a layer of surprise.
However, my favorite story, the one that stands out the most to me, is by far Christmas of 2014. I was a huge Wii U and 360 fan at this time. My 360 collection was massive and on the Wii U I had a lot of the highlights: Windwaker, 3D World, Smash Bros and a few more. Mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas and by far the games I wanted the most were Madden 15, Borderlands Pre-Sequel and Far Cry 4. Far Cry 4 had just come out around my birthday but I had to get Pokemon Alpha Sapphire. So it was high on my want list. My mom got me 3 video games that year.
Opening the first game: Madden 15. Nailed it.
Opening the second game: Borderlands Pre Sequel. We are rolling.
Down to the last game. It can only be one thing. My most anticipated game of the year (Left for me to get of course.) My dad actually got the original Far Cry on the Wii for my brother and I. We played it, we loved and we hated it due to motion controls. We skipped Far Cry 2. Far Cry 3 was released and became an instant classic. I was so confused. Everyone at my school loved it. Needless to say, I was determined to get my copy of Far Cry 4. Last present, here we go.
Opening the third game: NINTENDOLAND! More like NintenNO Land… I pulled my mother over to said and gave her a mental evaluation. I asked her how in the world she got Nintendoland out of Far Cry 4. I mean, I was even on the phone with my mom when she was in Gamestop. Her response, and I cannot make this up, “I thought you would have more fun with Nintendoland.”
This blew me away. At the time, she was definitely wrong. Borderlands, Bioshock, Modern Warfare 2, Gears of War, these were the games I loved playing back in 2014. I was a 19 year old college student. To think I would have more fun with a game that seemingly required 2 players was mind blowing. For the rest of the Christas break I did subject Jessica and family members to play it with me. Ultimately, I did learn to enjoy the game even though I mostly played the one player games like Yoshi and F-Zero. As time went on, I would bring my Wii U to friends and family houses and Nintendoland became a rotation favorite.
I went to Michigan to visit my cousin. He had a friend over and we played 4 player Nintendoland. They each said if they knew how fun this game was, they might would have bought the Wii U. This little game is far from great but it is a fun one for parties, casuals and hardcore games alike.
To this day, I still play Nintendoland and I have still yet to play Far Cry 4. The world is funny like that. The game is good and enjoyable, but the story attached is priceless. I hope you guys enjoyed this.
What is your favorite gift from Christmas past? What a gift you had to pretend to like? Got any stories like this? Share down below!
Happy Holidays and thanks for reading!
Games That Could Have Saved The Wii U!
*This post was written towards the end of May! Enjoy!*
During the Wii U’s lifespan several games came out that didn’t make it onto the console. If the Wii U had landed some of these titles it definitely would have helped. You guys will see a lot of parallels between the N64 and the Wii U. Let’s go ahead and jump into this one.
JRPGS and RPGs in general were bare on the system, just like the n64. Of course you still got Paper Mario, Xenoblade, and of course Mass Effect 3. So with all that said my first pick is Persona 5. Personally, I haven’t been able to gravitate towards JRPGs, though I do certainly try. With all that said, there is no denying Persona 5s profound impact on the western market. To my knowledge, Persona, as far as a console release, has been exclusive to the PlayStation. Though, the 3ds did see some Persona releases on handheld. I’m not sure the Wii U ever had a chance of landing Persona 5, considering the Switch hasn’t even got a version. This would have been a huge get for the Wii U’s library.
Let’s keep the RPG train rolling. Fallout. Personally, I think New Vegas would be my choice here. If the Wii U had secured a definitive edition of Fallout New Vegas with all the DLC, I would’ve been all over that. If Fallout 4 had released on the Wii U, of course that would have helped the Wii U break the stereotype of being a “children’s unit”, but who knows if Fallout 4 could have even ran on the Wii U in the first place.
And to round out the RPG experience, Mass Effect Trilogy. I’m not sure about Bioware or EA’s relationship with Nintendo during this time, but the Wii U got Mass Effect 3 which just seems weird. I really wish the Wii U either got a separate release for each installment or the trilogy released later on. It’s so weird needing to buy Mass Effect 1 and 2 on Xbox just to jump on the Wii U to round out the trilogy. While this was weird to me, it’s far from the only example (as this also happened with the Batman games).
A Hat in Time- A Hat in Time was originally in the works for the Wii U. Overtime, that plan evaporated along with the hopes of a Nintendo Switch version. As time elapsed, A Hat in Time would finally make its way to the Switch. Sadly, for Wii U Collectors and players alike, this title was missed from the Wii U library.
Undertale- During the time of Undertale’s release I was playing my Wii U exclusively with a little Xbox One thrown in. As a result, I missed out on Undertale. If this game has found a way to end up on the Wii U I might have got around to playing this. As of now, I have yet to experience Undertale.
Rare Replay- When Rare Replay came out, Nintendo and Microsoft hadn’t quite struck up their friendship. Now a days, Banjo Kazooie has arrived on Switch via Smash Brothers. Also, Cuphead is available on Switch. We’ve yet to get any Rare games on the Switch to my knowledge. However, if people were able to play Banjo Kazooie, Conker, Battletoads or any of those Rare classic titles, I think people would have eaten up the nostalgia factor.
Lastly, for today’s post anyway, Super Mario Odyssey. Breath of the Wild may have ended up on the Switch also, but it was designed, in part, with the Wii U in mind. As a result, The Wii U got an absolute epic game in Breath of the Wild. Now, I have also said the Wii U desperately needed a 3D Mario game. Yes, 3D World was a great game yet if it was complimented with Odyssey, that would have solidified the Wii U’s library as top notch. Sadly, Nintendo saw the writing on the wall and bailed on Odyssey ever coming to Wii U. I think ultimately this was a smart decision due to how much Odyssey can be dependent on motion controllers. All that said, I wish the Wii U had received a title maybe more like a traditional Mario 64 title.
So that’s it for today. I’ve been merciless collecting for my Wii U, I only have about 30ish (at the time of writing this. Now I’m not down to 6!) titles left until I have a whole set. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the library. There’s plenty more games to discuss so expect more videos as time goes on. Thanks for reading guys and I’ll see you in the next one.
Da_Hubbz 