It has been heavily rumored for some time that the Nintendo Switch would receive two noticeable revisions. Today, it was officially announced that the Nintendo Switch Lite would be hitting stores September 20th, 2019. This had many people wondering, where was the heavily speculated Nintendo Switch Pro? The Wall Street Journal has been reporting for some time that a Nintendo Switch Pro could be releasing as soon as Summer 2019. Eurogamer, who accurately gave details of the Nintendo Switch Lite before its reveal, also said that a more powerful Nintendo Switch was in development. They said this Nintendo Switch would be akin to a Nintendo 3DS to New Nintendo 3DS level upgrade. To add more fuel to this fire, it was discovered that Nintendo plans to revise the current Nintendo Switch with a new processor and new flash storage chips according to their FCC filings. This would fit the Wall Street Journal’s description of the so called Nintendo Switch Pro looking similar to the Nintendo Switch.
Dr. Mario is one of my favorite puzzle games, and it’s not hard to see why. A simple match 4 game coupled with wiping out little viruses on the screen is a great combination. Not only are you incentivized to match the capsules for points, but you’ve got an additional objective of clearing out viruses to actually complete the level. So when I heard Nintendo was bringing Dr. Mario to Mobile, I was pretty excited. The issue is, this isn’t exactly Dr. Mario.
Leading up to the launch of the game, Nintendo left out some pretty damning details. Their entire monetization scheme along with the typical mobile game energy system/resource nonsense. This was upsetting to me because Nintendo had already made an enjoyable, fun mobile game in Mario Run. A return to the classic run and jump gameplay, with a unique twist. It was Nintendo’s take on the auto-runner genre. It was free to play for a few levels, and then the rest of the game could be unlocked for $10. Now, I don’t know about you but I’ve gotten pretty sick and tired of all these “free to play” games; so when I saw a full game for just $10 I snatched that up. Of course, the game’s sales were awful so what does Nintendo do? They sell out.
Dr. Mario World has a lives system like in Candy Crush, where if you fail a level you lose a life and when you’re all out you get to wait to play. On paper, this mechanic sounds flawed, but for some reason psychological or another, the mobile gaming market is booming thanks to this. Candy Crush started this trend and just about every other free game out there has followed suit. However, for the first 20 levels, they tease you with infinite lives, how generous.
The levels themselves are pretty simple and cute for the first 20 stages. Instead of pills dropping from the top like in the original, they now fall upwards. You can drag them from left to right, but they will still continuously move upward. The screen is still filled with viruses, however, you only need to match 3 in a row as opposed to 4 now. As with all these mobile puzzle games, they slowly introduce cute new mechanics to “spice” things up. These mechanics start to become hindrances as levels become more and more complex, while your repertoire stays the same. It’s fun for a little while but this is what I like to call the baitsection of a mobile game. Mobile games follow this trend where they make the gameplay fun and rewarding early on, making the player think they’re accomplishing something. In reality, the game is simply giving you freebies while you feed into this false sense of accomplishment. It’s dishonorable, but this market hasn’t had honor for a long time.
As if having a lives system wasn’t enough to annoy you, there’s also, of course, a gacha system. I was curious as to how they were going to shoehorn in a gacha system once they revealed multiple different characters you can play as. Each character i.e Mario, Luigi, Peach, etc has an ability tied to it that helps out in levels. Things like clearing out rows or columns of blocks, while some characters like Luigi clear them out in an L shape. It’s cute, wanting to collect your favorite Mario characters dressed up in little doctor’s outfits. This just preys on our nostalgia or arbitrary need to collect everything. I don’t mind collecting things in a game when it doesn’t only involve me spending copious amounts of money to get said collectible. It saddens me but doesn’t surprise me.
This gacha system, however, has one small positive, as if gacha systems have anything positive about them. You can spend diamonds which are the real money currency of the game, or you can spend in-game currency to spin the wheel. The in-game currency being of course coins, and it surprisingly doesn’t cost an absurd amount. I was able to do two gacha pulls with just coins after around an hour of gameplay. There is no downside either like with some games where there are separate gacha pulls for in-game currency and real money currency. So, that’s pleasant.
The shining beacon of hope though is the versus mode. It’s fun, fast-paced and has no restriction on how long you can play. You play the same game, dragging pills around matching and clearing out the viruses. Like all versus puzzle games, once you fill a meter or do a big combo, you send over extra blocks or in this case, viruses. It’s fun, rewarding and is a return to form of what the original Dr. Mario’s multiplayer felt like.
It’s upsetting that Nintendo’s latest mobile game isn’t on par with Animal Crossing Pocket Camp or Fire Emblem Heroes in terms of staying true to its original franchises. Those games also have energy systems or gachas but are surprisingly much more fair in terms of how those systems are executed. Nintendo did well with those two, but this one is just consumed by greed and the typical mobile gaming traps that we’ve come to know and loathe.
GRID is back reminding us to race, compete, enjoy, and to do it all like no other.
Looks like we can get back into the racing action on October 10th of this year. GRID is set to launch on Xbox One, PS4, and PC and is also set to release on Google Stadia although the ESRB Rating is unavailable at this time. Check out the new launch trailer below and let us know if you’ll be racing in the GRID universe this October!
About GRID:
GRID is a racing experience like no other. Offering unrivalled moment-to-moment racing, GRID returns with an all-new experience where every race is the chance to choose your own path, create your own story and conquer the world of motorsport. Take your place in the GRID World Series and fight in thrilling wheel-to-wheel battles with the most iconic and desirable race cars – current and classic, from GT through Touring and Muscle to Stock and Super Modifieds – and in some of the world’s most iconic locations. GRID captures every moment of the race, from the adrenaline rush of lights-out to the elation at the chequered flag – and in-between, it’s all action too. Incidents come one right after the other – tight overtakes, bumper-to bumper scrapes and competitive collisions – all heightened by rivalries, team-mates and a nemesis driver who will all either try to help or hinder your progress.
Thanks to modder “JinMarr“, Hollywood star Keanu Reeves continues to be everywhere and in everything, making the phantom pain felt by Kaz and Venom Snake, a little more tolerable in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
The internet’s darling currently has three switchable outfits, Reeves‘ iconic John Wick look, his Cyberpunk 2077‘s Johnny Silverhand appearance with sunglasses and one without them. (where we can see his wholesome dark eyes)
However, it is important to note that said mod is still a work in progress and some glitches might be encountered during cutscenes. But that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker knowing that you can still have D-Dog as a buddy during the missions, John Wick and a killer dog, what a combo.
While the mod doesn’t add any new gameplay elements, we are very excited for the inevitables “John Wick in MGSV” videos that are probably being made right now, knowing how flexible the gameplay is in Kojima‘s last released game before leaving Konami.
For those that don’t know, Nexus Mod is free software that allows the user to browse, find and download hundreds of mods for supported games, it basically works like a hub. Needless to say, the mod is only available on PC.
You already know about Suda51, right? The guy behind No More Heroes, Killer7, and others like it? Well, back in 2012, Suda51 collaborated with Filmmaker James Gunn, the man behind movies like Guardians Of The Galaxy and Super (2010), to create a game about a cheerleader who wields a chainsaw to fight off a horde of zombies and the five “Dark Purveyors” that are over them.
Suda51 and James Gunn at E3 2012 with Cosplayer Jessica Nigri dressed as main character Juliet Starling
The game did well for a Suda51 game but did not do exactly what Warner Brothers thought it should have. Getting scores from a 6 to a 7.5 out of ten helped but most critics said that “It’s a shame that there isn’t a lot of steaks to go along with the tremendous sizzle of Lollipop Chainsaw. The opening cutscene is fantastic, doing a great job of introducing you to the world of Lollipop Chainsaw and making you laugh. The world is so creative and fun to be in that it’s really unfortunate the gameplay is so mediocre. If you were to rate this game based off the combat alone this game would be rather terrible, but it’s everything else in Lollipop Chainsaw that makes it a passable experience and worth checking out.” Which is sad. But to me, the game works perfectly.
The game is easily one of the funniest games I have ever played based solely on the script being written by James Gunn and the characters also being made by Gunn as well. The characters are creative and imaginative as the antagonists are based on stereotypes of different aspects of music centered on themes of rock and roll. One boss is based on Punk Rock, while another is based on Psychedelic Rock. Each character has great humor and even the enemies have some funny lines. But the game truly shines in the chemistry between the main character Juliet Starling (voiced by Tara Strong) and her boyfriend Nick Carlyle (voiced by Michael Rosenbaum).
The entire game makes fun of cliches in horror and video games while adding the spunk of the 1980s into the soundtrack. The soundtrack includes songs like Hey Mickey! By Toni Basil, Pac-Man Fever By Buckner and Garcia, and of course, Lollipop by The Chordettes. Yes, the gameplay is lacking in a lot of areas but the game shines in ways I had no idea possible. The combo system is fun, the costumes are rewarding, and the entire game makes me happy each and every time I play it. The jokes make me laugh harder than I realize and that is because of the amazing script and the talented voice actors behind those characters on screen.
The reason I think this is the best Suda51 game is because of how much style the game has without even pointing it out. The aesthetics of the world and menus are very apparent from the comic-like intros for each character to the vibrant settings you see yourself in. Other games by Suda have these things but they usually are squandered by unfun bosses and boring middle sections. This game is a gem and will be for quite a while.
What is your favorite Suda51 game? We would love to know!
Sega has announced that Valkyria Chronicles 4: Complete Edition is launching today for PS4, XB1 and Switch. This complete edition of Valkyria Chronicles 4 includes the original game with all post release DLC included for $49.99 USD. The original version of Valkyria Chronicles 4 has a new reduced price of $29.99 USD.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is the latest entry in the Valkyria Chronicles strategy RPG series. The game originally released on September 25th, 2018 for PS4, XB1, PC, and Switch. Below is a general overview and more information can be found at http://valkyria.sega.com/
“It was a battlefield…But it was where we grew up.”
A Chilling Gaze into the Flames of War
In the year 1935 EC, the continent of Europa is split between the Federation and the Empire. As the Imperial army dominates the Eastern Theater, the Federate forces launch Operation Northern Cross, a last-ditch effort to tip the scales. The commander of Squad E will test his will against the bonds of his allies, the weight of their trust, and the sacrifices they all must make. This is a tale of a bittersweet adolescence: the failures and triumphs of young hearts struggling to find themselves amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
What are your thoughts on Valkyria Chronicles 4? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!
Ubisoft has unveiled some new details regarding the next DLC for The Division 2. This DLC will be Episode 1: DC Outskirts and kick off the episodic content release schedule. Episode 1 will be available July 30th for all players, but July 23rd if you have the Year 1 Pass.
In this DLC, you will fight enemies in all new locations just outside of DC. Along with that, Episode 1 will continue the story of The Division 2 where it last left off, giving players some new lore to get invested into. This will be in the form of two new main missions. The first mission, Camp White Oak, will have players hunt down the now traitor President Andrew Ellis and bring him to justice. The other mission has agents track down the leader of the Outcasts Emeline Shaw and eliminate her in a Zoo.
Other than the main story content, players can look forward to a new expedition mode. In this mode, you must hunt for a convoy by searching three different wings of Kenly college. Each wing will be available every week following the release of DC Outskirts, offering players new content for the three weeks following. Other than Expeditions, there’s also plenty of new gear to discover along with Classified Assignments to complete. The Division 2 players should be excited with plenty of fresh content on the way.
The Division 2 is an online action RPG developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft. If you’d like to get it yourself, it’s available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. A Google Stadia version is expected to release as well.
MonolithSoft‘s story is one fascinating case, it all started with a young couple, a talented team and a clear vision, telling original, never seen before stories with great gameplay.
While the quality of their games is not to be questioned, stating that they’ve always been commercial successes would be exaggerating a bit.
Fortunately, ever since the studio got purchased by the big N themselves, Tetsuya Takahashi and the team are finally meeting the success they’ve rightfully deserved with the Xenoblade series.
Here’s a quick look at their past fiscal years, including 2019 :
• March 2019: 274m yen (251m USD)
• March 2018: 138m yen (126m USD)
• March 2017: 346m yen (318m USD)
• March 2016: 274m yen (251m USD)
• March 2015: 101m yen (92m USD)
As we can see, MonolithSoft made double the profit compared to last year despite not having released a game since Xenoblade 2 (and it’s standalone expansion Torna: The Golden Country), not to forget that they also opened a studio in Osaki, Japan earlier this year and one lidabashi, Tokyo, last year. So that raises the question, why is that ?
Where does the profit randomly come from, all of a sudden?
Did Xenoblade 2 suddenly attract a wave of newcomers nearly two years after it’s release?
Well perhaps but there are other very plausible possibilities:
It could simply be the cut of the continued Breath of the Wild sales (MonolithSoft helped immensely Nintendo with development) or…it could be the budget given for their brand new game. Remember, MonolithSoft has been seen urgently recruiting staff for an upcoming RPG. Unless Breath Of The Wild 2 has switched direction to become a full-blown JRPG, this can only mean one thing, development for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 / XCX-2 (or a new IP) has started and with MonolithSoft now being bigger and healthier than ever, it seems like this mystery game is shaping up to be one you don’t want to miss if you have enjoyed their previous works. One thing’s for sure, the horizon is looking bright.
Nintendo has announced the Switch Lite, A new revision of the Switch designed for portable play. It will launch worldwide on September 20 at a suggested retail price of $199.99 and will be available in three colors. A Pokemon Sword and Shield variant will be available on November 8 for the same price, you can also purchase a screen protector or carrying case separately.
The Switch Lite differs a bit from the normal model but still retains much of the same features, here are a few notable examples.
Longer Battery Life (About 3-7 hours)
Handheld mode only, can only play games that support it
No detectable controllers (Joy-cons can still be used, sold separately)
Still supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC and built-in gyro controls
Won’t play on TV or include the dock
D-Pad replaces the original 4 directional buttons
No HD Rumble or IR Camera
Transferring content from one Switch to another will be implemented
Auto Brightness is no longer an option, but can still be adjusted manually
5.5 inch screen, still outputs at 720p
Motion Controls will require a seperate joy-con for games such as 1-2 Switch
No Labo Support
Are you excited for Nintendo Switch Lite? Do you think you’re gonna pick it up at launch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Sega has announced that Eri Kamataki will be the female co-star of the new Yakuza game featuring Ichiban Kasuga. Ichiban is the protagonist for this new Yakuza game.
Previously, Kamataki was featured as a top 10 finalist in Sega’s “Latest Yakuza Game for PS4 Female Co-Star Report.” In this contest, nearly 1000 had auditioned for the role of female co-star.
In addition, Yakuza series general producer Toshihiro Nagoshi announced that detailed information about the upcoming game will arrive on August 29th.
We will keep you updated on information about the Sega’s upcoming Yakuza game as more details arrive! The new game will be available on PS4 first just like previous games in the series.
In this DLC, you will fight enemies in all new locations just outside of DC. Along with that, Episode 1 will continue the story of The Division 2 where it last left off, giving players some new lore to get invested into. This will be in the form of two new main missions. The first mission, Camp White Oak, will have players hunt down the now traitor President Andrew Ellis and bring him to justice. The other mission has agents track down the leader of the Outcasts Emeline Shaw and eliminate her in a Zoo.
