Switch 'N' Shoot (Nintendo Switch)

The past few weeks I’ve moved back to Australia and whenever I take a flight I love to have my Nintendo Switch on hand to take up some of the time. Flying from the UK to Australia is not something that’s going to go by quickly unless you can sleep for a long time. Unfortunately I really cannot sleep on flights so I thought I’d spend some time playing a bunch of Switch games I’d had sitting on the console for a while.

One of these games and arguably the one I put the most time into on the flight was Switch ‘N’ Shoot, an arcade style Shoot Em' Up in which you press only one button to control your spacecraft with the aim of getting the highest score possible. The game was made solely by Indie Developer Matt Glanville and is also available on Steam, and for Android devices. I really enjoyed my time with the game and wished to briefly touch upon why that was.

As soon as you boot the game up you are welcomed by some gorgeous border art by Paul Duffield (who interestingly currently works out of my home county of Northamptonshire, UK) that would not be out of place on something like a classic Space Invaders arcade cabinet. This artwork is in place for the entirety of the game and really helps sell the feeling that you’re about to play something inspired by the classics.

The game itself is very simplistic as you would expect with a game where you only really need to press a single button but this is something that allows the title to stand out and really helps with the addictive nature of the gameplay. I found myself absolutely terrible at the game at first because every time you shoot you also move left or right with each subsequent shot but over time I improved!

Your enemies remain the same so you don’t have to worry about how to deal with new enemy attack patterns and interestingly you don’t even have to worry about shooting every single enemy. However what I like about this game is if you do happen to miss an enemy they will stay almost level with your spaceship for a few seconds and then explode, meaning you have less space to manoeuvre and therefore have to press your single button a lot quicker.

This really ramps up the stakes and keeps you on your toes. Another great feature is that you can upgrade your craft if you collect enough pickups along the way. However should you miss any then your weapons will revert back to their previous level. I really enjoyed this as I really had to think did I want better weapons but risk hitting an enemy along the way? Or did I want to try playing it safe with a more basic weapon but not gain points as quickly and potentially be overrun with enemies?

It’s great that although you can upgrade yourself you never feel too overpowered compared to the enemies and the game will actually introduce a new challenge if you get the highest possible upgrade. That added challenge comes in the form of two beams that stop you being able to scroll out of one side of the screen and appear on the opposite side. On the one hand you’re insanely powerful but on the other you’ve got a much smaller window to move in.

Usually I find myself losing shortly after I obtain this upgrade because I’m just not quick enough to move back and forth before hitting those beams. Yet this game is just so addictive that I jump right back in for another 10 minutes or so. I think it’s a real challenge to make a game that’s not frustrating in that kind of situation so I applaud Matt for this.

A feature I found quite funny even after every time I died was that your pilot would have a unique name every single time. I’ve played countless times now and have never had the same name twice. You even get a nice message every time you die from your commander; I loved this little attention to detail and hope to see more of this sort of thing in other games in the future.

As an aside Switch ‘n’ Shoot actually reminded me of the game Downwell which I reviewed a few years ago. This was not only due to its pixilated style or the ability to unlock new palettes as you progress, it was the addictive nature of the game. In my ignorance I actually believed this was developed by the same person as Downwell and I do wonder if there was any inspiration on the developers part.

I really do not have anything bad to say about this game because there is not much to it and what it does have it does well. I generally struggle to find a fault with the game but would perhaps like to see different ship designs and enemy designs as further unlocks along the way and perhaps even different borders as the art is just so nice it would be lovely to see what else Paul Duffield could come up with.

All in all I think Switch ‘n’ Shoot Is a fantastic affordable and short title that is absolutely perfect for those on the go or those who want a brief but addicting game to pass a short amount of time. Do I think I will keep coming back to this game for years to come? No. However for now it’s a nice little way for me to eat up time on a lunch break or on the Train home from work.

This game would not be out of place in an actual Arcade and I really like that aspect of it, in fact while researching the game and the developer I found that Switch ‘n’ Shoot does have an arcade cabinet available for purchase thanks to the guys at DSM Arcade. Now do I love the game enough to buy one? No. But If I saw one in the wild I’d definitely have a few rounds.

I think Matt Glanville has made something special here and would love to see what else he comes up with in time.

Tetris 99 (Nintendo Switch)

I have been utterly obsessed with this game since its release. Its so strange to me though as I've never actually played a Tetris game in my life. I was as surprised as everyone else when Nintendo announced this during its Nintendo Direct video on February 13th this year and have been playing it almost everyday since.

The game is 'free' if you have a Nintendo online subscription (along with the ability to play old NES games) which I think was a wise decision by Nintendo. I do not believe I'd pay the full price of a Switch title in the UK for this game or even the price of a budget title because I've never been into the series. I'm really happy they released it this way though because I've put so much time into it and gained a new love for puzzle based and competitive titles.

The aim of the game is to last as long as possible at a game of Tetris but the catch is you're against 98 other people. Every player has the ability to target others in order to eliminate them quicker, this is done by selecting what type of player you'd like to target such as players who are targeting you or players who have the most K.O's. It really is quite a simplistic game but I feel Tetris has always been that way, easy to grasp potentially hard to master and this puts a nice new spin on it.

I really don't care much for Battle Royale shooter games, admittedly I've not taken the time to play more than a handful of matches in something like Fortnite but it just does not do it for me. It's probably because I'm shit at non team based Video Games since playing the Lone Wolves game type on Halo 3 back in the day.

I never really thought about this being in the Battle Royale genre until I saw the memes online about it being the 'Fortnite killer'. In any case it's nice to see that Battle Royale doesn't have to just be FPS games right now, its kind of refreshing to be honest.

Now like I mentioned, I've been obsessed with this game every time I have a spare few minutes which more often than not turns into at least an hour or so. I'm currently living in Australia for a while and only took my Switch as any form console. That in itself is quite refreshing and has allowed me to take a step from always having too much to play back home and just focus on smaller titles when I feel like it.

This game and others like it are perfect if you're traveling but that kind of begs the question would I play this as much as I am if I was back in the UK with my Xbox One X and PS4? I certainly have many games that released during this period I'm itching the play and I can't help think that perhaps I would not have even given this game the time of day in that scenario.

I mentioned briefly that this game has given me a new love for puzzle based titles. I meant that as in it makes me want to focus more on them in the future if I can, but it's not my first rodeo with these its just been a while. I used to get obsessed with the Xbox 360 title Hexic HD which most people had pre-installed on their console.

Hexic and Hexic HD interestingly enough were actually designed by Tetris' creator Alexey Pajitnov so perhaps that explains my love for Tetris 99 in some way. I remember the countless hours I'd spend late at night playing Hexic HD on the 360 while listening to music. To this day I'm one of the only people I know with certain Achievements in that title.

I think the first time I played a game like this though was back on the Sega Megadrive (Genesis for USA), It was a sort of competitor to Tetris named Columns and was essentially an earlier version of Bejeweled (which I also enjoy, especially on long haul flights). I was terrible at it but with the Megadrive Collection on Switch perhaps I should go back to it some time soon.

There is not much more I can say about this game other than if you have a switch and pay for the Online functionality of it then give it a go, you might be pleasantly surprised with it. Full disclosure though I still haven't come first place but I'm determined!

Subsurface Circular (Nintendo Switch: 2018)

A few months ago I played a really short game on my Nintendo Switch and I loved it. It's called Subsurface Circular and was ported to the Switch in early 2018. I saw it on sale for under £4.00 and thought I would give it a shot based purely on the synopsis of the game and the designs of its robots.
I had no idea it was made by Mike Bithell and his company Mike Bithell Games who made another short Indie game hit Thomas Was Alone (Which I would also highly recommend). I think if I'd have known it was made by him I'd have likely picked it up sooner than I did.

The game is a text based adventure game in which you play as a Robot Detective in the not too distant future who is tasked with solving a case in which many other Robots are going missing. In order to do this you as the player are confined to the underground rail network and have to talk to a number of other worker robots and solve short puzzles in order to crack the case.

The gameplay is entirely simplistic and the perfect sort of game to play on the Switch in tablet mode (Or on an Ios device). The game is presented as a question and answer scenario with the odd puzzle placed here and there but this is more of a quick look at the rail map or a decision on who to talk to first and which questions to ask that will open up answers to other passengers questions. I enjoy that the game never really goes too far above that in terms of the gameplay because it allows the focus to be on its narrative.

I adore the Robot designs in the game for a few reasons. They stick to a more or less humanoid form and keep a simplistic approach to their colour schemes and facial designs. I feel as though they are the 'right' amount of futuristic as they don't look too much like humans yet and I feel they would not be too out of places in a movie like Blade Runner. It is a shame we did not see much of the world above ground but I do like the focus the game puts on where it wants you to be and why.




To speak more about this I enjoyed that the game could do a lot of world building purely by the conversations you have rather than have you explore as you are only confined to a single train car. It's interesting to see what could happen in our future with the advancements in robotics and perhaps we too would have humanoid robots replace us in many aspects much like this game.

It's interesting to wonder would we give them as much or little freedom as is afforded to them in this game. It was quite harrowing in some ways to see what would happen to a certain unit once you had removed the limiters it was constricted in to by its creators by inputting a certain phrase. It was totally surreal to see a Robot feel some form of 'freedom' for the short time it was on the train with you and it was kind of heart warming to see some of them thank you for it.

I do wonder will there be a point where there will be rights for machines and Robots who are more or less also constricted by us to serve a certain purpose.

The final chapter of the game and its lead up are absolutely fantastic. I will try not to go too much into it as I don't wish to spoil the game for people who have yet to try it however it deals with a dilemma of do you upset the status quo and hope that a new future works itself out or do you keep with the status quo and not risk a terrible unchangeable  outcome but still be stuck with the parts of the your present 'life' that really are not that great.

To have one simple enough case lead up to a moral question such as this really shows how well Mike Bithell and the team are at weaving a great narrative. I am generally excited to see what they come out with next and only hope it can match this game or surpass it.

If I did have to try and critique an aspect of the game I would say it does feel a lot more like a visual novel at times as I feel I can't really lose. There is not a time limit to find the answer to questions in a chapter or anything like that so you really can just go at your leisure. There also is not an incentive to replay the game at any point other than perhaps the last chapter just to see the outcome of the other decision you make. However if you are into directors commentary you do unlock this for every chapter once you beat the game.

Overall Subsurface Circular is a great short game to play on a rainy afternoon or on your commute. It may also be a great title to start of with if you are looking to get in to the genre. I would highly recommend picking this title up on the Switch the next time you're heading to the Eshop!

PSVR

So I bit the bullet after being on the fence since its announcement and bought PSVR, I had a little money left over from my recent trip to Japan (It was great) and saw an online store I use a lot had some of its day 1 stock left so I thought fuck it why not? I like new technology and I'm interested to see what Sony can do with VR.

If you’ve read my article on the Vita and why I believe it failed you’re probably already aware of why I was on the fence, the crux of that article was Sony do not market portable consoles well in the West and drop support for it altogether eventually, I still have this fear in the back of my mind that VR is literally just a gimmick for Sony (and an expensive one at that currently) and I’ve fucked myself believing only a few games will ever properly utilise the technology, it’s too early to say that of course but the thought is still there.

The main reason I was so hesitant to buy it was the price I think, It’s to be expected with new technology so close to the launch window and I know it will get cheaper eventually but I was one of those people who did not have the PS Move controllers previously or the PS Camera so I had to get a bundle with those included. I think I paid approx £400 for all that and Batman VR. I’m actually still waiting on my delivery of the two Move controllers because they are sold out EVERYWHERE in the UK but thankfully every game I own can be played with the PS4 controller and I’ve found it to work fine, I’m sure the Move is better for the immersion but hey it’s optional so far!

My thoughts on virtual reality before the release of PSVR were indifferent really, I saw it was becoming a thing and really taking off but I thought it was all for PC and I don’t really play games on the PC so I would think ‘oh looks cool’ but never imagine owning any myself, I did have a brief go on the Oculus Rift at EuroGamer Expo about two years ago. I couldn’t tell you the name of what I played but you were sitting in a helicopter and flying around a Cartoonish looking city, there were objectives but I just messed around and what stood out to me was flying as high as I could, looking down and getting a bit of vertigo, it was amazing! then letting myself drop to the ground and generally flinching on impact. I knew at that point that VR could really become something amazing.

Moving back to my device I found the headset very comfortable to wear, I’ve only played for maybe an hour and a half tops at a time or less and never found any discomfort, I am so happy it easily fits my somewhat larger than average glasses with no negative effects such as outside lighting coming in, I found the headset to be easily adjustable and each person I have allowed to try it has never made any complaints about how it feels when applied, the only negative aspect of it is the wire attached to the headset, it kind of just sits there at the side of you and is always brushing against your shoulder, it’s not uncomfortable it’s just always there but it makes for easy access to adjust the built in Mic and volume control as well as the standard headphone jack.

The parts that come with the device are quite simple to hook up but you better have room for a bunch of wires because there are a hell of a lot, I still haven’t put mine in the perhaps best position yet but I certainly need to as there are bound to be a large number of tangled wires in my room if I’m not quick, you’re probably way better with you wires than I am but there will still be a lot of kit to connect to your TV and PS4!

I currently have three games for the device not including any demos which I just wanted to briefly touch on. I’m happy there was a free full fledged game available to download from the store upon the release of the device Playroom VR. It's just a collection of mini games which are mainly based around multiplayer experiences, I think it is a great game to show to friends and get them involved in fact I think this title will be like Nintendoland to me and my friends, every time we get together we play it, it was included with the Wii U and just focuses on short mini games that let you know what the console can do, they're really quite similar. 

I got that Until Dawn Spin off  Rush Of Blood as it was only £15.00 and I knew it was not going to be like the original (which I’ve not played still!) I knew it was an on rails shooter and usually I don’t like them but I thought Hey it’s VR it might be better suited and it certainly is. It’s a budget title and it’s a great game to test out VR with, there are minimal jump scares but it’s nice to be able to see what VR can do in terms of shooting games, I think it would be way better if I had the PS Movecontrollers though and a fair bit easier to move both arms independently rather than having to do a whole load of stuff in order to make both guns aim different ways.

Batman Arkham VR is by far the most immersive experience I have had on the device but it really is not the game I thought it would be and it is only an hour or so long if you’re just doing the story and not bothered by collectables and such but my god I felt like Batman!, I sat for ages after the suit up sequence and just marvelled at the intricacy of the Batcave, picking up all the things at the Bat-Computer and just being truly being the worlds greatest detective. The game is basically the Detective mode from other games and a walking simulator in some respects rather than the typical Arkham experience I and many others expected!

I really didn’t like that I can’t actually walk in the game though!, there is no free movement in that sense as you just click a button and teleport forward like 6 steps or if  I want to change my perspective and this really took me out of it a lot. The only other issue I have is that it was short, I’m sure Rocksteady are done with the franchise now but I would have loved more time with Arkham VR as it was one of the best batman experiences I’ve had.

The shortest experience and the one that has given me the most hope for the device is the demo ‘Kitchen’ which is yet another Resident Evil 7 demo but this time just for PSVR, it’s not really a game as it’s about 4 minutes long and you’re just tied to a chair while sitting in a ratty disgusting kitchen, there is someone else with you and, well I wouldn’t want to spoil it but he doesn’t have the best time with what’s in there with you, all I will say is don’t look up! The jump scare I got from this short demo solidified my purchase of Resident Evil 7 for sure.

The device has been really popular with my family, they all wanted to try it out as soon as I told them about it, they don't play Video games at all either, the last they played was the Wii and Wii Sports. I think PSVR if it were cheaper certainly could be as popular as the Wii was at launch because it has that new wondrous technology and sense of inclusion with it, I couldn't tell you if it has been marketed that way but when I see the enjoyment my family and my Girlfriend get from it I can't help but feel it is like the Wii, hopefully it won't fizzle out like the Wii did for many after its initial year of release.

So do I feel VR is the future? I’m still not sure really, I think enough people need to be given the chance to demo it properly, I know some companies (GAME in the UK) are charging people £5 for a 15 min try out of it which I understand in terms of not wanting people to hog it and then not buy but it makes it a bit less accessible for those who do want to try and may even put them off if they have to pay. If enough people try it word of mouth spreads and more sales are made which will make the device more popular and get more support from developers and Sony.

Right now I think we are on the honeymoon period, it’s had a good number of launch titles and functionality with other games but this needs to continue, they can’t let it wane too much like they did with first party Vita Games they need to continue to nurture this device as much as they can because there are some really amazing experiences just waiting to happen and some that are already available to you if you give it a shot.

I’d say right now it may be best to wait unless you absolutely must try it, With Resident Evil 7 coming near XMAS with some decent VR support it may be best to wait and see if there are any Xmas deals for the device and that game but honestly I’m in no way disappointed with my purchase, it was never going to replace my PS4 it was just going to enhance my experience with it and provide some unique ones along the way, I’m thankful we live in a time where this can happen and it makes me excited at the thought of what is to come, I know Horror games are the hot ticket currently and they certainly work well in VR but I’m ready for some really immersive games to be made by the right people!

Twitter: @DetestChan
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PSN/XBL: ScatmanBegins

PACMAN 256

This week I wanted to briefly talk about the latest Pacman game, Pacman 256 and why I’ve been really enjoying it. This game started as a free to play mobile game for phones and tablets which was based around the infamous glitch in the original game in which if a player reached level 256 the game would give you an unplayable and unfinished level which was half taken up by numbers and letters, your aim in this game is to continue on an endless level as the glitch from level 256 chases you.  I found myself quite addicted to this game but only really bought it because it was on sale at something like £3.50 in the Retro sale on PSN so I just wanted to share a quick few thoughts

I first played Pacman on the Sega Megadrive (Genesis) with the TENGEN game Pacmania, which I think was the first ‘3D’ Pacman game when it was originally released in arcades, it was literally the same as the original other than the way it looked really. It was the only Pacman game I’ve ever actually owned and I really enjoyed it as a child but I could never really get very far so I guess in a way this game brings back just a little of that nostalgia and childlike wonder. Speaking of Pacmania, 256 features A number of cosmetic skins for the layout and characters, one of which is Pacmania so I think that’s what’s helped to fuel this nostalgia.

I don’t play mobile games really, well not on my phone at least. But from what I have seen mobile games based on existing properties are generally not great as they are sometimes too simplified and/or detract from the established game play the original is known for, for example the new Katamari game which is more of a endless runner game than your typical Katamari title. And with this title You can totally see this was designed as a mobile game above all else but that doesn’t make it a bad game to me, Pacman is a really simple concept and I’ve found this game to be a really refreshing take on it, to make it an endless runner game of its own but in the same almost maze like structure of your typical Pacman game is quite clever really.

The game play is not too different from what you already know other than it has some added feature such as and endlessly generated maze to travel through, a few new ghosts with new abilities and a few power ups that you unlock as you progress through the game by earning coins. The coin aspect is the main point in that you earn more the more you play by picking them up in the maze and you use these to purchase more abilities, after completing challenges you have the opportunity to then earn a bonus amount of coins which can also upgrade said abilities. There really is not much more to it than that, obviously there is the inclusion of Trophies on the PS4 version which does make me more inclined to play it but nothing else really.

I like that you can have up to three abilities ‘equipped’ at one time, which means they are the ones you will see the most as drops in the level as you progress, you can interchange these before any level and mix and match them to your desire and with the coins you earn you can upgrade them, upgrading them however will give them two things, a longer time frame of use and if used will enable you to get more points from a non upgraded version.

I upgraded a laser beam that last for about 45 seconds and just brought death and destruction to a hell of a lot of ghosts, when you get further in this can make the game play really hectic but I enjoy that as it actually makes you feel like you're doing better and facing bigger 'threats' as you progress.

I think with mobile games getting more and more popular this is certainly the way to go, spinoffs can be fine if they have enough care put into them but actually taking something that pre-exists and putting a spin on that same game play that is better suited to a mobile device is something I will happily support and applaud, I'm happy with this on my console but had I known about it prior maybe I would have picked it up already on my phone.

If I had to pick something out that I disliked about the game it’d be that the whole being chased by a glitch thing never feels like a real threat, I certainly have not noticed it every going faster as I progress, I’ve been caught by it while evading ghosts but I’ve never been caught because it’s so fast or difficult to evade, but again if it were any faster some could consider it unfair with all the ghosts to avoid. I absolutely see why it was there though from a ‘plot’ point of view and a game play point of view, if it weren’t there then you would be less inclined to move forward.

I was kind of bummed out the multiplayer aspect was confined to only local play, I certainly would play more if you could drop in online and help people and if you die you're just gone from their game but they can continue on without you, that'd be pretty cool and perhaps something to add to a sequel if they ever make one.

Honestly if you see this game on sale at any time and just want a quick game you can drop into for a few minutes at a time (unless you get addicted like me) then this is worth your time, I think you could easily play this on a tablet or phone and still have the same amount of fun as I did and it’s generally better suited for the on the go person on their commutes and such, which begs the question (and I know I go on about the Vita) why has it not been put on the Vita or 3DS, from what I can see there are no plans to but it might be worth a shot… but then if it’s already a mobile game is there a point?
 

The failed Vita and why I like it.

After talking about the Wii U a few weeks ago and how I still enjoy it even if it is deemed a failure I felt I should talk a bit about the Playstation Vita and how many would deem this handheld to also be a ‘failure’especially when comparing it to Nintendos 3DS and mobile gaming. I really enjoy the Vita and a lot of the games made for the console but I can absolutely agree that Sony again dropped the ball with their handheld system in the West.  I don’t believe the console is in any way a bad console for what it does or the games it has on it but I do feel Sony have not learnt from any mistakes of the past and brushed the Vita away as if it is the unwanted member of the Playstation family.

I feel to a point the PSP was a way more popular console, it certainly had longer Western support by Sony compared to the Vita. I did own a PSP and used to play it quite regularly but the only reason for this is because I modded the console with the help of a friend (and honestly who didn’t mod their PSP?). I mainly played Japanese Gundam games and PS1 games if I’m honest, I cannot remember a specific Western game I truly enjoyed on the console however I will say there were a few fantastic titles on the system that I used to play a lot that were Japanese Developed such as Tekken 5 DR which I would say is the best numbered titles to this day and the Shin Budokai Dragonball games. So there were elements to the PSP I enjoyed but I doubt I would have without the modding capabilities that plagued Sony and the console.

The reason I bought a Vita though is not because of my enjoyment of its predecessor but because I’d signed up for Playstation Plus and kept getting free games for it that would stack up, at the time when I first got PS+ the Vita games it provided me with were actually titles I was interested in playing such as Gravity Rush, Uncharted and Dragons Crown as well as a few indie titles. I thought if I keep getting decent titles like this I may as well pick up the console and just never buy any games for it so I bought the original model new with Tearaway (another great  game) included and for about a year I generally did not buy anything for the console.

Over time with the sales popping up I have been buying Vita games and I did buy a few physical imported Gundam games so I certainly do have a library built up albeit a small physical one so in no way do I leave my Vita to gather dust the way I eventually would my PSP. I feel the Cross save function for games like The Binding of Issac have really played a big part in this also, it’s such a wonderful feature and allowed me to continue my games on flights abroad, I can’t fault it.

Much like the Wii U I find myself getting annoyed that a lot of Vita exclusives have moved to other formats like IOS or Steam, I think it’s great that it will allow others to actually be aware and experience certain titles as some certainly deserve to be played but It kind of takes away some of the reason to ever play the console, I’m certainly torn on this.

I Felt some games used touch features for the sake of it, I think one of the biggest culprits of this is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. I have only played the game for about an hour and it’s nothing special but the tutorial would stop you every now and then saying things like ‘If you want to jump and climb touch the front screen’ when you could literally just press X and have it done automatically like in any other game, why mess about with touch features for something like this. I have no issue with touch features like rubbing the screen to uncover something or to zoom in and out but if you’re using it just for the sake of it because it’s on a console that uses the features then I’d rather you not bother, be creative with it for goodness sake.

The Vita actually got me in to a lot of Visual Novels which is a genre I really did not think I would ever care about, usually I cannot be bothered to be reading constantly when I’m playing a game but thanks to a sale and the DanganRonpa series I was hooked on the storyline and have now played every released game in the series, the great thing about these games is that they make sure they do something I feel any handheld should do and allow you to save at almost any point so you truly can play on the go even if the game is text heavy. I certainly would not want to be on the move with a game like this and be unable to save after reading a whole bunch of plot.

I will say I find the console comfortable to hold and never really find any issues with the button layout, I think I may find issues with the smaller slim version however, I love the interface of the system itself it’s really simple to find anything you need and the store is just as simple to navigate, I will say It does annoy me that some Apps on there cannot be deleted such as the calendar and the recently shut down ‘near’ service (think streetpass but shit)

As much as I enjoy the console I have never actually used the remote play feature which allows streaming of PS4 content to the Vita, this is because I’ve never had the need to, all of my consoles are in my own room and I never felt the need to go elsewhere in the house to play them, if I did I would just move the console I do think this is a cool feature for those who need it however!

I thought the Playstation TV was an alright idea in theory as it was a Vita console without a screen or buttons you could hook up you your TV. I mean if you wanted Vita games but did not want the Vita and wanted to play them at home it’s certainly an option for you but half the games were not even compatible due to Touch screen features so if you did own one you had to be quite selective, either way it was discontinued in the West last year which really does not surprise me…

People like to say the console is a ‘Weeb machine’ because most of the support was from Japan and at this point pretty much all the support is from Japan, I can see why they would say this because it’s generally true. All the games are either Niche titles or JRPGS with a few Indie games sprinkled in, I have no problem with this as I have found plenty of titles I’ve enjoyed, however the reason it’s this way is because Sony again don’t know how to push a handheld in Western markets, the support is there from Japan but not everyone is a fan of typically Japanese games.

The Vita started off well with games geared more towards a Western audience like ports of PS2 classics, Uncharted and Tearaway but soon after it just sort of dried up, I don’t ever remember there being much advertisement for the console either and most people were already disappointed with their dust collecting PSPs at that point to see a clear reason why this one would be any different other than touch screen features. Perhaps the necessity for a  handheld aimed more towards ‘gamers’ rather than kids is not really there, I certainly feel a bit odd bringing out a handheld on the train or in public even though that’s primarily the whole point of them and I’m sure others do too.

I think one of the reasons it sold so poorly in general though is the ridiculous price of memory cards. I believe my console game with a 15gb card and due to the amount of games I would get from PS+ I would constantly have to delete titles and redownload them when I actually wanted to play them again rather than just having a full library available to me whenever I wanted.

This was an issue somewhat with the PSP also but at least with the PSP the memory cards were a fairly decent and reasonable price that also did not have to be Sony specific and could be any sort of Sandisk card as long as it was the right physical size to fit, of course there was the chance for corrupted data from cheap cards but the option was there.

With the Vita though there is not this option, you HAVE to buy a memory card specifically made for the Vita, this tiny little thing that holds your games has to be from them. That’s not so bad right? Wrong! Because Sony never cheapen the price for these cards, If I wanted the biggest card I could find which was 64GB it would set me back almost £70 plus postage as god knows there Is no Vita merch in any game store I’m aware of in the UK.

I actually did bite the bullet and buy this memory card recently because I was just sick of constantly trying to make room for the games I would be getting,  It was annoying to have to pay this price but I felt with the lack of the support for the console in the West they may just stop making these cards soon and then to buy one new would be even more expensive. I’m glad I did buy it because I can just play whatever the hell I want now without the worry but eventually I’m sure I will fill this up too! I sure as hell won’t buy anymore cards!

I really like physical media rather than purely digital although I have got a number of digital titles on all my consoles due to services like 'Games with Gold' and such I really would prefer it to be physical, now in the case of the Vita I only own a few physical games by choice however there are a few games that I’m happy actually get a release in the US and EU such as the new Gundam Vs game which came out this month but there was just no option to own it physically which kind of bummed me out, I understand it is a very niche game but I’d love there to have at least been a very limited run of physical cases for them, I just love to see them all displayed on my shelf.

Some companies do actually do this and that’s really cool it’s like developers know there is this really small but vocal fanbase in the west for the Vita and they appreciate them as much as we do them, it’s almost like the Vita is this little club of people sometimes from what I read online and I have no issue with it, I know people who have bought one and literally only have ps1 games on it because they want to play them on the way to work, I know people who just buy exclusives and I know people who just play imports  or Indie games . There are all these different kinds of people playing who are so vocal and happy the console exists and that’s kind of endearing.

As much as I like Sony I feel it is crucial they learn from their mistakes in the West with this sort of thing especially with VR coming up, I am quite excited about VR and will likely by the PSVR at some point however I am hesitant as I don’t want it to just be a fad first of all and I don’t want Sony to slowly drop supporting it altogether as they have the Vita. Perhaps as VR is attached to a home console this will not be the case but I cannot shake the feeling.

I think it would be best if Sony do not make any more Handheld consoles and if they do they better make sure they learn from it, I think they can certainly release mobile games even if I am not one to play games on a phone or tablet but they certainly do not need to focus on making another handheld, I think the Vita will be fine for the duration of the PS4s lifetime but I feel all developers will move on after that which is totally understandable, I think I’ll continue with it for ps1 games on the go if anything at that point but who is to say what’s going to happen in a few years time I suppose.

Overall I still continue to enjoy the Vita and feel I will for some time as PS+ continues to provide me with some fun titles and sales generally always bring me something new to play, I think it’s a shame that the Vita has been reduced to this by its own companies lack of support amongst other issues but I think if you’re on the fence about it and perhaps want to try a few titles then by all means see if you can find a used console or one quite cheap but be aware of the issues like memory cards and multiple exclusives eventually being ported either to the PS4 or Steam, it’s certainly no necessity to own this console as a Sony fan but it’s left an impression on me.

Downwell (2015)

This week I decided to delete the blog then I decided I write for myself and to bring it back again... anyway on the recommendation of a friend (@Antlol666) I decided to look in to the game Downwell, now I was curious about it after hearing so much about it online and through friends but it was only when it was on sale on the Vita store for under £4.00 that I decided it couldn't hurt even for that price and man I don't regret this at all, I love this title a lot but first I wanna talk about how this game came to be.

The game was the 13th title developed my Japanese Developer 'Moppin' who had previously done a few gamejam type games in order to challenge himself. Downwell was going to be another of these games however the developer saw the potential and continued to work on it even after the week was over. After sharing images and Gifs on his own Twitter the game came to the attention of Publisher Devolver Digital. With that the game was soon to be released on IOS and Android devices in 2015 and shortly after on Sony devices in 2016.

I can see why this was originally released on mobile platform, I mean it works well on the Vita but it's so addictive and quick to play/end that it just seems like the kind of thing you would play on your commute to work, I could not see myself playing this on the PS4.. I mean I could for sure but it's so simple quick and addictive I feel it works well on the move. I couldn't play it for more than say 20 mins but I could play it a lot throughout the day if I wanted to.

This game is entirely simplistic, It takes no real thought and no real strategy. In a sense it is almost 'roguelike' much like The Binding Of Issac and other games like Rogue Legacy, I think these kind of games are fantastic and both of those mentioned above are some of my favourite games I got through the Playstation Plus service. It can be quite difficult as you get in to it but the game is so quick and easy to start that you will find yourself playing it over and over.

I love the simplistic art style, it's your standard pixel 'Indie' design, however it is purely black and white other than the frame you choose for the game, so basically it's black, white and another colour until you unlock more frames. Personally I prefer the classic Gameboy frame in which it is monochrome because it reminds me of when I used to play my Gameboy Pocket but I feel the Red frame which you start with is really appealing to the eyes.

There is not really any story or plot point to the game, dude jumps down a well and fights whatever is on the way down trying to harm him while trying to collect any treasure he might come across. A simple story with even simpler gameplay, there are just three basic controls, movement, jumping and shooting with each stage getting increasingly more difficult with new enemies, items and things on screen at one time.

I think with games like this I can actually understand why people play video games on their mobile phones, I mean I still do not think I would as I have portable consoles however I believe games like Downwell that have short addicting gameplay work incredibly well on this platform and obviously were tailored toward it in one form or another, why wouldn't someone just pick up their phone play maybe 4 mins and the put it away, it's an absolute short time killer and the more I think about it it's similar to the mobile game Doodle Jump.

The game has a lot in the way of multipliers and shops, I myself rarely use the shops as I like to save the currency in order to unlock more things at the end of each level, but the shops allow you to heal, buy weapons and more. The multipliers are fantastic and allows the gameplay to become even faster and chaotic, I personally like the drone multiplier and laser combo myself. That's the beauty of it you can just keep it stacking with weapons and other multipliers after each level or if you take the time to go to a cave.

There is not a lot more I can say about a game that's this simplistic but overall this is a mobile game above all else, I could never play a game on my phone because I see it as just that, a phone however having this on the Vita was fantastic. I dearly hope this gets brought to the 3DS for those who do not own a Vita because, it's cheap, It's quick and above all it is a lot of fun. It goes to show a game so simple can be a contender against a world of AAA titles left right and centre.

The Wii U is over but I still love it

With the NX being announced I was thinking about the Wii U and it’s legacy, I know a lot of people will deem it a failure of a console and in many ways it was advertising wise. However I noticed online so many news outlets, forums and even people I know are just so against Nintendo as of late. I feel this is generally due to the Wii U and its poor reception. I never wanted this console to be my main source of gaming entertainment and to be honest I picked it up on a whim when it was super cheap at a store that was going into administration but this console has honestly become one of the most fun consoles I’ve ever owned and has only ever presented positive experiences to me. 

Originally I really did not care for this console or the 3DS, I was so off put with Nintendo but I remember looking up a number of games for the 3DS and DS that I had missed and instantly buying the 3DS so I could catch up. This got me back in to the Nintendo mood but I was still not about to buy a Wii U. The only thing that made me want to get the console at first was Bayonetta 2 being an exclusive, as the first one was one of my favourite games. Only when a shop in the UK went into administration and they were selling their stock super cheap did I actually pick the console up.

     One of my favourite things about this console is the Virtual Console which allows you to buy older Nintendo games and emulate them on the console, now this is not anything new as it was also something you could do on the previous console as well as the DS and 3DS. The reason I enjoy it on this console is because you can use the game pad as a portable NES/SNES (within reason), I love playing games like Mario World on the toilet (Don't Judge me) or just sitting in bed with the headphones in while I play Kirbys adventure in dream land or some shit. 

  

I     I have to admit I love reading peoples experiences with the games on the Miiverse, mostly because it's dumb young kids who have never played a game before the ps3 era and have no idea what the fuck they are doing at any point so they just ask the most obvious questions, but there are those who generally just wanna share something cool they did, I feel like if it were the same system on any other home console it'd be full of people just being mean for the sake of anonymity.

     That actually leads me to my next point, the Miiverse, which is pretty much a semi social media esq application on the console (and was later added to 3DS) in which you can post screenshots from your game, comment on them, give tips and also see what your friends have been playing or doing in their games. I know it's a Nintendo console but this always seems to be the nicest and least toxic place to discuss games, I've never met a shitty person on there, everyone seems to be so pleasant and just wanting to have a good time, unfortunately I don't really use it much as the update kinda messed with a few things and made it more difficult to see what your friends are up to.

     At first I was not too fond of the idea of the Game pad and generally thought it was some Ipad gimmicky shit, but once I sat down with it it truly made for some unique gameplay opportunities. The second I tried it with the launch title Nintendoland and saw the functionality with it in terms of multiplayer where you as the game pad user could become a ghost and see everything but those on the main screen couldn't see you I knew the game pad was going to be a blast. 

      I mean a lot of games don't really put their focus into the game pad and they don't really need to as it just works well as a minimap or an inventory screen like in Zelda but a lot of games really used it to their advantage, a recent game that did this for me was Starfox Zero, the main screen was your standard Starfox view but the game pad was your cockpit view and if you tilt the game pad in any way it will move the target in that direction. 

      Although there is the option to use the gamepad most games will just allow you to use your Wiimote or even a Pro controller which looks a lot like an Xbox 360 controller, there really is something for anyone with this console. My favourite thing they ever did was allow an adaptor to let you use your old Gamecube controller for Super Smash Bros , my only gripe with this being you couldn't use it for any other games or even for the emulated Wii as I used to play most Wii games on the GC controller, I hope it's not too late to patch something like this in? 

       

     

I    I want to talk a little about why I feel this console failed overall, there are a lot of reasons for it for sure but I think the main reason is because Nintendo got cocky. The Wii was a surprise hit not just with those who played games but more so with those who really didn't care either way, I know older people who still play fucking Wii sports, there are so many games for this console that cater towards those who don't really play games much, I'd say this is true also for the original DS with Brain training and such.

     Now of course if you've got one of the most popular consoles in recent memory you're probably thinking 'well it will be easy to get people on board once we create a new one', I would have thought the same to be honest and I think that's why they chose the name Wii U, because it's like a continuation of that console. However I think this is the main reason the initial lack of attention this console got because  of the demographic for it, being kids or parents of kids who were none the wiser a lot of them thought this console was just an optional add on for the original Wii, who could blame them though honestly?

     It really did not do much to differentiate itself from the Wii and I know a lot of parents bought Wii U games for their kids thinking they would work on the Wii which just caused further problems which they really could not be bothered with at that point.

I     I think Nintendo do get stuck in a rut and maybe they believed 'if it aint broke don't fix it' with their IPs but I feel like lately there has been a large lacking in the creation of new IPs. The only stand out title I can think of in this respect is Splatoon. Now it was great to see Nintendo put their focus in an online multiplayer game for once but personally this game was not for me, I just did not connect to it overall, it was fun but nothing got me back into it after launch, I've only played it a handful of times at most but after writing this I feel I should give it another chance.

Splatoon was a step in the right direction for sure but they really need to focus more on some entirely new games if they want to keep evolving with the times. This almost goes hand in hand with another issue the console faced after its initial launch and that was the lack of third party exclusives and towards the end third party games in general.

At launch we had titles like ZombiU which while not anything amazing they were something just for Wii U owners, however with the decline of the console many developers either cancelled their third party games entirely or put them on indefinite hold. I think the most annoying thing is that ZombiU was the eventual port to other consoles to make a quick buck recently, I find this really shitty as the whole point in this title was the gamepad functionality, to not have that and just make it a generic zombie game really makes me wonder what the point was in the port.

I    I think my overall favourite title on the console has to be Super Mario Maker, this game just hits every note with me, it has the simplistic gameplay of core Mario titles, the Online interactivity of a game from this console generation and above all else allows me to just create and share whatever I want. I've not felt that way since games like Zoo Tycoon and Sim City which I used to play for hours on end on the family computer. To be able to create and share in a game is a wonderful thing and provides so much longevity to a title.

I find it strange that fans really want a new F-zero and other older titles yet Nintendo just doesn't make one because they feel there is not really anywhere for the series to go, I mean that's fine but a lot of their current series are only slightly different from their predecessors. The new Star Fox is almost a total remake of 64 for one thing so at this point remake the original F-zero, it'd make something for new fans at least. I mean I'd quite like a new F-zero at this point with online play and customisation, they should know there are a group of people who want it because of the game that came out recently named Fast Racing Neo, sort it the fuck out Nintendo.

     With that said though I feel Nintendo still maintain a good relationship with their customers, they know their games never go cheaper so after a few years they re-release them for like £20.00. They start to listen to their customers and allow some more niche titles to make their way over to the West like Shin Megami Tensei IV and Project Zero. They finally made a multiplayer focused shooter with Splatoon and they decided to go forward with DLC and in some cases make things from scratch such as the DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. I think these sort of things are what keeps me happy with the company and the latter is what made the Wii U a much more positive experience overall.

      Not only do they have a good relationship with their customers but I feel like they third party developers that decided to stick around also had a lot of opportunities to release some great games. Platinum Games were probably the best example of this, they were already set to make big waves with Bayonetta 2 which they naturally did, it was the reason I got the console and it did not disappoint in any way. However I feel Hideki Kamiyas Wonderful 101 was simply amazing.
  
     Imagine Viewtiful Joe mixed with Pikmin and you've pretty much got 101, the game is just goofy as hell, tight gameplay and a great Super Sentai inspired setting with giant robots thrown into the mix later on. I seriously hope we get a sequel to it some time but I feel it really relied on the gamepad so if the NX doesn't have that it'd have to be a 3DS game I think.

Their latest games, Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard are also pretty good but they are a departure from the Platinum Games style I'm familiar with and as mentioned earlier Zero is pretty much a Remake of 64. But having Nintendo let them handle one of their first party IPs just goes to show the trust between the two and that their relationship will only continue strongly over time.

It kinda bummed me out there was not much in the way of interactivity between the 3DS and the Wii U, I mean the only example I can think of is being able to transfer Miis and then later in both consoles lives having the ability to have a joint account for both consoles. I know that eventually some games had the cross play function so that if you owned it on both consoles you could transfer your saves, but there was no ability to buy a game and having copies for both consoles included.

I feel like this should be mandatory so you can play on the go and shit, I think it would be such a good idea for virtual console games too, it's amazing to me that the 3DS only just got SNES titles, I'd totally buy some if I could use my saves from the Wii U... If the Playstation Vita/3/4 can do this easily it should not be so hard for Nintendo to do the same.

I have a lot of hope for the NX at this point because I feel like Nintendo can learn from their mistakes in a lot of areas and produce something that a wider audience will again enjoy. I feel as though there will no doubt be some kind of gimmick but I think there will still be the ability to at least use a Wii Mote as so many people still have them. Id like to think the Wii U won't be forgotten and the NX will allow the use of the gamepad and backwards compatibility, if not It's not the end of the world as I still use my Wii U as a Wii also anyway.

I feel like they seriously need to consider cross buying and saving as so many people play their 3DS, they need to make a lot more online based games which they've had success with recently in Mario Kart, Splatoon and Smash Bros. More than anything though they need to market this thing well, their strategy of Nintendo Directs are really popular but if they want the sort of audience the Wii had they will need to make sure they do enough to reach those sort of people. Nintendo have always made consoles for 'anyone', the Wii U was no exception it was just poorly thought out.

To me the console did not fail, it was a fun experience that I don’t regret in anyway and I will continue to use the console for years to come for games like Super Smash Bros and also all the virtual console games I have amassed providing they don’t have the option to transfer any of these to the NX.

Overall this console is underrated and really could have had a much fuller life but sadly we're reaching its twilight but this in no way means the console is not worth your time. This console has a large amount of great games and I know I've had a of fun with it, yes it could have been a lot more in a lot of ways but I'm happy with my purchase. As I said before this console would never be my main source of games, I own pretty much all the consoles and I have a lot to play because of that but every time I have gone back to the Wii U I have had a lot of fun.

I have fun with a lot of games but I can honestly say the older I get the harder it is for me to be not only focused or find time for games but  consistently enjoy my time with them, with Nintendo games they have always been a pick up and play thing for me because you can drop in at any time and not have to play many levels before you can put it down and leave it for a few hours or even days. Perhaps that is only true for me but I think it helps in my enjoyment.

I've never found their games too difficult they are just a fun experience with a really charming nature, the majority of my favourite games this console generation have been from the Wii U, they are the ultimate stress tool for me they combat it so well and I'm glad really chill games like that still exist, you don't need something with a complex story or complex gameplay to have fun these days and I think that it something I think a lot of developers need to remember nowadays.

I enjoy more complex games like Dark Souls and the like but you can't forget the simple almost age old ways of Nintendo IPs. I've just gone back to Mario Galaxy and it just makes me feel this sense of wonder I've not felt in a long time, Nintendo just know how to give you a good time where the stakes aint super high and you're just here to have fun and enjoy the time you have, I greatly appreciate the love and care they put in to their titles especially as I get older and sadly have less and less time for my favourite hobby.

I hope you enjoyed this somewhat, if you did let me know at @ScatmanBegins on Twitter. This blog almost got deleted for a phishing scam the other day somehow and i got mad at blogger support, I mean I mostly write for myself but I'm glad other can find some enjoyment in it! Any encouragement would be great!