Smash Bros. Weekly Recount Pt. 2

This week, the screenshots released by Sakurai showed a couple of reveals, as well as a bit if comedy.

 

The first screenshot came along with a message by Sakurai saying that Samus’ charge shot had been modified and given extra speed and power, which, although useful at times, could be bad for her. Wait, what? That thing is being made even better? How am I supposed to dodge it now?

 

The second image was a bit more on the comedic side, with a picture of Mario “proposing” to Peach. Or maybe he’s just punching her, you never know.

The third screenshot, from the 3DS version of the game, shows Luigi’s enhanced jumping, which makes us wonder if his classic hovering will make a debut in Smash Bros. This could be feasible as he just appeared in his own game (or should we say DLC), New Super Luigi U. 

On the fourth weekday, it was announced that Toon Link would be joining the roster, being the sixteenth character to do so. This particular screenshot shows him taunting using the Wind Waker baton on the Skyloft stage.

 

When Toon Link was announced we weren’t sure if he would be receiving a new moveset or not, but this screenshot confirms that at least the bombs (his B + Down move) will return. From other screenshots we can see that at least the Fairy Bow and his Spin Attack have returned.

That’s it for this week, make sure to come back next time to see if anything has been revealed by Sakurai.

Toon Link Sails Into The Fight

Following the digital release of Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Toon Link has been announced as the sixteenth character to join the brawl. His design looks really good, as the HD complements his unique art style. So far it is unknown if he will still be a clone character, or if he will receive his own moveset to differentiate him from Link, but the screenshots released along with his annoucncement do show some similar moves.

Opinion – Don’t be afraid to be the one dealing out 1-hit K.O.s

Confusing title, I know. It’ll all be clear by the end of this opinion article.

Video games have been, since their humble beginnings all the way back to ‘Pong’ and ‘Space Invader’, majorly based on challenge. Hell, it used to be worthy of pride to have your name up on the high-score list at the local arcade shop. That is all but clear: video games started out as a way to challenge and entertain the player – simply as games.

Yet, we are seeing this medium evolve at a rapid pace. Once, it was all about one simple, primal objective: score as many points as possible. Classics such as ‘Pac Man’ were based on this motivation. This is no more. Sure, you still have this element present in almost every game you might play. The recently released success, ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ is littered with minigames as basic as your average arcade game. Each mission you play is ranked through a percentage, and you are given the gold, silver or bronze for it. However, are players really feeling the same motivation with this, as they were back in the dawn of video games? The answer is no.

This is because video games are becoming deep and immersive experiences, as they delve into the journey of its evolution as a form of entertainment and art. Gamers are now playing the games to experience a new world, and a new story.

Now that my little introduction is settled, let’s talk about my argument here. Not long ago, I was discussing ‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’ (my favourite game of all time) with a friend. I told him that at first, I began playing through the game at a moderate difficulty level. Unfortunately, this meant that battles would take much longer than usual, and I was killed and sent to the dreaded last checkpoint more than a few times. This was not the way I wanted to experience the game, as it just stalled my exploration of the stunning and rich world of Cyrodiil. So I went to the settings menu, and pushed the difficulty bar about 1/5th down. He seemed appalled by this, but I haven’t messed with that bar since.

The problem was, an increased difficulty was not delivering the expectation I had with the game. I simply wanted to become a hero from a high-fantasy story. The Hero of Kvatch. The Champion of Cyrodiil. That was NOT the hero who would be killed by a couple of Scamps and a Clannfear try after try. Turning the difficulty to that level, and making the battles extremely easy to win made the game virtually challenge-less, and that is exactly what made my gaming experience so much better. After realizing this, I did the exact same thing for ‘Fallout 3’. And the ‘Halo: Reach’ campaign. And ‘Halo: 4’. And countless other games.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a game with a challenge. Sometimes, all you want is to push your limits and reach that high score. One of the best gaming experiences in my opinion, is to grab a bunch of pals, sit down, and settle a 4 vs. 4 fight in ‘Super Smash Bros. Brawl’. I spent my best moments in ‘World of Warcraft’ at the battleground or fighting through dungeons with a party. But sometimes it’s just nice to take it down a notch, and enjoy the ride without any major bumps on the road.

So, here I am offering an alternative to all who fail to enjoy the richness of a game’s world because of the challenge it presents. You’re gonna want to navigate the menus, find the difficulty settings, turn them down, and just let the dust build up on that option.

Smash Bros. Weekly Recount:

Each weekday, Masahiro Sakurai, creator of the Smash Bros. series posts a screenshot from the latest installment for Wii U & 3DS. Every weekend, we here at The Gaming Fix will recollect all of the screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

The first image is a screenshot from the 3DS version, showing how Olimar will look, and is presumably from the Battlefield stage.

Tuesday’s image shows us all three of the confirmed female characters, with Peach having recently joined the roster.

The third image is just a close up of Pyrosphere’s background, and that’s about it. It is currently unknown if the stage will transition through this particular hole or if it’s just a background texture.

Our fourth image is just Peach sighing at Link’s sight… Is she flirting with him? That’s up to you.

The fifth and final image shows the return of a technique that was previously introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, called footstool, which involved jumping on an opponent’s head and stunning them momentarily.

Preview: The calm before the storm

As most of you should know, we are mere hours away from what will be a pair of weeks with three major videogame releases: First off is the Wii U exclusive The Wonderful 101 (Wii U/2013/Platinum Games). Ever since it was shown at this year’s E3 much uncertainty has followed this game: Will it be able to end with Nintendo’s Wii U related drought? Will it live up to the high standards which were put up by its spiritual predecessor Viewtiful Joe? Will it finally usher in a new generation of exclusives which make full use of the Wii U’s capabilities? All of this will be answered starting off from tomorrow, when this game will be released and will mark the beginning of what is an upcoming couple of weeks with two major releases in completely opposing ends of the spectrum: On one side will be the much awaited GTA V and the expected sequel to the football series’ FIFA 14.

Not many new information can be said about GTA V (PS3 & XBOX 360/2013/Rockstar Games) other than what is already known, such as the sheer grandeur of its map size, the amount of missions and side-events which will be available, the famous musical variety within the in-game radio stations and the borderline-socially acceptable aspects of the game series. Both new prospects to the series and old-timers will be eager to get their hands on it in order to have a good time through morally outrageous means: Be it literally ignoring everything else and committing a grand theft auto or following the campaign and trying to be one of the first people to finish it, GTA V guarantees a large amount of fun and time wastage in the coming week.

Lastly, just as there are Videogame series which are popular for innovating there are also series which have gained the fame of being recycled year in and year out (and no, I am not talking about COD). FIFA 14 (PS3, PS2, PC, XBOX 360 & Handhelds) which used to be a revolutionary series and synonymous with innovation in the world of sports videogames has now had a large amount of negativity following it for the wrong reasons. See, as a lifelong football fan it pains me to admit that while the FIFA series is not completely obsolete, it has certainly decreased its value for money over the past few years since it started to become primarily centered on graphics increases and renaming of players. However, after watching the new features of the game and the (potentially) brilliant features which the Ignite engine will bring to the PS4 and XBOX One versions of the game, there is still a small but present probability that the series might actually retake its title of the king of sports videogames this year and return to the golden age when it was a certain day-1 purchase.

Zelda II Available Now On Wii U VC

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link has now been released for the Wii U’s Virtual Console service through the Nintendo eShop. This unexpected announcement follows the release of classic Legend of Zelda a few weeks back.

The Adventure of Link is highly regarded as the franchise’s hardest game due to its unforgiving mechanics and difficult bosses and enemies. Fans of the Zelda franchise should always consider adding this game to their roster.

You can find it now at the Nintendo eShop for $4.99.

Princess Peach joins the fight!

Earlier today it was confirmed that the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom will be the fifteenth character to join the roster. More details to follow.

Peach has appeared in two games, Melee and Brawl so it’s no surprise to see the veteran in the roster.

Judging from the screenshots posted along with her announcement, her moveset will not include any major overhauls. She still retains her B Toad move and her B-sideways charge. It is still too early to know for sure if her moveset will remain the same though.

The Last of Us

 

As soon as you surround yourself within the world made by The Last of Us (PS3/2013/Naughty Dog Studios) you realize that this is not a “normal” game (per se) like any other. Right off the bat, any gamer can easily fall in love with the murky tone which is set by The Last of Us even in the extremely simplistic yet effective options menu which gives access to two completely new and enthralling experiences: The highly acclaimed campaign which follows the tracks of Joel as he survives in a post-apocalyptic zombie land and the equally highly acclaimed multiplayer experience, a highly competitive game mode which one can describe as expanding upon the basics explored on Uncharted 2 by introducing a savage interactive world where only one of two factions will prevail in a war fueled through a general lack of resources.

When you start the campaign mode, you realize that Naughty Dog has clearly been busy at work with The Last of Us in order to present the most perfected gameplay and visuals possible even under the hardware and software limitations brought forth by the PS3. But the enthralling part of this game is not the graphics themselves but the uniqueness of the game which they present to the player.

As twelve-year-old Sarah, the campaign starts off introducing you to a pretty regular scenario: the standard Texas suburban scenario with a divorced, hard working father (Joel) who does anything possible to support himself and his daughter in the best manner possible. However, in the very early hours of what would’ve been another one of Joel’s birthdays, Sarah is awoken in the middle of the night due to the unusual dream-like trance in which the house is in: Sirens wailing out in the distance, no access at all to the outside world through technology and, most frightening of all, Joel is nowhere to be found even though he just tucked Sarah into bed.

After the events which follow in the purest “I am Legend/28 Days Later” style, Joel finds himself stumbling through what was once our very own world, now almost indiscernible from what it once was due to the decay brought forth by the lack of human interaction. The intact tabloids which announce the infection the day it propagated itself and the deteriorating rubble of what once were some of humanity’s flagship architectural achievements are now used not only as the perfect landscape to the somber theme which the game has but also reminding the player that even a 7-year-old console is by no means obsolete or even decreasing it’s “cruising altitude” (so to speak) when a well-made game comes along to keep it alive. And this is something which can be recurrently seen down to the most minuscule details within the game: Even the seemingly simplistic addition of having to shake your Dualshock controller in order to turn on the flashlight when it starts to fail is an interactive part of the storytelling which not many games make use of.

The enemies themselves are also one of the brilliant points of this game. The Half-Life-esque clickers which tend to appear in the most inappropriate situations possible help to boost the experience of a kill or be killed world with their bat-like senses and the walkers tend to be specialists in hunting you down with their unnervingly accurate depiction of what a real-life zombie would probably be like. Even the human enemies themselves have surprising reactions: They will approach you much more freely when they hear that you run out of ammo and try to negotiate accordingly when you take one of their own as hostage, an AI which should be implemented in all videogames but sadly isn’t.

The Multiplayer is the perfect cherry on top of a cake which is already bursting with content. The game mode involves to different Factions hunting each other down and, even though it might sound pretty generic, it is actually all but that. The gripping struggle for resources, ammo and higher, advantageous terrain (such as a large home or a cooling tower) is what helps to keep the gripping experience of this awesome multiplayer fresh. The most accurate way to describe it would be as the Assassin’s Creed 3 multiplayer, only with guns and a world which is affected 3 multiplayer, only with guns and a world which is affected by your decisions: lose and your population will slowly diminish or on the contrary, win and it will prosper for a small amount of time.

It is for these reasons and much more that any gamer with a PS3 and even the slightest interest in what a post-apocalyptic world would be like, must buy this game.

Opinion: The 2DS is actually a smart move

Ready to have your mind blown? Ok, go.

So ever since Nintendo announced the 2DS I’ve heard endless criticism from gamers and celebrities, but little to no praise. I must admit that I too was a bit skeptical at first, but as I pondered upon the concept of the new handheld, I began to like the idea more and more.

Let’s face it, Nintendo isn’t exactly in the best of situations right now: The Wii U is selling poorly. So what they need, for the moment, is to support it until it gets the software that will drive sales such as Wind Waker, Mario 3D World, etc. Currently the 3DS has been kicking ass, even going as far as outselling every other console, including the PS3. So you might wonder, why introduce the 2DS now? Well, the answer is pretty simple once you think about it.

People have criticized the 2DS for looking too ‘kidlike’ when that is exactly the point. With the 3DS Nintendo has managed to captivate the older, mature audience, and I could bet you that most of the sales are from that sample. However what people don’t understand is that the 2DS isn’t meant to be for that same sample. Since its announcement, Nintendo of America’s CEO, Reggie Fils-Aime, stated that it was meant for kids. That’s right folks, it’s not meant for you, but for kids. Just look at the design: no hinges means no breaking, so kids who might drop it won’t find themselves bawling over a broken 3DS and parents frustrated over expensive repairs. No 3D is also a selling point as kids aren’t really supposed to use it, since it’s harmful to their eyes. Sure, the 3DS has parental controls that restrict the use of the effect, but honestly, who actually uses that? And trust me, any kid of that age is smart enough to know how to turn it off. It’s really not that hard guys. The button layout is also meant to be accessible for children.

If you’ve kept up with gaming news you might have heard an ongoing problem for the handhelds, the problem being the mobile market. Both Android and iOS pose a huge problem to Sony’s Vita and the 3DS, and this past month mobile sales outnumbered that of handheld gaming. If Nintendo doesn’t act fast, they will soon lose their grip on the handheld gaming market.

It is no coincidence that both the 2DS and Pokémon X and Y are launching on the same day. By bringing together these two things, Nintendo is aiming to captivate the younger audiences and turn them into gamers. Since the 2DS isn’t actually bundled with any game, kids will turn around and ask their parents for a game, and boom, there it is, the hottest piece of gaming that will be available at that time: Pokémon. Not only will this boost sales incredibly, but it will also help promote one of their most significant franchises.

Let’s just take a quick glance at Nintendo’s upcoming 3DS release schedule. At a quick glance, there are a couple of games that stand out: Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Mario Party: Island Tour, two games that, despite also having a mature fanbase, are very appealing for children. Presumably, the children who buy the 2DS will also buy these two games.

And how does this benefit Nintendo in the long run? Well, it’s simple. We kill the Batman. Exposure. For this, I’ll give you a personal example. Back in 1999 I was a kid who didn’t really know about gaming. If you showed me a picture of Link, I’d shrug. But my gateway drug was nothing else than Pokémon. I was a huge fan of the show, and my sister bought a GameBoy so she could play Blue Version. Eventually we found out about other games, such as Link’s Awakening. I was captivated and yearned to learn more about videogames, and it wasn’t until a visit to my cousin’s house that I discovered the majestic console known as the Nintendo 64, where I was shown Pokemon Stadium for the first time. From that point on, I became obsessed with Nintendo and begged my parents for a console. Flash forward to today, and I’m a huge Nintendo fan. This is exactly what will happen with the 2DS.

And that’s why the 2DS is such a big deal. Because the children who buy it will feel more inclined towards, perhaps later in the holiday season, buying a Wii U. Perhaps one day, while browsing the store for a new game for their 2DS, they’ll stumble upon Super Mario 3D Land, and buy it. Then, they’ll hear about Super Mario 3D World, which, hey, it sounds familiar to that other game I bought and liked, and they’ll want it. So they’ll probably get a Wii U to play it.

So there you go: the Nintendo 2DS will not only boost Nintendo’s Handheld sales, but, in the long run, it will aid the Wii U in sales as well.

Diablo III – Xbox 360: Some innovation, even better adaptation.

Diablo III – Xbox 360: Some innovation, even better adaptation.

Diablo III was released mid-2012 for the PC by one of the giant companies in video games, Blizzard (popular thanks to titles such as Warcraft, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, amongst others). Even before release, developers spoke to the crowd about their dreams and wishes of bringing the Diablo experience to console players. Still, it wasn’t until after the original release date that the official statement announcing the console version was released. Some were confused, others were delighted. After playing it at launch day (August 7th 2013), I have my own opinions on the game.

Before we begin with the actual review, a quick glimpse at the game, for those unfamiliar with the original PC-version of Diablo III, or the Diablo franchise. The game is an RPG, dungeoneer, adventure type of game. You must pick a class for your character (5 in total for Diablo III), level him (or her) up, and equip him (or her) with a range of different armour set pieces and skills specific to your class. You progress through dungeons crawling with hordes of monsters and the occasional boss fight. The game is played through a third-person perspective, which would seem familiar to MOBA fans, and even resembles the camera style of classical RTS games.

Firstly, I would like to state the purpose of this article’s title. Diablo III for the consoles has some innovative elements brought into it. However, this is NOT why it may be considered a good or even a great game. Instead, this title can be given to it, simply because Blizzard was able to accurately transpose a game specifically designed for the PC since the first Diablo game (1996), to the console in a manner that deserves applause.

Gameplay-wise, the game is solid. Blizzard was able to design the game’s controls effectively. It is easy to get used to the new button-designation of your character’s skills. If you are coming from the PC version, the keyboard-to-controller transition might feel a bit clunky at times, but it is only noticeable on the first few hours of the game. Surely, Blizzard deserves a nod of approval in this aspect. Additionally, the new evade feature, which is controlled by the right-stick, has my head scratching as I wonder why the feature was not added to the original game. It adds a great dynamic sense to battles, and mastering it can be just as important to your strategy as any of your skills.

Of course, we cannot forget this: We are talking about Diablo III, not Diablo III-2: Director’s cut version. If you buy the game, looking for more content, you are better off saving that money for the upcoming PC-version expansion. The console version offers virtually the same amount of gameplay hours as the original game (which to be honest, disappointed most players). Its replayability is designed so that a player can experience the game four times, through the four different difficulty levels (Normal, Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno). These difficulty levels are only unlocked once you complete the previous level. Unfortunately, they are accurately named, as difficulty levels. They offer no new content to the story, the only change being loot and enemy level. I’m sure that I’m not the only player who would not  be bothered to play through the same campaign JUST for the sake of the challenge. Still, for any hardcore gamers out there, it’s nice to have that option.

The game’s visuals are what you could expect from a Blizzard game. That well-defined, signature balance between the cartoonish and realistic. It is darker than say, World of Warcraft. Yet it is still recognizable, and I am perfectly fine with that. Diablo III ran in a surprisingly slick manner on my 360. Minor visual bugs were present, but these were petty and easily forgettable. One thing that only a madman can pass from saying in a Blizzard game are the cutscenes. If these do not make you gawk at your screen, nothing else will. And that is all I have to say about them, because if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you better change tabs and search for a Blizzard cutscene on Youtube right NOW.

The interface has also been cleverly designed to fit in with the console version. The various features in your character’s inventory have been collapsed into sub-menus and such to add some agility to it. It is nothing special, but worth mentioning that Blizzard took the time to modify from the original game’s inventory menus.

The game’s multiplayer servers worked reasonably well. Even with my not-so-decent connection I was able to play online and only disconnect a couple of times at launch day. Lag was an issue, but it was expected, and I seriously doubt it was Blizzard’s fault. The game does offer an option to play on region-locked servers, or override these completely, which is a real perk worth noting.

As said before, this game is made good by the fact that it keeps that Diablo element loved by many. Exclusive console players now have the chance to experience this renowned type of game that has become a classic, and almost spawned a genre of its own. Gamers who also enjoy and prefer the perks of playing on the console rather than the PC will also value this game. But again, expect disappointment if you played the original PC-version and you’re simply looking for new content, because you will NOT find much, sorry.

Overview:

• Couldn’t be stressed farther – some innovation, and a great adaptation. (+)

• Gameplay feels like a Diablo game. (+)

• Controllers and interface were carefully transposed to the console version. (+)

• New evade mechanics is a great plus to the fighting side of the game. (+)

• Visuals stay true to the Blizzard style. (+)

• Multiplayer servers function well. No more error 37 folks. (+)

• No new content worth noting added. (-)

• Replayability isn’t great unless you seek a challenge that will taste repetitive. (-)