Something I’ve come to appreciate more than ever is entertainment’s ability to introduce us to cultures other than our own. It probably has something to do with the fact that I live in a small, redneck part of California where white people loudly complain about the number of Mexican restaurants in town. Listening to that crap day in and day out, it’s no wonder I’m always jumping at the chance to discover something beyond my powder-white existence.

That’s why I was excited to play Venba, a narrative-driven cooking game that takes the idea of Cooking Mama and transports it to an immigrant family’s house in the 1980s. It’s a darling game, but it might be hard to justify the price, given how fleeting it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mV7d1Z5KxM

Venba (PC [reviewed], PS4, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One)
Developer: Visai Games
Publisher: Visai Games
Released: July 31, 2023
MSRP: $14.99

Venba is a story-driven experience where you witness brief events throughout the lives of an immigrant family. Venba and her husband Paavalan moved from India to Canada in the 1980s to start a new life for themselves. As is the experience for many immigrants, it’s not easy for them, even with all that “free” healthcare lying around. Across seven chapters, you’ll witness snapshots of their lives and struggles, and watch as a couple becomes a family that tries to keep hold of their heritage. Heritage is a central thread throughout Venba, whether it’s the mother asking her son Kavin to speak Tamil or the delightful-looking dishes you’ll assemble.

While the trailers for Venba make it look like there is a great deal of cooking to do here, there are only a few meals to create. Venba relies on her mother’s cookbook to make traditional South Indian dishes to keep her family tied to their roots. But the book is old, faded, and ripped. You’ll need to rely on what is still in the cookbook or any other hints to properly make each meal.

This approach turns the cooking segments into something of a puzzle game, and I enjoyed deducing how to solve them. I don’t imagine anyone will struggle too hard figuring each recipe out. That said, if you make a mistake, the game is quick to give you another shot.

The food is lovely to look at, as is the rest of the game, but it’s all so brief. Venba took me about 90 minutes to finish. I felt there was more of this family I was meant to see, more dishes I was meant to make. I admire the creativity on display here, such as how the speech bubbles become muddled when Kavin speaks English words Venba doesn't understand.

Alas, Venba is an exercise in brevity. I greatly enjoyed my peek into the lives of strangers who exposed me to a culture different than mine. I just wish I could have got a longer look at it.

The post Review: Venba appeared first on Destructoid.

With about a month and a half to launch, NetherRealm is keeping its foot on the gas pedal when it comes to revealing characters for Mortal Kombat 1. Less than 10 days after announcing the return of Tanya, Li Mei, and Baraka, the developer is back with a new trailer. But this one is focused on just one fighter: Geras. This time manipulator is the first character from Mortal Kombat 11 to be confirmed for MK1, bringing along some new moves that look slow but are sure to be powerful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72okJYRJWDI

I'm still not totally on board with the Kameo system, but watching him swing Darrius around sure looks fun.

I didn't expect any of the three new fighters from MK11 to show up in Mortal Kombat 1, but it's nice to see the team isn't limiting itself to picking from the old games only. There are still a few weeks between now and launch, which means there is still plenty of time for Meat and Mokap to get redemption. Three of my favorites are already confirmed (Smoke, Rain, Kenshi), but there are a few fighters who made their debut in Mortal Kombat X that I'd love to see make the cut too. Surely I'm not the only one who wants Erron Black back.

Mortal Kombat 1 is set to release on September 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC. As a reminder, the first Kombat Pack for the game has been revealed and will include returning Kombatants, as well as Peacemaker, Homelander, and Omni-Man.

The post Geras gears up for Mortal Kombat 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

My love of the Style Savvy series from Nintendo and Syn Sophia is well-documented on this site, so I'm going to skip right over my normal lede on these stories and get to what we need to know. Fashion Dreamer, the style influencer game from Syn Sophia and Xseed Games, finally has a release date. And it's the same day as WarioWare: Move It! 

I've been following this game since it was first announced, and as excited as I've been, I've also been somewhat confused about how becoming a fashion influencer would work as a video game. I have to imagine I'm not the only one, which is why it's good Xseed and Nintendo released an 8-minute voice-less trailer for it that details everything players will do to rise to the top of the digital fashion world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI6P9j4ouRw

Solving the fashion problems of the game's various Muses sounds right up my alley. However, I hope Syn Sophia isn't banking on the online mode to carry this game. I don't want to jinx it, but I don't know if this is the type of game that'll foster a vibrant online community. I hope I'm wrong because I have some jumper designs I'd like to share with the world.

Will this work as well as the Style Savvy series did? I highly doubt it. There is no way being a fake fashion influencer is as immediately satisfying as running a boutique that literally can't fail. Still, I'm more than ready to give this game a go. I love fashion, and after I see Barbie tonight, I'm probably going to start wanting to play with dolls as well. Fashion Dreamer is pretty much both of those activities combined, so you can be sure it'll be on my Switch when it releases in North America on November 3, 2023.

The post Fashion Dreamer sashays its way to Switch this November appeared first on Destructoid.

We've already had one legendary Legend of Zelda game released in 2023, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for more. Starting today, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons are now available for the Nintendo Switch Online service. Like with other classic Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles, you only need the standard NSO subscription to access these two bizarre and wonderful games.

If you missed out on the Oracle titles, the games are the product of a developer known as Flagship, which released several high-profile titles and ports between 1998 and 2006. It developed four Zelda games for portable consoles during that time, including the original Four Swords and Minish Cap. The Oracle games marked the company's first shot at the franchise, and it did not disappoint.

Released less than a month before the arrival of the Game Boy Advance in North America, both titles take place far away from the well-known lands of Hyrule. Link is thrust into adventures that have him traveling through time or manipulating the seasons for his advantage. While each game comes with its own final boss (something I talked about earlier this year during Zelda week), players who purchased and beat both games could link their save data to unlock the true villain behind it all.

Spoiler alert: you already know who it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBbd_ttqlpA

As you can see from the trailer above, you will be able to access that extra bit of post-game content with Nintendo Switch Online. I can only imagine Nintendo is cooking up an SP version of these titles that'll launch players straight into that final battle. Meanwhile, I'm still here twiddling my thumbs for an SP cut of Earthbound Beginnings.

With this, there are only two more previously announced Game Boy games heading to NSO, including the likely Japan-only The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls and the delightful Pokémon Trading Card Game. After that, it's anyone's guess, but I hope Nintendo and Capcom find a way to bring Mega Man V to the service.

The post Zelda Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons join Nintendo Switch Online appeared first on Destructoid.

Someone old, someone new, someone licensed, and someone who kinda blew

I've been playing Mortal Kombat off and on since the early 90s, and while I have a good grasp of the breadth of the cast, there are still names and faces that slip through the cracks. Names like Li Mei. I don't remember her from any of the games, so I shot over to the awful Mortal Kombat Fandom wiki to get a refresher on this fighter I'd completely forgotten.

Even after reading her bio, I still don't remember her. But I guess we'll be reacquainted later this year as a new trailer from NetherRealm today confirmed she's coming to Mortal Kombat 1 alongside Tanya, who I do remember from Mortal Kombat X. Both fighters feature heavily in the spot, as does Baraka, who is back as a playable character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLJ-xyjMQo

With the game still several weeks from launch, NetherRealm decided now is as good a time as any to confirm all the DLC rumors that have been swirling since it was revealed. In a second trailer released on Friday, the developer confirmed the kombatants of what will likely be the first Kombat Pack. Included are:

• Omni-Man (Invincible)
• Homelander (The Boys)
• Peacemaker (Peacemaker, Suicide Squad)
• Quan Chi (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
• Ermac (Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3)
• Takeda (Mortal Kombat X)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT-3vhCl6N4

Mortal Kombat 1 releases on September 14 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Switch. Pricing and a release schedule for the Kombat Pack haven't been revealed yet, but you can secure the six fighters above if you purchase the Premium or Kollector's Edition.

The post Li Mei, Tanya, Omni-Man, and Homelander will draw blood in Mortal Kombat 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

I like being bad. It makes me happy.

This year's San Diego Comic-Con may be scaled down from years past with the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but that doesn't mean there won't be any news out of the show. With television shows and movies taking a backseat this year, that means the spotlight can finally return to the one thing that lives at the heart of SDCC. I am of course talking about Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The upcoming action-adventure game is just a couple of months away, and today at SDCC, we got a brand new story trailer that gives us a good look at perennial favorite Venom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgqGdIoa52s

This wasn't the only big Spidey announcement today. Sony also revealed it's releasing a Marvel's Spider-Man 2-themed PlayStation 5 console bundle, complete with a custom controller and custom console covers. The bundle will also include a voucher for the digital version of the game even though this limited edition PS5 is fully capable of playing discs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM9ICVdZLuQ

A far younger version of me would be pretty stoked to put something like this up in my apartment. Current me would rather all of his furniture match.

If already own a PS5 and would like to upgrade to the Spider-Man console covers, Sony will be selling them separately for both the standard PS5 and the Digital Edition. The same goes for the Spider-Man 2 DualSense controller. Pre-orders begin July 28 on the PlayStation website and at select retailers. The console bundle, covers, and DualSense controller will release on September 1. If you do order the full bundle, know that it comes with a couple of in-game perks, including early access to two suits and an early unlock of the Web Grabber gadget.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 releases exclusively for PlayStation 5 on October 20, 2023.

The post New Spider-Man 2 SDCC trailer gives us our first full look at Venom appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Kamek

It's interesting to see how public perception of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass has changed since we've actually gotten our hands on the tracks. Before the first wave hit the Switch, there seemed to be a lot of animosity toward the DLC. People were mad that it wasn't a new game or that the added tracks didn't have the same vivid art direction as those native to Deluxe.

Yet here we are on Wave 5 and all that negativity is gone. I'm not seeing it on the socials as much as I used to. And while that might be because my main social is being driven into the ground by a butter-bodied billionaire who names his kids like they're fan-fiction Star Trek characters, I'd like to think that people are realizing more Mario Kart is always good and just having fun with it.

Which is why it's good Nintendo didn't start this DLC campaign with the tracks of Wave 5. Because overall, this set's pretty mid.

[caption id="attachment_392198" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: July 11, 2023
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

I know not every Mario Kart track is a masterpiece. With the Booster Course Pass adding 48 tracks to the game, we were bound to get some duds in there. But there is something about this wave that just didn't click with me. Even with a brand-new track in the mix, I'm not sure the Feather Cup and Cherry Cup hit on all cylinders as they should as the penultimate wave of the DLC. Nevertheless, like the other waves in the Booster Course Pass, I am ready to rank and review these eight tracks.

To see our rankings of the previous waves, click one of the following links: Wave 1, Wave 2, Wave 3, Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_392199" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

8. Moonview Highway (MKWii)

There was very little question in my mind where Moonview Highway would rank on this list once Nintendo revealed it would be part of Wave 5.

Yes, aesthetically it looks nice. Your trip around this traffic track alternates between a serene moonlit highway and a pulsing, neon city. However, I considered the track's layout boring on the Wii and it's no different here. Despite the presence of other cars and bob-omb mobiles on the highway, it's far too simple of a design. The track layout ensures you never have to use the brake, even when you're playing in 200cc.

It still looks nice, but there is a far better late-night city course that could have been added in its place. Or heck, even Toad's Factory as that one has yet to appear as a retro track.

[caption id="attachment_392196" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

7. Los Angeles Laps (MKT)

Of all the tracks added from Mario Kart Tour, this is the first one where I've actually been able to point out the city's landmarks by memory. I spent a couple of years living around Los Angeles, so when I drove through Rodeo Drive, the Santa Monica Pier, Dodger Stadium, the oil fields of Culver City, and Venice Beach, all those memories came rushing back in.

Unfortunately, just because it was a tour of my past doesn't mean it's that great of a track. It suffices in turning Los Angeles and the surrounding area into a Mario Kart track. But as somebody once lived in the city, it's missing the one thing I most associate with LA: traffic. If any city that should become a traffic track, it should be LA.

[caption id="attachment_392194" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

6. Daisy Cruiser (MK:DD)

It feels weird to put Daisy Cruiser this low on the list as I have a lot of great memories of this track back on the GameCube. It's still a great concept, but I don't necessarily agree with all the changes that have been made to it.

The original Daisy Cruiser was a rather restrictive experience. At the starting gate, you could only go right and you had to drift around the pool on the top deck (or master the sliver shortcut on the right-hand side of it). In the dining hall section, the tables in the dining hall were massive and numerous, and the Item Boxes would roll independently of the tables.

Since it appeared in Mario Kart 7, a lot of those designs have changed. You can now drive through the pool, and the tables in the dining hall are smaller. I appreciate the changes made to the lowest deck, transforming it from an empty shipping container compartment into an aquarium. Still, I think Nintendo made too many changes that make the course less interesting than when it first debuted. Even the addition of toobin' Goombas in this iteration of the track can't lift it up. Also, I miss the clouds with smiley faces.

[caption id="attachment_392193" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

5. Sunset Wilds (MK:SC)

If there is one thing that sells me on Sunset Wilds, it's the soundtrack to the course. The music here is absolutely alive with a 90s western-comedy vibe (think City Slickers) that I can't get enough of. The course itself has a nice layout with mud traps to slow you down, but where the heck is the sunset? How do you have a course called Sunset Wilds and not include a sunset? For Pete's sake, there was a sunset in the Game Boy Advance and Mario Kart Tour versions of this track.

I hope this is just an unfortunate oversight on the part of the developers and the sunset gets patched in, because it really does add to the ambiance of this American Southwest-themed track.

[caption id="attachment_392191" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

4. Athens Dash (MKT)

Mario Kart Tour added Athens Dash during the Spring Tour that ran between April and May of this year. The Tour version of the track has two routes tied to it, both of which are combined here with a third route for this intro course to the Feature Cup. There is a lot of verticality here as the track takes racers around the Acropolis, Parthenon, and Hadrian's Arch. Like with Bangkok Rush, the landmarks of Athens Dash aren't condensed. A tremendous number of columns stand in your way, making this one of the trickier tracks of Wave 5.

I don't think there's anything particularly special about this track, but as someone who loves antiquities, I appreciate its inclusion. Once this one hits online, I have to imagine it'll be a tremendous pain as heavier racers can easily knock you into those columns and pillars that'll bring you to a halt.

[caption id="attachment_392197" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Vancouver Velocity (MKT)

Vancouver Velocity almost got me to reinstall Mario Kart Tour before I realized what a bad idea that was.

As a big fan of the Winter Olympics, I felt eager to see its design knowing the city's Olympic anniversary heavily influenced the track. The Olympic Cauldron is one of the first notable objects from the city you'll see, and it looks spectacular with the aurora borealis in winter aesthetics. Flat background forest aside, Vancouver Velocity looks wonderful. The track takes you to enough locations that it feels like a complete trip rather than a brief visit.

I'm not sure if a trip through Massey Tunnel was necessary, or the two trips to the ice rink. I still enjoyed this track, though like most other courses in this wave, it remains okay at best. The addition of an anti-gravity section to the Capilano Bridge is a nice touch and arguably the best use of the feature in all the Tour tracks of this wave.

[caption id="attachment_392200" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Squeaky Clean Sprint (MK8DBCP)

The first time I drove through Squeaky Clean Sprint, I didn't really care for it. I thought it was too basic in design and the concept didn't really wow me. In the first draft of this list, I had it all the way down at #7.

But as I replayed all the tracks throughout the weekend, it really started to grow on me. Aesthetically, Squeaky Clean Sprint has a lot going for it. It presents a world where Nintendo realizes the full potential of merchandising possibilities it has with its Super Mario IP. This giant bathroom (or regular-sized bathroom and all the racers are shrunk down to the size of Hot Wheels) is brimming with so many cute little design choices implementing elements from the Super Mario series that it looks like the type of bathroom I would have wanted when I was 10. And the track really does take the concept and run with it. I particularly like the bath balls in the tub that fizz up to give you extra air but also bounce if you run into them. There are also a few good shortcuts and alternate routes to use.

It's a fine layout. Overall, I'd rank it between Sky-High Sundae from Wave 2 and Yoshi's Island from Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_392192" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Koopa Cape (MKWii)

Mario Kart Wii is arguably the most maligned entry in the franchise by long-time fans of the series. Yet it has great tracks, several of which have already appeared in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. Koopa Cape is another solid course from that entry, boasting a running river that tests your handling around corners, a drop that goes straight down like a roller coaster, and an underwater section that's improved here with the addition of anti-gravity.

In truth, I haven't really thought about Koopa Cape all that much (and yes I do spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about Mario Kart tracks) likely because I confuse it with Rock Rock Mountain. But I'll do a better job of remembering this track now thanks to how insane it is at 200cc. I play all the tracks in all the different modes when doing these reviews and I cannot stress enough the bonkers nature of Koopa Cape when going that fast. It is the best test of your braking skills in Wave 5 and I cannot wait to take this online to see how other players adjust to its speed.

Of all eight courses, I only really like Koopa Cape and Squeaky Clean Sprint. Everything else is just okay or mediocre, which is why I'm arguing this is the weakest wave of the Booster Course Pass so far. If there's one element keeping me from scoring it any lower, it's the addition of three new racers: Kamek, Wiggler, and Petey Piranha. Wiggler is a great addition with the way he turns red when an item hits him, but I spent most of my time karting as Kamek. As a medium-weight-class racer, he's right in my wheelhouse.

With this, we have just one wave of tracks to come. That's eight more chances for some of the best tracks in series history to still make an appearance. If they don't, I can always take solace in the fact that Mario Kart 9 is probably on the horizon at this point for whatever the successor to the Switch will be.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5 reviewed and ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

These winds might be blowing in a favorable direction

I think Natsume is pretty confident in Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos. After announcing the game was on its way last year with no video or artwork beyond a logo reveal, it started to ramp up interest in the upcoming title with screenshot releases on its social media channels. Coming off of Harvest Moon: One World, it didn't too bad. In fact, it looked like it could be the best Harvest Moon game since Bokujō Monogatari dipped. With the release of the first trailer, that's still a definite possibility (even if it is a mighty low bar to clear).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUSvjMFkfhA

Right now, the farming sim genre is as competitive as it's ever been. Stardew Valley remains the stalwart favorite of the category, but that hasn't stopped a trove of indie and established developers from their hats into the ring. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life just dropped, and in the months ahead, we'll see titles like Fae Farm, The Ranchers, and Pixelshire. Despite the issues the series has had over the past decade, I think the Harvest Moon name still carries some weight in the industry, and with this trailer looking as good as it does, I wouldn't be surprised to see more people opting to give the Natsume series a shot this time around. This may end up as another misfire along the lines of Harvest Moon: One World, but I'm choosing to have a positive outlook on life.

Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos will launch for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on September 26, 2023. One thing to make note of if you're looking to get this on Switch is everything in the trailer was captured on a PS5. Just something to keep in mind.

The post The new Harvest Moon game looks pretty good (is something I haven’t said since 2012) appeared first on Destructoid.

Getting ready to embrace my inner Alexis Carrington Colby

Yesterday's stream from Limited Run Games certainly had its share of curious announcements for anyone still holding onto their GBA or who actually liked Gex. I told myself I wouldn't give it any thought this year as my backlog is already stuffed with old games LRG has resurrected over the years. But then they had to go and show off a Rose & Camellia collection. Now, they had my attention.

For anyone who forgot or is simply too young to even know about it, Rose & Camellia is a ridiculous flash game where you try to worm your way to the top of the pecking order by smacking the shit out of your competition. I remember playing this game one lonely night at work, completely enthralled by its ludicrous nature. Unbeknownst to me, it got an official sequel, and later a crossover with La-Mulana. All three of those games, as well as two new sequels, are being brought together by LRG, Nigoro, and WayForward for the Rose & Camellia Collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA6U2v-X9PI

With five games and more than 30 characters, your hands are going to be sore after slapping your way to the top of the household. What I'm most excited about are the motion controls. It just wouldn't feel right if you were pressing a button or flicking a control stick to Zsa-Zsa a woman. This is honestly the first time I've been excited about motion controls in a Switch game since...well, I guess the reveal of WarioWare Move It! from a couple of weeks ago.

Either way, this whole thing looks like a hoot and it's nice that a piece of my past, even if it was just for one night, is managing to make its way back into my life with this port. Rose & Camellia Collection will launch in late 2023/early 2024 for the Nintendo Switch.

Oh, I should mention it has two-player local versus. So you and your friends can stop settling it in Smash and settle it in slaps.

The post I can’t wait to get slap happy with the Rose & Camellia Collection appeared first on Destructoid.

Otherwise, it's a rather jolly time

It has taken a while, but Koei Tecmo and Gust’s long-running Atelier series is finally clicking with a broader audience.

The Ryza trilogy has resonated in a way no prior games have. Whether it’s the changes to the combat, the toned-down magical girl aesthetics, or Gust discovering all we ever wanted were some thicc thighs, the future is promising for this still-pretty-niche-but-not-as-niche-as-it-used-to-be franchise. I’m sure we’ll find out in the next couple of months what the next new Atelier game will be. In the meantime, we can return to where it all started with Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg.

My history with the Atelier series is rather short. Like a lot of people, Atelier Ryza served as my proper introduction, though I did previously dabble with the mobile game and Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island for the Nintendo DS. Though I was only able to put about 10 hours into the game before having to move on, my adoration for Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout piqued my interest in the rest of the Atelier franchise. While I don’t think I’ll go back to play any of the previously released games that were ported to Switch, partially on account of how they never seem to go on sale, I did make sure to set aside time for the Atelier Marie Remake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sizYuIJitm4

And I’m glad I did. Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a delightfully laid-back crafting RPG where time is of the essence. You play as Marlone—Marie for short—as she embarks on a five-year quest to prove herself a worthy alchemist. Her teacher, Ingrid, sets her up with an alchemy shop in town and tasks her with creating an impressive item. That’s all there is to the set-up of this game. From there, it’s up to you to decide how Marie will spend each day of the year.

Unlike the Story of Seasons franchise, Atelier Marie doesn't condense in any way. You have five full calendar years to finish the job, but time moves way faster than you might think. Pretty much everything you do moves time forward. Gathering supplies costs a day. Collecting your spoils after a battle also ticks another day off the calendar. Traveling from town to one of the locations around the map can take up to a week. Practicing alchemy can cost anywhere between one day and several weeks, depending on the rarity of the item you’re creating. And if you need to create other items before you can make your targeted item, don’t be surprised if an entire season passes you by. Near the end of my first run, I lost all of autumn and a little bit of winter trying to craft a single item.

There are a few things that don’t cross out days on the calendar. You’re free to explore the tiny town of Salburg, including checking out the tavern for requests and rumors, visiting the weapon shop, going to the academy to bone up on Marie’s education, or attempting to get into the castle. There is also a diorama mode in the Hall of Memories and an easy-access photo mode. I was excited to take pictures in this game, given how beautiful it looked in trailers. While it’s still lovely on my Switch, it's also too damn bright.

[caption id="attachment_391280" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Bloom lighting is alive and well in the Schigsal Kingdom. This place hasn’t known an overcast day in its life, with each season experiencing incredibly bright days that can look almost blinding on a Switch OLED. Winter, in particular, looks so bright I worried my transitional glasses would darken if I stared for too long. It’s a shame the lighting is so overwhelming here because the art direction is quite good. It reminds me somewhat of what Nintendo and Grezzo were going for with the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, but with a stable framerate.

It’s not only the lighting that picks away at the stunning nature of the art direction. In battle, everything moves so quickly that I never really got to enjoy the designs of the combat areas. With toned-down lighting and an easing up on the speed of battle, I could have appreciated the look of this world a bit more than I did.

Speaking of battles, they’re straightforward turn-based affairs. Marie can recruit party members around town, each with unique weapons, skills, fees, and side stories to invest in. I got through most of the game with Hallesch and Ruven at my side, though I eventually swapped out the latter for Kirielich as her special attack was far more useful for some of the later battles. The more you battle with your companions, the stronger your bonds with them will be, leading to short story events that flesh out their motivations.

Nothing here is too hard-hitting or in-depth, but I must credit the translation team for creating a cast this well-written. Especially for Marie. After reading Koei Tecmo describe her as “careless,” I was sure she’d fall into an annoying character trope. Fortunately, she never does. The game doesn’t play up her lack of student excellence as her being some sort of dummy, but rather a person who learns better outside of a classroom. It’s a great direction to go with the character, and I’m glad my expectations were so pleasantly subverted.

[caption id="attachment_391283" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Due to the player-driven nature of Atelier Marie, there are a lot of story moments and events I missed. Maybe I was rushing too much, but I never experienced aspects like the Martial Tournament and the King’s Birthday. I believe the game shares some of the blame here thanks to the random nature of how some things unlock. For instance, to access new areas for gathering and battling, you need to purchase rumors at the tavern. There is no set order in which you unlock these locations, and one of the first areas I unlocked was marked for level 20 and above. It would be several more hours before I could safely visit it. Meanwhile, the final area I unlocked was marked for level 10 and above. By the time that finally became available to me, I'd already gotten Marie up to level 36.

As for the different events you can experience, the game does include a handy list and how to unlock them. But because the menus are so unintuitive, I kept forgetting about it. The menu system here is not as streamlined as it needs to be, with everything split between two cumbersome interfaces. I also couldn't find a useful calendar, something that significantly help me better plan my time with the game. As lousy as the menus are, they didn't deter me from playing.

[caption id="attachment_391282" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

It was easy for me to lose hours every night this past week with Atelier Marie. The gameplay loop of gathering and crafting is incredibly satisfying, and this is coming from someone who generally hates crafting. Maybe it’s the non-confrontational gameplay or that everything moves at a good clip, but I never felt bored of it. I didn’t think this game would devour all my primetime television hours, but that’s exactly what it did. And I think the fact that there is a time limit is part of the reason for that.

Five in-game years sounds like a long time, but you can complete Atelier Marie in less than ten hours. That is short enough that I have no problem giving it a second run. While some might consider an arbitrary timer an outdated design choice, I’d like to see more games bring it back. Pikmin 2 and 3 are great, but neither gives me the same sense of accomplishment as beating the clock in the original Pikmin. Atelier Marie Remake does include an unlimited mode that drops the five-year limit—as well as some in-game events—but I don’t think I’ll ever bother with it. The original concept works, and I encourage anyone who’s picking this up to give it a go in its original form at least once before ditching the time limit.

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg offers a rather simple experience, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. As somebody who constantly struggles to find time to game these days, I feel delighted to see short, succinct RPG experiences like this out there. While I wasn't able to see enough to give this game a proper review, I've played enough to recommend it to anyone who might be curious about the origins of this franchise.

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg releases on July 13, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

_{[This impressions piece is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post The Atelier Marie Remake needs to patch in a dimmer switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Wii would like to play these games again

A few weeks ago, Seth Sturgill, a podcast acquaintance of mine, put out some feelers on Twitter for games to cover on his Keep Nintendo Weird podcast. I’ve been on the show twice before, talking about Pocket Card Jockey and Part Time UFO. If you know anything about me, you know I hold both those games close to my heart. So I was happy to give them just a little bit more coverage on his podcast, even if I stumbled over my words more than Joe Biden stumbles up the stairs. With Seth’s latest call for titles to talk about, there was only one that came to mind. It’s this weird Nintendo exclusive designed by Martin Hollis, arguably best known for his work with Rare on Killer Instinct, Perfect Dark, and GoldenEye 007. Those games are a far cry from the one that popped into my mind. Bonsai Barber has no blood or bones, but it does have berries. And carrots. And corn. And cauliflower.

It’s a delightful game, and while I’m sure I’ll appear on the Keep Nintendo Weird podcast to gush about my love for it someday in the future, reminiscing about my time spent with it got me thinking about how it’ll one day be a piece of lost media. That’s because Bonsai Barber was only released through WiiWare, a service Nintendo killed for good back in 2019. Saying goodbye to that digital shop was a tough one for me because it’s something that brought me so much joy. I mean, that was the service where I discovered LostWinds and Cave Story and Mega Man 9. All three of those games had the good graces to jump to other platforms, but not every worthwhile title did. And that’s the point of this list.

Media today is as fragile as it’s been since the birth of media. There are so many television shows and movies from the early years of the industry that are forever lost to time because legacy wasn’t something anyone was thinking about back then. The industry is doing it again right now with all these streaming services permanently deleting shows that didn’t garner enough buzz, robbing future generations of a chance to discover them years in the future the way everyone discovered Columbo during the pandemic.

In the gaming sphere, Nintendo is the absolute worst at this. We know this. We know there is a 50% chance when the successor to the Switch releases, there will be a countdown clock for when access to the Switch eShop will be cut off. That’s just the terrible, terrible chance you take with Nintendo.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Nintendo could commit to making all future hardware backward compatible with the Switch. There’s no money in it, but you can’t put a price tag on showing your fans how much you appreciate them and their years of purchases. Sadly, it’s too late for WiiWare to get such treatment, but that doesn’t mean these games should be lost to time. There are plenty of games on the service from big-name publishers that can be revived on modern hardware. Other games from smaller developers, well…it might be difficult, but I’d still like to see them. That’s why I’ve put together this top 10 list of 15 games that should be saved from WiiWare purgatory. And we start with one from the South Pole.

[caption id="attachment_389661" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

10. Snowpack Park

Not every game you see on this list is going to be a title that was well received. Snowpack Park was a love-it-or-hate-it game, the point of which was to help a huddle of penguins return to their home and keep them happy. You could pet, feed, and play games with penguins, which made up the bulk of the gameplay. If it were released today, the word “cozy” would pop up about 10 times in its reveal trailer. I found it to be a charmer, but the real reason I want this to find new life on modern hardware is that it was made by Skip Ltd., best known as the developer of the Chibi-Robo series. I have no idea what’s going on with this studio. It’s probably defunct, which is a sad failure of the industry, and I’d rather not see any of the games it produced in its short life lost to history.

[caption id="attachment_389662" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

9. Monsteca Corral

Monsteca Corral is like Pikmin on drugs. Developed by Onteca, this WiiWare exclusive challenged players to control a herd of Stompies as they worked together to reclaim their home planet from invading robots. To escape to safety, the Stompies had to collect gas bubbles that would be fed to a giant Astromaggot. When the maggot ate enough gas, it would bloat up like a Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloon and whisk them off to safety. It’s a weird game that looks weird and plays weird, and that’s exactly what I want an Astromaggot to come and whisk it away from the defunct WiiWare platform. There is not enough strangeness in the industry today, and I’d like this game to remind indie developers that it’s okay to go against the grain and be weird. Plus, it’s genuinely fun.

[caption id="attachment_389669" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

8. Bonsai Barber

The reason behind this whole article, Bonsai Barber is an adorable foliage pruning game where you handle the scissors and clippers of a veggie and fruit barber. Your clients come in, tell you want they want, and you give it to them using the tools at hand. Any mistakes can be fixed, so there really isn’t a way to lose in this game. You just have to enjoy giving potatoes and celery sticks haircuts. I know this title wasn’t for everyone, but I kept up with daily appointments for an entire month after buying it. It is a delightful, quirky game, and I’d love to see it gain new life on something like Apple Arcade.

[caption id="attachment_389670" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

7. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Adventure Team Games

It is hard to believe there was a Pokémon game released on WiiWare that didn’t go worldwide. Yet, that is exactly what happened with the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Adventure Team trio: Blazing Adventure Squad, Stormy Adventure Squad, and Light Adventure Squad. Developed by Chunsoft, these games used the art style of the Pokémon Rumble games to create the first 3D entry in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon sub-series. The games played like the previous entries but included a new feature where Pokémon could stack on top of one another to unleash team attacks on enemies. These were also the first games to not begin with a personality quiz, allowing players to choose their first two characters from nine possible options depending on which version they picked up. While each game had just 15 dungeons, they're unique to the game they appeared in, making for 45 in total. That's on par with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX. I’m a sucker for those Mystery Dungeon games, so I can only hope the Adventure Team games find their way onto Switch or its successor. And if they do, localize them this time, darn it!

[caption id="attachment_389668" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

6. The Konami ReBirth Games

Three games. Three franchises. Three excellent titles audiences should get another shot at. Konami may not be doing much with new games these days, but its recent spat compilations have been exceptional. A ReBirth collection would be swell, a considering the developer of these games was M2, a company known for its work on retro collections, it would be pretty fitting to bring these games back in one downloadable package. The ReBirth games consisted of Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth (a remake of Castlevania: The Adventure for the Game Boy), Gradius ReBirth, and Contra Rebirth. While they may not live up to the greatness of other entries in their series, they’re solid action games in their own right that don’t deserve to go down with the S.S. WiiWare.

[caption id="attachment_389663" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

5. MaBoShi's Arcade

This one is special. MaBoShi's Arcade is a simple action puzzle game with brilliant execution. In Europe, it was known as The Three Shape Arcade, a name that better illustrates the concept of the title. You’ll play one of three games based on three shapes: circle, square, and line. With the circle, you’ll control a ball as it rolls around a circular stage, trying to knock out little bug creatures. With the square, you’re setting fire to other squares on screen in a game that is vaguely similar to Snake. Finally, with the line, you’re protecting a little round core with a short line that is constantly spinning as you try to make your way up through each stage. Each game is played simultaneously, either by AI or local co-op. What happens in one game will affect what happens in the others, and the end result is beyond perfect.

[caption id="attachment_389664" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

4. Jungle Speed

Say hello to the best party game of 2009. Next Level Games’ adaptation of the Jungle Speed card game was a riveting multiplayer experience, allowing up to eight players locally to compete using Wii Remotes and Nunchucks. The object of the game is simple. The first player to get rid of all their cards won. Each player flips over one card at a time from their deck, and as you go around to each player, you need to keep your eye on the symbols. When two cards are played with matching symbols, it’s a race to see who can grab the totem in the middle of the table first. If you do, all your played cards get sent to the loser. There are also Fast Grab and Color Match cards that add new reasons to reach for that totem. It is an incredibly twitchy card game that would work perfectly on Switch with Joy-Con controllers and online.

[caption id="attachment_389667" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

3. Fluidity

This one is kind of cheating as, unlike the rest of the games here, Fluidity did pop up on another platform when it got a sequel on the Nintendo 3DS. But, considering Nintendo has also shut down that eShop, I'm making an exception. Fluidity is an awesome action puzzler that uses water physics and tilt controls to move a giant pool of water around 2D storybook stages. Not only were there numerous small puzzles to solve throughout each stage, but there was also an enormous challenge in just making sure you had enough water in your pool to make it to the end. It’s gorgeous, it’s fun, and there is no reason why Nintendo shouldn’t have kept going with this series. It’s time to bring it back by bringing the WiiWare original to modern hardware.

[caption id="attachment_389665" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

2. Space Invaders Get Even

One of the big problems plaguing WiiWare in its early years was space. Games could only be stored on the limited console memory when the service launched. So if you bought a lot of WiiWare and Virtual Console titles, you had to delete the old to make way for the new. Games were also limited by size restraints. It’s amazing we got as many great titles as we did with that 40 MB restriction. For comparison, Cut the Rope is 150 MB.

I imagine both elements played a role in how Taito and Square Enix decided to release Space Invaders Get Even, a brilliant spin on the arcade classic that had you playing as the aliens invading Earth and destroying everything in your path. The game was released with just three levels for about $5. To get the full game, you’d have to spend another $15, getting the rest of it piece by piece. Twenty dollars doesn’t sound like a bad deal today, but this was still in an era where download-only titles were cheap. Also, the game was huge in terms of how much space it took up on your Wii. It’s a shame it launched when it did because just a few months after its debut, Nintendo added the SD Card Menu with the 4.0 version of the OS, allowing Wii owners to play their games directly from their SD cards. While that wouldn’t have solved the pricing structure of Space Invaders Get Even, it would have solved the space issue at launch.

Either way, this game is just plain fun, and I have to imagine it would thrive today as an action-arcade series with the right studio behind it. There aren’t nearly enough games where you play as invading aliens, which is why this one deserves a second shot at life.

[caption id="attachment_389666" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

1. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King/My Life as a Darklord

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King gave us false hope for what the WiiWare service would ultimately be. Here was a game that looked just as good as retail releases on the Wii and was part of a then-popular sub-series of a classic video game franchise. The expectations for the service were set way too high with this launch title, but My Life as a King remains a deep and engrossing city-building sim oozing with that cute and quaint Crystal Chronicles' style. It proved popular enough to warrant a sequel in the form of My Life as a Darklord, which is a lovely little tower defense game. I didn’t own these games until just days before the Wii Shop Channel shut down, so I don’t have longstanding memories of playing either title. All of my memories are recent, and I absolutely adored going through them both at the start of the pandemic. I just wish I didn’t have to boot up the Wii Menu on my Wii U to keep them in my life.

The post 15 games that need to be rescued from WiiWare Purgatory appeared first on Destructoid.

Because a handheld that sold 150 million units deserves more than just a top 10

Over the far-too-many years I’ve been with Destructoid, I don’t think there is an article I’ve written that’s caused me as much trouble as this one.

Despite the fact you’re seeing more of these on this website, listicles are hard. Whether it’s something simple like ranking family games or trying to sum up an entire console catalog in just ten spots, writing articles like this can cause a type of anguish no review or impressions piece ever could. I’d much rather try to explain the gameplay of the latest Nobunaga’s Ambition to an octogenarian than try to whittle down a list of the best Nintendo DS games.

But I do it because I love the Nintendo DS. In my opinion, it's the greatest gaming device the company has created. With its combination of touch and classic controls, the Nintendo DS provided developers with an opportunity to change how we envision the games we play and how we interact with them. The device was a perfect marriage of the industry’s past and its future. There were gaming experiences on the DS that you simply couldn’t get anywhere else. Games like Feel the Magic: XX/XY or Cooking Mama or Scribblenauts would not have resonated the way they did if those experiences were tied to classic controls.

And that is what makes creating a ranking of the best Nintendo DS games so difficult. Because it would be easy to list 10 excellent traditional games and call it a day. Chrono Trigger DS would probably top that list. But the Nintendo DS was not a traditional system, and to ignore its greatest experimental or “blue ocean” titles would do the system an injustice.

That’s why I expanded this list to 15. I needed that extra space to ensure it would be as widely representative as possible. And I ran this by the Destructoid full-time staff, so this isn’t just my personal top 15—clearly because Dragon Quest Monsters: Rocket Slime is nowhere to be seen—but a list I believe ranks the best games of the Nintendo DS catalog for this website as a whole.

Which is to say, please don't be a hater if your favorite game ain't here.

[caption id="attachment_389384" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

15. WarioWare D.I.Y.

Consider WarioWare D.I.Y.'s placement on this list as representing every artistic or creativity app created for the Nintendo DS.

We had the Art Academy games, KORG DS-10, and the wonderful Electroplankton, which would would be on this list if let you save and export the music from it. The Nintendo DS was an outstanding system for those who wanted to flex their creative muscles. Remember Flipnote Studio?! A lot of developers saw the Nintendo DS stylus as a tool rather than just another way to play a gam. Those teams set about creating a suite of edutainment titles that had people believing they were artists, animators, or musicians. Or, in the case of WarioWare D.I.Y., game developers.

Years before Nintendo had people making their own Mario levels or recreating Red Light, Green Light in Game Builder Garage, Intelligent Systems gave players the opportunity to make and share their own microgames. WarioWare D.I.Y. featured an intuitive and extensive game creation suite that covered art, animation, music, and design. Everything budding game developers would need to make their own WarioWare masterpieces. WarioWare D.I.Y. felt like the culmination of all the artistic apps that had come before it, and that is why it’s one of the best games on the Nintendo DS.

[caption id="attachment_389383" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

14. Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

Henry Hatsworth in The Puzzling Adventure is one of the best examples of how the dual-screen handheld created new gaming experiences.

Developed by current Madden developer EA Tiburon, Henry Hatsworth is part platformer/part match-3 puzzler. On the top screen, players control Henry as he runs and jumps his way through five different worlds, looking to reassemble the Gentleman’s Suit. Enemies Henry defeats on the top screen are sent to the puzzle realm on the bottom screen. There, players have to clear the enemy blocks before they reach the top of the screen and are revived in Henry’s world.

While seemingly developed for the casual players who flocked to the Nintendo DS Lite, Henry Hatsworth is a certified hardcore banger of a game. It’s a shame this game never got the widespread recognition it deserved. But I guess that’s what happens when you release your game five days before Pokémon Platinum and the same day as #5 on the list.

[caption id="attachment_389379" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

13. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

Atlus was one of the most dependable developers of the Nintendo DS era. This system introduced me to the company through such games as Etrian Odyssey and Trauma Center: Under the Knife. Both are excellent candidates for this list, but Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor is a cut above even those excellent titles for the handheld.

A tactical spin-off of the long-running Shin Megami Tensei series, Devil Survivor is the product of Career Soft. Atlus acquired this studio in 2001, and they're best known for the Langrisser and Growlanser series. That pedigree paid off well, as Devil Survivor stands out as the best TRPG released on the Nintendo DS. It has excellent map design, great customization options, and incredible replay value with its six alternate endings. I had dabbled with tactical RPGs before Devil Survivor, but this is the first in the genre I actually saw through to the end.

[caption id="attachment_389392" align="aligncenter" width="257"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

12. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations

Shu Takumi’s Ace Attorney franchise started its life on the Game Boy Advance, but it became a worldwide hit when Capcom ported the series to the Nintendo DS. The original trilogy has some of the best video game writing of its era, with the final entry of the original trilogy, Trials and Tribulations, standing at the head of the class with the best cases and characters of the series up to that point.

This is the game that introduced players to Godot, a cocky, coffee-swilling DA with a serious bone to pick against Phoenix Wright. While Miles Edgeworth may be the most popular district attorney to emerge from the series, I will always be waiting for Godot to make his grand return.

[caption id="attachment_389381" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

11. Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver

Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver are often regarded as the best video game sequels, and with good reason. The titles introduced a multitude of features to the franchise and 100 new types of pocket monsters to catch.

When it came to remaking the games for the Nintendo DS, the developers at Game Freak threaded the needle between offering something new and respecting the legacy of the originals. The end result was Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver, two games that still stand as the best remakes Game Freak and the Pokemon Company have ever produced. Not only were the games themselves the pinnacle of the classic Pokémon experience, but one of the new features introduced in the games, the Pokewalker, proved to be a powerful little accessory.

According to a study at Iowa State University, the Pokewalker was the most accurate step-tracking device when compared to other pedometers using a treadmill. Not bad for a one-and-done gimmick developed to tap into the video game fitness craze of the era.

[caption id="attachment_389382" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

10. Nintendogs

Many of the Nintendo DS' defining games could be considered "lightning in a bottle". Nintendo was really onto something with its blue ocean strategy, creating new gaming experiences that rope in people who didn't consider themselves to be gamers. Brain Age was an early example of this strategy, but Nintendogs was the best.

As somebody who grew up failing to properly raise Tamagotchi pets, I leaped at the opportunity for fake pet ownership. Having had to part ways with my IRL dog before I went to college, I was curious if the digital experience could ever compare to the real thing. It ultimately didn't, but I still put hours into Nintendogs. I raised and washed my pups, took them for walks, and confused my roommates by telling my handheld it was being a very good girl.

Nintendogs won a bunch of awards and ended up as the second-best-selling game on the DS. Sadly, Nintendo couldn't catch that lighting a second time when it launched the Nintendo 3DS with the sequel Nintendogs + Cats. But even if it didn't develop into another storied Nintendo franchise, Nintendogs remains the best non-gaming experience on the DS.

[caption id="attachment_389391" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

9. Meteos

Masahiro Sakurai is most commonly associated with two legendary gaming franchises: Kirby and Super Smash Bros. However, on the Nintendo DS, there is just one game that carries his name: Meteos.

Released within the handheld's first year on the market, Meteos is a frantic, combative match-3 puzzler. It tasks players with saving the universe from the planet Meteo and its planet-annihilating meteos. As with similar puzzle games, the goal is to keep the screen from filling up with tiles. But making a match doesn't clear the tiles from the grid. Instead, those tiles are launched from the bottom screen into outer space where they can no longer harm the planets they're invading.

With the intuitive touch-screen controls and speed options that gave players some wiggle room in terms of difficulty, Meteos shows how touch-screen gaming can create dynamic experiences that classic controls can't easily reproduce. That's why Meteos is a legendary puzzler and one of the best Nintendo DS puzzle games.

[caption id="attachment_389389" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

8. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Picking just one of the excellent Castlevania games that graced the Nintendo DS was no small task. Between Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia, the franchise had a great run on the system. I lapped up each and every one of these games, but it's Dawn of Sorrow that stands out as the system's greatest Castlevania.

Like a lot of early Nintendo DS games, it didn't make much use of the two screens or its touch controls. It instead used the "Magic Seal" system that made players break out the stylus to finish bosses and open doors. But it didn't need any gimmicks the Nintendo DS offered. It just needed to continue Konami's superb streak of amazing Metroidvanias. Despite not really utilizing the unique hardware, Dawn of Sorrow's story, gameplay, and customization options easily make it one of Konami's Best.

[caption id="attachment_389380" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

7. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

On the very first draft of this list, back when it was originally going to be just 10 games, it had to be pointed out to me there wasn't a single Professor Layton title to be seen. A foolish error on my part, because there is no other franchise that is as closely associated with dual-screen gaming as this gem from Level-5.

The Professor Layton series' combination of exquisite art direction, storytelling, and brainteasers made for an inviting experience. It reached beyond the normal gaming community to those who hadn't picked up a controller in years. I've written about this before, but Professor Layton and the Curious Village is one of the few wholesome gaming memories I have with my mom. I treasure this franchise, which is why it was so stupid for me to leave it off a list of the best Nintendo DS games.

As you can see, I fixed that error in subsequent drafts. And while I have those warm memories playing through the original with my mom, it's the third entry in the series, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, that stands as the best of the bunch to hit the DS. With 168 puzzles to solve, Unwound Future contains some of Puzzle Master Akira Tago's best work for the franchise. From the brainteasers to the animation to the top-tier story, everything is a step up from the previous entries.

As the end of the original Layton and Luke trilogy, Level-5 made sure Unwound Future went out with a bang.

[caption id="attachment_389390" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

6. Elite Beat Agents

I was never that good at rhythm games. With Guitar Hero and Rock Band, I'd never move beyond the most basic difficulty level. I did not think I'd have the coordination to pull it off without getting booed offstage. When Elite Beat Agents was announced, I was certainly interested in the idea, but I didn't know how well I'd gel with a touch-screen-driven rhythm game. "Surely," I thought, "I lack the rhythm to get that right."

I ultimately chose to skip the game, as I was saving all my money for a Nintendo Wii. But when I couldn't get one of those at launch, I decided to give it a go. That was one of the best decisions of my gaming career.

Elite Beat Agents is a wholesome rhythm game that oozes charm and personality. The premise is unforgettable. Controlling a trio of cheerleaders as they help people get through difficult and usually comedic situations was not something I'd ever picture as the plot of a video game. But that was the beauty of the DS. If there was ever a gaming device to try something new with, it was that one.

As for the touch-screen gameplay, it worked better than I ever could have imagined. I still wasn't good at the genre and never went above the "Cruisin'" difficulty. But the developers at iNiS, best known for the Gitaroo Man series, managed to make Elite Beat Agents into a touch-screen musical masterpiece.

[caption id="attachment_389393" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

5. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

It was a very big deal when Rockstar announced it was making a Grand Theft Auto for the Nintendo DS. Arguably, the company had to do it. The DS sold far too many units to not give it a go. In 2009, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars dropped to the best reviews on the Nintendo DS.

The game captured everything great about modern-era GTA games and translated it to a bird's eye perspective reminiscent of the original games in the series. The last time Rockstar tried that on a Nintendo handheld, it didn't go well. But Chinatown Wars fires on all pistons with an outstanding story, great new characters, incredible gameplay, and a drug-dealing minigame that I still think about 14 years later.

Getting GTA on the DS was a win in itself. But getting Rockstar to deliver one of its best games ever for the platform is something I'll celebrate until the battery on my Nintendo DSi XL finally dies and I can no longer corrupt the people of Liberty City with my drug-dealing empire.

[caption id="attachment_389388" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

4. The World Ends with You

It's difficult to write about my adoration for The World Ends with You without sounding like a broken record. I've talked about this game a lot, and with good reason. TWEWY is simply one of the finest gaming experiences to ever emerge from Square Enix. While a lot of other games on the Nintendo DS were trying to appeal to a broader audience, The World Ends with You went in the opposite direction. This is an incredibly niche game, a hardcore experience designed as something you could only play on the DS (even if that's no longer true).

What's most striking about The World Ends with You is how the complicated combat effortlessly plays into the story and the connections players must make between Neku and his partners in the Reapers' Game. Neku's acceptance of his partners was something that grew as players familiarized themselves with the different control concepts that came with each new character. That's a level of ludonarrative consistency you just don't get in most games.

I know a lot of people were turned off by the difficulty of the Stride Cross Battle System. But it, like most everything else in The World Ends with You, was a one-of-a-kind triumph of design. I will never forget how good it felt to beat this game.

[caption id="attachment_389387" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

3. Tetris DS

The original Tetris, whether you consider that to be the one that was released on the Electronika 60 back in 1985 or the one that came packed in with the Game Boy, is a perfect video game. Design, function, challenge, simplicity; it scores 10s across the board. So how do you improve on something that is already perfect? You make it perfecter.

Tetris DS takes everything great about the classic puzzler and infuses it with new ideas and Nintendo charm. The classic gameplay that captivated millions is still there, but there are also new takes on the concept. This includes a puzzle mode, a mission mode, a competitive push mode, and a touch-screen mode that challenged players to rearrange preset pieces to clear lines. Each of those modes came complete with a classic NES backdrop featuring Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Yoshi's Cookie, Balloon Fight, Super Mario Bros., and more.

On top of all of that, Tetris DS came equipped with a no-holds-barred online mode for up to four players and a 10-player local online mode. Tetris was already a game that could eat hours of your life. Tetris DS devoured weeks of mine.

While there may be arguments over which version of Tetris is the greatest, it's hard to deny this impressive package is the greatest puzzle game on the Nintendo DS. In fact, it's the best mobile version of Tetris to date.

[caption id="attachment_389386" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

2. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky

During the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii era, it was a great time to be a Dragon Quest fan. Nearly every game in the series that was released in Japan made its way over here. On the DS, long-time fans and first-time players like myself were treated to a smorgasbord of excellent RPGs, culminating in the release of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky.

As the first mainline Dragon Quest game to release exclusively to handhelds, it a lot to prove for longtime fans. Development of the game took years, and Square Enix toyed around with the idea of making it an action game rather than a traditional turn-based RPG. Cooler heads won out, and the teams at Square Enix and Level-5 went on to create an astonishingly deep RPG that continued to grow the franchise's burgeoning popularity outside of Japan.

Despite the rudimentary multiplayer mode, it was the Tag Mode that made it the most social Dragon Quest game yet. Tag Mode allowed players to exchange treasure maps, items, and gifts with other players while their DS was in sleep mode. Its use was so popular that Nintendo borrowed the concept when creating its SpotPass and StreetPass features on the Nintendo 3DS. When was the last time one game influenced the design and functionality of video game hardware?

The promise of more treasure maps with dungeons to explore meant I kept my copy of Dragon Quest IX in my DSi XL until Nintendo finally killed the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. I still revisit this game from time to time, breaking out the massive player's guide I bought at a thrift store to look for any last goodies I may have missed. It is the only Nintendo DS game I still make time for today, and that's just one of the reasons it deserves to be ranked so high on this list.

[caption id="attachment_389385" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Screenshot via MobyGames[/caption]

1. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is a pivotal game for me and my relationship with Destructoid. I'd checked out the site a few times but didn't commit to considering it my gaming site. Despite the hundreds I'd put into my DS and Wii library at the time, my hesitancy to join any online community kept me at an arm's length. That changed when I read Tony Ponce's review of Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.

I was so captivated by what he described that I drove to my local GameStop the next day to pick up the only copy it had left in the original shrink wrap. Over the next five days, I became enthralled by this story of survival, digital roots, frozen Egyptians, and horrendous gore.

When writing the narrative for 999, Kotaro Uchikoshi sought to answer the question, "Where do mankind's inspirations come from?" His search led him to the works of Rupert Sheldrake and his theory of Morphogenetic Fields. This would become the central theme of the complicated and squeamish story. For the gameplay, he turned to the escape room genre, which was huge online around 2009. His take on the formula cut out the nonsense you'd often find in these games, streamlining the concept while tying these segments into the overall narrative.

According to an interview with Anime News Network, Uchikoshi wrote the story backward, starting with the ending and working his way to the beginning. It's an unusual technique, but it's one that worked well. Many routinely cite 999 as having the greatest—and queasiest—narrative on the Nintendo DS. Some go so far as to say it is one of the best-written stories the medium has seen.

If you haven't played it, this might seem like an odd choice for the top spot on this list. If you have played it, you can probably understand why it's here at #1. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is a masterpiece that deserves every single bit of recognition it can get.

The post The 15 Greatest Nintendo DS Games of All Time appeared first on Destructoid.

Please add Sissel to the next Marvel vs. Capcom

When it comes to Nintendo, you never know if its consoles and handhelds will go out with a bang or with a whimper. The GameCube, for instance, went out with an absolute whimper, as new releases had all but dried up by the time the Wii arrived. Yes, it got Twilight Princess in the end, but it was pretty sparse otherwise. The Nintendo DS, on the other hand, went out with one hell of an explosion. In the months leading up to the release of the 3DS, publishers dropped an assortment of gems for the platform, including Okamiden, Radiant Historia, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation, and Pokémon Black & White in North America and Europe. And that was just in the first three months of 2011 before the 3DS hit.

This is also when Shu Takumi’s follow-up to the Phoenix Wright series, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, arrived stateside. I remember picking this up at launch, captivated by its premise, and gorging myself on the game over a cold January weekend. It’s too bad not many other people did at the time, but considering this game is all about second chances, it’s fitting Sissel, Missile, and the rest of this well-animated crew get a second shot at the limelight with this new HD remaster.

[caption id="attachment_388884" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (PC, PS4 [reviewed], Switch, Xbox One)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: June 30, 2023
MSRP: $29.99

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is an adventure whodunnit starring a recently deceased man named Sissel. Found dead in a junkyard, face down/ass up, he has just one night to solve the mystery behind his murder before he moves on to the afterlife. His lifeless body is discovered by go-getter freshman detective Lynne, and the two cross paths throughout the night as Sissel has to keep saving her life from the assassins sent to hunt her down. Keeping her alive will take Sissel to various locations around the city, from a chic apartment to a prison to a chicken restaurant. Each location and the people who dwell there play key roles in keeping Lynne alive to sunrise and Sissel on the hunt for the truth of what happened to him.

Because he is dead, Sissel’s only means of protecting Lynne and anyone else who gets in harm's way is to manipulate objects in the environment. This is just one of his Ghost Powers, and it’s his use of these powers that make up the game’s puzzle-solving side. Each environment is an immaculately hand-drawn 2D setting stuff with objects Sissel can possess and occasionally interact with. Some objects are only there to provide a bridge for Sissel to reach the necessary tools needed to solve the puzzle. Other objects are interactive like an umbrella you can open up or a trash can lid you can pop. Using his Ghost Powers, Sissel can also travel between locations through telephone lines, but only if he isn’t in a flashback.

As I said, there are assassins out and about in the game, hunting down Lynne and whoever has the misfortune to get in their way. Most of the time, when Sissel arrives to save one of the victims, they’re already dead. With his final Ghost Power, Sissel can travel back in time to watch the last four minutes of the character’s life. Every time you travel back in time, you’ll be able to see everything that happens to the victim and decide how to protect them using the various objects in each setting. There is a time limit for getting this all done, but it’s rarely an issue. Even if you do fail, you can just rewind the clock and start again. Don’t be surprised if you have to watch the victim die more than once to fully figure out how to save them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiesBTPVc-c

The premise of these puzzles is sound enough, but seeing it in action can be riveting. You’re basically playing the role of an invisible stagehand trying to manipulate how a scene plays out while the actors are in the middle of it. It’s a clever concept with brilliant execution, though it doesn’t provide any sort of lightbulb-over-the-head aha moments. This isn’t the type of puzzle game where you’ll have a constant stream of epiphanies that make you feel elated. It’s more just being satisfied with figuring out how to get everything into place for the desired set piece.

Outside of the people-saving and puzzle-solving, there is a great deal of lore to lap up in Ghost Trick. Shu Takumi really outdid himself with solid writing and an engaging, eccentric cast. I’m sure the ending will be just as hotly debated as it was back in 2011, but know the journey to that end is brimming with great character moments and charming writing. There are so many memorable faces here, all brought to life with outstanding animation.

The original Ghost Trick was notable for its incredibly fluid character animation, best exhibited by the flamboyant Detective Cabanela. The look was achieved by creating the characters as 3D models before rendering them as 2D sprites. On the DS, it was smooth and crisp even if it was a bit pixelated (which was fine given the size of the Nintendo DS screens). On the PlayStation 4, it’s just as smooth and crisp, but with the power of the RE Engine, the entire look of this game has been cleaned up from top to bottom. This HD remaster gives the world of Ghost Trick a slick glow-up. It’s very polished, to the point where some might argue it’s too polished, but I could never seriously make that argument. I did notice a few very minor visual blemishes when some characters would walk, but outside of those moments, this is a gorgeous game. At least when you’re not in the UI.

[caption id="attachment_388885" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective’s origins as a Nintendo DS game are impossible to miss. For starters, only some elements, like a few of its new menus, are in widescreen. The game itself is full-screen with borders. I have to imagine this decision was made for the same reason classic fighting games are always presented in 4:3 with borders on the side. Giving players a widescreen video of a full-screen game may break whatever challenge there is. I’m fine with the 4:3 ratio for the gameplay, but there are moments where what originally looked good on the DS is a bit too much on a regular television screen. Some character portraits and speech bubbles are unnecessarily huge.

I understand that, in an age where developers keep releasing games with text sizes that would feel at home at the bottom of a pharmaceutical commercial, I probably shouldn’t be complaining about having an easy-to-read text size. But it doesn’t look great, and neither do some of the menus and other parts of the UI that feel unnecessarily big. It’s a minor complaint on my part, but I can’t help but notice when I see elements of the remaster that lack the slickness of the rest of the package. The game also lacks voice acting, if you’re wondering, but I prefer it that way. I don’t need some professional voice actor coming in here and messing up what Cabanela sounds like in my head.

As for how it plays—which I probably should have discussed earlier in this review—the conversion from touch controls to a traditional controller works well. I do think the control scheme, in terms of what buttons you use, could have been simplified (no reason to stipulate circle will exit the Ghost World when L1 does the same thing and it’s the button you pressed to get into it), but it’s not anything that’ll give you trouble. Because I played on PlayStation, I do not know if the Switch version has a touch control option. In terms of what’s new for the remaster beyond the visual upgrade, Ghost Trick includes challenges, rearranged classic music tracks, one new music track, a collection of artwork and concept art, and the sliding puzzles from the mobile version of the game.

All in all, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a fine remaster of a wonderful title far too many people missed out on. Shu Takumi has stated another entry in this franchise might happen if this game sells well enough, but I feel like that’s a statement we’ve heard dozens of times over the past 10 years with little of anything to show for it. Whether or not we get another game in the series doesn’t really matter to me. What matters is more people now have an opportunity to play an absolute gem of an adventure game.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (2023) appeared first on Destructoid.

Remember these before you start hoeing

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life has finally arrived on modern platforms, and I am so excited for anyone about to experience this game for the first time. This is my favorite game in the Story of Seasons franchise. In my 9.0/10 review, I called it a "...remarkable experience..." that "takes the classic farming formula and gives it a purpose beyond just seeing how many S-ranked tomatoes you can grow." I love this game, and I hope you will too. But if this is your first time playing A Wonderful Life, I've collected this short list of tips to help you get started with your new life on the farm.

[caption id="attachment_388889" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Befriend this guy as soon as possible

It's important to befriend all the townspeople in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life because their friendship will benefit you and your farm. But besides the person you intend to marry, the first person you should befriend is Daryl.

Go to the dig site, and if you find any fossils or old coins, give them to Daryl until your friendship grows to the point where he'll start giving you stuff. It's worth it, trust me.

[caption id="attachment_388891" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Just keep digging

The archaeological site in A Wonderful Life is quite different from the various caves you mine in other Story of Seasons games. It hardly takes any energy—if it takes any at all—and everything you do at the site is at the behest of Carter. You're there to look for stone slabs, but anything beyond that you can keep for yourself. The dig site starts small and grows as time goes by. What's important to remember is that when you're digging at the site, don't just dig once.

Digging in the same spot two or three times might bring up an object you'd have missed if you only dug once. You'll know there is an object in the ground to collect whenever you see a part or even specks of an item in the dig spot. Keep digging until you fully remove it, then go ahead and dig one or two more times. Who knows, there could be another valuable item down there. I suggest digging in each spot at least twice, even if it already looks like it's been dug up when you arrive at the dig site.

[caption id="attachment_388894" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Remember to check the bulletin board twice a season

One of the new additions found in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is the bulletin board. This is where the townsfolk will post requests for you to fulfill. Most requests must be filled within the current season.

As you advance further into the game, you'll get requests with different time limits. The rewards you get for completing these requests aren't exceptional at first, but they get better as time marches on. New requests will populate the board on the first of each season and on the sixth.

[caption id="attachment_388890" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

4. Visit the sprites daily for recipes

Cooking is a staple of the Story of Seasons franchise, and it's no different in The Forgotten Valley. You can get recipes from other people in town, but if you want to fill your collection quickly, visit the sprites at the tree at the end of the forest every day. Eat the mushroom outside the treehouse to shrink like Alice, then talk to one of them for a free recipe.

Some days you won't get anything, but in your first year, you should always make it a point to stop here every day.

[caption id="attachment_388893" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

5. All those old guides still work

Back before every gaming site was publishing guides, players could reliably visit a small selection of websites where guides were written up by passionate fans of whatever game they were playing. The Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons series is no exception, as you can find highly detailed guides for just about every game in the franchise.

That includes the original A Wonderful Life. And because this is a faithful remaster, all those old guides you can find online from 20 years ago still work today. Not everything will still be relevant as the Story of Seasons version of the game simplifies some of the farming elements, but if you want to make sure you woo the right bride or groom, those guides will help you get the job done.

The post 5 quick tips for starting Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life appeared first on Destructoid.

As I hung up the phone, it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life offers a slightly different take on the well-worn farming sim genre. As a new resident of the Forgotten Valley, you’re still here to revitalize an old farm and socialize with the townsfolk, but it’s that second aspect that takes a central role here. The point of your new life in this hamlet isn’t to save a farm or to stop the development of a theme park...

You’re here to make a life for yourself, one that is filled with love, family, and friends.

[caption id="attachment_387436" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (PC, PS5, Switch [reviewed], Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Marvelous
Publisher: Xseed Games
Released: June 27, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

A Wonderful Life is one Story of Seasons title that genuinely lives up to its name. Prior games in the series — and when I say prior, I mean those before the release of the original version of this game back on the GameCube in 2003 — put the focus squarely on farming, with making friends and courtship positioned as side activities to keep players busy between harvests. In A Wonderful Life, those elements are the core of the experience. Yes, you'll still spend roughly half your time tending to crops and livestock as you would in any other Story of Seasons game, (and the farming system can get somewhat deep with hybrid crops and animal husbandry to consider), but nothing you do on this farm matters if you go home to an empty house and an empty bed at the end of the day.

It's your activities outside your farm that make the difference in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life. Meeting people, making friends, falling in love; these have (mostly) always been elements of the franchise, but here, whether or not you've had a life well-lived will be determined by your success in these areas.

The story of A Wonderful Life is divided into several periods of your farmer's life. You'll start the first year single and hopefully ready to mingle as you'll need to be married to one of the eight eligible townsfolk—same-sex relationships are an option here as is the option to make your farmer non-binary—by the end of winter or it's on to the end credits roll. From there, you and your companion will have a child, and the next several chapters will focus on how well you do as a parent, as a partner, and as a member of the community. As your child grows into an adult, you and your spouse will grow old. People in the town will age as well. Some will die. People will move, and others will make a new start in the Forgotten Valley.

I've played plenty of games in the Story of Seasons franchise over the past decade, but not one of them handles all of the stuff outside your farm as well as A Wonderful Life does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q2qKTRydI0

Life on the farm is pretty par for the course. To accommodate the structure of the game's story, each season in A Wonderful Life lasts just 10 days. For some crops, that might mean you get one shot at growing it a season. For players who like to maximize their farm's potential, there are hybrid fruits and vegetables to discover, several different breeds of cows, each with their own milk, and machines that can help guarantee high-quality crops. With the available arable land being as small as it is, tending to your farm will likely only take up a few hours each day. That leaves plenty of time to go fishing, help out at the archaeology site, complete various requests, participate in some mini-games, or try to strengthen your relationships with the people around town.

Or you can spend that time shaping your child into the adult they will become. In your role as a parent, you can help dictate your child's future, directing them toward one of several interests that may ultimately become their vocation. I'm not entirely sure how much of a difference it makes between which path your kid takes, but the destination didn't matter that much to me. It was the journey that won me over, all those nights spent playing with my daughter, buying her toys, and watching her grow from a toddler to a tween to an adult.

I don't have kids in real life. And, I'm not entirely sure if I want them. But seeing my virtual daughter grow into a young woman was something special to experience. In those moments, when time would jump ahead and I'd see how my rearing impacted her growth, I felt this sense of accomplishment no other Story of Seasons game has given me.

[caption id="attachment_387435" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

If you're already sold on Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life as a fan of the original and are just wondering how this remaster holds up, know that this is an exceptional version of the game. The Forgotten Valley looks wonderful in HD, it runs pretty much flawlessly on Switch, I appreciate most of the new character designs, and Marvelous has added enough new elements, including new hybrid crops, new recipes, and a new bachelor in Gordy, to make this a return visit well worth making if you've played it before.

Just don't expect certain elements, like animal husbandry, to have the depth they once did as a lot of the processes have been streamlined. For those who didn't give it a try on the GameCube or PlayStation 2, the easiest way to decide if this is right for you is to ask yourself how important you consider farming in your farming sims. If there is one complaint I have that isn't just nitpicking, it's that the audio isn't up to par with the rest of the presentation.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a remarkable experience. It takes the classic farming formula and gives it a purpose beyond just seeing how many S-ranked tomatoes you can grow. With its focus on family, legacy, and living a good life, this is a farming sim where what you do away from the fields is as important as what you do when you're tilling that land. It's a game that encourages a healthy work-life balance, and there is no better lesson we need in our modern era than that.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life appeared first on Destructoid.

The heart of the franchise was not lost in translation

Making the jump from a two-screen device to a single-screen experience can be a tricky proposition. Some games, like The World Ends with You, lose something in the conversion. Others, like Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy Deluxe Edition, discover life can effortlessly go on with just one screen. Most games have a logical path forward moving from the Nintendo DS/3DS to modern hardware.

But Etrian Odyssey is not like most games. This franchise is categorically connected to the dual-screen era of gaming that it’s almost hard to imagine how it could possibly work on Switch. I mean, what’s Atlus going to do, cram everything onto one screen and hope for the best?

Yes, that’s exactly what it did. And surprisingly, it works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSeXc8JwwFw

One reason why there’s always been a question mark around porting the Etrian series to Switch or any single-screen device is that its identity is in its map-making. Dungeon-crawling RPGs are pretty prevalent today, but few of them ask players to make their maps the way Etrian Odyssey does. That was the appeal of the original game; how it tied into the pen-and-paper tabletop RPGs of the '70s and '80s. It was a gimmick that worked exceptionally well with the Nintendo DS and 3DS touch screens. Hundreds of thousands of people saw the appeal, which is how we managed to get six mainline entries, two remakes, and two Mystery Dungeon spin-offs.

To remove the cartography features, or to dial them down, would remove the very soul of the series. Etrian Odyssey just isn’t "Etrian Odyssey" if you’re not drawing walls and dropping icons for treasure chests you need to revisit. So, for Atlus to find a way to port the first three titles of the series to modern hardware that retains its unique niche in the industry is quite the achievement. It may not be elegant, and it may not look great in screenshots, but by god, Atlus’s single-screen solution works.

[caption id="attachment_385716" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The left side of the screen is dedicated to the first-person dungeon crawling experience. It works well because all three games originated on the Nintendo DS. You’ll remember the top screen of the Nintendo DS was not widescreen at it was on its successor, so fitting the picture to one-half of the Switch screen doesn’t at all feel like anything is getting scrunched. The right side of the screen is for the mapping system. On top, you have the overall map of the dungeon floor, while the bottom is a zoomed-in view of your location icon. The top map also houses the various mapping tools you can use, and players have two control options for using those tools.

With touch controls, you’ll use your finger as you would the stylus on the DS or 3DS to draw those walls and set those reminders. If you have a stylus that works with your Switch, even better. You’ll get a more precise placement with that. I don’t have a suitable stylus, so I have to rely on my fingers and those sausages are not accurate. Also—and this is just a personal thing—but I hate touching my OLED screen. I go out of my way to never accidentally leave a fingerprint on that thing, so I obviously spent the majority of my time with the other control option.

[caption id="attachment_385714" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The second control option is more intricate, and while it can seem slow-going at first, once I got the hang of it, I started to enjoy mapping out dungeons here almost as much as I enjoyed it back on the handheld systems. This control option uses the ZR and ZL buttons in tandem with the control sticks.

What’s important to know is these control options are separate from the character movement controls. You’ll move your party through each stratum floor using the directional buttons/directional pad, and any actions associated with exploring the dungeon floor are separate from the map-making tools. After an hour or so of playing through Etrian Odyssey II and Etrian Odyssey III, the control scheme felt like second nature to me, and I could easily chart each dungeon floor as I moved my party through them without feeling like I was getting bogged down by busy work. If you're playing in handheld mode, you can switch between the two input options on the fly.

[caption id="attachment_385715" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

If you never cared about mapping a dungeon floor, there are auto-mapping options available that will chart out the layout of each dungeon floor but will not put down any icons for you. And if you’ve never played an Etrian Odyssey game before, there are several options here to help ease you into the experience. All three games of the collection feature three difficulty levels—Picnic, Basic, and Expert—that can be changed at any time with no penalty. There are multiple save slots if you’re the type of player to utilize those, a quick save option within the labyrinth, and an auto-save option you can toggle. There are three control options, but they’re limited to the control sticks and directional buttons/pad. If you’re left-handed and would prefer the mapping windows on the left side of the screen, there’s an option for that as well.

All-in-all, this is a well-rounded package that is welcoming to newcomers while retaining the elements that made this series such a niche hit. Etrian Odyssey’s conversion to a single screen gets the job done even if it's not the most sophisticated of transformations. Whether or not that’s enough to justify charging $80 for the collection—or $40 for each title separately—is certainly up for debate. If, for some reason, you do opt for a single game in the collection, go with Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City HD. It’s the best of the collection.

_{[This impressions piece is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection works well enough as a single-screen experience appeared first on Destructoid.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike

The PC Gaming Show is never a stream I focus on as I don't really game on my PC. But with so many of these games jumping over to console, I decided to give it a go this year and I'm glad I did. Because had I skipped the show, I likely wouldn't have learned about Parcel Corps.

From developer Billy Goat Entertainment and publisher Secret Mode, Parcel Corps puts players in the shoes of a freelance bike messenger who must make their deliveries before time runs out. The game takes place on New Island where three delivery companies are just waiting to pay you the least amount of money legally possible to do your job. That's the gig economy for you, baby!

While making deliveries is the name of the game, players can also pull off some sick tricks on the halfpipes and ramps scattered across the city's nine areas, terrify rooftop pigeons, and, if they're in the mood, overthrow a totalitarian government.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sso5T3ovzmE

Cheesy trailer aside, Parcel Corps certainly has my attention with its colorful world, inviting gameplay, and anti-capitalistic messaging. I mean, the villain of the game is named Rich Villainé. That alone makes me want to play this just so I can knock that fucker down a few notches.

Like a lot of the games revealed today, Parcel Corps will arrive in 2024 on an unspecified date. When it does land, the game will release for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

The post Parcel Corps is going to give me some killer calves appeared first on Destructoid.

GOLD-FINGER (he sang in his most Shirley Bassy voice)

Vampire Survivors continues to be the indie gift that keeps on giving. After a stellar debut last year, in which it won Best Game at the British Academy Games Awards and the Destructoid award for Best PC Game, the developer is showing no signs of slowing down support for the game. So far, it's seen two paid DLC expansions and several free updates. Its next free arrives tomorrow, and it's packing in some great reason to return to the monster-infested fields of Italy.

Dubbed the "Overwhelming Update," Vampire Survivors version 1.5 adds new features, new levels, a new game mode, and half a new character. The new stage, Astral Stair, is a near-endless series of corridors featuring flying paintings and a new spinning wheel that'll trigger random events within the stage. The character Yatta Cavallo is getting a new form in the update, and the new relic GoldFinger will start a limited-time challenge where your character is powerful and invisible for a brief amount of time. If you care about achievements, the update is adding six of those to the game too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIQv7sWPBu0

Ignore what it says in the trailer about the update being available now. The Vampire Survivors Overwhelming Update will hit all platforms tomorrow, June 12.

The post Vampire Survivor’s next free update drops tomorrow appeared first on Destructoid.

Bah fun(?)-bug

A Christmas Carol is a timeless classic that remains a staple of the holiday season, with producers in film and television taking advantage of its public domain status every couple of years to pop out another version of the story that'll never be as good as Scrooged or The Muppet Christmas Carol. I've seen plenty of productions of it during my near-40 years on this Earth, but I don't think I've ever seen the story tackled in a video game.

Perhaps that's why Ebenezer and the Invisible World was the most amusingly confounded trailer at the PC Gaming Show. From Orbit Studio and Play on Worlds, Invisible World tells the story of what happens after the ghosts helped Scrooge become a new man. I'm not sure if Dickens ever planned for a sequel, but I have to imagine if he did write one, it wouldn't have had the geezer down-kicking bad guys or using the power of the ghost of Haley Hall to pass through ethereal gates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmo07RJg2Aw

I'm not going to say I'm sold on the idea of reinventing one of literature's most famous tales as a metroidvania, but it's certainly a lot more interesting than just turning into a horror game. Plus, the holiday setting is charming, and the hand-drawn environments are scrumptious.

Ebenezer and the Invisible World is in development for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. Hopefully, it can make it to storefronts before Christmas. A 15 GB demo of the game is now live on Steam.

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Forget a staycation, next year I'm taking a slaycation!

A little over two years ago, I stumbled across the Twitter account for Microbird, a game developer working on a quaint-looking action-RPG called Dungeons of Hinterberg. I loved the art direction, the setting, and the character design; it checked a lot of boxes for me. I told myself I'd try to keep the game in mind, but that didn't happen. I forgot about it until I saw the debut trailer for the game in today's Xbox Game Showcase.

Free from the awful Twitter video player, the game still looks outstanding and is once again checking all those same boxes for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7-3NsH82HA

I don't want to get myself too hyped for it as that tends to bite me in the butt with indies. But consider this one of my most anticipated games of next year. Dungeons of Hinterberg will launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC next year and will be on Xbox Game Pass day one.

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Coming in 2024

The biggest Atlus announcements for the Xbox Games Showcase may have leaked early, but that doesn't mean there wasn't more in store we weren't expecting. Case in point, Metaphor: ReFantazio. From the creators of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5—duh!—ReFantazio looks like an outstanding new RPG that features the "mirror of reality."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHGCpUPjPk

I don't know if it was intended, but I got a lot of #FE vibes watching that trailer. Hopefully, Metaphor: ReFantazio manages to make a bigger impact than Soul Hackers 2 did. We'll find out next year when Metaphor: ReFantazio launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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I don't know what this is but I want it

Leave it to Capcom to give us a trailer that actually has me excited. During today's Xbox Games Showcase, the company dropped its debut trailer for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, a brilliant-looking game featuring a clash between the mortal world and the demon realm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PekONLKFGU

Doesn't that just look wonderful? So much color and animation—that RE Engine is spectacular—I'm going to need to upgrade to a Series X by the time this game comes out. And get an OLED television.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess will release sometime in the future and will hit Xbox Game Pass on day one.

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Explore it next year

Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind hit games like The Outer Worlds, Pentiment, and South Park: The Stick of Truth is taking players to the Living Lands next year in Avowed. During today's Xbox Games Showcase, a new trailer for the game debuted, and it actually managed to pull me in. I'm not the biggest first-person RPG fan, but something about this looks like a hoot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULsF7B6bFuU

As previously revealed, Avowed will take place in the same universe as the Pillars of Eternity series. Avowed will release in 2024 and, of course, it'll be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

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Beasts in the Bayou

Two trailers into the Xbox showcase and I'm already tired of reading the words "In-Engine Footage." We saw it in the Fable trailer and we saw it in South of Midnight, the upcoming title from Compulsion Games. The studio, best known for the highly questionable We Happy Few, put together a trailer that was 2:30 of pretty much nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2Z-8Y8r5ss

It looks great. I love the art direction here and there aren't nearly enough games with a southern gothic setting. Or at least not nearly enough that I've played. But beyond that, what can I say about it? That trailer may be in-engine, but it might as well be pre-rendered for all it did to show us how this game would actually play.

South of Midnight will launch someday in the future, hitting Xbox Game Pass on day one.

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They're finally showing off Dead Phoenix, right?

Summer Game Fest has come a long way since it usurped the gaming expo throne from E3 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a slow trickle of game reveals across haphazardly scheduled presentations has tightened up into a week of widely anticipated showcases as well as the PC Gaming Show. The shindig kicks off on June 8 with a live show at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood and continues for the next few days with streams from Devolver Digital, Ubisoft, Xbox, and now Capcom.

The publisher revealed today it will be putting on a showcase during this year’s SGF. Airing June 12 at 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT, the presentation is billed as presenting what’s next for Capcom. It will feature 36 minutes of news and updates on the publisher’s upcoming games and future titles.

While we don’t know precisely which games will be there, we can make some safe guesses. Street Fighter 6, which just had a very successful launch, will likely be a part of the show. Exoprimal launches next month and will probably get a few minutes in the stream. The port of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is also set to drop in a few weeks, so it might show up too. We also shouldn’t forget about Monster Hunter Now, the Niantic mobile game that’s set to launch this fall.

Beyond those games, the only other known titles I can think of are Pragmata and Dragon’s Dogma II. The former is allegedly still set to launch for PC and current-gen consoles in 2023, while the latter is without a release window. Outside of that, anything could be announced. Capcom is on a roll right now and it feels like the publisher can do no wrong. There could be another strong compilation of classic games in the works for all we know. With the final update to Monster Hunter Rise around the corner, is it too early to speculate about the possibility of a new game in that series getting announced?

Speaking of Rise, the final digital stream of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak happens tomorrow at 10:00 am ET/7:00 am PT. Tune in to find out information about the Bonus Update.

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Future Kojima Productions titles to hit the platform too

Today was the annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference and while I’m disappointed I’m going to have to wait even longer for an M1-powered iPad Mini, there was a lot to be excited about if you’re a Mac gamer. For anyone who’s been using a Mac as long as I have (20+ years), we know that Apple and gaming haven’t always synced up as well as they should have. Sure, games are a cash machine on the iPhone/iPad, but when it comes to playing the biggest PC and console games, the Mac has often felt like an afterthought. With today’s presentation, it looks like Apple is making a good effort to change that with Game Mode and the reveal of Death Stranding Director’s Cut for Mac computers.

Game Mode is part of the upcoming macOS Sonoma operating system. The idea behind the feature is it will automatically give games the top priority of CPU and GPU to improve the gaming experience and reduce latency. The new macOS will also include features for game developers, including Metal tools for Windows, which will help developers port their high-end games from PC to Mac. Some of the games that popped up in the presentation include Resident Evil Village, Layers of Fear, and Stray. Oh, and Kojima dropped by to announce Death Stranding Director’s Cut is coming to Mac computers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc46cO3spSE

It’s always fun to see Kojima pop up in places where you don’t expect him to be. I certainly didn’t have him showing his face here on my bingo card, but it is nice to know Kojima Productions is planning to bring future titles to the macOS platform in addition to Death Stranding.

Between this and Apple’s continued support of the Apple Arcade subscription service, it’s clear the company has turned a corner on gaming. Maybe it’s all that money it’s made from other people’s games on the App Store or the fact that the MacBook Air is, according to Apple, the world’s best-selling laptop, but as a lifelong user of the platform, I'm happy developers might be taking it seriously again. I don’t know if it’ll last, but I would love to get rid of my Windows laptop that I only keep around for the occasional Steam game.

Although, I guess I could do that now and just buy a Steam Deck.

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Yo dawg, we heard you like screens. So we put some screens inside your screens.

Today was the annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, and as predicted, Tim Apple Tim Cook finished the event with the reveal of the new Apple headset. Called Apple Vision Pro, the headset is more AR than VR, utilizing a system of cameras to project screens and objects into the world around you. It's arguably the most exciting piece of tech to come out of Apple since the iPod. Looking at the Vision Pro and how it works is some real sci-fi shit, technology I thought was still years away. But it's actually less than a year away.

There is a lot going on under the hood with Apple Vision Pro, including two chips (the M2 and the R1), 23 million pixels across the device's two screens, eye-tracking, gesture tracking, and 4K video resolution that will be rendered at scale. As if it wasn't hard enough to get people to look away from their screens, one device feature is EyeSight, which reveals your eyes when you start talking to somebody else in the room. Because heaven forbid you take it off your head when talking to others.

While the showcase focused more on how Apple Vision Pro will take your apps off your iPhone, iPad, and iMac and display them as virtual screens in your real world, it also emphasized that gaming will be a part of the experience. One hundred Apple Arcade games will be available on day one, and the device is compatible with standard video game controllers. The feature I'm most excited about is being able to watch movies on virtual screens of any size. While I still prefer going to a real theater to watch films, something like that will greatly improve the home theater experience. If you're wondering about battery life, you can run this thing for two hours before needing to recharge or you can plug it in for continuous use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX9qSaGXFyg

The tech may be sci-fi, but the presentation painted a more dystopian future than I imagine Apple intended. There was a loneliness about the showcase. Everyone was alone outside of those few people who needed to show off the EyeSight feature or those who were doing their best to cut off the outside world. There have already been studies about how our current crop of technology is making us lonelier, and I can't imagine everyone walking around with these headsets on will change that.

The price for all of this technology? The Apple Vision Pro will retail for $3499 when it releases in early 2024. That automatically takes it off my to-buy list, but I am curious how the device would even work for me. As I've written about before, I do not have two properly functioning eyes, which rules out all VR and 3D technology for me. AR has always seemed like the tech of the future more than VR ever did, but given how this specific device works, it remains to be seen if I'll be able to immerse myself in the tech.

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Come again?

What’s important to know about Loop8: Summer of Gods, and possibly the reason why we haven’t seen a demo for it yet, is that it’s not an RPG in the traditional sense. Yes, there are stats to build and monsters to fight, but the latter is a small part of the final package, while the former is achieved through completing a small number of tasks each in-game day. It’s better to think of Loop8 as a social simulator rather than an RPG. Just picture the Princess Maker series and you’re halfway there.

[caption id="attachment_383255" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Loop8: Summer of Gods (PC, PS4, Switch [reviewed], Xbox One)
Developer: SIEG Games
Publisher: Xseed Games
Release: June 6, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

As Nini, the newest arrival in the quaint seaside town of Ashihara, you’re there to protect the village from the invading spirits called Kegai while making friends, building bonds, and discovering the backstories of the only other 12 people in town. Each day, you’re free to do with Nini what you please. You can head to school for some optional summer learning, find a specific person to chat with, or build up your stats at one of Ashihara’s training areas. If you want to get to know a person, you can chat them up as they go about their day or ask them to join you as you move around town. Time moves swiftly each day, and when you engage in an activity like studying a map of Japan, it jumps the clock ahead.

Eventually, a Kegai will possess one of the town’s folk. You’re given hints on who it is, and when you figure it out and approach them in the right spot in Ashihara (or just happen upon them, as happened to me once or twice), a portal to a mirror version of the town opens up. Once somebody is possessed by a Kegai, you only have a few days to build your team up and defeat them. If you can’t get it done in that time or accidentally kill someone you meant to keep alive, Nini can reset the world back to his first day in town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=451TyuMU-nk&feature=youtu.be

That is the titular gameplay loop of Loop8. Your objective is to survive until the end of the month, though the game really doesn’t spell this out for you. Loop8 is light on direction and purpose as it would rather players define their own adventure and tell their own story through its extensive social system. Xseed has done much to pump up the game’s “emotion-driven AI system,” otherwise known as the Karel System, but it might take you a few loops to see it have any sort of effect. The general idea behind it is every action you take in the game will impact what characters say and do. If you’re mean to someone, their hatred for you may come back to bite you in the ass should Nini face them in battle. In theory, the Karel System promises unique experiences through each loop you run. In practice…

Back at one

Looping narratives are nothing new. With most games, your protagonist is aware of what’s happening and uses their experience to improve the next run or loop they make. Loop8 takes a different approach. While some stats carry over across loops, everything else resets to their base when you start anew. Not only does this mean you’ll have to start training from scratch, but you’ll also have to start building up those relationships again, going through the same conversations, experiencing the same events, and watching as Nini has the same revelations.

To its credit, you can regain what you lost in the loop far more quickly than when you earned it the first time. So if you make progress building a budding friendship with Nanachi, the town otaku, you’ll be able to charm him quicker in your next run of it. The stats you get from training around town also rebuild quickly, even if their importance pales in comparison to the blessings you get.

Musasa, a mythical flying squirrel-thing, is a creature you’re going to see a lot in this game. Whenever you visit a shrine around town and often when you chat with a person, this little guy will pop up and offer a blessing from a god. Blessings build up your various stats, and they're the only things that carry over to the start of each loop. The type of blessing you get is largely random, but who is blessed depends on your actions. If Nini visits a shrine while alone, the blessing will go to him. If you visit a shrine with another person, or if Musasa appears after you talk to somebody, the blessing will often — if not always — go to them. The more blessings you receive for Nini and the rest of the people around town, the more useful they’ll be in the mirror world.

[caption id="attachment_383256" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Because Musasa pops up so frequently during this game, I highly recommend everyone updates to version 1.02 before playing as it includes the option to skip the blessing animations.

Trust me on this one.

It's just emotions taking me over

For the first 10 hours of Loop8, I struggled to get my bearings on what I should focus on. The Karel System didn’t feel like it was making any impact, whether in battle or in general conversations. I understood how my choices in chats improved or whittled away at my connections to people in town, but it’s hard to really care about those choices when oftentimes, your reward for moving your relationship forward was just a simple “thanks.” I also found it hard to care when some conversations triggered events almost at random. I’m sure they’re not random and there was something I had done, some relationship status I had met, to trigger these events. But I could not tell you the steps I took to unlock them.

Each character has three emotion levels — friendship, affection, and hate — that are impacted by the choices you make. The friendlier you are with someone, the more options you’ll have in conversations. As your friendship grows, you’ll be able to suggest activities, train together, and even go on dates. The more someone hates you…well, actually, I don’t know what happens when somebody hates Nini because everyone loved him through all of my runs. The only people who hated Nini were likely the ones I killed, but that was easy enough to reset with another loop.

[caption id="attachment_383254" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Understanding how the people of Ashihara feel about one another is the key to getting everyone to the end of August alive. Adding someone to your party who has a strong emotional connection with the person possessed by the Kegai can impact the outcome of the battle. I didn’t want to kill the people I killed in the game, but I wasn’t given an option for most of them because they didn’t have a connection to the members of my party. That's why it's important to figure out who is possessed early on, so you can build a rapport with those they share emotional ties with. It took me one too many loops to figure that out, but once I did, I got a clearer vision of how to proceed. Unfortunately, going forward sometimes meant going back to the start.

I don't want to fight you

Each loop I took added up to hours of repetitive gameplay. Going through the same conversations wears thin quickly, and each loop can last up to seven hours depending on your actions and how satisfied you are with your trajectory. I had a loop where I nearly made it to the end of the month only to have Saru, my BFF of that run, die in the closing seconds of battle. Heartbroken, I had a choice: do I loop and go through the motions again, or boot up my last save?

Obviously, I went with the latter option.

Playing through Loop8 is akin to a war of attrition. The game does its best to wear me down with its repetitious nature, while I did my best to persevere and earn all those blessings. Whatever fun I had in the first few hours of my time had run dry by the time I landed on the final day of my last loop. Even the battles of Loop8, while wonderfully cinematic in design, couldn’t turn the tide of my feelings toward the game.

Don’t expect too much fighting or any extensive dungeons in Ashihara. Nini and friends will only fight in a mirror version of the town, and while there are skirmishes to engage in, you can make a beeline for the boss without penalty. In battle, you have full control over Nini while your partners are controlled by the AI, allegedly making their decisions in battle based on their connection to you, your other party member, and the Kegai-possessed enemy. You can attack using one of the three emotions with hate doing the most damage.

However, the more you use hate, the more powerful your enemy can get. I stuck with friendship and affection attacks and did just fine, keeping the enemy's strength at a minimum for most of my battles. I did die or lose companions in my earliest loops, but as I completed more runs, received more blessings, and made stronger connections, whatever challenges I'd previously faced subsided. After many tries with things never quite going my way, I was finally able to get myself in a loop where it was clear everyone would still be breathing by the time September rolled around.

[caption id="attachment_383253" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

At that point, I had put in far more hours than I ever intended to or should have. And it didn’t feel like I was winning because of my strategy or skill. I was winning because I spent enough hours cheesing the Karel System until it was nearly impossible for me to lose.

Here you come again

As I made each loop in Loop8, I realized the systems I once found obtuse were rather elementary. Once I dropped my expectations of how I thought this game should be played — such as trying to build up the strength stat based on the misguided notion it would grant Nini stronger attacks — I started to see this game for what it is. Loop8 has a strong aura of “proof of concept” about it.

It’s an experiment in game design, one that doesn’t work as well as it should. The time-consuming repetition of each loop is an enthusiasm killer, while the Karel System doesn’t really have the impact it ought to. You’re given little aid in helping understand which actions lead to which results, and the conversation system at the heart of each personal interaction can feel like busy work, routinely forcing you to talk to someone five or six times in a row to get through all their preset dialogue before you get access to the conversation choices. To make it through to the end, at least if you want a good ending, you’ll need to rinse and repeat a lot, and I’m just not sure how many people will subject themselves to hours of limited gameplay and recurring dialogue.

For all of its rough edges, and there are plenty of them, I still think Loop8: Summer of Gods is one of the most interesting games I’ll play this year. It also might be the most disappointing game I’ll play this year. There is a lot of potential in the individual ideas and concepts on display here, but that potential is stuck behind some exhausting design decisions that drained the game of whatever joy it sought to provide me.

_{[This review is based on a review build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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And it looks like this one might actually release outside of Japan

Friday night before an extended holiday weekend is arguably the worst time for companies to release video game news. Most people have gone home, and those of us who are still around have to make the choice between enjoying our free time and dragging our butts back to our laptops to crank out one more story for the day. For most games, I'd wait until Monday. But when you're talking Dragon Quest Monsters, you have my attention.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Dragon Quest spin-off. The series is a monster-collecting take on the franchise, something developers had explored years earlier in Dragon Quest V. The first two games were released on the Game Boy Color, with the second title hitting right at the end of the handheld's life cycle. Maybe it was the fact that nothing could beat Pokémon at the time, or maybe it was because the Dragon Quest brand didn't have the international appeal it does now, but the DQM series has had an inconsistent reputation for getting worldwide releases. The Game Boy Color games both made it over to North America. Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart, which was released on the Game Boy Advance, was never localized. Both Nintendo DS entries in the series—Dragon Quest Monsters Joker and Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2—scored worldwide releases, but every game developed on the 3DS stayed in Japan.

Given that Square Enix is still pretty shaky on whether or not a Dragon Quest game will go worldwide (looking at you, Dragon Quest X Offline), the video below gives me hope we'll see the series on our shores in the near future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y-cIRpX46I

If you made it through to the end, you'll see that a new Dragon Quest Monsters is in development for the Nintendo Switch. This isn't the first time we've heard that Square Enix is revisiting the franchise. During a stream two years ago, it was revealed a new DQM was in development. It's been all quiet since then, and while I would have liked to have seen some footage, it is nice to know that we have this to look forward to in the future. It's also nice to know the Nintendo Switch still has some support going forward.

As for this new Monsters getting a worldwide release, well, why bother translating any of that video into English if you ain't gonna bring it our way?

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We're also getting Rune Factory 6

The development teams at Marvelous are certainly keeping themselves busy. Multiple upcoming games were revealed in the developer's game showcase yesterday, including a new Daemon X Machina game and two new entries in the Story of Seasons franchise. Rune Factory is also doubling up in development as Series Director Shiro Maekawa revealed the company is diligently working on two new titles in the series, Rune Factory Project Dragon and Rune Factory 6.

Project Dragon seems to be the one further along in development, as Maekawa provided the first footage of this Rune Factory spin-off. The game is going with a Japanese-styled world as players will explore the "Land of the East" for the very first time. And it looks like they'll be able to do it while riding Tatsu dragons.

https://youtu.be/N4NGndJUuMY?t=1185

It feels like a lot of franchises have been looking to ancient Japan for inspiration over the past few years, from Monster Hunter Rise to the upcoming Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless. To me, that's a good thing. I haven't been able to get enough of the setting since playing Ghost of Tsushima. What little video we see of the new game in the showcase certainly looks alright to me and I look forward to finding out more info (and whether or not the protagonist will have amnesia again.)

Beyond Project Dragon, Maekawa also confirmed Rune Factory 6 is in development. This game will feature a traditional western-fantasy setting on the continent of Adonea. I can only hope the end product is a few ticks above what we got with Rune Factory 5.

As with most of the games in the showcase, there is no information on a release date or potential launch platforms. In the meantime, Marvelous and Xseed Games will release Rune Factory 3 Special in September.

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