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System: Switch
Release date: May 28, 2019
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: NIS America


Games are often praised for the depth and variety of their content. Nintendo fans will surely remember how Breath of the Wild was widely praised for shaking up the Zelda series by providing incredible amounts of different things to do and experience. But not every game has to provide such diversity; some can thrive by doing a single thing and doing it well. Lapis x Labyrinth, the latest anime action RPG from Nippon Ichi Software, aims to be an example of the strength of streamlined game design with its single-minded emphasis on loot grinding combat and character-stacking party formations. Unfortunately, while there is a solid core gameplay loop to be found here, it’s let down by the game’s incredibly repetitive structure and boring level design, leading to an experience that frequently feels more frustrating than focused.

Hello, my angry suns! In this episode of NEP, we’ve got two special guests joining Oni and Galen: Tim and Tyler from Something Classic Games with the occasional woof from Tyler’s dog, Jackson. Something Classic recently debuted their stylish, modern take on SNES-era JRPGs, “Shadows of Adam”, on Nintendo Switch!

Join the four of us as we talk all about our reactions to the Super Mario Maker 2 direct and what we think of the unannounced new game style(s), too! We start things off with a casual interview of sorts where Tim and Tyler fill us in on their history in the games and music industries, tales of development, inspiring stories, RPG Maker back in the day, the roots of Shadows of Adam, and what transformations took place over the years. We also end up just chatting about general gaming habits, Pokemon GO, houses full of musicians, cats and dogs, memes…

If you’re a fan of classic SNES JRPGs, you don’t want to miss out on this episode and you definitely don’t want to miss out on Shadows of Adam. So, come have a chill time with us and get to know two of the devs from Something Classic Games.

As ever, we would appreciate your help in growing the show by sharing the podcast with a friend and rating us on your listening platform of choice, such as iTunes!
Thanks for listening!

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s big 3.0 update has been available for a few weeks now. That means players have access to the new content and features, including Stage Builder. The great thing about the Stage Builder is that anyone can easily create a level, upload it online, and have it played by others right away. Of course, some have received more recognition than others – and the “Yeah!” system also comes in to play, where highly-rated creations will be easier to spot.

Since Stage Builder has been up and running for awhile, we want to know what favorites you’ve come across thus far. Is there a level you’ve made that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

This past week, Koei Tecmo were kind enough to invite us to a pre-release event for Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle.  In addition to going hands-on with the Switch build, we had a personal demonstration from Omega Force manager and Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle producer, Mr. Hideo Suzuki.

Mr. Suzuki answered our questions and shared a lot of new information about Final Battle with us. We decided to ask him a few personal questions, as well, including his dream anime IP to work on. Check below the break for his responses.

System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: May 19, 2019
Developer: Noble Muffins
Publisher: Forever Entertainment


Its 2 AM, it’s dark, and I’m trespassing on my neighbor’s property (again). Quiet as a mouse, I delicately paw my waist until I’m met with the familiar shape of my flashlight. In the interest of decibels I apply as little pressure as I can and like magic (or torches), the room is illuminated in a divine glow. “Remarkable”, I mutter to myself. “Everything I stole three hours ago has already been replaced.” As I slowly survey the room I’m immediately drawn to the prize catch – a flat screen TV. “That’s a flat screen TV,” my internal monologue confirms. As I stand there slack jawed and aghast, I fail to take heed of my surroundings for a single crucial moment – I’ve been spotted. How could I have been this stupid? I had surveyed the house, taken note of the tenant’s routines and I was absolutely certain they wouldn’t be home until 4. None of that matters now. I gather myself momentarily before making a run for it.

This past week, Koei Tecmo were kind enough to invite us to a pre-release event for Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle. We went hands-on with the Switch build and met with Mr. Hideo Suzuki, Omega Force manager and producer of Final Battle. Mr. Suzuki gave us a personal demonstration of all the new features and answered several of our questions, as well!

We were really impressed with just how much additional content has been added to this expansion, so check below the break for a full rundown of what’s new, detailed mechanics and our impressions.

This past week, Koei Tecmo were kind enough to invite us to a pre-release event for Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle. We went hands-on with the Switch build of the game and were able to capture direct-feed gameplay of all the new features in the Final Battle expansion. This includes Territory Recover Mode, Human to Human Battles, Firearms and Gatling Gun gameplay, and Thunder Spear gameplay!

We’ll be posting some impressions and full details later today, but in the meantime, we’ve prepared four videos for you. Be sure to check below the break for more!

Hello, my beautiful Tanooki suit wearing Goombas! In this episode of NEP, we talk Devil May Cry coming to Switch, Nintendo’s E3 plans, our E3 expectations and what to do in the coming future for hardware revisions. Then we discuss all of Furukawa’s comments on Cloud gaming, improving Nintendo Switch Online and their partnership with Tencent Holdings to release the Switch in mainland China. We then read some listener mail where we talk about the backlash to Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers for Nintendo Switch.

As ever, we would appreciate your help in growing the show by sharing the podcast with a friend and rating us on your listening platform of choice, such as iTunes!
Thanks for listening!

System: Switch
Release date: April 30, 2019
Developer: Square Enix / Virtuos
Publisher: Square Enix


If you’ve ever watched the Star Wars prequel trilogy and thought “Man, this would be so much better if it were a Japanese role playing game,” then Final Fantasy XII is the game for you. With its fusion of medieval and sci-fi ideas in its setting and its heavy political overtones, it easily draws plenty of comparisons to George Lucas’s iconic space operas – it even comes complete with an evil Senate-led Empire and a plucky young orphan destined to take it down. Also like the prequel trilogy, Final Fantasy XII has been a point of contention for its series’ fans ever since its first release on the PS2 in 2006. Its unconventional real-time combat was a far cry from the classic turn-based battles that had defined the franchise up to that point, and the entire core structure of its politically charged storytelling and combat management felt like a dramatic change from traditional Final Fantasy experiences.

System: Switch
Release date: May 10, 2019
Developer: Volition / Deep Silver
Publisher: Deep Silver


There are certain genres that Nintendo consoles have historically missed out on. During the Wii generation, the Call of Duty style shooter was sorely missed – if not for an actual lack of ports (and well-forgotten games like The Conduit), then at least for the Wii’s inability to impressively render HD set piece spectacles. Open world games in the vein of Grand Theft Auto found similar enough success to spawn countless formulaic imitations, but the open world genre saw almost no representation on the Wii, and a handful of really bad ports on the Wii U. Perhaps the Wii’s greatest legacy was the perception that Nintendo consoles are bound to miss out on those “hardcore” blockbuster experiences.


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