[Let’s Talk] February 2021 Nintendo Direct reactions
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments
After more than 500 days, Nintendo Directs as we know them finally made a proper return. A ton of upcoming titles from both first-party Nintendo studios and third-parties were shown.
Nintendo kicked off the presentation with Smash Bros. Ultimate, revealing Pyra/Mythra as the next DLC character. Other announcements included Splatoon 3, Mario Golf: Super Rush, Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, Miitopia, Famicom Detective Club localization, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity DLC. Project Triangle Strategy, Fall Guys, Ninja Gaiden Master Collection, Legend of Mana remaster, and Knockout City were among the third-party announcements. You can find the full breakdown of what was shown here.
Now that we’ve all had a few days to reflect, how are you feeling about the Nintendo Direct? What was your personal highlight from the presentation? Let us know in the comments below.
[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – February 2021
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
A new month rolled right on in last week. Now that we’re in February, we want to know what you’ve been playing.
Have you picked up some of the latest Switch games like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury or Atelier Ryza 2? Playing through something in your backlog? No matter the case, let us know in the comments below.
[Review] Little Nightmares II
Posted on 3 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 11, 2021
Developer: Tarsier Studios
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Little Nightmares quickly became a much beloved hit among fans of horror and side-scrolling adventure gameplay, beautifully melding this sense of intense atmosphere with some of the most innovative and unique environmental designs the medium has seen. It had everything it needed to be, well, nightmare fuel, and capitalized on that artistically. Its big draw-back, however, was simply how short it was. Thankfully, Tarsier Studios went on to develop DLC in a perfectly priced package that expanded the game up to three additional hours, putting us in the shoes of The Runaway Kid as they too tried to escape from The Maw. Now with the release of Little Nightmares II, feedback was taken to heart and Tarsier Studios has made a bigger and better adventure, emphasizing more so the nightmare portion of its name with a stellar experience that gives everything I wanted the first time around, and goes even further with its disturbing themes and atmosphere that, with excellent sound design, brings together a must-play horror package.
[Review] Gal Gun Returns
Posted on 3 years ago by NE Staff in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 12, 2021
Developer: Inti Creates
Publisher: PQube
The House of Dead, but with high schoolers. Time Crisis, but with teens. However one might try and describe it, there’s no getting around the fact that Gal Gun Returns is a very niche title – in a nutshell, it’s a rail shooter/dating-sim hybrid where you play as a high-school boy who must fend off swarms of desiring anime girls, all while pursuing the love interest of your choice. If that description makes you feel uncomfortable, then this game is decidedly not for you – but for those looking for a lighthearted, promiscuous romp through a Japanese high school, Gal Gun Returns is a competent but unremarkable experience.
More: Gal Gun Returns, highlight, Inti Creates, PQube, top
[Let’s Talk] Dormant Nintendo franchises you’d like to see make a return
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
When you think about gaming franchises, Nintendo has some of the most recognizable IPs around. Mario is right at the top, but there’s also Pokemon, Zelda, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Splatoon, and many more. There’s even Animal Crossing, which was already fairly popular in the past, but has really taken off with New Horizons on Switch.
Despite how many series Nintendo has at its disposal, not everything is around today. There have some IPs that haven’t been touched in years, or even decades.
With that in mind, we want to hear from you. Is there a dormant Nintendo franchise you’d like to see make a comeback? Let us know in the comments below – your response may be featured in a future Nintendo Everything video!
[Interview] Talking Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV with producer Kazuhiro Echigoya, including Switch
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Interviews, Switch | 0 comments
Switch fans in the west will finally be able to try out Romance of the Three Kingdoms when the Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack launches next week. Ahead of the game’s release, Koei Tecmo gave us the opportunity to speak with producer Kazuhiro Echigoya.
Echigoya was able to speak about how the team approached the game’s story, future goals for the series, and more. We also chatted a bit about supporting Switch.
Here’s our full discussion:
[Review] Haven
Posted on 3 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 4, 2021
Developer: The Game Bakers
Publisher: The Game Bakers
Playing Haven, a game about two lovers surviving in space together, often feels like dancing. Whether the game’s protagonists are careening across floating islands, fighting corrupted wildlife or engaging each other in conversation, almost every component of Haven’s gameplay has a rhythm to it that makes the experience feel like a spectacle. While it suffers from occasionally tedious systems and a bloated structure, Haven’s focused story, striking presentation, and innovative combat make it of the most unique third-person games I’ve played recently – despite some technical issues.
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[Let’s Talk] Expectations for Zelda’s 35th anniversary
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Let's Talk | 0 comments
If Super Mario is any indication, there’s a good chance that Nintendo will be celebrating the 35th anniversary of Zelda this year. The very first game debuted on February 21, 1986, so the big milestone is only about a month away. When Nintendo is done celebrating Super Mario’s anniversary after March, perhaps that’s when the focus will shift to Zelda.
There are a couple of things to consider for Zelda. First, Nintendo previously celebrated the series for 25 years in 2011. That gave us new games with Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time 3D, and Four Swords Anniversary Edition. The symphony concerts also really started to take off that year. Nintendo sprinkled around a decent amount of merchandise as well.
Going back to Super Mario, we’ve seen how Nintendo celebrated the series’ 35th anniversary. There have been lots of different things happening between new games, tie-ins with other Nintendo titles, products, and events.
Now thinking about what’s in store for Zelda’s 35th anniversary, what are your expectations? Do you think we’ll be getting Breath of the Wild 2 this year? Could Nintendo bring past entries in the series for Switch? What do you think could happen outside of games? Let us know in the comments below.
More: highlight, The Legend of Zelda, top
[Review] Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
Posted on 3 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: January 26, 2021
Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Our beautiful and charming resident concocter of potions and alchemy returns in a follow up to the most successful entry in Koei Tecmo’s long-running Atelier franchise, which sees alchemists go on fantastical adventures of self-discovery and wonder as they achieve their goals in heartwarming tales. Nearly 25 years later, the series is bigger than ever and one of its most popular protagonists, Ryza, returns with her own sequel. Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy builds upon the foundation of what made the original such a hit with both old and new fans alike, and while it still doesn’t necessarily do anything to reinvent the wheel or push the genre or technical limits of hardware, the game continues to do what the franchise does best: provide us with wholesome adventures in a relaxing JRPG setting with a cast you can’t help but love and grow with.
[Let’s Talk] Most anticipated games of 2021
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
2021 will be bringing along the best and brightest games. Switch is in the prime of its life cycle currently and will surely offer many more memorable experiences over the next twelve months.
From Nintendo itself, the company’s lineup is actually a bit of a mystery at the moment. We know that Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury will be dropping along with Bravely Default II (published in the west) in February and New Pokemon Snap is planned for the very end of April, but there’s much that’s up in the air. You would think that Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 would have a good chance of a 2021 launch, though nothing is for certain. There are other question marks as well like Bayonetta 3.
While Nintendo is keeping its cards close to the vest, there are some heavy hitters from third-parties on the way. The lineup for 2021 already includes Monster Hunter Rise, Monster Hunter Stories 2, No More Heroes 3, Persona 5 Strikers, Atelier Ryza 2, Little Nightmares II, Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection, Capcom Arcade Stadium, Balan Wonderworld, Rune Factory 5, Story of Seasons: Friends of Olive Town, Disgaea 6, Cyber Shadow, and Axiom Verge 2. We definitely didn’t name everything here, and you know that we’ll be seeing plenty of announcements throughout 2021.
Based on what we know so far, what are your most anticipated games of 2021? Let us know in the comments below.
