'Super Mario Galaxy makes Mario 64 look like pediatric monkey who can't jump.'

I've never read or heard a more beautiful sentence.

I like the fact you included your initial expectation level going into each game.

and man that was a great synopsis on SMG!

@alehud42 said:

Agreed.

Mario 64 is still interesting in that the levels are very open and they give you pretty minimal direction on where to go next. And some of the stars you can get out of order (especially the red coin stars) because certain stars are just lying around the world.

Super Mario Galaxy is so heavily scripted towards each star that you can't really get any star other than the one you signed up for, since the other areas are completely inaccessible. Aside from that, though, Super Mario Galaxy is just wildly ahead of Mario 64 in terms of controls and imaginatively designed levels.

@alehud42: haha thanks. I think.. I should probably drop the missing "a" in the there but it's better this way I think.

@slag: Thanks for reading duder! Yeah I think my passion for SMG is pretty self evident

@bisonhero: Your 100% right about M64 being very open but I think your memory has given SMG a bit of a short stick (that's a saying, right?). It is relatively straightforward but not entirely. Many levels have Star Bit Stars, mini levels within levels where you need to have a certain number of star bits just to reach them. I think they are the one deviation where you can "get a star different then what you signed up for". It helps that the basic structure of the game isn't linear. Every time you beat a Bowser level and get a Grand Star a new set of worlds (Fountain) is unlocked. But you don't need to defeat every level in a Fountain to get to a Bowser level, you just need the right number of stars. So you can be pretty non-linear about which levels you do when.

Ni no Kuni, my guilty pleasure.

You need to get deeper into Ni No Kuni. Way deeper. It opens up so much. My personal favourite game of 2013.

So I just got my boat, and I'm off to Autumnia, though I'll probably explore around the area. I think I'm under-leveled though, everything feels pretty difficult... All my magic is so weak. It's definitely starting to open up, but very A to B to C. Either way really loving it so far.

That reminds me, I need to buy Ni No Kuni at some point.

How dare you compare TLOU controls to Resident Evil! HOW DARE YOU! You should just go ahead and use listen mode/vision thing. No point in restarting encounters a bunch of times because you don't want to use it. Survivor difficulty blocks out listen mode completely so just play the game like that after you beat it on hard while using listen blablubluh.

DmC is so damn good too. Everything about that game is awesome. I didn't even expect to like it, I only played it because Ninja Theory's name was behind it. Although I have to admit that it's the only DmC I've played. Never played any other one but I don't want to.

I'm going to play Ni no Kuni. One day. My backlog is so big and I have a couple JRPG's in it already that I can't possibly muster up the courage to start ANOTHER. One day though.

Hmm I don't know if I exactly agree with the Resident Evil resemblance. The fact that you have limited resources and have to search for them in the environment I see more as a typical survival horror element. Granted it might have been RE that really started that trend but everything else in the game is so different; in terms of how the game handles the characters, the story and the setting. The tone is different enough that the two never really occured to me as being the same.

I definitely don't agree with the tank controls though. I can't really see what you are getting at with that cause for me TLOU pretty much controls like every other third person action game. I guess they did make the aiming at little harder, unless you upgrade it all the way, but that didn't really bother me. It's a stylistic choice and I think it fits really well with the tone of the game that you aren't always able to pull of perfect headshots. You might miss a few times and that kinda sucks, but it's supposed to suck if you miss. When I think tank controls I think RE 1 - 3 not TLOU.

I can see why the upgrade system might seem a bit gamey for some people, and it is, but it didn't really break the immersion for me. As well told as the story is and as well acted as the characters are the gamey bits never ruined the illusion for me though. Yeah I guess it is kinda weird that you can upgrade your aiming with pills, but I have always been able to accept a few gamey bits even in very cinematic games. If it makes the game better I would rather have that they included it instead of excluded it even though it might be a little gamey. Anyways I understand what you mean but it's not really a problem for me in this case.

Also DmC is pretty cool.

I actually just finished Castlevania: LoS on PC, and while it's slow and incredibly hard in the beginning (almost uninstalled it cause of the lack of locking on enemies and the locked camera on environments), it picks up later on. The VO in general in the game is incredibly well done. Also that menu book and the hand drawn animations of the moves are amazing. Must've watched them all for like an hour or so just cause they look so badass.

That ending though....I mean, I get that Castlevania games aren't the most uplifting games and all that, but the epilogue turned my saving the world with bittersweet love story ending to a total 'FUCK YOU PLAYER! GABRIEL NOW DRACULA CAUSE CASTLEVANIA'. It felt really lazy, even with the extra DLC that attempts to explain why.

Now, Zobek turning into Dracula.... that would've been something I fully support.

But still, glad I played it all the way through. DmC is next on my list.

@geraltitude: It's a really weird thing to say in order to encourage someone about a game, but I came away really liking Lords of Shadow after I beat it - but I vaguely remember really disliking, quite literally, the first 5-6 hours of it? The beginning, up to and well past the golem fight you mention is really slow. It's weird to recommend a game when a good 5 hours of it are average at best, but somehow it picks up so stick with it.

Kinda glad I read this. I've had the game for awhile but haven't really started playing it yet. That makes sense that his animations would be more in sync with the original voice work, and I've heard from others that Oliver can be a bit annoying, so I might try it out in Japanese if I'm not digging it.

The problem I had with Lords of Shadow was that it has major pacing issues. There are points in the game in which it just locks you in puzzle room after puzzle room. Also the game is pretty freaking long for action game standards. It's an alright game with a ton of flaws in my book.

@butano Yeah, the ending seemed like it was there to set up the events of the sequel. It felt very abrupt in the DLC too.

There is more creativity in a single level of Super Mario Galaxy than most games show throughout their entirety.

It is absolutly flawless. A work of artists at the very peak if their game. In my humble opinion probably the single best game of the entire generation.

@believer258: What? I can't believe you haven't played it yet! 258! ... anyways you should buy it now, not "one day". I ain't no jrpg expert but I know a classic when I play it and NNK is just oozing classic juice.

@guesty_01: Oh it's absolutely one of the best games of the generation. No contest.

@tournamentofhate: yeah unfortunately English Oliver is a wee bit annoying. Drippy is really the only stand out in English, maybe the only bearable one even. But I'll say this much: the text translations are hilarious and awesome, Oliver included. Drippy is still welsh or scottish or whatever he is (sorry, ignorance). The Japanese VO is really reminiscent of an actual Miyazaki film, which is to say it's full of personality. I've had some laugh out loud moments in the cutscenes, which never happens to me. It's always obvious whose talking and they not only emote physically pretty well but their being very emotional with their voices, so I really don't think you miss much in Japanese. Plus, one of the minor sweet touches to Ni No Kuni is how well produced it is. It takes all of 30 seconds to save/quit, hit the main menu to change the VO, and pop right back to where you were.

@thunderslash, @butano, @humanity: Y'all pumped for Lords of Shadow 2? Sounds like pacing issues is the name of the game, er, with this game. But it also sounds like I'm just about past the boring parts? Definitely a bit intimidated by the length (:O) but I know I'll be back for more, just not sure I can finish this beast. I know what you mean Humanity, and I feel like people say that all the time on podcasts but I actually think it's pretty normal, based on my experience playing games, to have a game that is bunk for 5 hours before getting rolling. It does sound a little wack to excuse it but I just think of it like books or TV series. Game of Thrones episode 1 is decent, but it doesn't really get sweet until episode 6. So long as episode 6 is worth it I guess. Agree about the ending Butano: Zobek would have been a better choice, but I guess they knew they couldn't afford Captain Picard for the long run.

@castiel, @awesomeusername: Ok, ok, look, about the Resident Evil thing. Definitely, to Castiel, I didn't mean anything about the story or characters. There's some similarities in the tone and setting, but even that is broad strokes. It really is the controls that remind me. And, I know this may sound crazy, but it's mostly just the fact that you can back-peddle, and your guns suck. In most action games pulling back on the stick turns you around - not so in TLOU and Resident Evil, it just makes you walk backwards. The way your guns are ineffective reminds me of RE also, along with the bullet and healing item scrounging. Enemies take tons of pistol shots in RE, or you get lucky with a headshot; the shotgun kills at close range, but is very weak outside that. While you have more precise aiming in TLOU that all still applies. It's worth noting that TLOU is the first "scary game" I have played since RE4 on GC. So, yeah. Maybe that's part of the resemblance for me.

@awesomeusername said:

Oh yeah. I actually kind of forgot about it. I turned it off from the menu for whatever reason and never went back. I'll do that tonight. Kind of bummed about the section I'm in. Have a feeling I'll be running into a lot of "Oh no - Joel and Ellie are split up! Time to find her again!" and not sure how into that I am... Thanks for the tip duder.

@geraltitude: It's on my to-get list, right after Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2 (which are supposed to be similar to Nocturne and that sounds like it's right up my alley).

@geraltitude: Yah I'm actually kinda pumped for Lords of Shadow 2 - the music is great in the trailers. As for the first game, I think I really started enjoying it around the time you make it to the castle. At that point you have a fair number of upgrades and cool moves so combat gets more varied and overall the mood and story starts to peak.

Really original and cool idea for a post.

I actually play SMG currently too, since not having a Wii I catch up now on the Wii U. I just reached 111 stars and the game is outstanding. Not quite sure if I like it more than 3D World though.

Wait, you played through detritus like the SaGa games and Tail Concerto but FFXII was the tipping point?

@geraltitude: I'm guessing you're in the hotel level? Read this if you want to know whether you & Ellie are split up a bunch, don't worry, there aren't any spoilers. There's 4 parts in that game where you and Ellie are separated but in 2 parts, you're given another partner.

Ni No Kuni definitely hearkens back to a time when I enjoyed JRPGs a lot more.

Yeah Super Mario Galaxy is really fantastic. I'm still pissed at my brother for trading in my copy just so he could buy his daughter a shitty Dora DS game that she didn't even end up liking. She could have been playing SMG with me and having some real fun. I really wanted to like LoS but that game made me actively hate playing it by the end. Pretty good story and art but that's about it.

@atwa: thanks duder! Sounds like you're way further than me, excited to get there. Just bought Mad World recently. I'm feeling like I want to play all the Wii classics, but apparently xenoblade is hundreds of dollars??

@excast: Yes, exactly. There's something about it that is of that era.

@awesomeusername: wait wait wait. Do you work for the NSA? I am on the Hotel Level. Thanks for the info. That makes we want to go back and finish that section. That's not sarcastic, for the record, it read to me as such the second time over.

@hippie_genocide: I meant "FFXII was my last hurrah" as in my last amazing romp through a jrpg I really enjoyed, not that it was the last piece of shit I could stand. I don't even remember the name of that game.

@believer258: Sounds sweet but I think you meant Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga* (lawsuit impending) Story 1 and 2.

@humanity: fair enough, but I kind of feel it's weird there's so little controversy (not that that's what I love or anything that) about the modern day setting. That's pretty crazy to me. I'm not super into the modern looking FFXV but that's another story. I guess Shinobi was sweet.

@mezmero: ohh that's brutal. That fool! My heart goes out both to you and her, for the memories she'll never have.

@geraltitude: ACTUALLY, there's 3 parts. Not saying anymore. But yeah, the hotel is the only part you play alone and it's scary as shit when you're in the dark fighting the infected. Especially since there's a brute and these infected that can practically sniff you out. Creepiest pat of that game. You definitely should use the listen mode. On hard, that section is a pain. If you don't know how to pass that part, just let me know. That part isn't very clear on what you have to do so I'll tell you.

@geraltitude: Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

I actually did get Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2 right after saying that so I'll probably pick up Ni No Kuni after ten hours of that. So about next week, or the next.

Awesome, thanks for the extra info.!