Whatcha Been Playing?

[Joshihatsumitsu]

Miniature 10-hour-in update on Persona 5: after downloading and switching over to the Japanese audio, it's a very different experience.

I'll try to be careful how I phrase this, because in the context of games like Silent Hill or Life is Strange having American voice actors makes sense, because of their American setting. Quality may vary, but I don't find it jarring.

When I started playing Persona 5 with the default English audio, I found that Ryuji was just rubbing me the wrong way. Switch over to Japanese audio and now I like the guy! And I think, at least from my perspective, the Japanese voice acting for Ryuji made him a character, whereas the English voice acting made him a caricature.

As someone who is learning Japanese (and accepting that while I'll never be fluent, I'm hoping something will sink into my subconscious), the spoken language is very flat. And spoken English is far from flat, and within the context of a game set in Japan, with Japanese characters, it really sticks out.

So that was my spoiler-free Persona 5 language rant! Now I want a Persona 4 Japanese audio play-through... I might start to like Yosuke!

[James]

It's been all Injustice 2 and Tekken 7 for me. Slowly learning a couple of Robin combos, and actually putting time into practice has been great.

I very much need to do the same for Tekken, but that'll be an even steeper learning curve, I fear. I've not played more than a few minutes of any 3D fighter, so there's a lot of learning to do. Might dedicate the summer to these two games and see if I can improve my overall fighting game "skills".

[Chopper]

I'm playing Rakuen (PC), a game by Laura Shigihara, of game music fame.

I'm about 2 hours in and really hoping that this is an adult game disguised as a child's game.

Most recent Achievement - Help save Bad Attitude Onion from his bad attitude

[Alex79]

I've been playing GTA5 almost exclusively lately - what a brilliant game. I loved it on PS3, but replaying the entire thing in first person on PS4 and it's so much more immersive. Really love landing the planes in first person, watching the altometer and glancing out the windows to navigate etc. Top stuff.

[Suits]

I'm having the little one between feeds tonight while the wife has a bath and a catch up on sleep.

I've downloaded Wonderboy: The Dragons Trap on my Switch to have a crack at.

Just about to start it, looking forward to it.

[Suits]

I've downloaded Wonderboy: The Dragons Trap on my Switch to have a crack at.

So, I'm thoroughly enjoying this game. Very much so.

I'm about 3/4 hours in and finding it very compelling indeed.

I'm surprises me how complex the game is in terms of age and the system I'm most familiar with it being on - Master System.

The areas, bosses and gating with characters is good fun. I find it vague enough to be taxing and rewarding enough to be fun, it's a great mix.

It looks wonderful and sounds great too - in the HD option and the 8-Bit original mode with scan lines looks just as good in my opinion but less easy in the eye over long periods, so I'm staying with the updated visuals.

The audio is a mind bending trip back in time for me, I can listen to it for a while and it takes me right back to when I had my SMS2 when I was 7. Again though, after a quick nostalgic flick I switch back to the updated audio for longer lasting plays.

I've played most of it on the big TV but did a good hour with it in handheld mode as we went up to bed and it's still melts my mind how great that transition plays out in the reality. On the TV I'm using the 8BitDo SFC30, so feels great to control, then using the stick on the Joy Con when in handheld mode feels second best but is perfectly acceptable.

[Flabyo]

If Wonderboy 3 is your 'jam' then you should give the newest Shantae game (half genie hero) a go, I was surprised just how much design similarity there is there.

[Alex79]

You can use that third party pad on Switch then? Does that mean you could use any Bluetooth pad with the console?

[Suits]

If Wonderboy 3 is your 'jam' then you should give the newest Shantae game (half genie hero) a go, I was surprised just how much design similarity there is there.

Yeah, I've been thinking of giving this a go - again. It came out today I think.

I had it on my Wii U and 3DS but never really got past the first few hours, not for any negative reason, I just think something else came up.

[Suits]

You can use that third party pad on Switch then? Does that mean you could use any Bluetooth pad with the console?

Yes mate, there was a firmwear update for the 8BitDo series of controllers, that allowed them to work with the Switch - wonderfully.

So I assume, as long as the controller has been updated to work with the Switch, then yes, I don't see why any other controller wouldn't work. Not that I've tried mind.

The 8BitDo pads are incredible quality for what they cost and they have a wide variety of fits to choose from also.

[James]

The 8BitDo pads do look very nice indeed. The NES30 Pro especially as it has analogue sticks and L2/R2 buttons, making it a fully functional competitor to the Switch Pro Controller.

Tough to pass up a SNES controller though.

[Suits]

Tough to pass up a SNES controller though.

I have to say I was worried that the 8BitDo SNES pad was going to be a poor example of the original but it's perfect, almost exactly the same as my SNES pads.

The dimensions are all exactly the same, the only noticeable differences (to me), are the weight - it's slight heavier. The should buttons have a different mechanism to the original but are fine and the new rubbers on the 8BitDo, being brand new, are more responsive and have more snap.

The quality of it all is unbelievable.

I promise, if you like the SNES pad, you will not be dissapointed in the slightest.

For £27 it's a bargain.

[James]

It would go very nicely with my RetroPie!

I guess I don't need the bells and whistles of the NES30 Pro pad, since I already have a Pro Controller for Switch.

[Suits]

I didn't think twice and instinctively went straight for the SNES pad.

Later, after I'd bought it I saw the others and did think about the NES30 but came to the same conclusion as yourself.

[ThirdDrawing]

I agree with everyone - Telltale are generally being extremely dickish with their "physical" releases that have no content on the disc.

As for me, playing the Wipeout Omega collection. It is fantastic!

[Craig]

Playing Shantae on Switch and it looks, sounds and plays great for the most part. It's bright and colourful, really well animated and I'm loving the different animal transformations. The Symphony of the Night esque back dodge isn't that useful though as most enemies attacks keep heading horizontally anyway.

The only thing I have issue is with the character designs - which has always been a bug bear of mine with the series. Every character is BOOBS BOOBS BOOBS. And that's fine. If you want lots of BOOBS in your game, whatever.

But it just gets a bit wearing that every female character is the same large chested, navel showing slim young woman, save for a few villagers who don't have portraits. The guys though come in all different shapes and sizes. It's just more interesting.

[Suits]

The only thing I have issue is with the character designs - which has always been a bug bear of mine with the series. Every character is BOOBS BOOBS BOOBS. And that's fine. If you want lots of BOOBS in your game, whatever.

But it just gets a bit wearing that every female character is the same large chested, navel showing slim young woman, save for a few villagers who don't have portraits. The guys though come in all different shapes and sizes. It's just more interesting.

I had similar issues with Bayonetta


Just finished the Wonderboy 3 remake on the Switch and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well worth the investment even though it's currently free on GoG , worth noting another game that has a really cool gallery section that has some really great vids of the session strings artists recreating the 8-Bit tunes.

[Alex79]

Just finished the Wonderboy 3 remake on the Switch and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well worth the investment even though it's currently free on GoG

What do you mean? Wonderboy 3 is free on GoG? It wasn't when I just checked. Bummed if I missed out on that!

[Suits]

What do you mean? Wonderboy 3 is free on GoG? It wasn't when I just checked. Bummed if I missed out on that!

Sorry man, I got that info 3rd party after I told someone I picked it up last week, it might be wrong - I didn't check if I'm being honest.

[ratsoalbion]

Doesn't seem likely to be honest, far too new.