The evening Inbox asks for advice on getting started with Overwatch, as one reader finally completes Zelda: Breath Of The Wild.
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Natural conclusion
On the theme of not having enough time to play games, I was wondering how readers are getting on with their backlogs since New Year?
I made it my aim to try and complete 10 games in the calendar year and so far I’m well ahead of schedule. The key to my good start has been the realisation that sports games are an unwelcome distraction in my efforts to play and finish narrative-led games. I imagine others experience the same thing with playing online games such as Rocket League and Overwatch.
To stop this interference, I set up some folders on my home screen and put away the games that were taking up a lot of my time. Pro Evolution and MLB: The Show were the main culprits, but games with no natural conclusion like Spelunky, Everybody’s Golf, and Driveclub were also culpable. I set up a ‘Current Games’ folder that has one major studio game alongside a small handful of indie titles and now I just go straight to that and make my decision on what to play for an hour at the end of the day.
Using this method I have finished Journey, Bioshock Infinite, and Wolfenstein: The New Order, and feel a real sense of achievement and relief at having done so. My folder currently has Nioh, Broken Sword 5, Virginia, and Day Of The Tentacle and I’m sure I’ll enjoy them all more than I would playing Pro Evolution online.
I’m only an hour or two into Nioh and I suspect it is going to slow my progress somewhat, but I imagine in the next four weeks I can probably get Broken Sword and Virginia off the list and move onto CounterSpy and Thomas Was Alone, games I’ve wanted to get through but never found the time to finish.
AgentCole1981 (PSN ID)
Unhappy birthday
Just a little heads up on another anniversary that I bet Nintendo’s going to ignore: Star Fox is 25 years old this week, at least in Japan. Obviously, Star Fox Zero was a complete bomb and I don’t think it’s any surprise that that’s the one Wii U game we never hear about getting ported to the Switch. Nintendo made quite a big push with that one though, including Shigeru Miyamoto getting personally involved, and I can’t see them making that kind of effort again.
It’s a shame, because I loved the first two games (three now, I guess, if you include the newly reborn Star Fox 2) and I kept hoping that there’d be a good, modern day update. I do think Zero got closer than many people pretend but clearly it wasn’t a hit with many, and that’s what really counts.
What I suspect will happen now, if Nintendo ever bothers to do anything with it again, is they’ll use the same characters in a different kind of game, a bit like Star Fox Adventures. But I really don’t think that’s the way to go as the characters and animal people are the worst thing about if you ask me.
Zippy
Hollywood synergy
I see that they’re starting to do the whole marketing circus on the new Tomb Raider film and we still haven’t heard anything about a new game! Does this make any sense to us? Especially when the film looks almost exactly like the first game, unlike the original movies which were only vaguely similar.
Whether it’s called Shadow Of The Tomb Raider or not I’d just like to see some sign that the series is still alive and what Square Enix plan to do with it. Personally I’d like the actress for the film to lend her face and voice, which I don’t think has ever happened with these sort of things before. Maybe get the script writer (if he’s good) to work on the game too, because the stories in Tomb Raider have always been pretty rubbish even when the games have been good.
There’s big game events till E3 in June, so I really don’t know what the big hold up is. But it better not be another exclusive deal!
Cyber0
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Indie budgets
Since I’m one of those people that wanted From Software to make the next Metroid I would much prefer if it was third person rather than first person. I do think that, although Batman: Arkham Asylum comes close, we’ve never really seen a dedicated attempt at this kind of game with a big budget.
I suppose Metroidvanias are seen as the thing of only indie developers though, with almost none that are published by big companies, but I’d still like to see them give it a try. Not much chance for loot boxes or microtransactions in a slow-paced single-player game though, so I guess that’s why not.
I hope that one day game design technology gets cheap enough that indie devs can make whatever they want, and not just be stuck with 2D games. Not I want 2D to go away forever, but there are also a lot of 3D style of games that don’t get made nowadays because they don’t bring in enough money.
Lagrobus
Sensei equest
Can anyone give any recommendations of how to get into Overwatch? A friend gave me it for free because he said he’d tired of it, but although I’ve given it a go and like the idea of it I just can’t even begin to compete against anyone I’m playing against. It’s not that I’m bad at first person shooters or anything, but I just get the feeling that everyone else has been playing for years and I’m just on my first day.
I wish more games did the partner thing like with Monster Hunter, where you get almost on-the-job training, because I don’t see me ever having the willpower to preserve if it’s just me playing on my own. Also, I don’t want to be stuck playing the boring newbie characters for long…
Stanton
General retreat
I greatly enjoyed General Chaos on the Sega Mega Drive and would like to ask everyone if they would welcome a full reboot or remaster of this game with vastly superior improvements and additions, such as online multiplayer, HD 3D graphics, more maps, and a wider range of charicters, smoother combat engine, bigger single-player storyline, and online co-op.
The game won the hearts of Mega Drive players and did really well when it was released back in the ‘90s. Now that we are in 2018 I’m sure a reboot of this classic, entertaining title can be done.
I welcome everyone’s response.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)
GC: There was a Kickstarter to make a sequel a few years back, but it didn’t come anywhere close to hitting its target.
Custom tracks
Your Labo preview said you don’t think the Motor Bike Toy-Con will hold attentions for long. Had they revealed the track builder when you went to the event? Being able to import real world objects to alter the terrain via IR and draw your own tracks with a Joy-Con seems like it’d add longevity.
I’m hoping there’ll be a multiplayer element to the races too, although I imagine track sharing via the Internet will be out because of the aforementioned use of IR to shape the terrain.
Euclidian Boxes
GC: They didn’t say anything about that when we were there, but we’re still doubtful there’s enough meat to the game to make it that interesting.
Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here
No breath of a lie
Well, after longer than I care to admit (*cough*130 hours since Christmas Day*cough*) I have finally finished Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. I know many others have already waxed lyrical about the game, but I think the reader who wrote in a while back saying that looking back at the start of Link’s journey felt like looking back at themselves when they were younger and seeing how far they’ve come got it spot on.
Ever since Christmas Day, I’m not sure I’ve really stopped thinking about it. Even when I’ve been working or not been able to play for a couple of days for other reasons, it’s always been at the back of my mind, thinking about what I need to do next – that shrine I found but hadn’t had chance to do, doing the next Master Sword power up, following up that rumour about a special horse that’s been seen or just checking out that part of the map I’ve somehow missed so far…
The best way I can explain it is to liken it to the kind of obsession normally only experienced by children – the way something will come along, catch you just right, and take over your life. Whether it’s a film, a TV show, a book series or game, the feeling is the same. So for making this thirtysomething feel that innocent, childlike glee I can only thank Nintendo. They may have their detractors, they may have their faults, but when they’re on form there really is no-one else like them in the whole industry.
Sparky the Yak
PS: It’s too soon for me to say where it fits in my rankings. Zelda is my favourite game franchise, and A Link To The Past has been my favourite since I was 10, so it’s going to take some beating. Breath Of The Wild comes close though.
Inbox also-rans
Can you give me a quick list of your favourite indie games on Switch please? I know it’s a bit vague but anything unique, with nice art style, soundtrack, that kind of thing?
Jag
GC: We have a review archive here, but Owlboy’s a good place to start…
Purchased Owlboy for the Switch after reading your review. Really enjoying it so far. A special mention to the music. Loving it. One of the best indie games I’ve played in fact. Definitely recommended if you’re on the fence.
Steve
This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Gannet, who asks what do you think is the most overrated video game?
You don’t have to think the game is actively bad, just not as good as its reputation suggests. But do try and describe exactly why it didn’t live up to your expectations and what it got wrong. Was it just a good game that was hyped up too much, or do you feel it has flaws that were brushed over in reviews?
Was the problem that you were expecting it to be one thing and it turned out to be something completely different? Or was there some other personal preference that meant you couldn’t enjoy it?
E-mail your comments to: [email protected]
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