Metroid Other M (WiiU)

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away.. I played a game and never wrote about it because at the time everyone was writing about this game and how horrible it was in the series.. AND I DIDN’T AGREE!! So here we go!! Other M!

Let me start with the basics here. The game to begin with is beautiful. Design wise it’s an easy game to pick up and the tutorial is made for everyone to learn and understand how the new mechanics works. Which is kind of interesting because it uses both side scrolling and first person to explore the areas. It adds a level of detail to the exploring that I think is pretty cool because it answers questions about what you are seeing around you.

Like every single Metroid before it “and I played them all” Samus starts off very basic and slowly is granted access to new upgrades of weapons and abilities. Now this in turn is why this particular game is such A PROBLEM FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. She doesn’t lose her abilities.. she CHOOSES to turn them off until she is granted permission by her superior officer whom she is working with ON this mission. She makes the decision which brings up an entire background about her having military training and later on becoming the bounty hunter we all know she is.

It’s the first time we find out any information about the character we have been playing as for 3 previous titles “Zero Mission, Samus Returns, and Super Metroid 3” For the respect of the mission which she wasn’t even supposed to be on but was granted an Alliance because her superiors officer is running the mission “Adam Malkovich”. Now keep in mind I NEVER TALK ABOUT STORY on these post and mostly I focus on the game. However this seems to be the issue with this game that so many people have found to be THE BIG PROBLEM THAT I think can be ignored!

Fact is the game focuses on Samus the Hunter. While it plays very much exactly like a Metroid game should it really does focus on the struggles of that character which very little has ever been said about until this point. I think a big part of what many people held issue with wasn’t the gameplay. It was removing the mystery from the character. All the things you as a player could relate too are gone at this point because it explains what is happening.

You still get to explore a new world, you still get cool weapons, you fight evil monsters and some cool new ones but they dashed the game with a bit of story that wasn’t to the liking of many. Do I think it’s a bad game because of that. HELL NO! While I welcome and lore about this series I paid for a Metroid game and that’s exactly what I got. It’s great action, mystery, and it’s fun to play.

Personally I wouldn’t skip this title because it happens between super metroid and Fusion. So technically it’s Metroid 3.5… could you skip it? Sure… but I think you would be missing a interesting part of lore by doing so.

Doom Eternal part 2(Switch)

Let me just begin by saying I have already done a TON!! Of writing about doom on this site. So without question I’m going to say to buy it. HOWEVER!! Let’s review first..

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/something-for-now-till-darkness-is-finish-here-is-doom-64/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/more-doom-64-stuff/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/doom-3-bfg-edition-part-1-of-3/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/doom-3-part-2-of-2/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/doom-3-bfg-edition-part-3-of-3/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/doom-3-the-lost-mission/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2019/07/30/doom-1993-switch/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2019/09/05/doom-2016-switch/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/doom-2-1994-switch/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2020/03/21/doom-64-ps4-switch/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2020/03/27/doom-eternal-part-1-ps4/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2021/04/01/doom-eternal-the-ancient-gods-part-1-2dlc-ps4/

https://videogamesalexander.wordpress.com/2021/07/28/doom-zero-dlc-switch/

So why even bother writing about this game? Well…here…we…go!

To begin with If you are looking for a copy of Doom Eternal for on the GO! Switch is without question the best way to do that. However I’m sure you could spend well over 2000 $ on a laptop that will let you play it on the go but.. why would you do that?! The only thing this game is missing is the shineyness that makes Doom Eternal on the PS4 PS5 AND PC pretty.

It’s true you won’t get 60 frames a second.. but a reduced.. 30 frames a second.. Which you would think would change the speed of the game. However .. it really doesn’t. I was capable of pulling off the same actions in Doom on those consoles as I was in this. By far one of the most impressive ports on the switch honestly I kept saying to myself while playing it.. How the hell did they manage to keep all of this stuff going on a handheld system.

it’s a beautiful game both docked and undocked on the switch. However the odd thing you will come to find is the only way you can buy it is thru the Digital version.. No Physical version was made “AS OF YET!! 09/14/2021” Will that change in the future… maybe… but they just released both DLCS for the game and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised after all the patch work that it be done.

but as I was saying everything is in it. The best part about it also is that Bethuseda linked the accounts. So while you CAN’T transfer save data YOU CAN .. Transfer all your little details across platform. So that Doom 64 skin you got on the PS4 Version of the game after beating it on PS4 Does transfer to the Switch.

So that’s pretty cool. Of course nothing has changed with the soundtrack being amazing as it was on the other consoles. Honestly it’s the same exact game just slightly less graphical or pretty. Yes sometimes it gests blurry but again.. it’s a switch.. and you would expect as much considering what the game is pushing on it. Yet it does maintain the speed.. and action without question! Honestly loved every second of it and look forward to trying the DLC soon!

The Legend Of Zelda Link’s Awakening (Switch)

While this is a remake of a Gameboy game released in 1993. The game was improved and released also under the title Link’s Awakening DX in 1998 but this is a brand new game based on those two in the series. So what did I think of it!…here….we…go

Link’s Awakening is the strangest Zelda game I have ever played yet also one of the most charming in it’s presentations. Graphic was it’s like playing with Zelda toys on the screen. Both beautiful, and simplistic. The music is amazing and it feels like you are playing a version of A Link to the past that never got released. Now what makes it strange?

How do I even begin to explain how you can never tell what is going to come next. The game keeps you on a surprised setting at every turn. While you think you will see one thing something completely different will pop up. While it’s not a story heavy as Twlight Princess this game is based more around the original concept of find the Dungeon .. Get the Item.. Kill the boss..and move on. The puzzles can be difficult, and fun to figure out. Getting lost is close to impossible because the game does have several characters that try to help you find your way.

Much of what this game does is all traditional NES Zelda. Enter the Dungeon and explore to find a map, compass and Item to help you progress. The menu is easy to use, maps are easy to read. It’s simple to play and expects you to remember details about those you interact with as you progress. Mystery and understanding can be a bit hard but it’s a Zelda game so it’s what you come to expect.

One of the things I find very charming about the game is how it does respect the material it’s presenting. You will find surprise guest characters BUT .. they aren’t who you think they are. In some ways it’s this twisted distorted sort of reality that makes you often question… WHAT THE HELL..IS HAPPENING..hehe

It’s fun game and honestly it’s what an every Original Zelda player could want and more. Without question worth the price which because it’s a nintendo game probably will remain over 30$. still funn fun…

Devil May Cry (Switch)

Devil May Cry has been a series that I have known about since it’s introduction on the PS2 back in 2001. I have had several friends tell me how great the series is and explain to me how I NEEDED to play it. After years of waiting I finally managed to download it for the Nintendo Switch in all it’s updated glory and can say it was worth the time! Here..we..go..

The game for the most part is a fast paced action slasher built around playing the character Dante. A demon hunter who is quickly learning about his abilities and skill thru combat against King Mundus and his demons. For the most part the game is action based on using swords, and guns in combination. You will pick up weapons as you move thru a large castle and it’s surrounding area. Learning to use a combination of different sword swipes thru button combinations can seem a bit intimidating at first but quickly like learning a fighting game it becomes second nature about an hour into playing the game.

Much of the game also involves solving room puzzles. Finding the right keys for the right doors and figuring out how to get to new locations. Exploring statues, books, and all the little details is important in that you can find more from exploring those things than not. It doesn’t handhold at all in that it wants you to explore the rooms. While the action is fast paced it is without question a game you want to explore and move around in. Examining a statue or picture in one room could be the key to finding how to get to the next.

I personally had to have someone who had already finished the game help me get past much of the game because of how many details I was horrible at figuring out. Once I figured out it was more of a exploring type of game than just a normal liner action based game it all worked out.

While you explore you will pick up new weapons and upgrades to your character. You do have continues and health advantages but keep in mind it again is very important you search the details. If something seems out of place it’s probably that way for a reason.

Over all I enjoyed the game and while I would normally jump to the sequel I have been told by everyone I know that Devil May Cry 2 SUCKS… and to just try 3 because of it. While I don’t normally take the advice of people and like to explore things myself. EVERYONE I KNOW has told me to me…with no variations on the topic….so I might just skip 2 and jump to 3 in the future. WHO KNOWS!

The Legend Of Zelda Twlight Princess HD (WiiU)

Re-released in 2016 Originally Released in 2006 for the Wii and Gamecube. Twlight Princess HD is without question the best Game to buy for the Nintendo WiiU. With rumors spread recently on a RE …RE…Release for Switch. I Finally took the time to sit down and play thru this amazing game only this time INHD…so…here….we…go

While the WiiU System itself gets a great deal of bad representation I can full heartily say the price for the system and this particular game make it worth a buy. While this is the 14th game in the series it takes big strides to tell a brand new story that includes the characters you want to see in the series with additional new characters to expand a fantastic story. While Dark and a bit grittier than previous titles this game takes everything you know about the Zelda series and adds a bit more complexity to the story being told.

This particular version uses the controller screen to give easier access to the menu, map, and helps with the interface of the game as you play. Making access to the weapons and armor you pick up as you go easier is a plus but not really a huge selling point or change to the game. The big change comes in the design from Gamecubes software to the jump the WIIU provides. It’s a beautiful, clean and probably the most detailed version of The Legend of Zelda series.

The games sound design and direction are easy to follow. The story nothing short of perfect and engaging. Taking both the old hack and slash puzzle solving you would expect from the series and adding brand new characters, dungeons, and places to discover. Full of side quests, and of course hidden items it’s art style in every respect shows a mature tone to the series that has yet to sadly be repeated.

Without question if you own a WIIU it is a must have title. I purchased in a long time ago and only recently managed to find the time to finish and enjoy it again after having finished it originally on the Gamecube. I was happy to return to the title and recommend anyone who has the chance to also do so. The HD version is worth every cent.

DOOM ZERO DLC (Switch)

This one took me by surprise for several reasons. First of all it’s FREE DLC for those who purchased any of the new versions of DOOM or DOOM 2. ID has been extremely good to the fans with supporting Free DLC. Some.. small..and some like Doom Zero an entire experience.. So what did I think of it?….here…we…go!

On the Surface you could look at Doom Zero and say “Oh another Expansion!!”… However if you really dig into it you will come to find “Pleasantly” it’s telling a story about a piece of the doom universe that was never really explained. About a Villain or.. Villainess who was in the background the entire time and no one bothered to question it. I won’t say more than that but if anything this game is worth playing just to get a bit more context out of the Doom Universe.

Now the game itself is pretty much Doom 2 with a couple of added demons. Yet Again this is just a surface observation. Cause what charm is layered in this DLC comes in the form of amazingly brilliant Puzzles. I am talking the kind of brain teasers you wouldn’t expect from a Doom game. This game had me really using my detective skills to get past each level. Of course it starts out easy as all games should.. As you progress the stages themselves become amazingly fun to figure out. Not so much hard as much as it’s making sure you are constantly paying attention to what you are doing with the key searching.

If I’m being really honest this game which consist of 32 levels and was FREE is probably better than some of the PAID content I have seen for Doom. I won’t name anything BUT It’s really that good and really should get more credit for what you receive from it.

Competing in Mortal Kombat

A few months back I was playing Mortal Kombat 11 on Kombat League. Kombat League is basically a online Ranking system. You fight random players and the better you do the more the rank you have goes up. I was doing pretty well on it and it built up my confidence to the point that I said to myself.. well why not push this? Why not try to really focus my skills and abilities. I’m pretty good at this…Not the best by any means but pretty good. So why not try out the world of REAL competing.

So my focused moved more from Kombat League to actual Online tournaments. I learned very fast that it takes a level of focus and skill that is really far beyond my “Current” ability. Some people really put in so much time into learning Frame data, combos, Links, Counters, speed variations. The entire thing is a real science kind of like playing speed chess. What I came to discover is that the community around competing is super GREAT and it’s what keeps driving me to do it.

The first Tournament and Community I found was Outworld Television.

twitch.tv/OutworldTelevision

Getting in it was a welcoming community of Hundreds of people and it’s still growing. I joined the Discord, Signed up and was viewed by over 500 + players and fans. It was a HUGE THRILL… I was nervous out of my mind…and of course I lost.. but it was the first step in a much bigger world than I ever could have thought about. Hell my family even watched that first match and like I said it was a thrill! I didn’t do terrible but it came to me very quickly that I still had a great deal to learn from the experience. So I was on the hunt for more!

I found other competitions!

https://www.twitch.tv/brutalitybowl

https://www.twitch.tv/rockin_polos

Other communities and again was welcome for the love of the game. I even started to win a few matches. I continued to learn. Took some massive beatings! I continue to look into the community and celebrate other peoples successes and help those who welcome to learn just like me. It’s fun for me and it can also be very very discouraging also. Yet I have a great support group of friends and family that keep telling me DON’T GIVE UP!…

So I push on!.. it’s been an adventure.. and I am super surprised by how it’s all turned up. Mortal Kombat has since MK 2 been one of the joys of my life. Perhaps an obsession to a degree but I like to think it’s a healthy hobby. I put a great deal into it. With the recent post of NRS not Continuing DLC for MK 11.. AND MOVING ON TO SOMETHING NEW!!

My hopes are high to learn something new and continue this hobby. I will also continue to look into other communities and I welcome friends from all over the world with it!.. For the love of it!

Metroid Zero Mission (WIIU)

So recently I powered up the WiiU because I came to find out that Metroid Zero Mission is actually a Remake of Metroid 1! Which I never got to play so naturally I ran to it! So … this is what happened… HERE….WE……goooooo

Originally released for the Game Boy Advanced Metroid Zero Mission tells the story of Samus and travels to planet Zebes to stop and destroy the Mother Brain and the space pirates who are causing trouble for the universe. For the most part the game is simple. Explore the planet for power ups, upgrades, and don’t die between save points.

A majority of the game is following the maps given to you as you explore and going from one point to the next without dying. Simple right? Well the enemies will become more and more challenging as you go. You are going to have to do some puzzle solving and exploring to make it further in the game. Because the original was an 8 bit game and this one is a 16bit game some liberties had been taken in advancing the story and naturally the game itself. Instead of holding the surprise that Samus is a chick to the end.. this time when you die they tell you right then.. It’s a chick.

It’s sound and graphics are top notch for what you are given as a remake. It’s engaging and fun to play and honestly I couldn’t put it down once I started it. For the price of Less than 10 dollars on the WiiU EShop. Really you can’t go wrong with this purchase. So much of it is a wonderland of WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT!!?

Honestly I’m glad I got to play this version of the game because you can really see the love that was put into it. So many various details that couldn’t be done on the NES original. WHICH!!! IF YOU FINISHS IT!! you receive the ORIGINAL! FUN FUN!! so kinda like buying two games in 1! Either way.. it’s a no brainer if you are into this series!

Resident Evil Village (ps4)

So this was an unexpected surprise for me. I wasn’t 100% on buying this one and honestly was going to wait a few months before buying it. However!! I kept hearing mixed things about it so I wanted to make my own opinion..and here…we…go!

So Re 8 OR Village as it’s called.. Takes place a few years after RE 7 and it is for the most part a sequel to RE 7. You play as Ethan Winters “RE 7” once again and you’re trying to find you’re daughter. Not going to spoil anything with the story BUT I find it funny that this poor man keeps putting himself into these situations where he has NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON!?

The game is beautiful in both terms of graphics and sound. It has a very cool story that directs you the entire game. Some interesting puzzles and monsters. The one thing I have to give Capcom so much credit for is Originality with this part of the series. The places you go to have a good mix of RE 1 and something new. People said we would see werewolves but they really seem like hairy hobos on steroids to me. Some of the designs look like characters from Bloodborne which isn’t a bad thing.. but yea.. odd..

This game is also very much in terms of the series an action game. Yes it has horror elements to it but compared to RE 7. Lots of pick up of inventory items like keeping track of Ammo, Herbs, and Key Puzzle Items. It made me happy to see the search and remember locations return for this game. Honestly it felt like a big return to RE 1 in that respect. Having to find a key and remember which doors to open. I liked it!

This week it was announced DLC is being worked on. I think it’s fun for the price I paid for it. Could I have waited? Sure.. But It was a fun experience and a good addition to the series. By the end of the game you will understand why it’s a RESIDENT EVIL game… check it out if you got the money it’s worth it..

Ultra Street Fighter 2 The Final Challengers (Switch)

Yeap another version of Street Fighter 2! So what did I think of it and what is different?…Here…we….go…

To begin with in terms of gameplay this is just street fighter 2 but with the added meter bar for an ultra special move if you build it up. Nothing really new to the series in terms of that. However what you are really paying for this time around is the extra modes, the addition of two extra characters “Violent Ken and Evil Ryu” and a big update on the graphics, sound and oddly enough backgrounds. All of which you can switch between the HD remix version and the Classic version that was introduced back in 93.

Of course what would a fighting game be these days without some online component. This game has both a online private setting and a online mode that randomly puts the player against random online fights while you play thru single player mode. It does have a ranking system and a bit of a leaders bored. It’s fun to say the least and is a good update for what it’s worth.

I think the biggest selling point are the modes which oddly enough capcom tried at a first person mode for a fighting game which is fun but gets boring pretty fast. Kinda a silly thing to do while trying to be engaging. It’s currently not on sale anymore..at this moment but will be again soon I’M SURE.. I wouldn’t pay the entire price… Just wait for it to go on sale and try it yourselfs!