Nintendo Switch

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Review: A Breath of Fresh Air.

Posted on by astyahla

Platform: Wii U and Switch (reviewed on Switch)

Genre: Action Adventure

No. of players: 1

ESRB: E10+

Nintendo may be the target of criticism for their habits of adhering to the past and relying on the same IPs, there is a grain of wisdom in these actions. Their franchises have the ability to stand the test of time. This is proven by “The Legend of Zelda.” The long-standing formula of traveling between dungeons, getting new items and defeating the bosses is a solid formula that people respond well to. However, even the greatest of series run the risk of getting stale. Nintendo’s response? Reinvent the Zelda formula with the latest game, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” And it works very well.

The game opens with Link waking up in a location called the Shrine of Resurrection with no explanation of how he got there. After getting some clothes and basic supplies, he learns his mission is to destroy Calamity Ganon, the being that destroyed the Kingdom of Hyrule 100 years ago. How you get to do so is up to you. Thanks to the new open-world gameplay, the player is given an unprecedented amount of freedom for this series. You can follow the main quest line if you want or just spend hours upon hours exploring the game world. There are many side quests to pursue, as well as 120 shrines to challenge. Completing these mini-dungeons grant Spirit Orbs that can be offered at Goddess Statues to increase health or stamina. You even have the option of just going straight to the final boss, despite being woefully under equipped and knowing nothing about the story.

The massive scale of the world is impressive, but it would not be worth much if the world was difficult to traverse. Fortunately, “Breath of the Wild” makes the journey just as enjoyable as the destination by giving plenty of ways of getting around. Most notably, Link can climb almost any surface as if he were Spider-Man. Climbing a large mountain is worth it for the view alone. When it is time to come down, players can use a paraglider to gently reach the ground. Players can even find and tame wild horses to ride, however it takes time and effort to reach the point they will perfectly obey the rider, adding a degree of realism.

Other more realistic part of the game include the need for specific clothing or potions to survive harsh environments, such as snow-covered mountains, a volcano or a massive desert; and how there is no way to save yourself if you fall from a great height, especially if you run out of stamina when climbing or using the paraglider. This even extends to objects reacting as physics would demand them to. Furthermore, players will no longer find supplies just by cutting the grass like in past games. They will need to sell various collectables to get rupees, eat food for health and buy supplies such as arrows and ingredients in town or scavenge for them. Furthermore, every weapon in the game has limited durability, keeping players from getting too comfortable using a single weapon and forcing them to try different kinds.

Weapons are an absolute necessity, as the enemies are even more relentless than ever. They will rush you in groups in hopes of overwhelming you with numbers, set wooden weapons on fire to increase their effectiveness, resort to throwing rocks if they cannot find a weapon of their own and even kick bombs back at you before they explode. This forces players to be smarter when it comes to facing enemies. Luckily, the game gives you plenty of options as well, such as using the Magnesis power to drop metal objects on unsuspecting enemies, shoot fire arrows to detonate explosive barrels foolishly left out in the open, or just plain sneaking up on the enemy and potentially kill them in one hit with a stealth strike. If all else fails, the player can just avoid enemy camps altogether.

In addition, there are various foods and potions that can be prepared at cooking pots around the world that can benefit the player in various ways, such as restoring health, increasing attack power and defensive strength, restoring stamina, proving resistance to heat or cold temperatures or a temporary increase in maximum health. Fortunately, experimenting with different ingredients is always an exciting diversion, with the benefits of increasing survivability and being hard to mess up.

If there is anything to complain about, it would be the lack of new abilities and tools throughout the game. In past Zelda games, items would be given to the player through out the game, which would also open up new hidden areas and just keep things exciting. In “Breath of the Wild,” players are given every ability they need during the first hour or two, which complements the open-world gameplay, but leaves people wanting for more in the middle of the game. The minimalist approach also means that fan favorite items, such as the hookshot, are nowhere to be found. Also, there are occasional, but brief, drops in the frame rate, which disrupts the flow of the game. Furthermore, the four main dungeons have a variety of puzzles, but all share the same machinery theme, making them feel a little too similar. But these are really just nitpicking and hardly make the game any less fun.

Overall, “Breath of the Wild” is a masterpiece that everyone should play at least once in their lifetime, like “Ocarina of Time” before it. It sets a new standard for the “Zelda” series at a point where things were getting stale. Which ever system you play it on, it is the perfect swan song for the Wii U and hands down the best launch title for the Switch.

Score 10/10

First Impressions of the Nintendo Switch

Posted on by astyahla

The Nintendo Switch is finally upon us and the new system has already sold extremely well. Having been lucky enough to get one on launch day, I have spent the last week putting the handheld-console hybrid through its paces and I now have a good idea of what the system is like. It is certainly versatile as promised, but there are still a few issues at this point.

Upon taking the Switch out of the box, it is striking just how small the system is. On its own, the tablet-like system is smaller than an iPad Mini. Specifically, it is about as big as an iPhone 7 Plus, or iPhone 8 Plus. Once the two Joy-Cons are attached, it is comparable in size to the Wii U Gamepad, but much thinner. As a result, the system does not use discs for its games like Nintendo’s past systems since the Gamecube. Instead, the Switch uses cartridges referred to as game cards like those on the DS and 3DS, but the Switch’s cards are even smaller than those used by the Playstation Vita.

As for how it works, the Switch can be played in handheld mode with the Joy-Cons attached to the sides, tabletop mode with the Switch propped up with a built-in kickstand and the Joy-Cons detached in the player’s hands, or in TV mode by placing the Switch in the included dock connected to the TV through a HDMI cable. It lives up to its promise by allowing players to play console-sized games on the go and they look great on the Switch’s screen. In TV mode, on the other hand, it is clear that the Switch is not as powerful as the Playstation 4 or the Xbox One. The games are displayed in 720p on the Switch’s screen but are upped to 900p on the TV. While the weaker specs are disappointing, I have always believed that graphics are not what make a system, the games do. In additon, the system also has a pitiful 32 gb of onboard storage capacity, but it can be expanded with a micro SD card, which is easy enough to find. However, save data can only be saved to the system and cannot be copied or moved to the micro SD card, but Nintendo has hinted that this will be fixed in a future update.

As for the controls, the system comes with a pair of controllers called Joy-Cons, one left and one right. They can be attached to the system for handheld mode or separated for tabletop or TV mode. In the latter two modes, they can be held one in each hand or placed in the included Joy-Con grip to hold them like a standard controller. The grip is actually comfortable to hold, although the placement of the analog sticks are somewhat awkward, particularly pressing the minus button on the left Joy-Con, where it is easy to move the analog stick by mistake. The Switch can support up to eight Joy-Cons, four left and four right.

The right Joy-Con has the R and ZR buttons, the Home button, an NFC reader for use with amiibo, and an IR motion camera that can recognize different shapes and hand signs. The left Joy-Con has the L and ZL buttons along with a capture button that allows players to take screenshots that can also be shared via Facebook and Twitter, with plans to allow players to record gameplay clips in the future. Each one also has four face buttons (A, B, X and Y on the right, four directional buttons on the left), a clickable analog stick and SL and SR buttons on the side. These buttons are used for games in which you just use one Joy-Con. Each one also has an accelerometer and a gyroscope for motion controls and HD rumble. The latter allows for variable sensations, such as individual balls rolling around in a box.

You can hold each Joy-Con on its side for multiplayer games. However, these games make it clear how small the Joy-Cons are. They can be rather uncomfortable held this way, especially given how small the SL and SR buttons are. This is fixed using the wrist straps, which are attached to plastic strips which slide onto the Joy-Cons like they were being attached to the Switch itself or the Grip. Said strip also has raised SL and SR buttons, making them easier to press and makes the individual Joy-Cons more comfortable to hold. Unfortunately, the wrist straps do not side as smoothly as the console and the grip. It made me worried I would break something removing them. Finally, there have been reports of the left Joy-Con randomly desynching, but I personally never experienced it.

In terms of battery life, the Switch lasts from two to six hours in handheld or tabletop mode on one charge, with it varying based on how big the game is. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” runs the battery from 100 percent to zero in about two and a half hours on average. It can be charged by placing it in the dock or by plugging it in directly via USB-C. The Joy-Cons do not use their own battery life when attached to the Switch but detached they each last about 20 hours on one charge. The main way to do so is to attach them to the Switch while the system is docked or plugged in, or with the separately sold charging grip. Instead of having a battery pack inside the grip, it requires the grip to be plugged in instead. It works as another grip, but is not as convenient to charge. Fortunately, there is an officially licensed charger available that can charge up to four Joy-Cons at once.

For those who want a more traditional controller, the Switch Pro Controller is also available. It is set up similarly to an Xbox controller, with the analog sticks not symmetrical. The controller also as a traditional D-pad instead of four directional buttons. A good comparison would be that the left Joy-Con’s directional buttons are like the Nintendo 64’s C-Buttons, while the Pro Controller has a normal D-Pad. While this better than the Joy-Cons, especially for fighting games, the Joy-Cons in the grip get the job done and are comfortable enough that it is not necessary to immediately invest in a Pro Controller.

The online capabilities are good enough, with setup being simple and the connection is reliable. Downloads from the eShop are quick and online matchmaking is quick. There is even an airplane mode that can be used in TV mode as well, offering an easy way to disconnect from the internet when it is not needed, which saves battery, allows for some privacy and keeps players from hogging the internet connection. When docked, the switch can use a wired connection with USB to ethernet adapter.

The online offerings have not been completely implemented, with it being limited to the eShop and online play. While the latter is free for now, Nintendo will transition to a paid subscription like Playstation Plus and Xbox Live. This will include paid online play, free monthly trial periods of Virtual Console games, online lobbies and voice chat through a smartphone app and special deals. This will not be implemented until Fall 2017, but those who do not pay for a subscription will still be able to access the eShop and the screenshot sharing. However, video streaming services are nowhere to be found. While not a deal breaker, it is still a disappointing omission for those who want them. Fortunately, Nintendo is in talks to bring them to Switch in the future. But considering that the Wii U had access to Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video from the start, it beg the question as to why they are not on the Switch now. Beyond online, multiplayer is also possible locally with up to eight players on one system or each with their own system, depending on the game in question.

Finally, the games library at launch is a bit sparse. The obvious highlight is “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” which is also available on the Wii U for those who were unable to claim a Switch right away. The Switch also has “1-2-Switch” (to show off the Joy-Cons)  “Super Bomberman R” (which does not seem to be worth the $50 asking price), “Just Dance 2017” and “Skylanders Imaginators” These five games are the extent of what is available at retail. The eShop has more games available but they are mostly ones that are available on other systems. This is just the tip of the beginning though as there are many more games on the way such as “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,” “Sonic Mania,” “Fire Emblem Warriors,” “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,” “FIFA 18,” “Super Mario Oddyssey” and more.

Overall, the Switch makes a great first impression but there are a several features that gamers now take for granted that are missing at this time. Once these feature have been added, the Switch will be able to reach its full potential and potentially restore Nintendo’s relevancy in the industry.

Fire Emblem Direct reveals new titles, reveals new information on existing titles.

Posted on by astyahla

Nintendo’s first “Nintendo Direct” of the year aired on January 18, and had a focus one of their franchises that has enjoyed worldwide success in recent years, “Fire Emblem.” In addition to information on two previously announced titles, Nintendo also surprised the fans with two completely new games.

The direct started with the reveal of “Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia” for Nintendo 3DS. It is a remake of the Famicom game “Fire Emblem Gaiden,” giving western players their first chance to enjoy this unique game in the series. The game is set on the continent of Valentia, in the same world as Archanea, where Marth’s games took place. Valencia is divided into two kingdoms. The first is Zofia, a prosperous and peaceful kingdom where the people have become irresponsible and hedonistic due to their goddess providing everything they need and the people do not have to work. By contrast, the kingdom of Riegel is a strong and militaristic nation where the people work hard, but are cold and devoid of compassion thanks to the teachings of their god. The two kingdoms shared a peaceful coexistence, until Riegel declared war on Zofia. The game focuses on two protagonists, the young warrior Alm, and the priestess-in-training Celica, as they fight back against Riegel.

“Gaiden” was known for deviating heavily from the “Fire Emblem”formula by introducing a world map, optional battles for more experience and branched promotional trees, that would not be seen again until “Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones” and later in “Awakening” and “Fates.” “Gaiden,” on the other hand, went further by introducing freely explorable towns and dungeons similar to a standard RPG. In the dungeons, the usual strategy battles begin when encountering an enemy. “Echoes” will keep these elements intact while updating the visuals to 3D graphics in a similar style to “Awakening” and “Fates.” In addition, Nintendo will release amiibo figurines of Alm and Celica, which currently serve an unknown purpose. Fans will not have to wait too long as “Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia” will be released on May 19, along with the new amiibo.

The Direct next revealed that a new “Fire Emblem” game is going to be released on Nintendo Switch. This is the first game in the main series to be released for a home console since the Wii game “Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn” in 2007. No details were given for the game, but it is planned to be released in 2018.

Next on the list of announcements was the reveal that “Fire Emblem Warriors” would be released on the New Nintendo 3DS, along side the previously announced Switch version. The game is a “Dynasty Warriors” style game with “Fire Emblem” characters, similar how “Hyrule Warriors” featured characters from “The Legend of Zelda.” The only gameplay shown so far was a brief clip of Chrom from “Awakening” cutting down an army. However the preview trailer also showed several swords from the series, such as Yato, Raijinto and Siegfried from “Fates” and the original Falchion from “Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light, and its remake “Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon.” This implies that Corrin, Ryoma, Xander and Marth will also be playable. “Fire Emblem Warriors” will be released in Fall 2017.

Finally, viewers were given an in-depth look at “Fire Emblem Heroes,” a previously announced mobile title. Players take on the role of a summoner in the Order of Heroes in order to help defend the Kingdom of Askr against the invading Emblian Empire. In order to do so, players must summon the heroes of past “Fire Emblem” games to serve as units in their army. The game play is the same as past games in the series, but the maps are small enough to fit on a standard smartphone screen. The game has been confirmed to be a free download, but offer in-app purchases to get more orbs to summon heroes. The game was confirmed to be released on iOS and Android on February 2 after a vague statement that the iOS version would be released “soon.” Preregistration has begun on Google Play, but not on the App Store. In the meantime, players can vote on which characters they want to see in the game. Apparently it is not strictly limited to heroes, as villains are also present on the ballot.

Nintendo’s NX revealed as Nintendo Switch

Posted on by astyahla

After over a year since its announcement, Nintendo has finally revealed the NX under its final name, the Nintendo Switch. The reveal trailer, which was released on the morning of October 20, confirmed several rumors about the system.

First of all, the Switch is a hybrid of a home console and a handheld system. The unit itself is about the size of a small tablet with a LCD screen in the middle, with two controllers known as Joy-Cons on the sides. Each Joy-Con has an analog stick, four face buttons, and at least one shoulder button. When playing on the go, you can either attach the Joy-Cons to the sides of the unit or separate them with one controller in each hand while the screen sits on a table using a kick stand. The Switch also comes with a dock that the system can be set in to play games on a TV. In this case, the Joy-Cons are separated from the system and placed in the Joy-Con Grip, a shell that allows the player to use the Joy-Cons like a standard controller. Even so, players also have the option to use a standard controller called the Switch Pro Controller, which functions the same way, but without having to mess with the Joy-Cons.

Switching between TV and handheld modes is seamless. As soon as the Switch is removed from the dock, the display immediately moves from the TV to the Switch screen. Similarly,  if the player is playing in handheld mode, they can place the Switch back in the dock as soon as they get home and immediately continue playing on the TV. This can be done without turning the system off, so a player can begin a game on the TV, then continue playing where they left off on the go.

In addition, split-screen multiplayer is still possible on a single Switch unit, even in handheld mode. The trailer showed this by showing two people playing “Mario Kart” on one Switch in portable mode, with each player using one Joy-Con. Additional players may join in using additional an additional system as shown with “NBA 2K17.” Two players played on each system running the game simultaneously.

The trailer showed several games on the system. Over about 3 minutes, Nintendo showed “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” a “Mario Kart” game that looked similar to “Mario Kart 8,” “Splatoon,” and a new 3D Mario platformer. In addition, two major third-party titles were shown in the trailer. In addition to the aforementioned “NBA 2K17,” the trailer also showed a man playing “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” on the Switch. This is a big deal as Bethesda, the game’s publisher, has never released a game on a Nintendo system.

In fact, Nintendo also revealed many third-party developers and publishers supporting the system, such as Activision, Sega, Namco Bandai, Atlus, Electronic Arts, Platinum Games, Konami, Level-5, Ubisoft and Square Enix. While this is impressive, the Wii U had a lot of early third-party support, but it quickly faded away. Unless the Switch is compelling enough to support long-term, these companies will jump ship pretty quickly.

In addition to the aforementioned games, several games have already been confirmed for the Switch. These games include “Dragon Quest X,””Dragon Quest XI,” the “Sonic the Hedgehog” game set to be released Holiday 2017 and “Steamworld Heist.” There are also rumors that Blizzard will release “Hearthstone” on Switch as well.

The Switch has been confirmed to use cartridges for games, similar to the ones on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS. The system will also be compatible with amiibo. Furthermore, the system uses technology by NVIDIA, but the exact specifications have not been revealed. In fact, there are still a lot of lingering questions such as how long the battery will last, what games will be available at launch, whether or not the screen is a touch screen, whether or not the Joy-Cons will have motion controls and how much the system will cost. These questions and more will be answered between now and the Switch’s launch in March 2017.