Author: Grubdog

Rise of the Tomb Raider – Press A to Rise

This game starts off in the most disorienting way possible, with a dramatic climbing sequence in the snowy mountains full of quick-time button prompts. Press A. Press X. Twirl the stick and mash Y. It’s a great way to not learn how this game plays at all. It’s not too hard, just confusing. You’ll be holding up on the analog stick most of the time, watching Lara jump perfectly across gaps and grab her wall of choice. You are left guessing which direction Lara is going to jump as the camera swings wildly on its own. Just press A and hope for the best. Press X to grab the wall. Oh, okay. I did that I guess? Oh no, I fell. Wait, I’m meant to fall. Really got me there, game. The whole scene is just overly stressful despite barely any button inputs happening at all. It gave me a horrible first impression as the game felt very phony and I hadn’t even played a Tomb Raider game before and didn’t know any backstory to this game. I was ready to delete the game after this and move on.

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Catching Up – Xbox One in 2018

We’re approaching the end of 2018 and I’ve just got myself a brand new Xbox One S, five years into the lifespan of Xbox One. It’s a new world for me as I’ve been playing nothing but Nintendo stuff for the last few years, having a great time it must be said. I never had a PS4 either so this is my first time dipping into the 2013 “next-gen” console family, which is now this-gen, or half-gen to the Pro and X which will be last-gen again next year. Phew. Whatever you want to call it, I have a lot of gaming to catch up on and I thought this was a unique perspective worth a little writeup. I was lucky enough to get my XB1S bundled with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Forza Horizon 4, two very expensive new release games. The whole bundle was $100-200 AU cheaper than a Switch or PS4 by themselves, which is ridiculous. Xbox is priced very well and has huge support in Australia, and I was in a good spot to take advantage of it. It just felt like the right time with Nintendo’s Switch holiday lineup mainly focused on two games I’m not that interested in. I got home with my new Xbox and it felt like Christmas again. The old, fun, child-like Christmas, not the new HD remake “Adult Christmas” which is full of disappointing social engagements. This was going to be fun on my own terms.

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Switched On – A Week Later

A week isn’t that long in the lifespan of console hardware, but I thought it was long enough to give more thoughts after my day 1 writeup. I’ve noticed more things, played more games, became a Pro, and felt more Joy. Perhaps the most significant thing however, is that I haven’t actually turned my Switch off. Sleep Mode is so good, that at first I didn’t even realise the difference between Power Off and Sleep Mode. It’s so good, that there IS no Power button on the console. If you want to power off you have to hold the Sleep button for 3 seconds, like some secondary function. Open your eyes, Switch.

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Nintendo Switch – Midnight Magic

I’ve just woken up from some of the most amazing hours of my life. I’ve got my Switch, set it up, played some games and I thought I’d write some impressions while they’re hot and I’m sleep deprived. Firstly, I’m extremely grateful that Australia was part of the worldwide launch, as it basically meant we got the console first after New Zealand. Pretty exciting.

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My trip to Nodens Enterprises

A few days ago I received a package from a mysterious company named Nodens Enterprises. It addressed me as Grubdog so I knew it had to be gaming related, but how did they know my address? Inside was an interesting art book with characters and locations, but no writing or context. Looked cool, but I was confused. I’d never heard of this game and I didn’t order anything like it. I dug through the package and found a letter.

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Devil’s Third – Not Half Bad

I’ve heard a lot of bad things about this game, but I know better than to believe game journalists these days. I avoided Devil’s Third mainly because I couldn’t justify a $90 game where you shoot with the analog stick. With the game inevitably bombing I was able to do a deal with the devil and get a cheap copy. Sad but that’s life sometimes. With Switch replacing the Wii U it’s a great time to pick up some cheap games you missed. The unique design of Devil’s Third stood out to me, and even if it was bad, at this point I didn’t care. I had to try it, when a game gets such a polarising reception there is usually something special about it. I popped the disc in today and I’m blown away. The game is not polarising at all, and quite simply fun to play.

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Thank You Japan – Keeping Splatoon Fresh!

We are nearing the end of an era as the Switch draws near with Splatoon 2 in hand. All the squids are growing up. Yet still here I am, playing Splatoon on Wii U and enjoying it like it’s the first day of release. This game changed my life in such a positive way. I absolutely love the gameplay and the community. It’s fiercely competitive in the highest tiers of Ranked, but also very friendly and welcoming in the plaza and Turf Wars. This little writeup is for a special part of the community I haven’t talked about in my previous Splatfest writeups, the Japanese gamers.

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forma.8 – 8.amrof

You might remember forma.8 as one of the Wii U demos in the Nindie promotion from 2015. It was one of the games that impressed me most at the time, and has stayed in my mind ever since. Every time the demo icon showed up on the eShop scrolling puzzle, I wondered when it would come out. The full game was finally released this month, and I have to give the team props for not cancelling the Wii U version like other devs have been doing. I’m glad I finally got to play it before Switch comes out. Before getting deep into this review however, I have to get one thing off my chest.

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Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World – Enhanced Multi-thread Technology

Something strange has happened to Woolly World! A yarn ball has unraveled in a distant thread of the Woollyverse, causing Woolly World to shift platforms all the way to the 3DS! As if being pulled by a string, we have arrived on a different gaming system. This new atmosphere has all the same levels with some slight changes in the weather, and brand new 3D depth. Poochy has also joined as a full-time friend, and Yoshi is now ready to have more fun than ever.

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Dhoulmagus – Pity Piece

dhoulmagusImagine being a slave to convention and never living up to your full potential. That is the worthless fate of the majority of mankind. Not Dhoulmagus, though. This man is the most powerful jester in the world, stunning towns with high-level magic and traveling the world doing whatever he pleases. This isn’t an article for taking pity on Dhoulmagus, it’s about how amazing he is and how pitiful everyone else is. His expressive personality and quick wit make him the most brilliant villain the Dragon Quest series has ever seen.

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Dragon Quest VIII: EXPOSED – The Grinding Method They Don’t Want You To Know About

Sick of grinding for hours just to grow one single level? Worried about not being able to afford all the hottest gear? Tired of being under-prepared in fights and losing out to bad luck? Feel like you’ve hit a wall?

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We’ve all been there. Confused, lost, helpless, like a child drowning in a river. It seems like progress is impossible in a world of dead-ends and closed doors. Trapped in the daily grind forever.

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If this is you, then I’m about to change your life.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* This trick is ONLY for those privy to Dragon Quest VIII late-game information. Open the door at your own risk! *SPOILERS AHEAD*

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Twilight Princess HD – I’m a Hero Now

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A lot has changed in a decade. Suddenly I’m holding a baby and the world is mirrored. I must be getting old too, because my movement feels sluggish. It takes me longer to stop, and I can’t even walk and aim at the same time. It’s like my legs lock into place, I can’t move anywhere until I pull the camera back. I feel sorry for whoever has to stare at my butt while crawling.

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Lifespeed – Ups & Downs

Exclusive to New 3DS, Lifespeed is a futuristic racer with a lot of speed, weapon powerups, a story mode, and online leaderboards. It’s the first game by Irish developer Wee Man Studios and a very ambitious concept to start your industry portfolio with. After extensive play I have to admit the game has a lot of flaws, but at its core the racing experience is very enjoyable.

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Nintendo Dollars – Where Are They Going?

Amidst all the Zelda cheering and Joy-Con rumbling, Nintendo slipped a less exciting piece of news into their Switch event. There will now be a yearly fee if you want to play games online, a new service for Nintendo. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a userbase used to playing online for free. Now that we’ve all gotten over the kneejerk response and loosened our grip on our wallets a bit, I thought I’d bring up some discussion about this new structure.

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