Game Design
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This Week in Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Direct reaction and analysis
This episode of This Week in Switch 2 features reactions and analysis of the 40th Anniversary Nintendo Direct, with a particular focus on a potential remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The hosts also discuss their ongoing impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware.
Duskfade Review – A Stunning Return to PS2-Era Platformers | Invision Game Community
Duskfade is a stunning clockpunk action-platformer that successfully revives the PS2-era genre with vibrant visuals and engaging gameplay. Developed by Weird Beluga, the game features a charming story, tight platforming mechanics, and enjoyable combat, making it a refreshing and outstanding debut.
What Dragon Quest VII and Final Fantasy XVI Teach About Game Demos | Invision Game Community
This article analyzes the design decisions behind game demos, using Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and Final Fantasy XVI as examples. It discusses how developers balance showcasing enough content to entice players while leaving them wanting more, and the impact of transferable progress versus time limits on the player experience.
Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail's final story patch is exactly what the game needed, and has the 4-month wait for Evercold suddenly feeling a whole lot longer
The final story patch for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, Patch 7.56, is praised as the greatest MSQ patch yet, acting as a prologue to the upcoming expansion, Evercold. It effectively introduces new characters, settings, and hints at future gameplay elements, generating significant hype despite initial criticisms of Dawntrail's narrative.
Castlevania Belmont's Curse blends the classic Metroidvania's soul with Dead Cells' immaculate style
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, developed by Evil Empire, blends the classic Metroidvania style with the visual flair of Dead Cells. The game features a vibrant art style set in a monster-filled Paris and introduces Rose Belmont as the protagonist. Its combat system offers a dynamic mix of melee and spells, while the iconic Vampire Killer whip serves as a primary traversal tool, addressing common Metroidvania movement woes.
Video game remakes are not made for you
This article argues that video game remakes, such as the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, are primarily intended for younger audiences rather than nostalgic adult gamers. The author suggests that while older players may have their own opinions, remakes serve to introduce timeless stories to a new generation who might not otherwise seek out older titles.
One huge change in the Ocarina of Time remake: full voice-acted cutscenes for everyone, except Link of course
The upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will feature fully voice-acted cutscenes for all characters except Link. This significant change, along with the addition of a jump button and quest log, was revealed in new footage. While the voice cast remains unannounced, the performances heard so far are considered adequate, though the author notes Ganondorf's menace might be affected by his new dialogue.
Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake release date announced but there’s one big controversy
Nintendo has revealed the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch, set to release on November 5th. The remake features modern graphics and gameplay changes, including a manual jump button and free camera control, though some controversial changes like fixed camera views in Castle Town have been updated to an open-world hub. The game will also include voice acting and a new hint system called Threads of Time.
WoW Factor: Exploring the content and systems of World of Warcraft’s Curse of Ula’tek
The 12.1 patch for World of Warcraft, Curse of Ula'tek, is described as a middle-of-the-road update with both improvements and drawbacks. While the core gameplay remains strong, new features like the Venomous Abyss raid, the 'lair' system for world bosses, and the Prey feature are criticized for visual monotony, reduced rewards, and lack of variety, respectively. The article suggests Blizzard is struggling to build upon the solid foundation of recent expansions.
The Ocarina Of Time Remake Has The Coolest Use Of The Switch 2’s Built-In Mic
The remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature an innovative use of the console's built-in microphone, allowing players to play the ocarina using voice humming. This functionality, originally intended for voice chat, is highlighted as an intuitive gameplay mechanic. The game is set to launch on November 5.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake fixes rolling spam and adds the jump button players demanded 28 years ago
A remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time introduces significant gameplay changes, including a dedicated jump button and the removal of the need to spam the roll button for faster movement. These updates address long-standing player requests from the original Nintendo 64 release, though the article expresses some reservation about the overall necessity of the remake.
Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Remake Makes A Big Change To Time Passing
The upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch will feature a significant change to how time passes in Hyrule's castle town, allowing players to explore it at night. This remake also introduces a jump button, a departure from the original game's mechanics. It is scheduled for release on November 5.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake gameplay finally revealed during 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct, and it looks… interesting
Nintendo revealed gameplay for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake during its 40th anniversary Direct, set to release on November 5th for the Nintendo Switch 2. The remake features a new engine, manual jumping, and the ability to use a microphone for ocarina tunes, alongside fully-voiced cutscenes and new amiibo.
Valheim 1.0 review
Valheim's 1.0 release marks the completion of the Viking-themed survival game, which has been in early access since 2021. The game offers a procedurally generated open world with a satisfying progression system, deep crafting, and a unique food mechanic that significantly impacts player stats. Despite minor gripes about inventory management and certain biome designs, the reviewer praises Valheim's enduring magic and cozy atmosphere, calling it one of the best survival games available.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on 5th November
Nintendo announced that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5th. The game will feature new additions such as a "Threads of Time" menu to track story progress and objectives.
Volatility and Difficulty Curves: What Game Designers Borrow From Slot Maths
This article analyzes how game designers borrow mathematical principles from slot machines, particularly variable ratio reinforcement schedules and near-miss mechanics, to create engaging player loops. It explains how unpredictable rewards and carefully tuned difficulty curves, akin to slot volatility, keep players hooked by mimicking the psychological hooks found in gambling.
"Let them work their magic" - Persona series director say Persona 4 Revival's localisation team is integral to the remake's success
Persona series director Kazuhisa Wada discusses Atlus' approach to localizing Persona 4 Revival, emphasizing the importance of the localization team in refining character intentions and dialogue. He highlights how lessons learned from simultaneous global releases like Persona 3 Reload have informed the development process for Revival, aiming for higher quality localizations and deeper character exploration informed by spin-off titles.
"20 players is the sweet spot": Guild Wars 3's action game combat is a first for MMOs, but it doesn't work at traditional raid scale
ArenaNet is developing Guild Wars 3 with a focus on action game-like combat and fluid movement, drawing inspiration from titles like Prince of Persia and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This approach shifts away from traditional MMO raid scales, aiming for a 'sweet spot' of around 20 players for optimal combat experience. The developers are also incorporating lessons from live service games to make the MMO more approachable.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s Combat Feedback Was Inspired by Super Mario Odyssey, Says Director
Onimusha: Way of the Sword director Satoru Nihei revealed that Super Mario Odyssey's accessible yet dynamic action gameplay inspired the combat feedback in the new Onimusha title. Producer Akihito Kadowaki cited the Gundam series, particularly Gundam Versus, for its character design influence. The game achieved over one million sales on launch day, pushing the franchise past 10 million total sales.
FromSoftware Doesn’t Have an “Intentional” Mantra, Says Hidetaka Miyazaki
FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki stated that the studio does not have an intentional mantra for game development, preferring to pursue what they find interesting to avoid becoming stale. He mentioned that the upcoming game, The Duskbloods, is slated for release on Nintendo Switch this year, with more details potentially emerging at the September 9th Nintendo Direct.
