cavalcade

I thiiiink, though don't quote me on this - since the Switch 2 update that pushes the TV output to the handheld screen (Boost thing), the memory leak is possibly fixed/better in handheld mode (as it was a Switch handheld issue only?). So, perhaps the TV play is fine also?

I guess give it an hour or two and see if it starts breaking down. Seemed fine to me, but I do know it tends to creep up quicker on the more complex levels.

Incidentally, Unicorn Overlord is on special on the Switch/Switch 2. I like a Vanillaware game (even though you wouldn't want to play them in front of anyone thanks to the sometimes questionable anime outfits in it) and this one has absolutely RAVE reviews.

It's a strange mix of almost an RTS, with a side scrolling fighter/action RPG. I've only played it for a bit, but it looks absolutely glorious and I can't think of another game quite like it. I'm not sure if it runs better on S2 than S1, but it seems locked at 60fps too. Voice acting is hammy and British. Story is a bit bobbins. But the game itself, well, like I say, I can't really think of anything quite like it (maybe the Tales games, crossed with an RTS?) and all the systems seem really interesting. It also has a lovely onboarding curve to it, slowly explaining the mechanics, but not in an infuriating way.

Yeah, I dunno. Sort of feels like one of those games that is probably about 10 people's favourite game of all time, but most people have never heard of.

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd say it's too easy - I don't tend to play precision shooter games like this on a pad (I'd prefer mouse/keys) but even with my general pad like ineptitude, on the middle difficulty, on the more high rated maps it seems pretty difficult to me, Splatoon-veteran or not.

It was a comment on rllmuk that made it click in the end - it's basically Destiny, but done by Nintendo and far more respectful of your time. At first I found the really short levels a bit weird - like "that's it?". But as I've played more I've found it just sort of distils the bits you play those bigger games for and cuts all the chaff out. It has the same ebb and flow as Destiny too - the bits on the ship are where you take a breath and tinker, and once you're happy, select a mission and see whether the build works. Only, unlike Destiny, this loop is literally 5-10 minutes, not an hour.

I could REALLY do without the yapping, but the core gameplay loop is crack-like. If they ever do a Destiny 3, I'd force every one of the devs to play this for a month before they were allowed to code anything.

What are people's early impressions of Splatoon Raiders? My experience with the series is… the first one mainly. This is quite odd so far. Lots of yapping. And then a sort of arena shooter, with some quite novel mechanics (and some cliches) Then more yapping. The actual gameplay is quite satisfying and it looks quite nice, it reminds me a bit of Borderlands at times (with more squids). I imagine it might be fun in coop.

Not sure though. DK Bananza has really got its claws in (paws? hands?) so I might save playing it for later.

I did also get it as physical media, with all the recent shenanigans I think I'm going to buy actual carts/disks as long as I can.

I turned off the screen shake and crucially the auto follow for the camera. Once I'd done that it was a million times better.

The world and characters are just weird, for sure, but I think the environmental designs and moment to moment gameplay is really solid.