35 replies to this topic

[Kirbutashi]

Best Buy has it on sale for $30, so next thing I knew I ordered for in-store pickup.

Haven't had the chance to actually play it yet, but I'm liking everything I'm seeing online. As expected, the control scheme and the existence of the stand seem to be the deciding factors for most people. As someone that had no issue playing through Metroid Prime Hunters DS, I don't expect to have much trouble controlling this game either, with or without the stand.

I'm going to take a guess and say that this game won't be too popular in these parts

[momerath]

I'm thinking it'll be a GameFly rental for me.... I almost exclusively play handhelds in bed or on transportation of various varieties, so the whole stand thing might not work out for me. I'm a little wary of trying to control it without the stand, too, given my discomfort with the control scheme in Metroid Prime: Hunters on the DS. If early impressions are super positive, then I'll move it to the top of my queue.

[Kirbutashi]

Luckily I still have Tales of the Abyss to work my way through if I want to game from my bed. I don't think I ever mastered playing Hunters lying down.

I was original going to rent Icarus from GF, but I have no will power against even little $10 sales.

[levitynyc]

no thanks

[Ulairi]

I picked it up today and after I got a hang of the controls, which didn't take very long, it's a lot of fun. The rail shooting portions are a whole lot more fun than the other things they'll make you do. I like it.

[Compeau]

I'll wait for the WiiU version.

Seriously though, I'm a lefty, so I don't think I will get this unless it becomes really cheap.

[mik]

Wait--what's the issue for lefties? I was going to pick this up on my way home.

[mik]

nm, it just dawned on me. I've been playing a handheld that has bilateral symmetry for a month now, so I sort of take that as read.

[momerath]

Apparently if you're lefty you can use the circle pad attachment. Though I shudder to think of the hulking mass of attachments that system becomes with both a circle pad and a stand equipped.

[Jave]

I've been playing with the lefty controls, and they're just fine. You do have to make a few more small adjustments to the camera position to make up for the lack of analogue control, but it's not like the game demands a particularly high level of precision. Plus, I like being able to dash by double tapping the face buttons.

I've only played about 3 chapters, though I did go back and play the first chapter again on intensity 5.1, just to see what it's like, and because certain doors are locked until you play at a certain intensity level. I really, really like the combat. The weapons all feel very slightly different, even different weapons of the same class, and the ability to fuse them is already starting to prove addicting. There seems to be some sort of trick to the dodge move as well. I think you become invulnerable if you time it right, though I haven't yet had the chance to experiment with it.

I also love that you can jump into the practice arena from nearly any game menu. It made it painless to customize my controls and then try out different weapon/power combinations.

My only complaints thus far:
- the dialogue is clever... the first time you hear it. I'll have to check the options at some point to see if I can shut them up on repeat plays.
- when charging the 3DS (as one has to do fairly often), the power chord is uncomfortably close to the R button, which is the button I happen to use to shoot. (this likely isn't a big deal for non-lefties)

[TheKurichan]

Apparently if you're lefty you can use the circle pad attachment. Though I shudder to think of the hulking mass of attachments that system becomes with both a circle pad and a stand equipped.

Can they be used together?

[Jave]

I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say that one of the chapters is completely batshit fucking crazy awesome!

You know what I mean when you get there.

[momerath]

Can they be used together?

Indeed they can.

[levitynyc]

Gamefly sent me this.

[Jave]

The more I play of this, the more I enjoy it.

[levitynyc]

Is the stand really necessary?

[Jave]

Is the stand really necessary?

No.

Finding a comfortable way to hold the system is apparently harder for some than for others, but I found the game quite playable without the stand.

[Indifference]

I like it. I have no idea what is going on but I like it.

[Kirbutashi]

Just finished Chapter 9. Crazy!

I spend so much time fusing weapons. Never happy with the weapon I have.

What difficulty level have you guys been playing at? I'm averaging out at 6 so far, but I usual kick the bucket when either a mimic shows up and kick me to hell or the stage decides that platforming belongs in this game (it doesn't). Lowering your difficulty level is so demoralizing.

[Follow]

Mimic kicked the ever-loving snot out of me.

I've been playing at the game-recommended level which is somewhere between 5 and 6 and that feels just right to me. I re-played the first stage at 9.0 intensity and it was brutal but still so much fun. Just not worth the massive ammount of hearts you lose when you fail.

[Kirbutashi]

The ending to Chapter 9 is great. Can't wait to see more of this game when my neck isn't sore. Really sucks not having something at an appropriate desk height.

[Jave]

I guess I've been playing it safe, at least by comparison to you guys. I've been averaging around 3.5 - 5.0, though I do plan to start replaying stages on higher levels.

What weapons is everyone using? I've been primarily a claw guy, though I've recently been messing with orbitars and rather enjoying them.

[levitynyc]

Just played 2 stages in the bathroom...i have no idea what to think of this game.

[Ginormousj]

I've been using a Halo Club that I randomly won online. It has five stars in the melee department, so it packs a pretty decent wallop.

I just love how all of the different modes feed back into each other, which has always been one of Sakurai's specialties (Meteos, Smash Bros.). There isn't a big barrier that separates the multiplayer and single player modes, which is great, and I love the achievement board in place. This is one of those games that I just know I'll be playing a year from now, which is a real rarity for me. I'd say that this is my most pleasant surprise of the year so far. So many iffy previews (with valid concerns), and yet the final game manages to overcome those issues through sheer volume of content and incredible production values.

[Owozifa]

I am definitely interested in this game when I get a 3DS. As soon as I realized, "Oh yeah, this is totally a Sakurai game," I was kinda on board.

[Jave]

Clubs are the weapon class I seem to have the least amount of success with. They seem pretty popular online though, maybe I should play some earlier stages on a lower difficulty till I get the hang of it.

This might put me in the minority, but I'm actually starting to prefer the ground combat.

[Kirbutashi]

Still moving through at a chapter or so at a time. Chapter 18 is crazy and 19 is an endurance test.

[Kirbutashi]

Well, I swallowed my pride and settled for 6.0 intensity in order to complete the last three chapters. Great, great stuff. And the hidden post-credits little chat is quite amusing, too.

Not sure I'll ever actually 100% this bad boy. Those later chapters are tough as hell on higher intensities despite my weapons packing major kick.

[Jave]

I died enough times on one of the later chapters to actually drop from 6 down to 2.3 by the time I was done.

I appreciate that the game is trying to push me through the story, but I'm starting to feel like I'm not actually learning how to get better. Suppose the point is to replay the chapters over and over again on higher intensities after the fact.

[Kirbutashi]

It took me this long to beat it because I would do just that. I would just get a nice pile of weapons to fuse and try and beat a level at a minimum of 6.0. Some levels I only beat at 5.0.

[K-S-O]

Got the game during the Target sale last week and just played through the first 7 chapters.

Having a blast with the game. The gameplay is a lot of fun and the dialogue is pretty humorous.

Have not played the game with the stand yet but I imagine that would go great with my Taiko no Tatsujin games.

[Jave]

I got into a small argument with Jeff Cannata over this game, which prompted me to take the following picture to prove that you can, in fact, hold the system with two hands and still use the stylus.



I just wanted to share that,

[Kirbutashi]

"OH YEA WELL THAT'S DUMB AND I'M STILL RIGHT," is probably what you got back. Or, "BUT WHO WOULD DO THAT?"

[Jave]

"who would do that?" sounds a lot like something he'd say, but in actuality, he stopped replying.

He might say something on the podcast next week, what with me not being in the room to present my side of the argument and all. Wouldn't be the first time.

[K-S-O]

The multiplayer in this game is pretty fun. I would like to get some matches going with some of the P1P community. Anyone up for it?

[Kirbutashi]

I'd be up for some rounds this weekend if we have a group