Turning Hollow: Games And Difficulty

Turning Hollow – The Seal of Quality

“Hello again, Chosen Undead.

“I am Jack Boyles. I am losing my humanity. I am turning Hollow.

“We should exercise more prudence when it comes to the modern age of Video Games. We hath forgiven too long and our acceptance is too high. Acceptance of defective, and deficient and fragmentary games; allowing these attributes to slowly become normality. Souls are spent, only to await patiently for the game to be patched, stitched and sewed together.

“The seal of quality has all but faded from time. The seal of quality was guaranteed, a mark of honour, but with the rise of AAA games force releasing and online services with a lack of quality control; the seal has broken. Many hath scoured for the seal, for all whom hath foraged hath lost humanity.

“Won’t thee aide me in my quest?

“Cooperation may assist me to hold on to my humanity, assist me holding on to my cause…

The Seal of Quality

“Masses hath been delivered into this world only knowing of this tactic. As for I, I hath seen better times, a time during which the seal existed. In that period, developers could not manipulate their games with Hexic rituals like today.

“Games had to be made to withstand the test of time, to be made with calibre; as once fashioned, could not be altered. Delays were accepted, unlike the delays that inhabit this age, today delays can turn people Hollow. We can’t wait for anything.

“The games from the bygone age can still be played today and will remain the status as they did back when they were first crafted. As for modern games, once the server is closed the game cannot receive the Hexic spells to alter it – leaving a patchless pile of shame.

“An abundance of AAA publishers and developers make haste to deliver their games, acquiring the souls of many. Many AAA games materialize as buggy, shattered and unplayable until the first patch is liberated, yet that may last several moon circles. What are thou thinking? Is thou thinking those companies fabricate gigantic games, so it’s too be expected, and I concur, but with the emancipation of Breath of the Wild and God of War, tis now inexcusable to witness faceless characters and NPC’s swimming on fresh air.

Reminds me of my first kiss…

“Tis not just the AAA publishers and developers either. The absences of quality control of the independent scene must be held accountable too, with Steam and console eShop releases unimaginable. Such abominations like Fidget Spinner Simulation, Art of Stealth and Life of Black Tiger diminishing the worth only for the acquisition of souls.

“With video game development software readily available and in most cases free. This has given us more games than ever and with smaller team’s producing unique titles. This has also created many people releasing asset flip games. There is no quarrel in an indie developer using asset packs as a tool, but many have taken advantage off this and been making games from nothing but asset packs; no original content, no original ideas, just cut and paste.

Based on a True Story…

“When the youth of this age re-buy the equipment of their childhood to soak in nostalgia; they will not get that same experience from their childhood, what they will get are faceless characters and NPCs swimming on fresh air. Their childhood will be debauched and distorted.

“Will you aide me in finding the Seal, will you aide me to salvation?”

Metroid: Samus Returns gets tougher (and cuter) with new difficulty mode

First came console exclusives. Then came Day 1 DLC. Now Nintendo has found a whole new way to “gate off” craved gameplay elements, specifically those contained within the code of perhaps its most anticipated first-party portable production in years: the 3DS-only sci-fi adventure known best to rabid franchise fans as Metroid: Samus Returns.

Takeaways:

  • As with most of Nintendo’s recent Wii U, Switch and 3DS projects, the impending remake of beloved 1991 Game Boy side-scroller Return of Samus will boast Amiibo compatibility, with new plastic renditions of series protagonist Aran and her long-running gelatinous Metroid foes launching to celebrate the occasion.
  • There’s a catch, though. On top of granting Returns players the exclusive ability to hunt down and slaughter in-game Metroids aplenty by tapping the 3DS’ screen, the latter Amiibo will be a compulsory purchase for any brave souls hoping to tackle its campaign’s toughest difficulty setting, Fusion Mode.
  • Other Amiibo-exclusive features include an energy recharge function for Samus’ suit and a Metroid: Fusion-inspired costume with which to make the armoured bounty hunter resemble her GBA counterpart, both accessed via her own figure.

Predictably not everyone’s welcomed the news with the open arms that Nintendo and their co-developers MercurySteam would’ve probably hoped for, the prospect of paying a further £40 or more to own both Amiibos – and thus all bonus DLC – proving an enraging one for those hoping to access all content through the main game alone.

More than anything, though, it’s a sign of the times, what with Nintendo’s recent efforts to recoup its Wii U operating losses from last year via mobile products like Super Mario Run, the launch of their first ever Season Pass with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and now Returns’ Amiibo-locked gameplay features.

Will that harsh economic reality appease those long-running Metroid avids feeling betrayed by the change of tact this time around? Almost certainly not, but it’s worth bearing in mind the need for such concessions in order for Nintendo to keep producing its – usually critically acclaimed – software before marching on their offices with pitchforks and torches tonight.

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on this contentious announcement in the comments below, and don’t miss our continuing coverage of Samus Returns here at D-pad Joy ahead of its release exclusively on September 15th.

Legacy Edition of Metroid: Samus Returns revealed for Europe

As if getting a new Metroid game for the 3DS wasn’t good enough, Nintendo of Europe has now shown off the ‘Legacy Edition’ of Samus Returns. And it’s a real beauty.

Takeaways

Here’s everything the special edition of Metroid: Samus Returns includes:

  • A physical version of the game
  • A SteelBook
  • A sound-selection CD featuring 25 tracks from across the Metroid franchise
  • A download code for the original Game Boy game Metroid II: Return of Samus – redeemable in the eShop
  • A gold “S” pin badge
  • A Morph Ball 3D keyring
  • A 40-page artbook

You can find the Legacy Edition below. Will you be attempting to pick this up on September 15th? Let us know in the comments below, if you please.

Samus Returns