Tom has a short preview of Goodbye Deponia up over at Laserlemming.com.
It's the final game in a trilogy from German developer Daedelic Entertainment. We'll likely be talking about it in the next podcast.
Phil Fogg Reviews the 2DS
There is no bigger indicator that 3D was a fad than when ESPN, one of the world's largest entertainment companies, spent hundreds of millions of dollars developing and marketing a 3D sports network, and then three years later shut it down. Except perhaps for the example of when the world's largest dedicated game hardware manufacturer spent hundreds of millions of dollars developing and marketing a 3D gaming system, and then re-released the system without 3D at a lower price point.
Nintendo has declared 3D is dead, a confirmed fad, so with today's release of the 2DS, how does the system hold up with one less "D"?
What's in the box? What's in the box?!
Out of the box, you get the unit with stylus, a 4GB SDHC memory card, six AR cards and a power adaptor. Sadly, Nintendo has continued their practice of not providing a combined 110 - 240 volt adaptor, let alone what is now a universally standard USB charging option.
When turning on the unit for the first time Nintendo gently reminds you that while the 2DS does support all 3DS games it does not have the ability to display those games in 3D. Besides that warning you really don't notice anything different about the set-up or usual menus, it looks just like a regular 3DS.
Comfortable for all hands, even large white ones.
Fortunately, it does not feel like a 3DS, instead it is a pleasure to hold, a triumph of ergonomic design. By removing the hinges and creating a flat surface there is no longer a top-heaviness to the system. The lack of a large separation in the middle of the 2DS has also enabled Nintendo to move the buttons and analog stick to the center of the device, which not only helps in terms of comfort, but also in balancing the system in your hands.
The face buttons, while seemingly in a similar position as on the 3DS, are actually higher and therefore more comfortable to use since you no longer have to bend your thumbs as much to use them. The analog stick lines up with the face buttons which results in the weight of the 2DS being equally balanced.
The shoulder buttons are even more of a coup, placed perfectly on the top, so even if you are not using them it helps in holding the 2DS in a stable position.
The stylus is now in the center, where the hinges once were.
The tapered wedge shape of the 2DS also makes for comfortable holding, it's not "chunky" where the old 3DS, or XL would fit into the bottom of your thumbs. You'll notice from the back of the 2DS (above) that the 3D camera is still a part of the design, though I imagine that even this vestige will be lost when the 2DS ultimately supplants the 3DS as the primary SKU.
As with the 3DS, the screen of the 2DS is dull by modern hand-held electronic standards, and the resolution is disappointing by the same comparison, but compared to the stretched-out graphics of the 3DS XL the 2DS display is pleasingly sharp, and seems brighter than the regular 3DS.
So the final question for most of you is probably, "Does it feel cheap?" For the most part the 2DS feels like a very high-end toy. Not quite on the standard of a Vita or smartphone, and the shoulder buttons to have a thin feel to them, but all in all, I don't get the feeling of having overpaid at a retail price of $149 (Australian).
It looks small, but it gets the job done.
Judging by the crowd at the game store, the word about the Nintendo dropping a "D" has certainly made its way into the mainstream market. In talking with a parent at the store, they were happy that they could now buy the system for their child without having to worry about the health impacts, however real or imagined they may be. The store was doing a brisk trade in Pokemon X and Y, and about half of those picking up the latest Gamefreak game were also getting a 2DS.
Compared to the rest.
The 2DS makes a great first impression and despite some recent mis-steps from Nintendo they now seem to be making bold decisions about their marketing and hardware, which is encouraging to see. The 2DS will enable them to drop the price of their hand-held while assuaging parental concerns over 3D, and launching it on the heels of Animal Crossing, with a critically acclaimed Pokemon title won't hurt the sales either.
9/10
Game Under Episode 26
This week, after some Trademark Banter (where Phil buys some new Nintendo hardware), the didactic duo give first impressions of GTA V and Dragon's Crown.
Tom closes out his thoughts on The Raven, we go over the week's news and end it all with an Aural Review of Saints Row 2.
Thanks for Listening, and please write a quick (anonymous if you want) review for the show.
No Podcast? No problem!
No show this week, so why not listen to the Phil Fogg produced, The Press Room instead?
Failing that, why not check out GameUnder's YouTube review page?
The Raven - Legacy of a Master Thief Review
Following up on GameUnder's podcast coverage of King Art Games' The Raven, is Tom Towers with his Laser Lemming review! Why not check it out?
"After a brief excursion with The Critter Chronicles, The Raven – Legacy of a Master Thief is King Art Games’ next big project; released across three chapters in a post-The Walking Dead world."
Game Under Episode 25
It's time again for another BIG SHOW, and for BIG SHOW 5, what better game to give first impressions of than GTAV.
It is all anyone can talk about this week, but we find time to talk about some other games as well, including Saints Row 4, Saints Row 2, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, The Raven - Legacy of a Master Thief and because we have not talked enough about open-world crimes games we cram in a Tom Towers Aural Review of Mafia II.
Oh and the news. Thanks for listening,
Tin box from the Collector's Edition. Also came with a money clip and gold bullet-shaped USB stick.
Generation 16 YouTube Series
Greg Sewart was always one of my favorite reviewers when he was at EGM, and now he is one of my favorite podcasters.
For a while now he has been putting up a the series that showcases the games of Sega's Mega Drive.
His goal is to chronologically play and review every game released on Sega's greatest system, as well as outline some of the history surrounding the development of the games, the hardware, and the general goings-on of the video game industry back in the nineties.
I've enjoyed them, they are great to watch while you are writing or gaming and have prompted me to buy some older games that slipped by me at the time. You can check it out here.
Housekeeping
Hey folks, just a heads up that you may be seeing some additional programming appear in your RSS feeds or other ways you subscribe to us.
Tom is forcing me to edit his aural reviews into individual shows which will be available here on our site and also on our YouTube channel (more on this later).
The first one I have done is from Episode 21, which is where Tom aurally reviews
Max Payne 3.We agreed that this would be an easier way to find old ones, or at the very least a good way to skim though the aural reviews Tom has done in our first 23 shows.
Thanks as always for listening.
.
Game Under Episode 23
We are back to our regular format this week with first impressions galore, news and some Final Thoughts. We give our final verdict on Papers, Please and Left4Dead1 DLC for L4D2. We also give first impressions on Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Saints Row 4.
Thanks for listening.
- Phil Fogg
Tom "Interviews" Miami Heat Creator
Over at LaserLemming.com Tom "interviews" Denis Wedin, whom recently has been taking on more challenging interlocuters. And there can be no more challenging interlocuter than our very own Tom Towers.
If you are at work and your company monitors your traffic, be advised that some of the language and themes are NSFW.
