Mister Jack

Story mode gets harder in the second half, though how much harder I can't really say. I didn't struggle with it much, but I've played a ton of Arcsys fighters for hundreds of hours so I can't say if you'll have the same experience. I did notice a definite increase in the difficulty compared to the earlier stages, though. I didn't really grind EXP with the optional fights, so part of that difficulty is probably because I was taking on enemies 10-20 levels higher than my team. I don't recall ever actually team wiping at any point, though. In other news, dataminers have uncovered possible future content for the game. Lobby avatars have been found in the code for Broly, Bardock, Goku and Vegeta from the Saiyan Saga, Vegito, Fused Zamasu, Cooler, and Android 17. While this isn't a guarantee they're the DLC characters, I'd say it's a strong possibility. In addition, they found three new potential modes called Z Union, Z League, and Raid Battle. Given that the Kame House and West City areas in the hub currently have no function, I'm thinking it's safe to assume these modes are legit.

I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, but if anyone still believes at this point that Trump has no prejudices then I have some lovely swampland in Florida to sell you.

I'm sure I'm in the minority but I actually had more fun with Horizon than with Zelda.

I haven't gotten around to watching it yet, but I'd bet anything that it probably just works better as a manga. Not only are there fewer restrictions there, but the visuals can be as detailed as the artist wants to make them without having to worry much about things like an animation budget. It also leaves more to your imagination when the gruesome scenes aren't playing out right in front of you.

I'm inclined to agree, but I also didn't think George Lucas would ever sell Star Wars.

I pretty much agree with all those points, but Gabe is a pretty enigmatic figure lately. He barely makes any public appearances or statements anymore that I'm aware of so who knows where his mind is these days? I don't think he would sell Valve, but I can't say I'm 100% confident in that belief anymore. I do agree it's the least likely acquisition either way, though.

Rumor has it Microsoft is trying to acquire EA, Valve, and PUBG corp. Talk about a match made in hell. I don't give a shit about EA Games anymore but with all those exclusive licenses they have, it would be a pretty crippling blow to Sony if Microsoft got them. Question for our resident legal experts: can the likes of Disney or the NFL object to EA potentially selling to Microsoft and cutting Playstation out of their franchises without their input? I would certainly hope Gabe wouldn't sell Valve. Years ago I would never even consider the possibility he'd do it, but Valve is a very different company today than what it was ten years ago. I think the most likely one is probably PUBG corp. It would be the cheapest acquisition by far and PUBG is, for some reason, a massively popular title right now. They already did this once with Minecraft so I can definitely see them doing it again.

@Bogie 2.0 Yech...I think I'm good on the PSP one. I haven't played Maximo, though I am aware of it and I've heard it's decent.

I'm hoping Beerus gets a little buff because he's my favorite Dragon Ball character and I want to play him, but he's just got too much startup as he is right now on almost everything.

I'm surprised it was allowed in China at all given the whole ghost thing.

The game is finally out, so here's a thread to discuss everything from story to characters to strategies or just to ask for tips. For starters, here is a link to a very good article for beginners, both to the game and the genre itself. Basic combos in this game are fairly universal. There are combos which take character specific moves into account of course, but if you learn a few universals you'll be off to a very good start.

I'm having a blast with Dragon Ball FighterZ. They freaking nailed the personalities of the characters, especially in the story mode. God damn, I forgot how often Goku just completely roasts his friends without even meaning to.

Rune Factory IV is an excellent game. It's just a shame there probably won't be any more because I really would have wanted a sequel. And did you try the DBZF beta? It's actually a very pick-up-and-play kind of fighter that's a great entry point for people who don't play the genre. And don't get me started on Majin 21...

Cost me about 10 bucks. It's a much better way to use tabletop mode than the built in kickstand, and when you're not using it it folds up to the size of a cell phone. A larger cell phone, I suppose, but you could easily toss it into a bag or a carrying case. Soon...

Ghouls and Ghosts Since I beat the SNES one, I figured I'd load the Genesis one onto the SNES Classic and try to beat it since it's a completely different game. This one was significantly easier for a number of reasons. For starters, it's shorter. It also wasn't designed around a stiff and finicky double jump. You can shoot in four directions rather than two, the weapon you're forced to use in the second playthrough to see the ending doesn't suck ass, and most importantly the checkpoints are more generous. This one only took me two days off and on to beat rather than four. That's not to say it wasn't still a total bastard because it was, but after beating the SNES one it didn't feel nearly as insurmountable as it did when I was a kid. I had to use a level select code at one point because my progress mysteriously got erased somehow, but other than that I beat this one legit too. I plan on trying to get the NES Classic when it re-releases this summer, and when I do the first thing I plan to do with it is beat Ghosts and Goblins. Then I can finally end this chapter of my life. This chapter of...not beating Ghosts and Goblins.

You probably don't even need a stick for that game. I usually use one for fighters, but I didn't feel like digging it out for a beta and it's just as well because the game was obviously designed for people who don't have fight sticks. None of the inputs, at least none that I saw, ever got more complicated than quarter circle motions, which are more than doable on a pad. If anything, using the dualshock might be easier because the shoulder buttons and triggers are mapped to shortcuts for vital mechanics.

We live in a world where it is now more practical and affordable to buy prebuilt than it is to build your own.

Super Ghouls and Ghosts Yeah, the SNES game. I know it's old but god damn it, I'm proud of this one. It was sitting on my SNES Classic, taunting me as a game I could never beat, so I took it upon myself as a personal challenge to beat that son of a bitch. I did not use the rewind feature on the system to erase my mistakes, and I only used one save state slot at the beginning of certain levels so that I could take breaks and come back later without having to just pause the game and leave it on forever like in the old days. Aside from that one small convenience, I beat this game legit, and it was a real son of a bitch. What finally helped me get through was when I realized that Ghouls and Ghosts is not a platformer. Oh, it wants you to think it is, but it's actually a puzzle game. Enemies and obstacles occur on predetermined patterns for the most part, and once you figure out how to work your way around those patterns it's just a matter of following the right steps to make it from point A to point B because this is a very slow-paced game that isn't really based on reflexes. It's about memorization and problem solving. Even once I started treating the game with this mindset it still wasn't easy. It took me a grand total of four days off and on to get though to the end. And just as a side note, I really fucking hate that it's some kind of tradition in this series that you have to beat the game twice in order to see the ending. That's one of the worst gaming gimmicks I've ever seen.

"YOU DUMB BABIES! STOP HAVING FUN! IT'S JUST A STUPID BOOOOOOX!"

A Lego Dimensions-esque toys to life kind of thing.

I used an old, forgotten Gamestop credit card to buy my Switch because I figured I could get some points or something from it, and while i was setting up my online account I noticed I had a crapton of old rewards points I never redeemed for anything. So I went ahead and redeemed them.

Well I put on the replacement screen protector. There's still some bubbles along the edge but rather than lifting it up and trying it again, which is what ruined it last time, I'm going to wait a day or two and see if they go away on their own. There were some bubbles in the center but I was able to push them out with my thumb. I'm not sure but it seems like maybe this amFilm screen is ever so slightly smaller than the screen itself? I say this because it seems pretty lined up, but there's a very thin line up along the top that wasn't covered up. I don't see anywhere I messed up but it would be nice to know I'm not the only one who noticed this because it's driving my OCD crazy. Edit: I couldn't stand it. I had to reapply it. Fortunately, I was much more careful this time. I even wore some vinyl gloves to ensure I wouldn't leave any prints. I'm happier with the positioning now. Still a small bubble on the side, but I'm hoping that will disappear.

@Mal I bought that too. Haven't played too much of it yet but it's a nice, relaxing game that's perfect for portable mode.

The Dragon Ball Fighter Z beta is live and it's unlike any fighter I've ever played. It is by far the most accessible I've ever seen. Every special move I see so far is done with simple QCF or QCB motions, and that includes supers. All other functions except two are mapped to their own buttons, and the other two only require you to push two face buttons together. Basic combos can be done just by mashing a button. It was definitely made for Dragon Ball fans who have never played a fighting game before, but at the same time there's a lot of depth if you are willing to look for it. I imagine some purists might be mad that it's so easy to pick up a controller and do cool shit, but as someone who considers himself pretty good at fighters, I don't mind at all. It makes for more exciting matches when anyone can pull off some crazy moves..