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It is the new Hot Shots. They have always called it Everybody's Golf everywhere except North America. They have decided to call it that in NA for this one too. Not sure why. They have added some new character customization options and some new hub areas to run around in, but the gameplay is exactly what you'd expect from Hot Shots with the three click meter and all that.

Oh cool, never knew any of that. I'm not a big nut about the games, but whenever I see them cheap I usually get them. Just wish my friends would get them too so we could play online together sometime.

Glad there's a character customization, I hate using goofy looking characters that I have no control over. Most of the time I prefer to make a character look like me as much as I can.

I started up Abzu. Kind of like a poor man's underwater Journey if you will. Hoping to whip through it in the next day or so. I have Rime coming in from GameFly and it should be here Tuesday. Really excited for that one.

Now that I've finished Persona 5 I think I might finally get going with The Last Guardian.

I don't think I'll ever return to TLG. Was playing it when my mom came and told me my grandpa wasn't going to make it a few days before he died and I don't think I can ever disassociate the game with that. Playing it just makes me miss him without reminding me of what I loved about him.

I thought I'd want to get around to Nier Automata after Persona 5, but committing to a long console game is turning me off after that. So I'm playing Mario Kart 8 on the Switch and giving FFVI another shot on this third party GBA clone called the Revo K101, which is a pretty neat piece of hardware

Sorry to hear that, man. I don't blame you in that case, it's weird the way the mind can associate things like that.

For what it's worth, Nier is relatively short. It's very brainy. The thing I was reminded of the most while playing it was Ghost in the Shell. Very similar philosophical themes and, at times, similar delivery. I LOVE shit like that, but definitely play it when you're in the mood for it.

My reaction after playing Persona 5 was "need to shoot stuff" so I reinstalled Far Cry 3. I play games like that the way old ladies used to play Farmville. Mindlessly. I like it, I listen to podcasts and shit while doing it.

But similar to you, the thought of committing to something more in depth, even mechanically, after Persona 5 was not attractive to me.

Finished up Abzu. Was really short, but fairly enjoyable. Started up Rime which I like a lot so far. Excited to play more.

I really wish Rime would get on Switch soon but I know I'll be happy I waited if I wait for that version.

I finished Rime. Really enjoyed it. It is largely about puzzles/traversal/exploration. In that way it is most similar to Ico which seems to be a big inspiration. But it doesn't have any real combat which is refreshing. The art and music are fantastic too.

I started up Far Cry 3 again because I really felt like a mindless shooting things game, and I'm remembering why I stopped. Uplay...fucking...uplay. It is such a bad system, the game crashes pretty frequently. Ugh.

I really don't get how Origin gets so much shit when Uplay exists. Yeah, Ubi still lets you buy games on Steam, but they still make you jump through all those Uplay hoops for something that often ruins their games. Makes me glad I don't even really get most of their games so I don't need to decide between a service I hate and buying on a console.

Origin's a fine service, it's just annoying that they're withholding titles from other services instead of making their own platform better.

Uplay is a piece of shit.

I finished Persona 5 the other day. Fantastic game. I definitely want to play New Game + someday, because I didn't get a chance to do all of the confidant stuff or some of the other extra stuff.

I also picked up Injustice 2 and have been playing that a bunch lately. It's a nice improvement on the first game. There is a really neat gear system that has motivated me to try lots of different characters. Its also packed with a lot of really good single player content on top of the story mode, which like all recent Nether Realm games, is solid. It definitely will be a game I stick with through the summer.

Working on Tales of Hearts R on the Vita and Lightning Returns on the PS3 as I attempt to knock out some 2017 gaming goals. LR I'm enjoying a bit more this time than my first attempt due to the fact that I understand the battle system a bit more, the first time I was a bit drowsy. Plus, I get the whole time thing a bit more too. Decided to do something with it that I never do, and I'm playing on easy instead of normal, but I really just want to get it out of the way and easy mode doesn't change much.

Still playing Killzone 4 multiplayer, and recently purchased NHL 17. NHL 17 is fun playing against friends, but your players move like fucking retards, not professional hockey players. Be a pro mode is a lot of fun too, I enjoy this mode more in this game than I do in FIFA.

I really enjoy the Be a Pro mode in NHL 16, especially after changing some of the advanced settings. I do wish it would just show the game in fast forward when you sim, though. Or at least show the goals. It's pretty lame when important goals just appear while you're simming.

Haven't been playing much lately. I am now looking to get into something new. I was hoping to get Arms from GameFly for something else to play on the Switch, but no dice. I have Shovel Knight coming in which I've never played. I've been enjoying quite a few of these retro throwback games like Shantae and Axiom Verge, so hopefully I will dig this. Hoping to get Nier Automata with my other GameFly slot too.

If I'm not mistaken you've only played Metal Gear Solid 1 and part of 2. I say you play Metal Gear Solid 3 and play one of the best in the series.

And there, Bret helped you play something new.

Shovel Knight is fantastic, I think you'll really enjoy it.

I have been playing it off and on all day and I love it. Feels like a combination of the Castlevania, Megaman and DuckTales NES games with a better checkpoint/save system. The Super Mario Bros. 3 style map is a nice touch. Even has little things similar to the Hammer Bros. and the card games that show up. Sorry it took me so long to play it, but it came with a free update with the DLC campaigns I guess, so that is a bonus.

GameFly also sent me Nioh, so that should be a disaster.

Worst case scenario it won't be the worst thing they sent you. There won't be emo Ellen Page after all.

I tried a bit of Nioh. Doesn't seem quite as brutal as I was expecting so far. Still trying to figure things out. Hopefully this game can be something I chip away at over the summer.

I think I will hold off on playing the additional Shovel Knight campaigns. I didn't realize they were remixed versions with new characters. A bit too same-y for me to go through right away. Would have been awesome a year or two after release for people who got the game when it came out though.

Specter Knight's campaign felt pretty unique. The new mechanics make it feel fresh, but I'd give it at least a few weeks since the level assets themselves are reused. I tried plague knight but I couldn't really get into it. Maybe I should try again.

Got Shantae: Half Genie Hero on Switch and have been loving it. Gorgeous graphics, fun powers, and great level design. A lot less obtuse than RR too which made me stop playing that game. Plus it lets you turn into an elephant. Everything's better with elephants.

Also been playing Yooka-Laylee and agree with Trip's points about worlds being too big and a lot of annoying ways you have to get Pagies, but I'm still enjoying it despite these issues. BK isn't even close to my favorite platformer, but I still like it and have fun with it, which YL fits to a tee. But those quizes are still beyond unacceptable. Who thought that was a good idea?

Been playing the Crash remaster at my neighbor's (too poor to get it right now) and being able to play them back-to-back I can honestly say I just flat up don't really like the first Crash game. The controls are frustrating and sluggish, the level design is too pinpoint for the controls. Started playing the second one and immediately went to my happy place again.

I was really hoping they'd improve the controls of Crash 1 more, but they really didn't. Same with some of the collision/hit box issues. Throw in some occasionally poor level designs and it really just isn't on the level of 2/3 at all. The save system and a few other tweaks certainly make it less frustrating though. I still had fun replaying it, but I was hoping for some more improvement on the first one.

I started up 2 today and it really is a world of difference. Controls, moves, level designs, environmental diversity, etc. It's so much fun. I do wish in general for this collection they had gone for 60 fps. The graphical upgrade would have still been huge. Load times could be better too, but that isn't a huge deal.

I had the exact same hopes for one. I thought for certain they wouldn't leave the sluggish movement and weird hitbox issues intact but...there they were. I guess I can't argue as I tend to be on the "purist" side of the argument with remasters.

Weren't the games remade from the ground up? Why wouldn't they upgrade the controls of the first?

I have no clue why they didn't update 1's controls either. The bridge stages especially could have benefited from that. Also wish 1 and 2's time trials let you use the spring move from Warped. Was what made those time trials so fun for me, though it could be that those levels didn't work for Crash moving that fast like Warped did.

I understand not putting slides/sprinting where they don't belong since it would screw with the level design but not updating the hitboxes or not making Crash's jumps responsive like they are in 2 and 3 is stupid to me.

They could have EASILY changed my opinion completely on the first game by fixing the control/hitbox issues.

BUT for 2-3 at that price...good enough! I won't be able to buy it myself for a while but I'm enjoying what I've played.

Actually just beat 2 and they do give you the running shoes in that one. So that's pretty awesome. Can't wait to get the relics.