Rundown (5/15-5/21) Press T Switch

So after two years of anticipation, Press-Switch, a body swap and tg focused visual novel that is also one of my favorite games of all time, is about to get its first update in two years. An update in the form of a single route that will effectively double the length of the game. It’s still months away, but once it releases, I’ll probably drop everything I have before going through all routes and writing a praise heavy review for the game. I could go on right now about how its characters are varied and memorable. Its scenarios nuanced and engaging. Its scope colossal and diverse. Its tone delightfully dark and even deprived at times. Along with how it influenced me as a writer. But I am a patient person, and can wait another seventeen months.

In a recent interview, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima announced that the company is working on a feature film that they hope to debut within two or three years. The film will be animated, likely CG animated, with Nintendo themselves producing as much context as possible. Which is understandable. The company is paranoid about their brands being misused after the way they were handled during the 1980s, and starting up a division of the company that will work on film production is far from a bad idea. It should be two, or three years until the film is ready, and I’d rather have people wait until they begin making wild speculations.

In the meantime Nintendo is bringing over Yo-Kai Watch 2, both versions of the game, on September 30th. Now, I expressed interest in the series last year, but I’ve played the demo since then and I my thoughts have changed. I really dislike the combat, which is a series of stylus based mini-games mixed with light strategy, but is completely devoid of the mathematics or control that defines Pokemon. Plus, out of the 300+ designs I’ve seen, I think I only like 12. Comparatively, I like about 650 of the 721 727 Pokemon designs. Heck, I even like most Digimon designs. But Yo-Kai Watch… I can’t see myself getting into it, and feel like an old cow because of it.

Granted, I am a sucker for the aesthetic of anime and manga made from from… 1980 to 2000. I was really into it as a kid, and that fondness stayed with me. So I shouldn’t need to say I like Dragon Ball, and the last game in the series that interested me, Dragon Ball Xenoverse, is getting a sequel due out this year. Hopefully it tries to do the premise of a revised Dragon Ball Z history a bit more creatively than what came before it, and improve some mechanical things. As well as get rid of that glossy shader… oh, wait, they didn’t? Okay, keeping my expectations super low then.

I would make a comment about having low or high expectations for Resident Evil 7, but… I really don’t like the series. It’s not because the games are bad, but rather the idea of a game with limited saves, limited ammo, limited health, and a rank based on how well and quickly you go through the game stirs a great deal of anxiety within me, and I end up playing them as conservatively and timidly as possible, afraid to miss a shot or take a hit. It’s why I never beat Revelations or Resident Evil 4. Anyhow, the reason I brought this up was that Resident Evil 7 will return to its horror roots and be at E3. Granted, it should have probably never left those roots, as the main criticism for Resident Evil 5 was that it was too far from said roots. Anything else to add? Um… expect a review of the first two Zero Escape games leading up to the review of the third one (it will be late, since I ordered the limited edition with crappy shipping options I can’t change). The only reviews of other new releases this year will be for Megadimension Neptunia VII and whatever Kickstarter games I’ve backed (although I still haven’t gotten to Root Double Xtend Edition). My next novella, Maple Loves Senpai, will release on May 31st as planned. Maybe the 30th if I feel like it. Also, this past week I came out to my mother as transgender. Kay, bye.