General Game Chat

[Maniakkid25]

I wanted one last chance to check to make sure there wasn't anything I was missing out of the library that I wanted. There were a bunch of Arcade games that were digital-only releases and did NOT make the jump to Xbone, so I just wanted to make sure I was good with what I had. *shrug*

[ShiraNoMai]

I think Moony misread what you said as you wishing it ended earlier because he thought it was actually at midnight (meaning you were asking for it to close sooner), but the reality of what you meant is it just closed randomly during the day yesterday, which super stinks. They really had ought to have waited for at least midnight ET, if not PT (cuz of Microsoft's west coast HQ).

Such a shame. In terms of game preservation, this is such a horrible and terminal end for many smaller titles.

[Moonface]

Yeah, I was trying to double check if what @Maniakkid25 wrote was a typo because I didn't get why they'd want it to close before midnight.

Thanks to IGN I came across a Twitter user who compiled a (non-exhaustive) list of games lost from the Xbox 360 Marketplace closure, but because I know you can't view anything beyond the initial Tweet without an account here's the list:

• The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai
  
• OD Beat Drop
  
• Black Knight Sword
  
• Fusion: Genesis
  
• Death Tank
  
• Exit
  
• Exit 2
  
• Aegis Wing
  
• Mini Ninjas Adventures
  
• Diabolical Punch
  
• TotemBall
  
• Gel (Set & Match)
  
• Otomedius Excellent
  
• Project Sylpheed
  
• Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure
  
• BUBBLE BOBBLE Neo!
  
• Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition
  
• RAYSTORM HD
  
• Crimson Alliance
  
• Burnout Crash!
  
• Choplifter HD
  
• Spare Parts
  
• Muchi Muchi Pork (JP)
  
• Pink Sweets (JP)
  
• Dodonpachi Saidaioujou (JP)
  
• Mushihimesama Futari (JP)
  
• Virtua Striker (JP)
  

If I can find a reliable list of games that were on the store and aren't available elsewhere or via BC on Xbox One/Series maybe I'll make a list of every game lost. Of the ones that user listed though, OD Beat Drop actually looks like something I'd give a go based on how they described it.

[Maniakkid25]

Okay, I can see how that's confusing now. When I said "Before midnight", I meant 11:59 of the current date. You know, like how it normally is. But they killed it at 12:01 of the current date, I assume, which is why I was saddened that it was already closed.

[ShiraNoMai]

Yeah, a shame they would announce it like that but, dang.

I kinda wish they ported a lot of those games to the Windows Store at the very least.

[Moonface]

Okay, I can see how that's confusing now. When I said "Before midnight", I meant 11:59 of the current date. You know, like how it normally is. But they killed it at 12:01 of the current date, I assume, which is why I was saddened that it was already closed.

Ah, I see. That makes a lot more sense now. Sucks that they didn't make the actual shut down moment clearer so people like yourself didn't have the rug pulled out from them on last minute purchases.

I dunno how many people here partake in and/or follow the ROM hacking scene, but I just saw that romhacking.net has announced their closure: https://www.romhacking.net/news/3074/
Sucks that the main reason is due to a group of people being pieces of shit to the person who was trying to find a future for all of the content on the site so they could just step away and leave it in someone else's hands. At least that stuff isn't doomed to disappear or be held solely in the hands of those people so they ultimately don't really gain anything from their behaviour.

Edit: Man, today is a rough day for gaming. Game Informer have just announced they're closing down after 33 years: https://x.com/gameinformer/status/1819399257071214854
Aren't they the only outlet that was still producing a magazine in any capacity?

[Maniakkid25]

So, I just found out something very annoying. So, the SMT Nocturne Remaster was released on all systems and PC. I own the switch version. In the Switch version, it ships as the Chronicle edition (featuring Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV) and you buy the Maniax edition (featuring Dante of Devil May Cry) as DLC.

The PC version is the original version base, with Maniax and Chronicle as DLC (Chronicle DLC being free).

This is very annoying, because I don't have the full version of the game, and the original version doesn't have the Fiends! Yes, the Fiends and all its associated dealings were only added to the Maniax and Chronicle editions. Sure, it technically means I miss out on the true ending, but it's also SIGNIFICANTLY easier! And plus, I recommended this game to a friend of mine, and didn't know this at the time, so now he's gonna be all confused when I start talking about stuff.

[Moonface]

So, I just found out something very annoying. So, the SMT Nocturne Remaster was released on all systems and PC. I own the switch version. In the Switch version, it ships as the Chronicle edition (featuring Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV) and you buy the Maniax edition (featuring Dante of Devil May Cry) as DLC.

The PC version is the original version base, with Maniax and Chronicle as DLC (Chronicle DLC being free).

This is very annoying, because I don't have the full version of the game, and the original version doesn't have the Fiends! Yes, the Fiends and all its associated dealings were only added to the Maniax and Chronicle editions. Sure, it technically means I miss out on the true ending, but it's also SIGNIFICANTLY easier! And plus, I recommended this game to a friend of mine, and didn't know this at the time, so now he's gonna be all confused when I start talking about stuff.

I'm trying to figure out the difference here between the PC version and the Switch version. From what I can tell looking it up, the Maniax DLC is just a palette swap switching out Raidou for Dante, and the PC version just has neither installed by default and requires a separate download. Mostly I'm confused how you don't have the full version of the game, because isn't the Chronicle DLC just bundled in by default with the Switch version and so isn't missing any content that requires an extra step by the player?

[Maniakkid25]

It's missing the ability to play the original version of the game. Granted, there's not much reason to do that, but still. Also, Chronicle is not a palette swap of Maniax. Raidou has different, unique attacks and cutscenes from Dante. They also use different voice actors (the remaster uses VAs), mainly because Raidou himself doesn't talk (long story).

[Moonface]

It's missing the ability to play the original version of the game. Granted, there's not much reason to do that, but still.

Ah, I see. Seems to be a weird trend for SMT since I believe SMT V: Vengeance makes playing the original base version of SMT V no longer possible.

Also, Chronicle is not a palette swap of Maniax. Raidou has different, unique attacks and cutscenes from Dante. They also use different voice actors (the remaster uses VAs), mainly because Raidou himself doesn't talk (long story).

Oh? Anything I was reading online about it was all saying that besides aesthetic stuff like the cutscenes, VA and animations that neither character does anything mechanically different to the other in gameplay.

[Maniakkid25]

Mechanically, they are the same when you fight them, yes. But a Palette Swap is a very specific term that implies that the vast majority of aspects of a character are preserved. Raidou is not a straight palette swap. Also, before the remaster, Raidou was actually better than Dante, because Raidou got Pierce, meaning Dante was functionally USELESS in the game path you recruit him in. They fixed this in the remaster.

[Moonface]

Mechanically, they are the same when you fight them, yes. But a Palette Swap is a very specific term that implies that the vast majority of aspects of a character are preserved. Raidou is not a straight palette swap. Also, before the remaster, Raidou was actually better than Dante, because Raidou got Pierce, meaning Dante was functionally USELESS in the game path you recruit him in. They fixed this in the remaster.

Ah. I was using the term before knowing they get things actually different about them and thought it was just same moves, same cutscenes, same dialogue but different skin and VA.


For anyone who was following the Game Informer closure news, GameStop really deserves to go under as a company:

• They didn't tell GI until the last minute about the closure, so they had completed 70% of putting together their next issue.
  
• The announcement on GI's Twitter about the closure was probably done by AI, so GameStop couldn't even be bothered to actually write a closure message or let GI write it themselves.
  
• When someone at GI did write a goodbye message on the accounts Twitter earlier today, GameStop responded by outright deleting the account.
  
• All GI content has been taken down and happened so fast that staff at the company didn't have enough time to archive their own works for portfolio purposes.
  

I also haven't seen anything about it but I wonder what's happened to anyone who had an active subscription to GI? I won't be shocked if GameStop just decides "too bad so sad" and gives those people nothing back.

[Maniakkid25]

Ah. I was using the term before knowing they get things actually different about them and thought it was just same moves, same cutscenes, same dialogue but different skin and VA.

Yeah, no, they are very different. Dante bullies you with swords and guns, while Raidou summons demons to fight for him for the most part. My favorite attack by Dante's Twosome Time, because Dante gets to do trick shots with Ebony and Ivory.

I also haven't seen anything about it but I wonder what's happened to anyone who had an active subscription to GI? I won't be shocked if GameStop just decides "too bad so sad" and gives those people nothing back.

Given how desperate they are for money, I wouldn't be surprised if that is exactly what they do. I would say "Gamestop needs to die" if hundreds of people weren't gambling on it being the next big corporation and saving them from poverty. Most of them don't deserve that fate. Some of them do, but most of them don't.

[Moonface]

Is that entire video about GameStop exclusively or no? Two and a half hours is a tad long for me to get context beyond what I assume is people who placed money into the stocks back when that became a thing to do with GameStop and a lot of those people still have their money in it?
And with wanting GS to die, it's really more I just detest the pencil pushers running it that are the reason for all the bullshit things the company pulls and just wish them ill. I have no qualm with the workers and whatnot, although my comment of wanting GS to die in the heat of the moment does just take a scorched earth approach to the problem which definitely isn't a fair stance.

BTW if you didn't see it, I posted something in the Game Merchandise thread that you may have interest in. Just pointing it out here due to it being a time sensitive thing to look at.

[Maniakkid25]

It's less about Gamestop and more about the aftermath of the Meme Stock fiasco of 2021, but Gamestop plays a vital role in the narrative. The video is that long because it is DENSE, but basically hundreds, possibly thousands, and betting on what can only be described as a Doomsday cult with Gamestop as their messiah. It's a long, winding, and weird tale that is absolutely worth a watch.