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-2010 Sucked: Fable III Exemplifies the Year in Disappointement*Promoted Blog
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Way of The Samurai, Shadow of the Colossus, Castle Crashers, Jet Grind Radio, ICO, Super DodgeBall, Canabalt, Final Fantasy VI and X-Com are some of the finest games ever made in ever

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Players can elect to summon "cartoony" versions of bats, bombs, guns, and flamethrowers. These types of items can be used to destroy objects or even other summoned items (e.g., a club can be used to hit an animal; steak can be attached to a baby to attract lions; rockets can be lobbed at a man).

-From the ESRB description of Scribblenauts

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"Right after getting back to Japan, [Miyamoto] suddenly said: "You know we're including golf now." Apparently he'd stated in an interview that this time round golf shots would be determined by the backswing, even though at that time a golf game didn't exist in any shape or form!"

-A Nintendo Staffer explaining why Golf was added to Wii Sports Resort

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-Pendleton21 after listening to the disavowed Podtoid 94: So Baller

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"question, did you play with controller or keyboard?

because controller is unplayable"
-Luc Bernard re: the first release version of Eternity's Child on Steam

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"Just because u like a game doesn't mean u have to give it a high score"
-excerpt from the epic trolling on the Prototype review, inFamous/Protoype Wars, June 2009

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You Are the Brave: Why you need to play Muramasa on "Shura" mode.
Tubatic | 1:40 AM on 09.06.2009 20 comments




As a general rule, I try to start games on their normal difficulty. Everyone expects the optimal tuning for a game to be as such, and you'll find most if not all reviews are based on a game's normal setting. I do, in fact, suck at games, so you'll seldom see me hit up hard mode on anything in my game collection. While I like difficulty, I'm not all that into getting completely torn up by nearly unfair difficulty. I think I'm a pretty average gamer in that regard, so, this message is very important, as many people will want to run their usual game routine:

Go ahead and just play Muramasa on "Shura" Mode.

Trust me, this isn't about gaming machismo or who's more elite, or who's too hardcore for normal. Screw that noise. The truth here is that "Shura" (Muramasa's "hard mode") is the optimal "gamer" setting for experiencing the meat of this game.



Johnathan Holmes mentioned this in his impressions, and the man is absolutely right.

"Unless you are actively afraid of your enemies, you wont try to work out strategies to beat them. That'll cause the game to turn into a button masher, and you'll be bored in no time."

The tuning of this game, for whatever reason, is such that "Normal" is a complete, unquestionable cakewalk, and "Hard" is difficult enough for the quality of the game's design to come through. There's a certain amount of tension that just does not play in the normal mode, where boss strategy is irrelevant and button mashing alone will easily get you through.



After starting off last night playing normal, I've switched over to Shura this evening. I've started into Kisuke's storyline past the first boss, and I've continued Momohime From the second act through the samurai boss. My experience tonight has been more fun and far more satisfying than last night. The story so far is actually very good, and the "Shura" difficulty has helped pull me in, letting me experience the challenges that the characters are expressing, rather than letting me press "a" to watch pretty pictures.

I implore you, fellow Dtoiders: Play Muramasa on Shura mode. The game cautions that Shura is "Only for the brave." I'd say if you're reading this, you're most likely the men and women they had in mind.



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19 comments | showing # 1 to 19
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Chris Carter's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 02:38
Chris Carter
This kind of "challenge but not cheap" mechanic reminds me a lot of how Demon's Souls worked out. I'm absolutely amazed at how Eastern developers are approaching new and innovative ways to challenge players: it's part of the reason I'm so partial to Eastern studios.

<3 your posts Tubatic!
Artemus's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 03:18
Artemus
Awesome! I'll follow yours, and Holmes, lead.
I usually start games on Normal and eventually, if I get to it and if the game is worthy, challenge myself to the more difficult setting.
It's also too bad the game is designed in this fashion... Most people start and end on Normal and may never, ever see the beauty of the game's design. That's unfortunate.
TheBigFeel's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 03:45
TheBigFeel
Thanks for the tip.
Zoel's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 03:45
Zoel
I never play Musou mode, so I have no idea what its like. But I thought the game was pretty easy on shura besides the Barrier Caves.
Kyle MacGregor's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 03:55
Kyle MacGregor
I'll be getting a copy in October. I'll heed your advice then.
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 06:23
Monodi
Ill get a copy as soon I... get a Wii...

I hate myself.
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 08:54
Phoenix Gamma
Sadly,I'm already very, very far in Momohime's story to switch over. I'm sure the difficulty would spike too much.

Maybe I will when I start the second story. Still, it doesn't feel button mashy; I spend most of my time trying to get the biggest combos I can by knocking people around and trying to lead my character and enemies through an optimal path.
Chris Carter's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 09:51
Chris Carter
As a random side note: I hope they port this to the PS2 one day. It would easily translate.
JohZho's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 10:14
JohZho
I just hope the game doesn't repeatedly hand me my ass over and over again midway through, that can really break a game y'know? But I'm the one that always go back to those kind of games though :P
Jonathan Holmes's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 10:21
Jonathan Holmes
Keep spreading the good word! It makes me sad that a lot of people are bound to enjoy this game less because they're plying it on normal.
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 10:24
Tubatic
@Jozo

One very nice feature, though, is the game's acknowledgement that you may not be feeling up for a challenge at any given moment. Whenever you start up your saved game, you're given the choice to swap difficulty (Which is also available in gameplay as a setting). If Muramasa has that super hard midsection... there's an easy out if you want it.

I'm the same way though! I've had Ikaruga for more than a year, and I still haven't seen level 5. But I keep going back!
Dan CiTi's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 10:45
Dan CiTi
When I played this in japanese, I played on the casual difficulty because I didn't really know what was going on but it did take me a while to get to a point where the game challenged me.

In my opinion, it the modes mean Casual, Hardcore, and then 1HP/Maniacs. There is no true "normal" mode.
WhiteX's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 11:10
WhiteX
Always hard.
ProperlyParanoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/06/2009 13:58
ProperlyParanoid
I need to buy this game... Too bad I don't have any money right now. But thanks for the tip!
Tino's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/07/2009 02:07
Tino
I was watching people play this one the show floor at PAX and just flying through the demo with no difficulty. I sat down to play it eventually and put it on "Shura" right away. Great choice. I died, yes, but it was a blast.
JohZho's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/08/2009 14:01
JohZho
I'm dying a lot =/ is this a bad thing? takes like 7 tries on bosses wtf why do I suck so badly!
Deathofthedead's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/08/2009 23:34
Deathofthedead
I just started but it seems pretty tough so far. I think I just need to really practice all the moves and whatnot (shocking, I know) and I'll be okay.

Question, though: why do my items sometimes have a red X over them and are unusable? Is this related to the fullness bar? I'm still trying to figure out the mechanics of the item use system.
GraveRisen's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/09/2009 00:21
GraveRisen
Started on, and will continue with Shura mode. Up to the 4th boss for momo and 2nd for kisuke
GigaMach's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/14/2009 10:46
GigaMach
Interesting. I played through Kisuke's first act on Normal, and had fun, but if you're the gamer you say you are (I relate) then I'll restart on Shura for great justice.
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