First impressions and the delicate art of the introduction of video game | Super interior



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FAIRBANKS – The moments of opening a video game are the most important that you will spend there. It's the opportunity for a game to get you into his world, teach you his rules and, hopefully, convince yourself that it was worth your money and worth your time.

In two weeks since my last chronicle, I played games that illustrate the opposite ends of the introductory spectrum. The flat introduction of a game was so far from its colorful promise that it made it impossible to ignore its other imperfections, while the other was a welcome invitation to a pleasantly enjoyable experience. surprising and easy to forget. "Mario Tennis Aces", released for the Nintendo Switch at the end of June, promised a new entry into the stellar world of Mario's sports games. All your favorite characters gathered to face the field. At least that was the promise.

Instead, the initial moments of "Mario Tennis Aces" are constantly interrupted by stiff and uninteresting chatter between Mario and Toad. When there is no sense of great adventure and when it takes a surprisingly long time to start playing something that would even look like the most basic of tennis matches, you know that something is wrong in the realm of Mushrooms

is very likely one of the worst tutorials of recent memory. This is both too detailed and too fast – you rushing from one difficult concept to master to another without giving you an explanation of when or why to use such tactics.

"Mario Tennis Aces" is, well, a tennis game of services, rallies and different types of shots, but it also combines video game elements like a power meter that you build with rallies and rallies. loaded shots that can be spent on tricks or to slow the game to counter opponents.

Even by surpassing the hairs of a single player mode by sitting down and replaying the tutorial again and again until I can understand the delicate timing of the game, it does not matter. There is not much there. in "Mario Tennis Aces."

The solo mode is thin and does a poor job teaching the fundamentals of the game. It might be forgivable if it had Mario's personality, but even that is missing.

The lure of the game is to play against other players, which sounds more like a hardcore fighting game than the playful Wii. Sports. I can see the call, but his opening hours and his lazy player do almost nothing to prepare you for a rather competitive online multiplayer scene (which will cost you dearly soon once the Nintendo Switch service Online will be launched in September). ] After several frustrating hours with "Mario Tennis Aces" and several times crashed into the online multiplayer mode, I have browsed the Nintendo Switch shop, a bit sullen, looking for something else to play. It is there that I found "West of Loahing", which at first glance seems so far from the promise of "Mario Tennis Aces" with its black and white stick-shaped art and textual dialogue . 19659002] But "West of Loathing" is a Western, a genre that is close to my heart, so I decided to try it. I'm glad I did.

His opening moments do not contain a complicated big tutorial but on the contrary, he makes you discover a simple character, you choose a class to play: "Cow Puncher", "Beanslinger" and "Snake Oiler" – and then your character wakes up from a dream and you are sent to the world.

This is a simple but confident introduction into an open world. Almost nothing is explicitly explained and you are invited to discover it at your own pace. Many game systems – such as its upgrade system – are automatically tuned to the autopilot, but can be switched to manual mode as you feel comfortable. This is an introduction that looks like an invitation to install and explore.

I spent many hours in "West of Loahing", through his silly western world filled with bandits, revived skeletons and a weird cow worship. There is a lot going on in the game, and it seems like every corner of the game has something to do.

The map is dotted with dozens of places that can be found throughout the main story, through side quests or simply wandering around the desert. Every place promises something to do, whether it's a quick battle or a complex logic based on the bizarre notions of health presented by a ghost parody of John Harvey Kellogg, the inventor of Corn Flakes.

"West of Loathing" Asymmetric developer put in his world is awesome, and he shows first moments to several hours.

For many of us, the time we have to play is limited. When you have to decide where to invest your time, first impressions are important. After several hours with both games, I know I'm going back to "West of Loahing".

Matt Buxton is a writer and freelance player. You can reach him at [email protected]

If you play

• Game: Mario Tennis Aces

Rating: Two Stars

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Price: $ 60, will require an annual subscription online from September

Release Date: June 22

ESRB Rank: Everyone

• Game: West of Loathing

Rating: 4 stars

Platforms: PC / Mac, Nintendo Switch

Price: $ 11

Release Date: May 31

ESRB Rating: Teenager

                                
                                
        
        
                            

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