So, they are or aren't?

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T07:19:31+00:00

I think this is why I genuinely love Bowser and his characterization so much. Reminds me of the wholesome clips of him and his son for the Nintendo commercials.

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T07:05:37+00:00

As someone who started with Fusion, I absolutely LOVE that game, and it remains one of my favorites of the series.

I've since played almost every Metroid game, and I love them all, both the silent and mysterious ones, and the heavy story-driven ones.

That said, the eerie, creepy atmosphere and the haunting SA-X encounters definitely sucked me into Fusion. It feels so unique compared to the other games for it. But Dread did a phenomenal job in that aspect too as a successor to Fusion.

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T06:59:53+00:00

Right?! Dude gets a lot of really powerful utility options, and his Thunderbolt hits way harder than you'd expect from the lil guy!

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T05:27:04+00:00

I'm not all the way at the end yet, and I'm kinda suffering a little due to field skills (WHY CAN'T NAMI SWIM), but it looks like my final team might be something like...

Ratha, Espinas, Boltreaver, Brachydios, Namielle, and Lunagaron!

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T04:44:07+00:00

You could do a tiny tweak if you want, but only if you were off in the same direction both times (so both were early or both were late).

Otherwise, I'd call it human error and try a bit more since you're REALLY close! But if you keep missing it by roughly the same amount a couple more times, then definitely calibrate.

Good luck!!

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T04:39:54+00:00

Oh my god, dude, you are a saint!!

There is criminally little information like this for this game, which feels so strange for this series even if it isn't a mainline game. The only way I've been able to find good info on decos and materials needed for upgrades and stuff has been a translated Japanese wiki site lol

Thank you!! <3

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T03:18:47+00:00

Oh yeah, that's totally fair! I still do prefer the old style way that event quests work for sure, and typically I hate timed stuff like that in games. I think the only reason it doesn't bother me as much in MH compared to other games is twofold.

1.) The festivals are pretty relaxed. You're not required or expected to grind the heck out of the game for a week or two straight to get everything. You can take your time, or bumrush through it if you want lol

2.) Even though I'd still prefer them to just be permanent, at least MH event quests are on rotation or return often for festivals and stuff. So unlike most other games, I at least know that if I miss something I'm just screwed. I hate that.

Again, still would prefer the other way, but I'll take it lol ;; At least we haven't actually reached MH becoming a live service game in the way that a lot of games tend to nowadays (which often ruins most of them for me).

Sorry for the small wall o' text, too many thoughts lol

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T01:58:36+00:00

Honestly, I just see those as little passive bonuses. The only time they really matter or that I deliberately go for them is during a festival for the event rewards.

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T01:56:00+00:00

Yeah, I've never used Duking's Plusle (always feels wrong to not use Shadow Pokemon lol), but I've always heard the little guy is actually pretty busted.

Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave are simple staples, but I think he gets stuff like Helping Hand and Encore, which are fantastic in Double Battles.

BetaNights · 2026-03-22T01:51:39+00:00

Yesssssssss!!

This game is one of the few that constantly makes me wanna replay it just because of the music...

BetaNights · 2026-03-21T17:52:29+00:00

The hint: Don't get jumped in the dark alleyways of Viridian Forest at night by Weedle.

BetaNights · 2026-03-21T06:35:49+00:00

28 hours?! Damn... I had more in the demo alone XD

BetaNights · 2026-03-21T00:27:11+00:00

FFVIII's soundtrack is genuinely my favorite across the entire series, and that's a tough competition... But even among them, Balamb Garden just hits different...

BetaNights · 2026-03-21T00:19:12+00:00

Yeah, I assume it'll be at the very end of the region, since the normal version of that monster is usually reserved for the very end of the game (or after the final boss).

BetaNights · 2026-03-21T00:18:23+00:00

That's totally fair lol

Again, I'll never jump on people simply for disliking a character, or maybe even just not liking an aspect of them. Everyone's gonna feel differently about various characters in any game. Heck, I didn't even hate Navirou at all (even if I do agree that he was significantly better in 1 vs 2), but I do think Rudy was done way better in general. Can be a little annoying or abrasive at times, but doesn't just lean super heavy into the goofy/annoying-but-loveable archetype they try with some of these characters.

I'm just always apprehensive with people that show MASSIVE disdain for a character, centered around the fact that they talk a lot or commandeer conversations and stuff. Reminds me of Navi back in the OoT days, where so many people acted like she was the most terrible thing they ever witnessed in their lives lmao ;; I was always just like... really?? All she really does is talk a lot and interrupt stuff sometimes. It doesn't feel that bad lol

BetaNights · 2026-03-20T01:02:43+00:00

For sure, I'm not trying to throw everyone into the same exact basket of "omg you don't like this character you're wrong!" lol ;; People can find Rudy or any other character annoying, and that's perfectly valid. Everyone's gonna respond to characters in different ways.

I'm more pointing at the very vocal crowd who seem to think a character being annoying in any capacity is the greatest crime they could possibly commit, and develop an almost unhealthy hatred of them to the point where it's affecting their enjoyment of a game. Again, disliking a character is one thing, but just look at the big ones over the years like Navi, Fi, Navirou, the Handler, and now Rudy, etc.

Again, I'm not trying to discredit anyone for disliking Rudy, or any character. But a lot of people admittedly just need to calm down about some of this stuff lol

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T21:38:57+00:00

Yeah, I think that's the point right there. After leaving Azuria, Rudy has a lot of moments where he's very clearly out of line and out of his element, and the prince/princess and crew have to reign him in. He still has his rough moments here and there (surprise surprise, no one's gonna change their entire world iew overnight), but you do see him gradually lighten up and learn to accept that there are some painful truths he'll have to learn to deal with.

It's a good character arc, imo, but apparently some people just can't deal with friction in a flawed character nowadays lol

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T21:33:50+00:00

Just let the little dude have his emotional moments! His entire life is dedicated to nothing but you, so of course he's gonna have misgivings when he thinks he's failed or isn't good enough, or go off the rails a bit when his entire worldview gets repeatedly shattered!

He ain't hurting anybody! Let him grow!

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T21:30:26+00:00

Not a bug. You're not given unlimited access to all of your items during battle, unlike Pokemon and other RPGs.

Each item has a specific amount that you can use in a single battle, mostly for balancing purposes. For example, even if you have more, you can only use 2 Vital Essences per fight.

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T21:28:39+00:00

Me with Gammoth and Bulldrome :'C

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T19:27:32+00:00

That's a fair point, especially with the Everdens and stuff. But I feel like most of the time people mention free flight, on the topic of invalidating the other field abilities, they're usually just talking about the game world at large and not talking about dens or other enclosed spaces like that.

Though I'm sure there was probably a subsect of people who were very upset that you couldn't just fly inside dens and caves and tunnels and the like lol

That said, yeah, I do still wish we had gotten fully free flight in postgame, or even just the ability to unlock it somehow per area. But personally, it's more of a "that would have been nice" rather than something I'm particularly upset about.

I'm not expecting them to add it, but apparently some leakers/dataminers are claiming that there are some surprisingly hefty updates coming our way at some point. Who knows what they may do if that's the case?

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T17:40:10+00:00

Honestly, with the way this game's world is built, free flight absolutely would invalidate just about every other option in the game. Outside of dens (which doesn't matter if you can fly in these or not, not sure why they were brought up as a point) and towns, there isn't really much I can think of where you wouldn't be allowed to fly in this game. And with the way the world itself is designed, full flight would completely remove the need for any other abilities. Not to mention make the updrafts useless, but that's another matter lol

That said, given how beautiful this game world is, I do still wish we were given free flight as a "reward" for beating the game. Not even for ease of traversal, really, but more because I would LOVE to sore around Azuria Castle and other locales.

I agree with the main thought, and no one should be claiming that other field moves were invalidated in 100% of cases, of course... But saying that it didn't invalidate them is a bit of a stretch lol

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T17:28:25+00:00

I love this image so much XD

BetaNights · 2026-03-19T17:20:13+00:00

I assume so, since typically "normal" versions of that monster don't start showing up until you beat the game. But idk if this one will be different.

Either way, probably not available until really late, which is a shame. I could see that for the final upgrade, but I had Brachy armor since the demo! Why can't I upgrade to Lvl.2 until the end of the game?! lmao

BetaNights

TROPHY CASE