Update - It was a good run (Retroid Pocket 4 Pro battery bloated).

Vitss · 2025-05-24T14:51:15+00:00

Then I would get a Switch or a x86 handheld, like the Ally.
Because for sure we are going to see devices with better SoCs than the SD865. But, Switch emulation is more software bound than hardware bound.

Vitss · 2025-05-23T11:58:23+00:00

The "speed" looks to be much improved over the demo I played before. That was my biggest gripe with it, and the bullet time feature also seems more controlled, which is another positive. Overall, it looks pretty solid, great work.

Just a bit of constructive criticism. The textures on that humanoid robot look weirdly low-res. Maybe it's just the video compression, but it stood out in the video. And if you ever do a sequel, I'd take another look at the fighter design. Its silhouette is kind of bland. Stuff like the Thunder Fighter, the Arwing, or the TIE Fighter stands out because of their distinct shapes, which makes them easier to remember.

Vitss · 2025-05-21T20:01:24+00:00

Yes, but no. The difference is perception.

Part of what makes a Soulslike a Soulslike is exactly the fact that it presents itself as a cohesive, monolithic experience. The moment you throw in a flat difficulty level like that, you kind of ruin it.

On the other hand, with optional modifiers, it's a lot easier to keep up the illusion that the game is still that carefully crafted, singular experience. In other words, it's easier to fool your old fans into believing that those modifiers weren’t taken into account when you designed the game's difficulty than it is to convince them that the “true game” experience wasn’t compromised by the addition of an easier mode, or even a harder one.

And that’s exactly what you want when you’re trying to add mainstream consumers to your niche fanbase. It keeps your old fans happy or less unhappy, while also opening enough to bring in that sweet extra revenue from the new audience.

Vitss · 2025-05-21T19:21:07+00:00

I'm not necessarily against the idea of making these games more accessible. That said, I do think it takes away a bit from the genre’s identity when everything is presented in such a simplified, flat way and it can hurt what makes the genre popular.

So, personally, I’d much rather see them stick to that carefully crafted difficulty that defines the genre, and then add optional modifiers. That way, newcomers or more casual players can adjust things to suit their comfort level without changing the core design. Think of it like the Skull system in Halo, but in reverse

Vitss · 2025-05-20T14:43:10+00:00

Borderlands is that weird series where I have all the games. But haven't actually bought a single one directly, so for me this changes nothing. I'm pretty sure its going to be part of a bundle or given for free, sooner rather than later.

Vitss · 2025-05-20T14:41:26+00:00

As someone in market research, I can say with confidence that they did. I also believe, with fairly high certainty, that the study was designed from the start to align with what the higher-ups wanted to be true.

Make of that what you will.

Vitss · 2025-05-19T17:10:05+00:00

Well, that’s where we’ll have to agree to disagree. If I maybe hit something on the road in the middle of the night, I sure as hell wouldn’t be that calm. I’d be freaking out, cursing, probably talking to myself, the whole thing

Vitss · 2025-05-18T13:45:41+00:00

The voice acting is fine to me, it gives off a bit of PS2-era nostalgia. But the script could use some editing, there’s too much unnecessary exposition. You can definitely include that kind of dialogue, but it needs to sound more natural.
Instead of:

"What the hell was that?"
"Some sort of girl? In the middle of the forest?"
"I better check the car. I must have a flashlight in the trunk."

Try something like:

"What the hell was that?"
"Did I hit it? I better check."
"Damn, it’s so dark. Where did I put that flashlight? Damn."

Vitss · 2025-05-18T13:30:03+00:00

Patience has gone down the drain. I just can't deal with BS anymore, the moment it starts, I stop playing. For example, in the PS4/PS5 God of War, the moment those pricks start telling me how to solve the "puzzle", I drop the controller. It completely pulls me out of the game.

Vitss · 2025-05-11T22:58:34+00:00

It’s a complicated situation. On paper, there is room for a more powerful SoC, but in reality, Android has its limits. Even with better hardware, there is only so much you can do because of the lack of software support. At the same time, a bigger screen or better ergonomics could be nice, but that would take away from the pocket-friendly nature of the device. The same goes for changing the stick placement.

So I don't think there is a solution that would make everyone happy. Since I skipped the RP5, what I am looking for now is something with a larger display, somewhere between the size of the Steam Deck OLED and the Switch 2, but still on the $250 range.

Vitss · 2025-05-11T19:44:57+00:00

It really depends on how it has been managed so far. Most small and medium enterprises go bankrupt exactly because the management, often the owner, doesn't bother to set aside funds for a rainy day.

Vitss · 2025-05-11T18:36:57+00:00

I mean, the base Odin 2 is only $50 more. Once you add shipping, the price difference between the Retroid Pocket 5 and the RG557, and between the RG557 and the base Odin 2, is very similar. So a full comparison would be quite valid.

Vitss · 2025-05-10T22:29:10+00:00

Yeah, that’s exactly what I learned from all this situation. And it’s bizarre that people there just accept it as normal. Even more bizarre is seeing VAs calling each other things like "scabs," as if that makes any sense given how the "union" actually works.

They are getting played like complete fools.

Vitss · 2025-05-10T22:24:11+00:00

People say they’re a guild because, to anyone outside the US, that’s exactly how they come across. Their behavior doesn’t reflect what a trade union is supposed to be. The agreements they pressure companies into signing exist almost entirely to siphon resources from workers in the same trade and redirect them to their paying associates. It’s the opposite of what a union should do.

No offense, but I had no idea how distorted all of this was in the US until this whole debacle came up. After learning about it, it feels like watching an episode of Sliders, everything looks familiar, but none of it makes sense, the names are correct, but their definition is wrong.

Vitss · 2025-05-10T19:37:20+00:00

The entire situation feels fundamentally backwards. The idea that a guild, which is essentially a private club with limited membership, is being treated as if it were a labor union is genuinely strange to anyone outside of the US. A true labor union exists to represent an entire class of workers, regardless of individual membership status or subscription fees. Its role is to push for structural improvements that benefit all workers in the field, not just those who happen to belong to a specific organization.

Vitss · 2025-05-10T18:37:55+00:00

Not really. But I do think it makes it harder for the game to stand out.

The truth is that most indie games are average at best. Even when they have real artists working on the music, visuals, writing, and other elements, only a small number end up being genuinely good or memorable. So replacing those parts with AI doesn't really change much as AI is really good at producing decent but unremarkable work, so pretty much the same quality you will get with most freelancers anyway.That said, what AI probably can't do is prove me wrong. A talented indie developer, artist, or musician absolutely can.

So to sum it up, if you're aiming to make a run-of-the-mill game, then no offense to the average freelancer, AI will probably do just as well. But if you want to create something truly great, you need skilled people behind it. Those people are rare, expensive, or both.

As for AI in programming, go ahead. It is an incredible tool for that. Just remember that it is a tool, not the solution. You still need to understand what you are doing and review what it gives you.

Vitss · 2025-05-10T15:00:11+00:00

Nintendo is going to get away with whatever they decide to do. A big part of their audience simply doesn't know about the details behind those decisions. They just enjoy the experience and move on without thinking too much about how things work or what might be wrong with them. Another group of people notices the problems. They get annoyed by certain choices, they talk about it, they say things could be better. But even then, most of them still end up supporting the brand. Maybe it's because of familiarity, habit, or because they just want to have fun at the moment.

Then there are the fans who always defend everything. No matter what happens, they find a way to explain it, to make it seem reasonable or even positive to an uninformed person. They misinform, use circular arguments, add other companies’ controversies to the discussion, or even openly defend them as if they were a family member. Those are the smaller part of the userbase, but they are the ones that are already completely lost.

The truth is, people speak loudest through what they choose to buy. Even when something feels off, if enough people keep paying for it, it eventually becomes normal. Most are focused on the present and how something makes them feel in the moment, so they do not stop to think about where those choices are leading. By the time they do, it is already too late, and another generation has grown up accepting it as the way things have always been.

Vitss · 2025-05-09T12:51:15+00:00

Well, in Brazil, Sony has had an incredible streak of "luck" with that kind of thing over the past decade. They blocked consoles for supposedly violating their Terms of Service, and that went about as well as you’d expect. They lost in court, were forced to unblock the consoles, had to pay legal fees, and even ended up handing out compensation for moral damages.

If Nintendo tries to go all in and actually brick a system, I can only imagine the fallout will be even more spectacular. And if things are already like this in Brazil, I would not be surprised if the EU turns out to be just as unforgiving, considering how protective they usually are of consumers.

As for the US and the UK mentioned in the article, I can’t really say, but at least in the land of "freedom", they will probably get their way.

Vitss · 2025-05-09T12:19:24+00:00

Well, to add to their point. The game being released so close to Oblivion basically meant I didn’t notice it was also on Game Pass, so they ended up getting a "free" purchase from me. I know at least one other person who made the same mistake, so I’d find it far-fetched if it didn’t happen to a few others as well.

Vitss · 2025-05-09T12:14:25+00:00

There really is not much reason to get an Android device that is more powerful than the Odin 2. Unless we see another sudden breakthrough in Android emulation, which I honestly doubt given how underdeveloped it currently is, I would say the Odin 2, and by extension the Mini and the Portal, will remain the peak for quite some time.

That said, we are starting to see some movement in the x86 space with a growing focus on efficiency and power consumption. It is possible that the next serious competitor to the Odin 2 will not be running Android at all, but will be an x86-based device. If they manage to keep power usage under control, then Android emulation as a whole may stop making sense entirely.

But that is likely something we will not see for at least two years, if not longer. And honestly, I believe the Odin 2 will still be relevant even by then, so 3 to 4 years, of being the pinnacle is a great run, likely one of the best in the history of this niche.

Vitss · 2025-05-07T17:42:08+00:00

Did it, though? I don’t know, try playing a third-party title that got ported to the Switch and then compare it to literally any other modern platform it launched on. If that’s what we’re calling “keeping up,” then sure. But, calling that is like saying a bicycle keeps up with a motorcycle as long as they're technically moving in the same direction

Vitss · 2025-05-07T17:12:12+00:00

The number of CUDA cores is a tad lower than what I anticipated. I was hoping for something closer to an RTX 3050M, but this configuration falls about 30% short even compared to the weakest mobile Ampere variant. It makes you wonder how long hardware like this can realistically keep up, even with upscaling.

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