Mothergunship Tips & Tricks Guide

Mothergunship is out now for PS4, PC, and Xbox One! You can buy it for PC here or digitally for Xbox One/PS4.

I’ve been having a blast with it so I’ve started a guide to share some important info and tips! I’ll be expanding it over the next few days/weeks, so feel free to suggest info, tell me what I’m missing, or ask questions in the comments!

Mothergunship Essential Tips

Progression

The game is a “roguelite” meaning it has progression systems between runs; you lose the currently held gun parts but nothing else upon dying. This means you’re always moving forward and at most you “lose” a short play session’s worth of progress, rather than starting over from the beginning.

This makes Mothergunship much more accessible for those who haven’t played many Roguelike games, but don’t think it won’t get harder as you go along! But generally, don’t be afraid to experiment and learn by doing, since there’s very little to lose.

Note that not all features are unlocked from the start; progress through the main story missions to unlock various features like the ability to spend Experience, the Smugger’s Shop, Endless Mode etc.

Experience (purple diamonds) are used to level up your mech between levels, and can raise your jump count, movement speed, HP, hazard resistance, energy cap, energy recharge rate, ability to find secrets, and resistance to landing stun.

Coins can be used inside or outside of a level; inside a level Coins buy very cheap gun parts that are often critical to surviving and progressing through the map. After a level, extra coins are added to a total from which you can buy (very expensive) guns in the Smuggler’s stop.

Gun Parts can be gained from shops inside levels, and are kept as long as you beat the level. Gun parts are never dropped randomly or found in secrets; only shops.

Gun Parts are the only thing in the game that can be ‘lost’, but you only lose what you found in the level, plus anything you decide to take along. By simply not taking a favored gun on a risky mission, you can avoid losing it. Even if you do lose a good one, you can potentially get it back from the Lost and Found part of the Smuggler’s stop (for a fee, of course!).

There is (for some ungodly reason) a limit of 100 gun parts, so after you pick up too many gun parts, you’ll have to sell some.You’ll never be unable to pick up a gun part and lose it instantly; at the end of a mission you pick which parts to sell.

Kiting and dodging

Kiting (the practice of running around enemies to avoid their shots) is critical in this game (it is a bullet ballet after all). Certain enemies have limited ranges, unusual bullet arcs, or limited turning radiuses. 

Large cannons in particular you can often stand directly behind and hit, other enemies you’ll have to circle strafe around to keep them from hitting you. 

It’s often best to clear out low-HP smaller enemies before engaging in a strafe-down with a larger, high-HP enemy. You can only keep track of so much at once, and the difference in health can be quite large.

Continue reading “Mothergunship Tips & Tricks Guide”

Yume Nikki -Dream Diary- Guide

Yume Nikki Dream Diary is here, now with a Version 2.0 update that brings it closer to what most of us expected! Here I’ve documented a walkthrough of (most) of what you need to do, what effects do, the endings, and other information. This guide was written with the PC Version, but it should be accurate for everything in the Switch version too.

Feel free to comment to ask any questions or share info! I’ve provided links to some key terms in the Yume Nikki Wiki, feel free to get lost in the wiki as well, it’s quite enjoyable. I’m trying to link all the references to the original game, as they’re a rather significant amount of the enjoyment to be had in the game, so point out any I’ve missed as well!

For purpose of clarity, the full name Yume Nikki Dream Diary will be used when referring to this game, and Yume Nikki alone will be used to refer to the original game by Kikiyama.

Game Info

Title: Yume Nikki -Dream Diary-
Platform: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
Languages: English, Japanese, French,Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Portuguese
Release date: 2018-02-23
Developer: Kadokawa Corporation
Price: $20
Length: About 4 hours
Genre: Horror/Exploration
Filesize: 3GB

Updates

Version 2.0

As a quick overview, 2.0 adds:

  • The Sewers, Block World, and Snow World, which are all connected
    • The Sewers is mostly a connection to existing worlds, plus a new puzzle/jellyfish is in it
    • Block World is accessed via The Sewers and is a puzzle blocking access to Snow World
    • Snow World has the Hat and Scarf effect, and access to Pink Sea/Poniko/Uboa
    • Most existing worlds are untouched beyond The Sewers connections
  • Two new effects, Hat and Scarf and Uboa Mask
    • Interact with Poniko’s desk while using the Lantern after triggering the Uboa Event (lights out) in Poniko’s room, then chase Uboa to get the Uboa Mask
    • Get Hat and Scarf in Snow World from Mafurako
  • Uboa’s Trap room added per above, it looks amazing
  • Four new subsections of The Wilderness added via a Lost Woods/looping maze puzzle including the Aztec Rave Monkey, some purple pylons, the hot springs room, and a lake you freeze to get some concept art
  • A new NES minigame added, Witch Adventure, referencing the Flight of the Witch event
    • This is found by finding the cat in The Sewers, then meeting it again at the roof of The Mall
  • The strangest addition, Madotsuki’s apartment now has a bathroom in the bottom corner, accessible only in the dream world. It has no apparent function.

All in all, 2.0 is a fantastic update that brings the game a fair bit more in line with the original and addresses several concerns of fans!

What is Yume Nikki -Dream Diary-?

As a heads-up in case you haven’t purchased the game yet (or haven’t started it), Yume Nikki is something closer to a “reimagining” of the original than typical remake or sequel.

Many are disappointed by what they find (as, well, was I) so it’s best to be aware of what you’re going in for. That said, if you’re a big enough fan of Yume Nikki, you’ll probably dive right in and play it like I did so I figured I would make a guide to help those who have already committed to it.

Walkthrough

Continue reading “Yume Nikki -Dream Diary- Guide”

Free Points: Drop Alive – Short Classic-Style Platformer

So far Free Points has largely focused on surreal, more conceptual and less gameplay-focused games. They’re a favorite of mine, but not all we’ll be covering here. So without further adieu, here is Drop Alive, a retro-style platformer (with a non-retro aesthetic)!

Free Points is a series of weekly free game recommendations. The games may range from the most surreal of Alt Games to the most traditional of platformers; the only requirements for a Free Points game is that they’re free (real free, not free to play!) and very much worth your time.

What Is Drop Alive?

Title: Drop Alive
Release Date: 2016-12-06
Price: Free!
Developer: Invi Games
Languages: English
Length: ~1 Hour
Platform: PC  (Steam)
Genre: Platformer
Themes: Hand-drawn, Cute, Challenging
Supplemental: You can watch me play about half the game on YouTube

Drop Alive is an adorable platformer featuring a water droplet that must escape seemingly mundane environments that become quite intimidating when you’re the size of a water droplet!

The majestic cookie sea.

With a lot of charm it’s easy to underestimate Drop Alive’s difficulty; the game won’t go easy on you, but it’s not an incredibly demanding game either, especially due to it’s length.

Why Play Drop Alive?

Drop Alive is a good ol’ platformer with a fair amount of challenge. It’s short length keeps it from being frustrating or getting old, since you’ll probably be done with it within an hour.

The water droplet isn’t purely for style either; properties of water are used for gameplay purposes as you change state and avoid being absorbed into other materials.

As a water drop you can change into a liquid, gaseous, or solid state with ease.

Drop Alive reminds me of many Flash platformers from the glory days of Newgrounds.com (who is still very much still around, by the by). It’s just long enough to be worth playing but not long enough that it wears out it’s welcome. The short-form game format is a favorite of mine, and it’s great to see games still get made.

There is a paid option for Drop Alive, but as it only contains cosmetic items and does not affect gameplay, I don’t consider it a disqualifier for Free Points. And, of course, if you think the game was worth the “asking” price of the DLC, make sure to support the developer! I’m a big fan of games that offer that sort of option.

Need More To Play?

Check out the Free Points archives or this YouTube Playlist also by SirTapTap for more worthwhile free games!

CyberDimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online Guide

This is a guide for gameplay, progress, and trophy information in CyberDimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online! The single most important thing to know about this game is nothing is missable and there’s no need for replays! It’s the lowest-anxiety Neptunia game ever, so no need to worry about True Ending requirements, bad ends or anything annoying like that!

As always, if you have questions simply ask them in the Comments section below and I’ll answer them and update the guide. This guide is a work in progress but I’m always willing to update my guides with new info, and I’m playing the English version right now to keep it up to date.

Updates

Guide Updates
Cyberdimension Neptunia Game Updates

The english version of Four Goddesses Online comes with all the Japanese patches by default. In case you’re not aware of these changes, this is the most major changelist from the base Japanese version:

Guide Index

Return to the Neptunia Mega Guide, which links guides and info for all games.

 

Continue reading “CyberDimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online Guide”

Birthdays The Beginning Trophy Guide – All Achievements

Due to a bit of a bug, Birthdays The Beginning has a nearly impossible Platinum Trophy but it does still work; info for every trophy is included here! Feel free to use the comments if you have a question or info to share.

Updates

2018-03-04: The trophy is confirmed possible thanks to Tanuzomi on twitter: It takes 10+ billion cube years or about 600 hours of gametime, however.

2017-06-23: Possibly not. The update notes claim Riding the Waves of Time to have been reduced to 3 billion cube years, but it is not. For now the platinum should be considered effectively impossible. It’s possible the unlock either doesn’t work or it may still be 100 billion cube years (requiring whole months of leaving your PS4 on at all times)

Continue reading “Birthdays The Beginning Trophy Guide – All Achievements”

Megadimension Neptunia Victory II Guide

Here you’ll find a mini-walkthrough of important events, True Ending requirements, trophy info and more! If this guide helps, you can consider contributing to my Patreon fan-funding campaign, as I make all my guides and articles for free.

As always any questions or new tips are welcome, and generally best left in the Comments section below.

Continue reading “Megadimension Neptunia Victory II Guide”

Omega Quintet Review

Omega Quintet: I am the alpha and the  *ω*

Editor’s note: I’ll be comparing this game to Hyperdimension Neptunia a lot. Both are silly JRPGs by Compile Heart, so if you’re interested in one you’re probably interested in the other, but more importantly Omega Quintet is also based on a moderately modified Neptunia engine.

Editor’s second note: I do not actually have an editor.

All in all, Omega Quintet is pretty much what you expect for better or worse. Fairly low budget, the story is focused on humor rather than complexity or intrigue, graphics aren’t impressive, but the one thing that really stands out is the gameplay, specifically the combat.
Continue reading “Omega Quintet Review”

Axiom Verge Guide, Maps, & Walkthrough

This guide includes a full, spoiler free walkthrough for Axiom Verge for PS4, PS Vita, PC, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Xbox One, all the things really. It includes maps to help you 100% the game, and assorted tips to help you through the game including item descriptions and special “cheat” passcodes.

As always if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section at the bottom! I read all my comments and update all my guides regardless of age if new info comes in.

Continue reading “Axiom Verge Guide, Maps, & Walkthrough”