Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Digital Foundry: Hands-on with Star Fox Zero

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Digital Foundry: Hands-on with Star Fox Zero

    Sadly absent on Nintendo's last console, the high-achieving Platinum Games revives a much-loved franchise on Wii U this month. After many delays to get its controls just right, Star Fox Zero makes smart use of the GamePad's oft-neglected second display and gyro controls, now letting us move and shoot in different directions. As integral as it may be to piloting the Arwing, it's clear this dual-screen dynamic demands a lot from the Wii U - but how does the final experience stack up overall?
    The most striking addition to Star Fox Zero is the new control method. Taking a page out of Splatoon's book, you move the aiming reticle by tilting the GamePad around, while the ship's roll, pitch and yaw are mapped to its two analogue sticks. It's a difficult system to pick up at first, but the principle is sound; the main HDTV is used to weave the ship around obstacles, but for finer aiming, you must look down to the smaller screen. This way, it's possible to fire above, below, and to your flanks in a way that isn't possible in earlier games, where flight controls and targeting were linked to one analogue stick, and always facing forward.
    As a result of this shift, the learning curve is much steeper than any previous Star Fox game. The system works brilliantly once you get the hang of it, and the built-in gyrometer is again surprisingly accurate for targeting. The only quibble we have on this front is the need to re-centre the reticle - by pressing the Y button - on rare occasions where your orientation drifts. Splitting the gameplay between two screens also takes some adapting to; you can focus purely on the HDTV if you like, but the targeting reticle is prone to moving outside the visible range of that display. Getting on board with the idea of switching screens is key, and there's a definite power to this multi-task approach once you master it.
    Read more…


    More...
Working...
X