Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Review Discussion - NVC Clips

This discussion centers on "Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream," a new release on Nintendo Switch, with reviewers Logan and Miranda sharing their experiences and impressions. Logan rates the game a seven, expressing significant enjoyment, while Miranda, despite liking it, feels it doesn't quite surpass the original. A key point of discussion is the game's customization features, particularly the Mii creation tools. While the game offers a new "Powlet House workshop" for crafting treasures and clothes, Miranda notes limitations in Mii skin tones, finding it difficult to accurately represent individuals with darker complexions. She points out mismatches, such as being able to perfectly customize outfits but struggling with basic skin tones. Both reviewers acknowledge the game's charm and humor, but also its potential for repetition. Logan describes it as a "great 20-minute game," suggesting that extended play sessions can lead to seeing the same scenes repeatedly. Miranda echoes this sentiment, feeling like the game's internal tracking needs adjustment to shuffle events better. Logan, however, feels he's had a luckier experience with less repetition in dreams and conversations compared to Miranda. He highlights a humorous scene where two Miis, dressed as robots, engage in "beep boop" conversations with random phrases. The game's quirky, dry humor is a recurring highlight. Logan recounts a specific scenario where a Mii named Jada has an unrequited crush on Reggie, who is dressed as a baseball catcher. Jada lays down a towel in a puddle to prevent Reggie from stepping in it, only for him to walk around it, leaving her devastated. This anecdote exemplifies the game's heart and charm, reminiscent of the original. The "Mi News" broadcasts are also singled out as a beloved feature. The personal nature of Tomodachi Life is contrasted with games like Animal Crossing or Poptopia. Unlike those titles where characters can feel like blank slates, Tomodachi Life's Miis have their own lives and interactions, making the experience more personal and often hilarious. Logan describes watching his own review and laughing at random occurrences, like seeing a Mii in a cow suit eating a cookie. The ability to create custom scenarios is a major draw. Logan is currently populating his island with characters from Gears of War, detailing how Marcus Phoenix and Dom had a fight, and Dom subsequently fell in love with him. He also amusingly mentions pairing anime characters with game characters, like "nanas" from anime with other characters, and a long-term relationship between Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks and Hatsune Miku. A significant frustration for both is the absence of a compatibility tester, a feature present in the original. They feel it forces players to rely on dragging Miis together to encourage relationships, which can reduce the game's natural chaos. Logan notes that while you can manipulate relationships, sometimes Miis will defy your suggestions, as seen when Zelda rejected his advice about a relationship with Jeff Probst. The game's depiction of Mii fights is highlighted, with aggressive drum beats accompanying the normally chill music. Logan also shares a story about Reggie and Samus fighting over who knew more about Survivor, with Reggie later unfazed and wanting to discuss Wii Sports with Shigeru Miyamoto. This interaction, and the ability to type in anything for conversations, including canonical phrases from Twin Peaks like "a damn fine cup of coffee," adds to the game's unique appeal. The game allows for Mii customization through unlocking identity traits, such as farting frequently, which adds to the humor. Logan's creation of a Mii based on Tim Robinson, a lonely, eavesdropping character, is cited as an example of the deep personalization possible. Quirks like making Samus walk as if in low gravity or giving Reggie the catchphrase "my body is ready" further enhance this. The "Pallet House" is praised for its user-friendly design, offering base items and stamps for quick customization, appealing even to those who don't want to engage in complex art. Examples include quickly creating a "milk steak" or a Yoshi egg. Seth, another participant, expresses his excitement for the game, emphasizing how the absurdity of Mii interactions becomes entertaining within the game's context, unlike real-life recounting. He misses the compatibility tester and the concert hall from the original, finding beauty in the game's inherent absurdity. He notes that the Switch version leans more on the player to create these moments, though light interactions still occur organically. He also points out the humorous requests for specific item placements, like a bench facing backward on the beach. The game's shift from the 3DS's menu-driven island to a more living, breathing space on the Switch is observed. This allows for more casual observation of Miis interacting, such as discussing their fear of a pet shark. This shift is seen as a parody of real life, with the ability to customize the island's appearance adding another layer of player agency. The lack of sharing capabilities is a major concern. The inability to share Miis or creations is seen as a significant drawback, especially given the success of sharing features in Animal Crossing. The cumbersome process of transferring Miis from older systems is also a point of contention. While Nintendo's decision to remove filters is surprising, the absence of sharing tools feels like a missed opportunity for organic marketing and community engagement. The hope for future updates to address these limitations is expressed, but there's also concern that it might be "too little, too late." The discussion concludes with an appreciation for the game's ability to generate unique and humorous scenarios, despite the noted limitations. The overall sentiment is that Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a highly enjoyable and charming game, but its potential is somewhat hampered by its restrictive sharing features.