16BitHero

I wish Konami would put out a mostly unlicensed PES again but allow for modding (PC and console). Football Life on PC is an incredible tease at what could be. An updated engine and a passionate community of modders could really challenge EAFC and force it to evolve or at least give us proper competition for the world's most popular sport..

Cracking on with Dragonage the Veilguard and I might start Contraband Police which is on a nice Steam discount at the moment.

It's clearly a deep sale only item, even for big Indy fans like me - unless you have bottomless pockets...

@OldGamer999 the rumours are the next gen of consoles will be a significant upgrade and aim for 4K 120fps to be standard. I think that will be peak gaming in terms of the flat screen mainstream industry. Most of us can't tell 4k from 8k unless you can afford a 75"+ TV. 120 fps is also more than enough for basically any game unless you play esports supposedly. Shortly before RT and PT became popular, the lighting in games already looked fantastic. Baked in or real time, most of us don't care if it just looks nice. I think we're looking at PS5 pro prices for next gen, especially with the fascist dimwit playing god with the global economy. I for one don't require the latest fancy technological innovations to enjoy gaming. Only those with £2-£3k for a graphics card can truly appreciate the latest and greatest. Devs need to optimize a good experience for the other 98% of us.

Rotten Tomatoes 11%

As much as I love Digital Foundry, they too have been on the RT/PT hype train without consideration for how it's held this console generation back with devs obsessing over it, leaving us with low base resolutions and subpar frame rates.

As a huge Indy fan from the beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed the base game (purchased despite having Gamepass) and will definitely be getting the dlc although I might wait for a sale pending the confirmed length.

Dragonage The Veilguard for me. I've been patiently waiting for it's Gamepass release and it hasn't disappointed. Good simple fantasy escapism.

DragonAge for me. Haven't played the other games in the series so no expectations. It feels like a simpler streamlined Baldurs Gate 3 in a way. I stopped Gears after 30 minutes or so. I can't ruin my nostalgia with another remaster? It feels really dated. I'd prefer an actual remake with improved mechanics, ai, graphics etc.

I gave it a good go, made it probably half way through (I've since watched the full cut scenes and read many a reddit story interpretation). I just can't do turn based combat in some games, especially if it becomes a little repetitive. Maybe I'll go back to it someday, the music, characters and story are fabulous.

It's mighty fun/nostalgic to play after all these years but the sound mix is poor in my opinion. I'm using the Xbox wireless headset so my options are limited but the bass is insane and constant in the first part of the campaign where I am currently. The guns sound tinny too - this is probably authentic but I wish they'd beefed up the sound in this area rather than the ambient part. The game nor the Series X have settings that can change this. I'll probably switch to my soundbar and turn down the bass for now.

@Kaloudz nah you're right, I 'ripped' a few CDs onto the HDD. I played Rallisport Challenge 1+2 with Jungle Hits and Drum n Bass Arena!

I never gave these titles a second thought until this summer when I read some Steam reviews. Both were on sale along with the dlc. I got myself a force feedback wheel (used with Dirt Rally 2, Automobilista 2 also) and never looked back. It also plays perfectly with a controller once you customize the layout. I'm now hopelessly addicted but liken them to Power Wash simulator only a little more involved. They are very relaxing and cathartic games. If you have any experience driving in the US or Europe then that's a bonus as despite the scaled map, you'll recognize a lot of places, large and tiny. All in all, great news for console gamers.

After a two week hiatus from gaming, I'm going to try to finish Alien Rogue Incursion and also continue with my wonderful midlife crisis purchases Euro and American Truck Simulators (don't laugh, I did and now I'm hopelessly addicted!)

Happy gaming all.

My Series X controllers last ages after almost 5 years, maybe four times longer than my PS5 controllers. Small form consumer batteries are just another landfill scourge that should really be phased out by now in my opinion.

Bit of an anti climax there (I didn't really zero in on the photos). I still think it will be a console/PC hybrid in the future.

Good luck to Avalanche, I hope they keep making the fun games they're known for. Steer well clear of being associated with Microsoft.

COD campaigns are incredibly tired at this point. There are many better single player shooters over the past 10 - 15 years in my opinion including the Doom trilogy/Wolfenstein/Halo/Titanfall 2/Metro trilogy/even Farcry! Multiplayer is still fun but I'm getting old and would rather use my gaming time for single player experiences. Saying that, Ready or Not is fantastic (PC player) and even better with friends. I like the look of this Battlefield, I just hope the campaign part isn't overly cinematic or scripted feeling like COD.

Edit: Warzone is still a ton of fun with friends.

@Tdx my wife and I are utterly hooked on Blue Prince! Almost forgot to feed the cats. What a brilliant puzzler. Anyone with the slightest interest should give it a go, especially as it's on Gamepass. You don't hear about these types of games in the GOTY conversation but this is up there with Clair Obscur and Doom The Dark Ages for my money. Perhaps leading...

You've got to really want a game to spend $70 considering their launch state, our collective backlogs and the fact it'll be $20 less within a few months. Saying that, if the value is there for you then that's all you need. However I simply don't believe these companies are making the revenue they could at that price.

It's about time BJ Blazkowicz took down this current US administration 🫣

Can't bloody wait for this. The original is one of my top three zombie-esque genre games ever (Resident Evil 2 remake and The Last of Us being the other two). Dying Light really is a cult classic at this point

@Fiendish-Beaver Same here (I loved their take on Mad Max), I sincerely hope there is a decent single player component to this game, I think it was always suggested it would be best played in co-op but live service?! It's going to have to be somewhat revolutionary/insanely fun - much like Helldivers 2 - to make any sort of splash in that saturated market. This new hire position has a ton of responsibility.

You definitely don't want to play this sub 60fps.

I honestly don't think business decisions are particularly sound across most industries these days. It's a mix of older leaders full of nostalgia and younger inexperienced marketers and advertisers in a time of huge technological upheaval and change. Only time will tell if Xbox will have a competitive console again but the handheld isn't it. That's a niche product through and through.

Finally started my 9 1/2 week summer break so it's Clair Obscur Expedition 33 to kick things off. What a melancholy yet powerful premise - I can't think of a game with higher stakes, a brilliant way to suck you in.

Still ploughing through Asgards Wrath 2 and just bought Rockstar's The Warriors on PS5 (back compat) after being at Coney Island last night. I've heard it mostly holds up after all these years.

Happy gaming folks!

@Fiendish-Beaver I second this opinion. It's my favourite zombie genre game bar none. Great music, great atmosphere, great parkour and a decent enough story. Nighttime is truly amazing/terrifying!

a little odd maybe but surely it's a marketing ploy to raise awareness among the 21 million plus Quest owners that they can access all Gamepass games with that subscription. If they don't already own an Xbox or PC then it's an attractive prospect - I've tried it out (Quest 3) and providing you have half decent internet speeds, playing games like Indiana Jones, Doom, Flight Simulator, Clair Obscur, Forza, EAFC etc on a virtual cinema sized screen is pretty fun - plus no motion sickness.

30 people, heck, sometimes a single developer will make far better games that are hugely successful. No surprises here.

@Coletrain 6 of that initial list require a PC including two with sequels. I think the Quests standalone offerings are worthwhile for anyone without a PC looking to get into VR but I'd thoroughly recommend a 512gb headset as I'm constantly managing my meager 128gb. Maybe it'll reel you in someday!

@Coletrain this list is by know means exhaustive (doesn't include excellent fitness or musical instrument apps) or in a particular order and like I said, the motion sickness/accessibility will vary for different people.

Asgards Wrath 2
Batman Arkham Shadow
Half Life Alex
Lone Echo 1+2
Metro Awakening
Superhot VR
Pistol Whip VR
Moss 1+2
Trover Saves the Universe
The Room VR
Red Matter 1+2
Vertigo 1+2
Robinson The Journey
Walkabout Mini Golf
Resident Evil 4
I Expect You To Die 1-3
Eye of the Temple (personal favourite)
Assassin's Creed Nexus

With PC mods:

Cyberpunk 2077
Alien Isolation
RoboCop Rogue City
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Ready or Not

I think VR could and should be bigger but Meta is the only company really pushing the envelope from a marketing perspective. Nonetheless, I think it's here to stay and the headsets/glasses tech will only get better. For now it's been a great investment for a huge gaming nerd like me.

@Coletrain Ha I know what you mean re the Irish Sea. Choppy is an understatement! Don't write off VR altogether, I was unimpressed at first with a two week PSVR trial then got proper motion sickness with a two week PSVR 2 trial. I've now owned a Quest 3 for 18 months and between that and PCVR, I'm a convert. Almost all VR games now have excellent accessibility options so I use snap turning which has completely eliminated motion sickness for me, even with smooth locomotion and in relatively frantic games. I guess it's not a guarantee for everyone but some of the best experiences I've had in 40 years of gaming are in VR.

Finally the speculation can be (mostly) put to rest! If this new console does somehow integrate Steam - which isn't mentioned by name and still seems unlikely - then this console could capture the sizable market of dual PC/Console owners, especially if Sony continue to release exclusives on PC.

@Balaam_ 10/10 comment, people in the industry couldn't have articulated that any better.

@themightyant Forza needs to get rid of the nauseating career mode dialogue and general vibe that appears solely aimed at the younger Instagram generation. There are older serious petrol heads who want to play these games too. Also the rubber band AI which makes solo play a little less stimulating.

@Ricky-Spanish I think this trilogy of Doom titles is one of the most cathartic video game series in history. They sound great, look great and feel great to play. I love that ID decided to differentiate the mechanics in all three. There aren't many games that get the adrenaline flowing like Doom!

@Millionski I've followed this whole conversation and agree with you RE no proprietary Xbox next gen. It's a good business decision. Microsoft/Xbox Game studios is a huge profitable umbrella of devs and publishers now. The games will make MS money on PlayStation 6 and Switch 2 so partnering to facilitate a range of hybrid PCs makes more sense in my opinion. I don't think we're any closer to widespread streaming adoption with current Internet infrastructure. I'm sure Gamepass will undergo further changes to accommodate these, erm changes, but we're used to that by now. I was sad to see Sega get out of hardware back in the day but that's just business and gaming is in a better place than ever (minus predatory live service/micro transactions filled titles).

@Coletrain RE tying this feature to GPU - a great point that Microsoft should definitely reconsider!

When did the word announcement lose it's 'ment'?! This appears to be a common grammatical error in video game circles/YouTube videos in the past decade.

I can't see Xbox mentioning the next console at this event. There is still life in the Series X and Gamepass has been incredible this past year.

Mad Max has a special place in my heart. I really hope Avalanche have something special cooking as I don't think they've released anything since Rage 2 in 2019.

@themightyant good to know, I'll probably start this with my wife this weekend. We took a few notes/screenshots in Return of the Obra Dinn and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes but nothing too extensive. BP sounds right up our alley.

Most games retailing at $70 or $80 undoubtedly sell less on launch. Maybe overall revenue is made up by the price difference but unless it's a GTA 6 or big sports franchise where people want the latest rosters, I'm willing to bet most people wait for the frequent sales and discounts on offer nowadays. The fact that many games are either fixed or improved over several months of patches and quick fixes only increases the likelihood that many of us will be more patient than in the past.

Cyberpunk eventually became an all time classic in my opinion, especially for fans of the genre. I prefer the Fantasy of Witcher overall but I also love sci fi and am re reading Neuromancer before a second playthrough of C2077.

@Kezelpaso I was going to start Clair Obscur but my Gamepass is broken. Re-subbed by stacking 36 months of US advertised 12 month Core subs only to get a store region error when trying to upgrade to Ultimate. Microsoft haven't been helpful and getting a refund from the seller won't help with the region issue as my useless Core subscription is active. Any ideas folks? Maybe PX could do an article on this as it seems like a relatively common issue per Microsoft forums/Reddit.

Loving some of the comments on YouTube. Witcher 3 is an excellent example of the power of video games and the impact it can have on some folks lives.

@BAMozzy this comment should have been a mini article on PS and PX. Thumbs up.

I need to finish the Eternal DLC before I jump into Dark Ages but that's mostly because each of these games has different enough mechanics that it's actually difficult to simply jump between them. (I tried going back to Doom 2016 while playing Eternal but my brain couldn't handle it ha) Kudos to ID for making three different play styles and trusting gamers, especially Doom fans to be onboard with that decision. It's refreshing and I personally love how different each of them plays.

@Ricky-Spanish @Banjo- @Fiendish-Beaver @OldGamer999 @themightyant @HonestHick @somnambulance @Kaloudz @BAMozzy @nomither6

When I think of the great community here I usually zero in on your comments as they are almost always positive and optimistic no matter what is going on in the industry. And it's just good to have a proper discourse geek out around a hobby we all love that can provide much needed comfort and escapism.

I got mine when Flight Simulator landed and I didn't have a gaming PC. 24 months of GPU included was enough in itself to make it excellent value. I've only subscribed to GP for a few months here and there since when games I want to play come to the service and now I have a gaming PC I'm not on the Series X as frequently but it's an excellent console and I have a great library thanks to backward compatibility and crossbuy purchases on PC. If these large acquisitions had happened sooner this generation then I think Xbox would have been far more competitive in the hardware space. It'll be a shame if this is the last mainstream Xbox console cycle, less competition is never a good thing. Gamers have it better than ever nonetheless.