16BitHero

Not going to happen. Base game will be $70 max and even then if they did release at a higher price, other publishers would be silly to do the same. I don't buy new games unless it's GTA 6 or recently Indiana Jones. Everything else I get on sale/deep discounts because they are so frequent nowadays and many of us have backlogs.

@WildConcept6 Hopefully in time the Microsoft service is of a similar quality to Nvidia's offering and there is an available tier for just cloud gaming utilizing games you own. I'm the meantime I'm tempted to try GeForce now with my Steam library just to get a glimpse of the future!

The infrastructure is terrible at present - that's why they still label it as a beta. I have 700mbps and it's just not good enough to be considered a current technology let alone attract subscribers purely for cloud gaming. I hear Nvidia's offering is significantly better. Hopefully Microsoft really do go all in and leverage whatever AI can offer to give anyone with 50mbps + a smooth cloud gaming experience.

@OldGamer999 Always good to see some proper optimism among the PX/PS comment sections!

Still Indiana Jones - only playing on weekends so I can afford a decent chunk of hours for maximum immersion! I also started a second run on Alien Isolation only this time with the VR mod. Lots of toilet paper at the ready.

Regardless of all the speculation in recent months, it's inevitable that more if not most first party titles land on PlayStation. That's just economics. Xbox console sales are drying up. It's no longer competitive and all consoles, whatever their manufacturer are not profitable. Software is. I can still see Microsoft doing a handheld and perhaps some kind of specialized console/PC hybrid but that's it. The Series S was a nice idea/experiment but the lower specs aren't going to cut it next gen. This isn't great news for gamers as Sony won't have a direct competitor.

Footnote - this comment is also speculation/an opinion!

If the mechanics are solid and the world immersive then I'm sold. Hopefully it's a little more forgiving than Stalker.

Jurassic Park, Fable, GTA VI (campaign only), Dying Light and maybe Light no Fire are my most anticipated on this particular list. I'll probably get to them sometime in 2027 when I've cleared some of my backlog...

@Banjo- not such a niche game but I'm currently replaying Banjo Kazooie for the first time since I was in upper school (N64). It still has one of my top ten soundtracks of all time!

It's about time we had some Contraband gameplay footage.

@Banjo- I'm glad I played DR back in it's heyday in that case! Strangely, I consider myself Resident Evil fan as I was there since day one on PS1 however I never played 4 which most people consider a highlight of the series - I didn't have a GameCube and never got one of the other versions until a few weeks ago when I started playing through the VR version on Quest. It feels wonderfully nostalgic despite having never played it. I like the newer first person ones too. I definitely need to check Fatal Frame - better late than never!

@Banjo- ah yes, it's a bonafide classic and worthy of the recent remake in my opinion. The second is a lot of fun too but that's where the series ended for me. I'm in the same boat regarding what you mentioned about game development. I'm reading A Perfect Organism which is companion book for Alien Isolation fans. There is certainly a lot of good gaming content on YouTube if you can sift through the not so good stuff.

@Banjo- I will add that while I enjoy some of the more articulate and nuanced YouTube critiques of games I like - I tend to watch them after I've played the game. It's true that no matter your IQ, we're all somewhat susceptible to different forms of influence whether it be criticism of a film, TV show, book or video game (among many other things!). I'd simply advise that if you think it's your kind of thing then give it a go before seeking the opinions of others.

@Banjo- I agree wholeheartedly with your final point. We've never had it so good as gamers. I have a backlog that could last years and at the same time there are many great looking upcoming titles. Whatever platform(s) you use, we have so much choice. There have always been system/brand exclusives and troubled development cycles but I don't see any real issues for gamers other than adapting to this new age of digital 'ownership' and navigating various subscription models.

I'm fairly certain those who are expressing any form of discontent are spending too much time on gaming websites or watching attention seeking influencers/streamers instead of actually playing games. Take it from an 80's kid, gaming has never been better.

It's obviously worth it considering how much revenue they generate but as someone who has been there since the beginning, they are incredibly stale and lacking new ideas/mechanics. I think out of the entire series I haven't paid full price more than seven times. Not once since Modern Warfare 2019. It's clearly like GTA V in that young people are in constant supply and the multiplayer is great fun when you're in school/University and have lots of time for mindless fun. I just think other single player shooters have done it better for a while now. Even the latest Black Ops was really more of the same despite what many reviews expressed.

I've had a huge smile/terrified expression on my face this weekend so far. Two gaming dreams come true - Indiana Jones (bloody marvellous!) and I've finally got the VR mod working for Alien Isolation which looks absolutely incredible almost 11 years on.

Hmmm I'm curious. It's my favourite franchise along with the Alien Saga. Resistance and it's dlc was an underrated gem for me. If this is 2D then it'll still be of interest. I'd really like to see a Nex Machina style twin stick Terminator too. Isometric games always punch above their weight for art/visual style in my opinion.

Darn I've got to finish the Doom Eternal dlc soon! I'd still argue no game gets the adrenaline flowing like the recent doom games on higher difficulties.

Interesting time indeed. I can't see Microsoft trying to compete directly with Nintendo or Sony in the standard priced console space next gen. A handheld with full Steam and Xbox app support plus a high end console perhaps although the latter is debatable with mid range PCs better value than ever. It's a guessing game until the big reveal. It does seem like Xbox is going the way Sega consoles eventually did but none of us truly know what the future of gaming looks like. Speculation keeps us engaged nonetheless.

Edit: crazy idea but maybe Microsoft enter the PC hardware market with a 'modular/upgradable Xbox'. The PC scene is expanding all the time and advances in technology means you can potentially have one sitting below your TV in the living room without taking up too much space.

They definitely need to freshen up this formula for me. The 3rd game has exerted far too much influence at this point. 6 could have been a culmination of all the great things the series had produced with some news ideas too but I got really bored (and a little overwhelmed by the size) within four or so hours. I enjoyed every installment up to that point with Primal being my favourite because... they mixed things up a bit even if it was a rehash of the map from 4. I played 5 and New Dawn co-op which was fun. I'm not sure what the answer is but I'm clearly a sucker for the formula nonetheless as I'm playing through Avatar currently.

Wow that's a huge improvement for Series X players. I switched to PC because I thought something looked a bit off but now I can go back to a larger 4K screen and lying in bed rather than an office chair at 1440p (which still looks amazing).

As long as there is a place to play games I own, I'm not too invested in how the console market looks in the future - other than the importance of competition which seems under threat. I'm counting on Microsoft to ensure game preservation via cloud and PC integration/emulation.

Speculative opinion only but I'm guessing those reviewing Japanese developed games are big fans of those series/IPs/developers already therefore are likely to get excited and rate these titles highly. I think non Japanese developed games face more scrutiny from reviewers and gamers alike. Or maybe Japanese games are just better/more fun?! I don't play too many and don't get on with JRPGs.

I'm going to let my wife hog the PC and finish Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. That means Indiana Jones will have to wait as she's using the adjacent TV so no Series X access either. I will continue on with Resident Evil 4 on Quest 3!

@themightyant that's a perfect summation of Immortality. And Indiana Jones for that matter. Indy is a dream come true for this 80's kid.

@Nintendo4Sonic my guess is that although there are some fantastic fighting games out there, they don't have the same share of the market nowadays with many new genres, ways to play games and just the sheer choice available to gamers. Go back to the 90's and I bet their sales were a larger chunk of the overall pie.

@Cakefish I would add that while consoles exist and with their ever increasing adoption of PC architecture, there should be less excuses for not having backward compatibility and emulation.

@Fiendish-Beaver the Trine games are fabulous! Underrated gems.

I can only vote for what I've played:

5 Indiana Jones (gaming dream come true)
4 Hellblade 2 (gorgeous and immersive)
3 Still Wakes the Deep (The Thing remastered?! Skip that and play this instead!)
2 Stalker 2 (very atmospheric and tough as nails)
1 Botany Manor (gotta relax and puzzle sometime eh?)

Owned backlog from the list:

Star Wars Outlaws
Space Marine 2

Waiting on Flight Sim to be out of beta.

Special mention to Death Stranding directors cut which I played on PS5 and immediately entered my top 5 games of all time.

@Cakefish Same here. It's a real privilege to own all consoles and a PC at this stage in my life but also a headache. Ideally I'd like to have PC only if I'm patient enough to wait for console exclusives to eventually be ported over. Microsoft should definitely consider game preservation through their 'play everywhere' strategy by allowing us full access to our libraries on PC.

Another fab co-op adventure to enjoy with my part time gamer wife!

I find these games undeniably fun in co-op. I don't think they would have kept hold of me in single player only though.

Both thoroughly deserved. It's not a game for everyone but it's objectively a fantastic accomplishment and I was completely immersed from the get go.

SPOILER COMMENT

@xxk7xx my only disappointment is due to the fact that Ciri sacrificed herself in my Witcher 3 ending - the more powerful (and dark re Geralt's) ending in my opinion. This was befitting of the rather bleak world I had spent over 150 hours in which is to this day my favourite game of all time. I'm sure I'll get over it but there is now that disconnect continuation wise for me. It is however up there with Alien Isolation sequel and GTA VI as my most anticipated game.

@FraserG I'm sure I'm not the only one but I have a 120hz TV without HDMI 2.1 so I can lower the console output resolution to 1440p and still get 120fps. I'd obviously prefer 4K 60 in most cases but some games are worth having the extra fps and some of these new 120hz vrr graphical options such as 'quality 40fps' are really great for games like Avatar.

I'll come back to this when it goes on sale for the first time. Loved the last installment. With my backlog I can be patient for a relatively flawless and smooth experience.

Game preservation indeed. I'm not sure how effective this will be but when I eventually 'retire' my Series X and it's game library, I'll ensure it's disconnected from the Internet in the hope that nothing disappears!

@darylb24 NG+ is the only ingredient still missing! I just started the game over anyway. A second and final playthrough plus Phantom Liberty. It's a modern classic at this point.

Definitely interested in a few here, if my seemingly never ending backlog let's up. I can heartily recommend Turbo Overkill for frantic fps fans.

@themightyant I thought Immortality was truly excellent. That, Disco Elysium and the recently released Lorelei and the Laser Eyes are probably my three favourite non AAA titles of recent years. Enjoy!

@FraserG makes sense, the other difficulty being how long games are becoming! Have a great weekend.

@FraserG Hey Fraser, I'm jumping in a little late here and with somewhat limited context but I do think it might be a good idea to perhaps have at least two if not three members of your team review major releases like this. I think a few other publications go down this route, occasionally. I know you said you've got a small team but it might be worth the extra effort in cases like this. (I'm available freelance - at no cost!) I completely respect your reviewers opinion and look forward to forming my own next week.

Key takeaways from various reviews - ignore AI issue?! The films bad guys and henchmen are idiots! The only other issue I've read about is the pacing and one review recommended a first playthrough focused on the main story then another where you can explore more and find the collectibles. I guess I'm just going to go with it and see what happens like most of us! Really excited all in all.

Huge 'The Thing' fan here. Another cash grab praying on nostalgic suckers like me eh. How about an actual remake?

@InheritNegative I'd love the new collection to add Saturn and Dreamcast classics. I'd pay $60.

@Medic_alert true but Jedi Survivor is 155GB on my PS5 somehow?! I think future generations will see more content/artifacts streaming with smaller install sizes but I'm not confident in the technology yet going by my experience with MSFS 2024.

I'm going to install on both Series X and my mid range PC then see which performs/looks better. 4K on Series X and 1440p on PC but other aspects make a difference too.

So many games these days and with Fortnite and COD still utterly dominant, it's a wonder other companies are still throwing large amounts of money at this genre. There is room for less popular games of course but they should be made with the appropriate budget and market research, at least you'd think so. As for Ubisoft, they're clearly better at single player titles although I'd argue there is room for something like a new Division and/or Rainbow Six installment.

I'm just going to come back to this some time next year. Occasionally it runs fine, other times it's glitchy and frequently crashes on PC. The lighting and textures are improved over the previous version but even with 700mbps bandwidth, it doesn't look as consistent. There's a marvel of a game/simulator here somewhere but it's in the beta testing phase at the moment.