16BitHero

I've really tired of the Far Cry formula as of 6. Played all to completion until then but 6 was just so huge and there were many better games to play when it came out. For some reason I'm curious about Avatar, especially if it's a more focused experience with a strong narrative.

Definitely picking this up, loved the first one and it's fun to play through with a partner helping you figure things out.

An amazing year for gaming and my backlog still contains many of the top games released thus far. My personal game of the year is Aliens Dark Descent, ticked all the boxes for this Alien Saga fan.

I love my Series X but it doesn't have a big time console seller in terms of exclusives and that shows in it's market shares around the world. I still think Microsoft will go the way of Sega - and an immense publisher they will be. It sucks for gamers though as it means less competition in the console space. Maybe Apple will step in eventually?!

This continues to be the most astonishing 'game' of this generation. It was my sole reason for buying a Series X and now I have a VR capable gaming PC, I really can't wait to try it on that platform too. Looking forward to seeing where it goes in the next decade or two.

Excellent year. Excellent backlog.

@Cherip-the-Ripper It's a US list.

I've enjoyed the Series X (and PS5) generation thus far but Xbox is clearly getting trounced by the PS5 once again due to better marketing, superior exclusives and more of them. If gamers are not to end up with a choice between Sony, Nintendo and PC gaming with Microsoft going the way of Sega albeit a third party behemoth then I hope this new leadership structure picks up the slack quickly.

@mac_da_man Just started a second playthrough with the new updates in anticipation of the newly arrived dlc. A good game is now a great game.

@Lup Mad Max was so underrated. Loved it. https://youtu.be/HsQn4q6QhdM?si=CLUveXUSfbOawHdf

@fabisputza007 I also played through Wolf Among Us with my wife who doesn't consider herself a gamer (despite 700 hours with Animal Crossing). She immediately started looking up the Fables comic series. We're looking forward to the sequel.

@pip_muzz @pip_muzz I confess to enjoying linear games with highly focused and sometimes simpler narratives but I also loved Witcher 3, Zelda and various other RPGs. Starfield is my first Bethesda RPG. I might come back to it now my expectations are clear.

I was really excited for Starfield but sadly I'm giving up (for now) about 25 hours in. It really feels like several different game ideas tied together but none do each component as well as other games. A common wish it seems is for the developers to have curated a specific number of systems and planets rather than have these bland procedurally generated ones. I think you can certainly play it a number of different ways but I found myself jumping through numerous load screens to take on the next quest which all felt somewhat disconnected and lacking any sense or feeling of discovery. I'm wondering how many others have taken the difficult decision to shelve it for now. I'm going to play through Cyberpunk a second time instead (then the dlc).

@fabisputza007 I'm catching some flak over at the current Starfield patch article comment section for having the same opinion.

@ChromeMud Many gamers in this day and age have multiple consoles; there is nothing pro PS5 in my train of thought and I certainly didn't allude to the ludicrous statement your sarcastic comment conveyed. In my opinion the best example of current gen console gaming prowess is Flight Simulator on your beloved Xbox.

@JayJ @Darylb88 I wasn't comparing system power, I just thought maybe Sony would push for a 60fps option whereas Bethesda clearly had total creative control as Starfield started development long before the acquisition. I can't help comparing Starfield to other games which have succeeded in implementing a 60fps option though, especially when in my opinion Cyberpunk for example, actually looks better. Anyway, I'm just being an entitled picky gamer!

@Boogaloo_Jenkins The more I play it the more I think if Starfield was on PS5 or Bethesda was owned by Sony then it would have a 60fps option. The graphics are so basic they could definitely hit 60, especially if Cyberpunk, Spiderman and Horizon Forbidden West can and they all look better than Starfield.

@jonmac547 I hope it's a free update for current owners, albeit a massive file size. I bought the current version for when I occasionally let my Gamepass sub lapse. The new gameplay options look incredible.

Starfield is definitely up there. Some crackers this year, I really enjoyed Hogwarts Legacy despite not considering myself a Potter fan, the Horizon Forbidden West dlc was decent, Diablo 4 was addictive for a while but my personal GOTY is Aliens Dark Descent because I'm as huge Alien Saga fan and that game ticked so many boxes. Still gotta play RE4 remake and I know Phantom Liberty will likely be top 5.

I used to play FIFA then PES then FIFA again religiously. The issue I have now is I'm not in school or university anymore and other genres of games have become so large and long that there simply isn't time for sports games outside of a few exhibition matches here and there. Most people I know who play the season, career and franchise modes barely play anything else. Oh to be young again...

There is almost nothing revolutionary about Starfield but it is sublime video game escapism nonetheless. Like many others, after a rather underwhelming first 5 hours or so, I'm now hopelessly addicted. It's not perfect and I'd have changed plenty of elements but what we've got is still a great game, especially for Sci Fi fans.

I bought the Series X for Microsoft Flight Simulator but it's probably had as much if not more playtime than my PS5 by now. Gamepass has been excellent to catch up on Xbox One games I missed last gen not to mention excellent indie titles and now Starfield and the Bethesda acquisition has more than made it worthwhile.

@somnambulance I either want a really good concise campaign or yeah I could be open to a bigger multiplayer approach. Co-op has essentially saved me from boredom in the recent entries.

6 was the first and only game in the series I didn't finish, it really did get tedious. I think it's partly because it was too large and also didn't really evolve the formula enough. Blood Dragon was short and sweet, especially for 80's pop culture fans and Primal remains my favourite overall for reasons I can't explain. Ultimately I hope they reduce the map size and introduce some different quest/story features or something, not just new ways to blow stuff up in a big boring Ubisoft map.

The only time I like the PS5 controller better is for racing games thanks to the amazing gyro controls (GT7 from the cockpit is just incredible). Other than that, both controllers are perfectly fine for current gaming. The haptics on dual sense are novel to begin with but you soon don't notice when in the thick of the action and it's actually better to turn them off for competitive accuracy in many games.

I'll definitely be getting GTA 6 second hand after a few weeks. Rockstar doesn't deserve our money. Greedy greedy company and way behind the competition at this point.

@Acurisur I have to pay closer attention I guess although I have been waiting on the Series X upgrade. Really happy to hear it satisfies fans of the franchise.

I've wanted to play this game for ages, still waiting for a sub $20 price point. In other news, as a fan of another amazing franchise, Aliens Dark Descent is my personal game of the year. Until Starfield perhaps.

Silly decision and why I'll keep Gamepass for console only and buy (multi platform) multiplayer games for PS5 as I usually have PS plus active. If Microsoft did away with these stupid arbitrary decisions and included multiplayer with Gamepass I'd likely stop buying ps plus AND buy multi platform games for Xbox instead. Their business decisions are baffling at times.

What is the Pure Xbox take @fraserg? At this point I think they should include online multiplayer access with Gamepass tiers rather than introduce a Gold replacement for 1$ less than Gamepass for console. Seems arbitrary?

This is actually a very decent list albeit with some previous gen exclusives but I skipped Xbox One completely so this current gen on Gamepass has been incredible value thus far. I'd argue Xbox has had more or at least better overall exclusives than Nintendo. The Switch has a handful of genre defining games which almost every owner erm, owns. Xbox is pretty solid though. PlayStation is consistently strong from generation to generation with a few hiccups here and there. It's a good time to be a gamer.

I'm fortunate to own all three but it would benefit everyone if all remain competitive and although there will inevitably be system exclusives, I do hope the exclusive content and release windows for multi platform games die a quick death.

'as one marine on their own will be quickly overwhelmed and dragged away to become a meaty alien incubator - if they're lucky'

I'd rather be killed instantly than wait around to give chest birth!

Excellent and thorough review, clearly a must for Aliens fans like me. Hopefully it sells better than the brilliant Alien Isolation did so other developer's consider trying their luck in this amazing universe. I do hope they patch the 'barking of orders' when attempting to move quietly down corridors.

Flight Simulator was one of the only actual surprises and has given the only truly current gen experience a new lease of life with all those new gameplay elements.

@Banjo- Contraband by Avalanche Studios - first teased at E3 2021

One of the most ambitious games ever developed surely. I haven't been this excited for a game since, well maybe ever. I'd much prefer a 60fps option but I'll still play it at 30 if I have to.

This (and now Starfield) is the reason I own a Series X. Hoping it's an update as I purchased it for when I take breaks from Gamepass. If it's a whole new 220GB + download I'll just have to deal with it. Looks incredible!!!

The gameplay looks ok but the lazy Fortnite esque cartoon aesthetic that seems to be the industry go to nowadays is unfortunate. Most gamers aren't teenagers anymore.

@Moonglow I have no expectations (to temper any disappointment) but I would like to see something from all those you've mentioned above. I no longer have a backlog on Gamepass or regular Series X games so I'm trudging through an epic backlog on PS5. I'd like to have the problem of two backlogs again!

None, I cancelled Gamepass for now, waiting on Starfield. I know there will undoubtedly be a few decent indie additions between now and then but I can catch up with those later.

Diablo 4 courtesy of a generous friend. Feels just like Diablo 3 but with a much better/darker aesthetic and more of the same is fine by me! Also picked up Deliver Us Mars on sale.

They've got to bring the prices of these down if they expect more people to buy them. 2TB internal SSD expansion for PS5 is as low as $129 now.

Anything on Xbox exclusives Indiana Jones and Contraband - both from excellent studios.

@Kaloudz I feel the same way but if they nail the aesthetic and the mechanics and challenge is there then this could be a real nice surprise.

I just had to play this wonderful sequel on release. 30fps was jarring at first but you quickly get used to it and the game is really quite stunning. I'd prefer most games to be 60fps but I can still enjoy 30 in some cases.

@Widey85 ditto this whole comment ha.

I highly recommend this game - platforming with a cat in a dystopian city and a decent little story to boot. Charming (and occasionally creepy).

I've suspended Gamepass until Starfield as I've essentially played everything I wanted to since the Series X release. If anyone else is in this position and wants FIFA (I haven't bought it for years but fancied a kick about) then in the US it's $17 for the digital version through GameStop.

New (good) games please Microsoft.

@Tonmoy Agreed, I gave Hi Fi Rush a good 45 minutes to an hour and it just wasn't for me but I recognized it as being a great game overall. Same with Elden Ring, I put in 10 hours then quit but still thought of it as GOTY for several reasons.