FMT

Played it a lot after release, enjoyed it for the most part, especially the online races. Then didn't play after a few weeks and uninstalled to make space.
I'll reinstall at some point, especially if they do away with the car levelling stuff, that just didn't make sense.

@Zochmenos Thanks, appreciate that news, I should have paid better attention to Infinite news recently.
On a plus side, they have sorted out the post game reports for firefight now, which is a step forward for firefight in this update. Post game stats now shows how many of each enemy each team member killed etc. Rather than the shoe-horned into firefight pvp post game stats. Big improvement in my opinion.

I'm confused, how are Q2 2024 results being declared, we're only in January of 2024, not even through Q1???
Unless they have quirky financial years in MS, but normally results cannot get declared until that period has been closed off financially and all relevant financial transactions tallied. For this to be Q2 2024 they must run their financial year from 1st June? Meaning end of Dec 2023 is the end of their 2024 Q2.
Can anyone clear up my confusion?

Recently, the weekly challenges have all been achievable via firefight (none of them required killing other players and could be done via multi kills or score in firefight etc.), it was only the final challenge that required jumping into actual multiplayer (e.g. backsmacks on Spartans), which could be easily obtained in Husky raid playlist, which is a very forgiving playlist for less skilled players.
Infinite is loads of fun, but I wish they'd expand the firefight modes and maps. I was gutted this latest update doesn't seem to have done anything to firefight playlist

One of the only games where the story got me very emotionally involved, but not since MS took it over.
Multiplayer has been handled better than the campaign.

This sounds great. Wish I was in my teens and had the time for a tabletop game.

Great experience here.
My son has always been super trustworthy, so over a decade ago on his 360, I had my bank card in his 360 for digital purchases. A couple of friends over for a gaming session thought it would be hilarious to initiate the purchase of 50 quids worth of xbox credit. Thinking it would come up with a confirmation screen to wind him up. I kinda enjoyed all the colour having drained from their faces when it immediately went through as they deserved that scare.
MS refunded with no argument whatsoever.
I locked down the purchase option after that which was in no way a reflection on my son's honesty, rather a lesson for me.

It really is only the aesthetics that are similar.
Middling game, pretty in places until you move and then stuttering breaks the immersion, and you move painfully slowly.
Bit more than a walking simulator though and I've played enough that I want to know where the story goes, which is the highlight of the game so far.

@Fenbops I don't think anyone would disagree with that.
This is 100% on Microsoft for having the default publish option enabled and then employing auto-banning.
Sony will have a field day with the negative optics of this if they're still employing similar tactics to the whole lending games to friends malarkey of the XB1 launch

@ValkyriaProfile Thanks for the advice, but that's not why I don't want that content. I just don't want that content. Fair enough for those that do.
Is there an option to just turn off sex and nudity?

So if I avoid the sex and nudity by turning off mature content, does that also turn off blood and gore?
Loved BG1&2 and have been looking forward to playing this, but was avoiding it due to the reports of such titilating shenanigans. Its just not my thing.
Blood and gore turned off feels like too sanitised though.

Halo Infinite for me, it takes up a lot of my precious gaming hours, and will continue to do so, I reckon.

I want a game to use a clan/lobby system like Chromehounds absolutely nailed. Back at 360 release, never to be bettered or even close to repeated AFAIK.

CHROMEHOUNDS.
Lobby system was superb, I don't understand why it's never been repeated.
People used to disappear into Chromehounds, never to be seen unless you also played Chromehounds. Got called Crackhounds as a result.
I sorely miss that game.

@BIG3 even if you know nothing about Halo. There's a huge list of better sci-fi shows to spend your time on:
The Expanse
Foundation
Silo
Sandman
Battlestar Galactica
etc.

But if you must, you'll watch Halo and probably come out of it thinking it was "ok", probably not more.

I don't care about skins in game. The only time they are even seen is pre and post game, otherwise the team colour highlighting and shield effects makes them nearly unrecognisable from any other player on that team.
I'm happy for them to add what they want in that regard, if it keeps the game going.
Looking forward to the snowy themed maps though.

So underwhelming. They always look basic and naff where you have to stare for a while just to notice they're moving.

Easily Halo Infinite for me. After took so long to fix the technical debt, improvements and content are coming thick and fast. It's an amazing game right now and should only get better.

I've been looking forward for this for too long. The unofficial firefight in the customs browser makes a welcome break from the sweat-fest of matchmaking, but there are compromises that stop it being outstanding.
Halo Infinite really is turning out to be one of the best, in my mind.

It was a half decent sci-fi show, utter garbage as a Halo show, an insult to fans.
They should scrap it and start again, it only diminishes the franchise by digressing so far from canon.

@Astig I disagree, my experience of corporate takeovers and such-like is that you're legally prohibited from doing any work until its complete. They can only plan how to go about it in the run up to that. AFAIK anyway, often wrong, so take with a pinch.
All we have is some MS CFO singing their own praises in an internal meeting. Heaven knows how the integration is actually going.

That was a huge nostalgia trip. Loved seeing that comparison and forgot how damn pretty these maps were in Halo 3 at the time.

I've had them all. I'll never forget my first win of Lone Wolves (FFA) on Halo 2. It was my 234th game and catching up with the skill of everyone else was brutal, as I got my OG Xbox late in the day.
Other stand out moment is Chromehounds on the 360, that lobby system has never been bettered in my mind and made being part of a clan really feel like a community. Didn't expect it to be the only Implementation of such a great lobby system, it felt like the future of online gaming at the time

Looking forward to trying Dungeons 4. Hoping it's not as cringe as 3 and more actual dungeon management.
That's if I ever get bored of Wartales enough to be able to put it down, can't see that happening any time soon.

I'm not sure if Starcraft on console would ever be the intense MP experience it is on PC with KB&M.
Though the ability to casually play through the excellent campaign would be enough for success, probably.
Having said that, nothing stopping a KB&M being hooked up to an xbox to make MP viable.
Bring it on, love the Starcraft series.

I really like it, but I wouldn't give it 10/10, I went for 8.
Gorgeous settings and levels, really captures the 40K aesthetic nicely.
Too many other great games at the same time and Darktide requires more commitment than I have time for.
Will fire it up every now and again though as it's quite cathartic, especially when you've had a bad day.