Grail_Quest

@jesse_dylan Dream come true to see and hear that Sierra startup logo on my Series X. Freaking amazing.

Sierra games on console!!!! I'm in love. Microsoft bring on King's Quest 5, 6 and 7!!

I am so happy that Microsoft brought Sierra point and click adventures to the Xbox through this service. Something I never thought ai would see on a console. Amazing!!! I am going to lose myself in The Dagger of Amon Ra, Freddy Pharkas, Conquest of the Longbow and Space Quest 6 now. Awesome!

@ZuneTattooGuy Hi Zune! I disagree. The women you could woo as marriage candidates were indeed designed to be attractive... and then there was Lady Grey.

Also, not a fair comparison, as artists were not able to achieve 1:1 translation of their vision due to the technical limitations of the hardware at the time. That's why there was such a disparity between say, how Joanna Dark's in game model looked (like a male version of Enya) versus how she was portrayed in the manual.

There are no such limitations or excuses today, meaning that the recent offensive uglification of women in games is an intentional and deliberate choice.

People are free to support that design philosophy if they wish. More power to them, I say! But people are also free to not support it. I fall within that camp.

Looks like trash, with the ugliest protagonist they could intentionally create. The comedy is cringe and they haven't shown anything regarding mechanics yet. I liked the original Fable. Not interested in the 2024 DEI-approved reinterpretation. Maybe they'll show something eventually that will change my opinion, but not holding out hope.

@FatGuyInLilCoat I'd like to know the status of BG&E 2 as well. As recently as November of last year, we received confirmation that development on the game was still progressing (to my utter shock and bewilderment). That was the last update I've seen or heard.

I love Sands of Time. LOVE IT. I hope the remake does the game justice. The teaser was suitably epic. Can't wait to see more of this. Crossing my fingers they don't destroy it by trying to re-engineer it for a "modern audience".

This would be a shame, because honestly the Series X is probably the most badass system I've ever owned. Super fast navigation, loading, saving. Switching between apps quickly and seamlessly. Beautiful controller. I've been impressed with the graphical fidelity, optimized backwards compatibility and on and on. I've been a Nintendo main through every generation, and I've owned a 3DO/PS1,2,3,4/Saturn and Dreamcast over the years but man I have loved my Series X. Now I feel like the major AAA exclusives have been hurt by the focus on engineering them for a "modern audience", but the system itself, and the abundant access to past titles, I have loved.

I'm most excited for the Sierra IP that was owned by Activision, that is now under Microsoft control.

King's Quest
Space Quest
Quest for Glory
Gabriel Knight
Conquest of Camelot/the Longbow
Police Quest
Phantasmagoria
No One Lives Forever
Freddy Pharkas
Shivers
Lighthouse
The list goes on and on...

I want new entries in all of these franchises! Let's go!!!

Microsoft now owns Sierra IP.

NEW KING'S QUEST, LET'S GOOOOO!!!!

Also, a new 3D Gabriel Knight in the vein of something like Alan Wake, or the upcoming Alone in the Dark would be sweet! We need a return of the Schattenjaeger!!

KING'S QUEST 9
GABRIEL KNIGHT 4
QUEST FOR GLORY 6
PHANTASMAGORIA 3

COME ON MICROSOFT, SIERRA REVIVAL!!!

There was a period of time in the run up to the launch of the Series X where we were discovering mega game after mega game that were heading to the system and it was just impossible not to be lured in. I bought a Series X in the midst of all the excitement and put an Xbox branded console in my living room for the first time after 6 straight generations of being a Nintendo-centric gamer. I couldn't wait for Starfield, Redfall, Fable, Perfect Dark, Psychonauts 2, Indiana Jones and on and on. But you know what? Psychonauts 2 disappointed, Redfall was an unmitigated disaster, Fables reveal trailer, and its fugly a$$ protagonist has erased any enthusiasm I had for it, Starfield ended being way to dry (for me) and laden with too much blue hair messaging... One by one all the reasons I was so excited to be joining team Green are evaporating. At this point, it's almost guaranteed that Perfect Dark and Indiana Jones will be a disappointment. At least, I don't really have confidence in the developers to restrain themselves from filling the games with agenda first design and delivering the type of experience I would be looking for. I don't think modern western studios are capable of it. Joanna Dark will likely be attractive capped at a 3/10 and Indy will likely take a back seat to some upstart girl boss who is patronizing and automatically amazing at everything without trying. At least if recent trends hold. I'm holding out some hope still, but find myself back playing on Nintendo more and more as the generation advances. Looking forward to the Switch 2.

Disney ruins everything it touches. Once passionate Star Wars fans are indifferent to anything related to the IP now. Longtime comic fans aren't interested in the agenda led drivel Marvel is excreting. Indiana Jones was turned into a bumbling buffoon. The live action remakes are losing money at the box office as iconic heroes and heroines are rendered nigh unrecognizable. If I were EA, I would resist this with all possible force. Enough people revile them as it is. They don't need the Disney "magic" making it worse.

Watched a playthrough of the first two hours. This game looked like boring trash. Ugly... boring trash. Not GamePass, just Pass.

Western release censorship in 3... 2... 1...

Alone in the Dark. Already pre-ordered.

Just Beat: Dead Rising (Series X)

Now Playing: Doom 2 (Series X) & Dead Rising 2 (Series X)

Up Next: Blake Stone - Planet Strike (PC) & Dead Rising 3 (SeriesX)

Series X back compat is simply a beautiful thing. I am catching up on so many classics I missed out on and have a stellar lineup on deck. Probably in my top 5 favorite consoles!

@munstahunta I wish.

@jedinite I respect the breadth of your current playlist, your username and your profile pic! Game on!

Just Beat: System Shock (PC) & Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)

Now Playing: Doom 2 (Series X); Dead Rising (Series X) & Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Series X)

Up Next: Blake Stone - Planet Strike (PC); Dead Rising 2 (Series X) & Metal Gear Solid 5 (PS4)

GEX!!! FINALLY! It's about freaking time. Lock and load, little lizard!!!

Picked up Turok. Started a legendary FPS run, playing every major FPS chronologically from Wolfenstein 3D all the way through Boltgun. 267 titles. I'm up to System Shock so far. Turok is on that list, of course, so nabbed it on sale!

Played Hexen on my N64 back in day and loved it. It remains probably my favorite FPS after Goldeneye. It was a cool moment seeing him rep that shirt, and had me anticipating some kind of reveal. An HD remaster would be amazing, but a full on reboot, ala Doom 2016 would be exquisite! Man! Now I'm gonna be unsatisfied until it happens. Gotta assemble the Wraithverge in glorious HD!

@Jenkinss Hail, fellow veteran of the Great console wars!

I'd like to see Perfect Dark, Indiana Jones, Fable and Avowed. Lord of the Rings MMO would be cool too, but only if the world is authentic and the characters recognizable, none of that Amazon and WOTC re-imagining for a "modern audience" BS. Something I'd REALLY love, but won't ever happen would be to see an update on Beyond Good & Evil 2!

Series X is the most powerful console ever produced and still consistently struggles with pumping out 4k/60? I thought I wouldn't have to worry about that when I bought mine.

Don Mattrick was ahead of his time, just like his one time business associate Trip Hawkins. They saw where the future was headed and tried to get in front of it, but were just too early. Additionally, Don didn't have Trip's communication genius or ability to dazzle others with his vision.

360 under Mattrick focused on gamers. Xbox One under Mattrick started chasing that sweet, sweet Wii money with the casual crowd. But, Xbox under Spencer has abandoned the console gamer completely. They have surrendered to Sony and Nintendo's supposed insurmountable dominance in the industry and have shifted focus to being a "Netflix for games" service provider.

Give me back Mattrick.

Ubisoft.... Beyond Good & Evil 2. Still waiting.....

This was a simple, but beautiful game. Combat was laughably easy, but exploration was fun with the game offering up new, wondrous environments to discover at a steady pace from beginning to end. The art was gorgeous in several places. The soundtrack was noteworthy too. Not brilliant per say, but consistently "good" throughout. Accomplished 100% achievements on this one and really enjoyed it.

@Kaloudz Camp "Oobi" over here.

Also, Immortals running on Series X is freaking gorgeous.

@101Force Not universally, you're correct. People can do what they want, and they come and go from these social media platforms for all kinds of reasons. However if someone leaves Twitter as a form of protesting free speech, well, we should take them at their word, that they're against free speech. If someone leaves because there is no more arbitrary censorship of political or ideological rivals, then they're telling you they're for censorship.

Twitter banned people for loving their country and their God. Meanwhile actual terrorists, and people associated with terror groups like Antifa were allowed to maintain accounts. If Phil (or anyone else) cared about optics or had any principles they would have left long ago. These people are just afraid to share a public forum with those who dissent from their world view. They are cowards who would prefer that opposing voices be silenced by any means necessary. Now that they have lost a sliver of their fascist censorship, they are running away.

@Banjo- Almost guaranteed.

I hope this won't be like when the Stamper brothers left Rare. The company was never the same again.

I've been a fan of Tri-Ace since the launch of Star Ocean: Second Story waaaay back on PS1. The series is one of the sacred jewels of the JRPG genre alongside legends like Suikoden, Breath of Fire, Wild Arms, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and the Xeno and Chrono series. I picked up my pre-ordered copy today to show my love for the series and my support for Tri-Ace who also brought us the venerated Valkyrie Profile franchise.

Once, Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile were THE series for the discriminating JRPG connoisseur. Brimming with expansive optional mechanics like relationship building PA's which influenced character relationships and affected endings, beautiful art design, creative stories, characters bursting with personality and some of the finest music in a genre famous for the quality of its soundtracks. They were the more exotic franchises players graduated to when they had finished Final Fantasy.

I really hope Divine Force does well, because Tri-Ace has brought so much joy to JRPG fans over the years, and they hold a special place in the history of JRPG gaming!

So... when does the Activision Blizzard deal go through, again?

@raftos Ha! This is freaking brilliant! Nintendo (and Nintendo fans) have dealt with total absence of critical 3rd parties for decades now (since N64). It didn't kill competition. It forced Nintendo to find new ways to compete and led to some of the most successful electronic devices of all time in the Wii and Switch, along with devices that were not as successful but still beloved, like the GameCube.

Mine would be:

1) Goldeneye
2) Jet Force Gemini
3) Conker's Bad Fur Day
4) Banjo Kazooie
5) Perfect Dark
6) Banjo Toole

It is startling how consistently amazing their line up of games were.

@AverageGamer Is that for real? BG&E 2 is my most wanted sequel.... Fans have waited too long for it to end up with the Saints Row treatment... That would be unforgivable.

I'd like to chime in one last time here and try and clear up a misconception that is too readily perpetuated.

Fans who are against dramatically altering a beloved IP in the name of "modernisation" are not against the inclusion of a variety of races and genders. The people who don't want to see James Bond or Sam Fisher race or gender swapped would also be just as upset if someone tried to reboot Spawn or Blade or Night Thrasher (had to throw him in there... he's one of my favorites) as white dudes. Zorro was created as a Spaniard and should remain that way. The Prince of Persia should be... well, Persian.

There is something special and unique about all of the various ethnicities present in the world. That sentiment applies to ALL of them, even those of fairer complexion.

This is not limited to race and gender, but extends beyond to the content of the character as well. Fans get upset, and rightly so, when writers suddenly change characters who had previously been portrayed as competent, intelligent or fierce and are suddenly made out to be incompetent, foolish or weak (especially when it is obviously done to prop up another, often newer character in contrast).

You can have great stories and compelling characters of any and every race, gender and religion... but once they have been established... once a fandom has embraced them... leave them alone.

@Richnj The locusts that re-boot/ruin these IP's are the ones hung up on race, sexuality and gender. If they weren't, they wouldn't feel the need to change them.

@Barry_Biscuits People wouldn't complain if it hadn't already happened to all of their other favorite IP's. The trend is in your face obvious, the reasons are publicly broadcast by the publishers/producers. The world of pop culture has become a wasteland of ruined IP's, remade for "modern" audiences, being gutted in the process of everything that was originally beloved about them. The fans watch in horror as their IP is systematically made unrecognizable and wind up abandoning the property. When the money dries up, the creators shutter the projects and move on to the next beloved IP to "modernise". The cycle has continued for so long now that fans can see it coming a mile away, and they have every right to voice their dissent.

THIS is exactly what I wanted to hear from Team Xbox. I hope they bring them all west! My wallet is ready!

@Kaloudz lol You're welcome. I too am still haunted (traumatized?) all these years later. Misery loves company!

@SplooshDmg Wasn't VC developed by the Wild Arms people? I think I heard that and have wanted to play the series ever since. Do you need to play the first 3 to enjoy part 4?

@Kaloudz ....nothing and no one can reach Wakka levels of annoying... yeah?

@Tharsman Lunar and Grandia! Excellent call outs!! I wish they'd also bring Wild Arms and all of the Valkyrie Profile series (including the new one) over to Xbox.

Still buying on Xbox because of achievements and better performance. Nintendo needs to add achievements already. At least, I'd buy more games over there if they had them.

After season 1... who cares? Torturing myself by watching this would be a waste of time. I'd rather go back and play through Master Chief Collection again.

This is freaking incredible!!!! I-I'm speechless. I cannot wait for these. Will be picking up the second they release. Might even take the day off work too (just like all those years ago when I played these as an irresponsible teenager!)