Kraven

This weekend I have the house to myself while my fiancé is out of town. I officially finished my first playthrough of A Plague Tale: Requiem on Xbox Series X. So far, it’s my game of the year. We will see how that stands once God of War Ragnarok releases.

The story is amazing, and all of the emotional beats have hit me significantly. This is even more poignant by the incredible performance from Charlotte McBurney. Speaking of emotional - holy hell, Chapter 12 was absolutely gut wrenching, terrifying, and downright shocking. I won’t give away any spoilers, but it is an experience that video games rarely ever tread.

With that said, the game isn’t without its faults. For me, I found the stealth mechanics rather poorly optimized. This was made all the more irritating due to outdated level design and invisible walls. Moreover, a lack of resources would sometimes prevent me from exploring more of the open areas thoroughly due to an abundance of enemies. Regardless of those complaints, I find this game to be utterly essential.

Other than that, I’ll probably be playing RE: Village’s Shadow of Rose DLC. I’m hearing it’s a rather short experience which will be perfect for the weekend.

I’m also going to start up Signalis via Xbox Game Pass. This game looks to be right up my alley, and all of the rave reviews has me even more excited. These handful of games should keep me busy for the spooky season this weekend.

I mean, yeah, it’s crowding the screen but it’s easy to ignore. I’m not spending my time on Xbox looking at the dashboard - I’m actually playing a game. To me, it seems like people just want to find something to complain about … as always.

This is awesome! I remember this being a standout game for me when I first saw it announced during E3 a couple of years back. I’m looking forward to trying it out next month.

Aside from God of War Ragnarok, this is my most anticipated game this year. I can’t wait to experience this; it looks like a genuine fun and unique experience that is sorely lacking these days.

I can’t wait for this one! On another note - March 2023 is already looked stacked as hell with games. Something is gonna be going to the backlog for sure.

This game continues to look amazing, in my opinion. Arkane knows how to make fascinating game worlds with memorable, and fun characters. Furthermore, they are great at level design, and this looks like it will be no different. I cannot wait for this game.

@BBB Hm; interesting. To each their own, I suppose.

@BBB Your comment doesn’t make a ton of sense. Every game made is going to have some issues. I suppose you don’t consider any game a 10/10 then? I’m assuming you consider a 10/10 perfect? If that’s the case then so be it, but most outlets that do a number ranking don’t consider 10s perfect. I’d be curious to hear what you consider a 10/10, if you even do have games that you hold to that caliber.

Elden Ring and Persona 5 Royal are the easiest 10/10 experiences here. I haven’t played Immortality and probably never will, so I can lend judgment on that. As for Deathloop, I personally loved that game head to toe. A lot of people are harsh on the game due to tons of mainstream outlets - and other game journalists - rating it 10/10, but the game is excellent.

I’d rather keep the reboot of the latest Tomb Raider games. All three of them are quite fantastic, and I don’t see the need for another remake of a franchise that’s already standing proudly on its feet.

This weekend I’m playing A Plague Tale: Requiem on Xbox Series X. I’m not that far into the game due to work and family obligations, but I have reached the fourth chapter and I’m loving the game. There are several situations within Chapter 3 that have been the most powerful moments I’ve ever experienced in a video game before. It’s exciting to know that narratively speaking, I’m more than likely going to have more of those moments.

All of this is fueled even further due to Amicia’s voice actress, Charlotte McBurney. She deserves tons of praise for her impeccable work. Her performance is so intense - you can feel her emotions in every word she utters. I haven’t been in awe in a video game of this nature — narrative, character development, and study of human emotion — since The Last of Us (2013).

My only genuine complaint about A Plague Tale: Requiem is that, while a linear experience, the way the game is structured prohibits exploration for collectibles throughout the several open paths you can veer off to in order to complete your objective. Your movement is limited because of the rats, human interactions, and how easily you can be spotted, even during the stealth moments. This can lead to several frustrating moments, fearing that I’m missing out on a large chunk of rewarding exploration. It’s almost as if the game forces you not to explore your surroundings.

Regardless of my one main gripe with the game, it’s still a must play title. I can’t wait to continue the story and see where it takes me. It should be a fun, albeit brutal and emotional journey.

Update: I’m now on chapter 6 and absolutely stunned. Amicia’s character is so incredible, and Charlotte McBurney is amazing and bringing this character to life. I actually feel her pain and struggle through her voice, raw emotion, character animations, and more. What a game so far.

@Ashadelo He was just making a statement — he didn’t start anything. Your comment was unnecessary.

I still don’t understand the excuse as to why Gotham Knights won’t run at 60 fps.

I’m definitely buying Condemned Criminal Origins. It’s one of my favorite games of all time. I remember getting that, PD Zero, and Call of Duty 2 at the Xbox 360 launch, and being blown away.

I’ll also probably purchase some of the Splinter Cell games - I’ve been in a mood for something like that for a while.

Soma is a nice surprise! It’s one of my favorite, and I’d even say underrated horror games of last generation.

My goodness, I can’t wait to play this game. I have it pre-installed and ready to go! I’ll definitely jump in this before work tomorrow morning.

I personally consider P4G my second favorite game of all time, and the best Persona game; however, P5 is absolutely incredible. I played the original on the PS4 the day it released and beat it in about 120+ hours. I have not played Royal, so this is an awesome incentive to replay the game in its complete form. Here’s to another 100+ hours! Cheers!

This looks awesome. The aesthetics really set the tone for an amazing atmosphere. Hopefully, the controls won’t be a mess because sometimes games of this nature are. I can’t wait to try it out.

@Zucaritas You’re not wrong. I actually predicted this to be a Game Pass announcement at MicroSoft’s “E3” earlier this year, but I was wrong. I really do hope the game does well because I wouldn’t mind playing it, but I need an incentive to buy it and nothing has compelled me thus far.

I said it over at PushSquare but I’ll say it again here: There’s already a ton of mixed reception on the game from its recent preview, and now the information about 30 fps is only going to make the already negative hype enhance. And I’ve never been one to complain about fps much, but after spending tons of time with 60 fps and then suddenly going back to 30 - it’s very jarring. I really want this game to be good. If the reviews are 7-8 or “Recommended” then I probably will, but the outlook is not looking too good.

I’m currently replaying one of my favorite games of last gen: Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox Series X). I originally beat it on the PS4 when it first released so it almost feels like a new game since it’s been years since I’ve played it. I wish it would get enhanced similarly third games, but nonetheless, it’s still a fantastic game even after all of these years.

It improved drastically from the first game, and I truly think it’s criminally underrated. The game has everything I love in a video game: Meaningful exploration that is rewarding; notes/documents that are compelling to read and also feature fantastic narration voiceover; collectibles that have a history lesson to them; fun gameplay with a variety of weapons and combat skills that are all upgradable, along with a ton of changeable outfits that feature benefits for your character; an interesting narrative with an intriguing main character and protagonist; and puzzle solving that’s not that challenging. This is what I’m looking for in an action adventure game. And I also think it’s better than Uncharted in some respects (a favorite franchise of mine, too). You can call me crazy, but I firmly believe RoTR is a masterpiece.

I’m also playing The DioField Chronicle (Xbox Series X). I don’t know if I’ll actually beat this game, but it’s fun to complete a few missions here and there. The characters and story are bland, but the combat is quite good. The battles don’t last that long either, so that’s a plus; it makes the game digestible in bite sized chunks.

Hopefully, these two games will keep me busy enough until God of War: Ragnarok releases.

This is looking fantastic. The first one was great, and this one looks like an improvement in all facets. I can’t wait.

@BRUTALSAM I highly doubt it’ll average somewhere in the 80s; I’m thinking it’ll be more along the lines of mid 70s.

On a side note - I’ll try the game out but I’m not expecting much. Additionally, it’s more of a puzzle game and I’m just not a fan of that. I’m going in with little to no expectation so who knows - I might be genuinely surprised.

If this is a survival game then I am out, unfortunately. I am not a fan of games that are practically never-ending. Now, if this is a more story driven game with survival aspects similar to Resident Evil then I’m all in.

@UltimateOtaku91 Oh, gotcha. I’ll go watch some YouTube previews then; all I’ve done was read some previews.

@themightyant I’ve said it before many times and I’ll say it again: Scorn is going to be the next “The Medium”. That’s my two cents, anyway.

Tian Ding will be a game I definitely try. I’ve been interested in it for a while but didn’t want to play it via Switch. Gungrave also looks really cool - I’ll have to check it out eventually. As for Obsidian, I love their games; however, I just can’t seem to get interested in Pentiment. I’ll have to wait for reviews before giving it a go.

@UltimateOtaku91 Links? I haven’t seen any major publications talk about their impressions in the game except from a month or two back, and they weren’t even impressions — just a preview.

I’ve had it pre-installed for days. I’m looking forward to trying the game out on Friday.

I finally started Cyberpunk 2077 (Xbox Series X) and it’s one of the most immersive (and overwhelming) games I’ve ever played. Night City is a really fantastic setting, with bizarre characters and an underbelly worth exploring. The characters are memorable, and I love choosing optional dialogues to flesh out them out.

I also find the writing quite excellent. I know that some people have issues with it considering it’s an RPG and your choices should have genuine consequences and benefits, and the game doesn’t necessarily feature that ending wise, but that’s okay to me. I basically look at the game as a FPS with RPG elements, and character development with the dialogue choices. I don’t need my actions to affect the overall game, so long as I build relationships with the people I spend time with. I don’t look at this game as a Fallout experience. If you approach the game from that perspective I think it becomes an overall better experience.

This looks awesome, and that's coming from someone who doesn't like racing games and doesn't have an interest in cars much. The only racing game that I liked and actually played regularly was Need For Speed Most Wanted on the 360, so this looks like it'll be up my alley.

I feel like this is going to review 6’s and 7’s across the board. I’ll wait until actual reviews before I decide whether I want to buy it close to release or wait for a sale.

I loved this game, so this is good news. I haven’t played any of the DLC so this will be a good excuse to replay the game.

@pip_muzz Is a year quick, though? I understand your hesitance with Game Pass and games leaving the service, but if you can’t find the time to play (and beat) a game in a years time, that might be more on you rather than the service itself. Half of the games leaving this month can be completed - main quests and side quests or just side activities - in less than 10 hours. Furthermore, at least you can rest easy knowing that first party Microsoft own games like Halo, Gears, and now Bethesda will have their games permanently on Game Pass. I just don’t think you can blame the subscription service for not playing a game at a certain time; the player also has to be held accountable as well. I mean that in general and not just you specifically (myself included), so I hope you don’t take offense to it.

I completed Steelrising earlier this week on the Xbox Series X, and it was an excellent game despite a few achievement glitches. However, this weekend I’m playing NiOh Remastered (PS5). I absolutely adore this game. The customization regarding weapons and armor is deep, along with the variety of stances that provide a ton of unique combat capabilities.

There aren’t many (good) games out there that let you look and play like a ninja/Shinobi, and that’s a genre of game that I wish we could get more of (and I believe we are), at least in the feudal Japan setting. I’ll probably try and go for the Platinum trophy; that’ll bide my time until Scorn releases.

I’ll also probably jump back into Horizon Forbidden West (my strong contender for GOTY) and mop up the three remaining trophies I need to obtain the Platinum. I beat the game when it first released earlier this year, and was awestruck the entire time.

That said, the idea of playing Machine Strike was so unappealing to me - I simply didn’t want to mess with it to get the P-trophy. I genuinely dislike games within a game (Gwent, etc.) but I followed a guide real quick yesterday, got the trophy, and that is finally giving me the boost I need to complete the rest of the trophy list.

Unfortunately, I’ve forgotten the controls and mechanics of the game so it’ll probably take me a bit to reacquaint myself in order to feel comfortable playing again.

I’m just going to copy and paste my comment from Push Square:

I dislike articles like this because it’s just an excuse for people to make fun of an (actually good) game even if they haven’t played it, just because everyone else is.

I know Ubisoft deserves its flack, and I know there are issues with Far Cry 6, and, of course, people will constantly bring up, “It’s just Far Cry 3, same map, just different characters” and all of those types of comments, but there games are fun.
Sometimes, that’s all a game needs to be: Fun.

I love my narrative driven games just as much as the next person. However, sometimes I just want to turn my brain off, not care, and just blow some s*** up. I don’t always need a GOTY contender. At the end of the day, gaming is a form of entertainment. Ubisoft makes some entertaining games.

I have it downloaded and ready to go - I’m just trying to finish up Steelrising before I jump in. The game looks phenomenal.

I’m playing Steelrising (Xbox Series X). I’m going to be honest - I bought this game on a whim, and I’m so glad I did. The setting is an alternate French Revolution, and automats created by greedy people are in control. The atmosphere and overall style of the game — a Soulsborne— is reminiscent of Bloodborne. While the game isn’t as good as that, nor polished, it is still an enjoyable romp.

The combat is pretty good, and there are a variety of weapons you can use at your disposal. Furthermore, the more you progress in the story, the more you’ll unlock abilities that will allow you to reach new areas in the map. These abilities can also be used in combat, which makes for a fun dynamic.

Speaking of traversal and maps, the level design is also quite excellent. It’s structured the same way the Souls games are - where there are many locked doors or areas, but you’ll eventually find a way to unlock them, making backtracking much quicker. That said, movement is janky, though I believe that’s intentional since you are an automat.

As for side quests, they are quite good. They aren’t on the level as some other deep RPGs, but they are multi-faceted and run entire game length deep, which I find very intriguing.

Overall, the game isn’t the best. It’s janky, linear, and flat out rough around the edges. However; the game goes a lot of things brilliantly with the budget they had to work with. I hope they get a chance to make a sequel with a bigger budget because this game has tons of potential, and I’d love to see the game world expanded upon further.

@Dezzy70 I would argue that Elden Ring, though difficult, is quite easier than all of FromSoft’s previous games.

Despite the synopsis and a comment from one of the developers I saw on Twitter stating there isn’t a ton of gunplay, I still don’t know what the game is. The environments are cool, and I’ll definitely play the game, but I have a feeling this will get a mixed reception similar to “The Medium.”

So many people are throwing a fit saying it's not a 10/10 and I genuinely don't understand why people are mad at someone's opinion rating it that high (btw, other critics have also gave it the same score).

Just because you may think it's a 7-8 kind of game doesn't mean that others think the same. Moreover, the complaints I see from people typically (not sure on this site) go along the lines of, "It's boring", or "It gets repetitive" or something minuscule of that nature.

Game journalists that review games look at different aspects than other people; i.e. they examine mechanics, systems, pacing, sounds, story, gameplay, etc. There's more to video games than the gameplay. While it may seem boring to some, there are other aspects to a video game that make it standout.

To me, I love all of the abilities Arkane offers in their video games, and particularly Deathloop. The game provides a fantastic setting as well. Blackreef has many interesting locations with some amazing art-design; it's a really stylish game, with almost a retro 60s-70s vibe. I also find Colt and Julianna intriguing. Their voice acting and interactions really help carry the story because you want to know what their purpose is. The way you can approach missions (and thank goodness for no morality meter) is also fantastic; there is a ton of freedom there.

In my opinion, I can totally understand why this game received a 10/10 from many gaming sites. It's a unique game with a lot of rogue-like elements in the form of a FPS, and it nails it. Will it be everyone's cup of tea? No. However, the game is fantastic. While some may argue the high praise, I don't think this game can be considered objectively (not subjectively) bad.

@Pharmboy6 That’s not true at all.

I played the game on the PS5 back in early January, and it’s great. Admittedly, it took quite a while for everything to click, but once it did, and once I understood the purpose of what I was doing in each map, the game became sensational. I can’t wait to replay it on the Series X and complete some of the minor side quests that I didn’t do initially.

@Carck It’s not the end of the world, no, but it is a big deal. Rockstar is already being harassed by idiots online, assuming the leak is the official gameplay of a finished project and are unhappy with it. And now, the game is going to be delayed more than likely for another year or two. That’s going to cause more people online losing their minds and causing more issues. Furthermore, Rockstar is going to have to look internally as to how and why this occurred, and changes are going to have to be implemented, impeding progress even further.

I get it - it’s just a video game. However, this is someone’s job and livelihood, so just keep that in mind.

More people need to buy and play Unsighted. The game is one of the best Zelda-likes out there, and it has a very cool and unique concept that really makes the game standout above the rest.

Hands down, it’s Prey for me. The level design was absolutely fantastic, and on par with, and maybe even better than the interconnecting maps in Dark Souls/Bloodborne.

After getting the platinum trophy for The Last of Us Part 1 (my all time favorite game), I’ve been at a loss as to what to play. I’ve been bouncing around various games, but then I decided to read - and watch - reviews for Steelrising. The game received quite a solid reception, so I decided to buy it on a whim. I’m so glad I did, and this will tide me over until Deathloop arrives on Game Pass.

Steelrising is quite the gem. Is it graphically impressive? No. Is it technically and mechanically fluid? No. And yet, the game oozes charm despite it being janky, especially for a Souls-like game. I find the combat satisfying, and there are tons of weapons, armor, and other equipment to really create a fun build, which is something I’ve never cared much for in games similar to this. Typically, once I find a weapon I like, I stick with it; however, in this game I experiment a lot because all of the weapons are a blast to use.

Moreover, I love its linearity - something I wish more games would harken back to instead of a gigantic open world. And while the game is linear, there are moments to explore off the beaten path and it is always rewarding to do so. Speaking of, I also find the level design to be quite spectacular. Similar to the Soulsborne genre, there are locked gates throughout the world that can eventually be unlocked that will connect back to other parts of the map.

Overall, the game isn’t perfect, but it’s damn fun. I’m really happy I decided to buy the game. I can’t wait to see what developer Spiders will make next. Their future is bright, I believe.

Lost Odyssey is a masterpiece and I wish more people would talk about it. That game is one of my favorite JRPGs. My other mention is Dragon Quest XI. It’s such a great game, and in my top 10 of all time.

If I was Phil/Microsoft, I just wouldn’t say a word about anything. Let Sony and whomever throw a fit, and stay quiet and close the deal. This whole feud is similar to a bad breakup. The one who doesn’t respond to all the bad mouthing and drama is the one who typically moves on gets on with their life.

The fact that we are getting Guilty Gear on Xbox is huge, and that’s what’s exciting overall.