0%, I tried Psychonauts 2 once to a certain point. That's it. End of story. Good game, fair service..... I jump between retro/modern era all the time, so a subscription will never work for me ever. I don't want to commit to a game, I want to play what I'm in the mood for, so if it's quality game design I'll play it and go between others for a break from them, or bored or come back or different feeling controller or whatever the case. Sub services just don't work for me and I refuse to give money away to companies like that. Picking up releases no one wants I want physical sure, but sub services no thanks, not happening.
It works for some people no doubt, but it just doesn't work for me.
If Forza Motorsport 2023 was what i wanted, I'd be playing it like I did with 6 & 7 to catch up to them. Instead I bought FM1 2005 and it was a blast. Modern era Xbox hasn't been my thing so besides the few I respect of Hi Fi Rush/South of Midnight, I've got no interest. I could play them but I'm not sure. They are kind of and kind of not my thing based on some parts of design. I respect them more then others formulaic design that's for sure, and these games know what they want to be and have passion and I respect that. Their goals are defined well and executed as such then others variety and attempts and formulaic design I just don't like so why would I use a service/console/play what I don't care for.
I even tell my book store no to their membership & it's a running joke. Some people think I'm going to. Not going to happen. I've dealt enough with retail & digital to know. Heck if I can get the TV series in complete (if niche series and all on disk which for niche series they are) I can besides 'digital means to read' pay less for a blu-ray then it does all the books in a series via their store or ordering in increments. But like many of them there have that kind of mentality at all to think about how i can experience something or just not experience it at all. They think oh save money, yeah not with your store/membership and how it works, that's for sure. Not giving it to you to flush down the toilet like that. They don't deserve the extra for money saving membership mentality shoving in customers faces.
Most I can get on any other console or for a cheap enough price I don't mind getting. Got Grid Legends for $30, didn't care for EA Play or Gamepass or PS+ offering of it I bought it around the time Gamepass was going to offer it too.
Family use it on occasion. I have no need for it. I barely even use my Xbox One as it is, I also barely use my PS4 as it is right now. I have gone retro and a bit off Switch when I feel like it.
Why would I in a tycoon game unless it has benefits for viewers mood, what they would buy or other purposes that benefit staff. Not because it looks nice.
Even playing Roller Coaster Tycoon Classic I go unless I need to just use Bins/Benches and when have the money for it for the park. Otherwise why would I lights, plants, water displays if it really doesn't change that much functionally. It doesn't make visitors talk about the park more. It's more expensive and a waste of money and more waiting around for more rides, stores and benches/bins instead.
Home bases customisation, what a waste of time, money and assets by animators, artists and programmers. Gives off showing off or people into certain hobbies and things they want to see in the game.
It's like hearing Mojang staff go oh rockclimbing or other nonsense (can't remember anymore). Or make dumb mob/biome votes and have bad functionality and bad audience votes when modders do a better job. With as much hit and miss repetitive ideas or genuinely good tweaks. It varies. Rock climbing or such animations/moveset options would be nice. But because it's their hobby is not a good enough reason. Make it a beneficial feature. Many platformers have generic movesets these days yet 20+ years ago you had way more interesting ones. Even Mario keeps that and you don't even need many of those moves. XD Why such generic human, animal, insect movesets. I'd take any 5/6th gen platformer over a Little Kitty Big City type one that's for sure.
Make a game not reflect yourselves all that much with customisation nonsense. I don't buy Indies with a focus on culture, why because they put TOO MUCH on that and the gameplay is terrible. They go oh I love that culture/locations, other nonsense. Yeah and I don't so why SHOULD I care about it. Make it fun to play in. Not a reflection of reality or their memories/mentality on it. I want playgrounds to play it with a gameplay focus, not boring people's ideals.
So I wish many UNCREATIVE people actually focused on a better balance and CREATIVITY not culture/hobbies and the gameplay use for them is superficial. Make customisation have gameplay benefits not to play around, look nice and offer nothing but to look aesthetically pleasing.
But like many have wider game inspirations let alone audiences weak game playing or research efforts so what do I expect. Show off features, too much of THEIR creative side wasted for features not important to the game just a waste of resources side activity that could be better applied to the game for resources (the one in the first game was just enough I think of uses for it, it didn't feel empty it felt suited to what it was for as most of it was outside the ship, I don't want inside the ship or house building for no benefit dev time wasted on garbage) and repetitive game design by devs and boring audiences. This industry sucks. The people in it suck and I want them to actually put thought in to what they make, but they don't.
But that's the thing, if it's just customisation, get rid of it. If it is for crafting or other uses to the rest of the game I'm ok with that. Customisation for the sake of customisation and decor/nothing functionally relevant is what I hate. Tying into the rest of the game I am fine with.
It's like Minecraft, why would I want 50 blocks with 50 textures to build with and do nothing when I can retexture them. It's a waste of resources for something with no actual purpose in the world, it does nothing. Why would I use 1 block unless it has explosion benefits, storage benefits or is more or less accessible so I'd seek it out with exploration. So why would I get one stone over another stone because it's grey instead of blue. Why would I get dyes when it's a waste of time/exploration for a colour. If a wood/stone does the job, why would I glass or something else unless I want to see through the building or just use it for other things and not look outside.
Part 2:
The approach to sci-fi gear, seeds and more was always good but confusing how to use them at times. Level design was always confusing due to verticality or scanning or entrances or any of the gear's use cases.
In the beginning it was confusing, in later parts about what half way to three quarters I am surprised I even got to of other areas it was still confusing. The arrows/compass do not help at all. If they fixed that sure, if not then yeah nah.
I'd take a better design of levels or some string/dotted lines or just more linear or less awkward paths to follow, each game varies for me though so it's not easy to define which is just hard for me but not for other players or devs design.
To me a reboot is a bit hmmm concerning.
Multiple planets too, quality could be hit and miss with them. I mean Metroid Prime 3 to me is so confusing and 1 was no issue what so ever.
Other games 2D or 3D Metroid, Zelda, platformers and such with this exploration focus vary for me what they are going for so it's hard to tell. For me it's all over the place of if I understand the level design or gear use cases or not besides experimenting. Main paths and secrets in Joruney to the Savage Planet were just confusing all around.
I sucked at Yooka Laylee but did better then Banjo of further level ahead, while Impossible Lair has it's awkwardness because I suck at it to beat levels, but still was more clear what to do then the 3D Yooka Laylee. Devs execution confuses me and just baffles what I'm supposed to do. That or even DK Tropical Freeze, or Mario games.
I like games like this with mechanics used in interesting ways but some of the exploration is so confusing.
To me Metroid Prime I felt the scanning was fair for story, paths were understandable.
But in No Man's Sky I find it's approach to a sandbox/survival game tedious and just not engaging, I find the space exploration an advancement over Haven Call of the King or SW Battlefront 3 prototype/Elite Squadron but that's about it. I find it's ideas just so weak because in Minecraft I have way more flexibility with mods and I find No Man's Sky just overwhelming and dull. So I respect it but hate it's design. Like a lot of sandbox survival games to be fair.
But not additions otherwise I'd care for by these screenshots or review for a sequel/reboot. It doesn't get me to want to buy on modern gen. Sigh. Why is modern gen so pathetic. There isn't a single game I want on them.
This seems like a "we added more but not in ways to fix my problems with the first game" kind of adjustment to a sequel/reboot. Sigh.
I like parts of the first one but found it awkward to complete, where to go, how to use ideas, I'm surprised I got as far as I did in it like many metroidvanias or others.
It has elements that are immediately appealing to me in a structure I found so confusing.
This seems to not really solve any of that so to me this is a eh of purchase without more looking at it.
Fair review in progress but yeah this doesn't get me excited this time around. I'll wait for a sale/never purchase at all because I am not impressed by many games at all these days.
Artstyle looks softer and worse but I don't mind if it's frame rate even if it does look pretty bad in comparison to the other. I am gameplay over graphics but yeah the lighting/colours just don't work. In this game's case I'd have preferred more shadows not just hue/saturation/contrast or otherwise changes. Or Ray Tracing or HDR or other visual techniques garbage that makes this game and many others look terrible.
Sure having something different or not always overly saturated is good but yeah it just looks cheaper sorry artists behind this game.
Third person here I mean first person can have good platforming it's just they choose not to and make it awkward in all games with it. Why? I don't want realism with any camera angle, so why does first person platforming always suck.
Third person helps that but it just seems like a cop out more than anything to make then further first person because copy everyone else then actually go oh the camera is the issue, it's not it's the developers fault for forcing a design like others then making their own with good feeling character weight, jump height, physics and animations.
But what do I know, devs are so formulaic and typical with GAMEPLAY and too focused on art and graphics and story telling and other nonsense then MAKING A VIDEO GAME these days I struggle to praise them when we see such repetitive and baffling design I never liked in the PS3/360 era (they made up for it with more interesting mechanics while modern era is so dumbed down or repetitive of other games then their own ideas so I find myself disappointed by garbage lack of creativity/prototyping with better execution I'd like to see. I mean same engines many use of UE/Unity or even custom engines they all seem to have these issues of mentality of design by the people making them) yet has been continued for 2 more generations and I still hate it. Sigh.
Camera matters but you can put a third person moveset or any more flexible one on a first person canera, I'd be ok with that. I really don't care. Sigh. Some devs are just too stuck in what everyone else does and it's why I find movesets incredibly boring and repetitive.
Also third person games always are made with 'we don't care' in mind (sure I've seen that quote as more towards third person shooters but this is an exploration game like Metroid so it kind of differs but I think it kind of is still true here) so to me I'm going to think about that here.
Sure it's like Metroid with it's sci-fi weapons and tools for exploration, Zelda with it's approach of gear/dungeons and so on for level design, puzzles and what not, and that's great but I still get the impression it's still going to suck.
Humour was a bit over done but I didn't mind it. I like it. I mean Ratchet doesn't do it anymore so unless it's Savage Planet or Outer Worlds yeah were not really getting many with this sort of humour. No clue about High On Life, no interest in it anyway.
The co-op is nice.
Oh different voices nice, as much or less chatter nice, ah like Bubsy or others the option for that is nice to have. XD
They have the reach of Xbox owners, PlayStation, Switch, PC, whichever device with an Xbox app/internet connection. There are very few games I respect and don't play. The rest are those of interest and Xbox games are not any of them, well beside South of Midnight or Hi Fi Rush but even still, not as much as others.
I play NONE of the PS/Xbox first party anymore and have an Xbox One that sits around for back compat, a few apps or blu-rays, that's it. So have an Xbox to be not what Microsoft would want me to use it for their Gamepass/games. I only buy pre-owned for it so basically they haven't gotten money from me in years.
I refuse to use the Series X that's up to other family members.
So to me none of it matters at all. None of the remasters (only ones third parties offer further of reach, not the safe ones many offer in AAA land), none of the modern games, none of the generic games with generic ideas with generic execution by uncreative generic devs whether older or people in their 20s or new I see a lot of garbage game design with underwhelming creativity used and trend following/PS3/360 but duller design, alongside pub demands..
I find all of them boring, not appealing of mechanics and get the job done of visuals, story telling and variety that's not as exciting of Nintendo's or PlayStation 1-3/PSP/Vita or OG Xbox/360. So to me I'm not losing out on anything if they all are boring releases for such audiences.
I just read the news and see a few titles but rarely of any interest as most are not interesting.
So to me their strategy makes sense for money and audiences willing to, I still refuse to buy or Gamepass play any of their games because they are all so boring. Their variety is a great thing but unlike Sony's variety output of the past then their boring current direction, Xbox has so much variety and nothing exciting at all for me to look at for more then a second and go yep, more generic third party like release type of games as first party releases. So basically no games I'd ever play because current trends, uncreative design and games made for wide appeal but so wide I don't care for it then wide appeal but genuinely exciting ideas in them.
For money, for audience reach and so on it makes sense.
Gamepass and the Devs games for first party all vary of appeal to audiences I think most lack something but that's just me and what I seek not being there.
But with enough genre variety, fair creativity to them, types of games, design ideas of the modern era there (that I find boring or less creative but that's my opinion anyway).
I think they have. Fair strategy and where third parties don't or advertise as well Microsoft has Devs with enough appealing games of particular types or take their time to make and whatever they end up offering that works why not.
People aren't buying an Xbox unless dedicated, besides a PC/PS5/Switch or doing cloud or back compat , or quick resume matters to them do they really care.
Old and New gen it's money for third parties and 1st party don't offer.
Nintendo it's different their niche stuff is there the PS/Xbox don't offer that they leave to Indies or the one occasion of Pentiment type games.
Games of particular appeal/reach during periods of the year. Why not.
It gets people experiencing them without always a TV show either just games, marketing and reach everywhere.
I mean the Sega jumping third party to make even the GBA/PSP use with GameCube/PS2 great, game offerings on all of them or otherwise. Among other things.
Sega offered PC versions besides Saturn/Dreamcast as well. Or did arcade stuff alongside Dreamcast.
Microsoft had Gameboy Color games of the PC Entertainment packs, Rare had GBA/DS games. Why is it that big a deal?
To me games from Microsoft are what they are on any platform nowadays, you either care for them or you don't regardless of the box. I don't so to me no platform makes a difference, I don't care about any of their games. XD So hardly a loss for me. I don't Sony's either. I'll stick to PS4/Xbox One for Indies or odd copies of things, otherwise nah pass on 1st and AAA 3rd parties. Otherwise retro for either PS/Xbox or any Nintendo platform and Switch 1 for a while.
When Rhythm Heaven is more exciting then Switch 2 and it's 2026 yeah I'm good with my retro/8th gen backlog for now. Or odd digital discounts of random games I find then anything actually announced that's uninteresting, graphics priorities and gameplay so repeated and boring why would I bother.
To me the branding/company strategies don't change much for me. I get the money focus just like any third parties offering PS4/Xbox One support still for sales. It doesn't bother me that or PS3/360 and even other older consoles game support till disk production ends or eshops end or otherwise, if they have an audience sizeable why not.
The gameplay isn't the focus it's just the bare minimum with the visuals, the cars, the event types, the themes and the whatever they make and do or don't compete and audiences go oh cool or oh this is a step back, so to me I couldn't care less where the games go or what they do.
Forza Motorsport if they put effort in I'd experience it. They made it so terrible I'm glad I cut off at 7. To me I had 2-5 and 6 was eh, 7 was a fair way back in the direction and 1 from 2005 is the most worthy return I've had in years (had sold my OG Xbox so re-experiencing it on 360 now is good) for it's start being so good.
Horizon never appealed to me. Burnout Paradise is fair, NFS Carbon was fair, but most open worlds are pretty boring. Racing ones are ok, but more human characters, animal, insect, alien, etc. doing boring quests and with boring movesets, boring world design to use mechanics, yeah why would I find that worth my time. The gameplay sucks and just for eh dialogue errands.
If Mario/Pitfall have better human movesets why would I care. Or when Sunset Overdrive, Gravity Rush and Infamous to me are the only good ones of side missions based around the mechanics and good tower defence, not generic outposts.
Interesting, just like going oh did someone win the Xbox Series X digital from the Shapes biscuits give away?
I mean Pop Tarts give Gamepass so anything is possible.
People wanting the cheap price or care about physical or not who knows. Sales are sales, available models are what they are to offer, back compat is back compat, new games, Gamepass, whatever else. Besides the Fire Stick, Samsung/LG TVs, PC and otherwise access to things.
Play Anywhere expanding is nice.
I mean with the few consoles from Xbox to just collectors buying up all models, anything is possible of sales here.
I hope so to me the rest have not been enticing, so to me seeing more South of Midnight type games would be great. Even if 1-2 of them every so often is enough then none. The others are more common/others appeal while neither of them do for me compared to PS3/360 era mechanics, modern era many of them dropped those so I care for them less nowadays or the IPs left that were more appealing I don't like from third parties either.
I prefer Xbox OG/360 era distinct titles 1st, 2nd, 3rd party and that doesn't happen Xbox One/Series era at all, only odd titles or none at all.
The gameplay wasn't much my thing of exciting but the story/world and type of action adventure game it isn't my thing either but I respect it and what it's goal is being that so I approve of it no doubt compared to the other releases that are pretty typical, so many South of Midnight types releases is always nice to see.
Sony has similar but to me I find most of them pretty boring or formulaic of PS4 era ones I didn't like direction/priorities and those continued so unless they offer something out there I'm interested in neither even Astro was 'ok',
South of Midnight looks more appealing even if I know none of what it offers besides reviews/footage still looks different enough.
Forza disappoints me, Gears E Day may be fair, not played Gears Tactics but should.
I'm not into much happening on Xbox really.
Did Towerborne come out of early access yet or whatever the console situation was besides PC?
My Xbox is used sometimes but mostly odd games I find, back compat or YT/Soundcloud, so barely.
So violence/western values are fine but others no.... sure. Imagine if Fritz the cat released today in the US, hmmmm..... That old pushed both age ratings back in the day for animated films. Oh right sorry dust that under the rug.
Sorry anime games yep, targets it seems, sigh. As if adult jokes or other things aren't in animated films still, family or adult audiences let alone live action sitcoms with far more implied or descriptive. But games or anime it gets judged because some audiences can't tell the difference. Sigh.
It's why I'm surprised Postal even if toned down even made it to consoles either. Larry games too. At least on PlayStation. So how much stricter is Xbox then?
So this and Gal Gun Returns being prohibited from Xbox unfortunate.
Some games push barriers and others aren't that bad just people are picky.
Even if for different audiences anyways or parental controls exist, we still get situations like this. Why?
For people to complain, not even for them anyway and to appeal to them when why should it matter they aren't making a purchase so why should it matter to them compared to people who are going to buy it.
Age ratings have been more fit for violence differences of strength/swearing yet are wildly particular with fan service. It gets confusing what was Teen/Mature or Adults only over the years and the tweaks may fit but I get confused.
Most I'd take of shooters from PS3/360 era. It's why I'm buying them up. That and I think it fits their engine. Sure I'd love some racing games like Flatout (no licensed cars, but was music so who knows) and any others I'd want have licensed cars so won't happen.
Platformers could say for a while.
If EA won't do a Dragon Age remaster why not. I know engines and things but still.
Red Steel 1 & 2, Conduit for Wii, NFS Hot Pursuit 2010 Wii come on EA not just the PS3/360/PC one remastered give us the Wii one. Or Nitro DS/Wii even if DS is better.
Prey 2006, Fracture, Singularity (all 3 I do want to play if find copies), Binary Domain, Resistance, Killzone,
Soldier of Fortune series, The Darkness 1 & 2, FEAR series, Quake 4 for sure.
Call of Juarez, got Bound in Blood on PS3 and Gunslinger on Switch. would like to experience the rest of the series.
Army of Two, what a trilogy. Not beat 1 and 2 but did Devils Cartel.
Section 8 and it's eshop only sequel so it's accessible again.
Remember Me for sure, I'm glad I have a copy now what a game. Especially as while Dontnod's other games are good to me Remember Me was a very interesting one that got left behind. What ideas, combat, world, piecing together events sections are cool, they bother me as much as Danganronpa trials do but very cool.
Spare Parts an EA platformer that was eshop only.
Under the Skin from PS2..... because why not. PN03 from GameCube.
Killer 7.
Most games nowadays are really boring of their gameplay and push graphics, story and boring worlds to play in, or of reference and I don't care for them at all, so anything older to offer with good gameplay I'll easily take remasters of.
Many gems I'd say if I could fit them, but I know more well known games are an easier bet then dead publishers or developers and games that were good and just not available of licensing/source code or many would care. Puzzle games or otherwise.
Indies have their moments, AAA are stuck in their ways, AA are Indie like or AAA like and their in-between only sometimes offers something good and not AAA boring or Indie getting there.
Any games would be nice to offer but whatever happens I guess.
@Fiendish-Beaver I'm not seeing things I want to see in games because AAA/Indies keep making games too focused on visuals/story and gameplay has suffered to be as basic as possible.
It's why I don't play open worlds, Sunset Overdrive, Infamous and Gravity Rush have side missions I enjoyed, every other has been tropey, boring dialogue, collecting, combat and other tasks I don't care for in RPGs or otherwise regardless of setting.
Character movesets have been basic and boring for a while now.
Or Indies making nostalgia/not prototyping enough imaginative ideas, now their skills vary of course so I give them some what of a break but even still their ideas are still very copy paste/of games we have seen before, talked about to death and the design is not exciting or trend following as much as AAA.
I want a spin on things just enough, not a repeat of history.
Or their favourite hobby in game form. I don't care.
So no. Settings and such shared is fine, gameplay still doesn't appeal to me in those types of games.
Pong has it's limits, same as any game starting out. Same with AI starting out. Cosmic Smash does enough for me.
But to me from using an AI to scan job applications and saying 'use professional words you wouldn't say' to translation I respect translation, I don't the former.
Pong being tennis makes sense, it's easy to understand, it's a sport many people understand as well.
But worlds can look good and I refuse to play them because they aren't playground/gameplay exciting enough.
So my preferences are very different to most people. Not to stand out it's just what I seek I barely see in video games other then the past or odd Indies/Nintendo games.
It's why I haven't cared for a Sony/Xbox game in years. But still keep up on the news just encase.
South of Midnight is cool but it still has story first, good artstyle but gameplay I've seen before/played a 1000 times. But it's story/artstyle is still it's strength no doubt but that's what it's goal was. So I still respect it.
Give me a more interesting feature for the controller or hardware gimmicks or compelling games and I'll care.
Till then not interested. The platforms can offer services/other things with GPU/CPU/RAM changes. I still don't care.
PS5/Series X have given me no reason to care about them, gameplay is not happening, other priorities are. So why would I upgrade. Quick resume is cool but it's digital I don't buy digital on Xbox at all, I don't care to.
Offer more store fronts, still doesn't change the gameplay design, it's just more store fronts, it doesn't change what I want to see in games, better gameplay, not graphics, not artstyles, not story, not particle effects, not music, not animations, not textures, not resolution, not selling GPUs/TVs and the features they have to shove in our faces.
Gameplay first priorities, movesets of characters, interesting combat moves, level design ACTUALLY being worth my time, not padded out garbage, get rid of skill trees and offer compelling missions or level design for me to engage in, it doesn't happen so why should I care.
Microsoft has the services/game variety but I continue to listen to news and not care as it won't interest me. But I still keep up to date just encase to know what's going on, still use my Xbox 360 for OG Xbox or 360 games, Xbox One VCR on occasion to check it and Xbox One X for YT/Soundcloud, back compat OG/360 games and Xbox One games. Otherwise I don't care.
Well Switch 2 is just a translation layer for Switch 1 then full power emulation, or some emulation of certain aspects right?
Either way, Xbox was internet connection required and an account with Xbox Live or some form of things to the Xbox network, for the games and yeah emulating it I guess so really for the percentage of Xbox games then the PS/Nintendo approach of full or near besides odd special code or other hardware aspects used type games not surprised.
Having like mightyant says of 63 for Xbox OG and 632 of 360.
When we got 461 or so OG Xbox on 360, the licensing, the source code, the publishers not caring to offer them up even for the digital store sales compared to physical disks used or end up being the only way to play some of them as well and how they show up in the store/part of the list.
The companies gone over the years and more. It's just crazy. Compared to PS/Nintendo where it's usually around what 1% or 5% maybe of titles, just a handful or so depending for hardware based, and whatever the case of digital/physical games that have compatibility issues of note like AC Syndicate besides those like Robinson the Journey the PSVR Crytech game or others more Indie like and not as well know or work fine.
Or certain titles engines/special code is a bit awkward or utilising parts of the hardware that most others don't.
I can mostly think of the flight game on Master System that won't work on the Genesis Power Based Convertor (besides card based games I guess), or Voodoo Vince had special code so it needed a remaster for Xbox One. Cases like that.
Part 2:
Mechanics are so boring these days it's just PS3/360 or boring characters samey movesets, or weighty characters I hate it. Execs/pubs sure but audiences/devs have no imagination or care at all for these generic worlds it seems just whatever is easily understood. I prefer better gameplay/fiction ideas for worlds.
Even teen/adult IPs suck, even kids games have more exciting worlds/ideas for level design then the later demographics do. Just more menus/recreations of reality with minor twists or samey fantasy tropes.
It's hilarious how samey & worlds are just boring environments nothing mechanically engaging/playground like anymore just wow look these boring worlds, eh dialogue, eh reference, long length of filler garbage.
Boring elves/dwarves and less original fantasy characters, boring dream cars then original IDEAS to use the cars, make track, event variety, just people going oh reference because devs are lazy and audiences are just as lazy and have no imagination to use them.
Boring skill trees then other solutions. Mechanics are just the same recycled design and it's very boring.
Give me stronger gameplay fantasy but nope. Doesn't happen. Levels or open worlds with abilities/moveset purpose not just wow we recreated this place, play in it. It's so boring and pointless. Combat as the only reason, yeah tell that to any older games with more exciting world interaction, it's all perfect and boring.
Where is breaking it and finding secrets, where is more interesting environment puzzles or interactivity for setups of level design and use cases contextual or more dynamic but nope we get safe game design for casuals or hardcore that don't care either and games end up boring/recycled over and over.
Where are the creatives? Not grown up audience/employees & less creativity even with Indies they are boring & pathetic.
Adventure/puzzle maybe but every other genre are copy paste/minor ideas but nothing stronger of effort to spin off or be new either. Just bare minimum ideas audiences understand it's so boring.
Audiences suck of idea acceptance they have & why games suck, in turn devs lack of imagination sucks.
I don't use nostalgia/past games as my ONLY allowance of games to be played or reality as reference & only that for games as boring & PS3/360 gen 2, 3, etc.
To me yeah they couldn't have done the OG/360 model anymore that was clear.
Doesn't mean I don't prefer the games more on those platforms/that era of design more then the priorities of games design nowadays not just the business side making sense and money they want from audiences nowadays, many I never experienced I prefer then Xbox One/Series S & X IPs no question.
But it's because of Xbox One they had to maintain what they could. Series S and X they have their strategies still.
The ABK and Bethesda were what they were.
But IPs with much power eh. ABK other then COD/Mobile isn't enough in their eyes I assume. So the rest are just barely used or done anything with.
Where is Pitfall OG Xbox/a new one to compete, where is COD OG Xbox not just PC versions?
Bethesda maybe differently.
But to me I just don't care. Cloud has a place let alone any device, local only has so much they want to tackle compared to just add more RAM, CPU, GPU and balance the power use among other factors.
I still prefer native over cloud especially for gameplay mechanics not gameplay playability over cloud.
Part 2 as moved.
IP wise Halo has saved them besides how it gets treated. Gears kind of didn't do the same damage as it did Halo but it went the same way in it's own way and I still find it kind of silly.
To me their other IPs just released at wrong times or audience is clear.
Blinx 2 had Halo 2 to kill it, same as Titanfall 2, same with many other types of games.
But at the same time with particular releases it's clear of sales versus audience interest on new sites and casuals.
Xbox wanting to spread themselves is fine and fair IPs to offer on any platform power level wise or audience interest and device reach.
Cloud bridges the gap but native is more exciting to see what they would do. Thing is most of the games are very eh trend/stagnant to me of graphics first and story telling with generic worlds and the gameplay is just boring so I go to Nintendo because other than odd third parties on either platform Nintendo first party at least (even if Pikmin 4 disappointed of it's core design changes) the niche IPs are still there or other odd ones I enjoy.
Sony/Microsoft want/need money yet make IPs I don''t care for even if Xbox has the variety, not the excitement at least to me.
Well they are a big company with many studios that assist or focus on other IPs. IPs, however many staff/skilled or whoever says what and such of talent kept/removed.
That and the cloud stuff especially they moved stuff for during the ABK related stuff mention of cloud Ubisoft was related to the cloud side of things.
So it is a bit odd.
Shooters/RPGs and others of the major Ubisoft IPs sure but like many Ubisoft IPs on Xbox many would care for/sell well.
They would sell just about as much as they have already on Xbox let alone the ignored IPs like every other niche Xbox IP people ignored over the years.
While cool and in need of for a return or a hillclimb.
I'd like to see Alpine Raceway return. Blue Mountains (Bathurst like it seemed). Or Shipyard. Among others. But I like seeing some hillclimbs or point to point as open world games exist but it isn't the same thing. Test Track. Other fictional ones. A gymkhana like track and minigames/other modes and event types.
Literally bought FM1 like a month or more ago and had a blast. It's way better then 2 being graphics but less tracks I cared for and the improvements are there but 1 just has more going for it especially point to point events or the few differences.
FM2 felt like GT3 graphics first but unlike GT3 it has less to it to be appealing because the test track is only in the opening events while FM1 has more going on of the other tracks besides the big test track in full that FM2 breaks apart more.
FM2 has benefits but none of the customisation matters to me and the physics sure but otherwise the content drop was noticeable. So to me FM1 has been a blast to play for it's time. FM3 & 4 have differences but don't feel worse then either to me of events or presentation. They have different content sure but neither feel inferior.
FM5 to 7 vary and 6 is too hand holding while 5 and 7 I can quick out to any event. FM1 to 4 don't have as big of a class focus that modern racing games do to bore me and their boring race, drift, derby but 2 events only. When we got so many and GT7 keeps up where FM8 fails to do what FM1-7 did of event variety. So a hillclimb is nice but it doesn't change much.
V Rally 4 was like lets have 5 types of events and vehicle classes. Yet 2, 2 and 1 are the same in their own way based on their rally formula. So to me it made no difference.
So this track is cool but I mean the rules aren't that different really to use it. It's why Midnight Club LA didn't impress me the event rules were so who cares of difference. A street versus a highway versus others (besides pink slip, but even Juiced had like 3 different drift event types rules for it besides other race ones and pink slip and is circuit/menu based, even NFS series older entries have impressed me more) didn't really seem different enough so I didn't see the point in it. Sure the atmosphere, nostalgia (I didn't have that and I don't judge by nostalgia, I judge by quality, I'm buying games I have never played niche or popular) but the events aren't compelling at all of rule variation to me to be exciting. So the presentation meant nothing to me compared to other circuit, rally, street or open world games at all.
Even touge would nice to see return in any racing games. It's sad Grid had it in the first game then dropped it. TXR is nice to see but the Drift sub series mattered to me more then the highway battle ones like the main series.
Or even better event variety cough bowling or others Forza Motorsport dev team, where it is?
Where is sprint aka 1 lap magic as the GT name that came first but Forza Motorsport 6 and 7 did fair with.
Fair. Am interested to see how this game goes. Looked more my thing then the others.
With this, Doom in May and Towerborne which sure on Windows available but Xbox not yet, will we hear more about that as it's a more niche title I on occasion see mention of but not enough. Not my kind of game just curious where the advertising is for it on Xbox news sites besides the more particular ones. I haven't seen social media presence on it really though.
Wreckfest 1 was good but to me has limits I found boring like many modern racing games. The physics were fair.
Wrecreation looks like a more creative game. So 2 will be fine for what it is going for.
I'm fine with no licenses, I prefer it. More creativity. The style/what it's going for is great. We don't see many of it's type. Like Flatout but modern to compare or not. Wreckfest is a good thing to see in the really stagnant racing genre.
But progression/event variety bothers me in EVERY single racing game these days Indie or AAA/AA.
Just give me the vehicles with some bowling, some touge, gates, whatever objects, what weather, what gimmicks, some hitting scrap, using scrap, something original, some events or hubs with scrap in interesting dynamic ways.
Something to fit the tone/environment of Wreckfest. I'd take real vehicles/look alikes in space/other worlds even then grounded we see.
Even shooters are so bland and static maps. Hero ones sure abilities have to work around them but others don't do anything interesting with their maps and they feel lifeless, so they don't have that excuse. So yes I want them to use the scrap or rough tone and actually do more in the world with it. But they won't.
AI whether of opponents or people in stands or otherwise sure but mostly progression/event types were and are always my problem with racing games in the modern era.
It's like seeing analogue type tech in games like the Invisible or Ratchet 1, yet we see shiny sci-fi all the time.
Hot Lap Racing, Grid, Gravel, and more. I enjoy but again have limits and do the bare minimum.
The mix of vehicle types was good, didn't change much between them so didn't care for them at much, but visually was fair/physics fair between the many types, but the races/derbies back and forth for 20+ hours is very boring.
Played many games with more layouts or event types and had way more fun or some that blend them well of focus besides the 2 event types progression but I still would critique them as my issues with them they just hide it better.
The NFS Shift 1/2009 too much open ended to like half the event access to end game was just kind of worthless.
There is making it accessible but when it's so open it feels worthless or repetitive and like I don't care enough for that progression and the want to play them.
It's why I just played it in a challenge way to not upgrade anything or buy any cars and I still had access to the end game ones. Sigh. So I played half the game to follow that challenge mentality.
I may play it to completion but didn't on purpose. So the challenge didn't bore me. I play enough games properly then in a challenge way if I like the game enough and see where it really shines of progression, physics, upgrades, and other factors.
If the tedium/restrictions to make a game work shine versus not. Good tedium/restrictions work for good games. Bad is too much.
The lack of event types really bothered me. Even V Rally 4 has like what 2 of the same, 2 of the same and 1 slightly different of rules. But that variety is so paper thin.
We just don't get event variety anymore and it really annoys me in modern racing games unless it's like Inertial Drift, most don't and it's just sad. Just modes isn't that hard to have a few different rules and same disciplines of racing. They just don't want to put the effort in.
Interesting to see it going even after Exodus and the VR one. I own the first 2 games and they are great. Take getting used to be not a bad thing. Exodus didn't really care for that much not a bad game but just didn't appeal to me and VR seems fair for the series.
I mean Assassin's Creed, Tom Clancy games (Division/Siege make sense why, even if Splintercell or Ghost Recon would be nice) or Far Cry I can see why for money.
But I mean there is a reason I care about Red Steel 2 or Rayman games. Prince of Persia as well. But I mean Blinx, Voodoo Vince and more exist yet don't get expanded upon. Among other IPs.
Just Dance money makes sense.
Just more shooters is too easy for Xbox but other genres need more benefits even if many of the execution doesn't appeal to me as much of some publishers/devs directions.
Immortals Fenix Rising was fair.
Anno would fit but they have Flight Sim (not the same I know), Rise of Nations (not touched often as it could be), Age of Empires as it is. So city builder versus strategy sure but even still I don't know if Microsoft cares that much. Settlers same thing. Good games for their genre but Microsoft sort of has equivalents. Like Forza Horizon to compete with The Crew.
Brothers in Arms would be great to see but like any games of it's era, setting is why, even though the mechanics are interesting/feel of the games are very different they'd be modernised and lose what made them stand out I think.
Trackmania is alright but will keep going regardless. Not much Xbox needs with it really compared to Forza Horizon.
The Crew who knows as it competes really.
Driver needs a come back, use that shift mechanic or just in general stands out in the open world space still. It's like Battlefield 2 Modern Combat give that swap/jump mechanic EA use it please.
Call of Juarez PSN/Xbox Live Arcade digital only game i got on Switch and got Bound for Blood on PS3 physical I'm interested in them somewhat. Won''t happen but still interested.
Far Cry and go anywhere and work, AC games can and do. Tom Clancy games always work for them.
Watch Dogs has the potential just how they go about it. The perks of Legion was cool just not as used well as it could. But like Under The Skin that has perks too but it's too niche for Capcom to revive let alone gameplay design care about it's design. Like Space Station Silicon Valley to me it is more impressive then Biomutant for animal abilities but has a cool gas immunity and vehicle uses but not much besides wow apocalyptic animals..... cool. It lacks moveset appeal.
Zombi/Zombi U is just not going anywhere that's clear. It had fair ideas of the Gamepad, Fable Legends and ZombiU's MP were cool of villain summoning enemies and those that survive. Besides the zombie with your gear to get back and new character each time.
Their other niche games are great but won't get a second look at all anyway of Child of Light or Valiant Hearts or anything like that. Sure Pentiment but I mean exceptions exist they don't always happen.
Part 2: Even trying to explain how the portal works a few days ago was a challenge, it's really basic but confusing still. As if the YT app cast icon on the phone or setting up a TV with a QR code sure, anything too far it too much or they don't do that and don't get basic things.
How hard is it to say this tech has been around for 10-15 years, you have a screen, a moden/router or whatever in-between and another screen. Dual screens are complex but I guess explains it better of information use case then the same screen cast twice but some people are just too stupid to come up with reasons, keep asking and can't have a creative idea themselves as to why it matters because they go why do I need this, ask the same question because it doesn't effect their lives while other things just as pointless do. XD Logic and preferences.
Some things are just a 'because we can' and I get that but other times I mean that can apply to anything really. But people favour so many socialising and other nonsense yet don't question it. They have to say something/feel something. XD
In other cases both audiences get confused for different because it's not well explained in an app, game, whatever the case of what's compatible, what actions to take, etc. Process can be a pain if not communicated well. So an AI can help but it's mostly just human error or confusion of what is being asked of the human to do.
AI partner would be nice. But then again just make the games better,, no require a bot/second player even, or whatever else of design. We used to have cheats or debug menus or even just work arounds.
It's why I hate when they do this go 'oh this solution works' all because they can't look past how others see the factors and they go oh it has no issues, writes a whole new technology for something that just requires a few lines of code or a few tweaks to make it better visible or readable or understandable of context. XD
AI has a place but some of it's uses are hilariously stupidly used, over-engineered and more. XD Humanity stupidity due to lack of clarity.
They could just you know design a scale of levels. I've wanted different types of puzzles to be the thing for each difficulty for years in adventure games with them, but it's too much effort for designer/programmers to make happen. XD Among other things.
Games are easy as they can be nowadays for us players so to me they are boring as they are down to the bare minimum so if they still too complex it''s too much information or garbage skill trees, boring missions so basic of human character movesets it's boring or other factors but it is still fundamentally just up to the casual to just play and understand not want to rush or seek other things in a game for their reasons.
They work with what the devs have given them, we hardcore get that to the point when recommending/describing a game what a game's limits are, yet casuals have other things for reference/lack of understanding how narrow a game is while we know the limits/scale broadness. It's that easy to narrow down even.
That's the casual's fault not the game developers. Do they get that NO. Because they can't read humans when they should be able to it doesn't take a psychologist to do that. Just a logical enough brain/reading how people are and how they would approach things, how puzzles are designed, combat, stealth, missions, modes, etc. I look at game design as I play all the time. I do when I read books how characters/tropes are, events play out, I listen to the structure of music instrumentation/sampling.
It's really not that hard to end up doing it besides relaxing.
Explain the tutorials better, offer better gameplay that isn't boring, not a search engine help file/FAQ with responses because the staff don't have time or can't see past themselves design others can see issue in and get stuck/confused about it or are happy with the design and they refuse to change it. XD
Otherwise just make things better explained or is that too hard?
Some things we players/customers get, that casuals don't for reference. Or other factors. We get used to the personality/ins and outs better than they do for example of marketing or how gimmicks are used or whatever. Or we seek to answer the questions ourselves. How they explain goals/missions, sometimes it's dialogue, sometimes it's a blatant marker, it varies what it's asking of the player.
Fair lineup. Besides South of Midnight nothing really for me. But it's fair. My tastes are too different even though I play all genres.
I'm still playing more retro then anything modern unless it's Switch or PS4/Xbox One old releases that's it. Switch is my PS5/Series X access of games I am interested in and anything needing more power, sure I have access to the consoles (but I never use them, family do, I couldn't care less, I refuse to buy my own because there is nothing there for me to play of interest, any that do I know their design isn't good enough, or any others are my level of AA sub par enjoyment but they flop regardless/I'd buy them anyway so what difference does it make, my 1 sale of contribution means nothing XD),
I still don't care for 99% of them because their gameplay design doesn't appeal to me, the level design, movesets, modes/events or mechanics just aren't exciting at all so why would i bother. So in turn their worlds/story/settings don't matter to me, are they appealing sure, but if the gameplay isn't why would I buy/play them. They don't appeal to me on the factors I'm looking for.
While many PS3/360 games on PS4/Xbox One cut multiplayer if the singleplayer was the focus. I do think it's odd to do so for Gears, that community is large for multiplayer so it would be a bit sad to cut it even if a lot of work.
I like the Uncharted 3 MP story co-op chapters. The online multiplayer PVP or wave after wave eh pass. But the story co-op ones is why I keep the PS3 version besides the differences in PS4 versions of the games being fine enough. Most others yeah I don't care their servers are dead and most don't mean much to me so the singleplayer is enough for me.
Sure MCC was a mess but I mean do we trust 343/Halo Studios no. XD It took them a while to work around it to what it is now before the PC versions even.
Whoever is working on this Gears collection should just make sure they handle it well of online co-op, split screen and whatever they can of a multiplayer suite.
Collection or 1 at a time to really get them right. 1 at a time is better to maintain. But knowing Microsoft or how studios function it won''t happen, sigh.
Then again is 1 based on the Ultimate edition remaster or just the 360 version?
I have no interest in these but even I know multiplayer is important to many people. I only played the singleplayer. I played Halo split screen multiplayer sometimes but mostly the campaign co-op split screen then gave up on 5 and it's terrible execution/no split screen and played it myself years later solo and it was, ok.
As I own the series on 360/4 Xbox One already besides 5 I played on Gamepass and didn't finish but even still. I don't care to get better versions at all. I'm happy on the old versions/got other games I'd rather play anyway. I'll replay the series when I feel like it. I tried 1 again and it was alright. But I have plenty of other third party shooters of PS3/360/Wii or PS2/Xbox/GameCube I'd rather play instead singleplayer.
For those that haven't and to get money from other platform customers or Gears fans willing to jump in again I mean they better handle them well.
Understandable because of whatever games come around, or people buying/selling the console for their use cases.
Towerborne won't sell much, Avowed may. South of Midnight could but I doubt it. A sports game/COD game, or bundle of those.
Or other types of games/colour variations.
Why not different colours, game branded ones to line up with different games, old ones, new ones, have a third party controller they make a deal with and console bundle with a particular theme.
That gets collectors buying more then 1 system or people jumping on board right? That works. Nintendo does it and it gets many to buy their systems. Xbox/Sony on occasion do.
Otherwise I assume they don't care, they make enough controller designs and will continue to do that I guess rather then care about the consoles and just push for software/apps/streaming it seems.
Or a digital only next Xbox I guess, whatever it's series/next gen family name will be besides it's possible besides the prior designs/mockup a few years ago now.
Part 2:
If I can think up Foamstars and foam/surfboard modes (building contest, foam clean up, surfboard races/others, chemicals/traps on maps and more) by watching the trailer it means I have a creative mind and they don't and need to do better because if a customer can think it up with a good enough game logic to apply and they put 2 done to death modes other games have done & want money. That's on them.
But I'd be classed as got my head in the clouds or I don't work for them. Well that's just stupid because I came up with something as suggestions, players want worlds not gameplay it shows in the garbage/repetitive gameplay we see and world/story push all the time I'm sick to death of, they clearly should on the job and aren't. I'm not getting paid for it yet I can swap between creative state and customer state. It's not that hard. If people can casual and professional how is it any different.
Just because most players don't come up with suggestions for games to be better. Expect them to be good and read our minds somehow. XD
VR can be anything of apps and games, make a time travel app, make experiences, but no devs complain and go waaah only a cockpit works (as if other games have proven possiblities to releplay or control this and even badly used motion controls and I can play Wii/Move games and adapt to the weird VR controls because I have a brain and like to think about what games have done structurally for gameplay. It's why I can sound like a mean harsh person but it's because I care and they aren't pushing their potential enough I know can happen they just choose not to or it's too costly and make up excuses).
No it doesn't some people just don't have the tech or creativity mentality, stuck and don't have an imagination to dream bigger, smaller, balanced ideas. Bunch of uncreative hypocrites.
But devs have no ideas, we aren't in the PS2/Xbox era where all platforms had gimmicks but still experimental game design to adapt to sticks or rumble or other things. Yet the Wii comes around and people go oh this gimmick ew get it away when the others were natural over time and going oh a d-pad/sticks oh this is different.
Chicken and egg of publishers/devs that make garbage games/are too lazy/won't spend the money to build an audience and have no fictional imagination anymore just look we recreated a city or the same generic stuff for audiences and their passion for it for 20+ years of PS3/360 it's hilarious the people that grew up, are past their teens/20s and are boring aged people with no imagination anymore.
You get the odd ones that are but most seem to be so stagnant. Publishers/execs demands is one thing but veteran devs that split off make this clear as well. Too much into their own past IPs, make the same thing different license, very few make anything new. Sure the risks but come on, your making the same thing but salty about it. What imagination/trend following/repeated passion and I'm still not going to buy their games. There is comfort, live service/other publisher game design demands, and sprinkling something else to their games.
Game taste is subjective but I find tons of niche games on any failed or popular platforms to play. So I never have issues. It doesn't have to be a Borderlands/Skyrim or Half Life Alyx all the time. People just don't want to look. I don't have to be a child to have an open mind, but many adults seem to not in their line of work or as customers.
Devs/players are too reality brained and not fiction/anything can be possible mentality enough in jobs/games or any media's possibilities. So we get safe story/camera angles, worlds, gameplay, tone, etc.
It took from PSP to Portal to get people to understand it. Think about that. People still may not understand it. Price was high sure PS5 & PSVR2 but I mean, Meta and downgraded games, or a PC headset and PC specs. Come on. Different audiences/money they will put forward, yet may PS5 Pro, or another smartphone after a few years besides plans.
Kinect/VR sure, medical or non gaming but it's also because devs/gamers don't have any ideas and I get frustrated as I always have some for games. I play old games because I get inspired, modern games inspire me to talk movesets/modes for them they lack because old games had their better ideas and not to copy paste old games, but new ideas because of the experimentation they have I get inspired with random ideas. If I can do it a developer can. But doesn't and we get repeating history Indie garbage. Or AAA trend following garbage.
Games or any media builds up to popular/effective it isn't magically big, they afraid of niche/building things up again nowadays are they? You can't 100% know how to engineer the perfect appealing game can you. You can try whatever worked in the past or understood enough ideas and spin them off, or something completely new but people are just too lazy to. Polls or just appealing enough with any random ideas.
People having time sure but I can have time between busy periods and still come up with random gameplay ideas for games while they make dull games. It's how I use my mind that they don't. I just like to research gameplay or developers, publishers, mechanics, I put the research effort in. They are too lazy to develop anything good enough so we see casual dumbed down games or reality focused nonsense because they can't think up even anything with magical properties enough. Lime come on you can animate or program anything, yet can't be bothered.
Seriously. It's hilarious some creative industry people that just can't be bothered and complain. Or will go that doesn't make sense, well it's better then your non-ideas coming out isn't it. If context is key and it's explained well anything is possible. It's fiction. Anything can happen. XD
If I as a collector among other collects can tell quality gameplay/worlds and more apart between games, their budget, do they actually land enough and many times yes for competition or on it's own and others can't or aren't willing to research that's on them. If devs can't come up with ideas they need to think more in the constraints they have.
Just because gamers/developers have their expectations set higher is up to them.
When you get responses like oh a cockpit works, we can't come up with any good ideas. It's a load of nonsense, they aren't creative enough to use fiction.
Fair to see them come to PS/Xbox, last time an RCT game was on Xbox was OG so good to see it come back here.
Thing is yeah I got the Classic 1 & 2 on Switch and skipped the 3 and Adventures (I know is terrible) discounts.
I think Classic and 3 should go to PS/Xbox they are great.
I'm not big on the UI for classic and some presentation like park order is odd but I guess it makes sense. Quality of life is fair, challenge is fair.
I own 3 on PC as well as 1 & 2 with a few expansions but yeah on console is nice to see.
Enjoyed Theme Hospital, wasn't big into Two Point Campus and I assume Two Point Hospital might be the same, fair expanded ideas, but progression change that while makes sense I also don't like some aspects of compared to Theme Hospital which I prefer.
He is right. I've never wanted to use older consoles more, console gimmicks/seek better game design & ignore 3rd party PS4/Xbox One, eh 1st party on both, no care for Xbox Series/PS5.
Eh PS/Xbox. Old or Switch/PS4 on occasion for me. Xbox business wise sure, customer eh.
2017+ I've been collecting & getting odd AA/Indies that aren't nostalgia/underbaked ideas besides genre branching out as well to tactics, hack n slashes, visual novels, etc. Not just because action adventure, shooters, racing, platformers have been terrible since. Indies & AA/AAA.
I respect games I don't play. 2024 I didn't respect any/many. Besides what I didn't/did buy new 2024 PS4/Switch. I am very picky on 3rd party, ignore 1st party or buy niche Nintendo IPs.
Peripherals, console gimmicks software/hardware wise & games are so boring/unconvincing to me I'd rather play 30+ PS2/Wii/PS3/360 games & 1 Switch game to story completion & that is it. Besides odd challenges of old games.
That's how much I don't care. I'd rather use my Xbox One X as a YT box (while eating breakfast or in general) or a blu-ray player for anime.
Then I would back compat, Soundcloud (no interest in Spotify) or a single Xbox game of this gen let alone 2017+ like I dropped off PS4/refuse to touch a PS5. Xbox One had ok games. Series gen (not because multiplat, I mean the games execution is boring on any platform they end up on).
Hi Fi Rush was fair, but I've seen Indies do what it does just as well. Still good game though.
Even Space Marine 2 was 1st game with ok tweaks/other races (format was obvious, I played 1 & 2 back to back) not pushed enough, fair but eh.
I don't want a cheaper PC. I want a console to have it's own ideas besides hardware. Switch's gimmicks don't impress me compared to Wii U even for how far it went when DS was better & Wii U underused besides my own wishes for it & dual screen phones are eh use cases.
But they are still more interesting of games & size for Indies/AAs, besides Nintendo niche IPs.
Not a single Xbox/PS game has impressed me. No compelling gameplay ideas even if spun off a tad, none of them have, nothing exciting for the genres, just games to put out each period is all they are, stagnant, boring games, products with boring personality, movesets, characters, boring worlds, boring design & I've played better never before heard/played 5-7th gen titles, not nostalgia, quality differences, gameplay ideas more competitive then todays trends compared to past trends/original titles.
I wouldn't be collecting them and excited to collect these old trends besides making it a goal to collect old platformers, shooters, racing, other genres, if I didn't care somewhat about what they offered, none of those trends or titles appeal to me today because they just aren't appealing at all. Their bland. It's not that era I miss it's the quality/priorities are different. The design principles are different. How they are treated is different and boring. How to make entertainment boring, they have proven it easily.
Nothing actually fun in my eyes to play. I don't even want evolving ideas I just find none of them to be fun.
South of Midnight a little bit. It's no Kena, close. I don't care for platform. I don't care about Xbox variety/PS similar enough cinematic/boring Astro/Sackboy/Ratchet/GT series directions.
Nintendo variety/ok execution of some games over others, PS1-3/PSP/Vita, OG Xbox/360 era.
Forza Motorsport reboot would have but nope. Waste of time.
Lacks customisation, sucks to navigate at all. A lot of internet sucking garbage on the top level and underneath. A terrible storefront that's worse then it was before. I liked it isolated now the button is a pain to close this is back to Windows 8 task manager to close them but with the app active and closing it so the updates function on the Xbox.
It's the worst console UI or OS in general I've ever seen. Microsoft made the most pathetic piece of garbage I've ever seen/wanted to avoid using.
Prefer Blades/Metro of 360 and 2013 and maybe 3rd of Xbox One and 3rd Series X one (I assume were in the 4th of Xbox Series now right?). That's it. the rest are terrible to look at and navigate to anything.
I keep an Xbox One VCR/OG offline to avoid it even. Sure it won't get the later Xbox One games but I don't care. I wouldn't do it for a Blades 360 either as games over UI even if I prefer Blades or the Metro of 360 Dashboards over any Xbox One dashboard besides the 2013 one that the 2017 era cut the features of.
But wow may to offer customisation, cut it and make it even worse.
The back end settings is the same and still confusing why they haven't changed it is beyond me I hate it.
The Xbox One X runs like garbage on launch then balances out. Why? I hate internet web pages that are too fancy and garbage to load. It's by design and I hate it. Stop pushing performance that doesn't need to be pushed. I'm not upgrading because of your bad designs by designers/artists and bad programming skills of all your staff.
When Fruteger Aero of Windows Vista./7 and more particular design of futuristic or common objects of iPhones of old looks more intense yet was better to run on devices then the flat but performance hogging garbage of nowadays because of terrible backends with spyware and trash it proves a point. XD Simple and flat sure but runs like garbage for how minimal it is that it shouldn't have issues, I don't think that's acceptable at all.
Binary Domain, Split Second (no Blur is sad), Time Splitters, Black 2006 I can understand, Fable maybe.
Burnout is overrated. I near beat Revenge on PS2, own 360 version to look at the bad lighting and that's it.
Otherwise the rest are overrated and pass. Decent sure, best, eh got other IPs I'd rather see back compat on OG Xbox then play those 360 games.
Even other 360 games I'd rather see back compat that aren't.
I have different IP/gameplay preferences, not whatever story/theme/worlds/whatever animations and context. I get why for presentation sake but there is a reason I preferred PS2/Wii/PSP versions, gameplay not presentation I don't care about. So oh they may be dull to look at or decent at level design. Yeah but I still wanted to beat them/binge them on understood hardware regardless of how dull they dull compared to presentation that's modern, dull and boring.
I didn't want to play a Burnout 5 or boring bland Hot Pursuit 2010 on 360/Remastered, I binged the Wii version. Don't tell me my fun isn't real if the presentation or gameplay and different arcadey feel or goal of audience was intended on the Wii version and it shows.
Cutting things out of PS2/Wii Sonic Unleashed over PS3/360 version open world nonsense parts or whatever different levels sure as some can't be flashy or do-able on PS2/Wii. Doesn't bother me.
If a good idea happens it happens. Battlefront 3 was limited to keeping what they could of Elite Squadron and sure cutscenes on PSP but even still. They still had it besides how the PS3/360 would have been more natural transition. No Man's Sky had to do it on PS4 because no one cared to follow up or offer that kind of theming/idea again. I'm not saying NMS was inspired by it. I'm saying someone was willing to execute that idea. Haven Call of the King did it more segments on PS2 in 2002 for endgame. Tell me devs don't care in some shape or form for some ideas and others don't for the bare minimum of boring worlds/other priorities for audiences when I'd rather see other things happen in games that don't. When is my hivemind robot/insect learning, forgetting, creating their own moves from enough aspects made to allow for it. Nowhere, don't need AI, I need animators to put the effort in and programmers to work around it. But nope. Aka laziness and good idea I thought up myself. XD
Part 3:
I found Cyberpunk's AI to be pathetic and not good even besides it's fixes, them having enough tasks to do is one thing, having an economy change or actually things going on is a more alive world. That's what that is not just oh they have enough of characters pretend paying or looking like it yes more so and making things but barely doing anything.
I care more for a hive mind/gaining, losing, creating their own abilities (not just a shadow Link/Mario, I mean literally all enemies or a certain 1 or 2 classes are mimics that take attacks, remove attacks or create their own from a selection of them and have enough different kicks, punches, guns or whatever to work with from a list like a combo based game would) for robots or insects to use.
They have a good array of attacks to string together or change up on their own, that's more impressive to me and what I would care about then more believable NPCs and boring recreations of reality or fantasy/scif-i boring worlds. I want gameplay for the player in abilities, interesting level design or enemy AI, not more lived in static worlds that are boring. Quests already suck in games I want gameplay quests not dialogue/talk/collect/escort/repetitive garbage.
The industry has other priorities & boring/dull. Audiences want things. I don't care about living worlds they are boring, I hate recreations of reality. That's boring I want fiction/gameplay to actually lend themselves, be original something most people don't get.
I hate pop culture references I find it lazy writing yet people only question fan service. It's the same distraction writing excuse only one is more accessible of I know this IRL thing or tv show/movie, or recreating moments from them or reselling a song for licensing/sales not just because the lyrics or tone aligns like they want you to believe it does. It's to suit businesses more.
Yes even Indies lacking potential, not underskilled nature, potential they refuse to work towards, copy paste/nostalgia garbage & empty games/eh trends. Art teacher like standards I have for them. Not illusionary passion/easy garbage. Pathetic.
Let alone better shooter animations.
It was who cares and didn't effect much) and dialogue is too much the focus.
Part 2:
Outer Worlds besides it's tone had more personality to be silly/serious but still balance things. Other games as well. This feels like Obsidian trying to fit in with other AAA empty worlds of dialogue/personality (or the schedule Microsoft sets besides a few throughout the year even besides no idea what Towerborne/Contraband are even I forget the marketing is so bad)
and it feels sanitized or PC audience which isn't bad but for a console audience or those wanting better dialogue/gameplay pacing it doesn't have to be arcade enough for them but the dialogue even for me as someone ok with visual novels it's pretty bad of dev passion, not some audiences pacing they'd like.
To me it's choices and dialogue pacing it felt how I do with Steam World Heist 2 recently the dialogue was so much fluff I didn't care about, odd fair jokes at times but so much fluff then I'd go oh that key word/part to know finally.
Some writers/designers care too much about the lore/their worlds and I just don't care. I want to play it not read it/have your mentality for immersion that I will never have so why force it on me with that type of pacing. XD
Avowed isn't but feels like how I do visual novel tactics games. Disgaea or Valkyria Chronicles even Diofield Chronicle besides it's uses balances it cutscenes I think.
Utawarerumono had like 3 hour visual novel scenes [even if Avowed isn't that but still enough dialogue/choices that only do so much, like who cares about good/bad news, just say it and move on or enough to justify it, it's too much a book at times] (if I'm in a visual novel mood even I can read that sure sometimes, but a tactics game too much VN scenes is too much sometimes) and few tactics parts and the tactics parts you'd have to grind at those points only, repeat parts areas sure but not mid visual novel bits.
No idea if the others fixed that but even still. It's draining depending what your seeking of pacing when like I said. Disgaea balances it's story visual novel parts and combat. Others don't and drag on to fill in gaps/have too much story.
The world (I wasn't expecting NPCs with more to their jobs I know Obsidian, I understand what this game was their ideas even if some are weak it's not the NPCs or the world it's more the eh focus on graphics and the lore push.
Had this conversation with someone else and yeah it's too much focused on telling a story then the action/arcadey feel or other priorities. Story/graphics strikes again many developers sigh.
I don't hate the stiff characters but yeah.... Some animations aren't great.
Bugs are what they are to a degree.
I don't put the 'this doesn't evolve' on every dev I don't expect that from Obsidian anyway.
7/10. Slow pacing, ok gameplay, needs cursor thickness settings, better 3rd person elements, it's too serious, Outer Wilds even if maybe similar to play at times had more of a better tone balance.
There is a good game in here but too much dev passion & not better pacing or exciting design or quality of life needed, I don't want to say rushed as Obsidian can clearly get games out quickly with some quality to it but I mean it does seem like some cut corners at times or too much in the dev's own heads then a customer appealing product at times.
I am a gameplay missions type or modes type so to me I didn't play Avowed I can only go off footage/another playing I hear their responses from IRL. To me it seems it's quests are pretty dull, if you want dialogue and sub par quests sure. Like many RPGS I don't find the dialogue fun and the tasks boring. So I can't rate them.
It feels too PC like or too dumbed down for a audience and I think it's too much of either of those or just kind of dull. It's too focused on what the devs find passion in not what the audience finds passion in (no I don't mean the NPCs or world innovations they seek I don't even care about that at all I want other things not those in any game/genre).
This isn't even my type of game but from watching I get a sense of it already.
I respect the game but I also think it has limits, I respect Obsidian, I don't have high hopes for this game and to bash it by any means I respect the studio no doubt it's just a bit awkward of a game at times. I understand enough of what they were going for.
Avowed being like Pillars or others but different character angle or other differences is fine but it's a bit too much the artists, designers, programmers, animators and writers wanted to push the lore or the bare minimum at times, fair dual wielding combat with some odd lack of quality of life, too much dialogue choices, stiff character animations besides standing there being totally fine just the mouth and some ok but not great facial animations/expressions it's jarring.
It has moments but is still lacking. I've played PS3/360 games enough I literally beat 28 PS2/Wii/PS3/360 games that varied in genre and design (not RPGs but still) besides research in 2024, I think I know what that era feels like of shooters, platformers, racing and action adventure ones before the open world with dull aspects to them or parts of what Elder Scrolls, Fable or linear Kingdom Under Fire or others offer. Even if I didn't play western RPGs of that era I have a decent idea. I have gotten by on many of them.
A small world is not a bad thing at all but the pacing/flow/what you do isn't that exciting unless your a dialogue person. But we have seen 100s of fantasy games do the same to death things just tweaked slightly so it's not exactly that exciting is it? Comfort sure, but passion I mean the devs have it, the world doesn't show it well enough is what I think. Dialbo 4 a different game, is more arcadey, and dead looking. I've seen others with more personality for how dark they are.
So was 3 & 4 actually happening and the rest was just rumours. Not surprised.
Well Guitar Hero/Rockband are in whatever state.
Pitfall won't compete with Tomb Raider/Uncharted/Indy because Activision are lazy. Or try something else. Why not.
Or COD OG Xbox games to revive for more digital money or people using the back compat service with disks.
TH games are great I just haven't played them much. I own a few even Skate 3. I just have barely touched them as more games to play. Even got SSX PS3/360 reboot or series name or whatever it was. It's ok.
It's good but needs some tweaks. I don't like the 3rd person camera is half baked. It's 1st person first which is fine, but Borderlands 2 on 360 had better. Why this point at things, why not area magnetism. Do they only allow triggers of in area stuff for cutscenes. Why? Just have an area & highlight, or pick up all via menu to select from in area. I can come up with those in a few seconds.
Via an update sure but why not launch?
Fair dialogue history/lore option. Even Visual Novels did this. Or a glossary menu even. Terms/cutscene refresher.
Cross hair is too thin of lines & in sun invisible, too thin. No colour settings, no more designs, no thickness why?
If dual wielding & balancing of stats happens like Halo did I will find dual wielding pointless.
Compass/icons are too small. Developers & their screens/internet speeds are so comfortable yet forget people would like to see or not have to deal with things developers don't have because they are in the city with big monitors/TVs & good internet.
Like seriously console or PC, PC is worse for HUD scaling. With console/PC versions so similar these days it's even more annoying they go the PC HUD/DPI route and it's so stupid or don't offer scaling at all. Allow us to move HUD elements and scale them come on.
Why are they so incompetent at HUD size or text size at what 24 or something. Steam Deck/Portal it will be tiny by default with what on a TV around 8 or 11. Come on. No colourblind settings I could see either I think, why is the quality of life/accessibility not here. It's silly.
I want games to be more refined not 360 but too 360. Why waste 20+ years progress cough what progress as I go back and forth and find none has happened but visuals and we get oh it's being true to that.
I didn't play Spyro Reignited for it to be PS1 but I prefer the PS1 feel but in remake it's so heavy why? Jumps sucked and many other quality of life was just later abilities given early and for other games. Not replaced, what a waste. When PS1 feels better then a heavy garbage feeling why is floaty ignored. I hate heavy characters.
Besides racing even then I hate the physics in many these days but besides that the weight is handled well every other game has bad character feel.
Obsidian is great and I respect them and can get games out quick, but the polish and this budget/time it needs a bit more
I had updates as excuses.
Audiences don't care & want a game, not suggest anything or Devs too busy, may consider it/stuck up. Obsidian I assume are great but I'd like to see a few things implemented if possible.
I play 360 games still to this day, so to me I don't go oh it should feel like such & nostalgia over it. I don't nostalgia I want quality/ideas. Something this industry fails at.
It can have elements from that era but it shouldn't be close enough to it.
I hate history repeating & nostalgia garbage by Indies too nostalgic/inspired & lack prototyping potential to try out with no brains to make it better they don't have a brain, yet someone NOT making games can think things up in seconds & thinks games. I expect better but it's always visuals/garbage feel & game design.
Tell programmers/animations to get their butts into gear. I can to play a game not a art piece that moves for some.casuals that don't notice/care. I want quality & I see less quality every year & play retro games with their quality limitations in mind & go yep modern gaming hasn't changed in 20 years, complacent people/execs.
While they don't all interest me besides South of Midnight and some like Fable/Perfect Dark may be hit or miss.
I really like this roadmap. Some I'd forgotten like Towerborne so I think they need to market it a bit better.
Contraband I wasn't sure and like Concord, War Thunder/Frame and more I get confused with the names.
But a good mix of big stuff, some others forgotten like Towerborne or Clockwork.
State of Decay 3, Everwild, E Day and probably others may do fair.
But a good mix, fair times of the year and such. I'm impressed. It's probably what many companies try to achieve or we think about as customers/company following types and go ah yeah that is for this period.
Mara/Toys for Bob's projects not surprised that far out.
Nintendo has their side covered. Xbox does now. Sony has third parties in-between and the third parties for the others in their own way.
Dual wielding, fair enough Outer World, Elder Scrolls, Pillars and Obisidian's own charm for a fantasy game to still stand out.
Sure the choices not surprised, but the world, character it has, companions could be hit or miss but even still. I think this is the design I want to see games go not companies making action adventure RPG lites and struggling with the trend/studios dying over it.
Not surprised some stiffness in there/some unpolished/good enough, but I think enough covers it up or enough is present for things to still work. But will see.
Or a bunch of average RPG even as a non RPG fan (unless tactics games) many seem very disappointing besides CRPGs it seems. Or however some JRPGs turn out.
Is it a game for me no, do I respect it, absolutely.
It doesn't have the kind of world design/quests/abilities/movesets (even besides dual wielding in a modern era game woo, I miss it from PS3/360 IPs) I care for but that doesn't make it a bad game.
I think this game is great but combat needs more. If only 1 attack button besides skills and a execution button.
I'd other weapons sure, or doesn't need to have combos that's fine. But just more to interact with of enemies or environment objects or weapon modules.
Why not an explosive flower or some other environment stuff to stun or effect enemies.
Wall running, climbing is fine.
Platforming is good but scripted or lacking use of items for gqpe. I think more player freedom of thread platforms need to be there not overly scripted gaps it's just boring. More flexible placement in a water gap for example is nice to offer how they want to make platforms that's more fun. Not wow I can see that ghost outline, yeah clearly it's just too simple and boring.
Again nothing wrong with simple and I get it's what Chapter 3 or something but even still it needs a bit more as games that have simple platforming abilities usually stick to them.
Ones that are more flexible of say creating your ice platforms on water but still limited to the area or not powerful enough then yeah.
Mario Galaxy ice flower made me go wow. To offer ice platforms.
Other games can too. Ratchet therminator was ok of ice/after state. But partial platforms are more fun I think.
Otherwise the environments look great, story moments seem great for the people there.
Very Lena or Ratchet. Gives me Ride of the Tomb raider exclusive for a bit but I don't mind.
Microsoft needs a game like south of midnight I think.
Even then state of decay or others I think stand out or hi fi rush but just reach an audience Microsoft wants which is sad.
Fair enough. I have seen the name, don't think much of it. Tried DAEMON X MACHINA it was ok....... But I'd still play a Senran Kagura or a Malicious Rebirth instead.
This screenshot doesn't show much but a hub I assume? The trailer is ok but really doesn't show much either of it's environments.
I prefer the Zone of Enders 2 or Battle Engine Aquila (the type that got me into mech games but had a good mix of and only nowadays branching out like have to other genres never played of tactics while others like hack n slashes did from Legend of Spyro and gone to many others over time) types at the moment.
Front Mission Evolved I didn't mind either. Nor did I Starfox approach of vehicle types spawning and the tunnels versus wide areas if need be.
So to me I haven't dived enough into mech games yet.
DAEMON X MACHINA to me was like while I like say tactics games with limited space in a mech game I find it a bit limiting. So the reverse for me of tactics games having paths, stop for combat, quests, etc. I prefer just menus/combat areas in those games, but Mario Rabbids to me blended the paths and things to see ever so slightly I was like ok I'm open to this.
Part 2: Sigh this is just going to be as 'decent' as the first game but not as expansive as it could be isn't it. Sigh.
As good as the first game is is not a compliment.
It lacks modes or event types and just derby/races is something but like many with a race, time trial and drift, it's just so bland, modern game design blandness.
Then again open worlds push for so many dull talk, fight, collect, do basic things for idiots to understand. Why? We can't offer anything creative anymore. Just done to death and basic gameplay.
Driving a bus, seat mower, a motorised couch/sofa and more is cool but I mean that's 'visual and slight weight feel' it hardly changes the game that much.
Even Inertial Drift an Indie game can offer enough different time, drift and more rules to event types as good as a Juiced game can from 20 years ago.
Why is it modern veteran devs are so bad/lazy at offering some cone, fuel, gate, whatever event types, it's hilarious. It's always safe ideas, visuals, safe ideas, visuals. Come on.
No wonder people went oh 2D smoke trails & cell shaded characters in NFS Unbound. It's sad.
They go eh make 2 event types and recycle them for a few hours. It's so dull.
You can't sell a personality all the time or a safe one at that and barely appeal/barely push ideas enough and just go eh do this and move on to more visuals.
I can enjoy personality & more event types. They are fictional which is totally fine but don't require that time so why do they not do more with them?
Like how unimaginative are devs/customers? It's not nostalgia, it's looking for quality when there isn't any and games I've never played before till now/finding more.
Wrecreation better be good of a spin on things or else nah pass.
Comments 754
Re: Opinion: If Xbox Is 'Just' A Game Pass Machine, That's Still Enough For Me
0%, I tried Psychonauts 2 once to a certain point. That's it. End of story. Good game, fair service..... I jump between retro/modern era all the time, so a subscription will never work for me ever. I don't want to commit to a game, I want to play what I'm in the mood for, so if it's quality game design I'll play it and go between others for a break from them, or bored or come back or different feeling controller or whatever the case. Sub services just don't work for me and I refuse to give money away to companies like that. Picking up releases no one wants I want physical sure, but sub services no thanks, not happening.
It works for some people no doubt, but it just doesn't work for me.
If Forza Motorsport 2023 was what i wanted, I'd be playing it like I did with 6 & 7 to catch up to them. Instead I bought FM1 2005 and it was a blast. Modern era Xbox hasn't been my thing so besides the few I respect of Hi Fi Rush/South of Midnight, I've got no interest. I could play them but I'm not sure. They are kind of and kind of not my thing based on some parts of design. I respect them more then others formulaic design that's for sure, and these games know what they want to be and have passion and I respect that. Their goals are defined well and executed as such then others variety and attempts and formulaic design I just don't like so why would I use a service/console/play what I don't care for.
I even tell my book store no to their membership & it's a running joke. Some people think I'm going to. Not going to happen. I've dealt enough with retail & digital to know. Heck if I can get the TV series in complete (if niche series and all on disk which for niche series they are) I can besides 'digital means to read' pay less for a blu-ray then it does all the books in a series via their store or ordering in increments. But like many of them there have that kind of mentality at all to think about how i can experience something or just not experience it at all. They think oh save money, yeah not with your store/membership and how it works, that's for sure. Not giving it to you to flush down the toilet like that. They don't deserve the extra for money saving membership mentality shoving in customers faces.
Most I can get on any other console or for a cheap enough price I don't mind getting. Got Grid Legends for $30, didn't care for EA Play or Gamepass or PS+ offering of it I bought it around the time Gamepass was going to offer it too.
Family use it on occasion. I have no need for it. I barely even use my Xbox One as it is, I also barely use my PS4 as it is right now. I have gone retro and a bit off Switch when I feel like it.
Re: Review: Revenge Of The Savage Planet (Xbox) - A Bigger, Bolder Sequel That Brings Co-Op Fun To Game Pass
Part 4:
Or other objects to put inside.
Why would I in a tycoon game unless it has benefits for viewers mood, what they would buy or other purposes that benefit staff. Not because it looks nice.
Even playing Roller Coaster Tycoon Classic I go unless I need to just use Bins/Benches and when have the money for it for the park. Otherwise why would I lights, plants, water displays if it really doesn't change that much functionally. It doesn't make visitors talk about the park more. It's more expensive and a waste of money and more waiting around for more rides, stores and benches/bins instead.
Re: Review: Revenge Of The Savage Planet (Xbox) - A Bigger, Bolder Sequel That Brings Co-Op Fun To Game Pass
Part 3:
Home bases customisation, what a waste of time, money and assets by animators, artists and programmers. Gives off showing off or people into certain hobbies and things they want to see in the game.
It's like hearing Mojang staff go oh rockclimbing or other nonsense (can't remember anymore). Or make dumb mob/biome votes and have bad functionality and bad audience votes when modders do a better job. With as much hit and miss repetitive ideas or genuinely good tweaks. It varies. Rock climbing or such animations/moveset options would be nice. But because it's their hobby is not a good enough reason. Make it a beneficial feature. Many platformers have generic movesets these days yet 20+ years ago you had way more interesting ones. Even Mario keeps that and you don't even need many of those moves. XD Why such generic human, animal, insect movesets. I'd take any 5/6th gen platformer over a Little Kitty Big City type one that's for sure.
Make a game not reflect yourselves all that much with customisation nonsense. I don't buy Indies with a focus on culture, why because they put TOO MUCH on that and the gameplay is terrible. They go oh I love that culture/locations, other nonsense. Yeah and I don't so why SHOULD I care about it. Make it fun to play in. Not a reflection of reality or their memories/mentality on it. I want playgrounds to play it with a gameplay focus, not boring people's ideals.
So I wish many UNCREATIVE people actually focused on a better balance and CREATIVITY not culture/hobbies and the gameplay use for them is superficial. Make customisation have gameplay benefits not to play around, look nice and offer nothing but to look aesthetically pleasing.
But like many have wider game inspirations let alone audiences weak game playing or research efforts so what do I expect. Show off features, too much of THEIR creative side wasted for features not important to the game just a waste of resources side activity that could be better applied to the game for resources (the one in the first game was just enough I think of uses for it, it didn't feel empty it felt suited to what it was for as most of it was outside the ship, I don't want inside the ship or house building for no benefit dev time wasted on garbage) and repetitive game design by devs and boring audiences. This industry sucks. The people in it suck and I want them to actually put thought in to what they make, but they don't.
But that's the thing, if it's just customisation, get rid of it. If it is for crafting or other uses to the rest of the game I'm ok with that. Customisation for the sake of customisation and decor/nothing functionally relevant is what I hate. Tying into the rest of the game I am fine with.
It's like Minecraft, why would I want 50 blocks with 50 textures to build with and do nothing when I can retexture them. It's a waste of resources for something with no actual purpose in the world, it does nothing. Why would I use 1 block unless it has explosion benefits, storage benefits or is more or less accessible so I'd seek it out with exploration. So why would I get one stone over another stone because it's grey instead of blue. Why would I get dyes when it's a waste of time/exploration for a colour. If a wood/stone does the job, why would I glass or something else unless I want to see through the building or just use it for other things and not look outside.
Re: Review: Revenge Of The Savage Planet (Xbox) - A Bigger, Bolder Sequel That Brings Co-Op Fun To Game Pass
Part 2:
The approach to sci-fi gear, seeds and more was always good but confusing how to use them at times. Level design was always confusing due to verticality or scanning or entrances or any of the gear's use cases.
In the beginning it was confusing, in later parts about what half way to three quarters I am surprised I even got to of other areas it was still confusing. The arrows/compass do not help at all. If they fixed that sure, if not then yeah nah.
I'd take a better design of levels or some string/dotted lines or just more linear or less awkward paths to follow, each game varies for me though so it's not easy to define which is just hard for me but not for other players or devs design.
To me a reboot is a bit hmmm concerning.
Multiple planets too, quality could be hit and miss with them. I mean Metroid Prime 3 to me is so confusing and 1 was no issue what so ever.
Other games 2D or 3D Metroid, Zelda, platformers and such with this exploration focus vary for me what they are going for so it's hard to tell. For me it's all over the place of if I understand the level design or gear use cases or not besides experimenting. Main paths and secrets in Joruney to the Savage Planet were just confusing all around.
I sucked at Yooka Laylee but did better then Banjo of further level ahead, while Impossible Lair has it's awkwardness because I suck at it to beat levels, but still was more clear what to do then the 3D Yooka Laylee. Devs execution confuses me and just baffles what I'm supposed to do. That or even DK Tropical Freeze, or Mario games.
I like games like this with mechanics used in interesting ways but some of the exploration is so confusing.
To me Metroid Prime I felt the scanning was fair for story, paths were understandable.
But in No Man's Sky I find it's approach to a sandbox/survival game tedious and just not engaging, I find the space exploration an advancement over Haven Call of the King or SW Battlefront 3 prototype/Elite Squadron but that's about it. I find it's ideas just so weak because in Minecraft I have way more flexibility with mods and I find No Man's Sky just overwhelming and dull. So I respect it but hate it's design. Like a lot of sandbox survival games to be fair.
But not additions otherwise I'd care for by these screenshots or review for a sequel/reboot. It doesn't get me to want to buy on modern gen. Sigh. Why is modern gen so pathetic. There isn't a single game I want on them.
This seems like a "we added more but not in ways to fix my problems with the first game" kind of adjustment to a sequel/reboot. Sigh.
I like parts of the first one but found it awkward to complete, where to go, how to use ideas, I'm surprised I got as far as I did in it like many metroidvanias or others.
It has elements that are immediately appealing to me in a structure I found so confusing.
This seems to not really solve any of that so to me this is a eh of purchase without more looking at it.
Re: Review: Revenge Of The Savage Planet (Xbox) - A Bigger, Bolder Sequel That Brings Co-Op Fun To Game Pass
Fair review in progress but yeah this doesn't get me excited this time around. I'll wait for a sale/never purchase at all because I am not impressed by many games at all these days.
Artstyle looks softer and worse but I don't mind if it's frame rate even if it does look pretty bad in comparison to the other. I am gameplay over graphics but yeah the lighting/colours just don't work. In this game's case I'd have preferred more shadows not just hue/saturation/contrast or otherwise changes. Or Ray Tracing or HDR or other visual techniques garbage that makes this game and many others look terrible.
Sure having something different or not always overly saturated is good but yeah it just looks cheaper sorry artists behind this game.
Third person here I mean first person can have good platforming it's just they choose not to and make it awkward in all games with it. Why? I don't want realism with any camera angle, so why does first person platforming always suck.
Third person helps that but it just seems like a cop out more than anything to make then further first person because copy everyone else then actually go oh the camera is the issue, it's not it's the developers fault for forcing a design like others then making their own with good feeling character weight, jump height, physics and animations.
But what do I know, devs are so formulaic and typical with GAMEPLAY and too focused on art and graphics and story telling and other nonsense then MAKING A VIDEO GAME these days I struggle to praise them when we see such repetitive and baffling design I never liked in the PS3/360 era (they made up for it with more interesting mechanics while modern era is so dumbed down or repetitive of other games then their own ideas so I find myself disappointed by garbage lack of creativity/prototyping with better execution I'd like to see. I mean same engines many use of UE/Unity or even custom engines they all seem to have these issues of mentality of design by the people making them) yet has been continued for 2 more generations and I still hate it. Sigh.
Camera matters but you can put a third person moveset or any more flexible one on a first person canera, I'd be ok with that. I really don't care. Sigh. Some devs are just too stuck in what everyone else does and it's why I find movesets incredibly boring and repetitive.
Also third person games always are made with 'we don't care' in mind (sure I've seen that quote as more towards third person shooters but this is an exploration game like Metroid so it kind of differs but I think it kind of is still true here) so to me I'm going to think about that here.
Sure it's like Metroid with it's sci-fi weapons and tools for exploration, Zelda with it's approach of gear/dungeons and so on for level design, puzzles and what not, and that's great but I still get the impression it's still going to suck.
Humour was a bit over done but I didn't mind it. I like it. I mean Ratchet doesn't do it anymore so unless it's Savage Planet or Outer Worlds yeah were not really getting many with this sort of humour. No clue about High On Life, no interest in it anyway.
The co-op is nice.
Oh different voices nice, as much or less chatter nice, ah like Bubsy or others the option for that is nice to have. XD
Re: Xbox Is 'Spitting Pure Fire' Right Now, Says Baldur's Gate 3 Exec
They have the reach of Xbox owners, PlayStation, Switch, PC, whichever device with an Xbox app/internet connection. There are very few games I respect and don't play. The rest are those of interest and Xbox games are not any of them, well beside South of Midnight or Hi Fi Rush but even still, not as much as others.
I play NONE of the PS/Xbox first party anymore and have an Xbox One that sits around for back compat, a few apps or blu-rays, that's it. So have an Xbox to be not what Microsoft would want me to use it for their Gamepass/games. I only buy pre-owned for it so basically they haven't gotten money from me in years.
I refuse to use the Series X that's up to other family members.
So to me none of it matters at all. None of the remasters (only ones third parties offer further of reach, not the safe ones many offer in AAA land), none of the modern games, none of the generic games with generic ideas with generic execution by uncreative generic devs whether older or people in their 20s or new I see a lot of garbage game design with underwhelming creativity used and trend following/PS3/360 but duller design, alongside pub demands..
I find all of them boring, not appealing of mechanics and get the job done of visuals, story telling and variety that's not as exciting of Nintendo's or PlayStation 1-3/PSP/Vita or OG Xbox/360. So to me I'm not losing out on anything if they all are boring releases for such audiences.
I just read the news and see a few titles but rarely of any interest as most are not interesting.
So to me their strategy makes sense for money and audiences willing to, I still refuse to buy or Gamepass play any of their games because they are all so boring. Their variety is a great thing but unlike Sony's variety output of the past then their boring current direction, Xbox has so much variety and nothing exciting at all for me to look at for more then a second and go yep, more generic third party like release type of games as first party releases. So basically no games I'd ever play because current trends, uncreative design and games made for wide appeal but so wide I don't care for it then wide appeal but genuinely exciting ideas in them.
Re: Opinion: Xbox Game Pass Is On A Ridiculous Hot Streak Right Now
For money, for audience reach and so on it makes sense.
Gamepass and the Devs games for first party all vary of appeal to audiences I think most lack something but that's just me and what I seek not being there.
But with enough genre variety, fair creativity to them, types of games, design ideas of the modern era there (that I find boring or less creative but that's my opinion anyway).
I think they have. Fair strategy and where third parties don't or advertise as well Microsoft has Devs with enough appealing games of particular types or take their time to make and whatever they end up offering that works why not.
People aren't buying an Xbox unless dedicated, besides a PC/PS5/Switch or doing cloud or back compat , or quick resume matters to them do they really care.
Old and New gen it's money for third parties and 1st party don't offer.
Nintendo it's different their niche stuff is there the PS/Xbox don't offer that they leave to Indies or the one occasion of Pentiment type games.
Games of particular appeal/reach during periods of the year. Why not.
It gets people experiencing them without always a TV show either just games, marketing and reach everywhere.
Re: Talking Point: We Played Xbox's First Forza Release On PS5, And It Felt Weird
I mean the Sega jumping third party to make even the GBA/PSP use with GameCube/PS2 great, game offerings on all of them or otherwise. Among other things.
Sega offered PC versions besides Saturn/Dreamcast as well. Or did arcade stuff alongside Dreamcast.
Microsoft had Gameboy Color games of the PC Entertainment packs, Rare had GBA/DS games. Why is it that big a deal?
To me games from Microsoft are what they are on any platform nowadays, you either care for them or you don't regardless of the box. I don't so to me no platform makes a difference, I don't care about any of their games. XD So hardly a loss for me. I don't Sony's either. I'll stick to PS4/Xbox One for Indies or odd copies of things, otherwise nah pass on 1st and AAA 3rd parties. Otherwise retro for either PS/Xbox or any Nintendo platform and Switch 1 for a while.
When Rhythm Heaven is more exciting then Switch 2 and it's 2026 yeah I'm good with my retro/8th gen backlog for now. Or odd digital discounts of random games I find then anything actually announced that's uninteresting, graphics priorities and gameplay so repeated and boring why would I bother.
To me the branding/company strategies don't change much for me. I get the money focus just like any third parties offering PS4/Xbox One support still for sales. It doesn't bother me that or PS3/360 and even other older consoles game support till disk production ends or eshops end or otherwise, if they have an audience sizeable why not.
The gameplay isn't the focus it's just the bare minimum with the visuals, the cars, the event types, the themes and the whatever they make and do or don't compete and audiences go oh cool or oh this is a step back, so to me I couldn't care less where the games go or what they do.
Forza Motorsport if they put effort in I'd experience it. They made it so terrible I'm glad I cut off at 7. To me I had 2-5 and 6 was eh, 7 was a fair way back in the direction and 1 from 2005 is the most worthy return I've had in years (had sold my OG Xbox so re-experiencing it on 360 now is good) for it's start being so good.
Horizon never appealed to me. Burnout Paradise is fair, NFS Carbon was fair, but most open worlds are pretty boring. Racing ones are ok, but more human characters, animal, insect, alien, etc. doing boring quests and with boring movesets, boring world design to use mechanics, yeah why would I find that worth my time. The gameplay sucks and just for eh dialogue errands.
If Mario/Pitfall have better human movesets why would I care. Or when Sunset Overdrive, Gravity Rush and Infamous to me are the only good ones of side missions based around the mechanics and good tower defence, not generic outposts.
Re: Digital-Only Xbox Series X|S Consoles Have Accounted For 75% Of Sales So Far In 2025
Interesting, just like going oh did someone win the Xbox Series X digital from the Shapes biscuits give away?
I mean Pop Tarts give Gamepass so anything is possible.
People wanting the cheap price or care about physical or not who knows. Sales are sales, available models are what they are to offer, back compat is back compat, new games, Gamepass, whatever else. Besides the Fire Stick, Samsung/LG TVs, PC and otherwise access to things.
Play Anywhere expanding is nice.
I mean with the few consoles from Xbox to just collectors buying up all models, anything is possible of sales here.
Re: Opinion: South Of Midnight Dev Could Become An Xbox Game Studios Gem
I hope so to me the rest have not been enticing, so to me seeing more South of Midnight type games would be great. Even if 1-2 of them every so often is enough then none. The others are more common/others appeal while neither of them do for me compared to PS3/360 era mechanics, modern era many of them dropped those so I care for them less nowadays or the IPs left that were more appealing I don't like from third parties either.
I prefer Xbox OG/360 era distinct titles 1st, 2nd, 3rd party and that doesn't happen Xbox One/Series era at all, only odd titles or none at all.
The gameplay wasn't much my thing of exciting but the story/world and type of action adventure game it isn't my thing either but I respect it and what it's goal is being that so I approve of it no doubt compared to the other releases that are pretty typical, so many South of Midnight types releases is always nice to see.
Sony has similar but to me I find most of them pretty boring or formulaic of PS4 era ones I didn't like direction/priorities and those continued so unless they offer something out there I'm interested in neither even Astro was 'ok',
South of Midnight looks more appealing even if I know none of what it offers besides reviews/footage still looks different enough.
Forza disappoints me, Gears E Day may be fair, not played Gears Tactics but should.
I'm not into much happening on Xbox really.
Did Towerborne come out of early access yet or whatever the console situation was besides PC?
My Xbox is used sometimes but mostly odd games I find, back compat or YT/Soundcloud, so barely.
Re: Xbox Seemingly Blocks Upcoming Release Due To 'Provocative' Content
So violence/western values are fine but others no.... sure. Imagine if Fritz the cat released today in the US, hmmmm..... That old pushed both age ratings back in the day for animated films. Oh right sorry dust that under the rug.
Sorry anime games yep, targets it seems, sigh. As if adult jokes or other things aren't in animated films still, family or adult audiences let alone live action sitcoms with far more implied or descriptive. But games or anime it gets judged because some audiences can't tell the difference. Sigh.
It's why I'm surprised Postal even if toned down even made it to consoles either. Larry games too. At least on PlayStation. So how much stricter is Xbox then?
So this and Gal Gun Returns being prohibited from Xbox unfortunate.
Some games push barriers and others aren't that bad just people are picky.
Even if for different audiences anyways or parental controls exist, we still get situations like this. Why?
For people to complain, not even for them anyway and to appeal to them when why should it matter they aren't making a purchase so why should it matter to them compared to people who are going to buy it.
Age ratings have been more fit for violence differences of strength/swearing yet are wildly particular with fan service. It gets confusing what was Teen/Mature or Adults only over the years and the tweaks may fit but I get confused.
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Comparison Showcases Xbox Series X Vs. PS5 Pro
So lighting differences and more detail of scale/texture size. Yeah odd details but not much of note really.
That or other details in the environments or character models maybe but anything worth while for grass or pores or other things. So minor.
Re: Toys For Bob Talks 'Ambitious' New Xbox Game & Banjo-Kazooie Interest
Blinx, Voodoo Vince, Malice (beat it in 2024, got Croc of course since), Scaler, Space Station Silicon Valley, and many more.
Or anything original but inspired but not TOO inspired, still enough of a direction to stand out not be all character/world and bland gameplay.
Re: Rumour: These Five Games Could Show Up At The Xbox Games Showcase 2025
I don't have expectations anyways, whatever happens, happens. I'm not likely to buy them/play them on Gamepass anyway.
I'll just look and go oh that's cool or oh another of that, oh updates, that's fair.
Re: Nightdive Wants To Know Which Xbox 360 Games Need A Remaster
Most I'd take of shooters from PS3/360 era. It's why I'm buying them up. That and I think it fits their engine. Sure I'd love some racing games like Flatout (no licensed cars, but was music so who knows) and any others I'd want have licensed cars so won't happen.
Platformers could say for a while.
If EA won't do a Dragon Age remaster why not. I know engines and things but still.
Red Steel 1 & 2, Conduit for Wii, NFS Hot Pursuit 2010 Wii come on EA not just the PS3/360/PC one remastered give us the Wii one. Or Nitro DS/Wii even if DS is better.
Prey 2006, Fracture, Singularity (all 3 I do want to play if find copies), Binary Domain, Resistance, Killzone,
Soldier of Fortune series, The Darkness 1 & 2, FEAR series, Quake 4 for sure.
Call of Juarez, got Bound in Blood on PS3 and Gunslinger on Switch. would like to experience the rest of the series.
Army of Two, what a trilogy. Not beat 1 and 2 but did Devils Cartel.
Section 8 and it's eshop only sequel so it's accessible again.
Remember Me for sure, I'm glad I have a copy now what a game. Especially as while Dontnod's other games are good to me Remember Me was a very interesting one that got left behind. What ideas, combat, world, piecing together events sections are cool, they bother me as much as Danganronpa trials do but very cool.
Spare Parts an EA platformer that was eshop only.
Under the Skin from PS2..... because why not. PN03 from GameCube.
Killer 7.
Most games nowadays are really boring of their gameplay and push graphics, story and boring worlds to play in, or of reference and I don't care for them at all, so anything older to offer with good gameplay I'll easily take remasters of.
Many gems I'd say if I could fit them, but I know more well known games are an easier bet then dead publishers or developers and games that were good and just not available of licensing/source code or many would care. Puzzle games or otherwise.
Indies have their moments, AAA are stuck in their ways, AA are Indie like or AAA like and their in-between only sometimes offers something good and not AAA boring or Indie getting there.
Any games would be nice to offer but whatever happens I guess.
Re: Xbox Fans Aren't Happy About Microsoft's New Quake 2 AI Demo
@Fiendish-Beaver I'm not seeing things I want to see in games because AAA/Indies keep making games too focused on visuals/story and gameplay has suffered to be as basic as possible.
It's why I don't play open worlds, Sunset Overdrive, Infamous and Gravity Rush have side missions I enjoyed, every other has been tropey, boring dialogue, collecting, combat and other tasks I don't care for in RPGs or otherwise regardless of setting.
Character movesets have been basic and boring for a while now.
Or Indies making nostalgia/not prototyping enough imaginative ideas, now their skills vary of course so I give them some what of a break but even still their ideas are still very copy paste/of games we have seen before, talked about to death and the design is not exciting or trend following as much as AAA.
I want a spin on things just enough, not a repeat of history.
Or their favourite hobby in game form. I don't care.
So no. Settings and such shared is fine, gameplay still doesn't appeal to me in those types of games.
Pong has it's limits, same as any game starting out. Same with AI starting out. Cosmic Smash does enough for me.
But to me from using an AI to scan job applications and saying 'use professional words you wouldn't say' to translation I respect translation, I don't the former.
Pong being tennis makes sense, it's easy to understand, it's a sport many people understand as well.
But worlds can look good and I refuse to play them because they aren't playground/gameplay exciting enough.
So my preferences are very different to most people. Not to stand out it's just what I seek I barely see in video games other then the past or odd Indies/Nintendo games.
It's why I haven't cared for a Sony/Xbox game in years. But still keep up on the news just encase.
South of Midnight is cool but it still has story first, good artstyle but gameplay I've seen before/played a 1000 times. But it's story/artstyle is still it's strength no doubt but that's what it's goal was. So I still respect it.
Re: Xbox's Next-Gen Vision Could Transform How We Look At Consoles In The Future
Unless it benefits gameplay I don't care.
Give me a more interesting feature for the controller or hardware gimmicks or compelling games and I'll care.
Till then not interested. The platforms can offer services/other things with GPU/CPU/RAM changes. I still don't care.
PS5/Series X have given me no reason to care about them, gameplay is not happening, other priorities are. So why would I upgrade. Quick resume is cool but it's digital I don't buy digital on Xbox at all, I don't care to.
Offer more store fronts, still doesn't change the gameplay design, it's just more store fronts, it doesn't change what I want to see in games, better gameplay, not graphics, not artstyles, not story, not particle effects, not music, not animations, not textures, not resolution, not selling GPUs/TVs and the features they have to shove in our faces.
Gameplay first priorities, movesets of characters, interesting combat moves, level design ACTUALLY being worth my time, not padded out garbage, get rid of skill trees and offer compelling missions or level design for me to engage in, it doesn't happen so why should I care.
Microsoft has the services/game variety but I continue to listen to news and not care as it won't interest me. But I still keep up to date just encase to know what's going on, still use my Xbox 360 for OG Xbox or 360 games, Xbox One VCR on occasion to check it and Xbox One X for YT/Soundcloud, back compat OG/360 games and Xbox One games. Otherwise I don't care.
Re: Switch 2 Emulation Highlights Future Challenges For Xbox Backwards Compatibility
Well Switch 2 is just a translation layer for Switch 1 then full power emulation, or some emulation of certain aspects right?
Either way, Xbox was internet connection required and an account with Xbox Live or some form of things to the Xbox network, for the games and yeah emulating it I guess so really for the percentage of Xbox games then the PS/Nintendo approach of full or near besides odd special code or other hardware aspects used type games not surprised.
Having like mightyant says of 63 for Xbox OG and 632 of 360.
When we got 461 or so OG Xbox on 360, the licensing, the source code, the publishers not caring to offer them up even for the digital store sales compared to physical disks used or end up being the only way to play some of them as well and how they show up in the store/part of the list.
The companies gone over the years and more. It's just crazy. Compared to PS/Nintendo where it's usually around what 1% or 5% maybe of titles, just a handful or so depending for hardware based, and whatever the case of digital/physical games that have compatibility issues of note like AC Syndicate besides those like Robinson the Journey the PSVR Crytech game or others more Indie like and not as well know or work fine.
Or certain titles engines/special code is a bit awkward or utilising parts of the hardware that most others don't.
I can mostly think of the flight game on Master System that won't work on the Genesis Power Based Convertor (besides card based games I guess), or Voodoo Vince had special code so it needed a remaster for Xbox One. Cases like that.
Re: OG Xbox Creator Shares His Thoughts On The State Of The Brand In 2025
Part 2:
Mechanics are so boring these days it's just PS3/360 or boring characters samey movesets, or weighty characters I hate it. Execs/pubs sure but audiences/devs have no imagination or care at all for these generic worlds it seems just whatever is easily understood. I prefer better gameplay/fiction ideas for worlds.
Even teen/adult IPs suck, even kids games have more exciting worlds/ideas for level design then the later demographics do. Just more menus/recreations of reality with minor twists or samey fantasy tropes.
It's hilarious how samey & worlds are just boring environments nothing mechanically engaging/playground like anymore just wow look these boring worlds, eh dialogue, eh reference, long length of filler garbage.
Boring elves/dwarves and less original fantasy characters, boring dream cars then original IDEAS to use the cars, make track, event variety, just people going oh reference because devs are lazy and audiences are just as lazy and have no imagination to use them.
Boring skill trees then other solutions. Mechanics are just the same recycled design and it's very boring.
Give me stronger gameplay fantasy but nope. Doesn't happen. Levels or open worlds with abilities/moveset purpose not just wow we recreated this place, play in it. It's so boring and pointless. Combat as the only reason, yeah tell that to any older games with more exciting world interaction, it's all perfect and boring.
Where is breaking it and finding secrets, where is more interesting environment puzzles or interactivity for setups of level design and use cases contextual or more dynamic but nope we get safe game design for casuals or hardcore that don't care either and games end up boring/recycled over and over.
Where are the creatives? Not grown up audience/employees & less creativity even with Indies they are boring & pathetic.
Adventure/puzzle maybe but every other genre are copy paste/minor ideas but nothing stronger of effort to spin off or be new either. Just bare minimum ideas audiences understand it's so boring.
Audiences suck of idea acceptance they have & why games suck, in turn devs lack of imagination sucks.
I don't use nostalgia/past games as my ONLY allowance of games to be played or reality as reference & only that for games as boring & PS3/360 gen 2, 3, etc.
Re: OG Xbox Creator Shares His Thoughts On The State Of The Brand In 2025
To me yeah they couldn't have done the OG/360 model anymore that was clear.
Doesn't mean I don't prefer the games more on those platforms/that era of design more then the priorities of games design nowadays not just the business side making sense and money they want from audiences nowadays, many I never experienced I prefer then Xbox One/Series S & X IPs no question.
But it's because of Xbox One they had to maintain what they could. Series S and X they have their strategies still.
The ABK and Bethesda were what they were.
But IPs with much power eh. ABK other then COD/Mobile isn't enough in their eyes I assume. So the rest are just barely used or done anything with.
Where is Pitfall OG Xbox/a new one to compete, where is COD OG Xbox not just PC versions?
Bethesda maybe differently.
But to me I just don't care. Cloud has a place let alone any device, local only has so much they want to tackle compared to just add more RAM, CPU, GPU and balance the power use among other factors.
I still prefer native over cloud especially for gameplay mechanics not gameplay playability over cloud.
Part 2 as moved.
IP wise Halo has saved them besides how it gets treated. Gears kind of didn't do the same damage as it did Halo but it went the same way in it's own way and I still find it kind of silly.
To me their other IPs just released at wrong times or audience is clear.
Blinx 2 had Halo 2 to kill it, same as Titanfall 2, same with many other types of games.
But at the same time with particular releases it's clear of sales versus audience interest on new sites and casuals.
Xbox wanting to spread themselves is fine and fair IPs to offer on any platform power level wise or audience interest and device reach.
Cloud bridges the gap but native is more exciting to see what they would do. Thing is most of the games are very eh trend/stagnant to me of graphics first and story telling with generic worlds and the gameplay is just boring so I go to Nintendo because other than odd third parties on either platform Nintendo first party at least (even if Pikmin 4 disappointed of it's core design changes) the niche IPs are still there or other odd ones I enjoy.
Sony/Microsoft want/need money yet make IPs I don''t care for even if Xbox has the variety, not the excitement at least to me.
Re: Xbox Buying Ubisoft Would Be An Unwise Move, Suggests Former PlayStation Boss
Well they are a big company with many studios that assist or focus on other IPs. IPs, however many staff/skilled or whoever says what and such of talent kept/removed.
That and the cloud stuff especially they moved stuff for during the ABK related stuff mention of cloud Ubisoft was related to the cloud side of things.
So it is a bit odd.
Shooters/RPGs and others of the major Ubisoft IPs sure but like many Ubisoft IPs on Xbox many would care for/sell well.
They would sell just about as much as they have already on Xbox let alone the ignored IPs like every other niche Xbox IP people ignored over the years.
Re: Xbox Celebrates 20 Years Of Forza Motorsport With Huge FM4-Flavoured Update
While cool and in need of for a return or a hillclimb.
I'd like to see Alpine Raceway return. Blue Mountains (Bathurst like it seemed). Or Shipyard. Among others. But I like seeing some hillclimbs or point to point as open world games exist but it isn't the same thing. Test Track. Other fictional ones. A gymkhana like track and minigames/other modes and event types.
Literally bought FM1 like a month or more ago and had a blast. It's way better then 2 being graphics but less tracks I cared for and the improvements are there but 1 just has more going for it especially point to point events or the few differences.
FM2 felt like GT3 graphics first but unlike GT3 it has less to it to be appealing because the test track is only in the opening events while FM1 has more going on of the other tracks besides the big test track in full that FM2 breaks apart more.
FM2 has benefits but none of the customisation matters to me and the physics sure but otherwise the content drop was noticeable. So to me FM1 has been a blast to play for it's time. FM3 & 4 have differences but don't feel worse then either to me of events or presentation. They have different content sure but neither feel inferior.
FM5 to 7 vary and 6 is too hand holding while 5 and 7 I can quick out to any event. FM1 to 4 don't have as big of a class focus that modern racing games do to bore me and their boring race, drift, derby but 2 events only. When we got so many and GT7 keeps up where FM8 fails to do what FM1-7 did of event variety. So a hillclimb is nice but it doesn't change much.
V Rally 4 was like lets have 5 types of events and vehicle classes. Yet 2, 2 and 1 are the same in their own way based on their rally formula. So to me it made no difference.
So this track is cool but I mean the rules aren't that different really to use it. It's why Midnight Club LA didn't impress me the event rules were so who cares of difference. A street versus a highway versus others (besides pink slip, but even Juiced had like 3 different drift event types rules for it besides other race ones and pink slip and is circuit/menu based, even NFS series older entries have impressed me more) didn't really seem different enough so I didn't see the point in it. Sure the atmosphere, nostalgia (I didn't have that and I don't judge by nostalgia, I judge by quality, I'm buying games I have never played niche or popular) but the events aren't compelling at all of rule variation to me to be exciting. So the presentation meant nothing to me compared to other circuit, rally, street or open world games at all.
Even touge would nice to see return in any racing games. It's sad Grid had it in the first game then dropped it. TXR is nice to see but the Drift sub series mattered to me more then the highway battle ones like the main series.
Or even better event variety cough bowling or others Forza Motorsport dev team, where it is?
Where is sprint aka 1 lap magic as the GT name that came first but Forza Motorsport 6 and 7 did fair with.
Where is the event variety in games these days?
Re: South Of Midnight Is Now Available To Preload On Xbox Game Pass
Fair. Am interested to see how this game goes. Looked more my thing then the others.
With this, Doom in May and Towerborne which sure on Windows available but Xbox not yet, will we hear more about that as it's a more niche title I on occasion see mention of but not enough. Not my kind of game just curious where the advertising is for it on Xbox news sites besides the more particular ones. I haven't seen social media presence on it really though.
Re: Opinion: Wreckfest 2's Xbox Release Seems To Be Ages Away, But That Might Be For The Best
Wreckfest 1 was good but to me has limits I found boring like many modern racing games. The physics were fair.
Wrecreation looks like a more creative game. So 2 will be fine for what it is going for.
I'm fine with no licenses, I prefer it. More creativity. The style/what it's going for is great. We don't see many of it's type. Like Flatout but modern to compare or not. Wreckfest is a good thing to see in the really stagnant racing genre.
But progression/event variety bothers me in EVERY single racing game these days Indie or AAA/AA.
Just give me the vehicles with some bowling, some touge, gates, whatever objects, what weather, what gimmicks, some hitting scrap, using scrap, something original, some events or hubs with scrap in interesting dynamic ways.
Something to fit the tone/environment of Wreckfest. I'd take real vehicles/look alikes in space/other worlds even then grounded we see.
Even shooters are so bland and static maps. Hero ones sure abilities have to work around them but others don't do anything interesting with their maps and they feel lifeless, so they don't have that excuse. So yes I want them to use the scrap or rough tone and actually do more in the world with it. But they won't.
AI whether of opponents or people in stands or otherwise sure but mostly progression/event types were and are always my problem with racing games in the modern era.
It's like seeing analogue type tech in games like the Invisible or Ratchet 1, yet we see shiny sci-fi all the time.
Hot Lap Racing, Grid, Gravel, and more. I enjoy but again have limits and do the bare minimum.
The mix of vehicle types was good, didn't change much between them so didn't care for them at much, but visually was fair/physics fair between the many types, but the races/derbies back and forth for 20+ hours is very boring.
Played many games with more layouts or event types and had way more fun or some that blend them well of focus besides the 2 event types progression but I still would critique them as my issues with them they just hide it better.
The NFS Shift 1/2009 too much open ended to like half the event access to end game was just kind of worthless.
There is making it accessible but when it's so open it feels worthless or repetitive and like I don't care enough for that progression and the want to play them.
It's why I just played it in a challenge way to not upgrade anything or buy any cars and I still had access to the end game ones. Sigh. So I played half the game to follow that challenge mentality.
I may play it to completion but didn't on purpose. So the challenge didn't bore me. I play enough games properly then in a challenge way if I like the game enough and see where it really shines of progression, physics, upgrades, and other factors.
If the tedium/restrictions to make a game work shine versus not. Good tedium/restrictions work for good games. Bad is too much.
The lack of event types really bothered me. Even V Rally 4 has like what 2 of the same, 2 of the same and 1 slightly different of rules. But that variety is so paper thin.
We just don't get event variety anymore and it really annoys me in modern racing games unless it's like Inertial Drift, most don't and it's just sad. Just modes isn't that hard to have a few different rules and same disciplines of racing. They just don't want to put the effort in.
Re: Pick One: If Xbox Acquired One Ubisoft IP, Which Should It Be?
@Daniel1221 I totally agree.
Re: Metro Fans Are 'In For Quite The Ride' As 4A Games Provides Update On Exodus Sequel
Interesting to see it going even after Exodus and the VR one. I own the first 2 games and they are great. Take getting used to be not a bad thing. Exodus didn't really care for that much not a bad game but just didn't appeal to me and VR seems fair for the series.
Whatever they have planned still I guess.
Re: Pick One: If Xbox Acquired One Ubisoft IP, Which Should It Be?
Even besides the Ubisoft cloud stuff.
I mean Assassin's Creed, Tom Clancy games (Division/Siege make sense why, even if Splintercell or Ghost Recon would be nice) or Far Cry I can see why for money.
But I mean there is a reason I care about Red Steel 2 or Rayman games. Prince of Persia as well. But I mean Blinx, Voodoo Vince and more exist yet don't get expanded upon. Among other IPs.
Just Dance money makes sense.
Just more shooters is too easy for Xbox but other genres need more benefits even if many of the execution doesn't appeal to me as much of some publishers/devs directions.
Immortals Fenix Rising was fair.
Anno would fit but they have Flight Sim (not the same I know), Rise of Nations (not touched often as it could be), Age of Empires as it is. So city builder versus strategy sure but even still I don't know if Microsoft cares that much. Settlers same thing. Good games for their genre but Microsoft sort of has equivalents. Like Forza Horizon to compete with The Crew.
Brothers in Arms would be great to see but like any games of it's era, setting is why, even though the mechanics are interesting/feel of the games are very different they'd be modernised and lose what made them stand out I think.
Trackmania is alright but will keep going regardless. Not much Xbox needs with it really compared to Forza Horizon.
The Crew who knows as it competes really.
Driver needs a come back, use that shift mechanic or just in general stands out in the open world space still. It's like Battlefield 2 Modern Combat give that swap/jump mechanic EA use it please.
Call of Juarez PSN/Xbox Live Arcade digital only game i got on Switch and got Bound for Blood on PS3 physical I'm interested in them somewhat. Won''t happen but still interested.
Far Cry and go anywhere and work, AC games can and do. Tom Clancy games always work for them.
Watch Dogs has the potential just how they go about it. The perks of Legion was cool just not as used well as it could. But like Under The Skin that has perks too but it's too niche for Capcom to revive let alone gameplay design care about it's design. Like Space Station Silicon Valley to me it is more impressive then Biomutant for animal abilities but has a cool gas immunity and vehicle uses but not much besides wow apocalyptic animals..... cool. It lacks moveset appeal.
Zombi/Zombi U is just not going anywhere that's clear. It had fair ideas of the Gamepad, Fable Legends and ZombiU's MP were cool of villain summoning enemies and those that survive. Besides the zombie with your gear to get back and new character each time.
Their other niche games are great but won't get a second look at all anyway of Child of Light or Valiant Hearts or anything like that. Sure Pentiment but I mean exceptions exist they don't always happen.
Re: Phil Spencer 'Excited' About Xbox Copilot, An AI Tool That Helps Players Finish Games
Part 2:
Even trying to explain how the portal works a few days ago was a challenge, it's really basic but confusing still. As if the YT app cast icon on the phone or setting up a TV with a QR code sure, anything too far it too much or they don't do that and don't get basic things.
How hard is it to say this tech has been around for 10-15 years, you have a screen, a moden/router or whatever in-between and another screen. Dual screens are complex but I guess explains it better of information use case then the same screen cast twice but some people are just too stupid to come up with reasons, keep asking and can't have a creative idea themselves as to why it matters because they go why do I need this, ask the same question because it doesn't effect their lives while other things just as pointless do. XD Logic and preferences.
Some things are just a 'because we can' and I get that but other times I mean that can apply to anything really. But people favour so many socialising and other nonsense yet don't question it. They have to say something/feel something. XD
In other cases both audiences get confused for different because it's not well explained in an app, game, whatever the case of what's compatible, what actions to take, etc. Process can be a pain if not communicated well. So an AI can help but it's mostly just human error or confusion of what is being asked of the human to do.
Re: Phil Spencer 'Excited' About Xbox Copilot, An AI Tool That Helps Players Finish Games
AI partner would be nice. But then again just make the games better,, no require a bot/second player even, or whatever else of design. We used to have cheats or debug menus or even just work arounds.
It's why I hate when they do this go 'oh this solution works' all because they can't look past how others see the factors and they go oh it has no issues, writes a whole new technology for something that just requires a few lines of code or a few tweaks to make it better visible or readable or understandable of context. XD
AI has a place but some of it's uses are hilariously stupidly used, over-engineered and more. XD Humanity stupidity due to lack of clarity.
They could just you know design a scale of levels. I've wanted different types of puzzles to be the thing for each difficulty for years in adventure games with them, but it's too much effort for designer/programmers to make happen. XD Among other things.
Games are easy as they can be nowadays for us players so to me they are boring as they are down to the bare minimum so if they still too complex it''s too much information or garbage skill trees, boring missions so basic of human character movesets it's boring or other factors but it is still fundamentally just up to the casual to just play and understand not want to rush or seek other things in a game for their reasons.
They work with what the devs have given them, we hardcore get that to the point when recommending/describing a game what a game's limits are, yet casuals have other things for reference/lack of understanding how narrow a game is while we know the limits/scale broadness. It's that easy to narrow down even.
That's the casual's fault not the game developers. Do they get that NO. Because they can't read humans when they should be able to it doesn't take a psychologist to do that. Just a logical enough brain/reading how people are and how they would approach things, how puzzles are designed, combat, stealth, missions, modes, etc. I look at game design as I play all the time. I do when I read books how characters/tropes are, events play out, I listen to the structure of music instrumentation/sampling.
It's really not that hard to end up doing it besides relaxing.
Explain the tutorials better, offer better gameplay that isn't boring, not a search engine help file/FAQ with responses because the staff don't have time or can't see past themselves design others can see issue in and get stuck/confused about it or are happy with the design and they refuse to change it. XD
Otherwise just make things better explained or is that too hard?
Some things we players/customers get, that casuals don't for reference. Or other factors. We get used to the personality/ins and outs better than they do for example of marketing or how gimmicks are used or whatever. Or we seek to answer the questions ourselves. How they explain goals/missions, sometimes it's dialogue, sometimes it's a blatant marker, it varies what it's asking of the player.
Re: Xbox Teases More 'Shadow Drops' As Game Pass Fans Go Wild Over Upcoming Lineup
Fair lineup. Besides South of Midnight nothing really for me. But it's fair. My tastes are too different even though I play all genres.
I'm still playing more retro then anything modern unless it's Switch or PS4/Xbox One old releases that's it. Switch is my PS5/Series X access of games I am interested in and anything needing more power, sure I have access to the consoles (but I never use them, family do, I couldn't care less, I refuse to buy my own because there is nothing there for me to play of interest, any that do I know their design isn't good enough, or any others are my level of AA sub par enjoyment but they flop regardless/I'd buy them anyway so what difference does it make, my 1 sale of contribution means nothing XD),
I still don't care for 99% of them because their gameplay design doesn't appeal to me, the level design, movesets, modes/events or mechanics just aren't exciting at all so why would i bother. So in turn their worlds/story/settings don't matter to me, are they appealing sure, but if the gameplay isn't why would I buy/play them. They don't appeal to me on the factors I'm looking for.
Re: Multiple 'Gears Collection' Rumours Now Suggesting PVP Could Be Skipped Entirely
While many PS3/360 games on PS4/Xbox One cut multiplayer if the singleplayer was the focus. I do think it's odd to do so for Gears, that community is large for multiplayer so it would be a bit sad to cut it even if a lot of work.
I like the Uncharted 3 MP story co-op chapters. The online multiplayer PVP or wave after wave eh pass. But the story co-op ones is why I keep the PS3 version besides the differences in PS4 versions of the games being fine enough. Most others yeah I don't care their servers are dead and most don't mean much to me so the singleplayer is enough for me.
Sure MCC was a mess but I mean do we trust 343/Halo Studios no. XD It took them a while to work around it to what it is now before the PC versions even.
Whoever is working on this Gears collection should just make sure they handle it well of online co-op, split screen and whatever they can of a multiplayer suite.
Collection or 1 at a time to really get them right. 1 at a time is better to maintain. But knowing Microsoft or how studios function it won''t happen, sigh.
Then again is 1 based on the Ultimate edition remaster or just the 360 version?
I have no interest in these but even I know multiplayer is important to many people. I only played the singleplayer. I played Halo split screen multiplayer sometimes but mostly the campaign co-op split screen then gave up on 5 and it's terrible execution/no split screen and played it myself years later solo and it was, ok.
As I own the series on 360/4 Xbox One already besides 5 I played on Gamepass and didn't finish but even still. I don't care to get better versions at all. I'm happy on the old versions/got other games I'd rather play anyway. I'll replay the series when I feel like it. I tried 1 again and it was alright. But I have plenty of other third party shooters of PS3/360/Wii or PS2/Xbox/GameCube I'd rather play instead singleplayer.
For those that haven't and to get money from other platform customers or Gears fans willing to jump in again I mean they better handle them well.
Re: Xbox Series X|S Sales Down Almost 50% As Fans Question Stock Levels In Certain Regions
Understandable because of whatever games come around, or people buying/selling the console for their use cases.
Towerborne won't sell much, Avowed may. South of Midnight could but I doubt it. A sports game/COD game, or bundle of those.
Or other types of games/colour variations.
Why not different colours, game branded ones to line up with different games, old ones, new ones, have a third party controller they make a deal with and console bundle with a particular theme.
That gets collectors buying more then 1 system or people jumping on board right? That works. Nintendo does it and it gets many to buy their systems. Xbox/Sony on occasion do.
Otherwise I assume they don't care, they make enough controller designs and will continue to do that I guess rather then care about the consoles and just push for software/apps/streaming it seems.
Or a digital only next Xbox I guess, whatever it's series/next gen family name will be besides it's possible besides the prior designs/mockup a few years ago now.
Re: Xbox Co-Creator Calls VR 'Disappointing' As Sony Slashes Price Of PSVR2
Part 2:
If I can think up Foamstars and foam/surfboard modes (building contest, foam clean up, surfboard races/others, chemicals/traps on maps and more) by watching the trailer it means I have a creative mind and they don't and need to do better because if a customer can think it up with a good enough game logic to apply and they put 2 done to death modes other games have done & want money. That's on them.
But I'd be classed as got my head in the clouds or I don't work for them. Well that's just stupid because I came up with something as suggestions, players want worlds not gameplay it shows in the garbage/repetitive gameplay we see and world/story push all the time I'm sick to death of, they clearly should on the job and aren't. I'm not getting paid for it yet I can swap between creative state and customer state. It's not that hard. If people can casual and professional how is it any different.
Just because most players don't come up with suggestions for games to be better. Expect them to be good and read our minds somehow. XD
VR can be anything of apps and games, make a time travel app, make experiences, but no devs complain and go waaah only a cockpit works (as if other games have proven possiblities to releplay or control this and even badly used motion controls and I can play Wii/Move games and adapt to the weird VR controls because I have a brain and like to think about what games have done structurally for gameplay. It's why I can sound like a mean harsh person but it's because I care and they aren't pushing their potential enough I know can happen they just choose not to or it's too costly and make up excuses).
No it doesn't some people just don't have the tech or creativity mentality, stuck and don't have an imagination to dream bigger, smaller, balanced ideas. Bunch of uncreative hypocrites.
But devs have no ideas, we aren't in the PS2/Xbox era where all platforms had gimmicks but still experimental game design to adapt to sticks or rumble or other things. Yet the Wii comes around and people go oh this gimmick ew get it away when the others were natural over time and going oh a d-pad/sticks oh this is different.
Chicken and egg of publishers/devs that make garbage games/are too lazy/won't spend the money to build an audience and have no fictional imagination anymore just look we recreated a city or the same generic stuff for audiences and their passion for it for 20+ years of PS3/360 it's hilarious the people that grew up, are past their teens/20s and are boring aged people with no imagination anymore.
You get the odd ones that are but most seem to be so stagnant. Publishers/execs demands is one thing but veteran devs that split off make this clear as well. Too much into their own past IPs, make the same thing different license, very few make anything new. Sure the risks but come on, your making the same thing but salty about it. What imagination/trend following/repeated passion and I'm still not going to buy their games. There is comfort, live service/other publisher game design demands, and sprinkling something else to their games.
Like come on.
Re: Xbox Co-Creator Calls VR 'Disappointing' As Sony Slashes Price Of PSVR2
Game taste is subjective but I find tons of niche games on any failed or popular platforms to play. So I never have issues. It doesn't have to be a Borderlands/Skyrim or Half Life Alyx all the time. People just don't want to look. I don't have to be a child to have an open mind, but many adults seem to not in their line of work or as customers.
Devs/players are too reality brained and not fiction/anything can be possible mentality enough in jobs/games or any media's possibilities. So we get safe story/camera angles, worlds, gameplay, tone, etc.
It took from PSP to Portal to get people to understand it. Think about that. People still may not understand it. Price was high sure PS5 & PSVR2 but I mean, Meta and downgraded games, or a PC headset and PC specs. Come on. Different audiences/money they will put forward, yet may PS5 Pro, or another smartphone after a few years besides plans.
Kinect/VR sure, medical or non gaming but it's also because devs/gamers don't have any ideas and I get frustrated as I always have some for games. I play old games because I get inspired, modern games inspire me to talk movesets/modes for them they lack because old games had their better ideas and not to copy paste old games, but new ideas because of the experimentation they have I get inspired with random ideas. If I can do it a developer can. But doesn't and we get repeating history Indie garbage. Or AAA trend following garbage.
Games or any media builds up to popular/effective it isn't magically big, they afraid of niche/building things up again nowadays are they? You can't 100% know how to engineer the perfect appealing game can you. You can try whatever worked in the past or understood enough ideas and spin them off, or something completely new but people are just too lazy to. Polls or just appealing enough with any random ideas.
People having time sure but I can have time between busy periods and still come up with random gameplay ideas for games while they make dull games. It's how I use my mind that they don't. I just like to research gameplay or developers, publishers, mechanics, I put the research effort in. They are too lazy to develop anything good enough so we see casual dumbed down games or reality focused nonsense because they can't think up even anything with magical properties enough. Lime come on you can animate or program anything, yet can't be bothered.
Seriously. It's hilarious some creative industry people that just can't be bothered and complain. Or will go that doesn't make sense, well it's better then your non-ideas coming out isn't it. If context is key and it's explained well anything is possible. It's fiction. Anything can happen. XD
If I as a collector among other collects can tell quality gameplay/worlds and more apart between games, their budget, do they actually land enough and many times yes for competition or on it's own and others can't or aren't willing to research that's on them. If devs can't come up with ideas they need to think more in the constraints they have.
Just because gamers/developers have their expectations set higher is up to them.
When you get responses like oh a cockpit works, we can't come up with any good ideas. It's a load of nonsense, they aren't creative enough to use fiction.
Re: Talking Point: As Skype Shuts Its Doors, An Old Xbox Feature Retires To The History Books
I'll pass, they did what they did to the app. I used it a few times. I'm not moving to Teams.
Re: Two Decades Later, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Is Making Its Xbox Debut
Fair to see them come to PS/Xbox, last time an RCT game was on Xbox was OG so good to see it come back here.
Thing is yeah I got the Classic 1 & 2 on Switch and skipped the 3 and Adventures (I know is terrible) discounts.
I think Classic and 3 should go to PS/Xbox they are great.
I'm not big on the UI for classic and some presentation like park order is odd but I guess it makes sense. Quality of life is fair, challenge is fair.
I own 3 on PC as well as 1 & 2 with a few expansions but yeah on console is nice to see.
Enjoyed Theme Hospital, wasn't big into Two Point Campus and I assume Two Point Hospital might be the same, fair expanded ideas, but progression change that while makes sense I also don't like some aspects of compared to Theme Hospital which I prefer.
Re: How Microsoft Managed Xbox Brand 'Is Not My F**king Fault', Says OG Xbox Creator
He is right. I've never wanted to use older consoles more, console gimmicks/seek better game design & ignore 3rd party PS4/Xbox One, eh 1st party on both, no care for Xbox Series/PS5.
Eh PS/Xbox. Old or Switch/PS4 on occasion for me. Xbox business wise sure, customer eh.
2017+ I've been collecting & getting odd AA/Indies that aren't nostalgia/underbaked ideas besides genre branching out as well to tactics, hack n slashes, visual novels, etc. Not just because action adventure, shooters, racing, platformers have been terrible since. Indies & AA/AAA.
I respect games I don't play. 2024 I didn't respect any/many. Besides what I didn't/did buy new 2024 PS4/Switch. I am very picky on 3rd party, ignore 1st party or buy niche Nintendo IPs.
Peripherals, console gimmicks software/hardware wise & games are so boring/unconvincing to me I'd rather play 30+ PS2/Wii/PS3/360 games & 1 Switch game to story completion & that is it. Besides odd challenges of old games.
That's how much I don't care. I'd rather use my Xbox One X as a YT box (while eating breakfast or in general) or a blu-ray player for anime.
Then I would back compat, Soundcloud (no interest in Spotify) or a single Xbox game of this gen let alone 2017+ like I dropped off PS4/refuse to touch a PS5. Xbox One had ok games. Series gen (not because multiplat, I mean the games execution is boring on any platform they end up on).
Hi Fi Rush was fair, but I've seen Indies do what it does just as well. Still good game though.
Even Space Marine 2 was 1st game with ok tweaks/other races (format was obvious, I played 1 & 2 back to back) not pushed enough, fair but eh.
I don't want a cheaper PC. I want a console to have it's own ideas besides hardware. Switch's gimmicks don't impress me compared to Wii U even for how far it went when DS was better & Wii U underused besides my own wishes for it & dual screen phones are eh use cases.
But they are still more interesting of games & size for Indies/AAs, besides Nintendo niche IPs.
Not a single Xbox/PS game has impressed me. No compelling gameplay ideas even if spun off a tad, none of them have, nothing exciting for the genres, just games to put out each period is all they are, stagnant, boring games, products with boring personality, movesets, characters, boring worlds, boring design & I've played better never before heard/played 5-7th gen titles, not nostalgia, quality differences, gameplay ideas more competitive then todays trends compared to past trends/original titles.
I wouldn't be collecting them and excited to collect these old trends besides making it a goal to collect old platformers, shooters, racing, other genres, if I didn't care somewhat about what they offered, none of those trends or titles appeal to me today because they just aren't appealing at all. Their bland. It's not that era I miss it's the quality/priorities are different. The design principles are different. How they are treated is different and boring. How to make entertainment boring, they have proven it easily.
Nothing actually fun in my eyes to play. I don't even want evolving ideas I just find none of them to be fun.
South of Midnight a little bit. It's no Kena, close. I don't care for platform. I don't care about Xbox variety/PS similar enough cinematic/boring Astro/Sackboy/Ratchet/GT series directions.
Nintendo variety/ok execution of some games over others, PS1-3/PSP/Vita, OG Xbox/360 era.
Forza Motorsport reboot would have but nope. Waste of time.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Happy With The Current Xbox UI As It Stands In 2025?
Lacks customisation, sucks to navigate at all. A lot of internet sucking garbage on the top level and underneath. A terrible storefront that's worse then it was before. I liked it isolated now the button is a pain to close this is back to Windows 8 task manager to close them but with the app active and closing it so the updates function on the Xbox.
It's the worst console UI or OS in general I've ever seen. Microsoft made the most pathetic piece of garbage I've ever seen/wanted to avoid using.
Prefer Blades/Metro of 360 and 2013 and maybe 3rd of Xbox One and 3rd Series X one (I assume were in the 4th of Xbox Series now right?). That's it. the rest are terrible to look at and navigate to anything.
I keep an Xbox One VCR/OG offline to avoid it even. Sure it won't get the later Xbox One games but I don't care. I wouldn't do it for a Blades 360 either as games over UI even if I prefer Blades or the Metro of 360 Dashboards over any Xbox One dashboard besides the 2013 one that the 2017 era cut the features of.
But wow may to offer customisation, cut it and make it even worse.
The back end settings is the same and still confusing why they haven't changed it is beyond me I hate it.
The Xbox One X runs like garbage on launch then balances out. Why? I hate internet web pages that are too fancy and garbage to load. It's by design and I hate it. Stop pushing performance that doesn't need to be pushed. I'm not upgrading because of your bad designs by designers/artists and bad programming skills of all your staff.
When Fruteger Aero of Windows Vista./7 and more particular design of futuristic or common objects of iPhones of old looks more intense yet was better to run on devices then the flat but performance hogging garbage of nowadays because of terrible backends with spyware and trash it proves a point. XD Simple and flat sure but runs like garbage for how minimal it is that it shouldn't have issues, I don't think that's acceptable at all.
0/1000
Re: 20 Of The Best Backwards Compatible Games You Can Play On Xbox
Binary Domain, Split Second (no Blur is sad), Time Splitters, Black 2006 I can understand, Fable maybe.
Burnout is overrated. I near beat Revenge on PS2, own 360 version to look at the bad lighting and that's it.
Otherwise the rest are overrated and pass. Decent sure, best, eh got other IPs I'd rather see back compat on OG Xbox then play those 360 games.
Even other 360 games I'd rather see back compat that aren't.
I have different IP/gameplay preferences, not whatever story/theme/worlds/whatever animations and context. I get why for presentation sake but there is a reason I preferred PS2/Wii/PSP versions, gameplay not presentation I don't care about. So oh they may be dull to look at or decent at level design. Yeah but I still wanted to beat them/binge them on understood hardware regardless of how dull they dull compared to presentation that's modern, dull and boring.
I didn't want to play a Burnout 5 or boring bland Hot Pursuit 2010 on 360/Remastered, I binged the Wii version. Don't tell me my fun isn't real if the presentation or gameplay and different arcadey feel or goal of audience was intended on the Wii version and it shows.
Cutting things out of PS2/Wii Sonic Unleashed over PS3/360 version open world nonsense parts or whatever different levels sure as some can't be flashy or do-able on PS2/Wii. Doesn't bother me.
If a good idea happens it happens. Battlefront 3 was limited to keeping what they could of Elite Squadron and sure cutscenes on PSP but even still. They still had it besides how the PS3/360 would have been more natural transition. No Man's Sky had to do it on PS4 because no one cared to follow up or offer that kind of theming/idea again. I'm not saying NMS was inspired by it. I'm saying someone was willing to execute that idea. Haven Call of the King did it more segments on PS2 in 2002 for endgame. Tell me devs don't care in some shape or form for some ideas and others don't for the bare minimum of boring worlds/other priorities for audiences when I'd rather see other things happen in games that don't. When is my hivemind robot/insect learning, forgetting, creating their own moves from enough aspects made to allow for it. Nowhere, don't need AI, I need animators to put the effort in and programmers to work around it. But nope. Aka laziness and good idea I thought up myself. XD
Re: Poll: Xbox Fans, What Review Score Would You Give Avowed So Far?
Part 3:
I found Cyberpunk's AI to be pathetic and not good even besides it's fixes, them having enough tasks to do is one thing, having an economy change or actually things going on is a more alive world. That's what that is not just oh they have enough of characters pretend paying or looking like it yes more so and making things but barely doing anything.
I care more for a hive mind/gaining, losing, creating their own abilities (not just a shadow Link/Mario, I mean literally all enemies or a certain 1 or 2 classes are mimics that take attacks, remove attacks or create their own from a selection of them and have enough different kicks, punches, guns or whatever to work with from a list like a combo based game would) for robots or insects to use.
They have a good array of attacks to string together or change up on their own, that's more impressive to me and what I would care about then more believable NPCs and boring recreations of reality or fantasy/scif-i boring worlds. I want gameplay for the player in abilities, interesting level design or enemy AI, not more lived in static worlds that are boring. Quests already suck in games I want gameplay quests not dialogue/talk/collect/escort/repetitive garbage.
The industry has other priorities & boring/dull. Audiences want things. I don't care about living worlds they are boring, I hate recreations of reality. That's boring I want fiction/gameplay to actually lend themselves, be original something most people don't get.
I hate pop culture references I find it lazy writing yet people only question fan service. It's the same distraction writing excuse only one is more accessible of I know this IRL thing or tv show/movie, or recreating moments from them or reselling a song for licensing/sales not just because the lyrics or tone aligns like they want you to believe it does. It's to suit businesses more.
Yes even Indies lacking potential, not underskilled nature, potential they refuse to work towards, copy paste/nostalgia garbage & empty games/eh trends. Art teacher like standards I have for them. Not illusionary passion/easy garbage. Pathetic.
Let alone better shooter animations.
It was who cares and didn't effect much) and dialogue is too much the focus.
Re: Poll: Xbox Fans, What Review Score Would You Give Avowed So Far?
Part 2:
Outer Worlds besides it's tone had more personality to be silly/serious but still balance things. Other games as well. This feels like Obsidian trying to fit in with other AAA empty worlds of dialogue/personality (or the schedule Microsoft sets besides a few throughout the year even besides no idea what Towerborne/Contraband are even I forget the marketing is so bad)
and it feels sanitized or PC audience which isn't bad but for a console audience or those wanting better dialogue/gameplay pacing it doesn't have to be arcade enough for them but the dialogue even for me as someone ok with visual novels it's pretty bad of dev passion, not some audiences pacing they'd like.
To me it's choices and dialogue pacing it felt how I do with Steam World Heist 2 recently the dialogue was so much fluff I didn't care about, odd fair jokes at times but so much fluff then I'd go oh that key word/part to know finally.
Some writers/designers care too much about the lore/their worlds and I just don't care. I want to play it not read it/have your mentality for immersion that I will never have so why force it on me with that type of pacing. XD
Avowed isn't but feels like how I do visual novel tactics games. Disgaea or Valkyria Chronicles even Diofield Chronicle besides it's uses balances it cutscenes I think.
Utawarerumono had like 3 hour visual novel scenes [even if Avowed isn't that but still enough dialogue/choices that only do so much, like who cares about good/bad news, just say it and move on or enough to justify it, it's too much a book at times] (if I'm in a visual novel mood even I can read that sure sometimes, but a tactics game too much VN scenes is too much sometimes) and few tactics parts and the tactics parts you'd have to grind at those points only, repeat parts areas sure but not mid visual novel bits.
No idea if the others fixed that but even still. It's draining depending what your seeking of pacing when like I said. Disgaea balances it's story visual novel parts and combat. Others don't and drag on to fill in gaps/have too much story.
The world (I wasn't expecting NPCs with more to their jobs I know Obsidian, I understand what this game was their ideas even if some are weak it's not the NPCs or the world it's more the eh focus on graphics and the lore push.
Had this conversation with someone else and yeah it's too much focused on telling a story then the action/arcadey feel or other priorities. Story/graphics strikes again many developers sigh.
I don't hate the stiff characters but yeah.... Some animations aren't great.
Bugs are what they are to a degree.
I don't put the 'this doesn't evolve' on every dev I don't expect that from Obsidian anyway.
Re: Poll: Xbox Fans, What Review Score Would You Give Avowed So Far?
7/10. Slow pacing, ok gameplay, needs cursor thickness settings, better 3rd person elements, it's too serious, Outer Wilds even if maybe similar to play at times had more of a better tone balance.
There is a good game in here but too much dev passion & not better pacing or exciting design or quality of life needed, I don't want to say rushed as Obsidian can clearly get games out quickly with some quality to it but I mean it does seem like some cut corners at times or too much in the dev's own heads then a customer appealing product at times.
I am a gameplay missions type or modes type so to me I didn't play Avowed I can only go off footage/another playing I hear their responses from IRL. To me it seems it's quests are pretty dull, if you want dialogue and sub par quests sure. Like many RPGS I don't find the dialogue fun and the tasks boring. So I can't rate them.
It feels too PC like or too dumbed down for a audience and I think it's too much of either of those or just kind of dull. It's too focused on what the devs find passion in not what the audience finds passion in (no I don't mean the NPCs or world innovations they seek I don't even care about that at all I want other things not those in any game/genre).
This isn't even my type of game but from watching I get a sense of it already.
I respect the game but I also think it has limits, I respect Obsidian, I don't have high hopes for this game and to bash it by any means I respect the studio no doubt it's just a bit awkward of a game at times. I understand enough of what they were going for.
Avowed being like Pillars or others but different character angle or other differences is fine but it's a bit too much the artists, designers, programmers, animators and writers wanted to push the lore or the bare minimum at times, fair dual wielding combat with some odd lack of quality of life, too much dialogue choices, stiff character animations besides standing there being totally fine just the mouth and some ok but not great facial animations/expressions it's jarring.
It has moments but is still lacking. I've played PS3/360 games enough I literally beat 28 PS2/Wii/PS3/360 games that varied in genre and design (not RPGs but still) besides research in 2024, I think I know what that era feels like of shooters, platformers, racing and action adventure ones before the open world with dull aspects to them or parts of what Elder Scrolls, Fable or linear Kingdom Under Fire or others offer. Even if I didn't play western RPGs of that era I have a decent idea. I have gotten by on many of them.
A small world is not a bad thing at all but the pacing/flow/what you do isn't that exciting unless your a dialogue person. But we have seen 100s of fantasy games do the same to death things just tweaked slightly so it's not exactly that exciting is it? Comfort sure, but passion I mean the devs have it, the world doesn't show it well enough is what I think. Dialbo 4 a different game, is more arcadey, and dead looking. I've seen others with more personality for how dark they are.
Re: Xbox & Activision Seemingly Set To Release New Tony Hawk Remaster
So was 3 & 4 actually happening and the rest was just rumours. Not surprised.
Well Guitar Hero/Rockband are in whatever state.
Pitfall won't compete with Tomb Raider/Uncharted/Indy because Activision are lazy. Or try something else. Why not.
Or COD OG Xbox games to revive for more digital money or people using the back compat service with disks.
TH games are great I just haven't played them much. I own a few even Skate 3. I just have barely touched them as more games to play. Even got SSX PS3/360 reboot or series name or whatever it was. It's ok.
Re: Avowed Is Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (February 18)
It's good but needs some tweaks. I don't like the 3rd person camera is half baked. It's 1st person first which is fine, but Borderlands 2 on 360 had better. Why this point at things, why not area magnetism. Do they only allow triggers of in area stuff for cutscenes. Why? Just have an area & highlight, or pick up all via menu to select from in area. I can come up with those in a few seconds.
Via an update sure but why not launch?
Fair dialogue history/lore option. Even Visual Novels did this. Or a glossary menu even. Terms/cutscene refresher.
Cross hair is too thin of lines & in sun invisible, too thin. No colour settings, no more designs, no thickness why?
If dual wielding & balancing of stats happens like Halo did I will find dual wielding pointless.
Compass/icons are too small. Developers & their screens/internet speeds are so comfortable yet forget people would like to see or not have to deal with things developers don't have because they are in the city with big monitors/TVs & good internet.
Like seriously console or PC, PC is worse for HUD scaling. With console/PC versions so similar these days it's even more annoying they go the PC HUD/DPI route and it's so stupid or don't offer scaling at all. Allow us to move HUD elements and scale them come on.
Why are they so incompetent at HUD size or text size at what 24 or something. Steam Deck/Portal it will be tiny by default with what on a TV around 8 or 11. Come on. No colourblind settings I could see either I think, why is the quality of life/accessibility not here. It's silly.
I want games to be more refined not 360 but too 360. Why waste 20+ years progress cough what progress as I go back and forth and find none has happened but visuals and we get oh it's being true to that.
I didn't play Spyro Reignited for it to be PS1 but I prefer the PS1 feel but in remake it's so heavy why? Jumps sucked and many other quality of life was just later abilities given early and for other games. Not replaced, what a waste. When PS1 feels better then a heavy garbage feeling why is floaty ignored. I hate heavy characters.
Besides racing even then I hate the physics in many these days but besides that the weight is handled well every other game has bad character feel.
Obsidian is great and I respect them and can get games out quick, but the polish and this budget/time it needs a bit more
I had updates as excuses.
Audiences don't care & want a game, not suggest anything or Devs too busy, may consider it/stuck up. Obsidian I assume are great but I'd like to see a few things implemented if possible.
I play 360 games still to this day, so to me I don't go oh it should feel like such & nostalgia over it. I don't nostalgia I want quality/ideas. Something this industry fails at.
It can have elements from that era but it shouldn't be close enough to it.
I hate history repeating & nostalgia garbage by Indies too nostalgic/inspired & lack prototyping potential to try out with no brains to make it better they don't have a brain, yet someone NOT making games can think things up in seconds & thinks games. I expect better but it's always visuals/garbage feel & game design.
Tell programmers/animations to get their butts into gear. I can to play a game not a art piece that moves for some.casuals that don't notice/care. I want quality & I see less quality every year & play retro games with their quality limitations in mind & go yep modern gaming hasn't changed in 20 years, complacent people/execs.
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
While they don't all interest me besides South of Midnight and some like Fable/Perfect Dark may be hit or miss.
I really like this roadmap. Some I'd forgotten like Towerborne so I think they need to market it a bit better.
Contraband I wasn't sure and like Concord, War Thunder/Frame and more I get confused with the names.
But a good mix of big stuff, some others forgotten like Towerborne or Clockwork.
State of Decay 3, Everwild, E Day and probably others may do fair.
But a good mix, fair times of the year and such. I'm impressed. It's probably what many companies try to achieve or we think about as customers/company following types and go ah yeah that is for this period.
Mara/Toys for Bob's projects not surprised that far out.
Nintendo has their side covered. Xbox does now. Sony has third parties in-between and the third parties for the others in their own way.
Re: Review: Avowed (Xbox) - Flashy Action & Excellent Exploration Make Up For A Surprisingly Breezy Narrative
Dual wielding, fair enough Outer World, Elder Scrolls, Pillars and Obisidian's own charm for a fantasy game to still stand out.
Sure the choices not surprised, but the world, character it has, companions could be hit or miss but even still. I think this is the design I want to see games go not companies making action adventure RPG lites and struggling with the trend/studios dying over it.
Not surprised some stiffness in there/some unpolished/good enough, but I think enough covers it up or enough is present for things to still work. But will see.
Or a bunch of average RPG even as a non RPG fan (unless tactics games) many seem very disappointing besides CRPGs it seems. Or however some JRPGs turn out.
Is it a game for me no, do I respect it, absolutely.
It doesn't have the kind of world design/quests/abilities/movesets (even besides dual wielding in a modern era game woo, I miss it from PS3/360 IPs) I care for but that doesn't make it a bad game.
Re: Two Games Announced For Xbox Game Pass Following PlayStation's State Of Play Event
Blue Prince looks really interesting.
The other is just lacking in compelling ideas/theming. Pass. It needs more.
Re: Roundup: The Early Previews Are In For Xbox's South Of Midnight
I think this game is great but combat needs more. If only 1 attack button besides skills and a execution button.
I'd other weapons sure, or doesn't need to have combos that's fine. But just more to interact with of enemies or environment objects or weapon modules.
Why not an explosive flower or some other environment stuff to stun or effect enemies.
Wall running, climbing is fine.
Platforming is good but scripted or lacking use of items for gqpe. I think more player freedom of thread platforms need to be there not overly scripted gaps it's just boring. More flexible placement in a water gap for example is nice to offer how they want to make platforms that's more fun. Not wow I can see that ghost outline, yeah clearly it's just too simple and boring.
Again nothing wrong with simple and I get it's what Chapter 3 or something but even still it needs a bit more as games that have simple platforming abilities usually stick to them.
Ones that are more flexible of say creating your ice platforms on water but still limited to the area or not powerful enough then yeah.
Mario Galaxy ice flower made me go wow. To offer ice platforms.
Other games can too. Ratchet therminator was ok of ice/after state. But partial platforms are more fun I think.
Otherwise the environments look great, story moments seem great for the people there.
Very Lena or Ratchet. Gives me Ride of the Tomb raider exclusive for a bit but I don't mind.
Microsoft needs a game like south of midnight I think.
Even then state of decay or others I think stand out or hi fi rush but just reach an audience Microsoft wants which is sad.
Re: Microsoft Is Assisting Development On Xbox Console Launch Exclusive 'Mecha BREAK'
Fair enough. I have seen the name, don't think much of it. Tried DAEMON X MACHINA it was ok....... But I'd still play a Senran Kagura or a Malicious Rebirth instead.
This screenshot doesn't show much but a hub I assume? The trailer is ok but really doesn't show much either of it's environments.
I prefer the Zone of Enders 2 or Battle Engine Aquila (the type that got me into mech games but had a good mix of and only nowadays branching out like have to other genres never played of tactics while others like hack n slashes did from Legend of Spyro and gone to many others over time) types at the moment.
Front Mission Evolved I didn't mind either. Nor did I Starfox approach of vehicle types spawning and the tunnels versus wide areas if need be.
So to me I haven't dived enough into mech games yet.
DAEMON X MACHINA to me was like while I like say tactics games with limited space in a mech game I find it a bit limiting. So the reverse for me of tactics games having paths, stop for combat, quests, etc. I prefer just menus/combat areas in those games, but Mario Rabbids to me blended the paths and things to see ever so slightly I was like ok I'm open to this.
Re: Wreckfest 2 Enters Early Access In March, But Xbox Players Will Have To Wait
Part 2:
Sigh this is just going to be as 'decent' as the first game but not as expansive as it could be isn't it. Sigh.
As good as the first game is is not a compliment.
It lacks modes or event types and just derby/races is something but like many with a race, time trial and drift, it's just so bland, modern game design blandness.
Then again open worlds push for so many dull talk, fight, collect, do basic things for idiots to understand. Why? We can't offer anything creative anymore. Just done to death and basic gameplay.
Driving a bus, seat mower, a motorised couch/sofa and more is cool but I mean that's 'visual and slight weight feel' it hardly changes the game that much.
Even Inertial Drift an Indie game can offer enough different time, drift and more rules to event types as good as a Juiced game can from 20 years ago.
Why is it modern veteran devs are so bad/lazy at offering some cone, fuel, gate, whatever event types, it's hilarious. It's always safe ideas, visuals, safe ideas, visuals. Come on.
No wonder people went oh 2D smoke trails & cell shaded characters in NFS Unbound. It's sad.
They go eh make 2 event types and recycle them for a few hours. It's so dull.
You can't sell a personality all the time or a safe one at that and barely appeal/barely push ideas enough and just go eh do this and move on to more visuals.
I can enjoy personality & more event types. They are fictional which is totally fine but don't require that time so why do they not do more with them?
Like how unimaginative are devs/customers? It's not nostalgia, it's looking for quality when there isn't any and games I've never played before till now/finding more.
Wrecreation better be good of a spin on things or else nah pass.