@everynowandben Well, if you managed to wrestle your way through the first, then the second one will almost feel like a warm, welcoming bath, or any other metaphor that might please you...
But you're welcome. And if you're even remotely interested in comics, then you should definitely read the original comics that these games are based upon: they're quite a bit better than either of the games.
@AJDarkstar That's basically how I feel about Game Pass as well. It's great that it offers so much value to others, so I definitely wouldn't want to deny anyone this service, but for me it just isn't interesting: too many games, too disposable, too little time to play most of them before they get pulled from the service and so on, and so on.
In that regard, I most definitely have to agree with Fares' comparison between Netflix and Game Pass, where the disposability of the service is more natural and/or acceptable.
Well, that will hopefully stop the dumb comments that you can play "all" OG Xbox titles on Xbox Series X. Hell, even on the Xbox One, you couldn't simply play all of the backwards compatible OG titles which do work on the Xbox 360.
One of the many, many reasons that I still own all of my Xboxes.
Of course, the problem of it lies in the different architecture compared to later Xbox models, which doesn't make it as simple as porting everything 1:1 from the 360, but as you can clearly see, browsing through the list above, the current number of OG Xbox titles compatible with Xbox One/Series X/S is pathetically small in comparison.
@NEStalgia I'm pretty sure that games will still be released under the Bethesda label as well. Vault will just be the umbrella under which they will all be published.
Will probably be something along the lines of a game displaying an intro like "Vault presents a Bethesda game" etc.
Wow, some damn good games there for ridiculously low prices.
I definitely want to highlight some of them, otherwise you people might miss out on some really great games.
People, do yourself a favor and get Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey if you're looking for a great RPG, especially don't miss out on the former. It came on two discs and it is MASSIVE. Also, if you're into third person shooters, do not miss out on Spec Ops: The Line. Great story, engaging gameplay and solid game all around.
If you want something entirely different and entertaining to scratch that first person shooter/action adventure itch, then give the two The Darkness games a go.
And if you're looking for a nice, entertaining hack 'n slash action RPG, you might just want to pick up Realms of Ancient War for just two bucks.
Anyway, I'll skip all the obvious candidates and big titles, because these are obvious no-brainers, and I'll end with saying that RTS fans should definitely pick up XCOM: Enemy Within. Another solid title in this list.
@everynowandben I own and enjoyed both games in the Darkness series, and what you describe, pretty much matches my sentiments. Mind you: I played the first one back in the day when it was still relatively new, so today's eyes are probably a lot more critical towards its features.
On a side note: I got the first game because I was a collector of the original comics series of The Darkness, so soon as I found out that they actually made a game about it, I just had to have it.
With the second game, they added some refinements, and the mechanics improved, so you could say they really got the hang of it there. Either way, I could already quite easily recommend both games, but at their current price, it's an absolute no-brainer...
Still don't know what to think of that "rebrand" news...
Considering that most of the (rather disgruntled) original staff and members from Rare left Microsoft to form their own new company, for the specific reasons of not being able to do the things they wanted/liked to do, and to now potentially return back into the fold, kind of feels like a tail between the legs move to me, but perhaps I'm a bit quick to judge here, so I'll reserve judgment for now ...
@electrolite77 Yeah, I guess that's the upside of it, being able to try out games a little more risk-free. And then buying, if you'd wish to do so, but as a kind of "Netflix for gaming", it just isn't for me, I guess.
But it's good that it's here, for those that do like it, because people should have options and choices, so I most definitely wouldn't want to deny other people the service, so in that respect, we most definitely do agree.
@electrolite77 Would definitely be something cool, to be part of all that.
As for Game Pass: even though I do use services like Netflix, I can't ever see myself liking and/or using disposable services like that in gaming. And because you basically have EVERYTHING available all at once, I find that it becomes less special.
Like letting the kid loose in the toy or candy store, telling him he can grab whatever he wants. But besides that, there's also the usually uneven in/out mechanism of titles going on.
On here, you literally see articles almost every week telling you that 8 titles will be leaving Game Pass, only to be followed the same day or a day later by another article, stating that 5 new titles will be added. What if I was still playing or interested in playing one of these titles that have been removed?
In that case, I might as well buy them straight away, instead of feeling forced to play and then buy them because Game Pass is pushing me to do so. Besides, I want FULL ownership of my games, so some kind of rent-a-thon is never going to be my thing.
And on top of all that, I just don't have the time anymore to dedicate that many hours to gaming, so I need to be a bit picky, or what usually happens, is that I've added the umpteenth title to my already massive back log...
Even if all online services would die down, or if I would never be able to own another physical game on any of the newer consoles, I'd still have more than enough games here already, to keep me busy for more than a life time, so I'm good either way.
Come to think of it, I actually wouldn't mind a full remaster of the original Call of Duty. Even the anniversary edition on PC looks terribly dated. Heck, they could even reimagine the second game.
Oh, my... I just had one of the worst days in the office since ages, and then I come home to find this wonderful news on PureXbox and suddenly my day is all good again. Really happy to see this highly entertaining classic return in it's full, brain-eating glory. I still own the original version on my Xbox 360, but if they bring out a shiny new remaster, even if only with minor upgrades, I'll definitely double-dip.
@Deadcow It's an absolute classic, and if you like free-roaming, mission-based destroy-a-thons, then this game should be on your list. It's a very entertaining and fun to play game, so you should definitely give it a try if any of that even remotely piques your interest.
Here's a video review, to give you an idea of what to expect:
@demian Not if it's a mutual agreement. A hostile takeover might be tricky, but that's not what this is about. And again: there's WAY more factors involved than just the price tag, so it isn't as simple as that.
Always difficult to take rumors seriously when they mention "knowing" which company it is about, but then turning around and saying that they can't reveal any ACTUAL info because of some BS "reasons".
If that's the case, just don't say anything at all, and forego your ten minutes of fame...
@demian There's WAY more other factors involved than just a market cap, so that isn't a decisive factor at all. And EA will never be bought out by another company, much like Ubisoft.
As mentioned in my first comment in this thread, which I edited yesterday, it would seem that Sega is now a likely candidate instead. And they do have a long history as well, after all, going back all the way to the Dreamcast.
@Terrin It's not nearly as crazy as you think it is. They're a multi-media company, with large and long tentacles in various other branches.
Microsoft may look bigger, but they're basically "just" an IT company, albeit arguably the world's foremost one, but still more in a dedicated sector of business, even though they have diversified somewhat, but not nearly as wide as Vivendi.
And I did say more powerful, as in: more influential in media, which is something that Vivendi definitely is. It was a VERY hard battle for Ubisoft to stay out of their clutches, which already goes to show you how powerful they are. Microsoft would not have been able to duplicate the exact actions that Vivendi have taken over the last couple of years.
I myself have been in IT-related sales & marketing as a sales manager & team lead for well over 15 years, so I do happen to know a thing or two about how these things go behind the scenes and where the real, sometimes not immediately visible strengths of companies lie, and it's not always as clear and cut as it would initially seem.
People mentioning PlayTonic are WAY off the mark. Compared to Bethesda, that's not even a dwarf, but more something along the lines of a Pikmin-sized company...
It's not Ubisoft either: they've successfully managed to fend off hostile takeovers from FAR bigger and richer (or rather: more powerful) companies than Microsoft, so unless they're a willing partner, that's not very likely.
If this rumour does actually have some merit and/or is even remotely true, then I wouldn't be surprised at all if it's going to be Activision/Blizzard. That is the only other available company that you could compare to the likes of Bethesda.
A second, but considerably less likely option would be Capcom.
An, in my opinion, most entertaining option would be Square Enix, but that too, is never going to happen.
EDIT:
Hm, now that I've read the Sega article, I suppose they could also be a candidate, although I'm not quite sure if they would nowadays still qualify as a "Bethesda level" acquisition, seeing as far as I'm concerned, a lot about Sega is decidedly faded glory...
Erm... that should more than likely be "watch videos at the highest YouTube quality", because no matter what, YouTube videos are still compressed, so there isn't a single video available in its original format and/or quality. The best you can get, is around 90 percent.
Of course, objectively speaking, that's more than good enough for most people, but factually, it's most definitely not the highest possible quality.
Wow, I didn't expect that, but definitely a pleasant surprise. Good on you, mr. Spencer (and team).
@sixrings Well, good thing you're not saying that, because it was definitely a LOT more sites and/or communities letting their voices be heard...
On an unrelated side note: I've personally never seen you as a troll or overly negative person on NLife. Just so you know. However, criticism is only okay if it's constructive, and not if it's just complaining for the sake of it, so I'd say that dosing it is the way to go.
@Dezzy Very good point on how they would have gotten away with it if they had only increased the Game Pass price.
@FraserG With that in mind, what are your personal sentiments on this topic, then?
And if you actually are a Game Pass user/fan, do you still understand the viewpoint of people like me who aren't interested in these, shall we say, disposable services, regardless of your own feelings about it?
@KelticDevil Well, if it came across as irritated, then allow me to correct that: not irritated, just disappointed. I like options, and this is just Microsoft pushing all punters towards Game Pass, whether they want it or not.
The only thing that does irritate me, is the hefty increase in price: that's just not fair to people who don't want or need Game Pass. Oh, well. I guess we'll see how it goes.
And I'm not really about to just stand up and leave, so I'd say that a couple more things need to happen, before it comes to that. Here's hoping that this will be the only negative thing for me and people like me.
Guess we'll see soon enough for how long I'll still be able to get standalone Xbox Live Gold codes. My current plan expires in July, so I'm not really in a hurry in that regard, but if they pull the plug completely, then I'll have no choice but to start stockpiling now already.
Well, personally, I'm one of those few people who isn't interested in Game Pass. Like not at ALL. So, to now have to pay almost double the amount just for Xbox Live Gold seems like a pretty insane price raise to me.
Guess I'll have to reconsider what to do, or I need to find some regular Live Gold codes online, so I can stack them onto my current running plan, which is still good til July this year.
Yeah.... I'm kinda torn now. On the one hand, 2 bucks a day for all you get for it, isn't such a bad deal, BUT...
If you're not interested in GamePass at ALL, as I am, because I don't have the time to invest into it, then the initial value of it diminishes rapidly and I don't like to only rent my games, and the worst offender in my opinion, is the timed availability of games.
As a true appreciator/collector of all that I play, I don't want to feel forced to play a certain title within the confines of a predetermined period, simply because it's only available for a limited amount of time.
Every week I see games being swapped out of Game Pass: 8 games out, 8 new games in. And sometimes, the numbers aren't equal, so you even lose more than you gain.
So, for someone who's only interested in Live Gold and Games with Gold, this offers way too little value for WAY too much money, if I look at what I'd use it for.
So with all of that in mind, this feels like kind of a d*** move to me, Microsoft...
Guess I'll quickly look up some online codes to stack a couple of 12 month Live Gold subscriptions, so that I'll be good for years to come.
@StylesT The answer is staring you dead in the face, because it's in the quote from the Team17 CEO:
"Over the last two years, GWYF has shown strong consumer demand and mass market appeal, doubling its owner base and achieving success on multiple gaming platforms."
Translated into normal people speak, that simply means that they're following the crowd, AND the money, so it's a logical step for them to take.
@sakanakami I know all that, but my point was that no matter the price, I find it quite senseless to pay for something that I'll hardly use. I mainly continue Xbox Live Gold to collect the free games.
Other than that, I only play games in the weekends, usually alone and offline, so Game Pass represents little value to me.
Regardless of all that, I still appreciate your comments.
@sakanakami I'm afraid not. I'm also not really interested in Game Pass, because I don't have enough spare time to make the most out of that, and I also don't like the forced, timed nature of having certain games only available for a certain amount of time.
Currently, I also still have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.
Well, ever since the first trailer appeared, this has been on my radar, but in between a busy life and too many games on my back log, I just haven't gotten to it yet, so a demo seems like just the ticket to get an initial taster, before I dive in and get the full game.
@leathco Couldn't agree more. Breakdown is a fantastic game indeed. I still own the original, and game play-wise, it still holds up to this day. Also agreed on the sentiment that they should have done more with this IP. Even a remaster/reboot would have been nice.
Surely the better of the two most famous Phil's...
Happy birthday, mr. Spencer. You've definitely made your mark in the Xbox team. Here's to many, many more pleasant surprises coming from you to the gaming public.
The first one, obviously. It was the first introduction to this new kind of sci-fi horror game, and it was great. Later installments were basically more of the same with added features, so for me, the novelty of it had already worn off.
Comments 531
Re: Deals: All 30+ Classic Xbox Games In This Week's Sale (Feb 9-16)
@everynowandben Well, if you managed to wrestle your way through the first, then the second one will almost feel like a warm, welcoming bath, or any other metaphor that might please you...
But you're welcome. And if you're even remotely interested in comics, then you should definitely read the original comics that these games are based upon: they're quite a bit better than either of the games.
Just in case: https://getcomics.info/other-comics/the-darkness-vol-1-3-extras-collection-1996-2017/
And if you don't have one yet, you'll also need a comic book reader program. This one also works on tablets, for easy reading on the go.
Re: A Way Out Director Says He Prefers PlayStation's 'Strategy' Over Xbox
@AJDarkstar That's basically how I feel about Game Pass as well. It's great that it offers so much value to others, so I definitely wouldn't want to deny anyone this service, but for me it just isn't interesting: too many games, too disposable, too little time to play most of them before they get pulled from the service and so on, and so on.
In that regard, I most definitely have to agree with Fares' comparison between Netflix and Game Pass, where the disposability of the service is more natural and/or acceptable.
Re: Guide: Every Original Xbox Game You Can Play With Backwards Compatibility
Well, that will hopefully stop the dumb comments that you can play "all" OG Xbox titles on Xbox Series X. Hell, even on the Xbox One, you couldn't simply play all of the backwards compatible OG titles which do work on the Xbox 360.
One of the many, many reasons that I still own all of my Xboxes.
EDIT:
For comparison's sake, here's the entire list of OG Xbox titles that is compatible with the Xbox 360:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games_compatible_with_Xbox_360
Of course, the problem of it lies in the different architecture compared to later Xbox models, which doesn't make it as simple as porting everything 1:1 from the 360, but as you can clearly see, browsing through the list above, the current number of OG Xbox titles compatible with Xbox One/Series X/S is pathetically small in comparison.
Re: Microsoft To Merge ZeniMax And Bethesda Into New Subsidiary Called 'Vault'
@NEStalgia I'm pretty sure that games will still be released under the Bethesda label as well. Vault will just be the umbrella under which they will all be published.
Will probably be something along the lines of a game displaying an intro like "Vault presents a Bethesda game" etc.
Re: Deals: All 30+ Classic Xbox Games In This Week's Sale (Feb 9-16)
Wow, some damn good games there for ridiculously low prices.
I definitely want to highlight some of them, otherwise you people might miss out on some really great games.
People, do yourself a favor and get Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey if you're looking for a great RPG, especially don't miss out on the former. It came on two discs and it is MASSIVE. Also, if you're into third person shooters, do not miss out on Spec Ops: The Line. Great story, engaging gameplay and solid game all around.
If you want something entirely different and entertaining to scratch that first person shooter/action adventure itch, then give the two The Darkness games a go.
And if you're looking for a nice, entertaining hack 'n slash action RPG, you might just want to pick up Realms of Ancient War for just two bucks.
Anyway, I'll skip all the obvious candidates and big titles, because these are obvious no-brainers, and I'll end with saying that RTS fans should definitely pick up XCOM: Enemy Within. Another solid title in this list.
@everynowandben I own and enjoyed both games in the Darkness series, and what you describe, pretty much matches my sentiments. Mind you: I played the first one back in the day when it was still relatively new, so today's eyes are probably a lot more critical towards its features.
On a side note: I got the first game because I was a collector of the original comics series of The Darkness, so soon as I found out that they actually made a game about it, I just had to have it.
With the second game, they added some refinements, and the mechanics improved, so you could say they really got the hang of it there. Either way, I could already quite easily recommend both games, but at their current price, it's an absolute no-brainer...
Re: Playtonic Games Set To Reveal Rebrand Plans In The Near Future
Still don't know what to think of that "rebrand" news...
Considering that most of the (rather disgruntled) original staff and members from Rare left Microsoft to form their own new company, for the specific reasons of not being able to do the things they wanted/liked to do, and to now potentially return back into the fold, kind of feels like a tail between the legs move to me, but perhaps I'm a bit quick to judge here, so I'll reserve judgment for now ...
Re: OG Xbox Creator Wants To Know If You'd Buy A New Classic Console
@electrolite77 Yeah, I guess that's the upside of it, being able to try out games a little more risk-free. And then buying, if you'd wish to do so, but as a kind of "Netflix for gaming", it just isn't for me, I guess.
But it's good that it's here, for those that do like it, because people should have options and choices, so I most definitely wouldn't want to deny other people the service, so in that respect, we most definitely do agree.
Re: OG Xbox Creator Wants To Know If You'd Buy A New Classic Console
@electrolite77 Would definitely be something cool, to be part of all that.
As for Game Pass: even though I do use services like Netflix, I can't ever see myself liking and/or using disposable services like that in gaming. And because you basically have EVERYTHING available all at once, I find that it becomes less special.
Like letting the kid loose in the toy or candy store, telling him he can grab whatever he wants. But besides that, there's also the usually uneven in/out mechanism of titles going on.
On here, you literally see articles almost every week telling you that 8 titles will be leaving Game Pass, only to be followed the same day or a day later by another article, stating that 5 new titles will be added. What if I was still playing or interested in playing one of these titles that have been removed?
In that case, I might as well buy them straight away, instead of feeling forced to play and then buy them because Game Pass is pushing me to do so. Besides, I want FULL ownership of my games, so some kind of rent-a-thon is never going to be my thing.
And on top of all that, I just don't have the time anymore to dedicate that many hours to gaming, so I need to be a bit picky, or what usually happens, is that I've added the umpteenth title to my already massive back log...
Even if all online services would die down, or if I would never be able to own another physical game on any of the newer consoles, I'd still have more than enough games here already, to keep me busy for more than a life time, so I'm good either way.
Re: Rumour: Microsoft Wants A New Killer Instinct, But No Developers Are Available To Make It
Well... Rare, obviously. Oh, wait...
Re: OG Xbox Creator Wants To Know If You'd Buy A New Classic Console
@electrolite77 There are no benefits to Game Pass, at least not for me. I'm still not interested in it.
Or, as the old and wise wizard Gandalf the Grey once said:
"You shall not (Game) Pass!"...
Re: Wipeout Inspired Pacer Finally Races Onto Xbox One Next Week
From the first look of it, I'd almost say that FAST RMX looks better than this...
Re: Microsoft Has Reportedly Shifted Around 3.5 Million Xbox Series X|S Consoles So Far
Good figure, in and of itself, but I guess the Sony fans are still able to shrug it off...
Re: Activision Blizzard Confirms More Remasters Are On The Way In 2021
Come to think of it, I actually wouldn't mind a full remaster of the original Call of Duty. Even the anniversary edition on PC looks terribly dated. Heck, they could even reimagine the second game.
Re: Stubbs The Zombie Is Making His Long-Awaited Xbox Comeback
@Tharsman There's a couple of things you can try. Here you go:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/7800/discussions/0/385429254945916362/
Re: OG Xbox Creator Wants To Know If You'd Buy A New Classic Console
@electrolite77 Or they could simply add a disc drive, so we can actually play our own original games on it...
Re: Stubbs The Zombie Is Making His Long-Awaited Xbox Comeback
Oh, my... I just had one of the worst days in the office since ages, and then I come home to find this wonderful news on PureXbox and suddenly my day is all good again. Really happy to see this highly entertaining classic return in it's full, brain-eating glory. I still own the original version on my Xbox 360, but if they bring out a shiny new remaster, even if only with minor upgrades, I'll definitely double-dip.
@Deadcow It's an absolute classic, and if you like free-roaming, mission-based destroy-a-thons, then this game should be on your list. It's a very entertaining and fun to play game, so you should definitely give it a try if any of that even remotely piques your interest.
Here's a video review, to give you an idea of what to expect:
Re: Rumour: Microsoft In Talks For Another Bethesda Level Acquisition
@demian Not if it's a mutual agreement. A hostile takeover might be tricky, but that's not what this is about. And again: there's WAY more factors involved than just the price tag, so it isn't as simple as that.
Re: Rumour: YouTuber Hints At Surprise Xbox Exclusive & Acquisition In 2021
Always difficult to take rumors seriously when they mention "knowing" which company it is about, but then turning around and saying that they can't reveal any ACTUAL info because of some BS "reasons".
If that's the case, just don't say anything at all, and forego your ten minutes of fame...
Re: Rumour: Microsoft In Talks For Another Bethesda Level Acquisition
@demian There's WAY more other factors involved than just a market cap, so that isn't a decisive factor at all. And EA will never be bought out by another company, much like Ubisoft.
As mentioned in my first comment in this thread, which I edited yesterday, it would seem that Sega is now a likely candidate instead. And they do have a long history as well, after all, going back all the way to the Dreamcast.
Re: Rumour: Microsoft In Talks For Another Bethesda Level Acquisition
@Terrin It's not nearly as crazy as you think it is. They're a multi-media company, with large and long tentacles in various other branches.
Microsoft may look bigger, but they're basically "just" an IT company, albeit arguably the world's foremost one, but still more in a dedicated sector of business, even though they have diversified somewhat, but not nearly as wide as Vivendi.
And I did say more powerful, as in: more influential in media, which is something that Vivendi definitely is. It was a VERY hard battle for Ubisoft to stay out of their clutches, which already goes to show you how powerful they are. Microsoft would not have been able to duplicate the exact actions that Vivendi have taken over the last couple of years.
I myself have been in IT-related sales & marketing as a sales manager & team lead for well over 15 years, so I do happen to know a thing or two about how these things go behind the scenes and where the real, sometimes not immediately visible strengths of companies lie, and it's not always as clear and cut as it would initially seem.
Re: Rumour: Microsoft In Talks For Another Bethesda Level Acquisition
People mentioning PlayTonic are WAY off the mark. Compared to Bethesda, that's not even a dwarf, but more something along the lines of a Pikmin-sized company...
It's not Ubisoft either: they've successfully managed to fend off hostile takeovers from FAR bigger and richer (or rather: more powerful) companies than Microsoft, so unless they're a willing partner, that's not very likely.
If this rumour does actually have some merit and/or is even remotely true, then I wouldn't be surprised at all if it's going to be Activision/Blizzard. That is the only other available company that you could compare to the likes of Bethesda.
A second, but considerably less likely option would be Capcom.
An, in my opinion, most entertaining option would be Square Enix, but that too, is never going to happen.
EDIT:
Hm, now that I've read the Sega article, I suppose they could also be a candidate, although I'm not quite sure if they would nowadays still qualify as a "Bethesda level" acquisition, seeing as far as I'm concerned, a lot about Sega is decidedly faded glory...
Re: IO Interactive Believes Its James Bond Game Could Mark The Start Of A New Trilogy
And if they really put in some effort, then it will actually release sooner than the latest James Bond movie...
Re: By The Way, YouTube Now Supports HDR On Xbox Consoles
"Watch videos at their highest quality"
Erm... that should more than likely be "watch videos at the highest YouTube quality", because no matter what, YouTube videos are still compressed, so there isn't a single video available in its original format and/or quality. The best you can get, is around 90 percent.
Of course, objectively speaking, that's more than good enough for most people, but factually, it's most definitely not the highest possible quality.
Re: Phil Spencer Apologises For 'Angst And Emotion' Caused By Xbox Live Gold Price Hike
It's okay Phil, we still appreciate you. Only this time, ACTUALLY learn from your mistakes, BEFORE making new ones, please...
"Hope your Friday is now a little bit better"
It most definitely is, Mr. Hryb, it most definitely is...
Re: Microsoft Admits It 'Messed Up' And Will No Longer Increase The Price Of Xbox Live Gold
Wow, I didn't expect that, but definitely a pleasant surprise. Good on you, mr. Spencer (and team).
@sixrings Well, good thing you're not saying that, because it was definitely a LOT more sites and/or communities letting their voices be heard...
On an unrelated side note: I've personally never seen you as a troll or overly negative person on NLife. Just so you know.
However, criticism is only okay if it's constructive, and not if it's just complaining for the sake of it, so I'd say that dosing it is the way to go.
@Dezzy Very good point on how they would have gotten away with it if they had only increased the Game Pass price.
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Live Gold Is Getting A Price Increase
@FraserG With that in mind, what are your personal sentiments on this topic, then?
And if you actually are a Game Pass user/fan, do you still understand the viewpoint of people like me who aren't interested in these, shall we say, disposable services, regardless of your own feelings about it?
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Live Gold Is Getting A Price Increase
@redd214 Haha, you're welcome, man. Didn't expect that I was going to do anyone else a favor with it, but thanks.
Re: Reaction: Xbox Live Price Hike Feels Like A Huge Push Towards Game Pass
@KelticDevil Well, if it came across as irritated, then allow me to correct that: not irritated, just disappointed. I like options, and this is just Microsoft pushing all punters towards Game Pass, whether they want it or not.
The only thing that does irritate me, is the hefty increase in price: that's just not fair to people who don't want or need Game Pass. Oh, well. I guess we'll see how it goes.
And I'm not really about to just stand up and leave, so I'd say that a couple more things need to happen, before it comes to that. Here's hoping that this will be the only negative thing for me and people like me.
Re: Here Are Your Xbox Games With Gold For February 2021
@KelticDevil Yup, there always are, and probably always will be.
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Live Gold Is Getting A Price Increase
@Krzzystuff Thanks for the heads up. I always use price comparison sites, such as https://www.allkeyshop.com/blog/ or the US equivalent https://cheapdigitaldownload.com/.
Guess we'll see soon enough for how long I'll still be able to get standalone Xbox Live Gold codes. My current plan expires in July, so I'm not really in a hurry in that regard, but if they pull the plug completely, then I'll have no choice but to start stockpiling now already.
Re: Reaction: Xbox Live Price Hike Feels Like A Huge Push Towards Game Pass
Well, personally, I'm one of those few people who isn't interested in Game Pass. Like not at ALL. So, to now have to pay almost double the amount just for Xbox Live Gold seems like a pretty insane price raise to me.
Guess I'll have to reconsider what to do, or I need to find some regular Live Gold codes online, so I can stack them onto my current running plan, which is still good til July this year.
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Live Gold Is Getting A Price Increase
Yeah.... I'm kinda torn now. On the one hand, 2 bucks a day for all you get for it, isn't such a bad deal, BUT...
If you're not interested in GamePass at ALL, as I am, because I don't have the time to invest into it, then the initial value of it diminishes rapidly and I don't like to only rent my games, and the worst offender in my opinion, is the timed availability of games.
As a true appreciator/collector of all that I play, I don't want to feel forced to play a certain title within the confines of a predetermined period, simply because it's only available for a limited amount of time.
Every week I see games being swapped out of Game Pass: 8 games out, 8 new games in. And sometimes, the numbers aren't equal, so you even lose more than you gain.
So, for someone who's only interested in Live Gold and Games with Gold, this offers way too little value for WAY too much money, if I look at what I'd use it for.
So with all of that in mind, this feels like kind of a d*** move to me, Microsoft...
Guess I'll quickly look up some online codes to stack a couple of 12 month Live Gold subscriptions, so that I'll be good for years to come.
Re: Here Are Your Xbox Games With Gold For February 2021
@KelticDevil My thoughts exactly.
Re: Team17 Acquires Golf With Your Friends Rights For £12 Million
@StylesT The answer is staring you dead in the face, because it's in the quote from the Team17 CEO:
"Over the last two years, GWYF has shown strong consumer demand and mass market appeal, doubling its owner base and achieving success on multiple gaming platforms."
Translated into normal people speak, that simply means that they're following the crowd, AND the money, so it's a logical step for them to take.
So apparently, it actually IS very popular.
Re: Reminder: There's Still Time To Get A '117 Day' Nameplate In The Halo: MCC
@sakanakami I know all that, but my point was that no matter the price, I find it quite senseless to pay for something that I'll hardly use. I mainly continue Xbox Live Gold to collect the free games.
Other than that, I only play games in the weekends, usually alone and offline, so Game Pass represents little value to me.
Regardless of all that, I still appreciate your comments.
Re: Reminder: There's Still Time To Get A '117 Day' Nameplate In The Halo: MCC
@sakanakami I'm afraid not. I'm also not really interested in Game Pass, because I don't have enough spare time to make the most out of that, and I also don't like the forced, timed nature of having certain games only available for a certain amount of time.
Currently, I also still have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.
Re: Reminder: There's Still Time To Get A '117 Day' Nameplate In The Halo: MCC
Well, seeing as I don't have the MCC, I guess the answer to that question is a solid "no".
Re: Talking Point: What February 2021 Xbox Games With Gold Do You Want?
What I want? Rise of the Argonauts, please.
One of the most solid and entertaining action RPGs out there.
The sticker on the box says it all:
Re: Immortals Fenyx Rising Appears To Be Getting An Xbox Demo Soon
Well, ever since the first trailer appeared, this has been on my radar, but in between a busy life and too many games on my back log, I just haven't gotten to it yet, so a demo seems like just the ticket to get an initial taster, before I dive in and get the full game.
Re: Random: This 'Xbox Series Z' Mock-Up Has Blown Up On TikTok
No, just no. Ugly as hell and WAY too bulky.
Re: MX Unleashed Is Also Currently Free With Xbox Live Gold
That's odd. I always think I never miss a game, but apparently I did that time. Oh, well. Grabbed it this time around.
Gotta love the freebies that you can ACTUALLY keep, regardless of Xbox Live Gold or not...
Re: Two More Of January 2021's Xbox Games With Gold Are Now Available
@leathco Couldn't agree more. Breakdown is a fantastic game indeed. I still own the original, and game play-wise, it still holds up to this day. Also agreed on the sentiment that they should have done more with this IP. Even a remaster/reboot would have been nice.
Re: Frontlines: Fuel Of War Unexpectedly Goes Free With Xbox Live Gold
Nice... Grabbed it!
Re: CD Projekt Has 'Many Plans' For The Future Beyond Cyberpunk
"What could they be for?"
Erm... law suits?
Re: Ubisoft Has A New Star Wars Game In Development
Well, competition is never a bad thing. Here's hoping that Ubisoft's effort will blow the EA games out of the water.
Re: EA Looks Set To Acquire Codemasters As Take-Two Pulls Offer
A VERY sad day and an infinitely sad state of affairs. R.I.P. Codemasters as we know it...
Re: Head Of Xbox Phil Spencer Celebrates His 53rd Birthday Today
Surely the better of the two most famous Phil's...
Happy birthday, mr. Spencer. You've definitely made your mark in the Xbox team. Here's to many, many more pleasant surprises coming from you to the gaming public.
Re: Pick One: Which Of These Dead Space Games Is Your Favourite?
The first one, obviously. It was the first introduction to this new kind of sci-fi horror game, and it was great. Later installments were basically more of the same with added features, so for me, the novelty of it had already worn off.
Re: Korean Influencer Gets Mad At Receiving Xbox Series X Jenga Gift
They should cook this YouTuber...
Re: Poll: When Was The Last Time You Turned On An Xbox 360?
@ralphdibny Haha, nothing to forgive there. I volunteered to be informed, after all...