Charlie Hall:
In spite of a few glaring technical issues, XCOM 2 represents a high water mark for the entire franchise. Firaxis successfully tells an evocative story. It treats players with respect and includes so many small quality of life improvements over the original they are simply too numerous to mention. It is challenging enough at its basic difficulty level to feel like a complete experience. Despite the bugs, it's still the best-looking, most exciting turn-based tactical game I've ever played.
Firaxis veteran Jake Solomon hasn't seen mass layoffs like this in his whole 25-year career.
Alot’s changed in 25 years. We have games with $300 mill budgets, people not interested in games other than Fortnite and Minecraft, the older generation of gamers giving up the hobby or dying off, a period of super bad inflation where the industry decided to hike up prices on games, Gamepass harming game sales, GaaS games being pushed left and right with obnoxious monetization and worse looking/playing (Suicide Squad vs Arkham Knight).
The industry is just shite right now. Games ain’t selling, games cost massive amounts, businesses can’t bleed money and this is what happens. Part of it is on them and part of it is on consumers not buying.
Consumers ain't buying because of what they're selling; There is no new SSX or Burnout, everything is now Online Required, everything is 'service', etc.
Indies are still delivering the goods, perhaps even better than ever, because those are often the guys and gals who know what they want to make and just make that and hopefully we dig it as well and support it ...
... but when you look at those multi-million budget AAA games, are they improving on what we have had before? Is the new Forza Motorsport better than a Forza Mototsport 4? Is Halo Infinite better than Halo 3? Is Dragon Age 2 such a huge improvement over the first Dragon Age? Etcetc.
Yeah, graphics have gotten better, worlds have gotten better, but I think a gaming generations stands or falls with diversity and experiences, and a few gens ago we had access to whatever we wanted, so if we wanted a boxing game we picked up one of the boxing games, if we wanted snowboarding we'd pick up one of the snowboarding games, if we wanted to do a rythm game we had DJ Hero, or Guitar Hero, or Rockband. If we wanted to sneak around we had Splinter Cell or MGS or whatever.
We had variety and we had options, and that makes or breaks a generation, imo. You're in a foodcourt of games and they're serving all kinds of different cuisines, and so you'd pick and choose whatever you felt like that day.
Right now, you're in a restaurant, and you're only allowed to pick from one menu, and there's a dress-code, and you have to register, and you have to stay in your seat, etc etc.
The PS5 is an incredible console, and if you're lucky enough to have one, or have just received one for Christmas then you'll already know there is a host of great games out there.
What you may not be aware of is that if you subscribe to PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium, you'll actually get access to a huge catalogue of titles to play at any time. Many of which you can stream without having to do any downloads. If you have a PlayStation Portal you could even play these titles from your bed.
Damn the only one I’ve played so far is Miles Morales, although I do own Control and Rift Apart.
Odd list. Where is Horizon Forbidden West? Ghost of Tsushima? Demon’s Souls? Returnal? And fun indie games like Superliminal? Where’s “A Plage Tale Requiem” and “Evil West”, the current PS+ Essential offerings?
Like seriously? Those are games Extra Tier can get - so not worth upgrading to Premium
Hardcore Droid Editor in Chief, Al Jackson Lists the Ten Best Android Games of All Time.
Getting really good reviews. I was expecting it too, its great when a dev comes thru.
One of my top three most anticipated games of the year. Cant wait to play this.
So pumped for this!