Video Game Thread v. Series Xbox One X Series Switch S 5

[cramx3]

Xbox is rapidly turning into a worse IP graveyard than EA is.

Microsoft is baffling to me.

My understanding is they want xbox games to be more like steam and less based on the hardware.  I think it may make sense because they are losing the hardware battle and it's a money loser (selling xbox's themselves).  I heard that Halo may soon be coming to Playstation. 

I really don't understand the Tango closure.  They were literally praising this studio not too long ago.  After buying up all these gaming studios, some layoffs were expected considering there would be overlap, but this just seems odd to me. 

My understanding though, if you aren't apart of AI in Microsoft, then you are getting the grip tightened and I guess these gaming studios are getting hit hard right now from Microsoft divestment.

[ErHaO]

Microsoft is baffling to me.

My understanding is they want xbox games to be more like steam and less based on the hardware.  I think it may make sense because they are losing the hardware battle and it's a money loser (selling xbox's themselves).  I heard that Halo may soon be coming to Playstation. 

I really don't understand the Tango closure.  They were literally praising this studio not too long ago.  After buying up all these gaming studios, some layoffs were expected considering there would be overlap, but this just seems odd to me. 

My understanding though, if you aren't apart of AI in Microsoft, then you are getting the grip tightened and I guess these gaming studios are getting hit hard right now from Microsoft divestment.

I think this is a case of the highest MS executives looking at the gaming numbers, not really liking it, and forcing a new direction. I also think this is the reason why MS has failed to build the brand after their great 360 success story, and why they will likely never achieve the success they want. Way too much heelturns / flip flops and half assed attempts at new directions.

Good luck trying to compete with Steam and getting gamepass to grow to the point where they want it. Selling something lucrative like Xbox live or gold is not going to work on PC.

Most MS services outside of Windows as an operating system and office go the way of the dodo as far as I am aware.

[cramx3]

Good luck trying to compete with Steam and getting gamepass to grow to the point where they want it. Selling something lucrative like Xbox live or gold is not going to work on PC.

Xbox game pass is being sold on PC and it seems OK.  I have it actually (although I got it for free).  If Microsoft owns some of the best selling games historically, then I think they might actually be able to pull it off.  I dont know though, I have my own questions and concerns about what the hell they are doing. 

[XJDenton]

They finally had a new ip that got 3+ million players and great reviews and they closed the studio (Hi-Fi Rush). I am just confused about Tango to be honest. There was for sure room growth there. Even for Ghostwire Tokyo there was great potential for a sequel.

If you view Microsoft/Xbox as a company that is aiming to make great games it makes no sense. If you view them as a capitalist enterprise that will do anything to make the line go up this quarter, the next quarter or next year be damned, it makes perfect sense.

[ganpondorodf]

The industry as a whole is kind of shitting the bed right now.

[chknptpie]

but....but... the hobbit game has my hyped lol

[Herrick]

Yeah, the real-time shooting in Fallout 3 isn't good. But honestly I made my build around VATS and basically play it like an action/turn based hybrid with some regular shots inbetween. I don't think F3 or even NV are really meant to be played like a shooter. At least I never did. I use VATS and take cover during "cooldown", with some manual shots or sniper shots inbetween.

What makes the game to me is the exploration, quest variety, and loot/progression. There is always something of interest nearby and I always feel like I am being rewarded. It is a very big contrast with Starfield.  There is more talking/fialouge than I remembered. The writing is not on the level of New Vegas clearly (or the likes of say The Witcher 3). But it has charm and is full of weird quests and quirky characters. Unlike, well, Starfield.

I recently installed Fallout 3 & New Vegas plus a big mod that combines the 2 games and adds a bunch of other shit but doesn't change the game too much. I'm surprised at how good it looks and how well it plays. I think these will be my main games after I finish Lost Judgement.

Blowing an enemy's head off in VATs is as satisfying as I remember. Combat overall still isn't great though. The enemy AI often goes into Terminator mode. What I mean by that is they just walk/run right up to me and start shooting. There's no sense of self preservation. I've always disliked that.

[Stadler]

Are there different versions? I think I have Fallout 3 for xBox 360, but I have a PS4 and an xBox One now.  If I wanted to play it (I started and had a hard time getting into it) should I get a "newer" version?

[El Barto]

Are there different versions? I think I have Fallout 3 for xBox 360, but I have a PS4 and an xBox One now.  If I wanted to play it (I started and had a hard time getting into it) should I get a "newer" version?

It should be the same. The mod he's talking about (Tale of Two Wastelands) just combines 3 with New Vegas to make one game. I think there's a tunnel or something that connects the two worlds. I don't really see the point, honestly, unless you're playing a modified game and want to save the time of modding each.

As for getting into it, I've tried to play 3 three times now and still don't like it. I played New Vegas and thought it was alright. Enjoyed it, but I'm in no huge hurry to run back to it. I loved FO4, though. You actually can treat that one as a shooter, but also build a VATS heavy build and use them both as the situation dictates. It's a whole lot more linear than the others, in that you're really only making one huge choice along the way, but that's really no different than Skyrim.

[Herrick]

It should be the same. The mod he's talking about (Tale of Two Wastelands) just combines 3 with New Vegas to make one game. I think there's a tunnel or something that connects the two worlds. I don't really see the point, honestly, unless you're playing a modified game and want to save the time of modding each.

As for getting into it, I've tried to play 3 three times now and still don't like it. I played New Vegas and thought it was alright. Enjoyed it, but I'm in no huge hurry to run back to it. I loved FO4, though. You actually can treat that one as a shooter, but also build a VATS heavy build and use them both as the situation dictates. It's a whole lot more linear than the others, in that you're really only making one huge choice along the way, but that's really no different than Skyrim.

Isn't there a newer remastered version for consoles? I thought that was the one ErHaO was talking about earlier.

[ReaperKK]

The industry as a whole is kind of shitting the bed right now.

I don't think it's shitting the bed, I think it's oversaturated. I play a lot of video games, something like 15 hours a week if I had to guess but there are too many great games to split across my time. I have a backlog of 100+ games I want to play that realistically I'll probably never get to because among new games I'm also constantly playing old favorites like CS2, dota2, and Smite. Every month there are new games that are being released, not to mention the frequent sales for cheap classics + gamepass.

Cuts to studios from Microsoft are no surprise. If the game doesn't perform well what do you want the company to do? If the developer was on it's own it'd either fold or maybe have enough funding to possibly fix and release a new game, it's the same within Microsoft. Just because a developer is under the umbrella of a large company doesn't mean that developer gets to dip it's hands in the company coffers to sustain themselves for another 3-5 years while they make a new game that doesn't have any guarantee of success.

I work for a large investment bank (that is universally hated) and every internal line of business is responsible for generating their own revenue to sustain their headcount and resources. For example our Technology group performed poorly for a few years consecutively so changes were and had to be made otherwise the group becomes drain to the investment bank.

Lastly if people like the studios then support them by playing the games. I was recently listening to a gaming podcasts that really gave microsoft shit for laying off folks from studio when just months ago they were talking about how terrible the games from said studio were and weren't worth buying. Do you just want MS to prop up studios that are underperforming just because?

[TheOutlawXanadu]

My sense is that one of the (many) problems with Xbox is that they don't do a good job setting their studios up for success. For example, Arcane Austin should have never made Redfall, but Bethesda management made them start working on it before the acquisition. After the acquisition, Xbox should have identified it was a terrible fit and pivoted them to something else. Instead... We all know how that went.

I also wonder if Game Pass is a much greater impediment on studio revenue than originally thought. Obviously if you put your game on Game Pass, it's going to limit your sales, but I feel like the impact of that is more crippling than Xbox has let on in the past. If Xbox doesn't put Hi-Fi Rush on Game Pass and instead properly markets it and sells it for $60 a pop, is Tango still open today? Who knows, but I feel like Game Pass started as a great idea that has become something of a burden.

[El Barto]

Isn't there a newer remastered version for consoles? I thought that was the one ErHaO was talking about earlier.

Maybe. I'm not a console guy, but what he described was A Tale of Two Wastelands. I know that doesn't touch the graphics.

[Herrick]

Maybe. I'm not a console guy, but what he described was A Tale of Two Wastelands. I know that doesn't touch the graphics.

That was Herrick talking about the mod. The mod I installed is Begin Again which contains a Tale of Two Wastelands and other stuff including visual enhancements. Edit: It also brings Fallout New Vegas features to Fallout 3, like aiming down gun sights and all that good stuff. I think it also runs Fallout 3 in the New Vegas engine which is supposed to be more stable.

My sense is that one of the (many) problems with Xbox is that they don't do a good job setting their studios up for success. For example, Arcane Austin should have never made Redfall, but Bethesda management made them start working on it before the acquisition. After the acquisition, Xbox should have identified it was a terrible fit and pivoted them to something else. Instead... We all know how that went.

I didn't know they were forced to work on Redfall. Earlier this morning, I read that Arkane Austin had pitched another single-player immersive sim game to Microsoft or whoever before they were shut down. That sucks.

[cramx3]

Isn't there a newer remastered version for consoles? I thought that was the one ErHaO was talking about earlier.

Yeah, they released a new update but apparently its really bad and breaks the game.  Just what I saw, I havent touched the game in forever.

I also wonder if Game Pass is a much greater impediment on studio revenue than originally thought. Obviously if you put your game on Game Pass, it's going to limit your sales, but I feel like the impact of that is more crippling than Xbox has let on in the past. If Xbox doesn't put Hi-Fi Rush on Game Pass and instead properly markets it and sells it for $60 a pop, is Tango still open today? Who knows, but I feel like Game Pass started as a great idea that has become something of a burden.

I feel this is definitely an issue.  I had been reading all along that COD would be coming to Gamepass and now they are saying maybe not because the game makes billions from first month sales.  But they are also saying if it does, it'll likely lead to a price increase for gamepass.  Someone's got to do the math to figure out if it makes sense or not.

[Herrick]

Yeah, they released a new update but apparently its really bad and breaks the game.  Just what I saw, I havent touched the game in forever.

I read earlier today there was a leak a couple months ago (or earlier) of another remaster coming out. Hopefully that one will be better for console owners.

[ErHaO]

I think people are talking about different games.

I was playing Fallout 3 on the Series X (it's in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzeBm0XBcOk&pp=ygUSZmFsbG91dCAzIHNlcmllcyB4

It really is just Fallout 3 as it was on the 360, but with the Xbox backwards compatibility team making it 60fps 4k, and the game loading in high res textures at any draw distance. Making it basically like Fallout 3 vanilla on a modern PC.

I literally popped in Fallout 3 discs I bought on a thrift market for a euro.

And I think it looks and plays really well. In 20 hours I have encountered one bug, which was a freeze.

Oh hey, the backwards compatibility team is another thing Xbox does not have anymore...




I also played Fallout 4 remastered on my PS5. Seems nice enough, but has a ton of issues. And 3 did capture my attention more. There is an official remaster of Fallout 3 coming, but honestly I assume Bethesda will do a worse job than the Xbox backwards compatibility team did, and ask money for it. They have become a failure of a studio in my opinion. Like, how can the Fallout 4 port take years after they announced it, come with the most minimal enhancements of which some don't work.

[Herrick]

Thanks for the clarification, ErHao. I think it looks pretty good in that video.

[Cool Chris]

Finished Death's Door this weekend. Great indie game, fun gameplay, solid balance of puzzle solving and combat, superb controls, interesting story without being unnecessarily complex. I highly recommend.

[orcus116]

I got through most of the game and could not handle the precision needed for the Betty fight. I got frustrated and just gave up.

[ErHaO]

Finished Death's Door this weekend. Great indie game, fun gameplay, solid balance of puzzle solving and combat, superb controls, interesting story without being unnecessarily complex. I highly recommend.

Great game indeed, did that one last year. It is basically like a modern 2d Zelda, with very similar gameplay mechanics.

This is also an example of a game that shows you don't need (large) studios for great games. It was made by basically two people at it's core (like Hollow Knight). Meanwhile you have studios of 100+ people making games like Metroid Dread, which does not really look much better and is like 7 hours long.

[Polarbear]

https://youtu.be/vovkzbtYBC8?feature=shared

Assassin's Creed: Shadows

Set in 1500's Japan, and you have two protagonists: Naoe and Yasuke. Even with their faults, I have enjoyed the recent AC games, and this looks like a continuation to Odyssey and Valhalla.

But, I'm sure as hell not buying any deluxe or collectors editions..