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

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Yea it's such a ridicoulus thing that people actually legit complain about the quality of leaked stuff. People are so narrow minded they can't grasp the stages of game development.

I think there are probably three categories of complainers: The people who aren't actually paying attention to context and watched the videos expecting a finished game; the people who are intentionally trolling; and the absolute morons.

[ErHaO]

I haven't been positive about the Switch at all, but I am looking forward to next year. The new Zelda and Fire Emblem will likely be great. I will say that the character designs in Fire Emblem Engage look absolutely hideous. But Three Houses was ugly as fuck and I hate anime datingsim stuff, but still is my favourite Switch game because everything else was great.

Deathloop was added to gamepass this week so I finally got to play it. First impressions are positive. I do wonder how the game will expand, because thus far I have only done a bit of shooting and knifing.

Finished TLOU Pt.2 with a platinum trophy.  Wow!  I forgot how long and how good that game truly is.  What a ride!  Oh and BTW, I played the PS4 version because there is no free upgrade to PS5.  Gotta pay full price just like the Pt.1 remake.  Oh well, will probably wait for the price drops on both of those.

there is no PS5 version of TLOU 2

It's an update patch to run 60 FPS on PS5.

I know but the 60 fps update is free, it’s still the same PS4 app. unless I misunderstood which is def possible, lol   

I’m probably the confused one.  Maybe ErHaO can shed some light on it.  He seems to be a TLOU expert.

Huge fan of both games (probably spot 3 and 4 in my top 10 games), but at this point you probably know the actual games better, I have never done a trophy run or explored the difficulties above hard that much (I finished pt 1 four times and pt 2 two times).

But they were right, there is no PS5 version, just a performance patch of the PS4 version. Which was why I ranted a couple of pages back. They should not have released a 80 euro remake, but done a bundle or something. It is not like Pt 2 needs much changed, but a native coherent pt1 + pt2 version would've been great.

[Dublagent66]

I really think they left Pt.2 wide open for a 3rd installment.  But then again, maybe that's how they wanted to end it.  IDK, a game this good seems like it's worthy of at least a trilogy.  It would probably be one of the most anticipated releases in gaming history.

[ErHaO]

Deathloop is great. I don't think it is on the level of Dishonored 2 or Prey, but it most certainly has that Arkane touch to it that I enjoy immensely.

I really hope Redfall turns out as a satisfying singleplayer experience. The devs said it will be but to me it seems hard balancing a game like that for both 4p coop and sp.

I really think they left Pt.2 wide open for a 3rd installment.  But then again, maybe that's how they wanted to end it.  IDK, a game this good seems like it's worthy of at least a trilogy.  It would probably be one of the most anticipated releases in gaming history.

I agree.

For me, Pt2 has a great ending and wrapped up the arcs within the game well, but several characters are at a point where a sequel could continue their stories.

I personally would like an Ellie redemption arc of sorts.

The TLOU brand is too large for Sony to let go. And if the HBO series is a success (the talent involved is promising) I can't see there not being a new game in the future. But these games take like 5-6 years to make, which is a massive commitment to it's creators. I think Naughty Dog wants to do a new ip. They have two teams I believe, so I assume one has been working on something not Uncharcted/TLOU.

[MetalJunkie]

Since I have Game Pass, I thought I'd try Madden 2022 on PC. I have mixed opinions. The gameplay is fine. It's Madden, it feels like Madden, I haven't had any issues. Once I get in the game it's fun. But dear God, all the menus and bloat and crap I have to get through to make it to a game... Oof.

[chknptpie]

I heard a rumor that the next Fifa will have the team from Ted Lasso and I love that.

[Stadler]

I heard a rumor that the next Fifa will have the team from Ted Lasso and I love that.

Jay…me… Tartt-do-do-da-do-do, Jamie Tartt do-do-as-do-do, Jamie Tartt!

Roy Kent better be there.  He might be my favourite character on television right now.

[ErHaO]

Apparently Cyberpunk is having a bit of a revival, as the Netlix show turns out to be good. I am all for it to be honest. I have been playing it since the actual next gen update on the Series X and I genuinely love the game (I don't view it as a GTA/Far Cry sandbox game, it is not a good experience if you are looking to just trash about in the streets).

[Kwyjibo]

I'm very interested in Cyberpunk, but I only have a xbox one. When the game came out it was said, that it was virually unplayable on that console.

Does anybody know if some updates have changed that?

[Dublagent66]

I actually started CP...you know the rest of it. 

[cramx3]

I haven't followed CP at all for the last year, but I did see there was finally some DLC coming (or maybe it already is out). I liked the game, but I don't see myself playing it again.  I don't recall there being too much value in doing another play through.

[Dublagent66]

PGA Tour 2K23 is scheduled to release 10/11.  I'll be picking that up.  Not sure about the rest of you, but gotta love me some golf games!

[Dublagent66]

Oh fuck, here I go again.  As I've said before, I get deals as well as free games through a subscription to PS Plus.  Saw a price drop on my wish list for Dragon Quest XI on PS4.  God knows how long I'll be playing this really cool RPG.  Oh wait...I do know how long.  The new God of War releases on 11/9.

[ErHaO]

Finished Deathloop. Overall a great game. Probably my least favourite Arkane title, but the quality of their games has been quite consistent (for me it is Dishonored 2 > Prey > Dishonored / DLC > Deathloop, I have yet to play Death of the Outsider and Mooncrash).

If I had to bring up some negatives it would be that some of the alternative ways/paths to kill of targets where not worth the hassle and not really part of the final "solution". I discovered some cool ways to kill of a target but never used them because by the time I was there I was already at the point of tackling the loop. I think the game could've used some alternate paths to end the loop, where figuring out a path would be a bit more of a puzzle. Some of the rewards of secrets/sidequests where also underwhelming. Still, good game and I had a great time with it.



I also played Grounded, which saw it's full release last week. First impression is good and it has a lot of positive word of mouth on the internet. The whole Honey I Shrunk the Kids meets Subnautica vibe is nice and it plays and looks well. The garden seems like a compelling open world. I think Xbox game studios made the right choice of having smaller teams within Obsidian studios making games like this, aside from Outer Worlds 2.

[Podaar]

I have yet to play Death of the Outsider ...

Death of the Outsider starts out well enough, and the streamlined, limited, powers are interesting when pitted against the level design--which Arkane is usually pretty brilliant at. The game sorta loses steam the last quarter of the way through and suffers from some repetition of tasks. If you enjoyed stealth "ghost" play, DotO is very difficult toward the end.

The lore is fantastic, that's where Dishonored always shined, so that's not surprising.

[Stadler]

Finished Castlevania! all the way through last night!  Beat Dracula.  That was, what, 36 years in the making? 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Apparently Cyberpunk is having a bit of a revival, as the Netlix show turns out to be good. I am all for it to be honest. I have been playing it since the actual next gen update on the Series X and I genuinely love the game (I don't view it as a GTA/Far Cry sandbox game, it is not a good experience if you are looking to just trash about in the streets).

I find this situation to be really interesting. They have definitely made some meaningful improvements, but at its heart, it's the same game it always was. It still doesn't really work as a GTA/Far Cry game, it still isn't a great experience on last-gen consoles, and there are a lot of things they promised pre-release that still aren't in the game. I think what we're seeing is a combination of improvements over time, but also (perhaps more importantly) the most vocal critics moving on to other things and others begrudgingly acknowledging that it was actually a pretty good experience all along.

[ErHaO]

Apparently Cyberpunk is having a bit of a revival, as the Netlix show turns out to be good. I am all for it to be honest. I have been playing it since the actual next gen update on the Series X and I genuinely love the game (I don't view it as a GTA/Far Cry sandbox game, it is not a good experience if you are looking to just trash about in the streets).

I find this situation to be really interesting. They have definitely made some meaningful improvements, but at its heart, it's the same game it always was. It still doesn't really work as a GTA/Far Cry game, it still isn't a great experience on last-gen consoles, and there are a lot of things they promised pre-release that still aren't in the game. I think what we're seeing is a combination of improvements over time, but also (perhaps more importantly) the most vocal critics moving on to other things and others begrudgingly acknowledging that it was actually a pretty good experience all along.

What does help I feel is that all PS5/Series owners have a competent version to play. It took like one and a half years, but up until then all console players had were the really bad last gen versions.

Still, rebalancing and altering progression (and make certain perks/skills actually usable) can make a massive impact on a game, though a change like that may seem minor. You could make The Witcher 3 suck balls by altering some of that for the worse.

While it was a big dissapointment, there were always aspects of the game that got praise. And I think in it's current state there is less/little to get into the way of those good/great aspects.

Sometimes the difference between a good game and a bad game is surprisingly small, at least for me. A lot of sports games and multiplayer shooters are very similar in nature, especially within their own respective series. Yet some changes can really make one entry suck and the other one rule (recent Battlefield comes to mind).

I have yet to play Death of the Outsider ...

Death of the Outsider starts out well enough, and the streamlined, limited, powers are interesting when pitted against the level design--which Arkane is usually pretty brilliant at. The game sorta loses steam the last quarter of the way through and suffers from some repetition of tasks. If you enjoyed stealth "ghost" play, DotO is very difficult toward the end.

The lore is fantastic, that's where Dishonored always shined, so that's not surprising.

Sounds good to me, but I wonder how I will fare as in Dishonored I typically go full on ghost style (which, granted, is in part due to the punishment for leaving a bloody trail behind you).

I am looking forward to Redfall. I listened to a dev interview and I get the feeling there is a bit of a disconnect between marketing and the actual game (just like Deathloop seemed like a multiplayer focused thing initially as well).

[Herrick]

Finished Deathloop. Overall a great game. Probably my least favourite Arkane title, but the quality of their games has been quite consistent (for me it is Dishonored 2 > Prey > Dishonored / DLC > Deathloop, I have yet to play Death of the Outsider and Mooncrash).

I recently finished a replay of Prey. I forgot how good that game is. Unfortunately, I didn't do any research on Mooncrash before buying it and I was pretty disappointed to find out it's a rogue-like game.

[ErHaO]

Finished Deathloop. Overall a great game. Probably my least favourite Arkane title, but the quality of their games has been quite consistent (for me it is Dishonored 2 > Prey > Dishonored / DLC > Deathloop, I have yet to play Death of the Outsider and Mooncrash).

I recently finished a replay of Prey. I forgot how good that game is. Unfortunately, I didn't do any research on Mooncrash before buying it and I was pretty disappointed to find out it's a rogue-like game.

Deathloop kinda is, with a groundhogday timeloop, but you get several respawns before actual death and upgrades/certain unlocks can be retained after the beginning of the game. I almost always felt I was progressing. On normal I only legit "looped" twice and that was due to a certain enemy pulling a stunt.

I do not like roguelikes. Hades, Dead Cells and Spelunky 2 all felt suuuuper repetitive to me, like an hours worth of game stretched out to 40 hours or something. I do not get the appeal of games like that over the likes of Hollow Knight and other indie darlings to be honest. But the genre clearly has a lot of fans. For me it can be a great addition to an experience aka Chalice dungeons in Bloodborne and Niflheim in God of War. Deathloop did not bother me at all, but it does not have the random level element, so it retains the great leveldesign Arkane is known for.  Maybe I just had bad luck, but the levels I got in Dead Cells in particular were shit.

[Herrick]

Deathloop kinda is, with a groundhogday timeloop, but you get several respawns before actual death and upgrades/certain unlocks can be retained after the beginning of the game. I almost always felt I was progressing. On normal I only legit "looped" twice and that was due to a certain enemy pulling a stunt.

I do not like roguelikes. Hades, Dead Cells and Spelunky 2 all felt suuuuper repetitive to me, like an hours worth of game stretched out to 40 hours or something. I do not get the appeal of games like that over the likes of Hollow Knight and other indie darlings to be honest. But the genre clearly has a lot of fans. For me it can be a great addition to an experience aka Chalice dungeons in Bloodborne and Niflheim in God of War. Deathloop did not bother me at all, but it does not have the random level element, so it retains the great leveldesign Arkane is known for.  Maybe I just had bad luck, but the levels I got in Dead Cells in particular were shit.

I'm not into that rogue games at all but I do get the appeal. I even finished one called Road Redemption only because I loved Road Rash back in the day.

From the reviews I saw, Deathloop seems like a good game. I'll get it on the next big sale most likely.

[Dublagent66]

I've had that game on the back burner.  It looked interesting, but along the way I got side tracked...again.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I will never give up on CD Project to get their shit together and release something amazing again. Cyberpunk had the potential to be amazing but I think the ship has sailed sadly but i'll be gladly proven wrong.

[cramx3]

One can hope they have learned from their mistakes.  We will see.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

One can hope they have learned from their mistakes.  We will see.

If they didn't, the next game will bury the company.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

One can hope they have learned from their mistakes.  We will see.

If they didn't, the next game will bury the company.

Maybe a major flop would but wasn't Cyberpunk a success financially for the company though? Of course if the game would've lived up to it's potential the money flow could've been tripled or something.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

One can hope they have learned from their mistakes.  We will see.

Developing this many games simultaneously requires really good leadership and management, which by all accounts they don't have. I'm excited but at the same time very skeptical that they actually pull this off.

[ReaperKK]

I think I'll pass on any future CDPR games. Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk are the only two games in probably the last 15 years I couldn't complete because of a game breaking bug. Witcher wiped out a 70 hour save near the end and cyberpunk broke around the 20 hour mark.

[cramx3]

My problem is these type of RPG games are a bit stale.  They are still great and offer a lot, but between them and Bethesda games, I feel like they are all getting worn thin.  They are going to need to be really special for me to want to play these next ones. 

I played a ton of Battlefield 2042 last night.  Speaking of games getting worn thin    It's approaching one year since release and the game is finally in a decent spot.  I believe the next update will bring the class system back into the game and at that point, it's probably finally the Battlefield game that was advertised.  Another example of a game being rushed and people now not buying into the next game.  I think if they released BF2042 at exactly the one year mark the way it is now, people wouldn't of hated on the game so much. But, decisions were made and like Cyberpunk, BF2042 still made money which makes me question if the studios did in fact learn a lesson. 

[ErHaO]

I think I'll pass on any future CDPR games. Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk are the only two games in probably the last 15 years I couldn't complete because of a game breaking bug. Witcher wiped out a 70 hour save near the end and cyberpunk broke around the 20 hour mark.

That sucks. But you can always play them later on when the inevitable GOTY edition comes (my general strategy, especially for large open world titles). For major titles the most game breaking stuff should be ironed out.

I have had this over the last few years for Subnautica and Red Dead Redemption 2 to some degree (thankfully eventually found a solution for Subnautica and I "only" had to redo 4 hours of RDR2).

[Skeever]

Someone's getting a steam deck...........

[TheOutlawXanadu]

My problem is these type of RPG games are a bit stale.  They are still great and offer a lot, but between them and Bethesda games, I feel like they are all getting worn thin.  They are going to need to be really special for me to want to play these next ones.

I think it depends on how you look at it. I agree that, in general, open-world games have become boring, predictable, and repetitive. However, CDPR games offer a combination that I actually feel is pretty unique and would love to see more of. They make open-world games that are also cinematic, story-driven, character-focused RPGs. No one else really offers that combo outside of perhaps classic BioWare.

[cramx3]

My problem is these type of RPG games are a bit stale.  They are still great and offer a lot, but between them and Bethesda games, I feel like they are all getting worn thin.  They are going to need to be really special for me to want to play these next ones.

I think it depends on how you look at it. I agree that, in general, open-world games have become boring, predictable, and repetitive. However, CDPR games offer a combination that I actually feel is pretty unique and would love to see more of. They make open-world games that are also cinematic, story-driven, character-focused RPGs. No one else really offers that combo outside of perhaps classic BioWare.

Yeah, one of the better parts of CP was the story being a bit more interesting than say the Fallout games.  But that's kind of what I mean when they need to be special.  There needs to be something more than your typical open world RPG game that's been played for the last 15 or so years.  A good storyline/characters is part of seperating yourself from the others.  But I think that's going to get harder and harder to do at each iteration as well.  We will see.  TBH, I'm kind of interested in Starfield which maybe the space aspect makes it interesting, but I'm also kind of feeling like the game will turn out to be the same ole same ole in the end. 

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Someone's getting a steam deck...........

Is it me!?!?! ........wait, how do you know where I live? 

[ReaperKK]

Someone's getting a steam deck...........

Noice! I love mine and it's pretty much replaced my switch