Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Games Inbox: Call Of Duty vs. Fortnite, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate next DLC, and Cyberpunk 2077 dialogue

Games Inbox: Call Of Duty vs. Fortnite, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate next DLC, and Cyberpunk 2077 dialogue
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 3 screenshot
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare – bigger than ever (pic: Activision)

The Wednesday Inbox wants to know how many people support Ellie in The Last Of Us Part 2, as one reader predicts ray-tracing remasters.

To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk


Yearly Duty
I assume that the new Call Of Duty announcement is going to come any day now, given this Season Four reloaded business and the upcoming Xbox announcement. I can imagine Microsoft trying to take back the marketing from Sony for the series in the next gen, which would be quite the coup for them, and I think the fact that Call Of Duty wasn’t in the PlayStation 5 reveal may be an indication of that.

I would’ve bet against it a few years ago but Call Of Duty has just got bigger and bigger the last couple of years and I think it may now be the biggest paid-for franchise in gaming. Grand Theft Auto is the main rival but that’s hardly the same thing. Call Of Duty pumps out sequels every single year and I can’t honestly think of any that was completely bad.

Infinite Warfare was the most hated but I quite liked it and I don’t think anyone can honestly say it’s outright bad. I think there’s a good chance that this year’s Call Of Duty will be even bigger again, since Warzone will keep going and Black Ops is always popular no matter.

Fortnite might be celebrating that it’s not early access anymore but I think if it wasn’t free, or Call Of Duty was, then it would be COD that would be the biggest game. Makes me wonder if Warzone will lead to the whole game going free-to-play, then it really will be able to take on Fortnite.
Viv


Best bit
The frustrating thing about The Last Of Us Part 2 is that because of all the trolls who are hating the game without ever having played it we’re not getting any kind of sensible discussion about the story. Which is hard enough given you need massive spoilers to even start to talk about the plot.

I’m fascinated about people’s reason for either supporting Ellie’s actions or not but I’ve found that too many supporters fall in to the haven’t played it crowd or can’t justify their position any more than they liked her from the first game.

I’m certain there’s lots of Ellie supporters with rational takes on her situation but as usual they’re being drowned out by the zealots and it’s just all turning into a shouting match. This is basically a game that can never be discussed without spoilers and I think that’s actually quite a weakness. Discussing a game, especially a story one, after you’ve beaten it is often the best bit and that’s impossible here without being very careful.
Parzival


Future cool
I am really looking forward to Cyberpunk 2077. The thought of it launching around the same time as PlayStation 5 is the icing on the cake (even if there isn’t going to be a proper PlayStation 5 version of the game until 2021).

However, I have to agree with a comment by Combi in Tuesday’s Inbox about what we’ve seen of the game’s dialogue so far. I understand that CD Projekt are trying to create their own vernacular or slang for the game’s characters, which can really help to heighten our sense of immersion in this other world.

But… it made me cringe a little. There’s something kind of adolescent with the game’s expression of ‘coolness’ through its use of language (from the admittedly little we’ve seen of it so far).

I don’t want to seem like I’m being too negative, I’m still excited to play it. I just hope the actual game has something more substantial to offer beyond the surface level coolness of a cyberpunk aesthetic.
DM


Ray-tracing edition
I never would’ve guessed that Crysis was 13 years old, to look at that remaster trailer, but it definitely looks off in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s the character models and animation but the whole thing just seems wrong somehow.

I think we’re reaching the point where remasters are kind of pointless as most games that would get them are either already in HD (which was the original point of them) or are too old for it to be worthwhile. Remakes are great, I’m all for them, but I have a nasty feeling that we’re going to remasters that add ray-tracing and fast-loading, and whatever other next gen buzzwords there are, and nothing else.

I tell you already I’m not paying extra for that. I only hope that Microsoft starts adding that sort of thing for free via their backwards compatibility and that makes it impossible for companies to try and charge for it. Because you know they would if they could.
Danse


Map details
Just in reply to WOZ_007 and the towers that hold/held the guardians in Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. They cannot be found underground as they are now above ground level, as explained in one of the cut scenes.

You can see them in the game and on the map too, they are the five things leaning in towards the centre of the castle, over the moat.
Montgomery Burns

(pic: Montgomery Burns)


Ultimate surprise
Really impressed by how Min Min plays in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I didn’t watch the Nintendo Direct about it (they go on too long for me, and to be honest I prefer to be surprised) so I didn’t realise about using one button for each arm. It works great and really makes Min Min feel unique compared to the other fighters, especially given she’s so bad close up. Anything that can make Smash feel fresh again is doing something right and I’ve been playing it all day so far.

I do wish they could’ve added a few more characters as skins, since they all play similarly, but I guess that would’ve been too much work and spoiled the uniqueness of that character.

I’m stumped as to what any of the other new characters could be though as there’s no obvious other Nintendo franchises, old or new, and no reason to think one third party over another. Except maybe Dante from Devil May Cry. I also think Waluigi has a good chance given he’s a fan favourite joke character. At best that still leaves three complete guesses though.

I could’ve seen Vault Boy been an actual real character but beyond that I would still love to see Doomguy and maybe someone from Resident Evil? Who knows though, but that’s part of the fun!
Gaston


Update warfare
Another 21GB update for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare today I see this is taking the Mickey and before anyone says they need to do this to patch things, no, I’m sorry, if the game worked right first time it wouldn’t need this, would it?

This is a joke. I think after I buy my PlayStation 5 I’ll have to not buy Call Of Duty anymore, otherwise the only game that will be on it will be Call Of Duty. And before anyone says something they do a patch and it doesn’t work, what’s the point of the patch? They’re jokes and so is Infinity Ward.
David

GC: The updates are primarily adding new content, not fixing the original game.


Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here


Low priority
If the Xbox Series S does only run at 1080p I actually think that’s a really good idea. Even though I have a 4K TV I’ll be the first to admit that it doesn’t really make that much difference for games and that if there was an option to save £100 on the new Xbox and stay at normal HD levels I’d probably be all for it. Subject to Microsoft making a good case for the games in July.

I wonder if that will be the same deal for Sony though? I would’ve thought we’d have heard a rumour about that already if it was the case. Although I don’t think the digital edition was ever leaked, so maybe Sony some how kept everything about that secret.

I like to watch films in 4K but as a gamer there are a dozen things more important than resolution when it comes to games, especially frame rate, so I support anything that deemphasis 4K as something that other graphical features should be sacrificed for. It’s lowest priority for me and if 4K all the time had been the major new feature for the next generation it would have been enough to put me off jumping in at all.

The next gen needs to have proper new features you can point at and say, ‘that’s something the last gen couldn’t do!’ For me that’s consistent 60fps and ray-tracing, both of which I’d much rather have than 4K.
Volkor


Inbox also-rans
Bargain alert for readers, EA are offering EA Access for 79p for one month on PlayStation. This can be found on the PS Store or EA Access website. Not sure if this applies to Xbox and PC.
Hollinho (PSN ID)

How about a Hot Topic on what everybody’s favourite flop console is and why? By flop I was thinking of any console home or handheld which has sold less than 10 million units?
adams6legend

GC: That doesn’t really rule out much. Even the Saturn and Dreamcast managed 9+ million.


This week’s Hot Topic
Since we’re now halfway through 2020 this weekend’s Inbox asks the question: what has been your favourite video game of the year so far?

To qualify, the game must be a new release from 2020, not just whatever older title you happen to have played this year. (You can see our top 10 so far here.) It’s obviously been a very strange six months, but how different has the year been in terms of how many new games you’ve bought and how many you’ve played?

What do you think of the quality of the games so far this year and do you think they make up for the lack of quantity? What are your expectations for the rest of the year and how many new games – and consoles – do you expect to buy in the next six months?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk


The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: PS5 vs. Xbox Series X differences, The Last Of Us Part 2 honesty, and Call Of Duty racism

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Xbox Series S Lockhart will only run at 1080p claims source

Xbox Series S Lockhart fan image
A fan guess at what the Xbox Series S might look like (pic: Reddit/u/jiveduder)

The Xbox Series S console, aka Lockhart, will supposedly not hold back the Xbox Series X because the only primary difference is resolution.

One of the big questions for Microsoft’s reveal event in July is whether they will talk about the next gen console codenamed Lockhart, and widely assumed to be called the Xbox Series S.

Microsoft has alluded to the console several times but despite numerous leaks and rumours, including the supposed specs, it’s still not clear what it is or how much it will cost.

But according to a new repot the console will be able to run graphics the same as the Xbox Series X, just not at the same resolution.

An article on Thurrott claims that the Xbox Series X will be optimised for 4K gaming, while Lockhart is aimed at 1080p displays, since it has a 4 teraflop GPU rather than a 12 GPU one.

There’s still uncertainty over how big of a price difference there would be between the Lockhart and Xbox Series X though, with the suggestion that it would need to be at least $100 to be worth the effort.

The article also suggests that Lockhart could end up being physically larger than the Xbox Series X, based on prototype hardware currently being used, and that originally it was going to be released in mid-October – following an August launch for Xbox Series X.

Obviously, that idea was abandoned a long time ago but Microsoft (and Sony’s) plans are constantly changing at the moment and if we don’t hear about Lockhart in July it’ll be because they’re still not sure when to release it or at what price.

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Fortnite is no longer Early Access and it only took three years to get there

Fortnite artwork
Fortnite will never be finished (pic: Epic Games)

Despite being one of the most popular games in the world Fortnite has technically never even been finished, but it is now. Sort of.

Have you ever booted up Fortnite and be surprised that it still describes itself as ‘Early Access’? Well, as of today it doesn’t, even though nothing has really changed.

The reason Epic Games kept the description is mostly to do with the Save The World mode, which was originally intended to be the focus of Fortnite – Battle Royale was just a spin-off experiment at first, that they didn’t know would catch on the way it did.

As such, the decision to remove the early access label has coincided with the announcement that, despite previous suggestions to the contrary, Save The World will not be going free-to-play and will remain a paid-for experience.

Early access status will also be removed from Battle Royale and Creative modes, even though nothing has changed for them. But while they’ll continue to be supported as much as ever, support for Save The World will begin to slow down as it’s now considered to be essentially finished.

The only major change this will bring to players is that future Battle Royale cosmetic items will no longer work in Save The World, although it’s not clear when exactly that cut-off point will be yet.

All paid-for Founders packs will also be automatically upgraded to the next level, instantly unlocking all the rewards. Ultimate Edition owners will also be given the new Metal Team Leader Pack and 8,000 V-Bucks.

It’s a major milestone for Fortnite and also proof that you can never guarantee what’s going to be a major hit.

Save The World was supposed to be, but while most people have probably never even heard of it, Fortnite Battle Royale continues to be one of the most successful video games ever made.

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Nintendo apologies for Joy-Con drift, doesn’t say how it’s going to fix it

Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons
Do your Joy-Cons suffer from drift? (pic: Nintendo)

For the first time Nintendo has publicly apologised for Joy-Con drift on the Switch, although it won’t say how the problem will be solved.

The Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con controllers are complex beasts, with a lot of technology squeezed into their tiny chassis, and that’s caused problems for the console since the very start.

Initially it was a problem with the Joy-Cons becoming desynchronised, but although that was fixed fairly quickly recent years have seen continual complaints about Joy-Con drift – where the analogue controller seems to cause in-game movement even when you’re not touching it.

Nintendo’s response has been typically reluctant about admitting a problem, as initially they only offered free repairs in the US. Although that never stopped customers there from initiating a class action lawsuit against them.

That lawsuit is the reason that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has given for not commenting on the issue further, but in a recent financial Q&A, as translated by Kotaku, he did at least apologise for the situation.

‘We apologise for any trouble caused to our customers,’ said Furukawa. ‘We are continuing to aim to improve our products, but as the Joy-Con is the subject of a class-action lawsuit in the United States and this is still a pending issue, we would it like to refrain from responding about any specific actions.’

The problem is clearly not straightforward though, as it even ended up affecting the Switch Lite, which technically doesn’t even have Joy-Cons.

What Nintendo’s solution to the problem will be remains to be seen, but it will presumably involve some sort of redesign.

Whether that’s one that’s obvious, and widely advertised, or just quietly added to newer shipments of the console is also something only Nintendo knows.

If you’re having problems with the issue then the best thing to do is visit the official Nintendo support website.

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Damian Lillard revealed as first NBA 2K21 cover athlete

NBA 2K21 cover star Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is the cover star for the current generation release of 2K21

The Portland Trailblazer point guard joins a list of NBA greats to adorn the cover of 2K Games’ franchise.

Damian Lillard adorns the cover of 2K’s upcoming new sports game, taking the place of Anthony Davis and Dywayne Wade on all copies of the game for current generation consoles. 

Lillard follows in the footsteps of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, amongst other NBA greats.

The annual reveal is something of a tradition for 2K, although this year fans will note that it is being spread over a few days, with two further cover athletes to be revealed in the coming days. 

Any additional details are being kept firmly under wraps for now but fans should expect different covers for the various releases. Last year Wade was the Legend Edition cover, whilst the LA Lakers’ Anthony Davis adorned the standard edition release. 

The move to place Lillard on the cover of 2K21 runs in line with the game’s theme: Everything Is Game. Lillard has very few contemporaries that share his ability on the court, as well as cultural impact off it. 

Damian Lillard in action for the Portland Trailblazers (Getty)

Otherwise known as Dame D.O.L.L.A. when he’s in the studio recording music, Lillard stands out as one of the most culturally relevant superstars in the NBA.

But fans with a sharp eye will wonder if the curse of the 2K cover star rears its head again though, and leads to Lillard leaving the Trailblazers.

For those not in the know, five of the last seven cover stars have left their team in the subsequent season, whilst Anthony Davis moved to the Lakers only a couple of months prior to 2K20 coming out (so really it’s six of seven). And well, after eight years at the Blazers, perhaps the curse is just what Lillard needs to finally spread his wings and move.

Speaking about the decision to put him on the cover of 2K21, Lillard said: ‘This is a special moment for me in my NBA career. I’ve been a fan of NBA 2K for years and love how they represent all aspects of basketball culture.’

‘I’ve been playing 2K my whole life and I’m honoured to join the other NBA greats who have been on the cover. I’m grateful to all my fans and can’t wait for everyone to experience this game later this year.’

2K21 is set to release in October 2020, although a precise date is still yet to be fixed. It’ll be out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Stadia, as well as next gen consoles.

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Call Of Duty: Warzone 200 player Quads Battle Royale and patch notes are live now

Call Of Duty: Warzone 200 player battle royale
That’s a lot of players (pic: Activision)

The 200-player version of Call Of Duty: Warzone is now free for everyone to download as part of Season Four: Reloaded.

It’s been rumoured for months but a 200-player version of battle royale has finally come to Call Of Duty: Warzone and it’s currently free to download as part of the latest update.

The 200-player option is a quads mode, meaning you’ll have to play in a team of four rather than going solo. It’s a time limited mode though, so it won’t be around forever (although like most Call Of Duty modes it’ll probably come back later too).

The option is being added as part of what Activision are calling Season Four: Reloaded, which also adds Juggernaut Royale. As you might guess, this makes the Juggernaut Suit available during play, via an airdrop, although there’s only ever one at a time.

Other new features include new in-game contracts which give you a shop discount if you make it to a Buy Station within a time limit and a spotter scope for people that like to play the role of scout.

There’s also the Rytec AMR sniper rifle that can be used in both Warzone and Modern Warfare, and which is described as ‘one of the deadliest semi-automatic anti-material rifles’ in the game.

Modern Warfare’s standard multiplayer has also got some love, with a new multiplayer map called Cheshire Park, which is inspired by the London townhouse section of the story campaign.

Team Defender mode is making a return too, where you have to capture and hold a flag, as you earn points for keeping it for as long as possible.

Call Of Duty has become infamous for its massive download sizes and this one is around 22 to 36GB for the whole game and up to 30GB for the free-to-play version of Warzone.

Call of Duty Season 4 Reloaded
Season 4 has been reloaded (pic: Activision)

The full patch notes are as follows:

Warzone

  • New Gulag weapons. Semi auto rifles, snipers, along with one ‘just fists and a throwing knife’ loadout.

Warzone fixes

  • Fix for an exploit in Boneyard where players could climb into the destroyed portion of a plane.
  • Gas Mask now cracks when you’re taking damage near or in the circle.
  • ‘Team Wiped’ message now appears in the Killfeed for your whole squad to see.
  • Fix for an issue where players could spawn under the map after winning their Gulag match.
  • Fixed a bug where players using Charly’s Tactical Human skin or Mara’s Valkryie skin would notice their character models missing from the exfil epilogue in the helicopter.
  • The audio for the Supply Choppers is too loud, preventing players from hearing most other sounds and communicating with their squad. This has been adjusted.
  • During the Supply Chopper event the supply choppers may spawn from under the map, killing players positioned on top of these locations as they raised through the map. This has been fixed.
  • Fix for the final circle being too close over areas that players cannot access such as the middle of Stadium.
  • The After Action Report now shows Cash Earned and Placement.
  • Fix for a rare bug where a player spawned out of bounds after dying out of bounds.
  • Fix for a minor issue where the radio operator dialog and subtitles for called in Killstreaks could incorrectly play the wrong faction.
  • Now allow up to three Precision Airstrikes to be called in at once but within a distance restriction.

General fixes

  • Fix for an issue where players could modify weapons with attachments from other weapons while using a mouse.
  • Fixed the wording in the Daily Challenge ‘Deploy the Manual Turret Killstreak 5 Times’ to say ‘Shield Turret’.
  • Multiplayer and Warzone win/losses now track as intended per mode.
  • Improved stability for PC players.
  • Fix for Kreuger’s eyes coming out of his character model while performing the Brassed Off execution.
  • Fix for some Completionist camos not applying to the Witching Hour (AX-50 variant).
  • Fixed an exploit on Krovnik Farmland while playing Reinfected Ground War.
  • Fixed a bug where the MIL-SIM CTSFO viewmodel gloves didn’t match the in-game world model.
  • Fix for a section of Hardhat that had invisible collision.
  • Fix for a bug where Demolition matches would not end as intended in overtime.
  • Added the Kali Sticks to modes like All or Nothing, Gun Game, Infected, and Gunfight.
  • Longshots now display the distance in the point feed.
  • Fixed a bug where the Juggernaut HUD elements would remain on the screen if the player was crushed by a crate.
  • Fixed an issue where the player could get stuck in place when throwing a grenade and trying to use a Shield Turret at the same time.
  • If a player throws a Molotov at a severely damaged Deployable Cover, the Deployable Cover will break and the Molotov fire will disappear, but damage for the fire remains present for a duration of ~20 seconds. This has been fixed.
  • Recon Drones can now be destroyed with Throwing Knives.
  • Hipfire reticles are now visible in Spectate and in the Killcam. This will make it easier to tell if a player is using Stopping Power rounds or Slug rounds.

Weapons

  • The M4 will perform an AR magazine reload when attempting to reload the underbarrel launcher while you have the 50 Round Mag attachment equipped. This has been fixed.
  • Stopping Power is now applied to headshots. Only certain weapons can go from a 2-shot to a 1-shot head shot, like the FAL and Oden. This fixes a few cases where headshots could sometimes do less damage than body shots when using Stopping Power.
  • Increased Max Ammo: M4 .458 SOCOM Rounds.
  • Increased Max Ammo and Start Ammo: CR-56 AMAX M67 Rounds, SKS 10 Round Mags, Striker 45 Hollowpoint Rounds, SCAR Default Mags, Oden Default Mags.
  • Increased Start Ammo: SCAR 25 Round Mags, Oden 25 Round Mags.
  • AX-50: increased damage range.
  • HDR: guaranteed one-hit to lower torso at any range.
  • Kar98k: increased ADS speed, small decrease to hip spread, increased damage range.
  • MK2 Carbine: faster movement speed, increased damage range.
  • Dragonuv: increased ADS speed, 2 hit kill min, gun recoil returns to the centre more, faster rate of fire.
  • FAL: added a close range damage shelf with one-hit headshot potential.
  • AK-47: increased ADS speed.
  • CR-56 AMAX: decreased damage range.
  • MP5: decreased damage range, decreased 10MM damage range, reduced long range damage to 10MM ammo, slight recoil increase to 10MM ammo.
  • Grau 5.56: damage range reduction, slight increase to high frequency recoil, reduced recoil compensation and decreased range on Tempus 26.4” Archangel and FSS 20.8” Nexus barrels.
  • Shotgun Slugs: increased projectile velocity, reduced ads spread, added dynamic hip spread, increased damage ranges, increased lower torso damage.
  • No stock attachment: increased weapon recoil, decreased ADS aiming steadiness.

Spec Ops

  • Improved the effectiveness of the Decoy Grenade against most types of enemy soldiers.
  • Added new Mission ‘Hard Boiled’ – Demonstrate your proficiency in Co-Op operations with these tricky challenges.
  • Operation Harbinger – Fixed issue where some of the white trucks would appear without any enemies inside of them.

Survival

  • At the Weapons Store the weapons with purchased Gunsmith attachments are now displayed clearly.
  • The Buy Phase timer now pulses red when about to run out to help remind players of the upcoming wave.
  • Fixed issue where the text chat was overlapping some Buy Phase store elements.
  • Fixed issue where players could purchase weapons from the store as they are being downed.
  • Fixed issue where if players voted to ‘Retry’ after failing beyond wave 55 they would start each Buy Phase with reduced time.
  • Fixed a rare issue where players could use Munitions/Killstreaks in while downed.
Call of Duty Season 4 Reloaded screenhot
Call of Duty Season 4 Reloaded is a big update (pic: Activision)

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Min Min from ARMS is live now in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and she’s great

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Min Min
Min Min has turned out to be a good choice

The first new DLC fighter from the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 is available now in Smash Bros. Ultimate and she offers a very different style of combat.

When picking new fighters for Super Smash Bros. most people go for either their favourite character or someone that seems so amusingly obscure it’s fun just to imagine them in the game.

That doesn’t necessarily make for an interesting fighter though and while Min Min from ARMS wasn’t top of many most wanted lists, she looks like being a very welcome addition nonetheless.

The big gimmick with Min Min is that, as with any ARMS character, her arms are on massive springs, with different weapons on the end. And in Smash you control each arm separately by pressing either the standard or special attack button – and it works really well.

You can also change the weapon on your right arm, by just pressing down and special, between three different options that vary the length of the arm and how easy it is to bend.

We’ve only had a few goes so far but we happened to get matched up against Snake at first and Min Min was able to absolutely dominate him, by keeping him, literally, at arm’s length.

She’s not very got a close range though, with only an ineffectual kick if you lightly tap the attack buttons, so you’ve got to make sure she keeps her distance.

Although she’s not the ARMS character we would’ve chosen – Twintelle or Mechanica were always our favourite – she works great and the new Spring Stadium arena is pretty good too.

The design of Spring Stadium is fairly basic but the recharging springboards that launch you into the air are a neat addition and mean you’re constantly looking out for them switching back on.

As with all Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC fighters you also get a bunch of new music – almost the entire ARMS soundtrack, since it’s a fellow Nintendo game – as well as optional new Mii Fighter outfits that you have to pay for separately, including Vault Boy from Fallout and Heihachi from Tekken.

Min Min is available separately for £5.39 or £26.99 for the whole pass, which includes six characters in total.

Who the other five are and when they’ll be revealed is a mystery though, especially as Nintendo has admitted that development has slowed due to the coronavirus.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Twintelle
Bayonetta stands in for Twintelle on the Spirits Board

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Crysis Remastered trailer leaked, looks great for a 13-year-old game

Ray-tracing and a suite of other graphical upgrades are featured in the leaked trailer for Crysis 1 for PC and consoles.

It wasn’t supposed to be revealed until tomorrow, but the trailer for Crysis Remastered has already popped up online and considering the game’s age it’s brushed up remarkably well.

You can still tell it’s an older title – the character models and foliage give it away, and there’s something a bit off about the lighting – but considering it is just a remaster, and not a full remake, it’s an impressive effort. Especially as the video is only 1080p and the bitrate seems a bit low.

The remaster was announced back in April and promised a suite of state-of-the-art graphical effects, including temporal anti-aliasing, SSDO, SVOGI, volumetric fog, screen space reflections, and software-based ray-tracing.

Because it’s software-based the ray-tracing will work even on the Nintendo Switch version, although the trailer seems to be taken from the PC version, so there’s no proof of that yet.

Originally released in 2007, Crysis was famous for years as needing an extremely powerful PC to run with all the settings at maximum – something that was extremely difficult (or, rather, expensive) until relatively recently.

It’s almost a shame that’s what the game’s most famous for though as it was also a highly inventive first person shooter, with some very open-ended game design and the ability to customise your ‘nanosuit’ on the fly as you fight.

Subsequent sequels dumbed down the customisation options until the series faded away after Crysis 3 in 2013. Hopefully though, this remaster is an indication that a new game might be on the cards again.

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MORE: Xbox Series X: developers praise ray-tracing and frame rate potential

MORE: Crysis Remastered officially announced, will add ray-tracing for Nintendo Switch

MORE: Remedy describes PS5 upgrades for Control, hypes up ray-tracing and SSD

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Monday, 29 June 2020

Games Inbox: Cyberpunk 2077 vs. The Last Of Us Part 2, Gran Turismo 7 B-Spec, and Harry Potter ennui

Games Inbox: Cyberpunk 2077 vs. The Last Of Us Part 2, Gran Turismo 7 B-Spec, and Harry Potter ennui
Cyberpunk 2077 screenshot (pic: CD Projekt)
Cyberpunk 2077 – will it be game of the year? (pic: CD Projekt)

The Tuesday Inbox has some new suggestions for Super Smash Bros. fighters, as one reader offers some Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 speculation.

To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk


Three-way battle
Now that The Last Of Us Part 2 is out and a huge success (just as everyone sensible expected, with the complainers once again proven to be an insignificant minority) it’s obviously a front runner for game of the year. There’s so little out this year though that the only real competition, unless you want to add Call Of Duty to the mix, is Cyberpunk 2077 and Halo Infinite.

Now, obviously I know nothing about Halo Infinite and to be honest I still don’t feel like I know a whole lot about Cyberpunk really. The recent videos did give a decent feel for how it would look and feel but to me… there’s something a bit off. As another reader said, the combat just looks stiff to watch and I worry about it. Now The Last Of Us Part 2 doesn’t have amazing combat but it gets the job does and its biggest crime is being a bit simplistic and generic.

I wasn’t that impressed by the dialogue in Cyberpunk either. It all seemed a bit tryhard and dude bros. to me. I get that these are just low rent scumbags you’re dealing with/playing as but I’m already missing the more intelligent characters of The Witcher 3. So my prediction is that The Last Of Us probably will be the best, unless Halo Infinite manages to properly reinvent itself. Which it may well do, but Microsoft has got a hell of a sell to make to prospective buyers to convince them of that.
Combi


Last of the dinosaurs
I have to say I’m looking forward to Cyberpunk 2077. Looking at the recent updates and footage the game seems to be the best parts of GTA, Deus Ex, and The Witcher with some interesting concepts and shady characters. The braindance stuff reminds me of detective mode from the Batman games. The driving elements reminded me of a trip to Hong Kong with all the neon lights and busy streets.

The soundtrack also seems good. I think the decision to polish the game further until November is a good one as the gunplay seems a bit… stiff. It’s the right move to release a game finished, which is a rarity these days.

It does make me wonder though if a game like this can be realised on the current gen then do we need the next gen yet? Your article about the cost of games always increasing gave good insight, at some point something has to give. I wonder if a game like this could become the last of its kind? Imagine the cost of producing this game from scratch on the next gen… surely only a handful of studios could afford the risk and time?
R McKenna (gamertag)


You snooze, you loose
You’ve got to laugh that it’s taken Warner Bros. so long to announce Harry Potter that the whole brand has been poisoned by its creator and the publisher is about to be sold. I feel for the developers as Warner Bros. to me are the ultimate example of the problems people have been talking about where games take too long to make now and require so much money nothing gets greenlit and you’re left with literally nothing.

Batman is the ultimate example because WB Games Montréal hasn’t made a single game all generation, because of constant cancellations. All they need now is for Batman to suddenly become unfashionable for some reason (it kind of already is because of Marvel?) and their failure will be complete.
Wicky


E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk


Smash Megamix
I was thinking the other day, what my dream Smash Bros. guest character would be. People wanted Dante before the Byleth reveal. But he’d be more like Bayonetta and just like her, would have to have his moveset streamlined to fit just like her – and they’re both better suited to Soulcalibur anyway.

I did think how about Rez? But the character is just a generic shooter type. A stage based on Rez would be pretty awesome though…

But, let’s face it, Smash is still pretty conservative when it comes to the likes of Fighters Megamix and Project Justice. In Megamix you could fight as a palm tree – and a car! Not Transformers style, either – but it would stand up on its rear wheels like they were feet and punch you with its front wheels! Bonkers! Genius! I want the Daytona Hornet in Smash like yesterday!

Though, unless Sakurai himself is personally a huge fan, I doubt that will happen. Which is a shame, as I really want it now.
DMR

GC: In what way are Dante and Bayonetta better suited to Soulcalibur? Their combat is based on fast and acrobatic movement, not shuffling around in a small semi-circle.


Less than 40,000
The petition to remake the storyline of The Last of Us 2 has over 40,000 signatures at time of writing. I wonder how many of these people have actually finished the game?

Personally, I really enjoyed the storyline. It was tough going at times, but I found the characters, acting, and plot all to be top notch. Not many games tackle topics as mature as the nature of human existence, the futility of war and violence, and the absurdity of tribalism and othering.

The characters are flawed and complex, as they were in the first game and as is to be expected given the situation they find themselves in. You can’t make decisions for them but doing so would have diluted the impact of the plot.

All of this is wrapped up with slick, engaging gameplay and tense, thrilling action sequences. I really do think it deserves all the praise it’s been getting. A truly great game.
Mud


Series repeat
In answer to your question regarding The Last Of Us Part 2 bugs, yes I’m playing on a base PlayStation 4. A PlayStation 4 slim to be precise. Like I said in my last letter, it only happened a handful of times, so the bugs and frame rate issues were minor and by no means detracted the overall experience. I’ll send my findings onto Naughty Dog and I expect they’ll be fixed in a patch.

I’ve just started playing The Last Of Us Remastered, haven’t played this PlayStation 4 version before. I played the original at launch on the PlayStation 3. The remastered version certainly looks good even compared directly to the sequel. I often like playing through a full series of games back to back so I might do a new game plus playthrough of Part 2 and polish off the platinum.

I think knowing the full story beforehand will be a different experience, like I enjoyed playing through Bioshock again knowing the big twist at the end and understanding what ‘Would you kindly?’ meant. Trying not to give anything away for The Last Of Us Part 2 here for people that haven’t finished it but I hope people who have get what I mean.
Big Angry Dad82 (gamertag)


A link to the past
I’m playing Zelda: Breath Of The Wild again for the fourth time in Master Mode this time. I am in Zelda’s room at Hyrule Castle and I’m reading Zelda’s notes. One of the notes says about guardians: ‘They are said to be stored in the five giant columns that rest beneath Hyrule Castle. The thing is… no matter how I search beneath the castle, I can’t seem to locate these columns. They must be buried deep.’

Maybe this is a link to Breath Of The Wild 2? Five columns could be five dungeons. The first video of the sequel to Breath Of The Wild was underground. So maybe….
woz_007 (NN ID)


Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here


The second of us
The Last of Us 2. Walking, talking, shooting, and looting. Gave up trying to be to stealthy. I don’t really enjoy sneaky, sneaky gameplay and always seem to get spotted when trying.

The walking is gorgeous. The graphics are stunning, with Naughty Dog’s realistic, natural style creating a believable, atmospheric, and beautiful post-apocalyptic world. The lighting is especially striking, be it blazing sun or overcast rainy climes. What Naughty Dog could achieve on PlayStation 5 is tantalising.

The talking is top notch. It’s really well acted and totally absorbing. The game is long and could be edited better but it’s not too much of an issue for me.

The shooting is really fun. It’s pretty simple but is tight and tense, just very satisfying. Refrain from using the listen function as well, to make the encounters more immersive.

The looting I don’t enjoy and find distracts from the things I’ve just said I do enjoy. Hate that I feel the need to have to check every damn nook and cranny. Wonder if there’s an alternative? Resource points acquired from the shooting maybe to spend on crafting. Who knows.

The core themes of the game I found interesting and I liked where Naughty Dog took the characters. I think it was bold of them and I give them credit and respect for it.

But I can’t decide if the manner in which they communicate their themes is cheap, not really all that clever and at times out of keeping for the characters or if it’s necessary. By necessary, I mean you have to make it difficult to accept for the player. I’m currently leaning towards the former but every time I hear someone reject the game out of hand at the mid-point the more I lean to the latter and appreciate what Naughty Dog wanted to achieve for the game.

Either way It’s an excellent game. Going to do a New Game+ playthrough on Survivor now. More than happy to spend another 20 to 30 hours in this game.
Simundo


Inbox also-rans
Is no one going to mention the Monkey Island games as being very hard? In the days before we had the internet those games were beyond frustrating…
Russell

Now that we know Gran Turismo 7 is coming do you think we will see the return of the B-Spec artificial intelligence in single-player that was in Gran Turismo 4? It will certainly be a useful feature for single-player endurance races and races with a lot of laps.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)

GC: Anything is possible.


This week’s Hot Topic
Since we’re now halfway through 2020 this weekend’s Inbox asks the question: what has been your favourite video game of the year so far?

To qualify, the game must be a new release from 2020, not just whatever older title you happen to have played this year. It’s obviously been a very strange six months, but how different has the year been in terms of how many new games you’ve bought and how many you’ve played?

What do you think of the quality of the games so far this year and do you think they make up for the lack of quantity? What are your expectations for the rest of the year and how many new games – and consoles – do you expect to buy in the next six months?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk


The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: PS5 vs. Xbox Series X differences, The Last Of Us Part 2 honesty, and Call Of Duty racism

MORE: Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: The hardest video game you ever beat

MORE: Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: The hardest video game you ever beat

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Xbox Series S to be revealed in August, was meant to be June claim sources

Xbox Series S Lockhart fan image
In case you need another reminder what the Xbox Series S might look like (pic: Reddit/u/jiveduder)

A new report states that Microsoft’s second console is to be properly revealed in August, following a postponement.

Everyone knows about the Xbox Series X, the new console from Microsoft, but the company also has yet to officially announce the Xbox Series S.

Also referred to by the codename Lockhart, the Xbox Series S is said to be a less powerful and cheaper version of the new Xbox. Despite being public knowledge, Microsoft has yet to officially acknowledge the thing’s existence.

After a very quiet June, with the exception of the sudden shutting down of Mixer, a new report from Eurogamer states that we’ll finally see the console unveiled in August.

Apparently, the original plan was to reveal the console at E3 this year, but that had to be canned following E3’s cancellation.

Microsoft then opted to spread its announcements out over several months, though VentureBeat suggested that the company still planned to show the new console in June, before delaying it to August.

Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg has insisted that nothing has been pushed back, with the next major event to be held in July.

Sources from Microsoft also told Eurogamer that June was always intended to be a quiet month – despite that being when E3 would’ve been – although it became quieter still following the Black Lives Matter protests.

As it stands, though, if Microsoft does intend to show off a cheaper iteration of its new console, it needs to do so soon, as Sony already announced a cheaper version of its own PlayStation 5 as part of the console’s official reveal.

The Xbox Series X is scheduled to launch later this year.

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MORE: Xbox boss confident in hardware and software advantage over PS5

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PlayStation Plus celebrates 10-year anniversary with extra free game

Rise of the Tomb Raider
Lara Croft is one of the stars of next month’s line-up of free games (Pic: Sony)

To celebrate 10 years of the PlayStation Plus service, members can enjoy an extra title to the line-up of free games in July.

Whilst we’re all still wondering when the PlayStation 5 comes out and how much it will cost, PlayStation Plus users have something a little extra to look forward to next month.

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the service, so Sony will be releasing a bonus third game to next month’s batch of free titles for PlayStation Plus members.

First up is sports title NBA 2K20, a fantastic basketball simulator only spoiled by some unpleasantly predatory microtransactions.

Secondly, it’s Rise Of The Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, the sequel to the 2013 reboot of the series, which comes bundled with a bunch of extra content, including new missions and VR support.

Lastly, we have possibly the most unique game on the list, Erica. An interactive live action thriller, you must dictate the choices Erica makes in order to uncover the truth behind her traumatic childhood and the nightmares she’s plagued with.

Aside from offering a branching narrative and multiple endings, you can use either the PlayStation 4 controller’s touchpad or a mobile device to interact with the game’s world.

These games will be made available from 7 July to 3 August. Sony will also be releasing a free PlayStation 4 theme for a limited time later this week.

In addition, a free online multiplayer weekend will be held for those who haven’t yet tried PS Plus. This will take place from 4 July – 5 July.

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MORE: PS5 exclusives are ‘more important than they’ve ever been’ says Sony

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