Sector's Edge
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Saturday, 31 October 2020
Game Pass is not the Xbox Series X killer app and it’s not meant to be – Reader’s Feature
A reader examines the differences between Xbox Series X/S and PS5 and concludes Microsoft’s plans for the future are not what many assume.
I agree with the recent comments there has been too much negativity around the launch of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. With only a few weeks to go now until the new shiny consoles are with us, we should be getting excited. I know I am.
I was fortunate enough to snag pre-orders for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X but now, as the launch date looms, do I purchase one or both or perhaps neither?
The launch of next generation consoles should mean exactly that, a new generation. If I am spending £500 on a new toy I want faster hardware, better graphics, higher resolutions, faster frame rates, better sound, and new games built that use the higher spec.
1. Hardware specs
Xbox Series X/S has the faster processor and graphics card, whereas the PlayStation 5 has faster full system bandwidth, faster SSD, higher grade Wi-Fi, 3D audio, and faster USB ports. I think PlayStation 5 has the edge technically, but let’s face it both machines are hugely powerful consoles.
2. Exclusive games
PlayStation 5 has five console exclusive launch games: Demon’s Souls, Godfall, and Astro’s Playroom. Plus, PlayStation exclusives Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Bugsnax. Xbox Series X/S has zero at launch and only one a month later with The Medium (although it does look superb).
3. Third party games
As always all the big names are on both and will look/sound/play amazing.
4. Backwards compatibility
Both consoles can play current generation so that’s on either for those interested in it. I have a small PlayStation 4 backlog, so it’s handy.
5. £70 game prices
I only buy physical games and sell them when I’m done so the price makes little difference (buy for £70 on launch day, sell on eBay a month or two later for £50 to £60).
So as I write, the only real difference between them is exclusive games, and as games are the entire point here there is no competition… PlayStation 5 it is.
Why haven’t I mentioned Game Pass?
If I was interested in the games currently on Game Pass I would stick with current gen for a year or two, no need for next gen.
That said, I do believe that Game Pass is fantastic and a genuine win for Microsoft.
Some see Game Pass as Microsoft’s killer app that will kill PlayStation. I don’t see that and based on their behaviour and comments I do not think Microsoft do either.
1. A year ago Microsoft said they do not see Sony as their main competitor, rather it was Amazon, Google, Apple and other subscription services.
2. Phil Spencer mentions at every opportunity, ‘wanting to attract non-gamers and grow the market’.
3. Microsoft have zero interest in creating exclusive games, Halo infinite has clearly not been a priority and neither have any other exclusive titles.
4. Microsoft invest huge sums in acquiring back catalogues to fill the Game Pass shelves.
5. The Series X/S approach blurs the lines between hardware generations, and Phil Spencer has stated a number of times that the Series S will be the bigger seller and he hopes that hardware generations end.
6. Think of the movie industry. The big Hollywood movies make money first in cinemas, then from rental, then direct sales to consumers, then lastly selling them to streaming services (like Netflix) and TV. The big Hollywood movies that cost $200m+ to make could not exist selling solely to streaming services and the same applies to games.
All of the above could point towards Microsoft’s target being the potential mass market for subscription gaming, not the current console market. I think there is demand for both.
Microsoft see their future owning a subscription platform that caters for the mass market/casual gamer with hundreds of older games and cheaper exclusives (the mass market is far less demanding). Sony can continue to own the game console market with high end machines and more superb exclusives that cater to the dedicated gamer.
Whatever the future holds, it is a fantastic time to be a gamer and we should all be excited that the next chapter starts in a few weeks’ time.
Enjoy!
By reader BWWPSFOUR (PSN ID)
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MORE: Xbox Game Pass is ‘sustainable’ with ‘no plan’ for price increase says Microsoft
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Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: Best horror video game ever
GameCentral readers discuss their favourite horror-themed video games, from Bloodborne to The Suffering.
Since it’s Halloween this week the topic for this weekend’s Inbox asked you to name your favourite ever horror game and what you’re looking forward to most from the next generation.
There were a lot of old favourites mentioned, especially various Resident Evil and Silent Hill entries, but also a lot of optimism for the upcoming Resident Evil Village, The Medium, and more.
Silent memories
It will always be Silent Hill 2 for me. There’s a lot of good stuff in the first and third games but the second for me is a perfect game. The atmosphere in that game is literally unreal. It’s not jus scary it gets under your skin, makes you feel all uncomfortable. It’s brilliant.
As much as I love Resident Evil as well it’s just shlock horror and there’s no real meaning behind it. Silent Hill 2 also doesn’t seem to have much of a story if you play it through in a rush but explore a bit more and piece together the bits of lore and you begin to understand not only what’s going on but what the monsters mean and why they act and look the way they do.
By the end you realise what Silent Hill is and why it’s happening to you. It’s not just random scares there’s purpose and meaning behind it and I’m still in awe of how such a great game was made on such a small budget so long ago.
KiwiTiger
Better and worse
For me nothing has been better/worse than the bear in Condemned. It’s funny that given all the weird monsters and aliens that games can throw at you it’s an angry bear that’s the scariest thing but no matter how often I reply the game it gets me every time.
Condemned is a weird game though, like many horror games it’s quite flawed and highly repetitive but once you get the atmosphere nailed I’m not sure all that really matters. The gameplay and combat is nothing great but it’s a game I come back to time and time again despite it’s age and there’s really nothing else from that era that I would treat in the same way.
I guess my favourite modern survival horror, if you can call it that, would be the Resident Evil 2 remake. They really did nail the balance there between new and old. Very impressive and genuinely scary at times, and you only have to look at Resident Evil 3 to see how easily it could have gone wrong.
Jesse
Cosmic horror
It’s a different kind of horror for sure but for me the downright creepiest game is Bloodborne. The way it starts off as relatively normal gothic horror and then slowly transforms into a Lovecraftian nightmare is just amazing. It really is my favourite game ever and I couldn’t say how many times I’ve replayed it now.
The sense of fear is a big part of that, not just the basic fear of see something nasty, like if you were watching a film, but of being killed and losing a large chunk of your progress. That and the sense of immersion is something you can only get from a video game and I love it for it.
Amygdala is bad enough, once you can see it, but the winter lanterns get my vote for the most terrifying enemies ever in a game. Literally terrifying in the context of the game because of how they turn you mad just by being near you. God I love that game.
Chivers
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Island nightmare
My first thought for this Hot Topic was Resident Evil 4 but although it’s my favourite game of all time, I found it to be more tense than actually scary!
So instead I’ll go with The Suffering that I played on PlayStation 2.
Stuck on a prison island when all hell breaks loose, it was high on action like Resident Evil 4 (you could even turn into a monster to attack your enemies!) but it had a far creepier, unsettling vibe.
The worst monster for me was the mainliners (based on the lethal injection execution) that had toxic syringes in their eyes and on their backs and would leap on you and drug you!
I don’t play as many horror games now. Personally, I find the improvement in graphics has increased the gore factor too much for me!
LastYearsModel
Look away
I’m another one that is disappointed to find that GC’s review of Amnesia: Rebirth was accurate (no offence GC!). It was a big disappointment for me and really not scary at all, or at least not compared to The Dark Descent which is easily my scariest video game of all time.
It’s really old and the graphics were never great but the sense of dread you get from playing it is just overpowering. There’s a whole thing where you’re not supposed to look at the monsters or you’ll go mad. It’s just a gameplay thing but I swear I felt it was a genuine danger and I would literally look away from the screen.
If it wasn’t for SOMA, which is great but more sci-fi, I would say that The Dark Descent will never be topped but hopefully if there’s another sequel it can have another go.
Crimps
Old classics
Favourite horror game is a toss-up between Resident Evil (PlayStation 1) or Manhunt (PlayStation 2)
I have very fond memories of doing all-nighters with a friend playing these games many moons ago, with not a care in the world. Was well underage for playing these games also but hay-ho, remember watching Commando or anything with Arnold Schwarzenegger in it when I was about 10.
Anyway back to these games! Thinks it’s the atmosphere and the music that I remember the most, they just don’t make anything like they used to.
Think I’m getting old!
D313R1UM (PSN ID)
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Everyday imagery
A favourite series of mine for a seriously scary video gaming franchise is the first three Project Zero games. The best action-orientated third person series of mine, is Resident Evil’s first few games and some of the most recent ones. The Bioshock trilogy is my favourite first person perspective for a horror series.
SOMA, Call Of Cthulhu, The Sinking City, and the first Amnesia are another bunch of solid horrors, dealing with quite deep and adult style of visual sand depictions of occultism. I still think that Project Zero will always be the overall scariest of the lot, but the others deliver a solid dose of fear. The original Resi games were an eye opener for horror in particular.
The problem now though is that gamers are very much desensitised to horror in general, whether in film, TV or games. Games may be trying, but with too many cheap jump scares and a bit too many monsters and demons to fend yourself from it can easily make what was once scary just everyday imagery.
To invoke atmosphere and tension around every corner is very hard and needs a lot of thought to make it happen for nearly an entire game. Possibly the trick is experimenting in an art style which really trips you out and sounds and effects which are very unearthly.
The story helps, plus characters that are well acted, so that you can emphasis with or fear them. Like in Resident Evil 7, where the characters you first interact with in a civil type of way start turning very cold and hateful towards you and begin hunting you down. I can’t complain about Resi 7 and I’m hoping Village invokes an even greater amount of tension.
I remember my first playthrough of Resident Evil 4 and the opening scene with the sense of panic and the chiming of the bells saving me from doom. The labs with the regenerators and the castle level. If Resident Evil 8 can do a village, which could be something like out of Bloodborne or Dark Souls 3, it could emphasise the horror aspects even more! Then horror games may still have a place as a top-rated genre in the gaming world. I have every confidence that the next generation of consoles will find that strange mystical alchemy, to develop an amazing future for the horror faithful.
Alucard
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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: Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Best horror video game ever
MORE: Games Inbox: Cyberpunk 2077 hype worries, PS5 slim release date, and Oculus Quest 2 love
MORE: Games Inbox: PS5 success prediction, Watch Dogs: Legion length, and Cyberpunk 2077 delay theories
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Why I dream every day of owning a PS5 – Reader’s Feature
A reader from Zambia details his long history with Sony consoles and why he hopes to one day own a PlayStation 5.
Gaming has been part of my life ever since I was young, it’s one of the things which has always made me happy. It’s like playing video games was just in my DNA and the story all starts with the PlayStation 2 being released in Africa and my country of Zambia. In short, owning consoles up till then was a huge let-down because of the prices but with the increase of gaming stations I enjoyed playing PlayStation 2 games such as Resident Evil 4, GTA: San Andreas, etc.
This is when my love for PlayStation started and when my parents could afford one they got me a PlayStation 2, which made my gaming experience much more fun.
Then there came the PlayStation 3, which made me think Sony was out of this world. The graphical and gameplay changes from the PlayStation 2 changed how I enjoyed games such as God Of War, Call Of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2, and Modern Warfare 4; games which played a huge part in creating my loyalty and trust for Sony’s third console. Luckily, my parents and uncles agreed one day that they would get me one and they did.
As for the PlayStation 4, I have never had any gaming experience with it, ‘cause I couldn’t afford it and I’m now at an age that I cannot go into gaming stations and pay and play.
But with Sony’s fifth generation, the PlayStation 5 has got me dreaming every day. It feels like the love has been ignited and I have to marry it! The graphics are jaw-dropping in 4K, the fast SSD that makes load times super quick takes me on a ride of joy and laughter because I remember every time I used to die in a game the load times for these past generations took so long I had enough time to think of a new plan going into the game. But with the PlayStation 5 it’s so quick I would have to think of that plan whilst playing, which makes the gaming experience much more fun…
The 3D audio system is something extraterrestrial brought into the gaming world, where the sound itself will make it so interesting to play, adding more fun to the new DualSense controller. The size of the PlayStation 5 doesn’t matter to me, I have enough space and I know the reason why it’s so huge.
Since I never owned a PlayStation 4 all those backward compatible games on my wish list are playable on the PlayStation 5, which means I have no reason to complain. The internal storage is a bit of a let-down but the solution of buying a compatible SSD takes me back to buying memory cards for the PlayStation 2. The UI and its features are good too.
I read about the PlayStation 5 every day and I keep on getting mind-blown every time. I’m a teenager and I cannot afford to buy my dream console. My parents cannot afford it either, because lately we have had a decrease in our currency value, which makes the PlayStation 5 double the price of a PlayStation 4 slim. If only an angel could get me one.
Otherwise, Sony has changed the way we look at and play video games and they have listened to people’s complaints, especially on the heating and noise which they spent over two years working on. I have to say the PlayStation 5 has no limits. I will not talk about a game I would want to play on the next gen because all the games coming to next gen will be stunning.
By reader Nathan
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Siren Head: Awakening
Siren Head: Awakening
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Friday, 30 October 2020
Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Best horror video game ever
GameCentral readers discuss their favourite horror-themed video games, from P.T. demo to Alien Isolation.
Since it’s Halloween this week the topic for this weekend’s Inbox asked you to name your favourite ever horror game and what you’re looking forward to most from the next generation.
There were a lot of old favourites mentioned, especially various Resident Evil and Silent Hill entries, but also a lot of optimism for the upcoming Resident Evil Village, The Medium, and more.
The original and the best
It may be cliché but for me Resident Evil is the best horror series. Yes, I was hoping for Silent Hill at the Sony showcase but was I excited when the Resident Evil Village trailer popped up? Hell yes!
For me, the best thing about the series is how it has reinvented itself and stayed relevant. Remaking the classic Resident Evil 2 and then giving the same treatment to 3 has given a whole new generation of gamers a chance to immerse themselves in the Resi Evil world.
The decision to make Resident Evil 7 first person was met with criticism by some but I enjoyed the different feel and it brought it firmly back to horror. 5 and 6 felt more like run around exploration games with the occasional zombie, when it remembered it was primarily a horror game.
7 was such a quality addition to the story and had me jumping at nothing as I explored the Baker mansion with trepidation, then jumping more when something actually happened.
I’m really looking forward to Village and I have my fingers crossed I won’t have to wait long as Capcom have a habit of releasing the Resident Evil games in the first quarter of the year. Here’s hoping I can be petrified before Easter!
Jack
Fear the future
I’d say I was very optimistic about the future of survival horror, or at least more optimistic than I have been for several years. The Medium and Scorn both look good, Resident Evil Village is on its way, Shinji Mikami’s Ghostwire: Tokyo is next year, and hopefully these Silent Hill rumours are true. I think now that indie games have got to a stage where their graphics are really good we can guarantee a steady stream of them in the future.
Probably it’ll be like cinema where mainstream horror movies are complete trash and all the good, imaginative horror is made by independents. The only difference is that horror movies can be one of the cheapest kind of films to make but horror games are generally quite expensive because of all the weird visuals.
Indies seem to be copying though and for me the most effective horror game is still Amnesia: The Dark Descent, which certainly didn’t need a big budget to be scary.
Dishtan
Golden age
Probably not a popular choice but the game that scared me the most was Forbidden Siren. It’s kind of mix of Silent Hill and Project Zero, I think by some of the same people, and while it’s very scrappy, and not very focused, I found it scary and very challenging.
It was one of the last games in that golden age of survival horror that Resident Evil started and maybe that’s why I remember it so fondly too. There have been a lot of good horror games since, Dead Space 2 in particular, but I do miss the weird experimentation of those early days.
It’s also a shame that most horror games today are by indie developers and yet Japan doesn’t seem to really do indie in the way that we understand it. That’s a real shame as I’ve always found Japanese horror by far the most effective.
Gosman
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Camping out
It’s not very scary but my favourite horror game of all time is Resident Evil 4.
I have fond memories of it coming out on the GameCube, there weren’t many games like it available for the console and it felt like a really big deal at the time.
The whole game is just an explosion of campy, almost Hammer Horror-esque fun. Its little Metal Gear Solid-style idiosyncrasies are memorable and it’s just a blast to play from start to finish, there are so many good set pieces.
The Mercenaries mode was also a great idea and really extended the lifespan of the game, which was obviously more of a thing back at that time, when there weren’t so many new releases about.
I like the way Capcom reinvented the series with Resident Evil 7 but I hope they have a go at making another action-orientated third person entry at some point.
Charlie
GC: They’re rumoured to be working on a remake of Resident Evil 4.
Imperfect organism
Bit of a tricky one this, as my favourite horror game is not without a lot of issues that stop it from being an all-timer. I don’t play a lot of horror games in general because I’m a complete coward, even though horror movies don’t bother me in the slightest. I think it’s a combination of the interactive nature of games, as opposed to the more passive nature of films, combined with the lack of being able to see behind me in first person, therefore never really knowing how close the danger is, that puts me off them.
But if I had to pick one as my favourite, I’d pick Alien Isolation, even though it has many, many problems. I love the Alien franchise and the look and feel of Isolation is perfect. It’s probably the best video game adaptation of a film property. The artificial intelligence of the xenomorph itself is brilliant, with lots of little tricks to give the impression of it learning your tactics as you play. The end result of this is moment-to-moment bits of incredible tension, holding your breath as you cower in a locker, palms sweating, praying that you don’t get noticed. Those bits are incredible and if that was the entire game, it would be hailed as a modern classic.
But it is needlessly padded. You could remove around eight hours from the game and it would be better for it. There are at least two points I can think of where the game could have been ended satisfactorily and yet it still went on for hours afterwards. And there’s really no reason for it either, apart from to make it longer and seem like more value for money, I guess? But it does the opposite, and turns the end of the game into a needless slog.
So I guess I’m saying that my favourite horror game is the first 10 hours of Alien Isolation? If you like Alien, play through this until it starts to wane, then stop. You won’t be missing out on anything after that.
Eiichihoba (PSN ID)
Home alone
My favourite horror game of all time is Dead Space 2. I had just moved into a flat by myself and would always turn that on for a few hours before bed. The sheer sense of dread I felt was almost enough to make me not want to play it but as soon as you just die and get it over with, the horror dissipates and you can just get on with the game.
Really enjoyed the story of the on-rails shooter for Dead Space too but it wasn’t as scary. Looking forward to Resi 8 but will be playing that with a mate to help lessen the fright.
TomBloodySizer
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Woman of my dreams
P.T. without doubt is the scariest experience I’ve had and it has far too many moments to list. I’d also like to point out how unpleasant it was when Lance McDonald hacked the game and found a secret scene not used in the game and posted it on YouTube. Just Lisa relaxing in the bath… minus her head. It’s a pitch perfect piece of terror and arguably Kojima’s greatest creation.
I’m going to mention Silent Hill 2 and 3 too, as they’re both pretty unnerving. I’m probably in agreement with GC that my favourite is the original, but it hasn’t aged well so it can look slightly tame by today’s standards. 2 is a far better game than 3, both in terms of its story and its pacing. The overall menace that unfolds as we watch James descend into his personal nightmare is really quite exceptionally well executed. It’s certainly one of the best game stories told and stands up even today.
I really loved that section on the lake. A determined James sat in a boat as you guide him through the fog towards a pale distant light. It’s a masterful scene of minimalism with almost complete silence giving you time to process your understanding of his motives. What has guided him there and slowly realising where he is almost willingly heading.
3 did however, have arguably the worst scares and the standout one is the room with the mirror. It still gives me the shivers thinking about when it freezes the reflection of Heather who’s completely covered in blood and the game decides to lock you in. Played through it at 2am in a darkened room only illuminated by the unfolding terror on the CRT and then being unable to sleep once the PlayStation 2 was turned off.
Resident Evil 7 in VR is also fantastic but the second half really does spoil the excruciatingly tense first half and eventually becomes a bit nonsensical by the time the final boss comes along. P.T. though, is the worst by far. Man that woman still haunts my dreams!
Wonka
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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: Cyberpunk 2077 hype worries, PS5 slim release date, and Oculus Quest 2 love
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MORE: Games Inbox: PS5 DualSense vs. DualShock, Game Pass vs. PS Now, and Demon’s Souls recommendations
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A coward’s guide to scary video games – Reader’s Feature
A reader lists the scariest moment he’s ever encountered in video games, from Zelda: Breath Of The Wild to Resident Evil 7.
Since it’s Halloween I thought I’d take a look into some of the games and things that have spooked me.
Zelda: Breath Of The Wild – the blood moon rises
Why does this game creep me out? It’s a family friendly kids’ game for goodness sake, and yet the music has a way to unsettle you. I think the creepiest thing though is what enemies may rise during the blood moon. Still, I guess it’s unsettling rather than out and out scary, unless you re-awaken a Lynel that is.
Soiled pants rating: 2/10 (just a light marking)
Batman: Arkham Knight – the Man-Bat
The Arkham games have always been slightly creepy, the mortuary scene during the first game, the weird robot things in Wonder City in the second game. However, the biggest fright is the jump scare when you first encounter the Man-Bat in Arkham Knight. After the initial scare though, things aren’t too bad.
Soiled pants rating: 4/10 (that might leave a stain)
Resident Evil – zombie dogs
The first Resident Evil was the first out-and-out horror game I played. I don’t recall much of the game and never completed it. However, I still recall the horror of running past a window and it shattering as zombie dogs attacked me. Surely one of the best jump scares ever and the fact the horror doesn’t stop there, the dogs chasing you down the corridor makes it more effective than most.
Soiled pants rating: 6/10 (better get the Vanish)
Far Cry 5 – the haunted house
Again, it’s embarrassingly another game that really shouldn’t scare me, but yet it does. It was a toss-up between the prepper stash where you go into the underground caverns and there’s a load of bliss infected ‘Angels’ creeping about and the haunted house prepper stash. Why does it freak me out? It’s a stupid haunted house. Even real ones scare me less. Kudos Ubisoft, now I can’t sleep.
Soiled pants rating: 7/10 (that’ll need a hot wash)
Resident Evil 2 remake – Mr. X
God, there’s so much in this game that gives me chills. The first licker encounter, the gas station at the beginning of the game. Another close runner-up was the section with the mortuary and the cells where the car park is, that whole bit was tense. However, in the end it’s anytime Mr. X appears. He may have a jaunty hat that you can shoot off and his name may sound like a twitter handle but that doesn’t matter when he’s so damn relentless in his pursuit. I panic every time I hear those ominous footsteps.
Soiled pants rating: 8/10 (ring the dry cleaners)
The Last Of Us Part 2 – Rat King
For some weird reason when I’m playing the parts of the game where Ellie/Abby have a companion I’m OK. Ahhhh Joel you big brute with your manly beard you’ll protect me from the bloater. And you Lev, even though you’re half Abby’s size, can save me from the scary monsters. But when I have to go it alone it becomes more unnerving.
The best example of this is the surgical care unit section. I’d already seen a spoiler for this part of the game but if anything it made me more on edge. It’s so tense and atmospheric and when the Rat King eventually arrives it’s terrifying and when it breaks apart and there’s the stalker scurrying about it is even more unsettling.
Soiled pants rating: 9/10 (better go to the shops for new trousers)
Resident Evil 7 – all of it (especially VR mode)
As someone who got to experience the first few original games on PS1 I was interested in playing the latest instalment after reviews proclaimed it as a return to form for the series. The first person view just makes things more intense. Playing the game, I managed to get just past the first fight with Jack in the garage before I gave up because I was too damn scared.
When I purchased PlayStation VR I decided I wasn’t going to let it beat me but this time around I barely made it into the house before I gave up. The VR mode was even freakier. I’m a 36-year-old man with two kids who’s worked in A&E for 10 years and been able to deal with all sorts of horrible and crazy things but yet I can’t finish a video game because I’m too scared. The shame.
Soiled pants rating: 10/10 (it’s on the sofa and carpets, you’ve ruined the upholstery)
Happy Halloween people, especially my eldest daughter who will turn five on Halloween. Seems quite apt, after all there’s nothing scarier than the responsibility of parenthood.
By reader Matc7884
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
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In defence of Fable – Reader’s Feature
A reader fights back against the assertion that Fable ‘was never any good’ and looks forward to the upcoming Xbox Series X revival.
OK gamers. as Meryl Streep said to Goldie Hawn in the film Death Becomes Her, as she shoots her in the stomach with a shotgun, ‘You’ve brought this on yourself’. Yes readers, it is you that has driven me to this. And possibly the extreme boredom bought on by a two-week isolation, but instead of doing something constructive like cleaning the bathroom I have decided to write this. The limescale can wait as arguing about gaming is far more fun, don’t you agree?
So onto Fable, there’s been a rewriting of history regarding Fable in recent years, even a recent Reader’s Feature said, and I quote, ‘Fable was never any good’. I’ve heard this sentiment a few times and though I respect everyone’s opinion, and no opinion can be incorrect, your opinion is wrong and I don’t respect it. I should note that I am a Fable super-fan, so this perspective is going to be well-balanced and totally unbiased…
The year is 2020, we are living in a world where an invisible virus is destroying our way of life and we need distractions like gaming to take us out of the world we live in. It’s been an excellent generation for video games, with Sony’s first party in particular nailing it with story-driven action adventure games. But then when you look over the highest rated games a lot of them are humourless bores!
The Last Of Us, though excellent, is such a depressing couple of games I need therapy after playing them. The recent Tomb Raider games have become so grim, dark, and realistic it’s no longer fun to make Lara swan dive into a rock, sad times. Horizon Zero Dawn has a cool but ridiculous concept taken so seriously; they might as well have not bothered with mo-cap as everyone’s face was set to constipated the whole game.
It’s honestly refreshing when a game goes for comedy and in the AAA space these have been very few and far between in recent years. Borderlands, Sunset Overdrive, and Portal 2 are examples of games that have really worn comedy on their sleeves. So why are the majority of games so serious? That was something that made Fable really stand out among the brown and grey shooters populating gaming at the time. Fable’s world was a dark twisted fantasy, not to mention foreboding, but it perfectly weaved in a marvellous Monty Python-esque sense of humour that’s so rare in video games.
It gave Fable a charm that’s missing from the likes of Horizon Zero Dawn that are held in far higher regard. Not only was this comedy, it’s British comedy (which is the best, sorry Americans), unafraid to be silly and sarcastic – from quests based around completing gnome collections and to overdramatic demon doors that just want to see you get fat.
Fable managed to invigorate mundane quests that are present in most games in the genre and made them infinitely more entertaining with clever scriptwriting and a silly morality system that was fun to mess around with. The social aspect of Fable was also a joy to play, finally you could live out your fantasy of farting to a group of people and getting the adoration and disgust you deserve.
My Fable 2 experience almost ruined my love life, because I met my first husband in it, Roger the cobbler. He gave me a pair of boots for absolutely no reason other than love, that’s relationship goals right there, I love me some footwear – I’ve been searching for my Roger ever since. My real-life fiancé does share his Yorkshire accent but he’s yet to buy me boots that offer an armour stat boost, though he does buy me fried chicken when I’m hung over so it’s not all bad.
Yes, Fable has a lot of shortcomings, the combat seemed to degrade with each subsequent entry and the third game was littered with microtransactions and a ridiculous endgame. Across the series the world was far too linear, never managing a proper open world with loading screens littering the games every 10 minutes as you travel from place to place. Never before has a game been screaming out for a densely designed open world like Fable.
One has to remember though, that the third game, which was undoubtedly the worst, was released a decade ago, so of course aspects of Fable will feel dated and not hold up under modern day scrutiny. Though after replaying Fable 2 last year, what struck me was just how well the game stands up, it’s still incredibly fun and through the magic in combat is far too powerful there’s something really satisfying about unleashing lightning on 10 enemies at once. And the story is still a compelling tale, with interesting side characters and a world you want to be part of.
As the new generation approaches, Fable is finally getting the revival it so deserves. Lionhead may be gone, but after playing the beta for Fable Legends that’s probably for the best. Playground Games, the new developers of the series, haven’t made a bad game and though all they’ve made is racing games the recent trailer put my mind at ease.
It would be extremely easy for them to create another fantasy role-playing game with a super serious tone, but I was relieved to see that Playground understand what Fable is – the new trailer said a lot in a short amount of time. We saw a grand scale fantastical world with its British sense of humour still firmly intact. Fable is now my most anticipated next gen game and I’ve seen absolutely nothing of it, but I can’t wait to return to this world.
So chicken chasers, this is my defence of Fable. And it may not have convinced you otherwise, but Fable is great and always was, there’s a reason it’s being bought back. Now let’s get back to arguing about what console is better, now that this Fable business can be laid to rest.
By reader Jay Johnson
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.
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MORE: Fable reboot coming to Xbox Series X from creators of Forza Horizon
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New Star Wars game already underway at Squadrons developer EA Motive
Squadrons will not be the only Star Wars game that EA Motive make, as they also reveal they’re working on an original new IP.
Star Wars: Squadrons was an unusual game in many ways. It was relatively short, sold at a semi-budget price, and had unashamedly complex gameplay in a fairly niche genre – not something you’d expect from EA and one of the biggest media licences in the world.
Another curious thing about it is that, despite all the potential, there are no plans for any major DLC (just some cosmetic trinkets to tie-in to The Mandalorian), with developer Motive saying that the game is purposefully designed to be one and done. Which, again, is not what you’d expect from EA.
We speculated before that they might instead decide to go straight to a new sequel and that now looks like a distinct possibility, as they’re certainly working on something new that’s Star Wars related.
Once again, job ads have revealed information a company would never normally talk about this early, with one listing for a software developer revealing that, ‘The team is starting immediately on an upcoming Star Wars action game and will also be building original IP.’
There’s nothing there to say it is a sequel to Squadrons, but it would be very strange if they were to suddenly abandon all that newly gained experience in order to do something completely different.
That’s especially true if they’ve also greenlit a second project that’s a new IP, although what that might be is a complete mystery.
Motive’s only previous work was on the story campaign in Star Wars: Battlefront 2, although they were originally founded with the intention of creating new IP as well as working on licensed products.
Star Wars: Squadrons is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
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MORE: Star Wars: Squadrons is getting free Mandalorian DLC, includes Baby Yoda bobblehead
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MORE: Star Wars: Squadrons PS4 review – Revenge of X-wing vs. TIE Fighter
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The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope review – Halloween gaming
The creators of Until Dawn return with another multiplayer horror game featuring witches, time travel, and a lot of arguing.
Usually at this time of year we complain about how there are no new survival horror games to celebrate Halloween with. But there’s been two this year, with this and the recent Amnesia: Rebirth, and we imagine The Medium and Scorn were originally intended to be out this month too. Together with Resident Evil Village and the ongoing rumours of a new Silent Hill and/or Hideo Kojima game the world of survival horror is surprisingly healthy right now. Or it would be if either of this month’s two games were any good.
Little Hope is the second entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology series, from Supermassive Games – creators of PlayStation 4 exclusive Until Dawn. If you’ve played that game you’ll instantly know how this works, as it’s basically the same mixture of third person exploration, QTE sequences, simple dialogue options, and PG-13 levels of horror.
Put like that it’s not a very appealing sounding mixture but the graphics and facial animation in the games are amongst the best of the current generation, and unfairly underrated. Plus, The Dark Pictures games have a great gimmick where you can play them with one or more people, each player taking the role of a different in-game character. That has huge potential well beyond just horror games but, once again, it feels largely wasted in the context of The Dark Pictures.
We almost hesitate to call the Dark Pictures games horror titles at all. They’re certainly not scary, even though they’re clearly trying to be, and it would be easier to turn them into Twilight Zone style weird tales then it would a proper horror narrative.
The earlier Man Of Medan centred around a ghost ship that was less than meets the eye and which not even the most nervous of souls could possibly find frightening. The story was a based on an existing urban legend, the game’s explanation for which was extremely unsatisfying, but Little Hope has a more complex and interesting set-up.
It’s inspired by the history of New England witch trials but opens with a modern day bus crash involving a handful of students and their professor, before flashing back in time to show what seems to be the same people in the 70s being menaced by a creepy little girl who appears to have a demonic invisible friend.
The story eventually flashes back even further, to the 17th century, where again everyone looks the same but appear to be different people. There’s a lot of obvious cliché weaved in amongst it, such as the spooky fog that after walking into it you end up right back where you started, but it is a more intriguing set-up than the first game, in that you genuinely don’t know what’s going on at first.
Whether you care to find out is a different question though as the game’s line-up of characters is hard to engage with, even when you’re pulling their strings. The lack of likeable characters was also a problem in Man Of Medan, but much less so in Until Dawn, which suggests that somehow Supermassive is getting worse with each game. That includes the writing, which in Little Hope is filled with banal observations and eye-rolling quips about how everything feels like a horror movie.
None of the characters seem to like each other, even though two of them are supposed to be romantically involved and another two old acquaintances, and none has a strong enough personality to make the constant arguments interesting. Once again there’s no real jokes, and barely any attempts at them, which means for the majority of the game you’re just slowly traipsing around in the dark, looking for some mundane plot element like a lost phone, and waiting for something scary to happen.
As in the last game you’re able to select dialogue choices which emphasise a particular attitude, such as being sarcastic or sympathetic. Your relationship with whoever you’re talking to is then altered as a result, and your own personality traits are likewise adjusted. This does change the way characters behave when you’re not in control of them, but it feels vague and unimportant. Having a stream of adjectives flashing up on screen every time you choose something is all well and good but it doesn’t feel like you’re making a difference, not in the same way as a game like Life Is Strange.
The multiplayer options are largely the same as before and are a fantastic idea that really could revolutionise story-based video games… if they were ever used in a story anyone cared about. You can play with one other player in something like traditional co-op – where each sees the same game from the perspective of a different character – but there’s also another mode where you pass the controller round a larger group.
Again, this seems like a great idea, but it needs to be matched with an Evil Dead style shlocky horror experience, where everyone can laugh and shout at the screen. By comparison Little Hope is far too stuffy and dull to expect anything like that reaction.
That said, the horror aspect is a little more pronounced than Man Of Medan, as you’re occasionally set upon by monsters, although the QTEs that were previously criticised for being too hard are now so easy they’re almost trivial. By the end of our first game all of the main characters had survived, without us much caring whether they did or not – as opposed to previous games where we were genuinely trying to help them and lots of them died anyway.
Unlike Man Of Medan, there are some interesting ideas at play here, but neither that or the excellent presentation can save a game that often seems barely interactive and curiously desperate to offer up the least interesting resolution to each situation. The Dark Pictures provides a canvas for Supermassive to make the perfect horror video game but Little Hope isn’t horrific or horrible, it’s just bland and boring and that’s a real shame.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope review summary
In Short: The least interesting use of the Until Dawn formula so far, with a tedious tale of 17th century witchcraft that fails to either scare or entertain.
Pros: The graphics and presentation are excellent and the multiplayer options are potentially groundbreaking, if only they’d be matched with the right game.
Cons: Thoroughly unlikeable and uninteresting cast of characters, with no real scares and far too much downtime. Weak script, overly easy QTEs, and too little influence on the story outcome.
Score: 4/10
Formats: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), Xbox One, and PC
Price: £24.99
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Developer: Supermassive Games
Release Date: 30th October 2020
Age Rating: 16
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MORE: The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan follow-up Little Hope gets first trailer with Blair Witch vibe
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Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War takes up 250GB on PC, multiplayer is 50GB
Activision has revealed exactly how much space the new Call Of Duty will take up on a PC hard drive, with consoles likely to be similar.
If you’re looking to get this year’s Call Of Duty then you’re going to need 250GB of hard drive space for the PC version, according to the latest information from Activision.
That assumes you install the full game using the highest quality assets, but it can be reduced to 175GB if you don’t intend to run the game at 4K.
That’s likely to be the same sort of size the current gen versions will take up, but the next gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will probably be closer to the maximum PC install.
Activision know fans aren’t happy with the amount of space the game is takes up, so there’ll be an option right from the start to just install the multiplayer and that’ll only take up 50GB.
That doesn’t include the story campaign, Zombies, or Warzone, so it’s really just a fraction of the whole game. Also, new content will constantly be released for the game, so even that 50GB total will quickly begin to increase.
There’s been a lot of concern that the SSDs for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S are too small, but short of making the consoles themselves much more expensive there’s not much Sony or Microsoft can do about that.
Whether Activision and other companies could do more to reduce the size of installs is more open to question but dividing games up like this is likely to become commonplace in the next generation.
As for Call Of Duty: Warzone, which is also available separately as a free-to-play title, that will be integrated with Cold War in December.
Warzone has been teasing the release of Cold War for months now but rather than the two games fully converging at launch it will be the start of season one that will see Warzone complete the break from last year’s Modern Warfare.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be released on November 13 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
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Senior Rare director quits Everwild as Xbox loses another veteran developer
Following the exit of Halo Infinite’s director, Rare has confirmed that Everwild creative director Simon Woodroffe has also left the company.
Microsoft doesn’t seem to be having much luck retaining senior developers at the moment, as Rare creative director Simon Woodroffe leaves the British developer after eight years at the company.
Everwild will continue without him though, led by executive producer Louise O’Connor, lead designer James Blackham, and studio art director Ryan Stevenson.
‘We thank Simon for all his hard work on Everwild and wish him the very best of luck for the future,’ Rare studio boss Craig Duncan told VGC. ‘The Everwild team are in good hands and passionate about building a game that will give players unforgettable experiences in a natural and magical world.’
Woodroffe started out in the games industry as writer and designer on the Simon The Sorcerer games, before becoming head of design at Sega Europe’s technology group, and then joining Rare in 2012.
No reason has been given for his departure, but according to VGC Woodroffe submitted his resignation earlier in the month and has been largely absent from the company since.
It’s still unclear what exactly Everwild is, with Rare admitting in a Polygon interview that, ‘Part of the reason we haven’t talked a lot about Everwild is because we’re still feeling a lot of these things out. We’re still playing around with gameplay ideas’.
The most recent Xbox Games Showcase seemed to imply that Everwild would be exclusive to the Xbox Series X/S, and not released on Xbox One, although it’s never been confirmed and the game has no release date.
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MORE: Xbox Series X U-turn sees Fable, Forza Motorsport, and Everwild become exclusives
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MORE: Halo Infinite loses second director in two years admits Microsoft
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Stirring Abyss
Stirring Abyss is an strategy/narrative game published by Slitherine
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Far Cry 6 and Rainbow Six Quarantine delayed until after Easter says Ubisoft
Two of Ubisoft’s biggest upcoming games have been delayed indefinitely, as the ongoing pandemic continues to wreak havoc with release dates.
In what’s likely to a be a familiar story over the coming months, two of next year’s big-name games have already been delayed from their originally intended release date.
Far Cry 6 was to have been released on February 18 but will now have to wait until some point after Ubisoft’s next financial year, which begins in April 2021.
It’s not much of a surprise given how little of the game has been seen up till now, with still no gameplay footage despite it having been revealed back in July.
‘While we know you are all anxious to get your hands on Far Cry 6, we want to let you know that we’ve been given more time to allow us to make this the game you aspire to play while focusing on the well-being of our teams in this unprecedented global context’, reads a message from the development team.
Rainbow Six Quarantine is in a similar position, although it was announced back in June 2019 and has never had a proper release date or anything other than a pre-rendered trailer.
It’s already been delayed once and the concept of a Rainbow Six game where you fight aliens has not gone down well with many fans, although the teaser trailer suggests the game will still have a serious tone.
At this point it wouldn’t be surprising if it was just cancelled, although the problem with the pandemic is that not only do games get delayed but it also becomes harder to promote them – so it could well be looking good so far and there’s just been no chance to prove it.
Ubisoft’s slate is a busy one at the moment though, with Watch Dogs: Legion out this week, Just Dance 2021 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla next month, Immortals Fenyx Rising in December, and The Prince Of Persia Remake and Riders Republic (a multiplayer extreme sports game) out in the spring.
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Visage
Visage is an upcoming psychological horror game developed by SadSquare Studio.
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Pikmin 3
Pikmin 3 stars three all-new main characters who end up on a planet full of Pikmin and various dangers. They have to coordinate to survive in this hostile but beautiful environment and taking advantage of the helpful little Pikmin (among them two new types!) might just be the only way to achieve that.
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