Archive for June 2021

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

Games Inbox: Fallout 5 release date worries, GTA 6 in 2025, and PSP Store closure

June 30, 2021 Leave a Reply
Games Inbox: Fallout 5 release date worries, GTA 6 in 2025, and PSP Store closure
Fallout 76
How long will the wait be till Fallout 5? (pic: Bethesda)

The Thursday Inbox suggests Waluigi for the final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC, as one reader asks why Microsoft bought Bethesda.

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


Waiting for Fallout
So, The Elder Scrolls 6 may not be ready for another five years?

That’s actually crazy when you think about it. That’s a 15 year wait between sequels. That is Shenmue levels of wait between 2 and 3.

I mean, I get wanting to take your time, especially when you are known for buggy releases, but this is kinda extreme, no?

And with that news, I’m guessing it will be equal amount of time for the next Fallout too.

I hope Microsoft just gives the Fallout franchise to another studio at this point. Waiting 15 years for a sequel to your favourite franchise is a little bit insane. (I’m not counting 76, the game is kinda fun but doesn’t feel Fallout to me). They own obsidian now. And a plethora of other studios.

They could lose a lot of their fanbase doing this. I could be 50 by the time the new Fallout is out. People will move on.
Matt

GC: Buying Obsidian and putting them to work on a Skyrim clone is looking like an increasingly unfortunate move.


Change of heart
Regarding the long wait for The Elder Scrolls, 6 etc. it does seem timely when you count peripheral goings on in the games industry as whole.

Why is Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 production taking so long?

Well, the clues are plain to see. All their games have been buggy, likely because they were rushing games no-one else makes with made huge scopes (hence why I and other still play Skyrim to this day).

Todd Howard said they greatly increased their engineers from a couple to like more than a dozen for Creation Engine 2.

Also, in recent years the crunch and mad outsourcing has come under scrutiny. I cannot remember Bethesda being one of the main culprits.

It seems to me they might of took a decision to scope the now current hardware, not burn their staff, and build a solid foundation for the future.
I hope that Creation Engine 2 is a solid competitor to, say, Unreal, etc. now and it will enable their teams after Starfield to content create quicker, than get bogged down.
Tundra_Boosh

GC: At what point are you suggesting Bethesda became obsessed with stamping out bugs at all costs? Because Fallout 76 only came out three years ago…


Majority rules
I was curious. In the Xbox 360 era most reviews would be on that console, as they were usually the better version, with PlayStation 4 following that generation.

I’ve noticed most of your reviews lately are still on PlayStation 4. Surely with the ease of backwards compatibility the Xbox Series X would be a better choice? Or is there another reason? Such as publishers sending more PlayStation review copies. Just a thought anyway. Love the site. Been here since Digi days.
Phil

GC: Thank you. It’s partly that publishers send PlayStation 4 copies as default but that in turn is simply a reflection that more people own PlayStation 4s than Xbox Ones and, at the moment at least, more PlayStation 5s than Xbox Series X/S.


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


No swords
Just to throw my two pennies into the whole last DLC character for Smash Bros Ultimate. Logic would predict Waluigi and I’ve said it before on these pages I would like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

What I think would be a really fitting end to it all though would be Lego man/woman. Especially after the two companies have decided to work together for the foreseeable future. The level could also resemble the Lego Mario starter pack and, if you think about it, it’s kind of free advertising for both companies so it’s a win-win situation.

Also, I don’t think there would be too many people disappointed with his inclusion as he is a pretty iconic character worldwide.

Yet I fear, like one of your other readers already suggested, it will probably be just another man with a sword.
freeway 77

GC: We could maybe see it being Waluigi, especially if his moves revolved around various Nintendo in-jokes.


Put a ring on it
RE: Rocky. I’m not sure it’s really Sony’s style to buy up developers just to stop Microsoft buying them. It seems more likely that they have worked closely with them over several years now, identified a talented team and decided they represent a good business move to bring them in house and have them work on their own projects.

It’s cheaper than outsourcing to them regularly and paying for exclusive content, and from developer’s point of view it gives them stability, and maybe a chance to try bigger projects.
kiran

GC: It’s not really a question of natural preference. If Sony hadn’t bought Housemarque there was every chance Microsoft would have. If it was merely a question of saving money they could’ve bought them a decade or more ago – but at that point Microsoft wasn’t aggressively buying up studios.


Ultimate offer
So I have just recently picked up an Xbox Series S, to take advantage of Game Pass, and I was wondering if they still convert Xbox Live Gold to Game Pass Ultimate for £1?

I read online that they still do it if you have three years’ worth of Gold on your account, but if you take the three months Ultimate for £1 offer on top does that still work and give you three years and three months of Ultimate? Many thanks in advance.
Cu8e5 (gamertag)/Cubes (PSN ID)

GC: We don’t have much experience on that side of things with Game Pass, but we’re sure a reader can help.


Bethesda bundle
Probably daft to speculate but what do Microsoft get out of the purchase of Bethesda?

Obviously offices, maybe a game engine, but then they fund that for five years or so.

As a business I can only really think of Elder Scrolls Online and licensing on figures and that stuff.

I always think of game development as splat and splurge, no income for a while then you are swimming in money.

What gives!
Paul

GC: We’re not sure we understand the question? They get half a dozen major studios and control of some of the most successful franchises in gaming history, the current entries of which they can immediately put up on Game Pass.


Last chance to buy
I was just writing in a short message to remind people that the PSP Store is closing soon, I think July 2nd but GameCentral can correct me on that if that is not correct. So, remember to buy anything you want before it closes and download it once to have it in your library for re-download in future.

I’ve recently bought Persona 3 Portable on the Store.
Andrew J.
PS: The Spectrum Retreat is free on Epic Store from today at 4pm.

GC: Yes, it’s July 2nd, so this Friday.


Trouble at Home
Just wanted to have a little whinge about Nintendo and its handling of data to make myself feel better. My children and I all love Pokémon. I have a healthy/unhealthy amount of them trapped in my phone thanks to Pokémon Go and my son asked if I would transfer some of them to him to help complete his pokédex in Shield. I thought why not? So, I downloaded Pokémon Home on my phone and the Switch, linked it to my Nintendo account and tried to help him out.

After half an hour I realised this wouldn’t work as the two versions of Home and the Home transfer function within Go would all need to be linked to my son’s Nintendo account (itself an offshoot of my main account) in order to get Bulbasaur where he needed to be. So I deregistered everything, set it all up for him and away we went.

Then I saw that there is a limit on how many pokémon can be held in Home unless you shell out for a subscription. Plus, you can only send a certain amount of pokémon dependent on how much Go Transporter energy you have. This is a meter that runs down gradually refills over days or quicker if you spend pokécoins. What. On. Earth?

Aside from the unnecessary hoops and restrictions I’ve mentioned, let’s not forget that if I wanted to send any pokémon via this method to my daughter or myself I would need to de- and re-register Home 2.5 times every time I wanted to get them to a different account. Plus, when they do end up in the intended account they are themselves locked to the save data for that game on that Switch and not in the type of cloud-based save system you would expect in 2021.

As I have experienced firsthand, if you can’t turn your Switch on and send it to Nintendo to repair, your save data gets wiped and all the pokémon die. A quick Google search reveals that Nintendo have now enabled Pokémon save data to be moved from one Switch to another but that requires more steps than anyone would be interested in reading here.

And don’t get me started on the The Isle Of Armor and The Crown Tundra DLC, which my children can only play on one of our two Switches at a time as it will only work on whichever one is set as the ‘main’ Switch.

I just don’t get it. Nintendo have these made-up characters locked behind more firewalls than NFTs and cryptocurrency.
RedRobN

GC: Pokémon Home has always been weird. It always seems like it’s purposefully designed to discourage you from using it.


Inbox also-rans
GTA 6 in 2025? Now that’s one rumour I can believe instantly. Although unlike Skyrim at least I can understand why Rockstar is taking so long, what with GTA Online being so popular still.
Gunship

Xbox is the official console of Battlefield 2042? EA and Microsoft have always been thick as thieves, so I’m not surprised. I imagine Microsoft has looked into buying EA on more than one occasion. I’d be curious how close they got.
Tension


This week’s Hot Topic
On Wednesday we’ll be exactly halfway through the year, so for this weekend’s Inbox we want to know what you think is the best game of 2021 so far.

The game has to be one that was released new this year, so not just whatever you happened to be playing from a previous year (if it helps you can find our list of our top 10 favourites here). How many 2021 games have you bought in total this year and how well do you feel publishers have coped with the problems caused by the pandemic?

Whether they’re new or not, have you bought more or less games in general this year and are there any you’re already planning to get in the second half of 2021?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.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 and content.

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: The Elder Scrolls 6 delay, Ghost Of Tsushima 2, and Uncharted 2 remake

MORE : Games Inbox: Final Smash Bros. DLC fighter, Dead Space reboot, and Alex Kidd In Miracle World DX cheats

MORE : Games Inbox: Battlefield 2042 vs. Call Of Duty, the best Mario Golf game, and Shin Megami Tensei 5

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Xbox is official console of Battlefield 2042 – unclear if it’ll get DLC first

June 30, 2021 Leave a Reply
Battlefield 2042 key art
Battlefield 2042 – officially partnering with Xbox (pic: EA)

There’s an official storage and off-road vehicle partner for Battlefield 2042 but does the deal with Xbox mean DLC will be a timed exclusive?

The point at which Xbox One lost the last generation happened very early on; if not the initial reveal then certainly the first appearance at E3, opposite the PlayStation 4.

The final nail though, was when Call Of Duty switched allegiances from Xbox 360 to PlayStation 4 – meaning that the game was promoted almost solely for PlayStation formats and all major DLC became a month-long timed exclusive.

Whether that will change in the current generation remains to be seen but Microsoft has made a very similar sounding deal for the new Battlefield, which makes Xbox Series X/S the official consoles of Battlefield 2042.

What precisely this means, though, is unclear. We’ve asked EA for clarification, but they were unable to say anything more, so it’s unknown whether the PlayStation 5 will end up getting Battlefield 2042 DLC a month after the Xbox Series X/S.

The gameplay trailer for Battlefield 2042 did debut at the Xbox E3 Showcase but given there wasn’t a PlayStation equivalent there wasn’t really any other choice.

EA are next due to talk about the game at the EA Play Live event on July 22, which will unveil a new game type, described as a ‘love letter to Battlefield fans’ and rumoured to be called BattleHub and revolving around remasters of Battlefield maps from previous games.

For the record, the other official partners of Battlefield 2042 include Nvidia, with the PC version of the game making use of Nvidia DLSS technology to upscale the resolution, as well as Nvidia Reflex’s low latency mode.

Logitech is the PC peripherals partner, with the emphasis at this stage appearing to be on headsets. Meanwhile, WD_Black is the official storage partner, in terms of hard drives and SSDs.

There’s no official beer, or anything like that, but there is the rather strange category of Off-Road Vehicle Partner, which goes to Polaris, who apparently make ATVs – with the Polaris Sportsman ATV already featuring in the game.

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MORE : Battlefield 2042 secret mode is called BattleHub and uses classic maps claims rumour

MORE : Battlefield 2042 gameplay trailer shows a 128-player battle in action

MORE : How to get Battlefield 2042 a week early: pay EA more money

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The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles hands-on preview – the adventures of Herlock Sholmes

June 30, 2021 Leave a Reply
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles screenshot
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles – Sherlock Holmes by any other name (pic: Capcom)

GameCentral gets to play the new compilation of Ace Attorney games, that has you playing Phoenix Wright’s Victorian ancestor.

In the last year or so, it’s been a shame to see the anniversaries of so many important franchises pass by without proper celebration. From Resident Evil to Sonic The Hedgehog, none have had the attention lavished on them that would have happened if there’d been no pandemic. We’re not sure if things will be much different when Ace Attorney hits its 20th birthday this October, but fans have already got the best present they could ask for: two brand new games.

It’s been five years since the last Ace Attorney game was released in the West, with 2016’s Spirit Of Justice on 3DS, but there have been other games released in Japan that until now have never seen an official localisation. The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures actually came out a year before Spirit Of Justice but unlike the other games is set during the Victorian era and takes place in both Japan and London, including cameos from Herlock Sholmes and other legally distinct references to the work Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a compilation of two games, with the original The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures and its 2017 sequel The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve. Both are 3DS games, so there’s still never been an entry made specifically for a home console, but we’ve been able to play three cases from the first game and the graphics scrub up perfectly well – especially when you consider Ace Attorney is never going to command a big budget, whatever format it’s made for.

If you’re not familiar with the Ace Attorney series it often, but not always, features lawyer Phoenix Wright, with the games being essentially visuals novels. When the first games came out they were almost the only examples of the genre to be released by a major publisher in the West, but you can now see a clear evolutionary connection between them and the recently remastered Famicom Detective Club games.

Ace Attorney is more interactive than the average visual novel, with elements similar to classic point ‘n’ click adventures, although a lot of the game still just involves reading lines and lines of text. Thankfully it’s usually quite funny text though and Ace Attorney has made it this far largely because the strangeness of its concept is augmented by charmingly silly characters and purposefully amusing dialogue and antics.

Although sometimes referred to as a lawyer sim, Ace Attorney is about as authentic a portrayal of legal proceedings as Surgeon Simulator is of good medical practice. There’s rarely any sign of a jury (the fact that there is in this game is quite a novelty), perjury is occasionally mentioned but never enforced, and in these two games you can sometimes have up to four different people in the witness stand at once. But it doesn’t matter because Ace Attorney is essentially a comedy and the only thing that is important is how entertaining the main characters are.

In Great Ace Attorney you play as Ryunosuke Naruhodo, an ancestor of Phoenix Wright who, in the opening case, is forced to defend himself after he’s accused of murdering a British professor. Although Victorian London has its own appeal the Japanese setting is also interesting, as the time period of the Sherlock Holmes books coincides with the Meiji period in Japan, when the country had only just begun to open itself up to the West. The game portrays Western style law systems as being brand new, with one of the main characters due to go and study in London as a lawyer.

All this is illustrated in the gently comical style of Ace Attorney, but it’s fascinating to see how the period, and the image of Britain, is seen from a Japanese point of view. That’s somewhat complicated by the fact that this seems to be an American translation, although at least this time there’s no farcical attempt to imply the games are actually set in the US.

The first case is a little dry but introduces the basic tenants of gameplay, as you cross-examine witness and try and point out inconsistences in their testimony, often by examining and presenting evidence. Most Ace Attorney games usually introduce a unique gimmick but Great Ace Attorney, at least based on what we’ve played so far, only has two main diversions from the normal style, the first being that there’s a jury that will happily interrupt you whenever they feel like it.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles screenshot
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles – you tell ’em Ryunosuke! (pic: Capcom)

Outside of the first case, you also have to investigate the crimes yourself, which is where the series has always seemed the closest to a point ‘n’ click adventure. In Great Ace Attorney you often investigate alongside Herlock Sholmes, who is portrayed as an anime version of the great detective who tends to make instant judgements which you then have to prove are untrue.

This ‘Joint Reasoning’ isn’t much different to how contradictions are proven in court, but Sholmes is a lot of fun and avoids being too insufferable or incompetent despite the fact that you’re constantly having to correct him.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a release many fans thought they’d never see but it’s been worth the wait and the change of scenery works extremely well, with the typically bizarre characters and humour mixed with some genuinely interesting historical observations and a clear love for the original Sherlock Holmes stories. Capcom might not be able to use the real name but there are a lot of small details and Easter eggs that make it clear director and writer Shu Takumi is a genuine fan.

What future the Ace Attorney series might have is not clear, although perhaps we’ll find out closer to the anniversary this autumn. The franchise’s past, both figuratively and literally, is still highly entertaining though and given the break from the modern day continuity this compilation seems to be the perfect jumping on point for new players, who might be curious about one of gaming’s most unlikely franchises.

Formats: PlayStation 4 (previewed), Nintendo Switch, and PC
Price: £32.99
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: 27th July 2021

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MORE : Japan-only Great Ace Attorney games may finally release in the West

MORE : Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy review – not objectionable

MORE : Fan subbed trailer for new historical Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney game

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Silent Hill rumours reignite as The Medium developer teams up with Konami

June 30, 2021 Leave a Reply
Silent Hill 2
If only Konami would make an official announcement (pic: Konami)

Bloober Team has signed a development deal with Konami and you don’t need any insiders to tell you what that might mean for Silent Hill.

Konami hasn’t confirmed that Bloober Team is working on a new Silent Hill, but it’s hard to imagine any other reason for the two revealing a ‘strategic cooperation agreement’.

Announced on Bloober Team’s website, the deal will involve ‘jointly developing selected contents and exchanging know-how’.

No specific games or franchises are mentioned but given that Bloober Team has previously said they’re working on an existing horror IP from ‘a very famous gaming publisher’ it’s hard not to jump to conclusions.

There are long-standing rumours pointing towards Bloober Team’s involvement in Silent Hill but never any proof, so it’s still best not to take it for granted. Especially as some rumours suggest there are actually multiple Silent Hill titles currently in production.

For example, website VGC claims that a ‘prominent’ Japanese development is already working on a new Silent Hill game, with the implication that that will be announced first.

There’s nothing to suggest Bloober Team couldn’t be working on multiple different games for Konami and indeed the official announcement does seem to imply more than one project.

The bigger concern for fans of the series is whether Bloober Team are up to the job, as Layers Of Fear and Observer have plenty of detractors and we certainly didn’t think much of the recent The Medium.

Konami was due to take part in E3 2021 but dropped out at the last minute, which suggests that they do have announcements that are relatively close to being made public, but there’s now no clue as to when they might be revealed.

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MORE : Konami announce new Contra game and you can already guess the catch

MORE : Konami brings back Silent Hill… in skateboard form!

MORE : Konami outsourcing Silent Hill, Metal Gear, and Castlevania claims rumour

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Remedy announce Control 2 and multiplayer spin-off

June 30, 2021 Leave a Reply
Control Ultimate Edition
Control is getting two follow-ups (pic: 505 Games)

The makers of Alan Wake have signed a deal with 505 Games to make two new Control games, including a multiplayer title.

Fans of Remedy Entertainment are going to be spoilt for choice in terms of new games in the future, with the developer not only working on Alan Wake 2 and a remaster of the original, but also two new Control games.

The Control announcements were made via Remedy’s website, with an unnamed multiplayer spin-off implied to be out first and described as a four-player co-operative PvE game, codenamed Condor.

Condor will be a current gen-only game but there’s no indication of when it will be released or if work has even started yet, especially given Remedy are only a relatively small studio and it’s unclear where Alan Wake 2 fits into all this.

At the same time, Remedy has announced a deal with publisher 505 Games to make a ‘bigger-budget Control-game’, presumably a direct sequel to the original.

There’s no further information about that but what has been revealed, which is unusual, is the exact financial details of the deal with 505 Games.

According to them Control has sold over 2 million copies and made over £60 million in revenue, which 505 Games classify as ‘an extremely successful game’.

The initial development budget of Condor is given as £21.5 million, which is a rare insight into how much lower budget games cost to make – given the only time video game budgets are usually mentioned is in the occasional boast of a giant-sized release costing over £100 million.

It all appears to be very good news for Remedy and their fans and while the idea of a multiplayer game may seem odd, given the heavy story focus in the original Control, the combat mechanics were certainly strong enough to justify it.

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MORE : Secret PS5 game underway at Control dev Remedy claims rumour

MORE : Alan Wake 2 to be published by Epic Games after bidding war claims source

MORE : Control: Ultimate Edition PS5 review – next gen weirdness

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GTA 6 release date is 2025 and is set in modern day Vice City claims rumour

June 30, 2021 Leave a Reply
GTA Online screenshot
The wait for GTA 6 is not going to be a quick one (pic: Rockstar Games)

The next GTA will allegedly feature a giant multiplayer map that changes like Fortnite, but it is not going to be out any time soon.

Yesterday we had the news that The Elder Scrolls 6, the follow-up to Skyrim, hasn’t even left the design phase yet, and could be anything up to five years away. Well, it’s not the only sequel that will have more than a decade between it and the last game…

GTA 5 was first released in 2013 and while a next gen version is planned for this autumn there’s never been any official talk (except a few purposefully vague hints from Take-Two) about a sequel.

A new rumour offers a good reason for that: It won’t be out until 2025, with a new giant-sized map that changes over time, in a similar way to Fortnite.

The information comes from serial leaker Tom Henderson, who has earned a name for himself by getting almost everything right about the Battlefield 2042 reveal before it happened.

According to him, GTA 6 will be set in Vice City during the modern day and not the 1980s – as suggested by many previous rumours.

Henderson also suggests that GTA 6 will change and evolve over time, which he compares to the way that Epic Games refreshes the Fortnite map every few months. Although how that would be explained in-game is unclear.

There’s not much information on the single-player storyline, but apparently it will again include multiple player characters, like GTA 5.

Two main reasons are given for why GTA 6 is taking so long, beyond the fact that making a game of that scale is not an easy thing to do.

The first is that developer Rockstar is trying to avoid crunch and treat its employees better, after several reports accused the company of having poor working conditions.

The other reason is that GTA 6 will be a current gen-only game and, especially given the current shortages, Rockstar want to wait until there are enough consoles in circulation to make that worthwhile.

While Henderson presents no proof, everything he says is easy to believe and it’s worth bearing in mind that GTA 5 also launched towards the end of its generation, before being remastered for the one after it (and the one after that).

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MORE : GTA Online to shut down in December for Xbox 360 and PS3

MORE : Next gen GTA 5 for PS5 and Xbox Series X release date is this November

MORE : Xbox Series X/S outsells PS5 in April in the UK – top selling game is GTA 5

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Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Games Inbox: The Elder Scrolls 6 delay, Ghost Of Tsushima 2, and Uncharted 2 remake

June 29, 2021 Leave a Reply
Games Inbox: The Elder Scrolls 6 delay, Ghost Of Tsushima 2, and Uncharted 2 remake
Elder Scrolls Online Bethesda Oblivion
Elder Scrolls Online may be all there is for a long while (pic: Bethesda)

The Wednesday Inbox thinks Sony buying Housemarque is a good idea, as readers recommend giving Cyberpunk 2077 a chance.

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


The long wait
I suppose I’m not really surprised but seeing it spelled out just how long The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to take is crazy. As GC alludes, I just don’t get why it’s taking so long? If it came out tomorrow it’d still be nearly 10 years since Skyrim but now it’s going to be closer to 15!

The only thing close to an excuse I can think of is that they feel The Elder Scrolls Online is flying the flag for the franchise at the moment and they don’t need to rush anything? I can only assume the game is successful but I know I’m not interested in an MMO on principle, and I don’t think I’m alone in that.

I do love Skyrim but you have to question Bethesda’s management here. Not for the first time $6.5 billion for Bethesda seems outrageous given their numerous failings, both in terms of bad games and things like bugs, poor graphics, and not being able to get sequels out on time. It’s not my money, so whatever, but 15 years, or anything close to it, is crazy.
Camphor


Good at worst
Couldn’t be happier for the Housemarque acquisition by Sony. Not because I’m a PlayStation loyalist but it should mean that they’ll have a more stable future financially and there’ll be no terrifying talk of them descending into the Abyssal Scar of oblivion.

All being well Sony will nurture them and maybe even Guerrilla will provide access to the Decima engine for their next bullet hell showpiece. Their back catalogue is a masterclass of video game perfection (barring a couple of just good games) and my first request would be if they would kindly offer a 120fps mode for Nex Machina so my eyes and fingers can bleed at the voxel carnage.

I fully agree with your assessment of Returnal.
Andee


A place to start
I imagine that story about Sony buying Bluepoint Games is true and it seems a good idea to me. They’ve done great work so far and there’s a ton of games I’d like to see them work on in the future. Although I have to say, I don’t know how much fun it really is to only ever be remaking other people’s games? Do they not want to make ones of their own? I imagine they must’ve picked up some tricks by now.

Maybe they’ll get their chance, but I hope not before we’ve seen full remakes of the original God Of War, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, and Bloodborne. All of these have seen some degree of rumour for a while now (well, maybe not God Of War, but it seems an obvious one to me) so I imagine they must be on Sony’s short list to some degree.

The one I’d most like to see though, that would require the most work, is Uncharted 1. The first game wasn’t nearly as good as the others but Bluepoint could go back through and make things more modern, improve the pacing, and sort out the gunplay. Then instead of just always starting with Uncharted 2 you could play the whole series through from beginning to end.
Rezzer


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Underlying approval
In response to gaztop2511, I enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 on the PlayStation 5. The game itself looked great with the occasional odd glitch, but the underlying game is decent I think, probably an 8/10. The side quests are generally not quite of the same quality as The Witcher 3, and the pacing can be a bit uneven, but the scope and detail of the game did feel properly next generation to me.

GC’s advice, though, is solid. It does make sense to wait for the next gen upgrade in the second half of this year, but it’s a game worth picking up at some point, I think.
Matt (he_who_runs_away – PSN ID)


Out of sync
As someone that has once sat through a bad copy of Slumdog Millionaire, with the audio out of sync by about 10 seconds, and still thoroughly enjoyed it; that might explain why I am one of the few people who still enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 on the PlayStation 4 (because it broke my PC).

I really loved the story and now that I’ve completed it, I can look back with rose-tinted glasses and forget about all the constant crashing. I’d recommend waiting for the next gen versions unless you can put up with the amount of crap I seem to be able to.
TommyFatFingers


Ghost of a chance
So Ghost Of Tsushima on PlayStation 5 was real, eh? I guess it is every rumour except Nintendo that comes true. I enjoyed the first game but I can see its faults and would not defend it as passionately (or, to be more accurate, angrily) as some people. What I do agree with is that I’m not interested in seeing anymore of the Mongols and am looking forward to a sequel that has a very different story set-up, so I also don’t like the idea of a standalone expansion which is just more Mongols but on a different island.

Ghost Of Tsushima is a good start but for the next step I want to see forward momentum, improving the variety of missions, the quality of the side characters, and the depth of the combat and gameplay. The foundations are already there, they just need to do a bigger, better, more sequel.

Not that I’m going to complain about a new version of the game that looks better but the graphics were already pretty much perfect so there’s much less to gain there. I want to see ‘Ghost’ become a major Sony franchise but given the setting can’t change that much that’s going to dependent on it forging new ideas and really selling the need for a sequel. It’s not guaranteed it’ll happen but I think Sucker Punch can do it.
Bowie


Corporate premonition
Well, it now seems pretty obvious that Sony big wigs read your letters page every day, after what can only be described as a prophetic letter from Rocky regarding the acquisition of Housemarque.

Literally 10 minutes after I read the letters page, I read that Sony have now acquired of said developer. How weird is that?! If Rocky does the lottery I want his numbers!
Lord Crump


Acquisition magic
So, I didn’t expect my email yesterday, about Returnal and buying Housemarque, would become a classic example of Inbox magic. I can tell you now, it’s pretty spooky when it happens!

I’d bet the rumour about Sony buying Bluepoint is true too. I noticed one reader asked in the comments, why developers can’t stay independent and publishers ‘just commission them or license out IP to them’. Would that they could but I think the reason why Sony has suddenly started buying up long time partners is pretty obvious: so Microsoft don’t get them instead.

There was never much chance of Nintendo sweeping in to nab them, but Microsoft absolutely would have done that, just to keep them out of Sony’s reach and regardless of whether they had any need for them or not.

People were defending Microsoft’s purchases a few months ago, and downplaying their negative effects on the industry, but here we see they’ve inspired exactly what was feared: an arms race where Sony and Microsoft race to buy up independent developers, before the other gets them, and the number of exclusives on both sides only increases.
Rocky


Inbox also-rans
So a day after they’re mentioned in the Inbox we have both Housemarque being bought and rumours of a new Quake game? There is some powerful magic going on here! Can he write in about me winning the lottery next?
Orson

I think the playable Sakurai or Miyamoto makes a lot of sense for the last Super Smash Bros. fighter. The new character idea is good too but how embarrassing would it be if that later turned out to be a flop?!
Cody


This week’s Hot Topic
On Wednesday we’ll be exactly halfway through the year, so for this weekend’s Inbox we want to know what you think is the best game of 2021 so far.

The game has to be one that was released new this year, so not just whatever you happened to be playing from a previous year (if it helps you can find our list of our top 10 favourites here). How many 2021 games have you bought in total this year and how well do you feel publishers have coped with the problems caused by the pandemic?

Whether they’re new or not, have you bought more or less games in general this year and are there any you’re already planning to get in the second half of 2021?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.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 and content.

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.

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The Elder Scrolls 6 is still in ‘design phase’ admits Bethesda

June 29, 2021 Leave a Reply
Elder Scrolls 6 trailer
The Elder Scrolls 6 – this is still all anyone’s seen of it (pic: Bethesda)

The follow-up to Skyrim may be even further away than fans fear, as Todd Howard reveals that it hasn’t yet entered full production.

If there’s one thing Bethesda has always been clear about, it’s that The Elder Scrolls 6 is not going to be out anytime soon. Quite why it’s taking so long, given predecessor Skyrim is almost 10 years old now, is not clear but it seems the next entry in the series is barely underway yet.

While discussing the upcoming Starfield with The Telegraph, Bethesda Games Studio director Todd Howard revealed that the new Creation Engine 2 technology would also power The Elder Scrolls 6, even though almost all current development work is for Starfield alone.

‘It’s good to think of The Elder Scrolls 6 as still being in a design [phase]… but we’re checking the tech: ‘Is this going to handle the things we want to do in that game?’ Every game will have some new suites of technology so Elder Scrolls 6 will have some additions on to Creation Engine 2 that that game is going to require’, said Howard.

When will The Elder Scrolls 6 be released?

Howard didn’t offer any more information but if the game is still being designed, with little to no development work currently in progress, you’re looking at at least a four to five year wait until the game is finished.

That is broadly what Bethesda has implied before, but with that sort of time frame the game is not going to come out until near the end of the new generation – assuming that the traditional concept of generations continues in the future.

It’s worth pointing out that Fallout 5 is presumably even further out, since it’s never even been mentioned officially and if it has to wait till The Elder Scrolls 6 is finished… well, that’s a very long wait indeed.

In terms of a Bethesda game that will be out this side of Armageddon, Howard also briefly discussed the still unnamed Indiana Jones game by Wolfenstein developer MachineGames.

Apparently, Howard originally pitched the idea of a game to George Lucas as long ago as 2009, although whether it was the same idea as the game being made now is unclear.

‘I think the work MachineGames have done, they’re just phenomenal developers and storytellers. And when I started talking to them about it, it was a good fit. And we got to the opportunity to talk to Lucas and Disney about it and they were super excited’, said Howard.

‘I really like Indiana Jones but never thought I’d have the opportunity to make a game. And you’ll hear about more of that in the future. But the team at Machine Games are the best team in the world to pull this game off and they’re doing a phenomenal job.’

This was obviously before Lucas sold everything to Disney and since he’s not involved in the new film he presumably won’t be with the game either -although he does still seem to turn up behind the scenes on various Star Wars productions, so you never know…

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Konami announce new Contra game and you can already guess the catch

June 29, 2021 Leave a Reply
Contra Returns artwork
Contra Returns, again (pic: Konami)

2D shooter Contra is making yet another attempt at a comeback, as Konami unveil a new game by the makers of Call Of Duty: Mobile.

A new Contra game is due out next month and, as you’ve probably already guessed, it’s a mobile title. Contra Returns will be out on July 26 and is by Tencent subsidiary TiMi Studios, who are behind the likes of Call Of Duty: Mobile and the upcoming Pokémon Unite.

The last time Konami tried to resurrect the franchise (which, in the 8 and 16-bit eras, was known variously as Gryzor and Probotector in Europe) was with the diabolically awful Contra: Rogue Corps but despite being made only for touchscreens the new game looks a lot more promising.

It has the same horribly sterile art style as so many mobile titles, but the run ‘n’ gun action seems on point and apparently there are over 200 levels, which along with the music are culled from previous entries in the series.

According to the App Store listing, Contra Returns also seems to have both co-op and PvP multiplayer options, together with Team, Challenge, and Story modes.

It’s certainly talking the talk, and the live action trailer with the 80s dudebros is great, but it still doesn’t seem to be moving the franchise forward in any way, just wallowing in nostalgia.

The game has apparently already been out in China and other parts of the world for a while and, as such, features all the intrusive microtransactions and gacha elements you’d expect, as the game forces you to pay for the ability to play more than a set number of times a day.

It’s possible that could be taken out for the Western release but, let’s face it, it’s not very likely.

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Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut for PS4 and PS5 leaked by ESRB

June 29, 2021 Leave a Reply
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Ghost of Tsushima – making the cut on PS5 (pic: Sony)

It seems rumours of a PS5 version of Ghost Of Tsushima are true after all, according to a listing on the American age rating board.

For the third time this week an age rating classification board has managed to spoil the surprise of a new game, with what seems to be confirmation of the rumoured PlayStation 5 version of Ghost Of Tsushima.

This time it was the American age rating organisation, the ESRB, which currently lists ‘Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut’ for both PlayStation 4 and 5.

It’s possible that the PlayStation 5 version may only be via backwards compatibility, but either way this is the first time there’s been any news of a director’s cut.

As is usual for age rating boards there’s no description of the technical details of the game, although it does go into amusing detail on why it deserves a M for Mature rating (warning: it contains a ‘man’s exposed buttocks’!).

What might be included in a Director’s Cut is unclear, as the only major DLC so far has been the free multiplayer expansion Ghost Of Tsushima: Legends.

Whether developer Sucker Punch will create new content for the PlayStation 4 version, or if the main focus is taking advantage of the PlayStation 5’s increased power, is unknown and will have to wait for an official announcement.

The leak comes just days after rumours of a standalone expansion, called Ghost Of Ikishima, but whether those rumours are true, and what relation they have to the director’s cut, is also currently a mystery.

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Sony buys Returnal developer Housemarque in new acquisition

June 29, 2021 Leave a Reply
Returnal artwork
Returnal – a very sensible purchase (pic: Sony)

In a move that is only a surprise for the fact that it took this long to happen, Sony has bought the Finnish makers of Stardust and Resogun.

It looks like Sony was happy with the success of Returnal after all, as they’ve announced they’ve bought developer Housemarque, who will now become a first party studio.

This seems a sensible move for all concerned, especially as the majority of Housemarque’s games for the last few generations have been PlayStation exclusives.

The announcement was made on the PlayStation Blog (and, strangely, pre-empted by a reader in today’s Inbox) but there was no specific talk about what the developer might be working on next, even if a sequel to Returnal does now seem inevitable.

Housemarque are a much older company than you might imagine, with a history that dates back to the Amiga demo scene, from which the original version of Stardust emerged.

After finding success with Super Stardust on the PlayStation 3, and then PlayStation 4 launch title Resogun, Housemarque become renowned as one of the best old school arcade developers in the world.

That reputation was cemented by working with coin-op legend Eugene Jarvis on the superb Nex Machina but the game was not a hit and for a moment it seemed as if the studio might collapse, after their attempt to change gears with multiplayer game Stormdivers ended in failure.

They bounced back with Returnal though, which we currently rate as the best game of 2021, and while there was some concern it didn’t seem to have sold as well as other PlayStation 5 exclusives Sony are clearly happy with it.

‘Housemarque has flexed its creative palette on a wide range of PlayStation games over the years that have continually showcased the power of our hardware,’ said PlayStation boss Jim Ryan. ‘The addition of Housemarque to PlayStation Studios reiterates our commitment to elevating the best development teams in the industry and delivering new experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform.’

‘We are so excited to finally join the PlayStation Studios family! This gives our studio a clear future and a stable opportunity to continue delivering on gameplay centric approaches, while still experimenting with new methods of narrative delivery and pushing the boundaries of this modern artform’, said Housemarque co-founder Ilari Kuittinen.

‘With the backing of SIE and its family of studios supporting us, we can truly grow into our place in the industry and show what Housemarque can create with no limitations. We can’t wait to show everyone what will be in store in the upcoming years, and we hope to usher in more lasting memories and exhilarating titles for the next quarter century and beyond.’

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