Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: Least favourite video game genre

Fighting games can be hard to get into (pic: Capcom)

Readers discuss the video game genres they’ve never been able to enjoy, from MMOs to waking simulators.

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Olliephant, who asked whether there’s a particular game that put you off a genre and what it is exactly that you don’t like about it.

Everyone seemed to have at least one type of game they never enjoy, although curiously some people had multiple – seemingly leaving more they avoid than those they enjoy.

Long-standing concept
I’d have to say fighting games for me. It’s not that I don’t like them exactly but they’re just so cliquey in terms of the existing audience and the games’ refusal to explain anything to you. GC always points out in their reviews how they never have proper tutorials and even the tiny few that do seem to have this air of assumption that you know what’s going on and are already a fan.

I’d like to play them, but I don’t know how and if the game can’t be bothered to tell me then I can’t be bothered to play it. Also, too many don’t have a proper single-player mode, which is even more off-putting because whenever you play online everyone’s using the same couple of characters and it gets boring real quick.

The other problem – and this I admit is not necessarily the developers’ fault – is that the whole genre hasn’t seen any meaningful innovation since Street Fighter 2 a gazillion years ago. Or Virtua Fighter if you want to be generous and say 3D games are any different. I don’t know how you’d update the concept, but it doesn’t seem as if anyone ever really tries.
Lordo

Massive multiplayer overrated
I will never in a million years understand the appeal of MMOs. I kind of get the description of ‘graphical chat room’ but even that implies that the gameplay is just getting in the way of what you’re really there for. I’ve tried World Of Warcraft a couple of times and it is so painfully boring to me that it almost seemed like some sort of joke.

There’s no skill to it, it’s insanely repetitive, and the whole game is extremely ugly. I haven’t played any other MMOs but looking and reading about them it doesn’t seem to be much different there. It’s just not for me I guess, but then no-one likes everything, eh?
Gacha

Similar roles
I can’t stand Japanese role-players, I don’t mind admitting it. Especially ones with turn-based combat and/or random battles. It’s probably because I don’t like anime but I don’t like the long-winded storytelling and the fact that every character is always an over-excited teenager. It doesn’t help that the games always seem to go on for 60 hours at a minimum.

The combat isn’t interesting, the stories aren’t interesting, and the characters aren’t interesting, plus the setting always seems to be some interchangeable high fantasy world that’s always exactly the same. Not that Western ones are much better (please, no more post-apocalyptic worlds!) but at least the action tends to be interesting, even if nothing else is.

Persona is the one that I’ve come the closest to enjoying, but its combat is bog standard turn-based and it’s even more long-winded than others I’ve tried.
Cozstar

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Anti-game
It’s not a genre exactly but can I say mobile games, or anything else that uses a touchscreen? Mobile games are obviously much worse though because they’re always full of microtransactions and really disgusting methods for teasing money out of people, like gacha collecting and timers. Really, everything about mobile gaming seems a disgusting perversion of the real thing, a negative image where everything that’s great about games is never allowed to happen.

I don’t know what you’d call Clash Of Clans (a strategy game?) but that kind is the absolute worse, where there’s zero strategy and everything is about how long you can last without given in to the temptation of spending more money. Disgusting.
Focus

Interactive storytelling
Walking simulators. Easily. Don’t like video games but, for some reason, want to dedicate your life to making them anyway? Then make a walking simulator! You don’t need to know anything about gameplay, because they don’t have any, but you do need to be a failed scriptwriter taking out your frustrations that you never got a book published, or film script made. Game standards are much lower though so you’ll be fine.

Also, if you can’t think up an original way to make your game work just have someone slowly walk around a house reading scraps of paper that its inhabitants have, inexplicably, left lying around the house for no reason whatsoever.

I’m not sure if Telltale games count as the same thing but they’re just as bad. Why even pretend they’re interactive if the interactive parts have no bearing on anything that happens?
Polre54

Short list
To be honest, it’d be easier to list the number of genres I do enjoy, which would be first and third person adventures and open world games. I wouldn’t say I actively disliked other genres, but I very rarely play them and one I do decide to give one a try I rarely end up enjoying it.

I’m a philistine, I’m happy to admit it, but I have limited time and I prefer to spend it on games I know I’ll enjoy.
Endel

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A preference against
It’s a bit of a tough one regarding genres, as there is something I like from each one really. It’s easier for me to look at it from the genres I don’t get too often, like Street Fighter style fighting games, strategy games, or games like Japanese strategy role-players and Western real-time strategy western. I have nothing against them, apart from the time and patience to learn them properly.

The problem with the above is that normal Japanese and Western strategy role-players can take up a lot of your time up. Strategy and more emphasis on tactical battles, and the positioning of characters/units etc. which are not too rich in exploration and story, are a turn off also. I would probably like them if I gave them a proper go, like Disgaea, Fire Emblem, and Valkyrie Chronicles, though the last one mentioned was very good and I enjoyed a lot.

Total War games, Age of Empires, and StarCraft do look absolutely amazing, and I love watching streamers on Twitch getting through these games. Consoles are just not really suited for this genre really. Having a tactical mind and a love for complex options are a must for these, but I don’t really have that particular type of mindset.

I liked tabletop gaming back in the day and they were pretty complex to get use too, and a load of time was spent on these after school or during the holidays. Painting the models and using them in your games was very tangible and thrilling for us all. But I did not get the same feeling playing the same type of style on the screen.

Games like Dune 2 and Command & Conquer were played very early on in my life on a PC Intel 486 computer. I enjoyed them but I did not carry on, as more instant Mario and Zelda gaming thrills took my fancy instead. So no dislike, just lacking the time and patience on my side.
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 and content.

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MORE : Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Least favourite video game genre

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5 best and worst looking video game consoles – Reader’s Feature

What’s the best console based on looks?

A reader grades the ugliest and most attractive video game consoles from the early 8-bit period right up to the current generation.

With a new generation of consoles now becoming well established, what a great time to look back at our beloved plastic boxes of the past (and present) and reminisce about some of fashion’s biggest triumphs and failures in console design.

Worst looking consoles

NES – a very retro console

5. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

Bulky squared off design, with a grey colour scheme that just screams ‘80s monstrosity, this saviour of the home video games market really wasn’t much to look at. Although I give props for the scarlet red naming and buttons on the controller, this is a big fashion miss. The two-toned greys just don’t look good and give it dowdy aged look, rather than something retro and antique.

Uglier than it first seems

4. PlayStation 5

Promotional images of the newest PlayStation are much kinder to this console than seeing it in person. This enormous monstrosity’s design doesn’t tickle my fashion bone. The tacky, shiny black middle, the weirdly shaped wings, and a disc drive that looks like they slapped it on at the last minute. Plus, the white/black colour scheme makes the console appear even larger than it already is. Thank god its internals make up for its externals, because this is one ugly console.

It’s just a box

3. Xbox One

This eyesore was described as looking like a VCR, which is fairly apt. The console is bulky, cheap, and boring. Its only saving grace is the glowing ‘X’ logo on the front. But even the materials don’t work. The bargain bin shiny black plastic covering half the box and the other half adorned inelegantly with vents made it look old before it was even new. There’s nothing sleek about this design, it’s just a heavy black box.

A very American design

2. Xbox

The OG Xbox has a lot in common with the Xbox One. This was a large bulky and ugly looking design, even that now legendary green statement badge in the middle of the console couldn’t make this thing any prettier. Black is supposed to be slimming, this console looks like it’s in desperate need of a diet. It’s very American in its design, it’s in your face like a Karen complaining in a restaurant. I don’t like it.

What was going on with those controllers?

1. ColecoVision

Though very of its time, words cannot describe how much I hate the design of this console. It’s like they took every single 80s ‘futuristic’ look and threw it into the console. The strange knobs, the old school mobile phone controllers that slot in the top, the pointless grating, the cheap sticker on the front, the lack of symmetry. Nothing about this design works and for that I give it the top spot on this worst console design list.

Best looking consoles

Nice console, shame about the games

5. Intellivision

This is what I like to see in my retro fashion statements. I love the design of the Intellivision (the gold and brown is the best of its many designs). Unlike the ColecoVision, this design went for symmetry and understatement. The gold and brown compliment each other perfectly, with faux wooden panelling on the side, this console is brave and bold with its design and it just works. You can catch its sleek frame at any angle, it just loves the camera.

The console with a handle

4. Nintendo GameCube

Not every GameCube was born the same. The black version is a bit of shrug, but the GameCube came in such a variety of colours that it’s hard to pick a favourite, but the gold GameCube is just stunning! What I love about the console is it threw out any regular conventions of design and went for a new shape that looks good from every angle. Comparing it to the bulky designs of the original Xbox and the uninspired look of the PlayStation 2, the GameCube was odd, adventurous, and, above all, sexy.

More fashionable than its big brother

3. Xbox Series S

If the current generation was going to be won on the looks of the console and nothing more, the Series S would win hands down, especially up against its bigger brother the Series X and the aforementioned monstrosity that is the PlayStation 5. The Series S is compact, in a stunning robot white that makes it both unassuming and sleek. The big black vent in the top, makes a statement without pulling focus – it’s beautiful and makes up for a lot of poor designs from Microsoft’s past.

Stylishly retro

2. Atari VCS/2600

There’s something about the Atari VCS design that I just love. There’s a more premium feel to it than the very toy-like quality of the Nintendo consoles of the time. Whether it’s the symmetry of the buttons on either side of the cartridge slot, the black grating leading to the faux wood finish at the end or the curvy underbelly, it just works for me and would look sexy living under a TV even today.

The best looking PlayStation?

1. PS one

This little console is an absolute snack. It’s curvy edges, the off-white/grey colour, the symmetrical design, and even the writing and logos work beautifully with this device. The pastel colours of the power and eject buttons work in tandem for a design that’s fresh even today. It’s just gorgeous, plus we need to talk about how dinky this thing is, almost like cute puppy you can hold in one hand. This is Sony’s most accomplished design in a home console and the winner of the console fashion parade.

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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Why I think OutRun is the perfect summer video game – Reader’s Feature

OutRun – classic summer gaming (pic: Sega)

A reader recalls his childhood years playing OutRun in the arcades and the many ways that Sega invoked the spirit of summer freedom.

If my teenage years playing OutRun in the arcades has made my ‘grown up’ driving that little bit more reckless then I should take this opportunity to apologise to my fellow motorists. Indeed, my appalling lack of restraint behind Sega’s chunky steering wheel was the reason I never got further than the game’s second stages. But that didn’t matter because OutRun wasn’t just about driving, it was about summer and all the freedom, fun, and adventure the season brings.

When I first saw OutRun, back in the 80s, I was immediately smitten. It was classy and expensive (50p a go!) and had state-of-the-art graphics and great music. However, when I look back now, my sense of nostalgia amplifies the game’s seasonal theme and reminds me that it was, and still is, the perfect summer game.

There’s an overwhelming amount of detail to suggest that the game’s designers have a passion for the season. Every screen, every frame, and every sound in OutRun seems designed to let players know that this game takes place at the height of a magnificent summer. Even the logo features a palm tree and a shimmering blue ocean.

The game’s producer, Yu Suzuki, has said that he wanted to make a driving game more than a racing game. He clearly wanted players to enjoy the journey more than the destination. The scenery as much as the gameplay.

And what scenery it is. The opening stage is a beautiful coastal road lined with palm trees, white sands, and colourful beach huts. There are windsurfers out on the waves and serene blue skies overhead. Further stages feature a dusky savannah, rolling meadows, a vineyard, and a desert. But, obviously, it’s the opening level everyone will see and it’s the one where the game’s sunny ambitions shine the brightest.

It’s also the level with the coolest sounding name. It’s called Coconut Beach Boulevard and if the person who thought of that was trying to come up with the most tropical sounding stage name possible, I think they may well have succeeded.

Even the music tracks have names with seasonal connotations, while the music itself reflects summer moods as well as summer activities. Passing Breeze is a laidback jazz number whose dreamy riffs are well suited to those summer days when you just want to sit back and do as little as possible. Magical Sound Shower, on the other hand, is a fast and exciting song with an accelerating pace which fits the driving nicely, as well as evoking that sense of freedom and adventure that we all remember from long summer holidays. It also features some Caribbean drums to further enhance OutRun’s tropical credentials.

One of the unsung heroes of the game’s score is Last Wave. It’s a mellow, slightly melancholy song with gently breaking waves playing in the background and it always kicks in on the game over screen. That screen is truly special. It depicts a gorgeous sunset with palm trees in silhouette. When it first appears, a row of little pixel-based sports cars race across the screen, the smoke from their exhausts clearing to reveal the names of those lucky and skilful enough to get the highest scores.

I think the fact that the game over screen depicts a sunset is significant. If OutRun has a story it is simply that two people went out racing for the day. When the race is over, the day is over. Last Wave has a downbeat tone because everyone’s fun on a beautiful summer’s day has come to an end.

By contrast, the beginning of the game is a bright, loud, crowded starting line, the screenshot of which has become one of the most iconic images of 80s gaming. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s also an iconic image of summer. There are plenty of other games which have seasonal themes and visuals but as far as capturing the magic of summer goes, I don’t think any of them can outrun OutRun.

By reader Kehaar

The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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GTA Online is a mess and should be shut down in favour of GTA 6 – Reader’s Feature

GTA Online – has it gone on long enough? (pic: Rockstar Games)

A reader argues that GTA Online has become outdated and unwieldy, and that Rockstar should replace it with a next gen sequel immediately.

So, Grand Theft Auto 5 is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 this winter and, as you probably know, that means it’ll be one of the only video games to have been released three generations in a row (I don’t think Tetris really counts as it’s always slightly different each time). I have several problems with this, but the one I want to talk about today is the fact that it’s going to delay the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 even more.

It is now eight years since Rockstar released a new GTA and boy does it show. The graphics have held up pretty well, and the story mode still has a lot of great stuff in it, but the combat and driving is pretty terrible. It was never great but despite Rockstar fiddling with it over the years it’s remained sub-par and looks worse and worse compared to modern games that actually know what they’re doing in terms of that style of gameplay.

GTA has always had that problem – it used to be much worse – but generally people don’t mind because previously you were playing it for the story and freedom, and multiplayer wasn’t really a thing. But now it is and GTA Online makes so much money that’s all Rockstar are interested in (if it wasn’t we would’ve had some story DLC by now).

You can’t say they don’t update GTA Online enough though. It’s constantly getting new content, big and small (to be honest mostly small, since the pandemic) and… It’s made the whole game a complete mess. I remember the days when GTA was actually fairly grounded and realistic. It was never a simulation, but it seemed to be trying and certainly wasn’t a wacky fantasy or sci-fi game. Nowadays though it’s filled with flying cars and motorbikes, everyone owns a submarine, and the whole thing is just a circus.

Logging in to GTA Online nowadays feels like I’m playing Roblox for adults, with dozens of completely unconnected mini-games and extras that ruin any sense of immersion or cohesion. I imagine Rockstar think they’re offering every kind of game to every kind of gamer but there’s one type they’re missing: people that like GTA.

Whatever GTA Online has become, and I’m not denying it’s not impressive in its way, it’s a million miles way from the open world crime game it used to be. Now it’s a sort of everything simulator that’s the ultimate Jack of all trades, which boasts of doing everything but never does any of it well.

There’s one very obvious solution to this, which I imagine you’ve guessed from my title, and that’s to scrap the whole thing, give it its golden handshake, and bring in a replacement. I have serious doubts as to whether there will be a GTA 6, because I’m not sure Rockstar will want to waste so much time and money on the less profitable half of the game, but let’s imagine a best case scenario where GTA 6 works like GTA 5 and is both a single-player campaign and an open world multiplayer game.

Do that and you can reset everything back to a blank slate, improve the controls and handling, and get rid of all the stupid immersion-breaking mini-games and vehicles (they’ll come back later, I’m sure, but maybe not for a few years). Plus, obviously, the graphics will be much better and we’ll get a new city and all the other trimmings.

As far as I’m concerned, this needs to happen yesterday and yet there’s no hint at all from Rockstar that they’re doing anything in the near future – which makes me believe the rumours about a 2025 release date are true. I wish it wasn’t though because that means four more years of GTA Online being awful.

By reader Casper

The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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Why I bought an Xbox Series S as a PS5 owner – Reader’s Feature

Xbox Series S – a second console and more (pic: Microsoft)

A reader explains why, despite owning a PS5, he also decided to buy an Xbox Series S, and why he’s very glad he did.

In March I was fortunate enough to buy a PlayStation 5. My excitement was off the charts. I anticipated its arrival immensely. When it arrived and I cleared away my PlayStation 4 to make room under the telly, I couldn’t wait to unbox it all and get set up.

I’m on the side of thinking it’s a very aesthetically appealing console and the controller really gave me that next gen vibe. After all was ready to go, I gleefully booted up Astro’s Playroom and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. I was very impressed and very pleased with my purchase, also counting myself very lucky to have this privilege.

As time went on, however, apart from playing through some of my PlayStation 4 backlog, the only really new games I played on the PlayStation 5 was Resident Evil Village and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Again, fantastic experiences for me. The likes of Demon’s Souls and Returnal don’t really interest me. So back to playing PlayStation 4 games it was, though I do understand more and more PlayStation 5 games will be released in the months ahead. A purchase for the future is what I told myself.

So E3 comes around and I watched Microsoft’s presentation with little real interest, more just a ‘see what they’re up to’ thing. And… I was quite impressed. It put me in mind of an Xbox Series S, as what I thought would be a great little second console and where I could play the usual Halos, Forzas, and Gears offerings and probably dabble in Game Pass. A bit.

Well, after picking one up last week, for a very reasonable price off a well-known auction site, I have to say this little console has blown me away. Not initially though, the controller at first seemed quite plain and cheap feeling compared to my DualSense controllers, the dashboard was the exact same as Xbox One, and it all kind of felt a bit meh, but once I got up and running and downloading some games from Game Pass, I fell in love.

I have been playing Forza Horizon 4 and loving the now faster loading times compared to last gen. I’ve been playing games I wouldn’t have given a chance before. The very silent sound of the console running is refreshing. I’ve lost countless hours browsing the store and Game Pass selections. Yes, the memory space is small but for me I don’t find it an issue as I’m a working dad, so I don’t have time to have multiple, huge titles on the go at once. Although I understand this is off putting for others.

I’m excited for the future Xbox releases, day one on Game Pass, and if I don’t enjoy them then no harm done. If there was a similar feature to this on PlayStation, I’d 100% try Demon’s Souls, etc. and not feel bad if I’ve spent £60+ for the privilege.

All in all, I can’t recommend an Xbox Series S enough, particularly as a second console or primary if, like me, you are a busy parent with much more limited game time. Roll on the next wave of next gen games. Gaming is great.

By reader acantley1985 (gamertag/PSN ID)

PS: I do still love my PlayStation 5 just the same. I’m not restricting myself by fanboy tendencies. But each to their own. Thanks for reading.

The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Least favourite video game genre

Fortnite – not everyone likes it (pic: Epic Games)

Readers discuss the video game genres they’ve never been able to enjoy, from Japanese role-players to fighting games.

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Olliephant, who asked whether there’s a particular game that put you off a genre and what it is exactly that you don’t like about it.

Everyone seemed to have at least one type of game they never enjoy, although curiously some people had multiple – seemingly leaving more they avoid than those they enjoy.

Free excuse
I don’t know if this is controversial or not but I do not see the appeal of battle royale games. Remember that time when we thought they’d be everywhere, as the next bandwagon for publishers to jump on? And then that mysteriously never happened?

The only ones that are still popular are Fortnite, Warzone, and Apex Legends and what do they all have in common? They’re free. So clearly battle royale is not popular enough for people to actually pay for them, which says a lot. Especially as the likes of Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite are refusing to put them in their games.

I have tried them plenty of times – they are free, after all – but spending 10 minutes walking through a field, not seeing a soul, only to be instantly shot and killed by someone you never saw is not my idea of fun. I suppose I could try and git gud at it but apart from anything I don’t particularly want to be the one ruining someone else’s day with a cheap shot.
Baker

Snake? Snake??!!!
For me it’s stealth games. And this is going to sound mean but I’m glad they’ve fallen out fashion. Obviously I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun but for a few years there the likes of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell were the hot thing in gaming, which meant that every single action game had to end up having a stealth section, even if it made no sense whatsoever and there was nothing else like that in the rest of the game.

This was awful as, even ignoring the fact that I just don’t like stealth they always tended to be super hard, I guess because the developer didn’t really have any experience with that kind of gameplay and had just done what it could (probably at the behest of a publisher, I realise now).

So in all it’s forms, stealth is the one I don’t like. It’s a gameplay idea that basically involves you being rewarded for doing as little as possible. When my choices are playing an exciting action game or hiding in a cupboard for five minutes I know what I’d go for.
Glud

Arcade or nothing
I guess it’s sports for me but I wouldn’t dream of playing any of them, for any reason, so I guess that doesn’t leave me much to talk about.

My second least favourite is racing games, or rather serious racing games. I don’t mind arcade racers in theory, although there hasn’t been one I really enjoy since Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit and looking it up I find out that was over 10 years ago now.

An arcade racer is fun because you go as fast as you want and crash as much as you want and it doesn’t really matter – exactly the opposite of real life. But racing sims? You’ve got to drive sensibly, the smallest knock does catastrophic damage, and there’s never a turbo boost. You can turn off the assists but if you’re going to do that why no play an actual arcade game, that wants you to have fun, rather than a boring old simulator?
Mailer
PS: Microsoft Flight Simulator sounds even worse, you literally do nothing but fly in a straight line.

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Don’t fight
My least favourite genre has to be the 2D fighting genre.

It’s the pyramid scheme and cigarettes of gaming rolled into one.

You have to learn all these mad, time consuming moves to even play them and be in with a shout, and there’s only one real winner à la pyramid scheme.

Plus, all the constant mad, quick button tapping surely has to cut short life expectancy on gamers’ reflexes a lot earlier than standard gamers. And nowadays the genre itself appears as if it’s a pyramid scheme, with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate being pretty much the winner.

Don’t do it kids, fighters are bad for you.
Tundra_Boosh

GC: We’re lost, what do fighting games have to do with pyramid schemes and cigarettes?

Random battles
For me it’s the Japanese role-playing genre and it’s primarily due to the grinding aspect. I suppose this could also apply to role-playing games in general too, but it seems particularly prevalent in JRPGs. I just don’t like how you’re forced to go and battle random enemies to level up, just to tackle a boss. I don’t know why you just don’t make the boss a lower level or introduce it later on. I don’t mind so much if you can grind via interesting side quests but often it’s just go find enemies and beat them, sometimes offering no challenge at all.

I hadn’t tried one for years due to the above until Yakuza: Like A Dragon came out and I found there to be two huge difficulty spikes which required grinding, which slightly spoiled the game for me. Hearing the news that the Yakuza franchise is going to stick with this approach going forward has put me off getting future instalments, so I think I’m just going to stick with the Judgment series from now on.
Angry_Kurt (Twitter)
Now playing: Zelda: Skyward Sword (Switch) and F1 2021 (Xbox Series X)

Not LOLing now
I’ve never understood the appeal of MOBAs. Maybe it’s a kids thing or something but for League Of Legends being the most popular game in the world I’ve never met a soul that has played it or had anything to say about it.

Since it’s free I gave it a go myself a couple of years and it just seemed a confusing mess that gave me no good reason to try and understand how it works. I assume I must be missing something but I’m fine with not knowing.
Goldie

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What’s left
Writing this made me wonder if I even like gaming, given the number of genres and sub-genres I actively avoid.

I dislike horror across all media, so that’s out straight away. I find most role-playing games too big and directionless, so it’s got to be something really special for me to pick up. Mass Effect 1 and 2 were the last I played and completed, but I never got on with 3 and the bad rep its ending had never compelled me to play on.

While I used to really enjoy racing games, I find they require too much of a time investment to get good at and unlock the best cars. I liked FIFA for a while but their focus on Ultimate Team put me right off, and before that Master League on PES had me hooked every year until PES didn’t translate very well from PlayStation 2 to 3.

The recent discussion about difficulty in Soulsborne games has just reaffirmed to me that I’ll never buy any of them, as games that are too difficult never get played again once I get frustrated with dying over and over again. The most recent (for me) example of this wasn’t even a Soulsborne game but God Of War – the Stranger killed me so many times I gave the disc back to my neighbour there and then, and while I lasted a bit longer in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order being gunned down by even the most basic stormtroopers made me feel far less than the Jedi I was supposed to be, so that went to a galaxy far, far away after the second planet.

Finally, I find first person games far too stressful. I really enjoyed Titanfall, however, primarily because of jetpacks, invisibility, and giant robots rather than the shooting. But then they ruined it with Titanfall 2 by giving one of the mechs a sword, because then most multiplayer games ended up with a bunch of people zooming round the map slashing anything that flinched.

In case you’re wondering, I mostly play Civilization 6 (a lot) and superhero games (so imagine my disappointment when Marvel’s Avengers turned out the way it did…).
StellarFlux

GC: What superhero games?

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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 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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Don’t forget: Marvel’s Avengers is free to play this weekend with a 4x XP bonus

Something for the weekend? (pic: Square Enix)

If you’ve been wary of trying out Square Enix’s co-op Avengers game then you’ve got the chance to play it for free this weekend.

It’ll be the one year anniversary of Marvel’s Avengers in a couple of months and it seems fair to say that things have not gone well up until this point.

The initial reviews were justifiably poor and, no doubt in part due to the pandemic, the post-launch support has been extremely weak, with the only new characters that have been added being two variants of Hawkeye.

The best chance for a turnaround is when the Black Panther expansion is released next month but if you want to see what the game plays like at the moment it’ll be completely free to download from now until Sunday, August 1 at 5pm BST.

The game will be available free for PlayStation 4 and 5, PC via Steam, and Stadia. Xbox formats aren’t included, but Square Enix is hoping to finalise a deal with Microsoft to have a free weekend at a later date.

If you do choose to give it a go then you’ll get access to all the content so far released, including the two Hawkeyes and their story expansions, plus all the new multiplayer additions that have been released in the last 10 months.

As an extra bonus you can earn four times the normal amount of XP this weekend, and then carry that over to the full game if you choose to buy it afterwards.

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As for the War For Wakanda expansion, that’ll be released on August 17 for all formats and will be the biggest addition to the game since launch.

Obviously, you’ll be able to play as Black Panther (voiced by God Of War’s Christopher Judge), plus there’ll be two new supervillains, one of which is Ulysses ‘Klaw’ Klaue, and a range of new cannon fodder enemies.

The new single-player story campaign – which was by far the best part of the original game – will last a hefty 25 hours, so it’s almost a new game in itself.

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Halo Infinite release date is November reveals… Krispy Kreme

Master Chief has never looked more delicious (pic: Krispy Kreme)

A Mexican ad for a Master Chief themed Krispy Kreme doughnut seems to have accidentally given away what month Halo Infinite will launch.

The reason there are so many leaks nowadays is that if anyone makes any mistake, in any country, the internet will know about it within seconds. It certainly didn’t take long for anyone to notice that the Mexican Twitter account for Krispy Kreme seemed to say more than it intended about Halo’s release date.

The text below reads: ‘Why wait for November if we can start the festivities now? Xbox Mexico and @MexKrispyKreme celebrate 20 years of the Master Chief with a special edition Halo Infinite donut. Available July 30.

The mistake here is that Halo Infinite has not announced its release date and that seems to be the only thing that the mention of November could be referring to.

They probably didn’t mean to say that (pic: Twitter)

As you can see, there’s no date, so it’s possible Krispy Kreme is just guessing, but for any social manager trying to keep their job a slip-up in revealing inside knowledge seems more likely than just blindly making up a release window.

Microsoft has implied that the reason it hasn’t announced a date yet is because it’s waiting to see when Call Of Duty will come out, so that there’s a reasonable amount of space between the two.

However, that may have been complicated by the recent industrial action at Activision Blizzard, which is likely to have slowed production of the game and made it even more difficult to complete on time.

Otherwise, November is looking pretty empty at the moment, with the only currently scheduled non-Nintendo releases being Microsoft’s own Forza Horizon 5 on the 9th and the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 versions of Grand Theft Auto 5 on the 11th (Battlefield 2042 is mid-October).

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The lack of a release date had led some to worry that Halo Infinite might be delayed into 2022 but the technical tests starting this weekend seem to suggest that it’s still on schedule for this year.

As for Krispy Kreme, this isn’t the first Xbox themed doughnut they’ve unveiled, with the ‘Nexus Level Doughnut’ available from Monday, August 2 and coming with the chance to win an Xbox Series S.

Woah, I didn’t know it did that!🤯

The Nexus Level Doughnut is coming online soon 👀

Find out how to win your own Xbox Series S https://t.co/UVteHkkLVj@xboxuk #KrispyKremeXbox pic.twitter.com/TTR8heNeMc

— Krispy Kreme UK (@krispykremeUK) July 29, 2021

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Death’s Door review – Dark Souls meets Zelda: A Link To The Past

Death’s Door – something to crow about (pic: Devolver Digital)

It may wear its inspirations on its sleeve, but this new indie action adventure is already one of the hidden gems of 2021.

Since Game Pass is still a new idea, at least in terms of being the Xbox’s killer app, it remains unclear what its long-term effects on the games industry will be. Is it really sustainable or just something Microsoft is willing to lose money on for now, as a means to win an advantage over Sony? Does it encourage people to play more and different games or does it just end up with them picking up and discarding them in mere minutes, like flicking through a TV channel?

One interesting statistic released this month is that Game Pass subscribers apparently play 40% more games than non-subscribers and spend 50% more money on them. That last is particularly important as one obvious concern is that people will get used to not paying for games unless it’s through a subscription, which would have an especially adverse effect on indie titles, given their lack of marketing budget. That in turn would mean that people would miss out on games like Death’s Door, which would be a crying shame.

Even we almost didn’t have time to play the game, as the industry’s typically incompetent scheduling meant it came out at a suddenly busy period of the year when other, higher profile titles took priority. Death’s Door is an easy to game to overlook, with its unremarkable graphics and premise, but it’s actually one of the best action adventures of the year.

Despite its many positive elements, originality is not Death’s Door’s forte. Or rather it’s not the forte of developer Acid Nerve, whose previous game was Titan Souls – a straight mix between Dark Souls, Zelda: A Link To The Past, and Shadow Of The Colossus. Death’s Door (mostly) drops the fascination with Shadow Of The Colossus but otherwise shares the same inspirations, although in a much more compelling way.

Death’s Door casts you as a reaper of dead souls, a role that is treated as a relative mundanity by your jaded co-workers. This wouldn’t seem a particularly unusual set-up for a video game except you and your fellows are crows and while you can use weapons (and apparently typewriters) you still look and walk like an actual crow – although oddly you can’t fly. The plot kicks in almost instantly, as a soul is stolen from your grasp and you become embroiled in a scheme to open what is described literally as Death’s Door.

Despite the stranger elements of the story there’s a refreshing simplicity and directness to Death’s Door. Within a few minutes you’ve got the hang of swinging a sword and the slightly more complex process of nocking an arrow and using your magic bow, which thrums with a satisfying physicality.

New weapons and abilities are learned along the way, which in true Metroidvania style are also used to access previously inaccessible areas, but the combat never gets overcomplicated and is always tightly focused on crowd control and learning enemy patterns – as you’re frequently accosted by waves of enemies whose defeat powers your magic gauge.

Death’s Door is not an easy game but it is no Dark Souls. You’ll probably die at the initial boss, and almost certainly at the first proper one afterwards, but once you start earning more health (through some very Zelda-esque means) and get a feel for the pace of combat it all becomes perfectly manageable. As with From’s games, observation and forward-planning is key, as while there’s no stamina bar more powerful moves require quite a wind-up and choosing the right moment to attack is vital.

Death’s Door – deceptively pretty (pic: Devolver Digital)

Death’s Door sounds completely unremarkable when you describe it and, despite some attractively varied backdrops, is hardly any more exciting when looking at videos or screenshots. But it really is a joy to play. It takes around six to eight hours to see the end of the story and that seems the perfect length, with no padding, no prevarication, and no pretention.

In any other game just throwing waves of enemies at you would seem lazy and unexciting but the combat is so intrinsically enjoyable, and the enemies varied enough in their tactics, that the challenge of dealing with them all in unexpected combinations never dims. At the same time the boss battles are uniformly excellent, and distinct in terms of both visuals and abilities.

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The graphics are obviously fairly low-tech but with the camera zoomed out as far as it is that fact is rarely obvious, as the visuals reflect the pleasing simplicity of the rest of the game. Although there are some clever set pieces, and unique ideas like growing your own health restoratives in strategic spots (or rather pots) around the map, nothing in Death’s Door is very original. And yet the only time it feels overly derivative is in some of the items, with the bombs and hookshot being a bit too reminiscent of Zelda.

With a gentle sense of humour and a winning charm Death’s Door is almost perfectly formed. It may not be doing anything particularly new but there are few games that hit their targets with quite the same level of efficiency. Originality is nothing without quality of execution, but the reverse is not true and Death’s Door is a pleasure to play from beginning to end.

Death's Door review summary

In Short: A thoroughly entertaining mix of Dark Souls and Zelda that has few genuinely new ideas but still manages to enthral with a unique charm of its own.

Pros: Highly enjoyable combat and lots of fun enemies. Clever level design and puzzles, interesting upgrades and items, and art design that makes the best of the low-tech graphics.

Cons: Very few original ideas. The lack of a map is one Dark Souls-ism the game could’ve done without.

Score: 8/10

Formats: Xbox Series X/S (reviewed), Xbox One, and PC
Price: £16.74
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Acid Nerve
Release Date: 20th July 2021
Age Rating: 12

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Horizon Forbidden West delay to 2022 looking more likely claims insider

Horizon Forbidden West – don’t add it to your Christmas list yet (pic: Sony)

Sony has already warned that Horizon Forbidden West may not be out this year and now rumours suggest a delay is close to being announced.

So many big name games have been delayed this year, from Hogwarts Legacy to Rainbow Six Extraction, that it’s not surprising to see others joining the list. After all, lockdown may be over in many countries, but it will take years for video game schedules to right themselves.

Sony has endured plenty of setbacks already, with Gran Turismo 7 and the new God Of War both being delayed into next year, and while Horizon Forbidden West is pencilled in for this Christmas they’ve previously warned that ‘isn’t quite certain yet’.

According to rumourmonger Jeff Grubb things have got bad enough that Sony is now ‘leaning towards’ delaying the game into next year.

‘I’m trying to debate if I want to be the one to say this, but I think that game is going to get delayed to 2022’, he said on his Giant Bomb podcast.

He then suggested that Sony may announce the delay during a new State of Play livestream in September, which will also be used to promote the company’s revised Christmas line-up.

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If Horizon Forbidden West is delayed then Sony will not have any major new first party release ready for Christmas, unless there’s something unannounced that they can reveal in the interim. Although there is Bethesda timed exclusive Deathloop on September 14.

By comparison, Microsoft has Forza Horizon 5 due on November 9 and while Halo Infinite still doesn’t have a released date, which is somewhat worrying, the first of several technical tests are due to run this weekend – which suggests the game is on schedule for a 2021 launch.

Nintendo is also dealing with the same problems as everyone else, with Metroid Dread and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl their biggest titles for Christmas.

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Ubisoft boss promises ‘real and lasting change’ after employees issue list of demands

Will it take more than just letter writing to fix Ubisoft?

Hundreds of Ubisoft staff have signed a letter in support of the Activision Blizzard walkout, as the latter hire an anti-union law firm.

It isn’t just Activision Blizzard which has been exposed for its toxic work conditions recently, with fellow publishing giant Ubisoft having undergone a similar process last year.

At first it seemed as if the issue was being addressed but more recently Ubisoft staff have complained that many of the accused still have their jobs or have been promoted out of them or, at worst, allowed to resign with full benefits.

As a result, and to show solidarity with Activision Blizzard staff, over 500 Ubisoft employees have signed a letter demanding change – which CEO Yves Guillemot has insisted will be acted on.

The original letter from Ubisoft staff was obtained by Axios and demands that, ‘those responsible must be held accountable for their actions’.

‘It should no longer be a surprise to anyone: employees, executives, journalists, or fans that these heinous acts are going on. It is time to stop being shocked. We must demand real steps be taken to prevent them. Those responsible must be held accountable for their actions’, adds the letter.

Guillemot has issued his own letter in response, obtained by GameSpot, and in it he insists that, ‘We have heard clearly from this letter that not everyone is confident in the processes that have been put in place to manage misconduct reports.’

‘This is a top priority for Anika [Grant, Ubisoft’s new Chief People Officer], who continues to ensure they are robust and independent. In addition to our current processes, we are currently recruiting a new VP Global Employee Relations.’

Of course, the problem with such a letter is that staff are complaining that previous promises to clean up Ubisoft’s act were not fulfilled, so only time will tell as to whether real change results.

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As for Activision Blizzard, new concerns have arisen that the company has hired an anti-union law firm – the same one used by Amazon – to ensure that staff do not unionise, something which American companies are often obsessed by.

Activision Blizzard staff have said already said that a letter issue by CEO Bobby Kotick is insufficient, although it is not currently clear whether more industrial action is planned.

Activision-Blizzard is working with a union-busting firm, “Wilmerhale” – the same one that Amazon is using. pic.twitter.com/lUTDThV77g

— big poster character (@JDespland) July 29, 2021

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