The Friday letters web page isn’t satisfied by the thought of an Xbox handheld console, as one reader tries to imagine legacy sequels in 2044.
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Two Laras
I see the rumour is that Sophie Turner from Game of Thrones is going to be the new Lara Croft in a live action Tomb Raider TV show. Doesn’t seem a very good fit to me but what I want to know is which Lara is she going to be? Is the going to be the fun, quippy Lara from the early games or the whiny psycho killer from the newer ones?
I think you can tell from that which one I’d rather she was but I’m really not sure they’ll go that route. In fact, I’m not sure how the reboot trilogy is really thought of nowadays. I thought they were decent games but the older they get the less I want any new entry to be like them, in terms of gameplay or Lara.
The problem is that the old games were mostly puzzle platform games and the action was kind of incidental. Obviously, they reversed that in the modern games but are people really going to be excited by the prospect of getting stuck in a puzzle room for two hours, not sure what they’re supposed to do?
That’s what the original games were like and while I’d love to see more like that, I’m not sure that’s what we should really be expecting from the next game. I guess it depends when it comes out. If it’s after the new show, and Lara in that is fun and devil may care, then maybe they’ll make the game more like that. If the game comes out before, they’ll probably make her grumpy and serious again.
Problem is, given when it was announced, I think it’ll be out in the next year or so, so there’s probably no time for any crossover TV influence.
Klondike
End of season bargains
It does seem odd that the PS5 Pro is being discounted already. They may may not be hot sellers, due to the cost, but what do these shops gain from making them cheaper? Are they so desperate to clear out their stock after just a couple of weeks? Doesn’t make much sense to me.
I hope this means there are going to be a lot of hardware bargains during Black Friday though, because I wouldn’t mind picking up a cheap Xbox Series S or Switch OLED. But neither had any decent deals last year. Maybe things will be different this time.
So strange how this generation has worked out. The Switch is basically doing victory laps at this point and yet Xbox Series X/S has basically flopped and PlayStation 5 has stalled. All those plans Sony and Microsoft must’ve had at the start of the generation and they’ve all been abandoned. And yet the one thing we thought was a joke, about the Nintendo Switch last 10 years, has turned out to be true!
Golem
Xbox Deck
On the surface, Xbox releasing a handheld device seems to make sense given the popularity of Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. However, with a bit more scrutiny, I do wonder who it will be aimed at. Given how long games take to produce these days I can’t see a handheld system having exclusive titles and given how it’s been alluded to that Xbox might soon have all its games be ported for PlayStation 5 this seems even less likely.
It’s already possible to play most Xbox titles, as well as games developed by Sony on the Steam Deck and other handheld PC devices, as well as Game Pass games. Therefore, if anything an Xbox handheld is likely to be more restrictive than other devices already on the market.
The only possible advantages are that should it be a hybrid console, players are able enjoy the portability of a handheld and still be able to play on a bigger screen should they wish. Also, whereas sometimes handheld PCs require system updates and support from addition applications, supposedly an Xbox handheld would be more in keeping with a traditional plug and play console.
matc7884
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Legacy sequels
With so many games celebrating their 25th or 30th or 40th anniversaries I would’ve actually guessed that World Of Warcraft was older than 20 years. It seems like it’s always been around, so I looked up what else was going on in 2004 and found out that was the year the DS launched, as well as Half-Life 2, Halo 2, and GTA: San Andreas which, yep… those are old games. Katamari Damacy too, which I would have said was more recent, but I guess it was a PlayStation 2 game.
Strange to think that while on the one hand so much has changed in those 20 years but most of those franchises are still going. Even Katamari Damacy had some remasters recently. Does this mean that in another 20 years the games will still be very recognisable? I bet Halo and GTA will still be going and they’ll still probably be more or less the same thing. So much changes and yet so much stays the same.
The Bishop
Making a list
So I’ve been thinking of my birthday in 2025 and it’s quite a long way away. August to be more precise. I’ve heard of the superiority of PC gaming and I’ve come to consider becoming a part of that market. By considering purchasing a gaming PC, for my 28th.
I’ve also heard that a RTX 4090 is apparently the best graphics card on the market and 32GB of RAM is the best for demanding titles. I’m not the most savvy on PC gaming. So I was wondering if anyone reading this letter, could help me out? Or if GC knows anything useful, that could be of interest? The more I know, the more I can make a balanced decision. I’d truly appreciate it.
Shahzaib Sadiq
GC: We always just ask someone else, but we’re sure a reader can help.
Trusted importers
In response to David’s question about importing games, I have imported a lot of games in the past 15 years. I bought from Amazon UK recently, where you can usually choose to get the American version of a game or film from Amazon US through the UK site. Unfortunately, the Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection for Switch isn’t available this way, so I am going to buy directly from Amazon.com (USA web site).
I’m ready for YouTubers to evaluation the sport on Switch, to see if all of the video games and content material is included on the cart with out a further obtain earlier than I purchase the sport. It seems to be like on Amazon.com upon getting purchased the sport there isn’t any import charges when it arrives within the UK, however I can’t be 100% positive. When I purchased via the Amazon UK web site from Amazon US they instructed me to get in touch for a refund if I received any import prices however I don’t know if the US web site does that or not.
I even have used Video Games Plus previously, which is an excellent firm, however I’ve not used them for a couple of years however once I used to make use of them generally you’ll get import prices and generally not when the sport arrived within the UK.
I additionally use Limited Run Games quite a bit for area free bodily releases of video games however they inventory a specific vary and never particularly A to Z like Amazon and Video Games Plus. Limited Run cost you import and duties and postage while you purchase the sport, so there are not any charges when the sport arrives within the UK. Hope that helps.
Andrew J.
Currently enjoying: Astro Bot (PS5)
PS: For any Astro Bot followers like me you possibly can pre-order some official wearables based mostly on Astro from Insert Coin at present, I’ve pre-ordered a few T-shirts with the pleasant little bot on.
PPS: Forgot to say, however generally while you purchase in a unique foreign money your financial institution prices a small separate transaction payment or two. If the web site takes PayPal you don’t get the payment however as you most likely know Amazon don’t take PayPal, sadly. I at all times pay on Limited Run Games by PayPal to keep away from the transaction payment, which will be between £1 to £2.
GC: Video Games Plus continues to be going? That’s good to know.
Verbal inexactitude
Does Phil Spencer lie with each breath he takes? First about video games staying solely on Xbox after which he says Xbox has by no means been extra wholesome. How is that attainable? He’s spent billions on builders and the one purpose he’s in revenue at Xbox is due to different platforms.
He’s spent all that cash attempting to get Xbox below each TV and even giving them away free of charge wouldn’t eliminate them. It’s not that I don’t like Xbox, it’s that I don’t like Phil Spencer. He’s at all times smiling like he’s the saviour of gaming. He’s been at Xbox for years now and all he’s achieved is spend cash. Xbox is below a worse situation then earlier than he took over after which he says Xbox is more healthy. I’m sorry Phil, get your head out of the clouds.
David
Life is sort of a field of sweets
I’m positively disenchanted concerning the not very satisfying evaluation of Life Is Strange: Double Exposure! I’ve very fond recollections of the unique recreation within the collection, once I bought the Life is Strange Limited Edition, with soundtrack, artwork guide, and additional episodes, and so forth.
It was such a compelling recreation to play and I agree it was higher than Telltale’s The Walking Dead collection and with characters which I felt had been fleshed out extra respectfully. Not the identical kind of recreation however you do get to care in a different way concerning the story and characters inside the two varieties.
Of course, The Last Of Us was character pushed to a degree, and I felt on the time that Life Is Strange caught in my head extra as a result of conversational selections which created completely different outcomes, based mostly on some huge choices and smaller ones to a level. The characters expressed themselves very successfully and it felt as if the environment had been all there to match the unfolding drama.
The reduce scenes within the Last of Us had been cinematic and gripping and nonetheless a few of the greatest I’ve seen in video gaming. But Life Is Strange simply makes you’re feeling extra a part of the characters’ lives in a extra intimate manner, which was fairly groundbreaking again within the day. So, with a fairly good second collection with Life Is Strange, it’s a bit weird why Double Exposure, developed by the identical builders apparently, then loses its manner in some way.
It’s laborious to know what was happening inside the growth staff and the concepts that they had and selected to implement within the new recreation. Did they’ve any stress or deadlines or was the cohesion of minds simply not there?
It’ll be price possibly getting it down the road, however for now I’ll stick with the nice recollections I had with Max and co. with the time rewind and its butterfly impact penalties. I hope this doesn’t postpone the devs and they can make one other recreation however possibly with a brand new mental property. Time will inform.
Alucard
GC: Double Exposure developer Deck Nine beforehand made Before The Storm and True Colors (each of which had been good), not Life Is Strange 1 and a couple of.
Inbox also-rans
Is Miyazaki’s ‘liking’ for toes and showcasing them at each alternative within the FromSoftware video games an actual factor?
P.Ella
GC: Are you positive you’re not pondering of Quentin Tarantino?
Unreal Tournament? Now there’s a reputation I haven’t heard in, effectively… 25 years apparently. 1 / 4 of a decade. Wow, I’m getting outdated.
Gatz
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