This is not a feature to be excited about unless you are walking around in one of the specific locations which has received a tailored update (typically airports or national landmarks)
My son plays this all the time in what is essentially a no-fail mode, so he crashes the plane and takes off again all over the place. The vast majority of the world imagery when you look at it up close is ugly and inaccurate. The same house models are used over and over. Water and trees appear all over the streets of Manhattan. Disney World structures look like poor PS1 polygons. Our neighborhood is unrecognizable. And this is all in the mode that uses up-to-date satellite imagery, not just the offline mode. From higher up, everything looks great, but once you're on the ground, it's awful. Go check for yourself!
I bought Unbeatable white label probably 3 years ago on Steam and assumed the full game would never see the light of day, so seeing it looks so much better and coming to Xbox is awesome news!
Rolling Hills for me. It looks like an Animal Crossing + kitchen management game? The name of the game is terrible, but check out the trailer if you're cool with cute games.
Finally! My Series S with xScreen goes between two house Wi-Fi networks and a phone hotspot for playing in the backseat on long trips, so this is long overdue but extremely welcome.
This is a really good selection considering $60/year for basically a decade prior to Core got you temporary ownership of maybe 1 game per year.
Since Gamepass Family plans never materialized, I do this for my son. We play Grounded, Deep Rock, and Astroneer, and Among Us. From a single player perspective, there are lots of great choices here, though some might complain that they are older games (i.e. 3-8 year old titles).
I'm surprised there aren't more first-party offerings here, namely Sea of Thieves or Rare Replay.
I feel like Bombrush Cyberfunk perfected the original JSR/JSRF style and gameplay (music is pretty equal between all games, just personal preference), so I'm glad they're going with a new look here. Can't wait to see some gameplay. Been waiting 20 years for this day!
I think both of you bring up fair points. The Halo Infinite passes have been extremely generous up through Season 4, granting 1-2 free armor cosmetics and 1-2 weapon/nameplate cosmetics every 10 levels.
I think the most glaring issue is that the 50-tier season battle pass cost the same as the past four paid 100-tier battle passes. Hopefully we're not going to see the battle passes give less and less as you see in games like CoD or Overwatch.
That said, I'm not critical on Halo Infinite at all. I've been playing consistently since launch and have never understood the criticisms of this game except for he desync issues some players experienced during the first year. The battle passes have been great: they don't expire and they give you enough in-game currency (and there is only type of in-game currency) to buy the next season's battle pass. Pretty consumer friendly and certainly moreso than any other online multiplayer game I can think of.
@themcnoisy Which is why I led with this being something that sucks for consumers. My point was more that this is being picked up by the FGC for the daily video news cycle to cry about a practically unheard of scenario (Fighting game tournaments run using Xbox where entrants have been able to afford a console, games, online subscription, an arcade stick, the entrance fee to the tournament, and a converter for their arcade stick, but are now feeling pressured to buy a new arcade stick). That's what I find absurd.
Once again, really sucks for MS to paint Xbox as an open platform, but then lock people out of using unauthorized/unlicensed accessories. Very lame. But also, they're the only ones who have numbers on how many unlicensed accessories are actually being used by Xbox players, and I'm guessing the actual numbers are miniscule compared to the now disproportionate amount of bad press they are getting. But that's their fault.
Also, I wonder why Hitbox hasn't bothered to get licensed yet. So many weird unheard of brands on the officially licensed list for Xbox accessory makers, but not them.
There are certainly situations where this decision sucks for consumers, but I feel like this isn't one of them and the FGC argument is just one for them to make some noise. You can get a competent arcade stick for $100, so their concern is that players won't be able to use a $60 converter to use their PS5 stick on Xbox, costing them an extra $40 to participate at tournaments which use Xbox (which are basically non-existent)? Okay...
@Baler Fair, but I'm just looking at everything I still need to play! Finally going to get to Redfall with the big update that released a couple weeks ago, just picked up Lil Gator Game last week, and I'm usually just playing Halo Infinite anyways. So I've got a full plate as it is!
Bought it Day 1, but waiting until Christmas-time to have a new game to play in December. This isn't the first review I've read referring to weird collision and clipping errors, so hopefully they'll have those patched by then...
@pip_muzz No misinterpretation, I agree with you on having the choice. I was specifically referring to where you stated "Playing with a controller has never been harder" - even across all FPS games, there has never been a game (that I can think of at least) which so heavily empowers controller players. Once again, just look at HCS: players have their choice of what to use and basically 95% of pros are using controller. Look at any other competitive FPS and I guarantee no one is opting for a controller in Overwatch, Rainbow Six, CoD, CounterStrike, Valorant, etc, even though all of those games have controller input options.
I just think it's reductive to say that it feels like "nothing but PC players" are playing when its most likely you're playing matches with controller users.
@pip_muzz This isn't the case at all... controller is the superior option. Take the recent HCS finals for example. All setups have both KBM and controller inputs available, but the vast majority use controller. You could make an argument that Halo has been primarily a controller-based game and that would explain the preference, but even people who play on both PC and Xbox agree that the aim assist for controller is extremely strong. I never play this game KBM.
@somnambulance Ah, see I would say it's the other way around: Cocoon's puzzles are rigid (always one solution) whereas Chants are flexible. For example, I feel like there's a whole perfunctory routine you have to do multiple times throughout the game of grabbing and placing the world-orbs as you bring them out of / into a specified world. That got irksome to me. The game itself is also extremely linear with the illusion of backtracking by opening new sections of worlds you have in your possession later on, but you only can or need to do that at set times in the prescribed timeline of the game.
Whereas in Chants of Sennar, I felt like you can actually make a lot of progress or even solve the puzzles/translations based on understanding context alone without necessarily knowing the proper translations. I had that come up a few times throughout the game and thought it was so cool that my misinterpretation of a meaning was still viable in moments where I had to answer or respond. On top of that, you can also make your way through some areas, particularly levels 3 and 4, in any translation order you like based on what you can ascertain from context. Really brilliant stuff and far from rigid.
I don't see it winning against the other contenders, but I'm glad this got a nomination because it seems like everyone has slept on it. I adore this game and it's my personal game of the year. It's super niche and I think my review of it on the Xbox Store is the only one there. lol
And @somnambulance, I don't agree that Cocoon is "far better". It has much higher production value, it has a great opening 30 minutes that's better than most games out there, and it's on Gamepass which makes it way more accessible, but neither the puzzle gameplay or boss battle gameplay felt particularly new. What did you not like about Chants of Sennar that made Cocoon the better puzzle game in your opinion?
This reminds me of Fable Legends. I know most of this community was down on that game, but I loved it for the 7 months or so that I was in the closed beta. It was a game that was practically complete, looking to be funded by micro transactions, nearing release, and suddenly pulled away. In both cases, I have to imagine the beta releases showed the developers that there simply wasn't much hype or interest. Of course with Fable Legends we also know now that the developers weren't even happy working on the project.
That said, the character design, music, environments, and voice acting in that game were so phenomenal, I'll be shocked if none of that content makes it into the Fable reboot.
To bring it back to Hyenas, the game looked alright and I feel like they plugged in SEGA easter eggs to try to appeal to SEGA fans, but meh, I didn't even sign up for the beta. Too many live service games to play as it is and I only make room for the ones that respect my time. Not sure how this would've been in that respect, but usually, they're a part-time job...
It's been hard holding off, but when I heard the Xbox release was coming two weeks after Switch/PC, I figured I could wait. Gives me time to clear out my Gamepass backlog anyways before Bombrush and Starfield control my Autumn.
For SEGA fans, this means Space Channel 5 pt 2, Sega Superstars Tennis, and Phantasy Star Universe will be gone unless something changes between now and then. FYI, Space Channel 5 pt 2 is on Steam, but the other two are not and will truly be inaccessible digitally on console and PC.
I had grown up with SEGA consoles (Genesis 2, GameGear, Nomad, DC) and was very disappointed when the Dreamcast went under. I never owned the NES or SNES, but had the N64, but my favorite games there were the Rareware ones: Banjo-Kazooie, Diddy Kong Racing, Jet Force Gemini, and GoldenEye.
Jet Set Radio Future was the console-seller for me and when the acquisition of Rare was announced in 2002, I was thrilled and still am to this day, despite the droves of players out there who wish Rare was still closely tied to Nintendo and think MS irreparably damaged them.
Xbox has always felt like a natural fit for the types of games I want to play and it's been fun to see my 5-year old son fall into it in a different way than I did. We own a Switch as well, and while he occasionally wants to see or play Luigi's Mansion or Mario Party, 9 out of 10 times he picks something on Xbox. Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons, Grounded, Flight Simulator (he can do take off by himself!), Forza Horizon 4 & 5, Viva Pinata, Banjo Nuts & Bolts, or watching me play Ori and Hi-Fi Rush. Bit of a tangent, but it's fun seeing and making his first Xbox memories with him.
Yes! I used to take off for the Xbox E3 shows, but now that they host them on weekend days, I always try to have a get-together with friends and grill.
@InterceptorAlpha The recommended GPU on Steam for Hi-Fi is an RTX 2070 or RX 6600, GPUs that are roughly 200x better than what is in the Switch (something comparable to a GTX 1650), so that's not nothing...
Like I already said, of course it's possible and the system capable, it would just really require serious optimization. You would likely lose a lot in terms of visual quality and resolution (which is a given since it's the Switch) compared to what we're enjoying on Series S and X.
@InterceptorAlpha Tango would have to really do a phenomenal job optimizing the game to run at 60fps on Switch. I would say 60fps is a necessity for the type of a game it is, that's the only reason I bring it up. Of course, it's possible when you consider games like Super Mario Odyssey run at 60fps, but I'm just thinking about all the other 3D games that run at 30fps like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Sonic Colors, ABZU, Yooka-Laylee, Sable, The Pathless, and so on. 3D platformers and/or action games that manage 60fps on Switch are really uncommon.
Just here to say I was a nay-sayer about this game before it came out and it only won my money because they put Figment in it (a character who is only at Walt Disney World, no movies or shows). I've been a fan of arcade and kart racers forever and here are my takeaways for people who are on the fence:
Pros
Excellent gameplay, feels very fast-paced
Character variety/classes makes things a bit more interesting than something like Mario Kart which makes switching up your character choices lots of fun.
Great visuals and an incredible soundtrack
Cons
It's a free-to-play game and as such, playing it's ranked mode or trying to unlock the things you want means paying money, and most of what you unlock is determined randomly.
The UI is pretty basic and the offline multiplayer pre-race screens (character/kart select) are particularly bad.
I've probably spent more time in it since launch than I have in all my time with Mario Kart 8 (Wii U and Switch combined), but I'm susceptible to daily challenges/unlocks and junk like that, so if that's not for you, probably best to steer clear (pun intended).
Seems a fair amount of us here really want Banjo, but nobody has mentioned yet that June 2023 happens to be the 25th anniversary of the original... fingers crossed...
@GeeEssEff Agreed. I like interviews when they're about a game I already know I enjoy, not when it's someone trying to sell me something that won't be out for months.
And as for gameplay, agreed, but it would be really great if they could explicitly show us the gameplay running on Series X since everything shown lately turns out to be running on a high-end PC.
I'm cautiously optimistic about this game, but this is kind of gross. $70 for the "Ultimate Edition" and they don't even give you all the characters. I could understand not giving customers content from future seasons, but paying the same price as a brand new AAA game for a F2P made by GameLoft that intentionally excludes basic content is just awful.
I'm in the US, but just wanted to reassure everyone that these controllers are only second to the official ones. I've bought three different smaller controllers for my son over the past few years including one by Hori and one by Hyperkin, both of which were fine but had issues (soft bumpers, bad thumbstick pads), but bought the Nacon Pro Compact Colorlight in December and it's the best feeling third-party controller for sure. Again, I wouldn't personally choose it for myself, but if you need a smaller controller or wired controller, this is a great option.
I am beyond indifferent to this deal as it is. I don't have any personal interest in Activision or Blizzard games and wish the resources being spent on this deal were being put towards less-expensive acquisitions (SEGA!) and existing first-party studios (Everwild was announced 4 years ago...)
I'm glad it is rally / off-road content as that's what I enjoy most in the series, but disappointed that there is seemingly nothing visually unique yet. Not that we need another Hot Wheels, but the setting looks like we could have just used a lot of the large open areas from the base map.
@AndroidBango lol. The "least interesting" qualifier is subjective and most of the world clearly disagrees with you given the success of the books, movies, and now this game. I'm really just here to comment on you referring to it as a "generic open-world" since they couldn't be further from the truth - whether you enjoy HP or not, I can't think of a single game that accomplishes such a fantastic realization of an expansive interior environment. Maybe some would point to Control or indoor sections of other action games, but those are typically built without the restrictions of a pre-determined exterior structure that audiences have been looking at for the past two decades. If I compared this to the open-world game series that have had multiple iterations (Elder Scrolls, Assassin's Creed, Far Cry), what you get here feels nothing like that, so finding it "generic" is really strange to me. Fortunately, most review outlets are giving the developers the credit they deserve.
Licensing the music was no doubt the issue here. They brought the majority of iconic original Xbox exclusives back, including a lot of obscure ones, so they definitely had conversations about it.
@Cherip-the-Ripper I was thinking the same thing! Is this the first game developed by a now first-party studio to leave Game Pass? I think so. It wasn't totally self-published, sure, but all of Obsidian's pre-acquisition games are still on there. Definitely weird.
I really wanted to like this game and while I do love the aesthetic and most of the soundtrack, the visuals are not very impressive on a Series X. If you played Forza Horizon 4 on a One X or latest game on the Series console, I think the first thing you will notice in NFS is the muddiness of the environments/textures compared to Forza. Seems a little odd to say "I feel like anyone that plays it will totally understand" because while the overall visuals, including the visual effects, do not feel uniquely next-gen.
I've been playing through every Sonic game leading up to Frontiers because I wanted to answer this question! I grew up with a Genesis and Sonic 2 being my first console game and have played every Sonic game since with the exception of Lost World and Colors. Going into things, I though Adventure 1 was my favorite, but after playing through everything, that game holds up very poorly, even compared to Adventure 2. It's really janky.
I think gameplay-wise Generations might be the best, but in terms of levels and music, I think Unleashed wins, despite the last level being miserable and most of the Werehog levels being really un-fun. That said, Adventure and Adventure 2 feel the best to play - they are so snappy and the controls feel better than the more modern games.
So basically, I don't have an answer or opinion, but voted for Unleashed here just because I saw it was far behind Adventure, Adventure 2, and Generations
@EliSweetG Since you are not playing fighters or shooters, it probably won't matter, but platformers could be problematic.
As for Bluetooth, two things: (1) you're right, I've also had no issues with the Switch controllers at all, (2) my not-so-scientific test only involved two different smartphones which we're produced in 2018 and 2020. That said, yes, the difference was massive between BT and direct connection. I don't know enough about BT technology, but maybe there are devices which simply have "better" BT functionality? For the Bluetooth tests with Gamepass, I used an official Xbox controller paired to the phone and the two phones were made by Google and Samsung. I would think that's pretty much as good as you can get, but maybe it's the added strain of playing a game via Cloud that creates a more noticeable delay?
So it's hard to say, but the experience was so jarring to me that it will affect all my current and future buying plans for this kind of stuff, at least for the next few years!
Really like the design/look of this controller, but the lack of a direct USB connection while in handheld mode makes this an instant "no" for me. I currently use the Razer Kishi for the times I need to let someone else use the console or PC and that direct USB-C connection over Bluetooth is the number one most important thing when it comes to Gamepass. I recall running some not-so-scientific tests playing Killer Instinct on 4G vs 5G and the difference in input lag was negligible, but the difference for BT vs USB connection is night and day. Literally the most important thing if your only option is streaming/xCloud.
@Snake_V5 That would be ideal, but even a fraction of that is still great. This is already a frivolous feature - we bought the games knowing we would be limited to playing them on the console where we bought them. Now here they are saying some non-Gamepass games will also be available, so yeah, that's kind of cool and not trash. Just because a product or service isn't exactly the way I want it doesn't make it valueless. Do you know of any media-related products or services that could not be better in some way? And are the imperfect ones also trash?
@Snake_V5 There are well over a thousand playable games on the current gen Xbox platforms. Not even all of the Gamepass games are available on xCloud as of today, so clearly it takes time to support that compatibility. And in your opinion, this new feature is trash because they won't be making 1,000+ games available?
"Trash" would be something of no value. If they select one game you enjoy and make it available through this feature, it would be of some value to you.
@Snake_V5 Trash? We don't know anything yet about which games will be selected, but I'm optimistic many games will become available through this service over a long period of time with probably only a couple dozen at launch. Also, if you already subscribe to Gamepass, this appears to be just an added feature with no additional cost. What makes this announcement trash?
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Re: Microsoft Flight Sim 2024 Allows You To 'Exit The Plane' And Walk Around
This is not a feature to be excited about unless you are walking around in one of the specific locations which has received a tailored update (typically airports or national landmarks)
My son plays this all the time in what is essentially a no-fail mode, so he crashes the plane and takes off again all over the place. The vast majority of the world imagery when you look at it up close is ugly and inaccurate. The same house models are used over and over. Water and trees appear all over the streets of Manhattan. Disney World structures look like poor PS1 polygons. Our neighborhood is unrecognizable. And this is all in the mode that uses up-to-date satellite imagery, not just the offline mode. From higher up, everything looks great, but once you're on the ground, it's awful. Go check for yourself!
Re: Roundup: All The Xbox Reveals From The PC Gaming Show 2024
I bought Unbeatable white label probably 3 years ago on Steam and assumed the full game would never see the light of day, so seeing it looks so much better and coming to Xbox is awesome news!
Re: Xbox Game Pass: All Games Coming Soon In June 2024
Rolling Hills for me. It looks like an Animal Crossing + kitchen management game? The name of the game is terrible, but check out the trailer if you're cool with cute games.
Re: New Xbox Update Makes It Easier To Swap Between Wi-Fi Networks
Finally! My Series S with xScreen goes between two house Wi-Fi networks and a phone hotspot for playing in the backseat on long trips, so this is long overdue but extremely welcome.
Re: Starfield's Biggest Update Yet Is Bringing Major New Features To Xbox This Month
Been waiting for 60fps to really get into this game. Nice news.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Core: Full List Of Games (April 2024 Update)
This is a really good selection considering $60/year for basically a decade prior to Core got you temporary ownership of maybe 1 game per year.
Since Gamepass Family plans never materialized, I do this for my son. We play Grounded, Deep Rock, and Astroneer, and Among Us. From a single player perspective, there are lots of great choices here, though some might complain that they are older games (i.e. 3-8 year old titles).
I'm surprised there aren't more first-party offerings here, namely Sea of Thieves or Rare Replay.
Re: Poll: What Is Your Xbox Game Of The Year For 2023?
#1 - Chants of Sennar (5 points)
#2 - Bombrush Cyberfunk
#3 - Hi-Fi Rush
#4 - Hogwarts Legacy
#5 - Sonic Superstars
I haven't played Baldur's Gate or Jusant yet, but those both look right up my alley.
Re: SEGA Announces Five New Games, All Based On Classic Franchises
I feel like Bombrush Cyberfunk perfected the original JSR/JSRF style and gameplay (music is pretty equal between all games, just personal preference), so I'm glad they're going with a new look here. Can't wait to see some gameplay. Been waiting 20 years for this day!
Re: Seven Halo 3 Maps Join Halo Infinite Today Alongside Free 20-Tier Pass
I think both of you bring up fair points. The Halo Infinite passes have been extremely generous up through Season 4, granting 1-2 free armor cosmetics and 1-2 weapon/nameplate cosmetics every 10 levels.
I think the most glaring issue is that the 50-tier season battle pass cost the same as the past four paid 100-tier battle passes. Hopefully we're not going to see the battle passes give less and less as you see in games like CoD or Overwatch.
That said, I'm not critical on Halo Infinite at all. I've been playing consistently since launch and have never understood the criticisms of this game except for he desync issues some players experienced during the first year. The battle passes have been great: they don't expire and they give you enough in-game currency (and there is only type of in-game currency) to buy the next season's battle pass. Pretty consumer friendly and certainly moreso than any other online multiplayer game I can think of.
Re: Xbox's Plan To Block 'Unauthorised' Accessories Has The Fighting Game Community Concerned
@themcnoisy Which is why I led with this being something that sucks for consumers. My point was more that this is being picked up by the FGC for the daily video news cycle to cry about a practically unheard of scenario (Fighting game tournaments run using Xbox where entrants have been able to afford a console, games, online subscription, an arcade stick, the entrance fee to the tournament, and a converter for their arcade stick, but are now feeling pressured to buy a new arcade stick). That's what I find absurd.
Once again, really sucks for MS to paint Xbox as an open platform, but then lock people out of using unauthorized/unlicensed accessories. Very lame. But also, they're the only ones who have numbers on how many unlicensed accessories are actually being used by Xbox players, and I'm guessing the actual numbers are miniscule compared to the now disproportionate amount of bad press they are getting. But that's their fault.
Also, I wonder why Hitbox hasn't bothered to get licensed yet. So many weird unheard of brands on the officially licensed list for Xbox accessory makers, but not them.
Re: Xbox's Plan To Block 'Unauthorised' Accessories Has The Fighting Game Community Concerned
There are certainly situations where this decision sucks for consumers, but I feel like this isn't one of them and the FGC argument is just one for them to make some noise. You can get a competent arcade stick for $100, so their concern is that players won't be able to use a $60 converter to use their PS5 stick on Xbox, costing them an extra $40 to participate at tournaments which use Xbox (which are basically non-existent)? Okay...
Re: Review: Sonic Superstars - A Modern Take On Sonic's Classic 2D Games
@Baler Fair, but I'm just looking at everything I still need to play! Finally going to get to Redfall with the big update that released a couple weeks ago, just picked up Lil Gator Game last week, and I'm usually just playing Halo Infinite anyways. So I've got a full plate as it is!
Re: Review: Sonic Superstars - A Modern Take On Sonic's Classic 2D Games
Bought it Day 1, but waiting until Christmas-time to have a new game to play in December. This isn't the first review I've read referring to weird collision and clipping errors, so hopefully they'll have those patched by then...
Re: Halo Infinite Hits Highest PC Player Count In Over A Year As Season 5 Lands
@pip_muzz No misinterpretation, I agree with you on having the choice. I was specifically referring to where you stated "Playing with a controller has never been harder" - even across all FPS games, there has never been a game (that I can think of at least) which so heavily empowers controller players. Once again, just look at HCS: players have their choice of what to use and basically 95% of pros are using controller. Look at any other competitive FPS and I guarantee no one is opting for a controller in Overwatch, Rainbow Six, CoD, CounterStrike, Valorant, etc, even though all of those games have controller input options.
I just think it's reductive to say that it feels like "nothing but PC players" are playing when its most likely you're playing matches with controller users.
Re: Halo Infinite Hits Highest PC Player Count In Over A Year As Season 5 Lands
@pip_muzz This isn't the case at all... controller is the superior option. Take the recent HCS finals for example. All setups have both KBM and controller inputs available, but the vast majority use controller. You could make an argument that Halo has been primarily a controller-based game and that would explain the preference, but even people who play on both PC and Xbox agree that the aim assist for controller is extremely strong. I never play this game KBM.
Re: Talking Point: Which Activision Blizzard Series Do You Want To Play Most On Xbox Game Pass?
Breathe some new life into Heroes of the Storm by adding Xbox characters and maps! And bring StarCraft Ghost back from the dead!
Re: Chants Of Sennaar Nominated For 'Xbox Game Of The Year' At Golden Joystick Awards
@somnambulance Ah, see I would say it's the other way around: Cocoon's puzzles are rigid (always one solution) whereas Chants are flexible. For example, I feel like there's a whole perfunctory routine you have to do multiple times throughout the game of grabbing and placing the world-orbs as you bring them out of / into a specified world. That got irksome to me. The game itself is also extremely linear with the illusion of backtracking by opening new sections of worlds you have in your possession later on, but you only can or need to do that at set times in the prescribed timeline of the game.
Whereas in Chants of Sennar, I felt like you can actually make a lot of progress or even solve the puzzles/translations based on understanding context alone without necessarily knowing the proper translations. I had that come up a few times throughout the game and thought it was so cool that my misinterpretation of a meaning was still viable in moments where I had to answer or respond. On top of that, you can also make your way through some areas, particularly levels 3 and 4, in any translation order you like based on what you can ascertain from context. Really brilliant stuff and far from rigid.
Re: Chants Of Sennaar Nominated For 'Xbox Game Of The Year' At Golden Joystick Awards
I don't see it winning against the other contenders, but I'm glad this got a nomination because it seems like everyone has slept on it. I adore this game and it's my personal game of the year. It's super niche and I think my review of it on the Xbox Store is the only one there. lol
And @somnambulance, I don't agree that Cocoon is "far better". It has much higher production value, it has a great opening 30 minutes that's better than most games out there, and it's on Gamepass which makes it way more accessible, but neither the puzzle gameplay or boss battle gameplay felt particularly new. What did you not like about Chants of Sennar that made Cocoon the better puzzle game in your opinion?
Re: Review: The Lamplighters League - A Solid Slice Of Turn-Based Strategy That's In Need Of Some Patching ASAP
Phenomenal pun. I'll be installing but waiting for a few patches before starting.
Re: SEGA Announces Shock Cancellation Of Multiplayer Shooter 'Hyenas'
This reminds me of Fable Legends. I know most of this community was down on that game, but I loved it for the 7 months or so that I was in the closed beta. It was a game that was practically complete, looking to be funded by micro transactions, nearing release, and suddenly pulled away. In both cases, I have to imagine the beta releases showed the developers that there simply wasn't much hype or interest. Of course with Fable Legends we also know now that the developers weren't even happy working on the project.
That said, the character design, music, environments, and voice acting in that game were so phenomenal, I'll be shocked if none of that content makes it into the Fable reboot.
To bring it back to Hyenas, the game looked alright and I feel like they plugged in SEGA easter eggs to try to appeal to SEGA fans, but meh, I didn't even sign up for the beta. Too many live service games to play as it is and I only make room for the ones that respect my time. Not sure how this would've been in that respect, but usually, they're a part-time job...
Re: Starfield Fans, What Are Your Plans Over The Next Few Days?
Play and finish Bombrush Cyberfunk when it comes to Xbox tomorrow before September 6!
Re: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Is Getting Massive Praise Ahead Of Its Xbox Release
It's been hard holding off, but when I heard the Xbox release was coming two weeks after Switch/PC, I figured I could wait. Gives me time to clear out my Gamepass backlog anyways before Bombrush and Starfield control my Autumn.
Re: Backwards Compatible Games Will Remain Purchasable After Xbox 360 Store Closure
For SEGA fans, this means Space Channel 5 pt 2, Sega Superstars Tennis, and Phantasy Star Universe will be gone unless something changes between now and then. FYI, Space Channel 5 pt 2 is on Steam, but the other two are not and will truly be inaccessible digitally on console and PC.
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your Earliest Xbox Memories?
I had grown up with SEGA consoles (Genesis 2, GameGear, Nomad, DC) and was very disappointed when the Dreamcast went under. I never owned the NES or SNES, but had the N64, but my favorite games there were the Rareware ones: Banjo-Kazooie, Diddy Kong Racing, Jet Force Gemini, and GoldenEye.
Jet Set Radio Future was the console-seller for me and when the acquisition of Rare was announced in 2002, I was thrilled and still am to this day, despite the droves of players out there who wish Rare was still closely tied to Nintendo and think MS irreparably damaged them.
Xbox has always felt like a natural fit for the types of games I want to play and it's been fun to see my 5-year old son fall into it in a different way than I did. We own a Switch as well, and while he occasionally wants to see or play Luigi's Mansion or Mario Party, 9 out of 10 times he picks something on Xbox. Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons, Grounded, Flight Simulator (he can do take off by himself!), Forza Horizon 4 & 5, Viva Pinata, Banjo Nuts & Bolts, or watching me play Ori and Hi-Fi Rush. Bit of a tangent, but it's fun seeing and making his first Xbox memories with him.
Re: Talking Point: Have You Ever Taken A 'Day Off' For Something Xbox Related?
Yes! I used to take off for the Xbox E3 shows, but now that they host them on weekend days, I always try to have a get-together with friends and grill.
Re: Hi-Fi Rush Team Was 'Undecided' On Platforms Prior To Xbox's Acquisition Of Bethesda
@InterceptorAlpha The recommended GPU on Steam for Hi-Fi is an RTX 2070 or RX 6600, GPUs that are roughly 200x better than what is in the Switch (something comparable to a GTX 1650), so that's not nothing...
Like I already said, of course it's possible and the system capable, it would just really require serious optimization. You would likely lose a lot in terms of visual quality and resolution (which is a given since it's the Switch) compared to what we're enjoying on Series S and X.
Re: Hi-Fi Rush Team Was 'Undecided' On Platforms Prior To Xbox's Acquisition Of Bethesda
@InterceptorAlpha Tango would have to really do a phenomenal job optimizing the game to run at 60fps on Switch. I would say 60fps is a necessity for the type of a game it is, that's the only reason I bring it up. Of course, it's possible when you consider games like Super Mario Odyssey run at 60fps, but I'm just thinking about all the other 3D games that run at 30fps like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Sonic Colors, ABZU, Yooka-Laylee, Sable, The Pathless, and so on. 3D platformers and/or action games that manage 60fps on Switch are really uncommon.
Re: Disney Speedstorm Goes Free-To-Play On Xbox This September
Just here to say I was a nay-sayer about this game before it came out and it only won my money because they put Figment in it (a character who is only at Walt Disney World, no movies or shows). I've been a fan of arcade and kart racers forever and here are my takeaways for people who are on the fence:
Pros
Cons
I've probably spent more time in it since launch than I have in all my time with Mario Kart 8 (Wii U and Switch combined), but I'm susceptible to daily challenges/unlocks and junk like that, so if that's not for you, probably best to steer clear (pun intended).
Re: Next Week's Annapurna Showcase May Bring News About 'Stray' On Xbox
@Kramlar Same for me. It was announced almost a year ago to be coming to Xbox in "Winter" and they haven't said anything about it since.
Re: Poll: How Would You Grade The Xbox Games Showcase 2023?
Just like last year, heart skips a beat when I see the Rare logo, just for it to not be anything Banjo or Everwild...
Re: Talking Point: What 'Dream' Reveal Would You Like To See At The Xbox Games Showcase 2023?
Seems a fair amount of us here really want Banjo, but nobody has mentioned yet that June 2023 happens to be the 25th anniversary of the original... fingers crossed...
Re: Xbox Announces Extended Showcase 2023 Featuring 'In-Depth Interviews' & More
@GeeEssEff Agreed. I like interviews when they're about a game I already know I enjoy, not when it's someone trying to sell me something that won't be out for months.
And as for gameplay, agreed, but it would be really great if they could explicitly show us the gameplay running on Series X since everything shown lately turns out to be running on a high-end PC.
Re: Review: Minecraft Legends - The Action Strategy Spin-Off That's Even More Fun With Friends
"you’ll roam the world feeding off Piglins"
"Fending" or do we eat them? Either way, I'll be trying this with my son next week. Thanks for the summary!
Re: Disney Speedstorm Races Into 'Early Access' On Xbox This April
I'm cautiously optimistic about this game, but this is kind of gross. $70 for the "Ultimate Edition" and they don't even give you all the characters. I could understand not giving customers content from future seasons, but paying the same price as a brand new AAA game for a F2P made by GameLoft that intentionally excludes basic content is just awful.
Re: We're Giving Away Multiple Nacon Pro Compact Xbox Controllers (UK)
I'm in the US, but just wanted to reassure everyone that these controllers are only second to the official ones. I've bought three different smaller controllers for my son over the past few years including one by Hori and one by Hyperkin, both of which were fine but had issues (soft bumpers, bad thumbstick pads), but bought the Nacon Pro Compact Colorlight in December and it's the best feeling third-party controller for sure. Again, I wouldn't personally choose it for myself, but if you need a smaller controller or wired controller, this is a great option.
Re: Xbox's Future Isn't Reliant On Activision Blizzard Deal, Reassures Phil Spencer
I am beyond indifferent to this deal as it is. I don't have any personal interest in Activision or Blizzard games and wish the resources being spent on this deal were being put towards less-expensive acquisitions (SEGA!) and existing first-party studios (Everwild was announced 4 years ago...)
Re: Talking Point: Are You Happy With The Forza Horizon 5 Expansion 2 Setting?
I'm glad it is rally / off-road content as that's what I enjoy most in the series, but disappointed that there is seemingly nothing visually unique yet. Not that we need another Hot Wheels, but the setting looks like we could have just used a lot of the large open areas from the base map.
Re: Hogwarts Legacy And Fable Are Getting A Lot Of Comparisons From Xbox Fans
@AndroidBango lol. The "least interesting" qualifier is subjective and most of the world clearly disagrees with you given the success of the books, movies, and now this game. I'm really just here to comment on you referring to it as a "generic open-world" since they couldn't be further from the truth - whether you enjoy HP or not, I can't think of a single game that accomplishes such a fantastic realization of an expansive interior environment. Maybe some would point to Control or indoor sections of other action games, but those are typically built without the restrictions of a pre-determined exterior structure that audiences have been looking at for the past two decades. If I compared this to the open-world game series that have had multiple iterations (Elder Scrolls, Assassin's Creed, Far Cry), what you get here feels nothing like that, so finding it "generic" is really strange to me. Fortunately, most review outlets are giving the developers the credit they deserve.
Re: Hi-Fi RUSH Has Xbox Boss Thinking About Jet Set Radio Future (Again)
Licensing the music was no doubt the issue here. They brought the majority of iconic original Xbox exclusives back, including a lot of obscure ones, so they definitely had conversations about it.
Re: Another Six Games Will Leave Xbox Game Pass Soon (January 15)
@Cherip-the-Ripper I was thinking the same thing! Is this the first game developed by a now first-party studio to leave Game Pass? I think so. It wasn't totally self-published, sure, but all of Obsidian's pre-acquisition games are still on there. Definitely weird.
Re: Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas guys! You're the only site I check daily, so thanks!
Re: NFS Unbound Dev Says Leaving Xbox One Behind Led To 'Transformative Racing Experience'
I really wanted to like this game and while I do love the aesthetic and most of the soundtrack, the visuals are not very impressive on a Series X. If you played Forza Horizon 4 on a One X or latest game on the Series console, I think the first thing you will notice in NFS is the muddiness of the environments/textures compared to Forza. Seems a little odd to say "I feel like anyone that plays it will totally understand" because while the overall visuals, including the visual effects, do not feel uniquely next-gen.
Re: Pick One: Which Is The Best 3D Sonic Game To Date?
I've been playing through every Sonic game leading up to Frontiers because I wanted to answer this question! I grew up with a Genesis and Sonic 2 being my first console game and have played every Sonic game since with the exception of Lost World and Colors. Going into things, I though Adventure 1 was my favorite, but after playing through everything, that game holds up very poorly, even compared to Adventure 2. It's really janky.
I think gameplay-wise Generations might be the best, but in terms of levels and music, I think Unleashed wins, despite the last level being miserable and most of the Werehog levels being really un-fun. That said, Adventure and Adventure 2 feel the best to play - they are so snappy and the controls feel better than the more modern games.
So basically, I don't have an answer or opinion, but voted for Unleashed here just because I saw it was far behind Adventure, Adventure 2, and Generations
Re: Hardware Review: PowerA MOGA XP7-X Plus - The xCloud Controller With A Tabletop Mode
@EliSweetG Since you are not playing fighters or shooters, it probably won't matter, but platformers could be problematic.
As for Bluetooth, two things: (1) you're right, I've also had no issues with the Switch controllers at all, (2) my not-so-scientific test only involved two different smartphones which we're produced in 2018 and 2020. That said, yes, the difference was massive between BT and direct connection. I don't know enough about BT technology, but maybe there are devices which simply have "better" BT functionality? For the Bluetooth tests with Gamepass, I used an official Xbox controller paired to the phone and the two phones were made by Google and Samsung. I would think that's pretty much as good as you can get, but maybe it's the added strain of playing a game via Cloud that creates a more noticeable delay?
So it's hard to say, but the experience was so jarring to me that it will affect all my current and future buying plans for this kind of stuff, at least for the next few years!
Re: Hardware Review: PowerA MOGA XP7-X Plus - The xCloud Controller With A Tabletop Mode
Really like the design/look of this controller, but the lack of a direct USB connection while in handheld mode makes this an instant "no" for me. I currently use the Razer Kishi for the times I need to let someone else use the console or PC and that direct USB-C connection over Bluetooth is the number one most important thing when it comes to Gamepass. I recall running some not-so-scientific tests playing Killer Instinct on 4G vs 5G and the difference in input lag was negligible, but the difference for BT vs USB connection is night and day. Literally the most important thing if your only option is streaming/xCloud.
Re: Xbox Cloud Gaming Will Soon Work Outside Of Game Pass
@Snake_V5 That would be ideal, but even a fraction of that is still great. This is already a frivolous feature - we bought the games knowing we would be limited to playing them on the console where we bought them. Now here they are saying some non-Gamepass games will also be available, so yeah, that's kind of cool and not trash. Just because a product or service isn't exactly the way I want it doesn't make it valueless. Do you know of any media-related products or services that could not be better in some way? And are the imperfect ones also trash?
Re: Xbox Cloud Gaming Will Soon Work Outside Of Game Pass
@Snake_V5 There are well over a thousand playable games on the current gen Xbox platforms. Not even all of the Gamepass games are available on xCloud as of today, so clearly it takes time to support that compatibility. And in your opinion, this new feature is trash because they won't be making 1,000+ games available?
"Trash" would be something of no value. If they select one game you enjoy and make it available through this feature, it would be of some value to you.
Re: Xbox Cloud Gaming Will Soon Work Outside Of Game Pass
@Snake_V5 Trash? We don't know anything yet about which games will be selected, but I'm optimistic many games will become available through this service over a long period of time with probably only a couple dozen at launch. Also, if you already subscribe to Gamepass, this appears to be just an added feature with no additional cost. What makes this announcement trash?
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your Expectations For The 2022 Xbox Games Showcase?
I've had the same two unlikely wishes for the past half decade or more:
Re: Talking Point: Which Is The Most Underrated Xbox Console To Date?
@__jamiie Well said. As a SEGA kid that switched to Xbox when the Dreamcast died, I could never understand the appeal of PlayStation.