TimG13

@SplooshDmg @Richnj Reviews, and thus their scores, are always subjective. Just because a game scores a 6 or 7 doesn't mean you can't have fun with it. I've played plenty of games I've enjoyed very much, but, if I had to, couldn't give them more than a 6. Ultimately, it's the review itself which counts, and the score at the end is just an arbitrary number which should reflect what's been said. People debate tirelessly about review scores, but very rarely debate the actual reviews themselves.

Wasn't the ending to Path Of Neo meant to be a big joke? It's basically the Wachowskis sticking their fingers up to fans who didn't like the original ending. Not that Revolutions ended well, of course, but it's still clearly better than the stupid, happy ending in PON. I mean, a giant Mecha-Smith, and We Are The Champions? Come on.

Yep, looks like a Saints Row reboot to me, which is to say another rags-to-riches storyline involving a bunch of small-time criminals taking on their infinitely bigger and better equipped rivals via the means of excessively violent, totally mad and gloriously over the top mayhem.

Not sure what people were expecting, to be honest...

I'd wager it'll have a Graphical and Performance mode - can't see it doing 4K/60. Either way, I'm keen to see how it looks.

Red Dead Revolver?

Red Dead Redemption II, Uncharted 2, Mass effect 2 - all completely blew me away when I first played them, and the memories have stayed with me ever since. RDR II is literally my favourite game of all time, and Uncharted 2 was for a while too.

I'd also like to mention The Last Of Us - Part II. Divisive to say the least, but few sequels - in any medium - attempt to do what this game did. A truly brave and bold sequel.

As someone who's never really "got " Halo, it has to be ODST.

That said, I am pretty psyched for Infinite.

Personally, I'm not sure a remake is the right way forward for Dead Space. No doubt EA cite the Resi 2 remake's well-deserved success, but the thing about remaking that game was that the original was from a bygone era of both the survival-horror genre and gaming overall. Dead Space meanwhile, despite showing its age (nearly 13 years), still feels very modern. How much can a remake really bring to the table?

Not that I should complain too much. More Dead Space, whatever form it takes, is a good thing, I'd say - who could say no to some Frostbite-powered strategic dismemberment? I'd have just preferred an all new Dead Space which harks back to the original.

I honestly thought Sumo were a reliable choice to have a go with Banjo.

Glad to hear he's not planning on leaving anytime soon. And yet, if anyone deserves a happy early retirement, it's Phil Spencer.

I don't think it's fair to judge the future of E3 based on this year's show given the circumstances. And given those circumstances, I think it came together as well as it could. True, some companies went bigger than others - well done to Microsoft especially - but that's always been the case with E3 anyway. If anything, I think this year (and last) has proved the games industry needs a big annual showcase. Once the world returns to some form of normality and E3 makes a true comeback, only then should these discussions take place. Let's not forget, we are only judging E3 based on the little we see from the comfort of our homes. There are plenty of goings on behind the scenes us public aren't privy to.

A typically strong showing, I'd say. No one can say it was short on content, but if I have one criticism - and it's the same one I've levelled at Microsoft for the last few years - it's that there weren't enough deep dives into any of their games. Horizon 5 was the only game they really gave a lengthy look at, and I would have thought they would have at least given Halo a few more minutes.

Oh, and where was Crossfire X?

I'm not surprised. Cold War was revealed quite late in the day last year, so I expect Vanguard to follow suit, especially given the troubled state it's reported to be in. At the very least, I'm excited to see how it looks.

I have to say, this isn't exactly a major loss. Battlefield has never really had a strong single player campaign, whereas DICE truly excel at multiplayer, so why not let them focus on what they're best at as Berlin says?

On the other hand, I can't see why EA couldn't draft in a separate team to develop a single player (I'm thinking of Respawn in particular) while DICE handled the online modes? But then again, I think long-term Battlefield fans, myself included, are really only in it for the multiplayer, which has always been the series' main appeal.

Oh Phil, you're such a fanboy.

In all seriousness, we could all learn a thing or two from Phil's positive attitude. A real class act.

Hot Pursuit 2010 in my opinion. Not only do I think it's Criterion's best game, but also the best racer of its generation.

From Microsoft specifically, it has to be E3 2009. So many surprises and announcements, like the return of Alan Wake and Splinter Cell: Conviction, the reveal of Left 4 Dead 2 and Halo: Reach, not to mention MGS: Rising, Crackdown 2... And, of course, the debut of Kinect, back when it was Project Natal. Even though Kinect never worked out, it was very much a big deal back when it was announced and generated quite a bit of buzz and excitement. And that's what counts at E3. Not everything they showed turned out as well as we'd hoped (Crackdown 2 essentially being a glorified expansion, for instance, and the version of Rising shown being scrapped), but all of these games kept coming thick and fast it was almost hard to keep track. Microsoft really did steal the show.

E3 2009 was also, in my eyes, the E3 which got E3 back on track. The previous years were not especially great, and I vividly remember mostly strong showings all-round in 2009. Uncharted 2's excellent stage demo from Sony, Super Mario Galaxy 2 revealed by Nintendo, Assassin's Creed II and Modern Warfare 2 looking ace from Ubisoft and Activision respectively... I'm not sure if games were better back then, or if I was just more excitable?

14/15. I have to say, I'm pretty good with remembering when games were announced and released.

Far Cry 2 for me. God knows it has its problems, but the setting, style and tone really did it for me. I know I'm in the minority, but I wasn't as keen on the direction the series took from Far Cry 3 onwards, although I have to say I'm liking the look of Far Cry 6.

I've often wondered what the likes of The Coalition and even 343i could do when freed from the shackles of Gears and Halo. If it's not Star Wars, perhaps they're reviving the project teased back at E3 2013 when they were Black Tusk?

It's a fair criticism, but has never detracted from my personal enjoyment of any of their games. The same could be said for many of Rockstar's games, too, and they usually turn out rather well.

Glad to see Alien and Deus Ex on the list. Was hoping for Dishonored 2, but maybe that's coming further down the line.

Glad to see the return of E3 in some form this year. The industry didn't realise what it had lost until it was gone, and despite what the naysayers think, E3 is not dead. Given the circumstances, I'm not sure if it'll be this year or even next, but I'm pretty confident E3 will return stronger than ever post-pandemic.

If it is Ubisoft, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a new Splinter Cell. Conviction was tied to Xbox after all, and I think Microsoft not only like having Sam Fisher appear on their consoles - almost as their version of Snake - but would also like to be the ones who help bring him back.

Nothing special from my point of view. It's a good game, but next to Max Payne, Alan Wake and Control, Quantum Break is easily the most forgettable of the bunch.

Is it just me, or has Sniper Elite 4 never been on sale on the Xbox store? As I'm not a Game Pass subscriber, I was hoping the Spring Sale would finally see its price chopped. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen it on sale since release, and that was 4 years ago.

Even if Microsoft make it backwards compatible, I'd be happy. More than that, though, I want a sequel.

@LordSmok Yes, I do. I respect and value their opinions even if I disagree with them because they can present their arguments in a way that should mean you can understand where they're coming from, which cannot be said for a number of wannabe games journos on the internet who think their verdicts should be taken as gospel and yet can't make a watertight case for their arguments.

While I wouldn't say this is one of Mikami's finest, it's definitely worth a look. I'd like to see the series continue, though.

It cannot be overstated how big a deal it is to have Mikami on board. The guy is literally a gaming legend, and one of the most prominent names in game development, let alone Japan. But, while it does give Microsoft as strong a foothold as they've ever had, I'm still not sure it's going to be enough to win over Japanese players. Microsoft have teamed up with big name Japanese devs before (I'm thinking specifically of Sakaguchi) and it barely made a dent. I know this isn't necessarily the point Spencer or the article is making, but if Microsoft really want to make some ground in Japan, the guy they need is Kojima. Love him or hate him, there is no other developer Japan respects more than Kojima, simply because he's a perfectionist and obsessed with detail. If Microsoft can rope him in, their fortunes in Japan would change dramatically.

Dishonored 2/Death Of The Outsider and Prey, please.

Funnily enough, around this time last year I replayed Arkham Asylum, City and Origins, with the intention of replaying Knight, so I'd love this to get a next-gen patch. I sincerely doubt it will, though, considering the game's age and the fact it never got a One X/Pro patch.

@GamingFan4Lyf In my mind the ideal Aliens game would be a mix of Left 4 Dead's frenetic, mad dash, panic-inducing action against an unstoppable and overwhelming horde, with the Metro games' slow burn tension-building and creeping sense of dread.

Looking forward to seeing the results.

Take my money, Rockstar. You deserve it.

@gollumb82 I replayed both GRAW games a couple if years back and can't say they've aged well. You're better off trying Future Soldier instead.

Do you have any fond Xbox 360 memories?

Too many to mention.

When they first announced Cold Iron Studios was making an Aliens game this is pretty much what I thought they'd deliver, and that's not exactly a good thing. It's perhaps to be expected given they're a relatively small team, but to me this just looks like your basic run-of-the-mill blaster. Admittedly I'm probably being overly harsh given we've only seen a single short trailer and I need to see more before I write it off completely. I just hope they've got more to show, like welding doors shut and setting up sentry turrets and other defences (and not in pre-set locations, please). Basically, I think this needs to be a mix of Gears' Escape and Horde modes.

Plus, it's going to face stiff competition from Back 4 Blood if it keeps to a Summer release. This needs to be something special and not simply shooting endless waves of Xenomorphs.

Either way, it can't be any worse than Colonial Marines, can it?

@JayJ True. The Criterion of today is not the same Criterion of 2012, and they've been a support studio for other projects ever since. Nevertheless, if only for nostalgia's sake, I'm still keen to see what they're working on.

As for Codies, you could be right. But I also think they've got enough of their own franchises to continue working on rather than inheriting NFS. I can see EA alternating between Codemasters with Dirt and Criterion with NFS every year.

I was rather looking forward to seeing Criterion's new NFS as their versions of Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted are without question the franchise's best. That said, EA cannot afford to mess up with the new Battlefield. It's probably their most important game for a long time, and while every Battlefield has been beset with problems at launch (just wait and see if the servers don't crash on day one), the more help DICE get the better. As something of a lapsed Battlefield player, I'm very curious to see how this one looks.

@Tharsman I don't think E3 is dead. The game's industry needs a big showcase like E3, and now that it will have been gone for two years straight I think publishers, developers and the press will realise just how important it is. E3 has been "dying" before and came back in a big way, and with a new generation underway I think it will again.

I'd probably recommend Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends over Rayman 3 HD. Two truly delightful games.

Developers assisting in development with fellow in-house developers is common practice (check the credits for every Ubisoft game for confirmation), as is outsourcing to external partners, so I really don't think there's much to glean from this, even considering Infinite's delay and Microsoft roping other studios into the fold.

The article's headline does make me wonder what a Halo game from The Coalition would look like, though, and likewise a Gears game from 343? If Microsoft wanted to shake up their two biggest franchises they could switch the developers around for a couple of experimental spin-offs. Perhaps a Halo cover-shooter playing as another ODST from The Coalition, and a Gears FPS from 343?

@Dezzy70 There is still merit in enhancing older games. For one, people like to go back and replay some of their favourite games from time to time, and bumping up the resolution and doubling the framerate often makes it a transformative experience for them. For another, players' backlogs of games is only getting bigger by the day, so chances are there'll be at least one game you're yet to play which will receive an upgrade of some kind, meaning it'll be even better for when you do eventually get round to playing it.

As for gaming in 2021 being stale, it's still early days yet, both in the year and the generation. Given the current state of the world, games aren't likely to come as thick and fast as they used to, but there could still be a few pleasant surprises just around the corner. And even if there isn't, there must be something which slipped you by the first time. It could even be a game due to get framerate boost.

Forza Horizon 2/3
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Dishonored 2
Prey
Red Dead Redemption - with no PC port, and Xbox already being the only way to play the game at 4K, getting 60FPS support would be a massive win.

I was very interested to see how this one would turn out back in the day, and I'm even more interested now it's back. Hopefully the devs can pull it off.

I'd certainly be up for the mag to make a comeback, along with the likes of Xbox World and PSM. Alas, I think the time for gaming mags is well and truly over. Edge and OPM are still standing here in the UK, but I fear they're both on borrowed time.

Glad to hear they've brought ME1 in-line with the rest of the trilogy. I can't imagine the original holds up very well today, and to be honest the combat felt a little ropey back in 2007, especially coming a year after Gears Of War.

I'm in two minds about playing this, though. On the one hand, ME is unquestionably one of my favourite sagas in gaming. On the other, how can replaying it a decade later (4K or not) ever recapture anything close to the same experience as playing it for the first time? Some of my most cherished gaming memories are from playing ME, and part of me reckons they're better off staying as they are. Plus, I'm not sure I can spare 100+ hours to replay it all these days.

To anyone who'll be playing the ME Trilogy for the first time, I am immensely jealous of you.

It's always going to be Classic Crofty over rebooted Lara for me, and I think the somewhat underrated Underworld strikes the right balance between the more linear, action focussed levels of Legend and the larger, more complex puzzle-solving of Anniversary, which was an excellent remake of the classic original itself. Plus, Keeley Hawes is the best actress to voice Lara yet.

As much as I enjoyed the reboot and Rise (yet to play Shadow), I always felt there was too big a focus on combat over puzzles and the survival mechanics bogged them down. Great games for sure, but not quite Tomb Raider for me.

On another note, Guardian Of Light and Temple Of Osiris are both worth a look.

This takes me back. I remember when (dearly departed) Xbox World magazine broke the story of the GoldenEye remake all those years ago.

It always bothers me when developers talk about sequels before the first game has even arrived. As much faith as I have in IO delivering the goods, Id prefer they (and every developer for that matter) focus on making one great game first and see what happens from there. Plus, from a narrative perspective, too many games have been left with loose ends untied because they weren't successful enough to get the intended sequel(s), and that really frustrates me. Bond has even had this problem before with Bloodstone.

It's encouraging to hear they're not tying their Bond to any actor, though. I've always said whoever takes on Bond needs to do what Rocksteady did with Batman, ignoring the existing continuity and come up with their own take on the brand.