The morning Inbox is disappointed at the number of reveals at the Tokyo Game Show, as some readers turn up late to the Hot Topic.
To join in with the discussions yourself email [email protected]
Episodic ending
Shocked but not shocked at the news about Telltale Games. I looked it up and it was 2012 when the first Walking Dead came out and wowed everyone. I think theyve literally got a little bit less interesting every year since then. Lots of obvious reasons why they did but apart from the terrible low-tech graphics and just generally spotty writing I cant imagine how much they were having to pay for all these licences.
Those ones for Batman and Marvel cannot have been cheap and Ive never heard anyone talk about them, especially Guardians Of The Galaxy – which youd actually think was up their street as its mostly comedic. The worst though had to be Game Of Thrones which was probably the worst thing theyve ever done and I imagine the most expensive to get. I doubt Stranger Things was cheap either, but I guess well never see that now.
Too much, too quickly seems to be the problem. And not realising that people werent interested in Walking Dead anymore. But what this makes me wonder is if episodic gaming is going to die with them? Apart from Dontnod I cant think of anyone that really does it anymore, or ever really, and if Telltale go away I dont see episodic gaming lasting much longer either.
Boosh
For sale
Im genuinely shocked that Telltale Games have shuttered their doors.
Considering how poor their technology is, and the amount of devices you can play all their games on, surely they didnt have to sell that many season passes to make a profit.
I also think that this would be an easy PR win for Microsoft to throw some cash to secure a future for Minecraft: Story Mode, The Wolf Among Us, and Stranger Things (and even finish The Walking Dead). Especially now Games Pass has changed the rules where first party games dont actually have to sell, they just have to be well received.
Obviously there could be other buyers that could swoop in, but other publishers must look on worried that they would also be unable to turn a profit on Telltales portfolio.
irve77 (gamertag/PSN ID)
Quantity over quality
Sad news about the closure of Telltale Games. This article accompanied some of the news articles and offers an insight into why a studio with the world at its feet fell from grace so spectacularly.
It tells of mismanagement, rapid expansion, stifled creativity, and an unwillingness to deviate from the Walking Dead formula that ultimately led to a sharp deterioration in the quality but a rapid rise in the quantity of games being made. They seemed to have turned a corner recently but I guess it was too little too late.
Magnumstache
GC: Theres been talk for years that the company was poorly managed, in terms of looking after employees and things like refusing to update the graphics engine.
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Shadow of comedy
I have to disagree with Ross from Fridays Inbox about Shadow Of The Tomb Raider. I think the unsmiling faux-serious tone nicely complements the ridiculousness built into the concept of Tomb Raider. There is one glorious scene Crystal Dynamics gleefully lean into the inherent silliness. An angry vengeance-crazed Lara bursts out of the water toting a big machine gun to take on hordes of paramilitaries and a gunship in an exploding oil refinery.
Its like the climax of a particularly OTT 80s action flick but starring a small posh English lady, its Cobra meets Downton Abbey. Lets not forget other action scenes which are basically Predator remade by Merchant Ivory.
Ive had a blast with Shadow Of The Tomb Raider and it will definitely be in my end of year top three. Putting the settings for puzzles and exploration on hard difficulty made it feel like an evolution and continuation of the original games.
Jaded_Libertine (PSN ID)
PS: I was not the biggest fan of Jonah myself. However, there is a comic book where he directs an amateur dramatics production of Sense and Sensibility, his lead actress suddenly drops out and Lara has to overcome her stage fright to step in at the last minute to play Elizabeth Bennet. That would be a piece of DLC that Id love to see.
GC: We really dont think that, or anything else in the game, was supposed to be funny. Or even self-aware.
Ongoing saga
Im so looking forward to Resident Evil 2 remake I dont think I can adequately explain but it got me thinking about something that came up in a Tekken review GC did a year or so ago, where the question came up as to what series had the long-running continuity without any reboots. Tekken was claiming it was them, which may be true but I dont really count that, or something like Zelda, as really having much of a story or ongoing continuity.
But Resident Evil really has been going for decades with the same cast, the same canon, and no reboots. Theres been plenty of retcons, sure, and Ill be damned if I can really remember much of what happened in 5 or 6, but here we are in a situation where were probably going to get remakes of everything up to Resident Evil 3 at least, which is only going to underline how its all part of the same ongoing story.
Of course nobody plays Resident Evil for the story (I dont think) but its still kind of cool. And even though it was lame I did like how everyone was visibility older in Resident Evil 6 and a few of the others. Maybe theyll do a time jump and we can have old man Leon or something?
Plesio
Alternative name
Late to the party as ever, but had to weigh in on Final Fantasy.
The first one I ever played was on the SNES: Final Fantasy III as far as the US market was concerned. The one that follows the adventures of Locke the thief and his friends. it was the first full-on role-playing games I ever played and I adored it.
So many characters, such a great storyline. So great was it that when I subsequently played the first PlayStation game, as much as I liked it, it all seemed very slight in comparison. A less exciting story and less characters to join your party, even if it was visually light years away.
Has Final Fantasy III ever been revisited by Square on modern formats?
dsb
GC: Thats Final Fantasy VI. Despite many people, including us, considering it to be the best in the series all its had in modern times is a low rent remaster for PC and smartphones.
So-called combat
One thing I absolutely detest about the modern Final Fantasy games is the exchange of turn-based strategic combat for so-called real-time combat. I dont know how anyone in their right mind can even call Final Fantsy XV s battle system combat – I rinsed through the game without dying by literally holding down RB until my chosen victim succumbed.
The turn-based systems of VII and VIII for me were perfect. Bit of strategy, bit of predicting your enemies next move, making sure your barriers are up, and paying attention to turn order. Beautiful. I guess todays ADHD culture doesnt allow for such nuanced systems, however.
Adamskiiiii
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Old problem
Ive always been a fan of role-playing games but never seemed to be able to get away with playing Final Fantasy games, although I did try them.
It has always been the turn-based combat that put me off. Ive never liked it in games but have tried it with numerous titles that I heard good things about: Final Fantasy VII, Lost Odyssey, and Enchanted Arms.
I remember getting quite close to the end of Enchanted Arms and enjoying the story but the combat system got the better of me eventually and I couldnt beat a boss to progress and had struggled at times before that encounter.
The latest Final Fantasy XV was something of a revelation to me, with it dropping the turn-based combat it had my interest. I played the game over a week off and was hooked, always wanting to back to it as soon as I could. If the next one uses the same formula Im in.
R1CH5TER
GC: The last mainline Final Fantasy to have anything like traditional turn-based combat was Final Fantasy X in 2001.
Inbox also-rans
Ugh, so I see the Tokyo Game Show was another washout, so much for the idea of it having a comeback in relevance. I thought wed get some big news at least but virtually nothing, even from Japanese developers like Platinum and From.
Ratso
I see the big Phoenix Wright annoucement at the Tokyo Game Show has turned out to be just Ace Attorney Trilogy for current consoles. Thats better than nothing, if its leading up to a new annoucement, but not what I was hoping for.
Data
This weeks Hot Topic
The subject for this weekends Inbox follows the announcement of the PlayStation Classic mini console and asks what games you think should be included?
The console will contain 20 games, but only five have been confirmed so far: Final Fantasy VII, Jumping Flash!, R4 Ridge Racer Type 4, Tekken 3, and Wild ARMs. So we want to know what you think the other 15 should be?
You dont have to write in with 15 suggestions, just the ones you feel most passionate about. And please dont just write a list of games – we want to know why you think they should be included and what they mean to you and gaming history in general.
E-mail your comments to: [email protected]
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The small print
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