The evening Inbox wonders what kind of VR game Nintendo would make, as one reader warns of new, free DLC for XCOM 2.
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Next gen wizardry
Well, its good to see that some effort is still being made with the Harry Potter licence, as it really is a great foundation for a unique style of game. However, Ill reserve judgment until youve actually managed to play it.
But those graphics! Surely theyre too good for current gen? Im getting increasingly confident that both Sony and Microsoft will announce new consoles next year; in fact, I fully expect them to both be released next year. Both also seem unable to release a console in a month that doesnt start with an N, so thats my prediction: November 2019. Although, Nintendo proved that as long as you have a strong game at launch a console can sell well in March.
Im also fully expecting Red Dead Redemption II to be re-released on the next gen, and on PC, following the same path as GTA V.
Matt
Rumour control
So I saw some leaked footage of the Harry Potter game today, rumoured to be in development at Avalanche. I really hope its real and is getting made as it looks really good. I also heard it was leaked by disgruntled employees because its being cancelled but I hope this really is just a rumour as it would be a shame to waste such an opportunity.
Harry Potter needs a great video game, given a new story with new characters and the potential is definitely there, as shown by the leaked footage. A role-playing game with an open world Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and surrounding areas would be great. You could even have levels where you go into the muggle world that are purely there as a mission, like at the beginning of GTA V. Inbox magic please!
Angry_Kurt (Twitter)
Now playing: Spider-Man (PS4) and Life Is Strange (PC)
GC: Those arent the rumours we reported, the video footage was supposedly leaked during focus testing and theres no suggestion the games been cancelled.
Keeping the lead
Interesting question about which game will end up having the best graphics at the end of the generation. I suspect it probably will be Red Dead Redemption II, but I guess well have to see. What got me thinking though is which console will be the most powerful next gen?
Im betting Microsoft wont want to be caught out with an underpowered machine again but Sony are always very keen to promote their console as the most powerful ever, and I doubt theyll want to give up. In fact, if I was Sony I wouldnt want to start the next generation at all, since theyre so much dominating this one, but theyll have no choice if Xbox go first.
Although perhaps the most important question is not wholl have the most powerful machine but whether well even be able to see the difference, or if itll become just another numbers game.
Eggbert
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Expressing approval
Me and the wife completed Yokus Island Express last night on the Switch. As the credits were rolling we both said, that was brilliant. Its such a fun game!
I often get bored of performers halfway through, as they run out of new ideas or the difficulty gets too frustrating. Whereas Yoku kept me (us) hooked all the way through. It may not come up with loads of new ideas throughout the game, but the whole pinball premise works so well and makes it such a joy to play that that doesnt matter.
We also loved the art style, which is cute without being overly childish. The music is also excellent and we often caught each other humming or whistling along while the other was playing.
We would love to see a sequel. Do you know if it sold well?
Mbeet
GC: We dont, actually. Well try and ask Team 17 next time we speak to them though.
Nintendo VR
Glad to see Astro Bot getting glowing praise and that theres no serious game breaking flaws, which couldve possibly occurred whilst playing in VR. The first few paragraphs of your review had me almost certain you were going to bestow a 10/10 score.
As Im having to wait till tomorrow to have fun with it what areas do you think could be improved on by Nintendo if they ever made a VR Mario game?
Anon
GC: There are camera and control issues, that we mentioned in our review. But theres also the fact that while it is very good its also extremely derivative of Nintendos previous games. For all anybody knows Nintendo would make a completely different kind of game in VR.
Bells and whistles
I think the mid gen upgrades are worth the money.
Going by the prices I just checked on Smyths the 1TB PS4 Pro is only £70 more than the 1TB PlayStation 4 and £100 more than the 500GB model.
Although the price difference is £200 from the Xbox One S to the X I think its actually a better deal than the PlayStation 4/Pro as the difference in power is so much greater and youll appreciate the difference far more. Its truly impressive how close graphically the £400 Xbox One X gets to my £1,100 (18 months ago) PC. Frame rates is why I bought the PC though and it blows the Xbox One X out of the water there.
Its hard to recommend upgrading this late in the generation but if youre buying new and can afford it the quality of life upgrades you get with better graphical detail, higher resolutions, and more stable frame rates (rarely higher frame rates though, due to barely improved CPUs) its worth the extra cost.
But then Im exactly the type of person these consoles are aimed at. People who are happy to pay extra to get some welcome bells and whistles. In that regard I dont think these consoles are a folly designed to extract cash from gullible gamers like me. The benefits are clear to see and reasonably priced. They wont blow your mind or change your life though so if youre not one who gets excited about these small but noticeable and welcome upgrades then dont bother but if you are youll get a lot of satisfaction from a Pro or X.
Simundo Jones
Front-runners
With the news that Microsoft is introducing keyboard and mouse support for the Xbox One, which formerly PC-only games would people most like to see appear on the console? (possible Hot Topic?)
Id go with the Total War series, Starcraft, and Football Manager.
Qwanimal
GC: Those do seem amongst the most obvious candidates. We wonder if Microsoft might be planning to unveil something at their event in November.
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Consumer research
Its alarming to see when the first opening weekend official sales of FIFA 19 are down 25% from last years, thats a lot of revenue lost for EA Sports. Ouch! For whatever the reason is, I personally put it down to Fortnite. Now my 13-year-old son always wants the new yearly updated FIFA every single year since he was six or seven years old. Hes always played football for Sunday league and school teams, etc. being part of two academies as well in the last couple of years. So basically anything to do with footy my son eats and breathes it.
But not this year. This is the first year ever where he hasnt asked for the new FIFA and when I went to an away game with the lads on Sunday I asked 15 kids from our team, all aged approximately thirteen, who wants the new FIFA 19 game. This was the reply: 10 said they werent bothered about it because they would rather spend the money on the new season pass or more skins on Fortnite. Two said they will get it for Christmas and the other three had already got FIFA 19 on release, but two of them said they didnt play it because, youve guessed it, theyre still playing Fortnite!
So on average its fair to say this could well be EAs reason for the decreased sales this year. I have mentioned all this before on these very pages regarding sales of the big guns yearly releases. Now it will make you think if the sales of this years Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Battlefield V will also be affected? Just one question though GC, I know downloadable games are not included in the official chart sales but what about the amount of console bundles sold just this last weekend alone with the new FIFA 19? Are these not counted towards sales either then?!
JAH
GC: Hardware bundles are counted in the charts.
Inbox also-rans
Good to see Minecraft is still the number one game with kids. I dont see anything beating it really, because something like Fortnite can always be done better by someone else but Minecraft is its own thing.
Sagat
Sounds pretty minor but just wanted to let people know that XCOM 2 is getting some free DLC. Seems to be only the PC version though…
Goatterl
Next Tuesday, October 9, 2018, were launching the XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack DLC on Steam. This DLC will be free to download for all owners of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen on PC on Steam until 12:59pm ET on December 3, 2018. pic.twitter.com/Xiek22RqaB
— XCOM (@XCOM) October 2, 2018
This weeks Hot Topic
The subject for this weekends Inbox was suggested by reader Gannet, who asks what generally disliked game do you think is actually good?
The game can be a commercial flop, have poor reviews, or just be something that nobody else you know likes. But why do you enjoy it? Do you think the complaints against it are unfair or do you acknowledge them but still think its fun anyway?
How often do you find yourself disagreeing with the majority opinion on a game and does it worry you when you seem to be out of step with the consensus?
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The small print
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