The morning Inbox isn’t sure what to think of Ivy in SoulCalibur VI, as one reader asks why indie games are more expensive on Switch.
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It’s not you, it’s me
Am I the only one that doesn’t like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds? I’ve given it a go, played quite a lot after I was worried I didn’t ‘get it’. But I’ve just given up now, and it’s not because of the janky graphics and performance.
All my best performances have been when I’ve just hidden in a room and waited things out, never seeing or shooting anyone. Call me old-fashioned but that is not an exciting first person shooter. And if you do try to play it ‘properly’ the controls are rubbish and there’s just no fun to the actual shooting. Maybe I should try Fortnite instead but I just can’t help feeling that this whole Battle Royale thing is just going to be a fad, like DayZ.
I guess it’s obviously just not for me, but it annoys me when I don’t like something that’s popular, because it’s obviously me that’s the odd one out. But for the life of me I do not get the appeal. I guess the best thing I can say is that it’s different every time? Thinking about it, I should have nominated it in the Hot Topic because overrated is definitely the way I’d describe it.
Marlble
The kitchen sink approach
Some people have already guessed at it, but I will eat my cosmetic-only, loot box-dropped hat if Battlefield’s main gimmick is not Battle Royale. EA are not ones to be slow in picking up on a new trend and with Battlefield’s history with big maps it seems like a no-brainer to me.
It kind of depends when they started work on it, because Battle Royale has only really become big in the last year or so but I’m willing to bet that that’s what the new one will be all about. That’s why it won’t be Bad Company 3, but I bet it will be modern day. Just that the actually setting doesn’t really matter that much.
Personally, I never understood why they didn’t do a Battlefield that was all eras, mixing in modern, WWI, WWII, and futuristic. They’ve done Vietnam and maybe others I’ve forgotten too, I think that’d be kind of cool. But maybe too ‘unrealistic’ for DICE?
Norris
Fighting for change
I’m not sure what I expected from that Ivy video from SoulCalibur VI, but I didn’t think she’d look exactly the same as she used to. I guess there’s a little bit less boob jiggle then there used to be, and that’s their attempt to keep with the times? All I know is I’d be embarrassed to have her on the screen if my wife walked into the room, or our kid for that matter.
I’m not asking for to wear a duffle coat or something, but something even vaguely practical or even, god forbid, realistic would surely have been better. I guess Namco are just going with what their base likes but that just seems very restrictive. Especially when it just means the same thing again and again, and you know that not that many people are really into fighting games anymore.
I’m also still doubtful that it will have a decent single-player mode. If it did wouldn’t that be the first thing they’d be shouting about? That finally, after all these years, they’ve put back in the main thing the series was always famous for.
Purple Ranger
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Mystery mark-up
I just wondered if you knew why indie games are more expensive on the Switch, well on Nintendo consoles in general. Is it the amount Nintendo charge as a license fee?
To compare, both The Sexy Brutale and Celeste are £15.99 on PSN yet on the Switch they are £17.99. This no doubt will have a similar impact on the sale prices, which are already notoriously bad on Nintendo’s eShop. The Sexy Brutale is around £8 on PSN right, now and honestly I never see it hitting that price on the eShop when it eventually gets a reduction. Axiom Verge has also been on sale for £8 on PSN and unsurprisingly it’s eShop sale price was £10.50
The Switch is slowly replacing my PS Vita as a home for indie games, but it’s a tougher sell when the prices never get close to those on PSN. I just wanted to know if it’s Nintendo pushing these prices up with fees or if it’s the publishers who decide.
JB316
GC: As you might imagine, no one is keen to talk about the reasons. Although there are mitigating circumstances when it comes to physical releases, there’s no obvious reason why a digital-only game would be more expensive. Or at least not for something brand-new like Celeste. The others you mention have been out on PlayStation 4 a lot longer than they have on Switch.
Quake champion
Have I missed something or where we not due a new Quake game soon? I remember Bethesda talking about it and there being some kind of PC beta, but nothing since? I was really hoping to hear about a console version.
The original Doom was just a bit before my time but I do remember Quake as being one of the first vide games I played properly on a PC, and it’s always been my favourite. I know it’s a bit of a weird franchise, alternating between aliens and Lovecraftian monsters, but I think the style of multiplayer action is pretty distinct and I for one liked the fact that Halo 5 took some nods from it. Even if that didn’t please Halo fans.
It’s also very distinct from Wolfenstein and Doom, which don’t really have any jumping in them. Everyone hated the Doom multiplayer because it felt like Quake, which is totally a different thing. I do hope the new game has a good story mode though, as I still feel that’s important for a game. I’d go with fantasy over aliens if I had the chance though.
Dikos
GC: That was Quake Champions, which is still on early access for PC and has not yet been confirmed for consoles. It’s supposed to officially launch this year though, so hopefully we’ll find out more soon. There’s no story mode though.
Five and counting
We have seen a good few Broken Sword games, including the director’s cut versions of the first and second games, and have even seen a fan remake of a Broken Sword game. There is still a good demand for this series, and with Broken Sword 5 now being five years old does everyone agree that it is now time for a sixth game in the series?
Both Broken Sword: The Angel Of Death and Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse has proven that the newest Broken Sword games can look good on PC, and even next-generation consoles. The series has even managed to make it into the 2016 Guinness Book Of Records for the longest-running graphic adventure protagonist, as well as 37 awards across its multiple games and multiple nominations. The franchise has even sold 6 million units, which is even more impressive.
A sixth game is long overdue, and it would be welcomed considering the success this franchise has. Would GameCentral welcome a new title in this series and what would everyone like to see if Revolution decides to make a sixth game in this series?
gaz be rotten (gamertag)
GC: We can’t pretend it’s ever been a favourite series of ours, and the last few were not great. But if there’s fan demand for it then by all means carry on.
Slow delivery
So I quite fancied a go of Titanfall 2 on Friday afternoon, when I bought it from the EA sale and started installing it. By the time it had finished installing on SUNDAY DINNER TIME (!) I was over it and kept playing Monster Hunter instead.
160+ hours and counting.
big boy bent (gamertag)
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The next phase
Like many, I’m anticipating Microsoft to finally announce a bunch of new exclusives at E3. I think there’s been a growing number of hints that they’re about to enter phase three of the Xbox One, and not a moment too soon. Phase one was the disastrous launch, phase two was Phil Spencer doing his best to right the ship, and phase three, I believe, will be him actually doing what he would’ve done from the start.
I’m not sure what he hasn’t been more open about this, as I don’t see how it could give Sony any real advantage to know what they’re planning, but I firmly believe that this June we’ll see new games, new franchises, and new studios. But what about the rest of what the Xbox was supposed to be?
If you remember when Microsoft first entered the games business they only did it from stopping Sony from taking over the living room. Of course, this was years before smartphones and iPads and all the rest of it, so it’s kind of lost its meaning now – even though phase one Microsoft was still obsessed with TV.
But I can’t imagine Phil Spencer entirely giving up on the idea of the Xbox One being a media hub and the most important box under your TV. I wouldn’t put it past Microsoft to have signed up more TV deals and to try and do its own mix of Apple TV and a house-wide server for all your digital content. Some of that already exists and I bet they see Apple as the real enemy instead of Sony. I’m certain there’ll be something aimed at them this year as well, but I’m just not sure what…
Dms345
Inbox also-rans
I like the look at that new Codemasters racer, but why am I already worried that it’s not going to sell? The fact that I’ve never heard of it until now is a bad sign…
Jiffy
I’m kind of enjoying the Secret Of Mana remake, but it’s just so cheap-looking. Did I not read that it was a port of a smartphone game or something? That would definitely make sense.
Benson
GC: There is a smartphone game, but it looked like the original SNES game.
This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Gannet, who asks what do you think is the most overrated video game?
You don’t have to think the game is actively bad, just not as good as its reputation suggests. But do try and describe exactly why it didn’t live up to your expectations and what it got wrong. Was it just a good game that was hyped up too much, or do you feel it has flaws that were brushed over in reviews?
Was the problem that you were expecting it to be one thing and it turned out to be something completely different? Or was there some other personal preference that meant you couldn’t enjoy it?
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The small print
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