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Red Dead Redemption II - could it be getting a VR mode?

Red Dead Redemption II – how will it do in awards season?

The morning Inbox argues that publishers should make smaller but cheaper games, as one reader offers some useful advice on Nintendo games.

To join in with the discussions yourself email [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE: Were currently preparing special content to run over the Christmas and new year break, and as usual wed like this to include a number of Readers Features. So if youve been meaning to write one but never got round to it, now would be the perfect time. The topic doesnt have to coincide with the time of year, just anything video game-related that youre interested in and which you think others might be too.

Unwanted influence

Its been interesting reading all the peoples comments about Red Dead Redemption II which seem to vary a lot more than youd expect for a game thats so critically acclaimed. It makes me wonder how many game of the year awards it will win. It famous didnt win at The Game Awards but I see it did win GameSpots. I dont think GC publish theirs till the week of Christmas but something tells me it has enough flaws that it wont win for them.

For me its not the best but then I have a PlayStation 4 and my vote would be for God Of War, which obviously isnt going to be for anyone that just has an Xbox One or Switch (does anyone have just a Switch?). A part of me says it doesnt really matter since its just an award and the games its up against are all good anyway but there is something about a game thats so flawed winning that worries me a bit, in terms of the influence it has on other developers and what they begin to think is a good idea and acceptable.

Mind you, thats probably not an issue in this case. I dont see a sudden rush for horse-riding-while-talking sims, even if I wouldnt mind a few more westerns in general.
Therest

Streaming Division

Talking about games that are out fairly soon but we havent heard anything much about yet (Anthem) I dont recall hearing anything new about The Division since E3 either? I thought companies had given up on whole announce a game six months before it comes out thing, but they do seem to be turning on the marketing taps a lot later than usual. Unless its going to be delayed, maybe? Didnt seem like the response was that enthusiastic from whats been seen so far.

I did enjoy the first one but got bored pretty quick because of the lack of variety and griefing. The problem is I assume the second one is going to be even more of a games as a service type deal than the first and I just havent got time for that sort of thing in my life. Not for a game thats good but not great.

It strikes me that these sort of things would be perfect for streaming onto a mobile, when they get that working, as you can just dip in and out whenever you want. Thats how I tend to play things like that, with Destiny as well. If I want to sit down and make an evening of it then Ill play a more traditional game that I need to concentrate for and what the whole cinematic experience.
Wattly

Below par

I know this is one GC were looking forward to, and I certainly have been as well, but after playing Below a lot via Game Pass (god bless Game Pass!) I have to say Im pretty disappointed and pretty much about to give up. I knew the game was going to be difficult but it is just punishing for no good reason. Its hateful. Nothing is explained and not only is your character tiny on screen – which, okay, is a stylistic thing – but the games so dark and confusing I keep losing track of where I am.

And on top of this its both a survival game and a roguelike. So that means once you die you lose everything and the map resets to some other randomised layout. And you can die by just being hungry, which seems to be constantly. I think Ive spent more time faffing around making food and bandages than I have actually fighting an exploring. For me the balance is all wrong. Maybe theyll change it but its Christmas in a couple of days and Im already thinking of doing something the feels less like punishment.
Miso
PS: Will you be able to do a review before you go on your break?

GC: We should have a review ready for tomorrow.

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E-mail your comments to: [email protected]

Drastic measures

I hadnt realised that Resident Evil 2 is literally one of the first games to be released next year. That means I am going to go straight from Christmas holidays to just a couple of weeks of not much work (things are always quiet in January at my place) to a remake of my favourite game of all time thats already won a bunch of awards for being amazing. To say I am stoked is pretty munch and understatement.

Thank god its coming out before the mess in February is all I can say. Theres not much I can add to the previous comments about how dumb publishers are about release dates but I wonder if this isnt just further proof that they need to consider more drastic measures. Unless theyre going to release games all year round maybe they should just consider release smaller and/or cheaper games?

Time and again we see companies make massive games, good and bad, and then just throw them out to release and hope for the best, with no consideration for how much competition they have or whether people might have the time or money to play them. I have to say I usually have neither. But if games were smaller and cheaper that wouldnt be problem, plus the company is exposing themselves less and can afford to experiment more. To me this idea makes perfect sense, which is I assume why itll never happen.
Gort

Complete gibberish

Well, seeing how people are highlighting issues with highly-regarded games lately (Red Dead Redemption II) why does Nintendo get a pass for gibberish speak in many of its games? Zelda: Breath Of The Wild especially.
Its 2018. Even games such as Final Fantasy have moved with the times and have real voiceovers now. I find it terribly out of place in modern gaming.
Jeg

GC: If Zelda had voice-acting we would turn it off, itd ruin the atmosphere. We did point out in our review that we saw no reason why Pokémon: Lets Go shouldnt have it though, so wed welcome them implementing it on a case-by-case basis.

As far as you can go

So a few days ago I finally managed to complete something that I had been meaning to do for a while but was unable to do with work commitments. I have now officially managed to max out all the levels on every Dead Rising game for the Xbox platform.

This is an accomplishment which I have enjoyed getting and I can say I will be completing the first games story to ensure I have completed all of the Xbox brand games for this series as well.

Heres the video of me hitting the level 50 in Dead Rising and maxing out all of the levels in every game of this series.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)

Digital bugs

Did Earth Defense Force 5 get a physical release? Amazon only have a Japanese import for £85 new, and when I phoned my local Game they had no idea what I was talking about.

I understand that its on the PS store but I would prefer it on disc if at all possible. Did any GC readers manage to get hold of a physical copy?
Mitchell
PS: Merry Christmas and happy new year to GC and all the readers.

GC: Its only a digital download in Europe.

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Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here

The art of sarcasm

Wednesday mornings Inbox saw reader Penguinwings wondering whether to get a Switch when he doesnt like Nintendo games. No is the answer.

The thing is, Nintendo games are a bit, well, gamey. You tend to spend your time playing a game rather than watching a badly written, poorly-acted story that might break into a game for a bit now and then.

Also bear in mind that there wont be many gravel-voiced protagonists, top knot hair-dos and bro handshakes going on. There will be colours and sometimes you might smile while youre playing. It might be necessary to discover and use a new mechanic or idea several times during a game rather than doing the same thing over and over for a thousand hours in different outfits youve bought from the store or vendor.

Nintendo tried to use this idea in Splatoon 2 but forgot to charge extra for the outfits. Be aware as well that Nintendo often release games that are finished. Some dont need day one patches and have so few bugs you wonder if theyre really trying.

Definitely dont get a Switch if you dont like Nintendo games. You could follow reader Extra Sock and get a smartphone instead. Then you can play Mobile Strike and Candy Crush while uploading pictures of your dinner for all the world to enjoy.
Dave

Inbox also-rans

Heres a terrifying statistic: Sega has been out of the console business longer than they were ever in it. And as of next August Microsoft will have been making consoles longer. As far as Im concerned its perfectly reasonable to have an existential breakdown over these facts.
Watley

With a nod to the letter in the evening inbox about the S looking like a 5 in that PS logo. Im pretty certain the PS4 has just turned five so it could also be something to do with that? I only know its five years because of that personalised PS video thing doing the rounds.

Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy your break GC.
Matt

GC: Thanks!

This weeks Hot Topic

As the last Hot Topic before Christmas the subject for this weekends Inbox is what game have you enjoyed the most this year that wasnt released in 2018?

Well do our usual Readers Top 20 in the new year but what was your favourite game this year that came out before 2018? It can be from any time period, from this gen to the 8-bit era, but what did you enjoy the most and why?

How often do you play older games and was your favourite something youd played before, or was it perhaps part of a backlog? Or is it something you picked up for cheap and youre just now catching up on recent releases?

E-mail your comments to: [email protected]

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear twice daily, every weekday morning and afternoon. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word 4Player viewer features at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

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