February 12th 2024.
Do you believe that it will actually be released by 2025? The readers on the Monday letters page are questioning whether Helldivers 2 should be considered one of Sony's six live service games. One reader even gave Super Mario Bros. a perfect score of 10/10. If you want to participate in the conversation, you can email us your thoughts at the given email address.
But let's shift our focus to a different topic - bad management. I don't even want to get started on Microsoft's handling of the multiformat rumors. It's just too frustrating. I completely agree with the Reader's Feature from this past weekend, which suggests that Phil Spencer may not be the most competent person for the job. And he's getting paid a seven-figure salary for this?! It's ridiculous.
Instead, I want to talk about a story that seems to have been overlooked last week. Take-Two hinted that the highly anticipated GTA 6 may not be released until after March of next year. It's hard to interpret their statement in any other way, which raises concerns that the game may continuously be delayed for the next couple of years - although that wouldn't be too surprising considering how most games are developed.
After the recent fiasco with Xbox, I dread the thought of GTA 6's release date being constantly pushed back and teased for months on end, only to be delayed again and again until 2026. All we seem to hear about these days is the massive layoffs in the gaming industry and the exorbitant salaries of top executives. It's clear who should be let go - the incompetent management that seems to be the norm in the gaming world is simply infuriating.
Moving on to a different topic, I want to talk about the trend of making games more like interactive movies. I recently played the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo and noticed that it consisted of mostly lengthy cut scenes. While I understand the appeal of a more cinematic experience, I personally don't have the time or patience to sit through hours of cut scenes. It's possible that I've become jaded after the disappointment of Final Fantasy 16, which seems to have faded from people's minds less than a year after its release.
On the other hand, I'm hesitant to spend £70 on a game that may take 60 hours to complete, but could have been condensed into 40 hours with a simple speed-up button. However, as a fan of the original Final Fantasy 7, I can't help but be intrigued by the remake and its potential brilliance.
I'm eagerly awaiting your review of the game - my personal prediction is an 8, but I wouldn't be surprised if it receives a 7.
Michael from Crawley, your comments are always welcome. By the way, we gave the Remake an 8 - have you not played it yet?
Switching gears once again, I read the overly dramatic piece about Microsoft potentially going multiformat. As a die-hard Halo fan, I wouldn't even mind if the franchise ended up on PlayStation or even Nintendo if it meant more Halo games. However, I have a hard time trusting Microsoft in the long run - there's always some hidden agenda to make money at the expense of others.
They seem to be pushing for an all-digital future, and let's be real - does anyone really want someone like Bill Gates calling the shots? Nintendo may not be perfect, but I hope they resist this push towards digital and continue to do things their own way. Bring back the console wars, I say - just pop in a cartridge and start playing.
Speaking of games, in my opinion, the best superhero game is hands down Batman: Arkham Asylum. Sure, City was bigger, but Asylum was much more intricate. City was just a bunch of streets and tall buildings, with maybe three that you could actually explore. In contrast, Asylum had a greater number of detailed and interconnected areas, with vents and underground passages connecting them all.
Playing as Batman in Asylum made me feel like the world's greatest detective and enemy fighter. The satisfying crunch of slamming a henchman's face into the ground to finish off a 74 hit combo, or silently taking out a room full of enemies as they become increasingly terrified and clueless - it was all so immersive.
The Riddler's puzzles were clever and challenging, and the boss fights were epic. I still remember the adrenaline rush when Poison Ivy escaped her cell. And let's not forget about the Joker, constantly taunting and challenging Batman every step of the way. Even the damage on Batman's suit was taken into account, adding to the realistic and immersive gameplay.
From the cameos of other characters to the attention to detail in the lore and biographies of the villains, Batman: Arkham Asylum truly stands out as a spectacular superhero game. Along with City, I often find myself replaying it. I am Batman!
I recently bought a PlayStation 5 and Alan Wake 2, as I was a huge fan of the first game. I'm currently 12 hours in and just arrived at Watery. I'm stuck trying to find a screwdriver, and everything was going smoothly until I encountered some enemies.
For some reason, I can't seem to fire any of my weapons. I've even tried reloading previous saves, but the issue persists. I've searched online for a solution, but haven't found anything. Is this supposed to happen? The thought of starting the game all over again is daunting, as I was thoroughly enjoying it up until this point. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
On a brighter note, I wanted to share my recent success in completing the Final Final Test on Super Mario Bros. Wonder. After around 200 attempts, I finally managed to beat it and couldn't believe it. This game is a solid 10/10 for me - Nintendo at their best.
I do think that Nintendo's next console will see a shift towards digital releases, although they are currently one of the few companies still releasing physical games. It's a shame, as I am a fan of physical games, but I understand that times are changing. Thankfully, I have built up a robust library on my Switch that will keep me entertained for a long time. It truly is Nintendo's best console, with great first and third party support - although I do have a soft spot for the GameCube and Game Boy Advance.
Well, that's all from me for now. I'm looking forward to playing Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom next, and then Resident Evil 4 on my Steam Deck.
As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome. Let's keep the conversation going!
Do you think it will be released by 2025?
In the latest Monday letters page, there is a discussion about whether Helldivers 2 should be considered one of Sony's six live service games. One reader even gave Super Mario Bros. a perfect score of 10/10. If you want to join in on the conversation, you can email us at the provided email address.
I have no desire to comment on the chaos surrounding Microsoft's handling of the multiformat rumors. I agree with the Reader's Feature from the weekend, which called out Phil Spencer's incompetence as the head of Xbox. Is this really what he's being paid a seven-figure salary for?
Instead, I want to focus on a story that was overlooked last week. Take-Two hinted that GTA 6 will not be released until after March of next year. This suggests that the game may face multiple delays in the next few years, which isn't surprising considering the nature of game development.
After the current debacle with Xbox, I dread the thought of GTA 6's release date being constantly teased and then inevitably pushed back to 2026. It's frustrating to see so many game developers being laid off while their bosses continue to make exorbitant salaries. It's clear who should be getting the boot - the incompetent management that seems to be the norm in the gaming industry.
Moving on to a different topic, I recently played the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo and noticed that it consisted of mostly lengthy cut scenes. While I appreciate the trend towards a more cinematic gaming experience, I don't have the time or patience to sit through hours of cut scenes. I can't help but feel disappointed after the disappointment of Final Fantasy 16, which seems to have been forgotten within a year of its release.
I'm not sure if I want to spend £70 on a game that will take 60 hours to complete, when it could have been condensed into 40 hours with a speed-up feature. However, Final Fantasy 7 was one of my favorite games, so if the remake is truly exceptional, I may reconsider.
In short, I am eagerly awaiting your review of the game. My personal prediction is an 8, but I wouldn't be surprised if it received a 7.
Michael from Crawley, I look forward to your thoughts.
GC: We actually gave the Remake an 8 already - have you not played it?
Changing perspectives
I just read the overly dramatic article about Microsoft potentially going multiplatform.
As a huge fan of Halo, I would be happy to see it on PlayStation or even Nintendo if it means more Halo games. However, I am wary of Microsoft's long-term intentions and fear that they may have ulterior motives to make more money at the expense of others.
Their push towards an all-digital future is concerning, and I don't trust someone like Bill Gates to be in charge. Although Nintendo may not be perfect, I hope they resist this corporate push towards digital and continue to release physical games.
I miss the days of the console wars, where you could simply insert a cartridge into your console and start playing. Let's bring back those simpler times.
Simon, have you not seen that Bill Gates hasn't been involved with Microsoft for over 20 years now?
For any comments or concerns, please email us at the provided email address.
Bat-tastic
In my opinion, the best superhero game is Batman: Arkham Asylum - always and forever. While City may have been larger in scale, Asylum was more intricate and detailed. City consisted mainly of streets and skyscrapers, with only a handful of buildings that were actually explorable. In contrast, Asylum had more areas to explore and they were all connected through vents and underground passages.
Playing as Batman in Asylum made me feel like the world's greatest detective and thug-beater. The satisfying crunch of landing a 74-hit combo or clearing a room without being detected, as the remaining enemies became more and more terrified, was unmatched.
The Riddler puzzles were challenging and enjoyable, while the bosses were epic. I still remember the moment when Ivy escaped from her cell - it was intense! The Joker's constant taunting of Batman throughout the game added to the overall experience. Even the damage to the batsuit was a nice touch.
From character cameos to the attention to detail in the lore and the biographies of the villains, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a spectacular superhero game. Along with City, I often find myself replaying it. I am the Dark Knight!
Big boy bent
Not firing on all cylinders
I recently bought a PlayStation 5 and Alan Wake 2, as I was a big fan of the first game. I have been playing for 12 hours and have just arrived at Watery. I am currently trying to find a screwdriver, but I encountered some enemies and am unable to fire my weapons.
I have tried reloading previous saves, but the issue persists. I have searched online for a solution, but have found nothing. Is this supposed to happen? The thought of starting the game over again is daunting, as I was enjoying it up until this point. Any help would be appreciated.
Isaac M
GC: It seems like a bug, but we have never heard of this issue before.
A test of perseverance
I haven't played many games in the past few years, but Super Mario Bros. Wonder reminded me why I started playing games in the first place. After around 200 attempts, I finally completed the Final Final Test and I couldn't believe it.
I give the game a perfect score of 10/10 - Nintendo at its finest.
I believe that Nintendo will eventually shift towards digital releases and move away from physical games, even though they are one of the last remaining companies to consistently release physical versions. It's a shame, but I've already built up a sizable Switch library that will keep me entertained for a long time. The Switch is, in my opinion, Nintendo's best console since the SNES, although I do have a soft spot for the GameCube and Game Boy Advance.
Currently, I am playing Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom and will soon start Resident Evil 4 on my Steam Deck.
Scatterbrain
Revising previous plans
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