May 3rd 2024.
"What's your prediction?" the reader asked as they dove into the latest Friday letters page. Their frustration evident as they lamented the closure of Roll7 and Intercept Games, two beloved indie developers. They couldn't understand Xbox's decision to focus on a multiformat plan and were eager to join in on the discussions by emailing their own thoughts.
But the reader couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as they realized it was that time of year again - the season of gaming showcases. With Xbox's event in June and rumors of PlayStation's in May, the reader couldn't help but wonder what announcements awaited them. Of course, the obvious speculation was the PS5 Pro, but wasn't it too early for that? And with its release not until autumn, wouldn't it deter people from buying the regular PS5? It didn't seem like a wise move from Sony.
In fact, the reader predicted that the showcase would be lackluster, just like last year's. They could only hope for a live service game like Concord, a new Astro Bot game, and maybe one other minor remake or indie title. They longed to be proven wrong, but Sony had already stated that there would be no new releases until next April. So, what could they possibly talk about in such detail now? The reader used to look forward to this time of year for gaming news, but now they dreaded it because a disappointing showcase meant another six months of little to no excitement.
The reader wasn't the only one feeling dismayed about the state of the gaming industry. Another reader expressed their disappointment at the closure of Roll7 and Intercept Games, citing it as a clear sign that greed had taken over. They couldn't help but feel sorry for the artists and creators who were suffering while the executives of major publishers were becoming incredibly wealthy. It was a sad reality, but there was still some hope to be found in the midst of all the negativity.
Amidst all the doom and gloom, another reader shared their thoughts on a game that they were currently enjoying - Another Crab's Treasure. They appreciated the unique concept of a Soulslike game that wasn't set in a dark fantasy world, and praised its imaginative use of different shells. The reader did have some criticisms, such as the lack of humor and occasional annoyance with the platforming, but overall they highly recommended the game to both veteran Soulslike fans and newcomers.
Moving on to a different topic, a reader reflected on a series that they had forgotten about - Endless Ocean. They had been looking forward to the newest entry, but after reading the review, they were glad they had not pre-ordered it. As someone who had never played the series before, they wondered if they should dust off their old Wii and purchase the originals from eBay or just stick with the Switch version. They clarified that they would mainly be playing offline and solo, seeking advice from the knowledgeable team at GC.
On a lighter note, another reader shared their thoughts on Stellar Blade, agreeing with the general consensus that it was a great game with a strange main character. They couldn't help but notice the sexualization of the protagonist, EVE, and found it to be out of place compared to the rest of the game. Despite this odd aspect, they were still enjoying the game and planned to continue playing.
Lastly, a reader shared their frustrating experience with trying to play a new game on their Xbox Series X. After attempting to sign up for Game Pass and failing 20 symbol puzzles, they gave up and returned to their trusty Switch. They couldn't help but feel disheartened that playing a game now felt like a job application process. It seemed that the reader's love for gaming was being ruined by these tedious tasks. They longed for the days when playing a game was simple and effortless.
Do you have any predictions for the upcoming showcases from Xbox and PlayStation? It seems like everyone is talking about it, including the readers of the Friday letters page. There's a lot of disappointment and confusion over the recent closure of Roll7 and Intercept Games, and one reader is struggling to understand Xbox's decision to release games on multiple formats. If you want to join in on these discussions, feel free to email us your thoughts.
It's that time of year again, where Xbox has its showcase in June and there are rumors that PlayStation's will be in late May. It all seems to make sense, but the big question is: what will they announce? The obvious guess is the PS5 Pro, but is it too early for that? It wouldn't be released until autumn, so announcing it now might deter people from buying the regular PlayStation 5. That doesn't seem like something Sony would want to do.
In all honesty, I don't think we'll see much being announced, just like last year. My best guess is that we'll get updates on the Concord live service game, a new Astro Bot game, and possibly one other minor remake or indie-ish game. I'd love to be proven wrong, but Sony has already stated that no new games will be released until next April. So, what exactly are they going to talk about in such great detail now? It's a bit disheartening to think that this used to be an exciting time for gamers, but now it's almost dreaded because a poor showcase means another six months of waiting for new games.
Moving onto some other news, it's really disheartening to hear about the closure of Roll7 and Intercept Games. It's a clear indication that the gaming industry has fully entered the "greed is good" phase. It's a shame that the artists and their work are suffering because of this. But hey, at least the executives at Take-Two are making a fortune, right?
Amidst all this doom and gloom, I just wanted to share my enjoyment for Another Crab's Treasure. It's refreshing to play a "Soulslike" game that isn't just another dark fantasy. Although it's still challenging, it's not as difficult as FromSoftware's games. The different shells you collect in the game are imaginative and actually serve a purpose, making it more than just a copycat with different graphics. My only complaints are that it's not as funny as it tries to be, and the platforming can be frustrating. But overall, I highly recommend it to both seasoned "Soulslike" fans and those looking to try something new. It's definitely my game of the year so far.
If you have any comments or thoughts on these topics, feel free to email us at the provided address.
On a different note, I recently read your review of Endless Ocean, a series that I had completely forgotten about. I was looking forward to the new game, but now I'm glad I didn't pre-order it. As someone who has never played the series, would it be better for me to dust off my old Wii and purchase the previous games on eBay? Or is the third entry in the series the best, despite its flaws? I'll mainly be playing offline and solo, if that makes a difference. Keep up the good work.
Shifting gears to a different game, I've been playing Stellar Blade a lot recently. I have to say, I agree with the general consensus so far: it's a great game, but the main character is just bizarre. The developer can design the game however they want, but the sexualization of the main character is so out of place compared to everything else in the game. From her long hair to her over-the-top outfits, it's just weird. I'm sure there are other outlets for the designer to get this out of their system, so we could have avoided all these debates. But for those who haven't played it, let me tell you, it's even stranger than you think. It's not creepy, but it's definitely odd. I'll keep playing, though.
Lastly, I decided to give Game Pass a try on my Xbox Series X since there aren't many new releases for the next few months. I wanted to try Diablo 4, as I've never played that type of game before. But when I booted it up, I was met with a QR code for Battle.net. I went through the profile creator until I got to the "check your human" step, where I was asked to complete 20 "match the symbol" puzzles. Not three, not five, but 20. I failed the first few attempts and eventually gave up. Why does playing a game now feel like a job application? It's ruining my hobby. I just wanted to try something new, but apparently, I'm not qualified. I think I'll stick to my Switch for now.
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