July 5th 2024.
Is Split/Second: Velocity truly the ultimate arcade racer? The Friday letters page is questioning Sony's recent focus on Horizon Zero Dawn, with one reader wondering about the fate of a Star Wars strategy game. To join in on these discussions, send an email to the provided address.
As someone who had been putting it off, I finally decided to try out Horizon Chase Turbo. I had heard that it was a fantastic retro arcade racer, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed. The graphics and gameplay were both lacking, and I quickly lost interest.
This got me thinking, what is the best arcade racer of all time? Of course, the answer to this question is tricky, as it first requires us to define what qualifies as an arcade racer. Some argue that Mario Kart doesn't count, but then what does? Games like F-Zero and WipEout also blur the lines between traditional arcade racers and futuristic racers. It's a debate that continues to spark discussion.
Personally, my top picks for the best arcade racers are Burnout Paradise, OutRun 2006, and Split/Second. However, it's worth noting that OutRun is no longer available for purchase due to licensing issues. Luckily, Burnout Paradise received a remaster a few years ago, and it's still a fantastic game. But for me, Split/Second: Velocity takes the crown as the absolute best. The sense of speed, the epic set pieces, and the "power play" trigger events make it an unforgettable experience. And the best part? It's still available at a very affordable price, so I highly recommend it to everyone.
Switching gears to the Wii U, I can't help but notice the list of games that have yet to be ported to the Switch. Xenoblade Chronicles X stands out as an odd omission, considering its positive reviews. It's possible that Nintendo is saving it for a grand finale, but that doesn't seem like their style.
As for the other Wii U games, I'm not too bothered about seeing them again. And I imagine Nintendo feels the same, as it would require a significant effort to get these mediocre games to work on the Switch. It's a shame, though, that a game like Nintendo Land may never see the light of day on the Switch. The unique gameplay using the Wii U GamePad would be challenging to replicate on the Switch, unless you had two consoles or used a phone as a substitute. Unfortunately, it seems like Nintendo Land will just fade into history.
Speaking of fading into history, I can't understand why Sony is pushing so hard for Horizon. Sure, it sold well, but is it really worth all these spin-offs? In my opinion, the game lacks substance, with shallow gameplay and a lackluster story. While I don't hate Horizon, I also don't see the need for five spin-offs. Sony is investing a lot of time and money into just one franchise, when they could be using those resources for more innovative projects.
It's reminiscent of the approach taken by Activision and Ubisoft, where they milk a successful franchise until it runs dry. And now, talk of a new next-generation is surfacing, despite the fact that most first-party studios for Microsoft and Sony have yet to release a single game. This slow pace of development is unsustainable, as it takes years and hundreds of employees to create a game. A PlayStation 6 may not be necessary, but it seems like the industry is heading towards an inevitable crash.
On a more positive note, the idea of time travel in Fallout 5 sounds intriguing. However, it may be similar to the concept of Clockwork Revolution, an Xbox exclusive game. But who knows, maybe it could work out differently in Fallout. I also like the idea of a futuristic Fallout, where people have finally decided to clean up the mess and start rebuilding society. After all, there's plenty of land to utilize, and they seem to have no trouble growing crops and raising livestock. It's time for a change in the Fallout world.
As always, we love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Email us at the provided address to join in on the discussions. And personally, I believe that we didn't need to move on from the last generation. The only significant upgrade was the addition of SSD drives, which could have been implemented with a new PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, or even as separate add-ons. We could have continued with cheaper games that could afford to be more innovative and released more frequently. But alas, we can't turn back time. Let's just hope that the industry doesn't crash before we get to experience a PlayStation 6.
Is Split/Second: Velocity the ultimate arcade racer? This is the question posed by a recent letter to the Friday letters page. The writer expresses their disappointment with Horizon Chase Turbo, which they had heard was a great retro arcade racer. However, they found it lacking in both graphics and gameplay and quickly lost interest.
This led them to consider what truly makes for the best arcade racer of all time. Is Mario Kart considered? Most people seem to think not, as calling it a kart racer seems pointless compared to other titles. And what about F-Zero and WipEout? Are they classified as future racers, disregarding their contributions to the genre?
For this writer, the top contenders for best arcade racer are Burnout Paradise, OutRun 2006, and Split/Second. While OutRun is unfortunately no longer available for purchase due to licensing issues, Burnout Paradise received a remaster a few years back and is still highly recommended. However, Split/Second: Velocity takes the top spot with its intense sense of speed, exciting set pieces, and unique "power play" trigger events. It is still available and at a low price, making it a must-try for any racing fan.
Moving on to the Wii U games that have yet to be ported to the Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles X stands out as an odd omission. With its positive reviews, it seems like a no-brainer to bring it to the Switch. However, the writer isn't particularly interested in seeing any of the other titles again, as they were mediocre at best. They speculate that it may be too much work for Nintendo to make them function properly on the Switch. It's a shame that Nintendo Land, a game the writer always wanted to play, may never see the light of day again due to its reliance on the Wii U GamePad.
The writer also questions Sony's obsession with Horizon and the numerous spin-offs it has spawned. While the graphics and robot designs are impressive, the writer finds the gameplay and story lacking in substance. They see this as a waste of time and resources, tying up developers who could be working on more interesting projects. It's reminiscent of the approach taken by Activision or Ubisoft, where they run a successful franchise into the ground with too many releases too quickly.
The idea of a new next generation also seems unnecessary to the writer, as the current generation still has much to offer. The only notable improvement would be the addition of SSD drives, which could have easily been implemented with updates or add-ons. Instead, the writer feels it would have been better to stick with cheaper games that can be more innovative and released more quickly. With the current pace of game development, it's unlikely that many first party studios from Sony and Microsoft will release more than one game per generation, which is unsustainable for the industry.
The writer shares their excitement for the concept of time travel in Fallout 5, but wonders if this is already explored in the Xbox exclusive Clockwork Revolution. They also suggest a futuristic Fallout where society has rebuilt and cleaned up the mess, as they find it hard to believe that everyone would live in a Mad Max-style world with plenty of land and resources available.
In conclusion, the writer hopes that the gaming industry will take a more sustainable approach, avoiding both a crash and the unnecessary release of a new console generation. With many industry veterans feeling the same way, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the gaming world.
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