May 24th 2024.
Have you had the chance to play Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2? The Friday letters section is discussing whether the Xbox Series X/S is just a ShooterBox or if there's potential for a new Splinter Cell game. If you want to join in on the conversation, email us at the address provided below.
Let's talk about free time. Some people have called Hellblade 2 the ultimate Game Pass game, as it allows you to experience the game without any additional cost and appreciate its stunning graphics. However, I'm not entirely convinced. It's a well-known fact that when you don't pay for a game, you may not feel the need to fully invest yourself in it or even give it your undivided attention.
Personally, I found Hellblade 2 to be quite boring. Yes, the graphics are undeniably impressive, but they mostly consist of rocks and repetitive landscapes. The story also left me confused about what was real and what wasn't, and the characters felt basic and cliched, especially the slaver. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the main issue for me was the lack of excitement while playing. The combat was simple and repetitive, and the puzzles offered little variation.
Is it a good thing that I got to play it for free? I suppose so, but if that weren't an option, I likely wouldn't have played it at all. Looking back, I feel like that would have been the better choice. It wasn't worth my time, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to others.
Moving on to a different perspective, there were mixed opinions about the first Hellblade, so it's no surprise that the sequel is receiving similar reactions. As a fan of the original, I've played the second one and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although, if I'm being completely honest, it's not quite as good as the first one since it feels quite familiar. I also preferred how the original focused more on Senua's story.
However, I do think that the combat and puzzle elements have improved significantly in the sequel. And let's not forget the breathtaking graphics. In my opinion, it has the best graphics in gaming history, with no other game coming close. I'm curious to see how the PlayStation 5 would handle it, so I wouldn't mind seeing it become available on other platforms. But then again, would Microsoft put in the effort to make a full port? It's an interesting thought, but ultimately, if they want it to sell, they likely would.
In response to Bobwallett's comment, I actually quite enjoyed Ryse: Son of Rome. It had a decent combat system, although it wasn't particularly complex. I believe it received more criticism than it deserved. However, I do agree that it did become a bit repetitive towards the end. On the other hand, I found Hellblade 1 to be visually stunning but dull in terms of gameplay. I struggled to get into the game, and even the puzzles felt tedious and unchallenging.
If you have any thoughts or opinions on any of the games discussed, feel free to email us at the address provided below.
On a different note, for all the Xbox owners out there looking for some racing action, GRID Legends Deluxe Edition, which includes all DLC, is currently on sale for a steal at £7.99 on the Microsoft store. Another great deal is the EA Sports WRC, which is currently priced at £17.99. Originally released last November, the game has had some updates and is now playing much better than before. Hopefully, we'll see some DLC with extra stages later this year.
It's always a pleasure to read positive experiences from our readers. In this case, a reader had a great shopping experience with Currys, despite another reader's negative encounter. They received their pre-ordered game on launch day, with free delivery and tracking information provided. On top of that, their purchase qualified for a three-month free subscription to Apple TV+. It's always nice to hear about good customer service.
Moving on to gaming, I recently finished Marvel's Midnight Suns and couldn't help but notice some technical issues while playing the PlayStation 4 version. The graphics seemed somewhat dated at times, almost reminiscent of Xbox 360 graphics. However, the Resident Evil 4 remake looked much better on last-gen hardware without any noticeable compromises. I did encounter a small glitch with smashed vases not disappearing in a particular area, but that was the only issue I faced.
Thank you for taking the time to read our letters and share your experiences and thoughts with us. As always, feel free to email us with any comments or questions. And finally, a shoutout to Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, which has been receiving a lot of praise lately, and a request for a new Splinter Cell game. Will our wishes ever come true? Only time will tell.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 - have you had the chance to experience it yet? I was browsing through the Friday letters page and came across a question about whether the Xbox Series X/S is still just a "ShooterBox". One reader is hopeful for a new Splinter Cell game and wanted to hear others' thoughts. If you'd like to join in on the discussion, send an email to the provided address.
As for me, I've seen some people describe Hellblade 2 as the ultimate Game Pass game, where you can play it at no extra cost and admire the stunning graphics. However, I'm not too sure about that. It's no secret that when you don't pay for a game, you may not feel as invested in it or give it your full attention. I can't say for sure if that played a part, but I personally found Hellblade 2 to be quite dull. The graphics are undeniably amazing, but they mostly consist of rocks and the landscapes, while beautiful, are repetitive.
The story is also a bit confusing, with the question of whether it's all real or not. The characters, especially the slaver, are quite basic and cliched. Without giving away any spoilers, the main issue I had with the game was that it was just boring to play. The combat is simple and repetitive, and the puzzles are too similar.
Is it a positive thing that I got to play it for free? I suppose, but if that wasn't an option, I probably wouldn't have bothered playing it at all. Looking back, I wish I hadn't wasted my time on it and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
Moving on to a different topic, there were mixed opinions about Hellblade 1, so it's no surprise that the sequel has received the same response. As a fan of the original, I have played the second game and I loved it just as much. However, I will admit that it's not quite as good as the first one, as it feels familiar and the focus on Senua's character is not as strong.
But I do believe that the combat and puzzles have improved significantly in the second game. And of course, the graphics are absolutely breathtaking. I can confidently say that it has the best graphics I've ever seen, and I can't even think of a second contender. It's that impressive. I hope that with it being on Game Pass, more people will get to enjoy and appreciate it, and also realize that the Xbox Series X is more powerful than the PlayStation 5. I'd even like to see the game become available on other platforms, just to see how well it would run on the PlayStation 5. Although, that brings up the question of whether Microsoft would put in the effort to properly port it. It's a strange thought, but if they want it to sell well, I'm sure they would.
On a separate note, someone mentioned Ryse: Son of Rome and how it received more criticism than it deserved. I personally enjoyed the game, although the combat system wasn't particularly deep. It did get a bit repetitive towards the end, but overall it was a fun experience. However, I found Hellblade 1 to be a beautiful yet tedious game. The puzzles were especially monotonous and not challenging at all.
If you have any thoughts or opinions on these games or any other topic, feel free to send an email to the provided address. I'd love to hear from you.
Lastly, I want to share a great shopping experience I had with Currys. I saw a deal for a 25% discount on pre-ordering a Nintendo Switch game, so I decided to pre-order Paper Mario for only £37.50. To my surprise, it arrived on launch day at 11am. The delivery was free, and I received updates via email and text about the estimated time of arrival. I even got a three-month free subscription to Apple TV+ and other services, which was a nice bonus. Overall, I was very satisfied with my purchase and the service provided by Currys.
In gaming news, I recently completed Marvel's Midnight Suns on the PlayStation 4. While there were some technical issues, I can't help but feel that the graphics were a bit lackluster, almost like they belonged on an Xbox 360. But I'm sure there's more going on behind the scenes. I did notice a minor issue with disappearing objects, but other than that, it was a great game. On a positive note, the Resident Evil 4 remake looked fantastic on last-gen hardware with very minimal compromises. That's all for now, but remember to email in with any comments or questions. Happy gaming!
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