August 14th 2024.
Have you ever played a video game that was better than Mortal Kombat? The letters page on Wednesday was abuzz with discussions about what is happening behind the scenes at PlayStation. One reader even took the time to praise the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. If you want to join in on the debates, be sure to email us your thoughts at the provided email address.
There's been a lot of talk lately about how video game movies have improved significantly. Some say that the recently announced Borderlands film is just a reminder of the bad old days, and not a reflection of the current state of things. But what specific movies are being referenced here? The Last of Us and Fallout are often cited, but they are not movies - they're lengthy TV shows that are vastly different from any movie.
Sure, the Super Mario Bros. movie was a commercial success, but it certainly wasn't a great film. And even the Sonic movies, which are slightly better, still fall short of expectations. Uncharted was just a mediocre action movie that didn't make much of an impact. So, what other movies are people talking about? Detective Pikachu? Warcraft? Perhaps one of the Resident Evil films?
From where I stand, it seems like video game movies are just as bad as they've always been, and the Borderlands movie is just another example of that. On the other hand, video game TV shows have improved significantly, and I can agree with that. However, I still think it's a stretch to say that a video game-based film will win an Oscar anytime soon.
Speaking of video games, my personal favorite is still the original Mortal Kombat. It's one of the rare live-action films that actually stays true to the game's plot, characters, and tone. Even the popular Pokémon movie didn't quite hit the mark in that regard.
I can't help but wonder if there's a connection between the recent departures of Jim Ryan and another executive and the cancellation of The Last of Us Online. The timing seems a bit too coincidental. And with the recent comments about heads rolling, it's hard not to be suspicious. But ultimately, I'm not too concerned about what happened behind the scenes. What I want to know is Sony's stance on games moving forward. Are they still focused on live service games? If not, why haven't they made any announcements? If I didn't already own a PlayStation 5, I would hesitate to buy one now due to the uncertainty. Sony's decisions seem questionable to say the least.
Nintendo seems to be gearing up for the release of the Switch 2, but as usual, they're keeping their plans under wraps. I doubt that the release of GTA 6 will have much impact on their decisions, but I do think they want to launch the console in the first half of the year to establish it and work out any potential issues before the busy holiday season of 2025. If the release is delayed until after March, then April and May seem like the most practical options. Trying to launch a new console during the summer drought of game releases just doesn't make sense.
However, we also have to remember that Nintendo is not afraid to delay a console launch if their games aren't ready. After all, they delayed the launch of the N64 because Super Mario 64 wasn't finished. I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same again.
I read that it costs $2 billion to make a video game, which sounds like a crazy amount of money. But then I found out that GTA 5 made $1 billion in just three days! It's mind-blowing to think about how much GTA 6 will make, considering the pent-up demand from fans. Suddenly, $2 billion doesn't seem like such a large investment when it will most likely be paid back almost immediately. It's incredible how GTA 6 is on a completely different level from any other game in the industry, even though there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about its gameplay.
I don't mean to discredit the game - its open world design is unmatched. But creating a smaller scale version of GTA doesn't seem like a difficult task. I'm surprised that other companies don't even attempt it. In fact, I can't recall the last time I saw a proper GTA clone or a game similar to it.
The Dead Rising remaster has been making headlines due to one particular character's forehead looking comically large. It might be a bit over the top, especially considering that no other characters in the game look as strange. But I have to give credit to Capcom for doing it anyway.
In my opinion, one of the main reasons why Dead Rising hasn't been as successful as it could've been is because it's primarily associated with Xbox, which has a smaller user base compared to other consoles. If it had been released on multiple platforms from the start, things might've been different. However, after so many years without a breakout moment, it might be time to start fresh. I might consider purchasing the remaster when it goes on sale.
Finally, let's talk about the surprise announcements in the gaming world. Companies love to keep their upcoming projects secret until the big reveal, and Nintendo is no exception. But let's remember that they have no qualms about delaying a release if their games aren't up to par. Just look at the N64 launch being pushed back because Super Mario 64 wasn't ready. I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same again.
Have you ever played a video game that was as good as Mortal Kombat? The Wednesday letters page is abuzz with discussions about what is happening behind the scenes at PlayStation. One reader even praises the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. If you want to take part in these discussions, you can email us at the provided address.
It seems like there is a debate going on about the quality of video game movies. Some say they have improved, while others argue that they are just as bad as they have always been. The announcement of a Borderlands film has sparked this discussion once again. But which movies are people referring to when they claim that video game movies have gotten better? Some suggest The Last Of Us and Fallout, but those are not movies. They are long TV shows that are very different from films. Others mention Super Mario Bros. and Sonic, but those didn't receive great reviews either. The Uncharted movie was also met with mixed reactions. So, what other examples are people talking about? Detective Pikachu? Warcraft? One of the Resident Evil films? It seems like video game movies are still struggling to find success, and the upcoming Borderlands film might just be another average addition to the list. However, I do agree that video game TV shows have improved, but we are still far from seeing a video game-based film winning an Oscar.
Personally, I think the best video game movie is still the original Mortal Kombat. It stayed true to the game's plot, characters, and tone, which is a rare achievement for a live-action adaptation. Even the popular Pokémon film failed to do that.
I couldn't help but notice the coincidence of Jim Ryan and another executive leaving around the same time as the cancellation of The Last Of Us Online. I'm not sure if there is any connection, but it does seem suspicious, especially with the recent comments about heads rolling. The announcement from Naughty Dog celebrating their victory also caught my attention. It seems like they have won a battle or argument, and if they are working on multiple single-player games, then they have definitely achieved something. However, I am more interested in Sony's policy towards games now. Are they still focused on live service games? If not, why haven't they announced anything? As someone who doesn't own a PlayStation 5 yet, I am hesitant to buy one with so much uncertainty surrounding their game strategy. It's hard to understand how Sony thinks this is a good idea for their future.
There have been talks about the possibility of a Switch 2, and it seems like Nintendo is making moves in that direction. However, they are keeping everything under wraps as usual. I don't think the release of GTA 6 will have any impact on their decisions, but I do believe they want to launch the console in the first half of the year to establish the concept and fix any issues before the holiday season. If it is not going to be released until after March, then April and May seem like the most practical choices, as launching a new console during the summer games drought is not a wise move. However, Nintendo might delay the release until the autumn or even next year if they feel the need to. It's possible that they haven't announced a release date yet because it depends on when their games are ready. We have seen them delay the launch of the N64 because Super Mario 64 wasn't ready, so it wouldn't be surprising if they did the same again.
I was shocked to learn that it cost $2 billion to make a video game, but then I found out that GTA 5 made $1 billion in just three days. It's mind-boggling to think about how much GTA 6 will make with the pent-up demand. Suddenly, $2 billion doesn't sound like a crazy investment, and it will probably be paid back almost immediately. It's incredible how GTA 6 is on a completely different scale compared to other games, even though it doesn't offer anything groundbreaking in terms of gameplay. This is not to say that it's not a great game, but creating a smaller version of GTA should be relatively easy. I'm surprised that companies don't even attempt it anymore. I can't even think of a proper GTA clone or a game similar to it that has been released in recent years.
The main character's forehead in the Dead Rising remaster is quite amusing. It's a bit exaggerated, considering no one else looks as strange, but I applaud Capcom for doing it anyway. I think one of the reasons why Dead Rising has never been as successful as it should be is because it was initially thought of as an Xbox franchise, which limited its audience. If it had been released on multiple platforms from the start, it might have had better results. However, after so many years and games in the series, it's time to accept that it will probably never reach its moment of glory. Starting fresh with a remaster seems like the best option, and I might consider buying it when it goes on sale.
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