December 12th 2023.
How edgy does the new Streets Of Rage look to you?
Sega fans are a skeptical lot, and for good reason. We've been here before, and we know the cycle. A new game is released, we're hopeful, but it ends up being a disappointment. Now Sega is talking about bringing back classic games, and while I'm excited to see it, I'm also worried about how they'll turn out. Streets Of Rage and Golden Axe both look kind of dark and not very Sega-like, and Shinobi looks low budget with its 2D graphics. Will we get some surprise hits, or will it be a complete train wreck? I guess only time will tell.
Hudson
I’ll buy it at no extra price!
When the VR mode for Resident Evil 4 remake dropped on Friday, I was more than ready to give it a try. Despite the fact that it wasn’t designed specifically for VR, I was still impressed. Everything just flowed nicely, and I didn't have to worry about tiring myself out like I do with some other VR games. Plus, having the ability to play it while relaxing on the sofa with a beer was a huge plus! One thing that wasn’t quite up to par was the Merchant. While he was great, his gravelly ‘Ahhh’ from the original wasn’t quite there. But he was still great to deal with and had some good stuff on sale.
Wonk
GC: We liked the Merchant in the end, he’s a worthy successor.
Reader's Feature 84Colbat was concerned about his kids playing GTA 6, as he imagined them laughing about how fun virtual murder is. But he need not worry, as he won't be buying it for them, they are not old enough to buy it, and as a responsible parent he will have parental controls set to prevent them from playing age-restricted content.
LeighDappa
GC: We think you’re reading his comments a bit too literally.
E-mail your comments to: email
I sent in a letter to the Hot Topic on the GTA 6 trailer, and was happy to see the main theme was that the graphics look good but the gameplay needs work. It's been 20 years of the same game, and it's time for something new. I'm not sure how they can improve the core gameplay and still make a fun game, but that seems to be the challenge.
Matt
Conspiratorial addendum
Thanks for printing my Game Pass Reader’s Feature over the weekend. While some people seemed to think I had some kind of anti-Microsoft agenda, most of the comments were positive and constructive. One positive that I missed in my feature was that Game Pass does give you the opportunity to try games you might not normally, so that's a plus.
Drlowdon
Half as unlikely
I was surprised to read that Sony intended to have 12 live service games by 2026. That's still six too many in my opinion. Live service games are often insipid and cynical, and I think the gaming industry would be better off without them.
Edgelord question
It's a question that has been on the minds of Sega fans for some time now: how edgy will the new Streets Of Rage be? It's an interesting idea, but one that has me feeling a bit cautious. I mean, I'm excited to see Sega take a stab at reviving some of their classic games, but I'm a bit worried about how they're going to handle the transition from classic to modern.
The first two games they've shown off, Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi, look pretty promising. But then we have Streets Of Rage and Golden Axe, which look kind of dark and dreary. I'm just not sure that's very Sega-like. And then there's Shinobi, which looks a bit low budget.
I'm just not sure how it's all going to turn out. Are they going to stay true to the classic games, or are they going to take a more edgy approach? I'm honestly not sure, but I'm hoping it works out for the best.
Hudson
I’ll buy it at no extra price!
I was really excited when I heard that the VR mode for Resident Evil 4 remake had dropped on Friday. I was a bit frustrated when I couldn't download it due to PSN, but I was determined to try it out. And I'm so glad I did. The fact that it wasn't designed specifically for VR didn't detract from the experience. The graphics look great, and I could relax on the sofa and play a great game in VR without having to worry about tiring myself out.
The only thing I wasn't entirely happy with was the Merchant. He's great, but he doesn't quite have the gravely 'Ahhh' of the original. But then again, he does have a great selection of things to buy, so I can't complain too much.
Wonk
GC: We liked the Merchant in the end, he's a worthy successor.
Thinking about the children
In response to 84Colbat Reader’s Feature regarding his kids playing GTA 6, I'd just like to point out that as long as he's a responsible parent, he shouldn't have anything to worry about. His kids aren't old enough for the game yet, so he won't be buying it for them. Furthermore, he'll know exactly what his children are playing and will have set parental controls on their console. So, they won't be able to buy the game themselves or borrow it from their school mates.
LeighDappa
GC: We think you're reading his comments a bit too literally.
E-mail your comments to: email
Time to change
Having read the letters for this weekend's Hot Topic, I must say that I'm feeling vindicated in my letter to the Inbox. The general opinion seemed to be that the GTA 6 trailer was nice to look at, but that the core gameplay needed to be improved upon.
I remember playing GTA 3 on the PlayStation 2 and, even then, the core gameplay was janky and not great. Sure, the graphics have improved over the years, but the core gameplay has stayed the same.
And I think this is why a lot of games that tried to mimic the GTA formula after its move into 3D failed. It's not enough to just have good graphics and driving mechanics; you need a world that draws you in and makes you forget about all the flaws that the game has.
So, I think for GTA 6 to be a success, Rockstar need to really focus on the core gameplay and not just the graphics. They need to make sure that the combat, driving, and story are all up to par. Otherwise, it's just going to be GTA 5 MK2.
Matt
Conspiratorial addendum
Thanks for printing my Game Pass Reader’s Feature over the weekend. It seemed to draw a lot of comments, and aside from a handful of people who seemed to think the article was part of some anti-Microsoft conspiracy, they were largely positive and constructive.
The one positive I did realise I missed in my feature was that Game Pass does provide the opportunity to try games you otherwise might not risk spending money on. Again, this isn’t enough to convince me to subscribe, but I can see it being a huge plus for many people.
Drlowdon
GC: We think you’re reading his comments a bit too literally.
Half as unlikely
I was quite surprised to read in the weekend's Inbox that Sony had intended to have 12 live service games by 2026. Six is already far too many for my liking, but 12? That's just ridiculous.
These games are often quite insipid and cynical, and I don't think I could handle 12 of them. I understand why some people like them, but I just can't get into them. I think if Sony want to succeed in the long run, they need to focus on creating quality games, not just churning out live service games on an assembly line.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
