May 23rd 2024.
Is Helldivers 2 just a temporary phase? The letters page on Thursday is buzzing with excitement over the Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered collector's editions. One reader has an interesting theory about Nintendo and Shiver Entertainment. If you want to join in on the discussion, don't hesitate to email us.
As someone who used to play the game religiously, I can understand why people are starting to lose interest in Helldivers 2. I can't pinpoint the exact reason for this sudden decline, but for me personally, it was a combination of the nerfing of powerful weapons and the repetitive gameplay. There's only so many times you can play the same thing over and over again before it becomes monotonous. While games like Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege seem to have an endless lifespan, I need some variety in my gaming experience. I may come back to Helldivers 2 in a few months, but I doubt I'll ever play it as much as I used to.
Helldivers 2 didn't necessarily do anything wrong, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I'm not sure how this applies to others, but it seems like most long-running live service games are either targeted towards kids or hardcore shooter fans. There's not much middle ground, and that's exactly where Helldivers 2 falls. Perhaps that was the intention, but it's possible that these types of games don't have a long-term appeal.
Moving on to another topic, is Hellblade 2 the 2024 version of Ryse: Son Of Rome? In other words, it looks amazing but lacks substance. I wasn't surprised by the low score it received, as I had played the original and was underwhelmed by it. The whole concept of the voices was annoying, the combat was repetitive, and there were only a handful of enemy types. Has Ninja Theory even made a good game yet? A quick Google search tells me otherwise. Perhaps Enslaved was decent, but their track record isn't impressive. I'll probably continue to avoid their games unless they're heavily discounted.
Speaking of nostalgia, it's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the release of the first Resident Evil. I remember buying a PS1 just to play it and being blown away by the lifelike graphics and terrifying horror elements. It was one of the few games I kept going back to. It's incredible how far we've come in such a short amount of time. For me, the most impressive accomplishment was Super Mario 64 on limited hardware. I still remember watching the intro and being amazed when the game started outside the castle. It felt like witchcraft. I spent over 100 hours collecting every star and it was worth it.
On a different note, I'm glad to hear that Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is getting a physical release on September 24. I've been wanting to play it, but I prefer physical copies over digital ones. And to my delight, there's even a deluxe steel book edition with maps, a book, soundtrack download, and a music CD. It has a retro feel to it, which is exactly what I was hoping for. It'll be available on PlayStation 5 and Switch, but there's no mention of Xbox.
Lastly, we have some advice from a reader regarding issues with the Xbox Series X. Apparently, Satan's Therapist gave some helpful tips back in 2019 on these pages for the Xbox One, which also apply to the Xbox Series X. Just head to settings, then Disc & Blu-ray, and hit clear persistent storage three times. Then go to advanced settings under network and clear Alternative Mac Address, which will restart the Xbox and hopefully resolve any problems. Hopefully, this helps someone out there.
On a personal note, I recently received a new and sealed copy of System Shock for PlayStation 5, but the disc was loose inside. There were a few marks on it, but after installing it and playing for a bit, I haven't encountered any issues. Should I still return it for a refund or is the disc in good working order? Let me know what you think.
Is Helldivers 2 just a passing trend? That's what some readers on the Thursday letters page are discussing, with one particularly enthusiastic about the collector's editions of Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered. Another reader has an interesting theory about Nintendo and Shiver Entertainment. If you want to join in on the discussion, you can email us at email.
Personally, as someone who used to play Helldivers 2 almost every day, I can understand why people are starting to lose interest. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but for me, it became repetitive and dull. Sure, games like Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege seem to have endless replay value, but for me, I need some variation. I might come back to Helldivers 2 in a few months, but I doubt I'll ever play it as much as I used to.
I don't think Helldivers 2 did anything particularly wrong, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I can't speak for everyone, but it seems like most long-running live service games are either aimed at kids or hardcore shooter fans. There's not much in between, and that's where Helldivers 2 falls. Maybe that was the intention, but it's possible that these types of games aren't sustainable in the long-term.
Moving on to another topic, is Hellblade 2 going to be the 2024 equivalent of Ryse: Son of Rome? In other words, will it look amazing but lack substance? Personally, I wasn't surprised by the low score it received, as I played the original and was underwhelmed. The whole "voices" gimmick was annoying, the combat was repetitive, and there were only a handful of enemy types. Has Ninja Theory ever made a good game? A quick Google search tells me no. Maybe Enslaved was decent, but their track record isn't great. Of course, this is just my opinion, and others may love their previous games. But for me, I'll only buy their games if they're heavily discounted.
Speaking of nostalgia, it's hard to believe it's been 30 years since the release of Resident Evil 1. I remember buying a PS1 just to play it and showing it off to everyone in the room because of its lifelike graphics. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, and the horror elements genuinely made me jump. It was one of the few games I kept going back to. It's amazing how far we've come in such a short amount of time. For me, Super Mario 64 was the most impressive game of its time, considering the limited hardware. I still remember watching the intro and then realizing the whole game was like that. It felt like magic, and I easily spent over 100 hours trying to collect every star.
On a more serious note, I want to wish all the best to the staff at Digital Foundry and Eurogamer during these uncertain times. They're not just journalists; they're also gamers like us.
In other news, I'm excited to hear that Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered will be getting a physical release on September 24. I've been wanting to play it, but I wasn't too keen on buying a digital copy when my other Tomb Raider games are on disc. Thankfully, I waited, and now there's a deluxe steel book edition that comes with maps, a book, a soundtrack, and a music CD. It has a retro feel to it, which is exactly what I was hoping for. It will be available on PlayStation 5 and Switch, but unfortunately, there's no mention of an Xbox release.
Finally, for those experiencing issues with their Xbox Series X, I recommend following Satan's Therapist's advice from 2019, which can be found on these pages. It also applies to the Xbox Series X. Essentially, you need to go to settings, then Disc & Blu-ray, and clear the persistent storage three times. Then, go to advanced settings under network and clear the Alternative Mac Address, which will restart the Xbox and hopefully fix any issues. As for my own problem, I recently received a new and sealed copy of System Shock for PlayStation 5, but when I opened it, I could hear the disc rattling inside. There were some small marks on it, but after installing it and playing through the first area, I haven't encountered any problems. So, if the disc has installed properly, it should be in working order. However, if you're still concerned, you can always send it back for a refund.
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