May 12th 2025.
Will the release of GTA 6 bring back all the old arguments? It seems that the Monday letters page has already started discussing the value of a £75+ video game, with one reader even trying to make sense of Doom's storyline. If you want to join in on the discussions, feel free to email us your thoughts.
But amidst all the excitement for GTA 6, one thing that hasn't been talked about much is the potential backlash over its violence. While we can assume that the level of violence will be similar to previous games, the realistic graphics and increased number of people in outdoor scenes might raise some concerns.
Will there still be rampage missions in GTA 6 where players can mow down as many people as possible? And even if there aren't, will there be anything stopping players from doing so? It's a delicate topic, and I'm not taking a stance until I see how Rockstar handles it. But if players can easily unleash chaos and destruction on a crowd with realistic visuals, it could be quite disturbing.
It's been a while since violence in video games has been a major issue, as most games have either limited opportunities for such actions or only feature enemies as targets. However, GTA 6 could open up a whole new can of worms, especially when it comes to its portrayal of sex. The second trailer already hinted at a sex scene, but if Rockstar takes it further, we can only imagine the reactions from certain individuals.
As graphics continue to improve, it becomes harder to dismiss violent actions in games as "just pixels". Where do we draw the line when it comes to how realistic it all looks?
Shifting gears, let's talk about Doom: The Dark Ages. While I haven't played it yet, I agree with the reader who said they couldn't make sense of Doom Eternal's storyline. It's both complex and uninteresting. If it hasn't changed, which it doesn't seem like it has, I also believe that Doom could benefit from more comedic elements.
Doom Eternal doesn't take itself too seriously, but at the same time, there's nothing particularly funny about it, except maybe collecting those little Funko Pop! style toys. It's a missed opportunity, especially since the game lacks interesting characters, including the main one. I know comedy is hard, but they could at least try. They could even adapt the comic where the iconic phrase "rip and tear" comes from. It's still the best thing associated with Doom besides the games themselves.
On a different note, I've been playing Halo: ODST and it's just as good as ever. The gunplay, music, and setting are top-notch, and the AI always keeps things interesting. Despite playing through all the Halo games multiple times, there's always a new way to take down the Covenant.
I'm not against it coming to PlayStation 5, but I'm worried that the remake will dumb things down to appeal to new players. Personally, I'd love to see a full remake of Halo 3 with all the cut levels included. But I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Moving on, we've received an interesting comment from a reader regarding the next generation Xbox. They believe that if it were any other company, support for the console would be limited due to their past mistakes and the possibility of it being portable-only. However, since it's Microsoft, with all their wealth, will they still be able to secure support from other publishers? Other than money, what leverage does Microsoft really have now that their hardware is no longer relevant? The promise of being on Game Pass may still be appealing, but perhaps bigger companies won't care as much as indies. Maybe they'll continue supporting Xbox out of diplomacy. After all, it's never a good idea to burn bridges.
Lastly, one reader has a recommendation for us. They bought Lost Words: Beyond The Page on Nintendo Switch while it was on sale for only £1.19. It's a simple story-driven game with nice puzzles, an interesting game mechanic, a great soundtrack, and amazing voice-acting. The reader highly recommends it at this price, and it's still on sale for a few more days. So if you're looking for something different and touching, give it a try.
Are we going to see a resurgence of the same old debates when GTA 6 finally hits the shelves? The letters page on Monday seems to think that a £75+ video game can still be worth the money, while another reader tries to make sense of the convoluted storyline in Doom. If you want to join in on the discussions, send an email to the address provided.
I must say, GTA 6 looks absolutely stunning. However, one aspect that hasn't been talked about much is the potential backlash over its violence. We can assume that it will be on par with the previous games, but with the realistic graphics and larger crowds, will there be any limitations or consequences for causing chaos and destruction? I'm not taking a stance on it just yet, as I want to see how it's handled, but the thought of being able to unleash a heavy machinegun on innocent bystanders in such a realistic setting is quite disturbing.
It's been a while since violence in video games has been a major issue, as most games have managed to avoid giving players the option to harm innocent characters or simply have no non-playable characters at all. But with GTA 6, we could be opening a whole new can of worms, and that's before we even think about how the game will handle sexual content. The second trailer did hint at a sex scene, but if Rockstar decides to push the boundaries further, I can already imagine the negative reactions from certain groups.
As graphics continue to improve, the line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly blurred. Where do we draw the line when it comes to how realistic a game can be? It's a tricky question for developers to answer.
Moving on to another game, I haven't had the chance to play Doom: The Dark Ages yet, but I wholeheartedly agree with the reader who mentioned the confusing plot in Doom Eternal. It's overly complicated yet lacks any meaningful depth. If it hasn't changed, which it doesn't seem like it has, the game could benefit from incorporating more comedy.
Despite not taking itself too seriously, there's a distinct lack of humor in Doom Eternal. The only remotely amusing aspect is collecting the Funko Pop! style toys. This is a missed opportunity, especially when the game doesn't have any compelling characters, including the protagonist. I understand that comedy is a difficult thing to get right, but they could at least try. Maybe they could adapt the comic that coined the iconic phrase "rip and tear". It's the best thing associated with Doom outside of the games.
On a completely different note, I've been playing Halo: ODST for a few hours this morning, and it's just as good as I remember. The gunplay, music, and setting are unparalleled in the Halo series. I've played through all the games countless times, and yet I always find new ways to take down the Covenant thanks to their impressive AI.
I have mixed feelings about it coming to the PlayStation 5, as I fear the remake may simplify things to appeal to new players. I still hold out hope for a full remake of Halo 3, complete with all the cut levels included. But overall, it's still a great game.
Now, onto the next generation of consoles. If it were any other company, I would expect limited support for the Xbox Series X/S. After two consecutive failures and Microsoft downplaying their new console, it's not exactly a hot commodity. Plus, there are rumors that it may only be available in a portable form. However, because it's Microsoft and they have deep pockets, will they be able to sway other publishers to continue supporting them? Other than money, I'm not sure what leverage they have now that their hardware is no longer relevant. It's not much of a threat to say that a company can't publish on Xbox consoles anymore.
Perhaps the promise of being on Game Pass is still enticing, but larger companies may not see the value in that compared to independent developers. Maybe they'll continue supporting Xbox out of a sense of diplomacy. After all, it's never a good idea to burn bridges.
On a lighter note, I want to recommend a game that I recently purchased on sale for the Nintendo Switch. Lost Words: Beyond The Page is a simple yet captivating game with a unique story, enjoyable puzzles, beautiful soundtrack, and phenomenal voice acting. It's definitely not your typical game, and you'd have to be heartless not to be moved by its emotional storyline. I highly recommend picking it up, especially at the discounted price. There are still a few days left in the sale, so don't miss out.
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