Which game on the ZX Spectrum stands out as the best?

Ah, The Great Escape. A true classic that stands the test of time. It's a shame they don't make games like that anymore.

I was just reading the Tuesday letters page and saw that someone recommended Screamer, despite its high price. It seems that even our beloved hobby is not immune to rising costs, as one reader laments the increasing prices of amiibo. But let's not dwell on the negatives.

Games Inbox is always a great place to find interesting discussions and opinions from our readers. And speaking of interesting, did anyone else read the Reader's Feature about Ant Attack? Such a fantastic game that deserves more recognition.

It got me thinking about my own favorite games on the Spectrum. Elite, Chuckie Egg, Knight Lore, and School Daze are all up there, but I have to say, The Great Escape holds a special place in my heart. It's an isometric game that was so complex for Sir Clive's tiny little 48K machine.

And let's be honest, there's really nothing quite like it nowadays. In fact, that could be said for most of the games on my list. It's a shame that there aren't modern versions of Elite or Knight Lore on consoles.

Although, I suppose modern action adventures could be considered somewhat similar, but they just don't have the same charm as those old UK-developed games. Now, let's talk about Resident Evil Requiem. I think we can all agree that something was off with the story and ending.

And my theory is that the developers were just running out of time to get it ready for the 30th anniversary. It's a shame because the first six to eight hours of the game were pretty much perfect, but then it slowly started to lose its momentum. It's not enough to ruin the game, but it is a bit frustrating when you come so close to perfection.

Maybe next time, Capcom should try working backwards, starting with the final scenes and boss battles and building the game from there. And while we're on the subject, it's surprising to me that they can't find someone in Japan who's good at making boss battles. With so many talented developers out there, you would think it wouldn't be a problem.

Speaking of surprises, who would've thought that a video game movie could actually be good? But from what I've seen of the set footage for Elden Ring, it looks like it could be the one to break the curse. I know video game movies have been getting better lately, but they still haven't quite hit the mark.

But with Alex Garland on board and the set footage looking like a faithful recreation of the game, I have high hopes for this one. And it's interesting to hear that it might come out around the same time as the Zelda movie. I can already predict which one will be better, and it's not the one made by Nintendo.

Now, let's talk about amiibo. Remember when they used to be surprisingly cheap? It's annoying that they're actually pretty good and now they come with a steep price tag.

I recently purchased the Mario & Luma amiibo, which was my first one at the new higher price. As you can see from the photos I've attached, it's quite a bit bigger than the cheaper amiibo and even the packaging is larger. I'm a huge fan of Super Mario Galaxy, so I couldn't resist adding it to my collection.

But I have to admit, I'll be more selective with my future purchases because of the rising prices. And I can only hope that the amiibo for Resident Evil Requiem won't be as expensive, otherwise it'll cost almost as much as buying the game itself. Lastly, I was surprised to hear that Take-Two has laid off their entire AI team.

You would think that they would keep them around just for show, especially when trying to impress investors. But maybe they really don't need the money. It's a shame though, because I wish we would see this level of cost-cutting in other areas, like wasting money on strange ideas and indie games.

But it seems like all they care about are sports games and anything from Rockstar Games. It's a shame because while they may not need an AI department, we always need new and interesting games. I would even settle for a new Bioshock at this point.

The Great Escape, what a classic game that was. It's a shame they don't make games like that anymore. But hey, at least we have games like Screamer to recommend, even if it is a bit pricey.

It's just too bad that amiibo prices keep rising, right? I mean, what's up with that? But let's talk about something more positive, like the Reader's Feature about Ant Attack.

That was a real gem and it's nice to see it getting some recognition. It got me thinking about my favorite games on the Spectrum. Elite, Chuckie Egg, Knight Lore, School Daze...they're all great, but I think The Great Escape might be my top pick.

Such a complex game for a little 48K computer. And let's be real, there's nothing quite like it nowadays. Actually, that's probably true for most of the games I listed.

It's a shame that modern consoles don't have a game like Elite or Knight Lore. But hey, at least we still have some great action-adventure games, even if they can't quite live up to those old UK developers. Speaking of games that don't quite live up to their potential, let's talk about Resident Evil Requiem.

We all knew something wasn't quite right with the story and ending, and I think it's because they were rushing to meet the 30th anniversary deadline. Such a shame, because the first few hours of the game were spot on. But then it slowly starts to fall apart.

It's not a game ruiner, but it is frustrating when you can see the potential for greatness. Maybe next time, Capcom should consider working backwards when making a game, starting with the final scenes and boss battles and working their way back from there. And seriously, how hard is it to find someone in Japan who's good at making boss battles?

I mean, come on. Okay, let's switch gears to something more exciting. Can we talk about the Elden Ring movie?

I know video game movies don't have the best track record, but this one looks promising. And with someone like Alex Garland involved, I have high hopes. The set footage may not show much, but it does capture the essence of the game.

I'm also curious to see how it compares to the rumored Zelda movie. To the average movie reviewer, they might seem like similar concepts, but I have a feeling the Elden Ring movie will come out on top. Sorry, Nintendo.

Okay, now let's talk about something that's really getting on my nerves: amiibo prices. I just bought the Mario & Luma amiibo, and let me tell you, it was not cheap. And I've included some photos for comparison.

The packaging for this amiibo is huge compared to the cheaper ones. And at almost double the price, it's hard to justify buying more in the future. I mean, come on, I'm a big fan of Super Mario Galaxy, but I can't afford to spend that much on a collectible.

And don't even get me started on the potential prices for Resident Evil Requiem amiibo. That's just too much money for my wallet to handle. And speaking of money, what's up with Take-Two laying off their whole AI team?

I mean, you would think they would at least keep it around for investor purposes. But maybe they really don't need the money. If that's the case, then why are they wasting money on weird ideas and indie games?

I mean, come on, we just want some new and interesting games. Is that too much to ask for? I would settle for a new Bioshock game at this point.

Just give us something, Take-Two!