The Wednesday Inbox wants to see more non-movie titles from Lucasfilm Games, as one reader asks about games similar to Slay The Spire.
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Irresistible profit
I’m looking forward to seeing what Battlefield 6 is like, but that thing is going to be so pumped full of microtransactions and battle passes and every other piece of nonsense EA can squeeze into it. I’m not even sure I blame them to be honest, given how much money they make. It’s totally on people for paying for them and making them irresistible to companies.
Why anyone would pay for a skin they can’t see (it’s a first person shooter, all you can see is your arm!) is beyond me but I have to accept that many, many people do and it’s changed the way games make money so much that not including them doesn’t make sense, for multiplayer games at least.
I used to love Battlefield 3 and 4 but I now have to question whether I want to even tempt myself in with this new game, whatever it is (not that it’s hard to guess: a modern day game with 100+ players). And that’s not even factoring in that EA will have their own Warzone equivalent too, which is what they’ll really care about given Activision’s success.
EA messed up once by being late to the battle royale party, and again by ruining the reputation of loot boxes, so I think they will be going all out to take advantage of normal microtransactions the best way they can.
Gannet
Evilest Resident
I’ve just got to that bit in Resident Evil Village, the bit GC described in their review as being really scary because you don’t have any weapons. It is really good, although a bit short and simplistic, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near the scariest bit in a Resident Evil.
There are half a dozen parts in Resident Evil 7 that are scarier, including pretty much the whole of the first two or three hours and most of the boat, but I still think Lisa Trevor from the remake of Resident Evil 1 is the scariest the series have ever been. Anything to do with the crimson heads too. The remake is really scary and while the graphics are getting a bit old now I think it’s still my favourite.
I wouldn’t mind a first person remake though, even if I think it won’t be for a while because it’d end up being too similar to the castle section of Village.
Dachsie
Deal me another
I wonder if GC or the readers can suggest similar games to Slay The Spire, which I am currently loving. Games can be for any console (apart from any Xbox) or handheld.
After a bit of light internet research, I seen both Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean and SteamWorld Quest: Hand Of Gilgamech be recommended.
Thanks in advance.
Eyetunes (PSN ID)
GC: We wouldn’t particularly recommend SteamWorld Quest and you’ll likely have trouble getting hold of Baten Kaitos (although it is rumoured to be making a comeback) but if your primary interest is the card game element then Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, or simply Gwent, might be a good one to try. Hearthstone is primarily multiplayer only but it’s free, while Monster Train is a blatant clone of Slay The Spire but still quite good. If you’re interested in the roguelike element without the cards, then perhaps Darkest Dungeon.
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NieR lover
I left NieR:Automata for over 15 months after I first played it but after revisiting it and playing it to death, the art style, music, and gameplay blew me away. I started NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… yesterday and it was everything I wanted. 11 hours played in two days; it is superb, a triumph of art style and gameplay with some of the most haunting music ever.
I’ve not even finished the first playthrough but I know I will do everything in this game. It’s such a success in everyway. I also saw a trailer for NieR Re[in]carnation today, one of the only mobile games I’d even consider playing.
Zombiekicker (gamertag/PSN ID)
DemeoQuest
Will you be reviewing Demeo on the Oculus Quest at all? Fantastic game, haven’t stopped playing it. Even loading it up over Resident Evil Village over the weekend for a blast.
It’s a board game in the vein of HeroQuest and absolutely takes me back to being a kid. Great graphics and gameplay.
Have to say I’ve enjoyed Village too tho’, was worried it would be too much of a step away from 7 with the reviews but I’ve loved it. Can’t wait to go back again on harder difficulties. If I can stop playing Demeo that is.
PugMartin
GC: We’ve not heard of Demeo before. Perhaps you could do a reader’s review?
Reverse Hitman
Finally got round to playing The Sexy Brutale recently, which has been in my backlog for what seems like years. Finished it last night and overall would recommend to puzzle fans, you’d probably get half a dozen hours’ worth of play from it. It’s a murder mystery game with a time travel twist, with great art style and music that’s spot on in terms of atmosphere.
I had to be patient though, as I discarded it after the first attempt at playing it as I really didn’t know what was going on. I’m generally not a fan of games set against a time limit, which put me off on my first go, but it was only after trying it again that I appreciated that you’re not expected to solve each murder before the end of the day on your first go. Instead, you use that day (over and over again) to build up clues, snatched conversations, etc. to build up a picture of the victim, the assassin, and the method of death. Then you use that information to prevent the killing. Sort of like a reverse Hitman, if that makes sense.
If you can pick it up for around a tenner it’s well worth the punt (I played it on PlayStation 4 where the performance was fine. I’ve read that the Switch performance wasn’t great so not sure if that’s been improved since launch, which I think was 2017).
TheThruthSoul (PSN ID)
GC: The Sexy Brutale is great, a true hidden gem. Atrocious name though – Reverse Hitman would’ve been much better.
Lucasfilm attitude
Big surprise to see Lucasfilm Games bring back Zombies At My Neighbors. I would’ve betted on never seeing any of their non-movie games again but to bring back such obscure games is, to me, a really good sign. I really hope they move quickly on to making brand new games though, that have nothing to do with Star Wars or anything else that already exists.
Although if that’s too much to ask I certainly wouldn’t mind a modern sequel to Koronis Rift or The Eidolon. Early Lucasfilm games were really experimental and I’d love to see that same attitude revived for the modern day. Since I don’t think they have any internal developers anymore I think that would probably involve teaming up with indie developers, but I think that’s totally appropriate and basically what Lucasfilm were in the old days.
Wrangler
Off-brand gaming
Currently playing Fallout 5 and loving it. Some of that good old visit here, discover this, talk to that person, do your crew’s personal quests, lots of jokes and silly guns, and a massive inventory, menus, and statistics system to master, oh my, who needs cutting edge graphics when you have RPG heaven like this… what’s that, you didn’t realise it had been released, silly me, I forgot to say that they called it The Outer Worlds!
If Obsidian can reskin Fallout: New Vegas, throw in some new jokes, wink at the audience and say to the lawyers it’s not Fallout, then why can’t the companies that are so busy with other stuff just outsource the franchises the fans want the next episode of?
While we wait for Fallout 5 from Bethesda, Obsidian released it. Maybe they can knock out The Elder Scrolls 6 next week and, to keep the lawyers happy, call it The Outer Ancient Worlds With Space Dragons. Just a thought. I’d buy it!
Another option? Would you like GTA 6 next month? Maybe Rockstar could use the zillion dollars it rakes in every second from GTA Online to hire some people and make it happen.
Considering the size of these companies, and the talent about, as well as the people who’d love to work for them, surely the release schedules could be filled with lots of franchises to get excited about, like in the good old days.
Spooky Dreamer
PS: The Underbox Red Dead Redemption 2 backlash by fans of the game was to say it was great. The vile reactions I referred to were to my YouTube postings and Xbox review. I thought this was quite clear. And don’t worry about me online, I can make a troll cry and wet their pants at 90 paces.
GC: Obsidian are currently working on Avowed, which, to judge from the brief teaser, is very similar to The Elder Scrolls. Oddly, both developers are now owned by Microsoft.
Inbox also-rans
10,000 PlayStation 5s for Amazon still doesn’t sound like very much, especially as they haven’t had any new stock in ages. No wonder they sell out so quickly. Good job there are no decent games yet or I’d feel like I was missing out.
Malty
I’ve just realised that Doom 3 (i.e. the game after Doom Eternal) is probably going to be an Xbox exclusive. That really upsets me, I loved that game. But not enough to get an Xbox.
Cameron
This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Dory, who asks what game do you think is better than its reputation suggests?
It can be a game that’s thought to be terrible that you like (or don’t think is so bad), one that’s considered mediocre, or even one that’s acknowledged to be good but you think is even better.
How often do you tend to agree with reviews and the general consensus about games and does it bother you at all? Are there any games you can think of whose reputation has improved over time, despite being initially disliked?
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The small print
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