The Tuesday Inbox is still unhappy about the cost of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, as one reader celebrates the worst leak ever.
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Exclusive Cup
Given the latest things FIFA has been saying I don’t see them and EA making up any time soon. Not only do FIFA want more money they want more partners, more outlets. EA is perfectly happy with how things works right now and if anything the ultimatum from FIFA is only making them think that maybe they don’t need them and they can make even more profit if they don’t have to licence their name.
I think the idea that the majority of people wouldn’t know that EA’s football game is changing its name underestimates the average gamer a great deal. Maybe someone’s granny buying a present at Christmas might not know but everyone else is going to, and that’s without even knowing what EA’s no doubt massive advertising campaign will be like.
I agree that 2K Sports must be a front runner to get the FIFA licence but since the other reader suggested it. I think Microsoft are also very likely. Every time they try to make a push into Europe the only idea they ever seem to come up with is some kind of FIFA bundle. Considering how much money they’ve been spending lately I think they would jump at the idea of having their own exclusive, FIFA branded game. Especially if they had sole rights to the World Cup, which sounds like it could be possible.
Casper
Happy Cry
I just wanted to show some appreciation for Far Cry 6, which I am happily running around having the time of my life in! Admittedly, I am a fan of the series, having only missed Primal because… well… no guns (sorry)
The game is much as your review so far and I am still staying South West to mop up as much as possible. Yesterday I reached the section where you get a chance to run a mission in a certain dino park. I just think it is such a nice piece of world building that it deserves praise. There are faint vibes of a pretty looking Fallout theme park to it as well and I kept l crept around visiting as much of it as possible, before bothering with the mission which is repayable so repeat visits when I feel like relaxing on a sunny day.
I just wanted to mention what a great bit of work the game is and I have barley scratched the surface.
Great work from you as always GC, thanks.
Chris
GC: Poor old Far Cry Primal just can’t catch a break.
Not so obvious
Right, so Nintendo want to charge double their current subscription for a handful of drip fed N64 and Mega Drive games, plus some Animal Crossing DLC? We always say, you can’t predict Nintendo, but this time I guarantee nobody would have guessed that this would be their Expansion Pass tier.
To be honest, I’m really confused. So, you can’t subscribe to the retro games alone – there is just this one new tier that includes the DLC for Animal Crossing? But, currently, that’s the only DLC included in this pass, despite there already existing plenty other Nintendo DLC for Switch games – like Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Expansion Pass and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Surely, it would make more sense to add all Nintendo-developed DLC that already exists, plus the upcoming Animal Crossing DLC? Or is that too obvious for Nintendo?
This is the most ridiculous thing Nintendo have done in quite some time. I feel they glanced at Microsoft and Sony’s pricing for online services and decided to come up with something that they could charge a similar amount for – despite it being significantly worse.
To add to the insult, the N64 controller dropped with no prior notice and is naturally sold out and being scalped online for silly prices. This whole move by Nintendo feels very anti-consumer.
Matt
PS: Will you be reviewing the latest episode of The Long Dark? I just finished it and found it really disappointing.
GC: Nintendo is in the business of making money. Giving away all their DLC for free isn’t an obvious way to do that. The way they’ve handled the controllers is predictably awful though, we agree. As for The Long Dark: no, the story was always the worst part of that game.
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Worth the wait
Last week I wrote in that my pre-order copy of Metroid Dread had not arrived. The Game Collection assured me that if my game did not turn up I would be fully refunded, albeit only in reward points.
Once it got to Thursday I could not wait any longer. I had plenty of free time over the weekend for a change, so I ordered with Argos to collect. Finally I was going to get my hands on the game first teased nearly two decades ago. I arrived to collect only to be told by staff they couldn’t find it! I had to take some deep breathes let me tell you! I ‘calmly’ made it clear I would not be leaving without my game. 20 minutes later they found it and the weekend was saved!
Then Saturday morning my original order turned up in the post, of course it did! So now I have two. I’m sure it won’t be difficult to sell, anyway.
Gotta say, this game was worth the wait! I’m actually enjoying it even more than I expected and I’m a big fan of the series. I see myself playing through it again on numerous occasions. I don’t understand some of the moans online towards difficulty either. I’ve found it just right. The E.M.M.I. sections are great and getting wiped out by a boss a few times is fine with me. I’ve loved figuring out their attacks and getting sweet revenge!
Fatys Henrys
The changeling
I was lucky enough to pick up a PlayStation 5 in March, after months of trying, but nearly three weeks ago it developed a fault so I contacted the place I bought it from and they said to bring it to the shop, as it’s local, and they would send it in for repair, which would take up to 21 days. And if they couldn’t fix it I would either be given a new console, stock permitting, or a refund. A few days ago, I got a phone call to say the console has been fixed and I could call and collect it.
On getting it home and opening the box I noticed a lot of scratches on the console, where mine was pristine as I always look after my stuff. OK, I thought, maybe it’s happened when they were fixing it and not been very careful. Turning it on I had no games installed or anything and had to reconnect the controllers and start again from scratch. A bit of an inconvenience but at least I had a working console again. Then I got to thinking, is this really the console I sent in and upon further checking the serial numbers it seems it is a totally different console.
Now if it had been a new console I was sent back because they couldn’t fix it I could understand and would have been happy with that but whoever had the console before me obviously hasn’t taken very good care of it, so I just hope nothing else goes wrong with it. I feel I should have been told I was getting a used console back and have the option to decide if this is what I want, as I was expecting mine to be fixed or offered a new console or refund if it couldn’t. So if anyone else has a problem with their PlayStation 5 then be aware this is what is likely to happen.
David Clixby
GC: That seems unacceptable to us, have you spoken to Sony about it?
Virtual winner
The nominations in the category of My Favourite Platform Game are:
- Chuckie Egg – played and was entertained by this for many hours.
- Jet Set Willy – marvelled at its multi-screen platforming shenanigans around a friend’s.
- Rayman 2 – endlessly enjoyable, beautiful and distinctive.
- Conker’s Bad Fur Day – thoroughly entertaining and completely hilarious.
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission – awe inspiring and breath taking (literally as sea waves wash over you.)
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii – a family favourite with multiplayer simultaneous cooperative/competitive action where fun and frustration collide.
- Super Mario Odyssey – a gorgeous 3D big and bold bundle of Mario.
- Super Mario Maker 2 – infinite possibilities from a brilliantly easy-to-use creation kit and with the bonus of a decent and substantial story mode. An essential.
So now to remove those rose-tinted spectacles, don a VR headset and declare the winner!
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. An essential reason to buy or try a PlayStation VR. You don’t just play the game; the game plays you. It’s a literal game-changer and an unmissable experience that places you inside the greatest hits of your favourite platformers ever.
SU DOKU (gamertag)/MyDeadGran (PSN ID/NN ID)
Perfect fit
I’m not sure if it fits into the platformer category but I really loved Owlboy. The mention of developers lavishing love on their creations couldn’t be more apt considering what he went through.
It’s achingly beautiful, has solid gameplay mechanics, a great score and features a hugely likeable protagonist with a genuine heartfelt story.
Wonk
Forgetting the past
It was Uncharted 2’s 12th birthday last week. There was a lot of love online with people sharing pictures and memories, but from Naughty Dog? Nothing!
If you look at their Twitter profile it only mentions The Last Of Us Part 2. (They do mention that you can buy Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy cheap in a PSN sale – which is weird as Sony will also want you to buy them again next year for PlayStation 5!).
Their website is full of The Last Of Us Day (this used to be called Outbreak Day for the date in the game’s story when the virus outbreak reached critical mass, but due to Covid they renamed it) with a month long photo mode event.
While I don’t have any problems with celebrating The Last Of Us I find in incredibly narrow minded on Naughty Dog’s part to just focus on the present, dismissing their past.
Looking at other PlayStation Studios Twitter accounts I was pleased to see a different attitude, Guerrilla who have got a lot of acclaim and love for Horizon Zero Dawn and its forthcoming sequel still add that they are ‘creators of the Killzone franchise’. Sucker Punch who again are riding high right now because of Ghost Of Tsushima also list inFamous, Sly Cooper, and even Rocket! (Rocket: Robot On Wheels, a platform game for the Nintendo 64 – I admit I had to Google it!)
The best PlayStation Studio in remembering their past is Insomniac, who not only list Spyro, Sunset Overdrive, and Resistance but also earlier this month were posting pictures of Resistance stating: ‘To be clear, we often use our social channels to post about previous works, from Resistance to Spyro. We don’t intend to tease but rather to remember our history, it’s a big part of who we are.’
Maybe Naughty Dog should read the recent GameRant article ‘How Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Shaped Naughty Dog’s Future’ and in future pay proper respect to it’s past!
LastYearsModel
Inbox also-rans
Elden Ring looks very similar to Dark Souls 3 in graphical quality (going by the leaked video). Works for me. Probably the only game I’m getting new next year.
Bobwallett
Can I just that leaked Elden Ring ‘gameplay footage’ may be the worst leak in video games history. Imagine losing your job because you wanted to leak that onto Twitter!
Corsom
This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Grant, who asks what do you want to see from GTA 6?
Rumours of GTA 6 have been going on for years now and yet the most recent ones suggest the game won’t be out for several years yet and perhaps not until 2025. Given that huge gap from GTA 5 what do you want to see from the new game to make the wait worthwhile?
You can focus on story, characters, setting, graphics, or everything at once but what do you want from the next GTA 6 and its online companion? For example, would you prefer a brand new GTA Online 2 or an extension to the existing game?
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