Topic: Official Push Square Xbox Thread

@RogerRoger It's been awhile since I played it so you are probably right. I am a big fan of the franchise and your right there's not to many good games so maybe I overlooked the flaws on that one.

Speaking of Lego Jurassic Park did anyone play Lego Demensions?

@Tasuki I wish I’d got Lego Dimensions at the time. I really really want the Doctor Who expansion but it’s a mess trying to get that game these days.

@nessisonett Yeah Lego Dimensions was great but trying to get all sets was a bit much. I started it towards the end when everywhere was discounting the sets, I even managed to get a few sets at a local dollar store for $1.

In theory it was a cool idea and the game was actually pretty fun and well done. I wouldn't be against them releasing it again minus all the sets though just have all the levels and such as DLC.

I actually enjoyed a number of the Lego games too.

Those based on films (Indiana, Pirates, Harry Potter etc) are typical of the series in that you get the 'Lego' take on the same story beats of the films so if you enjoyed those movies and the 'typical' Lego experience, then certainly are worth picking up.

The first Indiana had the 'Trilogy' of films and being an 'early' game was certainly more 'basic' than the latter games with 'fewer' different skills characters could possess. When you get to the more recent 'Super-hero' games with flight, lasers, super sized strength etc required to unlock areas in 'free-play', the older ones seem more limited but that same 'general' game-play loop hasn't really changed too much. Most of the changes over the years seem to be more iterative (more ambitious, more character types, larger maps, adding vocals etc and more 'creative' as they made their own stories rather than adapting a movie but if you like the 'charm' of Lego and especially if you enjoyed the franchises (Star Wars, Indy, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC etc) then they are all worth buying, but if you are only used to 'newer' games, the older ones may seem a bit more limited in scope but that Lego Humour and Charm is still present...

@Tasuki Yeah, whilst I have a couple of the LEGO Dimensions physical sets (the Sonic and Doctor Who ones specifically) I never got the game itself. Seemed like a lot of hassle. Same with Disney Infinity, got some of the figures because they're really well-made and expressive, but never bothered with the game. I do have moments where I regret my hesitance, but they're fleeting.

@BAMozzy Your point about the creativity of the LEGO games is a good one. I feel like LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was a major turning point for the series, as it added vocals and told its own original story, no matter how straightforward it was. It was also the first with a full open world sandbox, rather than just hub levels. It's not my favourite LEGO game of all time (that honour still goes to LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars) but that second Batman game really raised people's expectations going forward, and ultimately led to LEGO Marvel Super Heroes being the most well-received of the bunch.

MLB22 free on Game Pass again this year...

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2022/01/sonys-mlb-the-show-22-l...

Great interview with Tim Schafer (Double Fine) which also talks about the MS acquisition, what its 'meant' to Double Fine and how they are 'operating' and allowing their studios creative freedom, supporting them to realise their ambition.

I thought Crossfire X's trailers looked good and I was excited to see what Remedy could do for an FPS single player campaign but... I haven't seen a single positive opinion about it yet :/

@Voltan Same here. It's a shame it seems like it sucks (so far at least). It's as if it's only made by Remedy in name only, putting nobody that worked on Control on it. Obviously I have nothing to back that up with, but you would think it would have at least been decent.

@Voltan Seems like its a very generic FPS. Its as if they expect the 'name' to sell - which considering CrossFire is the most played video game worldwide, with 6 million concurrent users and 1 billion registered players in February 2020, according to developer Smilegate, maybe they felt they had to make a 'token' campaign.

Well at least you can 'try' it (or 1 part of it) without 'wasting' any extra money on it...

@BAMozzy thing is, apparently the multiplayer is pretty bad too

… and right there, you have crystallised the attitude that many of us are concerned about in terms of how Gamepass could eventually go on to negatively effect the quality level of games being produced in future. It has created an excuses culture in regards to how poor games are received… and where excuses are considered acceptable, a lot of people including myself believe that overall quality will ultimately drop.

@colonelkilgore Well that's down to the Publisher and whether they want more playing on game pass or buying elsewhere. Publishers will inevitably try and put games out that are going to 'fail' on a commercial or community (as online players are necessary to a 'good launch') basis so depends which is more important to them.

That's not the fault of MS or Game Pass because MS NEED great Games and have delivered - Psychonauts 2, Deathloop, MSFS, FH5, H:I, SoT. If MS doesn't have Great Games, regardless of what other publishers want/need and/or do, then People won't subscribe - they won't play 'bad' games from other publishers whether they are on game pass or not. Some people may want a 'generic' CoD 360 era like campaign to play for 'free' when its not worth 'buying' but games like that are hoping you like it so get hooked into buying Mission 2.

When it comes to Subscription services. whether its Game Pass, Spartacus or whatever, they are ALL reliant on the strength of their First Party content because ultimately, those other publishers are either looking for 'high' numbers (so no price barrier to worry about but probably some long term monetisation plan) or for Commercial Sales so not going on a Subscription service until sales are exhausted and they have 'monetisation' options for their PUBLISHER. Game Pass first Party games are the games that will sell you on ANY subscription service because those other Publisher games will be available anywhere they 'can' and haven't been coerced into platform exclusivity.

If CrossfireX fails, that's a fail on Remedy and on Smilegate as the Publisher too, not the Game Pass model. The Game Pass model is still like a Virtual Console ecosystem with other Publishers either thinking they'll benefit more long term by the Subscription model or Sales for launch. For them to be successful, they no doubt need a 'great' game too so get more people playing and build a big community fast or they know its going to be a 'hit' and sell well, hold its price well, then it makes more sense to go the 'Sales' ONLY route where possible so again need great games.

Whether they are on Console or a Sub service, the Platform has to deliver its own GREAT first party content to make you want to 'join' - whether the entry price is a $500 console or whatever device you have for gaming and a Subscription. Without their own GREAT games, no one Subscribes, buys their device etc, they go where the 'great games' are and play all the other 'publishers' games they want to as well.

In an 'all' subscription future, its still the same principal - 'first party content' because the other publishers will want their content everywhere - so sign up to the Subscription service with the best first party content. Those 'games' still have to sell 'Hardware' right now because that's still the better way to play right now, being able to download and play locally is better, so the principal's the same.

In the future, other Publishers are going to have to compete with the 'first' party games for your time, not your cash. They are going to want to 'release' everywhere where EVERY first Party game is not only competing for your time, they are trying to be the ''best' games, otherwise you'll go and sub to Sony, Nintendo, whoever and have the opportunity to play 'bad' games from other Publishers too...

However you look at it, Games are competing for your time. You want to be where the 'best' games are because the 'rest' are available elsewhere. That was true of the whole of the PS vs Xbox era - go where the 'best' first party games are (to quantify best, I mean best for 'you' as a gamer) because the rest you can play anyway. Same will happen with subscription services - the First Party will determine which service you want to Sub to because it has the 'best' games, and the other Publishers will all be looking at long term funding in their games because their 'sales' have basically dropped off completely so need to have a big appeal to keep people invested before the next 'big' first party game comes out...

@Voltan I thought it was a huge game in Asian markets (predominantly China) but only because other options for FPS aren't available (China) or because valve charged Internet cafes additional monthly rates for games like TF2 (South Korea). I've saw a clip of some multiplayer gameplay, looks pretty grim.

100% right… if it turns out to go the way that many are concerned that it will… it’ll be the fault of the zealots who are ‘fine’ with games being absolute rot as they’re essentially ‘free’.

@colonelkilgore Long term, it still hurts the publisher because they wont get the long term player retention they want/need for their game to succeed, for their long term financial plan to be successful.

First Party games still need to be GREAT games that people WANT to play so are willing to 'buy' a console and/or Subscribe. If other publishers are ALL competing for your time (as they are) whether they put them into Game Pass as well as try to sell it, or only release with a $70 price tag, they are still 'competing' for your time. Rot games will 'rot' because people will be playing GREAT games - you can actually decide for yourself at NO charge, whether the game is 'worthy' of your time with Game Pass instead of whether a game was 'worthy' of the $70 price you had to pay to spend your time.

IF every game is available in a Subscription service, free of 'additional' charge, you are still going to join the service with the 'GREAT' games and decide which other 'publishers' games are worth your time - therefore GREAT games will continue to be made with the 'ROT' not getting high player numbers, not much critical acclaim to make people want to play, etc whilst the GREAT games are all contesting for players time....

@BAMozzy look, I’m well aware that this ship has already sailed in regards to the industry moving towards a subscription model… just have some standards man, it’d be good for everyone.

@colonelkilgore I have standards! I am just not as pathetic as those who think that a game is 'rot' just because it doesn't cost $70 and doesn't score over 90 on metacritic.

What Subscription services do is take away the Price barrier and that pathetic mentality of people that have ridiculous expectation when it comes to purchases. Ratchet & Clank isn't 'worth' £70 for an 8hr game, Returnal isn't worth £70 for a 1080p PS5 game. Both are 'great' games that 'everyone' could play and make their own mind up as to whether they are 'great' games instead of feeling 'disappointed' they didn't 'get' the value they expected.

The thing about Game Pass is that you can try any game on there at NO cost. Its only your time that's 'wasted' if you want to try any game - not your money, its up to you if you play 1hr or go on to finish it and 'good' games will make you want to 'keep' playing. Bad or games you don't enjoy won't!

Yes perceptions will change. Games won't be assessed on whether or not they are 'worth' the asking price, they will be assessed on whether or not they are 'worth' your time...

An 'average' game can still be 'fun' and 'enjoyable' - especially if it doesn't have to live up to some 'unrealistic' expectation based on price.