The Friday letters page hopes for the industry’s sake that EA Sports FC 26 sells well, as one reader wonders who else will be in the Zelda movie.
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Mystery follow-up
Nice review of Donkey Kong Bananza, GC. It’s interesting to me that it’s another good Nintendo game but one which, like Mario Kart World, features just enough problems for it to be kind of mid-tier by their standards. I’m sure other companies would love if their flawed efforts were getting a 9/10 but that’s just the legacy that Nintendo has at this point.
Either way, we’re still at the ‘it was originally made for the previous console’ stage of the generation, which all consoles go through. I think normally it’s about two years in before we start to see ones made only with the current console in mind.
I don’t know if I’ll wait that long before getting a Switch 2, but I’m not currently tempted this year. More because of the lack of games rather than these first two not being top tier. So, the question is what next? Metroid Prime 4 is even less a Switch 2 game than the first two so what comes after that? My heart tells me that it’ll be Animal Crossing, as a counterpoint to the hardcore Metroid Prime 4, but who can ever say with Nintendo.
I’d be most pleased with a brand new IP but that’s even harder to try and predict. It’s exciting but also frustrating because I wouldn’t bet on finding out this year.
Onibee
The Legend of Bugsy Malone
Although it’s in keeping with a lot of the games I am surprised at just how young and inexperienced the Link and Zelda actors are. I can only hope the casting director knows that they’re doing, because that is a hell of a gamble straight from the start.
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It makes me wonder who the older characters are going to be in the film? Ganondorf will obviously be an adult man, but will Impa be an old granny or the sort of peak fitness version we’ve seen before? Since Link and Zelda don’t seem to be based on Breath Of The Wild I’m going to guess a younger Impa, but who else?
Makes me wonder if the champions will be in it, as they were all kind of peak adults. The film will probably make up some new characters, because the series doesn’t have a lot of recurring ones. Someone like Lineback or Midna would be cool, but that seems more like something to keep back for a sequel.
Like you said, there’s so much that could go wrong with this, but let’s see what happens.
Focus
Lesser of two evils
Look like EA is pretty worried about EA Sports FC 26 doing well. I remember a time when I have cheered on the idea of them going under (not that I think they will, but bear with me). Apart from me feeling worse nowadays, about the idea of wishing thousands of people to loose their job, at least EA isn’t owned by someone else.
I don’t like much of what they do but it’s not like I haven’t enjoyed EA games in the past, especially the Star Wars stuff, so let’s not wish the games industry to become even smaller and even more under the shadow of Microsoft – a company that has shown it will turn its back on anything or anyone for the smallest amount of profit.
On one hand it doesn’t bother me whether EA Sports FC 26 is a hit or not, because I’ll never buy it. But on the other hand I hope it does well because EA going under isn’t good for anyone, except for even bigger corporations than them.
Combi
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Monkey money madness
The reviews are really difficult to ignore for Donkey Kong Bananza. I’m glad it’s doing well critically but I don’t think I’ll be buying the game anytime soon.
£65 for the physical cart is just too much to justify, especially when Nintendo games never go on sale. I bought Cyberpunk 2077 for £54 at Switch 2 launch because of a Currys deal, so maybe that’s the sweet spot for me (or launch madness).
Most Switch games had an RRP of £50 but sold for £40 even at launch. It’s odd that retailers aren’t continually this strategy. Maybe things will start to settle soon, because anything over £50 feels too much at the minute.
Thanks for giving me the space to rant.
goldbricks23 (NN ID)
Shots fired
So upsetting to read about developers being laid off in favour of AI. I know it’s only Candy Crush but you don’t exactly have to be paranoid to imagine that this is just the thin end of the wedge.
I can only hope that something is done to stop the rot before all these talented people leave the games industry forever. Who wants to work for a company for years only to be laid off, just so an AI can plagiarise your work afterwards.
Laddie
Ubisoft vs. ex-Ubisoft
So I’ve sold Assassin’s Creed Shadows to CeX. Because, truthfully, it’s just a painfully mediocre title that somehow makes exploration of feudal Japan immensely unenticing, which is quite the task to pull off. I’ll say that during my time with the game, I completed three castles as Naoe that looked the same, played the same, and led to a sense of lethargic quality. The stealth is excellent, it truly gave me a sense of shinobi arts. How is it that even combat is painfully hollow and somehow reminds me of Valhalla’s shortcomings?
The story is indeed rather milquetoast. I certainly lack the ability to even forge a reason as to why I should care for this narrative. The game looks truly stunning. However, when your points of interest boil down to shrines and guarded castles it feels like the depth of an ocean and width of a pool. It’s an improvement on Valhalla, in many ways but a step down from Odyssey in other ways.
Yasuke, in my opinion, is the most forgettable, bland, and unmemorable protagonist since Shay from Assassin’s Creed Rogue. He’s a tank. That’s it. That’s his unique selling point. Thankfully however, I also brought another title alongside Shadows. A title that I also bought on PC. A title that is magnificent from the menu screen.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I own it twice. Because it deserves to be owned twice. Assassin’s Creed Hexe is intriguing but my expectations are non-existent. When Ubisoft churn out countless disappointing checkmark titles, such as Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, what hope does a narrative focused on witches stand? Especially when their former employees have crafted a title that Ubisoft will forever lack the talent, passion, heart, and capacity for.
I pray for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to win Game Of The Year in December. It’s a marvellous achievement for Sandfall and more than worthy enough to stand alongside Atlus’ Persona series and Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3.
Shahzaib Sadiq
Instant U-turn
To the person who wrote in the other day about not being able to turn well in Mario Kart battle mode. You can hold A and B together in a direction and hold the stick in any direction, left or right. I do it all the time in the free roam, I’m not a battle mode player but it works the same. Good luck.
If you knew it already and still are complaining then even better luck.
Nick The Greek
Big blue Boy Scout
I saw the new Superman movie on its release date and absolutely loved it. If I had to have a favourite superhero it would be Superman, then Batman as my next, and Spider-Man as my third. I am also talking about childhood heroes here and being fundamental to my younger memories watching the animated versions for each, as well as the classic Michael Keaton and Christopher Reeve live action movies.
Thinking about what GC viewers mentioned about how moral code is associated with some heroes more than others, I’d definitely say the above mentioned three are definitely on the true good side. Their alter egos are also wholesome, as a high-powered businessman and philanthropist, a newspaper journalist, and an average or genius college kid.
Regarding the games that could be created with these characters, especially Superman and Batman, I felt Arkham Asylum or City showed a good detective variant of gameplay, along with the stealth and action of Batman. I feel that this could be done for Clark Kent and Lois Lane doing their journalism job, investigating crimes or ill doings and being down to earth and properly solving the situation as detectives.
Superman comes into his own when scenarios brings in powerful supervillains and ultra despicable normal humans, all doing their nefarious deeds. Of course, then the glasses come off, like the business suit gets changed for armoured body protection and the college clothes get exchanged for the web-slinging bodysuit for high octane aerial movement and combat.
With natural abilities so far above our terrestrial heroes, Superman would possibly need a bigger area and more depth in regards to making the gameplay utilise the Man of Steel’s signature moves and powers, like speed, heat ray blasts, X-ray vision and extraterrestrial ultra strength, which our yellow sun gives him.
In other words, it’s probably too difficult to give Superman a proper go at a gaming franchise or single game and we’ll just see him as a watered down Kryptonian in a side view beat ‘em-up or multiplayer rivals type action game. Which is a shame as the recent movie has everything from honouring the original 70s classics and the newer world of DC cinema and comics. Basically, it was near perfect and can’t wait to see more of James Gunn’s future endeavours into this new remake of my favourite superhero of all time.
Alucard
Inbox also-rans
I didn’t even know there was a FIFA curse. I’d heard of the Madden curse, despite knowing nothing about the sport, so I’m going to guess that Bellingham and Musiala will live through this.
Rich
I really hope the people that have done RoboCop: Rogue City get to do RoboCop Vs. Terminator. To see that come back after all these years would be so funny to me and I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
Austin
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