General Gaming News.

[CriticalGaming]

To give SE some credit, the last major layoff was back in 2013. And I like to think they have been doing alright for themselves if they managed to keep the company going for all these years. But yes, layoffs are still shitty regardless because all those failed games, disappointing sales, and going all in on NFT was made by execs, but employees are the ones paying the price for it

Realistically FF is the only game series keeping them going because every other game they produce is just mid, and that's a bad sign because the FF games are also really hit or miss.

They need to go back to making more decent games and spreading their talent in other places besides the core FF team. Why does Dragonquest take so fucking long between entries? Bring back Parasite Eve, Mana games, smaller RPGs. Focus less on top end graphics and focus more on gameplay and stories.

 

[CriticalGaming]

So apparently review sites don't even have codes for Hellblade 2 yet. No marketing, no reviews in progress, Xbox's big release is looking like the company has no trust that the game will be any good.

There are two possibilities for me with this game.

1. The game is potentially very good, but it's so technically buggy and fucked up they don't want anyone looking at it until it's released. The game has been in development for 7 years and that's a long time for a AA-tier team, so it might be Xbox forcing this out the door to fail so they can close the studio and fuck it.

2. The game is just terrible, bad design, bad combat, and they just want it to release and get whatever day 1 sales they can before word of mouth showcases how bad it it.

 

[BrawlMan]

<.< >.> uh... no that would be bad....well...

What would you have after 500 more FFVII games? You expecting late 30s/early 40s TIfa, Areth, or Yuffie to be at the end of the road?

Parasite Eve,

YES! Make it RE4 style camera angle with the action rpg elements!

1. The game is potentially very good, but it's so technically buggy and fucked up they don't want anyone looking at it until it's released. The game has been in development for 7 years and that's a long time for a AA-tier team, so it might be Xbox forcing this out the door to fail so they can close the studio and fuck it.

2. The game is just terrible, bad design, bad combat, and they just want it to release and get whatever day 1 sales they can before word of mouth showcases how bad it it.

Considering how mostly polished the first game was before one minor update, I doubt NT fucked that badly. The last time they did was the original release of DmC and it's one game breaking bug on the PC version that never got fixed. Funny enough, they fixed it in the DE version. The first Hellblade started development in early 2014 and came out in 2017. That was NT by themselves, and they were on a very limited budget. It took them three years, I believe the game itself fine and more than likely polished, but MS clearly has no faith. NT are talented people. I've had my problems with them in the past, but they truly care for their projects.

 

[CriticalGaming]

but they truly care for their projects.

Care doesnt mean it's good. And i fear there is something very wrong with hellblade based off what is not happening.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

I mean, or it's just Xbox taking yet another unforced error

 

[BrawlMan]

Care doesnt mean it's good. And i fear there is something very wrong with hellblade based off what is not happening.

I know that. I am only saying that, because most of their projects are between okay to good. Honestly, their best game is the first Hellblade. I've always said, they've should have gone into full animation studio, instead of game design. A quick rundown of each of their projects (I am mainly referring to 7th generation. I know they started on OG Xbox with some party games, but let's get into their real stuff):

• Heavenly Sword - Decent one off game, but didn't sell well, because of exclusivity on PS3 at the time $599.99 US DOLLARS!
• Enslaved - Sold better by comparison, but still below expectations. What's funny, critics at least, tried to blame the game's failure on other games released around that summer. The irony being, it was a quiet few weeks at time, with not much out nor nothing major.
• DmC - You already know the story. Most people just jump straight to the Definitive Edition. The better version, but sold even less, because people wanted OG DMC, and they got it finally in 2019!
• Hellblade - Their best game commercially, but the cost was high. If MS didn't buy them, NT would have gone under. That stunt they pulled with the marketing and mocking the fan base actually affected them partnering with anybody else (no publisher wanted their heat), during that transition period before MS.
• Razor - A bad multiplayer only game no one cares about and is lame version of Anarchy Reigns, Destiny, and Monday Night Combat.

I rather have developers that care, than not at all. Even if not everything works out right. I rather the game has a soul, than no soul.

 

[meiam]

They need to go back to making more decent games and spreading their talent in other places besides the core FF team. Why does Dragonquest take so fucking long between entries? Bring back Parasite Eve, Mana games, smaller RPGs. Focus less on top end graphics and focus more on gameplay and stories.

Well apparently their take away was "fewer but bigger game", which is pretty much the opposite.

I dunno, maybe it makes some sense, they've tried doing more smaller title, like octopath traveler, star ocean, valkyrie profile and an handful of snes remake (front mission live a live), maybe they all really bombed and didn't recup cost (I doubt it, unless they miss managed those project, but idk). They are bringing mana back, with a new title releasing soon, and the trial of mana remake a few year back, dunno how well it'll do.

They really could pick their project better too, they've been obsessed with the saga franchise for some reason even though it was always super niche (cause it was never really good). They've also re release tactics ogre again (while ignoring the superior FFT) and they've been doing weird colab (babylon fall, stranger of paradise) that really doesn't play to their strenght (or the strenght of their IP, stranger of paradise managed to have a worse story than FF1 with probably 100x more dialogue).

But really, my guess is that at this point the old guard is in control of management, they all given themselves massive pay raise, and nothing but massive smash hit could justify their cost.

 

[Chimpzy]

Cool this is still happening, I guess. Shame it's LRG tho. But, Hi-Fi Rush has a bunch of licensed songs in it, and we know what eventually happens to games with those.

 

[BrawlMan]

Cool this is still happening, I guess. Shame it's LRG tho. But, Hi-Fi Rush has a bunch of licensed songs in it, and we know what eventually happens to games with those.

At least the game has an alternative soundtrack for streamer mode. So worst case scenario. They remove the game and reuploaded with it's original soundtrack.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Elden Ring Fans Already Have Theories About This Newly Revealed Bloodborne-Like Monster - IGN

Elden Ring developer FromSoftware has unveiled a new Bloodborne-like enemy that is set to appear in next month’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

www.ign.com

FS, I love you, you guys one probably one of my most trusted game devs as of now, but you can't just jerk us around like that.

 

[FakeSympathy]

AC Shadows trailers are here:

It looks like were going back to dual-protagonists? It's like playing GoT as either samurai or ghost, not both.

I do hope the narrative doesn't become too messy, as it happens often with multiple-protagonists.

And Most importantly, the game being NOT a bloated experience

 

[CriticalGaming]

AC Shadows trailers are here:

It looks like were going back to dual-protagonists? It's like playing GoT as either samurai or ghost, not both.

I do hope the narrative doesn't become too messy, as it happens often with multiple-protagonists.

And Most importantly, the game being NOT a bloated experience

My question is more of what kind of game is it. Because personally I like the RPG-AC's better than normal AC. So I hope for something at least like Ghosts as a middle ground.

 

[FakeSympathy]

My question is more of what kind of game is it. Because personally I like the RPG-AC's better than normal AC. So I hope for something at least like Ghosts as a middle ground.

Oh yes, everyone is speculating this is gonna be an RPG-AC, since it's gonna be one of the mainline games that follows post-Origin gameplay. Another hope I have for the game is to not go too crazy with the gears, and we aren't playing to display higher damage numbers

 

[CriticalGaming]

Oh yes, everyone is speculating this is gonna be an RPG-AC, since it's gonna be one of the mainline games that follows post-Origin gameplay. Another hope I have for the game is to not go too crazy with the gears, and we aren't playing to display higher damage numbers

That's my hope for the game though

 

[BrawlMan]

AC Shadows trailers are here:

It looks like were going back to dual-protagonists? It's like playing GoT as either samurai or ghost, not both.

I do hope the narrative doesn't become too messy, as it happens often with multiple-protagonists.

And Most importantly, the game being NOT a bloated experience

Oh yes, everyone is speculating this is gonna be an RPG-AC, since it's gonna be one of the mainline games that follows post-Origin gameplay. Another hope I have for the game is to not go too crazy with the gears, and we aren't playing to display higher damage numbers

My question is more of what kind of game is it. Because personally I like the RPG-AC's better than normal AC. So I hope for something at least like Ghosts as a middle ground.

I am actually impressed, story and character wise (I did not expect real life historical figure Yasuke), but I need to see actual game play first.

 

[FakeSympathy]

I am actually impressed, story and character wise (I did not expect real life historical figure Yasuke), but I need to see actual game play first.

Which we probably don't have to wait too long, because Ubisoft Forward is happening on 6/10.

 

[BrawlMan]

Which we probably don't have to wait too long, because Ubisoft Forward is happening on 6/10.

They should've just had a game play reveal trailer right there. I already know i'm not gonna be able to see their streaming of them by the time they air it. I'll be at work. Because if they go overboard on the loot& gear, then i'm already not interested.

 

[FakeSympathy]

They should've just had a game play reveal trailer right there. I already know i'm not gonna be able to see their streaming of them by the time they air it. I'll be at work. Because if they go overboard on the loot& gear, then i'm already not interested.

Well I guess it gives the devs a few more weeks before putting together something presentable. And given it's being released this November, I would be more surprised if the gameplay was no show at the Ubisoft Forward.

The game would need to look impressive; I mean forget GoT, it also has to compete with many other games set in ancient Japan like Rise of Ronin, Like a Dragon Isshin, Sekiro, or even Nioh 2. Completely different genres, but all of them had a unique aesthetic and presentations, enough to gain some popularity. GoT is like the final boss for AC Shadows.

And it looks like we goy more info on how big the game will be; Around the same size as AC: Origin. That alone already is intriguing me

Japan-Set Assassin's Creed Shadows Is Around the Same Size as Assassin's Creed Origins - IGN

Assassin's Creed Shadows, the 2024 franchise entry set in Japan, is around the same size as 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins, Ubisoft has said.

www.ign.com

 

[FakeSympathy]

Annnddd as usual, twitter folks are at flame war, this time on Yasuke, debating whether he really was a samurai or not. Something about him being there for the sake of DEI, and not actually historically accurate?

Seriously, people. It's a FICTIONAL GAME. No need to go that deep on it

 

[CriticalGaming]

Annnddd as usual, twitter folks are at flame war on Yasuke, debating whether he really was a samurai or not. Something about him being there for the sake of DEI, and not actually historically accurate?

Seriously, people. It's a FICTIONAL GAME. No need to go that deep on it

Everything is racist, everything is homophobic and you must war on Twitter about it.