Shagger

I'd re happy to see Magic Carpet 2 remastered just to the point where it, well, worked.

Trust me, it happens more often than you think. Indie dev's in particular can really suffer because once it's discovered games keys were bought fraudulently becasue they then have to pay the refunds for those keys whilst the thieves walk away with the money. G2A in particular have found themselves in hot water a lot over this the last few years. It's got so bad developers were asking players to pirate their games instead of buy them from key-resellers like G2A.

I appreciate that. As you said, you normally stay out of these sorts of things, but it's an honour to have that nomination.

Hit the nail on the head, and it's precisely why I don't buy gems from key-resellers, only official stores or from the developer direct. Instant-gaming, G2A, CDKeys, they're all risky and potentially very shady with used keys and even stolen keys being sold on them. HumbleBundle is different, they're legit as some other 3rp party stores like GMG, they deal with publishers and developers directly to obtain the keys they sell, but key-resellers should be avoided.

You can't. Because she won MOTM last time, she's exempt from this vote. This was explained in opening post from @DC. As worthy a member as @The Blackangelis, that's not how it works. If you want to make a nomination, it has to be someone else.

This is a tough one. A lot of members, new and old, have contributed well these last few weeks. But I have decided to nominate @skyfire.

Demon Souls. The "difficulty" is built around trial and error, and that's bullshit.

The big problem for me is deciding what my favourite game actually is. I'll go for a more recent one because the answer to older games is obvious, but also not their fault. I wish... Horizon Zero dawn... had... flying mounts?

Thanks for sharing. This really does look interesting and I'm exited to for it. Something very "Witcher" about it, I like it.

I've obviously struck a nerve somehow, so I'm just gonna drop it.

I also do like the "infinite" concept. You pretty much said it, it sounds cool. I'm looking forward to the long life f this game should I get the chance to try it out.

I'm well aware or the "past build" excuse for Halo's... let's say, issues with graphical fidelity, but those excuses only prompt another problematic question for 343 and Xbox, a question that fanboys would rather block than answer. Why wasn't there a more "up to date" demo ready? (please insert the answer here, but we both know there is no positive response). People can spin it how they want, but this was a cock up and worse, they just put that out there expecting the fans wouldn't notice, so that makes it an insult as well. All that along with the fact the there was no other actual gameplay demo's paints a very dire picture indeed. Don't get me wrong, Halo Infinite looks like a riot to play, but people are well within their right to expect more out of a next gen, AAA title, especially a $500million juggernaut like Halo, when it comes to graphics. As for the rest. Cool announcements, very promising games, but very little actual gameplay, other than the one that appeared to be last gen.

That's fair, I was just curious. You don't owe me that info.

If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?

Probably my favourite console. So may great games like FF10, FF12, MGS2, Primal, Devil May Cry, Onimusha Genii, The GTA games, so much good stuff.

This first one I remember playing was Combat on the Atari 2600, but it was on a multicart, so I might have played Basketball of something else first.

With all due respect that's a really self-centred, "bury your head in the sand" way to look at it. It hurts developers (especially indie developers), give thieves an easy avenue to get away with fraud, buyers have to risk buying a stolen game keys that could be revoked at any time without refund, but I get what I want, so it's cool, right? I obviously can't make you, I can only ask. Please, don't support G2A.

Based on what was said by Matt Booty just after the trailer for Avowed aired on the Xbox Showcase, sadly no.

I have touched on this before; It's so bad indie devs' were preferring fans to pirate their games rather than use G2A. I'd avoid key resellers altogether, but at the very least don't use G2A, they're basically an front for fraud.

First, I never said they wanted to release the game fully on console for the XBSX release. They said in the statement they were aiming for full release in 2021. What I said was they wanted to have the game out in some way, and they chose Early access on Steam XBox's equivalent, Game Preview. Xbox having the right to remove games from game pass is weak argument for a game that isn't even out yet, not to mention I'm quite sure Xbox's own games don't get removed from the service, why would they? The fact this game's publisher makes revenue of XBGP means that, indirectly, XBGP does fund the development of this game, albeit only in part. If I had an XBGP subscription, or even XBLG for that matter, I wouldn't want to believe even one penny of that was going toward the development of a game for beta codes to just be given away to just anyone. Because of that, giving current XBGP subscribers the chance to take part in closed beta makes sense, apart from that XBGP has something like 10 million members, so it would have to be lotteries or something like that and that's more bullshit to deal with. I fully agree with you that early access was not made for major publishers and larger game studios, but this more complicated than you're making it out to be. Xbox Game Studios may not be WHO early was made for, but that doesn't mean this game isn't WHAT early access was made for. If this game was near completion or ready to launch "live service" style to be updated as a full game, I would agree with you 100%, but this doesn't seem to be the case. People buying early access know the score, at least in this case they can feel more confident that will game will come out and their investment will pay off because a major publisher is involved. You buy the game cheap on early access or XB Game Preview, play it, offer feedback and do it all with far more assurance that most early access or crowdfunded games that the game will come out and you've save money over the final release price. Obsidian gets that valuable player feedback without having to deal with the policy minefield of once would associate with closed beta's amongst paying Xbox Members. Xbox getslower the investment slightly into the development, saving them money, whilst letting their publisher be free and just get on with having deal within extra bulk of their stress. I'm not saying perfect, but I can't think of a better way all round and everyone gets a win here.

This has been discussed before. The short version is no, and that's not about to change.

I've had a look at the steam page. There is no price yet, but this what is stated with regard to early access; What I get from this is that are claiming this about engaging with the community to improve the game as they develop it, it's not really about monetary support of the development itself. That would make sense if that's the case because it's clear right now that they want this game out in some way before the launch of XBSX. The problem, quite clearly, is that game is currently in a state where it's just not ready to be sold as a proper title. By putting on early access as, what's basically, a long beta test, they can develop the game more quickly to get it ready for release on console and XBox Game Pass. And obviously, XBox want it there as soon as possible. Xbox publish and promote the game, but their cash isn't the only thing Obsidian need and they obviously value early access for that purpose as they've used it before. I know what you're gonna say, "If that's the case then they should this make this game free." Well, they can't because people have effectively already bought it through the XBGP subscription. Obsidian and XBox can't ask people to accept a game they pay for through a subscription just given away for free. At least that's my theory.

@CrazycrabMissed the chance to edit. I watched it again and I noticed that Obsidian has been working on Grounded for 2 years, that's before they made their deal with Microsoft, so maybe Microsoft aren't an involved as first thought.

Somehow that detail slipped past me. You're right, that does look dodgy. Without knowing the details of how the publishing and funding arrangement is between Obsidian and Microsoft it's difficult to say for sure if this is a dodgy as it looks, but I doubt we'll ever know. They wouldn't be the first major publisher/developer to do this, hell, one way or another, they're all in the game of taking money from fans to pay for a game that isn't finished.

Well here it is, The July XBox Showcase. Now, the last time I did something like this on VGR was the PS5 Reveal. On that occasion I posted the whole even then each individual trailer making a small statement on how I felt for each one. This time, I'm not gonna go that because a lot of the trailers in this were quite short and a lot of the info comes from these pre/pro trailer interviews, so I'll post the event itself with time stamps for each trail where I make each statement. The first up is arguable the bigest gun XBox has its arsenal, the game that some say IS XBox. a $500million AAA atom bomb to launch the XBox Seies X into orbit. The new Halo. Halo infinite... ...and it looks like shit. The gameplay itself looks fun to engage with, it is Halo, but this can't be next gen. It looks like an early XB1, maybe even a good 360 game. I know Xbox fans are going to clamber on about its 60fps and all that, but when it's running on the equivalent of "Powered by a hamster in a wheel" settings on PC, that doesn't mean much. People have really been tearing into this on Twitter, and rightfully so. Moving on. at 12 minutes we get a very short teaser for State of Decay 3. Looks pretty in this cinematic, but there's so little I can't really think of much to say. Next after from inspirational sale corp' from everybody's favourite game executive Phil Spencer, another brief cinematic of the new Forza Motorsport at 15:26. Em Phil, It looks stunning, but just so you know, "Running in game engine" does not mean "Running in game graphics". At 16:33, a new game from rare called Everwild. It's cinematic AGAIN, but the art style is stunning and a bit different. I like the look of, and I sense a subtle environmental lesson in there, so that could be interesting. 19:37. Yeah, now were talking! A game from one of my favourite developers, DONTNOD called Tell Me Why. An interesting story concept and looks to follow the Life is Strange kind of style. One to watch that one. And it's coming soon, Episode 1 August 27nth. Next, starting at 21:45, is something of an embarrassment and this will spill into something of a rant from me. It's announcement of a new version of Ori and the Will of the Wisps for XBSX from Moon Studios. This is fine as an announcement, but the way this idiot yammers on about from rate. Now, if the difference between 60fps and 120fps is as significant and important as you say, why would have to lie about it to talk it up? Seriously, watch the vid. The comparative gameplay has clearly been slowed right down to point that it's playing about 15fps on the "60fps" side to make it look more jerky that than other side. That is not how a 60fps frame rate looks, especially on a game like Ori. Fuck off moon studio. Gamers, stop boiling your sense of gaming down to numbers! Because this is what happens, Halo Infinite sacrificing graphical fidelity to hit 60fps even though it looks like shit and the developers at Moon Studios having to fabricate a problem that doesn't exist to make 120fps look essential in a game where it clearly isn't. All just to sell a console. Rant over. 23:12, the first of two planned expansions for The Outer Worlds is announced, Peril on Gorgon due September 9nth. Great announcement, multiplat' game, nothing specially to do with XBox, move on. But not that far on as we stick with Obsidian entertainment at 24:43 for what it without my favourite part of the showcase, a brilliantly entraining trailer for Grounded. Now, I have no idea if this game will be for me or not, but this is a great trailer. So funny, self-aware and vibrant, I love it. The game looks good to, but like I said, I'm not sure it's my sort of thing, but kudos regardless. That was bloody brilliant. And we STILL aren't done with Obsidian as we see a trailer very promising looking new RPG called Avowed at 26:57. Getting some real Skyrim vibes, except maybe a little darker. It is FP perspective only, and I'm not a fan of that in an RPG, especially with swordplay involved rather than guns, but I've got high hopes for this. After some more up talking for NOT everyone's favourite gaming executive Matt Broody, at 30:05 we get a showing of a title from indie' studio Interior Night, a visual novel/interactive narrative called As Dusk Falls. This looks hard hitting and dark, I quite like it. It's not exactly the type of game to showcase the power of the Series X, it would probably run on an Abacus, still it's still good to see this types of games here. At 31:35 we get... NOT a trailer for Hellblade. Instead, they announce it's set in Iceland, and we can watch a documentary about how they scouted the location. This is XBox game I'm most exited for by miles and that's the best they can do? Well, given that the game's star Melina Juergens almost certainly edited that film, at least we can see some of her work. 33:04 and it's Phyconaughts 2. Jack Black sings and it's literally a mind fuck. Nothing not to like. 37:05 Destiny 2 coming XBSX and Game Pass, who cares. 39:41 A very promising looking trailer for Stalker 2. Not much to say, it speaks for itself, but this looks very. Cinematic again though, so grain of salt and all that. 41:39 40K Warhammer Darktide. No, I know nothing 40K Warhammer, so find a fan and ask them what's excited or not to be excited about, but it's a good teaser even though it's another cinematic. Is there enough grains of salt to go round? 42:58 Tetris. Fucking Tetris. 2020. Next-gen. Tetris. Fuck off. Next at 44:41 it is at least something from this decade. The Gunk. Like Everwild earlier, there seems to be some kind of environmental sub layer to the 3rd person adventure/platformer. Doesn't look that exiting, but I don't I'm the market for it though. Back to something more promising at 46:17 with the Medium. You play as a woman, who we can safely assume is a medium, investigating a murder using her gift to "look into the other side" or something like that. You can use what you see in one world to solve clues to problems or puzzles in the other. It looks cool. I'll probably play this. Now, this is an interesting one. At 48:48 a SEGA game is now exclusive to the XBox brand. New Genesis: Phantasy Star Online 2, and what's behind this has gotta one hell of a shady deal. You see, this is coming to both PS4 and Nintendo Switch... in Japan. The PS4 will come to the west later, but Switch version won't come to the west at all. I don't know who went down on whom to make this happen. XBox gamers typically haven't been very interested in these types of games, so I don't why XBox would flash the cast to secure this exclusivity, and I don't see why SEGA would want this either. The only thing I can think of is if XBox wanted increase their market share in japan, so sought out full exclusivity for the XBox brand, but SEGA wouldn't have that, so instead they made this bizarre compromise to affect sales only in the west. It's still odd of SEGA to flip off PlayStation and Especially Nintendo like this. 50:52 The campaign mode for CrossfireX is coming to XBox consoles and NOT the PC. I think this is the only game in the showcase that's actually a proper XBox console exclusive. The Multiplayer is free to play for people with XBLG Not gonna lie, it's not my sort of thing, but it does look good. Quite a brooding, empowering story it's shaping up to have. One last surprise at 53:40.... and it's a new Fable. Great news for fans, I'm just amazed there are any. Fable 3 and Fable legends did not go down well and the original was just a typical pile of broken promices from one of the industries the biggest liars Peter Molyneux. So, OK, I'm pessimistic about this, but I wanna be wrong. So that's the show. What did you think. For me, didn't light me on fire. A few good moments, a few good games, but most of the trailers were short and/or cinematic only. The one gameplay trailer for arguably their biggest game is now the but many Internet jokes. Check out the poll and lets get our collective thoughts.