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stepphase · 2 years

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Fifa 21 review its gameplay and rating for PS5, Xbox, PC

FIFA 21 offers welcome features in any game mode (even career mode). While making intelligent changes to the gameplay on the field. Responsive players stimulate gameplay

FIFA 21 offers welcome features in any game mode (even career mode) while making intelligent changes to the gameplay on the field.

publisher: Electronic Arts, EA Sports Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Bucharest Release Date: 10/09/2020 Type: sport age classification: GCAM +3 (Saudi age classification) Game age: infinite (approximate) Game hardware: Xbox One, Switch, PS4 (Rating Device), PC Need English?: The game is translated

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If every FIFA game mode was a player. There would just be too much talent for all of them to get playing time. This is a problem that the franchise faces every year - with a fragmented player base. EA has the impossible task of choosing where to focus its efforts. With FIFA 21, the studio tries to satisfy as many fans as possible by making small changes to each mode, instead of debuting major additions or reworking existing modes.

If anyone is in the best shape this year. This is the cult group of career gamers for a player of which I am a proud member. The career mode, after spending years on the bench. Finally got a few minutes in the form of several new features. Most of which enhance an experience that has long since become obsolete.

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Nothing in FIFA 21 feels completely original, and yet the label "FIFA 20 repackaged" that the game will undoubtedly receive is not justified. While rival EA Konami released PES 2021 as an update of the season to focus development on future PS5 and Xbox X Series versions, EA has made enough changes to make FIFA 21 a standalone game. Did it do enough to justify the ticket price for the few who don't buy every franchise at launch? It depends on which modes you play in and how you play them.

As a person who has sunk countless hours in career mode, FIFA 21 is a winner. If only because it brings a new experience in a mode that has remained dormant for years. What I can say is that no matter how you play. The game's updated mechanics are a step in the right direction. Allowing players to have more control over what's happening on the field.

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FIFA 21: Career mode is added

Launched on the bench in recent years, the career mode finally gets a chance to shine in FIFA 21. The offline game mode has received several new features. That radically change the way you build your team and advance your career as a manager.

Simulating matches is an important part of the career regime. In the past, missing matches was a hands-free experience; either play matches manually or simulate to the end. FIFA 21 adds interactive match simulations so you can manage your team while simulating a game. There is a certain sense of a football manager as you watch colored circles move across the field. As you choose when to make submarines or decide who to take a penalty kick. Match facts, such as player possession, shots, and ratings. Are updated in real-time to help you make the best coaching decisions.

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The new sim option is a welcome addition, as it gives number-crushing managers another way to influence matches without spending 20 to 30 minutes playing each one. I used an interactive sim to make sure my players were spinning properly. So they wouldn't get tired of the next game. I also successfully entered the middle of the match to prevent my team from dropping out. The last thing you want is to lose to a team from the table below in a simulated match. As you watch the sim, you'll see how each player performs and how your stats compare to your opponent's.

The visual sim mode, which is not entirely new to the franchise (see FIFA 07), gives you more control over the results, but it is a feature that can take advantage of next-generation hardware; if the feature doesn't take that long to load, I'll probably use it more often. Until the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions. I'll use the regular fast sim for most games and only use a visual sim. If it's an important game I can't afford to lose (and don't have time to play).

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Player development has also improved this year, although not without its own problems. Instead of training five youth players each week. A new development system increases players' growth depending on the growth plan you choose for them.

If i want Alfonso Davis to be an attacker with a wide back, his abilities for vision, cross, curve. And short passes will increase more than his other features. Alternatively, the Protected Wide Back option increases his aggression, straightening, and reactions, but not the others. By default, each player is set to "Balanced", which distributes points on most traits without focusing heavily on several areas.

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It may sound like the obvious choice, but "Balanced" is not always the fastest way to raise players. Each player's development page predicts how many weeks it will take them to increase their overall rating. How fast they increase in rating depends on the growth plan you choose. Along with the player's form (players rank faster when they are in form). This works the same way for older players who are shrinking - choosing the right growth plan can extend their longevity.

New to FIFA 21 is the ability to improve the attack speed and defense of players (from low to high) along with their weak moves and skills. In theory, you can now develop the perfect player with high-speed attack and defense, along with 5-star skill moves and a 5-star weak leg.

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With this system of adjustment and forgetting, the development of youth is more difficult than before, but not so annoying. Ideally, EA gives players more active options for developing young players. (For example, with B teams, separate youth training sessions). Because in Career mode there is nothing more useful than playing with a youth player. That you have studied and developed over time. I will have to play several seasons in career mode to understand. How the new development feature affects newly signed youth players. Finding the right growth plan and getting it in shape seems to be the best ways to improve a young player.

Another big change made in the FIFA 21 career mode is the new active training sessions. Instead of simulating past non-match days, you will now participate in group training throughout the week. They are offered in the form of three training sessions a day, each with a different group of players. In theory, this is a great way to break the monotony of the game one game after another. In practice (designed for wordplay), the feature quickly outperforms the welcome.

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Therefore: Every time you finish a workout, you get a grade (A to F). The higher you score in training, the more sharpness points your players get. But most players will not want to do these workouts every day. When you simulate them, you always get the highest score you achieved when you completed this particular workout manually. If you have never completed the training manually, you will fail it in the simulated training.

For example, after I score an A in a passing workout. My players will always get an A when I simulate that workout. Although it was not a terrible system. In the first few months of my first season, I scored an A for each workout. Leaving no real reason to participate in these practices. Yes, my players were happy, but that meant that the new feature started running quickly. From then on I simulated every workout.

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If your schedule is overloaded and your players feel burned out. You can always change the training day to a rest day. While they won't receive points for sharpness these days. Your players will gain fitness and morale with an extra day off. Believe me, you don't want to play a game with an exhausting start 11. To determine if your players are ready to tie. A new feedback system shows their morale, sharpness, and fitness - if any of them are low. It may make sense to jump them.

I'm glad to see the return of the purchase option so you can sign a player on a one-year loan for free. Before deciding if you want to spend a pre-determined fee to sign them to a full contract.

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In general, career changes give you more control over how your team performs and how players develop. The new training option targets the days around the competition (albeit only for a few months during the game). While the new player development system is a much-needed change from the poorly implemented training system of the last few games.

EA has made enough changes to please players in the FIFA 21 career mode, but I hope this is just the beginning of a major overhaul of the regime. The career mode of FIFA 21 is still fading compared to those in other sports games, as it lacks the granulation desired by gamers who could spend hours staring at statistics sheets or developing new tactics. I could do without all cutscenes and excitement so I can spend more time building my team

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FIFA 21 gameplay: Take control

The gameplay improvements are subtle but add a much better experience. It will take you a few games to feel the difference between the gameplay in FIFA 21 and FIFA 20. Once you do, you will appreciate the changes made by EA.

The first thing I want to point out is what EA calls "Creative runs," a feature that FIFA fanatics have wanted for years. You can now control the progress of players who do not own the ball. There is no more passing to a player just for the person who passed the ball to stop running and stay dreaming.

In FIFA 21 you can tell a passerby in which direction to move by right-clicking immediately after passing the ball. Using this had an immediate impact; A quick pass from Lewandowski to Müller back to the best striker in the world. Crossing the defense of RB Leipzig in a deadly way.

This is a great addition to the attack, but AI is not always the smartest with its performances; the player will continue straight forward in the desired direction until he is offside. When I tested this, center back Niklas Sule made a silly 60-meter run from one end of the field to the other.

You can also press the right trigger after starting a run to dictate the running direction of your teammates. But I didn't find it almost as effective. If you want even more control over the players outside the ball. The new player lock tool (press both joysticks) locks you to the ball player so that you remain in control of them even after a pass. You can right-click to switch to a different player. And use familiar pass controls to tell AI when to give you the ball.

Players also feel more responsive, solving a major problem with FIFA 20 gameplay. There is no more delay between your first touch and when your player moves. Yes, shielding is still recommended in tight spaces, but not as previously required.

The title has also been changed for the better. Nerfed in FIFA 20, the headers are now more realistic. Players actually jump for the ball instead of standing idle. And the flight of the ball feels as if it is dictated more by your positioning and the contact you make with it.

Other notable gameplay changes I've noticed include more accurate passing balls, although they still tend to go to the wrong player, smoother, more realistic animations (the graphics haven't changed much), and more useful handling. . The gameplay will continue to feel slow for some, as it did for me when I switched from a Volta game to regular football, but it's still a world-class sim.

FIFA 21 gameplay: AI and difficulty settings

Before entering some of the other game modes, I would like to briefly mention the AI and the difficulty levels. FIFA 20 updates have brought significant improvements to AI. Before the updates, I had no problems beating my opponents on Legendary Difficulty. But after them I lost almost every game.

I started my career mode with FC Bayern on World Class difficulty. And immediately noticed how much more exhausting it was than the same setup in FIFA 20. I was still winning most of the matches (I'm 18: 0: 6 in my first season) but don't have as much fun. Why? Because I was trying to control 50% possession, no matter which team I played for. Hell, I tried to keep the ball in 40% of the game. Even Bielefeld masterfully guarded my possession with skills you would only see Messi retreat. It was a frustrating struggle to get the ball from opponents to swirl around me or keep the ball and just pass it.

And then I found a new option in the settings called racer mode. When activated (available only for world-class difficulties and legend), your opponents have a "style of play of some of the best players in the world of FIFA". While it certainly adds to the challenge, there is nothing more infuriating (win or loss). Then owning 40% against the lowest-ranked clubs in the league. For me, World Class was still a challenge (but a little too easy). And much more relaxing with the competitor off. We hope that EA finds a better way to improve AI without making them unrealistically superior.

FIFA 21 Volta: New modes and missing history mode

Volta is still a lot of fun. Fast short games are relentless. Leave for a split second and the other team will find the net. The gameplay hasn't changed much, but teammates are smarter when running, and the new defense blocking system gives you better odds in a 1: 1 situation. Attackers will appreciate new skills that, when properly turned off, are almost impossible to protect.

Off-field changes include a new Volta Squads co-op mode, where you can team up with up to three friends to take on other teams. You can also wait in the lobby and wait for enough players to join your online 5v5 co-op team. Winning joint matches gives you XP. Which you can spend on a long list of vain items (shirts, shoes, socks, etc.).

Featured Battle is a new mode in which you face the AI-controlled community and celebrity-created squads to earn points and unlock special prizes. Eventually, you will be able to hire star players in your team. It is similar in spirit to Squad Battles in FUT and should give Volta players a reason to return to play with a small country that ranges from 3v3 Rush (without goalkeepers) to professional futsal rules with or without walls.

The replacement of the Volta story mode by FIFA 20 is The Debut, which acts as a racing lesson rather than a real campaign. You still play tournaments in different places with cat scenes featuring star athletes. But the whole mode takes about 2 hours. I am disappointed with the direct EA this year. Instead of shortening the campaign, I would prefer tweaks to the previous story mode with additional tournaments. Even if it meant getting rid of the cutscenes.

The good news is that there are now 23 Volta bars to play in. Each with its own rules and tastes. EA did a great job of reviving these places - the street art behind the ground in Sao Paulo shows the bright colors of the city. While in the background in Sydney you can see the beautiful coast of Australia.

FIFA 21 FUT: Listening to the fans

EA focuses on adding new cooperative options to the FIFA 21 game modes and FUT is no exception. Using a redesigned user interface, you can now play Squad Battles, Division Rivals, and FUT Friendlies with a friend. Don't worry, EA has added an option to create matches so you don't pair up against a solo player. As long as you win games, you will earn weekly progress in rivals in divisions and team battles to new cooperative goals.

Just keep in mind that there is a limit to the number of matches you can play that count towards your weekly score and matchmaking is based on the player with the highest score yet. So, if you are in Division 8 and you are paired with a Division 1 player, you will have to step up your game.

The main addition to FUT is the ability to create your own stadium. Yes, you can play in a real stadium, but if you want to build your own home. You can do it by earning or buying new items. For starters, your stadium is a family arena with boring elements of the FIFA brand. While earning unlocks, you can customize the terrain with a different theme, crowd chants, anthems, and TIFO.

Now you don't have to spend hard-earned coins on fitness cards or swap players as they get more tired. Fitness is still important during a match, but you no longer have to worry about it on the menus - all players start each game in full form.

FUT friendships and new developments are nice additions to the Ultimate Team, but EA really deserves praise with the updated user interface. The menus feel much more streamlined and less crowded than before. Given this, I still have problems with menu navigation speed in FIFA 21, as the animations feel sluggish - a problem I hope will be resolved in the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions.

FIFA 21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X

Before I finish, I want to talk about FIFA 21 on next-generation consoles so you know what to expect if you buy the game on a PS4 or Xbox One and upgrade to a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Dual Entitlement, like other EA games, is an initiative that allows you to upgrade to the next version of the game without paying extra. However, keep in mind that if you purchase the diskless version of these consoles, you will need to purchase the digital version of FIFA 21 on the current generation of hardware.

After purchasing FIFA on PS4 or Xbox One, you can upgrade your copy to the appropriate next-generation console for free until the launch of FIFA 22 (which is likely in September 2021).

Here comes the fine print: all your progress and the content you acquire in Ultimate Team or Volta will be transferred to next-generation consoles. Progress in all other modes, including career mode, is trapped in current generation hardware. It's a pity that EA chose to focus so much on career mode this year because if you start a franchise (as I did) on the PS4, you'll have to start over on the PS5.

In addition, your progress in FUT or Volta will only be transferred to the same brand on the console, so you can't move progress from PS4 to Xbox Series X or vice versa.

Bottom row

FIFA 21 does not rewrite the rules but tries to satisfy its base of players by making significant changes in each game mode. Career mode gets the biggest update with a new interactive SIM option, a redesigned youth development system, and AI enhancements. Volta is giving way this year but remains an exciting quick option when the calculated pace of regular football starts to feel boring. FUT also received some long-awaited changes and gameplay changes, combined with the first-class presentation we were expecting, making FIFA 21 the best football simulation on the pitch around.

But with the arrival of the new generation of consoles, I can't help but feel that it's time for FIFA to metaphorically retire some players and bring in a new team. The menus, though slippery, are slow; the career regime focuses its efforts in the wrong areas; the commentary can use a fresh voice and several modes and features feel half-baked. Overall, FIFA 21 is a great football game that adds something new to any game mode, while improving the gameplay on the field - I just hope FIFA 22 brings new life to the franchise when it launches on the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

This review will be updated regularly as we continue to play FIFA 21. Past games have been littered with errors; we will update this review if we encounter any at any time.

Rating: FIFA 21

What's wrong with the game

FIFA 21 is the latest version of the most popular sports game at the moment, which brings us a bunch of general additions and improvements. The series is famous for the realism of the control and its multi-phase.

Positives

Perhaps the gameplay in general has not changed much from its predecessor, but some aspects were added that helped give the player more freedom and creativity in the style of play. The passing and movement feature that gives you the ability to control the direction of the player after passing the ball helps give you more control in building the attack, as you can send the player to a specific direction either to distract the opponent’s defense or to create an opportunity to score, you may need time to master this movement and take advantage of it, but when you use it correctly you will notice its usefulness. Light skills are the other additions that I used a lot that allow you to do some quick skills in tight spaces to try to dribble the defender, very useful for dribbling inside the penalty area when there is a defensive block.

A huge improvement in the positioning of the computer-controlled players in your team, you will find them always trying to go to the right place when building the attack in a way that helps you pass them or distract your defenders. You will also find that the player is always trying to stay away from offside situations, the truth is that while playing a lot of games I did not encounter many offside cases.

Scrolling was one of the most annoying things in the last part, which is a lot better in this part. You will find that there is more fluidity and accuracy in passing, the ball often goes in the direction and to the player you want, quick and short passes are very fun when building a fast counter-attack.

When playing on Legendary or Ultimate difficulty, an option can be activated that makes the computer's gameplay very similar to that of a real opponent. The difficulty is based on the playing style of some of the best players in the series. You will find that the computer is getting smarter, it will make many skill moves and it will become difficult to predict its movements. This made playing against the computer much more fun.

Welcome improvements in Career Mode, perhaps the most important of which is the ability to have the computer play the match with the ability to follow its events via an interactive screen that allows you to make substitutions, follow the stats, and even enter at any moment to complete the match. Improving the management and development of players in the team, where it is now possible to develop the player and train him in order to change his position in the squad and even create a training program for old players to maintain their level instead of declining, the possibility of controlling the schedule and specifying training and rest days and an improvement in transfers such as the possibility of borrowing a player with the option of final purchase. It is true that they are minor improvements, but they helped improve this pattern.

The Volta mode that was added in the last year's part has received some important improvements, as it is now possible to play against friends online in a competitive or cooperative manner, as well as an educational story mode and Volta Battles mode, which allows you to play online even with 3 of your friends or with Other people, build and customize a team and rise through different levels to get rewards. Perhaps the most important addition that improved the gameplay of this mode is the simple skills that allow you to do quick skills away from other complex skills, this addition made Volta more enjoyable for those who are not very good at doing the skills.

Negatives

The level of goalkeepers in the game is still unpredictable, sometimes you find that the goalkeeper can block any ball and other times he behaves strangely towards some seemingly simple balls.

Shooting in the game feels too strong, a lot of shots from outside the penalty area end up in the net, shots from goalkeepers' corners inside the penalty area also often result in goals even when shooting with players who do not have the power of shooting.

I noticed a discrepancy in the intelligence of the referee in the game, some interferences seem very strong, and even when reviewing the replay, you find that the interference was never on the ball, they are not counted as fouls, and sometimes some light touches are counted as fouls.

I still think that the free-kick technique that was introduced last year is very impractical and needs further improvement and development.

For

AI is smarter than ever

Additional cooperative regimes in Volta, FUT

Career mode receives much-needed updates

Responsive players stimulate the gameplay

The new directional tracks are effective

Against

Only minor visual improvements

Progress in some regimes will not pass on to the next generation

The career mode still needs work

The comment can use a fresh voice

Volta story mode recedes into the background

With the purchase of FIFA 21 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, you can upgrade to the next generation version for free (PS4 to PS5 and Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S) with your progress in FUT and VOLTA modes for next-generation devices. ( Upgrade available until FIFA 22 is released )

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brothermouzongaming · 5 years

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My Game Awards thoughts

I'm not going to cover everything that happened but I am going to go over some news breaks, my thoughts on the ceremony as a whole, some announcements we got/ ones we didn't, and maybe some "entitled gamer rage" just cause I can.

results for the awards here

The Xbox Series X announcement was unexpected but it is a nice jab from Microsoft to get the idea of the console in the minds of people even if it's just the physical look alongside what I can only assume was supposed to display its power and graphic fidelity. The ball is in Sony's court, I can't wait to see what they come up with. I suspect E3 2020 will be when we get something similar to what Microsoft did but maybe even bigger since they've had the time to work on it by then.

Let's stay on Microsoft for a minute cause that Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 trailer was... a trip. If Microsoft keeps this up I'm definitely going to have a difficult choice to make come holiday 2020. The tone and visuals of the trailer as a whole are disturbing and gorgeous all at the same time. I was captivated the entire time and love the more psychological/mythological mesh they're really diving into. I literally had to go and watch it before I moved on to other topics while writing this.

That shark game Man Eater got another trailer, I am kind of surprised that hasn't come out yet. Not hyped or anything but I mean it does look like fun the way Untitled Goose Game does. Woooah here she comes (sorry couldn't help myself).

No More Heroes 3 coming out with the big weird trailer. Seriously I was so intrigued and caught off-guard. Touche Nintendo, every day you bring me closer to getting a Switch. Bastards.

GodFall a self-proclaimed "slasher-looter" action rpg by Gearbox Productions dropped a vague, but beautiful, cinematic teaser. It also subtly drops that it will come to PS5 and PC. This is the first mention/marketing for the PS5 at all, and it's through a short CGI trailer that tells us nothing. Weird.

Ghost of Tsushima got a great cinematic/ gameplay trailer that was teased at the State of Play event Sony just had. It was entertaining and gorgeous but I need more gameplay, still very interested.

Sons of the Forest This is interesting because it appears to be a very interesting step forward after The Forest's 2014 release. Definitely leaning into the blend of mysticism and body horror with the new trailer emphasizing on a sexually confusing four-legged woman and several fleshy faceless husks clearly intended to be enemies. I gotta try The Forest especially if this one fulfills the fantastical horror it advertises.

Control not only won Best Art Direction and was nominated for many more awards, but they also dropped new content. Bless. Expeditions are a new repeatable mission type that sends you into a Jukebox (if you've played it you'll bear with me here) where you can get new and high-grade mods as well as an outfit. This requires you to scavenge the world for the coins that get you into the...Jukebox...world place. The rewards seem meager, like what is going to keep me coming once I beat the highest tier and get the outfit? That said, it's a nice reason to pop Control back in and boy is it nice, even better with the patches that improve performance and finally let the game flow the way it's supposed to. I wish it was a little deeper and maybe there's more to it than we know now, but it's clear that this is supposed to hold players over until the first DLC drops. Not a complaint, more of a matter of fact.

Wolf Among Us 2 was announced...interesting... I guess they really are pushing that whole "TellTale is back" thing huh. We'll see, they can't afford to fuck that up. It's clear this is a tactical move to build hype and get people wanting that game they've been wanting since 2013. Why not come back with the one game you know anyone who cares about "TellTale" will, therefore, care about? Makes sense to me, don't fuck it up new guys.

Where the fuck was my Batman announcement? The Harry Potter rpg that we know is in development? BioMutant, where the hell is that game? There are so many games in development and some even close to release that really could use some shine on a stage like this. Since I'm out to prove a point: Last of Us 2? Marvel's Avengers? RE3? Dying Light 2? Vampire Masquerade 2? Watch Dogs Legion? Psychonauts 2? Moons of Madness? Digimon Survive? Since we're so focussed on turning back time (more on that later). OddWorld? Little Nightmares 2? I hope my disgustingly exacerbated point is made, we could've had so much more. One or two of any of those games would've made it way much better.

My point is if I'm Geoff Keighley and I'm ending one of the biggest broadcasted gaming-related events of the year and it ends with a FAST AND THE FURIOUS GAME? You bet your ass I'm taking however much Google paid for all those bullshit (though entertaining) Stadia commercials and I'm sweetening the pot for Sony, Activision, EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo, WB Montreal, Capcom, literally anyone for an exclusive news drop of some kind. I'm sure any of those studios could've been persuaded in the name of publicity and hype and could've met/exceeded the excitement levels for a Fast and the Furious game. Fucking pathetic, is this 2009? Did you see those graphics?

Also...Green Day...? Seriously did I wake up in 2009 and no one told me? You have CHVRCHES on stage, you're handing out awards to bands and composers, you have a full orchestra for more musical numbers than even I'd care for...and you thought Green Day should be the headliner. I understand it was more of a personal choice by Geoff since he's a big fan but fucking hell go to a show don't subject us to it.

All in all, this night was pretty underwhelming with some flashes of entertainment strewn throughout. Yes, you have huge moments like Microsoft announcing the Series X, but when those are followed by minutes of Stadia commercials, moments like "Teh ken" and "This is gaming it's supposed to be free. Free love," and the myriad of obscure and nothing announcements it really shows that there are just some demons this award show can't seem to shake. No, I don't expect full gameplay reveals and walkthroughs but there is a middle ground between twelve-second trailers for new IPs and full-on presentations.

Ikumi Nakamura was there so I'm gonna start demanding she appears at all Game awards/ presentations thank you very much.

edit: all this ranting bullshit and I never mention that in my opinion, I think DMC5 should've taken GOTY. I totally understand why Sekiro won because it's great. It's deep, beautiful, visceral, rewarding; but so is DMC5. What tipped the scale was how much fun I had playing DMC5 and no Sekiro isn't for conventional "fun" but I thoroughly enjoyed DMC more and that really is what it boils down to when everything else is so evenly matched.

#The Game Awards #Microsoft #Xbox Series X #Sony #PS5 #No More Heroes 3 #Control #Man Eater #Wolf Among Us 2 #Godfall #Ghost of Tsushima #Sons of the Forest #Fast and the Furious

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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PlayStation Bets on Big Games as Game Pass Slowly Wins a Console War

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When someone asked me during the PS4/Xbox One era which console they should buy, I usually told them “PlayStation 4.” In a generation that usually allowed fans of both consoles to play the biggest third-party games, Sony’s emphasis on major first-party titles simply left them with the greater quantity of exclusive games and, in my mind, the greater quality exclusive titles as well. It really just came down to the idea that owning a PlayStation 4 put you in a better position to buy the next major console exclusive that you might be interested in.

In some ways, then, I absolutely understand the motivation behind a recent report that suggests Sony intends to devote more of their resources towards blockbusters in established franchises rather than new IPs that they consider to be riskier or “niche” games that largely appeal to specific regional markets. It’s a strategy that they were clearly developing during the PS4 era, and it obviously worked out pretty well for them there. Why wouldn’t they want to do more of the same this time around?

Well, it’s because the industry and world are in a much different place than they were in when the PS4 launched in 2013, and the ways that things have changed since that time not only cast doubt over Sony’s strategy but have made it much easier to recommend Xbox Series X/S to prospective next-gen gamers more than I ever thought it would be at end of the last console generation. To be honest, Game Pass is the biggest reason for that.

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Even though I know nobody wants to talk about it, the most immediate problem with Sony’s reported blockbuster strategy is the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. It amazes me that there still seem to be so many gamers who don’t understand the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the video game industry. There’s seems to be a popular belief that the pandemic will soon be over and that the game delays of last year and early this year are also coming to an end. However, that’s just not true.

Mounting evidence suggests that we’ve only just seen the first wave of major video game delays as more are likely to come once studios return to normal working conditions and assess just where they’re at on development timelines. We’ve seen games like Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League get delayed to 2022 already, and there’s a real feeling that 2022 is the year when we might inch closer towards a “normal” video game release schedule. Just look at what happened to movie releases last year and apply something similar to games in 2021.

Maybe Sony can weather the storm a bit until things settle down (and more people are able to buy next-gen consoles), but for at least the next couple of years, we’re going to see delays impact an industry that some already felt was too reliant on big-budget titles that are too often unable to be meet the release date expectations of gamers with more on-demand entertainment options available to them than ever before.

As you’ve probably guessed, that brings us to Game Pass.

Games

Best Games to Play in 2021

By Chris Freiberg

Games

Best PC Games to Play in 2021

By Chris Freiberg

As someone fortunate enough to own a PS5 and Xbox Series X, I can tell you that 90% of my gaming time has gone to the Series X since both consoles launched last November. Most of that time has gone to Game Pass titles. As the aforementioned COVID-19 delays leave next-gen gamers without a lot of next-gen games to play, Game Pass feels more valuable than ever.

PlayStation 5 may have boasted the stronger overall launch lineup thanks to Astro’s Playroom, Demon’s Souls, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but no matter how good those games were (and they were all great), the fact of the matter is that they eventually ended whereas Game Pass has offered a constant stream of new experiences that even includes recent titles like Outriders.

Sony has improved the quality of their PlayStation Now service in recent years, and PlayStation Plus’ free games program remains a fantastic deal, but Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan previously said he doesn’t feel adding new first-party games to PlayStation Now as day one releases is a”sustainable” practice due to the fact that those games cost “many millions of dollars, well over $100 million, to develop.”

But that argument just takes us back to the main issue here, doesn’t it? Sony seems to be committed to the belief that the only games worth pursuing (or at least the ones worth focusing on) are those ones that cost “well over $100 million.” Yet, much like horror movies, we’ve seen numerous instances of lower-budget games going on to post record profits.

Minecraft was a fairly low-budget game that became the best-selling title ever, Stardew Valley was developed by one person and still ranks high on multiple platforms’ sales charts, and even Rocket League (which PlayStation once helped promote through PlayStation Plus) went on to become a phenomenon despite reportedly only costing about $2 million to make and being based off the kind of failed project that Sony’s reported strategy would have likely led to them abandoning.

Yes, those are handpicked examples, but in their own ways, Sony is being very selective with how they present their own successes. They talk about the success of major PS4 games with big budgets (such as God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man), but they don’t necessarily talk about how part of the reasons budgets have skyrocketed so much in recent years is that studios continue to chase a very specific kind of game that costs so much to make.

I love games like Spider-Man and Ghost of Tsushima which utilize that open-world style with RPG elements that major PlayStation exclusives are becoming known for, but they’re not the only games I want to play. It’s pretty clear that what’s unsustainable in the video game industry is the cost of making them and the toll that the process of making often takes on developers even during “normal” times.

It’s a big part of the reason why we’re seeing a push for $70 games becoming the standard. Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden once pushed for $70 games, but after leaving the company, he acknowledged that part of the solution to the problem of ever-expanding development costs may be emphasizing smaller games and not running from them.

Games

E3 2021 Needs to Find a Way to Stay Relevant in Changing Times

By Matthew Byrd

Games

20 Nintendo Games That Changed History

By Matthew Byrd

Let’s also not pretend that big games have achieved this mythical “too big to fail” status. As Cyberpunk 2077 showed, no amount of pedigree and promise can prevent a big game from being a disaster at launch. That particular game may end up recouping its development costs, but we’re already seeing that the long terms costs of Cyberpunk 2077 include a blow to its developers‘ reputation that they clearly did not need if they’re going to continue to rely on the strength of their name to push major releases and pursue big-budget projects.

In a way, Sony already got a taste of that with The Last of Us Part 2. It was a very good game, it was a successful game, but even those who liked it noted that the title was fairly bloated and sometimes seemed to be designed to fulfill a promise of “X” hours of gameplay even when that promise was counterproductive to the game’s artistic ambitions. The Last of Us Part 2 didn’t even feature an updated version of the original’s underrated multiplayer mode, which is one of those things that makes you question how these big budgets are being used and whether they’re always in service of giving gamers the most bang for their (70) bucks.

You’d have a hard time finding anyone who doesn’t think that the escalation of game development has indeed become unsustainable. What I don’t understand is why Sony seemingly feels that the best thing to do is to lean into that dangerous trend rather than find a way out of it.

I don’t know what the gaming industry is going to look like at the end of this pandemic or this console generation. What I do know is that the most beloved video game consoles ever are typically the ones that offer the most robust library of games. As I look at what Microsoft is doing at the moment with Game Pass, cloud gaming, enhanced backward compatibility support, and even the acquisition/support of various development partners that will financially help them pursue more projects, I have a better understanding of how they’re going to offer a more diverse library of games in the coming years.

When I look at Sony’s strategy, I see a lineup of those same great PlayStation games that made it fairly easy to recommend PlayStation consoles in the past. As the competition increases, though, and those games look fewer and further between than ever before, my hope is that the PlayStation team finds a way to offer more than that.

The post PlayStation Bets on Big Games as Game Pass Slowly Wins a Console War appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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componentplanet · 4 years

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3 Billion People Worldwide are Gamers, and Nearly Half Play on PCs

A new report claims that 48 percent of all gaming happens on PCs, with a whopping 3.1B gamers worldwide across all platforms, consoles, and mobile devices. What’s interesting here is how the data breaks down across region and in terms of gaming spend.

The data here is from DFC Intelligence, via PCGamesN, and suggests that the PC-versus-console framing for understanding gaming is outdated. Only 8 percent of gamers identify exclusively as console gamers, meaning most gamers play across multiple devices. The study does not say if console gamers who only play ported console titles on mobile devices, such as Fortnite, would be considered console-plus-mobile gamers or strictly console gamers, but I’m assuming the former.

This makes sense. Even those of us who identify strongly with one platform — and I’m very PC-centric — still often have some other kind of platform. Technically, my Super Nintendo Classic and the old Wii we’ve got hooked up for some vintage Smash Bros makes me a console gamer. I’ve also got a handful of games on my phone. What am I? A PC gamer. But what am I technically? A multi-device player who has a number of avenues available for how to spend gaming time.

Chart by DFC Intelligence

Interestingly, those 8 percent of console players spend the most money per device. DFC Intelligence notes that their survey only includes gamers who spend actual money for games. Free-to-play games are not included. The company believes this eliminates double-counting across multiple platforms because people are unlikely to buy the same game for multiple machines. This control should help, but given that the Switch has a ton of ports of other games I doubt it caught everyone. There are undoubtedly some folks who bought games like Skyrim in 2011, then grabbed them again when they came out for Switch.

Overall, there are 1.42B gamers in Asia, 668M gamers across Europe, 383 million Latin American gamers, and 261M North American gamers. There isn’t an exact breakdown on console versus mobile gaming by area, but consoles have different availability in different parts of the world. Mobile gaming is the most ubiquitous method of playing because smartphones are now the primary way people worldwide access the internet.

Overall game spending has continued to surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. NPD estimates that July spending rose a whopping 34 percent annually, to $3.25B. What’s truly remarkable about this surge is that we’re seeing it despite the fact that we’re in the final year of the Xbox One/PS4 life cycle, when you’d expect software and hardware sales to be the slowest. Microsoft and Sony’s decision to add backward compatibility to their upcoming platforms may have been an incredibly wise decision given the disruptions COVID-19 is causing to mainstream game development.

Video game accessory spending also grew in July compared with the previous year, up 1.34x year-on-year, with full-year accessory spending up 1.24x. Video game hardware sales is down 2 percent. But keep in mind, that’s a drop of 2 percent at a time when these platforms are going to be replaced in a matter of months. Overall hardware sales are up 24 percent for the full year, at $1.3B.

This tremendous spending on games bodes well for the PS5/Xbox Series X launches, assuming the economic situation doesn’t collapse between now and then. Companies such as AMD, Sony, and Microsoft are all likely to see at least a small revenue uptick relative to the original expectations for console sales in 2020.

The PC gaming market isn’t the fastest-growing space (that’s mobile) or the highest revenue generator (also mobile), and PC gamers don’t spend as much as console gamers do. One interesting fact about the PC gaming market — and here, I’m drawing on a different report, by NewZoo — is that the PC space is much more static. It’s also sufficiently large enough that new releases rarely shift the market’s month-to-month performance.

According to NewZoo, the most popular games on PC right now are League of Legends, Rainbow Six: Siege, Valorant, Minecraft, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, GTA V, CoD: Modern Warfare, Overwatch, Apex Legends, and PUBG. The most popular games on Steam? CS:Go, DOTA 2, PUBG, Fall Guys, and GTA V. Here’s a larger list:

Most of these games are at least a few years old. A couple are closing in on a decade. NewZoo implies that the PC space is a bit unique in this way, with consoles tending towards quicker game turnover. I feel a bit less bad for playing Starcraft, Orcs Must Die, and Orcs Must Die 2 lately.

At any rate, the PC market was expected to grow at 3.5 percent CAGR through 2022 back in 2019. As of May, NewZoo was reporting a 4.8 percent boost for PC gaming, growth they attributed entirely to the pandemic. There’s an interesting implication there that overall PC gaming growth during the pandemic may have been slower or smaller than console game sales, but I haven’t been able to find additional data on that point. Either way, the pandemic has stimulated larger-than-expected sales in PC gaming too, not just in consoles.

Now Read:

Best Games for Laptops and Low-End PCs in 2020

GeForce Now Finally Comes to Chromebooks

It’s Now Possible to Play Doom Literally Inside of Minecraft

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/314009-3-billion-people-worldwide-are-gamers-and-nearly-half-play-on-pcs from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/08/3-billion-people-worldwide-are-gamers.html

#3 Billion People Worldwide are Gamers #and Nearly Half Play on PCs

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maxthommusic · 4 years

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PS5 Reveal

The Playstation 5 has officially been revealed and my frothing demand could not be more palpable. While the showcase wasn’t ground-breaking, if you had your finger on the pulse, you should have known it wouldn’t be. And anyone expecting some jaw-dropping reveals can’t be much of an enthusiast. Nearing the end of the PS4s life-cycle, we still have some killer apps to await (Last of Us II, Ghost of Tsushima) and drawing too much away from that presence won’t be good for business. But what we did receive is still incredibly tantalizing.

The thing I want most from my console experience is seamlessness. I’m tired of waiting for things to load, I’m done looking at textures stutter and drop-in-- I just want games to run as fluidly as they can on PC. While you may stop and say, “Just get a PC then;” gaming is my escape, my relaxation. I’ve been a faithful console gamer for years and years because of the ability to boot it up and begin playing easily. I like the option to relax on my couch and play on a big screen. Plus, after years of using a controller, that’s my preferred input method. Gaming on a PC just isn’t quite the same experience. Though I understand you could absolutely get it there, the barrier for entry is simply not desirable. Whatever performance capabilities a PC offers doesn’t quite compare to the easy access of a console. And having said that, I’m psyched for the PS5.

First off, I think the console looks awesome. I’ve been hoping for a gaming box to “make a statement” for a very long time, and my envy of the Xbox Series X design is no longer an issue. The peripherals look sleek and elegantly designed; I will 100% be purchasing the media remote and charging dock for controllers.

Secondly, the showcase, itself, was awesome. It was to the point, featured meaningful content, and felt like a special display of enthusiasm, talent and storytelling. The excitement of the devs and the studios was supremely obvious and I totally bought in.

A biggest concern, however, came from seeing the comments during the Twitch stream. I question if the games Playstation chose to highlight are going to appease the majority of gamers. However, in reflecting upon the matter, the “majority” of gamers may be Fortnite players. And I don’t mean literally, “gamers who play Fortnite.” I’m more so referring to the concept of people who play F2P games and maybe purchase one game a month, if that. What I have to consider is that it doesn’t matter who uses the PS5, it’s going to matter who buys games on the PS5. Even if 10 people own the console and 8/10 people hated seeing Solar Ash, if those 8 people never buy games but the 2 people left who do loved Solar Ash, that’s all that truly matters and that’s who Playstation needs to cater towards. Sales numbers for games like Final Fantasy VII: Remake, God of War and Horizon: Zero Dawn speak for themselves. Getting worried by the dogging and negativity seen when games like Little Devil Inside and Goodbye Volcano High appear probably shouldn’t worry me... It’s the voices of those who pay that matter, not quite who plays.

Also exciting, is being able to see screenshots and videos after the fact. I’ve been far more impressed with the games from yesterday as they’ve showed up on Twitter, especially in regards to Little Devil Inside. On YouTube Live I thought, “Oh, cool, neat looking game, not sure why it has to be PS5...” But when I saw it on Twitter later, the fidelity kinda blew me away. I expect to see a lot more of that occurring as more media is released over the coming weeks. And just as I was hoping, enthusiasts are feeling jazzed about Ratchet and Clank’s showing; the ability to jump between entire worlds without hiccup was an awesome display.

What’s most appealing from the games shown is that the stance Playstation is taking on their offerings is “What kind of stories can we tell?” And if you’ve been listening, Playstation made this pretty clear months back. While the messaging was certain, understanding how that might play out was a bit cloudy. Yet after yesterday’s showcase, we see that Playstation wants to put gamers into unique experiences you won’t find anywhere else. Or even if the games do arrive on other consoles, Playstation is here to support that ecosystem and turn them into highlights.

At the end of the day, Playstation is a massive brand. Appeasing everyone isn’t going to happen and at times they will make decisions that polarize or alienate. It’s guaranteed to happen from time to time. But the Playstation I saw emerge from that showcase is definitely a company that is authentically trying. Their effort is cleanly noticed and it’s why they continue to have my money. I know people will dog them for the price of the console... they’ll continue to jab at them for issues with backwards compatibility... But I dunno, man. There’s always something to be upset about. I’m gonna focus on what’s in front of me, not what I’m hoping for, and enjoy what I’ve been given. As consumers the Internet has given us way too much agency we don’t deserve. The Simpsons tackled this when Homer gets to design his own car. He totally flops it , proving that giving in to consumer needs created an abomination. Sometimes the ideal box just can’t be realized and it may be for several reasons we just don’t understand.

I’ve loved Playstation for years. I became truly loyal when I realized their controller was the best controller. I wanted all my games to feel that way. If they go to off-set joysticks I may feel the need to contemplate my system purchases differently... But for right now, I’m all-in. And I hope a lot of other people out there can feel the same way too. It’s an amazing time to be a gamer and it’s an amazing time to watch Playstation. My hope is that consumers can worry less about what they wanted and love what they’re being given. Because if you just wear the right lens, Playstation is killing it, my friends.

Absolutely. Killing it...

#ps5 #gaming

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stepphase · 3 years

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Fifa 21 review its gameplay and rating for PS5, Xbox, PC

FIFA 21 offers welcome features in any game mode (even career mode). While making intelligent changes to the gameplay on the field. Responsive players stimulate gameplay

FIFA 21 offers welcome features in any game mode (even career mode) while making intelligent changes to the gameplay on the field.

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PS5: Specifications, price, release date, and how it compares to gaming laptops

PS5 Games: All confirmed games so far

The best computer games 2020: What we play now

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FIFA 21: Career mode is added

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I'm glad to see the return of the purchase option so you can sign a player on a one-year loan for free. Before deciding if you want to spend a pre-determined fee to sign them to a full contract.

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FIFA 21 gameplay: Take control

FIFA 21 gameplay: AI and difficulty settings

FIFA 21 Volta: New modes and missing history mode

FIFA 21 FUT: Listening to the fans

FIFA 21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X

Before I finish, I want to talk about FIFA 21 on next-generation consoles so you know what to expect if you buy the game on a PS4 or Xbox One and upgrade to a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

After purchasing FIFA on PS4 or Xbox One, you can upgrade your copy to the appropriate next-generation console for free until the launch of FIFA 22 (which is likely in September 2021).

In addition, your progress in FUT or Volta will only be transferred to the same brand on the console, so you can't move progress from PS4 to Xbox Series X or vice versa.

Bottom row

This review will be updated regularly as we continue to play FIFA 21. Past games have been littered with errors; we will update this review if we encounter any at any time.

Rating: FIFA 21

What's wrong with the game

Positives

Negatives

The level of goalkeepers in the game is still unpredictable, sometimes you find that the goalkeeper can block any ball and other times he behaves strangely towards some seemingly simple balls.

I still think that the free-kick technique that was introduced last year is very impractical and needs further improvement and development.

For

AI is smarter than ever

Additional cooperative regimes in Volta, FUT

Career mode receives much-needed updates

Responsive players stimulate the gameplay

The new directional tracks are effective

Against

Only minor visual improvements

Progress in some regimes will not pass on to the next generation

The career mode still needs work

The comment can use a fresh voice

Volta story mode recedes into the background

Good to mention

We are here to hear from you

Of course, you can contact us to let us know if we are missing something on our stepphase.com page. I hope you like it and by the way, thank you for your visit.

#EPIC_GAMES #Fifa #game #games #Laptop_Games #Latest_Games #PC_Games #Playstation_Games #Video_Games #Xbox_Games

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Nintendo Switch Sales Numbers Prove It Can Easily Outsell PS5 and Xbox Series X

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

While most eyes are fixed on the GameStop stock situation, an equally interesting video game finance story happened today when Nintendo released their latest financial reports.

There’s quite a lot to break down from those reports, but if you’re looking for the headline or biggest takeaway, then here it is:

The Nintendo Switch has sold in 79.87m units after 46 months on the market. Here is how it compares to other consoles when launch aligned. In the same time frame, the PS4 was around ~67m and the PS2 was around ~69.5m. The Wii was just under 75m. pic.twitter.com/ox3NQy8Ye4

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) February 1, 2021

While few people would have guessed that the Nintendo Switch was anything but a success, the actual numbers remain stunning. The Nintendo Switch isn’t just a success; it’s a potentially historic device that will likely end up ranking high among the best-selling video game consoles of all-time.

Perhaps more importantly, the Nintendo Switch may have set a sales pace that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will simply be unable to catch. That may sound impossible given how hard it is to find either high-profile next-gen console, but these key takeaways from the latest financial reports show that the Switch’s success in the console wars may be inevitable.

Nintendo Switch Remains the Most Appealing “Other” Console

The line between Xbox and PlayStation hasn’t disappeared, but it has blurred to the point where owning both consoles feels like less of a necessity than it may have been in previous generations. This is especially true for gamers who typically stick to major third-party releases and free-to-play titles that offer few exclusive benefits between consoles.

The Switch is different. It was essentially released between console generations, which means that many gamers purchased one before they ever considered buying what would eventually become the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The benefits of that early release were especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Switch became a hot item to add to the homes many of us were stuck in while Sony and Microsoft were still trying to get their consoles on the market.

We see this trend essentially confirmed by Nintendo’s historically impressive Q3 2020 numbers. Despite the fact that the Switch was competing against the release of the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 (as well as major releases like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, and Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War that are unavailable on Nintendo’s console), Nintendo posted one of their best Q3’s ever and the best holiday season in Switch history from a revenue standpoint.

That strongly suggests that even those who don’t already own a Switch alongside their PC, Xbox, or PlayStation either still intend to buy one or are continuing to rely on the Switch as their primary game console

Nintendo is Able to Make the Most of its Limited Releases

Nintendo was widely criticized for its lack of 2020 Switch exclusives. While the Switch’s somewhat lacking lineup can partially be attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, most fans went into the year suspecting that it was going to be a relatively slow year for the console.

Yet, the Switch’s weaker lineup of exclusives seemingly didn’t impact its sales in any notable way. Why? Well, a big part of it has to do with how successful Nintendo’s DLC releases have been thus far. Nintendo was late to the DLC game, but the numbers clearly show that fans spend a lot of time and money with whatever new Nintendo games are released.

That success absolutely matters in an industry where so much revenue comes from DLC, but at a time when new content is still being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasingly longer development cycles of major games, Nintendo has proven that they’re one of the best at maximizing the value of individual releases through downloadable content.

Granted, they’ve got a long way to go (where is my Mario Party DLC?), but they can only improve upon what are some shocking numbers.

Nintendo Switch Lite Could Easily be the Most Successful Budget Console

I found it interesting that Sony and Microsoft decided to release “secondary” versions of their main next-gen consoles (the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition and Xbox Series S, respectively). Their attempts to offer a “budget” next-gen option feels not only feel valuable during tough times but reminded me of the Nintendo Switch Lite: a console I haven’t really heard a lot about since it was released in 2019.

As it turns out, the Nintendo Switch Lite has been doing very well. In fact, there is a chance that the Nintendo Switch Lite alone will have outsold the Wii U by the time you read this.

That information tells us two very important things. First off, while we don’t know how successful the PS5 Digital Edition and Xbox Series S will be in the long-run, Nintendo has already proven that the Switch brand is strong enough to support two pieces of hardware without negatively impacting the overall success of the brand.

More importantly, the success of the Switch Lite shows that even when you remove one of the Switch’s core pieces of functionality (the ability to play games on a TV as well as in handheld mode), people will still buy it. That leads us to the most important element of the Nintendo Switch’s success…

Nintendo Switch Still Has the Most Impactful Exclusives

I truly believe we’re entering an age where streaming services, cloud gaming, and other features designed to allow people to better access a wider variety of titles at a fair price will be more impactful than exclusives alone. However, we’re not at that point yet.

At a time when exclusives do still matter, Nintendo has proven time and time again that they regularly release the most impactful exclusives. Since 2017, two Nintendo Switch exclusives have sold over 30 million units, six have sold over 20 million units, nearly 10 have sold over 10 million, and 36 Nintendo exclusive releases have sold over 1 million units.

By comparison, only one PS4 exclusive has sold over 20 million units on record (Marvel’s Spider-Man) and only one Xbox One exclusive (Halo 5) has sold over 8 million units.

If you buy into the idea that exclusives still sell consoles, then it’s clear Nintendo is on another level in terms of exclusive sales. This all feeds into the idea that there is clearly a lot of people out there who feel they have to own a Nintendo Switch for at least one game.

Nintendo Switch is Remarkably Immune From Nintendo’s Mistakes

We’ve spoken about it before, but it’s hardly a stretch to suggest that Nintendo does things their own way. While that’s sometimes a good thing, it also results in Nintendo making some very stupid decisions.

Here’s what’s really interesting, though. If you look at the pure numbers, it seems that Nintendo’s biggest mistakes have very little impact on the Nintendo Switch.

Do you hate how Nintendo Switch Online features a limited library of classic titles? Nintendo Switch Online is a proven money maker. Were you annoyed by Super Mario 3D All-Stars’ limited release structure? It’s already sold over 8 million units. Did you think that Pokemon’s long-awaited Switch debut failed to live up to expectations? Well, Sword and Shield are already the best-selling Pokemon games since Gold and Silver.��

Even the infamous issues with the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons doesn’t seem to have impacted the Switch’s hardware sales in a meaningful way. The Switch just keeps trucking along.

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There’s just no clear indication that the Switch’s historic success will be slowed down by anything but the release of a new Nintendo console or some magical turning point when everyone who owns a Switch will have already bought one.

The post Nintendo Switch Sales Numbers Prove It Can Easily Outsell PS5 and Xbox Series X appeared first on Den of Geek.

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Watch Dogs: Legion Review

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Watch Dogs: Legion’s hook is the ability to recruit and play as any character in London, but this new feature is really more representative of a series in the midst of an identity crisis.

Legion opens with Dalton Wolfe, an operative from DedSec, the hacker group featured in the previous two games, dispatched beneath the Houses of Parliament to defuse bombs set up by the rival hacker group Zero Day. (Apparently every story involving terrorists and London needs to reference the Gunpowder Plot in some way.) Wolfe succeeds in saving Parliament, but loses his life in the process while failing to stop other bombs set up around the city.

DedSec is blamed for the bombings and the British government quickly hires the private security company Albion to establish a high-tech surveillance state covering every inch of London. Things seem pretty grim until you choose a new operative to rebuild DedSec and unravel the conspiracy behind Zero Day.

The story is largely formulaic and at times struggles to make a point. Ubisoft initially described Legion as a vision of post-Brexit London, but while hot button issues like fake news, illegal immigration, and National Health Service funding are regularly referenced, Legion seems too afraid to take any sort of stance on these topics or satirize them like other games such as the much bolder Grand Theft Auto. Ultimately, the plot feels as hollow as the many interchangeable characters you’ll play as.

I started my playthrough with Riordan Doyle, a pistol-packing debt collector with a deadeye, but quickly leveled up to unlock more than a dozen other operatives with a variety of skills. For as much attention as Ubisoft put on the ability to play as anyone you meet on the streets, it never feels very fleshed out, and isn’t all that different from similar systems in the State of Decay and Shadow of Mordor games.

Recruitment begins by pressing a button to learn a few basic facts about a character and the skills they’ll offer DeadSec. These abilities range from powerful new weapons and vehicles to drone summons and unique combat abilities. But some characters also come with disadvantages like poorer stealth abilities or weaker damage resistance.

If your potential DedSec member has a positive opinion of you, you can initiate a recruitment mission, which might involve information gathering, destroying incriminating information, or rescuing one of their friends from Albion. I actually enjoyed many of these missions more than the main campaign, which quickly grows repetitive with countless missions that have you infiltrate a secure areas to hack something before making a quick escape.

Procedural generation comes with its own set of problems. For one thing, character models are pretty bad in the Xbox One X version of the game I played. I’d say they actually look worse than the characters in the first Watch Dogs released in 2014. Leaving character creation to chance also leads to characters who just don’t seem to have voices that match their models.

It leads to other inconsistencies as well. At one point, I was tasked with recruiting a lawyer who would be able to free jailed operatives more quickly. But in order to get her to join DedSec, I had to get information about two men who assaulted her father because she couldn’t get the police to do anything about them, so I don’t think she was quite the formidable criminal defense lawyer she made herself out to be.

Once you have multiple operatives at your side, you are free to change them at any time you’re not in combat or in a restricted area, but don’t expect the smooth transition between characters like in Grand Theft Auto V. Switching operatives is accompanied by an almost 10-second long load screen each time. And you can’t change characters (or even equipment) in restricted areas, which are where the majority of the campaign takes place. Then again, it doesn’t matter much since there’s little incentive to keep changing operatives once you meet a powerful one that matches your playstyle.

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2020 Platforms: XBO (reviewed), PS4, PC, Stadia, XBX/S, PS5 Developer: Ubisoft Publisher: Ubisoft Genre: Action-adventure

At the start of the game, you’ll have the option of turning on permadeath. Without it, characters are hospitalized or sent to jail for a short time before they return to the squad. Even if you do play with permadeath on, there’s little risk of losing characters you’ve invested in. Legion’s AI is surprisingly dumb, with enemies constantly walking into gunfire or easily evaded. All in all, these issues make me wish Ubisoft had gone with a more traditional approach to the campaign with one playable character like in the previous Watch Dogs games.

Other gameplay changes are a similarly mixed bag. Legion puts a greater emphasis on stealth and hand-to-hand combat than previous games, but melee controls are just plain bad, using essentially a rock-paper-scissor system of strike, guard break, and dodge. And it rarely seems to work all that well. More often than not, I’d whip out a firearm to quickly end a fight after taking a couple hard hits from enemies. Curiously, even though Albion’s guards are well armed and armored, they’re almost always willing to first try to resolve things with fisticuffs. It’s just a bizarre design decision, especially when Watch Dogs: Legion’s gunplay and driving remain fundamentally solid.

Near-future London, with dozens of self-driving cars on its roads and drones filling its skies, is rendered well enough, although I did notice the frame rate dipping when driving around the city at high speeds. Perhaps that’s why campaign missions focus so much on sneaking around building interiors.

One addition I did enjoy was the ability to hack cargo drones and fly over the London skyline. This gives you the best view of the city and lets you access quite a few areas that are otherwise off-limits, but pretty soon this feature also reveals itself to be a one-trick pony. There’s just not much else to do once you’re in the air.

I do need to note that there are a couple other features I didn’t get to try out. Legion will feature a four-player cooperative online mode, but it won’t be available until December. And while I’m hopeful that some of Legion’s technical issues will be ironed out in the Xbox Series X version, I didn’t have the chance to try that version of the game for this review.

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There’s still some fun to be had in Watch Dogs: Legion. Hacking environmental objects to see the reactions of NPCs or raising blockers to evade police remain as amusing as ever, but you’ll really have to make your own fun in this sandbox, or hope that the game’s code spits out one of its better recruitment missions. When you stick to the main story, Legion’s new features feel half-baked, and the plot never comes close to its full potential. This is one of the more disappointing sequels in recent memory.

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