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What were your highlights at The Golden Joystick Awards 2023? | Team Talk

13/11/2023

 
what-were-your-highlights-at-the-golden-joystick-awards-2023-team-talk

As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to start taking stock of what has been a phenomenal year for gaming. While our own picks for Game of the Year will come next month, the Golden Joystick Awards have returned to dish out all sorts of accolades to the hardworking souls who bring these experiences to life for us.

What stuck out in the award winners list for you? Did it make you think about playing something you wouldn’t have considered otherwise? Let us know in our Discord.
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​​by
Team
PTC

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​@pass_controller

Liam Andrews
what-were-your-highlights-at-the-golden-joystick-awards-2023-team-talk-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom
Game award events usually just serve to remind me that I’m not up to speed with what’s hot right now, and this year’s Golden Joystick Awards were no different. I’ve yet to sample Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3, and judging by the number of awards that were showered upon it this week I really should at some point. Cyberpunk 2077 was another one I haven’t tried, but I think I’ll wait for the complete / GOTY edition with all the DLC before diving in.

I was a bit surprised not to see Super Mario Wonder getting the nod for the Nintendo Game of the Year award. Perhaps it released a bit too late for proper consideration, but I’m having a lot of fun with it, and it would have been a worthy winner. Tears of the Kingdom is another I’ve not got around to playing, I only finished Breath of the Wild recently and I need a break before going back to that iteration of Hyrule.

I haven’t played enough of Starfield to comment on whether it’s a worthy winner for Xbox. I will at some point, but it probably would have been my choice given that I didn’t get on with Hi-Fi RUSH, which was probably the only other title in contention.
Chris Brand
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​Out of all of this year's winners and nominees, I've only played a small handful. As such, I wasn't too invested in many of the categories but it was good to see a large variety of games on show, even if a lot of them were Baldur's Gate 3.

There was some strong competition for the Still Playing Award with No Man's Sky coming out on top. It's had a lot of content pumped into it since its initial release and still stands out as being fairly unique. Of course, there are other games that revolve around space exploration but few that offer the same sense of discovery in such a huge universe.

One of those exceptions is Starfield, winner of the Xbox Game of the Year award. Despite the numerous bugs I encountered during my (considerable) play time, it quickly became one of my favourite games. Each playthrough lead to new findings and a greater appreciation for the world. Though I think Craig Sechler should have been in with a shout for Best Supporting Performer for his work as the Adoring Fan.

Most Wanted Game teased some of the titles we can look forward to in the future, like Fable and some non-Fable games which aren't Fable. The last proper Fable released all the way back in 2010 and after 12 years of not-so-patiently waiting, it feels closer than it ever has. By the time it sees the light of day, the hype which I'm trying to create will have likely faded away and I can stop banging on about it.
James Parry
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I’ve already mentioned my keenness to play Baldur’s Gate 3, and the record-breaking seven wins is a fairly clear sign it’s more than just hype and I should definitely get in it before the end of the year.

The benefit of awards like this is that it can bring games to your attention that you’d dismissed because they had an odd name, didn’t look like your cup of tea, or maybe you just hadn’t heard about them at all.

This year the names that stick out are both Sea of Stars and Alan Wake II. Both games have been receiving praise all over my feeds for weeks and, interestingly, both couldn’t be more tonally contrasting to each other.

Elsewhere the fact that the PlayStation Game of the Year went to Resident Evil 4 is a surprise, given that it’s a remake and we had some very strong contenders in the category, including Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

With so many releases, it’s hard to justify revisiting ongoing titles, though, like Liam, I’m tempted to give Cyperpunk 2077 another chance after being distracted and not diving into its world first time around.

Elsewhere in the very long Most Wanted category, the title that stood out for me is Star Wars: Outlaws, even though we don’t know too much about what it’s all about just yet.
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What is Forza Motorsport in 2023?: A racing game identity crisis | Opinion

11/10/2023

 
Forza Motorsport 2023

While playing the new Forza Motorsport, I found myself pondering what the game says about the series, and gaming in general. So this isn’t quite a review of Forza Motorsport, but hear me out.

You may already know the eighth game in the original
Forza series takes things back-to-basics, rebooting the game for a new generation. In short, it’s an excellent racing experience filled with the best simulated vehicles and tracks you can find in the genre today, and yet something feels a little…off. The question is why.

James Michael Parry
by James Michael Parry

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​@james_parry

Getting in the driving seat

While you take a moment for some token character creation, amounting to little more than simple gender options and a suit, depending on your view your driver is largely lost in the shuffle to the true star of the show – the cars.

At the end of a race, its your car you’ll see first on the winner’s podium, before a lacklustre punching of the air from your faceless drivatar. The experience all feels a little soulless.

It seems to want to have its cake and eat it too – be an elegant, classically-scored celebration of the beauty of these machines, and make you feel like the heroic driver at the centre of it.

We’ve seen characters thrown into racers for a while, effectively in sister series Forza Horizon 5, a little more clunkily in the more recent The Crew Motorfest, and the less said about the corny attempt in the 2015 Need for Speed the better, but no game has really pulled it off in a way which feels natural, or pulls you into a narrative as an engaging protagonist.

Changing gear

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Forza Motorsport 4 is where the series first achieved that photo-real look
Racing games as a genre haven’t always had to try so hard. Back in the day, we were happy with a sprite and the odd pixelated tree on the side of the track, now the push for photorealistic visuals, arguably achieved by Forza Motorsport 4 back in 2011, has led to players’ expectations soaring higher and higher.

Like games as an industry, we keep wanting, nay demanding, more.

Forza Motorsport 7, released back in 2017, hit a staggering 830 cars – once all the DLC was said and done – with 200 track configurations in 32 locations, so it’s no surprise it’s taken a while for developers Turn 10 to feel like they had something new to bring to the table.

But where do you go?

More fidelity? More tracks? More cars? The driving and handling experience itself was long-perfected by the time the Xbox One’s entry in the series, Forza Motorsport 5, rolled up in 2013, and you can only tie-in with so many TV shows and films before even that variety wears thin.

You could argue that motorsport itself hasn’t changed in decades, giving the team an uphill climb from the starting line, but enthusiasm for the sport has never been higher. Slightly different, sure, but Formula 1, for example, passed an average of million viewers per race last year.​

Drift into a powerslide

Forza Motorsport 5
Forza Motorsport 5 ditched some of the Kinect gimmicks and re-focused the series on simulation
There seems to be only one obvious solution – double down.

The tuning and car customisation options in the latest game are incredible, and it would be ridiculous to expect even more in that department, but perhaps make more of a game of it?

Not everyone has a detail-orientated approach to games, and introducing minigames which play on some of the extremes of what tuning is capable of, a cleverly disguised opportunity to educate, could bring the experience to life in a new way, and allow the player to bring the knowledge back into the main game’s driving journey.

Next, leave the drivers out of it entirely.

While it might seem like a bit of fun to watch them frantically change gear through the rear windscreen as you tear around the track, more than a cursory glance confirms that even in this latest instalment the animations are rigid and one-note. Far from adding to immersion it actually creates a distraction for those used to an exterior view of the car in their driving games.​
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The latest Forza Motorsport at time is indistinguishable from real footage
Finally, a more clear line between the serious, buttoned-up sim experience and the more relaxed, even arcade-y side of the genre would avoid players who aren’t quite as into the realism angle have more fun with the game.

Introduce more extreme damage options as additional challenges, daring you to make it down the track with only a single hit or jolt between your car and a written-off mess.

The tracks could stand to have a little more flexibility and customisation too, letting you customise environmental effects and add hazards to remix existing tracks in fun new ways. Or even leverage Xbox’s vast back catalogue of franchises to have you explore exciting, even out-of-this-world locations.

There’s nothing wrong with Forza Motorsport, and the team at Turn 10 no doubt will have a lot of fun additions and improvements still to come after release, but if they want to really bring in new fans to this series, something has to change.
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Forza Motorsport (2023) is available now on Xbox Game Pass. Code provided by Microsoft.
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Taken for a Quickie | We Were Here Forever

2/2/2023

 
We Were Here Together character waving to screen

The We Were Here series is back with more co-op puzzling for players to sink their teeth into. Join us as we take a look at the fourth and latest entry, We Were Here Forever.

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​by 
Liam 
​Andrews

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@pass_controller

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Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC
Developer: Total Mayhem Games
Publisher: Total Mayhem Games
Players: 2


The fourth game, you say. Do I need to have played any of the previous entries before trying this one?

Prior knowledge of the series isn’t required before diving into We Were Here Forever. The game follows a similar setup to previous titles, with two characters, often separated, having to work together to solve a series of asymmetrical puzzles.

While the series has established its fair share of lore since the original game’s release, you won’t need to be schooled up on it to enjoy the puzzles.

How do you work together if you’re separated?

You’ll be relying on push-to-talk walkie-talkies to communicate (voice chat is disabled otherwise).
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While this serves as a good way of getting players to engage in clear and concise dialogue, forgetting to hold down the walkie-talkie’s activation button or accidentally talking over your partner could get quite frustrating as one, or both of you, would end up having to repeat yourself.
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The idea is certainly a cool one, but there were times when we would have liked to have been given the opportunity to ditch the walkie-talkies when it made sense to do so, such as when working on puzzles in the same room.
Wooden structures and cable cars suspended by ropes and supports.
Tell me about the puzzles.
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For the most part, we found the puzzles to be fairly engaging. Being separated often means one player has access to information that can help the other, such as a book that contains the correct combination to a vault at the other player’s location, and there is certainly enjoyment to be had beating them this way, via a combination of teamwork and brain power.

However, there were times where puzzles felt a little lopsided, with one player having more to do than the other on occasion. Others featured unique symbols that had to be described to the other player, which wasn’t always as straightforward as it sounds given the vague nature of their shapes.
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Would you recommend it?
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If you’re a fan of the series then yes, certainly, although newcomers who have little or no investment in the story shouldn’t be put off as you’ll at least be getting the most premium entry in the series; WWHF is a more visually polished game than its predecessor, with lots of detail in the chunky stylized visuals, decent animations, and well-crafted atmospheric environments.

If you’re into puzzle games, especially co-operative ones with friends (online only, mind), then for the low entry cost it’s probably worth a shot.
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Our Most Anticipated Games 2022: Overwatch 2 | Team Talk

3/2/2022

 
Overwatch 2 characters concept art

I'm rather disappointed in myself for picking Overwatch 2 as my most anticipated game of the year because it is, in my not-so-humble opinion, more of a full-price DLC. The new maps, modes and heroes will be playable across both titles, with all of your unlocked customisation options carrying over into the "sequel" should you choose to upgrade.

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​by
​Chris Brand

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​@SuperCrisco

The only real addition (that I'm aware of) is the inclusion of PvE co-op missions. However, that's exactly what I'm excited for. I love teaming up with a friend, or a few, in co-op shooters and ramping up the difficulty. Gears 5 is a prime example. Although I thoroughly enjoyed playing the campaign solo, I had to tear myself away from horde mode just to write our review.

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Overwatch has dabbled with PvE content in seasonal events, such as the Halloween-exclusive Junkenstein's Revenge, and it works well. Yes, it's a simple mode without any frills that can quickly get stale but, mechanically, it's solid.
Our Most Anticipated Games 2022: Overwatch 2 | Team Talk - Dr Junkenstein
Overwatch 2 promises to keep things fresh by allowing players to modify their abilities, maybe trading a little bit of burst damage for more consistent DPS, or vice versa. The mission variety is what will make or break it for me. I'm hoping for both short and long missions, some adding to the overall narrative and others just there for intense, horde-like, firefights.

When it comes to PvP, there are significant changes being made. Overwatch will shake things up by transitioning from 6v6 battles to 5v5, with teams losing one of their tanks. This would make some of the "off tanks" a terrible choice in the current live game but, with a host of reworks in the pipeline, and not just for the tank class, I'm hopeful that players won't feel pressured to choose a barrier tank.

In fact, tanks may not be tanks at all; Blizzard have expressed a desire to switch the name of the class to brawler. Still, it's hard to see the benefit of forgoing a reliable Reinhardt in favour of a dive-bombing D.Va. Heroes are already getting slight tweaks and reworks (though, like most multiplayer games, this has been a constant ongoing process throughout
Overwatch's life), suggesting that the developers are going to drip feed changes until the sequel's release.

Our Most Anticipated Games 2022: Overwatch 2 | Team Talk - Orisa
I've read and heard nary a thing about the Overwatch Workshop, a tool for knocking together custom game modes. It's already being used in creative ways and could add endless longevity if it's expanded to allow for the easy creation of new missions, not unlike the track editor in the Trials series. It's not very intuitive, nor expansive, but imagination can push technology beyond its limits.

As Liam mentioned, Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard means that we can expect Overwatch 2 to be playable via Game Pass from day one. This not only saves money, but also saves me from having to persuade/bully my other half into purchasing the sequel. Playing with friends and loved ones is always more fun and I find that those closest to me are less likely to bitch and moan when I spend a little too long trying to sink a basket in the spawn room.
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Taken for a Quickie: Hell Let Loose

26/10/2021

 
Hell Let Loose - Silhouetted soldier on a chaotic battlefield

In the return of our conversational quick look series, we check out Team 17’s Hell Let Loose.
James Michael Parry

​by James Michael Parry

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​@james_parry

So, war is hell then?

You could definitely say that – from the word go, Hell Let Loose aims to capture the chaos of battle. It throws you knee-deep into the mud and blood without much explanation of what’s going on.

Things can get messy, huh?

Yes. For example, after getting a squad of six together – aided by crossplay functionality – we joined a match and encountered various communication issues. Different platforms could and couldn’t hear each other, not helped by the three in-game chat channels (party chat, squad chat and proximity chat) that further complicate matters. 

Even after figuring things out and aligning everyone’s settings, there was seemingly still a bit of pot luck involved. Not ideal in a hardcore simulation game.​
Soldier holds a gun in first person in a destroyed town
What are the basics?

There’s a long list of classes, though it’s best to keep things simple at first by picking a Rifleman. Clutching an M1 Garand, you might be charged with storming the beach at Normandy, or defending it, then the game plays out a lot like Battlefield’s Rush mode. It’s on a much larger scale, however, so enemy encounters can be few and far between.

​What happens when you get into a fight?


There’s a realistic slant on gunplay in that you won’t take more than a hit or two before going down. You can bandage yourself up to avoid bleeding out, or a Medic can do the job for you, but supplies are very limited. 

Working as a squad helps, since the Officer can put spawn points down in an attempt to keep everyone together. There’s also an element of wider team coordination here; Officers have access to a special command comms channel, enabling them to coordinate with other squads and even tanks.

Ooo I like tanks, can I drive one?

Vehicles are fairly hard to come by, but yes. Those different roles include a Tank Commander and Crewman, both of which must work closely together. 

In even rarer air, there’s a spot on each team for one Commander. This role directs friendly forces in a kind of a real-time strategy meta game, without ever getting stuck in on the frontline alongside everyone else.
List of the classes in the game with a soldier standing by
Sounds interesting. Is it worth sinking some time into?

Because of how matches are structured, each leg of an attack has a fairly significant time limit - if the defenders almost hold out at each stage, an individual match can last well over an hour. 

Hell Let Loose is a faithful and unforgiving take on World War 2, but some players will miss the creature comforts offered by almost every other modern shooter. It definitely throws back to the heyday of the Medal of Honor series, both in the way it plays and the inevitable similarities in weapons and themes. Overall, it’s definitely worth a go – especially for PS5 owners as it’s an October 2021 PlayStation Plus title.
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Team Talk | Marvel's Avengers vs Gotham Knights

27/8/2020

 
Team Talk | Marvel's Avengers vs Gotham Knights - Pass the Controller

The final Marvel’s Avengers beta has only just finished and we recently got our first glimpse of Gotham Knights in action, so we thought it's about time to resurrect that decades old argument: Marvel or DC?

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by Chris Brand
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@SuperCrisco

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by Team PTC
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@pass_controller

Chris | Marvel's Avengers

I've got nothing but love for the Arkham series. The story, pacing and combat are top notch and let's not forget those weird hallucinations when Bats inevitably gets poisoned and must race for a cure. Predictable, yet still fun every time. 

Though we've had the chance to play as other characters before, they were never as fleshed-out as Batman. This time, Warner Bros. have a reason to fully kit out the Bat-Family, hopefully giving each a wide array of gadgets and abilities that will rival the Dark Knight himself. The inclusion of co-op is also a huge selling point for me, adding longevity to a title that would otherwise be "one and done."

Having played just enough of Marvel's Avengers to get to grips with the basics, it seems to offer an engaging story (so far) and lovely, smooth combat, but with a larger roster, which will only grow as post-launch heroes release.

I was leaning towards Gotham Knights before getting my hands on Marvel's Avengers, but that opening A-Day mission had me flip-flopping quicker than the UK Government during a global pandemic. That cinematic feel has been perfectly captured, with Hulk displaying the same speed and agility he does in the movies.
Team Talk | Marvel's Avengers vs Gotham Knights - Pass the Controller
If you need ideas for DLC heroes, Square Enix, we've got you covered.

James | Gotham Knights

While Marvel have had a fairly firm stranglehold on the film universe for over a decade, their gaming past has been less successful.

Enter Marvel's Avengers, trotting out by now very familiar characters, Kamala aside, and asking the gaming public to love them.

While designs have been tweaked slightly since the initial reveal (see Thor's new hair do), the gameplay feels like an abstract mix of gameplay ideas which don't quite hang together convincingly.

Contrast that with DC in general. Not only is there the stunning Injustice games beating out Marvel efforts in the fighting genre and more charismatic portrayals in their LEGO games, there's the Arkham series, which took superhero games to a whole new level back in 2009.

Where Marvel has an ace in the hole though, as in the MCU, is Spider-Man. The Miles Morales-led expansion of the 2018 PS4 outing for Spidey looks shiny and will make the most of the PS5. Arguably though the combat that made the first so compelling is strongly influenced by the aforementioned Arkham series, giving DC the last laugh.
Team Talk | Marvel's Avengers vs Gotham Knights - Pass the Controller
Batman taught Spidey everything he knows.

Sam | Gotham Knights

Having played the Marvel’s Avengers beta over the weekend, I was left pretty underwhelmed. In fact, I couldn’t even be bothered to finish all of the missions and quit out before the end. Throw in the controversy surrounding Spider-Man’s PlayStation exclusivity and, somehow, Square Enix has managed to turn this Marvel fan away.

Gotham Knights, on the other hand, came as a nice surprise. The game’s DC FanDome reveal was expected in advance, though with Warner Bros. Montréal at the helm and not Batman: Arkham custodians Rocksteady I half feared the worst. WB Montréal’s Batman: Arkham Origins is hardly the acclaimed series’ highpoint, after all.

Granted we need to learn more about Gotham Knights to draw reliable comparisons, but the co-op gameplay shown in the reveal showcase puts what we’ve seen (and played) of Marvel’s Avengers to shame. There’s a veritable mix of combat and stealth, along with thoughtful use of gadgetry and teamwork; Avengers just tasks players with barrelling in and mashing buttons instead.

You can argue that there’s a place for that and you’d be right, but it got boring over the course of a single evening with the beta. When Marvel’s Avengers plans to stick around for years to come, that’s serious cause for concern.
Team Talk | Marvel's Avengers vs Gotham Knights - Pass the Controller
It's not real co-op without fancy tag team abilities.

​Liam | Gotham Knights

I missed out on the Marvel’s Avengers beta, so I’m still judging where I’ll get my next superhero fix with information gleaned from trailers and gameplay footage. Having just caught up on the deluge of justice coming our way, I can say that Gotham Knights has edged it.

The fact that it’s made by Warner Bros. Montreal and not Rocksteady doesn’t bother me the slightest. I know Arkham Origins is not held in as high regard as Rocksteady’s efforts (even though it still has its fans), but what I’ve seen of gameplay looks solid and reassuringly familiar.

I also think ditching Batman is a good idea, as not only do we get an opportunity to play as some of the lesser known heroes, but it eliminates the inevitable arguments that would have come about (at least in co-op) from everyone wanting to play as the Dark Knight.

But the inclusion of the Court of Owls and their Talon assassins as potential big baddies was by far the most exciting part of the Gotham Knights reveal trailer. Having read the comics in which they debuted as antagonists, they make an excellent ‘hidden hand’ type organisation, and Chris will be glad to know they’re also quite fond of psychedelic torture.
Team Talk | Marvel's Avengers vs Gotham Knights - Pass the Controller
Whoever the Court of Owls are, you can be sure they're up to no good.

Are you more hyped for Marvel's Avengers or Gotham Knights?
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Team Talk | What was the highlight from the PlayStation State of Play?

14/8/2020

 
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the PlayStation State of Play? - Pass the Controller

The latest State of Play was a rather toned-down affair. Sony had previously confirmed that it was, once again, all about the games, with no news on the upcoming console, but were those games enough?

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by Chris Brand
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@SuperCrisco

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by Team PTC
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@pass_controller

Chris

Sony appeared to put their best foot forward, opening with Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, but the indie showing was equally intriguing.

Braid is one of the better games from the previous generation and, even though it still holds up today, a revised edition is very welcome indeed. Whilst developer commentary is usually something I'd shy away from, Braid's story, and how it's told, resonated with me strongly enough that I'll likely use this particular feature for the first (and possibly only) time.

The Pedestrian is another bite-sized puzzler which piqued my interest more than some of the big budget releases. Or it would have done, had I opted to join Team Blue over Team Green all those years ago. It's a decision I regret more and more with each passing PlayStation title, especially those fancy VR ones like HITMAN 3.

Though virtual reality hasn't exactly set the world on fire, it's still a relatively new technology and it seems we are seeing more proper games that have incorporated VR as an option (such as Resident Evil 7), as opposed to "experiences" which are often little more than glorified tech demos.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the PlayStation State of Play? - Pass the Controller
Ol' Big Face returns for a walloping.

Liam

Sony’s latest State of Play was the first time I’d seen Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time in action, and I have to say it impressed me. I’m not the biggest platformer fan out there, but the lovely art-style and slick gameplay certainly has me tempted (I especially liked the gameplay changing new game+ modes). Even though it might not be a day-one purchase, the footage has got me thinking about going back and exploring a series I’ve yet to fully appreciate.

Other highlights included The Pathless. As a big fan of Abzu, I’m definitely interested in Giant Squid’s next project. The fluid traversal system, in which you hit targets with a bow to keep up momentum, looks like it’ll be incredibly satisfying, and, like Abzu, I like the whole wordless mystique surrounding the game’s setting (not to mention the adorable eagle companion and big boss battles).

I wasn’t so sure about HITMAN 3 and it’s virtual murder (a bit too grim for me), but the inclusion of VR news (and Vader Immortal) in the stream was welcome, although my last lingering hopes for a potential PS VR 2 reveal ahead of the PS5’s winter launch seem a bit fruitless at this point.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the PlayStation State of Play? - Pass the Controller
Oh, how we've missed the dulcet tones of Aku Aku.

Sam

Sony managed expectations going into its latest State of Play, though it was still somewhat underwhelming. By no means bad, but just okay.

HITMAN VR is intriguing, though since getting the supremely convenient Oculus Quest I struggle to muster much enthusiasm for PlayStation VR. Same issue with Vader Immortal, which has been available on Quest for quite some time.

When it comes to games you play on the telly, indies won the day. Braid: Anniversary Edition is the perfect reason to experience or revisit one of the inaugural indie darlings; Spelunky 2 looks like it’ll be a faithful continuation of the punishingly moreish original; meanwhile, The Pedestrian is one of those ingenious-yet-simple concepts that make you wonder “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Most of the show was dedicated to PS4, though Sony did throw us a bone with some PS5 gameplay. The Pathless looks lovely, and I appreciate the lack of a map to encourage spontaneous exploration. We finally have an idea of what Bugsnax will be outside of an internet meme as well, which might be something akin to Slime Rancher? Maybe? It wasn’t immediately clear what Hood: Outlaws & Legends is either, though it at least looks more entertaining than fellow next-gen brawler Godfall.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the PlayStation State of Play? - Pass the Controller
We're hoping for Slime Rancher meets Red Dead Redemption 2.

James

While the return of Crash Bandicoot seemed inevitable after he returned last year in remastered form, a title I don’t know, but have heard a fair amount about, is Braid, and that commentary track seems interesting.

Really it was the in-game, PS5 footage from The Pathless which really demanded attention by showing off a more deliberate art style, though admittedly one that is very possible on current gen, with the gameplay shown giving off a real Breath of the Wild vibe. The climactic boss battle with one of the cursed spirits in particular had a great sense of scale to it as well.

The Star Wars VR title Vader Immortal gives an impression similar to the one Star Wars Kinect did a fair while ago, which leaves me extremely sceptical. HITMAN 3 on the other hand offers a neat spin on the tried-and-tested franchise with its first-person VR perspective.

The Pokémon Snap-inspired Bugsnax is looking just as quirky as it did on first impression, though not as Pokémon derivative as TemTem. The Pedestrian fares better with its slightly overdressed puzzling and a final highlight for me was the snippet of Control’s latest expansion, which is almost enough to claw me back in...almost.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the PlayStation State of Play? - Pass the Controller
There's something familiar about The Pathless...

What did you think of last week's State of Play?
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Team Talk | Which DLC hero should join Marvel's Avengers?

5/8/2020

 
Team Talk | Which DLC hero should join Marvel's Avengers? - Pass the Controller

During the latest Marvel's Avengers War Table livestream, Hawkeye was announced as the first post-launch DLC character. Spider-Man has since been confirmed as a PlayStation exclusive. With a long list of other superhumans to choose from, these are the heroes (and villains) we'd like to see added next.

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by Chris Brand
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@SuperCrisco

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by Team PTC
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@pass_controller

Chris | Doctor Doom

Like all of the best super villains, Doctor Doom possesses superior intelligence, which is further augmented by a host of gadgets and a little sorcery. Though he's butted heads with many Marvel characters, on both sides of the hero/villain divide, he's more nuanced than he seems at first glance.

Doom (as his friends call him) has a moral code and genuinely cares about Latveria, wanting the best for the people he rules over. With The Avengers now outlaws, they'll be looking for assistance from anyone willing to fight and Victor (as his very close friends call him) ticks that single box.

His armour can rival Iron Man's iconic suit, allowing him to withstand a tremendous amount of damage, as well as giving as good as he gets, or take to the skies for reconnaissance. If that would be stepping on Stark's toes, Square could focus on his magical prowess and the ability to manipulate machines.

Doom's skill set is expansive enough to accommodate a range of play styles, which appears to be what the devs are aiming for, having multiple options when it comes to customising your loadouts. But more than that, and maybe the most important aspect, is that he just looks badass.
Team Talk | Which DLC hero should join Marvel's Avengers? - Pass the Controller
There's no need for myriad customisation options when you already look like this.

Liam | Damage Control

Damage Control has been around for a long time, but I only discovered the stories a couple of years ago when someone handed me a collection of comics for Christmas.

Although I was initially sceptical, it turned out stories about a company formed just to clean up the chaos caused by rampaging heroes and villains could be surprisingly entertaining, and I think the concept could work just as well (albeit as a bit of a curveball) in the upcoming Marvel’s Avengers.

I don’t think it would be fair to pit a bunch of technicians and middle management up against the likes of AIM and its armies (though it could be sadistically fun!) so Damage Control missions would instead be used to break up the action, with players given the opportunity to unwind and de-clutter the ravaged streets.

Perhaps as an extra incentive to play clean up, players could uncover hidden items left behind by heroes and villains in the rubble of destroyed structures, or come across some of the more fantastical characters that crop up in Damage Control lore - such as sentient buildings that want to go travelling - and have to negotiate solutions to these types of bizarre problems.
Team Talk | Which DLC hero should join Marvel's Avengers? - Pass the Controller
The behind-the-scenes workers of the Marvel universe deserve more credit.

Sam | Professor X

Professor X is the eponymous leader of the X-Men and a beacon of all things good in mutantkind. Charles Xavier insists that Homo sapiens and Homo superior can coexist, despite his species’ greater power and humanity’s many flaws. If that isn't a noble enough cause to earn the Oxford graduate a place on the heroic Marvel’s Avengers roster, I don’t know what is.

Xavier would fit narratively, serving as a leader to help reunite the team during the A-Day Aftermath that’s explored within the upcoming action game. He’s also the perfect counter to leading villain M.O.D.O.K., possessing his own great intellect and suite of mental powers that are used to opposite ends.

Professor X is most commonly depicted with a disability, and keeping him confined to a wheelchair would add diversity to both the in-game representations and mechanics. Having spent the last week wreaking havoc in Destroy All Humans! (2020), it can be a lot of fun to fling enemies around telekinetically and telepathically extract brains. There’d be far fewer cranial extractions, granted, but with a little expansion on the core concept a mentally-powered combatant with limited mobility could work.

He’d especially shine in co-op, serving in a befitting support role. A more direct comparison here would be to Bleeding Edge healer Zero Cool, who also occupies a chair, if this time entirely by choice.
Team Talk | Which DLC hero should join Marvel's Avengers? - Pass the Controller
Few heroes are better suited to taking on the mind-bending M.O.D.O.K.

James | Gambit

Unloved in the cinematic world and a fairly consistent background player in video games over the years, the X-men’s other gruff-voiced loner, Gambit, could be a fun - if unlikely - powerset to throw into the Avengers’ mix.

Given the characters already on the team, Gambit could be a quieter presence, almost a Solid Snake-like presence to tackle a more covert type of mission, on the Black Widow end of the spectrum, compared to the bombastic action of The Hulk or Iron Man.

You might think it’s all about throwing a few playing cards around, but in fact, Gambit’s ability to turn potential energy into kinetic energy could be applied to almost anything. It could be difficult to balance without breaking the game, presenting a challenge for developer Crystal Dynamics, but could make for some really interesting gameplay.

How well he’d play when teaming up with the rest of the group could be interesting too, combining with other powers, and we know from the trailers alone there’s plenty of story time when the group aren’t diving into battle, which could bring an interesting twist to the story side of the game as well.

A fan-favourite hero for many from back in the 90s cartoon days, this could be Gambit’s chance to get some time in the spotlight.
Team Talk | Which DLC hero should join Marvel's Avengers? - Pass the Controller
It's been too long since Gambit had a chance to shine.

Who would you like to see added to Marvel's Avengers?
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Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Xbox Games Showcase?

27/7/2020

 
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Xbox Games Showcase? - Pass the Controller

The not-E3 livestreams continue and Xbox Games Showcase was Microsoft's latest attempt to woo us into buying their shiny things. Though Xbox Series X garnered a few nods, it was all about the games, but what did we think of them?

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by Chris Brand
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@SuperCrisco

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by Team PTC
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@pass_controller

Chris

Let's not mess about. Whilst I could mention how excited I am to revisit The Outer Worlds or lament the abject cowardice which prevented me from enjoying State of Decay 2, and will surely prevent me from playing the third, I'm not going to. Yes, because of that teaser. The one right at the very end. You know the one.

Called it. Okay, it's probably not going to be a "launch title" per se and it may not be carrying a 4 in the name but the prediction was more right than wrong (and if I still have to eat a hat, it will be more cake than hat).

In all seriousness, I liked most of what I saw, Tetris being the exception. Obsidian seem to have an interesting mix of projects and I'm already too excited for Avowed, despite what little was shown. I'm happy enough knowing that Obsidian are working on something that's potentially like The Elder Scrolls. 

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has also crept its way onto my watch list, as Vermintide 2 was a lot of fun but it never really clicked. A futuristic take with the same meaty combat might be enough to keep me invested.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Xbox Games Showcase? - Pass the Controller
A short teaser, but sweet nonetheless.

Sam

Xbox fans have spent the current console generation begging for more exclusive titles, and it looks like the upcoming Xbox Series X will address that. I can’t say that any games shown at Microsoft’s first-party 20/20 event were visual showstoppers, but the diversity was certainly impressive.

Halo Infinite looks like it’ll be a bombastic blast, Everwild seems serene and thoroughly lovely, while Tell Me Why and As Dusk Falls tackle deeper themes usually reserved for smaller stages.

Though it was disappointing not to see any new footage from Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II following last year’s immense debut trailer, a specific trio of reveals more than made up for it.

State of Decay and Fable are perhaps my favourite Xbox-exclusive franchises, so seeing new instalments from both is exciting if not fully unexpected. Avowed, on the other hand, took me by surprise. Obsidian’s RPG looks to be a marriage of The Elder Scrolls and The Lord of the Rings, with just a tinge of FromSoftware - that’s basically a recipe for perfection in my eyes!

Best of all? Everything I’ve talked about (and everything I’ve not) will be available on Game Pass. Plus there’s still more to come! Only 9/15 developers comprising Xbox Game Studios have shown their hand so far.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Xbox Games Showcase? - Pass the Controller
Can Ninja Theory top the original Hellblade?

Liam

Halo Infinite seems to be getting a lot of stick following the Xbox Games Showcase, but I for one thought everything shown looked excellent (apart from those odd Minecraft-like cliffs) and it was very much my highlight of the event.

Gameplay looks like a return to the classic Halo formula, which is excellent news, but even better than that, there wasn’t a Promethean in sight! I’m not against the inclusion of new enemy factions, but I think Halo just works better when it’s you versus the classic Grunt/Jackal, Elite/Brute Covenant setup (or in Infinite’s case, The Banished).

As for the rest of the show, I thought Rare’s Everwild and Obsidian’s Avowed both looked intriguing, even I’m still not completely sure what either is about, and, like Chris, I think that Vermintide 2’s combat in a futuristic setting, which is what Warhammer 40,000: Darktide seems to be, is an appealing prospect.

For some reason I also found the news of Destiny 2’s impending arrival on Game Pass surprisingly pleasing, despite owning a physical copy of the game and never actually playing it. Perhaps the ease of access and extra content will be enough to convince me to give it another try.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Xbox Games Showcase? - Pass the Controller
Rallying around in a Warthog looks just as fun as ever.

James

After deciding to not get either next gen console on release this year, I came at the Xbox show from a very different perspective to normal - as a cross-platform gamer.

Fortunately with every release card there was additional information, highlighting the games were for PC too and those which, importantly, would be debuting on Game Pass. As a result, subscribers could get invested in these games by default, due to the minimal barrier to entry.

One of the titles which did stick out, which we’d heard about before but seen fairly little, was Psychonauts 2. As someone who’s heard good things about the original my interest is certainly piqued by the latest trailer.

While Halo: Infinite will offer plenty of opportunities for slashing, no doubt (those Grunts won’t massacre themselves, after all), the prospect of a return to the world of Phantasy Star Online, with New Genesis: Phantasy Star Online 2, is enticing. While many might not be familiar with the first game, its debut on the Gamecube in particular marked the beginning of the internet gaming era for some, including yours truly, and so the nostalgia repeaters were on full blast from the off.

While it might take a while to see some of the titles on show, there were only one or two which held no interest at all, which suggests the future is looking fairly bright for Xbox fans.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Xbox Games Showcase? - Pass the Controller
Did you get that same hit of nostalgia?

Catch up with the Xbox Games Showcase below and share your thoughts with us.
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Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Ubisoft Forward event?

17/7/2020

 
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Ubisoft Forward gave us a glimpse of the future, with details about Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and some of Ubisoft's other flagship franchises. Have they done enough to grab your attention or is it just more of the same?

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by Chris Brand
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@SuperCrisco

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by Team PTC
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@pass_controller

Chris

I thoroughly enjoyed my first watch of Ubisoft Forward. After 15 or so minutes of Watch Dogs: Legion, I promptly fell asleep for a few blissful hours. Attempt number 2 was less successful, as my mind (having already reached its sleep quota for the week) stubbornly refused to entertain the idea of getting some shut-eye.

I don't want to be overly negative but, outside of Legion, there's nothing to draw me in. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla does look great; Viking mythology is fascinating and there's a ton of real-world history to tap into, it just feels too familiar. 

The rest of what was shown simply isn't for me. My relationship with Far Cry spans around 30 hours, split across 4 titles, which is enough to convince me I'm not into it. Hyper Scape may look fancy but I possess neither the patience nor skill for battle royale games.

The omission of anything Trials related is almost as disappointing as Trials Rising. Though I'm in no rush to see one of my most treasured franchises turned into a yearly cash cow, last year's lukewarm offering did nothing to sate the Trials-lust.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Ubisoft Forward event? - Pass the Controller
So much potential...

Sam

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Far Cry 6 and Watch Dogs: Legion - as different as these games may seem on the surface, they all boil down to the same rote formula.

Assassin’s Creed Origins mixed things up back in 2017 and I gave credit where it was due. I did, however, also hypothesise that the new direction would be recycled ad nauseum and the franchise would soon find itself feeling tired again. That happened immediately, as very little changed in Odyssey and very little looks to be new with Valhalla.

Far Cry 6 manages to be in a worse position. The series peaked with 2012’s excellent Far Cry 3, with every reskinned sequel thereafter getting more and more drab. It’s caused me to hate what FC3 now represents, despite loving the game initially.

Watch Dogs 2 was actually a decent improvement over the original, but the implementation of Legion's differentiating mechanic is really underwhelming. Being able to recruit and play as almost any NPC is certainly ambitious, but the characters lack true individuality and recruiting them is a simple case of granting tedious requests.

I’ve basically played all of these games before. Bothering to keep up with the most prevalent Ubisoft franchises is a genuine chore at this point, and something I’m not going to sign up for.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Ubisoft Forward event? - Pass the Controller
Will Valhalla be just another reskinned Origins?

Liam

I am too old and slow (in real life and video games) for twitch shooting and parkour, so as much as I thought Hyper Scape’s setting was a cool one, I’ll definitely be giving it a miss. Cowering by the gas and hoping people don’t notice me is my preferred battle royale strategy, and CoD Warzone allows me to do that just fine.

Far Cry 6’s cinematic trailer was very well made, and set the tone of the game’s story nicely, but it would have been good to see some actual gameplay. I haven’t enjoyed a Far Cry game since the underrated Primal, and I could be tempted back.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay was what I was expecting it to be, but I thought the central map in your hub area that shows what alliances you’ve made was a cool addition. It gives me hope that we’ll be able to build and expand our settlement through other, less brutal means, and not just hours of violence.

Most impressive though was Watch Dogs: Legion. I had no interest in the previous games but being able to recruit random, throwaway characters off the street and utilise their unique skill sets for missions just seems like chaotic, silly fun.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Ubisoft Forward event? - Pass the Controller
Chaotic, silly fun just about sums it up.

James

Unfortunately for Ubisoft, a couple of things were stuck in my mind going into the reveals of its Forward event. Firstly, Far Cry 6 (while hardly unexpected anyway) leaked, including the inclusion of its Breaking Bad alumni antagonist, Giancarlo Esposito.

Secondly, and more importantly, there have been significant and widespread allegations of misconduct across the company, which has led to a number of executives being “allowed” to go on “extended leave” while investigations are made, while others have left the organisation.

That shouldn’t be cause to punish the hard work of the developers who have put these new games together, but it shouldn’t be ignored either.

As far as the games themselves are concerned, I found Far Cry 5 to be pleasant enough, but ultimately more bark than bite when it came to making a point. We’ll see if the sixth installment, this time set in the Cuba-esque country of Yara, has anything memorable to say, or will we be longing for the series’ past glories instead.

From the rest, Watch Dogs looks set to not live up to its gimmick, Assassin’s Creed has a lot to prove and Hyper Scape hasn’t quite sunk in just yet.
Team Talk | What was the highlight from the Ubisoft Forward event? - Pass the Controller
If Giancarlo Esposito isn't enough to get you excited, there's also an adorable pooch.

What was your highlight from Ubisoft Forward?
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