crispy4000

Arkham Knight would look incredible with auto-HDR if the resolution was higher. 1080p + HDR looks like a recipe for disaster for it on a 4K TV. The aliasing looks even more pronounced.

I think Microsoft and Amazon will both run into issues of Apple trying to lock things up within in their mobile browser. We'll see how it plays out.

HoB (PC/PS4/Switch) I love 3D isometric puzzle games. They fulfill a fantasy of what an otherwise 2D game could look like with polygons, vertical puzzles, camera pans, etc. HoB at its best perfectly encapsulates that, in a way I don't think other games have. Traditionally, this sort of game is designed on a grid. You may get full analog movement in some cases, like in Zelda: ALBW, but the world design doesn't match. HoB throws all sorts of curvy, windy pathways at you, then tells you to leap off them. So it's really more of a 3D platformer with some light puzzles. You're expected to aim your jumps, and the camera does a decent job not making any of those leaps feel blind. Landmasses are stitched together in a a way that flows organically from one to the next. None of the puzzles are very hard, but they do force you to go explore and think less about obvious routes. It's much more focused on overworld puzzles than dungeons in a Zelda-esque way. The main flaws are in the controls. The game could have benefited so much from letting you control your jumps mid-air. It feels a bit finicky as is, with some deaths not feeling totally deserved. I have no idea why they made that decision. Combat is also nothing special, but gets the job done. It's a bit buggy too, I noticed, but nothing too bad. Overall, I'd recommend it if that all sounds interesting to you. Not a must play, but with how cheap it gets these days ($2 or less on PC), it's worth picking up. 8/10

Apple dug in their heels and won't allow cloud gaming services unless games are released as individual apps and they get a cut. There was even a 3rd party browser that tried to get around it for Stadia that was just shut down. The iOS app Microsoft just released two days ago, which I think you're referring to, focuses on directly streaming games from a device you own. That seems to be the only thing Apple is okay with. As for a PS5 hack to run streamed games from off-PS sources, that'd probably take a modded PS5 (whenever that's possible). Same is true for Switch. It's a niche audience, and one that opens the door to piracy anyways.

I'd love a new light fantasy RTS that's actually worth paying attention to. Genre needs a comeback.

We've seen publishers pull out of cloud-based Steam game streaming with GeForce Now. Streaming a local PC seems to not cross any boundaries. As for an Xbox hypothetically running all Steam games directly, Sony could leave the platform same way that EA once did. It wouldn't make Horizon unplayable, but would probably damper their desire to put games on Steam in the future.

Really want to give this a try at some point.

Steam box, or Steam Link?

Played more HOB, should be near the end now. I've got a few minor gripes, but overall, it's a great game that gets better with time. I'll do a write up in the indie thread when I'm done.

I've beaten 16 backlogged games just this year. The pile still may outgrow what I can burn, but new game prices will hold higher than normal for a while due to the generation transition. Gives me an excuse to catch up. It's usually what I do.

Comes out in 3 days.

My list, based on what I currently own that was released this gen. I came into the generation late, and waited for bargin bin price drops and freebies. So that's my excuse. It's not quite as bad as I thought... I'll probably aim to beat most of the primary list games. PC Primary Yakuza series (PC releases of 0 and 1) Dark Souls Remastered AC Origins Doom Crash Bandicoot 2 & 3 Witcher 3 Okami HD Halo Master Chief Collection PC Secondary Prey AC Odyssey Black Mesa Megaman 11 Tales of Beseria Batman Arkham Knight Shadow of Mordor Ni Nu Kuni 2 Sonic Mania Spyro 2 & 3 Kingdom Come Deliverance Remnant from the Ashes The Surge Watch Dogs 2 Sony Primary Shadow of the Colossus The Last Guardian Horizon Uncharted 3 remaster Uncharted 4 Uncharted: Lost Legacy Bloodborne TLOU remaster God of War (finish up) Sony Secondary Tearaway Unfolded Final Fantasy XV Kingdom Hearts Final Mix Persona 5 Nintendo Primary Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze Captain Toad Yoshi's Whooly World Octopath Traveller Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Nintendo Secondary Wonderful 101 Rayman Legends Mario Tennis Aces Xenoblade 2 Torna (waiting for Switch Pro) Starfox Zero NSMBU Indie Primary Wargroove Dead Cells Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Into the Breach Guacamelee 2 Life is Strange: Before the Storm Night in the Woods The Messenger Subnautica Hyper Light Drifter The Talos Principle AM2R Pyre HOB (playing now) Indie Secondary Furi Superhot Underhero Bright Memory 1.0 Shadow Tactics Snake Pass World to the West Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Axiom Verge Moonlighter Never Alone Iconoclasts Obduction Invisible Inc. Vane Headlander One Shot Battle Chef Brigade Blazing Chrome Pikuniku Momodora The Turing Test Chroma Squad Etherborne Tooth and Tail Redout Bad North Minit 20XX Wuppo Valley Poi The last category could still go on and on. Thanks Humble, Amazon, Epic, Steam wallet credit.

Man, I never finished Human Revolution. I got to a point where the game forces you not to stealth and said fuck it. Might have been near the end.

Based only on what I’ve played, I’d pitch prioritizing these. I’d probably make LiS my number 1 for what it offers on the whole. It goes wild places. Even more than Edith Finch. You could put off the 3D platformers a while if you’re not that into the genre, but the those three are top shelf. Though be warned, they’re all a bit collection heavy. You could swap Xenoblade out for DQXI later this year (I know we’ve talked about that). I adore both games. Pick Xeno if you want more exploration and plot, pick DQXI if you want something more light hearted and traditional. You’re getting Switch graphics either way, lol.

Most new releases have next-gen versions or upgrades planned (Nintendo exclusives excepting). 2020's been a huge help for my backlog already, but there's still so much left to cover. What do you all hope to get around to before it gets forgotten about? Wii U games could count as well, if that's a question.

Never played the original, but the PS4 remake is sitting high on my backlog currently.

Spot the flash in the pan.

It'll be good at telling us what each of the platforms can do with reflections at least. Then Control will tell us more.

Yup, which means a lot of puddles to start with. It'll be striking until it's not. Reconstruction techniques could get better as the gen goes on, but the specs games are built for will also get more demanding. It's going to be interesting to see how a truly 'next-gen' game deals with RT. Even Control is still current gen in scope with RT layered on top. Same with Cyperpunk.

Looks like a match for DMC and Spiderman MM. Just no 60fps mode that we know about.

Not if you're tying to maximize elemental bonuses and blade synergy. When and how you switch between blades becomes the focus in the late game. And that's very much dependent on the battle situation. What element orbs does the enemy already have? What blades elements do you and your party members have equipped? Do you go for riskier elemental chains or topple combos? Can you do both to maximize damage? What about healing? Etc. By the end of the game I had that elemental flow chart pretty much memorized. There's a ton of the character/blade abilities and pouch items that make auto-attacks less needed and charge arts faster too. Last thing I'll add is that I really do think the auto attack changes from XB1 matter. You talked about that game having issues with just sitting there and not pressing buttons. In XB2, there's the Mario RPG style timed hits, in addition to left stick taps to cancel animation frames. Or you can decide to stop your attack strings to chase health pelletes. It's not as direct as an action game or even FF7R, but it is way more involved than the movement in XB1 mainly being about attack position bonuses.