Latest news with #ToddHoward
Metro
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: How would you improve Mario Kart World?
The Wednesday letters page fears next year could see the reveal of the PS6 or next gen Xbox, as one reader wants a Fallout game set in Russia. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Constructive criticism I've really been enjoying Mario Kart World but there is a few tweak/options I would like to see. The obvious one is three lap races, but they need to reduce the players to 12 in that mode, as 24 is just too chaotic on small courses. Also, I would like to see the options back that can turn what weapons you want on/off in private matches, as I feel some are too overpowered. The last thing is they need to improve the battle mode, it hasn't been good since Mario Kart 64 and I couldn't put my finger on it till I played it again. In Mario Kart 64 karts turn really sharp, so you can spin round quickly to attack or change direction, in Mario Kart World the karts feel sluggish in turning and it takes an age to turn round, making it frustrating. Maybe they need to add a handbrake option but then I realised that all the karts feel like that, even when racing on some sharp circuits. All the karts struggle to turn sharp, even when you slow down, so I feel all the karts need a handling tweak. But even with these issues I can't stop playing the Knockout Tour mode, it's got that one more go because I think I can do better. Rob Old/new blood I would be absolutely fine with someone else making a new Fallout, or The Elder Scrolls for that matter. Bethesda broke the mould with The Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3 but all those games are very old now and they've not done anything as good since. In fact, they've barely done anything at all since. Apart from New Vegas 2 by Obsidian. I think my dream project would probably be Fallout set in Russia by one of these new start-ups founded by ex-BioWare or CD Projekt devs. There seems to be plenty of them about nowadays and I'd hope they'd be able to combine some old school experience with new ideas from a hungrier team. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Something tells me Todd Howard will drag his heels though and this chance to expand things won't be the opportunity it should've been. Taylor Moon It's happening again So we're probably going to see the hype for the PlayStation 6 and next gen Xbox building next year, right? Possibly even an official reveal for one or both. I'm not going to bother saying it's too soon, because I assume that's what everyone's thinking, but what is this going to mean for new game releases? Sony has already slowed to a crawl so are they just going to give up entirely and try and start with a fresh sheet? Could Microsoft be thinking of holding things like Fable back, maybe that's why we haven't seen it properly yet. Maybe they'll even make it an exclusive again, not that I think they should. Although I think this will happen, I hope it doesn't because I don't want to go through the whole circus of reveals, pre-orders, bad launch line-ups, and two years of middling games before they get into gear. It always happens and we don't need it again so soon. Winston Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The next reveal It's quite perplexing to nail down when the next trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 will be announced. But since the game is set to release in May 2026, surely it could be either January or March at the latest? Personally, as long as it includes a release date and a gameplay reveal, since we've yet to actually see any footage nad we've only seen the backdrop of Vice City, Jason and Lucia's reveals, and not much else. I'm hoping personally to see more from the numerous rural areas of Vice City. If there's any wacky characters to meet, the pastimes, and hobbies. If we'll see surfing and beach activities, for example. Maybe even throw in a strip club as well. I'd also like to see how the wanted system works. Will an army response be warranted, after the maximum wanted level is achieved, like the old titles, or is it more realistic? I'm just very much anticipating the gameplay reveal and to see if it's a change from GTA 5, or maybe it's just a similar follow-up. With the delays I expect interstellar quality. As far as my gaming life is concerned, I'm currently playing Assassin's Creed Shadows on PlayStation 5. So far, so good. Shahzaib Sadiq Marry and reproduce Anyone remember when people were defending the Activision Blizzard acquisition and rubbishing people who said there'd be job cuts? We don't hear from those people much anymore, huh? And now the other obvious thing has been proven: Microsoft wants to replace everyone with AI. Because I know I can't wait to play a game where the story and level design was created by a puffed up autocorrect. For some reason I can't help but think of the John Carpenter film They Live. I used to think that message was too blunt and comical but as time goes on you realise that consumerism really is that blatant. Just take everything companies throw at you and never question authority. Gifford Direct requirements Count me as one of those also desperate for a Nintendo Direct… and I haven't even upgraded to the Switch 2 yet. To say the console launch has been a disappointment is obviously ridiculous, it's only been out a month, Mario Kart has reviewed well (though there is a surprisingly about of discourse around it) and the machine is selling like hot cakes. However, the lack of nailed on releases dates, news over third party support, and Nintendo's big franchises AWOL has me a little worried. Like a letter the other day said, I was expecting Nintendo to come out firing their big cannons not the staid rollout we've seen. The varying quality of the ports so far also has me concerned; Cyberpunk 2077 looks good for a handheld… but it is a noticeable step down on PlayStation 5 from what I've seen in side by sides. Hitman is a poor effort and Wild Hearts S dropped last week with shocking results, looking worse than the five-year-old Monster Hunter Rise on the original Switch. You might expect this from a new format, but I haven't yet upgraded to PlayStation 5 either (like the Reader's Feature at the weekend, I'm stuck on last gen completely, with Switch and a PlayStation 4) and looking at the current situation on Switch 2 does have me thinking ,'Why wouldn't I just get a PlayStation 5?'. I mean I could be playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth or Baldur's Gate 3 out of the box next week, instead of keeping fingers crossed for inferior Switch 2 editions however many years down the road. Nintendo will be able to ride out the year (and probably next) with upgrading super fans… but need to do more to entice the next level down of Switch user to invest. Marc GC: Third party support for the Switch 1 was very poor and yet it could end up as the best-selling console of all time. The Switch 2 already seems to be doing better in the regard, assuming the current issues don't linger. Zero information What happened to that Star Wars XCOM game? Zero Company. I was really looking forward to that, but we still haven't got any real gameplay or sign of when it's coming out. I don't mind a teaser a long time before a game comes out, but I do like at least a hint of when that'll be. Have we had all the Star Wars events this year, is that what we're waiting for? I'm really hoping for EA to comment on Star Wars Battlefront 3 too. I love that Battlefront 2 is having a moment but I have no idea if a new sequel could happen. Sausegg GC: We've had Star Wars Day and Star Wars Celebration already this year, so there's really no way to guess when it will be show again. Maybe Gamescom or The Game Awards. To grind or not to grind In regards to game difficulty, I don't think there's ever going to be a consensus on if games should always have difficulty levels or not, but there's something else that has been bugging me since playing Lies Of P and that's levelling up characters. In Lies Of P you collect ergo as you defeat enemies, which you then exchange to increase your character's ability. This ultimately means you just replay levels until you've the boss has got easy enough to beat. The game has no difficulty setting, but any concept of the boss being an intentional difficulty level by the developer is lost. It's a similar situation in Clair Obscur, except that game also lets you pick a difficulty setting too. I'm awful at parrying, so when it got to bosses I had no chance with I made it easier (which I'm very thankful for). But later in the game I noticed recommended levels, that different guides were suggesting, were around 10 levels higher than what I was on. So, after replaying some of them I realised the levels people were suggesting make the boss fights easier than mainlining it on the difficulty below. These are far from the first games to be set up like this. I'm sure most of us as some point have got completely stuck on a boss, looked it up on YouTube and found everyone else has a health bar twice the size. Personally, I'd rather games let you pick a difficulty level that gives the right challenge for your ability followed by the satisfaction that you achieved it. Otherwise, you defeat a boss, but did you really do it, or have you levelled so far you're now in story mode? Tim GC: We mean… that's the whole nature of role-playing games, especially more old school ones. Inbox also-rans Can confirm that I also love John Wick Hex. There are dozens of us! Dozens! Opal fruit I would absolutely love it if Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 convinced Square Enix to make the next mainline Final Fantasy turn-based. I can't see it though, they'll chicken out and overcomplicate it. Turo More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: What is the next Assassin's Creed game? MORE: Games Inbox: What is the hardest game on PS5? MORE: Games Inbox: What is the easiest Soulsborne game?
Metro
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Fallout 5 may not be made by Bethesda as Elder Scrolls 6 enters ‘playable state'
With Starfield DLC and The Elder Scrolls 6 still on the way, Todd Howard may be prepared to cede control of Fallout 5 to another developer. It's a decade now since the release of Fallout 4 and yet no new game has been announced yet, even in the wake of the hugely successful Amazon TV show, which is already commissioned for seasons 2 and 3. Rumours last week suggested that multiple new Fallout titles are currently in development, with a new Fallout: New Vegas release – either a remaster or a sequel – amongst them. There was still no hint as to when anything might be announced but now there are rumours, from a different insider, about Fallout 5. Before the Amazon show, Fallout 5 wasn't expected until after The Elder Scrolls 6, meaning that it could be the best part of a decade until it's out. But a new report suggests that you might not have to wait that long, because it's not necessarily being made by the usual team. The Elder Scrolls 6 is assumed to be aiming for a release date of somewhere around 2028, which will be 17 years after the release of Skyrim – a staggeringly long time to leave such a successful game without a sequel. That's in part because Bethesda Game Studios, the internal developer led by Todd Howard, has been working on Starfield in recent years, although its poor reception has many fans wondering whether Bethesda may have abandoned previous plans for multiple DLC expansions. This issue was discussed at length on the Xbox Two Podcast, with Windows Central executive editor Jez Corden insisting that, according to his sources, work on Starfield had not been abandoned, even after the mass layoffs at Xbox. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. The host then suggested that The Elder Scrolls 6 was still several years away from release (despite having first been announced seven years ago) but Corden corrected him by saying the game was already 'quite playable'. He didn't suggest a release date, or give any indication when the game might be seen in public again, but he was confident enough to correct the idea that the game wasn't yet in full production. The discussion then moved on to Fallout, with Corden hinting at the possibility that Bethesda Game Studios may not be making Fallout 5, which would allow it to be released much earlier than if it had to wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 to be completed. According to Corden, the mainline sequel is 'fully greenlit' and ready to move ahead, although given modern production times that still implies it's going to be at least five years until it's finished. More Trending He admits that he has only one source for his information but then implies that the developer is not Bethesda Game Studios, or rather that Todd Howard – who usually takes the lead on all the games – is not the director. Corden suggests that ZeniMax Online, makers of The Elder Scrolls Online, will be put to work on the franchise in some way, and that the reason their new MMO, codenamed Blackbird, had been cancelled was so that they could make Fallout games instead. 'It was a case of, 'Do we want to sink a ton of money into getting this [Blackbird] to a point where it can compete with the established players in the market, or do we want to allocate that investment towards making Fallout 5?', said Corden. Although Corden does not state for certain that ZeniMax Online is the sole developer of Fallout 5, it doesn't require any inside sources to know that Microsoft would want the game out before 2033, which is the absolute earliest if Bethesda Game Studios was the sole developer. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: What is the next Assassin's Creed game? MORE: Islanders: New Shores review – a cosy city builder at a budget price MORE: Nintendo Direct is this month claims insider – but what games will it cover?
Metro
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: What is the hardest game on PS5?
Returnal – not an easy game (Sony Interactive Entertainment) The Monday letters page calls for a new developer to take over the Halo franchise, as one reader recommends Test Drive Unlimited 2 on PS3. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Hard won reward There's always a lot of talk about difficulty in video games but for myself I admit I like a hard game. Not all the time but I like to see some variety. If a developer thinks a game should be played at a certain level, I don't like to see them forced to change it, if they don't want to. So that got me thinking about what is the most difficult game on the PlayStation 5? Which is what I play now. Demon's Souls is an obvious one, along with any other Soulslike, but I think it might actually be Returnal. I'm a big fan of the game and I think its difficulty is handled relatively well, in that it's quite possible to get through the majority of the game with careful upgrading of your weapons and learning the rooms. But the last section and getting to the end is so difficult. Beating the game, my heart in my mouth as I risk losing hours of progress, has been one of my exciting and rewarding gaming moments in a very long time (Saros is now my most anticipated game of next year). Curious to know what other readers think though. Zeiss Changing fortunes I realise this isn't exactly topical but if you'd told my young self that Sega would end up quitting the hardware business by the start of the century and that Nintendo would become the most successful (with a few dips) my mind would've been blown. Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. To me, at my school, the Nintendo consoles were deeply uncool and overly expensive, which is quite the double-whammy. That can't be an unusual opinion as it's why Nintendo still underperforms here, compared to the rest of the world, and I still have trouble recognising the current reality. I've nothing against them but not only does it show how fortunes change but it also shows that what you assume to be common knowledge or an obvious truth can easily be you living in a bubble. Chondo Scrolling back Interesting Reader's Feature about Fallout and Bethesda. Although I think he's being a little unkind I can't argue that much when it comes to Bethesda's slowness and unwillingness to change (or acknowledge everyone loves New Vegas better than their games). I have to say it does sound very much like Todd Howard, or whoever, pushing their weight around but they've been slow now for decades, long before it became the standard. I'd also take the lack of Starfield news to mean they're starting to sweep the game under the carpet. I 100% agree that Fallout remasters are the way to go in the short term and I think the success of Oblivion pretty much guarantees. What I'd really like though, and what would help them get into fans' good books, is a remake – not a remaster – of Morrowind. There's such a huge difference between that and everything they've put out since that I would live to see them embrace that older style of more complex, stat-based role-player again. Dusker Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Superior drive In response to Magnumstache and games for his PlayStation 3, I would suggest one of my favourite games on the console and one of my favourite games of all time, that is Test Drive Unlimited 2 (if he hasn't got it already). Now that Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown has come out and has severely disappointed the fans, Test Drive Unlimited 2 has now absolutely solidified itself as a great game in the memories of those who played it first time around. And despite still playing Forza Horizon 4 and 5 these days, neither (or in fact any racing game, including any of The Crew games) have come close to being better than that old Eden Games classic. LeighDappa Hand off After seeing the news about the Halo devs being unhappy about their own game it does not sound good for what used to be my favourite franchise. I think it's long past time that the game be taken out of Halo Studios' hands and given to someone else. Much like Phil Spencer himself, I'm not sure how many years of repeated failure are needed before action is taken. I don't know what exactly is going on, and I doubt we'll ever find out, but the remake of Combat Evolved should be especially easy to farm out to someone else. Beyond that, there's plenty of other independent developers that could be given the main game to make. Saber Interactive, for example, or even give it to one of the Call Of Duty teams. Whatever happens it can't be left to rot even further. Mentos Two years later When Hogwarts Legacy was originally released in 2023 your review of it sold me to get it. I am not a Harry Potter fan at all. The price of the game back in 2023 put me off it, as it was £65 and based on Harry Potter franchise. Having conversations with real life friends they said it is an excellent game and I should get it. Before I sold my original Switch in late May I noticed a sale to buy the Switch version for £12.79. So, I did and I bought it to play on the Switch 2, as I knew Portkey were working on the Switch 2 version upgrade. So, when I bought my Switch 2 at launch I downloaded the update for £8.99 for Hogwarts Legacy. I have just completed it now, after 109 hours of playing. Yes, it could have been completed quicker, but this kind of game is right up my street. Explore at my own leisure. No achievements to hunt, which was a blessing. Just play the game at my own pace. No stress of achievement hunting. I can imagine some of the achievements, like probably fill the Room of Requirement. Sod that, just play the game and enjoy it, which I thoroughly did. Shame they haven't got the Star Wars licence, that would be gaming heaven. Same kind of game but with blasters and so on. Keep up the excellent work. woz_007 (NN ID) Old theory I'm beginning to think that GTA 6 will be Bonnie and Clyde inspired. The two heroes will start off normal small time crooks and build to a Red Dead finale. Would a bookie give me odds for this theory? Bobwallett GC: We doubt it. Not least because that was the rumour long before the official annoucement. Growing into it The only online, co-op or multiplayer gaming I engage in is once a week with my niece and nephew. Just not that interested in it and single-player gaming that I can get lost and absorbed in is what I enjoy. For them, online or multiplayer is pretty much all they play. I think that's typical for kids and teenagers these days. It genuinely makes me worry for single-player gaming's future. Maybe they'll grow into it. One of the problems is that most of the notable or worthwhile single-player games aren't really suitable for 12-year-olds. It's not all negative though. The games they do play all have a real sense of play at the core of them. The latest they're enjoying is Ultimate Chicken Horse on Game Pass, which plays like a multiplayer Super Meat Boy with the ability to place items and hazards into the levels to trip your mates up. They're also not obsessed with graphics, games being cross-gen or pushing the limits of the console in a way my generation seem to have grown up valuing. I have got the boy downloading Halo: The Master Chief Collection, so we can do all the single-player campaigns co-op. Seems a good place to start to get a bit of single-player campaigning into their gaming life. Simundo Inbox also-rans I just read that David Wise is not the composer for the new Donkey Kong Bananza game. That surprises me as he did such fantastic work on the other games. Nick The Greek Just found out that it's 10 years this month since Satoru Iwata passed away. Very sad but at the same but obviously Nintendo has done well anyway. Although I do wonder if they're still following his plan for Switch and now he's no longer with us there is no specific plan for the Switch 2. Gazza Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. Arrow MORE: Games Inbox: What is the easiest Soulsborne game? Arrow MORE: Select Games Inbox: What's the best superhero game?Games Inbox: What's the best superhero game? Arrow MORE: Games Inbox: Will Wii games come to Nintendo Switch 2?
Metro
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I wish Bethesda didn't make Fallout and The Elder Scrolls - Reader's Feature
A reader is frustrated at the slow progress on The Elder Scrolls 6 and a new Fallout and wishes that Bethesda would work more closely with other developers. I feel there are a lot of love/hate relationships in gaming. Where you love the games but, if not hate, at least feel exhausted having to put up with the nonsense of the company making. Even Nintendo is kind of like this, with all their weird ways of doing things, but at the end of the day they make great games, so everyone lets it slide. For me though the big problem is Bethesda. I love Skyrim and Fallout, but I swear they must be the slowest, most backwards company in the whole of gaming. There was a story this week about how there are a bunch of new Fallout games on the way, including New Vegas 2, and all I could think is I hope that Bethesda don't have anything to do with them. I know how weird that sounds, considering they're the ones that created the franchises (well, not Fallout but the modern first person ones) but I think it's pretty obvious by now that they have not moved with the times and you don't even need Starfield to tell you that. I don't want to harp on about Starfield, because I feel everything that could be said about it already has been, but I think the most important thing to note is that for something that was meant to be a graphical step forward it was the smallest baby step possible. More importantly, the gameplay didn't do anything new at all. Not only that but it purposefully undermined one of the best bits about Bethesda games, in terms of their open world design. This makes me very worried about The Elder Scrolls 6, because Bethesda seems to hate negative feedback and always does everything to talk themselves out of it. And if they do react it's by the smallest degree possible, as in Starfield's graphics. How much this has to do with Todd Howard I don't know but he does seem to have an unhealthy amount of influence. If it wasn't because he wanted to direct it, we would have already had Fallout 5 by now. But instead, they've been caught empty handed after the Fallout show hit it big and are now going to end up relying on other developers anyway. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. And what if they do a better job, as Obsidian did with New Vegas? Todd's probably going to get all funny about it again, because there's no way he doesn't feel bitter about how much love New Vegas gets. If they were sensible, they should've had a sequel to that 10 years ago. Heck, they probably should've bought Obsidian (not that that would've made much different now Microsoft owns them both). I hesitate to say this, given the layoffs at Microsoft at the moment – which I am totally against – but I really do feel the old guard needs to be removed from Bethesda, or at least put in a purely supervisory role, so that we can get some forward momentum here. In terms of their first party studios, their best games are all over a decade ago and the one big one they've done since then, was heavily criticised for being old-fashioned. Heck, so was Fallout 4 for that matter. I think what's maybe most worrying for Bethesda is I don't see when there's going to be any change. Everything's gone quiet on Starfield (what happened to one expansion per year?) and The Elder Scrolls 6 doesn't seem any closer now than in the last 15 years. I hate to say it but I'd rather other developers took over the Fallout franchise entirely. It's probably too late for The Elder Scrolls 6 now, but at the very least commission the Elder Scrolls equivalent of New Vegas and see what another team can do with the franchise. More Trending Bethesda leaders, whether that's Todd Howard or whoever, have got to get themselves into gear and embrace current day technology and standards. Because if their next game is another Starfield style disaster then we all know what Microsoft's response is going to be to that… By reader Koban The reader's features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@ or use our Submit Stuff page and you won't need to send an email. MORE: I've given up on getting a PS5 and I've already got real concerns about PS6 – Reader's Feature MORE: Competition does not drive innovation in video games, talent does – Reader's Feature MORE: Everyone should play Rematch: the best new football game in years – Reader's Feature
Metro
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: Will Wii games come to Nintendo Switch 2?
The Wednesday letters page wants new Fallout games set in different countries, as one reader hopes for the return of Watch Dogs. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Wii emulate With the talk of N64 and GameCube on Nintendo Switch Online I wonder what people think the chances are of the Wii, and maybe even Wii U, being added to the service? Game Pass and PS Plus get all the attention, but I think Nintendo's subscription service is much better value, at least for me. As far as I know it's successful and I'm not surprised, because who wouldn't want access to all of Nintendo's hits at the press of the button? Except it's Nintendo and it's never that simple, since many games and console aren't on there. I hope we don't have to wait for the Switch 3 to get Wii games though. It might not be many people's favourite console, but it's got games like Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Mario Kart Wii, the best version of Resident Evil 4, Super Paper Mario, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, and a bunch of other stuff that isn't on any format. I don't see it happening for a few years, not until they've filled out the GameCube selection a bit more, but I do think it's inevitable. Onibee Reduced Fallout It is kind of crazy how few Fallout games there've been in the modern age. It's enough to make you think the series isn't that popular but then how do you explain the TV show? I would like to see a new one, and be perfectly happy if it wasn't by Bethesda, but then on the other hand it is kind of good that at least one franchise hasn't been hammered into the ground. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. I'd love a Fallout: New Vegas 2 but I'd also like to see one that wasn't set in the US. I know Todd Howard said that would never happen but the reason for doing it make much less sense than GTA. The London mod proves how good it could be, although you probably need people from the place it's set to make it. Olliephant Heavenly fun Sony get a lot of stick for their live service disasters, and not without reason, but I would just like to say that Helldivers 2 is really good. I don't know if it's worth putting up with all the failures for, but that's kind of Sony's fault if they're okay with pouring all that money down the drain. I would absolutely recommend it to Xbox owners, since it's coming to their consoles next month. It's not the most original game but it's changed a whole lot over the months and unlike a lot of these sort of games there's not been many big controversies and other players are mostly pretty chill in my experience. Some of the recent additions have bene the best and I can't imagine stop playing it anytime soon. Mookster Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Reputational damage I don't know if Microsoft cares or not, but I have never seen such negativity aimed at Xbox than in the last week or so. I don't mean in the console wars sense but just with people furious with Microsoft for laying off so many people and cancelling all their games. A lot of the anger seems to be aimed at the obsession with AI and also the complete unreliability of execs like Phil Spencer. I'm sure he's not going to give up on the gravy train he's sorted out for himself at Xbox but how he will ever have the nerve to front another video or livestream I do not know. Microsoft is just a corporation and there's only one thing they're interested in. That should be obvious, but I think over the years some people have tried to pretend to themselves it's not. Wotan Better with friends I agree that my big hope for Resident Evil Requiem is that it has co-op or that there's some kind of other spin-off game that does. I'd really love for co-op to become big again and I don't really understand why it ever went away. Games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction are really good and super popular and with something like Resident Evil you don't even need to design the whole game around it, it's just an option. So many other games could benefit from this. How does Assassin's Creed Shadows have two completely different characters but no co-op. It seems such a missed opportunity. Grant GC: To be fair, Resident Evil 5 and 6 were very much designed around co-op. It's just if you're playing on your own the other character is AI controlled. The good news is that Shadows is supposed to be getting a co-op mode next year. Superhero fantasy I really hope the new Superman movie is good because I feel the whole concept of the character has not been done right for what seems like forever, at least in TV, movies, and games. The sad reality is that people don't want a hero that is good anymore. Or at least they've been made to think they don't. They want them to be grim and gritty and as we saw with the Snyderverse that just doesn't work with Superman. I think it's very depressing though that while we take laser beam eyes and freeze breath for granted the idea of a powerful person doing good is somehow the thing we can't believe and seems unrealistic. That's understandable when you look at the news but that's why Superman is a fantasy: absolute power being used only for good. As your article pointed out there's absolutely no reason Superman couldn't work as a video game. He's got plenty of bad guys on his power level (more than probably Batman has) and most of them are never seen outside of comic books and cartoons. Also, games, for some reason, are better at portraying heroic superheroes than movies. Peter Parker and Miles Morales in the Spider-Man games are, as I think GC said, 'morally perfect' and that doesn't even really fit the characters. That's meant to be Superman's trademark, and maybe Captain America, so there's absolutely no reason not to give it a proper try. If this new movie is a hit, then hopefully that's exactly what they'll do. Xero No one's watching Does anyone remember the Watch Dogs series? The second one is one of my all-time favourites, but the third one was so bad I don't think there's ever going to be another one. I know encouraging Ubisoft to make more sequels is not exactly the done thing, but I'd much rather have another game, that got back to complexity of the second one, than more Assassin's Creed or Far Cry. I get they're not exactly in the mood for taking risks at the moment but between that and Splinter Cell it seems that all their best games are being left on the shelf. Homer Lara laughs You know when it's the beginning of a journey you feel a sense of excitement and wonder of discovery. You're unsure of what lies ahead but it remains a journey to undertake; a wondrous road lies in wait. The journey is with fraught challenge, prevalent dangers lurking within, and a memory to cherish, for years to come. I've myself had the pleasurable journey of undertaking a playthrough of the rebooted Tomb Raider trilogy and just tonight I've completed Shadow Of The Tomb Raider. The trilogy is complete and I'll say this, I've always said Lara Croft is my favourite female video game character. I grew up playing the original titles, on PC actually. My older sister's computer was home to my memories of playing Lara Croft, when she wielded the dual pistols and donned her iconic brown and green outfit. It was childhood memories without equal. Today I'm 27 years old and I've completed Tomb Raider as a grown adult. To say this franchise means so much to me is an understatement. It's my childhood and it really is a testament to Square Enix that they have provided me with new memories. That will last a lifetime. Spoken as a long life fan, I'm eagerly awaiting news regarding a new instalment. There're many more tombs to be explored and raids to be carried out. On a final note. I'd like to ask GC if they can help me decide between two PC releases. Assassin's Creed Shadows or Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. I know they both scored 7/10. Which is a superior experience though? Here's to a wonderful trilogy and Lara Croft. Shahzaib Sadiq GC: They're very different games, so it depends what you're interested in, but we'd say Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was overall more impressive. Inbox also-ransJust heard that Soma is coming to Nintendo Switch (so should work on Switch 2) this month. One of my favourite games ever and would totally recommend it to someone that wants a really clever sci-fi horror game with no combat. Lentz You know what I'd like? A new X-Files games. Now the two leads are too old for it I'd love to see them voice their characters while they were in their prime. There were two games when it was out and the Resident Evil style one was actually pretty good. Blaineday More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: What will be the setting for GTA 7? 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