X Box Series S and X thread of MS DOING IT BETTER - The Bear and Badger

Moot_Geeza

I wonder how much Gamepass will end up costing once they're in full stride. It's clearly (imo anyway) in the crazy good VFM zone right now, much like PS+ was when Sony first started charging and were offering actual bangers as part of the online sub. Which looking back doesn't seem as good value compared to what we have with GP now, but definitely was at the time.

Minkymu

Yossarian wrote:

And that’s before Microsoft’s 23 first party studios start getting into their stride.

This

RedDave2

Minkymu wrote:

Yossarian wrote:

And that’s before Microsoft’s 23 first party studios start getting into their stride.

This

I'd wait to see what those thousand monkeys produce first. I'm still waiting for Rare to hit their stride and we are now onto Gen 4 of Xbox.

Moot_Geeza wrote:

I wonder how much Gamepass will end up costing once they're in full stride. It's clearly (imo anyway) in the crazy good VFM zone right now, much like PS+ was when Sony first started charging and were offering actual bangers as part of the online sub. Which looking back doesn't seem as good value compared to what we have with GP now, but definitely was at the time.

I wonder if Gamepass will become more like Netflix over time and thats why they bought so many studios. The pull will be the MS content and whatever else is a bonus.

Yossarian

RedDave2 wrote:

Minkymu wrote:

Yossarian wrote:

And that’s before Microsoft’s 23 first party studios start getting into their stride.

This

I'd wait to see what those thousand monkeys produce first. I'm still waiting for Rare to hit their stride and we are now onto Gen 4 of Xbox.

Sea of Thieves has had 11M players this year. They’ve hit their stride, you’ve just not noticed.

RedDave2

Yossarian wrote:

RedDave2 wrote:

Minkymu wrote:

Yossarian wrote:

And that’s before Microsoft’s 23 first party studios start getting into their stride.

This

I'd wait to see what those thousand monkeys produce first. I'm still waiting for Rare to hit their stride and we are now onto Gen 4 of Xbox.

Sea of Thieves has had 11M players this year. They’ve hit their stride, you’ve just not noticed.

Quite possibly SoT is awesome, I've dabbled and its certainly a beautiful game and I'm not knocking it.

But...

Rare was bought in 2002. SoT is 2018. In the interim Rare went from a stream of N64 hits to (imo) several misfires over the various X Box consoles.

Grabbed by the Ghoulies - Poor
Conker: Live & Reloaded - Didn't play but didn't look very good
Kameo - Meh
Perfect Dark Zero - A real let down, I loved the N64 original
Viva Pinata - Not to my taste but seemed well made.
Jetpac Refeulled - Didn't play it but not exactly a big hit
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise - See above
Banjoe Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - Interesting but not for me.
Kinnect Sports - its no wii sports
Kinnect Sports 2 - No wii sports 2 either
Killer Instinct - I really like this, not sure its a huge hit
Kinnect Sports Rivals - No idea if this is good or not
Rare Replay - A compilation, to be fair ir sold and reviewed well.
Sea of Thieves - covered
Battletoads - haven't played it but response here seems meh
Everwild - Lets see.

Not sure if anything there is terrible, but very little I'd call amazing. SoT has a legit claim going by how people here rave about it. I really enjoy Killer Instinct. I have a feeling Banjo Kazooie (and maybe Viva Pinata) fall into the same category as Little Big Planet - very creative, very well made but maybe not the mainstream hit.

Not what I would call hitting strides from the studio who did had such a good run from Donkey Kong Country (snes) up to Banjo Tooie (n64)

Yossarian

Battletoads wasn’t made by Rare, it was made by Dlala studios.

But whatever, Sea of Thieves is amazing, Everwild looks stunning, Rare now have their creative freedom, and I was only really using hit their stride in the first place to mean start releasing their games.

Yossarian

I do find this a bit of a weird attitude though, Microsoft now have 23 studios, made up of something like 35 separate teams, staffed with a large number of highly respected industry veterans who have been handed their creative freedom and a blank cheque to go and build what they want and an awful lot of people seem to expect them to just churn out mediocre games because it’s Xbox or something.

It makes no sense.

stonechalice

So this is the new next gen patch for Destiny 2 then?? I'll have to check this out...

Yossarian

It sure is.

stonechalice

I'm trying to boot it up but it keeps crashing to dash. Do I need Shadowkeep and forsaken and all that other guff or can I just download Beyond Light??

Yossarian

Don’t ask me, I’ve not touched it in years.

I did read somewhere that the base game includes the expansions, the other downloads are just unlocks, so it shouldn’t take long any way around.

optimark_prime

I have (arguably) the most powerful console on my desk, and I’m currently using it a play an old Mega Drive game!

I’ll be honest, the pick up and play nature of NHL 94 really appeals to me.

Eric

It's a lovely idea, I wonfer if they will do a FIFA or a Madden version.

FranticPea

I had a go the other day, still plays great. Couldn't score for shit though.

Unlikely

I'd HUT love to HUT revisit the HUT HUT HUT original Madden.

stonechalice

Yossarian wrote:

Don’t ask me, I’ve not touched it in years.

I did read somewhere that the base game includes the expansions, the other downloads are just unlocks, so it shouldn’t take long any way around.

Don't fancy getting back in Yoss? I've not touched it in a long time either...

Yossarian

I think I will to be honest, but not just yet. I’ve got a busy week this week and don’t have time to start a second job right at this moment.

FranticPea

Unlikely wrote:

I'd HUT love to HUT revisit the HUT HUT HUT original Madden.

Me HUT too, there's HUT too many HUT HUT HUT buttons on the modern ones.

Moot_Geeza

Eric wrote:

It's a lovely idea, I wonfer if they will do a FIFA or a Madden version.

I guess they might, but I'd wager both have aged far more 'orribly than the EA Hockey template.

A Sensible Soccer with updated teams and online play would be nice though...

Yossarian

No updated teams, but this came out on 360 and works through back compatibility.

https://marketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/Product/SWOS/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258410869

Moot_Geeza

I've still got that thanks to the wonders of BC.

bad_hair_day

RedDave2 wrote:

I'm still waiting for Rare to hit their stride and we are now onto Gen 4 of Xbox.

Is there a first party game this console gen that's brought as many people together in acts of camaraderie, calamity and hilarity as Sea of Thieves? After an admittedly slow start, Rare and MS have curated one the all time video game greats IMO.

Wookienopants

bad_hair_day wrote:

RedDave2 wrote:

I'm still waiting for Rare to hit their stride and we are now onto Gen 4 of Xbox.

Is there a first party game this console gen that's brought as many people together in acts of camaraderie, calamity and hilarity as Sea of Thieves? After an admittedly slow start, Rare and MS have curated one the all time video game greats IMO.

Seconded

Kernowgaz

Free Gears 5 expansion with Ultimate Gamepass on the 15th December.

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/12/08/gears-5-hivebusters-arrives-december-15/

Moot_Geeza

Might have the urge to play Gears 5 after Tactics. Probably on easy, as I've heard some of the bosses like the rough stuff.

RedDave2

bad_hair_day wrote:

RedDave2 wrote:

I'm still waiting for Rare to hit their stride and we are now onto Gen 4 of Xbox.

Is there a first party game this console gen that's brought as many people together in acts of camaraderie, calamity and hilarity as Sea of Thieves? After an admittedly slow start, Rare and MS have curated one the all time video game greats IMO.

By all accounts, SoT does seem to be excellent and hopefully it does herald the start of a run of good to excellent games by rare. I was just making the point that given that when MS bought them they were one of THE developers that people knew, they've done very little over the 18 years MS have run them.

Yossarian wrote:

I do find this a bit of a weird attitude though, Microsoft now have 23 studios, made up of something like 35 separate teams, staffed with a large number of highly respected industry veterans who have been handed their creative freedom and a blank cheque to go and build what they want and an awful lot of people seem to expect them to just churn out mediocre games because it’s Xbox or something. It makes no sense.

Well thats the thing - having creative freedom and a blank cheque book doesnt mean that those studios will produce anything. I'm sure like most of us, MS is hoping these 23 studios can help them match the likes of Nintendo and Sony for first party (not necessarily console) exclusive titles. But its taken Rare a good while to hit that stride so those 23 studios may not actually produce either top quality titles or (using Rare as an example) that many titles. Playground Games and The Coalition have shown that MS games studios can produce a consistent range of good and I dont want to come off as negative. But while I think its great that MS have invested in their first party production, splashing the bucks and showing those 'deep pockets' doesnt necessarily mean us gamers will reap the rewards. I'm not against what MS have done, but I'm not going to be rounding the applause until I see some results.

FranticPea

I just hope its not a million third person action adventure games. I've got the PS5 for that.

Yossarian

What sort of results would you like to see? Two Xbox Studios games in the top 10 metacritic games in one year, perhaps?

bad_hair_day

That's clearly a load of old bollocks list though as Half Life: Alyx isn't top.

Kernowgaz

First party wise Microsoft have been really poor compared to Sony’s first party’s releases. It’s pretty shocking they didn’t one game ready for the release of the new consoles.
I personally thought Halo Infinite looked good.

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