X-BOX Megathread 2023

[JasonM]

I've seen people describe Persona as 'Pokemon for grown ups', and whilst that's an extremely reductive way to describe it, there's some merit in that.

There's two aspects to the game like Bobfoc described. The first aspect is that it's something of a (school-)life simulator, you go through a schoolyear and have to engage in improving personal skills, get passing grades, and form social bonds with over a dozen of characters.

Then there's the dungeon crawling aspect that drives the plot forward, you go into a demonic world (every game has a different plot hook for it) and go through a dungeon to reach a goal that varies per game. (In Persona 5 it's making bad people fess up their crimes, in Persona 4 it's saving innocent people from certain death). During the dungeon crawling you fight monsters, you can recruit some of these monsters to upgrade your own arsenal of spell power, and you level them up. (hence the pokémon description).

It's very unique, and definitely not for everyone. But I am a big fan of the franchise all the same, having finished another playthrough of Persona 4 a few months ago.

Also glad P5 Royal is coming to PC now, I played through bits of P5 but a save game corruption kinda killed my interest dead and I never came back. A shame it's P3 Portable and not P3 FES, but I heard that Atlus no longer has the source code to the latter, so it makes sense they release Portable instead.

[Ruki]

 

 

I say it's very worth (especially if you have gamepass and can play it for 'free'). As far as JRPGs go, you can't find any better!

[Maxx]

I know Sony's State of Play videos aren't on the same tier as an E3 presentation (which this was for Microsoft), but putting out such an underwhelming one right before this very good Microsoft presentation is a bad look.

[King Ellis]

2 hours ago, Daddy Magic JasonM said:

I've seen people describe Persona as 'Pokemon for grown ups', and whilst that's an extremely reductive way to describe it, there's some merit in that.

"Like Pokemon where you kill yourself."
"Suppukumon."

- HAWP 2011

[JasonM]

28 minutes ago, King Ellis said:

"Like Pokemon where you kill yourself."
"Suppukumon."

- HAWP 2011

Especially Persona 3 where you shoot yourself in the head to summon your persona.

[Bobfoc]

This starts in just over 20 minutes. Don't expect new reveals as it's meant to be a more in-depth look at some already announced games.

[Bobfoc]

Valheim is coming to Xbox via Game Pass and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre game will be on Game Pass at release. Other than that, I'm liking the look of As Dusk Falls as a purely decision-based game. Those kinds of games usually have bad controls anyway, so taking them out is probably a good call.

[Bobfoc]

Shredder's Revenge is good. It's uncomplicated beat-'em-up fun.

[King Ellis]

On that subject, anyone up for some Turtles at some point? @Maxx I'm looking in your direction. After all, we have such a strong history of online beat-em-ups, such as our excursion to Die.

[tristy]

I'd be down, if anyone is interested. When the game decides to let me find a group of randoms to play with, that's how I prefer to play anyway. Doing it solo is kind of boring (and hard, sometimes!)

That is, if I can pull myself away from Shadowrun Returns. Geez, what a fun and tricky game.

[DFF]

Sometime later this month, UK Game Pass holders will get a perk allowing 30 days of Paramount+ for free. 

[Gabriel]

42 minutes ago, DFF said:

Sometime later this month, UK Game Pass holders will get a perk allowing 30 days of Paramount+ for free. 

That's awesome for you guys, because you can basically get through everything worth watching, cancel and not pay a dime.

[DFF]

I'm hoping to time it in such a way to binge Strange New Worlds. What else is on there worth a look? 

 

[Bobfoc]

I think the South Park specials are the only thing on Paramount+ I'm interested in.

[FLiam]

Played the Matchpoint Tennis demo this evening and it seems really promising. Really has a Top Spin feel to it which is certainly not a bad thing. It has a bit of a learning curve with the aiming but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty excellent.

Only 16 real players from what I can tell and not sure if many if any Grand Slams will be fully licensed. Will be nice to have a tennis game to play again though - it’s been way too long.

[Bobfoc]

I'll try it on Game Pass. I hope it has a substantial career mode.

[Gabriel]

Nothing will ever be as good as that Andre Agassi SNES Tennis game. I used to put hours into that thing, taking extra pleasure in demolishing my opponents on clay courts for some reason.

[Bobfoc]

Super Tennis on the SNES was my favourite one.

[JasonM]

18 hours ago, FLiam said:

Played the Matchpoint Tennis demo this evening and it seems really promising. Really has a Top Spin feel to it which is certainly not a bad thing. It has a bit of a learning curve with the aiming but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty excellent.

Only 16 real players from what I can tell and not sure if many if any Grand Slams will be fully licensed. Will be nice to have a tennis game to play again though - it’s been way too long.

I saw some footage of Matchpoint and I wasn't certain if I liked it because it seemed like the players had a lot of 'warping into place' whenever they'd go hit the ball and it looked a bit hokey and unnatural.

Did you experience that playing the demo, or maybe I was mistaken seeing developmental footage?

I definitely hope it'll be good and as @Bobfoc mentioned also has a good meaty career mode. I currently mostly play Tennis Elbow 2013 on PC, but that game series has never been a looker and is ever the clunker in terms of looks (although I love the gameplay, still).

[Bobfoc]

Tennis Elbow Manager is a game I like. It's not flashy at all, but it's still enjoyable. Tennis Manager 2022 just came out on PC as well. The consensus seems to be that it's OK, but not much more than that.