I’m not usually one for warm weather, but it’s been a shock to the system having to put on extra layers when heading out this week. I’m even thinking that a trip to somewhere warmer like Mexico might not be such a bad idea. So that’s where I went, albeit in digital form, helping Dom out for our review of the simply sublime open-world racing of Forza Horizon 5.
This actually entailed running through the game’s intro maybe 10 times for video capture and analysis. That’s twice on each Xbox One with a HDD and SSD, once each on both Xbox Series X performance profiles, a couple times on PC for HDD and SSD, and then a couple attempts where settings weren’t quite right. It loses its lustre a bit, but once I got into the main game, I started to have an absolute ball once again.
Aside from that, the early drop of Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ version 2.0 update has me going back to the island like I’m a character out of Lost.
We already know what Dom’s been playing for some of his time, but he’s been an exceptionally busy bee. He’s also been playing Shin Megami Tensei V for a review that’s still in progress because of some silly difficulty spikes, and a game with dinosaurs in it.
Nic B has been playing Pokémon Go (of course), but he’s loaded up a second out-and-about game, Pikmin Bloom. It’s “the weirdest pedometer ever,” and he’s “not entirely sure it counts as a game right now, but that remains to be seen.” Aside from that, he’s stopped playing Days Gone because it keeps crashing his PS5.
In another instance of not playing something, Nick P was going to try and get back into Returnal, but settled into his happy place of tormenting people online in Dead By Daylight. “I started playing as Nemesis and he is a great killer!”
Reuben has been “diving into the weird little games that Square Enix have released.” That’s included the “slow but thoroughly enjoyable” Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, and the “game that I would find very difficult to recommend” Dungeon Encounters.
Football Manager 2022 has seen Aran starting a season with Ebbsfleet, but then getting distracted by the real world sacking of Nuno by Spurs to see how he’d do with them. Expect that review next week.
Jim started off the week with Riders Republic for our review, but it hasn’t really managed to hold his attention. He’s also been playing Book of Travels, “which is honestly like no other game I’ve played,” and you can find out why in his preview. When on his phone, it’s been Marvel Future Revolution, which is “a superb-looking game and one that completely stomps Marvel’s Avengers in terms of character skins and customisation. The coolest/weirdest thing about Future Revolution is how you can hit the auto button, letting the MMO play itself. It’s a handy feature for when you need to grind materials or if you’re focusing on something else, like watching The Great British Bake-off.” Weird…
Gamoc played more Diablo 2 (of course), but managed to pick up Deathloop for £40 and has been enjoying it now that it’s got going. Ade is also still stuck on a game, with Hades his poison of choice, though he might treat himself to Kena: Bridge of Spirits as a birthday self-present. In the Real World
that’s been joined by the board game The Adventures of Robin Hood by Michael Menzel. “It is superb! Part choose your own adventure, part coop strategy, part roleplay, all brilliant.”
Miguel was another that’s “tried” Deathloop, though spread his attentions to Fortnite, Blue Reflection Second Light and the new Animal Crossing update.
While Destiny 2 has obviously been on Tuffcub’s playlist, he’s also been playing Sackboy: A Big Adventure, “which is just super fun in multiplayer.”
And so we come to Steve to finish off this week’s gaming. He’s enjoyed the FMV narrative game Bloodshore, returned to the late game of Monster Hunter Stories, rattled through the charming indie game Unpacking – “One of the best language free narratives out there” – and has been trying to play Back 4 Blood solo, which is obviously not the way to play it. Will he get some co-op friends for next time? Let’s find out!
Now, let us know whatyou have played!
