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Modern Video Games / Re: GTA VI $80 | physical is code in a box

« on: June 24, 2026, 07:25:37 pm »

Obviously, that sort of action would lead more people who are interested to make the sale, but I suppose Take-Two's marketing analysts don't think it would offset the costs of everything that comes with physical products, such as manufacturing and distribution. Because at the end of the day, it's not as if Take-Two is against physical products. They're just concerned with what decisions will yield the most profits.

Which is so shitty to do when the game is guaranteed to do billions and they are trying to squeeze every penny they can out of that.

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Modern Video Games / Re: GTA VI $80 | physical is code in a box

« on: June 24, 2026, 07:09:01 pm »

Normally ultimate editions don't sound like too big of a deal, usually cosmetics, or more like post-release content included, but I don't like that they have so many guns, vehicles, and stores hidden behind paid content on an 80 dollar game.  Just feels like they wanted to do 100 bucks for the base game, but knew it would annoy a bunch of folks if they did it outright. 

Not super surprised with no physical edition, feel like this is the start of things like what happened with PC games.  This was gonna happen no matter what, big games haven't had the complete game on them in years on console, but if they are charging 80 bucks, at least do a dual disc release, it's not like it's impossible to do and it's guaranteed to sell.  I saw some folks saying it was to avoid leaks and cut out resale, which would make sense, but again...Just annoying to see the blatant greed on something that'll make billions of dollars lol

Yeah I think they wanted $100 and settled at $80 to get everyone in. There's an upgrade to the Ultimate Edition so at least it's not locking you out entirely.

The physical launches a week before the game is playable to give people a chance to install. I think 007 First Light was unplayable until launch even with the disc. More profits as if they weren't already going to make enough. I don't know if I would play this game day one. PSN will likely be faulty, possible save losses, etc.

I'm not even that excited for GTA6 myself, I'm sure it'll be fine, GTA5 was decent all around, though I'd like it if they are coming out big with this game with a lot to do, stuff to buy, lots of singleplayer content beyond the story because I'm otherwise expecting them to do what they did with GTA5, which was just put out an okay main game and then put all their focus on GTA Online, which I don't really care for. 

I wasn't gonna grab it for console anyways even if I did get it, as it's probably a year after console that the PC version will come out, if not longer lol

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Modern Video Games / Re: GTA VI $80 | physical is code in a box

« on: June 24, 2026, 06:31:27 pm »

Normally ultimate editions don't sound like too big of a deal, usually cosmetics, or more like post-release content included, but I don't like that they have so many guns, vehicles, and stores hidden behind paid content on an 80 dollar game.  Just feels like they wanted to do 100 bucks for the base game, but knew it would annoy a bunch of folks if they did it outright. 

Not super surprised with no physical edition, feel like this is the start of things like what happened with PC games.  This was gonna happen no matter what, big games haven't had the complete game on them in years on console, but if they are charging 80 bucks, at least do a dual disc release, it's not like it's impossible to do and it's guaranteed to sell.  I saw some folks saying it was to avoid leaks and cut out resale, which would make sense, but again...Just annoying to see the blatant greed on something that'll make billions of dollars lol

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General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: June 22, 2026, 03:00:18 am »

Put nearly 30 hours into Project Zomboid, but I think I hit my breaking point lol I actually would've quite earlier, but I didn't know I wasn't on Build 42, which is in beta on Steam and it notably improved the game for me.  It overhauls the gunplay to be way more enjoyable and even useful to me, along with toning back on what I thought was very obnoxious Zombie AI where it felt like they could see me from so far away in Build 41.  Felt like I couldn't really sneak around because of it.  The AI is a little wonky as I feel like it sorta loses track of you to easily, makes them abit too dumb, but I'll take B42 zombies of B41.  42 added some other changes, most of which didn't bother me, though I guess long term it could be more tedious to level up skills, though I never got far enough for that.

Which goes to my next issue.  Melee is rough as hell in both versions.  The isometric right click to to hold the attack stance has killed more than a few times, because there have been moments where I somehow caused my character to turn around, basically just begging the zombies to end my life.  It's happened at least 3 or 4 times.  It's a questionable system and having to deal with often insanely long kill times (I've had zombies take like half a dozen to a dozen hits per a crowbar or axe.  It's insane), can make fights so frustrating.  So you then have to resort to gun action, which then means spending the next few ingame hours fighting off hordes.

At the very least, I like that I can make a new character who can basically just take the place of my previous character, it's kind of a cool idea.  It just sucks having a character die after you've leveled up a few skills, especially aiming with how long that takes to level.

There is a good game here, there's just also a lot of frustration lol I think with this game being in forever early access, I'll just come back whenever Build 42 sees some new additions and maybe hits stable down the road.  I got the new Deltarune chapter to play this week, and I got some other stuff I wanted to return to playing like Satisfactory, which is a whole other type of grind.

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Off Topic / Re: What Was The Last Movie/Anime You Watched?

« on: June 18, 2026, 02:07:03 am »

War Machine - Needed something random to watch, so figured I'd give this a go. It's pretty decent action schlock, lots of cheesy writing, but it's all the right kind, with soldiers dealing with a threat they can't overcome starring the dude from Reacher.  I liked the robot in this, it's very Metal Gear Rex inspired to me, which stands out I think from a lot of alien threats you tend to see in movies.  I can tell whoever did the score really wanted to sneak in some Predator, because the score before they meet the robot I swear is basically just the Predator theme lol Overall solid.

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General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: June 17, 2026, 01:21:58 am »

21 - Project Zomboid (PC 2013 EA) - ENDLESS - This is actually the second time I've picked up this game, I tried it back in 2021 (Had to look it up), where I refunded it back then for whatever reason, but I've thought about giving it another go as I wasn't super happy with it back then.  There's still things I don't like, the "vision cone" where you can only see what is in front of you is still annoying.  I know why it's there, part of the difficulty of this game, but I wish you could just turn it off, no vision cone, I don't care if it's unrealistic, it's just more enjoyable.

That being said, the actual survival aspect is involved and interesting, and quite challenging.  Gotta learn how to deal with everything, the mechanics, it's very in depth and I had multiple characters die.  My first was from illness, though I don't know what the illness was and I couldn't find meds to help.  Steep learning curve here. 

Combat is mixed, it's functional, but it's an isometric viewpoint game and combat has you go into like a tank control stance and I had moments where I just looked the wrong away and got attacked.  I'm abit torn on that one compared to the vision cone, where I'd just like the option to turn it off.

Otherwise I am putting the time in, and can see myself really trying to get into it further.

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Modern Video Games / Re: XBOX Games Showcase 2026 thoughts?

« on: June 15, 2026, 08:32:02 pm »

I believe something they said the other week or so ago they talked about the likelihood of there being firings and closures, but to do it to a studio that they just supported the new game announcement of is wild.  I mean, I never expected them to get another game as I thought the last one didn't do well, but still crazy to be discussing their closure after a new game announcement.  Feel bad for all the studios to see the hit and hope they get cut off from Microsoft instead of seeing a studio closure.

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General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: June 12, 2026, 10:31:04 pm »

20 - Motorslice (PC 2026) - BEAT - This is one of those games that it's frustrating how much it does right, but in the end, doesn't fully nail what it has.  It comes across initially sorta like Nier Automata, but it has a lot of platforming, but combat is incredibly minimal, and it's otherwise mostly just a platformer.  Which would be fine, but so often "P" would just not behave with her controls, leading to a lot of pointless deaths. 

The big hook of fighting giant machines is also kinda just okay, it's not always clear what you have to do, sometimes you gotta parry them, a mechanic you almost never need to use throughout the entire game.  It's Shadow of the Colossus-esque, but not as satisfying.

The story is so lacking, you barely learning anything in the oddly mildly pervy cutscene breaks you get throughout where it's just P talking to herself mostly and doesn't add a whole lot.  I really don't understand much of the world or story by the end.

It sucks, because I like the visuals, the combat can be fine, it's just unnecessary outside the times you have to fight to progress, the platforming can be really satisfying, until it's not, and the atmosphere and world is cool, but you don't learn too much from it and what I did learn, was from someones Steam post.  This also isn't something like a FromSoftware where you piece all the lore together through things you find, you just don't get much of any information that isn't super light fluff dialogue from P throughout.

It's not a bad game, but it doesn't truly build off of that game demo I feel.

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General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: June 11, 2026, 07:34:19 pm »

Played a demo for "Cozy Games Restoration", it's vaguely similar idea to something like Power Wash Simulator, clean off the grime and stickers on old video games you buy, display them, build your collection.  You get to peel tape off boxes, peel off stickers, cleaner sticker residue, scrub grime and dirt and patch up scratches and then put the game up in your room when done.  It's that sorta mindless cleaner game that seems quite decent, I just played the demo for it, the game is supposed to be out in September.  The controls take abit to get use to, but it was like 5 to 10 minutes at most before you get a handle on how it all works.

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Modern Video Games / Re: Nintendo Direct 6.9.2026 thoughts?

« on: June 10, 2026, 05:19:48 pm »

Anyone else think that kid Link looks super weird?  The photorealism is doing him no favors.

I'm less bothered by the more realistic take they are going with if that's the plan, but yeah the proportions feel a tad off, at least in that shot they had, it's abit more person with dwarfism than kid, but need a better shot of something actually ingame to say for sure. 

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Modern Video Games / Re: Nintendo Direct 6.9.2026 thoughts?

« on: June 09, 2026, 12:22:44 pm »

Honestly surprised Ocarina of Time was announced and for this year, but that's great.  It's a very Nintendo 64 oriented year for them apparently lol

That and Deltarune Chapter 5 getting a really soon release date is all that there was for me as far I can tell.  I do like the art for the Final Fantasy game, always love to see pixel art, but not sure if I'll check it out or not.

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Modern Video Games / Re: XBOX Games Showcase 2026 thoughts?

« on: June 09, 2026, 02:41:13 am »

I actually haven't played the original game at all for quite a long time.  I played on Xbox, I played it on PC, loved that old pc version, and then I haven't played it on anything else.  I think I thought about doing the collection from awhile back, but never got around to it, so the remake seems like a perfect time to jump back in.

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Modern Video Games / Re: Summer Gamefest hopes and predictions thread

« on: June 07, 2026, 04:54:36 pm »

Some more announcements today...

Valheim 1.0 - Loved this when it launched, glad to get a release in September finally.

Cassette Beasts 2002 - I enjoyed the previous game, played it recently, it's basically a monster collecting game, but you don't just capture them, you functionally become them to fight, it's just an all around decent Pokemon-styled game that does the thing I wish Pokemon did by doing sprites with 3D backgrounds.

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Modern Video Games / Re: State of Play | June 2, 2026 thoughts?

« on: June 07, 2026, 04:03:06 pm »

I've gotto say those new gow memes be hittin, not to mention them vids 

Eh, this is like the equivalent of hearing a woman in a multiplayer game and telling her to "Get back in the kitchen!".  It's fine to only care about Kratos or even just old school Kratos, but gaming discourse is so toxic now, it just devolves into weird sexist nonsense with like every other game.  Kratos has been in over a half dozen games over 20 years, he's getting a fully remake trilogy of the original games, I think one spinoff game with great looking gameplay involving a super important character from the previous two games is totally fine.

This isn't to say you can't meme on the game, but get an actually good meme that makes sense lol

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Modern Video Games / Re: XBOX Games Showcase 2026 thoughts?

« on: June 07, 2026, 03:25:11 pm »

Didn't watch it live, so just gonna point out stuff I liked for this...

Gears of War: E-Day - Looked solid, I've never been the biggest Gears fan, I was always more of a Halo fan, though I've played most of them...Other than 5, looked back and don't think I played it as far as I can tell.  It's about what I'd expect for a Gears game, no surprises, but they definitely pumped up like the cover and mobility abit more.  May or may not check it out.

Halo: Combat Evolved Remake - I thought it looked overall fine and getting a new prequel story with Johnson and Chief is fun.  I'm curious if they are adding extra stuff to the campaign that came after Halo 1, because they showed off like Brutes and Brute weaponry in that prequel campaign, so I could see them doing it there too, but we'll see.  I might be open to this for nostalgia sake, maybe I'll make it weird and get it on PS5 or something lol

State of Decay 3 - I hope this is the game to nail it, I've played the previous two and while they had good ideas, I never felt like they nailed the combat or the community building aspect as they should, but I think I heard they were really working to improve all that stuff.

Metro 2039 - This is one of the big games I'm excited for and it looks really good.  Was hoping it was this year, but February isn't too far off.

Crazy Taxi: World Tour - I was never someone that played this in particular, so I have no nostalgia, but it looks silly and fun.

God, I'm the exact target audience for that clear green Xbox Series X lol I'm not gonna buy it, but I want it.  I also forgot how ugly the Series X is, they need to come get better console designs.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse - This looks like fun, I haven't really played many newer Castlevania games, I've only played the old ones back in the day or the collection releases, but I don't think I've played them past like...GBA era maybe? Might get this one.

Vivarium - Fantastic art with this, absolutely nails the very old 80's and earlier anime aesthetic, I'm very interested in this.

Spyro: A Realm Reyond - Cool that Spyro gets its opportunity for a new game like Crash did.  I was never a big Spyro fan, so this doesn't do a lot for me, but nice to see. Mostly just reminds me that I need to go play the remaster collection.

CoD:MW4 DMZ - Gonna be honest, I was kinda interested in what this was starting out to be and then I realized it's Call of Duty and boy that made things real unsatisfying lol I liked that they tried to pretend it was some serious tactical experience, but it's CoD...the gameplay doesn't allow for that.  That being said, the game has looked better than it has for awhile, there's a weight to it, and they aren't trying to emphasize their movement stuff as much (I believe they cut down on the omni-movement crap they added in, at least somewhat from what I read).  I also like Korean setting, it's a very different vibe from what CoD has been for awhile. Maybe this game will be tolerable and they said they aren't doing the crazy skins, but we'll see I guess.

Overall the show wasn't bad, a couple fun games shown off, though in the same way as the State of Play, not much that sells "Xbox" to me, especially as someone who hasn't owned an Xbox since the 360 days.  Honestly, the only game I even want if I owned an Xbox is Rare Replay for the Banjo-Kazooie games, and that released back in the Xbox One days lol Still hoping I can just get like a Series S or something cheap someday for that reason.