I think there’s a chance that I’m becoming a little burned out. While most autumns are pretty full-on in terms of the computer game release schedule, I can’t remember many years where the first three months have been as packed with amazing games as 2017, and it’s not as though these are small indie experiences, either. Games like Resident Evil 7 and Nioh have been swiftly followed by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nier: Automata and Horizon Zero Dawn, to name but a few. It’s an embarrassment of riches, and the biggest problem is likely to be how many of these are added to already bulging download lists and piles of shame rather than delved into straight away.
Breath of the Wild has subsequently become my pre-sleep go-to game, and its shrines and open world structure make it absolutely perfect for handheld play, with a couple of shrines replacing my attempts to read a couple of chapters from the latest Tad Williams book. What is especially remarkable is the fact that every time I fire it up I’m impressed by how beautiful its world looks, and a month on that hasn’t faded.
Besides catching up on Zelda, I’ve ploughed through Mass Effect Andromeda, which I genuinely enjoyed, despite the occasionally questionable character models, as well as tackling Lego Worlds for review.
Miguel was the first to pop in with what he’s played, and it’s been a spot of Chaos Code and Momodora, both of which he’s working on the review for. Jake meanwhile has gone hands on with Snake Pass and Aaero, as well as getting through more of Breath of the Wild, and making his yearly pilgrimage into Link to the Past.
Dave is into his 70th hour of Persona 5, with an epic final push for his review set for the weekend, while he’s also dabbled with this week’s Hearthstone Tavern Brawl which was alright. It’s the April update that has him really excited. It has dinosaurs.
Aran took a huge step forward in PC gaming this week having purchased an Alienware Alpha, and is working through his Steam library with the enjoyable Banner Saga, while subscribing to Humble Bundle netted him The Witness, which he’s played ten minutes of and will return to soon. He’s also playing Old Time Hockey for review and has worked his way through a bit more of Ghost Recon Wildlands. At one point his squad got stuck in a sniper tower and managed to hold out for twenty minutes before being overwhelmed by Unidad forces. It sounds like it was a lovely time.
Steve used lots of rude words while playing Jak 2 on Vita, plagued as it is with terrible camera and the most unresponsive controls since Trump’s media advisors*. Otherwise he’s hoovered up the collectibles in Lego Lord of the Rings and begun reacquainting himself PES for the first time since losing hours upon hours of his undergrad life to it.
Last but not least, Tef played a few hours of Mass Effect Andromeda as a green haired lady, got to play a little more of the open world sniper fest that is Sniper Ghost Warrior 3, and sunk a little more time into Breath of the Wild. Also feeling a little frazzled from the start of this year, last night saw him jumping between half a dozen games, unable to get into any real groove, before switching on the Wii U and pretending that the Gamepad was a Switch while playing Mario Kart 8 in bed. In just over a month, there’ll be a more Deluxe twist to that scenario.
Now then, what have you played? Are you exhausted from the 2017 game’s gold-rush?
*I’ll admit this analogy needs a little work.
The Lone Steven
Been playing Dragon’s Dogma:Dark Arisen and kinda accidentally overlevelled. Literally maxed out Fighter and not even started a Gran Soren main quest(Beyond the pawn guild!) I will either max out Warrior after level 50(switch at that level) or Mystic Knight for the rest of the game.
Jag
Wish they’d release Dragon’s Dogma on PS4, that or a sequel!
aerobes
I’d agree with that but if it were announced I might literally shit my pants. So clearly, I’m a little torn.
Eldave0
Just Zelda again this week. Finished up the main quest last night and was shocked to find out I only completed 14% of the game. Massive game is massive…
Looking forward to the Splat2 beta at 7pm :)
Andrewww
Rise if the Tomb Raider, very good game.
Andrewww
*of*…
aerobes
It’s excellent. Only thing I don’t like is also something that makes it better, the open world elements which are fun to explore and play in lead to a little lack of direction. I’m not sure which way I prefer!
Andrewww
I agree. It really needs decisions where to go next and after hours of exploring and looking for collectibles to get back to the main mission. But I enjoy that.
For some stuff I might end up checking online help, as e.g. after completing the Baba Yaga mission, which was excellent, I didn’t manage to find all stuff there, not even what was showing up on my map. You can almost get lost in these levels.
aerobes
On the edition we got on PS4 the phenomenal amount of content makes it worth the entry fee alone.
Hopefully they continue to tighten up and improve on the awesome base game they’ve already built for the sequel.
I’m praying for a sequel anyway, read it might be called ‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’.
Tony Cawley
This week I completed dragon age inquisition and deleted that, got the platinum on infamous first Light, which I thoroughly enjoyed, then deleted that, and picked up final FANTASY XV for £9.99 which I’ve made a start on and so far am thoroughly enjoying.
Also playing a bit of for Honour here and there when I get the opportunity.
tactical20
Having never found a definitive answer as to whether I needed PS+ to play The Division, I’d never got round to giving it a go. But after deciding to wait for a price drop on Wildlands and Andromeda, I thought I’d give it a go for a tenner…. and I love it!! It’s certainly possible to play without PS+, just makes it quite a challenge on your own. Only about 6 hours in, so looking forward to getting back on it after the weekend!
Tony Cawley
Why don’t you have ps+? Just wondering…
tactical20
I don’t play games online enough to warrant the subscription.
TSBonyman
Another week which was mostly taken up with No Man’s Sky but i’m taking a “healthy” break from it for a little while as i started Andromeda last night.
4-5 hours in and so far it’s great, very much the Mass Effect vibe that i’ve been anticipating but the rough edges do take a little bit of the shine away – nothing deal-breaking, it’s just disappointing when all the elements don’t seem to have been given the same level of polish. But i’m only 4-5 hours in, just checked out the Tempest and about to fire her up!
Andrewww
Glad to hear you can slowly let go of your obsession with No man’s sky. We all started to get worried… ;o)
TSBonyman
Oh i’ll return to it again – Andromeda will be a mere blip on the No Man’s Sky timeline! :)
ron_mcphatty
Your endless and joyous exploring is amazing Bonyman! Have you reached the centre yet?
TSBonyman
I’ve never even tried Ron – afraid i would miss out on something if i skipped even one planet! :)
ron_mcphatty
I’ve just finished Horizon, what an epic! I also managed the platinum, yay. I don’t know how I’m gonna get over the withdrawal, that was without a doubt my game of the generation so far.
aerobes
Couldn’t afford it at launch so I’m waiting for a price drop. Must. Be. Patient. :D
Steelhead
Finished off Persona 4 Golden, managing to get the true ending. Also jumped into FAST RMX a few times and picked up Blaster Master Zero.
JR.
Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens. It’s the same Lego game I’ve played 600 times before, with a Star Wars skin. Good though.
Mass Effect Andromeda. Only played eight hours or so and It’s pretty awful by all accounts. How was this allowed to happen to a series like Mass Effect?
I know we shouldn’t compare but HZD was everything this game isn’t. It was finished for a start. HZD was interesting, exciting, haunting, inspiring… Clearly made by a team of passionate developers with a desire to make the game the best it could be…. A team with great leadership and direction.
Andromeda is the complete opposite of the above. I get the impression that there were too many cooks in the kitchen (who didn’t finish culinary school and hate cooking).
Presentation isn’t everything but rotten food is rotten whether it looks awful (it does) or not.
ron_mcphatty
I don’t see anything wrong with comparing, I’d say that all development teams have passion and admirable desires but you may have hit the nail on the head mentioning leadership and direction. I think HZD is admirable for being basically complete and almost bug free on release, the same sort of standard with got in the PS2 era. Whether it’s a good game or not it shows to me some old fashioned pride, Guerilla are saying ‘Here’s your box with your game in it, please enjoy it a lot, we’re absolutely sure it’s polished within an inch of its life and we’re going home with big smiles on our faces.’ And so they should!
tactical20
As far as Lego games go, Force Awakens was probably the best one I’ve played (and that’s been most of them!) Really enjoyed it.
aerobes
Neil Young fan? Or Kurt Cobain, perhaps. Great quote nonetheless.
This week I’ve played nothing but Oxenfree and I feel I’m somewhere near the end now. Interesting game with an unusual twist. A decent amount of depth that makes you care about those involved, it’s very nicely made and I love the constant inane chit-chat between them.
Dominic Leighton
That’s Kurt for me mate – I think my entire musical taste is built on the grunge bands of the 90s!
aerobes
Right there with you. I was 11 when he shuffled off the mortal coil but his effect on my young existence and countless others will never die.
As video games are becoming a more widely accepted medium and art-form, I’d like to think today’s youth will see the industries luminaries such as Video Kojima, Will Wright and Shower Miyamoto like that some day.
Not that game devs live that rockstar life of course. ?