This week I’ve been pondering about whether early access to a free-to-play game is ever worth paying for. I’ve been diving into Fortnite and Fable Legends, and enjoyed playing both of them, but have you in essence paid to be a beta tester? Some would argue that if you buy nearly anything on launch day, you’re a beta tester and willing to pay well over the odds for something that isn’t likely to be finished for at least another few months.
I understand the whole thing about needing revenue to start coming back in, especially as development schedules have a tendency to overrun, and paid early access hopefully gets the bank account heading back in the right direction. Early access also gets players in on the ground for what could be a great game, and if you’ve been looking forward to playing them, then where’s the harm? Assuming that the early access is at least remotely playable. Over the last year I’ve spent a lot of time with Epic’s Paragon as well, and for all that it’s not yet the finished article, I can’t say that’s bothered me in the slightest.
While most of the week has been spent on Fortnite, I also quietly enjoyed Cars 3: Driven to Win despite its flaws, while sneaking in as much time on Splatoon 2 as possible. Aran meanwhile has been playing Sundered, with his review arriving next week due to how tough it is. His summer of gaming will probably mainly consist of Yakuza Kiwami which he preordered after playing through the excellent Yakuza 0.
Kris mainly just played Paper.io for some reason, while Miguel has only really been playing Fire Emblem Echoes until he’s done with his “timesink summer job”, after which he’s planning on getting into Horizon Zero Dawn, cracking open Odin Sphere, and fighting his way through Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy.
Jim didn’t have a great week;
This week didn’t get off to the best of starts. After putting a dozen or so hours into Final Fantasy VI on my iPad, my save file was sadly corrupted. Serves me right for not backing it up or at least using different save slots, eh?
Things got much better, however. Aside from the mandatory dose of For Honor, I picked up WipEout Omega Collection and am loving it. I’ve never been a particularly big fan of the series though with Omega it’s finally clicked.
Tuffcub finished Battlefield Hardline, where he liked the story and found it didn’t go where he assumed it would. He’s also been playing Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime co-op with a friend, which is apparently a great little game.
Dave played the newest Crash Bandicoot DLC level, as well as Miitopia all week. There were also spliced in sessions of Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training too, which he’s written a different type of article about.
Jake meanwhile has had a week of job interviews, (which is great!) but he still platinumed Crash Bandicoot 2 and 3 from the N-Sane Trilogy, and really liked how those two games shaped up when compared with the first game. He also enjoyed playing Destiny 2’s beta. It was better than he expected, despite playing it a bit safe with what was offered in the experience.
And last but not least a word from our editor Tef;
Well, I’ve had a rather busy week! Over the weekend, I managed to review Aven Colony, Tiny Trax and Pyre, it was then off to an event in London to play Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and chat to its creative director, I shared my impressions from Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, explored the career in Project Cars 2, and played Far Cry 5, which I’ll be telling you all about soon. And I still managed to find time to squeeze in a few matches of Splatoon 2!
Now then, enough about us, what have you played!
tactical20
Slowly making my way through Doom campaign. Not really my type of game if I’m honest, but I’m enjoying it enough that I’ll play it to the end.
MrYd
Some Elite Dangerous, obviously (nobody mention that Hutton Orbital incident ever again)
Finished off Until Dawn. It definitely improves in the second half of the game, even if it does all go a bit Scooby Doo at one point, then gets weird. Half the characters died, which is weird, since I’m sure it’s the law that only 1 is allowed to survive such things. And the black guy didn’t die first. Or at all, actually.
Then I realised I’d picked up The Last of Us Remastered in a sale a while back, did the DLC story and then forgot to play through the rest of the main game. And then got distracted taking photos of giraffes.
And some Guitar Hero Live, for some reason. My fingers hurt now.
Also, I’ve successfully completed the very difficult game of “Don’t buy anything in this week’s PSN sale”. I feel I should get a trophy for that, along with one for “already have everything in the sale that’s even remotely interesting”.
JR.
The sales are never ending. It’s almost like the sales are the normal prices and then for two or three weeks of the year, they double the price of everything on the store. Reverse sales
JR.
Mostly Arkham Knight on New game+ & all of the DLC. Beat the game at release but going for the platinum so had a few bits to tidy up and a second full playthrough on nightmare mode. Brilliant game. Wish you could change suits and vehicles in game though – such a pain having to quit to the main menu each time,
Andrewww
I mostly went out seeing friends and watched movies like Event Horizon (which took me 20 years), Babylon A.D., John Wick, etc.
So, I utterly failed my goal of finishing up Fallout 4 before I leave on holidays to the Alps tomorrow.
I just couldn’t decide between the boy, the Railroad and those wannabe Knights…
Steelhead
I recently watched Event Horizon for the first time. Proper freaked out the wife. I accidently didn’t quite explain what sort of film it was.
aerobes
Your poor wife but it is an excellent movie. I find a lot of the creepiness comes from the unsettling questions I find myself thinking about.
Steelhead
Yes, your own mind is your worst enemy whilst watching it. It casts a light on the fragility of the human mind.
Andrewww
‘… accidentally didn’t quite explain…’… Oops… ;o)
Well, my partner made it through the first two Alien movies, after which she made perfectly clear to me that I better wouldn’t suggest a third or any similar type movies… ;o)
I actually just saw District 9, that one is very special too, very different though. But really good..!
Steelhead
Well, she’s better off leaving the Alien movies after the first two, although Alien 3 isn’t as bad as many people say.
I couldn’t enjoy District 9. Not sure why, it just didn’t float my boat. Not bad, just not for me.
Andrewww
I loved Alien 3, critical comments are really only acceptable from number 4 onwards… ;o)
Steelhead
Urgh, the fourth one. I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit. The only saving grace of that film is that the first time I watched it my mum called it Alien: Re-erection ?
Crazy_Del
Man this while month of July I must have played at least 400 races on DiRT 4 and have finished the Triple Crown just there! Already got the Platinum just have to wait for the last trophy to ping on Monday morning for the Monthly Event Community.
Played a bit of Wipeout from wee breaks from DiRT and big thanks to Youles for helping me get the online trophies out the way.
And last but not least a bit of Friday the 13th with Pixel and will continue to play Friday daily when I can due to insane hours I have at work…. Getting knackered by day but up late…. like really late lol
Now that DiRT is done! I might go back to Borderlands 2 to do the Vault Hunter Mode and work my way up to Level 50 on Sunday I guess. We shall see
ron_mcphatty
Lots of Elite for me. Now Love Island has finished I’ve been able to play on the telly again and I’ve wasted my privilege mining, sort of trophy hunting but also just trying to work out the mechanics and optimise my ship for the job. Elite is back in its box though because my Switch arrived today just as I was leaving for work, I can’t wait to get home!!
freezebug2
Dude, you need to get rad and buy a dedicated 4K gaming tv for the spare room, as an escape from having to watch that partner enforced tragedy on telly…. just cos’ she like’s it :P
I’ve just twaddled with Horizon, it’s so beautiful graphically in 4K, but have actually started to make headway into the story and side missions, stunning game all round ;)
TSBonyman
Best wishes on your new arrival! :)
aerobes
Read your comment first then glanced up looking for a baby announcement. Lol
ron_mcphatty
Lol thanks mate! I may have driven a bit too quickly to make the Amazon locker before the shop closed, but I did it! I’ll take the congrats aerobes ;)
aerobes
Picked up a Switch with BotW last Saturday but I haven’t played it yet. Enjoy it! I perhaps foolishly used our son as an excuse to the wife so my patience is being tested. Best laid plans and all that.
ron_mcphatty
I, er, haven’t mentioned it to my wife yet… oops. Here’s my friend code when you get round to playing yours, have fun it’s a lovely little thing :)
SW-4387-1307-1123
TSBonyman
I gave the Destiny 2 beta a whirl, ’twas alright i guess, didn’t feel much different from the first game which is probably a good thing for the fans.
Also played more Neon Chrome but kept blowing myself up with my own rockets in confined areas.
More Driveclub VR, making short work of the tour although i’m still no good at drifting.
I cracked open Rush of Blood and it’s brilliant, great sense of movement on some of the rail sections, great shooting with the Moves and just the right amount of jump scares for me – i was still trying to block/fend things off with my hands lol
But i also grabbed Robinson The Journey in the sale and it’s awesome so far. Apart from maybe a missed opportunity in not adding Move controls, this is pretty much the kind of VR game i want. I’ve only just started it, spent an hour examining everything in the opening area – which looks gorgeous with it’s wildlife and flora. Assembled the scarecrow and put a cap on it, then found another cap and tried to put it on HIGS for a hoot – and it worked! Also tried stacking some of the barrels but they wouldn’t sit quietly on top of each other – i haven’t given up on that yet though. :)
Andrewww
Robinson is one of my favorite PSVR games, I really liked that, and I think it was quite seriously underrated when it came out. The environments get better, some of them I found quite amazing. And I couldn’t stop investigating the wildlife. Enjoy..! :o)
TSBonyman
Cheers Andrewww, i think many people got motion sickness from it initially and were put off by that – thankfully my constitution for VR locomotion seems pretty robust so far.
maccas09
Finished Life is strange this week, which was brilliant to be fair. Also finished the 1st remastered Uncharted in am attempt to play them all in order. Played a bit of the PES 2018 online beta which seems more of the same which isn’t a bad thing at all. I’ve also started Need for Speed which I forgot I had and enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would.
aerobes
Completed Mass Effect Andromeda which was kind of boring to be honest, no major complaints however.
PES 18 beta, very fluid and organic feeling, bloody brilliant.
Steelhead
Had a week off work, spending all my spare time on Final Fantasy XII. Between all the family outings and film nights I’ve managed about 20+ hours of game time, and written multiple pages of notes to facilitate my attempt at the platinum. Going well so far.