Something for the Weekend – 22/08/20

The heatwave we were experiencing seems to have gone for good, as Storm Ellen swept across the UK this week. Not only did it bring disruption in real life to places with fallen trees and flooding, but it also disrupted several landings (not all successful) I made in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 with live weather turned on!

Anyway, let’s take a look at the past week on TSA. We’ve got a lot to cover…

In the News This Week

• Report: Retailer lists Xbox Series X for $599
• The PlayStation 5’s first TV advert is here
• Crysis Remastered releases for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in September
• 505 Games explain why only Control Ultimate Edition will get free next-gen upgrades
• Xbox Series X will have a new UI after all, but it’s being shared with Xbox One, PC and Mobile apps
• Xbox Game Pass update adds Microsoft Flight Simulator and Spiritfarer, Resident Evil 7 coming soon
• PlayStation 5 launch exclusive Deathloop delayed until early 2021
• Senior writer on Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad posts an emotional video detailing sexual harassment at the company… followed up by Rocksteady posting an “unsolicited letter” from their current female employees
• Apple to terminate Epic Games’ dev access in Fortnite payment row
• GAME say Spider-Man will only join Marvel’s Avengers in March 2021

Games in Review

We had loads of reviews this week, covering a wide range of genres and scores too:

• UFC 4 – PS4, XBO – 9/10
• Spiritfarer – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 8/10
• Peaky Blinders: Mastermind – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 8/10
• Mortal Shell – PS4, XBO, PC – 8/10
• Road to Guangdong – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 7/10
• Battletoads – XBO, PC – 7/10
• PGA Tour 2K21 – PS4, XBO, PC – 7/10
• Griefhelm – PC – 6/10
• SWORD ART ONLINE: Alicization Lycoris – PS4, XBO, PC – 6/10
• Skully – PS4, XBO, PC, NSW – 5/10
• Void Terrarium – PS4, NSW – 4/10
• Ogre Tale – PC – 4/10
• Fast & Furious Crossroads – PS4, XBO, PC – 2/10

And just one hardware review this week:

• EKSA Air Joy Pro Gaming Headset – 7/10

Featured Articles

Similar to the reviews, it was also a busy week for the previews. Stefan kicked things off by asking whether it was game, set, and match for Tennis World Tour 2, and it sounds like once you get past the initial learning curve, this is the game that fans wanted in the first one. And, despite most theme-parks in the world being shut for Covid, he got his adrenaline fix with Planet Coaster: Console Edition.

Jonny teed off his week with GolfTopia, a golf course management sim with some futuristic additions, as Dom looked at Pacer, a spiritual WipEout successor that is looking promising. With Dom grounded by some incredibly frustrating technical difficulties, Stefan took to the skies in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and decided to try and visit his own homes in the virtual world.

After enjoying the game so much in his review, Miguel made an unboxing video of all the goodies in the Limited Edition for Death end re;Quest 2:

Elsewhere, Tuffcub went hands on with Transformers: Battlegrounds which takes “the franchise to a genre that it’s never really visited before”, and Steve was similarly impressed by BPM: Beats Per Minute.

Last up, Adrian took a look at whether the Peaky Blinders really existed, and asked the all-important question: were they all as well-dressed as Tommy Shelby?

Oh, and What We Played featured Flight Simulator, Peaky Blinders & PGA Tour 2K21.

Trailer Park

Martha Is Dead revealed for Xbox Series X and PC, watch the disturbing trailer here

The PlayStation 5’s first TV advert is here

Your Achievements

Here’s what you in our community has been up to this week:

• Crazy_Del added two more platinums to his collection: NFS Heat and COD Modern Warfare 2. That last pesky Fall Guys trophy still eludes him!
• hornet1990 finished reading Blood, Sweat and Pixels, and enjoyed the insight into the industry.
• Like many of you, ron_mcphatty is still enjoying Fall Guys with his family, and is aiming to start Death Stranding this weekend.
• tactical20 is looking forwards to new maps being added for SkaterXL.
• After Andrewww was disappointed with the Avengers beta, he is enjoying TLOU2 and Erica (when he can get his son off Fall Guys!).
• Last up, MrYd is on the mend after putting his back out, playing lots of games as usual, feeling mixed emotions with Death Stranding, and enjoyed finishing off I Am Setsuna.

Phew! I wasn’t lying when I said it was a busy week. Have a good weekend and I’ll be back soon!