It’s been a busy week for anyone keeping up with the headlines, from the European Super League shenanigans to SpaceX successfully sending four astronauts to the ISS. I’m quite looking forward to having a more relaxed weekend without any major breaking news. Will we manage it?
The weather is also looking very good, so do I dare attempt my first BBQ of 2021?
In the News This Week
- PS3 and PS Vita stores will remain operational as Sony reverses decision on closure
- Next Battlefield title has largest development team so far, Battlefield Mobile coming 2022
- Free-to-play games no longer need Xbox Live Gold for online multiplayer – refunds available for those who no longer need Gold
- PlayStation Plus Video Pass confirmed – currently in testing
- PlayStation Now is getting 1080p streaming support
- Xbox FPS Boost adds 120Hz for 12 EA games, including Battlefield 4, Star Wars Battlefront II & Titanfall 2
- PlayStation will publish ex-Bungie developers’ new AAA multiplayer game
- Cyberpunk 2077’s huge profits were barely affected by refund policy
- Report reveals the UK’s “favourite” game series, city by city
- Download Horizon Zero Dawn free with Play at Home 2021 – and don’t forget the other free games!
Games in Review
It was another quiet-ish week for the game reviews:
- Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack – PS4, NSW, PC – 9/10
- NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… – PS4, XBO, PC – 8/10
- Battle Axe – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 8/10
- MotoGP 21 – PS4, PS5, XBO, XBX|S NSW, PC – 7/10
I’m not sure we’ve awarded a 10/10 to a desk before, but we have now:
- Flexispot E7 Electric Standing Desk – 10/10
- Vivo Y70 Mobile Phone – 8/10
- EPOS H3 Gaming Headset – 8/10
- Evercade Premium Pack [Retro handheld console] – 8/10
Featured Articles
Our trio of previews for the week all came from Stefan. He began with a look at Lemnis Gate, a multiplayer shooter that has more than just a few twists to it – and he spoke to the developer about the timeloop aspects.
Many fans are awaiting Housemarque’s first outing in the new generation, and the good news is that Returnal is releasing next week. Alongside our preview, you can catch the first 45 minutes of the game too:
Also this week, we’ve seen a lot of discussion regarding Resident Evil Village’s performance, so Stefan compared the ray tracing performance and the 4K60fps mode to see how the PS5 and XBX handle it. Hint: it’s pretty great.
Elsewhere, Reuben questioned if Dark Souls III did a good enough job of tying up the series, as Alex looked at what makes a great license game, and what IO interactive can do with their James Bond license.
Following the European Super League announcement, Aran examined what it would mean for the future of FIFA, PES, and Football Manager series. It turned out we had nothing to fear after it was all pulled just a day later.
Finally, What We Played featured Returnal, NieR Replicant ver. 1.22 & Lemnis Gate.
Trailer Park
Biomutant’s new trailer gives a serene overview of the game’s world
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown new ‘head to head’ trailer is all mood
Chernobylite has a new release date, coming this July for consoles and PC
Your Achievements
Here’s what you in our community has been up to this week:
- willbuchanan reached 100% in Borderlands, and also found time to get the platinum’s for Syrup and The Ultimate Sweet, and One Night Stan.
- Tactical20 is giving Horizon Zero Dawn ago, but isn’t a fan of it just yet.
- MrYd picked up Avengers on PS5, and is enjoying Hunt, Enlisted, and played Alvo in VR.
- It was more No Mans Sky and Dreams for TSBonyman.
- And lastly, after a short break, hornet1990 has gone back to Mass Effect Andromeda.
Have a great weekend and I’ll be back soon!
