Junkerman

I also get a kick out of it every time my eye catches on the "Top Posters" frame of the main forum page. Many of whom haven't posted in quite a while. 5-9 years even for some and they still hold top spot for post count.... and likely will for all eternity.

I don't know why that stands out to me. I guess I would have expected that to be the cast of characters inheriting these aging forms rather then just a few handfuls of us. Neither here nor there but kinda interesting to think about.

@bigsocrates: I appreciate this post and concur. I also appreciate you and the thoughtful discussions you generate on this website.

I consume absolutely zero giantbomb content these days and haven't for probably about 5 or 6 years but Ive always come to the forums - and as much as they're dying I cant help but feel like the little chrysalis that remains is the spirit and essence of what made this website and community so special from the beginning. Just some thoughtful duders who wanted to talk about games and their place in the cosmos.

Also does anyone remember HitmanAgent47? You cant AI that!

I'm glad I got to grow up in a time where I could rent cool and exciting new games for 8 bucks a week from Block Buster on my way home from school/work and have some really diverse and exciting adventures. Sometimes on my own with a single player game, sometimes with my friends in a multiplayer game. And SOMETIMES those single player games would have epic multiplayer components!

I was playing with my kids at the park a few weeks ago and some older kids were sitting in the playground jungle-gym talking about skins for Fortnite.

It just aint for me man. These poor kids are saving their milk money up so they can look like Rick Sanchez or Venom or Taylor Swift with a french fry shotgun when they could be playing cool new games rich in value had the industry taken a different turn.

Is there a narrative reason everyone is in boiled leather version of lingerie?

Are they gladiators? Roman/Greek warriors?

Is it a really temperate climate?

Are linens and silk garments rare and sacred and risking them in battle is considered a wasteful offense?

Im a few days late to this, but I read it on the weekend but wasnt on my PC to reply.

Great read!

Half-Life Opposing force might be the first non-halo shooter I ever finished as a kid and was essentially the gateway to my appreciation of Valve and Half-Life in general. As a young lad I bounced right off of the OG Half-Life when I first played it. I think having a squad and the less horror more rote-arcadey levels and shorter length was what enabled me to prevail and stop thinking of these games as scarey adult games and something that a 13 year old could chew through. Granted I played it well passed release, like I did many games (Hi Baldur's gate II!) but I'll always have fond memories.

I also really liked the sound effects and heft of the pipe wrench as a melee weapon. Every time I pick one up for work now I give it the little Adrien Shepard and smile to myself.

@bigsocrates: Xenoblade chronicles X always seemed super appealing to me but I never owned a WiiU to try it out.

I did try the other Xenoblade game when they ported it to the Switch but it didnt quite click with me, I didnt find the combat too interesting.

The sci-fi mech setting of X seemed cool though!

@apewins: Well said.

@bigsocrates: With increased costs derived from the increased complexity and time needed to produce "modern" games I have to wonder if anyone is even asking for this to continue? Is there not a critical mass reached when striving for graphical fidelity and technical fidelity doesnt break even with time/financial/personnel risk?

A lot of old games still hold up to this day - and I'd rather have more of those then seeing the opportunities to encounter new ones or return to familiar Iworlds end simply because we're pushing to greater and greater heights with (in my opinion) vastly diminishing returns.

Dev time between Morrowind and Oblivion was like 4 or 5 years and Morrowind had massive expansions.

Oblivion and Skyrim was about the same but they also put out a Fallout game in between.

We had Mass Effects and Dragon Ages coming out.

We had Halos.

Now it seems like we're waiting 6-10 years for games and if they whiff at ALL then the risk and demand for return on investment is just too massive and these corporations cant stomach that and it seems like its encouraging safer and more milquetoast products that are farther and fewer between then they ever were.

I dont want that.

I want someone to take a chance and make Brutal Legend. Or Prey.

Interesting read!

I think it entirely depends on the strength of your exclusive games.

I own both consoles. I play my PS5 the most - but I think I legit dont like the console. I dont like the controller. However I cant really think of a single Xbox exclusive thats launched this generation (or last) that was an absolute must play for me. And the games that I thought I was excited for (Starfield, Halo) ended up being mediocre at best.

I get as many games as I can for my Xbox because I prefer playing on it, its my third party machine.

360 era Xbox had INSANE games. Amazing IPs. Some I still play or wish for sequels too to this very day. Where is the next Fable game? They also had a lot of great exclusives back then that eventually became multi-platform such as Mass Effect.

Its just been flops since or when they did make a sequel it was too derivative and I think when you're playing with IPs as robust as those and you've produced nothing you can safely assume there is some serious management issues going on behind the scenes.

Look at Halo Infinite. Like seriously what the hell happened to that game? I thought the campaign was terrible but the game had some fantastic bones and they toted it as being this big platform for all of the adventures to come... where are the adventures? New levels to play? Not even cheap knock off content. Like nothing the game is just abandonware after years and that's just one of their IPs.

None of their acquisitions have paid off and these companies had been producing absolute bangers before so what changed?

Anyway - its interesting. I'd be sad to see the Xbox Console no longer exist as I think its a fantastic piece of tech and Id choose it over the PS3 in that generation and hardware wise I'd pick it over the PS5 in this generation. I skipped it entirely during the PS4 generation because.... there wasn't a single game other then I think a gear of war?

*Edit - Psychonauts 2. Forgot about that one. So theres one!

I was a little late to the Hades 1 party and so its only been a couple years since I last played it. Loved the game but I have to say I was pretty thoroughly satisfied on its gameplay loop by the end and dont feel ready to jump into it all over again.

Does it feel fresh enough or is it just more Hades?