shinymcshine

Another nifty feature is that your crew each can have a sub profession alongside their main character class, and these are used for downtime activities (some having a related mini-game too.) So far I've got: Artificer - makes simple equipment (Inc hooks & lockpicks). Blacksmith - crafts weapons / armour Cook - reduces food usage/ can make recipes Thief - can steal, lockpick & fence items Angler - can fish (with hooks & bait) It seems that you unlock more professions as you go - and can retrain crew members, albeit they lose their previous professions exp. Nice addition - makes your characters feel a bit more 'rounded' than, say, having to stick to predefined (D&D) class constraints. Now - positives aside for a second - it does at times look & feel a bit like one of those F2P browser games from 10 yrs ago - you know where it was like complete a mission then wait 12 hrs for the next one etc - but of course without the waiting, and missions are pretty short so far, go from A-B-A and collect reward - but there has been some moral choice of which side to assist etc.

There's a relationship mechanic within the party system, so your crew can get on or fall out - certainly an errant shot by my archer into melee (hitting a crew member) didn't help their liking of each other !

Newly added to Gamepass, it's an open world party based RPG, which seems to have a rather sandbox approach (in terms of letting you decide whether to go & what to do - rather than (currently) a directed main quest). Create a party of 4 based on their background (reason for being together) and off you wander, in a high level world map (a bit like Mount & Blade). You encounter people, places & settlements, the latter where you can pick up paid missions. Then its off for some turn based combat, leveling up, camping, reskilling etc. Driving force in the early stages is getting gold (to pay your party) and to buy food (consumed when resting). Seems pretty positive so far (about 90 mins played).

Hey babe, wanna know why I call my bedroom the joypad......

The golden age for sheer quantity of AAA games still feels like the 360/PS3 gen. Since then the flow dried up somewhat - whether it's the complexity of programming, manhours required, lack of faith in new IPs, or the tendancy to reach back for a remaster - I really don't know, but the new release/ forthcoming games lists just doesn't feel such an exciting place as it was 10+ yrs ago Don't get me wrong, there's still been some excellent things post that era, and indie games have certainly stepped up (and Nintendo continued doing things their own way) - but when you think we've not had a new ES or GTA game since those days (online contents aside) it perhaps shows some degree of stagnation.

After initial reaction of WTF does this really need to exist already - there is this, which actually seems pretty reasonable: "And good news for existing owners of The Last of Us Part II on PlayStation 4! You will be able to upgrade to a digital version of The Last of Us Part II Remastered for $10 USD at launch. You’ll also be able to import your saves from the original game to Part II Remastered."

And it's completed (~50 hrs played). I know it was on GP and this likely skews the stats, but only around 5% have the achievement for game completion. Go and enjoy this CRPG goodness - it'll be interesting to see how long it's supported beyond the current DLC, as there's loads of scope for the system to be used as a enduring scenario creator.

Hitting the final chapter now (had a pop up message about wrapping up any outstanding quests before proceeding with the main quest). It been a great journey, and with a couple of weighty DLCs (which also increase race & class roster) to look to buy in the future, it's certainly something I'd recommend anyone who enjoys CRPGs giving it a go. I definitely doesn't feel as weighty as BG, D:OS or Pathfinder - but it's still a heap of fun, and there's some nice mechanics in the game too - from puzzles to NPCs joining your party, and a reasonable user interface.

If you fancy a bit of retro BG Enhanced Edition then you could do worse than this CE reduced to £25 (+p&p) - and it comes with a spiral-bound copy of the official Baldur's Gate Adventurer's Guide with updated rules and mechanics. The site is reputable - it's the clearance arm of Gameslore online boardgame shop - I've bought boardgames from the site (and their main site) with no issues - and the owner, Paul Bryant, is active on the BGT&C UK Facebook group. https://www.bggbasement.com/games/PR-Baldurs-Gate-Enhanced-Edition-Siege-Of-Dragonspear-Collectors-Edition.html#SID=1

Dang ! Doesn't look like they are doing a Series S version (with all the goodies but with download code rather than discs).

Oh, in that case you can play the remastered Bard's Tale Original Trilogy on Gamepass too.....

The Shadowrun RPGs are still on GP (if you fancy trying out a turn based RPG) and Pillars of Eternity 1+2.

Does "Alan Wake 2" completely miss out the chart as it's a digital only release ? It's a little weird nowadays that they only chart physical copies - wonder if 'code in a box' games count or not ?

Fair enough - probably a bit like the Oscars, that if you release something too early in the year it gets a bit forgotten about when the nomination season comes around

Weird that half of those games were only released in the last couple of months - maybe a sad reflection on the rest of the gaming year ???

TBH I'm pretty surprised that Gamecentral ran with this particular 'Hot Topic' with it being Armistice / Remembrance weekend......

Final DLC track pack now out :

I used to quite like his irreverent approach to video game critique (but TBH I haven't visited the site much in recent years). Zero Punctuation star Ben Yahtzee Croshaw quits after 16 years

For the cultural importance and visual impact - Mortal Kombat - specifically the fatality screens (although perhaps Barbarian did it a good few years earlier.)

Another (weird) inclusion would be those hidden object games, where they meld objects into the scenery. I loved playing those for a while, the most notable series being the Big Fish Mystery Case Files (PC) so the Huntsville & Ravenhearst series for example. Yep, okay, you can have your pretty graphics art wing, I'll have my functional and innovative use of graphics hall.

Probably something from the early days of pseudo 3D presentation too - so maybe 3D Monster Maze (ZX81) - as pictured. Then some of the Dragons Lair's art - for its style and use as a video game (albeit with questionable gameplay).

Football Manager (ZX Spectrum) The idea of taking a football management game and adding game highlight graphics way back in 1982 was so revolutionary. I remember sitting compelled to the screen, just like you do watching live sport, as the chances came, goals went in etc. So whilst it's no looker, in terms of artistic merit, the use of graphical representation of 'live' events is hugely notable in terms of video game history.

Despite being in Nag's list above, I hadn't realised Solasta was leaving Gamepass - until it wouldn't load up this morning. So £27.50 later I'm playing it again. Don't they give you any targeted notifications - based on your current/past play history - when a game is leaving ? I noticed that Tainted Grail (which I'd played a few months back - has now gone too).

Finished the second main quest (at the Dark Castle) and it was really enjoyable. Great floor switch puzzle (where clues were in books you found & read) and some combat avoidance through successful influence / negotiation checks too. Really good, nice writing, all held together well. Onwards !