eighth March
Whats up and welcome again to our common characteristic the place we write a little bit bit about a number of the video games we have been taking part in. This week, Ed excitingly dives into Monster Hunter Wilds however is not completely satisfied; Tom O takes the plunge into Avowed and hopes he can follow a giant recreation this time; and Bertie goes again to most likely the most effective cellular recreation ever.
What have you ever been taking part in?
Meet up with the older editions of this column in our What We have Been Taking part in archive.
Monster Hunter Wilds, PS5
These poor monsters, being become monster soup and monster spring/summer season 2025.Watch on YouTube
Like many, Monster Hunter World was my introduction to Capcom’s collection, and had me intimidated and confused from the beginning. 100 or so hours later and I used to be nonetheless intimidated and confused, however at the very least competent with the bow. So once I performed follow-up Rise, I felt extra instantly assured and shortly fell in love with it.
I might hoped to fall even deeper in love with Wilds as my looking confidence grew additional, however my emotions up to now are combined – I am near ending the preliminary marketing campaign. For each enchancment Capcom has made, there is a disadvantage elsewhere; two steps ahead, one again.
Take the extra streamlined strategy of Wilds, as an example, particularly the brand new choices in your Seikrat mount. Your speedy chook is nearly a cellular camp, permitting you to swap and sharpen weapons on the go, heal whereas driving, and seize distant supplies with a grapple. That is nice! However equally, the auto-run operate means I am hands-off and on auto-pilot, on my technique to the following hunt, barely interacting with the atmosphere. The main target is squarely on monster battling slightly than monster looking.
Then there’s the extent design, with its sprawling and spectacular open environments and climate results. Up to now within the marketing campaign, these have not had a noticeable affect on gameplay, although I hope they’ll within the Excessive Rank hunts. As a substitute, they contribute to the sport’s poor efficiency; even on a base PS5 that is prioritising framerate, the sport is filled with distractingly PS2-era textures to maintain issues clean. The visuals have a colorless, washed-out really feel, particularly in contrast with the extra vibrant Rise, and I believe it leads to a scarcity of character right here – exterior of the monster designs, in fact. I miss the Japanese-influenced world of Rise. I miss its poetic monster introductions. I miss the cat dango track.
However then there’s fight, which feels the most effective of the three video games. As a bow important, I really like the wound system and the flexibility to fireplace centered homing photographs for large injury. Sure it is a little bit simple, however I really feel extra highly effective than ever, and the monster menagerie consists of some notably ingenious and thrilling battles. And with the flexibility to modify weapons extra simply, I am sorely tempted to study a secondary melee weapon too. Wilds completely succeeds in its core fight, and the central idea of battling and skinning monsters is extremely moreish. I simply hope these later Excessive Rank hunts can override a few of my disappointment from early on.
-Ed
Avowed, Xbox Collection X
Will Tom stick with taking part in Avowed? It is a this week’s cliffhanger!Watch on YouTube
I am horrible at stepping into huge video games. I bounced off The Witcher 3 4 occasions earlier than lastly getting consumed by it. Skyrim, a recreation I personal on at the very least 4 platforms, I’ve by no means actually bought far into, normally wandering off up a big mountain I should not be wandering up, then type of losing interest – I in some way managed to push early companion Lydia off one among these mountains, as soon as, and by no means discovered her once more, which did not assist. I did not get off the primary disc taking part in Last Fantasy 7 on PS1 for goodness sake.
So, Avowed. I am liking this loads having simply made it to Paradis, however as ever I am struggling barely to simply play it as an alternative of getting distracted. With Avowed my challenge is the picture high quality on Xbox Collection X. I am taking part in on Balanced Mode as I wished some first rate visuals however with the smoother body charge supplied in comparison with High quality, however it’s one of many noisiest trying video games I’ve seen shortly. Motion causes the picture to interrupt up fairly badly and there are some horrible graphical points I believe are to do with shadows, however cannot ensure. The sport appears to be like pretty more often than not, however it feels prefer it’s about to interrupt.
Anyway, greatest moments up to now? I believed I might by chance eaten that spell ebook you get close to the beginning that is wanted to burn the overgrown thorny branches away. Seems I hadn’t. Are you able to eat them, although? Type of like a mushroom-headed Kirby gameplay mechanic? I additionally spent a minute gazing on the attractive surroundings and walked straight off a cliff to my demise. Will I follow Avowed? Who is aware of. Discover out subsequent week, possibly.
-Tom O
Slice & Cube, Android
Sorry in regards to the profile orientation, however you may discover on this screenshot that I am being supplied an improve for 2 of my characters. The sport is providing my Spade the improve of a Coffin! Which different video games does that?! | Picture credit score: Eurogamer / Tann
Each time I load Slice & Cube again up, I fall in love another time, such that my infatuation has now developed into full obsession.
You’ll have seen me write about it right here earlier than. Slice & Cube is a recreation about rolling cube to guide fantasy heroes via more and more robust battles. Character talents are mapped to the perimeters of six-sided cube, which you roll and reroll to maintain the great outcomes from, then you definately use these towards enemies that do the identical on their flip to you. That is it on a really primary stage, however it’s the character level-ups which can be extra like Pokémon evolutions that make it nice.
The sport has one thing like 102 heroes you may play as, or draft into your groups, and since there are such a lot of, they go approach past the common fighter, rogue, mage varieties we’re used to. The opposite day, on the best way again from London, I bought drafted a Spade for instance – a spade! And what did it do? Nothing however resurrect others – nothing however dig individuals again up! Sheer brilliance.
I do not understand how solo developer Tann comes up with the entire concepts however a part of the enjoyment of Slice & Cube is just experiencing what character the sport gives you subsequent, and marvelling on the talents they have been given to make use of. Some characters destroy themselves, others copy, and a few – just like the Statue – do not do something in any respect. How do you employ them? That is the pervading mindset within the recreation – how do I exploit this character nicely.
What additionally astounds me is the regularity Tann retains updating the sport with, years after launch. Play it, that is all I can say. Play it and inform me I am not mad, I urge of you.
-Bertie
