In this week’s collection of fun and hi-jinx from the gaming world, Antony and Darren discuss the games of the moment and the news and mood from across the bewildering bubble that is our games industry.
A blind eye could not be turned any longer as Antony and Dazza discuss the hot topic of the moment – the Loot Crate. Not a new innovation by any means but it does seem that in recent times, this method of monetisation seems to be more and more in the public eye as these innocent looking Crates seem to be unstoppably seeping into every premium title you can shake a stick at.
It seems a gamer can’t browse their favourite websites without seeing articles informing us of Loot Crates in this game or that game and how they affect said gaming within said game.
With this business model making billions for publishers such as Activision it looks like this trend is not going anywhere soon and so comes under the scrutiny of our gaming pod-keteers.
With the recent advent of a a UK based petition asking to regulate gambling in vidoe games in order to protect both children and vulnerable adults – which, with more than 100,000 signatures would be considered for UK Parliamentry debate – the guys discuss the state of play with regard to this invasion of Loot Crates, the risk of it introducing gambling to the vulnerable, tipping the balance of fairness within a gaming community, where the practice goes too far and the idea that Loot Crates could replace Season Passes as an optional buy in while making extra content free for everyone.
It’s a subject that can be approached from many sides, so listen in and hear the chat as the guys discuss the matter while keeping surprisingly calm and objective.
This week in What We’ve Been Playing, it’s another week of quality distractions of time for the guys as 2017 continues to deliver even more great titles. Could it be this year is truly the greatest yet for stellar games?
Dazza tells Antony all about the delights of Divinity Original Sin 2 an RPG on PC by Larian Studios. This game caught Darren by surprise and has got it’s hooks (talons) well and truly into him as he embarks on his first CRPG for many years.
An RPG with oodles of depth, an 80 hour story in the vein of the beloved and classic isometric dungeon crawlers of yore, such as Baldurs Gate has beckoned and revealed a game that truly gives more, the more you put in.
A game that rewards creativity wherever it can opens a plethora of approaches to it’s myriad quests. Align with the ‘Pet Pal’ talent and talk to the animals. Need to get past a locked gate? Do the guard a favour so he lets you in, or just kill him and pluck the key from his corpse. Or pick his pocket. Or pick the lock. Or teleport past, if you’re magically inclined?
With features such as ,2 player local couch co op using dynamic split screen, 4 Player Online Co Op, and a PVP combat arena the value of this game seems almost limitless. Add to this package the Game Master mode, in which you are given the tools to be your own dungeon master and create your own adventures and it’s time to just admit defeat, close the doors, shut the blinds and prepare to quest for the rest of your gaming life.
Antony is sharing a similar pull from Stardew Valley on Switch by Chucklefish.
After inheriting his farm and reaping the rewards of his first vegetable patch the sun rose in Stardew Valley and as the light nurtured the crops in the game, it shone out and touched Antony’s heart opening up a whole world of options in this open world farming RPG.
From farming, leveling up your character, attending festivals, deciding if you will align with the corporate entity that is working it’ sway into the village, or even exploring the mysterious mine over yonder, this game has Antony as excited about its possibilities as it has ...
