[awp]

Old school style JRPG Chained Echoes, which is out on GamePass tomorrow, is getting fantastic reviews. 91 so far on OpenCritic. Been looking forward to it!

[bobbyblane]

Do you guys think it would be a smart allocation of Microsoft reward points to enable the gamepass auto renew (10,500/month). Previously I always just waited for some random discount via cd keys/eneba, but this would result in not spending cash. I have 2.5 years remaining so not sure if loopholes still exist in 2.5 years

I'm in nearly the exact same position.  If I knew I could get grandfathered into 10.5k points/month forever I would jump on it.  However, as long as the option to let your current subscription expire and convert Gold at 1:1 exists I can't convince myself it's worth it.  Just my two cents

[TTAZ]

I'm in nearly the exact same position. If I knew I could get grandfathered into 10.5k points/month forever I would jump on it. However, as long as the option to let your current subscription expire and convert Gold at 1:1 exists I can't convince myself it's worth it. Just my two cents

Do you think that 10,500 would remain even if they raise the price of gamepass? I’m not sure how things worked in the past with grandfathering

[blueweltall]

June 5th is the supposedly release date of Diablo IV. With a standard, digital deluxe, and Ultimate edition planned.

[briandadude]

Do you think that 10,500 would remain even if they raise the price of gamepass? I’m not sure how things worked in the past with grandfathering

They haven’t changed auto-redeem redemption rates so it’s an unknown at this point.

[gorgo]

I'm in nearly the exact same position. If I knew I could get grandfathered into 10.5k points/month forever I would jump on it. However, as long as the option to let your current subscription expire and convert Gold at 1:1 exists I can't convince myself it's worth it. Just my two cents

I have a hard time getting 10.5k / month. Seems like the expire deal is the best S long as it lasts.

[awp]

Chained Echoes is up on GP!

[gamegirlpocket]

How is the Aeron with upper back/neck support? I'm 6'2 and always seem to have issues with chairs and the upper portion being made for shorter people.

The lumbar support and slight recline prevents slouching without forcing you into a rigid posture. It's kind of like sitting on an exercise ball. They also make different sizes (A, B, and C) in order of body size. The B chair tends to be the most average, which is what I have, but a C might suit you better, I'm not sure.
 

[bardockkun]

Well, Wario64 found some games on sale tonight, but nothing really worth noting deal wise.

[SIX min WHISTLE]

Probably a Game Awards sale.

[Jodou]

Darktide is already feeling like a dead game with the IGN review being spot on: just not enough content at level cap to retain players. Great game, but they spent too much on graphics so map diversity is lacking and you can level incredibly fast. I remember needing to meet requirements just to level classes in Killing Floor and it took weeks to months to hit cap for just ONE. Way better balance as well since you could play solo offline or find a server online trying to find enough skilled players to beat a map at higher difficulties. That formula worked by keeping me invested for years, but this game just feels over before it starts.

 

Guess I'll try this Chained Echoes people are raving about because I could get into a 16-bit RPG about now.

[Jodou]

Probably a Game Awards sale.

20% off Cult of Lamb FINALLY. RE Village Gold is 20% off as well, but I'm less pressed. Well now I have two games to play; lets go!

[Jodou]

Andor early episode review vs final reviews changed a LOT. It's possible. Think how impossible it felt then.

Bad time to point out Andor didn't excite from the trailer so we skipped it altogether, eh? Sounds like we missed nothing there either.

[KrayzieKMF]

Bad time to point out Andor didn't excite from the trailer so we skipped it altogether, eh? Sounds like we missed nothing there either.

Andor was a decent show

[Freeze Time]

Andor is an awesome show. 96% RT for critics and 85% from the audience. Jodou's tastes in TV shows sucks.

[gamegirlpocket]

Borderlands 3 Ultimate is finally a decent price. If you haven't played it, the full game with both season passes is a helluva lotta game for $30.

 

I saw my sister this past weekend and she demanded I watch Andor, insisting it's on par with the Mandalorian and just starts slow. That's a pretty high bar but I'm going to give it a chance now. Mostly I just hope Andor is a limited series and not something they try to turn into a six season serial drama which stops being good 1/3 of the way through.

[Bryson]

Old school style JRPG Chained Echoes, which is out on GamePass tomorrow, is getting fantastic reviews. 91 so far on OpenCritic. Been looking forward to it!

Bad timing. I was going to start Eastward after I finish Record of Lodoss. Now I'm not sure lol. Also Chained Echoes was made by one person. Always amazes me when I hear stories like that.

[KrayzieKMF]

Borderlands 3 Ultimate is finally a decent price. If you haven't played it, the full game with both season passes is a helluva lotta game for $30.

 

I saw my sister this past weekend and she demanded I watch Andor, insisting it's on par with the Mandalorian and just starts slow. That's a pretty high bar but I'm going to give it a chance now. Mostly I just hope Andor is a limited series and not something they try to turn into a six season serial drama which stops being good 1/3 of the way through.

You could recommend Andor to people who aren't even into Star Wars.

[gamegirlpocket]

You could recommend Andor to people who aren't even into Star Wars.

I guess it has that in common with Mandalorian, then. Obviously it may be more enjoyable if you know the world and backstory, but it stands on its own. Okay I'll keep watching.
 

[bobbyblane]

I am finding myself drifting back to preferring movies over tv for story.  It feels like games and tv shows lately are just getting bloated with pointless filler.  The Walking Dead went on for 177 episodes and had no overarching story to it.  Compare that to what Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul were able to do with just over 60 episodes each.  A lot of games are also feeling this way to me.  I'm halfway through Plague Tale: Requiem, and while enjoying it, it does suffer from a lot of excesses in gameplay that feel unimportant and take me out of the narrative. 

 

Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky, but if gaming wants to step into the realm of telling compelling narratives it needs to keep the narrative moving and the gameplay enjoyable/brisk.  Ragnarok and Plague Tale are both examples to me of where the gameplay was not enough to keep me engaged with a very good story (in particular by diverting us with hours of pointless puzzles to solve)

[bee01]

Andor is my #2 show of the year, behind Severance.

[gamegirlpocket]

I agree. My free time is limited as an adult and I'm in the less-is-more category. A "long" JRPG used to be 40-50 hours, these days that's downright quaint. My biggest barrier to Andor is that it's 12 episodes. 12 hours of my life I'll never get back, lol.

[bardockkun]

I agree. My free time is limited as an adult and I'm in the less-is-more category. A "long" JRPG used to be 40-50 hours, these days that's downright quaint. My biggest barrier to Andor is that it's 12 episodes. 12 hours of my life I'll never get back, lol.

*Proceeds to wait to hear about GGP beating an old ass Mega Man game again for the double digit time while blindfolded and riding a unicycle...*

[briandadude]

I am predicting a controller revision (haptic feedback?) and Forza Horizon expansion at the June show. 6 months without a new controller color means they are up to something. For reference, last year they released 6 colors (excluding the Halo Elite controller).

I was a bit early but does seem a new controller is coming. Then again, patents doesn't mean it will come to fruition.

Microsoft Patent Shows Xbox Controller with LCD Display

https://www.youtube....h?v=jyj3LsHAHjI

[chnandler_bong]

Borderlands 3 Ultimate is finally a decent price. If you haven't played it, the full game with both season passes is a helluva lotta game for $30.

 

I saw my sister this past weekend and she demanded I watch Andor, insisting it's on par with the Mandalorian and just starts slow. That's a pretty high bar but I'm going to give it a chance now. Mostly I just hope Andor is a limited series and not something they try to turn into a six season serial drama which stops being good 1/3 of the way through.

The makers of the show have said that Season 2 will lead up to the events of Rogue One.  Make of that information what you will.

[gamegirlpocket]

An updated controller revision sure would be a good accompaniment with a hardware revision...

*Proceeds to wait to hear about GGP beating an old ass Mega Man game again for the double digit time while blindfolded and riding a unicycle...*

My time may be limited, but Mega Man is *timeless.*

[bardockkun]

I was a bit early but does seem a new controller is coming. Then again, patents doesn't mean it will come to fruition.

Microsoft Patent Shows Xbox Controller with LCD Display
 

So...is it for pornography on the controller or not? That's the only thing I want to know.

[briandadude]

The video suggests it could be an Xbox streaming stick + controller in one. You would connect the controller to a display (...wirelessly or via cable?) and access Game Pass without a TV dongle or fancy Xbox-approved TV.

[bardockkun]

 

For people who love walking to the right, good news!

[The Questyen]

I guess it has that in common with Mandalorian, then. Obviously it may be more enjoyable if you know the world and backstory, but it stands on its own. Okay I'll keep watching.

The Mandalorian is my favorite Star Wars thing ever including the movies so I don't think Andor is at that level but it's still really good. I was fairly meh about the first 3 episodes but it starts really hitting its stride after that and stays great throughout the rest of the season.