Is Helldivers 2 Losing Its Spark?
The excitement surrounding the Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered collector’s editions has taken over the Thursday letters page. However, one reader has a theory about Nintendo and Shiver Entertainment that has caught the attention of many.
As someone who was once an avid player of Helldivers 2, I must admit that I am not surprised by the declining interest in the game. Personally, I stopped playing regularly due to a combination of the nerfing of powerful weapons and the repetitive nature of the gameplay.
Repeating the same tasks over and over again eventually loses its appeal, and I have reached my limit. While games like Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege seem to have endless appeal, I require some level of variation. Although I may return to the game in a few months, I doubt I will ever invest as much time into it as I once did.
Helldivers 2 did not necessarily do anything wrong, but there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing. This raises the question of whether this applies to other players as well. It seems that most long-running live service games are either targeted towards children (such as Fortnite and Minecraft) or dedicated shooter fans (like Rainbow Six and Counter-Strike).
There seems to be a lack of middle ground, and that’s exactly where Helldivers 2 falls. Perhaps this was intentional, but if it was, we may soon discover that these types of games do not have long-term success.
Is Hellblade 2 the Next Ryse: Son Of Rome?
The underwhelming reception of Hellblade 2 does not come as a surprise to me, as I had played the original and was thoroughly disappointed. The gimmick of the voices became annoying, the combat lacked depth, and there were only a handful of enemy types.
Has Ninja Theory ever created a truly remarkable game? A quick Google search tells me otherwise. Maybe Enslaved was decent, but overall, their track record is not impressive. Of course, this is just my opinion, and others may have a different perspective. However, I will continue to pass on their games unless they are heavily discounted.
Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil 1, it’s remarkable how much progress we have made in such a short time. I vividly remember buying a PS1 just to play it and being amazed by the lifelike graphics. It was a horror experience that genuinely made you jump, and it was one of the few games I kept going back to.
Although Resident Evil 1 was groundbreaking, for me, Super Mario 64 remains the most incredible achievement given the limited hardware of its time. I still recall watching the intro, eagerly waiting for the game to begin outside the castle, only to realize that it had already started. The entire game was filled with that level of magic, and I spent over 100 hours collecting every star.
Sending my best wishes and crossing my fingers for everyone at Digital Foundry and Eurogamer staff during these uncertain times. They are not only dedicated journalists but also passionate gamers.
GREAT NEWS! Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is set to have a physical release on September 24. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this game, but I wasn’t too thrilled about the idea of a digital copy when my other Tomb Raider games are on disc. Thankfully, I waited, and now my patience has paid off.
Not only will it be available as a standard edition, but there will also be a deluxe steel book edition. This special edition will include maps, an 80+ page book, a soundtrack download, and a greatest hits music CD. It’s a blast from the past and exactly what I was hoping for. The game will be released on PlayStation 5 and Switch, although there’s no mention of Xbox.
Speaking of Xbox, there have been some issues with the Xbox Series X, including Chaosphere and Paul C’s start-up problems. However, I’ve found that the advice given by Satan’s Therapist back in 2019, right here on these very pages, can often solve a range of console issues. The advice was originally for the Xbox One, but I’ve discovered that it applies to the Xbox Series X as well.
The solution is simple: just go to settings, then Disc & Blu-ray, and click on clear persistent storage three times (similar to clearing the Xbox 360 cache). After that, go to advanced settings under network and clear the Alternative Mac Address. This will restart the Xbox and everything should be smooth sailing again. At least, that’s been my experience. Hopefully, this advice will be helpful to others as well.
Now, onto a small problem I encountered. I received a new and sealed copy of System Shock for PlayStation 5 from Hit today, but I could hear that the disc was loose inside the packaging before I even opened it. Upon inspection, I noticed a few small marks on the disc. However, I went ahead and installed the game on my PlayStation 5, and it installed perfectly fine. I even started playing the first area after the cut scene and haven’t encountered any issues yet. So, does this mean the disc is in full working order? Should I return it for a refund?
A similar situation happened to me earlier this month when I received Sea Of Stars from Hit. The disc was loose in the packaging as well, but there were no marks, and it installed without a hitch.
On a different note, I came across a fantastic review of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door in GC. I’m definitely interested in playing it. I vaguely remember playing either one of the Paper Mario games or Super Mario RPG on the DS about 15 years ago. So, here’s my question: while Mario games don’t typically have a continuous story, what is the best order to play the Paper Mario/Mario RPG games in your opinion? They all seem to be available now on Switch, Nintendo Switch Online, or DS. I’m looking for the most coherent and enjoyable way to experience them, especially since your review mentioned different games in their history.
Thank you for taking the time to respond, and keep up the great work!
NINTENDO BUYS SHIVER ENTERTAINMENT PORT HOUSE
In an interesting turn of events, Nintendo has acquired the port house, Shiver Entertainment. This news has sparked confusion among readers regarding the quality of recent ports. However, the reasons behind Nintendo’s decision to purchase a studio like Shiver Entertainment seem to make a lot of sense. It appears that Nintendo is looking to avoid any gaps in the Switch line-up on the upcoming Switch 2.
Typically, ports from third parties to the Switch required the hiring of specialists by the original publishers or developers. Some notable examples include Panic Button’s work on Doom, Saber’s work on The Witcher 3, and Feral’s work on Alien Isolation. However, with Nintendo now having its own port studio, it seems likely that they will offer this service in-house to third parties. This could potentially entice companies like EA or Microsoft to directly collaborate with Nintendo for Switch 2 versions of their games, making it easier to bring their titles to the new platform.
Additionally, there is the matter of patches for existing Switch games on the Switch 2. Many first and third party titles would greatly benefit from upgrades, and having a dedicated studio familiar with both the old and new hardware would be advantageous. It is worth noting that these enhancements to older games may come at a cost, as resources are required to produce them. It is possible that Nintendo will charge a fee for higher frame rates and resolutions, with Shiver Entertainment handling the work.
In other news, there has been a great review of the Paper Mario game. Many players fondly remember playing this title on the GameCube and are excited about its release on the Switch. One reader wonders if the load times will be significantly shorter on the Switch 2, especially considering its rumored backwards compatibility.
On a different note, it is unclear why Helldivers 2 is suddenly losing popularity. This raises questions about Sony’s future plans and how this setback will impact them. It serves as a reminder that the success of live service games can be unpredictable, and sometimes a hit is only recognized much later. However, it seems unlikely that Sony is willing to acknowledge this lesson.
