General gaming discussion

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343036#Comment_118343036

I hour every ready battery charger + pack of re chargables. Or rechargable battery packs. Isn't that the same? Let's not start battery gate again though. 😀

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343121#Comment_118343121

Yup, and you can get 3 years of game pass for about 120 squid.

Also, don't forget you can cloud stream games to see what they are like (maybe with shittier response times) before downloading them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343143#Comment_118343143

Perhaps explaining my PS4 routine would help. Every time I would finish playing the PS4 I would put it on rest mode and plug my controller in, so it charged every night. Because of this I NEVER once had a controller die mid game in the years I had that console.

By contrast, my Xbox controller has died multiple times mid game, often during live online games, which is just awful.

I convinced a buddy to get an Xbox for GamePass and both of us cannot understand why people consider batteries as a better solution. Absolute madness.

If the Xbox solution is such a great idea, perhaps we should have batteries in all devices like mobile phones, etc? Let's do away with lithium batteries entirely. Of course we don't do this, because it's a nonsensical idea. Honestly if the rechargeable Xbox controller wasn't €170 I would just buy that and be rid of this.

I think proponents of the Xbox solution are just people who grew up with Xbox I guess, like it's what you're used to or something. I've always been playstation so I'm used to charging it every night and the concept of a controller running out of battery is alien to me!

DeSelby83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118342910#Comment_118342910

I think if this is your first Xbox then there is a cracking back catalogue of games you have access to on Gamepass even if you ignore the new raft of games.

Depends on what style of game you like but I'd suggest having a look at the Ori games, state of decay, Grounded, the gears franchise, master chief collection.

Also possibly a lot of third party games on gamepass that you haven't bought/played on the ps5.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118342910#Comment_118342910

Make sure you use the trick to get three years gamepass for €100 or thereabouts.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343167#Comment_118343167

Here you go

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ie/d/xbox-one-play-charge-kit/8tzdq3k9f52m

Also,.maybe 3rd party ones too

Retr0gamer

Just get ninja gaiden. It's better than anything on the PS4 or ps5.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343231#Comment_118343231

Oh wow! I had no idea! 😄 This works with the Series X controller?

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343246#Comment_118343246

Yup

Here's a better link

https://www.xbox.com/en-IE/accessories/batteries-chargers/play-and-charge-kit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343260#Comment_118343260

Thanks for this! You made my day.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343270#Comment_118343270

Just before you go splashing the cash. Seems like it does indeed work, but no indicator light. Other solns here too.

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/xbox-series-x-rechargeable-battery

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343244#Comment_118343244

Yes, but how many polygons per second !!! Have digital foundry done the analysis yet.

Potential-Monke

I've a few games lined up already, both Oris, Psychonauts 2, Quantum something, Mechwarrior 5 (I my PS wishlist no longer!). I've enough to tie me over anyway!

Must Google that 3 years thing, though I've probably already messed up by getting 3 months as I got the free month last year on PC.

But, I have Praey for the Gods to play on the 5 first! Forza looks good, but still early in it so getting to grips with it. Can't believe I can buy a Starion! Yurt!

Potential-Monke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118342959#Comment_118342959

It's €313 trade credit, doesn't show cash. Plus extra tenner if you're level 3 (used to be a %). Edit: I'd say be quick, I checked the trade in price of the 2Tb Pro and its only €212!!

Re: Xbox controller, I was actually shocked when I realised it was batteries and no charging cable. Didn't realise MS were still clinging onto that. Madness for a next gen console. And not a tap on the DualSense, which I've already spilled praise on as a genuine step forward. It's why the 5 will be the console of choice for cross plat not-in-Gamepass games.

PS5 UI is way nicer too. I feel like the SX UI is trying to make me spend money at every opportunity.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343833#Comment_118343833

Once the 3 months expires you can do the 3 year deal, if it's still around.

Retr0gamer

The Xbox UI evolution maddens me. It's like they started off with the perfect system with blades on 360 and then ever update has been worse with more adverts added each time.

What ads are people seeing? I get links to game sales but I'd hardly call that ads. Can't aee how anyone can complain at getting a tile linking to a 70% games sale for example.

I've no complaint with the UI at the moment to be honest. It's all about getting in and out of games as quickly as possible. Not sure what else you'd expect on a console. I've not experienced the PS5 but PS4 was hardly anything special and people were saying the same thing back then.

I remember an interview with Phil Spencer, I think it was with The Verge, where we said they are limited in what they can do with the xbox controller as it has so many uses outside of gaming. It's used by the military to control drones and submarines and I read recently the Israeli army use them for controlling new unmanned tanks.

Clearly they need to separate their military and gaming businesses!!

johnny_ultimate

Your video game controller being used for US drone warfare and by the Israeli military would be the best possible reason to change it.

You can customise the Xbox UI to remove most of the ads. One row can't be removed though.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118343833#Comment_118343833

There's a guide on the sticky in the Xbox Forum. You can still get it but you'll have to leave your current sub lapse and it'll be more than the €1 convert fee.

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344378#Comment_118344378

You buy two or three years of gold and then one month of Gamepass at full price instead of the €1 offer.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344306#Comment_118344306

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/07/28/new-israeli-tank-features-xbox-controllers-ai-honed-by-starcraft-ii-doom/

sorryits not unmanned, you sit inside it but it's all setup like a very expensive gaming rig.

Interesting bit in the article, I didn't know the u.s army recruit gamers to control their drones.

I hope they don't recruit PS gamers, can't imagine hitting the B button instead of the X by mistake playa out too well in a tank or a drone!

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344710#Comment_118344710

America really needs to rethink it's warfare strategy. The most powerful weapons in the world don't amount to anything when the Russians deploy with keyboard and mouse trained PC gamers against console noobpadders.

There won't have been a massacre like it since I hacked into the Dreamcast quake 3 servers with my PC.

SuperBowserWorld

Gave up trying to pretend I'll ever complete Assassin's Creed Odyssey main quest. And it's just more enjoyable.

Watched a few hints videos, rearranged my perks, so now the combat and stealth is much better.

Figured out which side quests are the better ones and just go for them. Generally the quests are similar, but there is a lot of heart in the dialogue and stories.

Came across a beautiful sea side salt mines area after coming down off some amazing forested autumnal area. It just looks gorgeous in 4K/60 FPS on a decent TV/monitor on series x. And fast loading. No bugs. Just a decent, polished, well produced game.

I know, it's chewing gum for the brain. But aren't most games. I think with a bit of editing and some more interesting missions ( and less missions ) it could have been superb. I'm thinking what BOTW2 could look like of it had the same tech available to it.

Also, it's an awful lot more cheerful and bright than other non kiddie games on Xbox at least. I'm looking at the Xbox sale at the moment and it's a load of drab, FPS, games or racing games or FIFA.

So, Halo Infinte (a decent FPS) and Psychonauts 2 are on GamePass and I'm enjoying them but ...

I think outside of Nintendo, the only modern AAA games I really want to play are the Spiderman games, Horizon Zero Dawn, and maybe the Uncharted games, all on PS.

Maybe Starfield will be special.

Anyway. Time for bed.

I have cautiously high hopes for Starfield.

wotzgoingon

Just seen clips of the new Tina from Borderlands game. Have to say looks good as I liked Borderlands and also that Tina DLC.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118345210#Comment_118345210

I'm working my way through Valhalla at the moment. I skipped Origins and Odyssey because I was playing Witcher 3 at the time and just couldn't face another lengthy RPG. So I've gone straight into Valhalla for the new AC generation.

I'm enjoying it, I'm not one for pottering about open worlds and doing these tedious achievements, I prefer to just work through the main stories side quests. But it's great graphics and decent story telling. I do get the feeling it's formulated, if I play the other games is it going to be much of the same? I really want to finish it and get to the Ireland dlc. But I wonder is it just the same biome with a lot of begod-a-begorrah characters.

I'll definitely be picking up Origins and Odyssey at some point. They're on sale right now, but they always pop up on sale I can catch the next one. Pity Ubi won't join gamepass. Watchdogs legions is a very good game too, they'd all be a great addition to the catalog. Oh and Just Dance - what a perfect subscription, game as a service type game perfect for game pass.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118345670#Comment_118345670

I picked Odyssey as my one and only AC game. It was cheap when I got it and had been updated to 60 FPS. I think it's more enjoyable to just dip in now and again and just wander and clear out areas 1 or more below your current level, and explore otherwise it feels like work.

I think the last 3 have been very similar. But I went for the blue skies, sand and sea of Odyssey. Really is beautiful. I think the sea is very well realised in the game.

Also, scouting out an area with the eagle works so well.

Worth giving a spin at some stage.

Markitron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118344195#Comment_118344195

The Xbox has the single worst UI of any console I have ever used, the layout is unintuitive and the use of space is atrocious. The fact that I am forced to look at ads for the darts make it even worse. Between the Xbox One, One X and Series X I have been using it for years and I still have trouble finding what I need. It is night and day when compared to the PS5's minimalist approach and simple layout.

The 360's blades were good but the best UI is the PS3's XMB and no one is ever gonna convince me otherwise.

Retr0gamer

I never liked xmb the Xbox UIs were always way better and more intuitive until the Xbox one disaster. And the less said about the ps3's god awful store which was broken at launch and just got slower and more broken with each update. Lots of annoying stuff with that UI as well. Background downloading was a pain to use with multiple downloads, everything wasn't well integrated so you had long install times after downloading and then there was the woefully long update times and risk of bricking your console as each update flashed the nand, something Sony never recognized even though it was probably the main cause of ylod errors.

I don't who the hell they hired at MS for their UI design or how they seem to think the current one is acceptable. The 360 had multiple UI updates but the current UI has now jumped to a new generation and it's still awful. My Xbox One S takes forever to boot and then I sometimes forget where my games library actually is. The shop is no great shakes either. I remember when Ninja Gaiden 2 appeared on BC but wasn't listed in the shop unless you searched.