General gaming discussion

McFly85 · 11-05-2026 12:30PM

I mean, €17 is basically a trip to the cinema for 1 these days, I don’t see how that value doesn’t translate to games

Retr0gamer · 11-05-2026 12:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124460093#Comment_124460093

If you hit the pick and mix hard enough it's cheaper than one trip to the cinema.

McFly85 · 11-05-2026 12:38PM

…deleted

Penn · 11-05-2026 12:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124460085#Comment_124460085

And I've certainly experienced similar myself. Bunch of games I've tried which for some people are 100+ hour timesinks, I've bought at full price and tapped out after 2-3 hours because it's just not for me.

It's why length of game vs cost isn't something which can really be factored into a review. Those things should be noted, absolutely. People should be aware when games are quite short, the typical length of time to beat, any post-game content or replayability. But value for money is insanely subjective, and is something that can only really be judged in retrospect after playing the game for yourself. You could have abandoned Crimson Desert after 5 hours because you didn't enjoy it and all of a sudden that 24c per hour you're currently judging it on would have been €12 per hour. Diablo 4 for me was about €30 per hour even though it's an 88 on Opencritic and some people put hundreds of hours into it. Dragon Age Veilguard was about €1 per hour for me and only got 80 on Opencritic.

Cordell · 11-05-2026 12:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124460017#Comment_124460017

Against my better judgement I gave it a try after seeing the noise on X and some gameplay video. I couldn't last long* as neither the horrible visual style, nor music nor dialogue, none of them brough back any 90s nostalgia. And again, I'm not letting this go, it's called Mixtape and yet it gets the cassette (an pen rewind) wrong.

Look, maybe it's fun, maybe some will like it, but it's not a 10. I don't care how the reviewer justifies it, a 10 means a masterpiece and this certainly isn't.

*well, that's finally something that reminds me of my teenage years.

Retr0gamer · 12-05-2026 12:30AM

Really impressed with Pragmata. Played about an hour and it's so good.

johnny_ultimate · 12-05-2026 01:25AM

Playing Tokyo Xtreme Racer which is a delightful old-school Japanese arcade racer that feels gloriously divorced from all the nonsense that goes into the typical racing games these days. Just you, an extremely customisable car that you need to upgrade to stay in the game, the nighttime highways of Tokyo, and a bunch of random rival drivers to race (and shunt off the road so you can get ahead of them).

True to its old school roots, the translation is endearingly stiff and iffy, but can't deny it has some badass title cards:

Necro · 12-05-2026 11:00AM

I looked at Mixtape and thought it might be in my wheelhouse (I enjoyed Lost Records somewhat for example) but the art style in the promos put me off completely. I get it, but the character models just look bloody weird.

Retr0gamer · 12-05-2026 12:50PM

Man the whole Mixtape discourse online is the dumbest **** ever since the nonsense over Gone Home.

All this rubbish about is it a real game, is it too short and when in reality it's just manosphere bellends mad about a game with three female protagonists.

It can be a game that doesn't interest you, fair enough but the level of vitriol online is beyond parody. And of course it's all pretty much contained in the far right/fascism circle jerka like twitter. I've seen nothing on blue sky.

Cordell · 12-05-2026 01:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124462539#Comment_124462539

it's just manosphere bellends mad about a game with three female protagonists

You just misgendered one male.

Unearthly · 12-05-2026 01:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124461850#Comment_124461850

Good man. I’ll probably finish it today. A lot of fun

Grumpypants · 12-05-2026 01:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124462539#Comment_124462539

Slater is a guy 😁

Retr0gamer · 12-05-2026 03:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124462600#Comment_124462600

I've not played it but just going by an article I read that said three female leads? Happy to be corrected.

Cordell · 12-05-2026 03:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124462969#Comment_124462969

Well it's not three female leads, one of them is clearly sporting a mustache which today doesn't mean anything but in the 90s it means that's a dude. So clearly the article is wrong about the reasons behind the discourse which isn't even mainly directed at the game, but at the gaming journalists who gave it the stellar 9/10 and 10/10 reviews.

Grumpypants · 12-05-2026 04:30PM

Wrapped Mixtape. Overall, I think I enjoyed it. The back half builds nicely and kinda washes away the ire from not playing a game and replaces it with some 80s movie styling of a 90s story…with a soundtrack mainly from the 70s 😂

One thing it does well is capture that feeling in the 90s, where leaving town was really an end of an era moment. There was no social media or mobile phones / WhatsApp, etc., to stay in touch. Very often, growing up in the 80s/90s, when someone moved away, that was often the last time you ever saw them.

It's not as good as the reviews say and not as bad as the internet says. Bit of fun for a few hours.

Retr0gamer · 12-05-2026 07:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124463112#Comment_124463112

70s music tracks. There was a big nostalgia shift towards the 70s with the people that grew up then having disposable income. You had stuff like Abba coming back big and the beegees, motown being popular and it's sound making it's way into rap as samples and britpop being influenced by the bands of the 70s. I mean Nirvanas sound was mostly Dave grohl ripping off motown

cheese sandwich · 12-05-2026 07:42PM

I played and finished Mixtape on Friday. It’s enjoyable and cute. It’s not The Witcher 3 but not every game needs to be. The closing trifecta of songs (I won’t spoil for anyone who intends to play) are superb and I admit to being a bit emotional at the end. It’s not for everyone but a lot of the negative vibes seem to be from the sort of anti-social teenagers who only play COD Warzone

dulpit · 12-05-2026 11:10PM

Just finished mixtape there. Thought it was beautiful. Sure the gameplay isn't up to much, but that's not the only aspect of a game. Story was great, as others have said it captures a time and a feeling so well.

I will say it's a perfect game for gamepass. No worry about cost, just add it, play it and enjoy it.

recyclops · 12-05-2026 11:38PM

I hope it wins game of the year just for a laugh.

johnny_ultimate · 13-05-2026 09:32AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124464091#Comment_124464091

"And the winner is, Crimson Des… haha just kidding, the winner is Mixtape!"

the wails of the ragebait YouTubers are heard in space

Retr0gamer · 13-05-2026 09:38AM

The Crimson Desert fanatics make my love of Ace Combat 7 seem somewhat sane because at least Ace Combat 7 is a great game.

Cordell · 13-05-2026 10:10AM

TBH ragebait/clickbait was probably the reason all along. The game got exposure, the gaming journalists got clicks and we got to see again that there is no more ethics in gaming journalism.

Meanwhile, layoffs will continue until quality improves.

Retr0gamer · 13-05-2026 10:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124464520#Comment_124464520

Oh so gamergater bullshit.

If you believe the ethics in game journalism nonsense then you need to cop on.

johnny_ultimate · 13-05-2026 10:44AM

Ethics in gaming journalism* is only giving the games I personally like good reviews.

*lol haven't heard that one said with a straight face for a while

Potential-Monke · 13-05-2026 11:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124464448#Comment_124464448

Have you played CD?

Retr0gamer · 13-05-2026 11:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124464632#Comment_124464632

I don't need to, I've played Ace combat 7.

I thought it was an obvious troll.

Saying that I just find it weird that CD has been put on a pedestal by wrong'uns and Gamergate mouthbreathers when it's very obviously a competently make if uninspiring game. (Not a reflection on everyone that enjoyed the game).

Cordell · 13-05-2026 11:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124464586#Comment_124464586

Well clearly I don't believe "the ethics in game journalism nonsense" - as in I don't believe there's any left. I'd rather believe the gamergate bull rather than this being a 10/10 game and not an industry plant propped up by daddy's money.