Gaming Inbox: What’s the Best Video Game Console?

The best of the best
There’s been a lot of recall about the Xbox 360 lately, in light of Microsoft’s questionable plans for the future, and I have to admit that I’m looking back on the old console with a lot of fondness. Some have said it’s their favorite ever, which made me wonder if it was mine too.

It’s definitely up there. I think the other top contenders are the SNES, PlayStation 2 and Switch. The SNES, while arguably the best of the retro era, obviously doesn’t have many genres that are on other systems, including PC systems at the time, so for me that’s out. The PlayStation 2 is the absolute golden age of early 3D, but returning to its games can be a bit jarring.

The Switch is probably the overall winner, but since it’s still going, I’m going to pretend that means it doesn’t count yet. So in my opinion, the Xbox 360 is the best console ever, or at least the best retro one. It was innovative, had great exclusives and a wide range of game types – exactly what you want from a classic console.

Microsoft should have built from there, adding more Japanese support, but unfortunately they focused on Kinect and none of it was any better. No one can take away the Xbox 360 era though, as it’s still my favorite.
Franky

Terrible bargain
Regarding the reader’s letter about their free game pack last Friday. I noticed that SOMA is on sale on the PlayStation Store for £2.39! I don’t think anyone can say no to this opportunity. The Amnesia Collection will also cost £3.59. These offers are valid until July 17.

There’s also a Frictional bundle including plus the aforementioned Amnesia: Rebirth and Amnesia: The Bunker for £51.79, but I’d advise patience as these two games, individually, have also been heavily discounted in the past. These deals only seem to apply to the PlayStation 4, so I’m not sure if they’re playable on the PlayStation 5, but I can’t imagine why not.

For anyone concerned about getting their little ones dirty, then the money saved would easily cover the cost of the laundry detergent.
D Dubya

GC: These are great deals, we would recommend both. Not all Amnesia games are good, but The Bunker is the best out there. All will work on PlayStation 5.

Exclusive gossip
In danger of being way off the mark with the very vague live-action teaser for ‘Who’s Emio?’ I will envision local multiplayer that encourages families to have more than one switch to get the best out of the game.

Something like Cluedo, a kind of murder mystery.

It’s a wild guess I know, but the live action trailer featuring someone with a bag over their head could be any of us, and a close-up on four fingers could signal a number of players.
Bad editing

GC: Have you ever considered a job as a video game gossip monger?

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Rivalry at home
To me, Xbox is going to give up on the console market and if the rumors are true, and they only care about North America, then what’s the point of a new console? I know they’ve said they’re working on one, but they do a turnaround every three months.

Now that Game Pass is out on the Amazon Fire stick, there’s no need for another console from them. It will be much cheaper bringing Game Pass to other devices, which is a shame that Sony is the only home console on the market that can charge what they want for PlayStation Plus and their games.
DAVID

Idle talk
I got the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake because my TV no longer has a SCART socket, so it was a good way for me to play it again.

Does the original have that annoying noise when people talk? I don’t know what else to call it, but it’s so annoying that I’m trying to play it – I’d rather shut up.

It’s terrible.
Simon

GC: Yes, it’s the same as always. If you don’t like this, make sure you never play Banjo-Kazoie.

Retro rocket
Rocket Knight Adventures: Resparked came in the mail for me this past Friday, from Limited Run Games. I pre-ordered it a long time ago for the PlayStation 4. It’s a crime that the original title never found a home on any 16-bit mini-console. It comes with three games: the two Mega Drive installments and the SNES version of the sequel, which I don’t think was ever released in this country? Anyway, I never owned a SNES back in the day so it was new to me.

The SNES title looks like business as usual, except now the bad guys are like dogs. Or like a jackal, maybe. Also, they can transform into their canid form from the rocks on the first level! Creeper.

Also included was a nice comic book. A housemate of mine had never seen the giant boxing match before, so I decided to show him the game. Now in my early 40’s and not having played any of these in at least 15 years, I was pretty rusty and had to use the rewind function liberally! It probably didn’t help that I started after 9pm.

It’s still great fun to this day, even if my middle-aged bones protested afterwards. Loudly. It’s probably the best thing Konami has done in a very long time. I mean, they had to at least let it happen, right?
DMR

GC: Sparkster was released in Europe in 1994.

Virtual upgrade
I see there is a free update for the Gorn PlayStation VR game for the PlayStation VR2, which GameCentral had a good review for.

This is the first time I’ve had a free update on PlayStation VR2, as you either have to pay to upgrade or there’s no option. I’m happy to pay to upgrade if it means the PlayStation VR games I bought can be played on the PlayStation VR2. Here is a trailer for Gorn which is quite humorous.
Andrew J.
Currently playing: The Touryst (PS5 version)

Changing scenery
So I’ve finally beaten Shadow Of The Erdtree and that means I’m now up to date with all my FromSoftware games and all the Soulslikes I’m interested in at the moment. Since it will be a while until the next one, I thought I’d try to take stock of where we are now with the genre and what I’d like to see next.

My first thoughts are that it definitely feels like the open world works. I was against it at first, but mixing in legacy dungeons I also thought it worked perfectly and added a lot more options to how you handle things. However, I would like a change of scenery. The more I delved into the lore and worked out what was going on, it wasn’t all that different from Dark Souls and I can’t see what George RR Martin is supposed to have added to it.

Personally, I agree that we are long overdue for a sci-fi setting. There are a lot of ways that From could keep a gothic vibe with sci-fi, and while there is a question of how the combat would work, since you don’t want to be shooting people from a mile away with a laser, I’m sure they could think of something.

Recently we’ve had Dune, which relies almost entirely on melee combat, so you just have to find an excuse and you’re there. Warhammer 40,000 is also very melee focused, even Jedi and lightsabers, so I don’t think it would be too much of a problem.

Steampunk could also be a good compromise, or maybe some sort of alternate fantasy setting like underwater or Ancient Greece, where all the myths are real. What I’m saying is that Elden Ring has perfected the game as far as I’m concerned, so now it’s just a matter of changing the presentation.
Goober

Inbox-ka too
I like the idea of ​​a reverse Switch Lite for Nintendo’s next console, with more power but not as portable. I can’t see them doing it though. They have never been interested in attracting that kind of crowd or unnecessary expensive equipment.
Johnson

So, not exactly game-related, although they’ve certainly inspired and appeared in many games since, but in what order would you put these, possibly the four greatest action movies, in: RoboCop, Die Hard , Aliens and Predator? (This is my order from.)
Liam

GC: That’s a tough one, especially since RoboCop has qualities beyond just being an action movie. But, okay… Aliens, Die Hard, RoboCop and Predator.

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special hot topic inboxes on the weekend. Reader letters are credited and may be edited for length and content.

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