Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order....

The game-play just doesn't click with me. Since my last blog about it, the more I try to 'get into it' the more I'm frustrated. There's way to much wall running, platforming, guard killing for the sake of it. I may have called it a Tomb Raider/Prince of Persia clone but it really is also mirrors edge platforming. Run along wall to jump to opposite side to run along it to jump pack to the other side to jump onto a rope to swing to a platform to.......to.....to......to......

I mention guard killing because after the first level/section/chapter they're 'just' another platform to jump over, that's all they are. I can't quiet put my finger on it but they're 'filler'. Not really there for world building, not really there for meaningful gameplay let alone be a real threat. They're generic bad-guy filler. Nah they are worse they are unfulfilling bad-guy filler. 

Yea you can up the difficulty and hamstring yourself so that each trooper is an epic Souls like battle ... each to their own... but not for me in this game. 

Playing it (even on 'normal') feels like I'm working hard to get the smallest sliver of story. The story is interesting but it really makes you work hard to see it. I like the story I've seen, I like the android companion(he's Wall-E), I like the ship and it's crew, I really like the captain of said ship. I even like the customizations. The story is an adventure and 'feels' epic. Till you get to a planet and it's hop, hop, skip, jump, wall run, x20 platforms with some generic saber fodder thrown in. I'm simplifying it but that's the gist of it. No new gimmicks for an old gaming dog, no new tricks to learn. Seen it all before.

I'm jadded with killing Troopers. I've been killing troopers since Dark Forces.... Even in the last 10 years how many Troopers have died.....  Some things are cool and some things just need to be reinvented. Or at the very least be made interesting. Games need to be as 'cool' in doing as on 'TV'.

I've no interest in manually tweaking 1's and 0's to edit graphics options in text files! While I can forgive some graphical popping every now and again, falling through scenery has killed me on more than one occasion. Stuck in a door frame or on a wall, jump to try and get out of it and I'm through the floor/building and dead. Charming.

I've gotten as far as I'm willing to go. If I'd bought the game I'd persist to get value from it.... As I got to play it for free via EA Play through Xbox Ultimate........ Time to uninstall.

Xbox Ultimate with EA Play....

EA Play on PC from Xbox Ultimate is a complex mouthful of overlords and platforms. But it's here and it works. Or at least it's finally here for PC after teething issues, which it still has, some, issues. I've played games under the Ultimate access on Xbox but it was the PC versions of some of those games that I wanted to see, test and over the last few days I have...... for the most part.

The games I had planned to take a look at via the 'scheme'/new entitlements had an addition in Command & Conquer Remastered; And three games not looked at(both KOTOR games and They are Billions).

Taking another saber swing at Fallen Order proved to be a better stab at it than when I tried it on Xbox. Still with a controller and still with it's flaws. It hasn't changed my mind. The game is what it is. I saw on PC what I'd seen on Xbox and character popping isn't something I can't unsee no matter the platform. It's a fun enough game, it looks and feels like a Star Wars game. No flaws in that yet I found myself getting irritated at times. True to say it's not a game for me now. It's got to much tomb raider platforming and Prince of Persia(Sands of Time) wall running with time slowing.... Even with a cute robot companion and force power to 'interact'/slow objects, none of it 'did it for me'.....Again. 

Yet using the saber in battle and pulling off great moves does 'feel' cinematic. Too many cons then pro's for my tastes these day's. Never say never for the future.....

Battlefront II via EA/Ultimate carried over my previous progress (from the Free Epic Store giveaway) which is nice to see but the game is still the game I left(like here and here). I did play in a good few online matches but the 'new' playerbase from the Epic giveaway has gone and the older 'uber' always on 'this is their game' players were OP spamming everything. I didn't find that fun then and not now. Time to exit stage left.

Battlefield V is exactly like my Battlefront II thoughts. My stats and player details 'via EA/Ultimate' carried over my previous progress which is nice to see but the game is still the game I left'. Again akin to Battlefront II it's got so many OP players it's hard to survive. Fun gives way to frustration fast. I'll plug away with it here and there but it's treading a fine line.... Makes me want to get back to Battlefield 1 the more I play; And that's not a player issue, BF1 is 'just' a better game right now (imho) and has been since before BFV came out...... BFV is too quick, snap reaction based for me.

Battlefield 4 is a game I played to bits on 360. Seeing as I missed(by years) the once off profile export option(360 to xbox one) I was always going to be trying this PC version as a Noob. I had fun, nostalgia was fulfilled. It's not a game I could grind a 100+odd levels in again. Still I laid out some C4 on a helipad and enjoyed an explosive moment as the helo respawned, an enemy player hopped into it and I detonated said C4. For old times sake.....Nice.

I've had my fun and this version is good fun but I think Battlefield 1 really is a better game today; For me at least. The thought of grinding levels for gear, unlocks and mods.... It would crush my soul. Efforts better but towards my ongoing BF1 journey.

Aragami was stuck in a pre download queue loop for a while; Despite my clearing of both Origin and EA app location caches. It took an app reinstall(no cache clear) to get it to download. That aside the game is the same as on Xbox(no surprise); And no point going past the initial start of the game. Nothing new over the way I played and cleared it on Xbox. The Xbox version was played through well enough. 

They are Billions as well as KOTOR I & II are listed on EA as available under Play as well as the more costly Pro. As Ultimate 'only' includes Play, the EA store seems to have issues with recognizing the Ultimate access to access them as 'Play', all three games are not 'available' and prompt to buy Pro to access them. 

Snag, temporary hitch or not it's a pity as I was looking to get back to the KOTOR's and see how I liked They are Billions. All on the back burner now. I'm sure as the joint venture goes on things will be ironed out(for the majority of gamers).

Which all brings me to the best experience of the access to games this way.... Command & Conquer Remastered. I've waffled about it, mainly in a way that was biased in not wanting it. Maybe in a semi subconscious way.... But trying it now is a whole other thing. I was genuinely gobsmacked at the look and feel. The instant switch from old to new graphics on the fly.... The new and old music. I've been flooded with nostalgia big-time. So many memories so much need to keep playing it 'just' for the fun of it. 

The addition of all the behind the scenes content 'unlocked' items as you play is great fan service. The new music and remixing is phenomenal.... I've re-added the game to my wish-list. I'll pick it up on the next sale(yes I still have a need to own games......Just a pity they aren't on physical media!!!!). 

EA Play, Xbox Game Pass for PC....

I think I jinxed it! The announcement that EA Play on PC via game pass will be delayed is a bitter sweet thing. Great that they want to provide the best experience but I had a bit of hype for it. Access to a lot of games.... Who wouldn't. 

So a better experience in the new year. I can alive with that.

EA Play....

EA Play for 'free' via Xbox Ultimate that is. Which was a surprise bonus to Ultimate subscribers when it was announced. So not just for Gaming on the Xbox but for PC as well. That just exponentially increases the value of the subscription(at least for me).

After having a look at the current implementation of EA play on Xbox I wasn't that happy.... Mainly because I'm a first person shooter fan, which is great on PC; But getting back to a controller and being accurate on Xbox is a re-learning curve I didn't like. So I'm way more in favour of seeing the games on PC instead. Free is free but better for me with access on PC. I love Xbox but PC is 'the way'.

When it's implemented(soon...Dec 2020); When it is I'll be looking forward to these games to try. 

Fallen Order should be a good journey for at least one playthrough...

Star Wars Battlefront II has my curiosity for the Multiplayer but after a quick look at the XBox version I wasn't impressed with it. Even the single-player was annoying to me using a controller. That should be fixed by mouse and keyboard for the PC version..... As for the space combat; I found it uncontrollable and super annoying, even with reversed controls and altering other options. Again PC should 'fix' the experience or at least my control interactions if not the gameplay.

Battlefield V may not replace my beloved Battelfield 1 but should be interesting to mix up my mulitplayer options(as well as adding in some extra videos to my YouTube shenanigans).

After Frostpunk, They are Billions has had my apocalyptic micromanagement interest as well. Again another that would soak hours and another that I know I'd let sit idle if I did buy it due to that reason. So a free try is more than enough motivation....... Then I might buy it.

Battlefield 4 was the last FPS and certainly the last MP FPS that I played the guts out of on Xbox 360. While I missed the 360 to Xbox One profile import date by years starting afresh needed a platform change; And here it is. It's a great game and I fully enjoyed the multiplayer(like here, here and here; Those were the day's). So PC version will get a look in.

Aragami on Xbox (Games with Gold) was a real surprising treat(here, here and here); So I want to give the PC version a look as well.

The last pair Kotor and Kotor II(retro); I can play both with the original disks and saves but a modern tuned 'official' version has to be at least tried. Old saves or not they will be worth a look.