THE LOWS
Samuel Roberts: Battlefront blues
This week I blasted through Battlefront 2's campaign, and wrote this about my experience. I was a little let down by the length of it, to be honest, especially as it felt like such a big deal was made about the singleplayer portion of the game this time. There's a lot to like in there—especially the dialogue—but the story itself is strangely paced, and there are only a few standout set pieces.
If you're thinking of picking it up just for the campaign, then, it's not really worth it. Five hours is far too short for the asking price.
Andy Chalk: The whole loot box schmozzle
I'm no fan of loot boxes. But I'm also not a fan of inviting greater levels of government regulation of the medium, either. Maybe it's because I'm old enough to remember the moral panic of the early '90s that brought about the creation of the ESRB, or the First Amendment throwdown that took us all the way to the Supreme Court. (And which, despite our "didn't doubt for a second" confidence, I had some real concerns about.) Whatever the case, enthusiastically encouraging legislators to save us from ourselves strikes me as like throwing rocks at a hornet's nest. Sure, we're making things rough for them, but who's really going suffer?
Not that I wouldn't mind seeing the pervasiveness of loot boxes dialed back somewhat, but it's all about unintended consequences. Will lawmakers really be satisfied with putting the gears to EA? Or will they, once they're in the door, stop and take a look around at what else they can dick with while they're here? Maybe I'm wrong—maybe I'm worried about nothing. But maybe not, too. Do we really want to find out?
Tim Clark: Banner week
This is going to be one of those weird lows that is also a high but the more I think about it is mainly a low. I’ve been playing the Iron Banner PvP event in Destiny 2 all week, along with various PC Gamer Club Clan members, and our indie channel editor Austin Wood, who is an absolute beast with a hand cannon. As a team, shooting strangers in the game and the shit on Discord, is decent fun. But in solo queue, it is most definitely not. Bear in mind I grinded through most console versions of the event when I say this version is one of the worst yet.
The problem is that the 4v4 set up and switch to double primary weapons absolutely necessitates team shooting. Which is itself quite boring (you basically have to disengage whenever you spot two players), and if you’re matched into a full stack team as a group of randos it’s basically over unless you all have a preternatural skill for sticking together without voice comms. And don’t get me started on the use of swords, which allow players to peek corners and one-shot anyone who wanders around them. They feel almost as obnoxious as the glory days of the Felwinter’s Lie shotgun.
Anyway, it’s still sort of a high because, right at the height of my salt mountain, I finally got the Hunter hat to drop. Hoo boy it looks sweet, and almost made me think the whole thing had been worthwhile. Which pretty much sums up my whole relationship with the game (which I am still itching to go back into as I type this).
Andy Kelly: Endless space
I uninstalled Destiny 2 this week. I was still enjoying it, but after finishing the campaign I became acutely aware of the fact that the game is really just a giant, endless checklist in disguise. I mean, it's an effective disguise. But as my milestone menu continued to fill with stuff I'd probably never get around to doing, I decided it was time to end my relationship with the game after 30 enjoyable hours. I wanted to go out on a high, not grow to resent it.
There's a lot I didn't do. I never attempted Leviathan or completed any Strikes. But these days I prefer a game with a clear endpoint. Destiny 2 is designed to be played constantly, dipping in and out of over a series of months or even years, but I just find that structure deeply unsatisfying. I need to see credits roll. I need some closure. And so, knowing that milestone menu would never empty, it was my destiny to uninstall Destiny.
James Davenport: A siesta for Siege
With my backlog approaching white whale status, I’ve sort of lost my mind and decided nothing is worth playing. I poke at Destiny 2 here and there when other people are online and I’ll scroll by Divinity: Original Sin 2 in my Steam library for a quick chuckle, but they’re all too good and too long and I’m going to die someday so I might as well just play Rainbow Six Siege.
After reading Evan’s preview of the incoming update, featuring a new cellphone hacking jerk and a map set at the top of a South Korean skyscraper, I was slapped by a big memory hand that took me right back to how infatuated I was with Siege when it first launched. I gave it a 90 in my review, but I didn’t think it’d catch on like it did, and even then, I didn’t think it’d get the right kind of support over the years. But with every new operator, Ubisoft refines Siege and mixes up The Meta for the better. Once Black Friday settles down and I finally find time to sit at a computer for personal reasons, I’m going to breach and clear my gaming block with one of the most creative shooters ever.
Joe Donnelly: Bleuch Friday
As much as I love the idea of all you lovely folk nabbing great Black Friday deals—discounts, sales, and special offers posts have taken over our news feed over the past few days. If you’re familiar with how things work here at PCGamer.com, you’ll know that Monday to Friday I cover the majority of news posts during UK hours, while my venerable colleague Andy Chalk covers the US shift. Spare some thought for the news stories wedged in between all those deals on our landing page.
Then again, I suppose if general news is to take a back seat at all then I’m glad it’s so you lot can make some savings. Enjoy your Black Friday weekend, Cyber Monday when it comes, and I’ll see you for resumed service on Tuesday.
