Dialogue
Send your views, using ‘Dialogue’ as the subject line, to edge@futurenet.com. Our letter of the month wins an SN30 Pro+ controller, compatible with PC and Switch, courtesy of 8BitDo
Edge readers share their opinions; one wins an 8BitDo controller
Champion sound
At the end of the year, I, like many, compiled my games of the year list, and many of the standard culprits were there. In fact, to a great degree, 2019 felt quite homogenous in critical response – the same 15-20 games mentioned across the board in varying positions. I don’t think this is a bad thing – quality spotted by a number of publications. However, when I looked at my ‘hours spent’ this year, three games challenged the top of my ‘proper’ list – Homescapes and Pixel Puzzle on phone, and Super Kirby Clash Deluxe on Switch. As far as I know, none of these titles have troubled any of the main publication lists this year, and that is not unexpected.
These are lightweight, throwaway games without the emotional complexity of a
Telling Lies or the heavyweight mechanics of Control. But, with the dust settling on 2019, and with my own list ignoring them, I am feeling quite remorseful about neglecting them – these are games that have entertained me for 15-30 minutes every day, bite-sized pieces of fun that can quickly be discarded.
It feels a shame to ignore the concept of ‘fun’, which I definitely have, to an extent this year, and I wonder, how often do we let these tiny blasts of entertainment skirt under our radar in lieu of the wondrous and often emotional experiences that gaming can offer us? Is it time to start recognising these titles, even in a differing way? Martin Hollis
There’s a difference between ‘best’ and ‘most played’ – which is probably for the best, really, as if we’d stuffed the awards pages with Destiny, Overwatch, Puzzle & Dragons and Slay The Spire everyone would have complained. In this broadest of mediums, there’s fun to be had everywhere. Play what you enjoy, and try not to overthink it.
Set you free
Reading the Hype section of Edge is an emotional rollercoaster. After first glancing at some tantalising screenshots, I’ll read the finely honed words (well done Edge, you’re well good at writing) and become more excited at the prospect of playing the latest indie marvel. But then! Hold on a minute, let me just check the format for this game… ah. I don’t have a PC. I can’t play this. Shall I read the preview anyway, knowing I’ll never experience the gameplay? Maybe it’ll get ported! Oh, the turmoil!
I realise it’s not Edge’s fault. (I’ll tell you what is Edge’s fault: the long-running existence of the magazine is really limiting space in my home now for food, clothing etc.) I also realise I’m touching on a subject that has been discussed many times before. But the fact is, the lack of a universal gaming format will always put up barriers for some potential players. Even though I have a Switch, a PS4 and an Android phone, there are still a few major formats not open to me.
I don’t really know what the solution is, however. And one universal format would limit the evolution of gaming anyway. The variety of formats available pave the way for innovation. So I guess I’ll just accept that the situation is what it is, and just ask you – if it’s okay – if you could just make sure you feature some games that I can play each month. A bit of Switch please, a bit of PS4. (I’ve just had a terrible thought. The next generation will bring a wave of new formats to squeeze into Edge’s pages!)
Anyway, I’m off now to investigate this new Star Wars TV series, The Mandalorian. Sounds really good! Just going to see if I can find it on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Ben Bulbeck
It’s a fair point, and one we don’t often consider given our multiformat ivory tower,
“The longrunning existence of the magazine is really limiting the space in my home for food”
where every available platform is within arm’s reach. More broadly, though, it reflects where the industry is at the moment. As next-gen kicks into gear, you can expect the shape of our coverage to change in kind.
Far out
My gaming journey began in the early ’80s, but in the past few months I have come to a startling realisation that may shock other gamers. I can no longer hide my feelings: it’s time that I announce that I am Not A Fan Of Open-World Games.
I’ve tried, I’ve really tried. Morrowind, Fallout 3, The Witcher III, Breath Of The Wild, and – most recently – The Outer Worlds. I can absolutely see that they are all truly fantastic games, with a lot of scope for the player who has the inclination to invest their time in these brave new worlds. But I just find the excess of freedom and the multitude of stories that could potentially wrap themselves around my avatar to be too much to fully appreciate. I’d rather have a crafted story unfold before me in a subtly linear fashion ( The Last Of Us, Half-Life 2) than be given a blank canvas and be told, “Here’s a sword! Go and have some fun!”
I guess part of the issue is also the sheer weight of ‘tinkering’ that some of the games that I mention above offer. Fixing, tweaking, breaking down weapons, modifying armour, cooking dinner from a wealth of ingredients, choosing the next perk etc. Being a parent (That’s it! Blame it on the kids!) means that the moments when I do get to play a game, I can’t be bothered with searching a derelict building to see if there’s a futuristic can of baked beans in one of the cupboards, so that I can +2 to my attack power for 20 seconds.
I guess everyone has their boundary of what they call enjoyable. I’m perfectly happy roaming the worlds of Super Mario Odyssey, or the different zones of Tomb Raider, or searching for the next upgrade to open new pathways in Metroid Prime. I guess the most ‘open-world’ game I have enjoyed is Horizon
Zero Dawn, but maybe that game just arrived at the right time, when I had a little more free time on my hands.
So at least now I know that there’s no point in me wasting my money on the next big thing in open-world gaming, any more than there is me buying the next Farming Simulator or FIFA. Thanks Edge, just had to get that off my chest. These things are best out in the open.
Ben Bulbeck
That closing pun is enough to win you this month’s 8BitDo controller, but even if that weren’t there you’d have won for sending two letters in the space of a month like some latterday Robert August de Meijer (who appears to have taken January off). You’re certainly not alone in feeling that open-world games have become both too spacious and too dense; sadly, we’re not confident that they’re going to get any smaller with next-gen on the horizon.
Sweet harmony
I had a whimsy recently, which led to an intriguing rabbit hole of thought. Namely that, as a modern medium, games have more in common with books than with movies or TV. Does anyone agree?
Similarities begin with the undeniable distinction that both a book and a game require you to do things to progress; with few exceptions, you can’t passive-read or passiveplay, in the same way you can have the box on in the background. Which in turns means the book or game you decide to pick at any point in time needs to be commensurate with how much energy you have – picking Tolstoy or Super Meat Boy when you’re tired is unlikely to end well.
There’s then the question of how these things are made. Books and games tend to, at their heart, be individualistic projects, while all but the most arthouse of movies have a much broader cast. Indie games are blossoming, as is Amazon’s self-publishing business. Solo movies, not so much.
And that ease of production leads to an interestingly wide range of titles on offer. Most cinema releases I feel I’ve at least vaguely heard of, whereas Waterstones and the eShop are a constant sea of wonder, from both the wellknown to the unknown.
And then on to genres, and how to find the things you like. And nuance like ‘Booker prize books’ now being its own sub-genre of comfort literature, highbrow yet not requiring quite as much mental investment as one might express. What’s its gaming equivalent? Edge 10s, or indeed awardwinners? Perhaps sometimes, but not always. JRPGs, more like. Something nice to curl up with on a winter’s night.
Murray Rogers
We’re not well-read enough to answer this properly. Too much Slay The Spire, isn’t it.
Lock up
Hello dear Edge, long-time reader here. My first encounter was a pocket-money purchase of the 1996 N64 issue which I still cherish. I purchased your magazine regularly until about 2010; I sadly lapsed for a few years until returning as a subscriber shortly after the Brexit vote.
It’s great to be back, and I thoroughly enjoy having a well-crafted and curated compendium of the gaming world’s news arrive through my letter box every month. However, I miss the assortment of stickers, posters and other paraphernalia you used to get with game mags – yours were always the best quality.
It would be cool if you started doing that sort of stuff again, I would choose that over an exclusive cover any day. There’s no need to strain yourself making additional awesome covers – giz some collectible freebies instead! Luke Tugwell
You mean the annual Edge calendar isn’t enough for you? We’ve heard enough grumbles from sibling magazines around the office about gift and packaging deadlines to want to commit to anything, but consider your feedback heard, if nothing else. As always, if any other readers have any suggestions for how Edge might improve, get in touch.