In an article I posted recently discussing the new PS Now games that were announced this month, I said that Xbox Game Pass was losing steam. While that’s still true to some degree, as the fact that GTA V, arguably its best game, is leaving the service is still true. However, this month’s additions are certainly going to help fill in that void, and one of the games is a day one release. Let’s talk about them!
Hades
Image credit: The Verge
Launching on August 13th, Hades is a day- one release for the Xbox platform, launching on Game Pass the same day it comes out in stores. Set in Ancient Greece, the player plays as Zagreus, son of Hades, on a quest to escape the underworld. With rogue-like, action-based, RPG gameplay and a unique visual style, Hades has impressed on other platforms and is sure to impress again on Xbox One and Series X/S.
Skate 3
Image credit: The Verge
A legendary game for the Xbox 360, Skate 3 is all about fun, seeing the player skateboarding through an open world trying to pop sick tricks off of every unsuspecting park bench. While there is kind of a story mode, as the intent of doing tricks everywhere is to raise awareness for your skateboard manufacturing company, most of the fun to be had is from jumping from ridiculously high places and tricking all the way down, and creating custom skate parks. A great game all around and a great nostalgic trip back to 2010.
Katamari Damacy Reroll
Image credit: PCMag
The remaster of an old retro classic for the PS2, Katamari Damacy Reroll thrusts rolling giant trash balls into the modern era, where the player can now roll giant trash balls in HD! On a more serious note, the Katamari series is oddly quite fun and addictive, appealing to my arcade-gamer side with its repetitive but entertaining gameplay and its general sense of “odd.” The oddness in both its concept and gameplay exudes a certain charm, and you can definitely tell the game is trying its hardest to just be weird. Definitely worth a try if you’re into the bizarre!
So what do you think of Game Pass’s August Games? Do they match PS Now’s recent additions? Leave a like and follow the site if you enjoyed the article and stay tuned for more from Genesis Gaming!
In the past few years, gaming platforms have been locked in an intense battle with their subscription services, to the point at which those services are actually a thought when you buy a console. After all, gamers want to get the most value out of their most recent $500 tech purchase, and value-based services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now seem like the best ways to do it. Game Pass has been the frontrunner in most aspects of the online game service, featuring online play, 100s of games with Xbox exclusives joining the fray on day one, and, now, cloud streaming on an endless array of devices. Seems like it sells itself, doesn’t it?
However, in recent months, Xbox Game Pass has been losing steam, with its one of of its biggest games, Grand Theft Auto V, leaving the service in the coming days. While Game Pass’s struggle doesn’t mean much on its own, PS Now has been doing the exact opposite, exceeding espectations with its monthly gaming additions. July saw 4 blockbusters being added to PS Now in Read Dead Redemption 2, which has been off and on Game Pass for a while now, Judgement, God of War and Nioh 2. August’s games certainly match the momentous gaming occasion that was July, as Sony has absolutely hit it out of the park once again. Here are August’s monthly games.
Nier: Automata
Image credit: The Verge
Available until November 1st, Nier: Automata is a wonderful RPG oddity from Square Enix. It was the black sheep of the RPG community when it launched back in 2017; Square Enix didn’t expect it to sell well, and the game itself divided RPG fans with its multitude of gameplay systems, camera angles and environments. But, with time, the game won a lot of people over once they came to understand Nier’s unique style of storytelling and its gorgeous visuals and soundtrack. In my opinion, Nier: Automata and its predecessor Nier Replicant are nothing short of masterpieces (reviews on the way!), and the former will make a fine addition to the PS Now service.
Ghostrunner
Image credit: Steam
Released last November, Ghostrunner is one of the newest games on the PS Now service, and while the game has received mixed reviews since its release less than a year ago, this is a a wise and bold move from Sony to add it to their online service. Set in a cyberpunk, dystopian future, Ghostrunner’s gameplay revolves around split-second parkour and katana-based decisions in which a single move can lead to a gruesome end for either you or your enemy. It’s fast-paced, frenetic and fun, and will certainly be appreciated by PlayStation gamers as one of this month’s offerings.
Undertale
Image credit: What Culture
Beloved by many RPG enthusiasts around the world, Undertale is a staple of indie gaming, showing the immense potential of the independent development and old school, minimalist 8-bit graphics. Undertale uses these graphics in very unique ways and pushes their ability to tell a cohesive and genuinely moving story, and it succeeds wonderfully. As such, Undertale is best played when you don’t know too much about it, so I won’t spoil anything here. If you like RPGs or indie games in general, you should simply go into the experience knowing that it is one you will never forget.
So what do you think of this month’s PS Now lineup? Is it enough to match Game Pass, or is Sony still missing something? Leave a like if you enjoyed the article and come back tomorrow for more from Genesis Gaming!
When the Series X was announced and throughout the first 7 months of its life leading up to E3 2021, the Microsoft console had a lot going for it. It is slightly more powerful than its main competitor, has 6 exclusive games coming out in the next six months, all of which are coming straight to its flagship service, Game Pass, which also features 100s of games available for download at any time on any Xbox or PC device connected to a subscription. And yet, even with all of those developments that should make Xbox the obvious console choice of this generation, the Series X is still the black sheep. Or at least it is now, after the Steam Deck was announced last week. So let’s talk about it! Why is this console that should be great so bad?
The Steam Deck Problem
Image credit:
I had a bad feeling when Microsoft initially announced that every Xbox exclusive would be coming to PC, and this is why. The Steam Deck is a brand new console by Valve that allows users to download and play their entire Steam collection wherever they go and also on their televisions with any controller they want. Pretty enticing, right?
And that’s just the problem: you don’t need an Xbox to play Xbox anymore, thus completely destroying the value of the brand. Why would I spend $500 on a Series X when Valve has me covered with the Steam Deck, on which I can also play every PC game ever made and some PlayStation games too. From a value perspective, the Steam Deck is the clear winner here. The only value that Microsoft’s Xbox has left is Game Pass, but even that is questionable now.
The Game Pass Problem
Game Pass Ultimate initially seemed like a great concept, with a seeming infinity of valuable features and reasons to subscribe. After all, you get Xbox Live Gold, Game Pass and EA Play, with online play and 100s of on demand games baked into the service. But now, Game Pass is everywhere, and you don’t need a new Xbox Series X/S to use it. You can also play on iPhone, Android, PC, and, soon, smart TVs, proprietary Xbox streaming sticks, and other streaming devices.
While I still think Game Pass is one of the best values in gaming services right now, I don’t agree with the majority of other games writers who believe it’s the best selling point of the Xbox, because I believe it is its greatest weakness. I don’t like gaming as a service. It cheapens the gaming experience, makes it purely value-based and removes the magic from playing new games. I’m not a purist and I’m not against change – cloud gaming is an inevitability and most likely the next logical evolution of the gaming medium – but Xbox will not succeed because of Game Pass.
While Game Pass is valuable, it cannot be such at the cost of devaluing the Xbox brand, and, in tandem with the Steam Deck, that’s exactly what it’s doing.
A New Theory
While the Series X is enticing on paper, if you look at it from a value perspective – $500 for exclusives and services you can find elsewhere for less – you may rethink your initial inclination to purchase it. Game Pass is awesome, and Xbox’s slew of all-new exclusives are amazing; the problem is that they’re not actually exclusive. If you want to play Halo Infinite and way more worthwhile PC and PlayStation games on the same device, you can get a Steam Deck, and if you want to play Game Pass games, you can do so on your phone, computer, and even your smart TV (soon).
Therefore I present to you this gaming industry hot take: Microsoft will stop making consoles after the Series X, and specialize in cloud gaming with Game Pass and publish games under the Xbox name for PCs. While you may think it unlikely because of Microsoft’s massive pockets, they’ll do it if it makes financial sense, and, if the Series X doesn’t sell well (which, if you look at it from the aforementioned value perspective, it shouldn’t), it makes perfect sense that Xbox would forego console production.
Take that with a grain of salt, it’s pure speculation and simply a hot take I wanted to share.
So what do you think of the Series X? Are you on “Team Xbox” this generation? Leave a like and follow the site if you enjoy my content, and be sure to check back soon for more from Genesis Gaming!
While certainly not as exciting as PlayStation Now’s monthly additions, Xbox announced that six games would be added to Game Pass in its various forms this month. Those games are:
The Medium (Coming to X-Cloud, already on Xbox and PC)
Dragon Quest Builders 2 (Coming to X-Cloud, already on Xbox and PC)
UFC 4 (Coming to Xbox)
Blood Roots (Coming to Xbox, PC and X-Cloud)
Tropico 6 (Coming to Xbox, PC and X-Cloud)
Farming Simulator 19 (Coming to Xbox, PC and X-Cloud)
My only issue with these new additions to the service is that many of them aren’t new, with the most notable ones already being on the platform. In fact, The Medium has been on the platform since it’s release earlier this year and Dragon Quest Builders 2 has been available for some time as well. While I think it’s a good idea to make them available on the X-Cloud platform, I don’t think it’s great for these to be the headliners for this month’s games. Tropico 6 and UFC 4 are the most exciting of the actually new games, and the others are a bit indie and oddball, which, while they are appreciated, don’t really add too much valuable to the service that wasn’t already present.
Are you happy with the new Game Pass games? Let me know if you enjoyed this article by leaving a like, and be on the look out for a new article later today here on Genesis Gaming!
Before I actually start comparing and contrasting these two, I think it is worth it to preface this article by saying that both consoles are absolutely amazing pieces of technology, and you’ll be quite happy with either one. They are both extremely powerful, state-of-the-art machines that are well-worth the purchase price and will pay for themselves with the entertainment you’ll receive. Near-equivalent in power, the only real difference are the available games. As such, your taste in games will absolutely decide which one of these consoles you’ll get.
I know these consoles have been on the market for quite a while now, but many people have not been able to get one yet and may still be on the fence about which one to purchase. Hopefully this article will help you with that decision! So, without further ado, let’s talk consoles!
Pricing and Technical Specs
PS5
Xbox Series X
Price
$399 (Digital), $499 (Disc)
$499 (Series X)
CPU
8-core, 3.5 GHz AMD Zen 2
8-core, 3.8 GHz AMD Zen 2
GPU
10.3 teraflop AMD RDNA 2
12.0 teraflop AMD RDNA 2
RAM
16 GB GDDR6
16 GB GDDR6
Resolution
8KMaximum
8KMaximum
Storage
825 GB Custom Sony SSD
1 TB Custom NVMe SSD
Frame Rate
120 FPSMaximum
120 FPS Maximum
A quick spec comparison of the PS5 and Series X
Spec-wise, both consoles are pretty much the same, with only a few slight differences that are for the most part unnoticeable in practice. The Xbox Series X has a slight edge in power over the PS5 with a slightly better CPU and almost 2 teraflops more graphical processing capability (fancy words for “a bit more powerful”). The Series X also has a bigger SSD for games storage, which, while it seems small on paper, is probably the biggest technical difference and the only one you’ll notice, as that extra 175 GB of space means several more games on your console. Other than these differences that lean towards the Series X’s favor, the two consoles are essentially equal.
Regardless, if power and performance are your thing and you won’t be able to live without having the “fastest console,” get a Series X. While I think the majority of people aren’t like that and won’t care about losing a little bit of power, the Series X is a great choice of console anyway and will serve its intended purpose.
The Series X’s CPU Image credit: Microsoft
However, a console’s power is not really the true test of its greatness. Last generation, the most powerful console was the Xbox One X, but the Xbox platform still lacked in exclusive titles and games in general, making it a questionable console purchase at best. Regardless, the next generation of consoles are quite similar. Except for their controllers; those are really different.
The Controllers
While on previous consoles the controller seemed irrelevant as a criteria for the purchase of the console, such is not so this time around, with one of the console’s selling points being its revolutionary controller. Which one? The PS5.
Image credit: Video Games Chronicle
The PS5’s controller, dubbed the “DualSense” by Sony, has changed the game by revolutionizing what controllers can do with its new haptic feedback system. The vibrations and sensations the controller produce are now far more detailed and feel far more immersive during gameplay. Also new is is the force feedback of the triggers, which will resist against pressure depending on in-game situations. For instance, when firing a gun in a game like Call of Duty, the player will feel resistance when shooting, making for an unforgettable experience. The only downside of the trigger feedback is that it is spring-loaded and has a tendency to be quite loud. Luckily, the feature can be turned off if you’re playing at night and don’t want to be annoying.
Image credit: Xbox Wire
The Xbox controller is not-so-revolutionary, adopting a mantra of “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” A few quality of life changes were made, however, with the d-pad now having 8 directions and triggers and bumpers now being textured. A share button, much like the PS4 controller’s share button, has been added for easily taking quick screenshots and game clips. Other than this, nothing is different, and there are certainly no groundbreaking updates like haptic feedback and adaptive trigger resistance.
Games – Where the Battle is Truly Waged
Demon’s Souls, one of the PlayStation 5’s most anticipated and critically acclaimed exclusive games. Image credit: PlayStation
If you’re a PlayStation fan already, you know where this is going. The PlayStation platform has always been best known for one thing: having amazing exclusive games that you simply can’t play anywhere else. It’s how PlayStation manages to consistently be the best-selling console brand, regardless of generation. In fact, every single PlayStation released so far except the PS3 has exceeded 100 million units in sales, with the PS3 still winning its respective generation with over 87 million consoles sold and featuring groundbreaking exclusive games that helped it achieve those sales.
The teaser image for Bethesda’s upcoming game, Starfield, a now-confirmed Xbox exclusive title Image credit: Bethesda
However, the Xbox Series X is certainly not lacking in the games department, as can be seen from this year’s Xbox/Bethesda E3 showcase. In fact, it can be argued that this is the biggest year for Xbox when it comes to exclusives ever, with there barely being any time to breathe in between exclusive announcements during that show. Some notable announcements from that show include Halo Infinite, Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Psychonauts 2. Trailers for all of these titles can be viewed by following each of their links.
Also, one simply can’t not talk about Xbox and not mention Xbox Game Pass, which is by far the greatest subscription service in all of gaming at the moment. All Xbox Game Studios titles will launch on both Xbox and PC on Game Pass, which is quite a value considering you it only costs $14.99 a month, only a dollar more than the most popular Netfilx plan. Game Pass’s value simply cannot be denied, with over 100 Xbox games already on the service and even more to be added every month and whenever a new Xbox exclusive releases.
Final Verdict
Image credit: PlayStation
While the power of the Series X and the value of the Game Pass service cannot be denied, the PS5 still wins this fight, albeit by a slim margin. The main reasons for this verdict are the PS5’s absolutely amazing controller and the exclusive games you can only play on the PS platform. While the choice is really all yours and the Series X is an amazing choice if its games appeal to you, as a gamer and a fan of the groundbreaking experiences that the PS5 has the potential to offer, I have to formally recommend the PlayStation 5.
So, which console do you like more, and are you going to purchase one? Leave a like below if you enjoyed the article and check soon for another article from Genesis Gaming!
I am not a PC gamer. In fact, in recent months, I decided to make bold step: I ditched Windows and got an Apple MacBook Air with an M1 chip. For years prior I had crawled along with an underpowered desktop computer that ran Windows 10. . .slowly. This MacBook Air has changed the way I see computers, and, if I ever need a Windows fix, I can just side-load Parallels and run Windows, allowing me to even play PC games, albeit with a bit of a performance hit.
Now that I have so much Mac experience, I can’t help but notice after watching Microsoft’s technical difficulty-laden conference that Windows 11 looks a whole hell of a lot like macOS. And they made it quite obvious, even in the most cosmetic of ways. They’ve brought the start menu button to the center of the taskbar, along with all of the other apps, the settings app is now a functional and concise window that opens right above the dock – *ahem* – taskbar, and, most important of all, the new Windows mantra is to create a calm, comprehensive, simple, and secure workspace that integrates with other devices. Now, who does that sound like?
But before we jump to conclusions, let’s go over this conference in a bit more detail. If you haven’t seen the conference, that is linked below too.
Windows 11 – An Overview
As a brief overview before a more in-depth analysis, Windows 11 looks like a sleek, smoothed out version of Windows 10 that just happens to mirror macOS 11 in almost every way. The taskbar is now much more resemblant of the Dock, and the actual desktop has taken a backseat when it comes to OS navigation, just like a Mac. All of the apps are in one convenient spot in the dock/taskbar (the “dock-bar,” if you will), and the start menu now acts as a Launchpad equivalent, featuring all of the user’s apps from the now very Apple-like App Store.
Image credit: The Verge
However, it boasts really cool new features that are currently absent from Mac computers, such as the new “snap” interface that allows users to have multiple programs running at the same time occupying different parts of the screen. This was also present on Windows 10 and is do-able on Mac, but it is much harder to manage on these systems. Windows 11 appears to make it much easier, and even allows you to save app configurations for later use.
Also changed is the Settings app, which was pitiful, egregiously difficult to navigate and almost impossible to like on an aesthetic level in its Windows 10 form. Everything appears to be organized quite nicely here though, with clear categorical division and an easy-to-use search bar, as well as other handy inclusions. I know what you’re thinking: “it’s not that big of a deal, it’s just the settings app!” I know, and that’s why it’s so concerning that I can actually have formal complaints about the one on Windows 10, which truly speaks to how horrid it was.
Continuing on, Microsoft Edge, Windows Update, Microsoft accounts and other apps and features that were present on Windows 10 run significantly faster on Windows 11, a performance boost that users have been yearning for for quite some time. Also noted in the conference was the fact that updates are now fully in the background and 40% faster than they were on Windows 10, something that I know a lot of users will be very happy about.
A bit of a downside, however: not all PCs will be eligible to receive a free upgrade to the new OS, even if they have Windows 10. This is due to the new OS having higher minimum technical requirements compared to its predecessors. Windows 11 will require 4 GB of RAM minimum compared to the previous OS’s measly 2, and require better processors and more recent systems to run well.
Xbox Game Pass Integration and Improved Game Performance
Image credit: Polygon
Also announced in the conference was a suite of new features and quality-of-life updates aimed directly at us gamers.
Xbox Game Pass for PC, X-Cloud, and Xbox Series X game streaming will be fully integrated into the new OS and receive even receive a much-appreciated performance boost. Now that Microsoft has added Series X enhanced server blades to its X-Cloud service, even games for new consoles will run smoothly and beautifully, and no performance will be sacrificed on PC, especially now that we have entered the era of digitally-based storage that is now quite common on many PCs.
Auto HDR for over 1,000 games was also mentioned at the conference, including very notable releases such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Age of Empires, and more. This is a very welcome addition to the OS for many gamers and non-gamers alike, as a higher resolution is beneficial to everyone. However, keep in mind that this feature will only be available to users that have the proper tech specs to take advantage of the feature, as well as having an HDR compatible monitor or laptop screen.
In short, Windows 11’s sleek OS design and improved system performance, combined with the now widely-available, relatively cheap, high-performance computing technology that many users own, will make for a new generation of gaming PCs that far exceeded anything we’ve ever seen before in the world of gaming. That’s definitely something to be excited about!
Should You Upgrade?
If you already have Windows 10, then I would recommend waiting a bit despite the fact that Windows 11 will be a free upgrade for Windows 10 users. While 11 is sure to be more secure than 10 and more feature-rich, it is also sure to be glitchy at launch and new users will inherit those glitches. However, there is one exception to this rule: upgrade immediately if you are a gamer. There are just too many unique and amazing features that will make your PC gaming experience much better to turn down the prospect of a free upgrade. However, if you’re not a gamer, as Windows 10 will remain supported by Microsoft until 2025, making it a good option if you care about having a fully working, no-hassle computer that is also very secure.
But if you’re running Windows 7 or 8 then it is my recommendation that you should definitely upgrade to 11, no questions asked. It’s a security risk to even think about running Windows 7 or 8 at this point, and, in 2025, the same will be said for Windows 10. A cost for Windows 11 has not been announced, but it is my advice that, regardless of the cost, you should upgrade and save yourself from the headache that a lack of security will cause.
Windows 11 is expected to slowly roll out its upgrades starting later this year, and will finish its rollout sometime in early 2022. When it will be available for individual purchase has yet to be announced.
Will you upgrade to Windows 11 ASAP or wait to find out more? Let me know if you enjoyed this article by leaving a like, and come back tomorrow for more gaming-centric news on Genesis Gaming!
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