It’s incredible the state Starfield launched in when you stack it up against both prior Bethesda releases and games launches like Cyberpunk 2077. Things just work for the most part. Sure, I’ve seen my fair share of floating rocks (geodes?) and wonkiness with AI, but nothing game busting. And look, there’s over 1000 planets so it’s probably going to take a little time to full iron out the procedural generation.
60 Hz might be good enough for you if:
Jumping into Modern Warfare II at 120 FPS for the first time was an absolutely wild experience. I felt in control in a way I never had before. In fact, it felt like I was never really in control playing games like Call of Duty or Halo Infinite when playing at 60 FPS prior. In some ways, it was more game changing than other huge tech advancements I had experienced in the past – moving Windows to an SSD or experiencing high definition for the first time.
One of the best parts of getting a competent PC has been the ability to multitask without a hitch. Being able to throw The Simpsons or The X-Files to the side while I play something has been incredible. Excess stimulation? Definitely. But it’s just one of the things Xbox Series X and other consoles can’t match.
There’s nothing better than a racer that nails physics, presentation, and that itch to push further. I’ve mainly gotten that out of the Forza Horizon series in recent years, but have played a ton of Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo in the past. Of course you’ve also got your older series like Test Drive, Burnout, and one off titles that died way too soon like Driveclub. And that’s the kicker – it’s damn sad to see the genre flatten out as time goes on.
So when Need for Speed Unbound recently hit Xbox Game Pass I had to at least try it out. It kind of approaches the aspects I look for in a racing game but never really gets there (at least in the first few hours). But it’s scarce for new arcade racers and you can’t exactly be choosy.
Diablo 4 is a damn fine game played solo. I’ve played over 50 hours (right up to World Tier 3) and not once have I felt like I couldn’t do a piece of content. Its story, side missions, and most end game content can be done by yourself provided you’re willing to put a little effort into your build. But there are a few exceptions.
It’s been months since I’ve played The Division 2 but it still stands as one of my favorite third-person shooters ever. The game is also stunning and I remember having a blast diving into the in-game photography.
You’ll eventually find yourself in a gameplay loop of repetition but The Division 2’s atmosphere and detailed setting make it so much easier to digest. The shots below (click for full resolution) really highlight the oppressive humidity you’ll find in the fictionalized Washington DC.
I’ve had my SteelSeries Rival 110 mouse for about 4 years now. It’s a budget model but it’s served me well. The only problem is that I noticed the RGB functionality became wonky after moving from a gaming laptop to a desktop. It was no longer the showing off the green I was using for years and instead was slowly blinking red.
The fix?
I knew that it couldn’t be the battery failing because…well…it’s a wired mouse. And then I remembered that I originally had to download SteelSeries software to set up the color I wanted. This turned out to be the solution. These days the software is called SteelSeries GG and in addition to device customization (CPI, RGB, mapping, etc.), there’s also aim training and audio enhancements available.
Getting right to the difference between refresh rates and frame rate…
60 Hz and 60 FPS (frames per second) are interrelated, but not the same thing. 60 Hz refers to the refresh rate of your display while 60 FPS is the number of frames per second rendered by your PC or console.
To put it another way, the frame rate determines how fluid any particular game is while the refresh rate of your monitor (or TV) will dictate how smooth a game will appear.
For as much hype as Halo Infinite generated on release, 343 has been in a state of perpetual catch up since. I couldn’t believe the way the development team had nailed it – mixing the old with the new – to bring the best Halo game since the Bungie years. And this is what hurt the most. Halo Infinite was (and is) an incredible game, but its lack of content has always been a reminder of ruined potential.
