What We Played #619 – Starfield, Sea of Stars & Under The Waves

08.09.2023 - 13:13 / thesixthaxis.com

It’s been an awfully hot week in the UK, the kind of week that means that VR headsets remain resolutely in the box. So it’s a good thing that the massive games out this week have been of the non-VR kind.

Through last weekend, i’ve been continuing my journey into the galaxy of Starfield, and while it’s not quite hitting that space exploration vibe through all the menus and quick travel, I’m thoroughly enjoying it and all the stories that Bethesda have fed into the game.

I’m not the only one, as Gamoc has been playing it via Xbox Game Pass’ cloud gaming on his PC, and is looking to borrow a friend’s Xbox so he can more easily get the game onto his TV. Alongside that, it’s been Under The Waves for a review, the not-that-scary The Quarry, and playing through It Takes Two and A Way Out with his sister.

Also on the review train is Ade, who’s been playing WrestleQuest and Trine 5. He’s also looking at giving the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge DLC a go – “Samurai bunny rabbits? Yes please!”

Nick P has stuck to his usuals of SF6, DBD, OW2, with a bit of Armored Core 6 alongside, while Reuben has been getting stuck into our review of Lies of P, while also grinding away at events in Final Fantasy XIV and Pokémon Unite.

Picking a less obvious game from Xbox Game Pass this week was Aran, who finished a playthrough of Psychonauts 2, “which was very fun with a great story. Loved the level designs.” He’s now back to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, to try and complete it before the next games in the long-running series arrive.

Steve has sought to balance modern-day nostalgia and horror by playing Sea of Stars, which “should join the pantheon of the very best of the genre”, alongside Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Daymare 1994: Sandcastle. “The former is solid enough and really nails the tone and atmosphere, but is limited in its stages and I’ve had a couple of interactions online that have given me pause (several times other players have insisted on trading out of being the black survivor – could be a coincidence, but enough to give me the ick). Daymare is a lot more polished technically than the first one but has really annoying combat that I’ve put down to easy to avoid more frustration. Couple that with timed hacking minigames that are some of the most obscure and punishing puzzles I’ve played in years and you’ve got a game that doesn’t reward the player for playing it.”

And finally, Tuffcub hasn’t played Destiny 2, because he’s been too busy over the past week and a bit laying on a beach and drinking mojitos – “10/10, game of the year.”

Now then, what have you played?