Reader Korey Long says the buzz around the new Spider-Man movie highlights how quiet Sony has been about a third Spider-Man game, with only small rumours circulating. He argues a sequel is obviously happening for many reasons, but wonders why there hasn’t even been a tease.
With God Of War Laufey due next spring and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet apparently targeting Christmas 2027 or early 2028, Long believes Spider-Man 3 won’t arrive before 2028. He suspects Sony may be deciding whether to make it a PlayStation 6 launch title, a tough call given the component crisis makes the next console’s release timing unclear. He adds that Sony will regret not putting it out this year, when the film’s success could have boosted sales further.
Zelda Ocarina of Time remake and GTA 6
Reader big boy bent says he’ll be playing both GTA 6 and the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, enjoying variety though avoiding roguelikes, tower defence and deck builders. He’ll buy Ocarina of Time physically if possible, hoping for pricing in line with Star Fox. GTA 6 will be paid for with Microsoft reward points – currently about 40,000, which he expects to reach 65,000-70,000 by launch, around £60 in rewards. That’s one reason he’s been mostly digital for years.
GC replies that Star Fox can be beaten in two hours, so it’s not a good guide for Ocarina of Time pricing.
PC ports and Valve
Michael Veal, inspired by the Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag remaster, suggests more PC classics deserve ports with modest visual upgrades on PS5. He never fully embraced PC gaming because his computers were underpowered and installing games was a chore. He got partway through Half-Life and Half-Life 2 long ago and would welcome modernised ports, while Black & White also intrigued him but he never played it. He concedes licensing and financial returns are obstacles, and jokes he’d need a Steam Machine and a lottery win to fund his wishlist.
GC notes that Valve has never been interested in consoles, and even less so now that it makes its own hardware.
Refund policies compared
David writes to clarify the difference between Steam and Sony refunds. Steam refunds to your bank account, while Sony refunds into your PSN wallet. If you pre-order on PlayStation Store and a GameCentral review puts you off, cancelling is painful and you end up with a credit note, not cash. Steam also allows refunds within two hours of playtime, but Sony treats a game as owned as soon as it starts downloading, even if you never open it. David points out that you’re actually buying a licence, and there’s no refund or trade-in for games, movies or TV shows on PSN.
Digital-only debate continues
Matt (he_who_runs_away – PSN ID) sympathises with Henry’s view from Friday’s inbox but feels the protest is aimed at the wrong thing. He argues the real issue is PSN’s digital terms compared to Steam’s, and that’s what players should push back on. While discs have benefits and drawbacks – he still buys some – he notes the PC has been digital-only for 15-20 years, so the move to digital-only is inevitable. The goal should be improving the digital environment, not protesting its existence.
GC responds that players have no control; only Sony does, and that’s the underlying problem.
Saros and Returnal comparison
GG shares his experience facing Saros’s final boss for a second appointment, which he says was much shorter than Returnal’s punishing endgame. Returnal required three full playthroughs to unlock the true ending, something he found exhausting, and he admits he never fully understood the Lynchian resolution, though he found it far more interesting than Saros’s ending.
Gameplay-wise, GG calls Saros an expertly crafted follow-up. Arjun is slick and fast to control, the shooting and movement feel airtight, and the Ikaruga-style shield/bullet interplay, aux armament and parry make combat more layered and rewarding than Returnal. The neon bullets are mesmerising, and the boss design – especially the Architect and Shepard vanguards – is superb. The difficulty modifier system is flexible without diluting the hardcore challenge.
However, GG believes Returnal had a more compelling, Lovecraftian premise, with slightly better weapon balancing, soundtrack and biome art, while Saros’s side characters feel flat and superfluous. Nevertheless, the smart rifle, crossbow and chakram are excellent, and he reiterates that Housemarque deserve to be a household name.
Assassin’s Creed in Ancient Rome
Simon asks why Ubisoft hasn’t made an Assassin’s Creed based on the Roman Empire, given the many stories and countries to explore. He suggests an interesting time period would be better than the upcoming Hexe, which seems strange. GC suspects Ubisoft is saving Ancient Rome for a “break glass in case of emergency” moment, noting that the Japanese setting also took years to appear despite fan demand.
Tomb Raider controls and Legacy of Atlantis
Alucard recalls starting with Tomb Raider II, set in Venice, and exploring Croft Manor while being followed by the butler. He struggled with the tank controls, despite being used to them from Resident Evil on PS1, where they heightened the horror. In Tomb Raider, navigating huge environments was frustrating, especially after the fluid control of Super Mario 64. He gave up on Tomb Raider II and missed iconic games.
He’s pleased the new Tomb Raiders have modernised controls, with Uncharted-style graphics and puzzles. With Legacy Of Atlantis due next year and never having played the first game, he’s excited to explore ancient temples and catacombs, possibly surpassing Assassin’s Creed and Uncharted. He’s also enjoying the current Netflix animation. GC notes that the remasters of the original games include optional modern controls.
Inbox also-rans
Skill_Influx points out that buying a £70 PSN gift card from ShopTo makes the physical version £1 to £3 cheaper depending on membership level, so convenience wins. David offers a Zelda/Grand Theft Auto mashup: “Ganon Theft Auto” or “Glock-arina.” GC says the first one is pretty good and they may steal it.
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or the Submit Stuff page.
