Julius

Alright, I've been having a tough time deliberating over my stroopwafel (so many games I would like to highlight, especially on the indie side - and so after this first post I think I'll make sure to highlight some further games which might be flying under the radar a bit) and surströmming over the last week while I've been thinking about this thread, but think I've finally wrapped my head around it. Without further ado... My Stroopwafel - Arco | 2024 Currently slated for a release on PC by the end of the year, with further plans for a release on consoles in the future, Arco just seems to be tickling a lot of my own curiosities when it comes to games, being a bit of a hybrid of point-and-click, turn-based combat (in a pretty different and unique way), with a strong emphasis on story and seeing different perspectives and the impact of early industrialisation. I think it's fascinating. Seems like one of those games which will release on PC, initially go under the radar when it probably deserves more attention than it gets (hence: stroopwafel), and then, either towards the end of this year or maybe sometime in 2025, will be featured in an Indie World Showcase and get much more attention. I also just can't think of many games which match the particular look and vibe of its initial reveal from the end of last summer. There was even a gameplay trailer release earlier this year with some more footage, but still no news on an actual release date as of yet: It's definitely one I'll be keeping a firm eye on. My Surströmming - Black Myth: Wukong | 20th August Black Myth: Wukong is a game I've been following for close to four years now and has looked great in every trailer released, and is finally due for release next month, and yeah, there's just something off to me about this game. Now, this isn't just down to IGN's previous exposé about reports of rampant sexism and misogyny within the team, Game Science (the game's developer) apparently refusing to be extorted by SweetBaby inc., or even the news which came out last month about the game having a physical release which would not include a physical disc but a code. All of these, for me, are at the very least reasons to question what's going on with this game, and IGN's exposé has since been called into question, for instance, and Luke Stephens (see here) and the comments section of his video do a pretty good job of making viewers have reasonable doubt over that original exposé. On the other hand, the lack of a physical disc in a physical release is horrendous for the environment and for game preservation, and is something I seriously hope is reconsidered in the future. On top of all this, though, and to focus more on the actual content and potential quality of the game, while we have seen some gameplay videos for the game - arguably more than we do for most big games released these days, as it seems like they've been fairly transparent with each video they've released - they've been almost entirely focused on boss fights, with very little attention given to what the gameplay, level design, and vibe are like outside of these boss arenas. Maybe they're up to snuff, but it's really difficult to see that from what they've released so far. More than that, too, is that this is Game Science's first big game, having only worked on mobile games in the past, and this game hasn't had a public beta or decided to seek out public feedback in the way that, say, many Western devs contruct their games through Early Access releases on PC do, or how Square Enix releases demos seeking feedback for so many of their smaller titles these days. Maybe it's a route they weren't really aware of, or maybe they just wanted to come out with a bang, but I have no idea how this game is going to run on consoles at launch. So, yeah. There's just a massive stink about this game, so much noise around it with so much yet so little shown, and it feels impossible for me to put the finger on one particular reason for that being the case. I don't think we get a much clearer picture until the game releases on August 20th. My Soufflé - Astro Bot | 6th September Astro's Playroom made the Top 5 of my favourite games released in 2020, and looking back at that list now, with a bit of reshuffling, might even make Top 3. And it was a free pack-in tech demo which lasted only a handful of hours. Astro Bot is easily the single game that I'm most excited for in the second half of this year. It hits a corner of the market which PlayStation no longer seems interested in, pays respect to so many IPs of yesteryear, is cute and effusively charming, the music is going to slap, it's going to use the DualSense in ways no-one has even bothered to attempt since launch, and I guarantee that at the end of the year it's going to make multiple GOTY shortlists both here and elsewhere. It could very well be the best platformer of the year just based on the potential upgrades they've made from Playroom, which was already incredibly tight and fun - in fact, I'd be willing to put money on it being the best platformer of this year. I'd still like word on some potential speedrun levels, but other than that, everything else Team Asobi have said about it since its announcement - the crazy number of levels, plans for updates, and so on - just seems to be ringing incredibly true for myself and so many others. They also just seem to be having a blast with the Easter Egg hunts they've got going on in Astro's Playroom leading up to launch. I simply can't wait. Bring it on, I say

No, I'm not having a stroke, nor am I trying to summon Cthulhu. Somehow we have already passed the halfway mark for 2024, and in the world of gaming, this means that most of the big summer gaming presentations have taken place, so outside of potential shadowdrops and some very short announcement-to-launch periods, the bulk of games set to be put on our radar in the latter half of this year are already somewhat known quantities. Outside of particular event and game threads, though, it can be difficult to keep an eye on what our fellow N-E members are looking forward to...or thinking of staying away from. Feel free to go into as much or as little detail as you'd like, but I implore you to try to help drive some discussion about the games being discussed, whether it is one you listed or a game someone else mentioned! Inspired by the Easy Allies Podcast's quarterly segment of Pop Tarts and Toaster Strudels, which aims to highlight games in the coming quarter which they're looking forward to and other games they think people should perhaps consider pumping the hype brakes on, I wanted to provide a bit of a check-in after the events of the last few weeks to see what those games would look like for N-E. Now, we're N-Europe and not N-America, and I haven't tried Toaster Strudels before but I remember trying Pop Tarts when I was a kid and they kinda sucked, so, turning our focus to European cuisine, I came up with the following names and definitions for categories I'd like us each to try listing one game for, releasing (or currently aiming to release) in the second half of 2024. However! You can never have too many stroopwafels, their positive vibes or buttery, soft-yet-firm texture or cinnamon, caramel flav–...ahem, so after your initial post listing one game for each category, feel free to continue to come back and list as many stroopwafels as you like in further posts, so long as it is still an upcoming title for the second half of 2024 – the more potential hidden gems we can uncover and share awareness of the better, I say! Stroopwafel Surströmming Soufflé Feel free to do your own research into which games are coming out in the second half of the year, but for some quick and dirty resources... Wikipedia - 2024 in Video Games Polygon - All the new video games launching in 2024 GameSpot - 2024 Upcoming Games Release Schedule GameRant - 2024 Video Game Release Date Calendar Polygon - Summer Game Fest 2024 hub (includes pages which break down each major event further) ReadWrite - All the major announcements from Summer Game Fest 2024 PCGamer - The biggest announcements and trailers from the 2024 gaming showcases So, N-E, I turn it over to you: what are your gaming stroopwafels, surströmmings and soufflés of the second half of 2024? It might also be nice to list the release date or window for any games you mention to help others keep an eye on them, too!

Yessssssssss! Love me some Game Changers always some seriously talented folks on there

Ah, I get that, but I think it's simply the cost of playing the game at the highest level – unfortunately, you need the algorithm and general audiences on your side, and for some stupid reason, stupid reaction faces up front in thumbnails for reaction videos just does it for audiences. I don't doubt for a moment that if it were up to Max and these things weren't a factor then he'd come up with something else; I mean, he's got an anime intro for his videos which goes far and beyond what most other channels even attempt to bring to YouTube with their intros. The unfortunate truth is, as is the case with most streamers and YouTubers, the majority of Max's demographic is going to skew young (early teens to mid-twenties), and while I think Max's probably skews a bit older than the average streamer (simply because the topic of most of his videos is fighting games and the FGC), these thumbnails are designed to get new audience members in rather than keep old ones around...which is also just going to naturally skew towards trying to attract a younger demo. It's the continued juvenilisation of media, and unfortunately, it's a game everyone needs to play these days to stay relevant and keep numbers growing -- can't say I'm a fan of these thumbnails either, but yeah, it is what it is I guess

Thought it was worth sharing Maximilian Dood's reaction in this thread, definitely one of my favourite reactions of his over the years Following Max for a while was genuinely the only reason I knew this was a fairly big deal, but I certainly didn't know all the ins and outs of why that was the case. So who better than him to explain it all? Anyways, I'd heard great things about MvC2's OST before, but hadn't really dived into any of the tracks. I changed that after this announcement and it is nothing short of freaking phenomenal. I luuuuuuuurve me some jazzy and funky tunes in video games, and this one sure as hell delivers on both fronts. Also, I haven't played a Street Fighter from start to finish before so it's safe to say that I haven't heard every rendition of these two classic themes...but these are definitely my favourite versions of Ryu's and Ken's themes from what I can remember having listened to. This is all a very long-winded way of saying: I'm in. Similar to backing the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter and checking out the first two games because of Huber's passion for them, I'll 100% be picking this collection up based on Max's passion for them. Not sure which platform I'll pick them up on, mind you...

Max with the best Mario Party reaction from the Direct "2 boards from previous Mario Party games make their return!" "FUCKING HOW?!" Totally his reaction to Mario Party btw, not something else in the Direct. And spoiler tags aren't working so...yeah it's totally for Jamboree

Thanks for sharing @darksnowman, it looks lovely (as the Shin-Chan games did too) and so long as it's not too long in length or too pricey, it's definitely one I'll be keeping an eye on. I always find it crazy just how consistently Japan releases games, films, and anime which perfectly capture that summer vibe – it's also kind of mental just how synonymous cicadas feel with the summer for so many living outside of Japan because of it. It does make me wonder a little what a similar game set in England would be like during the summer...probably just a bunch of people hoping for a heatwave before a spot of rain hits and we all go on about how that's our summer over now

Gutted for Turkey. They gave it everything. Absolutely everything. Hell of a match, easily the best of the quarter-finals for me. That all means we've got the Oranje to face on Wednesday, who will be in their first semi-final in a major tournament since the 2014 World Cup, and their first Euros semi-final since 2004. So years ending in -4 are lucky for them when it comes to making semis, I guess!

Oh Turkey, oh dear

Definitely! A hypothetical final between them and Spain would be the most fun to watch, I think. Unfortunately Gareth seemingly sacrificed the Queen to pull off some next level nonsense with his football terrorism, so...

Every Turkey match I've watched so far has been a lot of fun, and this one's no different. Proper end-to-end. Wonderful cross for the 1-0, too. Game on

As said, excellent pens. Can't help but feel that the performance is being oversold by the pundits, though, just because we're through. This match was very 50/50, and while maybe our best performance at this tournament overall, it's still a far cry from where we really need to be. Thankfully for us, though, the only team left in who is actually firing on more than two cylinders is Spain – we might be able to get away with more meagre performances depending on who we face from this point on. Which, I'll admit, just really sucks. Just under 10 until the next match kicks off to decide who we face in the second of the semis on Wednesday, then.

Nearly so with that corner Love Shaqiri Hate this sport right now

THE CUBE HAS ARRIVED

@Hero-of-Time from what I can find, since 1998 (couldn't be bothered checking any earlier) 2008 Euros were the closest – three of the four quarter finals went to extra time. Croatia v Turkey (1-1 AET, 1-3 on pens) Netherlands v Russia (1-1, 1-3 AET) Spain v Italy (0-0 AET, 4-2 on pens) The only one of those QFs to not go to extra time? Portugal v Germany, which Germany won 3-2. And that was the first of the QF ties! Meaning, in 2008, we had to sit through three consecutive QFs going to ET like we have at this Euros

At the quarter-final stage? Not that I can remember in my lifetime, either at the Euros or at a World Cup. I'll check at half-time though, because I remember the 2008 Euros QFs all seeming to go on very long

If Netherlands v Turkey goes to extra time later the temptation to sack off the rest of these Euros will be at an all-time high

Extra time again. Swear these Euros are starting to make me hate the sport.

I can't be having a France v England final, I just can't. Immovable object v Object which simply refuses to move

England is a high school student who can't find the drive to do their homework until the morning of

How do we keep getting away with this? Revamps the left and the goal comes from the right. Just saying.

Welp.

Takes us 15 passes to get from one side of the pitch to the other – horizontally, not vertically. It has been fine so far, but fine doesn't win matches. Really reminding me of Spain after they dropped off around a decade ago with having loads of possession but lacking that directness which scores goals...you know, the way you win a match?

I was honestly thinking more just in terms of the quality of the competition. These quarters have been pretty naff to be honest, and with a good few players missing the semis through suspension already, I can't see them being the step up that they really ought to be. As for England - Gareth will still find a way to not start Trent

Kicked the ball out in all of 6 seconds Anyways, just looking at the lineups and thinking back to yesterday, these accumulated yellows should really be getting wiped after the Round of 16. Mental how many starting XI players are going to be/risk missing the semis.