The Community Spotlight 2021.06.19

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight! I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host as we look back at the wonderful things from the Giant Bomb community! First, E3 came and went and I'm sorry about the lack of a Spotlight last week! E3 2021 was a lot to take in and required everyone's attention.

Speaking of which, 2021 wasn't able to kill E3 even after hitting the event twice with a car. We have a special E3 dedicated area for those of you wondering where to find the community discussion threads for the various conferences. Please be aware, the Giant Bomb staff did NOT talk over every conference and the same could be said about our community discussion threads. Also, it goes without saying that this week had a great deal of important announcements related to this site and its former staff. In fact, let's jump right into in the site-related housekeeping.

• @marino revived Giant Bomb South so you could enjoy an endless amount of E3 2021 trailers on the site.
• Danny O'Dwyer, Jeff Grubb, Dan Ryckert, Lucy James, and Tamoor Hussain will be providing content on the site in the form of news shows and content.
• Brad, Vinny, and Alex have started a new streaming and podcasting venture called "Nextlander." In the discussion threads section, you can join the community discussion and obviously, wish them the best. Also, there was a MinnMax interview featuring the trio in which they detail their reasons for leaving Giant Bomb and their hopes for Nextlander. It is a great watch, but avoid engaging in mass speculation.
• Ryan Han continues to make AMAZING compilation videos of Giant Bomb's Fast & Furious Film and 40s series and this time they have a video of Fast Five as well as Fast & Furious 6!

E3 Threads & Boards

• The Official SUMMER GAME FEST KICKOFF Thread
• The Official NINTENDO Thread
• The Official SQUARE ENIX Thread
• The Official XBOX & BETHESDA Thread
• The Official DEVOLVER DIGITAL Thread
• The Official UBISOFT Thread
• The Unofficial Wholesome Direct Thread
• Intellivision Amico Presentation from Tommy Tallarico Discussion Thread

Here are all the "official" and unofficial E3 2021 press conference discussion threads on Giant Bomb! Again, if you see any "oversights" feel free to create threads for things like Koch Media's presser, go right ahead!

The 12th Annual E3 Banner Contest (By: @marino)

The banner contest is officially over, but that does not mean you should go back and enjoy all of the community created submissions this year! So of these banners are by far some of the best ever created. In fact, here's a look at the banners I missed last time or got submitted since last week's Spotlight.

Gallery

Gallery

Tweets

Galleria

Nintendo Banner Gone Wrong...? (By: @kone)

holy shit.... this banner is really something special. I think it is both a war crime as well as a work of art. Use the link provided above to share where you stand.

Giant Beastcast x Lupin the 3rd (By: @jearum)

In this touching tribute to former staff that were members of the Giant Beastcast, jearum merged them with the various characters of Lupin the 3rd and put them on a poster. The results really speak for themselves.

Blogs

Data Dump: Who Won E3 2021? (By: @marino)

Yes, asking "Who won E3?" is a dubious thing to do, but when you have stats to back up your argument, who am I to judge. But no, seriously, Marino took the time to compile all of the stats imaginable about E3 2021 you could ask for and you should definitely check out their hard work if you have not done so already.

After E3 2021, I Hear Vampires Are Cool Again, So I Want To Talk To You About The Vampire: The Masquerade Visual Novels (By: @zombiepie)

With E3 2021 making vampires in video games cool again, moderator ZombiePie uses their latest blog to try an convince more people to check out the Vampire: The Masquerade visual novels and text adventure games!

The Wheel of Dubious RPGs Episode 39-40: Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear and An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire (By: @arbitrarywater)

For the latest episode of their "Wheel of Dubious RPGs" blog series, ArbitraryWater played Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear and Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire! Use the link to discover which of the two really tested them.

Does Microsoft Need Characters To Represent Xbox? +

Fox 'N Forests Is A Clunky 'Euro' Style 16-bit Platformer. I Don't Know How They're Going To 'Fix' It For The Amico (By: @bigsocrates)

bigsocrates uses their latest blog on the site to debate if the Xbox brand still needs characters like Master Chief to represent the console to the general populace or in brick and mortar stores. Earlier this week they also talked about the side-scrolling platformer, Fox ‘N Forests, and detailed why they couldn't get over what they felt were clunky controls.

Does Beating Games Matter? (By: @hizang)

Hizang takes to the site to question if it is just their advancing age that makes them want to complete games all the way less. Read their theories and feel free to share your own

Chicory: A Colorful Tale Just Dropped Yesterday. To Those Who Bought The Game What Are Your Impressions? (By: @mocbucket62)

Chicory: A Colorful Tale recently released and MocBucket62 uses their latest blog on Giant Bomb to share why they have fallen in love with the game beyond its beautiful aesthetical choices!

E3 2021: The Summer Game Fest Kickoff +

E3 2021: Ubisoft +

E3 2021: Microsoft & Bethesda +

E3 2021: Nintendo (By: @gamer_152)

Moderator Gamer_152 is known for covering every major E3 2021 press conference, but given the circumstances, that's not going to fly this year. However, they still took the time to talk about Geoff Keighley's Summer Games Fest!

Indie Game of the Week 223: Ori and the Will of the Wisps +

Indie Game of the Week 224: Clam Man (By: @mento)

For the first edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" blog on Giant Bomb, moderator Mento gave Ori and the Will of the Wisps a shot! Use the first link to see if they think it improves on the original. (Hint: they do) Likewise, they checked out Clam Man, a story driven comedy adventure game! In that blog you can read the ins and outs of its sense of humor.

"E3" is Getting Out Of Hand + BRG's E3 2021 Highlights (By: @brg)

BRG takes to Giant Bomb to talk about E3 2021 and why this edition of the event feels like it is "too much" and why they hope the game event reviews what worked and did not work this year. Nonetheless, they did take the time to share which games from the event caught their eye the most.

Previously On Granado Espada... (By: @valorianendymion)

ValorianEndymion provides another update on the site about their experiences with the Korean MMO, Granado Espada, on the site! Use the link to see what they have been up to in the oft-forgotten MMO!

What's the Greatest Video Game(s): Goblin Sword and Revenge of the Bird King +

What's The Greatest Video Game: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (By: @imunbeatable80)

Are either Goblin Sword or Fire Emblem: Three Houses worth playing? If you are wondering the answer to that question, you should check out imunbeatable80's latest blogs on the to find out! With Three Houses, you can find how it ranks among other entries of the Fire Emblem franchise as well as among their favorite games of all-time

Weekly Update #32 - June 6, 2021 + Weekly Update #33 - June 13, 2021 (By: @qreedence)

qreedence provides another handful of updates on Giant Bomb about what they played the last couple of weeks. This time you can read all about what their impressions are of Overboard! and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as well as their thoughts about Astro's Playroom, Ratchet & Clank (2016) and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart!

Discussion Threads

Announcements from 6/8/21 'Cast. O'Dwyer Joining P/T. Collabs With Ryckert, Grubb, Gamespot Peeps. Will Hire More F/T. (By: @bigsocrates)

A lot has been announced and revealed about Giant Bomb's future. If you missed any of it, click this link and get the updates and join the community discussion about what has been announced!

Vinny, Brad, And Alex Have Started A New Podcast And Streaming Project Called Nextlander (By: @bigsocrates)

As mentioned in the housekeeping, please take the time to wish Brad, Alex, and Vinny the best with this new venture. Also, their first podcast is a must-read as it goes over their reasons for starting this new platform.

Nextlander Sit Down With MinnMax To Discuss The Future And Why They Left GB (By: @finaldasa)

Speaking of Nextlander, Alex, Vinny, and Brad were recently interviewed by MinnMax and get into detail about why they started Nextlander and their reasons for leaving Giant Bomb. Also, Alex specifically mentions there are no hard feelings having left GB. So, please avoid engaging in mass-speculation on the site.

Have You Ever Had A Dream About A Videogame? (By: @sweep)

The topic has come up on the Bombcast from time to time, but have you ever had a dream that prominently featured you within the world of a video game? What was the game and do you remember what happened?

Your Expectations For Gamescom 2021? (By: @gtxforza)

E3 2021 is now done and behind us, but what do you think is in store for Gamescom 2021? Can you think of any games that failed to make an appearance at E3 2021 that might show up there?

Hitman 3 - Elusive Targets Thread (June 17th - 28th The Liability) (By: @glots)

Calling all Hitman 3 fans in the Giant Bomb community! Have any of you had any luck with the new Elusive Target, The Liability? Did this one manage to get you? Share your experiences and tips with the rest of the community.

Steam Next Fest: What've You Played? (By: @chaser324)

To the community members that have check out the demos hosted during Steam Next Fest, which ones have stuck out to you the most? Share what you think are the highlights from the event using the link above!

Forza Horizon 5 E3 2021 Trailer And Gameplay Demo Discussion Thread (By: @gtxforza)

Are there Giant Bomb community members excited about Forza Horizon 5! Have you liked what you have seen of the game thus far? What is your impression of the setting? Personally, I am happy for GTxForza. I wish I could get that genuinely excited for a game, but now I'm just a husk of my former self.

Elden Ring Discussion Thread (By: @humanity)

Elden Ring is real! What are your early impressions of what has been shown thus far? What parts of the trailer stuck out to you? Are you just happy to see the game hasn't died?

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Discussion Thread (By: @anderswarming)

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope has been announced! Are you excited? Did you enjoy Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle? What do you hope this new game does to improve upon the first game?

What Are The Survival Games Truly About Surviving, Not Resource Hoarding/Fort Building/Ever-Escalating Crafting?(By: @bisonhero)

With this thread, we have users debating the best "survival games truly about surviving." The topic of the thread disqualifies any games with resource hoarding/fort building. So, with that in mind, what are your picks?

Can Gaming Continue Catering To Middle Aged Gamers? (By: @fluidk)

There's an incredibly interesting discussion on the forums about the need for more accessibility for aging gamers. Do you think the industry can do more? What would you like to see in the future?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - Reviews & Discussion (By: @glots)

What do YOU make of all the positive reviews coming out for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart? Are you excited to get your hands on the game? Join the Giant Bomb community discussion using the link and share what your thoughts of the game might be!

Playdate Discussion Thread (By: @blergh)

Can you imagine yourself buying the Playdate? What do you think about the price? Do the names and developers connected to the project get you excited? Join our discussion NOW!

Battlefield 2042 Reveal Trailer Discussion (By: @gtxforza)

Battlefield 2042 might be one of the worst kept secrets the industry has seen in a long time. Here's a link to the community discussion about the countdown trailer and other supporting reveals so you can share how you feel about Battlefield returning to the "future."

Dying Light Hellraid Discussion Thread (By: @rorie)

Dying Light: Hellraid sure seems like a departure for that series! However, do you think the fantasy theme works or appears exciting? Isn't it weird for a six-year-old game to get DLC?

Jan And Jan's Grandmother Video Series Title Suggestions (By: @excitable_misunderstood_genius)

They make one off-hand joke, and the community is already trying to come up with names for a possible video series between Jan and their grandmother. To the right, I have some of the suggestions in the thread.

What Was The Most Disappointing Game Of The Last Generation? (By: @sombre)

During the last two console cycles, what were some of your biggest disappointments? Which game do you think did not live up to the hype the most?

Star Citizen - Tony Zurovec: Quantum, Quasar, and Virtual AI (By: @spacegg)

A new trailer for Star Citizen dropped and it is one again time for the community to assess if what has been shown is enough to convince anyone the game is not a giant money pit. My gut and heart are telling me "NOOOOOOO!"

If Metroid Dread Is Metroid 5, Which Are 3 And 4? (By: @warpr)

With Metroid Dread coming back from the dead and Nintendo calling it "Metroid 5" the community has been having a hell of a time trying to figure out which games are Metroid 3 and 4.

Lists

Trailer Blazer E3 2021 (Part One) (By: @mento)

After a much needed hiatus, Mento is back to their old tricks of watching every single E3 trailer uploaded to the site and using a handy list to annotate their impressions of everything shown during the event

Games That Have Been Released on the Most Platforms (By: @franzlska)

Calling all Giant Bomb users and would-be video game historians! FRANZlSKA are on a mission to locate the "100 most ported video games ever made." Here's a list of what they have thus far, and use the link to help out their project!

User Reviews

• @mabaseslums' Devil May Cry HD review on Giant Bomb talks about the history of the character action game and what makes the first Devil May Cry a timeless experience.
• @junior_ain wanted to know if Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem still held up after all these years and using their review of the game they share why they think it does.