This week's GameCentral letters page presents a vibrant cross-section of gamer opinion, with significant focus on the divisive combat in a major new release and deep scepticism surrounding a leading developer's ambitious production schedule.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Combat Draws Player Ire
A reader identifying as Brand Expert has voiced considerable frustration with the recently launched Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. While praising the game's overall design, music, characters, and story, the player finds the core combat mechanics, specifically the parry and dodge timings, to be a major stumbling block.
"I am quite used to specific timings," the reader writes, citing proficiency in titles like Elden Ring and Space Marine 2. "But in this game, when to do it just feels random and really frustrating." Having played for three to four hours, the reader is at the point of abandoning the title, seeking advice from the community on whether others share this experience and how they overcame it.
Scepticism Over CD Projekt's The Witcher 4 Trilogy Timeline
Another hot topic is CD Projekt's announced plan to create and release a trilogy of new Witcher games within a six-year window. Reader Billison expresses profound doubt, describing the timeline as making "no sense" without a "time machine" or handing development to AI.
Drawing a comparison, the reader notes that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which reused its predecessor's map, still took six years to develop. "The fastest any of these sort of games can be made nowadays seems to be about five years, so you should really be talking a minimum of 15 years, not six," they argue. The reader hopes CD Projekt has a legitimate innovation to accelerate development, but fears for the quality if the plan relies on untested or problematic methods.
GameCentral's editors added that the claim seemed very odd to them too, noting a lack of obvious explanation without further details from the Polish studio.
Community Highlights: Dead Rising, Retro Games, and More
The inbox also featured celebration and debate around other industry news. The confirmation of a new Dead Rising title was met with enthusiasm from reader Bobwallett, who hopes it avoids the missteps of Dead Rising 4.
In a discussion about introducing classic games to new audiences, Paul shared that Track & Field was an "undoubted winner" with younger players, proving that "graphics age, great gameplay doesn't." Meanwhile, Trent offered a pragmatic, if disappointing, perspective on Capcom's continued avoidance of a Dino Crisis revival, suggesting the more commercially proven Dead Rising franchise is a "sensible choice" for the publisher.
Looking ahead, readers highlighted a packed release schedule for the week of December 2, 2025, including the long-awaited launch of Metroid Prime 4 and the Simogo Legacy Collection, which brings beloved mobile titles like Device 6 and Year Walk to modern platforms.
The daily inbox, a staple for the GameCentral community, continues to provide a platform for diverse gamer voices, from critiques of Assassin's Creed Shadows' Game of the Year credentials to clarifications on niche genres like 'cute 'em-ups'. Readers can join the discussion by emailing gamecentral@metro.co.uk.
