The latest Games Inbox sees readers unconvinced by GTA 6 protagonists Jason and Lucia, with one reader expressing doubt they will match the emotional impact of Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2. The Tuesday letters page also tackles Mario Kart World's Grands Prix, Crazy Taxi's perk system, and the industry's trend toward lengthy development cycles.
Doubts Over GTA 6 Protagonists
Reader Horsehead Expert shared skepticism about Rockstar's ambition for players to care about Jason and Lucia as much as Arthur from Red Dead Redemption 2. "For a start, I don't think I've liked any GTA character as much as Arthur and I don't think you're meant to," they wrote. "Arthur is a good person and none of the GTA people are. Not that they need to be, to make the games good, but you just don't have that sort of attachment to them. They're funny, not likeable."
The reader noted that Jason seemed like a "non-entity" in the Netflix footage, while Lucia showed more spirit. "Jason was just mumbling this way through his lines. Not a fault of the voice actor, I don't think, that just seems to be what Rockstar is going for," they added. The reader concluded that to be a good GTA character, one doesn't need to be 'good' but memorable, and so far Jason and Lucia haven't achieved that.
Mario Kart World Grands Prix Criticism
Reader Simon expressed frustration with Mario Kart World's race structure, wishing standard Grands Prix had been included alongside the Knockout Tour. "The free SNES tracks are great, but I can't get over the rubbish Grands Prix," he wrote. "Nintendo should have done standard Grands Prix and then let Knockout Tour do the connecting roads." He noted that great tracks feel hidden unless players use time trials or VS Race modes.
GameCentral responded: "It would have been better to have the option for lapped races but ultimately they were trying to do something different."
Wolverine Review and Accessibility Options
Reader EllDeePee asked why the Wolverine review didn't mention a constant yellow trail that allegedly guides players. GameCentral clarified: "If there's a constant trail in the game, we never saw it; it must be one of the optional accessibility options that we never turned on. Unless you mean some objects having splashes of paint on them, to signpost routes, which works similarly to modern Resident Evil games."
Another reader, big boy bent, shared tips on getting cheap Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, mentioning they've paid as little as £35 for Xbox Live for a year and £45 for Game Pass Ultimate. They advised using CD Keys and Microsoft Rewards, suggesting that after conversion, players could get seven or eight months for around £36.
Kickstarter Backing and Multiplayer Concerns
Reader Andrew J. revealed he is backing five Kickstarter games, including Ungaland! (a 3D prehistoric platformer by a Canadian developer) and Salene (a Metroidvania inspired by Celeste by UK developer Oliver Shannon), both Steam-only. He noted Salene had four days left in its campaign.
Reader Rob expressed frustration with perk systems in arcade games, citing Crazy Taxi and Sonic Racing CrossWorlds. "I really miss the old games, like earlier kart/racing and Halo, that had no perks and upgrades and felt like a more level experience," he wrote. He also criticized Mario Kart World's parkour system, saying it rewards trick execution over traditional racing, which puts off casual gamers.
Reader Banger commented on Sony's recent controversies, suggesting the company might be "trying to crash their share price for some reason" and that "someone at Sony has secretly got a beef with upper management."
Finally, reader Johnson expressed disbelief at development cycles stretching to 2031 or beyond for games like Fallout 5, questioning why studios can't be more efficient like The Blood Of Dawnwalker developers, who made their game in three years as a new studio.
Other readers praised Onimusha: Way Of The Sword's combat and expressed surprise at the Metroid Ravenous trailer following Metroid Prime 4's underperformance.
