Bluebird Hewitt

Awwww. I'll have no one to play online with.

On which console or on PC?

I wouldn't mind SOR2 Axel myself, seeing as he was my go to character in that game. My mate has the game via Gamepass (hint hint @Dr. Gonzo) and really likes it. Shame there's no cross play though.

It won't happen. Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and the surrounding valley areas are Labour strongholds. That alone practically gives them the win.

Streets of Rage 4 out tomorrow and reviews appear to be positive about it. Was fearing the worst as I adore Streets of Rage 2 but it appears that its hit the mark and then some.

It could be worse for us in Wales. 1. Test targets have been abandoned as 'we don't need to test that many a day' (despite promising the capacity of 5,000 tests a day by mid April) and the WHO constantly saying that we should test, test and test. England by comparison are trying to increase capacity as much as possible. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52356767 Our Health Minister Vaughan Gething then says yesterday that 'more tests are significantly needed', but no targets are set as 'it's not helpful'. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52463029 2. Two health boards in Wales (one of which has been under special measures since 2015) and haven't had many deaths each can't do basic maths, with the blame being caused as either 'a glitch in reporting' or using a different system altogether. One didn't provide figures for a whole month, while the other under reported until 24th April. This could start to make the death figures (and possibly others) unreliable. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52439435 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52458608 3. While we are fully aware of the lack of PPE available in the UK and we can all agree the UK Government should have taken action far earlier (I'll admit that I haven't watch the Panorama clip yet), Vaughan Gething said recently that we only had full PPE 'for a few days' last week. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52370677 We've now had new PPE equipment delivered at Cardiff Airport. However, this asks one question. Considering that health and social care is devolved in Wales, why didn't our AM's order their own PPE supply, seeing as they've now done that? If questions are being asked of the UK Government, surely the same must be asked to the Welsh Government as well. 4. On 6th April, Vaughan Gething had said that we had bought 1,035 ventilators as part of UK arrangements. However, we have since only distributed 171 ventilators and have 60 in reserve. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52457010 While Vaughan Gething has tried to provide reassurances that if we need the full amount, we'll get it, it's concerning that we only have about a fifth of the amount available so far, especially if a second wave hit. There's also no guarantee that we'll get all of them if required now. 5. Today, our First Minster Mark Drakeford announced that while England will test all residents and staff at care homes, NHS Wales will only provide tests to residents and staff that show symptoms as testing everyone will have 'no value' and 'diverts capacity'. This is despite the WHO saying to 'test, test, test' and our capacity only being 2,100 a day at present. When BBC asked the Welsh Government if they could speak to either the chief medical officer or chief scientific advisor, it was declined. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52470272 This could cause more issues as if only those with symptoms are tested, many others could easily be infected by that point and most likely cause more unnecessary deaths. Instead, the Welsh Government appear to be more concerned about playing politics to gain political brownie points and 'getting one over the Tories in the UK Government', such as: 1. Our Education Minister Kirsty Williams announcing that schools will close in Wales by 'being the first' and 'leading the way', despite the UK Government due to announce school closures regardless. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51947148 2. Mark Drakeford announcing a week extension to the previous three week lockdown on the 8th April, despite a COBRA meeting taking place the following day with the four nations to review the current lockdown measures. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52215421 Mark Drakeford then declares a week later that Wales will extend the lockdown for another three weeks. While all four UK nations agreed the extension, Mark Drakeford claimed that Dominic Raab's announcement to extend the lockdown was 'UK Government ministers catching up with his idea from last week'. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52308604 This is despite the fact that the lockdown was always going to be extended, but Mark Drakeford simy wanted to 'be the first' and show 'Wales leading the way' for something clear and obvious again. 3. While England's lockdown measures do not have regulations in regards to restricting exercise to once a day, Mark Drakeford has set the restriction and the police have the powers to issue fines for those who exercise more than once. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52056337 This simply can't be enforced as you can't prove that someone has actually done exercise more than once a day. This goes back to the 'getting one over the UK Government' point by adding this restriction, but without actually thinking about it. 4. Mark Drakeford has told employers to take all reasonable measures to ensure that staff are kept two metres apart at work or face possible fines which the police and council have the powers to do. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52184794 While I understand the reasoning behind it, it has simply been rushed through and was pointed out by CBI Wales that it was to be implemented over a single weekend and without clear guidance until the last minute. This has even been criticised by the police, with all four Welsh chief constables objecting to it. While the Welsh Government has insisted that it's a last resort, 'the public would rather police enforce essential legislation rather than being factory inspectors'. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52213177 5. Mark Drakeford has apparently been 'struggling' to engage with UK ministers in regards to a lockdown exit, yet apparently published a framework that the Conservative Welsh Secretary was unaware of, while the Wales Office Minister David TC Davies has said that while attending meetings with Michael Gove, there's always a Welsh Government representative at the meeting. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52470579 It says a lot when a Nobel Prize-winning scientist has not only criticised the UK Government, but the Welsh Government as well, saying that 'while they are buying PPE from abroad, they have not used our own resources' and that no reply was received following a Cardiff University letter offering support, which they haven't fully denied and just distanced themselves from his remarks. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52371941 Two more final points to make as well which kind of sums us up as a whole in Wales 1. During a virtual National Assembly meeting today and the lockdown restrictions being in place since March, the National Assembly had to approve it to keep it in force. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52478690 It was voted overwhelmingly to endorse the lockdown. If someone could answer the point of the vote, please let me know. 2. As part of an advisory to assist with Wales's recovery from the coronavirus crisis, they have appointed Gordon Brown (yes, that Gordon Brown) to advise on how Wales can operate in areas such as the NHS and transport after the lockdown is lifted. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52468157 While it's noteworthy that he's doing it for free, I'm not hiding my breath over this. His first session is around the economy post coronavirus crisis. Good luck to Gordon Brown as the Welsh Government know what they're doing. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-48757245 Don't be mistaken. This is not intended to be a defence of the UK government at all and fully accept they should have been quicker to react and should have also been more prepared. However, what I'm trying to show here is that while the UK Government gets ripped to shreds over anything and criticised by devolved nations, the Welsh Labour Government (I had to highlight that bit) have done things just as bad (if not worse) while trying to play politics and take cheap shots instead of focusing at the task at hand (for example, when PPE was being provided to care homes staff in both England and Wales, Mark Drakeford mentioned that 'unlike in England, PPE is provided free in Wales'). If it was a Conservative run government, they would have been slaughtered like we're seeing now. Due to the lack of testing and basically not bothering to try and increase it substantially, claiming that there's 'no value' to test all care home residents and staff, the lack of PPE in general in line with the UK Government and that theWelsh Government appears more interested in making themselves look good (as well as Wales having more of an elderly population with more sickness levels and higher rates of poverty), I honestly think a stronger second wave could cripple us. And with that, I'm done. I'm not typing this up on a mobile again.

Not sure how many of us work for the NHS here (maybe @DeadLinesman), but NHS staff can get a free game via a link in the below article. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-04-29-uk-devs-to-give-thousands-of-games-to-nhs-staff

Apparently in Newcastle as a trial to start and more to follow afterwards. Something you want to tell us @Harvsky?

For those interested, Alien Isolation is available on Steam for £1.50. I admittedly never got round to finishing this but at that price, it's a no brainer. Apparently can have a VR mode if you fancy a heart attack at some point. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-04-27-the-brilliant-alien-isolation-is-just-gbp1-50-for-alien-day Also, I think @Danny and possibly @nudge were most interested, but Sega are giving Total War: Shogun 2 away for free. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-04-26-sega-wants-to-give-you-total-war-shogun-2-for-free-as-a-thankyou-for-staying-at-home Have a look if interested. Also forgot to mention that I think Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 is available for free across all platforms.

Meh. I guess.

Without being a bit of a selfish twat, considering the circumstances and the fear of a second spike, surely these should be free.

It's shit like this which highlights the failures of society again. Why spread horseshit when there's no proof or sources of this? On a lighter note, here's an article showing some of the excuses the police in Wales have heard, as well as having a few unwanted English visitors at this time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52386123

Interesting, though I can't see anything local regarding this for Cardiff and Newport (though both areas have been badly hit, with mine not too far behind). Not too surprising mind as cities will get the brunt of this regardless.

Where have you heard this to, out of curiosity?

We can blame our governments all we want in the UK. But when you get this sort of behaviour, it really does show the shit stains of society.

I know it's horrible to mourn at this time, but this is completely unacceptable. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-52396748 Cunts.

Actually, after just seeing a headline from the Guardian, another part of this is that we have seen (to an extent) which businesses and business owners have any sort of morals and ethics and which don't. While I don't want to go into anything huge right now, Mike Ashley (not hard admittedly) and Richard Branson (which triggered this) have come out as right cunts in this.

This is what frustrates me as well. We can continue to rip into the governments in the UK all we want, but when people choose to ignore basic advice (because some are too thick to realise that local is not 20 miles away to have a picnic), it's difficult to continue blaming government's constantly. At the same time mind, we have seen the other side of this, such as people pulling together to help others, things like Captain Tom Moore raising a ridiculous amount of money and the appreciation to NHS staff during this time.

Our Health Minister in Wales has said that we have a few days full PPE left. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52370677

Ffs.

Well this may be the best excuse coming from the Welsh Government explaining why they have missed their target of 5,000 tests a day by mid April and then outright ditching a target. According to our Health Minister Vaughan Gething, he said that 'the coronavirus has spread less than expected when the target was announced, saying that the viruses circulation in Wales was expected to be much higher', as well as 'external factors' like the delay of equipment contributing to the decision to ditching test targets. Finally, in what can only be the best excuse made from all this. Let's remind ourselves that despite the social distancing measures in place, which in itself should be positive seeing as that's what we're following in Wales, the UK government are being heavily criticised for not testing enough and not hitting their own targets. If we get hit with a second wave, we will be well and truly fucked by the Welsh Labour Government.

Same here. Think I topped up shortly before lockdown began and still have a good three quarters in the car. Just as well as the car isn't the best for short distances.

@nudge, I was flicking through articles on Eurogamer and came across this on PC. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-04-20-industries-of-titan-has-the-potential-to-be-one-of-the-great-management-games Haven't read the article fully so not sure if this is your cup of tea.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has now said that the 5,000 tests a day target by mid April was 'not achievable in practice', partially due to things out of their control, such as equipment and reagent chemicals coming from overseas (which I'm pretty sure the UK government have been criticised for). Now he has abandoned the target that was 'given to him in good faith' as 'he had confidence from those developing testing' and has not given any indication as to how much testing they hope to achieve. So that's 1,300 a day tops for the foreseeable future and we aren't even close to hitting that already. I know I've said plenty of times that this isn't the time to politicise and criticise, but this just proves the sheer incompetence of Welsh Labour once more.

Sorry, I meant from the Twitter guy, not you.