The Thursday letters page explains why the PS5 Pro is worth it for certain gamers, as a reader is dubious about the Life Is Strange TV series.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Ignoring the Call
A reader made a good point the other day, about how we haven’t had any Call Of Duty rumours in months, even though this is usually the time of year when they happen. I believe he’s right in thinking it’s because Activision warned off leakers. I’m curious as to why they chose now to do that, after all these years, but you’ve got to assume it’s to do with Black Ops 7 being so hated and not a big seller.

I’m not sure what stopping rumours is going to do for the next one’s popularity but maybe they think that knowing everything about it in advance was draining some of the excitement away. I can understand that thought but I think Call Of Duty is going to have a real struggle generating any hype from now on.

The last rumour had the next one being yet another Modern Warfare, but this time set in Korea. I don’t know what you need to do to make Call Of Duty exciting again but that’s not it for me. Especially as I’d bet a fortune that it’s going to be predictable enough to have an extraction mode.

Even though it’s yearly, it seems like ages since Black Ops 7 and it’s only become more irrelevant since then. I just feel the franchise isn’t popular or fashionable anymore and it’s going to take more than another Modern Warfare to turn that around.
Morph

My good father secreted me out the castle
It looks like next month they’re going to be filming Elden Ring in Conway Castle in North Wales, which my bus to work goes past every day.

Hopefully I’ll be able to see some sort of indication of what they’re using the location for, even if I don’t get a glimpse of any actors because they’ll probably be in the castle itself.

It’s a bit weird seeing my local news site mentioning Castle Morne and Stormveil, but it’s probably a good indication the journalist knew what they were talking about.

If I do spot anything I’ll be sure to send in pictures.
Euclidian Boxes

GC: Please do.

Free Pass
Great news about Game Pass prices being changed. Basically, I haven’t paid for Ultimate for over five years now or ever. I have been getting Microsoft Reward Points religiously all this time. I can’t get the points for playing on a PC, as I don’t have a PC – Chromebook doesn’t work. So I have missed out of a lot of points there on a daily basis.

I was exchanging my reward points. 12,000 would get you one month of Ultimate. In September they removed that from redeem system. I can, however, exchange my points for a Microsoft gift card and 6,200 points for a fiver, and so on. That now sits in my account waiting for this Friday at the lower price of £16.99, as my subscription expires on Friday. Points literally make prizes.
Woz G

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Interactive TV
Just wanted to know what GameCentral and its readers thought of the upcoming Life Is Strange TV series?

I’m not too bothered if the actresses don’t look too much like Max and Chloe, as I’m more concerned about the writing and if they can elicit the feel of Arcadia Bay using scenery and the soundtrack.

I mean, they have got to get Syd Matters’ To All Of You song in there somewhere, right? And at least some stuff from Angus and Julia Stone.

What is going to be interesting, though, is how they incorporate the choice mechanic from the game.

Will viewers have to vote using their TV remotes or phones at the appropriate time when the action on-screen pauses for about 30 seconds?

I feel that if its fails to impress and they mess this up, ‘that action will have consequences’.
LeeDappa

GC: They don’t look like themselves in the newer games, so what chance did the show have?

Download options
When I wrote in the other day about the free games on Epic Games Store there was a bit of confusion in the Underbox. To clear this up: there is a separate Epic Games Store application for PCs and a separate Epic Games Store app for Android tablets and Android mobiles.

Sometimes they give away the same game on mobile and PC each week and sometimes they give away different games. From your PC or your Android/mobile you need to go to this link to download the Epic Games Store for that device. So if you go to that from a mobile it gives you the option to download the mobile app or if you go to that link on PC it gives you the option to download the PC application.

On mobile you have to allow the Epic Games Store app to install on your Android device because it is classed as a third party app, it is not available on Google Play Store unfortunately. This week was an especially good week, as on PC you had Stone Of Madness and on the mobile app you had Broken Sword The Shadows Of The Templar: Reforged. Those game are free still, until 4pm today.

When it gets to 4pm on the mobile app on a Thursday, it can be quite slow to show the new game sometimes, so you might have to wait 30 minutes possibly or more. On PC sometimes the game lists on time and sometimes it is a few minutes late. I don’t know if it might be glitchy because so many people are accessing the free games at 4pm. I only use PCs and Android phones, so don’t know the process for iOS computers and devices. Hope that helps.
Andrew J.
PS: When you go to the website above on PC it has a Download button for the Epic Games Store application and on my Android mobile it has a Install button for the Epic Games Store app.

Performance Pro
RE: Olli and whether to get a PS5 Pro. I’ve got a Pro and it’s now doing exactly what I was after but going by your letter I think its unique selling point of no comprise 60fps means it’s not the machine for you. The machine was designed and advertised as a performance mode/resolution upgrade, not a graphics upgrade.

The PS5 Pro will not give ‘more’ graphics than the base PlayStation 5’s quality mode. It will give you the base PlayStation 5’s quality mode graphics suite and resolution, which were sacrificed in performance mode on the base PlayStation 5, but at 60fps and not locked at 30fps through a much beefier GPU and the PS5 Pro exclusive upscaler PSSR.

At launch, it utterly failed to do this as PSSR was pretty much broken. But it was updated recently and the results are very good, with the upscaled PSSR imagine often now showing better clarity and detail than the base PlayStation 5 quality mode, while running at higher frame rates.

Of course, the PS5 Pro will run games far better than your current PlayStation 4 or the Switch 2 you’re also considering. With the PSSR update there’s clear gains from base PlayStation 5 too.

But if you’re happy with 30fps or a graphically/resolution stripped back performance mode on base PlayStation 5 then I’d get a Switch 2 and in the meantime wait for the base PlayStation 5 to go on sale again. With the PS5 Pro now costing £790 you’d get both the other machines for that price in a sale and not have to miss out on anything.

On the idea of the Pro or any new machine offering an exclusive graphics mode, I think the only thing on the market the current consoles can’t do is full path tracing. My gut feeling for the next consoles is the blurb will feature AI and path tracing as features.
Simundo

GC: You’re probably right.

TFI Friday
With Saros giving 48 early access, meaning it will be available on 28th April, when can we expect your review?

Returnal is my favourite game of this generation, and I really hope they don’t make Saros too easy or dumb it down to make it more accessible.
Lizardpudlian

GC: We’re actually allowed to tell you this one, it’ll be Friday morning.

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One and only
Great article on the ongoing identity crisis at Xbox, and I totally agree that the Xbox 360 was Microsoft’s first and probably only legitimate shot at usurping Sony.

I worked in games retail during that generation and while my experience was very specific to a small town in Northern Ireland, it really felt like many jumped from PlayStation 2 to the Xbox 360 and it was going to be mainly Xbox going forward.

A game like Call Of Duty 4 would sell five to 10 copies on Xbox for every PlayStation 3 copy, and everyone seemed to be on Xbox Live for online multiplayer, despite it being the only one that cost money (remember when Sony’s online was free!?)

The Xbox One reveal was undoubtedly a disaster, but I think it’s the lack of new and exciting exclusive IP over the years that really sank the brand; the first Xbox obviously had Halo, as well as Fable, Forza Motorsport, etc… then Gears Of War was huge on Xbox 360, but I feel like they never really hit those heights again.

A quick look at their line-up for this year, which is pretty strong, and it’s these same franchises, only now you don’t even need an Xbox to play them.

Nintendo got a lot of stick during the Wii U/3DS era, much of which was deserved, but that’s where evergreen titles like Splatoon and Super Mario Maker were first made and they didn’t even entertain the idea of PC ports.

If Microsoft were to properly utilise all those developers they bought to either create new, interesting AAA IP or work on established ones (I’d love a Halo by Id Software or a MachineGames Call Of Duty campaign) they could regain that mindshare among players, but I suppose their jettisoning of exclusivity means it won’t do much to coerce people into buying their consoles.

Also, a Netflix for games was never going to be as popular as they anticipated. I could have told them that.
ANON

GC: Thanks for your comments. It’s often underappreciated how badly Microsoft handled its first party studies at the end of the Xbox 360 era, shutting some down and letting others decline unnecessary. Rare was stuck in Kinect jail for years during all that. We feel that was the start of the rot.

Inbox also-rans
I reckon that is Kojima’s new Xbox or, at least, part of it – probably the power unit or fan.
Shambling Reg

GC: We like to think it’s a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. But green.

If they remake another Assassin’s Creed game and it’s not the second on they’re crazy. I’ve never met anyone that didn’t think that was the best of the original ones.
Focus

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

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MORE: Games Inbox: Did you know GTA 6 was made in the UK?

MORE: Games Inbox: Will there ever be a Last Of Us Part 3?

MORE: Games Inbox: Are live service games becoming less popular?

A number of Cambridgeshire pubs have been listed in the top 10

The 10 best pubs in the region have been announced, with four from Cambridgeshire making the final cut. Every year, Muddy Stilettos asks the public to nominate their favourite businesses across a range of categories. Some of the categories include the best afternoon tea, as well as the best restaurant and the best farm shop.

Muddy Stilettos has drawn up a finalist list for each category, and the public now have another chance to vote to crown their winner. Four Cambridgeshire pubs have made it to the finalist list in the local pub category.

Here are the pubs up for best-loved local pub:

• The Burleigh Arms in Cambridge – Described as a “historic gem” in Cambridge, this pub dates back to the 1820s. The pub is praised for its “great service” and “good atmosphere” – according to customers – as well as its food and drink.
• The Pheasant in Keyston – This is a traditional thatched pub, set within Cambridgeshire countryside. The pub is described as “cosy and warm” by customers, as well as a place that offers a professional service.
• The Three Blackbirds in Wooditton – The 17th century inn is described as a “much loved” pub at the heart of Wooditton. Customers describe the pub as a “warm and friendly place”.
• The Three Hills in Bartlow – As well as a being a pub, The Three Hills is also a hotel. A visit to the pub and hotel is described as the “perfect Cambridgeshire rural weekend retreat”, according to the pub website.

The other pubs making the final list are based in Suffolk. These are:

• The Boot in Freston
• The Crown in Bildeston
• The Crown in Stoke By Nayland
• The Debenham Lion in Debenham
• The Greyhound Inn in Pettistree
• The Wild Rabbit in Harkstead

People who wish to vote for their favourite local pub can do so on the Muddy Stilettos website.

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Two runners sacrificed personal bests to come to the rescue of an exhausted competitor at the Boston Marathon.

Aaron Beggs was first to stop to pull Ajay Haridasse up off the ground after he fell and could not get up.

With Haridasse still struggling to stay on his feet, another runner, Robson De Oliveira, stepped in and the pair put their arms around Haridasse to help him across the line.

The incident was filmed by several spectators who witnessed Haridasse falling shortly after the 26 mile (41.8km) mark.

Read more here.

A high-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security has been suspended following allegations that she solicited tens of thousands of dollars from “sugar daddies.”

A formal complaint was filed against Julia Varvaro, a 29-year-old counterterrorism official, accusing her of keeping transactional relationships that posed a security risk, The Daily Mail reported on Wednesday.

“Varvaro is on administrative leave as a result of the investigation and she is no longer serving in her capacity as a Deputy Assistant Secretary at DHS,” a department official told The Independent.

She was appointed to her senior position in May 2025, shortly after earning a degree in Homeland Security from St. John’s University. Varvaro has attended several MAGA events and has been photographed with President Donald Trump.

The complaint, filed with the DHS inspector general, was submitted by an executive identified as “Robert B,” who said he spent approximately $40,000 on Varvaro during the course of their three‑month relationship after they met on Hinge.

Robert claimed in his complaint that Varvaro had created a profile on the sugar daddy site Seeking, on which she offered “seductive sophistication.”

“I did not want a sugar daddy/prostitution relationship, after spending $30,000-$40,000 for vacations, Cartier jewelry, expensive handbags, and various shopping trips,” he wrote.

“She told me that she does not have college debt because sugar daddies paid for her college education,” he continued, according to The Daily Mail. “I believe that she’s under financial stress and that her actions pose a security risk.”

Varvaro, though, insisted she did not have an account on Seeking and maintained that she had done nothing improper.

“I didn’t know it was bad to go on vacation with your boyfriend,” she told The Daily Mail. “We were together in an exclusive relationship. We went on vacations. I don’t know what’s the problem with that.”

Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA official, said he found the allegations disconcerting.

“Allegations of a sugar daddy relationship and unreported income from that relationship are serious issues for DHS security personnel that need to be resolved,” he told the outlet. “I would be curious to see what kind of vetting was done…”

The Independent has attempted to contact Varvaro for comment.

The incident, which happened yesterday morning (April 21) on Tonge Moor Road, is reportedly being treated as mental health-related.

A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of assault after two men sustained stab wounds at 10.30am.

A resident said after the incident: “You’re not safe in Tonge Moor at all. There are all these things, people with knives, and you’re looking around when you walk. It’s scary.”

The police presence drew the attention of residents and passers-by, and several people spoke out about their safety in the area.

Three police cars were present on the stretch of Tonge Moor Road near Bradshaw, and multiple police vehicles remained at the scene throughout the morning while officers carried out door-to-door enquiries.

One passer-by told The Bolton News: “It can happen anywhere. It’s a surprise to me, especially at the end of my row.

“I do feel safe living around Tonge Moor, and I had no idea this happened.”

Greater Manchester Police are not providing further comment at this time.

However, on Tuesday, a GMP spokesperson said: “Emergency services attended, and two men were treated by medical professionals on site for stab wounds.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

An immigration officer has been charged with third-degree assault and criminal mischief following an investigation into how he treated a protester who said the officer put her in a chokehold.

Multiple videos from bystanders show a masked agent grabbing and pulling Franci Stagi across the street during a protest in October against the detention of three Colombian asylum-seekers in Durango, Colorado. She said he grabbed her by the hair and put her in a chokehold. The state is among several that prohibited or severely limited police officers from using chokeholds and neck restraints since George Floyd’s death in 2020.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigations launched an investigation into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer’s actions against Stagi at the request of Durango Police Department Chief Brice Current, who raised concerns about possible violations of state law — an unusual if not unprecedented request.

The Department of Homeland Security, which includes Customs and Border Protection, called the prosecution “unlawful” and a “political stunt.” It said states have no authority to investigate such cases.

“Federal officers acting in the course of their duties can only be investigated by other Federal agencies,” DHS said in a statement.

The department said it was still investigating what happened in the incident.

Court documents didn’t list any attorney as representing the officer, Nicholas Rice.

Stagi said she was standing close to the officer and filming him outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Durango, a college town popular for outdoor recreation, when he hit her hand hard, causing her to lose her cellphone. Stagi, a retired hypnotherapist, said she then reached for the officer’s shoulder to get his attention. After she said he put her in a chokehold, she said he threw her down an embankment next to the street. She said she still experiences pain in her arm doing normal everyday activities, like putting on her jacket.

Court documents allege that Rice committed third-degree assault by causing bodily injury to Stagi, but the documents don’t describe how she was injured or make mention of a chokehold. Rice also is charged with criminal mischief for allegedly damaging Stagi’s cellphone.

Stagi said Wednesday she was disappointed Rice was charged with less serious crimes. The assault charge, a misdemeanor, carries a maximum sentence of just under a year in jail. But she hopes the prosecution sends a message that immigration officers can’t tackle people indiscriminately and use excessive force.

“It did open my eyes to how quickly I can be under someone else’s control, and it’s frightening,” said Stagi, whose legal name is Anne Francesca Stagi.

Federal law enforcement officers have broad legal protections when acting in the course of their official duties, and the Justice Department has in recent months taken a hard line against state efforts to arrest or prosecute federal agents. Late last year, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said arrests of federal officers performing their duties would be “illegal and futile,” citing the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and federal law. Legal experts say those protections are significant but not absolute and the Supremacy Clause does not provide blanket immunity.

Chokeholds have been at the center of public discourse and state legislative initiatives about what constitutes an unreasonable use of force since Eric Garner died in New York in 2014 after he was put in a chokehold by a white police officer.

Garner’s dying words, “ I can’t breathe ” became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement.

While some states have banned chokeholds and other tactics, sweeping changes were met with resistance.

A federal package of reforms that would have banned chokeholds nationwide passed the U.S. House in 2021 but failed to reach then-President Joe Biden’s desk. The bill was named in honor of Floyd, who died in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed his knee to his neck.

Within a month of Floyd’s death, Colorado lawmakers approved a ban on chokeholds as part of broader police reform legislation. The law overrode more limited chokehold restrictions that were put in place four years earlier.

___

Slevin reported from Denver, and Lee from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

A concerned resident said services in the town are already being “absolutely stretched” to their limits

A resident says they are “dead against” plans for a new housing development that could be built on the edge of the town they live in. Plans have been submitted by Bellway Strategic Land to build up to 260 homes on Dexter’s Farm, in Godmanchester. The proposed site is in the south of the town and close by to Whitehill Gardens, another Bellway estate.

The resident, who wished to stay anonymous, claimed many services in the area are already “stretched” to their limits. They said: “I think it’s bad. You look at the doctor’s surgery in Brampton in Godmanchester and [it’s so hard to get] an appointment to see them. That’s not because they are bad doctors, they just can’t keep up with the capacity. There’s no infrastructure or upgraded facilities. A friend of mine rung up the other week to go see and doctor. It wasn’t a really serious thing but they said they had to wait seven weeks for an appointment, which is ridiculous. If it’s an emergency, it’s 10 days to a fortnight. The size of Godmanchester keeps growing and growing but still using the same facilities.”

A spokesperson for NHS Central East Integrated Care Board said: “When new homes are planned, we work closely with local authorities and housing developers to ensure that the health needs of communities are met.”

The resident claims that other emergency services are also stretched. They said: “If you ring for an ambulance, I know somebody broke his leg the other year and rung for an ambulance and they said it would be a two hour wait. It’s just that everything seems to be absolutely stretched to its limit.

“You ring up for police assistance and sometimes they can get out to you and sometimes they can’t. I’ve been told before that they can’t get out until the next day and that’s not great if there’s ongoing crime or a break-in. But they just haven’t got the resources. The more you build, the more you put a stretch on everything.”

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We continue to make significant progress in improving our response times. This progress was reflected in last month’s performance figures, which showed our fastest average response time for Category 2 emergencies – such as chest pain or stroke symptoms – since May 2021.

“We engage regularly with local authorities on housing developments as part of the planning process, and where possible we will seek appropriate funding from developers to help expand our service to meet the needs of local communities.”

Alongside the already struggling facilities, the issue of traffic is also a worry for the resident. They added: “In the mornings, traffic queues along Cambridge Road. If there’s an accident in the area, which there often is, all of the vehicles get diverted through Godmanchester and the surrounding areas get filled up. It can get gridlocked to the point where nobody is going anywhere. I think the town is just getting overloaded and it can’t cope.”

Godmanchester Town Council recently released a draft objection to the application. The statement said: “Godmanchester Town Council strongly objects to this application. The proposal is contrary to the development plan, contrary to the strategy and express wording of the Godmanchester Neighbourhood Plan, contrary to the Council’s own evidence base for Dexter’s Farm and would cause significant and irreversible harm to the countryside setting, landscape character, settlement identity and long-term sustainability of Godmanchester.”

The Town Council mentioned concerns surrounding the walkability of the area, the loss of farmland, and suggests the development would not create a functioning part of the town. It also highlighted a lack of community spaces planned for the development such as no pub, library or youth spaces being considered.

The resident mentioned being worried about the possibility of even more developments being built in the area and what would happen to the wildlife. They said: “I think this new development is just the tip of the iceberg. They could start building even more houses in the area. What’s going to happen to all the wildlife there? There’s lapwings that nest on the field and they’re all going to just get pushed away.”

A spokesperson for Bellway Strategic Land said: “We are at an early stage in the planning process for this site. As part of this process, a statutory consultation will be carried out by the local authority, providing an opportunity for residents to comment on the proposals.”

David Linden, SNP candidate for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, said: “A re-elected SNP government will build on the best cost-of-living support package available anywhere on these isles by putting in place a £2 bus fare cap across Scotland, taking action to lower the price of essential foods in supermarkets and expanding childcare support for all children from nine months to the end of primary school for 52 weeks of the year.

Jacqueline Farrell, executive director for education at The King’s Foundation, said: “We are looking to see how one of our programmes, which is around the building craft and craftsmanship skills, could actually help support the rebuild of the Gordon Street building, especially around some of the traditional craftsmanship that was lost in the fire.”

The Charny Army, made up of players from Newcastle, earned their place in the Cool Hand Cup Grand Final after competing at their local pub, The King’s Arms.

John Scott, captain of the team, said: “The Cool Hand Cup Grand Final was such an unreal experience.

Renowned darts commentator Paul Starr interviewing Luke Humphries during the Grand Final (Image: SUPPLIED)

“I’ve never been to a darts competition before so to have my first one be a national final that I’m competing in is absolutely amazing.

“We set off at 6am to make sure we got to the Grand Final in time, and the early morning was more than worth it.

“The atmosphere was fantastic, and we loved meeting the other players and experiencing the community feeling created by pub darts.

Renowned darts commentator Paul Starr interviewing Luke Humphries during the Grand Final (Image: SUPPLIED)

“It was amazing to meet Luke Humphries – he had a good bit of craic. He came to watch the semi-finals and finals with all of the players, which was surreal.”

The tournament, held at The Boundary in Alfreton, Derbyshire on Friday, April 10, saw 16 teams compete in a knockout 501 format, with heats, quarter-finals, and semi-finals leading to the grand final.

The Dog’s Bollogs from Wednesfield claimed the Cool Hand Cup title after beating all opponents, taking home the trophy and a £10,000 prize.

Cool Hand Cup (Image: SUPPLIED)

The team also had the opportunity to play against former darts world champion Luke Humphries, who teamed up with Marston’s on the Cool Hand Cup for a second year.

More than 11,000 people took part across more than 500 pubs nationwide, forming 700 teams.

The highest-scoring teams advanced from regional rounds to the national final.

Finalists included teams from across the UK, such as The Enforcers from the East Midlands, Tripple Threat from York and Leeds, and The Hollingwood from Eastern.

John Green, director of operations at Marston’s, said: “It’s been a true pleasure to bring the Cool Hand Cup back to over 500 pubs in partnership with Luke Humphries.

“This time, we invited teams to enter the tournament, and it’s been incredible to see darts and pub culture bringing people together, with over 11,000 people entering up and down the country.

“This year’s Grand Final at The Boundary was an amazing evening, the crowd were fantastic and really created an atmosphere to rival Ally Pally.

“After a nail-biting final, we’d like to offer our congratulations to the Dog’s Bollogs team, as well as all our other competing finalists.”

Marston’s launched the Cool Hand Cup to celebrate the connection between darts and pub culture, offering players of all abilities a professional-style tournament experience.