Square Enix, a game publisher known for its technological advancements, has released an AI-driven game called The Portopia Serial Murder Case on Steam. While the game is a remake of an adventure game released in Japan in 1983, what’s significant about this release is the use of machine learning to help players navigate through the game with ease. The game uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to link the player’s input to the correct or desired answer. However, the AI on showcase is unsophisticated, making it difficult for players to progress through the game.

The AI is so primitive that it cannot even discern the difference between commands like “Go to study” and “Go to the study.” As a result, players have to be very specific with what they type, or they get responses such as “Hmm…” or “We should focus on the task at hand.” This is disappointing, given that this software is meant to demonstrate cutting-edge AI technology. The game’s reviews are negative, with players expressing frustration at the machine learning, which is broken and leaving them with text inputs that are as frustrating as, if not more so, than the 1983 original.

Despite the AI’s limitations, The Portopia Serial Murder Case is a classic game designed by Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii. The game’s first-person graphics, dialogue system, and open-world design helped pioneer the adventure game and visual novel genres. The fact that Square Enix remade the game with new visuals is incredible, but it would have been better if they had made the original game available for players to enjoy.

In conclusion, The Portopia Serial Murder Case is a fantastic game, and the fact that it’s available as a free download on Steam is commendable. However, Square Enix’s attempt to showcase AI technology has been a failure, leaving players frustrated with the primitive AI that cannot comprehend basic commands. It’s an insult to a game with such an important legacy, and Square Enix should consider adding redundant nouns and other such text adventure features to make the game more accessible to modern audiences.

Microsoft is facing a slowdown in the sales of its Xbox Series X/S consoles just two years after its launch. The company reported on Tuesday that the revenue from console hardware sales had fallen by 30% compared to the same period in 2022. This decline in revenue was mainly due to the delay of highly anticipated games like Starfield. Despite the decline in hardware sales, Microsoft’s total revenue and net income were up year-over-year by seven and nine percent, respectively, thanks to Office software and Azure cloud computing services. However, the revenue from devices such as Surface tablets and Xbox consoles suffered a 30% decline.

This decline in sales is despite big holiday discounts, including a temporary $50 price cut to the Series S. The lack of first-party exclusives has been a major factor in the drop in sales. Bethesda’s Starfield, which was originally slated to launch in November 2021, is now releasing in September. Redfall, the upcoming vampire shooter from Arkane, also didn’t make it out in time for the last quarter. Xbox content and services revenue, including the Game Pass subscription service, was up only three percent. Microsoft has been trying to attract more subscribers to Game Pass, but the lack of blockbuster titles has limited its success.

Microsoft is facing intense competition in the console market from the likes of Nintendo Switch and the PS5. However, the company has bigger plans than just selling consoles. It is rumored to be opening its app store for mobile devices and is also trying to wrap up the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The acquisition would give Microsoft a huge influx of popular blockbusters for Game Pass. UK regulators are expected to announce their final decision on the deal on April 26.