Sony is one of the best publishers in the industry when it comes to outstanding single player campaigns, a statement which is evidenced by God of War’s impressive Game of the Year win last week. And it doesn’t sound like the platform holder will be changing its strategy any time soon, with European marketing director Warwick Light telling MCVUK magazine that the company is well aware of what its players demand.
“There’s still a huge audience for games that offer the best in single player narrative with stunning gameplay, as witnessed by the enormous popularity of both Marvel’s Spider-Man and God of War in this year’s charts,” he said. “Buzzwords are one thing, what our players are demanding is another.”
The future looks bright for single player experiences on the PS4, with the likes of Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us: Part II, and Death Stranding still to come. That said, Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has admitted that the organisation would like to do a little better in the multiplayer space, and initiatives like PlayLink show it expanding its horizons. It sounds like those big, tentpole campaigns are here to stay, though.
[source issuu.com, via wccftech.com]
Comments 99
Nothing wrong with single player games at all. The whole cinematic approach is getting a bit tiresome, mind you.
Damn Right!!
And when you see the sales figures of single player games done well (God Of War, Spider-man, Horizon Zero Dawn, Witcher 3 for examples), then they can see there is still big business there.
Please spare me this 'games as a service' model that keeps coming back, all that means to me is micro transaction monetization on half baked games that are patched every month or so until it's realised that the player base is gone.
Too many multi player games out there, you can see Battlefield V is suffering from belief it's half done, its service model and oversaturisation of the market.
@kyleforrester87 ^ Agreed.
Sony actually speaks, communicates, with us, their fanbase? Say whaaat? Is it Christmas already?
Really hope to see more triple A jrpg/action rpg from Sony
@kyleforrester87 What does that even mean, though?
@get2sammyb it just means that it often feels I'm playing an interactive movie when I'm playing a Sony exclusive. Which is fine for some (or perhaps most) but it's not really what I want in a game, at least not at the moment. Of course that's just my opinion and my perspective as liable to change as a result of numerous factors, of which I both can and can't control Life, eh?
@Lando_ hang on to yer butts because I think they'll have plenty more to say next year as was alluded to by Shawn Layden.
@get2sammyb (recently I've found more enjoyment from less polished games that might have more experimental elements. Or maybe smaller more focused experiences!)
Word. Sounds good to me.
@kyleforrester87 I just think that's so reductive personally. How is, for example, Horizon: Zero Dawn an interactive movie? Strip away all of the story and lore and I'd still argue that's one of the better action RPGs from a pure gameplay perspective — especially when you compare to other franchises in the genre like Fallout.
There's also some amazing game design in God of War, particularly in the way the world is structured and the way it makes you think about the abilities that you have.
But ignore both of those and get yourself a copy of Astro Bot, which is probably the most innovative 3D platformer in a decade — and the story lasts about five minutes, so no interactive movie concerns there!
I do enjoy Sony's single player games. I'd like to see them dip their toes back into the multi-player waters as well though.
I demand great single player, multiplayer, and cooperation. I don't want Sony to be the single player machine. I want it to be the every gamer machine.
@get2sammyb yeah it's a tough one for me to explain. As for God of War I just sort of felt I was being handheld through a very polished "experience", and that's the same with games like Uncharted and TLoU.
Admittedly I did enjoy Horizon more than those other games I mentioned but that was largely down to the fun combat. As an openworld game it didn't do much for me at all.
Astrobot does look really cool.
I guess I'm just not really looking forward to the big hitters on Sonys horizon. Death Stranding could be cool but we're still sort of waiting to see with that one.
This is great news in my opinion. While I appreciate the social aspect of multiplayer games for me gaming is a personal experience. Nothing is better than a narrative driven emotional and engaging story
I don't understand the "cinematic story is tiresome" argument. If the story is not cinematic, you have a linear Super Mario game. PlayStation has a great variety of games that do not approach the cinematic formula, the issue is that people don't buy those games and that sends a message to PlayStation that we, as consumers, are more interested in heavy storytelling.
Seriously, how many have bought Gravity Rush (both), The Last Guardian or Shadow of Colossus in comparison to Horizon, God of War or Uncharted 4?
@kyleforrester87 Just started Horizon and i love. 😁
Uncharted 4 is fun but somehow im more onboard with Horizon love the story so far and the gameplay its awsome.
And please spare me the Ubisoft lifeserviceeeee approuch, their latest Assassins Creed game which is almost a free to play advert costume service. Its all madento take long so you play long and spend spend and spend.
I dont have to talk about the rest EA, Activision Blizzard the Kings of sucking dry the community.
@Callmegil I bought them all i like to play different stuff. Only the backlog issue just started Horizon Zero Dawn and i bought it on release. 😑
I’ve never had the desire to get a PS Plus subscription. Sony single player exclusives is the reason I buy PlayStations. Zero interest in playing an online multiplayer game on my PS4.
@Flaming_Kaiser yeah Horizon was good, I still say it was a pretty weak openworld game (BOTW launched at the same time and it was considerably better in that regard, in my opinion) but the combat and sound design in particular were excellent. Aloy is cool too.
@Callmegil I did buy all those games I'm glad to say, and I do get your point. Of course most the games I love have cinematic elements.
And this is why PlayStation is my home team.
@kyleforrester87 I think, for me, the issue is the way that Sony's "cinematic" approach to games has virtually eradicated the lines between when the player is in control and when the game is. It all melds into this sort of smooth, fluid experience where I never really feel like the game isn't yanking me around, to some degree. A game like Xenoblade Chronicles might be heavy on the cutscenes and dialogue, but there's a clear distinction between the gamey parts and the narrative bits.
And before someone leaps in and tries to "not all Sony games" me, obviously I'm not saying ALL Sony-published games are like this. I'm sure Astro Bot isn't, and Gravity Rush 2 certainly wasn't. But it's the predominant trend in terms of their modern first-party content now. Probably because it's very indicative of Western game design, and the Playstation brand is basically American now.
@Ralizah Yeah that's right. I'll just give you my log in details and you can write my posts in future because I can't articulate my thoughts
@kyleforrester87 I think I got what you feel like... It's happening to me with RDR2 right now, it happened with TLOU and the Uncharted trilogy...
It's not a matter of cutscenes (they are always welcome) but a matter of gameplay: those games makes me feel like I'm just playing a part (as an actor could do in a movie set) instead of playing a game (as a kid hunting imaginary dinosaurs in a city park).
This is the reason I rated 10 games like Dishonored 2, Prey (2 games where I can really decide how to play), Bloodborne and Alien Isolation (since their gameplay is perfectly matching the world you are into).
If I am a kid in a sandbox I just wanna play and I don't wanna an adult near me screaming "You can't do this, you can't do that" as it happens with many AAA games.
@andreoni79 Yeah that's spot on too. I should use my brain a bit more before posting haha.
@kyleforrester87 I see that you been a lot of alcohol with your answers. playstation is always about single player.word up son
@kyleforrester87 you said you tired of discerned games.but you looking forward to death stranding .death stranding got more cutscene than all the playstation games .that doesn't make any sense playa.word up son
I'd go ad far as too say multiplayer games will be the death of games
@get2sammyb Sony is not one of the best publishers when it comes to outstanding single player campaign. because they are the best.the g.o.a.t. facts playa.word up son
@get2sammyb Totally agree with you on Astro Bot. I’m having tonnes of fun with it and I believe it’s THE killer app that I was waiting for PSVR, despite I’m just only 2 worlds in. Japan Studio is underrated IMO. They’re doing a great job in gameplay and fun, less focus on story and narrative.
Sony should focus on single-player AAA and mid-tier games, also VR because of PSVR.
Let the other publishers make multiplayer games and indie titles, there are many in the market already. It’s difficult to compete with the likes of Fortnite.
Sony exclusives are doing really well, you don’t need to trust me, just check the sales, reviews and awards. Sony should keep doing this great job. If you don’t like their titles, it’s fine, it’s a matter of different taste, but you really should consider go to another platform instead of demanding changes of something that is successful for many.
@kyleforrester87 You want sony exclusive games to have simple "save the princess" story? That's nintendo speciality you know
Games needs to grow up, we can't save the princess forever. One of the reason I like sony games more than nintendo is because I'm bored of nintendo "save the princess story".
I've gotta admit, I'm dying to play Astro Bot. It looks absolutely fabulous.
@Kyleforrester87 I disagree with everything you have said
For the players. Can't wait for Ghost of Tsushima/ Till then RDR2 has been my daily fix. Best game ever! .
@playstation1995 I didn't say I was looking forward to Death Stranding, I said it could be cool but we still don't really know yet.
@wiiware Not what I said in the slightest, come on - with the greatest respect please at least try and see from my perspective without insulting my point, especially as we're talking about things "growing up"! It's not just games like Uncharted tackling adult themes you know.
@QualityGeezer can't disagree with that, bud!
@Kyleforrester87 do you remember when there was no multiplayer
@QualityGeezer ...? Well.. no not really. I mean the first game I played was a weird 2 player cowboy game on C64 when I was like 5 or 6 years old. So no I guess not. Whats the point?
Edit: I think it was called Outlaw. I recall the controls were better than RDR2.
Shame it wasn't dizzy the egg. My point is gaming has to retain the brilliance of being able to create a narrative like films do
@QualityGeezer Brilliance of narrative I agree with.. "like films do", less so. They are different mediums and I guess my point is it feels like games like Uncharted are less concerned with embracing what they are, and more concerned with trying to be more what they aren't to their detriment.
Bloodborne is a good example of a Sony exclusive which has an interesting narrative while better embracing its medium.
In my opinion.
(And the Dizzy games were just brutal.)
Yes, I do demand SP games and no one does it better than Sony‘s World Wide Stuidos.
Word up, son.
Plus I also demand
= use social platform Sony
= it‘s the goverments and it‘s attendant departments job NOT yours Sony
= we are in 2018 Sony
= buy more studios Sony
@Turismo4GT That'd be awesome.
@Ralizah Dude, I’ve been gaming since 1987 and after all these years it’s wonderful to experience joyful games. That is Astrobot for me. I’d be playing and then realize I was smiling. I enjoy many games but don’t remember any of them making me smile like Astrobot does.
There is only one thing wrong with Astrobot, it’s not called Mario. If Nintendo had made this exact same game it would have been covered everywhere and for months. Fantastic game, if you love 3D platformers.
@JoeBlogs That's what I'm getting at though, it does have a narrative but it doesn't tell its story by taking control of the character away from you. I think this is a better use of the medium, I think showing and not telling is key. Of course developers can do much better, but I don't think they are going to strike gold by just trying to do what films do.
I can assure you - its not JUST Sony gamers but all gamers - regardless of their platform of choice. Its great though that Sony are aware of this and will continue to make single player focussed games.
I think MS may well be playing to their 'strengths' as the MP side of things has been independently verified as 'better' - even if its slightly better and games like Gears, Halo and Forza have been quite important for MP too but most got into these franchises on the strength of the Single Player campaigns.
CoD too may well be abandoning its SP but it was the Campaigns of the earlier games that got people into these franchises. Maybe games like CoD4 or MW2 would have sold as just MP but I doubt they would have brought as many into the franchise as their campaigns did. The MP almost blurs into each other but the campaigns are certainly still memorable and still held in high regard by many people.
I don't have an issue with Multi-player modes or Online only (Campaign, co-op or MP) games as it adds to the diversity and options BUT I do want Single Player games. I don't always want to play competitive or co-operatively - I want worlds and stories I can get lost in, explore in my own way, my own time etc - not always possible co-operatively...
I don't think Sony should stick to offline single player only games - I bet the Last of Us 2 will have a MP component and GTSport should have released with a Single Player component too. I think they should continue to make games that the devs want to make and if that does mean they have an online component, so be it. If a game can be enhanced by online, whether that's co-op (campaign or mode) or competitive MP, so be it - its more about giving gamers a balance and varied supply of quality titles.
Just churning out Single Player games isn't necessarily a good idea. I know that some may buy but then others may not because the story, the setting, the game-play etc may not appeal but add in MP or co-op modes, maybe more will buy because those may appeal instead of having just CoD/BF for example. I know if Sony had a FPS with a 'great' Single Player this year, I would have been tempted to buy and that could well of become my FPS MP too... Point is, Single Player is important to people but so is offering great online experiences too - especially for those of us that are buying PS+ for online gaming.
@JoeBlogs I could happily respond to that but:
"I think you just want to sound cool by repeating the tired Sony games = movies trope"
If we're going down that avenue it's probably not worth it. Cheers though.
@wiiware I think they are both still viable ways of creating games. I don’t want Nintendo to focus more on story, they’re just not very good at it. I played Mario Odyssey after God Of War and loved both games. 2 completely different experiences, and that’s a good thing.
As I love the single-player experiences, yeah, I do agree with needing more in the way of the multiplayer experience too, as Ps2 and even PS3 had plenty. A new Buzz game would be a nice addition and even some of the Buzz Jr titles for the kids (except have Buzzers or use controllers, instead of smartphones). My wife and I hate playing them using smartphones, and you go figure...will that game work 20 years from now? They could definitely make a great game like Mario Party (except with their own IP's) and add some more trivia and party titles to the mix too. If they could do all the genres for all gamers...including family titles and kids titles, they would definitely give nintendo an even more run for their money. Also, I'd love to see a new Mod Nation Racers, Playstation All Stars Battle Royale and also a return of some of the greats that got left behind it seems...Loco Roco, Patapon, Twisted Metal, Summer heat Beach Volleyball, Wild Arms, Syphon Filter, Socom, Little Big Planet (whatever happened to it after part 3), Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank (we had a new one ever year on PS3) and even try to bring back some of the Move games from the PS3 over to the VR (would be a good collection to have Sports Champions, Eye Pet, Kung Fu Rider, The Shoot and Start The Party on the VR!!!!).
Other than that, Sony is just showing that they have great and strong IP's, and I'll agree that the story-driven games are great...but don't forget the ones that aren't too story-driven too.
@OmegaStriver Well, I think the bigger issue is that it's tied to an expensive peripheral. And there also wasn't a huge marketing push for the game (I didn't even know it existed until people on here started talking about it). And Astro Bot, just in terms of design, isn't a terribly memorable mascot like Mario or Crash Bandicoot.
But thank you for the shout out on this. I think, should I be pushed into purchasing a PSVR next year, Astro Bot will have been a huge part of that. It just sounds so up my alley.
That’s good to hear I play more single player games. The only multiplayer games I really play are fighting games, and Mario Kart. Hearing a lot of talk about this Astro Bot, is it really that good?
@kyleforrester87 I tend to agree with you, though I did enjoy God of War but certainly with a PS exclusive you'l do know what you're getting in a heavily narative driven game. I do wish he had games like we used to where they try out new ideas and give us a bit of a story that doesn't get in the way but is there if you want it. Also why does every game need to be so long?
That's mainly why I like VR as they seem to have a lot more freedom for experimenting and as others have said Astro Bot is amazing. More so than that I'm looking forward to the Resident Evil 2 remake which will have an intricate small world to explore but for me I'll get more enjoyment and probably more game time than a supposed 60 hour epic
@kyleforrester87 Still a really great first try from the Killzone developers and i love it. Cant wait to see what they do with part 2. 😁
@carlos82 Did you ever play Heavenly Sword that one was so good. Epic story, characters, short but so great to play. They should have sold it at €40 and it would have been a hit. 😢
@Circasurviver Yup, they complement each other perfectly, saying sony should make big single player games with no story is like expecting the next mario to have better story than god of war.
Music to my ears! word up son
@Dodoo word up me too.single player games is the best.word up son
I get the general malaise about cinematic game experience, it just doesn't resonate for me. I love that, red dead 2, uncharted series and last of us are great examples of it. Cool gameplay and cinematic feel. It's what Sony does best, it's why Sony is my number one console choice, it's why I fell back in love with gaming. I think Nintendo do mechanically tight, smaller scope games really well. It's why I have a switch as well. Ghosts of tsushima, death stranding and last of us 2 look like amazing single player, cinematic gaming experiences. Bring it on with the ps5!!
@wiiware Please Nintendo, don’t make another Metroid Other M.
@wiiware Eh tastes. Just let people enjoy the things they wanna enjoy also
Not everyone is about the Story in a video game especially when some games Stories are so bad you’d best not pay attention...
@Cutmastavictory maybe you should try spending more time on PC and tablet! There's over 5million games and apps on those platforms. Would that keep you content?!
@Flaming_Kaiser sadly not, I still remember the box art for some reason too. I'm looking to pick up a 60gb PS3 soon (mine broke a few years back) to play some classic games on my TV with ease so will look to pick that up.
Got to say that I love Horizon Zero Dawn, as you say it's a great first attempt with some obvious flaws but that combat is pretty special
@bbq_boy or I can game on the system that has met my gaming needs since 1996.
There will always be room for both types of experiences on Playstation, that's why I like it. I'm not demanding anything, I'd just quite like them to keep doing what they're doing.
@carlos82 yeah, a big part of it is what you're doing in your personal life too - I know in the past if I've been down and not had a lot going on, sinking myself into a epic narrative story driven game would be more enticing than it is now. I still like to try games like Uncharted and God of War, I just don't tend to finish them.. I don't enjoy wasting my money on them so I'm just being honest really. It's not like I'm knocking them without trying them!
Wait. With 'buzz words', did he mean something like 'sp games don't have as much impact as they used to'?
Haha couldn't help
Keep bringing those cinematic single player games Sony, do what you do best son, word up.
@kyleforrester87
I'd argue that GOW doesn't have at all a cinematic feel and a very different approach that say Uncharted 4. You ll have to go back to square one and find another explanation on what you don't like.
+fades to black+
.....................
@kyleforrester87 there's definitely an element of that particularly with me having a 2 year old who demands most of my attention and is fun to play with, so shorter experiences are the order of the day for the foreseeable. Having said that I've always enjoyed them more anyway and im far more likely to finish a short game multiple times (saying that I've beat Resi 7 twice this weekend) than a big open world even once, with some exceptions of course.
That's why I quite like VR at the moment and the likes of Astro Bot, Tetris Effect and Castlevania, just great pick up and play experiences
@carlos82 I've got a hankering to play Resi 7 again but with number 2 around the corner I'll wait for that. It's funny really as games like Resi 2 and MGS (two of my favourite franchises) really seemed to spearhead this more cinematic approach to video games back in the 90s!
@JJ2 that's a fair point to be honest, God of War had the whole "done in one shot" approach which I guess is something of an evolution. Having said that wasn't it just a technique borrowed from movies to make the game seem.. more cinematic?
I demand Twisted Metal
Uncharted games are good and absolutely worth finishing. It’s a 3rd person shooter with stealth, climbing, fighting, and puzzle solving as well. Nothing revolutionary, but solid enough gameplay. Much better than taking turns to attack, cast a spell, or heal, as if that represents any kind of challenge or satisfaction whatsoever.
@kyleforrester87 haha yeah they did but I'd also say that they seemed to have a lot more fun with it with special save files, codes in manuals and Jill sandwiches.
I haven't been as excited about any game as I am for Resi 2 for quite some time and i cant even remember how many times i beat it on the PS1, yet here I am waiting patiently outside Kendo gun shop waiting for the owner to get his face eaten 😂
Know that it is Sony's huge single player games are what tipped the scales in favor of Greatness. Take even a single one out and it and looks completely different. PS4 is going out with a huge bang now.
It has not always felt like this over the last 5 years. I feel we are at a good balance now. When something works well don't fix it. Let 3rd parties do all the multiplayer micro-transactions games.
@kyleforrester87
There r a few movies using it but it sounds the opposite purpose to me. Make these movies less cinematic. More personal and immersive.
Point is its not a typical cinematic feeling.
(sorry I edited a few times)
@JJ2 fair enough, still it's a cinematic technique used to create a certain mood in a movie that the game has chosen to implement. And a lot of people appreciated it. But I'd rather see a bit more of stuff like Physco Mantis reading my save game data or the Nier Automata credits sequence, you know? Just embrace the video game angle a bit more.
@shonenjump86 Astrobot will bring the inner child out of you. I played and grinned like stupid all the way throughout playing. It's just one big surprise after another, start to finish. Yep, it's that good. Simple, but phenomenal.
@finalstan it's at the top of my VR list when the time comes..!
@kyleforrester87 I am with you all the way in the debate. Tried to play those games but they bored me to death. It's one thing for the story to be scripted, this is awesome, if it's a good, tight narrative, I don't personally mind linearity here at all.
But with gameplay, if it's too 'scripted' itself it makes you feel like you just play that interactive movie. Give me a tight, linear story but a hundred million ways to tackle gameplay, not two, and I am in. I don't think I can remember a game designed like that I wouldn't like.
@kyleforrester87
I actually don't really think GOW story is very good and I know people don't agree. What is great is the way its told. The story is told through the gameplay. GOW stands out because of its combat though, imo. That you don't like the story or the way it's told shouldn't matter that much to actually enjoy the game.
@Cutmastavictory ah the N64 not bad for its day back in 1996. But I much prefer today's consoles rofl! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64
Reading comprehension is difficult for you
YES!!!!... God Of War, The last Of us, ZeroDawn are some of my favorite games.
Ghost of Tsushima is a day 1 for me. Just like Sekiro and Nioh 2. Story driven Single player games are a must
Surprised we're still seeing stories like this, or similar. All types of games can exist because gamers 'demand' all different types of experiences. Some, myself included, prefer single player, others prefer multiplayer, a lot of people enjoy both. I'm getting tired of seeing stories about 'single player games' are dead or game x 'shows single player gaming is alive and well.' Just because idiots at EA or MS say one thing doesn't make it true. At least there are companies like Nintendo, Sony, Capcom, Sega and Rockstar who try to deliver games for all types some multiplayer focused, some more for an individual player.
@carlos82 If you find it cheap you will be in for a treat. 😁
@Circasurviver Yeah, that game story is super bad lol.
But nintendo can make a surprisingly great story. I remember playing nintendo wii super paper mario, that game story is surprisingly good. It open with the most intriguing scene, bowser peach wedding ceremony with the both of them didn't know why they're in that ceremony (althought bowser didn't mind lol), the antagonist is great with mysterious plan to end the universe but have sad back story, the characters also endearing, like one of the pure heart that argue with his father before helping mario, the ending also great although quite sad.
I remember thinking "man it seems nintendo can make good story now", but unfortunately the series afterward not focused with story and more like a kid game with colourful graphics and simple story
Now I want super paper mario port on switch..
Yes that's the only reason I'm 100% a sony guy. Bc they put out great singleplayer experiences I cant get anywhere else.
Days Gone as well!
@kyleforrester87 I completely agree with your ideas about cinematic approaches to video games, which is a topic I find quite interesting.
The whole unique point of video games, to me at least, is the interactive, gameplay part of it. If I'd want a cinematic approach, I'd much rather watch a good film instead. That way I won't have to bother with corny Hollywood-light cutscenes in 'games' where, in the ludological parts of the game, your hand is held until you reach the next cutscene. I'd much rather have the show-don't-tell approach of games like Dark Souls, or even the save-the-princess goals of a Mario game, rather than something like The Last of Us or Red Dead Redemption.
There are exceptions of course, I think the early Silent Hills have an excellent combination of gameplay and narrative, and the more recent Alien: Isolation did a good job as well.
I'm currently playing Horizon, of which the narrative bores me to tears. Much of it is skippable luckily, but even so, the so-called open world gameplay doesn't constitute of more than following markers and collecting obligatory stuff. It does have its enjoyable bits, but the sparser narrative and much more open gameplay of Breath of the Wild was incredibly more exciting than this, albeit very pretty, piece of very pulpy fiction.
Just my two cents of course
I don't mind multiplayer in single player games, hell the Soulsborne series are the only games that pulled it off perfectly tbh, but when companies try to shoehorn in a single player mode/training mode into their multiplayer focused crap then I have a problem with it.
I don't understand how past games, like GoldenEye, managed to get single player and multiplayer so right on its first try yet the devs today can't even figure out how to make single player or multiplayer work, even when their games only have single player or just multiplayer.
Triple A publishers and developers today are truly creatively lazy.
It will be interesting to see how “single player” the future games remain. Pretty sure TLoU2 will have a multiplayer mode. Death Stranding has been rumored to have a pretty innovative community based gameplay approach. Not sure about Ghost of Tsushima.
I haven’t played Spider-Man or God of War yet, but these seem “pure” SP games like Horizon with no reliance at all in multiplayer or online components, which is getting pretty rare. Games with asynchronous multiplayer or online community interaction are the norm, even for “single player” games. (Detroit, Gravity Rush 2, Bloodborne, Uncharted, Red Dead 2, Persona 5 ... single player games that rely to some degree on multiplayer interactivity to varying degrees)
This is not a complaint, just an observation. I tend to enjoy the asynchronous stuff and the online comparison charts, etc. - even though I’m a single player enthusiast who avoids most multiplayer games.
All my favourite stuff this generation has been Sony's first-party singleplayer exclusives, so I'm glad to hear that.
The Last Guardian, Shadow of the Colossus, Persona 5, God of War, Spider-Man, Hellblade (well, until it stopped being exclusive), the Yakuza games, Uncharted 4, Uncharted Lost Legacy, Horizon, The Last of Us, Ratchet and Clank, etc. Then there's Ghost of Tsushima, and TLoU 2 coming up. There's just not another platform that offers such a great spread of quality singleplayer games like that and if that continues then PS5 will be my main console in the next cycle as well.
@JoeBlogs Oh absolutely! I don't mean to say that games with cutscenes are by definition bad, there's a big grey area. I haven't played Spiderman but I get your point. If I take my example of Silent Hill 2 I do think that cutscenes can be implemented in a good way. The main problem is, I think, that quite a lot of game scripts are just not very good, and often distract from the game itself
For example, the first Metroid Prime is one of my favourite games as it combines excellent gameplay with an interesting narrative. The way of learning about lore and the overbranching narrative (which is quite basic, but nonetheless engaging), without handholding or treating the player as an idiot was terrific. The third Prime however chose to include cutscenes and voice-acting, which greatly lessened my enjoyment as it cheapened the experience somewhat. My suspense of disbelief was shattered so to speak.
Anyway, a good story can be an excellent asset to a video game, but more often than not I find it often spoils things a bit.
@JoeBlogs True that, although sometimes I find that more charming than cutscenes from current games! Might pick up The Last of Us and see whether I'm human or not I suppose
@JoeBlogs I like your avatar by the way, good old Bubba
@ShaiHulud the problem isn't necessarily the cinematic nature of some games, more that in trying to ape movies they don't really pull it off, so you end up with this Hollywood-lite situation you've mentioned. I'd absolutely rather watch a well crafted film.
But then as you've said, it's not always going to be the case, which I suppose is going to come down to the individual. If a theme is very appealing to someone (I bloody love Silent Hill and Alien Isolation) you'll be much more tolerant and maybe even enjoy the cinematic aspects as they draw you deeper into the world.
It's a tough one indeed!
Well,Its great that Sony understand people want SP dedicated games.Of course there are many mostly interested in MP.I think as others have alluded to,The best way forward is to make sure there is a quality selection of both,with each dedicated (or at least heavily focused) on either MP or SP.
@kyleforrester87 Yeah, you're right. It's doesn't seem work the other way around either if you take a look at films adaptations of video games. It's a tough cookie trying to get the best of both worlds I suppose
If it weren't for the brilliant voice acting of Anna Torv in Heavenly Sword, I don't think I would have loved the game nearly as much as I did.
But I'm currently playing Nine Parchments which has pretty much no story and I find it more fun than games with a story, even good ones. Different experiences, I guess.
@SegaBlueSky Glad that someone also loves Sony games here, because there are always usual suspects here who criticize exclusives on every single article...
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