Ambassador_Kong

@Loamy Well said.

This is absolutely the last generation of physical media. Nintendo might have a physical cartridge in the Switch 2, but Xbox and PS will absolutely go digital only.

@get2sammyb Is he exaggerating though?

Sony decided to chase an oversaturated market and thought they could get away with charging for a product in a free-to-play ecosystem.

It was a huge strategic error and possibly the reason Jim "retired."

This should be called...

Playstation Ultra-Specific Knowledge for people with photographic memories or OCD.

@DennisReynolds Nope. Drinker makes a lot of valid points about the modern entertainment industry and their prioritizing of social engineering over telling a good story, but he seems to be a supporter of right wing politics (not as much as the pack he runs around with, but still) and I am not a "fan" of anyone that sits on that side of the political fence. I'm old school liberal from back when we actually listened to what people had to say and responded to that. This new habit of assuming a person's position is intellectually lazy.

@themightyant The point is that there are more significant characters from Japanese history that could have filled the role instead of taking a character that very little is known about. It's deeply disrespectful of Japanese history and culture and feels like it was done to check a DEI box.

@viktorcode So... it's racist to think that one minority (the one that represents the historic period) should be represented over another minority? You all should think before you go for the knee-jerk accusations of racism.

@DennisReynolds Please stop assert racism as why people are unhappy with this game when they are explicitly saying why they aren't happy with the game and it isn't racism.

What could be considered racist is telling Japanese people that they (and their history) isn't interesting enough and they need to add a character that isn't Japanese. Unlike every other Assassin's Creed game that used indigenous characters.

From the ign interview:

Speaking of which, Mr. Kim, I wanted to ask you if there were any fights with Sony Interactive Enteratainment (SIE), since they are publishing Stellar Blade.

Kim: (Glances at SIE staff members in the room and laughs.) The people at SIE are… very, very nice!

Yoko: SIE’s staff members are pulling faces I’ve never seen before. I wish the readers of this article could see it!

Yeah, I'm sure Sony had nothing to do with the costumes being censored and it was all Shift Up /sarcasm

@DennisReynolds
And... you're doing it again. You are assuming my position which I haven't stated. Assuming that I am in favor (crying) about about racist things being removed.

You stated that the game wasn't censored and I pointed out it is. That's all I did. You just assumed that meant I was in favor of racism. You assume a lot about the motives of the people here and it is tiring. Spend less time and a little more time listening. You'll be better for it.

@DennisReynolds The game is censored. They censored graffiti. Stop pretending the game wasn't censored and stop strawmaning people's positions. Everyone is clearly saying why they see upset - the game was censored after it being marketed as uncensored - and you keep telling them they are mad about digital breasts.

@Zenos isn't it strange that no one conplains that Hollywood casts beautiful people for their movies and no one complains?

But videogame companies have spent so much time taking beautiful models and "downgrading their natural beauty" (thank you Blackrock and Vanguard and ESG loans) that when a company doesn't do it, it becomes a controversy?

@JaBrony123 @SamMR

These comments are perfect examples of why there is so much vitriol. People have been very, very specific about why they don't like the Last of Us 2 and then it gets reduced to them being... phobes. There is plenty of criticism of the game (the structure of the story, the themes, it's length, the way it betrays the character arcs of the first, the retconning of the doctor, etc...) that is completely ignored in the debate. Don't like the game? You must be an "ist" or a "phobe."

Stating that there is a small vocal minority that hates the game and will defend their position to the end implies that there is an irrationality to disliking the game. That the only logical position is to like it and not liking it means there is something wrong with the way you think. It is absolutely fair to call it a bad game and Neil a bad game designer and there are plenty of videos and articles that make the assertion and then offer the proof. You want to disagree? Fine, defend your position.

Want to bring the vitriol down? Stop acting like people are being childish for not liking the game and not liking what Neil decided to do with a character they cared about. Most important, stop assuming that people didn't like the game because they are a bigot.

@Loamy You literraly undermined your own claim when you stated it is a game that caused a chunk of the fanbase to want it removed from existence. Since the purpose of a game is to entertain, if it is causes a significant portion of its fanbase to hate it then it has failed in its purpose. So it is objectively NOT Playstations best game.

You could make an argument that Astro's Playroom is their best game because everyone loves it.

@DreamlandGem This whole thread is filled with spoilers, why am I the only person getting tagged? Oh yeah, I don't like the game.

@Uromastryx

1. It's "a lot" not "alot."
2. See my other post on why Abby is a psycho.
3. I never said Ellie wasn't a psycho. I said that the characters acted out of their established context which would include the entirely new horrible person that Ellie is in the game.
4. Nothing in the game (especially the theme of revenge) works which is why I gave it a 1.

@Areus Seriously? Does this need explaining? She beat a defenseless man to death. Beats to death a man that saved her life 30 minutes previously. She was going to kill a pregnant woman. She manipulates, guilt trips, and betrayed her own friends. Cheats on her pregant friend. Eats Ellie's fingers. Do I need to go on?

@Uromastryx Awful nice straw man you've constructed. I haven't heard a single person complain about Joel being killed by a woman. I have heard tons of legitimate complaints about plot holes, characters acting out of character for plot contrivance, and a narrative structure that absolutely doesn't.

But why engage with the things people actually say when you can just sit up on your high horse and accuse them of being mysogynists.

P.S. Joel did nothing wrong.

It was a 1 for me. Asking me to play from the perspective of an unlikeable psychopath is bad enough. The laughably bad story that stumbles along for a dozen hours more than it deserves was the finisher. A perfect example of not to do when creating a follow up to one of the greatest games of all time.

@__jamiie Ahh... that makes sense.

@rjejr I see your point. I was suggesting that the Abby's journey would be a mystery to the player. You know she is going somewhere and looking for someone, but not who or why. I suppose it wouldn't work because people would figure it out eventually. Honestly, I hated the Last of Us 2 and just feel it doesn't work as a narrative.

@rjejr They absolutely should have had the first half of the game be told from Abby's perspective and led up to the snowy golf game. The scene would have been even more shocking after having played as her for 10 hours (building rapport) and then discovering she's a psychotic monster.

@__jamiie Why didn't you just pay $10 an upgrade your copy? Could have saved $40.

@Vyrn I'm not sure how you missed the whole Joel was wrong debate, but it is definitely out there. Even Neil Druckmann thinks he was wrong. Here's a quote from him about the ending of The Last of Us...

"And we come to that ending, and that lie, and that 'okay'... and what does that 'okay' mean? Well it's definitely not a complicit 'yeah i'll go along with you'. In fact... it's the opposite. It's Ellie for the first time waking up and realizing that she can't rely on him anymore. That while she loves him for what he's done for her, she hates him for robbing her of that choice. She knows that she has to... she has to leave him. She has to make her own decisions, and her own mistakes... that's her arc going to the end of the line. And the thing she wanted most in life is this father figure, but to become truly independent, she has to give that up."

@CallMeDuraSouka You're on the Internet so finding out about the controversy is as easy as a google search. But, to sum up (without spoilers), apparently "modern audiences" believe a father not sacrificing his daughter's life to (possibly) save a species that has become so savage that there is nothing left worth saving is a bad thing.

In other words the original story which was about love, family, and redemption was recontextualized as "man bad' because toxic masculinity.

@CharlieChooChoo @Nepp67 Previous experience with Square games is that they are too easy and not fun (for me). This game seemed interesting because of the new combat, but I heard that it is stupid easy (can play the game with one button) and a higher difficulty is only unlocked after playing the entire game.

As for the other comments - barren world and bland side quests - those are literally from Stephen's write up. So I think asking why he included it on his list is a legit question. Why does everyone walk around in a state of perpetual outrage?

Just curious to know if FF16 was ever patched to make it possible to select a challenging difficulty on the first run? I almost bought the game at lunch but then heard that it was way too easy. Too easy plus barren world plus bland side quests make me qonder how it ended up on any best of 2023 lists.

@Sil_Am You do realize every game gets patches and bug fixes at launch, right? When the servers get shut down, you'll be slightly better off than the digital only gamer. This is the last gen foe physical media. Next Xbox and PS6 will be digital only. Just like music and movies will be streaming only.

@Boucho1I was just pointing out that there are a lot of reasons why people didn't like The Last of Us 2 and your strawmanning is reductionist and ignorant. It's like all the people who claim not liking the HBO series was because of homophobia. Try listening to what other people have to say and you just might learn something.

@BowTiesAreCool I guess you could say that the player had to control two unlikable psychopaths the entire game.

@Boucho11 Or maybe the game was drug over the coals by people who felt that the "creative" decisions betrayed the established characters presented in the first game.

Or maybe people didn't like being forced to play as an unlikable psychopath for half the game.

Or maybe people just didn't think a new rope mechanic was enough to make the game feel fresh.

But why address legitimate criticisms when it's so much easier winning an argument against a strawman.

Maybe if they didn't make the game so easy a drunken soccer mom could beat it blinfolded then it might have stayed on the chart longer.

All they need now is a difficulty optuon harder than brain dead easy.

So.... you have to play through a 70 hour game in easy mode before you can (maybe) get a challenge? I was seriously considering this game, but I usually lose interest with Final Fantasy games because there is no challenge.

@get2sammyb I've never seen a fighting game so b full of content. I just discover the arcade cabinets. Played some Final Fight. What a package.

Easily the best foghting game I've ever played and I've been playing since the first Street Fighter.

Probably the best fighter I've ever played. The RPG part of the game is the best introduction to fighting mechanics ever. The arcade AI is incredible. A great package brought down a bit by graphics held back by last gen.

Will any of the updates make the game difficult. Rise / Sunbreak is way too easy.

@trev666 "a lot" not "alot."

That aside, I completely agree. The show was completely underwhelming. They created a world devoid of threat and undermined the whole purpose of needing a vaccine. If they could wander the country without running into infected and everywhere they went they found nice people to hang out with, why bother with a vaccine? The direction and script were sooooo ham fisted. Not to mention they had two episodes that were more about getting Emmy nods than doing anything important with the plot. The world has a habit of becoming infatuated with bad things. In a few years people will be looking back at The Last of Us and wonder why they liked it in the first place.

Not to mention, when the train wreck of Last of Us 2 tries to make a psychopath sympathetic, we'll be treated to another round of Neil lecturing us that Joel is evil.

Blech.

@Sakai I'm not usually a member of the grammar police, but it's "A lot" not "alot." Also, I don't think I would give much credit to anything Patcher says. I believe his nickname is "often wrong Patcher."

Is it as stupid easy as the GBA version or is there some actual challenge?

I don't think it is fair that movie theaters have timed exclusives over streaming services. See, anyone can make a stupid argument. If I remember correctly, Xbox started the timed exclusive war with Tomb Raider. It was fine until they lost market share. They lost market share because they tried to make the Xbox a TV peripheral that also played games. They have only themselves to blame for their market woes.

@Splat I agree that Rise feels like it's missing something. I played it for awhile and then dusted off my copy of MHGU. Generations proves that Monster Hunter can work on a potato, so I think the problem with Rise is that it's just too easy.

@mariomaster96 no argument with Asscreed. It is bland. Horizon, though, has robot dinosaurs instantly making it great.

@WallyWest And sometimes their opinions are fact. BOTW absolutely is overrated.

@sixrings Let me explain it again. COD is not a typical game. It is a huge game. It is a game that is so big that people will absolutely make console purchases based on where they can play it. If Microsoft makes it an exclusive, they will potentially have a monopoly on the gaming market as Sony loses customers to the new XBOX. But let's not forget that Blizzard and King are parts of this deal. A huge amount of market share will be captured by Microsoft and I find it absurd that people just think that this is okay. Also, be real, Street Fighter (which Sony paid to develop) and Final Fantasy are nothing compared to the size of the franchises that Microsoft will own if this deal goes through.

@Neonix Argument from anecdote is a logical fallacy. Your personal experience (12 people) is not even a rounding error in the size of the population that will be effected if COD goes XBOX exlusive. There are a large number of people that play COD exclusively and they absolutely will change platforms to keep playing. You seem absolutely convinced that Microsoft won't pull COD because of the lost revenue, well... then why do they want to own COD? They are one of the richest corporations on the planet, so it isn't about the revenue. They're burning tons of cash to give games away for free at launch. Occam's Razor suggests it's about market dominance. They want COD because they know that players will buy an XBOX when it become an exclusive.

@sixrings Because COD is the beat selling console FPS that makes Sony $1 billion per year. COD as an exclusive would have the potential to make Xbox a monopoly. That's why.

This is a great idea and shows Sony values people as much (if not more than) the money in our wallet.

@koffing I won't go so far as call her corrupt, but I will suggest that she knows which side her bread is buttered on and she is doing her job representing the interests of the people (and companies which are also considerd people in the U.S.) in her district. She would only be corrupt if she had taken the time to read and understand the issue - COD is the best selling game with a large enough market share to potentially turn the market into a monopolys if Xbox had exclusive control of it - and decided to put her thumb on the scale in favor of the corporation that gives her campaign money. Taking a few moments to find out the relative size of both companies and then reaching the conclusion that Microsoft has effective monopolies in the tech industry outside of gaming and therefore probably shouldn't be allowed to consolidate even more tech in their portfolio is a big ask for someone that has to spend most of her free time begging for money to keep herself in office. I will say though, if she believes the argument she is making is sound, she shouldn't be smart enough to be in congress. Unfortunately, congress is filled with a bunch of ignorant clowns so intelligence is obviously not a job requirement.