Comments 941

Re: PS Plus Price Increases Confirmed for 15 Countries by Sony

Balosi

@Kanji-Tatsumi I think the main reason is Xbox 360 managed to do really well, despite having paid online. They weren't even offering any monthly games.
Xbox 360s had a ridiculously cheap console purchase though, was half the price of a PS3 at one point.
I'm not sure if monthly subscriptions are making consoles cheaper any more, but that was how the concept took off.

Re: Druckmann on The Last of Us HBO Story Outpacing the Games: 'I Leave Nothing on the Line'

Balosi

I think maybe obsessing with a perfect end can be detrimental to a TV show. Game of thrones is obviously the most famous example, but to me umbrella academy is the most glaring one. The show was clearly cancelled with a rushed in ending.
Unless you've got a definitive ending in mind, it might just be best to keep going and just leave the show hanging if it does get cancelled for whatever reason, leave the end to the viewers imaginations rather than some awfully placed full stop attempt.

Re: System Shock 2 PS5, PS4 Remaster Is an Essential Summer Playthrough

Balosi

Was a stunner at the time, was the game that pioneered the whole picking up audio logs thing I think, and it did it really well.
That's been copied by tons of games since of course, so I'm not sure it'll have the same impact nowadays.
The story is still unique though, is your enemy really an enemy if you are both fighting another one?

Re: Rumour: Next-Gen Xbox a 'PC in Essence' - What Would That Mean for PlayStation?

Balosi

It'd be pretty big if they did allow storefronts like steam/epic on it, but I personally can't see it happening. Though I'd have said the same about microsoft releasing games on playstation not too long ago so who knows.
Surely Microsoft would want to agree some sort of cut of the sales with them though. I can't see them releasing a box that most people are just going to use steam on without something to gain.

Re: Sony Remembers the PS3 in Surprise Firmware Update

Balosi

It still supports quite a few streaming services too last time I checked, honestly the price they've been selling at has been quite the bargain considering you get a blu ray player (and music cd!) too. I think they've been creeping up out of bargain territory lately though.

Re: Konami Announced a New Suikoden Game, But There's a Huge Catch

Balosi

@RadioHedgeFund I think that's more dislike of phone games general standard of being free to play gacha models nowadays. Years ago when mobile phones were developing into what they are now, gamers were quite excited about being able to play games on them.
Though I don't really know how that evolved. I guess it could be argued that players don't buy phone games released the classic way. Have the mobile audience become trained not to accept them, or did they never like them in the first place?

Re: PS2, the Most Popular Console Ever, Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary

Balosi

PS2 was the one playstation I missed at it's peak, because I was addicted to everquest at the time. I caught up since then though, still got one set up. Playing through champions of norrath at the moment, an everquest spinoff strangely enough. I still play outrun coast 2 coast a lot too, that's definitely a lifetime comfort game for me at this point.

Re: PS5 Fans Are Desperate for a Physical Version of Xbox Game Forza Horizon 5

Balosi

@nomither6 I find it frustrating that gamers even argue over physical Vs digital. Why can't we be happy that both exist, why does one have to 'win'?
I personally very much prefer physical, to the point that if it does disappear, then the gaming industry will be seeing significantly less of my disposable income.
Future proofing is my biggest concern. Admittedly companies have done a (mostly) decent job of keeping old digital libraries available to download so far, but the thought of my library of games being wiped out by one executive decision or a company running into financial trouble does not sit well with me.
Though, I know many people don't really care about that, some see games as far more one and done or whatever. Digital is beneficial to them, and maybe people with young kids etc.

Re: Steam Deck's Install Base Estimated to Be About a Third of PS Vita

Balosi

It's quite surprising, the steam deck gets talked about everywhere, and I see quite a few floating around in second hand shops.
But still, I think hand held/cloud gaming, while fun, isn't the 'future' in that it's going to kill regular gaming. Most people don't travel enough to have an interest in it. Honestly, judging by forums, most people just claim to play it on the loo.
The switch's huge sales isn't the concrete proof that everyone wants mobile really. Other elements are boosting it's numbers too. Such as many households owning multiple switches, especially if they have kids. And Nintendo collectors are crazy, they'll buy every special edition switch that Nintendo puts out.

Re: Looks Like Resident Evil 5 Is Getting a PS5 Port Too

Balosi

@Orange_Juice probably mostly people who played it when it first came out. It really was a stand out title back then, the graphics on the Dreamcast version were well above the ps1 games. I think it was the first resi to have moving/scrolling areas too? Might be wrong on that.
Even the intro movie seemed really cool back then.

Re: Looks Like Resident Evil 5 Is Getting a PS5 Port Too

Balosi

If they do release this, I hope they finally increase the size of the split screen boxes. I could understand them being so small on PS3, but I was a bit disappointed when they weren't increased for the PS4 release. And I'll be even more disappointed if ps5 can't handle it.

Re: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Failed Because It Wasn't Live Service, EA CEO Seems to Suggest

Balosi

Obsession with player growth, like final fantasy. So obsessed with with growth that it ends up alienating the people who helped it become popular in the first place.
Meanwhile, franchises like dragon quest and persona stubbornly stick to their turn based tactical roots (much to the dismay of some of the more 'progressive' video game journalists) and grow stronger with every release.

Re: Would You Pay $100 for GTA 6?

Balosi

I can't see them charging £100. Well I'm sure there'll be deluxe editions etc which I'm sure the big fans will happily buy, but I'd bet the base game will be the standard price. If (and I'm sure it will) it has multiplayer similar to 5, that's where the big money is anyway.

Re: Shuhei Yoshida Reels Off List of Reasons the PS Vita Bombed

Balosi

@DaveSimonH yeah the memory card situation was the single biggest problem. Psp had a similar situation, but it had less impact because most people were still using the uhds.
Lack of initial success meant the games cartridges were considered limited collector's items pretty much straight away, which made vita feel too premium for most people I think.

Re: Shuhei Yoshida on PSVR2: 'I'm Sorry'

Balosi

@TerranIV I probably would've got one if it had been backwards compatible, despite already owning a quest. There's a ton of psvr1 games that I enjoy. Admittedly there's a few you can get an update for (for a price.. 😕) but not enough.

Re: Video Game Industry 'Doesn't Want a Game Pass', Says Market Analyst

Balosi

I think when I was younger I would've loved game pass, I probably would've seen it as great value if it had been a thing in the ps1 or Dreamcast days. I used to enjoy trying as many different games as I could get my hands on back then.
But now I just tend to find one game, usually my favourite, a lengthy turn based game and play that for months. Maybe occasionally trying out a few on sale indie games.
I bought ps+ premium for a year, and despite the seeming value, I barely touched the vast array of games on it so I went back to essential.
The essential free games at least hang around 'forever' on your account so even if you end up not playing them, you feel like you are getting something, rather than the time limits of game pass and premium.
I think kids of today seem to be a different too, finding one game like Fortnite or whatever and just sticking with that indefinitely, rather than trying everything like we used to.