Comments 877

Re: PS5 Pro Pre-Orders Are Stronger Than PS4 Pro, But Scalpers Are Losing Money

Balosi

@Medic_alert I honestly believe that the physical option is still a huge benefit to console makers. It's the reason many people stick with consoles instead of moving to pc.
Also a drive allows you to watch blu rays and dvds. Something many people still do, even if they have a streaming service as well.
Though I believe that Sony probably realise this, it's more likely underestimating rather than some sneaky push for digital. Also we don't know how many drives scalpers out there are sitting on. They are obviously a lot easier to stockpile than a console because of their price and size.

Re: Where To Buy PS5 Pro

Balosi

I would be tempted, but most my big games are still physical though, so it's not even an option until the stock issues with the drive are sorted out.

Re: SEGA Is Delisting a Bunch of Retro Games, And It's Got Fans Thinking

Balosi

@BlaizeV I can't remember if the PS3 collection even got a digital release, I can't seem to find any info on it, I'm not even sure if it's currently there to be delisted. I guess the only way to check for sure is through a PS3, mines not at hand at the moment though unfortunately.
I do know the disc version is still (currently at least) fairly cheap to get hold of.

Re: In the UK, You Can't Buy a PS5 Pro Disc Drive without Paying a Premium

Balosi

It's probably more Sony underestimating how many people still want one rather than a forced attempt. There are many companies keen to see and accelerate the demise of physical, but Sony and Nintendo are two that seem happy to keep providing while the demand is there. Indeed, Nintendo could even be seen as actively defending physical.
It happens a lot with physical games too. Big releases completely unavailable physically in the first couple weeks because retailers massively underestimate the demand that still exists.

Re: Like It or Not, This Is Why PS5 Pro Doesn't Have a Disc Drive

Balosi

I personally don't mind the concept of the drive as an add on, it's better than not existing at all, which would pretty much kill my interest in consoles.
I'm betting the sorts of games I enjoy, single player RPGs, single player adventures, are probably doing a lot better on the physical side. I can see why stuff like GTA online, call of duty, FIFA etc, dominates digitally, service games.

Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Metaphor: ReFantazio?

Balosi

I'm really enjoying it. The characters are likeable and the story is wonderfully crazy.
The combat seems to be a bit tougher than persona so far, about 20 hours in. Monsters are already appearing that are immune to everything my party's got equipped. I guess that's why the class system is so easily customisable. I've even died to random monsters sometimes, usually when they get the ambush advantage, you really want to avoid that.
9/10 so far.

Re: Publishing Director Calls Out Shameless Baldur's Gate 3 Collector's Edition Scalpers

Balosi

Scalpers do annoy me, but the companies selling stuff in limited numbers know full well what they are doing. Giving items resale potential can turn anything, even overpriced tat into something that everybody wants all of a sudden.
Limited run (generally) do give a time window, not a number limit, so they don't tend to sell out at least, as long as you keep track of their releases. It's just a shame I live in the UK, I'd probably buy a lot more from them if it wasn't for the postage fees.

Re: Get Back to JRPG Basics with Physical Final Fantasy 1-6 Collection Anniversary Edition on PS4

Balosi

@Medic_alert a license key that you can resell, lend to friends and won't lose access to if your PSN account runs into trouble.
If you look really far into the future when the digital downloads might no longer be available, then at least an old version of the game might be better than no version.
I've still got my ps1 and Dreamcast discs available to play upstairs, if they had been digital only they'd likely have been lost years ago.
Though yes I appreciate that not everyone cares about such things.

Re: Tencent, Guillemot Family Reportedly Considering Ubisoft Buyout

Balosi

@somnambulance I am still fairly positive of ubisoft too. They have put out many games that I've enjoyed over the years. Even that star wars game, I've watched a couple reviews it looks pretty decent, I've only held off because I've never been that into star wars.
They did go a bit dlc crazy in the PS4 era, pushing it on the title screens, but they seem to have toned that down severely. I'm not sure if they deserve as much online hate as they get nowadays.

Re: Beat Saber Will Give You More with Britney Spears DLC Song Pack

Balosi

@NEStalgia yeah the difficulty settings aren't a guarantee. Camilla songs in particular, expert is definitely harder than other expert+ songs.
Paid dlc songs are usually easier than the base game ones, I got good at expert + finding easier ones and practicing them first.
It's hard to explain, but you really do just get the movements ingrained if you keep playing, you reach the point where you can get through a new expert+ song first try once you've learnt what to expect.

Edit : I think the Camilla songs are supposed to be beat saber's 'hard' mode. They seem to make a point of being a lot harder than the others.

Re: Beat Saber Will Give You More with Britney Spears DLC Song Pack

Balosi

@NEStalgia beat saber is a case of the more you play the better you'll get. I know that's true of anything but in beat saber's case it's very surprising how quickly you can ramp up from not even understanding how people manage expert+, to doing themself with relative ease.
Well except Camilla ones. And sandstorm. I haven't got the faintest idea how anyone does them on expert+.

Re: PS5 Fans Think Sony's Accidentally Leaked a Wireless PSVR2 Headset

Balosi

If it still has to communicate with the playstation, then wireless seems a little pointless to be honest. You're still going to have to be near your ps5.
That said, I find it hard to believe a completely standalone one is in the works, one that offers the same quality as psvr2 would cost a fortune to make, assuming it's even currently possible.

Re: Talking Point: Is PS5 Pro Way Too Expensive?

Balosi

It'll prob sell anyway, I personally will skip though I think. I got a PS4 pro, and never really figured out what I bought it for. Maybe my TV wasn't good enough or something.
I can kind of understand the price, the glory days of rapidly advancing tech and fast dropping prices seem to be over. Even the disc drive, I guess we should just be glad the option is still there.
Not including a stand is a joke though, as is Sony seemingly forgetting how currency conversion works.

Re: How Much Would You Pay for Your PS5 Games? Dev Says Industry Is Waiting for GTA 6 to Hike Prices

Balosi

People always use that street fighter example. But Nintendo/Capcom charged that price back then simply because they could get away with it. It was more expensive than other snes games because they knew people would pay anything for it.
Games have become a lot more mass market since then. If 100 people want a game that costs 100000 to develop, then that's a £1000 each. If a 1000 want it, that's a £100 each.
Though the audience has stopped growing by the sounds of it, that is perhaps why developers can't rely on growth to keep the prices stagnant any more.

Re: Random: PS3 Last Seventh Generation Console Standing with Functional Storefront

Balosi

@Haruki_NLI yes, the Wii u and 3ds closed for purchases early last year, and online functionality a couple months ago. You can still download purchased games, but that's about it.
Wii u in particular seemed to have a very short life. Yes I know it was same fen as PS3, but it came out a lot later.
Though I think Nintendo fans tend to be more inclined to stay physical than other systems.

Re: Random: PS3 Last Seventh Generation Console Standing with Functional Storefront

Balosi

I think the ps+ premium streaming still relies on the PS3 network doesn't it? In that case, they may as well leave it accessable if it's staying up anyway.
That said, I don't really understand why other systems close the ability to purchase if they are keeping the ability to download purchased stuff on anyway. If the frameworks still there might as well let people use it, a few sales are better than no sales?