It does look pretty decent in fairness, and FromSoft's reputation for producing killer DLC is pretty solid.
Not to sound ungrateful, but I'm still hoping for a Sekiro 2. Given the choice, I would have rather passed up AC6 and ER-DLC for From to have dedicated their dev teams for a Sekiro sequel!
Sekiro was my first From game, and got me back into gaming during the pandemic... won't ever forget the thrill of beating Lady Butterfly
Ignore the click-baity title, these guys (UK based) are genuinely sound and fairly astute/objective in their analysis. They also discuss possible implications for Sony/Nintendo, both positive and negative, alongside consideration for exactly Microsoft "wants to be" in the gaming space.
Really interesting, only 20 mins, and gives a really solid and grounded analysis
I wonder if Microsoft is 'testing the waters' before potentially exiting the console-space, and then utilising GamePass as their gaming 'ecosystem'. I suppose potentially they could lock future exclusives behind GamePass, with access then being contingent on have GP on your Playstation and/or Switch2 (not sure how this would work business-wise, and if Sony/Nintendo play ball)
@LiamCroft you did a fine job articulating your thoughts, and I empathise with the situation at hand (Re. no early review code...)
I think you've confirmed a lot of people's expectations regarding this game, and I expect it will get lost/ignored among the other tremendous titles recently released (or soon to be...)
LAD / FF7 Rebirth / Tekken / P3 will certainly open people's wallets, and I'm not really sure if there is a solid/broad audience for SS?!
Be interesting to see how it lands critically, and with fans, but I expect quite average reviews and a fade into obscurity...
@ErrantRob Thanks, think I'm convinced! I've too heard the Platinum grind is horrendous..... shame though, as the Lies of P platinum is a pleasure, can be done in 2 playthroughs if you scum and genuinely pretty fun. Thanks again
@trymer89 Glad you're enjoying Wonder! It'll be interesting to see where the big N take the franchise with 'Switch 2'... I'd imagine another 3D entry maybe? Either way, sure it'll land well
@trymer89 I have this also, and it is a fantastic pallete-cleanser. In a year full of big releases, Wonder seems to have got lost in the wash as 'just another serviceable Mario game'... but it really is quite excellent and fun. A little on the easy side, but thats to be expected with the territory I suppose... no one plays Mario for a rage-quit fix
I enjoyed TLF, but probably marked it down a bit due to being spoilt by Blasphemous 2 a few months prior... (If you've not played B2, you'll probably love it if you enjoyed TLF)
Nice to hear that LotF landed with you, as the critical/fanbase reception was incredibly mixed. Lies of P seemed to have been met with unanimous praise, and rightly so(!), but Lords didn't seems to do so well.
How would you rank Lords among the sea of Souls-like game currently in the market? I'm definitely intrigued, but maybe leaning more towards Grime.... although Lords is currently on sale via Steam!
After polishing off 100% on ‘The Last Faith’, I’m sticking to tradition in alternating between brutally challenging games and old-school P&C adventure games…
Last night started “Justin Wack & The Big Time Hack” - great P&C very reminiscent of classic Lucasarts, with similar art style to Day of the Tentacle.
Once I’ve finished Justin Wack, I’m torn between what to play for the next ‘hard’ game. Choosing between Lords of the Fallen, Grime or new Prince of Persia
I'm probably in the minority here, but I really liked where they took the narrative... something 'new' and almost seems to be like FF7 NG+ approach to story telling. The original will always exist, and I don't think the adapted/sequel narrative takes away from that.
I thought this was a pretty decent 40hr game.... but with padding/bloat removed it could have been an amazing 20hr game. Combat is great though, arguably best that FF has ever been IMO
@ItsBritneyB_tch Ah I'd agree but disagree somewhat. TGA do provoke a nice bit of industry exposure, and ultimately are a fun means of speculation.... I'd concur that whatever "wins" is pretty immaterial, but equally I think nominations and such are a nice hat-tip to the devs that have worked long and hard on their output.
To your point, of course you'd rather have a record breaking smash-hit (vs an arbitrary award) but nonetheless it would have been nice to see the HL devs get some dues in a public forum such as TGA.
@Jill_Sandwich I'm definitely not going to get involved in the surrounding discourse here... but I completely agree with you. From a simply objective standpoint, and considering the volume of sales(!), it seems crazy this game wasn't mentioned at TGA.
Whilst I don't think it would necessarily have been GOTY over Baldurs/Zelda (my top 2 picks) I think it should have been in the conversation.
Finished up getting 100% achievements in ‘The Last Faith’ so will be jumping back to BG3 after a brief hiatus (mid-Act 2, temporarily put it down to avoid burnout).
On the side I’ll also be doing a few levels of ‘Humanity’ which is a great Lemmings-esque puzzler - really good!
I also picked up Marvel Midnight Suns in the Steam sale, so might give that a whirl
Taking a brief hiatus from Baldurs Gate so as to avoid burnout! Currently midway through Act2, loving every second, but am wary of overplaying this game and don’t want to get BG fatigue.
Whilst I break from BG3, I’m playing ‘Humanity’ and ‘The Last Faith’. The former is a terrific little puzzler that is essentially a 3D version of Lemmings, whilst the latter is somewhat of a Blasphemous clone… Both games are solid enough and should be short playthroughs, after which I’ll get back to Baldurs
Side note - last week I played and completed ‘Cocoon’, which was genuinely an amazing little puzzle game… a high recommend.
@Texus I actually agree with your takes on both games, albeit let’s give SM2 its dues - as the fastest selling PS game ever, with >5mil copies sold in a week(!), it is obviously appealing to a really wide audience.
At risk of sounding patronising, and not intending to do so, I think that the game does a remarkable job in catering for a more casual market - and netting a lot of different demographics. My kids could play SM2, and would invariably love it.
SM2 isn’t my personal thing, but I can objectively appreciate it does what it sets out to do and does it very well.
Baldurs is immaculate IMO - but equally it’s not for everyone.
What I really enjoy about these lists, and especially the staff team personal top 5, is highlighting the lesser known gems… got me into Cocoon, which is never heard of and would have missed out on
@Mostik Ah for sure the lay-offs have been horrendous right? Not to mention some of the conduct associated with a few of the larger redundancy groups... just awful.
Yes 2023 has been a wild ride for gaming, and Baldurs capped it off for me nicely. I didn't think anything would take the crown from Lies of P.... how wrong was I eh!
And to give SM2 its dues, I think it does amazingly well to have such a large/mass appeal and audience. For instance, mates of mine who don't really 'game' are buying SM2 and enjoying it. Whereas I suppose Baldurs is a bit more niche (albeit probably one of the most accessible CRPGs out there).
The anger and venom towards the staffing team at this site is insane though... imagine being genuinely riled up because one brilliant video game was subjectively ranked as slightly better than another brilliant video game!
Happy New Yr, and I'm certain you'll have a blast with Baldurs when the physical lands
@MrGilly69 honestly I'd be tempted to just dive straight into BG3.
My go-to genres are normally Souls games, Rogue-Lite/Likes and classic P&C adventure games.... I have zero knowledge D&D and never played anything by Larian.
A lot is actually explained relatively well in the tutorial, and the difficulty settings can be adjusted anytime in-game. (I started on 'balanced' which is effectively normal difficulty, and feel the curve is about right for me)
Combat is probably the trickiest element, and making sure you have a balanced-ish party. But if you're playing on easy/normal then pretty much all character builds are viable...
BG3 and SM2 are both objectively great video games. Some people may click more with one over the other, or neither may cater to an individual’s tastes.
The top 10 list is sound, and IMO having the ‘right’ games in the listing is far more important than where the games are ranked.
A general consensus of ‘SM2 ranking higher than BG3’ is absolutely fine… and is certainly not an acceptable catalyst for the abusive comments being hurled around!
If Gollum had snuck into the #1 spot over BG3 then sure, that would be an acceptable trigger for unrest….
It is actually quite refreshing to see BG3 in a GOTY list, but NOT be sat at #1. In fact, I think this is the first time I've ever seen it in a top 5 but not hit the top spot.
For me personally- my GOTY without hesitation. But equally I can appreciate it is still somewhat niche and doesn't appeal to mainstream audiences - not to the same extent at SM2 for example.
However, I feel BG3 has done a remarkable job in making its presence known to the community outside regular DnD/CRPG awareness, and equally has paved the way for greater expectations when it comes to single player games except from MTX etc.
My son is currently playing SM2, and I've dabbled also, and it is a great game. TOTK is also an immaculate experience.
What a world we live in where we've had BG3 drop the same year as SM2, FF16, TOTK, Hi-Fi Rush, Resi4make... and the amlighty Blasphemous 2
I’m actually playing Cocoon now (as a side dish to Baldurs) and can really vouch for how excellent it is. This game totally escaped me this year, until the last few weeks where it is consistently popping up in a lot of “top ten 2023” lists. A really masterclass IMO, certainly not an easy puzzle game but equally not obtuse enough to have you completely stuck… very clever!
Nice to see FF16 place well in the PushSquare list, seems that FF didn’t land as well as many had hoped this year… although arguably it had a lot of competition from other great games.
What is the current run-down 10 - - > 3 then so far?
SM2 and Baldurs for the #2 and #1 spots seem fair - and sad to see comments that are so up in arms about what is (and ultimately always will be) a subjective exercise in rankings!
Crazy how much people get triggered by these things. I'd like to commend the team at PushSquare for a great write up this year, and I've enjoyed seeing each team member's personal "top 5" - been some real gems there!
I went into 2023 expecting TOTK to be my absolute GOTY, but instead I wound up ranking it #3 after Baldurs #1 and Lies of P #2
Been a great year for gaming though in general, so many strong releases
@JamieO Thanks for the response, and glad I wasn't the only one to hit a wall with Eviterno ha! Enjoyed your top 5, a nice mix of 'expected' titles alongside lesser-known, great job.
@R1spam - he is horrendous right? Like 70-ish tries I think it took me, and for first 10 tries not sure I even stayed alive long enough to see his full moveset... let alone learn it! But that's why we play these games hey...! Good luck pentient one
To anyone on the fence - if you worship at the altar of FromSoftware, then this game will be a solid 9/10 for you.
My expectations were rock-bottom, and I’d assumed this would be ‘just another Souls clone’ with distinctly average mechanics and monotonous gameplay… how wrong I was!
Genuinely this game is excellent, and goes so far as to heavily lean into a ton of elements that span From’s entire portfolio… essentially making Lies a terrific covers band, that plays From’s greatest hits.
It leans most in Bloodborne, but there are elements of Sekiro in there too - alongside a pinch of Demons Souls (‘lying’ mechanic = world tendancy from DeS)
It’s hands down the best non-From 3D soulslike, and utterly compelling. (Best 2D remains Salt & Sanctuary IMO)
I played exclusively on SteamDeck and it ran pretty great, so can imagine pretty smooth performance on PS/XB.
My only criticisms would be a slight lack of build diversity, and some small enemy reputation, but otherwise it is a tremendous first-time output from the devs.
It was actually my GOTY until Baldurs came along… final list looking like this: 1) Baldurs 2) Lies of P 3) TOTK 4) Blasphemous 2 5) HiFi Rush
There is already a huge market for multiplayer/online/MTX games, and I feel that ND are far too proficient in making excellent single player games for them to invest (or 'waste' resources in making Factions.
'Sunk Cost Fallacy' can often lead to continuing development in half-baked projects (not to say this would have been that) and I think it is the right call to cut losses now, as opposed to further pursuing this avenue.
I wish they would also focus less on the remaster angle, and even park TLoU franchise for a while, and give us a brand new IP...
@Kraven Lies of P was such an unexpected joy right? My expectations were low.... but honestly this would have absolutely been my GOTY, had I not begun playing Baldurs Gate last week!
NG+ is interesting, the first 80% I steamrolled through... and then the last few bosses, Simon especially, had me pulling my hair out. I scummed endings, so only needed 2 playthroughs for 100% achievements. I could see myself going back for more though!
Its easy to rag on COD and consider it as 'lowest common denominator' gaming..... but honestly the sales & buzz for this property are probably a good thing for the industry long-term. Likewise for EAFC24 - these annual franchises keep the 'mainstream' playing, and generate ginormous levels of revenue within the gaming sector.
Money keep gaming in the mainstream narrative, as opposed to the perception of it being a niche hobby for a select subculture.
COD/EAFC aren't my thing, but equally lets be appreciative that there is a huge pool of people out there that do enjoy these - and big sales within gaming is a good thing.
2023 has also blessed us with a tremendous assortment of other games - BG3/TOTK/Resi4/Streetfighter/Starfield/LiesOfP/HiFi Rush/SM2/MarioW/CP2077 DLC/FF16 etc... definitely something for everyone
@R1spam Yeh Disco actually runs OK on Switch, albeit the boot-up is pretty long as you rightly say. LoP is probably more similar to Bloodborne, but IMO it borrows heavily from all of From's portfolio... even the Lying/humanity system has echos of Demon Soul's 'world tendency'. A great first-time offering from a new dev, really exciting to see what they bring to the table next!
Yes Sekiro was actually my first FS game, and remains my favorite (even over Elden Ring). I played Sekiro on PS5 and it was smooth as anything 60fps. I am tempted to maybe re-buy for the Deck, as apparently it is one of the best games in terms of running/performance (both ER and Sekiro run brilliantly on Deck apparently
@R1spam Great to hear you're still pushing ahead with Blasphemous2... can't wait to hear your thoughts on the penultimate boss - he is the most BS boss I've faced in a while, my #2 worst of all time!
Lies of P is great isn't it? I'm playing on Deck, just storming through NG+ to get full trophies/achievements. Some of the early NG bosses are no joke, especially while you have limited resources. Brilliant first-effort from the devs, can't wait to see what they bring next!
Disco I played earlier this year... just wow. Unlike anything I've ever played before, and unlikely to play anything again similar. You definitely need to be in the right headspace, and it is a bit jarring coming from a Souls-y game into this. Brilliantly written and v funny, it is certainly a good time!
@Tchunga Snap, I picked this up on Switch Day #1 - being a huge fan of the original.
Overall I think it was a slight improvements over B1, albeit slightly easier... until the penultimate boss (Evernisto?) which was ridiculously difficult!
Talking to my necktie again whilst attempting to (poorly) manage my propensity for substance abuse, alongside solving an unsightly murder and juggling the conceptualisation of my own identity....
Then, when it comes to games - I'll be continuing Day #2 in Disco Elysium.
This looks great in fairness, and I actually think the depiction of Kraven is really solid.
If anyone is into the comics, I'd highly recommend "Kraven's Last Hunt" - which is fairly dark in tone for Spiderman. A fantastic graphic novel, and does well to raise up Kraven as one of the biggest threats out there...
@VaultGuy415 - I largely disagree with that statement on many levels!
Elden Ring was (and continues to be) an incredible game in many ways, and FromSoftware achieved a remarkable feat in managing to make their IP as 'accessible' as possible for the mainstream/newcomers whilst still appealing to their core audience. I played ER at launch, and it was a phenomenal experience. My personal 2022 GOTY...
As well as being a huge FromSoft fan (Sekiro one of my favorite games of all time) I am also very much into Zelda/Nintendo... and kicked off playing TotK this weekend. TotK , as well as its predecessor, is a fantastic game. Perhaps it is more 'evolution' instead of 'revolution', but nonetheless it builds very strongly on the previous formula and introduces a great sandbox environment with updated mechanics. A few frame-rate drops aside, it is an immaculate game and a fine example of Nintendo doing what they do best (FR drops expected, this game really pushes the Switch to its limits...)
To say that the release of TotK makes ER irrelevant is so.... wrong? It is entirely possible to love both games (As I do) or just one of them, or neither.... but to say that ER no longer has a place in the conversation since the release of TotK is pretty unjustified. I'd argue that if you were to combine the best elements of these games and merge, you'd have one hell of a product.
TLDR - Both games, ER and TotK, are fantastic. One does not make the other obsolete.... With FF16 on the horizon as well, plus Starfield, its a great time to be a gamer. (Hoping FF16 and SF land successfully, few concerns on the latter but hopefully Bethedsa pull through)
Honestly, a 60 FPS patch for the original would make all the difference.... BUT in saying that, a full-scale remake would not be unwelcome!
I'm unsure what project/s Sony has Bluepoint working on since the acquisition? But surely Bluepoint would be the obvious developer to undertake this, based on their exemplary work with DeS.
Seems strange actually that this remake hasn't been pushed before now? It would be an absolute 'open goal' for Sony, especially since the success of Elden Ring and FromSoftware becoming less niche and more open to the casual market.
Any product with the marketing strapline "From the creators of Elden Ring" will sell effortlessly.... and Bloodborne also happens to be a class act.
(nb. I'd rather see a Sekiro sequel personally, but this is likely a personal sickness of mine and not an opinion attributable to the masses)
TLDR - Bloodborne remake would not be unwelcome at all, Sony would absolutely print money in doing so, and IMO Bluepoint are the perfect dev to pull this off.
I no longer have my PS5 - but I suspect if I did then this would have been be a “Day 1” for me.
Considering the team working on this, and the divisive response to XV, I’d really hope that SE go “all in” on making the great game that I believe they are capable of.
7R left me with mixed feelings…. so much that I loved and so much I loathed. The combat (IMO) was a series-best, and I actually loved the batsh*t crazy narrative beats helmed by Nomura. Also the materia system and build flexibility was pretty good. The DLC was class as well. However, it just had so much…. Bloat I guess? Infantile sub quests and more corridors than you could shake a stick at.
If 7R had halved its base game content from a 40hr experience to 20hr I think it could have really been great. Those hungry for more could then roll straight into hard mode, less likely to be burnt out from gathering up all the cats in the slums lol
But seriously so far the trailers and previews for XVI look great, and I’d be excited for what’s coming here. This and TotK within months of each others is a great time to be a gamer
Comments 199
Re: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Out for PS5, PS4 on 21st June 2024
It does look pretty decent in fairness, and FromSoft's reputation for producing killer DLC is pretty solid.
Not to sound ungrateful, but I'm still hoping for a Sekiro 2. Given the choice, I would have rather passed up AC6 and ER-DLC for From to have dedicated their dev teams for a Sekiro sequel!
Sekiro was my first From game, and got me back into gaming during the pandemic... won't ever forget the thrill of beating Lady Butterfly
Re: Poll: How Do You Feel About All of the Xbox Multiplatform Rumours?
Just posted this on NL sister site:
For anyone interested, there is a great summary of the situation (alongside future speculation) in a recent 'WhatCulture Gaming' podcast - https://whatculture.com/videos/xbox-just-broke-the-games-industry
Ignore the click-baity title, these guys (UK based) are genuinely sound and fairly astute/objective in their analysis. They also discuss possible implications for Sony/Nintendo, both positive and negative, alongside consideration for exactly Microsoft "wants to be" in the gaming space.
Really interesting, only 20 mins, and gives a really solid and grounded analysis
Re: Poll: How Do You Feel About All of the Xbox Multiplatform Rumours?
I wonder if Microsoft is 'testing the waters' before potentially exiting the console-space, and then utilising GamePass as their gaming 'ecosystem'. I suppose potentially they could lock future exclusives behind GamePass, with access then being contingent on have GP on your Playstation and/or Switch2 (not sure how this would work business-wise, and if Sony/Nintendo play ball)
Re: Hands On: Suicide Squad Takes a Lot of Getting Used to, and It May Not Be Worth It
@LiamCroft you did a fine job articulating your thoughts, and I empathise with the situation at hand (Re. no early review code...)
I think you've confirmed a lot of people's expectations regarding this game, and I expect it will get lost/ignored among the other tremendous titles recently released (or soon to be...)
LAD / FF7 Rebirth / Tekken / P3 will certainly open people's wallets, and I'm not really sure if there is a solid/broad audience for SS?!
Be interesting to see how it lands critically, and with fans, but I expect quite average reviews and a fade into obscurity...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@ErrantRob Thanks, think I'm convinced! I've too heard the Platinum grind is horrendous..... shame though, as the Lies of P platinum is a pleasure, can be done in 2 playthroughs if you scum and genuinely pretty fun.
Thanks again
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@trymer89 Glad you're enjoying Wonder! It'll be interesting to see where the big N take the franchise with 'Switch 2'... I'd imagine another 3D entry maybe? Either way, sure it'll land well
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@trymer89 I have this also, and it is a fantastic pallete-cleanser. In a year full of big releases, Wonder seems to have got lost in the wash as 'just another serviceable Mario game'... but it really is quite excellent and fun. A little on the easy side, but thats to be expected with the territory I suppose... no one plays Mario for a rage-quit fix
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@ErrantRob Thanks for your reply!
I enjoyed TLF, but probably marked it down a bit due to being spoilt by Blasphemous 2 a few months prior... (If you've not played B2, you'll probably love it if you enjoyed TLF)
Nice to hear that LotF landed with you, as the critical/fanbase reception was incredibly mixed. Lies of P seemed to have been met with unanimous praise, and rightly so(!), but Lords didn't seems to do so well.
How would you rank Lords among the sea of Souls-like game currently in the market? I'm definitely intrigued, but maybe leaning more towards Grime.... although Lords is currently on sale via Steam!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
After polishing off 100% on ‘The Last Faith’, I’m sticking to tradition in alternating between brutally challenging games and old-school P&C adventure games…
Last night started “Justin Wack & The Big Time Hack” - great P&C very reminiscent of classic Lucasarts, with similar art style to Day of the Tentacle.
Once I’ve finished Justin Wack, I’m torn between what to play for the next ‘hard’ game. Choosing between Lords of the Fallen, Grime or new Prince of Persia
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Story Recap the Focus of New Trailer
I'm probably in the minority here, but I really liked where they took the narrative... something 'new' and almost seems to be like FF7 NG+ approach to story telling. The original will always exist, and I don't think the adapted/sequel narrative takes away from that.
I thought this was a pretty decent 40hr game.... but with padding/bloat removed it could have been an amazing 20hr game. Combat is great though, arguably best that FF has ever been IMO
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Breaks 14-Year Call of Duty, Rockstar Streak to Become USA's Best-Selling Game of 2023
@ItsBritneyB_tch Ah I'd agree but disagree somewhat. TGA do provoke a nice bit of industry exposure, and ultimately are a fun means of speculation.... I'd concur that whatever "wins" is pretty immaterial, but equally I think nominations and such are a nice hat-tip to the devs that have worked long and hard on their output.
To your point, of course you'd rather have a record breaking smash-hit (vs an arbitrary award) but nonetheless it would have been nice to see the HL devs get some dues in a public forum such as TGA.
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Breaks 14-Year Call of Duty, Rockstar Streak to Become USA's Best-Selling Game of 2023
@Jill_Sandwich I'm definitely not going to get involved in the surrounding discourse here... but I completely agree with you. From a simply objective standpoint, and considering the volume of sales(!), it seems crazy this game wasn't mentioned at TGA.
Whilst I don't think it would necessarily have been GOTY over Baldurs/Zelda (my top 2 picks) I think it should have been in the conversation.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 511
Finished up getting 100% achievements in ‘The Last Faith’ so will be jumping back to BG3 after a brief hiatus (mid-Act 2, temporarily put it down to avoid burnout).
On the side I’ll also be doing a few levels of ‘Humanity’ which is a great Lemmings-esque puzzler - really good!
I also picked up Marvel Midnight Suns in the Steam sale, so might give that a whirl
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 510
Taking a brief hiatus from Baldurs Gate so as to avoid burnout! Currently midway through Act2, loving every second, but am wary of overplaying this game and don’t want to get BG fatigue.
Whilst I break from BG3, I’m playing ‘Humanity’ and ‘The Last Faith’. The former is a terrific little puzzler that is essentially a 3D version of Lemmings, whilst the latter is somewhat of a Blasphemous clone…
Both games are solid enough and should be short playthroughs, after which I’ll get back to Baldurs
Side note - last week I played and completed ‘Cocoon’, which was genuinely an amazing little puzzle game… a high recommend.
Re: Game of the Year: Best PS5, PS4 Developer of 2023
Capcom are at the top of their game, not to mention the Rise/Sunbreak content across all platforms - really great stuff.
Nice to see the Cocoon devs get some love also, awesome little game that deserves recognition
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
@Texus I actually agree with your takes on both games, albeit let’s give SM2 its dues - as the fastest selling PS game ever, with >5mil copies sold in a week(!), it is obviously appealing to a really wide audience.
At risk of sounding patronising, and not intending to do so, I think that the game does a remarkable job in catering for a more casual market - and netting a lot of different demographics. My kids could play SM2, and would invariably love it.
SM2 isn’t my personal thing, but I can objectively appreciate it does what it sets out to do and does it very well.
Baldurs is immaculate IMO - but equally it’s not for everyone.
What I really enjoy about these lists, and especially the staff team personal top 5, is highlighting the lesser known gems… got me into Cocoon, which is never heard of and would have missed out on
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
@Mostik snap mate, Disco was also my gateway-drug to Baldurs! Have a blast
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
@Mostik Ah for sure the lay-offs have been horrendous right? Not to mention some of the conduct associated with a few of the larger redundancy groups... just awful.
Yes 2023 has been a wild ride for gaming, and Baldurs capped it off for me nicely. I didn't think anything would take the crown from Lies of P.... how wrong was I eh!
And to give SM2 its dues, I think it does amazingly well to have such a large/mass appeal and audience. For instance, mates of mine who don't really 'game' are buying SM2 and enjoying it. Whereas I suppose Baldurs is a bit more niche (albeit probably one of the most accessible CRPGs out there).
The anger and venom towards the staffing team at this site is insane though... imagine being genuinely riled up because one brilliant video game was subjectively ranked as slightly better than another brilliant video game!
Happy New Yr, and I'm certain you'll have a blast with Baldurs when the physical lands
Re: Game of the Year: Robert's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@MrGilly69 ah terrific stuff. I couldn't believe how much I got "into it"...especially as everything about it would normally turn me off.
Here's hoping you have a great time with it mate.
Re: Game of the Year: Best PS5, PS4 Puzzle Game of 2023
I picked up Cocoon and loving it so far, really great. Might grab Humanity if it is assumedly even better!
Re: Game of the Year: Robert's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@MrGilly69 honestly I'd be tempted to just dive straight into BG3.
My go-to genres are normally Souls games, Rogue-Lite/Likes and classic P&C adventure games.... I have zero knowledge D&D and never played anything by Larian.
A lot is actually explained relatively well in the tutorial, and the difficulty settings can be adjusted anytime in-game. (I started on 'balanced' which is effectively normal difficulty, and feel the curve is about right for me)
Combat is probably the trickiest element, and making sure you have a balanced-ish party. But if you're playing on easy/normal then pretty much all character builds are viable...
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
Wow the comments here…!
BG3 and SM2 are both objectively great video games. Some people may click more with one over the other, or neither may cater to an individual’s tastes.
The top 10 list is sound, and IMO having the ‘right’ games in the listing is far more important than where the games are ranked.
A general consensus of ‘SM2 ranking higher than BG3’ is absolutely fine… and is certainly not an acceptable catalyst for the abusive comments being hurled around!
If Gollum had snuck into the #1 spot over BG3 then sure, that would be an acceptable trigger for unrest….
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
My 2 cents.... -
It is actually quite refreshing to see BG3 in a GOTY list, but NOT be sat at #1. In fact, I think this is the first time I've ever seen it in a top 5 but not hit the top spot.
For me personally- my GOTY without hesitation. But equally I can appreciate it is still somewhat niche and doesn't appeal to mainstream audiences - not to the same extent at SM2 for example.
However, I feel BG3 has done a remarkable job in making its presence known to the community outside regular DnD/CRPG awareness, and equally has paved the way for greater expectations when it comes to single player games except from MTX etc.
My son is currently playing SM2, and I've dabbled also, and it is a great game. TOTK is also an immaculate experience.
What a world we live in where we've had BG3 drop the same year as SM2, FF16, TOTK, Hi-Fi Rush, Resi4make... and the amlighty Blasphemous 2
Re: Game of the Year: #3 - Resident Evil 4
@Grumblevolcano thanks for that!
I’m actually playing Cocoon now (as a side dish to Baldurs) and can really vouch for how excellent it is. This game totally escaped me this year, until the last few weeks where it is consistently popping up in a lot of “top ten 2023” lists. A really masterclass IMO, certainly not an easy puzzle game but equally not obtuse enough to have you completely stuck… very clever!
Nice to see FF16 place well in the PushSquare list, seems that FF didn’t land as well as many had hoped this year… although arguably it had a lot of competition from other great games.
Re: Game of the Year: #3 - Resident Evil 4
What is the current run-down 10 - - > 3 then so far?
SM2 and Baldurs for the #2 and #1 spots seem fair - and sad to see comments that are so up in arms about what is (and ultimately always will be) a subjective exercise in rankings!
Crazy how much people get triggered by these things. I'd like to commend the team at PushSquare for a great write up this year, and I've enjoyed seeing each team member's personal "top 5" - been some real gems there!
I went into 2023 expecting TOTK to be my absolute GOTY, but instead I wound up ranking it #3 after Baldurs #1 and Lies of P #2
Been a great year for gaming though in general, so many strong releases
Re: Game of the Year: Jamie's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@JamieO Thanks for the response, and glad I wasn't the only one to hit a wall with Eviterno ha! Enjoyed your top 5, a nice mix of 'expected' titles alongside lesser-known, great job.
@R1spam - he is horrendous right? Like 70-ish tries I think it took me, and for first 10 tries not sure I even stayed alive long enough to see his full moveset... let alone learn it! But that's why we play these games hey...! Good luck pentient one
Re: Game of the Year: Jamie's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@JamieO Great to see Blasphemous 2 get some deserved love!
This was my #4 GOTY (1. Baldurs, 2. Lies of P, 3. TOTK, 4. Blasphemous 2, 5. Hi-Fi Rush)
Eviterno, the penultimate boss, had me on my knees though... that second phase is obscene!!
Re: Game of the Year: Liam's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@Jimmer-jammer you've sold me!
Cocoon seems to be popping up everywhere on top 10 GOTY lists... too frequent to ignore! Got it d/l now on Steamdeck, thanks for the push
Re: Game of the Year: Liam's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
A lot of people waxing lyrical about Cocoon... this game skipped me by completely! My only fear is - is Cocoon too on the easy side?
I really enjoyed Machinarium recently, and love how that game had me scratching my head!
Re: Game of the Year: #7 - Lies of P
To anyone on the fence - if you worship at the altar of FromSoftware, then this game will be a solid 9/10 for you.
My expectations were rock-bottom, and I’d assumed this would be ‘just another Souls clone’ with distinctly average mechanics and monotonous gameplay… how wrong I was!
Genuinely this game is excellent, and goes so far as to heavily lean into a ton of elements that span From’s entire portfolio… essentially making Lies a terrific covers band, that plays From’s greatest hits.
It leans most in Bloodborne, but there are elements of Sekiro in there too - alongside a pinch of Demons Souls (‘lying’ mechanic = world tendancy from DeS)
It’s hands down the best non-From 3D soulslike, and utterly compelling. (Best 2D remains Salt & Sanctuary IMO)
I played exclusively on SteamDeck and it ran pretty great, so can imagine pretty smooth performance on PS/XB.
My only criticisms would be a slight lack of build diversity, and some small enemy reputation, but otherwise it is a tremendous first-time output from the devs.
It was actually my GOTY until Baldurs came along… final list looking like this:
1) Baldurs
2) Lies of P
3) TOTK
4) Blasphemous 2
5) HiFi Rush
Re: Game of the Year: Simon's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
Not a word written about Eviterno yet.....? (penultimate boss, Blasphemous 2)
An unreal difficulty curve, came out of nowhere!
Re: Pornhub Reveals 2023's Most Popular Video Game Characters
Just taken another look at this... was curious as to who/what Gardevoir is (Pokemon!)
Outrageous
Re: Pornhub Reveals 2023's Most Popular Video Game Characters
An amusing read, albeit an incredibly depressing one also...
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you... The Human Race!
Re: Game of the Year: Ken's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
This is a really really good list!
Lies of P is my #2 this year, and Baldurs #1
Re: Game of the Year: Brett's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
Love to see the love for Bomb Rush! This was definitely one of the best games I played this year.
My personal list:
1. Baldurs
2. Lies of P
3. TOTK
4. Blasphemous 2
5. HiFi Rush
Re: The Last of Us Multiplayer Project Is Officially Cancelled
Well, I actually agree with this...
There is already a huge market for multiplayer/online/MTX games, and I feel that ND are far too proficient in making excellent single player games for them to invest (or 'waste' resources in making Factions.
'Sunk Cost Fallacy' can often lead to continuing development in half-baked projects (not to say this would have been that) and I think it is the right call to cut losses now, as opposed to further pursuing this avenue.
I wish they would also focus less on the remaster angle, and even park TLoU franchise for a while, and give us a brand new IP...
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Player Stats Show Crazy Completion Rate, Most Popular Romance, Class, and More
Can't believe Astarion wasn't higher in the Romance charts lol!!
Such a gas lad, having a blast with him in my gang
Re: Poll: What Is Your PS5, PS4 Game of the Year 2023?
1. BG3
2. Lies of P
3. Blasphemous 2
4. Armored Core
5. Sea Stars
(If multi-plat, I’d insert TOTK at #3, and then have Blasphemous 2 #4 and Armored Core #5)
Lies of P was my clear winner… until I started Baldurs last week and fell in love!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 505
@Kraven Lies of P was such an unexpected joy right? My expectations were low.... but honestly this would have absolutely been my GOTY, had I not begun playing Baldurs Gate last week!
NG+ is interesting, the first 80% I steamrolled through... and then the last few bosses, Simon especially, had me pulling my hair out. I scummed endings, so only needed 2 playthroughs for 100% achievements. I could see myself going back for more though!
And yeah,.... that post-credits scene is so good!
Re: UK Sales Charts: Everyone Hates Modern Warfare 3, But It's Still Number One
Its easy to rag on COD and consider it as 'lowest common denominator' gaming..... but honestly the sales & buzz for this property are probably a good thing for the industry long-term. Likewise for EAFC24 - these annual franchises keep the 'mainstream' playing, and generate ginormous levels of revenue within the gaming sector.
Money keep gaming in the mainstream narrative, as opposed to the perception of it being a niche hobby for a select subculture.
COD/EAFC aren't my thing, but equally lets be appreciative that there is a huge pool of people out there that do enjoy these - and big sales within gaming is a good thing.
2023 has also blessed us with a tremendous assortment of other games - BG3/TOTK/Resi4/Streetfighter/Starfield/LiesOfP/HiFi Rush/SM2/MarioW/CP2077 DLC/FF16 etc... definitely something for everyone
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 501
@R1spam Yeh Disco actually runs OK on Switch, albeit the boot-up is pretty long as you rightly say.
LoP is probably more similar to Bloodborne, but IMO it borrows heavily from all of From's portfolio... even the Lying/humanity system has echos of Demon Soul's 'world tendency'. A great first-time offering from a new dev, really exciting to see what they bring to the table next!
Yes Sekiro was actually my first FS game, and remains my favorite (even over Elden Ring). I played Sekiro on PS5 and it was smooth as anything 60fps. I am tempted to maybe re-buy for the Deck, as apparently it is one of the best games in terms of running/performance (both ER and Sekiro run brilliantly on Deck apparently
Happy gaming mate!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 501
@R1spam
Great to hear you're still pushing ahead with Blasphemous2... can't wait to hear your thoughts on the penultimate boss - he is the most BS boss I've faced in a while, my #2 worst of all time!
Lies of P is great isn't it? I'm playing on Deck, just storming through NG+ to get full trophies/achievements. Some of the early NG bosses are no joke, especially while you have limited resources. Brilliant first-effort from the devs, can't wait to see what they bring next!
Disco I played earlier this year... just wow. Unlike anything I've ever played before, and unlikely to play anything again similar. You definitely need to be in the right headspace, and it is a bit jarring coming from a Souls-y game into this. Brilliantly written and v funny, it is certainly a good time!
Re: The Brilliant Blasphemous 2 Is Getting a Last-Gen Port, Coming to PS4 in November
@Tchunga Snap, I picked this up on Switch Day #1 - being a huge fan of the original.
Overall I think it was a slight improvements over B1, albeit slightly easier... until the penultimate boss (Evernisto?) which was ridiculously difficult!
Great game, surprised not on 'last gen' already?
Re: Red Dead Redemption Runs at 4K, 30FPS on PS5
Any word on inclusion of X-Axis inversion for camera?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 487
Talking to my necktie again whilst attempting to (poorly) manage my propensity for substance abuse, alongside solving an unsightly murder and juggling the conceptualisation of my own identity....
Then, when it comes to games - I'll be continuing Day #2 in Disco Elysium.
Still not got that body down yet..
Re: Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Sets Pulses Racing with Jaw Dropping PS5 Story Trailer
This looks great in fairness, and I actually think the depiction of Kraven is really solid.
If anyone is into the comics, I'd highly recommend "Kraven's Last Hunt" - which is fairly dark in tone for Spiderman. A fantastic graphic novel, and does well to raise up Kraven as one of the biggest threats out there...
Re: Elden Ring Was a Bigger PS5, PS4 Hit Than Anyone Could Have Ever Predicted
@KundaliniRising333 Yeah I know mate, I just can’t resist feeding sometimes!
Re: Elden Ring Was a Bigger PS5, PS4 Hit Than Anyone Could Have Ever Predicted
@VaultGuy415 - I largely disagree with that statement on many levels!
Elden Ring was (and continues to be) an incredible game in many ways, and FromSoftware achieved a remarkable feat in managing to make their IP as 'accessible' as possible for the mainstream/newcomers whilst still appealing to their core audience. I played ER at launch, and it was a phenomenal experience. My personal 2022 GOTY...
As well as being a huge FromSoft fan (Sekiro one of my favorite games of all time) I am also very much into Zelda/Nintendo... and kicked off playing TotK this weekend. TotK , as well as its predecessor, is a fantastic game. Perhaps it is more 'evolution' instead of 'revolution', but nonetheless it builds very strongly on the previous formula and introduces a great sandbox environment with updated mechanics. A few frame-rate drops aside, it is an immaculate game and a fine example of Nintendo doing what they do best (FR drops expected, this game really pushes the Switch to its limits...)
To say that the release of TotK makes ER irrelevant is so.... wrong? It is entirely possible to love both games (As I do) or just one of them, or neither.... but to say that ER no longer has a place in the conversation since the release of TotK is pretty unjustified. I'd argue that if you were to combine the best elements of these games and merge, you'd have one hell of a product.
TLDR - Both games, ER and TotK, are fantastic. One does not make the other obsolete.... With FF16 on the horizon as well, plus Starfield, its a great time to be a gamer. (Hoping FF16 and SF land successfully, few concerns on the latter but hopefully Bethedsa pull through)
Re: Oh No, the Bloodborne Remake Rumours Have Returned
Honestly, a 60 FPS patch for the original would make all the difference.... BUT in saying that, a full-scale remake would not be unwelcome!
I'm unsure what project/s Sony has Bluepoint working on since the acquisition? But surely Bluepoint would be the obvious developer to undertake this, based on their exemplary work with DeS.
Seems strange actually that this remake hasn't been pushed before now? It would be an absolute 'open goal' for Sony, especially since the success of Elden Ring and FromSoftware becoming less niche and more open to the casual market.
Any product with the marketing strapline "From the creators of Elden Ring" will sell effortlessly.... and Bloodborne also happens to be a class act.
(nb. I'd rather see a Sekiro sequel personally, but this is likely a personal sickness of mine and not an opinion attributable to the masses)
TLDR - Bloodborne remake would not be unwelcome at all, Sony would absolutely print money in doing so, and IMO Bluepoint are the perfect dev to pull this off.
Re: Soapbox: Final Fantasy 16 Is the Most Excited I've Been for the Series in Almost 20 Years
I no longer have my PS5 - but I suspect if I did then this would have been be a “Day 1” for me.
Considering the team working on this, and the divisive response to XV, I’d really hope that SE go “all in” on making the great game that I believe they are capable of.
7R left me with mixed feelings…. so much that I loved and so much I loathed. The combat (IMO) was a series-best, and I actually loved the batsh*t crazy narrative beats helmed by Nomura. Also the materia system and build flexibility was pretty good. The DLC was class as well. However, it just had so much…. Bloat I guess? Infantile sub quests and more corridors than you could shake a stick at.
If 7R had halved its base game content from a 40hr experience to 20hr I think it could have really been great. Those hungry for more could then roll straight into hard mode, less likely to be burnt out from gathering up all the cats in the slums lol
But seriously so far the trailers and previews for XVI look great, and I’d be excited for what’s coming here. This and TotK within months of each others is a great time to be a gamer