@NEStalgia I am not on the fence anymore. I pulled the trigger about a month ago! I missed this world!
I am very tempted to sell my Xbox Series X as I really don't need it anymore except to some of the games I don't have on PC (yet, but plan to at some point in the future).
The PS5 I will keep just because there are still games there that aren't on PC (and may not be guaranteed to get PC releases) - but if/when FF7 Rebirth, Astro Bot, Demon's Souls, Spider-Man 2, and Stellar Blade ever come to PC, I will get rid of the PS5 too as those are the only games I have that don't have PC equivalents.
I can always emulate the Xbox and PlayStation games I own that don't have official PC releases and never will (e.g. Resistance, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Uncharted 1 - 3, etc.).
I have 6TB of space to work with between 2 internal M.2 drives (1 2TB Western Digital Blue 6GB/s read that came with the PC and is the primary system drive and 1 2TB Samsung 990 Pro 7.4GB/s Read that I got for $150 and have almost filled up with games) and 1 2TB External HDD that I used to have hooked up to my Series X that I use for Emulators and applicable games as well as set as my default Windows Downloads location (to help save on Write operations on my M.2 drives).
@NEStalgia @B0udoir I had a Diamond Monster 3D accelerator (Voodoo 1). I remember there was a cable that had a male and female VGA adapter. One screwed into the onboard video output and the other connected to the monitor. I remember playing the original Unreal for the first time and wondering how the graphics in that game were even possible!
Plug and Play was still young then - and sometimes didn't work as expected, requiring manual intervention.
I remember, in college, I upgraded from 8MB of RAM to a whopping 32MB of RAM. I was hot stuff!
I also remember being the only person to be able to play GLQuake when everyone else had to rely on software rendering. I could see rockets coming at me from a mile away due to the light corona that were added - made people so mad during out dorm Deathmatch nights.
I still relive those glory days of DOS using DOSBox as well as using the official Roland SoundCanvas VA virtual synthesizer, FalcoSoft Midi Player to host SCVA (I also use MUNT for MT-32 and CM-32L emulation), LoopMidi to act as a virtual Midi Port, and CoolSoft Midi mapper to ensure that all Midi files played in Windows are routed to the FalcoSoft Midi player using LoopMidi rather than using the built-in Windows GS Synth.
And if anyone who reads what I wrote is scratching their heads at the complexity of it all will now understand that everything I do is actually even less complicated than it used to be with requiring an actual Roland SC-55 unit, cables to connect to the external Midi device, cables to connect back to your computers Audio In port so that the music comes out of your PC speakers along with the game audio, and then going into setup executables for every game to ensure Music and Audio devices are pointing to the correct place.
Heck, I remember you had to setup how many simultaneous sounds you would like to have as some sound cards could only handle a few sounds at a time. DOOM had a max of 8 possible sounds at once.
Plus, there was a huge difference between using General Midi, Soundblaster, Gravis Ultrasound, MT-32, and even AWE32 music! Redbook - or CD audio - wasn't around for a while and that was only 16-bit 44Khz Stereo. It was years before digital 24-bit 48Khz multichannel audio came around for games!
It's great that DOOM 1 & 2 on Steam still has the original WAD files because sometimes its fun playing them through DOSBox (though I will say that the Enhanced Music for E1M1 of DOOM in the latest release is amazing). The best part is that it still requires going into the Setup to change some settings - thankfully they added the option to do so. With the previous DOOM on Steam, you had to find the DOOM setup.exe online to change settings (or edit the cfg file if you had the menu option numbers memorized).
I mean, sure there are Source Ports like GZDoom that require no extra setup, but that just goes to show how much easier gaming has changed today.
@K-Wud It would be amazing if Microsoft made a Windows for Gaming and made it available for all PCs - imagine cutting out significant amounts of overhead with a barebones version of Windows that only runs games/game storefronts
Having taken a 12 year hiatus from PC in favor of consoles and then returning to PC, I can honestly say PC gaming has never been easier!
Heck plenty of games have an Auto-Detect Setting. Nvidia has settings profiles for games, too.
If you just simply want to play the game, you almost never have to go into the Settings menus if you don't want to and still have at least console quality settings.
I got God of War for PC recently for like $10. Out of the box in its Original Graphical Preset (which match the PS4 settings), it looks fine and runs at like 140fps @1440p. If you had no care about using Ultra settings (which runs at around 90 - 120 fps @1440p), then all you have to do is push start and go.
People always say, "Well you can't build a PC for $700 to match PS5" - which is true. But a PS5 also doesn't support games prior to PS4 where as PC can cover games over the last...what...50 years?! Granted, sometimes you have to get community patches for really old games (Max Payne has a music bug that is easily fixed with a quick download), but most of those are a Google Search away (or heck, even the Steam Discussion board for the game will have answers with Links) and come with instructions and sometimes even have Installers to guide you through the process!
So, no...you can't get a PC that matches a PS5 for $700, but you can spend $1500 - $2000 for a PS5, PS4, PS3, PS2, PS1, Series X, X360, OG Xbox, Switch, Wii U, Wii, Gamcecube, N64, SNES, NES, Dreamcast, Sega CD, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Atari, Arcade Machine, Turbo Grafx 16, etc., etc. all wrapped into one - and will probably still outclass the next consoles.
@ChrisDeku I’m lucky enough that I live in a state that has a few Amazon distro centers - heck, one is about 30 minutes from my hometown. I have the same kind of options from Amazon.
It just seemed like, according to the article and comments, getting physical in the mail was spotty in UK and it sounded like there was only a single option.
I think the only bug I have come across - if it's even considered a bug - is that every time I get new items for the special characters from the capsule machine, the Bloodborne mound shines as if there is an unlock there - but it never changes!
While I am sure Astro Bot doesn't need to be a mega-million seller to be profitable, having mega-million sales would send a nice message to Sony that people still love these smaller first-party games that Sony abandoned in favor of blockbusters.
Hopefully it's just a matter of Japanese consumers preferring to buy digitally rather than physical.
I also hope it resonated more on in other regions as Japan really is Nintendo territory these days.
I think $699 is fine…if the drive and stand were included - especially since it has 2TB of storage.
As it stands (no pun intended), the target audience for this - who still prefer physical media - are looking at closer to $800 due to having to buy the drive.
Perhaps Sony should have come out with one that only had 1TB and a disc drive that cost $599 - $649.
@NEStalgia @OldGamer999 I think that's the based on the fact that historically GTA games tend to be CPU-bound and not GPU bound (and the Pro is a GPU boost, not CPU).
@mariomaster96 I mean, it is partly Microsoft's fault by not delivering games that resonated with people as well as giving the advertising department a shoe-string budget to work with.
Sony also did a great job making PlayStation synonymous with gaming.
But the thing is, apparently people ARE interested in Microsoft games as the second Microsoft started announcing PS5 games, there were articles and comments everywhere with port requests left and right!
The idea of buying the console for the games they asked for was out of the question despite those people telling Xbox fans to buy a PlayStation if they want to play Sony games
@Ravix Stars level would be pretty cheap way to determine "active user". I have used my PS5 a lot this year and my Stars level is still 1 because I don't actually buy anything from PSN.
In order to achieve Level 2, I would need to make a full game purchase off PSN. Pretty garbage move to lock Stars levels behind digital-only purchase, if you ask me!
Not that I ultimately care about my Star level, just saying it's not a reliable source of determining who is "Active" on PlayStation.
@Octaslasher On one hand, I see your point; on the other had, if someone decided to take a Tarantino film and made it animated by painting over the original film and still use all the voice work and music, it’s still technically the film Tarantino directed, but with the addition of an art director.
I mean Doom wasn't 3D but had 3d movement. There were plenty of 2D dungeon crawlers. Elder Scrolls was 2D for a while.
Star Fox ran at 15fps. There were 2D versions of the same kind of on-rails shooter like Space Harrier that ran much faster.
Out of the World. It was 3D on a 2D plane. There were plenty of games like Prince of Persia that weren't 3D. The 2D versions ran better.
Flashback - again, 2D. Blackthorne had similar gameplay and wasn't 3D rendered - and ran faster.
It wasn't until 3D had matured due to significant R&D and investment when things like Super Mario 64 actually changed the way we play games in 3D.
Real-time RT COULD have gameplay purposes if it was invested in. Like, I know Digital Foundry created a camera obscura in Minecraft RTX thanks to real-world behaviors of path-tracing. Colored lights can be blended together to make other colors.
I could see puzzle games using RT lighting for something.
If there was better hardware to run it fast enough for competitive multi-player, I could see using mirrors, world reflections, and even player shadows as a means to locating enemies on a battlefield.
I could see reflecting light from the sun as a means to signaling players - or heck even the reflection of light off a sniper scope to locating enemies snipers - and also changing the strategy for said snipers.
Or heck, actual flashlights in games having real use as most games where flashlights are “required” always seem to have enough light where it’s not needed rather than being pitch black due to absence of light.
Quake 2 RTX actually does this and it completely changes how one progresses through stages.
There is a lot that CAN be done with it...but with really only Nvidia and Intel taking it seriously (AMD just reacts), it's taking a lot longer for the technology to mature.
Just because it hasn't been used for gameplay, doesn't mean it has no gameplay implications.
@PuppetMaster Konami’s investment in actually making sure the game runs fine is a much different conversation than the feasibility of porting the game.
I have zero confidence in modern Konami to make it happen. Konami will want to make it as cheap as possible.
As impressive as MGS Delta looks, it’s literally only a new coat of paint plastered over the original game - animations and all!
@PuppetMaster So did 3D at one point. But thanks to R&D and investment, it's trivial to render.
By your logic, almost everything that makes up game visuals is cosmetic. Who needs lights and shadows? Who needs textures? Heck, who needs character models for that matter?
Yes, real-time RT hasn't been used for any gameplay purposes as far as I know. But it is important for companies to invest in so it is no longer resource heavy.
If people had the same attitude about 3D rendering as people have for real-time RT, we wouldn't have progressed past SNES days.
The bottom line is that the more complex environments get, the harder and harder it gets for developers to convincingly light those scenes. Real-time RT being the standard means that lighting those complex scenes convincingly is a heck of a lot easier.
@PuppetMaster Real-time RT has more than just a cosmetic benefit. Much like how enhancements in 3D rendering have allowed developers to do things that would have taken forever using traditional 2D hand-drawn methods, Real-time RT can allow developers to light scenes much faster than continuing to have to hand-craft lighting to look convincing.
The fact that a lot of RT doesn't look much different than the rasterized version is a huge credit to the artists creating those scenes. But the amount of labor that it took to light those scenes to look even close to RT can be simply reduced if real-time RT becomes a standard (which requires R&D and actual investment in the technology).
@PuppetMaster Konami had a working version of MGS4 on Xbox 360. But, due to Xbox 360 using DVD instead of Blu-ray, it would have a chapter book of discs, so Konami canned it.
I have been playing Rebirth on Quality Mode and it looks fine to me - even at 30fps.
Though...is it just me or does the lighting and skin rendering of Rebirth look worse than Remake?
Forget the whole resolution issue, I feel like Remake just looked better overall. Only thing I can think of is that there really wasn't a lot of direct sunlight in Remake and the game just had a different look with all the artificial lights rather than Rebirth actually being considered a "downgrade". I do prefer the look of Remake, though for some reason.
@UltimateOtaku91 Final Fantasy VII Remake for Switch confirmed! 😂
@Orpheus79V Agreed. I am sure this is just the start of PSSR. I am sure it will be front-and-center of the PS6 feature set.
But yeah, without actually seeing DLSS in action, it's hard to wrap your head around just how amazing it is. It is essentially a form of anti-aliasing with the benefit that the GPU renders a lower internal resolution to achieve the same image quality.
The image quality that consoles players have experienced with FSR is not representative of the power of upscaling technology (and honestly, does FSR a disservice all together as developers use it as a crutch to get a 1440p 30fps game to a 720p 60fps game and upscale to 4K rather than using it as intended: which is to get a 1440p/60fps game to look like a 4K/60fps game).
@LowDefAl Agreed. I think it does matter for some older games to know the raw output of the GPU. I can get Alien Isolation to run above 500fps if I turn off V-Sync. But, yeah, with AI taking the helm for a lot of games, hardware can essentially "punch above its weight".
If I crank Alan Wake 2 all the way up and keep things native without any frame generation at all...the framerate is basically 30fps in Cauldron Lake (and like 40s in other areas). AI is basically doing most of the work keeping things feeling above 60fps and looking 1440p.
Technically, AMD GPUs have better rasterization than Nvidia cards for lower cost. But because of the AI capabilities in Nvidia cards, it just ends up being better for games.
I bet the Switch 2 will look better than Series S simply because it will probably have Nvidia upscaling technology under the hood - which is the Gold Standard for AI technology for gaming.
Even if the Switch 2 can still only do 1080p internally docked, my guess is DLSS will be available (and probably be better than PC given its bare metal access) and will output 4K just fine.
Nice designs. I know some people have redoing their versions with more sexualized women (because...of course...internet), but you can still make non-sexualized versions without looking boring.
This artist achieved that!
It's called being "flashy" without relying on titillation (not that there is anything wrong with sexy outfits, but clearly the developers wanted to avoid it).
@OldGamer999 Well, having switched to PC from XSX and PS5, I can tell you that AI enabled upscaling is really, really good!
So, PSSR will make it will look a lot cleaner on your TV since it will be imperceptible from running at native resolution when being passed to your TV and won't have the typical upscaling softness associated with TV upscaling.
But, agreed, it's an incredibly expensive upgrade for such a small benefit.
I scoffed at the idea of using DLSS when I first got it (I'd just dial back some settings to achieve at least 60fps at native resolution), but I use it all the time now if it means being able to run at significantly higher visual settings and/or framerate beyond consoles - heck even for games that run above 60fps at native resolution I will still use it. Just for reference, my GPU is a 4070 Super (so kind of upper-mid Tier class card)
My monitor is G-sync 1440p/165Hz, so even "Quality" DLSS is sub 1080p internally, but I still notice more details on games on my PC than I do on my 4K TV (Lords of the Fallen looks absolutely insane on PC compared to PS5 - and runs at like 80-90fps with DLSS Quality mode and Ultra settings - with no Frame Generation).
Things like Nivida Reflex help too as games like Wukong that rely on Frame Generation from like internal 40-ish fps still feel perfectly fine with a Gamepad. I don't play competitive games, so playing with a Gamepad is perfectly fine for me.
I can play Alan Wake 2 completely cranked up with DLSS Balanced and Frame Generation and get like 60 - 70 fps in the Cauldron Lake area (heaviest part of game) and well above 80 fps in other areas and it feels no different than playing on the Series X from a controller response perspective.
I hate to use the PC as a comparison, but since the Pro does have DLSS/XeSS-like features with AI, it is worth noting just how powerful the technology can be (even though the Nvidia 4070 Super is technically a 35 TFLOP GPU and the PS5 Pro being 45% faster means it's about 15TFLOPs...as if TFLOPS even matter anymore with the birth of AI being used to assist with image quality).
@OldGamer999 Of course it's all "smoke and mirrors". Even people with uber-PCs using Nvidia 4090 cards will rely on DLSS for a 4K output.
Native resolution doesn't matter as long as the AI upscaling is good and the internal resolution isn't being stretched more than it should. All Sony needs is enough power to get games to internally at 1440 or 1080 (but absolutely no less).
It would be nice to know what each game gets as the added benefit - specifically.
Like, the only thing we know is that GT7 gets real-time RT during gameplay.
The "sizzle reel" Sony did at the end of the presentation didn't help because YouTube compression is terrible and everything pretty much looked the same.
I know it's early days as Sony only just now lifted the curtain, but it would be nice to know how each game will benefit.
It's not even that I want the system - I am just a tech junkie who loves to know the ins and outs of new technology.
I don't see this one selling too well at that price point and no physical drive - especially as this is aimed at enthusiasts (who happen to also want physical media).
There is so much charm! Image quality is absolutely pristine! There are so many nooks and crannies to look for in each level to collect everything! The music score is fantastic!
I wanted to like Destiny, but by the time I got around to giving it a try there was so much lore that has come and gone that it didn't even seem worth getting into it.
@PegasusActual93 I know real guns have intricacies, I just didn't realize anyone actually bothered with them in Call of Duty because when I played it (badly and only for like an hour because I hate multiplayer games), gun choice didn't seem to matter beyond pistol means constantly pressing shoot, machine gun meant hold down shoot, and shotgun is for close range.
My opinion of COD is not very positive - and this doesn't change my thoughts on COD as a whole - I was just surprised the developers actually take time to consider "real world" weapon performance.
I turned my Trophy notifications off and I can say it's so nice to not have game moments ruined by a system notification.
It also made me realize all the stupid collect-a-thons truly are the dumbest thing on the planet.
Nintendo had it right in Breath of the Wild for awarding literal poop to players who wasted their lives collecting all of the Korok Seeds.
Now, I certainly don't mind if a game pads length with things to do, but most make it all feel like a chore list than actually something engaging and fun.
100% a Mario game is a lot more fun than collecting trinkets in carefully (or not so carefully) hidden areas around a map.
Spoiler alert: I hate Trophies/Achievements.
That being said, I do have a few Platinums on my profile - but that was because I found the gameplay loop to getting those Trophies engaging that I actually wanted to do everything the game had to offer. It had nothing to do with the Trophy itself as much as I was just enjoying the game to its fullest.
@UltimateOtaku91 Not a fair comparison when PS3 sold 87.4 million. So being around 8 - 9 million falls in line with the typical 10 - 20% makeup of a consoles “core” gamers.
PS4 has probably about 40 million more units sold so having 12+ million for a game is much easier to achieve.
I think what Sony should learn from Astro Bot is that there is room for Sony to embrace both the cinematic third-person action titles that people love AND the more light-hearted “fun” games that actually make people smile. All seem to be represented in Astro Bot and all are looked at fondly.
Whether it’s new IP or a revival of a beloved classic, there is always room for smaller titles that appeal to more people than just those interested in cinematic experiences and also cost less to make!
The problem Sony has is that it’s latched on to cinematic and forgot about just having fun.
Nintendo may have mascots and turn-to
IP, but it’s not afraid to play with the formula of those IPs - even to the point of letting 3rd parties doing something with it (Mario + Rabbids, Minecraft Packs, Hyrule Warriors, etc.).
That being said, it has been a while since Nintendo released a new original IP. I want to say Splatoon was the last new IP that took off. ARMs had potential, but seemed to die off after support ended.
@PuppetMaster I thought that was an odd statement given that Sony is releasing a game that is an homage to Sony's history - including a wealth of first-party IP.
Off the top of my head, I have compiled a list of IP that Sony has at its disposal:
Demon's Souls
Bloodborne
God of War
Ghost of Tsushima
Ratchet & Clank
Jak & Daxter
Sly Cooper
Horizon
Days Gone
Death Stranding
Gravity Rush
Uncharted
The Last of Us
Ape Escape
Parappa the Rapper
LocoRoco
Ico-verse Games
Legend of Dragoon
Legend of Legaia
Knack
Wild Arms
Alundra
Dark Cloud
Rule of Rose
Folklore
Siren
I am sure there are a ton I am missing. But to say Sony doesn't have the IP is just strange. The company could absolutely breathe new life into dormant series.
@ArcadeHeroes I'd take it a bit further and say that it should also signal that quality single-player games that don't cost the GDP of some countries to develop are still a viable option as long as those games are carefully crafted and charming!
Not everything needs to be akin to a Hollywood blockbuster. It just needs to be fun and polished right out of the gate.
I have slowly lost interest in the game (and I am only in Chapter 2). It was cool at first, but the whole "boss rush" nature of it is starting to get old.
I still fire it up from time to time, but my hype has dissipated, and I find myself going back to older games instead.
Congrats on its success though! It's not a bad game at all (it's very good), it's just not gelling with my right now.
Comments 2,590
Re: Sony Boss Says 'PCs Are Difficult to Set Up', Firm Will Focus on PS5
@NEStalgia I am not on the fence anymore. I pulled the trigger about a month ago! I missed this world!
I am very tempted to sell my Xbox Series X as I really don't need it anymore except to some of the games I don't have on PC (yet, but plan to at some point in the future).
The PS5 I will keep just because there are still games there that aren't on PC (and may not be guaranteed to get PC releases) - but if/when FF7 Rebirth, Astro Bot, Demon's Souls, Spider-Man 2, and Stellar Blade ever come to PC, I will get rid of the PS5 too as those are the only games I have that don't have PC equivalents.
I can always emulate the Xbox and PlayStation games I own that don't have official PC releases and never will (e.g. Resistance, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Uncharted 1 - 3, etc.).
I have 6TB of space to work with between 2 internal M.2 drives (1 2TB Western Digital Blue 6GB/s read that came with the PC and is the primary system drive and 1 2TB Samsung 990 Pro 7.4GB/s Read that I got for $150 and have almost filled up with games) and 1 2TB External HDD that I used to have hooked up to my Series X that I use for Emulators and applicable games as well as set as my default Windows Downloads location (to help save on Write operations on my M.2 drives).
Re: Sony Boss Says 'PCs Are Difficult to Set Up', Firm Will Focus on PS5
@NEStalgia @B0udoir I had a Diamond Monster 3D accelerator (Voodoo 1). I remember there was a cable that had a male and female VGA adapter. One screwed into the onboard video output and the other connected to the monitor. I remember playing the original Unreal for the first time and wondering how the graphics in that game were even possible!
Plug and Play was still young then - and sometimes didn't work as expected, requiring manual intervention.
I remember, in college, I upgraded from 8MB of RAM to a whopping 32MB of RAM. I was hot stuff!
I also remember being the only person to be able to play GLQuake when everyone else had to rely on software rendering. I could see rockets coming at me from a mile away due to the light corona that were added - made people so mad during out dorm Deathmatch nights.
I still relive those glory days of DOS using DOSBox as well as using the official Roland SoundCanvas VA virtual synthesizer, FalcoSoft Midi Player to host SCVA (I also use MUNT for MT-32 and CM-32L emulation), LoopMidi to act as a virtual Midi Port, and CoolSoft Midi mapper to ensure that all Midi files played in Windows are routed to the FalcoSoft Midi player using LoopMidi rather than using the built-in Windows GS Synth.
And if anyone who reads what I wrote is scratching their heads at the complexity of it all will now understand that everything I do is actually even less complicated than it used to be with requiring an actual Roland SC-55 unit, cables to connect to the external Midi device, cables to connect back to your computers Audio In port so that the music comes out of your PC speakers along with the game audio, and then going into setup executables for every game to ensure Music and Audio devices are pointing to the correct place.
Heck, I remember you had to setup how many simultaneous sounds you would like to have as some sound cards could only handle a few sounds at a time. DOOM had a max of 8 possible sounds at once.
Plus, there was a huge difference between using General Midi, Soundblaster, Gravis Ultrasound, MT-32, and even AWE32 music! Redbook - or CD audio - wasn't around for a while and that was only 16-bit 44Khz Stereo. It was years before digital 24-bit 48Khz multichannel audio came around for games!
It's great that DOOM 1 & 2 on Steam still has the original WAD files because sometimes its fun playing them through DOSBox (though I will say that the Enhanced Music for E1M1 of DOOM in the latest release is amazing). The best part is that it still requires going into the Setup to change some settings - thankfully they added the option to do so. With the previous DOOM on Steam, you had to find the DOOM setup.exe online to change settings (or edit the cfg file if you had the menu option numbers memorized).
I mean, sure there are Source Ports like GZDoom that require no extra setup, but that just goes to show how much easier gaming has changed today.
But I think I have officially aged myself.
Re: Sony Boss Says 'PCs Are Difficult to Set Up', Firm Will Focus on PS5
@K-Wud It would be amazing if Microsoft made a Windows for Gaming and made it available for all PCs - imagine cutting out significant amounts of overhead with a barebones version of Windows that only runs games/game storefronts
Re: Sony Boss Says 'PCs Are Difficult to Set Up', Firm Will Focus on PS5
"PCs are difficult to set up"
Having taken a 12 year hiatus from PC in favor of consoles and then returning to PC, I can honestly say PC gaming has never been easier!
Heck plenty of games have an Auto-Detect Setting. Nvidia has settings profiles for games, too.
If you just simply want to play the game, you almost never have to go into the Settings menus if you don't want to and still have at least console quality settings.
I got God of War for PC recently for like $10. Out of the box in its Original Graphical Preset (which match the PS4 settings), it looks fine and runs at like 140fps @1440p. If you had no care about using Ultra settings (which runs at around 90 - 120 fps @1440p), then all you have to do is push start and go.
People always say, "Well you can't build a PC for $700 to match PS5" - which is true. But a PS5 also doesn't support games prior to PS4 where as PC can cover games over the last...what...50 years?! Granted, sometimes you have to get community patches for really old games (Max Payne has a music bug that is easily fixed with a quick download), but most of those are a Google Search away (or heck, even the Steam Discussion board for the game will have answers with Links) and come with instructions and sometimes even have Installers to guide you through the process!
So, no...you can't get a PC that matches a PS5 for $700, but you can spend $1500 - $2000 for a PS5, PS4, PS3, PS2, PS1, Series X, X360, OG Xbox, Switch, Wii U, Wii, Gamcecube, N64, SNES, NES, Dreamcast, Sega CD, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Atari, Arcade Machine, Turbo Grafx 16, etc., etc. all wrapped into one - and will probably still outclass the next consoles.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Astro Bot?
Hands down a 10!
Re: Astro Bot PS5 Sales Trending Ahead of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in the UK
@ChrisDeku I’m lucky enough that I live in a state that has a few Amazon distro centers - heck, one is about 30 minutes from my hometown. I have the same kind of options from Amazon.
It just seemed like, according to the article and comments, getting physical in the mail was spotty in UK and it sounded like there was only a single option.
Re: Astro Bot PS5 Sales Trending Ahead of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in the UK
Does the UK not have independent shipping services similar to UPS or Federal Express, or heck, even Amazon directly?
The US Postal System can be kind of crap sometimes, but thankfully we have options here.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth 'Hugely Improved' on PS5 Pro, a 'Night and Day' Difference
@DualWielding I am sure Digital Foundry has seen a lot of the PS5 Pro well before any of us.
They knew about the Series S well before it was announced, too.
I would bet they have seen the Switch 2 in action as well.
Of course, NDA prevents them from stating as such so they always talk about these things as if it's all "rumor" until it's officially confirmed.
It is good to know that PSSR is seemingly shaping up to be as beneficial as DLSS.
I'm still not getting a PS5 Pro, but for those who do, it sounds like a winner in the image quality arena.
Re: Astro Bot Update 1.003 Is Available to Download on PS5 Now
I think the only bug I have come across - if it's even considered a bug - is that every time I get new items for the special characters from the capsule machine, the Bloodborne mound shines as if there is an unlock there - but it never changes!
Re: Japan Sales Charts: Astro Bot Barely Registers at Retail, PS5 Numbers Plummet After Price Hike
These Astro Bot numbers make me sad.
While I am sure Astro Bot doesn't need to be a mega-million seller to be profitable, having mega-million sales would send a nice message to Sony that people still love these smaller first-party games that Sony abandoned in favor of blockbusters.
Hopefully it's just a matter of Japanese consumers preferring to buy digitally rather than physical.
I also hope it resonated more on in other regions as Japan really is Nintendo territory these days.
Re: Poll: Would You Buy PS5 Pro If It Was Cheaper?
I think $699 is fine…if the drive and stand were included - especially since it has 2TB of storage.
As it stands (no pun intended), the target audience for this - who still prefer physical media - are looking at closer to $800 due to having to buy the drive.
Perhaps Sony should have come out with one that only had 1TB and a disc drive that cost $599 - $649.
Re: Lack of Competition from Xbox Partly Why PS5 Pro Is $700, Says Analyst
@Intr1n5ic Are you talking about the Series X Galaxy Edition?
It still has a disc drive.
So, you are basically getting an extra 1 TB and saving $50 vs getting the 1TB Expansion Card ($149) - which is overpriced to begin with!
The All-digital 1TB is $449. There is no 2TB All-digital.
Re: Lack of Competition from Xbox Partly Why PS5 Pro Is $700, Says Analyst
@NEStalgia @OldGamer999 I think that's the based on the fact that historically GTA games tend to be CPU-bound and not GPU bound (and the Pro is a GPU boost, not CPU).
Re: Lack of Competition from Xbox Partly Why PS5 Pro Is $700, Says Analyst
@mariomaster96 I mean, it is partly Microsoft's fault by not delivering games that resonated with people as well as giving the advertising department a shoe-string budget to work with.
Sony also did a great job making PlayStation synonymous with gaming.
But the thing is, apparently people ARE interested in Microsoft games as the second Microsoft started announcing PS5 games, there were articles and comments everywhere with port requests left and right!
The idea of buying the console for the games they asked for was out of the question despite those people telling Xbox fans to buy a PlayStation if they want to play Sony games
So, here we are.
Re: Lack of Competition from Xbox Partly Why PS5 Pro Is $700, Says Analyst
You all wanted Xbox gone.
Enjoy the "benefits"!
Re: PS5 Pro Pre-Orders Will Be Exclusive to PS Direct for Two Weeks
@Ravix Stars level would be pretty cheap way to determine "active user". I have used my PS5 a lot this year and my Stars level is still 1 because I don't actually buy anything from PSN.
In order to achieve Level 2, I would need to make a full game purchase off PSN. Pretty garbage move to lock Stars levels behind digital-only purchase, if you ask me!
Not that I ultimately care about my Star level, just saying it's not a reliable source of determining who is "Active" on PlayStation.
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta PS5 Won't Be 'a Hideo Kojima Game'
@Octaslasher On one hand, I see your point; on the other had, if someone decided to take a Tarantino film and made it animated by painting over the original film and still use all the voice work and music, it’s still technically the film Tarantino directed, but with the addition of an art director.
Re: 'It Felt Like Putting New Glasses On,' Claims First PS5 Pro Hands On
@PuppetMaster Did it though?
I mean Doom wasn't 3D but had 3d movement. There were plenty of 2D dungeon crawlers. Elder Scrolls was 2D for a while.
Star Fox ran at 15fps. There were 2D versions of the same kind of on-rails shooter like Space Harrier that ran much faster.
Out of the World. It was 3D on a 2D plane. There were plenty of games like Prince of Persia that weren't 3D. The 2D versions ran better.
Flashback - again, 2D. Blackthorne had similar gameplay and wasn't 3D rendered - and ran faster.
It wasn't until 3D had matured due to significant R&D and investment when things like Super Mario 64 actually changed the way we play games in 3D.
Real-time RT COULD have gameplay purposes if it was invested in. Like, I know Digital Foundry created a camera obscura in Minecraft RTX thanks to real-world behaviors of path-tracing. Colored lights can be blended together to make other colors.
I could see puzzle games using RT lighting for something.
If there was better hardware to run it fast enough for competitive multi-player, I could see using mirrors, world reflections, and even player shadows as a means to locating enemies on a battlefield.
I could see reflecting light from the sun as a means to signaling players - or heck even the reflection of light off a sniper scope to locating enemies snipers - and also changing the strategy for said snipers.
Or heck, actual flashlights in games having real use as most games where flashlights are “required” always seem to have enough light where it’s not needed rather than being pitch black due to absence of light.
Quake 2 RTX actually does this and it completely changes how one progresses through stages.
There is a lot that CAN be done with it...but with really only Nvidia and Intel taking it seriously (AMD just reacts), it's taking a lot longer for the technology to mature.
Just because it hasn't been used for gameplay, doesn't mean it has no gameplay implications.
Re: MGS: Master Collection Vol. 2 Is in the Works, But Games Not Decided Yet
@PuppetMaster Konami’s investment in actually making sure the game runs fine is a much different conversation than the feasibility of porting the game.
I have zero confidence in modern Konami to make it happen. Konami will want to make it as cheap as possible.
As impressive as MGS Delta looks, it’s literally only a new coat of paint plastered over the original game - animations and all!
Re: 'It Felt Like Putting New Glasses On,' Claims First PS5 Pro Hands On
@PuppetMaster So did 3D at one point. But thanks to R&D and investment, it's trivial to render.
By your logic, almost everything that makes up game visuals is cosmetic. Who needs lights and shadows? Who needs textures? Heck, who needs character models for that matter?
Yes, real-time RT hasn't been used for any gameplay purposes as far as I know. But it is important for companies to invest in so it is no longer resource heavy.
If people had the same attitude about 3D rendering as people have for real-time RT, we wouldn't have progressed past SNES days.
The bottom line is that the more complex environments get, the harder and harder it gets for developers to convincingly light those scenes. Real-time RT being the standard means that lighting those complex scenes convincingly is a heck of a lot easier.
Re: 'It Felt Like Putting New Glasses On,' Claims First PS5 Pro Hands On
@PuppetMaster Real-time RT has more than just a cosmetic benefit. Much like how enhancements in 3D rendering have allowed developers to do things that would have taken forever using traditional 2D hand-drawn methods, Real-time RT can allow developers to light scenes much faster than continuing to have to hand-craft lighting to look convincing.
The fact that a lot of RT doesn't look much different than the rasterized version is a huge credit to the artists creating those scenes. But the amount of labor that it took to light those scenes to look even close to RT can be simply reduced if real-time RT becomes a standard (which requires R&D and actual investment in the technology).
Re: MGS: Master Collection Vol. 2 Is in the Works, But Games Not Decided Yet
@PuppetMaster Konami had a working version of MGS4 on Xbox 360. But, due to Xbox 360 using DVD instead of Blu-ray, it would have a chapter book of discs, so Konami canned it.
In other words, Cell was not required.
Re: 'It Felt Like Putting New Glasses On,' Claims First PS5 Pro Hands On
I have been playing Rebirth on Quality Mode and it looks fine to me - even at 30fps.
Though...is it just me or does the lighting and skin rendering of Rebirth look worse than Remake?
Forget the whole resolution issue, I feel like Remake just looked better overall. Only thing I can think of is that there really wasn't a lot of direct sunlight in Remake and the game just had a different look with all the artificial lights rather than Rebirth actually being considered a "downgrade". I do prefer the look of Remake, though for some reason.
@UltimateOtaku91 Final Fantasy VII Remake for Switch confirmed! 😂
Re: All PS5 Pro Compatible Games
@Orpheus79V Agreed. I am sure this is just the start of PSSR. I am sure it will be front-and-center of the PS6 feature set.
But yeah, without actually seeing DLSS in action, it's hard to wrap your head around just how amazing it is. It is essentially a form of anti-aliasing with the benefit that the GPU renders a lower internal resolution to achieve the same image quality.
The image quality that consoles players have experienced with FSR is not representative of the power of upscaling technology (and honestly, does FSR a disservice all together as developers use it as a crutch to get a 1440p 30fps game to a 720p 60fps game and upscale to 4K rather than using it as intended: which is to get a 1440p/60fps game to look like a 4K/60fps game).
Re: All PS5 Pro Compatible Games
@LowDefAl Agreed. I think it does matter for some older games to know the raw output of the GPU. I can get Alien Isolation to run above 500fps if I turn off V-Sync. But, yeah, with AI taking the helm for a lot of games, hardware can essentially "punch above its weight".
If I crank Alan Wake 2 all the way up and keep things native without any frame generation at all...the framerate is basically 30fps in Cauldron Lake (and like 40s in other areas). AI is basically doing most of the work keeping things feeling above 60fps and looking 1440p.
Technically, AMD GPUs have better rasterization than Nvidia cards for lower cost. But because of the AI capabilities in Nvidia cards, it just ends up being better for games.
I bet the Switch 2 will look better than Series S simply because it will probably have Nvidia upscaling technology under the hood - which is the Gold Standard for AI technology for gaming.
Even if the Switch 2 can still only do 1080p internally docked, my guess is DLSS will be available (and probably be better than PC given its bare metal access) and will output 4K just fine.
Re: Freelance Artist Attempts to Redesign PS5, PC Flop Concord's Cast
Nice designs. I know some people have redoing their versions with more sexualized women (because...of course...internet), but you can still make non-sexualized versions without looking boring.
This artist achieved that!
It's called being "flashy" without relying on titillation (not that there is anything wrong with sexy outfits, but clearly the developers wanted to avoid it).
The Hawaiian shirt on the robot is great!
Re: All PS5 Pro Compatible Games
@OldGamer999 Well, having switched to PC from XSX and PS5, I can tell you that AI enabled upscaling is really, really good!
So, PSSR will make it will look a lot cleaner on your TV since it will be imperceptible from running at native resolution when being passed to your TV and won't have the typical upscaling softness associated with TV upscaling.
But, agreed, it's an incredibly expensive upgrade for such a small benefit.
I scoffed at the idea of using DLSS when I first got it (I'd just dial back some settings to achieve at least 60fps at native resolution), but I use it all the time now if it means being able to run at significantly higher visual settings and/or framerate beyond consoles - heck even for games that run above 60fps at native resolution I will still use it. Just for reference, my GPU is a 4070 Super (so kind of upper-mid Tier class card)
My monitor is G-sync 1440p/165Hz, so even "Quality" DLSS is sub 1080p internally, but I still notice more details on games on my PC than I do on my 4K TV (Lords of the Fallen looks absolutely insane on PC compared to PS5 - and runs at like 80-90fps with DLSS Quality mode and Ultra settings - with no Frame Generation).
Things like Nivida Reflex help too as games like Wukong that rely on Frame Generation from like internal 40-ish fps still feel perfectly fine with a Gamepad. I don't play competitive games, so playing with a Gamepad is perfectly fine for me.
I can play Alan Wake 2 completely cranked up with DLSS Balanced and Frame Generation and get like 60 - 70 fps in the Cauldron Lake area (heaviest part of game) and well above 80 fps in other areas and it feels no different than playing on the Series X from a controller response perspective.
I hate to use the PC as a comparison, but since the Pro does have DLSS/XeSS-like features with AI, it is worth noting just how powerful the technology can be (even though the Nvidia 4070 Super is technically a 35 TFLOP GPU and the PS5 Pro being 45% faster means it's about 15TFLOPs...as if TFLOPS even matter anymore with the birth of AI being used to assist with image quality).
Re: PS5 Pro Can Run PS4 Games Better Via Improved Backwards Compatibility
Translation:
Re: All PS5 Pro Compatible Games
@Sanquine Oooo, does that mean Sony can put the 8K Logo back on the box?! 😂
Re: All PS5 Pro Compatible Games
@OldGamer999 Of course it's all "smoke and mirrors". Even people with uber-PCs using Nvidia 4090 cards will rely on DLSS for a 4K output.
Native resolution doesn't matter as long as the AI upscaling is good and the internal resolution isn't being stretched more than it should. All Sony needs is enough power to get games to internally at 1440 or 1080 (but absolutely no less).
Re: All PS5 Pro Compatible Games
It would be nice to know what each game gets as the added benefit - specifically.
Like, the only thing we know is that GT7 gets real-time RT during gameplay.
The "sizzle reel" Sony did at the end of the presentation didn't help because YouTube compression is terrible and everything pretty much looked the same.
I know it's early days as Sony only just now lifted the curtain, but it would be nice to know how each game will benefit.
It's not even that I want the system - I am just a tech junkie who loves to know the ins and outs of new technology.
Re: PS5 Pro Announced, Costs $700 and Out in November
I'll stick with what I have, thanks!
I don't see this one selling too well at that price point and no physical drive - especially as this is aimed at enthusiasts (who happen to also want physical media).
Re: Astro Bot PS5 Sales 'Aren't Huge' in UK, But There's Still Hope
@McTwist This game is worth the $70 IMHO.
There is so much charm! Image quality is absolutely pristine! There are so many nooks and crannies to look for in each level to collect everything! The music score is fantastic!
This is joy in its purest form!
Plus, it's completely polished on Day 1.
Re: Bungie Commits to Destiny 2 DLC and Support Through 2026
I wanted to like Destiny, but by the time I got around to giving it a try there was so much lore that has come and gone that it didn't even seem worth getting into it.
Re: PS5 Pro Showcase Set for Tomorrow, Hosted by Mark Cerny
While I won't get a PS5 Pro, I am at least curious about the hardware. I will definitely tune in.
Re: Black Ops 6 Nerfs Its Best Weapon for Second PS5, PS4 Beta Weekend
@PegasusActual93 I know real guns have intricacies, I just didn't realize anyone actually bothered with them in Call of Duty because when I played it (badly and only for like an hour because I hate multiplayer games), gun choice didn't seem to matter beyond pistol means constantly pressing shoot, machine gun meant hold down shoot, and shotgun is for close range.
My opinion of COD is not very positive - and this doesn't change my thoughts on COD as a whole - I was just surprised the developers actually take time to consider "real world" weapon performance.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Astro Bot?
Still waiting on my copy to arrive from Amazon.
I can't wait to play it, though!
Re: Gallery: Astro Bot Has the Best PS5 Controller Design Yet
It would have been pretty epic of those eyes were actually animated when playing Astro Bot.
Still, a pretty cute design! I won't get one, but I like it.
Re: Soapbox: I Spent 3 Days with the Concord Trophy Hunters Who Dedicated Their Lives to Unlocking the PS5, PC Platinum
I turned my Trophy notifications off and I can say it's so nice to not have game moments ruined by a system notification.
It also made me realize all the stupid collect-a-thons truly are the dumbest thing on the planet.
Nintendo had it right in Breath of the Wild for awarding literal poop to players who wasted their lives collecting all of the Korok Seeds.
Now, I certainly don't mind if a game pads length with things to do, but most make it all feel like a chore list than actually something engaging and fun.
100% a Mario game is a lot more fun than collecting trinkets in carefully (or not so carefully) hidden areas around a map.
Spoiler alert: I hate Trophies/Achievements.
That being said, I do have a few Platinums on my profile - but that was because I found the gameplay loop to getting those Trophies engaging that I actually wanted to do everything the game had to offer. It had nothing to do with the Trophy itself as much as I was just enjoying the game to its fullest.
Re: PS5, PC Disaster Concord Is Now Officially Offline Indefinitely
@get2sammyb Fatality!
Re: Black Ops 6 Nerfs Its Best Weapon for Second PS5, PS4 Beta Weekend
Wow, who knew weapons in Call of Duty actually had this much thought to them?!
Here I thought it was all just "pew pew pew" until opponent dies and gets tea-bagged.
Re: Astro's Playroom Is Having a Party Inside Your PS5 Right Now
Truly adorable!
The countdown in Robotese is the cutest thing!
Re: Soapbox: Astro Bot PS5 Is Not a Graveyard, It's a Joyful Demonstration of Sony's Unique Ability to Reinvent Itself
@UltimateOtaku91 All the disillusioned Xbox players who switched after the botched X1 release decided to go “all in” on PlayStation, I guess.
Or perhaps just a change in attitude towards gaming as a whole.
Who knows? It is an interesting shift, though.
Re: Soapbox: Astro Bot PS5 Is Not a Graveyard, It's a Joyful Demonstration of Sony's Unique Ability to Reinvent Itself
@UltimateOtaku91 2-3 million? That surprises me given the way people talk about the games!
I was more of a PC gamer during this particular generation. I owned a PS3 and had a few games, but I wasn’t big on the system.
I think the only games I have left for my PS3 are MGS4, Resistance, and Ico/Shadow of the Colossus Collection.
Re: Soapbox: Astro Bot PS5 Is Not a Graveyard, It's a Joyful Demonstration of Sony's Unique Ability to Reinvent Itself
@UltimateOtaku91 Not a fair comparison when PS3 sold 87.4 million. So being around 8 - 9 million falls in line with the typical 10 - 20% makeup of a consoles “core” gamers.
PS4 has probably about 40 million more units sold so having 12+ million for a game is much easier to achieve.
Re: Soapbox: Astro Bot PS5 Is Not a Graveyard, It's a Joyful Demonstration of Sony's Unique Ability to Reinvent Itself
I think what Sony should learn from Astro Bot is that there is room for Sony to embrace both the cinematic third-person action titles that people love AND the more light-hearted “fun” games that actually make people smile. All seem to be represented in Astro Bot and all are looked at fondly.
Whether it’s new IP or a revival of a beloved classic, there is always room for smaller titles that appeal to more people than just those interested in cinematic experiences and also cost less to make!
The problem Sony has is that it’s latched on to cinematic and forgot about just having fun.
Nintendo may have mascots and turn-to
IP, but it’s not afraid to play with the formula of those IPs - even to the point of letting 3rd parties doing something with it (Mario + Rabbids, Minecraft Packs, Hyrule Warriors, etc.).
That being said, it has been a while since Nintendo released a new original IP. I want to say Splatoon was the last new IP that took off. ARMs had potential, but seemed to die off after support ended.
Re: PlayStation to Mark 30th Anniversary with New Gran Turismo Demo, Merch, Soundtracks
@PuppetMaster I thought that was an odd statement given that Sony is releasing a game that is an homage to Sony's history - including a wealth of first-party IP.
Off the top of my head, I have compiled a list of IP that Sony has at its disposal:
Demon's Souls
Bloodborne
God of War
Ghost of Tsushima
Ratchet & Clank
Jak & Daxter
Sly Cooper
Horizon
Days Gone
Death Stranding
Gravity Rush
Uncharted
The Last of Us
Ape Escape
Parappa the Rapper
LocoRoco
Ico-verse Games
Legend of Dragoon
Legend of Legaia
Knack
Wild Arms
Alundra
Dark Cloud
Rule of Rose
Folklore
Siren
I am sure there are a ton I am missing. But to say Sony doesn't have the IP is just strange. The company could absolutely breathe new life into dormant series.
Re: Astro Bot PS5 Is the Best Game of the Year So Far
@ArcadeHeroes I'd take it a bit further and say that it should also signal that quality single-player games that don't cost the GDP of some countries to develop are still a viable option as long as those games are carefully crafted and charming!
Not everything needs to be akin to a Hollywood blockbuster. It just needs to be fun and polished right out of the gate.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong's Sales Top 18 Million in Two Weeks on PS5, PC
I have slowly lost interest in the game (and I am only in Chapter 2). It was cool at first, but the whole "boss rush" nature of it is starting to get old.
I still fire it up from time to time, but my hype has dissipated, and I find myself going back to older games instead.
Congrats on its success though! It's not a bad game at all (it's very good), it's just not gelling with my right now.
Re: Astro Bot (PS5) - One of the Greatest PlayStation Platformers of All Time
See Sony - not everything needs to cost hundreds of millions of dollars in motion capture, voice acting, and script writing.
Sometimes just pure gaming joy is enough.
Nintendo does it all the time and pretty much everything that company produces turns a profit of some kind.