Lovespuds

I fell off Control first time around but have decided to give it another chance so that will be where I spend my time for the most part. I may start Xenoblade Chronicles on Switch too,, just to mix things up a little.

@Gr8VngnzN4esAngr
Yup, the world is in a depressing place at the moment and unfortunately, stupid people don't realise they are stupid (not that I think anyone here is stupid incidentally), but the rise in ignorance of science in particular is baffling to me, whether it is flat-earthers, climate change deniers or anti vaxers, how can you ignore facts so easily?

On the plus side, you can lose yourself in some brilliant entertainment products to try and offset some of the negativity.

I know nothing about Miles outside of the Spiderman game, I have yet to watch Spiderverse.

Regardless, i am really excited about this game, i loved the original so just having more Spidey is exciting in itself but, when i add in how it might look on PS5 too, well i can barely contain myself!!

I can't say I have made a determined effort to play it, but I have tried to log in on 5 different occasions but have been unsuccessful, I am only willing to click 'retry' so many times before I move on to play something else.

The servers seem to be a right mess.

@shonenjump86
I had an Odroid system bought for me by my wife at Christmas with every retro game you could name. It's interesting that I always felt Nintendo was superior to Sega, but the more MegaDrive games I play, the less certain I am of that. I beat Revenge of Shinobi a few weeks ago and was blown away by it.... That music!

I have been bouncing between games with nothing sticking since completing Tsushima, I had a good run at Sekiro but found myself getting worn down by one of the boss fights on NG+.

I have settled into Hollow Knight at the moment, such a stellar game, so I'll be playing that with some Everybody's Golf to mix things up a little.

Have a great weekend everyone.

The reveal was charming enough, but I simply dont get the appeal....now, Spelunky 2 on the other hand.....

Lots defending the Dualshock here, but I honestly have trouble believing some of the claims. I have 3 controllers chucked in a drawer because they dont last more than 2 or 3 hours and I have two new ones that I use in rotation and these only last around 8 hours or so.

It's not the end of the world, I dont mind rotating my controllers so one is always on charge but it is quite noticable when I compare PS4 controllers to my Switch Pro Controller which seems to last for ever on one charge (but Ninty do take the Mickey charging 60 quid or more for a bloody controller).

@KingPev
Hahaha, I can imagine that nickname raising a few eyebrows😂😂

@KingPev
Hahaha...... There are many reasons for how I have remained happily married for 24 years (and living together for 27 years), reckon one of 'em is that I haven't called her Mrs Lovespuds😂😂😂

@Westernwolf4
I celebrate 24 years of marriage to Mrs Lovespuds in September, like you dude, I have no idea how she puts up with me 😂😂

Some of the bosses are tough in Nioh, but I think overall, the difficulty is a little overstated, the game is very fair and you can level up quite nicely to ease the challenge if you get stuck. I think a bigger hurdle might be the amount of systems and combat options in play, it can seem a little daunting at first but honestly, I cannot recommend Nioh and Nioh 2 enough.

Sounds like you are going to adore Tsushima mate, loads of value for money too, its a big old game if you want to explore and see everything, enjoy👍👍

@Westernwolf4
"my wife urged me to stop fretting over a few bucks and live a little. She rules."

She sounds like a keeper chief 👍😁
Hope you enjoy Tsushima as much as everyone else, it really is a belting game, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

@Zeke68
I know Nioh has its fans, but I still feel the series is criminally overlooked. I will look to pick up the DLC once I finish the main game...... Flipping backlogs 😂

Have a fab weekend

@Col_McCafferty
Death Stranding just clicked for me and I found the gameplay loop really relaxing and addicting, maximising the order of my delivery routes and using my zip lines ended up being very satisfying. In fact, it was one of the rare times where I was a bit sad once the platinum trophy popped as I was still digging the game.

Have a tip top weekend duder.

Having picked up the plat in Tsushima I have gone back to Sekiro for a NG+ run through, hoping to platinum this too. I am on a real Japanese history and culture trip at the moment so already have plans to play my Phontom Thieves edition of Persona5 Royal once Sekiro is done. Probably sprinkle in a little My Hero Acedamia into the mix this weekend too, into season 4 now and loving it.

@Quintumply
Thanks for the review, I feel your comments line up with the score pretty well and, importantly for me, your impressions align pretty well with mine on this game.

I want to love it more than I do because I adore the look and sound of the game, but this is pretty much the main reason for wanting to play the game for me. Having said that, I have double dipped and bought it again so I have it on PS4 and Switch now🤔

@Nepp67
Horses for courses mate, we can like different things but I would just like to stress, I love Tsushima too. Personally, I felt the story was much more compelling in Horizon, I was really engrossed in finding out why the world was in the shape it was. Tsushima 's story was much more predictable I feel.

As for side characters I agree to an extent, but in reality, only a few of the side characters in Tsushima had fleshed out story lines, the rest were pretty much repetitive fetch qusts too and largely forgettable. I don't mind this so much, it is par for the course in open world games, but I personally felt Horizon was far less repetitive.

Each to their own I guess, have a good weekend.

@RogerRoger
I got the platinum in Bloodborne, have completed all the From Software games multiple times and am currently hunting down my Sekiro platinum trophy, none of these games were as difficult as Cuphead in my opinion and none of them were anywhere near as frustrating.

Just my 2 cents, if you find difficult games frustrating and you need to be selective about where you spend your money, I would exercise caution.

I got the platinum trophy a few nights ago and have to say, I absolutely loved my time with Tsushima. Now I am reflecting on the game I am starting to compare it to other open world games I have enjoyed and, whilst it was no doubt a stellar game, I am settling on the notion that I feel Horizon Zero Dawn was a better game.

I think you need to step back a little and allow some time when comparing how a game stacks up. I have seen so many comments suggesting it's the best exclusive on PS4 but I really don't think it can compete with Bloodborne or God of War for those kinds of honours.

@Nightcrawler71
I think it was a design choice to not have a lock on and for me, probably the right one. I think they wanted you to flow between differing opponents, if you lock on one then you would be easy prey for the other attackers.

It took some getting used too, but now I am blocking one attack before attacking another and then striking another who, while stunned allows me to focus on yet another incoming attacker. Encounters play out in a fashion that requires me to switch my attention quickly between foes and I love it.

@ApostateMage
I know what you are saying, but I felt frustration at Ellie's inability to move on rather feeling angry with her...... I don't think I could have coped with either Ellie or Abby being killed 😂

A few weeks on from completing the game I feel happy with the ending, I feel like I did eventually, at the end of it all, see Ellie make peace with her demons and start her recovery.

Nostalgia is a funny thing, I played these games back in the day and enjoyed them thoroughly but I cannot say that the Croc series is one I think about very often. I remember the games being quite clunky and already a little dated, even back then and I don't think the same level of popularity and esteem for Croc exists as there is for other series from the period like Crash or Spyro.

@kyleforrester87
Hahaha, I would like to think I could exhibit more restraint than that to be honest. I would likely pick up some of the first party Sony stuff at RRP but would do my best to wait till most games were around 40-45 quid at least, which is what I pay currently....I think I paid 43 quid for Last of Us 2 and I am paying 45 quid for Tsushima, those prices seem more than reasonable to me.

There will be a handful that I would buy at launch, but speaking as someone who currently buys 10 - 15 games on their day they release annually, I would certainly adjust my purchasing habits.

In an industry worth more than any other in the entertainment sector, and where CEO's and board members funnel tens of millions in bonuses and payouts to their offshore accounts to avoid tax, you will need to work harder to prove that these companies are struggling financially.

A discussion around indies and the so called 'AA' is fair enough, but if you think I will pay 70 quid for games from major publishers who already take the piss and who definitely will not stop with the microtransactions and lootboxes even after a price hike... Forget about it, I'll wait for them on sale.

I feel sad about it as I staunchly support companies I like by purchasing games on release, but just like every other company, they have gotten so greedy, they aren't happy with a profit, they want ALL THE MONEY.!!!

Interesting list and a good read, thanks 👍👍

Great to see Mad Max getting some love, I was so surprised by how good this game was back in the day, it had some of the best skies I have seen in a game, it just made the desert plains feel so huge.

I have seen it mentioned elsewhere in the comments, but more love for Darkest Dungeon would make me happy, what a great game. Also, for goodness sake people, all go and play Dead Cells RIGHT NOW!!

@L3GTRIGA
I hope Druckmann is involved personally (not that he would be given its a new studio) , the games he has directed have been better than any of the studio's previous titles, which is quite the feat given how good the previous Naughty Dog games have been.

I am something of an Uncharted fanatic, but when you compare the stories of the early games with what Druckmann directed in 4, there is no comparison as far as I am concerned. No relying on silly 'monsters' and supernatural mumbo-jumbo, number 4 had a much more mature, detailed and grounded feel.

They are all games that I adore, but this false narrative that Druckmann is somehow responsible for a downturn in quality is nonsense.

Beautiful scene, I was utterly captivated when playing the game, I found it very moving.

There are so many epic moments like this, the game is something of an emotional rollercoaster like that, I found. My absolute favourite in this game was the Birthday sequence, I actually got choked up at this chapter.....beautiful!

I will settle for a Bloodborne patch to improve the frame rate and resolution but, what I really want, is a remaster, so that I get a fresh trophy list to work towards a 2nd platinum trophy

@Heavyarms55
Hmmm, you are genuinely put off buying a PS5 because it doesn't play PS3 games? That seems bonkers to me, no offense, but I am glad the console if forward facing and chock full of tech that will push the medium forward.

I am happy it will be backwards compatible, but its makes no difference in my decision to buy a PS5, I want new games that take advantage of the new system and that is the same reason I have bought every console I own.

15/15, my favourite game of all time, I must have played it 14 or 15 times across the PS3 and PS4.

@Matroska
Can't you go and troll on N4G or something.

To everyone enjoying TLoU2, have a fabulous time, reckon I am around 12 hours in and can barely believe what I am experiencing. Happy gaming folks.

@Philbear82
As soon as my copy dropped on the doormat I installed it...longest days work ever 😂

Hope you enjoy it as much as anticipated squire, for my part, I am utterly invested in the story and cannot believe how it looks, sounds and plays. I am truly blown away.

Have a cracking weekend chief.

@Col_McCafferty
I am gobsmacked at the epic-ness of the drama 😂

I have never played anything this tense before, it seems even more oppressive that the 1st game. I cannot wait to dive back in tomorrow.

Have a great weekend and happy gaming chief.

I remember coming here, mostly as a lurker to be honest, to share a mutual enjoyment of videogames, now the comments are full of such negativity.

My preorder came this morning so I was faced with working from home knowing it was sat on my ps4 hardrive, 4pm couldnt come quickly enough for me. 4 hours in and I am frankly staggered that something this dazzling is possible from this generation of consoles.

I am also dying for my pals to play so I can discuss it with someone.

@Shepherd_Tallon
That's a great tip mate, I'll do the same.....toxicity really is frustrating me at the moment, especially when to me, games and consoles are an escape from the crazy things going on in world.

Happy gaming fella, take care👍

@Blaster_master
I remember a time when conversations were friendly and less inflammatory and aggressive on this site.

You could just try and explain why you dislike the design in a mature way and maybe start an interesting debate, this isnt N4G for goodness sake.

For my part, I think it looks pretty cool but if I am honest, the consoles appearance is way down the list of priorities for the console.

It will always be about games for me, and seeing that Sony Show last night has me utterly pumped for the new console, Spidey, Horizon, Ratchet and Clank, GhostWire, Demon Souls and Little Devil Inside have me especially excited.

My only hope is they give us a a new trophy set, I would totally platinum this game again.

@BalsBigBrother
Agreed, I am always lurking on this great site anyway, but I did get excited when I saw the word 'fix'.

Hope this gets fixed soon, I am using my tablet via my Sony TV anyway, but I still prefer using the PS4 app.

Would definitely want that beautiful steel book, but seeing as its exclusive to Amazon I'll have to pass.

I rather support a company that sells software as their main area of trade such as Shopto or Games 365 who pay their taxes here in the UK. Amazon will only be happy once all the competition are driven out of business.

Awww, but of a shame that, I was hoping for more. Ah well, I'll pick it up when the price is right.

Thanks for the great review 👍

I feel like oi am out of step with the wider community in respect of the appearance of the game pad.

I really like it, it looks very futuristic to me, I get vibes of Minority Report, Mass Effect or Oblivion (the movie). In all of the podcasts I listen too though, the appearance of the controller seems to have been met with quite a bit of negativity.

Had my preorder in place for a couple of months now, just to make sure I am at the front of the queue, even at £550 it's a worthwhile expense given the amount of use it will see.

@JoeBlogs
Probably since about 1983 or so on Atari.

I may well have played games on my C64 more back then, and certainly I gave the likes of Mario and Zelda a good hiding on NES. But as a teen I played exclusively on my Amiga so it was thousands of hours of Sensible Soccer, Elite and Premiership Manager 😁

Dont get me wrong, there are stack of games I played more, but story driven games played to completion, that isn't something I do very often.

Last of Us is my favourite game of all time and certainly my most replayed game (got to be more than a dozen times). Having said that, I feel the need for escapism and unfiltered happiness in my life.

I bought Nioh 2, Persona 5 Royal and FF7 recently anf while I pumped a good 45 hours into Nioh, I have put all these games back on my shelf (my son is playing FF7) and have lost myself in Mario Odysee and Gravity Rush 2. Mario and Kat I have done a great job of keeping my spirits high 😄

I tend to buy every other installment these days as I feel like I am mostly paying for such incremental updates. To be fair, that isn't helped by the fact that I alway set my sliders and controls up the same way with each game that I buy.

I also feel like many of the animations and much of the commentary are largely the same since the days where I used to import the game from Canada on PS3.

For the most part, my Pro is fairly quiet but occasionally a particular game will really ramp up the fan noise, the likes of God of War and more recently, Nioh 2.

I tend to use headphones anyway, I use the Sennheiser RS175 headphones, they have the best noise cancelling I have ever experienced.

I think there is a balance to be struck personally.

If all first party titles are migrating to PC or a streaming service at the same time (or close too) as they are release on a PlayStation then my immediate thought is "why do I need a PS5, I'll just upgrade my PC.

If, as is the case here, a 3 year old game is getting a release on other platforms, then I still see great value in owning a PlayStation and its great that the devs and Sony get another revenue stream for the game.

@TheArt
I am exactly the same, I kind of 'role play' my 3rd person games, it always broke my immersion if I ran everywhere all the time in video games too. 😄

Hoping to close in on the platinum on Nioh this weekend , my copy of the sequel will be here before I know it.

Postie also dropped Bayonetta/Vanquish on the matt this morning so I am keen to get onto those too.

I would love to carve out the time to play through each game in the series, but that is quite a commitment. Like you Liam, I jumped at the opportunity to play Yakuza 0 as it required no knowledge of the prior titles and I utterly loved it.

I have recently picked up Kiwami but have been put off by the knowledge that I am unlikely to play all of the games in the series. Your article has inspired me to give it a whirl and, if I burn out perhaps I can move to the 6th game too.

This is exciting news, but there is a side of me which thinks I'll just wait for a complete edition down the line.

I bought and loved Nioh at launch but ended up importing a 'collectors edition' because I wanted a physical version (it's only available electronically in UK).