Old-Red

It's awesome to see that Demon's Souls and Elden Ring are regarded so highly by the readers.

I'm also looking forward to going back to Horizon Forbidden West at some point and experiencing the moment where is suddenly switches into an RPG. I had no idea 😝

What a mess.

@lolwhatno yeah, it's probably just that they have put a date on it, and tend to be quite reliable.

@lolwhatno not really. It's just stuff based on speculation and rumours that leads to what's already covered here. I'm more interested in why Schreier and Miller are the ones allowed to blow the whistle early, while other journalists have to keep quiet and pretend to feed off them, even though they've probably known just as much about it for months. It's like these two have become gaming journo mafia heads or something.

The fact that I know what it is and all I have is a few friends in the industry and putting 2 and 2 together, means it must be pretty common knowledge for anyone who isn't just a punter.

I'm on the "I wish they'd make online play free again, so I can drop the annoying sub." train. I don't need more games to play, I need more time and better quality games that don't try to take over my life and suck every penny out of me. If they try and double the price of plus just to play to online, they can do one.

I've got over 100 games in my ps+ library and I've probably played 5 at most. That's a pretty awful hit rate.

I know I'm old and out of touch, but I really just want to go back to picking a game I like, paying for it, playing and enjoying it and moving on to a new game.

To be pleased with an in-game currency payout of value that is set by the company itself is pretty foolish. Let's be real here, they have still got away with charging over £50 for individual cars and an always online model in a £70 premium release. They simply came in hard with the fullest, dirtiest approach, before slightly retracting and everyone laps it up (pun most definitely intended). Sigh.

The fact that people even feel the need to find ways to cheat the system of earning in-game currency to enjoy a £70 game shows there's something really wrong here. It's such a shame to see Sony edge in this direction.

This should have been a free to play game. With all the in game ads and car sponsorship, it makes me sad that people keep giving money for and encouraging this approach. I was actually really hyped to play a new GT7 when they announced it, but the always online single player campaign and massivetransactions put me off. Looks like I made the right decision. Shame.

Also, on a side note, it should be illegal to release a physical version of a game that is always online. What a waste of resources. I know most games don't work from disc these days, but this is pretty irresponsible.

Am I the only one who thinks Harry Potter is a bit ****?

It's great news that From Software have had such a big success. However, I hope they don't lose sight of what makes Miyazaki's games so important. I'm really not that bothered about any of the IPs themselves, it's the gameplay, world and level design that are the main reasons they've got where they have.

I instantly dropped it after Elden Ring came out. I did intend to play both simultaneously, however, Elden Ring has turned out so well, it didn't stand a chance for me. I'm not dissing the game, it's fine, but fine can wait.

Eh? You can just exit the game at any time and it will start you off exactly where you left off. If you're really in a bind to stop, then you can also just hold the home button and close application. I don't know why this is such an issue for everyone.

It's an outstanding game that's a true gift in an industry that's fast losing its way. In truth, to me, this game is so good it's beyond scoring, like a priceless work of art. Giving it a 10 doesn't even do it justice.

It's everything I could have hoped for, easily one of the best games ever made. After playing Horizon Forbidden West the week prior, Elden Ring is simply in another stratosphere. I don't know why people keep trying to compare them, HFW is deeply average in comparison.

Once again, here we are with this pointless debate. The souls games do have various difficulty settings, they are just baked into the games themselves. If you want the game to be easier, just search where to find the best equipment and summon other better players to help you with difficult bosses.

@get2sammyb yup, which I can and have easily avoided. I don't understand this obsession with spoiling everything months before anything even comes out. You could have easily just used the Elden Ring logo and put something like "New enemy looks amazing".

Well gee, thanks for completely ruining that surprise with your thumbnail and article title.

More games like Returnal.

I'm currently finishing off the the Frozen Wilds dlc after finishing the main game last year. It's pretty impressive, but I'm not in love with it as an IP. It doesn't help that Elden Ring is coming a week later, unfortunately for Horizon that ring will rule them all! I'll save Forbidden West for the summer slump. I hope it's great for all those looking forward to it though. Some mates are squeaking about all over their chairs waiting for this to come out.

@Shepherd_Tallon interesting read that. I don't think it's a coincidence that MS are going for companies that embraced in-game monetisation. This is how they're hoping to make Gamepass sustainable in my opinion.

Hopefully the talent behind the creative studios caught in the crossfire will leave and start their own like that article suggests. It's certainly an interesting development, and after a few days to take it all in, things don't seem as dire as they initially did.

Actually, to be fair, they are buying up all the worst companies. Maybe MS really are trying to clean up the industry a bit... nah, it's probably all just about money, power and control.

Is this an out-of-season April's Fool joke?

I've said this in another post, but if MS want to take Activision and EA away into a pocket of the industry that I can easily avoid, them I'm all for it. If they could take Ubisoft with them while they're at it, that would be great too.

It is interesting to note that most of the studios MS are snuffling embrace the less pleasant side of monetisation in gaming, which suits and fits in with the gamepass model nicely. Something to think about.

If they start taking away more interesting and creative studios, then we have a problem. I'd probably just duck out of the whole thing if that were to happen to be honest. The more MS buys like this without adding anything to the industry, the less I want to give them any money.

It makes me really sad to think what could have been done with $70b going towards new studios and interesting projects that help progress the medium. Instead all that money has gone to the pockets of a few people who activity fostered an abusive workplace. Meh, meh I say.

I agree with this.

I'm currently halfway though the first one and have physical copies of both. The first one isn't cheap for some reason. It's alright, I like that is has it's own thing and it's fun to play once you get used to the controls.

@Culjoseth that as well, but only after decimating the industry first.

Odd situation for me, as I am not interested in any of those games personally. I do recognise that losing COD would be a huge blow to Sony's wallet, but this actually might be good for me in the long run.

So far Microsoft has poached all the companies and IPs I'm not too bothered about (maybe Doom and Shinji Mikami games), so it's possible that the Playstation ecosystem could be heading to a place that tailors more to my sensibilities. Hopefully anyway.

I actually think it might be nice if all the games as a service and full of microtransaction/lootbox nonsense will shift to gamepass and PC and Nintendo and Sony will be a place to buy quality games and escape all that funk in the industry. If they can take Ubisoft and EA with them next I'll actually be pretty happy about all this.

Even by Microsoft's standards, I'm surprised they have done this. It's awful for the industry and I can't even imagine Xbox fans being that ecstatic about the move. They might act pleased, but I imagine everyone is thinking '****, this is a bit too much.'.

Buying Bethesda was a bit annoying and I have no interest in Activision games, but this feel like Microsoft are coming for my hobby. It has to be their way and I have no choice, like an annoying rich guy who wants to be your friend and won't leave you alone no matter how much you try to avoid them.

The question should really be 'How long do you think playstation consoles can last with Microsoft throttling Sony into submission?'

@MickOnYourFace careful now.

I kind of wish Sony leant away from the sub model to catch all the people like me who are fed up with them. I know they haven't, and will try, and fail, to match Microsoft. A suprise would be nice, something unexpected that offers quality and actually adds to the industry.

@get2sammyb aren't you a little worried that this might be the beginning of the end for sites like push square? I for one won't bother with a PS6 next gen if I know that all the games will come to PC eventually. Once the console platforms start to dwindle or fade out, where does that leave sites like this one? Not saying they will vanish, but if the exclusive hook is gone and the platform isn't there, what will you cover? PS studio games only?

Sony have spoilt more than anyone could by showing some of the new robots anyway, so this doesn't really affect me tbh, it's not exactly award winning storytelling. Aloy will get in a scrape or two, meet a few tribes, fight a few robots, save the world, but only enough for there to be potential for another sequel. The end.

Seeing new bosses, enemies and environments in Elden Ring is far more of a worry for me personally.

I did enjoy the game, but I don't feel like I need a sequel. I'm glad they're working on something different. Just because something was fun or successful doesn't mean it needs to be made into sequel after sequel. Especially with such story driven games. I feel the same about Returnal, and that was my GOTY last year.

I'm glad studios are starting to get recognition more these day. Hopefully it will lead to them being able create a wider variety of IPs based on their reputation.

Sounds like the game should be free to play to begin with and not part of a paid subscription. Shows how conditioned people have become by how many just accept this as the norm now. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony didn't pay anything to include it with this month's games, simply offering exposure instead.

I still can't get over the fact that you really shouldn't have screens that close to your eyes and that it generally causes motion sickness if used for prolonged periods.

Add in the high cost of entry, inevitable lack of proper games and that I wear glasses that constantly steam up whenever I try VR, it would take some kind of massive fortunate event where I landed a free or at least very cheap headset for me to ever give it a proper go.

Meh

Shame, should be number 1. At least GC Metro got it right. Resi Village was fun, but it's not even in the same stratosphere as Returnal.

I agree with most here, they got the cast wrong. Even in trailer you can see none of them believe in what they're doing. They should have gone for no name actors ala the original Star Wars and been prepared to build a rep on good films. Heck, they could have started with a modest budget and just made sure they got it right.

This just reeks of disappointment.

@Korgon I noticed the same thing, why have they gone to all that effort to produce such amazing lighting effects and then completely ruin it with a bizarre halo effect on Alloy that doesn't match the scene?

Finally, someone giving Returnal the recognition it deserves. I don't feel too bad about getting the Platinum at around the 130 hour mark now too.

I think that most people who managed to get to the credits would pick this as GOTY and the rest are either lying or just enjoy being wrong.

Along with Elden Ring, I see myself playing Returnal throughout this whole generation. It's genuinely one of the best experiences I've ever had with a video game.

Colour me surprised, an actual good month. Shame it's a selection of games that don't really interest me, but happy to admit I was wrong about them offering a load of old tat again.

I don't mind them offering games I don't like so much, it's when they try to give out freemium games and demos veiled as full games with cheap tricks to get us to spend more that annoys me.

@michaelf you know you can play p5 as part of the ps+ collection, right?

Really hoping for some free to play nonsense full of microtransactions or even a cut up demo if we're lucky.

@Ward_ting is 5 million really enough though?

Hahaha, this is blatantly because so few people even bothered to play the version they originally gave. I'm tired of all this nonsense to the point where I can't even be bothered to play it anymore. Maybe when it's all complete as a full game.

They have kind of shot themselves in the foot, as the sales of part two will be mainly dependant on how many played part one. I hope they don't drag it out too long and the next part is the last with everything else included.

Shame, as it's not as hard as it first seems. It's more about unlocking better weapons and upgrades. I think the mistake a lot of people make is dying a few times on the first boss and thinking it won't get easier, so they give up.

Truth is every run brings new stuff to use that make the game more manageable.

It does look spectacular, but I hope they have some new ideas of their own this time around. So far it looks like they have simply stolen Nintendos homework with any new stuff they've added.

Such an awful month again, full of stripped down demos and inferior versions of games with no PS5 option. The only thing I can think is that Sony are not shipping the copies of games they hoped, so they're are hobbling PS+ for a while to encourage sales. Honestly, it's been awful for the past 6 months now.

I have also got into a habit of seeing games like Yakuza: Like a Dragon for £20 and thinking 'Nah, I'll just wait for it to come to PS+'. Whereas, before I would have bought these games (Yes, cheap, but at least new) to go in my collection.

To be fair, I haven't bought a new game since feeling ripped off by Ratchet and Clank and it could be over a year before I buy another PS exclusive, as I'll wait for the prices to drop now. I wonder if others are felling the same.

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