Paranoimia

Horizon: Forbidden West, Stray, and Far Cry 6 (yes, I love them... sue me)... as I could only choose 3.

Back 4 Blood is also up there, along with Returnal.

Got a passing interest in one or two of the others, but beyond that, there's not much there for me... another part of the reason I'm in no immediate rush to upgrade. I'm sure that will change once more of Sony's first-party studios announce their next projects.

@nathanSF Everyone moans about Amazon with taxes (as well as others), but the fact is nothing that they do in this regard is illegal, and we'd all do it if we could. It's up to government to close the loopholes, and none ever has, and probably won't because many in the Houses exploit them themselves.

Apart from that, if they did "the decent thing", they'd only pass it on to the consumer, and then everyone would be moaning that they were too expensive.

Personally, as a carer to a mum with COPD, Amazon have been a bit of a lifeline during this pandemic, with decent prices and the ability to supply things when everyone else was sold out. I'm nothing but happy with them.

Would happily play decent new games on my Vita. Much better than a phone, which I never game on besides the basic stuff like word puzzles. The control just isn't there on a phone, and the ads... the f*cking ads...

No wonder it runs so badly if it's still got all that unused bloat in it.

Well, they got that wrong. Should've dropped the Slim, kept the Pro and lowered the price to the same as the Slim. But then I guess the bigger the gulf they create, the more likely people are to pick the 5 over the 4 if they're buying a new system.

I'm eager to get a PS5, and have been a day-one buyer since PS2, but until they release something I want to play, I'll wait. No point me spending that money now just to play the PS4 games I already have. I'll stick with the Pro until Horizon 2 drops, or there are at least 3 games I feel I absolutely must play.

No interest in Maneater or Greedfall... might add the TR game to my list just in case I ever feel like playing it; I did add Rise when it came to Plus but have never played it because, well, they're a bit rubbish these days when you've played Uncharted.

This is why I tend not to play any game online very much, unless it offers co-op PvE.

I bought DayZ in the sale the other day. Signed in for the first time, was just waiting for a couple of friends to join and had walked about 200 feet when I encountered some idiot gesturing wildly at me, then start walking in front of me trying to block my way. I walked past him and he shot me in the back.

@naruball Indeed. One person chooses to leave a studio, and suddenly the company's entire policy needs to be questioned? Bizarre.

@zebric21 Try signing out and back in. Worked for me every time so far. Presumably some kind of cookie issue.

I sometimes wonder if the official store is so flaky because all these unofficial sites are constantly scraping the data. 🤔🤣

The official web store is working for me at the moment - all prices and buttons are showing, and it's pretty quick to respond.

Let's just hope that the increased popularity and tourism don't result in the place being trashed, as has happened with several other areas made famous by movies.

Sorry to be a downer, but this year has seen my faith in humans severely dented.

@Olmaz It's been a bit flaky for me on Chrome since they updated it for the PS5, with prices and buttons sometimes not appearing, but so far signing out and back in seems to resolve it. I bought a game in the sale earlier with no problems.

If you're using the Chrome browser, try signing out of the store, and then sign back in. I had the issue with prices and buttons not showing yesterday, and that worked for me.

If you're on Chrome and the store isn't displaying prices/purchase buttons, try signing out and then sign back in. Worked for me.

Horizon Zero Dawn?

Haven't played it in a while, so can't recall if it has a 'boost mode' as such, but it looks stunning if you have the Pro rendering at 4K and supersampling down to a 1080p screen.

"The man also has an Xbox Series X"

Well, his luck had to run out at some point.

They talk a lot about horror in that video, but I have to be honest... this style of gameplay, for me, doesn't really go hand-in-hand with a horror title... at least, not one which I personally would find particularly creepy or scary.

At the moment, it's looking like one I'll buy - when I eventually get a PS5 - but I don't think I'll ever view it as a 'horror' title.

Grr... it's not a January Sale if it's in December!

Still, not quite as bad as a local Boots store, who I once saw putting up their Christmas tree at the start of October.

I'll wait for it to hit Plus or the bargain bin, if I bother with it at all. So... maybe February or March at this rate. 😂

@notkae MS are now offering full refunds to anyone who wants them, even if the game has been played extensively - though they haven't de-listed the game... but that's no doubt in part because of the money they've spent on promoting this flustercuck.

They should've discontinued the Slim ages ago and replaced it with the Pro at that price point.

Never even bought this game on PS4. Had it on PS3, didn't take to any of the characters, and forced myself to finish what (for me) was a pretty boring single-player game, then sold it without touching it again.

Zero interest in any of the online side/content, and probably won't touch another GTA game unless there's some kind of radical change, which I can't see happening. That's assuming, of course, that there are any more GTA games... the way they've been milking this one for the last 7 years, it doesn't seem as if they feel the need to make another.

Definitely still some issues with this game, but it's better than it was at launch.

One of the slowest, most frustrating, yet "just one more mission" games around. The times I've turned the air blue having rolled my truck approaching the finish.

I'm currently on 54 Platinums. A few were quick and easy, but earned because I enjoyed the game, not because they were easy; others were most definitely not quick or easy - Fallout 3, Horizon, Spec Ops: The Line.

I wouldn't really call myself a trophy hunter, as I don't go out of my way to get every trophy for every game... but if I really enjoy the game, I'll get as many as I can. I've done all the Uncharted games twice, on PS3 and PS4.

"Aiming to Be a 'Playable, Stable Game without Glitches and Crashes'"

Man, I'm so old that I can remember a time when that was the plan before a game was released.

This whole thing is pretty shameful. Not only did they not show footage on from the base consoles, but they also outright lied to Sony and Microsoft that promised QA fixes would be carried out prior to release. And then they had the nerve to release them to the public knowing what a broken mess they were. This is behaviour which almost makes EA look like a fairly reputable company.

"The internet allows us to be whoever we want to be. How interesting that so many of us choose to be a-holes."

Especially true in online gaming.

If everyone could follow one simple rule - "don't be a d*ck" - things would mostly (probably) be fine. But the current pandemic has shown us (as if proof were needed) that too many people just can't follow even the simplest of rules, and have little regard for anyone else.

Welcome to WRC 2021!

Here is your starting vehicle.

Engine, wipers, wheels, and tyres may be purchased via PSN for £0.79 each. Get your engine now for the special low launch price of £1.39 - usual price £2.49!

Don't forget to check out the store for your Rally's Ultimate Drivers (RUD) cards to improve your vehicle stats! Pack prices start at 1000 Wheelnuts, and you can get 800 Wheelnuts for just £4.99!

I was thinking about getting this on PC, but apparently it's not a lot better on there. Guess I'll wait a year or so until it's fixed and cheap.

Those commenting that games cost a similar amount in the 80s and 90s seem to be forgetting one very important thing: Those games were expensive not because of their content or development costs, but because they came on cartridge hardware which was expensive to manufacture.

Those of us who gamed on computers like the C64 were playing very similar (often better) games which came on cassette and cost from £1.99 to £7.99. Hell, around Christmas time you could buy compilation tapes of 10 or so the year's best games for around £15. Even the "next gen" games on disc for the Amiga were around £20.

This price hike strikes me as being done for no other reason than "because we can". In terms of size and profitability, the games industry has gone from strength to strength, year after year, and is currently the biggest entertainment industry on the planet, raking in more than the movie industry - even with the previously 'fixed' price of $60.

Meanwhile, the initial quality of many titles has plummeted, with game after game being released seemingly with little or no testing, resulting in multiple bugs and other issues, some of which are game-ruining if not game-breaking. Meanwhile, customers are expected to wait patiently for fixes which can take weeks or months to arrive, and sometimes make things worse. And usually always with a priority of pleasing shareholders before customers.

Need to see gameplay, but the premise is interesting.

Hopefully, it's got more in common with the original Dead Space than the sequels.

Looking forward to this!

During my brief dalliance with a 360, L4D were a couple of my favourite titles.

@Wormold Well, it's better than Master Bates.

Handy... a game I was interested in, and that's about the time I think I might be ordering a PS5. If the issues are sorted, that is.

Price might be a little steep, though.

Brilliant!

Umm... who's he? 🤔

90 minutes constitutes a "long play session"? Them's rookie numbers! 😜

Still, sucks for those who have it. Definitely think I'll get this on PC if I pick it up.

Not sure, as I'm not much of an RPG fan. If I do, I'll probably get it on PC.

The second question in the poll doesn't work. Says "invalid answer" no matter what you choose.

I'd be blaming Hermes rather than Amazon, as it's their staff who have lost/stolen it.

Given the shortages, I'd also have taken the refund. At least then the money is back in your pocket, and Amazon, along with everyone else, probably have no idea when they'll have new units to replace those which have gone walkies.

Just for the record, I've had issues with deliveries from Amazon on a few occasions, and they've always been top-notch at resolving them. I'd be inclined to suspect that there are issues here being caused by Hermes, as I've had issues with them before and they are an absolute f*cking nightmare to get in touch with if you need to speak to an actual person; I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon are having issues with them too.

I loved both TLOU2 and GoT. I voted for TLOU2, but I'm not sore that it didn't win.

The most important thing is that I thoroughly enjoyed both games. Sure, TLOU2 wasn't what I was expecting story-wise, but it was a great game to play... and the uncomfortable feeling of being forced to play as Abby after early events was certainly a different approach; sometimes it's nice to be taken out of your comfort zone. It's nice to be thrown a curveball once in a while.

@Arugula Indeed it is, but I'll get a PS5 for it, just as I got a Pro for the original.

Of course, I'm only talking about the games in the video. It may well turn out that something else releases before Horizon 2 which tempts me.

From what's in the video, there's only Horizon 2 which would make me go, "I NEED A PS5 RIGHT NOW!!!11!11!!"

If GT7 finally shows some evolution (pun not intended, but a happy coincidence as they made - in my opinion - the best racer on PS4), that would tempt me, but if it's another series of pretty processions I won't bother.

Still no regrets about cancelling my pre-order, even if I didn't have a guaranteed day-one system.

@S1ayeR74 Facts are 'bias' now? 🙄

I'm just saying they are a company known for dubious practices to get what they want. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm also not aware of "large numbers" leaving ND. Sure, there have been a few, and certainly for some of those, I'm dubious about their claims. For example, one animator was claiming various things in March this year. However, in March last year, he was tweeting that he'd been there 5 years, was very happy, and was planning to stay as long as they'd let him.

@S1ayeR74 "Naughty Dogs antics are well documented, I don’t recall reading anything about Microsoft."

They have a history of bad practices, company-wide.

http://www.ecis.eu/documents/Finalversion_Consumerchoicepaper.pdf

Photorealistic if the game is a virtual tour of Madame Tussauds.

Skin still looks like waxworks, though.

My PS3 Slim is still connected, but has only been used once since I got PS4.

My original 60GB Fat is in its box in the spare room, and (hopefully) still in full working order.

Another reason for not going all-digital, especially if you're the type who always plays their old games.

Okay, this may just be a glitch which gets resolved, but you have to figure that the store will go away completely at some point, and take all your digital games with it.

I don't claim what I don't want. Those I do claim, I do play... but when I play them depends on what else I'm playing at the time. I claimed Until Dawn, but have yet to play it... same with Mafia 3.

Dear Deirdre,

The movie Oblivion is currently on Netflix, and also free with my Amazon Prime subscription; to whom should I complain?

Sincerely,

A Whiner.

Dear A,

Whilst I realise that it's not ideal, you need to remember that these are two different services, and not everybody subscribes (or can subscribe) to both; thus it would be wrong to deprive members of one from seeing the movie simply because it appears on the other.

Unfortunately, since subscribers to both services will be expecting some AAA titles and not just any old B-movie crap, it's inevitable that some duplication will occur, particularly when it comes to bigger names. My advice, therefore, is simply to suck it up.

Of course, if the duplication rate is high enough that you see no point in subscribing to both services, the best option would be to unsubscribe from one or the other.

Kind regards,

Aunty Deirdre.

😜👍

@marty8370 The government are currently looking into it, though. There are several motions in place, looking to decriminalise it and get them to move a subscription or advertising.

We recently cancelled our licence and moved to on demand/streaming.

Maybe next week they can investigate the crime that is the TV licence, and the way BBC demand payment for watching shows on other channels which they have nothing to do with. 🤔