Unfortunately I've already played the OG 1 and 2 games just a few months ago, no reason to play it again... Think I'll be getting the PC version directly, when nostalgia hits again somewhere down the line, as it will have everything included and a hefty graphical upgrade on top.
Giving a go to the new (and free) Portal Revolutions mod for Portal 2. Already in the second chapter, it's been fun so far. With a bit of Path Of Exile on the side, just playing through the storyline, won't farm or go into end game content (too time consuming). Maybe, if there's time, gonna continue the NG+ in God Of War Ragnarok... just started the side area in Vanaheim, The Crater, a few days ago. Have a fun weekend everyone!
Wow... wishful thinking and hopeful wishes, full of them this article is : )
Let's take a few of them on, shall we? Silent Hill 2... I agree that it's gonna be good (not exceptionally, but around the 7-8 rating)... but i'm also sure it's gonna stir a TON of social media drama. Because there is no way the devs are gonna be "spared", they were doomed from the moment they accepted this task. If the game sticks faithfully to the original, gamers are gonna cry there is no new content aside from the improved graphics. If the game will include new content, all fans of the original will cry foul, saying the devs "desecrated" the OG game... As FFDP said in one of their songs: "damned if I do, damned if I don't, damned if I will, damned if I won't"... that's Bloober's case. Sony releases the best showcase in years... not gonna happen. My money's on repeating last year's format, concentrating a lot on the 3rd party games, and maybe throwing in one PS studios exclusive game so that people don't say they didn't show anything from their own "yard". Unfortunately, nutjob "fans" are to blame, because ever since people harassed the Sony Santa Monica devs over God Of War Ragnarok at the end of June 2022, Sony steadily but constantly reduced the amount of time from release they announce a game in advance. Last example happened just a month ago, when God Of War Valhalla DLC was announced just before releasing. So unless PS studios launch more games just after the Showcase, only 1, best case 2 exclusive IP announcements will be made, simply because they "have to" not because they "want to"... Third-party hits will carry Sony through a quiet year for PlayStation Studios. - this I actually agree with, 100%. Naughty dog announces one of their single player IP's - again, not gonna happen. We already know that they started working on something, that they won't release until 2025 or 2026. And as I've stated above, due to past online harassment cases, Sony's new obvious policy is to announce new releases as close to the launch date as possible, to protect their devs as much as they can... Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League won't be the complete disaster many have decided it will be - of course not! ... It's gonna have ratings around 7, it's gonna be played by many for 1-2 weeks after launch, then social media drama comes, then the game will be review bombed to hell and back, then abandoned and forgotten... like other GAAS games out there... PS5 Pro will be announced and launched this year. - this one is a given. The quantity and content of rumors is in exactly the right amount for this to be true. The release will happen in the usual Q4 period, with an announcement somewhere around September.
EDIT
Speaking of hopeful wishes... does anyone know what's Bluepoint working on? It's been over 3 years since their last release, an not even a peep. Maybe it's Bloodborne related, and they're preparing a sequel or at least a Remake for the PS5 Pro... one can only hope we'll finally find out this year.
Quick list:
1. More AAA (non GAAS) epic PS5 exclusive games from PS Studios.
2. Make the PS5 Pro in such a way as to eliminate the effing "choice".... you know the one: either "Quality 4k but at 30FPS" or "Performance (aka crappy graphics) for 60FPS".... "pick your poison" so to speak. I want "Quality 4k @60FPS", period !
3. Bloodborne Remake and Bloodborne 2
4. Reveal what Bluepoint has been working on in those last 3 years since their last release... I realize they're probably hair-deep into an epic project, but an update would be very welcomed
5. DualSense with better battery (yeah... 99,9(9)% chance that's NOT gonna happen , but you know "hope"... she's the last one to die...)
She has nothing in common with the game character. Maybe she can recoup some part by hitting the gym, but she can't change her entire look. Abby in the game was tall, had a strong, muscular, almost man-like body and face - Kate here is nothing like that. But who knows, maybe they're going with a different approach for this character for the TV series... here's hoping it's gonna be good.
Regarding the attack and info leak... as Zeke put it in Infamous: "this sucks donkey balls" - it's very regrettable and can potentially affect a lot of the employees involved.... simply because other people could use this info for profiteering.
Speaking of which, the people downloading, using and distributing the leaked content, are just as bad as the attackers, and they should be punished accordingly.
I'm glad however that Sony or Insomniac didn't give into the demands - as that would open up a precedence that would highly encourage future attacks.
Since From is keeping that PS5 version of BB under lock and key
From Software is not keeping anything, Sony is.
From just worked on Bloodborne, the rights to the IP are Sony's alone. And it's entirely their decision to do a Remake, Remaster or PC port of it... which is quite unfortunate for us fans of the game. Miyazaki really loves Bloodborne and I bet he would have done much more with this IP if he had the rights...
The controller itself looks very well... if only Thrustmaster would fix the original Eswap X Pro's problems too, and not limit the changes to aesthetics only... those back buttons are uncomfortable to press, they should be wider or use paddles instead... and the bumper buttons are noisy, even for mechanical switches, they should use different parts... etc.
As for the DLC itself, they have a ton of expectations to meet given the huge success of the main game, here's hoping they're able to at least duplicate Bloodborne's The Old Hunters DLC in terms of quality.
Also - if the rumor mentioned here is true, new content or expansion in 2025 too, then it seems that instead of a sequel for Elden Ring, they are expanding it through DLC's. Not a bad idea, as long as the offered content is top notch.
If Elden Ring is here to stay for a few more years, I do hope though that From has another team working on a new or different Soulsborne type game in parallel - I'm very curious to see what they'll come up with next.
Yesterday I finished the God of War DLC (I despise the roguelite genre, but I couldn't resist not knowing the story elements included in it... so I set the difficulty to low to mitigate the roguelite elements and the whole experience was exactly like the main game - finished it in about 5 hours). Today I plan to continue my trek through Lords of the Fallen... already cleansed 2 beacons, 3 more to go - overall a very good game !
P.S. I realize the bizzare duality of "avoiding tough combat in God of War DLC only to go ahead and enjoy a Soulslike" but I don't like losing already earned perks and upgrades upon death, only to go through the same areas bare-ass naked so to speak until I get them again... At least in a souls game, when you die you lose only currency (be that souls, runes, blood echoes etc), the rest of your possessions are still available to use.
Although I said I completely despise the "roguelite" approach the devs took with this DLC, I finally couldn't stand to lose the story elements included in it.
I'm a big fan of the whole series, and of the Greek myths, so it captured me ever since the first trilogy way back in 2007.
Actually God of War was the single reason I i bought my first PS console, a PS2 Slim. But I digress...
So I went ahead and gave this DLC a go.
Suspected that the devs would make the lowest difficulty fit like a glove for those that are mainly interested in the story.
So I set it to low and in I went.
And as expected, it was perfectly doable 'till the end.
Only died at the first run, where I was actually supposed to.
So this is what I recommend to anyone that's against this game genre: play it on the lowest difficulty.
The many story elements that are included after each 1 or 2 fights, will definitely engage, make things interesting and keep you wanting to see more - it's very well thought out.
And on "low", the difficulty is quite approachable. Since you won't actually die, you won't be set back by the "roguelite" side of it.
There will be quite a few repeating areas (because you have to exit after the end of each run, and re-enter to begin another). But you go through repeating areas even in the main games, so it's no biggie.
The overall experience will feel exactly like the main GoW Ragnarok game, that's what counts.
Given this (and the fact that it's free) make the DLC definitely worth a shot for every fan of the series, weather they like the roguelite genre or not.
Best news I've heard regarding Sony's plans for the future of Playstation, since their statements about making more and more GaaS games. It was starting to look like they've forgotten that their current success was built for the most part on their exclusive epic Single Player games... After seriously considering giving up on Sony's consoles (given PS5's limited exclusive lineup 3 years after launch, ridiculously increased prices for PS+ yearly subs, and the GaaS warnings Sony kept spewing), getting the PS5 Pro next year is looking again like a possibility. But we'll see what exclusive titles they announce until then. PS+ is not really necessary but without a proper exclusive line-up, PS5 Pro won't be worth it.
Instead of acting like stiff corporate... individuals... they should have poked back with their own joke, something like : "BOY! That's funny, but when duty calls, more people answer!" or some shenanigan like that... They wouldn't have been bothered by this if it wasn't true, anyway... CoD is on the decline, and in dire need of a break, reset and a clean slate... This year's campaign was a joke (pun intended) weather they admit it openly or not.
They lost me right when Mimir told Kratos to try again... and it's genre became clear. Too bad... I know it's free but roguelite stile is not for me. I would have preffered SMS to concentrate on a new game instead. But it is what it is... roguelite is the new "rage" i guess, much like mobile games determined the appearance of God of War Betrayal back in the day, when all games just had to have a mobile version...
Received a key for this game as a gift when I recently bough may Ryzen 7800X3D CPU, part of AMD's campaign and what not. I've seen from various reviews it's a mixed bag, but hell... it was free (sort of), might as well give it an honest try.
Maybe Sony should also concentrate on delivering more of their exclusive games for the majority that ARE playing? Many of whom are buying the consoles to play said exclusives. Compared to the PS4 era, PS5's exclusive games portfolio is quite reduced, even though it's already.... 3 years old O_o (already 3 years... damn, where does the time fly?).
I don't get the need for this drama. It will be done when it will be done, knowing the date won't make it launch quicker. Besides, even if they announce the date, would anyone consider it final? In this day and age when almost every single game gets delayed at least once? So what's the point on pestering devs or publishers for it? It's enough to know they're working on it, let them be to keep at it until launch day, be that next March or next September, 2024 or 2025. There are plenty of games out right now of all genres to keep us all occupied. Cheers!
Kinda' missing the "subject" in the article's title there?
Anyway, this year i don't have a favorite game among the chosen nominees...
I like RE4, played and finished it, it's a good game, but it's not gonna win.
The battle will be between Nintendo and Nintendo this year, methinks.
However, money's on Zelda TotK taking the cake over Mario.
Nein! Already have the OG PS5, that didn't even have a proper chance to be used as much as it should, given how many PS5 exclusive games Sony released since it launched... Will maybe go for PS5 Pro if - and I stress IF - Sony releases more of those exceptional AAA epic single player games. But if they switch to making more GaaS titles than the rest of them (they seem to be gearing up for it...), then they can keep the Pro, I'll stick to my PC.
Best game PS Studios ever made? No.
Because I don't think I could ever choose one of their exclusive AAA single player IP's to sit without a doubt on top of the others... God OF War, The Last Of Us, Uncharted, Ghost of Tsushima, Infamous, Spider-Man etc...I like them all very much.
The God of War IP remains a wee bit closer to my heart than the rest, because the original God Of War 1 and 2 on the PS2 were the starting point of my entering Sony's ecosystem (the image in my avatar here says it all).
But Sony's "universe" wouldn't be the same without all of them in it.
Here's to many more of those games in the future!
It looks good there's no denying that.
There are some caveats though:
the final game won't look like that on current gen consoles. It happened before, when showcase trailers were souped up graphically to make a good impression and boost hype and preorders, and the final game ended up reduced in graphical prowess to be able to keep up with the needed FPS to make it playable...
if (and i do stress IF) it will look somewhere akin to that on PC, it will crush even a 4090 GPU - see Alan Wake 2... We'll have to play it at lower settings, that definitely won't end up looking like in this trailer... Gone are the days when devs invested time to properly optimize the game... Now DLSS and FSR are applied by all devs for every new game as crutches to sustain a playable FPS.
So take this showcase trailer as just a nice thing to see, don't raise any expectations that you'll be experiencing it when the game launches, you'll only be disappointed.
As for the "soul" of a game: you won't determine that from a few disconnected scenes.
It won't (and can't) look like the original, if it was meant to be a Remake, and not a Remaster. The gamers that are mad over this change in graphics can still play the original if they consider it such a masterpiece, no need for pointless drama imo...
So... they reduce the size by 30%, but they keep the same price, AND they make you pay extra for the vertical stand... greed at it's finest.
Also, a glossy side panel? They were so proud of the OG's texture, now they're just cutting it up to add cheap looks into the mix.
Anyway, my OG disk PS5 is more than enough, the slim is a definite pass.
The next one for me will be the Pro at the end of next year - IF the PS5 exclusive games coming out until then, or future such titles announced until then, are gonna make it worth investing in... 'cause right now, the OG PS5 has barely proven it's worth, due the extra slim PS5 exclusive lineup available since the console's launch day.
I have nothing against the Xbox layout, I'm used to it since I own a few different gamepads from various sources. But no haptics, no adaptive triggers, and 220$ price... not worth it for me. I'll stick with the regular DualSense. If it breaks I'll get a new one and still not reach 220$... Not to mention I already have 2 of them since I bought the PS5 almost 3 years ago. I use them regularly on PS5 and PC, and they behave like new even now, no drift no unusual button behavior, no cosmetic degradation etc.
While I strongly believe they should focus on the 3rd game or a new IP, if this remake turns out to be true, I hope at least the PC version that normally comes with it is of much better quality than the first game's port was... Already have the game on PS4, and it plays very well on PS5, not gonna buy the remake on console. But I would get the PC version a bit later, at a discount, IF its superbly done.
@RobynAlecksys Joke's on you bub, next week's LotF has very little in common with the first title gameplay wise, go see trailers for yourself, or better yet, play the game too see the difference.
They both belong in the same genre, they even have a 1000 year difference, so they happen in the same "universe", but the similarities stop there.
Spider Man 2 happens in New York ... again... they just added 2 new areas around it.
You swing around in much the same way. Complete again a ton of "check" objectives around town... same old open world mechanic. They may add some "switch" between the 2 heroes, but basically it's not much different from the first game.
LotF launching next week is rebuild from the ground up differently. It's more RPG-centered, has a character creator, has the dual-world mechanic that completely changes how you play the game etc etc.
Hard to be hyped about a sequel that, at least from the trailers, seems to be a souped up first game(s). Even the areas are partially the same.
I'll get it later on at a discount or maybe I'll go directly for the improved (and by then complete, DLC and everything) PC version.
Right now I'm a lot more hyped by Lords of the Fallen - finally launching next week \o/ Can't wait!
"After 30 years, I have made the decision to retire from SIE in March 2024.
Took you long enough to make the best decision of your career...
I’ve relished the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and incredible partners.
And you fully took advantage of the awesome opportunity of having your mug forever tied to the worse Playstation Showcase in PS history... may it serve you well in the future.
I would normally say "here's hoping the new CEO will do better"... but there's not much worse this new person can actually do...
Nothing special in the gaming department... I'm gearing up to make my first water cooling system for my PC : getting a bigger case, a CPU block (already have the GPU block), needing a PSU, radiators, pump, tubing, liquid, and of course fans... lots of fans : )
So in between "learning sessions" (accumulating a lot of necessary info, watching "how to" and review videos, looking for products and prices, etc) - I'm taking a break, trying to prevent my few neurons from overheating ... so I'm playing a few missions of Starcraft Mass Recall... because nostalgia, and because they're rather short and fast, get in / get out style, and don't require too much involvement on my part.
Nope, not yet. Will wait for a Komplete edition some 1-2 years from now, since I don't play PVP. I love the franchise a lot, ever since the first games back when Intel Pentium 1 CPU's and Playstation 1 consoles were kings. But only for the lore, story and PVE. So, for me at least, it's not worth throwing 70$ or more on this game for ~6h of content. I'm more hyped right now for Lords of the Fallen, which I can't wait to play next month.
The second game didn't have the same overall impact the first one did. But sit was still much better than other similar games, like AC Valhalla... Burning Shores DLC was ok too, but a bit less than the main game... it felt rushed, they threw some ideas and new characters in there, but didn't take the time to develop them properly...
Here's hoping the 3rd entry will be better, that the devs manage to close this trilogy with a proper bang.
It's sad that Lance Reddick is no longer with us to bring life to Sylens one more time... won't be the same without him.
Still on the 3rd game subject... I hope the devs don't make it even bigger than the 2nd. But concentrate instead of filling it with meaningful and impactful stories, quests, puzzles and activities, and a bigger enemy and weapons variety. Bigger is NOT better, if it's mostly empty and bland.
Saturday I'll be going to the stars... a bit of Starcraft: Mass Recall ('cause nostalgia...) and a bit of Starfield
And Sunday i'll be getting back to earth.
I'll be tearing down the Zotac AMP RTX 3070 TI of a friend of mine, to change the default very noisy air cooler with an AIO solution.
We'll be adapting an NZXT Kraken G12 to it (it doesn't fit by default, but it can be modified with a bit of "craftiness").
And mount a Kraken x63 AIO cooler on the GPU (for those that don't know, it's an all in one liquid cooling solution, usually used for cooling processors, with a CPU block, connected to a 280mm radiator and 2x140mm fans, prefilled with a cooling liquid).
And we'll thermal glue radiators to every "needy" component (VRAM, VRM etc). Got a kit of 102 radiators of many shapes and sizes, and a tube of 2W/mK thermal glue, isopropyl alcohol to clean everything up, Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut thermal paste for the GPU... all prepped and ready to go.
I did this before, almost 2 years ago, on my old Aorus RTX 2080 Super, and it reduced the GPU temp from 83°C to 52°C in full load, while being extremely silent.
It's the cheaper way to liquid cool a GPU, compared to a custom loop. It may not look as fancy but it works very well.
Quite excited to get to do it again, I very much enjoy the activity : )
Bought and played MK9...11 at heavy discounts, mainly for the story part. I've been a fan of the franchise since playing MK1 and Mk2 back when Intel 586-based PC's were in their prime... but since I'm not interested in PVP, a 70$ price to play only the ~6h long story, is not a worthy investment.
As for the new game... i'll wait ~2 years for an eventual Komplete edition of sorts to get a big discount, and get it.
Until then, watching the story mode once or twice on youtube is quite sufficient.
It's a crap selection... again. Also, given the recently announced and soon to come price hike for the 12 month packs, a 3rd question would have been good: "will you continue your current subscription in light of the newly announced prices?"
Since there was nothing else I would play this week, I bought the Premium Edition Upgrade for Starfield on Game Pass (for about 31Euros), to benefit from the Early Access. Already started, it's slow going, but it's a good game. I heard that it gets even better after 12h or so.
Well, in the meantime I found a video on how to farm an elite enemy at the start of the game to get a legendary - already got a good weapon. Now I'm looking for the *Old Neighborhood" mission sending me to Sol system -> Mars -> Venus, then to Nova Galactic Staryard to get myself the Razorleaf ship and the Mantis armor - best ones you can get in early game.
Have a fun weekend everyone!
After the streak of disappointing shows that culminated with the abysmal one from May this year, who gives a rat's arse anymore... I'll wait for the good people from Push Square to post their usual "Round Up: What was announced at..." article : )
I don't know why this year so many devs and publishers chose October as the launch month. Now they're getting worried that their chosen date will overlap with one from a big IP...
November and December were left rather empty, wouldn't it have been better to delay some of the titles 'till then?
After Call of Duty's launch date, there's not much left 'till January
And they could have determined more people to buy their game at launch if some of the titles were more spread out in an interval of a few months, instead of pushing and crowding titles one after the other, all in the course of 4-5 weeks...
I'm not complaining, au contraire, I'm very happy we get so many cool games so fast. Won't be able to buy all of them as soon as they hit the market, but at least they're available. And maybe closer to end of the year we may even get to buy some of them at a small discount, having passed ~2 months since release. And during this time quite a few bugs get patched, so much the better for us and our "inner peace".
But it's just weird the publishers didn't plan this better, at least for their own sake... lack of vision, it seems, this "angle" escaped them.
Tough choice between Lords of the Fallen and Crimson Desert...
I like both games, but for the trailers presented at Gamescom, I have to give it to Crimson Desert.
The game has many inspirations from various other big IP's, and there are quite a few details peppered in that trailer, you don't even notice or properly process them on first or even second watch... a few examples:
you can get convicted when you commit a crime (like in Red Dead Redemption 2)
not only you can carry a sheep, pet a dog or a cat, but you can also play a flute to make a pack of rats follow you (I didn't even see the little buggers the first couple of times I watched the video, they're so small in that grass)
you can do a "hand break" on the horse to make it do a sharp turn : )
you can jump a fence olympic style using a Halberd of all things
you can climb actual trees in the same manner you do a building
you can even climb what looks like an Ent!
you can do a realistic crawl through vegetation, like thick bushes, by pushing aside the branches with your hands as you slowly advance;
you can tame horses and ride hot air balloons
you get to fight not only a humanoid robot, but a big ass mechanical dragon too !
there's an island system, that seem to hold all the futuristic technological parts of the game, and the elevated puzzles they've shown. And when you throw yourself off, you fall into the medieval parts of the game. So the real time in the game may be somewhere in the future, like in Assassin's Creed.
you have what looks like a "dark side", which you use to glide at one point - well, near the end of the video, you change form near a group of people, and that frightened them
from the descriptions of the fruits you buy from the shop, you can deduce that the game has a Stamina system, you may need to cook and especially eat regularly;
there is a thermometer near the minimap, showing the outside temperature, which would indicate that clothes/armor types play an important part, you have to stay warm in cold weather and dress lightly where it's warm.
Well this is one of those weekends that's a few days before a big game release. When you have a bit of free time, and wish you had said game available to spend it in. And you don't have another equally good title to captivate your attention... only replays and and some less than interesting backlog.
That being said...
Gave up on Diablo 4, it got so boring I just didn't see the point of playing anymore.
Now I restarted chipping away at my 2nd Elden Ring playthrough (already platinumed it once, but nostalgia just kept nagging me constantly...), just looted the map of the Mountaintops of the giants.
Can't wait for Starfield to launch next Friday!
It also marks the start of the biggest "game releases season" in the last few years. So many awesome titles launching in the next 2-3 months, it's a perfect time to be a gamer, no matter the platform!
As I've commented on other occasions, on the subject of the next God of War main game, it's best if they don't make Atreus the main character instead of Kratos, a lot of fans won't like it, including me.
If they really want to explore this character, then they should give him a spinoff.
It seems they heard it : )
Imo it's best this way. If they have 2 teams working in parallel, one on a spinoff and one on the main game, then I'm all for it.
As for the next main entry, they should really have Kratos go to Egypt.
I'm sure the local pantheon's "house" is due some cleaning, and many a fan would like to guide Kratos while he offers his usual services.
And on a character development level, they should explore what happened to Kratos between Greece and the north. How he changed from the "eviscerate now and don't care about asking questions later" warrior to a "calm and reasonable person". How after the massacre and disaster left in his wake in Greece, he managed to turn his life around, settle down and start a new family in the north.
Zero interest in this IP, unfortunately, even if it says From Software on it. Give me a game with guns or swords and shields anytime, but driving big robots around is not my thing.
One of the questions in the Poll should be: with all of the awesome games launching in the next few months, do you have ~200$ to waste on a barely useful trinket?
Already finished it on PC when it launched. Although it seems intriguing at the beginning, and some of the puzzles are somewhat memorable, it drags towards the end. Imo a fitting rating would be around 6 or 7 depending on personal preferences. Overall it's the kind of game to get as a heavy discount, or as a monthly free title on PS+. Play it once when/if nothing else is available, and move on.
Comments 874
Re: The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered (PS5) - A Near Perfect Package for New and Returning Fans
Unfortunately I've already played the OG 1 and 2 games just a few months ago, no reason to play it again... Think I'll be getting the PC version directly, when nostalgia hits again somewhere down the line, as it will have everything included and a hefty graphical upgrade on top.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 511
Giving a go to the new (and free) Portal Revolutions mod for Portal 2. Already in the second chapter, it's been fun so far.
With a bit of Path Of Exile on the side, just playing through the storyline, won't farm or go into end game content (too time consuming).
Maybe, if there's time, gonna continue the NG+ in God Of War Ragnarok... just started the side area in Vanaheim, The Crater, a few days ago.
Have a fun weekend everyone!
Re: New PS5, PS4 Games This Week (15th January to 21st January)
@Shigurui damn... 10x for the info, deleted it.
Re: 18 PS5 Predictions for 2024
Wow... wishful thinking and hopeful wishes, full of them this article is : )
Let's take a few of them on, shall we?
Silent Hill 2... I agree that it's gonna be good (not exceptionally, but around the 7-8 rating)... but i'm also sure it's gonna stir a TON of social media drama. Because there is no way the devs are gonna be "spared", they were doomed from the moment they accepted this task. If the game sticks faithfully to the original, gamers are gonna cry there is no new content aside from the improved graphics. If the game will include new content, all fans of the original will cry foul, saying the devs "desecrated" the OG game... As FFDP said in one of their songs: "damned if I do, damned if I don't, damned if I will, damned if I won't"... that's Bloober's case.
Sony releases the best showcase in years... not gonna happen. My money's on repeating last year's format, concentrating a lot on the 3rd party games, and maybe throwing in one PS studios exclusive game so that people don't say they didn't show anything from their own "yard". Unfortunately, nutjob "fans" are to blame, because ever since people harassed the Sony Santa Monica devs over God Of War Ragnarok at the end of June 2022, Sony steadily but constantly reduced the amount of time from release they announce a game in advance. Last example happened just a month ago, when God Of War Valhalla DLC was announced just before releasing. So unless PS studios launch more games just after the Showcase, only 1, best case 2 exclusive IP announcements will be made, simply because they "have to" not because they "want to"...
Third-party hits will carry Sony through a quiet year for PlayStation Studios. - this I actually agree with, 100%.
Naughty dog announces one of their single player IP's - again, not gonna happen. We already know that they started working on something, that they won't release until 2025 or 2026. And as I've stated above, due to past online harassment cases, Sony's new obvious policy is to announce new releases as close to the launch date as possible, to protect their devs as much as they can...
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League won't be the complete disaster many have decided it will be - of course not! ... It's gonna have ratings around 7, it's gonna be played by many for 1-2 weeks after launch, then social media drama comes, then the game will be review bombed to hell and back, then abandoned and forgotten... like other GAAS games out there...
PS5 Pro will be announced and launched this year. - this one is a given. The quantity and content of rumors is in exactly the right amount for this to be true. The release will happen in the usual Q4 period, with an announcement somewhere around September.
EDIT
Speaking of hopeful wishes... does anyone know what's Bluepoint working on? It's been over 3 years since their last release, an not even a peep. Maybe it's Bloodborne related, and they're preparing a sequel or at least a Remake for the PS5 Pro... one can only hope we'll finally find out this year.
Re: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Demo Inbound on PS5, PS4
Good, time to get hands-on... see if it's worth 15 euros for a month of Ubisoft+
Re: Talking Point: What Do You Want from Sony and PlayStation in 2024?
Quick list:
1. More AAA (non GAAS) epic PS5 exclusive games from PS Studios.
2. Make the PS5 Pro in such a way as to eliminate the effing "choice".... you know the one: either "Quality 4k but at 30FPS" or "Performance (aka crappy graphics) for 60FPS".... "pick your poison" so to speak. I want "Quality 4k @60FPS", period !
3. Bloodborne Remake and Bloodborne 2
4. Reveal what Bluepoint has been working on in those last 3 years since their last release... I realize they're probably hair-deep into an epic project, but an update would be very welcomed
5. DualSense with better battery (yeah... 99,9(9)% chance that's NOT gonna happen , but you know "hope"... she's the last one to die...)
Re: Kaitlyn Dever Will Play Abby in HBO's The Last of Us Season 2
She has nothing in common with the game character.
Maybe she can recoup some part by hitting the gym, but she can't change her entire look. Abby in the game was tall, had a strong, muscular, almost man-like body and face - Kate here is nothing like that.
But who knows, maybe they're going with a different approach for this character for the TV series... here's hoping it's gonna be good.
Re: Insomniac Breaks Silence on 'Distressing' Data Breach, Marvel's Wolverine PS5 to Continue as Planned
Regarding the attack and info leak... as Zeke put it in Infamous: "this sucks donkey balls" - it's very regrettable and can potentially affect a lot of the employees involved.... simply because other people could use this info for profiteering.
Speaking of which, the people downloading, using and distributing the leaked content, are just as bad as the attackers, and they should be punished accordingly.
I'm glad however that Sony or Insomniac didn't give into the demands - as that would open up a precedence that would highly encourage future attacks.
Re: Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick Is Stepping Down on 29th December, 2023
We don't really need progress updates on this, it's enough to let us know once he's gone, so we can pop a champagne!
Re: Game of the Year: Ken's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
Since From is keeping that PS5 version of BB under lock and key
From Software is not keeping anything, Sony is.
From just worked on Bloodborne, the rights to the IP are Sony's alone. And it's entirely their decision to do a Remake, Remaster or PC port of it... which is quite unfortunate for us fans of the game. Miyazaki really loves Bloodborne and I bet he would have done much more with this IP if he had the rights...
Re: Gaudy Controller Leak Indicates Elden Ring PS5, PS4 DLC Planned for February
The controller itself looks very well... if only Thrustmaster would fix the original Eswap X Pro's problems too, and not limit the changes to aesthetics only... those back buttons are uncomfortable to press, they should be wider or use paddles instead... and the bumper buttons are noisy, even for mechanical switches, they should use different parts... etc.
As for the DLC itself, they have a ton of expectations to meet given the huge success of the main game, here's hoping they're able to at least duplicate Bloodborne's The Old Hunters DLC in terms of quality.
Also - if the rumor mentioned here is true, new content or expansion in 2025 too, then it seems that instead of a sequel for Elden Ring, they are expanding it through DLC's. Not a bad idea, as long as the offered content is top notch.
If Elden Ring is here to stay for a few more years, I do hope though that From has another team working on a new or different Soulsborne type game in parallel - I'm very curious to see what they'll come up with next.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 507
Yesterday I finished the God of War DLC (I despise the roguelite genre, but I couldn't resist not knowing the story elements included in it... so I set the difficulty to low to mitigate the roguelite elements and the whole experience was exactly like the main game - finished it in about 5 hours).
Today I plan to continue my trek through Lords of the Fallen... already cleansed 2 beacons, 3 more to go - overall a very good game !
P.S. I realize the bizzare duality of "avoiding tough combat in God of War DLC only to go ahead and enjoy a Soulslike" but I don't like losing already earned perks and upgrades upon death, only to go through the same areas bare-ass naked so to speak until I get them again... At least in a souls game, when you die you lose only currency (be that souls, runes, blood echoes etc), the rest of your possessions are still available to use.
Re: DLC Review: God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla (PS5) - An Essential Epilogue for Fans of the Series
Although I said I completely despise the "roguelite" approach the devs took with this DLC, I finally couldn't stand to lose the story elements included in it.
I'm a big fan of the whole series, and of the Greek myths, so it captured me ever since the first trilogy way back in 2007.
Actually God of War was the single reason I i bought my first PS console, a PS2 Slim. But I digress...
So I went ahead and gave this DLC a go.
Suspected that the devs would make the lowest difficulty fit like a glove for those that are mainly interested in the story.
So I set it to low and in I went.
And as expected, it was perfectly doable 'till the end.
Only died at the first run, where I was actually supposed to.
So this is what I recommend to anyone that's against this game genre: play it on the lowest difficulty.
The many story elements that are included after each 1 or 2 fights, will definitely engage, make things interesting and keep you wanting to see more - it's very well thought out.
And on "low", the difficulty is quite approachable. Since you won't actually die, you won't be set back by the "roguelite" side of it.
There will be quite a few repeating areas (because you have to exit after the end of each run, and re-enter to begin another). But you go through repeating areas even in the main games, so it's no biggie.
The overall experience will feel exactly like the main GoW Ragnarok game, that's what counts.
Given this (and the fact that it's free) make the DLC definitely worth a shot for every fan of the series, weather they like the roguelite genre or not.
Re: The Last of Us Multiplayer Project Is Officially Cancelled
Best news I've heard regarding Sony's plans for the future of Playstation, since their statements about making more and more GaaS games. It was starting to look like they've forgotten that their current success was built for the most part on their exclusive epic Single Player games...
After seriously considering giving up on Sony's consoles (given PS5's limited exclusive lineup 3 years after launch, ridiculously increased prices for PS+ yearly subs, and the GaaS warnings Sony kept spewing), getting the PS5 Pro next year is looking again like a possibility. But we'll see what exclusive titles they announce until then. PS+ is not really necessary but without a proper exclusive line-up, PS5 Pro won't be worth it.
Re: Kratos Voice Actor Underfire for Roasting New Call of Duty Campaign
Instead of acting like stiff corporate... individuals... they should have poked back with their own joke, something like : "BOY! That's funny, but when duty calls, more people answer!" or some shenanigan like that...
They wouldn't have been bothered by this if it wasn't true, anyway... CoD is on the decline, and in dire need of a break, reset and a clean slate... This year's campaign was a joke (pun intended) weather they admit it openly or not.
Re: Poll: Was The Game Awards 2023 Worth Watching?
It's ok especially if you watch it next day instead of live, so you can quickly skip over the parts you're not interested in.
Re: God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla Set After Main Game as Kratos Faces His Past in a Personal Story
They lost me right when Mimir told Kratos to try again... and it's genre became clear.
Too bad... I know it's free but roguelite stile is not for me.
I would have preffered SMS to concentrate on a new game instead.
But it is what it is... roguelite is the new "rage" i guess, much like mobile games determined the appearance of God of War Betrayal back in the day, when all games just had to have a mobile version...
Re: Elden Ring Community Approaching Critical Levels of Hype Ahead of The Game Awards
Y'all don't get your hopes up now.
Best to keep expectations to a minimum and just enjoy the show!
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora?
Received a key for this game as a gift when I recently bough may Ryzen 7800X3D CPU, part of AMD's campaign and what not.
I've seen from various reviews it's a mixed bag, but hell... it was free (sort of), might as well give it an honest try.
Re: Sony: It's Important People Who Don't Play Games Access Our Content
Maybe Sony should also concentrate on delivering more of their exclusive games for the majority that ARE playing? Many of whom are buying the consoles to play said exclusives.
Compared to the PS4 era, PS5's exclusive games portfolio is quite reduced, even though it's already.... 3 years old O_o
(already 3 years... damn, where does the time fly?).
Re: Bloober Team Wants You to Pester Konami for Silent Hill 2 PS5 Updates
I don't get the need for this drama. It will be done when it will be done, knowing the date won't make it launch quicker.
Besides, even if they announce the date, would anyone consider it final? In this day and age when almost every single game gets delayed at least once? So what's the point on pestering devs or publishers for it?
It's enough to know they're working on it, let them be to keep at it until launch day, be that next March or next September, 2024 or 2025. There are plenty of games out right now of all genres to keep us all occupied.
Cheers!
Re: Poll: What Will Win Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023?
Kinda' missing the "subject" in the article's title there?
Anyway, this year i don't have a favorite game among the chosen nominees...
I like RE4, played and finished it, it's a good game, but it's not gonna win.
The battle will be between Nintendo and Nintendo this year, methinks.
However, money's on Zelda TotK taking the cake over Mario.
Re: Poll: Did You Buy a PS Portal?
Got much more useful stuff on my list to invest 200$ in.
This is not among them.
Re: Poll: Are You Buying a PS5 'Slim'?
Nein! Already have the OG PS5, that didn't even have a proper chance to be used as much as it should, given how many PS5 exclusive games Sony released since it launched...
Will maybe go for PS5 Pro if - and I stress IF - Sony releases more of those exceptional AAA epic single player games.
But if they switch to making more GaaS titles than the rest of them (they seem to be gearing up for it...), then they can keep the Pro, I'll stick to my PC.
Re: Poll: Is God of War Ragnarok Still One of Sony's Best Games, One Year Later?
Best game PS Studios ever made? No.
Because I don't think I could ever choose one of their exclusive AAA single player IP's to sit without a doubt on top of the others... God OF War, The Last Of Us, Uncharted, Ghost of Tsushima, Infamous, Spider-Man etc...I like them all very much.
The God of War IP remains a wee bit closer to my heart than the rest, because the original God Of War 1 and 2 on the PS2 were the starting point of my entering Sony's ecosystem (the image in my avatar here says it all).
But Sony's "universe" wouldn't be the same without all of them in it.
Here's to many more of those games in the future!
Re: Poll: Do You Think GTA 6 Will Release on PS4?
Oh hell no!
Let the PS5 show it's full power for a freaking bit already, before it gets to be replaced by the Pro version...
Re: Next Mass Effect Gets New Teaser, Featuring a Masked N7 Character
Liara T'Soni again? After all this time since the first trailer, don't they some other character to show, or at least tease?
Re: Poll: Do You Like Metal Gear Solid Delta's New Graphical Style?
It looks good there's no denying that.
There are some caveats though:
So take this showcase trailer as just a nice thing to see, don't raise any expectations that you'll be experiencing it when the game launches, you'll only be disappointed.
As for the "soul" of a game: you won't determine that from a few disconnected scenes.
It won't (and can't) look like the original, if it was meant to be a Remake, and not a Remaster. The gamers that are mad over this change in graphics can still play the original if they consider it such a masterpiece, no need for pointless drama imo...
Re: PS5 Slim Officially Unveiled, Attachable Disc Drive, Launches November
So... they reduce the size by 30%, but they keep the same price, AND they make you pay extra for the vertical stand... greed at it's finest.
Also, a glossy side panel? They were so proud of the OG's texture, now they're just cutting it up to add cheap looks into the mix.
Anyway, my OG disk PS5 is more than enough, the slim is a definite pass.
The next one for me will be the Pro at the end of next year - IF the PS5 exclusive games coming out until then, or future such titles announced until then, are gonna make it worth investing in... 'cause right now, the OG PS5 has barely proven it's worth, due the extra slim PS5 exclusive lineup available since the console's launch day.
Re: PS5's Pro Controller DualSense Edge Will Get Strong Competition
I have nothing against the Xbox layout, I'm used to it since I own a few different gamepads from various sources.
But no haptics, no adaptive triggers, and 220$ price... not worth it for me.
I'll stick with the regular DualSense.
If it breaks I'll get a new one and still not reach 220$...
Not to mention I already have 2 of them since I bought the PS5 almost 3 years ago. I use them regularly on PS5 and PC, and they behave like new even now, no drift no unusual button behavior, no cosmetic degradation etc.
Re: The Last of Us 2 PS5 Remaster Seems to Be Real
While I strongly believe they should focus on the 3rd game or a new IP, if this remake turns out to be true, I hope at least the PC version that normally comes with it is of much better quality than the first game's port was...
Already have the game on PS4, and it plays very well on PS5, not gonna buy the remake on console. But I would get the PC version a bit later, at a discount, IF its superbly done.
Re: Poll: How's Your Hype for Marvel's Spider-Man 2?
@RobynAlecksys Joke's on you bub, next week's LotF has very little in common with the first title gameplay wise, go see trailers for yourself, or better yet, play the game too see the difference.
They both belong in the same genre, they even have a 1000 year difference, so they happen in the same "universe", but the similarities stop there.
Spider Man 2 happens in New York ... again... they just added 2 new areas around it.
You swing around in much the same way. Complete again a ton of "check" objectives around town... same old open world mechanic. They may add some "switch" between the 2 heroes, but basically it's not much different from the first game.
LotF launching next week is rebuild from the ground up differently. It's more RPG-centered, has a character creator, has the dual-world mechanic that completely changes how you play the game etc etc.
Re: Poll: How's Your Hype for Marvel's Spider-Man 2?
Hard to be hyped about a sequel that, at least from the trailers, seems to be a souped up first game(s). Even the areas are partially the same.
I'll get it later on at a discount or maybe I'll go directly for the improved (and by then complete, DLC and everything) PC version.
Right now I'm a lot more hyped by Lords of the Fallen - finally launching next week \o/ Can't wait!
Re: Jim Ryan Retires as PlayStation Boss in March 2024
"After 30 years, I have made the decision to retire from SIE in March 2024.
Took you long enough to make the best decision of your career...
I’ve relished the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and incredible partners.
And you fully took advantage of the awesome opportunity of having your mug forever tied to the worse Playstation Showcase in PS history... may it serve you well in the future.
I would normally say "here's hoping the new CEO will do better"... but there's not much worse this new person can actually do...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 495
Nothing special in the gaming department... I'm gearing up to make my first water cooling system for my PC : getting a bigger case, a CPU block (already have the GPU block), needing a PSU, radiators, pump, tubing, liquid, and of course fans... lots of fans : )
So in between "learning sessions" (accumulating a lot of necessary info, watching "how to" and review videos, looking for products and prices, etc) - I'm taking a break, trying to prevent my few neurons from overheating ... so I'm playing a few missions of Starcraft Mass Recall... because nostalgia, and because they're rather short and fast, get in / get out style, and don't require too much involvement on my part.
Have a fun weekend everyone!
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Mortal Kombat 1?
Nope, not yet. Will wait for a Komplete edition some 1-2 years from now, since I don't play PVP.
I love the franchise a lot, ever since the first games back when Intel Pentium 1 CPU's and Playstation 1 consoles were kings. But only for the lore, story and PVE.
So, for me at least, it's not worth throwing 70$ or more on this game for ~6h of content.
I'm more hyped right now for Lords of the Fallen, which I can't wait to play next month.
Re: Looks Like One of PS5's Best Games Is Getting a Complete Edition
The second game didn't have the same overall impact the first one did. But sit was still much better than other similar games, like AC Valhalla...
Burning Shores DLC was ok too, but a bit less than the main game... it felt rushed, they threw some ideas and new characters in there, but didn't take the time to develop them properly...
Here's hoping the 3rd entry will be better, that the devs manage to close this trilogy with a proper bang.
It's sad that Lance Reddick is no longer with us to bring life to Sylens one more time... won't be the same without him.
Still on the 3rd game subject... I hope the devs don't make it even bigger than the 2nd. But concentrate instead of filling it with meaningful and impactful stories, quests, puzzles and activities, and a bigger enemy and weapons variety. Bigger is NOT better, if it's mostly empty and bland.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 493
Saturday I'll be going to the stars... a bit of Starcraft: Mass Recall ('cause nostalgia...) and a bit of Starfield
And Sunday i'll be getting back to earth.
I'll be tearing down the Zotac AMP RTX 3070 TI of a friend of mine, to change the default very noisy air cooler with an AIO solution.
We'll be adapting an NZXT Kraken G12 to it (it doesn't fit by default, but it can be modified with a bit of "craftiness").
And mount a Kraken x63 AIO cooler on the GPU (for those that don't know, it's an all in one liquid cooling solution, usually used for cooling processors, with a CPU block, connected to a 280mm radiator and 2x140mm fans, prefilled with a cooling liquid).
And we'll thermal glue radiators to every "needy" component (VRAM, VRM etc). Got a kit of 102 radiators of many shapes and sizes, and a tube of 2W/mK thermal glue, isopropyl alcohol to clean everything up, Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut thermal paste for the GPU... all prepped and ready to go.
I did this before, almost 2 years ago, on my old Aorus RTX 2080 Super, and it reduced the GPU temp from 83°C to 52°C in full load, while being extremely silent.
It's the cheaper way to liquid cool a GPU, compared to a custom loop. It may not look as fancy but it works very well.
Quite excited to get to do it again, I very much enjoy the activity : )
Have a fun weekend everyone!
Re: Mortal Kombat 1's Full Character Roster Leaks Ahead of PS5 Release
Bought and played MK9...11 at heavy discounts, mainly for the story part. I've been a fan of the franchise since playing MK1 and Mk2 back when Intel 586-based PC's were in their prime... but since I'm not interested in PVP, a 70$ price to play only the ~6h long story, is not a worthy investment.
As for the new game... i'll wait ~2 years for an eventual Komplete edition of sorts to get a big discount, and get it.
Until then, watching the story mode once or twice on youtube is quite sufficient.
Re: Poll: Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Essential Games for September 2023?
It's a crap selection... again.
Also, given the recently announced and soon to come price hike for the 12 month packs, a 3rd question would have been good: "will you continue your current subscription in light of the newly announced prices?"
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 492
Since there was nothing else I would play this week, I bought the Premium Edition Upgrade for Starfield on Game Pass (for about 31Euros), to benefit from the Early Access. Already started, it's slow going, but it's a good game. I heard that it gets even better after 12h or so.
Well, in the meantime I found a video on how to farm an elite enemy at the start of the game to get a legendary - already got a good weapon. Now I'm looking for the *Old Neighborhood" mission sending me to Sol system -> Mars -> Venus, then to Nova Galactic Staryard to get myself the Razorleaf ship and the Mantis armor - best ones you can get in early game.
Have a fun weekend everyone!
Re: Sony Has a State of Play Livestream for September, Rumours Suggest
After the streak of disappointing shows that culminated with the abysmal one from May this year, who gives a rat's arse anymore...
I'll wait for the good people from Push Square to post their usual "Round Up: What was announced at..." article : )
Re: Reaction: Has Sony Put Together the Worst PS Plus Month Ever?
Put together with the absurd price increases of the PS+ 12 month prices, they are on the perfect track to alienate as many customers as possible...
Re: Alan Wake 2 Was Delayed on PS5 to Avoid Going Neck to Neck with Spider-Man 2
I don't know why this year so many devs and publishers chose October as the launch month. Now they're getting worried that their chosen date will overlap with one from a big IP...
November and December were left rather empty, wouldn't it have been better to delay some of the titles 'till then?
After Call of Duty's launch date, there's not much left 'till January
And they could have determined more people to buy their game at launch if some of the titles were more spread out in an interval of a few months, instead of pushing and crowding titles one after the other, all in the course of 4-5 weeks...
I'm not complaining, au contraire, I'm very happy we get so many cool games so fast. Won't be able to buy all of them as soon as they hit the market, but at least they're available. And maybe closer to end of the year we may even get to buy some of them at a small discount, having passed ~2 months since release. And during this time quite a few bugs get patched, so much the better for us and our "inner peace".
But it's just weird the publishers didn't plan this better, at least for their own sake... lack of vision, it seems, this "angle" escaped them.
Re: Poll: What PS5 Game Had the Best Showing at Gamescom Opening Night Live?
Tough choice between Lords of the Fallen and Crimson Desert...
I like both games, but for the trailers presented at Gamescom, I have to give it to Crimson Desert.
The game has many inspirations from various other big IP's, and there are quite a few details peppered in that trailer, you don't even notice or properly process them on first or even second watch... a few examples:
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 491
Well this is one of those weekends that's a few days before a big game release. When you have a bit of free time, and wish you had said game available to spend it in. And you don't have another equally good title to captivate your attention... only replays and and some less than interesting backlog.
That being said...
Gave up on Diablo 4, it got so boring I just didn't see the point of playing anymore.
Now I restarted chipping away at my 2nd Elden Ring playthrough (already platinumed it once, but nostalgia just kept nagging me constantly...), just looted the map of the Mountaintops of the giants.
Can't wait for Starfield to launch next Friday!
It also marks the start of the biggest "game releases season" in the last few years. So many awesome titles launching in the next 2-3 months, it's a perfect time to be a gamer, no matter the platform!
Have a good weekend everyone!
Re: Rumour: God of War Ragnarok DLC Expansion Deep in Development for PS5
As I've commented on other occasions, on the subject of the next God of War main game, it's best if they don't make Atreus the main character instead of Kratos, a lot of fans won't like it, including me.
If they really want to explore this character, then they should give him a spinoff.
It seems they heard it : )
Imo it's best this way. If they have 2 teams working in parallel, one on a spinoff and one on the main game, then I'm all for it.
As for the next main entry, they should really have Kratos go to Egypt.
I'm sure the local pantheon's "house" is due some cleaning, and many a fan would like to guide Kratos while he offers his usual services.
And on a character development level, they should explore what happened to Kratos between Greece and the north. How he changed from the "eviscerate now and don't care about asking questions later" warrior to a "calm and reasonable person". How after the massacre and disaster left in his wake in Greece, he managed to turn his life around, settle down and start a new family in the north.
Re: Poll: Did You Buy Armored Core 6?
Zero interest in this IP, unfortunately, even if it says From Software on it.
Give me a game with guns or swords and shields anytime, but driving big robots around is not my thing.
Re: Poll: Are You Sold on PlayStation Portal?
One of the questions in the Poll should be:
with all of the awesome games launching in the next few months, do you have ~200$ to waste on a barely useful trinket?
Re: Scorn, the Most Repulsive Game Ever Made, Comes to PS5 in October
Already finished it on PC when it launched. Although it seems intriguing at the beginning, and some of the puzzles are somewhat memorable, it drags towards the end.
Imo a fitting rating would be around 6 or 7 depending on personal preferences. Overall it's the kind of game to get as a heavy discount, or as a monthly free title on PS+. Play it once when/if nothing else is available, and move on.