Comments 858

Re: Rumour: LEGO Horizon Adventures Is Reportedly Real, a 'Realistic' Horizon Game But with LEGO

SuntannedDuck2

So a kid friendly Horizon game even though it's teen? I would likely believe this rumour. The audience is so loyal or so casual focused on these of appeal they would. I myself find things like this to be 'cool' but also a reason I have left the 1st party releases. Is stuff like this.

Lego games with a spin is cool yes but I mean no matter the mature IP to make it more family friendly (which I have nothing against) or couch co-op fun for sure this would be of great. I hate them milking IPs because audiences are so limiting of possibilities with games being so bland or things like this a cross over wow we need more of those like no thanks and companies enforce it on us or audiences suck it up so the company responds with it. It's just sad.

To have a game they are a few years too young for. I mean sure but it's not like you can't have a swear filter or a less swearing script either or the themes I get are above a kid. But parental guidance is a thing oh wait. Or a game with yes less complexity sure but I mean jumping genres in Ratchet was complex yet more adult games for the time were very focused then all over the place of experimentation.

So I mean who really got the more complex games with different variety in it and yet prepared me for any genres I hadn't stepped into properly all from Spyro or Ratchet series among other games that were focused. Games these days are so dumbed down I just find it sad of themes, game design and more. The mechanics are just so basic I don't understand why. Or we have games for casuals like Assassin's Creed with their complexities of an RPG anyways besides their worlds appealing to a wide audience yet GTA 5 felt like the most clunky thing I'd ever played yet people get past it for the things you can do in the series because controls don't matter if they are just everything else to most people.

So for easy to play games I do question studios and audiences actual appeal or ability to play games.

What laziness on Sony's part to 'get them while their young and make them buy the teen/mature version, and watch the tv show, and milk it more and more and more'. What a joke. Actually offer family friendly IPs for families, and games we people into animated films in our later years (like myself) would also buy and support like we did many Japan Studios games or Sackboy/Ratchet/Modnation/many others of the past but no 'lets milk our teen/mature IPs to make them family friendly'. What a disappointment.

Sony wants those safe sales. I mean it's not like I won't support companies I buy up many family friendly games. I did and want to buy all their PS1-3/PSP/Vita games. I experienced both but not every one does that I get it. But I mean I like the Nintendo variety and buy up either regardless of demographic because I care about the game design/genre and I enjoy them a lot.

Microsoft HAS variety but they just don't hit the same way. I still buy them to collect though or do actually care about some of them. OG Xbox/360 more so many I never heard of and have enjoyed then Xbox One where the second party deals were better than the 1st party that gen but I still buy the 1st party games (not Series though not really as many misteps there no thanks, the good are good, the bad are just disappointing, sigh Forza Motorsport 8 why did you have to have bad marketing hiding things and bad game design).

Even then I remember seeing an article or photos/videos with some young girls being happy about the 2017 original game and I mean why wouldn't they Aloy is a great female protagonist/role model character. But at the same time. Is a few years waiting that much of sales Sony NEEDS to get from customers.

I played Star Wars games as a kid but yes did get weirded out by Resistance Fall of Man or COD as rightly so. I just happened to see what they were like, I didn't play them like many did GTA as a kid. I over came that years later of course but still. I played Ratchet games with no understanding of the adult jokes but yet those games were for 7 year olds. They had their tough moments. I played Gran Turismo 3 when I was 4 I didn't get the career mode structure till years later I don't remember when. The people in QA were kids. Yet the games were like all ages movies of the 2000s then things changed over course over time.

I mean Indy movies to Lego made sense because of the way the themes/certain scenes are let alone they are long films and as good as they are I still find them kind of too long but this. It just screams desperation of sales. I mean can we have a Muppets Horizon too next as well? I'm not even into the Muppets (respect them) but still.

But the Star Wars films to Lego or other Star Wars game existed.

I get they want to push IPs to many audiences and even at a younger age their MATURE/TEEN IPs but what about Sackboy/Ratchet and Clank, what about the other IPs they had in the past, just dump them I guess they don't care about them the way many of us that have played or explored a lot of PlayStation IPs over the years have enjoyed them or will for the first time when collecting the ones we missed out on.

I get they already messed Ratchet up and old fans question the series (or really enjoyed Rift Apart, I didn't it felt safe, not hardware pushing correctly and felt like God of War 2018 like with the your old but mentoring their alternative dimension counter parts. Like no thanks Sony I'll pass I didn't need to be told that when I played Nexus they didn't do it then, I don't now. I don't take kindly to nostalgia from Indies for pathetic games neither do I AAA) or the game didn't sell well but I mean just try harder or are your studios to outsource a family friendly game to not possible or a new IP not possible so milk the ones that work but make them family friendly.

Why not make a Horizon LEGO tv show at this point. Like stop milking IPs give us something ACTUALLY compelling for once.

But even still to me a REALISTIC LEGO game is why I always get confused. I haven't cared for the formula in years and even then Skywalker saga was too 'we have changed the format but we added more walking' and I'm like uh why?

Like to explore areas they could do before with Complete Saga or the PS2 versions sure I get that but more 'nothing' was just dumb.

Not to mention I like LEGO environments like we got with the bonus areas with the Lego City levels of those games not the actual level environments. But we get realistic backgrounds. Do something exciting I mean nothing like rendered plastic environments sometimes. Not just plastic looking art styles.

I get it's putting the Lego set characters like a kid playing with them or the characters actually going on the adventures but I just find it distracting more and more.

I like some fiction to it you know.

Re: Former XCOM, Midnight Suns Devs Form New Studio to Take on The Sims

SuntannedDuck2

If it's the one I'm thinking of then sure I think I saw it it looks fine. It being a more lived in world (or very similar to Sims limited in areas) hmm not sure about that but if it's better refined then sure.

Sims has being pushing pathetic content packs for years for Sims 4 let alone the cursor focused controls when Sims 2 on console was the best playing the series ever was for console controls. 1-3 did a fair job with quality of life or content packs 4 is just a joke. Expansion packs weren't the best and were a money making format for a reason but at least they felt like you got worth while content in them nowadays they are pathetically lacking for the prices.

They feel like Minecraft updates sometimes, but you pay for them with Sims. In Minecraft it being free is less painful but the updates are still underwhelming of ideas and concepts.

If they have a fair idea I'm all for it. XCOM is fair but I guess the tactics space is pretty full and they wanted to try something new or more money hungry and direct competition with Sims. Sigh I don't know about that seems risky and a waste of time. Depends what ideas they have in mind.

They just need a better design then Sims. Will people move on from Sims lol I doubt it but a handful of people may if they want a better experience, if one is offered.

Then again direct competition with a big game where have I seen that before. Sigh give us more exciting games then direct competition style games. The industry and products are just getting boring at this point.

Re: Sony Attracting More PSN Users Year-on-Year Despite Quarterly Dip

SuntannedDuck2

In terms of PC who knows. In terms of people getting a console say they pick up a console because their peers have one. For Fortnite (seen some people do that) not surprised.

They could be new accounts from anywhere. They could be kid accounts whether for just whatever licensed tv show game and to set parental controls for then just handing a device (say an iPad and whatever apps controlled or not for it). Besides just a new family buying a console for the first time.

PS4s are cheaper then PS5s, they still make PS4s, games still come out on PS4, the games are cheaper. The online games are free so PSN account isn't hard to just create.

That or people with many emails making PSN accounts and maybe their old email doesn't work anymore not just swapping the email out. There is many reasons for making a new PSN account.

People don't always quit their PSN accounts so new accounts being made, new regional accounts for other overseas store fronts (getting games early or just wanting Japanese/US/European eshops to check things, even if it was for say the PS+ testing not just more normal cases), or maybe banned accounts and creating new ones or a number of other factors it makes sense.

So some new accounts is like sure, but others with more thinking behind it it isn't that surprising besides PC accounts to play Helldivers 2 and people going eh I want to play it and don't care while others do care and won't make an account/can't due to particular valid reasons of account access in a region.

Re: Sony Committed to Better First-Party Games, 'Richer' Experiences, More PS5 Users

SuntannedDuck2

They can say that but killing off studios I care about is making me and people like me be users they lost not drawing in more. We may be a smaller audience but having Ratchet, Astro and Sackboy isn't enough and even then many have gotten so disappointing why would I want to support them.

I enjoy the variety of PS1-3, not just nostalgia many I never owned I'm buying up. Xbox has variety but it's a bit messy of appeal for some of them even besides Gamepass existing and sales being different for them. Nintendo has that variety I'm looking for. The graphics/artstyle, worlds and tone can be family friendly or dark for all I care. I still find the genre variety and gameplay design compelling. Not the closeness Sony has of cinematic third person synergy. Sure they are action adventure, survival horror or other things but camera angles, movesets, level design and gameplay ideas still matter to me.

I do see some decent games on PS5 but I don't care enough to buy them and they are all third party AA games too. I can easily wait. Barely any racing games I want on PS5/Series consoles either which is disappointing too. I'm still happy on PS4 with the few PS deals like Valkyrie Elysium, or getting multiplat Square (more so these last few years then I usually would Square published titles) or other third party titles.

Some people asked for big blockbuster experiences but some of us just want AAA but AAA that is closer to mid range. To make expectations softer and build up slower then leap two generations worth from PS3 to PS5 that feels like PS3 to PS6 or 7 in the way they want to have money from customers and not just the MTX and $60 to 70 either and not being $100 as game development cost go either but prices for the products have stayed for years.

I don't play games because of their marketing hype or their big scale. Just give me a decent game with good ideas that's all I'm asking for and offer better marketing I'm not into the CGI and this and that. Indies do a fair job because that's all they can do, others for say survival games have good presentation. They may not be great updates sometimes but the marketing is still good. That's it. Companies set expectations, customers have their own but at the same time if they want so big of scale us players they are overthinking it, curb those expectations.

PC sales if they don't mess it up sure, tv/movies sure. But richer. What good worlds but worlds I don't want to play in. Just look at and go that's cool but never buy them because I don't like their design of gameplay or story at all. Yeah Sony can keep trying but I'm not buying them. Give me richer CREATIVE worlds and I'll join. But so far some boring worlds/stories isn't interesting to me. Grounding things down for casuals is not fun to me. I've seen tv shows do it too and I'm like how generic and dumbed down can you make a tv show till I just move on to the next and I keep doing so. How much emotional pandering, how much repetitive message story lines. How much basic gameplay.

I want mid budget games but with better ideas not be mid budget but comparable AAA competition of generic game design that's just boring. Make them stand out. Market them better. I don't want a PS5 that's how uninteresting Sony has been pushing a certain audience that will stop eventually. They can push tv shows/movies sure but eventually most of us will move on, be loyal or see a ceiling hit of audiences jumping to get their games. Film buffs or casuals.

They will hit a ceiling of players into the types of games they offer. So why cut off small audiences, gamer audiences, creative game seeking audiences, to build up to a big audience and only big audience jumps. Idiot companies. Of the big teen/adult IPs wanting a story driven cinematic experience. Some want more than that yet they don't care to offer.

There is a reason I focus on fiction so much as because these grounded boring/REAL or cinematic experiences from all AAA not just Sony are getting very 'so where is the creativity?' 'Where did it go they sucked the soul out of it to dumb it down for audiences too much'.

I get stories, I get worlds, I get graphics but I mean come on the games are just getting tropey, similar and unexciting. The stories are getting boring, the graphics are what they are, colour differences and tone yes but otherwise all shiny and boring.

People into Gran Turismo wanting better from it because the progression sucks and dream cars mean nothing if the use case for them sucks.

I play racing games for progression, I look at the menus for content/structure and what events. I think the racing game coming to Switch in a few months is pathetic because oh we have licenses yeah and your modes are generic.

Waste your budget on better things and have some skill not oh we have licenses as some pathetic cover up.

It's all brands and emotional excuse writing/tone and boring gameplay so basic it's sleep worthy for development in games and I'm sick of it. I see all the elements of games and movies and just go what am I supposed to be excited about.

As if the brain washing spell doesn't work because I've seen the tropes, the design and more before and I'm not phased or excited by it all.

Ratchet being either disappointing or fine depending on your stance on the series. LBP/Sackboy the same.

2017+ I got a Vita and Wii U, 3DS, Switch and I'm not disappointed in that decision. I spend more money on retro games I have no nostalgia for so don't give me the nostalgia excuse I have none for the games I'm picking up because they offer better ideas that's why I buy them.

That and researching them and wanting better ideas in games yet I don't see them I see casual Indies like Little Kitty Big City what a piece of junk with stupid animal cuteness marketing, games need depth not as barren as a tv show that has more in it then the game itself of appeal.

Nostalgic Indies too fixated on popular titles inspiration they are boring and lacking compelling reasons to buy them. I want more then old trends I want actual exciting ideas when the niche ones were better than the popular easy to appeal to audiences.

There is good Indies but there is also a lot of formulaic Indies with just so much nothing to them. Casual, nostalgia, anything of audience and nothing exciting about them marketing wise or game design wise. Just boring.

Or AA/AAA unappealing games. You get good ones yes I don't hate modern gaming and go oh it was better back in the day. It's just I find most to be really unappealing. I have branched out to genres then other trends happen and I find them weak of design elements to be compelling because they dumb them down so much their core is just so pass worthy.

Gameplay is so basic and the other elements like the world suffer from it with the level design/open world playground feel isn't there just boring recreations. I don't want holiday destinations and NPC quests.

I'll continue to buy PS4 third parties and continue to not want a PS5 because the console is a bad OS with Xbox One/Series elements I hated yet PS5/Switch do them anyways. Eh peripherals I was excited for but are so pathetically dull.

I'll stick to 8th gen (my least favourite generation and 9th is up there too) till both 1st/3rd parties actually offer a decent game with interesting gameplay ideas, actual good use of the SSD besides the usual load times and who cares 4K/ray tracing with whatever reflections, mirrors, puddles, lighting. I don't need glass buildings and cupboard glass to be reflective I don't care.

Give me a game mechanic with lightning or reflections sure otherwise I don't care.

Is this a load of nonsense I'm saying. XD Yes but at the same time they need to know there is focusing on an audience, a ceiling and then those other audiences go elsewhere and they can be big numbers sometimes for how small they seemed per game but among multiple games they end up being bigger than they thought.

You can only push so many different things, have many marketing angles for your console with a big book/tv or movie IP game come out, car licenses and more. We want better.

Re: Square Enix to 'Aggressively' Pursue Multiplatform Strategy from Now On

SuntannedDuck2

They can do it for the money sure that Multiplatform provides. But when Valkyrie Elysium was good (PS4/5 only). I am FINALLY getting around to Stranger's Paradise. So it is a quantity problem I know as I usually don't buy Square games but I am now not just because of tactics RPGs/hack n slashes they interest me but out of curiosity. I always knew about them. Have tried a few in the past but now more than ever I'm interested but it doesn't mean I haven't noticed the quality being pretty weak in different spaces and I'll go into that.

But PC/others does help them then however much and exclusive only audience for a period. Sony is doing their thing, Nintendo is. Xbox is trying to make up it's mind on what it wants after many decisions. We either like or hate the direction of first party and buy up third parties that interest us. Enjoy the hardware for different reasons gimmicks, load times, remote play, story, graphics, gameplay, typical gaming.

There is games that do take up a lot of audiences like a Fornite, GTA, sports and so on. But many others are going Indie/AA and don't like certain AAA directions, or the audiences are going so many directions or quality is changing/game design priorities are different it's why I question many Indies nostalgia, not the Indies with unique ideas/spins on existing that I don't question ([even some devs splitting continuing some directions or new ideas they always wanted to but never could with their old studios but having formed new ones I don't question them, I question the newcomers the too into their old favourite trends/games and that's ALL THEY MAKE with more dull or fan game level execution]

safe only popular or dull ideas than 5th gen platformers or racing ever had with far more original ideas or any new ideas people won't bother to come up with) or casual audience games lacking depth or good ideas not just AAA lacking in good game play ideas not just visuals, load times with good or bad programmers and whatever other worlds/eh content to play through due to formats or the execution of said content open world or linear games.

Diofield was half a good game, half lacking depth/story excitement, was multiplatform. The remakes of Front Mission and Tactics Ogre are 'fine'. I can't compare to the originals. I don't have nostalgia for them/wasn't born yet/never seen old copies of SNES/PS1/PSP Tactics Ogre but the way it's executed is odd to me. Front Mission could have changed its' combat for a modern option of hit whatever limps you want and the damage from there besides the randomised but it didn't only graphics or controls or something.

Modern tactics games at least those I started with have less grind or less stupidity of the old days (not bad just not ideal I find. I am fine with many old things but some rock paper scissors is very particularly designed of NES/SNES RPGs and grind) and make the hits/critical better among other mechanics. Multiplatform (unless Front Mission was Switch only but I think going to PS5 at some point? Or 2 is Switch or something).

The Square internal teams make better games (quality at least or gameplay variety, in terms of authentics of remakes I can't question that but in terms of quality still) than any of the studios games they published of Diofield or Foamstars those lack depth or quality in areas, Foamstars was business model first and had 2 modes at launch, I came up with more ideas from oil, foam contest, reverse maze, traps, surfboard racing at the announcement trailer, they just suck at making a game XD (beside well Valkyrie Elysium/Strangers of Paradise because they are already good teams anyways Team Ninja or Soleil).

I am not usually into Square titles but exploring a handful the past few years I haven't noticed much. No didn't buy FF7 Remake/Rebirth or FF16. I played the minigames to help someone but that's it. I've seen enough of those games story and gameplay/having conversations about them with the same people on the game (as new to FF7 all of us) to know the good, the bad, the in-between quality of them.

The quality shows. Balan is what it is but even then I got my time with it for $20 new and enjoyed the it had even if it has issues and I got my Rayman 3 suit game that's all I wanted it for and it delivered on that somewhat of quality, I knew it would flop. I wasn't paying full price for it.

Re: More Xbox Layoffs Reportedly Inbound as Company Attempts to Cut Costs

SuntannedDuck2

Make smaller teams, what an amazing ideas. Better execution came out of PS3/360 for a reason. Not 100+ more people to 300 staff and yet too big of budgets.

That and good direction especially.

Removing staff to suit financial reports/keeping up with trends or standing out from time to time and unable to see what audiences want or enough of them in the no gamer space to casually buy, its tough out there.

Re: Stylish Arcade Racer #DRIVE Rally Powerslides onto PS5 in 2025

SuntannedDuck2

If good modes/event types I'm interested. If not then pass. If arcadey. Good could use some among the Gravel, OnRush as arcade offerings I remember off the top of my head, WRC being sim and so on. Among other types of road racing.

Rally is great but it's needs something to entertain me or else another rally game is more worth my time. Or any older racing/rally game.

WRC 3 (PS3/360) had good modes, 2 had good management systems. 4 I think cut most of that and felt kind of dull so I only played it for trophies/to have a racing Vita game of some sort.

The new Switch/PC one looks good but the modes/event types are dull but ok classes offered.

Racing games need more exciting ideas. I'm getting bored with the same safeness and having more fun with mechanic level innovation left behind 20 years ago when they competed better and put a spin on the genre. Now they are just getting blander and blander each gen. Since 8th gen made them so horrible and few stood out. Or stood out so much with the worst progression I've ever seen.

Re: Tipsy Microsoft Exec Once Attempted to Steal LittleBigPlanet from Sony

SuntannedDuck2

Well I always saw Illomilo with the 360. So LBP with Xbox huh. Maybe could have gone interesting directions but like Project Spark may have died. I think Sony made a good call.

Some good creativity LBP/Dreams have that just fits PlayStation or Nintendo audiences well I think.

But then again Japan Studios was a bunch of studios but London hmm. Media Molecule going is the last straw for me and I have nothing but Astro/Asobi to care about and that's not good enough for me to own a PlayStation only third parties and peripherals at that point/is how I am already.

Re: PS5 Fans Mostly Happy with Sony's Third-Party Deals, But PlayStation Studios Need to Step Up

SuntannedDuck2

For most people sure. For me it was only Valkyrie Elysium and that's it. So not a lot to say in the conversation here as I don't care about many to any of those other IPs.

Forspoken has it's issues but still it has some compelling parts about it.

Stellar Blade I did have interest (the world/inspiration was clear to a degree) but the demo made it clear the game it didn't do it for me in the combat/pacing I know it'd bug me the whole game.

The others are fine games just not my type of games. That and I'm staying on PS4, I have access to current gen, no interest it them still 3+ years in I'm still waiting for something compelling. 2017+ 1st party hasn't been for me. It's third parties nowadays.

Re: Talking Point: Have Sony's Third-Party PS5 Deals Made Up for Its Lack of First-Party Games?

SuntannedDuck2

@TheAmbienWalrus That's a fair point to say don't worry I do take feedback seriously.

They do go a bit overboard/off topic at times, sometimes I need to put other examples or yes they are a bit big but I can't cut them down sometimes they need more details then something this short.

I'll look into it. I do edit them a fair bit but sometimes I don't know what to cut. Sometimes I come back later and edit them, other times I don't.

Re: Rumour: Next Tomb Raider Said to Be Open World, Set in India

SuntannedDuck2

The board game part aside.

Every series getting their open worlds I guess?

I am not into open worlds and even then the hub based ones of the 2nd reboot trilogy aka 2013+ entries are fine enough but I got bored of them quick. I bet 2013, but Rise I just got sick of and Shadow is probably fine but just didn't play it even though own it.

To me if an open world balances aspects well I'll play it, as someone that hates the genre/formula I enjoy what 3 out of the 100s that exist out there and played about less than 10 and won't pick up them because I hate most of their design because the cities/open spaces aren't playground fun enough for me to want to care and the moveset of the characters are so generic I might as well go outside and climb a tree then mimic their basic moveset in game. Give me an interesting moveset, interesting world to climb around and good missions I'll play but most of them are so boring.

I play linear because the enemy/level design and abilities or weapon balance is usually better, open worlds the balance is just lost for me most if not all times because of how uninteresting they can be.

Why would I want to have to travel a recreation of a city, boring, they aren't gameplay fun just wow a city recreation. Who cares. Give me an obstacle course or a fun spin on the location (or just not set it in cities set it in the middle of nowhere like linear games build their levels around the general sense of the location, maybe a city if needing some refills or whatever even then that'd be terrible) not a holiday destination seriously.

Especially RPG quests, get rid of them. The Crystal Dynamics survey I still have my responses for and well like they'd care I'd rip into them if they offered another one for how generic this open world could be of content I bet.

I mean to me even then the tombs were fun but to me the same reason I played BOTW the Shrines. The rest, eh.

Even 3D platformers with hub worlds, I hate most of them because they are just the same thing but smaller open world/hubs. Why would I want to play them. Unless they had minigames or decent tasks to do, most are just boring.

So the problem stays as most of them I don't like because the missions don't compel me, the side content is just eh and the collectibles/use cases for them aren't much fun either and just formulaic skill tree nonsense I didn't sign up for and a trend I want killed because menu use case laziness developers.

Yes 2013+ has skill trees but I find you can ignore them in those games if you wanted. I did Ratchet ToD and probably may if I replay the others. Most games force them. I hate them, the perks/stats are garbage of an increase and I don't like the format as it is/jumping to a menu all the time. I know from Gran Turismo how much jumping around a menu can be and they got rid of the quality of life menu hopping elements so that's their fault.

But most games PUSH for them and I hate skill trees, I find them lazy design because well the rest of the game can scale that way then other things found in the world right, right, ok? Yeah no I never signed up to that yet devs expect me to agree with them and other trends. No I expect better design in other areas, old trends or new not this trend design. Think outside the box more.

Re: Sony Doubles Down on Helldivers 2 PSN Requirement by Taking It Off Sale for PC in Numerous Countries

SuntannedDuck2

Uh that makes a lot of sense with the Steam reviews now that I didn't know about before and was confused. I feel for the developers.

Yet Sony is pushing console related logic to PC, they can't expect people to just bend over for them they aren't the same audience. Sure people do overreact but I mean why should they when any other game you won't have to encounter this so why should they have to Sony's games.

Also those in particular countries that's even more sad.

For trophies or PS+ Extra or PS Now prior a PSN account made sense and trophies on PC are optional so I'd say sure but in general nah I don't blame PC gamers here. People may Xbox games but they have a Microsoft account on Windows anyway (Linux and likely Mac users try their best to ignore them like with the Minecraft account situation, let alone many Windows users WANT offline mode but Microsoft refuses/wants to hide it all the time/removes the possibility).

That and those that don't use Gamepass/Xbox related services and just Steam/others instead never have to encounter this.

They never had to before, why would they for a select few games they have plenty on their platform/launchers to play without ever having to engage with this.

Sony feels like Microsoft here you can't treat the PC community like your console one and Microsoft does the same you can't treat many things on console like Windows. Think outside the box because each audience is different per platform any idiot knows that.

I mean I questioned the same with Ubisoft accounts or EA accounts. We just want to play games not have a bunch of data sending TOS/EULAs when we buy a game, so might as well just check with the demos or footage and just never buy them.

So having PSN as an requirement when no other PC game has that. Sony are just stupid and think an audience that never had to deal with it will gladly accept it, I mean people could say oh they should just get used to it, but they really want to annoy people when they could just play offline (probably not even that if they change is that widespread for the game to access it even offline not just online) or not play it/refund depending.

Re: PS4 Classic Horizon Zero Dawn Set to Leave PS Plus Extra

SuntannedDuck2

@Flaming_Kaiser I was going to expand but I cut it back in my comment. Glad you enjoyed it. The beginning area is fair. Not as confusing as every Zelda game does for me.

I see the appeal but to me it's just not fun enough for me to play. Like I played Second Son but for the side content those missions had enough fair ideas in them to make me want to play. The story, the most boring missions. The story itself was fine and I did beat the game story, the stories told in the games are fine.

But the things you do in them are not fun in the slightest to me personally they just feel like talking, defeating enemies and going places. Linear games mix this up but in an open world to me the design is just not fun how they present it and also going somewhere every 5 minutes just no. Running, climbing or riding an animal just no.

Wow how fun. When the others had spray painting, finding cameras, and a few other things they felt more fun to do.

The world is fine, it has enough to explore I think it kind of had a playground feel to it (less of a city recreation (yes it is a recreation of a real location but in an apocalypse way so it's more interesting) which I find those boring just buildings and some spaces for other things the vericality doesn't challenge me between buildings or running places) but my problem was that I went ok some collectibles/structures (which sure in Uncharted was fair but it was linear so it was different) this and that trials and so on. Wasn't feeling it. The giraffes as moving towers was fine enough even if some were confusing how to get up to them.

Also the cinematic focus of Sony games just stopped making me care. Uncharted sure, they did a few on PS2 as well with Jet Li, 24 The Game, etc. but making it the 'main focus' after Last of Us or Order 1886 among others (Ratchet 2016 disappointing/same with Rift Apart) pushed me away in 2017+ and I just went to Japan Studio/London studio games (dead studios now), Nintendo consoles (Wii U 2018, 3DS 2020, Switch 2021, Vita 2017/PS1-3 and PSP collecting) or AA and Indie third parties on PS4 and still am besides retro games. Obviously playing Horizon during 2021 was fair but eh.

The cauldrons I hoped would be better with some fair dungeon design but to me they were the worst part. Visually fair, but not navigation fun and the bosses were just annoying.

Part of it was the character level I was at but in some cases I felt like I was being funneled to level up TOO much and I didn't enjoy that. Doing things to level up wasn't fun.

The weapons/combat is good even if lack of gyro bugged me but it's still playable.

Levels to determine an area isn't a bad thing but when each area had a few things and after a while doing the same checklist types and not having fun with them you get more and more bored or fine with what is going on/care for the story.

The story is fine but the gameplay bored me so much and I've heard about the story from family spoilers and all anyway (didn't bother me I usually forget or still treat a game like it's new, I did the same with Portal 1 & 2 treated them as new when I played them) that loved New Dawn didn't like some changes to Forbidden West.

To me Sunset Overdrive with tower defence moments were more fun then any game with towers like Horizon or Spiderman that I disliked (I got excited at the lab puzzles unlocking then I did most of Spiderman).

The worlds are presented fair, the presentation is good, but a lot of the soul/gameplay is not fun to me at all. The soul of the worlds are not fun to play. That's an issue I have with A LOT of open worlds. The movesets and the level design/missions bore me.

I am used to 3D platformers with minigames and even then I don't care for those either as to me open worlds are just that but larger worlds and I don't want to play any of that. So I'm more a linear person or circuits type player I just prefer more balanced linear design.

Unless the open worlds mix up the missions to be more fun like some games.

Photo modes are fine....... Most of the time I use the photo modes/Share feature for odd things rather than cool sights to see. Other than that for years I never used them because I already remember what I experienced or nothing stood out to me.

Re: Talking Point: Have Sony's Third-Party PS5 Deals Made Up for Its Lack of First-Party Games?

SuntannedDuck2

I think they fill in gaps.

This is more so I think some devs are tweaking their engines and that's fair, but even then tweaking them for visuals even pass, give me gameplay ideas I'm intrigued by, gimmicky for the SSD even, some had fair ideas but I think devs are just not using the hardware well and just making PS4 style titles in design (I don't expect enemies with AI to respond to other enemies/your own attacks better even stealing them in a mimic way, better animations, dynamic situations like PS3 era had where did those go for more scripted moments) because they have to tweak their engines or their ideas are just that weak and that's just sad the industry is that formulaic now.

Not saying old school design is better but some have made me more interested of their old school modern design then most modern games with too much talking/basic human mechanics or less minigame style missions in open worlds for the most typical RPG quest design.

Not to mention old retro games with still fresh ideas and they are niche gems with ideas that spin off others so much better than the progression system garbage we get in many games formulaic design today that's for sure. Especially racing games or so many annoying skill trees in other games so many mechanics I've seen that is just licensed cars and boring modes. Or boring RPG quest design. Sigh I'll take mechanics over basic modes/event types I'll go back to better modes/events with actual creativity in them I don't need formulaic design due to lack of better ideas or branding or other nonsense to have fun.

Other than Valkyrie Elysium though I couldn't care less about the rest (got on PS4 anyway). They do the job well for what they offer and have fair ideas but aren't for me personally.

Stellar Blade I did have interest in but the movement speed of the combat and a few other details didn't do it for me in the demo. But as a fan of action games like it I approve of it.

Rebirth to me I got a sense from the minigames and wow even the PS1 era had more polish then those. I only played to help someone else that's my experience with it not the rest of the game just to clarify. Any Spyro 2 or 3 minigames are more polished. As similar well they differ sure but I mean I can still probably play Bentley's boxing more than the one in Rebirth.

The story/recreated moments are the best parts and are the only reason to play but as I was there to see some of those and they seemed good (no original PS1 FF7 reference for them of course) and mostly help someone with the minigames the minigames are so unpolished control wise.

The boxing is missing elements to be fun so the timing and gameplay was awkward, the chocobos for flight challenges, even PS1 games have better underneath camera let alone control feel then this or more clear flight feeling of control for the Minecraft Elytra and I suck at controlling that. When Spyro in Spyro 2 for speedways controls better and Ocean Speedway or others have more harder orb challenges I can easily beat you know the Chocobo challenges suck. A cool idea, but bad execution.

They really tried to offer content but in my opinion the story is the reason to play the gameplay side content (not the combat and rest seemed fine to me but I don't have much to go on as I didn't experience it really) moments are just awkward side projects that are imaginative but also really unpolished.

That's coming from someone that likes minigames but only if done well and these weren't. I'm not an open world fan but I seek open worlds with a minigame feel or good moveset use cases, a playground experience not a city recreation and generic RPG quests and even then I find many times 3D platformers with open world style missions to be boring and not for me.

Forspoken I didn't hate. People can meme on it all they want but like Balan (not exclusive I know) I actually cared about them. I got Balan as a Rayman 3 suit abilities game, everyone else saw it as 'oh these people made it and it's bad, it has a chao garden idea that's not as fun, point and laugh at it' yeah and I actually had fun.

When Rift Apart sucked at doing anything not scripted or generic and Psychonauts 2 was fair, Balan was still a fair game in comparison besides being unfinished in some areas. Sure both have issues but still. That's the most interested I've been in Square Enix titles in years. Besides Front Mission Evolved to pick up randomly.

Is 1 bad platformer I enjoyed (Balan), a fair open world with cool magic powers/GOOD verticality in it's world then boring city recreations/boring lack of playground level design (Forspoken).

Some hack n slashes and some tactics games from Square even if multi platform. Granted Front Mission 1st I preferred over Tactics Ogre and even then I didn't find either that good.

Diofield was just good to chapter 4 then the most repetitive boring tactics game I've ever played because the story doesn't get that much more interesting, I platinumed it like I planned and the game is just not throwing enough ideas at the player for the second half of a game.

I'm still not buying a PS5 though. I am staying on PS4 and only picking up non-third party deal games for PS5 years later when SOMETHING ACTUALLY WORTH MY TIME for gameplay design appears on it.

As besides a few of minor interest of 3rd parties most games still are just PS4 titles with 4K/ray tracing and lacking gimmicks to use the SSD or fun gameplay ideas that haven't been done to death, pass.

Even then I don't like the PS4 era it's my least favourite of PS3 refined game design a gen up ever besides a few decent games.

Even then PS4 if it wasn't for Japan Studio or London/Media Molecule on 1st party side, skipping many 3rd parties from major publishers I don't care about so it's why I bought up all the PS3/360/Wii third party games left behind because I had more interest in those games instead.

I'd have nothing to care about. As besides some AAs or Indies and even then many Indies suck in the safe nostalgia clone/fan game design besides the GOOD INDIES that exist out there with better ideas (it depends per genre what they make and how good some of their gameplay and worlds/concepts are while others fan gamify the same popular titles repetitive ideas and their new ones are surface level of good and make generic titles out of them. Indies are no different to AAA with repetitive design in some areas of the space).

Which is why PS5 has nothing I want 1st party offering wise. Just PS4 IPs I didn't like pushed further for 3 years early for people into them and the gap of exciting titles disappeared. So 3rd parties had to pull their weight as Sony killed the rest, games taking time as well of course and well they won't make smaller games or support PSVR2 so what else is there 3rd parties that may or may not appeal to people on the same level it depends on the game and the person.

Re: Alan Wake 2 Yet to Recoup Dev, Marketing Expenses as Tencent Raises Stake

SuntannedDuck2

Unfortunate but happens. Also physical may not be great for sales, distribution and other factors so they can be worse off yes but it can be a factor for discoverability. I may follow the news but there is times I don't see a game in the news or digital store fronts but did physical. Not just retro either.

That and expectations for sales too I guess.

If a game is up front sure, but if it's buried a fair bit digitally or I don't even know what I'm looking for when it comes to retro games when browsing wikipedia, metacritc or youtube for retro titles I come across a game physical more often I have never heard of then I have via the online sources then I can look them up at the physical store or later if I am unsure about it.

I mean if it's a more AAA/AA or otherwise retro then sure but if it's a store with modern games and it's an Indie I have never heard of and it got a physical then yeah it's past a lot to get to physical for me to go oh ok never heard of this but have many others that are digital only and part of other genres/publishers/self publishing but I heard about them in the news or via communities more then others.

Digital you can but it depends how deep people go with the digital storefront menus/sales/categories/etc and how much Sony/Microsoft pushes it on the main pages of the storefront or in the Xbox case the ads/achievements part of the dashboard that changes. On a physical shelf you don't have that same discoverability issue on the bargain bin shelf/display or the NEW shelves it's clear what's there immediately then layers and layers of menus digitally and whatever is up front being pushed most.

Marketing, Epic store and more played a part and Remedy make very artsy interesting games hence their cult following but some studios have been upgraded to AAA then AA cult following status. That doesn't always become a good thing but in many ways it does happen.

Re: Horizon: Call of the Mountain PSVR2 Director Made Redundant by Dev Firesprite

SuntannedDuck2

Firesprite leftover Liverpool or other staff. Makes PS4 Playroom app for PS Camera among other things, does PSVR well with their known for game, gets bought, makes Call of the Mountain. Gets dropped.

That and whatever Firesprite had planned next besides rumours and the Horizon tv show happened I assume by now? and the next Horizon projects are under way.

Granted to me Call of the Mountain was just not great. The combat was fair for trying to work around VR but the interactivity and the climbing I mean if you wanted a successor to Robinson the Journey sure I guess but it doesn't even have that level of quality let alone to me I had more fun with Red Steel 2 on the Wii and that has no climbing but has better button and motion control balance for a sort of lower scaled Borderalnds kind of motion control ramen western shooter by Ubisoft in their good gimmciky hardware use period (sometimes better than Nintendo and Red Steel 2 is the case of that) than devs that overcompensate with VR motion controls and puts me off.

Same with the Star Wars game, the reloading sucks and is finicky. Controls make a VR game worth it and in a way they overdid the motion controls to be as frustrating as 2006 Wii games. There is being immersive and just not making the button/motion balance FUN.

Whether Cosmic Smash is good I don't know but I know the Dreamcast game is. Even if it's stick use was awkward, VR helps I can tell.

The quality of the game is great, the small details are there but the core wasn't fun to play.

Making a high budget game for PSVR2 you never knew how well things would do and most went eh to the tech, eh to the userbase and even others went eh even the biggest VR userbase (Meta headsets) then just a bunch of demos prior on any VR headset let alone PSVR1 or other games many publishers go nah not enough sales. Well build them up then you idiot developers and publishers. MAKE people want to buy a console and a headset. Ridiculous. Software sells hardware. Offer more demos or VR modes via an update. Like come on. Could do it for PSVR1 but can't PSVR2. What a joke.

Then again GT7 'works' but I won't touch it. Has to have a progression system I'll actually enjoy playing before then but it's set in stone so pass. I'll pick it up cheap 2 years before the servers go down like I did GT Sport and buy it pre-owned.

Like just why? When you notice that side of things of staff/projects and where they go it just makes it more baffling and questionable. Moving staff to other existing studios sure, but forming new ones but still sticking close to the same parent company somewhat just seems dumb to me. Unless they moved to a cheaper area to setup the studio (even though they got bought way later and were still that related other than a few times of some projects) but I mean sure.

Kill all the peripheral stuff, kill all the creative staff for more particular games instead.

Sigh.

Well good luck staff in better places wish you the best.

Re: PS4 Classic Horizon Zero Dawn Set to Leave PS Plus Extra

SuntannedDuck2

I never understand the point of this. Same when God of War 2018 was on PS Now. Just like why? If not through PS+ Extra, people will just buy it digital for whatever price sure but if they don't do that the bargain bin red banner hits or original copies pre-owned will be bought by those that shop physical (obviously those that have the game already via physical, digital or Play At Home prior).

Like people that stumble across the game in a catalogue may notice it more, some people may replay it that way and also why not keep it in there like Gampass does all 1st party unless licensing issues like Quantum Break? I just don't get the point of removing it.

If Sony wants more digital sales (besides the PC audience being newer of sales for it) what about if people only get it discounts or people physical get it preowned. There is plenty of ways to get it and many ways to get people interested in the service too.

I mean why have many PS3 1st party in there but not long lasting PS4 games? Is it because preparation for a remake/PS5 remaster because oh we REALLY NEED THOSE.

I am not into Horizon gameplay wise but the world/story was good. I own a physical copy but didn't play the game until the Complete Edition via Play At Home and went I'll give it a go. 20 hours in to get a general sense of everything it offered besides core story and yeah it's fine. Not my thing but I see the appeal. I liked Killzone more from Guerilla but that's just me.

Discoverability or the feeling of going back to it matters even if yeah it's 1st party but even still. PS4 games not staying on the service for 1st party that shouldn't be an issue compared to 3rd party agreements making sense and in cases where the 3rd parties have their own services they would like to highlight their games it makes sense why they would or lack of relevance/playing of the game on a service they change their mind.

If for licensing then sure but Horizon to me doesn't seem like it's the kind of game I'd see that being an issue for.

Re: THQ Nordic Showcase Adds to This Year's Growing List of Summer Gaming Events

SuntannedDuck2

Maybe be good but eh. Haven't bothered with many THQ Nordic games in a while really. I see them in bargain bins and while probably good just aren't my thing even if they are still very creative titles.

I'd be all for a Darksiders 4, Genesis is a good prequel and a good spin on the series after the souls focus of 3 (wasn't into at all, even then still stuck on the 3rd boss, I can grind souls and this and that and still probably be just bored or not getting anywhere due to not lasting long with the strategies) and remasters of 1 & 2.

But a proper Strife game to explain the events for them besides just Strife/War in Genesis would be nice. Also how they lost their guns that War/Death ended up picking up it's not much that needs explaining but I'd still like to hear such events play out or play as Strife on their own.

An Amalur sequel or other IPs would be nice too won't deny that.

Re: 'Americana Naivete' Essential to Fallout, Series Will Remain in US

SuntannedDuck2

While I do get sick of seeing many recreated US cities I am also not surprised either because it's what those devs can be familiar with and sometimes they just know the right way to put those places with a spin with satire, alternate history and more.

I do sometimes wonder what they'd do though as Ubisoft even if what they have done with game design is what it is their attempts at different locations/time periods has been nice.

Watch Dogs could have been more than the UK while AC has gone to many past histories.

Or GTA London was a thing. Or other examples to pull from that aren't coming to mind right now. Metro does well with European settings. Other series probably exist out there. The Disaster Report series does a fair job disaster situations with Japan. Disaster Day of Crisis is a great Wii game and is super silly but balances serious and silly well.

There is probably still a lot that can be done in different parts of the US or just a way to angle the Fallout themes in such a way I guess. There is so many differences in each state I wouldn't be surprised if they found some other way to approach the series while still being consistent.

The 1950s USA vibe with it's own quirks is what makes Fallout charming even though I have never played the games to me some worlds just have that right angle about them and right approach to the setting it just makes sense and changes per state/city to set each one in.

Resistance I think went a bunch of places and did a fair job, and Wolfenstein (like Fallout is consistent with it's themes/settings) have done what they have.

Fantasy/sci-fi in their own way can offer bits of things.

Sometimes you get the right humour and theming like Outer Worlds or Journey to the Savage Planet to put the capitalism/consumerism in a certain way that just works too besides their own silliness mixed in.

76 had it's issues but then again to me it was an apocalypse. I didn't care seeing NPCs there. Marketing was bad, was it multiplayer or was it typical, no multiplayer, survival elements....... didn't want to commit to that. What did it want to be. Something apparently of multiplayer/live service Fallout. But badly messaged that.

Same with the No Man's Sky multiplayer of old that was abandoned. While it didn't work well it would have been REALISTIC or an interesting spin on multiplayer. I agree fun matters more or co-op to play with people but sometimes a new spin (or an MMO kind of multiplayer in space) on things makes it more interesting then just sigh fine the same formulaic design but of multiplayer in this case, yay........

Re: Random: Someone's Porting PS1 Classic WipEout to the Playdate

SuntannedDuck2

@BeerIsAwesome That's what I end up thinking then Redout, Fast Racing or more car based ones like Inertial Drift, Gear Club Unlimited even the one coming to consoles Distance. So some are getting seen by people. Others aren't.

I don't even know whether to think oh cars aren't cool any more either maybe there is. But I mean while I don't care for motorsport I appreciate it. I have bought up WRC, MotoGP and F1 games just for something racing game wise to experience besides researching notable Japanese/western sim or arcade ones or the one make games of Ford, Lotus, Alfa Romeo, etc. some shovelware, others fair (rewind system intro then Grid/Forza Motorsport 3 altered it to what we see today, still prefer the Alfa Romeo method with RPG points for rewind aka Tiger Effect and other aspects of the car but nope).

I mean Supercar Street Challenge is not much but it's a fair game and I found it interesting like Sega GT on Dreamcast/Xbox or Apex 2003 Xbox for their mechanics.

I mean I got into racing games and had GT3 & 4 or CTR (not other Crash games at the time till N Sane Trilogy did I go and explore Crash series more even though had researched them just not played them). I have seen real life motorsport and they are fine but to me on TV or just playing the games are just more fun I find. I treat understanding cars the same way I do researching video games, just some knowledge I just like to have. Enjoyed Top Gear/Grand Tour or certain others on the more serious side as well.

I don't know if I ever would have cared if I didn't grow up with them but I see the appeal in them gameplay wise and just appreciate cars while playing them.

So with hopefully more particular ones of appealing coming to consoles and cult followings eat them up because a certain audience IS interested it's just they aren't a trend just a cult following audience seeking them out when they see them or enough people caring I guess.

That or you get tons of nostalgic Indie type ones of the Micro Machines, Virtua Racing or Outrun clones or others.

There is some bad quality ones as well mixed in from time to time I've seen reviews for some.

If the ideas were good, the progression systems weren't so boring (even the new racer coming to Switch in a few months I want to like it but it's licensed cars/classes to me for what seem like a fair AA or Indie I think was a waste of money when the modes and better direction is needed not something that is just so generic/done to death. Where are my interesting modes of touge/hillclimbs nope got to go to open world racers for that kind of experience. Where are other interesting fun modes included. Some have them but if the progression isn't fun I might not want to go that far to experience the slog to get there).

While Split Second, Blur, MotorStorm and more were at a downward time of arcade racing games just not selling well and only NFS or other open world ones sell (even players go WHAT SMOKE TRAILS or cell shading because 8th gen made racers what they are today when Auto Modellista, GT Cube/Pro Series were a thing 20 years ago let alone Wind Waker, Borderlands and more have existed as well to point out other games with cell shaded styles or we have garbage business models for sims like iRacing among others (besides yes matchmaking or mods among many as well), they may play well but the cost for individual tracks and repetitive ones at that then a complete package let alone the different weather/presentation of say the Nurburgring in autumn to otherwise in GT4, PGR2, Forza Motorsport 1 and Enuthsia).

I mean I loved Gravel, Onrush I can understand why it flopped but enjoyed what I could of it.

Some people like me seek ideas. If Driver San Francisco has as cool a feature of swapping cars as Battlefield 2 Modern Combat and I get excited over RIde 4 having a Forza Motorsport 1 & 2 region system improved upon or WRC 2023 car builder like Pure does with custom ATVs or Sega GT on Dreamcast car builder with parts yeah...... Do I have problems and seek gameplay too much, yes. XD But at the same time I think it says a lot about just tire details or just other realistic simulations and the 'fun' factor is just gone sometimes because other priorities.

Or people would rather use cars as props then make car movies. We still see them and they are great whether car brand or historical but still. Props in action movies more so.

I think the marketing is just confusing for some of what is arcade, sim and so on or so much realism/sim has been pushed over the years.

Or the stigma of just 'racing is just this and that annual' when they are like sports games broad. But then again street or arcade sports games exist it's just idiots don't look that far. I don't even care for sports games unless they are arcadey. Like say Cosmic Smash for PSVR2/or the original Dreamcast version. Racing is like the only sports type games I care about because the physics, the fictional not just realistic tracks, the game modes, the event types and challenging the player not just 'oh I want to drive a car' I mean sure but to me the cars are characters in an interesting journey of events to complete no different to an RPG just with cars instead or more menus.

I have watched many analysis videos and tried to research/play many and I think it's just a combination of things of audience appeal, cars may or may not appeal anymore or just the same cars.

Maybe the progression systems. I mean if people cared for PGR 2 not having dream cars quickly so 3 fixed that (kind of like a shooter with instant map play like Battlefront 2 2005/classic instant action or well quick race) while Forza Motorsport 6 wants candy car offering but doesn't offer them in the career to use just other modes till the late game use of them or whatever cars the showcases have it clearly shows great progression system design. Sigh. There is a reason I went so they pulled a remix of FM5 and just made the showcases fun but the tours really boring or restrictive uh huh. FM7 remixed it again and made the fun showcases mixed in but not as linear as FM5. Right.

While some progression systems of old worked and I have no issues with them mixing them up sometimes they do just make them so boring.

Many issues people have with GT7 is the progression system. To me it's the bad of GT5 level systems and gating things further than GT5 ever did and FM6 and is why I was put off it.

Wreckfest has it's appeal from a sofa that's driveable (bus, lawn mower and more, you'd expect lawn mower racing on PC shovelware games usually in the past) to many normal vehicles and no licenses. So people are willing to have some silliness or some no licenses to still enjoy a racing game.

It's just if it's offered.

Casuals no idea but racing fans arcade or sim that enjoy a mix not just SIM only fans yeah many of us are just wanting more to be done with the genre. Or youtubers make challenge videos or mods because old games offered that flexibility in the game. Not just nostaglia either they cover games they never have and still will do challenges for them (though yes views do play into things something yes so mostly the obvious games get shown like a GT4 or a FM4).

Re: PlayStation Studios: All Sony First-Party Developers and What They're Working On

SuntannedDuck2

Waiting on Bluepoint.

Media/Asobi taking their time on their new projects. Other than that I have no reason to even care about anything Sony puts out.

PSVR2 they tried but it's there for third parties which is fine.

The assistance/mobile/PC port ones are doing their thing.RIP WipEout Rush because that just wasn't good even GT4 B Spec was better than it.

I don't even know what their mobile games are unlike the on and off I heard of the cellphone and early PS Mobile before that died era.

Otherwise with London/Japan dead. I have no interest in ANY of the other studios right now. GT7, Ratchet and God of War aren't doing it for me in their current directions and the current other IPs are just not for me. I gave Spiderman 2018 a go I found it a backstep from Sunset Overdrive in open world design the Resistance 2 of Insomniac doing things to fit trends but not enjoyable to me in the game design.

Horizon is fine but didn't hold my attention at all.

God of War 2018 I beat the story still didn't enjoy it.

Bend will make something on par to a degree as the others of a cinematic this and that game.

Bluepoint if they do, sigh sure whatever. They could be really creative or make something in line with the other studios if they do I'm not interested.

The rest as sequels or new IPs taht are probably fine but eh multiplayer of no interest or more cinematic PS4 IP sequels I already wasn't interested in.

For those into them enjoy them they are worth your time. For me I'm not missing out personally.

Third parties I stay on PS4 then or retro games or whatever odd stuff on Switch.

I am struggling to care when it's always cinematic this, passable gameplay that doesn't engage me in the slightest which is why I play games to begin with.

Passable story/worlds but nothing to want to play or played for 20 hours to GIVE IT ENOUGH TIME (Horizon) but still was thoroughly bored at the open world missions or the eh puzzles/combat/platforming in the linear games.

The games they are making make sense for the audiences they are targeting of casuals or hardcore Sony fans but there isn't anything for me here unless it's PS1-3/PSP/Vita or third parties of the particular type no matter how far in progress they are.

Re: Intense Arcade Racer Distance Is Finally Coming, 10 Years Later, to Both PS5 and PS4

SuntannedDuck2

Great to see it come to consoles. What a great game.

The more out there arcade racers the better.

Just wish some other racing games offered more interesting modes then just passable modes/cars (and what licenses) then I'd care about them more even the new one to Switch is cool but it's modes are so bland.

Still waiting for a unique mode or a follow up touge/hillclimb that's modern not going back to Grid 2008, Tokyo Extreme Racer or Forza Motorsport 4.

No open worlds do not count to experience that I want separate modes/any events in the campaigns with them.

Re: Rumour: Watch Dogs Is Dead, and Legion Reportedly Killed It

SuntannedDuck2

Seeing a GTA vs Watch Dogs type video of the animations/interactivity levels being completely different.

Never saw the reveal as an issue. I like Killzone 2 I didn't care for the trailer there being fake.

I don't think that changes much but that, the setting being the same 3 times doesn't help while AC goes EVERYWHERE in history so it has more going on.

Even Far Cry or Tom Clancy goes to different locations.

I think the hacking gimmick is fair.

I briefly had 1 sold it. Own 3 and I think the be anyone mechanic is genius, the execution is a bit lacking. I get why it is and what they were trying to do but didn't push how to achieve it much further due to Ubisoft open world design it looked busy or empty depending, which you could see some fun in there especially with the behind the scenes, and also just how they wanted to present things. It makes sense.

I think even Zombi U/Zombi used the play anyone and get your stuff back as someone else when you die. I thought that was cool. So to me using that but as anyone to play and use perks and better balance of the perks was cool

But to me like with seeing the AC or Rise of the Ronan girl/guy approach to me they lack a reason to play as the other. Swapping was a bit lacking. I would be totally fine with more going on between them.

In Legion it is dynamic but it's depth was lacking.

I can't say for story as well I don't know the story really for any of them or I forgot when watching videos on each of the games.

Hacking is fair but it only goes so far and the missions seem pretty limited for my barely understanding the series look at it.

They had a fair concept but the execution needed a bit more.

But setting 3 times probably made people not care or the hacking angle didn't do much for people so they needed to strengthen it better but just didn't.

I get the having a protagonist that works which is why 3 did the play anyone and 1 & 2 they tried characters to care about but it didn't do anything.

Honestly I care about gameplay so much I couldn't care less about the protagonists. Sure I do care about characters but most times even when reading a book I care more for the events taking place then the characters. Because to me going places or what they say matters more than what they look like or their personality. Sure I care. But at the same time if I'm reading the same events happening and it's in a slightly different way it's just good to know. Not to seek out oh they go here how great it's to see if I avoid the repetition of same places and what happens there.

Re: Atari Revives Classic Video Game Brand Infogrames

SuntannedDuck2

Wait so Infogrames is being brought back by themselves as this Atari is them these days. Not the Atari hardware/software of the 90s anymore. It was Hasbro Interactive then Infogrames then Atari. Wow what a weird roller coaster.

Yes games makes more sense then grames.

Otherwise what will they do with them? Hasbro Interactive stuff? Infogrames IPs? Or just reviving it because it's iconic and can offer it as another option of things for them besides just their Atari side? If so cool I guess? Not fussed really.

Ok then... What's going to happen to Sierra and others then? So many iconic names and IPs dead.

Atari 50 has been good.

Roller Coaster Tycoon games POST RCT 3 have been trash/joke. mobile and World are just not worth it.

So to me Atari doing anything in some spaces have just been good in some, bad in others.

Re: Latest Sony Patent Wants to Take the Grind Out of Games by Playing Them For You

SuntannedDuck2

Actually this is just B Spec or Driavatars in Forza, those are dead now and Sophy wasn't that. I'm fine with that but even then (bot like the auto says) but why did we even drop those in the first place racing or just not try it with others. I mean to me NPC companions always had awkward pathing or assistance anyways. So I'm kind of ok with some improvements but there is other things I question too.

Days Gone or Ratchet 2016 skips if people want to optionally. Or we could have time spent on 'easy, medium, hard, puzzles, arenas, anything else but that's TOO much effort in development and that would take longer' I have wanted scaling/dynamic elements on a typical scale of events or on an assist scale and I still haven't seen it because we get garbage technology excuses like this and not grind game design changed. LAZY

To the assisting play option.

If a bot if missing a 4th player or something else I'd say for sure.

Or people needing help and stuck on a quest or need co-op help in something for sure but at the same time you could just have better difficulty, have a prompt recommend it (I know annoying when was/is a thing anyway but if the player is confident or doesn't know how why not).

Or BETTER GAME DESIGN MEANS NO GRIND AT ALL GAME DEVELOPERS OR SCALE IT MORE TOWARDS HIGHER DIFFICULTIES.

It takes brains sometimes to actually think, what games do and what developers/publishers can actually think of oh yeah we don't need grind in our games but we will still have it just make some stupid technology to solve it.

Just solve it IN DEVELOPMENT. XD

I mean if adaptive difficulty existed, why not scale the grind/health drops/the enemy types or enemy count spawning, AI of moves lost or gained. I have wanted this for a while now. But nope this. XD Give me dynamic enemy AI losing and gaining moves.

Give me more scaled worlds with objects/enemies in it. Give me interesting events.

Give me better smarter less grind because smart game design. Not we have a solution. Really it's called actually better numbers when programming and difference of animations to time them.

Or adding/removing/offering different puzzles. It's not that hard.

Re: Fallout Will Officially Shoot a Second Season on Amazon Prime

SuntannedDuck2

Surprised not a better Fallout reference for the quip/subtitle/lack of a better term coming to mind, for the article.

I get it's more 4/76 maybe 3 or New Vegas than probably 1 & 2 as I mean some people played them, some people may get those references but most will get the later entries references instead and it is Bethesda controlled like Disney does I guess of ownership of the IP.

Always appreciated the Fallout world, alt history, it's interesting angle of the vaults, the characters, Nuka Cola and more.

Like Wolfenstein or Resistance excellent spins on alt history.

Never played the Fallout games they aren't my thing.

Thing is the trailer had me skeptical. A S2 is something but I can't comment on it.

Does that mean they finally got the hang of video game adaptations now? I doubt it.

But something is working I guess or audiences expectations are different who knows.

I still think some are just too 'we have to make it for THIS audinece' not saying it should be only for fans but at the same time some adaptations have so much garbage in them that I just can't stand of jokes or some dialogue to just settings.

I don't even know anything about the originals but you can still tell they feel off because they fit the movie/tv show audience direction or just those people involved.

I don't always trust the oh Ubisoft, Nintendo and Bethesda staff were involved. REALLY because it doesn't come across that way enough. IT feels like they give the generalisation and their input is so minimal while the tv/movie side has so much of themselves in it I can't be bothered to watch it.

That and if it is the video game staff or book staff had input and like the works or not I mean to me I myself find them still a bit strange or just find some western media kind of eh of some angles and I don't like many of their angles and never have.

Some are passable but I mean even some movies I can go yep that scene/set piece or location and character are no different from many from the 2000s it's just now it has more modern garbage in it or these modern tweaks.

I don't want straight from 2000s but some tweaks or just modern I want something different but that's asking too much as why would they do that. Go with what works (or a lowest audience entry point with bad writing but probably fine everything else maybe or maybe a few details aren't great) or what THEY want. Pass.

Re: A New Rayman Game Is Coming This Year, But Not in the Way Everyone Wants

SuntannedDuck2

Ubisoft wants to tease us don't they. A DLC, a board game.

I'm not against them trying to put their IPs in different areas but I mean Legends was how long ago many others at this point in terms of not 'everything' but a 7th gen, to 8th gen release and we are still waiting.

Where is Rayman 4 besides the handheld Rabbids games that offer what people wanted not the party game ones.

It may be the I guess 3rd console 2D entry besides the handheld 2D entries. But 3D we are waiting and 2D we are waiting on something.

Prince of Persia as a metroidvania is fine but not for me and their eh license agreement no thanks Ubisoft. Waiting on Sands of Time remake but got enough of 2008 reboot and loving Forgotten Sands on Wii when I jump back and forth into it to saver it for it's Wii features experience.

Like Splinter Cell they just don't know what to do with the character and concepts/world it seems. They are too used to making open worlds with different themes, subtle differences and it's just like yep we are going elsewhere to other companies and still waiting Ubisoft. A board game is something to spread it to other mediums but I mean.... How much will it do.

At least it isn't a Chibi Robo situation of buy the board game or Mario Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC if you want to see the character again.

Like they know the sales, they know how much people actually want these games or if not from sales how much people voice about it. I may not have got Legends/Origins when new but I still enjoyed them. I bought Rayman 3 HD. It just so happens their older games like Red Steel 2 or others are more what I care about. Same with EA their PS1 titles are more exciting then their recent ones other than a select few.

Whatever human grounded (the Prince has a great moveset) characters with casual appealing worlds that while AC had a cool concept the direction has changed, while Far Cry is nuts and great is just..... and not enough good gameplay with particular characters type games it seems.

Rayman/Plok/Glover/Chameleon Twist and others fit that fine line of characters with good ideas and potential to use in so many ways because they aren't typical designs and they just barely know what to do with the characters or the IPs are abandoned but remembered/people that discover them get into them.

They have to push their business model and typical casual appealing games and us waiting for something exciting cough like Sony killing off their more Japan Studios, London studio and other IPs of support for more other audience games.

Us players wanting that go to Indie as the big companies barely support them.

I find many Indie 3D platformers to be generic and many 2D ones there is so many and i haven't seen any gameplay ideas really impressing me at all there is just a difference in inspiration/theming/clone or fan game angle to many of them and I just can't be bothered with them. Not 'dead' because I don't talk that way. I just find them a disappointment. I've seen and researched/discovered better.

It's like with VR I've seen better motion controls on the Wii/Move then I have the more advanced scale VR can offer but we have games with the most eh control schemes out there and their peers barely get looked at for how to do it right. Sure the APIs are different but they don't make the effort they just make pathetic motion controls.

Re: Strategy Sequel SteamWorld Heist 2 Sets Sail on PS5, PS4 This August

SuntannedDuck2

Let's go. I'm all for this yes please. Sad can't use it on another dual screen system but oh well.

I hadn't seen the Indie showcase yet (I don't mind the articles if I miss them it aired when I wasn't able to see it and looking through them can be annoying so reading what I want is better) so I'll look on Nintendo Life soon after reading the rest of the Push Square articles and Pure Xbox and so on sites I visit.

Yes please. While not something I have replayed much I enjoyed it and it's DLC (well with the physical copy on Wii U). I am not into western tactics/turn based games the exploration/combat kind of annoys me in them so while JTactics games are just boards and menus and a hub or so I actually prefer them.

Wargroove is fine but it's tedium while a strength based on the tasks you do can also be annoying. While with Valkyria Chronicles I don't mind it as much because like Wargroove and unlike Diofifled Chronicles I actually feel like the tasks/level design is actually testing me. Diofield was the most repetitive after Chapter 4.

Dig and the others are fine but I just didn't get into Dig because to me I kept going where am I supposed to go more than the few Metroidvanias I'd played. I just got lost. I have gotten further in it to the more metal areas but in the beginning I was just lost after 2-3 attempts of restarting Dig.

But while I'm not a big RPG type person (if I get the right ones I enjoy them) if I find the right game with the right combat I'm good and I played it before or around the time I got into Disgaea so my early tactics period.

Any good tactics games or particular angle of turn based combat like Conception Plus offered the different sides to face an enemy which is why I preferred it to typical turn based JRPGs as while played those I just get bored jumping through menus it just isn't fun and with how often they appeal let alone the story they just make me drop off.

I really enjoyed Heist and beat it before I had more attempts at Dig 1, the story was fair the combat was really interesting and compelling strategy.

Re: Fresh PS5 Pro Report Reiterates Sony Demands for Upgraded Games

SuntannedDuck2

Other than frame rate who cares. Eh ray tracing that barely gets understood still but trying let alone couldn't care less about shadows/lighting/reflections on the scale it can offer anyway for any glass buildings, water, cupboards with glass panels wow I need that. Pass no thank you Sony, Microsoft any 1st/3rd party developers. I'm not interested.

And boring GPU enhancements. Pass. Tell me when interesting gameplay mechanics in games happen not a Pro console with games still with not as well tweaked engines to handle this let alone borefest graphics focused games with boring grounded characters with bad movesets lacking depth, boring worlds and recreations of boring real world locations then fictional worlds with more exciting level design and movesets to offer come out. Pass.

Re: Sony Takes Down PS5 Pro YouTube Leak, Suggesting It's All Legit

SuntannedDuck2

So hardcore to buy it. Devs still not getting used to the hardware or pushing a GPU more but their engines still then work to get used to many things like ray tracing, different graphics modes, separate offerings of solo/multiplayer, a bunch more. I don't care about reflections in a cupboard with glass panels in it let alone any picture frames. I don't care for it yet they keep pushing it or how the sun acts. I just don't care.

Give me a gameplay reason like Vexx did with the sun dials to open a bonus area. Or a good day night level gimmick. If it's just for the way the light moves well I haven't seen it work well. I mean if it actually responded at a timely way then 'realistic' then sure I'd say the shadows/lighting change but we don't so why should I care. Speed up the day/night lighting then I'll care a little bit.

We had TV screens with live gameplay footage of races not just pre-recorded, or we had MIRRORS in non-SSD/not todays consoles. Sure more may be improved with the reflections now but I don't want reflections from buildings that are glass skyscrapers or care for reflections in water, cupboards or picture frames. I just don't care for any of it. I want gameplay. So where else can I get it old games and not funding new ones because why should I. The devs won't offer it or can't offer it. Publishers don't care. Execs don't care. So why should I purchase their product or a boring powerful console with no exciting games on either PS5 or Xbox Series. You get the odd games but I'm not purchasing first party I'm talking certain particular third parties and not the AAA who cares ones with formuliac games either.

That and less boring story/emotionally unexciting games. Such boring dramas and boring grounded worlds, bore fest trying to replicate real world locations or historic ones. Alternate history I'm fine with but anything else it has to be fantasy/sci-fi or magical or if mature put a spin on it like Naughty Bear or Conker. It can be mature mundane but not mature and emotionally or realistically boring. All we get is just boring games locations, boring level design. Game movesets so boring with animals let alone humans. They don't have to be superheroes but just at least more exciting to play as not feel like playing a car of heavy and awkward stick movement or pacing but as a human. When cars feel and control much better than these awkward to control human characters in games the physics/weight suck. Let alone boring animals when most platformers controlled better, had better ideas and we have generic animals casual level appeal and movesets. How pathetic.

I mean some dynamics depending how the story/gameplay/worlds are used but even then I'd rather dynamic game events then heavily scripted ones or just theme park open worlds. Or other boring trends for genres that I'm not funding. I'm going second hand market/researching older games instead when actually good ideas went to die and more ideas were tried but oh the marketing made it popular and the generic games rose to the top thanks audiences.

Where are the actually exciting mechanics we barely see anymore hmm? Why should I buy any games on current gen if they are formulaic, story/graphics focused unappealing titles. No thanks. Pass. I haven't seen any compelling titles yet in the gameplay way. So no purchase from me.

Re: 2016's Ratchet & Clank Reboot Gets Fan-Favourite Gun in Free Update

SuntannedDuck2

PS5 update nope, other updates nope. Just out of the blue on Twitter. Oh anniversary, sorry didn't realise. 8 years for this game is who cares and even then a fine weapon, from another game as a 'non-pre-order weapons via DLC' for a bad game. Yes I downloaded it but other than trophies 2016 still sucks besides Clank levels with the same or differing par of Ratchet 2 depth yay.

Also what kid with parental controls can get this DLC Insomniac/Sony did you think of that. NOPE. Just give it via an update you lazy. Sure the update will go but it's better than DLC that also goes with the eshop quicker.

Either way whichever players can archive I guess then instead when the PS store for PS4 goes down. After PS3/Vita goes which is still up yay. For now at least after the post poning.

Other than Clank levels and some quality of life. 2016 sucks. Cut levels, eh story, eh gameplay, you get the Thruster pack and can't change back to the Helipack. WHY! Give me choice then sub-par use of the oh the Hologuise is a weapon/gadgets because weapons can go on the weapon wheel but gadgets can't? This came has so much corner cutting it's hilarious.

Song of the Deep may not have sold as well but their Metroidvania (and Gamestop publishing as well) from 2016 as well had more passion and effort with a smaller team put into it then Ratchet 2016 and no movie studio to mess with it let alone lead to the bore fest that is Rift Apart. In a decade Insomniac has gotten worse and that's not even counting the garbage gameplay wise that is Resistance 2 while 3 fixes it's issues. Same with Sunset Overdrive.

Brilliant ideas (sure Scaler 2004 beat it with above and below grinding of rails but that aside the rest was still fun, tower defence and a good mix of challenges and missions like Gravity Rush or Infamous, and the not good/bad points disappointment but still fun game of Second Son even though the dynamic element good/bad in older Infamous was far superior of a mechanic) it's better than generic formula open world gameplay things to do (other than the lab puzzles, you can tell I like the puzzles than I do the rest of the gameplay yeah for a reason) Spiderman 2018 and the rest.

If it wasn't clear Resistance 2/Spiderman 2018+ are their follow trends generic gameplay games I don't like. Resistance 3 weapon wheel is back from 1, weapon leveling from Ratchet and no skill tree garbage hooray/Sunset Overdrive are their DNA or their good spin on a genre/a game. See the difference.

It's like GT Sport 1.69 offline update. 8+ years to wait for this or even see the weapon on the store front. You kidding me.

It isn't my favourite weapon it's overrated and while it's good it's a grenade launcher with popcorn. Big whoop. Seen better in other games or other weapons in the Ratchet series.

Still better than the Combuster, Groovitron and Buzz Blades. Too many appearances and sub-par. Buzz Blades is good just over used come up with another Disk Blade Gun or get another fan for a Spiral of Death type weapon. Pure laziness.

Re: Mini Review: Turbo Golf Racing (PS5) - Fun, if Slight, Golfing Game Is Worth a Little Drive

SuntannedDuck2

While clear it's inspiration I'll say this it may not have the same depth/polish but I mean I can play GTI Club with a more less overdone soccer mode, tomato mode and bomb mode if I wanted over Rocket League but still arcadey charm.

This is a fair idea and kind of gives off the Hotwheels Beat That I found for Wii one of the more theme park kind of levels that kind of gave off golf course vibes.

So yeah more arcade sports games with vehicles and interesting level design many golf games can have in an arcadey sense is a fair idea if done well I approve.

Not into the visuals but the courses look fine enough but I bet they won't be that great and if it's lacking depth then hmm yeah that could be a problem. But sometimes the simplicity can be a charm just to a degree.

Re: Stellar Blade Director Emphasises Importance of 'Single-Player Games with an Ending'

SuntannedDuck2

I see reason in story driven/gameplay focused games too it's just when the movesets or abilities annoy me it doesn't make the setting/characters/level design any better if the combat/platforming/good level design that uses them, pacing in combat and movement in general.

Not feeling annoyingly slow or eh heavy and realistic but in the most annoying way possible (vehicles ok with most times, humans the stick/pacing can be a pain to move sometimes to climb or go somewhere even in a linear level) or puzzles are what sell me on a game.

I seek mechanics in games let alone pacing or just how a game feels to play so I play only singleplayer games for those great gameplay, fair stories and differences between eras to see if the mechanics deserve a second look which 100% of the time they do but we get the same safe game inspirations. While other times they are misunderstood. Have fair to great stories/themes or just overlooked due to competition of release periods/others on the market already unfortunately.

If I don't like racing game physics/driving model why would I in games with animals/humans in different situations if the moveset is either too slow or just boring.

So as singleplayer games are all I care about, I may check out bot modes if I come across them in old games, I don't do co-op campaigns anymore because well no one plays them with me they have their singleplayer game preferences and that's totally fine I have tons of old/new games to play solo and well paid multiplayer nah pass/not into the business model/design of them these days.

That and because co-op campaigns they are rare or the ones these days I don't care for. Like an It Takes Two is great, I haven't played it though yet but I appreciate it. But in terms of say Lego games or Diablo style isometric hack n slashes I don't care for them. Darksiders Genesis was like the rare exception because of what it did compared to the others (still played it singleplayer).

Stellar Blade deserves to succeed like Grandblue Fantasy Relink also did for these types of devs trying to get a console quality game out besides their past projects but to me the demo made it clear the moveset pacing was going to get me annoyed with it the whole way through even if it's my type of game pacing matters in combat and it annoyed me in the demo.

To me it was either DMC (depends on the entry) or Souls level slow of combat and I wasn't interested in it.

So I wish Shift Up the best, they make fair points, but it's not for me with their current design even if it is my type of game the aspects about it I don't like aren't for me and will be annoying to me the whole time.

Re: School Management Sim Let's School Teaches You a Lesson on PS5, PS4 This Summer

SuntannedDuck2

Saw the trailer for this one from their official channel one time recently. I didn't think the trailer was good as it was very vague. But I like these kinds of games and their charm.

I haven't done much with Two Point Campus I may have to start again it's very picky compared to maybe Two Point Hospital and very much so compared to Theme Hospital or others.

Then again I feel Project Highrise does get picky too compared to Sim Tower as well. The successors just seem odd compared to the originals which actually play more fair I feel for their early levels compared to the successors being more particular besides their depth being nice they are just not as greatly balanced I find and more dragged out waiting/making so few decisions early on it's just not fun. More authentic sure but it kind of devalues the games when they are cartoony fun and it's early on I expect less tedium early on not the tedium of later levels early on it's just silly.

While not the same it gave me that sort of Metropolis Mania vibes of such charming design you don't see in other city builders. Metropolismania may have been a series of Japanese visual novel crossed with city builders with a cheap budget and on foot/communicating, building and repeat to solve citizens complaints but it had that charm besides it being to a degree a Simple Series game sort of.

This while it doesn't have that does give me that yeah this is pretty interesting of a take on a school setting city builder style game and fitting a school theme rather than a hospital, university or something a high school or lower grade I guess? Either way.

I'm interested to see more though as I didn't find the trailer that great of showing it off at all compared to other videos the company channel may have had.

Re: PSN Data Says Foamstars' Future Is Bleak, Just Two Months After Release

SuntannedDuck2

@GrandValkyrie I knew it would flop because the gameplay was so weak. The artstyle wasn't that appealing either.

I had many mode ideas in mind before launch and the game just kept pushing in the wrong direction, 2 modes and not enough depth. Too much cosmetics and MTX focus then on the gameplay.

I didn't play it as I don't have PS+/not a multiplayer type (or didn't want to support this game anyway) but yeah thinking up ideas for it to see it just keep pushing the wrong direction then keep itself interesting was not surprising to see happen.

Diofield did as well too much story that kind of sucked, and gameplay lacking depth after chapter 4 and dragging it out, flops. I still platinumed it like I planned to, didn't make it any more bland because of how much they gave up on gameplay.

It's a weird contrast from Square themselves with FF16/7 Rebirth/Enix with Dragon Quest putting effort in their own titles in all areas but the other studios they help publish seem to just struggle to understand depth and good game design to interest a playerbase long term and put the effort in other areas hence they flop.

For a multiplayer title especially gameplay or maps matters yet they focus too much on the business model. Which is why it failed.

I don't support live services (doesn't mean I didn't have many ideas for the game to actually survive of modes) but it was clear to see why it sucked they put their priorities into the wrong areas.

Re: PSN Data Says Foamstars' Future Is Bleak, Just Two Months After Release

SuntannedDuck2

We all told them. Yeah they had too much MTX focus. Not enough mode focus/good moveset/gameplay ideas to keep people interested.

Helldivers has a $40 price but it has depth. Foamstars has no depth or an artstyle that appeals to an audience that can't buy it/has to pay PS+ and that's why is suffered. Lacking ideas of maps/modes so glaringly obvious yet they push the business model the idiots. What else is new.

Well time for someone else to make a paintball/foam game with a reverse foam maze, traps, foam and other chemicals mixing, surfboard race, foam contest, very particular maps to take advantage of you have FOAM and gameplay ideas around that and more but Foamstars is too dull it's so basic and pathetic I can't not dream up ideas to make it better to fill in so many blanks. Not that I'd salvage it, it's terrible and deserves to die. If fans wanted to revive it with private servers (and put more modes in) sure but Square/the dev won't.

But they did also highlight how barren this game is of ideas for a multiplayer game. It's moveset sucked. Splatoon's moveset in 2 made me go wow the more I played it and it's outdated by 3 but I don't know what 3 offers but going back to 1 I noticed immediately the changes.

The modes were lacking and just reworked versions of 2 modes in other games so what's the point in playing if no gain/exciting element but cosmetics and money. Gameplay matters in multiplayer yet they failed to do anything about it.

It's just so obvious yet it's a Square published studio they push story because those devs are too stupid to understand gameplay depth to interest an audience these days.

Square themselves with FF16/7 Rebirth put a lot of gameplay and some while not polished (many minigames in 7 Rebirth are a bit off at times of controls or polish they are still there and cool to see) were still good alongside the story, their published titles by other teams seem to just flop because they just don't put the effort in enough.

Foamstars was a MTX/cosmetics game with 2 modes and 2-3 seasons of nothing much at all to be excited about and PS+ to keep it alive at first to just keep paying yeah no one wanted to do that.

Diofield (story dragged out, bad gameplay lacking depth after chapter 4) or Foamstars especially while their remakes are fine just some parts of them just bother me (Front Mission 1st Remake and Tactics Ogre Reborn as a newcomer to both series besides well Front Mission Evolved but it's a different genre anyway).

Yet they maybe tried but pushed cosmetics and other garbage like money greedy idiots then understanding how to make a compelling video game to make people want to let alone like Fornite offer crossovers or more out of the expected content that's why those succeed.

Crossovers are hard to do but even other types of ideas could have happened of modes. Or you get good ideas for updates in a Minecraft/Roblox or community content creations help too. Oh well they deserve to disappear with their business model and pathetic game anyways.

The visuals/cosmetics don't do much for players to stick around. Yet even if Splatoon multiplayer dies which 1's did on April 8th the campaigns are this there and great. Let alone split screen. Or the DLCs till the eshops go down.

But Salmon Run as an addition (even if people didn't play the first game on Wii U) to others exist or change ups over time with events and what not (I don't follow the multiplayer but I know it happens) and not just the same modes/basic gameplay over and over which Foamstars seems to not understand.

So if people wanted a PlayStation Splatoon it's dead and well PS+ only did so much in the beginning and people moved on. They weren't going to keep paying for it or get interested in bland direction for a game like Foamstars.

Especially when the Foam is so underused in this game it's just annoying in my gameplay focused brain to think up so many ideas yet they barely did anything with foam.

A very flexible thing to make work with mechanics in video games. Let alone Splatoon has it's own use cases for ink in a certain way but is more character focused then the foam that clumps itself but isn't used in interesting ways.

Why do some devs or Square published games have devs with so little gameplay understanding. For multiplayer this is why they failed is not enough modes/good gameplay ideas. It's just hilarious.

Re: Google Engineers Responsibly Report PS Portal Exploit, Ending Potential PSP Emulation

SuntannedDuck2

While disappointing to see the possibility go away as well it's not like people didn't want more from the Portal it makes sense and had to be patched. The Portal wasn't intended for it. Sony wants it the way it is intended. It makes sense.

Unless users prevent it and keep the device offline which may be tricky if they have forced updates to it.

Still for what hardware is offered anything with a bit of internal, screen processing and more can be possible. If people can put Doom on so many things what's to say other things can't on any other screen with enough hardware with or without modification.

People may have or may not have the HipGear screen controller. Not just say an iQue N64 (compared to fan made console reworked handhelds for handhelds Wiis for example) and added a screen to it if possible with another power and cabling to make it possible and where the connections are on the boards.

Without the modding an SD card or whatever else. Whatever sideloading too they could have done with the customised Android environment it had the Portal with that 6GB internal for image processing, updates/fixes and more Sony needed it to have.

People may find a way in still from some other software/hardware side of things but the thing is because it's a wireless device it makes things tricky when it comes to updates rather than an offline device. Or whatever encryption/methods Google/Sony have in place.

Re: Google Engineers Responsibly Report PS Portal Exploit, Ending Potential PSP Emulation

SuntannedDuck2

@sonicmeerkat Pretty sure I think there was news a while ago about PS4 or 5 and someone did report it. There was reports in 2022 you could try looking at. I think the Flow was mentioned then too if I remember correctly.

I did a quick search as I thought it was around that long ago and seems so though heard it from youtubers but the articles from sources should still be enough.

I swear the Flow has either helped with the Vita homebrew scene (or some others systems) or reported some PS4/5 exploits. It depends from case by case I think. I only hear the news from time to time.

The Google engineer thing to me seems like either people making some connections or like Modern Vintage Gamer in the emulation scene. Some just get hired by their skills and use them for good. Not that they ever did for piracy ever. But just knew their way around hardware, emulation, homebrew in the past.

Maybe they were just that good when it came to the hacker events (is a thing I've heard something of with web browsers or other software for hackers to try and break them and the staff take that on board in future updates)/reporting exploits they got hired which maybe happens I have no idea.

Not all hackers are bad or the terms gets through around when they are just good programmers than hackers in the bad meaning of the term. Or just hacking in a certain sense and it's probably just some trick as I've heard hack used.

Re: Random: Seven Years Later, No Man's Sky's Reputation Is Slowly Improving

SuntannedDuck2

Content updates maybe they are fair or hit and miss. VR users oh boy they have really great messaging there for that side of the game's userbase they just straight up offer the feature but barely support it well in updates.

The motion controls as a fan of motion controls aren't good they aren't clear. They put partial Dualsense support when it's in VR what laziness.

They are like Mojang offer the feature but it runs horribly visually (at least No Man's Sky never had the inventory positioning/opacity bug because Mojang were that lazy until the community made a big enough fuss to say fix it or else when they shouldn't have had to or better messaged they were trying to solve it) or functionally so why bother. I respect VR being there then not but it's still horrible.

No wonder modders do a better job sometimes, they don't have the hours, the meetings, the this and that to delay them they just get to it. Real jobs slow things down then modders doing it in their free time or many modders looking at the same project to collaborate and have more keen eyes and less delays from the limits jobs put employees under and the product takes longer to get solutions then a modder in a few days/weeks/month depending on the code/how the game responds in the way it can and to work around it to behave the way they want as games can act on their own, versus an employee same amount or longer.

This is why people praise Minecraft modders so much to fix with mods solutions Mojang suck at. Garbage Datapacks/Mods community content prompts only they have to 'not get sued' or have idiots not know any better community content has nothing to do with them and modders made a mod to remove it because it's distracting and with no tick box why wouldn't they remove it. To just odd bugs. That's besides the quality of life/content adding mods.

Some bugs make for great things from Redstone bug left in to others but sometimes they are just a joke and the programmers miss it build to build and it's just annoying.

Barely offering Dualsense support or putting it in patch notes so people have to just wait, test it in ships/in person play and check then go to the subreddit or just wait update to update to be able to play as they have better things to do.

PSVR1 works better but they won't replicate it with the PS5 version controller APIs even if graphics are a bit eh then prior updates. How lazy can they be just replicate it offer both controller methods it's not that hard. If Gran Turismo 7 let alone Nintendo games with 3+ controller methods can do it there is no excuse other than fewer staff.

Whatever bug fixes they aren't fixing but carrying over between builds because they are too lazy to check between the code of old and new and reintroduce bugs or they are still there. They need to separate their test builds and their for launch ones that add the content/solve things. It's just messy.

But PSVR2 the Dualsense support feels like a mod/after thought. I get people that go oh ok menus and keyboard/mouse on PC with controller support for things but for a console experience putting the motion controllers away/to the side for the Dualsense is just some mod level expectations not an official company solution of laziness.

What are their better devs or whatever the case of staff laziness the other devs are on Light No Fire (understandable with multiple projects especially for engine changes or different programmers or whatever, it's not like I expect the animators/designers/artists to be involved) instead then their No Man's Sky update staff or bug fix staff being so disappointing of looking between versions code base and solving problems it's past being a joke and just disgusting.


That aside I miss the old multiplayer. While it didn't work well to at all, I hate the whole eh generic multiplayer. The other felt more immersive of oh hey. It's like when you see other people actually exploring in an MMO, a simulation, actual space or a sci-fi show.

Different people/factions rather than hey lets play together co-op. Meeting up at a spot in an MMO. Ok sure ruin the unique multiplayer for human emotional connection co-op generic multiplayer. Sure building and exploring together helps the experience to get things done or people just want to collaborate or whatever but it should have still been an option the old multiplayer.

It's no different to an MMO being the case of just doing anywhere in the game world but with a bit of a difference then just oh co-op sure.

Re: PSVR2 Hit C-Smash VRS Gets Squashed Flat with New Dimension Update on PS5

SuntannedDuck2

They know it isn't selling I guess? It is niche after all so that's understandable or they planned to expand it over time?

That aside I think it's going to be an eh experience not because it was made with VR in mind but motion controls support. I mean it won't support Dualsense gyro nor Move controllers because those are outdated and for PS3/4 not PS5 so only the PSVR2 Sense Controllers would fit the goal but they are intended with VR correct? They are optional of a control method?

I like motion controls but they need to be done well. Same with any other controller input and the movement speed, pacing, animations, etc. to feel right with the game.

To me trying the original Cosmic Smash I thought huh this is a cool Squash/sci-fi 3D breakout/aranoid etc. type game but the thing is with sticks I mean 1 stick on a Dreamcast it is very limited and the 3 button moves and moving is not great. With 2 analogue sticks sure but because it's motion controls I can tell the track would be if done right and not making me have Red Steel 1 disappointment I've seen with Star Wars/Horizon Call of the Mountain overcompensation controls. When Red Steel 2 or other Wii/Move games have done better motion controls.

So if the buttons, sticks, movement pacing of the character work well for this game without a PSVR headset or PC headset (if that's an option if only headsets still with the PC version) then sure if not I don't think it's that worth it.

If it offers Dreamcast like controllers, modern controls and VR I'd say sure if it's the same as the Dreamcast (minus the engine differences of the game/modern game design feel differences I know that happens I'm not stupid) either way I didn't like the feel of it via the Dreamcast version.

It works for the time but it had it's issues, the game and music itself was still great just eh the movement was like fighting games stiff/subtle steps and I hated it and there is a reason beside level design I don't play fighting games and that's the subtle movement being so awkward of stepping I just can't stand it. In VR makes sense, with an analogue stick or d-pad unless its on a grid then sure if it's not then more flexible movement for sure.

I want this game to succeed. I like arcadey sports games. I discovered the game before the day the VR game got announced. I think it has appeal. But controls matter in games like this as otherwise the level design and experience will not be enjoyable even if good and they are.

So instead it's hey Cosmic Smash fans or newcomers buy it now without the need for a PSVR2 headset. Which I think is fine it is a good remake? Sequel? Of the Dreamcast game/arcade game and glad the team were able to make it happen. That I never knew what to think.

I mean the R is something but hmm. Or VSR? Virtual Simulated Reality? I don't know. Virtual Squash Reality? XD Sorry Virtual Reality Squash? Simulation? Sequel? Whatever the case the letters mean.

Just surprised after the PC VR version they went whelp time to give it the no headset support now I guess.

Re: Older Live Service Titles Take Up Over 60% of Overall Playtime, Report Says

SuntannedDuck2

Well Foamstars I had better ideas in mind before the game came out. It's as barren of a core of modes/maps then I expect.

If Fall Guys is just Wipeout the obstacle course tv show the game in a way. It makes sense with the appeal right? Besides the cosmetics, the family friendly characters.

GTA has world/gameplay or cosmetic changes.

Fortnite also map changes or more cosmetics and crossovers so licensing plays a part there.

With Rocket League if Konami pushed GTI Club more it's soccer mode (or gold ball soccer mode) or tomato mode/bomb modes besides time trial or races could be a hit but nope and that was in the PSP title not the PS3 one I think. The PS3 maybe 360 Live Arcade title Rocket Powered Hypercars (same devs as Rocket League) to Rocket League and the music/updates and more they get is big for a reason. From TopGear car soccer to GTI Club to Rocket League maybe even outside those with car soccer it's not that hard to make a thing.

Roblox is a game engine so bigger than Dreams, Mario Maker or Project Spark ever were or are. Roblox and Minecraft have many fan creations going on constantly with users making content, playing content, videoing it.

Most of these make sense due to Youtubers, being free, easy enough to understand, creative titles or open gameplay/cosmetic selling possibilities. Not all as some are just free updates but I mean the creativity and simplicity.

I mean this is why AAA not doing hobby/sim/party games or other games going we want money but milking to us gamers and don't understand the audience at all. They are incredibly stupid. I don't like many casual games either but I can see the appeal still or some are worth it briefly.

At least with some of these not all of them. Sure Sims, Apex and others but I mean Sims 4 plays like PC. Sims 2 it was better console controls but nope that's gone. Even if it's a life sim, the humour is there and the expansions keep going but eh content quality for the price tags.

Older ones are free mostly or get free updates, or have tons of crossovers, events, cosmetics and map changes, something some are too stupid to do and have a lot more larger followings because of what they do.

Their themes, their gameplay, their settings. All appeal in many ways. Constant content that people would want of cosmetics, of changes to the maps/worlds or go wow I got to get on that.

Some of these are just sandboxes to make your own fun creating or playing.

Granted Minecraft updates suck and have the last few years, they are passable but not great because the functionality sucks then modders make them better of gameplay use cases or recipes or whatever but still. Still can mod it for 10 years/any version and over and over change mods out if the updates suck.

Minecraft is the only of these I play or haven't in a while but did for years. I make wikis based on mods for it still instead so I somewhat keep up with it.

Re: Random: Vladimir Putin Considers Creation of Russian Gaming Console

SuntannedDuck2

@Titntin Korea funded the GP32 (handheld around the PSP/DS period) if I remember correctly then well years later the Japan products law was removed, it's not like it's nothing new.

It had games but I mean most knew of it's lack of encryption so it's a good emulation device from 2009 the GP2X for example.

I recommend the Modern Vintage Gamer video on the GP2X. Or anything your an find on the GP32. Like Top Hat Gaming Man or others.

I won't deny it's not ideal but I'm interested to hear what goes on even if may not be a great time/may flop compared to PCs/mobile unless it has a good enough amount of appeal of educational, suitable games or companies find a way to make games for the console (not like that hasn't been done before games or consoles into Korea/China years ago) then Russian only developers.

Re: Random: Vladimir Putin Considers Creation of Russian Gaming Console

SuntannedDuck2

From the Dendy or other bootlegs to PCs and well Tetris.

Whenever official consoles were offered in the country I don't know.

Still if open source like the Ouya as the console/dev kit which players overlook because they don't care. Or the GP32 then yeah could be interesting but players are too focused on other things so like it matters.

PC/mobile is still probably a better bet but an in-between like a console makes sense. If it can do well that is.

I'm interested to see what happens. Not surprised how much people go off jokes/stereotypes in the comments. I'm seriously interested where this goes.

But them making their own console huh. Could be some fair results maybe depending on what they go for. They know the results of the market so they could do well depending on the themes/gameplay though in their titles for their country if we even hear about them who knows what will come of it. Or like with China find a way to make it possible to get games/consoles into the country. But different circumstances.

I mean the GP32 in Korea was cool (not just because of emulation.

I mean to me the PSP/DS while good the Tapwave Zodiac and Gizmondo yes yes the games who cares about those right now but the hardware, the GPS, the camera, the media playback all built in. They weren't the best but not needing addons like PSP or Gameboy camera to me is impressive but like anyone cares because oh the games weren't good, oh the marketing, oh the situations with the companies. They aren't perfect but still good devices. It was a cool handheld period I think.

Samsung with their Comboy and others too in Korea.

During the no Japanese imports period for Korea. China and PCs/mobile but no consoles to the letting that happen but you only see certain games get past because of course Tecent and it's understandable. But they used to have to work around it like the Nintendo's iQue N64, DS and more. Or the Shield Wii/GameCube games.

Re: New PlayStation CEO Hiroki Totoki Starts Temporary Role Today

SuntannedDuck2

Third party deals, consistency, PC whatever the case. Whoever they get to step in properly they better be good or else I'm going to continue avoiding the brand/their products this gen but looking at the news every time just encase something happens.

That Shawn or others magic would be nice but I doubt it.

Seeing the more creative studios go because oh sales when they only do so much I mean family friendly or particular audiences into creative games aren't big enough sadly.

But it's just going to further make me have only third parties or no parties reason to own a PlayStation. Other than a Ultra Blu-ray player and I don't need one. That or a POSTing quite on start up console and I have an Xbox One for that besides it's CD app/back compat.

Their hardware as much as PSVR2 and Portal have been a disappointment I need software to care about and I haven't found much to give me reason to want a PS5 yet.

Re: Microtransactions Don't Belong in a Single Player Game, Says The Witcher Dev

SuntannedDuck2

I agree as to me it just breaks the flow. Why MTX cosmetics, why boosters to XP levels. Why much more. Just balance it. Then again if it's $70 US or equivalent in your currency/region then yeah it's a bit much.

If it's free to play then sure it makes sense they have to make money somehow. But I just buy particular games. I change the difficulty, get good or just try the game at a different time/know it's not for me. There is tons of games out there to try after all not all of them are going to hit for me.

While I'm not hours to play picky I do think that for the hours the filler/quality can be a factor but to me as gameplay picky the quests/minigames can be whatever and if good enough sure but as most open worlds offer quests I don't care for then yeah to me the gameplay side of things means I'm not likely to pick them up.

After enough engine tweaks of the AI, quest design, level design and more then sure but that's gens away at this rate of how devs are going and oh the visuals, snore no thanks and with old gen still being supported (I am still on yes) but the thing is we don't see it on current gen only anyway still because they need releases to be out it's just an annoying cycle. I don't see games trying hard enough, just refining PS3/360 era games 2 gens later.

Why should I be excited gimmicky or actually trying if I don't even see any of it trying to impress. PS4/Xbox One I can let pass from the hardware jump there but now there is no excuse other than yes tweaking engines to the hardware, 4K textures and this and that to get ready of releases line up in such a way beside buying up companies all the time and we get less releases, less in-between releases we could have besides Indies as the AAs or As are gone besides the few left and the gens get more boring.

Some improvements happened in PS4/Xbox One but we either had those dropped because they stopped trying to impress us or didn't actually try that much so to me hardware wise games aren't as compelling to justify MTX as they are a full price tag either. The scale of the worlds is one thing the execution of the quests, the world design, the AI, the dialogue, the immersion of the NPCs lives, the personality that many games aren't pushing for, being similar of game design gen to gen and less appealing touches I get from old gen and go oh yeah that doesn't happen now isn't compelling for the price.

If I can go back to Black 2006 on PS2/Xbox and go whoa even if overdone or other games with their own details of particles, breakability, dynamic then too in your face gameified aspects or just elements we should see of mechanics and world design come back why is it I keep finding them in old gen not new gen.

That or just better marketing (I am fine with prototypes but people want CGI because people don't like alphas, some customers make it worse then what we may want to see then lying to us to sell a product but Indies don't have that budget so they show what they can), better development time management and more if studios get offered that then Indie or Publisher shareholders/directors or producers making things a challenge.

I mean technically the same could be said to not have MTX at all but I understand with maintain servers or getting multiplayer players interested in cosmetics, leveling and more.

In singleplayer isn't the case as much if it's a short game or a long RPG/open world and no co-op then yeah it's a bit awkward and trying to fit MTX in with certain systems, it's just annoying and ruins the experience.

Re: Preview: Stellar Blade Is the PS5 Exclusive Enthusiasts Have Been Praying For

SuntannedDuck2

I mean as someone excited for Bayonetta 3 that found it pretty eh of some fair Astral Chain continued ideas and some eh modern gaming skill trees I didn't need it was passable.

Stellar Blade seems a fine game but to me it's not PS5 exclusive enthusiasts a game they NEED. It's a fair game but that's the most hilarious headline Push Square.

The hyping is just a joke. Write a better headline or article. I get it third person exclusives will fill out the periods till the first party are ready. It's nothing new. XD

People that know they are into Stellar Blade are.

Question it like I am because I was hyped but the demo made me go yeah I know how this feels to play/fine world with crazy stuff in it. The gameplay made me dislike it. As the target audience for it into action games like the one it was inspired by they didn't take some aspects from it or Platinum and even Nier Automata plays better then Stellar Blade let alone Bayonetta, even some other old or older action games of this type. I was not impressed. They need to balance it more but I know they won't. Modern gaming is what it is for time to make changes, or heaviness of character feel or even just design.

Or people go maybe it isn't for them if they had no interest in the first place and that's totally fine.