You are right, no doubt. I'm a bit salty admittedly because SquareEnix has an extensive history going back to the PS2 era of ridiculously long delays. Been a longtime fan and they don't seem to learn from their repeated scheduling mistakes is how I take it.
Probably a few contenders, but Square is up there for the worst delay track record in the entire industry of a major publisher, of all time, since the advent of video games.
Everyone is delaying right now though as you said. I'll put my pitchfork away, but only because FF 14 is quality stuff.
Finally finished Master difficulty and it was deceptively tough and a huge increase in difficulty over normal for sure.
But it is very doable of course. At worst I only got snagged up in a few areas with 5 to 10 replays to break through. I like how it forces you to use ALL of the unlockable upgrade abilities. That last 6-stage boss fight though... yikes.
Still, I get you. Generally dislike games that lock difficulties behind beating the game - should just trust your players to choose whatever difficulty from the get-go. There were some old-school design decisions like that which show this was Ember Labs' first game. But very impressive overall for a first try.
Pre-covid, post-covid, whatever. This company hasn't delivered a major FF product on time in years regardless of the external circumstances.
Oh Square. You are like an itinerant drug-addicted family member who always asks to stay at your house and makes promises they will reform every time. Yet we still love you and keep inviting you back in. Will let them back in my house to steal my wallet when FF XVI comes out.
The barriers to entry (cost) are too high. There are too many wires and setting it up correctly is obtuse and borderline impossible in some homes. The games - with a few exceptions - are technical demos. The Move controllers are laughably old technology at this point, and the motion tracking and control schemes requiring these are horrendous.
All that said, VR is the only "new frontier" in gaming for me. Everything else has been done and is now just small, iterative upgrades year after year. VR is the only place new experiences are being offered, and some of those "technical demos" I mentioned are truly eye opening in the potential that is there.
VR is in its infancy. PSVR is the equivalent of the original Playstation - ground zero. Despite all the limitations of it currently (or maybe because of them), the ceiling of where it can go is so high. Put another way, we can be reasonably sure the Playstation 6 won't be that big a leap over PS5. PSVR 2 sounds like it will be a massive bound over the original (akin to the jump from PS1 to PS2). Imagine what a PSVR 3 will look like.
Not to belabor the point, but we are still in very, very early days and this is a truly "new" gaming experience, and where else can you get that?
There are some fun couch co-op experiences in PSVR. It usually revolves around one player with the headset on and the other watching the television and relaying information to the VR player.
The Playroom VR and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes are good examples.
Its a different take on couch co-op but surprisingly fun. And for traditional co-op games... well that's when you take off the VR and boot up Mario Kart. VR is just a supplement to traditional gaming, not a replacement (as the article mentions).
For everybody rightfully pointing out the motion sickness issues, two things:
1.) The motion sickness effects DO lessen and eventually disappear with repeated exposure. Start with games that are less motion sickness-inducing (anything with less movement) and slowly work your way up to the RE7s and Wipeout Omega Collection-type games.
2.) Take dramamine. Yes, I'm serious. Its an over the counter cheap medicine with no side effects that will eliminate motion sickness. Has to be taken BEFORE you play.
Hope they do something to address this issue with PSVR2. I've had family members literally vomit with motion sickness after their first 30 minute play session in VR.
These games... it's a love-hate thing. The clinical presentation did always put me off. The racing itself is difficult and "slow" compared to arcade racing games (read: realistic). But there is a nice sense of accomplishment when you finally break through the sky high difficulty curve and score a top time on a track.
Never used a wheel and just don't have the space to dedicate that set-up to a single game, probably has something to do with it.
DriveClub to me was the perfect balance between arcade and sim, and had much higher fun factor but, but ah well.
I finished this game 100%, pre-patch. Grew up playing Housemarque games. Love arcade style games, and this really isn't even their toughest one by a country mile.
And honestly... this is my least favorite game of theirs. The grind was pretty rough. The time travel story devolved into vague nonsense, or I was too stupid to understand it. Game did not resonate with me... so I do understand you.
Sony has been dominating the home console market for over 25 years straight now in worldwide sales. Its the longest running videogame dynasty in the medium's existence (with the exception of the Nintendo Wii and possibly the Switch in the near future). Maybe that pisses some people off.
Its not about GamePass, PS Now, any peripheral services or functions, it's not even about which hardware is more capable.
Its about the games. Who has the better games you can only play on that particular system? Thats what it has ALWAYS has been about and probably always will be. We've just confused the issue with all this extra nonsense.
If Xbox wants to "pull ahead", they need to put out some good exclusive content. They do that, they will be better than fine. Better than Sony.
But so far they haven't. Exclusive content ranges from threadbare to nonexistent. Now if they put all that money tossing they did last year to good use, you could make a strong case for them... someday.
Just put out good games. That simple. Don't complicate it.
'Ol DBrand gonna have to go back to selling cellphone covers. They charge around $70 for anyone complaining about Sony's pricing. Got away with it because they were the only "premium" option, with resellers throwing them on eBay for over 100.
I'm gonna boil it down to two words: expectation management.
They tried to let people know ahead of time in a way, when they said it was gonna be a showcase for third party games only. But as other people pointed out, indie showcase would have been more appropriate and accurate description.
I like indies. But I agree with a lot of others that 'State of Play' has become a moniker that is too general really. And that goes back to expectation management - you dont know WHAT you are gonna get in these things, and that's a messaging issue. So people will hype themselves up (that is partially their own fault) and are inevitably disappointed.
I wouldn't advocate "just do a blog post". People put work into these games and they should get exposure. But 'Indie State of Play' would serve two good purposes - (1. It would kill 80% of the complaints you saw right out of the gate, (2. It would attract more people who are specifically interested in indie titles (we exist). This would get exposure and views up for those lesser known games.
In summary, they could have done so, so much better if they added one word - Indie - to the showcase title or description. Not this vague "third party games" business. They have actually done indie-focused States of Play in the past, and they telegraphed that ahead of time and it went over alright! Never great, mind you... but better than this.
It's a basic messaging error. Combined with people with poor impulse control, and well... this happens.
I don't want to be dramatic, but... God have mercy on anyone's soul that plays this game. They will never be the same again and will have ascended to a higher plane of existence.
This is the game I was meant to play. The game I was born to play. A game so utterly stupendous and magnificent in its presentation and gameplay that one might say experiencing it leads to a spiritual awakening.
I wasn't sure they could top Youtuber's Life 2 for best game of all time... but they did it. Somehow they did it.
I'm supposing all the arguments this company made about "right to repair" and Squid Game were made in bad faith, since they just turned around and released panels that address all of Sony's complaints directly and to the letter. They didn't even buy into their own BS at the end of the day.
Why huff and puff and play tough? It was, as they say, "for the clicks".
They are douches, yes. But smart douches. Take the L and make it look like a win, spin up some controversy with naughty words and empty challenges for the 15 to 22 year old demographic... they are like the North Korea of marketing, sable rattling for cheap, unearned publicity. So profound. So "refreshing".
Well played. Now shut up and sell some skins for electronics other people created.
These "nominations" make no sense for about 180 different reasons. Best Playstation game... Resident Evil: Village? What? So that isn't a multiplatform game? Could've replaced that game with any other console exclusive... Destruction All-Stars, GoT: Director's Cut, and others aren't mentioned.
I could go on and on about the inconsistencies, but then I'd be in danger of putting more thought into it then whoever threw these lists together.
If these guys can turn around and have a new design ready in (checks notes)... two days, why can't a multibillion dollar company release some black faceplates after 10 months on the market?
These are pieces of plastic that cost probably in the range of a couple bucks to make.
If dbrands' statements are to be believed, they were not aware of a pending patent for the plates, as Sony did not advise them of the patent number in legal communications, up until a certain point.
I actually believe them when they plead ignorance. They may have also just banked on Sony seeing them as too little a fish to care. I think what happened is their product just unfortunately became a little TOO popular (its a high quality product based off most reviews). Sony took notice and... well.
As I've said elsewhere, it's a violation black and white. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to jail.
Though... I think it is good to have debates about the reach of patent/trademark laws and what SHOULD be able to be patented. Supposedly the shape of these plates direct airflow in some manner that aids in cooling the system. But... that could be complete BS that Sony just threw in to get the patent application passed.
(click Full Text and machine translate to English) §16,19-20,31-38 describe the PS5 exterior plates in Fig 2A-B.
It's a blatant violation of patent law. I don't judge anyone for feeling sore at Sony, but those folks' issue is with patent law itself, not Sony. Sony would be insane not to assert its intellectual property rights in cases like this. Write your senators to have patent laws changed I suppose?
So... yeah. It is what it is. I do agree though copyright/trademark law in the West favors the corporation a little too much in most cases. But that's just an opinion I personally hold. This is a black and white breach of patent law.
Dbrand, despite their edgy marketing, likely came to the same conclusion and pulled the product for that reason. Their idiotic marketing belies an intelligent company, no doubt. Likely one that has their own lawyers advising just as Sony has theirs.
The reddit post says dbrand have given in to the "terrorist" demands but they will be back. Spoiler alert: they won't be back. Darkplates are gone for good outside the second-hand market. Lesson learned for them, hopefully.
What I'm saying is the symbols have to do with trademark law. Then you have patents (inventions), which is a separate thing. The plate shapes are patented. There's no way around that. Pretty cut and dry. Sony could (and maybe should) look the other way though until they start selling their own.
Also, could you imagine them suing Squid Game for using Triangles and Circles? That would be nuts haha, considering those are universal shapes and that's a TV show that has nothing to do with Playstation.
Now Nintendo... Nintendo might actually attempt that lawsuit. They did after all successfully trademark "get it on like donkey kong". No joke. You can't use that phrase on television anymore without paying Nintendo or getting permission. Sigh...
Yeah they bring up Squid Game in their reddit post. Which is pretty interesting... At the end of the day the plates are patented in Canada (dbrands home country). The overall shape and contours of the plastic are patented. The symbols are a different story. Sony patents everything they do, and a lot they never end up doing too...
You could make the argument sitting on patents like that is unethical but patent law is what it is.
Not really a matter of defending Sony. I love to root for the little guy as much as anyone in cases like this. But patent and copyright law is a thing here in the West. And... the plate designs are patented. Its just as simple as that unfortunately.
It's not JUST about the playstation icon symbols. The actual shape of the plates themselves are patented - says so in the rant they posted on reddit. The patent has something to do with the shape of the plates reducing the heat of the system.
It's a pretty blatant violation of patent law. The symbols inlaid into the plates seems debatable as far as whether thats a copyright violation though.
Their marketing department being run by millennials with the "go ahead, sue us" edgelord stuff doesn't really win them any sympathy from me in any case.
The reason Sony probably doesn't threaten any of the other plate manufacturers with lawsuits is probablly twofold: 1.) none of them have really made enough money to be worth a cease and desist letter, as they usually sell for around 15 bucks, as opposed to dbrands hefty 60-80 price tag, and 2.) Those companies didn't literally challenge a multi billion dollar company to sue them.
Like others have said, their marketing could use some work.
Cannot praise this game enough. For everyone worried about it being an MMORPG, just know 90% of this game can comfortably be played solo. It's essentially a single player game, if you want it to be.
For my money, the best story in any FF game ever. That includes all the "legendary" FF entries like VI, VII, Tactics, whatever. Trumps them all in my opinion.
The content is ridiculous and very fanservice-y (in a good way). Golden Saucer, Triple Triad, chocobos, etc. If there is anything you ever liked in a FF game, it's in here somewhere.
Community is top-notch. Everyone is super helpful in general.
The first 30 hours is a tutorial. Remember that going in. The beginning quests are basic as anything but there is a method to it, to ease you in.
This is the only game in my life I would say, yes, it is literally an 11/10 game, but only IF you are ready to invest some serious time into it and can stomach the subscription fee. Two big IFs to be honest but worth it and so much more.
Watching my significant other and mom play (both avowed non-gamers), they move the camera in a real jerky way, like watching a new driver jamming the accelerator. Really struggle with smooth inputs and the multi-tasking aspect.
It's come to the point if they want to play something, I'll always put on a 2D game.
Something I noticed watching new gamers playing a game in a 3D world is they - really - struggle with manipulating the camera while also doing other things, like moving.
I think we take for granted that those micro camera adjustments we do on the fly in games is a developed skill, like riding a bike. It takes time to "get it" and there's a certain muscle memory to it we all take for granted. But it does come over time.
I feel like if you experiment with the controls for a bit, having never played a game before, you will quickly find the left analog stick is movement.
Maybe the answer is a skippable tutorial - some games have a tutorial and offer the option to bypass it.
Overall, I don't see basic controls as the issue, but skipping over advanced inputs/systems or hiding them in menus. For example, FFVIII's junction system was divisive I believe because it was never really explained too well.
Demon's Souls' obscure but super important World Tendency system also comes to mind.
Okay, I'm starting to question if y'all actually played half these games after looking at this list.
Thats the beauty of it though, outside of the 1-3 spots normally being locked in by the same games (usually it is VI instead of 7R though, thats odd), these lists are almost always different.
Nobody can agree on these games, and that's... kinda cool.
It's hilarious the game's software version wasn't released at v. 1.0 or higher. Just blatantly admitting it wasn't finished in a sense.
For reference, games in alpha and beta (unfinished phases of development) generally use sub-1.00 software versions, basically to indicate it isn't finished and not ready for wide release to the public.
Haha, David is a strong name. Which reminds me, one of the things they really, really have to do to get a MGS1 remake right is to make sure David Hayter is doing the lines.
Just reaching at straws, but whoever remakes this game will get Hayter on board - his performance was iconic and absolutely crucial. He is also very open to doing more Solid Snake voice work.
If they are re-recording the theme right now, it stands to reason they would have started the voice work too. Hayter is really open about the projects he is working on online, and I bet he will let something slip...
Agreed! I doubt Kojima is involved either, I meant that more along the lines of Kojima chooses an eclectic set of songs for his soundtracks and MGS1 was no exception back in the day. Hence the Gaelic main theme.
But yeah, Kojima being directly involved with any remake is a reach.
I don't think he would need to be involved for a straight up remake though. The blueprint is already there, they just have to re-do it. And if they are re-recording the main theme (as I suspect), it means they are going the extra mile to make it faithful.
I think it would be amazing to re-introduce MGS to a new generation of gamers. Truly one of the all-time greats. A Chrono Cross remake would be heavenly too, but I just don't see that happening unfortunately.
I think I would cry tears of joy too! Im old too (31 years and counting), and MGS is my favorite franchise.
Frankly, out of all the endless rumors we've heard, this tidbit is the most concrete evidence of a MGS remake we've gotten so far. It feels like a slip-up we weren't supposed to know, considering you dont hear Gaelic language tracks in games very often (I'd hazard a guess you could count videogames featuring a Gaelic track on one hand, of all the games ever made since the dawn of the medium).
This reeks of Kojima, as he is very experimental with his soundtrack choices.
Sadly, I don't see that game being fully remastered. A sequel was planned and canceled due to poor sales.
Also, just to tie it in to the story, although the setting was Ireland, Folklore's soundtrack was not really done in a Celtic style and had no Gaelic language tracks.
A Folklore sequel would be grand though! Also, Chrono Cross is one of my favorite games of all time. While my favorite video game franchise is MGS, I'd prefer Chrono Cross. I just don't see any PS1-era game besides MGS happening due to the economic realities of remaking an old game like that.
I believe it's the only Playstation game ever to feature a Gaelic voice track. See my comment above, it is 99.8% likely its Metal Gear Solid. I'd bet anyone here my firstborn child.
Comments 685
Re: Final Fantasy 16 News in the Spring, Development Delayed by Half a Year
@WallyWest
You are right, no doubt. I'm a bit salty admittedly because SquareEnix has an extensive history going back to the PS2 era of ridiculously long delays. Been a longtime fan and they don't seem to learn from their repeated scheduling mistakes is how I take it.
Probably a few contenders, but Square is up there for the worst delay track record in the entire industry of a major publisher, of all time, since the advent of video games.
Everyone is delaying right now though as you said. I'll put my pitchfork away, but only because FF 14 is quality stuff.
Re: Game of the Year: Best PS5, PS4 Developer of 2021
@BritneyfR_ee
Finally finished Master difficulty and it was deceptively tough and a huge increase in difficulty over normal for sure.
But it is very doable of course. At worst I only got snagged up in a few areas with 5 to 10 replays to break through. I like how it forces you to use ALL of the unlockable upgrade abilities. That last 6-stage boss fight though... yikes.
Still, I get you. Generally dislike games that lock difficulties behind beating the game - should just trust your players to choose whatever difficulty from the get-go. There were some old-school design decisions like that which show this was Ember Labs' first game. But very impressive overall for a first try.
Re: Final Fantasy 16 News in the Spring, Development Delayed by Half a Year
Square delayed a Final Fantasy game?
No way!!!
No wait, they delayed... an update for the game.
Pre-covid, post-covid, whatever. This company hasn't delivered a major FF product on time in years regardless of the external circumstances.
Oh Square. You are like an itinerant drug-addicted family member who always asks to stay at your house and makes promises they will reform every time. Yet we still love you and keep inviting you back in. Will let them back in my house to steal my wallet when FF XVI comes out.
Re: Soapbox: PS5's Next-Gen PSVR Headset Is Going to Drop Jaws in 2022
My honest input regarding VR:
The barriers to entry (cost) are too high. There are too many wires and setting it up correctly is obtuse and borderline impossible in some homes. The games - with a few exceptions - are technical demos. The Move controllers are laughably old technology at this point, and the motion tracking and control schemes requiring these are horrendous.
All that said, VR is the only "new frontier" in gaming for me. Everything else has been done and is now just small, iterative upgrades year after year. VR is the only place new experiences are being offered, and some of those "technical demos" I mentioned are truly eye opening in the potential that is there.
VR is in its infancy. PSVR is the equivalent of the original Playstation - ground zero. Despite all the limitations of it currently (or maybe because of them), the ceiling of where it can go is so high. Put another way, we can be reasonably sure the Playstation 6 won't be that big a leap over PS5. PSVR 2 sounds like it will be a massive bound over the original (akin to the jump from PS1 to PS2). Imagine what a PSVR 3 will look like.
Not to belabor the point, but we are still in very, very early days and this is a truly "new" gaming experience, and where else can you get that?
Re: Soapbox: PS5's Next-Gen PSVR Headset Is Going to Drop Jaws in 2022
@Max_the_German
There are some fun couch co-op experiences in PSVR. It usually revolves around one player with the headset on and the other watching the television and relaying information to the VR player.
The Playroom VR and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes are good examples.
Its a different take on couch co-op but surprisingly fun. And for traditional co-op games... well that's when you take off the VR and boot up Mario Kart. VR is just a supplement to traditional gaming, not a replacement (as the article mentions).
Re: Soapbox: PS5's Next-Gen PSVR Headset Is Going to Drop Jaws in 2022
@vapidwolf1
You are in luck! PSVR2 is confirmed to connect with only one USB Type C cable.
Not sure if they will still require a separate processing unit like the original set though...
Re: Soapbox: PS5's Next-Gen PSVR Headset Is Going to Drop Jaws in 2022
For everybody rightfully pointing out the motion sickness issues, two things:
1.) The motion sickness effects DO lessen and eventually disappear with repeated exposure. Start with games that are less motion sickness-inducing (anything with less movement) and slowly work your way up to the RE7s and Wipeout Omega Collection-type games.
2.) Take dramamine. Yes, I'm serious. Its an over the counter cheap medicine with no side effects that will eliminate motion sickness. Has to be taken BEFORE you play.
Hope they do something to address this issue with PSVR2. I've had family members literally vomit with motion sickness after their first 30 minute play session in VR.
Re: Gran Turismo 7 Achieves 'Tangible' Realism on PS5 with Haptics, Ray Tracing, More
These games... it's a love-hate thing. The clinical presentation did always put me off. The racing itself is difficult and "slow" compared to arcade racing games (read: realistic). But there is a nice sense of accomplishment when you finally break through the sky high difficulty curve and score a top time on a track.
Never used a wheel and just don't have the space to dedicate that set-up to a single game, probably has something to do with it.
DriveClub to me was the perfect balance between arcade and sim, and had much higher fun factor but, but ah well.
Re: Not Everyone Had the Fortitude to Finish Returnal on PS5
@hypnotoad
Sometimes we hate the things we love haha.
I finished this game 100%, pre-patch. Grew up playing Housemarque games. Love arcade style games, and this really isn't even their toughest one by a country mile.
And honestly... this is my least favorite game of theirs. The grind was pretty rough. The time travel story devolved into vague nonsense, or I was too stupid to understand it. Game did not resonate with me... so I do understand you.
Re: PS5, PS4 Users Are Still the Biggest W*nkers in Gaming
I mean... Pikachu?!?
C'mon guys.
Re: Poll: Is PlayStation Losing Ground to Xbox?
Sony has been dominating the home console market for over 25 years straight now in worldwide sales. Its the longest running videogame dynasty in the medium's existence (with the exception of the Nintendo Wii and possibly the Switch in the near future). Maybe that pisses some people off.
Its not about GamePass, PS Now, any peripheral services or functions, it's not even about which hardware is more capable.
Its about the games. Who has the better games you can only play on that particular system? Thats what it has ALWAYS has been about and probably always will be. We've just confused the issue with all this extra nonsense.
If Xbox wants to "pull ahead", they need to put out some good exclusive content. They do that, they will be better than fine. Better than Sony.
But so far they haven't. Exclusive content ranges from threadbare to nonexistent. Now if they put all that money tossing they did last year to good use, you could make a strong case for them... someday.
Just put out good games. That simple. Don't complicate it.
Re: Sony Is Releasing Official PS5 Console Covers in 2022
@NEStalgia
Yeah that purple really makes the room pop. It's a real statement piece, sure to impress your friends and increase your social status.
Is this starting to sound like an early 20th century ad for a vacuum cleaner?
Re: Sony Is Releasing Official PS5 Console Covers in 2022
@NEStalgia
Hey, pink is the new black!
...
...
...
We've got to hype up the other colors so black doesn't sell out immediately.
Re: Sony Is Releasing Official PS5 Console Covers in 2022
'Ol DBrand gonna have to go back to selling cellphone covers. They charge around $70 for anyone complaining about Sony's pricing. Got away with it because they were the only "premium" option, with resellers throwing them on eBay for over 100.
Still... $55 is steep, no doubt.
Re: Geoff Keighley Teases 'Four or Five' Elden Ring Calibre Showcases for The Game Awards
The ultimate hype man.
Re: PS Store End of Year Deals Sale Is Live Now, Discounts Hundreds of PS5, PS4 Games
@NateGoesLive
I'd say if you are into the whimsical aesthetic, go for Psychonauts 2 instead.
Re: PS Store End of Year Deals Sale Is Live Now, Discounts Hundreds of PS5, PS4 Games
@residentmeevil
I'm not a coward. Okay, the big squishy ball does scare me a little.
Re: GTA Trilogy Pulled from PS Store After Early Unlock Debacle
One might guess they are enforcing a stricter release window because they know the game is gonna get panned critically.
Re: Poll: Rate Your Favourite PS3 Games
C'mon now, I've seen your guys' trophy lists. If Hannah Montana: The Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs aren't in the top 10, I cry foul.
Re: Five Nights at Freddy's the Most Viewed Trailer from State of Play
@Integrity
I'm gonna boil it down to two words: expectation management.
They tried to let people know ahead of time in a way, when they said it was gonna be a showcase for third party games only. But as other people pointed out, indie showcase would have been more appropriate and accurate description.
I like indies. But I agree with a lot of others that 'State of Play' has become a moniker that is too general really. And that goes back to expectation management - you dont know WHAT you are gonna get in these things, and that's a messaging issue. So people will hype themselves up (that is partially their own fault) and are inevitably disappointed.
I wouldn't advocate "just do a blog post". People put work into these games and they should get exposure. But 'Indie State of Play' would serve two good purposes - (1. It would kill 80% of the complaints you saw right out of the gate, (2. It would attract more people who are specifically interested in indie titles (we exist). This would get exposure and views up for those lesser known games.
In summary, they could have done so, so much better if they added one word - Indie - to the showcase title or description. Not this vague "third party games" business. They have actually done indie-focused States of Play in the past, and they telegraphed that ahead of time and it went over alright! Never great, mind you... but better than this.
It's a basic messaging error. Combined with people with poor impulse control, and well... this happens.
Re: We Are OFK Is the Indiepop Biopic You've Always Wanted to Play on PS5, PS4
@KidBoruto
I don't want to be dramatic, but... God have mercy on anyone's soul that plays this game. They will never be the same again and will have ascended to a higher plane of existence.
Re: We Are OFK Is the Indiepop Biopic You've Always Wanted to Play on PS5, PS4
This.
This is the game I was meant to play. The game I was born to play. A game so utterly stupendous and magnificent in its presentation and gameplay that one might say experiencing it leads to a spiritual awakening.
I wasn't sure they could top Youtuber's Life 2 for best game of all time... but they did it. Somehow they did it.
Re: Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3 PS5 Versions Delayed into 2022
Judging by these comments, sounds like they need to delay these games into an alternate reality.
You either die the hero (Witcher 3) or you live long enough to become the villain (Cyberpunk).
Re: GTA Trilogy PS5, PS4 Release Date and Pre-Order Info Revealed on Rockstar Website
Rockstar you scoundrels.
Re: New Saints Row Story Mission Gameplay Is Our Best Look at the Reboot Yet
Like a hipster Borderlands with cars. But I will not be buying because I didn't see a single Starbucks in this footage. Big miss right there.
Do they care nothing for realism?
Re: Sony Pictures Offloads Game Studio for $1 Billion
@marty8370
Ah, thanks!
Re: 'Checkmate, Lawyers' - dbrand Returns with Newly Designed PS5 Faceplates
I'm supposing all the arguments this company made about "right to repair" and Squid Game were made in bad faith, since they just turned around and released panels that address all of Sony's complaints directly and to the letter. They didn't even buy into their own BS at the end of the day.
Why huff and puff and play tough? It was, as they say, "for the clicks".
They are douches, yes. But smart douches. Take the L and make it look like a win, spin up some controversy with naughty words and empty challenges for the 15 to 22 year old demographic... they are like the North Korea of marketing, sable rattling for cheap, unearned publicity. So profound. So "refreshing".
Well played. Now shut up and sell some skins for electronics other people created.
Re: Ratchet & Clank, Deathloop, and Resident Evil Village Vie for Votes in Golden Joystick Awards
These "nominations" make no sense for about 180 different reasons. Best Playstation game... Resident Evil: Village? What? So that isn't a multiplatform game? Could've replaced that game with any other console exclusive... Destruction All-Stars, GoT: Director's Cut, and others aren't mentioned.
I could go on and on about the inconsistencies, but then I'd be in danger of putting more thought into it then whoever threw these lists together.
Re: Sony Pictures Offloads Game Studio for $1 Billion
Good! Get rid of this "gaming company"...
But wait... if they were paid in stocks, doesn't that mean Sony still owns it, by virtue of owning Snopely? At least partially?
Someone help me out here.
Re: 'Checkmate, Lawyers' - dbrand Returns with Newly Designed PS5 Faceplates
I only have one question:
If these guys can turn around and have a new design ready in (checks notes)... two days, why can't a multibillion dollar company release some black faceplates after 10 months on the market?
These are pieces of plastic that cost probably in the range of a couple bucks to make.
Re: Sony Threatens to Sue Company That Goaded It to Sue Over Black PS5 Replacement Plates
@TheTinfoilTitan
If dbrands' statements are to be believed, they were not aware of a pending patent for the plates, as Sony did not advise them of the patent number in legal communications, up until a certain point.
I actually believe them when they plead ignorance. They may have also just banked on Sony seeing them as too little a fish to care. I think what happened is their product just unfortunately became a little TOO popular (its a high quality product based off most reviews). Sony took notice and... well.
As I've said elsewhere, it's a violation black and white. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to jail.
Though... I think it is good to have debates about the reach of patent/trademark laws and what SHOULD be able to be patented. Supposedly the shape of these plates direct airflow in some manner that aids in cooling the system. But... that could be complete BS that Sony just threw in to get the patent application passed.
Re: Sony Threatens to Sue Company That Goaded It to Sue Over Black PS5 Replacement Plates
@Tharsman
They provided the patent number in later communications according to the reddit post - the patent number is WO/2021/192362 for reference.
Here's the link to the patent documents:
https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2021192362&tab=FULLTEX
(click Full Text and machine translate to English) §16,19-20,31-38 describe the PS5 exterior plates in Fig 2A-B.
It's a blatant violation of patent law. I don't judge anyone for feeling sore at Sony, but those folks' issue is with patent law itself, not Sony. Sony would be insane not to assert its intellectual property rights in cases like this. Write your senators to have patent laws changed I suppose?
So... yeah. It is what it is. I do agree though copyright/trademark law in the West favors the corporation a little too much in most cases. But that's just an opinion I personally hold. This is a black and white breach of patent law.
Dbrand, despite their edgy marketing, likely came to the same conclusion and pulled the product for that reason. Their idiotic marketing belies an intelligent company, no doubt. Likely one that has their own lawyers advising just as Sony has theirs.
The reddit post says dbrand have given in to the "terrorist" demands but they will be back. Spoiler alert: they won't be back. Darkplates are gone for good outside the second-hand market. Lesson learned for them, hopefully.
Re: Sony Threatens to Sue Company That Goaded It to Sue Over Black PS5 Replacement Plates
@fR_eeBritney
What I'm saying is the symbols have to do with trademark law. Then you have patents (inventions), which is a separate thing. The plate shapes are patented. There's no way around that. Pretty cut and dry. Sony could (and maybe should) look the other way though until they start selling their own.
Also, could you imagine them suing Squid Game for using Triangles and Circles? That would be nuts haha, considering those are universal shapes and that's a TV show that has nothing to do with Playstation.
Now Nintendo... Nintendo might actually attempt that lawsuit. They did after all successfully trademark "get it on like donkey kong". No joke. You can't use that phrase on television anymore without paying Nintendo or getting permission. Sigh...
Re: Sony Threatens to Sue Company That Goaded It to Sue Over Black PS5 Replacement Plates
@fR_eeBritney
Yeah they bring up Squid Game in their reddit post. Which is pretty interesting... At the end of the day the plates are patented in Canada (dbrands home country). The overall shape and contours of the plastic are patented. The symbols are a different story. Sony patents everything they do, and a lot they never end up doing too...
You could make the argument sitting on patents like that is unethical but patent law is what it is.
Re: Sony Threatens to Sue Company That Goaded It to Sue Over Black PS5 Replacement Plates
@HotGoomba
Not really a matter of defending Sony. I love to root for the little guy as much as anyone in cases like this. But patent and copyright law is a thing here in the West. And... the plate designs are patented. Its just as simple as that unfortunately.
Re: Sony Threatens to Sue Company That Goaded It to Sue Over Black PS5 Replacement Plates
@Tharsman
It's not JUST about the playstation icon symbols. The actual shape of the plates themselves are patented - says so in the rant they posted on reddit. The patent has something to do with the shape of the plates reducing the heat of the system.
It's a pretty blatant violation of patent law. The symbols inlaid into the plates seems debatable as far as whether thats a copyright violation though.
Their marketing department being run by millennials with the "go ahead, sue us" edgelord stuff doesn't really win them any sympathy from me in any case.
The reason Sony probably doesn't threaten any of the other plate manufacturers with lawsuits is probablly twofold: 1.) none of them have really made enough money to be worth a cease and desist letter, as they usually sell for around 15 bucks, as opposed to dbrands hefty 60-80 price tag, and 2.) Those companies didn't literally challenge a multi billion dollar company to sue them.
Like others have said, their marketing could use some work.
Re: PS Plus November 2021 Lineup Will Include Three Bonus PSVR Games
Well can't argue with no charge!
Re: Final Fantasy XIV Is Now the Most Profitable Game in the Entire Series, Surpasses 24 Million Players
Cannot praise this game enough. For everyone worried about it being an MMORPG, just know 90% of this game can comfortably be played solo. It's essentially a single player game, if you want it to be.
For my money, the best story in any FF game ever. That includes all the "legendary" FF entries like VI, VII, Tactics, whatever. Trumps them all in my opinion.
The content is ridiculous and very fanservice-y (in a good way). Golden Saucer, Triple Triad, chocobos, etc. If there is anything you ever liked in a FF game, it's in here somewhere.
Community is top-notch. Everyone is super helpful in general.
The first 30 hours is a tutorial. Remember that going in. The beginning quests are basic as anything but there is a method to it, to ease you in.
This is the only game in my life I would say, yes, it is literally an 11/10 game, but only IF you are ready to invest some serious time into it and can stomach the subscription fee. Two big IFs to be honest but worth it and so much more.
Re: Soapbox: Some Games Assume You Know How to Play Them, and It's Kinda Weird
@get2sammyb
Watching my significant other and mom play (both avowed non-gamers), they move the camera in a real jerky way, like watching a new driver jamming the accelerator. Really struggle with smooth inputs and the multi-tasking aspect.
It's come to the point if they want to play something, I'll always put on a 2D game.
Re: Soapbox: Some Games Assume You Know How to Play Them, and It's Kinda Weird
@nessisonett
Something I noticed watching new gamers playing a game in a 3D world is they - really - struggle with manipulating the camera while also doing other things, like moving.
I think we take for granted that those micro camera adjustments we do on the fly in games is a developed skill, like riding a bike. It takes time to "get it" and there's a certain muscle memory to it we all take for granted. But it does come over time.
Re: Soapbox: Some Games Assume You Know How to Play Them, and It's Kinda Weird
I feel like if you experiment with the controls for a bit, having never played a game before, you will quickly find the left analog stick is movement.
Maybe the answer is a skippable tutorial - some games have a tutorial and offer the option to bypass it.
Overall, I don't see basic controls as the issue, but skipping over advanced inputs/systems or hiding them in menus. For example, FFVIII's junction system was divisive I believe because it was never really explained too well.
Demon's Souls' obscure but super important World Tendency system also comes to mind.
Re: Best Final Fantasy Games
Okay, I'm starting to question if y'all actually played half these games after looking at this list.
Thats the beauty of it though, outside of the 1-3 spots normally being locked in by the same games (usually it is VI instead of 7R though, thats odd), these lists are almost always different.
Nobody can agree on these games, and that's... kinda cool.
Re: Konami Promises eFootball Fix for 28th October on PS5, PS4
It's hilarious the game's software version wasn't released at v. 1.0 or higher. Just blatantly admitting it wasn't finished in a sense.
For reference, games in alpha and beta (unfinished phases of development) generally use sub-1.00 software versions, basically to indicate it isn't finished and not ready for wide release to the public.
Pure gold.
Re: A Big PlayStation Remake Is to Be Announced This December, Says Irish Artist AVA
@RaZieLDaNtE
Haha, David is a strong name. Which reminds me, one of the things they really, really have to do to get a MGS1 remake right is to make sure David Hayter is doing the lines.
Just reaching at straws, but whoever remakes this game will get Hayter on board - his performance was iconic and absolutely crucial. He is also very open to doing more Solid Snake voice work.
If they are re-recording the theme right now, it stands to reason they would have started the voice work too. Hayter is really open about the projects he is working on online, and I bet he will let something slip...
Dude is a legend but not good at keeping secrets.
Re: Poll: Your Last Chance to Vote For the Best Final Fantasy Game on PlayStation
So many strong contenders. Played them all except Crystal Chronicles and World of Final Fantasy.
For me, it's FF Tactics, 7, 12, or 14.
Who am I kidding, gotta give the nod to Tactics.
Re: A Big PlayStation Remake Is to Be Announced This December, Says Irish Artist AVA
@PegasusActual93
Agreed! I doubt Kojima is involved either, I meant that more along the lines of Kojima chooses an eclectic set of songs for his soundtracks and MGS1 was no exception back in the day. Hence the Gaelic main theme.
But yeah, Kojima being directly involved with any remake is a reach.
I don't think he would need to be involved for a straight up remake though. The blueprint is already there, they just have to re-do it. And if they are re-recording the main theme (as I suspect), it means they are going the extra mile to make it faithful.
Re: A Big PlayStation Remake Is to Be Announced This December, Says Irish Artist AVA
@Kingleo31
I think it would be amazing to re-introduce MGS to a new generation of gamers. Truly one of the all-time greats. A Chrono Cross remake would be heavenly too, but I just don't see that happening unfortunately.
Re: A Big PlayStation Remake Is to Be Announced This December, Says Irish Artist AVA
@RaZieLDaNtE
I think I would cry tears of joy too! Im old too (31 years and counting), and MGS is my favorite franchise.
Frankly, out of all the endless rumors we've heard, this tidbit is the most concrete evidence of a MGS remake we've gotten so far. It feels like a slip-up we weren't supposed to know, considering you dont hear Gaelic language tracks in games very often (I'd hazard a guess you could count videogames featuring a Gaelic track on one hand, of all the games ever made since the dawn of the medium).
This reeks of Kojima, as he is very experimental with his soundtrack choices.
Re: A Big PlayStation Remake Is to Be Announced This December, Says Irish Artist AVA
@RaZieLDaNtE
Cheers! Folklore was a great game...
Sadly, I don't see that game being fully remastered. A sequel was planned and canceled due to poor sales.
Also, just to tie it in to the story, although the setting was Ireland, Folklore's soundtrack was not really done in a Celtic style and had no Gaelic language tracks.
A Folklore sequel would be grand though! Also, Chrono Cross is one of my favorite games of all time. While my favorite video game franchise is MGS, I'd prefer Chrono Cross. I just don't see any PS1-era game besides MGS happening due to the economic realities of remaking an old game like that.
Re: A Big PlayStation Remake Is to Be Announced This December, Says Irish Artist AVA
@RaZieLDaNtE
I believe it's the only Playstation game ever to feature a Gaelic voice track. See my comment above, it is 99.8% likely its Metal Gear Solid. I'd bet anyone here my firstborn child.