Even if it’s only half that figure, the purchases of Firewalk and Bungie have been absolute disasters for Sony, who are getting their just desserts for abandoning their policy of only acquiring studios they have strong working relationships with.
Modern PlayStation is desperately lacking from strong leadership. The brand hasn’t been the same in my eyes since Andrew House and Shawn Layden left and bean counter Jim Ryan took over. I don’t know if Shuhei Yoshida was pushed or volunteered to look after indie initiatives, but his experience is being wasted there. Hulst never gave me the impression that he was comfortable in his role as Head of PlayStation Studios and seems increasingly out of his depth as CEO. I am not confident about PlayStation’s future under his tenure.
@Icey664 I remember playing it a few times on my PlayStation (Vita) TV and it's definitely easier to control with a DualShock controller compared to the Vita. Can't wait to play it again with improved graphics, resolution and frame rate.
Oh my god, tell me I'm not dreaming. This news has absolutely made my day! Freedom Wars is one of my favourite games on the Vita - I have never been able to get into the Monster Hunter franchise but I loved the dystopian setting, cyborg accessory system and soundtrack in this game. I remember playing a few online co-op sessions just before the servers shut down on Christmas Eve in 2021. Unfortunately, the AI companions weren't strong enough to help me take down bosses later in the game, making solo progress towards a Platinum trophy virtually impossible. I'll definitely be buying this remaster on day one!
Like others, I'm disappointed that Sony has outsourced this to Bandai Namco rather than doing it themselves. Given that they've closed Japan Studios it's hardly surprising, but even now I struggle to accept that the PlayStation I loved during the PS3-Vita-PS4 era no longer exists. At least Sony had the decency to license the game, and given that Dimps is the original dev and Bandai has a good pedigree in the genre (God Eater, Code Vein etc.) the remaster is in good hands. I'd love to know if Bandai approached Sony or vice versa. Anyway, it's time to listen to the soundtrack on Spotify again.
I’m currently playing the port of Enclave HD on the PS4. I remember completing the original on the Xbox TWENTY years ago during my university days… Where does all the bloody time go eh? Anyway, it’s an absolute joy to play this game again, warts and all. I forgot how good the soundtrack is at building the atmosphere as well. Such a nice trip down memory lane!
For anyone interested in the Pro (e.g. @MikeOrator) or more technically-minded (e.g. @NEStalgia), I hope the following video will be of interest to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZgo_BmzgaI
It is worth mentioning that Astro came out on a Friday, meaning it only had a few days of sales to make this list.
Having said that, PlayStation is becoming less and less relevant in Japan and its future is bleak.
With three successive price rises the base PS5 has become prohibitively expensive for the average Japanese family, reducing the likelihood of the next generation of gamers growing up with a PlayStation in their home. Given the average Japanese salary, this generation will still struggle to afford a PS5 even upon entering the workforce (assuming there are enough games on the system that appeal to them).
Following the recent announcement of the PS5 Pro, I am seeing comments from Japanese gamers stating that the PS4 will now be their last Sony console - it is not just the astronomical prices that turn them off, but PlayStation's focus on chasing frames and graphical fidelity over fun gameplay.
Nintendo's dominance in Japan is surely to grow when the Switch's successor arrives, restricting PlayStation sales to the more hardcore, affluent gamer. Given Japan’s declining birthrate, the pool of customers willing and able to buy PlayStation consoles will only continue to shrink.
@TrickyDicky99 To be fair, just like The Last of Us Part I this remake is likely aimed at the PC market, with a PS5 version made to placate the fans who would’ve complained otherwise had a console version not been made available. From what I’ve read TLOU Part I has done quite well for Sony since its release, even though many of us have little interest in playing it again (certainly not at full price at least). Hopefully Until Dawn does well for Sony as well, and is releasing at the opportune time around Halloween. I am actually looking forward to this remake but will happily wait until it’s at least 50% off before purchasing.
Just like what happened the other day with Ouka Studios following the release of Visions of Mana, I genuinely feel sorry for these developers who have been let go. The games industry is absolutely ruthless and you have to wonder about its future and long-term sustainability. Why would any aspiring young talent want to enter the industry if they are constantly going to be made redundant at the earliest opportunity?
Wow, jacking up prices across the board again in Japan just a few days after nerfing the PS Stars program. Sony sure knows how to generate goodwill in their homeland of late! I get that the yen has weakened but that is one severe price hike…
I managed to beat the amazing Returnal the other day after about 50 hours. Then the following day I played through it again to get the second ending without dying once! Isn’t it funny how things work out? Absolutely brilliant game, with the best use of the Dual Sense and 3D audio on the PS5 in my opinion.
Beating Returnal has been the perfect reminder on the eve of my 40th birthday that if you keep chipping away at something without giving up you can indeed “git gud”. I’m now busy clearing the tutorials and combo challenges on Dead or Alive 5&6 after picking them up in recent sales. Getting the timing right on some of the combos and throws is bloody difficult on a standard controller but I’m sure with more practice I’ll get there! Really enjoying this new challenge and I’m even quite tempted to invest in an arcade stick now. Nobody Wants to Die and Kunitsugami are going have to wait a bit longer haha…
@Specky Hell yeah! I miss the days when Essential included indie games for PS Vita and PS4. I remember the PS4 being being called Indiestation before big releases started to come out on a regular basis…
I wonder if both the PS3 and Vita online stores have seen an increase in online activity recently as the closure of the 360 marketplace approached?
I must say PlayStation announcing that they were shutting down the PS3 and PS Vita stores back in 2021 was one of their best marketing campaigns ever. I must have spent close to AUD$1,000.00 between my Australian and Japanese accounts on both systems since then, including buying heaps of themes and avatars. There are some amazing dynamic themes by an artist called Steven Stahlberg on the PS3 which I love cycling between whenever I boot up console.
Random request - Can anyone please confirm there is vibration/haptic feedback in the first 20 minutes of the game? I’ve checked the settings and tried two different controllers but no luck…strange!
@Daleaf Glad to hear you downloaded it again. That’s pretty impressive that you were able to get to the first boss on your second run despite not having played for a while! Have you tried the tower that came with the DLC update?
I played the first 20 minutes of Nobody Wants To Die today and looking forward to spending more time with it next week. For some reason it there was no vibration or haptic feedback even after checking the settings and swapping controllers. I don’t know if my copy has a bug? Feels like I’m missing out!
@XanderTigerclaw Glad to hear that the sequel has more than enough to bring you back for a second play through. The remaster of the original is a bit unwieldy to control but as you said the story and setting more than make up for it. I’m trying to think of the reason why I put it down now haha. I have plenty of time for Remedy - Control on the PS4 was my first ever platinum. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
@Daleaf Absolutely! As you said, once everything clicks it’s such a joy to play. And I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the DualSense feedback when using the grappling hook haha.
I’ll probably start Nobody Wants To Die tonight as I don’t think it’s too long and I’m worried about unintentionally coming across spoilers. Robocop is yet another game I want to get round to one day. There are just too many good games to play!
I’ve recently gone back to playing the game that convinced me to upgrade to a PS5: Returnal. After much toil and struggle I managed to beat boss #3 Nemisis on my third attempt on Thursday. The final phase of that battle where you’re constantly having to use the grappling hook to move between collapsing platforms while avoiding enemy fire was just incredible! I thought that was the end of the game but much to my delight it was only the end of Act 1!
Having found my rhythm I managed to smash through the first part of Act 2 relatively quickly last night, beating boss #4 Hyperion on my first attempt by the skin of my teeth! However my euphoria hasn’t lasted long as the enemies on the snow level are now giving me a proper beating today haha.
What an outstanding game to show off what the PS5 can do… Is there a game that makes better use of the DualSense and 3D audio than Returnal? I can’t think of one, at least not out of the games I’ve played (Ghostwire Tokyo is a noteworthy mention).
Anyway, I’ve got Kinitsugami and Nobody Wants To Die both downloaded waiting to be played. But I’m worried if I put Returnal on hold again my reflexes will slow down and I’ll never be able to finish the game. 😅 Not a bad problem to have, mind you. Happy gaming everyone!
As a fan of Altered Carbon (Season 1) and Blade Runner this game really appeals to me, and when I saw the price and rating for mature content it became an instant buy haha. I wish there were more games like this on consoles. If Still Wakes The Deep launched at the same price point it also would have been a day one purchase for me. Oh well, I have a huge backlog so no rush on that one!
As a big fan of Japanese art and mythology this game has piqued my interest ever since it was announced. However, I was pretty disappointed when I found out that it is a strategy RPG/tower defence game as I tend to avoid that genre (generally don’t have the patience nor time to learn the deeper mechanics found in such games).
Boy am I glad they released a demo for this game as it totally won me over! The novelty of the maiden being a moving target across the map, together with the hack and slack segments, really appealed to me. The art style in the environments and menus inspired by ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) are absolutely gorgeous, and are complemented by an understated soundtrack and cool sfx. The foreboding sound that plays as the sun begins to set matches the atmosphere so well!
Before I knew it I was hooked on the demo and getting into a real rhythm with the day-night cycle. Any game that absorbs me like that and allows me to experience the “flow” state deserves a purchase.
That being said, I can appreciate if people will wait for a sale on this one. Fortunately I have a Japanese PSN account as well as an Australian one because the price discrepancy is ridiculous (5,000¥ vs AUD $74.95!). Considering the current exchange rate I basically saved AUD $25 up front by purchasing the game on my Japanese account.
If they release a physical copy or special limited edition I will happily double dip to support this game. Can’t wait to get stuck into it later this weekend!
I went in with an open mind but left sorely disappointed. There was a well-polished cutscene but no onboarding to learn the basic controls, mechanics, and different player types. Matchmaking was also nonexistent, as the opposing team in the games I played were ranked far higher, leading to inevitable one-sided victories. Not fun, and certainly not something I would pay for to experience again.
@nomither6 DriftSense haha I love it! The triggers busted on my first DualSense within 10 days of buying my PS5 and the left stick on the warranty replacement DualSense started drifting last week. Fortunately there is a sale on DualSense controllers at the moment so I bought another replacement yesterday. Not happy that I’m out of pocket though. I’ve never had a problem with any of my PS3 or PS4 DualShock controllers.
Recently finished Vampyr via backwards compatibility on the PS5. I made it through the game without turning or killing any of the main NPCs despite being tempted more than once! Looking forward to doing another play through sometime in the future where I’ll focus on maxing out supernatural abilities and being a ruthless cold-blooded killer haha.
The game could have really benefited from a fast-travel system but overall a solid AA title. I was impressed and pleasantly surprised by the range of political and social issues interwoven into the game without any of it feeling forced or jarring. The letters and collectibles discovered along the way also did a great job to flesh out the story, too. Wish there were more games like this that remind me of the late PS3-early PS4 era. It was also great to see developer Dontnod team up with composer Olivier Deriviere again as I loved what they did with Remember Me a decade ago. The final track on the Vampyr soundtrack, What We Could Have Become, is hauntingly beautiful.
Now I’m back to Rocket League until I figure out which next single-player game to start... Happy weekend everyone!
This is great news and well deserved. Ronin is by far my favourite game on the PS5. The way it recreates famous places, buildings, and figures from the Bakumatsu period in Japanese history is absolutely brilliant! The variety of weapons and fighting styles in this game is also incredible and actually spoiled my experience with Stellar Blade somewhat because it made the latter’s combat feel so dull and limited in comparison.
Unfortunately I feel a lot Ronin’s charm and finer details (such as the regional dialects spoken by the huge cast of characters in the game) will be under appreciated or go completely unnoticed by the players unless they’re Japanese or have a keen interest in Japan. Indeed, since watching the preview for the new Assassin’s Creed my respect for Team Ninja and what they achieved with Ronin has only grown.
@get2sammyb Sony’s communication in general leaves a lot to be desired these days. PlayStation Stars has been down for days now and we’ve received no notification to say it’s being fixed or thanking us for being patient while it’s being updated. It doesn’t take much effort but would certainly be appreciated by the community. Really disappointing how much PlayStation takes its fanbase for granted these days.
In my opinion Sony is just doing what they did with Last of Us Part I - updating one of their games to release on PC but making sure there is a PS5 version to placate their core audience.
I’m absolutely delighted to hear this. Well deserved! Despite its flaws it quickly became one of my favourite games of all time. Hoping they bring out some DLC for it somewhere down the line…
After 133 hours I finally got the platinum in Rise of the Ronin on Thursday night. By no means perfect but I absolutely loved my time with it. I don't think I've been so engrossed in a game since Cyberpunk 2077!
I'm now playing Stellar Blade and just arrived in Xion. Just like Nier Automata I love the design of the main character, the dystopian setting, and the soundtrack in this game. Unfortunately, just like Nier none of the enemy types or designs in this game appeal to me at all. Platforming and traversal leaves a lot to be desired, too. But now that I've reached the city I'm really looking forward to the story opening up and there being more things to do.
@Kyushutrail I predominantly use my Japan PSN account but sometimes use my Australian one to buy games that didn’t get a release in Japan (e.g. Dead Island 2) or are heavily censored compared to the western versions (e.g. Until Dawn). The only time it sucks is when the western versions don’t include Japanese text support for my language study haha. Anyway I strongly suggest you make a PSN account for another region if you don’t have one already.
As always, it's fascinating to see a wide range of opinions and be reminded of just how much my gaming preferences differ from others. For those who have been disappointed with 2024 so far, please be happy for the likes of me! Thanks to Rise of the Ronin and Helldivers 2 I can't remember the last time I had this much FUN as a gamer! Together with Ghostwire Tokyo, Returnal, and Cyberpunk 2077, my purchase of a PS5 finally feels justified. And with Stellar Blade to look forward to at the end of this month? Amazing!
@LikelySatan Interesting! One of reasons RotR greatly appeals to me is that it’s more grounded in history and has fewer supernatural elements compared to the likes of Sekiro and Nioh. To each their own! 😊
I think the current metacritic score around 75 is pretty fair if you’ve played your fair share of open world/souls games and not particularly interested in Japanese history.
For me though, having previously lived in Japan and studied the Edo period at uni, I absolutely adore this game and simply can’t get enough of it.
In many ways it’s as if Way of the Samurai and Tenchu got together and had a baby! 😍
@Philpmarlowe GOT is in many ways a more refined and polished experience, but I prefer the historical setting, weapon variety, and characters found in ROTR.
These days I watch a lot more gameplay videos on YouTube rather than read reviews to see if I will enjoy a game or not. I recommend checking out theRadBrad’s videos covering this game on YouTube to help you decide whether you should pick it up ROTR now or wait for a sale. Hope this helps.
I’m about 30 hours into Rise of the Ronin. I think it’s safe to say that this game will not only be my game of the year but also likely one of my favourite games of all time. No it’s not perfect but I absolutely adore it and will be devastated once I’m done with everything it has to offer.
After watching a couple of YouTube videos I decided to bite the bullet and grab Rise of the Ronin. It’s only downloaded the first part of the game so I’ve been taking my time with the character creator and tutorial. Looking forward to playing it more tomorrow!
The deluxe edition of Returnal is currently on sale on the PSN store so I decided to finally grab it. I last played it about a year ago when I was subscribed to PS Plus Premium and still had the game installed on my PS5. Much to my delight (and horror!) it immediately booted up to my last previously saved loop - I have completely forgotten the controls and am no doubt going to die very soon haha. I also forgot just how good the sound design is in this game, which is now even better thanks to the new Pulse Elite headphones! Happy gaming everyone.
I’m one of those players who bought and finished Remake in 2020, but have had no desire to buy Rebirth. I’ve watched some gameplay on YouTube to see if it would convince me to jump back in but nothing is grabbing me. And my goodness, some of the writing and acting…I don’t remember Remake being so cringeworthy? It definitely seems like I’ve outgrown the series. That’s alright, plenty of other games to play…
Thanks very much for the great review. I’m a huge Vanillaware fan and own multiple copies of Dragon’s Crown, Odin Sphere, and Muramasa. I also adored the story in 13 Sentinels and even got the platinum trophy despite not being a huge fan of the tower defence gameplay. But just like GrimGrimoire there is something about this game that doesn’t seem to quite gel with me. If it had more hands-on gameplay like Grand Kingdom I think I would be all over it. It’s without doubt a very pretty game but I miss George Kamitani’s signature touch with the art style. Hope everyone who bought the game has a blast playing it. I’ve also been impressed with how much advertising this game has been getting, so I hope this catapults Vanillaware into the limelight and encourages more players to discover their other gems. Vanillaware games and Basiscape soundtracks are an amazing combination.
The game market is completely oversaturated. The Covid bubble has well and truly burst and given current interest rates and inflation, costs are only ever increasing for studios and publishers. It's very sad for those affected by all these cuts but there are likely more to come, especially as AI evolves and plays a more prominent role moving forward.
The reality is people only have so much free time and disposable income to dedicate to games. More and more of us also have ever-growing backlogs, and, given the current state of the economy, are showing far greater restraint when it comes to purchasing new games.
Shawn Layden warned everyone years ago that the growing development costs for AAA games were completely unsustainable. The fact that it cost more to develop Spiderman 2 than what PlayStation spent to acquire the damn developer shows just how insane things have become. Pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into AAA development for only a 6% margin gives very little room for error.
Bearing this in mind, can you blame Jim Ryan for looking at live service games as an alternative to make far greater margins off much smaller investments? The problem with live service games is they tend to cannibalize each other far more compared to single-player games. I'm currently enjoying Helldivers 2 - it's great fun, has tight gameplay mechanics, encourages cooperation, and isn't bogged down by excessive story arcs and cut scenes. However, in order for me to dedicate time to playing Helldivers 2, I've had to sacrifice time spent playing another live service game, Rocket League (a game I've invested more than 500 hours into since it released on PS Plus back in 2015). It therefore comes as little surprise that Sony is now cutting back on other live service projects given they could indirectly stunt the growth of Helldivers 2 and its potential to generate profits.
Personally, I am actually delighted to hear that no new major existing franchise titles are being released by Playstation in the next fiscal year. As a business, I appreciate that they have focused on existing IP to generate recurring revenue up until now. But everything first-party has become so boring, stale, and predictable. I couldn't care less about another Horizon, God of War, TLOU, Uncharted, Spiderman or Marvel game. So credit to management for trying to diversify with 2nd party titles including the upcoming Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin - without them I don't know what the next Sony-published game I would be buying. There is also a plethora of indies and 3rd party games I'm interested in - if only I had the time and money to play them all...
Having a fantastic time on the PS Triple. Just finished Max Payne 3 which was an absolute blast despite the choppy frame rate. Now I’m getting back into Lollipop Chainsaw after a long hiatus and I forgot how much stupid fun it is! Will also do a few races on Blur when I feel like changing things up. Another cracking game that is still playable online! (^o^)/**(^o^)/
Decided to start playing through Dragon’s Crown again! I own it on PS3, Vita, and PS4, so I’m uploading the save data and playing it on whichever console I feel like playing on. 🤣
I let my Australian account lapse and downgraded my Japanese account to Essential after trying Premium and not utilising its features. I really wish there were a basic level of PS Plus that would just allow me to pay for cloud saves, play online multiplayer and access the additional store discounts for members. I can’t remember the last time I actually played one of the free monthly games despite adding them to my library. PS Plus membership peaked for me when I could get a PS3, PS4 and Vita game monthly. There was often a free monthly theme, too! Haha yes I’m super nostalgic for that era of PlayStation…
I was about three hours into Phantom Liberty but dropped it as I just wasn’t feeling it (despite it being my most anticipated release of the year). Decided to dive into my PS3 backlog and chose Never Dead. I am surprised it reviewed so poorly as I’m having a great time with it despite its shortcomings. It could be the nostalgia goggles talking but I do miss a lot about the PS360 generation. Gaming (and life!) was simpler back then.
I’m so happy to hear this news! I really enjoyed what I played of it on the Vita back in the day. The developer was very clever to first launch the game on Vita - they knew it had a vocal and dedicated fan base to push sales via word of mouth, and they didn’t need to compete with a crowded release schedule on Switch for market share. It never got a physical release on Vita so I will definitely pick up the PS4 version. This will, incidentally, allow me to remote play on one of my Vitas haha. 🤣
@WolfyTn @Nepp67 Horses for courses… this is definitely my game of 2023 so far! Bought the HELL-A edition which includes the expansion pass so can’t wait for the updates! If you’re looking for a deep, serious story in a Dead Island game you’re going to be disappointed but if you’re looking for some mindless fun you’re going to have a great time. 🙃
Very slowly making more progress in Death Stranding. Just delivered my first “live” cargo which led to a lovely reunion between a young couple amongst all the rubble and despair. 😉
With the hype surrounding Alan Wake 2 I decided to install and play the original which has been sitting in my backlog for months. Holy crap this game throws you straight into the action doesn’t it! No build up or foreplay required, just dive straight in. 😂
I also tried the Street Fighter 6 VI demo but couldn’t get into it. Might try it again later but with so much else to play it’s not a priority right now. Happy gaming everyone!
Comments 113
Re: Rumour: Concord Cost $400 Million, Sony Believed It Was the 'Future of PlayStation'
Even if it’s only half that figure, the purchases of Firewalk and Bungie have been absolute disasters for Sony, who are getting their just desserts for abandoning their policy of only acquiring studios they have strong working relationships with.
Modern PlayStation is desperately lacking from strong leadership. The brand hasn’t been the same in my eyes since Andrew House and Shawn Layden left and bean counter Jim Ryan took over. I don’t know if Shuhei Yoshida was pushed or volunteered to look after indie initiatives, but his experience is being wasted there. Hulst never gave me the impression that he was comfortable in his role as Head of PlayStation Studios and seems increasingly out of his depth as CEO. I am not confident about PlayStation’s future under his tenure.
Re: Mini Review: Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP (PS5) - A Sweet Return with a Bittersweet Bite
@HughJasol A PS4 port is coming in November.
Re: Stone-Cold PS Vita Classic Returns in Freedom Wars Remastered PS5, PS4
@Icey664
Yes indeed! If the haptic feedback on the thorn mechanic is anything like the grappling hook in Returnal I will be in heaven haha!
Re: Stone-Cold PS Vita Classic Returns in Freedom Wars Remastered PS5, PS4
@Icey664 I remember playing it a few times on my PlayStation (Vita) TV and it's definitely easier to control with a DualShock controller compared to the Vita. Can't wait to play it again with improved graphics, resolution and frame rate.
Re: Stone-Cold PS Vita Classic Returns in Freedom Wars Remastered PS5, PS4
Oh my god, tell me I'm not dreaming. This news has absolutely made my day! Freedom Wars is one of my favourite games on the Vita - I have never been able to get into the Monster Hunter franchise but I loved the dystopian setting, cyborg accessory system and soundtrack in this game. I remember playing a few online co-op sessions just before the servers shut down on Christmas Eve in 2021. Unfortunately, the AI companions weren't strong enough to help me take down bosses later in the game, making solo progress towards a Platinum trophy virtually impossible. I'll definitely be buying this remaster on day one!
Like others, I'm disappointed that Sony has outsourced this to Bandai Namco rather than doing it themselves. Given that they've closed Japan Studios it's hardly surprising, but even now I struggle to accept that the PlayStation I loved during the PS3-Vita-PS4 era no longer exists. At least Sony had the decency to license the game, and given that Dimps is the original dev and Bandai has a good pedigree in the genre (God Eater, Code Vein etc.) the remaster is in good hands. I'd love to know if Bandai approached Sony or vice versa. Anyway, it's time to listen to the soundtrack on Spotify again.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 546
@LikelySatan I had no idea about the origins of MachineGames. Thanks for the heads up!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 546
I’m currently playing the port of Enclave HD on the PS4. I remember completing the original on the Xbox TWENTY years ago during my university days… Where does all the bloody time go eh? Anyway, it’s an absolute joy to play this game again, warts and all. I forgot how good the soundtrack is at building the atmosphere as well. Such a nice trip down memory lane!
Happy gaming everyone.
Re: Feature: PS5 Pro's Been Clowned on By the Entire Internet, and the Memes Will Make You Laugh
For anyone interested in the Pro (e.g. @MikeOrator) or more technically-minded (e.g. @NEStalgia), I hope the following video will be of interest to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZgo_BmzgaI
Re: Japan Sales Charts: Astro Bot Barely Registers at Retail, PS5 Numbers Plummet After Price Hike
It is worth mentioning that Astro came out on a Friday, meaning it only had a few days of sales to make this list.
Having said that, PlayStation is becoming less and less relevant in Japan and its future is bleak.
With three successive price rises the base PS5 has become prohibitively expensive for the average Japanese family, reducing the likelihood of the next generation of gamers growing up with a PlayStation in their home. Given the average Japanese salary, this generation will still struggle to afford a PS5 even upon entering the workforce (assuming there are enough games on the system that appeal to them).
Following the recent announcement of the PS5 Pro, I am seeing comments from Japanese gamers stating that the PS4 will now be their last Sony console - it is not just the astronomical prices that turn them off, but PlayStation's focus on chasing frames and graphical fidelity over fun gameplay.
Nintendo's dominance in Japan is surely to grow when the Switch's successor arrives, restricting PlayStation sales to the more hardcore, affluent gamer. Given Japan’s declining birthrate, the pool of customers willing and able to buy PlayStation consoles will only continue to shrink.
Re: Layoffs Hit Ballistic Moon Ahead of Until Dawn PS5's October Release
@TrickyDicky99 To be fair, just like The Last of Us Part I this remake is likely aimed at the PC market, with a PS5 version made to placate the fans who would’ve complained otherwise had a console version not been made available. From what I’ve read TLOU Part I has done quite well for Sony since its release, even though many of us have little interest in playing it again (certainly not at full price at least). Hopefully Until Dawn does well for Sony as well, and is releasing at the opportune time around Halloween. I am actually looking forward to this remake but will happily wait until it’s at least 50% off before purchasing.
Just like what happened the other day with Ouka Studios following the release of Visions of Mana, I genuinely feel sorry for these developers who have been let go. The games industry is absolutely ruthless and you have to wonder about its future and long-term sustainability. Why would any aspiring young talent want to enter the industry if they are constantly going to be made redundant at the earliest opportunity?
Re: Japan Hit with Yet Another PS5 Price Increase
Wow, jacking up prices across the board again in Japan just a few days after nerfing the PS Stars program. Sony sure knows how to generate goodwill in their homeland of late! I get that the yen has weakened but that is one severe price hike…
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 541
I managed to beat the amazing Returnal the other day after about 50 hours. Then the following day I played through it again to get the second ending without dying once! Isn’t it funny how things work out? Absolutely brilliant game, with the best use of the Dual Sense and 3D audio on the PS5 in my opinion.
Beating Returnal has been the perfect reminder on the eve of my 40th birthday that if you keep chipping away at something without giving up you can indeed “git gud”. I’m now busy clearing the tutorials and combo challenges on Dead or Alive 5&6 after picking them up in recent sales. Getting the timing right on some of the combos and throws is bloody difficult on a standard controller but I’m sure with more practice I’ll get there! Really enjoying this new challenge and I’m even quite tempted to invest in an arcade stick now. Nobody Wants to Die and Kunitsugami are going have to wait a bit longer haha…
Happy gaming everyone!
Re: PS Plus Essential Has 3 More PS5, PS4 Games to Download Now
@Specky Hell yeah! I miss the days when Essential included indie games for PS Vita and PS4. I remember the PS4 being being called Indiestation before big releases started to come out on a regular basis…
Re: PS Plus Essential Has 3 More PS5, PS4 Games to Download Now
I’ve thought about buying Ender Lilies on and off for ages so I’m happy to add it to the library.
@Specky out of curiosity what kind of games would you like to see added?
Re: Random: PS3 Last Seventh Generation Console Standing with Functional Storefront
I wonder if both the PS3 and Vita online stores have seen an increase in online activity recently as the closure of the 360 marketplace approached?
I must say PlayStation announcing that they were shutting down the PS3 and PS Vita stores back in 2021 was one of their best marketing campaigns ever. I must have spent close to AUD$1,000.00 between my Australian and Japanese accounts on both systems since then, including buying heaps of themes and avatars. There are some amazing dynamic themes by an artist called Steven Stahlberg on the PS3 which I love cycling between whenever I boot up console.
Re: Nobody Wants to Die (PS5) - Film Noir Meets Cyberpunk in This Stylish Detective Thriller
Random request - Can anyone please confirm there is vibration/haptic feedback in the first 20 minutes of the game? I’ve checked the settings and tried two different controllers but no luck…strange!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 538
@Daleaf Glad to hear you downloaded it again. That’s pretty impressive that you were able to get to the first boss on your second run despite not having played for a while! Have you tried the tower that came with the DLC update?
I played the first 20 minutes of Nobody Wants To Die today and looking forward to spending more time with it next week. For some reason it there was no vibration or haptic feedback even after checking the settings and swapping controllers. I don’t know if my copy has a bug? Feels like I’m missing out!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 538
@XanderTigerclaw Glad to hear that the sequel has more than enough to bring you back for a second play through. The remaster of the original is a bit unwieldy to control but as you said the story and setting more than make up for it. I’m trying to think of the reason why I put it down now haha. I have plenty of time for Remedy - Control on the PS4 was my first ever platinum. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 538
@Daleaf Absolutely! As you said, once everything clicks it’s such a joy to play. And I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the DualSense feedback when using the grappling hook haha.
I’ll probably start Nobody Wants To Die tonight as I don’t think it’s too long and I’m worried about unintentionally coming across spoilers. Robocop is yet another game I want to get round to one day. There are just too many good games to play!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 538
@XanderTigerclaw Yes, it is so damn good! I can’t wait to see what Housemarque has in store for us next.
Good luck with making progress in Alan Wake II. That’s another game I’ll eventually get to (the original is still in my backlog half-finished!).
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 538
I’ve recently gone back to playing the game that convinced me to upgrade to a PS5: Returnal. After much toil and struggle I managed to beat boss #3 Nemisis on my third attempt on Thursday. The final phase of that battle where you’re constantly having to use the grappling hook to move between collapsing platforms while avoiding enemy fire was just incredible! I thought that was the end of the game but much to my delight it was only the end of Act 1!
Having found my rhythm I managed to smash through the first part of Act 2 relatively quickly last night, beating boss #4 Hyperion on my first attempt by the skin of my teeth! However my euphoria hasn’t lasted long as the enemies on the snow level are now giving me a proper beating today haha.
What an outstanding game to show off what the PS5 can do… Is there a game that makes better use of the DualSense and 3D audio than Returnal? I can’t think of one, at least not out of the games I’ve played (Ghostwire Tokyo is a noteworthy mention).
Anyway, I’ve got Kinitsugami and Nobody Wants To Die both downloaded waiting to be played. But I’m worried if I put Returnal on hold again my reflexes will slow down and I’ll never be able to finish the game. 😅 Not a bad problem to have, mind you. Happy gaming everyone!
Re: Nobody Wants to Die (PS5) - Film Noir Meets Cyberpunk in This Stylish Detective Thriller
As a fan of Altered Carbon (Season 1) and Blade Runner this game really appeals to me, and when I saw the price and rating for mature content it became an instant buy haha. I wish there were more games like this on consoles. If Still Wakes The Deep launched at the same price point it also would have been a day one purchase for me. Oh well, I have a huge backlog so no rush on that one!
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess?
As a big fan of Japanese art and mythology this game has piqued my interest ever since it was announced. However, I was pretty disappointed when I found out that it is a strategy RPG/tower defence game as I tend to avoid that genre (generally don’t have the patience nor time to learn the deeper mechanics found in such games).
Boy am I glad they released a demo for this game as it totally won me over! The novelty of the maiden being a moving target across the map, together with the hack and slack segments, really appealed to me. The art style in the environments and menus inspired by ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) are absolutely gorgeous, and are complemented by an understated soundtrack and cool sfx. The foreboding sound that plays as the sun begins to set matches the atmosphere so well!
Before I knew it I was hooked on the demo and getting into a real rhythm with the day-night cycle. Any game that absorbs me like that and allows me to experience the “flow” state deserves a purchase.
That being said, I can appreciate if people will wait for a sale on this one. Fortunately I have a Japanese PSN account as well as an Australian one because the price discrepancy is ridiculous (5,000¥ vs AUD $74.95!). Considering the current exchange rate I basically saved AUD $25 up front by purchasing the game on my Japanese account.
If they release a physical copy or special limited edition I will happily double dip to support this game. Can’t wait to get stuck into it later this weekend!
Re: Preview: Ignore The Haters, Concord Is a Good PS5 Shooter We Can't Wait to Play More Of
I went in with an open mind but left sorely disappointed. There was a well-polished cutscene but no onboarding to learn the basic controls, mechanics, and different player types. Matchmaking was also nonexistent, as the opposing team in the games I played were ranked far higher, leading to inevitable one-sided victories. Not fun, and certainly not something I would pay for to experience again.
Re: PS Stars 'Returning Soon' in Regional Rollout
My Japanese account is now back up on the mobile app, with points added for purchases made while the system was down.
Re: Rumour: Sony's Still Working on PS3 Emulation for PS5
@nomither6 DriftSense haha I love it! The triggers busted on my first DualSense within 10 days of buying my PS5 and the left stick on the warranty replacement DualSense started drifting last week. Fortunately there is a sale on DualSense controllers at the moment so I bought another replacement yesterday. Not happy that I’m out of pocket though. I’ve never had a problem with any of my PS3 or PS4 DualShock controllers.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 533
Recently finished Vampyr via backwards compatibility on the PS5. I made it through the game without turning or killing any of the main NPCs despite being tempted more than once! Looking forward to doing another play through sometime in the future where I’ll focus on maxing out supernatural abilities and being a ruthless cold-blooded killer haha.
The game could have really benefited from a fast-travel system but overall a solid AA title. I was impressed and pleasantly surprised by the range of political and social issues interwoven into the game without any of it feeling forced or jarring. The letters and collectibles discovered along the way also did a great job to flesh out the story, too. Wish there were more games like this that remind me of the late PS3-early PS4 era. It was also great to see developer Dontnod team up with composer Olivier Deriviere again as I loved what they did with Remember Me a decade ago. The final track on the Vampyr soundtrack, What We Could Have Become, is hauntingly beautiful.
Now I’m back to Rocket League until I figure out which next single-player game to start... Happy weekend everyone!
Re: PS5 Exclusive Rise of the Ronin Is Koei Tecmo's Best-Selling Game
This is great news and well deserved. Ronin is by far my favourite game on the PS5. The way it recreates famous places, buildings, and figures from the Bakumatsu period in Japanese history is absolutely brilliant! The variety of weapons and fighting styles in this game is also incredible and actually spoiled my experience with Stellar Blade somewhat because it made the latter’s combat feel so dull and limited in comparison.
Unfortunately I feel a lot Ronin’s charm and finer details (such as the regional dialects spoken by the huge cast of characters in the game) will be under appreciated or go completely unnoticed by the players unless they’re Japanese or have a keen interest in Japan. Indeed, since watching the preview for the new Assassin’s Creed my respect for Team Ninja and what they achieved with Ronin has only grown.
Re: PS5 Needs to Do a Better Job of Alerting You to the Things Going on in Your Games
@get2sammyb Sony’s communication in general leaves a lot to be desired these days. PlayStation Stars has been down for days now and we’ve received no notification to say it’s being fixed or thanking us for being patient while it’s being updated. It doesn’t take much effort but would certainly be appreciated by the community. Really disappointing how much PlayStation takes its fanbase for granted these days.
Re: Until Dawn Looks Scarily Good in PS5 Gameplay Trailer, Arrives in Fall 2024
In my opinion Sony is just doing what they did with Last of Us Part I - updating one of their games to release on PC but making sure there is a PS5 version to placate their core audience.
Re: Rise of the Ronin PS5 Sales Beating the Nioh Series
I’m absolutely delighted to hear this.
Well deserved! Despite its flaws it quickly became one of my favourite games of all time. Hoping they bring out some DLC for it somewhere down the line…
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 526
After 133 hours I finally got the platinum in Rise of the Ronin on Thursday night. By no means perfect but I absolutely loved my time with it. I don't think I've been so engrossed in a game since Cyberpunk 2077!
I'm now playing Stellar Blade and just arrived in Xion. Just like Nier Automata I love the design of the main character, the dystopian setting, and the soundtrack in this game. Unfortunately, just like Nier none of the enemy types or designs in this game appeal to me at all. Platforming and traversal leaves a lot to be desired, too. But now that I've reached the city I'm really looking forward to the story opening up and there being more things to do.
Re: EA Japan Exec Criticises Rating Board for Apparent Stellar Blade Special Treatment
@Kyushutrail I predominantly use my Japan PSN account but sometimes use my Australian one to buy games that didn’t get a release in Japan (e.g. Dead Island 2) or are heavily censored compared to the western versions (e.g. Until Dawn). The only time it sucks is when the western versions don’t include Japanese text support for my language study haha. Anyway I strongly suggest you make a PSN account for another region if you don’t have one already.
Re: Talking Point: What's Your Favourite PS5 Game of 2024 So Far?
As always, it's fascinating to see a wide range of opinions and be reminded of just how much my gaming preferences differ from others. For those who have been disappointed with 2024 so far, please be happy for the likes of me! Thanks to Rise of the Ronin and Helldivers 2 I can't remember the last time I had this much FUN as a gamer! Together with Ghostwire Tokyo, Returnal, and Cyberpunk 2077, my purchase of a PS5 finally feels justified. And with Stellar Blade to look forward to at the end of this month? Amazing!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 523
Have sunk about 50 hours into Rise of the Ronin and still can’t get enough of it!
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Rise of the Ronin?
@LikelySatan Interesting! One of reasons RotR greatly appeals to me is that it’s more grounded in history and has fewer supernatural elements compared to the likes of Sekiro and Nioh. To each their own! 😊
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Rise of the Ronin?
I think the current metacritic score around 75 is pretty fair if you’ve played your fair share of open world/souls games and not particularly interested in Japanese history.
For me though, having previously lived in Japan and studied the Edo period at uni, I absolutely adore this game and simply can’t get enough of it.
In many ways it’s as if Way of the Samurai and Tenchu got together and had a baby! 😍
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 522
@Philpmarlowe GOT is in many ways a more refined and polished experience, but I prefer the historical setting, weapon variety, and characters found in ROTR.
These days I watch a lot more gameplay videos on YouTube rather than read reviews to see if I will enjoy a game or not. I recommend checking out theRadBrad’s videos covering this game on YouTube to help you decide whether you should pick it up ROTR now or wait for a sale. Hope this helps.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 522
I’m about 30 hours into Rise of the Ronin. I think it’s safe to say that this game will not only be my game of the year but also likely one of my favourite games of all time. No it’s not perfect but I absolutely adore it and will be devastated once I’m done with everything it has to offer.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 521
After watching a couple of YouTube videos I decided to bite the bullet and grab Rise of the Ronin. It’s only downloaded the first part of the game so I’ve been taking my time with the character creator and tutorial. Looking forward to playing it more tomorrow!
The deluxe edition of Returnal is currently on sale on the PSN store so I decided to finally grab it. I last played it about a year ago when I was subscribed to PS Plus Premium and still had the game installed on my PS5. Much to my delight (and horror!) it immediately booted up to my last previously saved loop - I have completely forgotten the controls and am no doubt going to die very soon haha. I also forgot just how good the sound design is in this game, which is now even better thanks to the new Pulse Elite headphones! Happy gaming everyone.
Re: Japan Sales Charts: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Tops, But Doesn't Even Come Close to Remake
I’m one of those players who bought and finished Remake in 2020, but have had no desire to buy Rebirth. I’ve watched some gameplay on YouTube to see if it would convince me to jump back in but nothing is grabbing me. And my goodness, some of the writing and acting…I don’t remember Remake being so cringeworthy? It definitely seems like I’ve outgrown the series. That’s alright, plenty of other games to play…
Re: Unicorn Overlord (PS5) - An Utterly Brilliant Strategy RPG
Thanks very much for the great review. I’m a huge Vanillaware fan and own multiple copies of Dragon’s Crown, Odin Sphere, and Muramasa. I also adored the story in 13 Sentinels and even got the platinum trophy despite not being a huge fan of the tower defence gameplay. But just like GrimGrimoire there is something about this game that doesn’t seem to quite gel with me. If it had more hands-on gameplay like Grand Kingdom I think I would be all over it. It’s without doubt a very pretty game but I miss George Kamitani’s signature touch with the art style. Hope everyone who bought the game has a blast playing it. I’ve also been impressed with how much advertising this game has been getting, so I hope this catapults Vanillaware into the limelight and encourages more players to discover their other gems. Vanillaware games and Basiscape soundtracks are an amazing combination.
Re: Reaction: The Problem with PlayStation Right Now
The game market is completely oversaturated. The Covid bubble has well and truly burst and given current interest rates and inflation, costs are only ever increasing for studios and publishers. It's very sad for those affected by all these cuts but there are likely more to come, especially as AI evolves and plays a more prominent role moving forward.
The reality is people only have so much free time and disposable income to dedicate to games. More and more of us also have ever-growing backlogs, and, given the current state of the economy, are showing far greater restraint when it comes to purchasing new games.
Shawn Layden warned everyone years ago that the growing development costs for AAA games were completely unsustainable. The fact that it cost more to develop Spiderman 2 than what PlayStation spent to acquire the damn developer shows just how insane things have become. Pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into AAA development for only a 6% margin gives very little room for error.
Bearing this in mind, can you blame Jim Ryan for looking at live service games as an alternative to make far greater margins off much smaller investments? The problem with live service games is they tend to cannibalize each other far more compared to single-player games. I'm currently enjoying Helldivers 2 - it's great fun, has tight gameplay mechanics, encourages cooperation, and isn't bogged down by excessive story arcs and cut scenes. However, in order for me to dedicate time to playing Helldivers 2, I've had to sacrifice time spent playing another live service game, Rocket League (a game I've invested more than 500 hours into since it released on PS Plus back in 2015). It therefore comes as little surprise that Sony is now cutting back on other live service projects given they could indirectly stunt the growth of Helldivers 2 and its potential to generate profits.
Personally, I am actually delighted to hear that no new major existing franchise titles are being released by Playstation in the next fiscal year. As a business, I appreciate that they have focused on existing IP to generate recurring revenue up until now. But everything first-party has become so boring, stale, and predictable. I couldn't care less about another Horizon, God of War, TLOU, Uncharted, Spiderman or Marvel game. So credit to management for trying to diversify with 2nd party titles including the upcoming Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin - without them I don't know what the next Sony-published game I would be buying. There is also a plethora of indies and 3rd party games I'm interested in - if only I had the time and money to play them all...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 515
Having a fantastic time on the PS Triple. Just finished Max Payne 3 which was an absolute blast despite the choppy frame rate. Now I’m getting back into Lollipop Chainsaw after a long hiatus and I forgot how much stupid fun it is! Will also do a few races on Blur when I feel like changing things up. Another cracking game that is still playable online!
(^o^)/**(^o^)/
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 502
Decided to start playing through Dragon’s Crown again! I own it on PS3, Vita, and PS4, so I’m uploading the save data and playing it on whichever console I feel like playing on. 🤣
Re: Sony Has Stopped Updating PS Plus' Subscriber Numbers
I let my Australian account lapse and downgraded my Japanese account to Essential after trying Premium and not utilising its features. I really wish there were a basic level of PS Plus that would just allow me to pay for cloud saves, play online multiplayer and access the additional store discounts for members. I can’t remember the last time I actually played one of the free monthly games despite adding them to my library. PS Plus membership peaked for me when I could get a PS3, PS4 and Vita game monthly. There was often a free monthly theme, too! Haha yes I’m super nostalgic for that era of PlayStation…
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 501
I was about three hours into Phantom Liberty but dropped it as I just wasn’t feeling it (despite it being my most anticipated release of the year). Decided to dive into my PS3 backlog and chose Never Dead. I am surprised it reviewed so poorly as I’m having a great time with it despite its shortcomings. It could be the nostalgia goggles talking but I do miss a lot about the PS360 generation. Gaming (and life!) was simpler back then.
Re: Acclaimed Social Deduction RPG Gnosia Is Coming to PS5, PS4
I’m so happy to hear this news! I really enjoyed what I played of it on the Vita back in the day. The developer was very clever to first launch the game on Vita - they knew it had a vocal and dedicated fan base to push sales via word of mouth, and they didn’t need to compete with a crowded release schedule on Switch for market share. It never got a physical release on Vita so I will definitely pick up the PS4 version. This will, incidentally, allow me to remote play on one of my Vitas haha. 🤣
Re: Dead Island 2 a Bone-afide Hit, Roadmap Details Two Story Expansions on PS5, PS4
@WolfyTn @Nepp67 Horses for courses… this is definitely my game of 2023 so far! Bought the HELL-A edition which includes the expansion pass so can’t wait for the updates! If you’re looking for a deep, serious story in a Dead Island game you’re going to be disappointed but if you’re looking for some mindless fun you’re going to have a great time. 🙃
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 480
Very slowly making more progress in Death Stranding. Just delivered my first “live” cargo which led to a lovely reunion between a young couple amongst all the rubble and despair. 😉
With the hype surrounding Alan Wake 2 I decided to install and play the original which has been sitting in my backlog for months. Holy crap this game throws you straight into the action doesn’t it! No build up or foreplay required, just dive straight in. 😂
I also tried the Street Fighter 6 VI demo but couldn’t get into it. Might try it again later but with so much else to play it’s not a priority right now. Happy gaming everyone!