Comments 744

Re: PS Store Weekend Sale Has PS4 Indie Games Going Seriously Cheap

jgrangervikings1

I got a few games from the sale. The one I’ve played the most so far is Dollhouse. It’s, like $2.39 or $2.99 if I remember correctly. Anyway, it’s maddeningly challenging (for me, at least), but I made it through the prologue and chapter 1 and made good progress on chapter 2. I love the atmosphere and the noir-ish vibe, and the music fits the game perfectly. Since only 14-ish percent of the players got the trophy for completing the prologue, I’m guessing it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m definitely digging it. If you buy it, make yourself stick with it for a few hours and at least get into chapter 1. Try to keep your flashlight off to charge up your flash and then flash those mannequins with R2. Run in short bursts, pick up those movie reels, convert them in the machines, and take ‘em to the editing room to make yourself a cool movie. It’ll make more sense the more you play with it.

Re: Rumour: PS Plus October 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Have Leaked

jgrangervikings1

Well, PGA 2K21 is somewhat exciting. Curious to see for myself how it compares to 2K19. Already own Mortal Kombat XL, so that’s a meh (but still a great fighting game). I’ll add the PS5 game to the library. It’s fine overall—not blown away, but not repulsed, either.

By the way, I’ve decided the PS4/5 needs a good shuffleboard game, a good bocce ball game, and a good croquet game. With croquet, I want to schmack friends with my mallet. It’s a must.

Re: Apex Legends Bans Over 2,000 Players, Almost All Are on PS4

jgrangervikings1

Ironic that there are so many online PS4 games that struggle to get enough users to fill the lobby, and Apex Legends is kickin’ ‘em all out left and right.

Don’t get me wrong, I can’t stand the cheaters and the game exploiters, and I’d be a fraud if I didn’t vote to boot users from some of the online games I play. That said, I have a bigger problem with companies banning their users.

If Apex Legends doesn’t like the cheating, they need to create their games with better, more ironclad code. Do more testing. Make better, more timely updates. Close those exploitable gaps. Banning is the easy, lazy way out and it doesn’t stop the problem; new users will just exploit those same holes until they’re patched.

Re: PS Plus August 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Leaked by Sony

jgrangervikings1

My friend enjoys playing the Plants v Zombies Neighborville game online, so now I’ll be able to join him. Nice!

The Bigben Tennis World Tour 2 game is from 2018, and it’s older than the 2020 AO Tennis 2 game on PS Now, but at least it’s a different tennis game that I haven’t played yet. I’ll serve it up on the ole PS4 and give it a try first before I verbally lambast Sony with a backhand to the head.

The PS5 game? Ok. I’ll add it to the library. Who knows?! I may be able to find a PS5 in a store before Hunter’s Arena 2 is released.

Re: New PS Vita Releases Pegged for 20th July as Sony Ceases Submissions

jgrangervikings1

Devs, just lower the price point, release what you’ve got, and let your work see the light of day! Just call out the “non-optimally-perfected-experience” (n.o.p.e.) in the game’s description, and tack on a wild Ghosts n Goblins’ “congraturation” closing text at the end of the experience.

Don’t let all that hard work and effort go for naught.

Re: PS Plus July 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced

jgrangervikings1

Bah, the WWE 2K Battlegrounds was already on PS Now. What’s the point of having subscriptions for PS Now if the games will later be released on PS+? Variety, please!! I’m likely in the minority, but I’d rather get good indie gems on PS+ as there’s a better chance they’ve slipped through the cracks and I haven’t played ‘em.

For that matter, how about Everybody’s Golf on PS Plus. It’s summer, it’s golfing season, it’s a great game, and it’d keep gamers’ attention on the PS4 platform instead of on Nintendo’s new Mario Golf game.

Re: Arcade Paradise Trailer Welcomes You to the King Wash Laundromat

jgrangervikings1

Too bad. I liked the idea of the laundromat game—it’d be good, clean fun. 😋

I like that the arcade cabinets are unique and match the game, unlike the Capcom Arcade Stadium’s stupid, generic cabinets you see when scrolling from game to game. No developers have done justice on making a realistic arcade simulator that looks and feels the part, and it makes me sad. Not too sad, but a little sniffly. Hopefully this one will be a blast.

Re: All Signs Point to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on PS Now

jgrangervikings1

A very heavy “classic Sega” line-up. Might as well add in a few others to PS Now while they’re at it, like Nights, Golden Axe (PS3), Jet Set Radio, Toe Jam & Earl, Shenmue I, II, and III, Bayonetta, Fist of the North Star, Super Monkey Ball Blitz, Vanquish, and Judgment...and the Sega Genesis Classics collection, too.

Heck, where’s a remastered Seaman when you need it? And why haven’t they made a Shinobi game since 2011’s 3DS version? Oy.😋

Re: The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes Gameplay Revealed

jgrangervikings1

Looking forward to the next one!!

Man of Medan and Little Hope are both very good games. I enjoyed the Little Hope’s Salem-esque witch trial story a bit more than Man of Medan’s haunted ghost ship setting, but that’s just personal preference.

IMHO...
Every game has value and is worth buying, if it’s at the right price. On my jgrangervikings1 “video game value meter,” both Man of Medan and Little Hope are worth buying...
—Man of Medan at $19.99
—Little Hope at $24.99

If you get ‘em cheaper than that, the games are even better!

Re: PS Now Has a Respectable 3.2 Million Subscribers

jgrangervikings1

I’m enjoying PS Now and I’ve had it for a couple of years, but Sony should be doing a lot more to add additional PS3 games to the service. That back catalog is huge and it’s got room to grow.

———
449 PS3 games in PS Now
2278 total PS3 games created
19.7% of created PS3 games are in PS Now
———

I realize there are many subscribers who long for the PS4 newer releases, but I’m a gamer that loves to graze. I play a little of this, a little of that, and it’s the variety that interests me. By adding only 3 or maybe 4 PS4 games a month and no PS3 games—and with timed PS4 releases exiting the service every couple of months—the catalog of playable games gets a bit stale.

Still, the subscription is definitely worth it, and the value is good! I give PS Now a 7 out of 10–a thumbs up, but not way up.

Re: Rust Console Edition (PS4) - Ugly Survival Game Has Special Moments

jgrangervikings1

In re: rubbish graphics, poor hit detection, and countless bugs... Aren’t these things expected? It’s called Rust. 😋

And, perhaps it’s the “console edition” because the dev knows the player needs to be consoled and comforted in his time of grief and frustration. 😋

Facepunch Studios is best known for Garry’s Mod, right?! No glitches in that one. 😋

Re: Ubisoft Commits to Full-Priced AAA Games Alongside Free-to-Play Offerings

jgrangervikings1

Considering how quickly Immortals Fenix Rising dropped in price by 50%, I figured Ubisoft was in dire straits financially and needed some quick funding. I still think that’s the case, and I wish them the best. I’m guessing they need a big, unexpected must-play hit badly, and I don’t think FTP is necessarily the right way to go...but FTP can be big albeit it’s a long shot with so many games currently on the market.

IMO they need better marketing, word of mouth, and online influencers...but so do 70-80% of today’s video game makers.

Re: All PlayStation Now Games

jgrangervikings1

I don’t see Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel on your list, but it’s on PS Now (at least it is in the US). Definitely check out that one! It’s a fun fighting game, and don’t let it throw you off that it’s only the PS3 version—its graphics are crisp and clear, gameplay is tight, and there are 5 or 6 easy trophies you can nab within about 20 minutes.

Also check out Battle Fantasia. Again, it’s a PS3 fighting game, but the art style is cool and the gameplay is tight.

With Frogger Returns, you can get all the trophies in 20-30 minutes (no platinum, but a few golds).

Magus is an easy game to get all the trophies, and it’s basically a third-person hack and slasher that, from a looting/upgrading perspective, feels like you’re playing Diablo III-lite from an alternate camera angle. By no means is it a great game, but it’s entertaining for a while.

Technomancer is a lot of fun, but it can be tedious and there are lots and lots of side quests...and there’s a lot of running around back and forth. If this were a PS3 title, it’d be a cult classic. As a PS4 title, it’s divisive—you might like it, you might not.

Tokyo Jungle—very underrated game!!

Katamari Forever—if you have no idea what this is, check it out. It’s bonkers.

Lost Sea is underrated!

Re: Sony Backtracks PS3, PS Vita Online Store Closures

jgrangervikings1

Over 200 comments and nearly all are glad the stores are staying open. Cool. Of the commenters, how many still play their PS3 and Vita more than a handful of times a year? I still use my PS3 fairly regularly, but that’s because it works great for Netflix on my downstairs tv. The last game I played on the PS3 was probably 1 1/2 months ago—Conan. Played for maybe 15-20 minutes before bed. Then I grabbed the mic for some seriously saucy Singstar sing-song serenading. Alas, I was unsuccessful in wooing the missus. 😋

Re: Poll: Is PlayStation Losing Ground to Xbox?

jgrangervikings1

Ultimately it depends on the upcoming games.
...If Bethesda has a few exclusive system selling games for XBox...
...If Minecraft sequel(s) are exclusive to XBox...
...If Sony doesn’t add the PS1, PS2, PS3, and Vita games to the PS5 store and make them playable on the PS5...
the tide could turn quickly.

Re: PS Now's New Games Are PS4 Only, Sony Confirms No PS5 Upgrade Path

jgrangervikings1

@PhhhCough That’s so weird. I use PS Now all the time, and I’ve never had a problem with streaming any of the games. No lag problems or slowdown of any kind. I’ve gotten burned when I’ve set down the remote for a few minutes and it’s kicked me off for my inactivity, but that’s understandable.

That said, I’ve had a bunch of problems with PS4’s share play option—that always says my internet speed is too slow, but I’ve never any problems with PS Now’s streaming. I’m in the US—Minnesota—not sure if that makes a difference or not. Hmm...

Re: PS Now's New Games Are PS4 Only, No PS5 Upgrade Path

jgrangervikings1

To think that you’d be able to magically “unlock” or upgrade to the PS5 version if the PS4 version of a game is on PS Now is wishful thinking. There’s been no upgrade path in the past (from PS3 to PS4 on PS Now), so why would we think there would be one now (from PS4 to PS5 on PS Now)? Unless the goal of this article is to advocate for change...in which I’m all for it. Advocate away!

On PS Now, you can play the PS3 version and NOT the PS4 version of quite a few games. Examples include the following: Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, Battlefield 4, Battlefield Hardline, Borderlands, Catherine, De Blob 2, Flower, Guacamelee, Injustice, Journey, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Need for Speed Rivals, Red Faction Guerilla, Resident Evil 4, 5, 6, RE Revelations, RE Revelations 2, Shadow of the Colossus, Sniper Elite v2, Super Stardust HD, The Last of Us, TLOU Left Behind, Trails of Cold Steel 1 and 2, The Wolf Among Us, and Uncharted 1, 2, 3, and Zen Pinball Classics.

Re: Pinball FX Is Coming to PS5 in 2021, But You'll Need to Rebuy Your Tables

jgrangervikings1

Makes sense that you have to re-buy the tables. If they don’t make money, they go out of business, and pinball video games have a somewhat niche player base.

I’m just bummed that Zen hasn’t done anything to move the pinball game genre forward. We all play on widescreen tvs, yet Zen’s pinball tables are all vertical. Why? Because Zen keeps making vertical tables...but they don’t have to be. It’s a video game and not reality, so break the standard conventions and make some crazy tables.

Re: PS Store Mega March Sale Is a Banger, Lots of Good PS5, PS4 Deals

jgrangervikings1

I see Savior’s Gang is on sale. I got a few chuckles from that one.

I’m picking up EDF Iron Rain ($20.99) and PixelJunk Monsters ($2.99). I figured $25.85 (tax included) with an overall savings of $51 is pretty good—good enough to warrant the purchase. Gotta keep the wheels of commerce a rollin’ through these dark days and nefarious nights of covid craziness. 😋

Re: Mini Review: Monster Truck Championship (PS5) - An Enjoyable Simulator

jgrangervikings1

Sounds like fun. Thanks for the review!!

Rant time! With so many games featuring online multiplayer, how long will it be before there’s no one online playing this one? Six to eight months? Maybe a year max. Devs need to focus more effort on couch co-op options. I realize many folks think a year of online is long enough, but as a gamer it really stinks to toss in a game and find no one online’s playing it. And, with no local split-screen, bah! Dude, I don’t want to beat up on bots. When I crush my friends’ hopes and dreams with my Bigfoot, I want to see their faces.

Re: Sony Giving Away Free PS4 Games as Play At Home Initiative Returns

jgrangervikings1

Everybody’s Golf.

Growing up, my dad would never play games with me with one exception: Golf on the NES. I’d like to think that there’s a family or two like mine out there that could grow closer together playing a fun golf game like Everybody’s Golf. My dad’s been gone nearly 7 years, and in looking back, I sure do wish he was here to play a round or two with me. We had some great times.

Re: Little Nightmares Dev Turns Its Focus to Making New IPs

jgrangervikings1

Making “new” ip, like, say, The City of Metronome? 😎

How about working on a new racing game where you’re flying though various asteroid fields, shooting through small rocks and debris and navigating around the big stuff? Make the setting Saturn 🪐 and have it be a really cool game show-type concept, like The Running Man or Smash TV but with flight/run-based levels (a la Space Harrier/World Runner). Work with the team who made the Red Faction games to incorporate all the cool destructible world-physics content that they’re so good at.

End result? They’d crush the competition. Or, perhaps they’d run rings around the competition. Either way works!