symmetrian

I really, really, really want a ZZZ anime. Their shorts have been stellar.

I am sure there's more to their strategy than I know anything about, but it always strikes me as a little odd that companies don't take advantage of opportunities like this. I would think the smart move would be to drop the trailer on the 27th, even if they didn't plan to originally, just to encourage this kind of engagement and hype.

But then they probably have partnerships and tie-in deals and all sorts of stuff that mean these things must be predetermined.

@JustCameHereToSay

And why exactly is this offensive to you? You don't like it, don't engage with it. Someone else wants to pleasure themselves while looking at 3d models, that's their thing. Is it hurting you, or anyone else?

Stop it with the pointless moral grandstanding.

@MrPeanutbutterz

Right. Pornography existing is why I'm reluctant to tell people I have eyes.

Dumb.

@Jayofmaya

The gameplay is honestly fantastic. Fans/players on the forums, though, were happy to suggest that fanservice was the number 1 reason to play the game, which is absolutely ridiculous. There are only 2 playable female characters that aren't wearing pants, tights, bloomers or biker shorts. The advertising has certainly been risque at times, but nothing like Dead or Alive, or anime like High School of the Dead.

@J2theEzzo

100% this. I'm an older fellow. I grew up on Atari, Colecovision, etc where representation might be a square. If you were lucky it was a square with some other squares attached. Games were played and enjoyed for their gameplay elements almost exclusively because the graphics were just past functional.

The world has changed a great deal, and people growing up with PS2s and PS3s, with high quality cell phones in their pockets since they were five years-old have an entirely different set of priorities and attachments to games. I can't say that I understand it.

I'd like to imagine most of the people having fits were younger and either inexperienced or otherwise disappointed in their social lives. I can understand forming sexual, emotional and mental attachments to something that panders directly to the player.

@TurboTom

Right. No other reason to shave one's head. If you're a girl with a shaved head, you want to look like a man! Heard it here from TurboTom himself!

@themightyant

I dislike poorly defined limits, that's all. I also dislike laws or rules that restrict anything that is harmless to a human being (I am not trying to say that fake/rendered pornography of certain types cannot be harmful to human beings).

Just to be clear, I'm not disagreeing, just having a conversation.

@CielloArc

Apparently they already have. The stupid ZZZ reddit forum is losing their gross minds.

@rjejr

They have already done this with most character designs. Only the character Burnice could be considered problematic, AFAIK. Most have biker shorts or more modest things on.

@themightyant

Alright, so it was a quibble. I just think the "it's what it represents" concept can be a little tricky. If a draw a stick figure and label it "naked teenager", it fits the same criteria. Blanket statements are easy to disprove.

I only ever noticed this was possible on iOS, because to close the game you have to swipe up from the bottom which, if done incorrectly, tilts the camera.

I also noticed that they very rarely aren't wearing biker shorts or have used some other method to prevent the upskirting from being an issue. The only one that I think actually is a problem is Burnice, and even then they tried to make her underwear look like a cheerleader's uniform, which I guess they figured was more modest.

@J2theEzzo

I hate this mentality, though I understand it. Both ZZZ and Stellar Blade are actually phenomenal games with very well designed combat mechanics, which is why I bothered playing them. But of course they have good looking female characters, so I'm a pervert by association.

I mean I am a pervert, but that's not at all why I play these games. I've got other outlets.

@themightyant

While I get your point and I am not trying to quibble, calling a bunch of polygons representing a cartoon character a "minor" is really weird.

@UltimateOtaku91

This. The Elder Scrolls are the gaming experiences I treasure most. I wouldn't want to shell out console money to play one game, but I would if I had to. I am hoping, as you say, that I don't have to do that with their new approach.

I'd also love at least a new trailer some time within the next 12 months.

@Tyaku

It's about a planet "no one escapes from" and you think it'll have other planets to explore?

@AverageGamer

"Sony" games? First party games, you mean? And you think that's only been going on for a decade?

@Oz_Who_Dat_Dare

No one said the trailer was inspired by those things, the game is. Have you played the game?

I mean, feel free to have opinions but recognize context when it's available, FFS.

@QiaraIris

It would be very hard to address as someone speaking for the company. They won't want to say their games take up so much time that you really can't play them all, or end up in a situation where they make stupid assumptions about other peoples' schedules. Every player is different.

But he does so in a round about way by saying they have to be cognizant of all of the options people have, which are vast. Essentially saying, "Yes, but so what? You have to choose what you want to do and we make this as compelling as possible so that you'll choose ZZZ."

Personally, I don't play Genshin or Star Rail because they are not game styles I like. I play ZZZ because it rings all my bells.

Side note - I agree that the practice of losing currency you pay for just because you can't log in is scummy. It'd be nice if it just delivered to a mailbox if you otherwise don't log in for the day.

Been playing since day one and it has improved steadily over time. I was a big fan of the TV system they had (in some occasions it was used very creatively), but the combat is so good that they really did need to do more to focus on it during moment to moment gameplay.

I love their character designs and I feel like it's been more than generous (at least to me) as I have only spent a little real money on the game but have almost all the agents.

@KingPev

Phantom Liberty is one of the best expansions ever made. It is tremendous. It's almost so good that it stands out dramatically from the rest of the game.

Doesn't beat Shadows of the Erdtree, but it's damn close.

@rjejr

Infinity Nikki. It's been a blast. Lots of stuff to do, beautiful world to explore, the gacha is so side-pocket that there's really no FOMO, and it's just fun altogether.

Of course, now I'm sidetracked playing yet another grimdark ARPG (PoE2) but I'll be back, Nikki!

I've played through this game 4 times now and each time has been a blast. I have started a new playthrough recently, but now I may just wait to see what they are doing.

@rjejr

It's so, so good.

@Fritz167

I would say it is also good, but not better. Different styles entirely.

@rjejr

Almost every free2play game I have seen on Playstation initially has an offer for one of their founders packs or some other currency before the game comes out.

I am positive it will be free to start playing on December 5th.

@Cerny

And the patch isn't even out yet.

@Welsh_Will

Sillily. That's a choice.

@stefan771

I know. It's remarkable how there haven't been any new, well developed games ready for launch that are playable day one since 1984.

@Northern_munkey

They mean implementing RT tech that takes advantage of the PS5 Pro, not what's currently implemented.

The quality mode with RT on PS5 runs like ass.

Recently re-played Control and am very excited for Control 2. Such a creative concept and the combat is a playground with some fantastically fun destructible environments. I love fighting in offices and seeing all the debris flying about.

Don't care about Firebreak but assume it could be fun, if it's set in the Old House, or has elements of that in it.

@Keyblade-Dan

If eve looked like a shoebox instead of a woman and the game played the same, I'd still buy and play it because the game is actually good.

Though also you can shove your puritanical whinging.

@Dudditz09

This is so juvenile.

I play a lot of Age of Wonders 4. On base PS5 the framerate could get really choppy when panning across the map, especially late game. It also had some hiccups when either playing back a recorded battle, or doing the automated battles after picking a manual fight. It still hitches when it's saving, but otherwise it is much smoother.

While not game changing, it is a much better experience playing on the Pro, and that''s what I've found for most games. I don't think anyone should bother buying a Pro if they A) don't have a good TV, B) Don't care about minor performance issues, C) Don't care about the shiniest graphics.

And even with C you're not getting that much - the base PS5 is a fantastic machine.

But I don't regret the money I spent for the upgraded experience whatsoever.

@Alstil

An OLED with VRR/120hrtz support is recommended, but can definitely get pricey at decent sizes.

@Dynamq

It's always funny to me seeing someone ALMOST attempt to be fair but using terms like "waste".

Oh, sorry, you're older and wiser. My mistake.

@Dampsponge

Yeah, we're all buying our PS5 Pros with only one game in mind.

I have no idea where this mentality comes from.

I would love to see the age demographics regarding thoughts on the Pro.

Imagine being upset with a game for having an attractive main character.

Also, it may not be to your taste, but this game was well made, well optimized, had a solid combat system and a decent story. It sold well and reviewed well. You can say it's not interesting or you didn't enjoy it, but don't be disingenuous.

@AhmadSumadi

Surprise, people have different tastes than you. Welcome to Earth!

@MikeOrator

You write like Captain Kirk speaks.

$40 game in a genre that tends to be free to play, new characters with no marketing or other media to make them interesting to potential players, some definite missteps in the design/aesthetic, bog standard level design - You need to give people a reason to play your game. This is not field of dreams. If you build it, you still have to test it in the market and advertise the absolute piss out of it. A failure to get the community involved is probably their biggest mistake.

Avowed/Elder Scrolls 6. That's it. I don't want to have to buy an Xbox to play the next Elder Scrolls but I will. At least then I'll have a reason to get game pass.

@Andee

You can't be this obtuse unless it's deliberate.

The original choice between fidelity and performance is what they are talking about and you know it. The performance pro mode does exactly what they said it would do. It is the performance mode for PS5 with the graphics of fidelity mode. The new modes were just opportunities they saw to do even more and still hit 30fps (some people don't care about the framerate sacrifice).

Please find something legitimate to complain about.

I'm weirdly excited for this. I love games that have cross play between console and phone. ZZZ has been a fantastic experience. I play RPG games mostly to enjoy dress-up and new armors/outfits, and this is exactly that, gamified.

Bring it on.

The upscaling makes a big difference. I assume if you can't tell you either have an eyesight issue or you're being disingenuous. Of course the game looked fine on PS5. There's no need to upgrade at all. It just looks better on the Pro, and the difference is very noticeable, but it doesn't make it more playable somehow.

Experienced almost no problems on base console. Love the game. The tone here is strange given that they say it is improved in so many ways.

@S1ayeR74

Couldn’t hear you over the noise of your conspiracy theory, sorry.

@EVIL-C

Or you know, reality, where technology endlessly improves.