@WizardJ To be fair, they did sell roughly the same amount of 360s as PS3s over its life, though if we factored in the number of people that bought 2, 3, or even 4 to replace RROD failed units outside of warranty, I am sure the numbers of active consoles was a lot lower. Every other generation had Sony easily ahead of MS though.
Success means that there are a lot of studios that will exclusively target that system (even without deals) which conversely means being in last place will reduce the likelihood of a game being released on your system of choice. This is the main reason that console wars are a thing. We are fighting to be the platform of choice for developers/publishers.
It would be nice if you could install the Xbox runtimes on Playstation, and vise versa, and enjoy the games on your platform of choice.
@Deityjester There are a lot of reasons that could explain it, and without being privy to their private agreements, we can only speculate.
Remember that FFXIV is also not on Xbox, and not because Sony blocked it; but because of Microsoft policies. There are also many Square Enix games exclusive to Nintendo consoles and even a few exclusive to Xbox, so it's not a given that all Square Enix games, or even all FF games will be on all platforms.
With that said, I am not claiming that Sony didn't buy the rights, just that there are many explanations and not all of them are nefarious.
@Deityjester Thats not really how it tends to go down.
More often than not, developers or publishers will approach the platform holder for additional funding or development resources, and what the platform holder gets out of that deal is usually some form of exclusivity, depending on the level of funding or involvement.
What everyone seems to think is that the platform holders (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo?) go out of their way to lock down exclusivity, and while that does happen, you would be surprised at how often it is the developer/publisher that starts that conversation.
@Hurblyburbly To be clear, this game is a drastic departure from the typical Final Fantasy game, so love it or hate it, its not really representative of the franchise as a whole.
I tried to get past my knee jerk reaction of hating it because its an action RPG now, so I watched videos and trailers trying to psych myself up, and other than the summons, it doesn't look all that good. Sure there are lots of pollys, but it just looks bland. Maybe the demo will change my mind; but I am not at all excited for this, and will probably wait until I can find a used copy for cheap.
@Buckeye4Life2015 That might be the case; but I sincerely hope it isn't. I see these articles and it gives me a little hope that maybe there are enough with the same opinion that SE will notice and will rethink their direction for the next installment; but it might just be a simple matter of pre-order hesitancy.
@Buckeye4Life2015 There is no reason to pre-order a digital copy, for sure (I don't understand why this was ever a thing). But physical copies are still sold and stocked in limited batches.
To the topic at hand, I have loved FF since my first experience on the NES in the late 80s; and this is the first FF that I have no interest in. I do not want a FF action RPG; and except for the summons, I am not a fan of the visual style of this entry. Clearly I am not in the vocal majority on this; but I wonder if there are enough out there that feel the same, to impact pre-order sales?
@Jaz007 This is an often overlooked point. TV Streaming solved a myriad of problems that just don't exist in games; and the few problems that game streaming does solve, are overshadowed by the new problems it creates in their place.
that's sales data. You wouldn't look at 70m PS4 users and 30m PS5 users and think to release on PS5 only.
Sure you would.
As a thought experiment, what type of gamer is still playing on a last gen console without access to a current gen console? For the most part, a budget or frugal gamer. These are not the type of gamers to go out and buy a new game (especially a remake) within its profitable launch window, they will buy it used, or wait for a sale.
Publishers know this, they have many console generations worth of data to analyze. This is why most of these ports are lazy. There isnt a big enough market to put much effort into the port for the handful that will buy it; but it is just big enough that its still profitable to adjust a few sliders and hope for the best.
while others point out you can clearly see through the gap
That doesn't mean that its not hiding a loading screen. Most of these gaps don't hide the section immediately in front of the player, they hide the next section.
While I prefer these over loading screens, they have been too heavily abused in more recent games (like the God of War games) and its just disappointing to see them on a current generation title.
I have not yet caught up on the franchise to that point (still finishing Trails in the Sky SC); but I am working on it, and hope to eventually get to this one.
@NEStalgia The Steam Deck controller layout does look awful, but it is surprisingly good. I mention it only because I don't just like the Playstation style because I am somehow stuck in the past like your post implies, I like it because it feels more comfortable and natural in the games I play. Retro games, turn based RPGs, tactics, etc... Games that benefit from the accuracy of a DPad vs an Analog. I do play many titles that primarily use the analog; but its a healthy mix, so having a controller thats good at both, rather than great at one, and mediocre at the other, fits my gaming style.
While XBox does have some of these types of titles, it has historically been an FPS platform, which benefits from a priority on the analog stick, so I understand the why; but it is also the biggest contributing factor to me not owning an Xbox, and if Playstation went that way, gaming would no longer be fun for me.
@NEStalgia
First, I agree that the primary control should be in the upper position, I disagree; however, that the analog stick is that primary control. I play a pretty good mix of modern and retro games and I find that I use the DPad far more often (in fact the game I have been putting many many hours into recently, Slay the Spire, I haven't touched the left analog once). When I do actually use the left analog its almost exclusively just holding it in the up direction to move a character forward.
Secondly, for the sake of argument, lets say that the analog is the primary control, and that it should be given the optimal placement. The XBox style controller has the left analog too high, so to have the best throw on the stick when pressing up (what 99% of the left analog is used for!) you have to shift your hand up on the left side (making the DPad even worse to access). When I have said this to people in real life, they have almost always replied with "No I don't do that" but then watching them use a controller (without them actively trying to not do that to prove me wrong) shows that they do indeed do just that.
Lastly, Playstation not having the analog in the right spot, doesn't automatically mean that the competing style has it in the right spot. They can both be wrong. I find (oddly enough) the best controller style to be the Steam Deck style (and I thought I would hate it when it was originally shown)
@NEStalgia By offset sticks, do you mean asymmetrical controllers? I sure hope not. It may sound like hyperbole; but I would stop playing games on the Playstation in an instant, without hesitation, if they were to move over to that controller style. Its not optimal where its located on the Playstation controller, certainly, but its far, far worse on the asymmetrical controllers.
On to the topic, I can't imagine how they would monitor it (six axis?) or what feedback they would give the player (on screen prompts?) unless they are monitoring your position with a camera, I cant imagine it would be accurate enough to know if I am slouching or not.
Not really. The PS5 is about the same as the PS4 in this regard. Very, very rarely there will be an advertisement in the form of a game icon; which you can select and delete and then it will be gone until the next one shows up (a few months later).
@NEStalgia There have been a lot of games set in the same universe; even allowing you to play as the titular character, and they were mediocre at best. The last two non-Lego games (Deathly Hallows 1 & 2) had a Metacritic rating 38 and 43 respectively.
@koffing Thats something that many don't realize, because it seems like all of the PR surrounding Lumen and Nanite are that they are a more optimal/performant way to do things; but they come at a pretty significant performance cost, and they are both (especially Nanite) still works-in-progress.
@invictus4000 I agree with your assessment of the art style; but I think (at least for me) that while I don't like the style specifically, it still evokes the feeling of an earlier more classic time in the genre.
@Toypop You call it a good system demonstrator, but not a good system seller; however for many these are one and the same.
It all depends on the type of gamer you are. If you are the type that wants to wait until there are enough great experiences out there for the purchase to be worth it right now, then you shouldn't really get any hardware platform in the first year or two. For those gamers, there is a big difference between a system demonstrator and a seller; but if you are the type that sees it more as an investment it the future of a platform you enjoy then they are one and the same.
You seem to be in the former camp, and there is nothing wrong with that outlook; but know that it will only get there, like any and all new platform launches, if there are enough of the other gamer type to support a platform in its early days so it can grow into the platform that you want.
@OnceaThief It doesn't matter to me if there is, or isn't. If a game is a numbered game in a series, I wont play it unless I have played the previous numbered titles. I know I am not alone in this; but I also know that it doesn't matter to everyone. It does mean that I occasionally miss out on an amazing title; however there are more great games already released than I could finish in a lifetime, so its not a void that's empty long.
I tried the demo yesterday (hooray for demos!), and while I typically love survival games, the muted colors and dreary theme of this one just didn't do it for me.
I really want to play it; but I never played the first one, and I am not going to go play it on a different platform; so I wait for a port of it before I dive into this.
@FuriousMachine I have played an entire session sitting on my bed, with no issues. You don't move, instead the world is infinitely reposition-able and scalable. You can move/rotate the table and zoom in to where the "minis" are large as life, and then rotate and zoom back out to inspect the whole table, in seconds.
@Simon_Fitzgerald While I think it is fun to play with a group of friends (like any tabletop game), I would say that solo play easily beats playing with randos online.
@Perturbator I love Demeo; (and will often sing its praises to new VR adopters); and while I mostly agree with the 9/10 score, I would easily drop it by 2+ points on a flat screen. If you take away the sense of immersion and presence by not being in VR; you are left with a fun, but average, turn based tactics game. Its like taking your favorite IMAX movie and watching it on a 20 inch TV. Its the same thing more-or-less; but it loses some of that magic.
@Elodin Demeo is a great VR game, even for solo players (I mostly play solo) but I don't know how well that would hold up outside of VR. The allure (for me) is the sense of presence.
@Friendly Thats a different question and has many different answers depending on your budget.
Today its just another VR headset that has a few exclusives and a lot of cross platform titles. No different than most platforms at launch. Its the possibilities that it brings. The PSVR released years before the Quest 2, and when it did it sold more than any other headset at the time (combined iirc); helping to push VR into the mainstream despite its many flaws. The PSVR2, not hobbled by dated tech like its predecessor, has the potential to be a device that truly brings VR to the masses, not just in mobile form.
If your budget doesn't allow you to support that yet, then by all means wait until it has that value for you; but don't settle on a Quest 2 thinking you will get the same or close-enough experience.
@Friendly While appreciated, I don't need a comparison, I have a Quest 2, I know its capabilities and what it can and cannot do. Its no more a replacement for a PS VR2 (or any PC VR headset for that matter) than a Switch is a replacement for a PS5/PC. They can co-exist, and sometimes have overlapping experiences, but unless mobility is your primary concern, those experiences will be generations ahead on the more powerful platform (and you will be able to play for longer than 2 hours at a time). Unfortunately unlike the Switch, which has an amazing lineup of first-party titles, the Quest 2 lacks any real first party exclusive system sellers. Oculus' own big budget VR titles (like Lone Echo and Lone Echo II) are not available on their Quest platform, and the ones that are (like Robo Recall), are a large visual downgrade.
@thefourfoldroot1 Demeo is a blast single player (its one of the few mainstays in my VR library, and I will be getting it again for PSVR2), its the same game as multiplayer except you control the whole team (like a tactics game) rather than just your individual character.
Lots of games can be enhanced by the social aspect of friends, and sure Demeo is one of them; but the social aspect is really the only thing you miss out on solo. The game scales based on the number of characters (not players) so doesn't get harder or easier with friends.
As for hard, you can get overwhelmed easily until you learn how the game operates (don't try and spread out and explore!). Each "session" is a series of 3 randomly generated boards/dungeons, that culminates in a boss battle. If you lose, you can just jump right back in with a new session, learning lessons from the previous losses. Its almost rouge-like in that way.
@NEStalgia I can assure you, they are most certainly compatible! (although I meant to write a half dozen headsets, not a dozen) What ends up happening is that something (new hardware, new software, etc...) renews my interest in VR, and then a few months later I realize that 99% of my time is just playing more Beat Saber because the market hasn't created those meaty titles I crave yet, and I go back to those 30-60 hour adventures that I can get elsewhere and my VR collects dust until something new starts the cycle over again. I have high hopes for what the PSVR2 can do to push the industry forward though; it has the potential to break that cycle.
@Suda51ueda there are certainly a few meaty titles out there; just not very many (and nothing that compares to say a 60hr RPG). Unfortunately I am still a ways out from completing the previous RE titles, so 7 & 8 are not in the near future.
@NEStalgia You jest; but as much as I love VR (I have spent many hundreds of hours in a dozen different headsets), it always ends up on my shelf collecting dust (with the occasional jaunt in BeatSaber) because there isn't much that is meaty; just ~2 hour experiences. They don't need to be AAA; huge budget titles; but I would love for more games that are not over by the time you really start to enjoy them!
@Totheteeth What happens when the servers are no longer being supported? The game becomes a paperweight. Many (many) people love to play (and replay) games years later; but as a general rule, if its online only, then it has a finite life. (Even an end-of-life patch doesn't solve the issue; because the patch servers need to be up to get said patch).
The reasons that always-online is so hated are going to vary; but this is mine.
@NEStalgia I don't know what those reviews could be referring to. Single player is just the same game but you control 3 characters, rather than split that control with other players. There are a couple of minor limitations, like you cant have all 4 characters; but not much else. Of course it is a blast if you have some friends to play it with; but it is great solo too.
@NEStalgia Its great single player. The only difference is that instead of each of you controlling a single character, you control 3 characters so its more similar to a tactics game where you control the whole party.
@FuriousMachine You can play with the obstacles on, and not move your feet at all, so you dont have to disable them to play in a tiny space. Just make sure you have room to swing your arms.
@FuriousMachine
Beat Saber is technically possible to play seated; but would be a pretty terrible experience for a number of reasons. It can, however, be played standing (stationary) with absolutely no issues.
This is true because you never need to move your feet. When you have to duck or move side to side for the obstacles, it is your only your head that needs to move. (With the obvious exception of the optional 360 degree mode on some songs).
Additionally, if you dont want the obstacles for some reason (maybe you cant fight the natural urge to move your whole body side to side) you can just turn them off.
There are some really great seated experiences though (and not just racing or flight sims). I played many, many, hours of Demeo (one of the best VR games) sitting in a chair.
@Bagwag82 I think its more of a public consciousness; not necessarily looking at those sites/services specifically. The more people that are playing a game, the more that game is talked about, written about, and just generally everywhere. People that were on the fence would likely be convinced to try it, and people that never heard of it, might want to see what all the talk is about. Its a real phenomenon. There are enough gamers that just try and play whatever is popular at the moment; however I don't think it can come close to making up the lost sales unless the game is littered with micro-transactions.
@K1LLEGAL For first party? They don't have a choice. For third? Its not exactly Disney Land; developers are not lined up waiting for their ticket to be pulled; so whatever they are offering, only appeals to certain developers, or certain games. Without looking at their contracts, I couldn't say.
@NEStalgia I don't really see the value in PS+; even in the best of months when there are great games being released on the service. If its a great game, chances are that most have already played it; and if its a turd, no one wants to. Conversely, Gamepass actually seems to provide a lot of value (too much, in fact), I don't play digital titles (free or otherwise) so I don't have a horse in this race, I only worry about the long term impacts it would have on the developers.
@K1LLEGAL I doubt the compensation from Microsoft comes anywhere near replacing the first couple of months of sales of a title at full price. It might come a bit closer, or at least be worth the risk for smaller less well know games; but not the AAA beasts.
@K1LLEGAL If games that end up on Gamepass have lower sales (those first few months sales are by far the most valuable), and an overall lower profit; then future games targeting the service will have smaller budgets to compensate. What gets sacrificed then? Content? Quality Control? Developer Salaries?
I wonder if the sales and stream numbers would have been this high without the campaign against it? The Streisand effect?
I am excited to play this game, and glad to see that its getting 8/10 and 9/10 scores. I was worried that it would just be another bin-worthy IP adaptation. After the disappointment that was the Forsaken reviews, I needed a good Q1 game.
@Fyz306903 I could not agree more. It is bad UI design and shows that the developers didnt really put any effort in designing a UI that fits a controller input scheme, they just emulated a mouse with the analog and called it a day.
I had hoped it had gone gold already, since two weeks before launch means that a physical copy wont be ready for launch; which makes it less likely that it will exist at all, and that was one of the games I really wanted to play.
I know there was no announcement or information about there being a physical copy at all; but I was holding out hope. Oh well, I am sure there will be other titles to play!
@Toypop Please do not misrepresent what I wrote. It does happen to me (as I have a stated multiple times), it has also happened to my immediate family and to friends (which I have seen, first hand). Additionally I have seen it happen to many individuals that are not associated with me at all. There is no friend of a friend or indirection.
I like to assume positive intent, and prefer to think that you have honestly never encountered the issue, and that's great, maybe it's a difference in game (I didn't play WoW long enough to get into the raids and dungeons) but I have played many MMOs where I have seen and personally experienced this (FFXIV being a prime example) so it does exist and it ruins an otherwise enjoyable experience in a game.
To be clear, my experience (and my frame of reference) is with normal dungeons (main story) and with (normal) side dungeons/raids. I get the impression that you might be playing in the challenge/extreme/ultimate raids. I can't speak to those, and wonder if the type of player that enjoys that type of challenge has a more mature approach to dealing with under performing teammates.
@Toypop Its not "me specifically" though I do have those experiences, I have seen it with friends, family, and even been witness to it often enough when its a complete stranger thats the target of the vitriol. I have seen it enough to know that a lot of those complaining about this online are legitimate complaints (though not all of them). Its great that you haven't encountered the issue; but that doesn't mean that its not a legitimate problem for others.
@Toypop Again, disagree. I have had situations where I (and others I know and play with) get bullied within a couple mins in a dungeon or raid (within the first few mindless mob fights) when its obvious that they are not doing the exact perfect rotation with perfect timing and maximum DPS.
This happens regularly enough that it sucks the enjoyment out of the game. It doesn't matter if they play well and and know the mechanics (and have a great item level). Maybe you don't see it as much, not being on the receiving end; but its so bad that even playing normal difficulty main story dungeons, my wife refuses to play with a group that doesnt consist of friends/family. We have had people drop the party (after waiting 30-60 mins for it to form) when they see a skill or rotation in use that isnt the current meta, or vote to kick, or just be incredibly toxic.
None of these are cases of a player going AFK, having poor gear, or causing wipes because of the inability to follow the mechanics. And none of these are on high end/extreme/ultimate fights.
It doesn't happen as often; but I have even had people be incredibly toxic after the fight is already won; in fights where we had no trouble (an no wipes); if my damage output didnt match some min/max value.
@Toypop As someone that has played these games for about two decades (including FFXIV since the Beta launch of 1.0) and been on the receiving end of said bullying (almost always from users with rotation and damage output mods) nearly every time I group up for anything more serious than a daily roulette; I disagree with your opinion that bullying isn't a MAJOR factor in the disallowment of mods.
@AgentMantis I don't expect it to be great by any means; but I sure hope its better than Stranger of Paradise! That game is more worthless than free AOL discs.
I am very interested, its a franchise I always wanted to play; but my current backlog means that by the time I am able to actually play it, it will probably half of its current price, so doesn't make sense to pick up right now.
Comments 1,553
Re: "We've Lost the Console Wars," Says Trillion Dollar Underdog Xbox
@WizardJ To be fair, they did sell roughly the same amount of 360s as PS3s over its life, though if we factored in the number of people that bought 2, 3, or even 4 to replace RROD failed units outside of warranty, I am sure the numbers of active consoles was a lot lower. Every other generation had Sony easily ahead of MS though.
Success means that there are a lot of studios that will exclusively target that system (even without deals) which conversely means being in last place will reduce the likelihood of a game being released on your system of choice. This is the main reason that console wars are a thing. We are fighting to be the platform of choice for developers/publishers.
It would be nice if you could install the Xbox runtimes on Playstation, and vise versa, and enjoy the games on your platform of choice.
Re: Xbox Had Embargoed Persona Dev's Metaphor: ReFantazio After All, as Fantasy RPG Is Confirmed for PS5, PS4
@Deityjester There are a lot of reasons that could explain it, and without being privy to their private agreements, we can only speculate.
Remember that FFXIV is also not on Xbox, and not because Sony blocked it; but because of Microsoft policies. There are also many Square Enix games exclusive to Nintendo consoles and even a few exclusive to Xbox, so it's not a given that all Square Enix games, or even all FF games will be on all platforms.
With that said, I am not claiming that Sony didn't buy the rights, just that there are many explanations and not all of them are nefarious.
Re: Xbox Had Embargoed Persona Dev's Metaphor: ReFantazio After All, as Fantasy RPG Is Confirmed for PS5, PS4
@Deityjester Thats not really how it tends to go down.
More often than not, developers or publishers will approach the platform holder for additional funding or development resources, and what the platform holder gets out of that deal is usually some form of exclusivity, depending on the level of funding or involvement.
What everyone seems to think is that the platform holders (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo?) go out of their way to lock down exclusivity, and while that does happen, you would be surprised at how often it is the developer/publisher that starts that conversation.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think of the Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Demo?
@Hurblyburbly To be clear, this game is a drastic departure from the typical Final Fantasy game, so love it or hate it, its not really representative of the franchise as a whole.
I tried to get past my knee jerk reaction of hating it because its an action RPG now, so I watched videos and trailers trying to psych myself up, and other than the summons, it doesn't look all that good. Sure there are lots of pollys, but it just looks bland. Maybe the demo will change my mind; but I am not at all excited for this, and will probably wait until I can find a used copy for cheap.
Re: Square Enix Allegedly 'Slightly Panicking' About Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Pre-Orders
@Buckeye4Life2015 That might be the case; but I sincerely hope it isn't. I see these articles and it gives me a little hope that maybe there are enough with the same opinion that SE will notice and will rethink their direction for the next installment; but it might just be a simple matter of pre-order hesitancy.
Re: Square Enix Allegedly 'Slightly Panicking' About Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Pre-Orders
@Buckeye4Life2015 There is no reason to pre-order a digital copy, for sure (I don't understand why this was ever a thing). But physical copies are still sold and stocked in limited batches.
To the topic at hand, I have loved FF since my first experience on the NES in the late 80s; and this is the first FF that I have no interest in. I do not want a FF action RPG; and except for the summons, I am not a fan of the visual style of this entry. Clearly I am not in the vocal majority on this; but I wonder if there are enough out there that feel the same, to impact pre-order sales?
Re: Soapbox: I No Longer Think Subscriptions Like PS Plus, Xbox Game Pass Are the Future of Gaming
@Jaz007 This is an often overlooked point. TV Streaming solved a myriad of problems that just don't exist in games; and the few problems that game streaming does solve, are overshadowed by the new problems it creates in their place.
Re: Resident Evil 4 Remake on PS4 Is Why Cross-Gen Needs to End
@eltomo
Sure you would.
As a thought experiment, what type of gamer is still playing on a last gen console without access to a current gen console? For the most part, a budget or frugal gamer. These are not the type of gamers to go out and buy a new game (especially a remake) within its profitable launch window, they will buy it used, or wait for a sale.
Publishers know this, they have many console generations worth of data to analyze. This is why most of these ports are lazy. There isnt a big enough market to put much effort into the port for the handful that will buy it; but it is just big enough that its still profitable to adjust a few sliders and hope for the best.
Re: Final Fantasy 16 Fans Divided as Squeeze Gap Discourse Begins Anew
That doesn't mean that its not hiding a loading screen. Most of these gaps don't hide the section immediately in front of the player, they hide the next section.
While I prefer these over loading screens, they have been too heavily abused in more recent games (like the God of War games) and its just disappointing to see them on a current generation title.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Trails to Azure?
I have not yet caught up on the franchise to that point (still finishing Trails in the Sky SC); but I am working on it, and hope to eventually get to this one.
Re: System Shock Remake Gets Hit with Delay, SHODAN Vows Revenge Post 30th May
I have always wanted to play the original; but the clunky controls put me off. Hopefully this is a faithful remake.
Re: Sony Wants You to Sit Up Straight While You're Playing PS5, PS4
@NEStalgia The Steam Deck controller layout does look awful, but it is surprisingly good. I mention it only because I don't just like the Playstation style because I am somehow stuck in the past like your post implies, I like it because it feels more comfortable and natural in the games I play. Retro games, turn based RPGs, tactics, etc... Games that benefit from the accuracy of a DPad vs an Analog. I do play many titles that primarily use the analog; but its a healthy mix, so having a controller thats good at both, rather than great at one, and mediocre at the other, fits my gaming style.
While XBox does have some of these types of titles, it has historically been an FPS platform, which benefits from a priority on the analog stick, so I understand the why; but it is also the biggest contributing factor to me not owning an Xbox, and if Playstation went that way, gaming would no longer be fun for me.
Re: Sony Wants You to Sit Up Straight While You're Playing PS5, PS4
@NEStalgia
First, I agree that the primary control should be in the upper position, I disagree; however, that the analog stick is that primary control. I play a pretty good mix of modern and retro games and I find that I use the DPad far more often (in fact the game I have been putting many many hours into recently, Slay the Spire, I haven't touched the left analog once). When I do actually use the left analog its almost exclusively just holding it in the up direction to move a character forward.
Secondly, for the sake of argument, lets say that the analog is the primary control, and that it should be given the optimal placement. The XBox style controller has the left analog too high, so to have the best throw on the stick when pressing up (what 99% of the left analog is used for!) you have to shift your hand up on the left side (making the DPad even worse to access). When I have said this to people in real life, they have almost always replied with "No I don't do that" but then watching them use a controller (without them actively trying to not do that to prove me wrong) shows that they do indeed do just that.
Lastly, Playstation not having the analog in the right spot, doesn't automatically mean that the competing style has it in the right spot. They can both be wrong. I find (oddly enough) the best controller style to be the Steam Deck style (and I thought I would hate it when it was originally shown)
Re: Sony Wants You to Sit Up Straight While You're Playing PS5, PS4
@NEStalgia By offset sticks, do you mean asymmetrical controllers? I sure hope not. It may sound like hyperbole; but I would stop playing games on the Playstation in an instant, without hesitation, if they were to move over to that controller style. Its not optimal where its located on the Playstation controller, certainly, but its far, far worse on the asymmetrical controllers.
On to the topic, I can't imagine how they would monitor it (six axis?) or what feedback they would give the player (on screen prompts?) unless they are monitoring your position with a camera, I cant imagine it would be accurate enough to know if I am slouching or not.
Re: Huge PS5 Firmware Adds Discord Voice Chat, VRR at 1440p, Much More
@jrt87 "But PS5 has ads on the homescreen too?"
Not really. The PS5 is about the same as the PS4 in this regard. Very, very rarely there will be an advertisement in the form of a game icon; which you can select and delete and then it will be gone until the next one shows up (a few months later).
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Launch Sales Outshine Everything in Europe
@NEStalgia There have been a lot of games set in the same universe; even allowing you to play as the titular character, and they were mediocre at best. The last two non-Lego games (Deathly Hallows 1 & 2) had a Metacritic rating 38 and 43 respectively.
Re: Firewall Ultra Is One of the First PSVR2 Games Made with Unreal Engine 5
@koffing Thats something that many don't realize, because it seems like all of the PR surrounding Lumen and Nanite are that they are a more optimal/performant way to do things; but they come at a pretty significant performance cost, and they are both (especially Nanite) still works-in-progress.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Octopath Traveler 2?
@invictus4000 I agree with your assessment of the art style; but I think (at least for me) that while I don't like the style specifically, it still evokes the feeling of an earlier more classic time in the genre.
Re: Song in the Smoke: Rekindled (PSVR2) - VR's Best Survival Sim Is Even Better with PSVR2
@Toypop You call it a good system demonstrator, but not a good system seller; however for many these are one and the same.
It all depends on the type of gamer you are. If you are the type that wants to wait until there are enough great experiences out there for the purchase to be worth it right now, then you shouldn't really get any hardware platform in the first year or two. For those gamers, there is a big difference between a system demonstrator and a seller; but if you are the type that sees it more as an investment it the future of a platform you enjoy then they are one and the same.
You seem to be in the former camp, and there is nothing wrong with that outlook; but know that it will only get there, like any and all new platform launches, if there are enough of the other gamer type to support a platform in its early days so it can grow into the platform that you want.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Octopath Traveler 2?
@OnceaThief It doesn't matter to me if there is, or isn't. If a game is a numbered game in a series, I wont play it unless I have played the previous numbered titles. I know I am not alone in this; but I also know that it doesn't matter to everyone. It does mean that I occasionally miss out on an amazing title; however there are more great games already released than I could finish in a lifetime, so its not a void that's empty long.
Re: New PSVR2 Games Release Dates in 2023
@EnragedGibbon I have bought Beat Saber for multiple platforms, not sure I have it in me to buy it again!
Re: Song in the Smoke: Rekindled (PSVR2) - VR's Best Survival Sim Is Even Better with PSVR2
I tried the demo yesterday (hooray for demos!), and while I typically love survival games, the muted colors and dreary theme of this one just didn't do it for me.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Octopath Traveler 2?
I really want to play it; but I never played the first one, and I am not going to go play it on a different platform; so I wait for a port of it before I dive into this.
Re: Mini Review: Demeo (PSVR2) - Dungeons and Dragons Experience Is One Roll Away from Perfection
@FuriousMachine I have played an entire session sitting on my bed, with no issues. You don't move, instead the world is infinitely reposition-able and scalable. You can move/rotate the table and zoom in to where the "minis" are large as life, and then rotate and zoom back out to inspect the whole table, in seconds.
Re: Mini Review: Demeo (PSVR2) - Dungeons and Dragons Experience Is One Roll Away from Perfection
@Simon_Fitzgerald While I think it is fun to play with a group of friends (like any tabletop game), I would say that solo play easily beats playing with randos online.
@Perturbator I love Demeo; (and will often sing its praises to new VR adopters); and while I mostly agree with the 9/10 score, I would easily drop it by 2+ points on a flat screen. If you take away the sense of immersion and presence by not being in VR; you are left with a fun, but average, turn based tactics game. Its like taking your favorite IMAX movie and watching it on a 20 inch TV. Its the same thing more-or-less; but it loses some of that magic.
Re: Tabletop RPG Simulator Demeo Will Have You Rolling For Initiative on PS5, PSVR2
@Elodin Demeo is a great VR game, even for solo players (I mostly play solo) but I don't know how well that would hold up outside of VR. The allure (for me) is the sense of presence.
Re: Out Today: PSVR2 Brings Next-Gen VR to the Masses
@Friendly Thats a different question and has many different answers depending on your budget.
Today its just another VR headset that has a few exclusives and a lot of cross platform titles. No different than most platforms at launch. Its the possibilities that it brings. The PSVR released years before the Quest 2, and when it did it sold more than any other headset at the time (combined iirc); helping to push VR into the mainstream despite its many flaws. The PSVR2, not hobbled by dated tech like its predecessor, has the potential to be a device that truly brings VR to the masses, not just in mobile form.
If your budget doesn't allow you to support that yet, then by all means wait until it has that value for you; but don't settle on a Quest 2 thinking you will get the same or close-enough experience.
Re: Out Today: PSVR2 Brings Next-Gen VR to the Masses
@Friendly While appreciated, I don't need a comparison, I have a Quest 2, I know its capabilities and what it can and cannot do. Its no more a replacement for a PS VR2 (or any PC VR headset for that matter) than a Switch is a replacement for a PS5/PC. They can co-exist, and sometimes have overlapping experiences, but unless mobility is your primary concern, those experiences will be generations ahead on the more powerful platform (and you will be able to play for longer than 2 hours at a time). Unfortunately unlike the Switch, which has an amazing lineup of first-party titles, the Quest 2 lacks any real first party exclusive system sellers. Oculus' own big budget VR titles (like Lone Echo and Lone Echo II) are not available on their Quest platform, and the ones that are (like Robo Recall), are a large visual downgrade.
Re: Out Today: PSVR2 Brings Next-Gen VR to the Masses
@NEStalgia VR can easily make you a Rhythm Game fan. Between Beat Saber and Audio Trip (my absolute favorites) I have at least 300 hours.
Re: Out Today: PSVR2 Brings Next-Gen VR to the Masses
@Friendly While that is true, your comments imply that there is a equality of experience between the two which simply does not exist.
Re: PSVR2 Review: Is It Worth It?
@thefourfoldroot1 Demeo is a blast single player (its one of the few mainstays in my VR library, and I will be getting it again for PSVR2), its the same game as multiplayer except you control the whole team (like a tactics game) rather than just your individual character.
Lots of games can be enhanced by the social aspect of friends, and sure Demeo is one of them; but the social aspect is really the only thing you miss out on solo. The game scales based on the number of characters (not players) so doesn't get harder or easier with friends.
As for hard, you can get overwhelmed easily until you learn how the game operates (don't try and spread out and explore!). Each "session" is a series of 3 randomly generated boards/dungeons, that culminates in a boss battle. If you lose, you can just jump right back in with a new session, learning lessons from the previous losses. Its almost rouge-like in that way.
Re: State of Play Confirmed for Thursday with PSVR2, Indies, Third-Party Games, and Suicide Squad
@NEStalgia I can assure you, they are most certainly compatible! (although I meant to write a half dozen headsets, not a dozen) What ends up happening is that something (new hardware, new software, etc...) renews my interest in VR, and then a few months later I realize that 99% of my time is just playing more Beat Saber because the market hasn't created those meaty titles I crave yet, and I go back to those 30-60 hour adventures that I can get elsewhere and my VR collects dust until something new starts the cycle over again. I have high hopes for what the PSVR2 can do to push the industry forward though; it has the potential to break that cycle.
@Suda51ueda there are certainly a few meaty titles out there; just not very many (and nothing that compares to say a 60hr RPG). Unfortunately I am still a ways out from completing the previous RE titles, so 7 & 8 are not in the near future.
Re: State of Play Confirmed for Thursday with PSVR2, Indies, Third-Party Games, and Suicide Squad
@NEStalgia You jest; but as much as I love VR (I have spent many hundreds of hours in a dozen different headsets), it always ends up on my shelf collecting dust (with the occasional jaunt in BeatSaber) because there isn't much that is meaty; just ~2 hour experiences. They don't need to be AAA; huge budget titles; but I would love for more games that are not over by the time you really start to enjoy them!
Re: Diablo 4 Open Beta Dated for March on PS5, PS4, Pre-Orders Get Early Access
@Totheteeth What happens when the servers are no longer being supported? The game becomes a paperweight. Many (many) people love to play (and replay) games years later; but as a general rule, if its online only, then it has a finite life. (Even an end-of-life patch doesn't solve the issue; because the patch servers need to be up to get said patch).
The reasons that always-online is so hated are going to vary; but this is mine.
Re: PSVR2 Review: Is It Worth It?
@NEStalgia I don't know what those reviews could be referring to. Single player is just the same game but you control 3 characters, rather than split that control with other players. There are a couple of minor limitations, like you cant have all 4 characters; but not much else. Of course it is a blast if you have some friends to play it with; but it is great solo too.
Re: PSVR2 Review: Is It Worth It?
@NEStalgia Its great single player. The only difference is that instead of each of you controlling a single character, you control 3 characters so its more similar to a tactics game where you control the whole party.
@FuriousMachine You can play with the obstacles on, and not move your feet at all, so you dont have to disable them to play in a tiny space. Just make sure you have room to swing your arms.
Re: PSVR2 Review: Is It Worth It?
@FuriousMachine
Beat Saber is technically possible to play seated; but would be a pretty terrible experience for a number of reasons. It can, however, be played standing (stationary) with absolutely no issues.
This is true because you never need to move your feet. When you have to duck or move side to side for the obstacles, it is your only your head that needs to move. (With the obvious exception of the optional 360 degree mode on some songs).
Additionally, if you dont want the obstacles for some reason (maybe you cant fight the natural urge to move your whole body side to side) you can just turn them off.
There are some really great seated experiences though (and not just racing or flight sims). I played many, many, hours of Demeo (one of the best VR games) sitting in a chair.
Re: Microsoft Admits Xbox Game Pass Is Harming Software Sales After All
@Bagwag82 I think its more of a public consciousness; not necessarily looking at those sites/services specifically. The more people that are playing a game, the more that game is talked about, written about, and just generally everywhere. People that were on the fence would likely be convinced to try it, and people that never heard of it, might want to see what all the talk is about. Its a real phenomenon. There are enough gamers that just try and play whatever is popular at the moment; however I don't think it can come close to making up the lost sales unless the game is littered with micro-transactions.
Re: Microsoft Admits Xbox Game Pass Is Harming Software Sales After All
@K1LLEGAL For first party? They don't have a choice. For third? Its not exactly Disney Land; developers are not lined up waiting for their ticket to be pulled; so whatever they are offering, only appeals to certain developers, or certain games. Without looking at their contracts, I couldn't say.
@NEStalgia I don't really see the value in PS+; even in the best of months when there are great games being released on the service. If its a great game, chances are that most have already played it; and if its a turd, no one wants to. Conversely, Gamepass actually seems to provide a lot of value (too much, in fact), I don't play digital titles (free or otherwise) so I don't have a horse in this race, I only worry about the long term impacts it would have on the developers.
Re: Microsoft Admits Xbox Game Pass Is Harming Software Sales After All
@K1LLEGAL I doubt the compensation from Microsoft comes anywhere near replacing the first couple of months of sales of a title at full price. It might come a bit closer, or at least be worth the risk for smaller less well know games; but not the AAA beasts.
Re: Microsoft Admits Xbox Game Pass Is Harming Software Sales After All
@K1LLEGAL If games that end up on Gamepass have lower sales (those first few months sales are by far the most valuable), and an overall lower profit; then future games targeting the service will have smaller budgets to compensate. What gets sacrificed then? Content? Quality Control? Developer Salaries?
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Breaks Livestreaming Record, Tops 1.3 Million Viewers
I wonder if the sales and stream numbers would have been this high without the campaign against it? The Streisand effect?
I am excited to play this game, and glad to see that its getting 8/10 and 9/10 scores. I was worried that it would just be another bin-worthy IP adaptation. After the disappointment that was the Forsaken reviews, I needed a good Q1 game.
Re: Hogwarts Legacy (PS5) - A Harry Potter Dream Come True
@Fyz306903 I could not agree more. It is bad UI design and shows that the developers didnt really put any effort in designing a UI that fits a controller input scheme, they just emulated a mouse with the analog and called it a day.
Re: Horizon Call of the Mountain Goes Gold Two Weeks Before PSVR2 Launch
I had hoped it had gone gold already, since two weeks before launch means that a physical copy wont be ready for launch; which makes it less likely that it will exist at all, and that was one of the games I really wanted to play.
I know there was no announcement or information about there being a physical copy at all; but I was holding out hope. Oh well, I am sure there will be other titles to play!
Re: Final Fantasy 14 World First Raiders Stripped of Achievement, Naoki Yoshida 'Extremely Disappointed'
@Toypop Please do not misrepresent what I wrote. It does happen to me (as I have a stated multiple times), it has also happened to my immediate family and to friends (which I have seen, first hand). Additionally I have seen it happen to many individuals that are not associated with me at all. There is no friend of a friend or indirection.
I like to assume positive intent, and prefer to think that you have honestly never encountered the issue, and that's great, maybe it's a difference in game (I didn't play WoW long enough to get into the raids and dungeons) but I have played many MMOs where I have seen and personally experienced this (FFXIV being a prime example) so it does exist and it ruins an otherwise enjoyable experience in a game.
To be clear, my experience (and my frame of reference) is with normal dungeons (main story) and with (normal) side dungeons/raids. I get the impression that you might be playing in the challenge/extreme/ultimate raids. I can't speak to those, and wonder if the type of player that enjoys that type of challenge has a more mature approach to dealing with under performing teammates.
Re: Final Fantasy 14 World First Raiders Stripped of Achievement, Naoki Yoshida 'Extremely Disappointed'
@Toypop Its not "me specifically" though I do have those experiences, I have seen it with friends, family, and even been witness to it often enough when its a complete stranger thats the target of the vitriol. I have seen it enough to know that a lot of those complaining about this online are legitimate complaints (though not all of them). Its great that you haven't encountered the issue; but that doesn't mean that its not a legitimate problem for others.
Re: Final Fantasy 14 World First Raiders Stripped of Achievement, Naoki Yoshida 'Extremely Disappointed'
@Toypop Again, disagree. I have had situations where I (and others I know and play with) get bullied within a couple mins in a dungeon or raid (within the first few mindless mob fights) when its obvious that they are not doing the exact perfect rotation with perfect timing and maximum DPS.
This happens regularly enough that it sucks the enjoyment out of the game. It doesn't matter if they play well and and know the mechanics (and have a great item level). Maybe you don't see it as much, not being on the receiving end; but its so bad that even playing normal difficulty main story dungeons, my wife refuses to play with a group that doesnt consist of friends/family. We have had people drop the party (after waiting 30-60 mins for it to form) when they see a skill or rotation in use that isnt the current meta, or vote to kick, or just be incredibly toxic.
None of these are cases of a player going AFK, having poor gear, or causing wipes because of the inability to follow the mechanics. And none of these are on high end/extreme/ultimate fights.
It doesn't happen as often; but I have even had people be incredibly toxic after the fight is already won; in fights where we had no trouble (an no wipes); if my damage output didnt match some min/max value.
Re: Final Fantasy 14 World First Raiders Stripped of Achievement, Naoki Yoshida 'Extremely Disappointed'
@Toypop As someone that has played these games for about two decades (including FFXIV since the Beta launch of 1.0) and been on the receiving end of said bullying (almost always from users with rotation and damage output mods) nearly every time I group up for anything more serious than a daily roulette; I disagree with your opinion that bullying isn't a MAJOR factor in the disallowment of mods.
Re: Forspoken (PS5) - Messy Action RPG Is Massively Hit and Miss
@AgentMantis I don't expect it to be great by any means; but I sure hope its better than Stranger of Paradise! That game is more worthless than free AOL discs.
Re: Poll: Did You Buy the Dead Space PS5 Remake?
I am very interested, its a franchise I always wanted to play; but my current backlog means that by the time I am able to actually play it, it will probably half of its current price, so doesn't make sense to pick up right now.