Topic: Playstation 5 Recommendation Thread

@Th3solution I shouldn’t be surprised really… but thanks for your detailed response buddy. It really does give some food for thought. Still don’t really know what game I’m gonna choose and in all probability will pull all the options out a week before and maybe watch a few review vids to help mull them over. For some reason, I am leaning a little towards the JRPG as opposed to the CRPG for some reason but that could quickly change knowing me 😉

So I’ll preface this with the disclaimer that I’m not sure I’ll actually get around to following any recommendation for a while, so perhaps this is an academic exercise, but here goes…

I really enjoyed Borderlands and Borderlands 2. The second game especially was a fun ride. It’s been easily 8 years or more since I played it. For some reason, I never have come around to playing another one, despite thinking about it several times.

With the announcement of Borderlands 3 being added to PS+ Essential, I have once again thought about jumping back into the series at some point. The question is, which of the available games would be the best to play first?

• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
• Borderlands 3
• Tiny Tina’s Wonderland

I figure they are all similar but is there one of those that sticks out as more of a ‘must play’?

@Th3solution
As you say you enjoyed the first two I would say to go with the pre sequel, it's pretty much more of the same though on the moon so you have to manage oxygen I recall. Again Borderlands 3 is more of the same but for me it really dragged on a bit too long (took around 50 hours to 100% and I'd had enough after 30+). It also added a climbing mechanic so included more platforming throughout the levels which I'm not sure I thought necessary -though it is more recent so it may look a bit flashier.

I completed the Tiny Tina game just last week and while it does still feature the same looting and gunplay for me it was somewhat spoiled by the tabletop parts of the game which you have to utilise to get around the world map. it just throws you into random encounters and navigation is not much fun. Also it's leaving PS+ extra next month if that matters.

With all three I think you'll have more fun if you can find a co-op partner or two. But yeah in order of preference: Pre sequel, B3 then Tiny Tina.

@sorteddan Ah, I forgot about Tiny Tina being pulled from Extra. They did the same thing with BL3 where it was on Extra for merely a couple months and has now become an Essential game so maybe TT will end up the same.

But that does simplify my options since there’s no way I can get to any of them within the next few weeks. A couple years ago I got so far as downloading the Pre-Sequel into my hard drive and choosing my character (I’d planned to go with Athena) and then never got around to actually starting.

Appreciate the feedback. BL3 overstaying its welcome was something I’d heard from others too.

@Th3solution
I'm sure you are not bothered but there is a trophy related to claptrap in the pre sequel so if you like your shiny worthless things then claptrap might be the way to go.
As for Borderlands 3 I think I will be playing this next month but I won't be going for 100% as the dlc looks a bit pricey especially compared to the base game.

@CaptD Good to know. I understand that Claptrap also has the advantage of not having to deal with the oxygen maintenance issue. I read that many players didn’t like that added survival aspect.

I mostly just tolerate the humor of Borderlands, although some of it is quite funny at times, especially if it’s in small doses; Claptrap is one of the main sources of goofy jokes in the first two games so I’m not sure I can tolerate a full game of his gags constantly. IMO the only character more grating than him is Tiny Tina. So I may have answered my own question. 😅

@Th3solution I can heartily recommend Rise of the Ronin to you, my friend, posted about completing it in the 'Games You've Recently Beat' thread and @Elodin and I were discussing Nioh 2, I know you were a bit on the fence about RotR as you said you're not so confident about your parrying, I believe, but do you, if you haven't already, think you will give any of the Team Ninja games a go? Or are you strictly a FromSoft man? 😃

@BlAcK_SwOrDsMaN I’m totally open to playing Team Ninja games. I have seen RotR drop in price and considered maybe playing it. I actually have Nioh and Nioh 2 in my library, but have been worried about their difficulty. If you do start one of the Niohs then keep me informed about how it goes. I’d be curious if it something I might like.

@Th3solution as @BlAcK_SwOrDsMaN said I recommend RotR as well. I would put it closer to an Assassin's Creed game than souls like. The only real difficulty were the bosses, but even then at least so far for me they are not on difficulty level of other souls likes or even that of the Nioh games. That is coming from someone who is bad at parrying. To overcome my weaknesses I try to outlevel my opponents.

Well the shop I purchased my new TV from has just rewarded me with a £100 gift card and I'm thinking I may as well waste it on video games, it is free money after all. Now they don't have the widest selection or the best prices but from what I've seen I am tempted to pick up...

Either God of War: Ragnorak Or Spider-Man 2 @£60 each
Both of which I definitely hope to get to at some point

Along with either: Cyberpunk 2077: Complete Edition (£40) Or Armoured Core VI (£31)
Moderately interested in either of these.

So any suggestions/'recommendations on what I go for? Any input may he!p sway me one way or another. Alternatively I'm thinking I could sit on it for a couple of months and maybe pick up the new Silent Hill 2 and Dead Rising games when they apoear.

Ah choices choices.

@sorteddan I had a quick skim through your game ratings, as I will with recommendation requests, and it seems you rate Spider-Man games and GoW games higher than anything else, so I think you know what you like best in this case.

Cyberpunk wouldn't be a bad one now especially a complete updated edition, but that is likely to be more consistently cheaper than the Sony releases anyway, so might as well spend the free money on the better value option for yourself tbh.

@sorteddan Ragnarok and Spider-Man 2 are more of the same compared to their respective prequel. But between those two, I had more fun with Spider-Man.

I haven't played Cyberpunk or Armored Core yet, although I do own both of them. But I think Cyberpunk is the better option in this case because, just like @Ravix mentioned, it's the definitive edition of the game, which is why I got it at launch. It's worth keeping in mind though that the Phantom Liberty DLC isn't on the disc of the PS5 version, which is why I got the game on Series X instead. So be careful that you're not buying a used copy of the game in case the DLC has been already used.

@sorteddan
My vote would go for Cyberpunk or AC although the latter maybe a marmite game (it doesn't interest me despite being a Fromsoft fanboy).
GoW and Spidey 2 should both be far cheaper than that at this point.

How about Balders gate 3? I hear it has bears in it.
PS. Hope you like your new telly.

@sorteddan god of war and armored core, because it rhymes.
And because I think they’re good.

@Ravix @LtSarge @CaptD @Yousef-
Thank you all for your input. Though tbh I'm still undecided think I'll finish some stuff I'm currently playing and see what I feel like then.

@CaptD thanks- the new TV is awesome! I wanted one that could do 120 fps so splashed out and got a Samsung OLED, it's lovely. It does colours I've never seen before.

@Yousef
👍 Am tempted by the rhyming option.

@sorteddan whatever you buy enjoy regardless dude.

First time in this topic so let's try it.

Hey fam, So I'm looking for more Dark Fantasy games. My favorite games of all time are Dragon Age Series, The Witcher and The Elder Scrolls. I've also played HZD and HFW and multiple AC entries and liked them. Can you recommend some other Dark Fantasy games that I should give it a shot?

I tried to play BG3 multiple times and I lost interest because the combat wasn't my cup of tea.

@Khwarezm89 instead of recommending a dark fantasy, I'm going to recommend a game you might just click with, based on the other games you've enjoyed. And you've played a lot of games similar to me, so there might be some crossover in what you enjoy.

(Everyone knows what's coming next)

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

It's a bit like Skyrim and the Witcher in many ways, but in a real historical setting of 1400's Czechia. And it's just incredibly fun and charming once you commit to learning how it differs from regular gamey games, mostly by it not holding your hand for quests and making you think about your actions, and instead of you as the player just learning things you actually have to get the character learn them by practicing and honing any skills.

And maybe Dragon's Dogma 2, that was very enjoyable, but nowhere near the level of KCD in terms of leaving a lifetime impression. But it's certainly fantasy, and dark fantasy at times, especially at the end. And the emergent gameplay and combat is endlessly fun, even if it is a little weaker in some areas.

In fact...

Elden Ring have you not played Elden Ring? 😱😱 no more needs to be said, my work here is done. That's about a years worth of gaming for those 3 recommendations 😁

@Khwarezm89 Dark Souls III is peak dark fantasy in my eyes. A must play for everyone.

@Khwarezm89 As a fan of dark fantasy, I can second a few of the ideas already noted — that being Dragon’s Dogma (I haven’t played DD2 yet but the first game was great fun in a dark-ish fantasy setting and DD2 is by all accounts better and fine to jump into without playing the first), and the Dark Souls series.

Probably you’ve considered the Dark Souls games and might be averse to the famous Souls-like gameplay style, but for a sheer setting, they are quintessential dark fantasy in that regard.

Now to add a few other ideas — I guess it’s all about whether it’s the dark fantasy setting you want, or rather the open world action RPG setting (like the HZD and AC games). Probably you’d like to have a game that fits both. If so you might consider the Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War games. Set in Tolkien’s fantasy defining LotR world, they have all the elements of orcs and evil enemies, dark setting and narrative, swordplay and magic, etc. all with a coating of Ubisoft tower open world gameplay loop. I actually never got around to Shadow of War, the second game, but it was supposed to be better than Mordor and for me Mordor was a solid 7.

But if you want a fantasy action game (not strictly dark fantasy, but..) then the God of War games are in the ballpark. Lots of monsters, swordplay, magic, etc. Not true open world and a little more linear, but have some openness within regions.

Also, if you like the AC series, then Ghost of Tsushima is an easy recommendation. Not dark fantasy, more historical fiction, but really fun and beautiful gritty open world action game.

Other open world action RPGs that are fantasy, just not necessarily “dark” fantasy, but still have monsters, bows and arrows, swords, and magic — Immortals: Fenyx Rising and Kena: Bridge of Spirits can definitely scratch an open world itch. Setting of those is more bright and cheery and even semi-humorous, despite slaying fantastical beasts.

Lastly (and I’m just looking at what I’ve played for inspiration), Final Fantasy XVI is probably the closest to ‘dark fantasy’ that the series has reached, and you’ve got your dragon-type creatures, swords and mounts, etc.

There’s probably more I’m forgetting but that’s a start. 😄