The whole discourse on this game is absolutely fascinating. Insomniac coming under fire definitely wasn't on my 2026 bingo card...
I wonder what people were actually expecting this game to be? To me it seemed to always be presented as a linear action game, catering to a more casual mass-market.... a less-open & more-violent version of the Spiderman games.
Perhaps the game's age-rating (cert 18 here in the UK) is at odds with the level of 'hand holding' prevalent in the game...? The inference being that the game pertains to a level of 'player support' that older gamers may find patronising?
On a broader level, and not to get too tangential, I recently played Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart (as a palette cleanser after beating Saros). R&C is such a class game, and I'd love to see Insomniac freed from their 'Marvel shackles' and encouraged to explore other IPs - existing and/or brand new.
Wolverine I'm sure is a perfectly serviceable '7/10' game... but seems to be Insomniac at their least exciting.
Falling under Sony has also probably done zero favors for Insomniac also... and I do ponder if this game might have been slightly better received if it had launched in a world where Sony hadn't decided to go all-in on a digital future.
Also, price tag I genuinely believe does factor in to the broader conversation.... and a 70£ asking price for a game perceived as 'mid' is always going to be a sting vs an alternative lower pricepoint.
Finally - so many class games has been dropped this year..... and in a year awash with brilliant releases, I think people expect AAA budget games to do more to 'stand outside of the pack'.
Strange discourse here.... surely if you don't want to be spoilt, then just don't click on the link?
*EDIT - My only real bugbear is when article titles contain spoilers/leaks etc.... but as long as those elements are held back to form part of the article/video then surely not an issue?
The showcases sold me on both games, which admittedly I was only luke-warm on before.
Both games look great, and will be day1 buys from me. Hopefully enough time to finish Zelda before GTA drops... (but I don't mind starting GTA a little later, allowing me time to wrap up Zelda)
I'm a little conflicted here, and not sure I'm fully on board with these options.
Maybe it sounds a little OCD, but I always like to know I'm playing "the intended experience" as author'd by the dev team. If I ignore the difficulty modifers (both easy mode and hard mode) is the main/normal path what was intended?
I recently got the platinum for Saros and felt similarly about the modifier elements....
I don't want to sound like a gatekeeper, and certainly value accessibility, but sometimes I think a product can be stronger if it doubles down on catering for a specific audience.
Although I found Silksong to be extremely challenging, to the point of frustration at times (!), I really respect how Team Cherry stuck to their guns and made the product they wanted to - catering to fans of the predecessor game
I genuinely think Asha Sharma is doing a pretty good job in turning around XB. Absolutely she’s needed to make some rough decisions (layoffs etc) - but ultimately the job she’s been tasked to do is reinvigorate the XB brand, make it ‘matter’ again, focus in on the key franchises and IPs + double-down on exclusives to keep the hardware sales alive
I always found it incredible that Fallout wasn’t given some kind of life injection after the success of the 1st TV season…. And I’m delighted to see that the IP is having some energy breathed into it
RIP 'Wildhearts' - which IMO was genuinely a contender for the MH throne, a ton of really cool ideas.... just such a shame it was a busted launch.
The Switch2 version was actually a much better experience, albeit the framerate was a little schizophrenic at times! (was aiming for 60fps..... but hovered anywhere between 40-50s, they should have patched a locked 30 option!)
Just last week I brought back in to the PS ecosystem (second hand base PS5) …. And was hoping for a trio of bangers to justify a sub to Essential, but yeah this month certainly ain’t it!
I mainly want to sub for online play (MH Wilds) and also cloud saves, but I’ll sit back for a bit and look to solo a lot of Wilds I think.
I’m not particularly fussed by recent announcements, but I can see objectively that Sony’s recent gut shot to physical media is a really crap thing for the consumer in general
I’m loving the PS5 so far but expect I’ll stretch this console for as long as possible - no way I’m dropping $1000 for a PS6 that it effectively holding me ransom at the PS online storefront
@16BitHero I'd say you might be worth giving Saros a go, even if you bounced off Returnal. Saros is actually far far more forgiving (IMO) and even includes an in-game difficulty balancer/modifier system + a skill-tree for permanent upgrades (which is pretty generous, I'm unlocking like 5-6 different nodes each run).
I don't like it quite as much as Returnal, but its still pretty great. For me 2026 has been brilliant for games so far. Resi9 was class, and I surprised myself also with Pokopia. Pokopia made my 14hr flight feel like 14 mins lol
@16BitHero Zero Parades is a hell of a game, really cool experience. Falls a little short vs Disco, but that’s a pretty impossible standard for any game to measure up to!
GOTY (so far) for me is Saros, but my top 5 are all pretty close! Esoteric Ebb is a real gem; but I must confess in struggled a bit without VA
Having literally just this week brought back in to the PS-ecosystem (base PS5 model) I'm definitely in no rush for a PS6.
The abolishment of physical media actually isn't too big an issue for me personally, but I definitely feel sorry for those that still cherish this format.... must really suck for a lot of people, not to mention that any instance of reducing consumer choice is pretty negative.
So much about modern gaming is pretty grim right. The layoffs, constant sequels/remakes, studios being purchased and tossed aside (Bluepoint!!).... and then of course the rising prices.
Gaming is truly becoming a 'luxury hobby' and for a lot of people, a (potentially) $1000 dollar console with digital-only access is a huge ask.
Then of course each generational leap is a diminishing return vs the last generation.... and I honestly can't see games really being 'that much better' on the next iteration of Playstation. That aside, some of the best games I've played this year are actually very non-demanding (Mina, Zero Parades, Mewgenics, Esoteric Ebb).... which begs the question, do I really NEED that PS6 extra oomph?
Playing through Saros now and having a great time. And honestly, if Saros was a 'permanent benchmark' for me in terms of maximum fidelity and performance - I'd be perfectly happy.
I'm not sure Sony quite knows how best to navigate the coming years. Whilst Nintendo is perhaps at their least imaginative/creative currently, I'd say that the Switch2 is maybe the best value-proposition at the moment vs PS and XB.
Who'd have thought that Game Key Cards would be the last bastion of physical media?!
The gaming industry is in such a fascinating state at the moment...
I actually just brought back in to the PS5 ecosystem, having had a break for the last 4 years (due to work travel / no home office, I sold my PS5).
Purchased a 2nd hand Disc (!) PS5 just Monday, and managed to grab an absolutely bargain on MH Wilds physical copy, £15 GBP from Amazon. I also got a copy of Saros 2nd hand for £35 GBP, roughly 50% new.
I don't feel particularly aggrieved by Sony's statement though, as generally this seems to be the way the world is going. Gaming is fast becoming a 'luxury' hobby, with some insane prices on consoles and software being thrown out.... and I suppose drawing a 'hard line' on going digital-only will increase margins, but undoubtedly is not great for the consumer.
It'll be really interesting to see what moves are made with PS6. Crazy to hear that Sony got rid of Bluepoint.... as a Bluepoint-governed remake of Bloodborne for PS6 would have probably been the best chance of having a 'system seller' game. With diminishing returns each console generation, I'm not sure what will get me in for PS6 - especially considering the assumed pricepoint.
But I'm having a blast so far being back on PS5 this week. Saros is an absolute scream, especially as I think Returnal is one of the greatest games of all time (a hill I'll die on!)
I sold my original PS5 post-pandemic (when work travel opened up again)
But I plan to buy a digital slim PS5 in next month or so, mainly for Saros
Returnal is in my top 5 GOAT games, and I cannot wait to see what Housemarque have cooked up here. I appreciate that some might argue it looks quite iterative of what preceded it…. But I’m absolutely fine with a pseudo Returnal 2, take my money
IG did a great job with THPS3+4, gained a lot of favour with me... keen to see how they could/would revive these FO games via remasters. Watch this space I guess
Oh wow I am utterly surprised and disappointed in equal measure.
I had convinced myself that Sony acquired BP in order to get the studio to produce a Bloodborne remake for a PS6 launch title.... BP would have been so capable of delivering the product that all fans have been clamoring for. A Bloodborne remake by BP would have absolutely been a 'system seller' game for Playstation.
Very sad for the team, they did a great job bringing DeS to a modern standard
I'm really conflicted by this.... I adore BG3, but honestly I don't think anyone is crying out for this TV show to happen.
It has huge potential, but the recent mismanagement of TLoU is a very sobering wake-up call to what the reality will likely be for this project.
Also - the VA work in BG3 is just so outstandingly great, that I genuinely think it would be impossible to cast (if indeed they use the main 'player' characters as a basis for the plot)
I can't fathom anyone else being Astarian over Neil Newbon.... or Shadowheart outside of Jen English. Those performances really breathed such a life into those characters, not to mention Lae'Zel / Gale / Karlach.... all of them fantastic.
Nice to see Sven backing it publicly, as I can imagine he probably has similar panic attacks as to the havoc that Craig can wreak with this IP lol.
The casting for this thing is so off-key… I think Pedro and Bella are fine actors, but not suited for J & A.
The overall writing quality seemed to plummet also in S2. I wish they’d done more concerted fleshing out of peripheral characters …. Frank & Bill episode was really well thought out IMO
Fallout is perhaps a good example of how a show can genuinely by bolstered by an excellent cast
I'm delighted that people our there are enjoying Nightreign... but for me personally, this is not the kind of output that I want out of FromSoft. I appreciate that the Elden Ring IP is a huge cash-maker for From, but I just really hope they don't end up milking it with a ton of spinoffs and side-projects (squeezing every drop out it, similar to SE and their handling of FF7)
I'd love to see From do something new and exciting in the single-player space, genuinely really enjoyed Armored Core 6 a couple of years back.
Duskbloods has me intrigued, but cautiously tempering my expectations.
@Scrubchub I'm with you on this, I favour Nine Sols to HK/SS as well. I've always been a big fan of parry-based combat, Sekiro being my favorite game of all time, and Nine Sols absolutely scratched that itch.
I'm curious for your take on difficulty here.... Nine Sols, some of the bosses absolutely kicked my ass and took multiple attempts. But with NS, I always felt that the challenge was surmountable and that my failings were down to me (not yet mastering the patterns and openings)
But with SS.... I honestly feel that I'm getting nailed more due to the absolute insanity of how much is happening on-screen! I'm at the flying bug boss, who occasionally summons other flying creatures, and even with the best reflexes in the world I think this would be hard. Also, the 70-ish second run back to this boss is genuinely making me want to throw my Switch out the window lol.
Surely in 2025 we can have checkpoints next to a boss room?!
@betasector So far this is my only real 'bugbear' (pun intended) with the game. The downward pogo mechanic is a nightmare!
Some of the platforming sections in the original HK were tough enough, even with the ability to do a directly downward/vertical pogo. In SS the downward/diagonal pogo is so frustrating... maybe a skill issue on my part, but this review has reaffirmed that I can't be the only one finding this tedious.
Otherwise its pretty much what I expected, more Hollow Knight. If you enjoyed HK then its a pretty faithful sequel, but if you hated HK then there is probably nothing that would pull a player in!
I think it has been incredibly lucky to get the nominations it has this year... Season 2 (IMO) was pretty lacklustre. Pedro is just about serviceable as Joel, but Bella is a tragic miscast for Ellie.
The highs of Season 1 (Frank & Bill episode for example) managed to outweigh the lows for me, but I always feared that telling the 'Part 2' story would require aptitude above & beyond what this show is capable of...
On a separate note, delighted to see Severance landing so well with the Emmys. Britt Lower (Helly R) was an absolute MVP all season, and I really hope she gets Lead Actress.
I feel a bit like GoY will suffer from the same level of iteration as other 'more of the same' sequels. Namely: TotK, GoWR, Horizon Forbidden West, Spiderman 2...
All great games objectively, but lacking that sense of wonderment and newness that their predecessors managed to provide.
I adored GoT, but do echo the comments here that it seems to be more-of-the-same but on a larger scale
Ahh I read the title and assumed a Switch2 port was in the works... that would/could be awesome, as Lies played excellently on Steamdeck (which should be a reasonable benchmark for indicative S2 performance)
FfXVI is fine, and actually quite good in places… but surely XB owners seeking a JRPG would lean to E33, which is also on Gamepass? GP has been rocking last few months in fairness. My kid has a series S and the GP library is really quite decent, enough to keep you v occupied
I love FromSoft, but I am genuinely curious as to who this game "is for"? It does seem a little cash-grabby, and I hope that From don't start peddling out the Elden Ring namesake in the same volumous fashion as Squeenix do with FF7 (!)
Instead of this, I would have rather that this team/money/resource/time was invested in remastering DS2 and DS3, maybe even then sell as a 3-piece bundle including the 2018 remaster of DS1. Take my money...
Don't shoot me.... but this IMO remains still the best PS5 game out there.
At launch it was a masterclass in visuals from Day1, so it must be set for eye-watering beauty considering the Pro-patch.
Such an excellent 'all round' showcase for the PS5, in terms of visuals / haptics / 3d-audio / and moment-to-moment gameplay.
The devs did a great job listening to community also, eventually patching in 'suspend run' feature. I actually managed to beat the game and platinum pre-patch, but it was extremely stressful leaving ps5 in rest mode (praying that any impending system updates wouldn't close the game and subsequently lose my run lol)
Someone please clarify here…. So let’s say Elden Ring was the final game in this gauntlet, had the streamer taken a hit in ER then he would have gone all the way back to ‘game 1’ (assuming Dark Souls?)
That is absolutely brutal if so, fair play to the lad
This is exactly what I was scared of. I'd love to give From the benefit of the doubt, but this article (and more specifically, the swift removal of the excerpt from the Steam page) is fairly damning.
I'll still likely worship at the altar of FromSoft... but this whole direction/strategy regarding Nightreign just reeks of 'Big Corpo'.
Never in a million years did I envisage From releasing something that would encourage MTX/DLC to yield the privilege of 'downloadable skins' (!)
I wish From had pooled the time, money, resources into something more akin to their usual quality and output.
Generally speaking, I worship at the altar of FromSoft - Sekiro being one of my favorite games of all time. I loved Elden Ring, plaintum'd it twice (once on PS, and then did another 100% achievement run on Steamdeck).
Even Armored Core6.... amazing game, wasn't sure it would land for me but it absolutely delivered.
I genuinely hope to be proven wrong, but Nightreign really seems to be an exercise in trend-chasing.... and the 'money men' making a push to utilise From's beloved IP as a tool to lean into the Helldivers2 model? (with a splash of Fortnite / Overwatch?)
I heard Miyazaki isn't involved in this though? Allegedly he is working on From's 'next big project' - for which I am glad, as it infers he is being put to better use than spearheading Nightreign.
Since recently beating Nine Sols, and still suffering from the PTSD that came from several weeks vs Eigong (final boss) - I’m currently playing 2 puzzle games concurrently: 1) Loco-Motive: a Lucasarts-inspired P&C adventure game, gorgeously crafted with solid voice acting and strong gameplay. A little on the easy side, and doesn’t quite capture the same magic as recent genre peers (Return to MI, Thimbleweed Park, Lucy Dreaming etc) - but a nice chilled enjoyable time. 2) Rise of the Golden Idol: never played the predecessor, but this game is top tier. Sort of a detective-style mystery puzzler - in which you fill in the gaps of various crimes by deducing elements of crime scenes. A high recommend, best puzzler I’ve played since Lorelei & the Laser Eyes
Finally beat Nine Sols, after a couple of weeks getting smoked by the final boss! Practice makes perfect, finally got her done after what felt like 100s of attempts. Proud to say I didn’t drop the difficult and managed to beat her on Standard/normal mode! It was a hard lesson though in terms of just how important exploration is…. And my lack of this meant being severely underpowered upon reaching ‘the point of no return’ - which lead to an even rougher ride with the last boss. An amazing game though, like a 2D-Sekiro. If you love MV titles and Souls difficulty, Nine Sols is an easy recommend.
Now playing the excellent Loco-Motive, a point-click game that clearly wears its Lucasarts influences on its sleeves. About a third through and loving it - the VA work and art style is really great. Maybe a tad on the easy side, although a few puzzles have had me scratching my head for a bit. Maybe feels a bit easy due to Lorelei being the last game I played from this genre, which was remarkably tough!
After Loco-Motive I’m torn between starting the new Ender Lillies sequel or instead Rise of Golden Idol…‘can’t quite decide!
@ear_wig 100% right? Also the assumed PS6 launch date will likely coincide with the rumoured Bloodborne movie… allowing Sony plenty of cross-media synergy (they’ve shown they like to do this, eg TLoU remasters and TV show)
Also these extra years between ‘now’ and launch allow for some extra justification concerning the existence of the remake… not to mention that fans are desperate! (I include myself here)
I’m excited for the quality that Bluepoint will bring to the table, especially with next gen tech
Happy to wait for this tbh, and would rather a full scale remake in a few years va a 60fps patch today
PS6 launch title surely? Sony acquisition of Bluepoint must point towards such...
Get Bluepoint to give BB the DeS remake treatment, 'from the ground up' etc... would be a beautiful creature on PS6 tech, and a real system-seller of a game I think
I think it’s placing is fair, as your mileage will vary depending on your genre comparability (deck games are still relatively niche in mainstream…. Maybe not the same ‘universal’ appeal as something like Astro)
For me personally, it was actually my no.1 this year … but I adore games like Spire, Inscryption etc + I actually play poker IRL. My top 3 would be Balatro (1) , Nine Sols (2) , Lorelei (3)
I think it would be criminal for Balatro to not be placed ‘somewhere’ in most top 10 lists for the year, but I appreciate the ranking may vary. Been a strong year, and very genre diverse
Laying groundwork for that PS6-exclsuive Bloodborne full-scale remake.... (Sony already fully acquired Bluepoint, who helmed the DeS 2020 remake...so they have the studio ready now alongside the additional 'skin in the game' regarding their relationship w/FromSoft)
I mean... I kind of see it from both sides, and as a Poker player (IRL) I can see how Balatro could be seen as somewhat of a 'gateway drug' into the real world of poker playing and gambling. HOWEVER - I absolutely believe that ratings need to be reviewed for other games, example in case FIFA series, where real loot box mechanics exist.
The 18 cert probably hasn't harmed Balatro sales though, with the notoriety and additional publicity likely facilitating some great exposure.
On a side-note... I am curious to how many Balatro players/owners are actually under the age of 18? I wasn't sure if this game would be able to permeate the sub-18 crowd, who I'd imagine are more bound by live-service/annual release titles like Fortnite, COD, FIFA etc??
I genuinely hope to be proven wrong here, but for me personally - this is not something I would have wanted FromSoft to have pursued. For the longest time, FromSoft have been a great bastion of 'identity strength' and put forward such a strong foot in their uncompromising approach to curating their portfolios. With Elden Ring, I feel they almost achieved the impossible - by catering for long-term fans + managing to on-board many newcomers to the genre. Sekiro remains one of my favorite games of all time, and I even had a blast with AC6.
Nightreign though...... just reeks a little bit of a 'corporate suits directive', working to chase recent co-op successes like Helldivers2, splicing in Rogue elements and even a smidge of Monster Hunter. Having pre-set 'hero' builds also just makes me die inside a little, when build-diversity and personalisation is such a key facet of From's games (less Sekiro of course).
I do appreciate From not going down the MTX/Live-Service route.... but this is one of the rare occasions where I actually think this game would benefit from such. I'm definitely notn sold on committing to an outright purchase (at assumedly approx ~50 $USD or circa). A F2P model might actually encourage more players to dip the toe in the water, as opposed to turning people off by an up-front price point (Concord....?)
My Christmas wish would have been for FromSoft to invest time/resource into patching in their own 'official/native' version of the well-known Seamless Co-Op mod being used by PC players (effectively allows a full co-op playthrough for entire game) and implementing cross-play alongside such. I think that would have been enough for long-term ER fans, and yielded a great deal more investment from the installed base.
I'm actually pleased to see Miyazaki has farmed this job out to another employee, which suggests he will be/is working on the next big game....
Like I say, I am genuinely willing this game to be a success - and will always root for FromSoftware - but this to me just seems like a wild mis-step, in the spirit of trend chasing (Something that From certainly does not need to do!)
BMW is a ‘fine enough’ game… but nothing ground breaking in my opinion, moreso a cocktail of clear inspirations from other genres/games. BG3 it certainly ain’t…! (A very worthy GOTY)
Whilst Astro wasn’t my personal pick this year (#1 Balatro, #2 Nine Sols, #3 Lorelei) I’m personally really pleased Astro won. It’s a great game, and a brilliant example of ‘fun for all the family’ - immaculately presented also and making great use of the hardware. Nice to see a bit of competition vs Nintendo in this regard, who would usually monopolise this genre. The Astro dev speech was great as well, calling out Big N as a clear influence (I like that kind of thing)
The sore loser discourse from the BMW team however, just pathetic
@Xbox_Dashboard This is probably one of the few examples ever where I think the product they are pitching would actually BENEFIT from being pushed out as a F2P/live-service. Personally, the idea of spending a 'standalone' premium £££ on this concept has me a little cold. I would have liked the chance to jump in via a F2P model, and discern from that if it is 'for me' or not.
Why on earth are From not investing resources instead in making the 'seamless co-op' mod a native/built-in official update patch? That would be so awesome.
I really hope they pull it off, but this doesn't feel like the FromSoft I know and love. I'm all for innovation, but this seems like a push from the corporate suits upstairs - in an effort to capitalise on the good-will and branding associated with ER
I absolutely hate to say this, especially as a loyal advocate of 'all things FromSoft', but I feel that this endeavour is a big mis-step for the studio.
For me, they have always been uncompromising in delivering on a clear vision.... maintaining a consistent quality output, for a core fanbase.
Nightreign (dreadful name also, right?) seems like a real trend-chase, almost like a mish-mash of Hades/Helldivers/MonsterHunter..... I'm cringing at the very thought of Fromsoft utilising 'skins' and having pre-determined hero builds.
For my 2 cents - it would have been AMAZING if they had instead worked to create a native/official version of the already existing 'seamless co-op' mod available for PC players... and also made this cross-play. Just imagine how great that would have been!
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Re: 'We've Been 100% Listening': Insomniac Already Acting on Marvel's Wolverine Criticisms
The whole discourse on this game is absolutely fascinating. Insomniac coming under fire definitely wasn't on my 2026 bingo card...
I wonder what people were actually expecting this game to be? To me it seemed to always be presented as a linear action game, catering to a more casual mass-market.... a less-open & more-violent version of the Spiderman games.
Perhaps the game's age-rating (cert 18 here in the UK) is at odds with the level of 'hand holding' prevalent in the game...? The inference being that the game pertains to a level of 'player support' that older gamers may find patronising?
On a broader level, and not to get too tangential, I recently played Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart (as a palette cleanser after beating Saros). R&C is such a class game, and I'd love to see Insomniac freed from their 'Marvel shackles' and encouraged to explore other IPs - existing and/or brand new.
Wolverine I'm sure is a perfectly serviceable '7/10' game... but seems to be Insomniac at their least exciting.
Falling under Sony has also probably done zero favors for Insomniac also... and I do ponder if this game might have been slightly better received if it had launched in a world where Sony hadn't decided to go all-in on a digital future.
Also, price tag I genuinely believe does factor in to the broader conversation.... and a 70£ asking price for a game perceived as 'mid' is always going to be a sting vs an alternative lower pricepoint.
Finally - so many class games has been dropped this year..... and in a year awash with brilliant releases, I think people expect AAA budget games to do more to 'stand outside of the pack'.
Re: Marvel's Wolverine Guide: 100% Collectibles Walkthrough
Strange discourse here.... surely if you don't want to be spoilt, then just don't click on the link?
*EDIT - My only real bugbear is when article titles contain spoilers/leaks etc.... but as long as those elements are held back to form part of the article/video then surely not an issue?
Re: Lies of P Sequel Name Potentially Outed in Trademark Filing
Im all in on this… LoP is probably the best non-from Souls experience I’ve had.
I was popping over the end credits also, love the direction they are taking this sequel in
Good luck to Neowitz
Re: The Legend of Zelda Is the Only Big Name Willing to Go Up Against GTA 6 in November
The showcases sold me on both games, which admittedly I was only luke-warm on before.
Both games look great, and will be day1 buys from me. Hopefully enough time to finish Zelda before GTA drops... (but I don't mind starting GTA a little later, allowing me time to wrap up Zelda)
Re: It's a Miracle: GTA 6 Won't Make You Mash the X Button to Sprint
Does anyone know if Rockstar will be accommodating sick individuals like myself, and providing an option to invert the X-Axis camera?
They included this in the RDR1 remaster, but to my knowledge this option is not available in GTA5 or RDR2
Surely Rockstar will accept this nuance as a critical disability and bake it in to the camera options….?
(Currently engaged in extensive therapy and medication… but to no avail, I still need X-Axis inversion.)
Re: Watch GTA 6 Extended Look Here - 17 Things We've Learned
@Ticklefist your comment is incredibly accurate!
Never really been in to GTA, only ever sunk a few hours in to GTA3 on PS2(!) but otherwise its been a franchise that hasn't really gripped me.
But out of sheer interest I tuned in to the Netflix showcase... and just wow. I think I'm going to buy this thing now lol
Re: Until Dawn's Hayden Panettiere Tragically Passes Away Aged Just 36
Really sad, and 36 is absolutely no age at all.
I have fond memories of Heroes, wishing peace to her family and friends. RIP
Re: State of Play for Phantom Blade Zero Announced for Next Week, 11-Minute Trailer Revealed
@springer17 did you play the MS2 beta?
I love a good Soulsike, but really bounced off MS1.... just felt really clunky and uninspired (for the most part)
But so many people seem to be saying that MS2 is a comeback of biblical proportion, and the devs have absolutely nailed a banger of a game.
What was your experience? Just come off the back of Saros, have a brilliant time getting the Plat.... but not quite as good as Returnal IMO!
Re: Hyped PS5 Soulslike Mortal Shell 2 Has an Easy Difficulty Mode, But There's a Catch
I'm a little conflicted here, and not sure I'm fully on board with these options.
Maybe it sounds a little OCD, but I always like to know I'm playing "the intended experience" as author'd by the dev team. If I ignore the difficulty modifers (both easy mode and hard mode) is the main/normal path what was intended?
I recently got the platinum for Saros and felt similarly about the modifier elements....
I don't want to sound like a gatekeeper, and certainly value accessibility, but sometimes I think a product can be stronger if it doubles down on catering for a specific audience.
Although I found Silksong to be extremely challenging, to the point of frustration at times (!), I really respect how Team Cherry stuck to their guns and made the product they wanted to - catering to fans of the predecessor game
Re: Obsidian Is Officially Making a New Fallout Game
I genuinely think Asha Sharma is doing a pretty good job in turning around XB. Absolutely she’s needed to make some rough decisions (layoffs etc) - but ultimately the job she’s been tasked to do is reinvigorate the XB brand, make it ‘matter’ again, focus in on the key franchises and IPs + double-down on exclusives to keep the hardware sales alive
I always found it incredible that Fallout wasn’t given some kind of life injection after the success of the 1st TV season…. And I’m delighted to see that the IP is having some energy breathed into it
Re: Dev Accused of Ripping Off Monster Hunter Speaks Out, Says Capcom's Series Is an 'Inspiration'
RIP 'Wildhearts' - which IMO was genuinely a contender for the MH throne, a ton of really cool ideas.... just such a shame it was a busted launch.
The Switch2 version was actually a much better experience, albeit the framerate was a little schizophrenic at times! (was aiming for 60fps..... but hovered anywhere between 40-50s, they should have patched a locked 30 option!)
Re: July 2026 PS Plus Essential Games Available to Download Now
Just last week I brought back in to the PS ecosystem (second hand base PS5) …. And was hoping for a trio of bangers to justify a sub to Essential, but yeah this month certainly ain’t it!
I mainly want to sub for online play (MH Wilds) and also cloud saves, but I’ll sit back for a bit and look to solo a lot of Wilds I think.
I’m not particularly fussed by recent announcements, but I can see objectively that Sony’s recent gut shot to physical media is a really crap thing for the consumer in general
I’m loving the PS5 so far but expect I’ll stretch this console for as long as possible - no way I’m dropping $1000 for a PS6 that it effectively holding me ransom at the PS online storefront
Re: Poll: $1,000 and No Disc Drive - Is PS6 Dead on Arrival?
@16BitHero I'd say you might be worth giving Saros a go, even if you bounced off Returnal. Saros is actually far far more forgiving (IMO) and even includes an in-game difficulty balancer/modifier system + a skill-tree for permanent upgrades (which is pretty generous, I'm unlocking like 5-6 different nodes each run).
I don't like it quite as much as Returnal, but its still pretty great. For me 2026 has been brilliant for games so far. Resi9 was class, and I surprised myself also with Pokopia. Pokopia made my 14hr flight feel like 14 mins lol
Re: Poll: $1,000 and No Disc Drive - Is PS6 Dead on Arrival?
@16BitHero Zero Parades is a hell of a game, really cool experience. Falls a little short vs Disco, but that’s a pretty impossible standard for any game to measure up to!
GOTY (so far) for me is Saros, but my top 5 are all pretty close! Esoteric Ebb is a real gem; but I must confess in struggled a bit without VA
Re: Poll: $1,000 and No Disc Drive - Is PS6 Dead on Arrival?
Having literally just this week brought back in to the PS-ecosystem (base PS5 model) I'm definitely in no rush for a PS6.
The abolishment of physical media actually isn't too big an issue for me personally, but I definitely feel sorry for those that still cherish this format.... must really suck for a lot of people, not to mention that any instance of reducing consumer choice is pretty negative.
So much about modern gaming is pretty grim right. The layoffs, constant sequels/remakes, studios being purchased and tossed aside (Bluepoint!!).... and then of course the rising prices.
Gaming is truly becoming a 'luxury hobby' and for a lot of people, a (potentially) $1000 dollar console with digital-only access is a huge ask.
Then of course each generational leap is a diminishing return vs the last generation.... and I honestly can't see games really being 'that much better' on the next iteration of Playstation. That aside, some of the best games I've played this year are actually very non-demanding (Mina, Zero Parades, Mewgenics, Esoteric Ebb).... which begs the question, do I really NEED that PS6 extra oomph?
Playing through Saros now and having a great time. And honestly, if Saros was a 'permanent benchmark' for me in terms of maximum fidelity and performance - I'd be perfectly happy.
I'm not sure Sony quite knows how best to navigate the coming years. Whilst Nintendo is perhaps at their least imaginative/creative currently, I'd say that the Switch2 is maybe the best value-proposition at the moment vs PS and XB.
Who'd have thought that Game Key Cards would be the last bastion of physical media?!
Re: Reaction: PlayStation's Burned Through the Last Remaining Goodwill of Its Fans
The gaming industry is in such a fascinating state at the moment...
I actually just brought back in to the PS5 ecosystem, having had a break for the last 4 years (due to work travel / no home office, I sold my PS5).
Purchased a 2nd hand Disc (!) PS5 just Monday, and managed to grab an absolutely bargain on MH Wilds physical copy, £15 GBP from Amazon. I also got a copy of Saros 2nd hand for £35 GBP, roughly 50% new.
I don't feel particularly aggrieved by Sony's statement though, as generally this seems to be the way the world is going. Gaming is fast becoming a 'luxury' hobby, with some insane prices on consoles and software being thrown out.... and I suppose drawing a 'hard line' on going digital-only will increase margins, but undoubtedly is not great for the consumer.
It'll be really interesting to see what moves are made with PS6. Crazy to hear that Sony got rid of Bluepoint.... as a Bluepoint-governed remake of Bloodborne for PS6 would have probably been the best chance of having a 'system seller' game. With diminishing returns each console generation, I'm not sure what will get me in for PS6 - especially considering the assumed pricepoint.
But I'm having a blast so far being back on PS5 this week. Saros is an absolute scream, especially as I think Returnal is one of the greatest games of all time (a hill I'll die on!)
Re: Saros Offers Up Another Crumb of Delicious PS5 Gameplay Footage
I sold my original PS5 post-pandemic (when work travel opened up again)
But I plan to buy a digital slim PS5 in next month or so, mainly for Saros
Returnal is in my top 5 GOAT games, and I cannot wait to see what Housemarque have cooked up here. I appreciate that some might argue it looks quite iterative of what preceded it…. But I’m absolutely fine with a pseudo Returnal 2, take my money
Re: Rumour: Fallout Project, Possibly Remasters, Teased by Surprise Developer
IG did a great job with THPS3+4, gained a lot of favour with me... keen to see how they could/would revive these FO games via remasters. Watch this space I guess
Re: Sony Makes Shocking Decision to Shut Down Bluepoint Games
Oh wow I am utterly surprised and disappointed in equal measure.
I had convinced myself that Sony acquired BP in order to get the studio to produce a Bloodborne remake for a PS6 launch title.... BP would have been so capable of delivering the product that all fans have been clamoring for. A Bloodborne remake by BP would have absolutely been a 'system seller' game for Playstation.
Very sad for the team, they did a great job bringing DeS to a modern standard
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Story Will Continue in New HBO TV Show
I'm really conflicted by this.... I adore BG3, but honestly I don't think anyone is crying out for this TV show to happen.
It has huge potential, but the recent mismanagement of TLoU is a very sobering wake-up call to what the reality will likely be for this project.
Also - the VA work in BG3 is just so outstandingly great, that I genuinely think it would be impossible to cast (if indeed they use the main 'player' characters as a basis for the plot)
I can't fathom anyone else being Astarian over Neil Newbon.... or Shadowheart outside of Jen English. Those performances really breathed such a life into those characters, not to mention Lae'Zel / Gale / Karlach.... all of them fantastic.
Nice to see Sven backing it publicly, as I can imagine he probably has similar panic attacks as to the havoc that Craig can wreak with this IP lol.
Re: The Last of Us TV Show Might Be Over After Season 3
Yeh I checked out mid-S2 and won’t be returning.
The casting for this thing is so off-key… I think Pedro and Bella are fine actors, but not suited for J & A.
The overall writing quality seemed to plummet also in S2. I wish they’d done more concerted fleshing out of peripheral characters …. Frank & Bill episode was really well thought out IMO
Fallout is perhaps a good example of how a show can genuinely by bolstered by an excellent cast
Re: Returnal's Influence Expands with PS5 Roguelite Shooter ARMATUS
"This game is set in the “demon-infested ruins of Paris”, which some would argue is just modern-day France" ..... (!)
Love me some Returnal, have high hopes for this one
Re: Elden Ring Nightreign DLC Revealed as The Forsaken Hollows, Out 4th December
@MJF Yeh snap on this...
I'm delighted that people our there are enjoying Nightreign... but for me personally, this is not the kind of output that I want out of FromSoft. I appreciate that the Elden Ring IP is a huge cash-maker for From, but I just really hope they don't end up milking it with a ton of spinoffs and side-projects (squeezing every drop out it, similar to SE and their handling of FF7)
I'd love to see From do something new and exciting in the single-player space, genuinely really enjoyed Armored Core 6 a couple of years back.
Duskbloods has me intrigued, but cautiously tempering my expectations.
Re: Review in Progress: Hollow Knight: Silksong (PS5) - A Silky Smooth Sequel Proving Well Worth the Wait
@Scrubchub I'm with you on this, I favour Nine Sols to HK/SS as well. I've always been a big fan of parry-based combat, Sekiro being my favorite game of all time, and Nine Sols absolutely scratched that itch.
I'm curious for your take on difficulty here.... Nine Sols, some of the bosses absolutely kicked my ass and took multiple attempts. But with NS, I always felt that the challenge was surmountable and that my failings were down to me (not yet mastering the patterns and openings)
But with SS.... I honestly feel that I'm getting nailed more due to the absolute insanity of how much is happening on-screen! I'm at the flying bug boss, who occasionally summons other flying creatures, and even with the best reflexes in the world I think this would be hard. Also, the 70-ish second run back to this boss is genuinely making me want to throw my Switch out the window lol.
Surely in 2025 we can have checkpoints next to a boss room?!
Re: Review in Progress: Hollow Knight: Silksong (PS5) - A Silky Smooth Sequel Proving Well Worth the Wait
@betasector So far this is my only real 'bugbear' (pun intended) with the game. The downward pogo mechanic is a nightmare!
Some of the platforming sections in the original HK were tough enough, even with the ability to do a directly downward/vertical pogo. In SS the downward/diagonal pogo is so frustrating... maybe a skill issue on my part, but this review has reaffirmed that I can't be the only one finding this tedious.
Otherwise its pretty much what I expected, more Hollow Knight. If you enjoyed HK then its a pretty faithful sequel, but if you hated HK then there is probably nothing that would pull a player in!
Re: Keep an Eye on ENDS, a GTA-Inspired Sandbox RPG Set in London
Yorkshire-based DLC...?
Re: 'By Every Objective Measure, We're Thriving': Microsoft CEO Expresses Gratitude to All Those Laid Off
@thechetearly I’m not normally one to comment, but I completely agree here
“Less is more, simple is best” - a brief message of sincere empathy would have been sufficient, or perhaps nothing at all
But the statement issued is so disarmingly unaware, and quite insensitive to all those who have felt the chop
Re: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Trophy List Will Put Your Skills to the Test for the Platinum
@Balaam_ not every game is for every player.... sometimes we need to accept something is not "for me".
I love Blasphemous (1 and 2) and can't wait to see the take that Game Kitchen bring to the NG series.... this is a day 1 for me.
I might not be tough enough for the Platinum (or equivalent) but I'll certainly work to beat the base game
Re: The Last of Us Season 2 Gets 16 Emmy Awards Nominations
I think it has been incredibly lucky to get the nominations it has this year... Season 2 (IMO) was pretty lacklustre. Pedro is just about serviceable as Joel, but Bella is a tragic miscast for Ellie.
The highs of Season 1 (Frank & Bill episode for example) managed to outweigh the lows for me, but I always feared that telling the 'Part 2' story would require aptitude above & beyond what this show is capable of...
On a separate note, delighted to see Severance landing so well with the Emmys. Britt Lower (Helly R) was an absolute MVP all season, and I really hope she gets Lead Actress.
Re: Poll: Are You Sold on Ghost of Yotei?
My 2 cents...
I feel a bit like GoY will suffer from the same level of iteration as other 'more of the same' sequels. Namely: TotK, GoWR, Horizon Forbidden West, Spiderman 2...
All great games objectively, but lacking that sense of wonderment and newness that their predecessors managed to provide.
I adored GoT, but do echo the comments here that it seems to be more-of-the-same but on a larger scale
Re: Two-Week Holiday, Bonus, Switch 2 for All Lies of P Devs After Game Sells 3 Million Units
Ahh I read the title and assumed a Switch2 port was in the works... that would/could be awesome, as Lies played excellently on Steamdeck (which should be a reasonable benchmark for indicative S2 performance)
Re: Final Fantasy 16 May Have Underperformed on PS5, But It's Doing Terribly on Xbox
FfXVI is fine, and actually quite good in places… but surely XB owners seeking a JRPG would lean to E33, which is also on Gamepass? GP has been rocking last few months in fairness. My kid has a series S and the GP library is really quite decent, enough to keep you v occupied
Re: Elden Ring Nightreign (PS5) - A Ruthless Roguelike Reinvention of the Lands Between
I love FromSoft, but I am genuinely curious as to who this game "is for"? It does seem a little cash-grabby, and I hope that From don't start peddling out the Elden Ring namesake in the same volumous fashion as Squeenix do with FF7 (!)
Instead of this, I would have rather that this team/money/resource/time was invested in remastering DS2 and DS3, maybe even then sell as a 3-piece bundle including the 2018 remaster of DS1. Take my money...
Re: Returnal, One of This Gen's Best Games, Gets a Massive PS5 Pro Upgrade
Don't shoot me.... but this IMO remains still the best PS5 game out there.
At launch it was a masterclass in visuals from Day1, so it must be set for eye-watering beauty considering the Pro-patch.
Such an excellent 'all round' showcase for the PS5, in terms of visuals / haptics / 3d-audio / and moment-to-moment gameplay.
The devs did a great job listening to community also, eventually patching in 'suspend run' feature. I actually managed to beat the game and platinum pre-patch, but it was extremely stressful leaving ps5 in rest mode (praying that any impending system updates wouldn't close the game and subsequently lose my run lol)
Re: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Actor Ascends, Takes Rightful Place Among Streaming Nobility
The next Neil Newbon…? Imagine the collab
Re: Random: The Ultimate Git Gud FromSoftware Challenge, Completed
Someone please clarify here…. So let’s say Elden Ring was the final game in this gauntlet, had the streamer taken a hit in ER then he would have gone all the way back to ‘game 1’ (assuming Dark Souls?)
That is absolutely brutal if so, fair play to the lad
Re: Pro Skater Claims to Be in an Upcoming Tony Hawk Remaster That's 'About to Come Out'
I expect this to be a 3+4 remaster, for which I'd certainly be pumped for.... but I am really really hoping it turns out to be THUG
Re: FromSoftware Plans to Flog Characters, Bosses as Elden Ring Nightreign DLC
This is exactly what I was scared of. I'd love to give From the benefit of the doubt, but this article (and more specifically, the swift removal of the excerpt from the Steam page) is fairly damning.
I'll still likely worship at the altar of FromSoft... but this whole direction/strategy regarding Nightreign just reeks of 'Big Corpo'.
Never in a million years did I envisage From releasing something that would encourage MTX/DLC to yield the privilege of 'downloadable skins' (!)
I wish From had pooled the time, money, resources into something more akin to their usual quality and output.
Re: Preview: Elden Ring Nightreign Is the Most Interesting PS5, PS4 Multiplayer Game of 2025
It saddens me how un-excited I am by this...
Generally speaking, I worship at the altar of FromSoft - Sekiro being one of my favorite games of all time. I loved Elden Ring, plaintum'd it twice (once on PS, and then did another 100% achievement run on Steamdeck).
Even Armored Core6.... amazing game, wasn't sure it would land for me but it absolutely delivered.
I genuinely hope to be proven wrong, but Nightreign really seems to be an exercise in trend-chasing.... and the 'money men' making a push to utilise From's beloved IP as a tool to lean into the Helldivers2 model? (with a splash of Fortnite / Overwatch?)
I heard Miyazaki isn't involved in this though? Allegedly he is working on From's 'next big project' - for which I am glad, as it infers he is being put to better use than spearheading Nightreign.
Hopefully From prove me wrong
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 567
Since recently beating Nine Sols, and still suffering from the PTSD that came from several weeks vs Eigong (final boss) - I’m currently playing 2 puzzle games concurrently:
1) Loco-Motive: a Lucasarts-inspired P&C adventure game, gorgeously crafted with solid voice acting and strong gameplay. A little on the easy side, and doesn’t quite capture the same magic as recent genre peers (Return to MI, Thimbleweed Park, Lucy Dreaming etc) - but a nice chilled enjoyable time.
2) Rise of the Golden Idol: never played the predecessor, but this game is top tier. Sort of a detective-style mystery puzzler - in which you fill in the gaps of various crimes by deducing elements of crime scenes. A high recommend, best puzzler I’ve played since Lorelei & the Laser Eyes
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 566
Finally beat Nine Sols, after a couple of weeks getting smoked by the final boss! Practice makes perfect, finally got her done after what felt like 100s of attempts. Proud to say I didn’t drop the difficult and managed to beat her on Standard/normal mode! It was a hard lesson though in terms of just how important exploration is…. And my lack of this meant being severely underpowered upon reaching ‘the point of no return’ - which lead to an even rougher ride with the last boss. An amazing game though, like a 2D-Sekiro. If you love MV titles and Souls difficulty, Nine Sols is an easy recommend.
Now playing the excellent Loco-Motive, a point-click game that clearly wears its Lucasarts influences on its sleeves. About a third through and loving it - the VA work and art style is really great. Maybe a tad on the easy side, although a few puzzles have had me scratching my head for a bit. Maybe feels a bit easy due to Lorelei being the last game I played from this genre, which was remarkably tough!
After Loco-Motive I’m torn between starting the new Ender Lillies sequel or instead Rise of Golden Idol…‘can’t quite decide!
Re: Why Hasn't Sony Done Anything with Bloodborne? Shuhei Yoshida Has a Theory
@ear_wig 100% right? Also the assumed PS6 launch date will likely coincide with the rumoured Bloodborne movie… allowing Sony plenty of cross-media synergy (they’ve shown they like to do this, eg TLoU remasters and TV show)
Also these extra years between ‘now’ and launch allow for some extra justification concerning the existence of the remake… not to mention that fans are desperate! (I include myself here)
I’m excited for the quality that Bluepoint will bring to the table, especially with next gen tech
Happy to wait for this tbh, and would rather a full scale remake in a few years va a 60fps patch today
Re: Why Hasn't Sony Done Anything with Bloodborne? Shuhei Yoshida Has a Theory
PS6 launch title surely? Sony acquisition of Bluepoint must point towards such...
Get Bluepoint to give BB the DeS remake treatment, 'from the ground up' etc... would be a beautiful creature on PS6 tech, and a real system-seller of a game I think
Re: Game of the Year: #5 - Balatro
I think it’s placing is fair, as your mileage will vary depending on your genre comparability (deck games are still relatively niche in mainstream…. Maybe not the same ‘universal’ appeal as something like Astro)
For me personally, it was actually my no.1 this year … but I adore games like Spire, Inscryption etc + I actually play poker IRL.
My top 3 would be Balatro (1) , Nine Sols (2) , Lorelei (3)
I think it would be criminal for Balatro to not be placed ‘somewhere’ in most top 10 lists for the year, but I appreciate the ranking may vary. Been a strong year, and very genre diverse
Re: Sony Becomes Kadokawa's Biggest Shareholder As Companies Form Alliance
Laying groundwork for that PS6-exclsuive Bloodborne full-scale remake.... (Sony already fully acquired Bluepoint, who helmed the DeS 2020 remake...so they have the studio ready now alongside the additional 'skin in the game' regarding their relationship w/FromSoft)
Re: PEGI Won't Budge on Balatro's Ridiculously Bloated European Age Rating
I mean... I kind of see it from both sides, and as a Poker player (IRL) I can see how Balatro could be seen as somewhat of a 'gateway drug' into the real world of poker playing and gambling. HOWEVER - I absolutely believe that ratings need to be reviewed for other games, example in case FIFA series, where real loot box mechanics exist.
The 18 cert probably hasn't harmed Balatro sales though, with the notoriety and additional publicity likely facilitating some great exposure.
On a side-note... I am curious to how many Balatro players/owners are actually under the age of 18? I wasn't sure if this game would be able to permeate the sub-18 crowd, who I'd imagine are more bound by live-service/annual release titles like Fortnite, COD, FIFA etc??
Re: Elden Ring: Nightreign Network Test to Take Place in February on PS5
I genuinely hope to be proven wrong here, but for me personally - this is not something I would have wanted FromSoft to have pursued. For the longest time, FromSoft have been a great bastion of 'identity strength' and put forward such a strong foot in their uncompromising approach to curating their portfolios. With Elden Ring, I feel they almost achieved the impossible - by catering for long-term fans + managing to on-board many newcomers to the genre. Sekiro remains one of my favorite games of all time, and I even had a blast with AC6.
Nightreign though...... just reeks a little bit of a 'corporate suits directive', working to chase recent co-op successes like Helldivers2, splicing in Rogue elements and even a smidge of Monster Hunter. Having pre-set 'hero' builds also just makes me die inside a little, when build-diversity and personalisation is such a key facet of From's games (less Sekiro of course).
I do appreciate From not going down the MTX/Live-Service route.... but this is one of the rare occasions where I actually think this game would benefit from such. I'm definitely notn sold on committing to an outright purchase (at assumedly approx ~50 $USD or circa). A F2P model might actually encourage more players to dip the toe in the water, as opposed to turning people off by an up-front price point (Concord....?)
My Christmas wish would have been for FromSoft to invest time/resource into patching in their own 'official/native' version of the well-known Seamless Co-Op mod being used by PC players (effectively allows a full co-op playthrough for entire game) and implementing cross-play alongside such. I think that would have been enough for long-term ER fans, and yielded a great deal more investment from the installed base.
I'm actually pleased to see Miyazaki has farmed this job out to another employee, which suggests he will be/is working on the next big game....
Like I say, I am genuinely willing this game to be a success - and will always root for FromSoftware - but this to me just seems like a wild mis-step, in the spirit of trend chasing (Something that From certainly does not need to do!)
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Fans Swing at Swen Vincke Speech, Review Bomb Baldur's Gate 3
BMW is a ‘fine enough’ game… but nothing ground breaking in my opinion, moreso a cocktail of clear inspirations from other genres/games. BG3 it certainly ain’t…! (A very worthy GOTY)
Whilst Astro wasn’t my personal pick this year (#1 Balatro, #2 Nine Sols, #3 Lorelei) I’m personally really pleased Astro won. It’s a great game, and a brilliant example of ‘fun for all the family’ - immaculately presented also and making great use of the hardware. Nice to see a bit of competition vs Nintendo in this regard, who would usually monopolise this genre. The Astro dev speech was great as well, calling out Big N as a clear influence (I like that kind of thing)
The sore loser discourse from the BMW team however, just pathetic
Re: Elden Ring: Nightreign Will Not Have Crossplay
@Xbox_Dashboard This is probably one of the few examples ever where I think the product they are pitching would actually BENEFIT from being pushed out as a F2P/live-service. Personally, the idea of spending a 'standalone' premium £££ on this concept has me a little cold. I would have liked the chance to jump in via a F2P model, and discern from that if it is 'for me' or not.
Why on earth are From not investing resources instead in making the 'seamless co-op' mod a native/built-in official update patch? That would be so awesome.
I really hope they pull it off, but this doesn't feel like the FromSoft I know and love. I'm all for innovation, but this seems like a push from the corporate suits upstairs - in an effort to capitalise on the good-will and branding associated with ER
Re: Elden Ring: Nightreign Will Not Have Crossplay
I absolutely hate to say this, especially as a loyal advocate of 'all things FromSoft', but I feel that this endeavour is a big mis-step for the studio.
For me, they have always been uncompromising in delivering on a clear vision.... maintaining a consistent quality output, for a core fanbase.
Nightreign (dreadful name also, right?) seems like a real trend-chase, almost like a mish-mash of Hades/Helldivers/MonsterHunter..... I'm cringing at the very thought of Fromsoft utilising 'skins' and having pre-determined hero builds.
For my 2 cents - it would have been AMAZING if they had instead worked to create a native/official version of the already existing 'seamless co-op' mod available for PC players... and also made this cross-play. Just imagine how great that would have been!