Delighted for this. I played it originally maybe 20ish years ago... so can't remember any puzzles (or solutions) which is great, so I'll essentially be going back in 'cold'.
Hate to say this, but I bounced off this game completely…. And actually just returned/refunded via Steam.
Objectively I can appreciate its solid enough, but it just doesn’t seem to understand ‘what it is’? Not quite a Soulslike, but not quite a RPG either…. Far too linear to be considered open-roaming, yet still includes branching paths? A skill tree system that is somewhat convoluted?
It seemed a bit like someone created a mix of Ghost of Tsushima, Bloodborne and Nioh? For me it just lacked an actually identity, and seems a bit unsure of what it’s going for.
I heard someone recently weigh it up against Lies of P - which is certainly somewhat derivative, but clearly understands what it is and what’s it’s going for.
I’m glad that BMW is landing well, but it didn’t do it for me at all
I really really hope this is good, and just wish the PR-machine would ‘take a breath’ before spilling more information. A release date, alongside more gameplay footage and/or a proper trailer, would be highly welcome.
In the wake of BG3 and Elden Ring, there still exists a huge appetite for high fantasy games & settings… i sincerely hope this can measure up
I haven’t ever played the series, but am well ready for someone a bit new
I’m honestly good with this. I think From struggled a bit with the open-world nature of the DLC, and working to populate it efficiently with adequate rewards (cookbooks…!)
A more linear experience would be welcomed by me, even to the extent of something completely streamlined like Lies of P.
From did it well with Sekiro I think, which in essence is quite linear… albeit later game has branching paths, giving some player agency in regards to what order to tackle which task etc
I’d like to see their take on Souls gunplay, maybe leaning into Remnant/Surge style tropes. Armored Core meets Dark Souls…?
But ultimately I’m glad that ER2 isn’t the next project.
@colonelkilgore Absolutely on the cards, another Bluepoint special - likely to tie in also with the forthcoming movie/TV tie-in… in typical Sony fashion!
As much as a 60FPS patch and up-scale would be great, I’d rather the resources were ploughed into a full scale remake- imagine how awesome it’ll be as a PS6 poster child!
Good on Kai though for using his platform to spread awareness. I’m certainly not his target demographic, nor am I fully aware of what he does, but I understand he has significant reach via social platforms…. And anyone that preaches BB is OK by me!
I'm not sick of the genre per se.... but I am sick of how over-saturated the market is with very average (or below average) games that fall within this bracket.
The quality seems to be far outweighed by quantity, with so many souls-like games striving for greatness - but instead ending up as quite forgettable.
It doesn't help that FromSoft have set the highest of standards also, making it difficulties for other devs to stand out in the crowd.
I'll certainly gives Lies of P its due though - a remarkable effort, and could easily be mistaken for an item in From's portfolio
@Dragoon1994 I know right! Insane but worthwhile, absolutely one of the best games I have ever played in my life. Totally not my 'usual thing' either... but it just engrossed me absolutely from start to end.
I played it on Steamdeck, but my 256GB LCD couldn't even download onto the SSD - because it requires an additional ~100GB 'placeholder' space on top of the needed actual game-space of 160GB!
@DennisReynolds I have to agree there, and it is absurd that AS hasn't had a win... let alone a nomination.
His portrayal of Homelander is genuinely a terrific showcase of acting - how he can flip between childish vulnerability and absolute menace is something to be seen!
I know that The Boys likes to wear its political opinions on its sleeve (moreso than ever in S4...) and wonder if this is partly to blame for the snubbing? But for sure, it is a crime this guy hasn't beeen formally recognised in that forum.
Delighted for Goggins btw, who has been a favorite actor of mine for over a decade.
For framing - I adore FromSoft, with Sekiro being in my top5 'Games of All Time' list. I've beaten most of their games, obtaining platinum trophies for DeS and Elden Ring base game. ER was also my personal GOTY for 2022.
This DLC though, and the difficulty curve..... feels strange? It took a while to dawn on me that the key to survival is essentially getting as many 'early-DLC' scadutree fragments as possible, to essentially boost damage-dealt and recede damage-received.
Once you get your fragment level to ~10-12, then many of the games enemies and bosses are absolutely manageable. Before this stage though, the game is near impossible... or at least it was for me!
I appreciate that From have tried something new here, and they definitely needed some measure to prevent level 500 players steamrolling the DLC, but something about it doesn't quite click for me. I am not getting the same satisfaction from beating bosses as I would in say... Sekiro. Instead in Erdtree I feel I am now winning thank to 'finding enough collectables in open world to boost survival'. Whereby in Sekrio, which is very hard btw, the game mechanics seem a lot fairer in challenging you to get better with the tools provided (but never being obnoxiously difficult for the sake of it).
I do wonder how From could have done things differently in terms of scaling? Maybe having a minimum and maximum entry level for DLC, perhaps level 100-150? And if you're over levelled, say level 200, the player would need to choose 50 levels to recede from stats of their choice? (DLC only)
Would be curious to see how others thing the gating could have been improved. For me, the DLC is definitely ticking all my boxes with expectation... aside from the difficulty/scaling management, which isn't landing at all. I do genuinely appreciate From have tried something, but do feel there could have been a better way to manage this?
The discourse being overwhelmingly negative in this regard is a bit unfair to From though - and perhaps representative of now having a whole new 'more mainstream' audience, who aren't acquainted with previous games DLC offerings and the expectation of challenge
@LiamCroft Great write up... and very jealous! Counting the days, really looking forward to this.
A couple of questions - can you take the new DLC weapons/talismans/ashes back into the base game? Or can they only be used in the DLC area?
And how could this influence matchmaking/co-op in base game? Would using a DLC weapon in base game prevent you from matching with others who have not purchased the DLC?
Delighted to see this, and great to see that some elements from Rise appear to have been incorporated (thank God that GS still has a counter...!)
I wish they would really work though to tone down the 'story' elements - which now seem to have dived into full Marvel/snark mode! I'm nitpicking though, genuinely looking forward to this.
Mixed feelings, but honestly I feel that these SoP showcases always seem to miss the 'key objective' = show gamers why they should own a Playstation!
Astrobot aside, many of the games presented will be multi-platform - and we really seem to be lacking exciting new IP from Sony. Insomniac seem to have been clipped into becoming 'the Marvel machine' and Naughty Dog are perhaps now tied in to TLoU franchising/sequels thanks to the success of the HBO show. Sucker Punch nowhere to be seen...?
And what of the more exciting acquisitions such as Housemarque (Returnal) and Bluepoint (DeS remake)... what are these studios working on? Both the aforementioned games were highlights of my PS5 time, and I'd be delighted to know/see what is coming next.
Instead we see Sony (alongside others) trying to chase live-service models and F2P concepts, whilst doubling down on remakes/remasters.
2024 has been a weak year for gaming in general IMO. I am looking forward to Erdtree later, but nothing else is grabbing me. Saying that though, I have enjoyed the new PoP game + Baltro + Animal Well. Hades 2 (EA) is also pretty great
On Steamdeck - currently just wrapped my NG playthrough on Elden Ring, ready for DLC incoming Got a dual Bloodhound Fang quality build all set, capping at level 160, and got 100% achievements. This was my second playthrough (first was PS5 on launch) and I pretty much steamrolled it in 55hrs.... 'eyes on the prize'. Can't wait for Erdtree
Having a cleanse now and playing "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis" (classic Lucasarts adventure game), then moving on to Hades 2!
@nessisonett I actually remember the launch weeks really well, and such great memories. Everyone discovering everything collectively was incredibly, and as you say - the different experiences of each player etc! In future, and whenever feasible, I would always want to play FS games (and DLC) on 'Day 1' and try to emulate that feeling again. Assuming you're day 1 for Erdtree? Will you be using a NG build or NG+?
After getting the platinum, and selling my PS5 thereafter, I re-purchased on SteamDeck and just last week managed to complete the game again.... ready for the DLC! ER runs amazingly well on deck, and was great to revisit after a couple of years away.
Found a good sub-reddit "Patches Emporium" that facilitates trading across all platforms. Managed to get a second Bloodhound Fang (in exchange for me giving away a Rivers of Blood). Now I have full +10 Powerstancing dual Bloodhound Fangs, and feel unstoppable!
Finally completed my (2nd) NG journey in Elden Ring, preparing for the DLC landing next month. I'd initially played at launch on PS5, attaining the platinum trophy, and then hadn't revisited the game since....
Picked ER up again on Steamdeck, and as this is now my primary means of gaming, I started a new run. 55hrs later, managed to get 100% achievements and a character at lv144. Going to pick up a few enhancements to support my build, potentially a quick re-spec also, and then lay the game to rest until next month.
This weekend I plan to tackle Animal Well as a 'palette-cleanser' game, and really looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about? I saw on Metacritic that AW is the 2nd highest reviewed game this year... even just above the mighty Balatro at #3 (!)
If I can push through Animal Well quickly, it will then finally be time for Hades 2 on early access - which I'm remarkably excited about
I'm absolutely fine with this - and think that there seems to be a real confidence from FromSoftware in this release. Judging from their DLC track-record, this is probably as close to a 'sure thing' as we will see in 2024.
I like the fact that they also won't have dev teams tied into the 'franchising' of Elden Ring (multiple expansions etc) and instead can focus on other projects.
Just need me some Sekiro DLC now... or (dare I whisper it) Sekiro 2?!
It hit me like a brick that 'Shadow of the Erd Tree' will now be released in <2months... so time to get back into Elden Ring, in preparation for being DLC-ready.
I originally played on PS5 at launch, getting the platinum trophy, but am now starting up a new playthrough on SteamDeck. Runs pretty well on handheld, 30FPS fairly stable with a couple minor dips - very playable though.
Just got through Stormveil castle, and considering my next move..
Perhaps only a matter of time until we see a live-action Baldurs brought to the small and/or large screen? Following on from the success stories of Fallout/TLoU... surely this is a case of "when" instead of "if"?
Assuming this does happen, it would be incredible to see Neil play the role. He really brought Astarian to life, and seems genuinely enthused regarding the part he got to play in BG3
Bluepoint have been incredibly quiet since Sony's acquisition, and if anyone if likely to be commissioned for the (surely inevitable remake) then it will be them.
I believe that the PS6 launch will have Bloodborne remake as an exclusive, similar to how DeS was launched with PS5. This timeline would then also coincide with the Bloodborne movie, still early in development.
Sony had great success in TLoU remake and TV show 'trading off' one another, and likely will seek to emulate a similar level of buzz with Bloodborne.
This would also make sense as to why there is still no 60fps patch available etc... no point in providing a 'halfway house' when a full scale remake is in play.
It is coming for sure, but we will have to wait I reckon
On a separate note, I'm really glad to see that Rebirth has landed well with critics.... with the only real criticism pertaining to excess bloat/padding (the issue I had with Remake).
Delighted to see IX got the hotspot, this is actually my personal favorite. VIII is also a great game, although I appreciate somewhat contentious due to having the impossible act of following VII!
It does look pretty decent in fairness, and FromSoft's reputation for producing killer DLC is pretty solid.
Not to sound ungrateful, but I'm still hoping for a Sekiro 2. Given the choice, I would have rather passed up AC6 and ER-DLC for From to have dedicated their dev teams for a Sekiro sequel!
Sekiro was my first From game, and got me back into gaming during the pandemic... won't ever forget the thrill of beating Lady Butterfly
Ignore the click-baity title, these guys (UK based) are genuinely sound and fairly astute/objective in their analysis. They also discuss possible implications for Sony/Nintendo, both positive and negative, alongside consideration for exactly Microsoft "wants to be" in the gaming space.
Really interesting, only 20 mins, and gives a really solid and grounded analysis
I wonder if Microsoft is 'testing the waters' before potentially exiting the console-space, and then utilising GamePass as their gaming 'ecosystem'. I suppose potentially they could lock future exclusives behind GamePass, with access then being contingent on have GP on your Playstation and/or Switch2 (not sure how this would work business-wise, and if Sony/Nintendo play ball)
@LiamCroft you did a fine job articulating your thoughts, and I empathise with the situation at hand (Re. no early review code...)
I think you've confirmed a lot of people's expectations regarding this game, and I expect it will get lost/ignored among the other tremendous titles recently released (or soon to be...)
LAD / FF7 Rebirth / Tekken / P3 will certainly open people's wallets, and I'm not really sure if there is a solid/broad audience for SS?!
Be interesting to see how it lands critically, and with fans, but I expect quite average reviews and a fade into obscurity...
@ErrantRob Thanks, think I'm convinced! I've too heard the Platinum grind is horrendous..... shame though, as the Lies of P platinum is a pleasure, can be done in 2 playthroughs if you scum and genuinely pretty fun. Thanks again
@trymer89 Glad you're enjoying Wonder! It'll be interesting to see where the big N take the franchise with 'Switch 2'... I'd imagine another 3D entry maybe? Either way, sure it'll land well
@trymer89 I have this also, and it is a fantastic pallete-cleanser. In a year full of big releases, Wonder seems to have got lost in the wash as 'just another serviceable Mario game'... but it really is quite excellent and fun. A little on the easy side, but thats to be expected with the territory I suppose... no one plays Mario for a rage-quit fix
I enjoyed TLF, but probably marked it down a bit due to being spoilt by Blasphemous 2 a few months prior... (If you've not played B2, you'll probably love it if you enjoyed TLF)
Nice to hear that LotF landed with you, as the critical/fanbase reception was incredibly mixed. Lies of P seemed to have been met with unanimous praise, and rightly so(!), but Lords didn't seems to do so well.
How would you rank Lords among the sea of Souls-like game currently in the market? I'm definitely intrigued, but maybe leaning more towards Grime.... although Lords is currently on sale via Steam!
After polishing off 100% on ‘The Last Faith’, I’m sticking to tradition in alternating between brutally challenging games and old-school P&C adventure games…
Last night started “Justin Wack & The Big Time Hack” - great P&C very reminiscent of classic Lucasarts, with similar art style to Day of the Tentacle.
Once I’ve finished Justin Wack, I’m torn between what to play for the next ‘hard’ game. Choosing between Lords of the Fallen, Grime or new Prince of Persia
I'm probably in the minority here, but I really liked where they took the narrative... something 'new' and almost seems to be like FF7 NG+ approach to story telling. The original will always exist, and I don't think the adapted/sequel narrative takes away from that.
I thought this was a pretty decent 40hr game.... but with padding/bloat removed it could have been an amazing 20hr game. Combat is great though, arguably best that FF has ever been IMO
@ItsBritneyB_tch Ah I'd agree but disagree somewhat. TGA do provoke a nice bit of industry exposure, and ultimately are a fun means of speculation.... I'd concur that whatever "wins" is pretty immaterial, but equally I think nominations and such are a nice hat-tip to the devs that have worked long and hard on their output.
To your point, of course you'd rather have a record breaking smash-hit (vs an arbitrary award) but nonetheless it would have been nice to see the HL devs get some dues in a public forum such as TGA.
@Jill_Sandwich I'm definitely not going to get involved in the surrounding discourse here... but I completely agree with you. From a simply objective standpoint, and considering the volume of sales(!), it seems crazy this game wasn't mentioned at TGA.
Whilst I don't think it would necessarily have been GOTY over Baldurs/Zelda (my top 2 picks) I think it should have been in the conversation.
Finished up getting 100% achievements in ‘The Last Faith’ so will be jumping back to BG3 after a brief hiatus (mid-Act 2, temporarily put it down to avoid burnout).
On the side I’ll also be doing a few levels of ‘Humanity’ which is a great Lemmings-esque puzzler - really good!
I also picked up Marvel Midnight Suns in the Steam sale, so might give that a whirl
Taking a brief hiatus from Baldurs Gate so as to avoid burnout! Currently midway through Act2, loving every second, but am wary of overplaying this game and don’t want to get BG fatigue.
Whilst I break from BG3, I’m playing ‘Humanity’ and ‘The Last Faith’. The former is a terrific little puzzler that is essentially a 3D version of Lemmings, whilst the latter is somewhat of a Blasphemous clone… Both games are solid enough and should be short playthroughs, after which I’ll get back to Baldurs
Side note - last week I played and completed ‘Cocoon’, which was genuinely an amazing little puzzle game… a high recommend.
@Texus I actually agree with your takes on both games, albeit let’s give SM2 its dues - as the fastest selling PS game ever, with >5mil copies sold in a week(!), it is obviously appealing to a really wide audience.
At risk of sounding patronising, and not intending to do so, I think that the game does a remarkable job in catering for a more casual market - and netting a lot of different demographics. My kids could play SM2, and would invariably love it.
SM2 isn’t my personal thing, but I can objectively appreciate it does what it sets out to do and does it very well.
Baldurs is immaculate IMO - but equally it’s not for everyone.
What I really enjoy about these lists, and especially the staff team personal top 5, is highlighting the lesser known gems… got me into Cocoon, which is never heard of and would have missed out on
Comments 233
Re: Preview: Broken Sword Is Back in the Most Passionate Remaster Possible
Delighted for this. I played it originally maybe 20ish years ago... so can't remember any puzzles (or solutions) which is great, so I'll essentially be going back in 'cold'.
Day1 for me
Re: Black Myth: Wukong (PS5) - A Spectacularly Creative Action Romp
Hate to say this, but I bounced off this game completely…. And actually just returned/refunded via Steam.
Objectively I can appreciate its solid enough, but it just doesn’t seem to understand ‘what it is’? Not quite a Soulslike, but not quite a RPG either…. Far too linear to be considered open-roaming, yet still includes branching paths? A skill tree system that is somewhat convoluted?
It seemed a bit like someone created a mix of Ghost of Tsushima, Bloodborne and Nioh? For me it just lacked an actually identity, and seems a bit unsure of what it’s going for.
I heard someone recently weigh it up against Lies of P - which is certainly somewhat derivative, but clearly understands what it is and what’s it’s going for.
I’m glad that BMW is landing well, but it didn’t do it for me at all
Re: Poll: Rate Your Favourite PS5 Roguelike Games
@hypnotoad x 2 Returnal
Such a showcase game for the PS5 to this day.
Re: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Opening Will Make Inquisition's Finale Look 'Like a Minor Inconvenience'
I really really hope this is good, and just wish the PR-machine would ‘take a breath’ before spilling more information. A release date, alongside more gameplay footage and/or a proper trailer, would be highly welcome.
In the wake of BG3 and Elden Ring, there still exists a huge appetite for high fantasy games & settings… i sincerely hope this can measure up
I haven’t ever played the series, but am well ready for someone a bit new
Re: Elden Ring 'Really the Limit' for How Large FromSoftware's Games Can Be
I’m honestly good with this. I think From struggled a bit with the open-world nature of the DLC, and working to populate it efficiently with adequate rewards (cookbooks…!)
A more linear experience would be welcomed by me, even to the extent of something completely streamlined like Lies of P.
From did it well with Sekiro I think, which in essence is quite linear… albeit later game has branching paths, giving some player agency in regards to what order to tackle which task etc
I’d like to see their take on Souls gunplay, maybe leaning into Remnant/Surge style tropes. Armored Core meets Dark Souls…?
But ultimately I’m glad that ER2 isn’t the next project.
Re: Streaming Superstar Kai Cenat Campaigns for Bloodborne on PS5, PC
@Mikey856 I genuinely think it is on the cards. The movie being early in development is such a 'green light' for me on this one...
PS6 Launch title, tied with movie release, developed by Bluepoint. Limited/timed exclusive on PS, before a port to PC later down the line.
That would absolutely print money, especially if Elden Ring was referenced in the marketing material.
Re: Streaming Superstar Kai Cenat Campaigns for Bloodborne on PS5, PC
@colonelkilgore
Absolutely on the cards, another Bluepoint special - likely to tie in also with the forthcoming movie/TV tie-in… in typical Sony fashion!
As much as a 60FPS patch and up-scale would be great, I’d rather the resources were ploughed into a full scale remake- imagine how awesome it’ll be as a PS6 poster child!
Good on Kai though for using his platform to spread awareness. I’m certainly not his target demographic, nor am I fully aware of what he does, but I understand he has significant reach via social platforms…. And anyone that preaches BB is OK by me!
Re: Ghost of Tsushima Now Considered a Major Influence for Big Open World Games
@TicklefistCP same, I always thought of Ghost as "a rich man's Ubisoft experience"
Re: Poll: Are You Sick of Soulslike Games?
I'm not sick of the genre per se.... but I am sick of how over-saturated the market is with very average (or below average) games that fall within this bracket.
The quality seems to be far outweighed by quantity, with so many souls-like games striving for greatness - but instead ending up as quite forgettable.
It doesn't help that FromSoft have set the highest of standards also, making it difficulties for other devs to stand out in the crowd.
I'll certainly gives Lies of P its due though - a remarkable effort, and could easily be mistaken for an item in From's portfolio
Re: Baldur's Gate 3's Big Patch 7 Delayed, Highlights Teased
@Dragoon1994 I know right! Insane but worthwhile, absolutely one of the best games I have ever played in my life. Totally not my 'usual thing' either... but it just engrossed me absolutely from start to end.
Re: UK Sales Charts: Prince of Persia, Cyberpunk Jump Back into Top 10
PoP is well worth the admission price at 50% off.... great game.
Re: Baldur's Gate 3's Big Patch 7 Delayed, Highlights Teased
@Dragoon1994 I feel you...
I played it on Steamdeck, but my 256GB LCD couldn't even download onto the SSD - because it requires an additional ~100GB 'placeholder' space on top of the needed actual game-space of 160GB!
Had to grab a 512GB SD Card.
It is such a cool game though, really excellent.
Re: Baldur's Gate 3's Big Patch 7 Delayed, Highlights Teased
@Dragoon1994 I think around ~160 GB give or take
Re: Amazon's Excellent Fallout TV Adaptation Up for 16 Emmy Awards
@DennisReynolds I have to agree there, and it is absurd that AS hasn't had a win... let alone a nomination.
His portrayal of Homelander is genuinely a terrific showcase of acting - how he can flip between childish vulnerability and absolute menace is something to be seen!
I know that The Boys likes to wear its political opinions on its sleeve (moreso than ever in S4...) and wonder if this is partly to blame for the snubbing? But for sure, it is a crime this guy hasn't beeen formally recognised in that forum.
Delighted for Goggins btw, who has been a favorite actor of mine for over a decade.
Re: Poll: Can a Game's Brutal Difficulty Put You Off Playing It?
I'm really on the fence regarding this topic.
For framing - I adore FromSoft, with Sekiro being in my top5 'Games of All Time' list. I've beaten most of their games, obtaining platinum trophies for DeS and Elden Ring base game. ER was also my personal GOTY for 2022.
This DLC though, and the difficulty curve..... feels strange? It took a while to dawn on me that the key to survival is essentially getting as many 'early-DLC' scadutree fragments as possible, to essentially boost damage-dealt and recede damage-received.
Once you get your fragment level to ~10-12, then many of the games enemies and bosses are absolutely manageable. Before this stage though, the game is near impossible... or at least it was for me!
I appreciate that From have tried something new here, and they definitely needed some measure to prevent level 500 players steamrolling the DLC, but something about it doesn't quite click for me. I am not getting the same satisfaction from beating bosses as I would in say... Sekiro. Instead in Erdtree I feel I am now winning thank to 'finding enough collectables in open world to boost survival'. Whereby in Sekrio, which is very hard btw, the game mechanics seem a lot fairer in challenging you to get better with the tools provided (but never being obnoxiously difficult for the sake of it).
I do wonder how From could have done things differently in terms of scaling? Maybe having a minimum and maximum entry level for DLC, perhaps level 100-150? And if you're over levelled, say level 200, the player would need to choose 50 levels to recede from stats of their choice? (DLC only)
Would be curious to see how others thing the gating could have been improved. For me, the DLC is definitely ticking all my boxes with expectation... aside from the difficulty/scaling management, which isn't landing at all. I do genuinely appreciate From have tried something, but do feel there could have been a better way to manage this?
The discourse being overwhelmingly negative in this regard is a bit unfair to From though - and perhaps representative of now having a whole new 'more mainstream' audience, who aren't acquainted with previous games DLC offerings and the expectation of challenge
Re: The Witcher Congratulates Elden Ring's DLC Triumph with Awesome Artwork
This is really cool, and fair play to CDPR here. Loving Erdtree so far, great to see another industry behemoth salute FromSoft for their stellar work.
Re: Preview: Elden Ring Promises a DLC Masterclass in Shadow of the Erdtree
@LiamCroft Great write up... and very jealous! Counting the days, really looking forward to this.
A couple of questions - can you take the new DLC weapons/talismans/ashes back into the base game? Or can they only be used in the DLC area?
And how could this influence matchmaking/co-op in base game? Would using a DLC weapon in base game prevent you from matching with others who have not purchased the DLC?
Re: Monster Hunter Wilds Is Making Some Big Changes as Capcom Drops First Gameplay Details
Delighted to see this, and great to see that some elements from Rise appear to have been incorporated (thank God that GS still has a counter...!)
I wish they would really work though to tone down the 'story' elements - which now seem to have dived into full Marvel/snark mode! I'm nitpicking though, genuinely looking forward to this.
Re: Poll: What Did You Think of Sony's State of Play for May 2024?
Mixed feelings, but honestly I feel that these SoP showcases always seem to miss the 'key objective' = show gamers why they should own a Playstation!
Astrobot aside, many of the games presented will be multi-platform - and we really seem to be lacking exciting new IP from Sony. Insomniac seem to have been clipped into becoming 'the Marvel machine' and Naughty Dog are perhaps now tied in to TLoU franchising/sequels thanks to the success of the HBO show. Sucker Punch nowhere to be seen...?
And what of the more exciting acquisitions such as Housemarque (Returnal) and Bluepoint (DeS remake)... what are these studios working on? Both the aforementioned games were highlights of my PS5 time, and I'd be delighted to know/see what is coming next.
Instead we see Sony (alongside others) trying to chase live-service models and F2P concepts, whilst doubling down on remakes/remasters.
2024 has been a weak year for gaming in general IMO. I am looking forward to Erdtree later, but nothing else is grabbing me. Saying that though, I have enjoyed the new PoP game + Baltro + Animal Well. Hades 2 (EA) is also pretty great
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 530
On Steamdeck - currently just wrapped my NG playthrough on Elden Ring, ready for DLC incoming Got a dual Bloodhound Fang quality build all set, capping at level 160, and got 100% achievements. This was my second playthrough (first was PS5 on launch) and I pretty much steamrolled it in 55hrs.... 'eyes on the prize'. Can't wait for Erdtree
Having a cleanse now and playing "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis" (classic Lucasarts adventure game), then moving on to Hades 2!
Re: Story Is the Focus of New Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer
@nessisonett Fair play mate... the Erdtree will be waiting for you Tarnished! Stay well
Re: Story Is the Focus of New Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer
@nessisonett I actually remember the launch weeks really well, and such great memories. Everyone discovering everything collectively was incredibly, and as you say - the different experiences of each player etc!
In future, and whenever feasible, I would always want to play FS games (and DLC) on 'Day 1' and try to emulate that feeling again.
Assuming you're day 1 for Erdtree? Will you be using a NG build or NG+?
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Devs Felt 'Incredible Pressure' Starting Work on 'Very Ambitious' New RPG
D:OS 3? Or something completely new?
Very excited for 'what comes next' from Larian - and have full confidence in their ambition and workmanship.
Re: Story Is the Focus of New Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer
After getting the platinum, and selling my PS5 thereafter, I re-purchased on SteamDeck and just last week managed to complete the game again.... ready for the DLC!
ER runs amazingly well on deck, and was great to revisit after a couple of years away.
Found a good sub-reddit "Patches Emporium" that facilitates trading across all platforms. Managed to get a second Bloodhound Fang (in exchange for me giving away a Rivers of Blood). Now I have full +10 Powerstancing dual Bloodhound Fangs, and feel unstoppable!
Can't wait for next month
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 529
Finally completed my (2nd) NG journey in Elden Ring, preparing for the DLC landing next month. I'd initially played at launch on PS5, attaining the platinum trophy, and then hadn't revisited the game since....
Picked ER up again on Steamdeck, and as this is now my primary means of gaming, I started a new run. 55hrs later, managed to get 100% achievements and a character at lv144. Going to pick up a few enhancements to support my build, potentially a quick re-spec also, and then lay the game to rest until next month.
This weekend I plan to tackle Animal Well as a 'palette-cleanser' game, and really looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about? I saw on Metacritic that AW is the 2nd highest reviewed game this year... even just above the mighty Balatro at #3 (!)
If I can push through Animal Well quickly, it will then finally be time for Hades 2 on early access - which I'm remarkably excited about
Re: Shadow of the Erdtree 'First and Last' Elden Ring DLC, Miyazaki Confirms
I'm absolutely fine with this - and think that there seems to be a real confidence from FromSoftware in this release. Judging from their DLC track-record, this is probably as close to a 'sure thing' as we will see in 2024.
I like the fact that they also won't have dev teams tied into the 'franchising' of Elden Ring (multiple expansions etc) and instead can focus on other projects.
Just need me some Sekiro DLC now... or (dare I whisper it) Sekiro 2?!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 526
It hit me like a brick that 'Shadow of the Erd Tree' will now be released in <2months... so time to get back into Elden Ring, in preparation for being DLC-ready.
I originally played on PS5 at launch, getting the platinum trophy, but am now starting up a new playthrough on SteamDeck. Runs pretty well on handheld, 30FPS fairly stable with a couple minor dips - very playable though.
Just got through Stormveil castle, and considering my next move..
Re: Astarion Actor 'Isn't Done' with Character, Despite Larian Leaving Baldur's Gate 3 Behind
@Jaz007 That's a good shout, and maybe throw in some cameos from the other party members at various points - but keep the focus on Astarian.
Re: Astarion Actor 'Isn't Done' with Character, Despite Larian Leaving Baldur's Gate 3 Behind
Perhaps only a matter of time until we see a live-action Baldurs brought to the small and/or large screen? Following on from the success stories of Fallout/TLoU... surely this is a case of "when" instead of "if"?
Assuming this does happen, it would be incredible to see Neil play the role. He really brought Astarian to life, and seems genuinely enthused regarding the part he got to play in BG3
Re: Sony Polls Players on Favourite Games That Aren't Bloodborne
Here's a take...
Bluepoint have been incredibly quiet since Sony's acquisition, and if anyone if likely to be commissioned for the (surely inevitable remake) then it will be them.
I believe that the PS6 launch will have Bloodborne remake as an exclusive, similar to how DeS was launched with PS5. This timeline would then also coincide with the Bloodborne movie, still early in development.
Sony had great success in TLoU remake and TV show 'trading off' one another, and likely will seek to emulate a similar level of buzz with Bloodborne.
This would also make sense as to why there is still no 60fps patch available etc... no point in providing a 'halfway house' when a full scale remake is in play.
It is coming for sure, but we will have to wait I reckon
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Becomes the Second Highest-Rated Final Fantasy Game of All Time
On a separate note, I'm really glad to see that Rebirth has landed well with critics.... with the only real criticism pertaining to excess bloat/padding (the issue I had with Remake).
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Becomes the Second Highest-Rated Final Fantasy Game of All Time
@breakneck Looks like author has updated now... I was in shock ha!
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Becomes the Second Highest-Rated Final Fantasy Game of All Time
@breakneck Thanks, weird - it definitely wasn't there earlier!
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Becomes the Second Highest-Rated Final Fantasy Game of All Time
Strange that the OG7 doesn't place in top 10?
Delighted to see IX got the hotspot, this is actually my personal favorite. VIII is also a great game, although I appreciate somewhat contentious due to having the impossible act of following VII!
Re: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Out for PS5, PS4 on 21st June 2024
It does look pretty decent in fairness, and FromSoft's reputation for producing killer DLC is pretty solid.
Not to sound ungrateful, but I'm still hoping for a Sekiro 2. Given the choice, I would have rather passed up AC6 and ER-DLC for From to have dedicated their dev teams for a Sekiro sequel!
Sekiro was my first From game, and got me back into gaming during the pandemic... won't ever forget the thrill of beating Lady Butterfly
Re: Poll: How Do You Feel About All of the Xbox Multiplatform Rumours?
Just posted this on NL sister site:
For anyone interested, there is a great summary of the situation (alongside future speculation) in a recent 'WhatCulture Gaming' podcast - https://whatculture.com/videos/xbox-just-broke-the-games-industry
Ignore the click-baity title, these guys (UK based) are genuinely sound and fairly astute/objective in their analysis. They also discuss possible implications for Sony/Nintendo, both positive and negative, alongside consideration for exactly Microsoft "wants to be" in the gaming space.
Really interesting, only 20 mins, and gives a really solid and grounded analysis
Re: Poll: How Do You Feel About All of the Xbox Multiplatform Rumours?
I wonder if Microsoft is 'testing the waters' before potentially exiting the console-space, and then utilising GamePass as their gaming 'ecosystem'. I suppose potentially they could lock future exclusives behind GamePass, with access then being contingent on have GP on your Playstation and/or Switch2 (not sure how this would work business-wise, and if Sony/Nintendo play ball)
Re: Hands On: Suicide Squad Takes a Lot of Getting Used to, and It May Not Be Worth It
@LiamCroft you did a fine job articulating your thoughts, and I empathise with the situation at hand (Re. no early review code...)
I think you've confirmed a lot of people's expectations regarding this game, and I expect it will get lost/ignored among the other tremendous titles recently released (or soon to be...)
LAD / FF7 Rebirth / Tekken / P3 will certainly open people's wallets, and I'm not really sure if there is a solid/broad audience for SS?!
Be interesting to see how it lands critically, and with fans, but I expect quite average reviews and a fade into obscurity...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@ErrantRob Thanks, think I'm convinced! I've too heard the Platinum grind is horrendous..... shame though, as the Lies of P platinum is a pleasure, can be done in 2 playthroughs if you scum and genuinely pretty fun.
Thanks again
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@trymer89 Glad you're enjoying Wonder! It'll be interesting to see where the big N take the franchise with 'Switch 2'... I'd imagine another 3D entry maybe? Either way, sure it'll land well
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@trymer89 I have this also, and it is a fantastic pallete-cleanser. In a year full of big releases, Wonder seems to have got lost in the wash as 'just another serviceable Mario game'... but it really is quite excellent and fun. A little on the easy side, but thats to be expected with the territory I suppose... no one plays Mario for a rage-quit fix
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
@ErrantRob Thanks for your reply!
I enjoyed TLF, but probably marked it down a bit due to being spoilt by Blasphemous 2 a few months prior... (If you've not played B2, you'll probably love it if you enjoyed TLF)
Nice to hear that LotF landed with you, as the critical/fanbase reception was incredibly mixed. Lies of P seemed to have been met with unanimous praise, and rightly so(!), but Lords didn't seems to do so well.
How would you rank Lords among the sea of Souls-like game currently in the market? I'm definitely intrigued, but maybe leaning more towards Grime.... although Lords is currently on sale via Steam!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 513
After polishing off 100% on ‘The Last Faith’, I’m sticking to tradition in alternating between brutally challenging games and old-school P&C adventure games…
Last night started “Justin Wack & The Big Time Hack” - great P&C very reminiscent of classic Lucasarts, with similar art style to Day of the Tentacle.
Once I’ve finished Justin Wack, I’m torn between what to play for the next ‘hard’ game. Choosing between Lords of the Fallen, Grime or new Prince of Persia
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Story Recap the Focus of New Trailer
I'm probably in the minority here, but I really liked where they took the narrative... something 'new' and almost seems to be like FF7 NG+ approach to story telling. The original will always exist, and I don't think the adapted/sequel narrative takes away from that.
I thought this was a pretty decent 40hr game.... but with padding/bloat removed it could have been an amazing 20hr game. Combat is great though, arguably best that FF has ever been IMO
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Breaks 14-Year Call of Duty, Rockstar Streak to Become USA's Best-Selling Game of 2023
@ItsBritneyB_tch Ah I'd agree but disagree somewhat. TGA do provoke a nice bit of industry exposure, and ultimately are a fun means of speculation.... I'd concur that whatever "wins" is pretty immaterial, but equally I think nominations and such are a nice hat-tip to the devs that have worked long and hard on their output.
To your point, of course you'd rather have a record breaking smash-hit (vs an arbitrary award) but nonetheless it would have been nice to see the HL devs get some dues in a public forum such as TGA.
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Breaks 14-Year Call of Duty, Rockstar Streak to Become USA's Best-Selling Game of 2023
@Jill_Sandwich I'm definitely not going to get involved in the surrounding discourse here... but I completely agree with you. From a simply objective standpoint, and considering the volume of sales(!), it seems crazy this game wasn't mentioned at TGA.
Whilst I don't think it would necessarily have been GOTY over Baldurs/Zelda (my top 2 picks) I think it should have been in the conversation.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 511
Finished up getting 100% achievements in ‘The Last Faith’ so will be jumping back to BG3 after a brief hiatus (mid-Act 2, temporarily put it down to avoid burnout).
On the side I’ll also be doing a few levels of ‘Humanity’ which is a great Lemmings-esque puzzler - really good!
I also picked up Marvel Midnight Suns in the Steam sale, so might give that a whirl
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 510
Taking a brief hiatus from Baldurs Gate so as to avoid burnout! Currently midway through Act2, loving every second, but am wary of overplaying this game and don’t want to get BG fatigue.
Whilst I break from BG3, I’m playing ‘Humanity’ and ‘The Last Faith’. The former is a terrific little puzzler that is essentially a 3D version of Lemmings, whilst the latter is somewhat of a Blasphemous clone…
Both games are solid enough and should be short playthroughs, after which I’ll get back to Baldurs
Side note - last week I played and completed ‘Cocoon’, which was genuinely an amazing little puzzle game… a high recommend.
Re: Game of the Year: Best PS5, PS4 Developer of 2023
Capcom are at the top of their game, not to mention the Rise/Sunbreak content across all platforms - really great stuff.
Nice to see the Cocoon devs get some love also, awesome little game that deserves recognition
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
@Texus I actually agree with your takes on both games, albeit let’s give SM2 its dues - as the fastest selling PS game ever, with >5mil copies sold in a week(!), it is obviously appealing to a really wide audience.
At risk of sounding patronising, and not intending to do so, I think that the game does a remarkable job in catering for a more casual market - and netting a lot of different demographics. My kids could play SM2, and would invariably love it.
SM2 isn’t my personal thing, but I can objectively appreciate it does what it sets out to do and does it very well.
Baldurs is immaculate IMO - but equally it’s not for everyone.
What I really enjoy about these lists, and especially the staff team personal top 5, is highlighting the lesser known gems… got me into Cocoon, which is never heard of and would have missed out on