@Mostik Ah for sure the lay-offs have been horrendous right? Not to mention some of the conduct associated with a few of the larger redundancy groups... just awful.
Yes 2023 has been a wild ride for gaming, and Baldurs capped it off for me nicely. I didn't think anything would take the crown from Lies of P.... how wrong was I eh!
And to give SM2 its dues, I think it does amazingly well to have such a large/mass appeal and audience. For instance, mates of mine who don't really 'game' are buying SM2 and enjoying it. Whereas I suppose Baldurs is a bit more niche (albeit probably one of the most accessible CRPGs out there).
The anger and venom towards the staffing team at this site is insane though... imagine being genuinely riled up because one brilliant video game was subjectively ranked as slightly better than another brilliant video game!
Happy New Yr, and I'm certain you'll have a blast with Baldurs when the physical lands
@MrGilly69 honestly I'd be tempted to just dive straight into BG3.
My go-to genres are normally Souls games, Rogue-Lite/Likes and classic P&C adventure games.... I have zero knowledge D&D and never played anything by Larian.
A lot is actually explained relatively well in the tutorial, and the difficulty settings can be adjusted anytime in-game. (I started on 'balanced' which is effectively normal difficulty, and feel the curve is about right for me)
Combat is probably the trickiest element, and making sure you have a balanced-ish party. But if you're playing on easy/normal then pretty much all character builds are viable...
BG3 and SM2 are both objectively great video games. Some people may click more with one over the other, or neither may cater to an individual’s tastes.
The top 10 list is sound, and IMO having the ‘right’ games in the listing is far more important than where the games are ranked.
A general consensus of ‘SM2 ranking higher than BG3’ is absolutely fine… and is certainly not an acceptable catalyst for the abusive comments being hurled around!
If Gollum had snuck into the #1 spot over BG3 then sure, that would be an acceptable trigger for unrest….
It is actually quite refreshing to see BG3 in a GOTY list, but NOT be sat at #1. In fact, I think this is the first time I've ever seen it in a top 5 but not hit the top spot.
For me personally- my GOTY without hesitation. But equally I can appreciate it is still somewhat niche and doesn't appeal to mainstream audiences - not to the same extent at SM2 for example.
However, I feel BG3 has done a remarkable job in making its presence known to the community outside regular DnD/CRPG awareness, and equally has paved the way for greater expectations when it comes to single player games except from MTX etc.
My son is currently playing SM2, and I've dabbled also, and it is a great game. TOTK is also an immaculate experience.
What a world we live in where we've had BG3 drop the same year as SM2, FF16, TOTK, Hi-Fi Rush, Resi4make... and the amlighty Blasphemous 2
I’m actually playing Cocoon now (as a side dish to Baldurs) and can really vouch for how excellent it is. This game totally escaped me this year, until the last few weeks where it is consistently popping up in a lot of “top ten 2023” lists. A really masterclass IMO, certainly not an easy puzzle game but equally not obtuse enough to have you completely stuck… very clever!
Nice to see FF16 place well in the PushSquare list, seems that FF didn’t land as well as many had hoped this year… although arguably it had a lot of competition from other great games.
What is the current run-down 10 - - > 3 then so far?
SM2 and Baldurs for the #2 and #1 spots seem fair - and sad to see comments that are so up in arms about what is (and ultimately always will be) a subjective exercise in rankings!
Crazy how much people get triggered by these things. I'd like to commend the team at PushSquare for a great write up this year, and I've enjoyed seeing each team member's personal "top 5" - been some real gems there!
I went into 2023 expecting TOTK to be my absolute GOTY, but instead I wound up ranking it #3 after Baldurs #1 and Lies of P #2
Been a great year for gaming though in general, so many strong releases
@JamieO Thanks for the response, and glad I wasn't the only one to hit a wall with Eviterno ha! Enjoyed your top 5, a nice mix of 'expected' titles alongside lesser-known, great job.
@R1spam - he is horrendous right? Like 70-ish tries I think it took me, and for first 10 tries not sure I even stayed alive long enough to see his full moveset... let alone learn it! But that's why we play these games hey...! Good luck pentient one
To anyone on the fence - if you worship at the altar of FromSoftware, then this game will be a solid 9/10 for you.
My expectations were rock-bottom, and I’d assumed this would be ‘just another Souls clone’ with distinctly average mechanics and monotonous gameplay… how wrong I was!
Genuinely this game is excellent, and goes so far as to heavily lean into a ton of elements that span From’s entire portfolio… essentially making Lies a terrific covers band, that plays From’s greatest hits.
It leans most in Bloodborne, but there are elements of Sekiro in there too - alongside a pinch of Demons Souls (‘lying’ mechanic = world tendancy from DeS)
It’s hands down the best non-From 3D soulslike, and utterly compelling. (Best 2D remains Salt & Sanctuary IMO)
I played exclusively on SteamDeck and it ran pretty great, so can imagine pretty smooth performance on PS/XB.
My only criticisms would be a slight lack of build diversity, and some small enemy reputation, but otherwise it is a tremendous first-time output from the devs.
It was actually my GOTY until Baldurs came along… final list looking like this: 1) Baldurs 2) Lies of P 3) TOTK 4) Blasphemous 2 5) HiFi Rush
There is already a huge market for multiplayer/online/MTX games, and I feel that ND are far too proficient in making excellent single player games for them to invest (or 'waste' resources in making Factions.
'Sunk Cost Fallacy' can often lead to continuing development in half-baked projects (not to say this would have been that) and I think it is the right call to cut losses now, as opposed to further pursuing this avenue.
I wish they would also focus less on the remaster angle, and even park TLoU franchise for a while, and give us a brand new IP...
@Kraven Lies of P was such an unexpected joy right? My expectations were low.... but honestly this would have absolutely been my GOTY, had I not begun playing Baldurs Gate last week!
NG+ is interesting, the first 80% I steamrolled through... and then the last few bosses, Simon especially, had me pulling my hair out. I scummed endings, so only needed 2 playthroughs for 100% achievements. I could see myself going back for more though!
Its easy to rag on COD and consider it as 'lowest common denominator' gaming..... but honestly the sales & buzz for this property are probably a good thing for the industry long-term. Likewise for EAFC24 - these annual franchises keep the 'mainstream' playing, and generate ginormous levels of revenue within the gaming sector.
Money keep gaming in the mainstream narrative, as opposed to the perception of it being a niche hobby for a select subculture.
COD/EAFC aren't my thing, but equally lets be appreciative that there is a huge pool of people out there that do enjoy these - and big sales within gaming is a good thing.
2023 has also blessed us with a tremendous assortment of other games - BG3/TOTK/Resi4/Streetfighter/Starfield/LiesOfP/HiFi Rush/SM2/MarioW/CP2077 DLC/FF16 etc... definitely something for everyone
@R1spam Yeh Disco actually runs OK on Switch, albeit the boot-up is pretty long as you rightly say. LoP is probably more similar to Bloodborne, but IMO it borrows heavily from all of From's portfolio... even the Lying/humanity system has echos of Demon Soul's 'world tendency'. A great first-time offering from a new dev, really exciting to see what they bring to the table next!
Yes Sekiro was actually my first FS game, and remains my favorite (even over Elden Ring). I played Sekiro on PS5 and it was smooth as anything 60fps. I am tempted to maybe re-buy for the Deck, as apparently it is one of the best games in terms of running/performance (both ER and Sekiro run brilliantly on Deck apparently
@R1spam Great to hear you're still pushing ahead with Blasphemous2... can't wait to hear your thoughts on the penultimate boss - he is the most BS boss I've faced in a while, my #2 worst of all time!
Lies of P is great isn't it? I'm playing on Deck, just storming through NG+ to get full trophies/achievements. Some of the early NG bosses are no joke, especially while you have limited resources. Brilliant first-effort from the devs, can't wait to see what they bring next!
Disco I played earlier this year... just wow. Unlike anything I've ever played before, and unlikely to play anything again similar. You definitely need to be in the right headspace, and it is a bit jarring coming from a Souls-y game into this. Brilliantly written and v funny, it is certainly a good time!
@Tchunga Snap, I picked this up on Switch Day #1 - being a huge fan of the original.
Overall I think it was a slight improvements over B1, albeit slightly easier... until the penultimate boss (Evernisto?) which was ridiculously difficult!
Talking to my necktie again whilst attempting to (poorly) manage my propensity for substance abuse, alongside solving an unsightly murder and juggling the conceptualisation of my own identity....
Then, when it comes to games - I'll be continuing Day #2 in Disco Elysium.
This looks great in fairness, and I actually think the depiction of Kraven is really solid.
If anyone is into the comics, I'd highly recommend "Kraven's Last Hunt" - which is fairly dark in tone for Spiderman. A fantastic graphic novel, and does well to raise up Kraven as one of the biggest threats out there...
@VaultGuy415 - I largely disagree with that statement on many levels!
Elden Ring was (and continues to be) an incredible game in many ways, and FromSoftware achieved a remarkable feat in managing to make their IP as 'accessible' as possible for the mainstream/newcomers whilst still appealing to their core audience. I played ER at launch, and it was a phenomenal experience. My personal 2022 GOTY...
As well as being a huge FromSoft fan (Sekiro one of my favorite games of all time) I am also very much into Zelda/Nintendo... and kicked off playing TotK this weekend. TotK , as well as its predecessor, is a fantastic game. Perhaps it is more 'evolution' instead of 'revolution', but nonetheless it builds very strongly on the previous formula and introduces a great sandbox environment with updated mechanics. A few frame-rate drops aside, it is an immaculate game and a fine example of Nintendo doing what they do best (FR drops expected, this game really pushes the Switch to its limits...)
To say that the release of TotK makes ER irrelevant is so.... wrong? It is entirely possible to love both games (As I do) or just one of them, or neither.... but to say that ER no longer has a place in the conversation since the release of TotK is pretty unjustified. I'd argue that if you were to combine the best elements of these games and merge, you'd have one hell of a product.
TLDR - Both games, ER and TotK, are fantastic. One does not make the other obsolete.... With FF16 on the horizon as well, plus Starfield, its a great time to be a gamer. (Hoping FF16 and SF land successfully, few concerns on the latter but hopefully Bethedsa pull through)
Honestly, a 60 FPS patch for the original would make all the difference.... BUT in saying that, a full-scale remake would not be unwelcome!
I'm unsure what project/s Sony has Bluepoint working on since the acquisition? But surely Bluepoint would be the obvious developer to undertake this, based on their exemplary work with DeS.
Seems strange actually that this remake hasn't been pushed before now? It would be an absolute 'open goal' for Sony, especially since the success of Elden Ring and FromSoftware becoming less niche and more open to the casual market.
Any product with the marketing strapline "From the creators of Elden Ring" will sell effortlessly.... and Bloodborne also happens to be a class act.
(nb. I'd rather see a Sekiro sequel personally, but this is likely a personal sickness of mine and not an opinion attributable to the masses)
TLDR - Bloodborne remake would not be unwelcome at all, Sony would absolutely print money in doing so, and IMO Bluepoint are the perfect dev to pull this off.
I no longer have my PS5 - but I suspect if I did then this would have been be a “Day 1” for me.
Considering the team working on this, and the divisive response to XV, I’d really hope that SE go “all in” on making the great game that I believe they are capable of.
7R left me with mixed feelings…. so much that I loved and so much I loathed. The combat (IMO) was a series-best, and I actually loved the batsh*t crazy narrative beats helmed by Nomura. Also the materia system and build flexibility was pretty good. The DLC was class as well. However, it just had so much…. Bloat I guess? Infantile sub quests and more corridors than you could shake a stick at.
If 7R had halved its base game content from a 40hr experience to 20hr I think it could have really been great. Those hungry for more could then roll straight into hard mode, less likely to be burnt out from gathering up all the cats in the slums lol
But seriously so far the trailers and previews for XVI look great, and I’d be excited for what’s coming here. This and TotK within months of each others is a great time to be a gamer
Alongside my alarming addiction to MH Sunbreak, this year I’ve made a resolution to explore more genres in gaming - especially after how pleasantly surprised I was playing ‘Return to Monkey Island’ and ‘Thimbleweed Park’. (Point-and-Click was not a genre I had any familiarity with previously!)
So ahead of the TU4 update for Sunbreak, this week I have exclusively been playing ‘Inscryption’… and wow! Without spoiling it, this game is part deck-builder, part rogue-lite and parts RPG - with some fantastic horror elements thrown in for good measure.
I’d highly recommend this game if you like deck builders in general, or even if you enjoy things like Hades. I’d advise you go in completely blind though, as there are some real rug-pull moments throughout the experience and many twists and turns in the ‘story’ (I’ve already said too much ha!)
It only came to Switch late 2022, having been released a year earlier on PC I think…. Received many accolades in 2021 and rightly so!
Short game as well, 8-11 hours probably depending on player skill
If any of the above sounds interesting and you fancy playing something completely unique then I’d recommend highly. It was a solid 8.5/10 for me
@Jimmer-jammer Yeh its really exciting, everyone I know who has played Inscryption keep saying how great it is.... but also very respectful in keeping tight-lipped regarding any content! Not sure what I'm getting myself into, but really looking forward to starting it
@KilloWertz Haha I know man...! I've been in a bit of a gaming rut, and struggling to click with things. For some reason, RtMI and TWP have really engaged me - so I'm rolling with it! Got Crisis Core lined up, and then (finally) XC3. Hope you're well mate
Literally this morning have finally beat the awesome Thimbleweed Park, and can proudly say that this was accomplished with zero hints/guides! Having played the new Monkey Island on release, I really caught a bug for this genre of ‘point&click adventure’ and am really surprised by how much I enjoy these games. My goal was to beat Monkey Island without a hint, but I crumbled at the very last puzzle! I’d say that Thimbleweed is actually the better game out of the 2, and also TWP is more challenging. TWP took me about 18hrs to beat, albeit a good few of those hours were spent wondering around and getting shamelessly stuck on puzzles! I’m glad I played RtMI first though, as this eased me into the genre a bit… and prepared me for the more challenging TWP
I’ll also be playing more MHR Sunbreak - continuing the endless grind towards AR level 200…. Currently only AR135 🤦♂️
Finally, I keep hearing amazing things about Inscryption and downloaded yesterday on a whim. I hear it is best playing completely blind, with as little prior knowledge as possible. Would be keen to know how others have found this game? Please no spoilers!
I got this day #1 on Switch, and really enjoyed it!
I'm by no means an expert at these games, nor am I overly fluent in the 'Point-and-Click' genre, but my playthrough was about 11hrs.
I managed to complete this without using the in-game hint system... until the very last puzzle! I felt up until the final puzzle, all other challenges were relatively logical and not nearly as obtuse as some of the puzzles in earlier entries (IIRC, only play MI1 as a kid...)
But this game is a good time for sure, and would probably serve as an ideal 'side-companion' to something like GoW
@Olmaz Just the once my friend... #SaveScumming (!) But yeh, irrespective I think we can agree that 'getting back into' Elden Ring is one of the nicest problems to have
I really need to re-familiarise myself with the game though, as I put it down around March after getting the Platinum... and haven't picked i up again since.
I'm not sure how the numerous patches might have implicated my build...!
Beat this last week on Switch, was a great time and a really nice ‘side-game’ to accompany something meatier…. Might serve as a suitable side dish for anyone wanting some brief reprieve from GoW!
My playthrough was around 10hrs - and the game never felt like it was outstaying it’s welcome
Fans of the series will love this, and thankfully most of the puzzles are fairly logical. My aim was to make it through the whole experience without using the in-game hint system… but sadly I caved on the very final puzzle!
Would recommend to fans of the series and genre, but also to anyone wanting to dip their toes into the point-and-click world
On PS5- taking it easy and just playing a bit of online co-op Returnal… still love this game and enjoying helping out others, especially those that are struggling with early game
On Switch- Return to Monkey Island - beat the game this weekend after approx 11-12 hours of play.
I’d ultimately recommend to anyone that enjoys the genre, or has familiarity with the older games in the series (and presumably had fun playing these games).
A fun romp and a nice change of pace from more action-orientated games, nice to actually use my brain for once… and fortunately most of the puzzles are solved through cerebral rationalities - instead of obtuse/random solutions.
My only critique would be it’s a little on the easy side… and only really ‘hits its stride’ in Act IV (total of 5 acts in the game).
Act IV has a lot of moving parts, location variety, and ramps up the challenge…. And it is a real shame that all the acts don’t follow this blueprint!
I set out to avoid using the in-game hint system …. But let myself down and had to utilise the hint book for the very last puzzle in Act V (in fairness I was totally barking up the wrong tree in my solution/tactics… probably would have had me stuck for a few days!)
Overall I’d give it a solid 7/10, and maybe 8/10 if you are a huge fan of the genre.
Comments 233
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
@Mostik snap mate, Disco was also my gateway-drug to Baldurs! Have a blast
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
@Mostik Ah for sure the lay-offs have been horrendous right? Not to mention some of the conduct associated with a few of the larger redundancy groups... just awful.
Yes 2023 has been a wild ride for gaming, and Baldurs capped it off for me nicely. I didn't think anything would take the crown from Lies of P.... how wrong was I eh!
And to give SM2 its dues, I think it does amazingly well to have such a large/mass appeal and audience. For instance, mates of mine who don't really 'game' are buying SM2 and enjoying it. Whereas I suppose Baldurs is a bit more niche (albeit probably one of the most accessible CRPGs out there).
The anger and venom towards the staffing team at this site is insane though... imagine being genuinely riled up because one brilliant video game was subjectively ranked as slightly better than another brilliant video game!
Happy New Yr, and I'm certain you'll have a blast with Baldurs when the physical lands
Re: Game of the Year: Robert's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@MrGilly69 ah terrific stuff. I couldn't believe how much I got "into it"...especially as everything about it would normally turn me off.
Here's hoping you have a great time with it mate.
Re: Game of the Year: Best PS5, PS4 Puzzle Game of 2023
I picked up Cocoon and loving it so far, really great. Might grab Humanity if it is assumedly even better!
Re: Game of the Year: Robert's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@MrGilly69 honestly I'd be tempted to just dive straight into BG3.
My go-to genres are normally Souls games, Rogue-Lite/Likes and classic P&C adventure games.... I have zero knowledge D&D and never played anything by Larian.
A lot is actually explained relatively well in the tutorial, and the difficulty settings can be adjusted anytime in-game. (I started on 'balanced' which is effectively normal difficulty, and feel the curve is about right for me)
Combat is probably the trickiest element, and making sure you have a balanced-ish party. But if you're playing on easy/normal then pretty much all character builds are viable...
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
Wow the comments here…!
BG3 and SM2 are both objectively great video games. Some people may click more with one over the other, or neither may cater to an individual’s tastes.
The top 10 list is sound, and IMO having the ‘right’ games in the listing is far more important than where the games are ranked.
A general consensus of ‘SM2 ranking higher than BG3’ is absolutely fine… and is certainly not an acceptable catalyst for the abusive comments being hurled around!
If Gollum had snuck into the #1 spot over BG3 then sure, that would be an acceptable trigger for unrest….
Re: Game of the Year: #2 - Baldur's Gate 3
My 2 cents.... -
It is actually quite refreshing to see BG3 in a GOTY list, but NOT be sat at #1. In fact, I think this is the first time I've ever seen it in a top 5 but not hit the top spot.
For me personally- my GOTY without hesitation. But equally I can appreciate it is still somewhat niche and doesn't appeal to mainstream audiences - not to the same extent at SM2 for example.
However, I feel BG3 has done a remarkable job in making its presence known to the community outside regular DnD/CRPG awareness, and equally has paved the way for greater expectations when it comes to single player games except from MTX etc.
My son is currently playing SM2, and I've dabbled also, and it is a great game. TOTK is also an immaculate experience.
What a world we live in where we've had BG3 drop the same year as SM2, FF16, TOTK, Hi-Fi Rush, Resi4make... and the amlighty Blasphemous 2
Re: Game of the Year: #3 - Resident Evil 4
@Grumblevolcano thanks for that!
I’m actually playing Cocoon now (as a side dish to Baldurs) and can really vouch for how excellent it is. This game totally escaped me this year, until the last few weeks where it is consistently popping up in a lot of “top ten 2023” lists. A really masterclass IMO, certainly not an easy puzzle game but equally not obtuse enough to have you completely stuck… very clever!
Nice to see FF16 place well in the PushSquare list, seems that FF didn’t land as well as many had hoped this year… although arguably it had a lot of competition from other great games.
Re: Game of the Year: #3 - Resident Evil 4
What is the current run-down 10 - - > 3 then so far?
SM2 and Baldurs for the #2 and #1 spots seem fair - and sad to see comments that are so up in arms about what is (and ultimately always will be) a subjective exercise in rankings!
Crazy how much people get triggered by these things. I'd like to commend the team at PushSquare for a great write up this year, and I've enjoyed seeing each team member's personal "top 5" - been some real gems there!
I went into 2023 expecting TOTK to be my absolute GOTY, but instead I wound up ranking it #3 after Baldurs #1 and Lies of P #2
Been a great year for gaming though in general, so many strong releases
Re: Game of the Year: Jamie's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@JamieO Thanks for the response, and glad I wasn't the only one to hit a wall with Eviterno ha! Enjoyed your top 5, a nice mix of 'expected' titles alongside lesser-known, great job.
@R1spam - he is horrendous right? Like 70-ish tries I think it took me, and for first 10 tries not sure I even stayed alive long enough to see his full moveset... let alone learn it! But that's why we play these games hey...! Good luck pentient one
Re: Game of the Year: Jamie's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@JamieO Great to see Blasphemous 2 get some deserved love!
This was my #4 GOTY (1. Baldurs, 2. Lies of P, 3. TOTK, 4. Blasphemous 2, 5. Hi-Fi Rush)
Eviterno, the penultimate boss, had me on my knees though... that second phase is obscene!!
Re: Game of the Year: Liam's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
@Jimmer-jammer you've sold me!
Cocoon seems to be popping up everywhere on top 10 GOTY lists... too frequent to ignore! Got it d/l now on Steamdeck, thanks for the push
Re: Game of the Year: Liam's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
A lot of people waxing lyrical about Cocoon... this game skipped me by completely! My only fear is - is Cocoon too on the easy side?
I really enjoyed Machinarium recently, and love how that game had me scratching my head!
Re: Game of the Year: #7 - Lies of P
To anyone on the fence - if you worship at the altar of FromSoftware, then this game will be a solid 9/10 for you.
My expectations were rock-bottom, and I’d assumed this would be ‘just another Souls clone’ with distinctly average mechanics and monotonous gameplay… how wrong I was!
Genuinely this game is excellent, and goes so far as to heavily lean into a ton of elements that span From’s entire portfolio… essentially making Lies a terrific covers band, that plays From’s greatest hits.
It leans most in Bloodborne, but there are elements of Sekiro in there too - alongside a pinch of Demons Souls (‘lying’ mechanic = world tendancy from DeS)
It’s hands down the best non-From 3D soulslike, and utterly compelling. (Best 2D remains Salt & Sanctuary IMO)
I played exclusively on SteamDeck and it ran pretty great, so can imagine pretty smooth performance on PS/XB.
My only criticisms would be a slight lack of build diversity, and some small enemy reputation, but otherwise it is a tremendous first-time output from the devs.
It was actually my GOTY until Baldurs came along… final list looking like this:
1) Baldurs
2) Lies of P
3) TOTK
4) Blasphemous 2
5) HiFi Rush
Re: Game of the Year: Simon's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
Not a word written about Eviterno yet.....? (penultimate boss, Blasphemous 2)
An unreal difficulty curve, came out of nowhere!
Re: Pornhub Reveals 2023's Most Popular Video Game Characters
Just taken another look at this... was curious as to who/what Gardevoir is (Pokemon!)
Outrageous
Re: Pornhub Reveals 2023's Most Popular Video Game Characters
An amusing read, albeit an incredibly depressing one also...
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you... The Human Race!
Re: Game of the Year: Ken's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
This is a really really good list!
Lies of P is my #2 this year, and Baldurs #1
Re: Game of the Year: Brett's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023
Love to see the love for Bomb Rush! This was definitely one of the best games I played this year.
My personal list:
1. Baldurs
2. Lies of P
3. TOTK
4. Blasphemous 2
5. HiFi Rush
Re: The Last of Us Multiplayer Project Is Officially Cancelled
Well, I actually agree with this...
There is already a huge market for multiplayer/online/MTX games, and I feel that ND are far too proficient in making excellent single player games for them to invest (or 'waste' resources in making Factions.
'Sunk Cost Fallacy' can often lead to continuing development in half-baked projects (not to say this would have been that) and I think it is the right call to cut losses now, as opposed to further pursuing this avenue.
I wish they would also focus less on the remaster angle, and even park TLoU franchise for a while, and give us a brand new IP...
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Player Stats Show Crazy Completion Rate, Most Popular Romance, Class, and More
Can't believe Astarion wasn't higher in the Romance charts lol!!
Such a gas lad, having a blast with him in my gang
Re: Poll: What Is Your PS5, PS4 Game of the Year 2023?
1. BG3
2. Lies of P
3. Blasphemous 2
4. Armored Core
5. Sea Stars
(If multi-plat, I’d insert TOTK at #3, and then have Blasphemous 2 #4 and Armored Core #5)
Lies of P was my clear winner… until I started Baldurs last week and fell in love!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 505
@Kraven Lies of P was such an unexpected joy right? My expectations were low.... but honestly this would have absolutely been my GOTY, had I not begun playing Baldurs Gate last week!
NG+ is interesting, the first 80% I steamrolled through... and then the last few bosses, Simon especially, had me pulling my hair out. I scummed endings, so only needed 2 playthroughs for 100% achievements. I could see myself going back for more though!
And yeah,.... that post-credits scene is so good!
Re: UK Sales Charts: Everyone Hates Modern Warfare 3, But It's Still Number One
Its easy to rag on COD and consider it as 'lowest common denominator' gaming..... but honestly the sales & buzz for this property are probably a good thing for the industry long-term. Likewise for EAFC24 - these annual franchises keep the 'mainstream' playing, and generate ginormous levels of revenue within the gaming sector.
Money keep gaming in the mainstream narrative, as opposed to the perception of it being a niche hobby for a select subculture.
COD/EAFC aren't my thing, but equally lets be appreciative that there is a huge pool of people out there that do enjoy these - and big sales within gaming is a good thing.
2023 has also blessed us with a tremendous assortment of other games - BG3/TOTK/Resi4/Streetfighter/Starfield/LiesOfP/HiFi Rush/SM2/MarioW/CP2077 DLC/FF16 etc... definitely something for everyone
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 501
@R1spam Yeh Disco actually runs OK on Switch, albeit the boot-up is pretty long as you rightly say.
LoP is probably more similar to Bloodborne, but IMO it borrows heavily from all of From's portfolio... even the Lying/humanity system has echos of Demon Soul's 'world tendency'. A great first-time offering from a new dev, really exciting to see what they bring to the table next!
Yes Sekiro was actually my first FS game, and remains my favorite (even over Elden Ring). I played Sekiro on PS5 and it was smooth as anything 60fps. I am tempted to maybe re-buy for the Deck, as apparently it is one of the best games in terms of running/performance (both ER and Sekiro run brilliantly on Deck apparently
Happy gaming mate!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 501
@R1spam
Great to hear you're still pushing ahead with Blasphemous2... can't wait to hear your thoughts on the penultimate boss - he is the most BS boss I've faced in a while, my #2 worst of all time!
Lies of P is great isn't it? I'm playing on Deck, just storming through NG+ to get full trophies/achievements. Some of the early NG bosses are no joke, especially while you have limited resources. Brilliant first-effort from the devs, can't wait to see what they bring next!
Disco I played earlier this year... just wow. Unlike anything I've ever played before, and unlikely to play anything again similar. You definitely need to be in the right headspace, and it is a bit jarring coming from a Souls-y game into this. Brilliantly written and v funny, it is certainly a good time!
Re: The Brilliant Blasphemous 2 Is Getting a Last-Gen Port, Coming to PS4 in November
@Tchunga Snap, I picked this up on Switch Day #1 - being a huge fan of the original.
Overall I think it was a slight improvements over B1, albeit slightly easier... until the penultimate boss (Evernisto?) which was ridiculously difficult!
Great game, surprised not on 'last gen' already?
Re: Red Dead Redemption Runs at 4K, 30FPS on PS5
Any word on inclusion of X-Axis inversion for camera?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 487
Talking to my necktie again whilst attempting to (poorly) manage my propensity for substance abuse, alongside solving an unsightly murder and juggling the conceptualisation of my own identity....
Then, when it comes to games - I'll be continuing Day #2 in Disco Elysium.
Still not got that body down yet..
Re: Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Sets Pulses Racing with Jaw Dropping PS5 Story Trailer
This looks great in fairness, and I actually think the depiction of Kraven is really solid.
If anyone is into the comics, I'd highly recommend "Kraven's Last Hunt" - which is fairly dark in tone for Spiderman. A fantastic graphic novel, and does well to raise up Kraven as one of the biggest threats out there...
Re: Elden Ring Was a Bigger PS5, PS4 Hit Than Anyone Could Have Ever Predicted
@KundaliniRising333 Yeah I know mate, I just can’t resist feeding sometimes!
Re: Elden Ring Was a Bigger PS5, PS4 Hit Than Anyone Could Have Ever Predicted
@VaultGuy415 - I largely disagree with that statement on many levels!
Elden Ring was (and continues to be) an incredible game in many ways, and FromSoftware achieved a remarkable feat in managing to make their IP as 'accessible' as possible for the mainstream/newcomers whilst still appealing to their core audience. I played ER at launch, and it was a phenomenal experience. My personal 2022 GOTY...
As well as being a huge FromSoft fan (Sekiro one of my favorite games of all time) I am also very much into Zelda/Nintendo... and kicked off playing TotK this weekend. TotK , as well as its predecessor, is a fantastic game. Perhaps it is more 'evolution' instead of 'revolution', but nonetheless it builds very strongly on the previous formula and introduces a great sandbox environment with updated mechanics. A few frame-rate drops aside, it is an immaculate game and a fine example of Nintendo doing what they do best (FR drops expected, this game really pushes the Switch to its limits...)
To say that the release of TotK makes ER irrelevant is so.... wrong? It is entirely possible to love both games (As I do) or just one of them, or neither.... but to say that ER no longer has a place in the conversation since the release of TotK is pretty unjustified. I'd argue that if you were to combine the best elements of these games and merge, you'd have one hell of a product.
TLDR - Both games, ER and TotK, are fantastic. One does not make the other obsolete.... With FF16 on the horizon as well, plus Starfield, its a great time to be a gamer. (Hoping FF16 and SF land successfully, few concerns on the latter but hopefully Bethedsa pull through)
Re: Oh No, the Bloodborne Remake Rumours Have Returned
Honestly, a 60 FPS patch for the original would make all the difference.... BUT in saying that, a full-scale remake would not be unwelcome!
I'm unsure what project/s Sony has Bluepoint working on since the acquisition? But surely Bluepoint would be the obvious developer to undertake this, based on their exemplary work with DeS.
Seems strange actually that this remake hasn't been pushed before now? It would be an absolute 'open goal' for Sony, especially since the success of Elden Ring and FromSoftware becoming less niche and more open to the casual market.
Any product with the marketing strapline "From the creators of Elden Ring" will sell effortlessly.... and Bloodborne also happens to be a class act.
(nb. I'd rather see a Sekiro sequel personally, but this is likely a personal sickness of mine and not an opinion attributable to the masses)
TLDR - Bloodborne remake would not be unwelcome at all, Sony would absolutely print money in doing so, and IMO Bluepoint are the perfect dev to pull this off.
Re: Soapbox: Final Fantasy 16 Is the Most Excited I've Been for the Series in Almost 20 Years
I no longer have my PS5 - but I suspect if I did then this would have been be a “Day 1” for me.
Considering the team working on this, and the divisive response to XV, I’d really hope that SE go “all in” on making the great game that I believe they are capable of.
7R left me with mixed feelings…. so much that I loved and so much I loathed. The combat (IMO) was a series-best, and I actually loved the batsh*t crazy narrative beats helmed by Nomura. Also the materia system and build flexibility was pretty good. The DLC was class as well. However, it just had so much…. Bloat I guess? Infantile sub quests and more corridors than you could shake a stick at.
If 7R had halved its base game content from a 40hr experience to 20hr I think it could have really been great. Those hungry for more could then roll straight into hard mode, less likely to be burnt out from gathering up all the cats in the slums lol
But seriously so far the trailers and previews for XVI look great, and I’d be excited for what’s coming here. This and TotK within months of each others is a great time to be a gamer
Re: 16 Games Hit PS Plus Extra, Premium Next Week
Kena is pretty solid! Coincidently I am playing Slay-the-Spire on Switch, and it is really excellent.
For anyone interested in deck-builders, it is very accessible but with a great degree of depth once you find your feet
Re: Best Indie Games on PS5
Inscryption...?
Re: State of Play Confirmed for Thursday with PSVR2, Indies, Third-Party Games, and Suicide Squad
Would love some Hades 2 or Silksong
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 462
Alongside my alarming addiction to MH Sunbreak, this year I’ve made a resolution to explore more genres in gaming - especially after how pleasantly surprised I was playing ‘Return to Monkey Island’ and ‘Thimbleweed Park’. (Point-and-Click was not a genre I had any familiarity with previously!)
So ahead of the TU4 update for Sunbreak, this week I have exclusively been playing ‘Inscryption’… and wow! Without spoiling it,
this game is part deck-builder, part rogue-lite and parts RPG - with some fantastic horror elements thrown in for good measure.
I’d highly recommend this game if you like deck builders in general, or even if you enjoy things like Hades. I’d advise you go in completely blind though, as there are some real rug-pull moments throughout the experience and many twists and turns in the ‘story’ (I’ve already said too much ha!)
It only came to Switch late 2022, having been released a year earlier on PC I think…. Received many accolades in 2021 and rightly so!
Short game as well, 8-11 hours probably depending on player skill
If any of the above sounds interesting and you fancy playing something completely unique then I’d recommend highly. It was a solid 8.5/10 for me
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 456
@Jimmer-jammer Yeh its really exciting, everyone I know who has played Inscryption keep saying how great it is.... but also very respectful in keeping tight-lipped regarding any content! Not sure what I'm getting myself into, but really looking forward to starting it
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 456
@KilloWertz Haha I know man...! I've been in a bit of a gaming rut, and struggling to click with things. For some reason, RtMI and TWP have really engaged me - so I'm rolling with it! Got Crisis Core lined up, and then (finally) XC3.
Hope you're well mate
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 456
All Nintendo Switch this weekend…
Literally this morning have finally beat the awesome Thimbleweed Park, and can proudly say that this was accomplished with zero hints/guides! Having played the new Monkey Island on release, I really caught a bug for this genre of ‘point&click adventure’ and am really surprised by how much I enjoy these games. My goal was to beat Monkey Island without a hint, but I crumbled at the very last puzzle! I’d say that Thimbleweed is actually the better game out of the 2, and also TWP is more challenging. TWP took me about 18hrs to beat, albeit a good few of those hours were spent wondering around and getting shamelessly stuck on puzzles! I’m glad I played RtMI first though, as this eased me into the genre a bit… and prepared me for the more challenging TWP
I’ll also be playing more MHR Sunbreak - continuing the endless grind towards AR level 200…. Currently only AR135 🤦♂️
Finally, I keep hearing amazing things about Inscryption and downloaded yesterday on a whim. I hear it is best playing completely blind, with as little prior knowledge as possible. Would be keen to know how others have found this game? Please no spoilers!
Re: Mini Review: Return to Monkey Island (PS5) - Original Creators Return to Beloved Point and Click
I got this day #1 on Switch, and really enjoyed it!
I'm by no means an expert at these games, nor am I overly fluent in the 'Point-and-Click' genre, but my playthrough was about 11hrs.
I managed to complete this without using the in-game hint system... until the very last puzzle! I felt up until the final puzzle, all other challenges were relatively logical and not nearly as obtuse as some of the puzzles in earlier entries (IIRC, only play MI1 as a kid...)
But this game is a good time for sure, and would probably serve as an ideal 'side-companion' to something like GoW
Re: Final Fantasy 16 Release Date Reveal Planned for This Year
I'm hoping for late July-August next year... a bit of time between Zelda:TotK and FF16 would be lovely!
Re: God of War Ragnarok Is Now Sony's Highest Rated PS5 Game
@Sil_Am 100%!!! Returnal was my personal GOTY 2021...
I firmly believe that if the game had included the 'Suspend run' feature from Day #1, this would have leant to better critic reviews...
The DLC and co-op mode is awesome as well. Such an awesome showcase for PS5 capabilities also
Re: Evidence of Elden Ring DLC Mounts as Patch Files Indicate New Bosses Are Incoming
@Olmaz Just the once my friend... #SaveScumming (!) But yeh, irrespective I think we can agree that 'getting back into' Elden Ring is one of the nicest problems to have
Re: Evidence of Elden Ring DLC Mounts as Patch Files Indicate New Bosses Are Incoming
I'm all in for this!
I really need to re-familiarise myself with the game though, as I put it down around March after getting the Platinum... and haven't picked i up again since.
I'm not sure how the numerous patches might have implicated my build...!
Re: Return to Monkey Island Lands a PS5 Version Next Week
Beat this last week on Switch, was a great time and a really nice ‘side-game’ to accompany something meatier…. Might serve as a suitable side dish for anyone wanting some brief reprieve from GoW!
My playthrough was around 10hrs - and the game never felt like it was outstaying it’s welcome
Fans of the series will love this, and thankfully most of the puzzles are fairly logical. My aim was to make it through the whole experience without using the in-game hint system… but sadly I caved on the very final puzzle!
Would recommend to fans of the series and genre, but also to anyone wanting to dip their toes into the point-and-click world
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 449
On PS5- taking it easy and just playing a bit of online co-op Returnal… still love this game and enjoying helping out others, especially those that are struggling with early game
On Switch- Return to Monkey Island - beat the game this weekend after approx 11-12 hours of play.
I’d ultimately recommend to anyone that enjoys the genre, or has familiarity with the older games in the series (and presumably had fun playing these games).
A fun romp and a nice change of pace from more action-orientated games, nice to actually use my brain for once… and fortunately most of the puzzles are solved through cerebral rationalities - instead of obtuse/random solutions.
My only critique would be it’s a little on the easy side… and only really ‘hits its stride’ in Act IV (total of 5 acts in the game).
Act IV has a lot of moving parts, location variety, and ramps up the challenge…. And it is a real shame that all the acts don’t follow this blueprint!
I set out to avoid using the in-game hint system …. But let myself down and had to utilise the hint book for the very last puzzle in Act V (in fairness I was totally barking up the wrong tree in my solution/tactics… probably would have had me stuck for a few days!)
Overall I’d give it a solid 7/10, and maybe 8/10 if you are a huge fan of the genre.
Re: Final Fantasy 16's New Trailer Is Probably Dropping Today
I’m still very much down for FF16….
FF15, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and BOTW2 are my only real ‘must-buys’ slated in for 2023
Re: Silent Hill 2 PS5 Remake Announced as a Console Exclusive
Struggling to get hyped for this in all honesty...
Still waiting on the announcement that Sony have commissioned Bluepoint to develop the Bloodborne remake (!!!)