CaptainWow

@Bunchesopuppies sorry I don't know what you mean?

Despite having played the base game too many times to mention since release day and it being one of my favourite games of all time I never got around to playing Undead Nightmares. No idea why. Just one of those things I always intended to get round to and never did. So I am delighted about RDR being on there.

Might even give the main story another go around. What's this version like? Is it a remaster? I've only ever played RDR1 on my original 360.

Despite having played the base game repeatedly since release day and it being one of my favourite games of all time I never got around to playing Undead Nightmares. No idea why. Just one of those things I always intended to get round to and never did. So I am delighted about RDR being on there.

Might even give the main story another go around. What's this version like? Is it a remaster? I've only ever played RDR1 on my original 360.

@GirlVersusGame Yep. Agree with you 100%. Not usually one to support the studios but this sort of lazy slop is damaging to everyone except the talentless little chancers earning a few quick bucks. And there is definitely a case there that the scheer number of them and the way they are pushed by the various algorithms leads to genuine confusion and damage to the brands. Plus it would be nice to see them go after the right people for once because too often studios go after the genuinely creative sorts who are producing decent content and should be protected under fair usage.

@GirlVersusGame The amount of time I spend pressing 'not interested' on those awful YouTube channels that exist on a constant stream of terrible fake trailers for upcoming movies. And there's always another one popping up with the same old clickbait drivel. But the sad thing is they almost always do big numbers whether it's because people watching are gullible, irritated or simply don't care. So people just make more of them.
Like you mention, I'm surprised (or maybe not...) that YouTube leaves them to get on with it because alot of them are going out of their way to genuinely mislead people. It's rather worrying they succeed and people can be so credulous but that's rather besides the point.

I'm sure quite alot of people are now starting to suffer from GTA 6 fatigue. And Rockstar fatigue in general? It's not even their fault by the way. It's just the constant hyperbole and fuss from the gaming media and public that is making it tiresome. This entire cottage industry that's sprung up with every tedious opportunist trying to make a name for themselves (and often succeeding) by exploiting people's ludicrous anticipation for this game is rather draining away the enthusiasm for it. To a much lesser extent it's also the same with the RDR2 port. I realise this is old man shouting at cloud stuff but I'd quite happily hear nothing about this game again until it's ready to play.

And let's not even get started on the very legitimate question marks around the likely quality and creative importance of the product itself. The fact that almost seems a minor non-issue just about sums up what a silly circus it's become.

Haven't played a COD game at all since Ghosts. Haven't played one at any great length since Black Ops 2.

Saw some footage of the zombies mode on BO7 and it is completely unrecognisable from the game I remember. And it's not a case of just me getting old or nostalgia. I wasn't even a massive fan of BOP2 or the zombies mode in general. But this was a downgrade in every possible way. The entire feel of the game has been changed. The mood and aesthetics are just way off so it's COD zombies in name only. None of the genuine horror elements remain, just a cheap looking cartoon with one of the most hilariously terrible UI's I've ever seen.

I'm sure there are many reasons and causes for this but as a first step I'd suggest the devs put down the Monster drinks. The saddest thing is though that you can see exactly the kind of user base they're targeting. It would genuinely be a win for the games industry in general if they took a financial hit and not just a critical one because the sloppiness on display suggests a combination of greed, contempt and laziness that will only get worse if they think they can keep getting away with it. (See also every big game developer currently operating).

Seems very harsh that neither of the two main fellas from KCD2 got a nomination for best performance. They are brilliant and there's a certain genuinely funny and idiosyncratic humour to the KCD games that you don't see too often.

Would rather play noughts and crosses than any turn based game but I can appreciate why people like E33 so much (though I don't think it should sweep the board). But Silksong? I just don't get it.

Despite how glossy it seemed on the surface it still felt trashy and it's FTP nature was obvious. No real artistry or immersion. Just being bashed over the head with information and noise. A glorified mobile game. Of course no one has to play it and for those that enjoy it then all lovely jubbly. But this sort of game is holding back the industry and will continue to do so as long as they prove popular.

Left, Right, Up, Down (Triangle, Square, Circle, X)- it doesn't matter what part of the political spectrum or what the spurious reasoning or motivation is for these kinds of boycotts. There is one thing you can be certain of. They are always a complete and utter embarrassment.

@Northern_munkey thank you! That's really helpful to know and a very kind of offer. Will do if I pick it up. I watched a 30 minute gameplay video of it earlier today and it looked great and also decent to play solo as well as in a squad. I expect my B6 fatigue will pass or else I will need to find some people to play regularly with.

Is it just me or has the culture of online gaming really changed alot? I remember back in the old days of Battlefield and COD and Left 4 Dead everyone was adding one another and joining parties and sending friend requests. I guess alot of people now stick to other platforms like Discord and private chat lobbies rather than being at the mercy of randoms!

What's the engagement with other players like in Arc Raiders? I'm quite tempted to get it but would like to find a decent player base. I was really enjoying Battlefield 6 but great as the game itself is there's nothing it can do about the players and I'm getting increasingly fed up with the lack of team players and K/D ratio glory hunters. Even if you want to keep your mic off surely there should be some attempt to pay attention to your squadron and what they're doing? Medics ignoring revives. Vehicle drivers driving off or barging me out the way when I'm trying to fix their tanks etc. Teammates just sat there sniping as I bleed out right behind them. Then to top it off I got a snarky message from someone who was mocking my low kill count despite the fact I'd spent almost the entire match painting targets and was the only one who seemed to be doing it and had a points score to prove it!

I realise complaining about online shooters being full of arseholes is all a bit 'That waters too wet!' but you'd think Battlefield might attract more people interested in actually playing the game to it's strengths.

@JimmyRiddle

I think it's just them re-badging something old and familiar like 'surprise release' to make it seem new and exciting to simple people.

A bit like how going for a paddle in a river is now called 'wild swimming' and being an insufferable gossip is 'spilling the tea'.

I would give it a strong 8 and if the future maps proves decent that'll push it up to a 9. My only issue with it at the moment is a couple of the maps are rather boring and one note and don't allow much room for varied plays/tyles which doesn't seem very Battlefield. But I would say that as I'm not keen on the very fast paced run and gun style and nor am I very good at it.
Iberian Offensive in particular is just an absolute dog of a map and there's others that are too small or narrow in their design.

I find it exhausting in both a good and a bad way. I saw someone else describing some matches as just too relentless and/or banging your head against a brick wall and I get exactly what they mean.

But when it's good? It is truly fantastic.

Obviously this return to form and a company seemingly taking on board player feedback is a cause for celebration but it still rather begs the question what on earth were they thinking with games like 2042? It's worth remembering through the positive PR blitz that it pays to remain vigilant with these companies because if they can be lazy, cut corners and treat their core player base with total contempt then they will and almost certainly will do it again.

Enjoying this immensely. I find it works best as a nice quick fix to pick up and play for a couple of games at a time rather than sinking hours into it. It's a bit exhausting for that. Only minor critique is that it can be a bit one note. It is undeniably a fantastic and very pleasing note but considering how much scope there should be for varied and multifaceted approaches to playing a few of the maps feel a bit samey and the pace/style of matches is a bit repetitious. Also baffles me how little on mic communication there is during gameplay. Guess people just don't want to chat to random players anymore.

After the initial wait it has been fairly easy to get in to a game and it seems to be running ok. I didn't play the beta so all new to me and it is very impressive. Completely and utterly overwhelming of course but that's to be expected. For some reason I seem to be playing on the smaller, close combat maps alot more than the larger ones so I'm hoping some of them allow for a bit more planning and strategy because at the moment it's total and utter chaos.

Also in the UK it's Friday afternoon so apart from those of us working from home/on leave/taking the day off the majority of players will presumably not yet be trying to get online. So it is still not even close to how busy it's going to get in a few hours. What an absolute mess. My fault though. After Oblivion I said to myself 'Never again Day 1' and I went and did it anyway.

So any word from EA on when I can actually play the game they've taken my money for or is that just me being a greedy, demanding old stick in the mud?

LOL. Placed in a queue of 250,000 to wait and play the game I've already exchanged actual money for. Modern gaming is absolutely f***** (and anyone replying to this with 'What did you expect?' or the usual desperate attempts to rationalise utter nonsense? It's your fault it's f****** btw).

I caved and ordered it today even though I expect I'll end up regretting it. Whilst I really like having something multiplayer that's just pick up and play I do find these games increasingly difficult to play. Skill issue or not, I don't care. Either people in general have gotten better or I've gotten worse or maybe the matchmaking isn't what it was but I certainly don't find them as 'fun' as when I played them back in the day. Both COD and BF...I was never any kind of elite player. In fact far from it. Probably worse than average if I'm honest But I still enjoyed many a drunken hour playing with friends and random people. These days I just seem to get outplayed and outgunned every single game I play. I figure there has to be lots of players around my mediocre standards and yet I never seem to find them and instead just have to be happy propping up the bottom of the leaderboard. One thing I do like about BF is that you can be a useful team member in different ways beyond just being a KD ratio jockey but that's also not as good as it once was due to the paucity of voice chat.

@Ricky-Spanish

https://www.pushsquare.com/guides/all-ps-plus-games

Well I've never played it before and just the opening 15 minutes are a reminder of how rare such genuine care, artistry and craftsmanship are in modern videogames so it should be celebrated when we get it. Regardless of whatever tantrums people are still having about a creative teams narrative decisions in the story they created.

I absolutely adored the original. The visuals, the tone, the setting. It was beautiful in a quietly majestic way that is almost entirely absent from most modern video games. Even the usual open world busy work was not as bothersome or obnoxious as it often can be. Once I'd got the hang of the controls the gameplay loop of clearing camps was also incredibly fun and satisfying, much more so than in other similar games- felt a genuine sense of skill and achievement as I/Jin improved and rather than frustrating, any failures were just a great excuse to do it all over again and try a different approach. Really looking forward to this one.

I've been waiting ages for TLOU2 Remastered to have a price cut. Probably about time I got it.

So I guess the answer to that question I posted on the other thread asking if blatant cheating was still prevalent or worse than it was back in the day is very much a yes then.

And of course it's PC players. I noticed playing the recent Battlefield games these past few months that every time there was a player with a questionable KD ratio or who seemed to be suspiciously good they always had the PC monitor symbol next to their name in the lobby.

Side issue but thought I might as well ask it here...

How common is outright cheating these days on Battlefield, COD etc? I used to play both alot back in the day but stopped around 2013. Have recently been playing some Battlefield again and mostly enjoying it (even the dreaded 2042) in the lead up to 6 but I swear there are some highly dubious things that occur every so often. And I understand there are some insanely good players out there but I've seen quite a few 40/0 plus KD ratios and it made me wonder. I genuinely have no idea and what sort of measures the devs put in place now to prevent it so just asking.

Glad people enjoy it but I find it baffling that there is so much fuss over Silk Song. Equally I wonder how much it can have really hurt the sales of HIU when they are such vastly different games. Are the 'Buy anything new' crowd that powerful? Are they that casual with what they spend their money on? Maybe so!

Not overly sold on the selection (as per usual) but am downloading Green Hell, Crow Country, Conscript and Legacy of Kain and what a nice change that all four games don't even go over 20 GB. WWE meanwhile (which I'm not interested in) is 164 GB! Utterly ridiculous. Has there ever been a definitive explanation for these bloated file sizes ? I notice it always seems to be the case with any sports titles.

I understand why it might have seemed a bit irritating/unnecessary for those who had already bought it in different versions since it first released but as someone who had never properly played TLOU until last year the remake is absolutely the best version of that game. It's not just the visual upgrade either. The gameplay is vastly improved over both the original and the remaster which now seem very clunky in comparison.

I see the reverse Oliver Twists are already hard at work in the comments section. So being overly picky is a bad thing but willingly paying for something and then being glad you're disappointed with the selection because you've got too many games to play is totally reasonable and normal then? How curious.

Absolute dross. With Ghost of Yotei and Battlefield 6 on the way I think I'll pause my subscription for a bit and just pay the most basic fee to play online.

Side question- does anyone know why the most recent version of Forbidden Siren on PS Plus is over 50 GB?!?

Played a bit of it and whilst I really liked the atmosphere, art style and soundtrack alot and love an old style platformer I just cannot get along with Metroidvania's at all. It's like turn based RPGS. Doesn't matter how good the rest of the game is. Which is a shame because it means I miss out on some fine games. Pleased for everyone else who will be enjoying it though. I've picked up the Arkham trilogy for 4.99 to keep me busy until Ghost of Yotei.

This one of those games that I really ought to like but both times I've tried playing it something just hasn't clicked. I thought first time around it was the first person view but since then ive played both KCD games and they're two of my favourite games ever made. And I love just 'existing' in a well realised and detailed open world and on most levels Cyberpunk seems to do that really well. But something doesn't work for me. I have quite enjoyed the few hours ive played but it never got to that point where it really draws you in and bam! you're addicted. Just one of those things I suppose. Even with KCD1 which has a very...challenging?...first few hours I was able to overlook all it's many idiosyncrasies because it had something about it.

Got a refund for Oblivion Remastered a couple of weeks ago despite having bought it at release and played 14 hours. I thought I'd give it a go as someone on here said they had successfully done so and as a proper patch wasn't forthcoming I thought why not? And I was really surprised it was quite easily done. I said they'd sold a faulty product at launch and they processed my refund no bother. The AI chatbot and waiting time was as obstructive as they intend them to be but once I was communicating with an actual customer service agent it was fine. When I tried to get a refund for Outlaws previously it was impossible to actually get to speak to anyone as the queue length was ridiculous and then they were cutting people off.
Any progress is a good thing to make the process easier but it's still too difficult and their own rules are too prohibitive. It's something that is only going to become a bigger issue as long as they keep releasing actually broken/unfinished product on a seemingly regular basis. The fact it's digital rather than a physical copy is irrelevant. Whether it's incompetence or outright deceit, there's some shoddy practices that people would never accept with other entertainment product. Imagine purchasing a movie where certain scenes don't work or play at all or the quality of the picture degrades the further into the film you watch? Its ridiculous.

3 hours? Behave.

It is possible to think that the games themselves being offered are in and of themselves good games and a nice varied selection whilst also asking a few questions about the management of the service and how the games are put on or taken off. Of course for anyone yet to play it at all or who hasn't played the remaster the addition of a game as good as Spiderman is obviously a positive thing. But it's perfectly legitimate to suggest the original should never have been taken down in the first place, especially when it was done purely to increase sales of the remaster (it came off just as promo for 2 was really ramping up which would naturally have increased interest in the original game). In the same way, those Resident Evil additions are brilliant any way you want to look at it but again, that doesn't change the fact the management of that tier has and continues to be really, really poor. Other titles coming and going is frustrating and understandable as there will be varying agreements about licences. First party games should be added sooner (after a reasonable amount of time) and should definitely stay there. If at whatever the next Keighley horror show is there was an announcement about a new GOW title and then both the games were promptly yanked off the service I think long term subscribers would have every right to be a bit miffed.
I didn't myself vote at all but I wouldn't have voted crap anyway. I can recognise it is a good selection of games, whether they appeal to me or not.

@nessisonett so it was the remastered one that was on before! That makes it even more ridiculous that people are celebrating its return. I remember getting my PS5 over two years ago and immediately subscribing to PS Plus to play Spiderman. I played about an hour of it and couldn't wait to really get into it only to switch on my Playstation a few days later and it had gone. I then started playing RE7 and that was soon taken off as well. Rather set the tone for my attitude towards the service ever since.

@LogicStrikesAgain It's really not complicated. I want to see games that I want to play. Whether or not I'm overly fussy or not is irrelevant to me. As a paying customer I find most months pretty poor. Whether a game is Day 1 or not is completely irrelevant if it's a game I have no interest in- and having just looked at Sword of the Sea that's exactly what that is. Am I being too picky? Perhaps. I'm happy for people who enjoy the service and have this massive back catalog of games they enjoy. I try pretty much every game each month and find them lacking. As a bare minimum I think games like Spiderman should be on the service and kept on it. And accepting the fact I AM rather selective about what I play I would at the very least expect some decent efforts to curate an interesting and well emulated back catalogue of old games rather than the obvious, slapdash and will this do? approach they take at the moment. Not to mention that they often look awful and play badly. Perhaps you are correct though and I am just negative because I don't enjoy gaming in general as much as I used to and it's possibly a good idea if I stopped subscribing and instead focussed on the very few titles I enjoy playing that I pay for outright.

@Bsb56 that's the one!

Is it that great though? Spiderman was already on the service when I finally bought my PS5. I remember it well because it was promptly removed three days later which served as a useful lesson for me in how it was going to work. Ok, you get the remastered version but it's still no exactly earth shattering. Especially when Spiderman 2 is ridiculously still almost full price. Putting that or Last of Us 2 on would be the kind of thing worth getting excited about. Also hasn't Mortal Kombat 1 also been on there before? The Resident Evils being on there is only good in comparison to how awful that tier usually is. That's exactly the standard they should be looking for every month. Perhaps I'm overly negative. But I think being easily pleased and accepting any old slop is the real problem blighting modern gaming.

@dodgykebaab I was referring more to the chronically online wind up merchants and trolls (of any age) who have made GTA V online their own playground for the last few years. They're not going to he dissuaded from playing because of something as trifling as a bit of legislation. If anything it's like a red rag to a bull. The only people it'll put off is the more casual players.

@dodgykebaab Almost certain to have completely the opposite effect.

I don't mind a bit of charming jank every now and again and am definitely not the type to expect triple A gloss with every game or silly enough to consider that a sign of quality. But it is beyond me how anyone can play a game so rough around the edges and shoddily made as Day Z. It's the type of game that would be right up my street but it's borderline unplayable. Surely the audience is there for a game like that made properly? It makes State of Decay on the 360 look like a current world beater.

Only got around to playing both the new GOW games earlier this year and whilst I really enjoyed the first one I found Ragnarok started really grating on me after a few hours. The gameplay, the storyline and the characters were all so much worse. Maybe it was fatigue from playing them so close together but it was not good. The first had such a tight, well structured and well told (apart from angry Atreyu which was excruciatingly bad writing) story with engaging characters. The second seemed bloated and boring.

So whilst I'm not really fussed what they do let's hope whatever it is is alot more God of War and a whole lot less Ragnarok.

So they still aren't fixing the side quest with the disappearing fish in the lake? FFS Bethesda.

Was mildly tempted to give Diablo 4 a go because I have some good memories of watching a pal playing the originals but 200 GB file size? For a game like that? They must be joking.

@tangyzesty By all means you could give it a go if you fancy.

Why does Death Stranding seem to inspire such ire from people who don't like it? I can't think of m/any games that seem to wind up those that apparently have no interest in it in quite the same way. Rather than just accepting it's not for them it's almost as if it annoys them that they can't get into it so they have to tell others that do that they're wrong and it's an Emperors New Clothes situation. It screams insecurity. I'm not even a fan of the original or a Kojima fan boy myself but in the current video game climate thank the lord there are people like him and games like this being made.