Enriesto

@saffeqwe No worries, I get it. It’s a holistic thing for me, and I’m someone who can tolerate some of the outdated issues in the game (the UI for example is cumbersome in the original game, as with its relative title Vagrant Story) if the universe I’m traversing is immersive and real. I crave stories that go beyond the standard of conventional entertainment, and that matters loads in the games I play, even if combat is flawed.

I suspect then you are into titles from Fire Emblem? You must be excited for the new one coming next year, I know I am.

@saffeqwe I agree in terms of gameplay, but in respect to world-building, story, characters, the immaculate translation and writing of Smith, it’s unmatched. I think it’s because of the depth the game presents rather than simply being FF that people are so fond of it.

@PuppetMaster my prediction was definitely wrong lol, but I wouldn’t go that far. There were also no Xbox games announced either and we know there’s more coming from them, so I think we’ll see something at Sony’s next show where a title like Gravity Rush Remastered is shown and then later shared as playable on Switch 2.

I think we can expect at least one Japan Studio game in Nintendo’s Direct tomorrow. Much of the retro PS fan base has shifted to Nintendo, and this demonstrates that they (and others) will happily buy a resurrection of these old school IPs. It also means that we’ll get to play it on PS5, so the options are nice. I just hope the publisher (was it Bandai before?) can optimize and polish it well.

I’m here for it - now give us more loco roco.

@K1LLEGAL That sounds like a good problem to have unless you’re really strapped for minutes in your day. And it’s a great time to jump in, since you have loads of added (and good) content to explore. You’ll be eating well.

@Shepherd_Tallon That’s a good problem to have

I ended up getting one because there’s mutterings of a price increase on the horizon (not to mention it almost certainly won’t go down in a sale), and I’m curious about some of the upgrades as with TOTK. Mario Kart also, already, has some of the best tracks I’ve ever played, and I do NOT like kart racers. You’re in for a treat when you’re ready to jump in.

Bummer, just beat this a month ago, and the additions here are plenty good. I didn’t beat the post-game content though, so it might be worth jumping in again.

@cburg I can appreciate the Ubisoft comparison, but calling the combat in Ghost Of Tsushima “mediocre” is a hot take if I’ve ever heard one 😅

That’s great! I’m already enamoured by the “side content” we’ve been tasting so far. I hope they keep their cards close until around launch, many of us love being surprised by uncovering the main content for ourselves. Day one… keep cooking!

One of my most anticipated games, up there with Yotei, Prime 4 and Fable. Trailer instantly made me re-install Returnal and I’ve fallen in love with the macabre underworld of Atropos once again. Cannot wait to see gameplay, Housemarque is on another level.

Already had my collector edition pre ordered for PS5 back in December (hoping for around Xmas release at that time), and am very excited to return to my 9 year old self when this first released. In just a couple weeks too! Glad Argonaut took the time to polish this, and that they’re back for what is hopefully many years to come. 💚

I don’t think it was terrible, but I did expect more which I think is realistic. The SOP from Feb. ‘22 demonstrates that Sony is capable of housing a show with numerous new announcements, and I was hoping for something like that here (No Resi at all? Square Enix? Level 5? FromSoftware?). If they had subbed a couple bangers like these in and kept the Housemarque finish, that would have been a good show for me. Otherwise, just okay, and I’ll look forward to the summer PS show in the meantime, as well as the upcoming Switch 2 Direct.

Weekend is preordained on JRPGs. Picking this up tomorrow with a continued awe of Metaphor on the side. What an incredible year for games, goodness, I dare say it’s as strong as last year, especially if this is your genre. Very glad gaming is a passion of ours… even with stinkers that release every year. Can’t wait to play this, happy adventuring everyone!

@ShogunRok Thanks for the review! I want to pick up now, but am concerned about your thoughts on the dungeon design, as it’s something I’ve loved about previous Persona games (especially 5R). Are there some dungeons that you found enjoyable? Would you say the rest of the game outshines this issue?

Thanks again

Am content! A nice start with Astro, a banger finish with Ghost, and a few announcements in between that piqued my interest such as Hell Is Us, Lunar, Kain, and Hitman VR.

Solid show, I’m happy with what was shown.

@ButterySmooth30FPS this isn’t comparable at all? Portal was an accessory device (which you need a PS5 for) not meant to make a profit, and this is an upgraded console price-hiked to heaven without a key feature that millions of consumers prefer to have, the disk drive. Yes, you might be right that it will sell, but that’s not a good thing.

@Enuo I can corroborate this. I also have a source that affirms timed exclusivity on the title until the next Nintendo console launches, where it will be available alongside PC. No Xbox I’m afraid, according to said source 😞

@riceNpea I was thinking this too! If they’re back, then… time to revive the cancelled project?

NO. What?? Yes, I’m excited! My childhood remastered, let’s go!

The French doing as they do, bless them.

Amour et soutien aux travailleurs, c’est parti!

That is awesome, I’ve watched a couple fights on streams and seems a certified banger sans performance issues. I’d have grabbed it Day One myself but am waiting on Astrobot and Zelda, can only spend so much for first day releases 😭 but will absolutely buy this later on a deal after patches.

Joy and cheers to those playing it this weekend!

@Steel76 I can appreciate this, and would imagine you’re not alone. I’m assuming there will be an option for you to adjust this if you’re looking to play without these blur effects (I think FF16 did too if I’m not mistaken?).

For some of us, I think these effects add a sense of thrill and simulation to intense combat, I personally become more immersed as a result. But totally understand not everyone does…. Hopefully there’s something in settings or accessibility to tweak in the game if you’re interested in playing

Just started playing with a friend a couple weeks ago, so I can’t comment on specifics from this expansion. Overall impressions so far though, game is an absolute blast, and this is coming from someone who hasn’t played a game like this in years. It’s great to have a game I can look forward to playing with others on weekends again 😎

@Nepp67 i would much rather be “stuck” in Santorini for vacation than playing new game content 😂 have fun out there! The Greek islands are immaculate.

Started last night, proper From dlc in that you’re immediately thrown into an even less forgiving world. Very difficult, but loving it. Music too is evocative as in the original title, aura permeates a kind of quiet, troubled world. Too early to say much, but so far it’s exactly what I wanted and I’ve the whole weekend to fully enjoy it.

Yeah I need more info on that performance/fidelity option too. I was defaulting to the Switch version, but would happily reconsider if PS5 has a noticeable optimization when playing. I bought Octo 2 on PlayStation and didn’t seem to miss the handheld experience (I play Switch 90% undocked), so I may try this one with PS5 too.

I’m in that camp, it’s time. Xbox had a stellar show, and though we know “games are cooking” at PS Studios, the ball seems to be in Sony’s court now. Microsoft has confirmed they’re all in for gaming, and that fans have a lot to look forward to from them. Here’s hoping the PlayStation showcase (if it’s happening in September) can match it. There’s no need to console war on any of this either! We all won today as gamers, and will win more if Sony knock it out of the park with their next show just like Xbox did today.

@UltimateOtaku91 Nah, just enjoy yourself. As much as I dislike Geoff, the ads, and his business entourage (that sit on the board with him), this festival is one of the best ways devs can share their projects. They usually start and end with something noteworthy, so there’s always a couple games to look forward to after it’s over. Have fun!

Not much? Not pessimistic, but I don’t see us getting major news with Keighley. I’m of the opinion that a September showcase is likely so we’ll only get a sprinkling of PS announcements. Lego Horizon, a remaster of some sort, and maybe Spiderman 2 dlc. No hardware reveal yet. And that’s okay! Astro Bot is coming later and we likely have bigger announcements in the latter half of 2024.

@Fishmasterflex96 I’d wager Sony is hoping Marathon can pull PC players into the PS environment, and could see franchise collaboration of Sony titles with Marathon’s content. Bungie, yes, is meant to provide guidance on Live Service development as you say, but Sony still reaps the revenue on their future projects. I could see them (Sony) using this opportunity to glamorize their own IPs within the game if it really takes off.

@Americansamurai1 that would be awesome, but I just can’t see it at a SOP. Major game reveals always occur in a showcase, as did the Ragnarok announcement you mentioned. However, playing devil’s advocate with myself, there could be some inner-business strategy shifts where a state of play takes on a bigger role in promoting their first party titles. So…. Maybe this state of play communicates that moving forward, it will be a bigger deal and use a Ghost 2 teaser as a means of communicating said shift.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, it just doesn’t follow Sony’s historical pattern for these shows, so I think anyone expecting something like Wolverine and GoT 2 (I’m seeing loads of these predictions online already) will have to wait for another time. More than willing to be surprised 😎

@Americansamurai1 I think Ghost 2 isn’t ready to show yet, seems the focus will be on first party games releasing just this year. Concord and Astro would be the only ones I’m expecting to see, but who knows… maybe there’s “one more thing” for fireworks.

Not a showcase, but that’s alright. We’re getting other big shows in June and the announcement confirms first party updates. Looking forward to tomorrow!

@Grumblevolcano Geoff’s scheduling strategy doesn’t actually surprise me, as he’s been wanting his show to replace E3 for years. Basically, he wants those of us not working/studying for the weekend to give him the summer fever attention for games 👀 something E3 fulfilled before.

As for PlayStation, I’m not sure if they view Friday as a placeholder for bad news in spite of their history (as you say) sharing bummers then. What we can definitely agree on is that Sony is cutting it close in communicating with us whether a major show is coming.

@Grumblevolcano I think there’s still time, I believe they’ve announced a showcase 5 or 6 days prior to the event itself before, meaning next Wednesday/Thursday could be slotted. I would say if nothing is shared by Sony after tomorrow, then Summer 2024 is a no go for a major show.

The last showcase was just confusing… it presented itself as the future of PlayStation being Live Service focused with some first party basis, which is not what many of us fans want. This upcoming show, if it’s happening, has to flip that script. You can (actually) show us Concord and Fairgames, that’s fine, but bombard us with updates from your internal studios, not just 1 or 2. And above all… surprise us. Maybe a tall order, but it’s overdue for Sony to show their hand and imbue us again with the reason for why we invested in this gen to begin with - their games. They can do it… they’ve found a way every PlayStation gen so far.

Sony is the only one left to announce a show for the summer. Even in spite of an underwhelming show last year, I’m excited even at the possibility of another. Here’s hoping to one happening, and a much better one at that this year 😎

@RicebinBernacky Agreed, I imagine that’s what they meant, I see why that could be unclear. Here’s hoping this is true and we see it soon (it’s rumoured to be open world, so I’m extremely curious to see if this is the case)

@RicebinBernacky I think imminent refers to the announcement drop, as we’re entering summer show time and Sony has a history of revealing big Capcom titles (further hinting at a May show coming soon, hence “imminent”).

@felip Indeed! As much as I enjoy Sony template games, these two studios (maybe also housemarque and MM) seem to be the most promising for delivering titles that can shine in uniqueness.

@Nei games are great but taking care of yourself is always number one. Rebirth will be there when you’re back. Hope all goes well 🙏

Very sad to read about the padding and side quests. I’ve all but absolutely lost patience with these issues in rpgs - extending gameplay time in order to hit the reward flow of my brain at the cost of a game’s substance. I felt this a lot with games like FF16 and Fire Emblem Engage, where the strengths shine but anchor beneath their potential because of frustrating busywork. I’m a tad more cautious about my purchase next week, but I’ll read a few more reviews before making my mind. And of course, happy for those excited I still am extremely interested despite my concern.

This is wonderful! I play Xbox on PC, so I didn’t have an option for a physical version of Pentiment. Do I go Switch or Ps5? 🤔 either way, very nice news.

@Olmaz not hyperbole, have done in the past. This is how I decompress, and once in a while I make a little vacation out of it. Why not? Life’s short, enjoy it when you can

Edit: the Nordic spa mention is also not hyperbole, I actually did this last time and was an amazing mix to my time off. Try it! Throw in a good massage or something for your next gaming weekend.

Long weekend booked. I remember taking vacation during the Elden Ring release, coupling it with a Nordic spa day. Methinks I’ll do just that again

Cannot wait 🤩 I hope to see what they’ve done with Torrent. New abilities, mobility options? Otherwise, crazy curious about environments, enemy types, and a glimpse at boss encounters.

@Ralizah It may very well be the case here that Nintendo takes care of my wants in game direction that Sony is seemingly shifting away from as well. I'm not ready to jump ship yet, as Astro's Playroom, Returnal, And Demon's Souls show to me as a fan that there's some good life yet remaining. But in a few years we may be having a different conversation. I already have warmed up to a number of JRPG titles I never touched years ago because I passed on certain systems, notably the 3DS. Incredible games, many of which rest in the spirit that Nintendo is permeating its library with... a recent development for me! As I picked one up during covid and have slowly built a catalog of must-haves. So I'm keeping a close eye on their ventures in addition to hoping that Sony can retrieve their ways as a game company.

Regardless, seems we have different tastes as we've shared regarding older system gens, and that's great. For the record, I did have a Gamecube and loved it. Was primarily a multiplayer machine for me, but it did also have both my favorite Zelda (WW) and Metroid (Prime) games in their respective series. RE4 was also a marvel. So I can totally see how this would have been someone's preferred platform back in the 2000s, mine just was the PS2 because their games spoke to me in a way that was special. And so for the final time, to stress, this is what I want Sony to recognize as their benchmark for when "Greatness Awaits" was a mantra that they lived by, not just marketed.

@Ralizah I suppose we just agree to disagree, no problem. I would throw in the games I mentioned and a number of other PS titles to the legendary tier you mention apart from the GTAs and MGSs that are discussed. It definitely was not a case of adding 'not bad to good' titles but some seriously high quality content that rivaled competitor output, including a few of the greatest ever. I just think a lot of people forget how enjoyable and ahead of their time 1st party games were on the PS2. They're some of the best you can play, even today. I'm actually in a phase at the moment where I'm replaying the Jak and Ratchet games (it's why they keep getting mentioned) and I'm astounded at what they accomplished in the early 2000s. Not to mention, they're still a blast even now, a breath of fresh air away from modern gaming. Perhaps it's that Xbox did wonders with backwards compat and that Nintendo actually treats old properties with care as we've seen in the Switch gen that overshadows Sony's old content in how they've left their gems in the shadows. My view of course... wish Sony wouldn't sleep on what they have.

A partially lapsed Sony fan? I like that. If Sony doesn't recover from this strange spell they're in for this generation, I'm going to steal that label from you lol.

@Ralizah I would still dispute this, respectfully of course. GTA indeed is remembered for its ground breaking open world mechanics and pushed out many consoles with Sony's tied in marketing. If we approached a random on the street who played a PS2 in those days, yes, good chance they'd mention San Andreas or Vice City as a fond memory of the console. There's also a good chance they'd add GT as you mentioned, maybe GoW or Jak 2.

What seems to be implicit in your argument (and feel free to correct) is that it's only a platform like Nintendo that's sought after for its first-party content, and that it's the only platform capable of innovating in various genre spaces. While I would agree that is the case today with the Switch vs PS5, I don't think it was so with the PS2. Jak and Daxter innovated in action-adventure scales and animation, and Shadow Of The Colossus basically pioneered spectacle fights that awe us in current projects like Nier or a FromSoft title. This is what I mean by being remembered, PS first party games were in the ring moving the industry forward just like Nintendo and to some degree, Xbox. It's these experiences that fans remember and carry with them today, myself included.

The reason I'm standing firm in this is because, in light of the article, it's clear Sony is capable of doing what Nintendo is now doing with Switch. Excellent, innovative first party titles, and a seemingly never-ending third party roster of games to enjoy alongside them. I've actually said in the past that the Switch IS the PS2 of this era - it provides anything you could want for a gaming experience with its astounding library.

I don't want to rant too much, and I don't want to speak past you as we may ultimately be in agreement, but I just don't understand why people think PS2 is basically a 3rd party machine in essence - and don't even get me started on the 'DVD Player' shtick people throw around - when just about any content creator you can find online that is passionate about video games remarks on the titles I mentioned, not just GTA or FF. And that's what I want from Sony... get the best of both worlds like they once did. It's too late for this gen it seems given these games are somewhat far along in development, but hopefully they get their act together in PS6 and completely stomp us with quality like the good old days.

@Ralizah PS2 isn’t primarily loved for its first party? It’s very fondly remembered by fans for its output of internally developed content, not to mention franchises began there that we still play today. I’d much rather play Up Your Arsenal or Sly than Mario Sunshine, and I don’t think that’s controversial to say. The games on PS2 were amazing.

PS1 no doubt was a 3rd party machine with sprinkles of their own IP, but PS2 provided everything, including loads of great first party content.