I bought Outer Worlds Premium Edition, so started that last night. I'm playing on Very Hard, and am about 10 minutes into the first mission and already having a bit of difficulty because I am faced with two enemies and am finding it very hard to take them on! It'll probably be okay once I have levelled up a few times, but right now? Ob, boy... 😂
My mate is away today, but I'm hoping he'll be back tomorrow so that we can attempt another Master Horde run in Gears 5 as a trio with my youngest son. We actually managed to complete one last weekend on what was probably a harder map than we will be attempting next, but Master is meant for a team of 5, so attempting it as a trio is really challenging a good fun (and frustrating!)...
Yes, Bond is Spencer's subordinate, and will do as he instructs, @Lowdefal. However, I did not mention Bond! It is Hood who has said that all studios must hit a 30% profit margin, not Bond, and not Spencer. Spencer is Hood's subordinate, and has to do what she says...
As I said yesterday on Pure, this is what happens someone (Amy Hood) who has no understanding of gaming sets unreasonable, and potentially unobtainable, targets, and that has manifestly changed everything about Xbox. No wonder we have seen all these massive U-turns, and unpopular decisions.
Everyone keeps blaming Phil Spencer, but I've been saying for ages that he is no longer in charge. He is just the Xbox figurehead, there to repeat the instructions passed down from senior management at Microsoft. I honestly don't think he believes in what Microsoft are doing to Xbox, but he remains in post in an effort to prevent them from doing even more harm to to the division.
However, I have to ask, if Gears of War: E-day does not hit that 30% margin, will that be the last game in the franchise? Will Microsoft say that if a game like that cannot hit 30%, then it should no longer be made. And if Microsoft do pull the plug on their mainstay franchises, why on Earth would you bother sticking with Xbox?
This target has already massively affected Xbox, who knows what more damage will be done before Microsoft finally realise that gaming is very different to all their other divisions..?
Halo is not stuck in a rut at all, @nomither6. When I played 4 and 5, I did not enjoy them as much as the original trilogy, although they are still very games. When I played Infinite, I very much enjoyed it.
Stuck in a rut means they are doing the same thing over and over, yet you can hardly say that 4 and 5 were doing the same thing as 1-3, and 5 was very different in style to 4 (and not as enjoyable as a result). Infinite was completely different from everything that came before it.
Thus, if the games are very different from the original trilogy, how can they possibly be stuck in a rut?
As I have said, I do not play the multiplayer aspect, and so can only speak to the campaigns. I can say though, as someone that went through every Halo for the umpteenth time earlier this year, they are all very good games, different in many ways, and all good, and I would score all of them as 8s and above.
So no, I do not think they are stuck in a rut, but yes, I do play only the campaigns, if that is what you consider to be offline...
It's weird to me that Microsoft think that Halo needs resuscitating because I thought Infinite to be a very good game. I went through the campaign twice on my own, including on the hardest difficulty, and also twice with a mate, again including on the hardest difficulty.
That said, as is always the case with me, I don't touch the multiplayer component, so I cannot speak to how that faired, although I understand that 343 were too slow to release more content.
What I will say though, in a move that is unusual for me, I played the game via Game Pass rather than buying it, so maybe that was the general problem in that insufficient people actually bought the game. So yeah, maybe it's all my fault... 😂
My God that looks good. That game has soared right to the top of my 'Cannot Wait' list. I wonder if it is a souls-like? Looks like something I'd get anyway, but still would like to know about that..
Almost, @Dogbreath, but only almost! The Premium version comes complete with all the DLC/Expansions. You would need to factor buying the DLC into your equation too... 😉
I have bought the Outer Worlds 2: Premium Edition via Loaded (formerly CDKeys) for the Xbox (because you obviously cannot buy codes for PlayStation games there), and I paid £56 for it. That's a saving of £34 on the PlayStation and Xbox Store price. So if you have a choice of console, and want that version of the game, then you can get it cheaper elsewhere...
I read through the entire review and guess it would score and 8, @OldGamer999. I based that on all that I read, so I do think 7 is a tad low, as the review read like an 8 out of 10. That said, I am very much looking forward to it...
I buy a PlayStation every generation, @Juanalf, even though Xbox is my main. In fact, I don't just buy one every generation, I pre-order it and receive it day one. I only play PlayStation exclusives on my PlayStation, and every third-party game on my Xbox. So someone needs to tell Bond that exclusives do serve a purpose because without there being exclusive titles, I would not own a PlayStation...
I finished Ghost of Yotei yesterday, having bought the Collector's Edition, and thought the game to be absolutely superb. I have no criticism of it whatsoever.
Personally, I prefer a female protagonist anyway, and where I have the option of creating my own character, I always make a pretty redhead! My Mass Effect Shepherd has always looked that way, and even when I play Gears of War Horde, I always select a female character.
All told, I have no idea why people would object to the protagonist based purely on her gender. I can understand people wanting to continue the story of Jin, that's one thing, but objecting to an entirely different character, in a different time setting, just because she's female? Get a life...
I really don't set out to get certain trophies, or all of them, @MrPeanutbutterz, I like to just earn them as I go as I don't want to have them dictate how I play. I say that, but there is one way I do allow a game to determine how I play it and that is with difficulty. I always like to aim for the trophy/achievement for playing on the hardest difficulty, where I am capable of doing so. Other than that, I pretty much like to play a game the way I want, but I do like to know that I can beat it on the hardest difficulty.
What I will say though is that I never, ever look at achievements before I buy a game. I buy a game on its own merits, on whatever system that I want to play it on. I don't think to myself oh these will be easy trophies, I'll get that, because, honestly, does anyone ever look at those you've earned in the past, or look to see what you have platinumed, or how big you achievement score is? No, because no one cares about it at all. You can certainly have pride in what you do for yourself, but no one else cares one bit, so why let it determine what games you will or won't play. Utterly ridiculous...
Absolutely agree, @MrPeanutbutterz. I really don't care that much about them, and certainly don't let them dictate what I do, and don't, play. The madness of it is that you would miss out on so many fantastic games if you refused to play any game that you couldn't get all the trophies on. It's kind of sad really...
I've said all along that Starfield will come to the PlayStation as a 'Complete Edition', @PsBoxSwitchOwner, and I think part of the reason that Bethesda are still doing another DLC, and also working on the game in general, is because they know that the game has a fairly negative overview and that it needs to be better if it is to do well on the PlayStation.
Having said that, even now, the game is better than when it first released both in terms of performance and content, so those 7s it received should probably be 8s by now, though it will be interesting to see whether it is marked down by PlayStation centric websites simply because it released first on the Xbox (and PC)...
How ridiculous are the combos, @Quintumply? in other words how many different buttons do you need to press in order to pull one of the better ones off?
I have ADHD, which majorly affects my memory, meaning I cannot remember overly long or intricate combos. Is there a mode for basically light and heavy attacks, or is there no assistance in this regard? Thanks...
That's very true, @MrPeanutbutterz. If you only earn easy trophies, and will only play games that have easy trophies, what does that say about you?
Having said that, whilst I like to earn all the trophies/achievements in a game that I enjoy, I most certainly never allow trophies or achievements to dictate the games I choose to play. I decide what games to play on what I know of the game, and that's it. If I'm really enjoying it, I'll try and get the lot, but if I don't, then so be it.
Imagine how many truly fantastic games that you would miss out on if you cannot bring yourself to buy a game because you think the trophies are too hard...
Feeling very annoyed and aggrieved right now! After 4 or 5 weeks of trying, and probably upwards of 20 attempts, my son, my mate, and myself finally managed to beat a Horde on Master in Gears 5 as a trio (with 2 bots too). We did all 50 waves, and at the end our score came up saying we had scored something above 670,000 points, but when we checked the stats, it has not updated at all. That run took around 2 hours and 15 minutes, and basically it was all for nothing! Yes, I know that we know that we succeeded, but the fact that none of us has updated stats to show that we have is very frustrating. Anyone that has actually completed a Master run will know how difficult they are (because if you all die, the run ends), but will also probably have done it as a team of 5, so for 3 of us to complete it makes it much harder still.
I don't even know whether it updated the fact that we did a run at all, as I though I am currently number 88 in the World as a Mechanic, I don't know where I was before today, as it is not something I keep a regular eye on.
All very frustrating, and to think that I did the last 26 waves with absolutely no sound, thanks to some bug or other, meaning I couldn't hear where the enemies were, made it all the harder too. As much as I love the game, stuff like this should not be happening 6 years after the game launched.
Anyway, back to the excellent Ghost of Yotei now, and hopefully my annoyance will subside...
I'm 70 hours into my run of Ghost of Yotei, and am absolutely loving it. It is definitely a strong contender for Game of the Year, though my personal favourite this year has been Cronos: The New Dawn (and yes! I have played Expedition 33 as well)...
I get what you are saying about Unreal 5, @CielloArc, but the truth is they could have learned how to use it whilst making a brand new game, but chose to do a remaster because they know that the Sony gamer won't want to join the franchise late into the series. They want us to start right at the beginning so that we feel part of the adventure. The same is not true of the Xbox gamer, who would rather a new game, not a remaster. It would be like us being given yet another remaster of The Last of Us, when we would much prefer a third entry in the franchise...
Honestly, @get2sammyb, I really don't think that Microsoft have much concern over how Xbox gamers will react to this because that is unlikely to be the point of this remaster. The point is to draw in new gamers on the PS5.
Microsoft know full well that Xbox gamers will largely be playing it (or avoiding it if annoyed) on Game Pass. Halo won't be used to draw new subscribers to Game Pass, or at least not substantial numbers. No, Microsoft are pretty much solely aiming at the PlayStation gamer with this remake, and for the majority of them, they never played Halo at all, and so would not be aware of any changes, and so they won't matter to them. This remaster will overhaul some of the mechanics, and up its framerate and graphics to 4k. Things that will appeal to the Sony gamer.
So honestly, I do not think that Microsoft will be that concerned as to what Xbox gamers think because that is not the target audience, and is not where the money is to be made...
I can give you a 100% accurate list of the games that I have played on my PS5, which I received the day it released, @PoeticJustice. It's fairly easy to do because, like you, there are not many of them:
1. Returnal 2. Demon Souls 3. The Last of Us Part 1: Remastered 4. The Last of Us Part 2: Remastered 5. God of War 6. God of War: Ragnarök 7. Horizon Forbidden West 8. Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart 9. Spiderman: Miles Morales 10. Spiderman 2 11. Stellar Blade 12. Days Gone: Remastered 13. Ghost of Yotei
Oddly enough, even though in 5 years I have played just 13 games, I am still glad that I pre-ordered mine. None of these games is available on any other console, and as I don't enjoy gaming on my PC, without having bought my PS5, I would not have got to play them...
I'll be there day one, which if Sony follow their usual pattern, will be around Fall. At least with Sony I 100% believe that there will be a PS6, whilst with Xbox who knows whether we will see another one...?
What really annoyed me about my physical release was that I bought the Collector's Edition and firstly I had to unseal and open my edition to get the code from within, when they could either have emailed it to me, or put it loose in the box in which it arrived. Secondly, and what really got my goat was that the CE came in a really snug sleeve that I was unable to get the box back into without tearing it. Whilst the inner box is one of the nicest I have received, the outer sleeve ripping is the first time I've encountered it, and left me very disappointed, and it was something that could have been avoided by having the code separate..
On my Series X - Gears 5 Horde on Master with just one mate and my son. It's proving very, very difficult!
On my Switch - Absolutely nothing, as has been the case for approaching 3 years now. The purchase of my Switch was a moment of madness because I have only ever played one game on it...
I wouldn't be playing the multiplayer component anyway, but this change would mean I have even less desire to try playing it. I remember playing Overwatch where the elite players would join Silver or Gold (which was where I used to find myself), and then they would just take any enjoyment out of the game instantly. Between people deliberately dropping from the high level tiers, and also the constant people griefing in chat, I ended up giving up on the game...
I t's not something I thought to ask, @ilyn. I'll try to get an answer from him when I next speak, though are chats can be a little spotty, and I don't want to spook him. He used to provide codes for another mate of mine, because each month Sony would provides loads of them for loads of different games, and he would give away all those he didn't want himself. However, because these codes were subsequently being pirated, Sony have cracked down on them, and stopped giving away the codes, so he is a bit paranoid at the moment, which is understandable...
I'm not sure that I understand what 'only exists in simulation' means because I know for a fact that a friend of mine has a PS6 development kit, from Sony, that they received in just the past week or so. So either I am misunderstanding what Mark Cerny is saying, or he is not being completely honest, or maybe when he says 'simulation', he is actually referring to the development kit form...
Well, according to this then, I am almost single-handedly keeping the lights on for the gaming industry!
This is a list of all the games that I have bought in 2025 (everything was pre-ordered, unless bought in a sale (as stated)):
JANUARY:
Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition (bought in a sale) Assassin's Creed: Mirage (bought in a sale)
FEBRUARY:
Doom: The Dark Ages Collector's Edition
MARCH:
Split Fiction Cluedo (bought in a sale) The First Berserker: Khazan Deluxe Edition
APRIL:
Choo-Choo Charles (bought in a sale) The Talos Principle: Reawakened
JUNE:
Death Stranding 2 Collector's Edition
AUGUST:
Hot Wheels Unleashed (Bought in a Sale)
SEPTEMBER:
Hell Is Us Cronos: The New Dawn Deluxe Edition Terminator Resistance: Complete Edition (Bought in a sale) Deadzone Rogue Borderlands 4 Ultimate Edition Dying Light: The Beast Silent Hill F
OCTOBER:
Ghost of Yotei Collector's Edition Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition
I have also bought 5 different DLC's this year too. So, yeah, I buy a lot of games... 🤣
@DETfaninATL has basically covered all the areas very well, @Czar_Khastik. I would say that I enjoyed the game so much that I went through the game on the hardest difficulty on New Game Plus and earned every achievement (yes, I played it first on the Xbox!). However, because I enjoyed the game so much, and because I want the game to be successful, and because I want to support the developers, I then bought the game on the PlayStation too. Honestly, it is that good...
Actually, @Rich33, you are not wrong about cats being a problem too! I have 4 cats, and they often unexpectedly jump on the arm of my armchair and affect my mouse. I've had them close windows, stand on the keyboard and even pressed a button that has submitted an unfinished email. So yes, they can be a real problem... 😂
Glad they didn't go down the co-op route. I find that very often when a game is built with co-op in mind, that it tends to be at the expense of the solo game, meaning you are locked out of content because the difficulty is built with two of you playing, more than playing it solo...
I agree with everything you said in response to me, @Rich33. People do severely underestimate how much a capable PC actually costs, and also how much more you have to learn in order to play on PC when compared to the simplicity of gaming on a console.
My PC is hooked up to my TV, and I really do not enjoy gaming with a mouse and keyboard because using a mouse on an armchair is somewhat tricky.
I think whatever happens next generation, the PS5 will be around for pretty much all of the PS6 generation, meaning you do not necessarily have to rush into joining the next gen. You can take your time to assess whether or not it is worth your money.
I do think it sad to see the Xbox going (assuming it does) because PC's and the Switch are very different to the PlayStation, and it is really only the Xbox that pushes Sony (in terms of console innovation). Xbox disappearing would enable Sony to make the next iteration of PlayStation only a little better, and instead of bringing us something that push the envelope, they can just bring us small, incremental improvements. It'll allow Sony to constantly keep something in reserve for the the PS7 and the one after that, rather than giving us something cutting edge straight away. For Sony that would also keep the build prices in check, though whether they pass that on to us is another matter.
Whatever happens, you have to say we are living through interesting times in terms of gaming...
I get what you are saying, @IronCrow86, but this would appear to be a decision that supersedes their plan to release a PC/Box. In other words, they did intend to release a PC/Box, but now those plans have been scrapped...
People are leaving Game Pass in droves, @MasterChiefWiggum. It's a real exodus. People are unwilling to pay $30 a month for the service now, so if the rumours of it going up again, then even fewer people will stick with it.
Honestly, I think the signs of Microsoft leaving the console business have been there for a few years now. I'm just surprised that it has taken this long for them to internally agree to put that side of their business out of its misery (assuming they have, that is)...
Whilst I understand what you are getting at, @Rich33, and I agree to what you say to some extent, but people will not leave PlayStation in the numbers you suggest. It won't be 10% or 20% it'll be more like 1% or 2%.
You simply cannot build a PC as capable as the PlayStation for much less than £/$1500, and I really cannot see people wanting to fork out that much on something that is far more complicated, and far less reliable, than a PlayStation.
I do think that you will see a higher percentage move over to PC the more expensive the PS6 is, thus at £/$800 1% or 2%, £/$900 3% or 4%, and at £/$1000 maybe 7% or 8%, but I really cannot see people wanting to pay a huge amount for a PC either.
Let me put it this way, my PC cost £3600, and my mates was £4500. Both are more capable than the PS5, but also a lot more hassle too. PC gaming is hugely expensive, and as time goes on, you find that a game needs a new graphics card to run at it's best, or faster memory, etc. meaning instead of doing what you do with a console and sticking with it for the entire generation, you upgrade, buying one component, such as a graphics card, which costs more than the PS5 Pro...!
PC gaming is not all it's cracked up to be, honestly...
I can see this being absolutely true. I have said so many times on Pure Xbox that I am not 100% certain there will be another Xbox console made by Microsoft, and that was even after the June announcement.
Prior to the June announcement I was saying it was 50/50, after the announcement I said I was 90% sure it was going ahead. I've lost count of the number of times that I have been ridiculed for my comments, with countless people continually telling me that Microsoft had confirmed it, etc. However, as I always said, they said no games were being ported to the PlayStation, and then it was only 4 and so on, and so on. My point was always the same, plans change, which was a comment made by Phil Spencer himself, by the way.
After reading this I'm more confident that we won't be seeing another Microsoft produced Xbox, than I am that there will. I've lost count of the number of times that I have been ridiculed for my comments, with countless people continually telling me that Microsoft had confirmed it, etc. However, as I always said, they said no games were being ported to the PlayStation, and then it was only 4 and so on, and so on. My point was always the same, plans change, which was a comment made by Phil Spencer himself, by the way.
I've been with the PlayStation and the Xbox since the very start. I pre-ordered both the PS1 and the OG Xbox. My main console though has always been the Xbox, and I use my PlayStation for the exclusives only. I also buy a huge amount of games, and have over 1600 digital games in my Xbox library, so for me, this is particularly sad.
I'm hoping against hope that this is not true, but sadly I think it will prove to be so. In my opinion, Xbox has always pushed Sony, and you can say what you like about the Switch 2 and PC, but they are different beasts, meaning that Sony can pretty much stick to the formula of the PS5 and still be different again. In other words, if Microsoft do withdraw from the market, then there really is no need for Sony to innovate because most people will stick with them regardless...
Comments 1,437
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 604
I bought Outer Worlds Premium Edition, so started that last night. I'm playing on Very Hard, and am about 10 minutes into the first mission and already having a bit of difficulty because I am faced with two enemies and am finding it very hard to take them on! It'll probably be okay once I have levelled up a few times, but right now? Ob, boy... 😂
My mate is away today, but I'm hoping he'll be back tomorrow so that we can attempt another Master Horde run in Gears 5 as a trio with my youngest son. We actually managed to complete one last weekend on what was probably a harder map than we will be attempting next, but Master is meant for a team of 5, so attempting it as a trio is really challenging a good fun (and frustrating!)...
Re: This Is Why Xbox Is Bringing All of Its Games to PS5 Now
Yes, Bond is Spencer's subordinate, and will do as he instructs, @Lowdefal. However, I did not mention Bond! It is Hood who has said that all studios must hit a 30% profit margin, not Bond, and not Spencer. Spencer is Hood's subordinate, and has to do what she says...
Re: This Is Why Xbox Is Bringing All of Its Games to PS5 Now
As I said yesterday on Pure, this is what happens someone (Amy Hood) who has no understanding of gaming sets unreasonable, and potentially unobtainable, targets, and that has manifestly changed everything about Xbox. No wonder we have seen all these massive U-turns, and unpopular decisions.
Everyone keeps blaming Phil Spencer, but I've been saying for ages that he is no longer in charge. He is just the Xbox figurehead, there to repeat the instructions passed down from senior management at Microsoft. I honestly don't think he believes in what Microsoft are doing to Xbox, but he remains in post in an effort to prevent them from doing even more harm to to the division.
However, I have to ask, if Gears of War: E-day does not hit that 30% margin, will that be the last game in the franchise? Will Microsoft say that if a game like that cannot hit 30%, then it should no longer be made. And if Microsoft do pull the plug on their mainstay franchises, why on Earth would you bother sticking with Xbox?
This target has already massively affected Xbox, who knows what more damage will be done before Microsoft finally realise that gaming is very different to all their other divisions..?
Re: Rumour: New Halo Game Heading for PS5, Will Almost Certainly Be Announced This Week
Halo is not stuck in a rut at all, @nomither6. When I played 4 and 5, I did not enjoy them as much as the original trilogy, although they are still very games. When I played Infinite, I very much enjoyed it.
Stuck in a rut means they are doing the same thing over and over, yet you can hardly say that 4 and 5 were doing the same thing as 1-3, and 5 was very different in style to 4 (and not as enjoyable as a result). Infinite was completely different from everything that came before it.
Thus, if the games are very different from the original trilogy, how can they possibly be stuck in a rut?
As I have said, I do not play the multiplayer aspect, and so can only speak to the campaigns. I can say though, as someone that went through every Halo for the umpteenth time earlier this year, they are all very good games, different in many ways, and all good, and I would score all of them as 8s and above.
So no, I do not think they are stuck in a rut, but yes, I do play only the campaigns, if that is what you consider to be offline...
Re: Rumour: New Halo Game Heading for PS5, Will Almost Certainly Be Announced This Week
It's weird to me that Microsoft think that Halo needs resuscitating because I thought Infinite to be a very good game. I went through the campaign twice on my own, including on the hardest difficulty, and also twice with a mate, again including on the hardest difficulty.
That said, as is always the case with me, I don't touch the multiplayer component, so I cannot speak to how that faired, although I understand that 343 were too slow to release more content.
What I will say though, in a move that is unusual for me, I played the game via Game Pass rather than buying it, so maybe that was the general problem in that insufficient people actually bought the game. So yeah, maybe it's all my fault... 😂
Re: Project Tal Is Another Stunning Open World Action RPG Targeting PS5
My God that looks good. That game has soared right to the top of my 'Cannot Wait' list. I wonder if it is a souls-like? Looks like something I'd get anyway, but still would like to know about that..
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5) - Mechanically Fantastic RPG Struggles to Be Memorable
Almost, @Dogbreath, but only almost! The Premium version comes complete with all the DLC/Expansions. You would need to factor buying the DLC into your equation too... 😉
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5) - Mechanically Fantastic RPG Struggles to Be Memorable
I have bought the Outer Worlds 2: Premium Edition via Loaded (formerly CDKeys) for the Xbox (because you obviously cannot buy codes for PlayStation games there), and I paid £56 for it. That's a saving of £34 on the PlayStation and Xbox Store price. So if you have a choice of console, and want that version of the game, then you can get it cheaper elsewhere...
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5) - Mechanically Fantastic RPG Struggles to Be Memorable
I read through the entire review and guess it would score and 8, @OldGamer999. I based that on all that I read, so I do think 7 is a tad low, as the review read like an 8 out of 10. That said, I am very much looking forward to it...
Re: Xbox Boss Believes Sony's Strategy of Console Exclusives Is 'Antiquated'
I buy a PlayStation every generation, @Juanalf, even though Xbox is my main. In fact, I don't just buy one every generation, I pre-order it and receive it day one. I only play PlayStation exclusives on my PlayStation, and every third-party game on my Xbox. So someone needs to tell Bond that exclusives do serve a purpose because without there being exclusive titles, I would not own a PlayStation...
Re: Sep 2025 USA Sales: Ghost of Yotei PS5 Boycott Fails, Sequel Sells 'Great'
I finished Ghost of Yotei yesterday, having bought the Collector's Edition, and thought the game to be absolutely superb. I have no criticism of it whatsoever.
Personally, I prefer a female protagonist anyway, and where I have the option of creating my own character, I always make a pretty redhead! My Mass Effect Shepherd has always looked that way, and even when I play Gears of War Horde, I always select a female character.
All told, I have no idea why people would object to the protagonist based purely on her gender. I can understand people wanting to continue the story of Jin, that's one thing, but objecting to an entirely different character, in a different time setting, just because she's female? Get a life...
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
I really don't set out to get certain trophies, or all of them, @MrPeanutbutterz, I like to just earn them as I go as I don't want to have them dictate how I play. I say that, but there is one way I do allow a game to determine how I play it and that is with difficulty. I always like to aim for the trophy/achievement for playing on the hardest difficulty, where I am capable of doing so. Other than that, I pretty much like to play a game the way I want, but I do like to know that I can beat it on the hardest difficulty.
What I will say though is that I never, ever look at achievements before I buy a game. I buy a game on its own merits, on whatever system that I want to play it on. I don't think to myself oh these will be easy trophies, I'll get that, because, honestly, does anyone ever look at those you've earned in the past, or look to see what you have platinumed, or how big you achievement score is? No, because no one cares about it at all. You can certainly have pride in what you do for yourself, but no one else cares one bit, so why let it determine what games you will or won't play. Utterly ridiculous...
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
Absolutely agree, @MrPeanutbutterz. I really don't care that much about them, and certainly don't let them dictate what I do, and don't, play. The madness of it is that you would miss out on so many fantastic games if you refused to play any game that you couldn't get all the trophies on. It's kind of sad really...
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 (PS5) - A Bloodthirsty Action Game Ripped Straight from the PS3 Era
Thank you, @Quintumply. That's very helpful, and reassuring... 👍
Re: 'Even I Can't Tell the Difference': Shuhei Yoshida Thinks PS6 Needs Something Other Than Just More Power
He's not wrong. Graphics are pretty much peak now, and it is just that consistent performance that is required from the PS6...
Re: Xbox, PC Sci-Fi RPG Starfield Won't Be Revealed for PS5 Until Next Year
I've said all along that Starfield will come to the PlayStation as a 'Complete Edition', @PsBoxSwitchOwner, and I think part of the reason that Bethesda are still doing another DLC, and also working on the game in general, is because they know that the game has a fairly negative overview and that it needs to be better if it is to do well on the PlayStation.
Having said that, even now, the game is better than when it first released both in terms of performance and content, so those 7s it received should probably be 8s by now, though it will be interesting to see whether it is marked down by PlayStation centric websites simply because it released first on the Xbox (and PC)...
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 (PS5) - A Bloodthirsty Action Game Ripped Straight from the PS3 Era
How ridiculous are the combos, @Quintumply? in other words how many different buttons do you need to press in order to pull one of the better ones off?
I have ADHD, which majorly affects my memory, meaning I cannot remember overly long or intricate combos. Is there a mode for basically light and heavy attacks, or is there no assistance in this regard? Thanks...
Re: All PS5 Games with Power Saver Support
...early tests on a base PS5 show a reduction of up to 50% when the Power Saver feature is enabled...
I'm a little confused, @get2sammyb; if it's up to 50%, then why is Demon Souls showing a reduction of 68%..? 🤔
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
That's very true, @MrPeanutbutterz. If you only earn easy trophies, and will only play games that have easy trophies, what does that say about you?
Having said that, whilst I like to earn all the trophies/achievements in a game that I enjoy, I most certainly never allow trophies or achievements to dictate the games I choose to play. I decide what games to play on what I know of the game, and that's it. If I'm really enjoying it, I'll try and get the lot, but if I don't, then so be it.
Imagine how many truly fantastic games that you would miss out on if you cannot bring yourself to buy a game because you think the trophies are too hard...
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
Funny enough, I thought exactly the same thing, @Kidfunkadelic83 & @Kraven... 😂
Re: The Possibility of Ghost of Yotei DLC Could Be Down to You
I'd be happy to have another chunk of single-player DLC, but if it's not single-player, then I'd rather they got on with a new game next...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 603
Feeling very annoyed and aggrieved right now! After 4 or 5 weeks of trying, and probably upwards of 20 attempts, my son, my mate, and myself finally managed to beat a Horde on Master in Gears 5 as a trio (with 2 bots too). We did all 50 waves, and at the end our score came up saying we had scored something above 670,000 points, but when we checked the stats, it has not updated at all. That run took around 2 hours and 15 minutes, and basically it was all for nothing! Yes, I know that we know that we succeeded, but the fact that none of us has updated stats to show that we have is very frustrating. Anyone that has actually completed a Master run will know how difficult they are (because if you all die, the run ends), but will also probably have done it as a team of 5, so for 3 of us to complete it makes it much harder still.
I don't even know whether it updated the fact that we did a run at all, as I though I am currently number 88 in the World as a Mechanic, I don't know where I was before today, as it is not something I keep a regular eye on.
All very frustrating, and to think that I did the last 26 waves with absolutely no sound, thanks to some bug or other, meaning I couldn't hear where the enemies were, made it all the harder too. As much as I love the game, stuff like this should not be happening 6 years after the game launched.
Anyway, back to the excellent Ghost of Yotei now, and hopefully my annoyance will subside...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 603
I'm 70 hours into my run of Ghost of Yotei, and am absolutely loving it. It is definitely a strong contender for Game of the Year, though my personal favourite this year has been Cronos: The New Dawn (and yes! I have played Expedition 33 as well)...
Re: Rumour: Halo Remake Is Coming to PS5, Will Feature 'Modern Gameplay Mechanics'
I get what you are saying about Unreal 5, @CielloArc, but the truth is they could have learned how to use it whilst making a brand new game, but chose to do a remaster because they know that the Sony gamer won't want to join the franchise late into the series. They want us to start right at the beginning so that we feel part of the adventure. The same is not true of the Xbox gamer, who would rather a new game, not a remaster. It would be like us being given yet another remaster of The Last of Us, when we would much prefer a third entry in the franchise...
Re: Ghost of Yotei Is Sony's Biggest PS5 Launch Since Spider-Man 2 in Europe
I, for one, am very much enjoying the game. It's probably my second favourite game of the year after Cronos: The New Dawn.
I really hope we see a third entry in the franchise because it thoroughly deserves it...
Re: Rumour: Halo Remake Is Coming to PS5, Will Feature 'Modern Gameplay Mechanics'
Honestly, @get2sammyb, I really don't think that Microsoft have much concern over how Xbox gamers will react to this because that is unlikely to be the point of this remaster. The point is to draw in new gamers on the PS5.
Microsoft know full well that Xbox gamers will largely be playing it (or avoiding it if annoyed) on Game Pass. Halo won't be used to draw new subscribers to Game Pass, or at least not substantial numbers. No, Microsoft are pretty much solely aiming at the PlayStation gamer with this remake, and for the majority of them, they never played Halo at all, and so would not be aware of any changes, and so they won't matter to them. This remaster will overhaul some of the mechanics, and up its framerate and graphics to 4k. Things that will appeal to the Sony gamer.
So honestly, I do not think that Microsoft will be that concerned as to what Xbox gamers think because that is not the target audience, and is not where the money is to be made...
Re: PS6 Manufacturing Scheduled to Get Underway in Early 2027
I can give you a 100% accurate list of the games that I have played on my PS5, which I received the day it released, @PoeticJustice. It's fairly easy to do because, like you, there are not many of them:
1. Returnal
2. Demon Souls
3. The Last of Us Part 1: Remastered
4. The Last of Us Part 2: Remastered
5. God of War
6. God of War: Ragnarök
7. Horizon Forbidden West
8. Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart
9. Spiderman: Miles Morales
10. Spiderman 2
11. Stellar Blade
12. Days Gone: Remastered
13. Ghost of Yotei
Oddly enough, even though in 5 years I have played just 13 games, I am still glad that I pre-ordered mine. None of these games is available on any other console, and as I don't enjoy gaming on my PC, without having bought my PS5, I would not have got to play them...
Re: PS6 Manufacturing Scheduled to Get Underway in Early 2027
I'll be there day one, which if Sony follow their usual pattern, will be around Fall. At least with Sony I 100% believe that there will be a PS6, whilst with Xbox who knows whether we will see another one...?
Re: Complete Your Physical Copy of Ghost of Yotei with a Fan-Made Manual
What really annoyed me about my physical release was that I bought the Collector's Edition and firstly I had to unseal and open my edition to get the code from within, when they could either have emailed it to me, or put it loose in the box in which it arrived. Secondly, and what really got my goat was that the CE came in a really snug sleeve that I was unable to get the box back into without tearing it. Whilst the inner box is one of the nicest I have received, the outer sleeve ripping is the first time I've encountered it, and left me very disappointed, and it was something that could have been avoided by having the code separate..
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 602
On my PS5 - Ghost of Yotei
On my Series X - Gears 5 Horde on Master with just one mate and my son. It's proving very, very difficult!
On my Switch - Absolutely nothing, as has been the case for approaching 3 years now. The purchase of my Switch was a moment of madness because I have only ever played one game on it...
Re: Train Sim World 6 (PS5) - This Scenic Ride Rarely Surprises
I might have to get this seems as it goes to Plymouth, which just happens to be where I live... 😉
Re: Call of Duty Is Trying Everything It Can to Make You Play Black Ops 7 Over Battlefield 6
I wouldn't be playing the multiplayer component anyway, but this change would mean I have even less desire to try playing it. I remember playing Overwatch where the elite players would join Silver or Gold (which was where I used to find myself), and then they would just take any enjoyment out of the game instantly. Between people deliberately dropping from the high level tiers, and also the constant people griefing in chat, I ended up giving up on the game...
Re: PS5 Soulslike Code Vein 2 Couldn't Be More Anime If It Tried
I really enjoyed the first game, and will be pre-ordering the sequel the week it comes out...
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
Understood, @Drago201. Like I say it was only in the past week or so he got his, so it may well be pretty basic at the moment...
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
Interesting, @SoNico89. I didn't know that, and I don't think he specifically mentioned hardware, just development kit, so it could be either...
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
I think 2027 is the earliest we will see the PS6, @Th3solution. 2028 would not be a bad bet either...
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
I t's not something I thought to ask, @ilyn. I'll try to get an answer from him when I next speak, though are chats can be a little spotty, and I don't want to spook him. He used to provide codes for another mate of mine, because each month Sony would provides loads of them for loads of different games, and he would give away all those he didn't want himself. However, because these codes were subsequently being pirated, Sony have cracked down on them, and stopped giving away the codes, so he is a bit paranoid at the moment, which is understandable...
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
I'm not sure that I understand what 'only exists in simulation' means because I know for a fact that a friend of mine has a PS6 development kit, from Sony, that they received in just the past week or so. So either I am misunderstanding what Mark Cerny is saying, or he is not being completely honest, or maybe when he says 'simulation', he is actually referring to the development kit form...
Re: People Don't Buy Anywhere Near As Many Games As You Think
Well, according to this then, I am almost single-handedly keeping the lights on for the gaming industry!
This is a list of all the games that I have bought in 2025 (everything was pre-ordered, unless bought in a sale (as stated)):
JANUARY:
Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition (bought in a sale)
Assassin's Creed: Mirage (bought in a sale)
FEBRUARY:
Doom: The Dark Ages Collector's Edition
MARCH:
Split Fiction
Cluedo (bought in a sale)
The First Berserker: Khazan Deluxe Edition
APRIL:
Choo-Choo Charles (bought in a sale)
The Talos Principle: Reawakened
JUNE:
Death Stranding 2 Collector's Edition
AUGUST:
Hot Wheels Unleashed (Bought in a Sale)
SEPTEMBER:
Hell Is Us
Cronos: The New Dawn Deluxe Edition
Terminator Resistance: Complete Edition (Bought in a sale)
Deadzone Rogue
Borderlands 4 Ultimate Edition
Dying Light: The Beast
Silent Hill F
OCTOBER:
Ghost of Yotei Collector's Edition
Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition
I have also bought 5 different DLC's this year too. So, yeah, I buy a lot of games... 🤣
Re: Poll: Vote for Your PS5 Game of the Month (September 2025)
@DETfaninATL has basically covered all the areas very well, @Czar_Khastik. I would say that I enjoyed the game so much that I went through the game on the hardest difficulty on New Game Plus and earned every achievement (yes, I played it first on the Xbox!). However, because I enjoyed the game so much, and because I want the game to be successful, and because I want to support the developers, I then bought the game on the PlayStation too. Honestly, it is that good...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
Thank you, @GamingFan4Lyf. I was just curious how much a PC costs right now as I bought mine a long time ago.
Re: Poll: Vote for Your PS5 Game of the Month (September 2025)
Easily the best game I have played thus far this year is Cronos: The New Dawn*. My second place vote would go to Hell Is Us.
*Just to be clear, I have also played Expedition 33, and yet I think Cronos: The New Dawn was better than even that game...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
Actually, @Rich33, you are not wrong about cats being a problem too! I have 4 cats, and they often unexpectedly jump on the arm of my armchair and affect my mouse. I've had them close windows, stand on the keyboard and even pressed a button that has submitted an unfinished email. So yes, they can be a real problem... 😂
Re: PS5 Shooter Pragamata Could Have Been Two-Player, But Capcom Decided to Make You Play Co-Op with Yourself
Glad they didn't go down the co-op route. I find that very often when a game is built with co-op in mind, that it tends to be at the expense of the solo game, meaning you are locked out of content because the difficulty is built with two of you playing, more than playing it solo...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
Out of curiosity, how much did you pay for your PC, @GamingFan4Lyf, if you don't mind me asking?
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
I agree with everything you said in response to me, @Rich33. People do severely underestimate how much a capable PC actually costs, and also how much more you have to learn in order to play on PC when compared to the simplicity of gaming on a console.
My PC is hooked up to my TV, and I really do not enjoy gaming with a mouse and keyboard because using a mouse on an armchair is somewhat tricky.
I think whatever happens next generation, the PS5 will be around for pretty much all of the PS6 generation, meaning you do not necessarily have to rush into joining the next gen. You can take your time to assess whether or not it is worth your money.
I do think it sad to see the Xbox going (assuming it does) because PC's and the Switch are very different to the PlayStation, and it is really only the Xbox that pushes Sony (in terms of console innovation). Xbox disappearing would enable Sony to make the next iteration of PlayStation only a little better, and instead of bringing us something that push the envelope, they can just bring us small, incremental improvements. It'll allow Sony to constantly keep something in reserve for the the PS7 and the one after that, rather than giving us something cutting edge straight away. For Sony that would also keep the build prices in check, though whether they pass that on to us is another matter.
Whatever happens, you have to say we are living through interesting times in terms of gaming...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
I get what you are saying, @IronCrow86, but this would appear to be a decision that supersedes their plan to release a PC/Box. In other words, they did intend to release a PC/Box, but now those plans have been scrapped...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
People are leaving Game Pass in droves, @MasterChiefWiggum. It's a real exodus. People are unwilling to pay $30 a month for the service now, so if the rumours of it going up again, then even fewer people will stick with it.
Honestly, I think the signs of Microsoft leaving the console business have been there for a few years now. I'm just surprised that it has taken this long for them to internally agree to put that side of their business out of its misery (assuming they have, that is)...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
Whilst I understand what you are getting at, @Rich33, and I agree to what you say to some extent, but people will not leave PlayStation in the numbers you suggest. It won't be 10% or 20% it'll be more like 1% or 2%.
You simply cannot build a PC as capable as the PlayStation for much less than £/$1500, and I really cannot see people wanting to fork out that much on something that is far more complicated, and far less reliable, than a PlayStation.
I do think that you will see a higher percentage move over to PC the more expensive the PS6 is, thus at £/$800 1% or 2%, £/$900 3% or 4%, and at £/$1000 maybe 7% or 8%, but I really cannot see people wanting to pay a huge amount for a PC either.
Let me put it this way, my PC cost £3600, and my mates was £4500. Both are more capable than the PS5, but also a lot more hassle too. PC gaming is hugely expensive, and as time goes on, you find that a game needs a new graphics card to run at it's best, or faster memory, etc. meaning instead of doing what you do with a console and sticking with it for the entire generation, you upgrade, buying one component, such as a graphics card, which costs more than the PS5 Pro...!
PC gaming is not all it's cracked up to be, honestly...
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
I can see this being absolutely true. I have said so many times on Pure Xbox that I am not 100% certain there will be another Xbox console made by Microsoft, and that was even after the June announcement.
Prior to the June announcement I was saying it was 50/50, after the announcement I said I was 90% sure it was going ahead. I've lost count of the number of times that I have been ridiculed for my comments, with countless people continually telling me that Microsoft had confirmed it, etc. However, as I always said, they said no games were being ported to the PlayStation, and then it was only 4 and so on, and so on. My point was always the same, plans change, which was a comment made by Phil Spencer himself, by the way.
After reading this I'm more confident that we won't be seeing another Microsoft produced Xbox, than I am that there will. I've lost count of the number of times that I have been ridiculed for my comments, with countless people continually telling me that Microsoft had confirmed it, etc. However, as I always said, they said no games were being ported to the PlayStation, and then it was only 4 and so on, and so on. My point was always the same, plans change, which was a comment made by Phil Spencer himself, by the way.
I've been with the PlayStation and the Xbox since the very start. I pre-ordered both the PS1 and the OG Xbox. My main console though has always been the Xbox, and I use my PlayStation for the exclusives only. I also buy a huge amount of games, and have over 1600 digital games in my Xbox library, so for me, this is particularly sad.
I'm hoping against hope that this is not true, but sadly I think it will prove to be so. In my opinion, Xbox has always pushed Sony, and you can say what you like about the Switch 2 and PC, but they are different beasts, meaning that Sony can pretty much stick to the formula of the PS5 and still be different again. In other words, if Microsoft do withdraw from the market, then there really is no need for Sony to innovate because most people will stick with them regardless...