J2theEzzo

@get2sammyb I've seen promo stuff from events in Japan, where they've had someone in a lot of prosthetics (and practically in stilts) pull of old, Greek saga Kratos and make it look very effective... this ain't it, though!

Looks so wafty 😂

@RoomWithaMoose Very much agreed. On other sites, people seem capable of a rational discussion suggesting why disappointment might be warranted on behalf of those who purchased it, whereas certain individuals here seem more inclined to raise a moot point as evidence to do away with any credibility that any naysayers might have. God forbid a person should have an opinion that differs - best call them a 'hater' or a crybaby.

Seem to be one of the few people that think this is a good idea... I wish more video-game movie tie-ins actually had some of the original members responsible for creating the IP helping with adaptations. Must be a reason that most are absolutely atrocious and can't ever seem to satisfy anyone - Borderlands and Monster Hunter, for recent examples.

Shout out to Infernax, for a similarly good time! Had a lot of cool post release support, including full co-op functionality. Also has multiple endings and some good secrets within!

Will probably give this a look, but as I say, anyone remotely interested should check out Infernax, also. Great game and very funny, too!

I saw a rumour suggesting it could be Monster Hunter Stories 2.

I wish the rumours were true.

@Ainu20 I miss gaming magazines. I miss regular, timely, articles about games, that offered solid reviews for what was on the horizon. I miss the abundance of free demos that used to come out, and I miss how many great, novelty, titles used to get released, instead of vapid shovelware, endless mobile-inspired gacha games, or overly long development times.

I really think it peaked with the late PS3/ early PS4 era, and has been devolving ever since. Sigh.

Would it not also be interesting to get an idea of how old the user base is that's driving up those numbers?

Because, it feels to me like Sony, and many companies, have essentially been forwarding this agenda of trying to make their console an always online Games as a service machine, even including Fortnite and Roblox on their home pages (because they still want to talk about people 'using' their console, even if it's to play all this tripe), but how many sales of videogames or other hardware actually come from that portion of the market that are so incurably invested in the F2P market?

I'd wager (no pun intended) that they don't spend as much cash per annum as the solid base of 'gamers' who aren't just using their PS5 as a social media machine, so maybe if Sony focused more on the paying, gaming, demographic rather than chasing live service trends (Im aware it makes money, of course), they might have a more loyal and satisfied following, rather than simply looking at how many numbers of people are simply using their console to play games that vacuum time and cash away from the home system itself.

@PuppetMaster I personally think NG 4 fumbled hard by making the new protagonist the focus, instead of everyone's favourite ninja Ryu (Sorry Rikimaru). I've played it, and while it does feel faithful to the classic games, the overly anime aesthetic and fairly bland level design don't convince me to buy it. I'd rather play NG black 2.

Yeah, cool post-game support, but sorry, knowing about the financial backers of this game, and how much cash they flushed into marketing it, all just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Not gonna support this game.

@WhoderMan Imagine, for that Bungie money all the other, smaller, studios that could have been supported in making an assortment of varied games!

Hey guys, it's fine... you've got Marathon to look forward to! 🙌

Art style looks bland, even if the visuals are crisp.
Kratos' character design looks so appallingly average, and I really feel the 'young Kratos' idea is a bit of a dumb move.
Average gameplay experience with no real USP, that technically feels worse to play than some of the other great metroidvanias of the last year(s).
Failing to capitalise on making the campaign fully couch coop.

I think taking these into consideration, one might suggest a 7 is actually pretty generous for a generic game, that comes as a bit of a disappointment from such a high calibre studio.

@Czar_Khastik Just wait for the cheats that offer you infinite health, infinite magic, and lets you kill every enemy with one light tap of the finger. Oh, I hear they'll let you slip past every quest and jump straight to the last boss fight, too. Easy plat.

"while the aesthetic and art design is seriously off the charts."

This is opinion, purported as fact? I really do not enjoy the art direction...

My question would be: Why do you need a PS6, just to play a slew of never-ending, anime-visual Gacha games? 😜

How can anyone be confused by this? The world is in a terrible economic state, and focusing on developing a next generation console would be a huge waste of attention and resources, given only a small percentage of the population are even in a position to purchase one. Why not focus on what's already out, and improving the quality of service for those who have a PS5, and don't feel the potential of it has been fully reached?

Hankering for a PS6 sounds like a privilege issue, not a common sense position.

@PuppetMaster Again, I think you're missing the point a bit here, and presenting a weak argument as that is a bit fallacious, besides insulting, but whatever.

The point is, the game has been marketed as being 2 player co-op, and they haven't been obvious about the fact that that doesn't mean the campaign, but is a separate mode (which is also locked behind completing it). The advert on the PS store doesn't mention any of this, nor had anyone else in the day(s) immediately after release. Thinking that the customer should be forced to reach out to Sony for clarification on co-op functionality is a bit ridiculous, when they could just be more forthright.

Just because you believe something to be true, doesn't mean the opposite can't also be, so again, no need to get rude about it.

@PuppetMaster The game literally shadow dropped, with no reviews, and apparently hardly anyone but Sony being clear, or in the know, about co-op functionality. You say research, but there was very little info about the game to begin with! It's not just about whether the game showed Kratos on his own, which sure it did as much as I also saw him with Deimos and a lot of the marketing talk about how it's a story of brotherhood. It's called 'Sons' plural, not 'Son' of Sparta, and many co-op games can be played single player and 2 player, so not unimaginable to think that the game showcased some single player content, even if the game has advertised as 2 player co-op everywhere. Even on Pushsquare, they didnt say it's a bonus co-op mode once; they've simply said co-op unlocks after you beat the single player. Point is, the information wasnt out there for people to fact check before buying, and I think thats a bit of a shady practice.

For your info- I didn't buy the game, but I was close to getting it, because I thought it had co-op. I waited the extra 2 days to be clear on what was, or wasn't, in the game - but the info isnt as readily available as you make it seem, because hardly anyone who didnt buy day 1 has had the chance to find out for themselves. Even on Pushsquare, they havent once stated the co-op is a standalone challenge mode- they just said co-op unlocks after you beat the single player, so I dont know how you think people were supposed to know all this before buying. It just isn't consumer friendly practice, and I think therefore, a refund would be reasonable on the grounds of being missold.

@BecauseBecause @get2sammyb exactly this. I think Pushsquare are doing a disservice to the point here, by also being misleading. (Or are just misinformed?)

@PuppetMaster It's not just that "co-op is locked behind completing the game"; the co-op portion of the game is just a bonus challenge mode for 2 players. The marketing made it look, very deliberately, I think, like the whole game is 2 player coop, but regardless of beating it or not, that isnt the case.

Like being told a game is 2 player coop, and shown videos of 2 characters throughout the story, and then you find out it's basically just a tacked on horde mode for when you beat the game. It seems like sneaky marketing to me, and I think asking refunds for being mis-sold a product is totally legitimate.

It's not the fact that you have to "beat the game" to get 2 player mode; it's the fact the co-op made is a tacked on bonus mode, when the store page and videos of the game have been rather misleading in making jt seem like the game is fully co-op through the main campaign, which is very much the impression I got from all the marketing.

And I'm sure Sony are well aware, because if they had said out the gate that the 2 player mode was a tacked on bonus for after, that basically kills the USP of the game, and I think hardly as many people would have bought into, what is otherwise, a blandly serviceable metroidvania.

@DarianStarfrog Well, slightly misleading, as it isnt a fully co-op campaign, as has been somewhat made to look like, and it's just an added 2 player bonus made, for once the game's been beaten. No real interest in a tacked on multiplayer mode!

It just doesn't look good to me. Subjective, I know, but the art style really doesn't do it for me!

@Quintumply Cheers!

Quick question; is multiplayer local, or resigned to an online connection, or both?

Looks good to me. I like the locations; gives it a kind of more grounded feeling/ atmosphere, as much as one can for space car racing.

More 'Shadow Tactics' than Tenchu, I'd say. But opening it up to multiplayer sounds a lot more fun than all the busy work of setting up 4 characters individually.

Hmm, I don't know how I feel about ol Bulba-wolf. Too many games over the last few years just sticking in a 'cute' animal companion. I know people love the whole 'best boy' thing, but it just pushes me away.

That roadsign made me think that this is set in a nice, coastal, English town. Then the villagers affirmed it.

@nomither6 Preach, brother.

And that's before you even get to how grossly satisfying murdering all the gods is. Starting with that click of the 2 sticks to push out Neptune's eyes! Brilliant!

@MFTWrecks I recommend Midnight Fight Express, if you haven't played it. It's a short, indie game, where each level is sort of a set piece to fight through, with batman like combat, and gadgets etc. But it's got a almost top down view. Pretty good fun!

The premise is cool, but I can't help thinking they messed up by going with kids Kratos. Kratos isn't really kratos without the ash white skin and tattoo...

But the action looks good, and it's coop, it seems so might check it out!

@nomither6 God of War 3 was incredible. Easily one of the best games of the PS3 generation, and personally, I don't think the series has ever topped it, in terms of spectacle and the sheer size and sense of amazement as when I first played it. Graphics, set pieces, the boss fights and gameplay were all incredible.

Are they putting Leon to bed? 🤔

I think it looks better than the new Horizon 😉

@UltimateOtaku91 I think that's precisely the problem; everyone just about would have rationally expected a Horizon-like coop monster hunting game. What they delivered was a rogue-like hero shooter.

Just a weird choice, to go along with the weird shift in cartoon style - though presumably thats to save development time and costs.

@Scottyy I'm going to say the story will probably be very little of either! I imagine it's more a tutorial, tacked on as 'single player campaign', as surely the real meat of what they're offering is the online portion, which mostly, people seem unhappy with!

Any word on cross-platform compatibility? That was one of the selling points, but it wasn't functioning at launch.
Edit- Nope!

@nomither6 I think you'll be able to add Highguard to that list, too!

This seems like it's going to flop. Is Hollywood at such a nadir of creativity, that they have to keep throwing ill-fitting scripts at videogames, or are they just trying to cash in some of the industry's money? I am nothing but sceptical and cynical!

@Propaperpusher 😂 Have to go around harvesting tears from the torture chamber you built, to get your friendship level with pinhead up, before he let's you try the puzzle!

Cor, looks like poor Cal Kestis found himself transported further than a galaxy far far away! 😉

@PuppetMaster That's true. I'll be curious to see how large the roster gets, and who they choose to fill it with. As you say, quite a diverse mix to pick from!

@Simu001 I remember that secret dragon boss, he was a pain, for sure! It's not that guy... wouldn't want to spoil it, but there's basically a hidden level in every level, bar one, and each awards an item that massively helps with certain bosses or navigating areas. But if it isn't for you, then fair enough! I'm a big souls' fan, and also massively struggled with Sekiro at points, so Ive used Wukong as practice to kinda psyche me up for playing it again.

I guess they're a lot more restrictive in that you're forced to play it a certain way, and if it doesn't quite gel, then there's little wiggle room.

@LogicStrikesAgain I guess I would question how many of the swathes of Fortnite players have played, or especially beaten, either (or both!) of the Horizon games. It would probably be a niche selection, and just as likely, this site is more likely filled with people who did play Horizon over Fortnite. Stands to reason, the mainstream audience, who do buy into the popularity and opinion of those GaaS titles you mentioned, are not representing the smaller club of people who actually consider themselves as gamers, and realitically play more than 1 or 2 titles a year.

@charliecarrot You win the prize for summing it up concisely. It's amazing that the first comment here can apparently illustrate the issue in a way that a boardroom full of professional developers and executives can't. Oh wait... not surprising.

@Simu001 Did you find the plantain fan in the secret level? It's a big help for that boss! You also unlock the ability to upgrade weapons and armour, I think in the next chapter, which helps a lot with making viable builds from the equipment you get. New game plus isnt necessary, but I think it's basically the 'true' ending to do it, when you have more skills and better gear, as the whole thing is about cycles.

@PuppetMaster That's true, but Im a little dubious once the 'tier list's start dropping, that mostly you'll end up seeing teams of the similar / same 3 or 4 character compositions. That said, it remains to be seen how well they'll actually manage to diversify every character at launch, when so far, we only have these few to go by. Some characters might start to feel more like palette swaps, but we'll see.

@SoulChimera Just gotta really get into a rhythm with it. I think, by time I managed it, I wasnt even watching the screen, so much as just trying to internalise the count of when to push / hold buttons.