JDINCINERATOR

@Oram77 Usually I find Returnal to be unforgiving but I still love it. Housemarque made Selene very agile and the speed to which you can zip around in Returnal is utterly splendid. I don't think many would consider Returnal among the best PS5 games, but it is among the best PS5 games.

Measuring Crimson Dessert against Skyrim, Elden Ring, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and TLoZ: BOTW/ToTK does it absolutely no favours.

If Crimson Desert is really that disappointing it shouldn't be surprising. We tend to latch onto how big a game's open world is and how good the graphics of a game are too willingly, so when you actually get to play it you'll see what lies beneath and if what lies beneath is underwhelming that goes to show there has to be actual substance beneath the surface.

I reckon many of us were played by the media and influencers because they both are responsible for giving us glossy impressions of huge new games. I don't think we learn our lessons when overhyped games come crashing down in a smoldering heap. Crimson Desert doesn't seem to be a victim because the review scores are still good, but I guess we thought it'd score between 85-95 on Metacritic, and that's where we really should stop putting all our faith in review scores. Remember that the critics aren't you, they have their verdicts and you'll have yours-it's just many of us are too easily influenced and don't think for ourselves because of the hype.

Just remember that If we don't question things then disappointment will reign down more emphatically than if you keep your expectations in check.

@SMJ Yes I have. Astral Chain is really cool, but might be a bit too lauded as an underrated gem.

Pragmata is definitely impressive and whilst playing the demo it proved to be a remarkable surprise. The hacking/shooting dynamic is extremely well thought out and dismantling leviathan mechs feels outstanding.

My only qualm is the inclusion of a girl android we're meant to care about because she draws cute pictures. Seems quite cloying to me. I'd like to think Capcom won't veer into David Cage territory with Pragmata's story.

@dskatter Are we? All I see is hype for Crimson Dessert, there doesn't appear to be too much caution and skepticism as far as I can tell. The comparisons to Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are laughable to me, and people keep on going on about how big everything is. Size doesn't matter if the game sucks and runs like crud. Imagine if everything was as it is but it ran at 30fps-many gamers would be immediately turned off. Current expectations are soaring and when expectations are soaring they can only come crashing down if promises aren't delivered. We've seen this numerous times but the hype doesn't alter because we always believe what we're shown, even if it isn't genuine. Remember No Man's Sky and how amazing we thought it was, then it came out and it was a mess? I don't think we want that again or we'll be wanting our money back.

@Yomv7t Good optimization won't save it if it's pulling the wool over our eyes.

History should teach us a few very important things. For example, don't ever believe hype when it comes to a studio that is responsible for an aggressively monetized Pay2Win MMO, who is then making a huge triple A leviathan that's spent 6 years in development.

And let's not forget about Anthem, CyberPunk 2077, MindsEye and No Man's Sky-all of them hyped up and came crashing down. If Crimson Desert is like that then maybe we the common gamers are always going to be victimized by influencers, marketing and spiel.

@Scottyy Just because it's the "talk of the town" doesn't mean you need to play it. Would you really buy a game full-price if it wasn't for you?

Crimson Desert will be a GOTY contender because the amount of hype behind it is going to turn into critical success. But keep in mind I'm saying "contender" because we all know GTA 6 will sweep em.

It was axiomatic that Requiem was going to win for February, even though I am starting to think it's another "Resident Evil's Greatest Hits" game like Village was.

@Vaako007 One who has an interesting personality unlike Aloy lol.

@RoomWithaMoose How so?

Kliff looks like he could marry Aloy from the Horizon games.

@nicc83 Yeah I agree, but Push Square has got to keep us reading because that's part of their job as game journos.

It's very good, especially compared to the past few installments. Glad we don't need to do a Jacob Fatu and dog walk its ass.

Tbh it looks like typical modern multiplayer game du jour. Looking at those characters reminds me of so much of what Fortnite popularized. I'm sure it's good in spite of tropes, but when games media tells us a game is next level then that's gotta be taken with a pinch of salt until you actually play it.

And this is why you don't listen to rumours.

I reckon the reason Uncharted is being left behind is because it's a PS3-born franchise. The examples mentioned came to life on PS4 and PS5 is still riding that wave (ok God of War started life on PS2, but the evolution was born on PS4).

Uncharted has had its latest game on PS4, just like Killzone and Infamous did, but now it's about the future and those franchises are of an era that has now passed. We have witnessed SONY take a generational approach to its iconic franchise, where they give rise to new IPs, then store them away.

There are of course exceptions such as the Ratchet & Clank series, but in order to make new generations of PlayStation stand out new franchises come in and several are put on the shelf.

This new Destiny looks great.

@Rich33 That is fair, though I think modern standards have molded our perceptions. I personally don't care about anything other than whether a game is fun because don't we all enjoy games to have fun? Yes top notch framerates and graphics are a huge plus and will make the experiences far more palatable, but videogames are special and unique for gameplay and if that is broken then every other aspect won't matter. We want to play our games ultimately, not watch them or read them.

Looks are skin deep. Great graphics and framerate are always going to be secondary to gameplay.

I guess it's almost as nostalgic as Old School Rally. It's lovely to see indies that breathe life into retro design.

@Dan12836666 The triple A industry doesn't care, it's about making all the money and the people don't matter. This is why going solo is the best option. The issue is we the gamers throw our money towards all these huge games, and yet more and more those publishers of those big games we enjoy and revel in will be terminated. This is a trend that will likely not end and only exasperate the greedier triple A publishers get.

Collector's Editions are pretty just like they're pretty expensive. The name Marathon is odd because I'm not thinking of this new extraction shooter, but a Snickers.

@EVIL-C Popularity isn't the issue, it's about how Saints Row fits into our wider culture. Whether it's films, games or TV shows, the risks taken now are far shallower than they ever were in the past few decades. Saints Row shouldn't have been victimized, but it is clear that the changes made in the 2022 game whilst more palatable, were immensely unpopular. You shouldn't dumb down a franchise like Saints Row, even though it's understandable that what was done with the 2022 reboot was the only viable way it could survive given the state of the industry.

I do agree that Saints Row 2022 was overly hated because there were qualities to it. Santa Ileso was lovely, and the game was good if you didn't think about the series' history. However, fans of the franchise wouldn't need to play it to see the franchise's identity had disappeared and judged it accordingly.

FORZA Horizon exists when FORZA Motorsport does not because Horizon games have not only popularity, but they are open-world and full of exploration. FORZA Motorsport kept on perpetuating circuit racing and when Horizon came along, that started to become old hat.

As for Amazon walking away, personally I don't think it should matter. Amazon would likely help Horizon 6 sell even more copies, but Amazon are to games what Bugs Bunny is to to game hunters.

There isn't going to be a Hit N' Run remaster. We haven't seen a proper Simpsons game in 19 years and just because we want it doesn't mean the industry will provide. Of course it'd be lovely to see The Simpsons: Hit & Run return after all this time in some form, yet we can grab a PS2 and played it as originally intended. Nostalgia won't improve the games industry as it is now anyways.

The triple A games industry loves latching onto Hollywood now. I know they've been doing that for a long time, yet Hollywood's influence has shrunk and the most money-making film franchises are getting marquis games. It all makes sense, but Hollywood isn't where the depth is. I wonder if there will be an evolution where Hollywood properties join forces with PlayStation icons in the games themselves.

@Bluemoon2008 True, but gamers assume that the Bluepoint news holds considerable weight.

I assume many will flock to it due to the Horizon identity. It's a great way to get PS gamers invested, though it could be a manipulative product. I don't think splicing Horizon with Overwatch is a good idea, but I'm sure SONY are banking on this game's success. If it fails, well it'll show that you can't treat the fanbase like pin-headed idiots. But hey, if this one proves to contain more personality in its pinky than within the entirety of Aloy, then it will be some form of success at least.

Saints Row would not fit into today's game industry culture. The reboot of 2022 proved this. If we did get another Saints Row game it'd be as panned as the reboot was. We collectively made the culture we're embroiled in due to our decision-making and the media controlling the narrative.

The only reason GTA 6 is a thing is because of how powerful an entity it is and when you're that powerful you can break the rules. Saints Row is unfortunately lodged in the mid 00s and early 2010s, and we've moved beyond that even if it's sad.

Does look good, though it appears that the most exciting games on the horizon on based on iconic film franchises rather than unique IP.

@rhyno_888 Why is Media Molecule good for nothing? Didn't LittleBigPlanet interest you?

Fuming does nothing and studio closures will keep happening because videogaming today is over-complicated and corrupted. Yes we get many great games, but we also get many studio closures and working environments that are demanding and intensely pressurized. The devs at Bluepoint might as well form an indie studio because when the devs have control and don't answer to publishers, then they can create real uncompromised art.

@Fiendish-Beaver Gamers want the latest tech and SONY will do their utmost to ensure we buy into what they're selling. We do have choice, but it is always influenced and manipulated to favour SONY because they know we crave advanced videogame technology.

To be honest I find it really hard to care about another generation of PlayStation. I know there will be more great games and the industry will trundle along as it has always done, yet I don't see a new generation doing anything radically new, especially if our culture generally doesn't move on from where it is now.

The PS5 was pretty much a radically improved version of the PS4 with enhancements like haptic feedback giving it a particular USP. I do feel the PS6 will innovate again, but I don't think gimmicks are enough to stave off the eye-rolls from me. Gaming is a beautiful hobby and on PlayStation it's full of epic potential and great engrossing games, but personally I want something audacious, not just with the gimmicks but with the games too. I want them to be fearless, I want them to put a finger up to the culture we've cultivated with weird, whimsical and comical ways.

We've decided to accept the soft approach and we've accepted PlayStation gaming isn't ever going to eclipse the PS2 in terms of audacity, so we'll likely keep seeing the same kinds of games perpetuate themselves. We've got to remember we aren't stupid and we can't let SONY think that we are, otherwise games like CONCORD will come out and we'll reject them straight away. What I'm saying here is we should demand more and understand that we shouldn't be manipulated and should question everything. Of course questioning everything is exhausting sometimes, but having a pulse on what you'll accept is an important thing.

I want to care about games again big time, and if the PS6 accomplishes that then kudos to it. I guess it'll need to churn out games like Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and tone down on pretentiousness and quip-heavy games, but hey there can be room for everything really, but my point is it just has to be a massive evolution to be worth the price.

Just completed High On Life 2 yesterday, it's a fine sequel though I find some of the platforming and puzzles fiddly, and despite some surprising diversions in the story-it does seem to rely too much on what came before. The games industry seems obsessed with try-hard humour and quips just to be stylish, and High On Life 2 can be too heavy on that, but it can be funny in unexpected ways as well.

@Juanalf I agree, but I reckon they're going to break God of War down and rebuild it with the 2018 God of War style in mind. I don't trust the games industry to preserve the deep past in ways that are faithful to that past. They're just going to make money on our obedience to what Kratos has become.

I think that there will be a huge overhaul because the way our culture is now won't accept the Kratos of old. They made God of War 2018 due to the changing dynamic of videogame storytelling to a far more emotional tone. 2005 is a distant memory now and the original God of War isn't going to be appreciated as much in the current climate. It could be almost as phased out as Shadow of Rome was-remember that one?

@Flaming_Kaiser I haven't played it but I would probably say it's got a similar cocktail of jank to Lollipop Chainsaw. If it "runs like ass" but is still entertaining and somehow boring, then that's quite a feat.

I think people confuse accessibility for laziness. How do you know "laziness" is involved? They might seem slapdash, but a trophy list for old games shouldn't be complex and difficult.

Electronic Symphony has a superior soundtrack to Arise. Arise has some lovely tunes no doubt, but Electronic Symphony on Vita had anthems for the ages. Go listen to Gouryella and you'll agree with me.

@DennisReynolds What I meant was that the risks stories take now aren't as gripping in my view. Yeah there are some like the games you mentioned that spin absorbing yarns, but personally I look back at some games from the past and believe they got to the point quicker and some of them made me care on a much deeper level. Take The Getaway's premise for instance, you're Mark Hammond and your wife has just been murdered by gangsters and they kidnapped his son. There you have a quick motivation to go and chase down and avenge the evildoers. I know The Getaway's cutscenes weren't long and the characters were like a pencil sketch with the ink colouring that makes them come alive-but the game sure did make you care about the situation upfront.

Another game I feel gets really really overlooked is Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Studio Ghibli made the story and in my opinion it blows any modern videogame story out of the water. A child named Oliver goes on a quest to rescue his mother in another world. The flashbacks with Oliver and his mother are some of the most meaningful cutscenes I've ever encountered in the game, and the story has plenty of whimsy and charm as well as deep compassionate moments and bonds. I don't relate as easily to other videogame stories as much, probably because they involve killing and growing up in a post-apocalypse. I know there are many epic stories, but few of them I actually really care about.

@DennisReynolds Well it's hard to blame him because of the way our culture is these days. Gaming does change with the times for better and worse. Yes the technical side of games is better than ever before, but for the most part stories and reasons to play games aren't as strong as they were two decades ago. It's hard to get hooked in. Yes hatred and anger does nothing but spread misery, but I reckon Jaffe's ideals had a purer and uncompromised vision compared to modern games arguably.

@datamonkey Ragnarok's main takeaway for me is hearing Atreus groan and getting fed up with Kratos's need to wipe out another horde of draugr again. When a character is groaning about the repetition in the videogame they're in, that's a sign things really needed to change up.

Jaffe has an opinion on what he's played and many of us don't like it. Jaffe has played this God of War game and we have not, so why is it that we're pelting his opinions of videogames like they were personal attacks? If Jaffe's opinion didn't matter we wouldn't pay attention to it.

@Lizardkingy But wait, Jaffe played an hour of the game, so he has experienced the product.....

Considering Jaffe's actually played the game we shouldn't be throwing stones until we've played it ourselves.

If gamers stopped getting manipulated by this trend we wouldn't keep seeing them pop up. We have a choice not to be exploited.