It has been pretty wild to watch from the outside. I only play Tekken very casually with friends every now and then but it seems like the community is in an absolute uproar about this update. Granted the fighting game community complains a lot but this definitely feels different from the norm.
It wasn't a fighting game but the last time I saw a community this upset with an update was way back on Uncharted 2 1.05 patch. That version number lives rent free in my head to this very day. I hated that balance update so much. π
Obviously not happy to see it but I was expecting $80 to be the standard going into this generation so I'm not too bothered. It is getting to the point where I will have to be much more selective on what I buy at full price though.
Especially with Nintendo games in particular. I'm shocked they were the first to do this considering they usually don't bother with motion-capture, cutscene direction, VO, etc. Most of their games are strictly in the for fun only category. They aren't putting out narrative heavy games that require all that stuff so I am a bit surprised they went above $70 first.
I'm not interested at launch. I'm sure I'll get one eventually but nothing is really speaking to me much outside of Mario Kart but even then I have some concerns about the open world nature of it.
GameCube support is cool though so I guess there's that.
I'm not really into Fromsoft's multiplayer efforts. If this was the next traditional Fromsoft game I might have caved on buying Switch 2 at launch but I can live without this one. The art direction is as great as usual though from Fromsoft.
I'm just hoping to see if Halo shows up. That's really kind of it for myself. I'm not buying one at launch at the very least. I just didn't really use my Switch 1 enough to warrant an instant buy on Switch 2.
Still excited to watch mostly for the 3rd party announcements.
There's a reason Ubisoft has doubled down on AC in its time of need. It sells well and deserves to sell well. The series has continued to deliver time and time again. I'm really happy to see Shadows break through all the noise and find success. Game is so much fun!
@Rich33 While the user base is large for Playstation already, having Xbox players added is a good thing too. I like to play with a friend who has an Xbox but we don't like going up against PC players. Now we don't have to and can still play with each other so I would say there is a very valid need for this update.
While I don't know if I agree with his reasoning it's not too big of an issue. After all we live in the age of Spotify so it's easy enough to get those classics bumpin while playing. Plus they got the CKY song in there anyway so they got the one I most associate with these games.
Expert feels pretty much perfect in terms of challenge and yet not being too challenging. Although Yasuke is kind of OP in combat so maybe if they could make combat feel a bit tougher for him then I could get behind that. Naoe feels just right in combat though so I don't think they need to change anything there.
Oh but if fast travel is taken away I absolutely wouldn't bother with a tougher mode. That's just truly sicko behavior there! π€£
@Ravix Yeah and I mean I'd be fine with basically a sci-fi GTA. That sounds great...but I don't really know for sure or not if that is what it is because we just haven't seen enough.
Developers need to keep in mind you are trying to sell a product at the end of the day. I understand wanting not spoil everything but if it's a new IP you have to work a bit harder to get people's attention. Otherwise it just gets a bit lost in the shuffle like this one has.
I'm interested in it but they really should consider a demonstration of just what the moment to moment gameplay is. From what we have seen though it looks similar to Watch Dogs and I love me some Watch Dogs.
I'm thoroughly enjoying it in almost every way so I'm sitting at a 9. My only real criticisms are I do wish there was at least some social stealth available and some of the side content is hit or miss.
I'm really enjoying the story, exploration, and moment to moment gameplay though. The weather system in particular is pretty incredible as it does make you need to consider your approach more since some routes will be less safe than others depending on the season and even can change up guard positions/routes. I've never really seen that sort of behavior from AI before. It really keeps me on my toes especially with the expert difficulty.
I really hope other games take some notes on this system. Pretty damn impressive.
There's no downside really with this approach. At worst the revival isn't received well and then the IP is right back where it was before anyway. I have no idea why anyone would be against this approach. Like it's been said clearly Sony isn't interested in working on them in-house so why not? Literally nothing to lose.
If we get a Folklore Remastered out of this strategy I would quite literally be over the moon with excitement!
This has been a weird week in video game news. First Renaldo is in Fatal Fury, then Sony weirdly kind of carried a Nintendo Direct, now a shooter/hack and slash where you play as a pair of panties? What is going on?
It would be really cool if we got like special events where we play as a modern assassin similar to how a couple sections in AC3 had. I always wanted those to come back at some point in the series.
The only thing older RPGs had that more modern ones don't is the requirement of grinding to get up to the proper level to tackle a section/boss fight. They've dramatically improved in that department which I appreciate.
I love RPGs but that was always my least favorite aspect to them. They've gotten much better at just having side-quests take over that grind instead of just mindlessly getting into fight after fight just to level up.
This is kind what I figured they would do. So for myself it seems like this won't affect myself much since AC and FC are the two main Ubi properties I play.
I am curious what happens to the rest of Ubisoft though.
It's odd as hell but you can't argue against the promotional bump the game will receive thanks to his inclusion.
Heck my nephews who don't even play fighting games asked me about this yesterday so it's clearly reaching new audiences. It will interesting to see if it translates into sales.
Naoe has definitely shot up as one of my favorite AC protagonists. What can I say I'm always a sucker for a good revenge tale.
I also really like Yasuke quite a bit more than I expected going in. I figured I wouldn't play as him much since I gravitate towards stealth more myself but I find switching to him to be a great palate cleanser. He is OP as heck but in a fun way! I also just like the way they did his character in the game.
Good to see folks over in Japan are liking the game as well.
1st party-wise, yes it's been slim pickings unfortunately. Thankfully though, 2nd/3rd party has carried the generation on their shoulders. They have done a great job finding great talent around the industry and giving them the resources necessary for success.
It's reminded me of the PS2 generation in a lot of ways which isn't a bad thing. Would I have liked more output from 1st party? Sure but I certainly haven't felt a lack of great games in general to play this generation. Just had to go to others for them which is fine.
Playing it was basically all I did this past weekend and I'm completely hooked. Had a great time and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Regardless of what happens with Ubisoft as a whole in the future this team should be very proud of this game. It's fantastic and I'm just happy to see at least some positivity coming the games way after all the nonsense leading up to launch.
Oh the haters are going to have a melt down if AC outsell Monster Hunter. (Which is very likely. As popular as Monster Hunter is, it isn't a very welcoming experience for the mass audience out there. AC on the other hand has always appealed to both the hardcore and the casual gamer.)
So good to see. I'm absolutely obsessed with Shadows. I was so hooked I forgot to eat lunch on my all day Saturday session! Made up for it with a big dinner though. π
@MichaelNau I don't play GBVR but I still play SF6. Granted I'm probably not going to be playing it as much since most of my attention will be on AC for the next few weeks but I'll still hop on here and there.
A noble endeavor. It is messed up we even have to do something like this at all but that's the way things are these days. I wish them luck! They probably won't lack for targets come launch day.
I always wanted to try it despite the mixed reception. I must say though I'm surprised Xbox is going with such an avalanche approach of seemingly just dumping everything they got on Playstation in just this year. I figured it would be a bit more of a drip feed approach but it's seriously getting a bit overwhelming how much they seem to be bringing over this year if all the rumors turn out to be true.
@Dragon83
The funny thing about the whole Yasuke thing is this isn't the first and won't be the last time he is portrayed as a samurai and yet for some reason this is the time it triggered people.
I don't really get the hate either myself. Like you said AC has always been strictly historical fiction. Why "historical accuracy" all of a sudden is a must for some people I don't understand.
I'm so excited for this! The Sky trilogy is awesome and deserves to be played by as many people as possible. Sky 2 in particular is my favorite of the series.
I personally don't really find this practice too annoying. I don't like it, but it also isn't annoying enough to bother me. At least for single player games. Spoilers are posted all over the place day one anyway even when this practice isn't acted upon so that argument doesn't really hold much weight. And hey, if people are willing to pay for it, well good for them. It doesn't really effect me at all.
Multiplayer games are a bit of a different story though since that can provide an unfair advantage. So for games like that, I can understand people being a bit more upset with early access.
Man. What a letdown. Honestly a bit baffled. I figured at most they would just alter some of the dialog or something but instead they completely destroyed the way it was designed? Certainly a bold move to say the least.
It's such a shame as 4 was the first one the series I really loved. I liked 1-3 well enough but the open structure of 4 and the Underground games is what really pulled me into the series and felt like such a step up from 1-3. It doesn't bode well for the Underground games either if they would do a Underground 1+2 in the future.
Man I hated how the Uncharted collection didn't have multiplayer either. This would be immensely disappointing for me. Gears multiplayer is great and I for sure would have jumped in for more than a few rounds.
It's already annoying enough that I gotta keep the PS4 version of Uncharted Lost Legacy installed just so I can have access to U4 multiplayer.
This would be a bummer indeed. Not a deal breaker necessarily but definitely would be unfortunate.
Comments 4,471
Re: Tekken 8 Reveals 'Emergency' Patches as Player Backlash Spirals Out of Control
It has been pretty wild to watch from the outside. I only play Tekken very casually with friends every now and then but it seems like the community is in an absolute uproar about this update. Granted the fighting game community complains a lot but this definitely feels different from the norm.
It wasn't a fighting game but the last time I saw a community this upset with an update was way back on Uncharted 2 1.05 patch. That version number lives rent free in my head to this very day. I hated that balance update so much. π
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your Thoughts on Potential $80 PS5 Games?
Obviously not happy to see it but I was expecting $80 to be the standard going into this generation so I'm not too bothered. It is getting to the point where I will have to be much more selective on what I buy at full price though.
Especially with Nintendo games in particular. I'm shocked they were the first to do this considering they usually don't bother with motion-capture, cutscene direction, VO, etc. Most of their games are strictly in the for fun only category. They aren't putting out narrative heavy games that require all that stuff so I am a bit surprised they went above $70 first.
Re: Poll: PS5 Fans, Are You Sold on the Nintendo Switch 2?
I'm not interested at launch. I'm sure I'll get one eventually but nothing is really speaking to me much outside of Mario Kart but even then I have some concerns about the open world nature of it.
GameCube support is cool though so I guess there's that.
Re: Bloodborne, Elden Ring Dev Won't Be Releasing Its Next Big Game on PS5
I'm not really into Fromsoft's multiplayer efforts. If this was the next traditional Fromsoft game I might have caved on buying Switch 2 at launch but I can live without this one. The art direction is as great as usual though from Fromsoft.
Maybe I'll try it later down the road.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Switch 2 Direct - 5 Things for PS5 Fans to Pay Attention To
I'm just hoping to see if Halo shows up. That's really kind of it for myself. I'm not buying one at launch at the very least. I just didn't really use my Switch 1 enough to warrant an instant buy on Switch 2.
Still excited to watch mostly for the 3rd party announcements.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows a Big Sales Hit in US, Beaten Only By Monster Hunter Wilds
There's a reason Ubisoft has doubled down on AC in its time of need. It sells well and deserves to sell well. The series has continued to deliver time and time again. I'm really happy to see Shadows break through all the noise and find success. Game is so much fun!
Re: PS5, PS4 Users Can Avoid PC Hackers After New Call of Duty Update
@Rich33
While the user base is large for Playstation already, having Xbox players added is a good thing too. I like to play with a friend who has an Xbox but we don't like going up against PC players. Now we don't have to and can still play with each other so I would say there is a very valid need for this update.
Re: Tony Hawk's Call to Remove Classic Tunes from Pro Skater 3 + 4 OST
While I don't know if I agree with his reasoning it's not too big of an issue. After all we live in the age of Spotify so it's easy enough to get those classics bumpin while playing. Plus they got the CKY song in there anyway so they got the one I most associate with these games.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Devs 'Actively Looking' at Adding Harder Difficulty Mode
Expert feels pretty much perfect in terms of challenge and yet not being too challenging. Although Yasuke is kind of OP in combat so maybe if they could make combat feel a bit tougher for him then I could get behind that. Naoe feels just right in combat though so I don't think they need to change anything there.
Oh but if fast travel is taken away I absolutely wouldn't bother with a tougher mode. That's just truly sicko behavior there! π€£
Re: Don't Forget About the New Game from One of GTA's Most Important People
@dallow_prime
Well...it is the actor who played Lincoln Clay! Awesome to see he was great in Mafia 3 from what I've played of that game.
Re: Don't Forget About the New Game from One of GTA's Most Important People
@Ravix
Yeah and I mean I'd be fine with basically a sci-fi GTA. That sounds great...but I don't really know for sure or not if that is what it is because we just haven't seen enough.
Developers need to keep in mind you are trying to sell a product at the end of the day. I understand wanting not spoil everything but if it's a new IP you have to work a bit harder to get people's attention. Otherwise it just gets a bit lost in the shuffle like this one has.
Re: Don't Forget About the New Game from One of GTA's Most Important People
I'm interested in it but they really should consider a demonstration of just what the moment to moment gameplay is. From what we have seen though it looks similar to Watch Dogs and I love me some Watch Dogs.
Re: Kids Aren't Dreaming of Owning a PS6, Says Netflix Games Boss
I have a feeling more that a few kids are going to be wishing for a Switch 2 for Christmas this year. π
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Assassin's Creed Shadows?
I'm thoroughly enjoying it in almost every way so I'm sitting at a 9. My only real criticisms are I do wish there was at least some social stealth available and some of the side content is hit or miss.
I'm really enjoying the story, exploration, and moment to moment gameplay though. The weather system in particular is pretty incredible as it does make you need to consider your approach more since some routes will be less safe than others depending on the season and even can change up guard positions/routes. I've never really seen that sort of behavior from AI before. It really keeps me on my toes especially with the expert difficulty.
I really hope other games take some notes on this system. Pretty damn impressive.
Re: Trails Fans Win 2025 as Trails beyond the Horizon Is Confirmed for Fall Release on PS5, PS4
Absolutely crazy that this and Sky remake look like they will be releasing next to each other. I only have so much time! But I'll manage somehow.π
Re: Reaction: Sony's Licensing Strategy May Be the Best Route to Reviving Some of PlayStation's Lost Classics
There's no downside really with this approach. At worst the revival isn't received well and then the IP is right back where it was before anyway. I have no idea why anyone would be against this approach. Like it's been said clearly Sony isn't interested in working on them in-house so why not? Literally nothing to lose.
If we get a Folklore Remastered out of this strategy I would quite literally be over the moon with excitement!
Re: One of the Strangest Games Ever Made Appears to Be Coming to PS5, PS4
This has been a weird week in video game news. First Renaldo is in Fatal Fury, then Sony weirdly kind of carried a Nintendo Direct, now a shooter/hack and slash where you play as a pair of panties? What is going on?
Re: Animus Hub to Bridge Assassin's Creed Shadows to Modern Day Story
It would be really cool if we got like special events where we play as a modern assassin similar to how a couple sections in AC3 had. I always wanted those to come back at some point in the series.
Re: RPG Fans 'Very Sensitive to Feeling Like They Wasted Time,' Says Atlus Battle Designer
The only thing older RPGs had that more modern ones don't is the requirement of grinding to get up to the proper level to tackle a section/boss fight. They've dramatically improved in that department which I appreciate.
I love RPGs but that was always my least favorite aspect to them. They've gotten much better at just having side-quests take over that grind instead of just mindlessly getting into fight after fight just to level up.
Re: Ubisoft Spins Off Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six into New Subsidiary with Tencent
This is kind what I figured they would do. So for myself it seems like this won't affect myself much since AC and FC are the two main Ubi properties I play.
I am curious what happens to the rest of Ubisoft though.
Re: Atlus Is Remastering a Fan-Favourite PS2 Shin Megami Tensei RPG for PS5, PS4 This Summer
I've honestly never even heard of this game until now but I'm intrigued.
Re: Sony Licenses Everybody's Golf to Bandai Namco, Coming to PS5
Ah finally! A great casual golf game again! Now I can stop bugging my friend to get 2K and failing because he thinks it's too difficult.π
Welcome back Everybody's Golf!
Re: Cristiano Ronaldo's Inclusion in Fatal Fury PS5, PS4 Is Confusing Some Fans
It's odd as hell but you can't argue against the promotional bump the game will receive thanks to his inclusion.
Heck my nephews who don't even play fighting games asked me about this yesterday so it's clearly reaching new audiences. It will interesting to see if it translates into sales.
Re: Rumour: New Trails Game Announcement Incoming as English 'Trails Beyond the Horizon' Name Is Leaked
I have it I still haven't gotten around to Daybreak 2 yet but I'll definitely be ready by the time this one comes out.
It's so crazy how just a few years ago we never thought we'd ever actually catch up with Japan for the Trails series and yet here we are.
Looking forward to it!
Re: Cristiano Ronaldo Finally Revealed in Fatal Fury, One the Most Ridiculous Guest Characters Ever
That's...okay I gotta give it to SNK that is absolutely wild. Just wild. I don't know what else to say.
Next thing you know Shohei Ohtani is going to be in the new Virtua Fighter...not that I'd mind actually.π
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Gets Positive Reviews In Japan as Bayonetta Director Speaks Out
Naoe has definitely shot up as one of my favorite AC protagonists. What can I say I'm always a sucker for a good revenge tale.
I also really like Yasuke quite a bit more than I expected going in. I figured I wouldn't play as him much since I gravitate towards stealth more myself but I find switching to him to be a great palate cleanser. He is OP as heck but in a fun way! I also just like the way they did his character in the game.
Good to see folks over in Japan are liking the game as well.
Re: Disrespectful Foreign Tourists Force Closure of Japanese Shrine Fixed by Ghost of Tsushima Fans
Man by the time I get to travel to Japan everything I want to visit will be off-limits because of these Tik-Tok jack-*****.
How hard is it to not be a disrespectful moron?
Re: Naughty Dog's Intergalactic Unlikely to Release on PS5 Until 2027
1st party-wise, yes it's been slim pickings unfortunately. Thankfully though, 2nd/3rd party has carried the generation on their shoulders. They have done a great job finding great talent around the industry and giving them the resources necessary for success.
It's reminded me of the PS2 generation in a lot of ways which isn't a bad thing. Would I have liked more output from 1st party? Sure but I certainly haven't felt a lack of great games in general to play this generation. Just had to go to others for them which is fine.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Devs Thank Fans for Its 'Incredibly Heartwarming' Reception
Playing it was basically all I did this past weekend and I'm completely hooked. Had a great time and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Regardless of what happens with Ubisoft as a whole in the future this team should be very proud of this game. It's fantastic and I'm just happy to see at least some positivity coming the games way after all the nonsense leading up to launch.
Thank you entire Shadows dev team. You did great!
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Seemingly Claims Second Biggest Launch in Series History
@Ravix
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Seemingly Claims Second Biggest Launch in Series History
@heavyartillery56
Did you even read the article? These numbers aren't coming from Ubisoft. They are coming from Andy Robinson at VGC.
Come on man.
Re: At a Tumultuous Time, Assassin's Creed Shadows Is Doing the Business for Ubisoft
Oh the haters are going to have a melt down if AC outsell Monster Hunter. (Which is very likely. As popular as Monster Hunter is, it isn't a very welcoming experience for the mass audience out there. AC on the other hand has always appealed to both the hardcore and the casual gamer.)
So good to see. I'm absolutely obsessed with Shadows. I was so hooked I forgot to eat lunch on my all day Saturday session! Made up for it with a big dinner though. π
Long live Assassins Creed!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 573
Shadows baby! That's it!
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Soars Past 1 Million Players at Launch
@MichaelNau
I don't play GBVR but I still play SF6. Granted I'm probably not going to be playing it as much since most of my attention will be on AC for the next few weeks but I'll still hop on here and there.
My PSN is korgon117 if you want to add me though.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Of course I'm playing it! Absolutely loving it too so far. Granted I'm only 5 hours in but yeah, so far, so very good indeed.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Soars Past 1 Million Players at Launch
@TimelessJubilee
Because people got nothing better to do apparently. Sad because the game has been fantastic so far!
Re: Plants vs. Zombies Is Seemingly Making a Comeback on PS5 in Reloaded Project
I'm not even a tower defense fan generally but I loved the first one back in the day. The sequels and spin-offs however didn't hit for me.
If this a remaster of the first one though if be interested.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows (PS5) - Striking Open World RPG Is a Real Cut Above
Very excited to jump into it this weekend!
Re: Ubisoft Will Reportedly Fight for Assassin's Creed Shadows, Anti-Harassment Plan in Place
A noble endeavor. It is messed up we even have to do something like this at all but that's the way things are these days. I wish them luck! They probably won't lack for targets come launch day.
Re: Next Metro PS5 Game Reworked to Tell Darker Story as Series Turns 15
I'll definitely be there day one for it. The Metro series always delivers and I'm sure this one will be no different.
Re: Ex-Xbox System Seller Starfield Edges Ever Closer to PS5
I always wanted to try it despite the mixed reception. I must say though I'm surprised Xbox is going with such an avalanche approach of seemingly just dumping everything they got on Playstation in just this year. I figured it would be a bit more of a drip feed approach but it's seriously getting a bit overwhelming how much they seem to be bringing over this year if all the rumors turn out to be true.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Cinematic Trailer Sets Scene for Sengoku Action
@Dragon83
The funny thing about the whole Yasuke thing is this isn't the first and won't be the last time he is portrayed as a samurai and yet for some reason this is the time it triggered people.
I don't really get the hate either myself. Like you said AC has always been strictly historical fiction. Why "historical accuracy" all of a sudden is a must for some people I don't understand.
Can't wait to play Shadows next week.
Re: DC x Sonic the Hedgehog Is the Comic Book Crossover We Never Knew We Needed
I can't wait to see Shadow and Batman's interactions with each other. π
I'll definitely be checking these out.
Re: Trails in the Sky PS5 Remake Looks Outstanding in New Screenshots, Trailer
I'm so excited for this! The Sky trilogy is awesome and deserves to be played by as many people as possible. Sky 2 in particular is my favorite of the series.
Re: Don't Want to Play Death Stranding 2 on PS5? You Can Read It Instead
This might actually be the answer for myself. I like the world and characters of Death Stranding but I found the gameplay just dreadfully boring.
I could see it being a good book translation though.
Re: Sony's AI Leak Reveals a Creepy Sci-Fi Future PS5 Gamers Donβt Necessarily Want
I just pictured TLOU having this tech in my head and the results are horrifying.
Player: Hello Joel! How are you today?
AI Joel: I am well! My daughter was brutally killed in the beginning of this software but other than that I am well! How are you today?
Re: Death Stranding 2 Puts Early Access Incentives Under the Microscope All Over Again
I personally don't really find this practice too annoying. I don't like it, but it also isn't annoying enough to bother me. At least for single player games. Spoilers are posted all over the place day one anyway even when this practice isn't acted upon so that argument doesn't really hold much weight. And hey, if people are willing to pay for it, well good for them. It doesn't really effect me at all.
Multiplayer games are a bit of a different story though since that can provide an unfair advantage. So for games like that, I can understand people being a bit more upset with early access.
Re: Preview: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Looks Stunning, Hits Hard, and Feels Fresh on PS5
I'm 100% sold at this point. Really looking forward to this one!
Re: Activision Confirms Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 Won't Be Free Roam on PS5, PS4
Man. What a letdown. Honestly a bit baffled. I figured at most they would just alter some of the dialog or something but instead they completely destroyed the way it was designed? Certainly a bold move to say the least.
It's such a shame as 4 was the first one the series I really loved. I liked 1-3 well enough but the open structure of 4 and the Underground games is what really pulled me into the series and felt like such a step up from 1-3. It doesn't bode well for the Underground games either if they would do a Underground 1+2 in the future.
Re: Rumour: Gears of War's PS5 Debut May Be Missing Multiplayer Modes
Man I hated how the Uncharted collection didn't have multiplayer either. This would be immensely disappointing for me. Gears multiplayer is great and I for sure would have jumped in for more than a few rounds.
It's already annoying enough that I gotta keep the PS4 version of Uncharted Lost Legacy installed just so I can have access to U4 multiplayer.
This would be a bummer indeed. Not a deal breaker necessarily but definitely would be unfortunate.