Kraven

I’ve already preordered this and it’s ready to go. I have the day off work today so I’ll fire it up. I never expected it to be anything other than more RoboCop, jank and all, and I’m here for it.

It looks like a solid 6/10 or 7/10 game. I’ll probably pick it up when there is a lull in my gaming space. My only real concern with the game are its shooting mechanics — it looked unintuitive in the trailer. If they nail that then it’ll be more on my radar.

I saw this on Twitter yesterday and I don’t understand how people interpreted Insomniac’s tweet as Spider-Man coming to Xbox. I highly doubt this will ever happen, but these are strange times. I wouldn’t be mad if it was ported - it’s a great game that deserves to be played.

It reminds me of Kena Bridge of Spirits and Immortals Fenyx Rising. I might keep my eye on this - it looks pretty solid.

Oh, man. If this is true I’ll be so happy. Kingdoms of Amalur is an incredible game and stood out amongst the rest during the PS3/360 generation.

This sounds like a really cool update. With that said, I’ve replayed this game so many times, have the platinum for it, and I’m ready to move on from anything media related to TLOU for a long while.

I own this on 3DS, and it definitely feels like an outlier compared to other DQ games. It also is exceptionally longer than most other titles in the franchise. Regardless, it’s such an amazing game. If it comes to PlayStation I will buy it day one. It will make a perfect Portal companion piece.

I’ve had an incredibly busy week(end) and therefore haven’t had the chance to play many games. Let me correct that - game, singular, because my obsession is solely on Death Stranding 2. And since I haven’t managed to get much further, I simply want to rant on certain aspects that I feel make this game shine.

I just reached Episode 8 after 60-hours of playtime. It certainly doesn’t feel like I’ve played that long which is a testament to the game itself. What I mean is, DS2 is a game that is always evolving its gameplay mechanics. The amount of options the game gives you is mind blowing, and reaching a new star ranks with facilities rewards you with something fresh. That’s the key to success, and where a lot of games falter.

As the two sayings go, Variety is the spice of life, and Things are better in moderation. This leads me to an odd comparison between this game and NiOh (along with other various souls-likes), but I find it apt. They may be two different genres, but in terms of offering new ways for combat in an ample amount of ways, you can see how the two coincide.

In Souls-likes, you are presented an overwhelming amount of weapons and armor - so much so you’re spending more time managing your inventory than playing the game - but with NiOh, all your obtaining is the same weapon and armor types, but with insignificant attributes attached. I suspect that, like myself, most players will find the weapon and (fashion) armor that suits them and stick to it for the rest of the game. The gameplay itself doesn’t actually evolve in any meaningful way.

With Death Stranding 2, the case is completely different. Every new piece of gear and weapon you receive can drastically change your play-style. The combat and gunplay is sublime. As I mentioned earlier, there are many weapons at your disposal, with each one having their own unique properties and secret mechanics - thank you, pizza (IFYKYK) - and the game encourages you to use them often. Furthermore, how you acquire them is fantastic, not only from a surprised standpoint, but how it’s interspersed within the pacing of the plot.

And then you have traversal - a basic mechanic that has a lot of depth that can be modified in unique ways. There is the option of trekking on foot, but also a plethora of vehicles that will surprise you. In addition to that, there are secret mechanics to uncover. To do my best to avoid spoilers, I’ll simply say three words: hot spring buckets. What’s even more impressive is how the world itself manages to allow all of these variations as if it transforms to cater to you. Everything just works.

There are so many more things I want to discuss about this game, but I’m already exceeding my word count. I’ve barely scratched the surface on what makes this game great. Only Kojima can make a game that has emotional depth to its story and characters, and yet be bat-***** crazy, funny, and outright weird. He somehow masterfully balances solemnity and eccentric, and I don’t creatively understand how. Nonetheless, he is a genius, and I think this is his best game yet.

I love this game, and haven’t played it in ages. I hope it comes to the PS5 — I would love to do another playthrough.

I think it looks incredible, and very much a sequel at the same time. I don’t understand how people get this notion that a sequel is going to be a completely different game entirely. This goes for games, film, and books. What you should be expecting is refined gameplay, tighter mechanics, and an evolution from their predecessor, which seems to be happening with all of the new weapons you’re able to use.

Moreover, I don’t see how people are complaining about the graphics. Seriously, graphics for most games nowadays look incredible. How much more “realistic” do you want? I don’t see how it can get much better than what’s currently out. Instead, I think it’s important to focus on the creative art style games are leaning towards, and GoY has that in spades. If you combine that with its black and white mode, or the musical score from the Samurai Champloo, then you have a game that reaches the heights it has set out to do.

I honestly don’t care about graphics anymore because every game looks good. What I do care about is performance. If it reaches 60fps then I’ll be very satisfied with this game — nothing looks bad about it at all. Truly, it’s very clear that this game will in no way, shape or form be considered less than “good”, and probably “great”.

@get2sammyb This is what I would like too. Classic PS1&2 games with trophy support is an incredible addition to what they have done, so I hope it’s more expanded. And, as you said, PS3 games. I would love to play the Resistance trilogy again, especially without streaming it. I know due to hardware design it is a difficult thing to emulate, but I believe they can do it. The PS3 library is chef’s kiss.

This is an awesome month for me personally! I’ll definitely check out Banishers!

I’m glad the trophy is fixed! I personally didn’t have any issues with the trophies and managed to snag the platinum just fine a week or two after it launched.

It’s about time! Stalker 2 was in the running for my GOTY last year. I absolutely adored my time with it. This will be a day one purchase, no brainer. After S2, I wanted to play the other games in the series. I got the platinum in the first game earlier this year and plan on getting the rest of the platinums in the others before S2 comes out.

Dragon Quest 12, please.

@Fazermint I agree - it’s a very special game.

This sounds great — thanks for the review! I need to play the original. It’s been sitting in my cross media bar for a long time, and from the reviews I’ve read for SS2, it sounds like it’s definitely worth playing.

I never played this game but always saw things about it. If I recall correctly, there was a resurgence of Western oriented games in quick succession. I remember getting my copy of GameInformer with the game “GUN” on the front cover.

I’ll be picking this up for sure. I loved RoboCop and got the platinum for it, and I felt like the game was over way too soon.

This weekend I am trekking the plains, hills, and desert landscapes in Death Stranding 2, delivering precious cargo. My MP3 player has tailor made playlists for my traveling needs, and I have a varied arsenal of weapons to combat any hostile situation while on my journey.

I have to say - DS2 is a masterclass in every facet. That’s not hyperbole; it really succeeds on every level. The story is compelling and paced brilliantly. It’s also much easier to understand and follow along than the first game, but it still has the heart of Kojima within, with mysteries and bizarre things unfolding. Characters are interesting and fleshed out, all having their own unique identity’s and backstory. The cinematography is gorgeous, with an incredible art design, while the animation is punching above its weight. One word: Dollman.

Last but not least, there is gameplay. Traversal and combat itself has been upgraded since its predecessor. It all controls very well and is balanced between the two, especially when having to partake in both at the same time. You have a wide array of options to tackle these scenarios that will suit your play style whilst providing meaningful upgrades consistently to change your strategy if you deem it necessary. Don’t let the naysayers fool you - this is way more than a “walking simulator”. It might just be one of the best open-world sandbox games ever made, because it doesn’t forget what a game is ultimately meant to be: fun.

It’s genuinely hard to discuss this game properly without providing spoilers because there is so much depth within each episode (chapters). To say anything about the mechanics is only ruining the surprise - and believe me, I’m only 30 hours in, but I’ve been blown away by the amount of tools the game offers you. Simply saying that feels like a disservice to the player(s) that haven’t had a chance to play the game yet.

Death Stranding 2 is a remarkable achievement in game design, and one of the best sequels to a game I’ve ever played. It’s a game I didn’t know needed and has become one I’ll never forget. I’m utterly blown away. This is the PS5 experience we have truly been waiting for.

Death Stranding 2, and by a country mile.

I honestly have to rate it a 10/10. That could change by the end of the game, but I just reached episode 6 and I have been blown away by the game in every facet. The characters are great, the story is compelling and better paced, the gameplay is more refined, and the game continues to give and give in unexpected ways. Just when I think there can’t be any more evolution in weapons/equipment, the game surprises me. It is always expanding and it works perfectly. This game is a pure masterclass in every sense.

@DennisReynolds Agreed. And playing it, I don’t possibly see how it could be a 10-20 hour experience. I’m 25 hours in and just reached episode 4, and I am smitten with the game. In fact, I would be disappointed if it was shorter than a 40-60 hour experience, and that’s rare for me to say since I am a big fan of linear, narrative games.

This sounds awesome. Hotline Miami is fantastic, and a game similar to it but in first person - sign me up!

I’ve been playing DS2 exclusively on my Portal and it has been a brilliant experience. I absolutely adore this device, and the game too, of course!

Good news for Xbox for a change! Hopefully, consumers will support this product because it’s worth all the money. They have been clambering for this so I hope they speak with their wallets.

@get2sammyb It’s possible it could have been a tech demo similar to The Witcher 4, but I’d be shocked if it was. It looked very good.

My issue with these cancellations is that these games weren’t going to be Xbox exclusive, at least further down the road. They were going to come to PlayStation and would have made money.

This is ridiculous. Perfect Dark looked incredible. Moreover, it looked like it was in a playable state and could be released soon. At this point, I don’t want to hear any excuses any longer - this is becoming inexcusable, and it’s poor management from the top down. If I’m being honest, Microsoft - and by Microsoft I mean the Xbox brand itself - needs to do a complete restructure with their staff, particularly management.

Let’s buy studios and then lay tons of those people off, or close down the studios altogether.

To be fair, letting people go is common in any business, but it’s how Microsoft goes about nearly all of their decisions. And let’s not forget Phil Spencer - I just can’t trust what this man says.

So many upcoming games I’m looking forward to, But mainly Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, Gears of War, and MGS3. I’m also curious about Wuchang, but I’ll see how reviews are.

Also, is the release date for September correct for Ninja Gaiden Ragebound? I thought it got announced for July 31st?

I’m currently on episode 3 and it’s blowing my mind. I’ve been taking my time - 15 hours in already - and it’s a game that keeps on giving. At the moment, I can see why this game is receiving 10/10s from many outlets, or 9/10s. Whatever Kojima did, it worked.

I beat and got the platinum trophy for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PS5. It was your classic Bethesda game, and a special experience. I haven’t tackled the Shivering Isles DLC yet - I’m setting it to the side because I want to play other games.

My attention is now all on Death Stranding 2. I’m only four hours in but it’s been great so far. The gameplay mechanics are refined, and feel more like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain in terms of movement, sound, and gunplay.

I like how there is a more emphasis on stealth combat. There have been numerous situations so far where I’m on the edge of my seat due to nerves combating my way through bandit camps, treacherous weather, and the terrain itself. It’s a perfect blend of environment story telling in a unique way. I also feel a sense of obligation to find lost cargo to deliver to other settlements despite the risky nature. It creates a real sense of urgency, but also forces you to be patient - until you can’t.

There was one instance where I had to make a delivery to a Chiral network, but it was pouring down rain. The rivers began to rise, and there were bandits surrounding me, but unaware of my presence. All the while the rain itself was damaging my cargo, almost forcing me to beeline my way straight to the objective. I offloaded my equipment, hiding it in tall grass so the enemies couldn’t see me carrying so much and alert nearby guards.

I systematically eliminated all enemies without being discovered, but my cargo eventually became damaged. I began scouring the area for container repair spray and found a handful of them, but even more importantly, I found a hidden vehicle. I quickly got inside, drove to my packages, loaded them into the bed of the truck, and carefully crossed the river. Once I reached my destination, I repaired all containers and delivered them safe and sound.

This moment-to-moment gameplay — a free sandbox to operate in — was really fun. It was essentially solving a puzzle that I could have optionally ignored, but with high risk there is a high reward. It’s these types of situations where MGSV: TPP shined immensely, and DS2 has evolved that process in peak form. I can’t wait to see how much more it expands as time goes on.

I started it before work this morning and it blew me away. I only managed an hour of game time but the graphics are incredible, the movement feels more refined - similar to MGSV Phantom Pain - and the cutscenes are shockingly movie quality. It might be the best looking game I’ve ever played. And granted, I have only played an hour, but it has me hooked already. I can’t wait to get off work and dive deeper into it.

@djlard Yes, and I made this comment on PureXbox. In terms of shooting themselves in the foot, Game Pass is an huge catalyst for this, and this is the danger of putting a game on a subscription service instead of promoting it for people to buy. In my humble opinion, this is my biggest issue with Game Pass. It is absolutely fantastic for the consumer, but it has ripple effects across the industry that are negative.

Honestly, you have to have a certified banger on your hands to have success outside of Game Pass. Clair Obscur, arguably GOTY, made 3.3 million dollars in 3 weeks, and it’s higher now no question. However, how many of those sales are from Xbox players? If that game was an Xbox exclusive and day one on Game Pass, that studio would most likely be shut down despite the critical success it has received. The fact is, any developer/studio would tell you they would rather make a $60-80.00 sale outright then someone paying $20.00 for a subscription service with the hope — not guarantee — that audiences will play their game, and then make less money of that percentage.

As I said, as a consumer, Game Pass is awesome, but it’s not good for everyone else involved. This is why I prefer buying my games, whether it be on my PS5, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch.

I won’t be sleeping on any of Capcom’s games. They’ve been making nothing but bangers over the last several years, and this new game looks to continue the trend. I’m really excited for this.

I have to agree wholeheartedly with the first two picks, and in that order as well. I have a feeling Death Stranding 2 will take one of those spots. It’s been a fantastic first half of the year for gaming.

I think we should all agree that Kojima games aren’t for everyone and that’s okay. It’s a subjective medium after all. With that said, just because the game may not be what you seek from a gameplay perspective, or story, doesn’t mean it’s “bad” or “trash”. It’s clear that the game is being universally praised aside from a few outliers, and that is okay. Objectively, the game seems to be nothing less than good, and/or great.

Wow. I don’t want to read it because I want to go in blind, but it sounds like it’s another special game. I can’t wait.

I really need to give this game another chance. I wasn’t in the right headspace when attempting to play this game, and I struggled with the time management aspect, which is interesting since I’m accustomed to it, and P4G is my all time favorite JRPG, and I adore P5(R).

I think it looked good - it’s basically started out the same way as The Witcher 3 in terms of setting. I’m one of the rare people who enjoyed the combat in TW3, so I think it looks solid here. It’s awesome that the devs showed such lengthy footage of the game; that tells me it’s cooking right along just fine, and I don’t see any prominent delays in its future.

Death Stranding is my only focus. That said, I will probably buy I Am Your Beast and have it in the back burner.

I’m still questing, exploring caves, tackling dungeons, killing trolls, and making my way to the platinum trophy in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Hopefully, I’ll have it wrapped up in time for Death Stranding 2, but I doubt it, and that’s okay because I love this world of Cyrodiil.

I’m so stoked for this. I’ve yet to see anything that hasn’t impressed me. I’m also a huge fan of SoR4 and its soundtrack, so I expect great things from this one.

I won’t read the list, but I don’t know if I’ll go for the platinum if it’s similar to the first game. If it can be done in a single playthrough then I’ll probably go for it. Regardless, I don’t even care about trophies for this game - I just want to have the experience.

Wow - I am impressed! This looks fantastic. It’s been a long while since we had a game that has the Uncharted spirit, but this game seems to be channeling it quite wonderfully. Hopefully, the set pieces don’t become repetitive; the trailer did have several repeated instances of falling/sliding down something. Regardless, I’m sold and will be keeping a keen eye on this one.

Hands down, it’s Clair Obscur. In fact, it’s probably my favorite game this entire generation. I’m thrilled to have gotten the platinum, and my wife even got me a t-shirt of the game because she knew how much I talked about it. Runner up is Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - another game I got the platinum for. I’m very much looking forward to where Death Stranding 2 and Ninja Gaiden Ragebound (and the 4th installment) rank on my list at the end of the year.

I agree with you - PS2-Atlus is a different breed. To this day, Persona 4 is my favorite JRPG of all time, and it’s hard pressed to find a title that can surpass it, though Clair Obscur might do so after more consideration. Nevertheless, I’m glad to see this game is getting another chance and seemingly turn out great. I’ll be picking it up for sure.

I said this over at Pure Xbox, but I’ll say it here as well:

It’s hard for me to get excited about any kind of new console from Xbox. I personally do not care about how much of a leap next gen will be, and the power of the console - we hear that every time from Microsoft. To me, it’s all about games. Are you going to have a steady cadence of AAA games, interspersed with AA/indie games? If so, what is separating you from PS since those games will ultimately be on that console? If it’s Game Pass, and having that subscription across multiple devices - Play Anywhere - how confident are they that developers will want to release their games on that platform?

At the end of the day, GP is great for the consumer, but a detriment to the studios. I guarantee if you ask them, they would all say that they would prefer to make $60-80.00 per game rather than $20.00 or whatever the price is for the subscription service, and not have a guarantee it will find an audience. Look at PS - people are still happy paying for games, and owning them. Look at Clair Obscur, with 3.3 million copies sold (probably more at this point). How many of those copies do you think were on Xbox? Not many, I assume. Moreover, how many people subscribed to the service for Clair Obscur, or were they already existing members? That is ultimately money lost.

I don’t want to speak poorly on Xbox/Microsoft - I love my Series X and it’s a great consumer product if you have GP, but there is a reason why they are releasing their games on PS. If they had a strong AAA exclusive library of games that sold well, I highly doubt Microsoft would be in the situation that they are in now. But truly, it’s evident - console exclusives, particularly in the AAA space - keep the consoles going. Nintendo and Sony aren’t in the position Microsoft is because they have a huge portfolio of exclusive games that people are willing to buy. I can name probably 15-20 Sony exclusives off the top of my head, and can barely think of 10 from Microsoft that has any form of relevance. Microsoft screwed up substantially on the Xbox One era, and they said so themselves (due to a lack of games), and have been playing catch-up ever since, but they can never catch-up because Sony and Nintendo continue moving forward.

I hope Bungie will manage to bounce back from these horrendous last few years because they are a great studio underneath all of this. That said, this acquisition from Sony has turned out to be awful - not only for other studios and their live service games - but as a whole, particularly from a money standpoint and time wasted.

Another problem is that making a successful live service game is damn near impossible in this climate, and part of that is on the studios, but also us as gamers. We don’t have a lot of faith in these types of games anymore, and even if a game does look good, this culture of gaming is so negative and toxic that it becomes an immediate hatefest. I simply can’t see any future live service game being successful like Fortnite. That “era” of new and revolutionary is gone.

I watched this first thing this morning on my daily walk, and I was still confused by everything even though I played the game and beat it. I’m looking forward to being equally confused and hyped for DS2.