Comments 1,100

Re: Phantom Blade Zero, the Awesome PS5 Action Game from PS Showcase, Sounds Too Good to Be True

Olmaz

@KundaliniRising333 This argument does not hold, unless you've an extremely simplistic black and white view of the world.

Living in the real world necessitate some kind of hypocrisy on the part of every individual. We selectively choose what will be important or not to us. And sometimes, the same issue will be treated differently because of its context, or simply based on personal reason.

You're not "breaking it to me" that today's Western companies have horrendous strategies that make use of people in countries that don't respect Human Rights. I know that, but I make the conscious choice to prefer indirect involvement on my part with these countries to direct involvement. Is it hypocritical? Yes, a bit, like any moral stance that anyone will take on any issue, unless you're an absolutist living in a cave.

There's also the issue of "whataboutism" in your opinion that I oppose. Comparing Western countries with others like China or Saudi Arabia just because Western companies are trading with said countries is contentious. Who's to get the bigger blame : the one who kills or the the one who's working with the killer knowing he kills? There is enough blame to go around here, but let's not pretend the crimes are the same.

I guess everyone has their own way to get out of these moral conundrums that don't have any perfect right or wrong answers, you just need to be able to sleep at night with your conscience. I was simply pointing out that it's surprising to me the lack of criticism against countries like China and Saudi Arabia when we talk about video games, while we direct vehement criticism to any minor issue happening over here.

Re: Phantom Blade Zero, the Awesome PS5 Action Game from PS Showcase, Sounds Too Good to Be True

Olmaz

Besides the vaporware criticism I see in the comments, to which I agree wholeheartedly, we should also evoke the ethical issues with the ever growing involvement of countries like China and Saudi Arabia in the gaming industry.

It always seems weird to me to see people that generally react vehemently about moral and political issues having no problem with letting countries with labor camps and modern slavery (amongst other things) be involved in their preferred hobby.

I for myself am very wary of this kind of development and don't see how it can be anything good, in general and for the gaming landscape specifically.

Re: Fairgame$ May Be Sony's Most Tone Deaf PS5, PC Title to Date

Olmaz

@AdamNovice I know she's a producer, but she's always credited for the Assassin's Creed franchise in some way, for some reason.

But even as a producer, how can anyone think she's even close to be successful when she hasn't produced anything for 8 years (!) and when you look at all the games she's been part of since Assassin's Creed II, it's hard to find anything if not good at least original.

She reeks of corporatism and of these suits we all know that sell themselves very well but are, in fact, not good at their job.

Re: Fairgame$ May Be Sony's Most Tone Deaf PS5, PC Title to Date

Olmaz

Can this be finally the game that makes the media close the lid on Jade Raymond?

I have never understood the fascination with her. She's been surfing the "creator of the Assassin's Creed franchise" title (which is fairly debatable) for 15 years now, but when you look at her resume, I really don't see anything incredible... unless you count the Mighty Quest for Epic Loot in 2015 a hit big enough to carry her "fame" for 8 years...

Re: Warhammer 40k's Blood-Soaked Boomer Shooter Gets Extended Gameplay Trailer

Olmaz

@Shrek_Realista Huh?! Why do you think the game is not for me? Did I voice any criticism towards this genre?

It's the moniker "boomer shooter" that is inaccurate and condescending. And it has only been in use since 2022, which would show it's the younger generations who have been using it. So as someone who has played first generation 3D FPS since my youth, I can tell anyone calling these games "boomer shooters" to get off my lawn and to get a life.

It's just a grumpy 40 something being grumpy, that's all, don't take it too seriously! : )

Re: Next Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Patch Is Out Today, Focuses on Bug Fixes

Olmaz

@Avalanchee Aaaaand this kind of take is why the "industry" keeps doing this.

Patch 1.1 is very far from the state an "AAA game" should be played. Minimum 6 months to 1 year after release, during a deep sale (minimum 50%) by buying the "digital deluxe" or whatever edition that gives you the complete game is the right time.

Anything else is not ok in term of quality/content/price ratio. I haven't bought a game close to launch since the early PS4 days and I haven't seen any reason to do so...

Re: PS1 Survival Horror Returns in The Tartarus Key, Out for PS4 on 31st May

Olmaz

@Flaming_Kaiser Never underestimate the power of trends. I can guarantee you these PS1-3D-style games will proliferate exponentially in the next 3 to 5 years, with glorious reviews from most outlets, even if in fact most people will never finish them, only playing them in part using their subscription...

Now, you're right not every game will be like that, but I'm just sad that so much creative indie potential will be wasted on a nostalgia that is, in my view quite unnecessary.

Re: PS1 Survival Horror Returns in The Tartarus Key, Out for PS5, PS4 on 31st May

Olmaz

And here we go, what I was dreading for. After the (imo) great 16-bit nostalgia and a plethora of pixel-art games, the next generation of gamers/developpers are bringing the PS1-era 3D graphics nostalgia.

And oh my god how I don't want to go back to that time! While I acknowledge the importance of these first steps in the 3D gaming space, the games from that time look absolutely terrible and are completely unplayable.

Game devs, please, just skip the nostalgia of that time (or at least go the remake route like Final Fantasy VII or the Resident Evil games)!

Re: Sony: We're Not Just Creating 10 Live Service Destiny or Fortnite Games

Olmaz

@get2sammyb I have considered that, I just don't believe it to be true. This is the BS these companies would have us believe (akin to "but these MTX are just cosmetics, so it's ok").

What are these fantastic single player EA games you're talking about?
Star Wars Jedi? We've seen the state in which the new game launched. And it's a franchise game, so income is expected.
Dead Space? A remake of a 15 year old game. Good yes, but no risk taken, smaller budget and production time, etc.

Last time I saw EA publish a single player game with a new IP was Lost in Random in 2021, and while very enjoyable, it didn't have an AAA game budget.

Re: Sony: We're Not Just Creating 10 Live Service Destiny or Fortnite Games

Olmaz

@C25CLOUD This argument doesn't make sense to me.

If these GaaS become the main income by a large margin of gaming companies, don't you think it will hurt good single player (and even non GaaS multiplayer) gaming in the long term?

Look at EA : Live services and other net bookings for the trailing twelve months were up 4% year-over-year and represent 75% of total net bookings.
At Ubisoft : Digital Net Bookings represent almost 85% of their total net bookings, with more than 50% being their back catalogue.
Blizzard Activision : In Game Net Bookings represent 74% of total Net Bookings

Do you generally like what these 3 big companies are
doing in the gaming space?

Re: Sony: We're Not Just Creating 10 Live Service Destiny or Fortnite Games

Olmaz

My god how I hate GaaS with all my heart.

I tried Riders Republic the other day, and the UI and drip-feeding makes it so painful to play. Even games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla or Grid Legends have the same look : you don't simply play the game, you engage in a system that, at best, nudges every time to look at what you've opened up, to go through multiples menus and shops, to handle multiple currencies, follow daily and weekly repetitive objectives, gain access to miserable items, etc.

Just give us games we play, even multiplayer ones, not games we have to continue purchasing all while we partly play them.

Between GaaS, subscriptions and games launching before being ready, modern gaming is really going the wrong route, and I'm seriously questioning more and more the personal investment I'm ready to put in it.

Re: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor PS5 Bugs Will Be Squashed Across Weeks of Patches

Olmaz

@TrickyDicky99 Exactly. I haven't bought a game day one since the start of the PS4.
Why pay a game full price when it's buggy, technically less impressive and incomplete, if you can buy the polished full edition with all the bells and whistles and the additional content a few months down the line... for half the price?
Unless the game is solely focused on multiplayer and is a game as a service, I really don't see the point. Even if someone's very hyped for the game and can't wait to play it, don't they want to play its best version?

Re: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Development Is Further Along Than You Might Think

Olmaz

@Darude84 Same experience here. It is very similar to when I had played the first Dark Souls and it ruined other action games for more than a year, or when I went deep into Red Dead Redemption 2 and it killed open-world games for quite some time.

But now it's worse with Elden Ring, I have to force myself to not play it when I turn on my PS5, just so I can play other games.

Almost every time, my brain's reply to "what would I enjoy more, another playthrough of Elden Ring with another build or playing another game I've never played?" is... Elden Ring.

A real masterpiece.

Re: Horizon Forbidden West's Burning Shores DLC Is Getting Review Bombed on PS5

Olmaz

@GrimReaper I agree. We're heading into a big wall in gaming. With Games as a Service and repetitive uninspired games, plus smaller studios being absorbed left and right, the next 5 to 10 years are going to be rough (with, as always, a few exceptional games).
Hopefully, this will help reboot the industry and get us something really new and exciting. I'd bet at that time, VR tech will be sufficiently developed and cheap to be part of this new age of gaming.

Re: 16 Games Hit PS Plus Extra, Premium Next Week

Olmaz

So what is the general thought about Riders Republic now that it's been out for a while?
Bad MTX riddle stupid Ubisoft game?
or
Fun sports game to launch from time to time?

(precision : I'm not interested in general in multiplayer games)

Re: Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter 6 the Big Winners from State of Play

Olmaz

The numbers for Baldur's Gate 3 make me giddy. Especially when you take out Suicide Squad and Naruto, which garnered numbers based on brand recognition, not actual expectation about the game.
But I'm sad about Before Your Eyes : this game is a prime example of what gaming (and VR gaming) can develop narrative experience beyond all other media.

Re: God of War Ragnarok Cleans Up at DICE Awards, Elden Ring Takes Game of the Year

Olmaz

@tallythwack I'm with you on both games :
I played enough basic games like Vampire Survivor in my time, we're in 2023, I expect more. And if your gameplay is simple, at least balance it with graphics and sound.
As for Stray, the game is ok-ish. But what I don't get is that it misses its main selling point : the way the cat moves. The button press to get to point B is so limited it's a joke the Devs tried to bet on it. Again, in 2022, we should expect a more tactile, more immersive way of playing as a cat interacting with its environment.
But I guess we're just grumpy old men...

Re: Rumour: PS Plus Essential PS5, PS4 Games for February 2023 Leaked Early

Olmaz

@ChrisDeku Sadly you can't buy cards to fund your wallet in the Turkish PS Store, as far as I know. I guess they know it's cheaper than most stores, so they do their best to stop people taking advantage of it.
And I'm not the kind of people brave enough to trust weird 3rd party sites selling "Turkish PSN gift codes" or other things like that...

Re: Rumour: PS Plus Essential PS5, PS4 Games for February 2023 Leaked Early

Olmaz

Well, I'm happy with this month. Since I can't renew my PS+ Deluxe subscription because Sony's not accepting my credit card payments (but only for subscriptions and wallet funds, buying games is no problem, go figure), this is the perfect month to not get anything interesting for me.
Still, absolutely incredible that Sony can't figure a way to make sure its loyal customers can simply get their subscriptions from its store...