Just started Symphonia after hearing good things about it for years (actually tried starting it a few years ago but got sick just as I was starting and after a week of not being able to do anything but sleep never went back to it. I think I was just at the point where you got kicked out of the village), and although I'm not too far in yet I'm enjoying it a lot (I actually seem to enjoy the old school 3D entries like this, Abyss, & Vesperia more than the modern 3D entries I've played, though I'd certainly give Xillia a shot). Currently just left Izoold by boat.
Definitely agree with the top 3. All fantastic games.
I'd also have Star Ocean: the Divine Force & Valkyrie Elysium in my personal list, but I haven't played any of the other games listed outside of the top 3 other than Powerwash Simulator, but as novel/relaxing as it is, I'd still rank it lower (was also going to include Automata until I realized it doesn't actually have a PS5 version).
I've watched the first 5 or 6 episodes so far. It's been a mixed bag so far, but I really enjoyed the Unreal Tournament & Warhammer episodes, while a few others have come across as nothing more than a proof of concept.
Don't really dig what they did to Pac-Man either. The great thing about anthologies is that you can pretty much do whatever, but they somehow turned it into yet another dark bloody sci-fi thing when they already had a lot of other (more fitting) properties for that theme already. I know it's based on an upcoming game, but honestly that looks pretty naff as well (like a Bomberman: Act Zero level misfire from the late 00's when Japanese developers were taking all the wrong lessons from the western gaming market).
Nintendo isn't suing them based on monster designs or genre (as others have said, there are tons of other monster collectors out there that Nintendo hasn't gone after, many are on Nintendo systems, some they even promote), so them not having a case because Pokemon "copied SMT or Dragon Quest" isn't really relevant, because that's not what the case is even about.
They are alleging that Pocketpair infringed on something on the back end/mechanical/coding side, and really no one knows what it entails at this point (even the allegations that they're suing based on a "capture a monster in a ball" mechanic is just a guess at this time. It may have nothing to do with that).
I'm not saying Nintendo is going to be in the right, but there's a ton of jumping to conclusions going on here.
Yes, on one side you have the Chuds who whine incessantly about MJ, Aloy etc, in games with more grounded realistic art direction because they've been so ruined by it.
But on the other hand you have the Neo-Puritans who'se heads explode trying to grasp the concept of light cheesecake in media, not understanding that hardcore porn isn't, and never was, a substitution for it.
@thefourfoldroot1, nah, I think @UltimateOtaku91 is largely correct.
Sony doesn't seem to have a problem with sexy, revealing character designs (see Star Ocean: the Divine Force, Samurai Maiden, and of course Stellar Blade), but rather mini-games or modes that are voyeuristic for the sake of being voyeuristic.
Now, I DO think photo modes (which are usually so in depth that they'd let you see up a character's skirt, and happen to be a hugely popular feature in any modern game) probably skirt that line, which is why so many modern Japanese games tend to go with shorts/spats under skirts instead of panties, but that's just a guess.
It should be noted that the two games I've played that feature panties instead of shorts either don't have a photo mode at this time (Stellar Blade) or black out the underneath of the skirt while pausing/in photo mode (Samurai Maiden), so I think I'm on to something.
For a new IP locked to a single platform, that seems like a pretty good number.
I know the budgets likely weren't near as high (given they were 3DS & Switch games respectively), but that million units milestone is what has kept Nintendo pumping out Fire Emblem games after Awakening (which was going to be the last game in the series given how poorly the entries before it performed), as well as all the Xenoblade games Switch has gotten after XC2's success (I think it's sold over 2 million TBF, but I doubt it did all that in the first 2 months).
A better comparison would probably be to look at Granblue Fantasy ReLink, and how fast it hit 1 million given that it has some similarities to Stellar Blade (big console project from a typically mobile developer, I think PS exclusive), other than the fact that the IP isn't new.
I support difficulty options (& usually play on whatever the equivalent of "Normal" is) and generally like being able to make notable progress every time I play because I don't have as much time as I did when I was a kid.
That said, I'm not necessarily against difficult bosses & the like, as long as the game respects your time. Let me save right before the boss or what have you and I'll be more likely to pull through than if I have to play through a bunch of other stuff I've already completed just to get back to the point I had difficulty with (looking at you FFVII Rebirth final boss, which I did beat, but was a pain having to do all those phases again after having to put the game up).
I'd like to say I am (was) pretty big into anime, but I've honestly never heard of this one until now, lol. Then again I've stopped trying to follow new releases years ago, so it's not all to surprising it'd happen eventually.
Anyhow, a shame to hear it's a F2P gacha game. Sounds like it'd be cool as a proper RPG, action game, or some such
I've actually really enjoyed their output the past several years (Dragon Quest XI, FFVII Remake & Rebirth, FFXVI, Star Ocean: the Divine Force, Trials of Mana remake, & Valkyrie Elysium come to mind), so hopefully this doesn't really affect the kinds of games I enjoy of theirs (big 3D JRPGs, mostly).
I'd say Kingdom Hearts III was the only one in recent memory that kinda failed to hit the mark, but I still liked it enough.
@thefourfoldroot1, Just so I can put my money where my mouth is, here are the two videos I've seen with the alleged "uncensored" version of the costume in question (no mesh over her chest, & less cloth around thighs).
For the record, even if this does end up being true, it's not a huge deal & certainly won't stop me from playing the game, it's just that I think for clarity's sake I think it should be known that it might be true (and even if it is, there's certainly the possibility that the "uncensored" version is an alternate style or unlocked in NG+ now). We'll just have to wait & see until new information is revealed once more people have the game in their hands.
@thefourfoldroot1, I've seen a couple of videos of the alleged costume censorship as well (in addition to the photo), but at this stage it's hard to be sure.
One theory is that the version shipped on the physical disc is an even earlier build than the one reviewers/digital buyers got. So while the day one patch didn't censor anything for review copies & digital owners (since their copies were already edited), it does do so for physical owners.
So essentially unpatched physical would be a ver. 1.0 (uncensored), unpatched digital/review copy would be ver. 1.01 (censored), & day one patch brings everyone up to ver. 1.02 (ads the 1.01 edits to physical owners, & new game+ & other additions for everyone).
I don't get too much time to game on my PS5, so I've only played Granblue Fantasy ReLink & Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (of which I'm only about 60% through the story) this year, but out of those two I'd pick FFVIIR even though I'm not done with it yet.
Oh, I also jumped back into FFXVI to play through it's first DLC quest over a weekend too.
I won't give it a score since I haven't finished the story yet, but I've been enjoying it. Just arrived at the second town, and man is the art direction gorgeous.
Combat is very fun & fast paced (kinda reminds me of the Ys games in terms of how fast it feels), there are a ton of different ways to upgrade your party members to the point it can be hard to process it all (though as I don't intend to get deep into post game, hopefully it shouldn't be too much of an issue).
I had trouble with that ice wolf boss at the end of chapter 5 as it kept nearly wiping my party with that arena wide attack I couldn't figure out how to dodge/negate, but I managed.
I've been playing this off & on ever since finishing Spider-Man 2 & it's alright but for some reason it's not really gripping me which is a shame as I do like the setting.
It's a great looking game with a nice amount of gameplay variety (& the metroidvania elements are as good as ever once you're in the thick of it) & some great setpieces. Plus, I'll second that it's nice that Cal has all his previous game upgrades from the start, & you just get more from there.
However, I do think the core narrative was a bit weaker than in the first, I didn't much care for the two large open world areas (I have nothing against open worlds, but think they're kinda antithetical to the metroidvania gameplay loop, and think the game was at it's best when you were on one of the smaller worlds, like the moon, or in the tighter spaces on the edges of the large maps, like the Separatist ship, where the gameplay loop shined more), and you should have been able to have more than two saber styles available on the quick select menu.
I haven't played many of these games, but I'm really liking Like A Dragon Gaiden (moreso than Yakuza Kiwami, which is the only other one I've played), so I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this.
The start of next year is looking absolutely ridiculous for JRPG fans with Infinite Wealth, Granblue Fantasy Relink, & FFVII Rebirth in the first 2 months.
Gutted that Stellar Blade didn't make the list, as I would have voted for it had it been present (& don't want to choose "Other").
As it stands I voted for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Granblue Fantasy Relink, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Trails Through Daybreak, & Visions of Mana just to round it out. I have interest in Rise of the Ronin, but I'm not big into Souls-Likes, so we'll see.
Looking pretty promising. Not the most exciting looking JRPG coming out next year, but if it comes out around a time with little else I'll probably get it (and if not then, most definitely even later on when it eventually goes on sale).
@Darude84, Starfield was in the running (it was one of the 30 games in the initial round), but it was knocked out in the first round (games like Mario Wonder & FFXVI were also knocked out in the first round).
1. Final Fantasy XVI 2. Marvel's Spider Man 2 3. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor 4. Like A Dragon Gaiden: the Man who Lost His Name ¥ 5. One Piece: Odyssey
¥ - Could & May end up higher, just started it.
Every other (available on) PS4/5 title I've played this year either didn't make your list (Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse) or didn't release this year (Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, Valkyrie Elysium, Kandagawa Jet Girls, Blue Reflection).
Probably about the worst side quest in the game. Don't get me wrong, as a 5-10 minute long optional activity it hardly "ruins" the game by any stretch of the imagination, but it's the one time I kinda felt like the studio's desire to be inclusive kinda got in the way of being a "Spider-Man" game (for the record, I thought the Visions Academy & Museum quest lines were much better at melding inclusive elements to IP relevant gameplay).
The biggest issue is that it's simply boring, given it's literally just the most basic iteration of "Sony Cinematic Ledge Platforming™" possible interspersed with an occasional "mini game" segment which barely counts as such (I remember the graffiti segments in InFamous Second Son to be more involved?). Elsewhere it seems pretty much completely removed from the IP. Hailey isn't historically relevant to the IP like MJ (IIRC she was invented for this universe), and it doesn't lead into Miles having to do anything as Spider-Man, so it just feels so removed from the IP, even as far as side content goes.
Again, it hardly ruins the game though, as it's only a 10 minute commitment at most in a near 20 hour game (I actually think I took closer to 30, lol).
I'll be rooting for FFXVI, SM2, SW:JS, TotK, & Wonder (the games I personally played this year that I'd rank highly), but I wouldn't be sour if BG3 won given what I've heard of it.
Game doesn't look to be my cup o' tea (definitely a little too much for me, lol), but good on Sony for allowing it.
@LordAinsley, sorry for stepping in here, but "Corn" (as you put it) isn't a substitute for fanservice, ecchi, or whatever you want to call them games, as they aren't really trying to be "Corn" adjacent in the first place.
While there are many low effort projects (just like with any genre/theme), there are also many titles that are perfectly fine (Samurai Maiden, most Senran Kagura titles, Sakura Wars, DOA, etc.) or even a few that break out and are considered great (the Bayonetta games) examples of their respective gameplay genres. Why have "sexy" women in the first place? Probably just because they figure their target audience (or maybe even the dev staff themselves) will enjoy that aspect of the experience (and it's just that, one aspect out of many that makes the game what it is), and is something straight up "Corn" won't substitute for.
Saying that someone should just watch "Corn" instead of playing one of these games is like saying someone should do the same instead of watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Stripes, Ghost in the Shell, Spartacus, or any other film/series that features gratuitous nudity. Or saying that someone should just watch a bunch of War Documentaries/the news instead of playing Call of Duty if they're so interested in war (after all, there's plenty of it out there, and a lot you can get for free).
There's perhaps no franchise in all of gaming that's as "Hit or Miss" with me as Final Fantasy, so I was a bit skeptical going in, but I have to say I'm loving it.
I wouldn't quite go as far as to say it's my favorite, but it's been a very good time thus far (according to the little progress tracker next to the title on the PS5 home screen, I've just hit the 50% completion point).
@rjejr, I don't think the UK can block the acquisition outright (assuming the US approves it), it's just that Microsoft won't be able to operate in the UK (at least in terms of video games?).
Hope the areas aren't too much larger (in a more open world kinda sense). I like that the last game & the modern GoW games were big budget "Metroidvanias".
For the first one, a bit of a recurring gag in the anime is that Brook (the skeleton) will ask female characters if he can see their panties.
Given that it doesn't seem to ring any bells, it looks like the game uses it sparingly (if at all). Similarly, Ivankov would be pretty darn hard to miss, especially since you said you didn't recognize him.
@LiamCroft, out of curiosity, does Brook ever make his signature "panties" request, & does Ivankov appear in the Marineford world?
I enjoy One Piece, but it does have some elements that would make it a tad awkward to showcase in front of others, so the answer to these questions informs whether I buy it on PS5 (played in the general living area) or on Steam (which I can play on the privacy of my laptop).
@Jdduhd, PS already gets the biggest SE games, so I don't see how purchasing them would change their fortunes in the region.
They could theoretically keep their games off Xbox, but MS isn't really a threat in Japan anyways as the chart shows (and would look kinda crappy after how much a stink they're raising over the whole ActiBlizz scenario for the same fear).
As for Nintendo, they either don't get the biggest SE games (the main FFVII Remake titles, FFXVI, Stranger of Paradise, Star Ocean: the Divine Force, & Valkyrie Elysium all skipped, or are skipping them), get them years later (Nier Automata), or are cloud versions (the KH games). Now they do get a lot of smaller budget titles (the Octopath Traveller games, Triangle Strategy, Chocobo Racing, Harvestella, remasters like Crisis Core & the FF Pixel Remasters), and while a lot of these titles are quality, most still already release on PS and keeping them exclusive probably wouldn't have that much of a positive effect on PS sales.
@themightyant, oh, the main characters should be the least of your worries when it comes to character designs in this series, lol.
It's a fun show, but man, it's hard to take some of these characters seriously during dramatic moments because they look so stupid (like Ivankov or Moria).
It genuinely looks fun, but I'll also probably get it because my brother thinks One Piece is the dumbest thing he's ever seen & I want to see the look on his face when he walks in on me playing it, lol.
I certainly don't have anything against "M" rated titles (& play a few myself), but there's already a plethora of AAA dark fantasy games, mostly from western devs outside of the FromSoft games. Gives off shades of the PS360 gen where Japanese devs chased western trends & it often didn't end well for their franchise's reputations.
Japanese devs didn't really recover until the PS4/Switch came out & they modernized in terms of presentation & QOL elements, but still held true to their roots in terms of ethos.
That said the combat does look fun, so I'll keep an eye on it (still much more interested in all the FFVII projects, though).
@Jaz007, I imagine games don't have to have a CERO rating to release on PC (being a completely open platform and all), which is why, apparently, worse stuff is allowed. I imagine a lot of games without an ESRB rating are released on PC here in the US.
However PlayStation (& the other console platforms) won't host a game if it hasn't been rated by the local ratings board (CERO in this case, who is refusing to rate it).
@NEStalgia, I looked at the original post of the translator (linked in the article), and he says that there's a second made up language in the game, but there isn't enough to go on to translate it.
I've been playing it on Steam and it's been great.
Just arrived in the 3rd area (the grasslands), and had an optional dragon boss suddenly ambush me while I was fighting some other, basic enemies (...it kicked my butt, lol). Combat is smooth & feels great when everything chains together perfectly, and it certainly doesn't hurt that the game is drop dead gorgeous. Oh, and Hootle is absolutely the best.
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Re: Rumour: Tales of Xillia Leaked as the Next Tales Remaster
I'll just copy what I posted on the NL article:
Just started Symphonia after hearing good things about it for years (actually tried starting it a few years ago but got sick just as I was starting and after a week of not being able to do anything but sleep never went back to it. I think I was just at the point where you got kicked out of the village), and although I'm not too far in yet I'm enjoying it a lot (I actually seem to enjoy the old school 3D entries like this, Abyss, & Vesperia more than the modern 3D entries I've played, though I'd certainly give Xillia a shot). Currently just left Izoold by boat.
Re: Best Square Enix Games on PS5
Definitely agree with the top 3. All fantastic games.
I'd also have Star Ocean: the Divine Force & Valkyrie Elysium in my personal list, but I haven't played any of the other games listed outside of the top 3 other than Powerwash Simulator, but as novel/relaxing as it is, I'd still rank it lower (was also going to include Automata until I realized it doesn't actually have a PS5 version).
Re: Amazon's Secret Level Has Been Renewed for a Second Season
I've watched the first 5 or 6 episodes so far. It's been a mixed bag so far, but I really enjoyed the Unreal Tournament & Warhammer episodes, while a few others have come across as nothing more than a proof of concept.
Don't really dig what they did to Pac-Man either. The great thing about anthologies is that you can pretty much do whatever, but they somehow turned it into yet another dark bloody sci-fi thing when they already had a lot of other (more fitting) properties for that theme already. I know it's based on an upcoming game, but honestly that looks pretty naff as well (like a Bomberman: Act Zero level misfire from the late 00's when Japanese developers were taking all the wrong lessons from the western gaming market).
Re: Palworld's Release in Japan on Hold Indefinitely Thanks to Nintendo Lawsuit
Nintendo isn't suing them based on monster designs or genre (as others have said, there are tons of other monster collectors out there that Nintendo hasn't gone after, many are on Nintendo systems, some they even promote), so them not having a case because Pokemon "copied SMT or Dragon Quest" isn't really relevant, because that's not what the case is even about.
They are alleging that Pocketpair infringed on something on the back end/mechanical/coding side, and really no one knows what it entails at this point (even the allegations that they're suing based on a "capture a monster in a ball" mechanic is just a guess at this time. It may have nothing to do with that).
I'm not saying Nintendo is going to be in the right, but there's a ton of jumping to conclusions going on here.
Re: Dead Rising's PS5 Remaster Will Strip Bonus Points for Erotic Photos
I swear free Internet porn has ruined society.
Yes, on one side you have the Chuds who whine incessantly about MJ, Aloy etc, in games with more grounded realistic art direction because they've been so ruined by it.
But on the other hand you have the Neo-Puritans who'se heads explode trying to grasp the concept of light cheesecake in media, not understanding that hardcore porn isn't, and never was, a substitution for it.
Re: Tower of Fantasy Targets Lapsed Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball Players with Saucy PS5, PS4 Update
@thefourfoldroot1, nah, I think @UltimateOtaku91 is largely correct.
Sony doesn't seem to have a problem with sexy, revealing character designs (see Star Ocean: the Divine Force, Samurai Maiden, and of course Stellar Blade), but rather mini-games or modes that are voyeuristic for the sake of being voyeuristic.
Now, I DO think photo modes (which are usually so in depth that they'd let you see up a character's skirt, and happen to be a hugely popular feature in any modern game) probably skirt that line, which is why so many modern Japanese games tend to go with shorts/spats under skirts instead of panties, but that's just a guess.
It should be noted that the two games I've played that feature panties instead of shorts either don't have a photo mode at this time (Stellar Blade) or black out the underneath of the skirt while pausing/in photo mode (Samurai Maiden), so I think I'm on to something.
Re: Talking Point: What's Your PS5 Game of the Year for 2024 So Far?
Currently FFVII Rebirth, which in spite of a bunch of little nitpicks is greater than the sum of it's parts.
Also enjoying Stellar Blade (just started on the Great Desert), but at this time don't think it'll top rebirth for me.
Also really enjoyed Granblue Fantasy: ReLink.
Those are the only 3 PS5 games I've played so far this year (yeah, I'm slow, lol).
Re: PS5 Fan Favourite Stellar Blade Sold Over 1 Million Copies, Dev Estimates
For a new IP locked to a single platform, that seems like a pretty good number.
I know the budgets likely weren't near as high (given they were 3DS & Switch games respectively), but that million units milestone is what has kept Nintendo pumping out Fire Emblem games after Awakening (which was going to be the last game in the series given how poorly the entries before it performed), as well as all the Xenoblade games Switch has gotten after XC2's success (I think it's sold over 2 million TBF, but I doubt it did all that in the first 2 months).
A better comparison would probably be to look at Granblue Fantasy ReLink, and how fast it hit 1 million given that it has some similarities to Stellar Blade (big console project from a typically mobile developer, I think PS exclusive), other than the fact that the IP isn't new.
Re: Poll: Can a Game's Brutal Difficultly Put You Off Playing It?
I support difficulty options (& usually play on whatever the equivalent of "Normal" is) and generally like being able to make notable progress every time I play because I don't have as much time as I did when I was a kid.
That said, I'm not necessarily against difficult bosses & the like, as long as the game respects your time. Let me save right before the boss or what have you and I'll be more likely to pull through than if I have to play through a bunch of other stuff I've already completed just to get back to the point I had difficulty with (looking at you FFVII Rebirth final boss, which I did beat, but was a pain having to do all those phases again after having to put the game up).
Re: Anime Sensation Kaiju No. 8 Getting Game, But No Word on PS5, PS4
Well that's it, I'm officially old.
I'd like to say I am (was) pretty big into anime, but I've honestly never heard of this one until now, lol. Then again I've stopped trying to follow new releases years ago, so it's not all to surprising it'd happen eventually.
Anyhow, a shame to hear it's a F2P gacha game. Sounds like it'd be cool as a proper RPG, action game, or some such
Re: Square Enix Game Cancellations Likely as Publisher Records $140 Million Loss in 'Content Disposal'
I've actually really enjoyed their output the past several years (Dragon Quest XI, FFVII Remake & Rebirth, FFXVI, Star Ocean: the Divine Force, Trials of Mana remake, & Valkyrie Elysium come to mind), so hopefully this doesn't really affect the kinds of games I enjoy of theirs (big 3D JRPGs, mostly).
I'd say Kingdom Hearts III was the only one in recent memory that kinda failed to hit the mark, but I still liked it enough.
Re: Story-Heavy Stellar Blade PS5 Launch Trailer Prepares You for Release
@thefourfoldroot1, Just so I can put my money where my mouth is, here are the two videos I've seen with the alleged "uncensored" version of the costume in question (no mesh over her chest, & less cloth around thighs).
https://streamable.com/7kt3pw
https://streamable.com/tbvmoy
For the record, even if this does end up being true, it's not a huge deal & certainly won't stop me from playing the game, it's just that I think for clarity's sake I think it should be known that it might be true (and even if it is, there's certainly the possibility that the "uncensored" version is an alternate style or unlocked in NG+ now). We'll just have to wait & see until new information is revealed once more people have the game in their hands.
Re: Story-Heavy Stellar Blade PS5 Launch Trailer Prepares You for Release
@thefourfoldroot1, I've seen a couple of videos of the alleged costume censorship as well (in addition to the photo), but at this stage it's hard to be sure.
One theory is that the version shipped on the physical disc is an even earlier build than the one reviewers/digital buyers got. So while the day one patch didn't censor anything for review copies & digital owners (since their copies were already edited), it does do so for physical owners.
So essentially unpatched physical would be a ver. 1.0 (uncensored), unpatched digital/review copy would be ver. 1.01 (censored), & day one patch brings everyone up to ver. 1.02 (ads the 1.01 edits to physical owners, & new game+ & other additions for everyone).
Re: Talking Point: What's Your Favourite PS5 Game of 2024 So Far?
I don't get too much time to game on my PS5, so I've only played Granblue Fantasy ReLink & Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (of which I'm only about 60% through the story) this year, but out of those two I'd pick FFVIIR even though I'm not done with it yet.
Oh, I also jumped back into FFXVI to play through it's first DLC quest over a weekend too.
Looking forward to Stellar Blade next.
Re: Capcom's PS5 Action Game Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Continues to Show Promise
It looks absolutely gorgeous, but I think I'd be more interested in it if it was more of a straight up action game.
The tower defense/strategy portion of it isn't that appealing to me.
Re: Granblue Fantasy: Relink Sells Over 1 Million Copies in a Super Busy Release Schedule
Just started Chapter 8, and have been loving the game. Glad to see it's doing well, given how packed the release schedule has been.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Granblue Fantasy: Relink?
I won't give it a score since I haven't finished the story yet, but I've been enjoying it. Just arrived at the second town, and man is the art direction gorgeous.
Combat is very fun & fast paced (kinda reminds me of the Ys games in terms of how fast it feels), there are a ton of different ways to upgrade your party members to the point it can be hard to process it all (though as I don't intend to get deep into post game, hopefully it shouldn't be too much of an issue).
I had trouble with that ice wolf boss at the end of chapter 5 as it kept nearly wiping my party with that arena wide attack I couldn't figure out how to dodge/negate, but I managed.
Re: Madcap Action Game Wanted: Dead Gets an Update Almost One Year After Release
Yeah, I was really interested in this until I heard how bad it was. Maybe these updates will finally make it worth a look?
Re: Overlooked Action RPG Fate/Samurai Remnant Now Has a Playable Demo on PS5, PS4
I've been playing this off & on ever since finishing Spider-Man 2 & it's alright but for some reason it's not really gripping me which is a shame as I do like the setting.
Re: Game of the Year: #9 - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Great placement for it.
It's a great looking game with a nice amount of gameplay variety (& the metroidvania elements are as good as ever once you're in the thick of it) & some great setpieces. Plus, I'll second that it's nice that Cal has all his previous game upgrades from the start, & you just get more from there.
However, I do think the core narrative was a bit weaker than in the first, I didn't much care for the two large open world areas (I have nothing against open worlds, but think they're kinda antithetical to the metroidvania gameplay loop, and think the game was at it's best when you were on one of the smaller worlds, like the moon, or in the tighter spaces on the edges of the large maps, like the Separatist ship, where the gameplay loop shined more), and you should have been able to have more than two saber styles available on the quick select menu.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla?
Nope. Really enjoyed the main game, but "Rouge like" is an instant disqualifier for me.
Hope others enjoy it though.
Re: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on PS5, PS4 Has SEGA Bass Fishing, SpikeOut, and Much More
I haven't played many of these games, but I'm really liking Like A Dragon Gaiden (moreso than Yakuza Kiwami, which is the only other one I've played), so I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this.
The start of next year is looking absolutely ridiculous for JRPG fans with Infinite Wealth, Granblue Fantasy Relink, & FFVII Rebirth in the first 2 months.
Re: Poll: What's Your Most Anticipated PS5 Game of 2024?
Gutted that Stellar Blade didn't make the list, as I would have voted for it had it been present (& don't want to choose "Other").
As it stands I voted for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Granblue Fantasy Relink, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Trails Through Daybreak, & Visions of Mana just to round it out. I have interest in Rise of the Ronin, but I'm not big into Souls-Likes, so we'll see.
Re: Visions of Mana Isn't Open World, But It Does Have 'Vast' Semi-Open Areas
Looking pretty promising. Not the most exciting looking JRPG coming out next year, but if it comes out around a time with little else I'll probably get it (and if not then, most definitely even later on when it eventually goes on sale).
Re: Final Fantasy 16's First Expansion Out Now on PS5, Second Arrives in Spring 2024
Wasn't expecting this!
Just bought Fate Samurai Remnant so I'll have to hold off for now, but I'll definitely get it.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora?
Not interested much in it myself (although I do like the movies), but I'm sure I'll see it in action as my brother had it pre-ordered.
Re: Final Five Games Battle It Out for The Game Awards Players' Choice
@Darude84, Starfield was in the running (it was one of the 30 games in the initial round), but it was knocked out in the first round (games like Mario Wonder & FFXVI were also knocked out in the first round).
Re: Poll: What Is Your PS5, PS4 Game of the Year 2023?
1. Final Fantasy XVI
2. Marvel's Spider Man 2
3. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
4. Like A Dragon Gaiden: the Man who Lost His Name ¥
5. One Piece: Odyssey
¥ - Could & May end up higher, just started it.
Every other (available on) PS4/5 title I've played this year either didn't make your list (Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse) or didn't release this year (Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, Valkyrie Elysium, Kandagawa Jet Girls, Blue Reflection).
Re: Action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink Looks Fantastic in Hours of Raw PS5 Gameplay
Looks great. Hope it releasing in the same month as FFVII Rebirth won't hurt it too much.
I plan on playing both if time allows.
Re: Spider-Man 2's Best Side Mission Has Been Nominated for an Award
Probably about the worst side quest in the game. Don't get me wrong, as a 5-10 minute long optional activity it hardly "ruins" the game by any stretch of the imagination, but it's the one time I kinda felt like the studio's desire to be inclusive kinda got in the way of being a "Spider-Man" game (for the record, I thought the Visions Academy & Museum quest lines were much better at melding inclusive elements to IP relevant gameplay).
The biggest issue is that it's simply boring, given it's literally just the most basic iteration of "Sony Cinematic Ledge Platforming™" possible interspersed with an occasional "mini game" segment which barely counts as such (I remember the graffiti segments in InFamous Second Son to be more involved?). Elsewhere it seems pretty much completely removed from the IP. Hailey isn't historically relevant to the IP like MJ (IIRC she was invented for this universe), and it doesn't lead into Miles having to do anything as Spider-Man, so it just feels so removed from the IP, even as far as side content goes.
Again, it hardly ruins the game though, as it's only a 10 minute commitment at most in a near 20 hour game (I actually think I took closer to 30, lol).
Re: The Battle for Game of the Year in a Superb 2023 Begins on Monday
I'll be rooting for FFXVI, SM2, SW:JS, TotK, & Wonder (the games I personally played this year that I'd rank highly), but I wouldn't be sour if BG3 won given what I've heard of it.
Re: Only Sony Will Allow Crazy PS5, PS4 Indie Horror Christmas Massacre
Game doesn't look to be my cup o' tea (definitely a little too much for me, lol), but good on Sony for allowing it.
@LordAinsley, sorry for stepping in here, but "Corn" (as you put it) isn't a substitute for fanservice, ecchi, or whatever you want to call them games, as they aren't really trying to be "Corn" adjacent in the first place.
While there are many low effort projects (just like with any genre/theme), there are also many titles that are perfectly fine (Samurai Maiden, most Senran Kagura titles, Sakura Wars, DOA, etc.) or even a few that break out and are considered great (the Bayonetta games) examples of their respective gameplay genres. Why have "sexy" women in the first place? Probably just because they figure their target audience (or maybe even the dev staff themselves) will enjoy that aspect of the experience (and it's just that, one aspect out of many that makes the game what it is), and is something straight up "Corn" won't substitute for.
Saying that someone should just watch "Corn" instead of playing one of these games is like saying someone should do the same instead of watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Stripes, Ghost in the Shell, Spartacus, or any other film/series that features gratuitous nudity. Or saying that someone should just watch a bunch of War Documentaries/the news instead of playing Call of Duty if they're so interested in war (after all, there's plenty of it out there, and a lot you can get for free).
Re: PS5 Console Exclusive Stellar Blade Will Have a Physical Release
This is actually my most hyped exclusive on the horizon, so I hope we get some news on it soon.
Re: Action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink Gets Six Minutes of Superb PS5 Gameplay
Looking really good!
Re: Final Fantasy Creator Believes Latest Instalment Is Ultimate Entry in Franchise
There's perhaps no franchise in all of gaming that's as "Hit or Miss" with me as Final Fantasy, so I was a bit skeptical going in, but I have to say I'm loving it.
I wouldn't quite go as far as to say it's my favorite, but it's been a very good time thus far (according to the little progress tracker next to the title on the PS5 home screen, I've just hit the 50% completion point).
Re: Microsoft Dealt Major Blow as UK Blocks Activision Buyout
@rjejr, I don't think the UK can block the acquisition outright (assuming the US approves it), it's just that Microsoft won't be able to operate in the UK (at least in terms of video games?).
Re: One Piece Odyssey DLC Reunion of Memories Announced for PS5, PS4
It's a shame that it looks like it's just remixing events in areas already in the base game & not adding any more of the anime's story arcs.
Re: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Will Feature Larger Maps, Populated with More NPCs
Hope the areas aren't too much larger (in a more open world kinda sense). I like that the last game & the modern GoW games were big budget "Metroidvanias".
Re: One Piece Odyssey (PS5) - Anime Dragon Quest Is Oh So Good
@LiamCroft, oh, that seems good to know.
For the first one, a bit of a recurring gag in the anime is that Brook (the skeleton) will ask female characters if he can see their panties.
Given that it doesn't seem to ring any bells, it looks like the game uses it sparingly (if at all). Similarly, Ivankov would be pretty darn hard to miss, especially since you said you didn't recognize him.
Re: One Piece Odyssey (PS5) - Anime Dragon Quest Is Oh So Good
@LiamCroft, out of curiosity, does Brook ever make his signature "panties" request, & does Ivankov appear in the Marineford world?
I enjoy One Piece, but it does have some elements that would make it a tad awkward to showcase in front of others, so the answer to these questions informs whether I buy it on PS5 (played in the general living area) or on Steam (which I can play on the privacy of my laptop).
Re: PS5 Sales Continue Upward Trajectory in Japan Following Stock Improvements
@Jdduhd, PS already gets the biggest SE games, so I don't see how purchasing them would change their fortunes in the region.
They could theoretically keep their games off Xbox, but MS isn't really a threat in Japan anyways as the chart shows (and would look kinda crappy after how much a stink they're raising over the whole ActiBlizz scenario for the same fear).
As for Nintendo, they either don't get the biggest SE games (the main FFVII Remake titles, FFXVI, Stranger of Paradise, Star Ocean: the Divine Force, & Valkyrie Elysium all skipped, or are skipping them), get them years later (Nier Automata), or are cloud versions (the KH games). Now they do get a lot of smaller budget titles (the Octopath Traveller games, Triangle Strategy, Chocobo Racing, Harvestella, remasters like Crisis Core & the FF Pixel Remasters), and while a lot of these titles are quality, most still already release on PS and keeping them exclusive probably wouldn't have that much of a positive effect on PS sales.
Re: One Piece Odyssey Looks Like a PS5, PS4 Must Play for JRPG Fans
@themightyant, oh, the main characters should be the least of your worries when it comes to character designs in this series, lol.
It's a fun show, but man, it's hard to take some of these characters seriously during dramatic moments because they look so stupid (like Ivankov or Moria).
Re: One Piece Odyssey Looks Like a PS5, PS4 Must Play for JRPG Fans
It genuinely looks fun, but I'll also probably get it because my brother thinks One Piece is the dumbest thing he's ever seen & I want to see the look on his face when he walks in on me playing it, lol.
Re: Final Fantasy 16 Is Officially the First Mainline Game to Be Rated Mature, 18+
I'm likewise mixed on this.
I certainly don't have anything against "M" rated titles (& play a few myself), but there's already a plethora of AAA dark fantasy games, mostly from western devs outside of the FromSoft games. Gives off shades of the PS360 gen where Japanese devs chased western trends & it often didn't end well for their franchise's reputations.
Japanese devs didn't really recover until the PS4/Switch came out & they modernized in terms of presentation & QOL elements, but still held true to their roots in terms of ethos.
That said the combat does look fun, so I'll keep an eye on it (still much more interested in all the FFVII projects, though).
Re: Enjoy 30 Violent Minutes of Developer-Led Wanted: Dead Gameplay
Looks slick. Doesn't look quite as appealing as Stellar Blade, but could be worth a go.
Re: The Callisto Protocol Cancels Japanese Release After Refusing to Censor Violence
@Jaz007, I imagine games don't have to have a CERO rating to release on PC (being a completely open platform and all), which is why, apparently, worse stuff is allowed. I imagine a lot of games without an ESRB rating are released on PC here in the US.
However PlayStation (& the other console platforms) won't host a game if it hasn't been rated by the local ratings board (CERO in this case, who is refusing to rate it).
Re: The Code Behind Stray's Mysterious Language Has Been Deciphered
@NEStalgia, I looked at the original post of the translator (linked in the article), and he says that there's a second made up language in the game, but there isn't enough to go on to translate it.
Re: Soul Hackers 2 Reveals New Game +, Difficulty Options, and More in Lengthy Gameplay Video
I really enjoyed SMTV so I'm very interested in this, but I'm more excited for XC3 & FF Crisis Core remake.
Re: First One Piece Odyssey Gameplay Will Be Dropping Soon
Cautiously looking forward to it.
Re: Tales of Arise Is the Fastest Selling Tales Game Ever, Hits 1 Million Copies in Less Than a Week
I've been playing it on Steam and it's been great.
Just arrived in the 3rd area (the grasslands), and had an optional dragon boss suddenly ambush me while I was fighting some other, basic enemies (...it kicked my butt, lol). Combat is smooth & feels great when everything chains together perfectly, and it certainly doesn't hurt that the game is drop dead gorgeous. Oh, and Hootle is absolutely the best.
Certainly the best Tales game in quite some time.