Yeah, so the data says "if you only release on Xbox no one will buy those games" and "game pass has bastardised their business and created subscription gamers. And if you try to make more money from them they will get upset. If you take it away from them they will get even more upset"
Phil painted them into a corner, this new boss is there trying to paint them out of it π
They secretly gave the IP to Warhorse along with LotR. So now we get Saints Row, Mafia style. LotR Kingdom Come style. And all problems are solved for Embracer.
(This is not a serious comment)
But Saints Row needed a full overhaul, and one way to do that would have been to give it to people with a completely new perspective on what a crime game should be. Spoiler... it doesn't involve more jump jets and essentially being GTA Online Lite - The Offline Experience... but with hipsters.
They pushed the comedy crime game far enough with 3 and 4, it still had some fun elements, but it was just a comedy game at that point and they could not make another without a serious tone overhaul. The series needed grounding in reality, and instead they just changed the characters to hipsters and only half finished the game, and that was literally good enough for them to release...
"Hey, guys. We want you to make us a doomed-to-fail live service game that you don't really want to make... oh, wait - Plan has changed. Would you kindly f*** off because we don't need you any longer"
@AverageGamer yeah, it was an ideal world situation I was pondering, I suppose, as Cryengine already had big upsides compared to Bethesda still using Creation, especially when comparing the old indie KCD to something like Starfield which still has that flat look to it. But if Warhorse are moving away from the modified engine that they built their entire rep on for even more future advancements, it kind of still says a lot about Bethesda not doing the same. Potentially part 3 of Warhorse moving well beyond the kind of thing Bethesda can make of a game these days.
I'd quite like to see them use CryEngine. You can still do all the silly nonsense physics stuff, still get that loveable jank feel, but it is a better engine to actually play games on, and the lighting tools can be tweaked for some great results. Bethesda games are always badly lit and flat looking, in my opinion, so everything ends up looking false and bland.
An example is the OG KCD, which had their software Ray Tracing implemented before Hardware RT was the real be all end all of lighting solutions, and it makes such a big difference to the look of the game and the atmosphere without the insane costs. I.e it looks better than games without RT, and runs better than games with full RT.
If you do a search it is funny to see old posts on reddit about Creation engine being outdated and flat looking and people being sick of it, and posts about KCD/Cryengine using RayTracing and looking fantastic. And that is 7 years ago, and one was made by an Indie dev! And now we are hearing Bethesda are sticking with the same engine again π
Anyone who wants Remedy to not be 'pretentious' should leave now. They made the most pretentious ending of a video game of all time in Alan Wake, and they also made Max Payne, the internal monolgueing detective noir. Come on, now π
It is literally their whole identity, and they have always been influenced by 'pretentious' self-aware cinema. And that is a very good thing.
A well designed game doesn't need difficulty options if it is supposed to be hard in places, and near impossible in other places. It is a way to make you explore more and think about your actions.
And it is okay to fail at defeating something, especially when failure doesn't block you from playing the rest of the game π€·ββοΈ
I hope the people that like these games do like it, for a week, a month a year, or however long these games last. I thought it looked pretty cool at the SoP, despite it still being a game that I have zero actual interest in, but still.
However... It is currently only in the top 20 for pre-orders on the PS store UK as of now. That seems... low. Avowed is out today, so that will bump it up a few spots, I guess.
Hopefully Sony saw what their in-house devs can achieve on the console and thought "that is already a step up, to be honest" and maybe PSSR v2 is better than expected and they can focus on selling the Pro to people instead? I don't think they would want to go so long without selling people something new, if possible. And if they stockpiled chips that can make PS5 Pros, they would be in a decent position for a soft-relaunch of that console. It wouldn't be like a PS6 launch, but people could be convinced if there is no other option and they start to see more improvements.
for Royal Edition owners or just those looking for the DLC add ons, it looks like you have to download them again separately as it is a totally new PS5 listing for the game. As you look at the PS5 update on your home screen just scroll down all DLC's are listed as free and have their own download files on that main page
When you're late to get to the comments section and you've been preparing for this very moment!
KURVA! JESUS CHRIST, BE PRAISED. HENRY'S COME TO SEE US. I FEEL QUITE HUNGRY! I DON'T GIVE A FACK WHAT YOU CALL THEM. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE FACKING WORTH!!! π
To me, performance isn't the be all end all of this release. So if it struggles in some ways (it will) I hope people don't just go all-in saying it is totally worthless garbage because of that one reason (they will)
As of now I am unsure Kliff will be a top tier protagonist, seems like a very bland fellow, and i'd kind of like it to be a player created character as it seems to be a game with a lot of stuff in it and therefore character work might not be high priority, but we shall see.
I'm just hoping its a good game that is fun to play at the end of the day. It is certainly more ambitious than a bunch of other releases, maybe too ambitious, but certainly worth a try.
@Th3solution the flip and upgrade route also protects you against general wear and basic age issues. If a problem does develop it is someone elses problem down the line. So, as well as the new model having had much less wear in general, if it does develop an issue at random you're under warranty again.
PlayStation products also tend to hold their value quite well, too
@JB_Whiting I kind of prefer it as a whole as it is a little more cerebral and you have to be on your toes during quests, but both are great games π
Considering this game is a 10 for me, even despite lots of bugs and texture issues, of course i'd be interested to see how it looks upgraded on PS5.
But don't be expect it to be as easy and user friendly as KCD2, people. It is supposed to be a gut punch and you have to learn to live with the consequences of how you f***ed up if you weren't paying attention π
@themightyant that is also fair. I do think it is a shame all of that will be lost and all we are left with is the extremes.
The annoying part is people will agree or disagree with a small out of context idea, but then use it to further their own pre-concieved ideas or agendas, rather than see this as a problem or topic that affects everyone and one that should be discussed from the middle ground in a balanced way, as Swen was at least trying to do π
@themightyant no one will do that, they will just argue one side or the other ad infinitum. There are already tonnes of people twisting his words to fit their own narratives or missing the point he was making and dismissing him as an idiot...
The endless cycle of "my side is winning" means anyone with any opinion on anything normal that they care about instantly becomes the touchpaper for more pointless internet shouting matches.
The fact he just wanted to say it is okay to be critical if you are not going in with an agenda or are being harmful to the people or the product, just because you don't personally like it, will be forever lost on people.
That kind of thing is a problem that needs sorting out in society, and it is the same kind of problem as people responding to reviewers in harmful attack mode just because they don't agree, too. They are sides of the same coin and are not mutual to either side of the 'culture war' either.
Tldr: it is possible to be critical about something but still be understanding or nice to one another.
@Th3solution What do you make of the new Fable? (I can't remember if you have any experience with the older games, but...)
I think it kind of looks a bit like Hogwarts Legacy in presentation and gameplay and it also has this 'normal life sim' element that I think was one of your hopes for a fantasy game, right? When I saw the presentation I thought 'Sol' so it'd be interesting to hear your thoughts on it, if you watched this preview
@Kraven exceptionally well timed. I too (finally!!) finished Yotei, a very good game that got spread out longer than it should by my gaming time reducing significantly for a while, but I decided randomly I needed to play a true RPG next. And Divinity: Original Sin 2 is very much that! It of course means E33 and DS2 are on the backburner, but this is all the gaming I need. It is fantastic!
How long did it take you to exit Fort Joy may I ask? I had multiple chances to, but just kept exploring which I role-played as 'working out the magisters strengths and weaknesses, and making sure we are equipped well enough to survive out there in the unknown' so it never felt like 'we must escape now' from that RP perspective. Which means I think I managed to pretty much clear everything, even some optional fights that were pretty tough, one that i'm proud of my solution for! Blocking two doorways with giant obstacles to cut off the melee attackers while I focused on taking out the magic weilders, an awesome mechanic how you can shape the battlefield! But my last session I finally made it out of the fort and out into the world, and now I feel the 'what now' and it is almost like a new game to explore once more π so i'm heading off in a random direction to a potential hide out that got marked on my map, and I think I left it as I was just about to chat to a dismembered head on a pike, as you do!
DoS2 really is a great game and well worth playing for anyone, like us, that hadn't yet tried it. Larian also announced this week there will be some continuation in their new game, too. Even though it will be pretty much a standalone again. Things sometimes just work out really well. I think a lot of people are similarly getting on to DoS2 at the same time because of all the recent announcements and upgrades, so it almost feels like a new release.
I have an ai opinion! I have an ai opinion! Me, too!
Absolutely sick of AI, and the main reason is that absolutely everyone is going on about it all the f***ing time and it has become another battlefield for people to fight on any time anyone even utters the words πππ
@ShogunRok well, I think Larian have earned my Β£12, regardless. Seems a no brainer to grab this now. But I bet there are a bunch of people that would still love a mini-review due to the BG3 effect alone.
If you do find any of this 'infinite time' please send some my way, as I imagine i'm going to end up starting this game "just to see what it is like" and then, well... you know how it goes.
I have been looking for something to scratch that RPG itch, something I can play without having to constantly be involved (possibly turn based) is this seemingly very good timing for me... It seems so.
@ShogunRok will you be able to find an excuse to do a mini review of this upgrade here? π
I do not know what is worse: That AI blatantly does not give a crap about producing rip offs. Or that Playstation can't produce something better than they have by using their actual IP
I got one of these. I think mine was a special edition as it is slightly cooler π
Pixelart Avatar of a Galactic Smuggler
and yes, that right there was the 6 word prompt I used to generate the image for the sake of satire about how easy it is to just plop something out with little to no thought. I do imagine an artist was paid a pittance and thus chose to use AI as they couldn't warrant spending more than 2 minutes of their life on this task for a very low paid commision, though
The 60fps was perfectly consistent so it was ready to ship. But the unlocked mode does feel extra smooth, it has to be said. I do wonder if they considered this originally or decided to add it later just because they could.
Warhorse offered this unlocked performance day one, however
Wish i'd known earlier, PushSquare, I could have tested it yesterday π
The unlocked fps is a good SIE staple now, I was surprised it wasn't there at the beginning, but it is good to know it is there now. The 40/60vrr with even better graphics settings is also tempting to try.
Some of the ommisions are egregious and designed to favour votes for certain games. No GTA in most anticipated is lunacy, and designed to make it seem like a level playing field, when it isn't.
No Warhorse Studios in the studio of the year list, one of the few studios to release a game that worked with PSSR and was well optimised on all versions from day 1. Who kept patching the game throughout the year, released 3 DLC's in the year, and are just generally awesome devs who have taken their obscure medieval sim into the mainstream. But yeah, no mention at all seems fair π ah, but at least Netease gets an honorable mention π
Remember: Sony are evil for offering a console and games that people actually want and dominating in marketing and sales. This will be the narrative soon enough as Xbox looks to blame anyone but themselves for their continued gaming division collapse
Fargo Season 5 is already a bit Far Cry 5, in a way. I don't imagine they would start with an American set one, but you never know. It feels like the smart move will be to start with a more isolated setting to set up the premise. But i'd be hyped to see an American cult season.
@Fiendish-Beaver I imagine they will want to somehow frame it as "we are stopping because the people do not want it, it is you that stopped buying it, and we are struggling because of the evil competition dominating the market! It is not because we messed up over and over again and only throw money at problems and hope"
And they will probably want to lever this poor tale into being allowed to buy another massive publisher.
As for the other hot topic in this thread: Sony raising prices. They have learned their lesson (hopefully) Target the enthusiasts with high prices, that works, but they need to make sure the general public keep buying PlayStations to play GTA, Minecraft and Fortnite, CoD/Battlefield/Fifa/Madden to keep all that storefront cash rolling in. They will weigh up the cost/price based on these factors. They don't want to alienate kids and casual gamers who spend on digital coins.
At this point do we think they should just take themselves out of the market all together and just let everyone get on with their lives? It will cost them too much to make consoles that the market mostly doesn't even want. Seems like an announcement may near, honestly
Concord was out ages ago, what is this guy even talking about? π
But apart from that... surely Wolverine. That game has to sell more than Spider-Man 2? Unless there is an Uncharted game ready to go this gen, but I can't see it reaching the same level as a Marvel game with a character who also appeals to people that like a bit of grit in their comic book action, if it isn't a Nathan Drake focused Uncharted.
They'd surely hope everyone who bought Spider-Man 2 would buy Wolverine, anyway (because Marvelsomniac) plus a whole bunch of other people that want that bit of extra visceral Wolverine action. And how often do you get a Wolverine game... it feels like everything should align for it to be a big success. The hunger is there for this game, right?
the only problem with these polls is people that didn't play Yotei will vote for Jin and Tsushima, whether they are just assuming they won't prefer it, or because they want to add to a narrative.
Of course, not everyone that plays Yotei will prefer Atsu, or the game, but it will always be an unbalanced poll, and that could lead to some thinking "well i'm justified in not getting it, because it won't be as good" and they will be missing out on a fantastic game that is objectively better. The fact that a decent amount of people actaully prefer Atsu should be signs enough that the sequel has been a success from a character standpoint too, because it is hard to make a new character resonate with people, and they achieved it with ease.
Comment one literally falls into this trap, too. "Poll says i'm justified in my preconceived ideas, so those views must be correct - might buy second hand" π
@Th3solution I expect your full review in the forum once you've had a chance to use it a bit π this is basically what we've all been waiting for, right?
Now do I get the portal (on black friday), or wait for the next gen monster π¬
An article that relates to your recent musings. Might be worth asking Aaron for a recommendation, Sol.
Or maybe you could pester PushSquare to do a roundup of the BEST gaming headsets for gaming with the best gaming headsets on so you too can play games with the best gaming headsets on after reading an article featuring the best gaming headsets money can buy. (A helping hand for PushSquare's SEO π)
@Oram77 @Kidfunkadelic83 haha you'll see. But its very RPG and it became a thing on reddit as everyone was just doing everything but the main quest, as its structured in an open, non urgent way, so people were realising how deep the game was and were posting how they still haven't been to the wedding after x hours of pure questing and exploration.
There are pretty hefty rumours of a PS5 update to the first game. Not sure if it is a remake to bring it in line with KCD2 gameplay, or a patch, though.
I'd say play the first game first, but apparently 2 is easier for people to get into. Bare in mind it will kick your ass if you treat it like a regular game, but not as much as KCD (unfortunately, in my opinion, as I like when it lets you make lots of mistakes and punishes you for each one π) so KCD2 is definitely seen as the easier one to get into.
You will find notes of Oblivion and similar rpgs, so if you like games like that, you should vibe with what it is doing fairly quickly.
It is really hard to make a first-person game look right and function correctly in third-person. Fair play if this is such an achievement.
I know a lot of people swear they can't play first-person, so i'm wondering what would happen if they made a Far Cry game have this functionality too. As FC is a pretty well off franchise as it is π€
At this point, do we think they've been turning it into a completely different game for a 2.0 re-release on PS5 and also, by default, pc and game pass?
I'm not sure exactly what they can do though, as they are Bethesda, and it is a very Bethesda game to start with. It's okay, good at times, but it just drags and drags and loses all momentum. A looooong time has passed since Skyrim, and Bethesda is probably the most outdated of all devs.
@ApostateMage it's really satisfying to play for a while. Steep learning curve, but one that can be tackled enough in one session to open it out to be really quite fun in more of a simulation way. It's pretty intuitive, despite being less gamey.
It has a cool photomode too. And the wear and tear is so satisfying as you wreck all your board art π
Comments 2,198
Re: Here's Your First Look at the God of War TV Show
@Zeke68
It really does. And now I can't unsee that, haha π«‘
Re: 'The Plan's the Plan Until It's Not the Plan': Xbox All Over the Place on Future PS5 Ports
Yeah, so the data says "if you only release on Xbox no one will buy those games" and "game pass has bastardised their business and created subscription gamers. And if you try to make more money from them they will get upset. If you take it away from them they will get even more upset"
Phil painted them into a corner, this new boss is there trying to paint them out of it π
Re: Saints Row Is 'Dead' Says Design Director After Prequel Pitch 'Ghosted' by Embracer Group
They secretly gave the IP to Warhorse along with LotR. So now we get Saints Row, Mafia style. LotR Kingdom Come style. And all problems are solved for Embracer.
(This is not a serious comment)
But Saints Row needed a full overhaul, and one way to do that would have been to give it to people with a completely new perspective on what a crime game should be. Spoiler... it doesn't involve more jump jets and essentially being GTA Online Lite - The Offline Experience... but with hipsters.
They pushed the comedy crime game far enough with 3 and 4, it still had some fun elements, but it was just a comedy game at that point and they could not make another without a serious tone overhaul. The series needed grounding in reality, and instead they just changed the characters to hipsters and only half finished the game, and that was literally good enough for them to release...
Re: Memory Crisis Threatening to Delay PS6 Could Last 'Another 10 Years'
Oh, good. I don't even like gaming
Re: 'I'm Confident in the Direction We're Headed': Under-Fire PlayStation Boss Tries to Explain Baffling Bluepoint Closure
"Hey, guys. We want you to make us a doomed-to-fail live service game that you don't really want to make... oh, wait - Plan has changed. Would you kindly f*** off because we don't need you any longer"
π€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈ
Bye, Herman. You will be done within the year. Completely avoidable closure.
Re: A New Engine for The Elder Scrolls 6? Don't Be Ridiculous
@AverageGamer yeah, it was an ideal world situation I was pondering, I suppose, as Cryengine already had big upsides compared to Bethesda still using Creation, especially when comparing the old indie KCD to something like Starfield which still has that flat look to it. But if Warhorse are moving away from the modified engine that they built their entire rep on for even more future advancements, it kind of still says a lot about Bethesda not doing the same. Potentially part 3 of Warhorse moving well beyond the kind of thing Bethesda can make of a game these days.
Re: A New Engine for The Elder Scrolls 6? Don't Be Ridiculous
I'd quite like to see them use CryEngine. You can still do all the silly nonsense physics stuff, still get that loveable jank feel, but it is a better engine to actually play games on, and the lighting tools can be tweaked for some great results. Bethesda games are always badly lit and flat looking, in my opinion, so everything ends up looking false and bland.
An example is the OG KCD, which had their software Ray Tracing implemented before Hardware RT was the real be all end all of lighting solutions, and it makes such a big difference to the look of the game and the atmosphere without the insane costs. I.e it looks better than games without RT, and runs better than games with full RT.
If you do a search it is funny to see old posts on reddit about Creation engine being outdated and flat looking and people being sick of it, and posts about KCD/Cryengine using RayTracing and looking fantastic. And that is 7 years ago, and one was made by an Indie dev! And now we are hearing Bethesda are sticking with the same engine again π
Re: 'If You Found It Boring, This Won't Change That': Starfield's PS5 Port to Be Revealed Soon, But Don't Expect Major Reinvention
Can I study marketing under Todd Howard? I want to learn how to actively push to sell less of a product.
Re: PS5 Sequel Control Resonant Is Inspired by All the Coolest Sh*t
Anyone who wants Remedy to not be 'pretentious' should leave now. They made the most pretentious ending of a video game of all time in Alan Wake, and they also made Max Payne, the internal monolgueing detective noir. Come on, now π
It is literally their whole identity, and they have always been influenced by 'pretentious' self-aware cinema. And that is a very good thing.
Re: Don't Expect Crimson Desert to Be Easy, PS5 Open Worlder Won't Have Difficulty Options at Launch
A well designed game doesn't need difficulty options if it is supposed to be hard in places, and near impossible in other places. It is a way to make you explore more and think about your actions.
And it is okay to fail at defeating something, especially when failure doesn't block you from playing the rest of the game π€·ββοΈ
Re: Sorry Haters, But Marathon Is Looking Real Good Right Now
I hope the people that like these games do like it, for a week, a month a year, or however long these games last. I thought it looked pretty cool at the SoP, despite it still being a game that I have zero actual interest in, but still.
However... It is currently only in the top 20 for pre-orders on the PS store UK as of now. That seems... low. Avowed is out today, so that will bump it up a few spots, I guess.
Re: Opinion: The Euphoric Reaction to PS6's Rumoured Delay Really Confuses Me
Hopefully Sony saw what their in-house devs can achieve on the console and thought "that is already a step up, to be honest" and maybe PSSR v2 is better than expected and they can focus on selling the Pro to people instead? I don't think they would want to go so long without selling people something new, if possible. And if they stockpiled chips that can make PS5 Pros, they would be in a decent position for a soft-relaunch of that console. It wouldn't be like a PS6 launch, but people could be convinced if there is no other option and they start to see more improvements.
Re: Kingdom Come: Deliverance Hits PS5 Today, Free Upgrade for PS4 Owners
@Number09
for Royal Edition owners or just those looking for the DLC add ons, it looks like you have to download them again separately as it is a totally new PS5 listing for the game. As you look at the PS5 update on your home screen just scroll down all DLC's are listed as free and have their own download files on that main page
Re: Kingdom Come: Deliverance Hits PS5 Today, Free Upgrade for PS4 Owners
When you're late to get to the comments section and you've been preparing for this very moment!
KURVA! JESUS CHRIST, BE PRAISED. HENRY'S COME TO SEE US. I FEEL QUITE HUNGRY! I DON'T GIVE A FACK WHAT YOU CALL THEM. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE FACKING WORTH!!! π
Re: Crimson Desert PS5 Is Also a Full-On Life Sim Game, Last Deep Dive Video Reveals
To me, performance isn't the be all end all of this release. So if it struggles in some ways (it will) I hope people don't just go all-in saying it is totally worthless garbage because of that one reason (they will)
As of now I am unsure Kliff will be a top tier protagonist, seems like a very bland fellow, and i'd kind of like it to be a player created character as it seems to be a game with a lot of stuff in it and therefore character work might not be high priority, but we shall see.
I'm just hoping its a good game that is fun to play at the end of the day. It is certainly more ambitious than a bunch of other releases, maybe too ambitious, but certainly worth a try.
Re: Rumour: PS Portal OLED Version Coming This Year
@Th3solution the flip and upgrade route also protects you against general wear and basic age issues. If a problem does develop it is someone elses problem down the line. So, as well as the new model having had much less wear in general, if it does develop an issue at random you're under warranty again.
PlayStation products also tend to hold their value quite well, too
Re: New Kingdom Come: Deliverance PS5 Version Seems Real in PS Store Leak
@JB_Whiting I kind of prefer it as a whole as it is a little more cerebral and you have to be on your toes during quests, but both are great games π
Re: New Kingdom Come: Deliverance PS5 Version Seems Real in PS Store Leak
Considering this game is a 10 for me, even despite lots of bugs and texture issues, of course i'd be interested to see how it looks upgraded on PS5.
But don't be expect it to be as easy and user friendly as KCD2, people. It is supposed to be a gut punch and you have to learn to live with the consequences of how you f***ed up if you weren't paying attention π
Re: Larian CEO Swen Vincke Sticks His Foot in It Again, Thinks Game Reviewers Should Also Be Reviewed
@themightyant that is also fair. I do think it is a shame all of that will be lost and all we are left with is the extremes.
The annoying part is people will agree or disagree with a small out of context idea, but then use it to further their own pre-concieved ideas or agendas, rather than see this as a problem or topic that affects everyone and one that should be discussed from the middle ground in a balanced way, as Swen was at least trying to do π
Re: Larian CEO Swen Vincke Sticks His Foot in It Again, Thinks Game Reviewers Should Also Be Reviewed
@themightyant no one will do that, they will just argue one side or the other ad infinitum. There are already tonnes of people twisting his words to fit their own narratives or missing the point he was making and dismissing him as an idiot...
The endless cycle of "my side is winning" means anyone with any opinion on anything normal that they care about instantly becomes the touchpaper for more pointless internet shouting matches.
The fact he just wanted to say it is okay to be critical if you are not going in with an agenda or are being harmful to the people or the product, just because you don't personally like it, will be forever lost on people.
That kind of thing is a problem that needs sorting out in society, and it is the same kind of problem as people responding to reviewers in harmful attack mode just because they don't agree, too. They are sides of the same coin and are not mutual to either side of the 'culture war' either.
Tldr: it is possible to be critical about something but still be understanding or nice to one another.
Re: Fable Announced for PS5, Releases in Autumn 2026
@Th3solution What do you make of the new Fable? (I can't remember if you have any experience with the older games, but...)
I think it kind of looks a bit like Hogwarts Legacy in presentation and gameplay and it also has this 'normal life sim' element that I think was one of your hopes for a fantasy game, right? When I saw the presentation I thought 'Sol' so it'd be interesting to hear your thoughts on it, if you watched this preview
Re: Game of the Year: #8 - Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Jesus Christ Be... Damned. Christmas is cancelled π«₯
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 612
@Kraven exceptionally well timed. I too (finally!!) finished Yotei, a very good game that got spread out longer than it should by my gaming time reducing significantly for a while, but I decided randomly I needed to play a true RPG next. And Divinity: Original Sin 2 is very much that! It of course means E33 and DS2 are on the backburner, but this is all the gaming I need. It is fantastic!
How long did it take you to exit Fort Joy may I ask? I had multiple chances to, but just kept exploring which I role-played as 'working out the magisters strengths and weaknesses, and making sure we are equipped well enough to survive out there in the unknown' so it never felt like 'we must escape now' from that RP perspective. Which means I think I managed to pretty much clear everything, even some optional fights that were pretty tough, one that i'm proud of my solution for! Blocking two doorways with giant obstacles to cut off the melee attackers while I focused on taking out the magic weilders, an awesome mechanic how you can shape the battlefield! But my last session I finally made it out of the fort and out into the world, and now I feel the 'what now' and it is almost like a new game to explore once more π so i'm heading off in a random direction to a potential hide out that got marked on my map, and I think I left it as I was just about to chat to a dismembered head on a pike, as you do!
DoS2 really is a great game and well worth playing for anyone, like us, that hadn't yet tried it. Larian also announced this week there will be some continuation in their new game, too. Even though it will be pretty much a standalone again. Things sometimes just work out really well. I think a lot of people are similarly getting on to DoS2 at the same time because of all the recent announcements and upgrades, so it almost feels like a new release.
Re: 'I Don't Think Prompting Is Art': The Last of Us Co-Creator Isn't a Fan of Generative AI
I have an ai opinion! I have an ai opinion! Me, too!
Absolutely sick of AI, and the main reason is that absolutely everyone is going on about it all the f***ing time and it has become another battlefield for people to fight on any time anyone even utters the words πππ
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Dev's Divinity: Original Sin 2 Out Now on PS5, Offers Free Upgrade
@ShogunRok well, I think Larian have earned my Β£12, regardless. Seems a no brainer to grab this now. But I bet there are a bunch of people that would still love a mini-review due to the BG3 effect alone.
If you do find any of this 'infinite time' please send some my way, as I imagine i'm going to end up starting this game "just to see what it is like" and then, well... you know how it goes.
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Dev's Divinity: Original Sin 2 Out Now on PS5, Offers Free Upgrade
I have been looking for something to scratch that RPG itch, something I can play without having to constantly be involved (possibly turn based) is this seemingly very good timing for me... It seems so.
@ShogunRok will you be able to find an excuse to do a mini review of this upgrade here? π
Re: Poll: Vote for Your PS5 Game of the Year 2025
The real RPG of the year Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is at least my personal GotY.
How many miles you've wandered, at such a grueling pace. Rest your feet, dear maiden, sit here... upon my face
Re: Expedition 33 Breaks the Game Awards Record for Most Gongs in a Single Show
Re: Sony Accused of Using Generative AI Art for PlayStation Advent Calendar Promo
This took literally 5 seconds π
pixelart avatar of a god of war
I do not know what is worse: That AI blatantly does not give a crap about producing rip offs. Or that Playstation can't produce something better than they have by using their actual IP
Re: Sony Accused of Using Generative AI Art for PlayStation Advent Calendar Promo
I got one of these. I think mine was a special edition as it is slightly cooler π
Pixelart Avatar of a Galactic Smuggler
and yes, that right there was the 6 word prompt I used to generate the image for the sake of satire about how easy it is to just plop something out with little to no thought. I do imagine an artist was paid a pittance and thus chose to use AI as they couldn't warrant spending more than 2 minutes of their life on this task for a very low paid commision, though
Re: Ghost of Yotei Gets 'Incredible' PS5 Pro Frame Rate Boost Thanks to New Patch
The 60fps was perfectly consistent so it was ready to ship. But the unlocked mode does feel extra smooth, it has to be said. I do wonder if they considered this originally or decided to add it later just because they could.
Warhorse offered this unlocked performance day one, however
Re: Ghost of Yotei Gets 'Incredible' PS5 Pro Frame Rate Boost Thanks to New Patch
Wish i'd known earlier, PushSquare, I could have tested it yesterday π
The unlocked fps is a good SIE staple now, I was surprised it wasn't there at the beginning, but it is good to know it is there now. The 40/60vrr with even better graphics settings is also tempting to try.
Re: PS Blog Wants Your PS5 Game of the Year Nominations for 2025
@LiamCroft fair enough, a little strange but at least it is explained.
The Injustice for Warhorse and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, however π±
Re: PS Blog Wants Your PS5 Game of the Year Nominations for 2025
Some of the ommisions are egregious and designed to favour votes for certain games. No GTA in most anticipated is lunacy, and designed to make it seem like a level playing field, when it isn't.
No Warhorse Studios in the studio of the year list, one of the few studios to release a game that worked with PSSR and was well optimised on all versions from day 1. Who kept patching the game throughout the year, released 3 DLC's in the year, and are just generally awesome devs who have taken their obscure medieval sim into the mainstream. But yeah, no mention at all seems fair π ah, but at least Netease gets an honorable mention π
Re: Looks Like PS5 Is Going to Clean Up This Black Friday
Remember: Sony are evil for offering a console and games that people actually want and dominating in marketing and sales. This will be the narrative soon enough as Xbox looks to blame anyone but themselves for their continued gaming division collapse
Re: Far Cry TV Series Officially Announced, from Creators of Fargo and Always Sunny
Fargo Season 5 is already a bit Far Cry 5, in a way. I don't imagine they would start with an American set one, but you never know. It feels like the smart move will be to start with a more isolated setting to set up the premise. But i'd be hyped to see an American cult season.
Re: You Can Buy a Fully-Fledged PS5 for the Same Price as a Less Powerful Xbox Series S Right Now
@Fiendish-Beaver I imagine they will want to somehow frame it as "we are stopping because the people do not want it, it is you that stopped buying it, and we are struggling because of the evil competition dominating the market! It is not because we messed up over and over again and only throw money at problems and hope"
And they will probably want to lever this poor tale into being allowed to buy another massive publisher.
As for the other hot topic in this thread: Sony raising prices. They have learned their lesson (hopefully) Target the enthusiasts with high prices, that works, but they need to make sure the general public keep buying PlayStations to play GTA, Minecraft and Fortnite, CoD/Battlefield/Fifa/Madden to keep all that storefront cash rolling in. They will weigh up the cost/price based on these factors. They don't want to alienate kids and casual gamers who spend on digital coins.
Re: Quick Thinking from Sony Should Shield PS5 from RAM Shortages for Now
At this point do we think they should just take themselves out of the market all together and just let everyone get on with their lives? It will cost them too much to make consoles that the market mostly doesn't even want. Seems like an announcement may near, honestly
Re: 'Terrible' Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 European Sales Are a Devastating 63% Below Battlefield 6
Re: PS5's Biggest Game Has Not Released Yet, PlayStation Boss Teases
Concord was out ages ago, what is this guy even talking about? π
But apart from that... surely Wolverine. That game has to sell more than Spider-Man 2? Unless there is an Uncharted game ready to go this gen, but I can't see it reaching the same level as a Marvel game with a character who also appeals to people that like a bit of grit in their comic book action, if it isn't a Nathan Drake focused Uncharted.
They'd surely hope everyone who bought Spider-Man 2 would buy Wolverine, anyway (because Marvelsomniac) plus a whole bunch of other people that want that bit of extra visceral Wolverine action. And how often do you get a Wolverine game... it feels like everything should align for it to be a big success. The hunger is there for this game, right?
If it is Drake, however... π²π²π²
Re: PS5 Fans Say Ghost of Yotei Plays Better, But Can't Match Ghost of Tsushima's Story or Hero
the only problem with these polls is people that didn't play Yotei will vote for Jin and Tsushima, whether they are just assuming they won't prefer it, or because they want to add to a narrative.
Of course, not everyone that plays Yotei will prefer Atsu, or the game, but it will always be an unbalanced poll, and that could lead to some thinking "well i'm justified in not getting it, because it won't be as good" and they will be missing out on a fantastic game that is objectively better. The fact that a decent amount of people actaully prefer Atsu should be signs enough that the sequel has been a success from a character standpoint too, because it is hard to make a new character resonate with people, and they achieved it with ease.
Comment one literally falls into this trap, too. "Poll says i'm justified in my preconceived ideas, so those views must be correct - might buy second hand" π
Re: PS Portal Gets So Much Better Today in Huge UI, Cloud Streaming Update
@Th3solution I expect your full review in the forum once you've had a chance to use it a bit π this is basically what we've all been waiting for, right?
Now do I get the portal (on black friday), or wait for the next gen monster π¬
Re: Hardware Review: RIG R5 Spear Pro HS - Entry Level PS5 Headset Has Surprisingly Great Audio
@Th3Solution @JohnnyShoulder
An article that relates to your recent musings. Might be worth asking Aaron for a recommendation, Sol.
Or maybe you could pester PushSquare to do a roundup of the BEST gaming headsets for gaming with the best gaming headsets on so you too can play games with the best gaming headsets on after reading an article featuring the best gaming headsets money can buy. (A helping hand for PushSquare's SEO π)
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 604
Ghost of Yotei. I feel like Atsu is much more menacing and badass on her quest for revenge than Jin was.
A real OnryΕ
Re: 'Final' Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 DLC, Mysteria Ecclesiae, Dated for November
@Oram77 @Kidfunkadelic83 haha you'll see. But its very RPG and it became a thing on reddit as everyone was just doing everything but the main quest, as its structured in an open, non urgent way, so people were realising how deep the game was and were posting how they still haven't been to the wedding after x hours of pure questing and exploration.
Enjoy!
Re: Project Tal Is Another Stunning Open World Action RPG Targeting PS5
Strong Dragon's Dogma 2 vibes (like, seriously similar at times) but with a more eastern mythology skin
Re: 'Final' Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 DLC, Mysteria Ecclesiae, Dated for November
@Kidfunkadelic83 @Oram77
There are pretty hefty rumours of a PS5 update to the first game. Not sure if it is a remake to bring it in line with KCD2 gameplay, or a patch, though.
I'd say play the first game first, but apparently 2 is easier for people to get into. Bare in mind it will kick your ass if you treat it like a regular game, but not as much as KCD (unfortunately, in my opinion, as I like when it lets you make lots of mistakes and punishes you for each one π) so KCD2 is definitely seen as the easier one to get into.
You will find notes of Oblivion and similar rpgs, so if you like games like that, you should vibe with what it is doing fairly quickly.
Re: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's Third-Person Update Practically Makes It a New PS5 Game
It is really hard to make a first-person game look right and function correctly in third-person. Fair play if this is such an achievement.
I know a lot of people swear they can't play first-person, so i'm wondering what would happen if they made a Far Cry game have this functionality too. As FC is a pretty well off franchise as it is π€
Re: Xbox, PC Sci-Fi RPG Starfield Won't Be Revealed for PS5 Until Next Year
At this point, do we think they've been turning it into a completely different game for a 2.0 re-release on PS5 and also, by default, pc and game pass?
I'm not sure exactly what they can do though, as they are Bethesda, and it is a very Bethesda game to start with. It's okay, good at times, but it just drags and drags and loses all momentum. A looooong time has passed since Skyrim, and Bethesda is probably the most outdated of all devs.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 603
@ApostateMage it's really satisfying to play for a while. Steep learning curve, but one that can be tackled enough in one session to open it out to be really quite fun in more of a simulation way. It's pretty intuitive, despite being less gamey.
It has a cool photomode too. And the wear and tear is so satisfying as you wreck all your board art π