TimeDelayedGamer

@8thDoctor I'm pretty sure Sean Connery was the same age when he was cast as Bond.

I loved Uncharted 4, but the Crushing difficulty is completely broken and an absolute slog to get through. It feels like it wasn't properly play-tested. Most of the stealth sections have a ridiculous number of enemies wondering around, and some of the battles towards the end, like the mansion fight, and the beach, basically become impossible on this difficulty without a huge dollop of luck or using modifiers like infinite ammo with the grenade launcher. It always struck me as odd, as the other games are pretty well fine-tuned to be tough but fair.

@DrVenture69 Trophy earned: "I beat Zuljaras!"

One step closer to the Push Square platinum trophy 😁

Continuing with Alan Wake 2 this weekend. It's strange that the game I chose to play as I reached a big birthday ended up having fear of getting old as one of its major themes. Cheers, irony 😂

Also continuing with Trails in the Sky the Third, up to a big boss battle that I'm currently trying to puzzle out the best strategy as I'm getting my ass whupped repeatedly.

Have a great weekend everyone.

No change for me this weekend; still playing Trails in the Sky the Third, and Alan Wake 2. Still having a whale of a time with both.

On the second Night Springs interlude at the moment and very happy to be playing as a certain red-haired character again.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Continuing Alan Wake 2 and Trails in the Sky the Third this weekend. Taking my time and thoroughly enjoying both.

At what price does FOMO die? 🤔

Console gaming has always been a luxury expenditure. But if this becomes the norm, then it becomes the luxury expenditure of the very wealthy.

If this happens, then I think I will just be sticking to what I have, which to be honest is a lot. My backlog is years long, and I quite like revisiting games I've previously played.

This weekend I will be sheltering indoors from the delightful Scottish weather and will be playing: -

Alan Wake 2: unknowingly triggered the first bit of the Night Springs DLC last night and was not prepared for proceedings to suddenly turn into a Suda51 game. Gotta love Remedy 😂

Trails in the Sky the 3rd: I'd heard opinions were a bit divided on this one as to whether it is worthwhile, however, I'm having a great time with it. Some of the character interactions have had me in stitches, and the story is much more interesting than I was expecting. Usually I would be critical of a game that reuses so many assets from previous games, but Falcom somehow makes it work by having such a detailed and lore-filled setting.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Suddenly, I'm very happy that I:-

a) Snagged a PS5 in a sale in October.
b) Have a huge backlog of games going back to PS2.

Plenty to keep me entertained games-wise, if we're all still here much longer, which is by no means guaranteed the way the world is going.

Yeesh.

@Scottyy Don't forget Pyre!

I haven't played the first Hades yet, as want to play Pyre first. I've played the other two, however, and while I didn't really click with Bastion, Transistor is one of my favourite games.

Now that I've finally gone current gen again, I had been intending to play Alan Wake 2 over the last week, however, I got somewhat distracted by 'PS5 rite of passage' Astro's Playroom instead, which is, of course, excellent. As I was playing, it was reminding me of something but I couldn't think what... then it suddenly came to me: it's like a Psychonauts level if Raz went into the mind of a Playstation obsessive 😂 Such as most of us in this comments section, I guess!

Anyhow, now that I have finished with Astro's Playroom, I'll be starting Alan Wake 2 today. Bring it on!

I'll also be continuing with Trails in the Sky the Third, which I started last weekend. It's so good to be back in the company of these characters again.

Have a good one folks.

@Globo Cheers mate!

@Hugoku And which system would you recommend I play those games on?

It's disingenuous to compare exclusive games to those monster franchises you mention (all of which are multi-platform). Absolutely nothing compares to the sales and player base of those games. 4 million sales for most products would be considered a massive success.

It's really not hard to see why exclusive games are a positive for a system. Do you think the success of The Last of Us TV show was harmful to Playstation console sales, for example?

Also, if you want to see the power of brand exclusivity, just look at Nintendo.

@MisterMonster Yes, and what's your point? Selling consoles as cheaply as possible, and having quality games exclusive to the console, among other strategies, all have the same aim - to coax consumers onto your gaming ecosystem instead of someone else's.

If console exclusivity doesn't matter, then please explain the continued success of Nintendo, who guard their franchises jealously for a reason.

@Dyd87xz Okay, but I think to an extent you're comparing apples to oranges there. Just because exclusive games sell less well than juggernauts like GTA5 or Fortnite doesn't mean they aren't a factor when people are choosing a system to purchase.

If you had a choice between a system with 'all the usual games' on but few exclusives, or a system with 'all the usual games' plus some high-quality exclusives only on that system, which one are you more likely to go for?

That's certainly not the only factor, but it's in there. There's a reason the term 'system-seller' came about for big games.

To put it another way, why are Playstation gamers happy that Xbox seem to be bringing all their exclusives to PS5? Answer: because now we don't have to buy another system to play them.

Exclusive games sell systems. It's no-brainer to me.

@iPaud Barry Wheeler responded, "Rock n roll, baby!", or words to that effect 😁

Just got up to the 'rock concert' sequence. Still one of my favourite moments in gaming 🎸

@Czar_Khastik "Content not viewable in your region"

Damn you, UK Online Safety Act.

This weekend I'm playing one of my favourite games of all time - Alan Wake. I've played it many times, and every single time it has me on the edge of my seat. It's so packed with atmosphere that I find even just the action of running around and shining your torch on the scenery to be incredibly tactile and satisfying. I love everything about it, (deliberately) hokey storytelling and all.

I'm giving it another run through in preparation for playing the sequel, which I'm hoping to start on my shiny new PS5 next weekend 😃

On the side, hopefully will be playing some Patapon this weekend as well.

Have a good one, folks.

So 80s it hurts... and I'm totally up for it 😁

This weekend I'm playing Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. Having not long played War for Cybertron, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I couldn't resist moving straight onto Fall, which I'd heard is even better. And it absolutely is.

War for Cybertron was a relatively straightforward shooter, while Fall really mixes things up in unexpected ways. The whole thing is a massive power fantasy for any Transformers fan and I love it.

Have a great weekend, fellow Push Squarians.

This weekend I shall be continuing with Transformers: War for Cybertron. Second playthrough, and still having an absolute blast with it. I'm tempted to launch straight into Fall of Cybertron after this, as I've heard that's even better.

Also still playing Patapon in my spare moments.

Have a great weekend.

So no 180 for Xbox then. If she's committing to the same path for the company, then I guess she's doing a 360? Not sure if that's ironic or appropriate 🤔

Anyway, I think I'm developing a serious allergy to corporate management-speak this week. There's only so much disingenuous BS my mind can take.

@Northern_munkey None needed, he's slimy enough already! 😂

Sony desperately need some serious competition to wake them up and shake them up. At the moment they are complacent, beyond arrogant, and their decision-making is baffling.

Steam seems to be about the best hope we have for that competition at the moment.

Speechless. Just... speechless.

Sony seem to have totally lost the plot this generation.

One of my favourite developers and fantastic to see them doing so well. Keep doing your thing and stay true to yourselves, Falcom.

Well, we all know Kratos got his anger issues from his father...

I finally finished with Red Dead Redemption last weekend. What an incredible game. That ending... at first I wondered where they were going with the story, but when the conclusion finally came, it hit hard. I think it's going to stay with me for a long time.

After completing the epic RDR, I decided that I wanted a good old-fashioned linear blast to cleanse my palate. I plumped for Transformers: War for Cybertron... and it's just what Ratchet, er, I mean the doctor, ordered. An absolute blast (both figuratively and literally).

As a child of the 80s, Transformers is one of the fondest things from my formative years, so I've been playing through the campaign with a big stupid grin on my face the whole time. Playing as Megatron facing off against Omega Supreme? My inner child did a back flip 😃

I'm almost finished with the campaign now but I'll be launching straight back in again this weekend to play as some of the other characters. It's just a ton of fun. I might even see if I can persuade my daughter to play the campaign co-op with me... though it's probably not really her thing.

Also continuing to play Patapon in my spare moments when I'm not fragging Cybertronians.

Have a great weekend, carbon-based units.

I look forward to seeing how they iterate on the strengths of the first one 🤨

No change for me this weekend. Almost finished with Red Dead Redemption, and continuing to play Patapon on my PSP. I'd forgotten how much fun Patapon is, even if it is a bit of a grind-fest at times.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Just shared this with my 14 year old daughter. She loved the first one (as did I), so this is an easy addition to the ol' wishlist. It looks brilliant.

More Red Dead Redemption for me this weekend. Exploring Blackwater and environs now and getting close to the end of my adventure. It's such a great game I'll be sorry to finish it. Will hopefully squeeze in some Patapon as well.

Happy gaming folks.

@Buizel Was that the trailer that was an absolute swear-fest? I remember seeing that. It was a bizarre change of tone from the original.

That was when I lost interest in the sequel. It felt like the development team wanted to make a GTA game or something and were forced to make Beyond Good and Evil 2 instead.

... And this is why it's important to teach your kids how to delay gratification, folks. Yeesh.

I tried playing Code Veronica X on my PS2 a few years ago and bounced off it because I just couldn't cope with the horrendous tank controls anymore. A remake will be most welcome - here's hoping not too much is lost in the translation.

Continuing to live the life of John Marston in Red Dead Redemption this weekend, and also drumming my army to victory in Patapon.

Also, I finished Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles at the beginning of the week, and for anyone who is interested, permit me to wax lyrical for a moment: I was expecting it to be a little primitive compared to later entries, and for Ys 1 that's certainly true of the boss battles, but taken as a package it's just a brilliant Ys adventure. Ys 2 especially is essentially a fully-fledged 2D Ys game. All the basic elements are there - the sense of discovery, exploring maze-like environments, the addictive gameplay, and the standing around for 30 seconds at a time waiting for your health to regenerate (lol). It really went beyond my expectations and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

More Red Dead Redemption and Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles for me this weekend.

I'm onto Ys 2 now and the design has improved significantly from the first one - much better boss battles, for one thing, and more options in general gameplay thanks to the addition of magic. The two games work really well together as a single package. The lovely 2D visuals and gorgeous soundtrack don't hurt either.

Enjoy your weekend guys and gals.

It was back to work for me this week, so back to my normal limited gaming time. This weekend I will be continuing with Red Dead Redemption. Just reached Mexico and still loving it - it made me chuckle that right after you complete the dangerous crossing, the bridge to Mexico is miraculously fixed 😁

Also continuing with Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles. Still on the first game as I've neglected it a bit this week, but hoping to make some progress today. It's great, but some of the bosses are frustrating for all the wrong reasons. That amazing soundtrack carries a lot, though.

Have a great weekend, folks.

Well, my PS5 New Year resolution is to actually buy a PS5... somewhat surreally for me, it's my 50th birthday in March, so I think that will be my present to myself... then I'll have even more of a ridiculous backlog to get to at some point 😂 Like it's not big enough already!

For anyone interested, my first port of call upon purchase will be Alan Wake 2. Non-negotiable. The first one is one of my favourite games ever and I'm itching to play the sequel. After that... well, there's quite a selection of excellent games to choose from, isn't there?

@PuppetMaster Oath in Felghana is the game that kicked off my Falcom habit. It's just so good.

Happy New Year, fellow Push Squarians! This weekend I will be hunkering down indoors to avoid the snowstorm currently hitting the North East of Scotland, and while doing so I will be continuing to play: -

• Red Dead Redemption. What a game. It really feels like you're inhabiting the life of John Marston, and every in-game day yields something memorable. I'm impressed with how organic the open world feels. Heck, just riding around in the wilds, listening to the hooves of your mount and taking in the scenery can be downright zen-like.
• Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles. I'm not sure what I expected from this, but I did not expect this title to go so hard. I'm a few hours in now, and that magic Falcom fairy dust is in full effect - fantastic music, charming story and characters, fun gameplay (once you get used to bumping into enemies in order to attack them), and a perfectly paced gameplay loop of discovery. Yep, I'm hooked.

Have a great weekend, folks.

Ha, is it the weekend already? I'm deep in the Christmas time vortex and have lost track.

So this weekend I will be playing: -

• Red Dead Redemption. I'm a few hours in and can already tell this is going to be one of those games were I lose track of time (like, even more so) playing it. It really nails that Western aesthetic. You can almost feel the dust in the back of your throat.
• Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles. I love the Ys series but have yet to play this, so looking forward to giving it a go, though I imagine the 'headbutt' buttonless combat is going to take some getting used to.

Hard to believe 2025 is almost at an end. For anyone who cares, here are my top three of the games I've played for the first time this year. These games were all extremely close in my estimation, though they are all very different to each other (and yes, I've cheated a bit with a joint third place): -

• Joint third place: Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. The best puzzle game I've played since The Witness. Amazing game.
• Joint third place: The Messenger - pure 2D platforming joy, a real love letter to 8-bit and 16-bit gaming. Technical and challenging, but also fair and fun. The sense of humour and the wacky story are the icing on the cake.
• Second place: Deus Ex Human Revolution. Vividly memorable, with a fantastic soundtrack and art design. I think this is a game that will stay with me for a long time.
• First place: The Last of Us Part 2. Just a tour de force from Naughty Dog. Everything is there - amazing visuals and setting, ambitious story, tense gameplay. The Last of Us always had something of the Western about it and the story of revenge wreaking havoc on the lives of those involved fits that influence perfectly.

Honourable mentions: -

• Trails in the Sky First and Second Chapter: cosy, charming and comforting gaming with a story and world that really draws you in.
• Owlboy: equally cosy and charming, and surprisingly epic at times, with some of the best pixel art design I've ever seen.

Whatever you're playing this weekend, enjoy - here's to 2026 when it comes.

@Czar_Khastik I've beaten all the Uncharted games and love them all, but you know, despite the fact it's not as cinematically impressive as the other entries, Drake's Fortune might well be my favourite. There's just something really special about it. Enjoy!

@kyleforrester87 Where's Big Boss's Santa hat this year? 🤔

My eldest daughter is now home from uni for Christmas, and I'll mainly be spending time with my two girls this weekend, as well as some last-minute festive preparations. However, if I manage to fit in any gaming time I will be playing Owlboy, and I also have some wildly ambitious notions about starting Red Dead Redemption after that.

Have a great weekend!

That article tagline is a thing of beauty 👌

@PuppetMaster Thank you kindly, you enjoy your weekend too 🍻 I'm a few hours into Owlboy now and having a blast - it's great!

@Czar_Khastik I'm lucky enough to own a PS3 physical copy that I bought at the time of release. I've played it through many times and I can't praise it enough. The art direction is fantastic (it still looks great today), the music is inspired, the story and setting is a ton of fun, and the gameplay is there too. There's so many secrets and little details crammed into it that I generally discover something new every time I play. It's also got a fun co-op mode that is great to play with the kids.

Definitely give it a go if you get the chance (without having to sell your house to get a copy).

Having returned to the amazing Puppeteer last weekend, I then followed that up with a playthrough of another game I love to return to round Christmastime - the poetic, beautiful Journey. Now this weekend I have decided to try Owlboy. Just started it yesterday, and so far it seems the perfect choice for some cosy winter gaming.