Titntin

Very interested in trying this demo, and I applaud the Devs for doing things differently.
Playing FH6 on game pass while I wait for a PS5 pro version maybe later in the year. But theres always room for another driving game! 👍

Nice to see the commitment toa PS5 launch.
However, this is a commitment from the Devs, MS ceo's can still overturn this should they wish. I don't see why they would - they need a decent return from their investment in game studios. Playground will want it on every platform it can get it on. When you pour your heart and soul into a game, you want everyone to see it. I hope its worthy of its heritage!

Nice piece Aaron.
Its a shame its over, but what a ride Destiny gave to so many.

One of the most interesting pieces of news I've heard this week. We already know that this studio can produce the goods. If the change to a fantasy setting means they will make the game more forgiving, then the title could be a real winner for my tastes.
Definitely one to look out for.

As per usual these Push Square articles are full of statements with no basis in fact. Theres no poll of gamers, no information to base the statements this articles makes at all, apart from the huge negativity that the team here at Push have been fostering for many years with their articles. Push readers are not at all representative and a great deal of people who enjoy their gaming don't come to this site because of huge negativity that's constantly pushed by the narrative on display here and the resultant usual commentators here who are looking for 'something to blast' every single day.
I believe I'm in the majority of people who own and play their Playstation (and all the other machines) and find theres more excellent games than I can play in a day. I might pay attention to the bleating of the Push moaners, but the overwhelming majority of players certainly don't and are just enjoying games. What's happened to this site is a disgrace and its not at all representitive of players. Contrast this with its sister site Pure Xbox, which are very supportive of their platform and positive about gaming , despite the many issues Xbox has suffered this gen. Its a much nicer place to be.
I'm sure I'll enjoy the next SOP. I engage with all shows from all the manufactures and love to see what's coming out soon, and I already suspect I'll enjoy Wolverine.
Those of you who enjoy your gaming - you are not alone.

@RoomWithaMoose He's not wrong though. The biggest problem with the machine is the lack of compelling titles I couldn't play on switch 1.
I like the machine, but have bought just three games for it since launch - its the least used Nintendo console I have ever bought.
You are right to list the upcoming games though - at least relief is in sight, but there no must haves there either, with Yoshi apparently being poorly received in some quarters. I'll probably do star fox just for the memories.

Looking forward to trying this out.
I used to really enjoy these games in the arcades and have had more than my share of light gun games and accesories over the years. It makes sense to use the gyro, and like others I hope this will herald a few more games of this type on the service.

@themightyant Or you can say its a PS4 game and I can buy it £10 cheaper than if it were on Xbox one.
Given so little has changed I'd rather buy it on PS4 £10 cheaper anyway...

Now that Xbox intends to be a PC (in all but name), of course its the correct decision for a brand that has always used exclusives (1st or 3rd party) to help sell its systems.

I'm like a broken record at this point: - its Crimson Desert. 251 hours in and my interest is not waning at all. My wife is now playing it too (we have two tellys in the living room and multiple games machines) and she's 70 hours in now and enjoying it just as much

I've not been able to make time for any other game , but I'm very sure I'll take time out on day 5 of the Forza launch when GPU finally gets it. I intend to play it lots!

Whatever you are playing, I hope your weekend and week is fully of fun and laughter!

@Northern_munkey
Amen brother. You see the truth of it 👍

I'm still completely engrossed with Crimson Dessert after countless hours (200+ at this point).
I'm on GPU of course, but I've bought Mixtape as well (support small Devs) and want to make time for that this weekend.
How I'll find time for Forza soon is anyone's guess, but its a nice problem to have...

Whatever you are playing this weekend, I hope you enjoy it!

I've been looking forward to this for a while - its a nice pallate cleanser in-between the more usual game styles I consume and I enjoy a good story game with minimal challenge occasionally.
Given the PS plus discount, and the fact I buy my PSN credit for about another 15% off this will cost me £11.90 and I will buy this to support the Devs - despite me being on Game Pass Ultimate and able to consume for no extra money there.

I hope this does well for the Devs and we see more of their work soon.

It looks like designs from 20 years back. If that's what they want then I don't see the harm, but it wouldn't be my style choice.
To try and present this as a DEI issue is pretty silly, sexy protagonists in such games is a staple of the genre and has not been replaced in games due to DEI. I see as much of it today as I ever have..

Crimson Desert has taken over my gaming and I intend to continue. 172 hours and loving every one of them.
I will take a break for Saros, and I'm looking forward to FH6 on Game Pass too, but its really hard to find time for all the titles that deserve a little playing!

Whatever you are all playing this weekend, I wish joy and happiness to you and yours..

@Fiendish-Beaver
That's a shame mate. Given the developer, those type of gameplay experiences were always likely to be part of the experience, and we've seen bits of it in previews etc.
Hey, when the backlog is as big as ours is, not being interested in a major release is a relief! 👍

Really liked this preview Sammy, great read.
I knew I'd be all over the game - it seems like a Nathan Drake edition of 007, and I'm all for it.
So many good titles to play though, just as I'm playing a title which will see me good for 100's of hours. Good job I've just retired and have the time!

@Dom_31 I played DD2 for 90 hours and enjoyed it.
Its not even fit to lick the boots of crimson desert though - not even close.

This is the correct way to recognise Devs.
Love to see it.

Yes, cant wait.
My fave AC game and its full of pirates and sea shanties.
I live in Brixham and its pirate festival this weekend (check 'Bixham pirate festival' on Google for pics).
I'll sail the high seas again and erase the horrid memories of skull and bones for ever.....

Crimson Dessert again I'm afraid. Got 130 hours in it and feel like I'm barely started!
It'll take small breaks to play Saros and Forza Horizon 6 when they release, but I suspect my time is taken for many more months.

Whatever you are all playing, I do hope you are having a great weekend!

@IOI Comparing this with Sony's PC ports is a real stretch. Xbox announced their next console is a PC and there were pictures all over the net of the Xbox ROG playing Spiderman. Of course porting to PC needed a re evaluation after those announcements, it would be ridiculous to allow Xbox most sony content 'via the backdoor'.

This is a completely different scenario to what Xbox have done/not done with their own releases, which is prompted by Xboxes need to actually sell some games they have developed.

Personally I don't really care - I have a series X so I'll play the worthwhile ones regardless.

Thanks Stephen, good review.
It was tough for me, but I played returnal for a long time and enjoyed myself. This game then is somewhat of a no brainer for me to buy and I'm really looking forward to trying this

That's fantastic! Good luck to them, I'll be interested to watch how they grow into it.

Its a cool unit, I had the original back in the day and we were paying nearly £220 a cart back then, back when £220 was worth something.

Much as I like to see this, you need to not care about money at all to be paying £70 a title for 'Magician Lord's or 'Metal slug', especially as these titles play perfectly elsewhere for a fraction of the cost.
Still, if I won the lottery and was building a games room, I'd pick it up without a thought!

Thank you! I've put this on my wishlist 😀

Thanks for the review Stephen, appreciated. As someone who got got 'caught' by survivors, I feel the need to check this out.
Fortunately its on GP so I can check it out on Xbox and see if it grabs me there!

Love to play it, but too many games ATM. Its on GPU, so I'll have to turn the Series X on to play, I'll get to it one day

'Idle speculation confirmed as not true SHOCKER!' 🤣

Already bought Horizon remastered and Motor Fest and can highly recommend both titles.

Fortunately, I like the look of some of the other titles too, but I'm unlikely to get the time for them as I have so many games waiting..

@CaptainWow Hernand, essentially the first biome. Took a northan detour to spread my wings, and dipped into the second area (Deminess) to follow the crow boss, but pretty much all of it in Hernand so far, building camp and questing. Just started chapter 6 earlier today.

Absolutely deserved and I appreciate that Liam did not use the opportunity to somehow dis the game again. Thank you.
Its good to hear that sales are so high. They absolutely deserve it, and I hope it encourages other developers to 'reach for the sky' in terms what they were aiming for. I would imagine if they have the ability to have some engine support staff, they could lisence this engine out for other Devs, its one of the better engines on the market right now.
My profile says 99 hours in, and I've barely traveled out of the first area. Despite the odd annoyance, this game has had so many 'wow' moments for me, I will remember this and reference it for many years to come.

Yet another attempt to throw shade from Push..how many of these articles can you post?

Delighted at the QOL improvements added to the game, and the Devs actually listening. I've played since release and the game has never felt broken just unbelievably full of systems and therefore complexity. Fortunately I've been playing all the camp missions, which are full of tutorial missions for the huge number of systems and things you can do in the game, many of which I might never have discovered.
Lots of respect for Black pearl, I like the way they made their game and now I like the way they support it.

@Stocksy Just be glad we live in a culture where people are seen as more than just a workbot and getting a balance between work/life is seen as important. I feel sorry for a culture where you are defined by your job and all else is subservient to this.

@DennisReynolds Sorry to hear that mate. Wow they certainly did screw it up!

@DennisReynolds
'its not the worst version as the Xbox version is the same.'
I don't know why you say that, could you please share the evidence that led you to make that claim please?
Certainly comparing the reception of this title on Pure, where no one is talking about crashes, with here, where loads of people seem to be experiencing them, would not back this up. It certainly doesn't match with my experience, I played 80 + hours on my series X with plenty of bugs but no crashes. I watched my friend play on PS% pro and have 3 crashes in 30 minutes - we switched it off. So it also doesn't match with my own (albeit limited) experience.
Be nice to know where you got your figures from!

@Northern_munkey Thanks for banging the drum and shining a light on their continued hypocrisy, though they usually just delete the post if you call them out!

I expect them to do the bare minimum to keep the game running and not lose sales through refunds and nothing more. We've been watching their poor responses to these types of issues since the mid nineties, and they wont suddenly change and become responsive now.

Thank you Stephen, you have fast become the best reviewer on the site, and your writing is excellent.

Another banger from capcom. I've had this one in my sights since that announcement all them years back - its great to see it turn out this way. I'll probably wait to pick it up in a sale as I'm pretty covered for games right now and in the coming months (assuming I'm ever finished with Crimson Dessert that is.)

@wildcat_kickz @Stocksy @1UP-HUSKY
Thanks for your sympathy, appreciated. I was describing the crunch for Dungeon Keeper 2 in 1999.
27 years and we haven't changed a bit. The more things change, the more they stay the same eh?

@TheWarPigeon Yeah the word salad is getting boring and certainly not serving the interests of anyone looking for a good debate. I tell you, quite correctly that the game is based on a story, you tell me it isn't, but admit you've hardly played the game - there is no conversation to be had.
When you eventually play the game (if ever) you will be surprised as tojust how much story there is and how it drives your progression. Until then, your just someone who dismisses others experiences without having the experience yourself.
Please feel free to never reply to my comments unless you have experienced the game yourself and are talking from a place of knowledge rather than assumption.
Good day to you.

The people expected to have no life and work 7 days a week with no overtime are not the people who will benefit if the game is a success. It literally over paid executives cracking the whip so they can run off with the money.

I've been expected to do it several times, but E.A. were the worst. I literally used to get up at 6am and I got home about 10 to 10.30 pm and was still getting called out for leaving too early. This was 7 days a week and went on for many months. Did I get a big bonus for a delivering a successful game - of course I didn't.

This has been 'most likely AAA title to get pushed back' since we last saw it.
I'm hoping I'll like it, but I was really hoping for this year...

@TheWarPigeon I retract nothing as I simply don't believe you have played the game. The game and its progression and systems are absolutely focussed on a narrative, which you would know if you played it.
I agree 'narrative action game' IS a broad definition, but it does define a class of games for which full character creation may be incompatible. Crimson Desert is such a game.
I'm not hugely bothered when people criticise a game I like, even if its one I helped to develop. You cant please everyone.
But I do have an issue with a site I've supported for so long showing they have such biasis as I'd prefer better of Push, and I feel I'm allowed to say so - without being targeted by a reply suggesting I'm not playing a narrative title which has set traits for it character to deliver the story - when I so clearly am.

@HRdepartment I prey for you! You got this 😀 Took me over 400 hours to complete it 3 times for platinum, but that's mainly because I'm not too good with the souls type fighting and had to brute force my way through most of it by over levelling 🤣

Rather predictably, I'm still in Crimson Dessert and still rebuilding the Graymane's. Over 70h now and still in the first area playing the story and quests there. I think this could last some time!

I will take a break for FH6 when it launches - how could I not?

Hope you are all enjoying whatever you are playing.

@TheWarPigeon Its quite clear that you have not played the game. It is absolutely not a broad stroke to define this as a narritive exploration game and I've so far spent nearly 70 hours doing exactly this and not much more, as have many others I've shared experiences with. Suggesting the narrative is not a main point can only be said by someone who not played it. Maybe you've followed the troubled development story and understand that this originated as an MMO design and you can certainly see many signs of that thought the game, but its not by lack of effort as the story is huge and sweeping and has just as many character interactions, friend and base building, as any other design of title I have played. The story of the breakup of the Greymaynes and the rebuilding of their community is absolutely tied into the significant events of the game, and the character motivation for being there and the way in which the world interacts with him.
That the story may not be the best top teir story in a game is clear, but is absolutely central to this narritve adventure game which would be obvious to you if you had any experience of actually playing the game.
For better or ill, this game was released as a narrative adventure, its absolutly how this game was designed (eventually) and delivered, and its clear that the Devs put huge effort into this side once the game was redesigned.
If you wish to comment on the game with such sweeping generalisations, then you need to actually play and engage with it, as its clear you do not have the experience with which to jump to your conclusions.
Do I wish Kliff had a more engaging character? Absolutely. Does his VA? I hope so cause its a bad job. But its clear why he's there , how his background and ties to his fellows shape what he is doing and why he is doing it. Its also very clear why there is no character creation, and its got nothing to do with wether you love him or not..its because he is one of a very tight knit band, who's downfall and reconstruction are a very central plot line for this narrative led game.

I understand many people hated Deacon St John too, and many profess an issue with Aloi in the Horizon games. Just as with them, Kliffs identity is central to the plot delivered.

Anyway, enough waffle, its clear we will not see eye to eye on this unless you play and experience what the title delivers.
I wish you a good day.

Thank you Stephen, I always appreciate these lists and I think the picks are a good solid all round selection. We are not exactly short of great games, right now and in the near future, but I cant resist a bargain!
Is it a bargain if then sits in my playlist for a year? Probably not, but shhhh, you'll give my wife ideas! 🤣

@TheWarPigeon What utter bull. You should understand what the article is about before jumping in with a reply that clearly shows you have no idea what you are talking about.
This is not about whether its a likeable character or not? What are you on?
This is a large narrative action game and its pretty common for them to have no character customisation as I clearly stated.
It would be like allowing players to create their own 'Deacon' in days gone. Imagine a female pink hair bathing suited character in that game - its just stupid there and it would be stupid here.
Whether the character is 'loved' or not has absolutely nothing to do with it. Writing your response shows you genuinely have no insight at all into what is under discussion and absolutely no idea of game design... I'm not interested in weather a character is 'liked' - we are discussing weather it would approprite to have their character designed by the player or not, at least read what you are jumping into.