@IamJT Yeah, they could have possibly smoothed things over a bit with a better buildup. Maybe if the player had created more of a connection with, or at least sympathy towards, Abby before the deed was done. There would still be an outcry but perhaps a percentage of the unhappy would've been appeased.
Personally I thought the entire scenario was quite ham fisted, but I felt that way about Last of Us 2's narrative overall to a certain extent. It often felt like the game had some things to say and come hell or high water it was gonna make those points regardless of whether it was a logical progression of events or not.
Unfortunately the youtube link in that article is now dead, but a quote from the video is still in the article from a Hollywood screen writer named Joe Carnahan who worked on a few drafts of the Uncharted movie. He said the following:
"Ultimately I wanted to make Amy happy, it was her creation. I think whatshisface – I’m not a fan – the guy that kind of stole credit for it," said Carnahan, referring to Druckmann. Discussing Film clarified his name, and the writer responded, "Yeah, that jerkoff. Whatever, there was a bit of saboteuring there going on with Naughty Dog."
He continued: “Amy created that world and she was the one that I really wanted to please. That other guy, whatever the hell his name is, he’s a hitchhiker."
Maybe there's nothing to it, but he worked with ND/Henning/Druckmann not too long after the time she departed and was clearly of the opinion there was some shady stuff going on. Obviously we'll never get the full story, NDAs and all that, which is why I also said 'allegedly'. In any case, even if it's a false rumor it had certainly soured some fans on Druckmann regardless even before Last of Us 2.
Edit: I also found this interview with the voice of Sully discussing the matter
@IamJT I'm not sure the drama could have been avoided, honestly. In some ways I think it could be worse. Imagine all the people so mad about it now, except they just dropped $70 to get blindsided by that scene. They would flip out for sure.
It was not a decision that could finessed into universal praise.
@ProfessorNiggle He allegedly helped shove Amy Henning out the door, which rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way considering how crucial she was to Uncharted and Naughty Dog's shift towards a narrative focus generally.
Though, yeah, a lot of criticism is also for Last of Us 2.
I'd love to see Sony actually release the Boomerang controller. I attended E3 2005/2006 and was able to hold it for a bit and loved the way it felt. Extremely ergonomic, very comfortable to hold. Overall it seemed like a big upgrade over the classic Playstation pad it was set to replace. (Full disclosure, I've felt the Dual Shock has been a big of mediocre controller design all along) It needed a few adjustments, shortening the length of it and moving the shoulder buttons apart, but it was a solid prototype to build off.
Unfortunately, the reaction to its shape was so bad that Sony backpedaled immediately and went back to the old pad. Just another example of ignorant people killing a good thing without having ever given it a chance.
Honestly, Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice was one of the worst purchases I have ever made in my 30+ years of gaming.
And I got it for 15 Euro.
AAA graphics and sound, but the gameplay was an abysmal slog. I was a huge Ninja Theory fan who loved Enslaved and Heavenly Sword so I was shocked at how bad it was to play.
Hellblade is the gaming equivalent of Hollywood Oscar bait. Technically impressive, centers on a theme critics can hold up as particularly artsy (mental illness in this case), utterly awful for anyone who is looking for an enjoyable time. The fact its sequel is just 5 hours long is very likely a mercy if anything, not that I'd ever bother to play it after the first experience.
The real question is how in the hell did it take 5yrs to make a 5 hour sequel with much of the same elements?
Ever since we've heard rumors of Microsoft possibly bowing out of hardware it seems as if Sony is returning to their early-PS3 era arrogance. At this rate I expect PS6 to be full of previous bad ideas like games being locked to consoles (the original plan for PS4 and Xbone) and for Switch 2 to eat their lunch.
The problem with Spitz, and several of the other CMs to be fair, was a complete lack of professionalism throughout the controversial period. They fanned the flames instead of putting out fires, the exact opposite of what they should have been doing.
To be honest several of the others should be let go as well for mocking fans, and therefore inflaming the situation further, but Spitz got the boot because they advocated action against the game itself (review bombing) which was totally unacceptable and understandably so.
Also very important to note, since this article failed to do so, that the vast majority of the complainers in the initial PSN account controversy hated the CMs for their behavior during the controversy. Spitz was initially mocking players before flipping to their side when he saw how the wind was blowing. Those that paid attention don't see that as particularly admirable. The ones now fighting for Spitz's reinstatement are a small splinter of the group unhappy with PSN signups. If you could somehow put it up to a vote of those who review bombed the game I'd strongly suspect Spitz stays unemployed.
@Ainu20 I think it is the latter case in this instance.
I worked for a major fashion company in Europe in the past and they did the first thing you suggested whenever possible. But certain nations were insistent that was not okay for the online shop.
@REALAIS Oh, I'm with you dude. Sony gave those smaller nations the shaft and the boot licking by some of the fans is embarrassing to witness. I thought Nintendo fanboys were the kings of being blinded by brand loyalty, but their crown has been snatched after the one-two punch of apologists for puritanical Stellar Blade censorship and unnecessary PSN sign ups on PC games.
@Ainu20 In the case of non-supported EU regions it's mostly because the Baltics combined population is so small and they each have their own unique languages. It's a major translation headache, with little reward, to localize things to Estonian for example.
It sucks for the smaller nations, but that's the reason.
@EchoRange It happens every day. Just look at the litany of Gaza/Israel-related protests, encampments, etc. If you want to be an activist there's no shortage of options. The idea people don't care about more important issues just because HD2 had a protest campaign is silly.
@dark_knightmare2 Yeah, I'm in the same camp. Hades was definitely enjoyable, solid 8 or 8.5, but I couldn't understand the hype train. I had a similar experience with Bastion. Didn't regret the purchase by any means but the games didn't live up to the lavish praise.
It was kind of stupid. I really dislike the idea of Cloud still thinking Aerith is alive. It destroys a major part of his character arc where he had to deal with that failure and regret. It also took the air right out of the big finale moment. Just poorly thought out overall, imo.
Nomura can't resist adding additional layers of confusion to every story he directs.
I still enjoyed Rebirth overall but the ending was dumb.
@UltimateOtaku91 It seems like AH is at least partly responsible for the lack of clear communication regarding PSN signup requirements in regions where such accounts can be created. And obviously for allowing the requirement to not be implemented initially.
However, Sony as publisher is absolutely at fault for allowing the game to be available on Steam in regions where they knew PSN doesn't have a presence, which is actually the more serious issue here. It's a publisher's job to deal with the complexities of getting a title into stores, including online storefronts, and so it's their fault that the game was available in places it shouldn't have been. AH wouldn't have a hand in that or else they'd be their own publisher.
It's also very clearly Sony's fault the requirement is not being relaxed. AH is signalling they're fine with just dumping the PSN requirement entirely, but they don't get to make that call.
So overall I'd say it's probably 80/20 with majority fault lying with Sony. They really should just take the L and give in, even Forbes is covering the topic and in a manner that isn't very sympathetic towards Sony. The C suite doesn't pay much attention to reddit, discords, etc. but I'm sure a few of them will be upset that Forbes, the world's foremost corpo boot licking magazine, thinks they're making a financial mistake. HD2 has been a massive success story, no reason for Sony to die on that hill over something so inconsequential. They had a money printer on their hands and they're letting hubris clog up the gears.
To everyone saying 'well, other publishers have launchers too', perhaps this is the tipping point where that changes?
The additional launchers are universally disliked, even if they've been tolerated in other instances thus far. If consumer action gets publishers to think twice about it in the future that's a win for consumers everywhere.
It has definitely helped. Without them PS5 would be in a much worse position.
However they haven't totally made up for the loss of variety. Sony's 1st party games used to be quite diverse, now they all seem to follow the same general formula (AAA production values, realistic art design, experience akin to playing a blockbuster movie) and we're missing the wacky or experimental stuff like Flower, Shadow of the Colossus and Parappa the Rapper.
So room for improvement, imo. We need more variety from 1st party offerings, take a few chances and try new things.
-Epic game store exclusivity nerfed PC sales
-Lack of physical version lost at least some PS5 sales
-Budget was way too high relative to reasonable sales expectations
The third point is really the kicker. It looks amazing and the devs should be commended for it, but from a business perspective you can't justify the expense for such a niche title. It was always going to be extremely difficult to profit on a niche game with a AAA budget.
@DiggleDog And yet you took the time to come in here and be sanctimonious. Shouldn't you be advocating for something more important? Don't waste your time on us!
@DiggleDog People are getting turned into red mist in Gaza right now. You're not allowed to worry about those layoffs, because it's less important. Homeless is exploding around the western world, you also have to discuss that before worrying about anything gaming related.
See how nonsensical that line of thinking is now? It's possible, and even necessary, for people to have multiple concerns at once. 'This bigger problem exists therefore you are foolish for worrying about that lesser problem' is not a logical argument.
Glad to see the convo has at least shifted from 'uh, there weren't any changes, this is all a hoax' to 'okay, there were changes but it's really no big deal'.
A game rated M shouldn't be toned down with a pre-release patch. Particularly after crowing about how it would be uncensored in all territories. It's absolute nonsense. Also, worth noting to those who claim this is the dev's intent, Sony has a gag order on all changes dictated to partner studios. You cannot come out and say 'Sony requested these changes, we complied' without facing legal and financial repercussions.
And the people making fun of those who enjoy risque content are as immature as those they like to claim superiority over. It's the human body, it's fine to admire it. We don't need this new form of puritanism. I didn't care for the 'moral majority' toning down content in the 80s/90s to avoid tempting sinners and I don't care for the 'social justice' crowd doing it to avoid 'the male gaze' now. Both should mind their own business.
@Nepp67 Could you point me to where Fightin Cowboy said both versions are still in the game? I saw their post showing that pre and post update the outfit was unchanged (it was the allegedly censored version in both pics) on their digital copy.
I thought I'd been had and the purported original version was in the NG+, or a photoshop, however there is also this video, from the 1.0 build of a disc version which shows the 'original' costume so it can't have been NG+:
So honestly don't know what to believe at this point. I wasn't trying to spread disinfo or anything. At this point it appears IF the difference is there it only occurs on unpatched disc versions but not digital, even pre-patch digital review copies. It's possible there was a day zero patch that all digital versions have that the physical print predates. Maybe the risque version was moved to NG+ as reward. Maybe it's all a hoax. Will have to just play it tomorrow and see.
Day one patch also appears to alter a couple outfits, reducing the amount of skin shown. If you have the physical version and don't update it the original version is intact on disc. Just a friendly warning for those that want an uncensored experience.
And an extremely bizarre situation since Shift Up specifically marketed the lack of censorship as a selling point recently. Why crow about that only to have a bit in a day one patch?
@NEStalgia Yeah, Rift didn't grab me the same way as past entries either and R&C is my favorite 3D platformer series outside of Mario. Ratchet 2016 and Crack in Time are best in the series imo.
Honestly, this makes me a lot less confident it's going to end up being a good game. I have much more faith in old Ubi than modern Ubi when it comes to gameplay. Should have just touched up the visuals, added a few QoL adjustments and called it a day.
I'd say 8.5/10. In many areas it's a clear improvement over the original P3, but it also loses a bit of the original's vibe. It's far less spooky, particularly the introductory scenes.
The lack of FES content and the female MC are also too much to ignore. Especially when we all know Atlus is going to milk us for one or both of those next year.
So overall a great game, but not the definitive version of P3. At least not yet.
@AhmadSumadi I think it's the novelty of a developer who is unashamed to shoot for sexy. It goes against the grain these days, with so many devs reluctant to show skin or create 'unrealistic' beautiful female characters.
If this game had come out in 2007 that selling point would not be so interesting. Tons of other devs were chasing the same at that time.
I see it as a reaction to what some gamers perceive to be female characters becoming uglier, and/or devs being guided by puritanical values when designing costumes (Mortal Kombat shying away from skin, but still tons of gore, is a good example). This set are eager to vote with their wallets, and vocally support the iconoclastic bent of this developer in hopes the pendulum begins to swing away from abhorring sexiness or things that please 'the male gaze'.
@Mephisto2869 The difficulty spike was only really bad if you didn't stumble upon the Sotenbori Battle Arena, which was also introduced at that point in the game. That arena levels you up quite a bit in no time. I'd bet you and I found and participated in that while others didn't.
@naruball Not sure a life sentence is 'well deserved' for this particular crime. Guy could have beaten someone half to death and gotten less.
Not to say there should be no repercussions, but the actual harm caused by this crime is essentially zero. GTA6 is still going to sell like crazy, the leak did no harm whatsoever to the IP or the ability to profit from the product. This is a corporation grinding a (not morally upstanding, but also mentally challenged) person to dust for daring to give them a pin prick.
My guess all along has been that the'll kill Tifa this time.
It would be super dumb, and not really jive with the lore surrounding Aerith's death and how it affected the quest to save the planet, but I just can't shake the feeling.
Swapping Aerith's death for Tifa's is superficially clever, but thematically stupid. It's Nomura bait all the way.
I honestly would prefer it just be canceled. I have zero faith a modern remake would respect the original work enough to leave the original gameplay/narrative alone, and with it being in development hell it's going to be even harder to produce a solid final product.
Story is pretty good, visuals are great. Gameplay is not very good. I think 7/10 is very fair considering the whole package. I don't understand the 10s, it didn't reach those heights for me.
8/10 for me. The first SM is still the best in the series. This one is on par with SM:MM. The formula isn't completely done to death, but it doesn't wow like the first time anymore.
Probably for the best, sad as it is to say. I had no faith in any Embracer subsidiary being able to do justice to the original. Aspyr in particular was never going to make a AAA game of quality, that seemed obvious.
@Ooccoo_Jr You don't HAVE to play the original, you won't exactly be lost, but it would help if you did.
I can't say too much without going into spoilers, but the Remake is not quite what it seems.
And in any case the original is a brisk play compared to modern JRPGs. Especially if you go with the modern remaster with the QOL improvements, you can blast through it in 15 hours easily.
It makes sense that when PS5 console finally became widely available we'd see a huge leap. Tons of people had money saved and ready to go, but no console to spend it on. And Sony typically dominates Europe.
I think we'll see really high PS5 hardware sales the rest of the year and then it will settle down a bit in 2024. Switch sales holding steady indicates that the PS5 is feeding off pent-up demand of people already committed to eventually upgrading from PS4, not necessarily displacing the competition. Nonetheless a great sign for Sony, they needed to see this after the frustrating supply issues of 2020-2022.
My hype for Horizon 3 has plummeted since the death of Lance Reddick. The plot is going to suffer tremendously. Sylens was the best character in the series by far, imo. It was obvious they had big plans for Sylens at the end of HFW and even more with Burning Shores but all that is surely getting removed now. Nothing Guerrilla can do about it, just a tragic loss.
Sylens was the best character in Horizon to me. I hope they continue whatever plans that had in store for that character even though a new voice actor won't be nearly as iconic.
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Re: The Next Naughty Dog Game Its 'Most Thrilling Yet', Says Neil Druckmann
@IamJT Yeah, they could have possibly smoothed things over a bit with a better buildup. Maybe if the player had created more of a connection with, or at least sympathy towards, Abby before the deed was done. There would still be an outcry but perhaps a percentage of the unhappy would've been appeased.
Personally I thought the entire scenario was quite ham fisted, but I felt that way about Last of Us 2's narrative overall to a certain extent. It often felt like the game had some things to say and come hell or high water it was gonna make those points regardless of whether it was a logical progression of events or not.
Re: The Next Naughty Dog Game Its 'Most Thrilling Yet', Says Neil Druckmann
@PuppetMaster I had no idea about the IGN article tbh. I was referring to a news story on Push Square several years ago.
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2019/03/ex-uncharted_movie_writer_joe_carnahan_calls_neil_druckmann_a_jerkoff
Unfortunately the youtube link in that article is now dead, but a quote from the video is still in the article from a Hollywood screen writer named Joe Carnahan who worked on a few drafts of the Uncharted movie. He said the following:
"Ultimately I wanted to make Amy happy, it was her creation. I think whatshisface – I’m not a fan – the guy that kind of stole credit for it," said Carnahan, referring to Druckmann. Discussing Film clarified his name, and the writer responded, "Yeah, that jerkoff. Whatever, there was a bit of saboteuring there going on with Naughty Dog."
He continued: “Amy created that world and she was the one that I really wanted to please. That other guy, whatever the hell his name is, he’s a hitchhiker."
Maybe there's nothing to it, but he worked with ND/Henning/Druckmann not too long after the time she departed and was clearly of the opinion there was some shady stuff going on. Obviously we'll never get the full story, NDAs and all that, which is why I also said 'allegedly'. In any case, even if it's a false rumor it had certainly soured some fans on Druckmann regardless even before Last of Us 2.
Edit: I also found this interview with the voice of Sully discussing the matter
https://www.reddit.com/r/uncharted/comments/wt2knz/richard_mcgonagle_sully_talks_about_amy_hennigs/
Re: The Next Naughty Dog Game Its 'Most Thrilling Yet', Says Neil Druckmann
@IamJT I'm not sure the drama could have been avoided, honestly. In some ways I think it could be worse. Imagine all the people so mad about it now, except they just dropped $70 to get blindsided by that scene. They would flip out for sure.
It was not a decision that could finessed into universal praise.
Re: The Next Naughty Dog Game Its 'Most Thrilling Yet', Says Neil Druckmann
@ProfessorNiggle He allegedly helped shove Amy Henning out the door, which rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way considering how crucial she was to Uncharted and Naughty Dog's shift towards a narrative focus generally.
Though, yeah, a lot of criticism is also for Last of Us 2.
Re: The Next Naughty Dog Game Its 'Most Thrilling Yet', Says Neil Druckmann
Neil let the Hollywood treatment go to his head. He's starting to sound like Peter Molyneux in his prime.
Re: Random: Sony's Vision of Gaming's Future Includes a PS3 Boomerang Pad with a Screen
I'd love to see Sony actually release the Boomerang controller. I attended E3 2005/2006 and was able to hold it for a bit and loved the way it felt. Extremely ergonomic, very comfortable to hold. Overall it seemed like a big upgrade over the classic Playstation pad it was set to replace. (Full disclosure, I've felt the Dual Shock has been a big of mediocre controller design all along) It needed a few adjustments, shortening the length of it and moving the shoulder buttons apart, but it was a solid prototype to build off.
Unfortunately, the reaction to its shape was so bad that Sony backpedaled immediately and went back to the old pad. Just another example of ignorant people killing a good thing without having ever given it a chance.
Re: Soapbox: Once a PS4 Console Exclusive, PS5 Players Are Missing a Visual Stunner in Hellblade 2
Honestly, Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice was one of the worst purchases I have ever made in my 30+ years of gaming.
And I got it for 15 Euro.
AAA graphics and sound, but the gameplay was an abysmal slog. I was a huge Ninja Theory fan who loved Enslaved and Heavenly Sword so I was shocked at how bad it was to play.
Hellblade is the gaming equivalent of Hollywood Oscar bait. Technically impressive, centers on a theme critics can hold up as particularly artsy (mental illness in this case), utterly awful for anyone who is looking for an enjoyable time. The fact its sequel is just 5 hours long is very likely a mercy if anything, not that I'd ever bother to play it after the first experience.
The real question is how in the hell did it take 5yrs to make a 5 hour sequel with much of the same elements?
Re: Sony Attracting More PSN Users Year-on-Year Despite Quarterly Dip
That sheds a bit of light on why Sony is so insistent PC players should open PSN accounts. They're trying to close that 5m user gap.
Re: Sony Delists Ghost of Tsushima PC from Steam Regions in Line with Helldivers 2
Ever since we've heard rumors of Microsoft possibly bowing out of hardware it seems as if Sony is returning to their early-PS3 era arrogance. At this rate I expect PS6 to be full of previous bad ideas like games being locked to consoles (the original plan for PS4 and Xbone) and for Switch 2 to eat their lunch.
Re: Helldivers Turn on Arrowhead Following Undemocratic Firing of Community Manager
The problem with Spitz, and several of the other CMs to be fair, was a complete lack of professionalism throughout the controversial period. They fanned the flames instead of putting out fires, the exact opposite of what they should have been doing.
To be honest several of the others should be let go as well for mocking fans, and therefore inflaming the situation further, but Spitz got the boot because they advocated action against the game itself (review bombing) which was totally unacceptable and understandably so.
Also very important to note, since this article failed to do so, that the vast majority of the complainers in the initial PSN account controversy hated the CMs for their behavior during the controversy. Spitz was initially mocking players before flipping to their side when he saw how the wind was blowing. Those that paid attention don't see that as particularly admirable. The ones now fighting for Spitz's reinstatement are a small splinter of the group unhappy with PSN signups. If you could somehow put it up to a vote of those who review bombed the game I'd strongly suspect Spitz stays unemployed.
Re: Helldivers 2 Blasted with Over 200,000 Positive User Reviews Following Sony's PSN Backtrack
@Ainu20 I think it is the latter case in this instance.
I worked for a major fashion company in Europe in the past and they did the first thing you suggested whenever possible. But certain nations were insistent that was not okay for the online shop.
Re: Helldivers 2 Blasted with Over 200,000 Positive User Reviews Following Sony's PSN Backtrack
@REALAIS Oh, I'm with you dude. Sony gave those smaller nations the shaft and the boot licking by some of the fans is embarrassing to witness. I thought Nintendo fanboys were the kings of being blinded by brand loyalty, but their crown has been snatched after the one-two punch of apologists for puritanical Stellar Blade censorship and unnecessary PSN sign ups on PC games.
Re: Helldivers 2 Blasted with Over 200,000 Positive User Reviews Following Sony's PSN Backtrack
@Ainu20 In the case of non-supported EU regions it's mostly because the Baltics combined population is so small and they each have their own unique languages. It's a major translation headache, with little reward, to localize things to Estonian for example.
It sucks for the smaller nations, but that's the reason.
Re: Helldivers 2 Blasted with Over 200,000 Positive User Reviews Following Sony's PSN Backtrack
@EchoRange It happens every day. Just look at the litany of Gaza/Israel-related protests, encampments, etc. If you want to be an activist there's no shortage of options. The idea people don't care about more important issues just because HD2 had a protest campaign is silly.
Re: Hades 2 in Early Access Has Critics Raving, Big Jump Over First Game
@dark_knightmare2 Yeah, I'm in the same camp. Hades was definitely enjoyable, solid 8 or 8.5, but I couldn't understand the hype train. I had a similar experience with Bastion. Didn't regret the purchase by any means but the games didn't live up to the lavish praise.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Ending?
It was kind of stupid. I really dislike the idea of Cloud still thinking Aerith is alive. It destroys a major part of his character arc where he had to deal with that failure and regret. It also took the air right out of the big finale moment. Just poorly thought out overall, imo.
Nomura can't resist adding additional layers of confusion to every story he directs.
I still enjoyed Rebirth overall but the ending was dumb.
Re: Sony Doubles Down on Helldivers 2 PSN Requirement by Taking It Off Sale for PC in Numerous Countries
@UltimateOtaku91 It seems like AH is at least partly responsible for the lack of clear communication regarding PSN signup requirements in regions where such accounts can be created. And obviously for allowing the requirement to not be implemented initially.
However, Sony as publisher is absolutely at fault for allowing the game to be available on Steam in regions where they knew PSN doesn't have a presence, which is actually the more serious issue here. It's a publisher's job to deal with the complexities of getting a title into stores, including online storefronts, and so it's their fault that the game was available in places it shouldn't have been. AH wouldn't have a hand in that or else they'd be their own publisher.
It's also very clearly Sony's fault the requirement is not being relaxed. AH is signalling they're fine with just dumping the PSN requirement entirely, but they don't get to make that call.
So overall I'd say it's probably 80/20 with majority fault lying with Sony. They really should just take the L and give in, even Forbes is covering the topic and in a manner that isn't very sympathetic towards Sony. The C suite doesn't pay much attention to reddit, discords, etc. but I'm sure a few of them will be upset that Forbes, the world's foremost corpo boot licking magazine, thinks they're making a financial mistake. HD2 has been a massive success story, no reason for Sony to die on that hill over something so inconsequential. They had a money printer on their hands and they're letting hubris clog up the gears.
Re: Sony Doubles Down on Helldivers 2 PSN Requirement by Taking It Off Sale for PC in Numerous Countries
To everyone saying 'well, other publishers have launchers too', perhaps this is the tipping point where that changes?
The additional launchers are universally disliked, even if they've been tolerated in other instances thus far. If consumer action gets publishers to think twice about it in the future that's a win for consumers everywhere.
Re: Talking Point: Have Sony's Third-Party PS5 Deals Made Up for Its Lack of First-Party Games?
It has definitely helped. Without them PS5 would be in a much worse position.
However they haven't totally made up for the loss of variety. Sony's 1st party games used to be quite diverse, now they all seem to follow the same general formula (AAA production values, realistic art design, experience akin to playing a blockbuster movie) and we're missing the wacky or experimental stuff like Flower, Shadow of the Colossus and Parappa the Rapper.
So room for improvement, imo. We need more variety from 1st party offerings, take a few chances and try new things.
Re: Helldivers 2 PC Is Getting Review Bombed Over PSN Requirement
The sanctimonious tone of the commenters here is getting as bad as Kotaku.
Re: Alan Wake 2 Yet to Recoup Dev, Marketing Expenses as Tencent Raises Stake
AW2 had a lot working against it.
-Epic game store exclusivity nerfed PC sales
-Lack of physical version lost at least some PS5 sales
-Budget was way too high relative to reasonable sales expectations
The third point is really the kicker. It looks amazing and the devs should be commended for it, but from a business perspective you can't justify the expense for such a niche title. It was always going to be extremely difficult to profit on a niche game with a AAA budget.
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
@DiggleDog And yet you took the time to come in here and be sanctimonious. Shouldn't you be advocating for something more important? Don't waste your time on us!
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
@DiggleDog People are getting turned into red mist in Gaza right now. You're not allowed to worry about those layoffs, because it's less important. Homeless is exploding around the western world, you also have to discuss that before worrying about anything gaming related.
See how nonsensical that line of thinking is now? It's possible, and even necessary, for people to have multiple concerns at once. 'This bigger problem exists therefore you are foolish for worrying about that lesser problem' is not a logical argument.
Re: Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
Glad to see the convo has at least shifted from 'uh, there weren't any changes, this is all a hoax' to 'okay, there were changes but it's really no big deal'.
A game rated M shouldn't be toned down with a pre-release patch. Particularly after crowing about how it would be uncensored in all territories. It's absolute nonsense. Also, worth noting to those who claim this is the dev's intent, Sony has a gag order on all changes dictated to partner studios. You cannot come out and say 'Sony requested these changes, we complied' without facing legal and financial repercussions.
And the people making fun of those who enjoy risque content are as immature as those they like to claim superiority over. It's the human body, it's fine to admire it. We don't need this new form of puritanism. I didn't care for the 'moral majority' toning down content in the 80s/90s to avoid tempting sinners and I don't care for the 'social justice' crowd doing it to avoid 'the male gaze' now. Both should mind their own business.
Re: Stellar Blade Gets New Game+ Mode in Day One Update on PS5
@Nepp67 Could you point me to where Fightin Cowboy said both versions are still in the game? I saw their post showing that pre and post update the outfit was unchanged (it was the allegedly censored version in both pics) on their digital copy.
I thought I'd been had and the purported original version was in the NG+, or a photoshop, however there is also this video, from the 1.0 build of a disc version which shows the 'original' costume so it can't have been NG+:
https://streamable.com/tbvmoy
So honestly don't know what to believe at this point. I wasn't trying to spread disinfo or anything. At this point it appears IF the difference is there it only occurs on unpatched disc versions but not digital, even pre-patch digital review copies. It's possible there was a day zero patch that all digital versions have that the physical print predates. Maybe the risque version was moved to NG+ as reward. Maybe it's all a hoax. Will have to just play it tomorrow and see.
Re: Stellar Blade Gets New Game+ Mode in Day One Update on PS5
Day one patch also appears to alter a couple outfits, reducing the amount of skin shown. If you have the physical version and don't update it the original version is intact on disc. Just a friendly warning for those that want an uncensored experience.
And an extremely bizarre situation since Shift Up specifically marketed the lack of censorship as a selling point recently. Why crow about that only to have a bit in a day one patch?
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Film Casts Shadow, Voiced by Keanu Reeves
They found a way for Shadow to whip out guns and not make the audience cringe. Well played, Sega/Paramount. Well played.
Re: 2016's Ratchet & Clank Reboot Gets Fan-Favourite Gun in Free Update
@NEStalgia Yeah, Rift didn't grab me the same way as past entries either and R&C is my favorite 3D platformer series outside of Mario. Ratchet 2016 and Crack in Time are best in the series imo.
Re: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake Reportedly 'Completely Redone', Still a Ways Off
Honestly, this makes me a lot less confident it's going to end up being a good game. I have much more faith in old Ubi than modern Ubi when it comes to gameplay. Should have just touched up the visuals, added a few QoL adjustments and called it a day.
Re: Starfield, Indiana Jones Aren't Coming to PS5 Just Yet
It just takes longer to port those two, that's all.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Persona 3 Reload?
I'd say 8.5/10. In many areas it's a clear improvement over the original P3, but it also loses a bit of the original's vibe. It's far less spooky, particularly the introductory scenes.
The lack of FES content and the female MC are also too much to ignore. Especially when we all know Atlus is going to milk us for one or both of those next year.
So overall a great game, but not the definitive version of P3. At least not yet.
Re: Interview: Shift Up on PS5's Highly Promising Stellar Blade
@AhmadSumadi I think it's the novelty of a developer who is unashamed to shoot for sexy. It goes against the grain these days, with so many devs reluctant to show skin or create 'unrealistic' beautiful female characters.
If this game had come out in 2007 that selling point would not be so interesting. Tons of other devs were chasing the same at that time.
I see it as a reaction to what some gamers perceive to be female characters becoming uglier, and/or devs being guided by puritanical values when designing costumes (Mortal Kombat shying away from skin, but still tons of gore, is a good example). This set are eager to vote with their wallets, and vocally support the iconoclastic bent of this developer in hopes the pendulum begins to swing away from abhorring sexiness or things that please 'the male gaze'.
Re: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS5) - The Best Yakuza Game Ever Made
@Mephisto2869 The difficulty spike was only really bad if you didn't stumble upon the Sotenbori Battle Arena, which was also introduced at that point in the game. That arena levels you up quite a bit in no time. I'd bet you and I found and participated in that while others didn't.
Re: ISPs Seemingly Clamping Down on Downloads of Stolen Marvel's Wolverine Build
@naruball Not sure a life sentence is 'well deserved' for this particular crime. Guy could have beaten someone half to death and gotten less.
Not to say there should be no repercussions, but the actual harm caused by this crime is essentially zero. GTA6 is still going to sell like crazy, the leak did no harm whatsoever to the IP or the ability to profit from the product. This is a corporation grinding a (not morally upstanding, but also mentally challenged) person to dust for daring to give them a pin prick.
Re: Nomura Promises Death Won't be Cheated in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
My guess all along has been that the'll kill Tifa this time.
It would be super dumb, and not really jive with the lore surrounding Aerith's death and how it affected the quest to save the planet, but I just can't shake the feeling.
Swapping Aerith's death for Tifa's is superficially clever, but thematically stupid. It's Nomura bait all the way.
Re: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic PS5 Remake Reportedly Not Dead, Actually
I honestly would prefer it just be canceled. I have zero faith a modern remake would respect the original work enough to leave the original gameplay/narrative alone, and with it being in development hell it's going to be even harder to produce a solid final product.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Alan Wake 2?
Story is pretty good, visuals are great. Gameplay is not very good. I think 7/10 is very fair considering the whole package. I don't understand the 10s, it didn't reach those heights for me.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Marvel's Spider-Man 2?
8/10 for me. The first SM is still the best in the series. This one is on par with SM:MM. The formula isn't completely done to death, but it doesn't wow like the first time anymore.
Re: Now Cancelled, Hyenas Was Reportedly SEGA's Biggest Budget Game Ever
Well, that was really stupid of them.
Re: PS5's Console Exclusive Knights of the Old Republic Remake Is Being Nuked from the Internet
Probably for the best, sad as it is to say. I had no faith in any Embracer subsidiary being able to do justice to the original. Aspyr in particular was never going to make a AAA game of quality, that seemed obvious.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Gets Over 30 Minutes of Open Area PS5 Gameplay
@Ooccoo_Jr You don't HAVE to play the original, you won't exactly be lost, but it would help if you did.
I can't say too much without going into spoilers, but the Remake is not quite what it seems.
And in any case the original is a brisk play compared to modern JRPGs. Especially if you go with the modern remaster with the QOL improvements, you can blast through it in 15 hours easily.
Re: PS5 Sales Surge a Frankly Flabbergasting 244% in Europe
It makes sense that when PS5 console finally became widely available we'd see a huge leap. Tons of people had money saved and ready to go, but no console to spend it on. And Sony typically dominates Europe.
I think we'll see really high PS5 hardware sales the rest of the year and then it will settle down a bit in 2024. Switch sales holding steady indicates that the PS5 is feeding off pent-up demand of people already committed to eventually upgrading from PS4, not necessarily displacing the competition. Nonetheless a great sign for Sony, they needed to see this after the frustrating supply issues of 2020-2022.
Re: Surprise! Guerrilla Games Pretty Much Confirms Horizon 3
My hype for Horizon 3 has plummeted since the death of Lance Reddick. The plot is going to suffer tremendously. Sylens was the best character in the series by far, imo. It was obvious they had big plans for Sylens at the end of HFW and even more with Burning Shores but all that is surely getting removed now. Nothing Guerrilla can do about it, just a tragic loss.
Re: Horizon Maker Guerrilla Praises Profound Impact of Lance Reddick
Sylens was the best character in Horizon to me. I hope they continue whatever plans that had in store for that character even though a new voice actor won't be nearly as iconic.
Re: Chrono Cross Remaster Patch 1.01 Adds 60fps Support as Improvements Keep Coming
@NecroNomnom I thought for a moment they might be referring to Bleemcast, but the compatibility list says it's not playable.