@Dimey I wholeheartedly agree. People have never spent more time on entertainment, yet some are increasingly unwilling to pay for it. I grew up saving for a year to be able to spend $100 on a single SNES game, and paid premium for CDs and VHS as well. I understand that gaming can be viewed as expensive, but I also think most people have become a tad bit spoiled in the sense that they expect to be able to play every game, watch every movie and listen to any kind of music and be able to afford it. That was simply not the case in the 90s - you had to choose carefully.
@LogicStrikesAgain wholeheartedly agree. This notion that games need to be a certain length is killing the industry. Not only does it involve huge development teams and costs, it ironically creates less sales for most games since gamers are occupied with bloated open worlds and forced RPG elements keeping them stuck to the game for a years at a time. Some of my absolute best gaming experiences all-time are games that are below the 20 hour mark. In that sense the Resi series really hits the sweet spot for me
FF didn't lose its grip on fans due to too few releases. Look at GTA, releasing one game every ten freaking years don't matter much when the games are that good. What hurts you is releasing FF13 and FF14, plus several mediocre sequels and spinoffs basically in the same decade (2010s). That's when the mainstream stopped caring and the series never really recovered. It doesn't seem to help either that SE can't seem to decide on what a FF game should be.
@johncalmc people ***** on RE3 Remake too much. Yes, it sucks that the clock tower is missing and that the Nemesis is too scripted. Apart from that though it's quality and no filler. Jill and the rest of the cast is great. And the reimagined hospital is an upgrade too.
I've been playing since the very beginning. I was 15 when I bought RE on release in 96 on PS1. Next to WipEout, it was the most revolutionary thing I've ever played. The atmosphere, music and straight up horror was unmatched at the time. I nearly dropped my controller when that damn dog came through the window. 5 and 6 are pretty weak, but the series have since picked up again, which is so lovely to see and be part of. Requiem was great, but partly due to the crazy nostalgia of coming back to Racoon City after having so many fond memories of the OG trilogy. I didn't particularly like the section of Leon running around those apt houses clearing out soldiers, but apart from that it was a solid entry. Resi is the best when it has horror with action elements, not the other side around.
@Colour I definitely had a good time with it, but I grew a bit tired of the gameplay loop tbh. But the story, characters and atmosphere was incredible! Some crazy innovative presentation and cut scenes. Considering how great it looked in the base PS5, the Pro no doubt will be spectacular
Im only interested in the Yakuza series tbh, and even there i fell off due to too the bloated release schedule. My gaming time is limited, so when you have a case of yearly releases with reused assets that's when you lose me. Doesn't help that the games have become increasingly goofy either. They'd be better off putting more money into the mainline games and release one every three years or so instead of the constant remake and spinoff bonanza they're doing. Sonic racing games are good, but to be frank Sonic was never that big in Europe, and tge games suffer from a lack of enticing supporting cast compared to Mario
@Dyomun just because they're less linear doesn't mean they're better games? I didn't care for the story or the monster catcher element in xiii-2, and the rock music is unfit for FF. And Lightning Returns has that terrible timer thing, it didn't gel with me at all. Imo, mainline FFs shouldn't have sequels, it cheapens the series. Release DLCs instead.
I didn't care much for the sequels, but I do have a soft spot for the characters and world of FFXIII. It was too linear for sure, but I'd be interested in playing it again with a bump in graphics. The music was great too if I remember correctly.
How serious is my backlog? I have not tried a single game on the list 😅 So im abstaining from voting. Games I finished this year? Witcher 3, FFXVI, Phantom Liberty, RE4 Remake, Alan Wake remaster.
@bizzysgs id argue one major difference is the inability to explore the games biggest cities. That pissed me off so much and was one of my biggest gripes with the game alongside the absolutely rubbish side quests
This sucks. Consolidation like this is never good. My concern is the great content HBO has put out (although less in recent years, I'll admit), whereas Netflix has almost become the McDonald's of the entertainment industry. Sure, they have some hits here and there, but they are far too content with churning out average shows. Quality over quantity used to be HBO's mantra, and that's all over now. Less quality, less shows and a higher subscription price for sure.
Keep it unique, keep it very much a Japanese setting. I'd like them to focus less on remakes and spinoffs, and rather spend more time and money on a new mainline title every 3-4 years. Each title should have a new location that is fully fleshed out and even more interactive than before. I'm a big time Yakuza fan, but running around Kamurocho in every title gets old real fast.
Up until now I was comfortable not upgrading my PS5 to the Pro, but considering the black Friday discounts going on atm, upgrading at this price point is beginning to look like a better deal considering the crazy price hikes that will be effecting all things with chips in the coming year. It's a now or never situation, as even Sony will be forced to raise their prices by Q3 next year IMO. Choices, choices...
I remember borrowing Silent Hill from a friend back in 1999. I was 17 at the time. I had played Resident Evil 1 & 2 and loved them to bits but holy crap I did not know what I was getting myself into when I booted up SH. F*ck me, it was scary! Very much different in vibe from the Resi games, the constant dread had me running in straight panic all game. The first time that siren rang and the game literallly turned into hell all around me... I was not prepared!
It was the talk of the school yard that year, that's for sure. Most of my mates couldn't finish it - it was too scary!
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the better experiences I've had on PS5 so far. Just loved the universe and the characters. Recently bought the Phantom Liberty DLC and it's great. Big too, like a game in its own tbh.
They made a mistake splitting it into 3 parts. The games have been good so far, but they are definitely bloated. It's typical SE though. They will never understand that sometimes less is more. In their mind growing the FF brand can only be done by going bigger in every sense of the word. More releases. More spinoffs. More remakes. The whole FF brand is just bloated overall.
And I think they struggle with the fact that many of its diehard fans from the 90s/2000s are now grown up and expect more mature storytelling and imagery. I feel most my friends have left JRPGs completely and would rather play something from CD project red or whatever.
I'm at a stage in my life where I really appreciate shorter games. Just finished Yakuza 6 the other day, and it was refreshingly short compared to the bloated affair that Yakuza 5 was. 20-30 hours is perfect for me, although I won't mind the occasional open world game of course.
@FantasyExplor3r88 If they are your favourite publisher then you should root for the games success, no? Wishing someone to fail just because they didn't make a game to your liking is crazy and very short sighted
I'm annoyed of the fact that I'm just not as at good playing WipEout: Omega collection as I am the old trilogy on PSX. Anyone else have this problem? 😅 I thought WO1 was supposed to be balls hard, but I can handle that easily. The faster speeds on omega collection though not so much 🙈
@MrHabushi yet it was a novelty that quickly wore off. Does anyone really want Nintendo to produce another console with motion controls as the main focal point? I don't think so. To this day Skyward Sword is the only Zelda game I've yet to finish and that was due to the controls.
@TrickyDicky99 Exactly. Most people just wanna chill while gaming and as such VR is just not it. And with game development being so expensive these days it's not going to encourage game development solely for the device.
VR ever becoming mainstream is a pipedream. It'll always be niche and as such its difficult to make the required profits. Not surprised by this news at all.
@Northern_munkey dude, whats with the attitude? The whole point of a message board is to give an opinion, you know?
Obviously if the game flops, it will hurt the IP in form of brand reputation and possibly affect future investments in the franchise to a degree. I think Sony is slightly overestimating the value of the IP, but hey, let's see how it plays out.
@TwoDents The real question is though, how many units would Forbidden West have sold if not included in the PS5 bundles? It did not sell as well as the first one either way and the overall reception was not nearly as positive. Personally I'm a fan, but I don't necessarily think there is a huge market for an online game, and if so, such a game will only cause more harm than good to the IP.
Maybe an unpopular opinion here, but I really don't think it was a good idea to remake this game. Silent Hill was never that big to begin with sales numbers wise, and this remake will definitely not hit its targets. This whole thing Konami is doing to revive SH doesn't make sense. Pouring out a bunch of mediocre to good games all at once will not grow the brand. If they wanted SH back on the map they should have focused all their resources into making one new quality title in the vein of Alan Wake 2. That would have made far more of an impact than this frantic release schedule they've got going on right now. They're diluting it, not enhancing it IMO.
It's kinda depressing being in your 40s and realising you're only gonna get a few more of your favourite franchises due to the increased development cycles. We used to have two-three games per generation, nowadays its basically one and done for many.
I'm a bit late to the party, but I reckon I'm about 50% in on Forbidden West. My thoughts so far is that the game is a stunner and the gameplay is improved. However, Aloy has become very unlikeable and the story definitely isn't as engaging as last time around. But the game got a lot better once you turn off the hints and disable all GUI clutter and just move around the world at your own pace. Too bad Aloy still can't shut up about giving hints every 5 seconds, it's driving me mad!
Tbh i'm not that surprised. Everything is becoming more expensive. Didn't Disney also just increase they ad free sub with 20%? It sucks for sure. Gone are the days where you could subscribe to it all..
@SJR Me too! I finished Yakuza 5 just three days ago! Booted up Yakuza 6, and was shocked to see how much better the graphics were. Finally a new engine 🙌🏼
I really think people are overreacting here. The port is ok, loads of people have not played it before, we should be happy that it's finally available on current gen systems. Sure, the price is a bit high, but it'll come on sale eventually. No rush.
Comments 74
Re: Opinion: The PS6 Cannot Come Out in This Era of $1,000+ Consoles
@Dimey I wholeheartedly agree. People have never spent more time on entertainment, yet some are increasingly unwilling to pay for it. I grew up saving for a year to be able to spend $100 on a single SNES game, and paid premium for CDs and VHS as well. I understand that gaming can be viewed as expensive, but I also think most people have become a tad bit spoiled in the sense that they expect to be able to play every game, watch every movie and listen to any kind of music and be able to afford it. That was simply not the case in the 90s - you had to choose carefully.
Re: Poll: How Much Will GTA 6 Cost?
They could charge $150 at this point and people would still buy it. Its gonna be the biggest release of all time
Re: A Brand New Final Fantasy RPG Has Been Announced for PS5
This looks very good!!
Re: Alien Isolation 2 Unveiled in First Teaser Trailer
Alien Isolation was such a great experience. Felt like playing a movie. Super stoked for this!
Re: Konami Successfully Revives Silent Hill with Strong Sales for 2 Remake, F
Haven't played F or the 2 remake yet.. maybe jump on that offer 🤔
Re: 'Thank You So Much': Broken Sword 2 PS5 Remaster Reaches Kickstarter Funding Goal in Under 15 Minutes
@Slippship discworld was bloody hard! One hour in and I was stuck 😂
Re: 'Thank You So Much': Broken Sword 2 PS5 Remaster Reaches Kickstarter Funding Goal in Under 15 Minutes
@lazarus11 traumatised my teenage years 😅
Re: 'Thank You So Much': Broken Sword 2 PS5 Remaster Reaches Kickstarter Funding Goal in Under 15 Minutes
I never finished the 1st game on PSX, and this news just made me want to pick up the PS5 version immediately!
Re: It Never Ends: Eidos Montreal Confirms Mass Layoffs Including Veteran Studio Head
@LogicStrikesAgain wholeheartedly agree. This notion that games need to be a certain length is killing the industry. Not only does it involve huge development teams and costs, it ironically creates less sales for most games since gamers are occupied with bloated open worlds and forced RPG elements keeping them stuck to the game for a years at a time. Some of my absolute best gaming experiences all-time are games that are below the 20 hour mark. In that sense the Resi series really hits the sweet spot for me
Re: If You're Playing Final Fantasy Games on PS5, There's a Good Chance You're Old
FF didn't lose its grip on fans due to too few releases. Look at GTA, releasing one game every ten freaking years don't matter much when the games are that good. What hurts you is releasing FF13 and FF14, plus several mediocre sequels and spinoffs basically in the same decade (2010s). That's when the mainstream stopped caring and the series never really recovered. It doesn't seem to help either that SE can't seem to decide on what a FF game should be.
Re: Congratulations to Resident Evil, 30 Years Old Today and Better Than Ever
@johncalmc people ***** on RE3 Remake too much. Yes, it sucks that the clock tower is missing and that the Nemesis is too scripted. Apart from that though it's quality and no filler. Jill and the rest of the cast is great. And the reimagined hospital is an upgrade too.
Re: Congratulations to Resident Evil, 30 Years Old Today and Better Than Ever
I've been playing since the very beginning. I was 15 when I bought RE on release in 96 on PS1. Next to WipEout, it was the most revolutionary thing I've ever played. The atmosphere, music and straight up horror was unmatched at the time. I nearly dropped my controller when that damn dog came through the window. 5 and 6 are pretty weak, but the series have since picked up again, which is so lovely to see and be part of. Requiem was great, but partly due to the crazy nostalgia of coming back to Racoon City after having so many fond memories of the OG trilogy. I didn't particularly like the section of Leon running around those apt houses clearing out soldiers, but apart from that it was a solid entry. Resi is the best when it has horror with action elements, not the other side around.
Re: Experience Two of PS5's Best Games with a 'New Level of Visual Fidelity' on PS5 Pro
@Colour I definitely had a good time with it, but I grew a bit tired of the gameplay loop tbh. But the story, characters and atmosphere was incredible! Some crazy innovative presentation and cut scenes. Considering how great it looked in the base PS5, the Pro no doubt will be spectacular
Re: SEGA's PS5 Games Get Good Reviews, So Why Aren't You Buying Them?
Im only interested in the Yakuza series tbh, and even there i fell off due to too the bloated release schedule. My gaming time is limited, so when you have a case of yearly releases with reused assets that's when you lose me. Doesn't help that the games have become increasingly goofy either. They'd be better off putting more money into the mainline games and release one every three years or so instead of the constant remake and spinoff bonanza they're doing. Sonic racing games are good, but to be frank Sonic was never that big in Europe, and tge games suffer from a lack of enticing supporting cast compared to Mario
Re: Resident Evil Requiem Surpasses an Astonishing 5 Million Sales in Its First Week
Love it. A focused single player game with a quality campaign that is not overly long. Well done Capcom 👏🏼
Re: Resident Evil Requiem (PS5) - Two-in-One Horror Not Quite an All-Timer
The latter part of the game being weaker than the first is becoming the norm for RE games.
Re: Star Wars: Galactic Racer May Be 2026's Best Substitute for WipEout on PS5
Looks fun but I wish they would bring WipEout back 😕
Re: Amid Many Delays and Cancellations, Beyond Good and Evil 2 Is Still Alive at Ubisoft
Just kill it off already!
Re: Maybe There Is Still Hope for the Final Fantasy 13 Trilogy on PS5, After All
@Dyomun just because they're less linear doesn't mean they're better games? I didn't care for the story or the monster catcher element in xiii-2, and the rock music is unfit for FF. And Lightning Returns has that terrible timer thing, it didn't gel with me at all. Imo, mainline FFs shouldn't have sequels, it cheapens the series. Release DLCs instead.
Re: Maybe There Is Still Hope for the Final Fantasy 13 Trilogy on PS5, After All
I didn't care much for the sequels, but I do have a soft spot for the characters and world of FFXIII. It was too linear for sure, but I'd be interested in playing it again with a bump in graphics. The music was great too if I remember correctly.
Re: Silent Hill Producer Aims to Release One New Game Per Year
Ugh... once a year is way too much. Not even Resi is doing that. Focus on a quality release every two years.
Re: Poll: Vote for Your PS5 Game of the Year 2025
How serious is my backlog? I have not tried a single game on the list 😅 So im abstaining from voting. Games I finished this year? Witcher 3, FFXVI, Phantom Liberty, RE4 Remake, Alan Wake remaster.
Re: Key Square Enix Shareholder Publicly Criticises Weak Game Sales, Company Management
@bizzysgs id argue one major difference is the inability to explore the games biggest cities. That pissed me off so much and was one of my biggest gripes with the game alongside the absolutely rubbish side quests
Re: Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat Publisher Warner Bros Bought for $82 Billion by Netflix
This sucks. Consolidation like this is never good. My concern is the great content HBO has put out (although less in recent years, I'll admit), whereas Netflix has almost become the McDonald's of the entertainment industry. Sure, they have some hits here and there, but they are far too content with churning out average shows. Quality over quantity used to be HBO's mantra, and that's all over now. Less quality, less shows and a higher subscription price for sure.
Re: 'We Might as Well Dissolve the Team Right Now': Like a Dragon Boss Won't Bend to Overseas Popularity
Keep it unique, keep it very much a Japanese setting. I'd like them to focus less on remakes and spinoffs, and rather spend more time and money on a new mainline title every 3-4 years. Each title should have a new location that is fully fleshed out and even more interactive than before. I'm a big time Yakuza fan, but running around Kamurocho in every title gets old real fast.
Re: You Can Buy a Fully-Fledged PS5 for the Same Price as a Less Powerful Xbox Series S Right Now
Up until now I was comfortable not upgrading my PS5 to the Pro, but considering the black Friday discounts going on atm, upgrading at this price point is beginning to look like a better deal considering the crazy price hikes that will be effecting all things with chips in the coming year. It's a now or never situation, as even Sony will be forced to raise their prices by Q3 next year IMO. Choices, choices...
Re: Silent Hill 1 Remake Announced, from Bloober Team
I remember borrowing Silent Hill from a friend back in 1999. I was 17 at the time. I had played Resident Evil 1 & 2 and loved them to bits but holy crap I did not know what I was getting myself into when I booted up SH. F*ck me, it was scary! Very much different in vibe from the Resi games, the constant dread had me running in straight panic all game. The first time that siren rang and the game literallly turned into hell all around me... I was not prepared!
It was the talk of the school yard that year, that's for sure. Most of my mates couldn't finish it - it was too scary!
Re: Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Hype Already Rising Thanks to Ambitious Job Listings
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the better experiences I've had on PS5 so far. Just loved the universe and the characters. Recently bought the Phantom Liberty DLC and it's great. Big too, like a game in its own tbh.
Re: PS Plus Copies of Days Gone Won't Offer Cheap $10 Upgrade to New PS5 Version
Seems like they are missing out on a lot of 10 dollar customers, but hey what do I know. I'll wait for the game to end up for free on PS Plus.
Re: PS5, PS4 Kart Racer Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Will Feature Iconic Characters from SEGA Universes
Awesome news! Loved the previous game.
Re: Rumour: PlayStation Is Working on Reviving Some of Its 'Deep Cut' Franchises
Oh man, I'd kill for a brand new WipEout game! Bring back inspired graphic design and hire Orbital and JamieXX to do the soundtrack 🥳
Re: Square Enix Insists Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Hasn't Been the PS5 Sales Disaster It's Been Painted As
They made a mistake splitting it into 3 parts. The games have been good so far, but they are definitely bloated. It's typical SE though. They will never understand that sometimes less is more. In their mind growing the FF brand can only be done by going bigger in every sense of the word. More releases. More spinoffs. More remakes. The whole FF brand is just bloated overall.
And I think they struggle with the fact that many of its diehard fans from the 90s/2000s are now grown up and expect more mature storytelling and imagery. I feel most my friends have left JRPGs completely and would rather play something from CD project red or whatever.
Re: Game Size Not as Important as It Used to Be, Says Yakuza Creator
I'm at a stage in my life where I really appreciate shorter games. Just finished Yakuza 6 the other day, and it was refreshingly short compared to the bloated affair that Yakuza 5 was. 20-30 hours is perfect for me, although I won't mind the occasional open world game of course.
Re: Alan Wake 2 Trapped in Financial Dark Place, 'Most' Development, Marketing Costs Recouped
@FantasyExplor3r88 If they are your favourite publisher then you should root for the games success, no? Wishing someone to fail just because they didn't make a game to your liking is crazy and very short sighted
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 532
I'm annoyed of the fact that I'm just not as at good playing WipEout: Omega collection as I am the old trilogy on PSX. Anyone else have this problem? 😅 I thought WO1 was supposed to be balls hard, but I can handle that easily. The faster speeds on omega collection though not so much 🙈
Re: Sony Allegedly Pausing PSVR2 Production Due to Surplus of Unsold Stock
@MrHabushi yet it was a novelty that quickly wore off. Does anyone really want Nintendo to produce another console with motion controls as the main focal point? I don't think so. To this day Skyward Sword is the only Zelda game I've yet to finish and that was due to the controls.
Re: Sony Allegedly Pausing PSVR2 Production Due to Surplus of Unsold Stock
@TrickyDicky99 Exactly. Most people just wanna chill while gaming and as such VR is just not it. And with game development being so expensive these days it's not going to encourage game development solely for the device.
Re: Sony Allegedly Pausing PSVR2 Production Due to Surplus of Unsold Stock
VR ever becoming mainstream is a pipedream. It'll always be niche and as such its difficult to make the required profits. Not surprised by this news at all.
Re: Guerrilla's Online PS5 Horizon Game Survives Sony Cull
@Northern_munkey dude, whats with the attitude? The whole point of a message board is to give an opinion, you know?
Obviously if the game flops, it will hurt the IP in form of brand reputation and possibly affect future investments in the franchise to a degree. I think Sony is slightly overestimating the value of the IP, but hey, let's see how it plays out.
Re: Guerrilla's Online PS5 Horizon Game Survives Sony Cull
@TwoDents The real question is though, how many units would Forbidden West have sold if not included in the PS5 bundles? It did not sell as well as the first one either way and the overall reception was not nearly as positive. Personally I'm a fan, but I don't necessarily think there is a huge market for an online game, and if so, such a game will only cause more harm than good to the IP.
Re: Bloober Team Insists Konami to Blame for Ill-Received Silent Hill 2 Remake Trailer
Maybe an unpopular opinion here, but I really don't think it was a good idea to remake this game. Silent Hill was never that big to begin with sales numbers wise, and this remake will definitely not hit its targets. This whole thing Konami is doing to revive SH doesn't make sense. Pouring out a bunch of mediocre to good games all at once will not grow the brand. If they wanted SH back on the map they should have focused all their resources into making one new quality title in the vein of Alan Wake 2. That would have made far more of an impact than this frantic release schedule they've got going on right now. They're diluting it, not enhancing it IMO.
Re: Rumour: A PS5 Remake of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Is Possibly on the Cards
It's kinda depressing being in your 40s and realising you're only gonna get a few more of your favourite franchises due to the increased development cycles. We used to have two-three games per generation, nowadays its basically one and done for many.
Re: Final Fantasy 16 Dev Team Disbands, Making Sequels or Spin-Offs Unlikely
Great. Too many spinoffs dilute the brand. Focus on making the best mainline entries you can.
Re: Jurassic Park: Classic Collection Breaks Containment on PS5, PS4
@Northern_munkey I had the SNES version as well, but I can promise you the game has not aged well.. Best left alone!
Re: PS Plus Essential Games for October 2023 Announced
Calisto Protocol! Nice!!
Re: Looks Like One of PS5's Best Games Is Getting a Complete Edition
I'm a bit late to the party, but I reckon I'm about 50% in on Forbidden West. My thoughts so far is that the game is a stunner and the gameplay is improved. However, Aloy has become very unlikeable and the story definitely isn't as engaging as last time around. But the game got a lot better once you turn off the hints and disable all GUI clutter and just move around the world at your own pace. Too bad Aloy still can't shut up about giving hints every 5 seconds, it's driving me mad!
Re: PS Plus Essential, Extra, Premium Price Increases Announced by Sony
Tbh i'm not that surprised. Everything is becoming more expensive. Didn't Disney also just increase they ad free sub with 20%? It sucks for sure. Gone are the days where you could subscribe to it all..
Re: Preview: Like a Dragon Gaiden Feels Like an Evolution of the Yakuza Franchise
@SJR Me too! I finished Yakuza 5 just three days ago! Booted up Yakuza 6, and was shocked to see how much better the graphics were. Finally a new engine 🙌🏼
Re: Hands On: Red Dead Redemption PS4 Port Seems Solid, But Should Be So Much More
I really think people are overreacting here. The port is ok, loads of people have not played it before, we should be happy that it's finally available on current gen systems. Sure, the price is a bit high, but it'll come on sale eventually. No rush.
Re: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Gameplay Will Blast Its Way into Gamescom Opening Night Live
Cyberpunk has been the best game I've played on PS5 so far. Super excited for the DLC!