jgrangervikings1

This game might be fun, but I really miss Super Sprint and Ironman Stewart’s Off Road Racing as the entire map is on the screen. Are there any PS4 games that fall into that same category that I’m just not aware of?

@thefourfoldroot Unravel got great reviews and it’s pretty and whatnot, but I just didn’t get into it. If you try it, hopefully you’ll like it better than I did.

I wasn’t able to finish Days Gone, so I scooped it up while it was still on sale for $19.99. That’s a great game!!

I don’t care if you review Cyberpunk 2077, because so many other outlets are already reviewing it. I’m always more interested in the smaller games getting reviews since they’re not often covered by other outlets.

“Fever gone but itchy.” Bwahahaha

Best review ever. Keep up the good work.

If only my PS4 could remotely play the PS5 owned by someone else who lives a few blocks away. I mean, at some point the PS5 owners have to go to work or school, so I could totally play their PS5 during those down times.

For that matter, they could pay me since I’d be doing them a service. I can make sure their PS5 is still in good shape and runnin’ good. 🤪

I have a tough time believing that other game companies haven’t taken the basic mechanic of Katamari and made it more appealing to the masses by westernizing it (aka making it less batsh!t crazy). Donut County made something similar, but made a bigger hole vs. a bigger rolley ball, and that was fun.

Since I’m dreaming, I hope a developer makes a new game along the lines of Gals Panic S2 / Cubixxx / Qix. I love those types of games.

It’ll be Man of Medan and Ready Set Heroes.

The hand-to-hand combat should be great if it’s coming from a Meleeysian studio.

If they add a slot for Betamax tapes, I’m all in!

An 8.5 on Game Informer? As Crash Bandicoot, that’s accurate. As Cooter McGee, instant 9.0.

Hey, Activision: You’re welcome.

I always thought “Crash Bandicoot“ as a character’s name was ok—just ok. I would have named him Cooter. Cooter McGee.

Don’t get me wrong. You can still call him “Crash,” but in my mind, he’s a Cooter. Cooter McGee.

I never thought the Crysis games were “fun” per se. They were gorgeous compared to the competition, but the actual game wasn’t buoyant for my boat. I just didn’t dig ‘em. I should go back and pull out Crysis 2 for my PS3 and see if my opinion has changed. I mean, I need to dust and vacuum the house, anyway.

So...I’ll be able to play dead games like Battleborn and Evolve again? Oh, that’s probably the 1% he’s talkin’ about. D’oh!

@Northern_munkey I bought Michael Jackson’s Thriller on album...then cassette...then cd...then ripped the cd to mp3s and put ‘em on a data disc...then moved ‘em to a flash drive...then my wife bought the tracks again on her iPhone. What’s the point? The only constant is change.

Physical media will likely disappear. It’s just a question of when. Eliminating physical media saves on manufacturing and distribution costs, and it gets the game into players’ hands nearly instantaneously. As soon as the files are uploaded onto the PSN site, money can be made and it goes directly to Sony—with no middle men taking a cut of the profits. Digital direct-to-consumer sales HUGELY boost Sony’s (and other developers’) profit potential.

If backwards compatibility is available via the disc drive, that’s the one for me. If not, I’ll save $100 and opt for the digital only deck.

With so many games on the market, there can’t be too many users even playing Streets of Rage 4 these days...or maybe I’m wrong. Is there a way to know how many users are still playing specific games?

RPG Maker MV always sounded interesting—at least it did back in 2015 when it came out on pc. If there’s a physical release, I can envision it becoming a collector’s item with some worth in 20-25 years.

12/15. Not too shabby.

It’s gotta be a green 1975 AMC Gremlin.

I like the article, but what I want from an article like this is a Top 10 Best Deals list. No matter what’s listed in the Top 10, it’ll generate more interest and discussion. Anyway, it’s just a thought.

For what it’s worth, Ubisoft put Warden from For Honor into SNK’s Samurai Shodown, but not Sam Fisher...well, not yet, anyway.

Zaccaria Pinball is free-to-play, and it’s fun in short bursts. One pinball table is fully playable (1980’s Space Shuttle), and the other tables have a score limit—usually attainable anywhere from 12 seconds to about 3 minutes, depending on how long you can bash the ball around without hitting the lit lanes or the specials.

It’s fun that many of the special effect sounds come out the controller speaker—it feels more life-like that way, and the rumble of the controller feels just right. The sound effects of the flippers are right on, too.

The play is somewhat better than the Farsight studio pinball games of the past (Gottleib and Williams Pinball Hall of Fame and Stern Pinball)—the ball just moves more realistically. I like that the player can adjust the lighting/colors on the tables, so it one-ups Zen Pinball in that respect. And, and the ability to modify the arcade room’s carpet and wallpaper were a neat addition.

Still, at the end of the day, the pinball tables in Zaccaria Pinball are based on actual machines, many from the 1970s and 80s, and that’s what holds it back. Ultimately, the game will hold your attention for only as long as your thirst for your memories of the past need quenching and, considering I don’t remember any of these machines in the American arcades I frequented, it wasn’t too long before I was ready to move on to something else. That said, the download is fairly small and the entry price point is nice. It’s worth a look if you’re looking to play something different or if you enjoy playing pinball.

I thought all the games were released on Tuesdays. Hmm. Is that a new thing to release them throughout the week? I’ve probably just been living in my Covid bubble too long. Oy.

One of the reasons I’m not a fan of XBox in general is that I bought the original XBox way back when and Microsoft canned it too quickly. I felt burned. I was hesitant to invest in 360 because of how fast the original was shuttered, so I moved over to Sony platforms and rest is history. Seems as though this is another example of history repeating itself.

@blacklivesmatter Nearly every poorly reviewed game is a good deal if the expectations are low and the price is right. 😀

Bah. Just acquire Zen Studios. I know it’d take balls to do it, though. Three, to be exact, unless you activate the extra ball.

Haven’t spent much time with it. It’s just such a big time investment. Can we plug in a mouse and keyboard via PS4’s front USB ports and play with Dreams that way? I love console gaming, but a mouse could really help simplify the controls.

10th Anniversary of PS+!! Yaay.

Bummer. I was hoping for a free Vita game, you know, for old time’s sake.

I own Erica. It’s okay. For a full-motion video game, it’s got good production value. The story and payoff, however, weren’t all that exciting or interesting—at least to me. I had more fun with The Complex and The Bunker. Still, it’ll be good that more players are introduced to FMV games.

As for the Tomb Raider game, it’s been available on PS Now for a few months and I wasn’t interested enough to try it then. And, a previous Tomb Raider game was given away through PS+ a few years ago. I played that game then—it was good. I’m sure this is a good game, too, so kudos for giving out a high quality game. Still, I’d rather the game be from a series that hasn’t been previously tapped.

As for the NBA game, we’ve already gotten a couple of NBA 2K games through PS+ in the past so, again, I’d rather it be a different game from an untapped series. And, it’s not as though NBA basketball changes all that much from year to year, anyway. We’ll have updated rosters, new animations, and slightly more polished graphics. The Timberwolves sucked then, and they still suck now. Let me play with the ‘94 roster, and I’ll be slightly more interested. Still, the 2K series of NBA are high quality games, so I’m glad basketball fans will have something to play.

I’m sure many players will be excited for July’s games, and they’re fine AAA choices, but I don’t foresee myself playing them. I’ll add ‘em to the library, though, just in case something unforeseen happens and I have extra time on my hands. Who knows?! Maybe there will be a pandemic. 🤨

My guess is that it’s a cost-savings move to save on labor costs. Employees probably had to take mandatory furloughs, and this is what got cut. And, if there’s enough public outcry, then Sony will bring it back and say that they’re listening, the fans have spoken, and they’re committed to providing the best info and service that they can. At that point, the furloughs will have been taken, and business will be back to usual...and Sony comes away from this whole thing smellin‘ like a rose.

Hey, let the users download a free game for PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PSP, and PS Vita. Heck, throw in a free PSMini game and a PS Mobile game, too. Just do it—give ‘em all away, Sony! And, on my end, I’m willing to take on the heavy responsibility—the burden, if you will—of scouring through PSN with a fine-toothed comb to find the most wothy games, managing the PS4’s hard drive and ensuring there’s space for all of ‘em, downloadin’ ‘em, bootin’ ‘em up, and givin’ each one of ‘em a thorough playthrough. And, I’ll even pay for my internet service and electricity costs. I’d do all that as a way to honor PSN and PS+. Sony, you’re welcome.

Is this a Sandlot game?

———

To save our mother Earth from any alien attack
From vicious giant insects who have once again come back
We'll unleash all our forces, we won't cut them any slack
The EDF deploys!

Our soldiers are prepared for any alien threats
The navy launches ships, the air force send their jets
And nothing can withstand our fixed bayonets
The EDF deploys!

Our forces have now dwindled and we pull back to regroup
The enemy has multiplied and formed a massive group
We better beat these bugs before we're all turned to soup
The EDF deploys!

—Rean Schwarzer—
Bad guys all fear him
But ladies get near him
He’ll kiss a few gals
Then hang out with pals
And go wild on his own demon serum.

Touching video. Glad the research is being done, glad the options are there.

I was playing Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune on PS4 this weekend, and, literally, after YEARS of playing, getting frustrated, and rage quitting over and over again I FINALLY finished the game. The problem? The colors on all three of my tvs were too dark, and I couldn’t see where to go or what to do in basic cave areas. I had cranked up the brightness on the game settings and on the tvs, I tried playing at night in the dark, and it still didn’t matter—the game was still too dark in places...but for years I never knew that was the reason why I was struggling to play through it.

So, how did I finally finish the game? How did I learn the brightness was the problem? I finally broke down, went onto YouTube and watched someone do a playthrough. I hate watching playthroughs because I feel like I’m cheating. I enjoy figuring out the puzzles on my own. But, what I found was that the brightness levels on my iPhone go much higher than my tv, and it was like a night and day difference. I could see different colors and textures on the walls—it was awesome.

I do have some vision issues, but even with my glasses and standing a foot away from my 65 inch LED tv and squinting, I had to pause the game about every other minute on some of the final levels to view the iPhone YouTube walkthrough so that I could see what direction I needed to go.

The point is...accessibility options can be hugely important to game enjoyment. Uncharted had a brightness option, but it still wasn’t enough. Naughty Dog could’ve done more. I’m glad they’re doing more with TLOU 2.

Ratchet and Clank games have always looked good, regardless of the console generation. The biggest problem with R&C games is slowdown. Every dang game has slowdown issues. It’s great that Clank is shiny, but I’ll take the 2016 graphics in a heartbeat if the slowdown is eliminated.

Ah, they’ll make some alternate endings, slap some interesting choice options onto it, and turn it into one heck of an interesting Telltale-type game. They’ve already got the bones and basic structure for it, so why not? Easier and more cost effective than starting over from scratch on something else completely.

I just played through The Complex and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the acting was great. The characters were engaging, the story was interesting, and it was a great way to spend an evening—a couple of hours, some choices, some intrigue, and a great overall experience. Given the low price and opportunities to go back and play through it multiple times to see different endings, it’s worth a look—at the right price point. At a $19.99 price point I’d give it a 7.5. At a $14.99 price point, I’d give it an 8.0. At a $9.99 price point, it’s an 8.5. And, if you can scoop it up for $4.99 or less, it’d be worth a 9.0.

It’s Super Sim Stardust, but don’t expect an outer space shooter. Rather, it’s a casino building game set in Las Vegas.
—Wanna bet? (Ba-dum-tiss!)
—What are the odds? (Ba-dum-tiss!)
—Ha! I’m on a roll! (Ba-dum-tiss!)

It’ll come in at a 92. It should be higher, but there are always reviewers who believe nothing is “perfect” because there are always small, subtle things that can be changed here or there. And there will be a few reviewers who felt certain story arcs or dialogue responses should’ve gone a different direction. Still, Naughty Dog is the cream of the crop, and I honestly can’t remember when they last put anything less than stellar onto the market. I suppose it’s always possible TLOU2 could be “el poopy“, but there’s a better chance that the COVID-19 pandemic started from Donald Trump’s uneaten Taco Bell leftovers.

I kinda like the Until Dawn one. The others look fairly standard, but I haven’t seen that Until Dawn image before. Could be that I’m living in a bubble, though.

Any word on whether some of the proceeds have to go to the US state of Rhode Island since that state had loaned a crapload of money to 38 Studios and then got very little of it back?

For someone interested in Persona 5, is it a better deal to grab it on sale at $7.99 or wait a couple months for a price drop on Persona 5 Royal?

I bought a physical copy of COD: WWII from the local Pawn America store about six months ago for $5, and I was excited because it was such a great price. The other used copies of the same game on that store’s shelves were like $12-$15, so I figured some silly non-video gaming worker mispriced it, and I took advantage! But, for all the rest of the PS4 gamers out there, hey, the PS+ price is even better—>free (with paid subscription). Woo!

It’s a really good game. I thought the opening landing at Normandy was exciting, nauseating, visceral, and surreal—about as realistic and engaging as one could ever hope for.

The other PS Plus games for the month? At some point, I’m guessing Hellblade. That Plague game is out there, too, and so is Control. Or, since Civilization VI is being given away through Epic Game Store on pc this week—and GTA V was free there last week—maybe PS+ would go in one of those directions.

In incubation...or just a bad yoke?

@johnny30 Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean. This one will be Trails of Cold Steel IV, not Trails of Cold Steel IX.

If Mozart were alive, would he be writing video game music?

Cool article. With the interview and putting this article together. I liked it a lot. And, it shined a light on an impressive, instrumental aspect of the gaming experience—the music—and the artist is really talented...wow!

As an aside, I’d love to hear a music score for a game in this vein that eschews the strings and woodwinds in favor of big brass and percussion. The result would be something along the lines of Basil Poledouris’s Conan the Barbarian score (though even his score had too many strings imo).

That dude needs some braces, but he’s got an upbeat, sunny disposition, so that’s a plus.

Ever notice how all the drawings on art apps like this are perfect and awesome?! The pictures never seem to match mine: stick men holding balloons...and flowers with smiley faces.

Do you think that another company’s software will ever replace Unreal’s and Unity’s? Or are those two so dominant in the industry that they won’t be knocked off their perch at the top?

If you have never gotten into JRPGs like me but you’re sitting at home with the Coronavirus outbreak and can’t decide what to play, go out and buy the first Trails of Cold Steel on PSN store. It’s on sale this week. It’s a great game for anyone. It’s accessible, it’s fun, it eats ip your time, and you will keep coming back to it. And, if you’re like me, you got invested in the series and now can’t wait for the fourth entry. Great games! I wish Sony would highlight them—they really are worth the time.