I'm actually really, really annoyed by this in a way that I don't think I ever have been for a studio closure. This is catastrophic mismanagement and heads should roll for it.

Imagine buying the best remake studio in the world during a golden age of remakes and then having them/allowing them to work on a God of War live service game and then shutting the studio when that idiotic idea doesn't pan out. Surely there has never been a worse example of a console manufacturer acquiring a studio and mishandling them this badly? Even Xbox gave Rare enough time to come good in the end.

I'm really, really annoyed by this. And the kicker is that they're still working on stuff like Fairgames - a title that seemingly the entire PlayStation fanbase hates already without seeing a shred of gameplay, and they shepherded Concord to release despite literally any single person who knows even a basic amount about the video game industry being able to predict within five minutes of seeing it that it was doomed.

It's like the people making decisions have somehow bluffed themselves into job roles and they're burning down a great thing through sheer incompetence and greed.

I get the live service thing. Big money etc. But just utilise second party for that and let your studios do what they're good at. How hard is that? Instead, we've got Bluepoint shutting down, barely any PlayStation games for an entire generation, and a bunch of boneheads at PlayStation HQ scratching their heads and wondering why Concord didn't become the next Star Wars.

And then to cap it all off, just to rub salt into a gaping wound, it wasn't even that long ago that the suits were giving themselves a big pat on the back because PlayStation has soaring profits. It's making money hand over fist. We're not in dire straits here. They didn't have to close this studio to keep the lights on.

All these people lost their jobs and PlayStation studios is a dumpster fire, and Hermen Hulst is just sat there like

Love how furious this comments section is. Rightly so! I'm genuinely livid about this.

"Don't worry guys, we're still working on Fairgames."

This is disgusting.

I can't even adequately convey how annoyed I am about this. What the hell is going on over there? Hermen Hulst needs to go.

I'm basically an old man with my phone. I use it to make calls and text and I have Spotify on it so I can listen to music in my car. I don't take photos, don't download apps, and it's been on silent since the day I got it. So this ain't a problem for me.

He's right again. I'm 95% digital. I only have physical games because I can't think of anything else I want for Christmas. But physical needs to be an option for the areas where internet access isn't the best. There's lots of places with data caps, or slow connections. I can download a game in minutes, but even in the US - the biggest market - there's areas where it's not as feasible.

That packaging is absolutely delightful. Wild that they've gone to this much effort over what would have been an optional mode tacked on to a much more interesting game in the PS3 generation.

Sweet. I love being monetised.

This game was toast the second they announced it. Sad, but releasing a generic-ass looking free to play multiplayer shooter in 2026 is signing your own death warrant. Even good ones or interesting ones fail. The gameplay in this one might have been relatively unique, but it looks like every other shooter that's come out in the last few years and allowing Geoff to put this last at the game awards was a colossal miscalculation.

I'm glad they took a chance and hope they continue to do so. I don't think this looks particularly good though. Haven't played it. Also looks massively overpriced.

Bit weird. I'll play them if they ever come to PlayStation, but I'm not turning my Switch on for this.

I much prefer the new combat in God of War and Ragnorak, but they should definitely keep the old combat style for these remakes. That style of combat suits Kratos at that point. The plodding, heavy Kratos in the new games is different and that new combat style suits him in those.

I was never really excited for this one because I get that the combat is good but combat is like the thing I am least interested in when playing an RPG like this. As long as it's not annoying, I don't care how the combat goes. I just want a good story and a big quest to go on. Don't think this one is for me but I might give it a go when it's cheap.

I know how long the PS5 has been out. My brain knows how long I've had one. But it feels like this generation is just getting started. I don't know whether it's because PlayStation hasn't bothered to release many games this gen or whether it's because there was so much crossover between PS4 and PS5 games or whether it's some sort of shared hysteria but a lot of people seem to feel this way.

Personally, if you told me PS6 was 2030 I'd be absolutely fine with it.

I always thought Cory Barlog was working on something not God of War related. If it just turns out to be God of War Goes Egypt I'll be a bit disappointed honestly.

Just looks like another boring multiplayer shooter with pretty colours but what do I know? I don't play boring multiplayer shooters. Maybe the boring multiplayer shooter crowd will love it.

They open it up and it's a copy of Concord.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't on this one.

They were cringe even back in the 2000s, but if you get rid of them dorks on the Internet will moan about "censorship" and the "woke agenda". If you keep them it's true to the spirit of the original games but dorks on the Internet will describe the game as "problematic" in tedious think pieces.

Honestly, I wouldn't bother remaking them. It's not worth it.

Good. I feel like there's loads of life left in the PS5. And what are we going to get from PS6, really? Slightly nicer graphics? Slightly better performance? I don't care. If nothing else it'll give Sony chance to release some games for PS5.

This review is really good. Doesn't get too caught up in the drama and remembers that we're reviewing a video game here. I get that some people won't like the changes - and obviously the sex pest hiring is a massive unforced error on RGG's part - but if we all stop crying about losing a bunch of mostly rubbish sub-stories, and about a story change that was obvious the second they announced this game, then there's a lot here to like.

The orphanage stuff felt like a chore in the original game but here they've done an excellent job. Tying together several mini-games and short story scenes really works, and I really feel the connection between Kiryu and the kids that I didn't feel playing the original versions.

There's loads to do, the combat is fun - love the perfect dodge - and I am a big fan of the Bad Boy Dragon thing. I really like the modern Yakuza thing of having massive battles with a bunch of people you collect throughout the game.

It's a shame this game has been marred by controversy and subjected to some incredibly questionable review scores based on that, but then it's RGG's own fault so I don't have any sympathy. As a game though, I think this review is spot-on, and the game is great.

While I am eternally sour about how we used to be able to unlock things by beating the game rather than it all just being DLC, I think this is totally different. Unlock outfits, big head mode, etc. by beating the game. But co-op? That should really be in from the start. If anything, it's a selling point. Bewildering decision.

I haven't played it. And I don't feel strongly about it either way. But I do get the criticism from what I've seen. I think it looks ugly. Why is it story story story in a Metroidvania? Why make a 2D game like this that could allow for some incredible visual flair and stylish combat and then set it in the single least appealing time period of Kratos' life outside of when he was in the womb?

Silksong is like half the price of this isn't it?

I get why it exists and I like the idea in principle. I also like PlayStation trying new things. I also like the idea of smaller games filling the gaps between tentpole releases. The problem is that the gaps between tentpole releases are huge now, and I'm not sure a generic looking 2D God of War game that's way overpriced is the play here.

I liked Returnal a lot but I get why people wanted to feel like they were progressing more. You really just have to get better at it and that's all there is to it. Probably why it took me so long to beat it. But I had a great time with it.

This looks excellent too.

Is 20 fighters not a bit slim for a 4v4 game?

I don't know by the way. I'm asking. I don't play fighting games. Just seems a bit light on options to me.

This looks a lot less interesting than I imagined. I guess leaks hurt this one, because when I heard 2D God of War, this is not what I was imagining. I was imagining a rad Metroidvania, over the top, violent, etc. If I hadn't been imagining that maybe this would be less meh.

I didn't watch it but from the announcements I've been reading it was fine. Big "quick announce Elder Scrolls VI in case they don't like Fallout Online" energy to announcing God of War remakes that don't exist. Still, it's nice to know first party is doing something.

Lot of things we'd already seen. Castlevania was nice. Yeah. Pretty alright I guess!

I always knew I'd only be buying this thing for MGS4 but it's kinda surprising 5 isn't in this collection. Not that I care since I hate MGSV. All I care about is being able to play 4 without waiting a fortnight for my PS3 to update. Bring it on.

Shout out to Guerrilla announcing their silly multiplayer game the same week as a State of Play but not at the State of Play to avoid annoying everyone during the State of Play.

I don't know whether Highguard would have ever been a success - unlikely, I think - but Geoff really signed this game's death warrant by putting it on last at The Game Awards. I know it's not fair, and it shouldn't matter, but you only get one chance to make a first impression and instantly disappointing millions of people watching that show by the last reveal being another generic looking free to play shooter was not a good way to generate favour.

Everything about this game irritates me. I'm annoyed we're not getting the Horizon MMO. I'm annoyed they're making this instead of concentrating on Horizon 3. I'm annoyed by the artstyle. Even the name of it annoys me.

I'm busy that week.

@Fizza oh Ichiban is alright. But Kiryu is an all time great protagonist, and while I liked Ichiban fine in 7, in Infinite Wealth you could tell they'd already ran out of ideas for him. He's just a big dumb puppy and that's fun for a side character. But he's just not as interesting and the whole power of friendship things is urgh.

Basically, when someone starts with Ichiban he wants to give them a second, third, and fourth chance to redeem themselves. Kiryu pours salt in their eyes and then punches them through a shop window. That's the sauce.

Personally I don't care about the changes based on the leaks - haven't played the game. It's fine. Dumb? Sure. But it was dumb from game 1. That's the fun. Treating the story like it was sacred until this moment when the changes aren't even top five silliest things in the series doesn't ring true for me.

I'm more interested in what this means. I assumed Kiwami 4 and Kiwami 5 would follow, and that they were building to basically Yakuza Avengers Endgame. There's so many characters it seemed obvious.

But this almost implies that they're splintering the timeline and continuing the story from 3? Or that they're going to make more young(ish) Kiryu games?

They clearly don't want to leave Kiryu behind and Ichiban kinda sucks so I get it. This is baffling though.

This is the sort of score I want a game like this to get. I'd almost be disappointed if it was a 9. Gimme the jank and the rough around the edges nonsense. I'm in.

I gave up on bothering with the platinum for Rebirth about a billion hours into it because it was too boring, and I'm not sure, even with cheats, it would be worth it. Such a slog.

@ShogunRok I was hoping they'd be individual for bonus platinums but I expected them to be together. I'm glad they're following the modern Yakuza trophy formula though, rather than the old school ones.

Excellent! I am looking forward to the game. Delightful work on the review.

Robert the only question I need answering is:

Does Dark Ties have it's own trophy list or is it all in one?

Every time I watch one of these things it's rubbish so I think I'll do everyone a favour and not watch it.

I cannot believe that they've been working on this instead of Horizon 3. I assumed a smaller team was making this while the main team was making the real game. I know that PlayStation's live service thing has been a catastrophe so far so I shouldn't be surprised but what the hell are you doing over there.

Whoever let Guerrilla waste time and money on this needs to be stopped.

The only way I could be less into this game is if it appeared on the Epstein list.

See this is exactly the sort of nonsense I like.

Sounds like an unrealistic expectations problem.

I refuse to buy a PS5 Pro because the small inconvenience of having to move my old PS5 and transfer stuff gives me the fear.

There's some fella sat in an office at Sony HQ just thinking up the maddest things he can think of and then patenting it. What a life they must lead.

This is kinda weird because as someone who writes reviews I kinda feel like reviews are borderline worthless. Like, I don't read them. I just look at games and then see if I like the look of them. Occasionally, if I don't know, I'll have a read. But I'm not reading every review to see if the game I'm interested in is getting the scores I hoped.

The point I'm getting to is that a lot of people put way too much stock into reviews. People think they're paid for or "for clicks" even though reviews generate virtually no money for most websites compared to other things like guides, and reviewers aren't all driving around in sports cars.

At the end of the day, it's a person on the internet you don't know telling you if they liked a game you haven't played. I have absolutely no idea how people get so wound up about them. But they do. Like, some of the hate mail I've received and I'm not even a big reviewer... it would raise your eyebrows.

It's not my type of game at all. I just have no interest in multiplayer shooters. So it's kinda hard for me to even know if it has a chance or not. Based on my limited knowledge, it looks pretty much the same as every other multiplayer free to play shooter. Except there's horses. I don't know. I won't be playing it though. Good luck to it I say.

I played the first one and honestly the character creator had no business being as good as it was. Still, I'll probably play this because why not.

Time to set myself unrealistic expectations for what they'll show off and then get annoyed when they're not met.

I feel like Watch Dogs almost the same way I feel about Assassin's Creed. It's a fantastic idea, but then they had to go and Ubisoft it up.