somnambulance

Never heard of this one. Got to imagine it sold at a deep discount to get those numbers? I’ve never even seen that thing in stores…

I’ll vote Lumines because I love Tetris Effect, but realistically there wasn’t much of interest in November for me. What happened to Unbeatable? Wasn’t that supposed to come out in November?

Hopefully this results in Kojima being in the next Kingdom Hearts game.

Sounds like Black Ops 7 and Kirby Air Riders may be flops, but at least Kirby can rely on strong sales in Japan.

@Boxmonkey People care because it’s putting creatives out of work. It’s already too late though. People should’ve cared about this 10-15 years ago.

@Americansamurai1 They already exist. Time Extension had put out a decent amount of coverage on Ghost Hunters. You should check it out.

As of right now, there’s very little I’m interested in for 2026. If this is true, that could really help next year start off right… and give me my yearly birthday present to give to myself too!

@MrGawain Doritos and Mountain Dew certainly cause thickness, so you may be on to something here.

Looks Fallout-y to me

Lol, while Black Friday shopping yesterday, my wife said to me, “Let’s get this one for our son on the Switch (with regards to Horizon). I think he’d like it.” I said, NOPE. It’ll be free on PS+!

Sony can’t cry about losing that sale though since Santa’s got a Portal and a bunch of Astro Bot merch in his bag instead

Looking forward to reading reviews for like half a dozen games next week. Not sure I’ll pick anything up outside Metroid on the Nintendo side of things, but I’m genuinely interested in knowing how a few of these turned out.

Two classic style beat ‘em ups releasing the same week, by the way. I think I’m getting 30 years younger seeing that!

Honestly, I really want to play something new, but I feel bad about buying anything new right now, given that Metroid is coming this week and I’m about to buy a Steamdeck and will be sinking some money into starting a Steam library very soon. I have to work today, but it’s snow storm weather, so I sort of want to just curl up and play some games. Realistically though, I think I’m just going to plan my early Steam library and play Arc Raiders… but I keep thinking about The Outer Worlds 2 at random too…

I should go back to Yotei and finish that though, shouldn’t I? Or Silent Hill F? Or Hades 2? For some reason, as good as those games are, man, I’m struggling getting back to them.

For me, the 10/10s are:
Elden Ring
Alan Wake 2
Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
Balatro
Astro Bot
Death Stranding 2
Hollow Knight: Silksong

So… I half agree with the Pushsquare list! I’d say I’d rank Edith Finch as a 10/10 too, but that’s a PS4 game for me. Might as well say a bunch of PS4 games with PS5 upgrades are 10/10s if that one’s included, you know?

All that said, even the 10s I disagree with, it’s impossible to deny their impact and quality…

Glad to see CoD is finally being chastised by the purchasing public for releasing a lackluster game

12/15

As of the time of the writing of this comment, I have the highest score on here… of anyone that isn’t employed by Hookshot! Dreams can come true! I read the articles and remember things!

Day 1. This looks fantastic to me.

I don’t really think it’s a sequel problem so much as it feels like the sequels aren’t as good as the first games. I wouldn’t say any of the PS5 sequels reign supreme over the PS4 originals. I mean, they improve the gameplay a little bit, but the games feel iterative rather than games than go in new dimensions, if you know what I mean. None of them have been a TotK sequel to BotW if that makes sense. Astro Bot could qualify as a solid sequel that was a leap. Death Stranding 2 is about as good as the first one too.

Also, Wolverine and Saros definitely feel sequely to me, even though they aren’t authentic sequels.

The console has been solid, but I did have to get mine repaired because the liquid metal in the console dried out. A little bit of a design flaw in the console. However, I love the Dualsense controller 100%. Might be my favorite controller of all time so far.

As far as games go, it’s been a patchy generation. It’s not like there’s nothing to play this generation, far from it, but there’s certainly been fewer essential experiences. Thus far, 2023 might be the only year that truly felt exceptional for the console. I’m not sure Sony’s first party strategy is for me anymore either. So far, Astro Bot and Death Stranding 2 are the only first party games I’d give a 10/10 to. I know a 10/10 is high praise, but that’s definitely lower than any other PlayStation console. The exclusives have carried the console for me, but most aren’t exclusive anymore. It’s been a weird generation where software is concerned.

And I can wait a long time for a PS6. Sony will have to sell the console to me next time, unfortunately. I’m not an insta-buy like I had been for three generations. I’m not sure I’d buy a new gen PlayStation right now and that’s largely because the first party line-up hasn’t been for me. Contemplating to go PC/Nintendo next gen.

@Dogbreath Fair enough, but I don’t think the majority of users here are in the minimum wage bracket, which would account for the squabbling. The users on this site tend to be more adult, so, if the average grocery item is 18%+ more expensive than it would have been three years ago, and if they’ve not received a wage increase to be comparable to the raising costs, that would make an impact to their thoughts of purchasing things in general, even cheaper things.

@Dogbreath I think it’s the fact that everything else is more expensive now in conjunction with wages not raising to meet the standard of those price increases that is making people view price hikes on anything an an enemy. Also, there was no way to socially complain about things back in the day. Lol.

But, I mean, personally I agree with you that gaming is a relatively cheap hobby in comparison to everything else and I do hope it stays that way. I mean, you can get a game for cheaper than you can going to see a movie in a theater with a family of 4 circa 2025 (in my area, at least). Sort of insane you can buy a 100+ hour experience for $70 these days on anything… and that’s without a sale.

But, when groceries cost approximately double what they did 5 years ago and rent has increased significantly as well, that means many are being squeezed out of their hobbies now because the essentials cost more. And I know plenty of people that haven’t gotten a raise in the last two years or have lost their job and had to take a job that pays less due to “market uncertainty.” I think it’s more these factors than anything else. The world just isn’t what it was pre-2020.

Rooting for Donkey Kong Bananza since it won critics choice at the Golden Joystick Awards. Death Stranding 2’s my real pick, but man I’d love to see Bananza win just because of all the monkey business, you know?

@DrVenture69 He really likes walking sims, particularly ones with somewhat “scary” vibes, though he doesn’t like games that are actually scary. He likes the Exit 8 a lot too. I got lucky he’s not Roblox and Fortnite minded as many kids are these days!

I think the themes in Maquette may not click with him, but Talos Principle may be a good shout. I don’t recall if I own it (modern gamer problems, right?), but I’ve never played it. Might be fun to go in blind together!

That’s a bummer. I know I’m a little bit of an anomaly with Sony next year in comparison to most on here, but there’s nothing first party right now outside this I’m looking forward to. I know it was wishful thinking for this one to be 2026, but still… could really use more Naughty Dog-esque games in the industry right now.

I played through Portal yesterday with my son. That was fun. It’s always interesting to share an ancient artifact with him and see what he thinks. He could see the influence in other games he likes such as The Stanley Parable, Superliminal, and The Witness. Not bad observing that for an 8 year old.

Outside that, I’m contemplating jumping on a Black Friday sale for something. While, yes, I still have Yotei and Silent Hill F to complete, I sort of feel like I’m having a hard time pushing myself to play either of them and Portal felt like a breath of fresh air. A friend of mine really wants me to start playing Arc Raiders too, so maybe that’s the answer. I didn’t have time for games for a while, but I think that’ll change a bit this week. Just not sure how yet.

@REALAIS Bill Gates himself said recently in interview that AI will solve a lot of global issues and result in people being able to work less and spend more time doing the things they enjoy. On Jimmy Fallon, he waxed on about how humans could enjoy a 2 day workweek in the future. These suits are literally telling us that AI will make life easier and create more abundance for everyone. I know it’s a lie, you know it’s a lie. They know it’s a lie. AI is already consuming far more energy and water than most people realize. Scarcity is going to continue skyrocketing from AI burning through resources. I’m commenting on the narrative we are being fed. Even here, Microsoft is being pictured as the fool and Sony as the victor, but in reality Sony prepared for the small term when the larger impact is likely still going to affect them as well

@get2sammyb Happy to give feedback on this one. I definitely recommend it, even if it’s a little odd. Definitely happy when publishers like Capcom take risks and make games such as this. It’s good to support these types of games.

Another day, another global issue caused by AI. Isn’t AI supposed to make our lives easier and reduce costs? I mean, good on Sony for thinking ahead, but even their stock won’t last forever.

@get2sammyb It’s a rare type of game that doesn’t feel quite like anything else. It reminds me a lot of early 3D gaming where developers didn’t know what worked or what people would like, so they created something experimental. It feels like a strategy game mixed with hack n slash, but it’s also got that classic Capcom DNA as well. I didn’t complete the game, but enjoyed my time with it. The campaign was lengthy and the gameplay loop is addictive and first, but it does get a little repetitive, which is why I dropped off.

@rjejr I think you’re right that we need more color in games. A new Dragon Quest would feel absolutely refreshing right now because it’s so colorful and is… dare I say it? Fun! I feel like this current era has totally forgotten what fun feels like. A lot of games are downtrodden and don’t even have the ability to inject humor into it. Elden Ring, for all its darkness, at least has a dark humor to it and has characters with names like “Dung Collector.” It feels like there’s just been this huge wave of humorless, over serious darkness.

But you’re totally right about it being partly the Chinese games thing. I hate to generalize a country’s output, but yeah… these Chinese games are all going for a similar vibe. They all play sort of similar in being Souls, but not too.

And it feels like Jennifer English is the next Troy Baker, as her voice feels like it’s in all the big games now. Not saying she’s a bad voice actress. She’s a good voice actress. But her voice has a vibe to it that matches that aesthetic and I dunno…

The whole darn industry is getting typecast into dark fantasy pout dreams. Lol

My son keeps begging for Minecraft currency nowadays. I regret that I allowed him to get on modern Minecraft. The game was so much purer two generations ago.

If these deals are the same Stateside, it’ll be hard to resist Outer Worlds 2 discounted so heavily so soon after release. I’m gonna sleep on that one… and also see if there’s anything else.

@AgentGuapo I loved Bananza, personally. I wouldn’t call it GotY though, but it definitely feels like Nintendo clapping back at PlayStation for Astro Bot to me. Fantastic visuals, gameplay, and it feels like Donkey Kong, but also something else entirely.

For me:
1. Death Stranding 2
2. Silksong
3. Donkey Kong Bananza

Not sure where I’d rank E33, could be around #20-ish

Edit: just expanded my personal list from a top 10 to a top 20 and I’d put E33 at exactly #20, but I’ve still yet to rank Silent Hill F or Arc Raiders of games released this year since I’ve yet to invest any time into them.

If the critics voted for Bananza over E33, I suddenly have more faith in the results of The Geoff Awards.

I would love to see the next day reaction if Bananza wins GotY this year.

@rjejr Yes! So much yes! I loved Elden Ring. It’s a contender for being the best game this decade already and it’s still so early, but in its wake, there have been such a Souls saturation, whether it’s games that play like Souls or look like Souls. It’s not really unique anymore and I’m tired of it. And yes E33 falls into that boat hard as well. Could be part of the reason why I feel E33 is a contender for most overrated game ever made.

But it’s not just that it’s dark and black. Alan Wake 2 is dark and black, but it hits different. It just feels like so many games are going for such similar vibes with the mixture of surrealism and medieval fantasy and a little steampunk to loop it together. It reminds me of that time a little over a decade ago where almost every game had zombies for a little while.

I really can’t tell what I think of this one. It looks like E33 and FF16 got together to play Stellar Blade and Wukong.

Love Vampire Survivors, hate deck builders… but I love Vampire Survivors.

Highlight of the Xbox showcase for me, personally.

If only Fortnite actually played like this trailer looks…

@JB_Whiting Definitely makes me interested to see where it goes. It’s such an odd game, so nuanced and unique. I’m really glad Capcom isn’t afraid of making risks to entertain their audience.

I should really go back to this one. Felt the story was… there… so I struggled to play it for the usual, y’know, narrative experience, but it sure was fun to get lost in and battle for the sake of gameplay. A strange game, this one. One of the most memorable games I’ve played this generation.

Does that mean PSVR2 is $300 USD? That’s no deal. It’s already less than that at my local Walmart and that’s not a Black Friday sale…

You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if Yotei ends up Pushsquare’s GotY though…

@DennisReynolds I don’t quite know what it is that drives me nuts about E33. There’s something though. I’m not the biggest God of War fan either, and I’d say that GoW Ragnarok is about as good as E33, but Ragnarok doesn’t elicit the same type of “did I play the same game?” type of feeling E33 does. It’s strange to me. I sort of feel like I want to understand what others see in the game and it distances me further too.

Maybe it’s because I’m a Final Fantasy fan and a lot of the discourse early on with the game was contrasting it to that series when I prefer the direction FF has gone over the last couple years? Maybe that hit a nerve or something? I’m pulling out straws, I suppose.

For what it’s worth though, I can say that I can really understand what you’re talking about with Skyfall. I wouldn’t say it’s awful, but, to be frank, I’ve sort of lost interest in the Bond IP during the Craig era, despite being a big fan of the franchise in my youth. Outside the fantastic Casino Royale, honestly, the Craig era films one after the other all felt sort of bland to me and “phoned in” definitely feels like the accurate term. They don’t exactly feel like Bond to me, despite feeling like high budget espionage action films.

@DennisReynolds I just don’t get it, and I think that’s what bugs me about the game, coupled with the overzealous praise the game has gotten. I played the game, thought it was maybe a 7/10, and felt that there were clear areas where the game just wasn’t a classic to me.

Another poster above mentioned the level design being borderline irritating, which I certainly agree with. Happy Console Gamer put up a final thoughts video this weekend and mentioned how exploration didn’t feel rewarding in the game as well. It felt like there should’ve been incentive to search in the nooks and crannies of the levels, but there wasn’t. I also agreed with HCG’s wife saying she had a love/hate relationship with the combat.

And as for the story, I thought it was fine, but certainly predictable and I didn’t grow attached to any of the characters. In fact, after that one thing happened, I was sort of hoping for a one-by-one thing, but obviously that didn’t happen.

I will say the music and art were incredible. I just feel like, man, did other people play the same game, you know? It doesn’t help that most of my friends have agreed with me that the game’s a 7/10. I’ve never, in flesh and blood, met someone that really liked this one, which feels weird. To compare with other games that dominated the landscape recently, BG3 and Elden Ring felt like games that literally everyone I knew played and loved.

I’ll say this as someone who played BG3 and couldn’t enjoy it because it was just a buggy mess for me. I know I had the fluke experience. That said, I totally understand why the game is a GotY tier game because I experienced the game tangentially through others. I didn’t enjoy KCD2, but I’d say that’s a GotY tier game for its depth, scope, and commitment to immersion. For E33, it was just good and that’s it. In fact, if not for the zeitgeist around it, I’d probably feel less critical than I do. But because of that zeitgeist, I feel more compelled to “get it,” when perhaps I should accept that I just don’t and maybe revisit it in ten years or something.

E33 is going to go down in history as the most overrated game of all time, I’m sorry to say. I liked the game, but the amount of praise the game received has just been way too much. There’s been plenty of other games that deserve credit this year and I just anticipate E33 will brush all that under the rug.

@Darude84 @The_Wailing_Doom Honestly, this should’ve been a political topic a decade ago. Lawmakers made the mistake of ignoring automation before AI became an impactful thing and now we’re seeing really significant effects of that ignorance. There has been no preparation for the society we will enter and it’s too late to go back. Hopefully lawmakers can figure out something before it gets too late for people to have a truly negative reaction towards changing times.

Hopefully it’s worth watching. Next year’s release schedule looks pretty dire at the moment for me. There’s less than five games with release dates for anything 2026 I’m interested in right now.

I don’t really care either which way. Sony’s not making this for me and I’d respect it more if Sony were showing me that they’re actually making these games to be able to create more cinematic experiences, but there’s no evidence for that beyond what the suits will tell you.

It wasn’t the worst game. I could see the hobbyists making the game better than it was when it was playable.

@KingPev I prefer the remake. Lol