@Matroska I don’t disagree with that, but the Matrix differentiated itself with its characters and appropriation of styles in a different settings. It’s sort of like how Star Wars: A New Hope is basically a sci-fi remake of The Hidden Fortress.
However, that character, not sure who he is named in the game, is dressed a lot like Cowboy Curtis… I mean, Morpheus… sounds a lot like him, and was saying some pretty similar things. It’s too close, you know? There’s a point where homage borders a bit too close to plagiarism. It’s Palworld Matrix to me.
That game looks extremely derivative of the Matrix me. There’s homages and there’s going so far as to imitate Morpheus in a trailer that is soundtracked by music that sounds lifted from the movie.
Mortal Kombat is almost certainly a given. I’m sort of expecting Silksong after Geoff made a joke about it at SGF, but that might be asking for too much. Gamescom is usually more about updates than new reveals, so I’m not expecting anything earth shattering. I would love an update for Hades and Rogue Prince of Persia, and I’d love to see Nintendo be involved and that’s why Metroid Prime 4 doesn’t have a release date, but, as a realist this time, I’m mostly expecting several Fortnite and Gamepass ads and updates on live service titles and potentially a bunch of Soulslikes, none of which interests me in the slightest.
I’m crossing my fingers for demos. Since we know Silent Hill F and RE9 will be there, would it be too much to ask to get some demos? As the first PS5 game to enter my wishlist, Pragmata for a holy trinity of demos? Please?
That’s honestly a fantastic month. I’m contemplating buying Sword of the Sea, but may potentially resub instead if we get a couple more months that look like this.
Basically nothing in the gaming industry is currently sustainable based on everything these suits are saying. Maybe it’s the shareholders that are the problem?
@James_42 I’d say there’s more overlap in From games and many of their games have social components already. I mean, for some, Elden Ring WAS a multiplayer game in the first place.
I just hope for Silksong’s release date. It’s the only Gamescom game announced so far that I’m interested in at the moment. Hopefully Silent Hill F gets a demo too, as I’m sort of torn on the game. It won’t take much to be better than SGF this year. Not going to watch this one in real time because SGF was one of the worst showcases for announcements for me in recent years and I sort of expect more of that from Geoff this year, unfortunately.
Firebreak was a live service gamble from a developer that has a primarily dedicated single player gaming audience. They miscalculated on that one for sure. Love Remedy, but I’m glad they’re going back to making the games their fanbase actually wants to purchase. I know I’d preorder Control 2 even if it’s five years away with no trailer, but I’m not playing a live service game long term.
@Jammer I totally know what you mean about CO. It just kept darkening and darkening and was so emotional that it didn’t develop any of the questions I had about the bigger story at play that might’ve given things a more interesting ending to me. I mean, who are the writers and why should we be interested in the painters vs them? It felt like you went through this whole big game for it to be an exercise in futility. And yeah, with both that one and Metaphor, I do like turn based combat, but both games felt repetitive with it towards the end. I didn’t feel that way about Dragon Quest 11 when I finished that one and it’s more basic combat. Could’ve been more interesting.
@Jammer Metaphor and Clair Obscur are basically the two games my friend and I were referencing. They’re both good, and it feels sort of wrong to say they’re straight up overrated, but they just don’t hit the way so many people act like they do and I feel like that’s partially because there’s some of us that can’t do the internet hype thing anymore. I’ll be honest, I’ll be actually disappointed if Clair Obscur gets Game of the Year this year, even though I’m happy such a small team is having such success. Stellar Blade and Black Myth are two other games we discussed in depth on the topic, and to a lesser extent Baldur’s Gate 3, which, yes, is great, but was also released in an unplayable state for many players (myself included). It feels like, ever since Elden Ring or since Cyberpunk had its redemption arc, the internet has made this strange little cult that rallies to maybe two or three games a year, overhypes them, and silences any criticism towards them, so it makes you feel sort of weird calling a game a 7/10 or 8/10 while rating other games the internet has shut down with the same score.
But then there’s Death Stranding 2 and everyone I know just loves the game without question and it feels like everyone is nicer to it than they were the first one. Only other game this generation that everyone in the group liked 100% was Alan Wake 2. Feels so weird for how divided gamers are now, but at least Death Stranding can connect us all.
@Jammer Yeah, DS2 is basically cemented as my GotY no contest at this point. Its gameplay has just improved so much on the first one that how can it not be? I’m not sure yet which story I prefer between the first and the second, but I’m absolutely floored with the game.
A friend of mine and I were talking about how the media has responded to some games the past few years and how some games have received ludicrous amounts of praise where to the two of us, a game might just be good and of AAA quality and we’re just not quite as used to that as we used to be (outside a couple notable exceptions, it’s hard not to argue that 2020 was the end of a peak and we’ve sort of entered a valley), so it causes some 7/10 and 8/10 tier games to be bumped up a point perhaps. But then we get a Death Stranding 2 and it recontextualizes gaming as a medium because it’s just so much above everything else right now. I know I’ve paused and said, “Have I overrated everything I’ve played the last 2 or 3 years?” during some of the highlights I’ve seen so far in DS2.
@Jammer I’m still on DS2 and wonder if I might be on it til the end of September at the rate I’m going with it!
Oblivion’s remaster was fine, but it more or less is basically the same game and I dunno… it feels like an old game now. I’m sort of over the remake/remaster era we’ve been in. I fear MGS Delta will be the same. A 10/10 in the PS2 era can definitely be a 7/10 in the modern era if the only reason it exists is better visuals, you know? As for me, I’ve got Pokemon preordered and that’s it right now. I’d preorder Metroid Prime 4 if I could. But I mean, I’m sort of coasting for the reviews on most everything else this year. And before anyone remarks about the Pokemon preorder, you can’t rely on reviews for Pokemon. Lol. You’re either in or out with that series at this point.
@PuppetMaster I feel like they try to appeal to “people that watch anime,” so most of them nowadays have similar premises, art styles, and formulas, whereas in the past anime went places that were unique and sometimes disturbing or, oddly enough, referenced European classic literature through a fresh lens. I feel like anime used to be more aware of space and silence, but is now more saturated and lively. Hosoda’s films in general sort of show a dichotomy of this as he has toggled between quiet familial magic realism like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and The Wolf Children and full on digital bombast like Summer Wars and Belle. This could just be my bias, of course, to the culture of my youth, but I use my children as a measuring stick for it as well and see what they prefer…
…though I suppose one could argue that the bias of the parents paints the picture they prefer.
@PuppetMaster At least Mamoru Hosoda and Makoto Shinkai are still making films. It does feel like current anime has a different tone from the types of animes that made me a fan, so I’ve been gradually, year after year, watching anime less and less, though that may just be because I’m getting older too. Then again, my kids tend to prefer the Ghibli films to more modern ones that they’ve seen on Netflix, Hulu, etc.
Now if only we’d get another wave of animes like we did in the late 90’s/early 2000’s like Paprika and Tekkon Kinkreet… It’s been a while since a newish anime (that isn’t The Boy and the Heron) blew my mind like they did in that time period.
Also, it feels sort of weird that Sony view themselves in a PS1 analogous era of anime in terms of scope. Feels like anime has gotten significantly more popular since I started watching it 25 years ago or so. Anime seems honestly really mainstream, perhaps more mainstream than video games. Maybe that’s a local thing, but I dunno.
That said, it’s time for Astro Bot to get himself an animated series.
Conceptual stage for Kojima could mean that we get a trailer next year and a release date within 3 years, so no worries. Kojima’s one of the more creative and hardworking studio bosses out there
@Jammer I agree 100%. Plus, this is the same company that pumped out the Oblivion remaster earlier in the year. That remaster basically showed me that this is going to be a faithful down to the bugs remaster, so I dunno… I love MGS3, I really do, but, like Oblivion, I’ve played it several times, and I sort of had that, “I’ve done this before” feeling with it.
Gotta wonder how Kojima flavored this will be as well.
Good to see the most interesting portion of the game to me delayed this morning. I’ve got the feeling this’ll be a 1-to-1 remake with a new coat of paint and that’s it otherwise, but new MGO is sort of a big, nostalgic selling point to me.
I mean, if the campaign is that and nothing new, that’s still a 10/10 experience if it’s as good as the PS2 version and why wouldn’t it be? However, been there, done that and all that jazz
@PuppetMaster Yotei is my guess to win October, but you never know. All depends on how it reviews. If people say AC Shadows is better in reviews, Ninja Gaiden would have a shot. It’d be crazy and I don’t think that’ll be what happens, but you never know.
Gotta wonder if Ninja Gaiden will be able to snag a hat trick for Game of the Month… though I suspect the final NG game of the year will have steep competition later this year.
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound for sure (and an honorable mention to Time Flies). Just finished it last night and, as brutal as it is, it’s just a really solid and faithful return to the ninja classics of old. It may not be a GotY contender for me, but I definitely don’t think anything else in July comes close to being GotM.
Yeah, this one needs a demo. Even after seeing dozens of trailers for it, I still have no idea how I feel about this game. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. Best thing to do, if they’re confident in the game, is let people try it and see, which I’ll gladly do.
@Jammer Yeah, I feel like I need to see reviews for MGSD too. After Virtuous’s Oblivion remaster being just a plain and simple reskin with bugs still attached (some worse too), I went from being more interested in the remake to less interested as time has passed. If it’s basically the PS2 era game with modern visuals, I may pass on it until there’s a sizable sale. I mean, you’re totally right that DS2 scratches that MGS itch, and it’s probably my GotY.
Y’see, with Silent Hill… the remake of SH2 sorta made me like the franchise a little less. I know the remake blew a lot of people away, but, as I hadn’t played the original in quite some time, I was surprised to find that I liked the remake far less that I expected. Oddly enough the story and characters were what I didn’t like this time. Without the twist being a twist to me, James was already such an unlikeable protagonist early on to me, and, without having sympathy for him, it’s hard to enjoy SH2. F looks more like what could be interesting to me, but I’m in no hurry to grab it either until I read about it either.
Maybe I’ll get back to Death Stranding 2 after putting it on hiatus for Donkey Kong Bananza. Realistically, I’m in no rush to play through it though, as I gotta be honest… that release slate in August and September isn’t calling my name right now.
Outside that, it’ll be Ninja Gaiden Ragebound and Time Flies, which I started both yesterday and it doesn’t seem it’ll take long to beat either of them.
@PuppetMaster I appreciate the feedback. Was planning on trying them both yesterday, but just never got the chance. I’m almost certainly going to get them both, but I’m just curious and strapped on time.
I’ll wait for reviews on it. I love the look of it, but didn’t have as much fun with the SH2 remake as I thought I would (and the less said about the free SH game from earlier last year, the better). This and Yotei are basically the only two games that really stand out to me in the non-indie-ish space on PS5 for the rest of the year, so looking forward to seeing more.
I am really torn about MGS Delta still. I dunno. I think Silent Hill F is my only maybe for this time period for PS5. Not sure why everything need to release in October this year, but it really feels like that.
Hopefully it’s easier than the NES game. Man, I struggled with that game. We had a lot of challenging beat ‘em ups on NES, but that game is one of the only ones I remember that basically made some bosses unbeatable if you were hit ONCE in a level.
Drop the price to $50 and that’s +10 to the Metacritic score for sure.
Remember when AAs were $30 and indies were $15 like clockwork, by the way? I know that was a few years ago now, but crazy that this discussion has changed so much in that timeframe.
I’d get Death Stranding 1 and 2 again for Switch 2 if this is a reality. I’m struggling to find times to play games these days on the TV due to working more and having less free time. The short portable sessions make gaming a lot easier for me and allow me to get my gaming fix while also giving time to my wife and kids more. I’d be totally ok with some games coming to other platforms as much as I want Sony to continue having and making exclusives. If they don’t make exclusives, much like Xbox, I’d be less inclined to continue buying games on the PS5 though.
Completed Donkey Kong Bananza last week, but I might watch my son play it. I love the game.
That said, returning to Death Stranding 2 is the next project, which I also absolutely love. I’m just struggling to find time to play the PS5 though and the Switch 2 is much easier to squeeze sessions in at the moment.
Unless I decide to pick up something at random for Switch 2 in the near future (like Ragebound if it reviews in a way that tells me I need to play it, or unless we actually get a Direct soon and there’s some heavy hitters launching sooner than we could’ve guessed) I’ve basically got my gaming slate wiped clean for DS2 for the summer. I do work today though…
@Oram77 Ironically enough, for me, I feel like I’m teetering between buying a lot or nothing in August or September (I’m waiting on a Direct and some reviews to know what I’m actually buying). There’s a decent amount of games I’m following that’ll release in that timeframe, but nothing that’s a 100% at the moment.
However, October is insane for me. That release schedule is cruel. Watch Silksong get an October release date.
I’m sort of hoping for the Nintendo Direct to end all Directs that announces these games coming to Switch 2 with the PlayStation logo also included. The big one could be coming… Jeez, I hope it’s coming…
Let’s not count our blessings yet. This is a massive miscalculation on The Outer Worlds 2, not a pivot in mindset. I would hazard to guess that the preorders were Concordian and so Microsoft is doing a PR stunt to gather goodwill because people weren’t buying the game. It’s still a surprise they’re selling it at $70. I think Microsoft thinks the Outer Worlds is a tentpole holiday title for them.
I would hazard to guess that we’ll still be seeing $80 games from Sony and Microsoft eventually, just games that are more likely to be hits regardless, just like what Nintendo did with Mario Kart.
I mean, other games come out and you move on? That’s sort of how games have always worked. Did people feel like this with the Goldeneyes and Halos and Quakes back in the day? I liked Marvel Rivals for a little bit (and I don’t even like Marvel so much), but I dropped it once single player games started releasing this year.
This is the downside of live service games and the ultimate reality now: these games are bigger and more expensive, but people are more limited on time and tend to have one of them that they hover around and play sometimes, but not all the time. There are a lot of options, so the numbers will ultimately die off. I know it sounds crazy to industry heads, but PvE and campaigns might be wise to keep people interested in these games for longer.
@DennisReynolds Absolutely correct. New IP can live and thrive today. This game just didn’t hit for anyone and it had little to no marketing. People aren’t going to jump on a game that reviews consistently in the 7/10 range. It had no praising reviews, no word of mouth, no marketing. How can they expect a game like that to be a hit? Even in another time, I think it would’ve struggled. Clair Obscur proves that people want new IP, but they want it to be unique instead. Even if I didn’t like CO:E33 as much as the rest of the world, it’s obvious people want new IP, just interesting IP.
Comments 4,040
Re: PS5 Stunner Neo Berlin 2087 Walks the Uncanny Valley with New Gameplay Trailer
@Matroska I don’t disagree with that, but the Matrix differentiated itself with its characters and appropriation of styles in a different settings. It’s sort of like how Star Wars: A New Hope is basically a sci-fi remake of The Hidden Fortress.
However, that character, not sure who he is named in the game, is dressed a lot like Cowboy Curtis… I mean, Morpheus… sounds a lot like him, and was saying some pretty similar things. It’s too close, you know? There’s a point where homage borders a bit too close to plagiarism. It’s Palworld Matrix to me.
Re: PS5 Stunner Neo Berlin 2087 Walks the Uncanny Valley with New Gameplay Trailer
That game looks extremely derivative of the Matrix me. There’s homages and there’s going so far as to imitate Morpheus in a trailer that is soundtracked by music that sounds lifted from the movie.
Re: Feature: Let's Predict Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025
Mortal Kombat is almost certainly a given. I’m sort of expecting Silksong after Geoff made a joke about it at SGF, but that might be asking for too much. Gamescom is usually more about updates than new reveals, so I’m not expecting anything earth shattering. I would love an update for Hades and Rogue Prince of Persia, and I’d love to see Nintendo be involved and that’s why Metroid Prime 4 doesn’t have a release date, but, as a realist this time, I’m mostly expecting several Fortnite and Gamepass ads and updates on live service titles and potentially a bunch of Soulslikes, none of which interests me in the slightest.
I’m crossing my fingers for demos. Since we know Silent Hill F and RE9 will be there, would it be too much to ask to get some demos? As the first PS5 game to enter my wishlist, Pragmata for a holy trinity of demos? Please?
Re: 12 PS Plus Extra, Premium Games for August 2025 Announced
That’s honestly a fantastic month. I’m contemplating buying Sword of the Sea, but may potentially resub instead if we get a couple more months that look like this.
Re: Xbox Game Pass May Make Devs 'Wage Slaves', Says Ex-PlayStation Exec
Basically nothing in the gaming industry is currently sustainable based on everything these suits are saying. Maybe it’s the shareholders that are the problem?
Re: Remedy Knuckling Down on Control 2, Max Payne Remakes
@James_42 I’d say there’s more overlap in From games and many of their games have social components already. I mean, for some, Elden Ring WAS a multiplayer game in the first place.
Re: When Is Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025?
I just hope for Silksong’s release date. It’s the only Gamescom game announced so far that I’m interested in at the moment. Hopefully Silent Hill F gets a demo too, as I’m sort of torn on the game. It won’t take much to be better than SGF this year. Not going to watch this one in real time because SGF was one of the worst showcases for announcements for me in recent years and I sort of expect more of that from Geoff this year, unfortunately.
Re: Remedy Knuckling Down on Control 2, Max Payne Remakes
Firebreak was a live service gamble from a developer that has a primarily dedicated single player gaming audience. They miscalculated on that one for sure. Love Remedy, but I’m glad they’re going back to making the games their fanbase actually wants to purchase. I know I’d preorder Control 2 even if it’s five years away with no trailer, but I’m not playing a live service game long term.
Re: Henry Halfhead Is Probably the Most Unusual PS5 Game You'll See Today
Day one for me on this one. I’m so glad off-beat indies are a thing. Really excited for this one!
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta's Online Fox Hunt Mode Not Ready for PS5 Launch
@Jammer I totally know what you mean about CO. It just kept darkening and darkening and was so emotional that it didn’t develop any of the questions I had about the bigger story at play that might’ve given things a more interesting ending to me. I mean, who are the writers and why should we be interested in the painters vs them? It felt like you went through this whole big game for it to be an exercise in futility. And yeah, with both that one and Metaphor, I do like turn based combat, but both games felt repetitive with it towards the end. I didn’t feel that way about Dragon Quest 11 when I finished that one and it’s more basic combat. Could’ve been more interesting.
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta's Online Fox Hunt Mode Not Ready for PS5 Launch
@Jammer Metaphor and Clair Obscur are basically the two games my friend and I were referencing. They’re both good, and it feels sort of wrong to say they’re straight up overrated, but they just don’t hit the way so many people act like they do and I feel like that’s partially because there’s some of us that can’t do the internet hype thing anymore. I’ll be honest, I’ll be actually disappointed if Clair Obscur gets Game of the Year this year, even though I’m happy such a small team is having such success. Stellar Blade and Black Myth are two other games we discussed in depth on the topic, and to a lesser extent Baldur’s Gate 3, which, yes, is great, but was also released in an unplayable state for many players (myself included). It feels like, ever since Elden Ring or since Cyberpunk had its redemption arc, the internet has made this strange little cult that rallies to maybe two or three games a year, overhypes them, and silences any criticism towards them, so it makes you feel sort of weird calling a game a 7/10 or 8/10 while rating other games the internet has shut down with the same score.
But then there’s Death Stranding 2 and everyone I know just loves the game without question and it feels like everyone is nicer to it than they were the first one. Only other game this generation that everyone in the group liked 100% was Alan Wake 2. Feels so weird for how divided gamers are now, but at least Death Stranding can connect us all.
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta's Online Fox Hunt Mode Not Ready for PS5 Launch
@Jammer Yeah, DS2 is basically cemented as my GotY no contest at this point. Its gameplay has just improved so much on the first one that how can it not be? I’m not sure yet which story I prefer between the first and the second, but I’m absolutely floored with the game.
A friend of mine and I were talking about how the media has responded to some games the past few years and how some games have received ludicrous amounts of praise where to the two of us, a game might just be good and of AAA quality and we’re just not quite as used to that as we used to be (outside a couple notable exceptions, it’s hard not to argue that 2020 was the end of a peak and we’ve sort of entered a valley), so it causes some 7/10 and 8/10 tier games to be bumped up a point perhaps. But then we get a Death Stranding 2 and it recontextualizes gaming as a medium because it’s just so much above everything else right now. I know I’ve paused and said, “Have I overrated everything I’ve played the last 2 or 3 years?” during some of the highlights I’ve seen so far in DS2.
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta's Online Fox Hunt Mode Not Ready for PS5 Launch
@Jammer I’m still on DS2 and wonder if I might be on it til the end of September at the rate I’m going with it!
Oblivion’s remaster was fine, but it more or less is basically the same game and I dunno… it feels like an old game now. I’m sort of over the remake/remaster era we’ve been in. I fear MGS Delta will be the same. A 10/10 in the PS2 era can definitely be a 7/10 in the modern era if the only reason it exists is better visuals, you know? As for me, I’ve got Pokemon preordered and that’s it right now. I’d preorder Metroid Prime 4 if I could. But I mean, I’m sort of coasting for the reviews on most everything else this year. And before anyone remarks about the Pokemon preorder, you can’t rely on reviews for Pokemon. Lol. You’re either in or out with that series at this point.
Re: Sony Likens Its Fledgling Anime Business to the PS1 Era
@PuppetMaster I feel like they try to appeal to “people that watch anime,” so most of them nowadays have similar premises, art styles, and formulas, whereas in the past anime went places that were unique and sometimes disturbing or, oddly enough, referenced European classic literature through a fresh lens. I feel like anime used to be more aware of space and silence, but is now more saturated and lively. Hosoda’s films in general sort of show a dichotomy of this as he has toggled between quiet familial magic realism like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and The Wolf Children and full on digital bombast like Summer Wars and Belle. This could just be my bias, of course, to the culture of my youth, but I use my children as a measuring stick for it as well and see what they prefer…
…though I suppose one could argue that the bias of the parents paints the picture they prefer.
Re: Sony Likens Its Fledgling Anime Business to the PS1 Era
@PuppetMaster At least Mamoru Hosoda and Makoto Shinkai are still making films. It does feel like current anime has a different tone from the types of animes that made me a fan, so I’ve been gradually, year after year, watching anime less and less, though that may just be because I’m getting older too. Then again, my kids tend to prefer the Ghibli films to more modern ones that they’ve seen on Netflix, Hulu, etc.
Re: Sony Likens Its Fledgling Anime Business to the PS1 Era
Now if only we’d get another wave of animes like we did in the late 90’s/early 2000’s like Paprika and Tekkon Kinkreet… It’s been a while since a newish anime (that isn’t The Boy and the Heron) blew my mind like they did in that time period.
Also, it feels sort of weird that Sony view themselves in a PS1 analogous era of anime in terms of scope. Feels like anime has gotten significantly more popular since I started watching it 25 years ago or so. Anime seems honestly really mainstream, perhaps more mainstream than video games. Maybe that’s a local thing, but I dunno.
That said, it’s time for Astro Bot to get himself an animated series.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 593
Going to keep on keeping on with Death Stranding 2 and UFO 50 with a bit of Is This Seat Taken?
Oh maybe Drag X Drive’s beta too!
Re: Hideo Kojima Alone Is Currently Working on PlayStation Exclusive Physint
Conceptual stage for Kojima could mean that we get a trailer next year and a release date within 3 years, so no worries. Kojima’s one of the more creative and hardworking studio bosses out there
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta's Online Fox Hunt Mode Not Ready for PS5 Launch
@Jammer I agree 100%. Plus, this is the same company that pumped out the Oblivion remaster earlier in the year. That remaster basically showed me that this is going to be a faithful down to the bugs remaster, so I dunno… I love MGS3, I really do, but, like Oblivion, I’ve played it several times, and I sort of had that, “I’ve done this before” feeling with it.
Gotta wonder how Kojima flavored this will be as well.
Re: Metal Gear Solid Delta's Online Fox Hunt Mode Not Ready for PS5 Launch
Good to see the most interesting portion of the game to me delayed this morning. I’ve got the feeling this’ll be a 1-to-1 remake with a new coat of paint and that’s it otherwise, but new MGO is sort of a big, nostalgic selling point to me.
I mean, if the campaign is that and nothing new, that’s still a 10/10 experience if it’s as good as the PS2 version and why wouldn’t it be? However, been there, done that and all that jazz
Re: Game of the Month: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (July 2025)
@PuppetMaster Yotei is my guess to win October, but you never know. All depends on how it reviews. If people say AC Shadows is better in reviews, Ninja Gaiden would have a shot. It’d be crazy and I don’t think that’ll be what happens, but you never know.
Re: Game of the Month: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (July 2025)
Gotta wonder if Ninja Gaiden will be able to snag a hat trick for Game of the Month… though I suspect the final NG game of the year will have steep competition later this year.
Re: Tekken Boss Wanted 'Muscular' Pac-Man as a Character, But the Idea Was Brutally Shot Down
Hopefully they retroactively make things right and add PAC-Man into the Tekken 8 roster.
Re: Clair Obscur Director Says Turn-Based JRPGs Are Still Seen as 'Uncool'
Souls games and JRPGs are currently the most oversaturated genres in gaming today, so if they’re so uncool, why are there so many of them today?
Re: Poll: What Was Your PS5 Game of the Month for July 2025?
@ShogunRok Are you saying Unfinished Business is literally unfinished business?
Re: Poll: What Was Your PS5 Game of the Month for July 2025?
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound for sure (and an honorable mention to Time Flies). Just finished it last night and, as brutal as it is, it’s just a really solid and faithful return to the ninja classics of old. It may not be a GotY contender for me, but I definitely don’t think anything else in July comes close to being GotM.
Re: Hell Is Us Playable Demo Is Seemingly Imminent on PS5
Yeah, this one needs a demo. Even after seeing dozens of trailers for it, I still have no idea how I feel about this game. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. Best thing to do, if they’re confident in the game, is let people try it and see, which I’ll gladly do.
Re: New PS5 Games for August and September 2025
@Jammer Yeah, I feel like I need to see reviews for MGSD too. After Virtuous’s Oblivion remaster being just a plain and simple reskin with bugs still attached (some worse too), I went from being more interested in the remake to less interested as time has passed. If it’s basically the PS2 era game with modern visuals, I may pass on it until there’s a sizable sale. I mean, you’re totally right that DS2 scratches that MGS itch, and it’s probably my GotY.
Y’see, with Silent Hill… the remake of SH2 sorta made me like the franchise a little less. I know the remake blew a lot of people away, but, as I hadn’t played the original in quite some time, I was surprised to find that I liked the remake far less that I expected. Oddly enough the story and characters were what I didn’t like this time. Without the twist being a twist to me, James was already such an unlikeable protagonist early on to me, and, without having sympathy for him, it’s hard to enjoy SH2. F looks more like what could be interesting to me, but I’m in no hurry to grab it either until I read about it either.
Re: Reanimal for Sure Looks Like the Most Stressful Game Ever Made for PS5
@get2sammyb As a vegan for almost two decades now, I say welcome to the lot of you!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 592
Maybe I’ll get back to Death Stranding 2 after putting it on hiatus for Donkey Kong Bananza. Realistically, I’m in no rush to play through it though, as I gotta be honest… that release slate in August and September isn’t calling my name right now.
Outside that, it’ll be Ninja Gaiden Ragebound and Time Flies, which I started both yesterday and it doesn’t seem it’ll take long to beat either of them.
Re: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Has a Free Playable Demo Available Right Now on PS5, PS4
@PuppetMaster I appreciate the feedback. Was planning on trying them both yesterday, but just never got the chance. I’m almost certainly going to get them both, but I’m just curious and strapped on time.
Re: Round Up: Silent Hill F Previews Rave About Upcoming PS5 Horror
I’ll wait for reviews on it. I love the look of it, but didn’t have as much fun with the SH2 remake as I thought I would (and the less said about the free SH game from earlier last year, the better). This and Yotei are basically the only two games that really stand out to me in the non-indie-ish space on PS5 for the rest of the year, so looking forward to seeing more.
Re: New PS5 Games for August and September 2025
I am really torn about MGS Delta still. I dunno. I think Silent Hill F is my only maybe for this time period for PS5. Not sure why everything need to release in October this year, but it really feels like that.
Re: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Has a Free Playable Demo Available Right Now on PS5, PS4
Anyone care to say how it compares to Ragebound? As of right now, those are probably the next two games I may buy.
Re: Round Up: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound's Glowing Reviews Sing Praises of Slick Action Platformer
Well, where’s the Pushsquare and NLife reviews? 🥺
Re: 'We're Really Building It Out as a Platform': EA Going 'All In' on Battlefield 6
As a platform, you say? Looking forward to the Battlefield 6 kart racer.
Re: Hype Inducing 90s-Style Brawler Toxic Crusaders Drops 4th December on PS5, PS4
Hopefully it’s easier than the NES game. Man, I struggled with that game. We had a lot of challenging beat ‘em ups on NES, but that game is one of the only ones I remember that basically made some bosses unbeatable if you were hit ONCE in a level.
Re: Lost Soul Aside's PS5, PC Price Could Be Its Biggest Bottle Neck
Drop the price to $50 and that’s +10 to the Metacritic score for sure.
Remember when AAs were $30 and indies were $15 like clockwork, by the way? I know that was a few years ago now, but crazy that this discussion has changed so much in that timeframe.
Re: Sony Job Listing Implies More PS5 Exclusives Will Be Ported to Xbox, Nintendo
I’d get Death Stranding 1 and 2 again for Switch 2 if this is a reality. I’m struggling to find times to play games these days on the TV due to working more and having less free time. The short portable sessions make gaming a lot easier for me and allow me to get my gaming fix while also giving time to my wife and kids more. I’d be totally ok with some games coming to other platforms as much as I want Sony to continue having and making exclusives. If they don’t make exclusives, much like Xbox, I’d be less inclined to continue buying games on the PS5 though.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 591
Completed Donkey Kong Bananza last week, but I might watch my son play it. I love the game.
That said, returning to Death Stranding 2 is the next project, which I also absolutely love. I’m just struggling to find time to play the PS5 though and the Switch 2 is much easier to squeeze sessions in at the moment.
Unless I decide to pick up something at random for Switch 2 in the near future (like Ragebound if it reviews in a way that tells me I need to play it, or unless we actually get a Direct soon and there’s some heavy hitters launching sooner than we could’ve guessed) I’ve basically got my gaming slate wiped clean for DS2 for the summer. I do work today though…
Re: 'By Every Objective Measure, We're Thriving': Microsoft CEO Expresses Gratitude to All Those Laid Off
@Dodoo Nelson or Effect? Lol
Re: Expedition 33 Devs 'Exchange Ideas' with Final Fantasy Team
I really don’t want FF17 to be CO: E33 inspired. I have liked every mainline FF game more than I liked CO: E33.
Re: 'By Every Objective Measure, We're Thriving': Microsoft CEO Expresses Gratitude to All Those Laid Off
I hope someone throws an overripe tomato at Nutella. The guy deserves it.
Yes, my autocorrect changed his name. Yes, it seems right.
Re: Dying Light: The Beast Delayed into PS5's Crowded September Release Schedule
@Oram77 Ironically enough, for me, I feel like I’m teetering between buying a lot or nothing in August or September (I’m waiting on a Direct and some reviews to know what I’m actually buying). There’s a decent amount of games I’m following that’ll release in that timeframe, but nothing that’s a 100% at the moment.
However, October is insane for me. That release schedule is cruel. Watch Silksong get an October release date.
Re: Plants vs. Zombies Appears Ready to Return in Leaked PS5 Remaster
As long as EA doesn’t turn this into a microtransaction showcase, I’m down for this. Hated the spin-offs, but loved the original game
Re: Dying Light: The Beast Delayed into PS5's Crowded September Release Schedule
Isn’t basically every month crowded in the release schedule these days?
Re: In Unsurprising News, Even More Xbox Ports Are Allegedly En Route to PS5
I’m sort of hoping for the Nintendo Direct to end all Directs that announces these games coming to Switch 2 with the PlayStation logo also included. The big one could be coming… Jeez, I hope it’s coming…
Re: Xbox U-Turn the First Step Towards Gamers Rejecting $80 Games
Let’s not count our blessings yet. This is a massive miscalculation on The Outer Worlds 2, not a pivot in mindset. I would hazard to guess that the preorders were Concordian and so Microsoft is doing a PR stunt to gather goodwill because people weren’t buying the game. It’s still a surprise they’re selling it at $70. I think Microsoft thinks the Outer Worlds is a tentpole holiday title for them.
I would hazard to guess that we’ll still be seeing $80 games from Sony and Microsoft eventually, just games that are more likely to be hits regardless, just like what Nintendo did with Mario Kart.
Re: There's Concern Over Marvel Rivals' Player Count, Even Though It's Still Super Popular
I mean, other games come out and you move on? That’s sort of how games have always worked. Did people feel like this with the Goldeneyes and Halos and Quakes back in the day? I liked Marvel Rivals for a little bit (and I don’t even like Marvel so much), but I dropped it once single player games started releasing this year.
This is the downside of live service games and the ultimate reality now: these games are bigger and more expensive, but people are more limited on time and tend to have one of them that they hover around and play sometimes, but not all the time. There are a lot of options, so the numbers will ultimately die off. I know it sounds crazy to industry heads, but PvE and campaigns might be wise to keep people interested in these games for longer.
Re: 'Increasingly Selective Consumers' to Blame for Underperformance of Blades of Fire
@DennisReynolds Absolutely correct. New IP can live and thrive today. This game just didn’t hit for anyone and it had little to no marketing. People aren’t going to jump on a game that reviews consistently in the 7/10 range. It had no praising reviews, no word of mouth, no marketing. How can they expect a game like that to be a hit? Even in another time, I think it would’ve struggled. Clair Obscur proves that people want new IP, but they want it to be unique instead. Even if I didn’t like CO:E33 as much as the rest of the world, it’s obvious people want new IP, just interesting IP.