Julius

Really nice to see, and great to have the 40 fps option as a middle ground seemingly from the get-go this time around? Think I'll see what the trophies are saying for the Plat, if a second playthrough/NG+ is required then I might go Quality (30 fps) for my first go and then Performance (60 fps) for my second, but that will only be if Photo Mode doesn't auto-change to Quality (which it did in Miles, at least, and I imagine Remastered too). Exactly the type of game I want to play in 60 fps, and considering how Insomniac have been this gen, I doubt there are going to be any major hiccups in going with that option. Plus, Miles was an absolute delight my second time around at 60 fps! Also, looks like we can slingshot ourselves from pretty much anywhere we can reasonably find this time around, which is super cool! Honestly, it's really hard to disagree. We're still a good bit shy of the midway point for this gen, but in just under 3 years they'll have launched 3 all-new current/next-gen games, and heck, if we want to be pedantic, 4 in total if we're considering Remastered. They're the best PlayStation has to offer at the moment for my money, as I'm struggling to think of any other studio with their combined quantity and quality of output this gen; heck, off the top of my head, I'm struggling to think of any other team under the PlayStation Studio who have put out more than one new game this generation. Guerrilla with Forbidden West and Call of the Mountain, maybe? I know COVID will have been a factor in delaying some projects, of course, and that knock-on effect likely meant it took longer for some teams to even get their first PS5 game out there...but that still doesn't change the fact that Insomniac have had the output that they have. It would have been something praiseworthy in a world without COVID, but in a world with? Kudos to them. And we already know Wolverine is on the horizon, as well as probably another R&C game or something else completely out of left field. It's just wild!

Preview time baybeeeeeee

...replay it and pretend you're Peter in the first game?

The fast travel genuinely looks insane, reminds me a lot of what Sucker Punch managed to do with it in Ghost of Tsushima - that thing loaded things up incredibly fast when played on even a base PS4! I will say, it's an interesting choice in a game where I seriously think the method of traversal in swinging around is such a highlight of the game, but considering they've added an entire other borough of NY, it makes perfect sense. Plus, y'know, it's just nice to have the option! Honestly, I think PlayStation should've got more flack than they did for how they've handled the first Spider-Man on PS+/PS5. The PS5 remaster never came to it, it was only released individually as an upgrade a few months ago outside of the Ultimate Edition of Miles Morales, and they removed the first game from PS+ altogether earlier this year, too. I think Miles Morales is available through PS+ Premium, if you're cool with the idea of jumping straight into 2 then I'd honestly recommend giving it a try! It cuts out a lot of the busy work and trims the fat of Spider-Man 2018, making it considerably shorter and leaner, and is also a super easy Plat. Wouldn't be a bad way to dive in if you're unable to get your hands on 2018 first! That's insane! Such a cool way to fast travel! Any other method is going to feel so slow and outdated in future. Oh man, I hadn't even thought about that, but you're so right. I don't think it'll make Spider-Man 2018 or Miles impossible to return to...but I definitely think it'll be harder to go back. And to think, I'd only just talked myself out of replaying those games before 2 lands, too. Damn it, thanks Bob!!

So this is kind of insane: both the standard and deluxe digital versions of the game are the aforementioned twin packages, which bundles in 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake at no additional cost (for pre-orders up to release): That genuinely might be one of the smartest moves S-E has made in the last decade, and what a freaking steal! (and yes the version of Remake is Intergrade) Also, forgot to mention this after the first time watching the trailer...Vincent is 100% Matt Mercer, right? Nuts that he gets to be Ganondorf and a party member in VII's Remake project within the space of a year if so, good for him!

Interesting time to drop this news: over 7 million copies sold worldwide! Interesting stuff. Curious what the internal thoughts are on this at S-E, if it's on track, and what the expectations are for the project as a whole?

Well, I was not wrong. That showing was middling and weird as hell. Spider-Man 2 (best showing for that game so far imo) and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth aside, that was a very middle of the road State of Play. Not the worst one we've had (I think that title still goes to the one with the Little Devil Inside preview...and that game is still nowhere to be seen, welp), but it just felt so by the numbers. I also thought that the Helldivers 2 showing was abysmal, and I think all of the trailers for that game have completely missed the mark. We don't need fake team chats in 2023. Do you remember the last AAA game to do that during a big show like this? Anthem immediately comes to mind for me. And how is Anthem doing? as it is, unfortunately, I think Helldivers 2 is destined to be dead within two weeks. I don't think the game itself looks terrible - I do, however, think the trailers haven't done a good job of telling us what, exactly, the game's gameplay hook is supposed to be - but man, if this is a sign of how PlayStation plans to market their big multiplayer push, then I think they're in for a rude awakening over the next couple of years. New plates and DualSense controllers are neat too, think I'll be in for the silver one, as one of my launch controllers has ended up drifting pretty badly in the left stick. But, anyways, yeah. Not the worst State of Play showing, but far from the best, at least for me. It's crazy to me how PlayStation have successfully managed to create two tiers of expectations for their shows, with State of Plays - since the first Showcase - being fat and away the weaker of their two presentation types. Leaves us in an interesting spot, I think, because I'm struggling to see us getting another show from them before the end of year? Which means, as things stand, there isn't really much on the horizon announced from a first party perspective. That's fine, I think, but it's also rarely been the case over the last decade with PlayStation, so while third party is picking up the slack, it really, really feels like Insomniac is carrying PlayStation's first party and then some this generation.

Some words from Kitase and the team (oh, and the game's director, Hamaguchi, is saying the game could take as long as 100 hours): Yeah, I think I'm just going to spend 100 hours in the Gold Saucer alone Also, the game's PS Blog entry confirms a lot more details on the game - well worth a read - including confirmation that Sephiroth WILL be playable in the same section he was playable in the original game, and also confirms where the game ends (it's exactly where you'd probably expect the second entry of a trilogy retelling the events of VII to end).

A wonderful piece of promo art: Oh, nice catch, yeah that's great news!

The Collector's Edition looks nuts Quick, someone hide my wallet!

The new Deep Earth Collection, as revealed in the SoP: One of my three DualSenses have started to drift terribly in the left stick, had my eye on a Limited Edition controller to replace it, and while that's still on the cards, think that silver one will do for now! Per the PS Blog, pre-orders drop October 4th.

Trailer from today's SoP: Think it's the best showing of the game so far, just rattling off everything new. Also got a showcase of the Digital Deluxe suits: And a reminder that previews drop tomorrow at 15:00 BST Bit over a month to go now, excited to return to NY!

February 29th 2024!!! This, Granblue Fantasy Relink and Persona 3 Reload all in Feb guys... WHYYYYYYYYYYY

Man, Sony really need to get their act together on when these things start. They typically start a few minutes late, and this one they told us starts at 22:00...but the countdown on the stream is until 22:05? Also, they've been a little sneaky and only just mentioned late this evening that the event will be a bit over 20 minutes long... ....which there's no mention of in the original blog post (which is even linked in this updated tweet?). I'm getting some really weird vibes from this one. Here's to hoping I'm wrong.

Well well well, time for some Helldivers 2 tonight then! Kind of hoping the Direct got the third party remasters/remakes out of the way... You know, other than Battlefront II. Give it to me, Sony!

Huh, a gameplay trailer suddenly appears! Demo available now, with save data able to be carried over to the full release:

I KNEW I'D ALREADY MADE A THREAD FOR THIS! Damn search bar made it hell to find...and it's time to retitle the thread from Gallery to Museum! As announced in today's Direct, construction is now scheduled to be completed in March 2024 (so, still in line - just about - with the previously announced "by end of FY23" goal). Super excited to see how this turns out!

Yeah, I don't feel like there's much to really say. In for Thousand Year Door, have some interest in Another Code Recollection (just based on all the good things I've heard about the original games), but otherwise agree with the sentiment of @drahkon and @Dcubed: that was a LOT of remakes/remasters. And none of them were Explorers of Sky or Battlefront II, Takahashi, you heathen! Definitely winding down on the Switch, we have a lot on the way and I'm definitely picking and choosing battles - I think the only games I'm 100% on getting (Switch exclusive, at least) that's announced for the rest of its slate are Super Mario RPG and Thousand Year Door. I've got other games to go back to, but honestly, 2023 has been STACKED and the first half of 2024 is already STACKED, so honestly, middling as I thought that Direct was, I'm kind of happy I'm not coming away with a long list of games to play for a change. I already have a long list of games to play. Always have done.

THEY PULLED THE THOUSAND DOOR TRIGGER - FINALLY! IT LOOKS FREAKING BEAUTIFULLLLL A lot of love for the Mario RPGs of late, to put it lightly! Super excited to finally experience this game

Great get, I know those that have played it are putting it in the GOTY conversation!

Switch exclusive!

FINALLY A DATE! FINALLY! APRIL 23RD 2024! THE WORLD WILL FINALLY UNDERSTAND (also 2024 H1 becomes stacked with yet another JRPG)

Oh man that music exclusively available to NSO members

Previously announced but now we finally get a better look and a real title, aaaaaaaand...what a title it is?

Thought this was total Final Fantasy Tactics bait...but Vanillaware means otherwise! Also coming to other platforms (listed in the tags)