dwarf

Lol why are you passing this off as a prediction? NaughtyDog said they'd release a multiplayer game based on the Factions mode from the original. Seems highly unlikely that you'd pluck the word 'factions' from thin air. Very odd.

Thanks @dan-likes-trees for thoughtful posts as usual. Feeling similarly overwhelmed @Shorty in terms of the amount of things I could discuss having just completed it, although I'm probably less bothered than you are about questions of player agency (and in the instances you mention I think the inner conflict of pressing square is actually the point). Overall I thought this was an absolute riot. Loved it. Somewhat surprised to hear about the fan backlash, but then again not so surprised either. Trying to defend a game against entitled, butt-hurt fanboys is a pointless and thankless task, so I'll steer clear of that. Getting on the sesh now so I'll post thoughts in full at some point this weekend.

I agree. They set a benchmark with Fallout 3, but since then the world has moved on without them. Not that it gives me any pleasure to say so. Cyberpunk is due to release about two years after Fallout 76, but the gulf between the two is staggering in terms of what can be expected of an open world game. Fallout 76 might be perceived as something of a disastrous misstep, a 'dud', but for me it's emblematic of a long term downward trajectory in Bethesda's ability to come up with fresh ideas, or deliver a finished, serviceable product which works on its own terms. Now we'll have to wait and see if Cyberpunk performs as well as it appears to, but if it does, I don't see how Bethesda can show their faces afterwards. There's just so much ground to make up. What game could they possibly show to restore the prestige they've built up over all these years? I suspect they've got nada.

Bethesda are probably looking at this and shitting themselves.

I think they tried that in some respects with Crash Twinsanity but apparently it didn't work. Trailer is more promising than what was originally leaked but I dunno man... platforming physics seem a bit off and it's a shame it doesn't have the weight of a big developer behind it to give it that polish. Will reserve judgement though

The fucker's arrived. Ordered from ShopTo and got in an hour ago @Ganepark32, so still some hope?

It's incredible how off-putting the modern character model is, but cool if true. The description and box art seem suspect though.

Just noticed I received an email at 5pm saying the same. Really hope they dispatch tomorrow! I just want to congratulate myself more than anything for knowing next to fuck all about this. All I've seen is the original guitar playing trailer from ages ago and the odd couple of seconds of advert footage when scrolling through Facebook. Still a bit devod they removed factions. If they still plan on releasing the standalone factions game, and it's built for PS5, I might be convinced to make the generational leap.

I pre-ordered this from ShopTo a while back. How zippy are they usually?

I'm increasingly like that myself @nekunando Although there weren't any must haves in there for me, the volume of indie showings was promising and I think they did a pretty solid job overall. With that said, a lot of indie stuff seems like its trying to capture the look and feel of Journey. You see it everywhere now. The real distinctive and artistically exceptional game for me was Little Devil Inside, but that's coming to PS4 too. Jett: The Far Shore also looked cool - it's the first Superbrothers game since Sword and Sworcery if anyone remembers that? That was far from a perfect game but it definitely gave me vibes. Pragmata could be anything from the most ambitious game, to the most interesting, to the most Stranding-like game ever (i.e. dogshit). More details needed to be able to place it. Regardless of the presentation, I knew I'd be picking up a PS5 for the next NaughtyDog and Battlefield games anyway, plus one or two other things that catch my eye over the next cycle. I only really bought a couple of games each year this gen, and while that might not be enough to keep most people here ticking over, it's plenty for me these days. I'm sure that'll be the same next gen too.

Had a couple of hilarious moments on it with you for sure, weird to think how novel a concept PvEvP was back then. Unlikely to get a PS5 this year - would've probably been interested in this if they added new environments and whatnot but as it is I don't feel too compelled. I'd only get pissed off at reinforcing my weapons too much and missing out on an upgrade again (and there's plenty of other bullshit in Demon's besides!)

The lightbar is like a bikini strap. Feel slightly uncomfortable.

This is the first game I've bought since Battlefield V in 2018. Thought I'd treat myself during lockdown. It absolutely shreds. I don't know why every shooter post-Modern Warfare became embarrassed about old-school design like arena battles, pick-ups, and the like. In DOOM, all of the baggage that's built up over the past couple of generations has been ruthlessly shorn off in the service of fun. And even though I can appreciate the nuances in how FPS' feel to play, they've been so concentrated in a narrow spectrum that it now seems novel to be the hunter who has 50 different ways to end an enemy's career. It runs like a dream, the weapons are CHONKEH, and when you get into the rhythm of chaining kills while zipping around the map... Well let's just say it feels good to be home, man. Sound effect of the year goes to the blood punch (from 23 seconds in the video). It's nice to know when you've done something DARRRK

Yes. The movement looks outrageously good. Skull crush at 5.33 is hilarious.

Damn, the multiplayer was sick. Will pick up whatever the canned mode becomes once it's out though.

The PS4 library is online/server dependent in a way the PS2's wasn't, so that might work against its longevity.

I hope they go full on Majora's Mask with this one. Make it creepy as fuck (to the point where it scars children for life), throw everything out of the window (bar the physics stuff), and generally let the developers do whatever they want.

Graphically it's come on leaps and bounds since the reveal (Digital Foundry said so, so nuhh!), it's just that the core concept was a dud.

It's good crack so far. The jump/wall jump mechanics are a bit loose and the movement feels a bit off in general but the combat is good fun. I get the feeling that the minibosses will repeatedly hand my arse to me - definitely worth dealing a stealth blow first to get a free hit on their life bar (or however you're meant to refer to the tiered health system.)

Anybody picking this up? I've been completely out of the loop games-wise for the past few months so Sekiro has snuck up on me. Might pick it up today knowing next to nothing about it, which is always the best way.

Can't remember if I read this here or elsewhere, but it would make sense for Sony to package this as a PS4 tool that everyone has access to. They could iterate on it for PS5, make it a more substantial package and integrate it into the system somehow, so that it isn't just written off as a sales failure and never returned to. If it's taken MM this long to develop, and it is as powerful an engine as they say it is, they should make the most of it..

Imagine working on something for two years only to see it thrown away. I feel sorry for the developers, not the fans. The bad thing about this is that Retro will probably be asked to play it safe with Prime 4, and that's not something I'd be interested in playing.

Vast tracts of the Capital Wasteland in Fallout 3 were far from any important quests. It was one of the best things about the game.

The PS4's last big year? Sekiro, Death Stranding, and The Last of Us 2 top the list for me. Will consider Ghost of Tsushima, Control (if the writing isn't as bad as the trailer makes out), and Doom Eternal (if it stays on track for this year).