PlayStation 4 Console Discussion

[Shorty]

Invisible Inc is one of a very short list of games I've been looking forward to for a long while

[drahkon]

Yeah, thanks @Hero\-of\-Time :p Now there are even more games I want to get...Salt and Sanctuary looks incredible, so does Enter the Gungeon.

[Shorty]

Played Enter the Gungeon at EGX, it was brilliant. Also loved Pang on my C64

[ThePigMarcher]

Yeah, thanks @Hero\-of\-Time :p Now there are even more games I want to get...Salt and Sanctuary looks incredible

 

Been keeping an eye on this one myself for quite a while now and was pleasantly surprised when the release date suddenly popped out of nowhere and so soon too.

 

Definitely grabbing this day one although I would have preferred to play it on the Vita, so hopefully that version isn't delayed for too long.

[dwarf]

I'll be getting a PS4 in a couple of weeks, so holla if you spot a juicy bundle.

 

Knocked up a list of games I'm considering:

 

Bloodborne (can borrow from a friend so it would be rude not to)

Black Ops 3

The Witcher III

Resogun

Volume

Towerfall

Rocket League

The Division

 

No desire to play through Uncharted/Last of Us again, and I'll only look to MGS5 if I'm short for choice. I played through Ground Zeroes at a friend's and found the controls/movement frustrating. Plus I know the story aint gonna make a lick of sense. Let me know if there's anything a bit quirky I've overlooked - saw Tearaway Unfolded for a tenner but would need convincing.

 

Mostly waiting for Uncharted 4 multiplayer amirightguys?

[Sheikah]

For a social shooter I would pick Destiny over The Division (gameplay/mechanics and PvP are tight). Pretty cheap now too and you're getting quite a lot of content for your money. Make sure to get the Taken King edition if you fancy it, not just the original game. I've sunk so much time into this game and the N-E community co-op experiences have been second to none.

 

A great roguelike I've been playing recently is Nuclear Throne. Think Hotline Miami gameplay but when you die you start from the beginning. It's on PS4 as well as Vita.

[Shorty]

I love Destiny and before maybe February I would have recommended it without missing a beat but... all's quiet there now, it's still a great game but without a clan of regulars it's just not the same.

[dwarf]

That was my thinking, I've kinda missed the boat on Destiny and I don't think my friends are overly keen. There's a bit more buzz about The Division what with it being so new, and I'm getting the impression it won't be such a slog to complete.

[Daft]

Jesus Christ, just get Destiny. Don't be such a little bitch.

[Hero-of-Time]

I Am Setsuna has finally been confirmed for a western release.

 

HERE

 

Sadly there is no Vita version and the PS4/Steam release is digital only. Still, i'm happy to see this coming to our shores.

 

For those who can't remember what it is, here's a trailer for it.

 

[Ashley]

My Japanese isn't great...but did she say RPG three times?

[dwarf]

Jesus Christ, just get Destiny. Don't be such a little bitch.

 

I've heard Knack is really good so I'll get that instead.

[nekunando]

I've heard Knack is really good so I'll get that instead.

 

I thought I better back up my 'thanks' with the fact that it isn't in any way related to the quality of Knack as I've never played it and don't think I'd want to The post just made me laugh

[drahkon]

I said I wouldn't buy anymore games this month, but I forgot that this will be released tomorrow:

 

 

Ok, last game for March...

 

It will eventually arrive on the Vita, but no release date has been set. It's cross-buy, though, so that's cool.

[Shorty]

I'd have pre ordered that if the multiplayer was online. Looks fun though, let us know how you get on with it.

[ThePigMarcher]

Played a little of Salt and Sanctuary last night and early signs are extremely positive. Admittedly, From Software's lawyers must be looking hard at this game as it's not just influenced by the 'Souls' games, it's more a blatant rip but damn, the first hour or so I played was so much fun.

 

Did a load of exploring in the opening areas, unlocked a few short-cuts, only beat the first boss and started exploring the new areas after that boss. I still need to figure out some mechanics and the purpose of some items but yeah, it been a blast so far.

 

Also, the skill tree is bloody massive.

[drahkon]

Admittedly, From Software's lawyers must be looking hard at this game as it's not just influenced by the 'Souls' games, it's more a blatant rip

 

Yeah, it can be called a "rip-off". The game mechanics are really, reeeeaaaally similar But I think Ska Studios managed to give Salt and Sanctuary its own identity. The art style, skill tree, 2D-gameplay and more make this quite a different experience.

 

Played for 30 minutes last night, just to give it a quick go. Will probably start a new character today or tomorrow.

 

Something everybody intending to buy this game should know: It's a Souls-like and not a 2D platformer/beat 'em up. You have to dodge/block and time your attacks. It took a while for me to get used to

[drahkon]

[tweet]710476007237685251[/tweet]

 

: peace: Awesome.

 

Played this waaayyy back on my 360. Happy to play it again

[Happenstance]

Sony Reportedly Working on a "PlayStation 4.5"

 

Developers confirmed to Kotaku that the new model would offer increased graphical power and could run games at 4K.

 

A few weeks ago, Microsoft's Phil Spencer announced that the Xbox One could see mid-cycle upgrades in the near future. Now, according to a report from Kotaku's Patrick Klepek, we know that Sony may be doing something similar. Sources tell the site that the company is developing a "PlayStation 4.5" which will offer greater graphical power and which will be able to run games at 4K resolutions. This new model would retail for $400, which was the price of the current $350 model up until this past holiday season. While multiple sources reportedly confirmed this to Kotaku, Sony declined to comment.

 

There aren't many more details than that at this time, but if you're interested in more info on the reporting itself, make sure to go read Patrick's story. What there are a lot of at this time are a lot of big questions about how Sony plans on pursuing this strategy. What, if any, sort of VR integration will we see in this new hardware? Exactly how much more power would this new unit have? Would the "PlayStation 4.5" be a stop gap between now and an eventual PlayStation 5, or is the whole platform shifting to the incremental upgrade model that we see in smartphones and tablets?

 

Though I've used the "iPhone" analogy a lot to describe this idea recently, I'm increasingly unsure that it's a solid metaphor for this situation. Smartphones are fundamentally different than game consoles. For many of us, our phones a constant presence in our lives, a McLuhan-esque extension of the self, not just free-time hobby machines (though they sometimes also serve that purpose). Are people really interested in moving into a two or three year replacement cycle for our game consoles in the same way that they do with their phones? Would phone-like subsidization make that a more attractive option?

 

Perhaps no question is as important as: How will Sony's fans respond to this? Last month on the Beastcast, we had a chat about the current state of game consoles, and many of the responses we received were clear: People love consoles because they're convenient. A single purchase will last you at least five years, and you don't need to worry about compatibility, performance options, or hardware upgrades. So if I'd just purchased a PS4 for 349.99 in the last few months, I'd be livid right now. And I say that even though I know that there are a lot of positives behind this sort of thing. Giving the PS4 a power boost would allow the platform to keep up with the PC (and now, it seems, the Xbox One too), it lets VR developers to push their games a little further, and it means that if I ever do get a 4K TV, my PS4 games would look great on it. Except my PS4 games actually won't unless I go out and drop another $400. At that point, why am I not thinking about jumping ship?

 

(I should note, briefly, that from a non-business standpoint, there is one question more important than consumer retention: How much additional electronic waste will come from more rapid console cycles? The constant trashing and replacement of technology is sort of a big problem right now, y'all)

 

In writing this out, I've almost instinctively typed out "this is a mess" like five times now. There's so much to keep in mind when trying to analyze this decision, and with no official statement from Sony on this, speculation runs wild. I may have criticized the vagueness in Phil Spencer's talk back in early March, but at least he laid out a broad vision for the future of Xbox. Obviously Sony would've preferred for this not to leak out at all, but by proactively addressing the new Xbox One initiative ahead of any leaks, Spencer was able to control the message. But with regards to the PlayStation 4.5, all we have is social media skepticism and our own best- and worst-case scenarios.

 

The hope is that when this is all settled, we'll look back at this and think of it as an incredibly exciting moment of positive change for the console market. But with so little to go on, that's asking for a lot of faith from a consumer base that is already facing a rapidly changing market, a new luxury-priced VR ecosystem, and an overall lack of strong console exclusives. Hopefully we'll have a lot more specific information in place by the time E3 is over, if not sooner. Until then, all we can do is wait and see.

 

http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/sony-reportedly-working-on-a-playstation-45/1100-5418/

[Dcubed]

I think that if they're working on anything, it wouldn't be a PS4.5 per say...

 

I reckon it's more likely to be a PS4 slim of sorts with the PS VR processing unit built in, dedicated ports for the PS VR (instead of using multiple USB ports) and perhaps being bundled with the VR headset. Perhaps with a HDMI 2.0 port and support for 4K Blu-Rays as well.

 

I don't see why they'd bother with a New3DS style upgrade. They're basically uncontested and they're doing well for themselves; there's no need for a move like this. I mean, sure, they could pull a SEGA and destroy all the winning momentum they have with their very own 32X, but I tend to think that Sony are a lot more savvy than SEGA were...

[Ashley]

Imagine if at E3 Nintendo showed off the NX and Sony showed off a PS4.5 that was better than the NX in terms of specs/power.

[drahkon]

I'd be incredibly annoyed by that if it's true...

 

Splitting their userbase is never a good idea and those who can't affort an upgraded PS4 will think they'll miss out on something...

[V. Amoleo]

I'm sort of counting on there being an incremental PS4 upgrade as I want a UHD Blu-ray player but I don't want another device under the TV. So swapping out my current PS4 would be perfect.

 

I'd also not be too concerned if they internally had the breakout box for the PSVR, as long as it's compatible with the one they're releasing in October.

 

Giving more resource for games is okay too. We'd probably just be in a situation like with the New Nintendo 3DS where the extra performance is never really used.

[Esequiel]

I have 3 PS4's in my house, one for me and one for each of my kids. An upgrade splits the user base if the upgraded console has games that would only work on that and not the old model. It would be a disaster!

[Shorty]

@drahkon