PS.. is it 5? I think we're on 5 now. PS5

I am starting to wonder if this might be the beginning of the end for the console wars and console gaming in general. Why get a Switch, (or the next model for example), when you could spend just a little more and get a Steamdeck? Indeed, what is a PS5 other than a more accessible Sony-built PC in flashy casing?

Demon’s souls remake was a real feat. FFXVI is also beautiful. That Matrix demo shows what can be done. Cyberpunk. Spider-Man. Rachet and Clank. Horizon. There is a handful of games that are really pushing the next gen (some of them cross-gen proving it doesn’t necessarily hold things back if there’s enough money and work behind it). Game graphics are not monolithic, some games do better than others. But it is undeniable graphics will be better when energy can be solely given to a singular generation* (note series s remarks given above), rather than having to split work into multiple releases of differing quality.

otm Latin. If I could do it all again I would not have bought my PS5 and put the money into a higher end graphics card to have that space-age feel on the desk, and then the steam deck for the other 99% of games which don’t touch that level of graphical work

Console gaming will always be there for its accessibility. The multiplicity of choices inherent to PC gaming does not lend itself to those getting into gaming for the first time.9

where were all the whiners in the ps2 and ps3 days? series s is "holding back multiplatform" but ps3 wasn't?

Armored Core is also very nice graphics-wise, even if it does work better in performance mode

I'm no video game historian or tech guru, but it's always felt to me that the PS5 release was a bundle of bad timing. First, the PS4 was still cranking along just fine; the traditional time might have been right for a new system, but there was nothing pressing. But then the machine drops right as the pandemic peaks, and you've got an early predictable scramble to get one, followed by shortages due both do sustained demand and supply disruptions, plus people stuck at home playing games. I'm pretty sure there were games that had reportedly been intended as PS5 exclusives (God of War Ragnarok was for sure one) or with PS5 firmly in mind that were compromised (not necessarily in a terrible way) to work on PS4. And then the last couple of years have seen a bunch of other peripheral corrections. Games that were going to charge for upgrades to PS5, say, that went free to upgrade. Games that for whatever reason work best when you're running the PS4 version on PS5. Sometimes seemingly arbitrary price hikes.

Me, I'll never have a computer rig to play games. Something like a Steam deck seems intriguing, but I barely played my Switch in portable mode (bar a couple of games) and would only consider a Steam if its performance docked was equivalent to my console or a good computer. Which, if I understand correctly, it is not.

I do like my PS5, maybe not dramatically more than I liked my PS4, but its improvements, however incremental, are still noticeable. And now we're finally starting to see more PS5 (and equivalent) exclusives dropping. Spider-man 2, Phantom Liberty DLC, Remnant 2, Lords of the Fallen, Alan Wake 2, Burning Shores DLC, etc. Feels like the relationship between the system and its developers has maybe, if belatedly, stabilized.

All the frame-rate issues, that almost exclusively seems to be an issue with ray tracing, which I consider a subtle improvement on graphics that often necessitates a not so subtle hit on performance. But last gen games like Spider-man and Last of Us 2, say, or RDR2, or even the two Resident Evil remakes I just played, I can't imagine games looking better than that, or at least not significantly, even before the PS5 upgrades (as available), so I wish the focus would stay on performance and not on photorealistic water reflections or whatever.

I had that last sentiment knocked out of me when I played Cyberpunk 2077 on a proper pc for the first time Josh. Raytracing in that neon light infested environment is a thing of beauty and really makes you understand the benefit of the technology. For games not infested with neon lights? yeah sure, it's a marginal increase. But Cyberpunk really feels like a PS6 game at its max settings on a HDR OLED monitor. A league of its own

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsFcCc8dd7Q

Seems like another point in favor of the PS5 then.

the whole "holding back" discourse is so broke-brained. if anything, forced ps4 compatibility is what's making the performance toggles so common. remove that and we'll be back to games barely hitting 30fps as gpu load is driven to breaking point.

a number of PS5 exclusives, not beholden to PS4 hardware, run at 60 fps or have performance sliders. ratchet and clank, returnal, demon's souls off the top of my head.

cross gen compatibility may have popularized this, but it's not something that goes away without it.

Man, I understand that prices have been stagnant for decades, and that we've all been spoiled, but it's super frustrating when a game goes on sale with like a 30-50% discount and it's *still* over $40.

yeah... this is true, but it makes sense since the retail prices went up to $70
that said I just ordered a shitload of AA-level PS5 games from GameStop for like <$5 so you gotta take the riches when they come

I'm perplexed by how GameStop organizes its site. For example, right now I know I can buy, say, "The Callisto Protocol" new for $5 - and I probably will, that's cheap! - but if I search for the game it only pops up as $18 used (?), and I don't see that dirt cheap price unless I toggle to "new," and definitely not when I search for games under $10. It's weird.

There are a few other games I've found so far that are a lot cheaper new than used.

✨ Introducing a new look for PlayStation 5 ✨

Smaller design with a full-power PS5 experience. Full details on model options at PS Blog: https://t.co/zy8XBuewQd pic.twitter.com/BU26zzBwXq

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) October 10, 2023

oh no

Is it true that they raised the price of the digital version by $50? And that an external drive costs $80? And that the vertical stand is being sold separately and costs $30? And that afaict this "slim" version looks more or less the same as my current PS5?

Yeah what a radical re-envisioning.

it probably doesn't melt the rear usb ports anymore lol

You know what I wish existed? A chip or code on the box, or better yet, the disc itself, that allows you to play a game without needing the disc inserted, as long as the disc or box is nearby.

https://comparesizes.com/comparison/PS5-Redesign-specs-vs-PS5-Digital-Redesign-specs-vs-PS5-Original-specs/1696956384858

I was waiting for a PS5 slim but this isn't it
30 bucks for a plastic stand? Sony you crazy

ps5 is huge lol

what are the ps5 must-haves?

- spider-man 2
- cyberpunk?
- death stranding?

i’m thinking about going back to buy the classic ps4 games i can’t live without since i think they’ll be compatible? eg overcooked, super mega baseball 2

Would add God of War: Ragnorak, Horizon: Forbidden West, Elden Ring, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart but ymmv

I'll always rep for Persona 5 Royal but I don't think the PS5 version is meaningfully different

Baldur's Gate 3!

mmmm i know i know.. those 10000hr games are not my thing anymore though. thinking more along the lines of street fighter 6 tbh

next-gen only (ie, unavailable on ps4): bg3, alan wake ii

ps5 exclusive (not on pc or xbox series): none lol

ps4 games notably better on ps5: too many too mention but the fromsoft games perform better when playing the ps4 version on the ps5, something you can't do on series x

tracer get on the returnal train u coward

For low stress spectacle, I'm not sure I've seen a better PS5 showcase than Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart.

I am starting to think Returnal actually rewards you for taking breaks. Come back after a day and it gives you
a few more variations

Oh, duh, Demon's Souls is another a PS5 must-have, imo.

Demon’s souls is stunning. Resident evil 2/3make also have a big bump on the next gen, very pretty and great games. Small commitment too

Gran Turismo 7

Yeah thinking hard about that one.

re PS4 games being improved when playing on a pi55.. does this essentially mean using the PS4 DISC version? I am guessing those could be picked up for pretty cheap..

no, physical discs vs PSN store purchases have no bearing on that, grab whatever's cheapest.
most native PS4 games are improved on PS5, sometimes dramatically, sometimes only by slightly faster load times due to SSD vs HDD transfer speeds (if you were already using an ssd with your ps4 you may not gain anything).

then there's oddities like the elden ring that have distinct PS4 and native PS5 versions available for purchase, but playing the PS4 disc/download on the PS5 gives better performance than the PS5 disc/download.

Thanks! Didn’t realise you could choose the version to download.

I've only played the original Arkham Asylum on PS3, looks like this is the perfect time to catch up: https://www.polygon.com/deals/24042887/batman-arkham-knight-city-asylum-collection-deal-rocksteady

$6 for one of these games is a bargain, $6 for all of these games is a no-brainer.

Has anyone played "Detroit: Become Human"? I've heard lots of good things, for different reasons (graphics, story, never gameplay, as such), and it's currently $10, which is as low as it's ever been.

I've played it and enjoyed it, and would recommend for that price--it's a bit short to pay full price. It's more like an interactive story than something like, I dunno, The Last of Us. If you've played anything from the Life is Strange series, expect that.

same dev as heavy rain and fahrenheit: indigo prophecy

Also from a developer problematic beyond the typical litany of gaming problematics.

huh. well, I've never played any of those other games, but $10 is cheap.

wau:

In January 2018, three French news outlets—Le Monde,[14] Mediapart,[47] and Canard PC[48]—published the results of a joint investigation into the company's business practices. Le Monde called Quantic Dream "a toxic corporate culture, management with inappropriate words and attitudes, under-considered employees, overwhelming workloads and questionable contractual practices".[14] First among the issues raised by the newspapers, Cage and de Fondaumière were said to have participated in or encouraged a sexist and racist culture, with controversial images exchanged by email and posted around the office including photos of studio collaborators and employees digitally edited to appear as Nazis or porn stars.[49] Canard PC stated that the entire IT department had quit in March 2017 because of these "bad jokes".[48][50] Second, studio management was accused of employing an arduous "crunch time" schedule in which 15-35 additional hours of work per week were expected for a year before a game's launch.[48] Third, the human resources department was accused of colluding to terminate fixed-term contract staff before their deal expired, violating French labour laws, and arranging settlements to remove employees who did not fit in with the studio culture.[48] In particular, the reports outlined how de Fondaumière conspired with the company to use French labor laws to contest his dismissal in 2016 and obtain a €60,000 compensation fee that was not subject to social security collection via URSSAF.[51]

Cage and de Fondaumière denied the reports.[26] In February 2018, the studio called the charges a smear campaign in an official statement.[52] They levied lawsuits against Le Monde and Mediapart in April 2018, while Canard PC received two "threatening letters".[53] Several employees who had left or been terminated filed suit against Quantic Dream.[49] That July, Quantic Dream lost a court case against one of the employees who left due to the hostile workplace culture.[49] The employee sought to reclassify their resignation as a wrongful termination under the French employment law of prise d'acte.[54] This case was later overturned; the Court of Appeal of Paris explained that none of the specific photos depicting this particular employee were degrading and therefore did not qualify for wrongful termination under prise d'acte.[55] In a separate case brought by another former employee, the Parisian employment tribunal found for the employee, stating that the studio had allowed the "homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or even deeply vulgar" dissemination of the photos to continue in the workplace,[50] and further ordered Quantic Dream to pay €5,000 in addition to a €2,000 fee in December 2019 after finding that the company "[remained] passive in the face of this practice more than questionable, which can not be justified by the 'humorous' spirit of which the company avails itself, the employer has committed a breach of the obligation of security".[56][57] Other cases remain pending.[54]

The trials against news outlets Le Monde and Mediapart were held in May 2021.[51][58] The verdict was given on 9 September 2021. In a personal libel suit brought by Cage and de Fondaumière, accusations against Le Monde were recognised by the court, as Le Monde refused to disclose the identity of the anonymous sources it had used and thus had failed to meet the burden of proof.[59][60][61][62][63] The court ruled in favor of Mediapart in the personal suit, dismissing charges related to three of seven passages in their report about Quantic Dream, while stating that the other four were made in "good faith" as they had "a sufficient factual basis" as to not qualify for libel.[62][63] Separate cases filed against Le Monde and Mediapart on behalf of Quantic Dream as a company also found in favor of the defendants, clearing them of the libel charges.[61]

sadlol but those are the typical game dev sins; other things that I can think of was putting Elliot Page's character into a shower scene after saying they wouldn't, and D:BH being a rather poor allegory for the Civil Rights movement (which I've heard 2nd hand, admittedly).

So if I buy the game for $10, who is getting my money in 2024?

all these employees just viciously trying to smear this innocent company, shocking stuff

I'm not a guy that plays New Game+, since when I'm done a game I'm generally done a game and need a break, and coming back to NG+ after a break means losing all my muscle memory and whatnot (hence my Elden Ring DLC concerns). However, I just saw the news that NG+ on the new Like a Dragon is reportedly going to cost *extra*. Oof. Not sure I like where games could be going with this.

So I guess Sony just announced no new existing franchise titles before March 2025. I think y'all teased me when I mentioned the lack of first party titles and whatnot for the PS5, but, well, it's indeed turning out to be a pretty chill console, as far as Sony releases go. March 2025 will be about five years into the PS5's lifespan, and there are still just a handful. That's cool, though, imo, since it lets us (me) catch up!

what do you mean by “new existing franchise titles”?