A PS4 Thread: Because You Had to Play "Knack"

I read something that implied but didn't explicitly state that PS5 would have a specific PS4 mode to run back compat stuff, I'm picturing that as something similar to the way Wii U supported original Wii (I mean I doubt anyone else even used that tbh but yeah it essentially meant booting the console up in original wii mode). Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick though.

not implied, it was explicit in Cerny's presentation that the customised zen2 cores have additional logic for ps4 and ps4 pro modes, with games having the option to run in "native" ps5 mode with perhaps improved performance, or in one of the 2 legacy modes if ps5 mode is problematic

obviously, even with extra hardware to accomodate BC it's not guaranteed that every single title will work flawlessly, even in the legacy modes

if i had to guess, the reason for lack of specifics so far is because sony themselves haven't decided whether to unlock ps5 mode by default for all or only for whitelisted ps4 games to prevent a flood of complaints from the inevitable incompatibilities but i'd expect at least the legacy modes to be a free-for-all at launch

I was considering getting Control on PC so I could tweak settings to run it faster and finish it, but now you guys are making me think... maybe I just wait on PS5

I think I've got 3 or 4 levels to go on "Ratchet and Clank," and I've got to admit, I literally have no idea what's going on. It feels a bit like, I dunno, seeing Back to the Future 2 without ever having seen the first one?

I only just realized that the new Control DLC downloaded to my PS4, but I'm not at all sure when I'm going to get around to it.

I'm replaying through the beginning of Control on PC and, not sure if they added this to PS4, but they have some smart aiming assist that's nice. Playing with my PS4 controller so I am pretending it's fake PS4

I can never figure out why I can't start Control's DLCs!

OK, "Ratchet and Clank" is a wrap. Lots of fun, but again, no idea what was going on. Does this count as a run-and-gun? Because that's essentially all the did.

Anyway, I'd thought about Bloodborne next, but one of my kids thinks I should play Batman first. What do you all think? (The remaining backlog is of course epic and daunting.)

Which Batman would you play? Asylum is pretty old at this point but it is a classic.

Bloodborne of course, but I'm sure Batman would be way more fun for kids to watch.

The first Batman, so ... Asylum? I have all three, because they're always on sale for like $5.

Yeah, do that.

Leee, not sure what’s up. On PS4 do you have to actually install them after the game as a separate download?

I am still completing the main plot but I already detoured through content from two of the DLCs in my route. The AWE is pretty cool

xpost OK, I think I'll try Batman next. Game has both a high and low bar to hurdle for me, because while I have, as with Spider-man, a general familiarity with Batman, I have no real affinity for the characters, so I suppose it will all hinge on the design and gameplay.

Tho all the sequels are lackluster, Arkham Asylum is one of the greatest games of its generation imo

dang, I played Arkham Asylum on 360 & loved it & just picked up the bundle with Arkham City for PS4, but it's not good? oh well.

I've always heard the first two are good and people don't like the third (Knight) as much? But reading into it it seems like just the usual complaints. Some people were all "oh, you spend the whole thing in the Batmobile," but others pointed out that it's really only about 20% of the game, and that the game look and design (incl. the Batmobile) is the best of the bunch. Likewise there was a remaster of the first two games, which is what I got, as a bundle, and the reviews were all, eh, it's OK, but it doesn't look as good as it used to. But I expect it will look and play fine.

yeah I'm gonna play at least the 2nd one, I already had the 3rd one & my son played it a while but drifted away. it did seem too batmobile heavy but the first one was so good, it's worth another shot.

I think even Origins is underrated, but I guess it depends how hungry you are for the Arkham formula. Most people agree the first two are great, though. If you're in that deep you will probably play Knight for the conclusion, which is merely "not quite as good" as the other two, but still fun imo.

I loved the atmosphere of the first one but what I'm hankering for now more than ever is the feel of its combat.

Knight is arguably the best looking of the four.

for my money, the spiritual successor to the Arkham Asylum is the Spider-Man game, especially wrt combat

Noooo way. I love Spider-Man, but combat was way dialed down compared to the Arkham games, you barely even need to dodge

I have the Spider Man game too. I just need to play more games.

arkham was certainly more strategy oriented but the sense of flow carries through

agreed

I know I'm in the tiny minority but I don't really love the combat in these games, it just gives me hand cramps. On the other hand, I looove the stealth rooms.

arkham stealth > arkham melee > arkham knight driving >>>> spiderman combat which felt more like assassin's creed 2's open combat than anything else

My son played a bit of Spider-Man and the combat seemed just to be button-mashing. But I get that the game's appeal isn't its combat but rather its freedom of movement in the city. I still want to play it.

Spider-Man's combat honestly seemed less button mash-y then Arkham Knight to me. I remember dying a good bit in SM cuz I wasn't being smart about how I'd approach a room.

He just did through the (first?) Kingpin fight so I dunno.

lol i think that’s the first fight

yeah he played for like 20 minutes

Lol, that's just a little bit before where I made it, too, not because I didn't like it but because I got distracted. But yeah, the combat seemed less compelling than the swinging around the city. I could never remember the various combos and, like God of War, just did the best I could pressing a handful of things I knew worked for me.

It actually gets fairly tough! Definitely can't expect to spam a move or two and survive.

I kinda tired of the Batman formula by Knight. And wasn't crazy about the Batmobile stuff. Had a lot of fun with the first two however. I don't think the Spider-Man combat is inferior personally.

you don’t need to remember many combos in spider-man. a couple of dodges, that’s it really. pepper in an advanced move or two once you acquire them and it becomes incredibly satisfying.

in fairness i think everyone was at least a little tired of it by Knight, it was the fourth game in... six years? wow they pumped 'em out faster than i remembered. (Plus the various games that copied the fight system afterwards, like uh, that Captain America game, Shadow of Mordor, etc.)

the early Gotham Knights footage actually looks worse than AK, hoping that's because it's early footage. But, they gave it to the AA-team who did Arkham Origins, so I'm guessing the budget won't be as good... plus it looks like Destiny/Marvel's Avengers where it's going to be focus on co-op and loot possibly...

for my money, the spiritual successor to the Arkham Asylum is the Spider-Man game, especially wrt combat

Mad Max combat is very much like Arkham, although it feels less meaty.

In Spider-Man the in air combat is worth getting to grips with as that separates it from a whole bunch of dodge and mash games.

All four Arkham games are great imo. But I wouldn’t advise playing them back to back. And it’s undeniably true that the first is the best, so if you play that and don’t enjoy it then it’s not going to be worth continuing.

Trick to the combat, if you find it difficult, is to slow down. It’s got a very specific pace to it and when it gets difficult it can be easy to assume it’s because you’re not being fast enough, when actually it’s more likely you’re already going too fast.

I picked up Control again after a quick go a few months ago. I initially found some of the physics a bit clumsy, like you walk into a coffee trolley and it falls over like it's made of cardboard. Also not mad keen on shooters. But I have to admire the incredibly creepy office-punk horror atmosphere which they've got down absolute pat. I can only play a few minutes at a time - there's something so eerie about how the enemies seem to appear from nowhere - it's highly stressful; and especially how disorienting the Hiss / building movement device works.

PUBG and Street Fighter V free on PS+ this month. I'll probably play SF for half an hour.

Ooh, I enjoyed SFV a lot

there's something so eerie about how the enemies seem to appear from nowhere

there’s a horizontal red pillar of light when they appear, though?

spiderman combat seemed the opposite of button mashing to me? i really liked the assortment of combos.

it's a fun system. it's just that the Arkham fight system was like a 10 while the Spider-Man one is a 7

Arkham City's probably the game I've played the most, but I guess the fairly on-rails nature of Asylum develops a certain hustle to it?

I mean, I can't think of anything in Asylum as good as the last Freeze fight, or anything in City as bad as the Croc fight.

DL, I am very easily scared (I hate horror films and games), but while Control is absolutely creepy as hell, it rarely (if ever) goes full horror (although I think the new DLC is supposed to be closer to horror), if that distinction makes any sense (i.e. no jump scares that I can remember, thankfully).

there's one or two notable jump scares. One of which was actually an accident in development and came off so good they kept it in. ("His" face before you enter that area.) Most of the game is certainly unsettling lurking horror.

I guess it’s frightening to me in much the same way as Inland Empire is frightening. I’m getting to grips with it now, but it’s that feeling where you’re not quite sure what’s going on or what’s going to happen round the next corner. All the while, there’s that quaint, sinister feeling I remember from being a kid and having to go back into school after everyone’s gone home because I forgot something, and it’s totally empty save for the sound of the caretaker’s floor polisher

great post dl :)