Octopus Overlords

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 12:20 am I actually like their subscription service.

Same. I'm not a long time Playstation devotee--I had the PS2 and PS4, but was more a PC player and never subscribed to their subscription services. For me, I now have a shit-ton of games I can pick from for less than the cost of two premium games.

In time, I can certainly see the diminishing returns of subscribing, but right now I'm playing WAY more games than I ever had before.

Well, I’m joining the PS5 party. I ordered the gears of war bundle on Amazon, and it should be here on Monday.

msteelers wrote: ↑Fri Dec 30, 2022 8:01 pm Well, I’m joining the PS5 party. I ordered the gears of war bundle on Amazon, and it should be here on Monday.

I assume you mean the other GoW game.

Skinypupy wrote:

msteelers wrote: ↑Fri Dec 30, 2022 8:01 pm Well, I’m joining the PS5 party. I ordered the gears of war bundle on Amazon, and it should be here on Monday.

I assume you mean the other GoW game.

Either that, or I ended up buying a cheap knockoff!

disarm wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 11:20 pm This is a total ripoff of Microsoft's Elite controller concept. It has pretty much the exact features of the MS Elite Controller 2....adjustable stick tension, swappable sticks, back buttons, multiple programmable profiles. Every one of these features, right down to a similarly styled case with the ability to charge the controller while in the case, is included on the MS controller that has been available for quite a while. I guess Sony has seen the popularity of these for MS and decided to jump on the bandwagon.

As for whether these 'elite' controllers are worth the money or not, I guess it's really up to the individual. I've been using a Xbox Elite controller for several years and would say it is a substantial step up from the standard controller. I don't even take advantage of the optional back buttons, but the overall feel of the controller is so much nicer than the standard that I don't regret spending the money at all. In fact, my son broke my original Elite controller last week and I was so disappointed going back to the regular controller that I immediately dropped the money for a new Elite 2 ($153 thanks to Amazon sale). It's a little extravagance that I splurged on a few years ago and now I'm too spoiled to go back.

I was skeptical about the elite controllers, but when my wife started working for Microsoft and I got a big discount, I took the plunge. The Microsoft elite XBOX controller is really nice. I have it customized for Destiny, and I’ve remapped some of the common functions to the paddles on the back (sprint, jump, change weapon, reload). I like using the paddles since it keeps me from having to move from the sticks while in a fight. I also love not having to jam one of the sticks down to activate sprint - that always bugs me in every game I play that uses the stick button for that. Following some of the suggestions online, I also tuned the trigger responses to make them more of a hair trigger and made the sticks a little more responsive.

All in all, I agree it’s a subjective call whether the elite controllers are worth the price tag. IMHO, I’m not sure I would have grabbed one without a healthy discount, but I really like having it now that I did.

Now that I'm past the frozen tundra and into Svartalfheim I'm enjoying GoW Ragnarok more, with the exploration and chest hunting.

Also joining the PS5 party late. My son found a good deal that GameStop was running and ended up trading in my old PS4 and an original, launch XBONE along with a bunch of games. I ended up with a GoW Digital PS5 for just under $100.

So, in addition the GoW, which I’m excited to get into, what are the other must-play PS5 games people would recommend? I’m mostly looking for PS exclusives.

I just finished Spiderman: Miles Morales and really enjoyed it...not a lot different from a gameplay standpoint than Spiderman on PS4 (and shorter), but the story is solid and definitely worth playing.

I'm playing Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart right now (my first R&C game) and it's a lot of fun. The 3rd-person shooting and story are fun, and it's an impressive showcase of next-gen console capabilities. Not only are the graphics impressive, but as a PS5 exclusive, it makes good use of the DualSense controller.

Lastly, if you haven't tried Astro's Playroom, give it a go... surprisingly fun for what is essentially a PS5 tech demo.

disarm wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:50 pm Lastly, if you haven't tried Astro's Playroom, give it a go... surprisingly fun for what is essentially a PS5 tech demo.

+1 to this. It's a blast and can be finished in an afternoon or two. It's a fun trip down Playstation memory lane as well.

Horizon Forbidden West is fantastic. It got overshadowed by Elden Ring on release, but I actually thought it was a far better game.

Ghost of Tsushima was one of my top 3 PS4 games, and I've heard the PS5 version is even better.

I tried the Forspoken demo and I'm glad I did. Five minutes of this confirmed it is the kind of confusing pastel action BS I despise.

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:39 pm Also joining the PS5 party late. My son found a good deal that GameStop was running and ended up trading in my old PS4 and an original, launch XBONE along with a bunch of games. I ended up with a GoW Digital PS5 for just under $100.

So, in addition the GoW, which I’m excited to get into, what are the other must-play PS5 games people would recommend? I’m mostly looking for PS exclusives.

Returnal
Demon's Souls
Gran Turismo 7

Returnal and Demon Soul's are certainly the wow factor games. Both make good use of what the PS5 can do in terms of GFX and the controller. They are both on the PS pass so I wouldn't buy them. Ghost of Tsushima also using the controllers haptic feedback to good effect. It looks amazing, but it certainly isn't as mind blowing as something like Returnal.

So actually all 3 are on the pass:
Returnal
Demon Soul
Ghost of Tushima

Basically at least get the pass for the first few months. There's a bunch of AAA games on there.

Thanks for the recommendations. Demon Souls always sounded great, but the "notorious difficulty" kind of scares me off.

Watched a gameplay trailer for Returnal, and that looks like it's 100% my cup of tea. Ghost of Tsushima looks really interesting too!

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 4:39 pm Returnal and Demon Soul's are certainly the wow factor games. Both make good use of what the PS5 can do in terms of GFX and the controller. They are both on the PS pass so I wouldn't buy them. Ghost of Tsushima also using the controllers haptic feedback to good effect. It looks amazing, but it certainly isn't as mind blowing as something like Returnal.

So actually all 3 are on the pass:
Returnal
Demon Soul
Ghost of Tushima

Basically at least get the pass for the first few months. There's a bunch of AAA games on there.

I agree with this. Get Playstation Plus Premium for at least the first couple of months, it will more than pay for itself if you haven't played any Sony Exclusives in a while.

Also I can't believe no one has recommended Last of Us 1 and 2. They are incredible games.

I really want to play the remake, but the 70 dollar price tag is woof... I really wish they had priced it at 50. The 2nd one got a lot of hate from some people, but I freaking loved it. The gameplay is so much fun. I may crumble and get the remake with a gift card from Christmas, but I'm waste deep in Ghost right now. I kept of playing just the first 10 hours and putting it down. I got momentum this time and I'm determined to beat it finally. My wife will be happy as I'll stop making random ninja noises. That game is really just Barbie for boys. It's all about the fantastic outfits.

Yeah the remake price was out of line but it has maintained so perhaps it's selling? Maybe it's the HBO tie-in? I don't know but I keep wondering how long before they'll add it to the pass library. I'm definitely not going to rebuy it. If and when they do, it'll probably be a good time to replay it again.

I'm pretty careless with what I purchase as I have like zero other entertainment expenses, so if it gives me pause... I mean this is the 3rd freaking time it's been released. They could at least make it 50 if you have a Plus account. I'm sure the TV show isn't helping in terms of them dropping the price. If they didn't have the AI improvements I wouldn't even be interested. The AI in 2 is super fun. It's the old school Half Life feeling where you actually feel like they are trying to win. Unlike Ghost where I look like John Wick. (Not complaining though it's so much fun running around and wiping a fort in 2 minutes.)

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:50 am Also I can't believe no one has recommended Last of Us 1 and 2. They are incredible games.

I played both of those on the PS4. Two of my favorite games of all time. Like a lot of others, I had a really hard time with the second installment. Some of the decisions the characters made and the big narrative POV switch halfway through were tough to take, but in the end, I think it made for one of my most memorable gaming experiences ever. It definitely stuck with me long after I wrapped it up.

And I can’t wait for the HBO series. I’m sure I’ll be disappointed, but who knows? Maybe they’ll come through.

Reviews of the show have been glowing from game sites and normal people. Curious to see how they handle season 2 if season 1 is just the 1st game.

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:50 am Also I can't believe no one has recommended Last of Us 1 and 2. They are incredible games.

I'm apparently the only person in the world who thought they were just meh

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:33 pm

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:50 am Also I can't believe no one has recommended Last of Us 1 and 2. They are incredible games.

I'm apparently the only person in the world who thought they were just meh

but is that really surprising ?

Last of Us:

Gameplay: A+

Story: C-

Jaymann wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 3:43 pm Last of Us:

Gameplay: A+

Story: C-

See, I would have flipped those. I thought the story was quite interesting (what I got through, anyways) but that the gameplay was a steaming pile of hot garbage.

Agreed. It's flipped. The remake is supposed to amp up the gameplay.

Octavious wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 12:07 am Agreed. It's flipped. The remake is supposed to amp up the gameplay.

I thought the remake was just graphics polish. No?

They took the AI from the 2nd game.

disarm wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:50 pm
I'm playing Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart right now (my first R&C game) and it's a lot of fun. The 3rd-person shooting and story are fun, and it's an impressive showcase of next-gen console capabilities. Not only are the graphics impressive, but as a PS5 exclusive, it makes good use of the DualSense controller.

This is on sale for 60% off, so I picked it up. I’ve only played bits and pieces of previous R&C games previously, and none of the, ever held my interest. I’m a few hours into Rift Apart and it’s been really fantastic so far. Looks amazing and the controller integration is top notch.

I also downloaded the Director’s Cut of Ghost of Tsushima. While it’s the same game as PS4, the haptic feedback makes a world of difference. Really excellent work using those new resources that changes the feel of the game quite a bit.

Set up my PS5 last night and gave it a go with a couple hours of the new God of War. Really loved the last one, and this new one seems like more of the same, only better.

But, holy shit, when I went to turn it off at the end of the night, I was surprised to see that it had turned the space in my AV cabinet into a freaking oven. Really, really hot. It’s not in a particularly open space, but it’s not sealed up either - no door or anything, but surrounding on three sides and top and bottom. This was the space I had my old PS4 in and an XBONE before that, and they never got hot. Is temperature control a known issue for the PS5? I started investigating this morning and did see a lot of people asking questions about PS5s running hot and also third party solutions for stands with fans in them.

I grabbed an AV cabinet fan from Amazon that should get here tomorrow. I figure I’ll install that in the back of the cabinet behind the shelf where the PS5 sits, and maybe that will help to exhaust some of the hot air.

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:57 pm Set up my PS5 last night and gave it a go with a couple hours of the new God of War. Really loved the last one, and this new one seems like more of the same, only better.

But, holy shit, when I went to turn it off at the end of the night, I was surprised to see that it had turned the space in my AV cabinet into a freaking oven. Really, really hot. It’s not in a particularly open space, but it’s not sealed up either - no door or anything, but surrounding on three sides and top and bottom. This was the space I had my old PS4 in and an XBONE before that, and they never got hot. Is temperature control a known issue for the PS5? I started investigating this morning and did see a lot of people asking questions about PS5s running hot and also third party solutions for stands with fans in them.

I grabbed an AV cabinet fan from Amazon that should get here tomorrow. I figure I’ll install that in the back of the cabinet behind the shelf where the PS5 sits, and maybe that will help to exhaust some of the hot air.

be careful when playing GOW and pausing the game. It burns a temporary image on my screen. I nearly freaked. If I leave it paused for a minute it will do it. I now pause and then go to the PS5 menu if I need to step away.

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:57 pm Set up my PS5 last night and gave it a go with a couple hours of the new God of War. Really loved the last one, and this new one seems like more of the same, only better.

But, holy shit, when I went to turn it off at the end of the night, I was surprised to see that it had turned the space in my AV cabinet into a freaking oven. Really, really hot. It’s not in a particularly open space, but it’s not sealed up either - no door or anything, but surrounding on three sides and top and bottom. This was the space I had my old PS4 in and an XBONE before that, and they never got hot. Is temperature control a known issue for the PS5? I started investigating this morning and did see a lot of people asking questions about PS5s running hot and also third party solutions for stands with fans in them.

I grabbed an AV cabinet fan from Amazon that should get here tomorrow. I figure I’ll install that in the back of the cabinet behind the shelf where the PS5 sits, and maybe that will help to exhaust some of the hot air.

Your enclosure sounds a lot like mine and I've never experienced those temps. I've mostly just been playing PS4 games though.

Alefroth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:36 pm

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:57 pm Set up my PS5 last night and gave it a go with a couple hours of the new God of War. Really loved the last one, and this new one seems like more of the same, only better.

But, holy shit, when I went to turn it off at the end of the night, I was surprised to see that it had turned the space in my AV cabinet into a freaking oven. Really, really hot. It’s not in a particularly open space, but it’s not sealed up either - no door or anything, but surrounding on three sides and top and bottom. This was the space I had my old PS4 in and an XBONE before that, and they never got hot. Is temperature control a known issue for the PS5? I started investigating this morning and did see a lot of people asking questions about PS5s running hot and also third party solutions for stands with fans in them.

I grabbed an AV cabinet fan from Amazon that should get here tomorrow. I figure I’ll install that in the back of the cabinet behind the shelf where the PS5 sits, and maybe that will help to exhaust some of the hot air.

Your enclosure sounds a lot like mine and I've never experienced those temps. I've mostly just been playing PS4 games though.

Strange. I wonder if the difference between the processing power required for PS5 vs. PS4 games is really that intense. I've never been a huge graphics guy, but I just finished up playing the last GoW on the PS4, and the difference in quality between that one and this one on the PS5 didn't leap out at me as anything amazing.

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 3:38 pm

Alefroth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:36 pm

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:57 pm Set up my PS5 last night and gave it a go with a couple hours of the new God of War. Really loved the last one, and this new one seems like more of the same, only better.

But, holy shit, when I went to turn it off at the end of the night, I was surprised to see that it had turned the space in my AV cabinet into a freaking oven. Really, really hot. It’s not in a particularly open space, but it’s not sealed up either - no door or anything, but surrounding on three sides and top and bottom. This was the space I had my old PS4 in and an XBONE before that, and they never got hot. Is temperature control a known issue for the PS5? I started investigating this morning and did see a lot of people asking questions about PS5s running hot and also third party solutions for stands with fans in them.

I grabbed an AV cabinet fan from Amazon that should get here tomorrow. I figure I’ll install that in the back of the cabinet behind the shelf where the PS5 sits, and maybe that will help to exhaust some of the hot air.

Your enclosure sounds a lot like mine and I've never experienced those temps. I've mostly just been playing PS4 games though.

Strange. I wonder if the difference between the processing power required for PS5 vs. PS4 games is really that intense. I've never been a huge graphics guy, but I just finished up playing the last GoW on the PS4, and the difference in quality between that one and this one on the PS5 didn't leap out at me as anything amazing.

I mean, GoW:Ragnarok was also designed to play on PS4, so it's not like it was going to be a huge step up to begin with.

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 3:38 pm

Alefroth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:36 pm

Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:57 pm Set up my PS5 last night and gave it a go with a couple hours of the new God of War. Really loved the last one, and this new one seems like more of the same, only better.

But, holy shit, when I went to turn it off at the end of the night, I was surprised to see that it had turned the space in my AV cabinet into a freaking oven. Really, really hot. It’s not in a particularly open space, but it’s not sealed up either - no door or anything, but surrounding on three sides and top and bottom. This was the space I had my old PS4 in and an XBONE before that, and they never got hot. Is temperature control a known issue for the PS5? I started investigating this morning and did see a lot of people asking questions about PS5s running hot and also third party solutions for stands with fans in them.

I grabbed an AV cabinet fan from Amazon that should get here tomorrow. I figure I’ll install that in the back of the cabinet behind the shelf where the PS5 sits, and maybe that will help to exhaust some of the hot air.

Your enclosure sounds a lot like mine and I've never experienced those temps. I've mostly just been playing PS4 games though.

Strange. I wonder if the difference between the processing power required for PS5 vs. PS4 games is really that intense. I've never been a huge graphics guy, but I just finished up playing the last GoW on the PS4, and the difference in quality between that one and this one on the PS5 didn't leap out at me as anything amazing.

I don’t think we’re going to see any of the “oh wow” graphical upgrades until games are done being developed for both PS4 and PS5. A process that was significantly delayed simply because no one could find a PS5.

Even on the ones that are, the upgrade feels far less pronounced than previous console generations. The few games Live played that were PS5 only looked good, but certainly weren’t the huge leaps that we’ve seen before.

In the past, we always learned that what we thought was amazing in the previous gen wasn't really amazing as amazing has been redefined. I think we may be done to redefining amazing. It's hard to imagine having our minds blown again at this point.

See, I’m perfectly fine with PS1 Hagrid. That’s been an issue for me for a while. I get sucked into the newest console generation — really, because users have very little choice — and then I’m almost always like, meh. It’s fine.

Part of that is definitely incremental change over time can be tough to detect. But part of it is just me, I think. Graphics may never really blow me away to the same extent as gameplay or story or cool new game mechanics. I like a pretty game, but my standards are not all that high.

Consoles tend to be the opposite of PCs when it comes to graphics advancements. On PC, new, mind-blowing graphics are programmed, and then we upgrade our hardware to run them, turning them down if we can't handle them.

On consoles, nothing happens until the hardware is released, after which the graphics start to advance. Early on, most games are cross-platform as most customers don't (or can't) upgrade right away. That holds the next-gen graphics back considerably. Truly unique graphics on the next-gen version would require making two games, which is impractical. This often results in things like games having the same graphics as the last-gen version, but with slightly better shadows, improved draw distances, and improved performance. After a while, once the market has moved forward, games start coming out exclusively for the new console, which provides an improvement. And after a few years and more experience with the new platform, developers start figuring out ways to really make the console hardware do things that nobody expected it to be able to.

PC: The hardware follows the graphics.
Console: The graphics follow the hardware.

In practice, that means that any new console is always going to be at the bottom of its curve on visual quality.

It doesn't help that there was such a massive shortage of consoles. I'm really hoping the next year we start seeing a massive decline in cross platform stuff.

Kotaku thinks it's starting to happen-

https://kotaku.com/ps5-ps4-sony-spider- ... 1849998378