General gaming discussion

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122505130#Comment_122505130

I do like it for what it was and how it looked enough like the original while still being a much smaller, tighter version of it. But it doesn't hold a candle to the original.

recyclops

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122505180#Comment_122505180

Thats what I miss most from gaming, I dont think its an old age thing its just now the increases are so marginal its difficult to get excited about it

RedXIV

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122506144#Comment_122506144

To be fair, I had that when the PSVR landed in my lap with the PS4. Genuinely had a "This is a leap forward" moment. I think I was too late an adopter to pick up on the online multiplayer one for the PS3 era but lord almighty do I remember looking at graphics on the PS2 and thinking they were mindblowing

Retr0gamer

I don't think any leap in console or PC tech is going to impress me. We have ray tracing now but before ray tracing engineers got so good at faking lighting effects that it's kind of not that big a leap forward. I also kind of hate how deferred renderers have meant we have regressed to dithered alpha effects that looked awful in 1994 on the Sega Saturn. VR is a big leap forward but until that becomes more user friendly it's not going to be mainstream.

Maybe Nintendo will come out with a new inventive way to play games that will get me excited. On the other hand I do think we've never had it better for great and interesting game releases.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122500997#Comment_122500997

Screw that, do a whole tournament with all the consoles included, really bring out the Console Wars😂

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122506293#Comment_122506293

I think the PS2 to PS3/360 was probably the last big leap in terms of graphics. So many games from the PS3/360 era (p*ss-filter aside) still look absolutely gorgeous to this day. The only big leaps remaining are how the technology can be used, such as VR, or the portability of things like the Switch and Steamdeck. But for graphics, it's diminishing returns with each new console generation at this stage. Unreal Engine 5 obviously makes games look great, but only really see big differences when you're 2ft from the telly, in photo mode and zoomed in on a character's face to see they have tiny little hairs in their nostrils.

Retr0gamer

Im playing the PS2 at the moment and it's great how many games are 60 fps or at least stable 30 fps. We had that with the PS4 as well with most games being a very stable 30 fps (although coming off Steambot chronicles there's still games with poor framerates and can't forget how poorly the generations biggest game, gta, ran). I think the ps360 era was a big mistake as it showed how you can still sell games with crummy frame rates and we are seeing that creeping back with poorly performing unreal 5 engine games. Still no were near as bad as the piss filter era though.

johnny_ultimate

There was nearly 30 years of constant generational leaps - at a certain point, the pace was inevitably going to slow, especially as it reached closer and closer to photo realism (I don't think games are photo realistic, but the steps to get there are incredibly difficult to achieve). Though I would argue playing Half-Life Alyx was a genuine 'this is another level' experience, albeit not necessarily due to sheer graphical horsepower.

I would say I'm frequently impressed at what's happening outside the AAA photorealism space. The extent to which developers are able to bring more distinctive art styles to life due to the technical advances we've seen. Games like Hi-Fi Rush, Ori or Thank Goodness You're Here look incredibly close to animated film or TV, and flow with immense fluidity. Countless games are able to realise their art style in ways that would not have feasible even in the early days of proper HD gaming.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122506350#Comment_122506350

Every now and again you get something different in VR. Playing Lego Bricktales at the moment. Its played in large mixed reality dioramas you can grab to move around and it transitions to building tables. Its the most joyous nostalgic game. Very relaxing also as you can see your own surroundings as you play.

SuperBowserWorld

I loved the fluidity and quality of the animations in TLOU PS5 upgraded games at 60 FPS. Also, the art direction and the sound effects. And well designed simple obvious controls and clutter free display. None of that requires huge technical advances.

Then they try to bump up the resolution and add ray tracing and suddenly you need a PS5 pro or PS6 for GTA6.

I feel they are trying to do 2 things in video game development. Sell you a new game and new hardware. So, game developers end up chasing their tails to keep up and games take years to develop and release. And consumers and the environment churns through hardware.

Jordan 199

So what new releases are ye looking forward to this year?

For me:

Life is Strange: Double Exposure.

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown.

Flight Simulator 2024.

Astro Bot.

SuperBowserWorld

Astro Bot, but I'll wait for a sale.

Now that you mentioned it ... Ireland scenery gets a bump recently in FS.

https://youtu.be/9xGlXW3-xYs?feature=shared

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122510493#Comment_122510493

Test Drive! Haven't played that since Test Drive 3 on PC in early 90s. Didn't know it was still going.

For me:

Astro Bot. Have game and the dualsense on pre order.

Then Skydance's Behemoth in VR. Anything from the creators of TWDS&S should be well worth it. Combat trailers look excellent.

johnny_ultimate

Astrobot and Ys X are top of my list at the moment in terms of big name releases. Will definitely give Metaphor: ReFantazio at some stage presuming it's well received, though not sure I'll have made it through SMTV by then! I'm certainly curious about the new Zelda, but given it doesn't appear to be the A-team working on it I'm just a tad more cautious than I'd usually be with a new Zelda game. Could be great, though!

On the indie side, very excited that Davey Wreden has a new game in Wanderstop out at some stage, and looking forward to Rise of the Golden Idol.

Everything else on all sides of the budget spectrum will be a 'wait and see' - I'm sure there'll be gems, but ones that'll only became apparent at release.

Penn

My interest is piqued by the new Dragon Age, but I've never played any of the others so it'll either be fine or it'll become my Baldur's Gate 3 of this year where I go into it completely blind and end up loving it.

Doesn't seem like a whole lot to really get excited about this year, but kind of a good thing because last year was crazy, and I've been enjoying replaying a lot of stuff this year.

Cordell

I'm old and old school, I'm only waiting for STALKER 2.

Retr0gamer

Ys X and Metaphor for me. Honestly I've more than enough to keep me going for a while. EDF6 was the big game I wanted this year.

Potential-Monke

Having just scanned through a text list of upcoming games this year (minus Nintendo), the only one I'm actually excited for is Astrobot. I know I'm gonna love it, and I know it's gonna live up to my expectations (which is basically more of the demo), so I'm actually excited for it.

Have a couple games I've an interest in though. Veilguard is one, but will wait and see as I didn't like Inquisition but loved the first 2. Unknown 9: Awakening if it lands before the end of the year has piqued my interest. That's about it though…

SuperBowserWorld

Plucky Squire looks great !

Forgot that one.

Zero-Cool

Life is Strange Double Exposure in October and The Precinct sometime in 'Fall'. I think Astro Bot will be a cozy Christmas game.

Luna84

The Life is Strange games have me thinking life IS strange considering so many people like them. I played a bit of the first and was bored silly I just gave up.

CastorTroy

Off the top of my head, don't think any to pick up on release but will stick a couple on the Christmas list. Astro and the new Zelda.

Penn

Was about to start taking on the final boss of Bloodborne and then memory twigged that you have to do the DLC before the final boss, otherwise it throws you into NG+. Definitely want to do the Lady Maria fight again, one of my favourite SoulsBorne boss fights. Plus I never actually bothered getting to or fighting Orphan of Kos first time I played because I just lost interest in the final area, so will tackle it this time.

None of the second half of the main game gave me much trouble. Haven't missed the Hunters Axe at all, Ludwigs Holy Blade has been great and given I'm more experienced with Souls games I was a lot smarter and efficient with levelling up, items etc.

I still mostly stand by my main criticism of the game that too many bosses are just large beasts who you attack at their back legs and then avoid AOEs, and it's especially difficult because of how aggressive you have to be, meaning you spend most boss fights right up against the boss not able to see what's actually going on.

Father Gascoigne is an amazing fight and really sets a high bar. After that a lot of the best fights are when you face off against other Hunters, but they're not boss fights so they never get taken to that next level. And then you finally do get a humanoid boss fight, and it's f*cking Micolash.... (though admittedly after that I remembered I hadn't done Cainhurst Castle, and Martyr Logarius is a terrific boss fight so that washed the taste of Micolash away)