Does this Xbox One - PS4 generation seem terribly boring to anybody else ?

[WCP]

So, I've been gaming for a very long time, and I've seen generation after generation.... First gaming system was an Atari VCS in 1977. Got my NES for Xmas 1986. I've basically seen every single generation of gaming come and go since then.

I'm honestly struggling to think of a more "boring" generation of gaming. I bought both the Xbox One and PS4 on their respective launch days. I was super hyped for both systems. Ultimately, since their arrival in November 2013, it just seems like both of these systems are such a waste.. I can't think of one specific game that makes the Xbox One or PS4 a mandatory purchase. Here we are in 2016, a number of years after their launch, and I really can't think of a single game release that truly blew me away.

Doesn't anybody remember when a new video game would come out that would just blow everybody the F away ? It just seems like it's been so freaking long since this has happened. The last time it "truly" happened was GTA 3 on PS2 back in October of 2001. But, if I'm a bit more lenient, I guess I could say Bioshock, Crackdown and Fallout 3. Certainly nothing from this generation. There doesn't seem to be anything in particular on the horizon either that has me really excited. I'd like to check out Uncharted 4, but I'm guessing it's just going to be a really, really purdy version of Uncharted and nothing truly ground breaking. What the heck happened to this industry ? Is it just the law of diminishing returns or something ?

[celerystalker]

I have also been uninterested in the current generation, but it's been on a decline for a long time for me. There's just kind of a same-ness among modern games for me. Most games have a very realistic, almost simulation bent to them, but I know I've ranted about that in other threads. Most games feel very similar to me these days, like there's an 80% overlap in control schemes, similar graphics and physics engines... the difference between games seems to be the degree to which RPG elements are emphasized and story.

What I like about old games is that they abbreviate the filler. I don't travel Final Fantasy III's overworld in real time to marvel at the level of detail put into each tree. I scurry over to the next area to do what I'm going to do, with sights and sounds that give me enough to build atmosphere and engage my imagination, but omitting the boring stuff. If I play, say, Guerrilla War, I run and shoot shit, and I don't watch detailed, lengthly cutscenes that are there to expand on the drama and gravitas of the situation. I just blow everything up in a setting that gets its own point across until I'm done.

For people who love the modern, dramatic style, that's cool for them, but it doesn't engage my imagination or capture my attention with its style. I get a similar satisfaction by watching a movie, which takes up far less time. I'm not saying that modern games have no gameplay, but rather that everything feels so literal and simulated that I rarely have any sense of wonder from them beyond in the moment. I've always felt like gaps between the game and reality are where my imagination gets involved and latches on to games that catch my interest. I need something to keep me engaged, though, whether it's a graphical style that leaves me interested but with room to imagine, quality unanswered questions in storytelling or untouched plot points that leave room for worthwhile consideration, or intriguing secrets so densely populated that Ibwant to dig into the nooks and crannys of the world.

[Leo_A]

My want lists are quite full, so while I'm only a Wii U owner, I don't anticipate having any trouble finding lots of games that I'm looking forward to playing. My concern is affording it all and actually having time to play at least a good chunk of it in a reasonable amount of time.

I'm especially happy to see what I've seen described as the "middle class game" make a rebirth. For a while there it seemed like there was precious little on consoles except AAA releases all trying to be the next Call of Duty sales hit and very small scale digital releases like $5-$10 standalone classic arcade games.

It seems that it's finally affordable again to develop and publish fairly ambitious titles on consoles that aren't out to be the next game to move 8 million units a year. You can work to make a good niche game that if it's a runaway sales hit will hit maybe a million units for a best case scenario, and actually have a chance of surviving as seen by scores of games like Firewatch coming from smaller outfits.

[calthaer]

I would really suggest checking out the "indie" game scene. You might have to go to the PC to get it; IIRC the Xbox line isn't as much a home to this as they once were. The most memorable gaming experiences from the last decade for me have been small studios making great games. Things like Terraria, Braid, Bastion, Costume Quest, Fez, FTL: Faster Than Light, La Mulana, Aquaria, Mark of the Ninja...there really is a lot to choose from.

[Tanooki]

Yes it has. It's not I think as much for a lack of games exactly, but a lack of anything one, interesting, and two, that hasn't been also shoved on the last gen stuff so they don't lose profit. WiiU was a sad bust unless you're just a Nintendo brown noser so that unique value isn't there this time as it was with Wii far more. PS4 and One have nothing strongly of value just tied to them other than a very select few key titles. Had I not paid $200 but $400 on the PS4 I'd be upset.

I have 10 games for it, got rid of probably 4 I had that I got cheap that were not better than average and I got bored with, and then I have an 11th sealed I'm not sure why I don't get rid of other than feeling like a hypocrite or something (RCR DX) as I have it on other formats as it is now. Other than Destiny with my nephews I can't recall using it much all year and well into the last other than spurts with Godzilla, GoW3 remaster, FF10 remaster(which I got rid of as I got bored and distracted), Uncharted Trilogy (detect a pattern?) and that Wolfenstein sequel. I have Uncharted 4 coming whenever they stop delaying it, but other than that I don't know. No Man's Sky is coming on GOG which will perform better on my laptop anyway and also not being stuck on the TV be far better used hours wise I can tell you. Odin Sphere I missed out on originally so that I'll do, and if I got that Gravity Rush remaster (again another remake) at some point I can't think of anything else I'd bother with.

I think I could be happy if I even sold it and just bought a cheap blu ray player which is kind of sad or just moved the PS3 back in my room.

edit--forgot that more budget priced TMNT game and also Mighty no 9 were popping up on here too in June. I may pop on those considering the 3DS didn't get either.

[Colorado Rockies]

Yeah this generation is pretty boring to me. I was excited for The Witcher 3, Fallout 4, Just Cause 3 and all of them let me down. MGSV was amazing but that was still on 360/PS3 as well. The Vita is the only next gen console that hasn't let me down so far.

[Gameguy]

Yeah, there's not a lot that interests me on consoles this generation. Some mildly interesting things on portables or the PC, but not all that much either. Really for most modern stuff just watching someone play through it on youtube is enough to satisfy my interest with it. With older games I would have some drive to actually play it, seeing a video makes me say "that looks like fun, I want to play it". Now I don't really feel that for most modern games.

People buy current consoles for Bluray players and streaming boxes. They just also play some video games as a bonus.

[kupomogli]

I've made the thread that I think this gen will be better than the PS2 and have more quality games. Imo, the only two systems to even bother with this gen, or three if you consider the NX part of this gen what with Nintendo killing off the Wii U in four years, is the PS4 and Wii U. Sorry, but the Xbox One has pretty much nothing to differentiate itself from the PS4 while the PS4 has nearly all the same games and additional exclusives.

For the entire generation, I do think so far it's the worst generation we've ever experienced, however, the PS4 hasn't even been out three years yet, so I think right now is too early to really call it. I did make the thread that I think the PS4 will have more quality releases than the PS2 does in its life span, but after playing some more games and seeing how others have turned out, I'm still hopeful, but it probably won't reach that quality. Maybe better than the PS3? But who knows, there's still four more years, let's wait until then to fully judge whether or not its quality matches the PS2. After playing more highly rated games, most being garbage, I do have my doubts it'll reach the quality of PS2 now though.

Imo, most of the best rated games don't deserve anywhere near the ratings they've received, and there's probably more payoffs this gen than ever before. Most "gamers" are pretty sheep that flock to anything the media tells them are good. I played Witcher 3 because I've heard from many of these people that it's the best game ever made, and sure the graphics are great, dialogue is actually pretty good, but it's got incredibly janky gameplay and I just couldn't keep playing. I made mention of not playing it, but I did use Witcher 3 as one of the games I've referenced.

[mailman187666]

I went to PAX East last weekend, and I spent almost no time in the AAA game section. Mostly because I don't want to wait in the lines, but also because not much interested me. I find myself more interested in indie games because they have more wiggle room to try something new and different. I did see the game 'cup head' there and that actually looked pretty awesome.

I think the next thing to really wow anybody will be once they get stable VR games perfected. Otherwise we will just be getting mostly the same shit over and over with new gimmicks and better graphics. I do enjoy a lot of games this generation, but the last time I was actually wow'ed by a game was probably Oblivion on the 360.

[shadowman]

I've been not so enamored with this generation as of late. I look at my backlog and there are few games that jump out at me, I've been playing far more retro games since December-ish time and can't remember the last time I had this much fun with gaming!

That said, I still absolutely love the Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku series on the PS4, I've got the latest game (Kiwami) sitting on my shelf waiting to be played (the idea was to work through my backlog first) but I might start it after I get Uncharted 4, as the Yakuza series is one of the only games I'm interested in spending tons of hours playing.

I do find though that I love many of the indie titles on the console, and almost all of my non Yakuza time is spent on those - Great Giana Sisters, Everybodies gone to Rapture, N++, Trine, Salt and Sanctuary (absolutely amazing game, I need to get back to it) and Jamestown are the recent games I've been putting most of my time into.

Looking at the upcoming release list of games most of my interests seem to come from Japan - bar Uncharted 4 and No Man's Sky the games I really want are EDF, Disaster Report 4, Odin Sphere (but I'll be getting that for Vita), Ryu Ga Gotoku 6, any new "warriors" titles that Koei release etc.

[Gamevet]

I find myself playing my PS3, more than my PS4. I've had the PS4 since Christmas of 2014 and have only played GTA V, Killzone Shadowfall, NBA2K15, Fallout 4, The Last of Us, Need for Speed Rivals (got rid of that one pretty quick), Uncharted 1&2 (still debating on playing 3, but 4 is just around the corner), Shovel Knight, Pinball Arcade and Call of Duty Ghosts. That's about 3 or 4 months worth of gaming tops, in the 16 months that I've owned the console. I'm looking forward to Uncharted 4, but there's not a whole lot that is on my radar for consoles right now. Maybe it has to do with the PC now being about 60% of my gaming time and the rest is on consoles.

It seems to me like there are a lot less games coming out for consoles, and to some extent, PCs. We've all heard of a lot of studios being shut down, Irrational Games (just a 15 person staff now) being one of them, so it make me wonder just how many big developers are left to keep up the pace that we saw from the previous generations.

[Tanooki]

I find myself playing my PS3, more than my PS4. I've had the PS4 since Christmas of 2014 and have only played GTA V, Killzone Shadowfall, NBA2K15, Fallout 4, The Last of Us, Need for Speed Rivals (got rid of that one pretty quick), Uncharted 1&2 (still debating on playing 3, but 4 is just around the corner), Shovel Knight, Pinball Arcade and Call of Duty Ghosts. That's about 3 or 4 months worth of gaming tops, in the 16 months that I've owned the console. I'm looking forward to Uncharted 4, but there's not a whole lot that is on my radar for consoles right now. Maybe it has to do with the PC now being about 60% of my gaming time and the rest is on consoles.

It seems to me like there are a lot less games coming out for consoles, and to some extent, PCs. We've all heard of a lot of studios being shut down, Irrational Games (just a 15 person staff now) being one of them, so it make me wonder just how many big developers are left to keep up the pace that we saw from the previous generations.

You maybe onto something there. Your owned/own list isn't much different than mine and I'd guess about the same play time too before I got distracted/bored and quit or finished a game. Honestly with the remasters I just mess with them and haven't finished a single one as I move along so I try and bag em at least 50% off when I do. The only upcoming game I care about 100% is Uncharted 4, No Man's Sky I'll get on GoG as a download I can keep/own as it seems smarter than a locked console choice plus I just think it'll handle better somehow. The only big one I really want a crack at is DOOM, again PC version too, since it's like a middle finger to DOOM3's cheap pop scares and seems to be more classic style on roids which is nice.

I think I'm just fed up with the newer stuff except for more exceptional cases of stuff. There's enough time I don't have to mess with it now I'd rather look back to something I missed and save some cash and enjoy a handheld game (Gameboy whatever version or Game Gear) at this rate. I don't care to maintain a sales thread here anymore but I put one back up on racketboy and I'm offloading a good bit of stuff and more to come yet, even some unused Lego too. I'd rather have the cash and free space.

[kupomogli]

Here's a list of games that I've enjoyed or atleast am enjoying on my PS4 and Wii U.


Dark Souls 3
Bloodborne
Rayman Legends
Divinity Original Sin
Metal Gear Solid 5
Watch Dogs
Shovel Knight
Helldivers
Destiny
Super Mario 3D World
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
Splatoon
Little Big Planet 3(although I think this version was a rushed to release the same day as the PS3 version as it has crashes and doesn't even run in full 1080p with black bars on the top and bottom, and that's after several patches, so technically you can mark this one off the list.)
Elder Scrolls Online. This one is a lot better than the reviews lead you to believe, despite the game going to eventually shut down, I'd recommend this to anyone who's interested. It plays a lot like Elder Scrolls and is action based, but it's got a lot of depth with how you build your character. Also for the first time in an Elder Scrolls games, melee and ranged have different abilities.

These are a list of ports that I purchased and played, a few of them I already played through on the PS3 and enjoyed them enough to purchase them again. Most of them, the first four that were listed, came out within a year before the launch of the next gen consoles and were rumored to have a PS4 port(so I didn't purchase any of them until PS4,) one of them, Diablo 3, was confirmed with a PS4 port before the PS360 version even launched. It actually was intended to release on the same day but it was delayed because the Xbox One version was delayed.

Grand Theft Auto 5
The Last of Us
Diablo 3
Dark Souls 2
Borderlands The Handsome Collection
DmC Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry 4
Sleeping Dogs
Hotline Miami(Japanese retail release only)
The Walking Dead Season 1


Here's some games I've played on the PS4 that I didn't like. Many of them highly rated.

The Witcher 3. To be fair, I've only put an hour into this, but the gameplay is so janky, I just didn't want to play anymore
Assassin's Creed Black Flag. I was actually enjoying it as it wasn't so automated until I got to the town. Then after several missions just couldn't take it anymore.
Tearaway. This game has put me to sleep three separate times. Literally one of the most boring 3D platformers I've played in my life. After playing four hours of this garbage I sold it.
Dead or Alive 5. It's a port, and I don't know why I keep getting myself to buy this series. I like the characters, I like the combat, if they could only revise it and remove that damn countering system it'd be one of most enjoyable fighting games.
Infamous Second Son. The first one was okay, the second one was absolutely amazing, so the third one has to be great right? Wrong. The mission design on this game is terrible and just feels like going from point a to b to c all over the map. There were some well designed missions, but I could count those on one hand. Even the original had a lot of well design missions and even with multiple powers on Second Son, they all felt the same and felt like you actually could do less than on the original.
Dragon Age Inquisition. I thought this was going to be game of the year myself, which it was.... to journalists. The online mode on this game was a lot of fun, but playing single player it felt like they took a step back from even the second game. Now granted, I put all this time into the first area in the game and only completed two story missions, but if the developers are going to create various open world areas for the player to explore, then fill it with content that isn't boring as shit. It's not my fault every quest was a fetch quest that was always completely on the other side of the map, and the combat had even less strategy than the past two games.
Ni-Oh Demo. You don't get it Tecmo Koei, just because your game is hard doesn't make it good. Punishing and unfair is not fun.
NES Remix 1 and 2. Should have been named "How to Play NES Games for Dummies"
Monster Hunter Ultimate 3. I actually liked fighting the bosses. The fact that the bosses are constantly jumping to other areas and you need to run across the map to get to them and the ridiculous amount of HP they have so they're massive damage sponges, it turns the game into a massive grind fest that you're running all over the map repeatedly to collect items to upgrade your equipment and that's what makes it not fun. I've actually enjoyed every Monster Hunter clone I've played better than Monster Hunter overall because the other games don't extensively waste the players time.
Super Smash Bros U. Very boring and repetitive fighting game. When looking at this game competitively, it really is a bunch of characters with mostly identical skillsets with different speeds and ranges. Other than Nintendo fanboys being Nintendo fanboys, this game should not have the following that it does. There was a lot of depth in Playstation All Stars and even though it was unbalanced with a few characters as overpowered on another level compared to others, or some matchups were no contest towards one character over another, every character was so much different and it was a really well developed fighting game.
Splatoon. Yeah, you saw it on the games I've enjoyed list, so why's it here? Nintendo's shitty online is the reason, and not the online itself, that worked really well. Until a patch that arrived way in the future you could only play with friends by getting in a match and a friend joining your game, only there was no guarantee they'd be on your game, one day for two hours straight I was in one match with a friend while the rest of the time he was on another team. That's not all though. After the patch that allowed you to create a party with friends, you can only invite them in ranked mode, the least fun mode in the game. You only have two maps you can play on that rotate once every FOUR HOURS. Each match lasts three minutes and between loading times, the games timer, etc, you're waiting atleast three minutes before you get into the next match. Play three minutes, wait three or more, so you're waiting more than you're actually playing. If you want to switch weapons be prepared to be forced to leave the match you're in, there's no way to do it otherwise Imo the game had such great gameplay, but such poor design killed it.

Games I haven't played or don't feel like I've played enough of them to give an opinion on.

MLB The Show 16
WWE2K16
Until Dawn
Wasteland 2
Giana Sisters 2
Legend of Kay
Killzone Shadow Fall
Bayonetta 2

And finally games that I'm interested in that I haven't picked up yet because they haven't hit the right price yet, or future releases. I've played some of a couple of these, but haven't really put any serious time into them.

Uncharted 4
Grand Kingdom
For Honor
Mirror's Edge Catalyst
Horizon
Persona 5
Ghost Recon Wildlands
Batman Arkham Knight (waiting for GotY edition.)
Dying Light
Transformers Devastation
The Last Guardian
World of Final Fantasy
Odin Sphere
Resident Evil Origins Collection
Tales of Zesitiria
Tales of Berseria
#FE. Tokyo Mirage Sessions? Wow, really clever Nintendo/Atlus, whoever came up with the stupid name. They should have called it SMT.

[otaku]

i think its a great generation the hardware and graphics are amazing and there are enough games to justify all the hardware is it as great as previous generations perhaps not i can agree there but its a fine one all the same

[Nebagram]

I'm with the OP on this, I really haven't seen a single game on PS4 or Xbone that's made me go 'OMG yes I must have this'. I thought Fallout 4 would, I thought Witcher 3 and MGS5 would... But no. There's no real innovation anymore, which is why I'm now almost exclusively a PC gamer (insert generic Undertale platitude here). The last time I was really 'wowed' by a game was Oblivion, and even then it's only because I didn't play Morrowind.

By contrast, I loved the shit out of GTA5 and Bioshock infinite, both of which came out a year before the PS4, so I'm willing to be a bit more patient.

[AceAerosmith]

There have been some good games for both systems but this generation seems lackluster to me because good games are rare and it seems like there are fewer releases each year for AAA games. There's mostly digital releases that get little to no press and fanfare. Unless you are really keeping up on games, a lot of indie games just come and go.

[Niku-Sama]

I kinda always felt that No Mans Sky would be a PS4 system seller to me but....

seems its stuck in Dev Hell so until something else comes out that wont be better on PC

[Tanooki]

Unless GoG hasn't been updating, it's not stuck unless just the PS4 version is. It stopped being an exclusive release as a download to keep copy for GOG.com is coming too.

Quoted from GoG.com if they're keeping it up to date: https://www.gog.com/game/no_mans_sky
The game is scheduled to be released on June 21st in North America, June 22nd in Europe and Australia, and June 24th in the UK and Rest of World.

I was going to get it on PS4, but given my laptop can outperform that, and given the size/scope of it I think it would be better suited to a keyboard/mouse just like how I got DOOM(4) on PC instead of PS4 (which I may get someday still on the cheap there.)


Speaking of being bad about this gen. I had amazon mail me the day it came out Uncharted 4, it's still sealed. I can't motivate myself to play it. I've got my new MVS cabinet I'm tooling with, and I'm whittling down a stack of blu rays between the Hunger Games (finished last night) and the Terminator 4 movie box set anthology too (start tonight?) as well. Plus I did a trade on some game soundtracks and I've got 3 GG games on my desk here and also that japanese only GB Bonk (all 3 in 1) collection and Revelations or GBc (aka SMT: Last Bible.) I'm a bit overwhelmed on things to do and time not there to do them.

[T]

So, I've been gaming for a very long time, and I've seen generation after generation.... First gaming system was an Atari VCS in 1977. Got my NES for Xmas 1986. I've basically seen every single generation of gaming come and go since then.

I'm honestly struggling to think of a more "boring" generation of gaming. I bought both the Xbox One and PS4 on their respective launch days. I was super hyped for both systems. Ultimately, since their arrival in November 2013, it just seems like both of these systems are such a waste.. I can't think of one specific game that makes the Xbox One or PS4 a mandatory purchase. Here we are in 2016, a number of years after their launch, and I really can't think of a single game release that truly blew me away.

Doesn't anybody remember when a new video game would come out that would just blow everybody the F away ? It just seems like it's been so freaking long since this has happened. The last time it "truly" happened was GTA 3 on PS2 back in October of 2001. But, if I'm a bit more lenient, I guess I could say Bioshock, Crackdown and Fallout 3. Certainly nothing from this generation. There doesn't seem to be anything in particular on the horizon either that has me really excited. I'd like to check out Uncharted 4, but I'm guessing it's just going to be a really, really purdy version of Uncharted and nothing truly ground breaking. What the heck happened to this industry ? Is it just the law of diminishing returns or something ?

I agree 100% with this post. My history is the same as yours. Maybe we are getting too old.
I play my WiiU more than my PS4 and XBOX one combined but that's not saying much because I play
last gen. systems even more.

[shadowman]

I find that I'm less interested in the big commercial releases these days - doesn't really help that many of them launch broken (or at least really glitchy) and requires patches for games to be in half decent states. This gen got so bad that I just stopped buying games at launch bar a couple from trusted developers (Nintendo for one, and the Sega published Yakuza series). I also prefer strong single player games, not a fan of multiplayer games so all these new multiplayer focused games do nothing for me.

I find myself gravitating to indie releases more and more. I'm a huge fan of most of the recent 2D platformers on offer, and there are loads more that I want to play. Despite it being rather mishandled at points I'm really hyped for Mighty No 9 next month (loved the PC demo's) and the concept of No Man's Sky sounds cool.

The only big exception on the PS4 (and why its still my primary console) is for the Yakuza series - I could play those games forever (in fact - I'm playing the PS4 remake of the first game now and I'm completely addicted to it, its fantastic).

For the Wii U - its probably one of my lesser played Nintendo consoles, I'm mainly just not a fan of the game pad at all (much prefer the great pro pad) but it has a nice line up of titles. I've got a nice backlog of stuff that I need to finish on this console.

As for the Xbox One - its basically a paperweight. I barely ever use it these days and just can't really get hyped about any of the titles on offer. The only two games I need to play this year on it is the definitive edition of Ori and the Blind Forest (amazing game) and Cuphead (which looks fab). Again, these are indie titles.

[Tanooki]

I'm finding it's not the years, it's the mileage. Indiana Jones said it best.

The mileage used to be a fun road of gaming and equal parts finding and discovering stuff. Things in the last five years in particular have become worse and worse from multiple angles. If you're a classic game player, Nintendo predators make that an un-fun mess and various others like the TG16/PCE, Sega CD/32X/Saturn stuff greatly so, and a few other screw ball things. I mean seriously, now that I'm schooled on what MVS carts (Neo Geo Arcade) go for it's nauseating what was once considered 'the expensive shit' now look like a deal.

Then you have the modern stuff, greatly so the MS and Sony stuff, though Nintendo has their own issues too. The first two clowns push out crap 90% of the time before it is done using people as $60 guinea pigs -- bullshit on that. All three of them are living off franchises but they're all taking them down a darker road where it's a prettier package with a crappier or at least more boring/contrived re-run under the surface. You have MS/Sony doing the me-too games in some shoving match, and Nintendo decided to go sit in a corner and put one thumb in its mouth and suck it while shoving the other in their ass and spinning on it considering they're deaf and blind to the complaints, yet offer people nothing worth buying unless it is there stuff and they wonder why the WiiU rots on the shelf.

3 Years ago now I came to the conclusion that I can't play in this pond as much anymore, and progressively it is now to where I can't tolerate it much at all anymore as a generalized blanket statement. As it stands I have 15 3DS games and 10 for the PS4. I should have more, but the games aren't that good and I finish them and dump them for another except a few, and even then I really haven't rolled over that many titles on either so it's not like I own 10 but sold 30 which isn't the case. 2 days later, still Uncharted 4 sits wrapped up and I know I'd enjoy it, but I have no care to open it now. Why? I could guess, but I'd rather not. Truth be told I get more fun out of non-touch based bite sized stuff or at least portable stuff mostly now with some PC thrown in. I'm more into the non-standard stuff like my MVS cabinet and Pin-Bot than the traditional. If I go down the normal road I have DOOM 2016 going on PC, and I'm screwing around really just with Gameboy and Game Gear stuff passively because I don't want to deal with it anymore.

That's why I'm selling off my collection currently as far as about 95-98% of it goes that I didn't buy up before the year 2000 as far as consoles go. It doesn't mean I'll dump it all, nor does it mean I may not want Goemon's Great Adventure for N64 some day again and just grab it, but I've pushed the Start Button to pause this game for now. Maybe my mood will improve, maybe it won't. I'd rather get rid of the unused stuff if it's gaming or whatever, and throw it towards something I can use like some MVS carts for my Neo Geo, or if I can ever track it down Konami GB Collection Vol4 (UK GBC) for Gameboy Color.

[calthaer]

Yesterday I started playing Conduit for the Wii. And I started thinking to myself: why did I buy this game? It was unique and indie and whatever, but it's kind of a boring shooter. Are all shooters this boring? I think I am going to sell some of my games, too (although looks like nobody wants Conduit). Backloggery.com is a good motivation - if I don't like a game, get rid of it to get it out of my backlog.

[FieryReign]

I find it hard to believe anybody pays full price for games nowadays. Just wait a couple months and it will be on the bargain shelf for less than 20. So why buy these new games just to keep them wrapped in cellophane for months on end sitting on the shelf? They will most likely need some kind of patch or install. Is it some kind of horniness to buy games brand new and let em collect dust? I guess people like throwing dough away, whatever.

Ps4 and xbone games look lame and I'll never own either. When I want to play a game I should be able to fire it up and go. Only recently got a ps3 and it's bullshit for most games. I guess it's cool to release buggy games and patch them later, because y'all suckers keep buyin it all up. Impatient game players and greedy corps are a match made in heaven.

[Tanooki]

I semi-regret having the PS4, but I don't and the sad reason is because it streams amazon prime video, netflix quite well and makes for a very slick blu ray player too. There's an occasional game, I have 10 total, over the couple years I've had it and I've ditched my guess 5 or so, so I never bought much. There have been too much trashy rehash, remakes/mixes, stuff ported also to the last gen which isn't too far off the mark to bother with too. I'll get around to Uncharted 4 at some rate, don't feel bad since I got 20% off on it anyway and free shipping/tax so it'll be awhile before it's that low in stores.

The odd thing is I'm also realizing I'm not all that happy with my 3DS as I was with the DS and especially anything Gameboy. Support while ok has fallen off a lot, and some sequels are subpar like Bravely Default 2 so I haven't bought it. Smash Bros and that shitty Zelda open world SNES sequel I couldn't tolerate more than a few hours of so I'm selling them off too barely used. I can't think of crap to buy for it coming later either other than dragon quest which is annoying. I just picked up a few DS games due to a find yesterday in a lot I got and they're more interesting and varied which is sad. The mobile market is just really screwing things up on closed handheld systems.

[Gamevet]

I find it hard to believe anybody pays full price for games nowadays. Just wait a couple months and it will be on the bargain shelf for less than 20. So why buy these new games just to keep them wrapped in cellophane for months on end sitting on the shelf? They will most likely need some kind of patch or install. Is it some kind of horniness to buy games brand new and let em collect dust? I guess people like throwing dough away, whatever.

Ps4 and xbone games look lame and I'll never own either. When I want to play a game I should be able to fire it up and go. Only recently got a ps3 and it's bullshit for most games. I guess it's cool to release buggy games and patch them later, because y'all suckers keep buyin it all up. Impatient game players and greedy corps are a match made in heaven.

Horniness?

I've had my PS3 since the summer of 06. It's been an outstanding Blu-Ray player, as well as a go to for Netflix. Yeah, for the most part, the early releases on the system weren't all that great and they had some performance issues, but I can't say that the system wasn't performing well from 2009 on. I've probably had more gaming enjoyment from the PS3, than I have had from any system before or after. The patches that the 360 and PS3 have to go through to make a game perform right is pretty sad, but it's still not a deal breaker to me, considering that my PCs go through the same kind of BS. I've been less impressed with the PS4, because the library is so thin for a console that has been on the market for over 2.5 years.

[FieryReign]

Horniness
Whatever you want to call it, help me understand? Gameslop or whoever can do inventory for you. Why buy it new and not play it? These are modern installs. It's a waste while lining the suits up with fat pockets.

What does netflix and bluray have to do with videogames? I have a smart tv and blu player, that's irrelevant. God of War 3 and GRID are great. Waiting 45 fucking minutes to play Transformers: WOC is unacceptable. Having to patch games after cracking them open is unacceptable. And now I have no internet connection so I can't even "fix" the games if I do buy, even cheapy used. Games that should be fully functional from the DOOR. Shouldn't have to connect to the internet, look at the demographics.

Stop buying broken junk and they'll stop producing it. Blame yourselves. Or just play old games, there's enough out there to last you a lifetime.

[Gamevet]

Whatever you want to call it, help me understand? Gameslop or whoever can do inventory for you. Why buy it new and not play it? These are modern installs. It's a waste while lining the suits up with fat pockets.

What does netflix and bluray have to do with videogames? I have a smart tv and blu player, that's irrelevant. God of War 3 and GRID are great. Waiting 45 fucking minutes to play Transformers: WOC is unacceptable. Having to patch games after cracking them open is unacceptable. And now I have no internet connection so I can't even "fix" the games if I do buy, even cheapy used. Games that should be fully functional from the DOOR. Shouldn't have to connect to the internet, look at the demographics.

Stop buying broken junk and they'll stop producing it. Blame yourselves. Or just play old games, there's enough out there to last you a lifetime.

Obviously, you do have an internet connection, because you are posting on these forums. You may be doing it with a smart phone, which can be tethered to your PS3's Wi-Fi connection anyways.

I have a Vizio Blu-Ray player in the master bedroom. It also has a Netflix player, but that player is pure garbage. It won't play the latest Blu-Ray movies, and it's pretty slow at loading Netflix videos. The PS3 is so much better than the player offered by Vizio., and even though it is older than my Vizio Blu-Ray player, it can run every movie in Blu-Ray, while the Vizio Blu-Ray player cannot.

Do you even play games on PC? They are pretty much tied to an internet connection, and in the most recent cases, the only way you can get those games is in a digital format.

[Tanooki]

I mostly have done what cranky here is getting at. I've bought very few PS4 games, and the 3DS library really has rarely ever needed a patch as Nintendo won't let that shit fly like Sony and MS do which is disgusting. I'd rather if I'm going to have to download games get it on GoG since I can own it still, physical first if possible, and as a last choice the steam drm wall. At least while they patch I'm not stuck and the games on there won't expire like a console network which can flip the switch. That PS4 I do have, it was a middle finger of a buy -- used off someone else but new, they opened it and never set it up so they oculdn't take it back to costco. Ended up they bought a $500 system, sold it for $300, I got rid of the shitty 5 games it came with and got it down to $200. That's why I don't hate the thing at this rate as that $200 price tag makes for a very nice rare game play box that does beautiful streaming and br/dvd playing. I'd have been pissed if I put up $400 when it came out.

[Tupin]

Willing to admit that I'm seeing the returns for investing more heavily in a good PC rig than when I was a console-only gamer. Steam sales just change the way you think about games, too. Plus the very lax refund policy is a great thing to have.

[Gameguy]

I have a Vizio Blu-Ray player in the master bedroom. It also has a Netflix player, but that player is pure garbage. It won't play the latest Blu-Ray movies, and it's pretty slow at loading Netflix videos. The PS3 is so much better than the player offered by Vizio., and even though it is older than my Vizio Blu-Ray player, it can run every movie in Blu-Ray, while the Vizio Blu-Ray player cannot.

I can't understand how this is even possible, how a specific format player can be unable to play the format that it is designed to be compatible with. That's the whole point in adopting a standard in the first place, for widespread easy compatibility. I can understand some specific features not being compatible with older players the same way CD Text isn't compatible with old machines, but they should at least still be playable on all equipment including older models.

[Leo_A]

I assume his newer movies are expecting a certain firmware level in those players to run and aren't seeing it and thus are locking themselves out. His PS3 is likely up to date and thus isn't causing him any issues.

It's one tactic that they use to force feed updates.

[SparTonberry]

Yeah, anti-piracy mandatory firmware update issues, from what I've heard.

[FieryReign]

Obviously, you do have an internet connection, because you are posting on these forums. You may be doing it with a smart phone, which can be tethered to your PS3's Wi-Fi connection anyways.

I have a Vizio Blu-Ray player in the master bedroom. It also has a Netflix player, but that player is pure garbage. It won't play the latest Blu-Ray movies, and it's pretty slow at loading Netflix videos. The PS3 is so much better than the player offered by Vizio., and even though it is older than my Vizio Blu-Ray player, it can run every movie in Blu-Ray, while the Vizio Blu-Ray player cannot.

Do you even play games on PC? They are pretty much tied to an internet connection, and in the most recent cases, the only way you can get those games is in a digital format.

Old $20 smartphone is my connection. Or tablet using some free hotspot. Not able to be used as a mobile hotspot. Mobile data is ridiculously expensive or limited to be doing that nonsense anyway. Millions of people don't have a connection, these companies are only limiting their audience. There should be no need to go online to play a videogame, unless you're into multiplayer.

Never had a pc, probably never will. Too expensive for shit that will be obsolete in a week and the need to keep expanding is a no go for me. Pc games also look lame to me.

[Gameguy]

I assume his newer movies are expecting a certain firmware level in those players to run and aren't seeing it and thus are locking themselves out. His PS3 is likely up to date and thus isn't causing him any issues.

It's one tactic that they use to force feed updates.
I remember how many times I needed to update the firmware on my VCRs or laserdisc players, a grand total of zero times. I think there were some possible issues with early DVD players not being able to play dual layer discs but I can't be sure I'm remembering correctly. There were some issues with specific DVD players not being compatible with some specific discs but these were because of bugs or poorly mastered discs, I think some players were fixable with a firmware update in these cases. It's still not a regular occurrence like with Blu Ray firmware updates.


Old $20 smartphone is my connection. Or tablet using some free hotspot. Not able to be used as a mobile hotspot. Mobile data is ridiculously expensive or limited to be doing that nonsense anyway. Millions of people don't have a connection, these companies are only limiting their audience. There should be no need to go online to play a videogame, unless you're into multiplayer.

Never had a pc, probably never will. Too expensive for shit that will be obsolete in a week and the need to keep expanding is a no go for me. Pc games also look lame to me.
PCs are cheaper than consoles. You can find a 10 year old PC for cheap or even for free if you look hard enough, these are still powerful enough to browse the internet, watch videos, and play most games. Most modern games are terrible so it doesn't really matter that much, but I'd rather have a PC than a current console as it's more useful to me.

[Leo_A]

You're wasting your time convincing him of anything, such as his view of PC gaming despite facts like a hefty percentage of 3rd party AAA console content also appears on the PC.

Makes it rather difficult to understand how one can enjoy contemporary console gaming but not see any redeeming qualities whatsoever elsewhere just because the box that plays them looks different and has some different capabilities.


I remember how many times I needed to update the firmware on my VCRs or laserdisc players, a grand total of zero times.

You don't need to convince me that it stinks, since I'm in full agreement.

That said, I think that's what you're likely experiencing.

[Gamevet]

I remember how many times I needed to update the firmware on my VCRs or laserdisc players, a grand total of zero times. I think there were some possible issues with early DVD players not being able to play dual layer discs but I can't be sure I'm remembering correctly. There were some issues with specific DVD players not being compatible with some specific discs but these were because of bugs or poorly mastered discs, I think some players were fixable with a firmware update in these cases. It's still not a regular occurrence like with Blu Ray firmware updates.


I had a Sony DVD player (DVP-S560D) that I'd bought some time around 1999-2000. It had 5.1 DTS , optical out and all of the fancy stuff of the time. 3 or 4 years later it had a hard time playing anything that was new on DVD. I ended up buying a cheap $30 DVD player that lasted a year and then another one that could do 720p upscale. The 720p upscale DVD player lasted maybe 2 years before it crapped the bed. I had a really nice Fisher 4 head Hi-Fi VCR that lasted over a decade and sounded really good in Pro-Logic surround; it was a sad day when I had to throw it away.

The Vizio BR player that I'd bought, was the one model from Vizio that did not have a firmware update, even though the thing had internet connectivity. It just doesn't make sense that my PS2 can play just about every DVD I've thrown at it, and the same can be said about my PS3 with Blu-Ray.

[Leo_A]

Take your PS3 offline and you'll find it there in time, too. It will be an error about your encryption key being out of date and you'll be prompted to go online and update your system to play newer releases.

It's just doing the same thing, force feeding Blu-Ray playback updates by making newer discs expect a particular firmware level on the PS3 and refusing to play if they don't see it. You just haven't noticed it since apparently you must take it online at least occasionally or haven't played discs on it significantly younger than the latest firmware that you have installed on it, making the process invisible to you.

DVD's could hardly lock out the PS2 since there was no mechanism to update the system's firmware. So why would DVD publishers essentially program their releases to expect say firmware 1.1 for the PS2 when played via that hardware when every system was 1.0 with no way to change that?

They're not out to prevent you from playing discs or to make your player obsolete. They're just going a heavy handed route to "encourage" firmware updates in a fruitless attempt to keep security from being non-existent, by making it all but mandatory that you keep hardware that supports firmware updates at least relatively up to date.

Console games have done the same thing for the past two generations (As have PSP and likely Vita and 3DS games as well).

[Gamevet]

Take your PS3 offline and you'll find it there in time, too. It will be an error about your encryption key being out of date and you'll be prompted to go online and update your system to play newer releases.

It's just doing the same thing, force feeding Blu-Ray playback updates by making newer discs expect a particular firmware level on the PS3 and refusing to play if they don't see it. You just haven't noticed it since apparently you must take it online at least occasionally or haven't played discs on it significantly younger than the latest firmware that you have installed on it, making the process invisible to you.

DVD's could hardly lock out the PS2 since there was no mechanism to update the system's firmware. So why would DVD publishers essentially program their releases to expect say firmware 1.1 for the PS2 when played via that hardware when every system was 1.0 with no way to change that?

They're not out to prevent you from playing discs or to make your player obsolete. They're just going a heavy handed route to "encourage" firmware updates in a fruitless attempt to keep security from being non-existent, by making it all but mandatory that you keep hardware that supports firmware updates at least relatively up to date.

Console games have done the same thing for the past two generations (As have PSP and likely Vita and 3DS games as well).

Yeah, I know why the PS3 is still one of the most reliable Blu-Ray players out there, because it is always updated with the latest firmware. The same cannot be said for a good portion of affordable Blu-Ray players that the manufacturers won't keep up to date with the latest encryption firmware, because they would rather have you buy another one in 3 or 4 years.

I haven't bought a DVD in a long time. The last couple of DVDs that I've bought are The King of Kong and Wizards, because they aren't available on Blu-Ray. I guess I could try out The King of Kong on my PS2, to see if the old beast will play it.

[Gameguy]

I had a Sony DVD player (DVP-S560D) that I'd bought some time around 1999-2000. It had 5.1 DTS , optical out and all of the fancy stuff of the time. 3 or 4 years later it had a hard time playing anything that was new on DVD. I ended up buying a cheap $30 DVD player that lasted a year and then another one that could do 720p upscale. The 720p upscale DVD player lasted maybe 2 years before it crapped the bed. I had a really nice Fisher 4 head Hi-Fi VCR that lasted over a decade and sounded really good in Pro-Logic surround; it was a sad day when I had to throw it away.
The first DVD player I've got was a Toshiba DVD/VHS combo back in 2005, it's still working and it's still in use. I've picked up several more DVD players as backups, if I can find a DVD recorder with original remote for around $10 I would pick it up. Even some other region models in case I get foreign discs. As far as I know they're still working.

One DVD player a relative has is broken, a portable Toshiba model. He got it brand new as a gift and must have had no more than 5 hours of use on it. When we last took it out of the box, it wouldn't read a disc. The main TV was being used so we thought we could watch a movie in another room, it didn't work out. His original player purchased around 2004 is still working fine.

I have several VHS players too. Multisystem models that can play PAL tapes, S-VHS models, etc. Good models, though I haven't tested every one I have yet to make sure they're all working. With VCRs the ones with more features are more prone to breakdowns, a lot of filters on S-VHS models and other features use more capacitors which fail with age. I'll have to see if they'll need repair. I really like a Sharp multisystem model I have as it's advertised as an 8-head model.


DVD's could hardly lock out the PS2 since there was no mechanism to update the system's firmware. So why would DVD publishers essentially program their releases to expect say firmware 1.1 for the PS2 when played via that hardware when every system was 1.0 with no way to change that?
There have been updates in a way with PS2s, while systems couldn't be updated after manufacturing they did update the DVD firmware over the years that the console was in production. If your console was from 2004 it would have different firmware than a launch console from 1999. I forget what these updates actually fixed and don't really feel like looking them up again right now, from memory I believe one update was related to progressive scan.

[Gamevet]

My PS2 is the GT3 bundle model. It supports progressive scan DVDs just fine. There must have been some kind of updates through software, or DVDs.

The PS2 wasn't available in 1999, btw. ;)

[Gameguy]

Seems I got the release date wrong, whoops on my part. I remember reading a book on various video game systems and it mentioned the PS2 coming out in 1999, the date stuck in my mind from that but it must have been a mistake or a planned release that got delayed.

As far as I know there's no way to update the firmware on PS2 systems. The updates came out as hardware revisions were made, not all hardware is compatible with all features. I could be wrong though.

[Leo_A]

I figured that they had updated it just like they update most every other component, but it wasn't important since I was out to drive home that PS2's couldn't have their firmware updated.

Systems without updating mechanisms or unsupportive manufacturers shouldn't suffer too badly, as seen by the PS2. Blu-Ray's won't be expecting a non-existent firmware revision to be present and most of the incompatibilities happen when scenarios like Disc A from 2016 expects Player X from 2010 to have firmware 1.5 from 2015 installed, with it refusing to play when it's notices that the firmware level is still just 1.2 from 2012.

They wouldn't have that mandate on their disc for firmware 1.5 if it didn't exist for said hardware and wasn't possible to update the hardware to those specifications.

[Gamevet]

I figured that they had updated it just like they update most every other component, but it wasn't important since I was out to drive home that PS2's couldn't have their firmware updated.

Systems without updating mechanisms or unsupportive manufacturers shouldn't suffer too badly, as seen by the PS2. Blu-Ray's won't be expecting a non-existent firmware revision to be present and most of the incompatibilities happen when scenarios like Disc A from 2016 expects Player X from 2010 to have firmware 1.5 from 2015 installed, with it refusing to play when it's notices that the firmware level is still just 1.2 from 2012.

They wouldn't have that mandate on their disc for firmware 1.5 if it didn't exist for said hardware and wasn't possible to update the hardware to those specifications.

I believe the PS2 was capable of updating its firmware. I remember having to use the BB adapter disc to install firmware onto my PS2, to enable it to recognize and use the device.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5341236_update-ps-system-driver.html

[Leo_A]

Interesting tidbit, but the gist of it stands for how this stuff works even if the PS2 apparently doesn't quite qualify.

I'd say that it's quite rare for a disc incompatibility to happen due to a practical reason outside of out of spec hardware, unlike arbitrary reasons like we're discussing here where a disc refuses to play just to force a firmware update.

[Gameguy]

Just to be clear with the PS2, when you update the firmware it just gets saved to the memory card and the system boots off of that. With any updates on the PS2 including with updating the browser, it just gets saved to the memory card or hard drive. To me that's different than actually flashing a new firmware like updating a bios chip, as with the PS2 you need optional accessories installed.

I've had a bit of time to look this up in more detail.

[Gamevet]

Interesting tidbit, but the gist of it stands for how this stuff works even if the PS2 apparently doesn't quite qualify.

I'd say that it's quite rare for a disc incompatibility to happen due to a practical reason outside of out of spec hardware, unlike arbitrary reasons like we're discussing here where a disc refuses to play just to force a firmware update.

Unfortunately, updates have gone on since the original Xbox. Once you have a console with an HDD, developers and console makers will use that to their advantage.

Resistance 3 is the one game that I can't get to run on my PS3, since I just recently tried to install it. There's some kind of BS with the game, that requires an update, and there have been a couple of updates to the title since it was launched. Disconnecting the PS3 from the internet did not solve the problem, which was the suggestion on older forum threads.

[Leo_A]

Hope I can get Resistance 3 to run, since I'm looking forward to playing that one.

[kupomogli]

To be fair, most games this and last gen if you weren't to download any patches, you probably would rarely run across any issues. Compare that to games that couldn't be patched in the past on the NES, SNES, PSX, etc. There are more frequent issues this gen than past gens, but previous gens weren't void of these issues, but back then there were no patches to fix the games.

Lufia 2 has one area in the game that's completely bugged and you have to go through the area blind. Final Fantasy 1 on NES has many spells that have no effect or the wrong effect. Final Fantasy 6 has a massive amount of glitches. Final Fantasy 4 Advance has bugs and a ridiclous amount of lag in the US/JP versions, and the PAL version has no lag but instead introduces an insane amount of button lag. Additionally on the Advance games Edge's long range weapons are front row weapons and still take half damage in the back row. Nightmare Creatures on the PSX playing as Ignatius, there's a few combos that have poor hit detection for certain attacks(still an amazing game, even as Ignatius.) Just a few examples of sort of game breaking bugs and glitches. Then there are issues that aren't so huge. Final Fantasy 2 on the NES, attacking then cancelling will still power up your weapon like you did attack. Final Fantasy 7, W-Item duplicates the first item used if you choose the second item then cancel. There are many more games that could be listed, but just listing a few good games that have these issues.

[Gamevet]

The black label version of Gran Turismo 2 cannot be 100% completed, because of some bug in the game. The Greatest Hits version corrected that issue.

[Az]

The black label version of Gran Turismo 2 cannot be 100% completed, because of some bug in the game. The Greatest Hits version corrected that issue.

Whaaa? I guess Sony's strict "Greatest Hits releases must totally exactly like the original disc" doesn't apply to their own products.

[Leo_A]

Quite a few Greatest Hits releases for the PS1 saw changes, so I don't believe that they had any such policy.

For instance, the difficulty is toned down with the rereleases of Soviet Strike and Nuclear Strike. Lots of changes happened to make them easier, such as this list pulled off YouTube just now for Soviet Strike.

01) Added additional fuel, armor, and ammo to all levels.
02) Changed all missiles into rockets, i.e. they won't lock onto you and you can dodge them
03) Reduced weapon power on some of the nastier enemies (SKARs and BM-21s mainly)
04) Reduced armor on Aphid Soldiers by 40%
05) Changed the fuel rate so one tank lasts ~10 minutes
06) Made the end boss of Caspian, Dracula, and Kremlin easier to kill
07) Added additional depth charges to Black Sea for sub killing
08) Delayed the start of the tanks in Caspian
09) Delayed Nick's execution in mission 1&2 of Crimea
10) Took out SNAFU in Black Sea, mission 2
11) Added an additional unhidden super gun in Dracula and Kremlin
12) Gave the scientists in Dracula more armor
13) Increased Armor gained from POWs
14) Increased amount of time before SCUD launches in Dracula and ICBM launches in Kremlin
15) Decreased Mob Boss armor (Kremlin Mission #6)

[SparTonberry]

I know the GH version of Final Fantasy Anthology has updated files on the disc.
I want to believe they may have fixed the FF5 menu graphics corruption bug (as I never saw it when I played much of the game years ago, but saw it instantly when I played the PSN release), but I don't know if it has been confirmed.

As to Lufia II, it's not the worst thing as you can still "feel" your way around the room and it thankfully has no enemies. I wonder if that is a reason it has not been re-released on VC (though the PAL version, though not bug-free, had at least fixed all the glaring bugs and typos with the US release. Probably because Nintendo published the PAL version, and as such probably gave it more thorough testing than Natsume, to be honest. :P ).

[Tanooki]

You are making me feel no level of regret anymore about buying Lufia 2 a few years ago, sitting on it over a year or two and never sadly getting around to it and then just selling it off. If it has so many script problems combined with basically a broken room you have to blindly wander that would have put me off 100%.

[SparTonberry]

The buggy room is really a minor annoyance than something truly game-breaking, since it's only one relatively small room which you can feel your way around (as it's mostly a black screen but with enough visible objects, like treasure chests, that you can tell when you hit a wall).

The one other major NA version bug involves a little side feature called "Capsule Monsters". They are seven little monsters that can join your party as an AI-controlled fifth member. The idea was that they can be evolved by feeding them items (as requested, each rank has a set of like 10 items and after each battle they will randomly select a different item from that set.) In the properly-functioning versions, it's all common stuff but in the NA version the item sets are broken and they will request rare one-time items.
It's a bit of a disappointment that it doesn't work right in the NA version but it's not a huge loss as the monsters are only a little help and you can easily finish the game with your regular human party members. (I know the Capsule Monsters were expanded in the GBA side-game to utilize normal party member slots but they were still AI-controlled, with limited ability for the player to customize the AI, as I recall, and yet now limited by MP, which I don't know if that game was kind enough to let you buy MP recovery items for them.)

The typos is like a few item descriptions, a couple place names wrong (like a town called Karlloon, listed as Carol in the Warp spell town list. It's at least close enough you could figure out what they meant) causing a few places to have incomplete or blank names in the location box on the save screen. One party member is named Arty in the menus and Artea in dialogue. (now I know the former is normal English spelling, but the latter is what the first game called him so I'd rather at least have consistency).
One party member was called Hydecka (Hydecker?) in the manual but Dekar (due to space limits) in the game.

[kupomogli]

You are making me feel no level of regret anymore about buying Lufia 2 a few years ago, sitting on it over a year or two and never sadly getting around to it and then just selling it off. If it has so many script problems combined with basically a broken room you have to blindly wander that would have put me off 100%.

I'd recommend you try the game out even if through emulation. The first one imo is meh, but due to one part in the second game is worth atleast playing the first hour just for the nostalgia overload(similar to the end of Dragon Quest 3 if you've played the first one already.)

Lufia 2 though is a great RPG and it's actually one I'd recommend over most if someone wanted something that was simple to get through but still was good. Lufia 2 predates Wild ARMs, but traversing dungeons is pretty much identical to Wild ARMs. Zelda-esque style where your characters can push items, slash objects, drop bombs, hookshot, etc. The battle system is your classic RPG style battle system, but like the FP system in Wild ARMs, there's an IP system in Lufia 2 where equipped items can use spells and skills through damage dealt/received. The world map is probably the simplest of all RPG world maps which is why I'd recommend it over any other if you wanted something easy to find your way through. The world map is pretty much point a to b to each area you're required to go to. There's no backtracking to another town because you now have an item that can open this area, up until the end of the game where you get a ship, it's pretty much dungeon, town, dungeon, town, dungeon, town. You literally can't get lost on where you have to get next except for the puzzles in the dungeons. Even though my favorite genre, if there's one thing I hate in an RPG, it's finishing a story segment and then given no clue where to go only to spend hours until you've exhausted every possibility and then trip over the objective when going back to a town you've cleared half the game ago, and Lufia 2 definitely doesn't have that problem.

Speaking of Lufia 2 though, another game that has issues. The final area of the game in its action RPG remake. Lufia Curse of the Sinistrals, was more frustrating than the rest because it couldn't keep a stable framerate. Everything prior to that seemed to have good framerate, must have ran out of money or time and pushed the game out incomplete. Other than that, it's a good game which is a sort of retelling of Lufia 2, tells mostly the same story and then plays a lot like Ys game while still being puzzle heavy like the SNES game.

[Spartacus]

I'm honestly struggling to think of a more "boring" generation of gaming.


Considering there was speculation that this might have been the generation that games went mostly digital, how could I possibly complain as a collector. Games are being printed on disc with print runs of only a few thousand. I think this generation has turned into a pleasant surprise for most collector's.

The Xbox One had a very collector unfriendly plan to eliminate used games. That plan failed spectacularly and a once popular brand was re-branded by the public into the Xbone, sending a pretty clear message on the subject to publishers and console makers alike.

I do collect for the Xbox One and there are a few digital games that made it onto disc that I've found; State of Decay, Killer Instinct, Raiden V and the Goat Simulator.
http://i63.tinypic.com/2u906d5.jpg
I felt the Day One Edition Console was collectable, it has Day One 2013 printed on the controller and includes the once mandatory Kinect sensor that has since been discarded. I thought the white Special Edition Sunset Overdrive console looked pretty nice and hoped it's color would stay unique, but that didn't happen. I don't have it yet, but there is a blue Forza Limited Edition console also. Of course, if you're going to collect for the Xbox, then you have to have the Limited Edition Halo consoles - The Master Chief Collection and Halo 5 Guardians. They aren't all that much to look at though. But what I really dislike are those gaudy green box's that most Xbox One consoles are sold in. YUCK!

It's a little better on the PS4 side of collecting.
http://i65.tinypic.com/1gpzxe.jpg
The Limited Edition Destiny: The Taken King Bundle is gorgeous! And I really like the design of the Limited Edition Batman: Arkham Knight, Star Wars Battlefront and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End bundles. I just hope they don't overdo that series.

Here's some of the Digital/Mobile/Steam games that I've found on disc...
http://i64.tinypic.com/2rgchtv.jpg
We have:
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
Awesomenauts Assemble!
Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops
Kromaia: Omega
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Terraria
Ether One
The Last Tinker: City of Colors
Toki Tori 2
Ziggurat
Tower of Guns
Teslagrad
This War of Mine: The Little Ones
Flockers
Infamous: First Light
Saturday Morning RPG
Retro City Rampage
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty!
Pure Pool
Pure Chess
Pure Hold'em Poker


And here's some Kickstarter/Indie games I found on disc.
http://i67.tinypic.com/9pw0pd.jpg
We have:
Wasteland 2: Director's Cut,
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2
Shovel Knight
Republique
Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse
Battle Worlds: Kronos
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dream
The Pinball Arcade 1 & 2
The Escapists
The Escapists: The Walking Dead
The Talos Principle
Stick It to the Man
Zombie Vikings
Futuridium

Ohhh - and I just realized Shovel Knight fell over. Son of a B...!

The Hotline Miami: Collected Edition (JP) included both Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. The Bloodborne Game of the Year Edition included the Old Hunter DLC on disc.
Some interesting imports include indie developer Dracue's remake of Target Earth (Assault Suit Leynos) and a game that I think was only sold in Spain but that I've heard plays in English, Tadeo Jones And The Lost Manuscript. There's also a PS4 version of ZombiU, of all things. And there's a spiffied up PS4 version of the Journey Collector's Edition indie games.

Speaking as a collector, it's sure nice seeing all these games on disc!

[The S]

In a way I do agree with you. There are much less games for the two systems at this point in their history that I am excited about than either of the past "big" systems. Also, as a fighting game collector/fan, making Street Fighter and King of Fighters as exclusives really is a hard move to sell (Killer Instinct makes sense at least since Microsoft owns Rare).

[BlastProcessing402]

Just to be clear with the PS2, when you update the firmware it just gets saved to the memory card and the system boots off of that. With any updates on the PS2 including with updating the browser, it just gets saved to the memory card or hard drive. To me that's different than actually flashing a new firmware like updating a bios chip, as with the PS2 you need optional accessories installed.

I've had a bit of time to look this up in more detail.

The original DVD remote for the PS2 came with an update disc which "updated the firmware" via the memory card, otherwise the remote would only act as a PS2 controller with none of the extra buttons doing anything. I wonder if this sort of "firmware updates on memory card" thing is how FreeMcBoot is able to do what it does.



Whaaa? I guess Sony's strict "Greatest Hits releases must totally exactly like the original disc" doesn't apply to their own products.

When did it ever apply? Greatest Hits version of RE Director's Cut added Dual Shock support, for instance.

[kupomogli]

The Hotline Miami: Collected Edition (JP) included both Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number.

I own this but it's sealed, did some research before I bought it(I own both games on all PS consoles because Cross Buy and own the first one on PC.) Hotline Miami is on disc while Hotline Miami 2 is just a digital code that will only work on Japanese PSN. The disc will be in English or Japanese depending on what language your PS4 is set to.

[Az]

When did it ever apply? Greatest Hits version of RE Director's Cut added Dual Shock support, for instance.

I'm just going on the old story about the Jet Moto 2 Greatest Hits version that has a bunch of changes to the original release. Supposedly Sony was adamant that the Greatest Hits discs had to be exactly the same as the original, which is why that version was released as Champion Edition (or whatever the name).

Supposedly Sony requires this of PSOne games released as PSP/PS3 downloads (unaltered from original disc), which is why Mega Man Legends could never be released as a PSP game. It has some licensed advertisements or billboards that Capcom would have to change for a rerelease.

[ReaXan]

PS4 as opposed to what?

I went back to alot of retro systems lately this summer and realized there is really nothing wrong with said generation of gaming. Each generation has its ups and down and you get points where you can burn your self out on any system. Sometimes nostalgia influences things more than they should and I am guilty of this myself.

My thought based on my July 2016 trip down memory lane

-NES is still a fun system but its more enjoyable just play on the go at the point. Like on a phone or Nintendo portable. I can't get immersed into any of the archaic RPG worlds in my living room environment and I find myself only finding games like Super C holding my attention span longer than 20 minutes. Castlevania 2 is still a solid game as well but I am convinced that game was coded so you had to buy Nintendo Power but its the ultimate NES game outside of SMB3 in terms of gameplay and music.There are some other games like Shatterhand I regret not playing as a kid that I play as an adult because I thought the label was so corny as a kid. (Compare Mystery Quests label to Shatterhand and you will see how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover).

-Saturn is a system I have been wanting to own again and I picked one up after going to a retro shop that is closing down and they gave it to be 50 percent off. I was surprised when I fired it up how well its aged library wise. Some of the early 3d looked kinda dated like Virtual Fighter but the 2D was still pretty rich and gorgeous. MK Trilogy looks good and I like having a copy of Doom for this system. Even on RF the Saturn looked clean on my HD TV when others systems did not. Also compared to the N64 it really has alot more solid games that got lost in the mixes of the Nintendo/Sony dominace of the late 90's. Granted alot of Saturn stuff ended up on PSX but there are still some titles that feel like they were meant to be played on the Saturn as weird as that sounds. I am going to keep it for good this time around. I can see now why this system was still popular in Japan. For me this console invokes alot of nostalgia from the EGM/GamePro Days as a kid just being excited about the future of gaming after the SNES and Genesis had started to run their course. Its by no means better than a Playstation but I would have to say it is better than an N64 overall library wise.


-Dreamcast is a system that I always end up getting rid of and getting back because of my nostalgia of hacking it before i got into PC gaming and playing Japanese SHUMPS on it yet I got rid of it faster this time around than I had in the past. It still is a well designed system that was powerful for its time but its lack of must have games that aren't on something else really makes it a moot point system at this point to even have. It does NES emulation well yet SNES emulation can't run full speed on it. Neither can Genesis or Turbo. I remember also liking the controller alot more in the past than I do now. After using Microsoft and Sony controllers for years it feels like a slightly better designed N64 controller that isn't as comfortable as it once was. The noisy CD motor and the 56K modem really made the system feel outdated fast compared to the consoles that came out around the same time. I had even bought the SD card adapter that connects to the serial port thinking that would be the answer to give it some sort of link from the past to the modern era but I could never get it to work right. I'll always have fond memories of Resident Evil Code Veronica, Crazy Taxi,Grandia II and the 2K games but outside of that and maybe Shenmue for some people you aren't missing much by not having one.

-Xbox is the spiritual successor to the Dreamcast in terms of the kinda games that would have been on it had it survived so I said my final goodbyes to the Dreamcast and got one. Xbox is still a very ugly looking system but its easier to find games for it and it supports component. It has all the extra bells and whistles I wish the Dreamcast had even it isn't as memorable as the Dreamcast. The thing is beyond easy to mod and most old school emulators(even PSX) run super well on it. The smaller controller is actually pretty good and has aged ok. I was surprised at how good Need for Speed Carbon and Fight Night Round 3 looked and then I played other games and during each one I could just feel like I would have a better experience playing FPS and Splinter cell types games on a 360. Certain games have aged well and some just feel like they are an inferior experience compared to 360/PS3 in terms of physics. I gave this system to my brother as he has no consoles and I feel like he would enjoy going down memory lane with this one in terms of being the easiest to use playing backups of games that are hard to get or find.

-PS2 was the system I always hated back in the day. I guess because it was super popular and I always go for the underdog like I did with the Dreamcast. It also felt underpowered compared to the Gamecube and I was PC gaming kid so I felt more L33T not buying a PS2 back in the day. The thing is however that its probably the easiest system to collect for these day. The game are dirt cheap and you can find them pretty much everywhere as it seems everyone had one. The high library of games is incredible and just finding stuff for it is flat out easier than the other systems of its generations. In terms of the games there are still ones that have aged badly and I will never play for PS2 over the other consoles but there are still alot of games I never even knew about that I feel like I would enjoy as my main retro console to collect for. Alot of games still hold up and being able to play PSX games with the swap disc trick has made me like it more. I always though the original system was ugly but the slim model is a sexy system and I am looking forward to giving this system a chance when I have a retro hair in my body arrise.