General gaming discussion

A good game does not equate to a successful game. They even brought it to PlayStation which was probably a last attempt to salvage the IP and guage whether a sequel was worth it.

Success nowadays without any shadow of doubt requires continuing sales. GaaS or DLC at tbe very least. Micro transactions if they can pull it off but personally I see that model losing steam. It takes a generational game to pull it off. There I'd a generation of kids who were just he right age at jist the right time. I don't think it means that they will continue to play GaaS games and move onto other games and do the same thing, playing season after season and buying skins etc. I wouldn't even say its a given they will move omto COD because it's a very different game and has a steep skill curve. I think the only way the model works is by catching the attention of an age group, say 7-12. Something that is very hard to replicate.

So basically, ongoing monetization. Fortnite level monetization? Unlikely.

Not to stoke the console wars but I think if Hi-Fi rush was on PS it would have been a huge success. Mainly due to the general Xbox/Microsoft hate in the industry but also due to the mismanagement iissues mentioned above. Xbox do not spend nearly enough on marketing. Was the shadow drop the best why to release this game?

Potential-Monke

Was it just me or did the South of Midnight trailer have some deliberate frame stutter, similar to the Spiderverse films? I couldn't finish the trailer so I hope it's something one can turn off because what I saw of it seems up my street otherwise.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241457#Comment_122241457

It looked like it was mostly just in cinematics, and it's a design choice to look something like Claymation. The actual gameplay looked like it runs at a higher frame rate and looked pretty smooth. Star Wars Jedi Survivor did similar where the gameplay was 60fps but cinematics were 24fps to make it look like the films. It was jarring at times. This probably looks even more jarring because the claymation is even less than 24fps.

johnny_ultimate

Yeah just watched a chunk of the Spencer interview and it’s a waste of time. Just a shallow PR piece with only the most cursory of references to the recent chaos and closures. Hearing a bunch of fans cheering on his every utterance (even around the closures) is bizarre. He’s a bloody Microsoft executive!

Anyway, the Kinda Funny interview in the wake of the Redfall release was a lot more probing. This one was just cringey fan service.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241415#Comment_122241415

I think the shadow drop worked well for Hi-Fi Rush, particularly because it was free on Gamepass. It got a lot of hype and attention really quickly and was really well received. The only way it would have done better on PS5 would be if it was a free PS Plus game. I think by the time it actually launched on PS5, a lot of people who would have been interested in it had already played it, likely through Steam (because it looked so unlikely to ever come to PS5).

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241528#Comment_122241528

I'd say it was a condition of the interview that he'd answer a quick question about the closures, but wouldn't go into detail and then move on.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241552#Comment_122241552

Yeah I’m disinclined to blame the interviewer specifically as who knows what the corporate mandate was on either side. But given IGN now owns the majority of the specialist gaming press, it’s another example of the trouble with industry consolidation.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241523#Comment_122241523

I’m not an expert on the tech or the specific terms, but it’s possible to separate the animation rate from the frame rate / game refresh rate. So the animation can have a stylised, lower refresh but the game moves and plays with the smoothness and responsiveness of the high refresh rate. You can see it in the Spiderverse suit in Insomniac’s Spiderman games, or in something like Heaven’s Vault:

https://youtu.be/ghsVOE93C9o?si=YzuValZGPq2JaQYV

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241570#Comment_122241570

That is one thing I was wondering about because even in gameplay when it looked 60fps, some animations of the character still looked like claymation, but some maybe didn't (or maybe I was focusing on the environment at those points).

I can see why it may look off, but at the same time I'd be interested to see what people think after playing. I'm sure you get used to it quick enough.

Potential-Monke

Can't say I'm a fan of it. The Spiderverse suits were cool for a minute or two, but I couldn't play any more after that, had to switch back asap. Probably didn't help it was buttery smooth 60fps otherwise. Even in the gameplay for it this new one, it looked off. Just too jarring for me, and would put me off trying it because I know I won't just get used to it, i'll always feel like it's just not right. Pretty sure I had to give up on another game or two for similar reasons, the stylistic fps option… Or maybe I'm thinking of that stupid animation framed doll in the Death Stranding 2 trailer.

johnny_ultimate

I’m not a 100% sure, but watching the trailer for South of Midnight most of the gameplay animation seems to refresh at 60 but then maybe some things like when she stops moving at a slower refresh rate - maybe to transition into cutscenes more naturally? Standard combat and movement gameplay looks pretty standard to my eyes, a few animations aside maybe.

A lot of the movement does seem animated to ape a doll or model though - there’s a purposeful stiffness to it which I think is meant to give that impression, and then there’s some textures and shaders that have that ‘handmade’ look too.

Retr0gamer

Even if the animation is lower and in twos, there's or fours, as long as the game logic is running at a high framerate it should work fine.

CastorTroy

Maybe it's something you'll get used to. I know when I saw the trailer for Into the Spideverse, I didn't like the animation due to the jankiness of it. But when I watched the film I got used to it and liked it.

Mr Crispy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241560#Comment_122241560

The conversation has moved on, but just to clarify that this is my issue with the interview, not Spencer's responses (those were as meaningless as expected). The gaming press is so beholden to early access of hardware and code that they are, for the most part, completely impotent.

Pixar have a new animation engine that does the stuttery on purpose style. It's very much the animation of the current era, I'd expect more of it.

Personally I like it but only in animations. Anything beyond using it in cut scenes and it's a no for me but surely if they do it in game there will be an option to switch it off.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122242309#Comment_122242309

It’s worse than I thought: allegedly, free gifts were being thrown out to audience members who cheered loudest during the Spencer interview (and - to be fair - all the other IGN Live events over recent days).

https://twitter.com/dreamboum/status/1800160138462212453?s=46&t=nwvJe3fJtU0siJ7wj5mjTA

There was a moment in the interview that made me think uh-oh another studio closure on the way. Spencer saying what an amazing job Ninja Theory did for Hellblade 2 and how proud he is.

I think this is normal with studio audiences but they really over did it to the point it was cringey. There were a few woot-woots when he talked about the studio closuresand thst most definitely was moment where the big "Silence" sign should have come out.

Zero-Cool

Ubi direct on at 8pm our time. I'm actually looking forward to the star wars game even though i have zero interest in sw, sounds like it could be fun. New AC is also looking very nice. Upgraded combat and parkour was badly needed for years, the small bit shown already looks very promising.

Mr Crispy

And don't forget Beyond Good and Evil 2!

EoinMcLovin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122242933#Comment_122242933

That has to be dead at this point

Mr Crispy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243147#Comment_122243147

It's just sleeping. A very very very very long sleep.

Zero-Cool

Star Wars Outlaws actually looks really good. Like a 3rd person cyberpunk indoors, hop into your ship and take off into space, get into a dog fight before landing on a planet. One thing that stood out was the minimal hud which is nice for a ubu game.

J. Marston

Cool gimmick in the Snake Eater remake.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243147#Comment_122243147

I was going to make a comment about the PoP Sands of Time remake probably being dead too, but I remembered reading another Ubisoft studio had been added as a support studio for the game. Now it's been announced again for 2026. So it's still alive at least.

EoinMcLovin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243261#Comment_122243261

So it's now a remake of a remake. You'd think they'd just write it off since they've probably lost millions in Dev cost already. Same with Beyond Good and Evil

CastorTroy

A remake announced in 2020 and taking longer than some new games.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243268#Comment_122243268

In fairness given the reaction to the initial trailer, the fact they've decided to spend so long really rebuilding it from the ground up gives me more hope for it than that initial trailer.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243202#Comment_122243202

If they've gone to this extent, I just pray they've brought back Guy Savage. The fact it was removed from the HD Collection and everything after was a travesty.