Why buy games on release?

The Phantom Pain

mrcheez wrote: »

I've managed to avoid everything spoiler-ish related to Last of Us Part 2, so it is possible

Just make sure you don't have autoplay enabled on YouTube!

It's not that simple. Sometimes you end up walking into a thread to get some tips and info on gameplay mechanics and then out of nowhere someone drops a bomb that has absolutely nothing to do with the gameplay or the topic of the thread. Happened to me with Assassin's Creed 1 and Prey. Still enjoyed the games to be fair but the experience was somewhat tainted by that.

quokula wrote: »

I think it's an exaggeration to say most games are released unfinished. There are clearly some exceptions, most recently Cyberpunk and the Series X version of Watchdogs, but if you pay any attention to reviews you usually know what games to avoid, while the vast majority are completely playable at launch. Bug fixes that come in patches are usually things that effect 0.1% of players or are very minor.

If you look at most of the biggest single player games this year - TLOU2, Ghost of Tsushima, FFVII Remake, Demon's Souls, Miles Morales for example - all of them were well worth playing at launch and didn't need patching. Some got extra content or features later of course, like Tsushima's co-op mode, but there's nothing to stop you dipping back in to try new stuff if it interests you.

Ah, but there's a common denominator amongst those games you've listed and it goes back to what I say about developer trust. Those games were received warmly and by getting them day 1 you are supporting the devs. I think I only got TLOU2 and GOT on day 1. The others i'll wait for and Demon Souls is a hard pass altogether.

mrcheez wrote: »

but funny you say that as I too was considering getting Last of Us Part 2 on release back in June but decided to wait till now and they've added some huge updates/bug fixes since release, and latest was back in September I think?

I picked it up in Argos last week for €18, but again it's not the price so much as just having a seamless experience first time out.

I rarely (never?) re-play games if they take several hours to beat as my backlog would just be staring at me with sorrowful eyes, so the first time I play will likely be the only time I play.

What bugs lol I don't think I encountered a single one for part II.

mrcheez

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

What bugs lol I don't think I encountered a single one for part II.

Not sure specifically as I haven't played it on release

But there was a huge update to the core game which was released 2 months after launch... big enough that they actually created a trailer for it

https://www.polygon.com/2020/8/11/21363433/the-last-of-us-part-2-grounded-update-trailer-release-date

The Phantom Pain

mrcheez wrote: »

Not sure specifically as I haven't played it on release

But there was a huge update to the core game which was released 2 months after launch... big enough that they actually created a trailer for it

https://www.polygon.com/2020/8/11/21363433/the-last-of-us-part-2-grounded-update-trailer-release-date

Yes, I'm aware of the permadeath and grounded mode update (which wrecked my 100% oh well) but there was never any gigantic announcement about fixing bugs because there wasn't any notable bugs at launch for the majority of players.

mrcheez

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

but there was never any gigantic announcement about fixing bugs

I think you misread my post... the "huge" reference was related to the update.

I said "added some huge updates/bug fixes" which was two items I listed:


1) "Huge update" (the permadeath and other snazzy graphics/gameplay updates)

2) "Bug fixes" (whether big or small)


Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying it out now that they've finally stopped updating it and I'll experience it first time with all these bits added.

The Phantom Pain

mrcheez wrote: »

I think you misread my post... the "huge" reference was related to the update.

I said "added some huge updates/bug fixes" which was two items I listed:


1) "Huge update" (the permadeath and other snazzy graphics/gameplay updates)

2) "Bug fixes" (whether big or small)


Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying it out now that they've finally stopped updating it and I'll experience it first time with all these bits added.

Fair enough but it was in response to my post about polish from companies you trust. My point was that if there is dev company that is known for historically releasing games with none to minor technical issues that would be as good a reason as any to buy it day 1. I'm glad that you're going to experience the game with these so-called bug fixes and with the new mode updates from the get-go but as someone who never experienced bugs and has no intention of playing a stressful, scary game on grounded or permadeath my experience was just as seamless as yours is going to be. It's all good.

mrcheez

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

these so-called bug fixes

That's what Naughty Dog called em

gimli2112

I generally get caught up in the hype. In recent years would have pre-ordered Cyberpunk, Modern Warfare 2019, TLOU2, Resi 2, Borderlands 3, the Battlefields since 4, Division 2 (and 1), RDR2, GOW, HZD, Remnant from the Ashes and Destiny 2 (and 1).

Only a couple of disappointments there and nothing too bad. I just don't want to wait a few months just to save €30. Lots of sequels though. Actually looking at the list I'm really not disappointed at all.

The Phantom Pain

mrcheez wrote: »

That's what Naughty Dog called em

Awesome. And those bugs that Naughty Dog "called em"? I didn't experience so my point about having a seamless experience still stands.

mrcheez

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

Awesome. And those bugs that Naughty Dog "called em"? I didn't experience so my point about having a seamless experience still stands.

sure but you coulda got that 100% had you waited for the other updates

The Phantom Pain

mrcheez wrote: »

sure but you coulda got that 100% had you waited for the other updates

I'm not sure if you're misunderstanding how trophies work or if you missed the part where I said I never want to do a permadeath or grounded playthrough so I'll just address both.

The permadeath and grounded trophies bring the trophy percentage down to 95%. I still have the platinum and I could very easily obtain the 100% if I want as the game mechanics are not hard but like I already said:

has no intention of playing a stressful, scary game on grounded or permadeath

So there you go. It doesn't matter when I would have played it. I'm never going to put myself through grounded and permadeath. I was at 100% before the updates and now it's 95% and it will forever stay that way.

Zero-Cool

I love buying games day 1 that I'm hyped for. I love following games development, finding out info, speculating and generally getting excited to see what it's like. If i really like the sound of a game, i want to play it as soon as possible. Sometimes I'll get burned but sometimes it will be great and all my time spent looking forward to it pays off. Yeah, these days games get so much better after a few months of patches and i should wait to get the proper experience but for some games i just can't wait.

I look forward to a game, i want to play it asap.

mrcheez

I'm prob going to grab Mario All-Stars on Switch... can be purchased on Amazon for around €36 (although it will be €30 for me as I have some final Amazon credit to use up).

It's mad that only 3 months ago it was selling for about €56, and had bugs to boot, so again it was worth the wait as they've released patches including the ability to use a Gamecube controller with it.

Sometimes waiting for a game you want to play even after release increases the anticipation more

Retr0gamer

They weren't bugs, they just half arsed the controls and straight up made them unplayable for a lot of people by not giving the option to invert.

mrcheez

Retr0gamer wrote: »

They weren't bugs, they just half arsed the controls and straight up made them unplayable for a lot of people by not giving the option to invert.

thought there were bugs around strange sounds being played during the race in Sunshine, and slow transition between map and gameplay, and developer "guide blocks" left, plus the aforementioned control issues?

Retr0gamer

I didn't know or notice the others but the control issues were implemented by nintendo. The original games were inverted so nintendo would have actively had to code them to be none inverted and then not include and option to change was just stupid and lazy.

Creamy Goodness

I buy at launch cause I don't want to miss out and fear it will be spoiled for me with people posting meme's or reading the generic threads on boards.

However I game so infrequently these days (I've only played two games this year FFVII:Remake & Miles Morales) I rarely get caught on the hype train.

ShadowHearth

I can really see this thread just becoming CB bash, but feck it, still give it a go.

I personally buy new games very very rarely, only the ones, I am really excited. Last new games I bought were Monster Hunter and expansion when it came out, Division 2 and CB. Not disappointed with them at all. Had/have good crack with all of them.

Then I mostly play whatever I get on game pass ( PC and xbox ) and whatever I want on sales. I would still classify myself as "Patient gamer".

And I don't really hold anything against people who buy games new on release. As Retro pointed out, when you buy game on launch you can be in the middle of community discovering and discussing particular game. In multilayer games, you play when everyone is new to it and game is at its most active state.

mrcheez

ShadowHearth wrote: »

I can really see this thread just becoming CB bash, but feck it, still give it a go.

CB bash?

mrcheez

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm prob going to grab Mario All-Stars on Switch... can be purchased on Amazon for around €36 (although it will be €30 for me as I have some final Amazon credit to use up).

Amazon have an offer at the moment for £10 discount if using the mobile app to pay so that was another chunk of change off to get it down to €19.

Totally unplanned, but I guess another fluke of waiting to order the game till now!