General gaming discussion

24-04-2023 12:54pm

Sorry I was more kind of asking how you can tell the difference. I can see some bad reviews that don't fit the review bomb description such as its very short, poor story, too generic etc

But i think i know the answer, I think its when there is a vast difference between critic review score and user review score that it indicates its review bombed.

You'd have to wonder why they don't do something about it. You could have verified reviewers via steam and check that they've purchased it and then show a "verified owner" score. Doesn't help with PS5 exclusives though.

Retr0gamer · 24-04-2023 12:59pm

What's the reason for the review bombing? Is it because it's PS5 only, I mean that's fair enough as it's a particular dick move by Sony and quite anti-consumer. If it's because of 'the gay' then they should all **** off.

Honestly if there's a legitimate reason to review bomb a game (developer is a racist/transphobic POS or there's performance issues) then it's a good thing. The review bombing on Steam has warned me off games that were terrible ports or had been abandoned unfixed by the developer. It's a good protest method and if it hurts sales then it forces developers to fix things and do better, which has happened on PC games. But if it's just anti-LGBTQ+ stuff then it's just hate speech.

Cordell · 24-04-2023 1:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514814#Comment_120514814

Review bombing is never ok. Not even when the publisher makes a dick move. You haven't played the game, you can't/shouldn't leave a review, simple as.

johnny_ultimate · 24-04-2023 1:12pm

A quick glance at the Metacritic user reviews - and just FYI I would never recommend looking at the Metacritic user reviews - and it’s primarily raging bigots complaining about it having gay characters.

24-04-2023 1:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514857#Comment_120514857

I know it's probably a safe assumption to make, but how do you know they haven't played the game? The ones complaining they can't play it on PS4 of course, but if review bombing in general is people who haven't played the game?

Retr0gamer · 24-04-2023 1:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514857#Comment_120514857

Nothing wrong with protesting, as long as it's not bigoted hate speech which it look like here.

johnny_ultimate · 24-04-2023 1:57pm

On a different note, have been playing Everspace 2 a little bit and I’m really enjoying it. Really scratches the arcadey space shooter itch. It has plenty of light sim elements for those who want them but the core gameplay is really sharp, enjoyable and accessible. Just feels like a fast-paced shooter within a 360 degree space. I’d definitely recommend mouse & keyboard though - the game pad controls sound a fair bit more convoluted.

24-04-2023 2:39pm

Please delete. I've got to stop getting caught up in these debates....

Cordell · 24-04-2023 2:57pm

It can be a mediocre game and still be bombed - one doesn't exclude the other.

Potential-Monke · 24-04-2023 5:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120515332#Comment_120515332

I had a reply typed too, but deleted it in favour of this stance!

Jordan 199 · 24-04-2023 9:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120513373#Comment_120513373

Man babies 😅 That saying gave me a laugh.

Jordan 199 · 26-04-2023 9:33am

GTA IV will be 15 years old on Saturday. It was released on XB360 and PS3 on the 29th of April 2008.

Hey cousin, let's play bowling!

marcbrophy · 26-04-2023 9:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120522022#Comment_120522022

At that time time, you could have assumed that there'd be 4 or 5 more GTA's in the next 15 years, but there's only been 1 🤣

Retr0gamer · 26-04-2023 9:52am

The more I think about GTA 4 the more I realise it wasn't actually a very good game. It was technically impressive but the missions were awful, the social mechanics were bad and the car physics were no where near as much fun as the PS2 games. At least the dlc was a big step up on quality.

It did provide one of my all time best gaming moments. The first time I turned it on I got an invite to a game with a load of boards regulars. Never experienced such mayhem in a multiplayer game before or since. Could never repeat it online, just something about the craic and the people online that time, perfect craic storm.

Jordan 199 · 26-04-2023 10:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120522070#Comment_120522070

GTA V will be 10 in September.

Kiith · 26-04-2023 11:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120522076#Comment_120522076

Early day GTA 4 online was absolutely brilliant. Absolute chaos as you described.

Zero-Cool · 26-04-2023 12:17pm

GTA 4 online was a special place, a simple place where it contained nothing and you had to make your own fun. Me and a couple of friends would play, couldn't believe we were experiencing an actual GTA Online game, great buzz.

Penn · 26-04-2023 12:34pm

I enjoyed GTA4 mostly just because it was a huge step up from San Andreas. The city, the graphics, the physics, the mini games... Even the story and characters were a lot more fleshed out and more interesting.

But, the driving was fairly awful, the camera while driving was absolute nonsense to the point where I constantly had to use the right thumbstick to angle the camera so I could see ahead, most of the new stuff you could do was good at first but you'd lose interest in repeating them, and mission structure was okay but also bland a lot of the time.

But it did give rise to one of my favourite ever DLCs, The Lost And Damned. That f*cking hooked me in a way I never expected, especially as I was watching Sons Of Anarchy around the same time.

Jordan 199 · 26-04-2023 1:11pm

Johnny Klebitz was a great character in TLaD.

I lovethe radio stations in GTA IV. I mainly listen to Liberty Rock Radio and LCHC, followed by Vladivostok FM and Radio Broker, but of late I was listening to The Classics for hip-hop action.

wotzgoingon · 26-04-2023 2:37pm

Couple of days ago I got my replacement OLED 4K Tv and after using it all I can say is they are not all they are cracked up to be. I don't think they are anything special or worth the premium. You do have inky blacks but my old Tv was just as good and then the 10 bit panel. My other 4k Tv's were 8 bit plus 2 bit FRC for fake 10 bit and they are exactly the same as this Tv. Google 10 bit OLED Tv banding and everyone is the same as me with banding so it's not my panel. Makes me wonder are they actually 10 bit at all.

tl:dr OLED is not worth the premium.

Retr0gamer · 26-04-2023 2:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120523355#Comment_120523355

Honestly I've found LCD quality absolute crap since they were first introduced. The colours are always washed out, black levels are awful making dark scenes in movies indecipherable and then it's all compounded by the lies about specs like made up contrast ratios with no standardised level meaning they pull them out of the manfacturer's arse. I've a LG C2 OLED and it's the first flat panel I've seen that isn't plasma that comes close to the picture quality from a good CRT. I'd never go back to a LCD screen and my current IPS monitor is annoying me because of how bad it is in comparison. I'm awaiting OLED monitors that aren't outrageously big.

wotzgoingon · 26-04-2023 3:17pm

I also have a C2 OLED. It may be my eyes but what would I know my old Samsung TN monitor that I have years looked good to me. I even bought a 144Hz Freesync 27 inch 1440p IPS monitor many years ago when they were at the height to being the best you could get at the time and I wasn't impressed with that either. I even looked up settings for the monitor that I tried and who ever made up the settings must have loved the over saturated look as I had to go back to stock settings as in my eyes it looked too fake. Mind you back to the OLED it isn't over saturated and pics look real so that is a plus.

JimBurnley · 26-04-2023 6:02pm

The undisputed greatest game of all time is 4 years old today. Time for another play through soon methinks

Jordan 199 · 26-04-2023 6:16pm

Ah Days Gone. The much loved Days Gone.

Mr Crispy · 26-04-2023 6:20pm

Ye gonads happens to be an anagram of Days Gone.

TitianGerm · 26-04-2023 6:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524318#Comment_120524318

Do you not have something good to play 🫢

Retr0gamer · 26-04-2023 6:40pm

Days gone is no ace combat 7

Jordan 199 · 26-04-2023 6:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524390#Comment_120524390

Nays Doeg?

Zero-Cool · 26-04-2023 6:57pm

Say what ye want lads but it's damn fun riding around the open world on that bike. Just buy fuel before ye leave camp, fast travel to the starting point that or drive to a fuel station to fill up for free and enjoy the broken road. Deacon could do with a mute button though.

JimBurnley · 26-04-2023 7:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524451#Comment_120524451

Thankfully :-)

Mr Crispy · 26-04-2023 9:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524491#Comment_120524491

Sandy Ego.

Which is actually a better name than Deacon St. John.

26-04-2023 9:36pm

Quantum Break is back on Game Pass and this time around it's on PC Game Pass.

One of he few games where I feel the urge to play again but it never got the fps boost on Xbox which put me off giving it another go. I Last played it on Xbox One, so a PC playthrough could well be worth a revist. It's long enough now that I don't remember much about the story, I just remember I really enjoyed it.

26-04-2023 9:40pm

Ha what a badly timed comment. No COD today, but hey Quantum Break is back in Game Pass 😆

recyclops · 26-04-2023 9:49pm

Quantum break is a great single player shooter, solid enough story was a bit naff but enjoyable from start to finish

nozzferrahhtoo · 27-04-2023 4:11pm

Not much of a gamer so excuse the dumb question. Finally getting Fibre to the house with unlimited data, rather than the 320GB 4G connection I have been using.

For that reason I am finally going to give in and get Play Station Plus for the house. I was going to wait until the Fibre was connected.

However ........

I noticed an article that some good games (including Fallout 4, Bloodborne, Batman and God of war + about 10 more) are being removed from the service in the first week of May.

If I sign up for PS+ now and claim those games, do they remain mine forever (Like Epic Games) or will they disappear if I do not download them at once? As in, if I sign up now and claim them, can I still download and fully use those games in a couple of months?

johnny_ultimate · 27-04-2023 4:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528355#Comment_120528355

The games on the PS+ Collection, which are being removed next month, will be accessible as long as you've claimed them, they're in your library and you're subscribed to the service. Just like the usual three monthly games. You can download them whenever you want. https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/1/23581459/ps5-playstation-plus-collection-sony-greatest-hits-stop

However, games that 'expire' on the higher PS+ subscription tiers like Extra / Premium will not be playable once they've been removed from the service AFAIK.

Penn · 27-04-2023 4:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528355#Comment_120528355

Once you claim them (ie. Add them to your library), they'll be yours to keep even if you don't download them. You'll be able to play them so long as you still have a PS+ subscription.

Those games were part of the PS+ Collection, an offering of aboout 20 games, mostly from the PS4, for when people got a PS5 (particularly for anyone who may have been coming from Xbox over to Playstation). However now that we're 2.5 years after the launch of the PS5, the offer is being removed. But so long as you add the games to your account before May 9th (I think that's the date but might be worth checking), you'll still have those games after that date, but again, so long as you have an active PS+ subscription.

nozzferrahhtoo · 27-04-2023 4:36pm

Ah thanks all. That was some fast answering.

I was confused by reading that games that are removed, are then unplayable. Some places I was reading said claimed games are yours forever, others saying you can not play after removal.

But makes sense now when you mention the premium offers, compared to other offers.

Right so, might sign up this weekend, claim them, and download them when this sexy new FibreOptic network finally comes on line. They've been digging up the roads and paths for nearly 3 years here running cable to the whole town! But the cable is finally sticking out of the ground outside our front door now and just needs to be connected to the router in the basement.

1GB internet finally. Hmmmmm.

SuperBowserWorld · 27-04-2023 10:26pm

ME2 XBox Series X Legendary Edition, I can't tell the difference between performance and quality mode. Usually it's really obvious, i.e. the frame rate tanks in quality mode.

So, ... There isn't..it's 4K/60 FPS and 1440p/120 FPS. I need to try out the 120 FPS mode before I finish the 2nd game. 😁😁😁

As always ... thanks to digital foundry ...

https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2021-mass-effect-legendary-edition-tested-on-next-gen-consoles

Really enjoying this game now. I usually don't enjoy shooters, but this is a relaxed shooter with a great story and characters. Also, no open world shenanigans. What a relief.

I find it funny that one of the ship's engineers is Scottish. Like in Star Trek 😁

Also, it's pretty great that your decisions can affect the outcome across the trilogy of games. I could look up the "right" decisions, but that'd just ruin the experience.

I really knew nothing about these games apart from them being highly rated. It's so nice to experience a game or movie this with little knowledge like this.

johnny_ultimate · 27-04-2023 11:20pm

****, **** news that Waypoint is being shut down by Vice. One of the few outlets left interested in serious game criticism, as well as a delightful podcast. Hope the team there lands on their feet, but depressing how few outlets are left that haven’t been absolutely gutted through corporate shenanigans, takeovers and rounds & rounds of layoffs. Established voices can break out and hopefully do something independent, but increasingly few outlets for newer voices to build their profile and for the longer form writing and criticism that larger teams and freelancer budgets allow.

https://twitter.com/robzacny/status/1651700437446164482?s=46&t=nwvJe3fJtU0siJ7wj5mjTA

CatInABox · 28-04-2023 8:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120529997#Comment_120529997

Great games, and yes, you could look up the right path, but most of the decisions are usually easy enough to figure out, so really role play how you want. Of course, you'll get to the end and there'll be one of three very similar endings, all of which disappoint in various ways.

SuperBowserWorld · 28-04-2023 8:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530642#Comment_120530642

Ah, it's the journey, not the ending 👍 just checked where I got my physical copy from (even though I'm currently playing on GamePass) ....12 quid from CEX 😁

CatInABox · 28-04-2023 8:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530662#Comment_120530662

Oh yeah, it's definitely the journey in this case, I've replayed those games many times, even knowing the ending would disappoint no matter what.

SuperBowserWorld · 28-04-2023 8:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530668#Comment_120530668

This series is ripe for film adaption.

However I think the glut of Star Wars/Marvel STUFF has sucked the air out of the sci fi market. Which is a complete shame.

Retr0gamer · 28-04-2023 9:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530687#Comment_120530687

I'd be hard pressed to call mass effect sci Fi. It's space opera and very generic. The fact that it's playable as a game is what sets it apart, as a film I think it won't stand out.

SuperBowserWorld · 28-04-2023 9:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530774#Comment_120530774

Film/streaming TV series could dig into the backstory of the characters + you've got all the lore in the codex to dig from including FTL travel, mass displacement, precursor alien civilisations, speciesism, generic engineering, plagues, genocide, Scottish ship engineers 😁 ... not to mention all the love interests ...

It would have to be deeply character based, maybe with episodes from each characters perspective.

Retr0gamer · 28-04-2023 9:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530839#Comment_120530839

I hate to break it to people but the lore just isn't that interesting and the plot is the same plot of every Bioware game. The story of an ancient evil returning is just off the shelf fantasy storytelling and the game is just D&D with a futuristic skin. The most interesting the game gets is Mass Effect 2 but then it's just a fantasy version of the dirty dozen.

I feel a TV adaptation is going to suffer even worse from the 'actually, I've seen this all before' feeling a lot of people got from the Last of Us series.

I think a lot of people equate good videogame writing to a game aping other media. Red Dead 2 is the worst example for me. Every set piece is stolen from another western and it's just a mishmash of the Wild Bunch and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with not an ounce of originality.

CatInABox · 28-04-2023 3:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530948#Comment_120530948

Lol, I get that from every TV show these days.

Your example though, of The Last of Us, there's no way that it could be considered a failure, it was a massive success. I'd have said before hand that it'd be so unoriginal that people wouldn't like it, but man, was I wrong. Between that and the Super Mario Movie, every video game property is going to be looked at for adaptation, and Mass Effect, while very Space Opera, would be ripe for TV.

Retr0gamer · 28-04-2023 3:31pm

I think the last of us was a much better candidate for adaptation. Better writing and there was an appetite for zombie media after walking dead was so disappointing. And they still tried their best to ruin it with that stupid tendril thing.

I'm pretty sure mass effect would be more along the lines of the awful Halo series than Last of Us.

Put then there's no accounting for taste when the super safe Mario movie is making bank. No need for quality of you can laser target your audience like that movie does.

CastorTroy · 28-04-2023 5:05pm

May need a videogame adaptations thread at some point.

Twisted Metal teaser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYb_HFHJJHs

https://tvline.com/2023/04/28/twisted-metal-release-date-peacock-video-game-adaptation/

All 10 half hour episodes release July 27th

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