December 22nd 2023.
How damaging are the hacks to the PS5? This is a question that has been worrying the Friday letters page, as a reader is curious about South Park: Snow Day. As the last Inbox of 2023 is coming up, we should reflect on the events of this year and the potential implications for the PlayStation 5.
The Insomniac hack has been a major source of concern, as it keeps getting worse every day. It has now reached the point where a fully working copy of the Wolverine game is running, which is a worrying prospect for both the developers and Sony. This is comparable to a pirated copy of a movie coming out two years before its release, which would ruin its chances of becoming a hit. It is also concerning that the hackers have been able to uncover so many secrets about the PS5, which Microsoft is sure to be looking over closely.
This may be a tipping point for PlayStation. Despite successful console sales, everything else is not going well and it looks like Sony is beginning to lose their grip on the market. Whoever takes over from Jim Ryan will have a large responsibility to ensure that the PS5 does not crash and burn.
Fiscal responsibility is also a key issue. We have seen the immense cost of producing a game like Spider-Man 2, which was an astounding $300 million. This is much higher than the cost of many movies, and yet the console market is much more limited than the film industry. Sony’s efforts to reduce costs could have a disastrous effect on the quality of their games and their ability to compete. Microsoft, on the other hand, seems to be much more careful with their spending, as evidenced by Starfield.
The free Valhalla DLC for God of War Ragnarök has shown that when done right, a reboot can be even better than the original. The combat system has been taken and used in a brief but challenging roguelite, which serves as a fitting epilogue to Kratos’ story.
Finally, IGN’s biggest disappointments of 2023 article has highlighted the failures of the year. The games included on the list, such as Starfield and the PlayStation VR2, have been major letdowns and a testament to the struggles of Xbox and PlayStation. It is also interesting to note that some of the games, such as Redfall, had not been heard of prior to their release.
It has been a tough year for the console market, and we can only hope that the situation will improve in 2024. In the meantime, we wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
How damaging are the hacks to the PS5?
The Friday letters page is abuzz with the ramifications of the Insomniac hack, as one reader is particularly concerned about South Park: Snow Day. Numerous letters have been pouring in to email, and we thank those who took the time to write in.
Unfortunately, this will be our last Inbox of 2023, but please continue to send in your letters so that we can start back up on Thursday, January 4. Between now and then, we will be running our usual selection of Christmas and New Year features, including our Top 20 of the year and a preview of the best games for 2024. On behalf of everyone at GC Towers, we wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
The severity of the situation
The Insomniac hack just keeps getting worse, and it's unprecedented in its scale. They've now managed to get a working copy of the Wolverine game running? This is a devastating blow to the developers and Sony alike. If a pirated copy of a movie were to come out two years before its release date, it would likely ruin the film's prospects, even with unfinished effects.
What's more, all the secrets that have been revealed are invaluable to Microsoft. It's not their fault the hack happened, of course, but it's still a huge loss for Sony. This could be the tipping point for PlayStation. Console sales may be doing well, but the rest of the company is in disarray. Whoever takes over from Jim Ryan will have a lot to prove, and if they can't do the job, the PlayStation 5 could be doomed.
Fiscal responsibility
I'm sure $300 million for a game like Spider-Man 2 sounds like an exorbitant amount of money, but when you consider that only a handful of movies have ever cost that much, it's understandable. Movies have a much wider reach than games, so this cost is only sustainable for the likes of Take-two with GTA 6.
I can understand Sony wanting to cut costs, but at what expense? Making the games look worse and no longer being able to compete with their rivals? Microsoft has the funds to make such expenses, but they're surprisingly conservative with their money. Starfield's lacklustre performance is evidence of this.
Better than the real thing
Having completed the free Valhalla DLC for God Of War Ragnarök, I can honestly say it's better than the base game. Ragnarök was fun, but it was bloated with unnecessary content and a meandering story. Valhalla, however, takes the combat system and transforms it into a brief but challenging roguelite, heavily influenced by Hades. It serves as a fitting epilogue to Kratos' story and makes you reflect on who he used to be in the original trilogy.
PS Kudos to David Jenkins for the great RoboCop interview.
PPS Merry Christmas to all at GC Towers!
Further proof
I'm cautiously optimistic about the Sega reboots, though I know I shouldn't be. Jet Set Radio is looking impressive and Crazy Taxi has a good multiplayer hook, but it's the older 2D games that will really test them. Shinobi looks like a cheap indie game; Streets Of Rage is muddy; and I can't make out Golden Axe yet. The new artwork is promising, but considering how the last reboot went, I won't assume anything until I see more evidence that Sega have worked things out.
It would be great to have Sega back for something other than Sonic, Yakuza, and PC games.
Different genre
Have you heard anything about the new South Park? Stick of Truth was great, but The Fractured But Hole was lacking in terms of writing and combat. On another note, I bought RoboCop due to your review.
GC: We haven't seen anything beyond the trailers, but Snow Day is an action co-op game, not a role-player. It's nothing like the previous two South Park games.
A year of disappointments
IGN did an interesting article on the biggest disappointments of 2023, including some games. Starfield, Redfall, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 were all on the list.
I own Metal Gear and was happy with it, which makes me question the other suggestions. Was anyone expecting anything good from Redfall? Modern Warfare 3 is more DLC than a game, so disappointment isn't really the right word.
Starfield and the PlayStation VR2 were certainly disappointing, and it's further proof that both Xbox and PlayStation have had a bad year. Sony hasn't mentioned the PlayStation VR2 since it was released, so I'm glad I didn't buy it.
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