October 11th 2023.
Has it changed enough for you?
The Wednesday letters page has been discussing the economics of keeping video games versus selling them, as one reader asks for advice on an F1 racing wheel. If you'd like to join in on the conversation, be sure to send an email!
Beauty Contest
I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this, but the new PlayStation 5 models have left something to be desired. Not only were they not 'slim' as advertised, but they were actually uglier than the originals- which is quite the achievement.
Sure, they may have been a few millimeters thinner and smaller overall, but they look pretty much the same proportions to me- and that's not saying much. The way the disc drive bulges out on the standard version is an eyesore, and the cut they made down the middle of it looks like it was dropped and the outer shell cracked.
Don't get me wrong, I love my PlayStation 5- or rather, the games I play on it- but it's so ugly it makes the American SNES look like a work of art. This was the perfect opportunity for Sony to completely redesign the thing, as they have done in previous generations- but they totally missed the mark. And then to top it off with a boring blog post announcement? Not the best way to go about it. When Nintendo is running circles around them in terms of marketing- even just effort alone- you know something's gone wrong.
Tolly
Back to Work
I don't think there was ever any doubt that Nintendo would make a new world for their next Zelda game. The circumstances behind Tears Of The Kingdom were very specific and unlikely to be repeated.
I do appreciate that they have already started thinking about, and possibly even planning, the next game. After such a successful release, the director and producer could have retired, or taken a well-deserved break- but instead they are back to work.
It's clear these games are made with a lot of love, and moments like this demonstrate that. Whatever they make next, I will be there no matter what. They've earned my absolute loyalty as a customer.
Egberttoma
Busy Year
I, too, have been making a list of completed games since 2018- I can't remember why exactly. Here's my list of 17 games for 2023: Limbo, Sonic Frontiers, The Callisto Protocol, GoldenEye 007, Gotham Knights, Perfect Dark, God Of War Ragnarök, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Metroid Prime Remastered, Resident Evil 4 remake, Redfall, Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, Atomic Heart, Hi-Fi Rush, Titanfall 2, Super Mario 3D World, and Dead island 2.
2020 was my busiest year, with 27 games completed- I think it's obvious why I had more free time that year. 2021 saw a sharp decline, with just eight completed.
Ranny2011
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Extremely Satisfying
RE: The discussion on old fart gamers. I, too, am on the older side and, like ameisa said, I always choose the hardest difficulty on games. Pillars Of Eternity 2 is an excellent example, as I have beaten it on Path of the Damned + hardcore mode multiple times.
Path of the Damned difficulty tests whether you have a true understanding of the mechanics of the game- something that I would not have achieved without it. It forces you to carefully manage everything, and use empower at the right time. It made me get good at the game, and that is what it is all about.
Extreme difficulty on games is a challenge- and after every challenge, I am either triumphant or utterly broken and defeated. I am envious of your glory at your school, as my own achievements with Pillars Of Eternity 2 would not be appreciated by my wife. If I ever spoke about it at work, it would not even get a flicker of response, even from gamer colleagues.
But if I sat down for a game of Call Of Duty with my teenage son, I would be on the floor before I even saw him. Every time. Constantly trying to respawn quickly so as to put an end to his killcam humiliation behavior. Rinse, repeat.
The point of my letter is, I too am good at certain games- and that is all.
r-s-w
Wheel Question
Good morning everyone. I'm looking for some assistance from the GC community on behalf of some friends, if I may. Their son has a PlayStation 5 and is a big fan of Formula 1, so they are looking to get him a steering wheel and pedals for his 14th birthday.
They came to me for help, but it's not really my area of expertise. Any information, advice, or recommendations would be gratefully received. I've done some research and all the obvious options seem to be well reviewed, but I'm curious if anyone has any personal experience that could be more helpful, with regards to the official F1 game.
I'm not sure what their budget is, but I don't think they are looking for a full-on simulator setup. They were also wondering if these typically come as wireless or not, and if that makes any difference in performance. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
rich_c
GC: You can’t usually go wrong with a Logitech wheel but we’re sure there are readers that have more detailed advice.
Bygone Era
So I've taken the plunge and purchased a PlayStation 2, along with a needed HDMI adapter and a copy of a rare title, Silent Hill 2 Director’s Cut. I was fortunate to get it for a decent price, at £35- it usually goes for over £50.
Playing titles such as Rule Of Rose, Kuon, Haunting Ground, Silent Hill, Project Zero 1 to 3 has reminded me that the PlayStation 2 has an unparalleled horror library. If I had to pick one title that harkens back to the vintage days of survival horror, it would have to be P.T.- even though it was only a demo.
It is, in my opinion, still the scariest modern horror experience I've had in years. Other titles like Outlast may be terrifying, but it is often dependent on a formula of chase sequences and hide and seek. This is why the sequel was so disappointing- it was nothing like the original.
Project Zero was different in the sense that you had to face your fears- running away only resulted in pain and suffering. This is why I'm so excited to revisit these vintage days, and experience the titles I was not able to as a kid. The only downside is that titles like Rule Of Rose and Kuon can be quite expensive.
Has it changed enough for you? This Wednesday's letters page is discussing the economics of keeping video games versus selling them, with one reader asking for F1 racing wheel advice. If you'd like to join in the discussions, you can email email.
I'm not sure I'm the only one thinking this, but didn't the new PlayStation 5 models seem a bit weird? Sure, they're a few millimeters thinner, but they look pretty much the same as the originals, which is an achievement in its own right. The disc drive bulges out in an ugly way, and the cut through the middle of it looks like it's been dropped and the outer shell cracked.
Don't get me wrong, I love my PlayStation 5 and the games I play on it, but it's so ugly that it makes the American SNES look like a work of art in comparison. This was the perfect opportunity to completely redesign the console, which is something Sony has done in the past, but they really dropped the ball. Plus, the announcement was just another boring blog post, which Nintendo is clearly beating them in terms of both effort and execution.
On a different note, I'm glad to see Nintendo already planning their next Zelda game. After all the success of Tears of the Kingdom, the director and producer could easily have retired or taken a year off, but they're back to work. This shows the amount of love that goes into these games. Regardless of what they make next, I'll be there to buy it.
My list of completed games started back in 2018, and I can't remember why. It currently stands at 17 for 2023, including Limbo, Sonic Frontiers, The Callisto Protocol, GoldenEye 007, Gotham Knights, Perfect Dark, God of War Ragnarök, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Metroid Prime Remastered, Resident Evil 4 remake, Redfall, Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, Atomic Heart, Hi-Fi Rush, Titanfall 2, Super Mario 3D World, and Dead Island 2. 2020 was my busiest year, with 27 games completed, while 2021 saw a lull with only eight.
In response to the discussion about old gamers, I, like ameisa, always choose the hardest difficulty on games. Take Pillars Of Eternity 2 for example, which I have beaten on Path of the Damned + hardcore multiple times. This difficulty level tests whether you have a deep understanding of the game mechanics, and it made me get good at the game in ways I wouldn't have achieved otherwise. I'm envious that you can share your glorious achievements with students at your school, but my wife wouldn't care less. I'd get no response at work, even from gamer colleagues, but I'd be on the floor before I even saw my teenage son in a game of Call Of Duty.
Lastly, a friend asked for help on behalf of their son who has a PlayStation 5 and is Formula 1 mad. They're looking to get him a steering wheel and pedals for his 14th birthday. Logitech wheels are usually a good bet, but I'm sure the GC community has more detailed advice. What do you think? Is there any difference between wireless and wired wheels? How much should they expect to pay? Any help would be appreciated.
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