February 1st 2024.
Did you catch the latest State of Play from Sony? The Thursday letters page featured some interesting discussions about what we can expect from the gaming world in the near future. One topic that caught readers' attention was the possibility of Hideo Kojima creating a new Metal Gear-style game. There were also some exciting speculations about a new Burnout game coming out soon. If you want to join in on the discussions, be sure to email us your thoughts at the provided address.
As always, Kojima's trailers tend to hog the spotlight and this State of Play was no exception. Some readers pointed out that his trailers can sometimes drag on for too long, and this one in particular seemed to be building up to a big reveal. However, it ended up falling a bit flat and left some feeling underwhelmed. While there were some impressive games showcased, like Stellar Blade and Rōnin and Judas with their intense combat, many were disappointed by the lack of information about first party studios. But with highly anticipated games like Stellar and Rōnin releasing this spring, it's shaping up to be a packed season. On the other hand, there were mixed reactions to the trailer for Silent Hill 2, with some feeling that it may not live up to the original's atmosphere.
Overall, it was a good show but there was still the lingering issue of some development teams having nothing to show. One reader referred to it as a "solid play" from Sony, with their top pick being Stellar Blade. While there were plenty of multi-format games, the standout for them was Death Stranding 2 with its impressive graphics. However, they personally didn't enjoy the first game and weren't sold on the idea of it blurring the lines between movies and video games. Another game that caught their attention was Rise of the Rōnin, although they felt it paled in comparison to Ghost of Tsushima. And as for Silent Hill 2, they were disappointed by its visuals and developer choice. Overall, they gave the show a 7/10 rating.
One reader couldn't help but make a playful joke about the not-Metal Gear game, referring to it as "Gaseous Snake and his evil brother Plasma" fighting on Shadow Aaron Island. They then went on to express their concerns about Kojima going back to well with Metal Gear and Death Stranding. They felt that he had already spent too much of his career on the series and would have preferred to see him hand it over to someone else after Metal Gear Solid 3 or 4. As for Death Stranding 2, they were hoping for something new and not just a continuation of the weirdness from the first game. However, they still found the trailer to be quite bizarre and were curious to see what Kojima has in store for America this time around.
Moving on to a different topic, one reader appreciated our review of Suicide Squad and even acknowledged the dedication it must have taken to stay up all night to write it. While they were sure that Rocksteady put in just as much effort into the game, they couldn't help but feel like it was all for nothing. As a DC fan, they found the game to be inappropriate for the Suicide Squad, lacking the dark humor and cleverness they would expect from a game based on the team. They also expressed their disappointment with the sudden inclusion of Brainiac and the Justice League, feeling that it was a missed opportunity to gradually introduce the wider DC universe.
There were also some interesting discussions about Bungie and the future of Destiny 2. One reader worried that Sony might shut down the studio and redistribute its staff to other studios, especially with the recent departure of the game's director. While they enjoyed Bungie's work on Halo, they never quite got into Destiny and didn't appreciate its influence on the concept of live service games. They believed that Sony has realized this and avoided making a mistake with their first party games. Another reader reflected on the state of gaming today, feeling that there is a lot of unnecessary bloat in triple-A games. However, they are still hopeful for a potential Burnout comeback, even though they fear it may be wrapped up in all the modern gaming trends they dislike.
Did the latest State of Play presentation live up to expectations? The letters page on Thursday was abuzz with discussions about the possibility of Hideo Kojima creating a new game in the style of Metal Gear, while one reader eagerly anticipates a new installment of Burnout. To join in on the conversation, send us an email at email.
As always with Kojima, his trailers tend to take up a significant amount of time, and when it passed the five minute mark, it was clear that this was going to be the big reveal of the show, ending the State of Play on a slightly awkward note. While we didn't get any updates on what first party studios are working on, I was impressed by the gameplay of Stellar Blade and the fast-paced action of Rōnin and Judas. With both games set to release this spring, it's going to be a busy season, especially with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth also on the horizon.
However, the news about Silent Hill 2 seems to be a bit of a disappointment. From a projected release date of 2023, it has now been reduced to just being "in development". And while the combat looked decent, I can't help but feel that the original game's defining atmosphere will be lost in this new version. Overall, it was a good show, but the lingering issue of development teams with nothing to show continues to be a concern.
Moving on to the games showcased, it was a solid lineup from Sony. My personal pick of the show was Stellar Blade, which looked visually stunning. There were also plenty of multi-platform games, which is always a welcome addition. Death Stranding 2 caught my attention with its impressive graphics, but unfortunately, I couldn't quite get into the first game. Kojima's statement about blurring the lines between movies and video games doesn't really sway me, and the sequel seems even more bizarre than its predecessor.
I also had mixed feelings about Rise of the Rōnin. While the gameplay looked decent, it did give off a bit of a "poor man's Ghost of Tsushima" vibe. However, I'm sure it will play better than it looks. The biggest letdown for me was Silent Hill 2. Visually, it wasn't very impressive and seemed a bit rough around the edges. In my opinion, Bloober Team was not the right choice of developer for this project. Overall, I would give the show a solid 7 out of 10.
Moving on to other news, I can't wait to play the legally distinct adventures of Gaseous Snake and his evil brother Plasma, as they battle for control of Shadow Aaron Island. But in all seriousness, I do question the purpose of going back to the well for Metal Gear and Hideo Kojima. In my opinion, he has already spent too much of his career on the series, and I would have preferred to see him hand it over to someone else after Metal Gear Solid 3, or at least 4. Similarly, I don't see the point in Death Stranding 2. Half of the appeal of the first game was its unique setting and concept, and I would have liked to see Kojima explore something new.
However, the trailer for Death Stranding 2 was quite wacky, and Kojima hasn't held back on the weirdness factor, so perhaps it will be worth checking out. I do hope that he has something meaningful to say about America this time though. One of my biggest gripes with the original game was its constant references to America without actually saying anything substantial about it.
Moving on to reader comments, I must commend GC for their review of Suicide Squad. I can only imagine how much dedication it took to stay up all night and write it. However, it seems that all that effort was wasted, as the game itself seems to have fallen short. As a DC fan, I can't help but feel that the game is not a good representation of the Suicide Squad. When I heard that there was going to be a game based on the team, I was expecting something with dark humor, clever tactics, or at least some powered team members. Instead, we got four fairly dull characters with no powers, simply mowing down aliens with guns and baseball bats. It's just not what I would have expected from a Suicide Squad game.
And now, suddenly, we're going from subtle references to Superman in Batman: Arkham Knight to Brainiac and the full Justice League in Suicide Squad. It's a jarring shift that doesn't make sense and will likely turn off non-fans and disappoint those who were expecting a more grounded approach. It's a strange use of the license and the DC universe as a whole.
On a different topic, I can't shake off the feeling that Sony may shut down Bungie and assign their employees to other studios. It's highly doubtful that the new DLC will suddenly turn things around for Destiny 2, and with the director leaving, it seems like he may have already accepted this outcome. While I enjoyed Bungie's work on Halo, I never quite got into Destiny and was not a fan of its influence on the concept of live service games. It would be ironic if it ended up proving that this idea doesn't have a long-term sustainability and that predicting which games can sustain themselves is nearly impossible for publishers. It seems like Sony has realized this just in time and avoided making a mistake with their first-party games.
Lastly, I'd like to reflect on how much gaming has changed over the years. It's been close to two decades since I played Burnout 2: Point of Impact, and although it could be nostalgia, I remember it as a game with pure, visceral gameplay. But now, with news of a possible comeback for the series with the original developers, my initial reaction was not excitement but rather cynicism. I couldn't help but wonder how much of it will be filled with live service elements, microtransactions, progress bars, and bloated skill trees, all at the insistence of the publishers. It's a trend that has become quite common in modern gaming, and while there is a lot to appreciate about the current gaming landscape, the excessive bloat is hard to ignore. But let's remain hopeful for Burnout and hope that my grumpy reaction is just a sign of getting older and dealing with more backaches. - Simundo
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