Ben-DutkaGuess it was all about Hideo Kojima this week, huh?
Kojima coming back to PlayStation just feels right somehow
If he's really serious about sticking with big-budget AAA games, I'm sure he realizes that multiplatform is his only option down the road. But in the meantime, Kojima siding with Sony for a new project does indeed make it feel like all is right with the world. Well, for PlayStation fans, at any rate.
When the big news dropped , I wasn't really surprised. Firstly, while I don't doubt that Kojima considered leaving the industry for a while, I think we all know he's a game creator at heart. Even if he had dropped off the radar for a year or more, he would've inevitably returned, and I'm sure he'd be the first to admit it. Secondly, he has made no bones about his dislike of Microsoft in the past and he has often praised Sony; he may despise Konami at this point, but I don't recall him ever complaining about his relationship with Sony. Thirdly and lastly, I knew whatever he would tackle would be absolutely epic because it's in his blood; it's all he really knows how to do. Kojima and mobile just don't mix, as evidenced by that impassioned letter he penned the day his studio site opened.
When you consider all the factors, it shouldn't come as a shock that Kojima is now heading his own studio and their first game will debut on a PlayStation platform. It'll be awfully interesting to see how his project stacks up against the next Metal Gear Solid ; lest we forget, Konami says they're currently recruiting for that project and it's gonna take some serious resources. Yeah, well, Kojima's project will be a spared-no-expense endeavor, too. And I will give the edge to this guy any day of the week.
Final Fantasy XV and Persona 5 launching in the summer…?
That one survey question has prompted this intriguing possibility and it made me wonder: You know, if that happened, I wonder how JRPG fans would react. Of course, there's no chance Persona 5 outsells FFXV if the two games came out close to one another; the name "Final Fantasy" alone, despite its depressing fall from grace, means that's not possible. But as Square Enix has continued to leave the old fans in the dust and focused on getting new fans, one would assume that those aging JRPG followers would be all over Persona 5 , while dismissing FFXV. And maybe a younger generation would be more interested in FFXV because…well, because it's faster and flashier. But does the company see it this way? Why would they even ask the question in that survey? Perhaps Persona is so big in Japan that releasing the two games at about the same time really could have a detrimental effect on FFXV. Not sure.
I probably won't play either one; I've never been a fan of the Persona games and FF has been dead to me since Lightning Returns . I know we're supposed to get more FFXV info in January but at this rate, the developers can't say anything that won't piss me off. All I want from them now is Kingdom Hearts III ; I assume they can get that right, at the very least.
Personal gaming update
I was swamped with giant games over the past few months, so I never got a chance to do a Rocket League review. It also slipped off my radar because when I first heard about it, I just shrugged and went, "eh, a follow-up to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars ." And that was a fun game back in 2008 but I didn't think it warranted a spiritual successor. Then I started hearing all these great things about Rocket League , so I'll be playing it over the course of the next few days and then deliver a review. I did have a lot of fun with Yakuza 5 ; it's a great game and one the fans should adore. But you know how you can really enjoy some franchises but you never actually finish one of the games? Well, Yakuza has always been like that for me. I play like 2/3 or 3/4 but I always lose interest before I finish.
And by the way, whoever did up the categories for the PlayStation GotY awards at the PlayStation Blog needs to be reprimanded. There are some bizarre inclusions and glaring omissions…
I'm definitely interested in future projects by Kojima. He's a legend to gaming just as Snake was to the fiction he directed.
I'm so amazed how this guy has managed to stay on the forefront of sales and critical praise since PSX's days. That's no easy task, especially from a Japanese developer, as most have since tanked it at the AAA level. He has this way of sensing what the popular gaming passions are in gaming culture and then can deliver on that new focus.
FFXV has got to be the most unappealing FF I've seen to date. Everything from the drab and boring looking group of dudes to seeing game play that seems to always have them running around haphazardly hacking at big monsters in grass plains, leaves me feeling blah. Until I see more my impression isn't high. I'm actually more interested in FFVII Remake. At least they have a template to work from that has heavy nostalgic value to it.
PGU: Fallout 4, Metal Slug 3, and TTT2 for me this week. I also snagged a new 16GB Vita memory card for $20 from Gamestop this week.
I loaded up Killzone on the Vita again and was impressed by how well that game looked. Then feelings of abandonment sank in on how Sony never gave us a Vita God of War…. it would've been great. So much potential and hardly enough people cared.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 12/19/2015 10:19:09 PM
Hey remember when Konami moaned about MGS5's $80,000,000 budget, then it went onto make double that in 2 weeks? Good times, good times.
Haha
yeah the remake does look better than a vast empty nothingness and a pack of sausage.
Ha, yea, that'll learn 'em Jawknee. And you've got to be one of MGSV's biggest fans. You're always playing that game.
Me, I'm on mission 23 and I've done neat stuff like defend my base from invasion. That was somewhat refreshing because the verticality of the base meant for some different feeling combat.
World. Btw. I want a FO4 Robocop gun too so I can say "freeze creep!" before I shoot out knee caps.
I do love that game. Yea, defending and invading FOB's adds a separate feel to the game. It's satisfying when you stop an invader yourself. Also very intense tying to invade a high security level opponent. That's pretty much all I've been doing the past few days. Raiding rival FOB's. Which reminds me, we can now support friends on our friends list. So for example, if I'm playing and some one tries to invade your FOB, it will send a request to me to come defend it for you. Pretty awesome.
At first I was skeptical of the FOB stuff but they have mostly ironed out the kinks. It's been a blast. I have 3 completed FOB's and they just added the option to buy a fourth. I may go for it once I get enough MB coins.
Last edited by Jawknee on 12/20/2015 2:42:32 AM
love my Fallout guns
I still can't change my avatar, and it's not just my computer. I need to uncuff Tifa for a bit.
I clicked the link regarding the omissions for the PS GOTY awards. It took me to the article from yesterday or day before here at PSXE. I noticed there was confusion about why Uncharted 4 wasn't listed as most anticipated. There's a simple explanation: it won that category last year.
The rules are posted at the PS Blog along with the categories and nominees. The rules say a game cannot win the same category two years in a row. Uncharted 4 won last year when it was supposed to release in 2015. That's why it didn't show up this year. They've explained that on the blog and in the rules. Could explain other games missing as well for various categories.
Seems good otherwise.
Nice catch! Makes sense.
Gotta love the xbots reaction to this whole kojima thing. I saw everything from this games suck or I never really cared for his games Yet i bet there half of the 3 million that got phantom pain day one lmao.
No offense to anyone here but i couldnt careless about Persona 5 or Final Fanstay XV. My last Final Fanstay game i played was FF12 and i dont plan to play any other FF game till i have a good reason to. FF 13 is a joke and FF online isnt worth my time. Shame on you Ben for not reviewing Rocket League. Rocket League is my most played game this year this includes game time during the beta.
PGU: Not much gaming this week. Been busy for the holidays i really need to get back into Fallout 4. Also just downloaded The Talos Principle for twenty dollars thanks to PSN Holiday Sale Week 2. Been holding out for a cheaper price and i finally got my wish. 🙂
Talos is good, but not more than 20 bucks good, sounds like you hit the sweet spot.
PLU: On the same day that Kojima announced his new situation, my career took a downfall. I might be forced out of some crucial goals. It's been a strange week, but I like to think it wasn't a coincidence that my VG idle announced a new beginning after a long struggle with Konami on the same day that my future really became much more clear to me.
PGU: Nothing mut Deus Ex:HR director's cut and Chrono Trigger. Both have been so nice to play at the end of the day.
Kojima teaming up with Sony for 1 game is great news for the PS fans, and personally, I' m excited for his new game for the PS4.
@Ben Dutka: hey Ben, what is your psn ID? I just want to add you to my friends' list on my PSN. ^_^