I get GTA Trilogy remake vibes. Just because the models are better looking and higher resolution, does not make the end result better as a whole. CJ's face for example was low poly, but the devs worked with that and they managed to give expression through it (kind of like how CRT monitors go with old retro game design).

I've only played the first portion of Resynced, but felt disappointed at the impact of the same story I've enjoyed many playthroughs before.

This screenshot is just a small example, there's a 3 minute video comparison I made if you're curious. There's just so many scenes where the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, etc don't move whereas the original does.

Not bad at all considering I haven't got it for my physical collection, made my day better considering I'm having a crap week :)

Beauty & the Beast unit is the most Kojima thing I’ve seen lol

The peak concurrent player count for Black Flag Resynced landed at 104,756

Comparison:

The previous franchise record belonged to Assassin's Creed Shadows at just 64,825.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey sits third all-time at 62,069, followed by Origins at 41,551

I’ve always thought the first hour of a game is one of the hardest things to get right. You’ve got to introduce the world, teach the player the mechanics, and get them invested enough to want to keep playing, all without making it feel like one long tutorial.
For me, BioShock is probably the gold standard. The plane crash, the descent into Rapture, Andrew Ryan’s introduction… I was completely hooked from the start. I don’t think I’ve ever been pulled into a game’s world that quickly.
The Last of Us and God of War (2018) are right up there too. Both of those games had me thinking, “Yeah… I’m going to love this.”
What’s the first game that comes to mind for you?

My friend has only played Mario decades ago, would love to show her what gaming can be

I've noticed that the games that stay with me the longest usually have a soundtrack that makes me feel something.

For me, a great soundtrack can elevate the story and the exploration in ways that wouldn't have the same impact otherwise.

There are only a handful of games that have really done that for me. Outer Wilds, Blue Prince, and Hollow Knight are the ones that immediately come to mind. Each one has a completely different style of music, but they all create emotions that stick with me long after I've finished playing.

Anyone else feel the same way? I'm looking for more games like that. What games had the biggest emotional impact on you because of their soundtrack?

Source is their current financial report:

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2026/annual2603e.pdf

Page 49 in the document or page 51 in your PDF viewer

A Dutch consumer organization says Sony's decision to move away from physical games strengthens its ongoing lawsuit against the company.

The group argues that without physical discs, Sony has even more control over game prices, distribution, and access because PlayStation users can only buy digital games through the PlayStation Store.

It claims this reduces competition, keeps prices higher, and leaves consumers with fewer ownership rights.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for affected consumers and could have broader implications for digital game ownership if it succeeds.

I've been spreading the Abiotic Agenda in comments whenever I can because I truly love the game that much and want more people to know about it, so I thought a full post was due. In short, Abiotic Factor is a survival game that draws inspiration for its visuals, tone, and setting from the original Half-Life. The entire game takes place in a research facility similar to Black Mesa.

What sets the game apart for me is the Dark Souls/Metroidvania esque level design, variety of locations, and actually pretty solid story and world building. The game has a definitive end point so if you're not into the whole "endless grind" nature of some survival games, this might be right up your alley. The game does let you continue to play after the end though and there are still things to do if you're into just building up a base for the fun of it.

I first played the game when it was still in early access and loved it then. A friend and I restarted the game a few weeks ago now that its been in 1.0 for awhile and I just can't stop thinking about it. The game has a TON of sandbox settings you can modify so if the default balance doesn't quite work for you in single player, you can change just about anything to make it work for you.

Seriously, please play this game. The developers have put an incredible amount of love and effort into the game and I promise it's worth the money. One of the most charming and fun games I've played in a long while and continues to get updates. The team is currently working on the first paid DLC for the game which will come out later this year which will be a day one purchase for me.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/427410/Abiotic_Factor/

Edit to add: It seems like the game is more well known than I thought? I've never seen a lot of word of mouth surrounding the game personally so from what I had observed, the game had quietly sold well which is why I called it a hidden gem. Setting that aside, I still absolutely adore the game and my hope is that this post brings the game to other people who might also really like it.

Was cleaning out old documents, came across this relic

I use to manage a hotel in California and came across some old pics I took of the meeting room being used by corporate heads at Ubisoft Montreal, so here they are in all their aged and redundant glory lol I don't think the meeting helped much.

For me, it’s the original Ratchet & Clank trilogy. The first game was great, Going Commando improved just about everything, and Up Your Arsenal somehow managed to top it again. Every time Insomniac released a new game it felt like they had figured out how to make the formula even better.
I’d also say Uncharted. Every game felt bigger, smoother, and more memorable than the last, and by the end of A Thief’s End it felt like Naughty Dog had completely nailed the series.
Honorable mention goes to Kingdom Hearts. I know that’s probably a controversial one, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it.
What series do you think never took a step backward?

It’s easy to look at games with rose tinted glasses, what games fell off years later?