Console & Gaming Thread

[dilla]

I just completed Ghost of Tsushima.

Holy fuck. This game is INCREDIBLE.

If you have a PS4, you have to play it.

I got around to looking at some gameplay of that game after so many people raved about it. That game looks really good and it sucks that Sony has it as an exclusive.

@masta247 with all the gaming you've been doing during the last gen of consoles, how'd you handle the Sony exclusives? Did you just accept you wouldn't be playing them without a PS4 and just valued Xbox and its Gamepass?

 

[masta247]

@masta247 with all the gaming you've been doing during the last gen of consoles, how'd you handle the Sony exclusives? Did you just accept you wouldn't be playing them without a PS4 and just valued Xbox and its Gamepass?

The only Sony exclusives I really wanted were the Yakuza games. Luckily they eventually started coming to PC. I didn't care much about any others.

 

[Rukas]

Really enjoying Valhalla on the Series X right now. Thought Id just power thru it but the side quests got me hooked. Actually like this better than RDR2.

 

[dilla]

The only Sony exclusives I really wanted were the Yakuza games. Luckily they eventually started coming to PC. I didn't care much about any others.

Yakuza 6 is PS5 only, right? Or has that made its way to PC as well? I know Horizon Zero Dawn is PC and that's one big exclusive PS4 fans talked about. Uncharted? The Souls games?

 

[masta247]

Yakuza 6 is PS5 only, right? Or has that made its way to PC as well? I know Horizon Zero Dawn is PC and that's one big exclusive PS4 fans talked about. Uncharted? The Souls games?

Not yet, but they are coming to PC one by one now. Last year we got both Yakuza Kiwami games, still haven't finished Kiwami 2, and now Yakuza Like a Dragon is out which is a new story altogether. By the time I pass these I bet we'll have Yakuza Remasters, which is a pack of three huge games (3, 4 & 5), and then 6 will be out by the time I pass these.

I never cared that much about any of those other Sony games - I started watching let's plays for Uncharted and others to see if I'd want them, but I'm picky, I play just a couple of games per year, and these weren't up my alley.

I also have 0 care in the world about timed exclusives - I add new games I want to play to my backlog. So by the time I'm ready to play them they are multiplatform already anyway. I prefer 4K ultra at 60fps, not to mention not paying launch console-game prices or monthly fees just to access online features, which is why I much prefer having them on PC anyway. I also like knowing for sure I'll be able to play them forever, without worrying about backwards combability on future consoles.

 

[Pittsey]

I got a PS5 because it's what my son wanted. I cancelled the Series S. Only bought Spiderman ultimate edition though. Not a lot that appeals in games so far.

 

[Casey]

Yakuza is my favorite series after Shenmue. This a picture from my media shelf.

Right now, PS4 is the only place you can get the whole mainline series and some of the spin-offs. On PS4 I have:

Yakuza 0
Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza 3 Remastered
Yakuza 4 Remastered
Yakuza 5 Remastered
Yakuza 6
Yakuza 7 (Yakuza: Like A Dragon) - not pictured but currently playing it digitally, I have ordered physical collector edition as well which is arriving in a couple weeks.
Judgment (Excellent Yakuza spin-off) - not pictured as I bought it digitally
Fist Of The North Star : Lost Paradise (It's the Yakuza engine but set in the world of the Manga series) - again, not pictured as I bought it digitally from the PS Store.

Unfortunately with the PC releases it's not presently possible for the player to play the franchise in chronological order. To me, that's really important because there's so many references and in-jokes, plus the progression of Kiryu is important. It'd be tough to understand his psyche at the beginning of 6 without understanding his journey through 3-5 and how much he sacrificed in that time.

I actually waited over a year to play Yakuza 6 because I was adamant on playing chronologically, and I already knew the 3-5 remasters were in the works.

 

[dilla]

I don't know if I mentioned getting a gamepad for PC on Prime Day a month ago, but I got a simple, Logitech controller for like $5 and started using it shortly afterwards. After finishing Sleeping Dogs, i picked GTA 4 back up again and tried to like it but the driving mechanics of the game are awful. Every car feels the same and is a pain to drive, especially in missions that have you chasing people. And the game is still glitchy as hell, where in one mission I was hit by a phantom train on a train track while chasing someone. And then it dragged my dead body for 15+ seconds before giving me the Mission Failed message. There were several other instances of some BS deaths and failed missions and I just had to put it down again. So I started making some headway on DMC5 with the new controller and it's been real fun so far. If the gamepad works well, I can see myself putting off console gaming for a bit and picking up some of the last gen AAA titles, the ones that are on PC, at least. Yeah, Boot Camp gaming on a Mac is hilariously sad, but it's working well for me. And as much as I want to be wowed by the visuals and performance of a current gen console, I can be just fine with an RX 580 and my Mac for a few years like I thought I would be with a One S. Until the current gen consoles' supply issues are fixed, as well as some of the reported QC issues with coil whine, and bugs in games that shut down consoles or cause them to restart.

If I see a $199 One S, I'll bite, otherwise maybe I'll just pick up some $5 games from BF PC sales, like Far Cry. This game pad was cheap but might've opened up a door to some even cheaper PC deals in lieu of a console and then games for it.

 

[masta247]

Yakuza is my favorite series after Shenmue. This a picture from my media shelf.

Right now, PS4 is the only place you can get the whole mainline series and some of the spin-offs. On PS4 I have:

Yakuza 0
Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza 3 Remastered
Yakuza 4 Remastered
Yakuza 5 Remastered
Yakuza 6
Yakuza 7 (Yakuza: Like A Dragon) - not pictured but currently playing it digitally, I have ordered physical collector edition as well which is arriving in a couple weeks.
Judgment (Excellent Yakuza spin-off) - not pictured as I bought it digitally
Fist Of The North Star : Lost Paradise (It's the Yakuza engine but set in the world of the Manga series) - again, not pictured as I bought it digitally from the PS Store.

Unfortunately with the PC releases it's not presently possible for the player to play the franchise in chronological order. To me, that's really important because there's so many references and in-jokes, plus the progression of Kiryu is important. It'd be tough to understand his psyche at the beginning of 6 without understanding his journey through 3-5 and how much he sacrificed in that time.

I actually waited over a year to play Yakuza 6 because I was adamant on playing chronologically, and I already knew the 3-5 remasters were in the works.

Yeah Yakuza may be my favorite series after Shenmue as well, except I only started playing it maybe two years ago when it first came to PC. They started actually releasing the PC games in a perfectly chronological order (in terms of the story), so they first launched 0, then Kiwami, then Kiwami 2. They just messed it up releasing 7 before remasters and 6. But to their defense it's a new story, and they went all out with the western release at launch this time around. I actually see it advertised in Canada! I think the remasters and 6 will come out soon-ish as well though.

 

[dilla]

Yeah Yakuza may be my favorite series after Shenmue as well, except I only started playing it maybe two years ago when it first came to PC. They started actually releasing the PC games in a perfectly chronological order (in terms of the story), so they first launched 0, then Kiwami, then Kiwami 2. They just messed it up releasing 7 before remasters and 6. But to their defense it's a new story, and they went all out with the western release at launch this time around. I actually see it advertised in Canada! I think the remasters and 6 will come out soon-ish as well though.

Where do you get your PC games from? I recently came across GreenmanGaming when it came to deals. Otherwise I just knew about Steam and a few publishers that have their own service, like Origin, uPlay, Epic, etc. There's going to be some deals to be had for BF and I think I will commit to PC for a bit instead of going for a console.

MGS5 is $7 on Steam but I never played any thing else in the series. I'm wondering if I'll be lost without playing previous games or if it's its own story.

You mentioned Shenmue and I think I saw it was $16 or so for III. Definitely under $20.

Maybe I give one of the Bethesda games a shot. I've heard good things about Fallout.

 

[masta247]

Where do you get your PC games from? I recently came across GreenmanGaming when it came to deals. Otherwise I just knew about Steam and a few publishers that have their own service, like Origin, uPlay, Epic, etc. There's going to be some deals to be had for BF and I think I will commit to PC for a bit instead of going for a console.

MGS5 is $7 on Steam but I never played any thing else in the series. I'm wondering if I'll be lost without playing previous games or if it's its own story.

You mentioned Shenmue and I think I saw it was $16 or so for III. Definitely under $20.

Maybe I give one of the Bethesda games a shot. I've heard good things about Fallout.

I only use Steam, add games I want to buy to my wishlist and get notified when they're on sale. I usually buy them for less than $20. Sleeping Dogs definitive edition was like $9 on Boxing day I believe.

Fallouts are great games, just a bit gloomy. Shenmue 3 just launched on Steam at a discount, but that's where you can also buy 1 & 2 remasters. I love Shenmue but I don't think you'd like it if you only started playing it today. I fear it may be a bit like first picking up Dawson's Creek in 2020.

I have Cyberpunk, Persona 4 Golden and the new Yakuza on my wishlist now. There's some chance I may actually buy Cyberpunk and Yakuza before they go on sale as I'm really excited about these two. I recently got the new remakes of Age of Empires 3 and Command and Conquer (got a limited edition box with tons of gadgets and it came with an autograph of the dude who made music for Westwood Studios, including Hell March).

 

[dilla]

I only use Steam, add games I want to buy to my wishlist and get notified when they're on sale. I usually buy them for less than $20. Sleeping Dogs definitive edition was like $9 on Boxing day I believe.

Fallouts are great games, just a bit gloomy. Shenmue 3 just launched on Steam at a discount, but that's where you can also buy 1 & 2 remasters. I love Shenmue but I don't think you'd like it if you only started playing it today. I fear it may be a bit like first picking up Dawson's Creek in 2020.

I have Cyberpunk, Persona 4 Golden and the new Yakuza on my wishlist now. There's some chance I may actually buy Cyberpunk and Yakuza before they go on sale as I'm really excited about these two. I recently got the new remakes of Age of Empires 3 and Command and Conquer (got a limited edition box with tons of gadgets and it came with an autograph of the dude who made music for Westwood Studios, including Hell March).

Sounds like you're all in on PC gaming more than on consoles. Someone showed me the Is There Any Deal website that tracks prices of games on different platforms and retailers, so I've been looking at stuff on there. Stuff that I thought I would enjoy playing on an Xbox One or Series console had I gotten Gamepass, but these look to be cheaper than buying a $200 or $500 console and then spending $180 more for 3 years of GPU. Stuff like Sea of Thieves or Doom Eternal. Those two can be had for under $60 total. So PC gaming was an option that was always there but I didn't seriously consider until now.

I had Shenmue on Dreamcast back in the day. I got a DC for like $50 back in high school and got Shenmue with it. I think the last I played it, I had to work at the docks or something as a forklift driver. I don't remember much after that. Maybe I'll dig up the DC and see if it still works lol

 

[masta247]

Sounds like you're all in on PC gaming more than on consoles. Someone showed me the Is There Any Deal website that tracks prices of games on different platforms and retailers, so I've been looking at stuff on there. Stuff that I thought I would enjoy playing on an Xbox One or Series console had I gotten Gamepass, but these look to be cheaper than buying a $200 or $500 console and then spending $180 more for 3 years of GPU.

Gaming PCs are definitely not the best value. The Series X (or S if you're fine with low graphics) + gamepass is imho the best value way to game for years to come.
I like tech, I like building PCs. I don't go for mid-range parts anymore too, so I'm not particularly value-oriented around what goes into it. So I'd have a high-end PC anyway, and since I have it and it's also the best way to enjoy games, including games that are PC-exclusives, I currently game on it instead of consoles.
But purely from the perspective of value, flagship PC hardware is definitely multiple times more expensive than a console, and the performance is better, but not worth the money unless you're into it as a hobby or need it for work. A mid-range PC makes sense, but the new consoles would beat it - they'd offer better value and performance. PS5 and Series X are just a huge leap that aren't far behind flagship gaming PCs for much, much less.

 

[dilla]

Gaming PCs are definitely not the best value. The Series X (or S if you're fine with low graphics) + gamepass is imho the best value way to game for years to come.
I like tech, I like building PCs. I don't go for mid-range parts anymore too, so I'm not particularly value-oriented around what goes into it. So I'd have a high-end PC anyway, and since I have it and it's also the best way to enjoy games, including games that are PC-exclusives, I currently game on it instead of consoles.
But purely from the perspective of value, flagship PC hardware is definitely multiple times more expensive than a console, and the performance is better, but not worth the money unless you're into it as a hobby or need it for work. A mid-range PC makes sense, but the new consoles would beat it - they'd offer better value and performance. PS5 and Series X are just a huge leap that aren't far behind flagship gaming PCs for much, much less.

Yeah, high end PCs definitely aren't the best value but I guess I meant to say that I already kind of bought my "console" a few years back when I got the RX 580 eGPU for about $400. It's the Gigabyte Gaming Box, so it was pre-built and ready to go out of the box, so I paid a premium for that. To get a One right now, on second thought, would be kind of foolish and I'd probably want to sell my eGPU to make it worthwhile and not game on my PC anymore. But I do play DOTA quite a bit so that might suck without an eGPU. I just figured I'd get cheap games during these sales for PC.

As for GPU, there's isn't much I'm familiar with and/or want to play to warrant a S or an X and then GPU on top of that. I'd still end up buying games separately because I used to play a lot of COD. I don't know if Bethesda stuff is coming to GPU otherwise I could catch up on Fallout and other stuff there. But that would still be the cost of a console plus GPU. FO3 and 4 are like $5-10 right now for PC. Of course, they're old games but even newer games that look interesting, like Outer Worlds, are Maybe $30?


Like I said, I might hang on for another year or two before jumping in to the current gen and play some of the older games I missed on from previous gen on my PC. That might also mitigate my concern of not having an optical drive on an SS, since I wanted that mainly to play the older games I missed in the past. Once I'm caught up and the current gen consoles maybe have a refresh in a few years (and a price drop) it might be something to consider. The S would be right in my price range but also be really short-changing if I played it on a 4K OLED. Adn $500 is too much for a console for someone like me who is still a pretty casual gamer.

 

[dilla]

Good thing I didn't dish out $5 for Fallout 3. Turns out it runs like shit on anything after Windows 7 and never had a proper fix to make it run on Windows 10 without jumping through hoops. Maybe I'll get it for the 360 and not worry about running in to issues there.

Also, did anyone play Devil May Cry 5? I'm a moron when it comes to games but I'm finding the game to be really easy. I don't think I've died yet and I somehow seem to know where to go next on the map. Don't get me wrong, the game is fun as hell and it's all worth it to pull of some insane combo move, but I'm not used to progressing through a game like this. Since I re-started playing it this past weekend, I've breezed 4 or 5 missions like it was nothing. I think I played for 2-3 hours within the past week, but it's impressive for me to cut through a game like a hot knife. I might need to balance it out by playing Demon's Souls lol

 

[dilla]

Something weird was going when I used my eGPU in Boot Camp but I didn't really notice it until it got real bad the last two days. I enabled the fps counter in-game, and I was getting around 30 when I stood still and it would drop to 19 or so, when I'd start moving around. I had a feeling that despite my eGPU being connected, Windows wasn't seeing it, but I had my DisplayPort cable connected from the GPU to the monitor, and I still had picture. It just felt like Windows wasn't using the actual eGPU and instead was using the dinky Radeon Pro 555 in my MBP. It was trash and was much worse than usual, which I can only assume was around 40-50 and was playable.

So I uninstalled Windows and used a more recent build; the November 2020 build vs the late-2019 build I had. I don't know what the issue was before but holy shit it fixed it. I was always running at Ultra and everything enabled and like I said I felt I was getting 40 or so fps before it went to shit. Now I'm getting 100+ fps with everything at Ultra. I enabled vsync and it brought it back down to my monitor's max, which is 75 fps, but it's amazing. I don't know what happened but I do know that the AMD Control app finally works and gives a notification every time I boot in to Windows that the eGPU is recognized.

I know the RX 580 isn't even a top 10 card now but so long as it doesn't mess itself up again, I think I'm good to properly game on it instead of a console, for the time being.

I set a budget of $50 to pick up games from these BF sales and seeing as the games I'm looking at are $5-12 each, I think a handful of games can hold me over for a few months.

I took a look at The Outer Worlds and thought it looked pretty good. That might be next. And you guys praize Yakuza so much, I'll see if the first few are on sale.

 

[Da_Funk]

I am also late to the party here man, if you compiled a list of this gen games that you think are good I'd love that.

My list so far includes
- the metro series
-outer worlds
-divinity series
-pillars of the earth
-yakuza after reading this
-witcher 3

 

[dilla]

Maybe people are looking too deep in to it or Adam is trolling but some folks feel like this is hinting at a Sega acquisition. Again.

Also, Best Buy had a new system in use today for their new stock of consoles. I'm not planning on getting one but I had to try it out. They basically wait until you hit 'add to cart' and then it puts you in a queue. Then you're able to enter payment details and then wait some more. I think this is supposed to trick the boys?

I stood in queue for a bit just to see how shitty it would be. It wasn't. There are a lot of users on reddit saying that they finally got a console thanks to BB's queue system.

That's good. I've heard more people complain about scalpers the past month than I have ever heard in the past, combined. Good on retailers for taking charge here. I know Sony and MS can only do so much to combat scalpers but I'm glad at least one retailer is taking it seriously enough.

 

[masta247]

That's good. I've heard more people complain about scalpers the past month than I have ever heard in the past, combined. Good on retailers for taking charge here. I know Sony and MS can only do so much to combat scalpers but I'm glad at least one retailer is taking it seriously enough.

There are scalpers but the demand on gaming tech is just insane. My 3080 finally arrived last week and I consider myself lucky. Thing is I listed my old (1-year old) GPU on Facebook marketplace and immediately got flooded by messages. Ended up selling it for more than I bought it for back in the day, and dude also gave me a box of Costco hedgehogs for honoring the deal lol. Apparently all decent GPUs disappear super fast, even last gen at a reasonable price.

 

[dilla]

There are scalpers but the demand on gaming tech is just insane. My 3080 finally arrived last week and I consider myself lucky. Thing is I listed my old (1-year old) GPU on Facebook marketplace and immediately got flooded by messages. Ended up selling it for more than I bought it for back in the day, and dude also gave me a box of Costco hedgehogs for honoring the deal lol. Apparently all decent GPUs disappear super fast, even last gen at a reasonable price.

Yeah, my RX 580 turned 2 years today. I got it 2 BFs ago and I'm wondering if I could sell it for close to 80% of what I paid for it, which was $400. It was the Gaming Box from Gigabyte, so it came ready-to-play. I know the enclosure for it is worth more than the card itself so $200 for the enclosure and maybe $100 for the 8GB 580 might be do-able. I'd basically be selling my "PC Gaming" setup which I'm only recently starting to enjoy and see potential, but I'll see what the card and box are going for and see if it's worth it. I doubt I'd get $400, but $400 would get me a Series S and a year of Gamepass Ultimate or just barely get me a digital PS5. But I still feel the PC gaming route would be a better value since I already have the eGPU and $100 in games (if I were to spend that much) would really be every game I'd want to play on GPU on an Xbox and probably more on top of that.