Jason Faulkner - PlayStation LifeStyle https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/author/jason-faulkner/ PS5, PS4, PS Plus, and PSN News, Guides, Trophies, Reviews, and More! Wed, 26 Apr 2023 04:41:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/cropped-favicon.png?w=32 Jason Faulkner - PlayStation LifeStyle https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/author/jason-faulkner/ 32 32 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Review (PS5) https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/review/881640-star-wars-jedi-survivor-review-ps5/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/review/881640-star-wars-jedi-survivor-review-ps5/#respond Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?post_type=review&p=881640 A tour de Force.

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After a lackluster reboot of the Star Wars Battlefront and a widely-panned sequel (which ended up being a great game after a few years of updates), fans were fed up with EA’s handling of the Star Wars game license. However, Respawn’s Metroidvania, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a huge success and showed that a big-budget single-player title set in the franchise could still sell millions. So, it was no surprise when Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a sequel set five years after the original, was announced.

A losing fight

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Review Greez and Cal

At this point, it’s obvious this is the second game in a trilogy, and it’s very much the Empire Strikes Back to Fallen Order’s A New Hope. The five years since we last saw Jedi Knight Cal Kestis have been hard on him, and he’s had to face facts that, despite his efforts to curtail its expansion, the Empire is growing ever stronger.

We join Cal in Coruscant on a mission to obtain crucial information from a senator’s yacht. With him is a new crew. Cere, Greez, and Merrin have all left to follow their own paths, leaving only BD-1 as a familiar face.

Like in The Empire Strikes Back, the galactic stakes are lower in Survivor. There’s no Death Star or holocron that could dox force-sensitive children throughout the galaxy here. Instead, the story primarily focuses on Cal’s dilemma and the fate of two worlds, Koboh and Jedha.

Jedivania

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Review Cal and Zee

Koboh is a forested frontier world, largely still wild. However, it harbors a hundred-year-old secret left behind by the High Republic, which might mean peace for the remaining Jedi in the galaxy. It’s the largest map and where you’ll spend much of your time during the game.

You’ll also explore Jedha, a desert planet where the esoteric Anchorite monks tend the last vestiges of Jedi knowledge. They’ve built a cult that seeks to attain enlightenment by academically studying the Force and are wholeheartedly dedicated to helping the survivors of the Purge.

You’ll visit several other locations during Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but this journey is more intimate than we saw in Fallen Order. In contrast, Cal isn’t just scouring lonely, forgotten worlds for Zeffo ruins. These worlds are inhabited, and you’ll meet characters who you’ll grow to love and want to protect.

Even though most of the action takes place on two planets, that doesn’t mean this is a smaller game. On the contrary, these two maps are expansive, dwarfing Zeffo, the original game’s largest location. If anything, concentrating on Koboh and Jedha led to tighter environmental design and an even bigger emphasis on Metroidvania elements.

It’s incredibly satisfying to slowly uncover more and more of each map throughout the game. You’re unequipped to fully explore most areas you encounter your first time through, and you’ll take note of impassible forcefields or doors that won’t open. Once you finally get the ability to get past these, you’ll discover new branches leading to more areas that require further abilities.

Each map is like a spiderweb, with paths flowing into one another, and it’s only at the end of the game that you realize how interconnected the whole thing is. However, this isn’t for everyone. It requires a lot of backtracking and patience. You’ll revisit some places three or more times before you finally have everything it takes to explore them fully.

Some players might also find traversal frustrating in general. I consider myself an excellent navigator, but this is one of the few games I’ve played that had me scratching my head about how to move past certain points. Survivor features more verticality than Fallen Order, which can sometimes make things even more frustrating. Fortunately, the game is pretty forgiving if you take a tumble. However, unlike with the combat, there’s no easy mode for exploration.

Use the Force

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Lightsaber and Blaster

Surprisingly, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor doesn’t strip Cal of all his powers at the beginning of the game. He starts off with the skills and equipment he had after Fallen Order and grows from there.

One of the big changes coming from the previous game is that there are now five lightsaber stances, two of which you can have equipped at a time. Carrying over from Fallen Order are the standard single-saber stance and the flashy Double-Bladed form made famous by Darth Maul.

The three new stances are more technical forms. First, there’s the fast and powerful Dual-Wield stance, which existed as a single move in the previous game. Cal also gains access to the Blaster Stance, which, as the name suggests, pairs a lightsaber and a blaster for long-range combat. Finally, the Crossguard Stance allows Cal to wield a lightsaber (more like a lightclaymore) that allows for slow but devastating hits.

The catch with the new stance system is that you can only equip two of them at a time. At first, I thought this was kind of dumb, but I found it forced me to stick with stances that complement my playstyle. I usually go with strength builds in Souls games, so choosing the Crossguard was a no-brainer for me. However, I’m also a sneaky little bow spammer, so I reserved the Blaster stance for when I felt cheeky.

Fortunately, you’re free to switch these out stances at every meditation circle, so you can stick with your two favorites for the whole game or constantly switch them out. However, since each stance has its own skill tree, which takes quite a few points to max out, I feel most players will go with the former.

A Jedi craves not this swag

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Review Dirtbag Cal

One facet of the game that’s been majorly expanded in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the cosmetics. In Fallen Order, you could swap Cal’s poncho to another color and cut, change BD-1 and the Mantis’s colors, and choose from a limited selection of lightsaber parts and finishes. It was okay, but there was room for improvement.

Starting with Cal, in Survivor, you can change his hair and facial hair style and pick between jackets, shirts, and pants, all with different color options. Your lightsaber and blaster are also highly customizable, with many color palettes and parts available for you to discover. Also, this time around, you can choose your weapon’s condition, so it can either look pristine or like you found it in some ancient ruins.

BD-1 also gets a lot more customization options this time around. You don’t have to go with a premade color scheme for him, and he’s just as modifiable as Cal’s weaponry. You can change out his eyes, head, legs, body, and audio sensors, and he gets the same vast array of palette options.

Strangely, you can no longer change the color of the Mantis. It’s stuck with its default paint scheme throughout the game. That’s not a huge deal since you’ll be boarding it significantly less in Survivor than you did in Fallen Order. However, it struck me as odd that this option was removed when the other cosmetic choices were expanded.

Even though Cal’s performance doesn’t change with the cosmetics you pick, the wide variety allows you to fill in some of the five years between games with some headcanon. For a big chunk of the game, I played as “Dirtbag Cal” and rocked a mullet, goatee, muscle shirt, vest, and beat-up denim-looking pants with boots. I gave him a rusty, ramshackle lightsaber and pistol and imagined he’d turned a bit space redneck.

However, I will warn you that during a first playthrough, you might want to go with a more serious look for Cal. Your outfit carries over into cutscenes, and some poignant scenes came off a bit flat because I could only imagine Cal sighing out a “whatever” and putting a dip in.

A disturbance in the Force

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Senator

Unfortunately, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is just as buggy as Fallen Order. In my playthrough, I experienced issues with collision, enemies vanishing from existence while I was fighting them, misfiring triggers, and a handful of crashes. I have to dock it a bit for all that, but none of the glitches really bothered me that much.

It’s a big game that gives you a lot of freedom of movement, which inevitably means you will find somewhere in the level collision you can fall through. I’d much rather be able to jump around and feel like a Jedi and risk losing 30 seconds or so of progress than it being like God of War, where a knee-high wall can defeat your powerful hero.

However, there is one new mechanic that caused me some frustration. In Fallen Order, you can rarely die from fall damage. Instead, if you fall into a bottomless pit or off a cliff, you pass through a kill zone and die no matter how high up you were.

Since Survivor has more verticality to its level design, the devs added deaths from falling. When you drop a certain distance, the screen will start to vignette, and you’ll die if you go too far. Double jumping and air dashing can somewhat negate this effect, but it’s inconsistent. Sometimes you’ll end up dying from a seemingly small fall and survive lengthy tumbles. The inconsistency can make it tough to navigate at times, especially when it seems like a jump is the right way to get through an area.

There were also graphical issues on the PS5. Pop-in and Level of Detail issues abounded. I will assume these problems can be patched because we saw similar behavior in Fallen Order on last-gen consoles.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor review: The final verdict

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a game that, despite a few launch bugs and inconsistent jumps, genuinely delivers an engaging experience for fans. The level design and personalization options for both combat and character appearances are definite highlights. It’s an adventure that lets you explore new corners of the Star Wars universe while building on the foundations laid by Fallen Order and tells another excellent tale of a galaxy far, far away.

  • Levels are even more expansive and cleverly designed than in Fallen Order.
  • New stance options are a great way to personalize your combat experience.
  • Vastly expanded cosmetic options are a welcome way to add your unique take on Cal and BD-1.
  • It's buggy, much like its predecessor was at launch.
  • Jumps can feel inconsistant at times.

9

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Sony Buys Firewalk Studios to Expand First-Party PlayStation Development https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/04/20/sony-buys-firewalk-studios/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/04/20/sony-buys-firewalk-studios/#respond Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:57:24 +0000 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=881392 Fire walk with me.

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Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced its acquisition of Firewalk Studios, a subsidiary of ProbablyMonsters Inc. This talented studio has been developing an original AAA multiplayer game for PS5 and PC. Firewalk Studios will collaborate with top-notch development teams like Bungie and Haven Interactive Studios to bring a new generation of live service experiences to PlayStation gamers.

Firewalk acquisition brings PlayStation Studios total to 20 developers

Firewalk Studios became the 20th studio to join PlayStation Studios after announcing an exclusive publishing partnership with SIE in April 2021. Established in 2018 in Bellevue, WA, Firewalk Studios was part of ProbablyMonsters, an independent AAA game company that builds sustainable game teams focused on original AAA titles. Led by industry veterans Tony Hsu and Ryan Ellis, Firewalk’s team has extensive experience with successful and influential multiplayer games.

In the Business Wire release, Jim Ryan, President & CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, praised the Firewalk Studios team for their expertise in creating exceptional multiplayer games and expressed confidence in the studio’s upcoming PS5 exclusive, which he believes will be a valuable addition to PlayStation Studios’ portfolio.

Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios, expressed excitement about formally welcoming Firewalk to the PlayStation family, emphasizing their shared ambition to create meaningful experiences for gamers. Tony Hsu, Studio Head of Firewalk Studios, also expressed enthusiasm for transforming their team’s vision into reality with the support of the PlayStation Studio ecosystem.

Post-acquisition, Firewalk Studios, currently boasting almost 150 employees, will continue to operate under its existing management team, working closely with the PlayStation Studios External Development team. The transaction terms, including the acquisition cost, have not been disclosed due to contractual commitments.

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Next State of Play Date and Time Announced for April https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/04/11/next-state-of-play-date-time-april/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/04/11/next-state-of-play-date-time-april/#respond Tue, 11 Apr 2023 22:03:03 +0000 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=880863 A blast of Final Fantasy.

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The next PlayStation State of Play is coming on Thursday, April 13, at 2 pm PDT/5 pm EDT/11 pm CEST. It’ll feature 20 minutes of new Final Fantasy 16 gameplay, so those wanting a look at other upcoming titles are out of luck. We’ve already seen quite a bit of the game during the run-up to launch, but this will likely be the most candid preview to date.

When is the April PlayStation State of Play?

You can catch the next State of Play on April 13 on Twitch and YouTube according to the official blog post. Here’s a more comprehensive list of when it’ll start in timezones across the world:

  • Pacific Daylight Time (PDT): 2 pm
  • Mountain Daylight Time (MDT): 3 pm
  • Central Daylight Time (CDT): 4 pm
  • Eastern Daylight Time (EDT): 5 pm (original time)
  • Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) / Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): 9 pm
  • British Summer Time (BST) / Central European Summer Time (CEST): 10 pm
  • Pakistan Standard Time (PKT): 2 am (4/14)
  • Indian Standard Time (IST): 2:30 am (4/14)
  • China Standard Time (CST) / Australian Western Standard Time (AWST): 5 am (4/14)
  • Japan Standard Time (JST) / Korea Standard Time (KST): 6 am (4/14)
  • Australian Central Standard Time (ACST): 6:30 am (4/14)
  • Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST): 7 am (4/14)
  • New Zealand Standard Time (NZST): 9 am (4/14)

This State of Play might be one of our last big looks at Final Fantasy 16 before its launch on June 22, 2023. Up to this point, we’ve seen a lot of combat, so hopefully, we’ll get a chance to check out a few exploration segments in the stream.

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Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.31 Brings 120 FPS and VRR Support https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/30/gran-turismo-7-update-1-31-120-fps-vrr-support/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/30/gran-turismo-7-update-1-31-120-fps-vrr-support/#respond Thu, 30 Mar 2023 22:47:44 +0000 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=880301 More frames, more fun.

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Gran Turismo 7 update 1.31 has arrived for the popular racing game, and the new patch brings an exciting enhancement for PS5 users: 120Hz support. This eagerly awaited feature will enable you to experience smoother gameplay, provided you have a display capable of outputting 120 FPS.

Gran Turismo 7 update 1.31 patch brings 120Hz and VRR support for PS5

In addition to the 120Hz mode, this update also introduces Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support, which requires a compatible screen to fully enjoy its benefits. VRR technology helps reduce screen tearing and stuttering, delivering an even more immersive and visually pleasing gaming experience.

Weighing around 2GB for the PS5 version and approximately 3GB for the PlayStation 4, the update is quite substantial, reflecting the numerous under-the-hood changes that players can look forward to exploring in the coming days. The update also adds new content and features and tweaks to the game’s physics, new track layouts, and five new cars, ensuring a fresh and engaging experience for both seasoned players and newcomers alike.

As a Gran Turismo 7 enthusiast, you can expect these enhancements to elevate your gameplay, making each race feel more realistic and engaging than ever before. The combination of 120Hz support and VRR technology is a game-changer for those with compatible displays, providing you with the most visually stunning and responsive racing experience available on the PS5 platform.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take your experience to the next level. Update your game today and experience the cutting-edge advancements in racing simulation technology. You can see the full Gran Turismo 7 update 1.31 patch notes here.

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Naughty Dog is Taking PC Port Development In-House https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/29/naughty-dog-pc-port-development-in-house/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/29/naughty-dog-pc-port-development-in-house/#respond Wed, 29 Mar 2023 18:36:55 +0000 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=880193 PC gets more first-party support.

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Naughty Dog has announced its commitment to designing future games around PlayStation and PC. The studio has targeted console only in the past, which has made porting its titles to PC a complex process. Hopefully, this will avoid some of the issues like the ones we’ve seen in the recent The Last of Us Part 1 release on Steam.

Naughty Dog will be handling its own PC ports

As explained in the official blog post celebrating the PC release of The Last of Us Part 1, Naughty Dog’s decision to fully support and create PC ports is a significant one. In the post, Vice President Christian Gyrling described the difficulties of adapting input from a DualSense controller to a keyboard and mouse:

“For example, The Last of Us Part I on PlayStation 5 employs “stick-walking,” where players traverse a space using the DualSense controller’s thumb stick. As we all know, walking too fast in The Last of Us might alert the Infected, which, if you’re trying to remain stealthy, you’ll want to avoid. But while using the thumb stick, players’ emotions might sometimes get the best of them, resulting in throttling the speed at which they walk.

This feature is both tactile and emotional, adding to the suspense of any encounter. For the PC version, we had to consider many players’ preference of using a keyboard and mouse as a viable control method. However, they don’t necessarily behave the same way as a controller. So, the Design team explored and adapted this traversal method while still ensuring a world-class player experience with mouse and keyboard. We want PC players to experience the same level of tactile and suspenseful gameplay console players already enjoy.”

Buy The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2 on Amazon

It’s clear that Sony considers PC to be a valuable secondary platform, and Naughty Dog’s confirmation that it’ll be developing its PC versions at least partially in-house is a bold commitment. Of course, it’s doubtful this means we’ll see day-one PC releases, but it could significantly shorten the time it takes for Sony’s first-party games to make it to Steam.

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Lance Reddick Has Died at Age 60 https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/17/lance-reddick-dead-age-60/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/17/lance-reddick-dead-age-60/#respond Fri, 17 Mar 2023 20:10:43 +0000 http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=879496 Lance Reddick has died at age 60. According to TMZ, Law enforcement discovered his body at his home in Studio City, CA, at 9:30 a.m. this morning. The reason for his death hasn’t been announced, but sources say it appears to be from natural causes. Reddick was not known to be suffering from any illness […]

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Lance Reddick has died at age 60. According to TMZ, Law enforcement discovered his body at his home in Studio City, CA, at 9:30 a.m. this morning. The reason for his death hasn’t been announced, but sources say it appears to be from natural causes. Reddick was not known to be suffering from any illness at the time of his passing.

Lance Reddick, the voice of Destiny’s Zavala and Horizon Zero Dawn’s Sylens, has passed away

Reddick’s first video game voiceover was the role of Derek Carter in the cult classic 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand in 2009. He went on to voice Destiny’s iconic Titan Vanguard, Zavala, and returned to portray the character in Destiny 2 and its expansions. He also lent his talents to the enigmatic Sylens in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

Before his work in gaming, Reddick was celebrated for his roles in the hit television series The Wire and Fringe. His most recent work was in the upcoming film John Wick: Chapter 4, where he reprised the role of Charon.

Lance Reddick’s passing is a great loss to both the acting and gaming communities. His unmistakable voice and exceptional talent have left an indelible mark on the characters he portrayed, endearing him to fans worldwide. Reddick’s career achievements and dedication to his craft will be remembered as an essential part of the rich history of video game voice acting.

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Resident Evil 4 Remake Review (PS5) https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/review/879442-resident-evil-4-remake-review-ps5/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/review/879442-resident-evil-4-remake-review-ps5/#respond Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:01:18 +0000 http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=879442 I approached my review of the Resident Evil 4 remake with caution. I thought the remake of RE2 was an excellent modern translation of the original. However, the Resident Evil 3 remake was lacking in content and showed little regard for the original. So I was wondering which direction the remake of RE4 would take. […]

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I approached my review of the Resident Evil 4 remake with caution. I thought the remake of RE2 was an excellent modern translation of the original. However, the Resident Evil 3 remake was lacking in content and showed little regard for the original. So I was wondering which direction the remake of RE4 would take.

Fortunately, this is Capcom’s crowning achievement. It raises the bar for remakes in the same way that the original Resident Evil 4 did for the action-horror genre. Most importantly, it mends the rift that the original created between survival horror and action.

Finding the Balance

Resident Evil 4 Remake Village

The original Resident Evil 4 and the remake share most of the same story beats. You won’t find any major omissions, though there are tweaks throughout. The biggest change, more so than anything else, is the tone.

When Resident Evil 4 released in 2005 it caused a schism in the fanbase. It pushed the series away from its survival horror roots and toward more action-based gameplay. While RE4, 5, and 6 were some of the best-selling games in the series, this direction also alienated many of the fans that stuck by the series since its inception.

Starting with Resident Evil 7, Capcom has tried to find that magic ratio of horror and action that would win both sides of the franchise’s fanbase over. Resident Evil 4 remake is the studio’s biggest challenge since it started this new approach since a lot of what has made it endearing is the campiness and over-the-top action.

Fortunately, the remake manages to navigate the issue with finesse. It retains many of the campy and humorous moments, but unlike the original, it features some truly horrific scenes. A great example of this is in the opening scenes (which can be played through in the demo). The first building you enter, the hunting lodge, is a quick in and out in the original, but it’s been expanded in the remake to showcase the revamped horror elements. Blood, decay, and detritus cake the building, and you face a surprise Ganado attack that sends you scrambling toward the village. Of course, that environment is even more hostile than the one you left.

Recharacterization

But, just because the remake puts more emphasis on horror, that doesn’t mean Leon isn’t still the sardonic wise-cracker he was in the original. When the bell finally tolls and the village empties, he’s still quick to ask, “Where’s everyone going? Bingo?” However, it’s counterbalanced with a bit more character depth for the cast. Leon is more forthcoming with his PTSD and Raccoon City, and Luis shows a more vulnerable side, though he’s still a flirt and a rascal.

Even Ashley, who was the quintessential helpless escort character in the original, is a lot more likable here. I remember people criticizing Luis commenting on Ashley’s ballistics in the original (that line, unsurprisingly, didn’t make it to the remake) because they thought she was underage from how she acted. Here, she’s more mature, which makes it a lot easier to get invested in the mission to rescue her.

The parts where you have to escort Ashley are also much improved. There are some select areas where you’ll have to defend her against an onslaught of foes, and she’s still vulnerable to capture. However, she seems a lot better at dodging attempts to grab her during regular gameplay. As a result, I found myself looking forward to the sections where she and Leon traveled together instead of dreading them.

A chilling reimagining

Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Man

Thankfully, Capcom took the same approach with the Resident Evil 4 remake that they did with RE2. So the answer to “what’s the same and what’s different” is “everything.”

Almost the entirety of the original made the cut, and many areas were expanded to include new puzzles. However, unlike the RE2 remake, which cut the factory and made significant modifications to the lab, the original game is very much the core experience, and any additions or changes branch out from there. There are many new locations to explore, and the map has been remixed a bit to throw even seasoned RE4 veterans off. As a result, the game is around 1.5 to 2 times longer.

While the map will be familiar to those who played the original RE4, the environments are much more detailed and lean heavily into the series’ horror roots. You’ll find evidence of the Ganado’s depravity everywhere, with bones, blood, and gore showing proof of their descent into madness.

There’s a lot more interplay between light and darkness in the remake as well. Several areas which were bright in the original are dark and foreboding, and Leon will only have his flashlight to guide the way. I noticed locations that I blazed through in the past caused me to creep through cautiously in their new form.

The rest of the story

Resident Evil 4 Remake Ada

Of course, replayability is a big concern here. While the game has quite a few unlockables, including some that require you to beat the game on the highest difficulty with an S+ rank, it’s missing a few things at launch that I hoped to see.

Mercenaries Mode, the fan-favorite minigame, will be added as DLC at some point in the future. However, its presence at launch is sorely missed as it’s a great way to take all the skills you accrued in the main game and push them to the limit. Part of me is glad Capcom didn’t delay the game, but given how much value Mercenaries adds, it might have been better to wait until it could launch alongside the main game.

Unfortunately, Separate Ways and Assignment: Ada aren’t available either. Capcom hasn’t commented about whether either DLC will be remade, but I was hoping that the former would be available at launch or integrated into the main game. Unfortunately, however, neither is the case, so we miss out on a considerable chunk of Ada’s story and what she was doing behind the scenes.

I can’t really dock RE4 remake for “missing” content since Capcom didn’t promise it. I just hope we’ll get Ada’s side of the story remade when the game sells well. That would make this version truly definitive.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Review: The final verdict

The Resident Evil 4 remake is a remarkable achievement that walks the fine line between action and horror, appealing to both old and new fans of the series. Capcom has kept the original’s essence and expanded on it with beautiful and detailed environments, expanded gameplay, and deeper character development. While the absence of Mercenaries Mode and Ada’s storylines at launch is disappointing, the overall experience of the main game more than compensates for this. Resident Evil 4 remake is an exceptional example of how to reimagine a beloved classic properly, and it is undeniably a must-play for both horror and action fans alike.

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Minecraft 1.20 Patch is Now Called the ‘Trails & Tales Update’ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/03/minecraft-1-20-patch-named-trails-and-tales-update/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/03/03/minecraft-1-20-patch-named-trails-and-tales-update/#respond Fri, 03 Mar 2023 21:30:34 +0000 http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=878692 Mojang has officially announced that the upcoming Minecraft 1.20 patch will be called the Trails & Tales update. According to Mojang, the name represents the journey Minecraft takes players on, and the unique stories each player brings back. Minecraft Trails & Tales update is ‘all about self-expression’ The announcement that the Minecraft 1.20 patch will […]

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Mojang has officially announced that the upcoming Minecraft 1.20 patch will be called the Trails & Tales update. According to Mojang, the name represents the journey Minecraft takes players on, and the unique stories each player brings back.

Minecraft Trails & Tales update is ‘all about self-expression’

The announcement that the Minecraft 1.20 patch will be known as Trails & Tales came as part of the new Minecraft Monthly news show that Mojang is publishing on YouTube. Some of the significant features that the patch will bring include a cherry blossom biome that hosts pigs, sheep, and bees and the long-awaited archaeology system initially planned for the Caves & Cliffs update in 2021. The update will also introduce the Sniffer mob, camels, bamboo rafts, and customizable armor trims.

Here’s what Minecraft game director Agnes Larrson had to say about the Trails & Tales update:

“The 1.20 update is all about self-expression, specifically self-expression through representation, storytelling, and world-building. And, it’s the journey – your trails – that ties it all together. The Minecraft worlds belong to the players – and so do the stories, or tales, about those worlds.”

Minecraft players can currently test these features as part of the Bedrock betas and previews and Java Snapshots. However, there is no release date yet for the Trails & Tales’ full launch across all platforms, but Mojang has indicated that it will arrive “later this year.”

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Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Review (PS5) https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/review/878537-wo-long-fallen-dynasty-review-ps5/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/review/878537-wo-long-fallen-dynasty-review-ps5/#respond Thu, 02 Mar 2023 11:21:54 +0000 http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=878537 I’m always down for a good Souls-like and was thrilled to hear that Team Ninja was developing Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. I recently replayed Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2, and I was ready to get back into action. Fortunately, though this game has some flaws and peculiarities, most fans of the genre will find […]

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I’m always down for a good Souls-like and was thrilled to hear that Team Ninja was developing Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. I recently replayed Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2, and I was ready to get back into action. Fortunately, though this game has some flaws and peculiarities, most fans of the genre will find it satisfying.

Big trouble in Three Kingdoms China

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Wo Long takes place in Three Kingdoms era China. The Yellow Turban Rebellion is in full force, and you take the role of a simple militiaman defending a village against a horde of raiding bandits. Unfortunately, this version of China has big (evil) Dynasty Warriors energy, so you’re quickly killed.

Luckily, you’re quickly revived through the power of a Divine Beast and sent on your way. You soon find that a forbidden medicine called Elixir has unleashed dark forces across China and caused man and beast alike to mutate into monstrosities. Of course, this is all set against the background of the fall of the Han dynasty, so you’ll meet historical figures like Zhao Yun, Zhang Liang, Lu Bu, and others.

Unlike many Souls-like games, there are no vagarities to the lore here. So if you’re someone who never cared to read item descriptions or chase down vague sidequests, this game is for you.

Han-to-Han combat

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Combat in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty feels like a blend of Sekiro and Nioh. Though you have a guard, there’s a lot of emphasis on deflecting and counterattacks, especially in boss battles. Since there’s no stamina gauge, it pays to be aggressive in this game. Almost every foe has some form of unblockable attack, so staying in their face and ensuring they don’t get the chance to unleash their best attacks is a viable strategy.

The game has 17 types of weapons, ranging from one-handed swords to dual-wielded halberds and giant hammers. Each type has a unique move set and Martial Arts, but weapons within a type behave very similarly to one another. For example, two hammers will have the same move set but may have different Martial Arts. Some Souls-like fans might find this disappointing since games like Elden Ring differentiate every single weapon from each other.

There’s also ranged combat, but it’s not great. Something about it feels off, and you never have enough ammo for it to make a difference. Unlike the Souls games, where archery is an incredibly useful alternative to melee fighting, it’s very tacked on in Wo Long. For the most part, I feel the same way about the magic system, but I admittedly didn’t dive into it super deep. There may be a way to optimize your build to make magic more useful.

By the numbers

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Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty threw everything but the kitchen sink in regarding gameplay systems. You’ve got a traditional leveling system where you spend Genuine Qi (Souls) to raise stats. There are upgradable weapons, armor, and accessories, and each of these pieces of gear has randomized Special Effects and Martial Arts attacks. There’s also a magic system, Divine Beast special attacks, and an NPC recruitment system. So, if you’re into min/maxing, your work is cut out for you. The game’s premier system, though, is the Morale Rank.

Completely different from your character level is your Morale Rank. This number is constantly in flux, restarts at zero on each map, and helps determine your character’s strength and which spells you can cast. Each time you defeat an enemy or plant a Battle Flag (bonfire) or Marking Flag (checkpoint), your Morale Rank increases. You lose all your Morale Points (and half your Genuine Qi) each time you die, but you can get them back. Defeating the enemy that killed you will satisfy your Revenge (capital R gameplay mechanic), and you’ll take back what’s yours.

Morale Rank rewards you for going out of your way to explore each level thoroughly. The extra strength you get from having a high Morale Rank can make bosses easier, and the game tends to be balanced toward you keeping your Morale Points fairly high. Your best spells also require you to have a high Morale Rank to cast, which provides another incentive for reaching for the stars.

Who’s the boss?

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Souls-likes are known for their bombastic bosses, and Wo Long has plenty of gigantic and powerful enemies to fight. For the most part, though, I wasn’t a huge fan of the boss battles in this game. When you break down combat in most Souls-likes, it comes down to pattern recognition. Every enemy, bosses included, has a set amount of moves they can draw from, and they’re all choreographed. So, you can study a foe, learn their tells, and use that to avoid or guard against their attacks while hitting them with your own.

The best Souls-likes make the above process invisible to the player. Bosses can switch things up or have access to fringe case moves that can throw you off. However, in Wo Long, most bosses are so rigid in their patterns that there’s only one way to fight them. Each of these foes is intimidating at first glance, but most of the time, it comes down to avoiding their attacks until they charge up a Critical Blow so you can deflect it to drain their Spirit Gauge (stamina) and execute a Fatal Strike.

Not every boss encounter is paint-by-numbers, and there are ones the game hyped up beforehand that had me white-knuckling the controller. FromSoftware’s games certainly have their share of mediocre boss encounters, so Wo Long isn’t setting a precedent here. I would have liked to have seen less quantity and more quality out of these encounters as a whole.

It’s no Lordran

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Exploration is my favorite aspect of Souls-likes, and Wo Long disappoints in that regard. The game is split into dozens of levels, each of which takes place on a small map. So, instead of adventuring across a sprawling, interconnected world, each location is roughly the size of a Monster Hunter map.

That’s not to say that there weren’t secrets to find in them. There are hidden areas to discover, with fantastic treasures and powerful foes waiting within. But none of the environments pack the punch of Lordran, Drangleic, Lothric, Ashina, or the Lands Between.

The advantage to this is that you can have bite-sized Souls-like morsels. Each level only takes around 30 minutes to an hour to complete on average, which is excellent for players who want to get into the action quickly.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty review: The final verdict

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a challenging romp through a dark fantasy version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and works well as a Soulslite. Each level is a bite-sized Souls experience to be conquered and moved past. The tight, challenging combat will thrill fans of the genre, but the lack of an interconnected world might turn off those that love the thrill of exploration.

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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Battle Pass and Live-Service Details Confirmed https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/02/23/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-battle-pass-and-live-service-details-confirmed/ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/02/23/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-battle-pass-and-live-service-details-confirmed/#respond Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:45:59 +0000 http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/?p=878291 Previous leaks about a Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League battle pass and live service were confirmed at today’s State of Play. Rocksteady’s gameplay showcase included a segment where the developers confirmed that the game will have a paid battle pass and that it intends to release post-game content in a live service format. Suicide […]

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Previous leaks about a Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League battle pass and live service were confirmed at today’s State of Play. Rocksteady’s gameplay showcase included a segment where the developers confirmed that the game will have a paid battle pass and that it intends to release post-game content in a live service format.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League looks like DC’s take on Marvel’s The Avengers

Today’s demo reminded many viewers of Marvel’s The Avengers from Crystal Dynamics. It has the same emphasis on gear, live service elements, and battle passes, so it’s not hard to see the similarities.

For more info, here’s what the official website has to say:

Will Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have a Battle Pass?

“Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have a post-launch cosmetics-only battle pass system to earn new outfits, emotes and other items to customize playable characters. Each battle pass will have free tiers available at no cost to all Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League players, along with premium tiers that will be available via an optional in-game purchase. All battle pass items will be cosmetic and will not affect gameplay in any way.”

Will Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have in-game purchases?

“Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have cosmetic items available for optional in-game purchase that can be used to customize playable characters. Each cosmetics-only battle pass will also have premium tiers that will be available via an optional in-game purchase. All in-game purchases will be completely optional and will not affect gameplay in any way.”

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