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[I Wanna Be The Guy]

There is something truly perplexing in people putting games as varied as Isaac, Luftrausers or Velocity into the same generic "Indie" category.

There was a guy yesterday that was trying to claim the PS4 Plus titles had no variety and I called him out on it listing the different games given away and the variety of genres on offer. The best comback anyone could come up with was something along the lines of "You can split hairs about genre names, but all those games feel the same to me".

It's so damn facepalm worthy. I'll be surprised if most of these people even bother to try these games.

 

[clay_ghost]

You're paying less than $5 a month. What trust did they betray?

The 5 is based on past experiences where people expect certain expecations to be met . if ps plus is going to be full of indies games from now now, people who paid a sub before is gonna be pissed. This is like the Vita again, it's fine if you brought one after the indies flood for Vita but those who brought it hoping from the start hoping for much much more games like Gravity rush and uncharted will not be happy.

There was a guy yesterday that was trying to claim the PS4 Plus titles had no variety and I called him out on it listing the different games given away and the variety of genres on offer. The best comback anyone could come up with was something along the lines of "You can split hairs about genre names, but all those games feel the same to me".

It's so damn facepalm worthy. I'll be surprised if most of these people even bother to try these games.

Those people are the same as people who say that they don't like Nintendo games when they covers all genres lol

 

[ZenaxPure]

It's so damn facepalm worthy. I'll be surprised if most of these people even bother to try these games.

I just left that thread completely and utterly baffled by that comment. It's not even an opinion in a case like this, because in what world is a game like Pix the Cat and Strider a part of the same genre.

 

[Makoto-Yuki]

i really wish sony offered two tiers of PS+

one with things like save back up, automatic downloads, multiplayer, discounts, shareplay

then another with all that but with the games. i only bought PS+ for the features not the games. resogun and velocity are the only games i've actually enjoyed enough to keep on my ps4.

 

[Griss]

It boggles my mind that there are people out there that would have been happier getting Knack than games like Velocity 2X, Pix the Cat and Binding of Isaac. I just don't get it.

Opinions, how do they work? I don't know about BoI, and frankly I can't wait to play it, but I thought Velocity 2X was really bad, and Pix the Cat dull and mediocre. Now, that's not an issue with indies, because I've loved a bunch of them, like Spelunky, Don't Starve, Resogun, Dead Nation and others. But I'm just showing you that you can throw names out there that you think are 'obviously' good, and others might play them and find them bad.

Remember that indies are by nature more niche than AAA titles. I say this every month. There's a reason that bland shitty shooters and sports games dominate every month on the sales charts - because that's what people want. We used to get some of that on PS+, now we typically don't. I loved Don't Starve and Spelunky to death, but surely you can see how niche and inaccessible they are to most people?

There's a lot of people like my younger brother who'll only play cinematic narrative games and sports games. PS+ is completely useless for him (but he has to pay for it to play Fifa online). Who am I to tell him he's wrong, or that his taste 'sucks'?

 

[Solaire of Astora]

but I thought Velocity 2X was really bad

Out of interest, how far did you get in velocity 2x? Not trying to be funny, but did you play it for a couple of minutes and stop, or did you give it a fair try? The reason I ask is because velocity gradually introduces new abilities, and the game gets better and better as you get through the levels. Personally, I didn't think much of it at first, but as I gained abilities, things became far more entertaining.

If you didn't get very far, you should give it another go. If you did, then fair enough.

 

[redcrayon]

.

Remember that indies are by nature more niche than AAA titles. I say this every month. There's a reason that bland shitty shooters and sports games dominate every month on the sales charts - because that's what people want. We used to get some of that on PS+, now we typically don't. I loved Don't Starve and Spelunky to death, but surely you can see how niche and inaccessible they are to most people?

There's a lot of people like my younger brother who'll only play cinematic narrative games and sports games. PS+ is completely useless for him (but he has to pay for it to play Fifa online). Who am I to tell him he's wrong, or that his taste 'sucks'?

While, sure, 2D games have become a bit of a niche, I'm not really sure how something that uses 3 buttons and a stick is less accessible than something that needs 12 buttons, 2 sticks, gyro and a d-pad. Do you mean 'unusual' rather than 'inaccessible'? Because to most people just starting out with computer games, 2D games are much easier to play. Spelunky especially starts off with 'move right and jump', which is much easier to get your head around than spinning a clickable joystick and controlling a camera in a 3D space at the same time for a rookie gamer.

As for AAA titles, sure, Assassins Creed or CoD is mainstream, but not all of them are not 'niche'. Something like X-com, or RPGs in general, require a damn sight more effort to get your head around if you don't usually play them than something like Resogun or Velocity.

Personally Ps+ would be completely useless to me if they just loaded it up with sports games and cinematic AAA stuff, that would ignore most of the variety that exists outside of such narrow definitions, but I agree with any argument that says a mix would be best. To me that means a minority of AAA stuff due to it making up a relatively small amount of the games released, despite it's high visibility and popularity. Obviously zero AAA stuff isn't good either.

 

[Mupod]

Buh-bye now.

If you think all these fantastic games that we've gotten for free are garbage, then you won't be missed.

Free? They aren't free. Can't even keep them without paying a sub.

You're paying less than $5 a month. What trust did they betray?

If someone was accustomed to the PS3 offerings up to that point and bought a 1 year subscription at PS4 launch expecting similar support, it'd be running out around now. I wouldn't blame them if they felt ripped off, since all they had to go on was blind faith. A lot of people thought it'd be similar to the constant full retail games on PS3.

As I said I only recently got a PS4 and I started looking back at all the IGC titles I missed...quite a few of these are already collecting dust in some corner of my steam library, and cost me basically nothing. I'd be first in line to say Don't Starve is better than any retail PS4 game but I got it for like 3 dollars.

 

[jwk94]

It's so intensely mediocre a game. It's so, so boring. I can't stress it enough.

Opinions differ. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Knack.

 

[5amshift]

Luftrausers?! Oooh yes!

 

[ZenaxPure]

If someone was accustomed to the PS3 offerings up to that point and bought a 1 year subscription at PS4 launch expecting similar support, it'd be running out around now. I wouldn't blame them if they felt ripped off, since all they had to go on was blind faith.

I would, they should have used their head to critical think for about 3 seconds. How would the PS4 have anywhere near the support the PS3 did when there wasn't a 5 year backlog to pick games from like the PS3 had when it started giving out retail games. We're only now getting to a point where they could start giving occasional retail games no one is buying anymore.

Hell, if we're really basing the PS4 PS+ list off the PS3 list then this first year shouldn't be a surprise. The PS3 PS+ had 1 retail game in its first year of existence. In fact the PS3 PS+ did not start giving out full retail games on a regular basis until the third year of the service.

 

[Griss]

Out of interest, how far did you get in velocity 2x? Not trying to be funny, but did you play it for a couple of minutes and stop, or did you give it a fair try? The reason I ask is because velocity gradually introduces new abilities, and the game gets better and better as you get through the levels. Personally, I didn't think much of it at first, but as I gained abilities, things became far more entertaining.

If you didn't get very far, you should give it another go. If you did, then fair enough.

Level 18 or 20, thereabouts. Also played the first one and disliked it. Everything about it - the music, art, lack of animation on many sprites, the jerkiness of teleporting and clunky feel of almost everything, the level design - literally nothing about it clicked with me. I disliked almost every individual element of it. Once they introduced on foot sections with a completely different control scheme, breaking your 'flow' I realised I was definitely not going to like the game. Soldiered on for a bit, but once it got hard there was no reason to keep trying as I simply wasn't enjoying myself. I have no idea what anyone gets out of it, I really don't.

While, sure, 2D games have become a bit of a niche, I'm not really sure how something that uses 3 buttons and a stick is less accessible than something that needs 12 buttons, 2 sticks, gyro and a d-pad. Do you mean 'unusual' rather than 'inaccessible'? Because to most people just starting out with computer games, 2D games are much easier to play. Spelunky especially starts off with 'move right and jump', which is much easier to get your head around than spinning a clickable joystick and controlling a camera in a 3D space at the same time for a rookie gamer.

As for AAA titles, sure, Assassins Creed or CoD is mainstream, but not all of them are not 'niche'. Something like X-com, or RPGs in general, require a damn sight more effort to get your head around if you don't usually play them than something like Resogun or Velocity.

Personally Ps+ would be completely useless to me if they just loaded it up with sports games and cinematic AAA stuff, that would ignore most of the variety that exists outside of such narrow definitions, but I agree with any argument that says a mix would be best. To me that means a minority of AAA stuff due to it making up a relatively small amount of the games released, despite it's high visibility and popularity. Obviously zero AAA stuff isn't good either.

Sure, unusual is a good way of putting it, but I do also mean inaccessible. When I started playing Spelunky my average time of survival was about 6-10 seconds for my first 100 deaths. The controls are perfectly accessible, the game design itself isn't. Most people will be seriously fed up at a lack of progress at that point. I went on to get the Ironman trophy (earlier today!) but surely you can see that such a punishing, 'high score run' style game isn't exactly a welcoming game design? You have to be 'on' all the time playing Spelunky. You can never relax.

As for Don't Starve, it is beyond cryptic in terms of what you can and must do to survive. I mean, I love the thing and 100%'d it, but the first time I died because of hounds out of nowhere even I was screaming 'bullshit'. The artstyle of both of those games doesn't exactly have what I'd call mainstream appeal, either, even if Don't Starve's art is fantastic. (Spelunky less so.)

And as for something like XCom, it's not at all what I'm suggesting PS+ needs to deliver. As you say, it just doesn't serve that casual audience at all. (Again, I personally love it.) They just need to make sure that the more casual, AAA, narrative based gamer has something every month, imo. And then have interesting and difficult games (indies or not) for those of us who get our kicks that way.

 

[Petrie]

If someone was accustomed to the PS3 offerings up to that point and bought a 1 year subscription at PS4 launch expecting similar support, it'd be running out around now. I wouldn't blame them if they felt ripped off, since all they had to go on was blind faith. A lot of people thought it'd be similar to the constant full retail games on PS3.

Then those people are idiots. The PS3 wasn't getting brand new retail games, and had had plenty of time to build up a substantial backlog to pull from. Anyone reasonable with a functioning brain wasn't expecting retail games until well into the life cycle of the PS4.

And as for something like XCom, it's not at all what I'm suggesting PS+ needs to deliver. As you say, it just doesn't serve that casual audience at all. (Again, I personally love it.) They just need to make sure that the more casual, AAA, narrative based gamer has something every month, imo. And then have interesting and difficult games (indies or not) for those of us who get our kicks that way.

Doesn't really need to serve that gamer at all, since they are most likely going to keep their sub for multiplayer regardless.

 

[Griss]

Doesn't really need to serve that gamer at all, since they are most likely going to keep their sub for multiplayer regardless.

What? That's just admitting to not serving their biggest audience because they've trapped them with pay-for-multi. How is that acceptable?

'Yeah, you guys who are most likely to play multiplayer? We're not gonna have anything for you any more, we've got you by the balls now.' This was the core of many people's argument as to why pay-for-multi would be a bad thing for PS+ right when they announced it at E3 and yet you seem to be embracing, it, lol. It's not a good idea to say 'Fuck our biggest group of customers'.

And as for the AAA thing, the PS3 still has a huge slate of AAA games but those releases have dried up on PS+. There's no explaining that, really. I agree that no one should have expected retail games in the first year of PS+ on PS4.

 

[ZenaxPure]

And as for the AAA thing, the PS3 still has a huge slate of AAA games but those releases have dried up on PS+. There's no explaining that, really.

I don't know what you mean by dried up. November will be the first month we haven't had a retail PS3 game I believe (which does confuse me but doesn't bother me because Diablo 3 and Binding of Isaac will be the only games I'm playing in November). As for why we've been typically only getting 1 per month this is a direct result of them changing the plus service to 2 games per platform per month. Now if you want to argue that change sucked then I would be inclined to agree, PS3 being in its last years is pretty much the perfect time to give out 2-3 PS3 retail games a month (since people are moving on), but, perhaps they are afraid of less people being interested in the PS4 if the PS3 service is constantly cranking out critically acclaimed games each month. Either way, the PS4 should probably only be getting like 1 title per month right now, especially with how many games have been cross buy with PS4 and Vita. It's been a really weird situation the past few months, if you only own 1 machine out of the PS4 or Vita you've still been getting like 3 or 4 games each month because cross-buy.

 

[Petrie]

What? That's just admitting to not serving their biggest audience because they've trapped them with pay-for-multi. How is that acceptable?

'Yeah, you guys who are most likely to play multiplayer? We're not gonna have anything for you any more, we've got you by the balls now.' This was the core of many people's argument as to why pay-for-multi would be a bad thing for PS+ right when they announced it at E3 and yet you seem to be embracing, it, lol. It's not a good idea to say 'Fuck our biggest group of customers'.

And as for the AAA thing, the PS3 still has a huge slate of AAA games but those releases have dried up on PS+. There's no explaining that, really. I agree that no one should have expected retail games in the first year of PS+ on PS4.

I just don't agree. I see it as catering to both audiences. People into mostly mainstream CoD and AC games with multi, and then users like me who couldn't care less about multi but will subscribe as well for all these games.

You see it as having them by the balls, I see it as making sure to cater to both audiences in different ways.

Regardless the retail games will come.

 

[Meader]

Anyone else find it a little strange that they still haven't 'officially' confirmed the PS Plus games for November on either the EU or US blogs yet? I know we all know what they're going to be, just seems a little late for the announcement.

 

[bigbaldwolf86]

Anyone else find it a little strange that they still haven't 'officially' confirmed the PS Plus games for November on either the EU or US blogs yet? I know we all know what they're going to be, just seems a little late for the announcement.

The US have atleast had a video put out by PS to say what the games will be. The EU has had absolutely nothing and that is really strange.

 

[Meader]

The US have atleast had a video put out by PS to say what the games will be. The EU has had absolutely nothing and that is really strange.

I think the official video got pulled actually, it no longer works. Weird.

 

[bigbaldwolf86]

I think the official video got pulled actually, it no longer works. Weird.

Just checked and you're right it's gone. The last video was the PS TV launch. This is getting really weird now. I wonder what's going on.

 

[Kaper]

I'm really disappointed that Frozen Synapse isn't cross buy, as it is the game I'm most interested in playing. I've been enjoying the massive amounts of PS+ games on my vita these past few months (3 hr commutes suck), and I don't have time to play it on my PS3. Hopefully BoI will distract me enough to forget about it.

 

[Petrie]

I'm really disappointed that Frozen Synapse isn't cross buy, as it is the game I'm most interested in playing. I've been enjoying the massive amounts of PS+ games on my vita these past few months (3 hr commutes suck), and I don't have time to play it on my PS3. Hopefully BoI will distract me enough to forget about it.

Same. Here's hoping we get the Vita version eventually though. I don't even mind that it'll have to take up another slot some month.

Has that ever happened with a non crossbuy game?

 

[Robot Pants]

Give it another chance. It's no longer in Flash and has nice pixels now. It's a zelda-inspired rogue-like.

But how does it fare with a controller? Still fine?

 

[Celegus]

But how does it fare with a controller? Still fine?

So much better. I hated the keyboard controls and only really got into the original game once I got my PS3 controller set up on PC. Vita just looks like heaven.

 

[someday]

I just don't agree. I see it as catering to both audiences. People into mostly mainstream CoD and AC games with multi, and then users like me who couldn't care less about multi but will subscribe as well for all these games.

You see it as having them by the balls, I see it as making sure to cater to both audiences in different ways.

Regardless the retail games will come.

This is unfortunate. We have argued about how Plus is a better service than Live because of the free games offered. Now you're saying that none of that matters, multiplayers have to pay for plus now so it somehow "caters" to them but everyone else gets games. This is messed up and goes against every argument we've had on Gaf about the worth of Plus versus Live.

I've had Plus since the beginning but I enjoyed it a lot more when they released more AAA games. I realized that wasn't going to happen immediately with the PS4 but I admit that I'm not particularly interested in most of the games released so far since the PS4 release. But, I will pay for Plus for now because of Destiny. But, if we get to a point again where it's not really worth the price (to me) then that opens the door for a lot of changes, including the Xbox One with it's more stable online environment.

 

[FDC1]

Still no official post on the blogs about November content. Did we get any word from Sony about that? I begin to think there may be a last minute technical or contractual problem with one of the games?

 

[Veritigo_X]

Still no official post on the blogs about November content. Did we get any word from Sony about that? I begin to think there may be a last minute technical or contractual problem with one of the game?

Strategic leak to get all the indie complaining out of the way.

 

[Cookie18]

Is the EU list official? I got an email for Playstation about the November games for EU but can't find it anywhere else. The email didn't include the Vita titles though which I care more about than PS4 :/

 

[SpoonyBard]

Is the EU list official? I got an email for Playstation about the November games for EU but can't find it anywhere else. The email didn't include the Vita titles though which I care more about than PS4 :/

Aren't Frozen Synapse Prime and The Hungry Horde Vita games? Personally I don't want the get a list of 3 games, and then find out that I can only play one of them...

 

[Jimrpg]

Sony is better off giving out AAA games imo so people continue with their subscriptions. The worst thing that can happen for Sony is reduced number of subscriptions and reduction of revenue. With PS3 on the decline, and only Vita and PS4 left on PS Plus, people could easily jump ship to Xbox One and pay for Gold if it offers better value.

 

[SpoonyBard]

Sony is better off giving out AAA games imo so people continue with their subscriptions. The worst thing that can happen for Sony is reduced number of subscriptions and reduction of revenue. With PS3 on the decline, and only Vita and PS4 left on PS Plus, people could easily jump ship to Xbox One and pay for Gold if it offers better value.

Yeah. And I can understand why Sony is trying to get me to buy a Vita, but I have a 3DS, an iPad and a 5" Android phone, so it's probably not going to happen. I would be happier if I just got a couple of PS4 games every month, and maybe an older AAA game a couple of times a year.

 

[Seraphis Cain]

Aren't Frozen Synapse Prime and The Hungry Horde Vita games? Personally I don't want the get a list of 3 games, and then find out that I can only play one of them...

Frozen Synapse is the PS3 version.

 

[SpoonyBard]

Frozen Synapse is the PS3 version.

Ok, the email linked to the Vita version, but it was probably a mistake.

 

[Benedict]

Ok, the email linked to the Vita version, but it was probably a mistake.

Well, now they have to give us the Vita version. Mistake or no mistake.

 

[Petrie]

Well, now they have to give us the Vita version. Mistake or no mistake.

I really hope this happens!

 

[MUnited83]

Is the EU list official? I got an email for Playstation about the November games for EU but can't find it anywhere else. The email didn't include the Vita titles though which I care more about than PS4 :/

My email show 3 titles:

-Binding Of Isaac Rebirth(PS4 title)
-Frozen Synapse Prime (PS3 title)
-Hungry Horde( PS Vita title)

Every email I ever gotten is always this way. Shows one game of each platform.

 

[F3112006]

Not long now and you lucky buggers in the US will be playing binding of Issac!

I can't freaking wait for it tomorrow! spent so much time on the game on steam!

 

[SolidSnakex]

Japanese Plus titles for November

PlayStation 3

Alpha Mission 2 (SNK Playmore classic)
Earth Defense Force 2025
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky The 3rd Kai HD Edition

PlayStation Vita

orgarhythm
Pix the Cat

PlayStation 4

Dust: An Elysian Tail
Pix the Cat

PSP

Alpha Mission 2 (SNK Playmore classic)

http://www.siliconera.com/2014/11/0...lty-gear-xx-accent-core-plus-free-play-games/

 

[toddhunter]

Still no official post on the blogs about November content. Did we get any word from Sony about that? I begin to think there may be a last minute technical or contractual problem with one of the games?

Driveclub? I assume they are taking as long as they can to get a better idea of what to say.

For this month I am looking forward to boi. I never really liked it on pc, so maybe this is a good second chance.

 

[FDC1]

Playstation Plus November content for Asia has been posted:

http://asia.playstation.com/sg/en/psn/psPlus#comingOffers

 

[zruben]

November games should be available today, right?

 

[Dirtyshubb]

As some others have mentioned, it’s very strange that there hasn’t been a blog post for this month’s PS+ update. I mean for the UK the games are out tomorrow and yet the only reason I know all the games we are meant to be getting is from reading Gaf, otherwise I received an email a couple of days ago that as usual only lists 1 game per platform.

I mean I would assume this is all Driveclub PS+ related and since that doesn’t seem to be coming out anytime soon, is the delay to try and minimise any potential backlash? Full list not final? Trying to add something in last minute as good will? Just deciding on how to break the obvious news DC PS+ won’t be in this month’s list?

Just strange really.

 

[A-Dark-Injection]

I'm really starting to think that this month's PS+ will be delayed.

Communication with the userbase still remains such a problem. Sony really should work on that.

 

[anonymous_abc]

I'm really starting to think that this month's PS+ will be delayed.

Communication with the userbase still remains such a problem. Sony really should work on that.

That would be a first, and seems unlikely for that reason alone, especially as nothing severe seems to have happened.

 

[Griddlelol]

Sony is better off giving out AAA games imo so people continue with their subscriptions. The worst thing that can happen for Sony is reduced number of subscriptions and reduction of revenue. With PS3 on the decline, and only Vita and PS4 left on PS Plus, people could easily jump ship to Xbox One and pay for Gold if it offers better value.

That might be the case (although not many people buy both systems, once they have them, they have them), but considering PS+ is mandatory for online play, I doubt it makes a difference what games are given away, people still have to buy it.

 

[toff74]

I'm from UK and got this mail about Nov PS+

 

[mclem]

That might be the case (although not many people buy both systems, once they have them, they have them), but considering PS+ is mandatory for online play, I doubt it makes a difference what games are given away, people still have to buy it.

It still might influence PS3 owners who haven't decided which way to jump yet. They don't need PS+ to play online.

 

[Crayons]

I can't redeem PS+ codes on a PC?! But my PS3 is at home and I'm hundreds of miles away!

 

[Griss]

From PS Blog EU:

Very sorry to keep everyone waiting on the Plus information. Necessary last minute dotting of ‘i’s and crossing of ‘t’s have resulted in an unfortunate hold up in publishing the details. Blog post coming shortly, and games go live tomorrow as scheduled.

 

[A-Dark-Injection]

That would be a first, and seems unlikely for that reason alone, especially as nothing severe seems to have happened.

Yes indeed, luckily I'm wrong and the games are coming tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/FredDutton/status/529669773022752769

Edit: beaten