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Do you consider Returnal as Sony's best first party game released so far on the PS5?

Arsic

Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Uh Huh Sure GIF

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mdkirby

Member
For me, yeah for sure. Sadly with forbidden west I find aloy grating, I’d have much preferred Zo as the lead, far more likeable character.

Not played ratchet yet. gt def ain’t my cup of tea, and god of war whilst good, was just more of the same and not as good as the first.

Oh demons souls was good too…but not as good or fresh as returnal
 
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Zathalus

Member
If we include Demon Souls then it's my second favourite so far. If we don't then yes it is number one.

Didn't think a niche rogue-like would be better then Horizon and Ragnarok, but here we are.
 
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Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
This gen I can’t think of first party Sony game I enjoyed, most games I enjoyed on PS5 was mostly 3rd party games.

Sony seriously has lot me when it comes their first party selection.
 
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Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
yes! got it the day I got my ps5, still my favorite game I've played on the system. Need to get back to it, I never played the free dlc stuff.

The DLC is great, well worth playing through especially as it really adds a lot to the narrative. Its also a lot denser/more compressed than the main story so you may find it more digestible.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
I don't think it's the best. I tried it and I didn't enjoy it. I don't like rogue-like games. Ratchet & Clank is my favorite first party PS5 exclusive so far. Also like Spider-Man remastered.
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
If we include Demon Souls then it's my second favourite so far. If we don't then yes it is number one.

Didn't think a niche rogue-like would be better then Horizon and Ragnarok, but here we are.
Even though it's a remake of a PS3 game I think it still counts. Same for PS5 TLOU Part 1.

It's good. Very good.

However, I personally vote for Demon's Souls. I know it's a remake, but fuck me what a remake.
That's fair! Bluepoint are wizards!
 
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bender

What time is it?
I think the rogue elements are often to its' determent. Only partly due to the challenge you often see the seams in the procedural generation. The narrative reset point halfway through a run has always bothered me as has the length of any given run. Itemization is also limited and I do prefer a rogue that let's you become a God, but that's more of a preference than a knock on the game as allowing that would run counter to how skill based it is.
 

[Sigma]

Member
Yes I do(Returnal) but im mostly thinking of the game I played upon release more so than the game that exist now. They removed some of the thrill/difficulty due to balance changes that dampen the experience imo.

There's a couple of games I still have to either finish or play. Horizon Forbidden West, Miles, Astro's PlayRoom and The Last of Us Part 1(I'm not buying this game...ever). Horizon Forbidden West I deleted because the game is just too boring to me when there is plenty else I could/need to be playing and so I needed the space. Which is a shame coming from Horizon Zero Dawn, a game I liked and had me into it at the same point in terms of progress.

Other notables like God of War Ragnarok. I just beat the game literally this morning and i'll give it an 8/10 likely. I have most of the collectables. Got to get a couple of pieces of armor and have Remnants of Asgard left to do for the Platinum. It's slightly better than 2018 which I gave 7 or 7.5. Fairly decent but im just not the biggest fan of the changes to God of War as a lot of people are nor am I a fan of the dad/son angle. And this is such a PS4 game. Of all the game first party releases this gen, Ragnarok despite being the latest release feels like the least effort was made towards the PS5 version being taken advantage of in comparison to the PS4 version.

I may forgot something but oh well I may edit this later.
 
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StueyDuck

Member
It's definitely up there. And definitely one of the best games this gen so far.

I'm still 2 fucking lore markers away from the Plat and they both are in world 6
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
I think the rogue elements are often to its' determent. Only partly due to the challenge you often see the seams in the procedural generation. The narrative reset point halfway through a run has always bothered me as has the length of any given run. Itemization is also limited and I do prefer a rogue that let's you become a God, but that's more of a preference than a knock on the game as allowing that would run counter to how skill based it is.

Once you have the weapons maxed, you are pretty godlike! Especially as -and this is one of the reasons I rate the gameplay so highly- the way the various enemies move and act is so "readable".

For me, I'd also say I like it more than many rogue-like/rogue-lites, because it doesn't have the same degree of difficulty variance based on randomness between runs. You repeat a lot, but I always felt like I had the opportunity to gain information and power such that I always felt like I was gaining the upper hand.
 

bender

What time is it?
Once you have the weapons maxed, you are pretty godlike! Especially as -and this is one of the reasons I rate the gameplay so highly- the way the various enemies move and act is so "readable".

For me, I'd also say I like it more than many rogue-like/rogue-lites, because it doesn't have the same degree of difficulty variance based on randomness between runs. You repeat a lot, but I always felt like I had the opportunity to gain information and power such that I always felt like I was gaining the upper hand.

I guess when I'm talking about "God-like", there are combinations of items/weapons in games like Binding of Isaac that really break the game which isn't something I experienced in Returnal, even with a maxed out weapon.
 
Returnal is phenomenal but 2 things:
- The game for me is too random. I really don't like that aspect of the game.
- The game is not exclusive and is also on PC (with a much better version).

Best 1st party game on PS5, still exclusive to this day is Demon's Souls.
 

BennyBlanco

aka IMurRIVAL69
Returnal is phenomenal but 2 things:
- The game for me is too random. I really don't like that aspect of the game.
- The game is not exclusive and is also on PC (with a much better version).

Best 1st party game on PS5, still exclusive to this day is Demon's Souls.

The sad part is Returnal flopped on both PS5 and PC. I couldn’t imagine playing it without m+kb to be honest.

Demon Souls will also come to PC as it was in the Nvidia leak so I guess youll have to find another game.
 

skit_data

Member
Yes it probably is IMO. I think the learning curve is a little too steep for a lot of people but it's really rewarding due to the 1-1 translation of actual skill and knowledge over focusing on gear and leveling.

And the audio design and sound track is *chefs kiss*
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
The sad part is Returnal flopped on both PS5 and PC. I couldn’t imagine playing it without m+kb to be honest.

Demon Souls will also come to PC as it was in the Nvidia leak so I guess youll have to find another game.
We don't know if it commercially flopped though since we don't know what were the sales expectations. Regardless, Sony were happy with the results since they bought Housemarque shortly after Returnal's release.
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
Returnal is phenomenal but 2 things:
- The game for me is too random. I really don't like that aspect of the game.
- The game is not exclusive and is also on PC (with a much better version).

Best 1st party game on PS5, still exclusive to this day is Demon's Souls.
That doesn't really matter in a world where all important Sony PS5 titles eventually get released on PC and that's outside of the topic intent anyway.
 
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Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
No. Ended up droping it. Amazing gameplay, but fuck rogue-like mechanics.

Demon's Souls and GT7 are my favorites so far.
This got me wonder, would you return (see what I did there? 😏) for a possible sequel if they ditch/tone down the aforementioned roguelike mechanics?
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
No it’s not even top 5

- GT7
- Miles Morales
- Astrobot
- R&C
- Demons Souls
- Burning Shores
- FFXVI

All better in my opinion
FFXVI is from Square Enix so it's not a SIE first party game. Also curious why you listed a DLC instead of the game itsel f (e.g Horizon Forbidden West). Just for clarification, all cross-gen Sony titles that released at or after PS5 launch are fair game, so if you prefer GOWR or GT7 you can add them to your list.
 

dDoc

Member
Fantastic game, enjoyed it a lot. Got to play some more runs but this year has been gaming madness, will take me a while to complete BG3.

More people should play Returnal, should have been a bigger commercial hit but the world is not a fair place.
 

Aenima

Member
This got me wonder, would you return (see what I did there? 😏) for a possible sequel if they ditch/tone down the aforementioned roguelike mechanics?
I would play a sequel if they did a mechanic similar to Deathloop. Like being able to save the weapons and my character with the upgrades i had, that alone would make repeting the levels much less tedious cuz you could just try take shortcuts to the boss you died since you was already equiped to fight it. Also put a fucking save at the beginning of each level and stop wasting my time.

The way Returnal works, if you die in the 3rd boss, you lose everething, all ur health and weapons upgrades are gone and ur back to the 1st level, and need to farm all the upgrades, that are RNG just to make things worse, all over again, which can take 2 hours, just to try fight the 3rd boss again and hope to not die.

This was why i droped the game, i died in the 3rd boss, had to restart from the 1st level, took like 2 hours getting upgraded again to fight the boss again, then died gain in the boss, and said "fuck this masochist shit" and deleted the game.

Im just glad i played it from the PS+ Extra and didnt actually paid anything for it. And if they make a sequel with the exact same mechanics, im not even touching it for free.
 
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T-0800

Member
I would play a sequel if they did a mechanic similar to Deathloop. Like being able to save the weapons and my character with the upgrades i had, that alone would make repeting the levels much less tedious cuz you could just try take shortcuts to the boss you died since you was already equiped to fight it. Also put a fucking save at the beginning of each level and stop wasting my time.

The way Returnal works, if you die in the 3rd boss, you lose everething, all ur health and weapons upgrades are gone and ur back to the 1st level, and need to farm all the upgrades, that are RNG just to make things worse, all over again, which can take 2 hours, just to try fight the 3rd boss again and hope to not die.

This was why i droped the game, i died in the 3rd boss, had to restart from the 1st level, took like 2 hours getting upgraded again to fight the boss again, then died gain in the boss, and said "fuck this masochist shit" and deleted the game.

Im just glad i played it from the PS+ Extra and didnt actually paid anything for it. And if they make a sequel with the exact same mechanics, im not even touching it for free.

I get what you're saying but you don't need to do all that. Sure you need to spend a bit of time getting prepared but 2 hours is way too much prep time.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
But you at least gave it a shot, right? I went in blind with Returnal, didn't even know it was a rougelike. Ended up being best game experience ever for me. Every PS5 owner should at least try it.

Of course I did. It was extremely well done, but at some point I just wasn't having any fun. That's not a slight against the game. Not every game is for everyone. Returnal simply isn't for me.
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
I would play a sequel if they did a mechanic similar to Deathloop. Like being able to save the weapons and my character with the upgrades i had, that alone would make repeting the levels much less tedious cuz you could just try take shortcuts to the boss you died since you was already equiped to fight it. Also put a fucking save at the beginning of each level and stop wasting my time.

The way Returnal works, if you die in the 3rd boss, you lose everething, all ur health and weapons upgrades are gone and ur back to the 1st level, and need to farm all the upgrades, that are RNG just to make things worse, all over again, which can take 2 hours, just to try fight the 3rd boss again and hope to not die.

This was why i droped the game, i died in the 3rd boss, had to restart from the 1st level, took like 2 hours getting upgraded again to fight the boss again, then died gain in the boss, and said "fuck this masochist shit" and deleted the game.

Im just glad i played it from the PS+ Extra and didnt actually paid anything for it. And if they make a sequel with the exact same mechanics, im not even touching it for free.
I know you mentioned that you won't be trying Returnal again as you don't like the roguelike systems, but I'll have to add that there's a hard checkpoint once you defeat the 3rd boss. You also begin to unlock very powerful traits on the weapons you pick up in the Biomes 4-6.
 
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Aion002

Member
Nope. I was extremely hyped and ended up hating it. Returnal made me realize that I hate rogue like games and randomly generated levels.

Horizon 2 and Demon's Souls Remake are my favorites so far.
 

cripterion

Member
I tried to get into it but game isn't for me.

The game I enjoyed most on the PS5 so far has got to be Ghost of Tsushima. Even though I had already finished the game on PS4, second playthrough was just as good and finally played the Ikki island DLC which was a nice addition.
Still haven't finished Forbiden West, got bored of it after a while. God of War Ragnarok was good but I felt the first one was better and one playthrough was definitely enough.
 
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