DonFerrari said:
No problem man, I can wait. We will probably agree in some points and disagree in several of them |
Had to get in front of a computer. There was no way I could write all this down on my phone.
So, a few notes before I start. I don't begrudge anyone for liking the games, genres, and styles that I dislike. I'm glad there's so much diversity in the industry, because that means more happy people. Also, I haven't played every single Sony first-party game, so this won't be a comprehensive list.
OK, here we go.
The main point that I want to make is twofold: one, that Sony's success has rarely relied on the strength of its first-party output but rather on the strength of its third-party exclusives, and; two, that Sony's first-party output has declined since the sixth generation.
PS1 era
Sony was still taking baby steps into the industry, and its first-party software showed that. Games like Twisted Metal, Spyro, Crash were lovely to look at but uneven in terms of gameplay. The biggest exception was Gran Turismo, which arrived in triumphant fashion. With incredible customization options and realism, Gran Turismo was immediately great. But overall, the PS1 was a great console because of third-party games like Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Suikoden, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, etc.
PS2 era
It's here where Sony entered its golden era. Santa Monica turned out two great God of War games, with amazing combat and boss battles. Team Ico turned out what I consider Sony's best first-party game, Ico, and followed it up with another masterpiece, Shadow of the Colossus. Both games benefited from minimalist design, and a focus on exploration and problem-solving. In 2001, Naughty Dog released, in my opinion, its best game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. It boasted fun and rewarding platforming and varied gameplay. Meanwhile, Insomniac turned out several excellent Ratchet & Clank titles, each better than the last. And while it might not have been the "Halo-killer" advertised, Killzone turned out to be a solid FPS with multiple playable characters and engaging gunplay. This impressive collection of first-party games combined with a stellar collection of third-party games to create arguably the best game library ever.
PS3/PSP era
This was a rocky start. Games like Heavenly Sword, Uncharted, and Resistance were fine, but unspectacular. Things didn't really pick up until 2009, and then it was a mixed bag. Uncharted 2, with its improvisational gunplay and thrilling action, was awesome. Infamous, with its combination of platforming, collecting, and combat, was a real treat. Killzone 2, conversely, was a disappointment. In terms of graphics, it was astounding. In terms of everything else - story, presentation, gunplay, level design, and gameplay - it represented a significant step backward. The same can be said for Killzone 3, which fixed some of the aiming mechanics, but nothing else. Similarly, Infamous 2 was a regression for the series. The graphics were much improved, but the story, morality decisions, pacing, and gameplay were all far weaker. Same goes for Uncharted 3, which introduced clumsy melee combat and imprecise moving and aiming, and far too many overly-scripted events. Naughty Dog bounced back with The Last of Us, which artfully combined masterful storytelling with deep stealth gameplay and crafting. As for Quantic Dream and ThatGameCompany games, they are full of provocative ideas and gorgeous music, but relatively shallow gameplay. PlayStation All-Stars was a good idea, but it suffered from some questionable design choices and a general lack of polish. Puppeteer, with its overlong cutscenes and straightforward action, was a real mess.
On the PSP side, things were mostly good. Ready at Dawn did commendable work with Daxter and God of War, staying true to the series' origins. Killzone: Liberation was great, with optional challenges and tactical gameplay. Patapon was one of the best and most creative games on PSP. Size Matters, while not as good as the PS2 games, still shone.
PS4/PSV era
This has been a decidely up-and-down affair. Shadow Fall, with its nonsensical story and tired gameplay, might be the worst Killzone game yet. Second Son deserves credit for streamlining the mechanics and missions of Infamous, but still struggles with some of the vices of Infamous 2. The Order: 1886 was a mistake from the beginning, as story and graphics were prioritized over gameplay. On the other hand, Uncharted 4 was an excellent end to the series.
On the Vita, it was also hit-or-miss. Tearaway deserves respect for using the Vita hardware in new and creative ways, but it deserves criticism for being such an unchallenging and simplistic game. Golden Abyss was a modest success that was hamstrung by awkward and frustrating touch controls. Wipeout 2048, with its many modes and huge replay value, was amazing - but then Sony promptly closed the studio. Gravity Rush was an impressive action-adventure game with a big heart. And Cambridge did solid work with Killzone: Mercenary, proving it deserves the IP moving forward.
The Future
With Team Ico sidelined (until TLG lands later this year) and Liverpool shuttered, I'm a little worried about things moving forward. If we look at the horizon we see something that unsettles me: the continued merger of video games and cinema. By emulating movies, I think a lot of Sony studios and first-party projects have suffered. Now, for those who love scripted, cinematic, story-focused games - I'm happy for you. But those don't do very much for me. And that's mostly why I believe Sony has a first-party problem.
