pikashoe said:
Manlytears said:
I believe their cancelled GaaS project really took a heavy toll on their production pace; at the very least, it set Intergalactic back by about three years. As for the gameplay and writing, I disagree. I think the story in The Last of Us Part II is excellent—innovative and bold. Yes, it’s divisive, but it’s a powerful story with moments that pack a real punch. The gameplay doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, because it doesn't need to... they simply refined the experience and created something that fits the game's themes. I like it, though I admit it isn't absolutely mind-blowing. And regarding the reliance on sequels... The Last of Us only has two main games and the DLC covering Ellie's childhood. It’s not like they’re churning out [Insert Name Here] 9 or The Grand Odyssey or The Adventures of Joel, for +30 years and counting. (lol) They worked on Crash, moved on to Jak and Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us, and now Intergalactic—a new title with a completely different theme! Respectfully, I don't think your claim holds water. All being considered...I believe that, despite the delays caused by the cancelled project, Naughty Dog still holds a top-tier spot among the world's best studios. The Last of Us, Uncharted 4, The Last of Us Part II—that’s an enviable track record. In my book, they’ve earned enough goodwill to go over six years without releasing a new game; their situation is understandable, and it doesn't negatively impact their reputation. rapsuperstar31 said: While I've never seen Cowboy Bepop, I've enjoyed everything Naughty Dog has released since Uncharted 1, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a blast with this game as well. My only complaint with Naughty Dog is how long it's taking to release a new game this generation. Thank you very much Sony execs for wasting their time on the multiplayer game. |
Very well said. |
I'm not sure why you are only mentioning Naughty Dog, when your original comment was about playstation as a whole. Sony has relied a lot more heavily on pretty bland sequels this gen. Gow Ragnarok, spider man 2, horizon forbidden west, ghost of yotei. These are all mostly ok games, but it does feel a lot more iterative and safe than what they were doing ps3/ps4 games. |
It seems that those games mentioned didn't hit the mark for you personally, which is obviously fine, but calling them "bland" or "mostly ok" overlooks how overwhelmingly well-received they were by both critics and players, especially God of War Ragnarok which is one of the highest rated and most awarded games of the generation.
Direct sequels have always focused on refining and expanding an established foundation rather than reinventing the wheel, that was just as true during the PS3 and PS4 eras as it is now. Expecting every sequel to completely overhaul its mechanics isn't really realistic or reasonable, iteration isn't inherently a bad thing if it improves on the gameplay experience of what came before.
Now if your argument is that Sony's overall portfolio this gen feels more homogenised because they don't greenlight quirky, experimental games like they used to, I completely agree. But that's a separate issue regarding the lack of variety in their portfolio, not a game quality problem.
