But this is Insomniac we’re talking about, and it’s a studio that has proven that it knows its superheroes, and does well to bring them to life. We’re of the opinion that the studio has done well to craft a smaller structure that immediately translates into a more intimate, personal adventure with Wolverine that better suits his movement, combat, personality, and a story that does take you around the globe, but on its own terms.

All of those factors, aside from the story, were also facets of the experience that were highlighted across the board in its Spider-Man games, but executed with respect to an open-world version of New York that fit well within a framework entirely different from the one that Logan’s been let loose in. But they’re all examples of the studio applying its best knowledge in creative ways to make its take on Logan feel authentic and familiar all at once. Allow us to explain.

Places To Be, Different Ways To Get There

It’s no secret that Logan’s been around, his story taking him all around the world and putting him in contact with people and places both savory and unsavory. Peter Parker and Miles Morales, on the other hand, take the neighborhood-friendly parts of their job descriptions quite seriously, choosing to operate in New York City with the narrative justifications to back them up. Of course, that meant web-slinging your way across town was a traversal method that could have you ignoring the fast-travel subway system almost entirely.

But Wolverine swaps out the web shooters for those sleek-looking adamantium claws that are great in a fight, but not the best when it comes to getting around from point A to point B as quickly as possible, especially in an open world setting. Controlled, curated environments built to support his style of movement are going to work only in linear structures, with larger maps requiring artificial traversal mechanics or slow movement, both of which don’t work in a format that’s built around an adrenaline-fueled berserker looking to sink his claws into the next threat he can find.

There’s also the question of having Logan free to move between different locations around the world without his adventure being confined to a single place. As we said before, that’s true to the character, but it’s also a way to have Logan working within different environmental parameters across varying locations. That makes a linear, globetrotting structure support an exploratory and gameplay loop that could take Logan to places like Canada, Madripoor, and Tokyo, among others, while keeping things free of an oversized map or too many things to keep track of.

There’s also the added advantage of every location feeling built around the purpose of enabling Wolverine to be the best he is at what he does, even if what he does isn’t very nice. By avoiding repetitive districts and interchangeable activities, Insomniac can now make smaller, focused environments with their own distinct vibes, enemies, architecture, and gameplay possibilities.

That covers level design and how Wolverine doesn’t lend himself well to an open world. But can the same be said for his gameplay based on what we’ve seen of it?

When The Claws Are Out

Aside from better-designed levels, a smaller, linear world is also advantageous in designing spaces meant to facilitate close-quarters combat, which is where Logan’s at his most deadly.

It’s the perfect way to set up the violent, brutal encounters with deadly enemies that he’s earned a reputation for over the years, which heavily depend on good positioning for you to use his moveset effectively. All of that’s in support of linear spaces where the game has more control over what you’re seeing and experiencing while you get to use walls, narrow spaces, the environment, objects, and perhaps enemies themselves to turn their numerical superiority into a meaningless statistic as you unleash the full brunt of your rage on them.

It’s also a great way to have more control over the balance between stealth and all-out brawling, both of which are a crucial part of Logan’s skill-set as a hunter and soldier with decades of hard-earned experience showing him that his invulnerability is among the most important reasons to avoid unnecessary pain for himself and those around him. By baking that into an experience that facilitates a quiet approach when it’s needed, it’s not only authentic, but also puts the player in control of how they would like to respond to whatever the game throws at them.

There’s also the question of boss fights, and the obvious spectacle that we’re all expecting comes associated with them. Smaller arenas make the action easier to focus on, allowing us to see Logan take on memorable foes in all his glory, with the campaign able to bring them in at a pace it deems appropriate. Not having to populate a larger world leaves more resources available to make unique encounters, cinematic transitions, and bosses designed to push Logan to his limits.

Another important part of the equation is Logan’s innate Healing Factor, which could become a balancing issue in an open world where Logan’s almost always showing up to his next fight with a full health bar, the scars and damage of his previous encounter already a fading memory swept away in the current of his longevity. His relentless aggression that stems from it could also make open-world enemies unable to withstand his brute strength and feral rage.

Carefully controlled missions can allow the game to have combat encounters that are planned around the healing factor and rage, giving us more of a challenge by controlling enemy pressure, combat escalation, and curated moments of vulnerability woven in to balance out the sheen of the near-immortality that the game’s protagonist has enjoyed over the years.

There’s also what we already know about the game, and there’s a lot in favor of a linear adventure in there for us to talk about.

A More Practical Approach

We already know that Logan’s story is personal, his history with Jean and the ragtag team he’s trying to support playing a part while Sabertooth and Mystique’s presence showcase the potential for story beats that could push him to his emotional and physical limits. That’s the kind of story where the pacing needs to be on point, and placing it within the structure of an open world would definitely be counterproductive to that purpose.

Additionally, we’re always welcoming to games that don’t run the risk of repetition, which is something that a game like Wolverine could easily fall prey to. It could have been easy to put Logan at the center of a familiar loop of enemy bases, crimes/attacks, icons, and checklist activities, but by choosing not to do so, Insomniac has deliberately avoided recycling content in a very welcome creative choice.

All of that works to make Marvel’s Wolverine a title that’s already looking quite distinct, and a unique take on the character instead of being Spider-Man with vehicles and running instead of the webs. Reusing that structure would have been a waste of the potential that Logan brings to the table, and we’re glad that this one’s a linear story that keeps him front and center at all times. Of course, that’s not to say that it can’t contain optional areas, paths for exploration, alternate routes, and secrets to track down.

We’re not saying that Wolverine needs to be a corridor game, but it also doesn’t benefit from an enormous seamless map either. But a tightly-paced campaign with the scope for varying combat approaches, hidden areas, and mission-specific encounters is definitely going to be an asset to a title as far as replayability is concerned. It would certainly be a better option than a forty-hour open world where downtime’s a part of its design in our book.

Insomniac deserves praise for choosing a direction for Marvel’s Wolverine that not only plays to its strengths, but to those of the character it’s trying to bring to life. It’s an approach that has worked wonders for Spider-Man, and we believe Logan’s on the right track to become the next addition to a superhero lineup that’s getting more appealing with every new face to join it.

Marvel’s Wolverine isn’t too far away now, and we can’t wait to find out if we’re right about the developers choosing a smaller, more linear design for the adventure. But from what we’ve seen of the game so far, that could be exactly what it needs to make its take on Logan, one that’s worth considering even among all the other great stories that the character has inspired over the years.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

It’s that balance between the man and the mask that always helps land a good story about the webslinger, but what about when you get to actually live through all the problems that come with such a balance? Or experience what happens when that balance is ever so slightly upset first-hand? There’s a difference between watching a Spider-Man story and actually being the central character in one.

Nearly three years after its release, Insomniac’s take on Peter Parker and Miles Morales continues to be ur favorite version of Spider-Man not just because of its excellent story, but because of how it made the character feel relatable while also being absurdly strong for a guy who was also struggling to pay the rent. Insomniac translated the man and the mask into emotions, and that has made its take on the character memorable.

The Actual Webslinging

Brand New Day had its share of exhilarating swinging sequences but the more of them we saw, the more the itch to play Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 grew in the back of our heads. Swinging in that one wasn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B, but to do it using momentum, elevation, and calculated swings and releases with bounces and launches thrown in to sustain your pace. Webslinging was very involved, and immensely rewarding as a traversal mechanic, and that’s not even counting the fact that getting stylish at it was a great way to farm out small amounts of XP on the go.

It was dynamic and fluid, allowing for quick responses to a dynamic city, your Web Wings complementing swinging instead of relaxing it outright thanks to well-placed Wind Tunnels that helped manage forward momentum very well. The actual art of getting around as Spider-Man allowed us to craft spectacular swinging sequences on the way to our next mission, and perhaps even during a few of them.

Of course, where you swing around on webs matters as much as how well you’re doing it, and once again, Insomniac’s take on New York City was one that rooted itself in Peter and Miles’ histories and current lives giving us excellent insights into their personal backstories, memories, and meaningful insights into their lives that would be wasted screentime in films, but work very well as lore-building snippets in an open world video game.

It’s also more than a passive stage, as you engage with it from the streets, the skies, and the rooftops, consistently engaging with its infrastructure to preserve it all as a part of your in-game routine in a way that ties Spider-Man to its well-being very well. It’s what inspires you to stop and actually be a neighborhood friendly hero, as opportunities for quiet acts of heroism often unfold organically, while you’re on the way to the next big story mission or perhaps chasing down side content.

That you almost always stop to help is a testament to how well Insomniac grounds its world and mechanics in the Spider-Man fantasy, making stopping to help feel almost like a natural part of Peter’s role as a protector, even as his personal life gets stretched even thinner every time he stops to help. You pay a price for being the hero you know he wants to be, remaining anonymous to the countless NPCs who benefit from your actions and even being persecuted for them.

Brand New Day does touch upon those themes of isolation, and the choice of being a hero out of altruism alone, and both the film and game do well to make Spider-Man, and Peter Parker himself, feel approachable. Insomniac inches ahead by making him feel grounded as well, something a cinematic version can’t achieve as effectively as a game where the audience is the hero.

The Man Under The Mask Matters

Another detail that merits exploring is the fact that Peter Parker’s life is an important facet of any Spider-Man story, the strain of a dual-life often being a great reminder of his human side. Tom Holland’s Peter is now isolated and bearing the strain of it without the support system he once relied on so much. He’s a man, and trying to be a hero doesn’t make his everyday woes go away.

Spider-Man 2 understands that, and puts us right in the middle of many of those problems. Peter’s money problems are a constant undercurrent in his inner monologues, while those problems make him worry about holding on to Aunt May’s house, a place that holds a lot of emotional weight and practical value to him. Of course, his heroics interfere with his employment, and MJ’s own struggles do come back to him.

His every obligation as a superhero takes up time he’d otherwise use to attend to important aspects of his personal life. It places a price on every decision he pays when the mask is on, and that both stories look at how giving the mask more power changes the man wearing it is a detail we’re very pleased about. Brand New Day had Peter’s new powers as an interesting narrative thread, his evolution allowing him to confront his own troubles and come out stronger as a result.

Insomniac’s use of the symbiote to give Peter a significant power bump while setting up the scope to explore his darker side was a great way to cement his relationships with MJ, Harry, and Miles at crucial points in the story, but also helped showcase a side of the character that players would otherwise not get to see. He was more violent and forceful, taking a more aggressive approach to the job while letting his personal relationships erode on the altar of arrogance that he would otherwise keep in check.

Spider-Man 2 does well to make Peter’s newfound power intoxicating to use, even as we know the cost of using that power. And that’s a facet of the experience that cannot be found anywhere else. It makes Peter’s corruption something you use and like, making you understand why giving it up isn’t an easy choice, but the right one for the character to make when the situation eventually presents itself.

The Space For The Hero To Grow

It also presents the other side of that equation, making Peter’s relationships become anchors to his humanity and compassion, without diminishing the supporting cast and their roles in the story. MJ has her own aspirations within the game’s world, as does Harry, whose personal issues affect his ability to meaningfully bond with Peter upon his return. Miles needs Peter as a mentor and a partner, while May’s memory continues to shape Peter’s decisions. All of that being in jeopardy when he takes a dark turn becomes a narrative and gameplay beat that continues to have us smiling fondly at how immersive being Spider-Man could be.

That’s especially true when fighting the game’s enemies and bosses, a part of the game that showed off just how improvisational the hero could be thanks to a wide range of moves across his fists, webs, gadgets, and the effective use of the world around him. Peter’s symbiote abilities, and Miles’s electric ones were great differentiators and also effective at breaking up repetition. Where films involving these heroes show them improvising, it’s always great to be the one doing it in a game and Spider-Man 2 is obviously the best one to do it all in.

Of course, Miles’s presence only helps elevate the experience in that one, helping lend variety to the traversal and combat, while bringing an entirely different man to the mask, and a whole other set of problems that come from another life lived with two identities. Where Peter’s isolation makes Brand New Day very effective at examining the price of being Spider-Man, Insomniac’s story sets up the scope for the role becoming a shared responsibility instead of a lonely burden, with interesting twists thrown in for good measure.

Of course, we’d be remiss not to talk about excellent antagonists who don’t just challenge Peter’s skills, but his very identity and motivations. Kraven tests his ability to withstand pressure, while the symbiote brings his darker impulses to the front of his mind, trying to strike at the empathy and compassion that prop up his heroic motivations. The damage they exposed, like in Brand New Day, were bruises that Peter could not shake off as easily as the ones from a tough fight.

All in all, watching a Spider-Man movie just feels different when you have ready access to a game that lets you do everything you see the hero do on screen and then some. In the case of Spider-Man 2, that’s made even better by a story and world that’s framed around bringing out the man and the mask in equal measures, with both aspects of the character being developed well enough to make it a story worth experiencing.

It makes the spectacle of Spider-Man feel earned, and that’s not something you can get anywhere else for now.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

It extends beyond the visual fidelity and stylized violence to gameplay systems that bring audiovisual feedback, enemy reactions, and mechanical rewards to lend an impact to every move you make in a combat loop where those decisions are often made quickly on the fly.

Does it feel too good to be true? We can’t honestly say it doesn’t, and there are a few concerns along the way in this one. But let’s begin with what we like.

Building on Inspirations

It’s easy to compare anything with a good parry system to Sekiro and fail to see unique additions that it brings to the table. Beast of Reincarnation’s facing the same situation, but Way of the Sword is certainly a lot more than a parry-based combat loop. It’s one where your blocking technique could set up the next few moves in a fluid combo that you build on the fly, responding to your enemies with speed and precision.

You could opt to just block and attack and get some basic protection against a light attacks, or try to parry that attack to create an opening for some serious damage thanks to Musashi’s sword getting a temporary damage buff when you pull one off. Deflect that attack, and you’re directly draining your enemy’s stamina, slowly chipping away at their composure before you open them up for devastating finishing blows.

Of course, Issen counters are where you risk it all, allowing you to get in some devastating damage at the cost of a very tight timing window that needs you to know precisely when to use it in a tough fight. We often found ourselves saving them for the very last chunk of a hard encounter, bringing it out as a means to ensure a victory that might otherwise be out of reach.

But their presence, amid all the other options you have at your disposal in response to any enemy taking a swing at you is quite exciting, and a great way of using defence more creatively than just waiting for the right moment to parry. Of course, the shared health and stamina system is another parallel that does work similarly, making each fight into a personal duel where Musashi wears a foe down to unleash a Break Issen.

Of course, he’s also vulnerable to low stamina, so you’re on your guard, strategically using your defensive options in an approach where you’re encouraged to take the fight to your enemies, but use each blow to your advantage no matter who among you is throwing it. That’s a combat loop that immediately differentiates itself while being immensely challenging and satisfying. Just the moment where a dramatic pause and camera angle accompany a well-executed Break Issen is a reward on its own, but the standard counter’s high-risk, high-reward potential in a fight made it so darn rewarding to execute correctly.

It made reading enemy attacks and responding to them become a natural part of how we were approaching combat encounters, the mechanic helping to bring the other systems into the loop with ease. It’s encouraged defensive mastery by being a defining part of the series since Warlords, after all. If you’re the type who likes to stand their ground and repel attacks instead of constantly striking and retreating, this one’s an absolute treat.

It’s in how a good defence that blends parries and reflects directly feeds your offence, making Musashi a very dangerous protagonist once you allowed him to read his enemy’s moves and respond accordingly. Defensive moves, when managed correctly, could leave you with a damage buff facing an enemy who was totally open to your most devastating attacks. Of course, that’s as good a place as any to throw in Oni Powers, which use absorbed souls to power attacks that break through enemy defenses or ones that add explosive movements that you can then use to great effect.

Of course, even downing an enemy leaves you with ways to control the next few moments of a fight, giving you a choice of where to strike for more damage or extra health or souls. It’s a system where the fight happens in your hands and in your mind, and it’s a lovely interpretation of a samurai using a demonic arm to survive intense battles. However, it’s time to dive into those concerns we mentioned.

Conflict Everlasting

While the enemies we’ve seen so far in Way of the Sword have certainly been a test of our brains and brawn, it’s that very challenge that has us worried if every foe we’re yet to face can manage to find ways to keep us on our toes. It’s easy to see ourselves coming back to this area with enough new skills and better gear to make decimating these hapless opponents be an activity that would be high on fun, but low on the glory befitting a samurai such as Musashi.

In an ironic twist of fate that the franchise is no stranger to, it’s the enemies Musashi is scheduled to mow down who are going to determine just how much his character’s skills blossom as the adventure wears on. They’re going to have to force him to use every tool at his disposal, pushing him into desperate encounters where even a single miscalculation of a case of abd timing can shift the favor of the fight in one direction or the other.

We’ve already seen a foe wielding a weapon that grows more powerful the more of Musashi’s blood it tastes, and having such a foe in what’s likely an early section of the game indicates that there are other ways that our hero’s foes are going to try messing with his groove. But it could also mean that there isn’t too much variation in boss mechanics, with each one affecting one crucial system or the other in ways that might quickly become predictable. Indeed, predictability is probably the enemy we’d say poses the biggest threats in Musashi’s fight.

Every instance of a drawn blade often felt like it could end badly, we worry whether enough upgrades are going to deepen the mechanics instead of overpowering the challenge that’s on offer. Enemy variety is certainly a factor in that equation, and of course, using that variety to force unique ways to use the systems on offer to make Musashi’s responses feel fluid and unique to the unfolding situation.

But has Way of the Sword set expectations a tad too high? Can every encounter in the game offer the same weight and intensity we’ve seen in that curated gameplay segment? Are advanced capabilities going to complement the ISsen system instead of trivializing it? We’re going to have to wait and see if the full release is able to give us satisfactory answers to these questions. But of course, what we’ve seen is evidence that there is certainly a lot of potential on offer.

Way of the Sword seems to recognize that it doesn’t need to have the largest moveset of 2026, overwhelming players with combos to learn and forget while they rely on the basics on easy difficulties to experience the story. Instead, it expands the utility of a focused set of actions, making each outcome you’re aiming for feel earned, distinct, consequential, and, most of all, spectacular. Your every move strengthens your blade, upsets your enemy’s balance, or takes a bold risk for the ultimate payoff.

Making those choices is a part of what makes Way of the Sword feel like it’s a combat loop that’s going to keep feeding itself, bringing depth to its systems the more we get to engage with it. Something this good does come of crashing and burning because it flew too close to the sun, but if it’s able to sustain itself at the lofty heights the slice of it we’ve seen manages, this upcoming title could reawaken a dormant franchise in a year where it’s already dropped some legitimate hits.

Musashi might be the icing on a cake that has already given us a lot of modern gaming’s best flavors, although the rewards in his adventure are going to need some work on your part. We believe it’s all going to be worth it, though, and that Way of the Sword is going to stand out despite Phantom Blade Zero, Beast of Reincarnation, and Mortal Shell 2 putting up a competitive fight.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

However, this time it’s different…or rather, it’s a continuation of a more common trend. Last week saw a massive update that overhauled trading – 133 new trade posts, buffs to overall profit, trade routes on the map and mini-maps, dedicated tabs for viewing in-demand items from the map itself, new goods, the list goes on. But the most recent patch 1.17 includes bug fixes.

What kinds? Well, an issue that caused special headgear effects to not activate in certain situations. Another issue resulted in an unintended item – including ingredients – being slotted whenever all the assigned food was used up (which players frequently demanded a fix for). The challenge “Desperate Rescue”, which required healing incapacitated companions or allies three times, wasn’t being counted properly, and now works.

Of course, other issues seemingly remain, including those that were apparently fixed, such as animation stutters when players moved. That’s not getting into graphics and performance issues, especially on base PS5, which hasn’t been the best. Regardless, it’s good to see the aforementioned bug addressed sooner rather than later.

However, a sentiment that’s been building among some players, especially after patch 1.15, which also offered little more than bug fixes and improvements, is the lack of content. Or that this is just a hotfix and feels more like patch 1.16.5 rather than something significant. Why .5, you ask? Because the developer has already released four hotfixes following last week’s massive update.

Some fixed only a single issue – others addressed a handful. The point is: Work on improvements isn’t mutually exclusive from any overhauls or new content. Furthermore, any overhauls, new armor sets, pets, mounts, trading goods, new abilities, etc., would have been in the works longer than you’d think.

This isn’t anything new in the games industry, and to add to that, fixes and content aren’t necessarily packaged together on the assigned day that patches often go live. And the bigger a game is, the more likely that changing something without properly testing it can cause 15 other things to break or not function as intended. Lest we forget, Crimson Desert is one of the biggest games ever made with a wide array of systems and potential ways for them to go wrong. Some can be fixed faster than others – it’s just the name of the game.

However, it seems the naming convention has set higher expectations among some players. “When co-op?” one asks. “Where are the story changes?” says another, even though PR and marketing director Will Powers has already said that the developer isn’t throwing away the current narrative. Instead, the team is focused on story continuity, clarifying certain elements, and improving the onboarding and cutscenes. How much work goes into all that? We don’t know, but if it’s re-recording lines or even creating new conversations, that will take more work than you’d think, especially across a nearly 70-hour campaign (never mind any potential related quests and post-game).

I’m not saying players shouldn’t ask these questions – at some point, I would assume that some of them have finally left Hernand and are waiting to experience a better story. For everyone else, it may be time to admit that Crimson Desert is already in a very good state.

Does that mean it’s earned a place among the legends of the industry? Will its quests rival Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Witcher 3? Can it build variety to compete with the best? Well, no, but that’s the point – it’s the best it’s going to be as far as its core is concerned.

Keep in mind that all of the new features, content and overhauls have been free, that too in a game without microtransactions (which even I thought wouldn’t last beyond launch). Should there have been increased storage out of the gate? Absolutely. Stamina and combat improvements? Less frustrating boss fights? More abilities for Damiane and Oongka, much less giving them the ability to use Blackstar? The mounts actually showcased in trailers leading up to launch becoming permanently available at all times? Yes to all.

But everything else on top of that has been gravy, including the numerous new pets, the ability to hatch and raise a wyvern, a camp pond, dozens of new armor sets, boss rematches (both scaled and unscaled), difficulty options (including a Hard mode that’s even tougher than the original difficulty), re-blockades, and much more. Anyone expecting the developer to go through and completely overhaul how quests work or, as a more extreme example, somehow consolidate the entire Axiom Archive into the plot is setting their expectations pretty high.

Granted, there’s nothing wrong with asking for fixes to existing technical issues and bugs, but just because the team has already added so much doesn’t mean it’s obligated to include everything the community wants. Just the fact that it supported Crimson Desert on such a frequent basis for so long, that too beyond its “main” patches, is already something extraordinary.

Which isn’t to say that it can’t or doesn’t want to do even greater things – there is DLC in the works after all, which promises to be completely different from the updates. For all we know, it could be the equivalent of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, adding new activities exclusive to its region but also offering much more complex quests with different decisions. Perhaps build-crafting will take off in unexpected ways. Go ahead – have your sky-high expectations, but also recognize that it’s not the end of the world if they’re not incorporated.

At its core, regardless of how much you enjoy or despise Crimson Desert, it simply is what it is. As much as the developer wants to listen to feedback and incorporate it as much as possible, there are limits based on the company backing it. Not to be overtly cynical, but one reason why it sought extensive post-launch support is to increase the number of copies sold. Of course, both things can be true: it’s thankful and wants to cater to the millions who already bought the game, while also wanting to improve the experience and make it more appealing to newcomers.

Is it more attractive to see a patch that adds 15 incredible new things rather than, say, cross-save? Sure. However, at this point, how many more big changes can really be made? How many more armor sets, abilities, pets, mounts, weapons, and features can be added to what’s already a massive experience? Will it really be any less fun because it doesn’t have co-op? Does it need more mechs or Megazords to be even better (not that I’d be opposed to either, mind you)?

For now, it’s best to get used to the current patch trend and appreciate the game for what it really is. The developer undoubtedly has enough on its plate for the future – which may include even more DLC, for all we know. But if it decided to wind down the free content updates after the story patch, and focus on the future, it wouldn’t change the appeal of Crimson Desert one bit. And that’s perfectly fine – all adventures have to come to an end someday; otherwise they wouldn’t feel anywhere as memorable.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Among our favorite facets of our time with Metal Gear over the years is how each individual title has managed to remain special in our hearts and minds. It’s why remastered versions of some of its greatest hits, and a remake of one that did well to usher it into the current generation of gaming audiences, have been absolute treats for us to play.

It’s a stealth-action formula like no other, made eternal by Kojima’s visionary storytelling and gameplay design, and a potent narrative vehicle whose lore only gets more elaborate with every passing chapter. However, one of its titles has been rather quiet over the years, held back from reaching new generations of audiences thanks to its exclusivity to the PS3, a console that’s now two generations behind us.

If you’re among those players, we envy you. You might know Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot from the memes. You might have heard about those cutscenes leaving enough time for a quick snack, or know it thanks to Old Snake’s iconic look as a weathered version of a seasoned protagonist. But you haven’t played it yet, and this one’s mechanical ambition, structural unpredictability, emotional excess are remnants of a time long gone in gaming that you might not be ready for.

We sense you scoffing at the idea of a game that’s around eighteen years old at this point giving you trouble of any sort. But that’s the point, as this one is full of surprises that are baked into the experience. Allow us to explain.

An Underplayed Variation On The Formula

Let’s begin with the fact that if your time in modern gaming began with the PS4 or later, the chances are you’ve only heard of this one, or perhaps caught its story cutscenes to help you understand what you were missing between titles that you could actually get your hands on. You might be coming into this one after Delta Snake Eater introduced you to Big Boss, and set the events of the franchise’s narrative in motion.

Well, this one’s going to be quite the culture shock, since it switches out meticulous, room-by-room infiltrations with active war zones, where soldiers, vehicles, patrols, and multiple factions vying for control of tightly contested spaces make for an experience that can be quite jarring to you. It could make you think that the quiet jungles that set Big Boss on his journey to infamy, and the patient, curated approach you could carve to them have been sacrificed on the altar of a more combat-focused title.

But you only have to dive into the many ways that Snake literally hangs back, using a cautious approach to pit factions against each other, his loyalty between them wavering on your whims. You could cause chaos, pitting them against each other and using the chaos of the ensuing firefight to pursue your own reasons for being there. Snake is a seasoned hunter in this one, and his years of accrued experience over his lifetime are woven into his gameplay loop so well it stands out as soon as you get some depth out of its systems.

Of course, the narrative framing leans into that playstyle, nudging you towards a more careful approach by making Snake’s ageing body a system all on its own, with visual cues that provide tangible feedback on your actions via animations, stress and physical strain being measured components of gameplay. The Psyche system is a layer that underlines it all, working well to give you the implicit understanding that you’re in control of a soldier who’s pushing a tired physique beyond its normal limits. It’s designed to make you feel like a soldier who simply refuses to die.

The change it brings to a gameplay loop that saw different innovations over the years is something that isn’t going to make itself known until you pick up a controller and begin messing around for yourself. Of course, Snake and his new hunting grounds are not the only parts of the equation that Guns of the Patriot switches up.

Tools Of The Trade

OctoCamo is certainly something that’s going to stand out when you get your hands on it. It’s the perfect example of how MGS4 adapts the franchise’s stealth-action formula to the new level designs, giving you an invaluable way to navigate complex spaces unseen by simply blending with the background, Meccha Chameleon style. A relatively short cooldown on it meant that the ability to hide in plain sight was never too far away, making it a responsive and fluid part of traversal.

Expect to find yourself using it to carve a path through enemy forces with a lot of the usual sneaking and skulking, but with a new energy and pace as you find yourself improvising on the fly, stopping only when the moment requires that you pause to exploit a new weakness, or perhaps figure out a new route based on a changing situation. You’re always adaptable, but Snake’s personal constraints mean every choice you make matters.

The Solid Eye was a superb way to complement that mobility, being a great way to spot interest in your immediate vicinity and from afar, while also giving you a map to help navigate areas with more precision. Between the two tools, you’re going to find that instead of feeling like stealth is restricted to controlled spaces, you now have an entire battlefield at your disposal and it’s a sense of liberation we’re happy you’re going to experience.

With other gadgets, the threat detection ring, weapons and their modifications, and Drebin’s shop, there’s a lot of depth to what’s on offer in this one. It brings a sense of freedom, and feels like the game’s always working with you as you make and execute plans to navigate heavily guarded space without no one being any the wiser to your presence. Where you might expect the game to fail it’s stealthy roots, it doubles down on them while also allowing the action part of things to take the spotlight

The boss battles may have been a step down from the incredible Cobra Unit encounters in Metal Gear Solid 3, but they still pushed us to our limits. The battles against the Beauty and the Beast Unit, along with the different ways each encounter could be approached, are something we can’t wait to experience again. And then there’s the chance to pilot Metal Gear REX against Metal Gear RAY, followed by the unforgettable final showdown between Snake and Liquid Ocelot, a rivalry built over years, brought to life with incredible passion.

You never know when a firefight is going to break out with you thrust into the thick of it all, with an aggressive approach often favored by its large-scale combat encounters. It’s a potent military shooter when a situation that brings such battles into play unfolds, but that it doesn’t compromise on the franchise’s famous stealth traditions to do so is something that could catch many of you unawares at several points if you’re not watching out for it.

There’s also that story to talk about.

Twists In The Tale

Part of why the switch to action from stealth can feel as surprising as it does is the story, where the very structure and pacing of the narrative bring new locations, objectives, and infiltration techniques needed to get there. The rest is up to you, as you’re encouraged to get as creative as you can with what’s in your pockets and in the world around you. There’s very little repetition on offer in this one, and that can be a switch from what’s on offer today.

It switches things up with each act, its tone also varying between military tragedies, the influence of political ideologies on conflict across the globe, questions of identity and agency, absurd comedy, fanservice, melodrama, and even a bit of horror thrown in. Those cutscenes aren’t talked about for so many years after the game’s release for no reason, and if you’re new to the franchise, a lot of what you find is going to have you diving for the wikis more often than not.

Of course, all of this only serves to lend the spectacle this one offers a unique charm, and it carries that with a confidence that’s both impressive and deeply self-indulgent and it flits between its excessive exposition, uneven pacing, and a few well-placed moments of closure for franchise veterans that were much needed at the time of its release, and are welcome bits of nostalgia for those of you replaying this one again.

You might think that all of these factors we’re talking about could be seen as flaws, and they would be if you look at them through the lens of a gaming industry that’s been more risk averse than Kojima and Konami were back in the day. It took an already ambitious and unique franchise in a bold new direction, leading into MGS5 with aplomb. Its ambitions, and the resolution of decades of complicated threads of continuity make it a game that’s more demanding than its peers, but it’s one that makes you feel like a truly powerful superspy trapped in an old man’s body.

That’s not something you can find everyday, and MGS4’s current-gen debut is something we’re excited for just to join Solid Snake on one last replay of his last adventure. If you’re a newcomer to its strangeness, massive scale, and its experimental excess, know that it doesn’t behave like anything you’re used to, and expects the same kind of controlled chaos from you.

It’s what has made it so special to us over the years.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Such is seemingly the case with Beast of Reincarnation, Game Freak’s latest title. “Only” a 73 Metascore among 60 critical reviews; a “Mixed” rating on Steam at the moment with only 52 percent giving their approval – almost completely down the middle. Even the Steam concurrent player count isn’t that impressive, peaking at 15,001 (although it is available on Game Pass and console numbers remain unknown). It’s enough to make you remember all those months of positive impressions at the opening hours and wonder what happened.

Not to say that it’s a disaster, but it’s clear that players are divided.

One negative review on Steam praised the combat but criticized being unable to use their Deluxe Edition skins in cutscenes and flashbacks. Which is fair – it is something they paid extra for, and at least for the sheer number of in-game cutscenes, you would think it’s an easy fix. Another criticised the combat for not feeling as responsive, while also noting the world design and enemy variety didn’t blow them away. Other problems you’ll see include graphical artifacts, technical issues, the camera, and how the game doesn’t immediately grab you in the first two hours. Keep that last part in mind for later.

Here’s the funny thing. One positive review acknowledges the great art direction and music (though the latter can feel limited). They also praised the combat, though it understandably takes time to get rolling. But they also pointed out various problems, whether it’s how Cinematic Mode can feel janky, how Depth of Field causes artifacts, and yes, how annoying the camera can be when fighting larger bosses like the Nushi.

“Is the game bad? No. Are there a lot of questionable decisions? Yes,” they said, adding that you should wait for a discount.

And that’s the crux of Beast of Reincarnation’s mixed reception, at least among players. One could argue about how scores are wildly fluctuating among critics, but within the first few hours of play, a good chunk of people expected to be “wowed” much sooner. I can’t really blame them – in fact, it’s one of the things that I pointed out in my review. Between mostly fighting the same three types of Golems and maybe two different kinds of Malefacts, slowly learning about the world and Emma’s story, navigating some dull conversations among the cast, and only having a few sword skills and Bloom Arts, the first few hours can feel like an exercise in patience.

Granted, all of those aspects get better over time. While there’s only one melee weapon type, you unlock different kinds of swords with unique effects, from flaming lighting to poison. New skills become available that allow for sending Koo ahead to take down enemies, laying flame traps or taunting enemies. Different types of blade arts, Nushi Skills, Bloom Art mods, and Spirit Stones allow for more nuance to a build, whether it’s dealing more damage to status-afflicted enemies or causing those suffering from afflictions to explode on death. Enemy variety still feels like a sore spot when it’s all said and done, especially when the Nushi are reused.

It’s worth noting that several negative reviews have only played a handful of hours, but that doesn’t make their criticism any less valid. Heck, I’ve finished the game, and even after having the full picture of the story, I still don’t know how to feel. Again, it’s not horrendous, and I couldn’t begin to tell you what they should have changed. Yet that overwhelming feeling of deja vu from so many other titles that handled their respective narratives and characters better is overwhelming.

The fact that Game Freak spent about six years on this (albeit with the help of several support studios), opting for a more realistic art style that stood out among their work on Pokémon, further pushed expectations higher. At the end of the day, it feels exactly like what it’s often been described as by the media – a combination of Nier, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Pokémon. There’s even a touch of Stellar Blade, at least for protagonist Emma’s lack of personality (which is thankfully more of a story thing that slowly changes).

Is it better than Nier or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice? Well, no. I even outright said that it’s not in my recommendations for 2026 – a list which includes Saros, Cairn, DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations, Denshattack! and many others. It isn’t for lack of difficulty or because I didn’t have the patience to experience the entire narrative before casting judgment.

Yet, even with some clear compromises on PS5 (not to mention the bugs), I still enjoyed it for what it was. And if you had already played Nier or Sekiro or even Stellar Blade and sought something in the same vein, then maybe Beast of Reincarnation would be for you. Just not for $60, according to many players, especially with the number of problems that currently exist.

At the end of the day, it’s a double-A game with clear triple-A aspirations. The problem is that other games like Clair Obscur fit that same description while putting many big-budget games to shame. So not only is Game Freak competing against the most polished classics whose systems are inevitably going to draw comparison to, but it’s also going up against stand-out indies and so-called mid-budget titles. On its own, there may be enough to satisfy your average player, but that’s not how things work for everyone, especially in a year with so many other standout releases (and many others to come).

Would Beast of Reincarnation have benefitted from more time for polish? Perhaps to add more options for subtitle text size and camera distance? More optimization to ensure that distant environments don’t look like paint smudges at best and jaggy messes at worst? Undoubtedly. It could have even dropped at a time when there weren’t so many other bigger titles demanding players’ time and money. Maybe even retailed for $50, which would have softened some of the impact.

But at the end of the day, would the final product with all that polish have been enough? Would there still be hefty expectations, given the era we’re living in? Or would people continue to joke that, “I guess 3D Pokemon not being great is down to Game Freak after all, and not Nintendo”? It’s hard to say. Perhaps the only consensus that one could pin down is that you should wait for patches or buy only when it’s cheaper.

That, and noting that Beast of Reincarnation could’ve been a whole lot better, and not necessarily a whole lot worse, even among those who are satisfied with it. If nothing else, it’s a sign that players still see some potential in it. Here’s hoping that Game Freak works to unearth that because even for people like me who enjoyed the journey, warts and all, it would only provide more incentive to jump back in.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Cue cheers, confetti, celebrations, tears. It’s not enough that pre-orders are tracking strongly or that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick constantly reassures us that it’s coming this year. Each reveal makes it feel that much more real – that much more potent, even if I won’t truly believe it until it’s in my hands. Well, in my digital library because there’s no physical disc, but you get what I mean.

There’s just one little hiccup that I wouldn’t really describe as a hiccup. It’s more of a quirky little “Huh” sans question mark. Grand Theft Auto 6 is getting an extended look – which is fantastic news, and means we could finally see some gameplay. Will it be raw gameplay? A guided presentation that outlines a significant amount of what you can expect in Leonida? A mix of both? How long will it be? So on and so forth – you can easily fill in the blanks until the big reveal.

However, it’s happening on Netflix first at 3 PM ET. You can expect it to drop on YouTube and the game’s official website at 9 PM ET – a good six hours later.

Again, that one little thing that prompts little more than a confused “Huh” right out of the gate.

So the obvious question to posit is: Why? Why would Rockstar debut something like this on a paid streaming service of all things, even if it is the most popular one in the world with reportedly 325 million subscribers as of May 2026? Zelnick mentioned that the company was taking a different approach to advertising Grand Theft Auto 6 and that Take-Two wouldn’t necessarily buy TV commercials as it did all those years ago for its other titles. Is this part of that strategy? How did it even get Netflix to agree to this? Well, that part is probably the easiest to answer since they’ve worked together to bring games like Red Dead Redemption to the service.

Of course, the more one thinks about it, the more it starts to make sense, at least for Rockstar and Take-Two. The gap between Netflix and YouTube obviously means the former dropped tons of cash to make this happen. And honestly, you can’t really blame the publisher for getting that bag, especially if reports of the $2 billion-plus budget are indeed true. Instead of spending hundreds of millions to market it – which Take-Two is going to do anyway, mind you – why not have Netflix pay to advertise it for you and get some money back?

This wouldn’t be a simple advertisement either. It would be a proper program that subscribers can go back to, again and again and again, to watch, thanks to the service’s Top 10 list. You’d best believe that Grand Theft Auto 6’s extended look is going to rank very highly, even if it’s only 10 to 15 minutes long, serving as a reminder for more casual gamers, who are also subscribers, to check it out. Cue feedback loop which then spreads to millions of others across the service.

But what’s the point of paying to see it early, that too by six measly hours? Wouldn’t most people wait? Therein lies the one thing that Rockstar and Take-Two know they can easily exploit: Fear of Missing Out or FOMO. Sure, you could wait and watch it on YouTube, or you could subscribe to Netflix and watch it early. We’re officially in the early access stage of gameplay presentations. It almost brings me back to the days of WWF and UFC pay-per-views you would much rather catch on the night itself instead of later via replay.

Not that Netflix minds, of course. And sure, a good chunk of you will resist, or not even care, but Rockstar knows that tens of millions – because it has that data from not one but two past trailers – will tune in. After all, it announced that the Ultimate Edition of GTA 6, the absolute most complete version (or at least what people call it), costs $100, and it still topped pre-orders for weeks. It shows that fans, casuals, the hardcore and the gaming world at large can’t resist. Besides the absolute lack of leaks, here’s where its marketing strategy has worked wonders. Why show players such eagerly anticipated gameplay when they could make them pay for it and secure an ample bag from Netflix in the meantime?

Again, it makes perfect sense for the corpos. Not so much for the rest of us who don’t want to subscribe to Netflix, though I wouldn’t put it past tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of YouTube channels to try and release it before the official trailer is out.

There may inevitably be concerns about other publishers attempting the same, pitching advanced access to trailers and showcases. Want to watch the next Nintendo Direct, which might feature a deep dive into the company’s most anticipated remake ever? Well, time to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online to watch it a few hours before everyone else, exclusively on the Switch 2.

Leaving aside that this is exactly how E3 worked back in the days when publishers attempted to woo retailers and have their games featured above the competition, or that Fortnite featured a key story development for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that wasn’t in the film, and so on, I can see this happening…but not quite on the same scale. Because unless other companies have a Grand Theft Auto 6-level reveal that they could pitch to Netflix, with a guarantee of spiking subscriber counts, I doubt they’d be given the time of day.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t other streaming services who wouldn’t. And if it works out well enough for Netflix, you know it would attempt to replicate that success (which is why the Enola Holmes and Emily in Paris follow-ups will continue until morale improves).

Of course, you’d have to wonder which franchise could command that level of attention. Fortnite? Assassin’s Creed? Would any of them even remotely come close to Grand Theft Auto 6’s hype levels? It really takes us back to whether other publishers could attempt the same prices as Rockstar, with many analysts leaning towards “no.”

Games like this are once-in-a-generation events, and very few command the kind of player base or attention that Grand Theft Auto does. Even the third-best-selling game in the industry’s history, Red Dead Redemption 2, is nowhere close. Again, this won’t stop others from trying, but who knows? Maybe someone will come up with their own interesting spin on all this.

Either way, whether it likes it or not, the world will be watching, which really makes me wonder if Netflix servers can handle the incoming surge. Time will tell, but in terms of marketing tactics, this is definitely one of the more unconventional, corpo-coded – and yet, logical – moves that we’ve seen yet from a major publisher.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

The choice to nuke Megaton in Fallout 3. The choice to bring Anabelle’s bones to Graham in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Even the choice of where to send Jacky after the pivotal heist in Cyberpunk 2077. These can have pivotal, long-term effects on the story, sometimes in ways that won’t be obvious within the confines of the game. They don’t just stay with you because they’re significant, but because you made them and had to live with the consequences forever (or at least until you reload and try something else).

For better or worse, there’s been a dearth of open-world action RPGs with choices of similar narrative impact, much less those that thread the entire experience. So many games took inspiration from The Witcher 3’s gameplay model while infusing their own unique spins and twists – from Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West to Assassin’s Creed Shadows – without really expanding how it handled choices. Which isn’t to say that they featured none whatsoever, but there’s been almost nothing in the genre that’s on the scale of, say, Baldur’s Gate 3 (barring, perhaps, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2). Let’s not even delve into the non-open world action RPGs like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and how poorly they handled the weight of choice.

Which makes The Blood of Dawnwalker, out on September 3rd, so interesting. It’s ironic because Rebel Wolves features veterans from CD Projekt RED, including The Witcher 3’s game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz and its composer, Mikolai Stroinski. Right off the bat, it admits that the open world is on the smaller side and that a typical playthrough could take about 50 hours (depending on the difficulty and whatnot). It also welcomes comparisons to the game that made everyone famous, but there isn’t a lingering sense of recreating it, even though several elements look familiar.

Instead, The Blood of Dawnwalker is looking to bring back choice and consequence to the open-world action RPG setting in its own way, turning what seem like restrictions into moments that carry real significance.

For those unaware, the premise centers on Coen, who resides in a small village called Laslea within the Vale Sangora region. The latter has twisted under the influence of Brencis and his court of vrakhiri, or vampires. Their goal isn’t simply feasting on all the humans and leaving it at that, however. Instead, Brencis wants to subjugate the people, creating a society built on fear and tribute. If he receives their usual offerings of blood, everyone can live as they like, caveats and all. Step out of line, however, and, well, you can probably guess the rest.

Coen’s situation is unique because after being turned into a vampire, he discovers the ability to continue walking around during the day like a human. This mythical “Dawnwalker” seems like the best of both worlds, but that’s the least of our main man’s concerns. After a series of events in the beginning at the hands of Brencis, Coen has 30 days to save his family.

And that’s where The Blood of Dawnwalker weaves in its first mechanic to make you care: Time. When you’re exploring the vast open world, it doesn’t advance, but when it comes to making choices, it begins slipping away, at least in the opening hours. Besides establishing how futile some actions can be, this serves to highlight that some narrative events are set in stone. At least, as long as Coen remains who he is.

The Dawnwalker is a wild card, though. What can’t be achieved during the day when limited to his human capabilities, whether it’s through swordplay or magic, might be accomplished in the nighttime when his vampiric powers become available. Infiltrating a crypt to retrieve something important suddenly becomes a whole lot easier when you can just sneak inside. But that also requires waiting until nighttime. If you can successfully gain access during the day, why not leave the night for something else? The inverse is also true, of course, and that’s only one layer of the choices involved.

Because if you really want, Coen could just abandon his family and do whatever he likes. You could accidentally feed on an NPC and kill them if his hunger is left alone for too long, but why not go out of your way to slaughter everyone? The fact that evil playthroughs are possible and that Rebel Wolves doesn’t have a fail state in place, instead encouraging you to live with your choices, is something that’s not often seen in the open world action RPG genre nowadays.

Then again, you don’t have to be plainly good or evil to outright miss the content available. Coen’s journey could become a hell of a lot shorter because you can challenge Brencis at any singular point throughout, even after becoming a vampire. It’s difficult, but if you’ve seen anyone bum rush Hyrule Castle in Breath of the Wild with just three hearts and a dream, having that option is great.

And yet, you’ll miss out on learning about the resistance against the vampires, or learning more about each member of Brencis’s court and attempting to potentially turn them against each other. There’s an entire infamy system that also rewards your rabble-rousing across the countryside. It may result in a world state with blockades and soldiers out to get you at almost every turn, but you can also deal some heavy blows to Brencis, making that final battle – if it is indeed the finale – that much easier. Coen gaining a reputation which can endear him to the rebels and intimidate foes also doesn’t hurt.

Perhaps more interesting is that the story doesn’t end after 30 days – instead, the “circumstances” change. What does that mean? If you sit around doing nothing or simply making Coen into an unofficial vampire overlord, what happens? More importantly, what happens after that?

Again, this is just what we know from what Rebel Wolves has shown us. The degree of divergence in the endings has yet to be detailed, much less how choices made in the early going could affect your experience 10 or 20 hours later.

The sheer range of choices and the studio outright stating that all quests are quests, some unlocking “new possibilities” and others granting new info while others don’t when asked how the “main” and “side” quests work. Tomaskiewicz even likened the experience to more of a pen-and-paper RPG, or similar to Fallout 1 and 2 “where you have a clear goal and everything is optional – you decide. You travel the world, you decide what you want to do. There is no main quest.”

It sounds ambitious for a studio that doesn’t quite have the same resources as a CD Projekt RED or even a Bethesda. However, it’s also aiming for something more compact by those standards, and more easily facilitates replayability.

There are still plenty of ways that The Blood of Dawnwalker could stumble, whether it’s in the combat, the level of polish, the performance or even in the overall writing. But seeing a developer take these kinds of swings, appealing to an audience that so many have tried to get away from in the pursuit of mass appeal, is refreshing. And who knows? With over two million wishlists and counting ahead of launch, it may become a massive hit, laying the foundation for more such experiences in the future.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Fans responded in kind with a continuing firestorm on social media, be it in tweets, YouTube videos, you name it. Well, with its latest financial report available, the top brass at Sony Group Corporation responded, acknowledging the “various opinions” and “strong views” that fans have to offer.

The response? It’s still moving ahead.

In an earnings briefing, chief financial officer Lin Tao said in a translated statement that there were “various reasons” for this, “the biggest being that the digitalization of content overall has been progressing—that’s the big factor. It’s not just PlayStation, but for all kinds of content, digitalization is progressing.” Not that anyone has stopped producing Blu-ray discs for movies, but I digress.

“So when we think about the future, we put in a lot of thought and time, and we cautiously considered this. We came to this conclusion, and we’re going to cautiously move this forward,” Tao continued. “And to this decision, we have received various opinions—people have strong views—and we understand that the community has put forth those views to us.

“Games are loved by many people. It’s a form of entertainment that’s connected to people’s fond memories in many cases. And so we understand those emotions. We want to consider that. And in the future digital ecosystem, how we engage the gamers is something that we would like to continue to explore.”

But wait, it gets even better. Tao also said that this decision didn’t impact Sony’s business in the short term. It also doesn’t expect much long-term impact because, as it notes in every fiscal earnings report for the past several years, the majority of game sales are digital. In fact, it noted 82 percent of its software sales for the quarter ending June 30th were full game digital downloads.

That bit about how this is down by one percent compared to the same period last year, i.e. before PlayStation even announced the future end of physical games? Or how game sales are essentially flat with an increase of only 200,000 across PS5 and PS4? Don’t pay too much attention to those figures, obviously.

And in case you thought otherwise, it gets even better. An analyst asked Tao if this would result in future consoles becoming more like PCs – all-digital with no disc drives. She responded, “Our strength is the curated content; that’s one of our strengths. The game environment being stable, that’s another strength. Compared to the high-end gaming PC, our product is more affordable. We don’t feel that the disc itself is a strong factor for differentiation. Going forward, we can coexist peacefully with PC games.”

On the one hand, I can understand where Tao and Sony Corp as a whole are coming from, because the response is more akin to saying that PlayStation will remain its own entity, and become a glorified PC. You have to wonder if there’s a subtle shot there at Project Helix, Xbox’s next-gen console, which also plays PC games and is rumored to function as a PC with multiple potential SDKs. But the point remains – PlayStation has games that you can’t get anywhere else, particularly its very expensive, triple-A single-player titles that it’s since decided to stop releasing on PC.

Sure, we could blame lackluster sales on the platform, but how coincidental is it that the company announces that and follows up with its physical disc death sentence, thus eliminating a potential alternative storefront for its biggest games, even if it’s years later? Surely it’s not trying to go “PlayStation Store or bust” and then charge whatever prices it feels like while dynamically adjusting discounts and killing off used games altogether, right? Surely.

But really, it’s that one other sentence that got me: “Compared to the high-end gaming PC, our product is more affordable.” That’s certainly true in an objective sense. So why did Sony ship only 100,000 more PS5 consoles in this past quarter than it did in the one before? Why are shipments down by 900,000 compared to the same period last year? Not to say that the PS5 isn’t looking great at 95.3 million consoles, but the PS4 had already sold 100 million by the same period.

Granted, the comparisons may not be the fairest, especially with how many challenges the PS5 has had throughout this generation. But even if PlayStation promises there’s enough RAM before early 2027, meaning enough consoles to meet demands on November 19th, where nothing of note whatsoever is happening in the gaming world, what does that mean for the future? The Bill of Materials for the PlayStation 6 is allegedly approaching $1,000, and Sony generally has no interest in subsidizing hardware prices.

And even if it still ends up cheaper than a PC, the latter benefits not only from more functionality but also from a wider ecosystem. Most everyone uses Steam, but you can still look for discounted keys on other sites or through bundles or – worse come worse – break the emergency glass and use the Epic Games Store. You can even buy games on GOG and obtain offline installers, maybe even burn them to discs for double ownership bragging rights. Would I personally benefit from having a disc containing Hollow Knight: Silksong? No, but I can still have it.

Assuming it goes all-digital, the PS6 won’t benefit from any of that. Even with the strength of its catalogue – with its biggest blockbusters commanding the biggest budgets – there’s only so far this “walled garden” plan can go.

Maybe PlayStation has figured these things out, though. Or maybe it’s the rising costs of triple-A game development, next-gen hardware, RAM and so on that caused it to cut anything to compensate. Maybe it’s the return of arrogant Sony, which believes that the PlayStation brand will carry it to success.

If that means no more new physical games when it’s time for the PS6, so be it. If that means ensuring its consumers don’t have any rights over the games they buy, reducing its properties to little more than “licenses” after proclaiming its love for used games over 13 years ago, so be it. And if that also means, as Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliott describes it, turning away “budget-conscious and younger players” who become fans purchasing used games, thus ensuring they embrace free-to-play and mobile games…well, you know how it goes. If you build it, they will come, but PlayStation seems to think they’re already there and will stay, regardless of how much it costs or how neatly it rearranges chairs on the deck of the Titanic.

From a business perspective, it’s not easy for anyone to convince console manufacturers to keep producing physical games at the level that they were before. Because as Tao noted, digitalization has been progressing all this while. But while it’s easy to reduce all of this to profit margins and market demand, that PlayStation didn’t at least consider limiting physical sales or embracing special editions – which it’s already been making a pretty penny off of without providing discs, by the way – is extremely disappointing.

It won’t be the cataclysmic end of the brand anytime soon, and even if it announces the PS6 for over $1000, Sony could still see huge short-term success. But nothing lasts forever, and you only really notice death by a thousand cuts when it’s too late to stop the bleeding.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

But for eighteen long years, Guns of the Patriot has been largely ignored, forcing you to hold on to a PS3 if you’re die-hard enough of a fan to want to replay it. That’s understandable, given how it sent Solid Snake off into the sunset in a story that had more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. But what isn’t understandable is why this classic making its way to the PS5, Xbox, PC, Switch and Switch 2 isn’t as big a deal as it should be.

There are many reasons for our bemusement, and we’re happy to get into them, as always. Let’s jump in!

A Muted Response To A Big Moment

Put aside the fact that MGS4 is stepping out of PlayStation exclusivity, which is in itself huge considering that the game helped sell more than its fair share of PS3s back in the day. It was definitely high among the console’s defining exclusive titles, and that it now gets a shot at reworking that magic on new hardware is certainly noteworthy.

Let’s consider this one’s significance to the franchise canon, for starters. It isn’t a forgotten spin-off shoved away into a dusty archive to be outshone by the rest of the franchise. It stands tall as a worthy conclusion to Solid Snake’s story, and has largely been a missing piece in conversations about modernising the entire Metal Gear collection for new hardware. It’s been a missing piece for so darn long, so why isn’t there more noise about its imminent arrival? Why doesn’t it feel like more than just a mere bullet point on the back of Master Collection Vol. 2’s cover?

It’s important to remember that it isn’t running the same build as the 2008 release. It’s targeting resolutions up to 3840×2160 with 60 fps framerates on the PS5, Series X, and PC. The Series S and Switch 2 are getting enhanced configurations too, while the Switch is naturally going to see a little bit of downscaling, but the fact that it’s getting a version too is definitely welcome. Why is that relevant? It means players aren’t just getting access to the original release, but an official version that’s the game at its best.

All of these are reasons enough for Konami, and the community it’s built around the franchise, to be singing about this one from the rooftops. So why doesn’t it feel bigger?

Making Sense Of The Silence

We can’t help but wonder what could have been if Konami had taken MGS4 out of the second Master Collection and released it as a standalone remaster for the current-gen platforms, with 4K 60 fps right off the bat. Even thinking about it gives us goosebumps, and we can only imagine how it might have felt like a whole event to look forward to if that had been the case.

But what we’re seeing instead is a collection of titles where it feels like MGS4 just happened to be shoehorned in alongside Peace Walker and Ghost Babel. What should have been the triumphant return to the limelight for a classic became a single, unremarkable entry in a compilation. You might argue that the fact that we’re here talking about it means it hasn’t lost its edge, but that only serves to strengthen the argument that it perhaps needed its own release to stand out.

We’re also looking at last year, and how Delta changed the benchmarks for a re-release of a beloved franchise mainstay. From its announcement, marketing campaign, graphical showcases, and the buzz that fed into itself as its release date drew nearer, Naked Snake’s origin story was definitely a hit, with 2 million copies sold as of March this year.

It was a game that was significant to the franchise’s lore, something it shares with MGS4, while the latter is also historically relevant from an availability perspective. It isn’t a full remake, though, with no new additions on the visual and gameplay fronts. It’s not a reinvention of a classic to suit modern hardware and the improved gameplay that comes with it. But it’s still a worthy effort at preservation that deserves its time in the sun. It’s probably harder to market that, though.

Of course, making things even harder is the fact that Master Collection Vol. 1 didn’t have the best release build there was, with technical issues that Konami would then take years fixing. A look at the official patch notes on that one is going to tell you that there were improvements as recent as February 2026, including corrections and visual settings that have made it a worthy addition to your library now. But that was far from the case when it was released, and that might be working against Vol. 2 and MGS4.

The baggage that Vol. 1 brought to the table means that players are sure to see the new collection through a lens of caution. It might not be the day one purchase that it should be, considering Metal Gear’s immense popularity and the fact that one of the games in its collection is a rare gem that has nothing to do with the launch impressions that surround the collection it’s a part of. But as it stands, Vol. 2 is likely a release that many players might wait out to see if its launch state is worth an immediate purchase or if waiting for a sale is a better option.

There’s also MGS4’s own troubled history to consider. It wasn’t a title you could dive into the way Delta put you right into the jungle with Naked Snake’s proficiency at CQC, stealth, survival, and the story with The Boss. That one was quite easy to romanticise, and this is exponentially easier to pitch as an entry point to the franchise to modern audiences who might have missed it the first time around, while also being a very welcoming addition to franchise veterans.

The latter camp are definitely the ones who understand the value of MGS4, and it’s possible that you’re one of them if you’re here. You know why it matters, but let’s be objective here. Its story is heavily dependent on knowledge of the franchise’s past releases, and some of those cutscenes give you enough time to fix yourself a snack if you’re quick. It’s also among the more divisive presences in the franchise’s history.

That’s a bit of baggage that the game itself brings to the table, and its existence makes its prospects today hugely dependent on existing fans. It wouldn’t make sense to pitch this one to a player if it was going to be their first Metal Gear title. When you consider that against everything else we’ve been discussing, the silence around its potential revival begins to make sense. But we still hold firm on our position that MGS4 on current-gen hardware should be a bigger deal than it is. Here’s why.

A Quiet Solution To A Loud Problem

We briefly touched upon the idea of preservation, and MGS4 is a great example of how some of the best releases disappear behind older hardware that’s probably obsolete or traded away for a shiny new upgrade. The storefronts that host them might be dead, or the architecture propping things up might become obsolete. Licensing problems might see them pulled away, or platforms they’re on could be abandoned.

If all of these sound familiar, you’ve probably joined us on our examination of Sony’s stony silence in the face of a lot of backlash to its decision to go digital-only on releases post 2028. Preserving games for players has become a facet of modern gaming that is taking us all to uncharted and turbulent waters. MGS4 is a perfect poster child for the preservation problem, and the fact that it’s suddenly becoming accessible again on modern hardware is proof that it’s a problem being solved.

What’s more, the solution is unfolding right in front of us, and is way more straightforward than streaming, emulation, or keeping an old PS3 on life support. It’s a native commercial release on contemporary platforms that you just buy, download, and play. It’s a cause for celebration, not just among Metal Gear fans, but for gamers who want to ensure that the best games of history remain ever accessible to subsequent generations of players.

MGS4 has spent eighteen years locked behind the wall of PS3 exclusivity. It would be a shame if the industry barely notices when that wall comes down, and what that means in the larger context of things.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.