Mass Effect Trilogy

The much-acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy needs no introduction, these action RPGs ushering a new standard for narrative-heavy third person shooting that other space-faring shooters have struggled to match. The series’ central antagonist are the Reapers, a race of sentient star-ships who originated one-billion years prior when the galaxy controlling Leviathans created the synthetic lifeform the Catalyst which then turned on its creators, absorbing their genetic material to create the Reapers. The Reapers awaken every 50,000 years to conduct galactic-level mass destruction with the trilogy centring on Commander Shepard and his crew stopping them.

]]> 604774 https://gamingbolt.com/15-best-gaming-trilogies-gamers-need-to-experience Thu, 20 Jun 2024 13:01:14 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=591112 Proof that some of the best things come in threes, these video game trilogies tower precisely because they come in a trio. Their first entries establish a framework, with subsequent entries embellishing mechanics, expanding stories, or introduce new settings or characters before wrapping everything up in a triumphant finale.

Jak and Daxter trilogy

To break away from the linear storytelling in prior triumvirate Crash Bandicoot, Naughty Dog developed a new graphics engine capable of rendering seamlessly connected open environments rife for joyful exploration for their Jak and Daxter trilogy. Ostensibly a third-person action platformer, the series also featured excellent combat and movement mechanics underpinned by the Eco system – a substance that can dramatically enhance player abilities; move sets which became increasingly complex and satisfying as the trilogy progressed.

inFamous 4

The inFamous series is famous for providing a power fantasy like no other, and Sucker Punch did an amazing job of meshing those designs with a well-crafted morality system that has the capability to affect not only the story but also the gameplay. It continues to be fresh even after all these years, and no game has really come close to matching the essence of inFamous. An inFamous 4 could make use of the PS5’s power to render some amazing visuals and explore new gameplay concepts, but with Sucker Punch most likely occupied with Ghost of Tsushima – there’s a pretty slim chance that such a project might see the light of day.

Deus Ex

It may sound counter-intuitive considering the scope of Mankind Divided and Human Revolution, but Deus Ex has always thrived on the number of choices it gives players. The different play styles, dialogues and approaches would fit well within the context of a tighter narrative and maybe encourage multiple playthroughs. As for what kind of story it would tell, given all the factions, conspiracies and whatnot, and whether it should feature Adam Jensen or a brand new character remains to be seen.

Ross talked that the team was made clear that they shouldn’t be talking about Days Gone in their pitches, and Sony management wanted the team to pursue a reboot of Sony Bend’s Syphon Filter (though Ross doesn’t seem interested at that prospect).

“It was very obvious that we shouldn’t be talking about Days Gone when we were working on the pitch [for our next game]. It was clear that it was a non-starter and there was nothing in the [Days Gone 2] pitch that made the local manager and his boss feel good about it. That’s probably a failure of the creative group… it was just an uphill battle.”

“It was just an ask: ‘are there any other IPs that we have that we can use?’ and the only other IP was Syphon Filter,” he explained “But honestly, I have zero ideas on how to reboot Syphon Filter. I was not interested in that at all,” Ross said (as transcribed by VGC).

He further talked about how he also made a pitch about an open-world Resistance game, which also failed to get traction with Sony execs. Ross said that the formula would work really well with the open-world loops Days Gone used – ultimately making the game “pretty rad.”

“The pitch I was making was, open-world Resistance would be rad,” he said. “There were all of these open-world loops that we figured out… it almost wrote itself with Resistance: there were so many aspects of that property that lent itself to open-world gameplay. But they weren’t interested in that either. I don’t know how well it sold. They were interested in almost anything other than Days Gone 2.”

During the livestream, Ross also revealed how he got the sales numbers for Days Gone when Sony didn’t make them public. He sourced it from trophies site Gamestat, which more or less guarantees that there are fewer copies than he mentioned – read more on that through here.

Killzone 2

While Guerrilla Games has become well-known for the Horizon series, remastering Killzone 2 for the PS5 seems a given. It’s the game that put the company on the map and its excellent visual fidelity, attention to detail, fun gun play and solid multiplayer would make a smooth transition over to the console. If a new sequel on PS5 isn’t coming any time soon, then it makes sense to revisit Killzone 2 in some capacity.

With Sony’s games generally doing so well now- games like Horizon, The Last of Us, all sell millions upon millions of copies- it is now clear that no matter what they put out, as long as they push it, they will have an audience waiting for it. An audience that trusts that Sony will deliver only on quality, and nothing else. It is well earned trust- and maybe Sony could now use that trust to bring back some of the lesser known, but absolutely fantastic, gems from their first party lineup of the past. Gems like…

WILD ARMS

"Japanese RPGs are on a resurgence now, with games like Persona 5, NieR Automata, Tales of Berseria, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and Octopath Traveler all having broken out and done surprisingly well in just the last year. Sony themselves have a audience eager for quality Japanese content on the PS4, thanks to all the JRPGs that have hit it in the last few years- come on, Sony. What better time would there be to give Wild Arms another go than now?"

Come on, you knew I would start with this. Wild Arms was a series of fantastic, superlative Japanese role playing games, set in a western setting, blended with the traditional shonen elements, fantasy, and science fiction tropes that Japanese games, especially RPGs, so often favor. Wild Arms never managed to do too well in the west, either critically or commercially, but Sony could bring the series back, maybe in collaboration with a studio like Level-5, overseeing it with their rigorous standards of quality and polish. Japanese RPGs are on a resurgence now, with games like Persona 5, NieR Automata, Tales of Berseria, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and Octopath Traveler all having broken out and done surprisingly well in just the last year. Sony themselves have a audience eager for quality Japanese content on the PS4, thanks to all the JRPGs that have hit it in the last few years- come on, Sony. What better time would there be to give Wild Arms another go than now? JRPGs are on the upswing, and there’s an appetite for them on consoles. Your own output is high polish, high quality, and well received. Just put out a new Wild Arms, and watch the adoration roll in. And no, I don’t mean that mobile game by WayForward.

WIPEOUT

What bites the most about Sony unceremoniously ditching Wipeout and shuttering their studio Sony Liverpool (née Pygnosis) is that Pygnosis was Sony’s first first party studio ever, and Wipeout their first major first party hit. The game was responsible, in very large part, for helping brand the original PlayStation with an image of being a cool lifestyle device, and not just a kids’ toy like previous consoles had been perceived. And it backed all that style with some substance too, with Wipeout Pure, Wipeout Pulse, and Wipeout HD and Fury being fantastic games that each showcased a new generation of PlayStation hardware. Sony ditching this franchise (beyond remastering older Wipeout games for PS4, and then making them PSVR compatible) really stings, especially because Wipeout would look so fantastic on modern hardware, and would benefit so much from the full rage of multiplayer functionality that modern consoles provide. With Sony not having any arcade racer in their first party lineup, and the futuristic racing genre having no other competition with Nintendo also just sitting on F-Zero, this would be the best chance to throw fans a bone, and bring Wipeout back. Do it Sony.

RESISTANCE

"Alternate history shooters, and shooters focusing primarily on their single player campaigns, have done well in the market in the last few years, and Sony themselves lack any shooter in their lineup, voids which Resistance could fill in."

Of all the many IP I will name in this article, Resistance is probably the least loved. Insomniac’s alternate history first person shooter series never quite seemed to find its footing in the market. The first game was a standard, if unremarkable, shooter, while the second chased many multiplayer trends, failing to capitalize on them, and also alienating the fans the first game had managed to pick up along the way. By the time the third game came out, the series had finally found its identity, and Resistance 3 remains one of the finest, and most underrated shooter campaigns of all time. But by then, it was too late- the market had moved on, and there were many other shooters for them to sink their time into. Things have changed since then, however- alternate history shooters, and shooters focusing primarily on their single player campaigns, have done well in the market in the last few years, and Sony themselves lack any shooter in their lineup, voids which Resistance could fill in. Given Insomniac’s own output is so much more high quality now than it was in the early, confused PS3 days too, I have no doubts a new Resistance would be absolutely fantastic. Maybe after Spider-Man?

JAK AND DAXTER

Who would argue with someone wanting Jak and Daxter back? Before Naughty Dog became Sony’s prestige studio, pushing the envelope on interactive storytelling with their games, they were known for making great mascot platformers. Crash Bandicoot on the PlayStation, and Jak and Daxter on the PS2- the latter games being great, whimsical open world platforming collectathons with action elements strewn in. Jak and Daxter never found the kind of following Crash did, mostly because of a mid-series pivot into trying to go in a more serious and gritty direction, but the games remained high quality, and would do exceptionally well today- especially now that Sony’s own lineup seems to lack anything meaningful in the way of platformers, something like a (non-gritty) Jak and Daxter would go a long way in adding some color and variety to their portfolio.

WARHAWK

"Warhawk is tailor made for success in today’s market- Sony just has to be smart and revive it. They sorely lack multiplayer games of cosequence in their lineup- Warhawk could change that."

Okay, stay with me here. Warhawk was absolutely freaking fantastic, especially the PS3 reboot. It was a multiplayer game of the kind that there have been few of since, and it was way too ahead of its time. It managed to do well, but it preceded its market by at least a half decade. Now, imagine a new Warhawk put out by Sony- no campaign, just multiplayer. Make it free to play, make it a GaaS style game, add cosmetic microtransactions to support it. Ensure the unique multiplayer style and spirit of the PS3 game is maintained. Warhawk is tailor made for success in today’s market- Sony just has to be smart and revive it. They sorely lack multiplayer games of consequence in their lineup- Warhawk could change that.

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.

In a recently held Q&A session over at ResetERA, Insomniac’s community director James Stevenson answered a great deal of questions sent to him by the forum’s users, and in doing so, revealed some interesting stuff about everything from Sunset Overdrive to the Resistance games.

When asked if there was a possibility of a 4K patch releasing in the near-future for Sunset Overdrive in order to take advantage of the Xbox One X’s added capabilities, Stevenson said that it wouldn’t currently be possible, since everyone at the studio is completely focused on work for the upcoming Spider-Man right now. “Realistically it’s not in the cards at this point,” he said. “Our engine code is several years developed from Sunset Overdrive, and to re-open that project and try to piece it in there, on a new piece of hardware, plus all of the testing and resources going into it, isn’t something we’re able to do in house. Right now everyone here is focused on Marvel’s Spider-Man.”

That said, that doesn’t mean Insomniac has completely forgotten about the Xbox exclusive property. When asked by another user if Insomniac had any ideas for things it may want to do in a possible sequel for Sunset Overdrive, Stevenson simply replied that the studio has “lots” of ideas.

Meanwhile, there were also some questions about one of Insomniac’s other big franchises- the PlayStation exclusive Resistance series. In response to one specific question about whether there might be a definitive Resistance collection launching for the PS4 anytime soon, Stevenson said that while Insomniac itself wouldn’t be involved in making any ports in-house, they would definitely like to see it happen. “As many of you know we don’t usually do any ports in-house,” he said, “so if that was going to happen, it’d be up to PlayStation, but we’d love to see it. We hear from folks all the time who want to play those games again.”

Lastly, there was one more question about the Resistance series, which interestingly enough asked if Insomniac had been asked to come up with it specifically as a “Halo-killer”, especially given how the very first Killzone game had failed to make much of an impression. Stevenson’s response to the question was quite interesting.

“Honestly, I don’t think it was any effort to draw attention away from Halo, we really admired (and still do!) the Halo series,” Stevenson said. “Insomniac’s first ever game, Disruptor, was an FPS, and the genre had a soft spot in our hearts. I think there had been a desire after making three Ratchet & Clank games in 3 years to do something new. At the time at Insomniac, you’d see people doing LAN parties and playing Battlefield 1942 and other games for hours on end. We had a codified Frag Friday where people played games for hours at the end of the work week against each other. It just felt natural to make our own FPS at that point, and we were fortunate enough to be able to finish the game in time for the PS3’s Launch.”

Insomniac is currently hard at work on the development of the upcoming PS4 exclusive Spider-Man, which is due out on September 7. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for continued coverage.

Sony will be discontinuing online features for several of its popular PlayStation 3 games come May 2014, they confirmed on the PlayStation Blog.

Starting 20 May 2014, online services for Gran Turismo 5, Resistance: Fall of Man, Resistance 2, and Resistance 3 will no longer be available. If you’re a fan of games like MAG, SOCOM: Confrontation, and SOCOM: Special Forces, you get an even shorter window, as the online modes for those games will be discontinued 28 January 2014. Effectively, this will render MAG and SOCOM: Special Forces useless, as neither of those games has an offline mode.

The cynic in me wants to believe that the discontinuation is being done to push people towards new corresponding PlayStation products (Gran Turismo 6, and Killzone Shadow Fall), but on the other hand, it is entirely reasonable and possible to suppose that the cost of maintaining the servers was far too great considering the presumably low population all these games were getting.

Still, it’s a rather uncharacteristically anti gamer move by Sony (especially considering that some of these games weren’t even three years old) at a time when they are doing their best to sell themselves as being ‘for the gamer.’

Remember the Resistance franchise? Yes the one with Chimera’s. Well it was actually intended to be Sony’s Halo but failed to do so as we all know. Insomniac Games have come out and explained why this was the case.

“We have theories internally about why Resistance wasn’t a Halo. One is that we changed the game a lot in Resistance 2, and we surprised players in a way that perhaps wasn’t what was expected. And that may have not been a good thing. By changing up some of the core mechanics and — we got a lot of strong feedback when we did that.”

“On Resistance 3, we went back to some of our more traditional core mechanics that players did love, and then built a story that was more personal. That in our opinion was the way to move the franchise forward in a way that was unique for first-person shooters. We’re really proud of Resistance 3. The team felt very personally connected to Resistance 3.”

I don’t believe that. Sales-wise there’s no comparing but Halo is something that is ingrained in the American culture and a pretty old franchise. Resistance could have been a massive franchise had they just stuck to what they did best but I believe people simply weren’t receptive to it, even though the devs worked hard on it, public reception is all that matters.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Thanks, Kotaku.