The Order: 1886

Despite its frustrating overreliance on then-outdated QTEs, The Order: 1886 oozed style and atmosphere. It’s steampunk story set within a vampire-enriched Victorian London expressed deep imagination too. Perhaps its sky-high expectation was ultimately it’s undoing but there’s enough here to warrant a sequel. Interestingly, developer Ready at Dawn have since been acquired by Meta, and Sony themselves renewed the IP as recently as December 2021 – a VR sequel, then, surely isn’t out of the question.

]]> 606230 https://gamingbolt.com/15-single-player-games-that-stunned-gamers Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:52:44 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=604282 Games have the capacity to surprise their audiences in a multitude of different ways, whether because of how much better than expected they turn out to be, the nature of the content that they deliver, the standards they end up setting for the entire industry at large, or any number of other reasons. There’s been no shortage of such examples over the years, and here, we’re going to talk about fifteen in particular.

NOTE: There may be spoilers ahead for the games included in this feature, so if you see us beginning to discuss a game you don’t want spoiled, turn back.

SILENT HILL 2 REMAKE

Bloober Team’s remake of Silent Hill 2 was on the receiving end of plenty of skepticism, which, given the developer’s spotty track record up to that point, wasn’t hard to understand. It’s fair to say, then, that the game turned out to be far, far better than the overwhelming majority of us anticipated. Bloober Team and Konami’s Silent Hill 2 remake has been compared to the likes of fellow horror remakes in Resident Evil 2 and Dead Space– and yes, it is that good.

There’s a degree of debate surrounding linear games and their truest definition. For this feature, we’re thinking along the lines of games that have a set beginning, middle, and end, with progress shared somewhat identically between every playthrough. Open worlds, Metroidvanias, back-tracking, games centred on exploration, these don’t tend to fit. There is wiggle room in this ruleset though, as you’ll find out in the feature.

The Last of Us Part II

We speculated on our 2023 linear games list that in terms of gameplay experience The Last of Us Part II is probably better than Part I, so it’d be remiss to exclude Naughty Dog’s masterful sequel to their much-loved (and much-hated) apocalyptic adventure series. Ellie’s a litter older although still hot-headed, plus there’re more characters, denser locations, and a gut-wrenching, if controversial, story which will stir emotion whether you agree with the narrative decisions Naughty Dog made.

]]> 605160 https://gamingbolt.com/15-hardest-ps5-games-of-all-time Fri, 12 Jul 2024 12:41:50 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=592058 There’s a sizeable portion of the gaming audience for whom there’s absolutely no beating the feeling of triumphing over a seemingly insurmountable challenge after hours of attempts. If you’re in that group and own a PS5, luckily enough for you, there’s no shortage of such experiences on the console, and here, we’re going to rank them based on how difficult they are at their best (or at their worst, depending on how you choose to look at it).

Do keep in mind that this list only includes games that are natively available on PS5- no PS4 titles that are only playable on PS5 via backward compatibility won’t be featured. No, no Bloodborne, either.

#15. HADES

Roguelites love to push back against the player, and Hades does that quite effectively. Obviously, there’s a lot of RNG involved, with the upgrades that you unlock across the length of any given run having a significant impact on how things pan out for you, but ultimately, this is a game that isn’t afraid to throw some real challenge your way.

THE VILLAGE – RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE

As the game’s name suggests, the Village is a massive part of the experience in Resident Evil Village. Blanketed in snow and deathly silent, it instantly sets your teeth on edge the moment you enter it early on in the game, and prompt encounters against terrifying, vicious enemies do an excellent job of setting the tone for the rest of the game. Throughout the experience, you return time and again to the Village, and it never loses its nightmarish charms. Exploration always feels rewarding, new threats keep presenting themselves at surprising times, and each time you come back, new areas – including optional ones – open up, allowing you to get ever more familiar with the Village and everything in it.

THE MOTHERLOBE – PSYCHONAUTS 2

Just like Raz, we all dreamed for years about setting foot in the headquarters of the legendary Psychonauts, and boy was it everything we had hoped it would be when we finally got to do it in Psychonauts 2. It doesn’t take long for the game to let players lose in the Motherlobe, and from the get-go, it’s a wonderful environment to traverse, full of charm, whimsy, and personality, and a unique aesthetic that only Psychonauts can capture. More and more of the Motherlobe also becomes available for players to explore throughout the length of the game, and it always remains a delightful experience.

MANTIS – STAR WARS JEDI: SURVIVOR

Stars Was Jedi’s Mantis takes its fair share of cues from Mass Effect’s Normandy- a ship that you and your crew frequently return to during your swashbuckling adventures throughout the galaxy. Sure, it’s not as large, as layered, or even as populated as Commander Shepard’s ship was, but the Mantis has a lot of the same strengths. One of Jedi: Survivor’s biggest strengths is its core cast of characters, and having quieter moments where you can just talk to them about something important or nothing at all really makes the Mantis feel like a cozy home sailing through space.

UNION – THE EVIL WITHIN 2

Many were skeptical about The Evil Within 2’s semi-open world approach, but it’s fair to say that that actually turned out to be one of the game’s biggest strengths. The world’s saddest dad Sebastian Castellanos enters the virtual town of Union early on in the game, and though the more linear, guided sections within the town are obviously among the game’s most memorable, the town itself is also a highlight. From the risk/reward feel of its exploration to the excellent side quests and optional content on offer, Union is an excellent location that probably deserves more recognition than it gets- much like all of The Evil Within 2, actually.

THE HIDEAWAY – FINAL FANTASY 16

We’re going to cheat a little bit here and include both Hideaways. Final Fantasy 16 has its detractors, and yes, the game has its issues, but when you’re in the Hideaway, it’s hard not to be impressed with how lived in the game and its world feel. Not only is the Hideaway a place where you find some of the game’s best side quests, or a place where you can go to Clive’s room and peruse his wall of memories, it’s also where you spend a great deal of time with the game’s excellent cast of side characters. The second Hideaway in particular really does feel like a home for Clive and his band of outlaws.

THE NEXUS – DEMON’S SOULS

Being the very first game of its kind, Demon’s Souls hub location, the Nexus, was obviously notably less elaborate than the hub locations in a lot of other FromSoftware Soulslikes, but even now, it stands as one of the most memorable hubs in a game. In addition to being one of few places in the entire game where you can let your guard down, it also excels in other areas, from the captivating lore attached to it to some of the eccentric characters you meet there, to how strikingly beautiful it looks, especially in Bluepoint Games’ remake.

THE FORBIDDEN LANDS – SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS

Shadow of the Colossus is a singular experience that hits you in a way that no other game has ever managed to, and though the list of things that contribute to that is obviously long, the vast plains of the Forgotten Lands are surely high on that list. It’s hard not to be struck by the desolate beauty of the environments each time you return to the game’s central hub after felling a Colossus. There aren’t a lot of games that can legitimately make being “empty” an actual strength, but Shadow of the Colossus is spectacularly good at exactly that, and nothing examplifies that better than the Forgotten Lands.

THE THEATER – THE LAST OF US PART 2

We’re admittedly stretching the definition of a hub location here, because the Theater that serves as Ellie and Dina’s base of operations for the bulk of their time in Seattle isn’t really a hub as far as the game’s design and structure are concerned. It is, however, a scripted, narrative hub, and an excellent one at that. After each of Ellie’s harrowing excursions, returning to the relative calm and safety of the theater feels like a genuine relief each time. Some of the game’s most memorable scenes also take place here, while players also always have the option of taking the time to unwind by having Ellie sit down and strum away at the strings of a guitar.

JUBILIFE VILLAGE – POKEMON LEGENDS: ARCEUS

Jubilife Village probably could have been a much more impactful hub location if Pokemon Legends: Arceus wasn’t as technically hamstrung as it was, but even in its current state, it’s a genuinely well-designed base. For starters, having an actual ranch where you can physically see all of your stored Pokemon is a genius move. That in and of itself ensures that Jubilife Village lives long in the memory, but additional things like Galaxy Team’s HQ, the training arena, the beach, the farm, and more ensure that there’s more to the location than just being able to look at your Pokemon from across a fence.

KAMURA VILLAGE – MONSTER HUNTER RISE

Monster Hunter has often been known for its charming hub locations, and Monster Hunter Rise surely continues that tradition. Even from a purely visual standpoint, Kamura Village has a very distinct look to it that ensures that it sticks out in memory, from its art style to the architecture and interiors of the buildings to all of the smaller flourishes you can spot all over the village. On top of that, it also obviously serves as the place where you prepare for and select your next hunts, rendezvous with your friends in co-op, speak with NPCs, and most importantly, craft and upgrade gear.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Is Red Dead Redemption 2, one of the greatest games of all time, really the best Xbox One and PS4 title? Yes, it is, because even with the hardware limitations, Rockstar Games delivered an excellent open-world action-adventure. The story is fantastic; the characters, especially protagonist Arthur Morgan, are fantastic; and the gameplay, while not for everyone, is realistic and incredibly detailed with a wide range of activities.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4 holds the world record for having the longest ending cutscene of any video game, with the epilogue cutscenes cumulatively lasting for well over an hour. And while that might sound tedious at first, such an extensive epilogue was needed to wrap up all essential plotlines in the game. We jump from one beautifully directed scene to the other as characters as they attain some sort of closure to their internal and external conflicts, and finally cutting back to the graveyard where we are treated to an emotionally charged conversation between Old Snake and a stumbling Big Boss which will remain with you long after the credits roll.

This was followed by a GIF satirically analyzing a clip from Sony’s CES 2022 show which featured Ellie and Joel in the background on stage. But that’s seemingly not all. It seems the studio’s new multiplayer project – a standalone title which may be the equivalent of Factions for The Last of Us Part 2 – will also be coming this year. As such, Henderson noted that The Last of Us Part 2’s multiplayer and its Director’s Cut are inbound but when and how is still unknown. Co-president Neil Druckmann’s statement on “multiple projects” being in the works does give some credence to their existence though.

It’s possible that the multiplayer project could be a free-to-play title that launches alongside the remake. In past job ads, Naughty Dog has spoken about bringing the “same level of ambition and quality of our signature, story-driven games to this unique multiplayer project.” So it’s very much possible that the title serves as a platform to incorporate stories from both games in the series (which makes sense if The Last of Us Part 2 Director’s Cut turns out to be real).

Time will tell so stay tuned for more details – and a potential reveal – in the coming months.

https://twitter.com/_Tom_Henderson_/status/1478842168345350151

With TLOU2 MP and TLOU 2 directors cut – I've heard they are coming too – But I don't know exactly when/how.

Them all releasing together could be a good compromise if GOW got delayed to Q1 2023 – But that's just speculation on my end for the moment.

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 5, 2022

But I think the overall goal here is to drum up hype for the HBO show, so we'll see what happens – And to be honest, Q3/Q4 2022 for Sony looks a little lackluster at the moment. So we'll see what happens!

Exciting times ahead! 😀

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 5, 2022

That too 🙂

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 5, 2022

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

The scale of Rift Apart’s story stretches across multiple dimensions, some which our heroes traverse in the blink of an eye. When breaking it all down into different planets – the mines on Blizar Prime, the sweeping greenery of Sargasso and the sleekness of Nefarious City on Corson V – there’s a lot to take in. From quirky NPCs and wildlife to Pocket Dimensions, Rift Apart is Insomniac’s biggest platforming adventure and yet, it’s excellently paced – never too slow but also taking time to breathe and establish its characters.

One year later, we’re looking back on the 25 best games released thus far for the PS5. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Hades

Hades is many things. It’s a showcase of Supergiant Games’ deft character writing with a litany of well-written characters based on Greek mythology, each with hundreds of lines and dozens of interactions. It’s an incredible rogue-lite which balances its progression with the story, slowly unraveling more plot details with each escape attempt. And most importantly, it’s a great action game with stellar variety thanks to Boons and weapon upgrades that you want to jump into again and again, especially at 4K/60 FPS on the PS5.