Gaming
Underwhelming FFXV DLC: Prompto’s Mediocre Looking Third Person Shooter
Square Enix has released a trailer for the new DLC: FFXV Prompto Episode and the least I can say is that it looks, well, nothing like the FFXV I came to know and love, or at least, thoroughly enjoy.
Final Fantasy XV was definitely one of my gaming highlights of 2016. After the complete and utter disappointment of FFXIII, I had come to terms with the idea that Final Fantasy was no longer worth my attention. But Final Fantasy XV managed to pique my interest in the series once more. I mean, the game is completely bonkers. If in 1997, after completing FFVII, I had been told that one day I would play a Final Fantasy game that would involve driving around an Americana inspired desert in a convertible, with four glossy haired fashion victims, fighting monsters, exploring dungeons, camping, cooking and generally having a Jack Kerouac style road trip, I would’ve probably freaked out because a madman was in my room claiming he knows the future… wait, where was I going with this? Basically, in the end, FFXV came together and much to my surprise provided me with a very unique, enjoyable gaming experience. You would think the release of new DLC would be an exciting event. But so far, the FFXV DLC has completely failed to grab my interest and Prompto’s episode looks set to keeping it that way.
I’m not going to go into too much detail on why the first DLC didn’t grab my attention. Too sum it up, it just looked like a series of corridors with a bunch of less dynamic fights. I didn’t really care what Gladio got up too after he spontaneously shrugged his shoulders and walked off in the middle FFXV. “Whatever Gladio, we’ll be fine without you!!” was my response.
The problem with having DLC that concentrates on Prompto, is that Prompto’s main weapon is a gun. Beforehand, Prompto was relegated to side character and did most of the fighting by himself, which was fine. But as a main character, well, you’re going to have to use guns, a lot. This significantly changes the game play. Although there’s nothing wrong with trying out something different, FFXV wasn’t built to be a third person shooter, so what we now have is basically a bit of a wonky looking shooter that doesn’t look or, I can imagine, feel anything like the main game. Seeing the trailer I couldn’t help but think of another mediocre FF third person shooter, the FFVII spin off PS2 game, Dirge of the Cerebrus: Final Fantasy VII. Which was hugely disappointing, to say the least.
Of course, it’s clear that the FFXV DLC is used as a means to fill in certain story elements and delve deeper into the characters themselves. There are two things wrong with this, however. Firstly, from the moment FFXV took on an open world format, the story was clearly going to suffer and lets be frank, it did. It wasn’t a bad story, it just wasn’t told very well. Not to mention there’s the anime, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, that already does a good job of filling in the backstory of the three main side characters. Secondly, all it does is draw attention to how much they rushed to release FFXV in the first place. I know, it’s crazy to think that a game that went through ten years of development could be considered rushed, but they clearly needed more time to refine it a little. They could have featured these backstory bits in the main game as side quests, where you play as the whole team with Noctis at the healm and therefore not having to reinvent the already fun game play.
I wish Square Enix would really take a look at what people enjoyed in FFXV and expand on that for their DLC. I think many people would agree, it was never about the story, it was more about exploring dungeons with your buddies at your back, zipping around the place as Noctis, armed with lots of cool melee weapons and not firearms. Wouldn’t it be cool to get a DLC that lets you explore more of the dark, demon infested world of the future, with the slightly older and grizzled cast of characters? Or maybe a handful of new and exciting monsters to hunt! How about the possibility of fighting and obtaining more summons! They have a long list of unused summons they could use from the huge catalogue of FF lore at their disposal. So much potential Square Enix, use it!
Until then, I guess I’ll look forward to playing cooking mini games that’ll probably replace all the fights in the Ignis DLC. That, or a recreation of what’s going on in Ignis’s head, as he stumbles through his own mind, desperately trying to come up with “a new recipaaaay.”
Gaming
Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5
It appears that many
are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.
We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.
「Stellar Blade」 Physical Package Secrets⚠️#StellarBlade #PS5 #Disc pic.twitter.com/WQSzKUSDQ4
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) April 22, 2024
It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.
Gaming
Here are all the patch notes for the new PS5 firmware update that adds the community game help feature
Sony has recently launched the newest PS5 system software update, which is always an exciting occasion for avid PlayStation fans. With a size of slightly over 1GB, you can download and install it right away. As always, the question remains: What exactly does the update bring to the table?
According to the official patch notes, there have been some notable improvements, particularly in the area of game help. We are introducing an exciting addition to our platform: the Community Game Help feature. This feature enhances the PS5’s Game Help system by providing you with gameplay videos from fellow players. Players have the option to choose whether or not they want their gameplay videos to be shared using this feature.
If you’re concerned about it, you can now hide your Remote Play connection status as well.
Presenting the complete patch notes:
- Game Help has been enhanced with the addition of Community Game Help features
- Within Game Help, players can find Community Game Help hints in supported games. These cues come from gameplay videos that other players have shared.
- If you’re up for it, you have the option to contribute to Community Game Help by giving permission for your gameplay video to be automatically recorded and included in the feature after it’s been reviewed
- If you want to join in, navigate to Settings, then Captures & Broadcasts, followed by Captures, Auto Captures, and finally Community Game Help. From there, simply choose the option to participate. Users have the option to unsubscribe whenever they choose
- During Remote Play, players now have the option to hide the persistent message “Remote Play connected.” that appears on their game screen. To ensure a seamless gaming experience, navigate to the Settings menu, then proceed to the System section. From there, locate the Remote Play option and activate the Hide Remote Play Connection Status feature
- The system’s software performance and stability have been significantly enhanced
- The messages and usability on some screens have been enhanced
While not the most groundbreaking update, the Community Game Help feature has the potential to be intriguing, contingent upon the number of games that offer support for it. What are your thoughts on the latest update? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has received an exciting update that introduces a new graphical mode, elevating the game’s visual experience. With a smooth frame rate of 40 frames per second and enhanced resolutions, players can now immerse themselves in even more stunning and detailed environments. Now downloadable on PS5 with the latest patch 3.2, this mode is compatible with 4K TVs that can handle up to 120 Hz. Before this update, Avatar PS5 only offered quality and performance modes. However, with this new option, players can now enjoy the benefits of both modes after downloading the 2.4GB update.
Throughout the PS5 era, 40fps modes have been a rarity, much to the disappointment of the hardcore community. Insomniac Games first introduced them in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and later added the feature to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They also included it in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Other PS5 titles, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Lies of P, and God of War Ragnarok, also offer 40fps modes.
In addition to that, Patch 3.2 for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings along the following:
Worldwide:
- Research Station Alpha now features a convenient Fast Travel option
- The issue of controller re-mapping and resetting on game restart has been resolved
- Addressed multiple instances of crashes
- I corrected a few spelling errors
- Addressed the issue of voice lines overlapping during dialogue
Primary Objectives & Optional Objectives:
- [Main Quest: Shadows of the Past] This main quest is an intriguing journey into the depths of history. Addressed a bug that previously hindered quest progression in co-op mode
More bug fixes have been implemented.
- [Available on all platforms] The rescued human characters no longer return to the Resistance HQ wearing masks
- Available on all platforms. There is a noticeable improvement in the visibility of NPCs when they are at the edge of the Player’s vision
- Gadgets9 years ago
Why the Nexus 7 is still a good tablet in 2015
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 5: is there room for improvement?
- Editorials9 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – How bad updates prevent people from enjoying their phones
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Nexus 5 2015 and Android M born to be together
- Gaming9 years ago
New Teaser For Five Nights At Freddy’s 4
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Google not releasing Android M to Nexus 7
- Gadgets9 years ago
Moto G Android 5.0.2 Lollipop still has a memory leak bug
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Nexus 7 2015: Huawei and Google changing the game