Sony What should I play next?

[Smacktard]

Pick three!

I'll need a new game to play after I finish AssCreedIV. I have a lot to choose from, and I don't know where to start. I'll play them in the order of vote rankings, and I'll probably space out of each of these longer games with a shorter one in-between.

 

[Nae'blis]

Voted for GoW, GoT and Witcher III!

Mass Effect 1 was a close 4th.

 

[Tommy Boy]

Are these all games you have never played?

 

[Smacktard]

Are these all games you have never played?

 

[Lunar Kreskents]

Yakuza because I've never played that either and I'm curious how it is.

 

[Spiner202]

I voted for Horizon Forbidden West, Mass Effect 1, and Ghost of Tsushima.

The first of those 3 games I have played and really enjoyed. I have not played Mass Effect or GoT, but want to play both of them this year and want to hear your review!

I've played both God of War (2018) and The Witcher III, and I enjoyed the sequel to GoW much more than that one, and I liked The Witcher III at the time, but my recent revisit to its DLC didn't hold up for me.

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

Voted God of War, for the sole reason that it will lead into Ragnarok which is one of my favorite games ever.

2018 is a very good game, but it took me 2 tries to get into. Once you get into it, and it grabs you, it's incredible.

Also both games combined took me 55 hours, so they don't overstay their welcome.

 

[dimmerwit]

Just goes to show the dichotomy between people's views. I struggled enough with 2018 GoW and I really can't stand Ragnarok.

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

I struggled with the brutality of the first boss fight in 2018 and it almost completely turned me off from the game, but then I realized the whole point of the character was that brutality. The rest of the game didn't get to that level of visceral violence, so it helped.

I think Ragnarok is just a masterclass in storytelling.

 

[Smacktard]

Just goes to show the dichotomy between people's views. I struggled enough with 2018 GoW and I really can't stand Ragnarok.

I'm sure I'll like it because I liked some of the other games in the GoW series. Did you like the other GoW games? What turned you off GoW 2018 and Ragnarok?

 

[TD]

I tossed a vote out for Witcher since it's the only one I personally enjoyed. That said, I've had some friends play it recently and they've said it shows it's age and is janky.

I beat Shadow of the Erdtree but my overall opinion is meh.

Yakuza is the only one here I haven't tried, the others I put a couple hours into but couldn't get into.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Play Mass Effect. Ignore the DLC, its awful. Play Femshep (the VA is sooooo much better).

I'm biased here, it's the only game listed that I've played and I actually beat it... twice. I rarely beat games. If you can, make sure you play it on a system where you can play all three games because your choices carry over into the next games based on the save data. I never got around to playing through 2 and 3. My understanding is that two is much much better than 1.

I don't remember much about the first play through of ME1, except that I played the male and didn't invest my points correctly and combat wasn't as good. Second time, I had an idea of what guns I liked and focused on those while playing an aggressive but still good female Shepard. A badass chick who takes no shit from others and does what she thinks is right. It was fun. I always leaned more on playing females first in games before, but Mass Effect pretty much solidified that I prefer playing women in games.

 

[dimmerwit]

I'm sure I'll like it because I liked some of the other games in the GoW series. Did you like the other GoW games? What turned you off GoW 2018 and Ragnarok?

In truth, I'm not really sure. I just can't vibe with the combat or the story. I did play GoW 3 and enjoyed it. The new game does have a different tone in both story and combat which a lot of people enjoy, but every time I try and get back into Ragnarok I find that I just can't.

For the others: Mass Effect 1 is pretty good but it's the weakest of the series for me. I'd still recommend playing it if you are interested in the series as a whole, even if you just do the main story quests and the bigger side quests (which isn't long). 2 is exceptional, and whilst not quite as strong 3 is still very good.

Ghost of Tsushima is a good game, but I'd stick to the main story and major side quests because the game has a lot of filler.

The Witcher III was overall amazing in 2015, but aside from the DLC (both of which I played near release) I haven't played it since then. The story and world are exceptional, the combat I always thought less so. I'd still wager that the game is enjoyable in spite of that and its age.

Horizon Forbidden West is bigger but not necessarily better than the first. It's more refined to play but the story is weaker. Still, if you enjoyed the first you will enjoy this one.

 

[Ben]

You got my 1 second reaction pick, because my eyes immediately saw The Witcher III before any others. Even registering the contenders, I'd still say that one.

I... must admit to never having seriously played Mass Effect. I started to one time, but it just didn't absorb me and I never tried again since. Kind of the same deal with Ghost of Tsushima and Elden Ring. I think the could all be super enjoyable, I just don't think I've got the spoons to invest in becoming skilled at them, which is at least a requirement for Elden Ring I feel.

 

[Tommy Boy]

I... must admit to never having seriously played Mass Effect. I started to one time, but it just didn't absorb me and I never tried again since. Kind of the same deal with Ghost of Tsushima and Elden Ring. I think the could all be super enjoyable, I just don't think I've got the spoons to invest in becoming skilled at them, which is at least a requirement for Elden Ring I feel.

Dang. IMO, Mass Effect 1-3 are a must for any gamer that likes games. There are so many great games on this list, but I had to vote for ME because it's just a damn masterpiece. The story is incredible and vast, and the games get noticeably better each advancement. Doesn't have to be hard if you don't want it to be, and you don't have to dump your life into it.

Real talk: Mass Effect 1 is... dated, no need to ignore the obvious. Probably the biggest turn off is how old the game is at this point. ME 2 & 3 feel "newer" but they're still pretty old, too. If you can get past that, then it's worth investing time. It's been about 10 years since my last full playthrough of 1-3 and I still have vivid memories I can recall from the story.

But against this list, it's hard to recommend ME1, but knowing it comes with ME 2 & 3, I just hadda do it to em.

 

[Smacktard]

Tbh I was hoping to play ME first out of all of those games. I feel like I've been missing out on an important part of gaming history. Damn, I remember seeing my friend play it back when we were in grade 12. Crazy how long ago that was now.

Games being dated doesn't bother me. I was going to put a few other PS3 games on the list but ended up not bothering, thinking no one would vote for them.

I'm sad no one voted Erdtree though, cause Elden Ring is dang good. I might have to sneak that in somewhere.

 

[Quagmire]

Didnt realize I was supposed to pick 3 until after I voted

So Yakuza 0, Mass Effect and Witcher 3 (in that order)

ME games are relatively quick, 20-25 hrs on your first play through most likely so something to keep in mind if you are wanting a shorter experience

 

[Fire Queen]

i liked mass effect a LOT as a teen/young adult, and ME2 was one of my favorite games ever. replaying them as an adult...still fun but not as strong as i remembered. one of the ME2 dlcs in fact is one of the worst things i've ever played. (it features the line, "His autistic mind was as alien to me as that of an actual alien." yikes!) my wife and i still had a lovely time going through them together, but it might be less fun as a solo journey. BioWare's writing flaws are extremely evident, especially in 3.

my vote is obviously for Yakuza. i think there's way more there for a gamer of your oeuvre. it clears all of those other games on the strength of its minigames alone. it's time to learn riichi mahjong. you know this to be true.

 

[dimmerwit]

Real talk: Mass Effect 1 is... dated, no need to ignore the obvious. Probably the biggest turn off is how old the game is at this point. ME 2 & 3 feel "newer" but they're still pretty old, too. If you can get past that, then it's worth investing time. It's been about 10 years since my last full playthrough of 1-3 and I still have vivid memories I can recall from the story.

I first played the original game at the tail end of 2009 and it felt a bit dated even back then. Or at the very least there were questionable design decisions. Too much Mako was definitely one of them.

 

[Ben]

I've also got to admit, I have never seriously tried playing Knights of the Old Republic, either, despite how much I love Star Wars. It occupies the same space as Mass Effect for me. For whatever reason I never picked them up when they were relevant, and trying to go back to them now just feels clunky and dated. The stories don't grab me enough from the very beginning to make me fight through that.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I tried KOTOR once. I was under the impression it was an action-RPG but found myself still selecting actions from a menu like a turn-based RPG and immediately dropped it.

 

[Smacktard]

my vote is obviously for Yakuza. i think there's way more there for a gamer of your oeuvre. it clears all of those other games on the strength of its minigames alone. it's time to learn riichi mahjong. you know this to be true.

I was waiting for you to weigh in. Learning mahjong sounds awful but I know I will do it

On the plus side, learning Mahjong will make accessible about 70% of the Saturn library to me.

 

[Smacktard]

Also we now have a 4-way tie
What the hell you guys

 

[dimmerwit]

Yeah you have to play them all now. No excuses!

 

[Smacktard]

Yeah you have to play them all now. No excuses!

If the votes stand, I think I'll start with ME, Yakuza, and then play a sneaky lil Erdtree before continuing with The Witcher III

 

[Quagmire]

If the votes stand, I think I'll start with ME, Yakuza, and then play a sneaky lil Erdtree before continuing with The Witcher III

Good idea or flip Yakuza and ME and have a better buffer and not play 3 action/beatem'up games in a row (or maybe I just really want you to play yakuza first) Also it is longer than ME and Erdtree so bigger breather until you get to W3 (granted you say continue so I dont know how far you are into it)

 

[Smacktard]

Good idea or flip Yakuza and ME and have a better buffer and not play 3 action/beatem'up games in a row (or maybe I just really want you to play yakuza first) Also it is longer than ME and Erdtree so bigger breather until you get to W3 (granted you say continue so I dont know how far you are into it)

There is an important nuance I left out: I'm spacing out each of these long, serious games with like short 10-20 hour run-time romps in between, like Sly 2, Ratchet Booty Quest, Killzone etc.

 

[Quagmire]

There is an important nuance I left out: I'm spacing out each of these long, serious games with like short 10-20 hour run-time romps in between, like Sly 2, Ratchet Booty Quest, Killzone etc.

 

[Smacktard]

4-way tie. Starting Mass Effect tomorrow. Hoping to finish the 4-way tied games before I go back to Canada for Xmas but they're all giants.

 

[Kat]

I tossed a vote out for Witcher since it's the only one I personally enjoyed. That said, I've had some friends play it recently and they've said it shows it's age and is janky.

I've been playing Witcher 3 lately. My only real complaint is the world feels a bit empty. You do a lot of running around for side quests and gathering collectibles and it starts to feel tedious and pointless. The fast travel points are not in the right spots to be convenient and there's not enough in between them for running around so much to be fun. However the game is also easy enough that you don't need to do that stuff to grind for xp, so if you find yourself in that position, just don't do all the side stuff. I really like it otherwise, although I'll confess I only started playing it at all because I have a huge crush on Yennefer.

I haven't played any of the others and my only familiarity with the story is the show, which takes place long before Witcher 3. I'm still pretty confused about most of the plot (what exactly happened with Geralt and Trish and the whole memory loss thing??), but it's enjoyable anyway.

Anyway I haven't played the rest of the games that were tied so I broke the tie for you.

 

[Quagmire]

I've been playing Witcher 3 lately. My only real complaint is the world feels a bit empty. You do a lot of running around for side quests and gathering collectibles and it starts to feel tedious and pointless. The fast travel points are not in the right spots to be convenient and there's not enough in between them for running around so much to be fun.

I didnt feel that way about the world, but I also dont play a lot of open world games. I do agree about at least one fast travel point, and its the village where the Baron lives, it's outside the gates and you always have to go in. I do believe there is a mod for it

However the game is also easy enough that you don't need to do that stuff to grind for xp, so if you find yourself in that position, just don't do all the side stuff. I really like it otherwise, although I'll confess I only started playing it at all because I have a huge crush on Yennefer.

I haven't played any of the others and my only familiarity with the story is the show, which takes place long before Witcher 3. I'm still pretty confused about most of the plot (what exactly happened with Geralt and Trish and the whole memory loss thing??), but it's enjoyable anyway.

In the books originally Geralt dies. In the first game he is brought back to life/was not quite dead and I think that is what affected his memory.

I kind of forget where Trish fits into it. I know Yenneifer was from the books and eventually Trish Im pretty sure. I forget what brings them all together though

 

[Kat]

I didnt feel that way about the world, but I also dont play a lot of open world games. I do agree about at least one fast travel point, and its the village where the Baron lives, it's outside the gates and you always have to go in. I do believe there is a mod for it

I mean more when you need to go somewhere in the wilderness, you're going to have to do some walking. Especially when I get to my destination and realize I forgot to empty my bags so I have to go back to town and walk it again. It's not terrible, but it is annoying at times.

I kind of forget where Trish fits into it. I know Yenneifer was from the books and eventually Trish Im pretty sure. I forget what brings them all together though

In the show, iirc they are both witches and went through witch training together as kids, and they've been good friends ever since. So to me it was weird that Trish would date Geralt even if he didn't remember Yen. Like surely that would've come up?? Or she would've at least realized he didn't remember everything he should? Or maybe I'm mixing Trish up with a different witch, it's been a while since I've seen it.

There are other situations where it's obvious you have a history with the person you're interacting with, but there's only vague allusions to what it was in the game. However they do provide a helpful glossary of people you meet with some backstory provided there, which I appreciate. I don't think you can look at it during conversations though.

It's not a reason to avoid the game, but it might help to go read a summary of the story up until that point. Maybe I just need to go read the books.

 

[Tommy Boy]

I've been playing Witcher 3 lately. My only real complaint is the world feels a bit empty. You do a lot of running around for side quests and gathering collectibles and it starts to feel tedious and pointless.

The fast travel points are not in the right spots to be convenient and there's not enough in between them for running around so much to be fun. However the game is also easy enough that you don't need to do that stuff to grind for xp, so if you find yourself in that position, just don't do all the side stuff. I really like it otherwise, although I'll confess I only started playing it at all because I have a huge crush on Yennefer.

It definitely gets better. I gave up on it the first time because I felt over and underwhelmed at the same time. I put it down for months and then came back with a clean slate. Tried again and just didn't rush through anything, just tried to genuinely figure shit out - ended up getting hooked.

I haven't played any of the others and my only familiarity with the story is the show, which takes place long before Witcher 3. I'm still pretty confused about most of the plot (what exactly happened with Geralt and Trish and the whole memory loss thing??), but it's enjoyable anyway.

Anyway I haven't played the rest of the games that were tied so I broke the tie for you.

I went in with zero knowledge of previous games and books. Complete noob cannon. I think the context would be helpful for some encounters, but I would say I got through the game just fine without needing to know the old lore. But as a lore whore, I wished I knew everything while playing. Despite that, Witcher 3 is in my top 10 games of all time. Slow start but once I got going, I was really in it. I hope that spark happens for you.

Not important now but for down the road - did you get the GOTY edition, or DLCs for it? They are worth it.

 

[Kat]

Not important now but for down the road - did you get the GOTY edition, or DLCs for it? They are worth it.

I got whatever version was included with PS+ which I think includes DLC but I don't recall it mentioning GOTY.

 

[Ben]

My problem with The Witcher in general was after I put it down for a few months and then tried to pick it up again, I couldn't remember how the combat system worked at all.

 

[Smacktard]

My problem with The Witcher in general was after I put it down for a few months and then tried to pick it up again, I couldn't remember how the combat system worked at all.

Game controls have become so complex that this is literally an huge incentive for me to complete a game all in one go. If you put it down for a while and pick it back up, it's way harder than it was before because you're grappling with controls in mid-to-end game scenarios that you're just no longer equipped to handle.

 

[Smacktard]

I just finished Mass Effect and got the plat.

Imagine two thin slices of perfectly pan-toasted brioche bread, smothered in butter and coarse salt, maybe some cheese baked into them. In between these two heavenly slices is a thick cut of undercooked, unseasoned beef. That was my experience with the game.

The game's opening and final act were both excellent. In between these, I did all of the optional missions, uncharted planet exploration, etc. The optional missions are a LOT of filler. The uncharted planets are unfun to traverse and are all just different shades of the same barren, mountain ranges, with combat missions in the same copy+paste buildings, which all mostly play out the same.

I can see the seeds of an excellent game, but it really felt like the dev team ran out of time and/or needed to add some filler to pad out the run time a bit.

Some of the decisions genuinely felt significant in-game, and I really had to work my time thinking through a few of them. The voice acting was pretty good. Male Shepard was very assertive-bland, but it worked well for a self-insert character.

From what everyone said here, I'm guessing that ME2 fixed a lot of the problems in ME1. Looking forward to playing it already, but I'm moving on to Yakuza 0 after I take a short break with some more chill games.

Edit: oh also I played on the hardest difficulty the whole game. The game scales with level, so it doesn't really matter what level you are. Enemies end-game felt just as difficult as enemies at the start of the game. The difficulty is consistent, and never really felt that challenging. I wouldn't recommend playing on easier difficulties because it would be too much of a cake walk.

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

That's a good assessment of it. The actual story is awesome, and the payoff towards the end when you realize why Saren is doing what he is doing is my favorite part. But the actual game is dated and the side missions are not great.

 

[Smacktard]

That's a good assessment of it. The actual story is awesome, and the payoff towards the end when you realize why Saren is doing what he is doing is my favorite part. But the actual game is dated and the side missions are not great.

Yeah, I loved the story and the lore. It's one of the few games where I got really into the lore. I listened to every possible dialogue tree option, read most of the entries in the Codex... It was a very rich, interesting world they developed. I enjoyed how some of the more mysterious, optional stuff was explained later in the story, like the role of the keepers.