1. It takes a lot of practice to become good with a pad. I play shooters on the hardest difficulty with pad or mouse, but it's a lot less accurate with a pad. Don't be ashamed of turning difficulty levels down.
2. Most games render at 720p, I believe some are even upscaled to reach that level. It's old hardware, it can only handle so much. As for the FOV, they're not designed to be used on monitors. Low FOV is what you want for a TV setup, because it's further away. Higher FOV is better for monitors. If you're feeling unwell while playing, sit further back or plug it into a TV.
3. God of War is great, but starting with 3 is a bad idea. Not only is the story stupid compared to earlier ones, but that early battle isn't easy. If you've not yet learned to speak the game's language it's going to be a struggle. Figure out how to dodge, and use it a lot. IIRC, it's the right stick. Dodging is vital.
Red Dead involves a lot of shooting too, and if that's something you can't deal with on a pad you're not going to have a good time. You may have a better time with:
Journey
Shadow Of The Colossus
Flower
Heavy Rain
Honestly though, it seems like you've gone into this with your mind made up since before you plugged it in. If you've never played with a pad extensively before, there's going to be an adjustment phase. You also have to be a little more forgiving in terms of graphics, and judge the games on their own merits. I'm a member of the Master Race too, but consoles still have some outstanding games.
1. It takes a lot of practice to become good with a pad. I play shooters on the hardest difficulty with pad or mouse, but it's a lot less accurate with a pad. Don't be ashamed of turning difficulty levels down.
2. Most games render at 720p, I believe some are even upscaled to reach that level. It's old hardware, it can only handle so much. As for the FOV, they're not designed to be used on monitors. Low FOV is what you want for a TV setup, because it's further away. Higher FOV is better for monitors. If you're feeling unwell while playing, sit further back or plug it into a TV.
3. God of War is great, but starting with 3 is a bad idea. Not only is the story stupid compared to earlier ones, but that early battle isn't easy. If you've not yet learned to speak the game's language it's going to be a struggle. Figure out how to dodge, and use it a lot. IIRC, it's the right stick. Dodging is vital.
Red Dead involves a lot of shooting too, and if that's something you can't deal with on a pad you're not going to have a good time. You may have a better time with:
Journey
Shadow Of The Colossus
Flower
Heavy Rain
Honestly though, it seems like you've gone into this with your mind made up since before you plugged it in. If you've never played with a pad extensively before, there's going to be an adjustment phase. You also have to be a little more forgiving in terms of graphics, and judge the games on their own merits. I'm a member of the Master Race too, but consoles still have some outstanding games.
Hi Pirate,
Thanks for your thoughts.
Indeed, there seems to be a very specific learning curve for gamepad shooting/aiming, almost like a skill totally apart. I bought Red Dead cheap today and enjoying it very much. (There is a "casual" aiming mode which automatically snaps to targets, but I'll try to leave it off, to see if I can get a little better with the shoot/aim skill)
I did not go into this with my mind set up. I was actually very excited, because I was telling myself that consoles must have a redeeming feature, for all their shortcomings (apart for teh obvious ones like less expensive to get set up, more user friendly, faster to get into games, easier to paly with friends etc). This redeeming feature, I thought to myself, would probably be the fact that some of the exclusives are probably made with such a high degree of quality, or innovative gameplay mechanics, so as to make them really desirable, for anybody not owning the respective console, and sway them to the camp, so to speak.
There may be that the selection I have does not reflect this (I also have Little Big Planet 2, and Resistance 2, still to try). So I'm a little disappointed for the moment. But then again, probably coming from a top tier PC 3D vision experience, with the wealth of titles of any genre that the PC gets, I should have had more realistic expectations.
So I guess, if people do enjoy console gaming, do they do it for lack of better options?
Probably. Though that's another discussion.
I'll probably finish Red Dead Redemption, since it seems to be really well made and interesting (it's just so difficult to adjust to the graphics, I keep thinking I really messed the monitor set up some how, or maybe the HDMI cable witches to 540p whatever), and then I need to make the big decision:
I return the console right away, or I try GTAV, since if Rockstar pulls a "RDD" on PC gaming with this one, I'll probably be extremely pissed (unless Watch Dogs is really good and in perfect 3D)
In any case, thank you all for your thoughts. And whatever happens I will make sure I thank my friend sincerely for the opportunity he offered, regardless what I really think of console gaming.
Hi Pirate,
Thanks for your thoughts.
Indeed, there seems to be a very specific learning curve for gamepad shooting/aiming, almost like a skill totally apart. I bought Red Dead cheap today and enjoying it very much. (There is a "casual" aiming mode which automatically snaps to targets, but I'll try to leave it off, to see if I can get a little better with the shoot/aim skill)
I did not go into this with my mind set up. I was actually very excited, because I was telling myself that consoles must have a redeeming feature, for all their shortcomings (apart for teh obvious ones like less expensive to get set up, more user friendly, faster to get into games, easier to paly with friends etc). This redeeming feature, I thought to myself, would probably be the fact that some of the exclusives are probably made with such a high degree of quality, or innovative gameplay mechanics, so as to make them really desirable, for anybody not owning the respective console, and sway them to the camp, so to speak.
There may be that the selection I have does not reflect this (I also have Little Big Planet 2, and Resistance 2, still to try). So I'm a little disappointed for the moment. But then again, probably coming from a top tier PC 3D vision experience, with the wealth of titles of any genre that the PC gets, I should have had more realistic expectations.
So I guess, if people do enjoy console gaming, do they do it for lack of better options?
Probably. Though that's another discussion.
I'll probably finish Red Dead Redemption, since it seems to be really well made and interesting (it's just so difficult to adjust to the graphics, I keep thinking I really messed the monitor set up some how, or maybe the HDMI cable witches to 540p whatever), and then I need to make the big decision:
I return the console right away, or I try GTAV, since if Rockstar pulls a "RDD" on PC gaming with this one, I'll probably be extremely pissed (unless Watch Dogs is really good and in perfect 3D)
In any case, thank you all for your thoughts. And whatever happens I will make sure I thank my friend sincerely for the opportunity he offered, regardless what I really think of console gaming.
RE: GTA
I'm holding out. You can probably borrow it again later if they never release a PC version, but I got burned on GTA IV.
[quote="Zappologist"]This redeeming feature, I thought to myself, would probably be the...exclusives[/quote]
Journey, Last Of Us. These two games alone made my PS3 purchase worthwhile. There were others I enjoyed very much, but those two are not to be missed. Last of Us does require a fair amount of precision shooting though, so be warned. But trust me, it's worth it.
I'm holding out. You can probably borrow it again later if they never release a PC version, but I got burned on GTA IV.
Zappologist said:This redeeming feature, I thought to myself, would probably be the...exclusives
Journey, Last Of Us. These two games alone made my PS3 purchase worthwhile. There were others I enjoyed very much, but those two are not to be missed. Last of Us does require a fair amount of precision shooting though, so be warned. But trust me, it's worth it.
Thank you for the advice.
I will see if my friend has Journey, but I will have to buy Last of Us, and it will probably be a little wasted. I told my friend that if I bought any game I will gift them to him when I returned the console, but I think he may expect to play Last of Us on his PS4.
Regarding the shooting/aiming, I'll get better.
It's of course very subjective but If you guys can think of any PS3 exclusives that should absolutely not be missed by an old veteran 3D PC games that "has seen them all", please suggest away :-)
Thank you for the advice.
I will see if my friend has Journey, but I will have to buy Last of Us, and it will probably be a little wasted. I told my friend that if I bought any game I will gift them to him when I returned the console, but I think he may expect to play Last of Us on his PS4.
Regarding the shooting/aiming, I'll get better.
It's of course very subjective but If you guys can think of any PS3 exclusives that should absolutely not be missed by an old veteran 3D PC games that "has seen them all", please suggest away :-)
Journey is a PSN title. Unless he's purchased it on his PSN account (and gives you his password), you'll need to buy it.
As for Last of Us, just buy it on ebay, then sell it back on ebay. You'll lose almost nothing.
Demon souls. The original 'souls' game. It's not available on PC, is Ps3 exclusive and is arguably the best IMO. One of the best franchises in gaming period, imo. Although if you're worried about your manhood in front of your wife maybe redeem that first with an easier game.
I've personally never been able to understand the hype around the Rockstar games. I found RDR mind numbing after the first area.
Demon souls. The original 'souls' game. It's not available on PC, is Ps3 exclusive and is arguably the best IMO. One of the best franchises in gaming period, imo. Although if you're worried about your manhood in front of your wife maybe redeem that first with an easier game.
I've personally never been able to understand the hype around the Rockstar games. I found RDR mind numbing after the first area.
i7-4790K CPU 4.8Ghz stable overclock.
16 GB RAM Corsair
EVGA 1080TI SLI
Samsung SSD 840Pro
ASUS Z97-WS
3D Surround ASUS Rog Swift PG278Q(R), 2x PG278Q (yes it works)
Obutto R3volution.
Windows 10 pro 64x (Windows 7 Dual boot)
I dont know about VG278H + PS3 even though I have both, but I used HMZ-T1 to play on PS3 in 3D. And these are the games that gave the best stereo effect:
Avatar: The Game
Uncharted 3
Motorstorm Apocalypse
I dont know about VG278H + PS3 even though I have both, but I used HMZ-T1 to play on PS3 in 3D. And these are the games that gave the best stereo effect:
Avatar: The Game
Uncharted 3
Motorstorm Apocalypse
Thanks a lot guys for the suggestions
Pirate - I'll look up Journey to see if it's up my alley as a genre. Last of Us I'll probably end up buying it, if I can find it cheapish. Maybe there are second hand shops I could try. I don't think eBay is very popular or has a large selection of goods here in Belgium, but I'll check it out;
Necropants - If Demon Souls is similar to Dark Souls as game mechanics (die so that you can learn), I don't think I'll like it. I seem to have an issue with that, gameplay wise.
Regarding RDR, it's of course personal, but so far it's the only title I tried that I could enjoy. The story is incredible, acting, animations, etc. The gameplay is deep enough with many things to do/explore ; the atmosphere and setting are incredible, and unheard of on PC (I could not believe it when, after the fort fight, the game ddi ot end but instead I get to explore another region, with diferent landscapes and vistas, simply breathtaking.
Of course, breathtaking may be a little too much to say, by today's graphical standards.
I just realised why I was so shocked by the image quality in all these PS3 games. It's 720p !!!
It took a while to realise, but it just hit me yesterday: I have not seen 720p in a game since more than [u]17 years [/u]!!!!
So I guess it makes sense that I'm a little shocked. I'll avoid playing anything on my PC before this experiment is over :-)
Mindw0rk - thank you for the list. I am more interested in unmissable games from the gameplay point of view, not visually. Like, unique gameplay mechanics, or stories, that a purely PC player might not find on PC at all.
I don't think there are many of those, and that's as it shoudl be anyway, PC gaming is vast.
RDR seems like the only candidate so far, this setting is really unexplored on PC, in an "open world" sense.
Im' really torn between Last of Us and GTAV (these concole games are not cheap :-)) It would be an unforgivable crime for GTA not to come to PC.
Pirate - I'll look up Journey to see if it's up my alley as a genre. Last of Us I'll probably end up buying it, if I can find it cheapish. Maybe there are second hand shops I could try. I don't think eBay is very popular or has a large selection of goods here in Belgium, but I'll check it out;
Necropants - If Demon Souls is similar to Dark Souls as game mechanics (die so that you can learn), I don't think I'll like it. I seem to have an issue with that, gameplay wise.
Regarding RDR, it's of course personal, but so far it's the only title I tried that I could enjoy. The story is incredible, acting, animations, etc. The gameplay is deep enough with many things to do/explore ; the atmosphere and setting are incredible, and unheard of on PC (I could not believe it when, after the fort fight, the game ddi ot end but instead I get to explore another region, with diferent landscapes and vistas, simply breathtaking.
Of course, breathtaking may be a little too much to say, by today's graphical standards.
I just realised why I was so shocked by the image quality in all these PS3 games. It's 720p !!!
It took a while to realise, but it just hit me yesterday: I have not seen 720p in a game since more than 17 years !!!!
So I guess it makes sense that I'm a little shocked. I'll avoid playing anything on my PC before this experiment is over :-)
Mindw0rk - thank you for the list. I am more interested in unmissable games from the gameplay point of view, not visually. Like, unique gameplay mechanics, or stories, that a purely PC player might not find on PC at all.
I don't think there are many of those, and that's as it shoudl be anyway, PC gaming is vast.
RDR seems like the only candidate so far, this setting is really unexplored on PC, in an "open world" sense.
Im' really torn between Last of Us and GTAV (these concole games are not cheap :-)) It would be an unforgivable crime for GTA not to come to PC.
Mindw0rk,
I also believe GTA will be much more up my alley, because of open world, setting, gameplay etc. I always enjoyed the GTAs immensely. Plus I hate zombies :-)
But from my experience so far with the PS3, I start worrying that the controle scheme might totally spoil the experience for me. I really am struggling to "feel it", so to speak, when I have to aim, look around, shoot, etc with the pad sticks. Something feels so totally wrong, for a PC gamer used to m+k. Plus, everytime a turn my head, in these console games, everythign gets blurry like hell, and the frame rates are alwyas so visibly low etc.
Anyway, I will indeed play the 3 Uncharted, started number 1 already. Then I'll check out Little Big Planet 2, and Resistance 3.
I think my friend also has Metal Gear Solid 4. Is it worth trying it? MGS games also never come to PC, and if I'm not mistaken, is the gameplay not stealth based? I love stealth games, but MGS seems to be a huge franchise, and maybe not all games have the same gameplay/quality. Your recommendations are again welcome :-)
Mindw0rk,
I also believe GTA will be much more up my alley, because of open world, setting, gameplay etc. I always enjoyed the GTAs immensely. Plus I hate zombies :-)
But from my experience so far with the PS3, I start worrying that the controle scheme might totally spoil the experience for me. I really am struggling to "feel it", so to speak, when I have to aim, look around, shoot, etc with the pad sticks. Something feels so totally wrong, for a PC gamer used to m+k. Plus, everytime a turn my head, in these console games, everythign gets blurry like hell, and the frame rates are alwyas so visibly low etc.
Anyway, I will indeed play the 3 Uncharted, started number 1 already. Then I'll check out Little Big Planet 2, and Resistance 3.
I think my friend also has Metal Gear Solid 4. Is it worth trying it? MGS games also never come to PC, and if I'm not mistaken, is the gameplay not stealth based? I love stealth games, but MGS seems to be a huge franchise, and maybe not all games have the same gameplay/quality. Your recommendations are again welcome :-)
OK, experiment almost over and here are my final words on this illuminating experience.
Bear in mind, these are the ramblings of a rabid PC gamer who never owned any console and have been playing PC games since the dawn of PC gaming. I've never taken an active position against console gaming, I just did not see any merit and never bothered with it personally.
Here's what I played, with brief impressions
- [u]God of War 3[/u]: Did not like it, stopped playing after first boss, I'm probably spoiled on community-fixed Darksiders 1+2
- [u]Killzone 3[/u]: OK shooter, strangely liked the story/acting more than the shooting, solid experience but surpassed in visuals and controls by any PC shooter, indie or AAA
- [u]Metal Gear Solid 4[/u]: Enjoyed it for a while but stopped playing due to inconsistent pacing and overindulgent cutscenes. Artistic vision is not solid enough to warrant the artsy-fartsy approach, but stealth was fun while it (briefly) lasted
- [u]Resistance 3[/u]: The first unexpected surprise. Best single player shooter I've played, ever, surpassing the overhyped Half Life series (which I've enjoyed in their time) in gameplay. Incredible guns, and unbelievably good enemy AI, and a total shock that similar things do not exist on PC, there is no excuse.
- [u]Uncharted series[/u]: I've been blown away by the scope and story and gameplay, the 3rd one being the best and most fleshed out. This is what I've been missing?
- [u]The Last of Us[/u]: The best single player game ever created on Earth (visuals and control scheme nonwithstanding, as for the whole discussion here). Won't dwell on it. It simply cannot be compared with anything, artictically, story-wise, and gameplay-wise (is this the only real "stealth" game I've ever played? I've played them all on PC!!!)
It shows an unexpected maturity of the gaming genre, bringing it closer to the artistic accomplishments of literature, music, movies. The fact that Naughty Dog are the only developers on the planet that get this, while all the others still waddle in artistic mud, is perhaps the most shocking discovery that this experiment offered. To preserve my sanity, I'll just put it under "best talents migrate to consoles to ensure revenue, due to high PC piracy".
Finally...[u]Heavy Rain[/u]: Incredible experience, could not believe adventure games can be this good, again artistically, but also as control scheme and presentation. Still playing this, but will finish it before returning the console.
Conclusion: I can no longer ignore console gaming, due to a couple of artists such as Naughty Dog and David Cage. This means I will have to buy a console, and then the difficult process to know what to play will be even more cruel. I'll have less time for games, but I hope it will be more "quality time" :-)
[b]Thank you all for your recommendations.[/b]
OK, experiment almost over and here are my final words on this illuminating experience.
Bear in mind, these are the ramblings of a rabid PC gamer who never owned any console and have been playing PC games since the dawn of PC gaming. I've never taken an active position against console gaming, I just did not see any merit and never bothered with it personally.
Here's what I played, with brief impressions
- God of War 3: Did not like it, stopped playing after first boss, I'm probably spoiled on community-fixed Darksiders 1+2
- Killzone 3: OK shooter, strangely liked the story/acting more than the shooting, solid experience but surpassed in visuals and controls by any PC shooter, indie or AAA
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Enjoyed it for a while but stopped playing due to inconsistent pacing and overindulgent cutscenes. Artistic vision is not solid enough to warrant the artsy-fartsy approach, but stealth was fun while it (briefly) lasted
- Resistance 3: The first unexpected surprise. Best single player shooter I've played, ever, surpassing the overhyped Half Life series (which I've enjoyed in their time) in gameplay. Incredible guns, and unbelievably good enemy AI, and a total shock that similar things do not exist on PC, there is no excuse.
- Uncharted series: I've been blown away by the scope and story and gameplay, the 3rd one being the best and most fleshed out. This is what I've been missing?
- The Last of Us: The best single player game ever created on Earth (visuals and control scheme nonwithstanding, as for the whole discussion here). Won't dwell on it. It simply cannot be compared with anything, artictically, story-wise, and gameplay-wise (is this the only real "stealth" game I've ever played? I've played them all on PC!!!)
It shows an unexpected maturity of the gaming genre, bringing it closer to the artistic accomplishments of literature, music, movies. The fact that Naughty Dog are the only developers on the planet that get this, while all the others still waddle in artistic mud, is perhaps the most shocking discovery that this experiment offered. To preserve my sanity, I'll just put it under "best talents migrate to consoles to ensure revenue, due to high PC piracy".
Finally...Heavy Rain: Incredible experience, could not believe adventure games can be this good, again artistically, but also as control scheme and presentation. Still playing this, but will finish it before returning the console.
Conclusion: I can no longer ignore console gaming, due to a couple of artists such as Naughty Dog and David Cage. This means I will have to buy a console, and then the difficult process to know what to play will be even more cruel. I'll have less time for games, but I hope it will be more "quality time" :-) Thank you all for your recommendations.
Wow, I honestly didn't expect that kind of dramatic turnaround. I agree with most of your assessments except God of War, which I enjoyed very much.
To be honest, it looks to me like you've played most of the stuff that's worth playing on the last gen of consoles. Beyond Two Souls is worth a look (though it suffers from similar problems to Heavy Rain - the man seriously needs to hire an editor). Journey and Shadow of The Colossus are also worth a look.
As for next-gen, I wouldn't recommend rushing out to buy anything just yet. There's very few exclusives that look worthwhile at this stage, and if you hold off for a while you'll probably be able to pick one up cheaper in 12 months. I personally plan on picking up a PS4 when Team Ico's next game comes out (Last Guardian), because right now the only console exclusives that have my curiosity are Bloodborne and the next Uncharted.
Wow, I honestly didn't expect that kind of dramatic turnaround. I agree with most of your assessments except God of War, which I enjoyed very much.
To be honest, it looks to me like you've played most of the stuff that's worth playing on the last gen of consoles. Beyond Two Souls is worth a look (though it suffers from similar problems to Heavy Rain - the man seriously needs to hire an editor). Journey and Shadow of The Colossus are also worth a look.
As for next-gen, I wouldn't recommend rushing out to buy anything just yet. There's very few exclusives that look worthwhile at this stage, and if you hold off for a while you'll probably be able to pick one up cheaper in 12 months. I personally plan on picking up a PS4 when Team Ico's next game comes out (Last Guardian), because right now the only console exclusives that have my curiosity are Bloodborne and the next Uncharted.
Hey Pirate :-)
The turnaround is not really dramatic, if you think about it. I'm just acknowledging the outstanding work of certain artistis, which, for reasons better not explored, are catering their wares to the console world instead of PC. And that this situation, in my opinion, makes it mandatory for a gamer who takes his hobby "seriously" to explore these exclusives and arrange for at least one playthrough.
Some aspectst I touched upon previously are still extremely agravating, especially to some types of gamers: the fuck-ugliness of the visuals, the "poor man's" control scheme, lack of real 3D etc.
[b]The Last of Us[/b] is the best game ever created [u]despite[/u] its graphics and controls, not due to it.
Enjoyed our discussion on this, guys.
PS
In the previous list of games I forgot to include GTAV, which I finished a couple of days before the PC release was announced. I peed my pants laughing, the script is off the wall, almost a Tarantino or Cohen brothers movie. But the controls and bad graphics made it almost an unbearable experience for me. I was constantly comparing it to the crisp and accurate headshots or groin shots I used to do while playing SR3 (or even GTA4), and the game suffers a lot by comparison. It totally ruined the "shooter" aspect for me, and it was the last straw before I decided that I can no longer play games on PS3.
Maybe next year I'll get a PS4, if the games are worth it.
Hey Pirate :-)
The turnaround is not really dramatic, if you think about it. I'm just acknowledging the outstanding work of certain artistis, which, for reasons better not explored, are catering their wares to the console world instead of PC. And that this situation, in my opinion, makes it mandatory for a gamer who takes his hobby "seriously" to explore these exclusives and arrange for at least one playthrough.
Some aspectst I touched upon previously are still extremely agravating, especially to some types of gamers: the fuck-ugliness of the visuals, the "poor man's" control scheme, lack of real 3D etc.
The Last of Us is the best game ever created despite its graphics and controls, not due to it.
Enjoyed our discussion on this, guys.
PS
In the previous list of games I forgot to include GTAV, which I finished a couple of days before the PC release was announced. I peed my pants laughing, the script is off the wall, almost a Tarantino or Cohen brothers movie. But the controls and bad graphics made it almost an unbearable experience for me. I was constantly comparing it to the crisp and accurate headshots or groin shots I used to do while playing SR3 (or even GTA4), and the game suffers a lot by comparison. It totally ruined the "shooter" aspect for me, and it was the last straw before I decided that I can no longer play games on PS3.
Maybe next year I'll get a PS4, if the games are worth it.
Pretty much agree with everything there. Consoles aren't great for graphics or controls (though the new gen is significantly closer to PC, and some games have always been better with a controller), but they've done some fantastic things for gaming as a whole.
Pretty much agree with everything there. Consoles aren't great for graphics or controls (though the new gen is significantly closer to PC, and some games have always been better with a controller), but they've done some fantastic things for gaming as a whole.
2. Most games render at 720p, I believe some are even upscaled to reach that level. It's old hardware, it can only handle so much. As for the FOV, they're not designed to be used on monitors. Low FOV is what you want for a TV setup, because it's further away. Higher FOV is better for monitors. If you're feeling unwell while playing, sit further back or plug it into a TV.
3. God of War is great, but starting with 3 is a bad idea. Not only is the story stupid compared to earlier ones, but that early battle isn't easy. If you've not yet learned to speak the game's language it's going to be a struggle. Figure out how to dodge, and use it a lot. IIRC, it's the right stick. Dodging is vital.
Red Dead involves a lot of shooting too, and if that's something you can't deal with on a pad you're not going to have a good time. You may have a better time with:
Journey
Shadow Of The Colossus
Flower
Heavy Rain
Honestly though, it seems like you've gone into this with your mind made up since before you plugged it in. If you've never played with a pad extensively before, there's going to be an adjustment phase. You also have to be a little more forgiving in terms of graphics, and judge the games on their own merits. I'm a member of the Master Race too, but consoles still have some outstanding games.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Indeed, there seems to be a very specific learning curve for gamepad shooting/aiming, almost like a skill totally apart. I bought Red Dead cheap today and enjoying it very much. (There is a "casual" aiming mode which automatically snaps to targets, but I'll try to leave it off, to see if I can get a little better with the shoot/aim skill)
I did not go into this with my mind set up. I was actually very excited, because I was telling myself that consoles must have a redeeming feature, for all their shortcomings (apart for teh obvious ones like less expensive to get set up, more user friendly, faster to get into games, easier to paly with friends etc). This redeeming feature, I thought to myself, would probably be the fact that some of the exclusives are probably made with such a high degree of quality, or innovative gameplay mechanics, so as to make them really desirable, for anybody not owning the respective console, and sway them to the camp, so to speak.
There may be that the selection I have does not reflect this (I also have Little Big Planet 2, and Resistance 2, still to try). So I'm a little disappointed for the moment. But then again, probably coming from a top tier PC 3D vision experience, with the wealth of titles of any genre that the PC gets, I should have had more realistic expectations.
So I guess, if people do enjoy console gaming, do they do it for lack of better options?
Probably. Though that's another discussion.
I'll probably finish Red Dead Redemption, since it seems to be really well made and interesting (it's just so difficult to adjust to the graphics, I keep thinking I really messed the monitor set up some how, or maybe the HDMI cable witches to 540p whatever), and then I need to make the big decision:
I return the console right away, or I try GTAV, since if Rockstar pulls a "RDD" on PC gaming with this one, I'll probably be extremely pissed (unless Watch Dogs is really good and in perfect 3D)
In any case, thank you all for your thoughts. And whatever happens I will make sure I thank my friend sincerely for the opportunity he offered, regardless what I really think of console gaming.
I'm holding out. You can probably borrow it again later if they never release a PC version, but I got burned on GTA IV.
Journey, Last Of Us. These two games alone made my PS3 purchase worthwhile. There were others I enjoyed very much, but those two are not to be missed. Last of Us does require a fair amount of precision shooting though, so be warned. But trust me, it's worth it.
I will see if my friend has Journey, but I will have to buy Last of Us, and it will probably be a little wasted. I told my friend that if I bought any game I will gift them to him when I returned the console, but I think he may expect to play Last of Us on his PS4.
Regarding the shooting/aiming, I'll get better.
It's of course very subjective but If you guys can think of any PS3 exclusives that should absolutely not be missed by an old veteran 3D PC games that "has seen them all", please suggest away :-)
As for Last of Us, just buy it on ebay, then sell it back on ebay. You'll lose almost nothing.
I've personally never been able to understand the hype around the Rockstar games. I found RDR mind numbing after the first area.
i7-4790K CPU 4.8Ghz stable overclock.
16 GB RAM Corsair
EVGA 1080TI SLI
Samsung SSD 840Pro
ASUS Z97-WS
3D Surround ASUS Rog Swift PG278Q(R), 2x PG278Q (yes it works)
Obutto R3volution.
Windows 10 pro 64x (Windows 7 Dual boot)
Avatar: The Game
Uncharted 3
Motorstorm Apocalypse
i5 2500K/16gb/GTX 970/Asus VG278H + Sony HMZ-T1
Pirate - I'll look up Journey to see if it's up my alley as a genre. Last of Us I'll probably end up buying it, if I can find it cheapish. Maybe there are second hand shops I could try. I don't think eBay is very popular or has a large selection of goods here in Belgium, but I'll check it out;
Necropants - If Demon Souls is similar to Dark Souls as game mechanics (die so that you can learn), I don't think I'll like it. I seem to have an issue with that, gameplay wise.
Regarding RDR, it's of course personal, but so far it's the only title I tried that I could enjoy. The story is incredible, acting, animations, etc. The gameplay is deep enough with many things to do/explore ; the atmosphere and setting are incredible, and unheard of on PC (I could not believe it when, after the fort fight, the game ddi ot end but instead I get to explore another region, with diferent landscapes and vistas, simply breathtaking.
Of course, breathtaking may be a little too much to say, by today's graphical standards.
I just realised why I was so shocked by the image quality in all these PS3 games. It's 720p !!!
It took a while to realise, but it just hit me yesterday: I have not seen 720p in a game since more than 17 years !!!!
So I guess it makes sense that I'm a little shocked. I'll avoid playing anything on my PC before this experiment is over :-)
Mindw0rk - thank you for the list. I am more interested in unmissable games from the gameplay point of view, not visually. Like, unique gameplay mechanics, or stories, that a purely PC player might not find on PC at all.
I don't think there are many of those, and that's as it shoudl be anyway, PC gaming is vast.
RDR seems like the only candidate so far, this setting is really unexplored on PC, in an "open world" sense.
Im' really torn between Last of Us and GTAV (these concole games are not cheap :-)) It would be an unforgivable crime for GTA not to come to PC.
If I were you, Id go through whole Uncharted series. Its a real gem on PS3
i5 2500K/16gb/GTX 970/Asus VG278H + Sony HMZ-T1
I also believe GTA will be much more up my alley, because of open world, setting, gameplay etc. I always enjoyed the GTAs immensely. Plus I hate zombies :-)
But from my experience so far with the PS3, I start worrying that the controle scheme might totally spoil the experience for me. I really am struggling to "feel it", so to speak, when I have to aim, look around, shoot, etc with the pad sticks. Something feels so totally wrong, for a PC gamer used to m+k. Plus, everytime a turn my head, in these console games, everythign gets blurry like hell, and the frame rates are alwyas so visibly low etc.
Anyway, I will indeed play the 3 Uncharted, started number 1 already. Then I'll check out Little Big Planet 2, and Resistance 3.
I think my friend also has Metal Gear Solid 4. Is it worth trying it? MGS games also never come to PC, and if I'm not mistaken, is the gameplay not stealth based? I love stealth games, but MGS seems to be a huge franchise, and maybe not all games have the same gameplay/quality. Your recommendations are again welcome :-)
Bear in mind, these are the ramblings of a rabid PC gamer who never owned any console and have been playing PC games since the dawn of PC gaming. I've never taken an active position against console gaming, I just did not see any merit and never bothered with it personally.
Here's what I played, with brief impressions
- God of War 3: Did not like it, stopped playing after first boss, I'm probably spoiled on community-fixed Darksiders 1+2
- Killzone 3: OK shooter, strangely liked the story/acting more than the shooting, solid experience but surpassed in visuals and controls by any PC shooter, indie or AAA
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Enjoyed it for a while but stopped playing due to inconsistent pacing and overindulgent cutscenes. Artistic vision is not solid enough to warrant the artsy-fartsy approach, but stealth was fun while it (briefly) lasted
- Resistance 3: The first unexpected surprise. Best single player shooter I've played, ever, surpassing the overhyped Half Life series (which I've enjoyed in their time) in gameplay. Incredible guns, and unbelievably good enemy AI, and a total shock that similar things do not exist on PC, there is no excuse.
- Uncharted series: I've been blown away by the scope and story and gameplay, the 3rd one being the best and most fleshed out. This is what I've been missing?
- The Last of Us: The best single player game ever created on Earth (visuals and control scheme nonwithstanding, as for the whole discussion here). Won't dwell on it. It simply cannot be compared with anything, artictically, story-wise, and gameplay-wise (is this the only real "stealth" game I've ever played? I've played them all on PC!!!)
It shows an unexpected maturity of the gaming genre, bringing it closer to the artistic accomplishments of literature, music, movies. The fact that Naughty Dog are the only developers on the planet that get this, while all the others still waddle in artistic mud, is perhaps the most shocking discovery that this experiment offered. To preserve my sanity, I'll just put it under "best talents migrate to consoles to ensure revenue, due to high PC piracy".
Finally...Heavy Rain: Incredible experience, could not believe adventure games can be this good, again artistically, but also as control scheme and presentation. Still playing this, but will finish it before returning the console.
Conclusion: I can no longer ignore console gaming, due to a couple of artists such as Naughty Dog and David Cage. This means I will have to buy a console, and then the difficult process to know what to play will be even more cruel. I'll have less time for games, but I hope it will be more "quality time" :-)
Thank you all for your recommendations.
To be honest, it looks to me like you've played most of the stuff that's worth playing on the last gen of consoles. Beyond Two Souls is worth a look (though it suffers from similar problems to Heavy Rain - the man seriously needs to hire an editor). Journey and Shadow of The Colossus are also worth a look.
As for next-gen, I wouldn't recommend rushing out to buy anything just yet. There's very few exclusives that look worthwhile at this stage, and if you hold off for a while you'll probably be able to pick one up cheaper in 12 months. I personally plan on picking up a PS4 when Team Ico's next game comes out (Last Guardian), because right now the only console exclusives that have my curiosity are Bloodborne and the next Uncharted.
The turnaround is not really dramatic, if you think about it. I'm just acknowledging the outstanding work of certain artistis, which, for reasons better not explored, are catering their wares to the console world instead of PC. And that this situation, in my opinion, makes it mandatory for a gamer who takes his hobby "seriously" to explore these exclusives and arrange for at least one playthrough.
Some aspectst I touched upon previously are still extremely agravating, especially to some types of gamers: the fuck-ugliness of the visuals, the "poor man's" control scheme, lack of real 3D etc.
The Last of Us is the best game ever created despite its graphics and controls, not due to it.
Enjoyed our discussion on this, guys.
PS
In the previous list of games I forgot to include GTAV, which I finished a couple of days before the PC release was announced. I peed my pants laughing, the script is off the wall, almost a Tarantino or Cohen brothers movie. But the controls and bad graphics made it almost an unbearable experience for me. I was constantly comparing it to the crisp and accurate headshots or groin shots I used to do while playing SR3 (or even GTA4), and the game suffers a lot by comparison. It totally ruined the "shooter" aspect for me, and it was the last straw before I decided that I can no longer play games on PS3.
Maybe next year I'll get a PS4, if the games are worth it.