The Switch 2 Was Never Meant to be a Powerhouse Console

Certain consoles come along and brag about how powerful they are. "This new PlayStation will render water so realistically you'd swear you're swimming," or, "You can see every blade of grass in this new Xbox game," and so forth. Nintendo's consoles haven't ever (to my memory) been focused on bragging about computing power or such. The idea has been to make fun and interesting games via their wacky ideas. These ideas sometimes work out amazingly (the smash success of the Wii and Switch consoles) or flops a bit (the Wii U struggled). 

Still, complaining about a Nintendo console struggling to render games with the best graphics or such just doesn't make much sense. It is like complaining your shortberry shortcake ice cream sundae doesn't have any banana--you could've just got the banana split then! I saw all this as Polygon had an article remarking on how some ports to the Switch 2 of popular games already have it struggling to chug along a bit. I get the idea, but the Switch 2 will, most likely, find a way to keep itself relevant for a bit even as Sony or Xbox hype up their newest uber-powerful machines (which won't even support discs in Sony's case). I think the Switch 2 will continue to do just fine within its processing limits and remain a fun console known for just that: fun. Plus, the fact that we can at least have physical versions of many games if we want is a nice feature in an era where everything is going digital-only, whether we like it or not.

Sony is Killing Disc-Based Games, Physical Media Continues to Disappear

Sony has announced that, come 2028, games will no longer have physical disc releases. Everything will be digital on the PlayStation store or those little download codes in boxes at retailers. This will, in essence, kill the resale market for any new video-games games and really makes it look like the PlayStation 6 could be coming in 2028, and will be digital-only. We've had the option of digital-only consoles for some time (Xbox Series S springs to mind), but that being the sole option is worrisome for reasons I have outlined in various posts. You don't truly own that digital content, after all, and it could get harder to access at any point in the future. As if to drive this point home, Sony also announced it was shutting down the virtual stores for the PS3 and Vita--so download any games or updates while you still can! The internet is, to put it simply, enraged/pissed/big mad. 

In this day and age, even if a ton of sales are digital, having physical options makes it easier to rent a game, check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend, or otherwise do things that save consumers money. Then again, I suppose that costs companies some extra bucks they want to squeeze from people. Between AI chatbots that almost seem eerily self-aware and spew misinformation, the rise of science denial or political faelshoods (an alarming number of people insist the Earth is flat, vaccines cause autism, and any election their candidate didn't win was rigged), everything becoming a subscription service, and basic human rights being under attack (marriage equality, the right to an abortion, trans rights, and the list goes on), this future we're rapidly speeding towards seems more like a brick wall of destruction than an open road of progress. You know, Marion Stokes spent decades operating many VCRS so that she could tape hundreds of hours of television. She was a librarian, T.V. producer, and activist who was concerned that if we didn't have a record of what really happened in history, lies and falsehoods would be easy to spread with zero proof to counter them. Now, everything may end up digital and easy to alter without anyone noticing. My point is, she had a pretty solid argument.

I Have Ongoing Concerns About When Physical Media Disappears and We Don't, "Own," Our Digital Media

UPDATE ON 4/30/26:

Sony has clarified that the DRM is apparently going to be a one-time license check to prevent priacy, but as Polygon points out, "Even a one-time check for PlayStation DRM is concerning." I'm sure this story will continue to develop.

ORIGINAL POST:

An assortment of news stories got me thinking of that phrase, "You will own nothing and you will be happy." Lots of things are now subscriptions or services. You don't own your movie, you have a membership with a streaming service that offers it. You don't own a record/tape/CD, you can stream it for a monthly cost. Your game pass renders games unusable if you stop paying...but you can buy a digital copy you do, in fact, own, right? Well, as of March 2026, it seems PlayStation has implemented a method to disable games from working if you don't connect to the internet with a digital game (that you supposedly own) at least once every 30-ish days. This wasn't announced or anything; people just noticed it and are hot pissed. Gamestop is taking advantage of this PR blunder, of course. Not all games have physical copies, however, which raises concern. 

This new PlayStation fiasco also makes me think about comics people read online and how hard it can be to get a physical copy of certain stories if they aren't kept in print--and I don't mean weird, obscure stuff; notable arcs face this too, as Comicsbeat discussed. If we can't find physical versions of media and lack real control of our digital content, do we truly, "Own," anything? There are some cool games coming out this May, and I don't like the idea that Sony can simply say, "Nah, you bought this but ain't gonna play it." If I want to use a subscription service for my games, movies, television, comics, and what have you (and I do for some stuff), then that is fine! The concerns arise when I don't even have a physical ownership option, and my digital item, which I bought, is still treated as a rental. Perhaps some twisted Hell where everything is somehow a subscription service is inevitable, but I hope not. I like the option to at least truly possess my stuff within my own hands

I'm Bad at, "Drop Duchy," but it's Still Incredibly Fun

"Drop Duchy," has been on computers, but recently came to all finer consoles. It is a mix of genres and gaming ideas. There are roguelike elements, resource management, military strategy, and it is all wrapped up in a strange game of Tetris. It sounds bizarre, and it is, but I dig it! I'm also very bad at it.

I'm not the best at puzzles or planning out fancy strategies in games. I often will find my little army vastly outnumbered in a round of, "Drop Duchy." That, or I'll make a mistake with resource placement. Hell, sometimes I'll just kind of forget I had a piece reserved for something and totally screw up the whole board, repeatedly. I am an extremely mediocre player of, "Drop Duchy," but it is such an enjoyable game, I know that's okay! I don't feel I have played enough to offer a true, "Review," but I'd highly encourage everyone else to give it a try!

Sony is Raising the Price of a PlayStation 5, Nintendo is Charging More for Physical Games, and Further Mayhem...

Sit down, Gen-Z and younger, to listen to the old Millennial. You see, it used to be that our console games were only available on physical cartridges and discs, which wasn't always optimal, but it was nice to be able to boot up a game and simply play it. No patches or fixes, zero random updates, it just worked. With the rise of digital, physical game sales have steadily decreased (stores like GameStop expanded into a variety of markets to compensate). You can download a game to your console, and that can be great! If you can afford the console.

The PlayStation 5 was released in November of 2020. It has a digital-only version and a fancy Pro version, but is arguably a half-decade or so old in tech (with the Pro a bit fancier). As us Millenials who played consoles back in the day can attest (and GenX who played the even older consoles will agree), usually when a console is around for a while, the price starts to come down. It is older tech, a newer generation will eventually be on the way, and so forth. However, with computing power being gobbled up more and more for AI, those microchips and GPUs, and such, are being bought in large quantities and costing more. Plus, our moronic President's tariffs don't help, either. That is why Sony just announced a price increase on the PS5. Yep, a PS5 that cost $500 in 2020 is going to cost you $650 in 2026, a whole one hundred and fifty smackers more. All the various PS5 models are shooting up in price, with the PS5 Pro set to cost $900. Dropping nearly a grand on an already-outdated, "Pro," model of a gaming console sounds insane, but welcome to 2026! People are not reacting well to this news, obviously.

You might be saying, "Forget that noise! I want to play new games, but I'm mad at Sony for this increase and don't want to pay the higher price for Xbox Game Pass, either. I'm going to stick with my Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 and enjoy physical games on them, none of that digital mumbo-jumbo!" Well, Nintendo is going to start charging more money for the physical copies of their games as opposed to digital, starting with, "Yoshi and the Mysterious Book," running $60 for a download (that you do technically own at least) , but $70 for a copy you can actually, "Own," in the sense of holding it in your hands. Nintendo is saying this is a misunderstanding and, "The cost of physical games is not going up," but, uh, yeah, they are! Don't tell me your game is going to be sixty dollars, then put out information saying the physical copy costs more, followed by you acting like the $60 you already disclosed is some kind of, "Digital discount." That's the equivalent of peeing on my leg and telling me it's raining--then, trying to sell me an umbrella!

Back to you shouting out loud to anyone who will listen, "Alright then, screw gaming, I'm just going to stream Netflix and save some money!" Oh, you sweet Summer child, Netflix is raising its prices, yet again, and you can expect to pay $20 for the, "Standard," ad-free plan, which you may recall won't let you share your password with friends anymore. Again, welcome to 2026--everything is more expensive and less user-friendly! If things are getting to the point you want to dust-off your old Bluray or DVD player and just check-out movies from the library, I don't blame you. Hell, some libraries let you get games too. Maybe try that, at least until the government outlaws libraries because nothing awful our current administration could do would surprise me at this point. Now, if you excuse me, I have an idea to bring back the renting of game consoles like in the old days, but with an added twist, kind of like a timeshare. That idea may sound absolutely terrible, and that's why I say for a third and final time, "Welcome to 2026!" Let's all try to make it out alive.

Playing "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater," Results in a Mix of Emotions

"Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater," was originally released on November 17th, 2004. I played the original game 20 years ago, as I was a huge fan of the franchise from the first, "Solid," up through the fifth and final to have Hideo Kojima involved in the franchise (he was the director/guiding force and left the company, Konami, to make his own games). The third game was possibly my favorite, a prequel to the first two games focused on the original, "Snake," who later games have you play as a clone of (the games had lots of weird sci-fi concepts and interesting ideas about militarism, patriotism, and so forth). It is now 2025 and a special remaster/re-release is out and titled, "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater." It is the same game in its DNA, but the graphics are improved (and amazing), and some gameplay elements have been tweaked, but much remains the same. Revisiting MGS3 all these years later in such a format brings mixed emotions.

Playing this game again, but now on a PlayStation 5 instead of 2,  feels like eating a meal I adored long ago and missed, but now it's back with much of the original recipe followed, yet it is even more savory to chew on and admire. Think of putting on an old blanket that has had some of the rips and tears fixed to be even more comfy. That said, this recipe has a new chef, and the blanket had somebody new sew everything up. That's right, even though Hideo's original vision is closely followed, he had zero involvement in this remaster. The original bones are there but this Frankenstein's monster has a bunch of new flesh that lacks the original Dr. Frankenstein/mad scientist at the helm, for better or worse. A masterpiece being redone without the auteur who made it feels a little wrong and gives me a slight icky feeling as I play. Still, I can admire how much has held up 20 years later in MGS3. They made it pretty and tweaked some gameplay, but it is still MGS3 and fun as Hell to play, watch the long cinema scenes of, and absorb the weird geo-political plot whilst you sneak in the grass and shoot tranq darts at Soviet soldiers.

"Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater," reminds me of when the original, "Star Wars," trilogy was remastered (although George Lucas himself was behind that so the comparison doesn't fully work). It has the classic in there, but things are different to a degree that old fans may love or hate, and new fans will simply admire as being cool due to knowing no difference. I mean, not to age everyone who remembers the OG game too much, but I must emphasize this came out 20 years ago, and besides being prettier and changing some gameplay, it still is fully MGS3, quirks and all--that's how damn amazing it was then and now. Is it wrong to even tweak a masterpiece a little for modern audiences, however? Should we rebel the same way fans did when Lucas dropped his own new version of, "Star Wars," to the chagrin of some die-hards? At least the main man behind the movies chose to have the updates happen; Kojima hasn't touched this remake at all, just the suits at Konami making an extra buck off the amazing work of him and his original team (not to dismiss how hard the new team worked to modernize MGS3, of course).

At the end of the day, you'd have to ask yourself if you'd go back to a restaurant and order your favorite dish even if you know a new chef is cooking it whilst trying to hew closely to the original notes? You need to look inside and consider if you'd be okay with someone altering your beloved blanket to make it better in practice, but still changed. These metaphors are a bit strained at points, but they illustrate how it feels to play, "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater." It is just as fantastic a game as it was over two decades ago, but when the lynchpin that made the original so great is excluded, we might struggle with emotions over a new iteration. If more remakes get made, things will only get hairier, too, so prepare yourselves for that--we do have four other games theoretically ripe for the picking, after all! As it stands, this game remains 5 out of 5 Stars all these years later, with or without the ease-of-use changes and pretty graphics. "Metal Gear Solid," is/was a fantastic franchise without a doubt--I can say that with zero hesitation, at least!

"Halo," is Coming to the PlayStation 5

Back in the day, we had us some console wars. In May, I blogged about how vicious companies could be towards each other before relations thawed a lot this decade. In the aforementioned post, I even said, "...how long until a, 'Halo,' game arrives on the PS5..." without suspecting that before the year would end we'd get an official announcement; yes, "Halo: Combat Evolved," will be launching on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5. It is a new remaster of, "Halo," with fancy graphics, gameplay tweaks, and so forth, but it is still at its heart, "Halo," and somehow on the PS5. 

I guess at this point, it doesn't matter too much what console you have if you want to play a game from Microsoft, as they want to port stuff to anything that can handle their games. This is welcome news for me, as I cancelled my Game Pass for now and am playing my PS5 a lot more than my Xbox Series S. It just is interesting how years ago the idea of, "Halo," on PlayStation seemed outlandish, but now here we are.

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Play, "Alan Wake 2," On the PS5

If you have a PlayStation 5, you most likely have at least the bare minimum version of its internet service, PlayStation+. The cheapest option lets you play games online with others and get a few free games every month. This month, one of those free games happens to be, "Alan Wake 2," and you should download it ASAP.

Funnily enough, I was already playing, "Alan Wake 2," via checking it out from the library, but now I can play it without even needing a disc! Set in the same in-game universe as, "Alan Wake," and, "Control," you don't need to have played either to enjoy this intense and thrilling horror title. The first, "Alan Wake," was more of an action and adventure game with some scary trappings while, "Control," was quirky, and I honestly didn't vibe with it much. "Alan Wake 2,"  however, is spooky, mysterious, and incredibly engaging. 

There are ample creepy vibes.

A chunk of the game is spent as Saga Anderson, an FBI agent with some strong problem-solving skills and profiling abilities, while some of the game is spent as Alan Wake himself. By playing as both her and him, you try to figure out what creepy and culty business is happening in the Pacific Northwest. It is quite an intense game and I'm loving it as I do many of the games Remedy puts out (my weird inability to get into, "Control," aside). If you've got a PS5 and even the base subscription to PlayStation+, go add, "Alan Wake 2," to your library now and get to playing it; I know I'm having a ball--albeit a very intense one!

With the Latest Price Hike I'm Canceling My Xbox Game Pass

I don't play a ton of video-games these days. I do sometimes get a chance and enjoy renting games for my PS5 from the library and/or VStock. With my Xbox, I've used the Game Pass to sample various titles as I don't, "Own," them via the pass, but can play a variety of stuff. I'm going to cancel my pass this month, however. The main reason? A sudden and massive price hike with little to show for it. Yeah, Microsoft, this wasn't a good move.

There are various, "Levels," of Game Pass, and the, "Best," in terms of getting the most games to play, is the Ultimate Level. It has been $20 a month for a long time, but starting this November, it is shooting 50% to $30. This means it will be the most expensive streaming service around, to my knowledge. The other Game Pass echelons will be going up in price too, with many saying the, "Premium," level will now be best as there isn't too much coming via Ultimate besides some big day-one games to fiddle with. I'm just quitting for now, though, as I don't want to pay more for less. Other folks are angry as well, and Microsoft isn't giving us much for this upcoming cash grab besides a lot of old Assassin's Creed titles or that Hogwarts school game, if you're into Harry Potter games without Harry Potter.

Is this proof that Game Pass is not a sustainable model? Is this because Microsoft is thinking of launching a, "Free with ads," style version of Game Pass? Will a massive number of cancellations counteract any possible benefit of a price increase? Clearly, there are many questions that only those with access to big ol' spreadsheets (for how much money Game Pass has made/lost) or the ability to tell the future (for how this will work out) can answer. All I personally know is I don't use my Game Pass enough right now to want to pay $360 total a year. If a title comes to Game Pass which I'm chomping at the bit to play. I may dive back in for a month someday in the future, but for now, I'm much happier just occasionally renting games and buying ones that I determine I absolutely love and need to own. I mean, heck, that PlayStation Network has its own Game Pass-style options that might start looking pretty attractive to sample now as well, even!

The, "Mindseye," Game Had as Bad a Launch as Folks Expected

"Mindseye," is an open-world-ish shooter game that had a former longtime, "Grand Theft Auto," producer (director for this game) named Leslie Benzies, involved in its creation with the new studio, Build a Rocket Boy.  As its release date neared, there were concerns expressed about the game being functional/more than vaporware. As the launch neared, Build a Rocket Boy co-CEO Mark Gerhard went on a strange PR offensive, saying people were funding a smear campaign against the game. Gamers were hoping for something akin to, "GTA," "Mafia," or the like, but as many feared, the launch is a hot mess. Reviews are negative, and people are demanding refunds. As for damage control, that's just making things worse!

There were big plans for, "Mindseye," according to Build a Rocket Boy. User-created content enabling some kind of Roblox-esque community was intended, but will this game last long enough for any dreams of long-lasting content creation to come to fruition? We've seen games launch in a messy state and be drastically improved with patches. I'd argue that of two big examples of that, "No Man's Sky," and, "Cyberpunk 2077," that even upon launch both were quite good, even if flawed, however. "Mindseye," just seems like it was delivered to players in shambles, with gamers left to pick up the pieces. I always prefer it when a game surprises people pleasantly, but not this time. "Mindseye," can be played on an Xbox, PS5, or via STEAM, but that is not recommended right now by most folks, clearly.

The Switch 2 Officially is for Sale

The Switch 2 is (theoretically) available in stores now. I previously discussed that it looked powerful and pricey at its $450 price point. That assessment still stands. Plus, many--including myself to a degree--are wondering if we're even nearing seeing the end of consoles (as we know them at least), considering almost any console can play any game these days (except with Nintendo only sharing stuff with other companies a little bit). That said, besides one store accidentally stapling through the screen of the new console on any copies they sold, this seems to be a relatively chill launch. Some folks waited in line, and a number had success even without a preorder. I haven't read of any absurd fist-fights breaking out or thefts occurring. 

Not everybody who wants a Switch 2 on day one is succeeding at getting the console, while some folks got multiples to flip for a profit (as always happens). Still, initial glitches or quirky system rules aside, this seems to have been a pretty relaxed debut of the new console without being so laid-back as to create the impression of a flop (the Wii U tried so hard but failed so epically). I'm in no rush to purchase a Switch 2. Cost of it aside, I have plenty of games I need to get into via my Game Pass on my Xbox Series S, as well as some PlayStation 5 titles I want to sample still. I don't need to add another console with fun games into the mix when I'm as behind on trying titles as I already am. That said, I wish anybody who has already acquired a Switch 2 hours upon hours of fun with the new, "Mario Kart World," or whatever they choose to play.

The Wildest Thing in the Latest (Surprise), "Grand Theft Auto VI," Trailer? A Non-Toxic Relationship

"Grand Theft Auto VI," was delayed. Rockstar (the developer) announced it, and not many folks were surprised but it did hurt the stock of Take-Two (the publisher). However, the surprise release of the second official trailer for the game got everyone excited and helped the stock bounce back. Everying in the trailer is apparently in-game (via a PlayStation 5) and a chunk of footage is from gameplay, with some from cinema scenes. We know the protagonists are named Jason and Lucia, and some people think they look a bit boring. That said, the craziest thing to me in the trailer was not any cool explosion or how impressively a piece of clothing shimmered (although there are plenty of things going, "Boom," and outfits that look shiny). No, the fact that Jason and Lucia seem happy shocked me and others.

A happy couple on a date...in, "GTA?"

In the, "Grand Theft Auto," Universe, all relationships seem horrible. Nobody is happy and people just want money, sex, fame, or a mix of the three. Jason and Lucia look like they may be criminals and toxic people, but their relationship actually seems... wholesome? It appears he is eager to greet her when she is released from jail. They make out and have sex (of course), but also just relax and cuddle. They hold hands and seem to legitimately care about each other as human beings. That's surprising for, "Grand Theft Auto."

Joyful cuddling? In, "GTA," of all places?

Rockstar's games set in the, "Red Dead Redemption," theme feature more nuanced relationships, but in, "GTA," a relationship that is, "Mature," usually just means cursing and bumping uglies. An, "Adult," relationship where people actually act like adults seems shocking and shows some growth in the franchise. I'm sure there will be plenty of silly jokes, lots of violence, and the occasional clever insight about the, "The American Dream," through the skewed view, "GTA," has always presented it. I'm just especially intrigued by the idea of two protagonists who support, love, and care about each other unconditionally. Come May 26th, 2026, we'll be able to learn a lot more about Jason and Lucia--then we can see if RockStar nails the subtleties of a grown-folk relationship or struggles with it.

A Ramble About the Console Wars at the News of How a, "Gears of War," Remaster is Coming to Xbox AND PlayStation 5

My birthday year starts with 19 instead of a 20, so I'm older and remember how things used to be quite different for better and worse. I grew up in the time of the console wars, where people were viciously loyal to one company and their games over another corporation. You were a Sega fan or a Nintendo fan, for example. You hated the other folks with a passion! Then, it was all about Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft with GameCubes/Wii, PlayStation 2/3, Xbox generations, and so forth in the early 2000s. Somewhere along the way, the icy relations started to thaw (arguably, the end of Sega being in the console Market when they gave up on the Dreamcast is one big moment), and the console wars now seem relatively antiquated.

Yes, there are differences between a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. There especially are differences between those and the Nintendo Switch. Still, you can play certain games with people on other consoles or a PC--that would be unheard of some time ago! Xbox is even letting some of their console exclusives go over to others, with the latest example being a, "Gears of War," remaster coming to both Xbox and the PS5. For years, the, "Gears of War," franchise has been synonymous with Xbox almost as much as Halo--how long until a, "Halo," game arrives on the PS5 or Sony maybe decides to share some love towards Microsoft with a, "Last of Us," adaptation or such? Right now things are more in the direction of Xbox stuff on PlayStation, but we will see.

Banjo Kazooie is owned by Microsoft, but they'll let them appear in a, "Super Smash Brothers," game on the Switch, and Nintendo lets Switch players enjoying, "Minecraft," spend time with Xbox fans of the game. Sony has zero issues with their, "Fortnite," players seeing those on other consoles as well. All of these companies are in competition, yes, but they seem to want to collaborate a bit if it provides benefits (AKA money) for them because the players are pleased. This is a good thing, undoubtedly, it just felt a bit odd when Sonic and Mario started hanging out and it only gets stranger seeing all these other companies so eager to share when I recall how the idea of Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo getting along like this seemed absurd two or so decades ago. It used to be, "[Sega] Genesis Does What Nintendon't," or, ""Do Not Underestimate The Power of PlayStation." Now it's more like, "Hey, let's all play together!" I like it, the tonal shift just is fascinating to someone who remembers the old days.

The Official, "Oblivion," Remaster Was Announced and Released Today

Elder Scrolls Games have a lot of fans. Many folks (myself included) adored the 3rd in the series back in 2002, "Morrowind," while the fourth, "Oblivion," came out in 2006 and has numerous fans and the most recent came out in 2011--"Skyrim," and was pretty popular as well. In what was technically a massive surprise if it hadn't been such a badly kept secret, a total remaster/reworking of, "Oblivion," was announced and promptly released today by Bethesda on PS5, Xbox, and PC. There is still that mod in the works too, so you could basically play two totally different and, "New," versions of, "Oblivion," this year if you wanted.

Early buzz for this remake is positive. It looks good, even if a little muddy and muted. I'm going to be honest and let you all know that while I loved, "Morrowind," and quite liked what I played of, "Skyrim," I randomly enough never played, "Oblivion." I'm not sure why, I was perhaps a bit busy in 2006, seeing as I graduated high school and went off to college that year. I did play video-games somewhat during my initial collegiate time, however, but while I dabbled in, "Dead Rising," and, "Hitman: Blood Money," a good deal, I just never tried, "Oblivion," and therefore can't offer any opinions on the original's quality or if this remaster compares favorably. It is available for, "Free," on Xbox's Gamepass, however, so perhaps I should give it a try sometime in the near future? The question is what other game from my backlog I've been meaning to play that I'll need to delete first to have the memory space, however!

PS Plus Prices Are Increasing in Other Countries...Could America be Next?

Oftentimes, companies will test something out in one country before implementing it in others. Netflix tried cracking down on password sharing in various regions before bringing it to North America, to give one example. Hence, hearing that PlayStation Plus is raising its price in other countries makes me nervous. Before too long, we could see Sony decide to raise the cost of PS Plus here too, with nary an extra, "Benefit," for us as a result. No matter the reason (tariffs, inflation, etc.), prices will go up, and eventually these increases will hit everyone. Fun times, eh?

"Marvel Rivals," Early Impressions

"Marvel Rivals," was announced back in March and looked like it could be fun. The developer behind it, Netease, got roasted online for requiring people testing the game to say only positive things, and that was embarrassing. The thing is, the game is actually quite fun and turning into a hit, so in retrospect that rule wasn't even needed. Yes, "Marvel Rivals," is a bit of a knock-off of, "Overwatch," in the third-person instead of first but it is also quite entertaining from the bit I've had a chance to play so far.

Essentially, a bunch of characters who all play pretty differently yet somehow manage to (mostly) balance each other out and compete in arenas (which are somewhat destructible as a nice touch) to win a match. The rules can involve escorting an item/device to a new location or claiming a spot for your team in a best-out-of-three situation, to name some scenarios. The game is completely free with every single character playable from the start. You see, in a manner similar to a game like, "Fortnite," the money comes from folks buying cosmetic upgrades and customizations--you don't pay to gain any actual in-game advantage. The, "Cast," is insanely stacked with 33--yes you read that right--different options. One character is even kind of two as it is Cloak and Dagger. More are somehow on the way as well.

I haven't played every character yet but I did (obviously) sample Moon Knight and immediately enjoyed gliding around with my crescent moon cape. I also had a pretty good time playing the up-close-brawler of Captain America as having the shield to block projectile fire from other foes generally gave me a few much-needed seconds to figure out the best way to close some distance and smack them around. One especially interesting little touch is some characters can synergize with each other a bit if they're on the same team and unlock little extra boosts or moves (Hulk throwing Wolverine via a Fastball Special to give one example).

"Marvel Rivals," has been out barely a couple weeks but already is garnering a lot of attention due to being fun, fast, and (essentially) free. It has also helped some lesser-known characters from the comics who are on the roster get a lot of sudden attention (I'm all for folks loving Jeff the Landshark). With such a huge assortment of characters some can feel a little overpowered or underpowered against too many other options, but Netease is making constant tweaks to balance things out. Plus, as the game is out longer I'm sure more teams will form that take advantage of those synergistic powers. I haven't played a ton of Marvel Rivals yet on my PS5, but from what I have this is a darn good time.

5 out of 5 Stars (as an early impression).

Sony is Allegedly Working on a Competitor to the Nintendo Switch

Nintendo's Switch is both a home console and a portable one (besides the cheaper and portable-only versions). Back in the day I didn't think it would be as huge a hit as it was and didn't really, "Get it," until I started playing the console and found I dug it. That thing helped pass a lot of time during the pandemic lockdowns, I'll tell you that much. Sony must see how the Switch is popular and have some ideas. This is despite having attempted handheld devices before (the underrated PSP comes to mind, along with the massive bomb that was the Vita), but now a Switch-style PS5 or something like the Steam Deck is apparently in the early stages at Sony. From reports, these are very early stages and the whole thing could even end up being scrapped. 

Still, if Sony did make a console with the power of the PS5 and the capabilities of a Nintendo Switch, that could be pretty darn cool. I'll forever defend the original PSP as a bit ahead of its time and remember the device fondly (although the best console ever that was a bit too advanced for the times will forever be the Dreamcast), so a handheld-style PS5 sounds like an entertaining proposition if it ends up working out. I guess we'll know in a handful of years whether these rumors came to fruition or turned out to be silly gossip.

"Dead Rising: Deluxe Remaster," is a Fun Trip Down a Refreshed & Refurbished Memory Lane

I played a lot of the original, "Dead Rising," on my Xbox 360. It was a wildly fun (if at times really difficult) title where you play as a freelance photojournalist named Frank West. Frank West has gone to a small town in Colorado, which is being blockaded from the outside world and full of zombies. Yep, zombies. Frank has a helicopter drop him at the big town Mall and over 72 hours you (as Frank) can work to solve the mystery of what's going on and get everyone you possibly can out safely from the Mall too. Now the game is back in a deluxe remaster and I tried a good chunk on my PlayStation 5. It is as great a time as I recalled, if not even more fun now!

I loved the mixture of serious-and-silly in, "Dead Rising," as you were snapping photos and fighting zombies with random objects in the Mall. From benches to swords, toys to chainsaws, it is pretty zany. The story of the zombies and where they were coming from had some interesting twists and turns too that I appreciated. The remaster keeps much of the tone and adds a whole lot more voiceovers, great graphics, some gameplay tweaks, and is familiar to those of us old enough to recall the original but still fresh in a manner that it is fun to revisit the series with some much-needed changes--you can move while aiming a gun now, thankfully.

"Dead Rising: Deluxe Remaster," is like retooling a vintage treat for the modern day. You take a great game, polish off the aged aspects, give it a nice new graphical shine, and you're good to go. It's still plenty tricky, but I'm also at an age now where I realize there is no shame in an easy/casual mode that is offered. I don't have as much free time or patience to constantly die fighting zombies as I did back in my schooling days, after all!

5 out of 5 stars.

The PlayStation 5 Pro Sounds Fancy but I Don't Need One

I have a PlayStation 5. It is a lovely console and I have a great time using it. Sony announced today that there will be a PlayStation 5 Pro (kind of like how they did back with the PlayStation 4 and its pro iteration); it will cost 700 dollars. If you don't have a PS5 and have lots of money I suppose this mid-generation upgrade could make sense for you to purchase. Still, in a presentation where the PS5 Pro and its power got shown off...you can't really tell much of a difference between it and the standard PS5. Oh, besides it doesn't even come with a disc drive--that costs extra on top of the 700 smackers.

Again, if you have a bunch of extra cash and want your consoles and computers to have the best tech possible, you could buy a PS5 Pro before too long and have a great time using it with your 4K television or such. However, many people commenting online seem underwhelmed by what this new iteration does and what it costs. Plus, so much for any PS5 games you have on discs unless you shell out even more money for the optional disc drive (but then again, if you're buying this PS5 Pro with little hesitation you must have a lot of liquidity available). Long story short, I'm good with my, "Standard," PS5 for the foreseeable future.

The Video-Game, "Concord," Flopped and it Flopped HARD

Sometimes a game comes out and it really struggles for a while. Eventually, with patches and fixes, it becomes a fantastic and beloved title (look at, "No Man's Sky," or, "Cyberpunk 2077," for two great examples). Other times, a game is pretty mediocre but is, "Too big to fail," or to be allowed to flounder due to live-service ambitions and it keep chugging along despite relative player disinterest ("Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League," is a recent incident of this). There are times a game does so poorly that a studio quits offering much support for it, but keeps it running to at least salvage some money ("Exoprimal," wasn't even bad but suffered this fate). For a relatively big (in terms of development team size and money invested) game to come out and be shut down after barely two weeks, however? That's not something you usually hear about, but it is what's happening with, "Concord."

"Concord," was a 5 vs 5 team-shooter/hero-shooter game that you either have never heard of or maybe saw people mocking when it was first unveiled some months ago because it looked kind of hokey. Everyone is doing these team-shooter games these days and if you don't have a good gameplay hook or even characters people like you're in trouble. "Concord," had basically nothing going for outside of only costing $40 to buy for your PlayStation 5 or PC as opposed to how most games are at least $60 and sometimes lately even $70. Worldwide, the number of players engaged with, "Concord," was usually between 100-300 people. Yes, in the entire World. 

"Concord," apparently made all of one million dollars off of an investment of maybe 100 million bucks when it comes to sales--and everyone who did buy a copy is getting refunded because they're shutting this down within 2 weeks of launch. Perhaps it will come back as a free-to-play game with little cosmetic upgrades you could buy to show off to the other dozen people playing the game? That could happen, but right now it looks like, "Concord," is just a catastrophic loss, more of a money pit for Sony than an actual game. I feel bad for the team that worked years on this title and hope some degree of retooling can save it from total failure and obscurity.