Critical Frames: A PlayStation Podcast

Starting with Sony's mixed bag of this quarter - PS5 sales have slowed, but software profits are soaring. We then discuss the surprising decision to bring Jedi Survivor to 8th-generation consoles, over a year after its current-gen debut; how do they market this and what's the price point? A very odd move by EA.

Plus, we've got exciting news for Final Fantasy VII fans: the trilogy finale will feature a revamped Queen's Blood minigame which could lead to muddying what people loved about the original version in Rebirth or something that sees more success than ever before. Joe breathes a sigh of relief as Sony Santa Monica finally steps away from God of War to work on a brand-new IP - their first in over 20 years. But what's going on with Bloober Team? Their CEO’s unusual plea for patience with the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake has us wondering if there's more to the story...

Finally, we wrap up with our definitive Game of the Year picks, spotlighting the must-play titles on PlayStation. Whether you're a longtime fan or just diving into these epic adventures, we've got some great recommendations to keep your gaming library stacked!

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Bryan and Joe dive into some shocking developments: Bungie faces a major shake-up with 220 employees laid off and 155 others relocated to Sony Interactive Entertainment. Not harsh enough of a blow? Well, Game Informer shuts down after an incredible 33-year run. Better yet, they didn't even inform their staff in preparation for the closure! Is it a sign of the end times for the industry?

We also examine the Star Wars Outlaws previews. Joe shares his ongoing adventures in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, praising its evolving world that relates directly to where he's at in the narrative. Meanwhile, Ghost of Tsushima fights for the top spot against the mighty Bloodborne for Bryan's favourite Sony AAA title of all time.

For our special topic this week: imagine you're stranded on a desert island with only five PlayStation games, a sub-platform, and one piece of PlayStation memorabilia to be your very own Wilson from Castaway. What would you choose? Tune in for our picks and share yours in the comments!

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An eclectic mix of news stories this week for PlayStation. First up: one of Joe's favorite games, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (and his Game of the Year 2023), has shipped over 3 million copies worldwide, making it the highest-selling title in the series to date. We then turn our attention to Team Ninja's Rise of the Rōnin, as a demo is available for curious players across the globe, leaving your hosts to wonder: "Is it time to try it out?"

For the main body of our show, we discuss the neat quality-of-life features that are currently being beta-tested for the console, including personalized 3D audio profiles and new Remote Play settings. And, oh what a surprise! We're back to covering Concord, which somehow has fewer players in Open Beta than it did in Closed Beta - what's going on there?

With the news out of the way, we gush about Ghost of Tsushima in our "What We've Been Playing" segment. Finally, we take a trip down memory lane, assessing and ranking all the PlayStation controllers throughout history, from the classic lacking-in-joystick pad to the innovative DualSense on the PlayStation 5.

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We're a month away from Sony's AAA shooter, Concord and the reception has been less than ideal for developers, Firewalk Studios. To give you a greater perspective, we share our impressions from the closed beta and highlight ones from journalists in the industry.

Moreover, Joe's been playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, noting his growing appreciation for the game. Bryan, meanwhile, is enthralled by the early hours of Ghost of Tsushima, praising its visuals, storyline, and historical setting. Lastly, we list our most disappointing PS3 exclusives. Which games failed to meet expectations? Our picks might surprise you!

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Given our somewhat frequent focus on Xbox, you'd be forgiven if you've previously questioned whether this is a PlayStation podcast. The reason? Their regular half-generational changes to their "modus operandi" often impact our beloved ecosystem and the industry nearly every time. So today, we're covering Xbox's confusing new multi-tiered Game Pass pricing because it gives us cause to compare it with its "rival" subscription service, PS Plus and reiterate the point we've been making since day zero: "Buy your games, people!"

But wait! There's more! We rank all PS5 exclusives and evaluate the generation as a whole. Oh, and have you ever smelt a game disk in front of a woman? Well, Bryan has and he lives (embarrassingly so), to tell the tale...

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Despite reports of Helldivers 2 losing 90% of its PC player base and positive previews for Concord ahead of its beta launch later this month, this week remains slow for news. Seizing this opportunity, we’ve decided to create a list of the most influential PlayStation games that have impacted us from childhood to today. So buckle up, this one gets a little heavy near the end.

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The original Final Fantasy VII is one of the most legendary games of all time, a household name for many and at the very least, a revered title for others. So, it was no surprise that with the launch of the 8th generation consoles, fans of the series were calling for any fraction of news on whether a remake title was actually in development for the 1997 classic.

So, in 2015, Square Enix answered that call. Blowing fans out of the water with not just the run-up to launch but the game itself, they brought the original development team back together to create "a modern reimaging of one of the most iconic games of all time" and one of the best remakes to date.

For our inaugural limited-time patron-exclusive episode of Critical Frames+, Bryan and Joe revert to a time long past and recount their experiences with Final Fantasy VII Remake; the good, the bad, and the plain old awesome.

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With the Summer Game Fest showcases wrapped up, it's a slow week, but we're still bringing you a great show!

In the news, Mike Darrah, formerly of Bioware, explains why AAA games take so long to release. Jeff Grub reports on a PS3 emulator in the works, and the original Resident Evil is now on GOG, with 2 and 3: Nemesis coming soon. Additionally, images and videos of a Jet Set Radio remake have leaked, and Stellar Blade has sold over one million copies.

Bryan talks about returning to Nier Automata to get the "final ending" after uninstalling it, and he and Joe discuss whether the highly praised Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree expansion lives up to the hype. Spoiler alert: It's complicated.

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Elden Ring's massive expansion Shadow of the Erdtree is finally upon us and the reviews are out. Miyazaki has much to say about Bloodborne and a potential port or remaster. New Dragon Age The Veilguard details emerge. Helldivers II continues to impress, while Destiny 2: The Final Shape brings the series to new heights. Can PlayStation survive the next generation when Microsoft shifts the industry at every opportunity? Do games get more beautiful than The Last of Us? Does Nier: Automata have too many endings? These burning questions and most of their answers lie within.

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Playstation finally faces strong competition with an Xbox Showcase that's once in a generation, if not two. Many hard-hitting titles like DOOM: The Dark Age, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 are coming to the PlayStation anyway, so how much does it really matter? Ubisoft is showing up as well, with big titles like Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Taking into consideration Sony's incredible first half of the year with the release of Helldivers II, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Rise of the Ronin, Stellar Blade, and its continued output for the rest of the year alongside other publishers' titles, it's an incredibly strong year for the platform. An amazing showcase is one thing, but a healthy brand is another leads us to question: is this still PlayStation's year

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