Zero Punctuation: Next Gen Buyer's Guide

[Jimmy T. Malice]

Well, with Ps4 you don't have to play online, and the whole sharing thingy is completely optional, with fun looking games announced for it... Is Yahtzee not that much in the loop or does he deliberately not mention such stuff for these videos? I'd think he'd be somewhat looking forward to Ps4, after all he always seemed to like InFamous which is just one of the launch titles set for Ps4.

He also liked the fact that inFamous 2 decisively ended the series. Now, whoops, there's another one!

 

[Joriss]

I got a Xbox 360 with loads of games I still have to master, a playstation one for the good old nostalgia rush and a wii that play my fun fun gamecube games and lovely classics from the SNES & N64 days...

Yeah I starting to think I don't need anything new at this point, I love what I got!

 

[Hyakunin Isshu]

I'm too lazy to make a full reply, so I'll C&P what I said in another topic:

---

But I think you all need to see this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G_f8YBy39M

It is about Used Games, and how very, very bad it is for all console Game-Makers. In fact, it makes Ben Croshaw look like a giant baka for thinking Used Games aren't hurting developers, or thinking: 'it's not that bad of a thing'.

In fact, It changed my mind on the topic. Please see the whole thing before replying.
And it the link doesn't work, then look for "The Devil's Halibut - Used Games" on youtube, It's by TotalHalibut.
---

 

[deadish]

Well, with Ps4 you don't have to play online, and the whole sharing thingy is completely optional, with fun looking games announced for it... Is Yahtzee not that much in the loop or does he deliberately not mention such stuff for these videos? I'd think he'd be somewhat looking forward to Ps4, after all he always seemed to like InFamous which is just one of the launch titles set for Ps4.

He is deliberately not mentioning it. He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

 

[deadish]

I'm too lazy to make a full reply, so I'll C&P what I said in another topic:

---

But I think you all need to see this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G_f8YBy39M

It is about Used Games, and how very, very bad it is for all console Game-Makers. In fact, it makes Ben Croshaw look like a giant baka for thinking Used Games aren't hurting developers, or thinking: 'it's not that bad of a thing'.

In fact, It changed my mind on the topic. Please see the whole thing before replying.
And it the link doesn't work, then look for "The Devil's Halibut - Used Games" on youtube, It's by TotalHalibut.
---

I have to admit, console makers are in between a rock and a hard place.

Used game sales are killing developers. But consumers like being able to resell their games - could even be considered a consumer right.

 

[AWAR]

Join our PC team, it's nice over here

 

[Madman123456]

I think microsoft wanted to have more focus on the additional features of the console because they thought "we're making a games console, of course it's going to have games!". Only it wasn't all that clear, since the other companies brought up their machines with useless gimmicky stuff most people don't need and therefore wont shell out money for it. Except for the useless gimmicky bullshit, i haven't seen anything that couldn't be done on the old consoles (albeit maybe in slightly lower texture resolution).

If my skyrim runs smoothly but stutters a bit when i download a new high resolution texture pack, would i run to the store to buy new parts for my computer to make it run faster for 500$? I highly doubt it.
Especially if those new parts came with annoying restrictions.

I do not care about social media connectivity, but companies would have me pay for the implementation of those things. Fair enough, i'll buy a ps4 controller and measure the "share" button. I will then make a plastic cap to fit over it and probably make a billion bucks.

Nintendo are masters of innovative controls that no one really wants. The wii mote might be fun for a while, but how many Wii's are gathering dust in your closets and attics?
The thing doesn't work reliably and if a can't have a "realistic" swordfight without having the most success by having a seizure i might as well not bother.
Three years after release they brought out the "wii mote+". It works better, still not as reliable as a button but it's something. After three years.
Might as well wait three years before i decide if i want to buy a new console.


All in all, i find this guide not cynical at all. I honestly couldn't recommend any of those new consoles to anyone.

 

[Nazulu]

I love it when you show the Gamecube with Metroid Prime as positives. I think I'm just going to replay every single classic game I own.

 

[Megacherv]

Ehhh, still annoyed with the whole 'Sony didn't show off the console' argument. They didn't show off a box, the did however reveal the specs in great detail, which is important to developers, you know, the guys who make the feckin' games. Microsoft on the other-hand said the phrase '5 billion transistors' and it sounded pathetic, like they're going for the ADD crowd by saying 'OOH LOOK AT ALL THE FANCY TERMS AND BIG NUMBERS!'.

 

[deadish]

Well, with Ps4 you don't have to play online, and the whole sharing thingy is completely optional, with fun looking games announced for it... Is Yahtzee not that much in the loop or does he deliberately not mention such stuff for these videos? I'd think he'd be somewhat looking forward to Ps4, after all he always seemed to like InFamous which is just one of the launch titles set for Ps4.

He is deliberately not mentioning it. He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

Again, this is not criticism anymore. This is PC gamer propaganda. You don't withhold information and lie to the public even when giving criticism.

From the guy that coined the derisive term, "The Glorious PC Gaming Master Race", that went on to hit meme status?

 

[catalyst8]

He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

You seem to misunderstand the word. In a professional sense a critic is 'a person who judges the merits of literary or artistic works, especially one who does so professionally.' (OED 2013)

Peter Brook explains the role eloquently in this article: http://austintheatre.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/peter-brook-on-job-of-critic.html

 

[tardcore]

Well, with Ps4 you don't have to play online, and the whole sharing thingy is completely optional, with fun looking games announced for it... Is Yahtzee not that much in the loop or does he deliberately not mention such stuff for these videos? I'd think he'd be somewhat looking forward to Ps4, after all he always seemed to like InFamous which is just one of the launch titles set for Ps4.

He is deliberately not mentioning it. He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

Uh yeah he isn't mentioning it because his point wasn't whether it could be turned off or not but that the social media features are a pointless waste of time in the first place. A point with which I happen to agree. Consoles used to be great because they were a reasonable cost, mostly non bullshit way to play fun games. Now days though developers seem to have forgotten this and are trying to morph their creations into something a large portion of the customer base doesn't need. Or more importantly doesn't actually want. And to add insult to injury aside from the extra uneeded bells and whistles these new consoles don't seem to offer much of an improvement to the gaming experience.

 

[theyellowmeteor]

I'm too lazy to make a full reply, so I'll C&P what I said in another topic:

---

But I think you all need to see this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G_f8YBy39M

It is about Used Games, and how very, very bad it is for all console Game-Makers. In fact, it makes Ben Croshaw look like a giant baka for thinking Used Games aren't hurting developers, or thinking: 'it's not that bad of a thing'.

In fact, It changed my mind on the topic. Please see the whole thing before replying.
And it the link doesn't work, then look for "The Devil's Halibut - Used Games" on youtube, It's by TotalHalibut.
---

Should I argue against his opinion, or declare his argument moot because he takes so long to get to the point and failed to keep me invested in whatever he was talking about?

Anyway, I get how the used games are affecting the developers, but saying that customers shouldn't sell their games and the like is a bit too... communist? I'll just go with extreme. What I'm saying is just because the developers are crippled by this thing it doesn't mean it shouldn't exist, the way I see it, the customer is free to act as they see fit, within reason, of course, and the company should persuade the customer to act in its favor. If customers opt to not buy a company's products, that too is a loss for it. It doesn't mean, however, that customers should be forced to buy its products. And it's common sense to sell something you own. Perhaps if some of the profit would go to the company that made the game? We are talking about intellectual property, after all.

 

[deadish]

He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

You seem to misunderstand the word. In a professional sense a critic is 'a person who judges the merits of literary or artistic works, especially one who does so professionally.' (OED 2013)

Peter Brook explains the role eloquently in this article: http://austintheatre.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/peter-brook-on-job-of-critic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critic

A critic doesn't have to be "balanced".

Also Yahtzee is part critic, part comedian. Those of us who tune in to ZP on a regular basis are full aware of his bias toward "making fun of stuff".

Some of his points are valid, some are nitpicking for humorous effect. Which of his opinions fall into which camp ... well that's up to you to interpret.

Well, with Ps4 you don't have to play online, and the whole sharing thingy is completely optional, with fun looking games announced for it... Is Yahtzee not that much in the loop or does he deliberately not mention such stuff for these videos? I'd think he'd be somewhat looking forward to Ps4, after all he always seemed to like InFamous which is just one of the launch titles set for Ps4.

He is deliberately not mentioning it. He is a critic not a reviewer. His job is to bash and pick apart stuff, not give a fair overview of things.

Uh yeah he isn't mentioning it because his point wasn't whether it could be turned off or not but that the social media features are a pointless waste of time in the first place. A point with which I happen to agree. Consoles used to be great because they were a reasonable cost, mostly non bullshit way to play fun games. Now days though developers seem to have forgotten this and are trying to morph their creations into something a large portion of the customer base doesn't need. Or more importantly doesn't actually want. And to add insult to injury aside from the extra uneeded bells and whistles these new consoles don't seem to offer much of an improvement to the gaming experience.

We have kind of hit a brick wall with console hardware advancement. The only left to improve is processing power and memory available - still a worthwhile improvement IMHO; developers don't have to cut back their vision so much due to technical limitations (less misery for the programmers too as they struggle to get the ideas of the game designers implement at a decent framerate). What else is there to improve? And no gimmicks don't count.

The social media thing can be though of as a gimmick. But who knows, some people might actually like it. /shrug

 

[Lilani]

I think I might just look into getting a good PC gaming build :-\ The only thing really holding me back is space. I've already got a 27" iMac and second monitor for my graphic design/animation work, so another desktop might be a bit on the obnoxious side. But I think it'll be better than investing in any of these.

 

[sharada]

Well, we always knew PC and console market will merge some time in the future. Because lets be honest - people these days dislike specialised electronic devices. Everyone wants their gadgets to play music, browse internet, throw angry birds at dirty pigs, bake pancakes and 3D-print the latest dildo design. An all-in-one. And with prices on electronics going down every year it's not even economically viable to offer anything less!
Out with consoles, in with Ultrabooks, I say! Everything you can do, I can do better. All it takes is a selection of Bluetooth accessories.

 

[DanDanikov]

Absolutely spot on, and no, I refuse to be held hostage, so I won't be buying one.

I'm only now considering buying a PS3 once the PS4 drives the prices down for its exclusives, given it'll all be dirt cheap by then. Hopefully there'll be enough people playing Journey at that time for it to retain its magic.