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Tacitus
If you don't have it, you should get Strider on the PSN. Few bucks and a great, classic side-scroller. I can't imagine you NOT liking it, unless it's just too simple of controls or something.
Ghost of Tsushima
Lovely game, so far. I've put about 30 minutes into it, while pacing my ogling over the visuals. After two plays I finally reached the title screen last night. The introductory gameplay and tutorials are quite long, but beautiful. I was worried that most of the game would be cut scenes, but now the world has opened up and I can ride around. I'm not sure HOW open the world is yet, as I had an on-screen prompt warning me to return to the "tale" area with a countdown timer clicking away. That was also before I realized I was still in the tutorial play.
Visuals are gorgeous. I think that should go without saying though. Options are nice as well. For example, there is an HDR setting and a cinematic black and white film nod setting. Everything is black and white!!! You have voice acting options for Japanese or English (with Japanese accents). I tried to go full Japanese with English subtitles, but action got too much while dialogue kept rolling. It FELT perfect, but had no idea what was going on lol. There were a few instructional pop-ups during combat that I accidentally clicked past, but so far combat isn't so complicated. I feel like controls are a bit faster and smoother than say Demon's Souls, and not nearly as clunky. The visual telegraphs of your enemy's moves are readable so I haven't felt overwhelmed yet. If anything, it may be a bit too easy. Still, I've only cleared the tutorial area so I'm sure that will pick up here quick.
There are a lot of flashbacks, just in the first 20 minutes. Very nice cinematics and backstory there.
Now that I'm in the world of the game, the menu and map screens have changed up and seem more complicated. I will have to spend time exploring that but as far as I can tell, you have "Tales" that are your optional missions to track. Available Tales show icons on your map and for whichever one you select, that becomes your focus. During gameplay I'm not seeing a minimap. There may be a toggle, but if so, I think I'll leave it off. Instead, you sort of summon the wind and the leaves will blow in the general direction of where you need to go. It appears as though you have slots for equipment upgrades. I'm just not sure where or how to get them.
Interesting stuff. Nothing feels too difficult, except for the awkward "can I explore?" or, "Are there things to loot?" questions, but that will all sort in time. Right now, if any of you think you'd enjoy a Red Dead Redemption mixed with a bit of Witcher III within Crysis III environments, all with a samurai sword and in black and white and surround sound Japanese dub? Yeah, check this one out.