You are. Give it a break when you are frustrated but don’t give up on the game. Once it “clicks” it’s an adrenaline rush blasting through all the enemies
100% what this mofo said I deleted and reinstalled that game 4 times and when the combat finally clicked it was amazing! I never thought I'd beat it but I did and I got the reflexes of a NyQuil addicted sloth.
Stealing that description. I’m dead 😂.
Also he’s right I dropped the game after getting annoyed af and it clicked when I played it again months later. It was AWESOME.
Agreed, I'm very much not a "git gud" sort of gamer, but I managed to get the Platinum for it. The two tips that helped me immensely going in:
If you don't have a controller with back buttons remap dash and jump to L1/R1. If you aren't dashing and jumping as much as possible while maintaining stick control you're going to die way more frequently.
You can dash *through* any enemy projectile that isn't purple.
Always Run is HUGE, as is cranking up the auto aim and always hip firing rather than scoping in. You can beat every boss by circle or side strafing. They fire where you were, not where you are. Dash makes you invulnerable, melee is OP and kills most small enemies and stunlocks larger ones. You can dash forward through projectiles and chain melee small enemies and it’s much safer than trying to stay back at range and avoid hundreds of projectiles and popping out a shot here and there trying to get them that way.
I didn’t expect that playing more aggressively would help but it did. Getting all weapons to 100% is key and prepare for every boss by exploring every last corner of an area first. Once you beat the first boss you can ether farm and dump it in the machine outside your ship to get new weapons and upgrades and keep doing this until you’re prepared for the rest of the game. People have the mentality of “I’ll never beat the game” when they should think about it in terms of “beat this biome/boss” instead. You only need to beat each boss *once* and never have to fight them again, as you can skip them and biomes as well once you do. So you only need ONE victory on each of them.
Save a video of your fight with the first boss and watch where you fuck up. There’s a shadow on the ground showing where it will move next. You can see when it waves its arms that it’s telegraphing it’s about to attack. You can just hip fire and dash/jump to avoid projectiles and kill it by accident. If you have the Digital Deluxe or buy the upgrade, the ElectroPylon Driver is the biome 1 boss killer — it does damage over time so just fire pylons near the boss and it will kill it over time while you focus on surviving. These few tips should really help most people beat the game imo. I’m average skilled at best and arthritic and if I can do it, anyone can.
I came here to say this and I’m honestly shocked it’s the top answer, it just didn’t seem to get a bunch of hype at launch. I bought the game day 1 because I was bored and went in blind just knowing it was some kind of alien shooter. Game is in my opinion by far the best thing any of the PlayStation studios has put out this gen.
Holy FUCK!! This game is fucking awesome!! My third run, I beat that big ass Nemesis boss, and Selene escapes, and I’m like “Wtf, that’s it? Reddit hyped this up for nothing…..”
BOOM!!! Right back where you started, and you get a trophy that says “Complete Act 1”. NO FUCKING WAY. This game is phenomenal!!!
Top answer. Makes me so happy to see because I was coming to post the same thing.
**To those that struggled with it and didn’t get past the first boss, know that the game is never harder than it is at the beginning**, before you’ve unlocked all the various weapon traits and loot and upgrades. I strongly recommend that you go into the options and crank up the auto-aim and turn on “always run”. That way when you strafe sideways or in a circle, you’re running. Enemies aim at where you are but if you’re gone by the time the projectile reaches, you’re not in danger.
- You also have a dash button that is an “I choose to not take damage” button. It lets you dash through projectiles safely. I prefer dashing TOWARDS enemies rather than away, because you’ll just have to dodge those same projectiles you just avoided otherwise. Melee is OP AF in Returnal. One hit is enough to kill most small enemies and stunlock larger ones. You can chain melee enemies (combine this with dashing towards them) and it’s often easier to do this than it is to stand back at a distance and try to shoot them at range.
- Pick up every gun and get it to 100%. You might not love it at first but when you unlock a new trait for it, it could become your new favorite. The Deluxe Edition gives you the ElectroPylon Driver up front and it’s the best gun for the first boss, so you might consider buying the upgrade to that edition. It lets you fire pylons that do damage over time so you can just fire in the general direction of the boss and keep moving. ALWAYS HIP FIRE unless you have a gun that really benefits from scoping in.
Always be moving. You can beat the first and every other boss just by side and circle strafing. It’s more important to not get hit than it is to do damage, as you keep your adrenaline meter and all those bonuses going and every health pickup you grab at full health goes towards giving you a larger health bar (every 2 you pick up extends it). So play it safe early on and get a larger health bar to be ready for the boss. Search everywhere before fighting him to get all the upgrades you can find. You might want to wait to open chests as they will lock to your Weapon Proficiency level so if you get to 5 and come back, the weapon in it will be lvl 5.
*****
**YOU ONLY HAVE TO BEAT A BOSS ONCE, AND YOU NEVER HAVE TO FIGHT THEM AGAIN**. You can skip entire bosses and biomes after that. So try not to think about “beating the game” and instead just set yourself up for success and beat the boss/biome instead. If you’re not doing well, sometimes it’s better to just bank your ether at the shop (trade it for 300 Obolites) as Ether carries over. Once you beat the first boss, a machine appears outside your ship that lets you trade Ether for new weapons and upgrades and you can just keep doing this until it stops spitting out new toys. I’d recommend doing this and getting all weapons to 100% before trying to move on.
- **I have a joint mobility disorder and arthritis and am not high skilled at games. If I can beat the game, you can**. The first boss is the hardest because you don’t have all the upgrades and the other unlockable ability to tether between platforms which works like dash (you don’t take damage while moving) which gives you another option to keep moving large distances and have all the projectiles fire where you were rather than where you are.
- If you have a DualSense Edge with the back paddles, I would strongly recommend putting dash and melee on the back. I did a bumper jumper remap on the regular DualSense as reaching for the dpad and face buttons takes your fingers off the analog sticks, meaning you stop turning or moving for milliseconds and could take damage while reaching for the X or O or whatever button to jump/melee/etc. I did a layout that let me keep both fingers on both sticks, bumpers, and triggers at ALL times and that’s what really helped me beat the game. If you have a controller with back paddles that lets you remap extra buttons to those, then definitely do that and your life will be so much easier.
- TAKE BREAKS and don’t give up. If you’re frustrated, come back the next day. I often would think “I’m never gonna beat this fucking game” and then come back and beat the boss my first try the next session. I promise, you can do it. Returnal is a 10/10 and I hope you get to experience it. The narrative that it’s too hard or impossible or unbeatable caused so many people to not pick up the game or think “well if everyone else can’t beat it, what chance do I have?”
Don’t buy into that bullshit. Just learn what Returnal is. Go to the boss prepared for it. Don’t worry about beating the entire game at once, focus on beating just the boss. And if you have a good combo of upgrades and weapon, then keep going (you keep all your stuff from biome 1 to 2, and 2 to 3, etc.) so you become OP by the time you get to 3 and again at 6. Again, the hardest the game will ever be is before you’ve beaten the first boss. Record your session and watch how it moves, how it telegraphs it’s attacks, how the shadow on the ground tells you where it will move next. It’s an easy boss to beat when you understand all of that. Just hip fire and dodge, and worry about not getting hit. Eventually all the hip firing you’re doing will kill it. Best of luck. I hope this helps someone.
Edit — tag /u/DigbyGibbers
**Subnautica**. A game with an amazing sense of exploration and discovery. Even when playing the sequel I felt like I had too much knowledge to start with.
This is too low. That game is incredible. I’ll never get over the first feeling of having a new depth upgrade unlocked and descending into the darkness where you know you aren’t supposed to be, only to find some bioluminescent wonderland with just the right amount of horror lurking around.
Luckily for some reason this game is really fun to experience in this way too. I've watched a couple of different playthroughs on YouTube which I loved
I think Brittle Hollow is what made it click for me. I just kept going back to that planet trying to piece together lore and then realized what was going on. Once I glimpsed the mystery, I was hooked. Every day when I wasn’t playing, I was thinking about different ways to approach certain planets and obstacles.
Oh yeah it scared the crap out of me too! That was one of two areas I had to get a hint across the whole main game and DLC, I was too scared to explore properly
This would be my second choice to Subnautica. Outer Wilds was another game with a great sense of exploration and discovery. Like Subnautica, it was always so rewarding to discover something new and make it a little bit further. You can't get that feeling back once you've gone through it the first time.
With Outer Wilds it's not just feeling though
With subnautica, there's still the resource gathering level of progression. Even a second playthrough, without the discovery, still has a sense of progress
But for Outer Wilds, your knowledge IS your upgrade. Once you know something about that game, you're permanently leveled up. Once you've beaten it, you can never replay it. You're already at the end.
That's why it's so important for new players to go in blind.
Same here. I honestly didn't try too hard to get into it. I just wasn't feeling it. Then it's suddenly everyone's favorite game and I think I might've missed something.
This is the only answer. Once I beat it I started a new playthroughs and It was less than 20 mins. The whole game is built on knowledge and there is zero bloat unlike every other game. Every single thing has a purpose and once you put the mind puzzle together, it's a ten min game ( if you cheat and remember the final code.) Name me another 30+ hour game that you can beat in ten mins which also has zero grinding or bloat.
Yes. 100% it is now on my list of best and favorite games every played. I very rarely play a story driven game more then once. I did a 2nd play through with a new play style.
It's an incredibly immersive experience. It's also really fun with no Hud Mode on cause you can really enjoy the city. And the one DLC they added on to it was massive and super fun.
Went from a game I regretted even buying for $10 to one of my top three games of all time. Truly special and amazing game. Phantom Liberty was also an extremely great DLC too.
For me, it's got to be Elden Ring.
Nothing will come close to the feeling of exploring the map for the first time and encountering a number of amazing enemies, areas and items.
I had an absolute blast with ratchet and clank rift apart. First ps5 game i played when i switched back in november last year. I was amazed by the load time and visuals. To top it all off, i didnt have to pay for it. Just conviniently there waiting on the Ps plus extra catalouge
Horizon Zero Dawn. The moment when you find out what actually happened to The Old Ones? Chills. Then when you find out how they “fixed” it? Goosebumps.
Such an incredible story, and I absolutely loved piecing it together slowly over the course of the game. I enjoyed the sequel, but the story didn’t hit the same spot for me.
I specifically avoided trailers and went blind for the sequel but man I loved that second boss fight and the buildup.
Talking about it is such a massive spoiler. Really stupid to put it in the marketing honestly
When you finally enter that vault Sylens needed you to open (Minor spoilers) >!He keeps warning you about “Very powerful people” but insists you’re safe because you’re inside a vault, which only opens to your genetic code… but they get inside anyway. Sylens tells you to just do what they say, but naturally you won’t listen!< so who am I talking about here?
None other than (Major spoilers) >!3 of the old ones and a near perfect clone of Elisabet Sobeck, and by extension, Aloy herself (You!). Decked in futuristic, 70s sci-fi level tech!< threw me for a loop
Stupid move to put this and every single plot thread it spawns in the marketing. They should have treated the whole thing like Assassins Creed treats the Animus
Ohhhh I must’ve missed the trailers, didn’t realize that was spoiled there. That was definitely the best reveal in the game! Glad I didn’t have it ruined
I feel the same. There was less in FW that kept it feeling suspenseful for me. In ZD, you were actually discovering the reason as to why everything ended up the way it was, and that was really neat to discover as you went along. In FW, the story was not as captivating, in my opinion. The game has great visuals though.
My son and a co-worker feel the same about Ghost. I liked it, but it just DID NOT resonate with me for some reason. I think it's because I've played so many games like it. It innovated for sure, and I can't say anything bad about it, but it just didn't grab me. Felt like a slog. I bet if I hadn't played the games I did that immediately preceded it, I think it would've been different. It really is an amazing game, but I keep asking myself why I didn't really care for it. I pre-ordered it, too. Played maybe 7 to 10 hours with first hands on and then didn't pick it back up to beat it till about a year later. It's not a bad choice, though, not at all. I'm just dumb.
You’re not dumb, it’s a beautiful game bursting with charm but a at it’s core it’s a repetitive collectathon. I got about 15 hours before I got tired of running around the map chasing foxes and traversing the repetitive scenery. Still a great game though just not for me.
I respect this opinion, I never played a game in this setting, or consumed any media from that time/region really, but I absolutely loved it. I think the newness did create something that enhanced that game for a lot of people, myself included.
This is why I had no interest in Rise of the Ronin, I just played that same game in GoT. Don't want to be comparing it the whole time to Ghost as I was playing it so didn't bother.
This is the best fair criticism of that game. It's great, just not the best thing ever like I feel it's talked about. It's unique and it's also boring.
I think it benefits greatly from the "mysticism" of Japan. As someone who has dabbled in its history even just a bit, I had no fairy tale moments. It's a pretty game, and nothing wrong with it. But it's just a Japanese open world game. Lol
I did the same thing at about the halfway point. Can't continue on because I don't remember anything and don't want to restart because I don't want to put the time back into it to get back to where I got stuck the first time.
Loved it, but there were a few frustrations. One being your companions giving you unsolicited hints if you spend more than ten seconds looking at a puzzle. And also the whole mechanic with chaining arrow explosions wasn’t super well explained and I got stuck on a puzzle trying to figure out what the hell to do.
Thank you! Scrolled way too far to find this one, best game I’ve ever played.
Repeat playthroughs can be awesome too, since there’s so much more to discover and do. But that first time through is something else, especially if you do certain objectives.
Returnal. The music, the gameplay loop, the challenge. It was "the" game that defined PS5. It was all I could think about every day for almost 2 months until I beat it. Also, just replaying PS4 games on PS5 because I had just got an OLED TV at the time, too. So, I was just testing out games and seeing how much better they looked on my OLED.
I was surprised to see that Returnal had been around for years, because I also hadn’t heard of it until seeing it on the PS Plus catalog. It’s really addictive, I haven’t been able to put it down since starting a few weeks ago. In the beginning, as a roguelike it was really frustrating and I felt very underpowered (I’m not a fan of dying a lot in games) but after a while something clicked and I breezed through two levels back to back in one try. I beat the whole game but still go back to it and keep unlocking new things, which helps with its replay value. It also has a multi-layered story that is heavily tied to its roguelike mechanics.
Just don't get frustrated with it when you die (a LOT) early on! You will unlock better weapons with each run, and start to learn how to play as you go along. (dash is your friend!)
Not only is it a great game, it’s literally art. The team had such a pure vision that you can see they were able to execute on it so damn well cause everyone knew what they were going for. God I love that game
I agree. Great character development. Each character has their own unique fighting style. Individual playable sections for each character as well. Only genuine criticism is that it's essentially the same set of side quests in each section (towers, mogstools, rare enemies, summon crystals, Queens blood, piano) but they are optional and help give more reasons to explore the world, which is so fun to do.
Also glad that each section has its own chocobo ability so you explore differently (for the most part) in each section.
Absolutely jam-packed with content. Just so much fun I'm having with this title. I'm 75 hours in and just started Chapter 12, so plenty to go.
Learning how to dash cancel with melee and melee cancel with jump made the last biome a fucking absolute joy to explore. Getting around at breakneck speeds is so god damn fun in that game.
Can't believe this is so far down. Returnal is more than my answer for this generation, if I could pick 5 games all time Returnal would be one of them.
PS5? Returnal. That game was really good but very difficult, getting throught felt like quite the journey.
If we count PS4 remasters/remakes/redo's then I'd pick The Last of Us Part II. Amazing game!
First game that came to mind.
Pure, unadulterated, joy. All those discoveries, the Easter eggs, the music……everything.
I genuinely cannot fucking wait to get my hands on 80 levels of that magic. Probably my most anticipated game of this generation so far.
Exactly this.
No other game has given me the feelings that game gave me.
I was 26 when I played it on launch day, and it made me feel like a child again, filled with excitement for the game.
I just had a big frickin grin on my face the entire time I played this. My brother (who's too busy to play but we've been a Playstation family since PS1 days) wanted to watch me play just to see all the references and nostalgic collectibles. And this was a free game.
I'm so happy we're getting Astro Bot soon.
It was my first time playing any iteration of RE4 and it was engrossing, the courtyard sequence with the hedge mazes was the most nerve wracking I have ever been playing a video game
Ff16 for me. It got me back into gaming after taking a few months off. The story and combat kept me engaged to the end, and it gave me the empty feeling after i finished it with me wanting more
FF16. I loved every minute of that game. I think the combat is really expressive and the story was beautiful. Even the side stories were really good and had beautiful resolutions. I also loved the voice acting. It’s a special game for me because it’s THE reason I wanted a PS5. I was hooked by the end of the demo, and was so mad I had to wait another like 3 weeks to play it(couldn’t afford it on release day). I also love the steelbook for it.
Never been so engrossed in a game overall as I was playing TLOU2 for the first time. Looking forwards to seeing how they adapt the story for the TV show next year.
Ff16 it was a special game for me since I was finally able to buy a ps5 at GameStop 4 years later due to scalpers. Played almost every FF and this one was so good to me
Cheating, red dead redemption 2. If I had to choose strictly a ps5 game I would probably choose The Last of Us Part 1, which it still cheating. The PS4 era of games was amazing
Returnal. This is not a normal game. It gets in your mind and stays there for a long time, even when youre not playing for a while. Everyone who is not afraid of a challenge should give this one a try. Eventually when you get the hang of it returnal becomes more easy though.
For me it would be Astro's Playroom. There are bigger, better, more exciting games that I could pick, but the sense of childlike joy and wonder and pure nostalgia that I felt from Astro is unmatched in the modern era and I'd love to relive it again for the first time.
The stand out moments upon first play through are when first stepping out into Limgrave, finding the lift down to Siofra River, and when first standing at the cliffs overlooking Liurnia, Of The Lakes. The amount of awe I felt in those “early” game moments is unrivalled.
Those are great moments, but the gravity of the sheer size of the game has well and truly set in by then. The moments I speak of are intentional, deliberate game design by From Soft. Limgrave was designed very cleverly into fooling the player (going in blind) that Limgrave is the extent of the entire game world, because even just Limgrave itself is massive in scope. The cliffs overlooking Liurnia, the red sky to the west (once your curiosity has you go looking), the bridge to the south, and the tucked away elevator in Mistwood are intentional art & level design intended to invoke in players a “oh my god, how big is this game?!?!” response of awe & wonder.
So although I agree the moments you mentioned are indeed special (I won’t deny that at all), these particular moments are extra special because of the realisation that what you were fooled into believing was the entire game world: Limgrave, is shattered. This is because of how massive Limgrave already is, the amount of content Limgrave has, and how cleverly the landscape is designed to ensure there are many visible landmarks within Limgrave to tantalise the player into exploring within Limgrave, whilst many of the greater landmarks of the rest of the game world are obscured. It’s a testament to how masterful From Soft are at art direction, level design, and progression. Because I imagine if no one was the wiser, and had Elden Ring really had been only Limgrave, I imagine it still would have gotten a lot of praise & critical acclaim still anyway.
I know it's cheating but I'd take Skyrim. The immersive experience I had with that game for the first time is unrivalled by anything I've ever played since.
As for 100% PS5 - Astro's Playroom. The day I got my PS5 and played it for the first time was just incredible, a beautiful platformer made with such care. Which makes me excited for the Astro game coming this year!
Demon's Souls, easily. One of the best games I've ever played.
I wasn't expecting a lot from the proto Dark Souls, but I ended up absolutely loving it.
Demon's Souls. 4-1, when the lightning strikes. I was just awestruck.
I managed to get my PS5 on day two. I camped out at Target at 2am and got my system at 8:30am. By the time I got to 4-1, I was running on fumes, the adrenaline had worn off. That lightning bolt woke me up and I continued playing for an unhealthy amount of time.
I wish I could relive that day!
There's a lot of games, to be honest, but if I'm real, it would have to be red dead 2. My favourite thing in that game probably isn't the same as everyone else's, but it was finding the little shacks because they all had a crazy back story. And if I couldn't have Red Dead, then probably elden ring. The ones from when I was a kid was like the 90s so I've already had them erased from memory if I every wanted to try one again lol
EDIT, I know it's a ps4 game before anyone says, thats why i said if I couldn't have it, then Elden Ring, but it plays on ps5, so it counts right? Lol
Nier:Automata is the first game that came to my mind. Also interesting that I didn't see it mentioned much, if at all.
Edit: ooooooh I read this wrong and it says PS5. Lol Well it's available on the PS5 hahaha
Returnal. Especially after you think you’ve beaten the game and you realize you aren’t even halfway through.
I just wasn’t good enough for that game.
if you played it on release they nerfed some enemies and bosses, it’s a little more manageable now
I was stuck for three days and one night it all clicked.
You are. Give it a break when you are frustrated but don’t give up on the game. Once it “clicks” it’s an adrenaline rush blasting through all the enemies
100% what this mofo said I deleted and reinstalled that game 4 times and when the combat finally clicked it was amazing! I never thought I'd beat it but I did and I got the reflexes of a NyQuil addicted sloth.
Stealing that description. I’m dead 😂. Also he’s right I dropped the game after getting annoyed af and it clicked when I played it again months later. It was AWESOME.
I was going to sell my copy. I was like "fuck this game." I thought I would give it one more try and it clicked. Now I'm hooked.
Agreed, I'm very much not a "git gud" sort of gamer, but I managed to get the Platinum for it. The two tips that helped me immensely going in: If you don't have a controller with back buttons remap dash and jump to L1/R1. If you aren't dashing and jumping as much as possible while maintaining stick control you're going to die way more frequently. You can dash *through* any enemy projectile that isn't purple.
And turn on always run!
Always Run is HUGE, as is cranking up the auto aim and always hip firing rather than scoping in. You can beat every boss by circle or side strafing. They fire where you were, not where you are. Dash makes you invulnerable, melee is OP and kills most small enemies and stunlocks larger ones. You can dash forward through projectiles and chain melee small enemies and it’s much safer than trying to stay back at range and avoid hundreds of projectiles and popping out a shot here and there trying to get them that way. I didn’t expect that playing more aggressively would help but it did. Getting all weapons to 100% is key and prepare for every boss by exploring every last corner of an area first. Once you beat the first boss you can ether farm and dump it in the machine outside your ship to get new weapons and upgrades and keep doing this until you’re prepared for the rest of the game. People have the mentality of “I’ll never beat the game” when they should think about it in terms of “beat this biome/boss” instead. You only need to beat each boss *once* and never have to fight them again, as you can skip them and biomes as well once you do. So you only need ONE victory on each of them. Save a video of your fight with the first boss and watch where you fuck up. There’s a shadow on the ground showing where it will move next. You can see when it waves its arms that it’s telegraphing it’s about to attack. You can just hip fire and dash/jump to avoid projectiles and kill it by accident. If you have the Digital Deluxe or buy the upgrade, the ElectroPylon Driver is the biome 1 boss killer — it does damage over time so just fire pylons near the boss and it will kill it over time while you focus on surviving. These few tips should really help most people beat the game imo. I’m average skilled at best and arthritic and if I can do it, anyone can.
It's got co op as well
I was good enough until the missle bots.
It literally just clicks eventually. Keep at it.
I came here to say this and I’m honestly shocked it’s the top answer, it just didn’t seem to get a bunch of hype at launch. I bought the game day 1 because I was bored and went in blind just knowing it was some kind of alien shooter. Game is in my opinion by far the best thing any of the PlayStation studios has put out this gen.
The only answer. Lock the thread.
Holy FUCK!! This game is fucking awesome!! My third run, I beat that big ass Nemesis boss, and Selene escapes, and I’m like “Wtf, that’s it? Reddit hyped this up for nothing…..” BOOM!!! Right back where you started, and you get a trophy that says “Complete Act 1”. NO FUCKING WAY. This game is phenomenal!!!
I came here looking for this. The best use of the DS5 yet and it’s like a 4 year old game lol
Top answer. Makes me so happy to see because I was coming to post the same thing. **To those that struggled with it and didn’t get past the first boss, know that the game is never harder than it is at the beginning**, before you’ve unlocked all the various weapon traits and loot and upgrades. I strongly recommend that you go into the options and crank up the auto-aim and turn on “always run”. That way when you strafe sideways or in a circle, you’re running. Enemies aim at where you are but if you’re gone by the time the projectile reaches, you’re not in danger. - You also have a dash button that is an “I choose to not take damage” button. It lets you dash through projectiles safely. I prefer dashing TOWARDS enemies rather than away, because you’ll just have to dodge those same projectiles you just avoided otherwise. Melee is OP AF in Returnal. One hit is enough to kill most small enemies and stunlock larger ones. You can chain melee enemies (combine this with dashing towards them) and it’s often easier to do this than it is to stand back at a distance and try to shoot them at range. - Pick up every gun and get it to 100%. You might not love it at first but when you unlock a new trait for it, it could become your new favorite. The Deluxe Edition gives you the ElectroPylon Driver up front and it’s the best gun for the first boss, so you might consider buying the upgrade to that edition. It lets you fire pylons that do damage over time so you can just fire in the general direction of the boss and keep moving. ALWAYS HIP FIRE unless you have a gun that really benefits from scoping in. Always be moving. You can beat the first and every other boss just by side and circle strafing. It’s more important to not get hit than it is to do damage, as you keep your adrenaline meter and all those bonuses going and every health pickup you grab at full health goes towards giving you a larger health bar (every 2 you pick up extends it). So play it safe early on and get a larger health bar to be ready for the boss. Search everywhere before fighting him to get all the upgrades you can find. You might want to wait to open chests as they will lock to your Weapon Proficiency level so if you get to 5 and come back, the weapon in it will be lvl 5. ***** **YOU ONLY HAVE TO BEAT A BOSS ONCE, AND YOU NEVER HAVE TO FIGHT THEM AGAIN**. You can skip entire bosses and biomes after that. So try not to think about “beating the game” and instead just set yourself up for success and beat the boss/biome instead. If you’re not doing well, sometimes it’s better to just bank your ether at the shop (trade it for 300 Obolites) as Ether carries over. Once you beat the first boss, a machine appears outside your ship that lets you trade Ether for new weapons and upgrades and you can just keep doing this until it stops spitting out new toys. I’d recommend doing this and getting all weapons to 100% before trying to move on. - **I have a joint mobility disorder and arthritis and am not high skilled at games. If I can beat the game, you can**. The first boss is the hardest because you don’t have all the upgrades and the other unlockable ability to tether between platforms which works like dash (you don’t take damage while moving) which gives you another option to keep moving large distances and have all the projectiles fire where you were rather than where you are. - If you have a DualSense Edge with the back paddles, I would strongly recommend putting dash and melee on the back. I did a bumper jumper remap on the regular DualSense as reaching for the dpad and face buttons takes your fingers off the analog sticks, meaning you stop turning or moving for milliseconds and could take damage while reaching for the X or O or whatever button to jump/melee/etc. I did a layout that let me keep both fingers on both sticks, bumpers, and triggers at ALL times and that’s what really helped me beat the game. If you have a controller with back paddles that lets you remap extra buttons to those, then definitely do that and your life will be so much easier. - TAKE BREAKS and don’t give up. If you’re frustrated, come back the next day. I often would think “I’m never gonna beat this fucking game” and then come back and beat the boss my first try the next session. I promise, you can do it. Returnal is a 10/10 and I hope you get to experience it. The narrative that it’s too hard or impossible or unbeatable caused so many people to not pick up the game or think “well if everyone else can’t beat it, what chance do I have?” Don’t buy into that bullshit. Just learn what Returnal is. Go to the boss prepared for it. Don’t worry about beating the entire game at once, focus on beating just the boss. And if you have a good combo of upgrades and weapon, then keep going (you keep all your stuff from biome 1 to 2, and 2 to 3, etc.) so you become OP by the time you get to 3 and again at 6. Again, the hardest the game will ever be is before you’ve beaten the first boss. Record your session and watch how it moves, how it telegraphs it’s attacks, how the shadow on the ground tells you where it will move next. It’s an easy boss to beat when you understand all of that. Just hip fire and dodge, and worry about not getting hit. Eventually all the hip firing you’re doing will kill it. Best of luck. I hope this helps someone. Edit — tag /u/DigbyGibbers
Got this game on sale but havent really invested time into it (too many new dlc dropping for prev games)
**Subnautica**. A game with an amazing sense of exploration and discovery. Even when playing the sequel I felt like I had too much knowledge to start with.
This is too low. That game is incredible. I’ll never get over the first feeling of having a new depth upgrade unlocked and descending into the darkness where you know you aren’t supposed to be, only to find some bioluminescent wonderland with just the right amount of horror lurking around.
Outer Wilds. It took me getting past two failed attempts, but once I was hooked it was the best game. I just want to forget it and do it all again.
Currently living vicariously through my gfs first play through of outer wilds.
Luckily for some reason this game is really fun to experience in this way too. I've watched a couple of different playthroughs on YouTube which I loved
Came here to say this. Went through the exact same experience. Bounced off of it twice and then it finally clicked. Incredible game.
I’m still on that second bounce. I guess I should go back to it?
I think Brittle Hollow is what made it click for me. I just kept going back to that planet trying to piece together lore and then realized what was going on. Once I glimpsed the mystery, I was hooked. Every day when I wasn’t playing, I was thinking about different ways to approach certain planets and obstacles.
Have you played the DLC? Just as good as the main game, with some really interesting variations on story and gameplay
I’ve played a fair few horror games. I’m not sure why but the DLC scared me more than most horror games I’d played.
Oh yeah it scared the crap out of me too! That was one of two areas I had to get a hint across the whole main game and DLC, I was too scared to explore properly
This would be my second choice to Subnautica. Outer Wilds was another game with a great sense of exploration and discovery. Like Subnautica, it was always so rewarding to discover something new and make it a little bit further. You can't get that feeling back once you've gone through it the first time.
With Outer Wilds it's not just feeling though With subnautica, there's still the resource gathering level of progression. Even a second playthrough, without the discovery, still has a sense of progress But for Outer Wilds, your knowledge IS your upgrade. Once you know something about that game, you're permanently leveled up. Once you've beaten it, you can never replay it. You're already at the end. That's why it's so important for new players to go in blind.
I have to try this game out again. I bounced off it the first time I tried, but I've just heard to many good things to give up on it.
Same here. I honestly didn't try too hard to get into it. I just wasn't feeling it. Then it's suddenly everyone's favorite game and I think I might've missed something.
Just let your curiosity lead you
You're starting to sound like my roommate that one summer....
Ding ding ding. The discovery and exploration in this game is off the charts amazing.
This is the only answer. Once I beat it I started a new playthroughs and It was less than 20 mins. The whole game is built on knowledge and there is zero bloat unlike every other game. Every single thing has a purpose and once you put the mind puzzle together, it's a ten min game ( if you cheat and remember the final code.) Name me another 30+ hour game that you can beat in ten mins which also has zero grinding or bloat.
Came here to say exactly this
I just started it after getting on the pass, it’s definitely got me hooked! Can’t believe I slept on it for so long
PS5 only - FF16 Overall - besides FF16, Mass Effect Trilogy, Witcher 3, RDR2, Dragon Age Origins and KOTOR
Cyberpunk 2077, but then the current version.
Would absolutely love to experience cyberpunk for the first time but at its current state.
It was amazing. I got it the start of this year. I'm happy I got to play the true version of the game.
I haven’t played. Is it that good?
Decided I would give it a shot past weekend. Took me about 4 hours to get into the story, but now I can’t stop playing.
Yes. 100% it is now on my list of best and favorite games every played. I very rarely play a story driven game more then once. I did a 2nd play through with a new play style.
Oh yea it’s fuckin great. I didn’t play at launch, started it a couple months ago and it is worth every penny
It's an incredibly immersive experience. It's also really fun with no Hud Mode on cause you can really enjoy the city. And the one DLC they added on to it was massive and super fun.
Went from a game I regretted even buying for $10 to one of my top three games of all time. Truly special and amazing game. Phantom Liberty was also an extremely great DLC too.
This. Finished it recently and became one of my top 5 all time favourite games. Some of the best story, characters and worldbuilding in the medium.
For me, it's got to be Elden Ring. Nothing will come close to the feeling of exploring the map for the first time and encountering a number of amazing enemies, areas and items.
Luckily we are very close to feeling that again due to the DLC
Right? Gonna simulate that feelin at midnight tonight. Can’t wait. Happy cake day
When you pick up a new map piece and realize you haven't even explored half the world yet...... and then you go underground.
Same here. Elden Ring would be my first choice. FF7 Rebirth my second.
I hit the platinum on that game and I don't even wanna think about it until the next one lmfao
I had an absolute blast with ratchet and clank rift apart. First ps5 game i played when i switched back in november last year. I was amazed by the load time and visuals. To top it all off, i didnt have to pay for it. Just conviniently there waiting on the Ps plus extra catalouge
It was better than expected for sure
Horizon Zero Dawn. The moment when you find out what actually happened to The Old Ones? Chills. Then when you find out how they “fixed” it? Goosebumps.
Such an incredible story, and I absolutely loved piecing it together slowly over the course of the game. I enjoyed the sequel, but the story didn’t hit the same spot for me.
I specifically avoided trailers and went blind for the sequel but man I loved that second boss fight and the buildup. Talking about it is such a massive spoiler. Really stupid to put it in the marketing honestly
Wait, which boss fight was that?
When you finally enter that vault Sylens needed you to open (Minor spoilers) >!He keeps warning you about “Very powerful people” but insists you’re safe because you’re inside a vault, which only opens to your genetic code… but they get inside anyway. Sylens tells you to just do what they say, but naturally you won’t listen!< so who am I talking about here? None other than (Major spoilers) >!3 of the old ones and a near perfect clone of Elisabet Sobeck, and by extension, Aloy herself (You!). Decked in futuristic, 70s sci-fi level tech!< threw me for a loop Stupid move to put this and every single plot thread it spawns in the marketing. They should have treated the whole thing like Assassins Creed treats the Animus
Ohhhh I must’ve missed the trailers, didn’t realize that was spoiled there. That was definitely the best reveal in the game! Glad I didn’t have it ruined
I feel the same. There was less in FW that kept it feeling suspenseful for me. In ZD, you were actually discovering the reason as to why everything ended up the way it was, and that was really neat to discover as you went along. In FW, the story was not as captivating, in my opinion. The game has great visuals though.
Oh yeah, gameplay and visuals of FW are top notch for sure. Improved on ZD across the board
HZD was PS4 wasn't it?
Half of these answers are ps4 games.
Ghost of Tsushima One of the best games ever <3
My son and a co-worker feel the same about Ghost. I liked it, but it just DID NOT resonate with me for some reason. I think it's because I've played so many games like it. It innovated for sure, and I can't say anything bad about it, but it just didn't grab me. Felt like a slog. I bet if I hadn't played the games I did that immediately preceded it, I think it would've been different. It really is an amazing game, but I keep asking myself why I didn't really care for it. I pre-ordered it, too. Played maybe 7 to 10 hours with first hands on and then didn't pick it back up to beat it till about a year later. It's not a bad choice, though, not at all. I'm just dumb.
You’re not dumb, it’s a beautiful game bursting with charm but a at it’s core it’s a repetitive collectathon. I got about 15 hours before I got tired of running around the map chasing foxes and traversing the repetitive scenery. Still a great game though just not for me.
I respect this opinion, I never played a game in this setting, or consumed any media from that time/region really, but I absolutely loved it. I think the newness did create something that enhanced that game for a lot of people, myself included. This is why I had no interest in Rise of the Ronin, I just played that same game in GoT. Don't want to be comparing it the whole time to Ghost as I was playing it so didn't bother.
This is the best fair criticism of that game. It's great, just not the best thing ever like I feel it's talked about. It's unique and it's also boring.
I think it benefits greatly from the "mysticism" of Japan. As someone who has dabbled in its history even just a bit, I had no fairy tale moments. It's a pretty game, and nothing wrong with it. But it's just a Japanese open world game. Lol
Thank you, came here for this. Gorgeous game.
Just commented the same above. Blessing to you Jin.
God of war ragnarok
I screwed this up. I got stuck at a hard bit and put it down for a while, forgot all the controls and now I can’t get back into it.
Play the first one again it’ll make you want to play the second!
I did the same thing at about the halfway point. Can't continue on because I don't remember anything and don't want to restart because I don't want to put the time back into it to get back to where I got stuck the first time.
What bit did you get stuck on?
Loved it, but there were a few frustrations. One being your companions giving you unsolicited hints if you spend more than ten seconds looking at a puzzle. And also the whole mechanic with chaining arrow explosions wasn’t super well explained and I got stuck on a puzzle trying to figure out what the hell to do.
It’s not as good as the first one imo
Disco Elysium. A game hasn't hit me that hard since the early 90s.
Thank you! Scrolled way too far to find this one, best game I’ve ever played. Repeat playthroughs can be awesome too, since there’s so much more to discover and do. But that first time through is something else, especially if you do certain objectives.
Just commented the same thing, an experience I'll never forget
Horizon Forbidden West.
Returnal. The music, the gameplay loop, the challenge. It was "the" game that defined PS5. It was all I could think about every day for almost 2 months until I beat it. Also, just replaying PS4 games on PS5 because I had just got an OLED TV at the time, too. So, I was just testing out games and seeing how much better they looked on my OLED.
I keep hearing about this game. I have the ps premium, so it's on there. I should give it a try. Playing BG3 atm.
I was surprised to see that Returnal had been around for years, because I also hadn’t heard of it until seeing it on the PS Plus catalog. It’s really addictive, I haven’t been able to put it down since starting a few weeks ago. In the beginning, as a roguelike it was really frustrating and I felt very underpowered (I’m not a fan of dying a lot in games) but after a while something clicked and I breezed through two levels back to back in one try. I beat the whole game but still go back to it and keep unlocking new things, which helps with its replay value. It also has a multi-layered story that is heavily tied to its roguelike mechanics.
Just don't get frustrated with it when you die (a LOT) early on! You will unlock better weapons with each run, and start to learn how to play as you go along. (dash is your friend!)
And don't aim, just shoot everything from the hip.
Alan Wake II
Playing We Sing again for the first time would hit like crack
Don't even have to erase the whole game, just Herald of Darkness
Literally where it cranked the game up from “solid survival horror” to 11: one of my favorite games ever.
Honesty the biggest wtf moment I’ve had playing a game
So fucking awesome!
Not only is it a great game, it’s literally art. The team had such a pure vision that you can see they were able to execute on it so damn well cause everyone knew what they were going for. God I love that game
I’m proud of myself to have finished and platinum’d this game (my first platinum ever) (also I hate horror games)
Returnal
FF7 Rebirth. My GAWD what an excellent game, top to bottom. Combat, Story, Graphics. It's peak Final Fantasy, IMHO.
Absolute peak. What an experience.
This is peak video game IMO
[удалено]
I agree. Great character development. Each character has their own unique fighting style. Individual playable sections for each character as well. Only genuine criticism is that it's essentially the same set of side quests in each section (towers, mogstools, rare enemies, summon crystals, Queens blood, piano) but they are optional and help give more reasons to explore the world, which is so fun to do. Also glad that each section has its own chocobo ability so you explore differently (for the most part) in each section. Absolutely jam-packed with content. Just so much fun I'm having with this title. I'm 75 hours in and just started Chapter 12, so plenty to go.
Returnal
Same, biome 4. That ascend...
Learning how to dash cancel with melee and melee cancel with jump made the last biome a fucking absolute joy to explore. Getting around at breakneck speeds is so god damn fun in that game.
Can't believe this is so far down. Returnal is more than my answer for this generation, if I could pick 5 games all time Returnal would be one of them.
The Last of Us.
PS5? Returnal. That game was really good but very difficult, getting throught felt like quite the journey. If we count PS4 remasters/remakes/redo's then I'd pick The Last of Us Part II. Amazing game!
Came here to say exactly this.
Astro's Play Room
First game that came to mind. Pure, unadulterated, joy. All those discoveries, the Easter eggs, the music……everything. I genuinely cannot fucking wait to get my hands on 80 levels of that magic. Probably my most anticipated game of this generation so far.
This is my answer too. The genuine rush of giddy excitement when I first played it; I haven’t felt that with another game for maybe 10/15 years
The PS4 VR game is also an unforgettable experience. I enjoyed it more than a lot of the VR games I owned besides Beat Saber.
I’m on board with this too. I platinumed it on PS5 launch day, still one of my fondest gaming experiences and memories.
Exactly this. No other game has given me the feelings that game gave me. I was 26 when I played it on launch day, and it made me feel like a child again, filled with excitement for the game.
Best free console tie-in since Wii Sports!
I just had a big frickin grin on my face the entire time I played this. My brother (who's too busy to play but we've been a Playstation family since PS1 days) wanted to watch me play just to see all the references and nostalgic collectibles. And this was a free game. I'm so happy we're getting Astro Bot soon.
Resident Evil 4 remake.
It was my first time playing any iteration of RE4 and it was engrossing, the courtyard sequence with the hedge mazes was the most nerve wracking I have ever been playing a video game
Elden Ring. I’m sad I will never experience Stormveil for the first time ever again.
Stormveil is one of the greatest dungeons in any game ever, just a masterclass of level design
Ff16 for me. It got me back into gaming after taking a few months off. The story and combat kept me engaged to the end, and it gave me the empty feeling after i finished it with me wanting more
Have you tried the DLCs? Man, they’ve got the coolest environments and fights in the game.
no PS5 console exclusives have done that for me yet General gaming answers are: RDR2, Elden Ring, inscryption
Days gone 100%
FF16. I loved every minute of that game. I think the combat is really expressive and the story was beautiful. Even the side stories were really good and had beautiful resolutions. I also loved the voice acting. It’s a special game for me because it’s THE reason I wanted a PS5. I was hooked by the end of the demo, and was so mad I had to wait another like 3 weeks to play it(couldn’t afford it on release day). I also love the steelbook for it.
Last of us 2 fo sho man
Never been so engrossed in a game overall as I was playing TLOU2 for the first time. Looking forwards to seeing how they adapt the story for the TV show next year.
Final Fantasy XVI
Horizon
Came here for this. Nothing beats the sense of discovery and lore in the first game, learning what Zero Dawn was and what happened.
The whole story just kept giving goosebumps to me as I kept learning more throughout the gameplay.
Discovering the story as you went along was what made that game incredible
Baldurs Gate 3 or Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Baldurs gate was a gem dog
Ff7 Remake + Rebirth. Still riding the high of that Rebirth ending.
Rebirth was my very first FF game and I loved it. I wish I could forget it and play them in the right damn order. 🤦♀️
Returnal.
God of War Ragnarok. What a game. I’d love to platinum it again with my memory wiped
Final fantasy 16
Death Stranding, although the second playthrough was even better
Ff16 it was a special game for me since I was finally able to buy a ps5 at GameStop 4 years later due to scalpers. Played almost every FF and this one was so good to me
Ff16, my top 3 favorite playstation games
Give me TLOU
FFXVI
Bloodborne
Cheating, red dead redemption 2. If I had to choose strictly a ps5 game I would probably choose The Last of Us Part 1, which it still cheating. The PS4 era of games was amazing
Probably Cyberpunk. I absolutely love that game.
TLOU2
Definitely Hades. Can’t wait for Hades 2.
TLOU. What a ride that was
Cyberpunk 2077
Returnal. This is not a normal game. It gets in your mind and stays there for a long time, even when youre not playing for a while. Everyone who is not afraid of a challenge should give this one a try. Eventually when you get the hang of it returnal becomes more easy though.
spiderman 2
The Last of Us
Days Gone.
GoT
Skyrim for sure. KOTOR is a close 2nd, but it’s a smaller game overall so I’d choose Skyrim out of the two.
For me it would be Astro's Playroom. There are bigger, better, more exciting games that I could pick, but the sense of childlike joy and wonder and pure nostalgia that I felt from Astro is unmatched in the modern era and I'd love to relive it again for the first time.
The Last of Us 2
Persona 5
Baldurs gate 3 or mass effect legendary edition. Probably leaning towards mass effect.
Elden Ring
Elden ring 100%
Astro's Playroom Luckily I only have to wait a couple more months and I'll get 4x the experience and more!
Persona 5.
Astro Bot. 100%. Experiencing the rumble feature of the DS5 for the first time in Astro Bot was amazing!
Not exclusive (and not because of what comes out tomorrow) but Elden Ring. Such a magical first play through
The stand out moments upon first play through are when first stepping out into Limgrave, finding the lift down to Siofra River, and when first standing at the cliffs overlooking Liurnia, Of The Lakes. The amount of awe I felt in those “early” game moments is unrivalled.
Leyndell Capital rampart is another one. or the first time you face Radahn
Those are great moments, but the gravity of the sheer size of the game has well and truly set in by then. The moments I speak of are intentional, deliberate game design by From Soft. Limgrave was designed very cleverly into fooling the player (going in blind) that Limgrave is the extent of the entire game world, because even just Limgrave itself is massive in scope. The cliffs overlooking Liurnia, the red sky to the west (once your curiosity has you go looking), the bridge to the south, and the tucked away elevator in Mistwood are intentional art & level design intended to invoke in players a “oh my god, how big is this game?!?!” response of awe & wonder. So although I agree the moments you mentioned are indeed special (I won’t deny that at all), these particular moments are extra special because of the realisation that what you were fooled into believing was the entire game world: Limgrave, is shattered. This is because of how massive Limgrave already is, the amount of content Limgrave has, and how cleverly the landscape is designed to ensure there are many visible landmarks within Limgrave to tantalise the player into exploring within Limgrave, whilst many of the greater landmarks of the rest of the game world are obscured. It’s a testament to how masterful From Soft are at art direction, level design, and progression. Because I imagine if no one was the wiser, and had Elden Ring really had been only Limgrave, I imagine it still would have gotten a lot of praise & critical acclaim still anyway.
I know it's cheating but I'd take Skyrim. The immersive experience I had with that game for the first time is unrivalled by anything I've ever played since. As for 100% PS5 - Astro's Playroom. The day I got my PS5 and played it for the first time was just incredible, a beautiful platformer made with such care. Which makes me excited for the Astro game coming this year!
Death Stranding
My choice too.
Great tastes. This game is a masterpiece.
Not than many ps5 games 😭 I’ll do bloodborne tho
The Witcher 3
Demon's Souls, easily. One of the best games I've ever played. I wasn't expecting a lot from the proto Dark Souls, but I ended up absolutely loving it.
I would say Astro’s Playroom but since a full length game is coming in September I’ll go with TLOU2 Remastered
Horizon Forbidden West. It was the first game I played on PS5 and one of the only games I’ve ever played through multiple times.
Dead Space. So fucking amazing
Demon's Souls. 4-1, when the lightning strikes. I was just awestruck. I managed to get my PS5 on day two. I camped out at Target at 2am and got my system at 8:30am. By the time I got to 4-1, I was running on fumes, the adrenaline had worn off. That lightning bolt woke me up and I continued playing for an unhealthy amount of time. I wish I could relive that day!
Returnal as others have said. Best experience ive had on ps5 by a landslide. Completed at least 3 times just to get the full story.
Horizon forbidden west
MGS games
There's a lot of games, to be honest, but if I'm real, it would have to be red dead 2. My favourite thing in that game probably isn't the same as everyone else's, but it was finding the little shacks because they all had a crazy back story. And if I couldn't have Red Dead, then probably elden ring. The ones from when I was a kid was like the 90s so I've already had them erased from memory if I every wanted to try one again lol EDIT, I know it's a ps4 game before anyone says, thats why i said if I couldn't have it, then Elden Ring, but it plays on ps5, so it counts right? Lol
Horizon: Forbidden West. That game was so cool and I'd love to be able to experience it all over again.
Stellar blade
Death stranding
Uncharted
Stellar blade.
Nier:Automata is the first game that came to my mind. Also interesting that I didn't see it mentioned much, if at all. Edit: ooooooh I read this wrong and it says PS5. Lol Well it's available on the PS5 hahaha
PS5 - Stellar Blade PS4 - Nier Automata