GameCentral readers discuss the current state of the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch and how they stand up to previous generations.
The subject for this weeks Hot Topic was suggested by reader stanley71, and inspired the fact that both Microsoft and Sony seem to be gearing up to release new consoles in the next year or two. But what do you think of the ones so far, in terms of their games, the hardware, and the changes theyve brought to the industry?
Many people thought the quality of games has never been higher, but just as many felt the hardware had not been a step up and that new practices such as loot boxes and overreliance on patches were a negative trend.
Nothing new
For me the biggest problem with this generation has been the almost complete lack of new IP. Weve had For Honor, ARMS, and Horizon Zero Dawn, The Division, Destiny, and Titanfall and very little else. And most of them are just slightly different versions of things that already exist, with only For Honor and ARMS (both beat em-ups, strangely) having anything close to a new idea.
Obviously the reason is that a sequel is less of a risk than a new franchise but I think weve seen this year what risks happening when some of these big games start to run out of steam. The most worrying is that many of them seem to be running out at the same time, because everyone has been just as cowardly about making new games as each other.
I really hope things change next generation because the lesson publishers should be taking is that the biggest game of the generation was a new IP and a new idea. I genuinely think some of Fortnites success comes from the fact that it is not the same old thing or a sequel. Youd think companies would realise that too.
Doshin
Only on
I own a PlayStation 4 and a Switch so Id say this generation has been pretty great for me. I always find exclusives are the best games on any console and there have been some absolute beauts recently. Horizon Zero Dawn, God Of War, Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, Marvels Spider-Man… just an amazing bunch of the best games I have ever played.
Normally I try to get every console but although I kept waiting for Microsoft to catch up they just dont seem to have bothered and are presumably holding back for the next gen. If thats their attitude then so will I!
The Bishop
The olden days
I think that the current generation of consoles has been largely pointless. I probably backed the wrong horse exclusive-wise by choosing the Xbox One, but I believe that everything Ive played would have been technically possible on the previous consoles.
I cant be bothered with all this ultra HD 4K business, therefore the games dont really look much different. So what was the point of upgrading?
The Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 were better than their replacements if you think about it. Im sure those machines had shorter installs and marginally less updates, they also had a greater variety of games, or more specifically a greater choice of genres.
For instance, we still had loads of good arcade racers in the olden days.
For the record, I dont regret buying an Xbox One. Ive had loads of fun with my machine (especially using backwards compatibility) but apart from missing out on the new Hitman and the ultimate version of Grand Theft Auto V, there probably wasnt much of a need to trade up in the first place.
msv858 (Twitter)
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Slow start
Its hard to be too negative against the whole generation when weve had such great games, especially as Im playing something that looks as amazing as Red Dead Redemption II, but I feel weve really only got two good years out of it and Im worried that the end is going to be as lacklustre as the beginning.
I imagine a lot of people have forgotten how bad things were for at least the first two years. Just endless cross-generation game and remasters. For a while there it looked like the whole thing was going to be a write-off. I really hope backwards compatibility because a proper standard next gen because I will be glad to never see another remaster of anything again.
Its such a waste of a developers time and so backwards looking. Video games should always be about pushing forward, thats what made last year so good and the first year so bad. I hope things go out with a bang but I fear itll be the usual whimper.
LED
Single-player preservation
I have been quite frankly, blown away by this generation of consoles. I opted for the PlayStation 4, but either a Microsoft or Nintendo product would have done the same thing. The power of consoles is based on gaming itself instead of the guts of the consoles power! This has now definitely been proved, and some of the greatest experiences of what a video game can be have been shown over the last few years.
Uncharted 4, Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Dark Souls III, Bloodborne, Life Is Strange, Darkest Dungeon, Resident Evil 7, Horizon Zero Dawn, Divinity: Original Sin II, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Super Mario Odyssey, and the newest God Of War.
Above are just a very few of the games us gamers were able to experience. These captured everything from gameplay, sound and music, and from a graphical point of view effects like dynamic lighting. Just check out some of graphical effects in God Of War. It was just mesmerising with light shining through jewels or off water, or just some other elemental effects on the world around you. Climbing up the knotty or braided hair of the giant and just looking at the textures of it and of the rock and mountains with it were just awe-inspiring.
The only criticisms of this generation are loot boxes and I really was glad when a big company like Disney stepped in, as it was harmful to business and what it was seen like in the wider world. Another thing which concerns me is online multiplayers making another leap forward and kicking out the single-player due to not being the main money-spinners anymore with games like Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4.
I am obviously a fan of single-players and most of the games above are ones I play and love. For multiplayer action though I am a spectator and view a lot of this on sites like Twitch. I find that fun, exciting, and funny and if you watch streamers like Lirik, Shortyyguy, and Giantwaffle you get a great laugh with their Nightstreams. To me that is the only way I deal with multiplayer, as I am just not a fan and will dread the day the single-player stops being made the way they are still being made now.
Games like Cyberpunk 2077 are definitely going to be holding the flag though, with other series like Resident Evil and the SoulsBorne games giving that single player goodness. Plus also The Elder Scrolls VI to look forward to. I am looking forward with interest to see how far this generation can be pushed and to what can be expected from the next generation in technology and the experiences we will encounter as gamers.
Alucard
Dont be evil
Given 2017 was the best year gaming has ever seen, in my opinion, I think this generation can only be considered a success, at least as far as the games go.
The problem is the increasingly immoral attitude of publishers. Loot boxes seem to be only the half of it, what with all the hiring of psychologists to get people addicted and preying on kids. Its all so disgusting because it seems so unnecessary. The biggest games, from Fortnite to Red Dead Redemption II, dont need it so why do they have to go that extra mile from just greedy corporation to actively evil? Are they saying FIFA wouldnt sell if it didnt have FUT. Its horribly really and I imagine its only going to get worse in the future.
Myles
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Sales and more
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to me have done well this generation and I do applaud the PlayStation 4 and Xbox Ones sales figures. Here are my views on both systems and other current generation game systems.
Games
We have seen a wide range of indie games and games from known and respected studios. However, this generation has not been too kind on some of the most anticipated games. Examples of this are the repeated delays of Crackdown 3, Gran Turismo Sport, and recently the huge Fallout 76 patch. These types of problems did not help this generations games at all. I am hoping that this wont occur in the future and that any other games will be prepared and released on time. However, there have been some really great games and surprises, like ports of some of the best games from the past and even a remake of MediEvil, along with newer titles to franchises like Forza and Gears Of War. And also God Of War and various other great indie titles like Outlast and Dead Nation.
Hardware
We have seen a vast improvement with the hardware, which has allowed some great games this generation. Examples of this are the 4K upscaling on the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro. The previous generation did not offer as much power or was as capable as current generation systems now. However even near the end of the generations cycle, I am sure we will see more impressive games to come.
Changes brought to the industry
There have been some changes brought to the industry, such as the use of game streaming services and also the rise in the number of indie games released and developed. Also, online gaming services have gotten better and offer features not thought possible on previous generation systems. The offer of free games on both PSN and Xbox Live is an example, as well as a huge improvements with online multiplayer games.
Looking back I think the best companies are both Sony and Microsoft with their sales figures and games line-up, although I must give credit to Nintendo for the launch of their Switch and how well they did during this generation so far. Although I will admit only a few games on that system grab my attention I most certainly will be purchasing one.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)
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