Every Games Amazing

Tag: PlayStation 5

Demon Souls is a Remake Worth its Weight in Souls
Praise the Sun! | Demon Souls Remake Gameplay [PS5]
Watch this video on YouTube.
The Demon Souls Remake is what every remake should strive to be.
It is not a new game, it is the classic we know and love. A game from 2009 with a fresh coat of paint and stellar gameplay that takes full advantage of what the PlayStation 5 has to offer.
From the controller vibrating as you slash to rolling off the edge, the mix of new and old is perfect.
A game I gave up on the way back has now taken up most of my time with this remake. I jump back in after every death to take on any foe and strive for victory.
Demon Souls TimeStamps
Pick up a weapon, because we’re hunting for Demon Souls!
A Thief Versus an Old Hero Doesn’t Seem Very Fair
Taking a quick breather before we dive into the action
To figure out just what made Demon Souls amazing, I needed to play Dark Souls 1-3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Bloodborne to comprehend the style of gameplay that is evident throughout all of them.
The Demon Souls Remake on the PlayStation 5 fixes all the issues I had with its original. Everything from the long load times to controls that felt stiff, everything is fixed and runs at full momentum.
The fog gate provides us a cutscene that precedes taking us right into the action.
I did a ton of grinding to get my level up and after attaching the Thief Ring, I am more than ready to take on the Old Hero.
It’s a solid tactic in Demon Souls to run away and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
We have dodging as well as a good sharp bow to fill the Old Hero with arrows.
A solid strategy that works out for me as long as I am aware of keeping away from the Old Hero’s big swings. The Old Hero is fast and does a ton of damage. Keep that in mind for your run of this remake.
He’s big, tall, and yes… Even on fire
Thankfully my character is built like a thief, making me fast, agile, and provided a ton of stamina. Whether it be for running away, attacking, or dodging, I am equipped for all possibilities.
I end up running back and forth around the arena and fill the Old Hero with arrows (both the normal and fire variety… I like to keep things interesting).
It has always been so cool that you can watch other players fight the boss in real-time alongside you.
We’re in this together; random phantom player!
I fire arrow after arrow until it comes down to the final moments… and I run out of arrows…
Thankfully, I pull a crazy stunt and throw one final magic attack to finish the job and take down the Old Hero (thank goodness that worked).
Yeah! I did it! Go me!
The Old Hero gets defeated, we get the classic “Demon Vanquished” wording, and my character’s body is restored!
Taking a moment to reflect, I look around to grab all the items, set up the bonfire and then move forward to the Altar of Storms.
This is the face of someone who just made a very bad mistake
The moment I stepped through the fog door, I realized I had just made a grave error… I had entered the area of the final boss without realizing it.
The intro to the Storm King solidifies my error and I have to regretfully remember that all of my arrows had been used on the Old Hero.
I was completely and utterly screwed with no chance of beating the Storm King, at all.
Now, I have never played past the opening hours of Demon Souls back when it came out in 2009, so everything was new to me.
That’s what makes playing the Demon Souls Remake today so much fun; it’s all new to me! Having played all the other games, I know what kind of things I am in for and how the mechanics work.
But none of that can help me survive a fight where I need magic or arrows, both of which I am completely out of.
Death is but the beginning in any Souls game
I walk out, die, then return to the Nexus to take on something I can do.
The Nexus, It Calls to Me
I like the Nexus, big fan
We get into the Nexus and I go around trying my best to explain everything. This is your hub.
Yep, that’s a bunch of numbers and stuff!
The Soul Power screen is where you can use your collected Souls to level up specific attributes.
I am not going to do a full breakdown of what everything does, but you can build your character in any way you want to fit your playstyle!
Since I just died I have no souls to spend so that means it is time to move on.
As you play through all the various levels/worlds, you encounter people to help or betray. If you help them you can add them to your Nexus for perks and even new shopkeepers.
We have Stockpile Thomas who will hold all your extra gear so you don’t have to carry everything. This allows you to mix and match your setup.
I deposit some stuff and move onto Blacksmith Boldwin who can upgrade all your gear and weapons with the right materials.
Again, I have no Souls so I can’t do anything. Let’s move on to the Upper Latria.
Trying Not to Fall in the Upper Latria
It’s high up, like, really high up
The prisons before this were brutally difficult but I didn’t have much trouble with this section as much as I thought I would; thanks grinding!
Moving forward, I take a look at a bloodstain in the game.
Bloodstains will show where other real players have died and how they died, this is extremely helpful to find hidden enemies or even traps. It’s a great version of “Learn by Example”.
See this person is dead, they just don’t know it yet
We move forward into the center of the area to discover a spiral staircase leading to a room blocked by a giant heart, I cannot be maneuvered, thus we go back up,
When in doubt, go the way that didn’t work and odds are you will progress. Along the way, I collect a bunch of materials and take out a few bad guys.
It’s a good feeling to like stuff, and Demon Souls has a lot to like
After a few notes on the ground,one-hit-kill we find an edge and decide to walk off of it.
Thankfully, I take it slow enough and survive to get the treasure below, which is a Rune Shield and Sword.
It looks awesome but I’m not equipped to use a magic weapon like this
After looking at the stats I discover I can’t use it well, if at all. So I keep what is already equipped and press onward.
Once we reclimb the steps, I cross a new section to get to a new spire. Climbing it allows us to meet some people powering what looks like a giant cable.
Doing the only smart thing in this situation, I take them all out and take a chain off the giant heart in the center.
It’s all about just hacking away at things to open the way forward
After that has been taken care of, we enter a cage and slowly descend to the depths below.
It is really impressive to move to a new part of the level so seamlessly, but alas, this is not a fun place to be.
Houston, we’re not in Upper Latria anymore
Walking down the blood-soaked planks and slashing through a bunch of enemies, I move forward through the craziness and into the unknown taking down a ton of disgusting monsters along the way.
After getting my bearings, I enter a fog door and then immediately get killed by a Black Phantom.
A Black Phantom can be scarier than any boss in the game, especially when it can one-hit-kill
Upper Latria, We Meet Once Again
Now we have a lot of ground to cover so let’s speed things up. Fast-forwarding back to where we were before, I hop into the cage.
Taking a new way, we roll off a cliff to a column below, running into a new face in a cage.
I decide to open the cage and after a little discussion, I am as lost as ever. I decide to move on as this character makes no sense.
Going back down into the depths, I immediately get killed by a new enemy and just decide to go back to the Nexus.
Pro Strat’s for Lots of Souls With Hunter Armada
Grab your notebooks, you’re gonna wanna know this!
Before we wrap up this episode, I decide to show how I managed to get 400,000 souls in roughly 30 minutes of effort.
You’re going to want to go to 4-2 The Ritual Path.
From there: run down to the first area with enemies, equip your bow and arrow then kill the Reaper at the bottom of the room.
Shoot the Reaper with arrows, rinse and repeat until full
That’s all there is to it, just kill this Reaper and you’ll get 4,000 – 5,000 Souls with roughly 15 seconds of work.
Just do this over and over to accumulate a ton of Souls fast, trust me it’s worth it.
Put on some good music, get down to business, and grind.
Is the Demon Souls Remake Amazing?
Demon Souls is amazing and I think everyone should experience a game that doesn’t care about their feelings
Demon Souls is a game that holds up and is still fantastic all these years later.
I’m having a blast figuring out the secrets of how all the enemies work and taking down demon after demon.
The game is far from easy and has no intention of letting up for you. But that’s what makes it so amazing! Every gamer needs a challenge and this game provides. Its intent is solely to kill you and you figure out how to survive.
From the graphics to the gameplay, and now the lack of loading screens, it all comes together as the highlight of the PlayStation 5 launch lineup.
I highly recommend it to everyone and if you’re willing to give it a chance, you won’t regret it!
Check Out if Other Games Are Amazing!
February 2, 2021
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is an Adventure Worth Taking
Saving Craftworld from the Evil Vex | Sackboy: A Big Adventure Gameplay [PS5]
Watch this video on YouTube.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a title that fulfills its promise: providing a multi-world adventure stuffed to the gills with creativity.
Everything feels alive and handmade, from the enemies to every level, it is a true joy to play through.
Sackboy has a ton of customization options that allow your imagination to go into overdrive, providing you the power to customize him however you like.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is an incredible platformer to launch alongside the PlayStation 5.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure Time Stamps
Let’s not waste any more time and dive into Craftworld to help stop the evil Vex!
Welcome to the Imagisphere
We’re just jazzed you’re here!
I was a big fan of all the Little Big Planet games but it always felt like the story modes were lacking.
The idea was for the players to create the game, levels, and worlds which helped the games to become something special.
But this brings it back to the developers over at Sumo Digital to let their creativity shine through.
There’s a lot to this adventure, so let’s see what makes it all come together for a fun collectathon.
Highs and Glows
Starting on the right foot, there’s a lot here
Taking a moment to pick Sackboy’s outfit, we dive right into High and Glows for some undersea fun.
Playing Sackboy: A Big Adventure feels great with the DualSense and you notice the handcrafted feel of the game right from the get-go.
We grab the boomerang for this level and throw it at some papercrafted jellyfish to light the way forward.
When you hit the jellyfish the level begins to show itself, it’s cool!
When you hit the jellyfish the ground shows up so we can safely get to the other side.
The main goal for each level is to get to to get a gold trophy for your efforts.
The other goals are Ace and finding all the presents. The presents are costumes you can equip and Ace requires you to get through the level without dying.
We move forward and find our first shine hidden in a diving helmet.
There’s so much charm throughout every level of Sackboy, from little crabs popping up to the fish swimming in the background.
With the crabs all waving at Sackboy, I felt left out
These little details add up to create levels that feel alive as they brim with creativity.
We grab a jellyfish of our own so we can create a traversable path into the dark trenches. I even use it to get another hidden shine.
It’s stuff like this that makes you smile
Taking a moment to show off the many emotions of Sackboy, we make him happy, sad, and even angry to show his range as an actor.
I was surprised to discover that Sackboy: A Big Adventure is much longer of a game than I anticipated.
There’s a big adventure here and it’s going to take a whole lot to get through it, but you’ll have a smile plastered to your face throughout.
Finding the first present of the level unlocks a new piece of a costume.
One odd thing I feel is lacking is that Sackboy can not change his outfit mid-level. I feel like this is a missed opportunity to have some fun and equip everything you collect on the fly.
If I find something awesome to wear I want to immediately wear it and not have to go all the way to Zom Zoms to go through a few menus and dig out the new outfit. I wish it were set in a style of something like Animal Crossing where you can switch outfits straight from an inventory at any point.
After that explanation, I blow the Ace reward as I jump right to my doom. Oops.
Taking the express, we run into some enemies that need to lose their armor. Using the jellyfish and finding the Knitted Knight Trial cube unlocks a fun speedrun.
A hidden room is revealed and we take on a fun puzzle to solve. It requires the boomerang and some solid platforming skills.
There’s a lot of these and they’re all unique!
The DualSense is showcased when pulling a bobble out of the ground. It’s cool and you can feel Sackboy struggle thanks to the enhanced rumble.
We find a new emotion for Sackboy to equip and then jump up through some clouds to get to the final stretch of High and Glows.
We are taken to some very odd parts of the ocean, including a crab taking a shower, to collect the final shine.
Sorry to bother you, Mam
There’s so much packed into every level. This is throughout the entire adventure which is very impressive.
Opening the vault we get to the end of the level and receive a total score. I failed to get the silver trophy but Sackboy’s still pumped!
Sackboy says to like all his Instagram posts!
Even though we didn’t get silver, we still managed to get a lot of Instagram likes from our photoshoot!
One issue I do have is that the level reward screen is a bit slow, taking a while to rally your accomplishments. I feel that it slows the overall flow of an otherwise fast-paced game.
The Kingdom of Crablantis
Moving back into the open world, we go through a bit of the overworld to discuss its multitude of hidden secrets.
Taking a small path of fish, we find a dish that opens a transport to another section of a different world with its unique level.
The Soaring Summit
This is like a little piece of the much bigger level that you can hop over with its unique levels to take on.
After a little debate, I decided to jump into the Between the Lines level.
Between the Lines
I discover almost immediately that this may be the hardest level in the game yet.
It is a highly demanding level that needs full concentration. Something I realize I cannot provide when recording myself.
From the highwires to the spinning circles, it has a lot to focus on.
Taking a minute, I appreciate the music in the game. This is a feature that can make-or-break any video game and I’m glad that Sackboy doesn’t let us down with its tunes. The music adds so much to every level to make it feel alive.
The soundtrack changes to match the player’s actions on-screen while also adhering to the overall mood of the level.
Taking in some high wire antics, I narrowly avoid all the enemies as we jump along the tightest of tightropes.
The urge to get the mini shines is too great and I take a hit and die a few times.
Using the momentum of the spinning wheels is surprisingly difficult and takes some platforming skills that I, unfortunately, do not possess.
Words… they elude me in my hour of need
Taking a zip line, we get to some more tightropes. The level gets the better of me and I run out of lines forcing me to throw in the towel and move forward.
Next up is some speed running action involving the Knitted Knight Trials.
Knitted Knight Trials
I like the Knitted Knight Trials, from the music to the challenge, they’re a ton of fun!
Things get tilted for this speedrun
For this section, I decide to take on the trial we unlocked earlier: Trial 6: Tilty Pleasures.
We don a sweatband and get running to the amazing music. We have to go fast to get through the time-limited run, going for the gold.
The key is to constantly run forward and never stop if you want the gold.
The sweatband is key when going for the gold trophy!
Dodging all the tilt and grabbing the clocks is how we manage to get gold time on the third attempt.
With the music amping us up, we get the gold and call this a victory!
Sackboy says to like all his Twitter posts!
Taking a moment to reflect and enjoy the gold, we rack up a bunch of Twitter likes and move onto Bubble Jeopardy.
Bubble Jeopardy
Jumping right in and… have to keep jumping! This level’s unique trick is all about jumping in and out of giant bubbles.
You can use the bubbles to gain height and jump all over the place.
Just don’t drown, please
We find a new costume piece and take the bubbles up and over to continue onward.
Jumping and swinging our way onwards, we dodge enemies while finding the hidden moons to collect the final shine.
Taking the bubble trial, I fail at platforming and die via spikes. This causes me to lose the Ace reward, which at this point I’m used to.
Next up we have to dive through some bubbles to get the enemies out and open the way forward.
A pro tip is to always go the wrong way on every level in Sackboy: A Big Adventure since you’ll almost always find a hidden secret.
Taking the advice, we find a hidden door and meet a recurring character, Gerald Strudleguff. He gives some neat background and some shines along the way.
He’s here to help and drop knowledge
Collecting his shine, we take a swig of water and continue into the bubble madness.
We make it to the end of the level after another death of course after some high bubble craziness.
Sackboy and I are super thrilled for our next photoshoot because we managed to get a gold trophy!
Sackboy says to like all of his Youtube videos!
After amassing a ton of Youtube likes, it is time to go visit the merchant Zom Zom and see what’s for sale.
Zom Zom is the Best Salesman
Diving headfirst into the bonus stage brings us to meet Zom Zom and one of his wacky trials.
The idea is to break everything as fast as you can. I fail to realize I can roll through everything.
Took me way too long to just roll through everything
With a ton of new collectibles in tow, we make our way to Zom Zom’s shop to start spending everything.
Everything has a price in this shop but it’s cool that you buy things in pieces rather than full outfits. This means even more ways to customize uniquely.
If you can think of it, there’s probably an outfit for it
Outfits come in all shapes and sizes, from Little Red Riding Hood, Tigers, and even some modern choices like headphones and VR headsets.
It’s really fun and you can customize your Sackboy however you want as long as you have the collectibles to purchase it.
But even then, every level has so many clothing pieces to collect that you’ll be able to find something fun to wear and uniquely put together.
Sackboy NOOOOOOOOOOO
With some new emotions thrown on, it’s time to gear up for the final level of the episode… as well as a big boss fight!
Thar She Blows Up
Ending this on a boss fight is the right call as the level is somewhat open-world and on the shorter side.
It’s cool that there are shorter levels like this where you can decide if you want to go after the collectibles or just run straight to the ending. It makes it feel like you can handle the level however you want, rather than being forced on a set path.
Especially when exploring is this much fun!
Taking the zipline dives us right in to grab the grappler. This allows us to throw explosives at the obstacles and move throughout to collect all the shines.
I discover that I am missing a shine and use one of the coolest features on the PlayStation 5 to help find it.
The PlayStation 5 has a feature if you’re a PlayStation Plus Subscriber called Activity Cards.
These are helpful cards you can pop up using the DualSense controller to help you throughout any level.
The PlayStation 5 knows what level of the game you’re in and will default to that helpful guide.
So you just have to load the card and watch a quick video to find all the collectibles within Sackboy: A Big Adventure. This is so much more efficient than something like Navi screaming “HEY! Listen!” and then giving you mundane clues that confuse the player even more.
However, the issue is that I missed this first Shine right at the start. Unfortunately, this means my only choice is to move onto the boss fight.
He has green sticky hands and that’s the coolest part of the game, don’t @ me.
The Ruffled Ruffian is an imposing boss but Sackboy has the grappler to help take him down.
The basic part of the fight is to run around and dodge his slime hands.
You pick up the explosives around the arena and throw them at him while jumping and rolling around.
After a few bomb tosses, we take the ruffian down and secure a gold trophy!
Sackboy says to like EVERYTHING!
After amassing a ton of Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram likes, we are ready to wrap things up on this big adventure.
Is Sackboy: A Big Adventure Amazing?
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a hell of a PlayStation 5 Launch Game
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a solid PlayStation 5 launch game.
Filled with charm, fun challenges and so much jam-packed action to keep you entertained for hours.
It’s nice to have a platformer at the start to exemplify the fast loading and the difference in graphics that can be achieved.
The fact that the game plays nicely and is a great showcase of the PlayStation Activity Cards is a welcome experience to help you get ready for what is down the road.
I enjoyed my time with Sackboy: A Big Adventure and I can’t recommend it enough!
Check Out if Other Games Are Amazing!
December 29, 2020
Bugsnax Is Weird, Plain, and Simple (Bunger? Bunger!)
AHHHHHH (Bunger Bunger Bunger) | Bugsnax Gameplay [PS5]
Watch this video on YouTube.
Bugsnax is a weird game, no point in sugar-coating it, but that is what makes it such a special game.
There’s no combat due to Bugsnax being a puzzle game… a truly bizarre one at that.
You run around an island and collect the many creatures that inhabit it while also feeding the residents.
I mentioned that the game is a weird one and here is where that comes into play. But I’ll dig deep into that explanation later.
Bugsnax Time Stamps
- 0:00 Welcome to Bugsnaxs
- 1:25 Interviewing Gramble
- 4:27 Exploring the Town of Snaxburg
- 6:52 It gets Weird in Scorched Gorge
- 24:40 Is Bugsnaxs Amazing?
Let’s gather our nets and run into the great unknown as we catch some Bugsnaxs!
Welcome to Bugsnaxs
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Welcome to Bugsnax! Please take a seat, relax, and get comfortable. It’s a big world out there.
This game is weird, like really weird, like so weird that you have to play it to fully understand.
But otherwise, it’s a good solid puzzle game wrapped up tight in a time loop.
You run around a big island, make friends and capture the wildlife to feed it to people.
On paper this sounds pretty standard, but… the residents are a little too eager to start eating.
This is just the start, let’s dive right in by interviewing the residents and see if we can get to the bottom of this place.
Interviewing Gramble
When you interview residents it’s time to get serious
The interviewing aspect of the game is pretty straight forward; you just go down a checklist of interview questions.
It boils down to just picking an option and exhausting the rest of the list. Certain questions open up new dialog options, but it’s all linear.
The real fun comes from the interview! The character’s answers reveal insight into who they are and their various thoughts on the world.
The key draw is that each person has likes and dislikes about everyone else within Bugsnax.
After each interview, you usually get an item to move the story forward but I couldn’t figure out where to use the key that Gramble gave me.
Exploring the Town of Snaxburg
After the interview process, I take a bit to explore the town of Snaxburg.
It is a fairly big town that expands as you progress through the game. This happens as you bring back residents and various bugsnaxs.
It’s a big town for you to fill with your friends!
You can scan all the people within the world to see what their interests are and even the nature of their relationships with other characters.
The world runs off a day and night system which entails a live clock. With this, certain bugsnaxs come out only at specific times.
This book will keep track of your adventure
You can keep track of all the Bugsnax you collected, a map of the world, every character, your items, and even all your tools in a handy-dandy notebook.
It’s nice to have everything available all in one place to help keep you on track towards your goal in the Bugsnax world.
We run over to Gramble to get a side quest where you can donate Bugsnax to help expand your carrying space.
With that, let’s run into the Scorched Gorge and start catching some Bugsnax!
It Gets Weird in Scorched Gorge
This isn’t the weird part but keeps reading cause it’s coming
Here we run into our first Bugsnax as well as our first puzzle! This involves a scorpion and… popcorn kernels? Yes, you read that right.
The idea is that you can’t catch popcorn kernels because they’re too small for your trap.
What do you do with popcorn kernels and a scorpion made out of the fire? Well, you anger the scorpion who will shoot fireballs to light you on fire.
When on fire, you run over the kernels to make them pop. Once popped, they can be caught.
I wasn’t joking when I said you have to be lit on fire to solve this puzzle
I know that was a lot but that’s just the start of this insanity trip.
Next up is Spuddy, which is a rock and a baked potato. I fail to catch it, but man do I piss it off.
I run into Triffany (Yes, that is her name) and try to get her back to Snaxburg; the problem is that she needs help with her skeletons.
Before we move on, this is a good showcase of the 3D Pulse Headset that you can read more about by clicking here!
The audio is so well done and everything sounds amazing for every aspect of the game. This feature truly adds to the immersion in a great way!
I can’t find what she wants in this video but I’m working on it in my playthrough.
Pressing onward, we meet Cromdo the shifty salesman to get a new tool to help catch Bugsnax with the lunchpad (Puns, so many puns).
After a few failed attempts, I discover that you have to mix it with the buggy ball, and soon after it is all mine.
Cromdo wants 3 cheepoofs for payment for the lunchpad.
Bunger Bunger Bunger Bunger
I run into (my favorite Bugsnax) Bunger as I am catching the cheepoofs!
I love Bunger. He is the best part of the entire game and I won’t hear otherwise.
After a bunch of fails, I eventually get all 3 and we move onward to the weirdest part of the entire game.
This warning is here for a reason, I’m not joking
So this is the part I’ve been avoiding this entire time, the main draw of the game.
The critters you collect are all food which you then feed to the residents on the island.
Sounds reasonable enough until you start the feeding frenzy.
Depending on the Bugsnax you choose, the resident’s chosen body part will change to that animal in question.
Feeding Cromdo three Cheepoofs turns him into the picture below… I can’t make this up.
I said I wasn’t joking
Next up he wants a Fryder so off we go to toss the Snax Trap over to catch it and return to Cromdo.
I don’t even know what’s happening anymore
So, as you can see, Cromdo is becoming a carb combo as he sports cheese puff and fry limbs.
After we finish up the payment to the salesman we learn that he wants to change his feet into icicles so he can walk in the desert safely.
I don’t manage to get to the snowy area in this episode but I’m still working on it in my own time.
We end our tour of Scorched Gorge by finding a nice Desert Ruin Mural for a little backstory, the game is good at telling you the plot with the world.
I like that the world-building is part of the world
After taking a little nap, it is time to return to Snaxburg and wrap up this episode!
Is Bugsnax’s Amazing?
Bugsnax is weird, like really weird but damn if it isn’t a solid puzzle game
Bugsnax is a game that I didn’t put any thought into until it became free with PlayStation Plus.
But I’m so glad I gave it a shot to experience the world and try to figure out just what the heck is going on.
It is a solid puzzle game without too much flair and it doesn’t use anything with the PlayStation 5.
It looks great, plays satisfyingly smooth, and is challenging without being overbearing.
I’ve enjoyed my time with it, and if you give it a shot, I think you will too!
Bugsnax is weird, like really weird but damn if it isn’t a solid puzzle game
Check Out if Other Games Are Amazing!
December 15, 2020
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a PlayStation 5 Launch Game Masterpiece
Swinging Through the Spider-Verse | Spider-Man: Miles Morales Gameplay [PS5]
Watch this video on YouTube.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is what every launch game should strive to be, a showcase of everything the new console brings to the table.
From the quick loading to the rock-solid 30 FPS with Ray-Tracing, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a crazy impressive PlayStation 5 (PS5) title.
I spend way too much time swinging around the city and just having an absolute blast. As one does with any Spider-Man game!
Spider-Man: Miles Morales may not innovatively use the DualSense but everything else is so impressive that we can just let that slide.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales Time Stamps
Having a lot to live up to with the first Spider-Man game back in 2018, let’s swing into action and don the mask!
Swinging Around as Miles Morales
Swinging around the city as Miles is easily the best part of the entire game
The first thing to do is spend some time swinging around the city as Miles.
Doing some sweet tricks in the Crimson Cowl Suit, I gear up for what is to come.
I take a moment to hype up the 3D audio via the Sony Pulse Headsets. If you’re interested, you can read all about them by clicking here!
It’s pretty crazy that the 3D audio adds an extra layer to the gameplay that I have never experienced before. It’s immersion on a whole new level. I recommend wearing the Sony headphones while playing any game on the PlayStation 5. That way you do not miss out on the experience as a whole.
After some more swinging and giving the Venom attack a shot, we stop a small crime in progress.
Taking out the bad guys is easy enough… even if I do let one getaway. But it is so fast that I’ll award myself a small victory!
I like the crimes in Miles a lot better than the original, they feel more organic and don’t play a part in 100% of the game. This is a big improvement from just waiting around in an area until the game decides to trigger a crime.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the ray-tracing! Running up to a window, you can see Miles’s reflection in real-time.
He’s in the window, this is crazy
This is a cool and big graphic upgrade from the older consoles. I am extremely impressed because it adds an intense layer to the gameplay that allows the world to feel more alive to the player.
Let’s go take on Roxxon and do a story mission with no loading to hold us back (can you tell that I love this feature?)!
Infiltrating the Roxxon Building
First things first, we have to get into the building. This requires us to take out 3 guards and start up a junction box to gain entrance.
Using Venom we can enter the building and go through a vent to gain deeper access.
If the loading is done via crawling through vents then that works for me, it’s so cool!
Coming out the other end introduces us to some bad guys. This gives us a chance to use Miles’ camouflage technique to stay off their radar.
Miles isn’t the only one who can use Camouflage
Taking out the guards we run into an unexpected face: The Prowler.
I didn’t know about the Prowler until “Into the Spider-Verse”, but it looks like Spider-Man: Miles Morales takes him in a whole different direction.
After a brief interaction, we decide to work together to grab a lost cell phone.
He gives us Remote Mines to use which are extremely helpful in the upcoming stealth section.
Using them in the next room, we take down a bunch of Roxxon villains and move onto a brief cutscene.
Just look at that insane level of detail
Crawling through another vent drops us into a new room of baddies to take down.
I screw up the stealth and go full combat mode utilizing all my tools like holograms, takedowns, and many-a-combo until they’re all beaten down.
From here we unlock some more things to do in the open-world side of the game. We get to the massive room with the cell phone at the bottom. It has a gigantic fan that needs to be shut down before progressing further.
Making my way down, I take out all the guards without being detected until we get to the phone. Another cutscene happens but I refuse to spoil it here. You’ll have to watch the video! (Or… you know… play the game).
Asking the Prowler to open the giant fan’s reactor, Miles uses his Venom powers to shut it down.
Miles isn’t the only one who can harness Venom!
Miles takes all the juice from the reactor and we get a cool cutscene that walks us through an exploding hallway.
In the midst of it all, we lose the phone we worked so hard for. Now the name of the game is to escape the Roxxon building in one piece.
Getting to the top, we face a new type of bad guy with a shield; all you need to do is hold the web attack to pull it away and then throw it back.
After a short combat encounter, the Prowler joins in for a bit but eventually, we get overwhelmed and have to escape to a subway tunnel.
Another quick cutscene graces our scenes before we reach the exit to the city’s open-world. Now it is time to swing around in the Spider-Verse!
Swinging Around in the Spider-Verse
Easily the coolest–if not the best part–of this game is swinging around the city. Insomniac additions are beyond awesome and make the experience a great one.
You can equip an option to make Miles move around in a slower frame-rate to match the Spider-Verses movie framerate style.
You feel like you’re in the movie when you have everything equipped
Swinging through the city reveals just how the city moves at a solid 30 FPS while Miles moves in a different universe.
I didn’t want Miles to have all the low frame-rate fun so I decided to lower my frame-rate to be on even footing.
Pro tip: if you listen to the Spider-Verse soundtrack while swinging around like this you feel so cool.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
The app is a great addition that allows you to choose what you want to do next easily
After a bit of swinging, I pull up the Quest App Miles has access to and decide where we go next.
I choose to save a man stuck on a skyscraper and zip over to save the day.
The side mission isn’t anything crazy or super in-depth, just simply chat for a bit, take down some bad guys, and restore power to save the worker.
After that’s completed, we remove the lower frame-rate and go back to the Crimson Cowl Suit.
A Look Through the Upgrade Menu
Let’s take a look at what kind of upgrades Spider-Man: Miles Morales offers.
You can upgrade equipment, change out suits, and equip whatever additional powers you want.
I’m a big fan of the fact that the suit powers aren’t forcibly tied to the suit so you can pick how you want Miles to look but are not restricted to a specific upgrade based solely on the clothing.
Next, we have the upgrade tree which looks kind of small but has a lot of offer in terms of making Miles stronger.
This in turn just makes the game more fun and easier to tackle bad guys.
There isn’t a lot of upgrades but what’s here is very useful
Spider Cache, Spider Cache, Does Whatever a Spider Cache Does
We take a quick detour to go grab an Underground Cache that gives you a Tech Part.
I nearly got run over by a massive tank, which surprised me as it’s the first time the game did something like that. Gotta keep us on our spidey-toes!
Well worth the effort
Tech Parts can be used to purchase new abilities, acquire new suits, and upgrade your gadgets.
A Look Through the Menus
I don’t have enough Tech Parts at the moment
So the menu is where you do everything from upgrading to suit changes.
You can wear suits and powers on the fly at any point during the game.
There’s no restarting a mission or jumping back to another menu; it’s all real-time.
This way you can be the Spider-Man you want to be!
There are also Time-Capsules to collect as well as podcasts to listen to.
One of the best parts is that the map is already fully unlocked, unlike the original Spider-Man where you have to bring it into focus. The map is fully visible and everything is laid out so you can play at your own pace.
Stopping a Store Robbery
We’ll send out the episode on a high note by stopping a store robbery.
Taking a quick swing through the city, we end up outside a small convenience store and begin to hurl trash cans at the robbers.
This makes quick work of them after some solid venom attacks and the city is made safer.
The big takeaway here is that the crimes are organic and not a key part of the open-world anymore.
In the original Spider-Man, you could spend hours swinging around one location just waiting for that final crime to take place.
Now they just show up as you swing around and are not tethered to the game’s overall completion which is nice.
Is Spider-Man: Miles Morales Amazing?
Spider-Man Miles Morales is a very impressive PlayStation 5 launch game
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an impressive launch game where you won’t have anything less than a good time playing it.
It shows off the true power of the PlayStation 5 with the speed of the loading to the ray-tracing graphics.
We saw the combat, stealth, and some story beats that all combine to make something truly memorable.
It is nothing short of impressive and that makes me excited to see what Spider-Man 2 could hold for the future.
This is a stunning first look at what we have to look forward to in the future.
Check Out if Other Games Are Amazing!
December 8, 2020
Astro’s Playroom is the Love Letter Playstation Deserves
FEELING THE DUALSENSE | Astro's Playroom – SSD Speedway Gameplay [PS5]
Watch this video on YouTube.
Astro’s Playroom is a game that comes installed on all PlayStation 5 (PS5) consoles.
There is no excuse for you not to immediately dive in while other games install. How could you not? With a fresh new system, no one wants to wait. It’s great that Sony gave us something to immediately try out.
Astro’s Playroom is a showcase of the PS5 and DualSense controller that showcases everything you can look forward to.
Whether it be the DualSenses haptic feedback or simply the 3D audio, Astro’s Playroom is here to give you a full course meal.
On top of all that, it can be viewed as a love letter to all things PlayStation, any number of games are thrown in and it’s a true joy to discover them all.
Astro’s Playroom – SSD Speedway Gameplay Time Stamps
Let’s grab our DualSense and fling into just what the heck makes Astro’s Playroom such a remarkable PlayStation 5 launch game.
Astro’s Playroom and the DualSense Controller
Words alone do not do this controller justice, you have to experience it for yourself
Seven years, five consoles, some handhelds in the mix, and we are finally here: the PlayStation 5.
Astro’s Playroom is a game that comes installed on every console and is an amazing showcase for the brand new console.
I could not believe that this free title would be the most impressive thing in the entire console package.
The breakout star of the show is the DualSense controller. It is insanely impressive and feels like it was brought to us from the future.
Starting at the CPU PLAZA–the hub world–we move straight to SSD SpeedWay to play through an entire level.
SSD SpeedWay Turbo Trail
Jumping right into the level we put up a nice stop clock to showcase just how fast levels load.
How games can load in 3 seconds is beyond me and extremely impressive
We can load the level in roughly 3 seconds by jumping into the level option from the hub world.
This is unreal and a true testament to just how far we have come from the days of buffering loading screens.
Honestly, faster loading is one of the best parts of this new set of consoles. It is just such a nice quality of life improvement.
SSD Speedway is all about the DualSenses touchpad as we use it to slingshot around. Then we use the motion built into it to fly around.
We dodge some flying cars and land on a little island where we see Kat from Gravity Rush floating on the side of a wall.
Controlling Gravity has never looked so good
Moving forward we do another slingshot through some future traffic and run into the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy.
The remake was phenomenal and seeing the buster sword was awesome
One more slingshot, a spin attack, and we move onto the final section of this first part of the level.

Taking a little downward detour, we run into Pyramid Head from Silent Hill and try not to get dragged away.
I’m glad they weren’t afraid to put in M rated games into Astro
It is a cool collaboration and an amazing trip down memory lane to have every PlayStation game here, at least in some form even if they are not represented outright.
You will be starstruck and enjoy all of the throwbacks.
Moving forward, we have Ratchet and Clank show up holding a ton of bolts.
I feel bad hitting Ratchet to make him drop the bolts
The soldiers from Killzone make an appearance while holding the PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter.
That’s a lot of soldiers, I wonder what they are up to…
We even get the soldier from Resistance: Fall of Man; a nice touch!
Fitting
Moving back behind some boxes, we uncover our first Artifact: the DualShock 2 Controller, which I mistake for the DualShock 3.
It is awesome that there is so much detail packed into something our eyes skim over so fast.
The detail of the controller is on another level and the ray-tracing helps bring it to life.
It even mirrors your button presses on the DualSense. Truly a well-done feature; you can’t help but smile.
The amount of detail is just unmatched
We send it off to the PlayStation Labo and continue up to the rocket.
As I continue through the level I take a moment to talk about the DualSense.
You can feel Astro walking on the ground and on different terrain. The specific vibrations in the control make it so grass feels different than steel in your palms. Every coin you pick up has a little vibration attached to the command, letting you know that you picked up a specific object.
I am also utilizing the 3D Pulse Headset, which I did an unboxing of which you can check out by clicking here.
The 3D audio is no joke, it’s wildly impressive and adds a new layer of immersion to Astro’s Playroom that I have never experienced during gameplay before.
The duo of the DualSense and the 3D Pulse Headset adds up to be a new sensory experience for gameplay. I truly am so hyped for more.
As I’m getting hyped for the headphones, I fail to pay attention and face my first death of the video, but the loading is so fast it doesn’t matter.
I also unboxed the PlayStation 5 which you can read all about by clicking here.
We climb the rocket and get ready to cache some caves.
SSD SpeedWay Caching Caves
The game suddenly shifts into a fun space flight game where you have to use the controller’s triggers to fly around.
To get in the air we have to use the controller to zip up and launch into space.
Seriously something as simple as playing with a zipper is crazy fun
Using the controllers triggers to full speed the thrusters we move onward and upwards.

We run into a really old PS1 game called Vib-Ribbon; an awesome callback to a classic of the brand.
They dug deep for some true PlayStation gems
We get to light some fireworks and grab a new Artifact: the PS2 Multitap.
I’ll be honest… I completely forgot this existed
We come across some spider webs where you need to push the triggers in harder to break through and discover the next Artifact of the level.
The PS2 Memory card is incredibly detailed and gives me those nostalgic feelings that all gamers enjoy every once in a while.
8MB of storage used to be a lot
We land, get out of the spaceship, and move into Deep Space.
SSD Speedway Deep Space
After a small trek in, we run into Dante from Devil May Cry shooting a clown with Ebony and Ivory, then if you hit him he does a little sword attack.
Dante doing what he does best, shooting clowns
We get to pull a PlayStation Move Controller and blast away to make a cool looking fireworks show.
Rolling around, we discover the ball from Katamari Damacy and do some sweet rolls.
It’s filled with PlayStation pins, which is super fun
Next up is Wipeout, a sweet racing game that I hope comes to the PlayStation 5.
So much fun, so little time
We jump up some bouncy floors and get to a section where you need to blow into the controller to spin a cool windmill. This brings me back to the 3DS days… but the mechanic works so much better now.
Getting hit by a meteor doesn’t stop us from grabbing the next artifact, which is a PS2 Game Disk showing a nod to Ico.
The Ray-Tracing helps bring the disk to life
Onto the next part, we get a sweet little minigun where you can just shoot all the enemies away which is extremely fun.
Next, we run into the ship from Resogun which was a PS4 launch game.
For a PS4 launch game Resogun was surprisingly rad
A little more traversing allows us to move into the final part of the level which involves the ship again.
SSD Speedway Orbital Obstacles
Using the touchpad to zip up, we take to space once again to fly through, collect coins, dodge bad guys poorly, and make a beeline towards the end.
A couple of deaths won’t stop me from getting the next artifact: the PlayStation 2 Slim (rendered beautifully, might I add).
You can even open the disk tray
Moving onward, we hit a cold underground ice palace where we find the SingStar Mic.
The DualSense Mic works just as well as the real deal
The thing that caught me off guard was the surprise boss fight in the level, which wasn’t hard, just a good showcase of how much value this game has.
We take him down and move onto the final part of the level, which is the PlayStation 2 start-up screen.
Which yes, I was crazy nostalgic for this portion because it was so freaking cool.
You get to walk around the start-up screen and see the city building around you as you gaze into the cosmos.
We finish it up and get the final artifact which is the PlayStation 2 in all of its nostalgic glory!
Ahhh Memories
PlayStation Labo
After you finish a level in Astro’s Playroom, you get to go to the PlayStation Labo which is your PlayStation memorabilia hub.
Everything you collect gets stored here for you to view and play with.
The one-stop-shop for everything and anything PlayStation
They all have their little animations and everything feels alive, it’s just so fun.
There’s a claw game you can play to get more collectibles and spend the coins you’ve gathered throughout your journey. It reminds me of the trophy-buying in Smash Bros.
We open some captchas and move onto the final part of the video, a quick speedrun via the Space Walk level!
Space Run Network Speed Run
I decided to take on the Space Walk Speed Run challenge and desperately try my best to get a good time.
I falter early on but this is a good chance to show off just how fast you can restart a run in seconds, so I don’t lose too much time.
Some challenging platforming, a quick run later, I complete the task, and we can close out the video!
Is Astro’s Playroom Amazing?
Astro’s Playroom is amazing, hands down, no contest.
Astro’s Playroom is a jaw-dropping masterpiece for the PS5 launch title.
For a game that didn’t have much going for it and not too big of a presence, it truly delivers.
It’s a great platformer that doesn’t overstay its welcome, is a grand time, and shows you why you should be excited to own a PlayStation 5.
I love every second I’m playing it and I could not be more impressed with the DualSense.
From the controller, the graphics, the music, and everything else, Astro’s Playroom is a great pack-in that everyone should play the first thing on their shiny new console.
Check Out if Other Games Are Amazing!
December 1, 2020
Unboxing the PlayStation 5 (PS5): A Dream Come True (First Impressions)
PlayStation 5 Unboxing | First Impressions + PlayStation 4 Pro Comparison
Watch this video on YouTube.
Unboxing the PlayStation 5 is a wild ride from start to finish.
It dazzles you with a unique, attention-grabbing box that keeps you guessing about what is inside.
The PlayStation 5 is a masterclass of a console, really making you feel like the next 7 years are going to be groundbreaking.
This is shown from the moment you open up the box and then showcased by playing Astro Bot, which is pre-installed.
Let’s get right into unboxing the Playstation 5 and see why this console is so amazing.
PlayStation 5 Unboxing Video Time Stamps
PlayStation 5 Box Overview
The Playstation 5, from the get-go, lets you know what you’re getting into with a clean front.
I love the triangle, square, circle, plus sign behind the PlayStation 5 console and DualShock 5 controller. Little things that make the design cohesive to the brand are easy ways to tell an item is of quality.
We also have the 4K 120FPS showing as 8K and HDR in the upper right.
The front of the box is very clean making it just nice to look at
Looking to the left side of the box we have the PS5 logo as well as everything that comes packed inside.
Inside the box is the PS5 console, the DualShock 5 Controller, mounting stand, HDMI cable, AC Power Cord, USB Cable, Printer Materials, and Astro Playroom pre-installed.
I like how the triangle and circle bleed over to the left side of the box
On the back of the box, we can see a nice big picture of the PlayStation 5 and the DualShock 5.
We can also see it has 825 GB in hard drive space, lighting speed, breathtaking immersion, and stunning games!
You’ll be able to put in an M.2 Drive in the future to expand the storage but Sony has yet to announce anything specific.
Lighting speed talks about how fast this console loads video games and apps. It’s insane, just unreal.
The immersion is on another level using the 3D audio, I’ve never heard anything like it; impressive.
The stunning games are no joke. All of the launch games are true showcases of just just how powerful this console is.
If you have PS Plus then you get a big library that includes Sony first-party games, such as Ratchet and Clank.
They want you to know this is a PlayStation 5
The right side of the box has differently angled photographs of the console and DualSense controller.
Plain simple and elegant
No, that the box has been covered, let’s unbox this thing and get into the console itself!
Unboxing the PlayStation 5
1 piece of tape is all that held me from getting to the console
I had to stand up, put the box on the floor, and pull the console out. The box is just that big! It even weighs around 15 pounds.
There’s a box within a box and it holds everything we will need.
PlayStation 5 Accessories
Everything you’ll need in one nice little box
We got the instruction manual, the safety guide, the AC Power Cable (No Power Brick is awesome), USB-C for charging the controller, the PS5 stand, an HDMI cable, and the DualShock 5.
The PS5 stand is impressive; it’s hefty with a solid structure meant for both horizontal and vertical standing.
No matter your entertainment center, the PS5 is going to fit nicely and look incredible.
The DualShock 5 (DualSense) Controller
The new DualShock 5 has to be held to be believed
The controller feels incredible when you hold it. It forms perfectly to the hands so gameplay will be a comfortable breeze.
The touchpad is still front and center and it has a nice diagonal cutout that just looks cool.
Also, the PlayStation button is nicely etched into the controller, plus it has a nice push-in effect.
I like the sleek, white look with the black contrast. Every detail within this generation is pleasing to the eye.
The mute button is a great addition and something well thought out.
The triggers feel great and even better once you’re playing video games!
Comparing the DualShock 5 (DualSense) the DualShock 4
They look very similar but the internals are where the magic lies
The most noticeable difference is that white and black contrast on the new DualSense.
The DualSense just feels better than the DualShock 4, it has a better grip and fits in your hand nicer than its predecessor.
I’ve been using the DualShock 4 for the last 7 years and it’s nice to have something that feels evolved.
The other key difference is the Playstation button is no longer a circle; it’s a cut out of the PlayStation logo, so it can be harder to press.
The D-Pad and the Share/Menu buttons are in the same place.
The key difference is the internals, that’s what makes this controller so unique and will vastly improve gameplay.
I also love how the lights are much more subdued on the side of the touchpad rather than a big bar across the top that annoys you. It’s much more subtle.
Let’s get into the PlayStation 5 console itself!
The PlayStation 5 Console
It’s a V for 5 with a bulge for the disk tray, very nice!
The PlayStation 5 is crazy looking, just awe-inspiring. You have to see it in person to understand just how insane this console truly is.
It’s a breath of fresh air in the electronics space with it being so freaking rad looking. It is just so different from every other console, Sony or not. It makes you wonder what the hell it even is if you didn’t already know.
Ultimately it looks like a concept for a game console, not the final product and I’m just so glad Sony had fun with it!
On the front, we have the disk tray, power button, disk eject button, a USB-C slot, and a USB slot.
The PlayStation logo cut out on the side is just beautiful
The side of the console is nice with the logo cut out. Sony truly planned for it to look great whether one chooses to stand it up or lay it on its side.
Pretty standard stuff back here to plug in and get gaming
We have the power connector, HDMI in, Ethernet cable, and two USB inputs.
This is also where the stand is placed via the nice button inlay to help guide you.
This is a very tall console, no two ways about it, with a hefty weight to boot.
The buttons click-in rather than being composite.
Comparing the PS4 Pro to the PS5
This is 7 years of engineering right here
These are two very different consoles no matter vertical or horizontal.
The PS4 Pro is matte black and on the smaller side, while the PS5 just towers over it.
Again it comes down to the difference in size and scope for these two consoles.
The PS4 has a nice shiny logo but the PS5 logo is cut out of the casing.
The big takeaway from these two consoles is that there is no more optical out on the PS5.
This is a shame because that was useful on the PS4 Pro, but with the Pulse 3D Headsets, you won’t miss it.
Putting on the PlayStation 5 Stand
It’s easy to put on and looks great doing it
Putting on the PS5s stand was surprisingly easy; you just match the stand to the squares that are cut into the PS5.
This allows for vertical or horizontal and it looks fantastic either way, just do what’s best for your entertainment system.
Before I put it on the stand, I didn’t realize the disk tray was at the bottom, but after using it there are no issues.
Final Thoughts on the PlayStation 5
From the crazy look to playing amazing games, the PS5 nails everything perfectly
I am so impressed by the PlayStation 5, this is truly a console that was worth the wait.
From playing games to simply looking at the console’s design; it is evident how much thought went into its creation.
It is a premium console and it makes sure you know that from every aspect, I am so overjoyed to jump into playing it.
I’m going to go play some Miles Morales and just look at the console in awe!
Check Out the Other Amazing Unboxings!
November 15, 2020