Yet another PS4 game recommendation question!
March 17, 2016 12:35 PM   Subscribe

I'm looking for recommendations for games for the PS4, particularly in the RPG and puzzle genres.

I've just bought a Playstation 4 console to replace my XBox360. I haven't been paying much attention to next-gen games, since I didn't have a way to play them, but now that I do, I need some recommendations for games to try, both new/upcoming and stuff from the back catalog. My favorite games of all time are the Mass Effect trilogy, and I very much like the rest of BioWare's games. I loved Portal and Portal 2. Skyrim and Fallout New Vegas were quite good too, though I didn't enjoy Fallout 3 that much. Way back when, I loved Myst and its sequels -- I'd particularly like to find more games in that vein (I've got The Witness on my shortlist). I may pick up Fallout 4, but I'm not sure yet.

Things I'm not particularly fond of: FPS games, platformers, and 8-bit/retro style games. Historically I've found JRPGs more annoying than engaging; I think the last JRPG I played and enjoyed was Final Fantasy VII.

So, what should I be looking for, either in stores or on the PSN? Help me not regret this purchase, MeFites!
posted by Janta to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (15 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Witcher 3!
posted by ghharr at 12:44 PM on March 17, 2016 [2 favorites]


Best answer: I'd push The Witness off your shortlist and in to your 'bought' list. It's so, so fabulous. Myst is one of my favorite games of all time, and it tickles me in much the same way (even though the puzzle mechanics are very different).

I might give Bloodborne a shot if I were you - it's a lot like Dark Souls (which is to say a very, very hard third-person action RPG) and I didn't like it very much but that's more personal taste. I know a lot of people who absolutely love it.

Oh, also, it has no bearing to what you've mentioned liking or disliking but you may want to take a look at Rocket League. It's soccer with cars. As in, you play a car, playing soccer against other cars. It's goofy and absurd and incredible, and it's only $20 on PSN.
posted by Itaxpica at 12:50 PM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]


Best answer: You're right on with The Witness. As for Fallout 4, I regret every hour I wasted on it.

Metal Gear Solid V is excellent, if controversial in about ten different ways.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:55 PM on March 17, 2016


Response by poster: I wanted to add -- I'm also not fond of zombies or horror games.

What is it you regret about playing Fallout 4, paper chromatographologist ?
posted by Janta at 1:00 PM on March 17, 2016


Best answer: I felt it was a very modest iteration on the engine and assets that they used for Fallout 3, which had been released seven years earlier.

The story lines were mostly boring in the worst Bethesda way, except when they were idiotic and frustrating. Specifically, I finally gave up when I got railroaded into murdering my preferred faction of NPCs in order to advance the story. I apparently missed the "correct" moment to chose my allegiance.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 1:10 PM on March 17, 2016


The Last of Us.

Oh, sorry. Just saw zombie qualification.
posted by LoveHam at 1:29 PM on March 17, 2016


I'd recommend Dragon Age: Inquisition before Fallout 4. Fallout 4 is more directed than Fallout 3 was, but there is a whole wealth of new systems (and they got rid of the Karma system) that I think need to bake a bit to be really enjoyable. I say this having put probably 150+ hours into both of those games, though.

I also really did enjoy The Witness, although it made my head hurt. If you liked Myst, you'll love The Witness.
posted by pazazygeek at 1:43 PM on March 17, 2016


Get yourself a copy of Journey. It's lovely.
posted by cleverevans at 2:54 PM on March 17, 2016 [2 favorites]


Best answer: If you've never played an Assassin's Creed game, the new one "Syndicate" is great on the PS4.

You might also enjoy the Uncharted Collection. It has three games, and although there is shooting and platforming in the game, it isn't what I would call a shooter *or* a platformer. It is more of a cinematic experience.
posted by tacodave at 3:28 PM on March 17, 2016


Best answer: To add to comments about Fallout 4: I've played Fallouts 1, 2, and 3 at this point, and it annoys me that Bethesda feels like all problems need to be solved by killing people. Most of the game boils down to, "Go to these places and kill these people," with an extra heavy dose of hoarding, because this game is also all about crafting and pointless settlement building so you can accumulate more stuff so you can mod more guns to kill more people. Too much time spent on killing, not enough time on making the world and characters more coherent and interesting. Which would be fine if it wasn't an RPG. I can see why it's so big with the FPS crowds - lots of crossover appeal - but to the dedicated RPG player, it feels like just more of the same. Again, if you're not tired of Bethesda games, feel free to sink the time into it, but they've been making the same game with new coats of paint for a decade, and I've tired of it.

Second recommendation of Journey (on a related note, Flower, since you didn't play these on PS3). I didn't play The Witness, but everything I've read about it argues that it's exactly what you want. Broken Age is a puzzle game - classic LucasArts style adventure game about talking to people and solving puzzles, also available on PC. You might also consider The Unfinished Swan, a puzzle/exploration game. Another puzzle game you may or may not like is Unmechanical: Extended.

If you like open-world games or superheroes, consider Infamous: Second Son. I liked the previous games a great deal. It has its issues, but I'm pretty sure it's a $10 game at this point from many retailers, and I think it's pretty decent. One of the more visually spectacular games available.

If you liked Portal and Portal 2 (which I feel like are first person platformers with puzzles, which sort of runs contrary to your claim?), you may also like Oddworld: New 'n Tasty, which is essentially a 2D puzzle game with some light platforming, wherein you play as a stupid messiah who doesn't use guns, tasked with freeing his fellow slaves and shutting down a meat processing plant. It's a remake of Abe's Oddysee, a PC and playstation game from 1997.

Transistor is a hybrid real time/turn isometric combat game with great graphics, and an interesting story (watch a trailer, you'll know if you like it or not), also available on PC.

I think literally all of this is available on PSN; in fact I got much of it from my PSN+ subscription. If you have more specific needs, say so, but this is what I came up with based on my own library and experience. Watch trailers for these games and decide if you like where they're going with it. There are many, many fine choices, depending on what exactly you want out of your gaming experience. No reason to regret the decision if you explore carefully, especially getting out of the mass-market AAA games box, where the fewest interesting things are happening on the games market.
posted by Strudel at 3:31 PM on March 17, 2016


The Witness is right in the zone if you like Myst or Myst-analogues.

Fallout 4 wasn't terrible. If you like Bethesda stuff, you'll probably enjoy it. I wouldn't call it a must-play by any stretch. I was honestly pretty bored by the end of it and I don't think I ever bothered to finish the plot, but it'll pass the time if you like tinkering.
posted by Scattercat at 6:25 PM on March 17, 2016


I also recommend Dragon Age: Inquisition. Fun 3rd person combat, crafting, a lot of story to get into. The multiplayer is great too.

Dark Souls 3 is out in a month or so. The series is well known to be difficult, but more heavily weighted on the fantasy than the horror. Check out some videos of Dark Souls 2 maybe. The co-op for these games is some of the most fun I've had video game wise.

Fallout 4 is okay, but it doesn't live up to expectations. I made the mistake of buying the season pass to get all the dlc for a reduced price, so I might play it again but probably not.
posted by Alex Voyd at 10:33 PM on March 17, 2016


A remastered Gravity Rush* just got released, and it's supposed to be a very good conversion. It's a fairly light action adventure that's mostly about exploring a really pretty world with a great soundtrack. The combat gets repetitive, but if you like climbing around collecting gems and trying to find the edge of the world you'll probably enjoy it.

The sequel is coming out this year too.

*Full name: Gravity Daze/Gravitational Dizziness: The Perturbation of Her Inner Space Caused by the Repatriation of the Upper Stratum
posted by lucidium at 3:46 AM on March 18, 2016


Best answer: Seconding The Witcher 3, it is INCREDIBLE. I played a ton of Skyrim and it is similar but it improves on all the great things about Skyrim. You don't need to play the first two to get into it. It won Game of the Year 251 times!!

I'd also recommend the first DLC that's been released already (Hearts of Stone). It is equally as fantastic as the main story of the The Witcher 3 with more variety added to the gameplay. And they are adding new DLC that is twice as long sometime this year.

So anyway, The Witcher 3! You won't regret it.
posted by SarahElizaP at 9:50 PM on March 19, 2016


Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! I picked up The Witness and am enjoying it except when it makes me nauseous. The Uncharted Collection is probably going to be the next thing I buy, unless I pick up Dragon Age: Inquisition GOTY edition first. (I played DAI on the 360, and it was okay. I'd really only be getting it for the DLCs.) I'll take a look at The Witcher, too.
posted by Janta at 6:45 PM on April 1, 2016


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