Just an FYI to people who might play this, it’s a direct follow up to previous God of War games (despite the name) so you might want to play those or just read the story or summats, I ain’t telling you how to live your life.

I will definitely launch this game in the next couple of days. It's the thing that tipped me over into buying the console, I'm just exploring other things first. Plus I can play Wipeout and Super Stardust and Nex Machina whilst Jnr is in the room, whereas God of War will have to wait until she's gone upstairs.

Sunday night, see previous entries.

I think the last time combat felt this good was Borderlands 2.

I love the way it's really tough but scrupulously fair, the regular deaths are no problem because there's no real loading time to speak of and it generally puts you right back at the start of the fight you just died on, so no running back to the area or twaddle like that.

The relationship between Kratos and Atreus is wonderfully well done, and I'm genuinely invested into wanting to find out how it develops. Atreus is also a great AI companion, I was slightly worried the game would be one massive annoying escort quest but it's no such thing, he's not just useful, he's essential.

Worth getting the console for? I certainly don't regret it.

I sold my PS4 and got an Xbox because you said they were really good.

And you’re on your third car in so many months...

That's five straight evenings I've done nothing but play God of War.

Ordinarily, even with a game I'm really into, I'll take an evening off to watch a film or suchlike, but God of War has leapfrogged over everything else and is consuming every 'evening slot' of entertainment. I'm even playing it when Jnr is in the room, albeit limiting myself to peaceful pursuits and the crafting/character screens and whatnot. (She's nearly 14 anyway, but I am mindful that the game is an 18.)

She is very interested in the game and asks lots of questions about Kratos and Atreus, and loves the way they interact with each other.

I do get a bit fingers and thumbs when the combat really kicks off, and I think I'm about at the limit of how many button combos I can keep in my head at once, (the way the controls change when you've got the axe in hand, and when not, still catches me out sometimes), but it's not a major problem. (If I feel a fight hasn't gone well I just let myself die and have another go, the checkpointing is consistently superb and pretty much without fail just puts you right back at the start of the fight that killed you.)

Oh yes and it's got a manual save as well, so hooray for that. YES I'M STILL LOOKING AT YOU BIOSHOCK INFINITE.

As a single player experience it reminds me of how I felt first playing through the original Max Payne, seventeen years ago, I want to find everything out about the story, the characters, the world, and to experience every last beat of the combat and encounters.

I am surprised, frankly, that this game isn't generating more love here at BEEX. If you have a PS4, you really should have this, and if you haven't got a PS4, get one, and then get this.

I sold my PS4 and got an Xbox because you said they were really good.

In fairness the XB1X is a really good console. In terms of hardware, UI, controllers*, store, features etc I'd say it's the better system, but the PS4 has some games you just can't get anywhere else.

* The XBox pad design is just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than the DS design.

Also the DS has a sweet built-in battery whereas the XBox pads just take good old AAs. The first thing I Googled about my PS4 experience was 'Dualshock poor battery life'.

The XBox pad design is just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than the DS design. Also the DS has a shit built-in battery whereas the XBox pads just take good old AAs. The first thing I Googled about my PS4 experience was 'Dualshock poor battery life'.

Is there a 'main' PS4 thread like there is for XBox One?

Hardware: yes.
UI: not even fucking close
Store: not even fucking close
Features: it still doesn’t even let you record fucking chat!

Nope. Smaller hands find the DualShock better in my experience. And the D pad is better.

Why did you google that? I doubt your pad has died in a month of usage. Personally, I find it disgusting that Xbox doesn’t give you a rechargeable controller out the box. Who wants to buy batteries these days? But you can get a rechargeable Xbox pad yet you need to spend even more money. And they ain’t exactly dirt cheap. When your competition gives them away I reckon it’s a piss take. I’ve had my OG PS4 since release and the OG DualShock is still going. So, whatevs?

We have this thing called 'search'?

https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/ ... start=2340

I couldn't find that thread.

Xbox UI

A good set of alkalines in an XBox pad last for ages and when they go flat it's a 30 second job to pop them out and stick a new set in.

Oh yes the PS4 Pro has an audible fan noise when under load, and the XB1X doesn't.

Features: it still doesn’t even let you record fucking chat!

The trick is to "Display results as" 'Topics' and "Search wit[hin" 'Topic titles only'.

Pffft.

I am playing this with a walkthrough, I've never been a massive fan of puzzley type stuff and it really annoys me when I see things I can't work out how to get to, or to look on a zone summary screen (which GoW has) where it lists 'UNDISCOVERED' or 'MYSTERIOUS FACES OF DEAD SHIT FROM A LONG TIME AGO 4/6' and I have no idea where the other 2 are. Also GoW likes to require backtracking in places, so I can't always be sure if something is simply impossible to reach at that moment in time, or if I'm too stupid to work it out.

In one zone there were two side areas that I got totally stumped on, so I went off and did the main questline in the zone (with a walkthrough), and then returned to the two side areas (now with the walkthrough) and was like, 'Yeah, I'd never have worked that out'.

I'm actually enjoying the game more, as I can concentrate on the story, the characters, pimping out Kratos, the combat and generally just enjoying the game - without worrying about how to open up irritating doors and find secret thingies.

(In one of the side areas was a fantastically tough fight with two mega-hard enemies that I really enjoyed sussing out and getting the better of, without the walkthrough explaining how to get in there in the first place, I'd have missed it completely.)