I’ve played both, and while I have a lot of time for Nioh, I’d go Dark Souls. It’s a fine game and a nice homage to the games that have gone before. I don’t bother with the lore myself, but there are a few great map/level moments in the game and the gameplay is solid (and combat is a teeny bit more action-y than previous entries).

Nioh is good but does have some idiosyncrasies that can be offputting to some players - mainly repetition (re-playing a level but entering from the opposite side for example) and overdosing on trash loot.

Edit: I’ve always found dark souls dlc to be monstrously difficult and frustrating so I would vote for non-dlc version. I’m likely to be in the minority on this though!

I disliked the first of the two DS3 DLCs enough to not bother finishing it. For reference, I have completed, and enjoyed, all previous Souls games and DLCs multiple times. Honestly, if it was a couple of quid extra I wouldn't hesitate to suggest picking up the deluxe version. For two-thirds the price of the base game, however, I can't recommend it at all.

DS3 is a big game, even without the DLC. You could always pick up the DLC afterwards, whenever it's next on sale.

Just my two cents, of course. Other opinions are available.

Thanks all - I'm going to get Dark Souls III, and I'm going to get the normal version without the DLC just because I think that'll be enough game for me and I can spend that tenner on something else. Good sale though on PSN, I think I'm going to get Overcooked to play with my eldest as we are struggling for couch multilayer things to play at the moment, and there's only so much Worms you can play haha. Think I'll hold off purchasing until later though once they've announced Januarys PS+ games, because you never know...!

Also, whilst I enjoyed Nioh, it's... divisive amongst Souls fans. It shares some aspects, but to me Nioh felt much more like a third-person character-action game (Ninja Gaiden, for example ) as it goes along. If you are after something different, but vaguely Bloodborne-esque it might be a good fit.

If you're after something more straight-up 'like Bloodborne', then Dark Souls 3 should serve you well. It's the same engine, and a little bit of creativity with your character spec can go a long way towards bridging the Souls-Bloodbourne gap.

Haha. I seem to have been a little late with that last post. Enjoy DS3!

I think The Ringed City has some of the best DS3 content to offer, just like The Old Hunters does for Bloodborne and Artorias of the Abyss does for Dark Souls. You'll be missing out in my opinion, but if time and money are a factor and you only want to do one quick playthrough, then it makes sense to stick to the main game.

It's really weird to think of Dark Souls without Artorias, or Bloodborne without Maria and the Orphan. FROM creates the most essential and consistently high-quality DLC in the industry.

The only From DLC I own is that of Dark Souls 2, and even then only because it was included in the SotFS version. Generally I don't go in for DLC, I always prefer to move on to the next game. I've absolutely loved my time with The Witcher 3, for example, and if both DLC packs content was just part of the main game I'd have happily played through them too, but since I'm coming to the end of my time with Geralt I'd rather just move on to something new. Don't know why really, just never been in to the whole DLC thing.

I can totally see where you're coming from, because I'm the same way when it comes to the vast majority of games. I don't really like the concept itself and I haven't touched the Witcher 3 DLCs either. It's just that the Souls games are very much an exception in that regard.

Anyway, have fun!

Edit: Didn't see there was another page of discussion, it's all been said!

And your January PS+ games are:

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4)
Batman: The Telltale Series (PS4)
StarBlood Arena (PS Plus bonus – PS VR required)
That’s You! (PS Plus bonus – PlayLink)
Sacred 3 (PS3)
Book of Unwritten Tales 2 (PS3)
Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS Vita)
Uncanny Valley (PS Vita & PS4)

Very pleased with the two main PS4 games. The Vita titles I know nothing about, but Psycho Pass sounds like one of those visual novel type games if you're in to that sort of thing. It seems to have been well reviewed, but not really my sort of thing. Uncanny Valley is a 2D survival horror type game along the lines of Home and Lone Survivor, but doesn't seem to have reviewed particularly well overall. And as for PS3, maybe I'm being selfish but I'd rather they just gave up on that now because there is seldom anything that catches my eye.

Not a bad month though, overall.

It hasn't been officially announced, but South Park - Stick of Truth is getting a full disc release on PS4.

https://www.amazon.ca/South-Park-Stick- ... 0798J3BHV/

ThirdDrawing wrote: ↑January 25th, 2018, 4:56 pm It hasn't been officially announced, but South Park - Stick of Truth is getting a full disc release on PS4.

https://www.amazon.ca/South-Park-Stick- ... 0798J3BHV/

Strange, hopefully this means it might appear on switch too

I was browsing the PSN store today and noticed Neo Geo classic, Shock Troopers, was released this week. It's an absolutely fantastic game, if you've never played it give it a try. I always preferred it to Metal Slug - although it's not the same, it's a scrolling shooter, more of an evolution of Commando than a side on platform shooter like Metal Slug. It's cracking anyway, might pick it up myself for only a fiver.

Alex79uk wrote: ↑January 25th, 2018, 11:04 pm I was browsing the PSN store today and noticed Neo Geo classic, Shock Troopers, was released this week. It's an absolutely fantastic game, if you've never played it give it a try. I always preferred it to Metal Slug - although it's not the same, it's a scrolling shooter, more of an evolution of Commando than a side on platform shooter like Metal Slug. It's cracking anyway, might pick it up myself for only a fiver.

I do love Shock Troopers too! The sequel is pretty good too, but if I had to choose I'd go with the original.

Love that sprite based animation - so much more expressive than polygons.

DomsBeard wrote: ↑January 25th, 2018, 5:17 pm

ThirdDrawing wrote: ↑January 25th, 2018, 4:56 pm It hasn't been officially announced, but South Park - Stick of Truth is getting a full disc release on PS4.

https://www.amazon.ca/South-Park-Stick- ... 0798J3BHV/

Strange, hopefully this means it might appear on switch too

It is a little weird that they didn't just give it a disc release right away.

They could do a double pack release on the Switch like they're doing with Bayonetta.

Pleased to see the Shadow Of The Colossus remake getting stellar reviews across the board. Obviously we all know what an amazing game it is, but I'm guessing there will be a fair few folk playing it now for the first time, so it's nice to see the core gameplay has held up so well. I can't bloody wait to get my hands on it.

Alex79uk wrote: ↑January 30th, 2018, 9:09 am Pleased to see the Shadow Of The Colossus remake getting stellar reviews across the board. Obviously we all know what an amazing game it is, but I'm guessing there will be a fair few folk playing it now for the first time, so it's nice to see the core gameplay has held up so well. I can't bloody wait to get my hands on it.

Only ever played the first 10 minutes via PS now so will give it a go at some point

Your PS+ games for February 2018 are:

Knack (PS4)
RiME (PS4)
StarBlood Arena (PS Plus bonus – PS VR required)
Spelunker HD (PS3)
Mugen Souls Z (PS3)
Exiles End (PS Vita)
Grand Kingdom (PS Vita & PS4)

I'm well pleased with Rime! That's been on my buy list since it came out. Kinda sad it means it clearly didn't sell that well, but I'm over the moon to get it for free.

Knack I'm not particularly interested in, and the rest I've never heard of (aside from Spelunker) but Rime more than makes it worth it for me.

There's a sale on PSN at the moment and I noticed Hitman (new version) GOTY was on sale. It reminded me I only ever bought the intro pack with Paris and the Sapienza stage. From browsing the store to see how much the other stages were, they don't appear to be for sale any more. Does anyone know anything about that? As someone who owns the starter pack, it now will not let me buy the GOTY edition. So I'm stuck! I can't buy the extra stages and can't buy the full pack!? Anyone know why they're no longer individually available? This is one thing about the PSN that pisses me off. When you buy part of a multipart game it won't let you later buy the whole version.

March 2018 PS+ games are:

Bloodborne (PS4)
Ratchet and Clank (PS4)
Legend of Kay Anniversary (PS3)
Mighty No. 9 (PS3 and PS4)
Claire: Extended Cut (PS Vita and PS4)
Bombing Busters (PS Vita and PS4)

Some good games there! I've already got Bloodborne so it's always a little disappointing when games you've already bought are on there, but it's a fantastic addition to the service. Looking forward to trying Ratchet And Clank with the kids for sure. Other than Mighty Number 9, which by all accounts is a bit rubbish, I've not heard of the others. Anyone?

EDIT: Claire is ANOTHER bloody 2D horror game (seriously, another!?!), but Bombing Busters is basically Bomberman which is great news and should be a blast (ahahaha) in multiplayer.