Gamepeople reviews games by haiku in its 'every-two-week' Escapist column.
Now that LocoRoco is remastered on PS4 and runs in native 4K on the PS4 Pro, there’s not much reason to go back and play the PSP version. But if you have a PS4 Pro and a 4K television, you should definitely check out LocoRoco. You will not be disappointed!
If anyone is a physical fan like myself, most if not all the PSP Remasters for PS4 got released in Japan/Hong Kong on disc and there's an English version of each. PS4's region-free so ordering from Play-Asia or eBay will work on your system.
I got the physical HK release last year. It works just like any other game but it's significantly more expensive than the digital version. I like physical games though so I thought it would be a neat novelty.
Alex S. from Link-Cable writes: "Gaming’s past is full of wonderful memories, many of which include some of our favorite moments in all of video games and helped shape our current gaming habits. And, thanks to the awesomeness that is the PlayStation, many of these memories can be found in Sony’s franchises. But what happens when a great franchise or IP just disappears? While sometimes its just forgotten, never to be heard from again that’s not something that we here at Link-Cable can bear the thought of. So for this week’s Top 10 we are taking a look at the Top 10 Forgotten Sony Franchises and also crossing our fingers that someone with the power to bring these back just happens to stumble across this list."
Don’t forget Dark Cloud, Rogue Galaxy, Legend of Dragoon, Freedom Wars, Invisimals, Lemmings, Modnation Racers, Pursuit Force, Resistance, Siren, Soul Sacrifice, Mark of Kri, & Wild Arms
To be fair, many of those are not forgotten. They just ran their course while others were not given the respect they deserved to garner a continuation. Games that are one-offs probably had no intention of making them into series but I do wish they would rethink that. Some deserve to be given a follow-up.
Agreed. Maybe Sony can contract Bluepoint to remaster Heavenly Sword, see people's reaction to the game and decide wether to give the go for a sequel.
Also Lair can be remastered es as a PSVR game and take it from there.
Legacy of Kain would fit right in there, although sony has no rights to that IP as far as I'm aware.
Ah later instalments were not sony exclusive, so dont mind me sir :p
To be fair, Wild Arms did run its course, was effectively run into the ground, going by example of last entry using characters from all games. Being an STG title on the PSP.
Could always revive the western/steampunk setting.
I know right! I'm still waiting for someone at Sony to make the Getaway 3 lol
I always wondered what the PlayStation 3 version was going to be like.
Finally someone mentioned Soul Sacrifice, Siren, Legend of Dragoon, and Freedom Wars. Those games are in desperate of a new installment. Especially with Folkore.
Lemmings was a franchise waaaaay before even the PS1 saw the light of day. Nobody's forgotten it.
I'm not sure single games would be considered franchises. If you want to say Heavenly Sword is one, I'd also put Enslaved on the list. Loco Roco is in the same boat as Patapon. But things like Tomba are certainly missed.
There was going to be a sequel to Enslaved. Unfortunately it never left the drawing board. Hopefully someday it will be realized.
How can you all something a franchise if it only has one installment?
At that point it’s just an IP. You can only call it a franchise when there’s multiple installments.
you should look up the definition of a franchise.
If there is more than just a game, say merchandise its already a franchise.
I understand what the Fallen is trying to say, simply saying how could you suggest a game with only one installment as a franchise in regards to a series in terms of multiple games.
Even though, yes franchise can be considered what you stated in this context that's not really what's being talked about.
Sly Cooper is not forgotten. They even making a TV show, I am hoping they Remake the first 3 games from scratch like Ratchet & Clank did.
@DJK1NG_Gaming I didn't mention the movie because probably got cancelled since Ratchet & Clank movie flop and Sony might not take another chance but Sly Cooper is having it own TV series.
I would, actually. It's probably dirt cheap right now on Ebay or similar stores.
It's kind of a mix between adventure/detective and 3rd person action, where you fight different, interesting monsters called «folks» and «consume» their souls to use as weapons (up to 4 at a time, you can upgrade them as well, when meet certain requirements and you can also freely switch between souls in a menu).
Story is solid, locations are beautiful, battles are engaging. Game's not perfect, though, there are FPS drops, you have to use Sixaxis to capture some souls and if you use one character, game will just stop you before the final chapter and force to play as other character.
My advice to you, if you'll decide to play the game, is to switch between characters, will save you some headache.
Oh, and, if you want, you can check out HyperBitHero review, he pretty much summarizes all my opinions on this game! )
Using Sixaxis to capture souls was really well done though.
Even though I don't think you could disable it, I think it was one of the better implementations of motion controls.
Then again, I liked throwing nades with motion controls in Uncharted.
You mean gotty contenders with high production values (acting, story, animation, etc) including, sadly for you, best graphics.
They're busy making games with substance, great stories and great gameplay. Clearly too much for you to handle
I would love to see them make a new (or based on an existing franchise) jrpg or tactics game with a new twist on it or just fully traditional.
I personally would love to see a Bloodborne tactics game, they could do some cool stuff with soul collecting and creating/upgrading characters with those souls. Story wise it would be a bit harder I imagine. I also think a tactics game would fit the souls series since they are pretty punishing in general.
Ironically Sony, creator of the PlayStation brand, has trouble keeping a RPG franchise longrunning
Why would that be ironic?
Through the PS1 Sony allowed for more diversified games and story style, more mature storytelling than Nintendo did at the time, but as far as JRPGs back then much of that was either 3rd party or 2rd party that went 3rd during the PS2 era.
The genre needs the kind of creative freedom those eras allowed. And while some of that is being seen in the indie scene what's offered often lacks polish that a better funded production would offer.
Because PlayStation has always been a bastion for RPGs, yet Sony themselves can’t maintain a longrunning one for themselves
Well that's not as ironic as you might think there is a specific reason behind that.
You have to consider if your Sony Computer Entertainment and you're looking to diversify your library it's kind of hard to do that when you already have the top Japanese RPGs being released for your system in terms of Dragon Quest Final Fantasy Kingdom Hearts what have you.
So to them, it made sense to Simply focus on franchises and properties that could not be found on PlayStation. When you really look at it it makes sense it's simply trying to say that they're jrpg genre for PlayStation is not in trouble it is not lacking and it is at the top of the industry.
I believe the PlayStation literally is the only platform to even buy Japanese RPGs with great certainty you're going to get the most variety and volume. So to them, they already won they already got the most so why spend money on the genre that you're already number one in?
It actually makes more sense to Simply make something other than that.
@ Mako
That’s to be expected of any cash cow franchise. Look how many installments of Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Kirby, Sonic, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, The Sims, Tomb Raider, Madden, Call of Duty, Tales of, Assassin’s Creed, FIFA, God of War, Grand Theft Auto, Battlefield, Gran Turismo, Need For Speed, & Mortal Kombat there’ve been. Not to mention how much mediums some of these franchises have expanded to.
Idk why you felt the need to single out how Microsoft treats the Halo franchise when this is pretty much a common occurrence in the industry.
Did you just call Warhawk an RPG?
What I’m saying is that it wouldn’t kill Sony to maintain an RPG franchise of their own, especially when they have so many great ones lying around like Wild Arms, Legend of Dragoon, Dark Cloud, Rogue Galaxy, Untold Legends etc.
@ Edmix
There’s no specific reason for Sony to abandon so many of their RPG franchises.
PlayStation as a brand is bastion to most genres in the industry for more than two decades. By your logic Sony wouldn’t have any reason to maintain any of their franchises from any genre since third parties typically bring most of their games to the PlayStation brand anyway & succeed in doing so.
There’s no reason Sony couldn’t have one of their own as well. I’d hate to see so many of them not receive any follow ups after one or two follow ups.
My point is that when a series is successful, you can pretty much expect a log of sequels.
I still don’t why you’d mention Halo since a Sony RPG series wouldn’t have anywhere that much exposure. Halo is Microsoft’s flagship franchise so of course they’d leverage it as any company would with a cash cow series.
No RPG series Sony makes would be as successful as Halo, so let’s just take that ridiculous extreme out of the equation. That doesn’t mean Sony shouldn’t be able to maintain an RPG series of their own.
Whatever your beef is with Microsoft and their Halo franchise is really irrelevant to this topic. You say you’d like to see sequels to Demon’s Souls and Bloodborne and that just further justifies what I’m saying. Sony has quite a number of RPG franchises they can nurture and they let a lot of them go by the wayside.
@ Mako
There are also a lot of shooters, sports games, platformers, racing games, action adventure games on PlayStation from third parties yet Sony still produces a lot of titles in those genres so you’re argument is still invalid.
Quit bringing up Demon’s Souls like Sony will actually revisit it or that they even hold it in high esteem these days. It’s currently in the same position as their other RPG franchises that aren’t getting followups.
Sony does offer diversity, and they could still use that to offer an ongoing RPG franchise of their own. It shouldn’t be an impossible task like you’re trying to make it out to be, and there’s no excuse for why the can’t sustain one for a long period.
I didn’t say they needed to make a sequel every year. Why do you keep taking that extreme way of thinking. I can’t think of any RPG franchise that has annual outings.
Nobody said Sony shouldn’t do anything new, I’m saying they shouldn’t be abandoning so many RPG franchises all the time.
Seriously quit bringing up Halo
Would like to see a WarHawk that's more flight sim than COD clone. Plus as mating between Uncharted and a 'flight sim".
For me, Heavenly sword, Modnation or similar. Maybe crash racing but a total remake.
I have no idea why nobody has just copied the Mario Kart system. It would sell.
But Resistance I would buy. Would love 3 remasters. and then a 4th game.
Technically there was a 4th and 5th game. Resistance: Retribution as well as Burning Skies. They weren't bad but they were only on the psp & Vita.
I agree with that list. I would love Sony to revive Syphon Filter, Ape Escape, Warhawk and Socom. Warhawk and Socom can also take advantage and add in a battle royal mode.
Legend of Dragoon, Syphon Filter, Ape Escape, Dark Cloud, Arc the Lad, Twisted Metal, etc.
Omg there's so many
Damn do I wish they would do something more with Heavenly Sword, but only if Ninja Theory has it.
Heavenly Sword was great, but not a franchise. Although I gather Hellblade is somewhat of a spiritual successor
I NEED A NEXT GEN MOTORSTORM! Favorite racing franchise ever, it would make a KILLING!
please please please Sony Make another motorstorm!
Heavenly Sword was also amazing, don't get how it never got a sequel!
I agree so much! I love those 2 games and just showed my kids motorstorm without any hype or preview so I could get their honest reaction, and they were blown away.
They did mention it would be cool if they could drive off the track like forza horizon 2 and I thought maybe I show them Fuel which I have on 4kpc.
About 70% of that list isn't forgotten. Heavenly Sword got a movie in 2014, Socom has about 4 different clones on pc releasing this year or already released, Syphon Fliter finished its story and is fondly remembered, most of the Warhawk players moved to Starhawk and would love a sequel to either lastly people still want more Motorstorm (I know I do).
More like forgotten IP's
Man PS3 gen despite what many said is actually one of the best Sony console in terms of games and I would say is second only to the PS2.
I owned a PS3 and to be honest a lot of those games were forgotten for a reason............they sucked and were over-hyped.
Heavenly sword was such a great game. Warhawk was like crack for the first month I had it, if I wasn't playing it I was thinking about it lol. Sad but true statement is they don't make them like that anymore :(
Seriously? You bring up combat flight games and you don’t mention Colony Wars? I loved the original Warhawk as well but the Colony Wars series was far superior. We need more space flight games like that, can you imagine with modern graphics and possibly even multiplayer space battles?
I'd like to see tenchu or vandal hearts get a modern take. Miss command and conquer aswell.
This list is terrible. Just like the rest of Link-cables content. The site that boasts itself on this website.
Syphon Filter, Warhawk, and Legend of Dragoon all need to come back. To be honest, I'm surprised they haven't been revived already.
Syphon Filter was great back in the PS1 days. I missed out on the PS2 and chose to get an Xbox instead :( so I missed out on the PS2 SF games, but I would love to play as Gabe Logan again.
Missed out on Socom as well
Never played Ape Escape, but I would like to.
Bring back Killzone in a few years, with the older style of gameplay and the M82!
Bring back Resistance, but with excellent storytelling and vicious aliens.
Of the games on this list both Heavenly Sword and Syphon Filter are in need of sequels.
SOCOM is coming out sometime this year under a new name and mostly same developers as before. "H-Hour world's elite"
Support it on Steam, it's only £5.99..and hopefully we get a great version on the Ps4..
Been craving a solid, evolved version of Katamari. The PlayStation 4 Pro could handle tens-of-thousands of random objects being rolled, bowled and strolled.
While we're dreaming might as well throw King's Field in there, maybe Pandemonium, and heck, I'd absolutely love a proper Discworld remake.
Opinion:
Seems overwhelmingly likely to me that another Ape Escape will happen at some point.
Criticism:
As you acknowledge in the article, LocoRoco has gotten a PS4 release. If you're going to do the laziest thing in the world, which is write a Top 10 list where you just list off some games you can think off, maybe at least get 10 games that really fit in. Resistance, for instance, is a huge Sony-owned franchise that hasn't seen light of day on PS4.
Also, some of these are just one off games.
I don't want to sound like a sourpuss. I enjoyed reading the article, but put some of that Gordon Ramsay passion in your work. Or at least some Jamie Oliver passion.
Fuse. Not sure if it has been mentioned but I bought it in a bargain bin years ago after researching sony exclusives. I liked the beginning but I was a gfx snob idiot at the time with my new 4kpc and left it. Recently showed my 9 year old boys and they are freaking addicted to it, split screen coop.
My favorite jrpg games of all time, Suikoden series. Don't like the fourth one.
A unique, beautiful, and charming experience that has aged and transitioned well into the current generation. Here's our LocoRoco PS4 review.