What you have here then is a game that tries so hard to please you, but in its desperation to be loved doesn't realise that it's done enough and keeps going. A little more space in the gameplay would let it breathe, a less complicated upgrade system would make choices feel more important, and if any of the characters shut up for five minutes there would be room for laughs.
In among the density and neediness however there's a good game. One that's shamelessly focused on the fun of pinging around a city with an arsenal of ricocheting insanity guns, and so intent on being entertaining that it's endearing even when it doesn't work. There are fantastic moments where everything aligns perfectly, and even when it falls flat through over-effort the basic action is still a rewarding and noisy mess.
Does it still hold up in 2024?
We've still got a few months to go, but October marks the 10-year anniversary of this Insomniac Games title, with the developer having since moved on to work on the Marvel's Spider-Man games for PlayStation. It was assumed that Sunset Overdrive might make its way to other platforms eventually, but that hasn't happened as of yet.
So beloved that it sold so well that there's a sequel and Insomniac never had the opportunity to go back to Sony to develop games exclusively for Sony.
Not beloved enough for Xbox owners to buy it apparently, Xbox was the worst possible audience for that game.
Insomniac: “We went with Microsoft because we want to own the IP so it’s ours”
Microsoft: *owns publishing rights preventing the studio to re-release the original game, make a remaster, remake, any DLC, massive expansions and multiple sequels on other platforms*
The logic is just…I never got it
Owning the IP was Insomniacs main defence when they announced they were making a game exclusively for MS and yet they’ve ended up “owning” an IP they can’t do anything with.
If they went with Sony like normal you might have seen a sequel by now.
Sadly this may never get the proper fps update it deserves on XB (or even PS) but I now play it on steam and it definitely feels better at 60fps than it did at 30. Its a fast paced game... you need that 60fps in this one.
For those who don't have time for massive open worlds or role-playing games with epic tales, these 15 games are worth checking out.
Gamingbolt writes: "Insomniac Games has enjoyed commercial success on a level it had never seen before with its Marvel’s Spider-Man games, but not all of its titles in the last decade or so have seen eye-watering sales. In fact, specifically where Sunset Overdrive is concerned, the money the studio has made off it is quite negligible, to say the least."
Not gonna lie... looking at the IG roadmap I was fully hoping to see SSOD2 and Resistance reboot on there. The first SSOD was fun. It definitely needed the benefits of a 60fps mode and I was expecting there to be some sort of patch or FPS boost support when played on SX. Sadly... that ship sailed, but Sony gave me hope they would do the game justice. It really is a fun game that deserves to be played.
If it were on PlayStation it would’ve sold better. Being a Microsoft exclusive was a mistake.
"where Sunset Overdrive is concerned, the money the studio has made off it is quite negligible, to say the least."
I'm sure that big platform jump had nothing to do with it right? Pull a Rare, win Rare Prizes.
Re. R&C and the 8 million, I wonder if hitting PS+ Extra hurt its legs? Good get for the service, but did it eat some sales?
This game has been on my radar since they first announced it. Congrats to Insomniac games and Microsoft. I will definitely be picking this up along with Halo: TMCC, and Forza Horizon 2 this Christmas.
Good review, but after so many games doing too little over the last 12 months, I'm okay with a game doing too much!
It's a good review. I think the writer is nitpicking, and I took from the review, was wanting the game to be more serious, and a lot more hand holding. From looking at the game's demo, commercial, and character direction I already knew this game was going to be every bit of obnoxious, and also be fast paced. It just reads as if the reviewer is looking for the smallest things to look for to not be satisfied with the game. For example, "You have a game that tries so hard to please you." In my opinion, right now for as much as I pay for games This is a good thing, I rather it overly try to impress than not aim to impress at all.
Rental for me. Too many better games coming out.
The site negative feedback on the list is kinda dumb? Either way the game is getting great scores.