220°

PlayStation 3: retail disc vs. digital delivery

What are the advantages of a PSN download over a disc copy? Do games run better from hard drive? Digital Foundry investigates.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
Sandmano4008d ago

I will always be retail disc, there's just no trusting the hardware to keep the software intact.

iGAM3R-VIII4008d ago

Agreed This actually a really great observation,this means that downloading games from the XBL Store or the PSN store the load times are faster and gameplay is much better, smart analysis

thechosenone4007d ago (Edited 4007d ago )

If the game manages to get corrupted for whatever reason there should be a way of repairing just those game files similar to the way that Steam does it or if worst comes to worst you can just re-download the entire game, either way it's not a big deal. I have 180 games in my Steam account and love just being able to click on any one game and have it start right up. The other benefits of digital only games are not having to worry about scratches/smudges or cracked/chipped discs.

kneon4007d ago

The risk of disk damage is overblown and almost entirely up to the user. Between music, movies and software I must have used 1000's of disks and I've never had one damaged if fail.

thechosenone4007d ago (Edited 4007d ago )

I guess you never owned an xbox then.

New Xbox 360 Slim Disc Scratch Test
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

GuyThatPlaysGames4007d ago

I'm with you. There's nothing like having a hard-copy of a game. I honestly haven't noticed any difference in performance or graphics from a PSN downloaded game to a hard-copy of the same game. But then again that's just me.

slapedurmomsace4007d ago

@Sandmano, completely agree, and I'll add if your ISP has data caps, digital can become a problem real quick. If you do anything else, game online, netflix, stream music etc....well you can blow those caps pretty quick. And games are only getting bigger. If people like digital more power to them, but for me, just allow me to install the game onto my hard drive and I'll enjoy the benefits of both worlds.

BattleAxe4007d ago

I've swapped over almost my entire PS3 collection to digital downloads. I've got a 500GB HDD, and it just makes things so much easier. I don't have to have game cases taking up space, and with having all of my games on my hard drive, I find that I'm more likely to play games that I otherwise would have just let sit on the shelf. Also, when you get older, it doesn't look good to have video games all over the place when you have the ladies over for the night, so having everything on my HDD works out well.

I've had my home broken into before where I had all of my PS2 games stolen, but if that ever happens with my PS3, I just buy a new console and re-download my games. I also find that I waste less money with digital downloads, since every once in a while I would get pissed off with a game and would trade it in, only to re-buy that very same game 6 months or a year later because I regretted my decision, well this fixes that problem.

Minato-Namikaze4007d ago

I suggest you find different ladies or find you a gamer girl that accepts your habits.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4007d ago
jdktech20104007d ago

It's funny because on PC I prefer digital distribution but on consoles, I prefer having the disc. That being said, I'll buy whichever is a better deal cost wise since I don't see too large of a downside to either.

peowpeow4007d ago

So if it's done well then digital is quite good and maybe preferable. I agree I love my steam collection but have not and never will download a retail game on my PS3

LOGICWINS4007d ago (Edited 4007d ago )

If you have fast Internet and a big ass hardrive(500GB or more), digital delivery is the way to go. Don't have to leave the house, nor do I have to wait for Amazon to ship the game to me.

@OVOXO_Mike- Your not seeing a difference because you might still be using the stock hardrive in your PS3. I upgraded my PS3 with a Seagate Momentus XT Solid State Hybrid hardrive. Runs much faster than the stock Seagate PS3 hardrive. In GTA4, objects in the distance load much quicker than before. The adaptive memory makes it perform better the more you use it. Think of it as muscle memory, but for a hardrive.

izumo_lee4007d ago

Mostly buy retail but when games are released that do not have a retail disc like Arcana Hearts,One Piece, or Okami than buying in digital is the way cause it is the only way to get these games.

Man-E-Faces4007d ago (Edited 4007d ago )

I have a physical disc collectors edition of Arcana Hearts 3, and regular disc copies of Wipeout XL/Fury, Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty. I hope to import soon the upcoming One Piece 2, Kens Rage 2 which is already out from Europe. You have to keep track nowadays as some games and PSN only games like Darkstalkers HD are getting physical releases in Asia, Europe with us here in the states getting digital only. Also this is a nice perk of the PS3,Vita and hopefully PS4 is the option to import almost any game and get those physical copies when available.

young7yang4007d ago (Edited 4007d ago )

all the above mentioned games have been released in Asia and japan..

I personally own Okami HD the disc addition and yes it is in English and Japanese..

izumo_lee4007d ago

I know but the problem is that i live in Nth America that these games are only released in digital form. Can i import these yeah sure but at times shipping cost for imported games can be ridiculous.

Bought Project Diva f & Senran Kagura vs. for about $80 each after all the costs.

Show all comments (37)
40°

Mugen Souls Retro Review – Sexy Demon Space Adventure

Gary Green said: We have a juxtaposition of 2D and 3D visuals, flashy turn-based combat, quirky anime characters with cheeky dialogue with plenty of partial nudity; Yes, this is a Compile Heart JRPG. Whilst the engine is borrowed from Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, Mugen Souls is more of a Disgaea spin-off. It’s not a strategy RPG as such, it merely sits within Disgaea’s ever-expanding universe (Multiverse? Netherverse? Your guess is as good as mine). You won’t find cameos though, since Mugen Souls is a franchise which aims to stand on its own two feet.

Read Full Story >>
pslegends.com
110°

Looking Back At 2008, An Unbelievably Incredible Year Of Video Game Releases

Huzaifa from eXputer: "2008 was home to the likes of Call of Duty: World at War, Dead Space, GTA 4, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, and many other hits, which is outright remarkable."

CrimsonWing693h ago

I don’t think anything can compare to 2023

lucasnooker3h ago

1998 - the best year in gaming! Metal gear solid, crash bandicoot 3, medievil, half life, ocarina of time, thief, tenchu, resident evil 2, Spyro, tomb raider 3, oddworld abes exodus, banjo kazooie.

It was a different breed of a gaming era. You’ll never understand what it was like back then. The aura of gaming, it was different!

KyRo3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

I second this. Gaming was a lot more varied and fun than it is today. I'm 35 so getting on compared to some here but I got to see all the changes from NES up to now but I've never felt so disappointed in any generation than I have this current gen. I was expecting more from this generation rather than prettier versions of games that came before it. Game mechanics have become so refined that alot of games feel the same and has done for a while now.

Maybe it's time to have a break for a while. I love gaming but I don't feel I get much fun in the traditional sense out of it anymore.

CrimsonWing693h ago(Edited 3h ago)

Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Abe’s Exodus, and Ocarina of Time are the only things from that list that I liked.

Here’s the 2023 game releases that I personally liked… and big releases that I didn’t care for:

- Dead Space Remake
- Wo Long Dynatsy
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Diablo 4
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Hogwarts Legcay
- Street Fighter 6
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Like a Dragon: Ishin
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
- Final Fanatsy XVI (actually ended up not liking this, but it was still a big deal release)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
- Lies of P
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Starfield (Ended up hating this one, but big release)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (I’m an old-school Zelda fan, but didn’t really enjoy this game)
- Alan Wake 2

I mean, honestly I’ve never seen a year of major IP releases like that, ever.

Profchaos14m ago(Edited 11m ago)

Isn't it just a generational thing realistically.

I've been gaming since way back and I some of my favourite games go as far back as the late 80s for me each generation has a year or two of game changing releases one after another before an inevitable dry spell.

I kind of agree gaming had a different feel games hit different because we didn't have the internet nothing got spoiled and you really had to put in the effort to beat a puzzle which could set entire groups of people looking for a solution. But most importantly games were experimental and not as cookie cutter as today even basics like controls were not universal today r2 is shoot l2 is ads garunteed you can't deviate from that in a shooter back then it could of been square, R1 or R1 and circle nothing was standard.

But as time moves on a new generation picks up their controller they are going to be interested in different things that PS1 demo disc with the t Rex blew our primitive 16 bit brains back on launch but to kids today it's laughable.
The new gen of kids coming into to hobby seem to value different things to us there seems to be a huge focus on online play, streamers, gaming personalities, and social experiences, convience of digital downloads. To me I value none of that but that's ok like my parents not liking the band's I would listen to its just the natural cycle.

120°

6 Fun Games Where You Actually Play As The Bad Guy

While the mainstream media always sees things turning in favor of the hero, here are 6 games that own being a bad guy.

Profchaos9h ago

Pretty much all of these games listed are based around a morality system you don't have to be bad and you don't have to be good.

It seems to have left out some real amazing games like red dead redemption 1/2,ass effect and true crime la/ny

Tacoboto8h ago

Armored Core VI?

Ok, I'm really missing something here. Just beat chapter 3 earlier this evening, unlocked A-rank Arena fights. I'm not seeing or sensing any branching paths or morality system and I've done every side mission and arena fight available to me up to that fight.

Is something big coming soon to branch the story?

banger888h ago

No mention of Grand Theft Auto? Saints Row (original trilogy), Manhunt? Also The Suffering (depending on the ending you get).