Ghost of Kena

We recently scored a ps5, and it's predictably awesome.

The first game I got was Elden Ring, assuming that it would be a fun open world RPG in the spirit of Skyrim or Witcher 3.

I now have rule about reading reviews from gamers and now just watching developer communications. Because, I hate that game. It's not an open world RPG, it's a battle generator that requires hours of practice and mastery. Exactly opposite of what I like to play. I have no interest in grinding away learning what order to click buttons in order to beat some boss.

Ghost of Tsushima, by contrast, is the pinnacle of the kind of game I enjoy. Not only is the story amazing and engaging, but everything feels so polished and thought out. Right down to the sound design of water hitting canvas when you go into a yurt during a rain storm, or the subtle squish when you step in a mud puddle. Fast travel is nearly instantaneous. Everything is just so...good.

After I finished Ghost (which was much more meaty than I expected), I moved on to Kena: Bridge of Spirits. If Ghost of Tsushima was a marathon, Kena was a sprint. I beat it comparatively very quickly, but it's no less polished. Kena is a fantastic game with beautiful visuals and clearly well thought out sound design.

Both games have beautiful music. They are not very similar in their narrative style, but they are both amazing narrative experiences, and their music adds such a powerful layer.

Finally, I'll toss out a good word for Cyberpunk 2077. I had finished one run-through before the ps5 patch was released, but played it again after. It's a great game, and much more in the vein of Skyrum, Fallout, and Witcher. It's still got a few bugs, but it's clearly a huge and complicated world. It's very cool, and if you like that kind of game, definitely worth picking up.