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God of War Ragnarok • ZebethMedia

The 2018 reboot of long-running PlayStation action series God of War as a more contemplative, open-world adventure raised a few eyebrows at first, but the astonishing quality of the finished game put all doubts to rest. The sequel, God of War Ragnarok, is not the revelation the first was, but even “more of the same” is a welcome treat when “the same” is so very, very good. Spoilers for God of War (2018) and the first couple hours of this game follow. If you haven’t played the first, stop now, take a sick day, and start playing! The first game finished on an emotional high note and an intriguing cliffhanger as Kratos and son Atreus finally scatter the ashes of wife and mother Faye in Jotunheim, and simultaneously learn that Atreus was known to the now-disappeared Giants as Loki. Ragnarok picks up a couple years later, and Atreus has grown into his awkward phase (the game itself pokes fun at him) while Kratos remains the gruff and conflicted god-killer he always was. But a pair of unexpected divine visitors put the pair on the run to learn more about the machinations behind the imminent twilight of the gods. It isn’t long before you’re off to the races, doing all the things you used to do — at some of the same locations, even. While Kratos has lost most of his gear and abilities (to the lament of their makers, the still charming dwarves Brok and Sindri), players will quickly find themselves in familiar combat and environmental puzzle-solving loops. Ragnarok does not attempt in any way to reinvent the basics that made the original so compelling, though it certainly refines and expands them a bit. Though this combined with the reused (if altered) first areas may make the opening hours a bit monotonous to anyone who played through the previous game recently. Image Credits: Sony/Santa Monica Studios I’ve put in about 18 hours so far and, while I’m enjoying Ragnarok a great deal, I haven’t been as frequently surprised by either the scenery, combat, or cutscenes the way I was in the first game. There have been amazing moments and awe-inspiring vistas, to be sure, but I wasn’t gawping at the screen the way I was when I first saw Jormungandr, or Freya’s turtle-house. Of course fewer surprises are to be expected in a direct sequel, but the unfolding scope of God of War from its intimate beginnings, and the diversity of the realms you visited, was a big part of its charm. The good news is things begin to differentiate once you leave the first handful of areas, so if you think of them more as a “getting up to speed” thing than as the first actual setpieces, you’ll have a better time. Ragnarok does have its own identity, but it takes a while to emerge. In terms of story, themes, and acting, it’s still extremely good, though there’s a sense of “what am I doing here exactly” that plagues me when I play, something that never really was the case before. Taking Faye’s ashes to the highest peak in the realms was a conveniently mobile goalpost, but everything was still in service to it — as Kratos was frequently at pains to explain to Atreus, they didn’t even want to get involved in the affairs of the gods. Image Credits: Sony/Santa Monica Studios Now, as we juggle various new schemes and players, that simplicity is diluted. And perhaps more importantly, rote “open world game” features appear quickly and remain prominent throughout. I was enormously pleased with the quality of the side quests, but most of the the random collectibles seem unremarkable, even to the characters. “Oh, another one,” they exclaim with little enthusiasm as Kratos picks up a crest, or book of poetry, or what have you. There is also an annoying tendency, like that identified in Horizon: Forbidden West, of characters to offer needless advice in combat or puzzle situations. Just as you’re contemplating the layout of a room, Mimir will bark out, “Look, brother! Maybe you can use that to block the stream!” And in combat, “It’s vulnerable when it sparkles!” Thanks everyone, not necessary. Relax. That said, I have really enjoyed some exchanges and sections quite as much as in the original, though the main and side stories aren’t nearly as cunningly intertwined. I haven’t finished it yet, though, so we’ll see how it pays off. I want to add however that I’m voluntarily not including details on a lot of characters and story developments that simply are better experienced yourself. The game hasn’t wrong-footed itself yet. The themes of loss, parenthood and protection that ran through the first have given way to those of compromise, communication, and acceptance. As corny as that sounds, it works. One area the game has already beat its predecessor on, however, is enemy variety. I’ve encountered many new critters and beings to fight, and importantly they tend to arrive in mixed packs — flyers from one side while melee guys attack from the other, and a third clings to the wall to rain down fire on you. It’s refreshing after the original’s heavy reliance on a handful of enemies, even if you end up taking most of these new beasties down pretty much the same way. Better than yet another troll. Image Credits: Sony/Santa Monica Studios In terms of gameplay and systems, Ragnarok turns the dials up significantly, and adds numerous layers of customization, some of which are more effective than others. It’s fairly easy to get lost in the menus or be unsure whether what you’re equipping will really affect your play much. But the slow drip of new gear and accessories does allow you a bit of breathing room — this is no Diablo or Nioh. Without spoiling anything, I’ll add that there are more new systems than just customizing your Kratos, and these came as a pleasant surprise. Just when I was hoping for something different,

Sony’s $200 DualSense Edge wireless controller will release on January 26 • ZebethMedia

Sony’s DualSense Edge wireless controller for the PS5 is launching globally on January 26, the company announced on Tuesday. The new wireless controller will be priced at $199.99. Pre-orders for the controller will be available starting on October 25 at select retailers. You’ll also be able to purchase replaceable stick modules for $19.99. The new controller includes several personalization options, including button remapping, the ability to fine-tune stick sensitivity and triggers, options to swap between multiple control profiles and an on-controller user interface. The DualSense Edge also includes the signature features of the DualSense wireless controller, such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. “You can make the DualSense Edge wireless controller uniquely yours with the included three changeable sets of stick caps and two changeable sets of back buttons,” Sony said in a blog post. “Everything will come bundled in the included carrying case, and you can even charge the controller via USB connection while it’s stored in the case to make sure you’re always ready for your next play session.” The purchase will include a USB braided cable, two standard caps, two high dome caps, two low dome caps, two half dome back buttons, two lever back buttons, connector housing and a carrying case.

Sony and Honda envision an EV that entertains while it takes the wheel • ZebethMedia

Sony and Honda have officially launched their joint mobility venture that aims to start delivering premium electric vehicles with automated driving capabilities in the United States in the spring of 2026, followed by Japan in the second half of 2026. The joint venture from hardware, software and entertainment conglomerate Sony and automaker Honda to produce what the companies promise to be a wildly smart vehicle perfectly demonstrates the direction of the auto industry today. As the software-defined vehicle moves beyond car performance and into autonomous territory, cars are not just about transportation anymore — they’re about entertainment and automakers are scrambling to up the ante. The future of premium vehicles will focus less on torque and horsepower and leather seats, and more on what a driver can do to entertain themselves when they take their hands off the steering wheel. Earlier this week, BMW partnered with AirConsole to bring in-car gaming to the BMW 7 series next year, a series that will already be built with Amazon Fire TV for streaming. Volvo is working to integrate Google Home and YouTube into its vehicles. And let’s not even get started on the EVs that promise to mine crypto. The launch of the JV comes a few months after Sony and Honda signed a JV agreement to establish the new software-oriented “mobility tech company,” called simply Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM). The JV will begin taking preorders for their first product in the first half of 2025 and start selling entirely online before the end of the same year, the companies said. The new EV, which will be initially manufactured at Honda’s North America factory, will be developed with Level 3 automated driving capabilities under limited conditions, and with Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems that can handle situations as complex as urban driving, according to the companies. According to SAE, Level 3 autonomy means the car is capable of driving in certain situations, like traffic jams, when automated features are engaged, but the human driver must take over when the system requests it. Sony will provide the sensors and tech for the autonomous capabilities, as well as all of the other software, from cloud-based services to entertainment, that drivers will hopefully be able to enjoy all the better for not having to actually drive the car all the time. The companies didn’t share too much about what the infotainment system would look like, but they did say the metaverse would be involved. “SHM aims to evolve mobility space into entertainment and emotional space, by seamlessly integrating real and virtual worlds, and exploring new entertainment possibilities through digital innovations such as the metaverse,” according to SHM. Neither Sony nor Honda responded to ZebethMedia’s request for more information about how, exactly, they plan to integrate the metaverse into a vehicle, however, it’s possible SHM will integrate augmented reality through safety features, as BMW has done. Part of SHM’s mission is to “create new mobility entertainment” and position mobility as a “mobility experience service.” What exactly does this mean? We don’t have all the facts yet, but it looks like SHM is subscribing to the same feature-bloat newsletter as other luxury brands that want to encourage drivers to interact with the vehicle more than they interact with their phones. Other details missing from the JV announcement include pricing, battery range or even what type of vehicle we’re looking at. Honda has been slow to push out its own electric vehicles, so the JV with Sony is also a move toward embracing not only EVs, but also the idea of the car as a connected device. The Sony Honda EV, if it makes it to market, will also help Honda get a foothold into the luxury vehicle market in the U.S.

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