The PlayStation Podcast team has just released a new episode where they are discussing a topic that could be termed a genius in disguise. The presenters are revealing their favorite games set in side activities and mini-games within the very games they are playing? What are the mini-games that sometimes even outshine the main plot? The hosts are also going to hear out the players and their favorites together with the episode.
No doubt it’s a hot topic among gamers. How many times have we all been in the situation of saving the world but instead of doing so, you were just doing nothing but gambling in the mini-games for hours? The favorite games of the podcast hosts and the responses from the players are what actually make the conversation even more interesting.
There was a high activity in the comments section as users were quick to share their favorites. The first thing that came into mind for the commentator Sydney Harbour Whale was “FF8 card game”. Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII has certainly lived up to its reputation . So much time was spent by the players in the card collecting that they were oblivious to the main story. After that, user Hitaru chimed in with “Nothing beats the witcher’s – Gwent” which is quite obvious. Gwent created such a buzz in The Witcher 3 that CD Projekt Red even went a step further by making it into a separate game. That is a sure sign that the mini-game has crossed all boundaries and is now at a god-like level.
However, there were a few negative responses too, probably because it’s Twitter and users do like to be sarcastic. The main reason for what some called “terrible AI advertised asset flip scam” games was the PlayStation Store as they claimed. One tweeted user zkhreb_ was really critical and shared some low-quality screenshots of a few games and very vocally asking “Why is this garbage in your store? A guy is just moving this thing back and forth at the bottom to gain trophies.” That’s just one side of the argument.
Then there was the case of the user TheTankBall who was very enthusiastic when he revealed his “mental illness” issues and his struggle to separate reality from fiction and then got into a very confusing argument with ElvisFreshly26 about anime statues and… honestly, I am not quite sure what was going on. Sometimes Twitter threads twist and turn in such a way that it is no longer possible to move from “favorite in-game games” to… whatever that was.
Meanwhile, other gamers were sharing their favorite current games. User LikeToBeBossy announced “This game is literally so addictive. I’m gonna play this in real life.” which is the highest rating possible for any in-game action. In case you get the urge to try the mini-game in real life, you can be sure that the game developers have really done their job well.
Technical specs problems were also raised – xi0mara1 pointed out the issue of adaptive triggers not syncing well with certain mini-games and shortly there was a whole discussion about the proper technique with Skullies22 entering the chat and saying “If you let it go slowly of course it wouldn’t work. Its called flick for a reason. You need to quickly let go or slide your finger off the trigger so it flicks up.” It is quite amusing that the very mechanics of gaming can be serious business.
The release of new games has also come up in the discussions, the comment Ghost of Yotei was made several times and… well, not everyone was delighted with the new direction that the franchise is taking. TheTankBall shared his worries about the sales numbers, while QuitLyingHomie expressed his desire for a “Sequel of Jin Sakai” instead of what is next. Gamers are passionate about their franchises, what else is there to say.
What is striking is how frequently these gaming occurrences come to dominate or at least share the limelight with the game characters. One cannot easily unlink Gwent from The Witcher 3 and one can only hope for such a memory of Gwent battles along with the monster fights. Zychonic referred to Sabacc from Star Wars which has been part of several Star Wars games and shows – it’s universally accepted as lore at this point.
Then there were those who just wanted to show off. GGMattt_ posted a video of his coin flicking skills with the caption I am the coin flick master – it is clear that someone has mastered the technique and is eager to showcase it to the world.
The podcast episode appears to have uncovered a topic that is very relatable to gamers. The mini-games and in-universe activities sometimes act as good breaks from the intensity of the main storylines or, in some cases, they end up being the main attraction themselves. It is a classic case of “Just one round of the card game, please” that turns into three hours of playing and you are still in the same tavern.
Dodgy Kebaab suggested that PlayStation should focus on promoting its content more through its official stuff like PlayStation Access. On the other hand, there were other users who were… not so constructive with their criticism, to say the least. One commenter FML Gamer went on a rampage about ‘WOKE BULLSHIT’ and ‘agendas’ in games, which led to arguments in the replies about the subject matter.
This whole dialogue basically shows that gamers have quite definite views about every aspect of their gaming experience, even the side activities. Whether it is through card games, betting mini-games, or whatever else the developers creatively come up with, the in-universe distractions have usually become the gaming landscape’s most loved parts. Some players get so into it that they lose entire fortunes of in-game currency; SaberZer02 actually confessed that he lost “4k before I got pissed off and left” – we have all been there, bro.
The PlayStation Podcast team surely chose a spot-on topic. It’s not just about the big spectacular stories or graphics – sometimes it is the smaller distractions within the game world that make the most memorable moments. And the gamers have quite a lot to say in terms of which ones are the best, which ones could use some improvement, and which ones should be eradicated from existence altogether judging by the a massive torrent of responses. This is how gaming communities are – always lively with no dull moments, even when it is about fictional games within real games.
