Finally, PlayStation has officially let the cat out of the bag concerning Saros, and in addition to that, the action game by itself has already become quite alluring due to the fact that it introduced a very comforting game mechanic and at the same time a bad advertising strategy which caused the gamers to be a seriously negative lot towards Sony. The release of the game is officially scheduled for April 30 but if you go for the Digital Deluxe Edition you will get to enjoy a full two-day early access. The new gameplay feature is? A parrying system that not only lets the players stagger but also kill the enemies by bouncing back their own bullets. Good, doesn’t it? Still, the most of the discussions online concern that early access paywall instead of the parrying system.
Saros first of all was proclaiming the parry that not only allows stopping the incoming projectiles but also firing back at the attacker. The tweet issued by PlayStation goes one step further and says that players can “stagger or destroy enemies with their own projectiles.” This type of mechanics indeed requires perfect timing and gives a great reward and can even become the main feature of the fighting system. A user nicknamed Glitchy summed it up perfectly: “Parrying projectiles in Saros? Count me in! There is always a fun part to it, to be able to pull off perfectly timed counters and to be even able to turn enemy attacks against them.” Another player, Terry Dang, indicated that getting the timing just right “feels less like defense and more like pure domination.” So, the main idea is to lure a player base of both skilled gamers who love to master mechanics and feel powerful.
And then… came the bad news of an extremely high-priced Digital Deluxe pre-order plan being released with 48 hours of early access attached. The consequent reactions were nothing less than an explosion. It was as if PlayStation had opened a can of worms and all the frustrated gamers inside came rushing out. The ambiance was not merely one of slight disappointment; it turned out to be quite heated. User KRA clearly stated: “u guys really need to come up with a better ways to lure people into spending more money.. i mean paying more to have game 2days early doesn’t look good and is not even worth it these days… do fing better. there has to be way that seems less gross and maybe even feels worth it.” Ouch! That’s really straightforward.
They are not solitary though. Ryan bluntly stated, “I am really looking forward to the game, but I am not going to pay extra for early access, PlayStation can go to hell for that.” Another user Rorine also remarked, “Day One but please, stop this 48-hour early access bullshit trend! Be better!” There is a clear trend – Sarcos’s genuine excitement is being muted or even eclipsed, by the irritation of those who view it as a greedy and cynical cash grab. Tomasz Sonnenberg even pointed out the unfortunate timing and asked how “48 ‘Early Access’ of a game that was delayed is very difficult to understand….” This is a point worth considering as it intensifies the unpleasant feeling already caused.
There is a peculiar disconnection. On the one hand, there are the gamers who are truly looking forward to the game and who think it has great potential. Kinda Vaguely remarked, “This is looking super solid.” Tanglo’s Log, by contrast, said, “Loved Returnal. Can’t wait to play this,” thus drawing a comparison with another acclaimed PlayStation shooter. Eiravine was saying the parry was original and it might become a main feature of the gameplay due to the fact that it “undoubtedly adds depth and challenge.” So the gameplay hook is working.
Nevertheless, on the other hand, the business move is drawing a huge divide. It appears that PlayStation underestimated the situation. In today’s world where players are becoming more and more aware of and sensitive to monetization and value, locking a two-day playtime advantage behind a premium paywall is seen as nothing less than, well, somewhat cheap. It is apparent that the gaming world is already crowded; this situation only makes things worse. There was an entire thread in the replies, where users ironXclawGaming and MREVILA55 were discussing their huge backlogs and the deluge of new games. When people already have too much to play, paying extra for the smallest improvement in access timing to the game feels like a trap for the most impatient, rather than a privilege.
And as usual, there were the random, humorous comments that make social media threads so human. Someone inquired about the return of Kratos to Fortnite. Another user, Firm, But Whole declared the “PS5 is the parry-slop machine,” which is… a novel one.
