I’m Getting Bored of Every PlayStation Game Telling the Same Story
The Cinematic Adventure Fatigue
PlayStation’s first-party titles have earned a reputation for delivering blockbuster cinematic adventures. These experiences once felt groundbreaking. Unfortunately, the landscape now feels repetitive. The familiar third-person perspective and cinematic style persist. Many developers seem fixated on exploring similar themes. These overarching narratives often revolve around grief, loss, and the pursuit of revenge. The overall experience, while still polished, feels stale. Many gamers are longing for the days when PlayStation offered a more varied range of experiences. Players are yearning for titles that prioritize entertainment and innovative storytelling over similar narratives.
Recurring Themes in Recent PlayStation Titles
Recent PlayStation releases demonstrate a worrying trend of similar storylines. Take, for example, the hypothetical game, “Ghost of Yotei”. The core narrative is similar to “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.” You play as Atsu, tasked with avenging the death of her parents. This is done on a journey through 17th-century Japan. Furthermore, it mirrors the combination of revenge and grief-related themes that have become a trademark of PlayStation Studios. These overlapping themes erode enjoyment, even when gameplay mechanics are refined. PlayStation runs the risk of alienating their audience by recycling the same narrative experiences.
The Last of Us and the “Sad Dad” Era
“The Last of Us Part 2” stands as a defining example of this trend. Ellie’s descent into violence is fueled by Joel’s death. This follows the original “The Last of Us”. This earlier game explores Joel’s struggle with his own daughter’s death. The release of “The Last of Us” popularized the “sad dad” archetype in gaming. 2018’s “God of War” explores similar territory. In retrospect, these games laid the foundation for PlayStation’s preoccupation with grief. While these titles were praised for their storytelling, the formula has become overused.
Examples Across PlayStation Exclusives
- God of War Ragnarok: Driven by the loss of loved ones and the resulting anger.
- Spider-Man Series: Both Peter Parker and Miles Morales grapple with personal demons stemming from the loss of parental figures.
- Returnal: A sci-fi nightmare born from Selene’s trauma and grief.
- Death Stranding 2: Explores themes of maternal and paternal anguish.
These are just a few examples, highlighting the common thread that runs through many PlayStation exclusives. While each game offers unique gameplay mechanics, their narratives often converge on similar themes.
The Danger of Diminishing Returns
While each game is undoubtedly well-crafted and offers unique gameplay experiences, the overall narrative landscape feels monotonous. The constant focus on familial grief makes it harder for each individual story to have a lasting impact. Players start to anticipate the plot and its beats. The “cycle of violence” is in danger of becoming repetitive, with each iteration feeling less meaningful than the last. There is an increased need for diverse themes within the PlayStation library.
Astro Bot: A Beacon of Hope
While not every PlayStation game follows this pattern, the exceptions serve to highlight the problem. “Astro Bot” stands out because of its joyful and colorful tone. Its departure from the morose trend is what makes it remarkable. “Astro Bot” is a refreshing reminder of what PlayStation games could be. It’s a joyful celebration of gaming history and pure fun, rather than a heavy exploration of trauma. It is also a glimpse into the kind of experience players may enjoy.
Remembering the Variety of the PS3 Era
The PlayStation 3 era offered a far more diverse range of experiences.
- Uncharted: Focused on adventure, with a tone inspired by pulp fiction.
- Resistance: A unique blend of World War 2 and sci-fi warfare.
- LittleBigPlanet: Celebrated creativity and community.
These titles, while possessing varying levels of character nuance, were fundamentally about different things. They weren’t all trying to tell the same story. Players were exposed to a diverse amount of stories, themes, and character development. If a new “Jak and Daxter” were to be released today, it would be about an Ottsel’s revenge, it is felt.
Lessons from the Past
PlayStation should look to its past for inspiration. “Shadow of the Colossus,” a PS2 classic, tackled a mournful tone in a unique and poignant way. It told its tale through vagueness and minimal cutscenes. There weren’t multiple PS2 releases taking contemplations on love and loss and telling the same story. Every time you played something new from Sony’s studios, it felt like a brand new experiment with a different story. There was no variation on a theme. Diversity is the key.
Ghost of Tsushima vs. Ghost of Yotei (Hypothetical)
“Ghost of Yotei” could be superior to its predecessor in almost every aspect, barring its central story. Atsu is potentially a much warmer presence than Jin Sakai. “Ghost of Tsushima’s” narrative explores fresher ground, by balancing the personal struggles of Jin against the backdrop of an invasion. It is a tale of honour, betrayal, and belonging, standing out when it arrived hot on the heels of “The Last of Us Part 2” in 2020. Before grief seemingly took hold of every Sony storyteller.
The Future: Hope and Skepticism
Perhaps PlayStation’s interest in grief is a reflection of the state of the world. When viewed through the lens of when PS5 exclusives like “Ghost of Yotei” and “Death Stranding 2” were being written, that melancholy is somewhat understandable. The COVID pandemic took hold of our planet in the years 2020 and 2021. It will be intriguing to see if this pattern will continue. Will the stories being told in projects that began production post-2022 mirror a different state of the planet, or continue to look inside ourselves at our darkest moments? While these are valid tales to tell, a little more variety is wished for.
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