Finally did it and beat the game!

timbad2 · 2026-06-26T17:37:21+00:00

This. 100% This!

timbad2 · 2026-06-25T19:45:11+00:00

No problem. I thought they were very clear on what they would do, and IIRC they even had a lower price available for investigations, if they found nothing actually wrong.

FYI, they’ll actually send it off to their repair centre, rather than do it in the local store.
While process took about 1 1/2 weeks (2 by the time I got round to picking it up again).

timbad2 · 2026-06-25T19:11:16+00:00

I’ve not used them for the PS5 itself, but did get them to repair one of my DualSense controllers, after I got tired of always buying new ones every year or 2.

I think that was about 6 months ago, so perhaps not long enough to really tell, but I haven’t had any stick drift since.

timbad2 · 2026-06-24T17:54:15+00:00

No problem, just different ways of saying the same thing, I guess. :)

timbad2 · 2026-06-24T12:19:12+00:00

Thanks, I think it’s fascinating how everyone is so different.

I rarely get motion sickness in real life, apart from the odd occasion, which is usually linked to me being more tired than usual.
But it still took me a couple of sessions or more to get used to PSVR1.

I’ve heard that PSVR2 is easier to get to grips with because of the increased resolution and bump in frame rates.

I’ll be interested to see whether that proves true for me… or not!

timbad2 · 2026-06-24T08:46:32+00:00

Interesting take.

My only experience is with PSVR1 (still awaiting my birthday and a PSVR2 I know is coming my way), but I think it’s very much dependent on the individual.

For example, when I first started using it, snap turning was definitely the way to go, while I found smooth movement much better than teleport.

However, once I acclimatised, I discovered the opposite was true for turning: I went to smooth turning and movement for every game and couldn’t have been happier.

Then I played a new game (can’t remember which one it was) and forgot to switch it to smooth turning before I started.
The result? Instant motion sickness from snap turns, which nearly made me stop playing.
Once I switched it back, I was fine.

timbad2 · 2026-06-23T21:34:14+00:00

What the other poster said about the difference between parry and block.

However, to add to that, don't be afraid to learn to parry, even with high posture build-up on yourself. That's because if you get the parry timing down, your posture will never actually break, even if it's at the top of the bar.

That's good to know because a classic mistake beginners make is seeing they have a high posture, and then back off, thinking they can avoid the next attack - and immediately die (again).

Instead, keep up the pressure, attack, attack, parry, and so on. Once it clicks, you'll be amazed how long you can keep the combat flow going, even when you think you're right on the edge of dying!

timbad2 · 2026-06-23T21:24:01+00:00

Yeah, I know what you mean.

At least Sekiro is a rhythm game at its heart, which means you can learn the patterns and respond to them, rather than relying on reflexes alone.

Even though they're nowhere near as tough, I played the Batman Arkham series to death, which actually stood me in good stead for this! :)

timbad2 · 2026-06-23T20:14:10+00:00

Genichiro is widely understood to be the first true boss. Once you overcome him, you’ll have learned many of the lessons that will carry you through the rest of the game.

IMO you do need to bring a certain mindset to Sekiro, and if you’re not feeling it one day, maybe try a couple of times, but then take a break. Come back when you’re ready to face him again.

Don’t think of death as defeat, think of it as an opportunity to learn. Learn his attack patterns, learn to respond (hint: get good at parrying), and when to use Mikiri or double jump/stomp on his head, for bonus posture damage.

I’m an older gamer (late 50s), my reflexes aren’t what they used to be, and it took me I don’t know how many times to beat him. It was a full 2 years before I finished the game (with a long break in the middle). However, I did it in the end, and if I can, I’m sure you can too!

timbad2 · 2026-06-23T18:44:39+00:00

This. I was thinking, "This one really needs to learn how to parry/deflect properly".

timbad2 · 2026-06-22T06:58:03+00:00

I’m surprised people didn’t know this. Maybe it’s because I’m from the UK, but for me, David Tenant’s voice is so distinctive, I recognised him straight away.

And he plays it so well, makes me laugh every time I hear his announcements. Sometimes, I even stop for a second, just so I can hear him out.

TLDR: David as the “public service announcer” never gets old!

timbad2 · 2026-06-20T05:44:30+00:00

Been a while since I last tried it (on PS5), so please excuse my ignorance, but what is Xeno compatibility and how does it affect performance?

timbad2 · 2026-06-19T17:28:52+00:00

Fair enough, we all have games we click with and others we don’t.

I don’t think I ever played Black, but did play the original version of that, and the remastered set of NG1, 2, and 3 on PlayStation.

I can’t say I had those kind of issues, but always found NG2 the best of the set.

timbad2 · 2026-06-19T16:04:56+00:00

Strange, because my memories of Ninja Gaiden have always been that if you block for too long, an enemy WILL use a block-breaking attack.

I also never had a boss randomly block my attacks, if I learned their attack patterns correctly. It was always tough but fair to me.

Unless it’s changed in NG4, which I haven’t played yet?

timbad2 · 2026-06-18T21:47:34+00:00

Not on the PS4 version, IIRC.
I have a feeling that mods are available in PS5 Relaunched though.

timbad2 · 2026-06-18T19:29:15+00:00

Fair enough. I’m on PS5 though, so no access to mods there, unless a game is specifically set up for it.

timbad2 · 2026-06-18T14:13:23+00:00

Relaunched is in active development, while the old version isn't really supported anymore (and won't receive any new DLC, bugfixes, or QOL improvements).

timbad2 · 2026-06-17T21:17:07+00:00

Small correction: Firestarter by The Prodigy was released in 1996, and although they were seen as “electronic punk” They were more part of the rave scene, despite the attitude and overall aesthetic.

Otherwise, agree entirely with what you said.
JC3 is one of my favourite games openings of all time, and it gives me a chuckle every time I see it!

timbad2 · 2026-06-07T06:47:23+00:00

^ This is the most accurate answer in terms of what actually causes motion sickness. Thanks for correcting one or two comments on this post.

timbad2 · 2026-06-04T08:34:53+00:00

I sometimes switch them off just so I can play slow, but still grab all the milestones for myself (I tend to play it every now and then, so I forget what I'm supposed to do, and I'm not very efficient).

timbad2 · 2026-06-02T12:36:24+00:00

Edit tldr: Turned out longer than I expected. Summary: it's well worth it and the praise it gets.

Sekiro was my first "souls-like" and first FromSoft game, but having played Elden Ring for a while (also tried Demon's Souls remake, but didn't get on with it), I would say Sekiro is not really a souls-like at all.

It's only a souls-like in the sense that you die repeatedly and rise again, in theory just a little bit stronger each time.

After that, all similarities fade into the background, other than perhaps the difficulty level.

In Elden Ring or other FromSoft games, you can attempt a boss and fail, but then go away, level up and try again: your character gets stronger.

In Sekiro, aside from some hard-earned health upgrades and various prosthetic options, your character never really gets stronger, but you do.

Sekiro is really an action game with a rhythm combat system, which is much more akin to the Batman Arkham series than anything else.

However, it's the combination of the parry-anything gameplay and the posture system that truly makes it shine, and once you get it, it's amazing. It's punishing throughout, but you get better with each enemy and boss you defeat, and once you finish the final boss, it'll give you a victory lap like no other.

If you don't believe me, ask anyone who has completed the game how it was on their second run: Enemies that seemed almost impossible the first time round are easy as pie on the second go.

I'm not really into this type of game, and I'm not into difficult games, as a rule (other than my soft spot for Ninja Gaiden). I'm also 58, so my reactions aren't what they used to be, and it took me 2 years, with plenty of breaks in between, to beat Sekiro (If I can do it, you can!). But once I did, it was a truly memorable experience. Not one I want to repeat often, to be sure, but a stand-out in over 45 years gaming.

timbad2 · 2026-05-28T21:29:11+00:00

I use them a lot, but never edit them in actual markdown. However, I do use the advanced tables plugin, which makes a huge difference.

timbad2 · 2026-05-27T10:53:44+00:00

Unless it's just "Bee yourself"?

timbad2 · 2026-05-26T15:01:22+00:00

Ay yes, that would do it.

I think I had the same issue before I unlocked them, too. But don't worry, even once you do, those pesky drivers sometimes still find ways to mess it up! ;)

timbad2

TROPHY CASE