In honor of the PlayStation Portal, the latest addition to Sony’s ever-growing menagerie of bizarre ways to play games, we decided to hold a little tournament to pick the one true best controller. Y’know, from the dozen arbitrarily selected contestants that were randomly pitted against one another in a confusingly designed bracket. How does the DualShock 4 stack up against the original non-DualShock PS1 controller? How does that yogurt covered pretzel-lookin’ PlayStation VR Aim zapper fare against the PlayStation Portal, a brand new device that none of us have physically touched? What about that whackadoo prototype PS3 controller that looked like a banana or a boomerang? We had fun debating all of these things, so hopefully you enjoy listening. This week’s Beyond features Max Scoville, Brian Altano and Jada Griffin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IGN's reviewer, Seth Macy, joins Max Scoville and Jada Griffin to discuss the PlayStation Portal device for PS5 and whether remakes should have a separate category for Game of the Year. They also talk about the multiplayer experience in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and the ESRB rating for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

This week on Beyond, there’s plenty to talk about! We’ve got a laundry-list of missing gameplay features in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 that were present in previous games that Insomniac hopefully patches. Okay, maybe stealing The Vulture’s wallet wasn’t a feature. There are rumors of a potential Bloodborne movie in the works as well as a release date for the very unofficial fan-made Bloodborne Kart racing game, and we have strong feelings about both of these things, since they relate to Bloodborne, even though we’d love to hear about an official remaster or sequel. We’ve been playing some of the many games recently released, including Alan Wake 2, which is undeniably gorgeous, smart, and incredibly well-made, as well as Robocop: Rogue City, which is debatably none of the above, but still a ton of gruesome hilarious fun. Thirsty Suitors is the Scott Pilgrim game we didn’t know we wanted, and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Own Name has erased Max’s brief bout of Yakuza franchise-fatigue. This week’s Beyond crew is Max Scoville, Jada Griffin and Brian Altano. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We invade Kinda Funny's studio for a special Beyond and P.S. I Love You XOXO crossover featuring Greg Miller and Blessing Adeoye Jr. in our lead up to IGN vs. Kinda Funny Charity event! What's the greatest PlayStation 5 game so far? We've got a bracket of 32 games including: Astro's Playroom, God of War: Ragnarok, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Elden Ring, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Sifu, Ghostwire: Tokyo, The Last of Us: Part 1, Demon's Souls, Balder's Gate III, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and so many more! Which game will come out on top in this ultimate PS5 game smackdown? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPOILER ALERT!!! On this week’s episode of Podcast Beyond, Insomniac’s Creative Director Bryan Intihar stopped by to discuss everything Spider-Man 2. We explore the reveals we saw coming, the twists that caught us off-guard, the stuff that was planned for this sequel since day one and the ideas that got left on the cutting room floor. We also touch on how Insomniac Games teased the return of a major villain and how the studio approaches MCU-style crossovers with other projects like Beyond The Spider-Verse and Insomniac’s upcoming Wolverine video game. We also dig into the creative choices that veer from comic book lore, discover the suit that almost made the cut, and get the lowdown on why MJ’s role in the game packs a punch - but again, SPOILERS ahead, so if you haven’t finished this massive PS5 game, go do that! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Podcast Beyond crew discusses the Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Review, focusing on the open world gameplay, missions, and lack of interactivity. They compare it to other open world games and explore the depth and expectations of Spider-Man 2. They also discuss the addition of Harry Osborne to the cast and the theme of familial relationships in the game.

Discussion about the PS5 Slim announcement, PS2 memories, underrated Playstation games, and more

Topics include Jim Ryan's retirement, Naughty Dog's halt on The Last of Us multiplayer, The Last of Us maze experience, flavor and art style in games, a new game called Foam Stars, debate on CGI launch trailers, accessibility features in gaming, segways in Final Fantasy and Yakuza, worst trophies of 2023, funny incidents in Baldur's Gate Three, and progress in game and upcoming releases.

In this episode of Podcast Beyond, we  discuss Sony's recent investigation following claims of a breach by a ransomware group and what this could mean for the company's systems. Next, we venture into the neon-lit streets of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty as we examine how the game has evolved over the past three years. Join us as we explore the gritty, futuristic landscapes inspired by classic cyberpunk literature and films. And if that's not enough, we also take a look at the Resident Evil 4 Remake DLC: Separate Ways and discuss what sets it apart from the original.00:00:00 - Intro & Sony Hit with Ransomware Hack?00:04:12 - Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Rules00:38:30 - 6 Things To Check Out After Phantom Liberty00:43:50 - Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways Also Rules00:50:40 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 preview took place recently, and we jump in and break down Spider-Man gameplay, combat, city traversal and more. Akeem and our guest, IGN’s very own Benjamin Watts, share their Spider-Man 2 first impressions, what it’s like controlling the symbiote and utilizing Miles’ venom blasts and new abilities. We dive into what we could possibly expect next from #PlayStation; will we get another State of Play this year? What’s next for the #PS5? Max shares his experience with Baldur’s Gate 3, as he shares his romantic co-op experience with his wife. Baldur’s Date, anyone? Ben goes head first into Mortal Kombat One, some PlayStation Portal talk, and so much more this episode of BEYOND!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices