Today sees one of gaming's most endearing, most recognisable mascots turn the big 2-0.
SEGA's blue hedgehog, Sonic, has been gracing our consoles since his first outing in Sonic the Hedgehog on the SEGA Mega Drive (or the SEGA Genesis for you U.S. peeps!) and continues to this day. He's had some rough spots lately, with most of his 3D adventures being a little on the disappointing side and many fans longing for the days of the traditional 2D side-scrollers. SEGA tried to address this last year with the release of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, but some rather floaty physics left people wanting more despite the better change in direction.
Now here we are in 2011, 20 years after Sonic the Hedgehog hit shelves, to the day, and SEGA have released a demo for the upcoming Sonic Generations, which sees the two designs of the character (short and podgy, as seen in the Mega Drive days and tall and lean, as seen in later years) teaming up across levels inspired by all Sonic titles to date. The demo showcases a really sleak HD remix of the original Green Hill Zone and it looks amazing, and plays just like the original title did all those years ago.
The demo is out on Xbox LIVE & PlayStation Network right now and has a 20 day limit on it so go download it NOW!
Thursday 23 June 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
inFamous Developer Working on NEW PS3 Exclusive
inFamous 2 has just hit shelves, and already developer Sucker Punch Productions is hard at work on a new title for the PlayStation 3.
The company have posted a job listing on Gamasutra looking for a senior producer for its next project. The listing requires that candidates have at least five years of experience, have worked on at least one shipped triple-A title in a producer role and have a "passion for console games".
What this title is could be anyone's guess. It's certainly not the recently announced Sly Cooper 4 (the studio's previous flagship franchise) as that is being worked on by a different developer (though Sucker Punch are acting as mentors and consultants), but it could possibly be inFamous 3. This would be great news considering the shocking (no pun intended) endings received by both the good and bad karma routes the game offers that left many clamouring for more. Sucker Punch also wasted no time in getting stuck into developing the sequel to the original inFamous not long after that title shipped, so it would not be out of the question that they were getting to work on part 3 of the series around about now.
Of course, it could be for something completely different. Hopefully more news on this surfaces sooner rather than later.
The company have posted a job listing on Gamasutra looking for a senior producer for its next project. The listing requires that candidates have at least five years of experience, have worked on at least one shipped triple-A title in a producer role and have a "passion for console games".
What this title is could be anyone's guess. It's certainly not the recently announced Sly Cooper 4 (the studio's previous flagship franchise) as that is being worked on by a different developer (though Sucker Punch are acting as mentors and consultants), but it could possibly be inFamous 3. This would be great news considering the shocking (no pun intended) endings received by both the good and bad karma routes the game offers that left many clamouring for more. Sucker Punch also wasted no time in getting stuck into developing the sequel to the original inFamous not long after that title shipped, so it would not be out of the question that they were getting to work on part 3 of the series around about now.
Of course, it could be for something completely different. Hopefully more news on this surfaces sooner rather than later.
Tuesday 21 June 2011
PlayStation Vita UK Release Date LEAKED
The UK release date for Sony's new handheld console, the PlayStation Vita, has supposedly being leaked by online retailer Shopto.net.
They put the release date as November 4th 2011, which is in-line with the Sony's promise to have the console out in every region by the end of the year.
The site also has attached prices to its pre-orders for the console and its software - the wi-fi only model will cost £229.99, while the 3G & wi-fi model will set you back £279.99. These prices seem pretty steep when compared with the US prices of $250 and $299 for the wi-fi and 3G models respectively, but it is important to note that the Vita is nigh-on confirmed to be region-free, so importing at the lower cost is always an option.
Shopto.net has also placed the games for the Vita at £40 each, which is unsurprising due to the home console-like quality the titles are aiming for.
Please note that all of this date and pricing information could simply be place holder.
They put the release date as November 4th 2011, which is in-line with the Sony's promise to have the console out in every region by the end of the year.
The site also has attached prices to its pre-orders for the console and its software - the wi-fi only model will cost £229.99, while the 3G & wi-fi model will set you back £279.99. These prices seem pretty steep when compared with the US prices of $250 and $299 for the wi-fi and 3G models respectively, but it is important to note that the Vita is nigh-on confirmed to be region-free, so importing at the lower cost is always an option.
Shopto.net has also placed the games for the Vita at £40 each, which is unsurprising due to the home console-like quality the titles are aiming for.
Please note that all of this date and pricing information could simply be place holder.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
E3 2011: Nintendo Press Conference Review
The final of the "big 3" E3 press conferences took place yesterday. Nintendo's conference was different to Microsoft's and Sony's as it split the presser into three sections dedicated to consoles (and 1 to a franchise) rather than individual games - this meant there was less information on specific titles, but more of them announced. Regardless, here's a round up of the highlights and my thoughts:
The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary
The conference started with a live orchestra playing a suite of Zelda music accompanied by a video montage to showcase the 25th anniversary celebration of the franchise. It was announced that Link's Awakening DX and Four Swords will be making their way to Nintendo's Virtual Console later this year, and that the new Wii title Skyward Sword will drop sometime during this holiday season, though no footage was shown of any of the games.
It was also announced that a symphony orchestra will be touring across "most regions" playing concerts dedicated to the music of Zelda next year.
Nintendo 3DS Titles
Next up was the 3DS segment of the presser, which showed off a few trailers for upcoming games. Those featured included Mario Kart 3D, Starfox 64 3D, Luigi's Mansion 2, Super Mario 3D and Kid Icarus: Uprising - all of them were announced for release later this year, with Starfox slated for a September release (that game also featured a really neat concept where in multiplayer mode, the 3DS' camera would broadcast the image of your opponent's faces - just like it does in the single player game with the characters - very cool!). Luigi's Mansion 2 was a very surprising addition to the line up, and one that is most welcome; it looks just as fun as the original, and is confirmed to include many new features over its predecessor, including more than one mansion.
Wii U
Now this is what everybody was waiting for, and what took up the bulk of the conference - Nintendo's new home console. What was codenamed Project Café was officially unveiled as Wii U; a brand new HD console that features a very unique controller.
The controller is essentially a tablet computer, with a 6.5" touch screen display surrounded by the usual dual analogue sticks (though they are more akin to the 3DS' circle pad than traditional sticks), directional pad, triggers and face buttons. The main features of the console obviously stem from this additional screen, as was demonstrated in the fact that it allows for continuous play of a game even if the TV channel is switched - that's right, now someone else can watch TV while you're in the middle of a game and you can just switch over to the controller screen to keep playing. Not only that, but the extra screen can be used in the same way the DS' dual screen is; while showing a video demo of Zelda, the action of the main game was unfolding on the big screen while the controller screen had the inventory that could be touched for easy item switching. Other elements that were shown involving the controller involved using it as a Reversi (at least I think it was Reversi...) board, as a platform to launch ninja stars from at targets on the TV and placing it on the floor and using a WiiMote as a golf club to hit the ball that was on the controller screen and off onto the course on the TV.
It all looks very impressive, but it's hard to really see the point in it all, in my opinion. I can see the use in being able to continue games on another screen while someone else wants to watch television, but Sony already showed their capability to do that with the PSVita and its ability to continue saves from the PS3 the day before, and if the original PSP is anything to go by, we may well see some form of remote play application from the portable for the PS3 in the future. Also, the controller looks REALLY uncomfortable and awkward to hold; imagine holding an iPad horizontally for a long period of time... It just doesn't seem to be that easy to keep a hold of for so long, but as I've not actually held one I can't comment on this too much - these are just first impressions.
On the plus side, Nintendo announced a LOT of third party games that will be coming to the Wii U, including the likes of Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Darksiders II, Lego City Stories (also coming to 3DS) and more, which is great to see after the major lack of them for the original Wii. Oh, and they announced a new Smash Bros. game coming to both the new console and the 3DS! What gameplay they showed of these titles looked very nice graphically and performance-wise; easily on par with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Verdict
This is a tough one to judge. Yesterday I said that we'd have to wait and see if Nintendo would claim victory at this year's E3 with the unveiling of their new console, but frankly I'm not sure what to make of the hardware. It's great that Nintendo have finally come out with a HD console, but this is SIX years into the current generation, where we've had access to a HD console since 2005 when the Xbox 360 first launched and the PS3 a year later. It's hard to judge the Wii U's relevance when it comes out so late in the game. The console's controller, while certainly fancy, seems very gimmicky and besides the ability to continue play away from the main TV screen seems to offer very little in terms of gameplay value - whether what it does offer makes up for the bulky, uncomfortable looking design remains to be seen.
So, I don't know. I think Sony's conference had a lot more fanfare about it (though the orchestra for the Zelda section here was a very nice touch), with a lot more emphasis on the hardcore games and giving a lot more detail on upcoming releases. At this moment in time, I'm also more impressed with the techincal prowess of the portable PlayStation Vita than the questionable Wii U, and as that was Nintendo's main gambit it could go either way as to whether their conference this year was a total bust depending upon how the console fares in the months up until its release in next year. Thankfully, the 3DS line-up that was announced was very nice, with some quality titles on the way later this year.
The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary
The conference started with a live orchestra playing a suite of Zelda music accompanied by a video montage to showcase the 25th anniversary celebration of the franchise. It was announced that Link's Awakening DX and Four Swords will be making their way to Nintendo's Virtual Console later this year, and that the new Wii title Skyward Sword will drop sometime during this holiday season, though no footage was shown of any of the games.
It was also announced that a symphony orchestra will be touring across "most regions" playing concerts dedicated to the music of Zelda next year.
Nintendo 3DS Titles
Next up was the 3DS segment of the presser, which showed off a few trailers for upcoming games. Those featured included Mario Kart 3D, Starfox 64 3D, Luigi's Mansion 2, Super Mario 3D and Kid Icarus: Uprising - all of them were announced for release later this year, with Starfox slated for a September release (that game also featured a really neat concept where in multiplayer mode, the 3DS' camera would broadcast the image of your opponent's faces - just like it does in the single player game with the characters - very cool!). Luigi's Mansion 2 was a very surprising addition to the line up, and one that is most welcome; it looks just as fun as the original, and is confirmed to include many new features over its predecessor, including more than one mansion.
Wii U
Now this is what everybody was waiting for, and what took up the bulk of the conference - Nintendo's new home console. What was codenamed Project Café was officially unveiled as Wii U; a brand new HD console that features a very unique controller.
The controller is essentially a tablet computer, with a 6.5" touch screen display surrounded by the usual dual analogue sticks (though they are more akin to the 3DS' circle pad than traditional sticks), directional pad, triggers and face buttons. The main features of the console obviously stem from this additional screen, as was demonstrated in the fact that it allows for continuous play of a game even if the TV channel is switched - that's right, now someone else can watch TV while you're in the middle of a game and you can just switch over to the controller screen to keep playing. Not only that, but the extra screen can be used in the same way the DS' dual screen is; while showing a video demo of Zelda, the action of the main game was unfolding on the big screen while the controller screen had the inventory that could be touched for easy item switching. Other elements that were shown involving the controller involved using it as a Reversi (at least I think it was Reversi...) board, as a platform to launch ninja stars from at targets on the TV and placing it on the floor and using a WiiMote as a golf club to hit the ball that was on the controller screen and off onto the course on the TV.
It all looks very impressive, but it's hard to really see the point in it all, in my opinion. I can see the use in being able to continue games on another screen while someone else wants to watch television, but Sony already showed their capability to do that with the PSVita and its ability to continue saves from the PS3 the day before, and if the original PSP is anything to go by, we may well see some form of remote play application from the portable for the PS3 in the future. Also, the controller looks REALLY uncomfortable and awkward to hold; imagine holding an iPad horizontally for a long period of time... It just doesn't seem to be that easy to keep a hold of for so long, but as I've not actually held one I can't comment on this too much - these are just first impressions.
On the plus side, Nintendo announced a LOT of third party games that will be coming to the Wii U, including the likes of Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Darksiders II, Lego City Stories (also coming to 3DS) and more, which is great to see after the major lack of them for the original Wii. Oh, and they announced a new Smash Bros. game coming to both the new console and the 3DS! What gameplay they showed of these titles looked very nice graphically and performance-wise; easily on par with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Verdict
This is a tough one to judge. Yesterday I said that we'd have to wait and see if Nintendo would claim victory at this year's E3 with the unveiling of their new console, but frankly I'm not sure what to make of the hardware. It's great that Nintendo have finally come out with a HD console, but this is SIX years into the current generation, where we've had access to a HD console since 2005 when the Xbox 360 first launched and the PS3 a year later. It's hard to judge the Wii U's relevance when it comes out so late in the game. The console's controller, while certainly fancy, seems very gimmicky and besides the ability to continue play away from the main TV screen seems to offer very little in terms of gameplay value - whether what it does offer makes up for the bulky, uncomfortable looking design remains to be seen.
So, I don't know. I think Sony's conference had a lot more fanfare about it (though the orchestra for the Zelda section here was a very nice touch), with a lot more emphasis on the hardcore games and giving a lot more detail on upcoming releases. At this moment in time, I'm also more impressed with the techincal prowess of the portable PlayStation Vita than the questionable Wii U, and as that was Nintendo's main gambit it could go either way as to whether their conference this year was a total bust depending upon how the console fares in the months up until its release in next year. Thankfully, the 3DS line-up that was announced was very nice, with some quality titles on the way later this year.
Tuesday 7 June 2011
E3 2011: Sony Press Conference Review
Well, last night the second of the "big 3" gave their presser at this year's E3 expo, so here's a run-down of the highlights and my thoughts on Sony's conference:
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
What a start! Way to grab the audience's attention by the scruff of the neck, Sony! Much like Naughty Dog's preview of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at E3 2009, the 5 minute demo of Drake's Deception we saw was jam packed with action. Nathan Drake sneaks aboard a cruise liner, only to be ambushed and end up blowing a hole in the side of the ship thanks to a nicely thrown grenade, causing the liner to sink. From that point to the end of the demo it's a frantic race from walls of water and through submerged corridors as Drake attempts to escape the doomed ship.
What was presented looked fantastic; more of the cinematic scope Naughty Dog are known for. The graphics were, as we've come to expect, sublime - with the rushing water and the stormy weather effects being particular stand outs.
After the gameplay demo, a trailer was shown for the game showcasing even more new gameplay elements - again, looking absolutely spectacular. Drake on horseback or holding onto falling cargo from a plane, anyone?
Resistance 3
I'm not a huge First Person Shooter fan, especially not of the modern day warfare variety, but I do like sci-fi. I enjoy Halo, and somewhat enjoy Killzone (though I find that the series takes itself way too seriously, like most of the 'realistic' shooters), and have never tried the Resistance series. What we saw here was typical gritty sci-fi FPS fare, until some giant frickin' spider thing came along! It was a short demo, but what we saw was impressive in scope and left me a little intrigued as to what this series is all about and I might just check it out.
Resistance 3 also began the conference's focus on the Move, with the Sharpshooter accessory heavily featured. It's an impressive piece of kit and it's nice to see more games coming out that make use of it. A bundle was announced that includes a copy of Resistance 3, the Sharpshooter, a Move controller and the PlayStation Eye camera for $150.
PlayStation 3D Display TV & Glasses
Now this was impressive. Sony have always been at the forefront of the 3D gaming revolution, and while I'm not a big fan of 3D movies (I like it when it's done right, and with good intention like in Avatar and Tron: Legacy, but not when it's just a pointless cash-grab) I do find that 3D adds a great deal to the immersion of the gaming experience. The problem is, it's so damn expensive! Well, Sony's got your back with their PlayStation 3D Display, a 24" monitor that offers full 3D support as well as the VERY cool feature that allows 2 players to see 2 different images on the screen. That's right, when playing with a friend there'll be no more split screen, instead player 1 will see one image while player 2 will see another.
Sony are offering the TV, a pair of 3D glasses, a HDMI cable and a copy of Resistance 3 in a bundle for $499. Insanely good price, considering the normal prices of 3DTVs.
PlayStation Move Titles
This was a mixed bag; they announced that NBA 2K12 will include new Move support, and Kobe Bryant came on stage to demo it, and then moved onto show Medieval Moves, a new casual Move title from the makers of Sports Champions. Nothing special, but it was nice to see that Medival Moves was indeed a full, story-driven game and not just a collection of minigames for the motion control.
On the other hand, it was announced that this fall both inFamous 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2 will be getting PlayStation Move support for their user generated content - players of these games will now be able to create and play levels/missions specifically for use with the PlayStation Move controller. Pretty damn cool.
And finally, in a hell of a surprise, Irrational Games' Ken Levine took to the stage to announce that Bioshock: Infinite will include full Move support! Very cool to see that, unlike the Kinect, the Move is really making its mark in hardcore games and not just shovel-ware. Levine also announced that a Bioshock game will be coming to the NGP (more on that later).
Dust 514
No one really knows what to make of this new PS3 exclusive. CCP Games took to the stage to show off their new Massively Multiplayer Online FPS title, that somehow links into their MMORPG Eve Online. Players of Dust 514 will play the part of the ground soldiers fighting battles on the planets in the Eve universe, which in turn will be reflected in the Eve Online universe as the planets fall under different control as battles are won or lost in Dust. Pretty confusing, huh? It's an interesting concept, and I look forward to hearing more about it and seeing how it works in the future.
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Sly Cooper is back! One of the most loved platformer games from the PS2 is back for a fourth title, as showcased in a little teaser trailer with a very cool art style. No information was given except that the game is coming out some time next year.
Starhawk
As a huge Firefly fan, my interest was immediately piqued once I heard that the spiritual successor to Warhawk would be a sci-fi/western hybrid, and thankfully the gameplay looks set to keep a hold of that interest. It's a third person shooter with heavy doses of vehicular combat and looks insanely intense. The new "build & battle" mechanic looks cool too, where players in both single player and multiplayer can instantly construct buildings, walls and other structures in the battlefield to use as cover or generate vehicles, etc. Definitely a title to look out for.
PlayStation Vita
We've come to know it as the Next Generation Portable, or NGP for the past few months ever since it was first announced, but at their conference Sony officially revealed their new handheld console as the PlayStation Vita ('Vita' meaning 'life'). What we saw of the technology was very impressive, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss being used to showcase the system's graphical capabilities. And let me tell you, they are damn impressive - it's almost like holding a miniaturised PlayStation 3 in the palm of your hands! The touch screen abilities were also shown off as they showcased how players can touch enemies on the screen to direct Drake in melee combat, as well as being able to use the touch pad to climb surfaces.
Also shown was Ruin, an action RPG that boasted a very cool save-game feature - saving your progress on the PSVita will allow you to resume from the exact point where you left off on the PS3. Imagine the possibilities of being able to to take your home-console games on the move with you and just continue where you left off and vice versa.
Finally, Modnation Racers, LittleBigPlanet and Street Fighter x Tekken (which features a PSVita and PS3 exclusive character in inFamous' Cole MacGrath) were all shown on the console - all looking bright, vibrant and with some very cool touch screen and touch pad abilities, such as Modnation Racers' feature that allows the player to create mountains and lakes in the track editor by simply pushing on the rear touch pad. Very smooth and very snazzy.
It was announced that the PlayStation Vita will be releasing this holiday season for the surprisingly low price of $250 for the wi-fi only model, and $299 for the wi-fi and 3G model (which will be using AT&T in the US - details on service providers for other territories will be given for a later date).
Verdict
Well, where to start?
I was worried after Microsoft's presser that this was going to be yet again another year based very much on motion controls and shovel-ware, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there was a brief lapse with the reveal of NBA 2K12's Move support and the casual Medieval Moves, but for the most part all of the Move emphasis (which there was little of overall) was on hardcore games - Move support in Bioshock: Infinite and inFamous 2? Yes please!
Indeed, the focus was very much on the games this year, with some amazing exclusives showcased; Uncharted 3 looks unsurprisingly fantastic, while titles like Starhawk and Dust 514 proved to be games to keep an eye on. No Disneyland Adventures here, thank you!
The biggest surprise of the show was undoubtedly the PlayStation Vita, however, and it seems to have already stole the hearts and minds of most of the people who saw the reveal. It's technologically impressive, with an astounding line-up of games in the works. And don't get me started on that price!
All in all, Sony have stepped up their game by offering more for the hardcore gamers than the competition and keeping it interesting throughout (Medieval Moves excepted). With a performance like that, they could very well "win" E3 this year, but as Nintendo's gear up to reveal their brand new home console it could be a short lived victory. We shall see once the Big N take to the stage later today.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
What a start! Way to grab the audience's attention by the scruff of the neck, Sony! Much like Naughty Dog's preview of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at E3 2009, the 5 minute demo of Drake's Deception we saw was jam packed with action. Nathan Drake sneaks aboard a cruise liner, only to be ambushed and end up blowing a hole in the side of the ship thanks to a nicely thrown grenade, causing the liner to sink. From that point to the end of the demo it's a frantic race from walls of water and through submerged corridors as Drake attempts to escape the doomed ship.
What was presented looked fantastic; more of the cinematic scope Naughty Dog are known for. The graphics were, as we've come to expect, sublime - with the rushing water and the stormy weather effects being particular stand outs.
After the gameplay demo, a trailer was shown for the game showcasing even more new gameplay elements - again, looking absolutely spectacular. Drake on horseback or holding onto falling cargo from a plane, anyone?
Resistance 3
I'm not a huge First Person Shooter fan, especially not of the modern day warfare variety, but I do like sci-fi. I enjoy Halo, and somewhat enjoy Killzone (though I find that the series takes itself way too seriously, like most of the 'realistic' shooters), and have never tried the Resistance series. What we saw here was typical gritty sci-fi FPS fare, until some giant frickin' spider thing came along! It was a short demo, but what we saw was impressive in scope and left me a little intrigued as to what this series is all about and I might just check it out.
Resistance 3 also began the conference's focus on the Move, with the Sharpshooter accessory heavily featured. It's an impressive piece of kit and it's nice to see more games coming out that make use of it. A bundle was announced that includes a copy of Resistance 3, the Sharpshooter, a Move controller and the PlayStation Eye camera for $150.
PlayStation 3D Display TV & Glasses
Now this was impressive. Sony have always been at the forefront of the 3D gaming revolution, and while I'm not a big fan of 3D movies (I like it when it's done right, and with good intention like in Avatar and Tron: Legacy, but not when it's just a pointless cash-grab) I do find that 3D adds a great deal to the immersion of the gaming experience. The problem is, it's so damn expensive! Well, Sony's got your back with their PlayStation 3D Display, a 24" monitor that offers full 3D support as well as the VERY cool feature that allows 2 players to see 2 different images on the screen. That's right, when playing with a friend there'll be no more split screen, instead player 1 will see one image while player 2 will see another.
Sony are offering the TV, a pair of 3D glasses, a HDMI cable and a copy of Resistance 3 in a bundle for $499. Insanely good price, considering the normal prices of 3DTVs.
PlayStation Move Titles
This was a mixed bag; they announced that NBA 2K12 will include new Move support, and Kobe Bryant came on stage to demo it, and then moved onto show Medieval Moves, a new casual Move title from the makers of Sports Champions. Nothing special, but it was nice to see that Medival Moves was indeed a full, story-driven game and not just a collection of minigames for the motion control.
On the other hand, it was announced that this fall both inFamous 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2 will be getting PlayStation Move support for their user generated content - players of these games will now be able to create and play levels/missions specifically for use with the PlayStation Move controller. Pretty damn cool.
And finally, in a hell of a surprise, Irrational Games' Ken Levine took to the stage to announce that Bioshock: Infinite will include full Move support! Very cool to see that, unlike the Kinect, the Move is really making its mark in hardcore games and not just shovel-ware. Levine also announced that a Bioshock game will be coming to the NGP (more on that later).
Dust 514
No one really knows what to make of this new PS3 exclusive. CCP Games took to the stage to show off their new Massively Multiplayer Online FPS title, that somehow links into their MMORPG Eve Online. Players of Dust 514 will play the part of the ground soldiers fighting battles on the planets in the Eve universe, which in turn will be reflected in the Eve Online universe as the planets fall under different control as battles are won or lost in Dust. Pretty confusing, huh? It's an interesting concept, and I look forward to hearing more about it and seeing how it works in the future.
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Sly Cooper is back! One of the most loved platformer games from the PS2 is back for a fourth title, as showcased in a little teaser trailer with a very cool art style. No information was given except that the game is coming out some time next year.
Starhawk
As a huge Firefly fan, my interest was immediately piqued once I heard that the spiritual successor to Warhawk would be a sci-fi/western hybrid, and thankfully the gameplay looks set to keep a hold of that interest. It's a third person shooter with heavy doses of vehicular combat and looks insanely intense. The new "build & battle" mechanic looks cool too, where players in both single player and multiplayer can instantly construct buildings, walls and other structures in the battlefield to use as cover or generate vehicles, etc. Definitely a title to look out for.
PlayStation Vita
We've come to know it as the Next Generation Portable, or NGP for the past few months ever since it was first announced, but at their conference Sony officially revealed their new handheld console as the PlayStation Vita ('Vita' meaning 'life'). What we saw of the technology was very impressive, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss being used to showcase the system's graphical capabilities. And let me tell you, they are damn impressive - it's almost like holding a miniaturised PlayStation 3 in the palm of your hands! The touch screen abilities were also shown off as they showcased how players can touch enemies on the screen to direct Drake in melee combat, as well as being able to use the touch pad to climb surfaces.
Also shown was Ruin, an action RPG that boasted a very cool save-game feature - saving your progress on the PSVita will allow you to resume from the exact point where you left off on the PS3. Imagine the possibilities of being able to to take your home-console games on the move with you and just continue where you left off and vice versa.
Finally, Modnation Racers, LittleBigPlanet and Street Fighter x Tekken (which features a PSVita and PS3 exclusive character in inFamous' Cole MacGrath) were all shown on the console - all looking bright, vibrant and with some very cool touch screen and touch pad abilities, such as Modnation Racers' feature that allows the player to create mountains and lakes in the track editor by simply pushing on the rear touch pad. Very smooth and very snazzy.
It was announced that the PlayStation Vita will be releasing this holiday season for the surprisingly low price of $250 for the wi-fi only model, and $299 for the wi-fi and 3G model (which will be using AT&T in the US - details on service providers for other territories will be given for a later date).
Verdict
Well, where to start?
I was worried after Microsoft's presser that this was going to be yet again another year based very much on motion controls and shovel-ware, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there was a brief lapse with the reveal of NBA 2K12's Move support and the casual Medieval Moves, but for the most part all of the Move emphasis (which there was little of overall) was on hardcore games - Move support in Bioshock: Infinite and inFamous 2? Yes please!
Indeed, the focus was very much on the games this year, with some amazing exclusives showcased; Uncharted 3 looks unsurprisingly fantastic, while titles like Starhawk and Dust 514 proved to be games to keep an eye on. No Disneyland Adventures here, thank you!
The biggest surprise of the show was undoubtedly the PlayStation Vita, however, and it seems to have already stole the hearts and minds of most of the people who saw the reveal. It's technologically impressive, with an astounding line-up of games in the works. And don't get me started on that price!
All in all, Sony have stepped up their game by offering more for the hardcore gamers than the competition and keeping it interesting throughout (Medieval Moves excepted). With a performance like that, they could very well "win" E3 this year, but as Nintendo's gear up to reveal their brand new home console it could be a short lived victory. We shall see once the Big N take to the stage later today.
Monday 6 June 2011
E3 2011: Microsoft Press Conference Review
Well, E3 is finally upon us, and it kicked off today with Microsoft's press conference. Here's a run-down of some of the highlights and my thoughts:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Mehhhh! I'm not shy to announce my disdain for the CoD franchise - I think, while it's big-budget and very nice looking, it's repetitive and severely nerfed (especially in the case of online). Also, being released every friggin' year doesn't help matters. Enough already!
The gameplay of MW3 shown today looked pretty slick, showing an underwater assault on a submarine, but it's just more of the same in my opinion. Of course, if you're into that kind of thing then more the power to you. Also, it was re-confirmed that Xbox will be getting all of the DLC for the game FIRST.
Tomb Raider
Now this looks promising! With a more fluid action system and a much more cinematic and gritty approach, this reboot of the beloved franchise looks like it could see Ms. Croft taking on Nathan Drake in the action/adventure stakes. New gameplay included a jaunt through a collapsing cave system - very intense!
Mass Effect 3
One of my personally most anticipated titles. The final part of Bioware's epic trilogy looks set to amp up the action with a much faster paced combat system if today's gameplay demo is anything to go by. Also of note, Kinect usage was featured through the ability to use voice recognition to give orders to your squad mates and navigate speech options.
Minecraft
The biggest indie game of all time is coming to Xbox! Instant cult-classic Minecraft is coming to the console in full-form with optional Kinect functionality, but no word on what that functionality would include.
Gears of War 3
Nothing terribly new was shown here, but what we did see looked gorgeous and set to deliver more of the action-packed set pieces the franchise is known for come its September release date.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
As much of a cash-grab this is... I can't help but be interested. What we have here is the original Halo title fully remade using the Halo: Reach engine and featuring online co-op and full online multiplayer. It's scheduled to drop on November 15th at a reduced price of £30/$40.
Halo 4
No details were given on this besides the fact it'll feature the return of Master Chief and be the start of a new trilogy when it comes out during the holidays, 2012.
Kinect Games
What the hell, Microsoft? I mean, WHAT THE HELL?! After the backlash of last year's conference and its focus on motion controlled games, and the general lack of interest in the Kinect and its software from the gaming community, I really don't understand the huge emphasis on Kinect games this year.
There were a few titles that piqued my interest - Star Wars Kinect and Fable: The Journey were two titles that seemed to be much less about pointless minigames and more about an immersive experience. The former, featured various scenarios ranging from pod-racing to lightsaber battles to X-Wing dogfights, while the latter sees the much-loved action-RPG franchise turn to a 1st person perspective as players use their arms to simulate riding horses and sword fighting. EA Sports also announced that Kinect would become a heavily featured in their games in the future - nice to see it used in real sports games rather than just mini-games like in Kinect Sports or Kinect Adventures. Other than that, it was a lot more mindless drivel with mini-games galore in Kinect Disneyland Adventures, Kinect Sports: Season 2, and Kinect Fun Labs (though this does include a rather nifty ability to photograph objects in the real world and turn them into avatar items) and very little to spark any interest.
Verdict
Microsoft's press conference was the very first event at this year's E3 expo, but I hope it's not a sign of things to come. It started off very, very strongly - with focus on real games like Tomb Raider and Mass Effect 3 (I really don't mind minimal Kinect functionality like the voice-recognition in ME3) - but just fell flat once we entered the seemingly never-ending Kinect stretch. It was, for lack of a better word, boring with how much time was spent on shovel-ware. They made a bit of come-back at the end with Halo 4, but by then it was a case of too little, too late.
Here's hoping Sony don't spend too long on the Move.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Mehhhh! I'm not shy to announce my disdain for the CoD franchise - I think, while it's big-budget and very nice looking, it's repetitive and severely nerfed (especially in the case of online). Also, being released every friggin' year doesn't help matters. Enough already!
The gameplay of MW3 shown today looked pretty slick, showing an underwater assault on a submarine, but it's just more of the same in my opinion. Of course, if you're into that kind of thing then more the power to you. Also, it was re-confirmed that Xbox will be getting all of the DLC for the game FIRST.
Tomb Raider
Now this looks promising! With a more fluid action system and a much more cinematic and gritty approach, this reboot of the beloved franchise looks like it could see Ms. Croft taking on Nathan Drake in the action/adventure stakes. New gameplay included a jaunt through a collapsing cave system - very intense!
Mass Effect 3
One of my personally most anticipated titles. The final part of Bioware's epic trilogy looks set to amp up the action with a much faster paced combat system if today's gameplay demo is anything to go by. Also of note, Kinect usage was featured through the ability to use voice recognition to give orders to your squad mates and navigate speech options.
Minecraft
The biggest indie game of all time is coming to Xbox! Instant cult-classic Minecraft is coming to the console in full-form with optional Kinect functionality, but no word on what that functionality would include.
Gears of War 3
Nothing terribly new was shown here, but what we did see looked gorgeous and set to deliver more of the action-packed set pieces the franchise is known for come its September release date.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
As much of a cash-grab this is... I can't help but be interested. What we have here is the original Halo title fully remade using the Halo: Reach engine and featuring online co-op and full online multiplayer. It's scheduled to drop on November 15th at a reduced price of £30/$40.
Halo 4
No details were given on this besides the fact it'll feature the return of Master Chief and be the start of a new trilogy when it comes out during the holidays, 2012.
Kinect Games
What the hell, Microsoft? I mean, WHAT THE HELL?! After the backlash of last year's conference and its focus on motion controlled games, and the general lack of interest in the Kinect and its software from the gaming community, I really don't understand the huge emphasis on Kinect games this year.
There were a few titles that piqued my interest - Star Wars Kinect and Fable: The Journey were two titles that seemed to be much less about pointless minigames and more about an immersive experience. The former, featured various scenarios ranging from pod-racing to lightsaber battles to X-Wing dogfights, while the latter sees the much-loved action-RPG franchise turn to a 1st person perspective as players use their arms to simulate riding horses and sword fighting. EA Sports also announced that Kinect would become a heavily featured in their games in the future - nice to see it used in real sports games rather than just mini-games like in Kinect Sports or Kinect Adventures. Other than that, it was a lot more mindless drivel with mini-games galore in Kinect Disneyland Adventures, Kinect Sports: Season 2, and Kinect Fun Labs (though this does include a rather nifty ability to photograph objects in the real world and turn them into avatar items) and very little to spark any interest.
Verdict
Microsoft's press conference was the very first event at this year's E3 expo, but I hope it's not a sign of things to come. It started off very, very strongly - with focus on real games like Tomb Raider and Mass Effect 3 (I really don't mind minimal Kinect functionality like the voice-recognition in ME3) - but just fell flat once we entered the seemingly never-ending Kinect stretch. It was, for lack of a better word, boring with how much time was spent on shovel-ware. They made a bit of come-back at the end with Halo 4, but by then it was a case of too little, too late.
Here's hoping Sony don't spend too long on the Move.
Friday 3 June 2011
Mr. Kojima & Konami Deliver the Goods
Well, this year's E3 is nearly upon us and the news is starting to trickle in.
Today's announcement from the Konami pre-E3 conference? Hideo Kojima and the other beautiful people at Konami deliver on all fronts.
You may remember the announcement that Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was making a HD transition to PS3 from PSP. Well, it is - but it's not coming alone. As part of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will all be making the jump to Sony's current console and the Xbox 360 in November this year.. Expect trophies/achievements, slick HD visuals and no doubt a stack of extras as has been the case with past HD remasters.
But wait, that's not all!
Remember those two excellent mech-based games that Kojima and his team produced for the PS2? A little series called Zone of the Enders? Well those are being remastered and released in HD on the PS3 and Xbox 360 too! Hopefully when this drops sometime in 2012, it's just a stepping stone for the much sought after part 3 of the franchise.
BUT WAIT, THAT'S NOT ALL!
Not enough HD collection talk in this post? Didn't think so. Silent Hill 2 & 3 are being remastered and bundled up for your enjoyment too! That's right, a THIRD HD collection is coming from Konami, but no release date has yet been announced. They also teased a bit more of the newest title, Silent Hill: Downpour (due out this winter), but no new real information was given.
And finally...
Konami showed off their new "Fox Engine", a new graphics engine that Hideo Kojima and his team are using to create an as-of-yet unrevealed new title.
Phew, what a news blow-out. Lots of stuff to look forward to from the House of Konami it seems!
Today's announcement from the Konami pre-E3 conference? Hideo Kojima and the other beautiful people at Konami deliver on all fronts.
You may remember the announcement that Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was making a HD transition to PS3 from PSP. Well, it is - but it's not coming alone. As part of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will all be making the jump to Sony's current console and the Xbox 360 in November this year.. Expect trophies/achievements, slick HD visuals and no doubt a stack of extras as has been the case with past HD remasters.
But wait, that's not all!
Remember those two excellent mech-based games that Kojima and his team produced for the PS2? A little series called Zone of the Enders? Well those are being remastered and released in HD on the PS3 and Xbox 360 too! Hopefully when this drops sometime in 2012, it's just a stepping stone for the much sought after part 3 of the franchise.
BUT WAIT, THAT'S NOT ALL!
Not enough HD collection talk in this post? Didn't think so. Silent Hill 2 & 3 are being remastered and bundled up for your enjoyment too! That's right, a THIRD HD collection is coming from Konami, but no release date has yet been announced. They also teased a bit more of the newest title, Silent Hill: Downpour (due out this winter), but no new real information was given.
And finally...
Konami showed off their new "Fox Engine", a new graphics engine that Hideo Kojima and his team are using to create an as-of-yet unrevealed new title.
Phew, what a news blow-out. Lots of stuff to look forward to from the House of Konami it seems!
Wednesday 1 June 2011
5 TV Shows You Should Be Watching, Part 3
Reality TV shows dominate the airwaves, broadcasting their "talent" to the mindless drones that gobble that shit up, game shows are becoming more and more redundantly garbage, and don't even get me started on The Only Way is Essex.
What happened to good old drama? Well, it's still there, and I'm taking a stand against the system by pointing you away from the trash and right to the treasure. So let me educate you with five shows you should be filling your viewing schedule with, ranging from "you should be watching this" to "WHY AREN'T YOU PRE-ORDERING THE ULTRA-DELUXE-LIMITED-COLLECTOR'S EDITION BLU-RAY BOX SET RIGHT NOW?!".
I already covered HBO's prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire at number 5,and BBC's Doctor Who was number 4, so that leads us into...
#3 The Walking Dead
AMC took a big gamble in producing The Walking Dead; a show based upon a long-running series of graphic novels revolving around the tale of a group of people struggling to survive during a zombie apocalypse. The Zombie genre has not been greatly explored on the small screen, and bringing one to life from the pages of a comic book was never going to be a guaranteed hit, regardless that the source material is regarded as some very fine work.
Thankfully, the wonderful Frank Darabont (of The Shawshank Redemption fame) took the project under his wing and gave us something truly special.
When small town police officer Rick Grimes wakes alone in a deserted, decimated hospital people would be forgiven for having the odd flash back to 28 Days Later, but this is a very different beast to Danny Boyle's London-based horror. As Grimes sets out to locate his family and encounters survivors along the way, it becomes clear that this series is not so much about a zombie apocalypse, but more-so about the people and how they endure to survive in such an event. In the pilot episode, in particular, there is a rather touching scene where a man tries to bring himself to shoot his wife in the head now that she has become one of the Walking Dead that comes off as a really beautiful moment of modern television.
Of course, even though it could be argued that the zombie apocalypse is superficial, the production team certainly spared no expense in making the whole thing as realistic as possible. This is some of the greatest set design and make-up work I've seen in television history - the zombies look better than most seen in Hollywood today, never mind on a TV budget! This isn't even mentioning the acting that remains constantly stellar throughout, and the storyline that goes a long way to keep you on your toes. The final two episodes of the first season are two very tense hours!
Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned gamble the show was at the time of production, only six episodes were green-lit for season one, but due to the show's fantastic reception and ratings the second season is set to be a full-length 13 episode run. So while the first season is a little on the short side, it's six hours of quality entertainment that I recommend everyone to watch before the next season starts in September on AMC (US) and FX (UK).
What happened to good old drama? Well, it's still there, and I'm taking a stand against the system by pointing you away from the trash and right to the treasure. So let me educate you with five shows you should be filling your viewing schedule with, ranging from "you should be watching this" to "WHY AREN'T YOU PRE-ORDERING THE ULTRA-DELUXE-LIMITED-COLLECTOR'S EDITION BLU-RAY BOX SET RIGHT NOW?!".
I already covered HBO's prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire at number 5,and BBC's Doctor Who was number 4, so that leads us into...
#3 The Walking Dead
AMC took a big gamble in producing The Walking Dead; a show based upon a long-running series of graphic novels revolving around the tale of a group of people struggling to survive during a zombie apocalypse. The Zombie genre has not been greatly explored on the small screen, and bringing one to life from the pages of a comic book was never going to be a guaranteed hit, regardless that the source material is regarded as some very fine work.
Thankfully, the wonderful Frank Darabont (of The Shawshank Redemption fame) took the project under his wing and gave us something truly special.
When small town police officer Rick Grimes wakes alone in a deserted, decimated hospital people would be forgiven for having the odd flash back to 28 Days Later, but this is a very different beast to Danny Boyle's London-based horror. As Grimes sets out to locate his family and encounters survivors along the way, it becomes clear that this series is not so much about a zombie apocalypse, but more-so about the people and how they endure to survive in such an event. In the pilot episode, in particular, there is a rather touching scene where a man tries to bring himself to shoot his wife in the head now that she has become one of the Walking Dead that comes off as a really beautiful moment of modern television.
Of course, even though it could be argued that the zombie apocalypse is superficial, the production team certainly spared no expense in making the whole thing as realistic as possible. This is some of the greatest set design and make-up work I've seen in television history - the zombies look better than most seen in Hollywood today, never mind on a TV budget! This isn't even mentioning the acting that remains constantly stellar throughout, and the storyline that goes a long way to keep you on your toes. The final two episodes of the first season are two very tense hours!
Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned gamble the show was at the time of production, only six episodes were green-lit for season one, but due to the show's fantastic reception and ratings the second season is set to be a full-length 13 episode run. So while the first season is a little on the short side, it's six hours of quality entertainment that I recommend everyone to watch before the next season starts in September on AMC (US) and FX (UK).
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