Unusual Publicity Stunts
Video games are now big business. So it makes sense that more and more money is being spent on publicity. Some video game marketing and publicity campaigns are era defining, some are very strange and others are just ill-conceived. Some are all three.
For now I am going to look at some of the more unusual publicity stunts of recent times, as they are by far the most interesting. In the future, I hope to dedicate some space here to some of the best video game advertising of recent years. Expect Sony and SEGA to feature heavily. But for today, here is the weird stuff.
This conversation may or may not have taken place;
A - “I know how to best introduce the press to our new game.”
B – “Oh yeah, how?”
A – “Let’s get them to eat offal from the inside of a partially decapitated goat”.
A – “Great. I’ll call catering!”
So went the thinking behind the centre piece of the God of War release party in Athens. The uproar that it caused resulted in a recall of 80,000 copies of the official UK Playstation magazine, which featured a picture of said goat as part of a preview piece.
Red Faction Guerrilla, which I am currently playing, boasts a very impressive physics engine that allows you to smash and destroy your surroundings in a very realistic and satisfying fashion. To celebrate this, THQ purportedly strapped a sledgehammer to a car in Covent Garden, London, and locked copies of the game inside. Passers by were encouraged to lay into the car with the hammer to get their grubby hands on a free copy of the game. Although there are videos online showing someone doing just that, I get the feeling that this was just a clever, staged publicity stunt on THQ’s behalf. Or at least I hope it was!
Even more worrying was the London based publicity stunt for Resident Evil 5. Capcom organized a body part scavenger hunt across the capital. Fake body parts were hidden in and around Trafalgar square, and participants were given hints as to where they were stashed. After they had finished their macabre treasure hunt, they had to proceed to Westminster Bridge by 11am of that morning and, in the words of the press release –
“Alert us to your presence by standing on the bridge, holding the artificial body parts over your head and shouting 'Kijuju!'. We will be there, watching you, and will approach when you make yourselves known”.
The winner received a trip to Africa. Would hate to have been the PR organiser when one too many arms turned up.
By the way, SEGA, congratulations on your entirely original publicity stunt for Madworld!
EA succeeded in alienated a lot of people by staging a fake protest at E3 for upcoming title, Dante’s Inferno, based upon a section of the Divine Comedy and the author’s travels through hell. They got 20 phony religious protestors to hold up signs such as “Trade in Your PlayStation for a PrayStation,” “Hell is not a Game” and “EA = Electronic Anti-Christ.” Pretty funny signs, but nonetheless, it’s probably a publicity stunt that they would like to take back.
Next, in an effort to improve the safety of London roads, Acclaim proposed to pay for any speeding tickets incurred upon the release day of Burnout 2. It goes without saying that the police were not sold on the idea.
Finally, to promote GTA IV, Rockstar Games filled black bin bags with Uzis, crack cocaine and copies of the game and hid them throughout New York City. Ok, that one is a joke, but it didn’t seem all that out of place here, did it?
For now I am going to look at some of the more unusual publicity stunts of recent times, as they are by far the most interesting. In the future, I hope to dedicate some space here to some of the best video game advertising of recent years. Expect Sony and SEGA to feature heavily. But for today, here is the weird stuff.
This conversation may or may not have taken place;
A - “I know how to best introduce the press to our new game.”
B – “Oh yeah, how?”
A – “Let’s get them to eat offal from the inside of a partially decapitated goat”.
A – “Great. I’ll call catering!”
So went the thinking behind the centre piece of the God of War release party in Athens. The uproar that it caused resulted in a recall of 80,000 copies of the official UK Playstation magazine, which featured a picture of said goat as part of a preview piece.
Red Faction Guerrilla, which I am currently playing, boasts a very impressive physics engine that allows you to smash and destroy your surroundings in a very realistic and satisfying fashion. To celebrate this, THQ purportedly strapped a sledgehammer to a car in Covent Garden, London, and locked copies of the game inside. Passers by were encouraged to lay into the car with the hammer to get their grubby hands on a free copy of the game. Although there are videos online showing someone doing just that, I get the feeling that this was just a clever, staged publicity stunt on THQ’s behalf. Or at least I hope it was!
Even more worrying was the London based publicity stunt for Resident Evil 5. Capcom organized a body part scavenger hunt across the capital. Fake body parts were hidden in and around Trafalgar square, and participants were given hints as to where they were stashed. After they had finished their macabre treasure hunt, they had to proceed to Westminster Bridge by 11am of that morning and, in the words of the press release –
“Alert us to your presence by standing on the bridge, holding the artificial body parts over your head and shouting 'Kijuju!'. We will be there, watching you, and will approach when you make yourselves known”.
The winner received a trip to Africa. Would hate to have been the PR organiser when one too many arms turned up.
By the way, SEGA, congratulations on your entirely original publicity stunt for Madworld!
EA succeeded in alienated a lot of people by staging a fake protest at E3 for upcoming title, Dante’s Inferno, based upon a section of the Divine Comedy and the author’s travels through hell. They got 20 phony religious protestors to hold up signs such as “Trade in Your PlayStation for a PrayStation,” “Hell is not a Game” and “EA = Electronic Anti-Christ.” Pretty funny signs, but nonetheless, it’s probably a publicity stunt that they would like to take back.
Next, in an effort to improve the safety of London roads, Acclaim proposed to pay for any speeding tickets incurred upon the release day of Burnout 2. It goes without saying that the police were not sold on the idea.
Finally, to promote GTA IV, Rockstar Games filled black bin bags with Uzis, crack cocaine and copies of the game and hid them throughout New York City. Ok, that one is a joke, but it didn’t seem all that out of place here, did it?
R.I.P. Michael Jackson
I was shocked and saddened to turn on my TV Friday morning to see that Michael Jackson had passed away.
Despite an ever changing taste in music, MJ is the only artist who has remained a favourite from early childhood through to today.
Being a video game blog I should probably mention that he was famously a huge gamer, had his own game (Moonwalker) and supposedly had a hand in composing music for Sonic 3.
But the game that will always remind me of him is Timesplitters 2. One of the characters in this enormously enjoyable FPS was a snowman. If you blasted him with a flamethrower he would scream "I'm melting!” in a MJ-esque tone. This line is a lyric from Michael's "Don't stop till you get enough".
So I will be remembering MJ in my own way; by putting on "Off the Wall" and melting some snowmen.
Despite an ever changing taste in music, MJ is the only artist who has remained a favourite from early childhood through to today.
Being a video game blog I should probably mention that he was famously a huge gamer, had his own game (Moonwalker) and supposedly had a hand in composing music for Sonic 3.
But the game that will always remind me of him is Timesplitters 2. One of the characters in this enormously enjoyable FPS was a snowman. If you blasted him with a flamethrower he would scream "I'm melting!” in a MJ-esque tone. This line is a lyric from Michael's "Don't stop till you get enough".
So I will be remembering MJ in my own way; by putting on "Off the Wall" and melting some snowmen.
thedogbarks Versus toomanywires - SEGA Mega Drive vs SNES
thedogbarks versus toomanywires
In conjunction with my friend, thedogbarks, whose blog can be found HERE. , I am going to be featuring some versus articles, where each of us takes one side of a video game argument. These posts will be available on both of our blogs.
So where better to start than the SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis) Vs. The Super Nintendo (Super Famicom). These consoles spawned the first true console war, and things have never been the same since. I will argue for SEGA, and thedogbarks will tackle Nintendo, so please read on.
May the best console win.
In conjunction with my friend, thedogbarks, whose blog can be found HERE. , I am going to be featuring some versus articles, where each of us takes one side of a video game argument. These posts will be available on both of our blogs.
So where better to start than the SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis) Vs. The Super Nintendo (Super Famicom). These consoles spawned the first true console war, and things have never been the same since. I will argue for SEGA, and thedogbarks will tackle Nintendo, so please read on.
May the best console win.
thedogbarks vs toomanywires - SEGA Mega Drive vs SNES - The Mega Drive Is #1
As part of our new series of posts, thedogbarks vs toomanywires, we are looking at the age old battle between the SEGA Mega Drive and The Super Nintendo. Here, I will argue for the Mega Drive. This article, and many others, can also be found on thedogbarks’ blog, HERE.
Toomanywires writes -
“Super Nintendo, SEGA Genesis. When I was dead broke, man I couldn’t picture this.”
When The Notorious BIG famously rapped those words, he spoke of the quality of two of the best loved video game consoles of all time. We should all aspire to own a Mega Drive (Genesis) and a Super Nintendo (Super Famicom), just like Biggie. What he forgot to say though, was that you should play your Mega Drive just that little bit more. Here is why;
Hardware
1988. The year that the 16bit Mega Drive, known as the Genesis in the US, was released. That is a full 2 years before Nintendo released the Super Famicom, to be know as the SNES in the West. The MD was the groundbreaker.
While Nintendo was still providing its customer base with 8 bit titles, SEGA was delivering heavy hitting, technologically superior titles like Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Super Thunder Blade and Revenge of Shinobi. SEGA was bringing an arcade experience into the home, whilst Nintendo owners were confined to the limitations of the NES. Yet, when Nintendo finally released their 16 bit machine in 1990, it provided no technological leap from the benchmark SEGA had set two years previous. This speaks volumes about what SEGA were able to achieve.
Unlike Nintendo, SEGA were not content to rest on their laurels, constantly reshaping consumer expectations of their 16 bit machine. In 1991, the Mega CD add-on was released in Japan, to follow elsewhere in subsequent years, and known as the SEGA CD in America. It featuring a faster CPU, more memory and better graphics and most importantly CD games had a cpacity of 5120 megabits, compared to the 8-16 megabits of a cartridge. A further add-on, the 32X, would follow a couple of years later. Although they were by and large commercial failures, they do further demonstrate SEGA’s willingness to embrace new technolgies, adding further value to their existing system. SEGA were constantly pushing things forward, and it made you feel good to be a SEGA fan.
Software
When it comes to games, there a handful of greats and a significant number of gems on the Mega Drive. Sure, the MD can’t boast some of the stone cold classics that featured on the SNES (Final Fantasy IV-IV, Chrono Trigger), but for any serious gamer there is a wealth of excellent games on the MD.
When talking about the Mega Drive you have to start with the iconic Sonic The Hedgehog. Whilst he has undoubtedly taken a turn for the worse over the last few years, he remains a cultural icon of the 90s, and was at that time every bit Mario’s equal. Why play as a plodding, childish overweight plumber, when you could take control of a blue hedgehog with attitude, whizzing through greenery at break neck speeds? To this day, I cannot comprehend the appeal of Mario as opposed to Sonic.
Sales wise, Sonic 2 would be the high water mark. An outstanding game, it was released in America and Europe on November 24th 1992, a Tuesday, dubbed as “Sonic 2’s day”. Even their marketing puns were pure gold.
At first, SEGA couldn’t get big name third party developers, as at the time Nintendo had them locked into exclusive contracts. To combat this, Sega took a new approach; licensing celebrities such as Joe Montana, Evander Holyfield and Michael Jackson to headline games with a wide appeal. Once again SEGA were ahead of their time, spearheading a trend that has continued to this day. This is a further instance of SEGA thinking outside of the box.
Sonic The Hedgehog titles, the Streets of Rage series, Shining Force games, the Phantasy Star series, Road Rash, Golden Axe, Desert Strike, Shinobi, Earthworm Jim, Mortal Kombat 2, Gunstar Heroes. Good times.
Legacy
Selling 29million units worldwide, the Mega Drive was a mixed success. A virtual non event in Japan, it achieved early success in America, initially outselling the SNES thanks to Sonic’s magic. In Europe and Brazil it dominated the competition, maintaining an impressive market share throughout its shelf life. However, its was discontinued prematurely to make way for the Sega Saturn, allowing Nintendo to cement its dominant position and having disastrous ramifications on SEGA’s future as a console maker.
However, when discussing 90’s popular culture, particularly in Europe, you have to reference the Mega Drive. It’s high speed arcade conversions were the ideal bedfellow of the prevalent dance culture, and its edgy marketing campaigns took on a life of their own.
“Does what Nintendon’t”
“Welcome to the next level”
“To be this good takes AGES, to be this good takes SEGA”
It was cool to have a Mega Drive. According to the informative MD article on Wikipedia, a Sony focus group at the time found that teenage boys would not admit to owning a Super NES rather than a Genesis. Clearly, it had all the street cred in the world, and I still enjoy telling people that I was a SEGA child. It has retained something of the counter culture even to this day, and owners past and present will never shy from letting people know about their preference.
Multiple repackaged collections of Mega Drive games speak volumes about the continued popularity of SEGA’s most successful console. From the PS3 to the Xbox 360, and yes even Nintendo’s Wii, it’s not difficult to access and play a MD classic.
Ultimately, this clash of gaming titans at their peak lead to an all out console war, with the cosumers being the true winners. With each company pushing the other, gamers were treated to quality games and the chance to pick an identity, SEGA or Nintendo. This competitive spirit continues to this day. You are afterall reading a post entitled Mega Drive vs SNES.
So, what was the Mega Drive? It was playground bragging rights. It was christmas and birthdays. It was your TV screen seemingly struggling to keep up with Sonic speeding from left to right, Axel patrolling the Streets of Rage, Alex Kid coming to terms with an unfortunate case of hand gigantism, it was knocking someone off their bike with a crowbar in Road Rash and hunting down a mad dictator in Desert Strike. It was an experience, and remains one to this day.
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, especially a SNES owner.
Long live SEGA.
thedogbarks vs toomanywires - SEGA Mega Drive vs SNES - The SNES Is #1
As part of our new series of posts, thedogbarks vs toomanywires, we are looking at the age old battle between the SEGA Mega Drive and The Super Nintendo. Here, thedogbarks argues the merits of the SNES. This article, and many others, can also be found on his blog, HERE.
thedogbarks writes -
Back in the 90s it seemed to matter which was better, the SNES or the Mega Drive. Almost twenty years later we realize that, yes, it still does matter. Because like all arguments, this debate stems from the fact that you know that your opinion must be the correct one and you have no idea why any reasonable person would think otherwise. With that in mind, I invite you to read on and learn why I am right and everyone who dares to disagree with me is wrong.
Hardware
I will admit to partial ignorance when it comes to the technicality of which hardware was better than the other but it essentially boils down to this; the Mega Drive was fast but bland and the SNES was slower but more colorful. It depended on which of these two aspects was more important to you as to which console was better, but if you chose the Mega Drive you were wrong. For a few simple comparisons, the Mega Drive had a color palette of 512 colors of which it could display 62 onscreen at any one time. The SNES had 32,768 and could display 256 onscreen at once. Impressive? Of course. Meaningless numbers? That too is true. But putting aside gameplay preferences, if you ever wondered why the Streets of Rage looked like murky back alleys compared to the sparkling slums of Final Fight, it was due to the difference in the hardware capability. Yoshi’s island could never have been done on the Mega Drive and still stands up as a stunning graphical and artistic achievement.
Whilst they look primitive now, at the time the SFX chip and Mode 7, which were responsible for the birth of the Starfox and F-Zero franchises, were revolutionary and gave gamers a new perspective on games as well as some of the first in-game motion sickness experiences. Sonic was fast, sure, but there was no perspective or depth. Being hurled to the ground in Pilotwings was far more dizziness inducing. The comparison in sound quality also leans heavily in favor of the SNES. Unless you liked the grating and tinny beeps that were rung from the Mega Drive, its audio inferiority was obvious. If you were really into that kind of thing though you probably also believe that your alarm clock is an auditory treat.
The final nail in the coffin of the Mega Drive was the controller. You can argue all you want about the release of the six button controller but it didn’t come until five years after the launch of the system in 1993 to coincide with the release of Street Fighter 2. So if you wanted to be able to play the non-gimped version you had to shell out a pretty penny to get the same level of fidelity as the SNES offered. The six button controller wasn’t terrible, but the shoulder buttons that the SNES introduced are present in the PS3 and 360 controllers of the current generation. The SNES controller is the template for how we interact with videogames.
Software
Whilst the Mega Drive had a strong line up of games over its ten year lifespan, it pales in comparison to the SNES. At the time Nintendo had a chokehold on most of the major third parties which meant that the best games usually came to the SNES exclusively. Of course with the launch of the Playstation those embittered developers rightly abandoned Nintendo due to the arrogance and disdain that Nintendo had shown towards them. But at the time of the SNES it meant that the glory days kept on rolling. RPGs were particularly abundant and if you wanted to play Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, Illusion of Gaia, Breath of Fire and so on, you needed a SNES. Of course the first party games were stunning as well and the likes of Super Mario World, Yoshi’s Island 2, Super Metroid, Super Mario Kart, the Donkey Kong Country series, Starfox, Earthbound, Mario RPG and of course a Link to the Past simply blew away anything the Megadrive had to offer.
But lists are boring so I apologize and will get back to slamming the opposition. Let’s all be honest here; Sonic isn’t very good. Sure the first and second one weren’t that bad but from then on in it got pretty ugly. Even the ‘good’ Sonic games depend on the appeal of speed over precision, and well, you know, good level design. Instead Sonic relied on being cool, trendy and having attitude as well as bombarding coked up preteens (the drink not the drug) with the idea that speed = fun. Perhaps the idea was that if you threw a game fast enough at the consumers they wouldn’t realize that it wasn’t that good to begin with. I guess it worked.
Legacy
The sad fact is that the Mega Drive hasn’t aged well at all. Once you get old enough to see past the hype you notice that compared to the SNES it looks pretty ugly. So many of the SNES games listed above really have a timeless quality, both in terms of the game play experiences they delivered and the graphical style with which they were portrayed that playing them even today doesn’t feel awkward or tedious. Which I guess is why Nintendo feels that they can keep on milking the general public by rereleasing the games on every platform they have supported since the SNES. And we keep on eating them up. I for one have Super Mario World on the SNES, Gameboy Advance and on the Wii Virtual Console, and yet it still plays as beautifully now as the day it was released.
Back in the 90s we were dazzled by the slick marketing of Sega, who managed not only to make owning a Megadrive cool, but also made owning a SNES embarrassing. After the dust settled and we became old enough to hit puberty, have sex, drink, balance out our hormones and grow up, things became a little clearer. The SNES was better.
thedogbarks writes -
Back in the 90s it seemed to matter which was better, the SNES or the Mega Drive. Almost twenty years later we realize that, yes, it still does matter. Because like all arguments, this debate stems from the fact that you know that your opinion must be the correct one and you have no idea why any reasonable person would think otherwise. With that in mind, I invite you to read on and learn why I am right and everyone who dares to disagree with me is wrong.
Hardware
I will admit to partial ignorance when it comes to the technicality of which hardware was better than the other but it essentially boils down to this; the Mega Drive was fast but bland and the SNES was slower but more colorful. It depended on which of these two aspects was more important to you as to which console was better, but if you chose the Mega Drive you were wrong. For a few simple comparisons, the Mega Drive had a color palette of 512 colors of which it could display 62 onscreen at any one time. The SNES had 32,768 and could display 256 onscreen at once. Impressive? Of course. Meaningless numbers? That too is true. But putting aside gameplay preferences, if you ever wondered why the Streets of Rage looked like murky back alleys compared to the sparkling slums of Final Fight, it was due to the difference in the hardware capability. Yoshi’s island could never have been done on the Mega Drive and still stands up as a stunning graphical and artistic achievement.
Whilst they look primitive now, at the time the SFX chip and Mode 7, which were responsible for the birth of the Starfox and F-Zero franchises, were revolutionary and gave gamers a new perspective on games as well as some of the first in-game motion sickness experiences. Sonic was fast, sure, but there was no perspective or depth. Being hurled to the ground in Pilotwings was far more dizziness inducing. The comparison in sound quality also leans heavily in favor of the SNES. Unless you liked the grating and tinny beeps that were rung from the Mega Drive, its audio inferiority was obvious. If you were really into that kind of thing though you probably also believe that your alarm clock is an auditory treat.
The final nail in the coffin of the Mega Drive was the controller. You can argue all you want about the release of the six button controller but it didn’t come until five years after the launch of the system in 1993 to coincide with the release of Street Fighter 2. So if you wanted to be able to play the non-gimped version you had to shell out a pretty penny to get the same level of fidelity as the SNES offered. The six button controller wasn’t terrible, but the shoulder buttons that the SNES introduced are present in the PS3 and 360 controllers of the current generation. The SNES controller is the template for how we interact with videogames.
Software
Whilst the Mega Drive had a strong line up of games over its ten year lifespan, it pales in comparison to the SNES. At the time Nintendo had a chokehold on most of the major third parties which meant that the best games usually came to the SNES exclusively. Of course with the launch of the Playstation those embittered developers rightly abandoned Nintendo due to the arrogance and disdain that Nintendo had shown towards them. But at the time of the SNES it meant that the glory days kept on rolling. RPGs were particularly abundant and if you wanted to play Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, Illusion of Gaia, Breath of Fire and so on, you needed a SNES. Of course the first party games were stunning as well and the likes of Super Mario World, Yoshi’s Island 2, Super Metroid, Super Mario Kart, the Donkey Kong Country series, Starfox, Earthbound, Mario RPG and of course a Link to the Past simply blew away anything the Megadrive had to offer.
But lists are boring so I apologize and will get back to slamming the opposition. Let’s all be honest here; Sonic isn’t very good. Sure the first and second one weren’t that bad but from then on in it got pretty ugly. Even the ‘good’ Sonic games depend on the appeal of speed over precision, and well, you know, good level design. Instead Sonic relied on being cool, trendy and having attitude as well as bombarding coked up preteens (the drink not the drug) with the idea that speed = fun. Perhaps the idea was that if you threw a game fast enough at the consumers they wouldn’t realize that it wasn’t that good to begin with. I guess it worked.
Legacy
The sad fact is that the Mega Drive hasn’t aged well at all. Once you get old enough to see past the hype you notice that compared to the SNES it looks pretty ugly. So many of the SNES games listed above really have a timeless quality, both in terms of the game play experiences they delivered and the graphical style with which they were portrayed that playing them even today doesn’t feel awkward or tedious. Which I guess is why Nintendo feels that they can keep on milking the general public by rereleasing the games on every platform they have supported since the SNES. And we keep on eating them up. I for one have Super Mario World on the SNES, Gameboy Advance and on the Wii Virtual Console, and yet it still plays as beautifully now as the day it was released.
Back in the 90s we were dazzled by the slick marketing of Sega, who managed not only to make owning a Megadrive cool, but also made owning a SNES embarrassing. After the dust settled and we became old enough to hit puberty, have sex, drink, balance out our hormones and grow up, things became a little clearer. The SNES was better.
PSN Store Playstation Classics Wish List
When it comes to downloadable Playstation 1 Classics on the PSN store, Japan seems to be head and shoulders above the rest. You can download Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, Xenogears, Resident Evil 1-3 and Policenauts, amongst others.
That’s all well and good, but I want to play my games in English, which in my case means using my account on the UK store. Some of the “classics” featured there include Championship Bass, Hardcore 4x4, Judge Dredd and the Little Mermaid. Of the paltry 46 titles available on the UK store, Final Fantasy VII and Syphon Filter are the only titles I would consider “Playstation classics”.
So for the sake of everyone with a UK store account, here are 6 titles that really need to be added.
Final Fantasy VIII
A beautifully crafted game, and often overlooked when it comes to best of the series discussions. Featuring an epic storyline and demonstrating a huge graphical achievement, it has already taken up many, many hours of my time. The junctioning combat system has taken many a hit over the years, but I actually enjoyed the levels of character customization that it afforded and the time it took to fully get to grips with all of its nuances. The side quests and mingames are very entertaining, especially the Triple Triad card game, the music is outstanding and the characters are believable and likeable. I would love to see FFIX and Final Fantasy Tactics make an appearance too, but not before I get the opportunity to add FFVIII to my PS3 library.
For an excellent retrospective look at FFVIII you should check out this.
Vagrant Story
One of the finest games featured on the PS1, scoring a perfect 40 from Japanese gamers bible Famitsu. Developed largely by the team behind Final Fantasy Tactics, it features RPG levels of customization and options alongside action packed combat and fiendish puzzles. It also boasts an excellent archaic English translation which contributes to a very atmospheric and unique game.
Vagrant Story follows Ashley Riot in his quest against the Mullenkamp cult and is based in Ivalice, the same universe as Final Fantasy XII and Tactics. The action is stylish, cinematic and engrossing, and unlike other games of the genre, it never drags.
Metal Gear Solid
It’s already being available on the Japanese and US stores, so hopefully it will only be a matter of time before it finds its way onto the UK store. It represents a defining moment in video game history and remains as playable today as it was 10 years ago. It was innovative, engrossing, addictive and a sight to behold and still deserves your unbridled attention. So do us a favour Sony/Konami, and stick it on the UK store.
Legend of Dragoon
Being somewhat overlooked, dwelling in the shadow of the Final Fantasy series, Sony’s foray into the world of lengthy RPGs with cinematic cut scenes is one that I thoroughly enjoyed upon release and would relish having another go at today.
The look and setting will be instantly familiar to anyone who has played other games of its ilk as it deviates very little from Square’s PS RPG formula for success. It’s certainly not a perfect game, but at its core are an interesting story and an impressive and expansive world to explore.
Grand Theft Auto
I recall being blown away the first time I played GTA. Fold out map in hand, I wreaked havoc for hours on end. The freedom it afforded and the endless possibilities it presented kept me more amused than the story, but not until GTA IV did narrative become a true strength of the series. I like the idea of returning to the old top down view on my PS3, even if just to see if it remains playable after I have been spoilt to death by GTA IV.
Resident Evil 2
The first game I bought for the PS. It was almost worth selling my original Sega Saturn for!
With two scenarios for each of the two protagonists, each featuring different perspectives of the story, the game’s scope was extremely impressive. Players were also rewarded with the unlockable 4th Survivor mode and the spoof Tofu Survivor game. It remains the best selling instalment of the series, and is already featured on the Japanese store. Let’s get Tofu on the PS3.
Honourable Mention;
Chrono Cross/Xenogears (never released in PAL territories)
Grandia
Silent Hill
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 3
Tenchu Stealth Assassins
Parappa The Rapper
Tekken 3
Soul Reaver
Gran Turismo 2
That’s all well and good, but I want to play my games in English, which in my case means using my account on the UK store. Some of the “classics” featured there include Championship Bass, Hardcore 4x4, Judge Dredd and the Little Mermaid. Of the paltry 46 titles available on the UK store, Final Fantasy VII and Syphon Filter are the only titles I would consider “Playstation classics”.
So for the sake of everyone with a UK store account, here are 6 titles that really need to be added.
Final Fantasy VIII
A beautifully crafted game, and often overlooked when it comes to best of the series discussions. Featuring an epic storyline and demonstrating a huge graphical achievement, it has already taken up many, many hours of my time. The junctioning combat system has taken many a hit over the years, but I actually enjoyed the levels of character customization that it afforded and the time it took to fully get to grips with all of its nuances. The side quests and mingames are very entertaining, especially the Triple Triad card game, the music is outstanding and the characters are believable and likeable. I would love to see FFIX and Final Fantasy Tactics make an appearance too, but not before I get the opportunity to add FFVIII to my PS3 library.
For an excellent retrospective look at FFVIII you should check out this.
Vagrant Story
One of the finest games featured on the PS1, scoring a perfect 40 from Japanese gamers bible Famitsu. Developed largely by the team behind Final Fantasy Tactics, it features RPG levels of customization and options alongside action packed combat and fiendish puzzles. It also boasts an excellent archaic English translation which contributes to a very atmospheric and unique game.
Vagrant Story follows Ashley Riot in his quest against the Mullenkamp cult and is based in Ivalice, the same universe as Final Fantasy XII and Tactics. The action is stylish, cinematic and engrossing, and unlike other games of the genre, it never drags.
Metal Gear Solid
It’s already being available on the Japanese and US stores, so hopefully it will only be a matter of time before it finds its way onto the UK store. It represents a defining moment in video game history and remains as playable today as it was 10 years ago. It was innovative, engrossing, addictive and a sight to behold and still deserves your unbridled attention. So do us a favour Sony/Konami, and stick it on the UK store.
Legend of Dragoon
Being somewhat overlooked, dwelling in the shadow of the Final Fantasy series, Sony’s foray into the world of lengthy RPGs with cinematic cut scenes is one that I thoroughly enjoyed upon release and would relish having another go at today.
The look and setting will be instantly familiar to anyone who has played other games of its ilk as it deviates very little from Square’s PS RPG formula for success. It’s certainly not a perfect game, but at its core are an interesting story and an impressive and expansive world to explore.
Grand Theft Auto
I recall being blown away the first time I played GTA. Fold out map in hand, I wreaked havoc for hours on end. The freedom it afforded and the endless possibilities it presented kept me more amused than the story, but not until GTA IV did narrative become a true strength of the series. I like the idea of returning to the old top down view on my PS3, even if just to see if it remains playable after I have been spoilt to death by GTA IV.
Resident Evil 2
The first game I bought for the PS. It was almost worth selling my original Sega Saturn for!
With two scenarios for each of the two protagonists, each featuring different perspectives of the story, the game’s scope was extremely impressive. Players were also rewarded with the unlockable 4th Survivor mode and the spoof Tofu Survivor game. It remains the best selling instalment of the series, and is already featured on the Japanese store. Let’s get Tofu on the PS3.
Honourable Mention;
Chrono Cross/Xenogears (never released in PAL territories)
Grandia
Silent Hill
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 3
Tenchu Stealth Assassins
Parappa The Rapper
Tekken 3
Soul Reaver
Gran Turismo 2
Infamous Review
Fame is the ultimate vanity. But chasing it in Infamous is bloody fun.
Infamous is a sand box style super hero game, where moral choices take centre stage. Through you actions as protagonist Cole, you may play through the story as a benevolent protector of the people or a cold blooded, super charged killer.
Initially, I was frustrated and disappointed. Underpowered and uninspired, I moved from one mission to next, quickly tiring of the gangs who constantly take pot shots at you from virtually every alley, street and rooftop. Gang members, who often cant be located particularly easily.
Things don’t really kick in until you start to accumulate a wealth of super powers, making the city a little dull and limited at first. Once you start to earn your powers, especially the ability to ride electrical wires and glide through the air, the city really starts to open up and rewards your initial patience. So be sure to persevere.
The story is interesting, though it’s nothing particularly new. Every day guy gets super powers and struggles to come to terms with them. But the real interest lies in how exactly you embrace them. Will you put your new found powers to good use, protecting the inhabitants, or will you terrorize them with lightning from above? There are a number of instances throughout the game where you are presented with a moral conundrum, and your decision will affect your powers, appearance and how people will react to you. These choices do not feel forced and aren’t always black and white.
That the thousands of people wandering the streets of Empire City react differently to you, dependant on your levels of good or evil is a testament to the details within the game. Pedestrians will ask you for help, cheer you on, take pictures of you, comment on how handsome you are or even aid you in battle if you are playing the game as a hero. Conversely, you make the evil choices and people will flee from the very sight of you.
The city itself is very impressive, though it doesn’t come close to GTAIV’s Liberty City. You can scale great heights, and best of all, jump right off them. The city is huge and brimming with life and there is always something happening around each corner. Most importantly, it’s easy to traverse thanks to well balanced controls and Cole’s smooth movements. On the down side, the city does look repetitive in places, as do the sewer systems which you are periodically forced to visit during missions. The main story missions are very entertaining and provide a range of different tasks, but the side missions, which are important if you want to get the most out of the game, are extremely repetitive, revolving around only a handful of premises.
As nimble as he his powerful, Cole is a joy to control and is very well animated. He also remains an interesting and sympathetic character throughout. The combat system works well and presents a balanced challenge. As you progress through the game, you will become adept at stringing together deadly combos and its really satisfying doing so.
The more you play Infamous the more you are likely to enjoy it. I have just finished the game as a Hero, and have already begun an evil play through. This is probably the most enjoyable and rewarding way to approach the game, playing to extremes of good or evil, rather than doing a bit of both. Once you get through the first few hours of frustration, there is a great deal of fun to be had. Infamous is an impressive and well executed game.
A Closer Look - How Far Do Reviews Dictate The Success Of Video Games?
I was reading an article earlier today concerning the projected sales of the highly anticipated Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Analysts project that the multi platform title will sell 11.1 million copies within two months of its November 10th 2009 release. This carefully thought out prediction takes into account the developer’s high profile marketing campaign, the high quality of the original game and its existing user base, and the massive popularity of the franchise worldwide.
Although I’m in no position to comment upon the numbers, I’m sure that the analysts are bang on the money when they say that this will be an absolutely huge game. But it got me wondering, in the face of such forecasts, will the forthcoming reviews of the game have any effect upon on its sales. Even if the game is useless, unlikely as that sounds, will it still sell by the bucket loads? Ultimately, do gamers pay much attention to reviews?
I have written about this conundrum very briefly in the past. Universally panned games like the Imagine range of DS games or 50 cent Bullet-proof sell by the truckload, whilst a title like Okami has been unable to translate gushing reviews into commercial success.
Perhaps people are more attached to the franchise, wrapped up in the outward appearance of the title as opposed to actual gameplay. Numerous movie tie-ins stand witness to this. Time and time and again we see games of the movie hurriedly put on the shelves to coincide with a theatrical release, despite glaring issues, bugs and generally shoddy gameplay mechanics. One only need look back a couple of weeks at the game incarnation of this summer’s first blockbuster, Terminator Salvation. Aside from receiving lukewarm reviews, the PC version was entirely recalled due to an error that rendered it unplayable. Yet such games continue to generate revenue as fans of the movie rush out to buy them, either ignorant of, or choosing to ignore the damning reviews that they have received.
I have to admit that game reviews only influence my purchases to a very limited degree. If it’s a product that I believe I will enjoy, I will rarely be disheartened by a negative review, though a positive review has on occasion encouraged me to purchase a title that otherwise I wouldn’t have considered. Reviews only tend to reinforce my existing opinion about the game. When I read a review, I am looking for details that will enable me to shape my own reading of the games worth; what kind of game it is, the story, how many hours of gameplay are there, the level of difficulty etc. In this way I find a well written review a thoroughly worthwhile read, irrelevant of whether I concur with the final grade or not.
Of course when a game is critically acclaimed, its chance of commercial success dramatically increases. But actually being good doesn’t seem to be the be all and end all when it comes to sales. Hence we see an increasing number of bland, safe sequels and movie tie-ins, and why a well informed analyst can safely predict great things for a title that is months away from being reviewed.
Bracing For a Fall – How Some of E3’s Featured Titles Could go Wrong
Now that the excitement generated by E3 has died down a little, I thought I would have more of a pessimistic look at some of the stories from this year’s conference.
Each year, our appetites are whetted by tantalizing looking software and hardware. They look so great and polished that we can’t imagine how they could possibly fail. But, the truth of the matter is that for every one that is destined for success, there are two that will disappoint.
Below are some of the biggest stumbling blocks for six of E3’s major titles/announcements. In some cases, I’m confident that these pitfalls will be avoided, whereas in others, I’m not quite so sure.
Dante’s Inferno
I have already briefly expressed my concerns with EA’s God of War clone. It’s based upon the first part of Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy”. Written in the early part of the 14th century, it chronicles the author’s journey through the Christian afterlife, seen through medieval eyes, from Hell, to Purgatory and finally Heaven. It features numerous well known characters from history suffering different levels of torment and is universally regarding as a literary masterpiece. Not to state the obvious, but Dante did not carry a massive scythe, battle huge demons nor was he built like a brick shit house, as EA would have you believe. Aside from the names and settings, one may question what exactly EA have taken from the original work.
So EA are already alienating fans of the book. Ok, this is perhaps not a big deal, as the majority of the target audience probably aren’t overly familiar with the Divine Comedy anyway. But you can bet that most of those gamers are more than familiar with the God Of War series. And from what we have seen so far, Dante’s Inferno unashamedly apes that series through and through. Watching the most recent trailer from E3, I was actually cringing due to the blatant rip job they seem to be doing. But unlike the God of War 3 trailer, which gave me goose bumps and left me wanting more, the DI video simply made me let out a disinterested sigh. I hope this gets sorted, but I have a feeling that this one is doomed, with some journalistic opinion already moving against it.
Metal Gear Solid Rising
“Raiden is back”. Oh, he is, is he? Not really a sentence that true MGS fans wanted to hear. Why couldn’t Snake be back?
When Raiden was announced as the main protagonist of MGS2, there was outcry amongst gamers worldwide who wanted to reprise their role as Snake. Raiden would win back a great deal of popular support with his appearance in MGS4, but does anyone really want to see him carry a game all by himself yet again? Only time will tell.
Being a Hideo Kojima production, I have faith that it will be a great game and another huge success for Konami. But making his audience truly care about Raiden is an issue that Kojima will have to tackle.
Motion Controllers
There has already been some negative backlash to Sony’s, and in particular Microsoft’s somewhat knee-jerk reaction to the Wii’s success. Critics have pointed out that Microsoft unveiled the Natal far too early, as the actual release date is far off in the future. They got the audience’s interest, but now they probably won’t have anything substantial to follow it up with.
Other concerns centre on the fact that most games do not lend themselves to motion sensor controls. Few and far between are the titles that successfully and seamlessly utilize it.
Furthermore, do regular gamers really want to be prancing around their living room all day? Like most people, I like to play my PS3 from the comfort of my sofa. My Wii is for swinging about like a mentalist, and I rarely touch it. Is there going to be enough demand for Sony and Microsoft’s new projects?
Final fantasy XIV
Square-Enix’s credibility may have taken a bit of a hit by announcing the forthcoming release of FFXIV before XIII has even hit shelves in Japan, and who knows how long before the rest of the world get it. Furthermore, their announcement that it will be a MMORPG, just like FFXI, has raised some eyebrows. I really enjoyed my brief time playing FFXI, but it wasn’t a game without flaws. They will have to implement some big changes, and win over gamers who aren’t interested in taking their role playing online, but there is no reason to believe that they can’t.
Left For Dead 2
A future boycott of this upcoming sequel has been threatened by some 25,000 fans of the original Xbox360 and PC title, Left For Dead. They are perturbed by the short period of time between the original’s release and the announcement of the sequel (1 year), as its release would split the current multiplayer community, thus lessening the experience. It is their belief that the new game will offer very little new, and would be better suited as DLC for the original.
Valve, the game’s creators, have been quick to respond that LFD2 boasts more than enough new features to warrant a stand alone title. Whether this is the case or not, they have some work to do to convince their core fans.
PSP Go
“It’s too small”
“It’s too expensive”
“There aren’t enough additions to make it a worthwhile purchase for existing PSP owners”
These are all worthy concerns that have been voiced by commentators over the last few days. The most pertinent is the price issue. At $249, it’s significantly more expensive than the current PSP 3000, which retails for $80 less. Adding insult to injury, word is that it will cost the same, or perhaps less to produce than the existing model.
At this price, are existing PSP owners going to upgrade, and are customers in general going to be attracted to Sony’s product as opposed to Apple’s wildly popular iphone?
Each year, our appetites are whetted by tantalizing looking software and hardware. They look so great and polished that we can’t imagine how they could possibly fail. But, the truth of the matter is that for every one that is destined for success, there are two that will disappoint.
Below are some of the biggest stumbling blocks for six of E3’s major titles/announcements. In some cases, I’m confident that these pitfalls will be avoided, whereas in others, I’m not quite so sure.
Dante’s Inferno
I have already briefly expressed my concerns with EA’s God of War clone. It’s based upon the first part of Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy”. Written in the early part of the 14th century, it chronicles the author’s journey through the Christian afterlife, seen through medieval eyes, from Hell, to Purgatory and finally Heaven. It features numerous well known characters from history suffering different levels of torment and is universally regarding as a literary masterpiece. Not to state the obvious, but Dante did not carry a massive scythe, battle huge demons nor was he built like a brick shit house, as EA would have you believe. Aside from the names and settings, one may question what exactly EA have taken from the original work.
So EA are already alienating fans of the book. Ok, this is perhaps not a big deal, as the majority of the target audience probably aren’t overly familiar with the Divine Comedy anyway. But you can bet that most of those gamers are more than familiar with the God Of War series. And from what we have seen so far, Dante’s Inferno unashamedly apes that series through and through. Watching the most recent trailer from E3, I was actually cringing due to the blatant rip job they seem to be doing. But unlike the God of War 3 trailer, which gave me goose bumps and left me wanting more, the DI video simply made me let out a disinterested sigh. I hope this gets sorted, but I have a feeling that this one is doomed, with some journalistic opinion already moving against it.
Metal Gear Solid Rising
“Raiden is back”. Oh, he is, is he? Not really a sentence that true MGS fans wanted to hear. Why couldn’t Snake be back?
When Raiden was announced as the main protagonist of MGS2, there was outcry amongst gamers worldwide who wanted to reprise their role as Snake. Raiden would win back a great deal of popular support with his appearance in MGS4, but does anyone really want to see him carry a game all by himself yet again? Only time will tell.
Being a Hideo Kojima production, I have faith that it will be a great game and another huge success for Konami. But making his audience truly care about Raiden is an issue that Kojima will have to tackle.
Motion Controllers
There has already been some negative backlash to Sony’s, and in particular Microsoft’s somewhat knee-jerk reaction to the Wii’s success. Critics have pointed out that Microsoft unveiled the Natal far too early, as the actual release date is far off in the future. They got the audience’s interest, but now they probably won’t have anything substantial to follow it up with.
Other concerns centre on the fact that most games do not lend themselves to motion sensor controls. Few and far between are the titles that successfully and seamlessly utilize it.
Furthermore, do regular gamers really want to be prancing around their living room all day? Like most people, I like to play my PS3 from the comfort of my sofa. My Wii is for swinging about like a mentalist, and I rarely touch it. Is there going to be enough demand for Sony and Microsoft’s new projects?
Final fantasy XIV
Square-Enix’s credibility may have taken a bit of a hit by announcing the forthcoming release of FFXIV before XIII has even hit shelves in Japan, and who knows how long before the rest of the world get it. Furthermore, their announcement that it will be a MMORPG, just like FFXI, has raised some eyebrows. I really enjoyed my brief time playing FFXI, but it wasn’t a game without flaws. They will have to implement some big changes, and win over gamers who aren’t interested in taking their role playing online, but there is no reason to believe that they can’t.
Left For Dead 2
A future boycott of this upcoming sequel has been threatened by some 25,000 fans of the original Xbox360 and PC title, Left For Dead. They are perturbed by the short period of time between the original’s release and the announcement of the sequel (1 year), as its release would split the current multiplayer community, thus lessening the experience. It is their belief that the new game will offer very little new, and would be better suited as DLC for the original.
Valve, the game’s creators, have been quick to respond that LFD2 boasts more than enough new features to warrant a stand alone title. Whether this is the case or not, they have some work to do to convince their core fans.
PSP Go
“It’s too small”
“It’s too expensive”
“There aren’t enough additions to make it a worthwhile purchase for existing PSP owners”
These are all worthy concerns that have been voiced by commentators over the last few days. The most pertinent is the price issue. At $249, it’s significantly more expensive than the current PSP 3000, which retails for $80 less. Adding insult to injury, word is that it will cost the same, or perhaps less to produce than the existing model.
At this price, are existing PSP owners going to upgrade, and are customers in general going to be attracted to Sony’s product as opposed to Apple’s wildly popular iphone?
E3 Round-up - Part 2 0f 2
E3 2009, the industry’s biggest game show, has just wrapped up after 3 hectic days. It was packed full of games in every stage of development and featured announcements big, small, surprising and expected.
Although I was of course not in attendance, I have been following all the news as best I can. So to save you the trouble of sifting through the hundreds of announcements, videos and little tidbits from the show floor, as I have, I have put together a two part summary of all the biggest and most interesting announcements and non-announcements from E3 2009. If you want to see footage of the games that I am talking about, try kotaku.com or gamespot, which both featured pretty exhaustive coverage.
So here is E3 2009 Part 2, M-Z (Part 1 can be found here ).
MAG
There was a time, not all that long ago, when playing a console based multiplayer FPS with 256 people would have entailed purchasing 64 consoles, TVs, games, multi-taps and cords, not to mention having a rather large living room. Thankfully, these days you can go to war with 256 people you have never met, all on your lonesome. Introducing MAG, Sony’s ambitious massively multiplayer FPS. It looks very impressive, though it did apparently suffer from some lag when showcased during Sony’s stage show.
Metal Gear Solid Rising
Konami’s big announcement, and half of the climax of all those online countdowns we have been seeing (link), the next home console installment of the Metal Gear saga is coming to the PS3, PC and more surprisingly, the Xbox 360. Starring the formally derided lady boy turned robotic ninja hard man Raiden, details are few and far between. Hopefully Hideo Kojima will deliver the goods yet again.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Yet another pleasant surprise for PSP owners. Promising to fill in some of the gaps of the Metal Gear story, and acting as a direct sequel to MGS3, the game will feature Big Boss as the main protagonist and seems to centre on the Outer Heaven mercenary group. It looks great, but I do wish it were a PS3 release. But I can’t really complain with two MGS titles being announced in one day. Good times.
Motion Sensors
Project Natal is Microsoft’s “controller-free gaming and entertainment experience”, as announced at E3. It should allow Xbox360 users to play games via gestures and spoken commands, and development kits have already been sent out to game developers. Is this the future of gaming?
Not to be outdone, Sony made an announcement concerning their own motion sensor controller. Used in conjunction with the existing Playstation Eye, and consisting of two wand-like units, it should be available by Spring next year.
As well as appealing to the causal gamers who have been wooed so convincingly by the Wii, these new motion sensor devices will hopefully add something to the gaming experience that more dedicated gamers can also share in. Fingers crossed.
No More Heroes
Not a huge amount of info was revealed at E3, as Suda51 seemed content to play his cards very close to the chest. But by the looks of the new trailer, Travis Touchdown is up to his old tricks. This is good news for Wii owners everywhere.
Playstation 3
There were plenty of reasons for PS3 owners to get very excited at E3. But there were a few disappointments, most notably Sony’s insistence that a price cut is not in their short term plans. Also, Sony failed to address the previously leaked stills of what is purported to be a PS3 slim.
PSP Go
E3’s worst kept secret. The new and arguably improved version of Sony’s portable device has made a strong showing at E3. Substantially smaller, but featuring only a slightly reduced screen size, it does away with the old UMD drive and replaces it with a digital format. It boasts a sliding screen, 16GB of built-in storage and will retail at $249.
There are also rumours that Sony may offer some sort of service saving owners of existing UMD based titles from repurchasing them all over again to play on the PSP Go. I’m anxious to see exactly what that will entail.
Sony’s direct response to the success of the iphone does look rather plush and compact, but I am a little concerned about the close proximity of the controls. It doesn’t look all that comfortable, but I won’t know for sure until I try one myself. It should hit the shelves on October 1st, and fingers crossed I will get a chance to try one at the Tokyo game Show this September.
Resident Evil title for the PSP
Capcom have announced that they will be bringing a Resident Evil title to the PSP in 2010. It will mark the first time that the series will have graced the PSP and adds to an increasingly promising line up of titles coming to Sony’s portable device this year and next. Fingers crossed that Wesker will feature heavily.
Super Mario Bros.
This sure fire hit features up to four player action, though no online multiplayer. It’s also billed as having 80 levels, so it should keep fans of the diminutive Italian plumber more than happy. Coming later this year.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Another one for the core Nintendo fans. Similar to SMG, it will feature levels spread across various 3D planets, 90% of which are brand new.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Watching a video of the Sony press conference, I was blown away by the footage of Nathan Drake’s latest escapades. And by the sounds of things, so were the audience. It looks like a dream, and I can only presume that it plays like one too. With Metal Gear and Final Fantasy going multi platform, I think this is Sony’s jewel in the crown. I fell in love with the original a bit later than most, but I will be sure to get onboard from the get go when my most eagerly anticipated PS3 title is released at the end of this year.
Wii Sports Resort
It is what it is. As much as I deride the Wii and its astounding amount of piss poor games, you can’t really go wrong with Wii Sports. The new version looks much the same, which is no bad thing, but will utilize the Wii MotionPlus and features an increased roster of sports - sword dueling, wakeboarding, Frisbee, archery, basketball, table tennis, gold, bowling, power driving (jet skis), canoeing, cycling, and air sports.
Xbox 360
It will live for 10 years, or so says Microsoft. Following Sony’s lead, Microsoft announced that they foresee a 10 year shelf life for their system. This is great news for consumers who have in the past felt short changed by a constant turnover of consoles. I’m looking at you Sega.
New Zelda
A cause of disappointment for may Nintendo fans. There was no announcement for a new Zelda game, as many had expected. Instead, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that a new home console Zelda will is in development, and announcements would be forthcoming next year.
Although I was of course not in attendance, I have been following all the news as best I can. So to save you the trouble of sifting through the hundreds of announcements, videos and little tidbits from the show floor, as I have, I have put together a two part summary of all the biggest and most interesting announcements and non-announcements from E3 2009. If you want to see footage of the games that I am talking about, try kotaku.com or gamespot, which both featured pretty exhaustive coverage.
So here is E3 2009 Part 2, M-Z (Part 1 can be found here ).
MAG
There was a time, not all that long ago, when playing a console based multiplayer FPS with 256 people would have entailed purchasing 64 consoles, TVs, games, multi-taps and cords, not to mention having a rather large living room. Thankfully, these days you can go to war with 256 people you have never met, all on your lonesome. Introducing MAG, Sony’s ambitious massively multiplayer FPS. It looks very impressive, though it did apparently suffer from some lag when showcased during Sony’s stage show.
Metal Gear Solid Rising
Konami’s big announcement, and half of the climax of all those online countdowns we have been seeing (link), the next home console installment of the Metal Gear saga is coming to the PS3, PC and more surprisingly, the Xbox 360. Starring the formally derided lady boy turned robotic ninja hard man Raiden, details are few and far between. Hopefully Hideo Kojima will deliver the goods yet again.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Yet another pleasant surprise for PSP owners. Promising to fill in some of the gaps of the Metal Gear story, and acting as a direct sequel to MGS3, the game will feature Big Boss as the main protagonist and seems to centre on the Outer Heaven mercenary group. It looks great, but I do wish it were a PS3 release. But I can’t really complain with two MGS titles being announced in one day. Good times.
Motion Sensors
Project Natal is Microsoft’s “controller-free gaming and entertainment experience”, as announced at E3. It should allow Xbox360 users to play games via gestures and spoken commands, and development kits have already been sent out to game developers. Is this the future of gaming?
Not to be outdone, Sony made an announcement concerning their own motion sensor controller. Used in conjunction with the existing Playstation Eye, and consisting of two wand-like units, it should be available by Spring next year.
As well as appealing to the causal gamers who have been wooed so convincingly by the Wii, these new motion sensor devices will hopefully add something to the gaming experience that more dedicated gamers can also share in. Fingers crossed.
No More Heroes
Not a huge amount of info was revealed at E3, as Suda51 seemed content to play his cards very close to the chest. But by the looks of the new trailer, Travis Touchdown is up to his old tricks. This is good news for Wii owners everywhere.
Playstation 3
There were plenty of reasons for PS3 owners to get very excited at E3. But there were a few disappointments, most notably Sony’s insistence that a price cut is not in their short term plans. Also, Sony failed to address the previously leaked stills of what is purported to be a PS3 slim.
PSP Go
E3’s worst kept secret. The new and arguably improved version of Sony’s portable device has made a strong showing at E3. Substantially smaller, but featuring only a slightly reduced screen size, it does away with the old UMD drive and replaces it with a digital format. It boasts a sliding screen, 16GB of built-in storage and will retail at $249.
There are also rumours that Sony may offer some sort of service saving owners of existing UMD based titles from repurchasing them all over again to play on the PSP Go. I’m anxious to see exactly what that will entail.
Sony’s direct response to the success of the iphone does look rather plush and compact, but I am a little concerned about the close proximity of the controls. It doesn’t look all that comfortable, but I won’t know for sure until I try one myself. It should hit the shelves on October 1st, and fingers crossed I will get a chance to try one at the Tokyo game Show this September.
Resident Evil title for the PSP
Capcom have announced that they will be bringing a Resident Evil title to the PSP in 2010. It will mark the first time that the series will have graced the PSP and adds to an increasingly promising line up of titles coming to Sony’s portable device this year and next. Fingers crossed that Wesker will feature heavily.
Super Mario Bros.
This sure fire hit features up to four player action, though no online multiplayer. It’s also billed as having 80 levels, so it should keep fans of the diminutive Italian plumber more than happy. Coming later this year.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Another one for the core Nintendo fans. Similar to SMG, it will feature levels spread across various 3D planets, 90% of which are brand new.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Watching a video of the Sony press conference, I was blown away by the footage of Nathan Drake’s latest escapades. And by the sounds of things, so were the audience. It looks like a dream, and I can only presume that it plays like one too. With Metal Gear and Final Fantasy going multi platform, I think this is Sony’s jewel in the crown. I fell in love with the original a bit later than most, but I will be sure to get onboard from the get go when my most eagerly anticipated PS3 title is released at the end of this year.
Wii Sports Resort
It is what it is. As much as I deride the Wii and its astounding amount of piss poor games, you can’t really go wrong with Wii Sports. The new version looks much the same, which is no bad thing, but will utilize the Wii MotionPlus and features an increased roster of sports - sword dueling, wakeboarding, Frisbee, archery, basketball, table tennis, gold, bowling, power driving (jet skis), canoeing, cycling, and air sports.
Xbox 360
It will live for 10 years, or so says Microsoft. Following Sony’s lead, Microsoft announced that they foresee a 10 year shelf life for their system. This is great news for consumers who have in the past felt short changed by a constant turnover of consoles. I’m looking at you Sega.
New Zelda
A cause of disappointment for may Nintendo fans. There was no announcement for a new Zelda game, as many had expected. Instead, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that a new home console Zelda will is in development, and announcements would be forthcoming next year.
E3 Round-up - Part 1 of 2
E3 2009, the industry’s biggest game show, has just wrapped up after 3 hectic days. It was packed full of games in every stage of development and featured announcements big, small, surprising and expected.
Although I was of course not in attendance, I have been following all the news as best I can. So to save you the trouble of sifting through the hundreds of announcements, videos and little tidbits from the show floor, as I have, I have put together a two part summary of all the biggest and most interesting announcements and non-announcements from E3 2009. If you want to see footage of the games that I am talking about, try kotaku.com or gamespot, which both featured pretty exhaustive coverage.
Without further ado, here is E3 2009 Part I, A-L.
Alan Wake
God knows how many years this title has been in development. But, the demo has garnered rave reviews and is being talked about as one of the best titles on show at E3. A psychological thriller for grown ups, Alan Wake has an interesting take on a well worn genre. Likened to a TV drama in its presentation, Xbox 360 and PC gamers should keep an eye out for this one in 2010.
APB
Part of the open world crime genre that has been championed by the Grand Theft Auto series, APB seems to have a lot of things going for it. Although details are scarce for this 2010 release, it features an online mode supporting up to 100 players at a time, as well as high levels of customization, from the appearance of your character right through to their ride.
Assassin’s Creed 2
Earmarked for a November release, and set in Venice, Florence and Tuscany of 1486, Assassins Creed looks to be a real treat. Including an appearance from da Vinci, beautiful city vistas and all the tools of the assassin trade, it promises to be one of the biggest cross platform releases of the year.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
This is dark Batman. This is good Batman. Camp 60’s fighting and George Clooney’s nipples are nowhere to be seen, thankfully. Never been a fan of comic book games, but this title really does appeal. Slated for an August release, I will definitely be checking it out.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The in-game video looks amazing and is instantly recognizable as the follow up to 2007’s acclaimed Call of Duty Modern Warfare. It showcases a great mix of gameplay (ice climbing, shooting, knife play and snowmobile driving) and the graphics look amazing. Check out the Sony stage show demo.
Dante’s Inferno
A new trailer has been released of EA’s upcoming God of War meets masterpiece literature title. Some details have also been released about the accompanying PSP title. I’m still intrigued by the potential of this game, but I have to admit that my interest wanes with each new video I watch. It just doesn’t seem to be offering anything new, whilst butchering its rich historical influence. I guess I can only be pleasantly surprised.
Final Fantasy XIV
Aside from English demos of the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix made a surprise announcement that FFXIV is on its way in 2010. It will be a massively multiplayer online role playing game, in the same vein as FFXI. It is a PS3 console exclusive, and will be released alongside a PC version with a worldwide simultaneous release. I don’t know why, but I’m already more excited about this announcement than the forthcoming FFXIII.
God of War III
Being that I can’t wait for this one, I was a little disappointed to hear that the release isn’t until March 2010. The in-game shots look very impressive, and the video demo was supposedly everything you have come to expect from the series and more. Let’s hope it lives up to the high standards set by its predecessors.
Halo: Reach
Scheduled for 2010, this new entry into the widely popular Halo series is rumoured to be a prequel. It’s still a long way from release, so not much else to add.
Last Guardian
The team behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, are hard at work bringing their next game to the PS3. Not many details as of yet, but if their pedigree is anything to go by, it will be a very well received game. It’s well worth checking out the brilliant trailer for something a bit different.
Although I was of course not in attendance, I have been following all the news as best I can. So to save you the trouble of sifting through the hundreds of announcements, videos and little tidbits from the show floor, as I have, I have put together a two part summary of all the biggest and most interesting announcements and non-announcements from E3 2009. If you want to see footage of the games that I am talking about, try kotaku.com or gamespot, which both featured pretty exhaustive coverage.
Without further ado, here is E3 2009 Part I, A-L.
Alan Wake
God knows how many years this title has been in development. But, the demo has garnered rave reviews and is being talked about as one of the best titles on show at E3. A psychological thriller for grown ups, Alan Wake has an interesting take on a well worn genre. Likened to a TV drama in its presentation, Xbox 360 and PC gamers should keep an eye out for this one in 2010.
APB
Part of the open world crime genre that has been championed by the Grand Theft Auto series, APB seems to have a lot of things going for it. Although details are scarce for this 2010 release, it features an online mode supporting up to 100 players at a time, as well as high levels of customization, from the appearance of your character right through to their ride.
Assassin’s Creed 2
Earmarked for a November release, and set in Venice, Florence and Tuscany of 1486, Assassins Creed looks to be a real treat. Including an appearance from da Vinci, beautiful city vistas and all the tools of the assassin trade, it promises to be one of the biggest cross platform releases of the year.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
This is dark Batman. This is good Batman. Camp 60’s fighting and George Clooney’s nipples are nowhere to be seen, thankfully. Never been a fan of comic book games, but this title really does appeal. Slated for an August release, I will definitely be checking it out.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The in-game video looks amazing and is instantly recognizable as the follow up to 2007’s acclaimed Call of Duty Modern Warfare. It showcases a great mix of gameplay (ice climbing, shooting, knife play and snowmobile driving) and the graphics look amazing. Check out the Sony stage show demo.
Dante’s Inferno
A new trailer has been released of EA’s upcoming God of War meets masterpiece literature title. Some details have also been released about the accompanying PSP title. I’m still intrigued by the potential of this game, but I have to admit that my interest wanes with each new video I watch. It just doesn’t seem to be offering anything new, whilst butchering its rich historical influence. I guess I can only be pleasantly surprised.
Final Fantasy XIV
Aside from English demos of the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix made a surprise announcement that FFXIV is on its way in 2010. It will be a massively multiplayer online role playing game, in the same vein as FFXI. It is a PS3 console exclusive, and will be released alongside a PC version with a worldwide simultaneous release. I don’t know why, but I’m already more excited about this announcement than the forthcoming FFXIII.
God of War III
Being that I can’t wait for this one, I was a little disappointed to hear that the release isn’t until March 2010. The in-game shots look very impressive, and the video demo was supposedly everything you have come to expect from the series and more. Let’s hope it lives up to the high standards set by its predecessors.
Halo: Reach
Scheduled for 2010, this new entry into the widely popular Halo series is rumoured to be a prequel. It’s still a long way from release, so not much else to add.
Last Guardian
The team behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, are hard at work bringing their next game to the PS3. Not many details as of yet, but if their pedigree is anything to go by, it will be a very well received game. It’s well worth checking out the brilliant trailer for something a bit different.
Review - Sonic’s Ultimate Mega Drive Collection
Yet another collection of old games lazily thrown together, or a fresh take on a group of classic titles? A bit of both really, but thoroughly enjoyable none the less.
Featuring 40 Sega Mega Drive games and a further 9 unlockable arcade and Master System titles, it’s definitely a bargain. While some of the games haven’t aged that well (Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros) others are as instantly playable as they were back in the day (Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine).
Aside from the convenience of having all these titles on one disc there are a few other added incentives to line Sega’s pockets yet again. There are developer interviews and the aforementioned unlockable games. The controls have been well translated to the PS3 pad, and you can save your game at any point no matter the title.
Playing the PS3 version, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the trophy system added to the experience. Of all the benefits of buying this collection, the trophies were the biggest incentive, and for me the most enjoyable aspect of the game. I approached the trophies as a game within itself, a set of achievements that led me through the vast majority of the featured titles. I went through a challenge at a time, which encouraged me to play games which otherwise I may not have touched, and gave me a new way to enjoy classic titles that I had already played to death, breathing new life into them. By the way, I got the platinum :) .
On the downside there is no online multiplayer, and there are some questionable inclusions to the game roster. Other titles that should have featured, such as Earthworm Jim, are nowhere to be found. Also, the appeal of the unlockable extras are somewhat limited.
However, this is a great collection of games that remain playable, challenging and a great deal of fun, and the addition of trophies puts a whole new spin on things. Highly recommended.
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