Hello friends, long time no post...I'm a lazy man so deal with it. I've been too busy doing other things, like your mom. I digress.
I have come up with yet another segment to this domain: "LOL Moment" in which I will make a brief post on a moment or event that is worthy of letting people know about. This can be a funny video, article or anything random that I encounter in my day to day operations. I guess it can also be somewhat of a brief rant session so we'll see. Let's begin.
============================================
Yesterday and this morning, I began seeing articles around the interwebs (thanks Google Reader) about the 'smack' that was attempted to be laid down by the producer of the upcoming Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed title. Here are some links:
http://www.lazygamer.net/need-for-speed-shift-2-dev-gt5-and-forza-graphics-bland/
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=276019
http://news.softpedia.com/news/NFS-Shift-2-Unleashed-Will-Be-Better-Than-Gran-Turismo-5-or-Forza-3-167292.shtml
In case you're too lazy to look at any of the above links, the producer basically called out GT5 and Forza by claiming:
"You have to make a choice with today's tech. Either you go for - and this is harsh but it's what I think - the bland graphics of GT and Forza, or you try to push the bar for what consoles can do," said Nilsson."
Now, before I explain why this is an "LOL" moment, let me remind you about the first NFS: Shift title. Critically, the title gathered an 84 (xbox) and 83 (ps3) Metacritic. Forza Motorsport 3 obtained a score of 93 while the last numbered entry in the GT series (4) obtained an 89 on Metacritic. Sales wise, it has a little under 4 million lifetime which is good but not great when comparing it to the other 2 series.
Now, back to why I LOL'd. First of all, NFS is a series that has always been synonymous with arcade style racing. The first installments back on the ps1, pc etc. featured gameplay that was basically 'linear' or a non-closed course where you either raced against other opponents or in later installments, ran from the POH-LEECE. Shift was their first true entry into the racing simulator genre. I personally tried out the Shift demo last year and while it looked nice, I wasn't that impressed with the vehicle responses. Nevertheless it was a good try to enter the racing simulator genre and hopefully the 2nd title polishes up things from the first.
So going back to the quote. I don't know what 'bland' means to him but to call graphics on 2 of the best racing simulators as such is just well...laughable. Especially with the GT series that's constantly been able to set the bar on each console it hits, you have got to be blind to not admire the attention to detail and visuals. While I haven't personally played any Forza, I do acknowledge that their last installment was good on the eyes.
The second part of the quote is where I realized this dude was full of it. "You try to push the bar for what consoles can do." Oh, and he also added the following statement:
"That's what Slightly Mad is doing, and hence the decision was made to aim for 30 frames."
This was just icing on the cake in my book. First of all, both consoles (xbox, ps3) have strengths and weaknesses none of which are identical and so to say that one is going to push the bar on the xbox does not mean it will have the same effect on the ps3 and vise versa. The architecture behind the game design on both consoles varies and so while one may excel at a certain type of graphic detail, the other may not match it etc. Basically, his claim is B.S. because if you really wanted to push each console you would have 2 different games which in a time where multiplats are edging closer and closer to that 'identical' comparison, you can't have 2 versions of a game without having 1 or both sides feeling that they were shorted somewhere.
Finally, that last quote...the frame quote. Where do I begin with that? To my knowledge, Forza 3 DID run at 60 frames per second, so to say Shift 2 is going to run at 30 and yet push the bar on the console is just a big 'Derp' in my mind. As far as GT5, we know it will run at 60 (with very few exceptions on weather changes during a race) and it will also be running at 1080p. So how is it that Shift 2 is going to push each console, because apparently GT5 and Forza 3 aren't doing it enough.
In closing, this dude should just STFU. Release your title and see how the critics and gamers respond to it. I respect NFS as a series but Shift as a sub-series is quite n00bish and shouldn't bite off more than it can chew.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
E3 2010: What I'd like to See
Hello friends, 'tis been a while. And so let's begin.
Yep, it's almost that time of year again. E3...the biggest press related gaming conference this side of the globe (some argue the Tokyo Game Show is more significant). So to recap the importance of the event to the non-gamer readers:
E3 (Electronics Entertainment Expo) is the time and place where electronic companies from around the globe come in and present what is currently in the works and what to expect for the next year or so. This is usually the time when gamers get a glimpse of trailers, gameplay or demos of upcoming titles or simply when gamers find out about new titles that will be in the works. The event is not open to the public but journalists are allowed to use modern tech (live feeds, social networking) to bring all the news to the public. So in essence, this event sets the tone for the gaming world since if a major title is revealed it could push those on the fence about purchasing that game or console to make the jump.
In this post I will try and address what I consider are things that should be seen at this year's E3 with regards to the 3 gaming companies: Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony. It'll be a mix of predictions as well as expectations so hopefully I address as much as I can, or at least that I can think of right now.
Ninty
Without getting into a flame war, which i probably will allude to through this post, I personally never have considered the Wii as a direct competitor of the 360 or PS3. However, once must recognize the success of this console to date and so to that I tip my hat. My reluctance to purchase this console wasn't so much that it wasn't fully HD capable or that it didn't offer many features that came standard with the other 2 (watching DVDs, a decent online network), for me it was the games. From what I saw, Wii gamers were drawn in by Wii Sports, Wii Fit and the good ole plumber cow, Mario. To me, these titles didn't feel 'hardcore enough' and given that most of the non-Nintendo titles were mediocre when they were reviewed, I felt that it didn't make sense to get a console for just a few games.
During 2009 we found out that an upcoming Metroid title for the Wii was being developed by Team Ninja who are better known for their work on the recent Ninja Gaiden as well as the Dead or Alive series.
June 15th-17th, 2010
Yep, it's almost that time of year again. E3...the biggest press related gaming conference this side of the globe (some argue the Tokyo Game Show is more significant). So to recap the importance of the event to the non-gamer readers:
E3 (Electronics Entertainment Expo) is the time and place where electronic companies from around the globe come in and present what is currently in the works and what to expect for the next year or so. This is usually the time when gamers get a glimpse of trailers, gameplay or demos of upcoming titles or simply when gamers find out about new titles that will be in the works. The event is not open to the public but journalists are allowed to use modern tech (live feeds, social networking) to bring all the news to the public. So in essence, this event sets the tone for the gaming world since if a major title is revealed it could push those on the fence about purchasing that game or console to make the jump.
In this post I will try and address what I consider are things that should be seen at this year's E3 with regards to the 3 gaming companies: Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony. It'll be a mix of predictions as well as expectations so hopefully I address as much as I can, or at least that I can think of right now.
Ninty
A good title to justify a Wii purchase?
Without getting into a flame war, which i probably will allude to through this post, I personally never have considered the Wii as a direct competitor of the 360 or PS3. However, once must recognize the success of this console to date and so to that I tip my hat. My reluctance to purchase this console wasn't so much that it wasn't fully HD capable or that it didn't offer many features that came standard with the other 2 (watching DVDs, a decent online network), for me it was the games. From what I saw, Wii gamers were drawn in by Wii Sports, Wii Fit and the good ole plumber cow, Mario. To me, these titles didn't feel 'hardcore enough' and given that most of the non-Nintendo titles were mediocre when they were reviewed, I felt that it didn't make sense to get a console for just a few games.
During 2009 we found out that an upcoming Metroid title for the Wii was being developed by Team Ninja who are better known for their work on the recent Ninja Gaiden as well as the Dead or Alive series.
Why I haven't gotten any of these titles, I don't know.
Any who from sample gameplay/trailers the title does seem to have a Ninja Gaiden influence and being a Metroid title, I'm sure it won't let down. Recently, the new Super Mario Galaxy 2 has been rolling up the excellent review scores around the globe. It currently has a Metacritic average of 98 based on 27 reviews which is extraordinary.
Aside from the Metroid title, there's not many other titles that I think of that are coming up this year, thus E3 would be a good time for Ninty to tell us about what else we can expect. I suppose a new Zelda title wouldn't hurt but like the plumber, the cow needs to be let in the pasture for a while before you can milk it for good milk. There have been rumors of a new HD Wii but they haven't really surfaced much though it wouldn't surprise me since the theme of this year's E3 will probably be motion tech.
As far as the hand held market, Ninty has a good hold of it in the US but not in Japan. Will the 3d DS help maintain dominance? What new features can we expect with the device? Would a phone integration help it tap into more consumers? I'm sure I could go on about the handhelds but I don't intend to right now.
So to summarize Ninty at E3:
-Show more Metroid gameplay before release (August)
-Surprise us with new titles on the system (Starfox? dare I say Kid Icarus?)
-Give Sony and Microsoft access to the Virtual Arcade so as to make more money off of it
-If a new console is introduced, give current Wii owners a deal/incentive on why it's in their best (financial) interest to make the move up
-No more Mario. The plumber needs some time to rest and given the positive response to Galaxy 2, it'd be best to quit now and perhaps bring him back in 4-5 years.
-Show the 3d DS in action. I hear that no glasses will be necessary, prove it.
Microsoft
Now for the heavyweights, first up Microsoft.
As I mentioned earlier, this year's E3 may be seen as the year of motion tech since Microsoft and Sony are releasing peripherals that they hope will bring some Wii owners into their console reaches. As we know, Microsoft is taking a bold step with its project Natal by eliminating all need for controllers or any peripheral other than one's own body. At a press event last year they demonstrated the capabilities of the device as being able to recognize body gestures and movements to facial and voice recognition. Indeed, this is quite an impressive device. That is, if it can execute everything as it claims to. Rarely if ever, has Natal done a live demo or one that isn't pre-rendered to show it in action. As a gamer, I feel that they are either keeping things under wraps for a massive unveiling of the device in action, or they haven't worked out all the bugs just yet. In any event, we shall see this device at E3 and I'm hoping it delivers because of the controller-less concept.
As far as my criticism on this device, I just have a couple. The first one is the games in general. Over the past weeks there's been articles/rumors posted on the internet about developers having to use up a lot of the CPU's power to run the device. I understand that computing all the different gestures and actions for all people in play (I think you can have up to 4 different people playing at once) takes power, but will this bring down the remaining cpu's power and thus produce games that don't look or play as good as one would expect them to? Then again, perhaps the amount of power is minimal and games will not be affected, but this goes back to my point about not seeing enough of it at the moment. While it can be argued that since the device won't hit store shelves until Christmas 2010 which would justify Microsoft not being in a rush to show live demos, I would also argue that if Sony's Move is released in the fall, the lack of Natal in action may have casual gamers going for Sony's device since it'll be out sooner.
My second criticism for Natal would be the fact that a controller less device would prevent any type of shooter from being played properly. Now before you all give me reasons why I'm wrong, here's reasons why I think it will be a problem. Shooters can't be played if you can't well, shoot. Though it's impressive that Natal can detect gestures, I haven't heard anything about detecting finger gestures and movements. Unless it's that precise, people would have a hard time being able to get their character to pull the trigger. I suppose the voice recognition could serve as a cue to fire but who wants to keep saying "Fire" over and over? There's also the issue of turning. Unless the game consists of moving forward, there's no way to turn around more than perhaps 45-60 degrees without losing site of the TV unless you have a multiple screen curve setup. Sure, there can be a 'set' gesture to let the game know you want to turn left or right (again voice?) but when in the heat of battle, this can become quite tedious and frustrating. And yes, a controller would help with this but then what's the point of promoting a peripheral free device?
Why do I make a big deal out of shooters? Well, if you haven't guessed it by now, I can guarantee that a majority of 360 owners are FPS fans. Nothing wrong with that. But when you have a new device in the works, it's very helpful if you can incorporate it into past games or future ones. Think about it, [supposedly] 40 million consoles around the globe, if you can incorporate Natal to a shooter title, even a 1-5% adoption rate is well worth it. More so if you can set up some incentive for current console owners to get the new device.
Now, perhaps the angle of Natal is strictly to get the Wii audience, which is fine because it's a large friggin market. But, they shouldn't forget about their core audience which have kept the console going. I may be wrong on all my accounts and I actually hope Natal proves me wrong on this shooter issue because I do believe it's a device that if properly implemented is something I would like to have in my home .
As far as titles. I'm sure we're all aware of Halo Reach and of the 3rd Gears of War title and of Fable 3. The other titles that I can think of are multiplats: LA Noire, Metal Gear Solid Rising, Castlevania Lords of Shadow. So perhaps we'll have a surprise announcement of a new IP or a new installment in a series. I also have read/heard rumors of a Slim Xbox 360. I don't know much about it but if slim means cheaper [and hopefully more reliable], then it'd be a nice option for those of us that haven't gotten a 360 yet.
So to summarize Microsoft at E3:
-Show Natal in action, not just on stage but w/demos set up for the journalists
-Surprise us with new titles that aren't shooters
-If a slim exists, give us price and features
-Tell us why Live is or will remain better than a Premium PSN
Sony
Finally, Sony. Now, perhaps because I am a Sony follower, a fanboy at times, I will argue that 2009's E3 should have been dubbed "The Sony Show" because most of the 'wows' and surprises came from Sony:
-gameplay of 2009's Game of the Year Uncharted 2
-God of War 3 demo
-1st official trailer for Gran Turismo 5
-Announcement of Final Fantasy XIV
-Kojima's announcement of Peace Walker for the PSP
-First look at the motion controllers now know as Move
-Tease of Agent by Rockstar
I won't go into detail about the Move, but as far as the good aspects of the device: better accuracy than the Wii, buttons that allow for movement in any type of game, supposedly low price ($100-$60). As far as criticism on the move, my major 'beef' is that it's a Wii-HD simply stated. I think that it's a bit on the late side of motion controls' life cycle and so the Move isn't going to capture as much of an audience as if it had been released a year ago. Since there's not many titles that we're aware of for the Move, E3 would be a good time to show and demonstrate just why it's logical to go from the Wii to the PS3 or what the Move offers that the Wii can't. Despite the success of the Wii, I don't think that entering the motion market is really something that Sony and Microsoft needed to do but any attempt to get some gamers to adopt a console besides the Wii is good enough for them. So in summary, the Move needs good games in order to really stand out, otherwise it'll get ignored by Wii owners or overshadowed by Natal.
Now onto the games.
Last year Sony emphasized a theme for their console: "only possible on ps3" as well as arguing that "it was all about the software." While I would agree that [exclusive] games do indeed set a system apart from another, it seems most people don't truly believe that as a recent Nielsen study showed that PS3's were being purchased for the Blu-Ray function rather than for the exclusives. So go figure, lol.
There's a bunch of rumors which most likely will come true (like last year's worst kept secret: PSP Go!). Among these: PSN premium service and a PSP2. The consensus seems that the PSN+ would allow for unlimited downloads of PS1 classics, and first dibs on Betas as well as unlimited media (videos) of some manner. There's also a recent confirmation of HBO shows coming to PSN for download. As far as a PSP2, rumors say that it will be touch screen but obviously w/a PSP button layout. Last year I heard about a Playstation phone and so perhaps this PSP2 will have call capabilities, we'll see.
As far as games, there's a lot of rumors about what we will see and what we may hear about. I'll jump to the summary now since this post is getting a bit tiresome (like your mom).
Summary for Sony at E3
-PSP2? Why should we buy it after the failure of the Go!?
-Premium Service, what is the right price and features?
-Confirmation of titles: Aside Killzone 3; Infamous 2, Resistance 3?
-Release date confirmations: Gran Turismo 5, Final Fantasy Versus XIII (is it still exclusive?), Final Fantasy XIV, Last Guardian or Agent trailers/gameplay?
-Jaffe's secret project: he says no new Twisted Metal yet we've been teased about the contrary. Given he's the man behind God of War 1 and the previous Twisted Metals I give him the benefit of the doubt that his newest product will be awesome
-Kojima's secret title(s): he used 'mecha' to describe a project he was working on (Zone of the Enders 3?)
-3d gaming: demo I guess?
-Titles for the Move
So as you can see, this year's E3 can be bigger than last years. A lot of things are being kept under wraps by all companies (as they should) and other things we've already come to confirm by now thanks to the internet. So hopefully i can come back and see where I predicted right and where I didn't.
Honorable Mentions:
-Capcom says it'll announce a 'bomb shell' of a title at this year's E3 (new Devil May Cry, new Onimusha? New Mega Man?)
-Virgin games may make a return. Yeah, that company that made games back in NES and I think some SNES games; also an airline. Their boss said he'd make an announcement at E3 so we'll see what announcement this is.
-New titles from Ubisoft, EA, Activision? Recall that Activision signed a contract w/Bungie so we may be seeing something new from the latter for all platforms. Also, Insomniac has confirmed a joint partnership w/EA to make some multiplats.
phew, so much to say. Thanks for reading friends.
Aside from the Metroid title, there's not many other titles that I think of that are coming up this year, thus E3 would be a good time for Ninty to tell us about what else we can expect. I suppose a new Zelda title wouldn't hurt but like the plumber, the cow needs to be let in the pasture for a while before you can milk it for good milk. There have been rumors of a new HD Wii but they haven't really surfaced much though it wouldn't surprise me since the theme of this year's E3 will probably be motion tech.
As far as the hand held market, Ninty has a good hold of it in the US but not in Japan. Will the 3d DS help maintain dominance? What new features can we expect with the device? Would a phone integration help it tap into more consumers? I'm sure I could go on about the handhelds but I don't intend to right now.
So to summarize Ninty at E3:
-Show more Metroid gameplay before release (August)
-Surprise us with new titles on the system (Starfox? dare I say Kid Icarus?)
-Give Sony and Microsoft access to the Virtual Arcade so as to make more money off of it
-If a new console is introduced, give current Wii owners a deal/incentive on why it's in their best (financial) interest to make the move up
-No more Mario. The plumber needs some time to rest and given the positive response to Galaxy 2, it'd be best to quit now and perhaps bring him back in 4-5 years.
-Show the 3d DS in action. I hear that no glasses will be necessary, prove it.
Microsoft
Live Demo?
Now for the heavyweights, first up Microsoft.
As I mentioned earlier, this year's E3 may be seen as the year of motion tech since Microsoft and Sony are releasing peripherals that they hope will bring some Wii owners into their console reaches. As we know, Microsoft is taking a bold step with its project Natal by eliminating all need for controllers or any peripheral other than one's own body. At a press event last year they demonstrated the capabilities of the device as being able to recognize body gestures and movements to facial and voice recognition. Indeed, this is quite an impressive device. That is, if it can execute everything as it claims to. Rarely if ever, has Natal done a live demo or one that isn't pre-rendered to show it in action. As a gamer, I feel that they are either keeping things under wraps for a massive unveiling of the device in action, or they haven't worked out all the bugs just yet. In any event, we shall see this device at E3 and I'm hoping it delivers because of the controller-less concept.
As far as my criticism on this device, I just have a couple. The first one is the games in general. Over the past weeks there's been articles/rumors posted on the internet about developers having to use up a lot of the CPU's power to run the device. I understand that computing all the different gestures and actions for all people in play (I think you can have up to 4 different people playing at once) takes power, but will this bring down the remaining cpu's power and thus produce games that don't look or play as good as one would expect them to? Then again, perhaps the amount of power is minimal and games will not be affected, but this goes back to my point about not seeing enough of it at the moment. While it can be argued that since the device won't hit store shelves until Christmas 2010 which would justify Microsoft not being in a rush to show live demos, I would also argue that if Sony's Move is released in the fall, the lack of Natal in action may have casual gamers going for Sony's device since it'll be out sooner.
If 3d is incorporated, even better for it.
My second criticism for Natal would be the fact that a controller less device would prevent any type of shooter from being played properly. Now before you all give me reasons why I'm wrong, here's reasons why I think it will be a problem. Shooters can't be played if you can't well, shoot. Though it's impressive that Natal can detect gestures, I haven't heard anything about detecting finger gestures and movements. Unless it's that precise, people would have a hard time being able to get their character to pull the trigger. I suppose the voice recognition could serve as a cue to fire but who wants to keep saying "Fire" over and over? There's also the issue of turning. Unless the game consists of moving forward, there's no way to turn around more than perhaps 45-60 degrees without losing site of the TV unless you have a multiple screen curve setup. Sure, there can be a 'set' gesture to let the game know you want to turn left or right (again voice?) but when in the heat of battle, this can become quite tedious and frustrating. And yes, a controller would help with this but then what's the point of promoting a peripheral free device?
Just point and say "pew pew"
Why do I make a big deal out of shooters? Well, if you haven't guessed it by now, I can guarantee that a majority of 360 owners are FPS fans. Nothing wrong with that. But when you have a new device in the works, it's very helpful if you can incorporate it into past games or future ones. Think about it, [supposedly] 40 million consoles around the globe, if you can incorporate Natal to a shooter title, even a 1-5% adoption rate is well worth it. More so if you can set up some incentive for current console owners to get the new device.
Now, perhaps the angle of Natal is strictly to get the Wii audience, which is fine because it's a large friggin market. But, they shouldn't forget about their core audience which have kept the console going. I may be wrong on all my accounts and I actually hope Natal proves me wrong on this shooter issue because I do believe it's a device that if properly implemented is something I would like to have in my home .
As far as titles. I'm sure we're all aware of Halo Reach and of the 3rd Gears of War title and of Fable 3. The other titles that I can think of are multiplats: LA Noire, Metal Gear Solid Rising, Castlevania Lords of Shadow. So perhaps we'll have a surprise announcement of a new IP or a new installment in a series. I also have read/heard rumors of a Slim Xbox 360. I don't know much about it but if slim means cheaper [and hopefully more reliable], then it'd be a nice option for those of us that haven't gotten a 360 yet.
At this point it wouldn't surprise me.
So to summarize Microsoft at E3:
-Show Natal in action, not just on stage but w/demos set up for the journalists
-Surprise us with new titles that aren't shooters
-If a slim exists, give us price and features
-Tell us why Live is or will remain better than a Premium PSN
Sony
Boom!
Finally, Sony. Now, perhaps because I am a Sony follower, a fanboy at times, I will argue that 2009's E3 should have been dubbed "The Sony Show" because most of the 'wows' and surprises came from Sony:
-gameplay of 2009's Game of the Year Uncharted 2
-God of War 3 demo
-1st official trailer for Gran Turismo 5
-Announcement of Final Fantasy XIV
-Kojima's announcement of Peace Walker for the PSP
-First look at the motion controllers now know as Move
-Tease of Agent by Rockstar
I won't go into detail about the Move, but as far as the good aspects of the device: better accuracy than the Wii, buttons that allow for movement in any type of game, supposedly low price ($100-$60). As far as criticism on the move, my major 'beef' is that it's a Wii-HD simply stated. I think that it's a bit on the late side of motion controls' life cycle and so the Move isn't going to capture as much of an audience as if it had been released a year ago. Since there's not many titles that we're aware of for the Move, E3 would be a good time to show and demonstrate just why it's logical to go from the Wii to the PS3 or what the Move offers that the Wii can't. Despite the success of the Wii, I don't think that entering the motion market is really something that Sony and Microsoft needed to do but any attempt to get some gamers to adopt a console besides the Wii is good enough for them. So in summary, the Move needs good games in order to really stand out, otherwise it'll get ignored by Wii owners or overshadowed by Natal.
I tell ya, that's a smoke in the shape of Sweet Tooth!
Now onto the games.
Last year Sony emphasized a theme for their console: "only possible on ps3" as well as arguing that "it was all about the software." While I would agree that [exclusive] games do indeed set a system apart from another, it seems most people don't truly believe that as a recent Nielsen study showed that PS3's were being purchased for the Blu-Ray function rather than for the exclusives. So go figure, lol.
There's a bunch of rumors which most likely will come true (like last year's worst kept secret: PSP Go!). Among these: PSN premium service and a PSP2. The consensus seems that the PSN+ would allow for unlimited downloads of PS1 classics, and first dibs on Betas as well as unlimited media (videos) of some manner. There's also a recent confirmation of HBO shows coming to PSN for download. As far as a PSP2, rumors say that it will be touch screen but obviously w/a PSP button layout. Last year I heard about a Playstation phone and so perhaps this PSP2 will have call capabilities, we'll see.
As far as games, there's a lot of rumors about what we will see and what we may hear about. I'll jump to the summary now since this post is getting a bit tiresome (like your mom).
Summary for Sony at E3
-PSP2? Why should we buy it after the failure of the Go!?
-Premium Service, what is the right price and features?
-Confirmation of titles: Aside Killzone 3; Infamous 2, Resistance 3?
-Release date confirmations: Gran Turismo 5, Final Fantasy Versus XIII (is it still exclusive?), Final Fantasy XIV, Last Guardian or Agent trailers/gameplay?
-Jaffe's secret project: he says no new Twisted Metal yet we've been teased about the contrary. Given he's the man behind God of War 1 and the previous Twisted Metals I give him the benefit of the doubt that his newest product will be awesome
-Kojima's secret title(s): he used 'mecha' to describe a project he was working on (Zone of the Enders 3?)
-3d gaming: demo I guess?
-Titles for the Move
So as you can see, this year's E3 can be bigger than last years. A lot of things are being kept under wraps by all companies (as they should) and other things we've already come to confirm by now thanks to the internet. So hopefully i can come back and see where I predicted right and where I didn't.
Honorable Mentions:
-Capcom says it'll announce a 'bomb shell' of a title at this year's E3 (new Devil May Cry, new Onimusha? New Mega Man?)
-Virgin games may make a return. Yeah, that company that made games back in NES and I think some SNES games; also an airline. Their boss said he'd make an announcement at E3 so we'll see what announcement this is.
-New titles from Ubisoft, EA, Activision? Recall that Activision signed a contract w/Bungie so we may be seeing something new from the latter for all platforms. Also, Insomniac has confirmed a joint partnership w/EA to make some multiplats.
phew, so much to say. Thanks for reading friends.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Editorial: Final Fantasy XIII
Hola amigos! It's been a couple of weeks since my last post. Today I will do an attempt at an editorial or a "a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion or perspective" according to Wikipedia.
Final Fantasy...
A legacy? A Franchise?...no, a business!
Final Fantasy...
A legacy? A Franchise?...no, a business!
I will assume that everyone reading this has heard or is familiar in some way, shape, or form with this series. If not, head on over to Gametrailers.com and check out their "Retrospective" series of videos on various franchises. You'll be up to speed after watching them HERE.
A brief recap on my experience with this series (FF). My first FF title was FF3 which was actually the 6th installment in the series. I played it an emulator since the year was 1999 and thus the Playstation and Nintendo 64 era was well underway and thus Super Nintendo titles were becoming more popular on digital form rather than the physical cartridge. I got a taste of FFVII when visiting a friend's house where he played it on a PC but me being more of a racing or fighting aficionado, didn't take the game much into account. I got to play a demo of FFVIII after my purchase of Brave Fencer Musashi since it came packaged with the game. I believe the Squaresoft - Enix merger had not taken place yet.
And that brings us to the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII.
Love it, hate it; you know you'll play it.
A brief recap on my experience with this series (FF). My first FF title was FF3 which was actually the 6th installment in the series. I played it an emulator since the year was 1999 and thus the Playstation and Nintendo 64 era was well underway and thus Super Nintendo titles were becoming more popular on digital form rather than the physical cartridge. I got a taste of FFVII when visiting a friend's house where he played it on a PC but me being more of a racing or fighting aficionado, didn't take the game much into account. I got to play a demo of FFVIII after my purchase of Brave Fencer Musashi since it came packaged with the game. I believe the Squaresoft - Enix merger had not taken place yet.
Decent game.
My gaming activity then decreased around my teen years since I had to enter the workforce due to my parent's divorce. In the latter part of high school I got me a PS2 and with it GT3. Shortly after I got FFX per a friend's suggestion. The 11th installment did not draw my attention since 1) It had a $100 price tag and 2) I would have to get internet at home to play it. FFXII as far as I can remember took a while to release after FFXI and so I felt it was taking forever and when it finally did release I was busy with the God Of War and Onimusha series among others.And that brings us to the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII.
Love it, hate it; you know you'll play it.
FFXIII was first announced at E3 in 2006. Having had all prior installments since VII on a Playstation console, it was pretty much given that this upcoming title would make its appearance on the upcoming Playstation 3 console. I won't go into the game's story since we all know that story is usually by default very good since it's one major component of the series that keeps it alive. At E3 2008 came an announcement that pretty much set forth a sentiment of sourness, loathing, dislike...basically something that has culminated in an ongoing fanboy battle to the never ending console wars of this generation.
I think it's safe to say that a good portion of people who purchased a PS3 did it with the intent of one day playing, what they had gotten accustomed to being, exclusives: Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, God of War, Final Fantasy, Ratchet and Clank, etc. I also think that it's safe to say that with the Xbox 360 not being a Japanese console, it's priority was the U.S. market and then the rest of the globe; thus the JRPG genre wasn't as prevalent on the console as it was on Sony's.
Up until E3 2008 you could probably expect the xbox fanboys' attitude towards FFXIII as one of uncaring. They saw FFXIII as an unappealing title since it wasn't an FPS (the craze at the time) and because them being 2 years after the initial trailer, PS3 fanboys had no real gameplay or footage on the game. PS3 fanboys manged to keep the hope alive thinking the wait would be well worth it. After E3 and the announcement of a title now going multiplatform, the attitude took a quick turn...
Almost overnight the attitude of the xbox camp became one of ridicule towards the ps3 camp. On the ps3 camp emerged a thought of betrayal and slight anger towards Square-Enix (SE). While most remained upset at SE, some (like yours truly) focused their attention to another title that was still 'exclusive': Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
As of the date of this post, the title REMAINS a PS3 exclusive. In the months following E3, gamers would find out more about the title via gameplay footage, new trailers and an actual demo. The demo would come in the way of a bonus feature in the Advent Children Blu-Ray film. Obviously the aforementioned package did very well in Japan but not in the west where the demo would not be part of the film. In 2009 details emerged on the actual specifications of the game where Sony's console showed to be the ideal one to play the game in. Due to the storage limitations of DVDs when compared to Blu-Ray discs, FFXIII would come in multiple discs (3) on the Xbox while PS3 owners would just have 1 Blu-Ray in which the audio and video would be uncompressed unlike the Xbox port.
FFXIII released in Japan in December, 2009 and sold over 1.5 million copies on release week. SE had previously announced that despite the title going multiplat, Japan (Asian region) would only see the PS3 version of the title while the rest of the globe would get both versions; North America in March 2010.
We're currently about 1 month away from this title's release in the U.S. In the last couple of months there has been a growing sentiment of hate towards SE from the Sony camp. As an active surfer of game sites, I've been seeing the Sony camp in the last couple of weeks just showing no affection towards the title over 2 things: gameplay and content.
The hardcore JRPG followers don't seem content with FFXIII's gameplay. Apparently, in FFXIII you have an active turn battle format which hasn't been seen since FFX. Unlike FFX though, the player can only control 1 character at a time during battle. This doesn't sit well with those that have been following the series since its first installment on a Sony platform (FFVII) or those since its days on the Nintendo platforms. FF wasn't the first to implement turn battles but it was a big reason that they grew in popularity. Up until FFXI and XII, all encounters were turn based more or less while the aforementioned where more of an MMO battle style setup. People on the Sony camp feel that having control over 1 character doesn't make the game feel like a true FF title since it takes away the tactical element and thus lowering the need to formulate a strategy.
Content is the 2nd major component for loathing of this title by the Sony camp. SE's multiplat announcement was followed by details of the North American and European releases: both versions would be developed so as to be near identical (as is the case with any multiplat). The Sony fans took this as another way to say that the PS3 version would be 'held back' due to the xbox's storage limitation and perhaps graphics capabilities. Many were let down when they realized that Japanese voices wouldn't be an option on the American version since the audio on the xbox would be compressed and so a 2nd audio option was out of the question. Then, in January it was discovered (via internet leaks and such) that there was content cut out of the game. This content was apparently substantial since it could almost have been its own game. Sony followers saw this as the utmost sign of the xbox's limitations and the result on the PS3 being held back. Some claimed that the lack of towns and NPCs in the game was tied to the DVD's storage limitations. I don't believe one should blame it all on the DVD since the content was apparently set for PS3 hardware. Many speculate this content will come back via Downloadable Content.
As far as the xbox camp, I haven't seen how they're reacting to all this. I've seen some show much eagerness to get to play an FF title on their console. It is apparent that JRPGs haven't been that successful on Microsoft's console this generation, but this one may change that. I've also seen that those that own both consoles will obviously opt to purchase the PS3 version. It's safe to say that Microsoft anticipated that owners of multiple consoles would get the PS3 version and for those that own neither, they'd buy a PS3 to play the title now that the PS3 has been enjoying good sales from its price cut, thus enter:
Earlier this week the FFXIII bundle was leaked (now confirmed). A PS3 bundle was released in Japan back at the end of 2009 but no indications of it coming to the U.S. Will this bundle push units? Only time will tell.
My thoughts on this issue:
Let me start off by saying that though I can side with the fanboys on how things have played out, when I take a step back and see this through a different perspective I can't really blame Microsoft or Square-Enix that much because simply stated, these companies are running a business. By bringing this long awaited title to an already successful franchise on more than 1 platform you are clearly increasing your potential revenue. Then, by bundling it with your console you are strategically trying to get people to get your version despite claims that it will be the 'inferior' one. Often, gamers will forget that gaming is indeed a business and so sometimes actions will be taken as bad or wrong as they seem; just look at how much the FPS and the Music game playing cows have been milked. Yes, many get tired of seeing iterations of the same titles over and over. However, as long as the average consumer, the 'masses,' keep on buying those titles, they will keep getting produced on a yearly basis. Many ridiculed the Wii for being non-HD and with last gen graphics but look at where that strategy got them; it was Nintendo's business decision to keep the console on a low spec setup since most people were not ready to go into the HD TV market and motion control would be their thing.
I think it's safe to say that a good portion of people who purchased a PS3 did it with the intent of one day playing, what they had gotten accustomed to being, exclusives: Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, God of War, Final Fantasy, Ratchet and Clank, etc. I also think that it's safe to say that with the Xbox 360 not being a Japanese console, it's priority was the U.S. market and then the rest of the globe; thus the JRPG genre wasn't as prevalent on the console as it was on Sony's.
Up until E3 2008 you could probably expect the xbox fanboys' attitude towards FFXIII as one of uncaring. They saw FFXIII as an unappealing title since it wasn't an FPS (the craze at the time) and because them being 2 years after the initial trailer, PS3 fanboys had no real gameplay or footage on the game. PS3 fanboys manged to keep the hope alive thinking the wait would be well worth it. After E3 and the announcement of a title now going multiplatform, the attitude took a quick turn...
Almost overnight the attitude of the xbox camp became one of ridicule towards the ps3 camp. On the ps3 camp emerged a thought of betrayal and slight anger towards Square-Enix (SE). While most remained upset at SE, some (like yours truly) focused their attention to another title that was still 'exclusive': Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
Hope?
As of the date of this post, the title REMAINS a PS3 exclusive. In the months following E3, gamers would find out more about the title via gameplay footage, new trailers and an actual demo. The demo would come in the way of a bonus feature in the Advent Children Blu-Ray film. Obviously the aforementioned package did very well in Japan but not in the west where the demo would not be part of the film. In 2009 details emerged on the actual specifications of the game where Sony's console showed to be the ideal one to play the game in. Due to the storage limitations of DVDs when compared to Blu-Ray discs, FFXIII would come in multiple discs (3) on the Xbox while PS3 owners would just have 1 Blu-Ray in which the audio and video would be uncompressed unlike the Xbox port.
Early perceptions of the xbox port.
FFXIII released in Japan in December, 2009 and sold over 1.5 million copies on release week. SE had previously announced that despite the title going multiplat, Japan (Asian region) would only see the PS3 version of the title while the rest of the globe would get both versions; North America in March 2010.
We're currently about 1 month away from this title's release in the U.S. In the last couple of months there has been a growing sentiment of hate towards SE from the Sony camp. As an active surfer of game sites, I've been seeing the Sony camp in the last couple of weeks just showing no affection towards the title over 2 things: gameplay and content.
The hardcore JRPG followers don't seem content with FFXIII's gameplay. Apparently, in FFXIII you have an active turn battle format which hasn't been seen since FFX. Unlike FFX though, the player can only control 1 character at a time during battle. This doesn't sit well with those that have been following the series since its first installment on a Sony platform (FFVII) or those since its days on the Nintendo platforms. FF wasn't the first to implement turn battles but it was a big reason that they grew in popularity. Up until FFXI and XII, all encounters were turn based more or less while the aforementioned where more of an MMO battle style setup. People on the Sony camp feel that having control over 1 character doesn't make the game feel like a true FF title since it takes away the tactical element and thus lowering the need to formulate a strategy.
Doesn't look like they're taking turns...
Content is the 2nd major component for loathing of this title by the Sony camp. SE's multiplat announcement was followed by details of the North American and European releases: both versions would be developed so as to be near identical (as is the case with any multiplat). The Sony fans took this as another way to say that the PS3 version would be 'held back' due to the xbox's storage limitation and perhaps graphics capabilities. Many were let down when they realized that Japanese voices wouldn't be an option on the American version since the audio on the xbox would be compressed and so a 2nd audio option was out of the question. Then, in January it was discovered (via internet leaks and such) that there was content cut out of the game. This content was apparently substantial since it could almost have been its own game. Sony followers saw this as the utmost sign of the xbox's limitations and the result on the PS3 being held back. Some claimed that the lack of towns and NPCs in the game was tied to the DVD's storage limitations. I don't believe one should blame it all on the DVD since the content was apparently set for PS3 hardware. Many speculate this content will come back via Downloadable Content.
As far as the xbox camp, I haven't seen how they're reacting to all this. I've seen some show much eagerness to get to play an FF title on their console. It is apparent that JRPGs haven't been that successful on Microsoft's console this generation, but this one may change that. I've also seen that those that own both consoles will obviously opt to purchase the PS3 version. It's safe to say that Microsoft anticipated that owners of multiple consoles would get the PS3 version and for those that own neither, they'd buy a PS3 to play the title now that the PS3 has been enjoying good sales from its price cut, thus enter:
xbox + 2 controllers + game = $399 bargain!
Earlier this week the FFXIII bundle was leaked (now confirmed). A PS3 bundle was released in Japan back at the end of 2009 but no indications of it coming to the U.S. Will this bundle push units? Only time will tell.
My thoughts on this issue:
Let me start off by saying that though I can side with the fanboys on how things have played out, when I take a step back and see this through a different perspective I can't really blame Microsoft or Square-Enix that much because simply stated, these companies are running a business. By bringing this long awaited title to an already successful franchise on more than 1 platform you are clearly increasing your potential revenue. Then, by bundling it with your console you are strategically trying to get people to get your version despite claims that it will be the 'inferior' one. Often, gamers will forget that gaming is indeed a business and so sometimes actions will be taken as bad or wrong as they seem; just look at how much the FPS and the Music game playing cows have been milked. Yes, many get tired of seeing iterations of the same titles over and over. However, as long as the average consumer, the 'masses,' keep on buying those titles, they will keep getting produced on a yearly basis. Many ridiculed the Wii for being non-HD and with last gen graphics but look at where that strategy got them; it was Nintendo's business decision to keep the console on a low spec setup since most people were not ready to go into the HD TV market and motion control would be their thing.
He will outsell any FPS...what would a Mario FPS look like? (mindblown!)
Any who, going into March I will say that FFXIII will get a place in my library on release week. In playing other JRPGs (Demon's Souls and White Knight Chronicles) I have realized that SE is not the only good JRPG maker out there. I'm not done with WKC and I'm eager to hear about the sequel that is in the works. I will remain optimistic and hope a 2nd Demon's Souls gets made. Like the Sony fans that took most of their attention from XIII to Versus XIII, I am eagerly awaiting actual gameplay and more footage on this title that's remained quite a mystery ever since it was announced.
I'll briefly mention that FFXIV is supposedly set to launch sometime this year and is more or less a sequel to XI which means online MMO action for those that are into it. Announced as a PS3 and PC exclusive at E3 2009, it has lately been seen that the title will be going to the xbox as well. Yes, this is probably not a surprise to those that believe SE is a sellout (like your mom).
So to end this now lengthy post. I think people from both sides should end their bickering and just buy the game on whichever console they believe will give them the best experience. Yes, it sucks that FF will no longer be exclusive to the console that saw it come along in technology and story or gameplay innovation. BUT let's not forget that Nintendo was home to FF before it moved to Sony's platforms.
In any event, SE is a business whether you like it or not. Final Fantasy XIII will be a great title to grace us in 2009 among others. Like it for its visuals or hate it for its gameplay, it will always be branded and sit alongside the long list of FF titles.
Lets hope Versus remains exclusive and shows off what FFXIII could have been.
I now leave you with the last GoW 3 trailer before launch. Why? Cause it's fucking awesome (like your mom).
ciao!
I'll briefly mention that FFXIV is supposedly set to launch sometime this year and is more or less a sequel to XI which means online MMO action for those that are into it. Announced as a PS3 and PC exclusive at E3 2009, it has lately been seen that the title will be going to the xbox as well. Yes, this is probably not a surprise to those that believe SE is a sellout (like your mom).
So to end this now lengthy post. I think people from both sides should end their bickering and just buy the game on whichever console they believe will give them the best experience. Yes, it sucks that FF will no longer be exclusive to the console that saw it come along in technology and story or gameplay innovation. BUT let's not forget that Nintendo was home to FF before it moved to Sony's platforms.
In any event, SE is a business whether you like it or not. Final Fantasy XIII will be a great title to grace us in 2009 among others. Like it for its visuals or hate it for its gameplay, it will always be branded and sit alongside the long list of FF titles.
Lets hope Versus remains exclusive and shows off what FFXIII could have been.
I now leave you with the last GoW 3 trailer before launch. Why? Cause it's fucking awesome (like your mom).
ciao!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Amigo's Review: The Book of Eli
Hello friends!
It's been a while since my last movie review, but hopefully we'll have more in this new year. I probably should have done a review of Avatar but if you haven't seen it by this point then shame on you because as someone who doesn't see too much movies there's no excuse that there's a movie I have seen and you haven't...that plus it's one of the better films I've seen in a while. I digress.
Premise: The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic earth. There is not much talk about how/when the world got to this point but the idea is that one day (30+ years prior to the film) there was a great 'flash' that pretty much wiped out most of civilazion. I will assume the flash was either a cause of a solar flare that penetrated the earth's atmosphere or that we nuked ourselves...probably the latter.
The story follows a man, Eli, (Denzel Washington) who is headed west (USA most likely) and along the way you find out that most people either live in small towns or as nomads trying to find food and water to stay alive. Along his journey, Eli comes across a town that is run by a literate man who has men at his disposal to do his dirty work. This man is in search of a book that will give him complete control over all people he encounters (most people are illiterate) since he will use the book as a way of instilling their minds with that which is essentially religion.
An encounter with Eli reveals that both the head mob guy and Eli are the only ones that are literate (as far as they know). The mob guy manages to discover that Eli carries a book which after described by a servant girl hints at being the same book he seeks for power. Eli however has no plans to stick around the town nor hand over the book and a pursuit of this wandering man soon ensues.
Around this same time, an unwanted follower, the girl that snitched on Eli (Mila Kunis), joins the journey and then we are set for a showdown between good and evil.
<>
Pros:
+Good picture: most of the movie has a hint of "nothingness"; the clouds and landscapes are dull in color, nothing bright or colorful, it's like everything is just a shade of brown or grey.
+Good action sequences: though not many, they're pretty good and Denzel pulls it off nicely (like your mom)
+Good story overall
Cons:
-Not enough background: I would have liked more info or perhaps some flash back to how the world got to that point
-Not enough action sequences: (see above); I could have used more
-Ending could have been 'different' or not presented in a semi cliffhanger sense.
Overall I thought it was a good film that people should consider watching if they like some drama, a little action and an interesting story about the future and how people behave and survive.
This movie gets 4.0 out of 5.0 of my mexican rocking beans
It's been a while since my last movie review, but hopefully we'll have more in this new year. I probably should have done a review of Avatar but if you haven't seen it by this point then shame on you because as someone who doesn't see too much movies there's no excuse that there's a movie I have seen and you haven't...that plus it's one of the better films I've seen in a while. I digress.
Pictured: the future...
Premise: The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic earth. There is not much talk about how/when the world got to this point but the idea is that one day (30+ years prior to the film) there was a great 'flash' that pretty much wiped out most of civilazion. I will assume the flash was either a cause of a solar flare that penetrated the earth's atmosphere or that we nuked ourselves...probably the latter.
The story follows a man, Eli, (Denzel Washington) who is headed west (USA most likely) and along the way you find out that most people either live in small towns or as nomads trying to find food and water to stay alive. Along his journey, Eli comes across a town that is run by a literate man who has men at his disposal to do his dirty work. This man is in search of a book that will give him complete control over all people he encounters (most people are illiterate) since he will use the book as a way of instilling their minds with that which is essentially religion.
No, not this book...but save it though.
An encounter with Eli reveals that both the head mob guy and Eli are the only ones that are literate (as far as they know). The mob guy manages to discover that Eli carries a book which after described by a servant girl hints at being the same book he seeks for power. Eli however has no plans to stick around the town nor hand over the book and a pursuit of this wandering man soon ensues.
Around this same time, an unwanted follower, the girl that snitched on Eli (Mila Kunis), joins the journey and then we are set for a showdown between good and evil.
<>
Pros:
+Good picture: most of the movie has a hint of "nothingness"; the clouds and landscapes are dull in color, nothing bright or colorful, it's like everything is just a shade of brown or grey.
+Good action sequences: though not many, they're pretty good and Denzel pulls it off nicely (like your mom)
+Good story overall
Cons:
-Not enough background: I would have liked more info or perhaps some flash back to how the world got to that point
-Not enough action sequences: (see above); I could have used more
-Ending could have been 'different' or not presented in a semi cliffhanger sense.
Overall I thought it was a good film that people should consider watching if they like some drama, a little action and an interesting story about the future and how people behave and survive.
This movie gets 4.0 out of 5.0 of my mexican rocking beans
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