Archive – Page 68 – The Recycle Bin

Is inFAMOUS worth a full price purchase?

I am trying to establish a new cardinal rule of game purchases. I am still working out the details, but one no-no has to be instant gratification purchases of new games. As I have learned in the past, if I do not have time to play a game, or if I do not have the patience to work my way through a complicated control system, the game just sits around collecting dust.

Enter inFAMOUS. It looks really good. In fact, this Australian site rates this one a “steal” … as in, Microsoft should dig deep in their pockets to figure out how to get the game to the 360. Of course I do not see this happening anytime soon because Sucker Punch is too closely aligned with Sony, but stranger things have happened before.

While I personally don’t think it will be a Game of the Year-type title, it is without question a fantastic game, and all 360 owners who are bored of Prototype should be very jealous of this fantastic, superior game.

If some of you 360 owners are lucky enough to have a PS3 as well, definitely pick this one up and have a go.

Would we steal this title for the 360?
Steal It? YES!

I do not see me picking this one up unless I can get some sort of discount. I still have to pay off Pangya and my HDD/USB drive purchases.

PS3 HDD upgrade in the works.

I finally decided that it was time for a PS3 HDD upgrade. As I wrote a few days ago, my 60GB PS3 HDD is full, and I am less than satisfied. It is not like I have a ton of games, demos, and content. I have been struggling to regain space by removing demos and videos. I am now down to 3-4 demos, some games that I purchased from the PlayStation Store, and all thirteen Qore episodes. A 60GB HDD is just not going to cut it.

I did manage to get to about 7GB of free space by removing some old game saves. There is no longer any reason to keep around several versions of Madden, NCAA Football, and MLB game data. It looks like one of the biggest space hogs is Elder Scrolls save data.

I am going to follow the upgrade instructions listed here after I receive my new HDD and USB HDD. For this project I decided to try a Western Digital 250GB drive. It looks like the key to PS3 capability is a 5400 RPM Sata 2.5 inch notebook HDD. I picked this one up from Amazon for $59.99. To backup the PS3 and some my laptop’s media (data files, iTunes music, pictures, etc) I went with a 320GB Western Digital My Passport USB HDD from Amazon for $89.99. I figure this will be enough to backup my new PS3 HDD and then some.

The new PS3 HDD and Passport should be here Wednesday thanks to second day Amazon Prime shipping. The upgrade article says that replacing the PS3 HDD will take all of 10 mins. I will of course report back here and post the results.

Pangya: Fantasy Golf (PSP)

Over the weekend I decided to do something unusual. You might even call it down right crazy. Not only did I preorder a game for my PSP, I preordered a golf game that happens to be one of those goofy anime offerings. Pangya: Fantasy Golf is scheduled for release June 23; Amazon should have the game delivered to my front door by towards the end of the week.

I decided that I wanted to invigorate my PSP with something new, and I wanted to see if a quick pick up and play game of anime style golf would get me posting. Although I have been posting a lot over the last few days, is it really sustainable? Am I really going to offer up some first impressions of Pangya?

Time will tell. Until we get this sorted out, click on this link for the latest Pangya: Fantasy Golf news.

PS3 downloads in slow-mo?

My PS3 has always seemed to download content slowly; too slowly for my liking. My wireless network seems to be pretty quick, at least for my laptops, but not so much for my PS3. I have thought about it enough to consider wiring up the PS3 directly to a router to see if I can get a much needed boost in performance.

To make matters worse, according to this article, it appears that the PS3 is no longer downloading content in the background while games are playing. [As this article went to press, the link was removed. Not sure if it is because the contents are inaccurate, negative reaction from readers, etc.]

So if you are downloading multiple things from the PS Store in the background such as a movie, and some demos, whichever thing you started first will download completely and then the next thing. The thing that aggravates that though is that apparently any background downloads completely stops once you launch a game, if it has an online component. What the?

That would explain why it took so long to download some of the recent E3 videos and June edition of Qore. I need to test this myself and see if this article is accurate.

Amazon Gold Box Deals (9PM)

I wonder if Amazon has enjoyed all the free advertising? I mean from other sites; the traffic here hardly makes a dent in redirects to Amazon. I guess since I am an Amazon partner, I should setup actual partner links so I have an opportunity to get some sort of kickback. Oh well …

WWE Legends of Wrestlemania
Gold Box Price: $39.98 (Amazon $56.99). Not a chance. Oh well, I was hopeful for something that would float my boat.

Amazon Gold Box Deals (6PM)

Dinner time finally offers up the penultimate deal of the day. Nice word, but without meaning if I count wrong as in my last deal post!

Fallout 3 Collector’s Edition
Gold Box Price: $45.98 (Amazon $59.99). I am sorely tempted to pick this one up. Temptation is calling. Only two things are holding me back. First, I have already spent a ton of money today between my seven year-old’s birthday festivities, and a couple of other video game projects (teaser for check back here tomorrow). Second, I don’t think I really need the collector’s edition. If I look at it that way, this is not that much of a discount.

I am going to think about it and check back later.

Amazon Gold Box Deals (3PM)

Tea time gives us the penultimate [oops; there are still two more offerings in front of us] another deal of the day. Of the offerings so far, this one is by far the most expensive, but it also looks like it is selling very quickly. Not sure if that has to do with the time of day, the quality of the game, or the popularity of the Guitar Hero franchise.

Guitar Hero Metallica
Gold Box Price: $39.98 (Amazon $46.99). If I had any sort of musical talent, this would probably be a great snag. Then again, I probably would have already had the game in my library. As it stands, I am looking towards the last release to see if my Gold Box blogging day scores me a new addition to my PS3 library at a nicely discounted price.

Amazon Gold Box Deals (1PM)

Just in time for desert, Amazon offers us another deal, which affords me the opportunity for yet another blog update. Too bad the game is not at all something that I would consider purchasing, even at a steep discount.

Tom Clancy’s HAWX
Gold Box Price: $29.98 (Amazon $56.99). It has been a while since I touched an Air Combat game; HAWX seems to be of that mold. I think I would have pulled the trigger if this one came in a little cheaper, but as it is, I am now 0-3 on the day. I did have one “super secret” purchase for a PSP title that will be released tomorrow, but that has nothing to do with the Gold Box Lightning deals.

Amazon Gold Box Deals (9AM)

Another deal; another blog update …

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition
Gold Box Price: $39.98 (Amazon $49.99). Metacritic has this one at a so-so 73, but users rate it an 8.8. Me? I probably would not attempt this one unless it was under $20. I am just not that into super hero based platformers.

Amazon Gold Box Deals (6AM)

Yesterday I read somewhere (I think n4g) that Amazon would be running PS3 Gold Box Deals all day long. My middle son is 7 today (happy b-day Nathan!), so I am going to be around and about all today, which gives me a rare opportunity to do some serious blogging.

I am going to do some play by play for the deals …

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for PS3
Gold Box Price: $28.98 (List $49.99). Great price, but this type of thing is just not my cup of tea. I know it is not the same, but the original Resistance game was my last attempt at any sort of military shooter. I don’t have the manual dexterity to manipulate the controller to get the most out of the games. I would have made a below average AD&D thief.

Digital Distribution Comes Calling

Over the weekend, the SixAxis posted an interesting article titled Digital Distribution: Is It The Future?. Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Nintendo, and others are already making a ton of coin off of download purchases, but Sony is taking it to a whole new level with the PSPgo.

Whilst the progression of digital downloads seems positive there’s no doubt in my mind that this won’t signify the death of high street retail. Cutting out the shops with the PSP Go is a risky move but one that is eased by the continuation of the standard PSP 3000. Committing to a download only service on a full console will amplify that risk tenfold. Regardless of the benefits, all the major players in the industry need the Games and the Argos’ for those street level sales and the ever important route to market.

For years I have purchased games, and turned around and sold the games on eBay after I was decided I was finished, decided a game was rubbish, or maybe the game sat on a shelf too long collecting dust. Digital downloads eliminate any chance for some sort of recovery, even an insignificant $5 for a really old and under played game. I suppose this is the reason why digital media is so important to the big publishers.

I do not see how consoles can go all digital. As the article points out, a whole industry would collapse. I can see micro transactions becoming increasing popular. You buy the base game, and then pay to download extras. That is sort of the best of both worlds for retail stores and the major publishers. Maybe annual subscriptions for certain games, but I do not see this as a well received option for console gamers.

I would not be that opposed to digital downloads if the prices were decent; say $9.99 for a game. Right now, PSP downloads are off the chart in terms of price, so it will be interesting to watch PSPgo sales numbers, and which PlayStation Network Store games prove to be the most popular.

Racing games radar update.

Thanks to Ferrari Challenge, and the blazing summer heat, my racing jones is back on in full force. I have spent a little time with Ferrari Challenge over the last couple of days, and I have to say that this is one of the best $18 purchases I can remember making. With that said, it is time to start window shopping for some upcoming racing game purchases …

SuperCar Challenge
First up on the list has to be the upcoming sequel to Ferrari Challenge. These videos from UK chequeredpad look fantastic.

With no confirmed US release, I suppose this one will just go to the back burner. Hopefully a US publisher will pick this one up because it looks balls out fun.

F1 2010
I would like an updated F1 game. Nothing confirmed; these screens from The SixAxis will have to do.

It looks like there is an upcoming F1 2009 release for the Wii and the PSP; at least in the UK. I am not sure why Codemasters chose handhelds and the Wii for F1, but I suppose they know their market segments that they are trying to reach.

Need for Speed: SHIFT
Is the NFS series really going to get a reboot? Will the series return to its roots from the early days? By early days, I mean 3DO (remember that one?) and the first PSX release? Last week PlayStation Life posted a brief E3 hands on impression of the upcoming game.

Despite how different it is from past NFS title, fans of the series will definitely appreciate the advances that SM Studios and EA are bringing to the racing genre. The game will have an extensive customization feature that will cover everything from the car body to the tires, and has a dynamic reward system that keeps track of, for example, how many cars the play passes, how many vehicles they take out, and how good their driving performance was. The demo was a lot of fun, and we can’t wait to see how the final product turns out.

I still do not have a firm grip on how the game balances simulation and arcade aspects of the game. For racing titles, I lean much more in the simulation direction, but fun factor is a must. This one merits close tracking on the radar.

End notes and wish list …
What else? Of course the PSP release of Gran Turismo and big bother Gran Turismo 5 for the PS3. On my wish list, I would like to seen an updated IRL game, or at least a game that comes close to simulating stock and open wheel cars in the mode of the now classic Andretti Racing for the PSX. I would also love a Le Mans type racing game; an updated 24 Hours of Le Mans would be lovely. I am sure there are others, but we have just taken the checkered flag, so all for now.

Miracle in Rustenburgo.

A 3 – nil victory over Egypt is hardly a miracle, but man does this one feel good! At the start of the Confederations Cup I said I was expecting a 1-1-1 record; anything else was a bonus. I figured that the US would end up with a tie and a loss in the first two games. I really did not expect the U.S. to advance, and as I wrote this morning, today I was just looking for the National Team to show some pride. They did that and more as they kicked the crap out of Egypt on the way to advancing to the semis this Wednesday against Spain.

Today Team USA was not altogether pretty. The defense continued to be exposed, and the good side turned the ball over too much in the middle of the pitch. The U.S. pounded the ball, and had plenty of quality shots. In the end, the results could have been even better. But why complain about the score?

Thanks to Brazil’s 3-0 spanking of Italy, the US, and their 1-2-0 record advance on tie breakers, despite losing to Italy at the start of the tournament. Who would have guessed?

USA! USA! USA!

Activision kicks Sony in the shin.

A flurry of blog postings, fanboy ranting and rambling was came to a head over the last 48 hours after Activision CEO Bobby Kotick’s statement that Activision would cut bait on the PS3 if something did not change soon. EndSights gets straight to the point on this one:

“As you can see, the PlayStation 3 in 2008 did provide the least amount of revenue for the company in the console segment — but $241 million in revenue on a $1.294 billion in revenue still represents 18.6 percent of Activision’s console business. That might not seem extremely significant to everyone reading, but in the corporate and financial world, the PlayStation 3 inhabits a chunk of revenue and profit that provides growth potential to prospective investors. In short, dropping PlayStation 3 support would be akin to committing stock price suicide.”

In other words, the tempest in a teapot was for naught. Yes, the PS3 needs another price cut. A reduced price will help Sony, its third party publishers, and of course would help the PS3 from losing more traction to the 360. Activision is not moving away from the PS3 anytime soon.

Sunday is sports day.

Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there, strolling through the virtual goodness of the internet. What better way to kick off Sunday morning than a cup of coffee, and a hefty portion of Sunday sports.

U.S. vs. Egypt – Confederations Cup
Team USA takes on Egypt this afternoon in Confederations Cup action. Forget about the U.S. advancing to the next round and all that jazz. While it is mathematically possible for the U.S. to advance, I do not see Team USA clearing on goal differential; the U.S. is just not that creative, lacks a serious attacking striker. Besides, the defense will let us down at some point in the game with a boneheaded mistake.

At this point I just want to see Team USA not completely embarrass itself against Egypt. I known Italy and Brazil are the best of the best (FIFA #4 and #5 respectively as of June 3), but we should not be out of our league against top competition. Egypt is ranked #40, so this afternoon is a good chance to show if we are going make a decent recovery or if we just want to pack up and go home with our tails tucked between our legs.

Silverstone no more?
I thought watching the British GP this morning would be a nice Father’s Day treat, but no, Fox has to start their annual 3-4 mid season delayed broadcasts. In this day and age of “I want everything now” I really do not care much for trying to avoid results until after lunch, and then watching a race that ended several hours ago. Instead I will probably watch the IRL Iowa Car IndyCar 250 (I shit you not; that is the name), but back to F1. Silverstone seems to get no respect, at a delayed broadcast is a fitting end to this historic track.

Infineon – NASCAR style
It is always fun watching the circle boys race at Sonoma. Going into qualifying I would have picked Jeff Gordon, JPM, Kyle Bush, Sam Hornish Jr., and Tony Stewart – in that order. After qualifying, I think these guys have a decent shot, but it is just as likely the checker will go to someone else. Who? Not sure, but Gordon has not had much luck this year, Montoya is too far back, Bush will be too aggressive and make a mistake, and Stewart will not have a strong road race project. Of course Stewart has been defying such predictions all year.

I would love to see Montoya make the Chase, but I think this is almost a must win for Gordon. He needs more bonus points; one race victory is going to leave him as at disadvantage to everyone else in the Chase.

Going with hired gun Boris Said would be the easy pick for a Chase buster, so I am going to go back to Gordon, Stewart, and JPM.