PS3 – Page 17 – The Recycle Bin

Demon’s Souls

I did something a little uncharacteristic. Something a little out of the ordinary. Dare I say impulsive. For the first time in a long time I actually saw an ad for a game I knew nothing about, and ended up doing the preorder thing from Amazon.

I am not sure where I first came across Atlus Games’ Demon’s Souls earlier today, but I saw an ad, checked out the site, and then headed to metacritic. The game sounded interesting, the propaganda hooked me, and the reviews convinced me that I should give this one a go.

This review from Ace Gamez gives, which gives Demon’s Souls 10 out of 10, pretty much convinced me that I should pre order the game.

Completion of the first level also pries open four additional worlds, each broken down into four or five individual stages, and it is then that Demon’s Souls’ design genius first hits home. It’s more open ended than open world, but nonetheless the options are rife. Suddenly there are five unique worlds to explore at your own pace, each more challenging than the last. Stonefang Tunnel, a dwarven mine now corrupted with lizardmen, taunts you deeper into its fiery depths, culminating in a set piece battle with the Dragon God demon. The more sinister Tower of Latria, on the other hand, is a jail populated by octopus-headed illithids which not only sound the part, with shiver-inducing bells that ring as they walk and cast spells, but also prove particularly challenging to overcome. Stuck on a particular stage? Cut your losses and try another world. Each will take many attempts and repetition is unavoidable, but the solid level design, varied and challenging enemies and the overarching freedom to dabble where you will cleverly alleviates any monotony.

I decided to go with the Deluxe Edition, and Amazon is offering the FREE Release-Date Delivery option, which means I get this puppy October 6.

Console Wars: How cash affects third party developers.

I thought this was an extremely interesting article from Sankaku Complex (via N4G) [Content warning – some readers may be offended by the anime links and images contained throughout the site.]

The article outlines how Microsoft will pony up money for an exclusive 360 title. At some point the game will be ported to the PS3, but Sony demands that the game contain extra content in order to be superior to the 360 version.

Responding to the complaints of Xbox 360 Tales of Vesperia beta testers, a developer has laid bare the not so shocking truth of just how Namco was paid off by Microsoft to secure an “exclusive” release, but instead merely used the Xbox subsidy to reduce development costs on the PS3 version, which it expected to sell better.

All in all, an interesting read, and is another example of an article that is full of fun user comments. It is funny how emotional gamers get about their systems. You have fans of both camps spinning this one left and right, all for a game that will hardly make a dent on the charts.

Console wars are interesting in Europe.

Not says me, but according to Good Gear Guide (Australian based something or another site found via N4G).

This places the Sony PS3 in a commanding position to usurp the Xbox 360 and Wii as Europe’s best-selling console. (Prior to the launch of the Slim, the original PlayStation 3 was only a million units behind its competitors in this territory.) The success of the PS3 Slim has been echoed around the globe, with total worldwide sales estimated at 500,000 — and that’s in its first week alone. With its inbuilt Blu-ray player, integrated Wi-Fi and free online gaming, it’s hard to argue that the PS3 doesn’t offer better value for money than its competitors (provided you actually want all of these things, of course).

Whichever way you look at it, it would seem that the price is finally right for hesitant PS3 buyers. One thing’s for sure, the console wars are about to get a lot more interesting…

Sustainability. That is where it is at. Ask again after Christmas.

Will Chrome be released for the PS3 and PSP?

Could the PS3 and PSP get a new browser in the near future? According the Brutal Gamer, if you connect the dots, a Chrome release is likely to happen.

To be honest the introduction of Chrome on the PS3 or PSP would be an absolute god send. The current browser is fast, almost as fast as Firefox and Chrome and certainly beats the pants off of IE but it needs better integration, more functionality and a streamlined experience. I’m certain that a lot of people spend a scant among of time using the browser on their PS3 but for the occasions that I do use it, knowing that a more feature rich browser like Chrome is under the hood would give me greater confidence. I think it would ultimately encourage me to use the system more for my browsing needs rather than get up off the sofa and goto the PC or laptop.

I am not a big fan of the PS3 or PSP browser, so I would welcome a switch to Chrome. Hope it happens!

More Final Fantasy Conundrums

There is nothing like a PS3 vs. Xbox 360 controversy to heat up the N4G charts. Add in a dash of Final Fantasy XIII is being compromised due to the limited capabilities of the non Blu-ray system, and you have the makings for a serious chart topper. This story from PS3Center makes the case that the PS3 version, which is the ideal platform for FFXIII, is not going to be perfect.

Many PS3 fans were looking forward to playing the PS3 version of the game with the Japanese voices with English subtitles. It was safe to assume that this would be the case at least for the PS3 version, because it didn’t have the size constraints of a DVD, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm has this so why wouldn’t Final Fantasy right? Wrong. Due to the limitations of the DVD, the PS3 version of the game has been compromised in order to “keep both versions of the game identical.” This was confirmed with Final Fantasy XIII’s producer in an interview with GameTrailers.

He specifically mentions here that it is because they want to keep the game the same on both platforms, is that the Xbox 360 version not affecting the PS3 version? How hard can it be to include the Japanese audio track in the game? It will most likely include English subtitles anyway; the Japanese language track would simply replace the English language track. Well we can at least hope this will be coming as DLC at a later stage…

What a conundrum for the FF developers/publishers. Keep the game true to form on the PS3 or go after a wider audience and “compromise” FF XIII with a release on the Xbox 360. In the end the potential to make more $$$ always wins out.

PS3 3.0 Firmware causes complaints.

Just when you think you have it all figured out, along comes an article complaining about Sony’s newly released firmware upgrade for the PS3. SCRAWL fx is not at all happy with the newest upgrade, mostly complaining about the lack of major changes in the various new features.

The newly redesigned friends list is hardly a redesign at all. If anything, it complicates the friends list even more by adding a gray but shiny box around each friend, which seems highly unneccesary, and really gives a cluttered feeling to the list. If anything, it shouldn’t even be touted as a new feature, as it’s just an image thrown in the background of a friend. On top of that, there’s no option to customize the color, and with the added space, no trophy information is displayed for each friend without going to their profiles.

Whatever. Gift horse, open your mouth.

Innovation or virtual laziness?

Chalk this one up in the WTF is an EyePet category. As gamers, we always ask game developers to innovate. We do not really want to see Super Duper Deluxe 3, but that is what sells. Enter Sony’s forthcoming EyePet.

It is not really a game. I am not sure how much it can offer in the way of an experience. We have been there and done that before with virtual pets, but this time thanks to the EyeToy, we can now interact with our virtual pets. Seems like a good time, but how long will it last? I could see me purchasing the EyeToy bundle version for $59.99 and discarding the game after the uniqueness wears off. Let’s call it 90 minutes tops.

It will be interesting to see if Sony is rewarded for taking a risk, but I doubt this one will end up on the Top 10 best sellers list.

Where did all the good gaming stories go?

It is kind of a sad state of affairs for the gaming industry, when the “hottest” story on N4G is a “rumor” about a secret PS3 exclusive. Yawn.

According the PSXExtreme their hands are tied, but PS3 owners will be happy with the announcement.

First of all, don’t bother e-mailing us with desperate pleas; those e-mails will go unanswered. Secondly, you can theorize and speculate all you wish but you must always bear in mind that we did not confirm a damn thing. Thirdly, and this much we can almost promise: the game in question is something the vast majority of gamers will likely enjoy, and the only hint we can give you is that it is familiar. Well, we’re talking about a massive upgrade over the last installment, but nevertheless…familiar. The good news is that we might be able to spill the beans on this as early as January or February, but we’re at the mercy of Sony right now. Our source – who is no rumor-starter but the game designer currently working on the project – says his hands are tied on the issue, and we’ll continue to respect that. But if everything goes well, we’d like to think this game will be ready to go by the end of 2010; that may seem like a ways off, but we consider it a damn good reason to own a PS3.

Good grief! I guess I am contributing to the madness. I am going to go out on a limb and say this one is not Sex Simulator 2.000 – A new beginning; however the vast majority of horny teenage gamers and middle age old farts like me enjoy sex (or at least the thought of sex). That would sell like hotcakes. I wonder what I win?

Happy Saturday!

360 sucks at playing Sony first party games.

These kinds of articles make N4G and other feeder services go haywire. Grown men cry; women hide the children. The blogsphere blows up. ars technical just posted an interview with Naughty Dog stating that the Xbox 360 cannot handle the upcoming Unchartered 2.

“I guarantee that this game couldn’t be working on XBox 360. It would be impossible. I’m 100 percent sure of this.” Christophe Balestra, co-president of Naughty Dog, spoke with Ars about the technology behind Uncharted 2, the hugely anticipated follow-up to one of the PS3’s best games: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. “First of all, we fill the Blu-ray 100 percent, we have no room left on this one. We have 25GB of data; we’re using every single bit of it.”

This quote is a candidate for surprise quote of the year.

Sony follows common sense approach to launch new motion controller.

In what I thought was a “duh” moment for Sony, I found this article from gamesindustry.biz somewhat amusing.

Launch titles for the PlayStation 3 motion controller will be compatible with either one controller or two, Sony president Shuhei Yoshida has told Eurogamer.

“We are approaching the launch by making sure that all games that we create can be played with one controller and the camera,” he revealed.

“We will also introduce options for if you happen to have more than one controller available. Experiences will be enhanced if you purchase a second. We are trying to make the entry barrier as low as possible, but I’m looking forward to introducing more advanced things you can do with having two in your hands.”

Could you imagine the reaction from gamers if Sony required you to have two new motion controllers? I am not sure how much these will cost, but assume somewhere in the $39-54 price range. It would be suicide for Sony to force PS3 users to pick up two controllers. If the eyetoy camera thing is also required, the entry fee is going to be pretty steep. I hope the new motion offerings will be far better than average.

The Times interviews Kazuo Hirai about all things PlayStation.

I found this interview from The Times via N4G. There is nothing really new revealed, but I thought it was interesting that Sony is sticking with the 10-year plan thing.

In retrospect, do you wish you had packed less into the PS3?

Had we done less, I think we’d have gotten into a situation where, especially with the way technology ramps up, it would have been very difficult for us to embark on a 10-year life cycle with this particular console.

I think that because of all the things we were able to pack into the platform – Blu-ray’s a great example – we were able to make sure we could take advantage of some of the great services we are offering.

Those things aren’t possible if we didn’t put that kind of power into the platform.

This plan may have worked with the PlayStation and PS2, but I have my doubts that this dubious plan can hold up for the PS3.

Understanding me gaming limits.

When Little Big Planet (LBP) was announced, I was immediately enthusiastic about the game, and put it on my “purchase” list. However, I was smart enough to recognize the true reality of my current gaming situation – I just do not have enough time to put this type of game in my library. It will end up collecting dust. Been there and done that.

Last week the PlayStation Blog announced the Little Big Planet: Game of the Year Edition. It looks like it is full of goodies and extras and whatnots, but I still face the same problem – not having enough time to add LBP to my gaming mix.

I have written about this more and more lately; these days I am a much more discerning gamer when making my gaming purchases. I not only consider price, current time available for gaming, and potential longevity of the game.

For price, there is a big difference between play $59.99 or $29.99 for a Greatest Hits title or a game that has been discounted. I am much more willing to try something different at a lower price point than I am at full MSRP. Recent examples include Ferrari Challenge ($17.99) and Ratchet and Clank TOD ($29.99). I wanted both of these games, but unlike Madden 10, I was not willing to pay full price. I would like a soccer game, but I am not willing to pay $49.99 for FIFA 09 when I know that a new version is only a couple of months away.

I also consider how much time I have available for gaming. At this point in my life my gaming time ebbs and flows with the seasons and various activities. Fall is upon us so Falcons games are coming up, the weather is better for shooting my Beeman R collection, and of course the kids have various sporting activities. In short, I will probably not pick up many games between now and Christmas because I know I just will not have time to play them to their fullest potential regardless of their purchase price.

Finally, when evaluating a game purchase I consider the longevity of a game. I do not mind paying $59.99 for a game if I know that I will play it for 18 (or more months). Take Oblivion for example; that game has so much replay value that I doubt I will ever find time to complete it fully. The exceptions to this rule are sports games – I usually try to sell them on eBay after 6-9 months to attempt to get $30 or so to “reinvest” in the next annual installment.

So back to LBP. It has longevity going for it, but I now deep down inside that I just do not have time to dedicate to this type of game, which is too bad because I am still interested in the game. Maybe one day.

PS3 Negativity Exposed.

I mentioned this the other day – for whatever reason there is an overstated negativity towards Sony and the PS3 in gaming press. The author of Why do the press hate the Sony PlayStaion 3? cites numerous articles after the PS3 Slim and corresponding price drop were announced as examples of pure negative spin.

As you can see, the arrival of the PS3 Slim has done nothing to quell the fires of hatred from the gaming press. For reasons I can’t begin to fathom, fair and balanced journalism seems to have gone out the window when it comes to Sony, with many commentators treating the Nippon conglomerate with as much distaste as a sniffling swine flu victim. Just what has Sony done to tick you all off, exactly? Did Ken Kutaragi pee in your drinks? Did he punch you in the nose or steal your partner? Or is Sony simply an easy target to kick in the butt — like celebrity Tom Cruise or Star Wars character Jar Jar Binks?

This is a pretty good read, and interestingly enough the author claims to not own a PS3.

PS3 Slim tries on a new Cell.

I always find it interesting to see which stories are “burning up” the charts at N4G. Typically it is something very fanboy’ish related, a price cut (see recent PS3 Slim junk), or maybe some nice T&A. One of today’s top items is an article about the new Cell processor in the newly announced PS3 Slim.

Sony has made some enhancements under the hood to boost its processing speed and power efficiency. The gaming console will carry an upgraded version of the Cell microprocessor, which is being jointly developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba.

The new chip has been manufactured using an advanced 45-nanometer manufacturing process, an IBM spokesman said. Based on IBM’s Power architecture, the chip delivers many performance improvements while drawing less power than earlier chips, IBM has said. The earlier console carried a Cell processor manufactured using the 65-nm process. IBM declined to provide the clock speed of the new Cell processor.

It’s smaller, it’s faster, it draws down less power, and it is cheaper to manufacture. Sounds like a winning combination, but it must be a very slow news day if this is the best we can get.

PS3 receives more negative press.

I really do not understand why a lot of members of the game media press despise Sony. I can think of no other way to describe the current hatred when articles like this one in show up on PCWorld.

The NPD Group reports the PlayStation 3 moving only 122,000 units in July, a mere 14,000 more than its predecessor, the PlayStation 2. This is sad news given that the PlayStation 2 is nine years old and totally outdated in its hardware. For comparison’s sake, the Microsoft Xbox 360 moved 203,000 units, and the Nintendo Wii moved [sic] 253,00.

Granted, the numbers suck. Big time. With that said, the worst kept secret around was the upcoming PS3 Slim and price cut. If I had the option of buying now (or then as was the case in July) or waiting 30-60 days for a $100 price cut, I would wait on the price cut. I bet the NPD Group numbers spin in a different direction after the price cuts hit retail.

Then the author provides us with the following gem.

Cutting the price of the PS3 is just slapping a fresh coat of paint on a crumbling house, and it seems to me that no matter what Sony does with its PS3, it may just be doomed to failure.

I guess this depends on your definition of failure, but it seems to me that Sony has finally positioned the PS3 for some measure of success. Will holiday numbers be enough to overcome the 360 and Wii? Probably not. Will momentum help give Sony an advantage in 2010? I think the answer will be yes due to a completive price point and some very desirable first party software titles.

I think Sony launched a system that was too expensive [what I like to call the 3D0 syndrome], over estimated the impact of waiting to launch a full year after Microsoft, and waited far too long for this $100 price cut. With all that said, saying the PS3 is doomed to failure is just plain ridiculous. If Sony continues to lag after the Christmas numbers of posted, I will be happy to eat crow.