F1 Is Back – Bahrain Within The Hour

I missed out on the qualifying session yesterday, but I thought it was interesting that Vettel took the poll, Massa and Alonso showed well for Ferrari landing the second and third spots, and finally Nico out qualified Schumacher (5th vs. 7th). I wonder if that is what Schume had in mind when he decided to come back at 41?

All things considered, Schumacher securing the seventh position is respectable considering a three year layoff, and the various changes to the cars, rules, and regulations.

In typical American fashion (at least I think it is typical) I am a Ferrari boy, and I always have a few favorite drivers. In the past 14 or so years that I have been following F1, I have cheered for Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Scott Speed, and of course Schumacher and the drama of putting the Scuderia back on top.

This year things are different. I anticipated a US entry, but alas, I was thwarted in my bid to cheer for the Red, White, and Blue. Disappointing. This year I hope for a remarkable comeback for Schumacher and I expect to see Massa and Alonso splitting race wins. Hopefully there will be good racing all around, with a few surprises to boot!

On the videogame front, maybe we will finally see a worthy successor to the Formula One Championship Edition (PS3). After all, I got my “racing” love back in 1996 by playing Psygnosis’ Formula 1 for the PSX.  It is very disappointing that we have not seen some sort of new F1 game – this is a far cry from the PSX heyday when we would see yearly releases, often with competing developers in the same year with semi-licensed games.

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Final Fantasy XIII – And A Whole Heaping Helping of Incoming Games

Speaking of not having enough time to play games, I just pre-ordered FFXIII from amazon, which has a nice $10 off a future video game purchase promotion.

Get a $10 Video Games Credit
Order Final Fantasy XIII and get $10 off a future video game purchase. The promotional code will be placed directly into your Amazon.com account within 2 business days after the product ships. Offer valid when shipped and sold by Amazon.com. Promotion valid on all existing orders. Limit one per household. Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time.

It is about to be a crazy-stupid time for videogames. Besides being loaded up on current games, an unbelievable amount of gaming goodness is headed my way over the next few weeks.

Upcoming – Preorder and “Watch List” Games:

  • White Knight Chronicles International (will arrive today)
  • MLB 10: The Show (March 2)
  • Heavy Rain (February 23) – Interesting title; will probably wait for a sale, price drop, or other buying incentive.
  • FFXIII (March 9)
  • God of War III (March 16) – I should really play God of War Collection before jumping on the GoW bandwagon.
  • 2010 FIFA World Cup (April 27) – Probably do not need this and FIFA 10.

Good grief! It looks like I am all set for gaming for a long time except for a new quality racer. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue just never did it for me. I guess F1: Championship Edition and Ferrari Challenge can hold me over until the next great racing title lands in my laps.

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Indianapolis 500 Legends DS

My brother wanted to get Nathan, my seven year old son, a DS game for Christmas; something bargain bin’ish in the $15 and under price range. Not because he is cheap mind you, but because the boys already had a haul worthy of Fort Knox. I picked out Indianapolis 500 Legends (Indy 500) because it looked interesting and because my middle kid likes Indy racing. Of course this is a “legends” game, so he does not recognize any of the drivers, but that is only a minor quibble for a seven year old getting a new game for Christmas!

Indy 500 has received really poor reviews; it has a metacritic score of 51 (based on 8 reviews). Nathan does not read the reviews, so he has no preconceived notions about the game. To him it is fun, but a little on the difficult side.

I gave Indy 500 a go last night and earlier this afternoon, and I am actually digging it. This is the type of game that I thrive on – a racing game that has limited appeal to all but the most diehard of racing fans. My hands were not made for a DS; after several races and missions, my thumb is score from holding down the “A” button (gas), and my hands feel cramped, which is a small price to pay for a couple of hours of fun.

I have only played a couple of 10 lap races, and worked my way past the first set of 1961 missions, which unlock A.J. Foyt, but I enjoyed the game enough to plan to spend some more time with it later this week. I am not sure if that is a testament to Indy 500, or more of a sign of my current gaming funk, which I suspect has been brought on in my dotage.

I am not sure if Indy 500 will have any sort of lasting appeal since it only includes a single track (Indy), but I think Indy 500 should provide a few hours of fun working my way through the various missions.

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I did not SHIFT; continuing evolution of videogaming patterns.

Last week I wrote that I was considering purchasing Need for Speed: SHIFT, which was on sale at Best Buy for the low, low price of $39.99. I knew I would not have time to play the game, and while the price could not be beaten, and my guess is that it will not be that low again anytime soon, I just could not justify the purchase.

The funny thing is that a few years ago I would have made the purchase. After all, how could I not afford to get a game that was $20 off?

I decided to leave well enough alone. Besides, I have plenty of other games that are begging to be played. I still have a ton of reply in Ferrari Challenge, and while I do not play Formula One Championship Edition a whole heck of a lot, it is still a blast for running hot laps. Of course there is also Gran Turismo Prologue; except for the pretty graphics, I enjoyed the PS2 Gran Turismo 4 more, but alas, that one got broken by my youngest son.

Continuing on with the game that I do not get enough time to play, Madden 10 is wonderful. When I do get in a game, I really enjoy the experience. This year’s release has to be the most fun I have had playing videogame football in years. Probably back to my NCAA Chronicles days with North Texas; to me, that says something.

I also have Demon’s Souls on the way this week, and of course FIFA 10 later this month. As it stands there just was not enough room for SHIFT even with the $20 discount.

These days I realize that free time, much less videogame time, is at a premium. I spent Sunday afternoon shooting my adult airguns. I had a good time, I got to enjoy the great outdoors (well, at least my backyard), and the kids had a good time playing safely away from my modest shooting range.

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Is it time to SHIFT?

Best Buy has Need for Speed SHIFT on sale for $39.99, which is a solid $20 off its normal price. I have been holding off on this one for a couple of reasons. First, I do not really have the time to just into another game right now. Second, I am not really sure this one is worth $60.

The time thing does not change, but $39.99 is an enticing price point. I am not sure if the game is on sale because the numbers have been poor, or because Best Buy needed a loss leader.

The metacritic scores have been decent; the game currently has an 83 rating (based on 39 reviews). The user score could be more telling at 7.8 (based on 23 votes). Honestly I am surprised that the user scores are not higher

The metacritic scores are an interesting tool in making a decision on a game, but they should always be taken with a grain of salt. For example, Ferrari Challenge ended up being an excellent purchase for me even though its average review (71%) and user scores (7.5) were not very stellar. In other words, you can use the scores as a starting point, but not as the final arbitrator of your purchasing decision. At least that is the way I do my homework.

I can see myself getting SHIFT just because of the price. It will be a game that I can enjoy over the next few months, and it will probably be a year or more until the game drops to a retail price that is this low, which means it is good eBay fodder if I happen to not enjoy the game.

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Forza Motorsport 3 vs. Gran Turismo 5. Battle of the demos.

The battle between these two titles is heating up with plenty of trash talking between fans in each camp. Can’t we just all get along? I thought this was an interesting article at Destructoid that compared the demo setups on display at the Tokyo Game Show.

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Gran Turismo PSP. Failure?

I never thought I would see the day when sub spectacular ratings would come in for a Gran Turismo title. The PSP release has a current metacritic score of 78%, which is shockingly bad when you up the game up to the legacy of its bigger brother PlayStation console releases.

What is going to happen when the game is actually released, into the hands of gamers? Is there going to be a collective cry of WTF, or will new PSPGo owners defend their system seller?

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Gran Turismo PSP stutters out of the gate.

Oh boy. This is not so good. Everyone was expecting the portable version of GT to be a PSPGo system seller. Not so much according to CVG, scoring the game a 6.7 out of 10. Ouch.

It’s easily the most realistic handling we’ve seen in a PSP driving game, and all this is done at a silky smooth 60 frames per second which, on the little screen, looks lush. That’s why screenshots and trailers had us all excited. But great handling and a smooth frame rate aren’t the only important factors of a racing game, and GT PSP falls short in almost every other area.

This is not something you want to see in the first two or three paragraphs of a review.

The main mode of the game has no structure. Hit the single-player option and you have three modes; the standard Time Trial (with no online leaderboards, we might add), Drift Trial (again, no leaderboards and no set goals), and Single Race. That’s it.

Wow. You would think there would at least be an option to upload your laptimes. What happened to the PSP wi-fi abilities?

That’s essentially what this game boils down to though – it’s a collection game. A Pokémon-style, monster hunting, collect-’em-up with ‘grinding’ disguised as racing, and you’re supposed to take satisfaction from needlessly hoarding cars instead of little yellow, pointy-eared monsters. Then trade them with mates who also want to get every car in the game for no reason.

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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.

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SuperCar Challenge releases August 28?

I read on PlayStation LifeStyle that SuperCar Callenge is going to be released August 28, but I am not sure if this is for the US or UK. According to System3 this sequel to Ferrari Challenge will feature full 1080p graphics, improved AI, and host of other new additions.

Your opponents’ artificial intelligence has also been completely rewritten with a brand new Dynamic AI setting allowing the game to change the challenge you receive based on how well or badly your career is going. Of course, if you fancy a real challenge you can always set the AI to Legendary… strap yourselves in tightly though because it won’t be an easy ride!

I cannot find the game listed on the usual suspects such as Amazon and EBGames. This is one that I want – Ferrari Challenge is superb, but it is also one I can wait for because I have plenty of gameplay left before I am ready to discard Ferrari Challenge. If you are looking for a much better than decent semi-simulation racing game, Amazon currently has Ferrari Challenge for a tad under $16. Give it a go; it is well worth the price.

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Gran Turismo PSP Pre-order deal. Or is it?

It looks like Sony is going to offer some sort of pre-order deal for folks that order/reserve Gran Turismo (PSP).

Pre-order Gran Turismo, and you’ll get a voucher that will add one of the top cars to your in-game collection of cars in an exclusive color. This means that on day one, you’ll be able to smoke your friends in 4-player Ad Hoc Mode multiplayer races with one of these rare sports cars while they are just getting started saving up credits.

This begs several questions. The article mentions several different cars including 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400. Does this mean you get a different car depending on where you pre-order? If yes, I hate that sort of crap. What about digital distribution? Do PSP Go owners get hosed?

I am not sure what the sell through ratio will be for this game, but I imagine that there will be lots and lots of online users racing with one of these exclusive cars. Have at it cowboys!

There was one interesting comment about digital pre-orders …

Hopefully you guys have something special for those of us purchasing the PSPgo and buying the PSN version. Right?

Stephanie Yoshimoto replied on August 4, 2009 at 4:07 pm

Yes. For those who are planning to purchase Gran Turismo from the PlayStation Network as a download, we will be able to share our plans for you shortly, but rest assured you are not forgotten.

In other words, they do not really have a clue how this is going to work. Oops.

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Gran Turismo PSP – What about the racing?

As I read more and more info about the upcoming Gran Turismo for the PSP, I run across lots of info on the graphics, some on the physics, but nothing about the actual racing. This latest preview article from PSXExtreme is more of the same.

Moving on, upon approaching a PSP devkit running the game, somebody had left it with an Audi A3 running on the Tokyo course. I picked the unit up and immediately found myself dazzled at how phenomenal the game looks running on the PSP. Now, I will say that you shouldn’t buy into the hype that it looks like Gran Turismo 4, because it doesn’t. Ultimately, the PS2 is the stronger unit, so the PSP cannot do what its bigger brother can. On the other hand, the reason why people so often claim that the PSP game looks like GT4 is because its lighting most closely resembles that of the PS2 title. The cars have a very beautiful sheen to them, making their colors pop and look natural. As far as the textures are concerned, the cars are a very, very slight step below GT3, and for a handheld unit with a three-inch tall screen, that’s absolutely fantastic.

If the game is built on any of the previous GT titles then everyone knows what to expect. I will purchase it just because I am curious, and I have always been a fan of the series; even if the actual racing sucks.

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When gamers, bloggers, and developers need a life.

This one from PlayStation Life Style is a silly little head scratcher. A CNET poll to vote for Forza or GT went horrible wrong. Ballet box stuffing. For shame!

We live in a very competitive world, and this is apparent in the video game industry where publishers and developers are constantly trying to get a leg up on their competition, whether it’s through clever marketing or brilliant feats of engineering. But what is NOT acceptable is when a publisher or developer uses bribes to gain an advantage. Che Chou, the community manager at Turn 10, has done exactly this, and we feel compelled to inform our readers about the dishonest tactics that the Forza Motorsport developer has chosen to carry out.

This is just classic. The CNET poll is now closed thanks to all the shenanigans.

Editor’s note: After numerous complaints of cheating and in-game content being offered as payment for votes, I’ve decided to close the poll. Way to ruin the fun for the rest of us, guys.

Wow. The competition between these games is serious business, and folks are playing for keeps (or at least votes).

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Racing for 10th.

I never thought that racing for 10th place would be fun, much less rewarding, but Ferrari Challenge changes everything. Ok, maybe not everything, but the game is about the best racing game that I have played in recent memory. For this gamer, Ferrari Challenge has three things going for it. First, the game offers realistic racing physics; or at least believable, immersive gaming engine. Second, Ferrari Challenge offers an appropriate level of difficulty, with an enjoyable learning curve. Finally, the game is fun, which is the reason we play games in the first place.

Realistic
Ferrari Challenge offers a realistic experience; at least it does to a certain point. Maybe I should rephrase this as the game offers up a semi-realistic experience. Since I have never driven a Ferrari, much less any other sort of racing car, it is hard for me to genuinely reflect on a game as realistic. With that said, from my vantage point, the Ferrari F430 behaves as I would expect one to behave. Is the actual racing realistic? Probably not but more on that later. From a balls out racing standpoint, I think Ferrari Challenge gets the job done. More often than not, I find myself at the front of the pack, challenging for a podium finish, only to make a mistake, which forces me to double my concentration as I go into an all out recovery mode racing for 10th place.

Approachable Challenge
Ferrari Challenge offers an approachable challenge. I hate games where the CPU does things that are seemingly out of my reach, but so far I do not think this is the case. As long as I do my part, and hold to the line, which is easier said than done, my lap times continue to improve, which is extremely rewarding. If I were fast right out of the game, of if I never showed signs of improvement, what would be the point? The challenge may have something to do with the Dynamic racing AI; I have not played around with the other modes (i.e. easy, hard, whatever).

Fun Factor
The final point in Ferrari Challenge’s favor is that the game offers a certain difficult to describe quality called fun factor. Now this is where reviewers tend to get into trouble. If you are looking for an arcade style racer, despite the arcade mode included in Ferrari Challenge, this game is just not going to be your cup of tea. Arcade fans typically want over the top physics, quick pick-up-and-playability, and tons of cars and options. This is not Ferrari Challenge. If you suppose that simulation fans shy away from console games, because they stick to PC simulations, then Ferrari Challenge may fall squarely into a hybrid racer that leans more towards simulation than fantasy style racing. For me, spending 15 minutes racing at Monza, always on the edge is almost the stuff of wet dreams.

No game is perfect …
Let’s don’t get too crazy. The game is not perfect. You can ram into the CPU cars with little to no consequences. When cars do trade paint, the physics get fairly squirrely. For every negative, I can think of another positive. I suppose that has something to do with my love for the game, but that is what keeps me coming back for more.

Monza in the wet
I am racing around Monza, in the wet. From the cockpit view, the wipers are doing a poor job of giving me better visibility. That and the three lead cars in front of me are spraying the crap out of my windshield. The conditions are treacherous at best; thank goodness I opted to stick with some drivers aids. The wet conditions require a tremendous amount of concentration, but I continue to gain on the car in front of me. Do I really have a shot at a podium finish? I am 13 minutes into the race, so I know that I am on the penultimate lap.

I find myself in a position to challenge for a clean pass, but I enter a turn to aggressively, misjudging the wet weather brake point, which is clearly different than a dry track would dictate. Son of a … ! I am off and just lost all chances for a podium because of a boneheaded mistake.

As I attempt to recover my composure I find myself in sixth place. It has a hell of a last lap doing everything I could to finish a respectable fifth place. Sure, it was not a podium finish, but it was fifth at Monza. In the wet. If I would have done my part, there would have been a happier finish, but as it stands, I am satisfied knowing that I should have done better.

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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.

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