Let Them Eat..... Gamer Cakes!!!
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WrestleFest Episode 1: Rock The Bells
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In Episode 1 of WrestleFest Justin and his guest talk about Wrestlemania XXX not being at MSG, The Rock Vs Cena II, the hottest diva of all time and WWE videogame license going to 2K and more.
Cosplay Girl Of The Week #102 (Lady Bane)
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It's been a while but Cosplay Girl Of The Week is back from hiatus. This week we're doing things a little bit differently. This weeks cosplayer has an interpretation of a male character.
Read MoreCosplay Boy Of The Week #86 (Batou)
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Cosplay Boy Of The Week has returned. We decided to take a hiatus for a while, but it's back. This week we head into the world of Ghost In The Shell with Batou.
Read MoreFairy Tail Anime Last Episode To Air On March 30th
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Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle (Import Review)
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Saint Seiya is what I consider a very underrated anime franchise. I had the pleasure of buying the import game for the PS3,"Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle" which follows the story of the original first season, and manga when the Seiya and his friends take on the 12 golden saints in order to save Saori Kido from death. Is this import worth picking up? Or should you save your money?
Story - The story is told in the story mode aspect in the game. You play as Seiya and his friends as they attempt to save Saori Kido from dying. In order to do this you'll have to stop the 12 golden saints in each sanctuary. The game does a great job of retelling key moments in the Saint Seiya storyline. Each character is given enough game time presence so you can understand the story arc, their backstory and motives. The story is told through cut-scenes, and narratives using actual game time and it works and it will keep you invested.
Gameplay - Saint Seiya is an action beat em up with RPG elements. The story mode consists around 12 stages that is divided into two parts, the beat em up level and then the boss fight. The first section of the stage you play as Seiya or one of his friends depending on the story on the path to the sanctuary to fight one of the golden saints. You move your character from section to section clearing the area of enemies until you reach the sanctuary to fight the boss. The standard enemies A.I. is fairly easy. There is no strategy to they attacks and it can be easily overcome by button mashing or releasing your special attacks. This makes the game feel really repetitive because the enemies don't really put up a fight. You just button mash, special attack and move on to the next area and do it all over again. The only time the first section feels challenging is when you're overwhelm by enemies, however that can be solve with the use of your special attacks.
Special attacks can be performed when you have energy to performed them. Players are given two bars a health bar which monitors your health and your energy bar which determines if you can perform special attacks. Following standard beat em up m.o. the health and energy bar can be regain by enemies dropping items or knocking pots that are place across the stage. After each level you are given the option to upgrade your characters attacks and buy new combos. The higher an attack becomes the more damage it will do on your opponents and less trouble you will have with the boss battles.The boss battles are what really make this game fun to play. Each golden saint is challenging to fight. No matter how strong your attack is, or what level of difficulty you are playing the golden saints will bring a challenge. Each saint is arm with normal attacks, special attacks and an ultimate attack. Some saints even take you to another realm where you must escape while they perform attacks or clear an area. The golden saints do a great job of testing your skills and making you think of when to use your special attacks.
Besides the main story mode the game offers mission mode. In mission mode you have three options, Single Challenge, Tag Challenge and Survival. Single Challenge is basically time attack mode, you have to clear the stage as quick as possible in order to get a high ranking. Tag Challenge is when you select two character with or without and friend and fight through the various stages. Finally Survival mode is fighting a gauntlet of enemies until you die. I found Survival mode the most addictive mode out of the three, because the increase of enemies becomes challenging and they even throw in some minor bosses for good measure.
Graphics - The graphics does well capturing the anime spirit of Saint Seiya. It uses a little cel shaded elements and it works for this type of game. The graphics really show the spirit of the anime during the special attacks, the use of the aura and other realm will make a Seiya fan smile. There was no lagging issues or really any tech specs to complain about.
Sound - The game is Japanese dub with English subtitles and the performance are like watching the Japanese dub of the anime. The music isn't that memorable but it does well enough to hold your interest. It has a couple of stand out tracks and the opening theme will get you pump to play the game.
Replay Value - The game offers some replay value with mission mode and the story mode and boss battles are good enough for a second round. The game also has some unlockables like collecting all the saint figurines, so collectors who want to buy might want to see which saint will be good for them. I had no problems picking up the controller to play the game again. It's like playing a beloved arcade game.
Final Grade B-/8.0 - "Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle" isn't a perfect game, but it's far from a bad one. The game does feel repetitive at times, but poses a challenge with the boss fights. It remains faithful to the anime/manga that it's adapting and fans of the franchise should give this a shot. It's worth the import.
Story - The story is told in the story mode aspect in the game. You play as Seiya and his friends as they attempt to save Saori Kido from dying. In order to do this you'll have to stop the 12 golden saints in each sanctuary. The game does a great job of retelling key moments in the Saint Seiya storyline. Each character is given enough game time presence so you can understand the story arc, their backstory and motives. The story is told through cut-scenes, and narratives using actual game time and it works and it will keep you invested.
Gameplay - Saint Seiya is an action beat em up with RPG elements. The story mode consists around 12 stages that is divided into two parts, the beat em up level and then the boss fight. The first section of the stage you play as Seiya or one of his friends depending on the story on the path to the sanctuary to fight one of the golden saints. You move your character from section to section clearing the area of enemies until you reach the sanctuary to fight the boss. The standard enemies A.I. is fairly easy. There is no strategy to they attacks and it can be easily overcome by button mashing or releasing your special attacks. This makes the game feel really repetitive because the enemies don't really put up a fight. You just button mash, special attack and move on to the next area and do it all over again. The only time the first section feels challenging is when you're overwhelm by enemies, however that can be solve with the use of your special attacks.
Special attacks can be performed when you have energy to performed them. Players are given two bars a health bar which monitors your health and your energy bar which determines if you can perform special attacks. Following standard beat em up m.o. the health and energy bar can be regain by enemies dropping items or knocking pots that are place across the stage. After each level you are given the option to upgrade your characters attacks and buy new combos. The higher an attack becomes the more damage it will do on your opponents and less trouble you will have with the boss battles.The boss battles are what really make this game fun to play. Each golden saint is challenging to fight. No matter how strong your attack is, or what level of difficulty you are playing the golden saints will bring a challenge. Each saint is arm with normal attacks, special attacks and an ultimate attack. Some saints even take you to another realm where you must escape while they perform attacks or clear an area. The golden saints do a great job of testing your skills and making you think of when to use your special attacks.
Besides the main story mode the game offers mission mode. In mission mode you have three options, Single Challenge, Tag Challenge and Survival. Single Challenge is basically time attack mode, you have to clear the stage as quick as possible in order to get a high ranking. Tag Challenge is when you select two character with or without and friend and fight through the various stages. Finally Survival mode is fighting a gauntlet of enemies until you die. I found Survival mode the most addictive mode out of the three, because the increase of enemies becomes challenging and they even throw in some minor bosses for good measure.
Graphics - The graphics does well capturing the anime spirit of Saint Seiya. It uses a little cel shaded elements and it works for this type of game. The graphics really show the spirit of the anime during the special attacks, the use of the aura and other realm will make a Seiya fan smile. There was no lagging issues or really any tech specs to complain about.
Sound - The game is Japanese dub with English subtitles and the performance are like watching the Japanese dub of the anime. The music isn't that memorable but it does well enough to hold your interest. It has a couple of stand out tracks and the opening theme will get you pump to play the game.
Replay Value - The game offers some replay value with mission mode and the story mode and boss battles are good enough for a second round. The game also has some unlockables like collecting all the saint figurines, so collectors who want to buy might want to see which saint will be good for them. I had no problems picking up the controller to play the game again. It's like playing a beloved arcade game.
Final Grade B-/8.0 - "Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle" isn't a perfect game, but it's far from a bad one. The game does feel repetitive at times, but poses a challenge with the boss fights. It remains faithful to the anime/manga that it's adapting and fans of the franchise should give this a shot. It's worth the import.
Sayaka Nakaya Graduating From AKB48
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AKB48's member Sayaka Nakaya announced today that she will be graduating from the group to pursue her career as an anime voice actress. Her last performance will be on March 6th 2013 with her current Team K team. I wonder what role Sayaka is going for and I would love to see what she could do in the anime world. Here is the official statement from Sayaka blog (http://ameblo.jp/nakaya-sayaka):
"I'll let ...'ve announced today, March 02, at the concert , I graduated from AKB48 Sayaka Nakaya with performances on March 6. I will get with the announcement of the sudden, I'm really sorry. Then let me ranked in the general election ... No, I was thinking graduation from earlier. But, it's fun and your members can work. Be happy to watch the smile for everyone. I honestly graces this environment. But I was able to meet event that can be decided finally. It is a favorite anime voice actor audition. I have already started. There is no guarantee that the pass. But that's because it really wanted to do. I wanted to do to hit throw a rich environment of this now. In addition, I also quit the office to which they belong now Mousa well as AKB48. Because the one who does not belong to the production in terms of the voice actor audition, I decided. I'm sorry I have become a sudden announcement. It is really starting from scratch. I think it may have come from the gun barrel until now. In the future, thank you for your support of Sayaka Nakaya??"
Sayaka Nakaya
"I'll let ...'ve announced today, March 02, at the concert , I graduated from AKB48 Sayaka Nakaya with performances on March 6. I will get with the announcement of the sudden, I'm really sorry. Then let me ranked in the general election ... No, I was thinking graduation from earlier. But, it's fun and your members can work. Be happy to watch the smile for everyone. I honestly graces this environment. But I was able to meet event that can be decided finally. It is a favorite anime voice actor audition. I have already started. There is no guarantee that the pass. But that's because it really wanted to do. I wanted to do to hit throw a rich environment of this now. In addition, I also quit the office to which they belong now Mousa well as AKB48. Because the one who does not belong to the production in terms of the voice actor audition, I decided. I'm sorry I have become a sudden announcement. It is really starting from scratch. I think it may have come from the gun barrel until now. In the future, thank you for your support of Sayaka Nakaya??"
Sayaka Nakaya
Freezing (Anime Review)
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Set in a slightly futuristic world where Earth has been invaded and is at war with aliens from another dimension called the Nova, the story follows the adventures of a Japanese boy named Kazuya Aoi who enrolls for training at a special school for genetically modified girls called Pandoras who battle the aliens, and their male partners, called Limiters, who use a special power called "freezing" to limit their opponent's mobility. The protagonist makes the acquaintance of an unusual older girl named Bridgette L. Satellizer who appears to be the most powerful Pandora in her class, but has not yet chosen a male partner to be her Limiter, and in spite of the warnings of all his friends, he decides to be her Limiter.
Sony PS4 Will Play Used Games
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Sony has officially confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will be able to play second-hand games after all, after a patent on a method of blocking them and the much enhanced online delivery system of the new console led to much speculation that it would finally axe the used game market with a registration system.
Whilst downloadable titles – seemingly intended as the main delivery method – will of course be at the whim of Sony’s highly reliable servers and not subject to resale or unrestricted transfer, Sony honcho Shuhei Yoshida has confirmed physical copies will be playable without restriction even if previously owned:
[Do you agree that if you buy something on a disc, that you have a kind of moral contract with the person you've bought it from that you retain some of that value and you can pass it on?]
“Yes. That’s the general expectation by consumers. They purchase physical form, they want to use it everywhere, right? So that’s my expectation.”
[So if someone buys a PlayStation 4 game, you're not going to stop them reselling it?]
“Used games can play on PS4.”
Another interview carried a similar confirmation by Yoshida, also seemingly ruling out region locks:
“When you purchase disc-based games for PS4, they will work on any hardware.”
Suspicions that Sony was planning on eliminating the second-hand sales market as a way of reclaiming the billions in revenue it apparently siphons away from game publishers and into the coffers of game retailers flared after it emerged that Sony recently patented a method of blocking used games from functioning, although Sony denies it has anything to do with the PS4.
However, in other comments Yoshida also revealed that publishers will be able to add anti-resale registration schemes to their titles themselves, potentially allowing them to block or discourage resale without any PR hassle for Sony.
source: Sankaku Complex
SPOILER ALERT Damian Wayne to Die in Batman Incorporated 8?
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Seriously, read no further if you don't wanna know.
It's official. This Wednesday's Batman Incorporated #8 will feature the last stand of Damian Wayne.
The arrogant little assassin is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and the grandson of Batman's greatest enemy. Everything Grant Morrison has been planning since the start of BATMAN, INCORPORATED leads to this stunning issue!
The New York Post let the cat out of the bag - perhaps to get the bird - as it's revealed that Robin Damian Wayne will find his death at the hands of a burtal enemy. Regarding whether Damian will stay dead - as this is comics - or if there will be another new Robin, Morrison offered, "You can never say never in a comic book . . . Batman will ultimately always have a partner.”
It's official. This Wednesday's Batman Incorporated #8 will feature the last stand of Damian Wayne.
The arrogant little assassin is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and the grandson of Batman's greatest enemy. Everything Grant Morrison has been planning since the start of BATMAN, INCORPORATED leads to this stunning issue!
The New York Post let the cat out of the bag - perhaps to get the bird - as it's revealed that Robin Damian Wayne will find his death at the hands of a burtal enemy. Regarding whether Damian will stay dead - as this is comics - or if there will be another new Robin, Morrison offered, "You can never say never in a comic book . . . Batman will ultimately always have a partner.”
Wolf Children Wins Animation Of The Year Award At Tokyo Anime Awards
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Tokyo Anime Awards 9th Annual Awards Of Merit announced the winner of the Animation Of The Year award. The winner is the movie "Wolf Children" directed and written by Mamoru Hosoda. Those not familiar with Mamoru's work he's has brought you anime films like "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and "Summer Wars." Wolf Children follows Hana a 19-year-old student who falls in a "fairy-tale like" love with a "wolf man". Over the course of the 13-year story Hana gives birth to two children—older sister Yuki, and younger brother Ame, or "Snow and Rain". At first the family quietly lives in city trying to hide their wolf heritage, but when the "wolf man" suddenly dies Hana makes the decision to move to a rural town, far from their previous city life. Check out the trailer below.
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX Confirmed For North America.
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Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, today announced that KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX will be available this fall in North America exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.
Fully remastered in HD, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX is a compilation of the critically acclaimed KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX, previously exclusive to the Japanese market, and KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories. In addition, the two-in-one-disc package will feature HD cinematic story videos from KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days, enhanced gameplay mechanics and PlayStation®3 system trophies. Players can now relive the origins of the celebrated franchise with Sora, Riku and the colorful cast of Disney characters, including Mickey, Donald and Goofy.
Fully remastered in HD, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX is a compilation of the critically acclaimed KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX, previously exclusive to the Japanese market, and KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories. In addition, the two-in-one-disc package will feature HD cinematic story videos from KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days, enhanced gameplay mechanics and PlayStation®3 system trophies. Players can now relive the origins of the celebrated franchise with Sora, Riku and the colorful cast of Disney characters, including Mickey, Donald and Goofy.
Retro Game Look Back At WCW/NWO Thunder
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It's time to go back into the videogame vault and look at yet another wrestling game. Today's retro game look back is WCW/NWO Thunder for the Playstation. This was one of the worst wrestling games I've ever played, from the horrible graphics, broken gameplay and lack of commentary. Don't believe me check it out below.
Lenni Reviews: Ayako by Osamu Tezuka
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Any otaku worth their salt knows Osamu Tezuka. He’s the godfather of manga, a master storyteller, and is known for some of the most influential manga and anime ever created. When presented with “Ayako”, I was very excited to read something of Tezuka’s I’d never read before.
In terms of sheer scope and power, “Ayako” does not disappoint. Ayako, the product of an incesuous relationship between the head of the Tenge clan and his son’s wife, sees too much of the family’s dark side and ends up imprisoned in a basement to keep the family sins quiet. Tezuka’s telling of this poor woman’s life from childhood to adulthood is unmercifully dark and cruel, almost beyond belief.
The backdrop is post war Japan when an occupied Japanese government is dividing up the properties of wealthy landowners like the Tenge family to give to tenant farmers. In the fight to keep what they can, the family is willing to do anything to save face, including kill, blackmail, and keep a little girl a prisoner for her entire life.
There are times where the machinations you see are just unreal. It difficult to believe anyone could be so cruel but there are rays of hope and snippets of humor that keep the book from being completely depressing. Tezuka’s art is in rare form, providing an eerily cartoonish display for such a dark story.
While it is a great book, Lenni advises reading it in spurts with a more upbeat book in the wings to break up the sadness. “Ayako” is a fantastically rendered trip through the darkest parts of humanity so I advise a literary flashlight, so to speak. You won’t regret reading it, though.
In terms of sheer scope and power, “Ayako” does not disappoint. Ayako, the product of an incesuous relationship between the head of the Tenge clan and his son’s wife, sees too much of the family’s dark side and ends up imprisoned in a basement to keep the family sins quiet. Tezuka’s telling of this poor woman’s life from childhood to adulthood is unmercifully dark and cruel, almost beyond belief.
The backdrop is post war Japan when an occupied Japanese government is dividing up the properties of wealthy landowners like the Tenge family to give to tenant farmers. In the fight to keep what they can, the family is willing to do anything to save face, including kill, blackmail, and keep a little girl a prisoner for her entire life.
There are times where the machinations you see are just unreal. It difficult to believe anyone could be so cruel but there are rays of hope and snippets of humor that keep the book from being completely depressing. Tezuka’s art is in rare form, providing an eerily cartoonish display for such a dark story.
While it is a great book, Lenni advises reading it in spurts with a more upbeat book in the wings to break up the sadness. “Ayako” is a fantastically rendered trip through the darkest parts of humanity so I advise a literary flashlight, so to speak. You won’t regret reading it, though.
New VOCALOID3 Megpoid English Launch Event
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NEW PEOPLE, Inc, a San Francisco-based entertainment company bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, celebrates the latest wave of the Vocaloid music phenomenon as it presents a special FREE Megpoid Launch Event featuring Vocalekt Visions on Sunday, March 3rd.
The all-day VOCALOID3 Megpoid English launch event commences at 12:00 noon, and will offer a variety of dance and Vocaloid performances, free VOCALOID3 Megpoid English software workshops, demos, and other activities that will run thru 6:00pm. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post St. in San Francisco’s Japantown. Vocalekt Visions, a unique Bay Area-based Vocaloid performance troupe, will present two special Vocaloid holographic performances inside the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, at 2:00pm and 4:30pm, which will feature Megpoid songs performed by GUMI and complemented by live on-stage dancers. Tickets are free and will be available from the NEW PEOPLE Cinema box office on a first come/first served basis.
Cinema box office will open at 12:30pm. All the attendees will receive a FREE trial version of VOCALOID3 Megpoid English while supplies last. Vocaloid music, which has swept Japan and is gaining popularity in North America, is characterized by a variety of pop-flavored animated avatars, or “virtual pop stars,” that sing and perform songs written using innovative software that enables users to synthesize the performer’s voice by inputting lyrics and a melody. VOCALOID3 Megpoid English notably features the virtual persona of GUMI, a character and avatar developed by manga artist Masami Yuuki. The new VOCALOID3 Megpoid English release is an English singing synthesizer application powered by Yamaha's Vocaloid3 software and published by INTERNET Co., Ltd. The voice of the GUMI character is based on that of Megumi Nakajima, a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. During the event, visitors can learn how to use the software in a series of hands-on workshops and software demonstrations to be held in the NEW PEOPLE lobby. Copies of the Megpoid software, along with other Vocaloid products and collectables, will also be for sale. More information on VOCALOID3 Megpoid English is available at www.ssw.co.jp/en/products/vocal3/megpoid/index.html. “NEW PEOPLE was the very first venue that brought Vocaloid music to the attention of North American audiences and we’ve continued to celebrate the genre’s colorful Japanese pop culture roots with a variety of unique events over the last few years,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the President/CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “The launch of the first English Vocaloid software is very significant and should inspire U.S. users to create an even bigger catalog of great vocaloid music. We’re very pleased to invite Vocaloid and J-Pop fans, music lovers, technophiles, and anyone that just digs good beats to attend this fun free event in Japantown!” More information on NEW PEOPLE is available at www.newpeopleworld.com.
The all-day VOCALOID3 Megpoid English launch event commences at 12:00 noon, and will offer a variety of dance and Vocaloid performances, free VOCALOID3 Megpoid English software workshops, demos, and other activities that will run thru 6:00pm. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post St. in San Francisco’s Japantown. Vocalekt Visions, a unique Bay Area-based Vocaloid performance troupe, will present two special Vocaloid holographic performances inside the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, at 2:00pm and 4:30pm, which will feature Megpoid songs performed by GUMI and complemented by live on-stage dancers. Tickets are free and will be available from the NEW PEOPLE Cinema box office on a first come/first served basis.
Cinema box office will open at 12:30pm. All the attendees will receive a FREE trial version of VOCALOID3 Megpoid English while supplies last. Vocaloid music, which has swept Japan and is gaining popularity in North America, is characterized by a variety of pop-flavored animated avatars, or “virtual pop stars,” that sing and perform songs written using innovative software that enables users to synthesize the performer’s voice by inputting lyrics and a melody. VOCALOID3 Megpoid English notably features the virtual persona of GUMI, a character and avatar developed by manga artist Masami Yuuki. The new VOCALOID3 Megpoid English release is an English singing synthesizer application powered by Yamaha's Vocaloid3 software and published by INTERNET Co., Ltd. The voice of the GUMI character is based on that of Megumi Nakajima, a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. During the event, visitors can learn how to use the software in a series of hands-on workshops and software demonstrations to be held in the NEW PEOPLE lobby. Copies of the Megpoid software, along with other Vocaloid products and collectables, will also be for sale. More information on VOCALOID3 Megpoid English is available at www.ssw.co.jp/en/products/vocal3/megpoid/index.html. “NEW PEOPLE was the very first venue that brought Vocaloid music to the attention of North American audiences and we’ve continued to celebrate the genre’s colorful Japanese pop culture roots with a variety of unique events over the last few years,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the President/CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “The launch of the first English Vocaloid software is very significant and should inspire U.S. users to create an even bigger catalog of great vocaloid music. We’re very pleased to invite Vocaloid and J-Pop fans, music lovers, technophiles, and anyone that just digs good beats to attend this fun free event in Japantown!” More information on NEW PEOPLE is available at www.newpeopleworld.com.
Sony Conference Game Trailers for the PS4
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Here are some of the game trailers from the Sony Press Conference:
Knack Trailer:
Infamous: Second Son Trailer
Watch Dogs Trailer:
Knack Trailer:
Infamous: Second Son Trailer
Watch Dogs Trailer:
Sony Press Conference Review
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Hey Otakus and Geeks fans, Today was the Sony Press Conference to give everyone a first look at the PS4. Now although we didn't get to see what the console it self looked like, they did show us: The Console Specs, Online features, Gaming Features, New Games and Trailers, and the Dual Shock 4 controller. Now with that said let's review the conference.
Console Specs:
X86 CPU an advanced, x86-based personal computer, which means that it should be easy for developers to build. All of this is clearly an answer to a major complaint from studios about the previous generation, which was infamously tricky to master from a software perspective.
Enhanced PC GPU with almost 2 teraflops of performance. Which should give us some great looking graphics.
Local Storage HDD nothing was said about the amount of Storage space the PS4 would have.
8 GB Unified Memory 8 gigabytes of on board GDDR5 memory.
Superchared PC Architecture
It was also confirmed a secondary chip that handles all downloading, so that downloads can be performed in the background. PS4 titles are also playable as they're being downloaded.Overall it looks like the PS4 will be great for Gamers and Developers.
Controller:
This was the only thing from the console that Sony reveiled. It's has a touchpad, motion control and a "light bar" for identification. There is a Share button so players can share game footage and other info with friends or social networks.
Speakers:
Lead system architect Mark Cerny -- legendary game dev and, to us, creator of Marble Madness. He said that development of the PS4 started five years ago. Cerny said he's been exploring how to evolve "the PlayStation ecosystem," and he started by speaking to the limitations of PlayStation 3. Cerny said he's been aiming to make sure "nothing gets between the platform and the game." An image of an old-timey hunter shooting space invaders in the sky is used as an example -- here's hoping the PS4 doesn't mean we'll be taking plastic guns and shooting pixels in the sky. "We were able to create in PlayStation 4 a system by game creators, for game creators" A brief demo of Mark Cerny's PS4 game Knack was show.
David Perry went next, and he talked about Sony's acquisition of Gaikai (he was the former head of Gaikai, but now he's working with Sony). His game streaming service is being employed to run demos on PS4, allowing people to try any game they want instantly. He also said that both Facebook and Ustream are being employed on PS4, using the DualShock 4's Share button. But how much? He didn't say. Beyond just sharing games you've already played, you can also livestream -- to the point that a friend of yours who is spectating can actually jump into your game, via streaming, and help you out. He also said that in time he's hoping the PS4 will have gamers playing their favorite games from the previous consoles ( PS1, PS2, and PS3 )
Games:
Sony also showed us a few games coming to the consle. They Look great, but I'll save my Judgement till game play.
Knack
Drive Club
Infamous: second son
KillZone: Shadow Fall
Watch Dogs
Social Networking:
Sony also talked about some of the Gamer interaction and Social features. Sony has spent a lot of time this evening talking about social integration and how the system will be a fundamentally a social system. The PlayStation 4 is expected to include a new set of social features that will allow users to share their in-game achievements over Twitter and Facebook, features the PlayStation currently has one step further.
Overall the conference was good, I know gamers will have mixed opinions about what they saw. Some will be pleased that Sony is stepping up the console to be more developer friendly. Others will wonder why Sony is pushing Social Network Features instead of gaming experience. One of the things I wish Sony would have addressed is how the online servers will be handled. Will everything be on one network or will each game and feature be on it's own server like Microsoft. And if so, will we be paying more for it. Well we will just have to watch and see what the future this next Gen console will hold.
Check out the Sony Conference articles from our partner at 8bit Drum:
http://www.8bitdrum.com/2013/02/the-5-most-important-playstation-4.html
PS4 Controller Revealed
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Sony recently revealed the DualShock 4, complete with front touch pad and built in move functions. The controller also features new concave sticks and more ergonomically designed grips. The most interesting addition is the ‘share’ button that will allow players to instantly upload both screenshots and video footage.
The conference is still ongoing so we’ll have more as it happens.
KillZone: Shadow Fall annouced for PS4
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Kill Zone: Shadow Fall was just announced, Guerrilla Games developed title was announced alongside the PS4 and will most likely be a “launch window” title for the console. They're running through a demo of it right now, and it's pretty mind-Blowing.
Featuring ultra-realistic imagery and a beautiful sense of fluidity and gloss, this one is bound to impress. It starts off tranquil and ends up brutal; we get a great look at both the environment and the gameplay.
More News as the conference continues.
