Results tagged “PSN”

It's been quite a bit of time since we've had a new game from Square Enix on PSOne Classics. It almost seems as if it's a struggle for them to get games up on the Playstation Store as a whole. Of course, you could probably say that for just about every company for PSOne Classics -- though it's admittedly gotten better since June -- but Square Enix, mostly Squaresoft, has a lot of memorable games that could (and damn well should) be up. It looks as if they're going to begin amending that situation, though not without an awkward misstep.

No one knew what surprise Sony of Europe was hinting at for their Playstation Store this week.  Gamers knew that the niche release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was releasing this week, so they quite logically figured that it was related to that. But no! Square Enix Europe sent out a newsletter saying that the much-vaunted Squaresoft PSOne title Vagrant Story was releasing on PSN this week. Who knew it would be this when Square fans were clamoring for Final Fantasy VIII?

A pity it wasn't to be, though, as Square Enix rescinded the statement that VS would hit Europe this week not even 24 hours later. To be honest, it would have been nice if Europe's PSN enjoyed a PSOne Classic before America got one, as their store hasn't received many of them at all this year. They also constantly receive games much later than any other store. And then they had to go and give them a figurative kick in the butt cheek-showing pants. Jerks.

They also amended their newsletter. I doubt any Europeans looking forward to it are laughing right now.


But hey! The good news is that at least we know it's coming soon. In Europe at least, since, as of this writing, the ESRB still hasn't rated it. But that also means America can't be too far behind. I've been looking forward to playing the game again, though this time on PSP since this definitely isn't the kind of game that looks good on a modern television. I still own a the PSOne version -- though I didn't play much of it -- but $10 (higher than the usual $6, Square Enix tax and all) for a digital version to preserve the physical copy is a price I'm willing to pay. And anyone who was curious about where a lot of Final Fantasy XII's ideas originated would do well to check this game out. Whenever it arrives.

Now how about that Xenogears, eh guys?

Today is one of those kind of days where two separate news posts end up being rolled into one for the sake of timeliness. So I'll begin with two big news stories in both the world of video games and anime, exactly in that order.

I finally did get around to seeing all of Nintendo's press conference. To be blunt it was rather boring at times and mostly lacked the "wow" factor that Sony's had. At least Nintendo had a few cool factors and many of the games they announced were definitely exciting. Unlike my last post I'm not here to exclusively talk about any one company or product. I'm going discuss what really grabbed my attention at E3 this year, now that the electronics expo has ended.




First I'd like to post a follow up to my thoughts on the PSP Go. As I said the biggest source of contention for many gamers would be the high price point and possibly having to re-buy their entire UMD collection. At the very least a possibly free solution is in the works for Sony regarding the latter. Engadget reported that Sony is working on a program that will allow new Go users to swap their UMD games for digital versions. The details of how the program will exactly work are not yet clear. For example, imported games (with PSP games being region-free) could be a problem. Still, this is a good move in regard to catering to people with older PSPs (and large UMD collections) who want to upgrade.

Video posted on Joystiq compares the PSP Go with the 3000 and the iPhone, and also shows off how sleek and streamlined the device is. Still, I'm not sure Sony has learned much with a high price point of $249 for a hardware revision. Yes, the argument could be made that it is cheaper than iPhone or iPod Touch, and or the price of a current PSP and 16GBs of memory. Yet, such a move seems counterintuitive during a recession when people are strapped for cash. A $200 or even a $220 price point would have been more attractive. Unlike the PS3 costs for the PSP have fallen over the years, so I don't expect $249 to stick around for very long.

On Monday and Tuesday Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony all announced the next step in motion control. Nintendo finally followed up to the Motion Plus controller it introduced at last year's E3. In the meantime Microsoft and Sony announced their own projects in the form of Project Natal and the PlayStation Eye. Out of the three, Microsoft's Project Natal was the most ambitious, promising to use the player's entire body as the controller. Sony introduced a combination of Wii-like motion controls combined with a camera for precision that promises to surpass the Wiimote. Out of the three, only Nintendo's Motion Plus controller has a solid release date of later this month, while Microsoft and Sony's respective projects won't be seen until sometime next year or later. The demonstrations from E3 already show the Motion Plus controls as a huge improvement on the Wiimote. It'll be interesting to see how developers embrace the new and improved controls.



Given that the Wii and its motion controls are a run away success, it's only natural that Microsoft and Sony would introduce their own form of motion control. In fact, if Nintendo hadn't of done it three years ago I'm certain someone else would have sooner or later. The gaming community seems genuinely split on the idea of more motion control. Some gamers welcome it as innovation that had to happen and as a way of bringing more causal gamers into the fold, while others feel such technology is a waste of time. There are positive signs that developers may understand these concerns and possibly alienating the hardcore gamers who are content with traditional controls and will address both. Personally, I feel innovation is a good thing, especially if it encourages people to be active in an enjoyable way. At the same time I'm a gamer who is content with traditional controls. So if possible I'd like to have it both ways, and if the Wii is any indication that future is very possible.


Microsoft also went in an interesting direction and announced Facebook and Twitter connectivity on the Xbox 360. Nintendo also did the same to a certain degree with aspects of the DSi. Gamers use Facebook and Twitter, so this could be a good idea. As long as it isn't forced on gamers (which it won't be) it'll be a fun tool for those addicted to social networking. The idea of being able to share images and footage from video games on Facebook with like-minded friends is especially appealing. In short, social networking is here to stay, like it or not.



Speaking of the Wii, Nintendo announced a (gorgeous) black colored console and accessories would go on sale in Japan starting on August 1st. No announcements have been made for releases outside of Japan, but I hope Nintendo eventually decides to sell a black Wii domestically. Such a move could boost sales, and let's face it, people like being able to choose their colors. (At least I know I do.) The "You can have any color as long as it's white" deal may not be a point of contention with many gamers, but variety is still good.

E3 '09 was also great for gaming news. Geoff already covered a lot of the gaming announcements in his posts on the subject. However, I'd like to cover a few games of interest that he didn't mention, or only mentioned briefly. As numerous fans pointed out Nintendo set out to appease many of the gamers who were upset by last year's E3 conference. The gaming giant announced games for both hardcore and more casual gamers. At the very least, the conference was an excellent one for RPG gamers. Golden Sun, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and a playable version of Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (which is said to be quite good) were all announced for the DS and Wii. So far 2009 is a great year to be an RPG gamer, between the various upcoming games on the DS and PSP.
 



Nintendo also revealed Wario Ware: DIY. It's Made in Ore for the DS, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again for the DSi. Both games offer players the chance to create their own custom levels and share them with others. While I don't play Wario (yet), Mario vs. Donkey Kong looks interesting. If I had a DSi, I probably would have grabbed the title when it released on June 8th. On a final Nintendo related note, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion actually managed to catch my eye, even more so than COP: The Recruit. I don't know anything about the James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series but the gameplay footage did strike me as being Phoenix Wright-esque. Being the Ace Attorney nerd that I am, it is almost tempting to try this game for that fact alone. It certainly worked well enough in Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law.

Sony had a variety of interesting game announcements. Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy XIV are two games that left the biggest impressions on me. FFVII is announcement that I'd been hoping for, mainly because my fears that would not arrive on PSN Stateside were assuaged. Considering the going price of the game on eBay and the higher PSN price for Japan, $10 dollars on PSN is practically a steal. Although I own a like-new copy of the game (I bought in 2003 brand new at a reasonable $14.99), I am tempted to re-buy the game just to play on my PSP. Either way, a PSN download is a great way for gamers to experience one of the most popular RPGs of all time, especially if they haven't previously done so. Now if only we could have other classics, such as Xenogears.



Final Fantasy XIV was also announced as a PS3 exclusive for 2010. Since then Square Enix has more or less stated the game could be a timed exclusive- it hasn't denied the possibility of a 360 release. The announcement came as a bit of a surprise as FFXIII isn't even complete yet. I was curious to what XIV was going to be, until the word "Online" appeared under the title. After that it was pretty easy to figure out this game Square's long awaited new MMORPG, perhaps named XIV at the last minute? Or maybe they planned to call it XIV all along but managed to keep the name tightly under wraps. While some Sony fans are glad to have an FF exclusive (perhaps after the sting of losing XIII) many more Final Fantasy MMO fans want the game to hit Xbox Live. With any MMORPG the more players the better. I can't imagine this one not hitting XBL since it represents a huge chunk of online gamers, and 360 owners did get XI after all. I can only hope Square's newest MMORPG fixes many of the problems found in XI, as well as providing a nice graphical upgrade to the series. Of course that last hope would be a given as it is debuting on the PS3 (and PC) first.




All in all, some pretty nice announcements came out of E3 2009. There were no major hardware changes, with the exception of a PSP revision, the Wii Motion Plus controller, and upcoming projects from Microsoft and Sony. The overall themes (other than exciting new games and motion control) seemed to be social networking and online play with customization. The next year or so will be an interesting year for gaming, to say the least.

To make a long story incredibly short, last week was a hectic week for me. Which is why I completely missed a few gaming news tidbits. At least tidbits I found interesting, beyond the big Marvel vs. Capcom 2 news. I like Marvel, I like Capcom, I don't really play Marvel vs. Capcom, you know?

Last Thursday was good news for PSP owners. Namco Bandai announced that both Soulcalibur IV and Tekken 6 would make their way to the handheld. Tekken 6 for the PSP will coincide with a console release this fall. Meanwhile, Soulcalibur IV: Broken Destiny is a PSP-exclusive, minus the Star Wars characters.


Capcom also announced the newest Ace Attorney game, Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth will be coming stateside this winter. For the longest time the working title was "Perfect Prosecutor," but in Japan the game's official title is Gyakuten Kenji. The game has an official release date of May 28th. There does not appear to be an English language option, unlike the first three Gyakuten Saiban games. Not that it really matters since this game's US release has been officially confirmed by Capcom.

Unlike the Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice games, Miles Edgeworth will focus more on crime scene investigation. Additionally, players will have the ability to directly control the sprites on screen, much like a point-and-click adventure game. There are very few examples of actual gameplay to be found, beyond the official trailer. That will most certainly change as the game makes its way into the hands of gamers this spring. After playing as the defense in the first four Ace Attorney games, what isn't there to like about playing as the prosecution for once? And it's hard NOT to like Miles Edgeworth. At the very least this will come as welcome news for fans who feared this game would not see the light of day in North America. Personally, I would have been more surprised if Capcom made the decision not to release the game here. They took the time to release all four of the first Ace Attorney games and both volumes of the official manga. This year is definitely a good one for fans of Capcom.

On the partially confirmed and rumors front, we have a remake of the Super Nintendo title,Turtles in Time and the possibility of a Deadpool game.



At the moment the Turtles in Time remake is slated for Xbox Live, but could make its way to PSN and WiiWare. It could be nostalgia talking, but I do have fond memories of Turtles in Time on the SNES. I just hope that the transition to 3D is a graceful one and the game is a lot more interesting than the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. As for Deadpool, Raven Software has only expressed interest in making a game based on the Marvel anti-hero mercenary. Still I'm a sucker for Deadpool, so if this story goes anywhere I'll be sure to keep an eye on it.

Man were we Xbox 360 owners jealous when we heard that PSN was getting an exclusive demo of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 following the announcement. The thing is that it's actually not surprising to see this happen, given the way demos for Xbox Live Arcade games are actually provided on the service. XBLA games require the a download of the actual game itself, with the demos having an unlock key to purchase the actual product for a fee. Some of them are pretty good, while others are so useless that you'd wonder if the companies gave them any thought at all.

Though it's not on XBLA, the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 demo is easily one of the worst in existence. People who downloaded it from PSN found out that the not-even-200 MB demo has only the option for local multiplayer. It's very similar to the HD Remix demo put out for XBLA when the game released, meaning that if you don't have a second controller, you can't play it. I think someone at either Capcom or Backbone (probably the latter) forgot that most people who intend to play the game are from an older generation, meaning they probably don't have someone available to play a game like this with them at any given time. It's also even worse for people who never played the original game and wanted to try it out first.

In a way, the MvC2 demo is actually worse, and I wonder why it even exists at all. A demo like this could be a good way to test out the netcode on PSN, where HD Remix had problems, but that's a missed opportunity right now. And you can't even test it out to see how the widescreen options, filters, and the overall port quality is unless you have immediate access to another controller at all times. That's not even taking into account the inaccessible teases of the other modes, which you'll have to wait until summer to play.

So yeah, someone at Capcom and Backbone really needs a swift kick in the pants for this one, since the kick from the HD Remix demo apparently wasn't enough to send the message to them. And I'm willing to bet money that the 360 demo that comes when the game releases will be the same as this, and stuff like this makes me wonder if some companies in the gaming industry have a sense of logic at all. Capcom may be doing a lot of right things this generation, but sometimes they make some missteps; and this one is a serious misstep.

There was, as they say, trouble in paradise for Sony a few weeks back when Microsoft announced that two more Xbox Originals would be joining their lineup on the Xbox Live Marketplace a few weeks ago. With the addition of Sega Soccer Slam and Raze's Hell, the number of Xbox Originals available would go up to 25. The problem for Sony here was that the number of Xbox games on XBLM would be the same as the amount of PSOne games on Playstation Network.

Not that it's at all a surprise, given how Sony has been releasing older games on the service slower than a snail's pace. But upon comparing the number of Xbox games and the number of PSOne games, the company's efforts weren't just said, they were pathetic and infuriating. The potential of people trying games they missed during the PSOne generation was nearly squandered.

Unless you're Japanese, of course, where they've had over 200 games on the service for a good while, making the North American and European efforts seem incredibly paltry in comparison.

But the tide may be turning. Last week, we were graced with the presence of Castlevania: Chronicles. A pretty welcome port of the game, seeing as how the game went for way too high prices on ebay previously. Who could pass that up at only $6? Well, I did, but that was only because I was in the midst of buying gifts for family members. That, and I was wondering where I could find some of those ever-elusive Playstation Network cards, which should have been out years ago.

Now, news comes out today that the first Suikoden title is now available on PSN, also available for only $6. Part of me is hoping that Sony has finally gotten the signal and is now starting to address the problem with the spartan classics lineup. They've already addressed the situation of new games on PSN -- which were mainly for PS3, but are now seeing PSP ports -- so logic suggests that this is next in line for repairs. Then again, part of me is saying this is only a coincidence, and starting next week (or the week after, if they don't update next week), it'll be back to the same old crap. Here's to hoping!

Now, I need to get ahold of one of those PSN cards that only took two years to come out.

So there was this game called Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix released on Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network this past week. Personally, I'm a Street Fighter fan from way back in mid-1992. I was a little know-nothing tyke when I first laid eyes upon Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (the first in a series of five, for those of you counting) in a deli when my dad took me with him to get lunch on his break from work. The appeal of the game then came from its sheer ingenuity. I had never seen a game like it. Really, none of us hadn't.

Like the series or not, you have to respect Street Fighter for one thing: it single-handedly made the fighting game genre viable. You know a game did something right when it spawned a number of look-alikes that would release one after another for years and years, one of which even caused Capcom to sue (Fighter's History -- which was very much a rip-off despite Capcom losing the case). Heck, that legacy carried on for as long as SNK made 2D fighters into the era where even most hardcore gamers had stunned them for how stagnant the genre had become.

While the series was known for its very responsive and fluid controls, it was also very complicated. Street Fighter II is known as one of the games that moved arcades from the place for everyone to strictly a hardcore gamer's den. A game with eight degrees of motion and six buttons for combat wasn't something a person could pick up and fool around with to get the hang of; and that's not even getting into the complex motions required for super techniques. But really, the number of us that were totally planted into the hardcore gaming square ate it up as much as the machine's ate our quarters.

If you're the kind of person who remembers Street Fighter II from the second iteration of the halcyon era of arcade gaming, you'll definitely want to pick this one up if you own a 360 or PS3. It really means a lot to us to relive the nostalgic experience with a very nicely retooled, and well-balanced, version for a mere $15 asking price. Though I'll warn you: it's seriously a "by fans, for fans" title. If you're not really that well versed in the Street Fighter universe and you're looking to get into it, you may want to hold off  until Street Fighter IV makes it's way out on February 17th.

Mega Man 9 is coming next week, the Official Capcom Blog confirmed today. It will hit WiiWare, Playstation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade on September 22, September 25, and October 1, respectively.

Why 360 owners have to wait a week later is beyond me, but it could be because Capcom thinks Duke Nukem 3D (which comes to XBLA next week) would murder it or something (though Wipeout HD is OK). That, or they're giving you time to purchase the Mega Man Anniversary Collection from their online store so you can have all of the games finished by then.

Have you ever sat down at the computer and pondered "Where did the trolls who flame me on internet message boards get their start?" Fear not, fearless denizen of the World Wide Web, because the New York Times Magazine has your back with this interesting study on the inherent sociology of internet trolling. It's long, but it's a good read. Or perhaps you prefer the erudite internet web surfer edition?

Last weekend, it was revealed that The Dark Knight broke $300 million. To the surprise of everyone, it's now broken $400 million. In 18 days. Maybe it'll beat Titanic's record in the process? One can only hope.

Who expected comedian Bernie Mac to pass away so suddenly? A terrible shame, and it's probably true that he shouldn't have been let go from the hospital so soon. I'm sure the hospital is feeling the same way right now, and one could imagine the hate mail and threats the hospital is getting at the moment.

Former democratic presidential candidate John Edwards admitted that he was having an extramarital affair with a woman who was going to make documentaries with him, confirming what the National Enquirer already knew. Fun fact: the woman had no previous film experience, and, while unemployed, moved into a $3 million home. No, that's not curious at all. 

Lastly, keep in mind that the much anticipated and oft-delayed Bionic Commando: Rearmed is coming to Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network, and PC via download this week. Now everyone will finally be able to play it. "Everyone" does not include European Playstation 3 owners, unfortunately.

Image from the brave souls who dared to stare into the harrowing eyes of an internet troll in real life. i.e. New York Times Magazine