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Few games for the PlayStation 3 have excited owners of Sony's third-generation game console as the upcoming Killzone 2 has. I say upcoming, but I have this nagging suspicion that the would-be blockbuster is already here, enjoying massive success and garnering extraordinary reviews right under my nose. The proof? Apparently, media-aggregate site Metacritic already has a slate of freshly posted reviews from the first-person shooter, all stellar, and some mind-numbingly hyperbolic. Pegging the game as the "best console first person shooter ever" and a contender for 2009 Game of the Year (already), the final word seems have been spoken.
The only problem is the actual game doesn't drop for an entire month, and the reviews all have future tags, with most listing their posting in February and some even for March 2009. From the start Killzone 2 is a game whose hype has been entirely corporate-generated, as the original games have no fanbase, sold badly, and at every turn trailers and images proved false or doctored. But I'm still rooting for the game's success, if only because I've run out of original titles to play on my PlayStation 3 and have grown sick of inferior and under-supported Xbox 360 ports.
Sony fans, hold your tounges and realize I mean nothing but the best. Keep reading for more commentary...
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Normally we don't report the hiring/firing of actors/directors inside the Hollywood machine, because frankly, nobody really cares. But when a project has been as simultaneously troubled and beloved as the rumored He-Man movie, we'll make an exception. Thought to be canceled, Variety is reporting the project is back and in business, having just taken on the co-director of last summer's amazing Kung Fu Panda to bring it all together! While previous attempts to bring the franchise back have met with mixed results, producer Joel Silver (Die Hard, The Matrix) is set to bring Mattel's immensely popular series back into the spotlight, no doubt encouraged by the recent success of the live-action Transformers film.
Panda's co-director John Stevenson seems right for the role, having convinced the world an overweight panda could become a martial arts expert, but also has his hands deep in geek-history, including the first two Shrek films, James and the Giant Peach, as well as several Jim Henson projects (including The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth). The passion is certainly there, and let's hope he can harness nearly thirty years of expectations into a watchable film.
FUN FACT! In the original (and horrendous) live-action adaptation, He-Man's nemesis Skeletor was played by none other than Frank Langella, up for the Best Actor Academy Award for his stellar performance as President Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon!
I'm not even going to try to understand the Japanese fascination with all-things Dragon Quest, and I'm certainly not going to touch Hori's upcoming and INSANELY bizarre looking Dragon Quest IX-flavored slime add-on for the Nintendo DS - The Dragon Quest IV Slime Speaker Stand from Hori. With speakers hidden inside our slimy friend's cheeks, the gumdrop-shaped enemy/hero can also be used as a DS-stand, and of course its use isn't limited to a Nintendo DS. iPod usage, anyone? The Slime Stand will retail for 4,725 Yen (or roughly $53 US) and hits Japanese stores March 28th - the same day the game launches. Imagine that.
LOADS of slimy pictures and bizarre (and most likely) useful ways for fans to get the most out of the next Dragon Quest can be found right HERE!! Enjoy!
If you happened to catch my impression of Super Street Fighter II HD Remix (SSF2HR if you're nasty), then you know I liked the game. But there was and remains plenty of room for improvement, as both the Xbox 360/PS3 versions (especially the PS3 version) is riddled with bugs in both display/audio and gameplay. More to that, some curious efforts to re-balance the game have left the game unsatisfying for some, and despite lead designer David Sirlin's insistance otherwise, some good intentions have indeed led to Hell.
But the forums have spoken, at least for the most obvious glitches and match errors, as the official Capcom-Unity blog states that a patch is indeed on the way. What's inside the patch remains a mystery, but from the feedback I've heard (and I've heard a LOT), disappearing lifebars and network disconnects remain high on the list, while in the gameplay arena insanely incompetent hit-ratios could definitely be scaled back a bit. Or a lot, if anyone cares. This could be much to-do about nothing, as Street Fighter IV is set to invade both consoles in a few weeks, but having the download-only game fixed up proper would be FANTASTIC.
Shorykens and Sonic Booms goto Capcom-Unity!
Moan and shuffle all you like about the relative lack of 'hardcore' games for the Nintendo Wii, Sega aims to fill that hole with as much blood-splattered goodness as they can (literally) shake a Wiimote at. One genre the console does exceedingly well at, lightgun games, looks to be well represented until the end of its life cycle and its nice to see Sega continue their fun House of the Dead franchise with Overkill. Man alive, Namreh's going crazy over this one!
So check out the pair of making-of documentaries above and below, which really make me want to play the final game even more when it drops soon. Nice to see the humor angle played up, and of course tossing in a few redneck/clown zombies doesn't hurt, either. Keep reading for the second look...
Read More »Continually delayed, endlessly anticipated, Square/Enix's Final Fantasy XIII couldn't come soon enough for some people - PlayStation 3 fans in particular. Of course, the game is now multiplatform (Xbox 360) and looking better than ever, and while watching the latest trailer for the upcoming RPG there were times when I couldn't tell when the incredibly impressive CG ended and the gameplay began. Of course, the rest is filled with ridiculously rendered character designs and overwrought musical cues...but then again, this is Final Fantasy! Enjoy!
You knew it was coming, but make room for even more Super Mario RGP action! Or should I say Mario and Luigi RPG 3!! The most whimsical role-playing franchise of our time gets a third chapter, playable Bowser action, and all the craziness you'd expect from Nintendo's premier adventure series. Honestly, its the smaller details I love so much, and despite my distaste for 99% of RPGs out there I'm looking forward to this one - BIG TIME.
Enjoy the Japanese trailer...don't expect much to change when the English gets added in the yet-to-be announced North American release!
The more I see of Henry Selick's Coraline, the more I want to see. Although there's quite a bit of attention paid to this being from the "Director of Nightmare Before Christmas," the added zing of it being a Neil Gaiman work only sweetens the deal. The latest trailer shows more of its macabre nature than ever before, and I can't help but feel the red-faced embarrassment of a thousand soccer moms crossing this one off their 'must see' lists. Excellent.
Stop-motion fans will probably come out in droves, and if nothing else the film looks great, and let's hope it plays just as well. Coraline hits theaters everywhere February 6th!
Aah, the joys of timed-exclusives in this craz, mixed-up console gaming world! As always, the Xbox 360 just received the long-awaited demo for Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil 5, an entire week before PlayStation 3 owners will get the chance. Of course this offer is good to Xbox Live Gold members only, so those of you fence-sitters will have to pony up for a membership or wait until the game hits retail on Friday, March 13th. Spooky.
Featuring two playable levels from the game and oodles of multiplayer options, the demo for Resident Evil 5 clocks in at 473 megs, and if you're stuck at work (reading entertainment blogs?!) or are just too lazy to flip on the old console, head over to the Xbox Live Marketplace portal and queue up that sucker for yourselves right HERE!
And the shuttering continues with Microsoft, having announced a series of cost-cutting measures and staff layoffs to help thwart bad economic times and corporate blunders. Over the weekend the company has confirmed the closure of of ACES Studios, developer of the ground-breaking and popular Flight Simulator franchise. In production since 1982, the famed series predates nearly all of the company's other software efforts and has been a mainstay on personal computers ever since.
So says Microsoft spokeswoman Kelda Rericha to website Appscout:
"Following our annual strategy review process, IEB [Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business unit] is making adjustments within our business to align our people against our highest priorities. The closure of ACES Studios was one of those specific changes."
The closure of ACES follows the recent closing of Ensemble Studios, widely considered one of Microsoft's best and most profitable internal game development studios and creators of the best-selling Age of Empires franchise (as well as upcoming Halo Wars strategy game). The recent economic downturn has hit the software giant particularly hard, with several of its development and hardware studios posting decreased revenue over last year's earnings. As for the future of Flight Simulator?
You'll have to keep reading for that nugget of goodwill...
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In zipping through the company's 10-Q filing, Microsoft reveals that Zune platform revenue decreased $100 million, or roughly 54%, which if you're keeping track of the Entertainment and Device Division (EAD) represents a staggering 60% loss to the division's overall revenues (which include the Xbox 360 and PC game revenue). Despite a recent software update and significantly discounted hardware, the Zune has failed to compete in any significant way with Apple's iPod family, which saw sales rise 3% in the same time frame. Since its launch the Zune family has sold an embarrassing 3 million units, while Apple has sold an astonishing 200+ million of their various players.
As Microsoft has announced its first round of layoffs in recent memory alongside plans to shutter several development houses, it may be time for Redmond to realize the economic realities of the situation and divert funds for this money-pit elsewhere. With hard-numbers like these, it'll be difficult to keep blaming the sagging economy for bad business decisions. Personally, I'd rather see the Zune cut loose than more people lose their jobs.
You've got your Metallica in my Guitar Hero! Actually, the upcoming metal-modified version of the popular franchise (due March 29th for Xbox 360 and PS3) is set to frazzle your very lives when it touches base, and its got the musical chops to do just that. The full listing has been posted on the band's official website, and naturally we've lifted the whole she-bang for curious eyes right here. 28 full songs from an illustrious career, plus full compatibility with last year's smash-hit "Death Magnetic" Here's what to expect from the band itself:
All Nightmare Long
Battery
Creeping Death
Disposable Heroes
Dyers Eve
Enter Sandman
Fade To Black
Fight Fire With Fire
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Frantic
Fuel
Hit The Lights
King Nothing
Master of Puppets
Mercyful Fate (Medley)
No Leaf Clover
Nothing Else Matters
One
Orion
Sad But True
Seek And Destroy
The Memory Remains
The Shortest Straw
The Thing That Should Not Be
The Unforgiven
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Wherever I May Roam
Whiplash
...but there's even more thrashing to be had, as Guitar Hero: Metallica also includes plenty of contributions from band favorites and other classics. Keep reading for the whole list, as well as some choice words of caution to fans of the Wii and PlayStation 2 platofrms. You knew it was coming...
Read More »If you've been following the recent on/off again relationship with Lucasarts and the rumors that the future of Indiana Jones interactive adventures were canceled, then here's a nugget - they haven't been. At least not on the Nintendo Wii, DS, and either the PSP or PlayStation 2. Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings sees the good Doctor Jones returning to what he does best, which includes tombs, running, and all the whipping you can take. Looks like it could be decent, but I'm pretty sure these are CG moments, and we'll have to wait a bit for the real thing. With Indy's recent return to pop-culture a success (sorry nerds, most people liked it) the world is ready for more of the original tomb raider.
The game hits the various consoles sometime this Spring, so keep those fedoras tipped and ready.
What's this...another update for the PlayStation 3? In the immortal words of a certain Alaskan govenor, you betcha! But it looks like Firmware Update 2.60 might be a rather low-key affair to anyone not that interest in displaying and managing their media collections, as the two most critical improvements come by way of a rather ambitious photo gallery viewer and improved support for Divx video. Aside from the upgraded support for Divx 3.11 (thank you Sony gods) the essentially useless 'Guest Accesss' to the PlayStation Store, the largest update is for arranging and viewing photos on the PlayStation 3. According to the official PlayStation.Blog the updated feature is as follows:
The key feature is a new Photo Gallery application, which delivers a suite of tools for sorting through and displaying your digital photo collection. Digital pictures can be organized in groups according to various criteria, including the camera used to take the photos, the event date and time, colors in the photos, as well as the number, ages, or facial expressions of the people pictured. You can also create slideshows set to music and build photo playlists with an easy-to-use interface. The Photo Gallery application will need to be installed separately from the XMB after you update your PS3's firmware. To install the Photo Gallery application, go to the Photo section on the XMB, select Photo Gallery and press the X button.
I'd go into further detail, but why bother when there's a handy instructional video already made up and ready to rock? Scan your eyeballs above and see if micro-managing your digital photo library is your cup of tea. LOTS of options, so better pay special attention. But from one media streamer to another, thank you again for the Divx upgrade!
While 2008 was certainly filled with great gaming experiences, none tickled me quite like 2D Boy's World of Goo. Words cannot describe how much the experience impacted me, as though the obligation to like what I was playing suddenly became a privlidge. Part of that gooey goodness was the game's stellar soundtrack, handled soley by Kyle Gabler and executed brilliantly. Turns out I wasn't the only one praying for an actual release of these excellent tunes, as the composer himself as graciously made one available - and for free. Do we love these guys or what?
For more impractical ranting, check out the official World of Goo impression right HERE. As for the free soundtrack, by all means head over to Kyle Gabler's official blog and snatch a digital copy for yourselves. Its easily the best soundtrack to 2008's most significant release. Its just like pirating...only legal!
Over the years Capcom has made it mighty difficult to keep caring about the Street Fighter storyline. An unending line-up of mediocre films, anime, television shows, films again, and increasingly disparate games has nearly eroded what is essentially one of the most archeotypical pure and interesting plots ever offered in digital entertainment. The main trifecta of relationships - Ryu, Ken, Sagat - and a number of interesting side stories and chapters have given the franchise an almost relgious fanbase and nerves of steel. Street Fighter IV seems to recognize this, to a degree, and despite the rancid voice-overs in the trailer above hints at greater things to come.
Seriously, February 17th can't possibly come soon enough.
For the love of me I can't figure out how this sequel connects in any way, shape, or form to the original Ong Bak...but that's OK! It's got a villainous old man, an army of elephants (shades of Tom Yum Goong/Protector?), an enraged Tony Jaa, and sounds like an orchestral choir playing the beat. No signs of severed Buddha heads anywhere, but I'm still hoping for some trademark triple-replay Jaa action when this one hits theaters outside Thailand. The Wiki has this as a prequel to the original, directed by Jaa himself, and sets itself up for a third.
All good...all Jaa! Can't wait to see this one when it hits North America! Onk Bak 2 hit Thai theaters in December 2008.
So how was 2008 for hardcore metal outfit Metallica? Superb. 2009 is looking even better, and that's good news for fans of the band as the classic outfit is set to debut their tricks and treats with the release of Guitar Hero: Metallica.
A recent find at Gamestop.com reveals that uncompromising fans who pre-order the upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica disc will be getting a second drum pedal to help those insanely difficult Lars Ulrich (see above) notes become slightly easier to fail at. That's two pedal working in tandem with one of rock's most insanely difficult drummers for some neighbor-frightning action. Currently the pre-order is set for Xbox 360 and PS3 owners, and no word if the Wii and PS2 versions will sport additional drumming action...but how could they not?
Ever watch YouTube videos on your Nintendo Wii or Sony PlayStation 3 console? Sure, its mighty cool to do so (and useful if you've got a super-big television), but only after a few minutes of adjusting and resizing. You see, YouTube viewing is normally designed for those with a handy computer, and not those web-browser equipped gaming machines. Well, it looks like the Google-owned company is set to change that with just the click of a button - literally - with the introduction of YouTube TV!
Bigger videos, larger text, and a streamlined interface all help made the new portal that much better for console viewers, and as someone who routinely uses the service (yes I watch YouTube documentaries in bed) its all sugar on top. So fire up those Wii and PS3 browsers and head on over to www.youtube.com/tv to take advantage right now. P.S. the link won't work on computers, so just a heads up!
Already chomping up Japanese Xboxes and PlayStations, the long wait for a playable demo of Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil 5 is nearly over. The next chapter in survival horror hits the Xbox 360 on January 26th, a full week before its Sony competitor in yet another timed-exclusive. The PlayStation 3 version will show up the following week, although no exact date has been confirmed. Xbox 360 timed-exclusives, especially regarding the release of playable demos, is practically standard in this age of digital distribution and probably cost Microsoft a buck of two.
Both versions feature 2 playable levels, three levels of co-op play, and tons of spooky shooting to go around. The full game hits retail shelves on March 13th, which is Friday the 13th for all you conspirators.
Ask anyone who's ever battled insomnia into the wee hours of the night about the world of television infomercials and you'll hear...stories. Products of all sorts and types in long or shortform reign supreme, and its only the best-of-the-best that make their way into prime-time programming (albeit in dramatically shortened form). Such is the case with Vince (a poor man's Billy Mays) and his latest gadget, the Slap Chop. Following the hilarious ShamWow campaign, his newest project is even better and more hilarious than ever. Seriously, I had to share this.
How on earth did this ever made the airwaves I'll never know, but the world is a much better place for it. Sprinkled with powerful words of wisdom (Stop having boring tuna; stop having a boring life) to throwing the competition (literally) to exclamations of "you're gonna love my nuts", the Slap Chop has it all. Will I be picking one up for myself? Probably not, but anything that promises to "make America skinny again, one slap at a time" has earned its plug. Or as Vince says, "fettuccine, linguini, martini, bikini."
Indeed!
After months of excuses, denials, delays and more, it finally looks like Wii owners of Rock Band 2 are getting the DLC love they've been craving all along. Harmonix is pulling double-duty making sure that Wii owners will have access to all those lovely downloadable tracks that other consoles have been enjoying, although considering how well the Nintendo version has been selling (or should that be out-selling) lost time = lost profits. 50 songs are now available for your download consumption, with 30 priced to move at 200 Wii Points each. The other 20, by considerably less well-known artists, are the promised freebies. Thanks goes to the Harmonix forums.
Here's the full list of 30 available songs at 200 Wii Points:
30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill
All-American Rejects - Move Along
Avenged Sevenfold - Afterlife
Black Tide - Shockwave
Blink-182 - All the Small Things
Blondie - Call Me
Boston - More Than a Feeling
Boston - Rock & Roll Band
Disturbed - Inside the Fire
Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race
Jimmy Buffett- Cheeseburger in Paradise
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man
Metallica - And Justice For All
Motley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles
Muse - Hysteria
Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
Oasis - Wonderwall
Papa Roach - Time is Running Out
Paramore - Crushcrushcrush
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (( Hey Oh ))
Rush - Working Man (vault edition)
Serj Tankian - Beethoven's C***
Smashing Pumpkins - Zero
Stone Temple Pilots - Interstate Love Song
Stone Temple Pilots - Sex Type Thing
The Offspring - Hammerhead
The Police - Message in a Bottle
The Who - Baba O'Riley
Weezer - Buddy Holly
Weezer - El Scorcho
The rest of the freebie songs and info on how to store them (the Wii's internal memory just won't cut it) after the jump...so keep reading!
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They're fast...and their still furious! Essentially giving up trying to give these things cool, catchy names the producers of the next Fast and the Furious film have instead opted for something a bit familiar with part four. Directed by Tokyo Drift's Justin Lin, Fast and Furious (that's the name) lives up to its name and reintroduces Paul Walker and Vin Diesel back as the leads in whats possibly the first 'true' sequel in the franchise. Itching to see a trailer? Then you've come to the right place as Yahoo Movies was kind enough to host all this intensity and high-octane action. Did he really zip underneath that twisting, burning wreckage using only andrenaline and skill? Yuppers.
Check out the first official trailer for yourselves right HERE! Fast and Furious revs theaters April 3rd.
Let me be clear - I typically don't post or have any interest in posting 99.999% of YouTube-crafted celebrations of geek culture, but there's always an exception that proves the rule. Meet Diwa de Leon, a self-described "professional composer, arranger, ethnic instrumentalist, violinist, sound designer, recording artist, music teacher and all-around musician." A jack-of-all-trades if you must, and now the wizard behind one of the most audacious renditions of the classic 'Legend of Zelda' theme I've seen yet. Yes, he plays all the parts, at once, and aside from a little violin thrown in its all acapella. Amazing.
Its a big, wet kiss to Koji Kondo's original themes, which for some reason remain so translatable to other musical mediums. So a big salute to you, de Leon for the effort, and you've certainly earned your plug. Check out his website for yourselves right HERE!
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is coming to theaters this Summer, and the onslaught of media coverage has begun - whether you like it or not! Of course, not all of the robotic love is official (unlike the recent poster just released), such as the totally unauthorized and completely shiny look at the new version of classic Autobot hero Sideswipe. Taken from what looks to be a cut-out box of the next film's toyline, our once-colorful friend has been reduced to silver and white, with a touch of the gray thrown in for good measure. No, that familiar face above isn't the new face of Sideswipe.
To see the real goods you gotta keep reading. What are you waiting for?
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Tired of Windows Vista just yet? Maybe you haven't upgraded to the company's 'Mojave' labeled operating system, or just decided to stay put with that trusty copy of XP. Either way, the wheel's of change are in motion (once again) and Microsoft is readying their next major update with the simply monikered Windows 7. Although word with the nerds claim the company will drop the next Windows into retail before the end of the year, delays are inevitable and sometimes necessary to eradicate as many bugs from the digital rafters and make the next OS as stable as can be. And to do this, they're enlisting YOU to help them out.
Or do the heavy lifting, as Microsoft has officially made the Windows 7 beta available to the public. If you're looking for a taste, they've posted directions and made the code freely available to trusting users and interested parties. Words of warning: don't use your everyday computer, back-up information when possible, and make sure you've got the proper tech to handle such an adventure. For full details and links to download the appropriate software, check out the official website and try out Windows 7 right HERE!!
A recent report from mobile ad tracking firm named (appropriately) AdMob has news that might make owners of the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch smile - you're busy little fingers now account for nearly half of of all mobile browser activity in the United States. Led by the company's inclusive Safari browser, the combined web traffic coming from Apple's mobile machines accounts for 48% of all smartphone traffic in the US. This number easily beats out #2 RIM (with 19%) and Microsoft's Windows Mobile (with 15%) combined. Google's highly anticipated Android platform posted a 2% share.
Worldwide, however, Apple's dynamic duo of mobile platforms still trail Symbian OS, whose massive 41% market share is primarily culled from Asia and African users. Apple's mobile OS is second with a 32% market share thanks to strong support in North America (see above), Europe, and Latin America. RIM's Blackberry was third with 10%, Windows Mobile at 9%, with Palm (4%), Sidekick (2%), and Android (1%) bringing up the rear. AdMob's figures show the Linux-enabled smartphones had neglibible marketshare and thus were not calculated.
But the news is just as encouraging for iPod Touch users, who combined with total web traffic requets from its iPhone cousin helped Apple to dominate the competition. Keep reading for all the juicy, numercial details...
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Despite fierce competition and a sluggish worldwide economy, sales of music-themed games are still gangbusters, particularly for Activision and their ground-breaking Guitar Hero franchise. Activision's Keynote speech at CES demonstrated the industry's rabid growth and resiliance to economic downturns facing other entertainment ventures. Since its Fall 2007 launch, Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock has become the first game in history to $1 billion in sales alone, easily besting last year's noteworthy accomplishment of a similar amount across all versions and iterations of the franchise. Guitar Hero 3's stellar grosses come from a multitude of different consoles, led by the Nintendo Wii, as well as different configurations and models.
* Guitar Hero: Aerosmith first-week sales tripled sales of the band's last studio album.
* Guitar Hero music downloads have exceeded 21 million units.
* 141,000 user-generated songs have been created and uploaded for Guitar Hero: World Tour.
But the good-news gravy is spilling into other industries, with instrument retailer Guitar Center reporting that sales of 'real' guitars were on the rise. Sales of electronic guitars and amplifiers for musical newbies were up 27% between January to September 2008, while real musicians were spending more time with the 'real thing' after playing music-themed games.
The news that one of the most lucrative franchises in gaming history continues to print money may come as a surprise to industry analysts predicting doom and gloom, as 2008 versions of Guitar Hero and Rock Band sets failed to live up to industry expectations. However, with the growth of DLC and the success of simultaneous retail and game albums, the future certainly looks bright for the growing synergy between the music and interactive industries. Now if they could just get this whole evergreen principle down...
The Street Fighter IV media blitz continues, and while we've been posting a heck of a lot of fighting goodness over at Popzara Press, Capcom was kind enough to send over a new, stylized trailer featuring two of the game's most bulked-out personalities. I'm talking about Akuma, who seems to have returned to his ultra-menacing self, and the fabled Shen Long. Its not footage of the game, but actually the fully rendered and artistic cinematics we've seen before. Still looks great, and I'm all for anything that entertains me.
Yes, I know according to Street Fighter lore Shen Long was (alleged) to have been killed off by Gouki/Akuma, but what's a little resurrection between friends? I'm considering Street Fighter IV more a celebration of the franchise than true sequel/prequel, and can't wait for February 17th to get here.
At the 2009 CES in Vegas, Sony hit the ground running. Heck, they hit the ground even before they landed, but as we've come to expect from these big-time media events the bravado flowed like whine and there was plenty to crow about. The company's ambitious, celebrity-laden Keynote was overflowing with brags and boasts, some surprising and some not so much. Among the highlights you might want to know:
* LittleBigPlanet has sold a collective 1.3 million copies worldwide since launch.
* By 2011 a full 90% of all Sony products will have wireless connectivity
* 3D Movies at home will factor in significantly for the future of Blu-ray releases
* Playable games can be accessed while watching Blu-ray movies
* MTV is joining PSN with tons of branded-content
* PlayStation Home has been downloaded 3.4 million times
* 17 million user-accounts have been created for PlayStation Network
...as Tom Jones might say, they're still alive! I'm really pulling for Sony to get their heads out of the sand and back to business after a disastrous console launch with the PlayStation 3, and here's hoping that 2009 does the trick. Nice to see LittleBigPlanet making some noise (our impression right HERE). Although there's no denying that 1.3 million copies for what many touted (myself included) a potential mascot-bearing major releases isn't something I'd be shouting from the rooftops. Still, the game is tops and deserves all the attention.
Just as this year's International CES is heating up in Las Vegas, Sony has decided to circulate an email containing some of their most blatant attacks on the value of its closest competitors and their apparent lack of 'value' when compared to the PlayStation 3. After a disastrous holiday season that saw Sony's flagship console posting net losses over last year's figures and reports of company job cuts have turned the two-time console champion into a distant third-place straggler.
Among the attacks are Sony's insistence of the PlayStation's inherent value over the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, accusing them of cluttering the market with add-ons. "The Xbox 360 requires additional money, multiple upgrades and additional external devices, putting a burden on the wallet and adds clutter to the entertainment center." While "the Wii's lack of enhanced features comes at the expense of a comprehensive entertainment solution."
The company's most defining attack came with the hardest punch: "So as PS3 continues to evolve without the need for additional parts or expenses, expect the competition to continue peddling add-ons in an effort to keep up with the Jones'." - Ouch.
But is the trash-talking correct or just more smoke in the grass? Keep reading for more details + handy expense charts!
Read More »2009 is looking to be a spectacular year for the Return of Fighting Games. Not that last year was terrible, but one too many boob and/or gimmicky crossovers just didn't do it for me. Having a fully HD Street Fighter at the tailend was nice, even if the game's 'rebalanced' mode is atrocious (yes Sirlin, you failed). With a NEW Street Fighter not just on the way, but in full and glorious 3D it looks like SNK/Playmore will have lucious and glorious 2D all to its self.
The King of Fighters XII is nearly here, and here's hoping for a full and playable home version before Summer. The Japanese trailer above may be long (and are those missing animation frames I'm spotting?), but fans of the franchise will shed tears of nostalgic joy as many favorite faces show up. Time to push the Play Button!
One thing Capcom does really, really well - promotion. Few companies can flood the old email box like they can. Another thing they do well is provide great artwork, and once Goolge-image search for Cammy is all it takes to realize just how nasty Street Fighter's second most-popular female fighter really is. Although she may not be getting a full cinematic outing (thank goodness), Cammy returns to battle in the upcoming Street Fighter IV home version next month, and to help celebrate Capcom's laying out the promotional artwork. For screenshots of the amnesic-leotard in fighting action, check out Popzara Press right HERE!
So want your lucious, inkblotted Cammy action? Why my friend, you'll have to keep reading for that...
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