A Leipzig Disappointment

So, Leipzig is going on right now (which is sort of the European E3 from what I understand) and there was talk that Sony was going to unveil some really interesting information. Here is what I found out...
1. My new PSP is going to be outdated already as Sony is releasing a new version less than a year after the last new version. (Along with some cool bundles)
2. Sony is going to release a new PS3 bundle which would have been awesome had I not already owned a PS3.
3. LittleBigPlanet is still awesome and coming out October 29th in PAL territories.
4. That's pretty much it for us US folks.

So that was pretty underwhelming and considering what was rumored, I thought we'd see a whole lot more. I don't need a new PSP, or PS3, and I already know I'm getting LittleBigPlanet, so other than some specific game announcements, there really wasn't that much information to give out. I was hoping to hear something about Home, or a global LBP release date, or the shocking new revelation about LBP that they have been teasing. Oh well. Maybe TGS will give some more information.

LittleBigPlanet - New Gaming Obsession

So, ever since Sony and Media Molecule announced LittleBigPlanet was coming last year, I've been dying to have a chance to play it. Everything from screenshots to videos that I've seen have only cemented it in my mind as the game that will sell PS3's, and take over my life. Then, it got delayed, and delayed and I was really bummed out and stopped following it for a while.

But then, at E3, it appeared and reminded me why I was so entranced by it again. Now, with the release date a couple months away, I'm trying to get any information I can, and also trying to decide who I'm going to pre-order it from (there are five different offers but only two have been formally announced). I found a cool site that has a ton of info: LittleBigPlanet Central and since they have their official news site: LittleBigPlanet News I'm counting days until I can get this game.

For those who don't know, it's really hard to explain what is so cool about this game, which is essentially a platformer with a level design and share element. But it's the style, charm, and general fun of the game that make it so compelling. I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the game other than it hasn't come out yet. Nintendo tried to get it before Sony snatched it up, and for good reason. My wife is even interested in this game and that says volumes right there.

So, October 21st can't get here soon enough. All I have to do now is make my final decision on Kratos costume, Mini-Guide, or Pouch. :)

Uncharted Trophy Hunt - Review

So, I got Uncharted yesterday, and as soon as possible, downloaded the patch and started up the game. Now, I've received three trophies from PixelJunk Eden, but there was something different about trying to get them for Uncharted. I had a game plan, did some research, even had a treasure guide so I could make sure I found all of them. And then I dove right in. After one night (that was shortened a little), I've got 9 of the 47 trophies and I'm completely hooked. My plan is to get all of them, but going back and beating the game on Crushing will be challenging so we'll have to see. But, since I've beat the game already, I figured I'd do a little of a Retro-Review of the game.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is about Nathan Drake's quest to find a lost treasure that Sir Francis Drake (who Nathan thinks is a long lost relative) hide after a supposed death. Without giving anything away, the game is the search for this treasure and the adventures that are brought along with that.

I'll be honest and up front. I loved this game. The gameplay is typical adventure with some shooting, platforming, and puzzle solving. All of these elements really fit into my interests and with a story that is both interesting and actually well written, it makes for a really fun experience. The controls are very intuitive and the camera works very well staying where it should almost all the time. Games I like to play are the ones where I feel like if I would have designed the control scheme, this is how I would have done it. Uncharted accomplishes this goal.

The story, like I said is good, but it's the actors' delivery that make it that way. The whole game is presented like a big movie, and that is really cool. One evidence of this is the missing load time screens, and when you enter a new level, the only way you know it is by the screen showing a graphic stating that it is a new level. I love that touch to the game. Make you feel more part of the action. Visually, the game is amazing. The first time I played it, I was on a 25" Sanyo from 20 years ago. The game looks so much better on my HDTV, I can't describe the difference it makes. Little touches such as a sound track that changes much like a movie would (tense music in a tense situation, etc..) add to the experience.

So, I think it's obvious, but I'll go ahead and say it. This game is great. I give it 5 out of 5. The only complaint is that maybe the game is a little too short. Not a bad complaint to have...

The Future of the PSP

So, I have a White PSP Slim (The Darth Vader one), and I really like the design and capabilities of it, but lately I've found myself playing it less and less. I've got a few games that I'm still playing and a small list of games I want to get from Gamefly. But, there just aren't a lot of titles that I'm dying to play on it. Games I've really enjoyed include the Syphon Filter games, the Lego games, Daxter, Ratchet and Clank. So there has been cool content that was unique to the platform, but it seems that many studios are shying away from releasing content solely for the system.

I'm looking forward to Resistance Retribution, but other than that and Star Wars The Force Unleashed, there aren't a ton of must-play games coming out. It's not a new suggestion, but I think piracy is slowly killing the platform. Studios don't want to spend the development money when they know that a greater percentage of people are going to download the game illegally. The hardware sales have been climbing steadily, but eventually, there won't be any new games coming out for it other than ports of other games. I'm really concerned because I would hate to see my PSP just gathering dust. I've even toyed with selling it, but three things keep me from doing that:

1. Remote Play. This has been a really cool feature that I don't think has been properly utilized. There are a few games out there that should create a patch for playing via remote play. The Lego games would be awesome over remote play (although this would cannibalize the sales of that platform). I played PixelJunk Monsters via Remote Play, and other than a little lag here and there, it worked very well.
2. Exclusive games or content. The Resistance game, and the new content in Star Wars The Force Unleashed will hold my interest for now, but unless something else is coming out...
3. Online play with friends. So, really this is meant for me and one friend to play golf. That has been fun even though he killed me. But, the online experience with the PS3 is so much better, I wonder how long this will be of interest.

I hope that Sony pushes some good first party titles for the PSP, and I would love it if other studios followed suit. Maybe they need to focus on downloadable since that seems to be more secure, and would have the cost savings of digital distribution. I'm grasping because I'm concerned with the future of the PSP, and it's too cool a platform to just disappear.

Gaming ADD

So, I've come up with a new term for how I play games now. It's called Gaming ADD. Back in the day, I would research a game for a long time before I would buy it, then I would play it non-stop for weeks. Then I'd trade it in for the next game that I had researched, etc...

Now, I just rent games I have any interest at all, and as soon as they arrive, i play for a few hours. If I'm not sold on the game within that short time frame, they go back in the envelope, and back to Gamefly to get my next fix. I really try to play all the way through games, cause I like the sense of accomplishment, but since I have limited game time, I am just not as inclined to spend time on a game that I'm not totally sold on, or is frustratingly difficult. The latest casualty - Devil May Cry 4. The game was fun, but after a while, I just wasn't into it. It wasn't the difficulty (I hadn't got that far), I just would rather play something else (Burnout Paradise). So, I sent it back and we'll see what I get next.

Also, this may prove difficult because with the PS3 implementing trophies, I'm going to need to start playing older games I've already finished so I can get the trophies. I know I'll have to get Uncharted again, but that's ok, because it was one of my favorite games that I've played this year.

E3 Impressions - PJ Edition

So, I finished watching the Sony E3 presentation last night (Thanks to the PSN actually providing it this year), and there were a lot of cool things about it. Here are the ones that I found most interesting:
1. Resistance 2 - I really liked the first game, but the levels they showed were awesome. They kept mentioning scale, and it was really evident in the Leviathan battle. Part of that seemed a little weird though. I'll be interested to see how it measures up in the final game.
2. Sony's commitment to the PS2 - They are bringing out 130 titles for the PS2 this year. That seems really high when they aren't providing backward compatibility on the PS3 going forward.
3. LittleBigPlanet - I cannot even describe how excited I am by this game. I really hope they don't let everyone down and delay it again. Should be the best community game since Burnout Paradise.
4. Video Store - I think this is a really great move to bring the PSN in line with other online retail opportunities. I like how you can move it to your PSP. I don't like how when you delete it to free up space, it's gone forever. I guess I'll be burning anything I buy to DVD or backing up on my portable hard drive (I also really need to expand the drive I have in my PS3.
5. PSN titles - I love the idea of Ratchet and Clank continuing on PSN. I'll be buying that for sure.
6. The many developers touting the PS3 (even notable devs from critics of the platform)

Here's what I was a little disappointed by:
1. No Netflix announcement. This rumor has been going on for a long time, and when the 360 announced it on Monday, I thought it was sure that the PS3 would announce it. Wonder if they are waiting to not compete with the new Store, or if was really only a rumor.
2. No Jaw-Dropping announcement. I'm still waiting for the announcement that they are making a peripheral that will turn the PS3 into a Location Free player or something of that nature. The games looked good, the video store is nice, but nothing blew me away.
3. No Killzone 2 love. I know this conference was about Resistance 2, but Killzone still should have had a little presence... even if it was just a teaser of really in-game footage.

Games I MUST play from E3: (not just from Sony's conference)
1. LittleBigPlanet
2. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
3. Resistence 2
4. Mirror's Edge
5. Prince of Persia
6. DC Universe
7. Resistance Retribution
8. Lego Batman
9. Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty
10. Motorstorm 2

Games I'm curious about:
1. Infamous
2. Flower
3. PixelJunk Eden
4. Mortal Kombat vs. DC

Gamefly - The Best and Not-So-Best Thing for Gamers

So, I mentioned a while ago, that I both love and hate Gamefly. I got a comment asking me to expand on that and since I have a little time today... here we go.

For those not familiar, Gamefly is essentially an online rental service for games. Kinda like Netflix. They have PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii GameCube, Xbox, and Xbox 360 games and will ship you up to three at a time depending on your membership plan. Originally, they had limited distribution centers (CA and PA), but have recently opened up a new center in Austin, TX (And I think another one in GA?). Can't remember that one.

Here's what I like about Gamefly: The selection is very good. I've been able to play many really good titles when they first came out by timing my returns appropriately. (Ratchet & Clank Future, Lego Indiana Jones, Uncharted, etc...). I'm also able (since I can have two out at a time) to rent a PSP game and a PS3 game at the same time. The price is reasonable ($25/mo for two at a time), and based on normal single rentals, it's much cheaper. The turnaround which used to be a problem is now much better as it only takes a day to get to Austin (plus Fast Return works sometimes - This is a service where the Post Office is supposed to scan it when it gets there so they can send the next one out.) The site is really easy to use and you can even buy the used games at prices that are usually better than Gamestop.

Here's what I don't like: The problem with so many choices... I have a hard time deciding. A good problem to have, but still. Plus, games like Burnout Paradise take up time I should spend with a game I've rented. I recently got Devil May Cry 4, but since the Cagney update for BP came out the next day, I'm not sure when I'll be playing that game again. So, I almost feel like I'm wasting that money. Also, Austin hasn't built up their supply of games yet, so when I get games, they are still coming from CA which takes an extra day.

Verdict: I've tried other rental services and they were no where near as good as Gamefly. I recommend this to anyone who is interested (in fact, if you are interested, please click the link to the right. I'd love to refer you for a credit for me :) ) The selection is good, the supply of games is pretty good. I haven't had to wait too long for a game (although MGS4 might be my first opportunity at this), and the prices are reasonable. Did I mention that every 3 months, they give you $5 towards a used game? and after 6 months, you get 5% off, 10% after 12 months?

Resurgence of this Blog

So, I've been trying to keep up more on the sports blog I write for 110 Percent, which is meeting with mixed results. In other words it just depends on the day and the sport being played. But, as I've been writing, I find myself wanting to write about games more often. So, I clicked on this blog and noticed that 4 of my last six posts were about video games or gaming, and I figured I would just change the name of the blog to note the change I'm making. I'm not even sure if anyone reads this anymore, but it's a good outlet (when I use it) and I'm looking forward to putting more content on here.

Here are some topics I will be covering in the days to come:
* My new HDTV
* Reviews of Games (LOTS - I love and hate Gamefly)
* General Gaming Topics