PlayStation 2
E3 2007: The Simpsons Game melts faces, relies on team work
While watching a friend play The Simpsons Game, I asked the representative on hand if I could jump in and help. "Sure!" he said, and I took over the controls of Bart Simpsons while my friend played as Homer. Together we would have to work together to defeat Lard Lad, who, just as in Treehouse of Horror VI, had come to life and was terrorizing the city. Not an easy task, it required team work, and a little luck.
Each of the main Simpsons characters (sorry Maggie) is playable at different points throughout the game, and each has special abilities that aid in completing the various levels. Bart has the ability to use a grappling hook to reach high areas, and can float to the ground after jumping when in Bartman form. He has a slingshot for shooting projectiles, giving him an advantage over other characters when needing to attack enemies at a distance. This came in particularly handy for shooting Lard Lad in the back, thus stunning him and giving us access to his wiring within.
The graphics looked good, but it was easy to tell the game was still in development, as there were bugs with the camera and the character controls were not quite refined enough. The representative explained the cell-shaded graphics were a bit different than traditional cell shading, as the models actually changed shape to help give the characters the right look from every angle. I never noticed this "face melting" visually as I was playing the game, but the characters did appear more true to their animated form than 3D renderings usually allow.
The Simpsons Game doesn't tie into the movie in any way, except for being released in the same year. We're told that the game will be a video game parody of video games, with references to many many games throughout. The Lard Lad battle was being given a "play by play" in game by Kent Brockman, in the same vein as games like Madden NFL 08.
If the crowds around the game at E3 are any indication, there will be a lot of "D'oh" and "Woo Hoo!" moments in front of the television later this year. End Communication.
Sony reaches out to the community with PlayStation.Blog
Sony has never been known as a very personal company, especially in their entertainment division. Since the launch of the Playstation 3, there has been backlash from the gaming community saying that Sony doesn't care and about its customers, ignores reality, and refuses to address the community directly. Sony has countered this concern by launching a new blog that will speak directly to the Sony community.
It’s with enthusiasm, eagerness and, honestly, a little bit of relief that we lift the cover on our first official Sony Computer Entertainment America company blog - welcome and sorry for the wait.
PlayStation.Blog is a bit of work in progress, we see it as a place where we can share with you our company’s collective insights, opinions and perspectives on all things related to SCEA, PlayStation and the industry we play in.
Microsoft has had an ongoing relationship with the community through Major Nelson (Larry Hryb), the Xbox Live Director of Programming. Nintendo has no direct outlet like this, but is considered more in touch with the community than Sony. There is the potential to really turn around the perception of Sony in the eyes of the gaming community with this blog. Hopefully it will become more than a simple outlet for plain-language press releases and screenshots.
Big hair returns in Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s
Activision is rocking all the way back to the 80s in a Playstation 2 exclusive that is sure to inspire torn jeans and big hair in your favorite 30-something. The track list for Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s continues to grow with some classic songs from music's darkest era.
- "Hold On Loosely"
- "No One Like You"
- "Only a Lad"
- "Radar Love"
- "Ballroom Blitz"
- "The Warrior"
- "What I Like About You"
- "Wrath Child"
Licensed music is not usually touted as the main feature of a popular video games, but with Guitar Hero the music is the game, and the right tracks can tempt the most un-rhythmic of game players.
For a full list of the announced tracks thus far, click the read more link below.
The Shield First Trailer PlayStation 2
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McDonald's draws Gamers from all over DFW
On October 14th I attended the McDonald's Midnight Gaming Tournament to attempt to compete in Guitar Hero with people from around the DFW area. I would soon learn that I was nowhere near the level of those that showed up, but with only a couple hours of playtime, I didn't expect to be. The story involves Guitars, Cheerleaders, and a final showdown between people described as "machines" and "robots" by their fellow competitors. I would leave with a new respect for those that long to be a the ultimate Guitar Hero.
Background
The Video Gamers League partnered with McDonald's to put on a tournament in the greater-Dallas market to provide a way for Gamers to compete beyond the local area. There is a tournament for each of three games, Tekken 5, Guitar Hero, and NCAA 07 Football, and all the tournaments take place at the same time, from 9PM on Saturday until whenever a winner is determined. The format follows a simple single elimination format starting with up to 32 players, resulting in a single winner after 5 rounds. There are going to be eight preliminary tournaments, resulting in eight winners per game that will compete on the ninth week to determine the overall champion for each game. I attended the fourth week of the tournament on October 14th.
Review: Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra (hereby referred to as X3), is the final installment of the Xenosaga series and it certainly lives up to the great expectations that fans of the series have placed on it while patiently waiting for it’s North American release. With updated graphics, a simplified battle and character development system, and more of the signature epic cinematic scenes that the series is known for, X3 delivers in ways which previous incarnations of the series have not been able to.
Graphically, it is definitely the prettiest of the series. Characters have gone through a slight redesign once again (each game of the series features its own look), and this time Shion and crew have come out looking better and more realistic than in X1 or X2. Location design has also made a huge leap forward, with the prologue containing some incredibly surreal levels that dwarves anything the design team attempted in previous ‘encephalon dives’. The numerous cut scenes have also taken a step up, looking much sharper than in the predecessors, and they probably push the PlayStation 2 hardware to its maximum limits.
Genesis games coming to Playstation 2, PSP
As re-releases and updates to classic games are released almost weekly, we can see that nostalgia gaming is becoming a big part of the gaming market. Like old TV shows being put out on DVD, releasing old games can be a way for a company to take advantage of existing Intellectual Property. Sega, now only a software producer, is probably the largest player in this market currently, and will be releasing a collection for the PlayStation 2 and PSP this November entitled the Genesis Collection. Joystiq's Robert Summa has seen an early copy and gives some of the details.
Not all of the 28 games included -- there will also be an additional three to unlock -- have been officially announced, but here are a few that were on the version I saw: Shinobi II; Sonic the Hedgehog; Golden Axe I, II, and III; Virtua Fighter 2; Altered Beast; Ecco the Dolphin; Phantasy Star
Nintendo has already announced that Genesis games will be playable on the Wii this fall through the virtual console, but they haven't given any pricing or title lists. This reporter played Sonic the Hedgehog, and was quite impressed with the feel and look. If Sega is releasing this collection for less than $1 a game (on average), this might start to give us an indication of the price range on the Wii.
Relive your Genesis days this November [Joystiq]
