Rethinking the PSP

I own a PSP 1000, which I bought shortly after it launched. It was preloaded with PSP Firmware version 1.50, and I enjoyed countless hours playing early PSP titles, TurboGraphX 16 and SNES ROM via the emulators that followed that very homebrew capable firmware version. When Star Wars Battlefront 2 was released for the PSP I was overjoyed!!! Well, until I played it... The graphics and sound effects were every bit as good as the PS2 version. So what was wrong with it? The controls. As most of you know, the PSP only has a single analog stick. So although it has the power to provide graphical experiences that you would expect to find on the PS2, it can't support the necessary control scheme to make those games as enjoyable.

The truth is, what we all wanted was a portable Playstation 2, and Sony failed to understand this. So where do we go from here? I think Sony should release a new portable, the PSP 2. And this new portable should be 100% backwards compatible with the current PSP; however, it should sport the same control scheme of the PS2 and PS3, yes, dual analog sticks! Ok, I know, that's pretty obvious right? But additionally, I think that the new portable should also play the full back catalog of PS1 and PS2 games. These games should be available on the Playstation Store, and if possible, Sony should devise a method that would allow games to copy their PS2 games onto their PSP 2 for playing! Sony could also continue to release titles for the PSP, which would also be playable on the PSP 2, and continue to support both handhelds concurrently until sales subsided for the older handheld system.

Below is my wish list for the PSP 2 (in order of importance):

• Dual analog sticks (nubs)
  
• Touch Screen (touch screen keyboards!)
  
• An upgraded CPU/GPU in order to fully support all PS2 features
  
• 802.11n wireless connectivity (2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies)
  
• Bluetooth wireless connectivity (wireless keyboards and headsets!)
  
• A More ergonomic design (think PS3 controller)
  
• SD Memory Card Slot
  
• Internal Hard Disk
  
• More RAM (perhaps 128MB)
  

Lost Planet 2 Trailer

All I can say is wow!!! Capcom has decided to go back to the drawing board, and improve on the formula that made Lost Planet an entertaining game, and managed to create what surely looks to be one of this years best!!! From what I can see from the trailer, it looks like four player co-op is also on tap!!! Thus far, Capcom has only announced Lost Planet 2 for the Xbox 360; however, don't give up hope my PS3 brethren, it's coming...

Metal Gear Online SCENE in action!

PSP 4000

This image can be found on most gaming blogs around the world!!! The latest rumors seem to indicate that it's the rumored PSP 4000 which is expected before the end of the year. If this is true, then bravo Sony!!! This is the PSP we've all wanted from the beginning! Sony, if the image above is truly a concept photo of the PSP 4000, we applaud the inclusion of dual analog nubs, finally! However, there are a few more things we want:

• 802.11g/n wireless connectivity, 802.11b is really old tech, so this one is a no brainer.
  
• Bluetooth connectivity, a long shot I know...
  
• A built-in hard disk, 40GB or more please!
  

Killzone 2 on rails!

Resistance Retribution - PSP to PS3 Features

Is the PSP2 coming?

According to JoyStick, Sony Japan has a job posting for testers for a new portable gaming machine. Could the PSP2 be close at hand, and could the image above be the new design direction of the handheld?

CNET's Prize Fit PS3 vs Xbox 360

HALO WARS CINEMATICS LEAKED!!!!

Apparently someone has gotten their hands on the cinematic videos for the yet-to-be-released Halo Wars!!!!

* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *

If you plan to play this game and you want to actually be surprised as events unfold... Stop now!!!!

Dead Space: Extraction

The embedded video is a trailer for Dead Space: Extraction, which is a Wii Exclusive!!!! Details are still sketchy, but the word on the street is that the game is a prequel to the events that occur in the PC/PS3/Xbox360 version of the game, and it will use the first person perspective instead of the third person perspective used by the existing games.

A quote from publisher Electronic Arts about the new Wii exclusive title:

"As we were developing Dead Space, we realized that there was so much of the story going untold. Dead Space Extraction tells that story with all of the intensity, blood and gore that fans would expect."

Redwood Falls?

I found the embedded video entitled "Redwood Falls Cancelled FPS PS3/360 game" on YouTube tonight. I decided to take a look at it out of curiosity and to my surprised it looked very good!!!

After watching the video, I made the following observations:

• The game looks to have been in development for quite a while, and it seems to be a very mature product.
  
• The game seems eerily like John Carpenter's 1982 classic "The Thing"!!!
  
• The deformation system seems to be very good, and all that is lacking is the physics depicting more realistic impact when the creature is hit by shotgun rounds.
  

I'm not sure why (or even if) this game has been canceled, but here's hoping it finds a new developer/publisher because what I've seen so far has a lot of promise!

Who will be the king of the next generation?

There have been a lot of articles lately speculating on what the hardware specs and relative performance will be for the next generation of consoles (PS4, Xbox 720, and Wii 2). However, I'm not going to concentrate on specs. I'm going to focus on a set of predictions based on what we see in the market, and what is likely to happen.

Wii 2

Nintendo has the toughest job next generation with the Wii 2, as they have had explosive growth this generation with the Wii, and that kind of success is often hard to duplicate. Nintendo caught Sony and Microsoft off-guard with it's innovative control scheme and low price point and took first place in the console wars; however, that advantage won't exist in the next generation. Microsoft and Sony will no doubt embrace motion controls, and will have even more powerful hardware for pushing not only graphics, but physics, and the number of concurrent on-screen objects.

Xbox 720

Microsoft opted to end-of-life the original Xbox early so as to get a one year head start on Sony and Nintendo, rushing the Xbox 360 to market, which caused considerable woes (RROD); however, they are still maintaining an installed based of roughly eight million more consoles sold than Sony as a result. There's no doubt that Microsoft will want to be first again, and this time I think there execution will be flawless. I believe the Xbox 720 will have a traditional wireless game controller, a wireless motion control scheme, a high definition disc format (BluRay?) and a more powerful CPU/GPU combination. And based on lessons learned from Sony with the concurrent supporting of the PS2 and PS3, they will likely release the Xbox 720 will still supporting the much lowered priced Xbox 360. I think there's a good chance Microsoft could be the undisputed king of the next generation.

Playstation 4

Sony was the king of the last generation and it was surprising to see them fall into third place in the console race in terms of installed base. However, if Microsoft doesn't release a new console soon Sony's position may change. I believe that given enough time, the PS3 will overtake the aging Xbox 360 because of the 360 lacks some of the features that could have extended its life, e.g. a high definition disc format. Additionally, the PS3 now has an online system that is arguably comparable to Xbox Live (XBL), and it's free!!! The PS3 also boasts the BluRay Disc format (25GB-50GB) so games may include many times the content of a DVD9 (9GB), which is currently in use by Microsoft, or a standard DVD (4.7GB) in use by Nintendo. Additionally, there is nothing like PS3 Home on XBL or on Nintendo's Network, and this too makes the PS3 a more compelling offering for some, as its social networking possibilities are tremendous.

Who will be the king?

It's unclear at this point just what will happen. Many of the analysts and bloggers believe that the next generation will be here in 2012, but I still believe Microsoft will release a console by Holiday season 2010. Financially, both Microsoft and Nintendo are in very strong positions to fund the development of their next console. Although Microsoft has the most incentive to get the jump on the market early again.  One thing is certain, all three console makers have a lot riding on the next generation, because for at least one of them, it may be their last.

PlayStation 3 takes over 2009!!!!!!

Say what you will, but to me, it looks like the Sony PlayStation 3 has Microsoft's Xbox 360 completely outclassed in 2009.

God of War 3 - Fear Nothing Trailer

NYCC 2009: InFamous Electric Gameplay

InFamous is a new sandbox game being developed by SuckerPunch as a Playstation 3 Exclusive (coming Spring 2009). I would describe the game as equal parts Crackdown, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. There are EPIC monsters (think SW:TFU's Force Golem), powers beyond what is human (think SW:TFU's Force powers), and an excellent dynamic cover system (think Uncharted).

Of course there are many other games it no doubt draws inspiration from; Gears of War and Assassin's Creed come to mind, the game has created a genre all it's own. It's a Sandbox game, a third person shooter, and an action/adventure game all rolled into one.

Check out the gameplay video below:

Wanted: Weapons of Fate PlayStation 3 Commentary - Fear of Flying

Midway's New 3rd Person Zombie Shooter

Do you own a PS3 and pine to play a good fast paced Zombie shooter like Valve's Left 4 Dead? Or do you own a Xbox 360 and want something new to play [in the Zombie-verse]? Well look no further, Midway is working on a new third person Zombie shooter that looks very promising!

Gears of War Prequel

Recently I read an article that mentioned [at NYCC 2009] "a discussion of a Gears of War Prequel". I have one thing to say in response... Gears of War for the PS3!!! Consider this: if EPIC were to release Gears of War on the PS3 wouldn't a prequel make sense as an entry point to the series? Yes. Of course they could release Gears of War 3 and no one would complain... But doesn't it make more sense to release a game that would give players a solid foundation to start from? Yes, it would.

Here are the options (as I see them) that EPIC has for turning Gears of War into a cross-platform series:

1. Release a prequel to Gears of War 1 (e.g. Gears of War: Aspho Fields) for both the Xbox 360 and PS3.
   
2. Release Gears of War 3 for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
3. Release Gears of War 3 for the Xbox 360, and a Gears of War Trilogy game for the PS3. The GOW Trilogy would presumably combine Gears 1 (the PC version), Gears 2, and Gears 3.

Of these three choices, option #1 makes the most sense as it would be the exact same content for both systems, and would provide the same originating story for both platforms. Option #2, would also be the same content for both systems, but would leave PS3 gamers in a situation where they were missing a lot more of the backstory, as compared to their Xbox 360 brothers.  If EPIC were to go with option #3, much more work would be involved in porting the previously unreleased game content to the PS3. And of course, the speculation is that Microsoft owns the IP (content) for the previous two games (but not the IP for the Gears of War Universe itself).

There is however another benefit to releasing a Gears of War prequel. There are many open and unanswered questions about the Gears of War Universe, and what caused the Locust to appear from the depths and almost wipe out humanity on Emergence Day. Such a game is a perfect start to what would become the perfect entry point for Gears of War to re-emerge as a cross-platform series.

Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Let me start by saying, I'm not a big fan of games that are based on movies. They are usually very, very poorly implemented titles. Beowulf, Iron Man, Superman, Spiderman, dude... Just bad! However, Wanted: Weapons of Fate looks to perhaps change that for me! Take a look at the embedded videos.

Game play:


Curving bullets:

Damnation: Multiplayer Gameplay

Damnation: Solo Gameplay

Did you ever wonder what would happen if you removed the cover system from Gears of War, while adding the ability to jump and platform like Crackdown? Look no further than Damnation!!!!

The Matrix Runs on Windows