Man, so much media has been consumed since the last time I posted one of these. I can’t possibly keep up. I was sick for a few days last week and that meant extra media doses while trapped in bed.
I will single out a focus, then: my rediscovery of the PSP.
May 12, 2009.
The big three’s announcements were a little underwhelming. The least underwhelming was Microsoft’s; besides the stream of sequels that were all the rage for all three, they had a couple worthwhile things to announce – the Netflix deal, the Final Fantasy coup.
Jul 16, 2008.
Sony! Sony! Sony! Announcing shit, dude!
Let’s see here: video rental and purchase coming to Playstation Network as of tonight (US only I presume), and the PSP will be supported (but will it require a PS3?); the low-end, $400 PS3 will have 80gigs as of September; God of War III announced, surprising noone; Little Big Planet will be released in October. SOCOM devs Zipper are making a game called MAG (Massive Action Game) that features 256-player battles.
Jeez, not much of a thrill ride.
Jul 15, 2008.
The Monster Hunter Portable games are generally understood to be the reason why the PSP sells so well in Japan. This WSJ article explores the monster hunter craze, the appeal of face-to-face social play, and how the game ain’t just for teens. It also points out that Monster Hunter might be singlehandedly responsible for doubling the PSP’s sales. Doesn’t mention that Capcom puts out a new DLC quest once a week.
Man, now I feel like grilling some monster meat.
Jun 24, 2008.
To ther nearest game rental/purchasing venue you can get to! If you have a PSP and any sense of fun or happiness you will find this game, you will play this game, and surely you will feel the power of a god!
I can’t wait to get my grubby PSP lovin’ hands on this game!
Everyone here knows I’m gaga for Ratchet and Clank so I’ve been waiting for this for a while and I am just so tickled about it….my weekend is now complete.
And yeah you can Vader that if you’d like…
Jun 17, 2008.
Ars re-reviews the PS3, which they gave a 6/10 upon its original release. What with all the firmware they been revisin’, though, today’s PS3 earns a handsome 9.
From my position of ignorance – not owning a PS3 at present (although thoroughly convinced that Future D owns one) – I can hardly disagree. If people ask me for console advice, after asking them searing and insightful questions that reveal their darkest inner souls and gaming habits, I tend to advise a good hard look at Sony’s fatboy. Sure, the 360 has a great catalogue and online service, and the Wii is great if you like party games and plumbers. But if you’re at all thinking about HD over the next few years, which you probably should be, it’s hard to argue with that Ray of Blu. To say nothing of Sony’s excellent track record in hardware design, and all the games that you know, should come out at some point, hopefully.
And now I’ll shut up about Sony being so awesome already.
Jun 06, 2008.
I’ve been separated from my beloved PS3 for a few months, but finally we are as one again. This reunion happily fell just days before the PlayStation Network’s super sexy overhaul.
My first forray into the PlayStation Network was rife with discomfort. Oh, buying things was easy and I greatly appreciated seeing the actual cost of what I purchased and not a fancy free points system. The problem was the interface, which looked far too much like a computer screen and lacked the ease of Live. A pointer is not what I want to be using on my consoles, I wish to navigate simply with ups and downs and the like, not move the cursor over this way and that.
Yet, regardless of the look, I adore the PSN, I’m absolutely ga-ga over the thing! All the games I’ve downloaded are original, quirky, and so much fun! When I had to part with my PS3 I was so worried, what would happen to all my games? Would they suffer the same fate as my Live Arcade titles? Would I be able to download them and only be able to play them on the console they were originally downloaded on unless connected to the intertubes?
I fretted. I worried.
But it’s no worries! No frakking worries whatsoever!
My interface concerns are completely cured, the new store is sexy fine and so easy to navigate it’s like eating a cookie – you know just what to do! And downloading all my games again couldn’t be easier. Just go to Downloads, click on the titles, download again, and bam! All my games back with me again in the realsies. Ah, love it.
The rocky, epic cliff of a start the PS3 was cursed with is finally coming to an end on so many levels. The new store is great and when you depend so much on wee dowloadable games, like I do, having a solid center for that is a must. I’m very pleased with the changes.
And Haze will be coming out soon, May 20th (* cough * Captain Janeway’s birthday * cough *), with a single and multiplayer demo coming soon. Fresh off the Ubisoft press release:
Coming exclusively to the PLAYSTATION®Network in early May, this playable demo will give gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign in Haze, but will also allow up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online.
Did you hear that? Drop-in drop-out co-op!!! Joy of joys! I’m looking forward to Haze because I love futuristic shooters and I love co-op shooters as well.
Apr 16, 2008.
With all the talk about Mircosoft’s situation in bowing to Sony regarding the 360’s Blu-ray impotence I was reminded of the below…
At around :50 seconds is how Sony must feel right about now.
Just substitute Skeletor for Sony…
Apr 03, 2008.
So it’s over. Warner is dropping HD DVD support and going all Blu-Ray, all the time, and the rumour has it that Paramount, and Universal will follow when their contracts run out in a few months, completely ending studio support of the format. Warner’s reasoning is as follows (from the press release):
The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers.
I.e. if we’re not careful, people will give up on HD discs altogether and stick with their DVDs. Clearly they have data indicating that HD disc player sales lag far behind HD monitor sales, which is scaring them.
Let’s skip the inevitable discussion of how downloads are the future and just concentrate on one point: Sony was right. About everything. After all the mockery about the ludicrously high price on the PS3 when it came out (because of its Blu-Ray drive), everyone points to the PS3’s Blu-Ray drive as the deciding factor in Blu-Ray’s victory. Yet to be seen is whether a focus on the HD optical drive (Sony) or a focus on games (Nintendo) is the more lucrative path. Yet, console and game sales aside, obviously Sony will clean up with Blu-Ray licensing fees and patent royalties. I just can’t find data on how much money this might make them.
Jan 10, 2008.
Mildly thinner new PSP; new, cool-looking black & white stick figure puzzle game echochrome, some game demos including Killzone, which looks good the addition of several buzzwords to the 3D OS Home (social networking, sharing, mobile access); gloating over the success of Blu-Ray; a new superhero-themed sandbox game, Infamous. More at joystiq, of course.
Jul 11, 2007.