Alright, onto…
E3 Day Two
Today both Nintendo and Sony had their big press events. And the highlights, at least in my book?
- Let’s start with Sony, which revealed yet ANOTHER PS3 model, this one being a brand new 80 gig model that’s basically the current 40 gig model, but with the hard drive capacity doubled, for later this fall. Before going any further, what’s the difference between the two current flavors in stores today? Well, aside from having half the storage of the current “high end” model, it also lacks half the number of USB parts (only two), various flash card readers, like SD and even Sony’s own Memory Stick Pro Duo format (which is used with the PSP), though biggest of all would have to be zero backwards compatibility.
The most important thing here is how this new 80 gig system replaces both the current 80 “high end” and 40 “low end” models, meaning in September there will only be one configuration to choose from. So if you want to utilize flash cards, and especially play older games, you’re out of luck. Bottom-line: backwards compatibility, arguably one of the aces up the PS2′s sleeves that helped it beat the Dreamcast back in 2000 (the other being the ability to play DVD movies) will be a thing of the past.
Needless to say, this has generated a great deal of confusion and consternation among those following E3. As if there wasn’t enough already. Remember, before the current 40 and 80 gig iterations, there was the 20 and 60 gig models, both of which came out at launch, and which features hardware backwards compatibility. Each had the PS2 chipset, aka the Emotion Engine built-it. Which was later phased out to make manufacturing cheaper. The current 80 gig model, which is about to be phased out (in fact, good luck trying to find it in stores) uses software emulation, with some games running “okay” whiles others “pretty much flat out suck”.
Cue today’s crazy quote from NeoGAF!
“People bitching about the lack of backwards compatibility didn’t buy the 20 or 60 GBs when they had the chance, so they can shut the fuck up as far as I’m concerned.
This is what you get for letting Sony suffer third place. Don’t even talk. Go get a second job.”
… At the very least, this new 80 gig model will be $100 cheaper than the current one, at $400.
But anyhow, does this mean that Sony is simply abandoning the PS2 library? Maybe not; another big announcement was how the follow-up to Ratchet and Clank Future, called Quest For Booty, will come out exclusively for PlayStation Network for just $15. Granted, it’s not a full game but more of an expansion pack (though I don’t think one needs the first game to play it), but it’s supposed to serve as an example of SCEA prez Jack Tretton’s aim of delivering shorter games at lower prices. Which is basically what XBLA has been doing all along (along with WiiWare most recently… and the PC for a while now, obviously), meaning Sony is quite serious about making PSN a major outlet for games, and that also means the possibility of including the PS2 library. Though any of that is hardly comforting for those who simply want to get their hands on Persona 4 later this year.
- And in the end, I could care less about Ratchet and Clank… instead, I’m mostly obsessed with finding out more (and eventually playing) the latest game from thatgamecompany, makers of flOw, the aptly titled flOwer…
… Be sure to check out this brand new vid.
- A bunch of new PS3 and PSP games were also unveiled, most of which I could give a rat’s ass about, except for both LocoRoco 2 and Patapon 2, which thankfully are getting stateside releases.
- Speaking of the PSP, a brand new portable Grand Theft Auto game has been revealed, and its NOT for Sony’s handheld machine, but Nintendo’s! GTA: Chinatown Wars, which takes place in Liberty City is coming out for the DS.
- So everyone’s been really disappointed by Sony’s announcements. Well what about Nintendo then? First off, no DS Slim; many, including myself at one point, figured a much thinner DS would be unveiled, mostly built around how the GBA slot would be axed. But when Guitar Hero On Tour came out, which utilizes the slot, and then became this huge hit, with another edition on the way, it all of sudden became less of a given. Besides, I’ve long felt that the GBA slot has been criminally under utilized, so I’m just happy to see it stay (though if they could just redesign the DS Lite so GBA games are flush with the system, I will be more than happy to buy ten).
Though we did get new hardware, in the form of the Motion Plus attachment for the Wiimote that allows true, 1:1 motion tracking. Now, I kinda figured that immediately afterwards, we’d finally get the long-awaited light-saber game announcement that we’ve all been waiting for since day fucking one (along with an explanation as to why it couldn’t be done, UNTIL NOW), but instead, the first game to utilize it was revealed as Wii Sports Resort, which I guess is a follow-up to Wii Sports, though all activities that one does at the beach, like water skiing (for some Wave Race-esque action) and playing frisbee with a dog…
… Umm, okay. Yet, there is swordplay to be found as well.
- Another big game announcement was Wii Music, which is basically a music game (duh) but without the need for additional plastic. You just wave the Wiimote around and pretend it?s a drumstick, or a horn, or whatever. It’s been described as the anti-Rock Band, since the emphasis is not doing something correctly to produce the right sound, but to just wave stuff around to create music and sounds in a far more free form, abstract manner. Sounds neat I guess.
- There’s also Animal Crossing: City Folk, which is basically Animal Crossing online, for the Wii. It pretty much looks exactly like the GameCube version, expect it features that funky background scrolling from the DS game that I thought was pretty neat. Glad I skipped out on the DS edition.
- Then you have Wario Ware: Shake It, which I’m also happy to hear is officially coming out in America (it looks like the old Warioland side-scrollers for the GBA, which is awesome, but you gotta shake the Wiimote, as the title implies, to make him move and fight). Not that there was any serious doubt, but still…
- Yet one game that I assumed would never make it over here is actually doing so! Rhythm Tengoku Gold, the DS sequel to the music oriented GBA title by the folks behind the WarioWare series, is coming out as Rhythm Heaven!
- Unfortunately, no word of a domestic release for Captain Rainbow, by the makers of Chibi Robo, Skip. Instead, we’re getting their DS game, called LOL that seems totally retarded for obvious reasons.
- Voice chat is finally coming out for the Wii. So no more using XBLA for talking during Brawl matches!
- You also have the old SNES title, Kirby Super Star coming out for the DS, along with a version of Mystery Case Files (oh Jesus Christ), and… that’s about it?
No new Mario, or Zelda, but they’re being worked on. Meanwhile, no Kid Icarus game like everyone was hoping… or should I say expecting. I really wish I could see the clip of Reggie on G4 as mentioned here telling people, geeze, why is everyone upset with the lack of an Icarus game when we never, ever said one was coming out in the first place?!
But yeah, everyone is calling E3 this year a a dud, due to nothing spectacular from Sony and Nintendo. Then again, everyone loves to complain, especially gamers, so I guess its no real surprise. Granted, I wish there was megaton after megaton as well, but at this point… I’m just REALLY happy that we’re getting Rhythm Tengoku Gold!
- Looking elsewhere, to… Sega! Been meaning to talking about their stuff for a while now, ever since their press event in the city from a few weeks ago, but promised not to spill the beans until official announcements were made, which I would have to assume is now. So to kick things off, please take a gander at the trailer to Mad World, one of the titles being developed by the ex-Capcom dudes (the ones who formed Clover) that were scooped up by Sega and are now part of the Platinum Games label.
Of all the games I had the opportunity to check out first-hand, Mad World was easily my fave. First off, the whole thing was just beautiful to gawk at; the black and white and red aesthetic, aside from being super cool is super sharp, making it easily one of the best looking Wii games I’ve ever seen (as well as the best “comic book as a video game” title to come down the pipeline yet). Plus it’s super effective, and only enhances the mayhem twenty-fold. The game is ultra violent, to the point that the Sega rep I spoke to mentioned how there’s a slim to no chance of it ever coming out in its native Japan, which has laws about such over the top blood and guts. But not in America! We love the violence.
- Then there’s Samba de Amigo for the Wii. Not sure what others are saying at the moment… all I’ve heard is that the downloadable songs were recently revealed. Anyhow, I guess it also wouldn’t hurt to mention my brief amount of time with this one as well; while the version I was playing was an early one, with some tightening to be done here and there, it was still more or less the complete package; the Wii version basically combines the best of the first game for the Dreamcast, and the Japan only update, Version 2000. All the popular songs from before are back, as is the basic gameplay, though there have been some slight modifications. You have two basic ways to play: first with the both a Wiimote and a nunchuck attached, as well as using two Wiimotes at once. This second option made the game feel closer to the original… actually, less cumbersome, since the maracas controllers were wired (plus you had to stand on a special pad). You have far more frantic and complicated movements to be mimicked this time around, thanks to far more accurate motion sensing abilities that the Wii’s controllers can afford. Basically, the core game has been lightly changed yet significantly improved upon… something Sega completely missed the boat on with their NiGHTS update, so Sambo for the Wii is quite the achievement in a certain way. Otherwise, not much has changed… in fact, it’s a carbon copy of the DC original, which honestly is not a bad thing. That crazy, dancing girl from before is back, shuffling like mad, but always smiling and never breaking a sweat!
This game is sure to divide the hardcore fans: some will be pleased as punch to see this series return, and in full glory, with nothing messed up, and actually improved. Meanwhile, the other half, those who are rather proud owners of the original maracas kit, will claim that its nothing amazing that that the original is still king. Sorry, but they’re wrong. The only way this new iteration can be improved upon is to make the Wiimote feel more like maracas, something I asked about, such as coming out with attachments. I was told at the time that they were thinking of it… and I guess we all know the answer to that one!
There’s additional Sega notes to go over, but I’ll just wait for them to reveal stuff officially and pass along my two cents then. Meanwhile, tomorrow MS is coming in town, for all those who couldn’t make it out to LA, like me! So hopefully I’ll have first-hand and hands-on impressions of the stuff already talked about, and maybe some new stuff. At the very least, I just hope they have Galaga Legions!
Anyway, no reviews this time around, I’m afraid. Today was pretty hectic, with Katie and I checking out a potential addition to our household… we might be adopting a cat! And yes, for those of you who know how allergic I am to them (as well as 99% of pretty much everything else out there), I know full well it might be a recipe for disaster. Or maybe not? Plus, much of the time that could have been spent writing earlier today was dedicated towards getting XP installed on this Mac I’m writing on, and I’m still not done. Though hopefully, very soon, I will FINALLY be able to play Clean Asia and Everyday Shooter in the comfort of my own home.
Oh, also, this entry is already plenty long enough. Plus it’s almost 4.
