The sequel to one of the most stylish comicbook movies of the last few years finally has a trailer, and it looks pretty sweet!
The sequel to the Zack Snyder-directed 2006 adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel 300, 300: Rise of an Empire stars Lena Heady, Eva Green, Sullivan Stapleton, David Wenham and Rodrigo Santoro, and directed by Noam Murro.
The movie is due for release in March 2014.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Return of the Jedi,” this was a big year for Star Wars Weekends, an annual celebration of the movie franchise since 1997, featuring shows, presentations, celebrity guests, character appearances, and special merchandise (think theme-park-meets-convention.) We even saw a few themed food options.
This was my first visit to SWW, and unfortunately, most of the events were rained out. We did get to see Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano from “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” She appeared in the “Darth’s Mall” shopping location, promoting her clothing line, entitled “Her Universe.” I wound up purchasing an Asajj Ventress hoodie in an attempt to dry off after being caught in the storm. It seems to be made well and is really rather cute, if not excessively (wonderfully?) geeky.
Also in the Darth Maul, we saw the Angry Birds Star Wars Experience, in which guests attempted to shoot foam balls into pig-target holes. You got three shots and, if successful, won a pack of “Angry Birds Star Wars” mini figures. LEGO had some fabulous displays here, including a life-sized Darth Vader and movie posters for all six films (as well as the image for this year’s SWW event) made entirely out of the iconic little blocks. You could also build your own lightsaber or a droid. Art, toys, and apparel, as well as limited edition merchandise were available at this location.
One very cool feature: the D-Tech Me booth. Here, with the aid of a 3D face scanner, you can be made into your very own Stormtrooper figure, or perhaps you’d rather your mini-you cast in carbonite? Each option costs $99.95, and takes about seven to eight weeks to ship.You can also have custom nametags made, showcasing your name (in English and “intergalactic” languages) and home planet.
Darth Vader cup cakes were sold, as well as various foods (churros, popcorn, kids’ snacks) in a souvenir R2-D2 plastic bucket. Another tempting option: Star Wars themed adult beverages, complete with lightsaber umbrella.
In addition to photo ops with characters, visitors had the chance to take pictures with Roxy, the fan-made 17-foot-long rancor, and pet of Jabba the Hut. The event is extremely child-friendly; kids 12 and under could sign up for the Jedi Training Academy, where they could receive lightsaber training, and children ages 4-11 could participate in The Padawan Mind Challenge (trivia).
Sadly, the Hyperspace Hoopla show was cancelled due to inclimate weather, as were many guest appearances. We did not get to meet Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), nor Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian). But, there’s nothing to be done about a crazy Florida storm system (a disturbance in the Force, if you will). Perhaps next year we’ll have better luck.
The games industry’s big battle of the bands has come and gone for another year. Journalists and the public will still given the chance to watch developer showcases over the course of the next few days as well as getting the chance to play some of this year’s hottest next gen releases for themselves but for all intents and purposes the big guns have already been shown. What started out as a contest to see which of the major console manufacturers could take things into a new and innovative direction has actually turned into a war of who will be brave enough to listen to the public and just give them a lot of what they already have.
Microsoft: #DealWithIt
Microsoft were on par in giving the audience exactly what they asked for, next gen games and lots of them, but were carefully mute during their conference when it came to issues of DRM and online connectivity. Although a great deal of time during their keynote was dedicated to cross-platform titles, there is no denying that some of the Xbox One’s exclusives look fantastic, most notably Sunset Overdrive, Dead Rising 3 and Quantum Break. Players will however need to understand that to play these games will come with a price far beyond the one listed on Amazon. Since delivering their presentation, Microsoft have confirmed some of the industry’s worst fears regarding their rumored used games licensing and online DRM policies. These will indeed come to pass and their now-former employee may have been on to something when he told legions of twitter followers to just “deal with it”. Microsoft have even since come out and said that any potential Xbox One customer who isn’t willing or able to comply with the online systems implemented in Xbox One is welcome to ‘enjoy the offline benefits of the Xbox 360’. Ergo, it seems to be a way of their way or the highway and if massive numbers of the existing Xbox fan base aren’t happy then they are welcome to stick with the current generation or look elsewhere.
Microsoft’s pricing for the Xbox One was also a tail sting to an already slightly pissed off user base. An RRP of $499 or £429 for the UK seemed particularly steep when the Xbox 360 launched in 2005 at the price of £209 for the basic Core SKU. Not only is £429 completely out of line with current dollar to sterling conversion rates, even when average sales taxes are accounted for, the console is also obviously priced highly to account for the inclusion of a mandatory Kinect sensor which many players would simply rather be without. At a time when many younger people and families aren’t at their most financially affluent, a price of £429 is likely to further discourage many players from picking up an Xbox One on launch day.
Sony: The People’s Champion
There is no denying that Sony played an absolute blinder on Monday night. In the fortunate position of delivering their presentation almost a full working day after their main competitor, Sony were able to analyse Microsoft’s approach and fine tune their own keynote into something which really gave the audience exactly what they craved.
Again, with a lot of time dedicated to cross-platform franchises and media features, Sony also had less brand new IP’s to deliver, having covered many of them at the PS4 reveal event earlier in the year. What they did reveal for the first time however definitely looked interesting and personally I can’t wait to see more of ReadyAtDawn’s The Order: 1886. Sony will allow indie publishers to self-publish their own software and seemed genuinely committed to the cause unlike Microsoft who just really seemed to be going through the motions and don’t exactly have the best track record in that area.
Most memorable of all from Sony’s keynote however was the outstanding bullet point delivery by SCEA CEO Jack Tretton which has spawned many a meme and twitter joke over the last 24 or so hours. It is not often that a console manufacturer take what seems to be their rival’s biggest public weakness and directly counter it in such a way that it has the potential to smash their opponent to pieces. The standing ovation and cheers caused by Tretton’s announcement that Sony will not directly incorporate any anti-used game policies or forced online DRM into their console seemed to be genuine. Sony’s subsequent confirmations which have confirmed that the PS4 will remain region free and with a fully upgrade-able HDD speak of a company which has listened to it’s core audience and is willing to retain some of the gaming traditions which their customers want to continue to enjoy. The confirmed launch price of $399 or £349 for a PS4 has also gone down well and indeed the PS4 actually became the 2nd most preordered item on Amazon UK yesterday, topped only by Naughty Dog’s imminently due The Last of Us for the PS3.
Yesterday, several news websites reported that Microsoft’s stock value had dropped by 1.7% whereas Sony’s had risen by the same figure since Monday’s E3 announcements. Whilst these figures may not seem to be extremely significant, it’s worth remembering that both Sony and Microsoft are primarily focused on businesses outside the games industry. Sony is a massive home electronics manufacturer first and foremost and Microsoft remains the leading software company on the planet, albeit at least for now. As if those sat on the fence regarding their choice of next gen platform needed any more encouragement, Sony announced that PlayStation Plus subscribers will be treated to a free special edition copy of Drive Club on the launch day of the PS4. Not to be outdone, first day buyers of the Xbox One will receive a special achievement. Make of that what you will.
In recent years Nintendo have become the odd one out in the games industry. A company focused on innovation and family fun rather than shiny visuals and super-charged hardware. Nintendo were the first to enter the next gen space last year although, at only slightly more powerful than the Xbox 360, it has been argued that the Wii U doesn’t really count as a next gen platform at all. There is no denying that the Wii U has had a tough first year, with third party support almost completely drying up and vast numbers of the hardcore waiting to see what Microsoft and Sony were able to come up with this week. This shouldn’t be a major problem for Nintendo as the Wii stood out among it’s peers as a machine as a machine focused on the masses. The Wii owned the casual home console market in the last generation and efforts by Sony and Microsoft to nudge their way in mostly failed. The problem for the Nintendo however is that it looks as though the casual market which they took so lovingly under their wing may have now fled the nest.
The casual market has changed dramatically and mobile runs the show. Nintendo obviously realised this when the Wii U was being conceived and tried to win back the hardcore with promises of epic 3rd party support and multi-platform franchises. The one problem is however that the Wii U certainly will not be able to compete in terms with the hardware it’s next gen rivals are touting and yesterday’s long list of delays and familiar 1st party franchise sequels announced by Nintendo president Satorou Iwata will not help the system to sell. At this point Nintendo seem, on some level, to be an ageing relic within the industry. A business which seem to becoming increasingly Japanese whilst the rest of the Japanese games industry looks west. Whilst yesterday’s public apologies and admissions of delays by Iwata fit with Japanese tradition, they’re not going to fly with a mostly American audience which has become accustomed to being wowed by skillfully-delivered marketing hype and light shows. Nintendo needed the charm and slick of their American chief Reggie Fils-Aime. They opted for an apologetic Japanese man in a business suit instead.
Indeed, the games which Nintendo displayed yesterday weren’t bad by any stretch. Monolith Soft’s RPG X looks particularly interesting and the world will love Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World as much as it has always done. The problem is that Nintendo should be focusing their efforts on appealing to the hardcore as 2nd platform now. The Wii U could be a great machine on which to play your favourite Nintendo-exclusives, just as the Wii was, but when the console is priced at only $50 less than a PS4, that’s going to be difficult for a lot of potential customers to swallow. Some retailers in the UK, for example, have taken matters into their own hands by reducing the cost of the Wii U to simply get them off the shelves but an official price cut is still as yet to exist. Nintendo have a golden opportunity this holiday to market their system at parents who are looking for a new console for their offspring for Christmas but can’t afford the high price tag of the PS4 or Xbox One in the tough economic climate. Dropping the price of the Wii U to around $199 or £149 could be a great way to do that but for whatever reason Nintendo seem reluctant to make the jump. It’s a jump which they may need to make at some point fairly soon though because if the last few days have proven anything then it’s that Nintendo’s rivals certainly won’t wait for them, even if their increasingly shrinking fan base will.
What was your opinion of this year’s E3 and who do you think won the show this year? Are you looking forward to the next generation or are you happy to stick with your current systems for now? Or do you think real gaming ended in the days of the ZX Spectrum? Let us know in the comments section below or via Facebook or Twitter.
Welcome watchers of illusion to the castle of confusion!
After the success of the Friday night showings of Knightmare on Challenge TV they have decided to take the show to Edinburgh this year!
The live performance is being produced by Objective Talent (Derren Brown and Zoe Lyons) and stars Paul Flannery, Tom Bell and Amee Smith. Although a Derren Brown connection brings a lot of respect, I would be more interested if we were seeing Hugo Myatt on the stage – surely there is only one Treguard?
The show will see members of the audience given the chance to be guided through Lord Fear’s dungeon. Nine-year-old me would pay an
awful lot of money to go and see this, and sensible, adult me would probably do the same.
The one-hour show is due to run through August at The Gilded Ballroom in Edinburgh, with the aim of expanding to a full UK tour, and tickets can be bought for a very reasonable £7 – £11.50, with buy-one-get-one-free tickets available for the 5th and 6th of August! Amazing value! Just a pity I will have to add the cost of transport to Edinburgh and possibly a Travelodge…this is the first time in my life I wish I lived in Scotland! This cost isn’t the full picture though, there are a range of other options available…
How can they bring such an epic and CG heavy show to a live stage, I hear you ask? Spellcasting…K-I-C-K-S-T-A-R-T-E-R!
The Kickstarter for the project aims to raise £6000 to make sets, costumes, “massive puppets” and the legendary room of blades! For an investment in the project you can get a range of perks, from custom text alerts and signed merchandise, to your own Helmet of Justice or the chance to take on the dungeon yourself in the show!
I’m still trying to work out if I can go, but everyone else better had so I can see it when they tour south of the border!
Always striving to be different, Nintendo may have gone a little bit too far this time in their decision not to conduct a live E3 presentation in person. Instead, viewers the world over were divided into three regional camps and each was presented with a tailored presentation for their respective region, with two presentations in English for North America and Europe and a third presentation in Japanese for Nintendo’s home crowd.
Each presentation was conducted by Nintendo president Satorou Iwata recorded in their head office in Kyoto and was broadcast at 3PM UK time to prevent information leak. Whilst this worked out to be quite convenient for Europeans, it must have been sore for the large numbers of jet lagged games journalists from across the world who had descended upon Los Angeles for a barrage of networking sessions and after-show parties, only to be told that Nintendo needed them to be up and ready for 7AM local time.
Short yet not so sweet…
In stark contrast to 1.5 hour conferences hosted by Sony and Microsoft yesterday, Nintendo’s E3 Direct lasted for only a mere 40 minutes. Iwata wanted to point out that Nintendo have been working hard to fill the space of the ailing Wii U with new and innovative software yet sadly not much of that was on show. What actually followed appeared to be a list multi-platform ports and trademark franchise sequels, some interesting, some not so interesting.
3DS fans will be treated to Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, the first sequels in the series to be released on the 3DS and two games that are likely to sell by the bucket load as soon as they’re launched. Unfortunately what Nintendo needed was a system seller for the Wii U. The Wii U received almost no love from EA and Ubisoft during their presentations yesterday and whilst some of the Wii U games which were shown today look interesting, there wasn’t much there that would make most people actually want to go out and buy the console.
Super Mario 3D World definitely looks interesting albeit slightly too similar toSuper Mario 3D Land on the 3DS and the downloadable E-Shop title Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze looks like it could be a lot of fun but isn’t really any different to anything that we haven’t seen before on the Wii and 3DS. The following games are definitely worth a mention though:
Mario Kart 8
Mario Kart sequels have been a bit of a mixed bag since the Gamecube era, from the disappointing Mario Kart: Double Dash to the better than life Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS. Mario Kart 8 will be a Wii U exclusive that aims to take things one step further by adding flight elements, bikes and even anti-gravity tracks. With full support for both the Wii U tablet controller and optional motion controls, this is the first ever Mario Kart to officially be released in HD and if you’re one of the few Wii U owners out there right now then you are not going to want to miss this one when it launches next year. But then again, you knew that already, right?
Pikmin 3
Pikmin 3 will actually be available in less than 2 months from now on 4th August but today was actually the first time that the game has ever been made available for public demo. Not likely to be much of a system seller but Pikmin definitely has it’s fan base.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Edition
If any one game is giving me the reason to consider buying a Wii U right now then this is it. A HD remake of the cell-shaded Gamecube classic, Wind Waker HD features full HD graphics running at 1080p and enhanced shaders to create some seriously gorgeous animation. Social networking features have also been implemented via MiiVerse through a ‘message in a bottle’ that players can write using the tablet controller and then send out to sea. Sadly, no Zelda U was announced today but in some ways this HD port is just as eagerly anticipated. Wind Waker HD will be released for Wii U this October.
Bayonetta 2
Ironically for anyone old enough to remember the days when these two publishers were desperate rivals, Sega announced last year that Bayonetta 2 would be exclusive to Wii U and so far that shows no signs of changing. Bayonetta 2 somehow manages to look even more risque and mental than it’s predecessor and it would seem as though Iwata-san is particularly enthralled by Bayonetta’s new short hair cut. Unfortunately Bayonetta 2 has been slightly delayed and will be launched next year.
The Wonderful 101
Originally scheduled to be a launch title on the Wii U, The Wonderful 101 has gone through several delays but is finally due to be released on 23rd August in the UK and Europe. Players use the gamepad to control an army of superheroes and create their own methods of dealing with the opposing alien force. This game could be somewhat of a niche title but it’s good to see a new and creative IP once in a while and especially on a format where new ideas seem to be lacking.
Super Smash Bros.
To be launched cross-platform across the 3DS and Wii U in 2014, Megaman has been added to the character roster and the visuals look as shiny as one might expect. Nintendo did not go into any precise details about 3DS to Wii U Cross-play functionality but we can expect to hear more about this one next year.
So what’s new?
Not a great deal which is worrying for a format which seems to have to rely so heavily on 1st party support. Nintendo did show a continuing relationship with the casual market through Wii Fit U and mini-game compliation Wii Party U but both of those games have unfortunately suffered delays and Wii Fit U will not arrive until Winter of this year. Nintendo did seem to focus a lot of attention and time on apologising for delays which is commendable considering how often things in the games industry are swept under a marketing rug but through conducting the presentation remotely, a layer of shine appeared to be missing. Iwata doesn’t seem to be able to comfortably deal with Western marketing spiel and at a time when the Wii U is performing so badly, Reggie Fils-Aime’s ability to appeal to the masses and win over a crowd definitely wouldn’t have gone a miss.
This year’s staple cross-platform releases from Ubisoft, including Watch Dogs, will see a Wii U release but EA have recently stated that the platform just isn’t a priority for them and it has not yet been entirely confirmed whether or not Call of Duty: Ghosts will be making a Wii U appearance. The Wii U does look like it has a lot of potential but as 3rd party support seems to waning, particularly as the console is vastly inferior when compared to the Xbox One and PS4 in terms of tech, Nintendo may have to start innovating a little more themselves if they really want to save this console from the scrap heap. Or at least an official price drop would be nice…. please?
Do you own a Wii U or are you thinking of buying one? Do you think the Wii U is just done for at this point? Let us know in the comments section below or via Facebook or Twitter.
“Ladies, gentlemen, the film you are about to see today is an homage to the “no reason” – that most powerful element of style. “
I hadn’t heard anything about this movie, and the write up was oddly compelling. Two of us in the group are big fans of inanimate killer movies, and have planned entire evenings around the mini-genre before. Don’t make the mistake I did. Now I am a movie geek, and a total horror buff, but seriously. This is not a film made for viewing pleasure. This film is made for film studies students to wax lyrical about and write essays about how the director is a genius and it “subverts the conventions of the genre”. I plan to entirely spoiler the movie – do not read on if you intend to watch this film.
Lets begin.
The film opens with a mysterious monologue from some guy, about how “no reason” can be the driving force behind a story, then pans to a crowd of poorly dressed tourist types, out in the desert with folding chairs and binoculars. I think there was some brief backstory for some of them, maybe just some conversations. They all proceed to start watching ‘the event’, and so do we.
Out in the desert, observed by this crowd, a tyre comes to life and starts learning how to roll around. This takes a very long time. What you see on screen is exactly what I’ve said – a tyre, pushed into shot, rolling around in the desert. Quite a lot of this happens, with some real white knuckle moments, like when it finds a rock too large to roll over. Eventually the tyre learns it has another option – exploding things with its brain! Starting small it explodes a can or a bottle or something, then very quickly expands to blowing up people’s heads. On screen this consists of a shot of a tyre shaking a bit, then cuts to someone screaming and falling down. We don’t really get to know any of these people and they don’t last very long.
Throughout this the interested crowd realise that their tour guide has left them and they have no food. Most of them choose the easy way out, eating poisoned turkey. I’m sure this is some metaphor about the role of the audience. Whatever it is they are trying to prove, I am happy to conform!
I suspect these posters took longer to put together than the movie itself – especially the one from Boris Vallejo! (centre)
My bad movie team and I had to take a break. Bear in mind at least two of us have watched Eraserhead more than once. We came back to the film and the same shit kept happening. I honestly don’t remember anything else happening. Tyre rolled around, a few peoples heads exploded, tourists got hungry or died. We did our best but our evening was pretty much done, and we decided we still had the time to attempt an actual movie, so we quit, only to find out we were only about 15 minutes from the end of the film! Still, we couldn’t take any more of it, so we just decided to let our brains do the work and make up a more entertaining ending for ourselves. I tried, but all I can imagine is that the same shit happened for another 15 minutes then it rolled credits to a room of disappointed viewers. If anyone has stuck it out to the end please spoiler away!
That’s two hours of my life I’ll never get back!
Sony had been keeping news on the upcoming PS4 close to their chest since the PlayStation Meeting announcement event in February but last night their was their time to shine and shine they did. Sony were eager not only to pledge their continuing support for the PS3 and Vita but also to make it perfectly clear that the PS4 will be true gamer’s next generation console.
It’s no secret that the Vita hasn’t been doing particularly well with the mass-market since it’s launch in early 2012. The console itself is brilliant, with some great potential and 3rd party support, but Sony have found it difficult to compete with Nintendo’s 3DS in terms of market share as well the growing strength of cheap smartphone and tablet gaming. Indeed it has been suggested that the lifespan for dedicated handheld consoles could be limited when fun and addictive mobile games can be had for as little as 59p but if Sony have excelled at anything with the Vita then it is in their ability to showcase the kind of games which just couldn’t work on a phone.
Batman: Arkham Origins and Killzone Mercenaries were trailered along with announcements for ports of God of War: HD Collection, Final Fantasy X and X-2, ThatGameCompany’s Flower and indie title Dead Nation.
Fans of Telltale Game’s incredible episodic adventure The Walking Dead are also pleased to hear that both the original series and it’s sequel The Walking Dead: 400 Days will be on Vita and a new Vita console bundle will be launched to coincide with their release.
PS3: Not gone and definitely not forgotten…
Sony have continued to support the PS2 throughout the vast majority of the PS3’s life cycle and fully intend on repeating that pattern for the PS3 when the PS4 is launched later this year. Approximately 300 titles will be released for PS3 before the end of 2013 and these include the PlayStation Move-compatible The Puppeteer, Beyond: Two Souls, and Batman: Arkham Origins. There will also be an exclusive 500GB Grand Theft Auto 5 PS3 console bundle priced at $299.99 (UK pricing not confirmed) and an exclusive GTAV headset.
An in-game demo of Gran Turismo 6 was shown which features new physics and graphics engines and the downloadable exclusive Rain looks like a phenomenal addition to the PS3’s already outstanding indie back catalog.
PS4: A new generation at it’s most sleek…
Whilst it’s definitely nice to see Sony continuing to big up their current hardware, the main reason why everyone tuned into the presentation was obviously to get a glimpse of the PS4 and Sony were only to happy to accommodate. PlayStation CEO Andrew House said that PS4 will offer “unparalleled power” and exclusive media content system available from day 1 which will include Sony’s own Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited services as well as support for Flixster and local pay-per-view box office events although the UK-applicable specifics were not mentioned. The PS4 product design was also unveiled and the Japanese-styled box looks arguably much slicker and more refined than it’s American counterpart.
Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida took to the stage to confirm 20 new and exclusive titles for the PS4 within the first year and including 12 brand new IP’s.
The Order: 1886
Set in a hybrid Victorian London and not looking altogether dissimilar from the styling of last year’s Dishonored, The Order enabled players to “discover a unique version of Victorian-Era London where technology and the supernatural collide”. The Order is a PS4 exclusive although release specifics weren’t confirmed.
KillZone: Shadow Fall
Sequel to the PS3’s most popular exclusive FPS franchise. This game was originally shown at the PS4 reveal earlier in the year but, again, Yoshida shied away from confirming whether or not this game would be available for the system at launch.
Drive Club
Again, this one had already been revealed by Sony in February and is currently being developed by the UK-based Evolution Studios who were responsible for the Motorstorm franchise on the PSP, PS3, and Vita. This one is confirmed as a launch day title and incredibly will be free to new and existing PlayStation Plus subscribers from day one in the form of Drive Club: PS Plus Edition. A similar scheme was ran in the US for Evolution’s last game Motorstorm: RC, a top-down micro machines styled racer which was made available free for users of the American PlayStation Network due to a unique sponsorship agreement with a major car manufacturer. It does remain to be seen how, if indeed at all, the PS Plus Edition of the game will differ from the retail boxed product though as the PS3/Vita cross-platform functionality was removed from the free version of MotorStorm: RC.
Knack
This charming-looking platformer was the first PS4-exclusive title ever to announced back in February and features some stylish visuals as well as the voice-over talents of Jennifer “FemShep” Hale. Knack is confirmed as a launch day title and could be a good choice for those looking at family-friendly games for the system.
Infamous: Second Son
Another one that was originally announced back in February, a new in-game trailer was shown and the game looks to be shaping up nicely although players eager to get back into the world of Infamous will need to wait until early 2014.
Kingdom Hearts 3
A short trailer was shown of this sequel in the popular disney-fused JRPG franchise by Square Enix.
Final Fantasy XIV
This will be the last Final Fantasy to be released on the PS3 as well as also being launched on the PS4.
Final Fantasy XV
This was definitely the jewel in Square Enix’s crown yesterday and will be released on PS4 as a next-gen exclusive although it wasn’t confirmed whether this title would also be coming to Xbox One. A trailer is included below for the enjoyment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Q6jLw1iDCwI
Diablo 3
This was confirmed in February as a PS3 and PS4 cross-platform port of one of last year’s most controversial PC releases. The PS3 version will feature exclusive content featuring some characters from the PlayStation universe so you can expect to see Sackboy and Nathan Drake making a slightly awkward and unexplained appearance in there at some point.
Transistor
From Supermassive Games, the creators of Bastion, this RPG will be a timed console exclusive on the PS4 in 2014.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Ubisoft were keen to give a live demonstration of this year’s swashbuckling iteration in what has easily become their biggest annual franchise. The demo itself was not without technical issues and actually ended on a slightly impromptu note due to a crash but what we did see saw the game’s new protagonist perform an assassination on a Caribbean island before taking to the seas in real time for a nautical battle. It doesn’t look to be completely different from Assassin’s Creed 3 in my opinion but I’m definitely happy to reserve judgement until the game launches in November. Assassin’s Creed IV will be released on PS3 and PS4 as well as most other current and next gen platforms.
Watch Dogs
The current poster boy from Ubisoft, this is the game which took everyone by surprise at E3 last year and has continued to dazzle ever since. There arguably isn’t a games-enthusiast on Earth who isn’t looking forward to playing this and last night’s live demo which included mobile app integration only aided the saliva flow. This is another game which will be released on both current and next gen machines in November although it is highly likely that all of the footage so far has been from the PC and next gen versions and it will be interesting to see how this game shapes up on the aging PS3 and Xbox 360 hardware. Watch Dogs will include an extra hour of exclusive content for the PS3 and PS4.
Elder Scrolls: Online
Bethesda’s first RPG since Skyrim is actually an MMO set in the Elder Scrolls universe on campaign to save the city of Tamriel from destruction. I’m still personally not convinced how well this will work but PS4 early-adopters will be treated to an exclusive beta in Q1 of 2014.
Mad Max
Mad Max received it’s short reveal last night in the form of a trailer that can be seen below. Be warned that it isn’t especially family-focused though. PS4 owners will receive the exclusive ‘road warrior survivor kit’ although exactly what that is remains to be seen.
Destiny
Bungie again were happy to hammer down their new found allegiance to the PlayStation brand with a live multiplayer demo of their latest shooter. Whilst technically not a Sony exclusive, Sony do seem to be working with Activision and Bungie to create an impressive roster of exclusive content and make Destiny a unique PlayStation experience. The game looks incredible, if not slightly reminiscent of Borderlands and could definitely have the potential to take Halo’s crown as the world’s favourite Sci-Fi online shooter.
Looking ahead….
As well as incredible and humorous tech demo from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream, Sony were also keen to point out that Indie Developers will be able to self-publish on the PS4 and as well as a forthcoming HD port of the original Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey, the PS4 will feature more exclusive indie releases like none other seen before.
There are currently over 140 games in development for the PS4 with 40 of those being format exclusives and 100 of them due for release within the first year of the console’s life cycle. Next year, Sony will also launch their Gaikai streaming service for the PS3 and PS4 which will enable cloud streaming of PS3 games on both systems with Vita support to follow later. The service will be initially trialed in the US before hopefully making it’s way to European shores later in 2014.
And you’re going to love this….
PlayStation of America CEO Jack Tretton has confirmed that the PS4 will not carry any restrictions on used games or any mandatory online features. No periodic online check-in or ’24 hour’ rule will exist and players will be welcome to remain offline on their PS4 permanently if they so desire although Sony will be working hard at making PSN into an online platform on which no serious gamer will want to miss out. News reports which have come out since the presentation took place have confirmed that the console will be fully region free, unlike the Xbox One which will carry a region lock, and although a motion camera device will be available as an add-on peripheral at £44.99, it certainly will not be mandatory.
PlayStation Plus will now be mandatory for playing multiplayer games online but will also include at least one free PS4 game each month along with continuing PS3 and Vita content and at no extra cost.
Best of all, the PS4 will be launching at a retail price of $399 in the US and £349 in the UK, making it £80 cheaper than the launch price of Microsoft’s Xbox One. Sony’s Andrew House ended the presentation by stating that “true consumer ownership and consumer trust is central to everything that PlayStation does” and that Sony want as many players as possible to experience the fun and incredible potential of their next generation platform.
The verdict…
Sony have come out and done everything right. They have presented a brand new console which will boast more powerful hardware than any of it’s rivals and with a great looking line up of exclusives to boot. PlayStation have gone out of their way to correct mistakes made prior to the PS3 launch and to prove that they are the format to listens to the consumer and acts in the interest of the player as well as their share holders. Early reports indicate that whilst preorder figures for the Xbox One today have been high, the PS4 has today sailed it’s way to the top of Amazon’s pre-order list, with the imminently due PS3 exclusive The Last of Us in 2nd place and the Xbox One in 3rd. Whilst Microsoft did confirm that their machine will be launching worldwide in November, Sony have not announced anything more exact than a ‘holiday season 2013’ release date, most likely indicating that the Xbox One will arrive first. At this point it is impossible to predict what will happen as the next gen console war edges ever closer but I think I can safely say which brand will be getting my money this Christmas.
Your move Microsoft, wow me….
What did you think of Sony’s press conference? Have you preordered a PS4 or Xbox One already or are you planning to see what happens or even just stick with what you have? Do you think consoles are dead and PC is the only way forward? Let us know in the comments section below or via Facebook or Twitter.
It was Jerry Seinfeld, of Seinfeld fame, who popularised the meta-concept of celebrities portraying caricatures of themselves in television and movies. John Malkovich in Being John Malkovich, Tom Jones in Mars Attacks, the entire cast of Coffee and Cigarettes and Woody Allen in everything he’s ever done being a few notable examples. Though my personal favourite has to be Bill Murray’s turn in post zombie apocalypse comedy Zombieland.
This Is The End follows the format. A group of Hollywood celeb-types get together at a debauched house party only to suffer the eponymous end of days. Hilarity certainly ensues as Jay Baruchel, here our everyman, is invited by long time pal Seth Rogen to hang out at James Franco’s place in the City of Angels. Baruchel, a Canadian, isn’t a fan of the over the top American celebrity scene, and initially we see Baruchel’s reticence at beign forced to attend the gathering.
As the partying grows wilder, biblical Armageddon rages outside, complete with fire from the sky, violent earthquakes and foul hellbeasts. Franco’s palace becomes a fortress for the ensemble cast, which also includes Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson. As supplies run low and tempers flare the gang are forced outside to face their fate, the extent of their friendship and whether any measure of redemption is even possible.
There’s a whole slew of celebrity cameos, as to be expected, with Emma Watson and Michael Cera ones to watch out for. There are many more, but to say too much here might spoil the comedic surprises in store for cinema goers. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who collectively put on Director’s hats for the first time, they do an excellent job of parodying themselves, their careers and that of the cast.
Perhaps because they seem so likable in reality, the pair have managed to create a wonderfully self-deprecating comedy which, after the failure of Movie 43 earlier this year, could have been a very different situation. Obviously it’s a pastiche of Hollywood we see, poking fun at the cult of fame, but it’s played oh so well. A tip of the hat has to go to Danny McBride, the excellent lead from Eastbound and Down, who does an incredible job of being an expert tool.
Not only is the comedy on top form but the effects work is, for the most part, seamless. There’s a welcome horror element to the film, necessary if you’re going to portray the apocalypse, with just enough slapstick gore to keep it on the right side of funny. Hell, even the soundtrack is pretty good.
Of 2013’s comedies, so far, This Is The End clearly beats such mediocre fair as Identity Thief and the third installment of the Hangover franchise to the top spot. While it can be said that This Is The End is nothing more than a series of sketches knitted together, neatly framed by the literal end of the world, it is however an instantly quotable, immensely enjoyable tale. This isn’t one for the youngsters, or even over sensitive religious types, with drug use, Christian mythology and foul language aplenty. But if you’ve seen a Rogen-Goldberg film before, and you’re a fan of their proto-slacker style, you know what to expect and you wont be left wanting.
You can view the trailer for This Is The End here.
Neo-Paris 2084, the Memorize Corporation has created the Sensation Engine or ‘Sensen’ for short, a cybernetic implant that enables users to upload, buy, and sell memories on the net. This has given the Memorize Corporation control over a high percentage of the population. Fighting against the oppressive regime of Memorize are the Errorists.
Remember Me has you taking on the role of Nilin, an errorist captured by Memorize, in the process of having her memories wiped at one of their facilities. A man known only as ‘Edge,’ communicating via her Sensen, helps free Nilin before her memories can be completely wiped.
With her mind in pieces, Nilin sets out to discover why she was captured and why Memorize wanted to wipe her memory.
Following on from the critically acclaimed relaunch of Tomb Raider, now seems like the ideal time for games with female protagonists to be in the ascendant. Unfortunately Remember Me, from Dontnod and Capcom, proves to be one of the most frustrating cases of squandered potential in recent memory.
The most immediate thing about Remember Me is that it looks stunning, the first time you see a sweeping shot of Neo-Paris after stumbling away from captivity it looks amazing.
There’s an undeniable cyberpunk aesthetic to the setting of Neo-Paris, the sewers are awash with Leapers, unfortunate individuals who have become addicted to memories and burnt out their Sensen implants reduced to gibbering semi-humans, who squabble amongst themselves and are overly hostile to outsiders in their territory.
In the squalor of the slums there are drones flying around projecting ads for nearby stalls, the sickly glow of neon signs is everywhere, digital billboards often in a state of disrepair are glaring from walls, steam vents from pipework, graffiti can be found on numerous walls, stalls with questionable owners and even more questionable goods can be seen scattered throughout. Debris litters the streets and a later visit to the Red Light district comes complete with robotic ‘working girls’ leaning against the walls and ‘Bits’ a strip club featuring ‘Girls in the shell’.
All this is accompanied by constant drizzling rain with the wet streets reflecting back the nauseating neon glow from above.
Moving from the slums, the opulent statues,shops and architecture of Saint-Michel district is a profound contrast with security drones monitoring from above and robots walking the streets doing chores for their moneyed masters who are oblivious about those dwelling in the squalor of the slums.
Remember Me is so atmospheric you can almost taste the steam billowing across the screen and the views you get whilst shimmying up pipework on the side of a decrepit skyscraper can be genuinely awe inspiring.
The glory of Neo-Paris though is a hollow one, as it quickly becomes apparent that you can’t really do much in these richly detailed environments. Whilst the names of shops and stalls pops up via your Sensen, you’re unable to go in any of them. In fact you can’t really do anything besides follow the path that’s been laid out for you, Remember Me is linear with a capital L.
Nilin is a great character though, and is aided by some high calibre voice acting from Kezia Burrows being both vulnerable and confused but also being able to kick ass. Not far into the proceedings one of the games best mechanics comes into play as you learn how to remix memories. This involves witnessing someones memory of an event happening and then being able to alter elements in the memory in order to achieve your desired outcome.
The way this is done is impressively simple with the ability to rewind and fast forward the events to look for ‘glitches’ in the memory, things you can alter, which will change the outcome of the event you are witnessing, however there are numerous ‘glitches’ and only the right combination will achieve your objective.
This is impressive stuff not only visually but towards puzzling. It puts a completely new spin on the cliched puzzles often found in games and seeing the different outcomes your tinkering generates is worth it even if they don’t achieve the necessary result.
Another facet of Nilin’s ability with the Sensen is using ‘Remembranes’, where you can see memories playing in real time, seeing someone’s actions and being able to follow them to gain entry to a certain location for example.
Players are encouraged to create their own combos in the ‘Combo Lab’. There are four different types of move called ‘Pressens’ which can be re-organised and unlocked as you earn PMP, Procedural Mastering Power. These four elements include ‘Power’ for extra damage, ‘Regen’ which heals Nilin, ‘Cooldown’ which regenerates energy and ‘Chain’ which duplicates and doubles the effect of the previous move.
You can have a maximum of four combo’s active at any time and additional special moves called ‘S Pressens’ can be accessed via a radial menu as you unlock them, these use energy and have various effects from cumulative combos which increase damage with each hit to stunning groups of enemies.
Additionally you can use other attacks like ‘Memory overload’ on certain enemies after landing a certain amount of hits.
It’s an interesting take on combat and mastering the combination of the different Pressens is key, not enabling any Regen Pressens will result in imminent death pretty quickly. Whilst this combat system seems deep, the actual combat itself often comes off as clunky.
It’s a rythmic system too, just mashing the buttons will lead to a frustratingly quick death.
As cool as it can be to fend off a group of several enemies with Nilin flipping over said enemies, before resuming combos, rarely has any weight to it and can often become disengaging; as reliance on Regen can mean employing the same combo repeatedly to avoid being beaten to a pulp .
Rather than your actual enemies the worst enemy you have in Remember Me is the camera.
Whilst its skewed angles can add excitement and an element of danger as you traverse rooftops and shimmy along venting pipes, when it comes to combat keeping track of your foes can be problematic at best. This is compounded by numerous enemies only vulnerable to certain attacks or at a later point Leapers who can turn invisible being rendered invulnerable unless you can use a specific S-Pressen to reveal them.
Often times combat can consist more of frantically running/dodging enemies waiting for S-Pressen timers to tick down rather than actual combat itself.
Remember Me takes the well known trappings of the cyberpunk aesthetic and adds its own colour to them and Nilin is a great character, however its hard not to look at Remember Me and think what could have been whilst jumping from one ledge to the next or dieing another cheap and frustrating death.
This game deserves to do well enough to secure a follow up because the setting of Neo-Paris is ripe for exploration but Dontnod may have inadvertently shot themselves in the foot before this can ever happen.
Geek Pride are a website dedicated to all things geek. Providing you with News, Reviews, Blogs, Podcasts, Gaming, and much more. At Geek Pride we are proud of who we are and you should be to. Don't Hide it, Wear it!
Contact us: [email protected]
© Copyright - Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv
![The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Official Teaser Trailer [HD]](https://geek-pride.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/The-Hobbit-The-Desolation-of-Smaug-Poster-630x350.jpg "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Official Teaser Trailer [HD]")
