Sony really has 2013 wrapped up in a nice bow with too many first-party releases to count, but as far as Quantic Dream’s and Naughty Dog’s instant classics, the worldwide appeal for these is clear, no matter what console is your favorite. These are two title that non-PS3 owners will wish they could play while the pure Sony fanatics will have more ammo to whip out when they need to make the case for the PS3’s staying power after so long. Without a doubt, Sony’s NOT going out of this console cycle with a whimper, nor by rendering their console obsolete before its time.
Every time I see bits of this upcoming PS3 exclusive, I have to shake my head in disbelief. But, hmmmm… some fans still want these guys and gals to crank out a new Jak & Daxter game instead of going all out and making another new IP that might be a better move for the developer at the end of the day. I think they’re entitled to that opinion of course, but I also think they’re slightly bonkers with nostalgia. That and perhaps Naughty Dog has simply grown out of and away from making this sort of CG cartoon experience (no doubt thanks to the success of the Uncharted series). For me, outside of Ubisoft’s fun as hell Rayman franchise, some excellent 2D and 3D indie games and a bunch of cool handheld titles, mascot games and particularly, mascot based platformers are a dying breed. OK, save for the new Sly Cooper game coming, plus Mario and a newly revived Sonic doing their stuff on different systems.
Personally, I’d rather see a developer show what an “old” console like the PS3 can do by stretching the hardware as far as possible while doing something innovative and “adult” in the process. Look, I liked the Jak games on the PS2 and while Naughty Dog didn’t program the game, Daxter on the PSP is a classic for that platform. That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing a Vita J & D collection at some point. As it stands, unless there’s a supreme reason for bringing both characters back in an all-new game (for a new console), just beating a dead horse harder won’t make money come out of its ass…
Some folks out there think it’s “easy” to get an HD version of an older console game out, but it’s far, far from just porting the graphics and adding a shiny layer of high def texture maps and too much depth of field. Especially when the games you’re looking at giving the glossy graphics treatment broke all the rules on the console they were created for. If you were wondering why it’s taken so long for Sony to get the Jak games onto the PS3, this video will give you a good idea of just how well Naughty Dog did their job with the original games. Mass Media has their work cut out for them, but it seems that they’re going to be knocking this collection out of the park and making a LOT of fans happy (like yours truly)…
… But don’t worry about ONLY have a measly ONE game, though. Sony’s rather impressive lineup of 25 launch titles includes very few lemons from what I can see and even then, the games that don’t “look” like “core” titles are fun for the niche crowd. Oh, who am I kidding… EVERY game genre is a niche, kids – some are just bigger than others. This is going to be a key week plus for the Vita a the folks that have pre-ordered those first issue bundles will be the ones Sony will be hearing from first (well, after the pro critics have their way with the device and launch lineup) and no doubt adjusting whatever based on that feedback.
Naughty Dog’s been busy it seems (and what else is new?) and I, for one an actually really pleased that they’re not doing a Jak & Daxter reboot or showing off Uncharted 4 (just yet). Instead, the developer has moved into a more survival horror vibe with its latest PS3 exclusive. The Last of Us is looking pretty intriguing based on this brief peek and given the developer’s pedigree, it’ll be a sure-fire hit when it’s released. Radar has been activated, now I just need to wait for SCEA to shoot an invite over so I can see this up close and personal…
Nathan Drake (above), meet Nathan Drake (below). As you can see from these videos (thanks, CVG!) clearly, we’re watching a developer at the top of its form getting the most out of the PS3 hardware. Sure, they’re definitely showing off here, but when the results look this good, it’s hard to find fault with that at all. Sony’s first-party lineup has been solid for a while, but between last year’s hits and this year’s follow-ups, there’s little doubt that the console still has a lot of life left in it. That November 1 release date for Uncharted 3 is rolling up really quickly and there’s little doubt that this one will be a huge hit in a rather crazy year of major releases.
The game isn’t even out yet, but as unboxing videos are all the rage for these more expensive limited editions, here’s what the Collector’s Edition of Drake’s Deception looks as it’s stripped down to its assorted parts. Very nice indeed (and thanks for Sony for posting it on the PlayStation Blog). I’m more of a standard edition guy myself, but I’d not turn down one of these if it happened to drop on my doorstep.
Every new piece of footage or screenshot makes Nathan Drake’s latest adventure clearly one of the best, most polished game experiences to date on ANY platform. Naughty Dog is at the top of their game and you and gamers will be on the edge of their seats whether or not they play this on in HD or 3D (which I hear is outstanding ans some of the best in a game, ever). This one’s going to walk away with a TON of very well deserved awards in every category. I’d say they’re going to have to create a new category this year for a number of these upcoming releases simply due to the fact that so many great games are coming that some will get shut out of voting because there’s not enough room for every single one.
Sony KNOWS good and well that its current and upcoming first-party teams and titles are rock solid (even SOCOM got back on gamers’ good sides the part 4) and seeing these videos made me want a NGP yesterday and another today just to hand out to some poor naysayer suffering from a bad case of system bias. E3 is going to be REALLY interesting as more titles are revealed (along with any plans for cross-connectivity with the PS3). Go, Sony!
Heh… oops. Well, this longer trailer only packs in a few action shots near the end, but that longer shot of the plane wreckage has me intrigued, as does who that hand in the sand belongs to. Again, it’s Sony’s year to lose in 2011 (if you count your games in a competitive manner). Gotta love the first-party studios SCEA has – they’re just cranking them out on a regular basis these days…
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