So, Sucker Punch has been busy on a new follow-up
to their open-world super-guy game
And what’s this? A “social” racer to play
and grab that online fame?
I’ll definitely play the first game here
As I’m a huge inFAMOUS fan
But unless there’s offline modes to drive
I think I’ll stay away
(well, for now – I prefer to race solo and I’m fairly antisocial, grrrr!)
Above seems a Myst-like mix for the new system
And Knack brings Mark Cerny back
(how we’ve missed him!)
It’s nice to see visuals in all sorts of styles
and gameplay that’s bound to make lots of smiles!
A super sequel, a new IP coming to PS4
Guerrilla and Capcom, both on the case
(and who can ask for more?)
The new hardware is good enough
to handle all that stuff
But stay tuned, folks, there’s more to come
Some killer apps, some fluff…
(Bad poetry makes me smile, so you get both barrels and then some…)
Hokay, so I got disrespected BIG time (I’ve never NOT gotten into a press event I went to in 15 years or writing so a big NO thanks to whomever is sucking hard at PR at SCEA these days). 1200 seats in that theater and there certainly were NOT 1200 press people there. Next time, dears, put a damn tale off to the side where you can at LEAST check out business cards and websites to see if they have content that helps sell your games. Having some wide-eyed nameless peon simply smile and say “I’m sorry” before turning me away doesn’t do a damn thing (nor any good at all) for my coverage of your products. Anyway, it’s no big secret anymore that we’re getting a new console. Above and below, a pair of videos with more to come, as I update away. Stay tuned. Pissed off though I am, I still need to be slightly professional here… grrrr.
I’ll be jetting out of here a few hours before the big Sony event later this evening just to make sure I get in (I’ve been to the venue before for some other game events ages ago, so I’m glad it’s at a place I’m familiar with), so I may not be posting at all until later tonight at some point. Anyway, as noted, here are two trailers from busy-busy publisher Namco Bandai (who just secured the NA distribution rights to Trion Worlds’ DEFIANCE – a huge “get!”) for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 (PS3/Xbox 360, coming March 5, 2013) and NARUTO Powerful Shippuden (Nintendo 3DS, also arriving on March 5). I like that both games have different vibes to them – the console version is serious and cinematic while the portable one is cute and goofy while looking like a capable little fighter to go. OK, now I’m finally off to sleep – got a BIG day later and I don’t want to pass out in the middle of that press conference!
Not much to say here other than that this latest Ego engine update is really getting a workout in Codemasters’ upcoming racer. Yes indeed, that’s a KTM Xbow zipping around on that Red Bull track. I got to drive it in the demo and it’s a lovely little rocket to ride around in. May 28 is how long away again? Hmmm…. off to dream of fast cars and perfect turns now. I have a press event to attend tomorrow…
UPDAAAAAATE! CONTEST OVER!!!
OK, OK – you’ve been asking me to give more stuff away, soooo here you go. Thanks to the fine folks at Tate Multimedia, I have three Urban Trial Freestyle PS3 and three Vita codes here (for the North American PSN store) burning a hole in my inbox. I think six DIFFERENT people out there could use a fun blast of slick visuals, challenging stunt and speed-based gameplay and a ton of replay value to keep them busy for a bit. I think that YOU just might be one of those people, right? So, HOW do you get one of these codes, you ask? Well, just head below the jump and find out. Don’t take too long to respond, though…
You’re almost there – a click away, in fact!
Oops. I should have guessed Sony would be trumpeting its first party studios and their assorted innovations in the game space in this “final” nostalgia trip before the new era they’re about to step out and be a part of begins. So silly of me to NOT think they’d have nothing to say about THAT part of their history, given it’s so important). Still, it’s too bad some offbeat titles are missing that didn’t get the love and sales they needed at the time (Omega Boost, for one). And it’s also too bad we never got to see certain other expensive to produce titles localized for the US such as Kowloon’s Gate (an amazing 4-disc game that might have done really well thanks to it being so fresh and visually stunning for an early PSOne release), Panekit and many others…
Oh well… it looks like tomorrow we’ll be seeing the future on a few fronts and like many of you Sony fans (and yes, the haters peering over the fence, tomatoes at the ready) good, bad or otherwise, I can’t wait…
Update! Here’s the Japanese version (of course, it goes up after I’m offline. Ah well…)
Customer: “See, I was right! Next time I’m sticking with the Cobb Salad!”
Waiter: Actually, I hear the game is going (or has gone) gold, which means no changing your order, sir.
Customer: (ah, the cranky waitstaff and the “no substitutions” rule!) “What? But I’m the customer and the customer is ALWAYS right! SO, get me that salad, make it a SMALL one… and a burger, really well done so it tastes like a hot shoe heel, and a Diet Kook!”
Waiter (rolls eyes and sighs, points at big red letters stating NO SUBSTITUTIONS on menu cover): This isn’t your local fast food place, sir… Chef Levine and his staff at Irrational Games have cooked up a dish they KNOW you’ll love and as everything on the menu is a Chef’s Choice, you’re getting what he gives you and it’s ALL good.
Customer: “Blaaaaaaah!, I’m not paying for something that’s not what I want!!!”
(and so forth and so on…kinda sorta based on a true incident I overheard a few years back)
Anyway, let those two have at it all day in your head if you wish. Me, I’m staring at that space in the library I’ve made for BioShock Infinite when it’s finally released on March 26, 2013.
Platform: PlayStation Vita (also on PS3) via PSN
Developer: Tate Interactive/Strangelands
Publisher: Tate Multimedia
# of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Price: $9.99 (Vita), $14.99 (PS3)
Score: A-
While it could use a level editor, some Excitebike-style multiplayer and a few more rider types to choose from (where’s the cool biker chick?), everything else is near flawless in Tate Interactive’s superb stunt-based moto romp. If you’re a PS3 and/or Vita-only owner, Urban Trial Freestyle is going to be your go-to brag about how cool it all is game in the vein of Red Lynx’s mega-hits Trials HD and Trials Evolution games on the Xbox 360. Fantastic visuals, excellent physics and a ton of replay value are all packed into this download-only release that’s well worth the price (and will be an even better value as the dev team adds more content over time).
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 