PlayStation 4

Sony Continues to Out Blitz Microsoft With PS4, Teases Design Reveal (Gallery & Video)

by Sohrab Osati | May 20, 2013 | 0 comments

There is little doubt about the PlayStation 3 as a superior gaming console, both in terms of quality and power. While Sony was hard at work creating a mean gaming and multimedia machine, unfortunately the rest of the company didn’t get the memo. There is little doubt in Sony’s lack of proper marketing for the console and its challenges with embracing online gaming. Sony promised that things would be different and this time around, they did right by their words. When the PlayStation Vita was announced, it was hailed and championed by gamers and developers alike. A fresh UI and all the power you could want. Yes the PlayStation Vita has not done the sales that it should and can still do but the fact is that Sony’s tempo was different this time around. Now, on the verge of Microsoft’s next Xbox console, Sony continues to show signs of a new life and energy behind the long time console maker.

The PlayStation 4 was announced on February 20th to much fanfare. Unlike past console reveals where the latest PlayStation was shown off in Japan with many Japanese devs backing the console, this time around, the PS4 was shown off in the US. While there were your traditional Japanese developers like Capcom and Square Enix, the main focus of the event was games developed by Western companies like Activision, Blizzard, Bungie, Sucker Punch, and Guerrilla Games to name a few. While the console itself was not shown during the event, it became evident early on that, this time around, Sony had gone to developers and asked them what they wanted in a next gen console. In iterations prior, Sony and other console makers have created new hardware with a top down approach.

To many gamers’ and media vets’ surprise, there was little leaked about the event and there continues to be little information about the PS4 until Sony releases it. This by itself is a huge change of pace for Sony whose products tend to be revealed in advance thanks to leaks. For Sony, this has proved to be a powerful asset as they can control the excitement around the PS4. In fact, for many months, prior to the PS4 reveal, many high level Sony execs had gone on record about no new console in sight, leading many to believe that the PS4 might not debut till 2014. Some have even suggested that these comments were more directed towards Microsoft and the reason why MS has had nothing to announce about their next generation console till weeks before E3.

PlayStation Pulse Headset – Elite Edition Unboxing

by Sohrab Osati | May 7, 2013 | 3 comments

If you love gaming but have found yourself in situations where your audio has intruded upon those around you, then the PlayStation Pulse headset is your savior. Compatible with the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, the Pulse wireless stereo headset gives gamers everything they could want from a headset that features comfortable design, BassImpact for extra…well bass and a built in noise canceling microphone to satisfy the commander in you while gaming online. Unlike previous headsets from Sony and competitors that feature a retractible mic, the Pulse mic is built into the unit, giving it a sleeker design while housing one less external part that can break. Thanks to three sliding switches on the headset, you can also control the incoming volume, mic level, and bass. A quick mute button is also available, making it easy for you to converse with those around you without bugging your teammates.

Other benefits from the Pulse headset include on-screen headset updates like battery level and other related information that will appear right on your screen. Sony has also provided a mode functionality button that, when pressed, allows you to select between different audio presets, designed for general gaming, shooters, racing, movies, music, and more. Maybe best of all, for those who simply cannot afford a extensive surround sound setup or for the time when you want to continue to game without waking others in the household, the PlayStation Pulse includes virtual 7.1 surround sound. This lets you hear every audio cue that sound engineers put into the game. The 7.1 surround sound can also be a savior for hardcore gamers, by alerting them to sound from enemies that might be creeping from behind.

Editorial: A Budding Love For PSN

by Sarah Ingram | May 4, 2013 | 1 comment

For those of you who read my last editorial, this next one might seem a bit confusing. And while yes, I certainly do think the Playstation Store loading time is WAAAAAYYYYYYYY TOOOOOOO LLOONNNGGGGGGGG, what lies behind the spinning circle of loading time agony is a poorly-organized gold mine. The Playstation Store has a plethora of various exclusive titles that are available to download, and as I have very recently begun to get over my aversion to digital games, I have found some amazing ones that I’ve loved playing.

I am a gamer and also a collector, so purchasing a game digitally is not my first choice. I also don’t particularly like the idea of spending 60.00 on downloading a newly-released game when for the exact same price I can get a disc, and the case for my display wall, and probably a steelbook or DLC or pre-order bonus. However, the budding love I have for PSN comes from the strictly digital PSN games, and there are a couple reasons why my love is growing.

1. They are unique

Games like Journey or The Unfinished Swan are not just games; they’re experiences. There’s something special about them that wouldn’t quite work the same if it needed to be “worth” what a full-priced title is. The shorter play time, or lack of multiplayer, or simplicity of design in these is something only successful through a platform like PSN. Something like The Walking Dead game came out episodically – again, something that only could succeed through the digital world, and an approach that drew you in and left you wanting more. And while games like Rainbow Moon or Dragon Fantasy Book 1 are not necessarily unique in a historical sense, they are unique in today’s market. Old school RPG style games are not common anymore, and still having a source to play new iterations of this theme is refreshing.

PS4 Is Not The PS3’s “Successor” Says Sony. Wait, What?

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 19, 2013 | 3 comments

One of the problems of being a large entity like Sony that operates in all the different regions of the world with separate headquarters and management systems is that they can says things that don’t line up with the corporate strategy. In fact, it’s only been in the last month that a Sony exec accidentally leaked the existence of Gran Turismo 6 for the PS3. Now Sony’s Middle East general manager is the latest to make some head scratching statements when speaking about the PlayStation 4 and believes that

the PS4 is ‘not a successor’ to the PS3.

Wait, what? The PlayStation 4 is not the successor the PlayStation 3? Lets talk, after the jump.

Editorial: Why ‘Always On’ Turns Me Off

by Sarah Ingram | Apr 6, 2013 | 31 comments

The flurry of rumors surrounding the Playstation 4 and NextBox announcements for the incoming new generation of consoles are in full force. Things have escalated as of late, however, with whispers spreading that the upcoming XBox console will be required to be always on in terms of internet connectivity for firing up games and apps. The issue was exacerbated a couple days ago when Microsoft’s Creative Director Adam Orth not only did not deny these rumors, but defended them, and told Twitter to #dealwithit.

Now all rumors that “these rumors are fake to hype up the Microsoft announcement” aside, I’m going to tell you why the idea of an ‘always on’ console really turns me off.

1. Not everyone has a reliable internet connection

I live on an island on the East Coast of Canada. It’s windy, and snowy, and the majority of the island is populated by moose and tiny little towns that literally still do not have an internet connection. If a console requires an always on connection, I’m guaranteed to not be able to use it probably 25% of the time I want to use it. Weather and location regularly at least interrupt the internet for ~5 minutes. Cyrus says it best: Technology should make it easier to play games. Not more difficult.

The rumor is you get three minutes to fix your internet before the Xbox kicks you off and you lose your game. That has “rage induced blackouts and broken controllers and televisions” written all over it. I understand what Microsoft could be going for if this rumor is true – like Sony, they want everyone to be connected. But it’s the wrong approach to it.

Sony, on the other hand, comes at the internet and connectivity aspect in gaming in a different, and already more successful way. By focusing more on social connection and sharing vs. technological “progress”, the Playstation 4 can have the best of both worlds – connecting gamers with other gamers, and maintaining usability in any internet down time.

David Cage Believes PS4 is ‘Another World’

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 4, 2013 | 2 comments

It’s no secret that developers have been extremely happy with the PlayStation 4 with many being quite vocal about it. Unlike the PS3 which housed an internal processor (the Cell) which was mastered by Sony’s internal studios like Naughty Dog (Uncharted, The Last of Us) and Sony Santa Monica Studios (God of War) and not 3rd party companies, the PS4 instead provides a computer CPU and graphic engine. This will allow for developers to get a better handle on the PS4 from the start while the inclusion of 8GB of super-fast GDDR5 unified memory will allow the system to do things not possible before. The latest developer to give his full support for the PS4 is David Cage who released the ground breaking Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Soul this Fall.

David Hayter Not in MGS 5 In Order to “Recreate the Metal Gear Series”

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 2, 2013 | 20 comments

To say that the Japanese game industry has been in a downward spiral this past generation would be an understatement. Once dominant in the era of PlayStation and PlayStation 2, it seemed that Japanese game makers could do no wrong. Japanese games always delivered rich stories, interesting characters and vastly different worlds to gamers. Mega studios like Square-Enix (then SquareSoft), Capcom, and Konami continued to produce hits with solid franchises like Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and Metal Gear Solid to name a few.

Then, next generation consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360 came into the market and something happened. It’s as if the entire Japanese game industry decided to collectively fall asleep. Many of their games no longer offered the same visual polish as their Western counter parts. Projects also started to take an endless amount of time to accomplish. Since the PS3 has launched, Naughty Dog has pumped out three Uncharted titles, each being a blockbuster and is on the cusp of releasing The Last of Us. Square-Enix on the other hand has only published Final Fantasy 13 which by all accounts is a mediocre game at best and has followed up two sequels (the latter being almost out) which continue the subpar experience and are really large expansion packs, rather than a new entry. Furthering their demise has been that many of the classic games like Final Fantasy 13 bare little resembles to a traditional JRPG that the series is so well known for, instead opting for more button smashing. Games like Resident Evil titles now have the urge to be more of an FPS title than survival horror with the mindset that they are being more Western and that this will help the franchises gainnew fans. Not only do sales numbers beg to differ:

Final Fantasy X (PS2) – 8.05 million
- Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2) – 5.95 million
Final Fantasy XIII (PS3+360) – 6.88 million
- Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3+360) – 2.93 million

But even if it’s true that more Western audience are playing them, guess who no longer is, the old fans who liked the games for what they were. Now, sadly, another Japanese icon is falling into this trap. When we first reported that David Hayter, long time voice actor behind Solid Snake/Big Boss would not be reprising his roll, we among others speculated that it might be due to the nature of the games story which wouldn’t incorporate Solid Snake. Seeing how Big Boss was voiced previously by Hayter though not in MGS4, we decided to give Konami and Kojima the benefit of the doubt that it simply didn’t fit or that there might be a surprise in order for us. Boy were we wrong.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain HD Trailer and Screenshots

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 28, 2013 | 0 comments

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain - Big Boss

We previously shared some details about Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, like the fact that the story is a prequel to Metal Gear Solid and tells the story of Big Boss. The Phantom Pain also takes place after the events of Metal Gear 5: Ground Zero and in fact, is thought of as the second act to the story. But who needs words when you can have an awesome trailer?

After the jump, the nearly 6-minute-long Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain HD trailer and screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

David Hayter Not Cast as Snake in ‘Metal Gear Solid 5’

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 27, 2013 | 0 comments

I bring sad tidings to all Metal Gear fans. At GDC, it was revealed that The Phantom Pain, previously shown at the Video Game Awards and played off as a new IP is indeed part of the Metal Gear saga as many gamers correctly assumed.. In fact, the next MGS game is titled Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain and is a prequel to the entire Metal Gear saga and in fact is the second act so to speak to Metal Gear: Ground Zero. Kojima explains:

Ground Zeroes’ is a prologue of MGSV. 9 years after that event will be ‘The Phantom Pain.’

This places the story before the events of Metal Gear Solid and the players in control of Big Boss, at least in Phantom Pain. Spoiler Alert for those who have yet to play MGS and the games that follow: MGS5 will fill in the remaining gaps that lead to the uprising of Big Boss as a “villain.” From there, the MGS saga follows the story of Solid Snake who then defeats Big Boss. So this brings us up to our favorite gravelly voiced actor, David Hayter.

Editorial: Do You Play Well With Others?

by Sarah Ingram | Mar 23, 2013 | 5 comments

One of the big reveals that came out of the Playstation 4 announcement last month was the new abilities the system will have for multiplayer and connectivity with others, a huge leap into social media and sharing. Things like the “share” button, linking your social media accounts directly through your system, and especially the ability to have “spectators” or even helpers from your PSN remotely come into your experience are stretching the limits of what “playing together” can really mean. Sony is really stressing a continued focus on multiplayer, togetherness and sharing for its next generation console. Which got me thinking – how many of us out there are really shaped by playing with others?

Growing up with a younger brother, we were forced to “share” our consoles, taking turns and setting timers on who got to play when. Over time, we developed a system where I would play the “storyline” and Kyle would take over for boss fights and battles. This eventually became me watching him play, but not because he took over – because I liked watching. And growing up experiencing games in this manner has really shaped the way I approach gaming now. I still gravitate towards experiencing games together rather than alone, and still enjoy watching others play, especially games that I would find challenging and frustrating. To this day my friend Dave and I get together to play Mass Effect, where he plays and I sit on the edge of the couch and yell at him to shoot at things. Nothing has really changed in 20 years.

except for us – we’ve changed a little

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Trailer

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 4, 2013 | 2 comments

Hey Assassin’s Creed fans, are you ready to jump into the latest open world entry from Ubisoft? Set in the 1800’s, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag puts you in control of protagonist Captain Edward Kenway, who is feared even by the ruthless pirate, Blackbeard. Like any Assassin’s Creed game, the game doesn’t seem to sway too far from the traditional formula though there is even more high tides and ship-to-ship combat than the previous entry, so count me sold. Set to release on October 29th on current gen consoles and next gen when they arrive. After the jump, ~~Pirates of the Caribbean~~ Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag trailer.

Diablo 3 Won’t Allow for Cross-Platform Play Between PSN and Battle.net

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 28, 2013 | 3 comments

One of the big reveals during the PlayStation 4 press conference was the change of heart at Blizzard. The long-time PC supporter and general console snob was on stage, touting their love for the PlayStation 4 and what they hope to do with the console. More immediate however for PlayStation fans was news that Diablo 3 would be coming to the PlayStation 3 and eventually the PlayStation 4. Like all things within the industry, as time goes on, we tend to hear more details about them – some for good and some for bad, in this case. According to Blizzard:

In terms of allowing an analog controller hookup for the PC, we don’t have any plans for that kind of support right now. Similarly, since Diablo 3 for console was designed with a controller in mind, the PlayStation version of Diablo 3 will not support USB mice or keyboards.

PlayStation 4 UI Screenshots

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 28, 2013 | 2 comments

One of the most fascinating things about the PlayStation 4 is the user interface that Sony is deploying across the console. With the release of the PlayStation Vita, Sony broke away from the popular XMB found on the PS3, and now, the PS4 will continue that tradition. While the UI was never fully revealed during the PS4 press event, we did manage to catch glimpses of it during parts of the segment. After the jump, we’ve put together a series of screenshots found on different websites that help capture the radically different design language that the PlayStation 4 UI will encompass.

Infamous: Second Son High Resolution Screenshots

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 23, 2013 | 0 comments

Following an intense announcement trailer during the PlayStation 4 announcement conference, Sucker Punch, the studio behind Sly Cooper and InFamous announced InFamous: Second Son. The exclusive PlayStation 4 game takes place 7 years since the Cole McGrath episodes. Delsin Rowe is the star of Second Son, who lives in Seattle. The story goes:

After rescuing occupants from a fiery bus wreck, he discovers that he suddenly has the ability to direct, manipulate and even transform into… Smoke. Could he have absorbed this power from one of teenagers he pulled from the wreckage?

Not a lot more is currently known about the game but we’re sure that we’ll see plenty more once E3 roles around. After the jump, you can find the games official 1080p (full HD) trailer and high resolution 1080p screenshots.