It seems as if Nintendo did not blow the collective mind of the gaming populace.
The general lack of information presented during their Wii U presentation shouldn't come as a surprise. Compared to what was said back in 2005 when Nintendo first showed the original Wii, I would say that this is an absolute flood of information to chew on for the next few months. However, it does appear that the Wii U may be farther out than many had previously guessed, considering that Nintendo showed absolutely no real games for the system besides a real of 3rd party software already confirmed for PS3 and Xbox 360.
I think it's hard to judge the controller without getting your hands on it-- the two circle pads seem to be in a bit of an awkward position near the top of the controller (and why go with circle pads instead of sticks?) and it's pretty crazy that the face buttons are below the right stick. I don't believe I've ever seen a controller with that particular button placement; it's going to take a lot to get used to, I think. I also imagine that the controller will be fairly hefty, given its size and amount of hardware packed in. Something that I don't think was mentioned was rumble-- I would be very disappointed if the controller does not include that feature.
It was nice to see the tech demo stuff, but the New Super Mario Bros game hardly looks exciting considering that it doesn't really show off what the hardware can do. I hope we get a direct feed, HD video of that Zelda footage; if they can manage to get a Zelda or Metroid game looking like that I'll be very impressed and excited to play.
What was not exciting was the footage of third party games that I'll already be getting on my Xbox or PS3. I like Tekken, but the ability to draw on Bob's fat arms isn't really going to get me to switch platforms. The other day, I mentioned to a friend that it would be very strange if Nintendo had the best console version of Battlefield and oddly enough, Battlefield was in the third party demo reel late in the show.
As happy as I am to see new hardware, I think the most exciting part of the show was the 3DS software showcase. It was very refreshing to see some exciting games shown for the system, even if it was for stuff we've known about. I never thought I'd be interested in another Mario Kart, but this one looks to be leaning back towards the creative and deep path the game had been set it before the DS and Wii with Double Dash. It appears that the game features tracks that require you to fly and travel underwater, and it could be the bit of variety that the Mario Kart series needs.
Kid Icarus looks to be a full featured game now. The environments were varied, and the graphics were probably the most impressive that I've seen on the system. I'm hoping to have a lot of control over the character and to avoid the on-rails shooter bits that seemed to be the crux of the game when it was first showed last year. Speaking of on-rails shooters, Star Fox is looking to be an excellent remake. Star Fox 64 is the best in the series, so I'll be happy for an excuse to replay that game. I am hoping for at least another level or two-- besides the medal grind, Star Fox 64 might be a little short on content.
I think I might be most excited for Super Mario. Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are two of the greatest games Nintendo has ever put out, but unfortunately they were both outsold by New Super Mario Bros Wii. It seems as if the public has a penchant for a more classic style Mario, and this new game seems to be blurring the lines a little between the classic games and the modern 3D Mario titles. The game seems to frequently shift to a 2d perspective, and there are obvious throwbacks to classic Mario tropes such as the raccoon suit and the Mushroom Kingdom-like environments.
Also, it was a nice surprise to have Link's Awakening available today. I think most people were expecting that game to come much later, giving that the store just went up yesterday.
I have to say that I'm a little disappointed with the content they have available for the 25th anniversary of Zelda. Of course there are the great Zelda games coming this year (including a free Four Swords!), and I would be very excited to go to to the see the Zelda Orchestra, but I was hoping for some kind of collection, similar to the one put out last year for Mario. I suppose there's a lot of Zelda content coming out this year, but there would not have been a better time to put out another collector's disk.
The Wii U is a very interesting piece of hardware. It appears to comparable in power to the PS3 and 360, and that should be fine for right now. However, where will they be in two years when a new Xbox will be coming out? If Nintendo wants to appeal to the hardcore again, shouldn't there be a lot more concerned about future-proofing their console? There are plenty of things to think about as this new hardware comes along.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
I actually would not usually call myself an early adopter. I still don't have an iPad, and my phone is a years-old scratched and cracked relic left over from the Motoroal Razor era; I upgrade my computer slowly and irregularly, and I only buy a new laptop when the old one is on shaky knees. But when it comes to video games, that's completely different. Sometimes it's not a bad thing, either. Say what you will about the PS3's launch lineup, I at least got to play my blurry PS2 games. Even the launch PSP system came bundled with a bunch of nice accessories that you can't even find now, like that nice soft sleeve that fit the device so well, and the headphones with built-in remote.
Other times, it's a disaster. Like with the 3DS. At first, it seemed as if there would be some decent software. Super Street Fighter IV looks absolutely gorgeous to be on a handheld, and is just as full-featured as the original version, with all of the characters and even the downloadable costumes (why Capcom decided not to charge us for those is an absolute miracle). In practice, I find that version of the game to be relatively useless; SSFIV is a game I like to play in my living room with a nice arcade stick, not with a rickety circle pad and touch screen moves. Plus, with the Arcade Edition update coming in the next few weeks for the console versions, SSFIV on the 3DS is looking to become obsolete sooner than it should have.
Pilotwings used to be a Nintendo launch staple, an excellent way of showing off the new hardware (mode 7 for SNES, polygons for N64). In a way, Pilotwings Resort still has that function (the jet plane in particular is great at showing off the 3D effects), but for $40 the amount content is exceedingly bad by today's standards. You can blow through the challenges on one measly charge of the battery. Sure, you can bang your way to perfecting each of the challenges, but that's far too frustrating to be any fun. It was exciting to just fly and explore the Little USA island in Pilotwings 64, but that was in 1996, when the idea of an explorable 3D environment was still a novel idea in the console world.
Nintendogs is the same game you played back in 2005, except now you already know how quickly the concept will wear thin on you.
I'm not picky; it really only takes one or two decent games to make a successful launch for me. For the Wii, Twilight Princess and Wii Sports was more than enough-- I was busy until almost Christmas. The PS3 was a great time just with Resistance. Nintendo really dropped the ball by not launching the online store with the system. The Xbox 360's launch, while not being too shabby with the likes of Call of Duty 2, was made infinitely better with Geometry Wars; this game was not only a lot of fun, it proved that the XBLA service was worth your time. Same goes for the Wii with the Virtual Console-- excellent downloadable games were available from day one (though not as good as the Japanese launch).
Just providing the exact same DSi ware service would have been better than what we got. I'm sure there are plenty of people who purchased a 3DS that did not have a DSi; a game like Shantae would have been an excellent way to relieve some post-launch boredom.
There's plenty of built-in software that comes with the 3DS, but none of it is particularly substantial. Nintendo could have kept the excitement going by releasing weekly video updates, at the very least. It seems like the company is very keen on pointing out that video or screenshots displayed on a monitor are not representative of how they actually look on the system, but there has not been one game trailer released for download to the 3DS, where the 3D effects can properly be viewed. I'm extremely excited for Ocarina of Time 3D, but I'd be way more excited if I could see what the game actually looked like ahead of time.
The 3DS is now two months old with no worthwhile software. Nintendo can't expect people to buy a $250 handheld on promise alone, even with the pedigree of the original DS. With new consoles on the horizon, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo need to take a look at the 3DS's shortcomings and realize that consumers will no longer buy into a launch without quality software and complete hardware.
Other times, it's a disaster. Like with the 3DS. At first, it seemed as if there would be some decent software. Super Street Fighter IV looks absolutely gorgeous to be on a handheld, and is just as full-featured as the original version, with all of the characters and even the downloadable costumes (why Capcom decided not to charge us for those is an absolute miracle). In practice, I find that version of the game to be relatively useless; SSFIV is a game I like to play in my living room with a nice arcade stick, not with a rickety circle pad and touch screen moves. Plus, with the Arcade Edition update coming in the next few weeks for the console versions, SSFIV on the 3DS is looking to become obsolete sooner than it should have.
Pilotwings used to be a Nintendo launch staple, an excellent way of showing off the new hardware (mode 7 for SNES, polygons for N64). In a way, Pilotwings Resort still has that function (the jet plane in particular is great at showing off the 3D effects), but for $40 the amount content is exceedingly bad by today's standards. You can blow through the challenges on one measly charge of the battery. Sure, you can bang your way to perfecting each of the challenges, but that's far too frustrating to be any fun. It was exciting to just fly and explore the Little USA island in Pilotwings 64, but that was in 1996, when the idea of an explorable 3D environment was still a novel idea in the console world.
Nintendogs is the same game you played back in 2005, except now you already know how quickly the concept will wear thin on you.
I'm not picky; it really only takes one or two decent games to make a successful launch for me. For the Wii, Twilight Princess and Wii Sports was more than enough-- I was busy until almost Christmas. The PS3 was a great time just with Resistance. Nintendo really dropped the ball by not launching the online store with the system. The Xbox 360's launch, while not being too shabby with the likes of Call of Duty 2, was made infinitely better with Geometry Wars; this game was not only a lot of fun, it proved that the XBLA service was worth your time. Same goes for the Wii with the Virtual Console-- excellent downloadable games were available from day one (though not as good as the Japanese launch).
Just providing the exact same DSi ware service would have been better than what we got. I'm sure there are plenty of people who purchased a 3DS that did not have a DSi; a game like Shantae would have been an excellent way to relieve some post-launch boredom.
There's plenty of built-in software that comes with the 3DS, but none of it is particularly substantial. Nintendo could have kept the excitement going by releasing weekly video updates, at the very least. It seems like the company is very keen on pointing out that video or screenshots displayed on a monitor are not representative of how they actually look on the system, but there has not been one game trailer released for download to the 3DS, where the 3D effects can properly be viewed. I'm extremely excited for Ocarina of Time 3D, but I'd be way more excited if I could see what the game actually looked like ahead of time.
The 3DS is now two months old with no worthwhile software. Nintendo can't expect people to buy a $250 handheld on promise alone, even with the pedigree of the original DS. With new consoles on the horizon, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo need to take a look at the 3DS's shortcomings and realize that consumers will no longer buy into a launch without quality software and complete hardware.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Lemme count my till. I'm clocking out!
So i did it-- I got a job. After months (add another six or so and then I could have said years), I've landed a bona-fide big-boy job; and it's a good one, too. A long, long way from being pandered to (trained?) by the lifer at the Lowe's cash register at 7 am on a Saturday, or tapping on the desks of misbehaved sleeping children at the alternative school.
Those days are over.
Well, I hope. I'm the editor of an entire newspaper. Seriously, somebody let me do that. Not a big one, mind you, but certainly an established one. Nearly 100 years old, to be exact; as a matter of fact, I'll likely be the editor when this paper celebrates its centennial-- how crazy is that? It isn't some fanzine rag that gets ran off at the kinko's or given away for free in wire metal bins, either.
I bet I'm one of the few liberal arts graduates since 2007 who can honestly say, "I get to use my degree." It's refreshing, really. I've been dealing with people who have rolled their eyes at my journalism degree for literally years now, and, starting about a year ago, I was rolling my eyes at it, too. My highest hope was to be a retail manager (hell, assistant manager), and even that didn't seem like it would work out. Not that I'm saying I'm better than any other of the thousands of unlucky graduates who got out of school when I did-- I'm absolutely not. I'm just lucky enough that someone took a chance on me.
I've got an office. A big one. It's got a swivel chair, and a studded mat for it to roll on. That chair parks beneath a wrap-around desk; the kind I've always wanted. I've got a big desk calendar where I can take notes and mark the important events I have to attend, and a phone with multiple lines. There's a computer, of course; a nice one that I absolutely couldn't afford on my own. On the wall beside my desk is a whiteboard, for ideas. The entire back wall is covered in shelving, and I've realized that I do not own enough books to fill one shelf. Of course I've not brought any action figures, yet. I've got some reference materials (some I had to order), a coffee mug I've yet to use, and a simple 5x10 framed photo of my new wife and I from three years ago.
On one shelf, propped against the wall is my diploma from the university I attended. I literally brought the frame from Wal-Mart the day before I started my new job. Before then, I had only taken it out of the cardboard tube it came in once, back when I still admired it. I think it looks pretty nice there, now. I keep the cardboard tube beside it, on the shelf.
Facing my desk are two cushy chairs, nicer than any I have ever owned. If they were in the principal's office, they'd be used for two kids to sit beside each other and sweat. When someone comes in to visit me, the ladies from the front desk come in and say, "So and so's here to see you." And I say, "tell them to come in." I literally say that.
I think it's going to be a lot of fun. But I stress about it; I stress a lot. I want to do an excellent job. I know that everyone I've met has looked at me and thought, "you look too young to be an editor." And I totally am. There's a lot of responsibility that comes with a job like this; thousands of people look at what I produce every week and I'm certain that the first person who's mad about what I print is going to make my stomach knot and turn. But when that happens, I'll try to remember the kids who ignored me when I told them to get back to work, or the cranky lady who jumped down my throat the day I took a check in my till that was missing a decimal, and that will make it better.
Those days are over.
Well, I hope. I'm the editor of an entire newspaper. Seriously, somebody let me do that. Not a big one, mind you, but certainly an established one. Nearly 100 years old, to be exact; as a matter of fact, I'll likely be the editor when this paper celebrates its centennial-- how crazy is that? It isn't some fanzine rag that gets ran off at the kinko's or given away for free in wire metal bins, either.
I bet I'm one of the few liberal arts graduates since 2007 who can honestly say, "I get to use my degree." It's refreshing, really. I've been dealing with people who have rolled their eyes at my journalism degree for literally years now, and, starting about a year ago, I was rolling my eyes at it, too. My highest hope was to be a retail manager (hell, assistant manager), and even that didn't seem like it would work out. Not that I'm saying I'm better than any other of the thousands of unlucky graduates who got out of school when I did-- I'm absolutely not. I'm just lucky enough that someone took a chance on me.
I've got an office. A big one. It's got a swivel chair, and a studded mat for it to roll on. That chair parks beneath a wrap-around desk; the kind I've always wanted. I've got a big desk calendar where I can take notes and mark the important events I have to attend, and a phone with multiple lines. There's a computer, of course; a nice one that I absolutely couldn't afford on my own. On the wall beside my desk is a whiteboard, for ideas. The entire back wall is covered in shelving, and I've realized that I do not own enough books to fill one shelf. Of course I've not brought any action figures, yet. I've got some reference materials (some I had to order), a coffee mug I've yet to use, and a simple 5x10 framed photo of my new wife and I from three years ago.
On one shelf, propped against the wall is my diploma from the university I attended. I literally brought the frame from Wal-Mart the day before I started my new job. Before then, I had only taken it out of the cardboard tube it came in once, back when I still admired it. I think it looks pretty nice there, now. I keep the cardboard tube beside it, on the shelf.
Facing my desk are two cushy chairs, nicer than any I have ever owned. If they were in the principal's office, they'd be used for two kids to sit beside each other and sweat. When someone comes in to visit me, the ladies from the front desk come in and say, "So and so's here to see you." And I say, "tell them to come in." I literally say that.
I think it's going to be a lot of fun. But I stress about it; I stress a lot. I want to do an excellent job. I know that everyone I've met has looked at me and thought, "you look too young to be an editor." And I totally am. There's a lot of responsibility that comes with a job like this; thousands of people look at what I produce every week and I'm certain that the first person who's mad about what I print is going to make my stomach knot and turn. But when that happens, I'll try to remember the kids who ignored me when I told them to get back to work, or the cranky lady who jumped down my throat the day I took a check in my till that was missing a decimal, and that will make it better.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
PSP Go Wishlist
Last week I caved in and bought a PSP Go. I didn't make it as long as I expected to; as a matter of fact, I actually ended up getting one on the launch day. I think it was mostly Sony's fairly incredible bombardment of the PlayStation Network with downloadable titles, most of which I've never played.
What's Good:
Disgaea 1 & 2 - I absolutely did not expect these two games to make it onto the service. $15 is an amazing price for the first Disgaea (my used copy of the game just a couple of years ago on the PS2 was over $40).
Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? - This great action sidescroller is a steal at $9.99, especially considering that it's still $39.99 at retail.
Brave Story - Critically aclaimed, classic-style JRPG that did not get a lot of attention when it was originally released on UMD.
God of War: Chains of Olympus - This one was expected, but not at the $15.99 price-- 20% cheaper than it currently is at retail. It's a fair price, and I much prefer not having to lug around the UMD.
What's Bad -
Loco Roco 1 & 2 - Great that these two are up on the service, but the pricing is a little strange. $15.99 is great for Loco Roco 2, but what's the deal with $22.99 for the original game, which is now over three years old?
Motorstorm/Gran Turismo/Soul Calibur - The $39.99 price is absolutely ridiculous for these titles. Sony should discount digital versions of new releases like they do for older titles.
Rock Band Unplugged: Lite: The idea of a completely "a la carte" Rock Band game is pretty smart; honestly, I'd rather have a cheaper version of the game that I can use to pick-and-choose which songs I want to play. The problem: there is no full version of Rock Band Unplugged up for download, but all of the songs are available through Rock Band Unplugged: Lite. If you want the full version of Rock Band on your PSP, expect to pay $80 for what you can get for $30 if you had the cheaper PSP 3000.
What's missing:
Lumines 1 & 2
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles
Mega Man Powered Up
Maverick Hunter X
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
FFVII: Crisis Core
Final Fantasy: Dissidia
Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories
What's Good:
Disgaea 1 & 2 - I absolutely did not expect these two games to make it onto the service. $15 is an amazing price for the first Disgaea (my used copy of the game just a couple of years ago on the PS2 was over $40).
Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? - This great action sidescroller is a steal at $9.99, especially considering that it's still $39.99 at retail.
Brave Story - Critically aclaimed, classic-style JRPG that did not get a lot of attention when it was originally released on UMD.
God of War: Chains of Olympus - This one was expected, but not at the $15.99 price-- 20% cheaper than it currently is at retail. It's a fair price, and I much prefer not having to lug around the UMD.
What's Bad -
Loco Roco 1 & 2 - Great that these two are up on the service, but the pricing is a little strange. $15.99 is great for Loco Roco 2, but what's the deal with $22.99 for the original game, which is now over three years old?
Motorstorm/Gran Turismo/Soul Calibur - The $39.99 price is absolutely ridiculous for these titles. Sony should discount digital versions of new releases like they do for older titles.
Rock Band Unplugged: Lite: The idea of a completely "a la carte" Rock Band game is pretty smart; honestly, I'd rather have a cheaper version of the game that I can use to pick-and-choose which songs I want to play. The problem: there is no full version of Rock Band Unplugged up for download, but all of the songs are available through Rock Band Unplugged: Lite. If you want the full version of Rock Band on your PSP, expect to pay $80 for what you can get for $30 if you had the cheaper PSP 3000.
What's missing:
Lumines 1 & 2
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles
Mega Man Powered Up
Maverick Hunter X
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
FFVII: Crisis Core
Final Fantasy: Dissidia
Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories
PSP Go: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
You wouldn’t think it from the complete lack of marketing hype and momentum from Sony, but today’s launch of the PSP Go is actually pretty monumental for the video game industry and media in general. Sony, the ultimate parade leader for proprietary media (remember the long dead Betamax?), has taken some bold steps towards digital-only media with this new machine, having axed the clunky UMD drive (again, all proprietary) from its nearly five-year-old portable gaming system.
The move to all digital media for video games has been predicted since Microsoft included a hard drive and Ethernet port in its original Xbox back in 2001, but no one really expected the first all-digital device to hit so soon. Really, the technology has been around for a number of years, and Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all made baby steps with digital content. It seems like a no-brainer—digital content cuts out manufacturing and shipping costs associated with producing a game while also providing a direct link between the consumer and the creator; hypothetically, it would mean more money for the developers who would pass on the savings for cheaper games all around.
The problem? It’s the middleman-- big-box retailers who would lose millions in yearly sales if casual shoppers weren’t browsing the aisles for the newest space marine shooter. These retailers threaten to pull support for Sony and Microsoft’s other products if they dare to undercut the stores online; it’s cutthroat boardroom meetings that kept you from being able to download Halo 3: ODST at its midnight launch. Sure, Microsoft and Sony have both tested the waters, but retailers made sure that these have been nothing more than small splashes instead of the big waves that they should have been. Sony has launched a couple low-profile games online simultaneously with the retail releases, but at the same time pricing these games at a disadvantage over the retail packages that were always bundled with an accessory for added value. Microsoft just recently began to offer full games for download over their own online service, but all of the games are old releases that aren’t readily available in stores and are even priced significantly higher than the retail boxes.
With all of the sales politics, it’s no wonder that the PSP Go is just another half-attempt from Sony. The Go represents a series of missteps from the company, who has let retail pressures turn their would-be revolutionary machine into dead weight.
Sony has not placed the PSP Go as a replacement for the existing PSP system; the old model with still be manufactured and sold in retail stores as well as physical copies of new games. It shows Sony’s lack of faith in digital distribution, and as long as the company is printing UMDs for releases, consumers will be paying for shipping costs if they’re buying online or at a register.
Sony has priced their downloadable games on the PSP Go drastically too high. $40 for a portable game is too steep even for a complete retail package; for a downloadable game that cannot be resold and may be lost if Sony ever shuts down its servers, it’s preposterous.
Did I mention that all of your existing PSP games are useless if you upgrade to the Go? Traditionally, digital content services, like Steam on the PC, offer a method to register your existing games on to the service, allowing you to download your already purchased games over the service without having to spend any extra cash. In Europe, Sony has offered a limited program that allows previous PSP users to download up to three free games from the service for use on a new PSP Go, and the European version of the handheld comes preloaded with the new Gran Turismo game, a $40 extra download for North American users.
The games are expensive, but not nearly as expensive as the system itself. When the original PSP launched in early 2005, it cost $250 and came with a copy of the newly released Spider-Man 2 movie, headphones, and a carrying case. The PSP go comes with nothing of the sort, has a smaller screen, and no UMD drive. Besides the added onboard flash memory, it’s technically a downgrade from the original model, not to mention that the hardware is now almost five years old. The price: still $250.
But even with all of these launch stutters, the PSP Go is the start of something big. As broadband penetration grows and hard drive sizes reach into the terabits, video game brick-and-mortar retailers will go the way of record stores, and Sony will be able to say that they fired the first shot.
The move to all digital media for video games has been predicted since Microsoft included a hard drive and Ethernet port in its original Xbox back in 2001, but no one really expected the first all-digital device to hit so soon. Really, the technology has been around for a number of years, and Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all made baby steps with digital content. It seems like a no-brainer—digital content cuts out manufacturing and shipping costs associated with producing a game while also providing a direct link between the consumer and the creator; hypothetically, it would mean more money for the developers who would pass on the savings for cheaper games all around.
The problem? It’s the middleman-- big-box retailers who would lose millions in yearly sales if casual shoppers weren’t browsing the aisles for the newest space marine shooter. These retailers threaten to pull support for Sony and Microsoft’s other products if they dare to undercut the stores online; it’s cutthroat boardroom meetings that kept you from being able to download Halo 3: ODST at its midnight launch. Sure, Microsoft and Sony have both tested the waters, but retailers made sure that these have been nothing more than small splashes instead of the big waves that they should have been. Sony has launched a couple low-profile games online simultaneously with the retail releases, but at the same time pricing these games at a disadvantage over the retail packages that were always bundled with an accessory for added value. Microsoft just recently began to offer full games for download over their own online service, but all of the games are old releases that aren’t readily available in stores and are even priced significantly higher than the retail boxes.
With all of the sales politics, it’s no wonder that the PSP Go is just another half-attempt from Sony. The Go represents a series of missteps from the company, who has let retail pressures turn their would-be revolutionary machine into dead weight.
Sony has not placed the PSP Go as a replacement for the existing PSP system; the old model with still be manufactured and sold in retail stores as well as physical copies of new games. It shows Sony’s lack of faith in digital distribution, and as long as the company is printing UMDs for releases, consumers will be paying for shipping costs if they’re buying online or at a register.
Sony has priced their downloadable games on the PSP Go drastically too high. $40 for a portable game is too steep even for a complete retail package; for a downloadable game that cannot be resold and may be lost if Sony ever shuts down its servers, it’s preposterous.
Did I mention that all of your existing PSP games are useless if you upgrade to the Go? Traditionally, digital content services, like Steam on the PC, offer a method to register your existing games on to the service, allowing you to download your already purchased games over the service without having to spend any extra cash. In Europe, Sony has offered a limited program that allows previous PSP users to download up to three free games from the service for use on a new PSP Go, and the European version of the handheld comes preloaded with the new Gran Turismo game, a $40 extra download for North American users.
The games are expensive, but not nearly as expensive as the system itself. When the original PSP launched in early 2005, it cost $250 and came with a copy of the newly released Spider-Man 2 movie, headphones, and a carrying case. The PSP go comes with nothing of the sort, has a smaller screen, and no UMD drive. Besides the added onboard flash memory, it’s technically a downgrade from the original model, not to mention that the hardware is now almost five years old. The price: still $250.
But even with all of these launch stutters, the PSP Go is the start of something big. As broadband penetration grows and hard drive sizes reach into the terabits, video game brick-and-mortar retailers will go the way of record stores, and Sony will be able to say that they fired the first shot.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The PSP Go is One Step Forward but Two Steps Back
You wouldn’t think it from the complete lack of marketing hype and momentum from Sony, but today’s launch of the PSP Go is actually pretty monumental for the video game industry and media in general. Sony, the ultimate parade leader for proprietary media (remember the long dead Betamax?), has taken some bold steps towards digital-only media with this new machine, having axed the clunky UMD drive (again, all proprietary) from its nearly five-year-old portable gaming system.
The move to all digital media for video games has been predicted since Microsoft included a hard drive and Ethernet port in its original Xbox back in 2001, but no one really expected the first all-digital device to hit so soon. Really, the technology has been around for a number of years, and Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all made baby steps with digital content. It seems like a no-brainer—digital content cuts out manufacturing and shipping costs associated with producing a game while also providing a direct link between the consumer and the creator; hypothetically, it would mean more money for the developers who would pass on the savings for cheaper games all around.
The problem? It’s the middleman-- big-box retailers who would lose millions in yearly sales if casual shoppers weren’t browsing the aisles for the newest space marine shooter. These retailers threaten to pull support for Sony and Microsoft’s other products if they dare to undercut the stores online; it’s cutthroat boardroom meetings that kept you from being able to download Halo 3: ODST at its midnight launch. Sure, Microsoft and Sony have both tested the waters, but retailers made sure that these have been nothing more than small splashes instead of the big waves that they should have been. Sony has launched a couple low-profile games online simultaneously with the retail releases, but at the same time pricing these games at a disadvantage over the retail packages that were always bundled with an accessory for added value. Microsoft just recently began to offer full games for download over their own online service, but all of the games are old releases that aren’t readily available in stores and are even priced significantly higher than the retail boxes.
With all of the sales politics, it’s no wonder that the PSP Go is just another half-attempt from Sony. The Go represents a series of missteps from the company, who has let retail pressures turn their would-be revolutionary machine into dead weight.
Sony has not placed the PSP Go as a replacement for the existing PSP system; the old model with still be manufactured and sold in retail stores as well as physical copies of new games. It shows Sony’s lack of faith in digital distribution, and as long as the company is printing UMDs for releases, consumers will be paying for shipping costs if they’re buying online or at a register.
Sony has priced their downloadable games on the PSP Go drastically too high. $40 for a portable game is too steep even for a complete retail package; for a downloadable game that cannot be resold and may be lost if Sony ever shuts down its servers, it’s preposterous.
Did I mention that all of your existing PSP games are useless if you upgrade to the Go? Traditionally, digital content services, like Steam on the PC, offer a method to register your existing games on to the service, allowing you to download your already purchased games over the service without having to spend any extra cash. In Europe, Sony has offered a limited program that allows previous PSP users to download up to three free games from the service for use on a new PSP Go, and the European version of the handheld comes preloaded with the new Gran Turismo game, a $40 extra download for North American users.
The games are expensive, but not nearly as expensive as the system itself. When the original PSP launched in early 2005, it cost $250 and came with a copy of the newly released Spider-Man 2 movie, headphones, and a carrying case. The PSP go comes with nothing of the sort, has a smaller screen, and no UMD drive. Besides the added onboard flash memory, it’s technically a downgrade from the original model, not to mention that the hardware is now almost five years old. The price: still $250.
But even with all of these launch stutters, the PSP Go is the start of something big. As broadband penetration grows and hard drive sizes reach into the terabits, video game brick-and-mortar retailers will go the way of record stores, and Sony will be able to say that they fired the first shot.
Halo 3: ODST Review
Originally published in VSU's The Spectator
It’s debatable. Certainly, ODST is a much different game than any other Halo, but not for the reasons you might expect. As far as gameplay goes, expect ODST to play almost exactly like Halo 3; strange, considering that Bungie themselves have long preached the differences between Halo’s machine-altered-space-savior Master Chief and The Rookie, a relative weakling whose type has served as measly cannon-fodder since Halo 2. The Rookie might be a little slower and jump a little lower (and I mean just a little), but you’d be hard pressed to find any other difference; he still chunks grenades like a major league pitcher and flips jeeps like they were made of Styrofoam. Bungie definitely played it safe when it comes to Halo’s grenade and gun formula, and in a way it’s very disappointing.
Oddly enough, it’s ODST’s narrative that has received the biggest overhaul from Halo tradition. Taking the view point out of Master Chief’s helmet has allowed Bungie to do some interesting things. Gone is the overly dramatic space opera from the previous trilogy of games; instead, players are treated to a smaller scale story about a scattered squad of soldiers. The plot is typical why-were-we-sent-here war movie fare, but it remains entirely more interesting than Halo 3’s creepy Spartan/computer love story.
Another first for the Halo series is the game’s open-world hub city, New Mombasa. For the most part, your character is free to roam through the alien-infested metropolis, seeking out clues to the rest of your squad’s disappearance. New
The one new multiplayer mode is Firefight, a cooperative enemy hunt that’s nearly identical to Gear’s of War 2’s Horde mode: players’ team up with three friends to take on endless waves of ugly aliens. ODST changes it up from Gears of War’s similar mode by giving the players a communal pool of lives and resources to draw upon; it adds an extra layer of strategy and makes the game that much more interesting.
Also in the package is a second disc containing the original Halo 3’s multiplayer in its entirety, including all 24 available maps (three of which are brand new). The disc is great for Halo fans who skipped over the downloadable map packs, but a waste of space for people who paid a premium for the maps when they were first released.
Is ODST worth the $60? Yes and no—if you have two or three friends who are interested in sinking some time into Firefight with you, and you missed out on the downloadable map packs, then you’ll easily get your $60 worth out of the game. If you have no interest in the game’s co-op modes, then save your cash-- the too-short campaign can be easily finished in less than a rental.
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