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PlayStation Portable/PSVita Archive

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Playstation Spring Showcase

Every time Sony has some sort of event going on in Toronto, I always try my best to attend because you get personal hands on time with amazing games that are yet to hit store shelves. This year, Sony’s theme was ‘Playstation <3 Canada’ where most of the games that were shown were being made by Canadian developers. Most of the games I played were extremely fun and I can’t wait to get my hands on the final copy of these games when they release this spring and summer.

Soundshapes

I’m a huge fan of games that blend music with gameplay. Soundshapes for the Playstation Vita is something I can’t wait to play when it comes out. The animation is really smooth and looks great on the Vita.

As you make your way through a level, your actions will make small pieces of music that will continue to build as you progress. It’s really fun to make music within a video game and I think more developers should explore it.

Lights! Camera! Party!

Looking at the crowd gathering around the people currently playing a round, I instantly saw that it was a different twist on party games. The first thing that came to mind was that it kind of had a Mario Party vibe, yet it didn’t have a giant board game to walk around and had no die to roll.

Being a Playstation Move title, I can definitely see people making good use of the controller which needs a little more titles under its belt. There were a lot of different mini-games to play in the game’s current build and most of the game’s charm was because of the humorous touchesin those mini-games; they used crazy little monkeys that had you doing everything from beating your chest using the move controller to painting an outhouse door to give the monkey a little bit of privacy as he sits on the toilet shouting at you. I laughed. Things like these make game party games worth playing.

Retro City Rampage

First of all, I have to say that this 8-bit open world game looks amazing on the Vita.

As soon as the Vita was given to me I was on a bus in the game. I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, so I drove around the area until I accidentally hit a few pedestrians moments later. It gave me a lot of points so I decided to cause a little bit more mayhem by driving the school bus through a park, killing everyone I saw, which gave me a chain combo which brought a smile to my face. What happened next was hilarious. A few police cars started chasing me around the city but I didn’t let that stop me. I quickly did a U-turn and smashed into three of the police cruisers following me. I figured out how to get out the bus and things just got better. Apparently I was equipped with a bazooka so I did what anyone else would (in a game of course) and I blew them to smithereens until the game told me I had acquired a silver metal.

Papo & Yo

I’ll admit that I haven’t heard a lot about this game but, after  just watching someone play it for three minutes, I can’t wait to play it in the comfort of my own home. I have to say from what I saw in the demo that this game is incredibly unique. In Papo & Yo, a PSN exclusive, you take control of a young boy adventuring through the streets of South America solving puzzles to continue. My favourite part of the game was when the guy who was playing the demo wasn’t sure what he was doing or what he was supposed to do and there was a box on the floor in-game that said “hint.” Obviously I thought it would bring up some sort of menu or text would appear on screen giving you a little bump to get the puzzle completed, but nope, none of the above. The character put the box over his head and there were hand drawn clues in the box. I thought it was funny and really creative. You could even move the box around to get more clues and I just loved that.

Dyad

Dyad was the second musical game at the showcase. I was excited because it was the only game that had some crazy visuals that were always flashing, moving, and spinning. At first I wasn’t sure what the object of the game was, but after they explained it to me, it was pie. The only way to move through the level was to grab flashing lights to pull yourself along. On your own you don’t move at all and trying to pull on enemies will slow you down.

Sorcery

Sony is finally making a game that will put the Move controller to good use with what seems to be a pretty big title. I didn’t have enough time to try it myself but from what I saw there is going to be a lot of mixing different spells together to make more powerful ones such as fire. You can also swing your arm in the air to make whirlwinds to send at your enemies. This game is looking a lot better than what it used to look like when I saw it around E3 2011. They’ve added a lot more detail. I do think, however, that this game isn’t exactly for people looking for an approachable pick up and play Move title. I’m sure a game of this kind is definitely going to need to have a training mode. Either way, if you want to make good use of your Move controller, Sorcery is it.

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Release Radar- 15 Games in Q2 2012 You Should Know About

It’s that time of year again. One quarter down, and time for another. While we are not cramming big name franchises into the picture this quarter, there are still plenty of quality games on their way. A lot of them are high profile, and some you may have never heard of…until now. A few of us at Vagary.tv have sat down and put together this list of 15 games we think you should be aware of in the coming few months.

Be advised, this list is by no means represents every game coming in the next couple of months. There are still a plethora of other games coming, and some you may want more than any of these. Also, dates are always subject to change, which is why Inversion and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier are not part of this list. Enjoy! ~ Don

Heroes of Ruin
Developer: n-space
Publisher: Square-Enix
Projected Release: April 2012

The lack of quality games on the Nintendo 3DS has been a major issue with the system, but early in 2012 things have picked up with a good variety of quality games. Heroes of Ruin looks to continue that trend in quarter two as Square Enix drops the unique action roleplaying game on gamers. Featuring, what Square Enix calls, a seamless drop-in, drop-out multiplayer experience, a deep customization system and new challenges to download daily via Spot Pass, Heroes of Ruin has the potential to change the handheld landscape.

- Chris Scott

Kinect Star-Wars
Developer: Terminal Reality
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Projected Release: April 2012

The success of the Kinect is certainly debatable but there is one thing I cannot deny and that is that my kids love playing it. You know what else they love? Star Wars. Sure, Kinect Star Wars (or is that Star Wars Kinect) looks like a combination of mini-games but when it comes to motion gaming, those games tend to work best as they can offer quick bursts of fun and not wear out their welcome. As long as Kinect Star Wars allows me to lightsaber fight my son and “use” the force to do cool things on my television, this game will be a winner.

- Chris Scott

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Developer: CD Projekt Red Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Projected Release: April 2012

The Witcher 2 was one of the top RPGs of last year, but its PC only status — and the behemoth that was Skyrim — meant that it did not nearly get the billing it deserved. Thankfully, the console release is nearly upon us. I hope your high fantasy hankerings haven’t been fulfilled by Skyrim and Kingdoms of Amalur, because the Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings provides a much more mature and visceral experience. This offering is the full “Enhanced” treatment, giving you the opportunity to explore the full version of an already widely acclaimed action rpg. Challenging combat, tough decisions (resulting in a plethora of different endings and wildly different play through possibilities) and a true adult experience another fantasy go around that much more satisfying.

- Tony Odett

Mario Tennis Open
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
Publisher: Nintendo of America
Projected Release: May 2012

While the Mario Kart series is the most well-known of the Mario themed sports titles, the Camelot developed Golf and Tennis games are largely regarded as some of the most fun on their respective platforms. Camelot will bring Mario Tennis Open, the first new Mario Tennis title in over six years, to the 3DS, strengthening an already impressive 2012 slate of releases. While support for the 3DS’s gyroscope might be a minor touch, the ability to play online matches could make Mario Tennis the go to game for competitive play.

- Chris Scott

Note: This is what you can do when you pre-order. You know you want to.

Sniper Elite V2
Developer: Rebellion
Publisher: 505 Games
Projected Release: May 2012

One might say a developer would be insane to go back to World War 2 and do another shooter. However, with the proper spin, and a few new details, they might be able to go back to the well once more. Sniper Elite V2 has done just that, adding heavily detail sniping mechanics with a unique co-op system to put a new twist on the greatest war Earth has ever known. Add some visceral, bloody, and jaw dropping sniping cam shots showing bones breaking, lungs puncturing and heads being ripped apart, and you have a game that is definitely worth a solid look. The last Sniper Elite game was a solid title that was sadly overlooked. So, for some solid 3rdperson shooting action, with an extra helping of gore, look no further than Sniper Elite V2.

- Tony Odett

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Facebook App for PSVita Pulled From PSN

 

If you’ve visited PSN on the Vita earlier this week you had the ability to download Netflix, Twitter and the Facebook app, but Sony has pulled Zuckerberg’s social networking client from the store.

According to a representative from Sony, they’re working on the issue and will be trying to get the app back and working into the store as soon as possible.

I used it a few times myself and hopefully it won’t be as slow and unresponsive as it was during use when it goes live again.

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Street Fighter X Tekken hits the Vita this Fall with 12 extra characters

Capcom has announced that this fall, in relation to their Street Fighter 25th Anniversary celebration, they would be bringing the upcoming fighter to the Playstation Vita this fall.

The good part of the deal is that you’ll be getting your hands on 12 additional characters which include Elena, Guy, Cody, Sakura, Dudley and Blanka from the Street Fighter universe and Alisa, Christie, Jack, Brian, Lars and Lei from the Tekken universe.

What this says to me about the console version of the game releasing on the 6th of March in North America and the 9th in Europe, is that those 12 characters will most likely end up becoming DLC. Knowing Capcom, you may have to break out your wallets if you want to be any of said characters. It’s either that, or Capcom may release Super Street Fighter X Tekken or Ultimate Street Fighter X Tekken.

Capcom also stated that the fighter crossover will be hitting the on May 11th with no release day for the Vita version.

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Incoming Playstation Vita Update Allows Video Recording and More

Thanks to a nifty update coming to the PS Vita on the 8th of February, Sony’s new handheld device will not only be compatible with Apple’s OS X operating system, but it will also come with video recording, and a map app.

The video recording feature can be found within the camera app itself and the map application works the same as Google maps, which allows you to search for destinations as well as show your current location.

With the ability to sync with a Mac computer, it allows the Vita to save game backups, transfer music, photos, and videos between the devices.

Since the update comes out in two days, all of these features will be available for you to download when the Vita releases on the 22nd of this month.

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Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Vita Gets A New Trailer

Capcom’s most recent fighting title is making its way to the Playstation Vita and it has brought a trailer just to show you how much fun you can have on Sony’s new portable console.

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is currently scheduled to launch alongside the PS Vita on February 22nd 2012 for $39.99 Cdn/US respectively with no mention of whether if the title is going to be available as a download for the same price.

The game is currently available for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3.

 

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Release Radar- 15 Games in Q1 2012 You Should Know About

The days of the “Fall gaming season” are over. Yes we still get a massive influx of great games in time for the holiday, but it’s been apparent for a few years now that great games can still release during other times of the year and still succeed. This is a good thing for gamers, because it gives us things to look forward to all year-round. So with “Winter gaming season” upon us, a few staff members and I wanted to briefly highlight some of the games we are looking forward to coming out in the next few months. Keep in mind, while these are our top picks, there are still plenty of other great games accompanying them on the calender. Also note, dates can change at any given time. We hope you enjoy!

 

Final Fantasy XIII-2
Developer: Square-Enix & Tri-Ace
Publisher: Square-Enix
Projected Release: January 2012
When Final Fantasy XIII was released to the masses, most fans of the series cried foul. In an effort to extend the story (and no doubt redeem themselves), Square-Enix has listened to the complaints and is giving us something they don’t do often; a sequel. There are far too many changes to XIII-2 for me to list here, but a revamped level-up system, a more open world, a tweaked battle system and time travel are just a few to look forward to. Fans of the game, and even those that didn’t like XIII, should keep open minds and give it a try.

I can’t wait to see how Square-Enix handles this game, and it is easily my most anticipated title personally. I loved XIII. It was one of my favorite games of this generation, and I am very excited to see how the story continues for Lightning and company.

- Don Parsons

NeverDead
Developer: Rebellion
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: January 2012

With the exception of Bayonetta, the character action genre has been feeling extremely tired recently. Rebellion’s NeverDead hopes to breath some life into it. On the surface, NeverDead looks to be nothing special, just another character action game with a moody hero. But NeverDead has a secret weapon in the form of its gameplay mechanic (gimmick), where players can be completely dismembered and continue to fight on. It is an interesting gameplay choice and with the proper aesthetic, NeverDead could be an early surprise of 2012.

- Chris Scott

Resident Evil: Revelations
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: February 2012


The notion that Resident Evil has lost its way is at this point so widely held giving up on the series for good is understandable. However, that might turn out to be a mistake in the near future. Enter Resident Evil: Revelations, a touted return to the slower pace, denser atmosphere and lower focus on action of Resi’s past. Luckily, while the atmospheric elements of classic Resident Evil are resurrected, the infuriating controls and clunky gameplay is left in the grave, as the game uses a tweaked version of the RE4/5 template that allows free camera movement, strafing while shooting and other such modernities. Revelations sports cooperative game modes, wide location variety, a seemingly twist-tastic plot, and most noticeably of all, graphics just inches away from current-gen console-quality. Brush up on your herb-mixing skills and combine SHOTGUN AMMO with SHOTGUN in February exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.

- Magnus Risebro

Syndicate
Developer: Starbreeze Studios
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: February 2012

Remakes are all the rage, we had quite a few HD remakes we wanted to include in our list even, however complete re-imaginings of a franchise are always a tricky prospect. Electronic Arts is hoping that the name Syndicate still holds some amount of weight in the gaming world and that Starbreeze Studios can capitalize on that and give EA an early year hit. What is most interesting about Syndicate though is that the original game was a strategy game and this rework is a first person shooter. Fans of the original are already in an uproar over the change of focus and that alone warrants some added focus on the title, additionally however Starbreeze has developed some of the most interesting FPS games of the past few years and seeing what they can do inside the world of Syndicate is truly the most interesting thing about it all.

- Chris Scott

SSX
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: February 2012

At one point in time SSX was one of the biggest franchises on the market but this generation has not been kind to the extreme sports genre, with even the mighty Tony Hawk struggling to maintain a hold in the highly competitive marketplace. Thus this new SSX has a lot of questions surrounding it. Amongst them, can it capture the magic of the original games and do so in a high definition world? But maybe most importantly, can it revitalize a struggling genre that was once a dominant force in the industry. So far everything looks great and provided they can implement a simple to use, yet complicated to master trick system, SSX could be the breath of life this genre needs.

- Chris Scott

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Editorial: Sony E3 Conference Recap

The conference started off with a montage of clips including Uncharted: Drake’s Deception, Ratchet and Clank, and Infamous 2. After about five minutes, Jack Tretton, the President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, was welcomed onto the stage. After a ten minute apology for the PlayStation Network outage, he thanked everyone for their patience and support during that dark month in gaming. Next came the numbers – Jack explained how the sales of PlayStation have increased exponentially from last year and then told the audience to put on their 3D glasses because all PS3 games being showcased will be available in 3D.

Naughty Dog got things rolling with a gameplay demo of a new Uncharted game – Uncharted: Drakes Deception. Drake was shown fumbling around a ship as it rocked side to side in a storm. After a few interesting stealth kills, quick time events and some gunplay, the ship began to sink and cinematic camera angles follow Drake as he tries to escape its hold. After a trailer, Naughty Dog announced a partnership with Subway restaurants that promises codes for access to Uncharted’s complete multiplayer mode up until release with a purchase of a meal.

Next came Insomniac’s Marcus Smith showing off Resistance 3. The demo showed off some great visuals and game play mechanics. New enemies, such as shield drones that protect the Chimera infantry, could be seen, as well as an improved Auger rifle (a weapon that can deploy a shield and shoot enemies through walls). The demo ended with an encounter with a giant insect like monster destroying St. Louis. Jack Tretton then revealed a Resistance 3 bundle that will include the PlayStation Move, camera, navigation controller, and a Sharpshooter gun. The bundle is set to release on September 6 for $150 USD.

Jack then pointed out Sony’s complete commitment to 3D on the PS3 by showing off two 3D collections: God of War: Origins, featuring re-mastered versions of the PSP games Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta, and also the ICO collection, featuring re-mastered versions of the PS2 hits ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. The release dates for these collections are slated for September.

Jack Tretton then tackled the issue of barriers for consumers when it comes to taking advantage of 3D gaming. He introduced a PlayStation branded 24-inch 3D display with some very intriguing technology in it. The display has the ability for two people playing a game to see two individual full screen images rather than a split screen image dividing the screen in half. The monitor is to be bundled with a pair of 3D glasses, Resistance 3 and an HDMI cable for $499 with additional glasses retailing at $69.

The next section of the conference was focused on the PlayStation Move. It showcased NBA 2K12 being played by Kobe Bryant horrifically demonstrating the new on the Move technology which allows gamers to aim at team-mates for quick passes and for player selection. Medieval moves was shown next on the floor – it’s a family game that utilizes all the mechanics in the move title Sports Champions into a medieval themed first person platform game.

After some footage of the currently available Infamous 2, they showed some previously unannounced PS3 games. First was was game from Incognito, the team behind Warhawk, titled Starhawk. It features jet fighters that transform into huge Mechs and some epic space battles. Second was a trailer for a Sly Cooper game featuring Dimitri, the Hispanic disco dancing lizard from the series. Dust 514 was next – it looks like a first person shooter PS3 exclusive set in the EVE online universe. Dust 514 will be a persistent shooter that will be directly connected to the PC MMO Eve Online. Ken Levine from Irrational Games then spoke about the inclusion of Move support for the new Bioshock Infinite and showed off some gameplay. The new Star-trek movie themed game was then shown and confirmed to support the Move as well. Battlefield 3 was next up to bat and Jack mentioned the PS3 version will include Battlefield 1943 on the disk.

Kaz Hirai, the Executive Deputy President of the Sony Corporation was then welcomed onto the stage to announce the new portable gaming device the PlayStation Vita, for more details on this please see my article about the PlayStation Vita here. After the PSVita reveal, the floor was opened up to the audience to demo all the new products while dancers, DJ’s and performers ended the conference with style.

All in all I felt it was a great conference for Sony. Sony has some great exclusives lined up for this holiday season such as Uncharted 3, Resistance 3, and the ICO collection.  I liked the fact that Sony is really dedicated to pushing 3D entertainment to the public and I was definitely intrigued by the 3D monitor they announced especially by its ability to display two images separately. I would of liked to see some more PlayStation Move demonstrations, as I felt the move really hasn’t evolved much over the last year. I was very impressed with the PlayStation Vita; I felt that, for its price point, Sony has a very well made handheld and I’m excited to see how developers will utilize all of its bells and whistles when it’s released.

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E3 Preview: PlayStation Vita


The NGP, now known officially as the PlayStation Vita, was unveiled to the public during the Sony press conference at E3 2011 to a very excited audience. The Vita is Sony’s new portable gaming console and successor to the PSP released in late 2004.

The PlayStation Vita sports a 5-inch OLED Multi-touch screen, two front and rear facing cameras with head tracking, a rear touchpad, Sixaxis motion sensing technology, two analog sticks and built in microphone. Under the hood it has a Quad Core Processor, Bluetooth, Wi-fi and, on certain models, 3G. This time around, software for the PlayStation Vita will be distributed on NVG Cards, a new proprietary flash card format, rather than on Universal Media Discs (UMDs).  NVG cards will be able to store 2 – 4 GB with 5 – 10% writable space reserved for game patches, DLC or save data. This new memory format is sure to conserve battery life over UMD disks due to the lack of moving parts needed for reading data.

Sony announced that the PSVita will launch just in time for the 2011 holiday season at a starting point of $249 USD for the Wi-Fi only model, and $299 USD for the Wi-fi and 3G enabled model. Sony revealed that the PSVita will be fully backwards compatible with all PSP games available on the PlayStation Network’s library and will offer an optimized experience for them, such as Resistance Retribution taking advantage of the second analog stick for tighter controls.

Sony also announced that the PSVita will be fully integrated with the PlayStation Network established for the PlayStation 3. They confirmed Trophy support along with friends lists and access to the PlayStation store. Michael Denny, Sony’s Vice President of Sony Worldwide Studios Europe, also confirmed that the PlayStation Vita will be Region Free, Meaning you can pick up games for it anywhere in the world including imports and be able to play them on the handheld without restriction.


During the press conference Sony showed off Uncharted: Golden Abyss. The game featured some beautifully rendered graphics with dynamic lighting and shaders comparable with the great visuals of its PS3 predecessors. They showed off the touchpad and sixaxis technology for melee and traversal that worked flawlessly with the button controls; by sliding a finger along a series of ledges drake automatically traversed through them, and by touching an enemy while dangling over a ledge Drake performed a stealth takedown. The developers stressed that you can play the game anyway you want to, if you prefer to use the buttons and sticks to maneuver your free too.  With the Addition of the second analog stick to aim with, weapon combat worked flawlessly and rivaled that of the PlayStation 3′s uncharted games. Next they showed a new Mod Nation Racers title where the presenter used  his finger to draw out a racetrack on the touch screen and then used the touch pads to quickly and easily create mountains and craters in the terrain. They also announced a new Little Big Planet title which makes full use of the touch screen to manipulate the environment, similar to how the PlayStation Move worked with the downloadable PSN game Sackboy’s Prehistoric Moves for PlayStation 3. Sony also showed off a new Wipeout game taking advantage of the Sixaxis feature for directional steering.  Sony mentioned during their conference that they currently have over 80 games in development for the PlayStation Vita to drive its success on the market.

The price point of this new handheld is very competitive with current mobile gaming devices. It may give the Nintendo 3DS and iOS devices a run for their money. The technology used in its design is definitely more then I could ask for. My main complaints with the PSP were the lack of a second analog stick and no integration with the PlayStation Network, and I’m glad to see that those issues have finally been addressed. Adding 3G to the device will definitely improve its sales as gamers will no longer have to hunt down Wi-Fi hotspots and finally be able to play games anywhere a cell phone signal is found. This is truly a device for the future and I applaud Sony in making another fantastic product with a strong lineup of games backing it up. I for one can’t wait to get my hands (and greasy fingers) on this come the holiday season.