Playstation 3

NISA Reveals Bevy of New Games

The Disgaea series has always been known as a very traditional RPG series that sticks to an aging concept (grid type, turn based battle system), yet does it so well to the point that it holds up against many other, much more ambitious, RPGs.  In fact, in a day an age where the traditional RPG is dying in favor of a action RPG (a la Mass Effect or FFXIII), the developer NIS America has stuck to its laurels in making very traditional, yet very strong JRPG games.  The only downfall with this is that because NIS specializes and is a much smaller company, they tend to not release as many games as someone like Bioware or Ubisoft. Luckily for fans of the developer though (who own PS3s), the future is looking pretty bright.

As was announced on the PlayStation Blog a few days ago, NISA (NIS America) recently came out and started discussing 3 PS3 exclusive games that will be coming to the United States.  They are all mostly RPGs, but the interesting part comes in the fact that The Witch and the Hundred Knights (which is set to release in early 2013), is taking a very different turn in the traditional dealings of NIS, in that it will be adopting a much more action oriented aspect, which should be interesting to see considering what they have been able to do with the traditional formula in the past.  The other two games are set to release this year, and are called Legasista (set to release in August of 2012), and Mugen Souls (which is set to release in the fall of 2012).  To read the full press release with video and photos of each of the games, check this link.        

PlayStation Plus Perks Revealed for April

One of the biggest questions that was always asked about the implementation of Sony’s paid service, PlayStation Plus, was whether or not the rewards that one could get for signing up would be worth the money (which is the same price as Xbox Live), seeing as the free service is relatively strong post break-in that happened last year.  PlayStation Plus members have reasons to look forward to this upcoming April though, as the rewards for April were recently announced on the PlayStation Blog, and they look to be pretty strong.

The offerings for the month of April largely come in the form of free games, and while some of the games are a bit stronger than others, there are some titles that look to be pretty strong.  On the 3^rd of April, PS+ members will be able to get their hands on Shank 2 free of charge, which is pretty awesome considering the fact that the first game was quite strong, albeit a little short.  Another strong freebie that releases that day is Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed, which is pretty big, considering that it is only 5 days after the game releases retail, and it will be for free.  The last big title that will be released is a PSOne classic version of Silent Hill, which I think is a pretty enticing offer considering that the HD Remake will be released a few days before.  Do these perks seem like something that would make you consider signing up for PS+, or do the rewards not really seem worth what you would be paying for them?    

Why Journey shines for Gaming

My thoughts on why Journey is one of the most important, and greatest games to be released so far this generation, and possibly ever. It’s one of the few games where every moment stays with you long after you have finished it.

Max Payne 3 Crew System Coming to GTA5

In an interesting development regarding the multiplayer portion of long awaited shooter Max Payne 3, Rockstars Crew System will carry over in to GTA5.

Remedy Making Next Gen Game

While it’s not a surprise another developer is already hard at work on a title slated for the next wave of consoles it’s nice to get confirmation of which studios are so we can all start wondering.

Blades of Time: Review

No one should really be surprised Blades of Time is a bad game given it’s a spiritual successor to an even worse game.

Quantic Dream is Pushing the Boundaries of What is Possible on the PS3

In 2006, Quantic Dream floored geeks and gamers with The Casting.  A tech demo that featured a digital actress auditioning for a movie role.  The entire scene played out with the actress’ performance conveying a full range of emotions for the camera.  The realism and emotion conveyed in the performance was unlike anything seen before in game engines. Heavy Rain was eventually born out of this technology and was extremely impressive.  The game was critically acclaimed and pushed many boundaries in how video games were played.  Building on what they learned from their previous game Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain provided an expertly executed, fluid storytelling mechanic that featured branching paths.  Heavy Rain kept the story advancing regardless of player performance.  In fact there was no incorrect way to play, as the death of a main character simply altered the story and ultimately its ending.