Video Games

PlayStation Keeping it Simple at the Con

Ready… set… con! Right on cue, at 6pm PST, the doors to the convention hall opened and the crowds charged in, ready to immerse themselves in games, comics, television, movies, collectibles, and general sensory overload. Even preview night, open to those holding four-day passes, now feels just as packed as the rest of the festivities. 

The Playstation booth was a haven of relative calm–like a save point–moderately crowded, with just a select handful of games being demoed. There was actually room to get in and play a game or watch others play with minimal smashed toes and b.o. levels. 

Dragon Age 2 at Comic-Con 2010

This writer first discovered Dragon Age: Origins by stumbling upon a preview demonstration at the Hilton hotel just outside Comic-Con last year. While Dragon Age 2 was announced recently, little about the game has been revealed, so the eight-foot dragon statue outside the Hilton during the 2010 Con was cause for excitement. 

Bioware was back, showcasing two much anticipated sequels, Dragon Age 2 and Dead Space 2. The atmosphere was filled with as much glitz and anticipation as at any other Comic-Con event. Lines stretched out the double doors of the preview rooms, and participants happily signed agreements not to take photos or record anything once inside. This year’s set-up was a bit more formal than last year’s. In 2009, players would wander in, go to stations and play at their own pace. A Bioware representative was on hand at each console to explain what a Grey Warden was, and give game play tips. This year, players were brought into the curtained-off as a group of 20 or so. Lead Developer Mike Laidlaw introduced Dragon Age 2, gave some background on the title, and then demoed it. 

DS Fire Emblem Sets Japanese Charts Ablaze

Despite the Wii getting beat by 360 sales in North America, Nintendo still holds a stranglehold in the handheld and Japanese markets. During this week, Nintendo’s software finished on top in Japanese sales. Interestingly, on the top for software was Fire Emblem New Mystery of The Emblem for the DS. Surprisingly, PSP held the top spot for hardware sales while the DS and Wii held second and third place respectivley.

Fire Emblem New Mystery of The Emblem, ironically, isn’t actually all that new. The DS game happens to be a remake of the original SNES Fire Emblem. Though, it isn’t all old news as there are new features such as character creation and the ability to turn off permanent deaths.

Deadliest Warrior Review

Microsoft officially kicked off their Summer of Arcade 2010 last night with the release of Limbo, but considering my next review subject was just released last week, I don’t see why it couldn’t be part of this awesome event highlighting original XBL titles. Of course, I am talking about Spike Games’ Deadliest Warrior: The Game available now.

Based on Spike’s TV show of the same name, Deadliest Warrior: The Game takes seven combatants from the first season and the Roman Centurion from the second and pits them against each other in one of the most fun and brutal fighters to have come along in some time. With only eight fighters and five arenas to do battle in, this game works perfectly as a XBL title; available for 1000 Microsoft points (roughly $8).

Kane and Lynch 2 Preview

The demo allows for roughly ten minutes of the single player campaign through the eyes of Lynch and a sample of the new multiplayer mode “Fragile Alliance.” The campaign opens with Kane and Lynch rolling over a Chinese restaurant counter dodging a barrage of machine gun fire. Bullets spray overhead as Lynch finds his bearings and stands up. It is difficult to tell the difference between in-game cinematic cut-scenes and actual gameplay. The entire game is rendered with a highly stylized lens that looks as if someone is following these guys with an old cell phone camera complete with hazy distortion and periodic discoloration. There is a huge difference between playing a game that looks like a movie versus watching a movie with game elements. Dog Days strikes a remarkable balance between the two with the camera effect which is surprisingly engaging. The shaky camera can be disabled, but this feature gives Dog Days its own unique feel and cutting it out reduces the game’s identity significantly. It feels like you are playing a cut-scene, but in a good way; that cinematic flair continues to maintain itself during the rest of the gameplay.

Testing for Star Wars The Old Republic Starts

     Finally, 2 years after the game was announced and one year after Bioware started accepting registration forms for the closed beta, Star Wars: The Old Republic is starting to get into the hands of the first volunteers. According to SWTOR’s official website, the testing will be conducted in several phases. The first waves of testers will be “small” and “focused”, and only open to North America. As release date approaches though, more territories will be open to the closed beta. If you’re interested in getting your hands on this, you can register with the SWTOR website. If you’re already a member, you can go to the Game Testing page and try to get selected, but there are no guarantees. Star Wars: The Old Republic is set for release April 2011

Street Fighter X Tekken Announced

In a large white room filled with Street Fighter Cosplayers, Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono gave a brief introduction for what was dubbed “The Future of Street Fighter IV” panel at Comic-Con 2010. Joined on stage in Kris Kringle fashion, Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada approached the panel handing out copies of Tekken 6 from a large jolly sack. After rehearsed barbs were exchanged, both men were proud to unveil gameplay footage of Street Fighter X Tekken!