Good morning, bloggie denizens.
You may have noticed a, shall we say, dropoff in content during the month of September. Both the Super Gamerologist and I have been rather lax in our updates, reviews, and general gaming goodness.
Well fear not! My next full blog should be up this evening, followed by not one, but TWO Demo Derbies, so you'll have some new content to chew on before too long.
But I also have to relay the news that I will probably be the only posts you'll be seeing for a while. Due to familial obligations and circumstances, our resident Gamerologist will be indisposed for a time.
Hopefully he'll be back soon. In the meantime, check out our older posts, and look forward to my next entries this evening.
Live Long, and May the Force be with you!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Move Your Body: PlayStation Move Thoughts
PlJust to be forewarned, this blog will probably run a little long, as it will contain thoughts on the Move controller itself, the launch title Sports Champions, and my thoughts on motion games in general. On with the show...
Motion gaming.
Ask 100 gamers, and you'll probably get flamed on a message board, melee'd repeatedly in an FPS, possibly the victim of a drive-by Wii-moting.
But you will also get a better-than-half response from a growing segment of the gaming world that sees motion games as the future of interactive entertainment. The Nintendo Wii is the best selling console of this generation, with almost 80 million consoles sold worldwide--almost more than it's two more "grown up" competitors, Xbox 360 (42 million) and PlayStation 3 (38 million, all as of July 2010), combined.
It's little wonder, then, that said competitors are working to take a bite of the Wii's casual audience... in their own unique Sony and Microsoft styles. Where Wii made the control your motion machine, Microsoft's Kinect makes your body the instrument of destruction, using a camera system to capture your every move. So far, we've seen a couple of interesting party titles and a smattering of games catering to the 'core' audience... and not much else from a system that launches in November.
Meanwhile, Sony went for a middle ground. Having already released a motion camera (twice, with the PS2 Eye Toy, and the PS3 Eye), and experimented with adding motion-sensitive interface to their primary controller with SIXAXIS, Sony wheeled out the culmination of those efforts just two weeks ago with the (yes, boringly named) PlayStation Move.
The Future of Gaming?
You know me a little by now. I'm a PlayStation fanboy, for sure, so you know I went and bought the new controller as soon as I could... and by that, I mean opening day. Because I did not have the PlayStation Eye, I opted to purchase the (currently) only available bundle, outside of the new 320 GB console/controller/game package, which included one Move controller, the Eye, the Sports Champions launch title, and a demo disc. In addition to that, I purchased a second Move controller (I pre-ordered the second, which was fortuitous as the GameStop I bought from had already sold out extra Move controllers by the time I was able to pick up mine after work) and a Navigation controller (the counter-point to the Wii nunchuck).
The PlayStation Eye: yep, just like it sounds.
So with all of that added up together, it's a pretty significant buy-in investment ($99 for the bundle, another $50 for the second controller, and $30 for the Nav controller). Slightly higher than the buy-in price for Kinect, which (allegedly) can support more than two individuals at a time. The question becomes: is it worth the expense?
My answer at the moment: we'll see. Admittedly, like any new platform, it's all about the games. And right now, the games just aren't there, especially for the core gaming audience. The controllers themselves are very, very solid. Unlike the Wiimote, the Move conforms very well to an adult hand; it's functional, and stylish, even with the ball at the top--but the ball is so necessary to the accuracy of the controller. Using the Eye, it tracks the color of the ball in 3-dimensional space: the size of the ball is calculated by the camera to determine where it is in relation to other objects, and provides an level of detail that the Wiimote just hasn't been able to capture. Having played Sports Champions and a few of the demo titles, the controller is definitely as accurate as Sony has claimed. And Sports Champions is a great introductory title, just as Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort were great for the Wiimote and the Motion Plus add-on.
Sports Champions and controllers, a match made in Sony heaven
But at launch, the rest of the software (based on what I've read, and what I've heard first-hand) just isn't up to par. Tiger Woods 11, EA's perennial golf game which usually scores higher on the Wii version than on the PS3 and 360 versions, was given a lazy port that just doesn't have the nuance that could be added. I've heard that the new John Daly's Pro Stroke Golf makes better use of the Move controller, which is saying something if John Daly can best Tiger Woods at ANYthing. And face it, when EyePet and Tumble--a kids game and a downloadable title--are the standout non-packaged launch titles, you're not going to draw in your primary audience.
There are some games coming down the pipe that could make the Move a valuable accessory. Killzone 3, SOCOM 4 (which was supposed to come out not long after launch, but has since been delayed to 2011), LittleBigPlanet 2 (also delayed to 2011), Sorcery (the E3 presentation that stood out as a Harry Potter-game-done-right) the Sly Cooper collection, and patches to MAG, Heavy Rain (already available) and others could be the products that drive in the hardcore. But all of these are Sony-exclusive titles we're talking about. It's the third-party publishers, and their willingness to adopt, and perfect, the use of Move controls, that will ultimately make or break the platform. How many gamers would run out and buy a Move/Nav controller bundle immediately if they knew that they could pull off headshots easier in Call of Duty: Black Ops?
PlayStation Move is a great controller. It looks great, it feels solid, and it really does work well. But only time will tell if Sony's jump into motion gaming was a move in the right direction, or if they they're four years too late to the party.
Next up from JTS: Demo Derby #2--the Move's killer ap?
Motion gaming.
Ask 100 gamers, and you'll probably get flamed on a message board, melee'd repeatedly in an FPS, possibly the victim of a drive-by Wii-moting.
But you will also get a better-than-half response from a growing segment of the gaming world that sees motion games as the future of interactive entertainment. The Nintendo Wii is the best selling console of this generation, with almost 80 million consoles sold worldwide--almost more than it's two more "grown up" competitors, Xbox 360 (42 million) and PlayStation 3 (38 million, all as of July 2010), combined.
It's little wonder, then, that said competitors are working to take a bite of the Wii's casual audience... in their own unique Sony and Microsoft styles. Where Wii made the control your motion machine, Microsoft's Kinect makes your body the instrument of destruction, using a camera system to capture your every move. So far, we've seen a couple of interesting party titles and a smattering of games catering to the 'core' audience... and not much else from a system that launches in November.
Meanwhile, Sony went for a middle ground. Having already released a motion camera (twice, with the PS2 Eye Toy, and the PS3 Eye), and experimented with adding motion-sensitive interface to their primary controller with SIXAXIS, Sony wheeled out the culmination of those efforts just two weeks ago with the (yes, boringly named) PlayStation Move.
The Future of Gaming?You know me a little by now. I'm a PlayStation fanboy, for sure, so you know I went and bought the new controller as soon as I could... and by that, I mean opening day. Because I did not have the PlayStation Eye, I opted to purchase the (currently) only available bundle, outside of the new 320 GB console/controller/game package, which included one Move controller, the Eye, the Sports Champions launch title, and a demo disc. In addition to that, I purchased a second Move controller (I pre-ordered the second, which was fortuitous as the GameStop I bought from had already sold out extra Move controllers by the time I was able to pick up mine after work) and a Navigation controller (the counter-point to the Wii nunchuck).
The PlayStation Eye: yep, just like it sounds.So with all of that added up together, it's a pretty significant buy-in investment ($99 for the bundle, another $50 for the second controller, and $30 for the Nav controller). Slightly higher than the buy-in price for Kinect, which (allegedly) can support more than two individuals at a time. The question becomes: is it worth the expense?
My answer at the moment: we'll see. Admittedly, like any new platform, it's all about the games. And right now, the games just aren't there, especially for the core gaming audience. The controllers themselves are very, very solid. Unlike the Wiimote, the Move conforms very well to an adult hand; it's functional, and stylish, even with the ball at the top--but the ball is so necessary to the accuracy of the controller. Using the Eye, it tracks the color of the ball in 3-dimensional space: the size of the ball is calculated by the camera to determine where it is in relation to other objects, and provides an level of detail that the Wiimote just hasn't been able to capture. Having played Sports Champions and a few of the demo titles, the controller is definitely as accurate as Sony has claimed. And Sports Champions is a great introductory title, just as Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort were great for the Wiimote and the Motion Plus add-on.
Sports Champions and controllers, a match made in Sony heavenBut at launch, the rest of the software (based on what I've read, and what I've heard first-hand) just isn't up to par. Tiger Woods 11, EA's perennial golf game which usually scores higher on the Wii version than on the PS3 and 360 versions, was given a lazy port that just doesn't have the nuance that could be added. I've heard that the new John Daly's Pro Stroke Golf makes better use of the Move controller, which is saying something if John Daly can best Tiger Woods at ANYthing. And face it, when EyePet and Tumble--a kids game and a downloadable title--are the standout non-packaged launch titles, you're not going to draw in your primary audience.
There are some games coming down the pipe that could make the Move a valuable accessory. Killzone 3, SOCOM 4 (which was supposed to come out not long after launch, but has since been delayed to 2011), LittleBigPlanet 2 (also delayed to 2011), Sorcery (the E3 presentation that stood out as a Harry Potter-game-done-right) the Sly Cooper collection, and patches to MAG, Heavy Rain (already available) and others could be the products that drive in the hardcore. But all of these are Sony-exclusive titles we're talking about. It's the third-party publishers, and their willingness to adopt, and perfect, the use of Move controls, that will ultimately make or break the platform. How many gamers would run out and buy a Move/Nav controller bundle immediately if they knew that they could pull off headshots easier in Call of Duty: Black Ops?
PlayStation Move is a great controller. It looks great, it feels solid, and it really does work well. But only time will tell if Sony's jump into motion gaming was a move in the right direction, or if they they're four years too late to the party.
Next up from JTS: Demo Derby #2--the Move's killer ap?
Demo Derby: Enslaved
Ok, new feature time! The PlayStation Network, XBox Live Arcade, and even Wii Ware from time to time, allow users to download demos of upcoming titles. Of course demos have been around for ages, a way to whet the appetites of gamers hungering for the next big, new thing. Here at the Skywalker Lab of Gamerology, we're going to give you our hands-on impressions of the latest, hottest, and most anticipated games via newly available demo downloads. Welcome to the Demolition-free Demo Derby!
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has been a game that I've followed since I first heard about its development around March. From the makers of PS3 launch title Heavenly Sword, the Ninja Theory crew has gone multiplatform for their second outing with Enslaved. (And, for those who paid attention to last week's Tokyo Game Show, they will also be working with Capcom on the re-imagination of the Devil May Cry series with DmC.)
Yesterday, th
e playable demo of Enslaved went live on the PlayStation Store (Xbox Live Arcade should be getting it soon; the PS Store update went up a day early due to maintenance today) and I made sure it was the first thing I downloaded as soon as I got home (after also having to download PS3 firmware update 3.50... 3-D movies, here we come).
The demo is short, maybe ten minutes for anyone reasonably familiar with the basic controls of a hack-slash like God of War or the aforementioned Devil May Cry. Face buttons for standard and heavy attacks, jump, block, and so forth. All pretty standard, which made it very easy to jump right into the demo. The graphics are vivid and crisp, and the movement and action of the characters is believable and presents well in the limited time played.
As for the level presented, it's apparently the first 10 to 15 minutes of the game, and if this is any indication of how the rest of the game will play out, we're in for a heck of a ride. The pacing is frantic, as our hero Monkey is desperately racing to escape the slave ship he has found himself on, while being thwarted (and aided, in a way) by another escapee, the beautiful and tech-savvy Trip (who borrows several physical characteristics [red hair, green eyes, lack of clothing] from Heavenly Sword's protagonist).
Presenting just a little bit of everything that you expect from a good third-person single player campaign--story, fighting, platforming, and some spectacular visuals--Enslaved's demo is a MUST download if you enjoy the genre. I'm just afraid this little tease will just keep me in suspense for another two weeks while we wait impatiently for the release date.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has been a game that I've followed since I first heard about its development around March. From the makers of PS3 launch title Heavenly Sword, the Ninja Theory crew has gone multiplatform for their second outing with Enslaved. (And, for those who paid attention to last week's Tokyo Game Show, they will also be working with Capcom on the re-imagination of the Devil May Cry series with DmC.)
Yesterday, th
e playable demo of Enslaved went live on the PlayStation Store (Xbox Live Arcade should be getting it soon; the PS Store update went up a day early due to maintenance today) and I made sure it was the first thing I downloaded as soon as I got home (after also having to download PS3 firmware update 3.50... 3-D movies, here we come).The demo is short, maybe ten minutes for anyone reasonably familiar with the basic controls of a hack-slash like God of War or the aforementioned Devil May Cry. Face buttons for standard and heavy attacks, jump, block, and so forth. All pretty standard, which made it very easy to jump right into the demo. The graphics are vivid and crisp, and the movement and action of the characters is believable and presents well in the limited time played.
As for the level presented, it's apparently the first 10 to 15 minutes of the game, and if this is any indication of how the rest of the game will play out, we're in for a heck of a ride. The pacing is frantic, as our hero Monkey is desperately racing to escape the slave ship he has found himself on, while being thwarted (and aided, in a way) by another escapee, the beautiful and tech-savvy Trip (who borrows several physical characteristics [red hair, green eyes, lack of clothing] from Heavenly Sword's protagonist).
Presenting just a little bit of everything that you expect from a good third-person single player campaign--story, fighting, platforming, and some spectacular visuals--Enslaved's demo is a MUST download if you enjoy the genre. I'm just afraid this little tease will just keep me in suspense for another two weeks while we wait impatiently for the release date.
Next from JTS: We like to Move it, Move it...
*embedded image courtesy of IGN
*embedded image courtesy of IGN
Monday, September 13, 2010
Should I Move or Kinect?
When a request for my opinion on a new system or controller is made, I rush to answer. Recently the PS3's Move and the Xbox360's Kinect were shown at PAX. I was asked to post my personal thoughts on them and distribute that knowledge to you. Here is a video to sum up most of my thoughts.
The lack of interest shows it all in my opinion. Gamers see the gimmick right away. When you create something to capitalize on an already saturated market, consumers will notice. The Move and Kinect are a uncreative way to get more buyers for motion controls. Had they been produced earlier these products wouldn't be such a noticeable ploy. Nevertheless, I find it to be a more expensive Wii either way. On top of that it ensures more shovel ware which no one actually benefits from. So, will you Move or Kinect?
Tell us what you think below, ask questions, or make requests. We love the feedback.
Check out the SpoonyExperiment and the other great links on the page!
The lack of interest shows it all in my opinion. Gamers see the gimmick right away. When you create something to capitalize on an already saturated market, consumers will notice. The Move and Kinect are a uncreative way to get more buyers for motion controls. Had they been produced earlier these products wouldn't be such a noticeable ploy. Nevertheless, I find it to be a more expensive Wii either way. On top of that it ensures more shovel ware which no one actually benefits from. So, will you Move or Kinect?
Tell us what you think below, ask questions, or make requests. We love the feedback.
Check out the SpoonyExperiment and the other great links on the page!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Written Gamerology: Deathspank
Whose Deathspank? Hes an adventurer, a champion, and a hero without equal. Deathspank searches for The Artifact. This artifact is a magical device of untold power held in mystery. This is his lifes work. Only Deathspank, the vanquisher of evil and consumer of tacos can use its power for justice. Justice is his only concern.
Deathspank is an action rpg full of justice. This means slaying monsters for experience and loot. Deathspank also travels the map killing monsters. The player should have a simple experience though. Every face button has a purpose chosen by the player. These buttons can be healing items or powerful weapons. Deathspank only grows in power as the game progresses. That last fact is half the fun.
This game has a fun unique aesthetic. The voice acting is hilarious throughout the game. Visually, the game has a storybook style. Its a pop-up with cardboard cut outs for houses and trees. Nevertheless, Deathspank has an evil demon we must mention. Musically this game is lacking with one long song. Its not terrible but not memorable either.
Downloadable games aren't new. We expect a significant value out of downloads. 15 dollars is a pittance for this excellent game. The voice acting is hilarious, the aesthetic feels fresh, and the constant action is fun. Deathspank does lack when it comes to music. But, this is a heroic title that deserves your attention.
We'd love to hear from you. Comment and send us feedback.
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