The New PS3 Slim

PlayStation Around The Web: What We Read

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:00:04 +0000

Finally – games are coming out again! This Tuesday brings us some high-profile new releases, including Final Fantasy XIII-2 (find a couple of reviews below). You’ll be able to find the week’s entire release list (retail and digital) right here later on today.

Don’t forget: if you’re in the Bay Area, please join us on Thursday for David Jaffe’s Twisted Metal tournament at Mezzanine.

The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of January 23, 2012)

It Begins: 3 Ways to Win a PS Vita Early Only From Taco Bell

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:00:04 +0000

A few weeks back I shared the big news that you would soon have the chance to win your PlayStation Vita only at Taco Bell before it hits retail this February 22nd. Well, it’s official! Starting now through March 11th, PlayStation and Taco Bell are giving you three ways to win your PS Vita: Unlock the Box, Battle, and Boast. On average, one winner will be selected every 15 minutes through March, so there are a lot of chances to win! Here’s how:

Unlock the Box: Head to your local Taco Bell today to pick up a specially marked $5 Big Box – which includes a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Crunchy Taco, Burrito Supreme and medium fountain drink. You’ll see a code printed on the top of the box; enter that code at unlock.tacobell.com for a chance to win your PS Vita!

Battle: We worked with Taco Bell to develop an exclusive Augmented Reality game based on the upcoming PS Vita game Reality Fighters. You can play Reality Fighters Dojo by downloading Taco Bell’s new mobile app for your Android or iOS device. Then pick up your specially marked Taco Bell $5 Buck Box, start Reality Fighters Dojo, point your device’s camera at the top of the box and get ready to battle. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect as you battle for a chance to win a PS Vita:

Boast: This one’s easy! Create a photo or video boasting about what you’d do to nab a PS Vita and submit it here. Submissions are already pouring in, so head to unlock.tacobell.com and click on “Boast” for more details on what you need to do to participate and how to vote for your favorite boast.

Prize Packs will include one PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system, one copy of the PS Vita-exclusive Little Deviants, one 4GB PS Vita Memory Card and your choice of one of the following: ModNation Racers: Road Trip, MLB 12 The Show or LittleBigPlanet. PS Vita winners will begin receiving their devices after February 8th and your selected game choice will be shipped on its respective launch date.

For additional details, information, and rules head to unlock.tacobell.com.

Good luck! If you won a PS Vita before it hit stores, what game would you most want to play? Let us know in the comments!

The PlayStation Recap — Never Stop Playing Edition

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:16:45 +0000

Lots of news to keep track of this week, from the launch of Taco Bell’s exclusive PS Vita giveaway to first details on SSX’s PS3-only Mt. Fuji mountain, to the release of MLB 12 The Show’s first trailer. Ubisoft stopped by to give us a quick look at its PS Vita launch lineup: Michael Jackson The Experience, Asphalt: Injection, Rayman Origins, Lumines: Electronic Symphony, and Dungeon Hunter Alliance. The crew of The Tester Season 3 even released a video tour of the winner’s future workplace at Sony Santa Monica Studios.

What are you playing this weekend? Don’t forget: PS Vitas are ready and waiting for you now in eight major US cities as part of our Vita Hill social clubs. There’s no catch, no RSVP, and it’s open to everybody — just go! Most locations run from 2pm to 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 2pm to 6pm on Sundays.

I’m playing: Starhawk Public Beta

I’m watching: Breaking Bad (and I just finished Season Four…!)

I’m reading: PS Vita: the inside story
I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 009

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Armored Core V Walkthrough

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

PlayStation Store Update – Scarygirl, PS Full Games Mortal Kombat and Duke Nukem Forever, LittleBigPlanet 2 Muppets Premium level kits, Mediterranean Map Pack for Assassin’s Creed Revelations and more.

Jak and Daxter Collection Hits PS3 February 7th, 100+ Trophies to Collect – Naughty Dog’s other huge trilogy gets the deluxe PS3 treatment.

Special Launch Day PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Bundle Announced – An ultra-limited launch bundle designed to warm those of you standing out in the cold on February 22nd. The big day is almost here…

Twisted Metal Goes Gold, Comes with Starhawk Sweet Tooth Skin – Twisted Metal is top of mind for many PS3 owners, with the February 14th release date looming ominously just over the horizon.

Pac-Man and Mega Man Join Street Fighter X Tekken’s PlayStation Exclusives – You’ve changed, Mega Man. Actually…no you haven’t.

Ubisoft PS Vita Week: Dungeon Hunter Alliance Brings an Epic Fantasy Journey – I was a sucker for PSP launch action-RPG Untold Legends, so I’ll be delving into this PS Vita launch title for sure.

MLB 12 The Show Franchise Mode Improvements – More realistic trading logic, a revamped interface, PS3-to-PS Vita cross saves, overhauled player cards and much more.

Creating Monsters for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock – Get an insider’s perspective on this upcoming PS3 and PS Vita exclusive title straight from the source: BBC.

David Jaffe Wants YOU: Twisted Metal Tournament in San Francisco on 2/2 – If you’re in San Francisco this Thursday, swing by Mezzanine to play Twisted Metal and win rare prizes. I am told that Jaffe will be in attendance, so make of that what you will.

Yetis vs. Hunters Invades PlayStation Home This Wednesday – Get the full download on PlayStation Home’s new content here.

2012: The Year Of The Fighters Preview

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:00:46 +0000

The fighting game genre is back and this year it’s bigger than ever. With many of the major fighters expected to make a comeback this year fans of the genre will have a lot to choose from. And many sore fingers.

1: Soul Calibur V

Starting the year off with a bang is Namco Bandai’s Soul Calibur V.The weapon based fighter’s return to the spotlight after a near four year absent paves the way for a big year ahead. Soul Calibur V takes place seventeen years after the fourth installment and introduces a new cast of younger fighters while playing host to returning favorites.

Keeping up with a tradition that began with Soul Calibur II the fifth game in the series includes special guest character Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Ubisoft’s acclaimed Assassin’s Creed franchise. Tekken creator, Katsuhiro Harada, also gets in on the fun as a special non-playable character in the game’s Quick Match mode. Namco is promising a better online experience with Soul Calibur V with an improved netcode to prevent nasty lag issues.

Soul Calibur V is due out in North America January 31st followed by a February 2nd and 3rd release in Japan and Europe, respectively.

2: BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend

Shortly after Soul Calibur V arrives Arc System Works brings an updated edition of its very stylish 2D fighter to the PS3, 360 and Vita. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend includes new characters, new features and additional tweaks. Already available in Japan since December BB:CSE debuts in North America on the 14th of February. European players can look forward to playing the fighter on the 24th.

3: Street Fighter x Tekken

Street Fighter x Tekken brings legendary characters from both Capcom’s and Namco’s popular fighting game franchises together for one all out brawl of epic proportions. What brought these cast of characters together?

Story details are scarce at the moment but what we do know is that important cast members are after a mysterious object that plummets to Earth which empowers those around it with a water-like energy.

This 2D fighter features a hefty lineup of over 40 fighters including five confirmed guest characters exclusively for the PS3 and PS Vita.

Those five characters are Sucker Punch’s inFamous hero ( or villain as the case may be ) Cole MacGrath, Sony mas-cats Kuro & Toro, Pac-Man and a Mega Man design not seen in a very long time.

Expect tons of character customizations, online modes and other goodies when Street Fighter x Tekken debuts on the PS3 and 360 in March. A PS Vita and PC version of the game are in development.

4: Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

After a five year absence Sega brings Virtua Fighter back to home consoles this Summer with Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown, a port of the Arcade version released in Japan over a year ago.

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown will include new characters, updated animations and online play for both the PS3, 360 and PS Vita versions of the fighter. Unlike other fighters VF5: FS is expected to release as a downloadable title.

5: Dead or Alive 5

Announced during last year’s Tokyo Game Show Tecmo Koei is bringing Dead or Alive back to PlayStation with the fifth installment of the series. Dead or Alive 5 features updated character models and gameplay effects. Little information is known about the fighter as of now but those pre-ordering Ninja Gaiden 3 can look forward to an early taste of the game with a playable demo.

The demo features franchise veterans Hayabusa, Hayate, Kasumi and Ayane as playable characters. However depending on which version of NG 3 you purchase -PS3 or 360-only a pair of those fighters will be available. If you want to play all four then you may want to pick up the collectors’ Edition of the game for your system of choice.

Dead or Alive 5 is due out sometime during the second half of the year.

6: Tekken Tag Tournament 2

After beginning the year with Soul Calibur V, Namco Bandai is likely to end it with another popular fighter, Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Out now in the Arcades across Japan and select areas in North America,Tekken Tag 2 features over 40 characters ( Jun Kazama’s back!),an updated graphics engine and remodeled character models.

For the first time in the series your fighters will visually accumulate dirt and/or get wet depending on the chosen stage. The game includes the bound system found in Tekken 6 plus a bigger character customization offering. Did I mention Jun Kazama is back?

Nothing about the console version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 has been shared to the public yet but Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has confirmed that the console release will include exclusive content not offered in the Arcade version as well as a reworked online play.

Look forward to my Sergei Dragunov plus Jun Kazama tag team beat down when Tekken Tag 2 arrives this Holiday.

7: Mortal Kombat ( VIta )
Not to be overlooked, PS Vita owners can also look forward to playing Mortal Kombat on the go when it arrives on the system this Spring. The brutal fighter will include everything found on the PS3 version plus more features designed with the Vita in mind.

That about covers the list of announced fighters coming our way this year. If I missed one let me know. Soul Calibur V, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Dead or Alive 5 are the only three on my personal must purchase list. Although I may pick up SFxT sometime down the road.

Which fighter are you looking forward to playing this year?

2012: The Year Of The Fighters Preview

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:00:36 +0000

1: Soul Calibur V

Soul Calibur V is due out in North America January 31st followed by a February 2nd and 3rd release in Japan and Europe, respectively.

2: BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend

3: Street Fighter x Tekken

Story details are scarce at the moment but what we do know is that important cast members are after a mysterious object that plummets to Earth which empowers those around it with a water-like energy.

This 2D fighter features a hefty lineup of over 40 fighters including five confirmed guest characters exclusively for the PS3 and PS Vita.

Those five characters are Sucker Punch’s inFamous hero ( or villain as the case may be ) Cole MacGrath, Sony mas-cats Kuro & Toro, Pac-Man and a Mega Man design not seen in a very long time.

Expect tons of character customizations, online modes and other goodies when Street Fighter x Tekken debuts on the PS3 and 360 in March. A PS Vita and PC version of the game are in development.

4: Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

After a five year absence Sega brings Virtua Fighter back to home consoles this Summer with Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown, a port of the Arcade version released in Japan over a year ago.

5: Dead or Alive 5

Dead or Alive 5 is due out sometime during the second half of the year.

6: Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Look forward to my Sergei Dragunov plus Jun Kazama tag team beat down when Tekken Tag 2 arrives this Holiday.

Which fighter are you looking forward to playing this year?

Special Launch Day PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Bundle Announced

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:00:27 +0000

With only 27 days until the launch of PlayStation Vita, we are excited to announce two PS Vita 3G/WiFi bundles. If you were one of the lucky consumers to pre order the PS Vita First Edition Bundle, in addition to the PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi hardware, a limited edition case, a 4GB PS Vita Memory Card and Little Deviants game, we will now be including an AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB session, and a PlayStation Network game – both provided upon 3G activation. And the best part, you still get it a week before the official launch date.

We are happy to announce today that we will be creating an extremely limited edition PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi bundle designed to reward those who brave the cold to stand in line on February 22nd (or even those who come in the few days that follow). In addition to the PS Vita hardware, we will be including an 8GB PS Vita Memory Card, an AT&T DataConnect Pass and a PlayStation Network game all for the usual MSRP of $299. This SKU is part of a promotional offer and will sell out immediately so we strongly recommend that you purchase your PS Vita early to make sure you get the extra value!

While the system is a fantastic option, the addition of 3G-network access is perfect for the gamer that wants convenience, community and connection – basically the ability to immediately socialize with your gaming community. 3G also allows you to engage in multi-player gaming, utilize GPS location-based digital gifting, stay up to date with continuous LiveArea scores and game ranking news feeds, compete for in-game achievements, engage in PS Vita to PS3 cross-platform game play, cross-game message with Party, and have access to software updates, all while on the go. You’ll also be able to login to the PS Store and download new content and add-ons for some of your favorite titles.

There are lots of exciting updates still to come as we get closer to launch, and we will be sure to keep you posted. Our goal here at PlayStation is to transform every aspect of life into an entertainment experience. We know when you get your hands on Vita you may really never stop playing!

Ubisoft PS Vita Week: Relive Pop History in Michael Jackson The Experience

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:00:18 +0000

I started at Ubisoft around the time that we launched the first iterations of Michael Jackson The Experience. Being a longtime fan of the King of Pop, I always hoped that I could experience the game on the road. With Michael Jackson The Experience coming to PS Vita on February 14th, my wish has been granted!

In Michael Jackson The Experience, you’ll experience the King of Pop’s chart-topping tracks as you draw shapes and tap on both of PS Vita’s multi touch pads to the beat and choreography of the Michael Jackson avatar. You’ll play through 15 HD scenes inspired by Michael Jackson’s iconic music videos and short films, including “Smooth Criminal”, “Thriller”, “Remember the Time” and many more, all with high-definition quality graphics. Master each of those performances and unlock collectibles and rewards, including alternative outfits and special effects. Michael Jackson The Experience will also have song-based leaderboards and an online Dance Battle mode, giving you a reason to to keep playing these classics over and over again.

Gamers and Michael Jackson fans can pick up Michael Jackson The Experience on February 14 in preparation for PS Vita’s launch — and just in time for the release of the First Edition Bundle. Thanks for checking out our series of PS Vita launch title posts this week on PlayStation.Blog. As you can see, we’re eager to see the platform launch!

MLB 12 The Show Franchise Mode Improvements

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:00:04 +0000

Next up on our MLB 12 The Show developer blog tour is our Franchise mode and the improvements coming to players this year. One of our goals going into this development cycle was to enhance the trade logic for CPU teams to better mimic their real-life counterparts. In order to do so, we had to examine the current system and identify the faults to then build and improve upon it. This year we are considering more factors in each trade offer, with the end result being more realistic trades. Teams are valuing their rosters much higher this year, and they aren’t going to ship out prospects so easily, nor will they offer up too many players to fill a positional void. You’ll also see more trades that better suit the teams’ current strategies (i.e. playoff push vs. rebuilding strategies).

Another addition to the trades system is the interface itself. We’ve revamped the trade screen to bring you more detailed information about the players involved and the likelihood of the trade offer being accepted. All of this is aimed at providing more information to help you make sound moves. Here’s a look at this feature on PS Vita. As we’ve said from the start, MLB 12 The Show on PS Vita will utilize all of the core gameplay features found in the PS3 version, and this is no different here!

I know there’s a lot of interest out there about our PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita integration this year so I wanted to make sure I touched on our Cross-Platform Saves functionality. This feature allows you to take your Franchise, Season, and Road to The Show save files up to the cloud where you can then access those files from either your PS3 or PS Vita. You are limited to one file per mode per PSN user account, which can be overwritten as many times as you’d like.

Moving on to other areas of change, we’ve gone back through the player generation logic to bring you more realistic skill sets for the CPU generated players. You will now see more authentic pitch repertoires, with velocities to match, and less overall balanced players (more speedsters, good hitting/average, below average fielding, etc.).

After addressing the player generation issues, we dove into the team lineups and how they slot players. We’ve come up with a more accurate system that better mimics real Major League lineups. This enhancement is carried throughout all of our season-based modes, including Franchise, Season, and Road to The Show. Once again, here’s what this feature will look like on your PS Vita screen!

After we addressed the important player logic issues, we looked at areas of the user interface to further improve your Franchise experience. The Franchise home menu has been enhanced, bringing you more team and league content, including…adding in your next game information, displaying the current standings, and showing you the current league leaders for batting and pitching. These additions aren’t limited to the Major League ball club, and are also accessible to your Triple-A and Double-A teams.

One last interface area we expanded upon was the player card. We’ve revamped the display to bring you more content in a sleeker package. The player card is also now available during games. You can access a player’s card in any game screen that allows you to highlight that player.

As you can see a lot of focus has been placed on improving the Franchise mode experience this year, enhancements that can be found on both PS3 and PS Vita! Don’t forget, MLB 12 The Show for PS3 and PS Vita will be hitting store shelves in just a few weeks on March 6th. Be sure to keep an eye on the PlayStation Blog and TheShowNation.com for more information in the coming days and weeks on this year’s game.

Welcome to The Show!

[Review] Trine 2

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:01:10 +0000

The three main characters in Trine 2 are icons in the gaming industry. They represent to us, gamers, the mysterious dungeons, the prized weapon at the end of a painful quest, and above all, the classic old school RPG that we all adore. However, Trine 2 is NOT an RPG. It’s best described as a side-scrolling action adventure/puzzler/platformer/ … OK, so Trine 2 might not have a definitive nature, or a remarkable story, but I’ll tell you what it does have: lots of charm, sharp controls, and some of the most beautiful visuals I’ve seen. Surprisingly, that combination works!

The Story

Regardless of the weak story, storytelling in Trine 2 is surprisingly satisfying!

Trine 2 tells the story of 3 companions’ adventure through an ordinary tale to save a princess. The iconic trio (Amadeus the wizard, Zoya the thief, and Pontius the knight), return to the magical forests to fight goblins and solve more puzzles, while discovering their path and unveiling the secrets of the Trine 2 universe. You will uncover more of the story through poems found in some of the treasure chests distributed evenly through-out the game. While I found the poems a bet helpful to storytelling, I was a bit disappointed after spending a good amount of time reaching my first chest.

You see, the chests in the first Trine were more rewarding, as you can acquire some cool items (armors, weapons …etc) to aid you in your battles. While the story is fairly simple, it has nothing new to offer in general and I found it was merely put for the purpose of transitioning between levels.
The Main Characters

Despite his ongoing research for finally learning the Fireball spell, the Wizard’s talent is for conjuring peculiar boxes, and occasionally even planks. He can also levitate small inanimate objects. Amadeus is married to a lady by the name of Margaret. They have three children, all of whom know the Fireball spell.
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The Knight is an eager champion of the kingdom, the protector of the common man with a great sense of justice. Armed with his sword, his shield and the powerful Storm Hammer, he’s a formidable fighter. Pontius’s great weakness is food. This shows around his waist.
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The Thief makes her way up to rooftops and over walls with her trusty grappling hook. Zoya is not so concerned about family or duty, but she is content to be a hero of the Trine, for she loves adventure. Zoya’s love for treasure, however, often leads her astray.
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The Gameplay

Oh look! … a dragon!?

While Trine 2 lacks in the story department, it still packs some of the most beautiful visuals and outstanding game mechanics ever created for a platformer. Each of the main characters has a set of unique abilities and you can switch between characters easily during the game by simply pressing the R1, or R2 buttons on your Dualshock 3 controller.

The wizard is the most important character when it comes down to solving puzzles especially if you are running solo. He can create boxes and planks (can be upgraded up to 4 boxes on screen), move certain objects around (including goblins), which was indeed useful and um .. fun, giving the fact that the wizard was proven completely useless during combat in the first game.

The knight is the most useful character during combat, as you can use either your sword and shield or hammer to fight enemies, bash certain walls, and deflect incoming projectiles. As for the thief, well .. I found myself using the thief 50% of the time due to her unique ability of grappling onto wooden surfaces, which was proven useful both in combat and in solving puzzles. The thief can also strike with her icy bow (which can be upgraded to fire arrows), simply by using the right analog stick.

Each of the characters have their own life meter. If a character runs out of life, he will die and you will be forced to switch to one of the other main characters. Life meters will refill instantly once a checkpoint is reached. Throughout your journey, you will also find magical vials. If you collect 50 of these, you will receive a skill point, which can be used to purchase a single upgrade for one of your characters, keeping in mind that some of the upgrades will require more than 1 skill point.

The skill tree in Trine 2

Despite the small improvements made to combat, fighting scenes are barely challenging. The game keeps throwing enemies at you with the intention of slowing your puzzle solving process, which makes it feel a bit forceful, rather boring, and relatively unnecessary. Enemy AI should have been managed differently, with regards to quality over quantity. Although, I have to point out that I’ve enjoyed some of the combat scenery simply based on the smooth responsiveness of the controls.

Trine 2 also offers a unique prospective on the way you approach puzzles, as you are given the complete freedom to use all the tools you have to reach treasure chests, get to higher ground, and/or move to the next stage. Each of the three main characters will offer a different approach. Sometimes you will find yourself using a combination of all three. I’ve also found that some areas are inaccessible without the help of a partner, which will force you to either get online, or call in a friend for help. This makes the whole cooperative experience worth checking and adds a bit of a replay value to the campaign.

New Features

Aside from the upgraded graphics engine, the most distinguished new feature in Trine 2 is the new online cooperative support. You can play with up to 2 other players both locally and/or online. I was able to test this new feature with 3 players online in a quick match. How this works is fairly simple: a player can host a game, keeping in mind that the skill tree (unlockable perks) is based on the hosting player’s progress and only the host can allocate skill points, you assume the role of one of the three main character and if you die, your friends can revive you at the next checkpoint.

Having more than one friend helps A LOT in terms of solving some of the inaccessible puzzles in the singleplayer mode and defeating gigantic bosses. I found it rather entertaining to brainstorm some puzzle solving ideas with people I met online. The game will force you to communicate with your partners rather than just running around and killing stuff. As much as I’ve liked the idea of online co-op, I’ve also found it unequally satisfying, merely for the fact that only the host’s characters will gain experience, rather than you all achieve equal progress.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of the limited story, Trine 2 undeniable charm, soothing soundtrack and outstanding visual design will make for an unforgettable experience through the mind of developer Frozenbyte. The added feature of online co-op brings something extra to the table and defy the way you approach puzzles and fight enemies. If you are looking for a simple entertaining and casual co-op adventure, Trine 2 will deliver.

Review

Pros	Cons
Outstanding visual design Online cooperative support Smooth ControlsCharming appeal	Limited story Unequally rewarding multiplayer experience Small replay value

Rating

89%

Trine 2 is developed by Frozenbyte and published by Atlus
Price on PSN is $14.99

This review is based on a copy of the PS3 version of Trine 2 provided by Oly (thanks mate). Also, a demo is currently available on the PlayStation Network, so make sure you check that out.

The PS Vita Rooms Party

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:01:04 +0000

Last week, I was invited to an exclusive PS Vita Rooms Party here in the UK, and to be honest it’s taken me all this time to digest everything to do with the event.

The PS Vita Rooms Party took place on Tuesday 17th January at 63 Deansgate – a highly popular stretch of road situated bang smack in the heart of Manchester, the city belonging to two of the world’s most admired football/soccer teams, Manchester City and Manchester United.

With the location guaranteeing maximum exposure for the PS Vita events in the North West of England, thousands of gamers filtered through the doors over 7 days to catch a glimpse of the console that has caused a stir over recent months.

With the event consisting of approximately 30 – 35 playable PS Vitas on two floors, approximately 10+ ‘launch day’ games on display, a DJ, free food & drinks, developers and exclusive PS Vita accessories being showcased – you knew that this party was the place to be!

First Impressions

The handheld console, if you’ve not already seen it looks absolutely stunning. The black glossy chasis is just beautiful, and with the most important feature of the console being a 5-inch (960 x 540) OLED touchscreen, to say it simply makes games look amazing due is an understatement.

With multi touch functionality, you can play games in a way you couldn’t on the PSP, or on the PS3. Plus, the touchscreen isn’t the only touch sensitive feature of the console, the Vita also packs a touch pad on the rear side of the device, which in time will prove to be an important element of the console’s success.

Expecting it to feel a little heavy due to the amount of technology packed into the console, I was somewhat surprised to find how much it actually weighed. Let me put it this way – imagine a wallet or purse containing approximately 5 credit cards in it, that’s how much I thought it weighed – super light! In fact, it was considerably lighter than my mobile/cell phone.

The Games

For those that are looking beyond the console and are focused on the games, here’s a list of games that were on show at the event:

Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Modnation Racers
Reality Fighters
Everybody’s Golf
Little Deviants
Hustle Kings
Top Darts
FIFA 12
Gravity Rush
WipEout 2048
WipEout HD (PS3)
Super Stardust Delta
Escape Plan
LittleBigPlanet
MotorStorm RC

Rather than spend quite a bit of time dissecting the games, which this report isn’t about – I’ll briefly go over just 3 of the key games I played.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

If you thought that Uncharted 2 and 3 were superb games, then you have another thing coming as Uncharted Abyss on the Vita takes things to a higher level. To start off, the graphical detail is just perfect – and if you’re all about gameplay then you will not be disappointed.

The game follows Drake across South America in search for gold. I got the opportunity to play 2 levels of the overall game. I was put into situations where I had to snipe the baddies, and whilst sniping, you could tilt your console left, right, up or down in order to target your victim – this reminded me of the perfect sixaxis functionality that was put into Super Rub A Dub, a sixaxis game that was released alongside the PS3 back in 2006/7.

Whilst progressing further, I needed to cross over to another section of the level – I tried everything I could think of and nothing worked (I guess my level of intelligence isn’t as good as I thought) – but in order to progress, you had to think outside the box. I needed a bridge – how do I do this? Simple, just stroke your finger across the landscape in order to create the bridge for Drake to cross. How awesome is that? I wouldn’t have figured it out if it wasn’t for the chap next to me.

With features and functionality such as this, you really were part of the game.

WipEout 2048

You may have noticed the WipEout HD (PS3) in the list above – nope, it wasn’t a typo, I’ll expand on that list entry in a few moments. For now, let’s concentrate on WipEout 2048.

Not so long ago, Sony had been quoted to say that WipEout 2048 will be the game that will sell the Vita – and they for sure weren’t lying about that. WipEout 2048 can be described in one word – amazing! Ok, let me add another word to that – beautiful! I can imagine some of you thinking, yeah yeah, it’s just WipEout and it’s nothing special – no really, go and try it – you WILL be blown away!

I don’t really need to go on about how the graphics were like this and the playability was like that – it’s WipEout – you can’t go wrong with this title at all! It’s all it was meant to be – superb!

Now let’s look at how the PS3 is involved here.

If you’ve played WipEout before, you know that it has a huge multiplayer following. Well, imagine this – you’re playing WipEout HD on the PS3 but you’re also taking on players in the same game who are playing on the PS Vita (see image above – note the players on the right). Yes folks, cross-platform connectivity is here. If that isn’t a selling point, then I don’t know what is.

So does this game make me want to go out and buy a PS Vita? Hell Yes!

MotorStorm RC

Evolution Studios are at it again! They had a launch day release for the PS3, and now they strike again with MotorStorm RC being their launch day game for the PS Vita!

MSRC took me by surprise, and although the title should have given it away for me (RC) I was expecting something a little familiar to what I’ve been playing in the MotorStorm series for the last 5 years.

With more than 100 customised cars available, which fall into categories such as Buggies, Muscle Cars, Superminis, Racing Trucks, Rally Cars, Supercars, Big Rigs and Monster Trucks, your bus journey into work is going to be more entertaining as you’ll be whistling around those crazy maps whilst hi-5′ing that old granny that is sat next to you each time you come first! With each game lasting around approximately 2 mins, you can get at least 5 – 10 games played before you hit your desk.*

This is a quality, yet fun and crazy game to keep you glued to the Vita for hours!

It doesn’t end there either – if you have a Vita and a PS3, you can continue your progress on the PS3 and vice versa – saving you tons of time, and generally avoiding the need to prove yourself again that you’re a MotorStorm Legend.

* Depends on how long your journey to work is!

Games – Overall Impression

Each of the games I played tested the Vita’s functionality in one way or the other, and from 3 keys games I played, I saw some really good demos of functionality; cross-platform connectivity & continuity, motion sensors, touch-screen interaction – and I’m sure it doesn’t stop there. Once the developers get used to developing for this little beauty of a console, they’re sure to make you look and act strange in any which way they can by unlocking/packing some great interaction into their games.

A major tumbs up from me from what I’ve seen. I can’t wait to see how the Vita market will be in one years time.

Other Guests

Other than spending lots of time playing as many games, I was eager to meet some of the other guests that were present at the party. We talked, we laughed and I made a fool of myself – quite normal for me though.

4Gamers

It was an absolute pleasure to meet Tony Walton, Product Development Manager for 4Gamers, and if you haven’t heard of 4Gamers – you need to get googling now. They don’t just make accessories for every console out there – but they make THE best accessories for every console out there.

After a nice long chat about 4Gamers and what they’ve got in store for the Vita, I got an opportunity to see the accessories that will be available on launch day and I also got a sneak preview of an accessory which will make your Vita look even cooler than it already does.

Rather than spoil the surprise, I will be writing up a special on 4Gamers very soon. We’ll show you exactly what 4Gamers have up their sleeves for the Vita launch!

Evolution Studios

I also had the pleasure to chat to Paul Rustchynsky, Lead Designer at Evolution Studios, the guys (and girls) behind the ever popular MotorStorm series. I took the liberty to record the interview (clever me), which you can listen to below:

Last but not least, a big shout goes out to the well dress @Keggs11, who forgot to change before he left work for the party.

Now, I am led to believe that this is how all Evolution Studios staff dress when they come to work – or maybe someone was pulling my leg?!? Yep – I’ve been had, haven’t I?

All in all, I’ve definitely been sold on the PS Vita. For me it’s on my shopping list – albeit it being a huge shopping list – thank you dear wife.

When it comes to technology, I’m like a kid in a sweet shop. However, I’m one of those kids that are very careful with their money and make sure you’re getting your moneys worth. Then there’s the hope that my postman would just deliver a PS Vita out of nowhere – there’s always hope.

We’ve seen the PS3 go from strength to strength over the last 5 years or so, expect a lot from the Vita a few years down the line! Sony have a game plan, and the Vita isn’t just going to be a PSP replacement, it seems there’s more to it than what’s been shown to us.

So, the party – yes, it was a huge success! The message was sent out loud and clear, that Sony really mean business with the Vita. The console is definitely going to knock your socks off – if you wear socks that is.

So, are you going to bag a PS Vita when it’s out? What are your reasons for picking one up? If you’re not getting one, other than financial constraints – why not?