Tag Archives: playstation 4

Episode 118: Hap-y Hour

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Matt, Ethan and Ricardo get together to drink some too-strong beers, some crazy Japanese apps with some really catchy music, some games you can’t buy anymore even if you want to, and Batman! Plus Ethan tries to hide the biggest news of the week, and none of the trailers this week are good, except for one! And it’s not the one about shoes.

 

Games we played:

Ethan: Rimworld, Castle of Illusion, Hidden my Game by Mom

Ricardo: Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 1

Matt:  Sid Meier’s Sim Golf OR How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the ROM, Rimworld, Hap Games (HMGBM)

 

Beer we drank: Victory Golden Monkey

 

The NEWS HOUR News Topics:

Demo discs are back! Every PSVR gets a demo disc

Super Mario Run! Coming to iOS

Pokeman on my Apple watch?

Playstation Pro and Slim! Pro is HDR and 4K compatible and slim is….slim!

Actually everyone gets HDR compatibility

Fallout 4 and Skyrim won’t have mods on PS4

The Last Guardian is delayed again!

Bye Chris Metzen

 

Trailer trash:

WWE 2K17 gameplay trailer

Virgina

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary

Filthy Lucre

NBA 2K17 shoe trailer

Horizon Zero Dawn Playstation

Mass Effect Andromeda

 

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Episode 115: Run Escape Survive

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This week Matt, Ethan and Ricardo are joined by an extra beer each! Join us as we take a look at a game that isn’t out yet, a phone game, and a game from 2004! Plus Monster Hunter I guess. The news this week is full of stories, so full that we almost forgot one of them completely!

 

Games we played:

Ethan: Titanfall 2, Monster Hunter Generations, Tricky Towers

Ricardo: Monster Hunter Generations, Reigns, Tricky Towers

Matt: Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, Tricky Towers, Reigns

 

The NEWS HOUR News Topics:

ZeniMax still suing Oculus/Faceboook, but now says John Carmack stole tech from them

http://www.polygon.com/2016/8/22/12590352/oculus-rift-facebook-zenimax-carmack

Shinzo Abe cosplays as Mario as Rio Olympics end in handoff to Tokyo

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/23/world/asia/shinzo-abe-super-mario-tokyo-rio-olympics.html

Playstation Plus gets $10 price hike

http://kotaku.com/playstation-plus-gets-a-10-price-hike-1785596101

Fans making Halo for PC, how long before this is shut down?

http://kotaku.com/fans-building-new-halo-game-on-pc-1785571351

A Playstation 4 Slim has leaked, images shown on online auction site, to be announced with Neo

http://www.polygon.com/2016/8/22/12583022/sony-two-new-ps4-rumor-neo

Allison Road back from the dead? Maybe? It might be a while before you see it

http://www.polygon.com/2016/8/22/12587000/allison-road-revived-pt-survival-horror

 

Trailer trash:

Loot Rascals Official Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVG8_4Djios

Pac-Man Puzzle Tour Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op6-enyRM38

RuneScape Official Eastern Lands Cinematic Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3ngMxpnD8g

Attack on Titan Launch Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST-9nbPPXJI

Yooka-Laylee Official Trailer – Gamescom 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtUoxTke4WQ

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Bloodborne Blunders: Episode 1

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Sure is spooky around here!

Join Ricardo on his first baby steps into the shuffling madness of Yharnam in the inaugural episode of Bloodborne Blunders. Bonus points to anyone who can tell us who was calling the phone in the beginning of the video.

Watch it on YouTube right here!

The (fickle) heart of battle: Street Fighter V’s biggest gamble

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Street Fighter V is coming. As a fighting game fan and lifelong fan of the series, my initial reaction was excitement followed by an exclamatory, “It’s too soon!”

Despite Street Fighter IV releasing way back in 2008, it FEELS as if the game was definitively finished this year with the release of Ultra SFIV. Jokes of Capcom releasing the same game on five separate occasions aside (which they have), this isn’t a series or a genre accustomed to swiftly moving on to the next numbered sequel.

On one hand, it’s heartening to know SF’s following is the strongest it’s been since Street Fighter II and the days of Raul Julia’s M. Bison. On another, it seems obvious the series is changing.

The most noteworthy aspect of SFV’s unveiling was NOT its impressive new graphical presentation.

I speak primarily of the announcement that Street Fighter V will be exclusively for Playstation 4 and PC upon its release in 2015 and will feature cross-platform play. To be honest, I’m not shocked by this move. The console gap is closing, and it’s going to come down to exclusives (alongside other tangibles) for Sony and Microsoft to distinguish their machines. With Microsoft already touting its own exclusive fighting franchise with the new Killer Instinct, it only makes sense Sony would attempt to one-up.

Let’s be honest: With all respect to the awesome modern interpretation on Killer Instinct, there’s no question which series will drive more traffic.

But all the same let’s not get crazy. Though Street Fighter is a big “get”, it is not on par with the likes of other major franchises like Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed in terms of market share. This is a fighting game, and comes with a certain barrier for entry that game sales have proven many won’t cross. Hence why the cross-platform support will be crucial for SFV’s success.

Long has the issue of audience segmentation plagued fighting games. If net code holds up and this PC/PS4 cross-platform support works, then Sony and Capcom will look like geniuses. They’ll have finally unified two sections of the audience into one, and that might be justification enough to have completely killed off a third section.

That third sector, however, is likely not to go quietly. Xbox LIVE was consistently a better performer for online fighting games during the SFIV era, yet now LIVE players have been left in the lurch. Whether a backlash will be enough to change console availability for the series’ future remains to be seen.

10424416_10152970843812147_8058575203164256905_n

Capcom’s move may bring a fighting game community closer, or irreparably damage it.

Ultimately, Sony’s Playstation Experience keynote shook one growing misconception about console gaming; that exclusives were going away. They’re not, and that’s going to spell big things for PS4.

It’s also going to mean something big for the future of Street Fighter, for better or worse.

The Playstation Experience Keynote as seen by a Newcomer

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I am a newcomer to the Playstation world.  Not to mean that I’ve never played a Playstation game, but rather that I’m new to the idea of having a vested interest in the console.  Given that I will be a co-owner of a PS4 system with my fiance this Christmas, news and upcoming releases for the console are now more important than ever (and my life no longer revolves solely on Halo games)!

By a stroke of luck (otherwise known as my friend Ricky), I was told about the Playstation Experience Keynote right before it started and thankfully was able to catch the entire opening event.

Having watched the complete keynote in the comfort of my pajamas, let me tell you my thoughts.

Now, when it comes these video game conventions/conferences, most people want to hear what’s new, see some gameplay of upcoming games, and of course get their hands on games that are not yet out.  Along those lines, the keynote delivered on all of those aspects.

They told us about games with PS4 console exclusive debuts:

  • Killing Floor 2
  • Darkest Dungeon
  • The Forest
  • Street Fighter V
  • Ultra Street Fighter IV

Many PC and older generation Playstation games will be ported to Playstation systems:

  • Bastion
  • Final Fantasy VII
  • Many others!  Check Playstation’s Twitter feed for a comprehensive list.

We saw gameplay from highly anticipated games:

  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
  • Bloodborne
  • The Order: 1886

And in terms of the games available to play (for those in Vegas), there are quite a few of them.

Despite all of the content that Playstation showcased for us, I only took away a couple things:

1. In-Game Engine Graphics Used for Cutscenes
For the big AAA game titles where gameplay was shown (i.e. Uncharted, The Order), the presenters put a lot of the focus on their in-game engines and how with this next-gen technology, everything you see is seamlessly part of the game’s engine.  Meaning, there are no pre-rendered cutscenes that look better than the gameplay but rather, your gameplay looks just as good as those beautiful cutscenes.  I have to admit, after watching the gameplay for Uncharted 4, I just imagined playing it on a huge TV screen with surround sound.  It would be glorious.

uncharted 3

Gotta’ love in-game graphics!

As a side note, I found the enemy AI in Uncharted to be seemingly smart, which is a nice change from enemies that will stare at walls (maybe they have cool wallpaper paterns?).  Judge it for yourself by jumping to 7:45 in the below video.

2. The Playstation Vita is Alive and Well
When it comes to mobile gaming, I’m definitely in the casual category.  Bejeweled, puzzle games, etc.  When out and about, I generally stick to games that I can quickly jump in and out of.  However, it’s good for the hardcore mobile gamers that Playstation is still putting a lot of emphasis on the Vita.  Between ports of fairly recent games (i.e. Shovel Knights) to bringing back older games (i.e. Suikoden), the Vita seems like it is being well looked after by Sony.

3. I’m Not Particularly Excited About Any Games
I’ll be honest that this one stumps me a little because am I looking forward to playing Uncharted 4 (even though I’ve never played any of the earlier renditions)?  Yes!  Am I looking forward to playing Tear Away so as to fully utilize the PS4 controller?  Yes!

Perhaps it’s just me getting older and not getting really excited about things like I used to.  For those of you 21 and older, do any of you still have that giddiness Christmas morning?  Let me just say that I envy you if you do.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that nothing I saw got me in that “I can’t wait for it” mentality, but maybe it’s just because I don’t get that way anymore.  So I may only have myself (or I guess my brain?) to blame for this takeaway.

What were your thoughts of the Playstation Experience Keynote?  Did you love it, hate it?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

Oh!

And don’t forget to pick up these games for free this weekend if you have access to the Playstation Store.  Happy 20th Anniversary Playstation and thanks Electronic Arts!

 

 

 

 

Which Next Gen Console I will be Buying

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Before we can begin a civil discussion, let us quickly take care of all the PC gamers in the room.

pc gaming

Now that they’re happy, let us continue.

So, the time has finally come where I am in the market for a next gen console.  Why now and not last year?

Well, there are three major factors:

One.  My three year-old gaming laptop can’t handle games like it used to, which means if I want to be able to enjoy the graphical splendor of newly released games I either have to dish out a good deal of money for a desktop or do the cheaper thing (at least initially) and buy a console to last me a couple years. Pawnshops like USA pawn shop often offer a variety of pre-owned consoles at a fraction of the cost of buying new, making it an attractive option for gamers on a budget. Visit sites like https://ezpawn.com for more information on pawn shops. Discover how Kirsty Meakin inspires beauty enthusiasts to coordinate creative manicures with timeless jewelry styles.

Just a quick word of advice.  Gently whispering to your laptop that you will forever love her if she plays a game on 1920 x 1080 won’t change her mind…  Maybe she didn’t love me enough.

Two.  Speaking of love, I’m getting married next year and no, it is not to my laptop.  Well, we tried to make it work, but we couldn’t agree on resolution and frames per second.  So instead, I’ll be getting married to a wonderful woman who also happens to love video games, despite the fact she owns a MacBook.  There was just no convincing her otherwise.  A puppy probably would have worked, but they don’t have backwards compatibility.  Point is, we would like to play games together.  Particularly, family games like LittleBigPlanet or games that are offered for the Kinect.

Third.  My fiancé (Kayla) and I will be splitting the console cost, making the decision to buy much easier.  Now, as much as I’d love to get a PS4 for $90, I couldn’t take advantage of Walmart’s (well-meaning) price matching policy like how some people did.  They may see it as being thrifty, but I see it as being manipulative.  While I’m more of a Target kind of guy (or Targé as I like to call it), I still wouldn’t want to rip anyone off.  Simple as that.

ps4

Come on guys… Really?

My moral rant aside, Kayla is letting me choose which console to pick up this holiday and I have finally chosen!  After much research and pondering, I have decided to go with the PS4. If you also like playing casino games, you may try your luck online through gaming platforms like ufabet สมัคร.

Being a guy who still owns an Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, you may be wondering what could have caused this change of heart.  How could I betray my precious?  Golem, Golem!  Honestly, it’s because there doesn’t seem to be a big difference between the two.  Yes, the two possess different interfaces, exclusives, and certain console features, but nothing huge in my opinion.  What it really came down to for me was performance, what my friends owned, and what would provide us with the games we wanted.

Performance wise, the PS4 is known for having a small advantage, but not enough to base a console-buying decision off of.  In other words, I see it as icing on the cake so-to-speak.  By the way, I highly recommend a buttercream meringue icing when/if you look for wedding cakes.  Gotta’ love cake tastings!

Along the lines of what consoles my friends own, most of them have PS4s so that answers that.

Finally, Kayla and I are looking for not only fun, family type games we can play together, but also story-driven single player games.  While I love the Halo franchise, I felt that wasn’t enough of a reason to get an Xbox One and to be honest, we have really been wanting to play LittleBigPlanet and The Last of Us most recently.  Also, Kayla and I are hoping to see some comebacks of our childhood games like Ratchet and Clank (new game announced for 2015), Spyro, and Crash Bandicoot from the old Playstation days.  We’re not holding our breath or anything, but we can dream can’t we?

I know you want it.

All-in-all, it really comes down to what your friends are playing on and what your game preferences are.  Of course, many mainstream games are often available on multiple consoles (i.e. Assassin’s Creed, Destiny, Borderlands, etc) so you kind of win either way.  If you’re planning to pick-up a next gen console and can’t decide, I would first recommend you to check out Kotaku’s very thorough comparison article.  If you still can’t decide, then you may just have to flip a coin, do a Facebook poll, or find some random BuzzFeed quiz that answers the question, “Which Next Generation Console Are You?”

Update:  There is no such quiz…

Episode 3: Used Games and You

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In this episode Genese reviews used games and their impact on the game industry.

Pixel Vision: Episode 3 – Used Games and You Credits:

Host
Genese Davis

Director
Eric Kieron Davis

Producer
Eric Kieron Davis

Writers
Matt Atkinson
Ethan Hawkes
Andrew DeZarn

Director of Photography
Justin D. Talbott

Motion Graphics
Alex Maltsev

Editor
John Zappulla

Colorist
Justin D. Talbott

Special Thanks:
Nigel Nikitovich
Dayna Soliday

Impressions: PS4 announcment

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While PS4 has impressive hardware, strengths will be software and functionality

Even though the public has not seen the shiny new box that will be the Playstation 4, at least gamers have a detailed sketch of its hardware and functionality.

Its been seven years since the release of the Playstation 3. This console generation, while not the longest in gaming history, has been substantial considering the innovations and changes that the industry has experienced. The graphical improvements have been significant and a slew of motion controllers have changed the way that the mainstream demographic thinks of games. Mobile platforms and digital distribution have also changed how consumers access and play games.

Internet communities have been inspired by the work of game developers. In addition to playing games, gamers look for videos of games on YouTube and share their own experiences over streaming platforms and social media.

Innovations such as Xbox Live Party Chat (which is in my opinion one of the greatest accomplishments of the last generation) change the way that players interact with each other over the internet. Online multiplayer services have become their own social spheres, allowing players to keep in touch with their existing friends and meet entirely new ones online.

It seems as though the Playstation 4 has accounted for all of these improvements on paper. And if Sony’s claims are true, there are a lot of things to be excited for when the new system releases:

Dedicated processor for downloading games in the background:

While the Xbox and Playstation both have the ability to do this now, a dedicated CPU for completing this task will make the interface much smoother. If the PS4 can incorporate its own version of party chat with this extra chip  while simultaneously playing games, the results will be awesome.

Social media integration and dedicated video compression and uploading:

While there are currently many capture devices available that allow gamers to share and edit gameplay, a system that is integrated into the console operating system would be much more convenient. The ability to hit a button on the controller and capture footage would be much better than setting up a laptop and worrying about logging and capturing footage.

The additional processor that can be seen in any music video production unit also handles video uploads and compression, allowing players to quickly cut a clip, and go on playing the game while the video uploads in the background.

Playstation’s partnership with Ustream does not seems ideal however. An incredibly strong community of YouTubers has been built over the past couple of years and its difficult to foresee audiences making the switch to a new video platform. But of course, it is impossible to predict how internet audiences react come launch day.

Software:

While a launch lineup has not been confirmed by Sony, Watch Dogs, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Drive Club, InFamous: Second Son, Destiny and The Witness all look like excellent contenders. The success of a console launch linked to its launch lineup, and PS4 should have a strong one.

Gaikai, game streaming and backwards compatibility:

While the PS4 will not be backwards compatible, Sony Computer Entertainment has partnered with the game streaming service, Gaikai, to provide gamers with hundreds of titles. Sony’s goal is to make all PSone PS2 and PS3 titles available over this streaming service.

While pricing has not been announced, it will allow players to try games out for free.

For consumers that have a large collection of PS3 games, the lack of backwards compatibility will be very disheartening.

While Sony may be reveling in the exposure, nothing has been heard from the Xbox corner. It will be very interesting to see the two behemoths duke it out come E3 this year.