After announcing that they will be finally adding a new edition to the FIFA Street series, EA have released a teaser trailer showing a glimpse of what next year’s game will look like.
Already from the video we can see they’ve taken a more realistic approach to the player models as opposed to the more arcade-like builds they used in FIFA Street 3. The game will feature international clubs including giants such as Manchester United and City; Barcelona, Chelsea, and Roma, not to mention the likes of the Marseille and the New York Red Bulls which gives the impression that there will be a vast range of clubs to choose from this time round, we’ll just wait to see how many of the leagues will be included in the game.
The video also reveals that the game will be released early in 2012 and we’ll confirm the date as soon as possible.
For over 30 years now, Pac-Man and Galaga have been two staples in the gaming industry. With the 3DS just starting to get on it’s feet, Namco have brought both classics together in the form of Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions. This title features Pac-Man Tilt, which utilizes the gyro sensor to control Pac-Man in a side-scrolling platformer as well as the first-person, on-rails Galaga 3D Impact, offering a new perspective to the whole Galaga experience. If two brand new titles weren’t enough, the original Galaga & Pac-Man have also been included on this cartridge along with their popular reboots, Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga Legions. It’s quite a load that is sure to press the nostalgic button for most, but does all this content combined actually perform up to the standards modern gamers would expect? Here is my review for Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions for the Nintendo 3DS.
Games
Pac-Man Tilt
When I first heard about this compilation, the first title that caught my eye was Pac-Man Tilt due to it’s platforming nature. In this new Pac-Adventure, player’s control Namco’s yellow and round mascot as he travels through a set number of stages, collecting dots and fruits along the way. While it’s a pretty standard side-scroller for the most part, the 3DS’ gyro controls were added in to enhance the way Pac-Man navigates throughout each level.
Now to actually control Pac-Man, players will need to look no further than the circle pad for movement and the A Button to jump. If there is a steep hill or small pits in a level, you can then tilt the handheld left or right to quickly turn into a ball and glide through any danger without much problem. To assist Pac-Man in his ball form while utilizing this motion technique, flippers and cannons can be found inside each stage. Think of it almost like Sonic Spinball, where the player must not only focus on the main character, but the entire environment as a whole to progress further. For instance, if there is a platform high in the air that is unreachable, the player must backtrack, gain momentum, and then roll into an upcoming flipper to catapult Pac-Man into that area. The classic “Power Pellets” can also be found, which enable the player to gobble up any ghosts that get in your way.
While this method of control is responsive 100% of the time, the pacing of our hero is what truly hurts the actual gameplay. When you are tilting the 3DS to make the pac-ball gain momentum and speed, there is usually a barrier or wall found soon after to bring things to a sudden stop. I understand a stop is inevitable, but Pac-Man’s stiff on-foot gameplay made me want to remain as a ball for the whole experience. Poor placement of flippers and obstacles throughout the later levels in the game also don’t properly capitalize on the speed that we see Pac-Man reach. This changes the game from being a fast paced platformer to a constant stop and go affair where the gameplay relies on trial and error for the player to succeed.
There are some fantastic ideas that all work well in Pac-Man Tilt, but I never felt like the entire game put them all to good use to deliver a fulfilling product in the end. Don’t get me wrong, this new title is still enjoyable, but the level design just does not combine the two methods of gameplay into a whole package. Even with all that said, there are a ton of collectibles to snag and high scores to achieve within the game, so most should not have a problem getting in at least a few extra hours of gameplay after their first playthrough.
Galaga 3D Impact
Take the hectic gameplay of Galaga, flip the perspective into first-person and add in some 3D visuals and your final product would Galaga 3D Impact. This on-rails shooter places players in a ship, where the main object of the game is to be pulled throughout various levels while destroying each enemy or boss that gets in your way. All of the enemies we know from the original are also back with newly redesigned models, which all look fantastic and fit perfectly in this re-imagining.
Being on-rails, controlling your ship comes down to Galaga 3D Impact’s use of the gyro scheme. This works a bit like Face Raiders, where the player must move the handheld in various directions to get a full view of oncoming enemies. Shooting is a bit of a two button affair for the most part, with each ship equipped with a standard shot and a tractor beam that can be charged to pack an extra punch onto larger foes. As you progress, enemies can be absorbed to upgrade your arsenal, allowing for a much wider variety of weaponry.
I enjoyed Galaga 3D Impact well enough as everything functions as it should, but much like Pac-Man Tilt, the game felt like it was just a large mini-game rather than a new version of the classic. Those who are on-rails shooter fans are sure to love the control scheme and the nostalgic world that you are pulled through, but aside from obtaining high scores, there isn’t a whole lot of reason to go back to 3D Impact after completion.
The Tale of Four Ports
The new offerings in Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions may not be perfect, but interestingly enough, the additional ports found within this compilation bury any of those flaws with their pure nostalgic bliss. The original arcade releases of Pac-Man and Galaga look and play just like they did in the arcades, but now in a much smaller form with the 3DS’ stick used for movement. How do you possibly enhance such classics? With the addition of new achievements and online leaderboards (which all of these titles possess). I found myself addicted instantly to both and going back and forth just to unlock these new achievements. It’s odd how something so small can add so much replay value, but these add-ins worked wonders from my experience and are sure to let new players discover what made these games legendary. Pac-Man and Galaga also feature three different perspectives to play in, with a cocktail table, a classic stand-up arcade unit, and just the raw game screen. The cocktail & arcade skins each utilize the 3D to give a sense of depth, which makes each appear as if you were looking down into a classic machine while playing. It is a nice effect, but I found myself turning off the 3D once the appeal wore off as it really wasn’t necessary.
Those who crave for something more recent will also be happy to know that Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga Legions have also been included within this compilation. If you have never played either, each take the core ingredients of their predecessors and add in some fresh mechanics to make the gameplay much more addictive.
Pac-Man C.E. for example starts players out in a standard maze, where extra dots are revealed by collecting fruits and the remaining pellets on the screen. The main goal is simply to continue at this pace while collecting the highest score you can reach before the timer runs out. The control stick works well to navigate Pac-Man through the maze, making the whole experience mirror that of it’s console brethren. Galaga Legions is also like it’s original counterpart, but with large waves of enemies that the player must defeat to continue on. The player can also throw out miniature versions of their ship to assist in these chaotic situations. Most of the time, one enemy will result in an entire wave being destroyed, so a lot of the gameplay boils down to finding a proper strategy and one simply handling themselves amongst the chaos.
Graphics/Audio
When it comes down to how these games actually appear visually, I would imagine most would be pleased with the results. Each of the four ports add in a subtle 3D effect, making the colors “pop” and add a bit of depth to each experience. As I mentioned, this effect isn’t entirely needed for the two originals, but it is a nice feature to toy with if you are looking for more of an arcade-like session. Galaga Legions & Pac Man C.E. are the true winners out of the ports though in this area, as the chaotic animations never miss a bit and both are a pure delight to play with their neon-lit presentations.
Pac-Man Tilt does not use the 3D aspect due to the gyro controls, but it still captures the charm of the series well and makes up for the lack of 3D with it’s bright and cheery graphics. Galaga 3D Impact does however utilize the extra dimension of imagery, which plays into favor of the gameplay and at many times it can appear that enemies are flying right out of the screen.
In Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions, each port blares their familiar tunes in a crisp fashion over the 3DS’ speakers, sounding just as you would remember. Pac-Man Tilt’s music blends well with it’s upbeat environment, with classic sound effects added in to make it at least feel like a Pac-Man game. I can say for Tilt though that the new high-pitched voice for Pac-Man was very unfitting and sounded like more of a Pac-Kid rather than a Pac-Man. Galaga 3D Impact’s best audio qualities were also found in the retro sound effects, but the soundtrack did feel a little closer to it’s heritage compared to Tilt.
Overall
As a whole, Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions pays homage to both classic franchises well by delivering four solid ports. The two new offerings of Galaga 3D Impact and Pac-Man Tilt however just do not feel up to par with the classics and while they do utilize the 3DS’ extra functions well, they simply do not feel substantial enough to warrant a purchase on their own. Now if you are just wanting to play Pac-Man and Galaga on the go, then by all means this is the definitive compilation for any 3DS owner. If you don’t fall into that category though, it might be best to pick up Namco’s latest when the price cools down a tad.
THQ have released a trailer promising an all-new striking and submission system and heightened fight mechanics. In addition to an array of new striking, grappling, and counter moves, THQ have added new abilities such as leg TKO’s, complex feints and ground sways.
With the game still a few months away we are still eagerly waiting to see what other improvements they have made but this is a really hopeful taste of what is to come.
UFC Undisputed 3 will be released in January 2012 and we’ll try get you some more details as soon as we can. Enjoy the video!
EA have released yet another new trailer for their upcoming racing game, Need for Speed The Run. The video, titled “Buried Alive” showcases a new section of the game where being buried alive is actually a possibility.
The Run hits Independence Pass in Colorado, and the protagonist, Jack, is forced to make a decision in his race: does he take the longer route and save time, or does he take a shortcut and risk the chance of an avalanche falling? With the impending possibility that he could be buried alive, or an even worse possibility that he could lose to his rival, Jack must race not only to win this race, but for his life.
The visuals in this trailer most certainly do look wonderful, and the backdrop of icy mountains and collapsing trees certainly makes for an interesting setting for a race. Throw in the bright BMW cars racing against the white snow, and you’ve got what appears to be a beautiful game. The title will also run using DICE’s Frostbite 2 engine, which will make for an interesting introduction into the franchise.
Check out the trailer below. Need for Speed The Run is scheduled for release on November 17, 2011, and will release on Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii, Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.
· PlayStation®3 at an attractive new price of €249 (RRP), AUD $349.95 (RRP) and NZD $479.95(RRP)
· Details on PlayStation®Vita software line-up revealed
· New model of PSP™ unveiled, priced at €99.99 , AUD $139.95 (RRP) and NZD $179.95 (RRP)
· Exciting line-up of PlayStation®3 software titles including new titles for PlayStation®Move
Cologne, 16th August 2011 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd. (SCEE) today announced at its press conference at the gamescom trade fair in Cologne, Germany, more details of the eagerly anticipated PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita), the next generation portable entertainment system along with news that the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system is now available across Europe for just €249 RRP, Australia AUD$349.95 (RRP), New Zealand NZD$479.95 (RRP) making amazing and unique gaming experiences more accessible than ever.
“At Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, we’ve set an ambitious goal for ourselves to take the wild musings of the imagination, and make them real’ said Andrew House, President and CEO of SCEE. “PlayStation is leading the industry in levels of connectivity, immersion, and individualisation of the consumer experience. There are some experiences that aren’t just exclusive to PS3, they are only possible on PS3.”
PlayStation®Vita
“Of the many innovations PlayStation has brought to market in the last few years and months, one of the most exciting to me is PlayStation Vita’ said Andrew House. “At our core, PlayStation is about games and PlayStation Vita is a breakthrough portable entertainment system that will thrill gamers.”
Two analog sticks give a Dual-Shock-like control of games approximating the at-home gaming experience whilst a stunning 5-inch multi-touch organic light emitting diode (OLED) as the front display provides visuals and clarity unparalleled in mobile gaming systems. Front multi-touch screen and rear multi-touch pad, combined with six-axis motion sensing technology allows users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” finger motions. Front and rear cameras allows for augmented reality experiences never before seen, blurring the lines between reality and interactive entertainment.
More was revealed regarding the social connectivity features of PlayStation Vita, which if accessed via the 3G/Wi-Fi model, allows users to be constantly connected to their PlayStation life, as well as those of friends and fellow users. Dedicated applications to enjoy various social network services, including Facebook, Twitter, foursquare and Skype were unveiled.
Making the most of this connectivity is a host of exciting features:
“near” will provide location-based services as part of the basic features utilising PlayStation®Network. “near”, developed specifically for PS Vita, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.
“Party” will also comes pre-installed, is an innovative application for a portable entertainment system which enables users to enjoy voice chat or text chat not only during online gaming, but also when users are playing different games or using different applications such as internet browser..
Turning to PS Vita software, SCEE revealed a range of titles reaffirming that this is absolutely a system which will ‘thrill’ users. Resistance Burning Skies is an entirely new Resistance experience developed specifically for PS Vita featuring an all-new timeline, levels, and environments, taking full advantage of the dual analogue sticks. LittleBigPlanet is the title to take Play, Create and Share to the next level. It utilising the full range of PS Vita’s unique feature set, including Augmented Reality to bring the real world into your creations. Reality Fighters uses the front and rear cameras of PS Vita to deliver a richer and deeper AR experience than ever before. This customisable fighting experience makes the world your arena. A kitchen counter, a car park, a playground, they’re all part of your world and the camera technology of PS Vita can transform them into your fighting arena. Gamers can also take pictures of themselves to create their own personal fighter, complete with a unique fighting and visual style. Also unveiled was the innovative and quirky title Escape Plan. Bringing together a unique artistic style, with a fun sense of humour and challenging puzzles, Escape Plan was the final PS Vita title shown during the press conference.
Finally Assassin’s Creed from Ubisoft and FIFA from Electronic Arts for PS Vita were announced for the first time, featuring amongst a range of titles that demonstrated the strong third-party developers and publishers support for PS Vita including Bioshock from 2K, Call of Duty from Activision and Virtua Tennis from Sega
PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable)
Since the first PSP model (PSP-1000) launch in 2004, cumulative sales of the PSP series has reached over 71 million units worldwide and remains the perfect entry-level handheld entertainment system.
At gamescom, SCEE announced a new model of the PSP system (PSP-E1000) (body color: charcoal black) that will retail in Europe/PAL territories from this November for just €99.99 (RRP), AUD $139.95 (RRP), NZD $179.95 (RRP). Although this will not offer access to Wi-Fi connectivity and have a slightly different aesthetic, this new PSP will allow access to the entire PSP catalogue of games. Also highlighted was the fantastic library of PSP Essentials titles that will accompany this, retailing at €9.99 (RRP),AUD $14.99 (RRP) each.
“As you can see, our commitment to mobility and to the handheld market is strong’ said Jim Ryan, Co-COO of SCEE “PSP and PlayStation Vita give consumers a PlayStation experience any time, anywhere.”
PlayStation®Move
PlayStation Move has built incredible momentum since launching in September 2010 and more than 200 games currently available worldwide.
At gamescom, SCEE announced exciting new PlayStation Move software titles. Move Fitness is a unique fitness title that not only allows exercise, but also growth and personal training. Also, from the team who created the mullti-million selling SingStar, comes DanceStar Party which brings the SingStar accuracy and focus on technique to a dancing game. DanceStar Party will deliver the fun factor, allowing users to move and groove to their own personal style.
PlayStation®3
Almost reaching five years since the launch,PS3 continues to be a game changer and momentum for the platform continues to grow worldwide.
Amongst exciting line-up of PS3 software titles, the focus was on three key titles launching later in 2011. Starting with Resistance 3, one of the most highly-anticipated PS3 software titles to date, SCEE revealed a unique game trailer, inspired by celebrated graphic artist Olly Moss. SCEE also unveiled Infamous Festival of Blood, a new twist on the Infamous world, offering a nightmarish twist to this visually-stunning game. To finish with, SCEE demonstrated the most eagerly anticipated game of the year, Uncharted 3.
Moving onto the stereoscopic 3D capabilities of PS3 – an area in which Sony group companies continues to lead the way in developing ever-more awe-inspiring and transformative gaming experiences – the PlayStation branded 3D Display was confirmed for Europe/PAL territories available this autumn, priced at €499 (RRP), AUD $699.95 (RRP),NZD $849.95 (RRP), including two sets of 3D glasses.
This 24-inch display, first announced at E3 2011, will provide consumers with accessible stereoscopic 3D entertainment for titles such as Uncharted 3. Perfectly suited to dorm rooms, family rooms, or bedrooms, the Display incorporates unique technology called “SimulView” that allows two people playing a game to see individual, full-screen, stereoscopic 3D images – it’s like having two displays in one.
With the incredible line-up of games and entertainment experiences, with PSP-E1000, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation Move Starter Pack and PlayStation 3 users can now be assured of an accessible solution to meet their gaming needs, whatever their budget.
For the tech junkie who was worried that the Playstation Vita would be less powerful than previously mentioned, then never fear. During their Gamescom conference, Sony confirmed that the Vita will sport 512MB of RAM with an extra 128MB of dedicated VRAM. Well, it will certaintly live up its name as the portable powerhouse.
Sony has also revealed the camera specifications. Both front and rear cameras will have a resolution of 640×480 (VGA), with framerates of 120 per second at 320×240 (QVGA) or 60 per second at 640×480 (VGA), just in case you would like to video record with the handheld.
In PSP news, Sony will be releasing a ‘value’ PSP for those who don’t have the money to buy one. It will cost 99 euros and will lack Wi-Fi. It will be released in autumn and has the model number PSPE – 1000. Check it out below.
Sony is trying their best to make the Playstation Vita a success. With incredible graphics, a good price point and a strong launch line-up of games, they have a good shot. Now, they are attempting to sweeten the deal by adding in social network apps like Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, etc. Even Skype is getting in on the action, which is good to hear. According to Sony, these social networks and messaging services will function exactly like apps. You can click them on the Vita Home screen, and they will open to something similar to what you have on your smartphone.
However, the use of the word “apps” could also point to the possibility that the Playstation Store will be getting an overhaul to allow many programs to run on the Vita, similar to iOS, but that is pure speculation.
You can expect to get your hands on the social networking apps of the Vita at the launch of the system or soon thereafter. I wonder if any of them will have any connections to the Vita’s “Near” system, which supposedly is similar to the Street Pass system used in the 3DS.
Sony has been quite busy with Gamescom recently. Playstation Australia have also been quite busy. They have released a new commercial for Australian televisions. Since the game enters stores in September, this is the right time to start the promotion train.
Speaking of trains, the commercial starts off with displaced refugees on a train trying to find a new home. That covers about half of the commercial. The second half is all about the gameplay. Expect some Chimera war machines, gunplay and explosions. It ends with the tagline ‘You are the Resistance’.
I believe it is a good commercial. What about you? Check it out below and comment on it.
The latest gadget/app/download to hit Kinect Fun Labs will be based squarely in the realm of imagination, laughter, and music. Augmented Reality will allow the Kinect to place you in a venue that looks eerily like your own living room, while a guitar, drums or keyboard pop up around you. And then of course, you play those instruments. Air Band can be downloaded on August 22, 2011. It may be fun for a good night in, and the technology for the augmented reality certainly shows how powerful Kinect is, but the concept is a little bit ridiculous, eh? Most of will probably need something that alters our brain chemicals in order to try it.
Move controllers/katanas at the ready folks, that dream of being a ninja has taken one step closer to reality with the announcement from Tecmo Koei and Team Ninja that Ninja Gaiden 3 will have full Playstation Move compatibility. Yosuke Hayashi (leader of Team Ninja, how’s that for a job title?) made the announcement at Gamescom yesterday, and seemed pretty clear on the point of the new control system:
“Ninja Gaiden 3 is all about slicing and chopping through flesh and bone and PlayStation Move bring players even closer to the game’s protagonist Ryu Hayabusa. The game will be compatible with all Move peripherals and it will feature full compatibility with this exciting new hardware”
The exact way in which players will be able to slice their enemies to ribbons in such a fast paced game has yet to be revealed, but it’s an exciting new development for the notoriously difficult series – heres hoping real world limb damage can be avoided.
Ninja Gaiden 3 is due early 2012, and will also be available on Xbox 360.
