Category: PSP

Renegade/Paragon

Renegade and Paragon

In preparation for the glorious release of Mass Effect 3, gamers everywhere are enjoying a taste of the game’s demo tonight and throughout the rest of the week. With an offering of both single player and multiplayer, it’s giving everyone a chance to see what all the hype (and in some cases, the fuss) is about. To join the Shepard spirit, we thought we’d debut a new feature, a brainchild of the good sir Anthony Taylor. Because he’s cool like that.

This feature, titled Renegade/Paragon, is a look at the video games industry through the brutal cut-and-dry scope of the Mass Effect universe. Here, we grade certain entities and rate them as either Paragons — bastions of light and purveyors of all that is good and true — or Renegades — bringers of gloom, doom and every corridor of evil in between those two. Afterwards, you get to make your own calls on the situations.

Let’s get started. Who are the current Paragons and Renegades in the industry? Continue reading Renegade/Paragon

Handheld Gaming: Is It Just For Kids?

sony ds babysitting toolIt seems that when Sony gets a little boost in the console industry, they get a bit full of themselves as PlayStation CEO Jack Tretton demonstrated over the weekend. In an interview with Fortune, he went after Microsoft and Nintendo pretty hard, calling out the Xbox 360’s reliance on the DVD format as a weakness, and decrying Nintendo’s DS as a “babysitting tool”.

A little trash-talking in the industry is nothing new (and seems to be making up most of the news lately), but I think that Mr. Tretton is a little off on his comments on the Nintendo DS. He’s quoted as saying that “no self-respecting twenty-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those” as they’re “too old for that”. Being a twenty-something that uses a DS frequently (especially on airplanes, and to play Pokemon, no less), I think he’s kind of misinformed on the DS’s demographic. If people are that self-conscious, they’re not going to be playing the PSP in public either, because the average consumer doesn’t really know the difference between the two.

While a lot of Nintendo’s sales definitely go to kids, I’ve seen just as many grown up people using the DS on planes, public transit, or in a movie theater. Jack Tretton is obviously trying to reinforce the notion that the Nintendo DS is just for kids, but like I said above, people don’t necessarily identify the PSP as an “adult gaming machine” either.

Being a person who uses his DS a lot, I think that Mr. Tretton’s being a little bit of a mudslinger, but I was wondering what you guys think. There’s definitely a social stigma that comes with using a handheld gaming device in public, but I think that as time has gone on a lot of that has gone away. It’s still there, though, so what say you? Do you use your DS in public? If you use a PSP, do you feel a bit more manly than those girly DS gamers? Go!

Source – Fortune

What Were Japanese Devs Favorite Games of 2010?

Heavy Rain

Have you ever wondered what your favorite game developers considered to be their favorite games? Well it seems that Dengeki Games is looking out for you, as they’ve recently posted a comprehensive survey that they conducted with some of Japan’s top gaming talent. Basically, they asked them what games from 2010 they loved most, and the results are interesting to look at, to say the least.

While there are plenty of developers who loved games with that famed Japanese flavor (such as Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, Pokemon Black and White, Vanquish and Mario Galaxy 2), it seems that there were just as many or more who preferred some largely Western titles. However, the top two games that most Japanese developers gravitated towards were both Heavy Rain and Red Dead Redemption.

Hit the jump to see the full list. Continue reading What Were Japanese Devs Favorite Games of 2010?

2010’s Top Selling Games By Platform

Just Dance 2

The NPD’s new stance on not releasing sales data has caused all manner of consternation across the world, especially in message board threads where fanboys endlessly snipe at each other. But, even non-partisan minds have a curiosity about such things and thankfully, Gamasutra has managed to obtain some of the juicy details.

Breaking down the top ten games across each non-PC platform, we see that Just Dance 2 was the best-selling Wii game of the year and despite lukewarm reviews and a late entry, Epic Mickey managed to nab the 4th spot. Not as many Nintendo games as usual and some of the titles in the top 10 are likely unknown to most of us.

Hit the jump for the full lists!
Continue reading 2010’s Top Selling Games By Platform

GamerSushi Poll: Sony’s NGP vs Nintendo’s 3DS

In a huge move last night, Sony announced the Next Generation Portable (nee NGP or PSP2) and hot damn, does it look impressive. It has two analog sticks, a touch-sensitive OLED screen, two touch pads on the back of the device, and it can render PlayStation 3 games in real time (like Metal Gear Solid 4’s cutscenes running at a steady 20 frames per second). It also ditches the clunky old UMD format and adopts a sexy new flash-based card which allows developers to pack more punch in their games.

Additionally, Sony confirmed that a long list of studios have already queued up to produce games for the NGP. They also revealed that some big name franchises will make an apperance on the portable such as Uncharted, Killzone and Metal Gear Solid, to name a few.

Sony came out in a big way last night, and it looks like they’re attempting to break the portable gaming market by shoving everything they can into their device. While price hasn’t been confirmed, speculation points to it being more than the 3DS. Since Sony is going all out with this device, how is Nintendo’s 3DS going to fare? As we’re so considerate, we made a poll for you guys to vote on. So, go ahead: which platform are you rooting for: Sony’s NGP or Nintendo’s 3DS?

Which Portable Gaming Device Will Come Out Ahead?

View Results

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As always, if you have any thoughts please write them in the comments section below. Fight!

Sony Claims PSP2 as Powerful as PS3

PSP2 ConceptWith all the hype about Nintendo’s new 3DS – due out on the market March 27th  (Feb 26 for those in the land of the rising sun) – it would be hard to look at any other handheld consoles, especially with Nintendo’s success.  But recently an article appeared in MCV Magazine quoting Sony as saying that their new handheld, the PSP2, is “as powerful as the PlayStation 3”.

With the world of 3D gaming barely breaking upon us and the thoughts of the next generation consoles far in the future, a portable gaming system with the power of a console may be a big deal. While many eagerly await the 3DS and its glasses-less 3D style of gaming, Sony is apparently taking a different approach: power.  While the PSP hasn’t been a very strong competitor in the handheld market and with other devices such as the iPhone bursting into the scene, the PSP2 may be a serious competitor.

As a PlayStation 3 owner, I know what the system is capable of and this could be a huge move for Sony. If I can get the same quality as my PS3 on a handheld, it could change how and where I play games. So what do you guys think? Are you going to pick up a PSP2 if it runs with the power of a PS3? Or will you stick to your ways and maybe go the route of the iPhone or Nintendo’s 3DS? What are your thoughts on this news?

Source – MCV

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 12: Characters and Cameras

Epic MickeyIt’s the first week of December, so we’re bringing a brand new edition of the GamerSushi Show, back in our shorter and more frequent format. If we can keep rolling with this, you should see one of these bad boys each and every week.

In this edition, we cover a whole slew of topics, including a brief look back at 2010, and a look forward at the titles we’re going to be playing in an effort to close the year out strong. We also tackle the release of Epic Mickey, one of the Wii’s new flagship titles, and discuss the game’s virtues and a couple of its shortcomings, including third person video game cameras and why it seems so hard for developers to get it right. After that we tackle a new game from Nick (which Anthony dominates) and then take a look at Game Informer’s list of 30 Characters that Defined a Decade.

So, as you can see, just because things are shorter does not mean we don’t have anything to talk about. Once again, please go rate this cast on iTunes and subscribe with the handy links to the right. Enjoy! Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 12: Characters and Cameras

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Welcome to Fall: The Upcoming Games of 2010

Ladies and dudes, the time is here: the fall season of gaming is officially upon us, and all we can do now is paddle as hard we can to keep up with the avalanche of titles falling to our TVs and monitors. Sure, I’m mixing metaphors here a little bit, but the point here is the same: lots of games are coming out, and you no doubt want to play a large share of them. Yes, even though Little Big Planet 2 has been delayed.

Since we’re so nice, we’ve put together an epic list of our 30 most anticipated upcoming games of 2010. You’ll be surprised at just how much is waiting for you. We’ve got everything from RPGs to zombies, DS exclusives and sprawling PC MMOs. Check it out! Continue reading Welcome to Fall: The Upcoming Games of 2010

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PSP Go Owners Have (Kingdom) Hearts Broken

The much criticized PSP Go has just given the naysayers another piece of ammunition against it with the news from Square Enix that the surprisingly normal sounding Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep will only be released on UMD and not the Playstation Network’s PSP Store. This means, of course, that owners of the PSP Go won’t be able to play this blockbuster game at all.

The PSP Go was Sony’s reaction to the rampant piracy that plagued and still plagues the original PSP, thanks to relative ease of ripping information off UMDs. Now, Square Enix is the one who “currently has no plans” to launch a digital release of the game, but it stands to reason that Sony would want to work with them to ensure all of their customers get a chance to play this game.

What do you think about this? Should Sony step in? Do you own a PSP Go and will this affect you at all?

Source: 1Up

Kojima Says Consoles Will Be Dead Soon

Hideo KojimaWhile I’m not normally one to chalk hardly anything that Hideo I’m-On-Crack Kojima says up to rationality, occasionally he says something just wild enough that it’s worth a second look. After all, this is the same guy who said he wouldn’t be doing Metal Gear Solid 3 or 4. And yet, here we are reading updates about Peace Walker, the new PSP entry into the popular sneaking franchise.

Anyway, at yesterday’s press conference for the portable game, Kojima had a few rather bold claims to make about the future of gaming. In short, he basically said that soon, we won’t have consoles any more. O rly? Check out the quote.

In the near future, we’ll have games that don’t depend on any platform. Gamers should be able to take the experience with them in their living rooms, on the go, when they travel — wherever they are and whenever they want to play. It should be the same software and the same experience.

I certainly hope this quote is mainly coming from his desire to promote the new portable game that he’s making, rather than having any kind of insider knowledge about new technology. But like I said, I don’t put much stock in anything the guy says. I think the more interesting point of discussion here is the idea that people would ever transition from home console gaming and PCs to handheld only. It seems like such a niche market to me, I can’t see it ever becoming the mainstream way to play games.

So what do you guys think? Just promoting his game? Being a loony (not the Canadian kind)? Or is he a Gamestradamus, predicting our console (or no console) future?

Source- VG247

Brevity is Not the Soul of Wit for MGS Peace Walker Trailer

Oh, Hideo Kojima and your crazy gameplay conventions. More than any other gaming franchise in the history of our hobby, Metal Gear Solid has been equal parts awesome and puzzling. Where else can you be sneaking through an enemy base like a bad-ass at one moment and the then staring at a Playboy to regain your…ahem…”Stamina” the next? Besides being completley out to lunch, Metal Gear games are also famous for their propensity to drag on and on, and this new trailer for the upcoming PSP game Peace Walker is no exception. Clocking in at eight minutes, it shows three Snakes on a mission to take out a helicopter and tie some dudes to balloons. Go ahead and watch:

As easy as it is to make fun of Metal Gear, there’s no denying that this game looks solid. Heck, it even makes me want to buy a PSP even though all my handheld love is currently going into Pokemon Gold. What do you guys think about this trailer? I’m still trying to work out why this game isn’t a full fledged PS3 title, but it looks like it might just work. Sound off!

Sony Testing the Waters for a Premium PSN Subscription

psn
There’s always been three certainties so far this generation in regards to online console services: Microsoft’s costs money, Sony’s is free and the Wii’s connectivity is balls. While the Sony Defense Force is always quick to point out how readily Microsoft is willing to try and nickle and dime its subscriber base, it looks like the PlayStation 3 might be setting up its own monetary-based service.

A recent survey lays out several different plans all with varying levels of privileges and content. There are some pretty decent perks included with the subscription options such as cross-game voice chat, loyalty rewards and access to the first hour of a full PlatyStation 3 game instead of a fifteen minute demo.

Judging by the survey it appears that PSN users are still going to get access to the basic offerings, and this is just an option for those who want a $69.99 garnish on their gaming experience. Take a look at the survey and tell us what you think. Would you pay for premium Sony content or stick with the basic package? Remember that this is just a feeler put out by Sony, so all these things are subject to change.

Source: Kotaku

More Like PSP No! Retailers Boycott the Hand-held.

pspno
I should be hung for that title, but I couldn’t resist. It seems that the gaming industry is trying on its big-boy pants lately, what with all the high falutin boycotts going on. Usually we see consumers getting up in arms about the alleged unfairness of some crazy rip-off or another, but this time around we’ve got actual stores joining in on the fun.

The PSP go, a recently announced upgrade for Sony’s base portable model, is being met with a hostile reception by several retailers in Eruope, with the Australian branch of EB Games being rumored as a potential party. Dutch game shop chain Nedgame alleges that the portable is too expensive to bother stocking in addition to being miffed about the lack of UMD support on the gizmo. According to the store’s official statement, the lack of actual discs for sale robs the chain of its main source of profit on game sales: the mark-up on prices. The PSP go uses media which is exclusively available from the PlayStation Network, so I’d imagine that being the middle-man in this exchange would rankle a bit.

One small chain of stores refusing to stock a product is one thing, but once a big company joins the party it’s a whole different kettle of fish. What do you guys think? Is this the first step in stores really lashing back at downloadable content? Where can this go from here, and do you think that the stores are taking the right approach with this?

Source: Kotaku

GamerSushi Asks: Portable Classics?

ff7I’m flying to Florida this weekend for some much needed vacation, and if there’s one thing I’m not looking forward to its the flight. Being a rather big dude makes flying a completely uncomfortable affair, not to mention that I hate the way flying makes me feel. The one thing that makes the experience more bearable is portable gaming of some kind, be it the PSP or Nintendo DS.

One thing that got me really excited this week was the realization that I could download any number of PS1 classics onto my PS3 and then transfer them over to the PSP. I could play Suikoden, Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy 7 and Metal Gear Solid. The cooler part? I can even copy those save files back onto the PS3 when I get back, and continue the games I started there. This makes me happy.

The idea of playing FF7 and MGS in particular is what really has me stoked, mainly because they are two of my favorite games. This got me thinking. If you guys had a chance to have a handheld and portable version of any of your old school favorite games, what would it be and why? Go!

Sony E3 Presentation Highlights

playstationAfter Microsoft’s Shock and Awe campaign yesterday, I think we were all anxious to see if Sony would even show up for their 2-hour presentation today. Here are the highlights:

  • Sony dude Jack Tretton opened with a joke about how nobody in the industry can keep secrets, a total reference to the leak of the PSP Go from the other day. I think it’s pretty classy that they can make fun of themselves like that.
  • 364 new games coming to Sony systems this year, 35 of which are exclusive. Considering the dearth of PS3 games for a while, this is welcome news.
  • Uncharted 2 Multiplayer beta goes live tonight. Single-player looks very impressive. Really seem to have meshed the shooting and platforming elements. Also, the graphics are incredible.
  • Gameplay footage of MAG. 256 players in one battle. For so many players, it looked kind of lonely. Would have liked to have seen more action.
  • Hannah Montana lilac colored PSP announcement for this Fall is met with cheers. I don’t know if that’s funny or scary.
  • PSP Go! announced officially. Will not replace UMD or other PSPs. 16MB of memory. Can download from PSN with built in Wi-Fi. 50% smaller and 40% lighter than original PSP. The price will be $249.99, available on 10/01/09. Too rich for my blood.
  • Gran Turismo for the PSP. Over 800 cars and 35 tracks. You can trade cars with your friends. Cool, but where is the PS3 version???
  • Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker for the PSP. Kojima announced it himself. Set in the Seventies, 10 years after MGS 3. Might show the origin of Outer Heaven. Looks like a full on MGS game, with the possibility of 4 player co-op in the form of Snake clones.
  • New Resident Evil for the PSP. Also, LittleBigPlanet, Monster Hunter, Motorstorm, Soul Caliber, Fat Princess, Guitar Hero and Star Wars: Battlefront.
  • Final Fantasy VII on PSN TODAY! Also, over 50 PS1 classics by the end of the year.
  • More content coming to Home. Meh.
  • Video of various games, including DC Universe Online, an MMO and also a PS3 exclusive.
  • Rockstar PS3 exclusive: Agent. Spies and assassins in the late 1970s. They claim this will have the same must-have value that GTA did. No footage shown.
  • Assassin’s Creed 2 footage. Looks pretty cool, might have solved the problems of the first game. Out before Christmas along with the PSP version. PS3 version will have 6 exclusive weapons.
  • More Final Fantasy XIII footage. Gorgeous, just like you would expect.
  • Final Fantasy 14 in 2010 for PS3 ONLY! It’s an online game! Awesome footage! This is the megaton announcement!
  • Motion control time: True 1:1 tracking. All of it was a tech demo, looks cool. Coming in 2010.
  • LittleBigPlanet is getting Disney themes. That is kinda awesome.
  • Mod Nation Racers announced. Part of the Play Create Share theme that Nintendo ripped off earlier. Drivers can be customized like in LittleBigPlanet. Think Mario Kart meets Sackboy. Custom tracks! That is pretty neat. Better than making Wario Ware games! The track builder seems easy to use as well, they built one on stage in just a few minutes.
  • The new Team Ico game is called The Last Guardian. The trailer from last week was indeed leaked, but it doesn’t change that this game looks incredible. Interestingly enough, the leaked footage is about a year old apparently, and this stuff looks way better.
  • God of War 3 will be the last game in the series, and it’s going to have some crazy brutal quick time kills. The ones on the centaur and the chimera are stinking insane. Creatures are going to get owned, for sure. The game drops March 2010.

Overall, a pretty solid showing with really no wtf moments to speak of. Not a whole lot of new stuff coming, but when you have this many exclusives coming over the next year, why do you need to drop a lot of new information?

What do you guys think? What’s the most exciting piece of Sony news?

Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil Coming to PSN

mgsOk, considering that I’ve been wanting to play these games for the last few months, this news is just awesome. For you PS3 and PSP owners, a recent ESRB ratings search shows that Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil are coming to the PSN Store for download! Yes, the original honest-to-goodness PlayStation titles.

I’ve been on a bit of a classic gaming kick recently and since I learned the other month that I misplaced my MGS disc, this is definitely a welcome surprise. The original Metal Gear Solid is still to this day one of my top five favorite games of all time, and playing it on my PSP while I travel over the summer is definitely going to be a bonus.

Is anybody else excited about this? Have you ever lost or misplaced an old game that you really wanted to play again?

Source- ESRB

Cube of War Trailer

Once again, got to love the April Fool’s posts from all over the Internet today. Actually, you don’t. I mean, while I think it’s funny that everyone does gags, it actually irritates me that for a whole day I can’t read anything real online. Kind of lame.

However, this fake trailer for a new God of War: Chains of Olympus play mode featuring the Companion Cube from Portal is the opposite of lame. In fact, it’s incredible. I’d totally play this game.

Yuusha 30: The 30 Second RPG

The design philosophy behind the Halo series is “30 seconds of fun” on an endless loop. Yuusha 30 for the PSP is a game that takes this idea almost entirely literally. I heard about this over at BloodworthGT’s GameTrailers page today, and I find it to be incredibly fascinating, from a game design standpoint.

In Yuusha 30, the main premise of the game is that it is an RPG that is only 30 seconds long. You see, an evil wizard is casting some badass spell that is going to wipe out the entire world. As the hero, you have only that amount of time to level up and become strong enough to beat him, before it all comes crashing down. The result is total madness. Observe the first level:

If you thought that was nuts, it actually gets even more insane with each additional stage.
Continue reading Yuusha 30: The 30 Second RPG

2009’s Hottest Portable Games

psp_v_ds2MTV, while not really having a damn thing to do with music anymore, has a surprisingly decent gaming news section on their website. They have compiled a top 5 list of portable games to watch for on MTV.com. I don’t know about you guys, but I love my DS just as much as my PS3 and I am always excited for new games coming out on it.

List after the jump:
Continue reading 2009’s Hottest Portable Games