PlayStation University | www.psuni.com » Editorials http://www.psuni.com The home of your PlayStation education Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:09:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Six PS2 Classics that need to be on PSN (because they won’t get HD remakes) http://www.psuni.com/six-ps2-classics-that-need-to-be-on-psn-13954/ http://www.psuni.com/six-ps2-classics-that-need-to-be-on-psn-13954/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:10:52 +0000 Joe Garcia http://www.psuni.com/?p=13954

The library of great PlayStation 2 games is pretty substantial, isn’t it? No matter what your taste, the system had a wide array of titles to tickle your fancy. That doesn’t mean that they all sold terribly well, and it would be silly to think that all of the PS2’s greatest games would ever see rerelease in the form of HD remasters. That’s where the new PS2 Classics section of the PlayStation Store comes in. Introduced in October, we’ve seen eleven games make their way to PSN (I won’t be calling it SEN anytime soon because screw that). While there are a couple of gems on there -- God Hand and Odin Sphere are wonderful -- there’s plenty of filler. I’m looking right at you, BloodRayne. There are a lot of games that deserve to be played again, and they won’t be calling a PS3-formatted Blu-Ray disc home any time soon. Instead, let’s throw some of them up on PSN, yeah?

The Mark of Kri

The Mark of Kri caught an awful lot of people by surprise when it released in 2002. At a glance, it seemed like a cartoony game, what with it’s stylized graphics and colorful environments. But what was up with that M rating on the front of the box? As it turns out, The Mark of Kri was kind of God of War before God of War. It featured a uniquely satisfying combat mechanic that hasn’t really been repeated since, all while rewarding your fighting prowess with some good ol’ fashioned gore. Not quite as bloody as what Kratos would be doing in a few years’ time, but a little more deliberate. Also unique to Kri is the Polynesian protagonist and setting, which have unfortunately been unexplored beyond this short-lived series. There’s an official theme for Mark of Kri to dress up your PS3 floating around somewhere (I know because I downloaded it), so SCEA obviously have some interest in the game. You should, too.

Bully

As an open-world Rockstar game, Bully (known as Canis Canem Edit to those of you in PAL territories) was hit with controversy before it even had a chance to show what it’s really all about -- Grand Theft Auto in a SCHOOL?! Of course, all of that irrational hub-bub was unfounded, being one of the more heartfelt offerings of 2006. While the game could sometimes feel like GTA-lite as you tried to get back-and-forth between Bullworth Academy and the neighboring town, it was an experience all its own. Instead of robbing banks, you were taking chemistry tests. Instead of playing for 48 straight in-game hours, Jimmy needed to sleep lest he pass out on the street. Instead of banging hookers, you were kissing girls...or even boys, if that’s your thing. Bully already exists as an HD re-release on the Xbox 360; seeing as that was almost four years ago, though, I don’t think we’ll be seeing it on PS3 anytime soon. Unless they throw it up on SEN PSN, that is.

Metal Arms: Glitch in the System

It’s difficult for me to talk about Metal Arms because, well, I never played it. And neither did a lot of other people, for that matter. However, that doesn’t make me any less qualified to talk about it in this respect -- if you’re not targeting people that didn’t play these games upon their original release, then what’s the point? With that in mind, let’s talk about what I do know. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System was an ambitious title, created as a planned trilogy. It was violent shooter, but because the characters were robots it managed to maintain a Teen rating. It sold like crap despite critical acclaim, though, and nothing came of the franchise after. It’s a sad and fascinating story, with Metal Arms’s creator having tried to rescue the dead IP from its corporate masters to no avail. Jim Sterling of Destructoid wrote a fascinating piece on the dead franchises history that you can read by clicking here. It’s currently available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace, but there’s no reason that it shouldn’t exist on the PlayStation Store, too. I think playing a lost bit of gaming history is worth ten bucks, don’t you? ]]>

The library of great PlayStation 2 games is pretty substantial, isn’t it? No matter what your taste, the system had a wide array of titles to tickle your fancy. That doesn’t mean that they all sold terribly well, and it would be silly to think that all of the PS2’s greatest games would ever see rerelease in the form of HD remasters. That’s where the new PS2 Classics section of the PlayStation Store comes in. Introduced in October, we’ve seen eleven games make their way to PSN (I won’t be calling it SEN anytime soon because screw that). While there are a couple of gems on there -- God Hand and Odin Sphere are wonderful -- there’s plenty of filler. I’m looking right at you, BloodRayne. There are a lot of games that deserve to be played again, and they won’t be calling a PS3-formatted Blu-Ray disc home any time soon. Instead, let’s throw some of them up on PSN, yeah?

The Mark of Kri

The Mark of Kri caught an awful lot of people by surprise when it released in 2002. At a glance, it seemed like a cartoony game, what with it’s stylized graphics and colorful environments. But what was up with that M rating on the front of the box? As it turns out, The Mark of Kri was kind of God of War before God of War. It featured a uniquely satisfying combat mechanic that hasn’t really been repeated since, all while rewarding your fighting prowess with some good ol’ fashioned gore. Not quite as bloody as what Kratos would be doing in a few years’ time, but a little more deliberate. Also unique to Kri is the Polynesian protagonist and setting, which have unfortunately been unexplored beyond this short-lived series. There’s an official theme for Mark of Kri to dress up your PS3 floating around somewhere (I know because I downloaded it), so SCEA obviously have some interest in the game. You should, too.

Bully

As an open-world Rockstar game, Bully (known as Canis Canem Edit to those of you in PAL territories) was hit with controversy before it even had a chance to show what it’s really all about -- Grand Theft Auto in a SCHOOL?! Of course, all of that irrational hub-bub was unfounded, being one of the more heartfelt offerings of 2006. While the game could sometimes feel like GTA-lite as you tried to get back-and-forth between Bullworth Academy and the neighboring town, it was an experience all its own. Instead of robbing banks, you were taking chemistry tests. Instead of playing for 48 straight in-game hours, Jimmy needed to sleep lest he pass out on the street. Instead of banging hookers, you were kissing girls...or even boys, if that’s your thing. Bully already exists as an HD re-release on the Xbox 360; seeing as that was almost four years ago, though, I don’t think we’ll be seeing it on PS3 anytime soon. Unless they throw it up on SEN PSN, that is.

Metal Arms: Glitch in the System

It’s difficult for me to talk about Metal Arms because, well, I never played it. And neither did a lot of other people, for that matter. However, that doesn’t make me any less qualified to talk about it in this respect -- if you’re not targeting people that didn’t play these games upon their original release, then what’s the point? With that in mind, let’s talk about what I do know. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System was an ambitious title, created as a planned trilogy. It was violent shooter, but because the characters were robots it managed to maintain a Teen rating. It sold like crap despite critical acclaim, though, and nothing came of the franchise after. It’s a sad and fascinating story, with Metal Arms’s creator having tried to rescue the dead IP from its corporate masters to no avail. Jim Sterling of Destructoid wrote a fascinating piece on the dead franchises history that you can read by clicking here. It’s currently available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace, but there’s no reason that it shouldn’t exist on the PlayStation Store, too. I think playing a lost bit of gaming history is worth ten bucks, don’t you? ]]> http://www.psuni.com/six-ps2-classics-that-need-to-be-on-psn-13954/feed/ 12 The Five Most Underrated Final Fantasy Characters Ever http://www.psuni.com/the-five-most-underrated-final-fantasy-characters-ever-13614/ http://www.psuni.com/the-five-most-underrated-final-fantasy-characters-ever-13614/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:21 +0000 Malcolm Spinedi http://www.psuni.com/?p=13614

In preparation for my upcoming review of Final Fantasy XIII-2, I decided to do a few articles based on the Final Fantasy franchise. As I’ve said before, I’m a huge fan of the series. I still have fond memories of playing through the games during my years in high school. Granted, I played so much I missed out on having a social life, but how many of those so-called popular kids can say they beat Emerald Weapon in Final Fantasy VII? That’s right! No one! There have been many characters to grace this franchise over the years. Most of them have been mentioned in top fives just like this. Guys like Cloud, Sephiroth, Kefka, Kuja, Kain, Locke, and more are mentioned over and over. However, this one is dedicated to five in particular. These five I’ve never seen in any sort of "top five/six/etc." concerning Final Fantasy, not even the negative ones. It's a shame because they did contribute to their game in some way but have never gotten the credit they deserve. Until now, that is.

5. Lulu - Final Fantasy X

Lulu was a big part of the story in FFX. She had an interesting twist on the whole "Black Magician" class, as she was a pretty interesting Goth character. As proficient as she was with magic, she was better known  for two things. For one, she is the first (and only) Final Fantasy character to specialize with teddy bears. No seriously -- her melee attack was to have her teddy bear spring to life and punch the enemy. As sad as that sounds, it's also just as hysterical to see her do 9999 points of damage to a behemoth with it (yes, I leveled that much). Second, she has the biggest rack in the history of the franchise, and also had the best victory pose ever (because it showed off her...um...never mind). So sounds like she gets credit just fine, however I'm here to tell you this isn't case. The reason is the character below: That’s right -- Rikku. This entry I'll admit is to my own personal bias, but I've always considered Lulu to be the hottest of the FFX cast. Maybe it's because I'm a boobs guy, I don't know. But the fact is she isn't, that title goes to Rikku, and I don't understand why. What began as a hypothetical conversation between some friends (and noticing the trends on the webs), has become a very long lasting pet peeve of mine for several years now. People can write to me as much as they want about her looks, personality, or what have you. My response will be the same every time: "She's underage, you'd go to jail." Many forget that Rikku is fifteen at the time of FFX. Eww. Lulu should be considered the most attractive, but isn't thanks to jailbait up there. There is no justice, I tell you.

4. Rydia - Final Fantasy IV

Final Fantasy IV was the first game to make me really take notice of the Final Fantasy franchise, and it's considered by many to be the best Final Fantasy game period. It has a powerful story, memorable characters, and great gameplay. There were many great characters, but every FF fan owes a very special thank you to the Green Summoner, Rydia. Simply put, if it weren't for Rydia then summoning wouldn't be as big as it is in Final Fantasy. People can write in saying how there was summoning in FFIII but it wasn't until Rydia that summoning became a focus. This entry was the first time that the characters excelled in one specific job class, instead of having their pick. All characters did wonders for their class (Dragoons are still my favorite thanks to Kain) but Rydia gave the job some depth. Summons were available in FFIII, but they were an optional class. You could beat it several times over and never do anything with the Summoning class. This was not the case with FFIV, as you were placed right into the role of Rydia, the last of the village of Mist. You literally watched this character start as a child being forced to travel with the same guys who inadvertently wiped out her village and grow into a powerful force of magic. Just as importantly, she introduces to Summons to the general public. Not only that, we later get to go to the dimension where the Summons come from. Wait a second -- you're telling me these creatures have personalities? Thats incredible! Keep in mind here in the US, FFIV was our FFII. So for North America this was our first introduction to summons. Summons got a lot of fame after that. Characters like Bahamut, Shiva, Ifrit, Carbuncle, Alexander, Odin, and more owe a debt of thanks to Rydia, the FF character who made summoning cool. ]]>

In preparation for my upcoming review of Final Fantasy XIII-2, I decided to do a few articles based on the Final Fantasy franchise. As I’ve said before, I’m a huge fan of the series. I still have fond memories of playing through the games during my years in high school. Granted, I played so much I missed out on having a social life, but how many of those so-called popular kids can say they beat Emerald Weapon in Final Fantasy VII? That’s right! No one! There have been many characters to grace this franchise over the years. Most of them have been mentioned in top fives just like this. Guys like Cloud, Sephiroth, Kefka, Kuja, Kain, Locke, and more are mentioned over and over. However, this one is dedicated to five in particular. These five I’ve never seen in any sort of "top five/six/etc." concerning Final Fantasy, not even the negative ones. It's a shame because they did contribute to their game in some way but have never gotten the credit they deserve. Until now, that is.

5. Lulu - Final Fantasy X

Lulu was a big part of the story in FFX. She had an interesting twist on the whole "Black Magician" class, as she was a pretty interesting Goth character. As proficient as she was with magic, she was better known  for two things. For one, she is the first (and only) Final Fantasy character to specialize with teddy bears. No seriously -- her melee attack was to have her teddy bear spring to life and punch the enemy. As sad as that sounds, it's also just as hysterical to see her do 9999 points of damage to a behemoth with it (yes, I leveled that much). Second, she has the biggest rack in the history of the franchise, and also had the best victory pose ever (because it showed off her...um...never mind). So sounds like she gets credit just fine, however I'm here to tell you this isn't case. The reason is the character below: That’s right -- Rikku. This entry I'll admit is to my own personal bias, but I've always considered Lulu to be the hottest of the FFX cast. Maybe it's because I'm a boobs guy, I don't know. But the fact is she isn't, that title goes to Rikku, and I don't understand why. What began as a hypothetical conversation between some friends (and noticing the trends on the webs), has become a very long lasting pet peeve of mine for several years now. People can write to me as much as they want about her looks, personality, or what have you. My response will be the same every time: "She's underage, you'd go to jail." Many forget that Rikku is fifteen at the time of FFX. Eww. Lulu should be considered the most attractive, but isn't thanks to jailbait up there. There is no justice, I tell you.

4. Rydia - Final Fantasy IV

Final Fantasy IV was the first game to make me really take notice of the Final Fantasy franchise, and it's considered by many to be the best Final Fantasy game period. It has a powerful story, memorable characters, and great gameplay. There were many great characters, but every FF fan owes a very special thank you to the Green Summoner, Rydia. Simply put, if it weren't for Rydia then summoning wouldn't be as big as it is in Final Fantasy. People can write in saying how there was summoning in FFIII but it wasn't until Rydia that summoning became a focus. This entry was the first time that the characters excelled in one specific job class, instead of having their pick. All characters did wonders for their class (Dragoons are still my favorite thanks to Kain) but Rydia gave the job some depth. Summons were available in FFIII, but they were an optional class. You could beat it several times over and never do anything with the Summoning class. This was not the case with FFIV, as you were placed right into the role of Rydia, the last of the village of Mist. You literally watched this character start as a child being forced to travel with the same guys who inadvertently wiped out her village and grow into a powerful force of magic. Just as importantly, she introduces to Summons to the general public. Not only that, we later get to go to the dimension where the Summons come from. Wait a second -- you're telling me these creatures have personalities? Thats incredible! Keep in mind here in the US, FFIV was our FFII. So for North America this was our first introduction to summons. Summons got a lot of fame after that. Characters like Bahamut, Shiva, Ifrit, Carbuncle, Alexander, Odin, and more owe a debt of thanks to Rydia, the FF character who made summoning cool. ]]> http://www.psuni.com/the-five-most-underrated-final-fantasy-characters-ever-13614/feed/ 2 PS Uni Underground Radio 005: Horse Armor or Some Garbage http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-005-horse-armor-or-some-garbage-13888/ http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-005-horse-armor-or-some-garbage-13888/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:25:07 +0000 Malcolm Spinedi http://www.psuni.com/?p=13888

Rising from the ashes, the Trio return from oblivion (death, not the game) to record the latest episode of PS Uni's Underground Radio. Speaking of which, while the guys do crack some jokes, the site is now up and fully operational! The crew have a pretty serious conversation about online codes and the ethics behind them. Also, Malcolm talks a little about a recent discovery about Final Fantasy XIII-2, and its ending (WARNING! Spoiler in this conversation; scrub ahead a minute or two when we tell you to, we won't mind). Has Final Fantasy missed yet another step, or could this an innovative move on Square's part? All this and more in the news! Finally, Joe wrote a very interesting piece about The Five Greatest Open Worlds Ever. The boys discuss his picks, and chat about some of their picks for this list. Finally, you have precious little time to enter a chance to win a free Starhawk beta code by commenting on last week's show. If not, we'll just have to give 'em away somewhere else, and who wants that? All this plus what else Joe hates, this week in the Underground! Subscribe on iTunes | RSS Running Time: 1:38:04 Hosts: Joe Garcia (@Wons23), Malcolm Spinedi (@NotintheMiddle), Tyler Lee (@_SamuraiZero_) Music: No More Lies by George & Jonathan | Buy “The Best Music” on Bandcamp]]>

Rising from the ashes, the Trio return from oblivion (death, not the game) to record the latest episode of PS Uni's Underground Radio. Speaking of which, while the guys do crack some jokes, the site is now up and fully operational! The crew have a pretty serious conversation about online codes and the ethics behind them. Also, Malcolm talks a little about a recent discovery about Final Fantasy XIII-2, and its ending (WARNING! Spoiler in this conversation; scrub ahead a minute or two when we tell you to, we won't mind). Has Final Fantasy missed yet another step, or could this an innovative move on Square's part? All this and more in the news! Finally, Joe wrote a very interesting piece about The Five Greatest Open Worlds Ever. The boys discuss his picks, and chat about some of their picks for this list. Finally, you have precious little time to enter a chance to win a free Starhawk beta code by commenting on last week's show. If not, we'll just have to give 'em away somewhere else, and who wants that? All this plus what else Joe hates, this week in the Underground! Subscribe on iTunes | RSS Running Time: 1:38:04 Hosts: Joe Garcia (@Wons23), Malcolm Spinedi (@NotintheMiddle), Tyler Lee (@_SamuraiZero_) Music: No More Lies by George & Jonathan | Buy “The Best Music” on Bandcamp]]> http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-005-horse-armor-or-some-garbage-13888/feed/ 0 The Five Greatest Open Worlds Ever http://www.psuni.com/the-five-greatest-open-worlds-ever-13794/ http://www.psuni.com/the-five-greatest-open-worlds-ever-13794/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:41:53 +0000 Joe Garcia http://www.psuni.com/?p=13794

When Grand Theft Auto III released a little over ten years ago, it was a revelation. No longer were games to be bound by the mission-to-mission, level-to-level linearity that generations of gamers had grown accustomed to. Here we were given free reign to do seemingly anything in a living, breathing city and allowed to pursue the story however we wanted. That is, if we didn’t feel like driving off of sweet jumps and going on murderous rampages instead. All of this time later and there have been many a game to attempt getting a piece of the GTA pie. Some, such as Saints Row, have done so successfully. The True Crimes of the world...not so much. Still, that doesn’t stop developers from infusing sandbox fun into their titles, and the phenomenon is no longer limited to crime romps. From shooters to RPGs, and even racers, plenty have made great use of the open world mechanic. Now, this list isn’t necessarily about the best open-world games, but rather the sandboxes that they take place in. Which settings gave you the best time-wasting bang for your buck between missions? I’m glad you asked.

5. New York City - Spider-Man 2

We’ll kick things off with the only nonfictional setting on the list. The Big Apple is a setting that is overplayed in games and movies, but Activision gave us a whole new way to experience it when they dropped one of the best movie tie-ins ever onto our laps. The fun of swinging around Manhattan wasn’t so much in the tasks that you could tackle -- delivering pizzas (yes really) and collecting balloons for children lose their luster after about the tenth time. No, the real magic lies simply in swinging around. It wasn’t a concept unfamiliar to previous Spider-Man games, but this time it was different. In Spider-Man 2, Treyarch implemented some fancy new physics algorithms that allowed for more realistic web-slinging, so to speak. Things like release points, velocity, and trajectory were all factors that determined how you’d swing. Just as importantly, you had to be near an anchor point to even attach your web; no more swinging in open spaces. As a result, many hours were spent between friends to see who could get from point A to point B faster, or who could do a better job of navigating tricky corners. I spent an immeasurable amount of time climbing to the top of the Empire State Building and jumping off, just to shoot a web at the last possible second. Batman: Arkham City is the best superhero game of all time, but Spider-Man 2 was the first that actually let me feel like I was in the hero’s shoes.

4. New Austin - Red Dead Redemption

We already know that Red Dead Redemption is a fine game that any gentleman would love to play. We also know that the game is popular with less-than-honorable intentions. You’ve got a few things that you would expect to be able to do in an open-world western, such as getting blind drunk at a saloon or hunting.You can also play what is secretly one of the best Texas Hold ‘Em games available anywhere, cheat, get caught, then shoot the guy who caught you dead in the street. You can rob banks and and tie women to train tracks, like the dastardly villain in so many silent films. That’s an interesting segue, though, because taking in silent movies is one of several gentlemanly endeavors that you can partake in. It sounds like a dumb waste of time, but the silent films in RDR are some of the funniest things you’ll see in a video game, all without ever saying a word. Once you’re done taking in the arts, you can wander the countryside looking for flowers to pick. Aww, ain’t that nice? Miraculously, none of it is ever boring. You collect the flowers on your way to 100% game completion, but you’re always happy to do it. It’s...strange. Your time in the Old West can be as wild as you’d like, or as gentlemanly as your refined sensibilities lead you to be. There’s no question that New Austin is one of the best open worlds in all of gaming.

3. Skyrim - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I’ve put Skyrim into my disc drive but four times, yet I've amassed 28 hours of game time. At best, half of that time was spent completing quest lines. Of course, I always mean to follow up on quests. There are an awful lot of them, after all, so I’m constantly setting markers and going on my merry way. I travel up mountain paths and...wait, is that another cave entrance on my compass? I mean, I’m already carrying an awful lot of stuff, but I guess I’ll check it out. I’ll just take a strength potion on the way out if I need to. Wow, the bandit leader had a pretty slammin’ warhammer, didn’t she? I bet I can offload this for a pretty penny. And look, silver ore! Now I can make that jeweled necklace! It’ll be worth more if I enchant it, though...guess I’ll head back into town and do all of that. I’d may as well smith a few daggers while I’m here, too. Jesus, I got pretty sidetracked. Let’s try that again. Actually, let’s try a different marker. Boy, this river is quite tranq-- wait, was that a...yep! COME ‘ERE, YOU DRAGON SUMBITCH! ... I should probably unload all of these dragon scales and bones back in my house in town. Hey, is that another mine? ]]>

When Grand Theft Auto III released a little over ten years ago, it was a revelation. No longer were games to be bound by the mission-to-mission, level-to-level linearity that generations of gamers had grown accustomed to. Here we were given free reign to do seemingly anything in a living, breathing city and allowed to pursue the story however we wanted. That is, if we didn’t feel like driving off of sweet jumps and going on murderous rampages instead. All of this time later and there have been many a game to attempt getting a piece of the GTA pie. Some, such as Saints Row, have done so successfully. The True Crimes of the world...not so much. Still, that doesn’t stop developers from infusing sandbox fun into their titles, and the phenomenon is no longer limited to crime romps. From shooters to RPGs, and even racers, plenty have made great use of the open world mechanic. Now, this list isn’t necessarily about the best open-world games, but rather the sandboxes that they take place in. Which settings gave you the best time-wasting bang for your buck between missions? I’m glad you asked.

5. New York City - Spider-Man 2

We’ll kick things off with the only nonfictional setting on the list. The Big Apple is a setting that is overplayed in games and movies, but Activision gave us a whole new way to experience it when they dropped one of the best movie tie-ins ever onto our laps. The fun of swinging around Manhattan wasn’t so much in the tasks that you could tackle -- delivering pizzas (yes really) and collecting balloons for children lose their luster after about the tenth time. No, the real magic lies simply in swinging around. It wasn’t a concept unfamiliar to previous Spider-Man games, but this time it was different. In Spider-Man 2, Treyarch implemented some fancy new physics algorithms that allowed for more realistic web-slinging, so to speak. Things like release points, velocity, and trajectory were all factors that determined how you’d swing. Just as importantly, you had to be near an anchor point to even attach your web; no more swinging in open spaces. As a result, many hours were spent between friends to see who could get from point A to point B faster, or who could do a better job of navigating tricky corners. I spent an immeasurable amount of time climbing to the top of the Empire State Building and jumping off, just to shoot a web at the last possible second. Batman: Arkham City is the best superhero game of all time, but Spider-Man 2 was the first that actually let me feel like I was in the hero’s shoes.

4. New Austin - Red Dead Redemption

We already know that Red Dead Redemption is a fine game that any gentleman would love to play. We also know that the game is popular with less-than-honorable intentions. You’ve got a few things that you would expect to be able to do in an open-world western, such as getting blind drunk at a saloon or hunting.You can also play what is secretly one of the best Texas Hold ‘Em games available anywhere, cheat, get caught, then shoot the guy who caught you dead in the street. You can rob banks and and tie women to train tracks, like the dastardly villain in so many silent films. That’s an interesting segue, though, because taking in silent movies is one of several gentlemanly endeavors that you can partake in. It sounds like a dumb waste of time, but the silent films in RDR are some of the funniest things you’ll see in a video game, all without ever saying a word. Once you’re done taking in the arts, you can wander the countryside looking for flowers to pick. Aww, ain’t that nice? Miraculously, none of it is ever boring. You collect the flowers on your way to 100% game completion, but you’re always happy to do it. It’s...strange. Your time in the Old West can be as wild as you’d like, or as gentlemanly as your refined sensibilities lead you to be. There’s no question that New Austin is one of the best open worlds in all of gaming.

3. Skyrim - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I’ve put Skyrim into my disc drive but four times, yet I've amassed 28 hours of game time. At best, half of that time was spent completing quest lines. Of course, I always mean to follow up on quests. There are an awful lot of them, after all, so I’m constantly setting markers and going on my merry way. I travel up mountain paths and...wait, is that another cave entrance on my compass? I mean, I’m already carrying an awful lot of stuff, but I guess I’ll check it out. I’ll just take a strength potion on the way out if I need to. Wow, the bandit leader had a pretty slammin’ warhammer, didn’t she? I bet I can offload this for a pretty penny. And look, silver ore! Now I can make that jeweled necklace! It’ll be worth more if I enchant it, though...guess I’ll head back into town and do all of that. I’d may as well smith a few daggers while I’m here, too. Jesus, I got pretty sidetracked. Let’s try that again. Actually, let’s try a different marker. Boy, this river is quite tranq-- wait, was that a...yep! COME ‘ERE, YOU DRAGON SUMBITCH! ... I should probably unload all of these dragon scales and bones back in my house in town. Hey, is that another mine? ]]> http://www.psuni.com/the-five-greatest-open-worlds-ever-13794/feed/ 12 PS Uni Underground Radio 004: Drop Dead Distance http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-004-drop-dead-distance-13755/ http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-004-drop-dead-distance-13755/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:46:53 +0000 Joe Garcia http://www.psuni.com/?p=13755

The PlayStation University editors congregate once again! The Terrific Trio talk about news such as Insomniac Games finally calling it quits on Resistance and the future of the franchise, AT&T raising their prices on 3G plans for the Vita, and more in the news. Next we tackle some more Vita-tastic news as Joe goes in-depth with his "Five Sleeper Hits of the PS Vita Launch" piece. Are the games really that cool, or should you just save for Uncharted? Find out as we dissect these games in our main event. We finish the show with a brand-new community segment, including a contest for two Starhawk public beta vouchers -- listen to find out how to win! But because technical difficulties have kept us from posting news items beyond what we discussed on the show (we recorded it last Thursday and published it to iTunes on Friday, January 26), disregard the deadline mentioned within. The new deadline for entry is now Monday, February 6th. Post your entries below! Also: Is there anyone who's never watched Star Wars? What's the name of the next Kingdom Hearts game? Is Joe really the weird one of the group? The answer to these questions and more on PS Uni Underground Radio! Subscribe on iTunes | RSS Running Time: 1:08:58 Hosts: Joe Garcia (@Wons23), Malcolm Spinedi (@NotintheMiddle), Tyler Lee (@_SamuraiZero_) Music: No More Lies by George & Jonathan | Buy "The Best Music" on Bandcamp]]>

The PlayStation University editors congregate once again! The Terrific Trio talk about news such as Insomniac Games finally calling it quits on Resistance and the future of the franchise, AT&T raising their prices on 3G plans for the Vita, and more in the news. Next we tackle some more Vita-tastic news as Joe goes in-depth with his "Five Sleeper Hits of the PS Vita Launch" piece. Are the games really that cool, or should you just save for Uncharted? Find out as we dissect these games in our main event. We finish the show with a brand-new community segment, including a contest for two Starhawk public beta vouchers -- listen to find out how to win! But because technical difficulties have kept us from posting news items beyond what we discussed on the show (we recorded it last Thursday and published it to iTunes on Friday, January 26), disregard the deadline mentioned within. The new deadline for entry is now Monday, February 6th. Post your entries below! Also: Is there anyone who's never watched Star Wars? What's the name of the next Kingdom Hearts game? Is Joe really the weird one of the group? The answer to these questions and more on PS Uni Underground Radio! Subscribe on iTunes | RSS Running Time: 1:08:58 Hosts: Joe Garcia (@Wons23), Malcolm Spinedi (@NotintheMiddle), Tyler Lee (@_SamuraiZero_) Music: No More Lies by George & Jonathan | Buy "The Best Music" on Bandcamp]]> http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-004-drop-dead-distance-13755/feed/ 2 The Five Sleeper Hits of the PS Vita Launch http://www.psuni.com/the-sleeper-hits-of-the-ps-vita-launch-13683/ http://www.psuni.com/the-sleeper-hits-of-the-ps-vita-launch-13683/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:30:24 +0000 Joe Garcia http://www.psuni.com/?p=13683

I got a chance to attend one of Sony’s Vita Hill Social Club events last week, where I got some substantial hands-on time with the upcoming handheld. Sony had all of their biggest first-party launch titles there for gamers to try, some of them with the purpose of showing off the Vita’s exciting new features. WipEout 2048 was there for PS3 cross-play, Little Deviants showed off the front and rear touchpad to great effect, and Uncharted: Golden Abyss made excellent use of motion control. Those are all well and good, but with over 20 titles slated to be available at launch a few gems are bound to be overlooked. While I enjoy AAA blockbusters as much as the next guy, I also enjoy rooting for the underdog. With that in mind, here are the sleeper hits that you should give another look when you pick up your Vita on February 22nd.

Lumines Electronic Symphony

Back when the PSP launched way back in 2005, Lumines caught everyone by surprise. Hell, it was arguably the best game available at launch, no small feat releasing next to titles such as Metal Gear Ac!d, Twisted Metal: Head-On, and WipEout Pure. With the Vita set to release soon, we’ve got another Lumines game to look forward to. This time, though, no one will be caught off guard by Electronic Symphony. It keeps the gameplay that was so popular in its two PSP entries, while adding touchscreen control for those so inclined. So why’s it on the list? Have you seen the games that are going to be available at launch? Lumines might be great fun, but even classic puzzle goodness will have a tough time breaking away from a launch crowd that includes a full-fledged Uncharted game and console-quality Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and FIFA ports.

Escape Plan

Escape Plan will be available on launch day, but you won’t see it when you pick up the Vita at your favorite retailer; it will only be available on PSN. While that means the price will be easier on our wallets, it’ll be a lot less visible to the public -- especially those without internet access. Hopefully people will saunter into the PlayStation Store as soon as they get their Vita home, because Escape Plan looks spectacular. It’s not just its eye-grabbing black-and-white visuals; the game is geared to make innovative use of the hardware’s fancy new touch and motion controls. The title implies the objective: guide your two dudes out of death-trap laden rooms. Swipe to make the characters move across the screen, tilt to make them float in the appropriate upwards direction. We’ve seen the “get the hell outta there!” premise before in titles like Exit, but Escape Plan promises to deliver that in a whole new way. It’s a title well worth loading up your PSN wallet for. ]]>

I got a chance to attend one of Sony’s Vita Hill Social Club events last week, where I got some substantial hands-on time with the upcoming handheld. Sony had all of their biggest first-party launch titles there for gamers to try, some of them with the purpose of showing off the Vita’s exciting new features. WipEout 2048 was there for PS3 cross-play, Little Deviants showed off the front and rear touchpad to great effect, and Uncharted: Golden Abyss made excellent use of motion control. Those are all well and good, but with over 20 titles slated to be available at launch a few gems are bound to be overlooked. While I enjoy AAA blockbusters as much as the next guy, I also enjoy rooting for the underdog. With that in mind, here are the sleeper hits that you should give another look when you pick up your Vita on February 22nd.

Lumines Electronic Symphony

Back when the PSP launched way back in 2005, Lumines caught everyone by surprise. Hell, it was arguably the best game available at launch, no small feat releasing next to titles such as Metal Gear Ac!d, Twisted Metal: Head-On, and WipEout Pure. With the Vita set to release soon, we’ve got another Lumines game to look forward to. This time, though, no one will be caught off guard by Electronic Symphony. It keeps the gameplay that was so popular in its two PSP entries, while adding touchscreen control for those so inclined. So why’s it on the list? Have you seen the games that are going to be available at launch? Lumines might be great fun, but even classic puzzle goodness will have a tough time breaking away from a launch crowd that includes a full-fledged Uncharted game and console-quality Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and FIFA ports.

Escape Plan

Escape Plan will be available on launch day, but you won’t see it when you pick up the Vita at your favorite retailer; it will only be available on PSN. While that means the price will be easier on our wallets, it’ll be a lot less visible to the public -- especially those without internet access. Hopefully people will saunter into the PlayStation Store as soon as they get their Vita home, because Escape Plan looks spectacular. It’s not just its eye-grabbing black-and-white visuals; the game is geared to make innovative use of the hardware’s fancy new touch and motion controls. The title implies the objective: guide your two dudes out of death-trap laden rooms. Swipe to make the characters move across the screen, tilt to make them float in the appropriate upwards direction. We’ve seen the “get the hell outta there!” premise before in titles like Exit, but Escape Plan promises to deliver that in a whole new way. It’s a title well worth loading up your PSN wallet for. ]]> http://www.psuni.com/the-sleeper-hits-of-the-ps-vita-launch-13683/feed/ 0 PS Uni Underground Radio 003: Sexy Frames Per Second http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-003-sexy-frames-per-second-13582/ http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-003-sexy-frames-per-second-13582/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:37:27 +0000 Malcolm Spinedi http://www.psuni.com/?p=13582

The Playstation University editors join forces once more. This time, however, we call it by its proper new name! Join us as we discuss the latest news including Mortal Kombat on Vita and Resident Evil 6. From there we discuss impressions to three new demos that came out -- Tyler takes on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Asura's Wrath, while Malcolm takes on Final Fantasy XIII-2. Does Reckoning play well? Can something positive be made from Final Fantasy XIII-2? Is Asura's Wrath worth 60 bucks? In our Main Event, Joe has touched and played with a Vita! With Sony's new handheld less than a month away, was Joe impressed? What was the best game there? What information does he have? And who's buying one? The answer to these questions and more in lie Episode 003 of PSUni Underground! Download Episode 003 | Subscribe on iTunes | RSS
Running Time: 1:19:31
Hosts: Joe Garcia (@Wons23), Malcolm Spinedi (@NotintheMiddle), Tyler Lee (@_SamuraiZero_) Music: No More Lies by George & Jonathan | Buy "The Best Music" on Bandcamp]]>

The Playstation University editors join forces once more. This time, however, we call it by its proper new name! Join us as we discuss the latest news including Mortal Kombat on Vita and Resident Evil 6. From there we discuss impressions to three new demos that came out -- Tyler takes on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Asura's Wrath, while Malcolm takes on Final Fantasy XIII-2. Does Reckoning play well? Can something positive be made from Final Fantasy XIII-2? Is Asura's Wrath worth 60 bucks? In our Main Event, Joe has touched and played with a Vita! With Sony's new handheld less than a month away, was Joe impressed? What was the best game there? What information does he have? And who's buying one? The answer to these questions and more in lie Episode 003 of PSUni Underground! Download Episode 003 | Subscribe on iTunes | RSS
Running Time: 1:19:31
Hosts: Joe Garcia (@Wons23), Malcolm Spinedi (@NotintheMiddle), Tyler Lee (@_SamuraiZero_) Music: No More Lies by George & Jonathan | Buy "The Best Music" on Bandcamp]]> http://www.psuni.com/ps-uni-underground-radio-003-sexy-frames-per-second-13582/feed/ 0 PlayStation 101: Everything You Need to Know About 3G on PS Vita http://www.psuni.com/playstation-101-everything-you-need-to-know-about-ps-vita-3g-13557/ http://www.psuni.com/playstation-101-everything-you-need-to-know-about-ps-vita-3g-13557/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:53:29 +0000 Joe Garcia http://www.psuni.com/?p=13557

With this post we’re kicking off what we hope will be a recurring feature: PlayStation 101. Here we’ll clarify any confusing issues or myths surrounding the PlayStation brand and give you all of the information that you seek in one place. The PlayStation Vita has been available in Japan for over a month now, and we’re just a few weeks away from its worldwide release. Still, there seems to be some confusion regarding the two available models. That’s what happens when Sony divides its audience with weird choices, but that’s another post altogether. What can you do with 3G that you otherwise couldn’t? What can't you do? Ultimately, which PS Vita is right for you? Read on. What does it cost? The hardware is simple: You can buy a 3G+Wi-Fi model for $299 in the US, £279 in the UK, and €299 throughout Europe. Australia and New Zealand once again get the shaft, unfortunately, and can buy one at $418 and $550, respectively. As for data, AT&T will be the exclusive 3G carrier for PS Vita in the United States. $14.99 a month will get you 250MB of wireless data, and $24.99 a month will get you 2GB $30 will get you 3 GB. There are no contracts, so you’ll be able to buy data month-to-month as you see fit. Everywhere else, Vodafone is the “preferred” 3G provider for the Vita. Prices aren’t set in stone, but if AT&T’s prices are anything to go by then you can expect the same data options that are available for 3G tablet users. In the UK, that means £7.50 a month for 500 MB, or £15 a month for 2 GB from Vodafone. Where can I use 3G? Much like a cell phone or iPad, you’ll be able to take your Vita just about anywhere on the planet and be connected via 3G. However, roaming data rates can get very expensive very quickly, so exercise caution and only use it when necessary when traveling. Can I just wait until I reach my destination and buy data there? You would hope so, but that’s not necessarily the case. In the US, the Vita has been designed to work with AT&T, and AT&T only. If it’s even possible to buy data abroad, you’d presumably have to find another provider that runs a GSM network. Conversely, an imported 3G Vita wouldn’t work with AT&T’s network here in the US. What kind of multiplayer options does 3G present? Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play standard multiplayer games over a 3G network. It’s a bit disappointing, but with how easy it is to disrupt a 3G connection, it’s probably for the best. After all, no one wants a deathmatch or close race to disconnect because someone drove through a tunnel. Instead, 3G Vita players will become acquainted with asynchronous multiplayer. That is, games that don’t require two players to be active at the same time. One prime example is Zipper Interactive’s upcoming Unit 13. The shooter will update leaderboards in real-time, telling you that a friend has beaten your score as soon as it happens. While you won’t be able to play Call of Duty from your car against your buddy playing at home, turn-based gameplay is still an option. Apple’s rival iOS platform is loaded with games that excel at this type of multiplayer, such as Words with Friends or the recently released Hero Academy. Will I be able to download games and apps via 3G? Well, that depends. Currently, AT&T limits downloads to 20 MB via 3G devices, and the Vita won’t be any different -- you’ll have to find a wi-fi connection to download anything bigger. You might be able to download smaller PSP Minis or apps from the PlayStation Store, but you can forget about downloading full-fledged games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss. What’s this I hear about GPS functionality? 3G connectivity means that certain games and apps will be able to track your location. The built-in social app Near will make use of the functionality to help you track nearby Vita users to see what games they’ve been playing, and maybe even join in on their fun. Presumably, you’ll also be able to attach your location to a number of different social apps, such as LiveTweet and the inevitable Facebook app. As for games, we’re unaware of specific uses by any launch titles. Of course, that will probably change sooner rather than later as developers implement clever uses for GPS in their games. Will I be able to stream Netflix via 3G? Sony recently announced the service coming to Vita, but they didn’t say whether or not it would work on 3G. With a meager 20MB download limit and file sizes going well into the hundreds, though, I don’t see it being very practical outside of a wi-fi connection. What other uses are there for 3G outside of games? There’s the Near app, which I described above, and Twitter will have a presence on the Vita through the LiveTweet app. Combined with the ability to take in-game screenshots, you’ll be able to tweet your escapades in real time. Music Unlimited will also be available for music streaming on day one. Other apps in development include Flickr for photo sharing, Foursquare for location check-ins, and Skype for making voice calls. If you have any other questions or nuggets of information that weren't posted in here, feel free to post them in the comments and I’ll add them in later.]]>

With this post we’re kicking off what we hope will be a recurring feature: PlayStation 101. Here we’ll clarify any confusing issues or myths surrounding the PlayStation brand and give you all of the information that you seek in one place. The PlayStation Vita has been available in Japan for over a month now, and we’re just a few weeks away from its worldwide release. Still, there seems to be some confusion regarding the two available models. That’s what happens when Sony divides its audience with weird choices, but that’s another post altogether. What can you do with 3G that you otherwise couldn’t? What can't you do? Ultimately, which PS Vita is right for you? Read on. What does it cost? The hardware is simple: You can buy a 3G+Wi-Fi model for $299 in the US, £279 in the UK, and €299 throughout Europe. Australia and New Zealand once again get the shaft, unfortunately, and can buy one at $418 and $550, respectively. As for data, AT&T will be the exclusive 3G carrier for PS Vita in the United States. $14.99 a month will get you 250MB of wireless data, and $24.99 a month will get you 2GB $30 will get you 3 GB. There are no contracts, so you’ll be able to buy data month-to-month as you see fit. Everywhere else, Vodafone is the “preferred” 3G provider for the Vita. Prices aren’t set in stone, but if AT&T’s prices are anything to go by then you can expect the same data options that are available for 3G tablet users. In the UK, that means £7.50 a month for 500 MB, or £15 a month for 2 GB from Vodafone. Where can I use 3G? Much like a cell phone or iPad, you’ll be able to take your Vita just about anywhere on the planet and be connected via 3G. However, roaming data rates can get very expensive very quickly, so exercise caution and only use it when necessary when traveling. Can I just wait until I reach my destination and buy data there? You would hope so, but that’s not necessarily the case. In the US, the Vita has been designed to work with AT&T, and AT&T only. If it’s even possible to buy data abroad, you’d presumably have to find another provider that runs a GSM network. Conversely, an imported 3G Vita wouldn’t work with AT&T’s network here in the US. What kind of multiplayer options does 3G present? Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play standard multiplayer games over a 3G network. It’s a bit disappointing, but with how easy it is to disrupt a 3G connection, it’s probably for the best. After all, no one wants a deathmatch or close race to disconnect because someone drove through a tunnel. Instead, 3G Vita players will become acquainted with asynchronous multiplayer. That is, games that don’t require two players to be active at the same time. One prime example is Zipper Interactive’s upcoming Unit 13. The shooter will update leaderboards in real-time, telling you that a friend has beaten your score as soon as it happens. While you won’t be able to play Call of Duty from your car against your buddy playing at home, turn-based gameplay is still an option. Apple’s rival iOS platform is loaded with games that excel at this type of multiplayer, such as Words with Friends or the recently released Hero Academy. Will I be able to download games and apps via 3G? Well, that depends. Currently, AT&T limits downloads to 20 MB via 3G devices, and the Vita won’t be any different -- you’ll have to find a wi-fi connection to download anything bigger. You might be able to download smaller PSP Minis or apps from the PlayStation Store, but you can forget about downloading full-fledged games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss. What’s this I hear about GPS functionality? 3G connectivity means that certain games and apps will be able to track your location. The built-in social app Near will make use of the functionality to help you track nearby Vita users to see what games they’ve been playing, and maybe even join in on their fun. Presumably, you’ll also be able to attach your location to a number of different social apps, such as LiveTweet and the inevitable Facebook app. As for games, we’re unaware of specific uses by any launch titles. Of course, that will probably change sooner rather than later as developers implement clever uses for GPS in their games. Will I be able to stream Netflix via 3G? Sony recently announced the service coming to Vita, but they didn’t say whether or not it would work on 3G. With a meager 20MB download limit and file sizes going well into the hundreds, though, I don’t see it being very practical outside of a wi-fi connection. What other uses are there for 3G outside of games? There’s the Near app, which I described above, and Twitter will have a presence on the Vita through the LiveTweet app. Combined with the ability to take in-game screenshots, you’ll be able to tweet your escapades in real time. Music Unlimited will also be available for music streaming on day one. Other apps in development include Flickr for photo sharing, Foursquare for location check-ins, and Skype for making voice calls. If you have any other questions or nuggets of information that weren't posted in here, feel free to post them in the comments and I’ll add them in later.]]> http://www.psuni.com/playstation-101-everything-you-need-to-know-about-ps-vita-3g-13557/feed/ 9 Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Demo Impressions http://www.psuni.com/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-demo-impressions-13524/ http://www.psuni.com/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-demo-impressions-13524/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:40:46 +0000 Tyler Lee http://www.psuni.com/?p=13524

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has been causing a little bit of a splash in the gaming community over the past few months, and it's close to the top of my list of games I’m most looking forward to this year. Needless to say I was more than ready when EA released the demo this week. After my time with Kingdoms of Amalur, I must say that I am certainly looking forward to the full game to see how much more this intriguing world has to offer. You're immediately tossed into an opening cutscene explaining something about a war that has been raging for several years, tearing the land and people apart. You see what appears to be the main antagonist, an evil king that uses his dark powers to dominate the races. The first thing you’ll notice is that the graphics aren’t the most realistic looking, but that doesn’t appear to be a problem. They, along with the gameplay, have a Fable feel about them, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was clear that the developers where not going for overly realistic graphics. Instead they focused on graphics and visuals that complement the combat and story, and it works great. After the intriguing cutscene, you're (sort of) introduced to your character. You start off your journey ... dead, covered up under a sheet while two dwarfs wheel you somewhere and chat about how unlucky you are. After some humorously dark dialogue, the character creation begins. The character creation isn’t as deep as games like Skyrim or the Dragon Age series, but you're given all the necessities: Hair style/color, facial hair style/color, tattoos, jewelry, facial shape, etc. Your choices were from one of four classes. They are a little vague as to what the classes specialize in, but they are basically your typical warrior, rogue, mage, and thief classes. Although the class selection seems a bit shallow, you are able to choose a god to follow, which gives you special increases in certain attributes such as magical and elemental attacks, brute strength, extra stealth, and so forth. It may not take you an hour  to create your character, but you are given enough to craft a character that will face enemies just the way you want them to. I initially chose a warrior base with a god that gave me an increase to my physical abilities, but that didn’t anchor me down to a certain play style at all. After I created my character, I was dumped into a cavern filled with rotting corpses. After I awoke, the game begins for real and was in total control of my character. I was weaponless and in rags, though that would soon change. I progressed through the starting area, a large cavern filled with spiders, enemy soldiers, and an interesting troll that didn’t really get along with me. As I battled my way through the dank, dark caves, I found several different kinds of weapons to try out, such as a huge sword, a pair of quick daggers, a bow, and a magical fire-spitting staff. Later on I even unlocked my magic abilities, which increased the variety of combat even more. The combat is without a doubt the selling point for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. You are able to equip any weapon you find as either your primary or secondary weapon. Primary is used with square and secondary is used with triangle. You can switch between the weapons in the middle of combat by using a combination of both buttons. While slaughtering my foes with a giant sword, I switched mid attack to a pair of daggers and swiftly dealt some more damage, or switched enemies completely and dealt with a mob of baddies. It all depended on how I felt. Combine this with the ability to use magical attacks, and I had access to three different attacks that I used interchangeably, allowing for some very unique combos and play styles. As I made my way through the caverns, I came up against mob after mob  and found new ways to deal with each. Throughout the caves I switched back and forth between brute warrior, stealthy rogue, and magical spellcaster, seeing which one tickled my fancy best. Each appealed to me in different ways. As a warrior I could get up close and personal and deal some hard hitting damage. As a rogue I could sneak up on enemies and get treated to a cinematic stealth kill or quickly eviscerate my foes with fast attacks. Finally as a mage, I could deal massive amounts of elemental damage from a distance or up close. Each style feels rewarding and hard hitting, making each blow you give feel real and worth the effort. After I had my taste of each style, I started using magic and physical attacks interchangeably during most situations, making boredom with the combat non-existent. At points you are able to converse with other characters within the world. The dialogue is very much like Bioware’s many titles such as the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series. You get a wheel for advancing dialogue, allowing for different choices. However, with the little bit I had with it, it is difficult to tell if my choices would have far-reaching consequences, although that is definitely what is hinted. Eventually I leveled up. Several options were at my disposal: Might (warrior), Finesse (rogue), and Spells (mage). Again, it may not be as extensive as some games out there, but it allows you to craft the perfect fighter, even allowing for hybrid creations, which was the most rewarding play style for me. My only complaints during the demo are that the audio drops out in certain places -- whether it be music or sound effects -- and the dialogue text speeds up and is unreadable after the first five or so minutes of play. This may be me or it might be the demo. Either way I hope it is fixed by the time Reckoning is released. After I escaped the dark cave and made my way out into the open world, I was informed that I had forty five minutes to explore, accept and accomplish quests, and what not. Though not as massive as the full game will be, I was able to see enough to pique my curiosity about the rest of the world that I didn’t have access to. The demo opens up the world of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning to everyone and gives you just enough to know that you have a unique experience at your finger tips. The combat was rewarding and offered enough variety to keep me entertained despite my short time spent within, and my brief glimpse of the world was fulfilling enough to bring me back when the full game comes out.]]>

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has been causing a little bit of a splash in the gaming community over the past few months, and it's close to the top of my list of games I’m most looking forward to this year. Needless to say I was more than ready when EA released the demo this week. After my time with Kingdoms of Amalur, I must say that I am certainly looking forward to the full game to see how much more this intriguing world has to offer. You're immediately tossed into an opening cutscene explaining something about a war that has been raging for several years, tearing the land and people apart. You see what appears to be the main antagonist, an evil king that uses his dark powers to dominate the races. The first thing you’ll notice is that the graphics aren’t the most realistic looking, but that doesn’t appear to be a problem. They, along with the gameplay, have a Fable feel about them, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was clear that the developers where not going for overly realistic graphics. Instead they focused on graphics and visuals that complement the combat and story, and it works great. After the intriguing cutscene, you're (sort of) introduced to your character. You start off your journey ... dead, covered up under a sheet while two dwarfs wheel you somewhere and chat about how unlucky you are. After some humorously dark dialogue, the character creation begins. The character creation isn’t as deep as games like Skyrim or the Dragon Age series, but you're given all the necessities: Hair style/color, facial hair style/color, tattoos, jewelry, facial shape, etc. Your choices were from one of four classes. They are a little vague as to what the classes specialize in, but they are basically your typical warrior, rogue, mage, and thief classes. Although the class selection seems a bit shallow, you are able to choose a god to follow, which gives you special increases in certain attributes such as magical and elemental attacks, brute strength, extra stealth, and so forth. It may not take you an hour  to create your character, but you are given enough to craft a character that will face enemies just the way you want them to. I initially chose a warrior base with a god that gave me an increase to my physical abilities, but that didn’t anchor me down to a certain play style at all. After I created my character, I was dumped into a cavern filled with rotting corpses. After I awoke, the game begins for real and was in total control of my character. I was weaponless and in rags, though that would soon change. I progressed through the starting area, a large cavern filled with spiders, enemy soldiers, and an interesting troll that didn’t really get along with me. As I battled my way through the dank, dark caves, I found several different kinds of weapons to try out, such as a huge sword, a pair of quick daggers, a bow, and a magical fire-spitting staff. Later on I even unlocked my magic abilities, which increased the variety of combat even more. The combat is without a doubt the selling point for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. You are able to equip any weapon you find as either your primary or secondary weapon. Primary is used with square and secondary is used with triangle. You can switch between the weapons in the middle of combat by using a combination of both buttons. While slaughtering my foes with a giant sword, I switched mid attack to a pair of daggers and swiftly dealt some more damage, or switched enemies completely and dealt with a mob of baddies. It all depended on how I felt. Combine this with the ability to use magical attacks, and I had access to three different attacks that I used interchangeably, allowing for some very unique combos and play styles. As I made my way through the caverns, I came up against mob after mob  and found new ways to deal with each. Throughout the caves I switched back and forth between brute warrior, stealthy rogue, and magical spellcaster, seeing which one tickled my fancy best. Each appealed to me in different ways. As a warrior I could get up close and personal and deal some hard hitting damage. As a rogue I could sneak up on enemies and get treated to a cinematic stealth kill or quickly eviscerate my foes with fast attacks. Finally as a mage, I could deal massive amounts of elemental damage from a distance or up close. Each style feels rewarding and hard hitting, making each blow you give feel real and worth the effort. After I had my taste of each style, I started using magic and physical attacks interchangeably during most situations, making boredom with the combat non-existent. At points you are able to converse with other characters within the world. The dialogue is very much like Bioware’s many titles such as the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series. You get a wheel for advancing dialogue, allowing for different choices. However, with the little bit I had with it, it is difficult to tell if my choices would have far-reaching consequences, although that is definitely what is hinted. Eventually I leveled up. Several options were at my disposal: Might (warrior), Finesse (rogue), and Spells (mage). Again, it may not be as extensive as some games out there, but it allows you to craft the perfect fighter, even allowing for hybrid creations, which was the most rewarding play style for me. My only complaints during the demo are that the audio drops out in certain places -- whether it be music or sound effects -- and the dialogue text speeds up and is unreadable after the first five or so minutes of play. This may be me or it might be the demo. Either way I hope it is fixed by the time Reckoning is released. After I escaped the dark cave and made my way out into the open world, I was informed that I had forty five minutes to explore, accept and accomplish quests, and what not. Though not as massive as the full game will be, I was able to see enough to pique my curiosity about the rest of the world that I didn’t have access to. The demo opens up the world of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning to everyone and gives you just enough to know that you have a unique experience at your finger tips. The combat was rewarding and offered enough variety to keep me entertained despite my short time spent within, and my brief glimpse of the world was fulfilling enough to bring me back when the full game comes out.]]> http://www.psuni.com/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-demo-impressions-13524/feed/ 0 Final Fantasy XIII-2 Demo Impressions http://www.psuni.com/final-fantasy-xiii-2-demo-impressions-13486/ http://www.psuni.com/final-fantasy-xiii-2-demo-impressions-13486/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:03:26 +0000 Malcolm Spinedi http://www.psuni.com/?p=13486

Final Fantasy XIII is the biggest disappointment for me on the PS3. There I said it. I've played every single game in the series since FFVII (with the exception of FFXI) and it’s been a great experience each time, though some experience aren't as great as others. Take Final Fantasy XIII, an entry that in my opinion strayed away from some of the core things that I enjoyed about Final Fantasy. I could go on, but I'll sum up with this: it felt less like a video game, and more like a movie. I did eventually beat it, but it was bittersweet. I traded it to Amazon the next day, and that was that. FFXIII is the first FF game that I ever got rid off, and didn't 100% complete. When I heard about Final Fantasy XIII-2, I'll admit that I rolled my eyes. I thought it was a lost cause and that there was no doubt it was going to be terrible. Of course, I volunteered to cover it. I thought it might be fun to write a ranting review and declare that we have the second terrible Final Fantasy game in a row, to proclaim that the franchise was slowly dying before our very eyes, and that Square Enix was going to die. I would also say that we should expect suicides across the globe to rise, and a lot fewer weird cosplays at conventions. However, Square Enix decided to release this demo. Now I think I may have been a little overzealous in my thinking. [caption id="attachment_13515" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Above: Now THAT is a War Horse!"][/caption] Releasing a demo was a smart move on their part. After FFXIII, I doubt people were really itching to jump back into this world. We begin with our two protagonists Noel and Serah (Lightning’s sister from the first game) exiting a time portal. This leads immediately into boss fight with an arm. Sound boring? Yes, but you'd be wrong. First, the arm in question belongs to Atlas, a monster familiar to all FF fans. Second, the composers deserve a raise because I loved the boss music. In fact, I loved the music in general. Combat is still the same, Paradigm Shifts and all. I'm fine with this, as I think the combat system was one of FFXIII's strengths. Familiar with the system, I switched to one Commando and one Ravager and attacked Atlas to bring him down. Interestingly, it then switches to a cinematic, complete with quick time events for characters to evade attack. It then returned to fighting until it was time for another QTE that guided Noel to an attack that, if successful, staggers Atlas allowing for huge damage bonuses. I changed to double Commando to do enough damage to finish off the monster. When I accomplish this, it triggers a scene where multiple aircraft fighters surround him. After completing the scene, the aircrafts bombard Atlas with laser fire and cripple him. Completing the cinema scenes perfectly gives you a bonus of an extra item. I really enjoyed that fight. While Jurassic Park showed me how QTEs can ruin a game, FFXIII-2 seems to walk the line between gameplay and cinematic, and from what I've seen it does this wonderfully and effectively. Square Enix seems hell-bent on showing us fantastic scenes. While in FFXIII it made it feel more like a movie, the QTEs do a great job of reminding you you're playing a game. The bonus for doing it well is cool, too. [caption id="attachment_13517" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Above: This is Noel, new character to the series. Don't get used to the armor, its replaced later by arm strings."][/caption] After this we get to explore the area surrounding where the battle took place. You read that right, you get roam around, find hidden items, talk to NPCs, gain access to an underground area to explore, and visit a shop. You know, stuff you usually did in Final Fantasy before XIII. This means that real, actual towns might be back! At the very least it’s nice that not every place you go to in this one will be a warzone. So I entered the "Dungeon" portion of this world and this is where I really got happy. I'm a level grinder by nature, and FFXIII was a pain to level in. FFXIII-2 fixes a lot of issues I had. You now get a decent amount of gil after battle, which means that you can shop more often now. Plus you get a bit more experience for leveling, which makes it a little less of a chore. There are a lot of levels to go up, but it’s still nice to have those feelings of accomplishment more often. As for the best part of combat, remember how it was game over if your party leader died? Thank the man upstairs, because Square got the memo that we hated that. Now if your leader dies, the other hero takes over. This made the combat a lot less frustrating and made me enjoy this game so much more. [caption id="attachment_13516" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Serah is actually pretty good in a fight. Where she got all of this extensive combat training in FFXIII, I don't know."][/caption] The big new feature I want to talk about, however, is Monster Catching. In what has to be the most genius move in the franchise's history, you can capture a monster and have them fight for you. Getting a monster is a lot like winning an item. You win enough fights; you'll eventually get one as a spoil of battle. From here, you can insert the monster into your party, even level him up and teach him new abilities. You even then take these abilities and infuse them with another monster (at the cost of his life). Monsters will specialize in a single job class, and you can have up to 3 ready in Paradigms. I really loved this new feature. This demo could have been wrapped up in less than an hour, but it took two and a half because I was too busy leveling and capturing monsters. I honestly can't wait to start collecting monsters in a game that’s not going to forget everything I did once I finish it (sigh). There's one more thing that I wanted to discuss. At one point, my character was given four ways to handle a situation. I only played through this once, so I can't comment for sure, but it appears that FF is pulling a Mass Effect by giving us choices that could effect the world and our playthrough. That would be a huge first in the franchise, but once again this is speculation. Okay Square Enix, you did it. I don't take back anything I ever said about FFXIII -- that game is terrible. However, you made me excited to play a sequel to it! Will it live up to my new expectations or did I have it right the first time? Stay tuned.]]>

Final Fantasy XIII is the biggest disappointment for me on the PS3. There I said it. I've played every single game in the series since FFVII (with the exception of FFXI) and it’s been a great experience each time, though some experience aren't as great as others. Take Final Fantasy XIII, an entry that in my opinion strayed away from some of the core things that I enjoyed about Final Fantasy. I could go on, but I'll sum up with this: it felt less like a video game, and more like a movie. I did eventually beat it, but it was bittersweet. I traded it to Amazon the next day, and that was that. FFXIII is the first FF game that I ever got rid off, and didn't 100% complete. When I heard about Final Fantasy XIII-2, I'll admit that I rolled my eyes. I thought it was a lost cause and that there was no doubt it was going to be terrible. Of course, I volunteered to cover it. I thought it might be fun to write a ranting review and declare that we have the second terrible Final Fantasy game in a row, to proclaim that the franchise was slowly dying before our very eyes, and that Square Enix was going to die. I would also say that we should expect suicides across the globe to rise, and a lot fewer weird cosplays at conventions. However, Square Enix decided to release this demo. Now I think I may have been a little overzealous in my thinking. [caption id="attachment_13515" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Above: Now THAT is a War Horse!"][/caption] Releasing a demo was a smart move on their part. After FFXIII, I doubt people were really itching to jump back into this world. We begin with our two protagonists Noel and Serah (Lightning’s sister from the first game) exiting a time portal. This leads immediately into boss fight with an arm. Sound boring? Yes, but you'd be wrong. First, the arm in question belongs to Atlas, a monster familiar to all FF fans. Second, the composers deserve a raise because I loved the boss music. In fact, I loved the music in general. Combat is still the same, Paradigm Shifts and all. I'm fine with this, as I think the combat system was one of FFXIII's strengths. Familiar with the system, I switched to one Commando and one Ravager and attacked Atlas to bring him down. Interestingly, it then switches to a cinematic, complete with quick time events for characters to evade attack. It then returned to fighting until it was time for another QTE that guided Noel to an attack that, if successful, staggers Atlas allowing for huge damage bonuses. I changed to double Commando to do enough damage to finish off the monster. When I accomplish this, it triggers a scene where multiple aircraft fighters surround him. After completing the scene, the aircrafts bombard Atlas with laser fire and cripple him. Completing the cinema scenes perfectly gives you a bonus of an extra item. I really enjoyed that fight. While Jurassic Park showed me how QTEs can ruin a game, FFXIII-2 seems to walk the line between gameplay and cinematic, and from what I've seen it does this wonderfully and effectively. Square Enix seems hell-bent on showing us fantastic scenes. While in FFXIII it made it feel more like a movie, the QTEs do a great job of reminding you you're playing a game. The bonus for doing it well is cool, too. [caption id="attachment_13517" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Above: This is Noel, new character to the series. Don't get used to the armor, its replaced later by arm strings."][/caption] After this we get to explore the area surrounding where the battle took place. You read that right, you get roam around, find hidden items, talk to NPCs, gain access to an underground area to explore, and visit a shop. You know, stuff you usually did in Final Fantasy before XIII. This means that real, actual towns might be back! At the very least it’s nice that not every place you go to in this one will be a warzone. So I entered the "Dungeon" portion of this world and this is where I really got happy. I'm a level grinder by nature, and FFXIII was a pain to level in. FFXIII-2 fixes a lot of issues I had. You now get a decent amount of gil after battle, which means that you can shop more often now. Plus you get a bit more experience for leveling, which makes it a little less of a chore. There are a lot of levels to go up, but it’s still nice to have those feelings of accomplishment more often. As for the best part of combat, remember how it was game over if your party leader died? Thank the man upstairs, because Square got the memo that we hated that. Now if your leader dies, the other hero takes over. This made the combat a lot less frustrating and made me enjoy this game so much more. [caption id="attachment_13516" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Serah is actually pretty good in a fight. Where she got all of this extensive combat training in FFXIII, I don't know."][/caption] The big new feature I want to talk about, however, is Monster Catching. In what has to be the most genius move in the franchise's history, you can capture a monster and have them fight for you. Getting a monster is a lot like winning an item. You win enough fights; you'll eventually get one as a spoil of battle. From here, you can insert the monster into your party, even level him up and teach him new abilities. You even then take these abilities and infuse them with another monster (at the cost of his life). Monsters will specialize in a single job class, and you can have up to 3 ready in Paradigms. I really loved this new feature. This demo could have been wrapped up in less than an hour, but it took two and a half because I was too busy leveling and capturing monsters. I honestly can't wait to start collecting monsters in a game that’s not going to forget everything I did once I finish it (sigh). There's one more thing that I wanted to discuss. At one point, my character was given four ways to handle a situation. I only played through this once, so I can't comment for sure, but it appears that FF is pulling a Mass Effect by giving us choices that could effect the world and our playthrough. That would be a huge first in the franchise, but once again this is speculation. Okay Square Enix, you did it. I don't take back anything I ever said about FFXIII -- that game is terrible. However, you made me excited to play a sequel to it! Will it live up to my new expectations or did I have it right the first time? Stay tuned.]]> http://www.psuni.com/final-fantasy-xiii-2-demo-impressions-13486/feed/ 0