Just about enough time to type up a few words!
OK, so we've known for a long time that Microsoft have been busy behind the scenes creating their newest piece of hardware. Lets be honest, they've done a terrible job at trying to keep the project under wraps.
On May 21st we shall finally see the unveiling of the new Xbox via a live stream. Microsoft have already raised their hands and said that the announcement in May is purely a taster of whats to come when E3 rolls around in June, but hopefully we'll see enough to wet out appetites.
Will you need to be online at all times? Is it true that it'll have Blu Ray capabilities? Will they step up and bring some new IPs to the table? Is the focus still very much on entertainment 'apps'?
So many questions.
We do know however, that we shall get a glimpse of the new Call of Duty during the conference. Activision have announced Call of Duty Ghosts, and aside from a teaser video little else is know. It is however confirmed thanks to the new official site that we'll learn more during the Xbox showcase.
We've already had a peak at what Sony have planned for the Playstation 4 while Nintendo already have the Wii U on the market. With all this new tech hitting retailers the gaming industry should hopefully have an uplift compared to the decline in sales and new releases. The decline points towards the recent recession and the inevitable end of console cycle lack of new, exciting titles (alright, we've had a few exceptions!).
Another phenomenon that occurs when so many new consoles and games launch are the attack of fanboys.
Ahhh....fanboys.
Yes, they can be aggressive, one sided, hitting forums with jaded views...
Would a new console cycle be as exciting without a horde of game hungry fans wanting to prove to others that their favourite console is better than everyone elses?
No it wouldn't.
While the 'console wars' will never be as 'entertaining' as the glory days with SEGA squaring off with Nintendo (check out this for a direct advertisement aimed at your competitor!) the new Xbox and Playstation will still create a stir between friends.
I've got some articles and projects on-going (mainly related to my actual job, but a few journalism based ones too), which I hope to unleash soon. In the meantime, if anyone has access to a time machine, or even a cloning device, give me a shout yeah?
Monday, 6 May 2013
Thursday, 25 April 2013
New Work
< enter excuse for not posting on here for a while here >
I have got one major update however! I've started writing news articles for Grainger Games, a UK-based videogame retailer. My first article (regarding the Nintendo Direct video posted last week) was posted a few days ago while a second is on its way.
While at the moment they won't be super regular I am hoping to get the opportunity to post more often in the near future. Watch this space!
Due to lots of things I've been unable to kickstart the Blast Process podcast into action. Tom (fellow Blast Processor and regular podcast co-host) has gone and created a new podcast in the meantime alongside his friend Matthew. It's called Tom + Mat Attack and they currently have two episodes online. Follow this link to listen or alternatively search for them on iTunes.
I have got one major update however! I've started writing news articles for Grainger Games, a UK-based videogame retailer. My first article (regarding the Nintendo Direct video posted last week) was posted a few days ago while a second is on its way.
While at the moment they won't be super regular I am hoping to get the opportunity to post more often in the near future. Watch this space!
Due to lots of things I've been unable to kickstart the Blast Process podcast into action. Tom (fellow Blast Processor and regular podcast co-host) has gone and created a new podcast in the meantime alongside his friend Matthew. It's called Tom + Mat Attack and they currently have two episodes online. Follow this link to listen or alternatively search for them on iTunes.
Saturday, 23 March 2013
New Updates
Afternoon!
Just a quick update with a couple of links.
The first one is all about the Wii U. Is it all over for Nintendo's latest home console? While it may look bleak I can assure you the best is yet to come based on previous Nintendo consoles. Don't sell yours just yet!
And finally, I'm a big fan of Bastion so it was much glee that Supergiant Games have announced a brand new title, Transistor. It looks the buisness thus far!
Just a quick update with a couple of links.
The first one is all about the Wii U. Is it all over for Nintendo's latest home console? While it may look bleak I can assure you the best is yet to come based on previous Nintendo consoles. Don't sell yours just yet!
And finally, I'm a big fan of Bastion so it was much glee that Supergiant Games have announced a brand new title, Transistor. It looks the buisness thus far!
Friday, 1 March 2013
A Step Backwards
So by now I'm sure you've all have seen the new about the Playstation 4, with its PC-like gubbins, Dual Shock 4 controller and all its other bits and bobs.
And while for the most part everyone is looking forward to the arrival of a new next generation console Sony do have a slight problem to contend with.
Backwards compatibility.
Sony confirmed during the conference that the Playstation 4 was not 'natively' backwards compatible, meaning it won't play your current games. They did however state that they hope to release every PSOne, PS2 and PS3 games online to be purchased and downloaded digitally. No word on if owning the original counts towards a free download however I'd feel you'd have to be very realistic to think you'll be able to download the digital version for free. PSN titles, such as Journey and The Unfinished Swan will also be unavailable to play on your shiny new console, at least not on day one (again, Sony are looking to bringing these titles over to the 'new PSN').
Do I feel a lack of backwards compatibility is a major issue? No, not really. I want to play brand new games on my new console, and to be honest I'll probably try and hang on to my Playstation 3 anyway. While its nice to have the option to play your favourite titles from the current generation on your new piece of hardware for me I don't feel as its a much needed feature. Also the specifications have changed an awful lot between the Playstation 3 and 4, and although I'm no technical specs expert from what I've heard and read it would have involved more components within the machine to play PS3 games as well as extra bits of software. This would have all been added onto the retail price of the console.
Since the conference I've spoken to various gamers while at work and during an indie game event I got to attend last night. While the 'hardcore' crowd were not genuinely worried about the lack of backwards compatibility a large percent of those I did speak to were very unimpressed.
Again, a few of those unimpressed consumers who were predominantly Playstation 3 gamers admitted that if Microsoft's new console was backwards compatible that they'd choose the new Xbox over the new Playstation. A strong statement considering we know very little about the new Xbox yet. New games are expensive, so I can sort of understand why many would want to fall back on older games while bridging gaps between new releases.
Sony have been here before though, lets not forget while the original 60GB PS3 did play PS2 games that the many models that have come since do not. While a large number of people were unhappy with the features removal it hasn't stopped the PS3 from becoming a moderate success. How many more consoles would they have sold if the feature had stayed? Who knows, but I strongly feel it wouldn't have affected sales that considerably.
The pressure certainly is on for Microsoft. I doubt the Playstation conference would have affected their plans for the new Xbox that much as these things take years to develop, but they'll have trawled through the many comments and reactions based around Sony's offering.
To finish, I wouldn't be too worried about backwards compatibility. It would have been nice yes, but not really required.
Now the supposed blocking on used games, that is something that could spoil the next generation party.
And while for the most part everyone is looking forward to the arrival of a new next generation console Sony do have a slight problem to contend with.
Backwards compatibility.
Sony confirmed during the conference that the Playstation 4 was not 'natively' backwards compatible, meaning it won't play your current games. They did however state that they hope to release every PSOne, PS2 and PS3 games online to be purchased and downloaded digitally. No word on if owning the original counts towards a free download however I'd feel you'd have to be very realistic to think you'll be able to download the digital version for free. PSN titles, such as Journey and The Unfinished Swan will also be unavailable to play on your shiny new console, at least not on day one (again, Sony are looking to bringing these titles over to the 'new PSN').
Do I feel a lack of backwards compatibility is a major issue? No, not really. I want to play brand new games on my new console, and to be honest I'll probably try and hang on to my Playstation 3 anyway. While its nice to have the option to play your favourite titles from the current generation on your new piece of hardware for me I don't feel as its a much needed feature. Also the specifications have changed an awful lot between the Playstation 3 and 4, and although I'm no technical specs expert from what I've heard and read it would have involved more components within the machine to play PS3 games as well as extra bits of software. This would have all been added onto the retail price of the console.
Since the conference I've spoken to various gamers while at work and during an indie game event I got to attend last night. While the 'hardcore' crowd were not genuinely worried about the lack of backwards compatibility a large percent of those I did speak to were very unimpressed.
Again, a few of those unimpressed consumers who were predominantly Playstation 3 gamers admitted that if Microsoft's new console was backwards compatible that they'd choose the new Xbox over the new Playstation. A strong statement considering we know very little about the new Xbox yet. New games are expensive, so I can sort of understand why many would want to fall back on older games while bridging gaps between new releases.
Sony have been here before though, lets not forget while the original 60GB PS3 did play PS2 games that the many models that have come since do not. While a large number of people were unhappy with the features removal it hasn't stopped the PS3 from becoming a moderate success. How many more consoles would they have sold if the feature had stayed? Who knows, but I strongly feel it wouldn't have affected sales that considerably.
The pressure certainly is on for Microsoft. I doubt the Playstation conference would have affected their plans for the new Xbox that much as these things take years to develop, but they'll have trawled through the many comments and reactions based around Sony's offering.
To finish, I wouldn't be too worried about backwards compatibility. It would have been nice yes, but not really required.
Now the supposed blocking on used games, that is something that could spoil the next generation party.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training
Last year was a great year for those who like mysteries and puzzle games, with a brand new Professor Layton title that offered more brain teasers and mini games than ever before among the biggest releases of 2012. For 2013 though, Nintendo is continuing to help sharpen our minds with a new brain training game that promises to help us focus – or at least, asks us if we can.
Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can You Stay Focused? comes to the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL this April 12th having recently been delayed for a month, so what does the game feature and will it turn us from jelly-brained idiots into genius rocket scientist bods in a matter of days? Well, it’s unlikely, but why don’t we take a look at what the good Doctor is prescribing in this latest effort?
So once again, all the brain teasers here have been developed with the cooperation of the now infamous neuroscientist Dr Ryuta Kawashima. But while many of us are by now familiar with the series, this new Devilish Brain Training entry will be the first to be released specifically for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, with the last lot having appeared on the Nintendo DS. As you can tell from the title, the emphasis has been placed on improving the gamers’ concentration and focus, so if you feel like you’re getting a bit hazy in your old age, this could be the game for you.
The idea is that you play through some of the exercises just for a few minutes each day – and over the course of several weeks, you should start to see some personal improvements in how you are able to concentrate and focus your thoughts. This, it is claimed, will allow you to train your working memory in a way that will aid things like information storage and much more. Of course, there are still games out there like New Super Mario Bros. 2 that will offer you pure fun, but why not give Devilish Brain Training – with its 30 exercises and challenges – a spin after each bout of Mario action before you switch of your 3DS? You never know, it could make all the difference.
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